Luis Tiant Passes Away
Three-time All-Star pitcher Luis Tiant passed away this morning, the Red Sox confirmed. He was 83 years old. The right-hander played for seven organizations throughout his 19-year MLB career, though he is best remembered for the eight seasons he spent in Boston.
“Luis had a style of pitching that was as memorable as it was effective, but to me, the rarer gift was his ability to lift you up with just a smile,” said Red Sox president & CEO Sam Kennedy, as part of a statement issued by the team. “When you were with him, you were reminded of what really matters. Whether you were a teammate, a fan, or just someone fortunate enough to share a conversation, Luis had a way of making you feel special, like you were a close friend. His legacy on the mound is undeniable, but all of us today are mourning the man, the friend, the mentor who connected generations of fans and players. I am gutted by the news of his passing and will miss him more than words can express. Spring Training won’t be the same without Luis’s infectious energy spreading throughout camp.”
Tiant was born in Marianao, Cuba on November 23, 1940. His father, Luis Tiant Sr., was himself a star pitcher in the Negro Leagues, as well as the Cuban League, Dominican League, and Mexican League. It didn’t take long for the younger Luis Tiant to make a name for himself, pitching for the Mexico City Tigers of the Mexican League and Havana Sugar Kings in the International League as a teenager.
At 21 years old, Tiant made his debut in Cleveland’s minor league system. Two years later, he joined the major league team, making 19 appearances (16 starts) with a 10-4 record and a 2.83 ERA in 127 innings pitched. Across six seasons in Cleveland from 1964-69, he threw 1,200 innings with a 2.84 ERA and an 83 ERA- (17% better than the league average). His 1,041 strikeouts ranked 11th among all pitchers in that time. The highlight of Tiant’s tenure in Cleveland was the 1968 season, in which he went 21-9 and led the American League with a 1.60 ERA. He made his first career All-Star team that year and finished fifth in voting for AL MVP.
Following a disappointing 1969 season (for both Tiant and Cleveland), Cleveland traded Tiant and Stan Williams to Minnesota in exchange for Dean Chance, Bob Miller, Ted Uhlaender and Graig Nettles. However, his time with the Twins was brief. He pitched well when he was on the mound, going 7-3 with a 3.40 ERA (89 ERA-) over 92 2/3 innings, but a broken scapula derailed his season in May. At the time, that was considered a much more serious injury – possibly even career-threatening – and indeed, Tiant did not look nearly as sharp upon his return. The Twins released him the following spring.
After a brief and unsuccessful stint in the Braves minor league system, Tiant caught the attention of the Red Sox organization. It turned out to be a match made in baseball heaven. While he struggled in his first season with his new club, the righty turned things around the following year. He introduced his now-trademark deceptive delivery and went 15-6 with an MLB-leading 1.91 ERA. He finished sixth in Cy Young voting and earned some down-ballot support for AL MVP.
Over eight years in Boston, Tiant went 122-81 with a 3.36 ERA (85 ERA-) in 1,774 2/3 innings pitched. He was named to a couple of All-Star teams and earned Cy Young and MVP votes in three seasons (1972, ’74, ’76). He led the AL in WHIP in 1973 and tied for the major league lead with seven shutouts in 1974. In 1975, he played a pivotal role in the playoffs, pitching a complete game in Game 1 of the ALCS, and 25 innings over three starts in the World Series. The Red Sox won all four games he started, but they lost all four games he did not pitch in the World Series, losing to the Reds in seven games.
As he entered his mid-thirties, Tiant became more of a precision pitcher, getting fewer strikeouts but also giving up fewer walks. He was a valuable contributor to the Red Sox every season from 1972-78, even as he became less durable (by 1970s standards) in his final two years with the club. Unfortunately, his tenure with the Red Sox ended on slightly sour terms; Tiant believed the team didn’t take him seriously in negotiations when his contract was up after the 1978 campaign (per John Powers of the Boston Globe).
Thus, Tiant spent the final four years of his career with the Yankees (1979-80), Pirates (1981), and Angels (1982). He made 55 starts and threw 332 innings over his age-38 and 39 seasons in New York, but his major league career was winding down by the time he signed with the Pirates at age 40. Still, he appeared in nine games for the Pirates in 1981 and six for the Angel in 1982. He also prolonged his professional career by returning to the Mexican League in 1983, and later the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989.
