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Tag: Texas Rangers

  • Key details emerge from Mets-Rangers Brandon Nimmo stunner

    The New York Mets and Texas Rangers reportedly pulled off the biggest trade of the offseason so far on Sunday night.

    ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news on Sunday by reporting that the Mets are acquiring three-time All-Star Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo.

    “Breaking: The New York Mets and Texas Rangers are finalizing a trade that would send second baseman Marcus Semien to the Mets and outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, sources tell ESPN,” Passan wrote on X.

    Afterward, key details began to emerge about the trade itself.

    Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mets are sending $5 million to the Rangers to help offset the cost of Nimmo’s remaining contract.

    “Mets are sending ($5 million) to Texas to slightly offset the dollar difference,” Heyman wrote.

    Nimmo had a full no-trade clause and Semien had a partial no-trade clause. USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale reported that the Mets and New York Yankees were not on Semien’s no-trade clause.

    “Brandon Nimmo had a full no-trade clause that he waived,” Nightengale wrote. “Marcus Semien had a limited no-trade clause and the Mets and Yankees were not on it. Semien will get a tax hit and Nimmo will get big tax break with the trade.”

    Andy Martino of SNY reported that improving the team’s overall defense played a role in getting the deal done.

    “The Mets, of course, looking to get better in their defense,” Martino said in a video shared to X by SNY. “This is a move in that direction in that two positions that this trade can impact. Now, Semien is an elite defensive second baseman. Nimmo, not an elite defensive corner outfielder. So, what this does is give the Mets a chance to improve their outfield defense. They could do that in free agency if a Cody Bellinger, say, breaks to them.”

    The Major League Baseball hot stove is officially on.

    More MLB: Mets Predicted To Lose Pete Alonso After 7 Seasons

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  • Rob Thomson Set to Return as Phillies Manager in 2026 – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

    The Phillies announced on Monday that Manager Rob Thomson will be returning for the 2026 season.

    Thomson will be entering the final year of his contract, making 2026 a true make-or-break season for both Thomson and the Phillies.

    Philadelphia Heartbreak

    It’s been five days since the Phillies lost Game 4 of the NLDS in the most heartbreaking fashion you could imagine. The first series in MLB history to end on an error. Of course, it would happen to the Phillies.

    It took me all day Friday to go through the stages of grief following the loss. I was not angry at Kerkering for a miscue throw to—the. In fact, I completely understand the mental state when you first bobble a ball. Even if you knew where you were supposed to go with the ball, the second you bobble it, panic sets in, and that’s exactly what happened. I know Kerkering can be a good reliever, and I hope he bounces back next year with us.

    Different Year, Same Result

    While my sympathy was with Kerkering, my anger was directed towards Rob Thomson, the entire lineup aside from JT Realmuto, Alec Bohm, and Nick Castellanos. The big three of Turner, Schwarber, and Harper went 1-14 in the Game 4 elimination game. The third season in a row, the big guns disappeared when it mattered most. That part of it is on the players, and while Rob Thomson makes the lineup, he can’t control what pitches these guys are swinging at.

    Rob Thomson controls the bullpen and who comes in certain situations. This is part of his job; Rob Thomson has been horrible at it in the postseason. In 2023, he brought Craig Kimbrel in against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which eventually led to the Phillies blowing the lead and the series. Since that series, Rob Thomson has poorly managed the bullpen when it matters the most. It’s led to the Phillies blowing leads in multiple playoff games over the last few years, including in this year’s series. Going to Kerkering with runners on was a terrible idea from the start. 8/13 inherited runners have scored on Kerkering since August. Having him in the game in that moment was a terrible decision by Rob Thomson. Even leading up to that, one might question why we walked Ohtani in the 7th inning to load the bases? Duran would walk in a run, tying the game 1-1 after Mookie Betts worked a walk. Thomson made a few questionable decisions, but it’s not solely on him to blame.

    What Went Wrong?

    Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

    I touched on the lack of production from Turner, Schwarber, and Harper before, but it’s important to know how flat-out bad these three were in this series. Aside from the Game 3 outburst, these three underperformed when the lights were the brightest. While I still want the Phillies to re-sign Kyle Schwarber, you have to wonder if he decreased his price tag following his poor October showing. Harper and Turner need to figure out a way to make their $300 million price tags worth it come October. Harper had an incredible postseason in 2023 and 2024, but his last two postseason showings have been lackluster. You aren’t gonna win many baseball games when the highest-paid players don’t show up.

    Harrison Bader was injured with a groin injury, which also hurt the Phillies in terms of their lineup. Bader was such a spark for this team down the stretch, and his absence should not go unnoticed. I’m hoping the Phillies could bring him back, but the question is for how much and where he would play. If Bader did play his last game in a Phillies uniform, he was an incredible addition to this team, and it’s a shame he got injured when he did.

    I tip my cap to Alec Bohm and JT Realmuto, who had really strong showings at the plate in the division series. I would love to have JT back behind the plate next year, as he is set to hit free agency. If JT walks, I expect the Phillies to possibly pursue a trade with the Baltimore Orioles for catcher Adley Rutschman. Rutschman would be a nice replacement for the Phillies if Realmuto isn’t on the team next year. With that being said, I do hope JT works out a deal and hopefully ends his career as a Phillie.

    Pitching Excellence

    The starting pitching once again showed up when it mattered most, despite not having Zack Wheeler. Christopher Sanchez pitched two great games and further solidified himself as a true ace during this series. Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Ranger Suarez all pitched great throughout the series as well. The starting pitching was dominant all year, and they performed well above expectations in this series.

    Ranger Suarez is the only starting arm that is a free agent this upcoming winter. The big question is, do you pay Ranger Suarez knowing you have a replacement in Andrew Painter coming up? Suarez has been one of the best lefties in the game over the last two years, so although it would hurt to lose him, the Phillies might not be able to afford to keep him. It’s going to be very interesting to see where Suarez lands this upcoming offseason.

    Season Conclusion

    That’s officially a wrap on the Phillies’ 2025 season, as well as my first season covering the team. It was a pleasure to bring you weekly storylines and my thoughts on this ball club throughout the year. The season ended like no one could have expected, with a game-losing error. One of the main things I love about baseball is that you can shake off whatever happened in the game before and get right back at it within a day or two. But in this scenario, having to sit with this feeling all offseason is certainly going to sting.

    While some fans (including myself) are still angry with this team and the result, I can already feel the excitement and optimism of opening day 2026 when the Texas Rangers come to town. Only 163 days until The Bank is packed for Opening Day on March 26, 2026!

    One Last Weekly Prediction: The Seattle Mariners are going to be your 2025 World Series Champions.

    Tags: 2025 MLB Postseason Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Arizona Diamondbacks Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Christopher Sanchez Craig Kimbrel Dodgers Harrison Bader Jesus Luzardo Jhoan Duran JT Realmuto Kyle Schwarber Los Angeles Dodgers MLB MLB playoffs MLB Postseason NLDS Orion Kerkering Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Playoffs Postseason Ranger Suarez rangers Rob Thomson Texas Rangers Trea Turner

    Categorized: Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Bruce Bochy’s exit from the Texas Rangers is an ominous storm front

    Bruce Bochy and the Texas Rangers announced on Monday evening what has been expected for the past several months when the two parties said they like each other, but not enough to stay together.

    Not quite Keith Urban/Nicole Kidman-level split, but a split nonetheless.

    While announcing that Bochy’s run as the team’s manager is over, they announced that they have offered the 70-year-old future Hall of Famer a spot with their club as an advisor. Don’t expect him to take it.

    He sounds like a man who wants to remain on the bench, and there are openings already with other big league clubs. However this tenure ended, Bochy did what he was hired to do by leading the club to its first ever World Series. The Rangers don’t win that title without Bochy.

    On a conference call with the local media on Monday night, Rangers GM Chris Young said, “Boch’ will forever be a legend in Texas Rangers history.”

    Forget Texas Rangers history. Bruce Bochy led the Rangers to a World Series title. That makes him an American legend, a baseball hero.

    One of the primary reasons why Bochy came out of retirement to manage the Rangers was the recruiting pitch delivered by Young. At the time of the sales pitch, Young could tell Bochy that the club was serious about winning, and the ownership was prepared to spend the money to do it.

    “Moneyball” can make a team competitive, but Bochy has been around long enough to know that money wins championships.

    The Rangers had signed pitcher Jacob deGrom, and infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien in free agency to monster contracts, among other additions.

    Now, CY can make no such promises. After finishing the season 81-81 despite the seventh highest payroll in Major League Baseball, Young has been told by his bosses things have to change. The first item of business is to reduce the team’s payroll; this ownership group is tired of spending money.

    A man of Bochy’s age is not going to stick around for another season on a team that isn’t good enough to compete for a championship. Bochy knows what is coming, so rather than deal with it he’s done. Expect pitching coach Mike Maddux to leave as well.

    “We probably are going to be a little bit of a younger team next year,” Young said Monday night. “There is no doubt about it. There is going to be player development at the big league level.”

    That does not mean a total rebuild. It does mean expensive players will be replaced by the younger ones. Cheaper ones. If the team trades Seager, deGrom and Semien, or any combination thereof, it’s a rebuild.

    Last week, Young said again that he does not think the Rangers need to tear it all down. He is a firm believer that the size of the DFW market should allow the Rangers to remain competitive every season without deliberate implosions.

    Young called it “financial uncertainty.”

    “Financial uncertainty” is man speak for “We ain’t spendin’ it.”

    Young’s first item of business will be to find a new manager, and his top candidate may already be on his staff. Senior advisor Skip Schumaker, who joined the club in November 2024, was the 2023 National League Manager of the Year with the Miami Marlins.

    Anyone who manages the Marlins is familiar with playing young, cheaper players.

    Don’t expect the Rangers to become the Texas Marlins, but their days of trying to spend with the Phillies, Cubs and Mets is on a break.

    Bruce Bochy’s tenure with the Rangers didn’t end the way either party wanted, but it did include the World Series that this team had never previously won. His reign as the team’s manager was a success, even if it was brief.

    This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 10:20 PM.

    Mac Engel

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Mac Engel is an award-winning columnist who has covered sports since the dawn of man; Cowboys, TCU, Stars, Rangers, Mavericks, etc. Olympics. Movies. Concerts. Books. He combines dry wit with 1st-person reporting to complement an annoying personality.
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    Mac Engel

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  • Bruce Bochy will not return as Rangers manager in 2026, organization says




































    Texas Rangers and manager Bruce Bochy agree to part ways



    Texas Rangers and manager Bruce Bochy agree to part ways

    00:36

    Bruce Bochy will not return as the Texas Rangers manager next season, the organization announced Monday night.

    The Rangers said in a news release that Bochy and the organization mutually agreed to conclude his time as the team’s skipper. Bochy, who turned 70 this season, has been offered a role in the front office and is expected to remain with the club in an advisory capacity.  

    “Bruce Bochy is one of the greatest managers in baseball history and he will forever hold a place in the hearts of Rangers fans after bringing home the first World Series title in franchise history in 2023,” Rangers President of Baseball Operations Chris Young said in a statement. “Boch brought class and respect to our club in his return to the dugout and we will always take pride in being part of his Hall of Fame career. We are grateful for everything he has given to the organization over the past few seasons and hopeful he can continue to impact the Rangers for many years to come.”

    Bochy’s three-year span with the Rangers began with the franchise’s only World Series title. His 249 wins with the Rangers rank sixth in club history. 

    Bochy has a career record of 2,251-2,264 over his 28 seasons, with those wins ranking sixth among all managers — the five ahead of him are all in the Hall of Fame. No managers in the past 60 years have more than Bochy’s four World Series titles, and the only ones all-time with more are Joe McCarthy, Casey Stengel and Connie Mack.

    S.E. Jenkins

    S.E. Jenkins is a digital content producer for CBS Texas. She has also been a Digital Content Producer in Tallahassee and Myrtle Beach. S.E. graduated with journalism degrees from Texas State University, Aarhus Universitet and City, University of London.

    S.E. Jenkins

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  • Byron Buxton belts 2 homers, Ober shines in shutout as Twins blank Rangers 4-0

    Byron Buxton hit two home runs, including a second-straight leadoff homer, Bailey Ober threw six innings with five strikeouts and two hits, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 4-0 on Thursday.

    The Twins (69-90) outhit the Rangers (80-79) 10-3, with Buxton, Trevor Larnach, Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien and Christian Vázquez each recording two hits.

    Ober (6-9) tied a season-low in hits allowed and did not allow a run for the first time this year. His last scoreless outing was Sept. 7, 2024, against Kansas City.

    Holding onto a one-run lead in the fifth inning with one on and no outs, the Twins converted on a strikeout double play as Kyle Higashioka went down swinging and Alejandro Osuna was caught stealing second.

    Kody Funderburk threw a hitless seventh with two strikeouts, and Cole Sands struck out one in the ninth.

    Tyler Mahle (6-4) threw five innings with five hits, one run, and four strikeouts.

    After Julien and Vázquez each reached on singles in the eighth inning, Buxton swung at the first pitch from Chris Martin and launched his second homer to center field. This one traveled 437 feet, and would be a home run in all 30 Major League ballparks.

    Buxton’s 10th leadoff home run of the season followed his leadoff homer in a 4-2 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday. It’s the second time Buxton has had back-to-back games with a leadoff homer this season, also doing it June 18-19 at Cincinnati. Buxton reached 533 plate appearances, earning a $500,000 bonus.

    Texas: The Rangers visit the Cleveland Guardians, who are one game ahead of Detroit for first in the AL Central. Texas RHP Jack Leiter (9-10, 3.92) faces Cleveland RHP Slade Cecconi (7-6, 4.15).

    Minnesota: The Twins head to Philadelphia to face the NL East champion Phillies. Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (13-9, 3.47) starts opposite Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (4-10, 6.46).

    CBS Minnesota

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  • Strong finale from deGrom helps Rangers top Twins 4-2, stop 8-game skid




































    CBS News Live



    CBS News Texas

    Live

    Josh Smith homered, Billy McKinney drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Wednesday night to end a season-worst eight-game losing streak.

    Ezequiel Duran had a one-out single off Travis Adams (1-4) in the seventh before stealing his 11th base. McKinney hit an RBI single to left field and went to second on the throw home. Jonah Heim singled to put runners at the corners and McKinney scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead. Génesis Cabrera replaced Adams and threw a wild pitch that made it 4-1.

    Byron Buxton hit his career-high 32nd home run on the second pitch from Jacob deGrom — a 447-foot shot to center field for a 1-0 Twins lead. It was the 18th time in his career that Buxton led off a game with a homer.

    DeGrom allowed a single and a walk from there, striking out nine in five innings. He left his 30th start of the season after five innings and 74 pitches, finishing with a 12-8 record and a 2.97 ERA.

    Robert Garcia (4-7) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Shawn Armstrong allowed Royce Lewis’ RBI single in the eighth before Phil Maton pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save.

    Smith hit his 10th home run — a leadoff shot against Taj Bradley in the fourth to tie it 1-all.

    Bradley struck out nine and allowed one run on two hits and two walks in six innings.

    Kody Clemens drew a leadoff walk in the fourth, stole his fifth base and moved to third on a wild pitch, but deGrom struck out Trevor Larnach and Ryan Jeffers before retiring Brooks Lee on a flyout to keep it 1-0.

    The last time deGrom, 37, made 30 starts in a season was in 2019 with the Mets.

    Twins RHP Bailey Ober (5-9, 5.32 ERA) starts Thursday’s rubber game opposite Rangers RHP Tyler Mahle (6-3, 2.20).

    CBS Minnesota

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  • The Most Important Week of the Year is Upon the Astros: Four Thoughts

    The now second place Astros face the most pivotal week of the entire 2025 season this week with series against the Rangers and Mariners, both in Houston. Despite taking two of three in Atlanta, the Astros were overtaken by the Mariners, led by catcher Cal Raleigh, for first place in the AL West. The Rangers are just one game back.

    This week could be the difference between the Astros winning the division or missing the playoffs entirely. Despite a162-game schedule, we are down to the final two weeks of the season to decide who will make the playoffs.

    The offense must produce.

    The Astros remain one of the worst offensive teams in the hunt for the playoffs. They are 23rd in runs scored, 17th in home runs, 22nd in OPS, and 19th in runners left in scoring position per game. It’s not good. Neither Seattle nor Texas are offensive juggernauts, but when the Astros score four or more runs, they are nearly unbeatable. Unfortunately, they don’t do that very often. If they want to win these two series and put themselves in the driver’s seat for the playoffs, they have to score.

    Will starting pitching hold it down?

    Framber Valdez had another rough outing on Sunday and the Astros remain a team absolutely worked over by injuries to their rotation. Yet, they have found a way through Cy Young hopeful Hunter Brown and A’s castoff Jason Alexander among others to keep their starting pitching not just surviving but succeeding against all odds. All three of these teams have gotten effective pitching from their starters but because of the injuries, it is more important to the Astros than anyone. It would help if Valdez managed to pull it together.

    Is Isaac Paredes going to return?

    When the Astros third baseman went down with a hamstring injury, it was assumed he would not be available until 2026. Miraculously, he might return this week. His patience at the plate and solid hitting skills should help bolster a struggling lineup. Where he fits in defensively is another question. Carlos Correa is clearly the better defender at third and, even with his offensive struggles, Christian Walker won’t be dislodged at first. Most likely, Paredes will play some designated hitter and ease his way back into the lineup. Let’s hope it helps.

    Pushing through the injuries.

    It’s been one of the most difficult years for the Astros when it comes to the training room. From Yordan Alvarez and Paredes to Spencer Arrighetti and Ronel Blanco, this has been a nightmare year for the Astros training staff. There will legitimately need to be a discussion about what happened, particularly with all the arm injuries to pitchers in the offseason. For now, the Astros hope to limp their way to the finish line.

    Jeff Balke

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  • Top 45 MLB free agents for 2024-25 with contract predictions, team fits: Will Soto get $600M+?

    Top 45 MLB free agents for 2024-25 with contract predictions, team fits: Will Soto get $600M+?

    MLB free agency is almost here so it’s time for my annual ranking of the top free agents with contract predictions and the best team fits for each player. Eligible players technically become free agents the day after the World Series ends but cannot sign with a new team until five days after the final out.

    This year’s free-agent class will be headlined by Juan Soto, whom many in the industry expect to sign a contract in the $550 million to $650 million range. The top of the pool could feature four front-of-the-rotation pitchers, including Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried and perhaps even Roki Sasaki, if the soon-to-be 23-year-old phenom makes it to free agency. In terms of position players, this class will have a pair of prominent power hitters in first baseman Pete Alonso and right fielder Anthony Santander and a couple of impact two-way corner infielders in first baseman Christian Walker and third baseman Alex Bregman.

    This list will change between now and the start of free agency. Some of these players will come off the board if they decide not to opt out of their contracts or their clubs exercise options. Some could decide to retire. In addition, more international players could join the eventual class. (For this ranking, I’ve included any player who could reach free agency this November, even if in some cases that outcome is unlikely.)

    Along with my colleagues at The Athletic, I will be actively covering free agency and the trade season from start to finish, so let’s discuss the current landscape. Here is my ranking of the top 45 free agents for the 2024-25 offseason, with my thoughts on the players as well as information from my conversations with decision-makers across the game. What types of contracts could these players command? These are my initial projections.

    (Note: Players’ ages are as of Oct. 24. WAR is according to Baseball Reference as of Oct. 24.) 

    1. Juan Soto, OF

    Age: 25
    B: L T: L HT: 6-2 WT: 225
    2024 (Yankees): 7.9 WAR
    Career: 36.4 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $31 million

    Has Juan Soto found his permanent home with the Yankees? Can they keep him after a strong platform year? He certainly lived up to expectations in his first year in the Bronx, slashing .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs and a league-leading 128 runs scored. He’s expected to finish third in the American League MVP voting behind Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr. He’s met the big moments in this postseason and has logged a 1.106 OPS.

    By all indications, he’s poised to become the second-highest-paid player in baseball history, behind only Shohei Ohtani. He’s a generational talent who will hit free agency at only 26 and should be able to land a 15-year deal. Most executives believe he’ll end up somewhere between $550 million and $650 million, which will probably limit his market to both New York teams and possibly the Blue Jays. Other teams such as the Dodgers, Phillies, Rangers and Nationals also could emerge for Soto.

    Best team fits: Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays
    Salary comps: Ohtani (10 years, $700M); Mike Trout (12 years, $426M); Mookie Betts (12 years, $365M); Judge (9 years, $360M)

    Contract prediction: 15 years, $622 million

    2. Corbin Burnes, RHP

    Age: 29
    HT: 6-3 WT: 245
    2024 (Orioles): 3.4 WAR
    Career: 17.2 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $15.64 million

    This will be the fifth consecutive year that Corbin Burnes finishes in the top eight in Cy Young Award voting. Burnes went 15-9 with 181 strikeouts and 1.096 WHIP in his first season in the American League after the Orioles traded for him in February. He’s pitched more than 190 innings three years in a row and is 60-36 with a 3.19 ERA over 199 games (138 starts) in his career. He will be — and should be — the most sought-after free-agent pitcher this offseason.

    Best team fits: Mets, Dodgers, Red Sox, Orioles
    Salary comps: Stephen Strasburg (7 years, $245M); Jacob deGrom (5 years, $185M); Aaron Nola (7 years, $172M)

    Contract prediction: 7 years, $247 million

    3. Roki Sasaki, RHP

    Age: 22
    HT: 6-2 WT: 187

    It is unclear if Roki Sasaki’s team in Japan, the Chiba Lotte Marines, will allow him to leave for MLB this offseason, but with the Marines out of the NPB playoffs, we should know soon. If he is coming, he will be the most coveted international free agent as the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Red Sox and Diamondbacks all committed significant resources to scout him this month, including sending top executives to see him pitch.

    How much teams would be willing to offer Sasaki could depend on his medical reports as he didn’t pitch for two months in the middle of the year because of arm troubles, which limited him to 18 games and 111 innings. (He pitched just 91 innings in 2023 due to an oblique injury and has topped the 100-inning mark only once in his career.)

    However, he dominated down the stretch this season, averaging 100.5 mph with his fastball and reaching 103 mph. Since Sasaki is under 25, he would be subject to international bonus pool restrictions; if he’s posted after this season, he’d only be allowed to sign a minor-league contract, which is what Ohtani did with the Angels in 2017.

    Best team fits: Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Diamondbacks, Red Sox
    Salary comps: None

    Contract prediction: Minor-league contract

    4. Gerrit Cole, RHP

    Age: 34
    HT: 6-4 WT: 220
    2024 (Yankees): 2.0 WAR
    Career: 43.3 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $36 million

    Gerrit Cole will not be a free agent this offseason, but I’ve included him in this list because he has the right to opt out of his contract and could theoretically reach the open market. That won’t happen though, as he’s in line to make $36 million a year with the Yankees through 2028, which he could not match in free agency.

    Cole spent 2 1/2 months on the injured list and is not fully back to his usual level of performance but seems to be getting better the more he pitches. His four-seam fastball was at 97 mph in the seventh inning of the Yankees’ clinching win over Kansas City in the Division Series, with elite spin at the top of the zone. Cole will start Game 1 of the World Series, and although I don’t expect him to dominate, he should pitch well enough to give the Yankees a chance to win.

    Prediction: Cole won’t opt out of his contract


    Max Fried acknowledges the fans at Truist Park. Will he be back with the Braves? (Brett Davis / Imagn Images)

    5. Max Fried, LHP

    Age: 30
    HT: 6-4 WT: 190
    2024 (Braves): 3.5 WAR
    Career: 24.1 WAR
    Agent: CAA Sports 2024 salary: $15 million

    Max Fried has a career record of 73-36 with a 3.07 ERA and 3.29 FIP. He’s made two All-Star teams, won two Gold Glove awards and finished top-five in the Cy Young Award voting twice. He’s made 28 to 30 starts in three of the last four seasons but has dealt with injuries, including left forearm neuritis each of the last two years. Therefore, his medical reports will determine whether he lands a market-rate deal or has to take a lesser contract. The Braves have tried over the last several years to extend Fried to no avail. They’ll keep trying this offseason and wait to see how he fares in the market, but they definitely want him back.

    Best team fits: Braves, Orioles, Mets, Red Sox
    Salary comps: Aaron Nola (7 years, $172M); Carlos Rodón (6 years, $162M); Patrick Corbin (6 years, $140M); Tyler Glasnow (5 years, $136.5M)

    Contract prediction: 6 years, $174 million

    6. Pete Alonso, 1B

    Age: 29
    B: R T: R HT: 6-3 WT: 245
    2024 (Mets): 2.6 WAR
    Career: 19.8 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $20.5 million

    Pete Alonso’s value spiked after he performed this postseason in the biggest moments, including hitting three opposite-field home runs during the Mets’ magical run. He’s beloved in New York and the feeling is mutual. I think a return to the Mets is inevitable, but several contending teams would love to have his 40-homer bat in the middle of their lineups.

    Best team fits: Mets, Mariners, Yankees, Nationals
    Salary comps: Matt Olson (8 years, $168M); Nolan Arenado (8 years, $260M); Kris Bryant (7 years, $182M)

    Contract prediction: 7 years, $204 million

    7. Alex Bregman, 3B

    Age: 30
    B: R T: R HT: 6-0 WT: 190
    2024 (Astros) 4.1 WAR
    Career: 39.6 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $20 million

    Alex Bregman would love to finish his career as an Astro, but will the organization do enough to keep him? Houston has a history in free agency of saying goodbye to its star players, such as Carlos Correa and George Springer, who both departed when the Astros weren’t willing to commit to the long-term contracts they could land elsewhere.

    Bregman is a proven leader with elite skills in not chasing out of the strike zone. He has all the intangibles that winning organizations want. His market range is well-defined — somewhere between what the Giants gave Matt Chapman last month and Nolan Arenado’s contract with the Rockies/Cardinals. Astros general manager Dana Brown has said the team will make Bregman an offer, but will it be close to how the rest of the industry views him?

    Best team fits: Astros, Yankees, Nationals, Mariners, Tigers
    Salary comps: Matt Chapman (6 years, $151M); Nolan Arenado (8 years, $260M); Xander Bogaerts (11 years, $280M)

    Contract prediction: 7 years, $185.5 million

    8. Blake Snell, LHP

    Age: 31
    HT: 6-4 WT: 225
    2024 (Giants): 2.1 WAR
    Career: 23.4 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $32 million

    Snell was looking for a long-term contract last offseason, but most executives were concerned about his track record, which includes making 30 or more starts only twice in a nine-year career and never pitching more than 180 2/3 innings in a season. However, in the two years he did make 30 starts (2018, 2023), he won a Cy Young Award both times.

    This year he dealt with injuries early but performed well after returning in July; he finished with a 3.12 ERA and 2.43 FIP over 20 starts. Snell will pitch at age 32 next year and I think his lack of durability — he’s pitched more than 130 innings in a season only once since 2018 — will again prevent him from getting a long-term contract. However, after opting out of his $30 million player option, he’ll be able to sign a better deal.

