On the Possibility of an American WBC Title, Now

 

[DISCLAIMER: I go into some...unconquered, on purpose, territory with this post, talking about current events. If this one isn't to your liking in that respect, I apologize. This had just been on my mind.]

I can't think about what the U.S. team is thinking about heading into the WBC. It's the most high-stakes low-stakes tournament possible.

Like, say you're Bobby Witt, or whoever. You're a charter member of the US team, a mid-lineup star, and you are being tasked with performing to the best of your ability, for your country, and then after winning this you have to immediately go back and perform to the best of your ability for the Royals in both what could be the last full season for a little while AND the a season that coincides with the 250th anniversary of the country. There are a lot of people who would really like the US to win some sports tournaments this year, considering the WBC is happening, and then the World Cup is happening in North America. And being very honest, there's more of a chance of a WBC Championship title than a FIFA World Title this year. 

Now, the US team has won a WBC before, in 2017. But the stakes were lower, this was before everyone knew who Ohtani was, and this was before it became the tentpole that it is now. Now you've got more of a drive for players to participate, and more pressure for the greats of the game to do it, even if it risks injury. And there's already been nonsense about insurance, teams not sending players out cause they worry they're gonna get hurt, and that's already lightened some roster loads. Yet I think that this is a point where, for some reason, some indistinct reason that isn't coming to mind somehow, the US needs a pride boost. And I think these guys have taken it to heart to embody the sort of patriotic, 'I love America' sensibility to capture the nation. Like apparently they're playing Toby Keith on busrides, going heavy on the patriotism and all of that. And...I say this respectfully, but...I dunno if that's the move, especially when a team that's supposed to reflect the sum of the nation's best ballplayers only has Byron Buxton and Aaron Judge as nonwhite representatives. 

I think this tournament happening right after the Olympics has added more pressure as well, cause there was something where people were representing the country on the world's stage and you saw a contrast of the ways that can be done. You had people all over looking at people like Alysa Liu or Jack Hughes and going 'why aren't they representing America the way I want them to?'. I think both the figure skating win and the hockey wins were good for the country for different reasons, but I think some wins were more reflective of the potential of the American experiment than others. And how that ties into patriotism, especially at this moment, made some wins easier to stomach than others. The immediate contrast between how someone reacts to winning an Olympic medal and then how they rationalize this as a degree of American patriotism could be stark at points. Because it can be argued that representing the country, and all that comes with it, means something different now.

And so that informs a lot of forethought about the WBC, and how a winning US squad will look now, after the Men's Hockey Team's win, in an era where not only is the US team evenly matched in this tournament but there is also the idea of a forthcoming women's baseball league, which will lead to an even larger conversation. What does it mean if this team wins now? Does it mean anything? Is it good for the game, for the country? 

I suppose the upside of this is you get people from the deepest reaches of the country. I think about guys like Mason Miller, who's a local hero in West Virginia for his time as a college athlete there. An old friend who grew up in that area followed Miller to the majors and cheered him on as he became the best relief asset in baseball. Everywhere you've got pockets of people who must have known one of these guys as they came up and got to see them make the majors. That is the American dream, to come from anywhere, from anything, and succeed on the world's stage. 

It's just very difficult to be all 'rah-rah, America's the greatest' right now. Even if there's enough people like Bryce Harper and Cal Raleigh and Bobby Witt trying to craft the story of an American monolith that takes down any country in its path...I'm not entirely sure that's an especially helpful narrative at the moment. I'm not saying they should punt the World Baseball Classic, just keel over against the Czechia team or something, but...if they want to look like the heroes this tournament, they need to keep their perception in mind. The 2017 team was exciting because they represented the state of the game, and the country, in an optimistic way. If there's a way for the US team to do that now, they need to figure it out. Because right now, Japan winning is a better story, the Dominican Republic winning is a better story, Puerto Rico winning is a better story, even Czechia and their plumbers and dentists would be an unbelievable story. 

