Rudy May Passes Away
Former MLB pitcher Rudy May passed away earlier this week at the age of 80, according to an obituary published in local North Carolina newspaper The Daily Advance. Jeff Pearlman first reported May’s passing yesterday. A veteran of 16 MLB seasons, May pitched for the Angels, Yankees, Orioles, and Expos during his lengthy career in the big leagues.
A left-handed pitcher, May grew up in Oakland alongside childhood friend and future Hall of Famer Joe Morgan. He impressed as one of the best pitchers in the area during his high school days before being signed by a Twins scout in 1962 and subsequently selected in the first-year player draft by the White Sox in 1963. By the end of 1964, May was already on the fourth organization of his professional career as he was traded to the Phillies by the White Sox ahead of the Rule 5 draft before being flipped to the Angels shortly thereafter.
It was with Anaheim that May finally made his big league debut in 1965, and the then-20-year-old hurler posted decent but unexceptional numbers in his rookie campaign. In 30 appearances (including 19 starts), May logged 124 innings of work but surrendered a pedestrian 3.92 ERA, which was 14% below average in the era just before the year of the pitcher in 1968. That would be May’s only big league action for years due to injuries he suffered in the minor leagues in 1965, but he eventually resurfaced at the big league level as a 24-year-old in 1969. That year, May posted a league average 3.44 ERA in 180 1/3 innings of work that solidified his spot on the Angels’ roster, and he’d spend the next five seasons as a quality back-of-the-rotation arms for the club with a 3.51 ERA (96 ERA+) across 948 2/3 innings of work.
He once again began the season with the Angels in 1974, but a brutal 7.00 ERA in his first 27 innings of work that year upon being pushed into a bullpen role prompted the club to deal him to the Yankees that summer. May experienced a revival in New York down the stretch, dominating the competition to the tune of a 2.28 ERA (156 ERA+) with 90 strikeouts in 114 1/3 innings of work over his 17 appearances (15 starts) in the Bronx following the trade. He followed up on that performance with an excellent 1975 season where he pitched to a 3.06 ERA (122 ERA+) in 212 innings of work in a mid-rotation role behind club ace (and future Hall of Famer) Catfish Hunter. Unfortunately, a step back in performance in 1976 led May to be traded once again, this time to the Orioles.
That 1976 season kicked off something of a lull in May’s career, as he reverted to the back-of-the-rotation form he had shown throughout his time with the Angels. In three seasons split between the Yankees, Orioles, and Expos from 1976 to 1978, May pitched to a pedestrian 3.71 ERA in 99 appearances, 92 of which were starts, and racked up 616 innings of work. That led the veteran southpaw to be moved to a relief role during his second year with the Expos in 1979, but the lefty dominated in the role with a sterling 2.31 ERA (160 ERA+) in 93 2/3 innings of work across 33 appearances, only seven of which were starts.
He’d continue to pitch in that sort of hybrid role upon being re-acquired by the Yankees in 1980, which turned out to be perhaps the best season of his career. Although May started only 17 of his 41 games played that year, he posted phenomenal numbers in the role as he led the American League with a 2.46 ERA (160 ERA+) while throwing 175 1/3 frames. The 1980 season also saw May, then 35, appear in the postseason for the first time in his career. The lefty was dealt a tough-luck loss in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Royals that October, as the Yankees lost 3-2 despite May pitching eight strong innings of three-run ball.
He’d return to the postseason in 1981 on the heels of a lackluster regular season, but this time he and the Yankees enjoyed some success. May made a solid relief appearance against the Brewers in the ALDS before posting a lackluster start against Oakland in the ALCS, but when the Yankees made it to the World Series opposite the Dodgers he managed to turn in 6 1/3 strong relief innings across three appearances even as his club eventually lost in six games. Overall, May posted a respectable 3.66 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 19 2/3 postseason innings during those years with the Yankees, which wound up being the only postseason outings of his career.
May pitched two more years with the Yankees following the club’s loss in the 1981 World Series and enjoyed a strong rebound campaign in 1982, and though he re-signed with New York on a two-year contract he made just 15 appearances in 1983 due to injury and missed the entire 1984 season with back issues before retirement. In all, May appeared in 535 games at the big league level and drew the start in 360 of those contests. He pitched to an above-average 3.46 ERA during his career and collected 152 wins and 1760 strikeouts across his 2622 innings of work in the majors. Those of us at MLBTR extend our condolences to May’s family, friends and loved ones.
