The Opener

With the offseason on the verge of kicking into high gear, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Option decisions come due:

Today is the deadline for option decisions around the league. Many of the most significant option decisions were resolved over the weekend, including veteran righty Marcus Stroman’s decision to hit the open market and the White Sox’s decision to decline their option on shortstop Tim Anderson. That being said, there are a handful of option decisions that have been left to the final day before the deadline. Some of them seem fairly certain, such as the likelihood that shortstop Javier Baez will opt into the final four years and $98MM remaining on his contract with the Tigers, but other decisions provide more intrigue. Giants outfielder Michael Conforto, Tigers catcher Carson Kelly, and Blue Jays right-hander Chad Green are among the players whose option decisions still appear to be up in the air headed into the day.

2. Qualifying Offer decisions:

By 4pm CT this afternoon, teams will have to decide whether or not to extend pending free agents a one-year, $20.325MM qualifying offer. If a player receives a QO, he’ll have until November 14 to decide whether to accept or reject the offer. If rejected, the player’s former team will receive draft pick compensation in the event the player signs anywhere else this offseason. Players traded mid-season such as Lucas Giolito and Jeimer Candelario are ineligible to receive a QO, as are players who have already been extended the QO previously such as Marcus Stroman and Justin Turner. Many QO decisions are fairly cut-and-dry; it’s all but certain, for example, that the Angels will extend Shohei Ohtani a qualifying offer, which he in turn is all but certain to reject. That being said, some decisions aren’t so certain, such as that of the Dodgers regarding veteran slugger J.D. Martinez. MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald recently previewed today’s pitching QO decisions, while MLBTR’s Anthony Franco discussed today’s decisions regarding position players.

3. MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents:

With the 2023-24 class of free agents on the verge of being mostly set in stone this afternoon, we here at MLBTR are excited to unveil our annual Top 50 Free Agents list later today. Some outlets have already published theirs, but we like to wait until the QO decisions have been revealed because they can have such a significant impact on a free agent’s market. This makes us a little bit late to the party but allows us to provide a bit more analysis and (hopefully) more accuracy. For instance, one year ago, we predicted that Joc Pederson would accept the QO and returns to the Giants, which eventually came to pass. For most borderline QO candidates, we have separate predictions based on whether they get the offer or not. It’s our biggest post of the year and you should keep an eye out for it later today! Shortly after that comes out, we will also launch our annual prediction contest, where you can do your best to try and predict the events of an unpredictable offseason.

With the offseason ramping up, here are three things we’re monitoring heading into the weekend…

1. Parade in Arlington:

The first World Series title in Rangers’ history will be celebrated with a parade taking place today in Arlington. It’s set to kick off at 12:15 pm Central time, but local reporting indicates that some fans started lining up last night. If you’re planning on heading down, don’t delay.

2. Mets’ managerial vacancy:

Reporting from yesterday indicates that the Mets are narrowing the field in their managerial search with a hire perhaps being made soon. Craig Counsell, Carlos Mendoza and Mark Kotsay are thought to still be in the running at this point. Could the club have a new skipper by the time Monday rolls around?

3. Free agent pool growing:

The pool of available free agents grew by huge numbers yesterday as players and clubs began making decisions on contract options and opt-outs. Outfielder Jorge Soler, infielder/outfielder Whit Merrifield and right-hander Seth Lugo were some of the bigger names to hit the open market, but there were dozens of others. November 6 is the deadline for these decisions and for qualifying offers, with plenty of choices still to be made in the coming days.

With the World Series now over, here are three things we’re keeping an eye on around baseball today…

1. Rangers win it all:

The Rangers finally have their first World Series title, defeating the Diamondbacks last night. Now it’s time to celebrate, with a parade already planned for Friday. After that, the attention will turn to the offseason. After being extremely aggressive in recent years, will they take their foot off the gas or continue pressing forward?

2. Diamondbacks Outlook and chat:

It was a great season for the Diamondbacks, who made it all the way to the final showdown on the heels of three straight losing campaigns. How can they build on this year and reload for 2024? MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series will head to Arizona later today, with a chat to follow at 2:00 pm Central. Click here to ask a question in advance.