    Best team fits: Yankees, Orioles, Mets, Braves, Giants
    Salary comps: Aaron Nola (7 years, $172M); Carlos Rodón (6 years, $162M); Patrick Corbin (6 years, $140M); Tyler Glasnow (5 years, $136.5M); José Berríos (7 years, $131M); Sonny Gray (3 years, $75M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $105 million

    9. Freddy Peralta, RHP

    Age: 28
    HT: 6-0 WT: 202
    2024 (Brewers): 2.6 WAR
    Career: 8.9 WAR
    Agent: Rep 1 Baseball 2024 salary: $5.7 million

    Freddy Peralta will not make it to free agency but I’ll include him in this list until the Brewers exercise their $8 million team option for 2025. Peralta pitched to a 3.68 ERA over 32 starts this season, with 200 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings. Milwaukee also holds an $8 million team option for 2026.

    Prediction: Brewers will exercise $8 million team option for 2025


    Anthony Santander hit 44 homers, finishing behind only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani on the major-league leaderboard. (Tommy Gilligan / Imagn Images)

    10. Anthony Santander, RF

    Age: 30
    B: B T: R HT: 6-2 WT: 230
    2024 (Orioles): 2.9 WAR
    Career: 11.1 WAR
    Agent: GSE Worldwide 2024 salary: $11.7 million

    A lot of teams are looking for corner outfielders with power and there won’t be a lot of those players available via free agency or trades. This season Santander had 44 home runs, 102 RBIs and 91 runs scored, all of which were career highs. He’s hit 105 homers over the past three seasons and is still only 30.

    Best team fits: Orioles, Nationals, Reds, Blue Jays, Mariners
    Salary comps: Brandon Nimmo (8 years, $162M); George Springer (6 years, $150M)

    Contract prediction: 7 years, $150.5 million

    11. Willy Adames, SS

    Age: 29
    B: R T: R HT: 6-1 WT: 219
    2024 (Brewers): 3.1 WAR
    Career: 21.5
    Agent: CAA Sports 2024 salary: $12.25 million

    I expected Willy Adames to be traded to the Dodgers after Corey Seager departed as a free agent in 2021, but it never happened because the Brewers remained a contender and never made him available. With Adames now reaching free agency, the Dodgers should be viewed as heavy favorites to land him. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman had Adames in his organization for a couple of years when he was GM of the Rays and has always been a big fan of the player. Adames is a perfect fit for the left side of the Dodgers’ infield.

    Best team fits: Dodgers, Brewers, Braves
    Salary comps: Dansby Swanson (7 years, $177M); Javier Báez (6 years, $140M); Trevor Story (6 years, $140M)

    Contract prediction: 6 years, $150 million

    12. Marcell Ozuna, DH

    Age: 33
    B: R T: R HT: 6-1 WT: 225
    2024 (Braves): 4.3 WAR
    Career: 27.7 WAR
    Agent: CAA Sports 2024 salary: $18 million

    Marcell Ozuna was the Braves’ best offensive player this season, slashing .302/.378/.546 with 31 doubles and 39 home runs, and was the league’s second-best designated hitter behind Ohtani. The Braves hold a club option for $16 million for 2025 and they’re expected to exercise it, which will remove Ozuna from my next ranking.

    Prediction: Braves will exercise $16 million club option for 2025

    13. Christian Walker, 1B

    Age: 33
    B: R T: R HT: 6-0 WT: 208
    2024 (Diamondbacks): 2.6
    Career: 15.1 WAR
    Agent: CAA Sports 2024 salary: $10.9 million

    Christian Walker is one of the best first basemen in the sport. Despite his years of production, he’s never made an All-Star team; I thought he was the biggest All-Star snub this summer. The two-time Gold Glove Award winner is in line to win his third after leading NL first basemen in outs above average.

    Despite missing more than a month with an oblique injury, he finished the season with 26 home runs and 84 RBIs in 130 games. It was the third year in a row he’s hit at least 25 bombs and posted an OPS+ over 120. Several teams have early interest in Walker, with the Astros and Mariners being the best early team fits.

    Best team fits: Astros, Mariners, Diamondbacks, Yankees, Mets
    Salary comps: Paul Goldschmidt (5 years, $130M); Anthony Rizzo (2 years, $40M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $72 million

    14. Cody Bellinger, CF

    Age: 29
    B: L T: L HT: 6-4 WT: 203
    2024 (Cubs): 2.2 WAR
    Career: 24.5 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $30 million

    Cody Bellinger didn’t get the long-term deal he sought last offseason and again will probably have to take a shorter-term deal with a higher average annual value if he opts out of his three-year deal. The reason: He’s hit 20 or more home runs only once in five years and his production varies dramatically from year to year.

    Bellinger has won an MVP, a Rookie of the Year, two Silver Slugger awards, a Gold Glove Award and has been an All-Star twice in his eight-year career. However, his slash line over the past three seasons has been a roller coaster ride, which makes it difficult for teams to assess which version they would be getting in the coming years. Bellinger’s ability to play above-average defense at all three outfield positions and first base improves his market value.

    Best team fits: Cubs, Mariners, Giants, Blue Jays, Angels, Astros, Pirates, Phillies, Nationals
    Salary comps: Brandon Nimmo (8 years, $162M); George Springer (5 years, $150M); Paul Goldschmidt (5 years, $130M); Nick Castellanos (5 years, $100M); Kyle Schwarber (4 years, $79M)

    Contract prediction: 4 years, $112 million

    15. Shane Bieber, RHP

    Age: 29
    HT: 6-3 WT: 200
    2024 (Guardians): 0.7 WAR
    Career: 17.7 WAR
    Agent: Rosenhaus Sports Representation 2024 salary: $13.13 million

    Shane Bieber will likely be my pick for best value signing this offseason because of his upside. The AL Cy Young Award winner in 2020, he finished fourth in the voting in 2019 and seventh in 2022. He’s a two-time All-Star and a former Gold Glove winner.

    He made only two starts this year before undergoing Tommy John surgery, which will put him out of service until at least next summer. However, if he comes back healthy, whoever signs him might have a Cy Young-caliber pitcher for the second half of the season.

    Best team fits: Dodgers, Rangers, Guardians, Padres
    Salary comps: N/A. I don’t see a good comp for Bieber in his specific situation.

    Contract prediction: Low base salary with incentives for games started and innings pitched, plus option years


    Sean Manaea boosted his value with a career year. (Brad Penner / Imagn Images)

    16. Sean Manaea, LHP

    Age: 32
    HT: 6-5 WT: 245
    2024 (Mets): 3.0 WAR
    Career: 15.1 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $14.5 million

    I don’t think there’s another player who increased his free-agent value more this year than Sean Manaea, who did so thanks to significant mechanical changes that led to a crossfire-type delivery. Manaea went 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 181 2/3 innings. He had a .185 batting average against and 0.938 WHIP in the second half of the season, then largely pitched well in three of his four postseason outings, including a dominant NLDS start against the Phillies in which he allowed one run and three hits in seven innings. He has a $13.5 million player option for 2025 that he will decline.

    Best team fits: Mets, Orioles, Twins
    Salary comps: Hyun Jin Ryu (4 years, $80M); Eduardo Rodriguez (4 years, $80M); Sonny Gray (3 years, $75M); Chris Bassitt (3 years, $63M); Miles Mikolas (3 years, $55.75M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $68 million

    17. Jack Flaherty, RHP

    Age: 29
    HT: 6-4 WT: 225
    2024 (Tigers, Dodgers): 3.1 WAR
    Career: 13.2 WAR
    Agent: CAA Sports 2024 salary: $14 million

    Jack Flaherty was the best starting pitcher traded at the deadline after logging a 2.95 ERA with 133 strikeouts and 19 walks in 18 starts for the Tigers, who dealt him because he was an impending free agent and they didn’t think they were a contender. (What a run they had!)

    The Tigers had a preliminary trade agreement in place with the Yankees, but New York backed out of the deal over concerns about his medical records. Flaherty was then traded to the Dodgers, who had no problem with the medical risk. He delivered for the Dodgers and was their best starter for the rest of the regular season, going 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 10 starts.

    He showed his ability to miss bats this season with 194 strikeouts (in 162 innings), his highest total since 2019, when he finished fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. He’s only 29. If teams aren’t concerned about the medical risk associated with his back issues, he should land a three-year pact.

    Best team fits: Dodgers, Mets, Twins, Tigers
    Salary comps: Lance McCullers Jr. (5 years, $85M); Mitch Keller (5 years, $77M); Sonny Gray (3 years, $75M); Pablo López (4 years, $73.5M); Kyle Hendricks (4 years, $55.5M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $68 million

    18. Tomoyuki Sugano, RHP

    Age: 35
    HT: 6-1 WT: 198

    Tomoyuki Sugano has gone 136-75 with a 2.45 ERA and 1,596 strikeouts in 12 NPB seasons with the Yomiuri Giants. This year he logged a 1.67 ERA and 0.945 WHIP in 24 starts. He is a two-time winner of the Sawamura Award, which in Japan is equivalent to the Cy Young Award. Sugano has a six-pitch mix and he pounds the strike zone with elite command and control.

    Best team fits: Padres, Rangers, Dodgers, Orioles, Guardians, Mets
    Salary comps: N/A

    Contract prediction: None at this time

    19. Michael Wacha, RHP

    Age: 33
    HT: 6-6 WT: 215
    2024 (Royals): 3.5 WAR
    Career: 16.6 WAR
    Agent: CAA Sports 2024 salary: $16 million

    Michael Wacha has been superb and consistent over the past three years, posting ERAs between 3.22 and 3.35 with double-digit wins each season, all while pitching on short-term contracts. His downward plane and changeup (.169 batting average against) are special. He ranked in the 99th percentile in offspeed run value and in the 92nd percentile in hard-hit rate. Wacha has a $16 million player option for 2025 that I expect he’ll decline so he can enter free agency and land a multiyear contract.

    Best team fits: Royals, Pirates, Orioles, Twins, Tigers
    Salary comps: Jameson Taillon (4 years, $68M); Miles Mikolas (3 years, $55.75M); Jon Gray (4 years, $56M); Chris Bassitt (3 years, $63M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $54 million

    20. Nathan Eovaldi, RHP

    Age: 34
    HT: 6-2 WT: 217
    2024 (Rangers): 2.2 WAR
    Career: 21.0 WAR
    Agent: ACES 2024 salary: $16 million ($20 million player option for 2025)

    Nathan Eovaldi had a 3.80 ERA over 29 starts and recorded 12 wins for the second consecutive season with the Rangers. He is expected to opt out of his contract, which was set to pay him $20 million in 2025, and instead will receive a $2 million buyout. I think he’ll get a two-year contract in free agency. Every contending team should be interested in him.

    Best team fits: Rangers, Red Sox, Orioles, Padres
    Salary comps: Sonny Gray (3 years, $75M); Blake Snell (2 years, $62M); Seth Lugo (3 years, $45M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $42 million with a team option


    Teoscar Hernández posted a 137 OPS+, his highest mark in a full season. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images)

    21. Teoscar Hernández, LF

    Age: 32
    B: R T: R HT: 6-2 WT: 215
    2024 (Dodgers): 4.3 WAR
    Career: 17.1 WAR
    Agent: Republik Sports 2024 salary: $23.5 million

    Teoscar Hernández made a smart move last offseason in signing with the Dodgers. He accepted a one-year deal with a high AAV and got to join a loaded lineup filled with future Hall of Famers. Hernández then did what he does best — hit home runs, a career-high 33 of them, to go with 99 RBIs. He’s a below-average defender in left field but a strong clubhouse presence with his energy and enthusiasm.

    Best team fit: Dodgers, Nationals, Tigers, Royals
    Salary comps: George Springer (6 years, $150M); Nick Castellanos (5 years, $100M); Starling Marte (4 years, $78M); Jorge Soler (3 years, $42M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $75 million

    22. Walker Buehler, RHP

    Age: 30
    HT: 6-2 WT: 185
    2024 (Dodgers): -1.3 WAR
    Career: 12.2 WAR
    Agent: Excel Sports Management 2024 salary: $8.025 million

    The way Walker Buehler pitched for much of the regular season (1-6, 5.38 ERA), it didn’t appear he would regain his past form after returning from a second Tommy John surgery. But he made a big impression in Game 3 of the NLCS, when he dominated the Mets over four shutout innings. Buehler will probably have to sign a one-year contract with a mutual option, then show he can pitch a full season healthy and rebuild his value.

    Best team fit: Dodgers
    Salary comps: None

    Contract prediction: 1 year, $10 million with incentives

    23. Tanner Scott, LHP

    Age: 30
    HT: 6-0 WT: 235
    2024 (Marlins, Padres): 3.9 WAR
    Career: 8.6 WAR
    Agent: MVP Sports Group 2024 salary: $5.7 million

    Tanner Scott will be the best left-handed high-leverage reliever on the free-agent market. He can be deployed at any time and in any role — closer, set up, match up — to get left- or right-handed hitters out. He had a banner year, registering a 1.75 ERA in 72 appearances with 22 saves. Batters hit .134 against his four-seam fastball and .231 against his wipeout slider.

    Best team fits: Padres, Orioles, Rangers, Tigers, Royals, Nationals, Giants
    Salary comps: Raisel Iglesias (4 years, $58M); Robert Suarez (5 years, $46M)

    Contract prediction: 4 years, $60 million

    24. Jurickson Profar, LF

    Age: 31
    B: B T: R HT: 6-0 WT: 184
    2024 (Padres): 3.7 WAR
    Career: 8.5 WAR
    Agent: MVP Sports Group 2024 salary: $1 million

    Jurickson Profar was one of the best value signings of the 2023-24 offseason. He inked a one-year contract with the Padres for a base salary of $1 million, then had a career year, finishing second in the NL with a .380 on-base percentage. He hit .280 with 24 home runs, 29 doubles and 10 stolen bases. He also made his first All-Star team. A multiyear deal awaits.

    Best team fits: Padres, Twins
    Salary comps: Mitch Haniger (3 years, $43.5M); Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (3 years, $42M); Michael Conforto (2 years, $36M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $44 million

    25. Eugenio Suárez, 3B

    Age: 33
    B: R T: R HT: 5-11 WT: 213
    2024 (Diamondbacks) 3.1 WAR
    Career: 23.6 WAR
    Agent: Octagon 2024 salary: $11.285 million

    The Diamondbacks acquired Eugenio Suárez from Seattle last offseason in hopes of improving their power. Suárez certainly delivered with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. He finished in the 96th percentile in sweet spot percentage and played solid defense at the hot corner, finishing in the 82nd percentile in range (outs above average). The Diamondbacks hold a $15 million option for 2025 ($2 million buyout) that they’ll likely pick up.

    Best team fits: Diamondbacks, Blue Jays
    Salary comps: Matt Chapman (6 years, $151M); Chris Taylor (4 years, $60M); Max Muncy (2 years, $24M)

    Contract prediction: Diamondbacks exercise $15 million team option for 2025

    26. Jordan Montgomery, LHP

    Age: 31
    HT: 6-6 WT: 228
    War: -1.4
    Career: 11.2 WAR
    Agent: Wasserman 2024 salary: $25 million

    Jordan Montgomery ended up being the worst free-agent signing of last year’s class. He turned down a four-year offer from the Red Sox, instead agreeing to a one-year, $25 million deal with the Diamondbacks that included a $22.5 million player option for 2025. He had a disastrous year.

    He went 8-7 with a 6.23 ERA and averaged just 6.4 strikeouts per nine innings, the worst rate of his eight-year career. Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick publicly said he hopes Montgomery doesn’t exercise his player option, but the lefty has little choice as no team would offer him a similar contract in free agency this offseason.

    Best team fits: Orioles, Red Sox, Tigers, Twins, Nationals
    Salary comps: None

    Prediction: Montgomery exercises 22.5 million player option and then the Diamondbacks try to trade him

    27. Ha-Seong Kim, SS

    Age: 28
    B: R T: R HT: 5-9 WT: 168
    2024 (Padres): 2.6 WAR
    Career: 15.3 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $8 million

    Ha-Seong Kim underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in September to repair a “small tear” in the labrum of his right (throwing) shoulder. He sustained the injury Aug. 18 while diving back to first base on a pick-off play. This season manager Mike Shildt moved Kim from second base, where he won a Gold Glove Award last year, to shortstop, which was a significant defensive upgrade for the Padres. However, Kim hit just .233 with 11 home runs and 22 stolen bases before going on the injured list. He might have to sign a “pillow contract” to show he’s recovered from the injury, then produce like he did in 2023, when he hit 17 home runs and stole 38 bases.

    Best team fits: Padres, Brewers, Dodgers, Pirates
    Salary comps: J.P. Crawford (5 years, $51M); Jeff McNeil (4 years, $50M); Nico Hoerner (3 years, $35M); Orlando Arcia (3 years, $7.3M)

    Contract prediction: 1 year, $10 million with incentives and award bonuses

    28. Gleyber Torres, 2B

    Age: 27
    B: R T: R HT: 6-1 WT: 205
    2024 (Yankees): 1.8 WAR
    Career: 16.1 WAR
    Agent: Octagon 2024 salary: $14.2 million

    Gleyber Torres has wanted to sign a long-term contract with the Yankees but there have never been serious negotiations to keep him in the Bronx for years to come. He is a below-average defender at second base with limited range. He hit .257 with 15 home runs and a 101 OPS+ on the season but batted over .300 when he was moved to the leadoff spot in September and has performed in October, slashing .297/.400/.432 in the playoffs.

    Best team fits: Yankees, Mariners, Blue Jays, Marlins
    Salary comps: Jeff McNeil (4 years, $50M); Nico Hoerner (3 years, $35M); J.P. Crawford (5 years, $51M)

    Contract prediction: 4 years, $44 million


    Tyler O’Neill is coming off his best season since 2021. (Bob DeChiara / Imagn Images)

    29. Tyler O’Neill, OF

    Age: 29
    B: R T: R HT: 5-11 WT: 200
    2024 (Red Sox): 2.7 WAR
    Career: 12.6
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $5.85 million

    Tyler O’Neill is like Blake Snell and Cody Bellinger — when he can stay healthy and play up to his potential, he delivers. This year he slashed .241/.336/.511 with 31 home runs in 113 games. However, it was only the second somewhat healthy successful season of his seven-year career — his last one was in 2021 when he hit 34 home runs with the Cardinals, finished eighth in NL MVP voting and won his second Gold Glove Award.

    O’Neill had multiple stints on the injured list this year and has played more than 100 games only twice. Despite coming off a productive season, that lack of availability will force him to sign another short-term contract.

    Best team fit: Red Sox
    Salary comps: Starling Marte (4 years, $78M); Andrew Benintendi (5 years, $75M); Ian Happ (3 years, $61M); Jorge Soler (3 years, 42M); Michael Conforto (2 years, $36M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $32 million

    30. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP

    Age: 33
    HT: 6-0 WT: 210
    2024 (Blue Jays, Astros): 1.4 WAR
    Career: 4.1
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $10 million

    Yusei Kikuchi was 4-9 with a 4.75 ERA over 22 starts with the Blue Jays, who dealt him to Houston at the trade deadline. The Astros quickly changed his pitch sequencing and usage and the results were astounding — he went 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 3.07 FIP over 10 starts (60 innings). Kikuchi would be smart to re-sign with the Astros and the feeling should be mutual based on his results and the prospect package they traded to land him.

    Best team fits: Astros, Orioles, Tigers, Twins
    Salary comps: Chris Bassitt (3 years, $63.3 million; Miles Mikolas (3 years $55.75M); Seth Lugo (3 years; $45M); Tyler Anderson (3 years; $39M); Nathan Eovaldi (2 years, $34M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $42 million

    31. Brandon Lowe, 2B

    Age: 30
    B: L T: R HT: 5-10 WT: 185
    2024 (Rays): 2.4 WAR
    Career: 16.0 WAR
    Agent: The Bledsoe Agency 2024 salary: $8.75 million

    Brandon Lowe is another player who just can’t stay off the injured list; he’s played more than 110 games just once in his seven-year career and has averaged 108 games over the last two years. However, his power has been consistent during that span as he hit 21 homers in both years.

    He’s only 30, and if he can stay healthy, his power plays, as it did in 2021 when he hit 39 home runs. He finished in the top 10 in AL MVP voting in 2020 and 2021 so there’s no denying his potential.

    Tampa Bay holds a $10.5 million team option for 2025 ($1 million buyout) and an $11.5 million option ($500,000 buyout) for 2026. The Rays could certainly pick up the option, but if they don’t, Lowe could be a smart high-risk, high-reward type signing this winter.

    Best team fits: Rays, Yankees, Mariners, White Sox, Blue Jays
    Salary comps: Jeff McNeil (4 years, $50M); Brandon Drury (2 years, $17M); Jorge Polanco (5 years, $25.75M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $24 million

    32. Nick Martinez, RHP

    Age: 34
    HT: 6-1 WT: 201
    2024 (Reds) War: 4.0 WAR
    Career: 8.7 WAR
    Agent: RMG Baseball 2024 salary: $14 million

    Nick Martinez continues to improve and should land a three-year contract as a free agent this winter. He’s coming off a career-best year after going 10-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 16 starts and 26 relief appearances. Martinez hopes to become a full-time starter with his next team and he deserves that opportunity. He has posted an ERA below 3.50 in each of the past three seasons.

    Best team fits: Reds, Padres, Tigers, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox
    Salary comps: Seth Lugo (3 years, $45M); Tyler Anderson (3 years, $39M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $40 million

    33. Charlie Morton, RHP

    Age: 40
    HT: 6-5 WT: 214
    2024 (Braves): 1.1 WAR
    Career: 17.3 WAR
    Agent: Wasserman 2024 salary: $20 million

    Charlie Morton is Mr. Consistency. In 2024 he reached the 30-starts mark for the sixth straight season. He posted a 4.19 ERA with 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings. He’s weighed retirement in recent offseasons, will turn 41 in November and despite another solid season, the consensus around the Braves is that he will call it a career. But if he decides to return for his 18th major-league season, a one-year contract with Atlanta similar to his recent deals could work for both sides.

    Best team fit: Braves
    Salary comps: Frankie Montas, (1 year, $16M)

    Contract prediction: 1 year, $20 million

    34. Joc Pederson, OF/DH

    Age: 32
    B: L T: L HT: 6-1 WT: 220
    2024 (Diamondbacks): 2.9 WAR
    Career: 15.1 WAR
    Agent: Excel Sports Management 2024 salary: $12.5 million

    Joc Pederson embraces his platoon role, excelling against right-handed pitching with an impressive .275/.392/.531 slash line and 22 homers in 407 plate appearances this season with the Diamondbacks. He has a $14 million mutual option for 2025 with a $3 million buyout, and I think it makes sense for him to take the buyout and try to sign a two-year deal on the open market.

    Best team fit: Diamondbacks, Reds, Rockies
    Salary comps: Rhys Hoskins (2 years, $34M); Mitch Garver (2 years, $24M); Justin Turner (1 year, $13M); J.D. Martinez (1 year, $12M); Charlie Blackmon (1 year, $13M

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $26 million


    Carlos Estévez (Gregory Fisher / Imagn Images)

    35. Carlos Estévez, RHP

    Age: 31
    HT: 6-6 WT: 275
    2024 (Angels, Phillies): 2.1 WAR
    Career: 4.8 WAR
    Agent: Premier Talent Sports and Entertainment 2024 salary: $6.75 million

    Carlos Estévez had a strong free-agent walk year, posting a 2.38 ERA with the Angels before being traded at the deadline to Philadelphia, where he put up a 2.57 ERA over 20 games. He finished the season with 26 saves and 0.909 WHIP, but also averaged 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings, the lowest rate of his career.

    Estévez has 82 career saves and will generate plenty of interest from teams looking for high-leverage relievers. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has said it’s unlikely the club will bring back both Estévez and Jeff Hoffman, who is ranked 43rd on this list.

    Best team fits: Phillies, Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Pirates
    Salary comps: Kendall Graveman (3 years, $24M); José Alvarado (3 years, $22M); Joe Jiménez (3 years, $26M); Ryan Pressly (2 years, $30M); Taylor Rogers (3 years, $33M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $33 million

    36. Luis Severino, RHP

    Age: 30
    HT: 6-2 WT: 218
    2024 (Mets): 1.6 WAR
    Career: 13.4 WAR
    Agent: Rep 1 Baseball 2024 salary: $13 million

    Luis Severino had a strong comeback season, making more than 30 starts for the first time since 2018. He went 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA over 31 starts and struck out 161 in 182 innings. The two-time All-Star also was solid in the postseason (3.24 ERA in 16 2/3 innings), which can only increase interest in free agency.

    Best team fits: Mets, Tigers, Orioles, Pirates, Red Sox
    Salary comps: Chris Bassitt (3 years, $63M); Miles Mikolas (3 years, $55.75M); Seth Lugo (3 years, $45M); Zach Eflin (3 years, $40M); Lucas Gioloto (2 years, $38.5M); Marcus Stroman (2 years, $37M); Nathan Eovaldi (2 years, $34M); Reynaldo López, (3 years, $30M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $32 million

    37. Jose Quintana, LHP

    Age: 35
    HT: 6-1 WT: 220
    2024 (Mets): 2.5 WAR
    Career: 30.5
    Agent: Wasserman 2024 salary: $13 million

    Jose Quintana was brilliant in his first two starts of this postseason, adding, subtracting and hitting his spots; he allowed no earned runs in 11 combined innings against the Brewers and Phillies.

    The soft-tossing lefty pitched to a 3.75 ERA over 31 starts in the regular season, finishing in the 83rd percentile in overall pitching run value and in the 89th percentile in fastball run value. He has good late movement downward that leads to groundballs, ranking in the 79th percentile in ground-ball rate. Over his last 76 starts across three seasons, he has a combined ERA of under 3.50.

    Best team fits: Mets, Pirates, Tigers, Twins
    Salary comps: Tyler Anderson (3 years, $39M); Tyler Mahle (2 years, $22M); Sean Manaea (2 years, $28M); Michael Wacha (2 years, $32M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $28 million

    38. Blake Treinen, RHP

    Age: 36
    HT: 6-0 WT: 224
    2024 (Dodgers): 1.4 WAR
    Career: 12.4 WAR
    Agent: Apex Baseball 2024 salary: $1 million ($4.5M AAV for two-year, $9M deal)

    After missing most of 2022 and all of 2023 because of a torn capsule in his right shoulder that eventually required surgery, Blake Treinen miraculously returned this season as the dominant high-leverage reliever he was in 2021. His sinker is back to the mid-90s with serious drop, and his sweeper is a wipeout pitch that batters hit just .120 against. He posted a 1.93 ERA in 50 appearances.

    Best team fits: Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Cubs
    Salary comps: Emilio Pagán (2 years, $16M); Wandy Peralta, (2 years, $16.5M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $17 million

    39. Alex Verdugo, LF

    Age: 28
    B: L T: L HT: 6-0 WT: 210
    2024 (Yankees): 0.7 WAR
    Career: 11.8
    Agent: MVP Sports Group 2024 salary: $8.7 million

    Alex Verdugo is well-liked and respected by his teammates, brings high energy to the clubhouse, plays with an edge and is a solid defender in left field. Offensively, he had a down season, slashing just .233/.291/.356. His power is pretty consistent as he has provided between 11 and 13 home runs in the last five full seasons. He plays every day, never complains and is the definition of an average major-league player.

