Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Rockies

 

I'm sure you're all spending today cleaning up after Christmas, getting rid of all the ripped up wrapping paper and boxes, spent on leftovers and watching reruns on TV, and I won't even blame you if none of you want to read a post on the 2025 Rockies. Like if this post gets zero page views, then honestly it deserves it. There's a list on the sidebar of the ten most viewed posts, mostly bolstered by bot usage or random spikes or whatever, and if this one ends up on that list then I'll know it's time to end the blog, because if this shit is being rewarded then there's no point.

The 2025 Rockies were an extremely bad baseball team. Any talent was either too injured to contribute, too young to make an impact, too burnt-out to manage anything, or simply couldn't keep pitches away from people at Coors Field. This is a team with Kris Bryant, German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, Mickey Moniak and Orlando Arcia, and if you were to hear that eight years ago you'd have gone 'oh, that sounds like a decent team, right?' This team couldn't even win 45 games. If it weren't for an alarming number of wins against the Cardinals and Diamondbacks, this team would have been even worse than the 2024 White Sox. Imagine that! That was already the bar for ineptitude. And here come the Rockies, with no pitching, like 2 good hitters and a crap-ton of replacement level guys, and they're rivaling it. 

The Rockies' bullpen had a surprising number of clear standouts. Jake Bird before the trade. Jimmy Herget. Ultimately Victor Vodnik, a homegrown relief weapon with a name like a James Bond villain and an imposing stare to match. Vodnik's 1.8 WAR made him the third most valuable Rockie this year, behind Herget and Hunter Goodman, and he had a 3.02 ERA in 52 appearances, despite a 1.401 WHIP. His 10 saves also means he may rival Seth Halvorsen for the ninth next year.

2026 Prediction: Yeah there's no way he's lasting the whole year here, he's way too good for Denver.

Dropped from the Rangers' roster to make room for, I'm assuming, Merrill Kelly or one of the other deadline pickups, 1st baseman Blaine Crim's first season in the bigs was looking like it was getting off to a horrid start. But then the Rockies came calling, and plugged Crim into the lineup for 15 games as a replacement for Michael Toglia. Crim responded with an excellent stretch, with an .851 OPS, 12 RBIs and 5 homers, a fitting power burst for a team with nothing left to lose.

2026 Prediction: Well, the Rockies don't exactly have a lot of options, so he starts the majority of games at 1st and hits 25 homers.

Coming Tomorrow- So many Kansas City Royals.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Reds

 

Ever since that 2020 squad made it to an extended playoff picture, the Reds have been desperately trying to relegitimize themselves. This year they put Terry Francona in the driver's seat, made some very smooth moves in free agency and trading, and put together a very nice, if scrappy, mid-tier competitor. Now, I will say that if Hunter Greene had made it the whole season, they may have won enough games to not have to play the Dodgers in the wild card round, but as is, they were completely embarrassed. The Reds were engineered to win close games, and the Dodgers didn't give them any.

That doesn't mean that they're a bad team, it just means that this time around they were outmatched. Maybe a tad underdeveloped. Maybe a few healthy pieces from greatness. But this team was able to make Elly de la Cruz, Andrew Abbott, T.J. Friedl and, yes, Hunter Greene into guys playoff teams had to manage around. And it's only the beginning, because you can see Chase Petty and Sal Stewart coming up the pipe. Plus, Rhett Lowder could be back soon.

Tyler Stephenson is in a somewhat awkward position though, as one of the few pieces of the last rebuild effort in Cincinnati. Stephenson was a great hitting catcher in concept but has mellowed into a very okay everyday player, with middling defense and underwhelming power numbers. This year he hit .231 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs in an injury-shortened 88-game season. 

2026 Prediction: A healthy improvement, just in time for free agency in 2027.

Gavin Lux getting traded to Cincinnati was the Dodgers admitting that they have more faith in their ability to buy a great team than their ability to draft one these days. Between Lux, Dustin May, Hunter Feduccia, Michael Grove...it just hasn't been happening lately. So Lux got dealt to the Reds, and he primarily played a DH role, mostly because his defense has been atrocious. In 140 games, Lux hit .269 with 5 homers and 53 RBIs, meaning he's a decent contact bat without a ton of punch.

