Friday’s postseason slate delivered a little bit of everything, from a stunning Brewers breakthrough to another reminder that October can turn on one swing.
The biggest headline belonged to Milwaukee. The Brewers completed a sweep of the Dodgers with a 6-4 comeback win, and with it they punched their ticket to their first World Series in 44 years. Now they’ll try to bring home their first-ever pennant.
Cleveland also got a boost from an unlikely source. Rookie outfielder Petey Halpin came through with the go-ahead homer in the Guardians’ 3-2 win over the Rays, then matched it with a bat flip. The Guardians now lead that series 2-1.
For the Mariners, the conversation has already shifted toward what comes next. Adam Jude of The Seattle Times raised the question of how Seattle will replace the strong production it got from Randy Arozarena in the outfield. Eric Sanford took a different angle, floating the hypothetical of how far the Mariners might have gone if they had reached the playoffs at all.
Elsewhere around the league, Miguel Rojas announced his retirement after the Dodgers’ elimination. Orioles left-hander Cade Povich had elbow surgery and is expected to be ready for spring training. The Rockies moved on from pitching coach Alon Leichman after one season.
There was also offseason buzz brewing. Michael Clair previewed this winter’s NPB-to-MLB class, a group that includes four stars. The Phillies reportedly contacted former stars Chase Utley and Raúl Ibañez about their managerial opening, but both declined interview requests for the job.
And in a separate baseball discussion, Joey Votto and Alex Bregman broke down why hitting has been so difficult in this postseason.
In Other News...
Mariners Fans Have Seen This Former Project Break Through Too Late
Jake Bauers spent time in Seattle as one of those tantalizing left-handed projects who never quite put it together, the kind of bat the Mariners hoped might blossom with a little patience and the right role. Now with the Milwaukee Brewers, he has done just that, capping a season of real progress with a breakout run that included a 140 OPS+ and a team-leading 26 home runs.
Scott Servais once suggested Bauers might benefit from a change of environment, and the ex-Mariners outfielder has turned that idea into a pretty clear case study. His rise has been steady rather than sudden, but it still leaves Seattle looking at a familiar question: how many promising pieces only become finished products after they leave? [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Fans Just Got An Uncomfortable October Reminder
The Cleveland Guardians run through October has offered a familiar kind of reminder for Seattle followers: once the regular season ends, the door stays open for teams that know how to play deep into the calendar. Cleveland won Game 3 of the ALCS and is now within striking distance of the World Series, a stunning position for a club that only needed 85 wins to claim the AL Central and still found a way to turn a modest regular-season profile into October momentum.
For the Mariners, it is an uncomfortable comparison because it comes back to how they have talked about building a winner and what that has looked like in practice. Jerry Dipoto has long framed Seattles path around a certain standard for sustained success, but the Guardians current postseason surge is the sort of example that forces a fresh look at whether that approach is enough when the games matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners May Have A Surprise Left Field Option Emerging
Randy Arozarenas strong season has made left field one of the more interesting questions on the Mariners offseason checklist, especially with free agency looming. Seattle has already started looking at possible ways to cover that production, and the list includes big-league names such as Michael Arroyo and Brendan Donovan, plus a more unexpected internal candidate who could give the club another path if it wants to keep the job in-house.
Boston Smith is the one worth watching there. The catching prospect has impressed offensively in the minors, and the Mariners gave him a look in left field in the Arizona Fall League, a sign they may be open to broadening his role. After arriving in an earlier trade, Smith is starting to emerge as a player Seattle could evaluate not just as a bat, but as a potential answer to a pretty important roster hole. [Read more 🡒]