3. The offseason begins:

With the 2023 season now in the can, it’s time for the 2023-24 offseason! There will be plenty of rumors, signings and trades, with much attention focused on the most unique free agent of all time. Eligible players can become free agents today but won’t be able to sign with a new club for five days. They can sign with their 2023 club, however, as Joe Jiménez has already done. There’s also a five-day window for decisions on contract options, opt-outs and qualifying offers. Keep checking MLBTR for all the latest!

As the calendar flips to November, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Rangers attempt to clinch:

Despite losing ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer for the remainder of the series yesterday, the Rangers saw an explosion of offense early in the game allow them to pull ahead 3-1 in the series despite being outscored 1-7 by the Diamondbacks after the third inning of last night’s game. Now, the Rangers have the opportunity to clinch their first-ever World Series victory for the first time since 2011, when they were up over the Cardinals three games to two after Game Five but lost the final two games of the series, allowing the Cardinals to come back and win the series in seven. Tonight they’ll rely on veteran right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who has a career 3.30 ERA in the postseason but surrendered five runs on six hits in just 4 2/3 innings of work during his first start of the series, to bring an end to the club’s 62-year championship drought.

2. Diamondbacks look to survive:

Meanwhile, Arizona is staring down a win-or-go-home Game Five tonight after dropping two consecutive games at home. For tonight, they’ll look to take the series back to Arlington and stave off elimination with Zac Gallen on the mound. Gallen put in a performance worthy of NL Cy Young award consideration during the regular season, posting a 3.47 ERA and 3.27 FIP while notching 220 strikeouts in 210 innings of work and collecting 17 wins for Arizona throughout the season. Things have come off the rails for Gallen in the postseason, however. In 27 1/3 innings of work this postseason, Gallen has mustered only a 5.27 ERA with six home runs allowed, a 15.3% strikeout rate and a walk rate of 11%.

As Gallen looks to turn his postseason around this evening, Ketel Marte will look to extend an otherworldly hitting streak after becoming the first player in MLB history to record a hit in 20 consecutive postseason games. That record is a capstone on what was already a fantastic postseason for Marte, who has slashed .338/.365/.549 with a 145 wRC+ that’s outpaced by only Garcia, Evan Carter, and Corey Seager among players still in the hunt. Marte will try to extend the postseason hitting streak to 21 tonight at 7:03pm CT.

3. Counsell’s market solidifying:

Another suitor for free agent manager Craig Counsell was revealed yesterday, with the Astros reportedly throwing their hat into the ring alongside the Mets, Guardians, and incumbent Brewers. It’s unclear how strong the interest in Counsell is from Houston; the club’s reported top two candidates for the position are bench coach Joe Espada alongside former Tigers and Angels manager Brad Ausmus, though it’s possible that could change if Counsell is interested in joining the Astros. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported yesterday that Counsell is currently “weighing his options” after meeting with both the Mets and Guardians, though he also cautioned that there isn’t a clear timeline for his decision at this point. That said, with the start of free agency on the horizon, all interest clubs are surely hoping to have a manager in place sooner rather than later.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day this Halloween:

1. Diamondbacks fall behind at home:

The Diamondbacks dropped the first game of the World Series homestand last night as the Rangers won 3-1. That leaves Arizona trailing in the series, two games to one, as they prepare for Game 4 this evening. As the club did in Game 4 of the NLCS, the Diamondbacks will once again turn to a bullpen game, opened by left-hander Joe Mantiply (4.26 ERA this postseason). Texas, on the other hand, will start lefty Andrew Heaney (6.00 postseason ERA) with righty Dane Dunning (6.00 postseason ERA) and southpaw Cody Bradford (1.35 postseason ERA) as potential piggyback options. Another point of intrigue surrounds second baseman Ketel Marte, who will look to extend his record-breaking playoff hitting streak to 20 consecutive games as he enters the day slashing .333/.362/.545 this postseason. Tonight’s game is slated to begin at 7:03pm CT.

2. Rangers dealing with uncertainty following injuries:

Even as the Rangers took a 2-1 lead in the World Series last night, however, they too face considerable uncertainty going forward. That’s thanks to injuries sustained by two of their key players: outfielder and ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia, who walked off Game 1 of the World Series with an 11th-inning homer but departed yesterday’s game with a left side issue; and veteran right-hander Max Scherzer, who departed his start last night after three innings due to back spasms.