    Best team fits: Yankees, Twins, Athletics, Mariners
    Salary comps: Michael Conforto (2 years, $36M); Mark Canha (2 years, $26.5M); Manuel Margot (2 years, $19M); Hunter Renfroe (2 years, $13M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $26 million

    40. Jose Iglesias, 2B

    Age: 34
    B: R T: R HT: 5-11 WT: 195
    2024 (Mets): 3.1 WAR
    Career: 14.8 WAR
    Agent: MVP Sports 2024 salary: $983,871

    I’ll admit it: I love Jose Iglesias’ song “OMG.” And all I can say is OMG when it comes to his season, which put him in the conversation for NL Comeback Player of the Year, though the award will probably go to Chris Sale.

    After not playing in the majors in 2023, Iglesias signed a minor-league contract with the Mets but was their starting second baseman by the end of year, playing in more than half of their games and slashing an amazing .337/.381/.448 (137 OPS+) with 16 doubles. He impressed with his approach at the plate — going the other way and grinding throughout at-bats — and his elite defense in the middle of the infield. Iglesias would be a good pickup for several teams, but a reunion with the Mets just makes too much sense for all parties.

    Best team fit: Mets
    Salary comps: Brandon Drury (2 years, $17M); Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2 years, $15M); Miguel Rojas (2 years, $11M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $12 million


    Paul Goldschmidt (Gregory Fisher / Imagn Images)

    41. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

    Age: 37
    B: R T: R HT: 6-3 WT: 224
    2024 (Cardinals): 1.3 WAR
    Career: 62.8 WAR
    Agent: Excel Sports Management 2024 salary: $26 million

    Nothing in baseball makes me sadder than to watch superstar players significantly decline. Time is undefeated, but they want to keep playing because they can still contribute.

    In his prime, Paul Goldschmidt was the best first baseman in the sport. Just two years ago he was the NL MVP, leading the league with a .981 OPS. The seven-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner and five-time Silver Slugger is obviously no longer at the level. His on-base percentage has plummeted over the past three years, from .404 to .363 to .302.

    He still played more than 150 games this season, which he’s done in nine consecutive full seasons, but perhaps it’s time to reduce that number and try to improve production with more rest and more time as a designated hitter. The Cardinals are not expected to re-sign Goldschmidt, and for the first time in his career, he needs to brace himself for a significant pay cut and a one-year deal.

    Best team fits: Yankees, Mariners, Diamondbacks, Brewers
    Salary comps: Anthony Rizzo (2 years, $40M); Josh Bell (2 years, $33M)

    Contract prediction: 1 year, $15 million

    42. Rhys Hoskins, 1B/DH

    Age: 31
    B: R T: R HT: 6-4 WT: 240
    2024 (Brewers): -0.2 WAR
    Career: 11.0 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $16 million

    Rhys Hoskins held his own in his first year back from ACL surgery, providing much-needed power in the middle of the Brewers’ lineup. He slashed .214/.303/.419 with a career-low .722 OPS but did hit 26 homers and drive in 82 runs. I expect him to be a lot better next season, with the benefit of an extra year of recovery for his left knee.

    Hoskins signed a two-year, $34 million deal with Milwaukee last winter and can opt out after this season. He’ll need to sign another short-term contract to try to rebuild his value.

    Best team fits: Brewers, Mariners, Twins
    Salary comps: Anthony Rizzo (2 years, $40M); Josh Bell (2 years, $33M); Mitch Garver (2 years, $24M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $34 million

    43. Jeff Hoffman, RHP

    Age: 31
    HT: 6-5 WT: 235
    2024 (Phillies): 2.0 WAR
    Career: 3.5 WAR
    Agent: CAA Sports 2024 salary: $2.2 million

    Jeff Hoffman had the best year of his career, making the All-Star team and tallying a 2.17 ERA and 0.965 WHIP in 68 games. He struck out 89 in 66 1/3 innings (12.1 strikeouts per nine). However, he fared poorly in this postseason, allowing six runs in 1 1/3 innings over three games. The Phillies are unlikely to bring back both Hoffman and Carlos Estévez.

    Best team fits: Phillies, Orioles, Yankees, Red Sox, Royals, Giants
    Salary comps: Taylor Rogers (3 years, $33M); Joe Jiménez (3 years, $26M); Kendall Graveman (3 years, $24M); Emilio Pagán (2 years, $16M); Wandy Peralta (2 years, $16.5M); Matt Strahm (2 years, $15M); Chris Martin (2 years, $13.5M)

    Contract prediction: 3 years, $27 million

    44. Matthew Boyd, LHP

    Age: 33
    HT: 6-3 WT: 230
    2024 (Guardians): 0.7 WAR
    Career: 9.9 WAR
    Agent: Boras Corporation 2024 salary: $10 million

    Matthew Boyd really increased his value in the postseason as he logged a 0.77 ERA over three starts (11 2/3 innings). With a deceptive delivery and an arsenal that includes a fastball, changeup and slider, Boyd commands the strike zone well, adding and subtracting with unique shapes and sizes. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2023 but now looks healthy with a good mindset.

    Best team fits: Guardians, Tigers, Orioles, Padres, Braves, Red Sox
    Salary comps: Lance Lynn (1 year, $11M); Kyle Gibson (1 year, $13M)

    Contract prediction: 1 year, $10 million

    45. Clay Holmes, RHP

    Age: 31
    HT: 6-5 WT: 245
    2024 (Yankees): 0.7 WAR
    Career: 4.2 WAR
    Agent: Wasserman 2024 salary: $6 million

    Clay Holmes appeared in more than 60 games for the third consecutive season, posting 30 saves before losing the closer job in August to Luke Weaver. However, he rebounded near the end of the season and performed well in high-leverage spots in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. He allowed only one run in his final eight appearances of the regular season and finished with a 3.14 ERA.

    Best team fits: Yankees, Orioles, Red Sox, Royals, Phillies
    Salary comps: Ryan Pressly (2 years, $30M); Taylor Rogers (3 years, $33M); Wandy Peralta (2 years, $16.5M)

    Contract prediction: 2 years, $18.5 million

    (Top image: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic. Photos: Corbin Burnes: G Fiume / Getty Images; Juan Soto: Mary DeCicco / MLB Photos / Getty Images; Pete Alonso: Daniel Shirey / MLB Photos / Getty Images)

    The New York Times

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  • MLB will air local games for Guardians, Brewers and Twins next season

    MLB will air local games for Guardians, Brewers and Twins next season

    Major League Baseball announced Tuesday it will produce and distribute local broadcasts for the Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins next year. All three teams had contracts with Diamond Sports Group that expired at the end of the regular season.

    The Texas Rangers, whose deal also expired last month, also announced they will no longer be partnering with Diamond. They are assessing their options for next season.

    The addition of the Guardians, Brewers and Twins means MLB will be handling the production and distribution of at least six teams going into 2025.

    MLB took over broadcasts of the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2023 season and the Colorado Rockies this year.

    Rick Schlesinger, the president of business operations for the Brewers, said he expects more teams could be partnering with MLB by the opening of next season.

    “This has been a long process. It’s a very deliberative process,” he said. “We’ve done this through a lot of work, a lot of analysis. I think this is going to be a huge game changer for us, for our content.”

    By taking over the broadcasts, MLB expects to increase the market reach of its teams by at least 2 million households in each market. The Diamondbacks went from being available in 930,000 households on a regional sports network to 5.6 million homes through a combination of being on local cable systems, satellite and direct-to-consumer streaming.

    “With the media landscape continuing to evolve, Major League Baseball is committed to serving our fans by ensuring they can see their favorite clubs, removing blackouts where we can, and ultimately growing the reach of our games,” Noah Garden, MLB deputy commissioner for business and media, said in a statement.

    The Twins took a public relations hit in Minnesota for cutting their 2024 player payroll coming off a division title and their first postseason series win in 22 years, in light of the reduced rights fee coming from Diamond. They will lose the rights fee altogether with this MLB-produced model, but team president Dave St. Peter said this announcement would not have an effect on player spending for the upcoming season.

    “We’ve spent a tremendous amount of time with Major League Baseball trying to better understand this marketplace, trying to better understand what a model like this will ultimately provide to the team. We also have studied closely what’s happened in San Diego, in Arizona and in Colorado. We’ve gotten comfortable in those economics. They are where they are,” St. Peter said.

    “We do expect that there will be a reduction in local revenue coming to the Twins in 2025. I think that’s a fact. That said, over the long haul we have tremendous confidence in our content and believe, while maybe we’ll take a dip for ’25, that over time the viewership and those economics related to that viewership will increase.”

    Cleveland games were available on approximately 1.45 million households on its regional sports network. That reach is expected to increase 235% to 4.86 million households. Minnesota’s will go up 307% from 1.08 million homes to 4.4 million.

    Schlesinger said the Brewers had 800,000 households that could receive games this past season, but he also expects to see significant growth with the new model.

    “From a fan perspective, it’s great because you’re going to have total access and no blackouts,” he said. “There’s a lot of staffing, a lot of infrastructure, a lot of decisions have to be made, a lot of people to be hired, a lot of sponsors to contact. This is the right time to do this. It’s a good jumping point, platform to make sure when the calendar turns to 2025, we’re already fully immersed in this and that we know when the first game starts, that we’re ready to go and the product’s going to be outstanding.”

    MLB could be taking over more teams as Diamond Sports Group continues to go through bankruptcy proceedings. The nation’s largest owner of regional sports networks could be down to doing only Atlanta Braves games in 2025.

    The operator of the Bally Sports regional networks presented its reorganization plan in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston last week. As part of the reorganization, Diamond plans to void the contracts of the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays and to attempt to rework the deals of the five franchises that are partial owners of their regional sports networks — the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals.

    St. Peter said he expects more teams to sign onto the model in the future.

    “Starting to build that direct-to-consumer foundation, which clearly is the future of the way our games will be distributed — it’s time to get on with that and we’re excited about that,” St. Peters said. “Our ownership understands the consequences of that, but I think over time there’s way more upside than short-term downside.”

    A final hearing on Diamond’s reorganization plan is scheduled for Nov. 14. Diamond also has the rights to 13 NBA and eight NHL teams.

    Diamond Sports Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group bought the regional sports networks from The Walt Disney Co. for nearly $10 billion in 2019. Disney was required by the Department of Justice to sell the networks for its acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s film and television assets to be approved.

    ___

    AP sports writers Dave Campbell in Minneapolis and Steve Megargee in Milwaukee contributed to this story.

    ___

    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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  • The 3 Most Important Dallas Moments in Creed History As Band Returns to DFW

    The 3 Most Important Dallas Moments in Creed History As Band Returns to DFW

    Creed is one of the most meme-ified bands out there today, and because of the renewed “interest” in the band, Scott Stapp’s group has embarked on a tour. With dates in Dallas on Sept. 11 and Fort Worth on Nov. 13, the band has returned to DFW, where it’s had some of its most notable, meme-worthy moments…

    Charles Farmer

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  • MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers, Rays rebound; Checking in on sneaky-good seasons

    MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers, Rays rebound; Checking in on sneaky-good seasons

    By Grant Brisbee, Kaitlyn McGrath and Stephen J. Nesbitt

    Every week,​ we​ ask a selected group of our baseball​ writers​ — local and national — to rank the teams from first to worst. Here are the collective results.

    We’re approaching the business end of the season. With six weeks remaining, the postseason races are coming into focus as are the finalists for the annual awards.

    Bobby Witt Jr. and Aaron Judge are each making a strong case for the American League MVP, while Shohei Ohtani is proving that even when he’s held to only hitting, he can be the heavy favorite to win his first National League MVP and third overall. Corbin Burnes and Tarik Skubal are the leading candidates for the AL Cy Young Award, while in the NL, Chris Sale and Zack Wheeler are favored for the honor.

    We can all name plenty of players having standout seasons and getting deserved recognition — but what about those players flying just under the radar? In this week’s power rankings, we set out to identify those players having sneaky good seasons for their respective ball clubs.

    Record: 74-52
    Last Power Ranking: 3

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Gavin Stone

    The Dodgers would be absolutely hosed without Stone. Bobby Miller and Walker Buehler have combined for 17 erratic and ineffective starts this season, and Clayton Kershaw rejoined the team only recently. Tyler Glasnow is on the 15-day IL, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is on the 60-day IL with shoulder issues and River Ryan needed Tommy John surgery right as he was starting to impress.

    Without Stone and his modestly successful 22 starts (3.63 ERA, 4.04 FIP), there would be a lot more panic surrounding the Dodgers. They probably weren’t expecting an NL West race this close, and they definitely weren’t expecting to need 17 different starting pitchers (and counting) this season. The peripheral stats suggest that Stone won’t be dominant until he returns to missing bats like he did in the minors. The Dodgers needed one of their gaggle of young starters to be sneaky good this season, and they needed it in the worst way. — Grant Brisbee

    Record: 73-52
    Last Power Ranking: 1

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Michael Tonkin

    After the opening month he had, who would have thought the 34-year-old Tonkin would have a 2.73 ERA with the Yankees? After signing a split contract with the Mets and breaking camp with them, the journeyman reliever was DFA’d then traded to the Twins only to be DFA’d by them and picked up again by the Mets, who subsequently DFA’d him once more after which he was claimed by the Yankees — all before the end of April. But after a blown save in his Yankees debut, Tonkin has found a home in the Bronx and earned his way into Aaron Boone’s circle of trust. Upping the usage of his two-seam fastball along with some runway to get comfortable seems to be the recipe Tonkin needed to put together a sneaky good season after a chaotic start. — Kaitlyn McGrath

    Record: 73-51
    Last Power Ranking: 4

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Orion Kerkering

    Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm have been the standouts from the Phillies bullpen — and both received well-earned All-Star nods because of it. But behind them, having a season just as good, though perhaps more under the radar has been rookie Orion Kerkering, who has a 2.51 ERA in 47 appearances with 53 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings. He’s succeeded especially by limiting hard contact, holding the opposition to a 31.4 percent hard-hit rate that ranks in the 92nd percentile in the majors. Kerkering shot through the Phillies system last year, and made his MLB debut last September. Expectations were high for Kerkering this season, and he has lived up to them. — McGrath

    Record: 73-53
    Last Power Ranking: 2

    Sneaky-good season: 1B/OF/DH Ryan O’Hearn

    O’Hearn had five unremarkable years with the Kansas City Royals, compiling a .683 OPS, before he was DFA’d and landed with the Orioles in 2023 in a make-or-break year for his career. The first baseman broke out and he’s carried that success into this season, too. The left-handed hitter has a .801 OPS in 107 games and has been particularly effective against right-handed pitching, with an .818 OPS and all 12 of his home runs coming in situations where he has the platoon advantage. On a team with many big hitters, O’Hearn is making the most of his part-time role and for that reason, he’s authoring one of the best sneaky good seasons. — McGrath

    Record: 72-52
    Last Power Ranking: 6

    Sneaky-good season: 3B Joey Ortiz

    The seriously good Brewers have had no shortage of sneaky good seasons — we’ve previously noted Jackson Chourio and Bryan Hudson and Brice Turang — so we’re going with a guy who’s mostly flown under the radar. After going to Milwaukee in the Corbin Burnes trade last offseason, Ortiz has played plus defense at third base and been a steady contributor at the plate: .248/.345/.401, eight homers, seven steals. There’s more power in the bat than he’s shown so far this season, but in the meantime, he’s getting on base and displaying exceptional plate discipline to help lengthen the Brewers lineup. A 3 WAR rookie season won’t win hardware, given the competition, but it’s still sneaky good. — Stephen Nesbitt

    Record: 72-52
    Last Power Ranking: 5

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Hunter Gaddis

    Sorry Cade Smith, but once you get the Ken Rosenthal notebook treatment you’re not sneaking by anyone anymore. So let’s go with the Guardians’ other set-up guy. Gaddis entered this season with a 6.57 ERA in almost 50 innings in the majors. That stinks! So when he started the season with 13 consecutive scoreless relief outings, that was a surprise. Then when he served up six runs across his next three outings, that was not a surprise. And yet, entering this week, Gaddis has allowed only four earned runs since the start of May. That’s an 0.84 ERA in 42 2/3 innings, cutting his season ERA to 1.40. Good luck staying sneaky good at that rate. Just look at this stuff! — Nesbitt

    Record: 71-55
    Last Power Ranking: 8

    Sneaky-good season: C Kyle Higashioka

    Sometimes you have the kind of season where almost nothing goes right. Like, say, most of the seasons in Padres franchise history. But sometimes you have the kind of season where even the backup catcher is contributing. Higashioka’s on-base skills still leave a lot to be desired, but he’s hit 14 home runs in just 189 plate appearances, which is more than anyone in the Yankees’ infield this season.

    The Padres were just looking for a catcher who wouldn’t mess things up, but they stumbled onto an accidental dinger machine, which is just how this team is rolling right now. — Brisbee

    Record: 70-55
    Last Power Ranking: 9

    Sneaky-good season: 1B Carlos Santana

    None of the other first basemen who were free agents last offseason have come close to matching the 38-year-old Santana’s value this season. Not Cody Bellinger. Not Rhys Hoskins. Not Rowdy Tellez or Joey Gallo or Matt Carpenter. The Twins signed Santana for $5 million, and he’s delivered a .241/.330/.432 slash line (112 OPS+) with 18 homers while playing outrageously good defense. He has accrued 13 outs above average, which is No. 1 among first basemen and twice as many as any first baseman not named Christian Walker (11 OAA). Pairing that defense with an excellent eye and solid switch-hitting pop, I don’t see why Santana wouldn’t keep finding one-year deals and play into his 40s. — Nesbitt

    Record: 70-56
    Last Power Ranking: 7

    Sneaky-good season: Justin Martínez

    Martínez has a National League Championship ring from his time with the Diamondbacks last season, but that doesn’t mean that he actually contributed. He walked 11 batters in 10 major-league innings, which was only slightly worse than the 48 batters he walked in 49 1/3 innings in Triple A. It would have been possible to make a list of “The 50 players who are likely to contribute to the 2024 Diamondbacks” without including Martínez.

    Stuff is stuff, though, and Martínez has stuff. He’s one of the only pitchers who averages 100 mph on his fastball, and his Baseball Savant page is dripping with red ink (the good kind). If the Diamondbacks are going to get back to the World Series, they’ll need relievers. Here’s a sneaky good one. — Brisbee

    Record: 68-56
    Last Power Ranking: 11

    Sneaky-good season: C Victor Caratini

    Boy, did Astros fans deserve this one after suffering through three straight miserable offensive seasons from Martín Maldonado. The former Astros catcher had 1,212 plate appearances over the last three seasons, with a .183/.260/.333 slash line. He was under the Mendoza Line in all three. You might be thinking that he made up for all this with his speed, but that’s a common misconception. He actually wasn’t very fast at all.

    The Astros found their primary catcher of the future last season, Yainer Diaz, and he’s having another excellent season. But when it’s time to rest him and keep him fresh, the Astros can turn to Caratini without losing too much offense. That’s the dream for every team. They all want a backup catcher who can hit a little, but that’s incredibly difficult to find. Here’s a fan base that appreciates it even more than others might. — Brisbee

    Record: 70-55
    Last Power Ranking: 10

    Sneaky-good season: The starting rotation

    When The Athletic’s Jim Bowden ranked every starting rotation before the season, the Royals were 23rd. MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince didn’t even give them an honorable mention in his preseason top 10, either. Both writers were dead on about the Mariners and Phillies, who rank first and second, respectively, in rotation ERA this season. But third? That’s the Royals, at 3.56.

    The current rotation stacks up like this:

    Seth Lugo: 3.04 ERA, 3.49 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, 159 2/3 IP
    Cole Ragans: 3.18 ERA, 2.95 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 147 1/3 IP
    Brady Singer: 3.18 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.21 WHIP, 141 2/3 IP
    Michael Wacha: 3.33 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.21 WHIP, 127 IP
    Michael Lorenzen: 2.87 ERA, 4.76 FIP, 1.28 WHIP, 15 2/3 IP

    Ragans-Lugo-Singer isn’t the most intimidating starting three for a wild-card series, but, boy, they’re going to give the Royals a good chance to win. — Nesbitt

    Record: 66-58
    Last Power Ranking: 13

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Jesse Chavez

    We know what you’re thinking. Is Jesse Chavez still pitching? Is he pitching well? For the Atlanta Braves? The answer to those three questions is a resounding yes! The 40-year-old continues to be a reliable arm out of the bullpen for Atlanta, where he’s cultivated a legend status and earned the nickname “coach” in the clubhouse. In his 17th (!) season pitching in the majors — a career that includes stops with nine teams — Chavez has a 2.85 ERA in 39 appearances with 47 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings. The veteran has been particularly effective with runners in scoring position, holding the opposition to a .127 batting average in those situations. — McGrath

    Record: 65-59
    Last Power Ranking: 14

    Sneaky-good season: RF Wilyer Abreu

    When former Red Sox GM Chaim Bloom dealt Christian Vázquez to the Astros at the 2022 trade deadline for prospects Enmanuel Valdez and Abreu, there was consternation from the fanbase for moving on from the fan-favorite catcher. Two years later, however, the deal looks like a win for Boston, thanks in part to the play of Abreu. (Although apologies to Bloom will have to be forwarded to St. Louis, where he is now an advisor after being fired by the Red Sox.) The right-fielder had a .836 OPS through 96 games with 14 home runs, including a pair of emotional ones earlier this month. As the Red Sox try to desperately stay in the mix for a wild-card spot this year, Abreu at least looks like he’ll be a part of the solution in Boston for years to come. — McGrath

    Record: 64-62
    Last Power Ranking: 12

    Sneaky-good season: CF Victor Robles

    Quick, how old do you think Robles is? I would have guessed 30, and that he was a Nationals prospect a decade ago, if not more. Heck, he was a prospect for so long, you could have convinced me he was in the Expos’ system.

    He just turned 27. While he’s probably not going to turn into an All-Star, he’s currently one of the only Mariners hitters with any idea how to hit a baseball, which makes him a precious gem. A .345 OBP with 14 steals and strong defense? Break out the rye bread and the salami, grandma, because you’re going to need to eat something while you’re hammering out a 12-year contract extension for the guy. — Brisbee

    Record: 65-60
    Last Power Ranking: 15

    Sneaky-good season: LHP Sean Manaea

    In the crowded NL wild-card race, we don’t know yet whether the Mets can make a late charge for the last spot. But what we do know is that starter Manaea has likely pitched his way into a neat multi-year deal this winter. The left-hander has a 3.46 ERA in 24 starts. According to ERA+, this has been his best season since 2018, when he had a 3.59 ERA in 27 starts for the Oakland Athletics. A free agent in the winter, Manaea has made the most of his platform year, while also helping the Mets at least remain competitive down the stretch. As one of the top left-handed starters available, Manaea’s sneaky good season could pay off big in the offseason. — McGrath

    Record: 62-62
    Last Power Ranking: 19

    Sneaky-good season: LHP Garrett Cleavinger

    This is what the Rays do. They take a relatively unknown pitcher, perhaps a guy who bounced around, and make him into one of the game’s most feared arms out of the bullpen. Enter this year’s example, Cleavinger, who previously pitched for the Phillies and Dodgers before finding a home in Tampa Bay. In 54 appearances, the left-hander has a 2.81 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 48 innings. His 29 percent strikeout rate ranks in the top 20 of qualified AL relievers and his average exit velocity of 86.5 mph ranks in the top 10 percent of the majors, making him one of the toughest relievers to square up. Thanks to advice from fellow Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen, Cleavinger has found success splitting his breaking ball into two pitches — his previous slider and a new sweeper that’s held batters to a .275 slugging percentage. Cleavinger is yet another reminder of the Tampa Bay Way. — McGrath

    Record: 64-63
    Last Power Ranking: 16

    Sneaky-good season: LHP Erik Miller

    Miller is a left-handed reliever who’s built like a power forward or tight end and throws 100 mph with occasionally nasty secondary pitches. The Giants got him from the Phillies for Yunior Marte, and it’s looking like a steal so far.

    Don’t blame the Phillies (too much) for giving up on Miller. His stuff was obvious, but his command and control were dreadful, and he had a career 5.8 BB/9 in the minors. Something clicked for him, though, and since the beginning of May, he’s had a 2.90 ERA, with 47 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings. The walks still need to come way, way down, but he’s been a large part of a Giants bullpen that’s gotten more reliable as the season has progressed. — Brisbee

    Record: 61-64
    Last Power Ranking: 18

    Sneaky-good season: 1B Michael Busch

    We’ve really rankled Cubs fans lately by not mentioning Busch among the top NL Rookie of the Year candidates. “If he were a Yankee,” one reader wrote, “the clarion call from the Bronx would be deafening.” Consider this your clarion call, Chicago! After arriving in a trade from Los Angeles, Busch started the season white hot and has been remarkably steady all summer. He’s providing standout defense at first base and a blend of on-base and power at the plate. It remains concerning that Busch has struck out in 31.2 percent of his plate appearances in the majors, but odds are that will come down slightly over time. — Nesbitt

    Record: 61-63
    Last Power Ranking: 17

    Sneaky-good season: 1B/DH Alec Burleson

    If you’d have told a Cardinals fan this spring that Burleson in his sophomore season would hit .280 with about 25 dingers and 10 steals, they’d have asked if they could give you a big ol’ hug. That’s a great year! Burleson has some obvious flaws in his profile, but there’s been a lot more good than bad. The biggest knock against Burleson: his atrocious defensive numbers. He played out of position much of the summer, bouncing between left and right field despite having no business being out there. Burleson could wind up being on the large side of a platoon, as he’s struggled mightily against lefties, but with his bat-to-ball skills and barrels he should remain a useful hitter for years to come. — Nesbitt

    Record: 61-64
    Last Power Ranking: 20

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Nick Martinez

    Martinez has been sneaky good since returning in 2022 from a four-year stint in Japan. He had a 3.45 ERA over 216 2/3 innings for the Padres across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and has seen similar success in a bulk role with the Reds this season: 3.25 ERA in 97 innings. Martinez is a soft-contact savant. What’s changed this year, though, is that he’s simply not permitting walks. He’s the only MLB pitcher (minimum 90 innings) averaging less than a walk per nine innings this year; he has not allowed multiple walks in any outing. Cincinnati is a hard place to pitch, and Martinez has a much worse ERA at home (4.42) than away (1.71), but limiting walks and homers is a great recipe anywhere. — Nesbitt

    Record: 61-64
    Last Power Ranking: 23

    Sneaky-good season: CF Parker Meadows

    A sneaky good stretch has saved Meadows’ season. One of the most gifted defensive outfielders in the game, Meadows was optioned to Triple A in May because he was batting .096. He returned to Detroit in July and had four hits in a series sweep of Cincinnati, then suffered a hamstring strain. He recovered, returned and hasn’t stopped hitting. He’s 20-for-57 (.351) with eight extra-base hits in 15 games since being recalled from the minors, and the Tigers are 12-3 in those games. After tallying three hits, including a walk-off single, in the leadoff spot against the Yankees on Sunday night, Meadows saw his season batting average rise above .200 for the first time all season. Considering where Meadows was a few months ago, the Mendoza Line never looked so impressive. — Nesbitt

    Record: 58-66
    Last Power Ranking: T-21

    Sneaky-good season: C Joey Bart

    The Pirates’ inability to identify their catcher of the future is not a new issue. They haven’t drafted one, haven’t signed one. When they added Bart, who’d busted in San Francisco, in a minor trade this spring, few thought they’d found a long-term contributor. But Bart has been one of the Pirates’ best hitters this season, with a .351 OBP, .882 OPS and career-high 12 homers. Bart’s defensive numbers are poor, so perhaps he’s a short-term solution at catcher, but if he hits like this the Pirates will gladly take him as the first baseman of the future. — Nesbitt

    Record: 58-68
    Last Power Ranking: T-21

    Sneaky-good season: RHP David Robertson

    Try to find another candidate for a sneaky good season on the Rangers. Go on, I dare you. The story of their season has been a surfeit of aggressively lousy seasons, nothing sneaky about it. So we’ll go with Robertson, who was in the same draft class with Max Scherzer and Joba Chamberlain, roughly six decades ago. He was teammates with a rehabbing Roger Clemens on the 2007 Trenton Thunder, and Clemens was in the Red Sox organization when Carl Yastrzemski was still playing. You can get from Robertson to Babe Ruth in five steps.