Following his playing career, Tiant worked as a scout for the Yankees in Mexico before landing coaching jobs in the minor leagues with the Dodgers (1992-95) and White Sox (1997). He also served as the pitching coach for the Nicaraguan national team in the 1996 Summer Olympics and later worked as the head coach for the Savannah College of Art and Design baseball team (1998-2001). In 2002, he returned to the Red Sox organization, working as a minor league coach (2002), Spanish language broadcaster (2002-03), and special assignment instructor (2004-24).
Tiant is arguably one of the greatest players excluded from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Over 15 years on the BBWAA ballot, he never received close to enough support to reach the 75% threshold necessary for election. He has since fallen short on several committee ballots. While he never won any major awards and only earned three All-Star selections throughout his career, modern statistics make it clear that Tiant was underappreciated in his time. With 66.1 career Baseball Reference WAR and 44.1 bWAR during his seven-year peak, he falls slightly below the 73.0 career bWAR and 44.9 peak bWAR of the average Hall of Fame starting pitcher. However, his 55.1 JAWS is higher than that of more than 40 Hall of Fame pitchers. His 229 wins, 2416 strikeouts, and 66.1 career bWAR also rank first among all Cuban-born pitchers. Tiant could be up for Hall of Fame consideration again this winter on the Classic Baseball Era Committee ballot, though it is important to keep his wishes in mind. Speaking to ESPN Deportes in 2008, he said, “If you don’t take me in life, don’t try to elect me after I die, please.”
Thankfully, Tiant’s phenomenal career did not go unrecognized in his retirement. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997, the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009 (he spent seven seasons playing winter ball in the Venezuelan League during his major league career).
Known to fans as El Tiante, Luis Tiant will be remembered for his captivating windup, captivating performances, and equally captivating personality. His 49 shutouts are tied for 21st all-time, while his 2416 strikeouts are 48th-most in major league history. His sense of humor, however, was second to none; Red Sox teammate Dwight Evans claims Tiant could “turn a bus ride into something out of Saturday Night Live” (per Powers). We at MLB Trade Rumors send our heartfelt condolences to Tiant’s family, friends, and fans.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Rockies Sign Bud Black To One-Year Extension
The Rockies have agreed to a one-year contract extension with manager Bud Black, the team announced. The deal will keep Black in Colorado for the 2025 season, which will be his ninth with the club. In additional Rockies news, the team also revealed that they have parted ways with bullpen coach Reid Cornelius and assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere.
Black is the winningest manager in Rockies history and the only manager to lead the team to consecutive postseason appearances (2017-18). However, both of those accomplishments come with an asterisk; the Rockies are 537-657 (.450) under Black’s leadership, and they have not reached the playoffs in seven years. The team’s failures certainly cannot be attributed to Black alone, but it is still unusual to see a manager stick around so long with so little success. Only four other managers have been with their current clubs at least as long as Black has been with the Rockies, and all four of them – Kevin Cash (Rays), Dave Roberts (Dodgers), Brian Snitker (Braves), and Torey Lovullo (Diamondbacks) – have had significantly more recent success than Black.
Nonetheless, the Rockies expressed confidence in Black, with general manager Bill Schmidt stating, “We believe this team is heading in the right direction” and praising his manager’s “skills, experience, and knowledge” in a recent press release. Considering those comments, one might think the Rockies would want to give Black a longer-term deal. After all, managers on expiring contracts are typically seen as lame ducks. In Black’s case, however, this is yet another one-year deal; he also signed single-year contracts entering 2022, ’23, and ’24. Reporter Nick Groke once described the skipper as being “on a rolling year-to-year contract.” It’s possible the unique contract situation is just as much for Black’s benefit as Colorado’s, giving him the chance to walk away after every season.
The Rockies finished the 2024 season 61-101, the worst record in the National League and the second-worst record in MLB. Some promising young players took big steps forward – namely Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar – but this team is still far off from being taken seriously as a contender. After so many losing seasons in a row, plenty of fans would surely love to see a shakeup in the dugout, but practically speaking, it’s hard to imagine a new manager would make much of a difference in 2025.
