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There sure is a lot of Not Baseball happening so far this week, but here’s the latest on the last two teams standing. Plus: more on Fernando Valenzuela, and we take a sneak peek at free agency, which is right around the corner. I’m Levi Weaver, here with the returning Ken Rosenthal. Welcome to The Windup!
World Series: Last day off before Game 1
Game 1 of the World Series is tomorrow night. While we patiently wait, here’s the latest on each team:
Dodgers: In Fabian Ardaya’s update on where things stand, he says Freddie Freeman’s ankle is “100 percent go” for Friday. Of note: That’s a very different thing than “100 percent.” The projected recovery for Freeman’s injury (which happened roughly four weeks ago) would be 4-6 weeks … if he completely rested it. Ardaya also has more on the mechanics of how exactly the ankle has been affecting his swing.
Plus, Ardaya says that two relievers — lefty Alex Vesia and righty Brusdar Graterol — will be “game-time decisions” for inclusion on the World Series roster. Vesia (intercostal) and Graterol (shoulder inflammation) could boost to a bullpen that has been heavily used this October.
Yankees: Freeman isn’t the only first baseman toughing it out. At the MLB’s official site, Brian Hoch talked to Anthony Rizzo, who is still dealing with two fractured fingers that are not healed yet. Doctors told Rizzo that while they wouldn’t be healed in time for the ALCS, he wasn’t going to make them worse. He somehow went 6-for-14 (.429) with a double.
In addition to likely adding Nestor Cortes to bolster their bullpen’s left-handed side, Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Gerrit Cole will start Game 1 tomorrow, facing off against Jack Flaherty. That leaves Carlos Rodón and Yoshinobu Yamamoto as the probable starters in Game 2 on Saturday.
More Dodgers-Yankees: Tyler Kepner ranked all 11 previous World Series meetings between these two teams.
Ken’s Notebook: How players took control of L.A.’s World Series quest
From my latest story with Fabian Ardaya:
When the Los Angeles Dodgers were at their lowest, Dave Roberts did something he hardly remembered doing in any of his first nine seasons as a manager: He called an in-season meeting. The Dodgers were reeling. Their injuries were mounting, the latest blow coming with the news that Tyler Glasnow would be out for the remainder of the year after his sprained right elbow wouldn’t cooperate enough to throw a scheduled simulated game.
“I was just feeling that there was a little bit of wavering with the roster as far as enough talent to win 11 games in October,” Roberts recalled recently to The Athletic.
That meeting, a call by Roberts for the players to show faith in one another, prompted the Dodgers to draw inward, gird for the stretch drive and embark upon a new approach to the postseason. While the Dodgers sometimes are perceived to be a top-down operation, with the front office dictating virtually every move, it was the players who took control of the team’s October plans, from watch parties during the Division Series to players-only bus and plane rides.
The players say the time they spent with one another brought them closer together, helping put them within four wins of their first World Series title since 2020, and the first in a full season since 1988.
“We’re not letting the organization tell us what we’re doing,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “The players are saying, ‘This is what we’re doing.’”
Shohei Ohtani, Kiké Hernández and Yoshinobu Yamamoto celebrate in a tight-knit locker room after eliminating the Mets. The day Roberts called his group together in Atlanta, the timing was important. The team was fresh off a couple of losses, with Walker Buehler on the mound and suddenly becoming more prominent in the organization’s October plans. The message was even more critical.
“They realized beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was enough talent on this team to win a championship,” Roberts said. “As a coach, the messaging is also, I can believe in you until the cows come home. But if you guys don’t believe in each other more than I believe in you guys, then it’s all for naught. It was a challenge to the guys.”
The Dodgers absorbed the message. If they were going to achieve their goals, the push needed to come from the talent remaining in the room from an organization hit hard by injuries. Throughout an October in which they rallied back from a series deficit to knock out the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series and scored a postseason-record 46 runs to beat the New York Mets and return to the World Series, the Dodgers bucked their recent October history. They came closer.
And they’ve done it their way.
More here, and here’s more team chemistry: The Dodgers aren’t the only tight-knit group in this World Series. Chris Kirschner tells us how this Yankees team came together to overcome last year’s disappointment.