Latest On White Sox’ Managerial Search
Following the club’s decision to fire manager Pedro Grifol midseason, the White Sox have been at work looking to find their next long-term skipper while interim manager Grady Sizemore held down the fort late in the year. A number of potential candidates have seen their names float through the rumor mill this winter, but The New York Post’s Jon Heyman wrote last night that the three “leading candidates” for the role are former Angels manager Phil Nevin, Rangers associate manager Will Venable, and Tigers bench coach George Lombard.
All three were previously known to be in the mix for the club’s managerial gig, although only Venable is confirmed to have scheduled an interview among the trio. Among them, Nevin is the only one with previous experience at the helm of an MLB dugout as he took over for Joe Maddon as Angels manager in June of 2022 and remained in the role through the end of the 2023 season. The Halos posted a paltry 119-149 record under Nevin’s guidance, but for a rebuilding club coming off a 121-loss campaign like the White Sox team record may be less of a factor than Nevin’s handling of youngsters like Reid Detmers, Nolan Schanuel, and Zach Neto.
Meanwhile, Venable and Lombard lack managerial experience at the big league level but are both viewed as up-and-coming managers of the future. Venable, in particular, has been a highly sought-after managerial candidate for years now, though he declined to interview for positions with the Mets and Guardians last winter. Since his big league career came to an end in 2016, Venable has served as a special assistant to the front office, first base coach, and third base coach for the Cubs, bench coach to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, and most recently associate manager under Rangers skipper Bruce Bochy.
Lombard, on the other hand, has reportedly already interviewed for the league’s other managerial vacancy in Miami and was previously a candidate for the Padres’ managerial gig in 2019 and the top dugout job with the Tigers in 2020. While both teams ultimately went in different directions, Detroit was clearly impressed with Lombard as they subsequently hired him to act as A.J. Hinch’s bench coach, a role he’s held ever since. Prior to his stint with the Tigers, Lombard spent five years with the Dodgers as first base coach from 2016-20 following stints with the Red Sox and Braves in a variety of minor league roles.
Heyman also floats a fourth name in the mix for the managerial gig: veteran manager Buck Showalter, who most recently served as skipper of the Mets from 2022 to 2023. As opposed to his framing of Lombard, Nevin, and Venable as “leading candidates” for the role, Heyman suggests the White Sox have merely “considered” the four-time Manager of the Year award winner for their vacancy in the dugout, leaving it unclear how serious the club’s interest is or if Showalter has actually interviewed for the position. Even so, it seems as though Showalter isn’t inherently against leading a club that’s unlikely to contend given his interest in the Angels’ managerial vacancy last winter before that job ultimately went to Ron Washington.
Of course, these four are far from the only candidates that have been connected to the managerial role in Chicago in recent weeks. Former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker and Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough have both been regarded as potential frontrunners for the job at various points in the offseason, while Padres special assistant A.J. Ellis, Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehman, and Cardinals bench coach Daniel Descalso have also seen their names float through the rumor mill in connection with the White Sox job since the offseason began.
The Opener: World Series, Rosters, Soto
The wait for the World Series to begin is finally over! Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:
1. 2024 World Series Begins:
The World Series is set to begin this evening when the Yankees take the field opposite the Dodgers in Los Angeles, with first pitch scheduled for 5:08pm local time. In Game 1, New York is set to send veteran ace and 2023 AL Cy Young award winner Gerrit Cole to the mound opposite Dodgers deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty. Cole missed the first half of the year due to an elbow injury and didn’t look quite like himself this season overall, with a solid but not elite 3.41 ERA through 17 starts in total. He’s put up similar numbers in the postseason this year, with a 3.31 ERA through three starts. Flaherty, by contrast, has enjoyed an excellent season with a 3.17 ERA in 28 starts split between the Tigers and Dodgers this year but struggled to a 7.04 ERA this postseason, including a three-inning, eight-run blow-up against the Mets during Game 5 of the NLCS.
