Editor’s Note: All the graphics I use going forward will come directly from Stat Soldier. Go check it out by clicking here!

It seems almost daily that we hear about someone setting a record or moving up the all-time list in some statistical category. Since I love homeruns, this made me think about how many active players will finish in the Top-5 of their respective clubs’ All-Time HR lists.

Turns out there are several active players who will not only finish in the top-100 all-time home run list, but also a few will finish in the top-5 of their current organization’s list.

Take a look at the list below. This infographic shows the active MLB leaders in career home runs as of April 26, 2026.

Notes:

All stats were taken down on April 26th, 2026.

(*) Next to any player indicates that they are still active in Major League Baseball.

(HOF) - Next to any player indicates that they have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

After some digging…here are some fun facts I discovered!

• The Marlins, Blue Jays, Rays, Angels, and the Diamondbacks are the only five teams without a Hall of Famer in their Top-5 HR Leaders.

  • The good news is Mike Trout (Angels), Giancarlo Stanton (Marlins), and Paul Goldschmidt (Diamondbacks) are all potential Hall of Famers. Mike Trout is obviously a lock.

• 59 of the 151 players in their organizations’ Top-5 HR list are in the Hall of Fame.

• Alex Rodriguez put up 189 home runs with Seattle, 156 with the Rangers, and 351 with the Yankees.

  • If you took his Rangers numbers away, he’d still have 540 career home runs and be #18 on the all-time list instead of #5 with 696.

• 14 active players are included across these Top-5 organizational lists. The Diamondbacks have the most active players in their Top-5 (3), where only one of them still plays for the team…Ketel Marte.

• The Yankees (4), Braves (4), Cubs (4), and Red Sox (4) are the closest teams to having all five players ranked in the organization’s Top-5 HR leaders all be in the Hall of Fame.

  • Yankees (Aaron Judge) → Auto Hall of Famer Once Eligible

  • Red Sox (Dwight Evans) → Considered One of Best Players not in HOF {Eligible 2028 for Ballot}

  • Cubs (Sammy Sosa) → Club HR Leader (PEDs)

  • Braves (Dale Murphy) → Another Player Being Considered for HOF

• The Giants have the most as an organization —> 2,459

• The Rays have the least as an organization —> 827

National League East

• Atlanta Braves - 2,433

  • Hank Aaron - 733 (HOF)

  • Eddie Matthews - 493 (HOF)

  • Chipper Jones - 468 (HOF)

  • Dale Murphy - 371

  • Andruw Jones - 368 (HOF)

• Miami Marlins - 850

  • Giancarlo Stanton - 267*

  • Dan Uggla - 154

  • Hanley Ramirez - 148

  • Mike Lowell - 143

  • Miguel Cabrera - 138

• New York Mets - 1,170

  • Pete Alonso - 264*

  • Darryl Strawberry - 252

  • David Wright - 242

  • Mike Piazza - 220 (HOF)

  • Howard Johnson - 192

• Philadelphia Phillies - 1,683

  • Mike Schmidt - 548 (HOF)

  • Ryan Howard - 382

  • Del Ennis - 259

  • Pat Burrell - 251

  • Chuck Klein - 243 (HOF)

• Washington Nationals - 1,176

  • Ryan Zimmerman - 284

  • Vladimir Guerrero - 243 (HOF)

  • Andre Dawson - 225 (HOF)

  • Gary Carter - 220 (HOF)

  • Tim Wallach - 204

National League Central

• Chicago Cubs - 2,068

  • Sammy Sosa - 545

  • Ernie Banks - 512 (HOF)

  • Billy Williams - 392 (HOF)

  • Ron Santo - 337 (HOF)

  • Ryne Sandberg - 282 (HOF)

• Cincinnati Reds - 1,626

  • Johnny Bench - 389 (HOF)

  • Joey Votto - 356

  • Frank Robinson - 324 (HOF)

  • Tony Perez - 287 (HOF)

  • Adam Dunn - 270

• Milwaukee Brewers - 1,253

  • Ryan Braun - 352

  • Robin Yount - 251 (HOF)

  • Prince Fielder - 230

  • Geoff Jenkins - 212

  • Gorman Thomas - 208

• Pittsburgh Pirates - 1,440

  • Willie Stargell - 475 (HOF)

  • Ralph Kiner - 301 (HOF)

  • Andrew McCutcheon - 248*

  • Roberto Clemente - 240 (HOF)

  • Barry Bonds - 176

• St. Louis Cardinals - 1,668

  • Stan Musial - 475 (HOF)

  • Albert Pujols - 469

  • Ken Boyer - 255

  • Jim Edmonds - 241

  • Ray Lankford - 228

National League West

• Arizona Diamondbacks - 904

  • Luis Gonzalez - 224

  • Paul Goldschmidt - 209*

  • Ketel Marte - 172*

  • Steve Finley - 153

  • Christian Walker - 146*

• Colorado Rockies - 1,328

  • Todd Helton - 369 (HOF)

  • Larry Walker - 258 (HOF)

  • Vinny Castilla - 239

  • Nolan Arenado - 235*

  • Carlos Gonzálezv - 227

• Los Angeles Dodgers - 1,490

  • Duke Snider - 389 (HOF)

  • Gil Hodges - 361 (HOF)

  • Eric Karros - 270

  • Roy Campanella - 242 (HOF)

  • Ron Cey - 228

• San Diego Padres - 832

  • Manny Machado - 198*

  • Nate Colbert - 163

  • Adrian Gonzalez - 161

  • Phil Nevin - 156

  • Dave Winfield - 154 (HOF)

• San Francisco Giants - 2,459

  • Willie Mays - 646 (HOF)

  • Barry Bonds - 586

  • Mel Ott - 511 (HOF)

  • Willie McCovey - 469 (HOF)

  • Matt Williams - 247

American League East

• Baltimore Orioles - 1,608

  • Cal Ripken - 431 (HOF)

  • Eddie Murray - 343 (HOF)

  • Boog Powell - 303

  • Brooks Robinson - 268 (HOF)

  • Adam Jones - 263

• Boston Red Sox - 2,217

  • Ted Williams - 521(HOF)

  • David Ortiz - 483 (HOF)

  • Carl Yastrzemski - 452 (HOF)

  • Jim Rice - 382 (HOF)

  • Dwight Evans - 379

• New York Yankees - 2,427

  • Babe Ruth - 659 (HOF)

  • Mickey Mantle - 536 (HOF)

  • Lou Gehrig - 493 (HOF)

  • Aaron Judge - 378*

  • Joe DiMaggio - 361 (HOF)

• Tampa Bay Rays - 827

  • Evan Longoria - 261

  • Carlos Pena - 163

  • Brandon Lowe - 157*

  • Aubrey Huff - 128

  • B.J. Upton - 118

• Toronto Blue Jays - 1,289

  • Carlos Delgado - 336

  • José Bautista - 288

  • Edwin Encarnación - 239

  • Vernon Wells - 223

  • Joe Carter - 203

American League Central

• Chicago White Sox - 1,558

  • Frank Thomas - 448 (HOF)

  • Paul Konerko - 432

  • Jose Abreu - 243

  • Harold Baines - 221 (HOF)

  • Carlton Fisk - 214 (HOF)

• Cleveland Guardians - 1,333

  • Jim Thome - 337 (HOF)

  • Jose Ramirez - 291*

  • Albert Belle - 242

  • Manny Ramirez - 236

  • Carlos Santana - 227

• Detroit Tigers - 1,713

  • Al Kaline - 399 (HOF)

  • Norm Cash - 373

  • Miguel Cabrera - 373

  • Hank Greenberg - 306 (HOF)

  • Willie Horton - 262

• Kansas City Royals - 1,204

  • George Brett - 317 (HOF)

  • Salvador Perez - 307*

  • Mike Sweeney - 197

  • Amos Otis - 193

  • Alex Gordon - 190

• Minnesota Twins - 1,549

  • Harmon Killebrew - 559 (HOF)

  • Kent Hrbek - 293

  • Bob Allison - 256

  • Justin Morneau - 221

  • Tony Oliva - 220 (HOF)

American League West

• Athletics - 1,440

  • Mark McGwire - 363

  • Jimmie Foxx - 302 (HOF)

  • Reggie Jackson - 269 (HOF)

  • Jose Canseco - 254

  • Bob Johnson - 252

• Houston Astros - 1,547

  • Jeff Bagwell - 449 (HOF)

  • Lance Berkman - 326

  • Craig Biggio - 291 (HOF)

  • José Altuve - 258*

  • Jimmy Wynn - 223

• Los Angeles Angels - 1,428 (not counting Glaus)*

  • Mike Trout - 413*

  • Tim Salmon - 299

  • Garrett Anderson - 272

  • Brian Downing - 222

  • Albert Pujols - 222

  • Troy Glaus - 182

• Seattle Mariners - 1,464

  • Ken Griffey Jr. - 417 (HOF)

  • Edgar Martinez - 309 (HOF)

  • Jay Buhner - 307

  • Kyle Seager - 242

  • Alex Rodriguez - 189

• Texas Rangers - 1,355

  • Juan González - 372

  • Rafael Palmeiro - 321

  • Frank Howard - 246

  • Ivan Rodriguez - 217 (HOF)

  • Adrian Beltre - 199 (HOF)

Now that every team is already 22 or more games in, slow starts are becoming increasingly concerning. Especially for some notably talented players…

Note - I used Statsoldier.com for graphics and stats. I also used Fangraphs, as they provided the wRC+ stat, and I love using this to evaluate hitters. When looking at the WAR stat, I typically use bWAR or Baseball Reference, but I was lazy and did not want to go back and forth.

Cal Raleigh - Seattle Mariners (Yahoo #693 Player)

Was 2025 a fluke? A little bit. Do I think 60 home runs is the norm? Absolutely not. Cal Raleigh was the first Catcher ever to hit 60 home runs in a single season. One had to think his numbers would dip in 2026 as 2025 was such a brilliant performance for the 29-year-old.

Raleigh started 2022 struggling as well, with an .083 batting average and striking out in 32 percent of his plate appearances in his first nine games. He finished 2022 with 27 HR, 3.9 bWAR, and a .489 SLG. It is more than reasonable to believe he will get right here soon, as the weather warms up and returns to form.

2026 Stats - 93 AB | 7 R | 3 HR | 12 RBI | 1 SB | 11 BB | .161 AVG | .538 OPS | 60 wRC+ | 0.3 fWAR

Francisco Lindor - New York Mets (Yahoo #706 Player)

I could also have gone with Juan Soto, but since he is on the injured list, I decided to pass. Didn’t want to be the bitter Yankees fan and kick a man while he is down. With that mentality, I’ll have to lay off until 2039 because that is when he will finally be off this atrocious Mets team.

All jokes aside, I landed on Lindor. Lindor is another super-talented veteran who we know consistently starts slow. His career batting average in the month of March is a whopping .109. April historically trends up as he has played 217 career games in April, and the batting average climbs to .258. Sure, a massive uptick, but for a career .272, there are greener pastures for the 12-year veteran. At age 32, have we seen the best of Francisco Lindor? Maybe, maybe not. It is not a fun time right now in Queens, NY, but if I had to take a guess, Lindor will be back to normal soon enough.

2026 Stats - 88 AB | 12 R | 1 HR | 1 RBI | 2 SB | 10 BB | .205 AVG | .600 OPS | 76 wRC+ | 0.3 fWAR

Jazz Chisholm Jr. - New York Yankees (Yahoo #718 Player)

Jazz is almost 100 points in batting average below his career line. I am not overpanicking on Chisholm Jr. In his 176 games with the Yankees before the 2026 season, Jazz has racked up 42 HR, 103 RBI, .258 BA, and 49 stolen bases.

He is a highly productive player and should be able to get back into the swing of things as he sits in the middle of this Yankee lineup, and opposing pitchers are focused on other hitters such as Aaron Judge and Ben Rice.

