Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. World Series heads to Los Angeles:
The World Series departed Toronto yesterday all tied up after a dominant complete game from right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and now both teams have arrived in L.A. for Game 3. On the mound for the Dodgers is right-hander Tyler Glasnow (3.19), while the Blue Jays will counter with veteran righty Max Scherzer (5.19 ERA). The future Hall of Famer had an uneven year, but he did manage to strike out five in 5 2/3 innings while surrendering two runs in a start against Seattle in Game 4 of the ALCS. Glasnow, meanwhile, pitched 1 2/3 scoreless frames in Game 1 of the NLDS before firing off six scoreless in Game 4 of that series. He went on to allow one run in 5 2/3 innings of work against the Brewers. Tonight’s game is scheduled for 5pm local time in Los Angeles.
2. Orioles have their manager:
Per reporting last night, it was reported that the Orioles are finalizing a deal to make Guardians associate manager the new manager in Baltimore. Albernaz, who celebrates his 43rd birthday later this week, was promoted to associate manager under Stephen Vogt this year after spending his first season in Cleveland as his bench coach. He previously worked on the Giants’ big league coaching staff and worked in the minor leagues as a manager for the Rays.
Now that he’s poised to get his first big league opportunity, the news takes a highly coveted candidate off the board for other organizations. It also creates a vacancy on the Guardians’ coaching staff that will need to be filled, and comes with some level of intrigue regarding whether or not the Orioles will retain Tony Mansolino as a part of their coaching staff under Albernaz. Mansolino served as the club’s third base coach for years before being promoted to interim manager for the majority of the 2025 season.
3. Managerial, GM vacancies still to be filled:
While the hiring of Albernaz takes another managerial gig off the board, there’s still plenty of hirings left to happen this winter. The Twins are known to have a group of four finalists for their manager job, while the Rockies are known to have at least two finalists in their search for the team’s next head of baseball operations. The Padres are known to have conducted some interviews, including one of future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols. The Nationals have interviewed former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, and there are managerial vacancies in Atlanta and perhaps Colorado as well. Which franchise will next set course for their future with a major hire?
Surprised they’re going with Scherzer over Bieber for game 3, since that also lines up with a theoretical game 7. But I suppose Max had the better start last time out.
Maybe they want to give Bieber an extra day, since he’s still recently recovered from TJ.
So I guess Baltimore’s new manager doesn’t have a first name? And what is an associate manager? Those first two sentences in the second section are absolutely mangled. It really wouldn’t kill Nick Deeds to proofread…or would it?
Albernaz is kinda cool with no first name. Sounds like a magician. “The Great Albernaz”.
Craig is the first name but I see what you mean
I’m a CLE fan, and this is the first I’m hearing Craig Albernaz was promoted to “Associate Manager” prior to the ‘25 season. I assumed he was still the bench coach. So I guess the AM falls between the manager and bench coach in the pecking order. It’s hard to argue with the results, but how many layers of management is needed?
It’s likely a role created as a step up or promotion of sorts, especially with his interviews with Chicago and Miami last year. However some other clubs creating different new positions as well. The Orioles have had a few different titles as well – pitching strategy coach, director of pitching development, major league development coach etc. They are all products of a developed and evolving analytics operations system/team, I believe.
In college, I worked at the campus golf course. Best job I’ve ever had, but the pay was crap. Eventually, I gained the trust of my bosses and basically managed the day-to-day operations of the course (along with another guy). I went to my boss and requested a change in job title (student manager or something similar) and a raise. He then gave me a choice: new title or a raise. I chose raise. Perhaps Mr. Albernaz faced a similar choice, new title (Associate Manager) or a raise, and maybe he chose the more impressive job title. It has certainly worked out for him (…because he OBVIOUSLY impressed the Baltimore brass that he served as an Associate Manager rather than a mere bench coach.)
I believe I read that he actually was offered the Miami manager position after interviewing last year and he declined it. Could possibly be why the change in title and possibly raise happened in Cleveland.
If the Jays can grind Glasnow down early and get enough looks at the Dodger bullpen, they can probably outscore LA. If Glasnow goes 7+, the Dodgers probably cruise to the win.
Should be interesting to see what Mad Max can do in the World Series against a former team. He may no longer have elite stuff, but he still has 100% of the competitive fire he’s always had.
Canuckle, It is going to be a fun 3 games for sure!!! Jays need to take one for sure and tonight is as good a time as any to do that!!! I fully expected the Dodgers to win the Yammie game so tonight should be the time for Springer, Bo and Vlad to have a great game!!!
GO JAYS GO!!!
FEAR THE TRUE NORTH!!!
Winter is Coming to LA.gif
Glasnow doesn’t pitch much so he should be an easy guy to remove from the game and get into that vulnerable bullpen. He’s only been going on average 5 innings so that should be enough to dump the Dodgers in game 3. It seems team Japan is carrying the Dodgers as the rest of their offense can’t do much.
@Old
Your predictions have been pretty much completely wrong so far. Why should tonight be any different?
@Bivouac-Sal
Before the series started, I said if they can grind the SP of the Dodgers and get into that pen, they have a good chance to beat them. They did that in Game 1 but couldn’t do that in Game 2. Glasnow doesn’t pitch much overall, so he’s probably going 4 or 5 innings and gets pulled and then in comes the pen to blow it. It’s that easy with the Dodgers.
Uh huh.
Uh huh…
mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/the-opener-blue-jays-do…
Happily you don’t know much. Are you aware the Jays pen has worse stats than Dodgers pen?
@Bivouac-Sal
The problem is that the Dodgers offense has been terrible this whole post season. So, the game plan is to grind the SP and then get into that pen. The Dodgers won’t outhit the team but they will out pitch them if they can keep their SP in the game to the 9th inning.
Enjoy the game.
@Bivouac-Sal
I have no dog in this game but I’m just pointing out that if the Jays are to win, they need to grind the SP out of the game. If they can’t do that, the Dodgers will win. Their offense isn’t helping them win, though, it’s the SPs.
@Old York
You pretty much nailed Glasnow’s outing.
“Glasnow doesn’t pitch much overall, so he’s probably going 4 or 5 innings and gets pulled and then in comes the pen to blow it. It’s that easy with the Dodgers.”
That easy:
Game 3
Dodgers bullpen tonight:
13.1 innings
10 hits
1 ER
6 BB
11 K
and the win.
You can assess the two offenses.
@Bivouac-Sal
True, they did a decent job but I’d say the Jays offense essentially lost the game for themselves instead of the Dodgers winning it. They had quite a few chances to put them away and didn’t. I also didn’t like the fact that they were essentially subbing out a bunch of their regular producers for bench players.
For example, that one play where they pitch-ran Schneider, who isn’t the speediest of guys and he runs right into a throw to the plate instead of staying at 3rd base? I get the idea to put pressure but they could have given their offense another chance to drive in 1 or 2 runs.
Left on base: Jays 19. LAD 18.
Virtually even.