    Robertson is also having a sneaky good season. Again. Not bad for a 39-year-old who had to pitch for the High Point Rockers a couple years ago just to get teams to notice him. — Brisbee

    Record: 58-67
    Last Power Ranking: 24

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Chad Green

    Green survived the Blue Jays’ purge at the trade deadline, and it’s a good thing he did because he has been far and away their best reliever. The veteran right-hander has a 1.82 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings. With their regular closer Jordan Romano on the 60-day IL and backup closer Yimi García traded to the Mariners at the deadline, Green stepped into the closer role and has gone a perfect 13-for-13 in save opportunities. There hasn’t been much good to come out of this season for Toronto, but Green’s first full season back after Tommy John surgery has been a bright spot and he’s also signed through next season. — McGrath

    Record: 56-69
    Last Power Ranking: 25

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Jake Irvin

    A year ago, Irvin looked like he might be a guy who could at the very least fill innings for the Nationals which is useful, if not spectacular. But this season, the 27-year-old right-hander has shown more promise and moved in the right direction. In 26 starts, Irvin has a 3.81 ERA and his 151 innings pitched lead all pitchers on the Nationals while his 2.7 bWAR is behind only CJ Abrams for the most on the team. A key to his success has been cutting his walk rate nearly in half, from 10.2 percent last season to 5.7 percent this season. If the Nationals are going to return to relevancy again, they’ll need the likes of Abrams, James Wood and MacKenzie Gore to perform. But after this sneaky good season, Irvin is showing that he too can be a key part of the future. — McGrath

    Record: 54-71
    Last Power Ranking: 27

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Osvaldo Bido

    Sometimes it’s good to be a team without a chance at the postseason. Experimentation is encouraged, if not necessary, and that’s how the A’s can follow a hunch and convert a 28-year-old minor-league free-agent reliever into a starter. Let’s not go overboard with his success in six starts, but the early returns are encouraging. Last year, he struggled with his command in the Pirates organization. This year, he’s allowing some of the weakest contact in the league. He has the lowest hard-hit percentage in the game. Exit velocity data is just as encouraging.

    There will be an adjustment from the rest of the league. Each start will give opponents new ways to attack him. After another month, we’ll have a better idea if Bido is for real. My suspicion is that his command will need to improve for him to be a bonafide starter, but he’s done well so far. — Brisbee

    Record: 53-72
    Last Power Ranking: 26

    Sneaky-good season: SS Zach Neto

    Angels fans probably don’t think that Neto’s season needs an adjective. He’s just been good. He has a .779 OPS, which is 15 percent better than the average hitter, except he’s doing it as an excellent defensive shortstop. It’s less a sneaky good season and more of a sneaky great season.

    We’ll let it qualify for this exercise because we’ll stretch the exercise to allow Neto’s breakout season to feel sneaky good about the Angels franchise as a whole. No, seriously. They drafted Neto 13th overall just two years ago, and he’s already thriving in the majors and looking like a franchise cornerstone. The organization has a long way to go, but developing an excellent shortstop is a heckuva start. Go on. Be a little positive about the Angels. As a treat. — Brisbee

    Record: 46-79
    Last Power Ranking: 29

    Sneaky-good season: 1B/3B Jake Burger

    It didn’t always look like Jake Burger would be on this list. As the Marlins were off to their dreadful start, the 28-year-old infielder had a .635 OPS with only 10 home runs in 73 games during the first half. But Burger has turned it on in the second half. In 28 games since the All-Star break, Burger has hit .321 with a 1.161 OPS. He’s hit 14 home runs in that span — including a stretch of eight games in August where he homered seven times. Thanks to the hot stretch, Burger has his season wRC+ back up to 113 which is in line with the rest of his career. It hasn’t been a memorable season in Miami, but Burger may have found a way to salvage his. — McGrath

    Record: 46-79
    Last Power Ranking: 28

    Sneaky-good season: 1B/OF Michael Toglia

    Toglia is an extremely large, switch-hitting first baseman who was drafted in the first round in 2019, only to get sucked into the COVID-19 maelstrom that cost minor leaguers a full season of proper development. He’s behind schedule compared to the typical first-round first baseman, but it’s not hard to guess why.

    He’s up now, though, and he’s raking in the second half. His strikeouts are down, his walks are up and he’s already hit 20 homers. The most exciting part for the Rockies might be that he’s been even better on the road, which isn’t supposed to happen. The organization’s future is still dull and frustrating, but getting value out of first-round picks, even if it takes a few years, is how they’re going to get out of this mess. — Brisbee

    Record: 30-96
    Last Power Ranking: 30

    Sneaky-good season: RHP Jonathan Cannon

    Do you understand what you’re asking of me? The White Sox don’t have a position player above 0.5 fWAR. Their only pitcher above 1 fWAR is All-Star Garrett Crochet, who was the talk of July and therefore not at all sneaky.

    There really is only one option, other than the under, and that’s Cannon. The former Georgia Bulldog has had a couple starts go sideways, but the overall line — 4.02 ERA, 4.70 FIP, 1.30 WHIP in 80 2/3 innings — is solid enough. Cannon has command but lacks swing-and-miss stuff. We’ll see how that goes. Normally Cannon would just be a bright spot for a bad team. But he has a big job the rest of the way: helping the White Sox try to avoid the most losses in modern history. — Nesbitt

    (Top photo of Brandon Lowe: Julio Aguilar / Getty Images)

    The New York Times

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  • Mayor Whitmire Goes Outside for New Police Chief, Says J. Noe Diaz Ticks All the Boxes

    Mayor Whitmire Goes Outside for New Police Chief, Says J. Noe Diaz Ticks All the Boxes

    Houston Mayor John Whitmire said Friday all conversations about potential hires with local law enforcement agencies, legislators and leaders led him to new Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz.

    “They kept saying Noe Diaz is the real deal—a crime fighter,” Whitmire noted at the  press conference he called. “That is what I am looking for — a no-nonsense crimefighter with experience.”

    Whitmire emphasized the key attributes he searched for in potential candidates: familiarity with Houston and employment outside the Houston Police Department.

    Whitmire said he thought it was important “at this period in time,” apparently referencing the shelved cases scandal, to look outside the agency. However, he confirmed that initially, the search included internal candidates.

    According to Whitmire, Diaz’s “working knowledge” of every community’s needs and decades-long experience collaborating with multiple Houston area law enforcement agencies made him the right choice.

    Diaz most recently led the Katy Police Department, starting there as chief in 2019. Before, most of his 23-year career occurred at the Texas Department of Public Safety.

    He served in various roles with the state agency, including as a highway patrol trooper in Katy, within the narcotics division in Houston and the Harris County Organized Crime Task Force.

    Whitmire stressed Diaz’s time working in Houston as a Texas Ranger among the “top investigators in the world.” Diaz joined the state agency in 2008 and was a ranger for 11 years.

    Diaz also referenced his work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Friday. He said this background would help him navigate situations such as the investigation into the department’s use of a “lack of personnel code” that led to the suspension of over 264,000 cases.

    Diaz addressed concerns regarding the difference in size between Katy’s and Houston’s police departments. In his new position, he will be in charge of 6,091 employees—or 6,000 more than he led in his previous role.

    “It’s not something that I take lightly. It’s very basic,” Diaz said. It’s about servant leadership, whether you have five people at your job—at your company—or 6,200, right? Treating people with respect and dignity and giving [them] the autonomy to do good. There’s only one good and only one right. There are no variations of it.”

    Whitmire stepped in to defend Diaz’s capability.

    “The buck stops with me. I looked at all facets. I looked at experience, collaboration—yes, he’s in Katy—that was a stopping-off point, [but] they do nothing but sing praise out there,” Whitmire said. I’ve talked to HPD officers, and they’ve worked with him on task forces across the city, and they respected and wanted to work for him.”

    The mayor noted that Satterwhite — now taking over as director of the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, replacing Tom Muñoz, who left to direct the Houston Fire Department after veteran Chief Sam Peña’s retirement was announced — is not going anywhere. He added that Diaz would have a command staff to help with the transition.

    “I considered experience, accountability and integrity. You can’t do any better than this gentleman,” Whitmire said. “He’s not afraid to ask for advice and counsel. I’m not going anywhere and we will definitely be held by the public.”

    According to a press release from the Mayor’s office, Whitmire was going to announce other “leadership changes to his public safety team” during Friday’s press conference but did not.

    Diaz said he looked forward to discussing technology enhancements that could benefit the department’s operations and encouraged younger people to join the agency.

    Diaz is a native Texan who grew up in South Texas and started his law enforcement career in 1986 as a correctional officer. He will take over for Satterwhite, who temporarily filled the role that became abruptly vacant after former Houston Police Chief Troy Finner announced his departure from the department.

    Finner retired in the wake of an ongoing investigation into the more than 264,000 shelved cases, the findings of which were released in a report presented by Satterwhite earlier this week.

    Satterwhite said the agency found that many of these cases involved sexual assaults or violent crimes.

    Whitmire referenced the scandal on Friday, saying that the department would not be “dragged through a mess he inherited” that shook people’s confidence. He said those “days are over,” and it was about getting the work required done.

    “That’s what I really want you to take away from here today,” Whitmire said. “A fresh start.”

    Diaz’s first day serving as chief will be on Wednesday, August 14, after Houston City Council approves his appointment.

    Faith Bugenhagen

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  • MLB midseason awards: MVP and LVP, Cy Young and Cy Yuk, top rookies and more

    MLB midseason awards: MVP and LVP, Cy Young and Cy Yuk, top rookies and more

    We interrupt your mid-July search for your favorite tube of sunscreen for this important announcement: Somehow or other, the All-Star break is going to arrive in like 15 minutes.

    So yes, it’s that time again — time for me to hand out my coveted midseason awards. Best I can tell, this year’s awards ceremony once again will not be hosted by Hugh Grant, Hugh Jackman, Reggie Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson, Juan Samuel, Juan Pierre or Pierre Cardin. So I’ll just have to do this myself. Ready? The envelopes, please!

    AL MVP of the half-year: Aaron Judge, Yankees


    Aaron Judge looks to the dugout after launching another long ball. (John Jones / USA Today)

    Gunnar Henderson is a both-sides-of-the-ball game-changer. But he’s not the American League MVP. Bobby Witt Jr. and Juan Soto can play for my team any time. But they’re not the AL MVP, either.

    No, the AL MVP is one of those rare humans who feels larger than life, larger than the Empire State Building, larger than the sport he plays. Aaron Judge towers over everyone and everything these days. So I appreciate that he made at least one of these awards soooo easy to pick.

    Has it dawned on us yet where Judge is headed over these next few months? And by that I mean: Toward one of the most spectacular offensive seasons of our time, or any time. His current pace is absolutely mind-warping:

    OPS+ HR  AVG OBP SLUG RBI

    202

    55

    .307

    .424

    .672

    143

    (through Wednesday)

    Just so you know, only two other men have ever had that year:

    PLAYER  AVG OBP SLUG  OPS+ HR  RBI

    Babe Ruth, 1921 

    .378

    .512

    .846

    239

    59

    168

    Babe Ruth, 1927 

    .356

    .486

    .772

    225

    60

    165

    Jimmie Foxx, 1932

    .364

    .469

    .749

    207 

    58

    169

    (Source: Baseball Reference / Stathead)

    Mickey Mantle (1961), Barry Bonds (2001), Mark McGwire (1998) and the 2022 version of Judge himself were near-misses. But you get the picture. And I haven’t even mentioned that Judge is also on pace for 92 extra-base hits, a number that only Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Alfonso Soriano have reached in the history of the Yankees.

    But the other reason Aaron Judge is the MVP revolves around what he means to a Yankees lineup that depends on every ounce of superhero magic Judge has in him, especially as his team has unraveled over the past few weeks. Take a look at how Judge’s production compares with what this juggernaut is getting from all other Yankees not named Juan Soto:

    JUDGE  OTHERS

    AVG

    .307  

    .235

    OBP 

    .424  

    .299

    SLUG 

    .672 

    .370

    OPS   

    1.096  

    .669

    With every category, the gap between Judge and his non-Soto-esque teammates gets not just wider, but wilder. A 302-point difference in slugging? A 427-point gap between his OPS and theirs? This isn’t the Oakland A’s lineup we’re talking about. This is the lineup of a $303 million baseball team.

    So with the utmost respect for any other candidate you’d like to make a case for … sorry! Here comes the Judge — again — to collect another prestigious midseason MVP award. Why is anybody throwing this dude a strike?

    MY AL MVP TOP FIVE: Judge, Henderson, Witt, Soto, Steven Kwan.

    NL MVP of the half-year: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers 


    A third MVP award for Shohei Ohtani? He’s on his way. (Jonathan Hui / USA Today)

    Isn’t it funny how Shohei Ohtani MVP debates aren’t like anyone else’s MVP debates? Then again, maybe that’s just how it works on Planet Unicorn. But let’s explain anyway.

    The 2021-23 version of this debate went: If he’s going to pitch and hit, you might as well give him this thing every darned year because nobody can compete with that. Only Aaron Judge, the 2022 62-homer edition, was able to power through that logic.

    But now, here in 2024, it’s all flipped on Shohei: If he’s not going to pitch and he’s not going to play the field and he’s only a DH, how can he possibly win this award? Isn’t that the question? If David Ortiz never did, if Edgar Martinez never did, then maybe no DH ever will — or should — win an MVP trophy. Right?

    Ehhh, wrong. We should never have unshakeable, illogical rules like that — especially when we’re talking about this man. He’s currently rocking along with a 190 OPS+. And is that good? If he keeps that up, it would merely be the best offensive season any DH has ever had.

    The only other DH who even approached that was Edgar, with a 185 OPS+ in 1995. So how’d he fare in that ’95 MVP race? The voters rewarded him with a third-place finish and four first-place votes. And that’s how it seemingly always works for guys who play no position, no matter how prodigiously they’re mashing.

    Not that we have many comparable players or seasons. Even if we drop the bar to a 170 OPS+, it’s an exclusive group — and the MVP voters didn’t seem interested in anybody in it.

    We won’t include the 60-game pandemic season of 2020. And it’s hard to count Ohtani’s 2023 season, because he also had this side gig where he was busy piling up more strikeouts on the mound than Justin Verlander. So that leaves only three true DHs who had a qualifying season with an OPS+ of 170 or better: Ortiz (171) in 2007, Victor Martinez (172) in 2014 and Travis Hafner (181) in 2006.

    Want to guess how many first-place MVP votes they got? Zero would be a fine guess.

    Even Ortiz, who was productive enough to roll up six seasons with a top-six MVP finish, only collected 17 first-place votes in his whole career: 11 in 2005 (when he finished second to Alex Rodriguez), four in 2003 and one each in 2004 and 2016. In fact, over the five seasons from 2003-07, Big Papi had the highest OPS of any hitter in the American League (1.014) while his team was winning two World Series — and got no MVP trophies out of it.

    But is that Shohei Ohtani’s problem? No, it is not. Is that our problem as voters, or awards-column authors? Nope. Not our problem, either.

    As we speak, Ohtani leads his league in home runs, extra-base hits, OPS, slugging and runs scored (among other things). And how many DHs have ever led their league in all of those categories over a full season? None. Naturally.

    But you should know that over the past 70 years, only eight players have done it at any position: Judge (2022), Mickey Mantle (1956), Carl Yastrzemski (1967), Frank Robinson (1966), Albert Pujols (2009), Mike Schmidt (1981), George Foster (1977) and Ryan Braun (2012).

    So as exceptional as Bryce Harper has been in Philly this year, with a bat and glove, it’s still apparently impossible for anyone to compete with the unique greatness of Ohtani — a man unleashing his wrecking ball on everything we ever thought one baseball-playing human was capable of.

    MY NL MVP TOP FIVE: Ohtani, Harper, Mookie Betts, Marcell Ozuna, Elly De La Cruz.

    AL LVP of the half-year: Bo Bichette, Blue Jays 


    What happened to Bo Bichette? (John E. Sokolowski / USA Today)

    I can’t believe I’m even typing this. I’ve always thought of Bo Bichette as a star, a natural-born hit machine, a face of his franchise. How he turned into this guy — the Least Valuable Player in the entire American League — is a mystery. Not just to me. To pretty much everyone I asked.

    He has spent the past three months playing like a fellow who would rather be somewhere other than Toronto. And the irony there is, if that’s how he actually feels, probably the worst way to inspire somebody to trade for you is to go out and make yourself the odds-on LVP favorite.

    Before I recite Bichette’s unsightly numbers, I should remind you that this award is not the same thing as saying someone is the worst player in the league. Javy Báez — a guy with an OPS+ of (gasp) 29 — has that distinction locked up in Detroit for the third straight year. But the LVP isn’t an “honor” I automatically bestow on guys like him.

    No, I look at the Blue Jays as the most disappointing team in the whole sport. So Bichette swoops in here because I’m not sure that would be possible without the massive underachievement of their once-charismatic shortstop.

    Check out just a few of Bo Bichette’s inexplicable “achievements” and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

    He can’t hit! This is a guy who led the league in hits two years in a row, and was headed for three in a row last year until he got derailed by knee and quad issues. Now he’s spitting out a gruesome .222/.275/.321 slash line, with fewer home runs (four) than Ernie Clement (six). But here’s the biggest shocker. There are 68 AL hitters with enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title. Who has the worst OPS+? Yup. Bo Bichette (at 70).

    He can’t even hit a fastball! Everybody knows you should never, ever throw a first-pitch fastball to Bo. Oh, wait. Check that! Take in the view of his year-by-year average against fastballs (in all counts), according to Statcast:

    2019 — .357
    2020 — .351
    2021 — .310
    2022 — .309
    2023 — .328
    2024 — .226

    One of these years is not like the others.

    He can’t hit left-handers! Bo eats left-handers for breakfast. That’s just a fact … um, I mean that used to be a fact.

    2019-23 — Hit .321 and slugged .537 versus left-handers.

    2024 — Hitting .153 and slugging .196 versus left-handers, with no home runs and only two extra-base hits in three months. Average versus left-handed starters: .106! What the heck.

    In other news … He’s hitting .115 in the first inning this season, with no extra-base hits. … He’s hitting only .209 and slugging .254 after he gets ahead in the count. … And in 35 plate appearances in the late innings of close games, he’s gotten only five hits all season (all five of them singles).

    I feel like I’m writing this in some bizarro universe where everything has turned upside-down. But these are the times I need to remind myself there’s a term to describe when something like this happens: L-V-P!

    MY AL LVP “TOP THREE”: Bichette, Báez, Gleyber Torres.

    NL LVP of the half-year: Tim Anderson, unemployed


    It’s been a steep fall for Tim Anderson, whom the Marlins released on July 5. (Sam Navarro / USA Today)

    It’s not that hard to remember a time when we used to look at Tim Anderson as … what’s that word again? … Oh, right. Good. An actual good, productive baseball player.

    He was an All-Star in 2022 and 2021, a year when he hit a walk-off homer into a corn field. He was a top-seven MVP finisher the year before that. He was a batting champ in 2019. He hit 20 homers and made the stolen base leaderboard in 2018. He was even a productive player for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic as recently as 16 months ago.

    So … who the heck shortstop-napped that guy?

    There was some dude wearing Tim Anderson’s uniform for the Marlins this year — for three months, anyway. But I hope you covered your eyes when you watched him, because it reminded me of, well, this.

    Except in this case, there was nowhere for Tim Anderson to hide. So as the Marlins’ once-hopeful season descended into a flame pit, they just kept running him out there, until they couldn’t convince themselves to do that anymore. So on July 5, they released him, possibly because of unreal stuff like this:

    He was the all-time Zero Hero in June! Have you ever heard of this? A guy who started 21 games in a calendar month and emerged from that month with zero walks and extra-base hits? Yeah, Tim Anderson just had that month. Only one other player in the past 60 years has had a calendar month like that: the legendary Steve Jeltz for the 1988 Phillies (but in a September with 20 fewer plate appearances). So wait. Make that two players!

    He played Beat the Streak! But that stretch didn’t just begin in June. Would you believe this guy somehow went two months, and 38 games in a row, without an extra-base hit? And he went 23 games in a row — we’re talking nearly 100 straight plate appearances — without a walk? That. Happened. The 23 consecutive games he started without a walk or an extra-base hit was the longest streak of dueling goose eggs in more than 30 years, since Darren Lewis went walk-less and XBH-free for 27 games in a row for the 1993 Giants.

    He also had more errors than walks! Nine errors, seven walks. Is that good? Or how about this: More errors than extra-base hits and stolen bases combined (9-7). Holy Mario Mendoza! How’d that happen?

    But let’s also mention … that Anderson “slugged” .226 and had an OPS+ of 30! … and that he hit .164 with runners in scoring position … and that he went 2-for-20 with runners in scoring position and two outs … and that he went 3-for-32 against the Braves and Phillies.

    I’m honestly just scratching the surface of those grisly numbers. Whatever. What I still can’t figure out is what the heck happened.

    “Look at his numbers since The Punch,” said a high-ranking decision-maker on one NL team … so I did!

    Since José Ramírez flattened Anderson in their fabled boxing match at second base, on Aug. 5, 2023, guess what player has the worst slugging percentage (.257) and OPS (.514) in baseball? Did I just hear thousands of you readers shouting, “Tim Anderson”? Heck, yeah, I did. You’re the best LVP students ever.

    MY NL LVP “TOP THREE”: Anderson, Kris Bryant, Jeff McNeil.

    AL Cy Young of the half-year: Tarik Skubal, Tigers


    Tarik Skubal gets the nod over Corbin Burnes, Garrett Crochet and Seth Lugo. (Lon Horwedel / USA Today)

    That sound you hear, off in the distance, is the thumbs of thousands of Orioles fans, reading this and pounding out story comments that go something to the effect of: If you don’t think Corbin Burnes deserves the Cy Young Award, you know less about baseball than my garden hose.

    Well, I’ve never met your garden hose. But I promise I spent more time thinking about this than all the hoses in your neighborhood combined. Now here’s what I think: If this was the Most Pivotal Trade of the Year award, you’d all be right. Because Corbin Burnes has been exactly that.

    He has also been as irreplaceable as any great starter on any contender in baseball. Which, come to think of it, is why the Orioles made that trade. But here’s an important thing to remember before we get any further:

    That’s not what Cy Young debates are made of!

    This is not the Most Valuable Pitcher award. It’s about performance, period. It’s about who has pitched the best, period. And if that’s the question, Tarik Skubal is the answer.

    It seems almost incomprehensible that only three Tigers starters have ever won a Cy Young Award: Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Denny McLain. That means Jim Bunning, Jack Morris, Mickey Lolich, Mark Fidrych, David Price, Frank Tanana and Rick Porcello were among the many Tigers aces who never did. But Tarik Skubal? He’s well on his way.

    I took a lot of time digging in on the excellent cases for Burnes, Garrett Crochet and Seth Lugo. But if this is just about who has pitched the best, I think I picked the right man. Here’s why:

    Skubal versus Burnes: These two guys are so close in ERA (2.43 for Burnes, 2.37 for Skubal), that’s not a factor. But Skubal leads Burnes in WHIP, strikeout rate, opponent OPS, opponent slugging and opponent average. And once Skubal makes his last start before the All-Star break, their workloads will be virtually the same.

    Skubal versus Lugo: Lugo is No. 1 in the league in ERA and batters faced. So he’s been tremendous for a Royals team that signed him, dreaming of this. But Skubal has a hefty lead in strikeout rate, FIP, WHIP and opponent OPS. So if Domination Factor is a useful tiebreaker in Cy Young debates, Skubal runs that table.

    Skubal versus Crochet: Crochet ranks in the top three in the AL in both WHIP and strikeout rate, which always rockets a guy to the top of my list. But wait. So does Skubal. And Skubal’s ERA (2.37) is seventh-tenths of a run lower than Crochet’s (3.08). As fantastic as Crochet has been for the White Sox, I don’t see the argument for placing him ahead of Skubal.

    And I bet you didn’t know that … Skubal has the third-best strikeout rate in the league plus the best walk rate (1.6 per nine innings). So he’s filling up the strike zone and still not getting hit … Speaking of which: Left-handed and right-handed hitters are batting under .200 against him. … And opposing cleanup hitters are hitting .109/.160/.130 against him (with one extra-base hit). That computes to an OPS+ of minus-18!

    Finally, who has a more overpowering pitch mix than Tarik Skubal? This dude throws five pitches — and hitters have a batting average under .200 against four of them. But hold on, because … none of those are even his wipeout pitch, because he also throws a changeup with a 47 percent whiff rate (49 strikeouts, 29 hits against that dastardly invisi-ball).

    So Skubal’s manager, A.J. Hinch, tipped his cap to all the other candidates out there, but made the case for his ace this way:

    “I love the way Tarik has dominated the strike zone. As the attention grew on him, he has continued to throw strikes, miss bats and keep the ball in the ballpark. He’s been the definition of a Cy Young candidate.”

    And as much as I appreciate everything about Burnes, Crochet and Lugo, I agree!

    MY AL CY YOUNG TOP FIVE: Skubal, Burnes, Crochet, Lugo, Logan Gilbert.

    NL Cy Young of the half-year: Chris Sale, Braves


    At age 35, in his 14th MLB season, is this the year Chris Sale wins a Cy Young? (Dale Zanine / USA Today)

    Who’s the best active pitcher who has never won a Cy Young Award? It’s pretty much a dead heat between Zack Wheeler and Chris Sale. Isn’t it? So how perfect is it that that’s almost exactly how I see this NL first-half Cy Young race?

    But first, can I mention that, in retrospect, Wheeler should already own one of those awards? Remember 2021? It now seems so clear that Wheeler deserved to win that year. In fact, this spring, another team’s ace — with no connection to either Wheeler or the NL winner in ’21, Corbin Burnes — went on an unprompted rant about it to me.