2026 Stats - 73 AB | 6 R | 0 HR | 3 RBI | 8 SB | 9 BB | .164 AVG | .498 OPS | 49 wRC+ | 0.2 fWAR

Pete Crow-Armstrong - Chicago Cubs (Yahoo #610 Player)

Probably the player I'm most worried about on this list. Contrary to everyone else I have singled out, PCA has the smallest track record. The good news is the Cubs have a loaded lineup, so he can hide at the end of this lineup until he gets right.

The 24-year-old is coming off a massive 2025 season in which he accrued 6.0 bWAR and went 30-30. There is an obvious reason the Cubs rewarded PCA with a $115M/ 6-year extension this past offseason.

2026 Stats - 84 AB | 14 R | 1 HR | 5 RBI | 4 SB | 5 BB | .214 AVG | .572 OPS | 62 wRC+ | 0.3 fWAR

Julio Rodriguez - Seattle Mariners (Yahoo #579 Player)

This is probably the toughest one for me, both physically and emotionally. Personally, I have Julio Rodriguez rostered in all four of my fantasy baseball leagues, and I have made a significant financial commitment by purchasing his rookie cards.

According to Statmuse, he is a notorious slow starter. Career batting average of .172 in the month of March (17 G), and .236 in the month of April (114 G). I fully expect the man who is the first player EVER to begin his MLB career with four consecutive 20-20 seasons to bounce back in a big way, but this is just painful to watch right now until he gets back on track.

2026 Stats - 90 AB | 10 R | 1 HR | 7 RBI | 2 SB | 11 BB | .222 AVG | .609 OPS | 85 wRC+ | 0.1 fWAR

The sample size is small, but I’d like to highlight a few players who are starting the 2026 season on a bender! I’ll also call out that I used Fangraphs for stats, as they provided the wRC+ stat, and I love using this to evaluate hitters.

When looking at the WAR stat, I typically use bWAR or Baseball Reference, but I was lazy and did not want to go back and forth for this piece.

Let us start with a hitter on a struggling team…

Shea Langeliers - Athletics (Yahoo #5 Player)

Langeliers is picking up right where he left off last season. He finished the 2025 campaign with 31 bombs and 72 RBI. I do like the Athletics’ offense even though they are starting slow, very slow. This leads me to believe that the RBIs will gradually increase for Langeliers, who has been a monster at the plate.

Jacob Wilson (.200), Tyler Soderstrom (.174), Brent Rooker (.167), Denzel Clarke (.143), Lawrence Butler (.083), Jeff McNeil (.077), and NICK KURTZ (.059) are all way more talented than what they are displaying on the field right now. Look for Langeliers to cool down, but the numbers to stay somewhat consistent as this Athletic’s lineup gets into form.

2026 Stats - 24 AB | 5 R | 5 HR | 8 RBI | 0 SB | 1 BB | .375 AVG | 1.400 OPS | 297 wRC+ | 0.7 fWAR

Jose Altuve - Houston Astros (Yahoo #4 Player)

Not shocked at all about this one. Altuve has a borderline Hall of Fame case. It will come down to how he finishes his career and how voters view the Astros’ cheating scandal. At age 36, Altuve is putting up some impressive numbers.

It definitely helps having a healthy Yordan Alvarez back in the lineup after missing most of 2025. Plus, I feel that the Houston Astros are kind of similar to the Space Jam Monstarz when everyone is healthy and hitting in stride.

Just look at the lineup right now. Carlos Correa (.296), Christian Walker (.320), Yordan Alvarez (.417), Isaac Paredes (.227), plus contributions coming from a young & talented Cam Smith, in which Houston has high hopes!

Look for Altuve to have a spectacular season…again, if the Astros stay healthy in 2026.

2026 Stats - 23 AB | 8 R | 2 HR | 3 RBI | 1 SB | 8 BB | .348 AVG | 1.168 OPS | 237 wRC+ | 0.6 fWAR

Joey Wiemer - Washington Nationals (Yahoo #3 Player)

At age 27, Wiemer has already found himself in his 5th MLB organization. Is he finally breaking out? I mean, this guy was a Brewer to start his career, and they typically identify talent as good, if not better than anyone in professional baseball.

Maybe he can be a spark plug for this abysmal Nationals lineup?!?

2026 Stats - 17 AB | 7 R | 2 HR | 4 RBI | 0 SB | 5 BB | .588 AVG | 1.741 OPS | 367 wRC+ | 0.8 fWAR

Liam Hicks - Miami Marlins (Yahoo #2 Player)

This is probably the most unprecedented player on this list. On one hand, I shouldn’t be surprised as the Marlins are humming to start the season and the Peter Bendix machine is starting to roll. On the other Hicks has seemingly come out of nowhere.

He played 119 games last year for the Marlins and generated a sneaky 1.3 bWAR while hitting .247 on the year. He is already halfway to his home run total from 2025 (6). With the dual position eligibility between 1B and C, Hicks is not only a great option to have in the everyday lineup, but also a weapon for fantasy baseball should the bat continue to mash even with an expected regression at some point.

2026 Stats - 15 AB | 6 R | 3 HR | 12 RBI | 0 SB | 1 BB | .467 AVG | 1.659 OPS | 330 wRC+ | 0.6 fWAR

Yordan Alvarez - Houston Astros (Yahoo #1 Player)

Not much to say here about the lineup that I didn’t mention under Altuve. Alvarez is and was widely considered one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball. People forgot about how good he was as he was injured pretty much all year, last year!

I’d go as far as to say that the top-3 most feared hitters in baseball are Ohtani, Judge, and Alvarez. (no specific order!)

2026 Stats - 24 AB | 8 R | 3 HR | 6 RBI | 1 SB | 6 BB | .417 AVG | 1.480 OPS | 302 wRC+ | 0.8 fWAR

15) Royals

• Maikel Garcia (3B)

• Bobby Witt Jr. (SS)

• Vinnie Pasquantino (1B)

• Salvador Perez (C)

• Jac Caglianone (RF)

• Jonathan India (2B)

• Carter Jensen (DH)

• Isaac Collins (LF)

• Kyle Isbel (CF)

  • X-Factor → Carter Jensen

14) Astros

• Jose Altuve (2B)

• Yordan Alvarez (DH)

• Carlos Correa (SS)

• Isaac Paredes (3B)

• Yainer Diaz (C)

• Christian Walker (1B)

• Joey Loiperfido (LF)

• Cam Smith (RF)

• Jake Meyers (CF)

  • X-Factor → Cam Smith

13) Red Sox

• Roman Anthony (LF)

• Trevor Story (SS)

• Jarren Duran (DH)

• Wilson Contreras (1B)

• Wilyer Abreu (RF)

• Caleb Durbin (3B)

• Marcelo Mayer (2B)

• Ceddanne Rafaela (CF)

• Carlos Narvaez (C)

  • X-Factor → Caleb Durbin

12) Diamondbacks

• Geraldo Perdomo (SS)

• Ketel Marte (2B)

• Corbin Carroll (RF)

• Gabriel Moreno (C)

• Pavin Smith (DH)

• Nolan Arenado (3B)

• Carlos Santana (1B)

• Jordan Lawlar (CF)

• Alek Thomas (LF)

  • X-Factor → Jordan Lawlar

11) Padres

• Xander Bogaerts

• Jackson Merrill

• Manny Machado

• Fernando Tatis Jr.

• Jake Cronenworth

• Ramon Laureano

• Gavin Sheets

• Miguel Andujar

• Freddy Fermin

  • X-Factor → Miguel Andujar

10) Braves

• Ronald Acuna Jr. (RF)

• Drake Baldwin (C)

• Matt Olson (1B)

• Austin Riley (3B)

• Mike Yastrzemski (LF)

• Ozzie Albies (2B)

• Dominic Smith (DH)

• Michael Harris II (CF)

• Mauricio Dubon (SS)

  • X-Factor → Michael Harris II

9) Cubs

• Michael Busch (1B)

• Alex Bregman (3B)

• Ian Happ (LF)

• Seiya Suzuki (RF)

• Pete Crow-Armstrong (CF)

• Nico Hoerner (2B)

• Dansby Swanson (SS)

• Moisés Ballesteros (DH)

• Carson Kelly (C)

  • X-Factor → Moisés Ballesteros

8) Phillies

• Trea Turner (SS)

• Kyle Schwarber (DH)

• Bryce Harper (1B)

• Alec Bohm (3B)

• Brandon Marsh (LF)

• Adolis García (RF)

• Bryson Stott (2B)

• J.T. Realmuto (C)

• Justin Crawford (CF)

  • X-Factor → Justin Crawford

7) Orioles

• Gunnar Henderson (SS)

• Jordan Westburg (3B)

• Taylor Ward (LF)

• Pete Alonso (1B)

• Adley Rutschman (C)

• Samuel Basallo (DH)

• Jackson Holliday (2B)

• Tyler O’Neill (RF)

• Colton Cowser (CF)

  • X-Factor → Samuel Basallo

6) Athletics

• Nick Kurtz (1B)

• Shea Langeliers (C)

• Tyler Soderstrom (LF)

• Brent Rooker (DH)

• Jeff McNeil (2B)

• Jacob Wilson (SS)

• Lawrence Butler (RF)

• Max Muncy (3B)

• Denzel Clarke (CF)

  • X-Factor → Jeff McNeil

5) Mets

• Francisco Lindor (SS)

• Juan Soto (LF)

• Bo Bichette (SS)

• Jorge Polanco (1B)

• Marcus Semien (2B)

• Brett Baty (DH)

• Francisco Alvarez (C)

• Luis Robert Jr., (CF)

• Carson Benge (RF)

  • X-Factor → Luis Robert Jr.

4) Blue Jays

• George Springer (DH)

• Daulton Varsho (CF)

• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B)

• Addison Barger (RF)

• Alejandro Kirk (C)

• Jesús Sánchez (LF)

• Kazuma Okamoto (3B)

• Andrés Giménez (SS)

• Ernie Clement (2B)

  • X-Factor → Kazuma Okamoto

3) Mariners

• Brendan Donovan (3B)

• Cal Raleigh (C)

• Julio Rodriguez (CF)

• Josh Naylor (1B)

• Randy Arozarena (LF)

• Victor Robles (RF)

• Dominic Canzone (DH)

• J.P. Crawford (SS)

• Cole Young (2B)

  • X-Factor → Colt Emerson (Prospect)

2) Yankees

• Trent Grisham (CF)

• Aaron Judge (RF)

• Cody Bellinger (LF)

• Ben Rice (1B)

• Giancarlo Stanton (DH)

• Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B)

• Ryan McMahon (3B)

• Anthony Volpe (SS)

• Austin Wells (C)

  • X-Factor → Austin Wells

1) Dodgers

• Shohei Ohtani (DH)

• Kyle Tucker (RF)

• Mookie Betts (SS)

• Freddie Freeman (1B)

• Will Smith (C)

• Max Muncy (3B)

• Teoscar Hernandez (LF)

• Andy Pages (CF)

• Alex Freeland (2B)

  • X-Factor → Kyle Tucker

Truth be told, I got sidetracked when I was doing this series, and then everyone decided to sign deals in a matter of a week after each other, or at least that is what it felt like. That being the case, in the matter, I figured one blog where I plug in one niche piece for all the American League teams that failed to win their division in 2025 could be just as entertaining to put together.

Baltimore Orioles

Team Needs - Rotation, Bullpen, Centerfield/Veteran Bat

Yes, the Orioles need to address Centerfield as Colton Cowser is slotted to return as the everyday starter for Baltimore in 2026. Cowser is only twenty-five years old and can definitely grow his game, but he hit below .200 in 2025. That being said, one would have to think that Baltimore is going to prioritize the rotation. There are some quality arms in the rotation with Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Shane Baz, Dean Kremer, and Zach Eflin. This rotation will not win you the American League East.

I take it the Orioles are serious about competing, as they went out and traded for Taylor Ward and signed Pete Alonso to a massive deal. If they want to be playing baseball in deep October this year, they need to add to the rotation with Chris Bassitt. Bassitt remains unsigned. Baltimore can strike now and probably get Bassitt on a cheap deal. The problem is, I am seeing that Philadelphia is a real player here.

