Browsing: MLB

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Joshua Baez (Photo by Jared Blais/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

In this week’s Future Projection, Ben Badler and Carlos Collazo talk about the Arizona Fall League, the degree to which it matters and players we are excited about in the league.

We then turn to Benâ€s recent story about hitting standouts in the Dominican Summer League to compare and contrast top prospects like Josuar Gonzalez and Elian Peña against top draftees like Ethan Holliday and Eli Willits.

Later, we take listener questions, including: Should we give Angel Genao and Cam Collier mulligans? Is Joshua Baezâ€s breakout legit? And what do we look for when trying to determine if a prospect is breaking out?

Time Stamps

• (0:00) Intro
• (3:30) Arizona Fall League
• (14:00) Statcast data in the fall league
• (15:30) Names we are excited about in the AFL
• (22:10) Dominican Summer League Standouts
• (24:00) Josuar Gonzalez
• (27:00) Josuar Gonzalez vs. Eli Willits
• (31:20) Juan Sanchez
• (34:00) Diego Tornes
• (39:00) Diego Tornes vs. Tate Southisene
• (45:00) Elian Pena vs. 2025 drafted shortstops
• (50:00) Angel Genao & Cam Collierâ€s stock
• (57:00) Joshua Baez
• (1:04:00) How do we identify huge prospect jumps like Cam Schlittlerâ€s?

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As the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated clinching their seventh trip to the NLCS in the past 10 seasons, and most of the Philadelphia Phillies had already begun making their way towards the dugout, Orion Kerkering came out of his hunched-over stance and was met by his catcher, J.T. Realmuto.

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The 24-year-old relief pitcher had just thrown away the third out in the bottom of the 11th inning, which would have extended the game and the Phillies’ season. Now, he stood on the mound in stunned disbelief at what just happened. A simple ground ball back to him should have led to an easy play. Instead, the Dodgers won 2-1.

Kerkering wasn’t left feeling alone for too long. Realmuto shepherded him off the mound and the two were soon greeted by outfielder Nick Castellanos, who had sprinted in from right field, to try and console his teammate.

“I just told him to keep his head up,†Castellanos said afterward, via MLB.com. “And I wanted to be next to him while he walked off the field, just so he knows he’s not alone in that moment.â€

The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate their walk-off 11th inning victory over the Philadelphia Phillies to advance to the 2025 NLCS. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

(MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images via Getty Images)

As the three reached the Philadelphia dugout, Phillies manager Rob Thomson was there at the top of the steps to greet Kerkering with a simple message he hopes resonates beyond this season.

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“[I said to] just keep his head up,” Thomson said. “He just got caught up in the moment a little bit. Coming down the stretch there, he pitched so well for us. I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders. But we win as a team, and we lose as a team.”

Kerkering said Thomson’s message was similar to one that other teammates gave him after the game and that “it’s baseball. S*** happens.”

A fifth round draft pick by the Phillies in 2022, Kerkering broke into the big leagues in 2023, but wasn’t a regular option out of the bullpen until the following season. He’s made 136 appearances for the Phillies and sports a 1.23 WHIP, 2.79 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 126 innings pitched. The Huntington Beach native has earned his place on the roster and his teammates’ support proves that.

“It means a lot. It shows they care a lot. Just means everything, for sure,” Kerkering said.

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Friday begins a long four-month offseason until spring training 2026 begins. Kerkering will have a lot of time to think about how this season ended, but he was continually reminded by his teammates to not let one play define him and use this moment for good.

“Hopefully it’s the start of a long career,†Kerkering said. “Just keep it in the back of my head that this really f****** sucks right now, but hopefully, keep pushing and get over this hump and keep pushing.â€

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Trey Yesavage (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

College baseballâ€s reach didnâ€t stop when the regular season ended—it followed players straight into October.

After 293 schools produced at least one big leaguer during the 2025 regular season, 118 of them were represented again in the Wild Card and Division Series rounds, underscoring just how essential the college pipeline has become to the gameâ€s biggest moments.

Recent college draftees like Trey Yesavage (East Carolina) and Cam Schlittler (Northeastern) were among the postseasonâ€s early standouts, further proof of how quickly top college prospects are impacting the majors.