    I don’t think that’s true of Sale, but he has a different claim to fame. He once somehow ripped off six straight top-five Cy Young finishes (2012-17) without ever winning once. Want to guess how many other active starters have done that? None. Obviously.

    These two guys also rank 1-2 in ERA among all active starters with no Cy Young trophies. So it’s time that changed — for one of them. But it’s hard to figure out which one, because of course it is.

    I decided the best argument for Wheeler is that he’s emerged as baseball’s most consistent front-of-the-rotation dominator for a Phillies team that wouldn’t have the best record in the sport without him. And, as always, he combines brilliance with volume. He has faced 55 more hitters than Sale has. And yeah, that matters.

    But here, I think, is where Sale inches ahead:

    He’s crushed it against the best teams. How about this stat: Against teams that are .500 or better, Sale is 5-0, with a 1.27 ERA — the best ERA in baseball against the best teams. (Wheeler in that same category: 3-2, 3.47.)

    WHIP and strikeout rate don’t lie. When I do my Cy Young analysis, those two metrics are where I start. So when you find a guy who ranks in the top two in his league in both, as Sale does, that’s telling.

    K/9 IP

    Sale — 11.7
    Wheeler — 9.7

    WHIP

    Sale — 0.94
    Wheeler — 0.97

    FIP happens. I’m always wary of delving too deeply into Fielding Independent Pitching in my Cy Young process for one important reason: FIP tells us more about what should have happened (theoretically) than what actually happened. And Cy Youngs are about performance, not projection. But I do look at FIP as a potential tiebreaker when a race is this tight. And there is such an eye-opening difference between Sale’s FIP and Wheeler’s FIP, it’s hard to ignore.

    2024 FIP

    Sale — 2.22
    Wheeler — 3.32

    For once, let’s not ignore “The Win”: Like virtually all voters in this evolving age we live in, I barely look at “wins” anymore. But Sale has 12 of them. And of his three losses, one was a 1-0 game, another was a 2-1 game, and he has a better strikeout rate, plus more innings per start, in the losses than the 12 wins.

    Listen, I have nothing but immense respect for Zack Wheeler and the way he handles the responsibilities of acehood, every minute of every day, from April through Halloween. But remember:

    The Cy Young is not the Most Valuable Pitcher award. It’s about who has pitched best. And I think the answer, as of this moment, is Chris Sale. But I also think this is about as tight as Cy Young races get.

    MY NL CY YOUNG TOP FIVE: Sale, Wheeler, Ranger Suárez, Tyler Glasnow, Reynaldo López.

    AL Cy Yuk of the half-year: Kenta Maeda, Tigers


    Kenta Maeda’s gnarly numbers have Cy Yuk written all over them. (David Butler II / USA Today)

    I just wish my friends from STATS Perform could tell me if the same team has ever produced a Cy Young and Cy Yuk in the same season. I’m going to guess no on that. But if things don’t change in the next couple of months, I may have a trip down a Cy Yuk rabbit hole ahead of me.

    So stay tuned for that, because Kenta Maeda has charged to the top of the Cy Yuk leaderboard. In fact, he has charged toward the top of the all-time Cy Yuk leaderboard.

    Welcome to the 7.00 ERA Club! Sixteen starts into his first season as the Tigers’ highest-paid starter (with a $24 million guarantee over this season and next), Maeda is sitting on a 7.26 ERA. Do you think he wants to know that in the live-ball era, only two qualifying starters have ever finished a full season with an ERA that started with a “7?”

    Jack Knott, 1936 Browns —  7.27
    Les Sweetland, 1930 Phillies — 7.71

    So the American League “record” is 7.27 — almost exactly matching Maeda’s mark. And call me an alarmist, but I don’t think this is trending well for Kenta. His ERA over his past five starts: 10.13. His ERA over his last three starts: 13.11.

    Ah, but his manager, A.J. Hinch, may have just rescued him from the pursuit of Jack Knott, by gonging him from the Tigers’ rotation “for the foreseeable future.” So there’s that.

    Central casting! It’s amazing that the Tigers have a winning record against their division, considering they’ve spent the past three months letting Maeda pitch against it. His record in six starts against the Central: 0-2, with an 11.90 ERA!

    That’s not right! Almost 90 percent of the world’s population is right-handed. I’m guessing that’s not Maeda’s favorite factoid about the world’s population, considering he has spent this year essentially turning the entire right-handed portion of the sport into 1936 Joe DiMaggio:

    HITTER(S) OBP  SLUG OPS

    DiMaggio, 1936

    .352

    .576

    .928

    RHHs vs Maeda, 2024

    .359

    .578

    .936

    Don’t tune into this FastCast! Scouts who have seen Maeda talk about his inability to get swings-and-misses on pretty much any pitch. But it all starts with the fastball — and hey, that’s going well.

    According to Baseball Savant’s Pitch Arsenal leaderboard, Maeda’s four-seam fastball is basically the fifth most-pummeled pitch in baseball. It’s transforming all hitters who swing at it into Babe Ruth, 1926.

    HITTER(S) AVG.  SLUG

    Ruth, 1926

    .372

    .737   

    vs. Maeda fastball, 2024

    .375

    .732  

    As always, this sport was filled with many deserving Cy Yuk candidates. But it’s hard to beat a guy turning an entire sport into Babe Ruth!

    MY AL CY YUK “TOP THREE”: Kenta Maeda, Michael Soroka, Reid Detmers.

    NL Cy Yuk of the half-year: Blake Snell, Giants


    Blake Snell, from Cy Young to Cy Yuk. (John Hefti / USA Today)

    Not all Cy Yuk profiles are created equal. And that explains how Blake Snell wound up in this space.

    He’s here, in part, because he’s 0-3, with a 7.85 ERA, after seven starts as a Giant. He has made it through the fifth inning exactly once. He’s averaging more than 20 pitches an inning. And if his miraculous 84 percent rate of stranding base runners last year seemed unsustainable, he’s shown why this year.

    BASE RUNNERS*  SCORED

    2023

    202

    32

    2024 

    47 

    22

    (*hits plus walks plus hit-by-pitches, minus home runs)

    But in truth, that isn’t why he’s here in the Cy Yuk winner’s circle. He’s here because we need to consider the context of how he became a Giant, for the bargain price of $32 million a year, plus a $30 million player option he can exercise for next year.

    Blake Snell is a Giant because the Giants had designs on contending, and assembling a potentially dominant rotation seemed like a good plan to do so.

    But in a related development, Blake Snell is a Giant because Robbie Ray can’t pitch until the second half, because Alex Cobb can’t pitch until the second half and because the Giants couldn’t safely project Jordan Hicks to make it through a whole season as a starter.

    So hey, what a lucky break that the incumbent NL Cy Young Award winner was still looking for work in the third week of March. Unless …

    Unless, of course, he wasn’t ready to pitch after missing virtually all of spring training.

    Unless, of course, he rushed back into the rotation on April 8 without facing a single minor-league hitter on a rehab start. (His choice.)

    Unless, of course, he was so out of whack that he went 0-3, with an 11.57 ERA and 1.97 WHIP, in his first three starts (all blowout losses).

    Unless, of course, he then strained a groin and wound up on the injured list for a month.

    Unless, of course, he then found himself winless with three days left until the All-Star break.

    So perhaps you might be thinking: Look, stuff happens — to everybody. He didn’t have much of a spring training. It’s not fair to be handing out Cy Yuks to well-meaning folks like this.

    All of that is true, except for the fact that missing spring training wasn’t just some happenstance. It was a choice.

    Snell and his agent, Scott Boras, had certain expectations. It wasn’t all their fault that nobody wanted to meet those expectations until the Giants came along. But what has happened since was always a potential consequence of holding out all those weeks.

    So in the end, Blake Snell got the money, and I’m happy for him. But he also got this midseason Cy Yuk award. Life is complicated like that sometimes.

    MY NL CY YUK “TOP THREE”: Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Dakota Hudson.

    Rookies of the Year: Mason Miller, A’s, and Paul Skenes, Pirates

    Is it me, or do these Rookie of the Year categories get harder every year? This sport is bursting with so many electrifying young shooting stars, it’s easier to figure out what to order at the Cheesecake Factory than it is to figure out who to pick for Rookie of the Year.

    So feel free to fire off your arguments for Shota Imanaga, Luis Gil, Jackson Merrill, Michael Busch, Joey Ortiz, Wyatt Langford, Masyn Winn and a dozen more rookies. There are no wrong answers on this quiz.

    I gave up trying to separate them all from one another — and went with my two favorite rocket-launchers.


    Paul Skenes. Take a whiff. (Benny Sieu / USA Today)

    Paul Skenes! I know he arrived in Pittsburgh for his big-league debut only two months ago. But I’m starting to think he’s pretty good.

    Roy Halladay struck out 82 hitters in his entire rookie season (in 149 1/3 innings). Skenes has struck out 89 in two months (in 66 1/3 innings).

    Mariano Rivera, the first unanimous Hall of Famer, gave up 17 runs in the first 15 innings of his career. Skenes has given up 14 runs in two months.

    Randy Johnson and Max Scherzer combined for two starts in their entire Hall-worthy careers with zero hits allowed and 11 strikeouts or more. Paul Skenes now has two of those in the first 11 starts of his career.

    So what we’re seeing here isn’t just a Rookie of the Year. It’s history.


    Mason Miller likes triple digits. (Paul Rutherford / USA Today)

    Mason Miller! There aren’t many reasons to watch the A’s this summer, unless your idea of fun is counting empty seats. But when Mason Miller lopes out of that Oakland bullpen, I highly recommend you stop whatever you’re doing to watch this guy spit lightning bolts.

    He’s already thrown 286 pitches this season at 100 mph or faster. I don’t know how to put that in perspective for you, so how about this: That’s more pitches at 100-plus, in three months, than Gerrit Cole, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani and Spencer Strider have combined in their whole careers (280). And that’s out of nearly 50,000 total pitches for those four.

    Or maybe this will drive my point home: Miller already has fired up five saves this season with at least three strikeouts and no hits allowed. Remember that Mariano Rivera guy? Would you believe he never had more than three saves like that in any season of his career? Believe it.

    If you read this section and only come away with the impression that Hey, maybe Mariano Rivera wasn’t that good, that wasn’t the idea here at all. We’re just providing perspective on two rookie pitchers who are already headed to their first All-Star Game … because they’re doing stuff even the legends of yesteryear never did.

    MY AL ROOKIE OF THE HALF-YEAR TOP THREE: Miller, Gil, Langford.

    MY NL ROOKIE OF THE HALF-YEAR TOP THREE: Skenes, Imanaga, Merrill.

    Managers of the half-year: Stephen Vogt, Guardians, and Rob Thomson, Phillies


    Stephen Vogt has led the Guardians to the AL’s best record. (David Richard / USA Today)

    Here’s another impossible award to pick. I could easily have talked myself into Alex Cora, Matt Quatraro, Pat Murphy or Mike Shildt as the managers of the year — and then spun an eloquently convincing case for why you should pick them, too. But that’s not what I did. Was it? Instead …

    Stephen Vogt: I’ve said many times that Terry Francona was the greatest manager of his generation. So naturally, he retired and turned the Guardians over to a guy who had never managed … and Stephen Vogt then led that team to a better 90-game start than any team Francona ever managed — in Cleveland, Boston or Philadelphia.

    I haven’t changed my mind about Francona. But I’m blown away by the magic Vogt and his staff have worked with the Guardians. The youngest team in the league. A team we thought might make fewer home run trots than Aaron Judge. A team that has had almost everything about its vaunted rotation go wrong.

    Instead, that team has the best record in the American League. And the manager has his pulse on everything about it. Pretty cool story.

    Rob Thomson: I know this isn’t how us savvy baseball writers usually pick a manager of the year. Usually, we look at the standings, find the team we were most wrong about and conclude: Whoa, what a brilliant job that manager is doing, huh?

    But that doesn’t describe the Phillies’ manager at all. I don’t know how many of us thought the Phillies would have the best record in baseball right now, or would find themselves 9 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta. But we knew this team would be good, possibly great.

    I just think it’s time to recognize the manager’s big part in that success. Rob Thomson waited a lifetime to do this job. And from day one, he was so good at it. He can run a game and juggle a bullpen as if he’d been doing this as long as Tony La Russa. But that’s not his greatest talent.

    The word I keep coming back to is trust. I think about it all the time when I watch him go about his job and listen to him talk. He shows total trust in his players, often without saying a word, and they feel it.

    So, in a season in which the Phillies have lost J.T. Realmuto, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh and Taijuan Walker (among others) to injuries, they’ve gotten unforeseen mileage out of Garrett Stubbs, Rafael Marchán, Kody Clemens, David Dahl, Spencer Turnbull and a bunch of guys who were never supposed to be central figures on the best team in baseball.

    The manager makes them all feel like they’re a part of it. He promotes a clubhouse culture where the stars do that. There’s a calm about his team that’s unmistakable. And you can connect every one of those dots to the guy in the manager’s office. Amazing to think he spent three decades working in this sport and almost never got this chance.

    MY AL MANAGER OF THE HALF-YEAR TOP THREE: Vogt, Cora, Quatraro.

    MY NL MANAGER OF THE HALF-YEAR TOP THREE: Thomson, Murphy, Shildt.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Baseball Hall of Fame tiers: Which active players are on course for Cooperstown?

    (Top image: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic. Photos: Aaron Judge: Stacy Revere / Getty Images; Chris Sale: Rich von Biberstein / Icon Sportswire / Associated Press)

    The New York Times

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  • What To Know About Dallas’ 2024 All-Star Week Schedule

    What To Know About Dallas’ 2024 All-Star Week Schedule

    It’s been a good year for Dallas baseball fans. After winning the 2023 World Series, the Texas Rangers are set to host the 94th annual All-Star Game at Globe Life Field on Tuesday, July 16…

    Samantha Thornfelt

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  • MLB City Connect: All 29 uniforms ranked, from the so-so to the sublime

    MLB City Connect: All 29 uniforms ranked, from the so-so to the sublime

    Editor’s note: This column has been updated to include the Los Angeles Dodgers’ second City Connect entry, which was introduced Monday afternoon.

    When the Minnesota Twins took the field last Friday, they became the 28th team to debut their MLB City Connect uniforms, capping off the first round of Nike’s planned three-year cycle of city-inspired fits. (It will begin again this week as the Dodgers debut their second iteration.) The two teams not participating in this round were the New York Yankees, who don’t mess around with their classic look, and the Oakland Athletics, who are in a complicated situation with the city they are supposed to connect with.

    Eight teams debuted new uniforms this season: the Twins, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers,  New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays.

    GO DEEPER

    MLB City Connect series: All 20 uniforms ranked, including the newest ones from 2023

    With each new uniform set introduced, many opinions have been espoused online and at the ballpark. All versions seem to have their detractors and defenders, stirring up purists and progressives alike.

    It’s hard to find a consensus for something like this, but our panel — featuring MLB writers C. Trent Rosecrans, Tyler Kepner and Stephen J. Nesbitt and Culture writer Jason Jones — took the baton from last year’s cohort and made a case for its favorites, discussing the good, the bad and the ugly of the complete City Connect slate.

    Our writers ranked each uniform using a scoring system of 1-30 (1 being the best), and those totals then were averaged and ranked. Here are their takes:


    Joe Kelly. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA Today)

    The uniforms, in addition to showing love to the Hispanic community, celebrate Fernando Valenzuela and his outstanding rookie season in 1981, which resulted in a World Series championship.

    On-field debut: Aug. 20, 2021

    C. Trent Rosecrans (29): Just lazy. While I’m not an all-out hater of dark jerseys on dark pants, the switch to white pants from blue pants was an improvement. But the fact they needed to change it tells you all you need to know about how much effort was put into these.

    Tyler Kepner (29): With all of Hollywood to use as a theme, slapping “Los Dodgers” on a blue jersey (over blue pants, no less) was almost aggressively dull.

    Stephen J. Nesbitt (29): Odds are, if you go to a game at Dodger Stadium and sit at least 10 rows back, you’ll forget these are City Connects. It’s hard to miss them when they’re gone if you barely noticed them in the first place.

    Jason Jones (16): I like “Los Dodgers” but as a Los Angeles native, “Los Doyers” would have been better. They’re not terrible, but not great. Kinda in the middle. More black on the jersey might have helped.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Dodgers unveil Fernandomania ‘City Connect’ uniforms

    28. Detroit Tigers (24.75)


    Tarik Skubal. (Junfu Han / USA Today)

    An homage to the Motor City’s ingenuity, these unis feature several car-inspired details, including tire treads, VIN tags and road signs.

    On-field debut: May 10, 2024

    Rosecrans: (26): At least in other hype videos, they pretend to like the new uniforms, but in this one half the people are wearing regular Tigers gear and they rap about the Old English D, which only has a cameo on the uniform’s sleeve patch. The tire tracks look like the people wearing this have been run over, which may be an appropriate metaphor for the last decade or so of Tigers baseball, but it’s hardly inspiring.

    Kepner (27): This predictable “Motor City” theme is begging for the Jaws of Life. It’s yet another dark jersey over dark pants combo, with a cap that looks like a mid-level prize option at a carnival.

    Nesbitt (27): In case the “Motor City” nickname didn’t get the theme across, you’ve got tire tracks down the placket (?), a VIN tag on the cap and helmet (??), and a sleeve patch designed like the M-1 road sign (???). We get it! Cars! It could have been worse, I guess. Shocked that the designers didn’t just slap “SOUTH DETROIT” across the chest while they were at it.

    Jones (19): I’m fine with “Motor City” but it goes overboard with the car references. Who wants a jersey with tire marks?! Might as well have used a license plate for names on the back.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Behind the Tigers’ City Connect jersey design: Paying homage to the Motor City


    Connor Joe. (Charles LeClaire / USA Today)

    Incorporating the colors of black and gold is a Pittsburgh sports thing. Also, notice in the shirt the asteroid, which references the city’s “steelmark” logo.

    On-field debut: June 27, 2023

    Nesbitt (25): These are bright and loud, but not novel. Going with black and yellow in a city where every team wears black and yellow is safe. That’s fine. But this franchise has a rich history of interesting and unusual uniforms from which inspiration could have been drawn.

    Kepner (16): The yellow-over-black works really well; it’s the combo the Pirates wore in their last World Series victory, Game 7 in 1979 World Series. But “PGH” is just so lazy. Give us a new pirate, or go back to that rugged rapscallion from ’79.

    Rosecrans (28): There’s no better example of being so close yet so far away than this thing. It’s much like the Braves in that it’s almost more of a throwback than a City Connect, but at least the Braves’ uniform looks good on its own. This does not.

    Jones (29): I guess it’s illegal for teams from Pittsburgh to not wear black and yellow. The huge “PGH” feels like someone’s initials. These are too basic.

    26. Philadelphia Phillies (23.5)


    Bryson Stott. (Bill Streicher / USA Today)

    Taking its palette from the city’s official flag, the blue-and-yellow kit incorporates some of Philly’s most famous historical iconography.

    On-field debut: April 12, 2024

    Nesbitt (23): These were billed as “unapologetically Philly.” Nothing says Philly like a font pulled from our founding fathers’ documents. Nothing says Philly like a disconcerting blue gradient. Nothing says Philly like a numeral style that makes Trea Turner’s number look like a question mark. So edgy. So historic. So unapologetically Philly.

    Rosecrans (20): This is one where I think it’s important to see the uniform on the field. I defended this when it was announced and we saw the studio pictures. I was wrong. Seeing this on the field, it’s, well, a series of choices. The biggest difference between glamor shots and game action is just how utterly ridiculous the gradient from blue to black looks with the jersey going into the pants. The hat is elite, but it’s not enough to save everything beneath it.

    Kepner (26): The stylish caps can’t save this hot mess. From the jagged wordmark to the bizarre numerals to the ridiculous color scheme, it’s a certified phiasco. According to the official press release, “Philly has always been a place unafraid to revolutionize, start anew and work hard to make change.” Maybe so, but it’s also a place that sees through pandering nonsense like this.

    Jones (25): Nothing about these really makes me think “Philly.” I guess the Liberty Bell on the hat? Keep this uniform on Phillie Phanatic and I’m fine. It looks like a costume for the mascot.


    Brett Wisely. (Sergio Estrada / USA Today)

    The Golden Gate Bridge is on the sleeves of the jersey. There’s also a story with the fog gradient throughout the uniform.

    On-field debut: July 9, 2021

    Kepner (14): There was real potential here with the bridge-and-fog theme. It’s a clean look, but without another color, it seems unfinished. Subtle black accents would have punched it up.

    Rosecrans (19): These have always looked incomplete to me. Still do.

    Nesbitt (28): Devastatingly poor execution. Using fog as a gradient theme is, in theory, an inspired choice. But these come out looking awkward and cheap. The bridges look bad. The fonts of the “SF” and “G” logos clash. It all just looks like a big L.

    Jones (27): Players look like containers of orange sherbet on the field. The bridge had real potential if these were designed knowing the A’s would be leaving Oakland after this season. Welp, it’s a swing and a miss.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    San Francisco Giants’ City Connect uniforms feature Golden Gate Bridge, fog


    Gunnar Henderson. (Tommy Gilligan / USA Today)

    Basic black uniforms connecting with the city’s arts culture courtesy of mosaic designs. “You can’t clip these wings.”

    On-field debut: May 26, 2023

    Rosecrans (11): My initial reaction was that it was a bit generic, as if it should have a UPC sleeve patch, but it’s grown on me. It’s fine.

    Kepner (21): It’s a boring jersey — the kaleidoscope of colors is mostly hidden on the inside collars and sleeves — but the set looks much better now that the team has switched from black pants to white. The “B” on the hat is sharp; they should use this style (rendered in orange), as their alternate insignia instead of “O’s,” with its upside-down apostrophe.

    Nesbitt (26): At least the Reds tried. The Orioles’ all-black unis are readable, but the only interesting elements are the socks and the sleeve piping.

    Jones (28): Yawn. The colorful parts are barely noticeable.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Unveiling the Orioles’ City Connect uniforms: Odd, slightly clever, underwhelming


    Jordan Wicks. (Matt Marton / USA Today)

    In an attempt to unite Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods, “Wrigleyville” was born.

    On-field debut: June 12, 2021

    Kepner (19): I like how the “Wrigleyville” lettering mimics the famous marquee outside the ballpark. But those dark pants — ugh! They should ditch them for white pants with a stripe of green Wrigley ivy crawling up the side.

    Rosecrans (23): I lump this one with the White Sox because they both look more like bad souvenir stand jerseys than actual uniforms. The use of the star from the Chicago flag inside the C on the cap is solid, but that can’t make up for the rest.

    Nesbitt (21): For such a storied franchise, in an iconic stadium and a colorful city, this is remarkably unspectacular. If I were a Cubs fan going to a game and they were wearing this boring all-blue (yet not Cubbie blue) uni, I’d be bummed.

    Jones (18): It’s not bad. It’s also not spectacular. I don’t hate it. But it doesn’t do much for me.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Cubs unveil Wrigleyville ‘City Connect’ uniforms

    22. Minnesota Twins (20.0)


    Jorge Alcala. (Matt Krohn / USA Today)

    The blue and yellow color scheme and ripple pattern on the jersey pay tribute to the elements of the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

    On-field debut: June 14, 2024

    Kepner (28): There’s so much they could have done to weave in the natural beauty of a Minnesota summer, but by plunging into the deep waters of a “ripple effect,” the whole thing drowns. As for the postal code “MN” wordmark, I’d stamp it: RETURN TO SENDER.

    Rosecrans (21): This has big end-of-the-cycle energy, when all enthusiasm for a project is over and you just want to put something out so it’s done. While not terrible, it’s just … there. Here are a few suggestions I think could help:

    1. White pants.
    2. Remove “10,000 LAKES” from the side of the hat.
    3. Sleeve patch as primary logo.

    Boom. You’re not getting an A if you make those changes, but you don’t have to worry about bringing down your final grade so far that it gets uneasy.

    Nesbitt (16): Forgot how many lakes? It’s on the side of your cap, in 10,000-point font.

    Jones (15): Fan of the details on the jersey, even though these could be mistaken as knock-off Seattle Mariners jerseys at a glance. A top-tier decision would have been to go with purple for Prince.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    ‘They are sick’: Twins ditch traditional colors as City Connect jerseys finally unveiled


    Justin Verlander. (Troy Taormina / USA Today)

    Houston has a respected reputation for its space education. “Space City” has similar font as the NASA logo from the 1970s.

    On-field debut: April 20, 2022

    Kepner (20): Do people in Houston ever say they’re from “Space City”? Wouldn’t that name work better for a self-storage facility? I love the lettering and numerals, which evoke the NASA wordmark. But given the Astros’ history of innovation — like the glorious “Tequila Sunrise” jerseys of the 1970s-80s — they should have used something more whimsical than navy-over-navy.

    Nesbitt (11): Each element of this City Connect uni is, on its own, quite agreeable. The yellow-to-orange gradient is everywhere from the cap to the socks. The NASA “worm” font is fun. The uni number on the pants is a nice throwback touch. But the dark blue background steals from all that goodness. If Nike reprints this as a white jersey, it would soar up these rankings.

    Rosecrans (22): When Ronel Blanco was throwing his no-hitter, I was distracted by the way the placket fell between letters and looked like it said “SPACIE CITY.” I like elements of this one, but it’s just too much blue. Maybe using an orange hat, or at least an orange crown with a blue bill would break up all the blue a little.

    Jones (20): The colors are great. Space City? I could do without that. How about “H-Town” on the front? The “H” on the hat is the best part.

    20. New York Mets (18.0)


    Jose Quintana. (Brad Penner / USA Today)

    An homage to all boroughs, these unis take inspiration from the people, bridges and transit that power the city. 

    On-field debut: April 27, 2024

    Kepner (15): It’s better up close than in action, because the names and numbers are hard to read in the black-over-dark-gray style. I love the bridge on the hats and helmets, but they should have leaned into the purple a little more, especially for the cap emblem.

    Rosecrans (13): They look better on the field — the purple accents are great — but the helmet alone bumps up their ranking. While I don’t like the bridge motif on the hat, I love it on the batting helmet. The best part is the subway map in the lining of the hat. As is the case with too many of the City Connects, the best parts are hidden from view.

    Nesbitt (22): Why go with “NYC” across the chest? “Queens” is right there. It’s only faintly Metsy. And it’s a flop, for me.

    Jones (22): The “NYC” style lettering and colors remind me of a Negro Leagues jersey. Feels like this was a missed opportunity not going with “Queens” and leaning more into the purple accents. More Queensbridge could have led to a great partnership with rap legend Nas.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Behind the Mets’ new City Connect jersey design: Why is it NYC instead of Queens?

    19. Toronto Blue Jays (17.75)


    Tim Mayza. (Dan Hamilton / USA Today)

    These ‘Night Mode’ themed uniforms feature vibrant colors meant to reflect Toronto’s energetic nightlife and illuminated skyline.   

    On-field debut: May 31, 2024

    Kepner (24): White outlines could have accentuated the fun skyline motif, but without them, we’re left with an illegible blur from more than a few feet away. And have I mentioned that black jersey/black pants is a tired act?