Before joining the Rockies ahead of the 2017 season, Black managed the Padres from 2007-15. He went 649-713 (.477), leading the team to just a pair of winning seasons in nine years. In the second of those winning seasons (2010), he was named NL manager of the year. Prior to his managerial career, Black was the pitching coach for the Angels from 2000-06, winning a World Series with the club in 2002.
Cornelius and Pilittere both joined the Rockies coaching staff ahead of the 2022 season. Following the conclusion of his playing career in 2000, Cornelius worked as a coach in the Marlins minor league system from 2003-09. In 2010, he took over as the bullpen coach for the big league club, a role he held until 2016. After a brief stint coaching in the Braves minor league system, he returned to the Marlins organization as a minor league pitching coach in 2019 and a major league rehab pitching coach in 2021.
Pilittere played in the Yankees minor league system from 2004-11 before taking on a minor league coaching role in 2012. In 2018, he was named the assistant hitting coach for the major league club. After four seasons, the Yankees let him go at the end of the 2021 campaign, and he signed on with the Rockies shortly thereafter.
What Will The Orioles Outfield Look Like In 2025?
The Orioles ran out the same three outfielders each Opening Day between 2021 and ’24: Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander, and Austin Hays. And in each year from 2020-23, Mullins, Santander, and Hays were Baltimore’s three primary outfielders. This past season, however, Colton Cowser broke out with a phenomenal rookie campaign, cementing his position in the outfield at Camden Yards for years to come. Facing a logjam in the lineup, the Orioles dealt Hays to the Phillies ahead of the trade deadline, officially splitting up the Mullins/Santander/Hays triumvirate. Santander could be next to leave; after the conclusion of the World Series, he will become a free agent. Thus, for the first time in a long time, the Orioles’ outfield could look quite different on Opening Day 2025.
There is no doubt that Cowser will have a job in the Orioles’ outfield next season. Not only did he hit 24 home runs with a 120 wRC+ in 2024, but he did so while playing strong defense. The 24-year-old compiled 11 OAA and 3 DRS over 809 2/3 innings in left field, 310 innings in center, and 73 innings in right. He made just one error all year. Cowser is under team control through at least the 2029 season, and he will not be eligible for arbitration until at least 2027.
Mullins should be a lock for the 2025 outfield as well, although the Orioles will have to tender him a contract as he enters his final year of arbitration eligibility. Matt Swartz’s model estimates Mullins would earn approximately $8.7MM next year, a $2.375MM raise from his $6.325MM salary this season. That’s a bargain for a player like Mullins, even with his 2021 All-Star campaign getting smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. He has been roughly league-average at the plate over the past two seasons (102 wRC+) while providing plenty of value on the bases (51-for-60 in stolen base attempts) and playing a premium defensive position. Different metrics disagree about his talents in center field, but ultimately, the versions of WAR at both FanGraphs and Baseball Reference agree he has been a valuable contributor. From 2023-24, Mullins compiled 4.2 fWAR and 5.3 bWAR. There’s a chance the Orioles would consider moving Mullins to a corner and giving Cowser the center field job; including college and the minors, Cowser has more experience in center field than any other position. Mullins and his league-average bat would be less valuable in a corner spot, but a $8.7MM salary would still be a team-friendly price for his services.
As for the final spot in the outfield, plenty of fans would love to see Santander back next season (and for several more to come), but it’s unclear how intently the Orioles will pursue the All-Star slugger in free agency. They will surely make him the qualifying offer, and he just as will surely decline. He is likely seeking a multi-year deal worth at least $20MM per season. General manager Mile Elias is hoping to increase payroll this winter in his first full offseason working under new owner David Rubenstein, but it’s unclear how much money he’ll have to work with. More to the point, Elias might prfer to spend the majority of his resources improving a pitching staff that finished 14th in MLB in ERA and 10th in FanGraphs WAR rather than an offense that finished fourth in runs scored and third in wRC+. Santander will be a big loss for the offense, but ace Corbin Burnes, another impending free agent, will be an even bigger departure for Elias to address. With all that said, the Orioles might stick with their internal options to replace Santander in 2025.