2. Rosters being finalized:
Of course, both teams will need to finalize their rosters for the series before the Fall Classic can get underway. Manager Dave Roberts discussed some of his club’s roster plans with reporters yesterday, indicating that the Dodgers will likely carry veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas on their roster after sidelining him for the NLCS as he struggled to play through an adductor strain and sports hernia. It also seems as though injured relievers Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol could be added to the club’s bullpen, fortifying an already excellent relief corps. On the other side of the series, the Yankees have fewer potentially impactful injured pieces but do seem likely to activate southpaw Nestor Cortes to pitch out of the bullpen despite the lefty suffering a flexor injury late in the regular season. With that aforementioned quartet all seemingly poised to join their club’s respective rosters when they’re announced later today, the primary question that remains is which players will be left off their team’s roster to accommodate the likely additions.
3. Happy Birthday, Juan Soto:
For the second time in his young career, star outfielder Juan Soto will play in the World Series on his birthday. The offseason’s top free agent turns 26 today, and while he’ll have to wait a bit longer for his likely record-shattering payday he and the rest of the Yankees will nonetheless look to deliver a different kind of gift to Yankees fans today: a win in Game 1 of the World Series. Five years ago today, Soto’s Nationals took on the Astros in Game 3 of the World Series on his 21st birthday but lost the game 4-1 as Soto went an uncharacteristic 0-4 with a walk and three strikeouts at the plate. He’ll look for better results today coming off an utterly dominant ALCS against the Guardians where he hit .368/.478/.895 with three homers and more walks (4) than strikeouts (3) in 23 plate appearances, including his towering go-ahead three-run home run in Game 5 of the series that ultimately sent the Yankees to the Fall Classic.
Dodgers Notes: Rojas, Vesia, Graterol, Kelly, Ohtani
With the start of the World Series less than 24 hours away, the Dodgers are in the process of finalizing their roster as they attempt to win their first championship in a full season since 1988. Manager Dave Roberts spoke to reporters (including Bob Nightengale of USA Today) during today’s scheduled workout day about some of the final roster decisions being made, including the fact that veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas is “likely” to make the final roster.
Rojas, 35, was left off the club’s NLCS roster amid concerns about the adductor strain and sports hernia that have bothered him since late in the regular season. Rojas was only able to play in three of the club’s five games during the NLDS against the Padres and ultimately went two-for-eight at the plate with two singles during that time. During the regular season, however, Rojas emerged as one of the club’s steadiest performances after taking over shortstop for Mookie Betts when he was sidelined by a hand fracture back in June. The veteran posted a solid 111 wRC+ overall this year during the regular season as he hit .283/.337/.410 in 337 trips to the plate for the Dodgers.
Entering this series, Rojas provides the Dodgers with additional depth off the bench that could be helpful as they juggle not only Rojas’s lingering injury woes but also those of first baseman Freddie Freeman and any other positional injuries that could crop up throughout the series. Rojas is the club’s best option at shortstop defensively, though Tommy Edman held down the position quite well during the NLCS and Enrique Hernandez‘s .863 OPS this postseason likely warrants consideration for at least some playing time as well.
It seems likely all three players will be in the lineup at up-the-middle positions against southpaws, though Andy Pages and Chris Taylor both enjoyed solid NLCS performances as well. The bigger question could be whether the Dodgers stick with a trio of Edman, Rojas, and Hernandez against right-handers or bench one of Rojas or Hernandez in favor of lefty-swinging second baseman Gavin Lux, who struggled during the NLCS but collected five hits (including a home run) during the division series against San Diego.
Roberts sounded less certain about the status of relievers Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol, though seemed optimistic when he told reporters (including Nightengale) that both players are “trending in the right direction” to make the roster themselves. The addition of a pair of high leverage arms like Vesia and Graterol would significantly deepen the Dodgers’ bullpen, though said relief corps did just fine against the Mets with Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, and Daniel Hudson mixing and matching during the late innings.
Vesia, in particular, would add a lefty reliever to that mix who could help to combat key Yankees hitters like Juan Soto and Anthony Rizzo who bat from the left side. The 28-year-old was left off the club’s NLCS roster as he nursed an intercostal injury but enjoyed a breakout season this year as he pitched to a sparkling 1.76 ERA (219 ERA+) in 66 1/3 innings of work during the regular season while striking out a whopping 33.1% of his opponents. Graterol, meanwhile, missed virtually the entire 2024 campaign with injuries but has been a fixture of L.A.’s late inning mix for years now, including a dominant 2023 season where he posted a 1.20 ERA (359 ERA+) in 68 appearances. If Vesia and Graterol prove to be healthy enough to make the roster, youngsters Edgardo Henriquez and Ben Casparius could be the odd men out.