Boston College, East Carolina, Florida State, LSU, Miami and Virginia led all schools with three former players apiece on postseason rosters.

Below is the complete list of all 118 colleges with at least one former player on a postseason roster. Note that players who participated in the regular season for a team that reached the playoffs but were not included on their club’s 26-man postseason roster were ineligible for this study.

SchoolPLAYERS in the playoffsBoston College3East Carolina3Florida State3LSU3Miami3Virginia3Arizona2Cal State Fullerton2Fordham2Fresno State2Georgia Tech2Houston2Indiana2Iowa2LMU2Louisville2New Mexico2North Carolina State2Northeastern2Ohio State2Oregon State2Sam Houston State2South Dakota State2Stanford2TCU2Texas State2UAB2UCLA2Vanderbilt2Wake Forest2Alabama1Arizona State1Auburn1Ball State1Baylor1BYU1Cal Poly1Cal State East Bay1California1California State University, Monterey Bay1Central Michigan1Cincinnati1Clemson1Cloud County (Kan.) JC1Concordia1Connecticut1Creighton1Dartmouth1East Stroudsburg1Eastern Illinois1Elon1Florida1Florida International1Gardner-Webb1Georgia1Georgia State1Harvard1Hawaii1Hope International University1Indiana State1Jacksonville1James Madison1JC Of Southern Nevada1Kent State1Kentucky1Lafayette (Pa.)1Lake Erie College1Lenoir-Rhyne1Liberty1Lynn University1Maryland1McNeese State1Miami Dade JC1Michigan1Millersville University1Mississippi State1Nevada1New Jersey Tech1New Mexico JC1New Mexico State1Newberry College1Niagara1North Carolina1Oklahoma State1Ole Miss1Oral Roberts1Oregon1Point Loma Nazarene1Purdue-Northwest (Ind.)1Sacramento City College1Sacramento State1San Diego1San Diego State1San Jacinto (Texas) JC1Santa Clara1Seattle1South Florida1Southeastern Louisiana1St. John’s River (Fla.) JC1State JC Of Florida1Stephen F. Austin State1Stetson1Tennessee1Texas1Texas A&M1Troy1Tulane1UC Santa Barbara1UNLV1Utah1Virginia Military Institute1Virginia Tech1Washington1Washington State1Washington University (St. Louis)1Wichita State1William & Mary1Wisconsin-Milwaukee1

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The No. 4 Chicago Cubs evened the series with a 6-0 home win over the No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Division Series, forcing a decisive Game 5 after falling behind 0-2.

The winner of the Cubs and Brewers series will advance to face the Los Angeles Dodgers, who defeated the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday 3-1, in the National League Championship Series.

Cubs ace Matthew Boyd had a standout performance, pitching 4 2/3 innings with six strikeouts while allowing just two hits and no earned runs.

Ian Happ had a big Game 4, with three RBI while carrying a .115 batting average. Kyle Tucker went 2-for-3 with an RBI, Matt Shaw added an RBI on 2-for-3 hitting and Michael Busch launched a home run on his only at-bat of the night.

Boyd and the Cubs thrilled MLB fans by forcing a Game 5 against the top team in the National League.

The Cubs started strong in the bottom of the first, as Happ launched a two-run home run, driving in Nico Hoerner and Tucker to take a quick 3-0 lead over Milwaukee.

In the bottom of the sixth, Shaw singled in Carson Kelly for another RBI, extending Chicago’s lead to 4-0.

Tucker crossed home plate for the second time of the night with a 414-foot solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, pushing the Cubs’ lead to 5-0.

Adding insult to injury, Busch launched his fourth postseason home run, a 401-foot solo shot in the eighth inning, extending the Cubs’ lead to 6-0.

The series will return to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Saturday, with first pitch set for 8:08 p.m. ET.

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After the Blue Jays clinched their first ALCS appearance since 2016 in the Bronx Wednesday night, two-time All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette told reporters that he’s “made a lot of progress recently” in his recovery from a left knee injury that’s kept him out since Sept. 6.

Bichette also said he’s “optimistic” about his chances to return for the championship series.

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The Blue Jays will host Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS against the winner of Friday’s ALDS Game 5 between the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners.

“I still have some hurdles to clear, but I’m optimistic,” Bichette said, via MLB.com.