Plus, Baltimore has Enrique Bradfield Jr. in the pipeline, who is a plus-defender and can allow them to move Cowser to a corner slot.

Prediction - Chris Bassitt

Tampa Bay Rays

Team Needs - 2B, SS, C, Rotation & Bullpen Depth

The Rays always seem to do their own thing and rely heavily upon internal development to fill major league voids with their big league roster. Tampa does not spend big money on free agents, so finding a player and agreeing on a smaller deal is the formula. Once I took a look at the remaining free agents, Christian Vasquez makes sense. Tampa needs depth at catcher, and Vasquez could add a little value if he can simply hit above the Mendoza line. Veteran catcher, they can add for next to nothing to give Nick Fortes some days off.

Prediction - Christian Vasquez

New York Yankees

Team Needs - Pitching (Starting & Bullpen), 3B, CF

The Yankees are done spending after Cody Bellinger, so do not expect them to go after Framber Valdez on a pipe dream. Realistically, they add another depth starter or to the bullpen.

My guy says they go the bullpen route and reunite with former Yankee Tommy Kahnle. He would cost less than $5M for a one-year deal, and I think they could acquire him for less than $4M. He is familiar with the organization and pitched well in New York as recently as 2024. He pitched to a 2.11 ERA across 50 games and struck out 46 batters.

Prediction - Tommy Kahnle

Boston Red Sox

Team Needs - Bullpen & 2B

Boston seems to have a hundred starting pitchers at this point, so there's no need for rotational depth. The lineup has a ton of youth, and there are no more big-name bats out there that Boston would be interested in. All signs point to the bullpen, and Andrew Chafin could be that guy. Chafin is a seasoned veteran who should cost the team less than $5M for one year of service. In 2025, Chafin pitched to a 2.41 ERA across 33 ⅔ innings for the Los Angeles Angels. He is also a lefty and would add another quality southpaw to the mix should Chapman need rest or sustain an injury.

Prediction - Andrew Chafin

Chicago White Sox

Team Needs - Rotation, Bullpen & DH

The White Sox are in the middle of a total rebuild. The future looks bright with core players like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Munetaka Murakami, Edgar Quero, and Brooks Baldwin. I would assume that the White Sox organization has high hopes for the future, but understands 2026 will not be the year they win a World Series title.

I’d imagine they want to get their young bats as many opportunities as possible, so I am leaning towards them solidifying the rotation with an innings eater. Miles Mikolas would cost them next to nothing and could provide some valuable innings. He has pitched over 731 MLB innings since the start of 2022 and owns a career 4.24 ERA through 1252 ⅓ career innings. At age 37, I can’t see him costing more than $7M for the 2026 season.

Prediction - Miles Mikolas

Detroit Tigers

Team Needs - Veteran Starting Pitching & OF

I originally had Nick Martinez lined up for Detroit. Then Framber signed last night, so I am rolling with Tommy Pham. A veteran OF with some pop to help this young lineup could spark the offense, especially come playoff time.

Prediction - Tommy Pham

Minnesota Twins

Team Needs - Bullpen & Offensive Depth

Minnesota is weird. Maybe one of the weirdest teams in all of baseball. They seem to always have some studs yet never really get anywhere in terms of a deep playoff run. I can’t tell if they are trying to rebuild or reload. My guess after not moving Byron Buxton or Joe Ryan is that they are trying to reload through farm help and minor acquisitions like adding Josh Bell this offseason. If they were willing to spend a little bit of money, Rhys Hoskins could do well in a role where he would play 1B and DH. Hoskins would be an immediate upgrade at DH for Minnesota and could be one more move to help them win the division in 2026.

Prediction - Rhys Hoskins

Kansas City Royals

Team Needs - Impact Bat (OF), Bullpen, 2B, CF

The Royals, similar to the Twins, are in a weird state. They have a superstar on the roster in Bobby Witt Jr., surrounded by a few other productive pieces such as Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia, but the lineup is simply not deep enough to be a real threat to contenders. I don’t worry much about the rotation, as it has talent and veterans to carry this team. It’s been rumored by many, but it’s too good a match not to think will happen. Michael Conforto needs to be added to the fold. Conforto needs to prove himself after last year’s stint with the Dodgers, and the Royals could use a productive outfield bat.

Prediction - Michael Conforto

Los Angeles Angels

Team Needs - Rotation, Bullpen, Infield & Outfield Depth

Honestly, I like a lot of the moves this team already made this offseason. This team is not the perfect roster by any means of the imagination, but there is a lot to be excited about! After adding Lowe and Moncada to the offense, I think there will be enough production to compete in the American League for a playoff spot with Trout, Adell, Neto, Soler, O’Hoppe, Moore, and Schanuel already in the mix. This team needs to add another arm. Frankie Montas could be a super intriguing add. He was just cut by the Mets after a disappointing 2025. I doubt they see anything that looks like a 2021 Montas, but even the 2022 version would be a game-changer for this rotation. Plus, he probably won’t see a contract value of more than $6M for a one-year deal. Low risk, high reward.

Prediction - Frankie Montas

Houston Astros

Team Needs - Rotational Depth, OF (Lefty Bat)

The Houston lineup is loaded. Adding Imai was huge to deepen the strength of this rotation, but their SP4 right now looks like it is slotted to be Lance McCullers Jr., as of right now, and no offense meant, but McCullers Jr. isn’t exactly a perfect bill of health. Reuniting with Justin Verlander could be a play? Sure, he is 42 years old, but he threw to a 3.85 ERA across 152 innings last season.

Prediction - Justin Verlander

Athletics

Team Needs - Rotation, Bullpen, IF Depth

This young offense is way too exciting for management not to add some rotational depth. Add Zac Gallen on a one-year prove-it deal. If it works out, this is a major upgrade for the Athletics, possibly even their SP1. Yes, Gallen is arguably coming off the worst season of his career, but that is why I would qualify this as a mid-risk, high-reward. The only risk is the money, but it would be for one year. Go and get an impact arm to help this team win some more games in 2026, Mr. Forst.

Prediction - Zac Gallen

Texas Rangers

Team Needs - Rotation & Bullpen Depth, Impact Bat, OF Depth

After looking at the Rangers’ lineup, I am not too worried about offensive production. Don’t get me wrong, there are concerns such as Corey Seager’s and Evan Carter’s health, and does Wyatt Langford fully pop off in 2026? That being said, I would pick up another starter to add depth to the backend of the rotation. Why not add Max Scherzer to the mix? Scherzer would bring a veteran presence and could serve as the 4-5 starter for this team.

Prediction - Max Scherzer

This is the third piece of a six-part series. Go and check out parts 1 (NL West) & 2 (NL Central) through these links or on The Skippers View website!

Today, I will be talking about the National League East. A super intriguing division, as you have multiple teams that not only can make the playoffs but win a World Series in 2026.

I understand this is a bold statement, given that only one team from this division made the playoffs in 2025. Let’s start with the New York Mets, who had a disappointing 2025.

New York Mets

Team Needs - Pitching

At the end of the 2025 regular season, the Mets were heavily relying upon multiple rookie pitchers (Brandon Sproat, Nolan McLean, & Jonah Tong) to try to lock up a playoff spot. New York learned the hard way that rotational depth is pivotal in this league and ultimately missed the postseason.

Owner Steve Cohen has shown that he is willing to spend on talent. That being said, the Mets just let Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso get away due to contract disputes. It’s not like the Mets haven’t been active. They have acquired Marcus Semien, Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, and others already this offseason via trade/free agency.

Shipping off players like Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo leads me to believe they are trying to shed some payroll to make a move for a frontline starter. After reviewing the available pitchers on the market, Framber Valdez makes perfect sense. Framber is a proven veteran who can step in right away to help lead this rotation. I initially thought San Diego would be a good fit for Valdez’s services, but they signed Michael King to a large deal already, and my gut tells me they might try to trade their way to acquire another key starter.

If Valdez signed with New York, the Mets’ rotation could look like:

1. Framber Valdez (31) LHP | 3.36 ERA

2. Nolan McLean (23) RHP | 2.06 ERA

3. David Peterson (29) LHP | 4.12 ERA

4. Sean Manaea (33) - LHP | 4.08 ERA

5. Clay Holmes (32) - RHP | 3.65 ERA

6. Jonah Tong (22) - RHP | 7.71 ERA

7. Brandon Sproat (25) - RHP | 4.79 ERA

The fact that Sproat, Tong, and McLean were all rookies and under the age of twenty-five tells me there is a lot of room for improvement for this trio of highly touted prospects, and they would be paired with four veterans who are all productive arms. This is a no-brainer for New York.

2025 - 3.8 bWAR | 31 GS | 192 IP | 187 K | 1.25 WHIP | 13 W | 8.8 K/9 | 3.66 ERA

Miami Marlins

Team Needs - 1B, Bullpen

Peter Bendix has this team ahead of schedule. Miami finished in front of Atlanta last season and was only four games under .500. Miami might have some questions in the pitching department, but none are as significant as first base.

Signing Ryan O’Hearn can answer a lot of questions and drastically improve this lineup. O’Hearn would almost certainly slot in the heart of the lineup and beef up the middle of this Miami offense.

1. Jakob Marsee - CF

2. Xavier Edwards - 2B

3. Kyle Stowers - LF

4. Ryan O’Hearn - 1B

5. Agustin Ramirez - DH

6. Griffin Conine - RF

7. Liam Hicks - C

8. Otto Lopez - SS

9. Connor Norby - 3B

O’Hearn would not cost that much to bring to Miami. On top of that, the Marlins would have options to go and improve other areas of the lineup or bullpen with remaining “free-agent” dollars.

2025 - 2.4 bWAR | 17 HR | .281 AVG | 67 R | 64 RBI | .366 OBP | .437 SLG | .803 OPS

Washington Nationals

Team Needs - Everything except LF & SS

This is not a smear piece on the Nationals. I have been saying this for a while. They are a lot further away from the postseason than the baseball community tends to believe. If I were the General Manager, I would sell almost all my tradable assets and invest in prospects (at least for 2026). There is 0% chance this team could win a World Series next season, and almost 0% chance they even make the playoffs.

Sell, sell, sell.

I would then add a veteran bat with high upside at a reasonable cost to pair with James Wood and CJ Abrams. Yoan Moncada could be the answer at the hot corner. I know Moncada has not been the player we all hoped for, but he batted .260 in 2023 and .275 in 2024.

Low risk for a bat that could pay dividends to this lineup in 2026.

2025 - 0.7 bWAR | 12 HR | .234 AVG | 39 R | 35 RBI | .336 OBP | .448 SLG | .783 OPS

Atlanta Braves

Team Needs - Pitching (Rotation & Bullpen)

It is no secret that the Braves have been disappointing over the last two seasons. The keyword here… “disappointing”. The reason for the disappointment is that this team is loaded with talent yet hasn’t made the playoffs in two years.

Alex Anthopoulos has been active this offseason to ensure there won’t be a third year without a postseason for these Braves. He has been brilliant in securing long-term extensions to keep this core together. The Braves already got Ha-Seong Kim back, solving the shortstop issue. They also added Robert Suarez to the bullpen and Mike Yastrzemski to the outfield. Now they must add depth to the rotation.

Adding a divisional rival, Ranger Suarez, could be that over-the-top piece that Atlanta could make to improve this rotation. If the Braves signed Ranger Suarez, their starting rotation could look like:

1. Chris Sale (36) - LHP | 3.01 ERA

2. Spencer Schwellenbach (25) - RHP | 3.23 ERA

3. Spencer Strider (27) - RHP | 3.74 ERA

4. Ranger Suarez (30) - LHP | 3.38 ERA

5. Reynaldo López (32) - RHP | 3.94 ERA

6. Hurston Waldrep (23) - RHP | 4.41 ERA

Not only is Suarez an incredible pitcher, but he is a lefty and will cost less than Framber Valdez. This move is a match made in heaven.