    Rosecrans (16): The evolution of my reaction to this one:

    Hat leaks: So good! This could be the best one yet!

    Jersey leaks: So bad! This could be the worst one yet!

    Official release: Oh yeah, not good.

    On-field debut: Better than expected.

    Nesbitt (19): Cool colors. Entirely illegible. Rinse, repeat.

    Jones (12): I really like the design. It probably would have worked better against a white, gray or light blue backdrop, but I still like it. Maybe it is just because I really like Toronto as a city and seeing the skyline makes me happy.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Blue Jays unveil City Connect uniforms


    Jesús Tinoco. (Jim Cowsert / USA Today)

    The uniform is a nod to Texas’ independence day. The jersey also features a peagle, a mythical creature blended from the minor-league logos of the Dallas Eagles and Fort Worth Cats (originally called the Panthers).

    On-field debut: April 21, 2023

    Kepner (12): The hat is a jumbled mess, and the number “0” looks weird, but this set does have an 1800s-Texas kind of vibe; you could picture a cowboy wearing it as he struts through the double doors of a saloon. Also, they created an animal! It’s a panther-eagle mix called a peagle. I’m all in on the peagle.

    Rosecrans (10): I think this uniform is similar to my feelings about the movie “Talladega Nights” — the parts are better than the whole. You can tell a team is onto something when the merchandise associated with the uniform is more successful than the uniform itself. If the peagle hoodie were black instead of navy, I’d already own it.

    Nesbitt (24): When the headliner of your City Connect is the mythical creature you created for a sleeve patch, and the warm-up act is a lid with a hilariously oversized “TX,” you’ve swung and missed.

    Jones (24): Looks like the jersey was meant to be worn with Wrangler jeans and an oversized belt buckle. Don’t get me started on the peagle. It just confuses me.


    Justin Martinez. (Joe Camporeale / USA Today)

    “El Camino de las Serpientes”: The way of the serpent. These uniforms show love to the Sonoran Desert and Arizona’s Hispanic culture.

    On-field debut: June 18, 2021

    Nesbitt (20): The “Serpientes” script is nice. Really nice. But there’s a missed opportunity for a snake logo on the cap, and overall the uniform is overwhelmed by the desert-sand backdrop.

    Rosecrans (18): There are maybe five people on Earth who remember the movie “Megaforce,” but it was some weird early-80s paramilitary fantasy movie that featured some weird desert camouflage and everything was that sand color. This reminds me of what Megaforce’s softball uniforms would look like. That’s not a compliment.

    Kepner (25): I can see what they’re going for with the sand color scheme, but they take it too far when they use it for the pants, too. Credit, at least, for using the Spanish word for “snakes” rather than the lazy “Los _______” format we often see in MLB and the NBA.

    Jones (7): “Serpientes” on the jersey is one of the best things in the City Connect series. Especially with a snake used to spell out the word. It also leans into the Hispanic culture of the region, and the gold jersey is different.

    16. St. Louis Cardinals (16.75)


    Dylan Carlson. (Jeff Curry / USA Today)

    A more traditional and understated take on a City Connect, save for the center-stage homage to St. Louis’ favorite son, Nelly.

    On-field debut: May 25, 2024

    Nesbitt (18): Having studied all 28 designs, I’ve come to appreciate a safe approach. This looks like a Cardinals jersey. It’s not better than what they already have, but not atrocious, either.

    Kepner (18): What a shame they didn’t perch the birds on the Gateway Arch, as designer Cameron Guzzo suggested on Instagram. And while the younger demographic in St. Louis might use the phrase “The Lou,” to everyone else, it means “the bathroom.”

    Rosecrans (27): Milquetoast and uninspired. It’s a spring training jersey and an airport souvenir stand hat.

    Jones (4): Nelly’s music introduced me to St. Louis culture in the early 2000s. He said, “I’m from The Lou and I’m proud!” So just like “The A” for Atlanta, this Cardinals jersey resonates. This isn’t overly creative, and I’m fine with it.

    What can I say? City nicknames on City Connect jerseys work for me — except for Space City.


    William Contreras. (Benny Sieu / USA Today)

    “Brew Crew” always has been a team nickname. MKE is the abbreviation for Milwaukee’s international airport. Look closely and notice the city’s area code within the MKE.

    On-field debut: June 24, 2022

    Nesbitt (12): I like these! The grill is genuinely great. The caps are a bit of a bother. I once came home from Milwaukee with a free Brewers T–shirt that had “MKE” across the chest. No one knew what it meant. Stop trying to make airport codes happen.

    Kepner (13): The MKE/414 mashup and the pointy wordmark don’t do it for me. I’d have preferred an all-out, gut-busting tribute to sausage varieties. Nothing goes better with brew.

    Rosecrans (24): I’ve always hated “Brew Crew” as a nickname, but it’s even worse seeing it here. The airport code/area code hat logo is just too forced and jumbled. This one would jump about five places if the hat used the same grill logo that’s on the sleeve.

    Jones (11): Brew Crew is one of the more fun nicknames in baseball (I know Rosecrans disagrees). The “MKE” on the hat isn’t my favorite, but the colors are vibrant and different enough from the usual Brewers look for me.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Brewers reveal new City Connect uniforms

    14. Cincinnati Reds (14.75)


    Alexis Diaz. (Katie Stratman / USA Today)

    Cincinnati’s uniforms represent a modern-day visual of the city. Looking to the past is the opposite of what they tried to do here.

    On-field debut: May 19, 2023

    Rosecrans (2): Yep, I’m going full-on homer with this one. I was skeptical when I first heard that the Reds’ City Connect was going to be all black, in part because I hate the black drop shadows on the Reds’ regular uniforms … but man, it’s been a breath of fresh air, even for a team that wore 29 uniform combinations in one season.

    Nesbitt (17): The all-black look is fabulous in studio lighting or framed on your wall. But designers need to take pains to make an all-black uniform work in games, and this doesn’t pass that test. The “CINCY” and number font are unreadable.

    Kepner (23): Black hats, black jersey, black pants — lighten up, guys! The new logo is a nifty, modern twist on the classic wishbone-C, but the whole thing is just too dark.

    Jones (17): The cap is cool, but the more I look at it, the more the uniform reminds me of something I’d create in a video game.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Reds’ City Connect uniforms give an often nostalgic team opportunity to look forward

    13. Tampa Bay Rays (14.25)


    Yandy Diaz. (Mady Mertens / USA Today)

    A skateboard-influenced design meant to evoke the counterculture energy of the team’s home.

    On-field debut: May 3, 2024

    Rosecrans (3): I ordered my hat the day it was announced. I absolutely love it. The green accents are fantastic and I think if the numbers were that same color and more visible, this might take the top spot. The hat logo is the best the Rays have ever had and it should exist well beyond the three-year cycle.

    Kepner (22): Using black letters and black numbers on black jerseys makes no sense. Paired predictably with black pants, the whole thing just looks like a black void from a distance, like a Spinal Tap album cover. And yes, I understand that referencing a 40-year-old movie proves the point that these unis are made for a younger generation.

    Nesbitt (9): Stitch for stitch, this is one of the coolest designs yet, with a dope logo, a cap tip to skateboard culture and neon flourishes all over. Worn best when players are decked out in colorful belts, sleeves and high socks. Without those, the look loses much of its sizzle.

    Jones (23): I feel the glow with this one. I don’t mean that in a good way. Reminds me way too much of the New Orleans Pelicans’ fusion of black and neon this season, which I was not too fond of either.

    12. Los Angeles Dodgers II (13.25)


    Freddie Freeman. (Courtesy of Jon SooHoo / Los Angeles Dodgers)

    A second wave of City Connect Dodgers uniforms pays homage to the city and its ties to the organization since moving from Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1958 — including the front workmark and the number typefaces.

    On-field debut date: June 22, 2024

    Rosecrans (25): What do you get when you combine the branding of Disney and Pop Tarts? Well, the new Dodgers Brand Connect! But hey, at least they didn’t make it “The Doyers.”

    Kepner (8): You gotta love the nonsensical “storytelling” that accompanies each of these uniforms. The Dodgers say their front typeface has an “upward trajectory (that) speaks to the city’s pursuit of what’s above and beyond.” Also, that upward trajectory looks exactly like the DirecTV typeface. The uniforms feature a “galaxy of stars,” we’re told, which represent “the brilliance and diversity of Los Angeles.” Also, they look like sprinkles on an ice cream cone. Laughable explanations aside, I actually really like this one, as City Connects go. As a one-off, the name-under-number style on the back is kind of fun, and the Dodgers still look like the Dodgers, which is more than most teams can say.

    Nesbitt (15): For a second effort, it’s not a home run. But the sprinkles look should at least sell well at the team store, and the cap logo, name-on-back positioning and color scheme are all moderately interesting elements.

    Jones (5): This is a much better effort. Love the blend of the old and the new. The blending of the “LA” and “D” is nice. The look feels very Hollywood and futuristic. It’s baseball meets “Star Trek.” The hat is the best part, but I like the overall look.


    Kenley Jansen. (Bob DeChiara / USA Today)

    Going against the grain — no red — Boston pays homage to Patriots’ Day, as well as the Boston Marathon.

    On-field debut: April 17, 2021

    Rosecrans (8): You know the theory about how your first pizza will always be your ideal pizza? This is kind of like that — it was the first City Connect and as such, it’s what I think of when I think of the City Connect. That said, I still actually like it. While it’s a huge departure, it makes sense with so many of the Patriots’ Day touches and the marathon. I like that it’s completely different and is more about the city than the ballclub.

    Kepner (17): Yes, these are the colors of the Boston Marathon. So maybe do it as a one-off on Patriots’ Day. Any more than that, and it’s out of step for a city and ballpark with many more sources of inspiration.

    Nesbitt (14): As a two-time Boston Marathon attendee (not to brag), I think this is a cool idea and unique look. But there’s so much history in Boston — and so much Red Sox uni history — that I think if designers took another crack at this, they’d come up with something more evergreen.

    Jones (13): No red on a Red Sox jersey is bold. I’m sure there’s a UCLA alum somewhere with this cap who doesn’t care that it represents Boston or has anything to do with the Boston Marathon.


    Hunter Renfroe. (Jay Biggerstaff / USA Today)

    Dark blue meshing with light blue. It’s a tip of the cap to why it’s called the “City of Fountains.”

    On-field debut: April 30, 2022

    Kepner (10): A rare conservative offering with the KC emblem patterned on the city flag and rendered like a fountain. And this has my favorite unseen element: “HEY HEY HEY HEY” on the inside collar, in tribute to the Beatles’ Little Richard cover that plays after every home win.

    Nesbitt (13): This one doesn’t demand deep analysis. The fountain-inspired logo is neat, but the overall look doesn’t sing. It’s all right, but tame for an alternate. Nothing grabs your attention.

    Rosecrans (17): Nez is right.

    Jones (10): I’m a big fan of the color scheme. Give me all shades of blue.

    9. Cleveland Guardians (12.25)


    José Ramírez. (Ken Blaze / USA Today)

    The classic color scheme, textured pattern and Art Deco influences are a nod to Cleveland’s famous Guardians of Traffic.

    On-field debut: May 17, 2024

    Kepner (1): I’ve felt all along that the Guardians should do more with the actual “guardians” — the bridge statue figures near the ballpark — to help folks embrace the 2021 rebrand. It’s hard to rally around a “flying G” insignia, after all, and this set includes a new logo that should become permanent. As for the uniform itself, the racing stripes are a welcome callback to the “Major League” era, the art deco font is classy, and I love how they weave little home plates into the CLE lettering.

    Rosecrans (14): One of the things I’ve liked about the City Connects is trying to get away from the tired red, white and blue color scheme that is too prominent in baseball. Cleveland had a chance to do something new when they renamed themselves but just did the same old, same old.

    Nesbitt (8): The more I see this one in action, the better it is. Each element is distinct and in agreement with the rest of the design. No one’s asking for the organization to lean harder into the “Guardians of Traffic” bridge pillars, but I’m digging the Art Deco font and the 1990s vibes.

    Jones (26): I imagine it’s not easy figuring out what to do with the Guardians’ name because there isn’t much history with it yet. They tried, but ultimately these feel like the pants from the movie “Major League” and a jersey that’s still in the works.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Behind Guardians’ City Connect design: A nod to an iconic Cleveland landmark

    8. Chicago White Sox (8.75)


    Jared Shuster. (Kamil Krzaczynski / USA Today)

    Dark gray, white pinstripes and gothic font prove to be a winner. Notice the “Chi” — also in gothic lettering — where “Sox” normally is on the cap.

    On-field debut: June 5, 2021

    Kepner (9): The White Sox claimed black-and-white as their color scheme in late 1990, and they’ve owned that look ever since, setting a trend that far too many teams have clumsily tried to imitate. I’ll make one exception for dark-jersey-over-dark-pants, and this is it.

    Nesbitt (10): It’s very White Sox. If you like that, great. If you don’t, you still probably find this design inoffensive.

    Rosecrans (15): I get why they did it and why some people like it, but it looks like a knock-off White Sox jersey you’d find on a clearance rack. And the hat? Huge downgrade, even if it’s just the three letters. It seemed cool when they did it, but it hasn’t aged well.

    Jones (1): The black White Sox jerseys have long been a favorite. My affinity goes back to Snoop Dogg wearing a team jacket in the “Deep Cover” video in 1992, followed by Dr. Dre wearing the cap in the “Nuthin But A G Thang” video. I’m not from Southside Chicago, but if I was, I’d proudly wear this jersey to the ballpark.


    Kevin Pillar. (Kiyoshi Mio / USA Today)

    There’s a California beach theme within these uniforms. The left sleeve has asymmetrical stripes that remind some of retro surfboards.

    On-field debut: June 11, 2022

    Kepner (3): This feels straight out of SoCal in the ’60s, when the Angels arrived on the scene. The swirly, bubbly letters, the beach-blanket sleeve stripes — it looks like something you’d see on “Gidget.” Fun, fun, fun.

    Nesbitt (4): Just delightful. It’s simple yet sharp, winking at the surf and skate culture while not completely throwing out the classic Angels look.

    Rosecrans (6): You could’ve told me this was the team’s new everyday uniform and I’d just think they upgraded. It doesn’t feel City Connect-y enough but it’s hard to knock it for being just a good, solid baseball uniform. And hey, it’s better than the Dodgers, and how often can you say that about the Angels?

    Jones (21): Feels very old-school in a way that doesn’t work for me. Could it be my Dodgers bias? Probably. I don’t like the Angels claiming Los Angeles from Orange County. Lean into Anaheim and the OC next time.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Angels unveil City Connect jerseys on a beach

    6. Seattle Mariners (7.5)


    Luis Castillo. (Stephen Brashear / USA Today)

    This uniform honors the city’s original MLB team, the Pilots, and it features Mount Rainier on the sleeve and a trident on the cap.

    On-field debut: May 5, 2023

    Nesbitt (1): There’s this line from a radio program I listened to as a kid: If you’re going to borrow, borrow from the best. That’s what the Mariners have done, bringing the Seattle Pilots back to life. For all the wildness, weirdness and wackiness of Seattle baseball, the Pilots got the look right. The trident logo. The chest font. The piping. Chef’s kiss.

    Kepner (6): The jersey and hat are so sharp that the black pants (while horrible) don’t ruin it for me. The 1969 Pilots and the early Mariners teams didn’t win very much, but I’m always in favor of honoring a city’s baseball history. And I’m a sucker for the trident.

    Rosecrans (9): I love the Pilots-inspired wordmark, but I don’t like the black, especially on the bill of the cap. There are very few caps I like where the bill is a different color than the crown and going from the blue to the black is jarring. There is just way too much black and blue together for me.

    Jones (14): The cap is top-notch. It’s my favorite part of the uniform. The colors and font on the chest are all nice touches. And it’s a bit of a throwback. That’s big for someone who loves throwback jerseys and still wears them when relaxing.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    ‘My Oh My’: Mariners’ City Connect uniforms capture essence of future nostalgia


    Ha-Seong Kim. (Denis Poroy / USA Today)

    A binational fan base is celebrated with these uniforms. Many of the team’s fans hail from San Diego, Tijuana, Mexico and Baja California.

    On-field debut: July 8, 2022

    Nesbitt (5): Wonderfully whimsical color scheme. Bravo. Pink and mint dominate the design. There’s yellow trim and name-on-back lettering, and most accessories seem to be yellow. It’s a lot. But it all works on the white uni. Different sleeve colors — who woulda thought!

    Rosecrans (7): I’m not sure this would work anywhere else, but in San Diego it’s fantastic.

    Kepner (11): Before they finally switched back to brown, the Padres’ uniforms had gotten so maddeningly boring that I can’t complain about their wacky City Connects. These uniforms are pretty silly, but they’re also lively and fun. Nothing wrong with that.

    Jones (6): This is perfectly San Diego. That’s the best way to summarize this look.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Padres release City Connect uniforms


    Lane Thomas. (Geoff Burke / USA Today)

    “Back in bloom”: The Nationals use a well-known signature of the city in their alternate uniforms.

    On-field debut: April 9, 2022

    Rosecrans (4): Pink is underutilized in sports uniforms. Gray has been overutilized, especially in the last decade. These two work in harmony on this gorgeous set. While I’m not a fan of airport codes (or what looks like airport codes) on uniforms, the rest is enough to make up for it. (If they’d just used “DC” on the breast, it’d be an easy No. 1 for me.)

    Kepner (7): The cherry blossoms work perfectly here — distinctively D.C. and a new element to a baseball uniform. The pink-and-gray combo is a welcome contrast to Nike’s default dark, tough-guy costumes. Don’t love “WSH” though.

    Nesbitt (7): Heartbreaking that this set is going away after the 2024 season. It’s a beauty.

    Jones (8): I’m usually meh with gray uniforms. For some reason, I like the pink and gray combo. It’s a great combination for a suit-and-tie for church and works surprisingly well for the uniform.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Nationals reveal new City Connect jerseys

    3. Atlanta Braves (5.5)


    Matt Olson. (Mady Mertens / USA Today)

    Hank Aaron chasing his 715th home run in 1974 reminds many of this uniform. “The A” offers a look of nostalgia for older fans. 

    On-field debut: April 8, 2023

    Kepner (5): You’ve gotta appreciate a uniform that honors Hank Aaron breaking the home run record in 1974. I’ve never cared for the lowercase “a” from those caps, so I love that they replace it here with the current “A.” Extremely well done.

    Nesbitt (2): Most City Connects feel as if the design process began with outlawing anything remotely signature about the team’s current look. Not here. Crisp white unis with blue and red accents and hidden tributes to Hammerin’ Hank? Looks sublime. That’s all I care about here.

    Rosecrans (12): So close to being good — the ’70s Braves uniforms are gorgeous. But there’s something about the unoriginality that makes me dislike it. But what I really dislike is the “The A.” I think there’s a difference between City Connects, throwbacks and alternates. This one is more throwback than City Connect.

    Jones (3): Adding “The” next to the “A” puts this one over the top and makes it one of the best of the bunch. Almost all my friends say they are going to “The A” and not Atlanta. I know this is a tribute to Hank Aaron, but “The A” gives it just the right amount of modern flavor.


    Josh Bell. (Rhona Wise / USA Today)

    The uniform is a slightly modified tribute to the Cuban Sugar Kings, a Triple-A team that won a championship in 1959.

    On-field debut: May 21, 2021

    Rosecrans (1): Wonderful. No notes. Better than what they normally wear and anything they’ve worn before. The story makes it even better.

    Kepner (4): It’s the only red jersey I can think of with white pinstripes, so it pulls off the rare trick of being unique yet uncluttered. Love the crown on the cap.

    Nesbitt (6): The crown logos are a nod to the Havana Sugar Kings, a Cuban team that was the Cincinnati Reds’ Triple-A affiliate from 1954 to 1960. It’s bold and it works. Miami, baby!

    Jones (9): I’m a sucker for jerseys with heavy historical connections. The nod to the Havana Sugar Kings is a winner here. The colors are bold, as they should be when representing Miami.


    Ryan Feltner. (Rhona Wise / USA Today)

    The Rocky Mountains, a predominantly green appearance and the letter font have these uniforms looking similar to the state of Colorado’s license plate.

    On-field debut: June 4, 2022

    Kepner (2): It doesn’t try to do too much: it’s the Colorado license plate, with matching wordmark and mountain range — not Rockies colors, but richly evocative of the state. Bonus points for the clever flourish of a double-black diamond ski patch on the sleeve.

    Nesbitt (3): I don’t want an alternate uniform that feels like it was drawn up by a dozen creatives in a conference room. I want one that feels like it came from the days when everyone sent in designs to the local newspaper, and a sixth grader would win with something garish and unreasonable and … perfect. That’s what this is. A beer-league softball uniform in the big leagues.

    Rosecrans (5): The hat looks like it was made by Patagonia and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I liked them better with the green pants, which is probably an unpopular opinion. Green is underused in baseball, so it’s nice to see it.

    Jones (2): This is nothing like the traditional Rockies uniform. No black, gray or purple and that’s what makes this edition stand out. It’s distinctly Colorado from the cap on down. No complaints here.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Rockies unveil City Connect alt uniform

    (Illustration by Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos by Megan Briggs and Scott Kane / Getty Images, and Nic Antaya / MLB Photos)

    The New York Times

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  • Fifty years later, the chaos of Cleveland’s 10-Cent Beer Night still shocks

    Fifty years later, the chaos of Cleveland’s 10-Cent Beer Night still shocks

    There were streakers, kissers and wannabe prize fighters. There were arrests, threats and flying chairs. There were bruises, there was blood and there was beer. So, so much beer.

    There was plenty of blame to pass around: the fans, the umpires, the team officials, the managers, local broadcasters and radio hosts. Oh, and according to one Cleveland resident, the real instigator causing that evening’s mayhem? The moon. And that’s not a reference to the fans who yanked down their pants and showed Rangers players their backsides.

    Fifty years ago, chaos descended upon Municipal Stadium on 10-Cent Beer Night. Now, the infamous events of June 4, 1974, when an alcohol-fueled crowd spilled onto the field, confronted players and forced a forfeit, are often viewed in a light-hearted manner, the stuff of commemorative T-shirts and parodied ballpark promotions.

    But at the time? Cleveland’s sports chroniclers considered it a black eye for Cleveland on a night that resulted in many of them.

    Texas manager Billy Martin: “The fans showed the worst sportsmanship in the history of baseball.”

    Cleveland manager Ken Aspromonte: “I’ve never seen anything like that in all my life and I have played baseball all over the world.”

    Umpire Nestor Chylak: “They were uncontrolled beasts. I’ve never seen anything like it except in a zoo.”

    Let’s travel back in time and dig into the archives of The Plain Dealer to re-live one of the most surreal scenes ever to unfold on a baseball field.

    ‘They would have killed him. I guess these fans just can’t handle good beer’

    The attendance that night: 25,134. Beers sold that night: 65,000. A Guardians spokesman estimated an average crowd today consumes about 23,500 beers.

    Columnist Hal Lebovitz surmised that half of the fans “drank little or no beer,” which meant those participating accounted for about five Stroh’s each. “I saw five fans stand in the beer line, each getting the maximum six cups,” Lebovitz wrote. “That’s 30 beers. Some of them drank two cups and the others inhaled nearly 10 apiece.” For a buck, he added, a fan could snag a 50-cent bleacher seat and five beers. A security guard was quoted saying he saw “kids that couldn’t be more than 14 years old drinking beer.”

    “Small wonder the bleachers were quickly sold out,” Lebovitz wrote. “Not even free soup or bread would have caused those long lines.”

    The team increased its security presence from the customary 32 guards to 48. Early in the game, it was merely a comedic spectacle, though one rated “R.” Dan Coughlin wrote: “A woman walked up to the home-plate umpire Nestor Chylak and tried to kiss him. Compared to what followed, this was cute.”

    Fans breached the field of play in the middle innings. They showered Martin with beer when he disputed a call, and he blew kisses back at them. As beat writer Russ Schneider detailed: “In the sixth inning, one of the youths who raced across the outfield stopped and disrobed — then streaked back and forth until he escaped over the right-field fence and into the arms of a policeman.”

    “The brew-propelled bleacher fans began to hop into the better seats, roam around the park, disturb the bullpens, jump over the fence and onto the field,” Lebovitz wrote. “The hooliganism was not confined to bleacherites only, but they were in the vast majority.” Umpires, ushers, security guards and the grounds crew spent much of their time herding fans off the field and scooping up their discarded clothing, empty beer cups and other trash.

    In the seventh, fans tossed a string of firecrackers near the Rangers’ bullpen, forcing the relievers to scamper across the field to the visitors’ dugout. Cleveland’s relievers followed suit a half-inning later. That led to Martin sticking with reliever Steve Foucault through the end of the game since the bullpen, as Schneider noted, “was barren of players.”

    Cleveland erased a 5-3 deficit in the ninth and appeared poised for a walk-off win when all hell broke loose. It was a ballpark riot, lasting nearly 10 minutes, players versus fans in one of the ugliest scenes ever to grace a baseball field. From Schneider’s dispatch: “A couple of spectators leaped onto the playing field and tried to steal the cap from the head of Jeff Burroughs, the Rangers’ right fielder. Burroughs fought back and, quickly, scores of youths jumped over the railing and onto the field — while players from both the Indians and Rangers raced to the defense of the outfielder. This time the Indians and Rangers — who fought each other last Wednesday night in Arlington, Texas — joined forces to protect themselves from the unruly mob.”

    Cleveland pitcher Tom Hilgendorf absorbed a metal folding chair to the head. Chylak was cut on the hand. Police had caps and badges stolen. The bases were swiped — and not by some speedy infielder. There were a dozen arrests.

    “Maybe it was silly for us to go out there,” Martin said after the game, “but we weren’t about to leave a man out there on the field unprotected. It seemed that he might be destroyed. They would have killed him. I guess these fans just can’t handle good beer. There were some knives out there, too. We’re fortunate somebody didn’t get stabbed.”

    Coughlin’s story asserts that someone “standing in a mob on top of the Texas Rangers dugout punched a newspaper reporter in the side of the head several minutes after the riot at the Stadium apparently had subsided. ‘I’ll kill you,’ said the youth, who seconds later blindsided the reporter again. ‘And if Burroughs comes out on that field tomorrow night, I’ll kill him.’”


    Jeff Burroughs, center, is escorted off the field after fighting with fans. (Paul Tepley Collection / Diamond Images / Getty Images)

    “I could see that there was sort of a riot psychology,” Burroughs said. “You have to realize all I had to protect myself with was my fists.”

    The game was ruled a forfeit in favor of the Rangers, the first forfeit since September 1971, when the Senators played their final game in Washington D.C. before relocating to become … the Rangers. Cleveland pitcher Dick Bosman, a member of that 1971 Senators team, said the fans in Washington “were only looking for mementos” when they disrupted the game. After 10-Cent Beer Night, Bosman said: “This was a mean, ugly, frightening crowd.”