All of those teams don't dream about giving up a home run to Aaron Judge, they think about striking him out. So if we're gonna be the heroes again this time around, we're gonna need to earn it.

Wild Card Series' Day 2: So It's Gonna Be One of Those

 

I'm honestly happy the wild card series' aren't gonna be simple this year [for the most part]. Better for baseball. 

The key for the Tigers was getting the Skubal game down. Cause that was the only game where they really had a leg up on Cleveland. Casey Mize is good, but he's not Skubal good, and the contact game came raining down on him today, including big moments from Brayan Rocchio and George Valera, plus a very impressive three-run bomb from Bo Naylor, hoping to meet his brother in the ALDS. Tanner Bibee wasn't too bad either, only allowing 1 run and 5 hits in 4 and 2/3rds innings. This was the exact kind of game the Guardians should have won, and it allows for an even more exciting Game 3. Flaherty v. Cantillo. That'll definitely be interesting. 

Okay, so clearly the heroes of the Padres game were people like Dylan Cease and Manny Machado, but ultimately this game will be known as the Mason Miller game. He came in, faced five batters and struck out every last one, turning a lead into a commanding lead. The Cubs are a very tough team, and for this Padres squad to silence them, including a rare spotless inning from Robert Suarez, means that the Cubs may not have the cakewalk they were thinking this'd be. The Padres' lineup can strike back, and this game 3 is gonna be a matchup between Yu Darvish and Jameson Taillon. Yes, Yu has been shaky this year, but he's also clicked into place when the Padres have needed him. And is Jamo an October weapon? I suppose we'll find out.

This Yankee win was such a relief. I was so worried that the score staying tied would indicate an inability to capitalize on big moments, but then it dawned on me that all the Red Sox runs were scored by Trevor Story. The Yankees win belonged the whole team, from Ben Rice and his 1st inning bomb to Carlos Rodon and his strong start to Austin Wells who had the big RBI to Jazz Chisholm whose slide cemented the win. And the relief pitching, including Fernando Cruz and David Bednar, got us out of a lot of tight scrapes. No matter what happens next, and considering the lack of Boston rotation depth I'm mildly optimistic, we were able to win a game like this and make this a 3-game series after all. I'd really like it if we won tomorrow, but not getting swept is a true plus. 

If any of these wild card series' was only gonna last 2 games, it was gonna be Dodgers-Reds. Yes, the Dodgers have had bullpen issues...but they're the Dodgers. They're gonna win big.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, in just his second season, has become a postseason icon for the Dodgers, tonight went 6 and 2/3rds innings, and struck out 9, only allowing 2 runs and 4 hits. You NEED a rock like that in the postseason, and so far the Dodgers have had two of 'em starting games, Yoshi and Snell. We haven't even gotten to Glasnow yet. The offense did their thing, with some hard work from typical October heroes Kiké Hernandez and Mookie Betts. The key was small-balling past the Reds' pitching rather than going full power, and it's proof that there's still variety in this lineup. 

The Dodgers will head to Philly as the underdogs, though not by much. This is still a very tough team, and the Phillies aren't without flaws of their own. The Dodgers could find their October magic against the Phils...or, alternatively, the Phils could slay the curse of the 1st round bye and ascend to greatness yet again. It's their choice.

And since we've got to eulogize someone here...

Getting to the playoffs alone was a reward in itself for the Reds. They outdid the odds, outfought the Mets and earned October. This Dodgers series was always gonna be a tough hurdle, and it shouldn't encourage them from trying again next year. Unfortunately the only Red to truly show up tonight was rookie Sal Stewart, who singled in 2 runs early, the only crack in Yoshi's armor all night basically, then tried to get things going in the 8th with another RBI. Everybody else was silenced, and even Zack Littell struggled against a truly tough lineup. They should be happy to have made it, and shouldn't beat themselves up for not outdoing the Dodgers in LA in October. 