2026 Prediction: Lux is one of those 'oh who even knows' types because he'll either underwhelm or get injured. I say he does a little better than 2025 but the Reds are very quickly gonna get tired of him.

Nick Martinez has one of the surest gigs in Cincinnati, because all he has to do is sit there and wait for Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene or Brandon Williamson to get hurt and then he does a nice job. Martinez was alright as a long reliever and depth guy, but unsurprisingly he also got 26 starts this year, going 10-10 with a 4.72 ERA yet a 1.248 WHIP and 106 Ks. Martinez, if nothing else, is sturdy, reliable and trustworthy. He fits into whatever role you've got and does what he can. Martinez also ensured that every Reds starter, of the core five, had a WAR higher than 2.2. Considering how many of these guys used to only be around for 10 starts, that's a good change of pace.

2026 Prediction: With the Reds supposedly moving on, and considering they have Burns, Lowder and probably Williamson backing up the core four, they have a right to, Martinez will find a mid-rotation job with a non-competitive team. Then maybe somebody cool trades for him at the deadline. Padres reunion perhaps?

Austin Hays, curiously I might add, didn't do as well in Philadelphia as he did in the laid back, homey southern tip of Baltimore. Also curiously he seemed to improve upon getting to play in Cincinnati. Very curious. I'm not gonna go into detail about my grievances against Hays, but suffice to say I think him getting to wear red this year was a bit on-the-nose. Anyway, Hays did well in a starting role in the Reds outfield, hitting .266 with 15 homers and 64 RBIs, plus some excellent defense, in 108 games. The injuries limited him, but it was a definite improvement for Hays.

2026 Prediction: Lol watch him sign with the Rays. Probably does okay somewhere. 

Will Benson was relegated to 'depth OF' position after an underwhelming 2024, and didn't make the team til midyear. This may have been the trick with Benson, as deployed in a bench OF/extra man sort of role he was way better, with 12 homers and 41 RBIs in 90 games. 

2026 Prediction: I think he's figured it out, he'll be even better in the first half and will play an elevated role in the stretch.

Tony Santillan, like a lot of Reds relief pieces admittedly, is terrific when he's healthy but will miss enough time to make you forget that. He was healthy all year this year, and appeared in 80 games with a 2.44 ERA, a 3.0 WAR and 75 Ks. It was the best season, and fullest season, of Santillan's career, and it was one the Reds had been waiting for for a while. 

2026 Prediction: Ow..

The Reds' main ninth inning option, in lieu of Alexis Diaz falling apart, was Emilio Pagan, the former Rays and Padres relief specialist who most recently figured his shit out with Minnesota. Pagan was not a perfect closer, and notoriously made things hairy in a few games against the Brewers, but still finished the year with a 2.88 ERA, 81 Ks and 32 saves. It was enough to ensure the Reds would keep him on long-term.

2026 Prediction: Not sure if he keeps the ninth all year but he'll be worth the cash I think.

Chase Burns, a HUGE organizational piece for the Reds, was given some midyear MLB starting opportunities. Usually that means the major league starters are all going down, but honestly this was a more natural and expected development than usual, despite Burns struggling to keep the job. In 13 games, Burns had a 4.57 ERA, despite a welcome 67 Ks. 

2026 Prediction: Well, ideally the Reds won't really need Burns for a while, but...if the opportunity presents itself, he'll be way better, and take a big role in a postseason run.

One of the smartest things the Reds did at the deadline was bringing on Ke'Bryan Hayes, on his way to a gold glove. Hayes continued to be one of the best defensive infielders in the game, despite not being especially helpful at the plate, hitting .234 with 3 homers and 13 RBIs in 52 games. So they platooned him with either Miguel Andujar or Noelvi Marte mostly.

2026 Prediction: At some point this season, Ke'Bryan Hayes is going to start hitting, and people will be too shocked about it.

And then to relieve Burns, and honestly Martinez, of starting duties, the Reds traded for Zack Littell, who'd been great in Tampa this year. Littell continued the strong work in Cincinnati, going 2-0 with a 4.39 ERA and 42 Ks in 10 starts. Unfortunately he was responsible for the loss in Game 2 of the wild card series.