One reliever who Roberts said won’t be on the club’s World Series roster (as relayed by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic) is right-hander Joe Kelly, who has not yet appeared on the club’s postseason rosters after struggling to a 4.78 ERA and 4.57 FIP in 32 innings of work this year. Kelly, 36, has been battling a right shoulder injury but according to Roberts could be available later in the World Series as an injury replacement if necessary.
Even less likely to pitch in the World Series than Kelly is two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who has been limited to just hitting in his first year with the Dodgers but resumed a throwing program earlier this year. Roberts shut down any suggestion that Ohtani could appear out of the bullpen at any point during the series today, telling reporters (including Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times) that there is “no possibility” of Ohtani pitching against the Yankees during the Fall Classic. Of course, Ohtani delivered a 50-50 season that’s likely to earn him his third career MVP trophy and so far boasts a .286/.434/.500 slash line during the playoffs, so he’s still providing the Dodgers with plenty of value even without throwing a single pitch.
Avisail Garcia Undergoes Back Surgery
Outfielder Avisail Garcia underwent surgery to treat both a fracture and a disc issue in his lower back today, according to a report from The New York Post’s Jon Heyman. A timetable for his recovery was not provided.
The news comes just a few months after the Marlins decided to release the veteran outfielder partway through the third season of his four-year, $53MM deal with the club. It became clear almost immediately that the deal was a mistake on the part of the Marlins as Garcia’s first season in Miami saw him hit a paltry .224/.266/.317 (61 wRC+) in 380 trips to the plate. He spent nearly two months on the IL due to hamstring issues near the end of that year, and a combination of back and hamstring issues limited the veteran to just 169 trips to the plate over the next two seasons prior to his release.
Garcia had struggled badly throughout his limited time on the field over the past two seasons, as well. In those aforementioned 169 plate appearances, he struck out at a 30.8% clip while slashing just .203/.246/.335 (53 wRC+). Those ghastly numbers were certainly more than enough justification for the Marlins to move on from the veteran and dedicate his playing time to young players. With that being said, news of Garcia’s surgery provides an interesting bit of context to his deep struggles with the Marlins—particularly given the fact that he missed three months due to a back injury in 2023.
Given the amount of time Garcia spent on the IL during his tenure in Miami, it’s not hard to imagine his back and hamstring issues played a large role in his sudden decline. After all, the outfielder was coming off a strong platform season where he posted a 115 wRC+ and slugged 29 homers for the Brewers. On top of that, Garcia had a track record of solid production dating back half a decade at that point. After generally being a below average hitter early in his career, from 2017 to 2021 Garcia slashed .278/.335/.464 (113 wRC+) while oscillating between being roughly league average and above average with the bat depending on the year.
Garcia did not sign with another club this year following Miami’s decision to part ways with him, but it’s possible that news of his back surgery could lead to interest from clubs who wonder if he might be able to regain some of his old form if he’s now properly healthy. That’s likely a long-shot to come to pass with Garcia staring own his age-34 season after three straight unproductive campaigns, but it’s still feasible to imagine a club taking a no-risk minor league flier on him this offseason. If Garcia were to make an MLB roster next year, his new club would only be on the hook for a pro-rated portion of the big league minimum while the Marlins pay out his $12MM salary for 2025.
The Opener: World Series, NPB, KBO, Rays
With the start of the World Series just a day away, here are three things to keep an eye around baseball today:
1. World Series Workout Day:
While the World Series isn’t set to start until tomorrow, both the Dodgers and Yankees will be at Dodger Stadium today as they get in their final team workouts before the series begins. Managers Dave Roberts and Aaron Boone as well as Game 1 starters Jack Flaherty and Gerrit Cole are expected to speak to the media today, and the managers’ respective comments could be illuminating regarding the availability of certain key players.