Tomorrow we break three ties. Pulling for my Yanks but, as it's a tough Boston team IN Fenway...prepared for either outcome. 

My Top 10 Trade Deadline Deals of 2025

 It's odd talking about this specific trade deadline, because it doesn't SEEM like a lot of huge pieces came off the board, but they really did. This was a year without many BIG stars changing hands, maybe one or two [in deals that, to be frank, did not make my list], but a lot of the big deals concerned relief pitchers and utility guys. This was a year where Jose Caballero and Willi Castro getting dealt were both big deals, and it was warranted rather than 'this is all we have to talk about'. It honestly speaks to the quality of the relief pitching in this deadline, as it wasn't like 'who's gonna get this 29 year old having a fluke year?' or anything, like there were a lot of big relievers and closers getting dealt, and it all pretty much made sense.

And yes, we got through the deadline without Luis Robert, Joe Ryan, Sandy Alcantara, Jacob deGrom, Dylan Cease or even Paul Skenes getting traded. Yet it all seemed satisfying and not anticlimactic. I guess I'd call it a win, and not because of how both my teams did.

So, as is custom, I'm gonna rank my top 10 trade deadlines of this year. There'll be another post for the honorable mentions I still wanted to talk about, and another still about the ones where the GM's actions frankly puzzled me.

But let's get into it with a deal that honestly, by the end of the year, might be too lowly-ranked.

#10: Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Reds, Taylor Rogers to the Pirates [and eventually the Cubs], fellow CIN prospect to the Pirates.

The Reds filled a lot of smaller holes this deadline, but their biggest hole was at third base. They have tried Noelvi Marte, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jeimer Candelario, Santiago Espinal and Garrett Hampson at third this season. None of them worked. So why not bring in a guy who can definitely play third base. Sneakily, Ke'Bryan Hayes has been having a nice year at the corner, and he continues to be one of the best defensive third basemen in the game. Now, granted, he's not *hitting*, but you never know when he'll go on a tear. I just think that Hayes was the corner stability the Reds needed, and even if he doesn't hit, he'll be a pretty nice piece of this Reds team as they head towards a potential playoff run. 

#9: Merrill Kelly to the Rangers, 3 prospects to the Diamondbacks

I've ranked this one so lowly because I honestly don't think the Rangers needed rotation help, especially considering that before they went on the streak they were gonna deal deGrom anyway. But...this still gives one of the best starters in the league to a rotation that already has deGrom, Eovaldi and Jack Leiter in it. That's honestly pretty scary to me. This will depend on whether or not the Rangers are as good as their July has been. Because they have the pieces in place, and only now are they starting to act like they're supposed to. I think there's a chance they keep rolling, but I also know how inconsistent the Rangers have been this year. Either way Kelly will help, and it's kind of wild to see the Rangers bring on a guy who squared off against them in the 2023 World Series.

#8: Ryan McMahon to the Yankees, 2 prospects to the Rockies

As far as a Cashman pull goes, it may not seem like much. Because of the Yankees' reluctance to trade some of its most prized prospects [Spencer Jones, George Lombard, Jasson Dominguez honestly], a lot of the bigger deadline weapons we were after didn't end up happening. Initially when the McMahon deal happened it felt like a poor consolation for Eugenio Suarez. But honestly, just from what I've seen from McMahon so far, I think we made the right decision. We needed a sure thing at third base, and McMahon is not only that everyday corner guy, but his contact hitting has revitalized the team. Already he's hitting .350 as a Yankee with 8 hits and 4 RBIs. He doesn't need to be the star, but he's steady, consistent and really impressive. Like Chisholm last year, McMahon just seems like just the kind of guy we need right now.