2026 Prediction: The Rays want to bring him back, and I say they do so, but only for a year. And it goes alright.

Coming Friday: I'm giving you all Xmas off, and then on friday you get the baseball version of coal in your stockings, some extra Rockies.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Red Sox

 

At long last, the Boston Red Sox, in Alex Cora's second tenure as manager, finally found a winning formula. All it took was trading away Rafael Devers.

Trevor Story finally had a healthy year, and gave the Sox what they'd been waiting for. The rookies, including Roman Anthony and Connelly Early, sought to eventually inherit the team by flashing cool MLB moments. Masataka Yoshida cemented his status as the ultimate Yankee-killer. Alex Bregman had a year so good it might land him a contract away from Boston. And it all led to a playoff berth, culminating in a suitably-strong Yanks-Sox series, one that ultimately resulted in a New York win.

The biggest triumph of all was getting a Cy Young caliber season out of Garrett Crochet. I initially questioned the Sox's choice to trade so much of their future to Chicago on the basis of one strong season from Crochet, itself marred by limited innings down the stretch. I was worried that the second Garrett Crochet got to Boston, he'd get hurt and render the deal pointless. Even in making a custom in March, I was very skeptical of how long the Sox would be able to savor this deal. Therefore, I apologize for doubting both parties. I whipped up a much better Crochet custom, one definitely befitting of his terrific 2025 season. 

Because there were so many ripe targets to customize this year, and because I was out of commission for a lot of the summer, I didn't even get to doing one of Brayan Bello, who had another really nice year as a Sox starter. It's weird to say this but Bello finally got a season ERA below 4, and went 11-9 with a 3.35 ERA over 28 starts. He'll be 27 next year, and the future's looking pretty bright.

2026 Prediction: Sub-3 ERA, Cy Young votes, ASG nod.

There were two ex-White Sox heroes who signed 2-year deals with the Sox before the 2024 season only to sit the season out entirely, both finally pitching for them this year. One of them was former White Sox hero Lucas Giolito, who blew his arm out midway through the 2023 season [as the Angels found out the hard way], and recovered all last year. His stuff in 2025 was pretty good, he went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA and 121 Ks over 26 starts. Slightly limited due to making sure his arm didn't fall apart, but a much nicer showing.

2026 Prediction: Tigers sign him to a 1-year deal, he misses two months but ekes out a crucial postseason win for them.

The other ex-Chicago pitcher to finally play a healthy[-ish] season for the Sox this year was Liam Hendriks, the beloved Australian closer. Hendriks has still been recovering from both arm injuries and cancer treatments, and his 14-game run this year seemed to indicate the majority of his strong stuff wasn't there, with a 6.59 ERA and 2 losses. At the very least, he fulfilled his end of the bargain as best he could.

2026 Prediction: Retires.

At the very least, perennial Boston bullpen piece Garrett Whitlock had a healthier year this year, mostly because he wasn't being relied upon to start games. He was the top reliever in the 'pen this year, with a 2.25 ERA and 91 Ks, plus 7 wins, in 72 innings. His best year since the breakout for sure.

2026 Prediction: Knowing Whitlock this year will be a major step down.

In a long line of excellent Red Sox bench guys, Rob Refsnyder has been everything this team has needed him to be and more since joining the team in 2022. All he needs to do is show up, occasionally start, and be relied upon for the odd clutch hit. This year in 70 games he hit .269 with 9 homers, 30 RBIs and an .838 OPS. 

2026 Prediction: When I wrote this post, I did not see anyone other than the Red Sox signing him, as I did not think Refsnyder wanted to play anywhere else. But to be perfectly honest, the Mariners NEED a bench guy like Refsnyder, since Dylan Moore and Mitch Garver didn't work. I think Refsnyder will ultimately work in Seattle, but I want to stress that they got him as a depth option. Hopefully he doesn't end up stuck as a starting option.

One of the big developments of the Red Sox' 2025 season was the emphasis on bringing in the rookies and giving them chances to be the star. Kristian Campbell got his chance out of camp, and he was just the beginning. Hunter Dobbins got to start some games after the Red Sox realized that Sean Newcomb starting games wasn't a good idea, and in 13 starts he had a 4.13 ERA with 45 Ks and a 4-1 record. The most infamous detail of Dobbins' season was that he went 2-0 against the Yankees, including going 6 innings against them only allowing 2 hits. Dobbins eventually made a comment that he'd sooner retire than play for the Yankees. After this, he got beaten up by the Giants, missed a month, then had to miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL. Karmic retribution, perhaps.