He added: “I’m feeling better every day.”

The 27-year-old Bichette suffered a PCL sprain during a 3-1 loss to the Yankees last month. Zooming home as the potential game-tying run, he made a beeline for the plate from second base after Nathan Lukes roped a single into right field in the top of the sixth inning.

But Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger delivered a one-hop throw to catcher Austin Wells, who tagged Bichette out as he rammed into Wells’ shin protectors while sliding feet first.

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Bichette then hobbled off the field. Although he returned to the game after a subsequent, nearly two-hour rain delay — and his X-rays came back clean — Bichette experienced soreness in his knee the following days, per MLB.com. He eventually received an MRI, which identified the sprain.

Bichette was placed on the 10-day IL, but his return has taken much longer than that.

His recovery timeline was readjusted in the middle of September when Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Bichette would miss the rest of the regular season.

The hope was for Bichette to be back for the start of the playoffs, but he was left off the Blue Jays’ ALDS roster.

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“Good news the last couple of days,” Schneider said of Bichette Wednesday, per MLB.com.

“He was out there running today, and he actually hit off Max [Scherzer] and Chris [Bassitt] back home. He hit against [veloctiy] and hit in the game. He didnâ€t run, but he took 14 swings off of them. Heâ€s just trying to feel out his timing. These last three days have been pretty good for him.”

Schneider said last week that his staff doesn’t plan on using Bichette in a hero-spot role. In other words, he needs to be healthy enough to play regularly. His running progression will be key.

Bichette, whose .311 batting average this season was tied for second best in the majors, is notably in the final year of a three-year, $33.6 million deal and is set to hit free agency this offseason.

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At the moment, however, he’s trying to do everything he can to get back in the lineup and help the Blue Jays advance to the World Series.

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LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen will be down another arm entering Game 4 against the Philadelphia Phillies, as former closer Tanner Scott was removed from the active roster.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Scott had undergone an abscess excision somewhere on his lower body on Wednesday night, describing it as urgent matter but not ruling out a return should the Dodgers reach the World Series.

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“As I understand it, it was an abscess excision, some type of lower-body minor procedure,” Roberts said. “I don’t know a whole lot about it, to be quite honest with you, but I do know he’s recovering well and it took place last night.

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Left-hander Justin Wrobleski will replace Scott on the active roster. MLB rules mean Scott will now be ineligible for the NLCS if the Dodgers are able to put the Phillies away in either of the next two games.

Roberts had previously alluded to Scott having an issue after Wednesday’s Game 3 loss, saying it was something “personal” and that the southpaw was “completely unavailable.”

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If this is the end of Scott’s season, 2025 will be cemented as a profoundly disappointing first year with the Dodgers for him. Scott was the team’s second-most expensive addition last offseason at four years and $72 million, money spent with the hope that he could be a shutdown reliever for a team already stacked in other areas.

Instead, Scott performed below replacement level in a campaign that both started and ended badly. He hit the injured list in July with elbow inflammation and posted a 6.92 ERA in the second half, with the Dodgers continuing to use him in save situations.

Clearly, the club believed Scott’s stuff would eventually come around and he would become the pitcher that had Shohei Ohtani in knots during last year’s postseason, when he was with the San Diego Padres. That time never came, and he went completely unused in the Dodgers’ first five games of the 2025 playoffs.

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Barring some sort of salary dump, Scott will be back for the Dodgers next year, though, with plenty to work on.

Tanner Scott’s 2025 season might already be over. It was one to forget. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

(Chris Coduto via Getty Images)

Scott’s struggles have been a major part of the Dodger bullpen’s woes over the past month, which the team seems no closer to fixing. The one bright side is the emergence of previously hyped rookie Roki Sasaki as a late-inning arm, but nearly every other reliever used this postseason has seen at least one ugly inning already.

That continued in Game 3, when Clayton Kershaw — coming out of the bullpen in his final MLB postseason — allowed a 3-1 lead to balloon into 8-1, which could have a significant repercussion for the Dodgers in Game 4.

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It’s time for a pair of a Game 4s in the National League Division Series after the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies avoided getting swept out of the MLB playoffs.

Will the Cubs and Phillies on Thursday force decisive Game 5s — or will the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers move on to the NLCS?