#7: Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano to the Padres, 5 prospects to the Orioles

Very smart move by A.J. Preller. There's another move I'll talk about tomorrow that was even sneakier in filling a need, but the Padres needed an outfield upgrade and one more thumper for the lineup, and they got two perfect pieces. Ryan O'Hearn in a lineup that already has Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis, Gavin Sheets and Jackson Merrill is dangerous. He will fit right in there. And Laureano going to this outfield is a blessing because he doesn't have to start every day. His defense makes him an upgrade over a lot of their other OF options, and he's a good bench bat when needed. I think Gavin Sheets should be getting more starts out there, but Laureano gives them flexibility. The trouble I had with him in Baltimore is that he was playing a starring role when he really should have been a backup, but that's more the fault of the team this year. 

Speaking of Orioles outfielders..

#6: Cedric Mullins to the Mets, 3 prospects to the Orioles

Going into this season, even before we knew the O's would have a drop-off, it was clear that Cedric Mullins was likely on the way out. He'd been there for eight seasons, came into his own right when the team needed him and was a marquee star as they built their youth movement. He'd done enough. The Mets now have an outfield of Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo and Cedric Mullins. That's pretty excellent in my opinion. Mullins is still versatile, still quick, and still powerful. He now gets to help a team get to October. I see no real drawbacks here, though because Mullins is having a comparative down year I'm not sure if that'll carry over.

#5: Josh Naylor to the Mariners, 2 prospects to the D-Backs

The Mariners, even in the midst of a division battle that's getting much more competitive, made some really nice moves to boost the lethality of their lineup. Naylor at the corner in T-Mobile Park is definitely a step up. Even in a year that's not quite to the quality of his Cleveland run, Naylor is still an excellent contact hitter, hitting .292 with 11 homers and 59 RBIs. In Seattle he vastly improves the 1st base situation and adds another surefire bat to a lineup that, even before this weekend, ranked as one of the most troublesome ones in the AL. If October is on the Mariners' mind this year, which it is, they've also procured an excellent postseason performer. 

#4: Jhoan Duran to the Phillies, Mick Abel and another prospect to the Twins

Finally, the Phillies get a legit answer in the ninth after every other closing option fell apart. And yes, I am aware of how often we use the trade deadline to get a surefire closer that then struggles to save games once he gets here. It happened with Ian Kennedy, it happened with David Robertson, it happened with Carlos Estevez. However, Jhoan Duran is under 30. He's also still in his prime, in the midst of a great season, and is scarily dominant. He is the missing link for a bullpen that's honestly coming into its own. Though, to be fair, if our bullpen IS, in fact, cursed, then you'll file this away with the others. I just have hope that he'll be the one, though. 

#3: David Bednar to the Yankees, 3 prospects to the Pirates

Like the Phillies, the Yankees also went through some aggravation to find a ninth inning man this year. Both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver have been spottier in save situations this year, and it's clear that both should be in setup roles. All that remained was a better, more reliable closer. And since June I'd say, David Bednar has been one of the most reliable closers in baseball. I only attribute his struggles to moments leading up to and following an injury- everything else has been fantastic. Pittsburgh fans loved him, and hopefully he'll appeal to Yankee fans as well. I just think he's a pretty reliable bet in the ninth, though I do worry he'll go back to his April luck in a bigger stadium. 

#2: Mason Miller and J.P. Sears to the Padres, Leo de Vries and three other prospects to the Athletics

This one is so high because I did not think the A's were going to deal Mason Miller, as he's a young, controllable phenom that I thought they'd keep until Vegas. But evidently the GM got an offer from A.J. Preller that he couldn't refuse, and I think Leo de Vries was part of that, despite the fact that Jacob Wilson also exists. Mason Miller is a terrific closer and unbelievable hard-throwing pitcher, but putting him in a minor league stadium did not do him justice. He gives the Padres an even safer bet in the ninth than Robert Suarez, and he could be closing there for years. And in a deadline season where the Padres still dealt some excess arms [Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek got dealt, more on that tomorrow], J.P. Sears is a very smart late-rotation addition that not only adds yet another ex-Yankee to this rotation [alongside Vazquez and King], but puts a consistent, reliable starter alongside Nick Pivetta and Dylan Cease. I'd put that against the Dodgers' circus of arm strains anyday.