2026 Prediction: Even before the Contreras deal I figured he’d be traded, just from how much rotation overhead the Sox currently possess. St. Louis has much more room, and though I’m not sure if he’ll be opening day ready, he’s got a good chance of being a stretch savior even if the Cardinals miss again.

Marcelo Mayer was the second of the three big Sox rookies to come up this year, easing in at third a tad as Alex Bregman missed time. Mayer's 44 games in the bigs were very okay- he hit .228 with 4 homers and 10 RBIs. Eventually he was brought back down to make room for Bregman again.

2026 Prediction: So, uh...Bregman's not coming back. Everybody knows it, except maybe Bregman himself. There will be an opening at third, and Mayer will be ready. I think he's gonna have a huge season next year, though maybe not as huge as another Sox rookie:

Of the three call-ups in the lineup, Roman Anthony was the one who got fans the most excited. Biggest prospect, biggest offensive perk, highest ceiling. At a certain point this season, Anthony was looking like so much of a sure thing that the Sox were trying to shop Jarren Duran. Anthony, in 71 games, hit .292 with an .859 OPS, with 8 homers and 32 RBIs. It was a very confident MLB audition, one that would have garnered more ROY votes had Anthony not gotten hurt mid-August.

2026 Prediction: Get those posters up on Yawkey Way. Crochet. Story. Anthony right in the middle. This guy's the future, and the future's gonna kick in big time next year.

The Sox made some minor moves at the deadline, mostly supplanting the pitching staff. In a move that still confuses me, the Sox got Dustin May from LA, looking to...LIGHTEN their starting load. Yes, they still won it all, but I think May could have helped. He got 6 games in Boston before getting hurt, and went 1-4 with a 5.40 ERA. 

2026 Prediction: Rebounds slightly with St. Louis but unless he plans on figuring out how to stay healthy for all 7 months, it's not gonna really matter.

Meanwhile, after having a tremendous season as a swingman and reliever with the Cardinals, Steven Matz landed on the Sox for a similar reason for the stretch. In 21 games, Matz had a 2.08 ERA, with a 0.877 WHIP. Nobody was getting past this guy this year. He went scoreless against the Yanks in the playoffs as well.

2026 Prediction: Well, now the Rays are gonna figure out how to work with him. My guess is they start him, he's great, they trade him for prospects and then he gets hurt again.

Coming Tomorrow- The Reds, similarly, broke through and made it to the playoffs after years of trying. It didn't end well for them. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Rays

 

I don't know how evident it is from how I write about them, but I really, really dislike the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays are the most blatant case in favor of instituting a salary floor, because they have no incentive to pay their players [save for domestic abusers], and will sooner trade a piece that is working in exchange for movable pieces than actually put money into the team. Lots of other teams do this, but even the A's, Pirates and Twins will give out contracts. The Rays only have one remaining member from the 2020 team, Yandy Diaz. They had three going into the offseason, but they cut one and traded the other for scraps. Then they traded another guy who was just getting the hang of things to a divisional competitor. When Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero and Ryan Pepiot ask for more money they'll be traded too. It's genuinely insufferable. And add to that the unwillingness to play anywhere other than the still-decaying Trop, the fact that four of their pitchers boycotted pride month a couple years back [none of them are still on the team but I'll never forget], and their inexplicable desire to compete this past year despite having little to no shot. This team is everything I dislike about modern baseball, and I shudder to think that the upcoming bargaining agreement will settle favoring con-jobs like the Rays' ownership even more. 

I mention this because I only have three Rays players for Uncustomed Heroes this year. That's all they deserved. What the hell was I gonna do, make one of some of the 29-year-old rookies they had shuffling around? One of them just got traded anyway! Do a frigging Taylor Walls custom, when Walls can't hit to save his damned life? Validate Christopher Morel, a rare Rays cut I actually agree with? What the hell can you even say about this Rays team? The only positional upgrades they made came from the White Sox! Two of their all-stars were hurt in the second half. The big Shane McClanahan comeback was rushed, leading to yet another injury in camp. This team came in 4th after a surprise smash of a May/June run, because the practical-ball thing only works if you actually put work into making the team great around it, as Toronto can tell you.