As things currently stand, the Dodgers expect veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman to be back in the lineup for Game 1 tomorrow. What’s as of now unclear is if he’ll be joined by shortstop Miguel Rojas, who was left off the club’s NLCS roster due to an adductor strain, or if relievers Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol will be ready to rejoin the bullpen. The Yankees, meanwhile, have fewer key injuries of note in play for the World Series but are hoping to roster southpaw Nestor Cortes despite him having suffered a flexor strain towards the end of the regular season. Cortes had a throwing session earlier this week and indeed expects to be on the roster despite the risk of a larger injury. The left-hander gave reporters quite the quote in signaling his willingness to put his health on the line to help his team in the Fall Classic (X link via Newsday’s Erik Boland): “If I have a ring and then a year off of baseball, then so be it.”
2. News from Asia’s top leagues:
While the current focus is obviously on the looming World Series and the start of the offseason for 28 other clubs, we’ve had a few reminders this week already that this time of year also tends to bring notable news from overseas. The Chunichi Dragons of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball announced this week that they’ll post left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara for MLB teams to bid on, and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters announced just yesterday that they’ve re-signed former big league slugger Franmil Reyes for an additional year after a huge 2024 season that saw him hit .290/.348/.564 with 25 homers in just 368 plate appearances.
The days and weeks ahead figure to bring similar items of interest. All eyes are on 22-year-old phenom Roki Sasaki, he of the career 2.02 ERA with the NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines, and whether he’ll be posted. At last check, the Marines’ GM said the club was still talking the situation over with Sasaki and had not yet made a decision (X link via Yakyu Cosmopolitan). Over in the Korea Baseball Organization, 25-year-old Kiwoom Heroes infielder Hyeseong Kim is widely expected to be posted for MLB clubs after hitting .326/.383/.458 — his fourth straight season hitting at least .304 with at least a .372 on-base percentage.
A few other names will surely pop up. It’s commonplace for an unexpected name or two to surface this time of year and land on MLB radars. There are a handful of former big leaguers who’ve played well overseas and could signal their intent to return to North American ball (or re-sign, as Reyes did). And, once the Korean Series and Japan Series have reached their conclusions, we’ll surely start to see some former big leaguers sign in the KBO or in NPB.
3. Where will the Rays open the 2025 season?
After Hurricane Milton devastated the Tampa Bay area, the Rays’ Tropicana Field has been left with severe damage, including much of the roof being torn off. The damage is so great that the Rays almost certainly won’t be able to open the season at the stadium, and with a new stadium already set to be built for the 2028 season questions remain as to whether or not the local government has interest in financing the repair of a stadium that’s scheduled for demolition in just three short years. Commissioner Rob Manfred has expressed a desire to keep the Rays in their current market for the years leading up to the new stadium’s construction, while potential temporary relocation options such as Montreal and Durham have seemingly taken themselves off the table. Further details are sure to unfold as the team continues to assess the damage at the Trop and explore alternate scenarios.
Offseason Outlook: Atlanta Braves
After finishing the 2023 season with the best record in baseball, the Braves disappointed somewhat in 2024 amid an avalanche of injuries to star players and underwhelming numbers from much of their offensive nucleus. This offseason, they'll need to reshape their rotation as their longest-tenured starter hits free agency while also overhauling their bench mix in hopes of re-capturing their hold over their NL East from the division-champion Phillies and a surging Mets club that made it all the way to Game 6 of the NLCS.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Austin Riley, 3B: $176MM through 2032 (deal includes club option for 2033)
- Matt Olson, 1B: $110MM through 2029 (deal includes club option for 2030)
- Spencer Strider, RHP: $73MM through 2028 (includes $5MM buyout on 2029 club option)
- Michael Harris II, CF: $64MM through 2030 (includes $5MM buyout on 2031 club option; additional club option for '32)
- Sean Murphy, C: $60MM through 2028 (deal includes club option for 2029)
- Ronald Acuna Jr. RF: $44MM through 2026 (includes $10MM buyout on 2027 club option; additional club option for '28)
- Jorge Soler, RF: $32MM through 2026
- Reynaldo Lopez, RHP: $26MM through 2026 (includes $4MM buyout on 2027 club option)
- Chris Sale, LHP: $22MM through 2025 (deal includes club option for 2026)