2025 - 4.7 bWAR | 26 GS | 157.1 IP | 151 K | 1.22 WHIP | 12 W | 8.6 K/9 | 3.20 ERA

This article is to be treated as Part Two of this Six-Part blog series. I must apologize as these blogs were supposed to be up almost two weeks ago, but then real life got hectic. My gut told me to wait until after the Winter Meetings to publish this series, as so much activity happens in a matter of 3 days, and predictions can go right out the window.

I figured if I waited to see what crazy moves happened, I’d be able to sit back and look more realistically at what organizations are going to try to do this offseason. That being the case, I am jumping into the National League Central today and examining how each team can try to catch the Milwaukee Brewers in the division.

Chicago Cubs

Team Needs - Pitching (Rotation & Bullpen)

In my eyes, Zac Gallen is a perfect fit for this team. I think this is the time for the Cubs to go in on Gallen. Chicago added a couple of relievers last week, and even with this news, I think they will continue to make small moves to address the bullpen. It can not be said enough, if Chicago has World Series aspirations in 2026, they must add significant pieces to the rotation.

The Cubs are clearly trying to contend without breaking the bank, so Gallen fits that mold. Gallen is a much better pitcher than his 2025 statistics say. He owns a 3.58 career ERA across 1007.1 MLB innings. I expect him to bounce back, and the Cubs can get him on a short-term deal.

After 2025, there is no way he is going to get the contract he was eyeing after the 2023 season, where he finished CYA-3. The Cubs would be smart to get him for a year or two, as they can afford it, and he would drastically improve the depth of the rotation for 2026.

2025 - 1.1 bWAR | 4.83 ERA | 33 GS | 192 IP | 175 K | 1.26 WHIP

Cincinnati Reds

Team Needs - A Big Bat

Now that Schwarber and Alonso are gone, there are only a handful of impact bats that the Reds would be interested as well as have mutual interest in Cincinnati. Let’s be real, there is 0% chance of Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, and/or Cody Bellinger signing with the Reds.

A superstar bat being added to the fold for 2026 is highly unlikely for Cincinnati. The only way I can see them adding a bat of that magnitude is via trade, and even then, I don’t know if the Reds have the assets to pull off a move like that. Don’t get me wrong, the Reds seem to consistently have intriguing prospects, but a blockbuster deal might not be in the cards.

I am looking at this from a more realistic approach. Who is an impact bat that would come to Cincinnati? How about a veteran who has already played in this city? Eugenio Suarez makes all the sense in the world to go sign. The Reds do not have to give him a long-term deal. The AAV is going to be lower than what Suarez was looking for at the beginning of the 2025 season due to a second-half slump, and they don’t have to part ways with any of their farm system to acquire him!

2025 - 3.6 bWAR | 49 HR | .228 BA | .824 OPS | 118 RBI

Pittsburgh Pirates

Team Needs - Bats

Similar to the Reds, Pittsburgh needs bats. Not just a bat, they need multiple. This rotation is too good, and Paul Skenes is too valuable to lose to a trade demand by not making this team competitive as soon as possible!

The beauty of having multiple holes in the lineup is that there are many options to help the Pirates where they see fit. Adding Harrison Bader to the mix in an outfield that already boasts Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz would make for a rather nice outfield.

Bader is not likely to sign back with Philadelphia, as they just signed Adolis Garcia this morning, as I was writing this. He will cost Pittsburgh less than $20M/AAV if he signs a 2 or 3-year deal. Bader brings a valuable bat to the middle of the lineup, some speed, and solid defense (2021 GG Winner) to the Pittsburgh lineup.

2025 - 3.9 bWAR | 17 HR | .277 BA | .796 OPS | 54 RBI

St. Louis Cardinals

Team Needs - Pitching (Rotation & Bullpen)

Chaim Bloom enters the chat.

Entering his 1st year as President of Baseball Operations for the St. Louis Cardinals, I expect Bloom to start building from the ground up. There is a ton of young and talented baseball players on this roster already, but I’d be surprised if we don’t start seeing some moves from St. Louis. Bloom has prior experience in developing and growing organizations with both the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox and has seen plenty of success.

The Cardinals really need arms for 2026. The question is how much emphasis does Bloom put on winning in 2026 vs. building a sustainable winner. My gut tells me Bloom is going to be more conservative year 1 at the helm, which leads me to think they are not going to go after a Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez-like player.

Instead, I think they move Arenado for pitching/prospects, all the while adding a veteran pitcher on a team-friendly deal. Nick Martinez would cost close to nothing for St. Louis to add into the mix.

Martinez was solid last year for Cincinnati, and his career ERA is closer to 4.20 than 4.50 from 2025. Martinez might be 35 years old by the end of the 2026 season, but he offers St. Louis an affordable way to eat some innings in a lackluster rotation, all the while not having to part ways with money or a even worse, a high-end prospect.

2025 - 2.3 bWAR | 4.45 ERA | 26 GS | 165.2 IP | 116 K | 1.20 WHIP

San Diego Padres

San Diego is the most interesting of the bunch. On one hand, they have players like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Mason Miller, and Jackson Merrill returning to the fold in 2026. On the other hand, there might be a change in ownership sooner rather than later, and two of their top starters, Dylan Cease and Michael King, are hitting the open market.

The lineup is stacked with talent. It is the arms where I would put my money down on San Diego management to address this offseason. It is unclear how aggressively the Padres will attempt to re-sign Cease or King, but they need to do something about the rotation if they do not get one or either of these two starters back.

The more I think about a starter who would fit in perfectly in San Diego, the more I think Framber Valdez. He is going to command a ton of money, but Valdez is a prominent starter. Not to mention, he is a southpaw if the Padres let King walk. With players like Machado and Tatis Jr. on the roster, the Padres have shown they are willing to work with players with complications.

Yes, Framber Valdez crossed up his own catcher last year (which is absurd!), but I do think this was a “heat of the moment” type episode out of Valdez. If you follow baseball, the industry has been talking about how his actions may have cost him some money this offseason, which I buy into, but he is still going to get paid in some regard. Why not to a team that is willing to spend (for now!), and has dealt with behavioral issues in the recent past?

Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona had a nightmare scenario in the bullpen last season. They had three players go down due to a season-ending injury in the closer role. Not to mention they lost Corbin Burnes to injury as well, whom they went out and signed last offseason to a massive contract.

Even with multiple significant injuries, the Diamondbacks were able to put together an 80-82 season in a rather tough division. Arizona is similar to San Francisco for me in this division. They have pieces that make them dangerous, but they need to add to the roster to be a serious threat.

Adding an elite closer seems to be the clear-cut choice following last year’s nightmare would be the easy choice, but I do not see the Diamondbacks going out and spending a fortune on a reliever. My prediction is that they go out and find themselves another starter with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly both hitting the open market. Adding Zach Eflin could pay dividends for this club. The contract itself wouldn’t be crazy, and the team could allocate more funds to finding another quality starter or to reloading the bullpen.

San Francisco Giants

Buster Posey is not messing around. Additions of Willy Adames and Rafael Devers show that Posey is looking to build a winner. Not to mention Posey is betting big with the hiring of former University of Tennessee coach, Tony Vitello, to be the new skipper in San Francisco.

The Giants are a respectable team, but to make that jump into “contender” territory, they need to make a few more moves. One of those moves needs to be a big splash.

Adding another impact bat to the fold could be the move to get San Francisco into the playoffs in 2026. I think if the Giants can convince Eugenio Suarez to sign a team-friendly deal, it could pay dividends to this lineup and overall the team’s success.

Let’s face it, Suarez was not impressive after being acquired by Seattle at the deadline last season. His age is starting to show, and I do not think he is going to get the money he was eyeing at the beginning of 2025 when he was red-hot to start the year.

If Posey could get Suarez to buy in at a lower total money contract but higher AAV, the Giants could allocate other funds to bolster the rotation and/or bullpen to make a playoff push in 2026 and beyond.

Colorado Rockies

Let’s be honest. Colorado needs an entirely new team, coaching staff, farm system, analytics team, and owner to compete in this division. I do not see the Rockies having a shot to make the playoffs, let alone win the division, anytime soon.

The Rockies have always had trouble putting together a solid rotation. Partially due to the external interest of going to one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in Major League Baseball, where pitchers go to die.

One player who could help them as they rebuild is Dylan Cease. The odds that Cease would sign a deal with Colorado are slim to none, but Colorado could afford to overpay him now to secure his services. Cease would be the frontline starter the Rockies could depend on to throw over 170 innings a year for the next five seasons.

Adding Cease to the mix would not solve all of Colorado’s issues, but could help stop the bleeding, all the while securing an arm that would put up decent ratios while providing a foundation to the starting rotation.

The Blue Jays are one game away from eternal glory in what has become a fascinating World Series matchup. No one, including me, was giving Toronto a shot to win this series, and now they are up 3-2, with the next two games scheduled in Toronto.

The exciting part is who will be named World Series MVP. Several candidates deserve their seats at the table and should be mentioned in this piece, but I will keep it to the realistic options at this point!

Honorable Mention(s)

Alejandro Kirk:

WS Stats - 2 HR | .333 BA | .458 OBP | .667 SLG | 6 RBI | 6 H | 5 BB

Vladimir Guerrero Jr:

WS Stats - 2 HR | .364 BA | .500 OBP | .636 SLG | 3 RBI | 8 H | 6 BB

You can make easy arguments for both of these guys, but only one player can win the award, and that player usually comes from the winning team. That being said, I’d put my money on another Blue Jay to win series MVP if Toronto is to go on and clinch the series.

3) Shohei Ohtani

Reaching base safely 9 times in one game is absolute insanity, I don’t care how many innings that game went. The Dodgers are trailing right now, but it is safe to assume they have been relying heavily on Ohtani to keep putting up historic numbers. Without Ohtani, this series might already be over.

WS Stats - 3 HR | .316 BA | .500 OBP | .895 SLG | 5 RBI | 6 H | 7 BB | 6 IP | 6 K

2) Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yamamoto’s performance in Game 2 was outstanding. Especially considering it was his second game in a row going the distance to throw a complete game. If the Dodgers are to come back in this series and force a Game 7, one would have to imagine that Yamamoto has another spectacular performance on the mound tonight, as the Dodgers are in elimination mode.

WS Stats - 1.00 ERA | 9 IP | 8 K | .444 WHIP | 1 GS | 1 CG

1) Trey Yesavage

Yesavage has taken the baseball world by storm with his performance this playoffs. He is the first rookie ever to record two outings in the same playoffs with double-digit strikeouts, and he is leading the charge for the Blue Jays to defeat the Dodgers. Should Toronto take this series in six games, I’d have to lean Yesavage for MVP. He might not play every game, but he has utterly shut down this loaded Los Angeles lineup.

WS Stats - 2.45 ERA | 11 IP | 17 K | .909 WHIP | 2 GS

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Tampa Bay Rays (77-85)

Junior Caminero. The 22 year old just hit 45 bombs in his first full season while hitting .264. The Rays need to lock him up ASAP.

Baltimore Orioles (75-87)

Youth. 2025 was no doubt a disappointment for Baltimore. The good news is they have multiple players from their young core returning and due to rebound in 2026.

Kansas City Royals (82-80)

Bobby Witt Jr. & Vinnie Pasquantino are now the 1-2 punch and will be back with Kansas City in 2026. Witt Jr. is one of the best baseball players in the world and Pasquantino finally had that full season of health in which he hit 32 home runs. Look for the Royals to build around these two studs.

Minnesota Twins (70-92)

The farm system. Minnesota has a ton of talent coming up to the bigs across the next couple of years, including four players (Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, Eduardo Tait, and Emmanuel Rodriguez) currently ranked in the top-100 according to MLB Pipeline.

Chicago White Sox (60-102)

Shane Smith. The twenty-five year old starter was nothing short of impressive in 2025. Smith pitched to a 3.81 ERA across 146.1 innings. The White Sox have plenty of holes, but Shane Smith is not one of them.