Anyhow. Pete Fairbanks had a terrific season as the primary ninth inning option for the Rays. He wasn't flashy, and had 59 Ks in 61 innings, but posted a 2.83 ERA and notched 27 saves. Fairbanks has been a mainstay of the Rays' bullpen for years, and he rewarded them in 2025 with his fullest and most dominant closing season yet. So the Rays rewarded him by cutting him. I'm not sure who's closing games in Tampa next year. Honestly I don't think they care.

2026 Prediction: Y'know, for some reason a lot of teams seem to want to sign Fairbanks. Almost as if it was a bad idea to cut him. Anyhow, a contender picks him up and he gets them to the playoffs. 30 saves, easy.

Adrian Houser was traded by the Chicago White Sox, who revitalized his career, to the Rays, who had already calmed down and had sold a few pieces at the deadline. No one is quite sure why they did this, but they went and did it anyway. His 10 games in Tampa weren't as good as his White Sox run, with a 4.29 ERA, 45 Ks and a 1.349 WHIP. Average, much like how he was a year or so prior.

2026 Prediction: The Giants is actually a really good place for Houser, because he can come in as a depth option, maybe take the 5 spot, and then work his way up if the middle guys get hurt. I say he nabs 10+ wins and starts 25 games.

And then you have the Rays' umpteenth ultra-mega top prospect, shortstop Carson Williams. Pretty convenient to have another top prospect shortstop after the other one robbed you blind last time. This one seems to be alright though. He's 22, and unlike Franco he's not an immediate MLB hit, as in 32 games he hit .172 with 5 homers and 12 RBIs. So he's got some power aspects down, but he's still figuring out major league pitching and was mostly ensuring Taylor Walls didn't have to hit.

2026 Prediction: Here's your Rookie of the Year, folks. Catch him while he's still playing in Tampa.

Coming Tomorrow- How weird it is that I'll have far less pithy, aggravated things to say about the gosh-darned Boston Red Sox???

Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Rangers

 

You'd think that something could have gotten done.

The 2023 Rangers was the foundation of a terrific team, with a burgeoning young core, a lot of great contracts of prime performers, the managerial eye of Bruce Bochy, and proof of October success. Yet now the 2023 season feels like an anomaly, as every subsequent year the Rangers' luck has failed to persist long enough to ensure a fighting chance. In 2024, the Rangers were close to competing but trailed off in September. And in 2025, the Rangers went from potential sellers to July buyers, brought on a ton more talent yet still couldn't match up to the Mariners, or even the Astros. So at season's end, Bochy left, Garcia, Heim and Semien were gone, Seager is being shopped, and the dream, as it was in 2023, is over.

That doesn't mean this team still won't compete. A lot of prime pieces are still young, including Wyatt Langford, Jack Leiter, Evan Carter and Kumar Rocker, and enough people have stayed around to ensure that the team probably won't fall to last in 2026. But the damage seems to be done, and what remains may not be enough to fully chase the top this year.

Josh Jung, after a rookie success in 2023, met with an injury a week into the 2024 season and was still slightly limited in 2025. His path to A-list greatness has been rerouted it seems, as he's now a .250 hitter, who only had 61 RBIs and 14 homers in 131 games. Defensively he's slightly below average. He'll be 28 next year, meaning he either figures it out or alludes to the fact that this is all he can do.

2026 Prediction: Closer to his 2023 numbers, but he may lose even more playing time to Josh Smith.

Jonah Heim also saw his stock drop from 2023. The 95-RBI season of 2023 may have been a very strong fluke, as offensively Heim took another step back this year, hitting .213 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs in 124 games. With a better catcher on the roster, one with a better power bat, it's no wonder Heim was cut after the season.

2026 Prediction: Needs the Carson Kelly path. Might need to backup somebody this year only to catch fire down the road. He just needs to trust the process.