    Cleveland’s players, bloody, bruised and shouting in frustration, returned to the home clubhouse. Aspromonte collected himself for 10 minutes before telling reporters in a soft voice: “Those people were like animals. But it’s not just baseball, it’s the society we live in. Nobody seems to care about anything.’ We complained about their people in Arlington last week when they threw beer on us and taunted us to fight, but look at our people. They were worse. I don’t know if it was just the beer.”

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Beers in the hot tub, holes in the wall: Tales from Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium clubhouse

    Martin called Aspromonte to thank the Indians for coming to his team’s defense. The Rangers remained in their locker room for nearly two hours before returning to their hotel with a significant police presence. Umpires exited in a private car that pulled up outside their locker room.

    Frank Ferrone, chief of stadium security, shook his head and acknowledged it was the worst incident in the history of Cleveland baseball as he spoke with reporters.

    “We would have needed 25,000 cops to handle this crowd,” he said.

    ‘I don’t know who to blame, but I’m scared’

    Lebovitz wrote: “They weren’t baseball fans. They wanted the beer. Thus, in essence, the Indians’ management wasn’t promoting baseball. It was pushing beer.”

    The cheap-beer marketing ploy wasn’t unique to Cleveland. The Brewers and Rangers had used similar promotions. The Indians had a nickel-beer night a few years earlier. The previous summer, Clevelanders could swig 10-cent beers at a variety of downtown events, including a rib burnoff, an art show and the All Nations Festival, where the libations were so popular that “more than 1,000 gallons were pumped in just a couple of hours,” according to a Plain Dealer article.

    In fact, the Rangers held the same promotion a week earlier, the night they tangled with the Indians in an eighth-inning brawl. Lenny Randle dropped down a bunt and ran several feet inside the baseline to collide with Cleveland reliever Milt Wilcox. Randle had leveled infielder Jack Brohamer to break up a double play, so Wilcox greeted him with a pitch uncomfortably inside. Cleveland’s John Ellis tackled Randle, and the dugouts and bullpens emptied. As the Indians left the field, fans pelted them with beer.

    Schneider wrote: “(Dave) Duncan, still wearing his catcher’s equipment, shouted at one of the fans, who, in turn, challenged the Cleveland player to fight. As Duncan stood there arguing — and with the total absence of any policemen or security agents — another man threw a cup of beer in Duncan’s face. It incensed Duncan and he attempted to climb over the roof of the dugout to reach the fan while his teammates, coaches and Aspromonte clung to his body to keep him away from the spectators. At the same time, several fans crawled on the roof of the dugout and continued their taunts and insults. After nearly five minutes, three policemen rushed to the dugout with hands on their pistols.”

    For a week, the hype built. Pete Franklin fanned the flames nightly on his popular Cleveland radio show. Lebovitz chided broadcaster Joe Tait for urging fans to “Come out to Beer Night and let’s stick it in Billy Martin’s ear.” Tait called Lebovitz to say he only made that declaration once, and only did so because Martin insisted there would be no hostile environment in Cleveland because the team didn’t have enough fans.

    “The impression may not have been the one Joe intended,” Lebovitz wrote. “But that’s the inference the listeners got. Joe, with his high-voltage delivery, conceivably helped create an atmosphere that led to the final scene.”

    Tait, though, pointed out a visual in the sports section the morning of the game that had a team mascot wearing boxing gloves. Lebovitz admitted that was a mistake. “In retrospect,” he wrote, “I felt ill over our contribution to the night’s events.” Lebovitz opted not to pen a column pleading with the team to postpone Beer Night because of the previous scrap between the teams. He didn’t think his words would have carried much weight.

    “These people probably came out with sort of a chip on their shoulders,” said Rangers catcher Duke Sims, “and then got beered up.”

    There were other culprits, too. Chylak said he “saw trouble coming as early as the seventh inning” and Lebovitz wrote the umpires began plotting their own exit, but “didn’t think beyond personal safety.”

    Cleveland’s executive vice president, Ted Bonda, told Schneider he considered handing Gaylord Perry a microphone to deliver a calming message to the fans in the seventh inning, “but I talked to somebody who talked me out of it. I wish now I had obeyed my gut feeling, but hindsight is better than foresight.”

    Schneider wrote that a stern warning would have sufficed. He also stressed umpires should have ordered the team to plead with the fans. When Mets fans tossed debris at Pete Rose in the playoffs the previous year, the umpires ordered the PA announcer to threaten fans with a potential forfeit. Manager Yogi Berra and veterans Willie Mays and Tom Seaver stepped onto the field and asked fans to “give us a chance to win on the field.” Schneider wrote, “This, it would seem, should be a common practice as well as common sense.”

    Lebovitz also pinned some blame on team officials for not preventing fans from shifting to closer seats that aided their fence-hopping and for not calling city police when it became apparent the fans couldn’t be contained.

    “But the major blame,” he wrote, “must fall on Beer Night. Without the 10-cent beer, the game would have been played to its proper conclusion in a relatively normal atmosphere. The beer brought out twice as many fans as expected and it brought out the worst in many of them, particularly the teenage kids who can’t handle it.”

    Aspromonte: “I don’t know who’s to blame, but I’m scared.’”

    Martin feared retaliation when the Indians returned to Texas in late August. He vowed to use his radio show to highlight how Cleveland’s players actually came to their aid.

    “It was an unfortunate thing last week when that fan threw beer in Aspromonte’s face,” Martin said, “but it shouldn’t have caused this. I really was scared. I was afraid someone was going to get seriously hurt. Someone could have had an eye put out.

    “That’s probably the closest we’ll come to seeing someone getting killed in the game of baseball. In the 25 years I’ve played, I’ve never seen any crowd act like that. It was ridiculous.”

    A woman called The Plain Dealer newsroom to inform them they had omitted the driving force behind the night’s events: “There was a full moon.”


    Some fans in Cleveland climbed atop the team dugouts and a few later charged the field. (Paul Tepley Collection / Diamond Images/Getty Images)

    “Beer Night became the gasoline that caused it to burst into full flame,” Lebovitz wrote. “There is no better fuel than alcohol.

    “The whole evening was a shame. It would be a tragic mistake to slough it off — to blame it on the full moon. In that case, the riot will have taught us nothing.”

    ‘Beer, a hot dog, popcorn and a lot of bellyaching’

    Cleveland public address announcer Bob Keefer warned fans ahead of the game the following night that they would be prosecuted if they entered the field of play. The message was met with applause.

    The Indians had two more 10-cent beer nights scheduled. In the early innings, when the only madness was a few young fans who had run across the field, Bonda had no qualms about the future promotions, as he told The Plain Dealer: “We plan to have them. These are young people. They are our fans. Where have they been? I’m not going to chase them away. They haven’t interrupted the game.”

    He spoke too soon.

    Plain Dealer columnist Chuck Heaton criticized Bonda and general manager Phil Seghi for downplaying the events and leaving the game early.

    “The better course would be to admit some misjudgment,” Heaton wrote, “in anticipating the size of the turnout, providing adequate security forces and in decisions on how to handle the various incidents that happened. They certainly didn’t feel that matters would get so hairy as they did in that last inning or both would not have left the game early and missed a first-hand view of the melee.”

    The day after the brouhaha in Cleveland — one of only five forfeits in the last 70 years — Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson said: “Beer doesn’t help. But I would be the last man to suggest that you ban beer at a ballpark. That’s the name of the game — beer, a hot dog, popcorn and a lot of bellyaching. I’ll tell you, if we ever had 10-cent beer at Shea (Stadium), it would be a disaster.”

    A half-century later, that night’s memories, softened over time, prevail through popular T-shirts around Cleveland — at one point, available at the Progressive Field team store — and copycat promotions. The Portland Pickles, a collegiate summer team, are partnering with a brewery for a 10-cent Beer Night on Tuesday. As their promotion reads: “10 Cent Beer Night went down as one of the worst failed promotions in sports history. That’s why we’re bringing it back.”

    American League president Lee MacPhail initially declared “beer nights will not be permitted at Indians home games in the foreseeable future.” He later backtracked, and the Indians held another beer night on July 18, 1974, but with stricter purchasing limits.

    Bonda feared the fracas would hurt the club’s attendance. Heaton wrote he didn’t think there would be a correlation, but he did predict team officials would use it as a convenient excuse if the Indians didn’t draw better. Ultimately, they attracted more than 1.11 million to Municipal Stadium, the club’s largest attendance figure for a quarter-century stretch (1960-85).

    “The fans know that riots are rare occurrences,” Heaton wrote, “and that Tuesday’s outburst very well may never be part of the Cleveland scene again.”

    (Top photo: Paul Tepley Collection / Diamond Images / Getty Images)

    The New York Times

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  • 2024 MLB ‘Wild-Card Era’ Franchise Rankings: Rangers break into top 10, Cubs fall out

    2024 MLB ‘Wild-Card Era’ Franchise Rankings: Rangers break into top 10, Cubs fall out

    As Jonah Heim squeezed the final strike of the 2023 postseason and Josh Sborz spiked his mitt on the mound to celebrate the Texas Rangers’ first World Series title, a thought crossed my mind: How will this change the franchise rankings?

    See, the Wild-Card Era (1995 to present) franchise rankings are not a creation of my fallible mind. They are borne from a tested, trusted, completely objective, never-been-questioned, all-math, no-bias formula borrowed from football writer Bob Sturm and tweaked to fit baseball’s postseason structure.

    Winning the World Series (WS): 9 points
    Losing in the World Series (WSL): 6 points
    Losing in the Championship Series (CS): 3 points
    Losing in Division Series (DS): 2 points
    Losing in Wild Card (WC): 1 point

    As of last year, the scoring system also incentivizes division titles (+1 point) and penalizes prolonged losing cycles, docking teams (-1 point) each time they lose at least 90 games in consecutive seasons.

    Tally the point totals for the past 29 seasons, from 1995 to 2023, and the result is the franchise rankings as listed below — along with each team’s point totals from the past decade, and average points per season. Tiebreakers are World Series wins, then World Series losses, then Championship Series appearances, then Division Series appearances, then division titles.

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    The Pirates’ 76-86 season in 2023 didn’t dig their hole deeper, but it didn’t get them out of it, either. Since winning the 1979 World Series, they have reached the postseason six times — three-year runs from 1990-92 and 2013-15. The team is hoping its next core will author another such run. After signing Ke’Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and Mitch Keller to extensions, the Pirates need continued progression from young big leaguers — Oneil Cruz, Jack Suwinki, Henry Davis — and top prospects Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Termarr Johnson.

    Total playoff years: 13DS, 14WC, 15WC

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    8

    Last decade: 1 point (MLB rank: t-26th)

    Average: -.14 points per season

    The Royals bottomed out at 106 losses last season, tying the 2005 Royals for most losses in franchise history, and fell to 29th in this year’s franchise ranking as they were vaulted by the Orioles. After seven consecutive losing seasons, the Royals clearly are trying to turn a corner now. This winter, they guaranteed Bobby Witt Jr. $288.7 million, filled out their bench and pitching staff with free agents, and unveiled plans for a proposed downtown Kansas City ballpark. This fall marks a decade since the Royals ended their 29-year playoff drought and reached the World Series — then won it a year later. It remains the case that no team has made the playoffs fewer times in the Wild-Card Era than the Royals.

    Total playoff years: 14WSL, 15WS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    9

    Last decade: 14 points (MLB rank: t-10th)

    Average: .24 points per season

    With the Detroit Lions defeating the Los Angeles Rams in January for their first playoff win since 1992, the Reds now own the longest active streak of not advancing in the playoffs among the four major US men’s sports leagues. Cincinnati swept the Dodgers in the 1995 NLDS, then were swept by the Braves in the NLCS, and they haven’t advanced in any of their four playoff seasons since. The current Reds core has a chance to remove themselves from that trivia answer. The lineup has several potential stars and only one projected starter over the age of 28.

    Total playoff years: 95CS, 10DS, 12DS, 13WC, 20WC

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    3

    Last decade: -2 points (MLB rank: 30th)

    The Orioles jumped two spots in this ranking by winning 101 games and the AL East last year, even if their playoff run fizzled fast. Adley Rutschman was AL Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2022, Gunnar Henderson won the award in 2023, and now top prospect Jackson Holliday is one of the favorites to win in 2024. The Orioles still have the best farm system in baseball, according to The Athletic’s Keith Law, even after trading top-100 prospect Joey Ortiz and former top-100 prospect DL Hall to Milwaukee for former Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes.

    Total playoff years: 96CS, 97CS, 12DS, 14CS, 16WC, 23DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    8

    Last decade: 7 points (MLB rank: t-19th)

    The Blue Jays are one of a few teams toward the bottom of this list that would fare better if this exercise included the entire 1990s instead of starting in 1995. Toronto won back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, but didn’t return to the playoffs for another 21 years. Though the Blue Jays have been a playoff team five times in the past nine seasons, including 2023, they’ve been swept in the Wild-Card Series in their last three tries. Even after failing to land a premier free agent this offseason, the Blue Jays have the bats, gloves and arms to be a division winner in 2024 — but so do three other teams in the AL East.

    Total playoff years: 15CS, 16CS, 20WC, 22WC, 23WC

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    0

    Last decade: 10 points (MLB rank: 15th)

    The Rockies stayed in the same spot in the franchise rankings but were deducted a point for having back-to-back 90-loss seasons. They chased 94 losses in 2022 with 103 in 2023 — their first triple-digit loss total in franchise history. Todd Helton is a Hall of Famer, bringing back memories of the Rockies’ magical run to the 2007 World Series. The other bit of good news is that Nolan Jones could be a certified star in Colorado. But this doesn’t look like it’ll be the Rockies’ year to win their first division title. FanGraphs has their current playoff odds at 0.1 percent; their odds of winning the NL West, however, are 0.0 percent.

    Total playoff years: 95DS, 07WSL, 09DS, 17WC, 18DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    3

    Last decade: 1 point (MLB rank: t-26th)

    The Brewers won their division last season yet still have the same points total. What gives? Well, time for a mea culpa. In auditing and updating the franchise rankings spreadsheet last month, I discovered an error. From 2001 to 2004, the Brewers lost 94, 106, 94 and 94 games, respectively, so they should have been deducted three points. I had only deducted one. To Brewers fans: I regret the error, just as the Brewers surely regret that era. As The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner wrote recently, Milwaukee has not finished last in their division since 2004. The Brewers have never won a World Series and have only one pennant (1982), but they’re reliably solid in a small market. They are now without Corbin Burnes, but they still have plenty of talent on the roster, plus Law’s No. 2 farm system.

    Total playoff years: 08DS, 11CS, 18CS, 19WC, 20WC, 21DS, 23WC

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    3

    Last decade: 11 points (MLB rank: 14th)

    The Mariners had the pieces to be a playoff team again last season, having already exorcized demons in 2023 to end a two-decade postseason drought. But after getting hot in the second half Seattle stumbled in September and was eliminated from the playoffs with one game left in the season. On paper, they have one of the league’s best pitching staffs for 2024. The lineup still features Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford, but it has been overhauled with the additions of a new Mitch (Garver), an old Mitch (Haniger), Luke Raley and Jorge Polanco in hopes of getting more runs and fewer whiffs.

    Total playoff years: 95CS, 97DS, 00CS, 01CS, 22DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    2

    Last decade: 2 points (MLB rank: t-25th)

    Never let it be said that this franchise-ranking formula doesn’t punish teams that subject their fans to prolonged down cycles (see also: Brewers blurb). The Nats/Expos lost five points for consecutive 90-loss seasons in the 1990s and 2000s, which they more than made up for with five playoff seasons (and a World Series title) in the 2010s. But their current rebuild has cost them another two points. There were some positive signs last year, like Lane Thomas’ 20-20 season, CJ Abrams’ second half and the law firm of (Josiah) Gray and (MacKenzie) Gore figuring some things out. Next, we await the arrival of top prospects Dylan Crews, James Wood and Brady House.

    Total playoff years: 12DS, 14DS, 16DS, 17DS, 19WS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    7

    Last decade: 16 points (MLB rank: 8th)

    I ended last year’s blurb this way: Unless Luis Arraez bats .400, offense will likely be an issue again in 2023. He flirted with .400 until July! Offense was indeed an issue, one the Marlins addressed by adding Josh Bell and Jake Burger at the trade deadline. Losing Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara to Tommy John surgery was a massive blow softened by the performances of Jesús Luzardo, Eury Pérez and Braxton Garrett as the Marlins secured a wild-card spot. The Marlins have never won their division, and odds are against that changing in 2024, but they have enough intriguing talent to stay on the fringe of the playoff picture.

    Total playoff years: 97WS, 03WS, 20DS, 23WC

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    5

    Last decade: 1 point (MLB rank: t-26th)

    Believers in positive regression will find no finer team to back than the 2024 Padres. The club’s late owner, Peter Seidler, spent big in his final years to bring a World Series to San Diego, and so cutting payroll was a priority this offseason. The team is now without one of the best hitters (Juan Soto), starters (Blake Snell) and closers (Josh Hader) in the game. The amount of talent they’ve lost is staggering, underscoring how strange it was to see them come up short in 2023. The lineup still has Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts locked in long-term and Ha-Seong Kim in the fold for another season. The rotation has Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, depth replenished in the Soto trade and now, after A.J. Preller’s Wednesday night blockbuster, another ace-caliber starter: Dylan Cease.

    Total playoff years: 96DS, 98WSL, 05DS, 06DS, 20DS, 22CS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    4

    Last decade: 2 points (MLB rank: t-24th)

    The Tigers took a surprising second place in the AL Central last season, their best finish since 2016, though few confused them for a contender. They saw encouraging signs in 2023 from Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene (when healthy), Kerry Carpenter and several pitchers, especially Tarik Skubal. They’ve added a handful of veterans this offseason — Mark Canha, Gio Urshela, Jack Flaherty, Kenta Maeda, Shelby Miller and Andrew Chafin — and have a couple top prospects approaching the majors. Better days should be ahead for an organization that hasn’t gained a franchise-ranking point (and, in fact, has lost two) since 2014.

    Total playoff years: 06WSL, 11CS, 12WSL, 13CS, 14DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    7

    Last decade: 1 point (MLB rank: t-26th)

    We begin the way we always do, with an updated win/loss record since the 2007 name change.

    Tampa Bay Devil Rays: 645-972 (.399)

    Tampa Bay Rays: 1,366-1,125 (.548)

    The 2023 Rays raced out to a record-setting start and still managed to win 99 games despite being without star shortstop Wander Franco and losing starters Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs to elbow surgeries. They’ve continued team-building their way this winter — prioritizing young regulars and undervalued platoon players and relievers — and will, in all likelihood, be a handful for the rest of the AL East in 2024.

    Total playoff years: 08WSL, 10DS, 11DS, 13DS, 19DS, 20WSL, 21DS, 22WC, 23WC

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    9

    Last decade: 14 points (MLB rank: t-10th)

    When writing a year ago “it’s hard to argue the White Sox are better than they were in 2022, and their farm system is one of the weakest in baseball,” I somehow still fell woefully short of predicting their 2023 season. The White Sox self-destructed. They fired Ken Williams and Rick Hahn, lost 101 games and moved seven veterans at the trade deadline. The positive outcome is that the farm system no longer stinks. Law ranked them 10th and noted, “This is about as good as their system has ever looked.” The same cannot be said of their major-league roster. The White Sox have had consecutive 90-loss seasons only once since 1995; they’re projected to add a second this season. They are playing for the future, as evidenced by the Dylan Cease trade Wednesday night.

    Total playoff years: 00DS, 05WS, 08DS, 20WC, 21DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    1

    Last decade: 3 points (MLB rank: t-22nd)

    The Mets haven’t advanced in the playoffs since their pennant-winning 2015 season. After the Mets won 101 games in 2022, the 2023 season saw Edwin Díaz injured, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer traded, and the Mets missing the playoffs by nine games. They still have the highest payroll in the game, but expectations are lower this season. Spring training started with a sour note as Kodai Senga was diagnosed with a right shoulder strain. FanGraphs gives the Braves a 98.6 percent chance of making the playoffs, the Phillies at 59 percent and the Marlins and Mets tied at 29.5 percent.

    Total playoff years: 99CS, 00WSL, 06CS, 15WSL, 16WC, 22WC

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    1

    Last decade: 9 points (MLB rank: 16th)

    The Twins blew some long-standing narratives to smithereens last fall by ending their 18-game postseason losing streak and sweeping the Blue Jays in the Wild Card Series. Then they lost Sonny Gray to free agency, traded Jorge Polanco and cut payroll. They remain the favorite in the AL Central — a division they’ve won three of the past five years — but may be leaving the door open. The Pablo López-led rotation has upside; Jhoan Duran and the bullpen are nasty; and a lineup that starts with Edouard Julien, Royce Lewis, Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa and Max Kepler is likely to do some serious damage.

    Total playoff years: 02CS, 03DS, 04DS, 06DS, 09DS, 10DS, 17WC, 19DS, 20WC, 23DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    6

    Last decade: 8 points (MLB rank: t-17th)

    Before 2022, the A’s hadn’t endured a 100-loss season since 1979. Now they’ve done it two years in a row for the first time since 1964-65. They lost a rankings point for that, dropped one spot in the rankings and will surely continue in that downward direction. Law ranked their farm system last. In 2023, Brent Rooker had an early breakout, Ryan Noda and Zack Gelof emerged and Esteury Ruiz led the AL with 67 steals. But overshadowing all of that in Oakland is the team’s desire to flee to Las Vegas and fans’ attempts to make their objections heard.

    Total playoff years: 00DS, 01DS, 02DS, 03DS, 06CS, 12DS, 13DS, 14WC, 18WC, 19WC, 20DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    2

    Last decade: 4 points (MLB rank: 21st)

    Let’s break down the Wild-Card Era Angels by decade.

    1995-99: 387-405 (.489)

    2000s: 900-720 (.556)

    2010s: 822-798 (.507)

    2020s: 176-208 (.458)

    Just as I suspected. The Angels are feeling rather fourth place-ish. They haven’t had a winning record since 2015 (their last “of Anaheim” season), haven’t made the playoffs since 2014, and haven’t won a playoff game since 2009. A 2023 recap: Arte Moreno didn’t sell the team, and GM Perry Minasian didn’t trade Shohei Ohtani before the season, didn’t trade him after the season, made a big bet as a trade deadline buyer and lost. Now the Angels trudge toward whatever is next. They have Mike Trout and Law’s 29th-ranked farm system, and no Ohtani.

    Total playoff years: 02WS, 04DS, 05CS, 07DS, 08DS, 09CS, 14DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    0

    Last decade: 3 points (MLB rank: t-22nd)

    The Cubs hold the third tiebreaker (Championship Series appearances) over the Angels but were knocked out of the top 10 this year after being jumped by the Diamondbacks and Rangers. The Cubs ended the 2023 season one game back of a wild-card spot. The Chicago roster, though, hasn’t changed substantially since. They lost Marcus Stroman, brought back Cody Bellinger, traded for Michael Busch and signed Shota Imanaga and Héctor Neris. They also have the No. 5 farm system, per Law. The NL Central race should be compelling; FanGraphs projects all five teams between 77 and 84 wins.

    Total playoff years: 98DS, 03CS, 07DS, 08DS, 15CS, 16WS, 17CS, 18WC, 20WC

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    3

    Last decade: 20 points (MLB rank: 4th)

    Snakes alive. They climbed three spots in this year’s ranking. They also didn’t exist at the start of the Wild-Card Era, so if we look at their average points per season they rank 10th, ahead of the Phillies by 0.01. Indeed, here come the D-Backs. They may not have won the offseason like the division-rival Dodgers, but they have Corbin Carroll and Zac Gallen and enough talent surrounding them to make noise again in 2024. As for the new arrivals: Eduardo Rodríguez fortifies a rotation that could have used one more starter last fall, Eugenio Suárez gives Arizona more thump at third base, and Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk are mix-and-match platoon options at DH and in the outfield.

    Total playoff years: 99DS, 01WS, 02DS, 07CS, 11DS, 17DS, 23WSL

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    1

    Last decade: 8 points (MLB rank: t-17th)

    The Phillies in the past two years have played in a World Series and come one win short of appearing in another. After flailing for most of the 2010s, they’ve built a formidable core and so far have spent to keep it mostly intact. They let Rhys Hoskins walk in free agency this winter but brought back Aaron Nola and extended Zack Wheeler. This is more or less a run-it-back year for Philadelphia. They have the horses, and they have them healthy for now. But they’ll need to click from the jump if the Phillies are going to win their first division title since 2011.

    Total playoff years: 07DS, 08WS, 09WSL, 10CS, 11DS, 22WSL, 23CS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    3

    Last decade: 7 points (MLB rank: t-19th)

    A World Series title doesn’t guarantee you a top-10 spot in the franchise rankings, but the nine points the Rangers bagged for winning their first ring last fall got them there. It was far from an ideal season for Texas. Jacob deGrom made only six starts before suffering an elbow injury. Nathan Eovaldi and Corey Seager both missed significant time in the regular season. The team fell out of first place and nearly lost their wild-card spot. But Seager, Adolis García, Josh Jung and Evan Carter led the Rangers lineup in October, and the pitching arms of Eovaldi, Jordan Montgomery, José Leclerc and Josh Sborz did the rest. There are reasons to doubt the Rangers in 2024, but they’re about as good as they were last spring.

    Total playoff years: 96DS, 98DS, 99DS, 10WSL, 11WSL, 12WC, 15DS, 16DS, 23WS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    2

    Last decade: 14 points (MLB rank: t-10th)

    The Guardians couldn’t give Tito Francona a storybook finish to his likely Hall of Fame career. They played .500 ball in the first half, were 10 games worse than that in the second half and finished third (or lower) in the AL Central for the first time since 2015. Their overall position on this list is incredibly respectable, especially since they’re the only one of the top 13 teams without a World Series title juicing their numbers. The Guardians have made the playoffs 13 times in the 29 years of the Wild-Card Era, won the division 11 times and captured three pennants. With José Ramírez, a young cast of hitters and a strong pitching staff, the Guardians have a shot at the AL Central crown this season.

    Total playoff years: 95WSL, 96DS, 97WSL, 98CS, 99DS, 01DS, 07CS, 13WC, 16WSL, 17DS, 18DS, 20WC, 22DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    1

    Last decade: 17 points (MLB rank: t-6th)

    Three World Series titles will take you a long way, so the Giants are still sitting pretty here at No. 7 despite not seeing much playoff success since 2014. They backslid from 107 wins in 2021 to 81 in 2022 to 79 in 2023, leading to manager Gabe Kapler’s ouster. This offseason they signed Jordan Hicks, Jorge Soler and Jung Hoo Lee, traded for former Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray, who’s rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and waited out the market to land free agent Matt Chapman on a remarkably palatable three-year contract with two opt-outs. The Giants, however, still seem undermanned as they face an uphill climb in a division led by the Dodgers and the defending NL champs in Arizona.

    Total playoff years: 97DS, 00DS, 02WSL, 03DS, 10WS, 12WS, 14WS, 16DS, 21DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    1

    Last decade: 14 points (MLB rank: t-10th)

    Houston has reached the ALCS in seven consecutive seasons, played in four World Series and twice — including 2023 — fallen one win short. They are tied with the Dodgers for most points in the past decade; Houston holds the tiebreaker. They’d be in the top five in this year’s franchise rankings if not for the three points deducted for 90-loss seasons in the early 2010s. For now, they’re well clear of the Giants and Guardians and nipping at the heels of the Red Sox. In 2024, the Astros return almost the same lineup as last season, but with an offensive upgrade at catcher in Yainer Díaz. They’ll have Justin Verlander back in the rotation, once healthy. And they have two top-end closers in Josh Hader and Ryan Pressly.