Houston Astros (87-75)

Health. Houston was injury prone all season long. Yordan Alvarez missed way too many games. Missing his bat in the middle of the Houston lineup was too much to overcome and be a real threat this past season.

Texas Rangers (81-81)

The Rangers are now a full two years removed from their World Series title and can now approach the 2026 season with a clearer mind on their needs to compete next season. The good news is this is not a rebuild, it’s a reload with players like Wyatt Langford, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien returning to the fold in 2026.

Athletics (76-86)

Nick Kurtz. ThIs was the easiest bright spot to identify on this list. Kurtz was an animal in 2025 (36 HR & .290 BA) and looks like he is going to be a problem for opposing pitching for many years to come.

Los Angeles Angels (72-90)

Jo Adell’s breakout season. Adell has been hyped up for several years now and finally put up the monster season everyone was hoping for! The Angels can focus on building up the rotation in the offseason to pair with Mike Trout, Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel, and others to compete in 2026.

New York Mets (83-79)

No shortage of resources tied with a young crop of talented pitchers. Uncle Stevie is no doubt going to continue to be aggressive in free agency to add to this team’s core. On top of that Nolan McLean looks like a future stud for this rotation.

Miami Marlins (79-83)

The Peter Bendix Experiment is already showing positive payoff. Miami was able to put forth a formidable team in 2025. Peter Bendix is already showing signs of what he was able to do in Tampa and that is a great sign as it is easier to lure players to Miami over Tampa Bay.

Atlanta Braves (76-86)

The core remains stable. The baseball world has been utterly let down by this Atlanta team the last two seasons as hopes have been high for the Braves. In 2026, Atlanta will have Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, Sean Murphy, Austin Riley, among others returning, giving Atlanta high hopes again as the team is full of talent. They just need to put it together.

Washington Nationals (66-96)

James Wood. Wood seems to be a big piece of the puzzle that Washington is looking to solve for in their current rebuild. Wood hit 31 bombs this past season while hitting at a productive .256 batting average. If Washington can start to build around the 23 year old, they can show signs of life in 2026.

St. Louis Cardinals (78-84)

A new regime. Chaim Bloom is now officially the President of Baseball Operations, taking over for John Mozeliak. The Cardinals have not been relevant since 2022 and it’s time for a face lift.

Pittsburgh Pirates (71-91)

Paul Skenes. Pittsburgh might have to ultimately move Skenes, if they decide they cannot afford to pay him. Even so, they will get a haul of assets in exchange for Skenes, especially if they move him at the right time to build a foundation. As good as Skenes is, Pittsburgh needs to build a team and right now they need multiple talented players to add to the current roster.

San Francisco Giants (81-81)

Rafael Devers is signed through 2033. San Francisco went out and acquired their guy via trade earlier this season in a blockbuster with the Boston Red Sox. The Giants can further build around Devers who will be locking down the hot corner for the foreseeable future.

Arizona Diamondbacks (80-82)

Corbin Carroll is a stud. The young outfielder is one of the most talented players in the game and they have him signed through 2031. For a year where they couldn’t stay healthy whatsoever, the Diamondbacks put up a respectable record finishing just two games under .500. Look for Arizona to be aggressive in the offseason.

Colorado Rockies (43-119)

The best for last. As I write this I sit in my company office in Denver, Colorado so this felt harsher than it should have to put into words. Colorado is far away from being a contender but they have a couple of brights spots. Hunter Goodman is very good and should be the piece that Colorado builds around for the foreseeable future.

The New York Yankees’ 2025 season is officially over. The Toronto Blue Jays took the American League Divisional Series overwhelmingly with a 3-1 “gentlemen’s sweep”. It was bound to happen, no matter how much hope I had for this team. The reality is that this organization has too many flaws right now, both big and small. I understand that nothing is perfect in life, but it does not hurt to strive for perfection.

Outside of Aaron Judge, a majority of the facets of a winning ball club are in critical condition and need improvement immediately. Especially if New York wishes to win another World Series sometime soon. Here is my list of issues and the size of the problem.

• Lineup (SMALL)

• Rotation / Rotation Depth (SMALL)

• Bullpen (MEDIUM)

• Farm System (LARGE)

• Hitting Coach (LARGE)

• Manager (LARGE)

Lineup:

It is hard to argue that the lineup needs massive changes. I understand that without Aaron Judge, the final stats look much different, but numbers don’t lie. The Yankees finished 1st in BB (639), R (849), TB (2,488), HR (274), RBI (820), SLG (.455), and OPS (.787). Finishing at the top of the seven major hitting categories is super impressive. That being said, Aaron Judge is under contract and will be right back in the heart of this Yankee lineup for the next six years. They 100% need to get rid of Anthony Volpe. This is not recency bias with his awful performance in the ALDS. He has been terrible all season, both with the bat and the glove. I don’t have anything against Volpe, and he has proved he can be a good player. He needs a change of scenery, and the Yankees need to get a whole lot more production out of the shortstop position. I would LOVE for them to go out and approach the “if you can’t beat them, buy them” mentality and acquire Bo Bichette in free agency.

Rotation / Rotational Depth:

This is hard to actually put in writing following the performance of the starters from the ALDS, but I don’t think the Yankees need to do much in the offseason to the starting rotation. Next year, the Yankees will throw out Gerrit Cole (early 2026), Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren, and Clarke Schmidt (post-ASG). I know that I have confidence in a thirty-four-year-old Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt, both coming back from massive surgeries and returning to form. I think the rotation is good enough to hold down the fort, giving Cole and Schmidt time to fully rehab. Cole had Tommy John surgery in March 2025, so figure June 2026, he will be close? Schmidt, on the other hand, had an internal brace procedure and will not return until post-All-Star Break. The Yankees have some talent, so maybe adding another 3, 4, or 5-level starter wouldn’t hurt.

Bullpen:

It’s not as bad as it looks. There are very solid pieces in the Bullpen; obviously, they did not all come together this season. The Yankees need to add some high-end relievers to this staff, or it will be more of the same in 2026. Would love to add Pete Fairbanks, Jason Adam, and Alex Vesia to the fold.

Farm System:

I do not need to elaborate on this one. The farm system has some intriguing prospects, such as George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones, Carlos Lagrange, Bryce Cunningham, Ben Hess, Chase Hampton, and Henry Lalane. The pitching prospects entice me as the Yankees have produced some solid arms as of late. It is the bats. Let’s be honest, the Yankees have not produced a good batting prospect since Aaron Judge, who made his debut back in 2016.

Hitting Department Coaching:

James Rowson, Casey Dykes, and Pat Roessler all need to go. The lineup has talent but refuses to hit to its potential. Too many times Yankee hitters are swinging on the first pitch and hitting from behind in the count. I know I am someone who watches from afar and has never coached baseball, but it seems obvious. Too many prospects are not making the jump to the bigs and producing positive results.

Manager:

I do not know what else to say. The Yankees need a new leader as soon as possible.

2026 My Ideal Projected Rotation:

1. Gerrit Cole (IL)

2. Max Fried

3. Carlos Rodon

4. Cam Schlittler

5. Luis Gil

6. Will Warren

7. Clarke Schmidt (IL)

2026 - My Ideal Projected Bullpen:

1. David Bednar (ARB)

2. Devin Williams (FA)

3. Luke Weaver (FA)

4. Tim Hill (Team Option)

5. Jake Bird (Pre-Arb)*

6. Fernando Cruz (Pre-Arb)*

7. Pete Fairbanks (FA)

8. Jason Adam (FA)

9. Alex Vesia (FA)

2026 - My Ideal Projected Lineup:

1. Trent Grisham CF (FA)

2. Bo Bichette SS (FA)

3. Aaron Judge RF

4. Cody Bellinger LF (Player Option)

5. Giancarlo Stanton DH

6. Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2B (Arb)

7. Ben Rice 1B

8. Austin Wells C

9. Ryan McMahon 3B

Bench - Jasson Dominguez, Jose Caballero, Amed Rosario

Final Team Cumulative Pitching Statistics:

2nd in OBA (.229)

3rd in W (94)

4th in H (1,239)

4th in SO (1,440)

10th in QS (62)

12th in WHIP (1.25)

14th in ERA (3.91)

Final Team Cumulative Hitting Statistics:

1st in BB (639)

1st in R (849)

1st in TB (2,488)

1st in HR (274)

1st in RBI (820)

1st in SLG (.455)

1st in OPS (.787)

3rd in OBP (.332)

8th in SB (134)

10th in AVG (.251)

28th in SO (1,463)

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8 - Detroit Tigers

1. CF Parker Meadows

2. 2B Gleyber Torres

3. DH Kerry Carpenter

4. 1B Spencer Torkelson

5. LF Riley Greene

6. RF Wenceel Pérez

7. 3B Zach McKinstry

8. C Dillon Dingler

9. SS Javier Báez

Bench: C Jake Rogers, IF Jake Sweeney, IF/OF Andy Ibáñez, OF Jahmai Jones

AVG - .247 (16th MLB)

OBP - .316 (14th MLB)

OPS - .730 (12th MLB)

My Take - I sound like a hater here, but just by the numbers, this is the worst offense remaining in the playing field. Just because they rank the lowest for me in this group does not mean that Detroit has a bad offense; it simply means that they are the worst of the remaining teams.

7 - Chicago Cubs

1. 1B Michael Busch

2. 2B Nico Hoerner

3. LF Ian Happ

4. DH Kyle Tucker

5. RF Seiya Suzuki

6. C Carson Kelly

7. CF Pete Crow-Armstrong

8. SS Dansby Swanson

9. 3B Matt Shaw

Bench: C Reese McGuire, C Moises Ballesteros, IF Justin Turner, IF/OF Willi Castro,

AVG - .249 (13th MLB)

OBP - .320 (10th MLB)

OPS - .751 (7th MLB)

My Take - I predicted this team to get swept by San Diego in the Wild Card round. Clearly, I was wrong. I should have known better, considering I was fortunate enough to witness the Cubs break their all-time single-game HR record (8) back on the 4th of July earlier this season. This offense features multiple players who can tear the cover off the baseball, and if they receive the pitching support they need in the divisional round, this team could upset the Brewers.

6 - Seattle Mariners

1. LF Randy Arozarena

2. C Cal Raleigh

3. CF Julio Rodríguez

4. 1B Josh Naylor

5. 2B Jorge Polanco

6. 3B Eugenio Suárez

7. DH Dominic Canzone

8. RF Victor Robles

9. SS J.P. Crawford

Bench: C Mitch Garver, 1B/OF Luke Raley, IF Cole Young, IF/OF Leo Rivas

AVG - .244 (20th MLB)

OBP - .320 (11th MLB)

OPS - .740 (10th MLB)

My Take - Honestly, I’m unsure what to think of Seattle. Their lineup is absolutely loaded, but the numbers do not prove them to be an elite offense. If the lineup gets hot, watch out, as the starting rotation is lethal and can silence any offense in baseball.

5 - Milwaukee Brewers

1. DH Christian Yelich

2. CF Jackson Chourio

3. 2B Brice Turang

4. C William Contreras

5. RF Sal Frelick

6. 1B Andrew Vaughn

7. LF Isaac Collins

8. 3B Caleb Durbin

9. SS Joey Ortiz

Bench: C Danny Jansen, 1B/OF Jake Bauers, IF Andruw Monasterio, OF Blake Perkins

AVG - .258 (3rd MLB)

OBP - .332 (2nd MLB)

OPS - .736 (11th MLB)

My Take - I love this team through and through. They are elite at getting on base, and they do not rely on any hitter to carry the load. That is the formula for winning games and the reason why the Brewers led the MLB in wins with 97 in 2025. Will they have enough star power to get them to the promised land? Time will tell.