While Garcia underwent an MRI last night, with Rangers manager Bruce Bochy indicating (as relayed by Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today) that the club is “optimistic” regarding their slugger, the chances of Scherzer making another appearance during the series appear far murkier. While Scherzer has indicated he’ll have a better idea of whether or not he can take the mound for Game 7 on Wednesday, it’s fair to wonder if Texas can afford to wait that long before bringing a fresh arm in to replace Scherzer, particularly given the fact that they club is scheduled to play both today and tomorrow.

3. Surgeries for Walls, Cobb could complicate offseason plans:

Both Rays shortstop Taylor Walls and Giants right-hander Alex Cobb were announced yesterday to be undergoing hip surgery. Cobb figures to miss at least the beginning of the 2024 campaign, while Walls is expected to resume baseball activities in February. That puts Opening Day 2024 into down for the infielder, though the Rays are reportedly optimistic about his chances of being ready for the start of the regular season. On the heels of those surgeries, both the Giants and Rays figure to have their offseason to-do lists impacted.

The Giants, now without any surefire starting options beyond Logan Webb for Opening Day 2024, figure to look for starting pitching options this winter aided by a deep class of starting options that includes NPB star Yoshinobu Yamamoto alongside the likes of Blake Snell and Aaron Nola. The Rays, on the other hand, figure to shore up their infield depth this offseason following the loss of Walls, though the free agent crop of shortstop-capable infielders is far less inspiring, with the likes of Amed Rosario and Paul DeJong among the available options.

As the World Series continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. The World Series heads to Arizona:

With the World Series now tied up at one game a piece, the clubs will square off this evening for Game 3 after arriving in Arizona yesterday. On the heels of Merrill Kelly’s one-run nine-strikeout gem in Game 2, the Diamondbacks will turn to right-hander Brandon Pfaadt this evening. Despite posting a lackluster 5.72 ERA in 96 regular season innings this year, Pfaadt has looked good as the club’s third starter this postseason, with a 2.70 ERA across four starts and 16 strikeouts across his last two appearances.

Dominant as he’s looked in recent appearances, however, manager Torey Lovullo has consistently stuck with a quick hook regarding the 25-year-old righty. Pfaadt’s 5 2/3 inning performance against the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLCS is his longest postseason outing to date, and Pfaadt was at just 70 pitches when Lovullo handed the game to the bullpen. We’ll find out tonight whether Pfaadt can keep his recent success up or if he’s earned additional trust from Lovullo and the Arizona front office with his performance this postseason, as the game is set to begin at 7:03pm CT this evening.

2. Scherzer’s playoff homecoming:

Pitching opposite Pfaadt in tonight’s game is veteran ace and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, who is set to face off against the team that drafted him eleventh overall in the 2006 draft to kick off what has been an illustrious professional career. Scherzer ultimately pitched in just two seasons with the Diamondbacks, posting a 3.86 ERA and 3.73 FIP in 226 1/3 innings of work for the club before being shipped to Detroit in trade. Of course, Scherzer has become one of the league’s finest starters since then, racking up three Cy Young awards and more than 3,000 strikeouts since leaving Arizona.

Scherzer’s homecoming comes with its fair share of question marks for the Rangers. The veteran righty missed over a month with a teres major strain that was initially expected to end his season in mid-September, and he was not at his best upon returning in the ALCS against the Astros. Across two games against Houston this postseason, Scherzer surrendered seven runs in 6 2/3 innings of work for the Rangers, striking out six while walking three and allowing two home runs. In addition to the rust from more than a month away from the mound, however, Scherzer recently revealed he was dealing with a cut near the nail on his thumb that impacted his performance against the Astros, though he added the issue shouldn’t continue to impact him going forward. That should come as a relief to fans in Texas, as a strong start from the 39-year-old would put the Rangers in excellent position to head into Game 4 with a series lead.

3. What are the Angels looking for in a new manager?

While the Red Sox have wrapped up their GM search and the Giants landed Bob Melvin to replace Gabe Kapler as their manager, plenty of front office and managerial searches are continuing around the league in the background of the postseason. Among those searches is that of the Angels, who are looking for a new manager to replace outgoing skipper Phil Nevin. It’s been a somewhat curious search so far, as while reports have indicated that the club prefers to hire a veteran manager to lead the club into an uncertain 2024 campaign, many of the known candidates don’t fit that description.