We’ve got you covered with pregame lineups and keys along with takeaways after the final out of each game.

Philadelphia Phillies at Los Angeles Dodgers (6:08 p.m. ET)

Los Angeles leads series 2-1

Game 4 starters:Cristopher Sanchez vs. Tyler Glasnow

How the Phillies can even the series:The Phillies have the edge in the starting pitcher comparison, with Game 1 starter Sanchez, coming off a regular season in which he was one of the top five starters in baseball and an excellent outing in Game 1, going on four days of rest vs. Glasnow, who hasn’t pitched much the past two-plus weeks and battled some control issues down the stretch (and walked two of the eight batters he faced in a Game 1 relief appearance).

Thanks to Ranger Suarez’s great effort on Wednesday, the bullpen will be in good shape as well, so the path to victory is a shutdown effort from Sanchez and then the high-leverage relievers (with a better performance than they provided in Game 1). No doubt, the offensive game plan will be to get Glasnow to run up his pitch count and then get the soft underbelly of the Dodgers’ bullpen into the game earlier than Dave Roberts would like. Oh, and a Bryce Harper home run mixed in there will help as well. — David Schoenfield

Lineups

Phillies

TBD

Dodgers

TBD

Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs (9:08 p.m. ET)

Milwaukee leads series 2-1

Game 4 starters:TBD vs. TBD

How the Cubs can even the series: With their pitching leaning closer to shambles than full-go, the Cubs’ best bet to even the series is by scoring more runs than they have in any of their first six postseason games. They finally got to four runs for the first time this October — all coming in the first inning of Game 3 — then stopped there. In fact, they haven’t scored a run from the second inning on in either of the last two games. After using all their top relievers on Wednesday, there’s no guarantee they’ll be as sharp on Thursday, so a few innings with crooked numbers on the board offensively could make the difference for Chicago. — Jesse Rogers

Lineups

Brewers

TBD

Cubs

TBD

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Image credit:
Jonah Tong (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Over the past couple weeks, Baseball America has highlighted many of the underlying analytical numbers that organizations use to evaluate prospects in the minor leagues by way of Geoff Pontes’ series on Stuff+ rankings and Dylan White’s Hit+ rankings.

Today, weâ€re going to analyze organizational production in the minors from a purely results perspective by focusing only on the players who were young for their leagues. After all, a 28-year-old producing in Triple-A or a 23-year-old dominating High-A may help a team win MiLB games, but itâ€s not nearly as notable from a prospect perspective as a 20-year-old handling High-A.

For this exercise, we are normalizing statistics for league and park factors so that we can better compare hitters’ paradises like Reno to tough pitchers’ parks like West Michigan. To account for age, weâ€re only looking at pitchers and hitters who were at least one year younger than the average normalized age for their respective level.

Below, you can find comprehensive data tables featuring rankings of organizations receiving the most production from young hitters and pitchers, plus stats for the young players who contributed the most in 2025.

Top 5 Orgs Getting Production From Young Hitters

OrgPAsHitterswRC+OPS+wRAATigers551016120.33122.57122.77Mariners637416110.02111.1081.42Yankees528817109.73106.7955.73Mets827622109.56109.1057.69Pirates762926109.02106.8064.5