4 - Toronto Blue Jays

1. DH George Springer

2. RF Nathan Lukes

3. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

4. 3B Addison Barger

5. C Alejandro Kirk

6. CF Daulton Varsho

7. LF Anthony Santander

8. 2B Ernie Clement

9. SS Andrés Giménez

Bench: C Tyler Heineman, IF Isiah Kiner-Falefa, IF/OF Davis Schneider, OF Myles Straw

AVG - .265 (1st MLB)

OBP - .333 (1st MLB)

OPS - .761 (3rd MLB)

My Take - Toronto fans will think I’m being critical. This lineup is completely different without Bo Bichette. He was tied for 2nd in the league with hits (181) this season, falling short of Bobby Witt Jr. by only three hits. He also played in 18 fewer games. Missing Bichette is a massive piece to the equation.

3 - New York Yankees

1. CF Trent Grisham

2. 1B Ben Rice

3. RF Aaron Judge

4. LF Cody Bellinger

5. DH Giancarlo Stanton

6. 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.

7. C Austin Wells

8. SS Anthony Volpe

9. 3B Ryan McMahon

Bench: 1B Paul Goldschmidt, IF José Caballero, IF/OF Amed Rosario, OF Jasson Dominguez

AVG - .251 (10th MLB)

OBP - .332 (3rd MLB)

OPS - .787 (1st MLB)

My Take - This team lives and dies by what Aaron Judge does in the box. I have been saying it all season. If Aaron Judge goes on a tear, the sky is the limit for this Yankees team.

2 - Los Angeles Dodgers

1. DH Shohei Ohtani

2. SS Mookie Betts

3. 1B Freddie Freeman

4. 3B Max Muncy

5. RF Teoscar Hernández

6. CF Tommy Edman

7. LF Andy Pages

8. 2B Miguel Rojas

9. C Ben Rortvedt

Bench: C Dalton Rushing, IF/OF Enrique Hernandez, OF Alex Call, OF Michael Conforto

AVG - .253 (6th MLB)

OBP - .327 (5th MLB)

OPS - .768 (2nd MLB)

My Take - The Dodgers could have easily been ranked number #1. They are the reigning champions. They have a 3-headed monster in Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, and are surrounded by talented complementary pieces. If Catcher Will Smith were healthy, they might have been my number #1.

1 - Philadelphia Phillies

1. SS Trea Turner

2. DH Kyle Schwarber

3. 1B Bryce Harper

4. 3B Alec Bohm

5. LF Brandon Marsh

6. C J.T. Realmuto

7. CF Harrison Bader

8. RF Nick Castellanos

9. 2B Bryson Stott

Bench: C Rafael Marchán, IF Edmundo Sosa, IF Otto Kemp, OF Max Kepler

AVG - .258 (2nd MLB)

OBP - .328 (4th MLB)

OPS - .759 (4th MLB)

My Take - PLAYOFF BRYCE + Kyle Schwarber + Trea Turner = Endless Possibilities. This offense is scary top to bottom, and Philly is going to make a run. If I were a pitcher, the last player I would want to face in the playoffs is Bryce Harper.

1) Tigers Flip the Script On the Surging Guardians

The Wild Card series is many things. One of those “things” is short. You only need to win two out of three games to advance. The problem with this take is that Detroit has been unwatchable lately, and the Guardians are playing like the best team in baseball. My thought process is simple. The Tigers have Tarik Skubal to lean on for Game 1, and I think he is that much of an X-Factor to go out and get a win. From there, Detroit would need to win just one of the next two, and you know they are going to throw the house at Cleveland in what I imagine to be a strategic bullpen game.

2) Cubs Get Swept by the Padres in the Wild Card Series

Chicago might be outmatched and outgunned in this Wild Card showdown. Chicago’s starting rotation is going to have a massive problem on its hands with San Diego’s lineup. The Padres are ranked within the top 10 of multiple hitting categories across the league and are sporting the 7th-best Average (.252) and the 9th-best OBP (.321) in all of baseball. Additionally, this team does not strike out very often. Put them down for the 3rd fewest strikeouts as a team in the majors. Do I even need to talk about San Diego’s lethal bullpen?

3) Blue Jays Fall Short of Expectations and Lose in the Divisional Round

Drawing the winner of the Red Sox/Yankees series is not a reward, especially in a weaker American League. Not to mention all three of these teams play in the same division year-round. Needless to say, these teams are very familiar with each other. I don’t think this is the easiest draw for Toronto, which earned the #1 seed in the American League. I think both Boston and New York can take care of business against Toronto, which leads me to believe they won’t go far this year.

4) Dodgers Are Eliminated in the Divisional Round by Philadelphia

Los Angeles has simply not lived up to the hype from the offseason. There is no doubt this team is super talented and could win a World Series this year, but the issue is that the Dodgers have not sold me that they will. There are many reasons why they did not have the stellar year everyone anticipated; the main reason is health. Several members of the club have spent time on the injured list this season, and the Dodgers never really went on a bender. They were just consistently good all year long. Philadelphia will be waiting for Los Angeles (should they beat Cincinnati in the WC!), and will have home-field advantage against whoever makes it out of the Wild Card. I think Philadelphia will be ready and take advantage of a Dodgers team with a shaky bullpen.

5) Yankees Win the American League Pennant

If you listened to the latest episode of the podcast, I am all in on the Yankees. I know I am setting myself up for heartbreak, but why not? The Yankees were in the World Series last year. They tied the Blue Jays in overall record and could have just as easily been the #1 seed on the American League side of the bracket. The Yankees’ rotation is deeper than people give it credit for. The lineup is disgusting when all the pistons are firing. They have Aaron Judge, who is having an incredible year and is a strong candidate to win the MVP in 2025. Hard for me to bet against my own team. Sorry!

6) Max Fried Wins the ALCS MVP

If the Yankees are to win the American League Pennant, I should have an insurance policy out on Judge’s performance. Aaron Judge does not have good career stats in the playoffs, so I am picking Max Fried, the Yankees’ best pitcher. Fried has been nasty in 2025 and has been especially sharp as of late. Across the last month, Fried has pitched to a 1.89 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 35 K, 5 Wins, and 4 Quality Starts in 33 ⅓ innings.

7) Phillies Win the National League Pennant

It just feels right. The Brewers are an excellent ball club, but they lack star power. The Dodgers have not been everything I expected this year, and the Padres just don’t seem like the pick. Philadelphia has all the tools needed to win in October, and I think that with Schwarber heading to free agency, this is really the last chance for Philadelphia to put it all together (with this current squad).

8) Bryce Harper Wins the NLCS MVP

Playoff Bryce Harper Stats:

.280 AVG | 54 H | 17 HR | 34 RBI | 41 R | 53 G

Enough Said…

9) Yankees Win The World Series

I know, I know. I am a biased idiot. The Yankees are hungry to avenge their embarrassing World Series loss from last season, and have the roster to do it. Will this lineup stay hot? Will Aaron Judge change the narrative of his playoff performances? I think so.

10) Aaron Judge Wins World Series MVP

If the Yankees actually do win a World Series, I can’t see them doing it without Judge being a monster. Regular season and World Series MVP in the same year, Cooperstown seems imminent.

The 2025 regular season is in the books, and the Yankees will be playing October baseball! New York has made the playoffs in eight of the last nine seasons and twenty-two of the previous twenty-five seasons. I am specifically only going back to the year 2000, as I am tired of people complaining about Yankee fans talking about their rich history from “the past”. I’d say that the past 25 years constitute a good data set and are relevant to the present-day conversation.

Understandably, haters will point to anything to try to bring down the Yankees. Especially now, as the Yankees have not won the World Series since 2009, and before that, 2000. That being said, the Yankees have won five World Series titles since I was born. Which is absolutely fantastic, considering I am only 31 years old. I love it when fans say I cannot claim titles in the nineties, even though it was during my lifetime.

The goalposts on what defines greatness in an organization shift over time with this team. Heck, the Yankees were in the World Series last year before a meltdown. Losing to the Dodgers is nothing to be ashamed about. They are an elite organization. Sure, it could have been done less embarrassingly, but at least the Yankees were in that series and not home playing golf like other 28 major league organizations.

That being said, after losing Gerrit Cole for the year to injury, not bringing back Juan Soto, Luis Gil missing most of the season, and lackluster seasons from Austin Wells and Devin Williams, the Yankees are still in the playoffs, and I am ecstatic with the way the boys played.

It was not all Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Carlos Rodon through the season. Trent Grisham, Ben Rice, Max Fried, Cody Bellinger, Cam Schlittler, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, Will Warren, Luke Weaver, and Tim Hill all had massive contributions to this team, and for many of them, it was their first year in pinstripes!

Series 1: Chicago White Sox (Home) → Won 3-0

Chicago had to go up against the big guns in Luis Gil (3.32), Max Fried (2.86), and Carlos Rodon (3.09) in a crucial three-game series. They were doomed from the start. New York was playing for a division title. I was only somewhat worried in Game 1, which resulted in a 3-2 Yankee victory.

Series 2: Baltimore Orioles (Home) → Won 3-0

Baltimore has been dead as an organization for most of the season. This was nice to see back-to-back sweeps, especially since Baltimore is an in-division rival and would have loved to play spoiler to the Yankees. The Yankees did not really break a sweat in this one until Game 3, where New York took a 3-2 victory.

Arms to Highlight Across the Past Week:

Max Fried —> 7 IP | 7 K | 1.29 ERA | 0.86 WHIP | 1 W | 1 QS

Cam Schlittler —> 7 IP | 9 K | 0.00 ERA | 1 W | 1 QS | 0.43 WHIP

Luke Weaver —> 3.1 IP | 3 K | 0.00 ERA | 1 HLD | 1 SV | 0.30 WHIP

Notable Team Cumulative Pitching Statistics - End of Regular Season:

5th in H (1,239)

4th in SO (1,440)

10th in QS (62)

14th in ERA (3.91)

Bats to Highlight Across The Past Week:

Aaron Judge —> 4 HR | 9 RBI | .450 BA | 7 R | 7 BB | 1.693 OPS

Giancarlo Stanton —> 3 HR | 10 RBI | .333 BA | 3 R | 3 BB | 1.227 OPS

Ben Rice —> 2 HR | 5 R | .333 BA | 2 BB | 3 RBI | 1.178 OPS

Notable Team Cumulative Hitting Statistics - End of Regular Season:

10th in AVG (.251)

1st in BB (639)

1st in R (849)

1st in TB (2,488)

28th in SO (1,463)

Finally, the playoffs will begin tomorrow, and the Yankees (4) will face off against arch-nemesis, the Boston Red Sox (5) in the American League Wild Card Round. Crochet vs. Fried in Game 1 is going to be electric to watch. Dean and I are most likely going live to watch the game, so tune into our next podcast to hear us break down Game 1 and the series.

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Still two games back in the division to Toronto, the Yankees do not have much room for error across their final six games. In fact, they need Toronto to fall flat on its face to have any hope of taking the division in 2025.

Regardless of winning the division or not, the Yankees are in a solid position to make the playoffs. Winning three series in a row, and seven out of the last eight in crunch time, is never something to be upset with!

Series 1: Minnesota Twins (Away) → Won 2-1

I was very upset with the Game 1 loss, which ended in a 7-0 defeat against Minnesota. The Twins are not a good team this year, and the Yankees are trying to win a division. Every game counts! It just felt like the Yankees took their foot off the gas for this one. New York was able to bounce back and take the next two games in this series, even though it seemed like they were doing everything in their power to give away Game 2, where the Yankees were up 10-1 at one point and pulled out a 10-9 victory.

Series 2: Baltimore Orioles (Away) → Won 3-1

I loved this. Sure, a sweep is incredible, but taking three or four games in a series is always a wonderful thing! Rodon and Fried both delivered excellent performances on the mound in games 1 & 3. Ben Rice saved the day with a walk-off grand slam in game 4, which was absolutely electric to watch. New York needed to beat up Baltimore in this series, as they are down bad this year, and the Yankees have to play them again at the end of this week!