Baltimore would love for 25-year-old Heston Kjerstad to step up and fill that role. The lefty batter put up ludicrous numbers in the minors this past season, batting .300 with a .998 OPS and 152 wRC+ in 56 games at Triple-A. His big league numbers (.745 OPS, 116 wRC+ in 39 games) weren’t bad, especially not for a rookie, but some of the underlying metrics suggest he’s due for regression (.301 xwOBA compared to a .327 wOBA), and his 28.9% strikeout rate was concerningly high for a hitter who wasn’t showing off plus power or plate discipline. Moreover, his outfield defense wasn’t particularly impressive in a small sample size (-1 DRS, -1 FRV). Kjerstad has the tools to be a terrific player, but he’ll to take a step forward at the plate if he’s going to provide above-average value as a defensively-limited corner outfielder.
Another option to play some corner outfield for the Orioles next year could be Coby Mayo, who is currently the team’s top prospect according to Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. Throughout his brief professional career, Mayo has mostly played third base. Aside from his strong arm, however, he has never graded out as a top-notch defender at the hot corner. So, with Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg already entrenched in the Orioles’ infield and Jackson Holliday not going anywhere, Mayo’s future might need to be somewhere else. He has experience playing first base as well, and that could be his long-term position. But considering his terrific throwing arm, it makes sense that he would give the outfield a try. To that point, Elias recently suggested right field could be an option for the 22-year-old, though he made it clear the organization still views him as an infielder, and primarily a first baseman, going forward (per
Two more internal options to keep in mind are prospects Dylan Beavers and Enrique Bradfield Jr. Beavers, 23, is the team’s No. 5 prospect according to FanGraphs, No. 6 according to MLB Pipeline, and No. 7 according to Baseball America. He hit well enough at Double-A in 2024 (15 HR, 118 wRC+ in 119 games) to earn a brief promotion to Triple-A at the end of the season. He’s also a plus runner with the potential to be a capable big league center fielder. Bradfield, 22, is a few months younger and a little further away from the majors; he moved up from High-A to Double-A this past August. However, most sources agree he is the slightly more promising prospect. FanGraphs and MLB Pipeline have him at No. 4, while Baseball America has him at No. 6. He boasts 80-grade speed and has the skills to be an elite defensive center fielder. As for his bat, he has little power to speak of, so he’ll need to prove he can maintain his impressive bat-to-ball skills against tougher competition. Neither Beavers nor Bradfield needs protection from the Rule 5 draft this offseason, and neither is a likely candidate to make the Opening Day roster out of camp. However, their relative proximity to the majors could be a reason why the Orioles avoid signing a free agent outfielder to a multi-year deal.
Finally, the Orioles will have to decide whether or not to pick up Ryan O’Hearn‘s $8MM club option for 2025. O’Hearn is primarily a first baseman and DH, but he played 27 games in the outfield last season. The 31-year-old slashed .264/.334/.427 with 15 home runs and a 119 wRC+ in 2024, good for 1.7 fWAR. If he can repeat that performance next season, an $8MM salary would be more than fair, but with Kjerstad and Mayo in need of playing time, the Orioles might prefer to spend that $8MM elsewhere.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Angel Martínez Replaces Tyler Freeman On Guardians Postseason Roster
The Guardians announced a roster move ahead of Game 2 of the ALDS this afternoon: Angel Martínez will sub in for Tyler Freeman, who has been removed from the roster after suffering a left oblique strain. According to Mandy Bell of MLB.com, Freeman hurt his oblique while playing in a simulated game. Major League Baseball has already approved the substitution.
Freeman, 25, appeared in 118 games for the Guardians this season. A converted infielder, her saw most of his playing time in center field but also took reps at second base, third base, shortstop, and DH. In addition, he was a regular pinch-hitter and pinch-runner for manager Stephen Vogt. While he wasn’t particularly productive in any aspect of the game, his speed, contact skills, and defensive versatility helped him earn playing time throughout the year. However, he did not appear in Game 1 of the ALDS, and he is now ineligible to return until the World Series, should Cleveland advance that far.
Martínez, 22, made his big league debut in June but struggled to stick on the Guardians’ roster. However, he hit well in 55 games at Triple-A this year, producing an .812 OPS and 111 wRC+. Indeed, he was so red-hot at Triple-A to start September (182 wRC+ in 10 games) that he bumped Freeman off the active roster. Unfortunately for Martínez, he just could not find the same success against MLB pitching, going 9-for-41 (.220) with a .517 OPS and a 51 wRC+ over 12 games after his latest promotion. That likely explains why the Guardians went back to Freeman in favor of Martínez on the ALDS roster in the first place. With Freeman on the shelf, Cleveland will turn back to Martínez to fill the role of the athletic backup outfielder/pinch-runner/utility man off the bench.
