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.
Dave A
The Rays should move to Oakland for 2025 and become the Oakland R(A’s)
chemfinancing
Yea this is the best idea they need to be at O.Co next year
Nobaseball20
If the Commissioner wants the Rays to stay in the Tampa Area, then
MLB can pay for it.
chemfinancing
I am wondering if playing at the trop without the tarp is being considered
bigjonliljon
Nope. Since it was built as domed stadium, they never built proper drainage system into. Field can’t drain any rain what so ever
Mikenmn
The idea of taxpayers building a “summer” home for the Rays for three years, to be followed by taxpayers building a “permanent” home after is a strange one. But, I don’t get the “financed” part….no insurance?
YankeesBleacherCreature
It all comes down to what insurance will cover (no pun intended) and whether it’ll be enough money to restore and improve the fixtures to be able to withstand another possible similar weather event over the next three years. Damage assessment is already underway.
stash
I am a Yankee way back to 1961, so I am rooting for the Dodgers!!
YankeesBleacherCreature
You’ll be back after the WS!
Yankee Clipper
I’ll bite……. Why?
steven st croix
I am rooting for both teams to lose
Yankee Clipper
It’s almost as if owning things is a responsibility. Weird, Stu.
Acoss1331
MLB collectively can pay to repair the Trop. They make billions every year, they can afford it. Especially for a venue that’s not going to be used in three years…
chemfinancing
For as big of news as Yankees Dodgers in WS is, Rays situation could be equally exciting
Milt Pappas>Armando Galaragga
Here’s hoping the club that signs Hyeseong Kim will also sign Ha-Seong Kim and make things easy on us.
Old York
I’m not suggesting Sasaki is terrible but one has to understand that NPB has been in a deadball era for a while now. This year had quite a bit of deadball. So, when we see very low ERAs and such, understand that the ball isn’t flying out of parks like they do here.
This one belongs to the Reds
I’m sure MLB is loving their big money series brought to you by Draft Kings and BetMGM.
Advertising on the helmets last time, do we see “Chico’s Bail Bonds” on the jersey this time?
Troy Percival's iPad
There isn’t any good reason that the World Series begins later than tonight
James Midway
Will the Padres replace Ha Seong King with Hyeseong Kim?