Arms to Highlight Across the Past Week:

Max Fried —> 7 IP | 13 K | 0.00 ERA | 0.57 WHIP | 1 W | 1 QS

Carlos Rodon —> 13 IP | 12 K | 2.08 ERA | 1 W | 2 QS | 0.85 WHIP

Devin Williams —> 3 IP | 8 K | 0.00 ERA | 2 HLD | 0.33 WHIP

Notable Team Cumulative Pitching Statistics Thru 9/21:

+ 5th in H (1,207)

+ 4th in SO (1,388)

- 13th in QS (58)

- 15th in ERA (3.97)

Aaron Judge should win MVP this season. If the Mariners did not have Cal Raleigh, would they be worse for it? Yes. But they still have one of the best rotations in baseball. Without Aaron Judge, the Yankees are simply a different lineup. Judge seems to make history once a week at this point.

I have said it all year long, and I am aware this is not an original take. The Yankees live and die by Aaron Judge. Most Yankee fans would agree with me on that sentiment. In my dreams, this entire lineup can get hot for the playoffs.

Bats to Highlight Across The Past Week:

Aaron Judge —> 1 HR | 3 RBI | .333 BA | 7 R | 9 BB | 1.039 OPS

Trent Grisham —> 3 HR | 8 RBI | .250 BA | 6 R | 4 BB | .970 OPS

Ben Rice —> 1 HR | 2 R | .421 BA | 1 BB | 6 RBI | 1.187 OPS

Jazz Chisholm Jr. → 3rd Yankee in History to go 30-30***

Notable Team Cumulative Hitting Statistics Thru 9/21:

- 13th in AVG (.250)

+ 1st in BB (609)

+ 1st in R (816)

+ 1st in TB (2,396)

- 28th in SO (1,408)

The Yankees will close out their season with their last six games all in New York! Two sweeps might get you the division, two series losses or even worse (getting swept) might cost you a playoff spot. It’s a tight playoff race in the American League, and the Yankees need to capitalize on inferior competition this week with series against the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles.

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The Yankees enter the week still trailing the Toronto Blue Jays by four games. With 13 games left in the regular season, it is safe to say the Yankees are staring down the barrel of a Wild Card spot for the 2025 postseason.

Aaron Judge hit home runs No. 359 & 361, which now places him ahead of Yogi Berra (358) and Joe DiMaggio (361). He is now the 4th hitter on the all-time Yankee home run leader list, just sitting behind Lou Gehrig (493), Mickey Mantle (536), and Babe Ruth (659).

Might have a while before Judge catches the rest of these Yankee legends on this list!

Series 1: Detroit Tigers (Home) → Lost 2-1

I cannot explain what happened here except that the team was underprepared. This series was at home. Detroit is 5-5 across their last 10 games, and the Mets and the White Sox just beat them in back-to-back series before having to travel to New York. Completely unacceptable in my book. The Tigers were vulnerable to take a series, and instead resulted in wins from Game 1: 12-2 and Game 2: 11-1. Putting up a run differential of 23-3 across 18 innings of baseball is brutal to say the least.

Series 2: Boston Red Sox (Away) → Won 2-1

A sweep was too much to ask for against Boston. It would have been nice to dish out some payback to Boston from the last series against the divisional foe, but taking 2 out of 3 is not the worst situation in the world. I will never complain about winning a series; I am just being greedy.

Arms to Highlight Across the Past Week:

Luis Gil —> 6 IP | 4 K | 0.00 ERA | 0.67 WHIP | 1 W | 1 QS

Cam Schlittler —> 6 IP | 7 K | 1.50 ERA | 1 W | 1 QS | 1.17 WHIP

David Bednar —> 2 IP | 2 K | 0.00 ERA | 2 SV | 0.83 WHIP

Notable Team Cumulative Pitching Statistics Thru 9/14:

+ 5th in H (1,160)

+ 4th in SO (1,320)

- 13th in QS (55)

- 16th in ERA (4.00)

Losing Anthony Volpe to injury is not ideal. I know he is having a very disappointing season both with the glove and at the plate, but you never want to lose guys to injury, especially right before the playoffs. He is recovering from a partially torn left labrum and had a cortisone shot to help the pain.

It is really becoming hard to come up with new adjectives to describe Aaron Judge’s game. He is a generational talent, plain and simple. I mean, just look at his number this season.

Aaron Judge - 139 GP | .326 AVG | 1.125 OPS | 123 R | 48 HR | 102 RBI | 11 SB

This will be his 5th season in a row hitting 37 or more bombs. He also has hit 48 or more home runs in 3 of the last 4 seasons, which is actually absurd. Once again, I will say that this team lives and dies on Aaron Judge producing at the plate. Let us hope he continues this hot streak into the playoffs.

Bats to Highlight Across The Past Week:

Aaron Judge —> 5 HR | 5 RBI | .450 BA | 9 R | 4 BB | 1.760 OPS

Jose Caballero —> 1 HR | 2 RBI | .333 BA | 3 R | 1 BB | .979 OPS

Jazz Chisholm Jr. —> 1 HR | 2 R | .333 BA | 1 BB | 3 SB | .818 OPS

Notable Team Cumulative Hitting Statistics Thru 9/14:

- 12th in AVG (.249)

+ 1st in BB (578)

+ 1st in R (774)

+ 1st in TB (2,292)

- 28th in SO (1,333)

The Yankees hit the road to take on the Twins and then head to Baltimore, as they will be traveling for their two series this week. At this point, taking 2 of 3 games in each of these series will be satisfying for me. Others may be greedy, but I just want a ticket to dance in the playoffs.

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As we approach the postseason, I wanted to start doing deep dives on each team in their rotations, bullpens, and lineups. Starting with this piece, I will be doing a power ranking for all postseason-eligible teams based on that day’s standings.

Pitching is the most critical asset a team has when it comes to the playoffs. I believe the expression goes “Offense wins games, defense wins championships”. That being the case, let’s start with the arms!

12) Cubs

I had to do it to the Cubs. They are the worst rotation out of the projected playoff field. For starters (no pun intended), Matthew Boyd is the ace in the rotation. He is a great pitcher, but not who I want as my number one heading into the postseason. Obviously, he would not be the #1, had Steele not gone down, but he is injured, so here we are. Cade Horton is making a real case for National League Rookie of the Year. Would love to see Horton continue his run in the postseason. I just don’t trust this staff as a whole to be able to contain playoff offenses.

ACE - Matthew Boyd

ERA - 3.86 (9th MLB)

WHIP - 1.19 (2nd MLB)

X-Factor - Cade Horton

Concern - Lack of star power

11) Mets

New York might be a year or two away from putting it all together. The rotation has dealt with injuries all year, and they have a ton of youth going on right now. Don’t get me wrong, McLean, Tong, and Sproat look awesome so far, but we are talking playoffs. If the young guns can deliver, I may be kicking some rocks at the end of the playoffs.

ACE - David Peterson

ERA - 4.02 (17th MLB)

WHIP - 1.33 (24th MLB)

X-Factor - Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat

Concern - Inexperience

10) Blue Jays

Toronto could have gone so many ways. I am sure I will hear from Blue Jays fans saying that I am biased. I am not trying to be with one. Scherzer is not getting any younger. Gausman is nasty, but is he a feared #1? Bassit and Berrios can absolutely win you a game, I just have more faith in them doing in against lesser talent than a playoff roster. Shane Bieber is the wild card in this one. If he pitches like his first game back, Toronto has a solid rotation to face anyone in the league.

ACE - Kevin Gausman

ERA - 4.19 (19th MLB)

WHIP - 1.26 (13th MLB)

X-Factor - Shane Bieber

Concern - Age

9) Yankees

One of the more polarizing rotations heading into the playoffs. If this team has a healthy Gerrit Cole, I am all in! But they do not, so I am hesitant to trust the staff. I think people are making a bigger deal of Fried’s slump than it needs to be. Just look at his numbers, and you will see a career 3.06 ERA across 1060 ⅓ career innings. Need I say more to defend Fried? Rodon has had an excellent year; he just needs to not give up the long ball. It is the remaining four that keep me up at night. There are pros and cons to Warren, Schlittler, Yarbrough, and Gil’s game. If they can be a net positive come playoff time, this team can take home a title; if not, they will be heading home early…again.

ACE - Max Fried

ERA - 4.01 (16th MLB)

WHIP - 1.27 (14th MLB)

X-Factor - Cam Schlittler

Concern - Managerial Usage

8) Padres

San Diego has a sneaky good rotation. Obviously, the numbers show that this team’s pitching is not sneaky good; they are just good-good. Ranking top-3 in both team ERA & WHIP this late in the season is no fluke. The Padres are not a team that I would want to play early in the playoffs, as they can throw out three starters that I am comfortable with in Michael King (3.16 ERA), Nick Pivetta (4.47 ERA), and Dylan Cease (3.89 ERA). All three have had excellent careers and earned my trust. Is Cease having a “down year”? Sure. But he would be my #3 in the rotation at this point, on top of the Padres bullpen, and he has the horses to bail him out of a jam!

ACE - Nick Pivetta

ERA - 3.62 (2nd MLB)

WHIP - 1.20 (3rd MLB)

X-Factor - Dylan Cease

Concern - Depth

7) Detroit

Detroit has the number one weapon of any playoff-bound team, and his name is Tarik Skubal. On the verge of winning back-to-back unanimous Cy Young Awards, the people have spoken. He is arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball right now. That sentiment does include Paul Skenes, but we can have that debate another day. The Tigers have a good staff, but there are question marks on the back end. What Charlie Morton are we going to see in October? Do we see the 18-year veteran flip the switch in the playoffs? Owning a career 3.60 ERA in the playoffs gives me some hope for Detroit that they can rely on Morton even at age 41.

ACE - Tarik Skubal

ERA - 3.90 (13th MLB)

WHIP - 1.24 (10th MLB)

X-Factor - Charlie Morton

Concern - Top Heavy

6) Red Sox

Boston went out and acquired Crochet, knowing he was going to be their howitzer at the front of the rotation. Behind Crochet, Boston has Bello (3.12 ERA), Lucas Giolito (3.38 ERA), and now Connelly Early (0.00 ERA) have a formidable front three, possibly four! If Early does anything to resemble his first start down the stretch, Boston will be very tough to beat. The question looms as Early is brand new to the roster and needs more MLB innings to figure out how he will be as a full-time major leaguer. Boston needs to hope no one figures him out before the playoffs, where an adjustment will be needed.

ACE - Garrett Crochet

ERA - 3.74 (5th MLB)

WHIP - 1.29 (17th MLB)

X-Factor - Connelly Early

Concern - Consistency

5) Houston

I am terrified of Houston, yet I am not terrified of Houston. As a fan of a team that lands in the American League, one can only continue to envision the Houston Astros of the late 2010s and early 2020s. Although we are not that far removed from that roster, this is a new roster, and I need to remember that when I talk about the Astros. Their number 5 & 6 starters are dealing with elbow issues at the moment, which is a nightmare scenario given the fact that it’s September. Framber has been a model of consistency. Hunter Brown has been sensational in 2025. If Cristian Javier can put it all together, as he is still getting back from the injured list with the way Jason Alexander has been pitching, Houston has a nasty 1-4.

ACE - Framber Valdez

ERA - 3.84 (8th MLB)

WHIP - 1.22 (5th MLB)

X-Factor - Cristian Javier

Concern - Health

4) Phillies

Wheeler out indefinitely is an actual buzz kill. This team has so much talent across all facets of the game. Starting pitching, bullpen, lineup, star power, you name it. Wheeler is arguably the best postseason pitcher we have ever seen by the numbers. Not having him available for October is a massive blow, I’d go as far as to say fatal for this team, unfortunately. Maybe I am being an enormous pessimist with this one, but this is how I truly feel at this time. Don’t get me wrong, Philadelphia’s rotation is still excellent, amongst the best in the game. It is just a completely different landscape without Zach Wheeler.

ACE - Cristopher Sanchez

ERA - 3.78 (7th MLB)

WHIP - 1.24 (8th MLB)

X-Factor - Jesus Luzardo

Concern - No Replacement for Zach Wheeler

3) Brewers

Milwaukee is a pitching factory, plain and simple. I have faith in every arm that Chris Hook & Jim Henderson have been working with this season. Peralta, Woodruff, Quintana, Priester, Misiorowski, Fedde, Henderson (when he returns from the IL), this rotation is loaded. The Brewers do not have the “star power” or “name brand” pitchers of the Dodgers, but what they lack in payroll, they make up for in results!