NL Postseason Notes: McNeil, Marte, Edman, Freeman
The Mets could potentially get a big boost to their lineup if they advance to the NLCS. Manager Carlos Mendoza revealed to reporters (including Tim Britton of The Athletic) that Jeff McNeil will join the team’s taxi squad today, two days after welcoming his second child. The second baseman/corner outfielder has not played since September 6, when he fractured his right wrist as he pulled back a bunt attempt on a high-and-inside curveball from Reds’ left-hander Brandon Williamson. It’s possible McNeil will be ramped up and ready to play in time for the NLCS, should the Mets win two more games against the Phillies in the NLDS. However, Mendoza made it clear that it’s too soon to offer a definitive timeline for McNeil’s return.
McNeil, 32, got off to a dismal start over the first three months of the 2024 campaign. Then, he turned a corner in July, hitting eight home runs and 15 doubles with an .859 OPS and 140 wRC+ over his final 55 games. The veteran looked much more like the version of himself that won a Silver Slugger and a batting title in 2022. Even if he can’t get back to quite that level of performance, his lefty bat should be a valuable addition to a righty-heavy Mets lineup; he could take over from Jose Iglesias at second base or Starling Marte in right field with a right-handed starting pitcher on the mound.
Speaking of Marte, the 35-year-old outfielder took a Zack Wheeler fastball off his left forearm yesterday. As Britton pointed out, the pitch hit Marte in almost the exact same spot where Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman plunked him with a sinker three weeks earlier. Marte remained in the game yesterday, running the bases and taking a couple more at-bats, but he was removed in the bottom of the eighth amid a flurry of late-game defensive switches and substitutions. There’s no reason to believe he’s nursing anything more than a minor contusion, but it’s possible he could use a day to rest. After Hoffman beaned him in September, Marte took the next game off. He started the game after that on the bench before entering as a pinch hitter.
More notes from the NL postseason teams…
- Tommy Edman started in center field for the Dodgers last night, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. His most interesting at-bat, however, was the double play he grounded into with runners on the corners in the bottom of the fifth. Facing the right-handed Jeremiah Estrada, the switch-hitting Edman chose to hit from the right side (h/t to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic). It was the first time all season Edman attempted to bat right-handed against a right-handed pitcher. To that point, he batted as a lefty against the other two right-handers he faced last night: Dylan Cease and Bryan Hoeing. It was an unconventional, but not entirely unreasonable, choice for Edman, who hit .181 with a .523 OPS and 51 wRC+ in 117 plate appearances as a lefty batter this season. Conversely, he went 14-for-34 (.412) with four home runs, a 1.299 OPS, and a 250 wRC+ in a tiny sample size of plate appearances as a righty. Indeed, Edman has hit better as a righty in every season of his career. However, when he tried batting right-handed against right-handed pitchers on occasion last season, the results were poor. He produced a .665 OPS and 77 wRC+ in 61 trips to the plate. Even worse, he went 0-for-4 batting righty against righties over two games in 2021. It will be worth watching to see if Edman continues this experiment against Estrada or any of the Padres’ other right-handers.
- Nursing a sprained right ankle, Freddie Freeman‘s status was questionable heading into the NLDS. Yet, the Dodgers first baseman played all nine innings of Game 1, going 2-for-5 at the dish. He also stole a base. Later on, Freeman revealed to reporters (including Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic) that he is also dealing with a bone bruise in his ankle. He says the bruise started to bother home around the fourth inning last night. Nevertheless, the famously durable superstar believes he can do it all again today – with the help of the Dodgers training staff. After the game, manager Dave Roberts joked that Freeman was “certainly medicated” (per Rosenthal), while Freeman expressed his gratitude to the training staff for getting him game-ready despite his significant injuries.
Cardinals Part Ways With Hitting Coach Turner Ward
The Cardinals will have a new hitting coach next season. The team has decided not to offer Turner Ward a contract for 2025, Katie Woo reports for The Athletic.