But of course, as wild as it was to see a trade that actually got Mason Miller out of Sacramento, it could not take the top spot. The top spot had to go to a fit so perfect that I could have sworn I'd seen it before...

#1: Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners, Tyler Locklear and 2 prospects to the Diamondbacks

Look, some things are just clear. We know Geno in Seattle works, it worked a couple years ago. We know Geno's having an excellent season, and right at the trade he became the D-Backs' WAR leader this season. We know he can hit home runs and for contact. We know he's still in his prime. And we know he and Josh Naylor were on the same wavelength. Putting him back into this lineup makes it clear that the Mariners have the best lineup in the division now. They have more assets than Houston, more clear power hitters than Texas, and better pitching security than either. And yes, the Astros had a similar reunion today, and you're probably wondering why it's not at this spot. Without getting fully into a rant I'll have later on...Eugenio Suarez has a space meant for him. He doesn't have to squeeze into someone else's for a month or so. 

For now, the Mariners just bulked up their lineup with someone they know works in Seattle, and they just made a major stake towards the East title. It's gonna make the rest of the season very interesting, that's for sure.

Tomorrow I'll talk about some of the trades that didn't make this list, and why.

Throwing 100 MPH Doesn't Keep the Lights On

 

Well, midway through the year and it looks as though we are reaching the limits of the 'throw 100 miles per hour all the time' strategy. Justin Martinez is injured, Ben Joyce is injured, Mason Miller is struggling. It's the kind of thing where only the professionals should throw that hard. Mere mortals are gonna have wear and tear. Aroldis Chapman and Paul Skenes can keep at it consistently, but they're built differently.

I guess Mason Miller has more success with throwing that hard than most, he did make an all-star team last year and does currently have 19 saves and 57 Ks. But the thing about throwing that hard is you need to still have some level of craftsmanship so people aren't predicting where you're gonna go. Cause Miller is throwing that hard and still blowing saves. He's got a 4.00 ERA. It's a neat trick but if it's not leading to success it's just that. Chapman can throw that hard and still be consistently good at his job. Miller is making some easy mistakes out there, and it's costing the A's some wins that they might have if Miller was a little more on target. It's a very good thing he's still healthy, but there's always the chance of a strain coming on or some injury still happening. It's happened the last two seasons. 

Ultimately I do want good things to happen to Mason Miller. He's a good kid, he's from West Virginia, and some family friends are from his area and are rooting for him to stay great. He's been given a valuable gift of velocity, and he's been lucky to come up at a time where overthrowing and overgassing is the hip trend. But I worry that, when we look at this period in about 20 years, we won't be able to separate him from the trend. I think about the Japanese players from the late 90s and early 00s who weren't Ichiro or Nomo, and how they've faded into the background, or the two-way guys from the late 2010s who weren't Ohtani. Being trendy is nice but being great lasts forever. Mason Miller is flirting with greatness but is more trendy than anything. It is telling, however, that the A's are relatively opposed to trading him this week. Means they see a future with him.

The A's, for the record, will still have a pretty cool team even if they do deal people. I don't even know who they'd be alright parting with. I guess Rooker would get inquiries but he's got a lot of money left there. Somebody like Springs or Sears could go I guess? The thing is that so much is working, and controllable, that trading people would just come off as excessive. This is now the era of Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson, the team that Lawrence Butler and Tyler Soderstrom can rep. I see those pieces lasting til Vegas. I really want Rooker to last til Vegas, the fanbase needs a guy like that to stick around. 

Intriguing, however, is the addition of former Mets prospect Carlos Cortes, who's already had some nice contact moments. I have a Heritage Minors auto of Cortes that I pulled a while back, and just assumed it'd continue to be worthless. Imagine if he suddenly becomes somebody. That'd be pretty cool.