- Joe Jimenez, RHP: $18MM through 2026
- Raisel Iglesias, RHP: $16MM through 2025
- Ozzie Albies, 2B: $11MM through 2025 (includes $4MM buyout on 2026 club option; additional club option for '27)
- David Fletcher, INF/RHP: $8MM through 2025 (includes $1.5MM buyout on 2026 club option)
- Pierce Johnson, RHP: $7.25MM through 2025 (includes $250K buyout on 2026 club option)
- Orlando Arcia, SS: $3MM through 2025 (includes $1MM buyout on 2026 club option)
Option Decisions
- Marcell Ozuna, DH: $16MM club option with $1MM buyout
- Travis d'Arnaud, C: $8MM club option with no buyout
- Aaron Bummer, LHP: $7.25MM club option with $1.25MM buyout (deal also includes $7.5MM club option for 2026 with no buyout)
- Luke Jackson, RHP: $7MM club option with $2MM buyout
2025 financial commitments: $188.75MM
Total long-term financial commitments: $674.5MM
Arbitration-Eligible Players (projected salaries via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Ramon Laureano (5.159): $6.1MM
- Cavan Biggio (5.110): $4.3MM
- Huascar Ynoa (3.117): $825K
- Jarred Kelenic (2.169): $2.3MM
- Dylan Lee (2.150): $1.2MM
- Eli White (2.140): $800K
Non-tender candidates: Laureano, Biggio, Ynoa, White
Free Agents
Max Fried, Charlie Morton, A.J. Minter, Whit Merrifield, Gio Urshela, Adam Duvall, Jesse Chavez, John Brebbia
With a number of quality players still under long-term team control, Atlanta remains firmly in the midst of its competitive window despite a disappointing 89-win campaign in 2024. The impending free agency of Max Fried, who has anchored the club's rotation for the past half decade, would perhaps be more concerning for the club's chances of rebounding in 2025 if GM Alex Anthopoulos's front office hadn't already successfully navigated the departures of both MVP first baseman Freddie Freeman and All-Star shortstop Dansby Swanson in recent years.
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The Opener: Mets, Injuries, Managerial Searches
As the wait for the World Series to begin, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:
1. Mets end-of-season press conference:
On the heels of the club being eliminated from the postseason at the hands of the Dodgers, the Mets are now set to shift their attention toward the coming offseason. Part of that process is the club’s end-of-season press conference, which Mike Puma of the New York Post notes will be conducted at Citi Field later today by president of baseball operations David Stearns. Overall, it was quite the successful year for a Mets club that won 89 games and made it to their first NLCS since 2015 despite relatively low expectations regarding the club’s competitiveness just one year after they traded off key pieces like Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.
Stearns and the rest of the front office face a new challenge this winter, however. Not only is first baseman Pete Alonso scheduled to become a free agent, but the impending departures of Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea, and Luis Severino mean that the Mets will need to rebuild their rotation nearly from scratch this offseason. Beyond that, speculation has run rampant over the past year that the Mets will be involved in the Juan Soto market, presumably creating a bidding war between the two New York teams as the incumbent Yankees try to retain their young star.
2. Are more injury announcements coming down the pipe?
The lull between the end of the NLCS on Sunday and the start of the World Series this coming Friday has created space for teams to make announcements that otherwise may have conflicted with the postseason, and among the most noteworthy have been a handful of injury updates. So far this week, we’ve received word that Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner underwent forearm surgery and Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn underwent a spinal procedure earlier this month. Those major injury announcements that could impact the players’ timelines for Spring Training aside, the Padres also discussed shortstop Ha-Seong Kim‘s recent shoulder surgery ahead of his free agency and indicated he might take longer to return to action than initially believed. Could any more injury announcements or updates crop up over the next few days?
3. Managerial searches continue:
Details surrounding the managerial searches for the White Sox and Marlins have been fairly sparse to this point, though a few names of potential candidates have been rumored for the vacancy in Miami. There have been more rumors surrounding Chicago’s search, with exiting Marlins manager Skip Schumaker joining a list of names that also includes Lombard, Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough and Rangers associate manager Will Venable. Whoever the two clubs ultimately hire to steer their fifth-place teams in 2025 will face plenty of potential challenges; in addition to the abysmal record of both clubs, the Marlins’ new manager will be tasked with overhauling their entire coaching staff, while the new White Sox manager will join the team amid rumors of a potential sale.