Ward spent the past two seasons as the Cardinals hitting coach, overseeing an underwhelming offense both years. In that time, St. Louis ranked 21st in runs scored (1391), 16th in OPS (.723), and 17th in wRC+ (101). Those numbers aren’t terrible, but they are certainly disappointing for a team with postseason aspirations. Not all the blame for this mediocre offense should land on Turner; after all, he was the assistant hitting coach in 2022, when the Cardinals’ offense was surprisingly potent, ranking sixth in runs scored (772), fifth in OPS (.745), and seventh in wRC+ (112). However, it’s not hard to understand why the Cardinals were ready to move on.
The Cardinals are expected to keep assistant hitting coach Brandon Allen on staff, though it’s unclear if they will promote Allen or seek their new hitting coach elsewhere. Woo also notes that game-planning coach Packy Elkins and first-base coach Stubby Clapp will return in 2025. However, her latest piece does not mention assistant pitching coach Julio Rangel, another Cardinals coach whose contract was set to expire at the end of the season. Bench coach Daniel Descalso and pitching coach Dusty Blake are under contract through 2025, while third-base coach Pop Warner is under contract through 2026 (per Woo).
Prior to his time with the Cardinals, Ward worked as an assistant hitting coach for the Diamondbacks and a hitting coach for the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Reds. He is now free to seek his next coaching opportunity with a new organization.
Tomoyuki Sugano Expected To Sign With MLB Team This Offseason
Longtime Nippon Professional Baseball star Tomoyuki Sugano is planning to sign with an MLB team this offseason, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. After 12 years in NPB, Sugano more than meets the requirements (nine years of NPB service) to qualify for international free agency, so he will not be subject to the rules of the posting system.
Sugano, soon to be 35, is an eight-time NPB All-Star, two-time Central League MVP, and two-time winner of the Eiji Sawamura Award, given out annually to the best starting pitcher in NPB. After collecting his second MVP trophy in 2020, he was posted for MLB clubs and drew interest from several teams, including the Giants, Mets, Red Sox, Padres, Blue Jays, and Rangers. However, he did not sign before the deadline, choosing instead to re-up with the Yomiuri Giants on a four-year, $40MM deal. His contract gave him the option to opt out after every season to pursue international opportunities, and following the first year of the deal, he he had enough NPB service time that he would not have been restricted by the posting system. Nevertheless, he decided to stay with the Giants throughout the length of the contract.
One reason Sugano may have decided not to pursue international free agency after the 2021, ’22, or ’23 seasons was his declining performance. He was outstanding in 2020, pitching to a 1.97 ERA with a 24.6% strikeout rate over 137.1 innings. However, he had ERAs of 3.19, 3.12, and 3.36 the following three years. His strikeout rates slowly declined, while his home run rates shot up. Moreover, injuries limited him to just 77.2 IP in 2023. His performance from 2021-23 wasn’t poor by any means, but it’s understandable why he chose not to sacrifice his guaranteed salary.
The 2024 season marked a return to dominance for the Sugano. Over 156.2 IP, he went 15-3 with a 1.67 ERA. His 18.3% strikeout rate was lower than it was at his peak – he struck out 24.2% of batters from 2016-20 – but he is finding success in new ways as an older pitcher. His 2.6% walk rate in 2024 was a career-best. His 6.94 strikeout-to-walk ratio was his best since 2016. In addition, he gave up only six home runs to the 608 batters he faced, 0.99% home run rate. That’s the lowest home run rate of his career, and significantly lower than his 2.91% home run rate from 2021-23. As a cherry on top, Sugano also threw three complete games this past season. He hadn’t thrown a single complete game since 2021.
Now that the four-year contract he signed during the 2020-21 offseason is up, Sugano has little reason not to give an MLB career another try. According to reporter Francys Romero, the veteran has hired VC Sports Group to represent him in free agency. The starting pitching market will feature plenty of big names this offseason, including Corbin Burnes, Yusei Kikuchi, Max Fried, Jack Flaherty, and likely Blake Snell, who has a player option for 2025. Considering his age, Sugano won’t be looking for a long-term contract, so he could represent an interesting alternative for a team that wants to add a potential top-flight starting pitcher on a shorter deal.
Thad Levine Steps Down As Twins GM
Thad Levine has stepped down from his position as senior vice president and general manager of the Twins, a role he has held since November 2016. The team announced his decision in a press release on Friday morning, explaining, “After eight seasons of significant contributions and leadership, Thad Levine will depart the Minnesota Twins organization to pursue new challenges and opportunities, both inside and outside of baseball.”