Evan Carter, the rookie hero of the 2023 postseason, still has yet to play a full season in the majors. Both 2024 and 2025 were cut short by injuries, though this season was a fuller and more satisfying picture of his talents. In 63 games he hit .248 with 5 homers and 25 RBIs, plus a .728 OPS. Carter will be 23 next year, and still has a relatively high ceiling.

2026 Prediction: Huge breakout, with an ASG nod and some MVP votes. 

As Heim struggled, new pickup Kyle Higashioka, the former Yankee backup who made a name for himself as a flashy choice in San Diego, did exactly what he was signed to do: give backstop security while also helping out for some clutch power moments. Higgy had his best statistical season to date this year, in addition to crossing 300 at-bats for the first time. In 94 games he hit .241, with 11 home runs and a career high of 47 RBIs. The idea is that Higgy will be the starter next year, which is pretty huge.

2026 Prediction: Not quite as much of an exclamation point as this year, seeing as it's very likely he'll be losing playing time to Danny Jansen, but with some excellent clutch moments and more of the power hitting he's known for.

After several seasons of being a well-loved power bat with the occasional contact streak, Joc Pederson had his first true gutter ball since the heat of his LA days, in a season with the Rangers. In 96 games, Pederson could only muster a .181 average, 9 homers and 26 RBIs. It just was not happening with Pedey at the plate this year, which is a shame, cause he's been on a nice run since 2021.

2026 Prediction: Bounces back with enough leverage to be a deadline bait.

Similarly, sly offseason trade Jake Burger had an up and down year in Arlington, going from a .228 first half average, complete with time spent in the minors, to a sudden surge midyear, hitting .262 in 28 second half games, with 5 homers and 18 RBIs. I genuinely think Burger, like Josh Bell before him, only gets truly hot in August and September, and teams should use this to their advantage.

2026 Prediction: Much better year. 30 homers again. 

Miraculously, though thought dead and picked up just to see if he had anything left, Patrick Corbin actually put in some halfway-decent work for the Rangers this year after burning the Nats contract. He started 30 games, went 7-11 with a 4.40 ERA and 131 Ks. Curiously, his WHIP of 1.365 was his best since 2019, his last truly great season. The Rangers needed an innings-eating, big game guy, and despite many of them getting hurt, Corbin persisted and gave this team something halfway decent. 

2026 Prediction: The Minnesota Twins come calling and he gives them the most innings of the rotation. Are they good innings? Not really.

Kumar Rocker, in between injuries to other pitchers and rotation vacancies, had more of a sample size this year after a rookie cameo last year. People are still trying to figure out where Rocker fits into this team, especially considering that his Vandy teammate Jack Leiter has already proven more MLB staying power. Rocker's results this year were disappointing, with a 5.74 ERA in 14 starts, despite 56 Ks. 

2026 Prediction: So next year, the Rangers will likely have much more rotation room, with DeGrom, Eovaldi and Leiter being the only non-negotiables. Rocker will likely be an Opening Day rotation member, but only if his arm is in decent shape this spring. If he can get a full season of MLB level work then the Rangers will finally be vindicated in picking him up.

Similarly, Jacob Latz was not initially thought of as a rotation option this year, as he began the season in the bullpen, but, as it tends to in Arlington, duty calls. In 8 starts, Latz had a 2.72 ERA, with 34 Ks and a 1.084 WHIP. He wasn't bad as a reliever either, with a 2.93 ERA in 46 innings of mostly long work.

2026 Prediction: Best case for him, begins the year as the fifth starter and works his way up as the year goes on with good results. However there might also be a prospect heir apparent that comes up and relegates Latz to a swing position in later months.

Finally, Michael Helman's age-29 season was the most prosperous one for the career minor leaguer. Despite playing 10 games for the Twins last season, Helman got caught in a game of waiver tag in 2025 that got him on 4 different rosters over the course of the season. It eventually got him to Texas, where help in the outfield was needed, and he made a pretty decent impression, with 5 homers and 20 RBIs in 38 games, plus some decent defensive work in the outfield. Not sure how much longevity it'll give Helman, but it was a good use of an opportunity.

