David Lesky talks about how the Kansas City Royals starting pitching depth will come into play this offseason. Some trade deadline acquisitions are front and center in that.
So at the deadline, the Royals went out and first traded for Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. They later acquired Bailey Falter. We were able to see all three this season, and Falter struggled, but the other two showed their value. What they really acquired was renewed depth with more certainty than they had coming into 2025. Bergert was a well-regarded
prospect who is under team control through at least 2031. Kolek, I believe, is under team control through 2030. He had a full year of service coming into the season, but spent the first month in the minors this year, along with other stints throughout the year. The Royals will have a decision on Falter if they want to pay him $4 million or whatever his number is next year, but he’s under team control through 2028.
YardBarker’s Curt Bishop ponders a Royals reunion with Ryan O’Hearn.
O’Hearn hit .281/.366/.437 with 17 home runs, 63 RBI, 2.4 Wins Above Replacement and an .803 OPS. He was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the San Diego Padres at the deadline this past summer.
Even after an All-Star campaign, he shouldn’t be overly expensive for the Royals, and they could potentially sign him to a deal with opt-out clauses. He can serve as a regular designated hitter, but can also play a little outfield as well. That was where the Royals truly lacked production in 2025.
He brings power from the left side of the plate and is a consistent hitter, and he could significantly bolster the Royals’ lineup if he indeed returns. This could potentially even put the Royals back in contention for at least a Wild Card spot in 2026.
Kings of Kauffman’s Stephen Parello reflects on some positives from Kansas City’s season.
Sports Illustrated’s Alex D’Agostino wonders if the Arizona Diamondbacks got the better end of their trade deadline deal with the Royals.
FanGraphs’ David Laurila interviews Athletics slugger Shea Langliers about hitting.
Lance Brozdowski looks at some excellent pitching from the NLCS and ALCS.
Jorge Polanco continues to have Hollywood moments for the Seattle Mariners.
CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder is fed up with sign stealing and pitch tipping.
CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson wonders if the Milwaukee Brewers have handled Shohei Ohtani.
Joshua Rodrigues breaks down one fielding decision from the 15th inning of the ALDS Game 5.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan looks at the big-picture ramifications of a Los Angeles Dodgers-Milwaukee Brewers NLCS.
Should managers change their approach once the playoffs roll around?
FanGraphs’ Matt Martell asks what is next for the New York Yankees.
RotoGraphs reviews the fantasy positioning at first base following the 2025 season. Vinnie Pasquantino’s predicted finish was pretty spot on.
Is Tarik Skubal on the trade block this winter? Detroit Tigers leadership weighs in.
How good are AI agents at building a baseball team using Moneyball ideology?
Ken Pomeroy releases his preseason ratings.
NFL is using AI to help prevent injuries on an individual level.
“WTF With Marc Maron” ends after 16 years and more than 1,600 episodes.
Today’s song of the day is a live version of Whiskey River from Willie Nelson.