Coming Tonight [?]: Former #1 overall pick. The team that drafted him is now a first place team. He is playing for a last place one.

Always Be Closing: You Try Hitting Him

 

And now, a brief moment to talk about me, and what I do. I try not to do this, it's honestly truly immaterial, but I've been given no choice in the matter. 

I coach for a Challenger Little League in the area. Kids and young adults with disabilities come by every sunday, and we put them through the whole clinic, and a lot of them can really mash. One guy damn near put a dent in the scoreboard a couple weeks back. Thankfully I'm on his good side. But anyway I've been training myself to pitch, and with these guys you just have to give them something they can hit. Some of them want velocity, and I do have a heater for that, but usually I'm just throwing softies and hoping they're not too far outside. I'm still relatively young, y'know, 28, and I don't have a ton of soreness after, or even the next day. I mean maybe a little, but I know people that'll throw for an hour on sunday and be terribly achey for two days after. I'm not there yet but I'm teetering on the brink.

So...if after throwing some fairly relaxed speeds for an hour or so, I feel it just a little bit...I cannot imagine the conditioning needed to be able to not only throw 100 miles an hour, but keep throwing 100 miles an hour, for roughly 30 or so pitches every few days. I cannot imagine what I'd need to do in order to do that AND STAY HEALTHY. 

So looking at somebody like Mason Miller, I go '...god bless, man'. Dude gets up there, throws 100 miles an hour, nobody hits him, leaves. And keeps at it. I hope he can keep doing that as long as possible, because man is he a difference maker in Oakland.

Mason Miller flirted with starting last year, but after an injury the A's thought it best to keep him as a relief option. I initially disagreed with this, I thought he was one of the best starters the A's had last year. But y'know, the A's were thinking arm conservation, and all things considered that's the better idea here. And then a funny thing happened- top of the season he's #1 in the depth chart for the bullpen, they don't exactly get a closing option, Trevor May's retired...hey, kid with the 100 mile an hour fastball, y'wanna close? 

And so that's how we got here. The A's have a lot of save situations, being a fairly middle of the road team with flawed starting pitching, and so in those situations they put Miller in, and then...nobody can hit him. Which is a helpful trait if you're a closing pitcher. That used to be Josh Hader for a while. Miller's crazy because whenever he pitches, like all 5 of the top pitch velocities will belong to him, and then Codify will just go 'well....Mason Miller pitched today'. With Skenes he's probably gonna have some competition, but just as he is now he's just filthy out there. Not many teams have really gotten to him, and he's even shut down the Yankees. 

So far, in 13 games, Miller has a 1.10 ERA, 8 saves and 33 strikeouts. That K number rivals the starters, with only Paul Blackburn having a larger figure. Right now, Miller has a NEGATIVE fielding-independent pitching figure, which is something I didn't even know was possible. And he's clearly been one of the best assets on the A's this year. Which is wild, because, as discussed, the A's aren't even that terrible this year. Blackburn, Rooker, Bleday, Langeliers and somehow Abraham Toro are all having great seasons. New call-ups like Joey Estes and Tyler Soderstrom have been great so far. There's...HOPE. And they're only a few games under .500, which was unthinkable last year.

I just really hope Mason Miller takes care of his arm and doesn't wind up injured too soon. Cause you know that's a large possibility these days, and you hope that whatever he's doing isn't gonna burn out his arm too quickly. 

Coming Tomorrow- Who'd have thought that San Diego would consistently bring out the best numbers in this guy?

Uncustomed Heroes of 2023: Athletics

 

We knew it was going to be bad. By definition, a completely gutted A's team, without even the people like Frankie Montas, Sean Murphy or even Cole Irvin, would be a disappointment, and while nothing in-game hurt as much as the confirmation that the A's would be headed to Vegas in a year or so, it still wasn't great. The A's lost 112 games this year, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since an 117-loss season in 1916. Connie Mack was still managing the team then. IN PHILADELPHIA. That's two locations ago for the A's, going on three.