2026 Prediction: Fun backup bench piece, mostly replacement level.

Coming Tomorrow- A few last remnants of an unassuming Rays team. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Pirates

 

I will give the Pirates credit for improving as the season went on. This team was better under Don Kelly than it was under Derek Shelton, and Kelly's leadership could keep this team on the up-and-up. The team used a starring role from Paul Skenes and tried a ragtag contact approach, which didn't work as well because nobody had an especially high OPS. There were more spots for up-and-comers and rookies, and more room for the big draft picks to play. It was another last place finish, but now you're seeing an actual desire, organizationally, to compete. They made Kyle Schwarber an offer. True, he didn't take it, but they're trying to make moves. They have Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum and Mason Montgomery down for next year, that's definitely something. I think the priority should be trying to lock down Skenes, but, y'know, Nutting doesn't want that for some reason.

Even in a lost year, what really saved the Pirates' ass in the second half was another incredible defensive season from Jared Triolo. Triolo missed time in the first half, then came back and became one of the most statistically valuable pieces of this team, with a 2.3 WAR accumulated mostly from his excellent infield defense. That's the thing about this team, the defense was so good [between Triolo, Davis, and the soon-to-depart Hayes and IKF] that it made you wish the offense was better. At the very least Triolo stole 13 bases.

2026 Prediction: Loses some playing time to Brandon Lowe, but improves slightly at the plate, and stays all year.

Tommy Pham was looking like a waste of a contract, considering that during the first half his numbers were absolutely miserable. There was a reported story of, during a game, Tommy Pham waiting outside PNC Park for his Uber Eats to arrive, that made him look entirely checked out. So at some point Pham decided to lock in, because in June he hit .302 and in July he hit .388, with 21 RBIs in that time, plus some decent defense. Beyond that he was a .200 hitter with a mean streak.

2026 Prediction: Tries to make camp with a low market competitor, doesn't make the team and is himself about it. 

Despite keeping Mitch Keller, the Pirates had a lot of open spots in the rotation, and many were filled by rookies. Mike Burrows got 23 games and 19 starts out of a come-up, and did pretty well with it, posting a 3.94 ERA and 97 Ks. The Pirates thanked him for this excellent come-up by trading him to Houston.

2026 Prediction: He stays healthy, wins 10 games. Not sure if the Astros are gonna be competitive next year, but Burrows will help.

Henry Davis was a #1 overall pick in 2021, and in the majors so far he's yet to show why. He got another nice look this year, and in 87 games he hit .167 with 7 homers and 22 RBIs, despite some excellent work on defense. This was another weak year for Davis, a guy the Pirates were sure would be a strong piece by now.

2026 Prediction: Finally takes off.

Johan Oviedo had battled injuries for a year or so, but made it up for 9 games and impressed, with a 3.57 ERA and 42 Ks. It was enough to give the Pirates extra stability in August and September, which was needed. He's also important because he landed Jhostynxon Garcia in Pittsburgh, and I see very big things happening there.

2026 Prediction: Is an okay 4th option in Boston but I'm pretty sure the Pirates are gonna win that trade.

And with the parachute basically pulled on this season, the Pirates went ahead and brought Bubba Chandler, Baseball America's #7 prospect going into the 2025 season, up to the big club. Chandler had some highs and lows in his 7 games, and despite 4 wins, 32 Ks and a 0.926 WHIP he had an ERA of 4.02. I do applaud the Pirates for letting him start more and more as the season went on after starting as a long-man.

2026 Prediction: Chandler will join Skenes and Jones at the top of that rotation and ensure that this team doesn't lose 90 games again next year. 

Coming Tomorrow- A ton of leftovers from a Rangers season that killed the dream. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Phillies

 

Two things happened that ensured that, despite their excellent 96-win season and consistent dominance throughout, the Phillies would not go to a World Series this year. One was that their best pitcher and probable Cy Young candidate was out for the last two months of the season. The other was that, despite their best efforts, this team was still cursed with a first round bye. A lot of teams have been able to withstand a first round bye, especially this year, but not the Phils. Even with their last real chance to compete, with an even bigger and badder team, they were cut down very early by the team that would eventually win the World Series.

It really was 2011 all over again.