Top Hitting Contributors For The Top 5 Orgs

ORGPlayerTeamPAAGEAGE
VS LGwRC+OPS+wRAATigersJosue BricenoWest Michigan 24420.8-1.9159.9160.216.1TigersGage WorkmanToledo34625.7-1.2136.2122.915.6TigersHao-Yu LeeToledo57922.4-4.5120.8115.414.4TigersEduardo ValenciaToledo21525.4-1.5150.2156.313.6TigersJustyn-Henry MalloyToledo32925.4-1.6131.1147.612.6TigersMax ClarkWest Michigan33020.5-2.1134.9134.911.8TigersKevin McGonigleErie20620.9-4.7151.0134.710.3TigersKevin McGonigleWest Michigan17120.9-1.8152.5173.79.7MarinersLazaro MontesEverett30120.7-2.0148.3117.516.6MarinersMichael ArroyoEverett30620.7-2.0137.8115.212.9MarinersLazaro MontesArkansas28220.7-4.9137.8128.011.9MarinersJared SundstromArkansas48924.0-1.6119.5114.49.8MarinersColt EmersonEverett41220.02.7122.5103.99.3MarinersCole YoungTacoma24521.9-5.0123.1111.09.1MarinersTyler LocklearTacoma43424.6-2.3111.0121.88.5MarinersMichael ArroyoArkansas25020.7-4.9121.3123.55.6YankeesBrendan JonesSomerset34023.2-2.4141.7124.013.4YankeesDylan JassoSomerset53722.6-3.0121.9115.19.1YankeesEverson PereiraScranton/W-B31424.2-2.7123.9111.89.1YankeesGeorge Lombard Jr.Somerset46920.1-5.5123.0110.78.6YankeesSpencer JonesScranton/W-B29824.1-2.8123.0115.48.3YankeesRoc RiggioSomerset 17023.1-2.5140.9138.06.6YankeesJesus RodriguezScranton/W-B36223.2-3.7109.9110.13.8YankeesT.J. RumfieldScranton/W-B58725.1-1.8106.3107.73.5MetsJett WilliamsBinghamton42121.7-3.9146.0136.118.7MetsRyan CliffordBinghamton43722.0-3.6140.6132.516.7MetsJacob ReimerBrooklyn 26821.4-1.3150.9134.814.7MetsChristopher SueroBrooklyn 30121.4-1.2144.8127.414.3MetsElian PeñaDSL Mets22317.7-1.2118.7144.99.6MetsJacob ReimerBinghamton25421.4-4.2137.8133.68.9MetsA.J. EwingBrooklyn35120.9-1.8123.0118.47.8MetsD’Andre SmithBinghamton35324.1-1.4121.5116.95.8PiratesEsmerlyn ValdezGreensboro Grasshoppers31421.4-1.2142.1137.613.9PiratesIverson AllenDSL Pirates Gold15417.9-1.0138.7126.411.4PiratesKonnor GriffinGreensboro 23419.2-3.5140.6133.110.0PiratesDarell MorelDSL Pirates20217.8-1.1119.2134.28.8PiratesKonnor GriffinBradenton23119.2-2.1128.4135.18.2PiratesEdward FlorentinoBradenton23818.6-2.7123.8128.07.1PiratesKeiner DelgadoGreensboro51421.5-1.2113.1107.55.5PiratesJohan De Los SantosDSL Pirates17416.9-2.0105.9115.04.0

Top 5 Orgs Getting Production From Young Pitchers

OrgYoung
IPPitchersERA+
(Pooled)ERA+Park
ADJ
ERAFIPK-BB%Mets188436104.6121.04.203.6415.96Athletics16282898.3131.54.764.4712.48Rays18573096.2113.54.444.0714.94Marlins21333893.2109.84.513.8315.12Brewers25094690.5107.04.774.0911.96