Former Angels players Benji Gil, Darin Erstad, Torii Hunter, and Tim Salmon are all names reportedly under consideration, despite the fact that no member of that group has experience as a major league manager. Erstad and Salmon have experience as head coaches of collegiate and prep programs, respectively, and but Gil is the only one of the group to serve in a major league dugout since retiring as a player; he’s served on the Anaheim coaching staff since 2022 in addition to several stints as a manager in Mexico. That said, some names who wouldn’t be rookie managers have been floated as well. Former big league managers Buck Showalter and Ron Roenicke have both seen their names come up in relation to the Angels’ manager job, with mutual interest being reported between Anaheim and Showalter in particular.

What’s cooking in the baseball world as we near the end of October….

1. The World Series begins tonight:

Game 1 between the Rangers and Diamondbacks takes places tonight in Arlington, with Nathan Eovaldi on the hill for Texas and Zac Gallen getting the start for Arizona.  Seemingly an unlikely matchup when the playoffs began, the Rangers and D’Backs each pulled off upsets against higher-seeded opponents in every round, and overcame 3-2 deficits in the League Championship Series.  The D’Backs are in the World Series for the second time in franchise history, capturing the title in their first trip to the Fall Classic back in 2001.  Texas is still looking for its first championship after coming up short in two prior World Series appearances in 2010-11.

2. The Padres begin their managerial search:

Now that Bob Melvin is officially the Giants’ new manager, the Padres have a hole to fill in the dugout.  The early buzz is that bench coach Ryan Flaherty and senior advisor Mike Shildt are the favorites to succeed Melvin, and Flaherty will inteview with the Padres today after Shildt spoke with the club Wednesday.  Pitching coach Ruben Niebla might also get an interview before San Diego moves on to explore any potential external candidates.  Even if Flaherty, Shildt, or Niebla indeed up with the manager’s job, it only makes sense that the Padres would do due diligence in lining up some other interviews, just in case an unexpected contender might emerge for the job….

3: Schumaker unhappy in Miami?:

…for instance, maybe another current MLB skipper?  Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Marlins manager Skip Schumaker is “upset over” the departure of general manager Kim Ng, who declined her end of the mutual option between her and the Marlins for the 2024 season.  Owner Bruce Sherman had planned to essentially demote Ng by hiring a president of baseball operations to work above her, and this naturally didn’t sit well with Ng — or with Schumaker, who was hired by Ng to manage the club just over a year ago.  Schumaker’s first season in Miami resulted in 84 wins and a wild card berth, and he’d surely get interest for other managerial jobs elsewhere, if his displeasure over Ng has led to a reconsideration of his own future with the Marlins.  However, Heyman doesn’t feel the Marlins would let Schumaker explore any other options, as he is under contract through the 2024 season (with a club option for 2025).

Here are three things to watch around the baseball world today…

1. Dusty to retire:

The Astros have a press conference scheduled for today where manager Dusty Baker will announce his retirement. Baker’s managerial career has seen him at the helm of five different clubs, starting with the Giants back in 1993. Most recently, he’s spent the past four years with the Astros, finally winning the elusive championship with them last year. Houston will now join the list of clubs looking for a new manager, alongside the Mets, Angels, Guardians and Padres. The Brewers may join that list if Craig Counsell ends up departing. He’s still under contract for a few more days but has been given permission to interview with the Mets while the Guardians are looking to get that permission as well.

2. World Series Media Day:

The 2023 World Series doesn’t begin until tomorrow, but there’s plenty to talk about. Today is World Series Media Day, with all the players and managers available to speak with the media ahead of the big event. Zac Gallen will take the ball in Game 1 for the Diamondbacks with Nathan Eovaldi on the bump for the Rangers. The D’Backs won it all in 2001, just their fourth season in existence, but this is their first time back since then. The Rangers have been to the Fall Classic twice before, in 2010 and 2011, but are still looking for their first title.

3. Marlins Offseason Outlook:

MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series is almost complete, with the Marlins up next. That outlook will drop today, with the corresponding team-specific chat scheduled for 3:15 pm Central. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join the chat in progress or read the transcript after.