    Total playoff years: 97DS, 98DS, 99DS, 01DS, 04CS, 05WSL, 15DS, 17WS, 18CS, 19WSL, 20CS, 21WSL, 22WS, 23CS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    3

    Last decade: 46 points (MLB rank: t-1st)

    The long-term organizational momentum the Red Sox built with four World Series titles in the past 20 years has stalled. They’ve finished last in the AL East the past two seasons, with identical 78-84 records, and now they have a new chief baseball officer, Craig Breslow, but not a significantly upgraded roster. The Red Sox have strong left-handed hitters but could use some thunder from the right side at Fenway Park. With free-agent add Lucas Giolito out for the season, Boston needs another starter or two to lead the pitching staff alongside Brayan Bello. There’s still time to start spending, but the Red Sox so far have shown no urgency.

    Total playoff years: 95DS, 98DS, 99CS, 03CS, 04WS, 05DS, 07WS, 08CS, 09DS, 13WS, 16DS, 17DS, 18WS, 21CS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    0

    Last decade: 19 points (MLB rank: 5th)

    This wasn’t necessarily the top headline of the Dodgers’ offseason, but they finally ran down the Red Sox and stole fourth place in the franchise rankings. They are a Death Star. The Dodgers have an 11-year playoff streak going, with 10 division titles in that stretch. If the franchise rankings covered only the past decade, the Dodgers would be tied with the Astros at No. 1. They’ve operated at a 102-win clip in manager Dave Roberts’ eight years in Los Angeles, and all of that was before they added [huge breath] Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, James Paxton and Teoscar Hernández, and re-signed Clayton Kershaw, Jason Heyward and Kiké Hernández. Probably a team to watch in 2024.

    Total playoff years: 95DS, 96DS, 04DS, 06DS, 08CS, 09CS, 13CS, 14DS, 15DS, 16CS, 17WSL, 18WSL, 19DS, 20WS, 21CS, 22DS, 23DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    0

    Last decade: 46 points (MLB rank: t-1st)

    No movement in our top three for 2024, but a couple teams are in striking distance of the Cardinals this season. After three consecutive wild-card exits, St. Louis had a deeply disappointing 2023, finishing 71-91. It was their first losing season since 2007, and their first 90-loss season since 1990. The Cardinals overhauled their pitching staff this winter, bringing in veterans Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn, Keynan Middleton and Andrew Kittredge. The talent in their lineup is still eye-popping, so with halfway decent pitching and positive regression from a few hitters the Cardinals could be back in 2024.

    Total playoff years: 96CS, 00CS, 01DS, 02CS, 04WSL, 05CS, 06WS, 09DS, 11WS, 12CS, 13WSL, 14CS, 15DS, 19CS, 20WC, 21WC, 22WC

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    0

    Last decade: 15 points (MLB rank: 9th)

    The only one of our top three teams to reach the postseason in 2023, the Braves won the NL East for the sixth consecutive season before bowing out again in the NLDS. They’ve already won a World Series in this competitive window, but it feels like they’ve left a lot on the table. The good news for Braves fans, and bad for most others, is the team’s current core isn’t going anywhere. The Braves have built a behemoth without a top-five payroll, as reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Spencer Strider, Sean Murphy, Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II all have agreed to long-term extensions.

    Total playoff years: 95WS, 96WSL, 97CS, 98CS, 99WSL, 00DS, 01CS, 02DS, 03DS, 04DS, 05DS, 10DS, 12WC, 13DS, 18DS, 19DS, 20CS, 21WS, 22DS, 23DS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    2

    Last decade: 24 points (MLB rank: 3rd)

    The Yankees are still the class of the Wild-Card Era, though they certainly haven’t been baseball’s top franchise recently. The overall body of work is immensely impressive: In the 29 seasons included in this exercise, the Yankees have 24 playoff berths, 15 division titles, seven AL pennants and five World Series titles. (Only one title and pennant, however, in the past two decades.) In 2023, the Yankees narrowly avoided their first losing season since 1992, but their 80 losses still were their most of the Wild-Card Era. Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and Carlos Rodón all missed significant time with injury. Gerrit Cole was the AL Cy Young and also the Yankees’ only reliable starter last season, but now there’s uncertainty regarding his health for 2024. The Yankees will have Judge, Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo across the outfield. They added Marcus Stroman to the rotation. We’ll see if that’s enough.

    Total playoff years: 95DS, 96WS, 97DS, 98WS, 99WS, 00WS, 01WSL, 02DS, 03WSL, 04CS, 05DS, 06DS, 07DS, 09WS, 10CS, 11DS, 12CS, 15WC, 17CS, 18DS, 19CS, 20DS, 21WC, 22CS

    Consecutive 90-loss seasons

    0

    Last decade (since 2014): 17 points (MLB rank: t-6th)

    Rank

      

    Team

      

    Total

      

    Average

      

    Decade

      

    1

    110

    3.79

    17

    2

    81

    2.79

    24

    3

    72

    2.48

    15

    4

    68

    2.34

    46

    5

    66

    2.28

    19

    6

    65

    2.24

    46

    7

    48

    1.66

    14

    8

    48

    1.66

    17

    9

    37

    1.28

    14

    10

    33

    1.14

    7

    11

    30

    1.15

    8

    12

    29

    1

    20

    13

    29

    1

    3

    14

    25

    0.86

    4

    15

    22

    0.76

    8

    16

    21

    0.72

    9

    17

    19

    0.66

    3

    18

    19

    0.73

    14

    19

    17

    0.59

    1

    20

    17

    0.59

    2

    21

    16

    0.55

    1

    22

    14

    0.48

    16

    23

    14

    0.48

    2

    24

    14

    0.48

    11

    25

    10

    0.34

    1

    26

    10

    0.34

    10

    27

    9

    0.31

    7

    28

    9

    0.31

    -2

    29

    7

    0.24

    14

    30

    -4

    -0.14

    1

    (Top illustration by Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Photos by Justin Berl / Getty Images; Rob Tringali / Sportschrome; Matt Dirksen / Getty Images; Brian Blanco / Getty Images) 

    The New York Times

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  • Previewing every Cactus League team as 2024 spring training begins

    Previewing every Cactus League team as 2024 spring training begins

    It’s that time of the year again. Baseball is back and every fan wants to know what their team looks like heading into the new season. As spring training begins, the Cactus League is shaping up to field some of the most exciting teams in the league.

    Home to both 2023 World Series teams, the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, the Cactus League will already be looked at closely. But there is one team that has separated themselves from the pack.

    All eyes will be on the Los Angeles Dodgers after their offseason additions of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto pushed them into being a favorite to win the Fall Classic.

    “Obviously, the Dodgers are far and away the number one story in baseball,” says Bob Nightengale, baseball columnist for USA Today.

    The Dodgers will finish spring training in Arizona earlier than usual this season on March 13 due to a scheduled regular-season opener in Seoul, South Korea, against the San Diego Padres on March 20.

    While heavy favorites like the Dodgers will be the center of conversations around the league, Nightengale said he wouldn’t look past teams like the Diamondbacks, who enter camp with an upgraded roster since their World Series run.

    “Odds only had them winning like 84 1/2 games when they won 84 games last year. This is a better team,” Nightengale says.

    Arizona added pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez to fit in the middle of the rotation and also brought in third baseman Eugenio Suárez and designated hitter Joc Pederson to provide more power in the lineup.

    Alongside the expected contenders, some less established teams like the Cincinnati Reds will be looking to solidify themselves as a serious challenger in the National League. Led by young talents like Spencer Steer, Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene, the Reds will look to make the push into the postseason after nearly taking a wild-card spot last season.

    “I think they’ve (Cincinnati Reds) got a chance to do something special,” Nightengale said. “They got so many great young players all around that board. If I had to take a sleeper team, that would be my sleeper team.”

    Spring training is the time to get acclimated to up-and-coming prospects and new faces to the MLB, and the Cactus League has its fair share.

    From former Korean League standout Jung Hoo Lee in San Francisco to Nolan Jones fresh off his 20-homer, 20-steal season in Colorado, there are new players everywhere for fans to grow accustomed to.

    Nearly every team has something new to look forward to going into the new season, and that will certainly bring along new expectations.

    Fans from all over are going to be in for an exciting year of baseball in 2024.

    Arizona Diamondbacks

    The Arizona Diamondbacks followed their surprising World Series run by opening up the checkbook and improving the young core already in place with Corbin Carroll, Zac Gallen and Gabriel Moreno.

    The team added to the starting rotation by signing left-handed starter Eduardo Rodríguez. After some struggles at the plate from the third base and designated hitter spots last season, the Diamondbacks traded for third baseman Eugenio Suárez and signed outfielders Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk.

    While it will be tough to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Diamondbacks are in prime position to improve on last year.

    The Diamondbacks are projected to finish second in the National League West, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: LHP Eduardo Rodríguez, OF Joc Pederson, 3B Eugenio Suárez, OF Randal Grichuk
    Notable departures: 3B Evan Longoria, OF Tommy Pham
    2023 record: 84-78
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 83-79

    Chicago Cubs

    The Chicago Cubs brought in former Milwaukee Brewers manager (and former Arizona Diamondback) Craig Counsell to fill in the same position after barely missing the postseason season.

    Pitching was a focus for the Cubs this offseason. The team signed left-hander Shota Imanaga from Japan to join the starting rotation led by Justin Steele after Marcus Stroman left in free agency. The team also brought in some reliable bullpen arms in Hector Neris and Yency Almonte.

    Cody Bellinger’s status as a free agent still leaves some questions about if the Cubs want to bring him back to the lineup, but only time will tell if they have him back.

    The Cubs are projected to finish second in the National League Central, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: LHP Shota Imanaga, RHP Hector Neris, RHP Yency Almonte
    Notable departures: RHP Marcus Stroman, OF Cody Bellinger, 3B Jeimer Candelario
    2023 record: 83-79
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 81-81

    Chicago White Sox

    After a down year last season, the White Sox lost many key pieces this offseason.

    The acquisition of outfielder Dominic Fletcher gives the White Sox a young player who has shown he can find some success in the MLB, albeit a small sample size. Fletcher had a .301 batting average and .791 OPS in 28 games with the Diamondbacks last season.

    The losses of Liam Hendriks, Mike Clevinger and Aaron Bummer will present a challenge for the White Sox pitching department to find ways to make up for their production.

    The team is projected to finish last in the American League Central, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: OF Dominic Fletcher, C Martín Maldonado, SS Paul DeJong, RHP Mike Soroka, 2B Nicky Lopez, RHP Erick Fedde
    Notable departures: RHP Liam Hendriks, C Yasmani Grandal, RHP Mike Clevinger, SS Tim Anderson, LHP Aaron Bummer
    2023 record: 61-101
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 68-94

    Cincinnati Reds

    The Reds just missed the postseason last year, but come back to this season with the majority of that 2023 team intact. The Reds are a young team that came onto the scene last year with names like Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer.

    The signings of Nick Martinez and Frankie Montas add to the starting rotation, and the bullpen added Buck Farmer and Emilio Pagán to improve the pitching staff. The Reds had a team ERA of 4.83 last season.

    Jeimer Candelario joins a crowded infield with a large amount of young talent.

    The Reds are projected to finish tied for third in the National League Central, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: 3B Jeimer Candelario, RHP Nick Martinez, RHP Frankie Montas, RHP Buck Farmer, RHP Emilio Pagán
    Notable departures: OF Harrison Bader, 1B Joey Votto, OF Nick Senzel
    2023 record: 82-80
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 80-82

    Cleveland Guardians

    The Cleveland Guardians hired first-time manager Stephen Vogt after former manager Terry Francona stepped down after last season. He’ll have Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie to lead the starting rotation.

    McKenzie is coming off of an injury-riddled season in which he only pitched in four games so time will tell if he can bounce back to his old form. He had a 2.96 ERA in 31 games in 2022.

    The Guardians are projected to finish second in the American League Central, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: RHP Ben Lively, RHP Scott Barlow, C Austin Hedges
    Notable departures: RHP Reynaldo López, RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Cal Quantrill
    2023 record: 76-86
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 80-82

    Colorado Rockies

    The Rockies struggled last year, finishing 41 games behind the Dodgers in the National League West.

    The Rockies traded for pitcher Cal Quantrill from the Cleveland Guardians to add to their pitching staff. The Rockies finished last in the MLB with a 5.67 team ERA last season and Quantrill finished with a 5.24 ERA in 19 games. Quantrill getting back to his 2022 form, in which he threw for a 3.38 ERA in 32 games, would help improve those numbers, but Coors Field is notorious for not being friendly to pitchers.

    On the offensive side, outfielder Nolan Jones emerged as a promising young player last year. Jones finished with a .297 batting average with 20 home runs and also stole 20 bases. His development will be something to keep an eye on.

    The Rockies are projected to finish last in the National League West, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: RHP Cal Quantrill, RHP Dakota Hudson
    Notable departures: RHP Chris Flexen, LHP Brent Suter
    2023 record: 59-103
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 64-98

    click to enlarge

    Despite projections placing them fourth in the American League Central, the Kansas City Royals are geared up to compete after a strategic offseason.

    Bennett Silvyn/Cronkite News

    Kansas City Royals

    After a tough season in which the Kansas City Royals lost 106 games, they used the offseason to sign veteran talent with a track record of being able to compete on winning teams.

    Starters Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha add experience to a young starting rotation, and Will Smith and Chris Stratton provide veteran innings out of the bullpen. Franchise cornerstone Bobby Witt Jr., who just signed an 11-year, $288.7 million extension, is coming off an impressive second season after hitting for a .276 batting average with 30 home runs and an .813 OPS.

    With all these moves, the Royals will try to compete this season. The team is projected to finish fourth in the American League Central, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: RHP Seth Lugo, RHP Michael Wacha, LHP Will Smith, RHP Chris Stratton, OF Hunter Renfroe, 2B Adam Frazier
    Notable departures: RHP Zack Greinke, RHP Dylan Coleman, RHP Taylor Clarke
    2023 record: 56-106
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 76-86

    Los Angeles Angels

    Replacing Shohei Ohtani’s production would be extremely difficult for any team, and that is something the Angels had to work around this offseason.

    The team signed outfielder Aaron Hicks to join Mike Trout. Hicks is coming off one of his more productive seasons that saw him hit .275 with an .806 OPS in 65 games with the Baltimore Orioles after being released by the New York Yankees earlier in the season.

    The Angels have long been plagued by pitching woes and they made some moves to address that. Relief pitcher Matt Moore is coming off a strong 2.56 ERA last season and he will strengthen the bullpen.

    The Angels are projected to finish fourth in the American League West, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: RHP José Cisnero, RHP Zach Plesac, OF Aaron Hicks, LHP Matt Moore, RHP Luis García, RHP Adam Cimber
    Notable departures: Shohei Ohtani, 3B Gio Urshela, OF Randal Grichuk, 3B Eduardo Escobar, SS David Fletcher
    2023 record: 73-89
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 76-86

    Los Angeles Dodgers

    The Dodgers went all-in this offseason by spending over a billion dollars in free agency – landing one of the most sought-after free agents of all time in two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

    The addition of Ohtani alongside pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow propelled the Dodgers into being World Series favorites. Ohtani will not pitch this season but he will be the team’s designated hitter.

    Outfielder Teoscar Hernández was added to the already star-studded lineup as well.

    The Dodgers are going to have high expectations following them throughout the season. The team is projected to win the National League West, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: OF/P Shohei Ohtani, RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP Tyler Glasnow, OF Teoscar Hernández, LHP James Paxton
    Notable departures: DH J.D. Martinez, OF Enrique Hernández, SS Amed Rosario
    2023 record: 100-62
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 92-70

    Milwaukee Brewers

    After former Brewers manager Craig Counsell left to join their division rival, the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee gave the job to Pat Murphy, longtime bench coach for the team. That wasn’t the only offseason move, however.

    The Brewers made a surprising move to trade their ace Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles for shortstop Joey Ortiz and pitcher DL Hall. Rhys Hoskins will be a much-needed power bat for a team that finished 24th in the league with 165 home runs in 2023. Hoskins was injured all last season but was a key piece in the Philadelphia Phillies team that went to the World Series in 2022.

    The Brewers are projected to finish third in the National League Central, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: 1B Rhys Hoskins, SS Joey Ortiz, LHP DL Hall, LHP Wade Miley
    Notable departures: RHP Corbin Burnes, OF Mark Canha, LHP Andrew Chafin, 3B Josh Donaldson, 1B Carlos Santana
    2023 record: 92-70
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 80-82

    Oakland Athletics

    The Athletics added some veteran arms to the starting rotation and bullpen this offseason. Ross Stripling and Alex Wood might be older but they will be able to provide innings for a team that had a 5.48 ERA last season.

    While the team’s pitching may get a boost this season, there are still questions about where the offense will come from. Brent Rooker led the team last season with 30 home runs and 69 RBIs.

    The A’s have a lot of questions moving forward, including where the team will be playing in the future with the relocation issue looming large.

    The team is projected to finish last in the American League West, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: RHP Ross Stripling, LHP Alex Wood, RHP Trevor Gott, LHP Scott Alexander
    Notable departures: RHP Trevor May, OF Tony Kemp
    2023 record: 50-112
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 72-90

    San Diego Padres

    The Padres are coming into the year with a much different roster than last season.

    Fortunately for the Padres, the holes left from the losses of Michael Wacha, Nick Martinez, Seth Lugo and Josh Hader were somewhat filled when the Padres traded Juan Soto to the New York Yankees. Michael King should be able to be a serviceable starter. Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez may also be able to be a part of the rotation, as well. Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish will still be the main pieces in the rotation.

    The hole that Juan Soto left offensively, however, may be more difficult to fill. Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts will be expected to provide a lot of offensive production.

    The Padres are projected to finish in third place in the National League West, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: LHP Wandy Peralta, RHP Michael King, RHP Randy Vásquez, RHP Jhony Brito, C Kyle Higashioka
    Notable departures: OF Juan Soto, RHP Michael Wacha, RHP Nick Martinez, RHP Seth Lugo, LHP Blake Snell, LHP Josh Hader, C Gary Sanchez
    2023 record: 82-80
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 81-81

    San Francisco Giants

    The Giants made some improvements to their offense heading into 2024, and new manager Bob Melvin will have new pieces to work with in the Giants’ pursuit of the postseason.

    The team signed slugger Jorge Soler and Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, who is known for his ability to hit the ball anywhere on the field. He had a career batting average of .340 with a career OPS of .898 in seven seasons in the Korean Baseball League. At the very least, he will provide some excitement.

    Recently acquired Robbie Ray will miss some of the season due to recovery from an elbow injury, but he should be a solid piece in the rotation upon his return.

    The Giants are projected to finish fourth in the National League West, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: OF Jorge Soler, OF Jung Hoo Lee, LHP Robbie Ray, RHP Jordan Hicks
    Notable departures: LHP Sean Manaea, LHP Alex Wood, RHP Ross Stripling, OF Joc Pederson, SS Brandon Crawford
    2023 record: 79-83
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 80-82

    Seattle Mariners

    The Mariners were very active in the offseason, trading away players like left-hander Robbie Ray and third baseman Eugenio Suárez but bringing in infielder Jorge Polanco from the Minnesota Twins. Polanco was limited to 80 games in 2023, but when healthy can play multiple positions in the infield.

    The team brought in Luke Raley and Mitch Haniger to help replace the production from Teoscar Hernández and Jarred Kelenic.

    The key piece to this team is the starting pitching. Led by Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Logan Gilbert, the Mariners had a team ERA of 3.74 last season. Their elite starting pitching may give them a window to compete in a loaded American League.

    The Mariners are projected to finish second in the American League West, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: 2B Jorge Polanco, C Mitch Garver, OF Luke Raley, RHP Gregory Santos, OF Mitch Haniger, 3B Luis Urías
    Notable departures: LHP Robbie Ray, 3B Eugenio Suárez, OF Teoscar Hernández, RHP Dominic Leone, OF Jarred Kelenic
    2023 record: 88-74
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 85-77

    Texas Rangers

    The defending World Champions come into the spring hot off their special run and the excitement is bubbling around them.

    The Rangers will be missing pitchers Max Scherzer and Jacob DeGrom at the beginning of the season due to injury and did not re-sign Jordan Montgomery in free agency so the starting rotation is a little thin. The Rangers shored up the bullpen, however, by adding David Robertson and Kirby Yates to the mix.

    The core of Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Adolis García will still be around to lead the offense this season.

    The Rangers are projected to finish third in the American League West, according to FanGraphs.

    Notable additions: RHP David Robertson, RHP Kirby Yates, RHP Tyler Mahle
    Notable departures: LHP Jordan Montgomery, RHP Chris Stratton, LHP Will Smith, LHP Aroldis Chapman, LHP Martín Pérez, C Mitch Garver
    2023 record: 90-72
    2024 FanGraphs projected record: 82-80

    For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

    Sean Brennan | Cronkite News

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  • Cactus League returns with World Series foes, big-league tourist dollars

    Cactus League returns with World Series foes, big-league tourist dollars

    The most expensive player in sports history. Both of last year’s pennant winners. Sunny Arizona weather and ballpark dogs.

    Spring training is returning to the Valley. Two of the 15 teams you can catch across town are the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers, who squared off in last year’s MLB World Series.

    Arizona’s spring preseason, known as the Cactus League, runs from Thursday to March 26 at 10 ballparks across the Phoenix metropolitan area. The 2024 Cactus League schedule can be found at CactusLeague.com.

    The chance to catch the pros preparing for the season in Arizona’s beautiful winter weather brings a major crowd to the Valley. Last year, Cactus League games drew more than 1.5 million fans, according to Cactus League spokesperson Andrew Bagnato. That’s about 7,246 per game.

    The league is a staggering boon for the state’s economy, the Valley’s cities and local businesses. Last year, spring training generated $418.5 million for Arizona’s gross domestic product, according to a study by Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. The study also found that the Cactus League generated $36.6 million in tax revenue for the state and $8.2 million for local governments.

    Bridget Binsbacher, executive director of the Cactus League, told Phoenix New Times that she’s been watching the evolution of Arizona’s spring training since 1994, when the Peoria Sports Complex opened.

    “It has become an industry all its own. It’s absolutely the equivalent of a mega-sporting event,” Binsbacher said. “The thing that makes it unique is that it happens every year, it lasts four weeks and plays out across the entire Valley.”

    Binsbacher said spring training was “one of the top drivers of tourism” in the state. Three out of five attendees are from out of state, and 22% of fans reported they would visit another part of Arizona during their trip to catch the spring action.

    Cactus League play in 2023 was the first normal preseason since 2019. Spring training was canceled in 2020 thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, which also impacted the 2021 season. In 2022, a labor dispute between MLB and its players union postponed Cactus League play until mid-March, making the preseason only 18 days long.

    “We went through a lot, definitely,” Binsbacher said. “Last season was a rebirth for spring training in the Valley. Now we’re looking to build on that in 2024. We’re expecting a great season, especially not having any modifications or restrictions.”

    click to enlarge

    Lourdes Gurriel Jr. celebrates in the clubhouse on Oct. 24 after the Arizona Diamondbacks won the National League Championship Series in Game 7.

    Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

    Watch D-Backs, Rangers clash in spring training

    Binsbacher and other Cactus League leaders noted that in the past, interest and ticket sales increased when World Series teams took to the desert diamond.

    “We’re definitely expecting a surge in attendance for the Rangers and the Diamondbacks coming off the World Series,” she said.

    The Diamondbacks play at Salt River Fields on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale, and the Rangers train at Surprise Stadium.

    Dave Dunne, general manager of Salt River Fields, told New Times that compared with mid-February of last year, Diamondbacks ticket sales are up 20%. Ticket sales are particularly high for the Feb. 28 game when the D-backs host the Rangers.

    “With the Diamondbacks being the defending National League champs, it looks like we’re gonna have a really solid year in ticket sales,” Dunne said. “There’s just so much interest in that team. The younger players have really caught on with the fans.”

    Offseason moves by the Diamondbacks also are getting fans excited about spring training.

    The D-backs finished the regular season at 84-78 last year, barely making the playoffs before going on an improbable run to the World Series. They were bested by the Texas Rangers in the Fall Classic, however, winning only one game.

    The two teams will square off three times during spring training: once at Salt River Fields and twice at Surprise Stadium.

    click to enlarge

    Tempe Diablo Stadium is the oldest and the smallest ballpark in the Cactus League but also one of the most scenic.

    Blake Benard

    How to catch Shohei Ohtani in Cactus League play

    Both Binsbacher and Dunne offered advice for fans looking to attend Cactus League games.

    According to Binsbacher, the first two weeks are not quite as well-attended, which makes tickets for those games more affordable. “It’s a great opportunity for local residents to get great tickets before out-of-state visitors hit the Valley,” Binsbacher said.

    She also noted that there is elevated excitement around Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers phenom who was signed in the offseason to a 10-year, $700 million contract, the largest in professional sports history.

    “We want to remind fans that if they want to see Ohtani and the Dodgers or the Padres, they need to do that before March 13, because that’s when they head to South Korea,” Binsbacher said.

    Dunne also advised fans to buy tickets directly from the stadium to avoid paying the fees tacked on in resale markets. “You buy them for the direct price, and it’s a lot better than buying them for a secondary market price,” Dunne said.

    Ticket prices vary by team, stadium and seat. As of Feb. 16, Rangers home tickets are on sale for about $8 to $60. D-backs home tickets range from about $24 to $100.

    TJ L’Heureux

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  • Will TV broadcast of 2024 Texas Rangers games remain on Bally Sports? Here’s the deal

    Will TV broadcast of 2024 Texas Rangers games remain on Bally Sports? Here’s the deal


    Bally Sports will remain the home of the Rangers for the 2024 season with plans to air 153 regular season games in addition to four spring training games, Bally Sports and its parent company Diamond Sports Group announced Monday.

    The regular season total is subject to change if the Rangers were to receive additional nationally televised games.

    Bally Sports is in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings which made it unclear if the Rangers would continue to be aired on the Network. Especially with recent announcements that Amazon Prime had invested in Bally Sports and would gain the right to stream games from the NBA, MLB, NHL on Amazon Prime for teams under contract to Bally Sports.

    The network has the right to broadcast the Dallas Stars, Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers along with 30 other professional sports teams across 18 networks.

    Bally Sports has been difficult to watch for fans in the Metroplex since 2020 due to fee disputes with streaming providers like YouTube TV and Hulu which dropped Bally Sports.

    For fans in Fort Worth who want to watch the Rangers on Bally Sports, they have four options: DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Spectrum.

    Bally Sports will start airing Rangers games at 8 p.m. on March 16 with Texas’ spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds.

    Regular season coverage for Bally Sports will begin at 6 p.m. on March 30 with the Rangers playing the Chicago Cubs.

    Related stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a Master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.



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