Top Pitching Contributors For The Top 5 Orgs

OrgPlayerTeamageAge
VS.
LVLIPERA+Park-ADJ
ERAFIPK-BB%MetsJonah TongBinghamton22.0-3.1102.02011.911.7229.7MetsWilliam WatsonBrooklyn22.7-1.063.71852.103.1418.9MetsNolan McLeanSyracuse23.9-3.887.31423.293.9716.4MetsFranklin GomezSt. Lucie20.0-2.348.71852.323.629.7MetsDylan RossSyracuse24.8-2.932.02341.993.6213.4MetsWellington AracenaSt. Lucie20.5-1.864.31442.992.5618.5MetsRyan LambertBinghamton22.8-2.342.01862.072.6221.5MetsDouglas OrellanaBinghamton23.2-2.033.01951.972.0825.6AthleticsFranco ZabaletaDSL Athletics18.7-1.252.76770.783.2715.2AthleticsDonny TroconisStockton19.7-2.650.72951.543.5311.2AthleticsJack PerkinsLas Vegas25.5-2.244.01753.113.4727.1AthleticsCole MillerStockton20.2-2.140.32351.943.2817.4AthleticsGustavo J. RodriguezLas Vegas24.5-3.231.72212.474.6910.9AthleticsGunnar HoglundLas Vegas25.5-2.229.72072.634.1720.0AthleticsJ.T. GinnLas Vegas26.1-1.621.32382.293.0325.0AthleticsElvis AlvaradoLas Vegas26.4-1.429.31493.664.4117.4RaysJoe BoyleDurham25.9-1.886.02082.233.5021.1RaysIan SeymourDurham26.6-1.286.01503.103.4623.6RaysJose UrbinaCharleston19.7-2.692.31502.653.5818.1RaysT.J. NicholsMontgomery23.0-2.137.03211.152.2721.2RaysMason EnglertDurham25.7-2.122.03201.462.5423.1RaysTy JohnsonMontgomery23.8-1.4110.31203.082.3325.8RaysBen PeoplesDurham24.2-3.637.31483.154.2212.3RaysBrody HopkinsMontgomery23.5-1.7116.01153.203.3316.5MarlinsRobby SnellingJacksonville21.5-6.263.72971.572.6126.0MarlinsThomas WhitePensacola20.8-4.445.32001.852.2426.7MarlinsGeorge SorianoJacksonville26.3-1.542.71632.863.3820.0MarlinsJosh WhiteJacksonville Jumbo Shrimp24.6-3.139.31652.822.0929.9MarlinsChristian RoaJacksonville26.3-1.560.31333.494.3014.7MarlinsWilliam KempnerPensacola24.0-1.124.02821.312.7316.7MarlinsGerinton MendezDSL Marlins18.8-1.138.01513.484.4314.2MarlinsEliazar DishmeyJupiter20.7-1.674.71163.714.1010.9BrewersMelvin HernandezCarolina19.0-3.3121.71672.393.1115.4BrewersCraig YohoNashville25.7-2.047.74011.162.4920.9BrewersJacob MisiorowskiNashville23.2-4.563.31782.623.3019.4BrewersEthan DorchiesACL Brewers18.7-1.227.02532.023.1322.9BrewersBishop LetsonWisconsin20.8-2.937.32081.972.2623.9BrewersJayden DubanewiczCarolina Mudcats19.3-3.058.71452.753.8312.6BrewersRobert GasserNashville Sounds26.1-1.632.01682.772.6820.0BrewersDiustin MayorquinDSL Brewers 117.7-2.347.71413.742.6722.0

Young Hitter Production Rankings For All 30 Teams

ORGPASHitterswRC+OPS+wRAATigers551016120.3122.6122.8Mariners637416110.0111.181.4Yankees528817109.7106.855.7Mets827622109.6109.157.7Pirates762926109.0106.864.5Cardinals548418108.1110.653.6Orioles741429107.8101.354.9Dodgers688820107.5105.650.7Guardians1226339107.2102.077.5White Sox703720106.5105.619.5Phillies781729105.7105.235.7Twins774627105.3101.045.6Cubs758320105.0104.320.6Rays1054333104.1104.111.6Reds831724103.6100.58.4Brewers1081035103.598.16.5Blue Jays733424101.999.6-3.8Padres280510101.4103.52.5Braves615017101.399.1-9.6Marlins829026100.797.80.2Astros607221100.6100.114.8Red Sox1181938100.397.7-34.8Rangers800427100.098.26.0Royals65832299.897.1-16.9Diamondbacks102992799.093.5-23.5Giants72282298.3100.6-11.6Angels62161998.297.2-27.9Rockies85362997.897.9-19.9Athletics60681997.295.7-20.9Nationals65432095.495.8-57.0

Young Pitcher Production Rankings For All 30 Teams

OrgIPERA+
(Pooled)ERA+FIPK-BB%Mets1884.1104.6121.03.6416.0Athletics1627.298.3131.54.4712.5Rays1857.196.2113.54.0714.9Marlins2133.093.2109.83.8315.1Brewers2509.090.5107.04.0912.0Rangers1118.489.8124.94.3113.6Royals2144.187.3102.84.1912.5Blue Jays1428.186.299.74.3513.2Yankees1157.284.899.84.1411.9Giants1537.084.594.34.8911.8Cubs1158.484.2104.84.2910.6Red Sox1802.283.699.94.4011.8Braves1503.083.1117.44.3611.5Orioles1327.283.096.24.2511.5Guardians2142.181.595.24.4510.7Dodgers2204.080.294.14.7111.5Pirates1925.180.092.44.3211.1Cardinals2019.479.695.84.1013.5Tigers1011.079.588.44.2512.9Mariners1306.078.591.74.5112.1Nationals1040.078.292.84.5011.1Diamondbacks2116.177.392.05.049.2Twins1593.077.391.54.3912.8White Sox1405.277.389.34.3312.2Rockies2135.176.1108.85.0110.7Astros2134.075.893.74.939.7Angels1895.074.698.64.6810.5Phillies1078.174.192.04.3912.1Padres1943.473.985.04.6110.3Reds1457.173.493.74.868.2