With the World Series matchup now set, here are three things to keep an eye on today…

1. Diamondbacks’ wild run goes into the World Series:

The Diamondbacks knocked off the Phillies in the NLCS and are now headed to Texas to face the Rangers in the World Series. The D’Backs only won 84 games in the regular season and actually had a run differential of -15, but none of that matters now. They knocked off the Brewers, Dodgers and Phillies to put them in the final showdown, which begins Friday night.

2. Melvin moving on:

It was reported yesterday that the Giants are going to hire Bob Melvin as their manager, after the Padres gave him permission to pursue the gig. The Giants have a press conference scheduled for today and it seems fair to expect that the Melvin move will be made official. That will leave the Padres looking for a new bench boss, joining the Angels, Mets and Guardians as clubs without a manager. The Astros and Brewers could join that list soon with Dusty Baker and Craig Counsell each on expiring contracts.

3. Astros chat:

Yesterday, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco took a look at what could be ahead for the Astros as part of our Offseason Outlook series. Each entry of that series comes with its own team-centric chat where readers can ask questions focused on the club. If you want to chop it up about the Astros, it gets going at 9:30 am Central but you can click here to ask a question in advance.

Three items on the morning docket, including one half of the World Series matchup being finalized…

1. Rangers win the AL pennant:

The Rangers held a 3-0 lead after the first half-inning of Game 7, and an 8-2 lead after the top of the fourth.  Ergo, there ultimately wasn’t much drama as Texas vanquished the Astros by an 11-4 final in the deciding game of the American League Championship Series.  While many of the Rangers’ bats were cooking in the game, the club was led once again by Adolis Garcia, who went 4-for-5 with a pair of solo home runs.  Garcia captured ALCS MVP honors for hitting .357/.400/.893 with five homers and 15 RBI over 30 plate appearances in the seven games, setting a new MLB record for most RBI in a single postseason series.

The road team won all seven games in the unusual series, as the Rangers had to fight back from a 3-2 series deficit by winning both Games 6 and 7 in Houston.  Texas has to hope this road-team trend doesn’t continue, as the Rangers will now hold homefield advantage in the World Series over whichever team comes out of the National League.  The Rangers are 0-2 in their two previous trips to the Fall Classic (in 2010 and 2011), and are still looking for the first championship in franchise history.  As for the Astros, the disappointing loss might lead to some major change heading into 2024, as manager Dusty Baker has indicated that he might be retiring.

2. Mitch Garver’s status:

One downside for the Rangers was a possible injury to Mitch Garver, who was hit in the ribs by a Bryan Abreu pitch in the sixth inning. Garver was in obvious discomfort after the HBP but remained in the game and scored on Nathaniel Lowe’s home run, though he was replaced by a pinch-hitter in his next at-bat.  Garver seemed to be feeling okay when interviewing with Ben Verlander following the game, though the designated hitter underwent some x-rays.

There hasn’t yet been word on the outcome of those tests, but needless to say, there will be some nervousness in Arlington unless Garver is cleared for the World Series.  Acting as the Rangers’ regular DH throughout the playoffs, Garver has hit .294/.368/.529 with two homers in 38 PA, continuing his hot hitting from the regular season.

3. NLCS Game 7:

With one league champion decided, we get to enjoy some more nail-biting Game 7 action tonight when the Phillies host the Diamondbacks in the final game of the National League Championship Series.  Trailing 3-2 in the series heading into yesterday’s Game 6, the D’Backs stayed alive with a 5-1 victory, built on the strength of a three-run rally in second inning.  Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Tommy Pham each hit solo homers, and Ketel Marte continued his bid for NLCS MVP by going 2-for-5 for his fourth multi-hit game of the series.

Brandon Pfaadt (5 2/3 scoreless innings) and Ranger Suarez (5 1/3 shutout frames) each looked very sharp in Game 3 of the NLCS, and they’ll face off again as the scheduled starters for Game 7.  That said, both teams figure to have relatively quick hooks, as pretty much every pitcher on either roster will be available for some usage in the winner-take-all showdown.  On a historical note, this will be the first time in the Phillies’ 141-year franchise history that the club will play a Game 7 of a playoff series.