The Opener: Coaching Hires, Dodgers, MLBTR Chat
With just a few days until the World Series continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on today:
1. Are more coaching hires on the horizon?
Yesterday saw a flurry of coaching hires announced as the Cardinals, Brewers, and Blue Jays all added new voices to their staffs. Will the current lull between playoff games spur even more movement on the coaching front? There’s certainly plenty of vacancies that need to be filled, including a complete overhaul of the coaching staff in Miami. The Marlins are surely going to wait to fill out their coaching staff until they have a new manager in place, but the Red Sox, Cubs, and Orioles are among the large number of teams with coaching vacancies that could be addressed in the coming days. And that’s before considering the possibility of coaches on short-term deals being locked up longer-term, as AJ Preller indicated yesterday he’d like to do for Padres manager Mike Shildt and certain members of his staff.
2. Dodgers media availability:
The Dodgers announced last night that they’ll make a handful of players available to the media later today. That includes first baseman Freddie Freeman, who was sidelined for Game 6 of the NLCS due to the sprained ankle that’s hobbled him since the end of the regular season. It’s possible we’ll learn more today about his availability for the World Series, and manager Dave Roberts also figures to be on tap to discuss the availability of shortstop Miguel Rojas, lefty Alex Vesia, and righty Brusdar Graterol. All three of them were left off the NLCS roster due to injuries but could be in the conversation for the World Series roster.
One other point of intrigue is that the Dodgers will likely announce their choice for Game 1 starter. The club’s entire pitching staff will be on full rest for the coming series, and it seems likely they’ll turn to either Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Jack Flaherty to start Game 1, as they did in both of their previous playoff series this October. Whoever the Dodgers select will be set to face off against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who has a 3.31 ERA across three postseason starts so far this year and a 2.98 playoff ERA in 120 2/3 career frames.
3. MLBTR Chat today:
With the World Series just a few days away, virtually the entire league has turned their attention towards the coming offseason at this point. If you have any questions about the upcoming winter, your team’s direction, or the impending clash between the Dodgers and Yankees, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.
The Opener: Freeman, Front Office Hires, Mets
With the World Series match up now set in stone, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Freeman nursing ankle injury:
Star first baseman Freddie Freeman was not in the Dodgers’ lineup for the club’s series-clinching win against the Mets last night as he continues to struggle with a sprained ankle that’s limited his availability all throughout the postseason. Even when he’s been healthy enough to take the field, Freeman has looked nothing like himself at the plate with a paltry .219/.242/.219 slash line in the postseason, including a .167/.211/.167 slash line during the NLCS. As Freeman looks to rest up over the next four days before World Series rosters are due, a major question figures to face both him and the Dodgers: is he healthy enough to participate, or would the club be better served using his roster spot another way?
2. Are any front office hires on the horizon?
As we enter a brief stretch of days without baseball before the World Series, it shouldn’t be a surprise if teams begin to make announcements (which are often held back to accommodate a focus on the postseason) regarding some personnel decisions this week. There’s been quite a bit of buzz regarding a handful of potential front office hires in recent days, in particular. The Red Sox appear to be on the cusp of hiring another assistant GM, which could be coupled with them promoting internally for their currently vacant GM role. Additionally, the Giants’ search for a GM to serve as a second-in-command to newly-minted president of baseball operations Buster Posey figures to continue in full force this week. The field of potential candidates still appears to be expansive, though one name pulled himself from consideration over the weekend.
3. Mets head into the offseason:
After their club’s run to the NLCS, Mets brass will have little opportunity to celebrate as they turn their attention toward an offseason where a massive number of their current players are slated for free agency. That group is led, of course, by longtime first baseman Pete Alonso. But other key players who are ticketed for free agency this winter include J.D. Martinez, Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea (who has an opt-out in his deal he’ll surely exercise), Jose Iglesias, Jesse Winker, and Harrison Bader. Under the ownership of Steve Cohen, the Mets have run top-of-the-line payrolls and shown a willingness to sign players even with free agency just around the corner, as they did with Edwin Diaz during the 2022-23 offseason. With more than half a dozen key players headed to free agency this winter, could the club make another surprise preemptive strike?