A quick explanation of the difference between pooled ERA+ and standard ERA+: Pooled ERA+ takes all young pitchers from an organization, gets a park-adjusted ERA for them and then indexes it against the league. Standard ERA+ takes the ERA+ of each pitcher and weights them by innings pitched to combine them.

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Relief pitcher Devin Williams expressed interest in potentially re-signing with the New York Yankees following the team’s playoff elimination at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after the Yanks’ season-ending, 5-2 defeat, Williams said he is “definitely open” to signing a deal that would keep him in New York:

Williams added that he has enjoyed his time with the Yankees despite the challenges he faced during the 2025 season, saying, “At first, it was a challenge, but I’ve grown to love being here. I love the city. … I’ve really enjoyed my experience here.”

Blue Jays vs. Yankees (10/08/2025)

New York acquired Williams in an offseason trade that sent infielder Caleb Durbin and pitcher Nestor Cortes to the Milwaukee Brewers.

At the time, it felt like a small price to pay for a pitcher who had been among the most dominant closers in baseball the previous few seasons.

Over his six MLB seasons in Milwaukee before his arrival in New York, Williams posted a 27-10 record with 68 saves, a 1.83 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP and 375 strikeouts over 235.2 innings.

It seemed like a slam dunk pickup for the Yanks, adding a two-time All-Star, two-time Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year and the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year to the bullpen.

However, Williams struggled out of the gate in New York and never fully recovered. He struggled through what was the worst statistical season of his career by far, going 4-6 with 18 saves, a 4.79 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP and 90 strikeouts over 62 innings.

Williams began the season as the Yankees’ closer, but he allowed runs in two of his first four outings and gave up three earned runs in three separate appearances in April alone.

That led to Williams being demoted from the closer role, and although he took it back momentarily, the job ended up going to David Bednar after the Yankees acquired him from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline.

The totality of the season was not great for Williams, but he did not surrender a run in any of his final nine regular-season appearances, and from Aug. 10 to Sept. 28, he had a 2.50 ERA in 18 innings.

Williams was also effective in four playoff outings, allowing three hits, two walks and no earned runs, while striking out four.

It is fair to wonder if Williams did enough to interest the Yankees in retaining him, although that may largely depend on his asking price.

Williams, Luke Weaver, Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn are all set to hit free agency, while the Yankees have club options on Tim Hill and Jonathan Loaisiga.

Bednar, Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. are the top relievers still under contract for next season, potentially opening the door for the Yanks to have a much-needed overhaul of their bullpen.

Whether that includes Williams remains to be seen, but given how he ended the 2025 season, he could be a prime bounce-back candidate in 2026.

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NEW YORK — Statistically speaking, Aaron Judge had a nice day.

In Game 4 of the ALDS, he went 2-for-4 with an intentional walk. His two outs were a strikeout and a 112-mph liner smoked right at the second baseman. He made a few nice plays in the field. Judge did not send one flying to the heavens — not every day is Christmas — but it was a productive trip to the office.

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Yet he finished the evening in the same scattered fashion he has finished every year of his career. Disappointed, downtrodden, his eyes puffy and distant with the remnants of tears, his words low and tired. Once more, Judgeâ€s Yankees did not win the World Series. The “October in the Bronx†dream is dead yet again.

[Get more New York news: Yankees team feed]

And as the current face of this institution, as the living emblem of all that Yankeedom represents, as the captain forced to shoulder the 16-year championship drought, Judge was once again left to explain his clubâ€s failures on Wednesday, after a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays ended the Yankees’ season.