The closest thing this A's team has to a trusted veteran is Tony Kemp, who had one excellent season for the A's in 2021, the year they came just short of the postseason, and had his worst season to date this year. Kemp hit .209, with 75 hits in 124 games, and if you can believe it he was worse defensively. The A's have kept him around because of what he does in the clubhouse, but as the team begins to develop more and more great young players, it's clear how little use he has left there.

2024 Prediction: A minor league deal somewhere. Not sure if he'll be starting at all though.

With Kemp gone, the longest-contracted player on the A's might be Aledmys Diaz. And for your biggest contract to go to a middle infielder owed 14 million over the next season or so, that's not terrible. The Yankees have hundreds of millions pinned down. 14.5 million for Aledmys Diaz is manageable. And it's a contract the A's may not even see to the end, considering that Diaz has been mediocre since leaving Houston. This season, the first of the new contract, Diaz hit .229 with 72 hits in 109 games, and was phased into a utility role as the season went on.

2024 Prediction: Zach Gelof is gonna ensure he never starts consistently in Oakland again. So he might be a backup elsewhere next fall. Houston reunion?

Jordan Diaz hit .444 against the New York Yankees, with 4 hits, 4 RBIs and 3 home runs. Forget for a moment that he hit .221 against the whole league; Jordan Diaz, of all people, has become one of the 'pissants' for the Yankees, like Ellis Burks and Carlos Pena before him. Not really one I would have called. Diaz is a decent depth piece, and did hit 10 homers this year, but he hasn't shown consistent staying power yet, even with 3rd base relatively open.

2024 Prediction: I'd say he breaks out and takes third, but I'm not sure how confident the A's will be that he'll keep the position.

The most unsung of this bunch of A's unsung heroes is Austin Pruitt, who was a former Rays farmhand who bopped around for a while, found Oakland last year and played a relief role, and was a multi-faceted guy for this A's team this year. He started 6 games, mostly as an opener for a few innings, and closed out 8, mostly mopping up a loss. In 38 games he ran a 2.98 ERA and was one of the most reliable A's pitchers prior to going down with an injury late in the year. He was one of the many players needlessly non-tendered this year to create cap space for an A's move that probably won't happen.

2024 Prediction: Somebody picks him up, but I'm not sure if he'll deliver anything as good as this year.

As it should be, the takeaway heading into 2024 should be the number of strong rookies the A's are working with. If it weren't for injuries, there'd be a ton more eyes on Mason Miller this year, as he was excellent when healthy. The West Virginian posted a 3.78 ERA this year, striking out 38 in 10 games. Even with the number of suitable starting options higher in the depth chart, Miller is a rare homegrown weapon that could be a big piece going forward.

2024 Prediction: Along with one other person on this post, Miller will have a breakout year next year [Logan Gilbert style], and rise above the mediocre A's play.

Tyler Soderstrom was the bigger name of the two called-up A's prospects midyear, but Zach Gelof had the better season. Soderstrom was no slouch, but he was way more one-dimensional this year, hitting .160 with 7 RBIs and 3 home runs in 45 games.

2024 Prediction: If there is room for him, he'll come into his own. If not, expect decent bench numbers.

The eyebrow-raiser for me going forward is Joe Boyle, a pitching prospect I saw good things from in the minors who took to the majors easily. In 3 starts he went 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA and 15 Ks, very impressive numbers. This may only be the beginning of his career, but Boyle could lead to a lot of growth for this A's team.

2024 Prediction: Will be the last WAR leader the A's will have in Oakland. I am seeing big things next year from Joe Boyle.

Coming Tomorrow- Once again the first round was their enemy, but they had plenty to celebrate this year.