The news of Levine’s departure comes just a few days after the Twins confirmed chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and manager Rocco Baldelli would return in 2025. Levine has been working under Falvey for the past eight years. The pair led the team to three division titles and four playoff appearances between 2017-23, with the 2023 club finally ending the franchise’s 18-game postseason losing streak.
The 2024 campaign ended in disappointment, however, with a 13-27 record over the final 40 games of the season pushing the Twins out of a playoff position and into fourth place in the AL Central. While injuries and underperformance played a big role in the team’s downfall, so did a slow offseason and quiet trade deadline, during which Falvey and Levine did little to improve the club. It’s difficult to say how much of the blame lies with the front office as opposed to ownership, which forced the team to cut payroll. Regardless, it’s not hard to see why Levine was ready to seek new opportunities elsewhere. It’s possible the Twins didn’t want him back either, but the press release presents it as Levine’s decision. Furthermore, one would think that if ownership and executive chairman Joe Pohlad were displeased with the direction of the team, Falvey would be looking for a new job as well. Both Falvey and Levine’s contacts were believed to be expiring at the end of the 2024 season.
Prior to joining the Twins, Levine spent several years as an assistant GM for the Rangers. More recently, he has pursued top decision-making jobs around the league; the Twins gave permission for him to interview with the Phillies in 2020 and the Red Sox in 2023. Other teams that have shown interest in Levine in the past include the Mets and Rockies. Interestingly, however, he ultimately took himself out of the running for all those jobs.
If Levine wants a new job in baseball, it doesn’t seem as if he’d have any trouble landing one. He will surely be a candidate for any “chief decision-maker” openings around the league. It’s less clear if he would be interested in taking on another job where he would only be second-in-command, such as with the Giants. San Francisco is looking for a GM to replace Pete Putila and work under new president of baseball operations Buster Posey. For what it’s worth, the fact that Levine chose to remain underneath Falvey for so long – despite other opportunities – suggests he prioritizes his work environment over his status. Perhaps the Giants’ larger payroll will convince him to give the Bay Area a try.
The Opener: Brewers, Mets, Musgrove, Freeman
With three of the four Wild Card Series decided, here are three things we’ll be watching around baseball today:
1. Brewers force Game 3:
After dropping Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, the Brewers came back to beat the Mets 5-3 on Wednesday, tying the best-of-three series up at one game apiece. With the other three Wild Card Series already decided, the Brewers-Mets matchup will be the only game on the docket today, kicking off at 6:08pm CT.
Milwaukee will send rookie Tobias Myers (3.00 ERA, 3.99 SIERA in 138 IP) to the mound, while New York is set to counter with the veteran Jose Quintana (3.75 ERA, 4.58 SIERA in 170 1/3 IP). Myers has enjoyed the better overall season, but Quintana has been lights-out over his last six starts (0.74 ERA). The Mets also have a more rested bullpen at their disposal; Mets relievers have thrown six innings so far this series, while the Brewers bullpen has been tasked with 10 1/3.
The winner of tonight’s contest will head to Philadelphia to face the Phillies in the NLDS.
2. Elbow tightness for Joe Musgrove:
Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove exited his Game 2 start on Wednesday with tightness in his pitching elbow. While his teammates went on to win the game and secure a matchup with the Dodgers in the NLDS, this could be a tough blow for San Diego.
Initial tests came back negative, but the 31-year-old is set to undergo further testing today (per Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune). The extent of his injury will be unclear until then. For what it’s worth, Musgrove didn’t try to underplay it after the game: “Going out for that fourth inning,” he said, “Nothing felt right” (per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com). Musgrove missed about half of the 2024 season with elbow inflammation related to bone spurs. He has looked excellent since his return from the IL (2.15 ERA in nine starts), but needless to say, another elbow injury is never a good sign – even though Musgrove believes this latest injury is “very different” from the issue that bothered him earlier this year (per Sanders).
Thankfully for the Padres, they still have plenty of starting depth to rely on. In addition to Michael King and Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish, Martín Pérez, and Matt Waldron are available to start in the NLDS.