“It’s tough to say right now,†Judge replied when asked whether there’s anything the Yankees were missing to get them over the hump. “I gotta review this season, kind of go through it. I might have a better answer for you.â€

The scene around Judge in the Yankees†locker room featured all the typical sights and sounds of a group understanding it will never be together again. Hugs, thank-yous, handshakes, make-sure-you-text-mes. There were fewer tears than a November goodbye but more than a September goodbye. The weepiest person in the room was Paul Goldschmidtâ€s 10-year-old son, Jake, who received consolations from what seemed like the entire Yankees roster.

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At one point, Andy Pettite strolled in, making him the only one in the room who’d won a World Series in pinstripes. Meanwhile, clubhouse attendants unfolded scores of cardboard boxes, filling them with the various bric-a-brac one finds in a clubhouse. The loud screeches of packing tape being unspooled were often louder than the humbled mumbles of Yankees players conducting postmortems with the media.

“Very disappointed,†second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. “Everyone in here believed that we had such a great team, and we were the team to beat. We believe so much in each other. It’s heartbreaking.”

“We didn’t do our job, didn’t finish the goal,†Judge lamented. “Had a special group in here. Lotta special players that made this year fun. But didn’t get the ultimate prize.”

That ultimate prize, a World Series championship, continues to elude and define Judge. Even though he ended all doubts about his postseason fortitude with that unforgettable swing in Game 3, he knows the expectations that come with wearing the pinstripes. He is already, far and away, the greatest Yankee of all time without a ring.

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He did his best Wednesday, delivering a commendable performance that also served to reinforce baseballâ€s limitations in legacy creation. This sport, more than any other, restricts the myth of the lone hero. Itâ€s in the gameâ€s DNA, both frustrating and beautiful. One player can dominate, inspire, ignite, but he cannot do it all alone. Every at-bat is a solitary experience, but the end result is a collaboration.

And while the outcome of Game 4 was compelling, the game itself was not, especially compared to the thrill ride that transpired the night before. This contest was much quieter, a slow burning away of the Yankees†season, a gradual realization in the Jays dugout that the Bronx dragon would be slayed. But while the evening was light on drama, this result will linger sourly in New York and stand the test of time in Toronto.

“The ending’s the worst, right?†Yankees manager Aaron Boone commiserated afterward.

Aaron Judge did his part, but the Yankees came up short in the ALDS against the Blue Jays. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

(Al Bello via Getty Images)

The beginning wasnâ€t so good, either. The game started with the Jays striking quickly against Yankees rookie Cam Schlittler, fresh off that magnificent wild-card performance last week against Boston. Toronto plated a single run in the top of the first courtesy of — who else? — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. With a runner on second, Torontoâ€s top bat sliced a liner over the first-base bag for an RBI knock. New York punched back in the third with a solo home run from nine-hole hitter Ryan McMahon, a glove-first veteran acquired at the deadline from the baseball backwater that is Denver.

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The Jays retook a one-run lead in the fifth on a pair of singles and a sac fly. Meanwhile, a carousel of Toronto relievers continued to silence the Yankees†bats. Then Toronto broke it open in the seventh, the crucial moment a brutal error from Chisholm. A soft one-hopper that wouldâ€ve been a double play caromed off the heel of his glove and trickled into the outfield. A few batters later, outfielder Nathan Lukes shot an elevated Devin Williams fastball into center for a two-RBI single.

That was, effectively, the ballgame. The Jays added a run in the eighth to stretch their lead to four. New York threatened in the bottom of that frame, loading the bases with two outs to bring the tying run to the dish in Austin Wells. He flew out weakly on the first pitch of his at-bat to end the threat. Judge clobbered one off the wall in the ninth, an RBI single that trimmed the lead to three, but the game never seriously felt within reach for the Yankees.

“I’m confident we’ll break through,†Boone asserted afterward. “I have been every year, and I believe in so many of the people in that room. That hasn’t changed. The fire hasn’t changed. It’s hard to win the World Series. Been chasing it all my life.â€

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And as Boone well knows, he canâ€t do it alone. Nobody can, not even the greatest hitter on the planet. Both Aarons are likely to be back next season — Boone, when asked, stated that heâ€s under contract and expects to return as manager — to do it all over again. Theyâ€ll have as good a shot as anybody else. The Yankees wield enormous financial might and boast a formidable pitching rotation. They also have Judge, a player so brilliant he makes anything seem possible.

Even winning a World Series.

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