There is still a chance this team can withstand the losses of a lot of big pieces, and rebuild enough to match the Mets, Braves and Marlins, but the process may be over, and without a Maxey as well. Bryson Stott came up with big promises as an infield bat, and while he's been good he still hasn't graduated to fully great yet. This year Stott hit .257 with 66 RBIs and 13 homers, plus decent defense. The fear is he's evening out after 2023. He's contracted for another two years, but I think 2026 will be the make or break one for him, seeing as the Phils famously have another middle infielder down the pipeline.

2026 Prediction: Rises one spot in the lineup, returns to .280.

Brandon Marsh, meanwhile, saw some of his power and defense drop off, and was platooned a bit with Kepler and Bader down the stretch. He did hit .280 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs, but I think the Phils have discovered some of the limits of the Brandon Marsh experience.

2026 Prediction: Like Stott, he's got 2 more years on contract, so he's also got to prove himself this year. He will...but perhaps not in the way he intended. Like...perhaps in a way that attracts the attention of another team.

Taijuan Walker signing in Philly did seem like a good idea at the time, as he was considered to be a smart choice for a low-rotation innings eater. However, his 2024 campaign was positively disastrous, and the fans were begging him to get hurt so someone else, a rookie perhaps, could take over. By that metric, Walker's 2025 was an improvement. I saw two starts of Walker's this year, and both honestly went pretty well, even against a tough Yankees team. His dominance came from keeping balls in play, and despite a 4-8 record he had a 4.04 ERA and 86 Ks in 34 games, 21 of them starts. I think this team just needed to figure out how to use Walker, and from that point on he was very helpful.

2026 Prediction: Similar swing-work, though perhaps not as successful as this year.

I still think the Edmundo Sosa for JoJo Romero trade is one of the most evenly-matched ones in recently memory, because both teams got a very crucial piece out of it. The Cardinals got one of their most valuable relief pieces, and the Phils got a very talented utility infielder. Sosa had another strong season of backup work for the Phillies, covering Trea Turner at short for his injury stint. In 89 games, he hit .276 with 11 homers and 39 RBIs, fantastic for a depth infielder.

2026 Prediction: The kind of season that gets somebody to start him, in a decent contract, for 2027.

So fun fact, as a tall, lanky, long-haired guy, I'm aware I have the slightest resemblance to Matt Strahm. Living in this area has that effect. So I went to a game this summer at the Bank, and they do a lookalike cam, like a lot of stadiums. I got on for looking like Strahm. And honestly, that's a heck of a compliment. Strahm's been an excellent reliever for the Phils since coming over, and had another strong year this year, with a 2.74 ERA and 70 Ks in 62 innings. The ninth was an issue for this team for a while, as was relief in general, but Strahm never gave us much of a scare.

2026 Prediction: The word on the street is that the Phils are trying to deal him, which doesn't make sense to me. Ultimately I think he sticks around for another year, and he'll give another strong campaign that might even lead to another nice deal afterwards. Dude's just a solid relief piece, his luck hasn't run out yet and it won't for a while.

Tanner Banks was another very impressive, and very reliable, relief asset for the Phils this year. He led the bullpen in innings with 67, and went 6-2 with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.010 WHIP. Banks was also scoreless in two postseason appearances.

2026 Prediction: Some troubles but a helpful finish.

Midway through the season, after no teams wanted him during the offseason, David Robertson, at age 40, made himself available to teams. He could still pitch, and wanted to go somewhat deep, thinking retirement would be on the horizon. This led to his third stint with the Philadelphia Phillies, and at the very least he stayed healthy for this one. In 20 games he went 2-0 with a 4.08 ERA, and was responsible for a truly torrid third of an inning during the playoffs.

2026 Prediction: Finally retires.

And most bizarrely of all, as the season wound down and the Phils still had a glaring hole in their rotation without Wheeler, Walker Buehler was called to the scene. Buehler was mediocre with Boston, with a 5.45 ERA in 17 games, but the Phils let him work some kinks out in Lehigh Valley, and apparently his one start in the minors was decent enough to give the Phils confidence. He had 3 games with the big club, and was pretty good, going 3-0 with a 0.66 ERA and 8 Ks. I think if Buehler had been relied upon in the postseason, against his old club, some outcomes would have been a little different.

2026 Prediction: One year deal with a non-competitor, does well enough that a competitor overpays for him next year. 

Coming Tomorrow- The Pirates had a Cy Young winner this year. And not much else.