Free Agency: Top names hitting the market
I promise I won’t keep doing this while games are happning. But we haven’t had a game since Sunday night, so while we’re waiting … I decided to put together a list of my top 10 upcoming free agents. These aren’t necessarily in ranked order — at least after No. 1.
- Juan Soto (LF, NYY): A lot has been said about his free agency. He’s the best in class, and turns just 26 years old tomorrow.
- Corbin Burnes (RHP, BAL) turned 30 on Tuesday, and started this year’s All-Star Game. He’ll likely be the biggest target for teams in need of starting pitching.
- Alex Bregman (3B, HOU): Will he be the latest Houston superstar to depart, or will ownership make him the second (after Jose Altuve) to stick around, long-term? I wonder how the Josh Hader contract last year impacts this decision.
- Blake Snell (LHP, SFG) has an opt out, which he will almost certainly use. After a rough start last year, hopefully this year’s negotiations don’t drag into spring again.
- Yusei Kikuchi (LHP, HOU): I still think the Astros overpaid for a rental starter, but holy moly, did Kikuchi shine in Houston, going 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts.
- Max Fried (LHP, ATL): As David O’Brien points out, Fried has the second-most wins since 2019 (Gerrit Cole). He’s had some injury issues, but that might serve to make him slightly more affordable.
- Willy Adames (SS, MIL) hit 32 home runs and stole 21 bases (both career highs) last year. It’s not the Seager/Story/Correa class of a few years ago, but he’ll have suitors.
- Tanner Scott (LHP, SD): Speaking of hefty prices for rentals, the Padres gave up a lot for Scott at the deadline. It will be interesting to see the market for this premier left-handed reliever.
- Cody Bellinger (OF, CHC) also has a likely-to-happen opt-out, meaning this will be the second straight year that his free agency will dominate conversation on the North Side of Chicago.
- Anthony Santander (OF, BAL): While the younger stars in Baltimore get more attention, Santander (30), hit 44 home runs this season, making his first All-Star game.
Honorable mentions: Christian Walker (1B, ARI), Marcell Ozuna (DH, ATL), Freddy Peralta (RHP, MIL) – club option, Jack Flaherty (RHP, LAD), Ha-Seong Kim (INF, SDP) – mutual option, Pete Alonso (1B, NYM), Gleyber Torres (2B, NYY).
Want more? Jim Bowden goes deep on 45 free agents, including predictions.
Homages: More Fernando Valenzuela
The tributes keep pouring in, so here’s a bit more on the Dodgers great, who passed away Tuesday night at age 63.
Man, those first eight games of his rookie season in 1981 are truly unbelievable. Seven complete games (the other, he pitched nine innings, but it went to extras). Five shutouts. An 0.50 ERA. Only two home runs (and four runs total) allowed in 72 innings. What’s more, it wasn’t just that the teams had never seen him before; he faced the Astros, Giants and Expos two times each.
Valenzuela wasn’t even supposed to be the Opening Day starter for the Dodgers that year. Jerry Reuss was scheduled to start against Houston.
“I was running down a fly ball in the outfield again, thinking I’m Superman or Mickey Mantle, either one,” Reuss said. He felt his calf pull as the ball scooted by him. A quick evaluation ruled him out from starting the next day. Burt Hooton couldn’t pitch either, dealing with an ingrown toenail. Bob Welch was unavailable. The exhibition Freeway Series had ruled out several of manager Tommy Lasorda’s other options. So he turned to Valenzuela, who had already thrown a full bullpen that day.
If you want to hear about baseball history, you could do worse (and perhaps could not do better) than reading Tyler Kepner, whose ode to Valenzuela does justice to the legend of the man who captivated a city and a sport.
Handshakes and High Fives
This year’s matchup is a conundrum for fans who remember the Brooklyn Dodgers, says Steve Buckley.
If our position-by-position comparisons the last couple of days weren’t enough for you, Brendan Kuty and Fabian Ardaya have a more in-depth version here.
David Stearns had his end-of-season media availability yesterday. As Tim Britton explains, this winter will be a new opportunity — and challenge — for Stearns.
Questions about what the plan is with the Red Sox? Jen McCaffrey has answers.
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(Top photo: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