ACE - Freddy Peralta

ERA - 3.63 (3rd MLB)

WHIP - 1.23 (7th MLB)

X-Factor - Jacob Misiorowski/Logan Henderson

Concern - Playoff Experience

2) Seattle

Seattle could easily be looked upon as the best rotation in baseball. There is not one starter that I do not trust to give me a good outing. Bryan Woo is a walking Quality Start. Logan Gilbert is a fantastic pitcher who is now healthy. The veteran of the group, Luis Castillo, is actually the one who has me worried right now. Castillo is having one of his worst seasons by the numbers. That being said, he still delivered 161 ⅓ IP to a 3.85 ERA so far in 2025. If he is the “worst” pitcher in this rotation, sign me up.

ACE - Logan Gilbert

ERA - 3.95 (15th MLB)

WHIP - 1.25 (12th MLB)

X-Factor - Depth

Concern - Playoff Inexperience

1) Dodgers

I mean, it’s the Dodgers. Los Angeles has dealt with injuries to the rotation all season long. Right on the brink of the playoffs, they are starting to all look healthy! With a clean bill of health and productive rotation that looks like Yamamoto, Shohei, Glasnow, Snell, and Kershaw, the Dodgers have to be the favorite in terms of playoff rotations. Add in that Roki Sasaki is towards the end of his rehab and will be back soon. This team simply has more weapons than everyone else.

ACE - Yoshinobu Yamamoto

ERA - 4.03 (18th MLB)

WHIP - 1.27 (15th MLB)

X-Factor - Blake Snell

Concern - Health

The last two weeks have been incredible for the Yankees! Not only have they won four series in a row now since that dreadful series with Boston, but they are now only two games back in the division behind Toronto!

Series 1: Houston Astros (Away) → Won 2-1

My biggest takeaway from all the wackiness of this series was that the Yankees took two out of three games. Winning is the bottom line right now, especially with nineteen games left in the season. Not to mention the Yankees are still two games back in the division, as well as not locked into a Wild Card slot.

Series 2: Toronto Blue Jays (Home) → Won 2-1

This was a massive series for New York. The Blue Jays are the team standing in the way of the Yankees claiming the division right now. The division is still wide open, even though Toronto has a 2-game lead on New York and a 3.5-game lead on Boston.

Game 1 of this series is something I want to forget about. Cam Schlittler was shelled. In the next two games, the Yankees pitched well and hit in the spots they needed to, to secure a couple of wins.

Similar to the Aaron Judge factor for the offense, this staff needs Max Fried to be the ace all the time. He owns a career 3.06 ERA; needless to say, he is a DAWG! Fried, Rodon, Schlittler, Warren, Gil, and Yarbrough can get the job done to win a World Series.

The question looms, will they?

The bullpen is not a significant problem. Devin Williams has been bad in 2025, but Fernando Cruz has been disgusting on the mound and sort of made up for that lack of production from Williams. The Yankees have a ton of weapons to throw at opposing lineups after six innings between Weaver, Bednar, Williams, Cruz, Leiter Jr., Hill, Doval, and Blackburn.

Arms to Highlight Across the Past Week:

Ryan Yarbrough —> 5.1 IP | 3 K | 1.69 ERA | 0.56 WHIP

Max Fried —> 14 IP | 9 K | 2.57 ERA | 2 W | 2 QS | 1.00 WHIP

Carlos Rodon —> 6 IP | 3 K | 1.50 ERA | 1 W | 1 QS | 0.83 WHIP

Notable Team Cumulative Pitching Statistics Thru 9/7:

+ 3rd in H (1,103)

+ 4th in SO (1,270)

- 15th in QS (51)

- 14th in ERA (3.92)

The lineup is producing, and it is not even operating at full capacity. Let’s not focus on age with this, but there are 4 MVPs on this team. All of them are on the hitting side. If the Yankees head into the playoffs with Judge, Stanton, Bellinger, and Goldschmidt all hot, this is a nightmare scenario for any pitching staff.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a very good baseball player, and he is on his way to a 30-30 season. I can only imagine what a healthy lineup with all cogs clicking at the same time looks like. Ryan McMahon is finally finding his stride in New York, which is great to see!

The problem is that this team lives and dies with Aaron Judge. If Judge is hitting in October, I have all the faith in the world. If he is cold, well, that's a different story.

Bats to Highlight Across The Past Week:

Aaron Judge —> 0 HR | 0 RBI | .250 BA | 4 R | 7 BB | .694 OPS

Ryan McMahon —> 1 HR | 4 RBI | .313 BA | 3 R | 3 BB | .963 OPS

Austin Wells —> 1 HR | 3 R | .286 BA | 2 BB | 1.047 OPS

Notable Team Cumulative Hitting Statistics Thru 9/7:

- 14th in AVG (.249)

+ 1st in BB (562)

+ 1st in R (749)

+ 1st in TB (2,199)

- 25th in SO (1,267)

The Yankees take on Detroit in New York and then head to Boston to take on the Red Sox. New York has been playing well over the last couple of weeks, so I hope that they can get some revenge on Boston this week and solidify a playoff spot. As for the Wild Card vs. Division winner debate… time will tell, but I think the Yankees can still absolutely take the American League East.

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The Yankees needed to be better this week, and they were. They won 6 of their 7 games on the docket. Yes, both teams are bad, but if you plan to make it to the playoffs, you need to take care of the lackluster competition.

Series 1: Nationals (Home) → Won 3-0

Series 2: White Sox (Away) → Won 3-1

Over the past two weeks, we have seen seven quality starts come from the starting rotation. Schlittler (3), Fried (2), and Rodon (2). Almost 7% of the season's quality starts have been delivered in the last 14 days. Let that sink in. The regular season is 85% over, and we have seen almost 10% of the team’s quality starts over the past 14 days!

If Fried, Rodon, Schlittler, Warren, and Gil can all deliver across the next month plus playoffs, this team is going to be very hard to beat, plain and simple.

The bullpen has the pieces to win a World Series. Will it come together for the playoffs? Time will tell.

Arms to Highlight Across the Past Week:

Fernando Cruz —> 4.1 IP | 6 K | 0.00 ERA | 2 HLD | 0.69 WHIP

Max Fried —> 7 IP | 6 K | 1.29 ERA | 1 W | 1 QS | 0.86 WHIP

David Bednar —> 3 IP | 3 K | 0.00 ERA | 1 W | 0.33 WHIP

Notable Team Cumulative Pitching Statistics Thru 9/1:

+ 3rd in H (1,053)

+ 3rd in SO (1,226)

- T-16th in QS (47)

- 15th in ERA (3.92)

What can I say about the bats that everyone does not already know? The Yankees rank 1st in baseball across multiple batting statistics, including Walks, Runs, and Total Bases. They can put up runs on anyone. The question is, will the bats be alive come October? Will the bats carry them to October? These are both great questions that we will find answers to in the coming weeks.

The Yankees will likely get into the playoffs, but depending on what the bats do over the next few series, it will determine if they take the division or need to play in a Wild Card series. If the lineup all gets in sync as they make their playoff push, watch out.

Bats to Highlight Across The Past Week:

Aaron Judge —> 3 HR | 4 RBI | .333 BA | 9 R | 7 BB | 1.327 OPS

Cody Bellinger —> 2 HR | 5 RBI | .417 BA | 5 R | 4 BB | 1.292 OPS

Trent Grisham —> 3 HR | 5 R | .158 BA | 7 BB | 1.017 OPS

Notable Team Cumulative Hitting Statistics Thru 9/1:

- 12th in AVG (.250)

+ 1st in BB (539)

+ 1st in R (719)

+ 1st in TB (2,119)

- 25th in SO (1,210)

The Yankees take on Houston in Houston starting tonight for a 3-game series and then head home to take on American League East rival, the Toronto Blue Jays. The competition is much harder this week compared to last. At two and a half games back with twenty-five games left to play, this Toronto series is critical for New York if they have any chance to win the division this season.

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Following up on my piece from yesterday, as promised, here are my National League X-Factors for the field of contending teams.

Note: Same as yesterday. The teams I included are 7 ½ games back or better (team records recorded mid-day Thursday) in the playoff/wild-card race. Although I know that seven and a half games back with only 30 games left is almost mathematically eliminated, there is still hope. That being the case, I will mention these teams out of respect.

National League

Milwaukee Brewers (83-51)

Intelligence. Led by a brilliant manager in Pat Murphy, this entire roster squeezes every last drop out of their potential talent to play great baseball. They don’t give opposing teams easy outs, they earn walks (5th-MLB 465 BB), and they get on base at the 2nd best clip in baseball with a team .322 OBP.

Los Angeles Dodgers (77-57)

The Dodgers were almost as impossible to assign an “X-Factor”. Everyone knows about their star power, excellent leadership, and the farm system. This team does not rebuild; they reload. That being the case, the X-Factor has to be Organizational Depth. If the Dodgers are to sustain an injury, it is hard to keep them down for long, as they operate with a next-man-up mentality.

Philadelphia Phillies (76-57)

BRYCE HARPER

Playoff Stats → .280 BA with 54 hits, 17 homers, 34 RBIs, and 41 runs scored in 53 postseason games over his career.

Need I say more?

Chicago Cubs (76-57)

If you watch baseball, you know the Cubs are known for their explosive offense in 2025. Even with the loss of their Ace in Justin Steele back in April, the pitching staff as a whole has managed to pitch to a 3.83 ERA, which is good for the 8th best in Major League Baseball. This is rather impressive, especially since it seems the baseball world has slept on the arm talent all season long.

San Diego Padres (75-59)

The Bullpen. San Diego has a loaded lineup, especially when operating at max capacity between Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackson Merrill. It is the Bullpen that makes this team lethal come playoff time. Between Jason Adam (1.84 ERA), Wandy Peralta (2.93 ERA), Adrian Morejon (1.78 ERA), Jeremiah Estrada (3.13 ERA), Robert Suarez (3.04 ERA), David Morgan (2.82 ERA), and Mason Miller (1.80 ERA since joining San Diego), this team can throw multiple weapons out there to recover, hold, and save games for the Padres.

New York Mets (72-61)

Not one, but two young and talented arms are joining the rotation as New York is looking to make a playoff push. Nolan McLean is 3-0 with a 0.89 ERA across three starts so far since his debut. Jonah Tong hasn’t debuted yet, but he has 179 strikeouts across 113 ⅔ innings in the minors this year. The Mets seem to have the best, if not one of the best, pitching development units in the league, so my gut tells me Tong is going to be good in the bigs.

Cincinnati Reds (68-66)

No expectations. Speaking candidly, Cincinnati is not really a good lineup. Right now, they are 21st in OPS (.704), 22nd in SLG (.388), 17th in OBP (.316), and 18th in AVG (.246). The rotation is definitely interesting with Nick Martinez, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, and Hunter Greene. I think the Reds could be a year or two away with some free agency additions, but if they get hot at the right time, they have the arms to support a playoff run. Never say never!

San Francisco Giants (65-68)

Rafael Devers. He has been utterly disappointing since being traded to San Francisco from Boston. Slashing .226/.335/.407 with 10 home runs and a .742 OPS over 60 games is not what the Giants had in store for Devers when acquiring the superstar. I have faith in Devers, maybe he can pick up some steam and get closer to his career slash line of .277/.349/.507 before the end of the season.

Arizona Diamondbacks (65-69)

This team just puts runs on the board. Even with losses to the rotation of Merrill Kelly and Corbin Burnes via injury and trade, they have managed to stay in the hunt for the 2025 playoffs. I don’t think they are going to ultimately make the postseason, but it will be close, especially if they get hot.

St. Louis Cardinals (65-69)

The Cardinals were almost impossible to assign an X-Factor. I am going with that this is the last year of the President of Baseball Operations, John Mozeliak. Maybe they can put together a nice run here to force their way into the Wild Card?!?