3. Freddie Freeman making progress
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is making progress as he rehabs from the sprained ankle that kept him out for the final few games of the regular season. He is expected to face live pitching either today or tomorrow (per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Manager Dave Roberts has maintained his optimism that the eight-time All-Star will be in the lineup against the Padres on Saturday. However, Roberts also admitted that Freeman won’t be at 100%, and it remains unclear how significantly his ankle will affect his defense and baserunning during the NLDS.
In additional Dodgers news, shortstop Miguel Rojas is also expected to be in the lineup for Game 1 of the NLDS (per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times). He has been nursing an adductor strain. Like Freeman, Rojas will not be at full strength, but he seems to have made good progress in his recovery and will attempt to play through any discomfort.
The Opener: AL Wild Card Matchups, NL Wild Card Matchups
With another full day of postseason baseball on the docket, here are the four games to watch this afternoon and evening:
1. Astros vs. Tigers:
The first game of the day kicks off at 1:32pm CT in Houston, where the Tigers (1-0) will send Tyler Holton to the mound as an opener against the Astros (0-1) and their Game 2 starter Hunter Brown. Holton has quietly been one of the most effective multi-inning relievers in the game over the past two years, pitching to a 2.15 ERA and 3.55 SIERA in 179 2/3 innings. Reese Olson (3.53 ERA, 3.93 SIERA in 22 starts) is a likely option to come in and pitch multiple innings after Holton as this surprising Tigers team looks to advance to the ALDS. Alternatively, Detroit could be trying to save Olson for a potential Game 3 (or Game 1 of the ALDS).
Brown is enjoying a breakout sophomore season, with a 3.49 ERA and 3.74 SIERA in 170 innings pitched. He has been especially successful in the second half, with a 2.26 ERA in 12 starts since the All-Star break. After ace Framber Valdez couldn’t get the job done on Tuesday, the responsibility of keeping Houston’s ALCS streak alive falls on Brown’s shoulders. The Astros have appeared in the past seven consecutive American League Championship Series.
2. Orioles vs. Royals:
Game 2 between the Orioles (0-1) and Royals (1-0) starts at 3:38pm CT, with Kansas City’s Seth Lugo taking on Baltimore’s Zach Eflin. The Orioles came into the series as the clear favorites, but the Royals hung on to win 1-0 in an incredible Game 1 pitchers’ duel between Cole Ragans and Corbin Burnes.
The second game of the series could make for another pitchers’ duel between Lugo and Eflin. Lugo is coming off a regular season for which he will surely receive Cy Young votes (3.00 ERA, 3.94 SIERA in 28 starts). Eflin hasn’t been quite as sharp all year (3.59 ERA, 3.97 SIERA in 28 starts), but his underlying numbers are similar to Lugo’s, and he looked excellent over the final two months of the season (2.37 ERA in eight starts). Considering how poorly the Royals’ offense performed in September, Eflin should also have the easier lineup to face as he strives to keep his team alive and snap the Orioles’ postseason losing streak at nine games.
3. Brewers vs. Mets:
The NL slate begins in the evening with Game 2 of the Brewers-Mets series starting at 6:38pm CT. The Brewers (0-1) will send Frankie Montas to the mound at American Family Field. Milwaukee has not won a postseason series since 2018, and the Brewers have never won so much as a single game in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Mets (1-0) will send Sean Manaea to the hill hoping to pull off a sweep. The Mets have not won a postseason series since 2015 when they won the NL pennant. Although Milwaukee has home-field advantage, New York has an edge when it comes to the pitching matchup. Manaea is coming off arguably the best season of his career (3.47 ERA, 3.97 SIERA in 32 starts), while Montas hasn’t been nearly as impressive (4.84 ERA, 4.38 SIERA in 30 starts).
4. Padres vs. Braves:
The final game of the evening begins at 7:38pm CT, with the Braves (0-1) sending Max Fried (3.25 ERA, 3.61 SIERA in 29 starts) to the bump against Joe Musgrove (3.88 ERA, 3.62 SIERA in 19 starts) of the Padres (1-0). While Fried has had the better season, Musgrove has been dominant since his return from the IL in August (2.15 ERA, 3.01 SIERA in nine starts). Working in Fried’s favor, however, is the fact that he is left-handed; the Padres have a .689 OPS against southpaws this season, much worse than their .764 OPS against righties.
Interestingly, this is the only Wild Card Series in which the higher-seeded team won the first game.