Stay ConnectedEno Sarris and Derek VanRiper, along with Britt Ghiroli, Trevor May, and Jed Lowrie discuss advanced stats, strategy, prospects and more. From the first move of the Hot Stove season to the final pitch of the World Series, join us for year-round baseball talk.
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The 2026 ALCS is set! The Cleveland Guardians completed an incredible comeback against the Chicago White Sox, erasing a 2-0 ALDS deficit to advance to the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. But after surviving Chicago, does Cleveland have enough pitching left to take down Tampa Bay?
Derek VanRiper and Eno Sarris deliver their complete **Guardians vs. Rays ALCS preview**, breaking down projected starting pitching matchups, bullpen depth, lineup advantages, platoon strategies, X-factors and predictions for the best-of-seven series.
José Ramírez delivered one of the most remarkable home runs in postseason history, Gavin Williams dominated Game 5, and Cade Smith has been nearly unhittable. Now the Guardians face a Rays team that won five of their six regular-season meetings and has a very different approach to managing its pitching staff.
Can Cleveland navigate a potential bullpen game against Drew Rasmussen? How will Parker Messick and Gavin Williams match up against Tampa Bay's starters? And will Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz or an unexpected Rays role player become the difference-maker?
Who wins the ALCS — Guardians or Rays? And how many games will it take? Drop your predictions in the comments!**
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🎧 Rates & Barrels — The Athletic's Baseball Podcast
Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Executive Producer & Editor: McEnroe Francis
#ALCS #Guardians #Rays #MLBPlayoffs #RatesAndBarrels
00:00 – Guardians Complete an Incredible ALDS Comeback
01:43 – Cleveland's Pitching Exposes Chicago's Biggest Weakness
06:56 – José Ramírez's Unbelievable Game 5 Home Run
11:45 – Guardians vs. Rays: Projected ALCS Pitching Matchups
14:24 – Comparing the Starting Rotations and Bullpens
16:22 – How Cleveland Can Attack Tampa Bay's Platoons
22:33 – Rays Dominate the Regular-Season Matchups
25:44 – Cade Smith and the Guardians' Bullpen Challenge
28:23 – Which Guardians Hitters Must Step Up?
33:14 – Breaking Down the Game 1 and Game 2 Matchups
39:36 – Tampa Bay's Pitching Depth and Defensive Advantage
42:16 – Why the ALCS Schedule Could Hurt Cleveland
44:40 – ALCS Predictions: Rays in Six?
49:24 – The Junior Caminero Trade Comes Back to Haunt Cleveland
51:29 – ALCS X-Factors and Unexpected Difference-Makers
52:18 – Could Tampa Bay's Outfield Defense Be Exposed?
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Tim Kurkjian and Eduardo Pérez return to Starkville! This week, Jayson and Doug welcome the baseball insiders to break down the wildest moments of the postseason, from Eduardo’s Dodgers and Yankees fumble to the best stories of October, including Bryan Baker’s buddies and the Tampa Bay Rays’ growth. They discuss the craziest things they’ve seen on the field, questionable umpire predictions, the Yankees’ wall controversy, and the lawyer explanations that followed. Plus, they dive into the baseball insanity surrounding the Guardians and White Sox, the challenges of retractable roofs in Tampa and Milwaukee, and Eduardo’s memorable encounter with a D-ring. And in Strange But True, a fair or foul call involving Milwaukee’s roof takes center stage. Finally, Tim and Eduardo share stories from their travels around baseball, including what makes Tim Kurkjian such a legendary storyteller.
Rundown:
00:33 In The Booth
05:59 Up Next
06:03 Tim and Eduardo Visit Starkville!
13:48 Best Thing This Postseason
23:36 Craziest Things Seen
30:21 Guardians and White Sox
42:25 Let’s Talk About Roofs
47:41 Elite Shortstop Explanation
51:49 Top Tales About Traveling With Tim and Eduardo
1:00:00 Up Next
1:00:35 Strange But True
01:12:26 Wrap Up
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Hosts: Jayson Stark & Doug Glanville
With: Tony Gwynn Jr. & Mark Grant
Producer: Matthew Chilelli
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The Dodgers have the star power, the Cy Young-caliber rotation and seemingly endless pitching depth. But are the Brewers actually the perfect team to beat them?
Eno Sarris and Trevor May preview the Dodgers-Brewers NLCS, breaking down a loaded Los Angeles rotation featuring Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow and how Milwaukee's contact-heavy, low-chase offense might attack it.
Can the Brewers grind down L.A.'s starters and reach the vulnerable portions of the bullpen? Is Jacob Misiorowski the great equalizer? How important will Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill be in a seven-game series? And could simply getting one blowout win — and saving the high-leverage arms for another night — ultimately swing the NLCS?
Plus, Eno and Trevor reveal their X-factors and make their picks to reach the World Series.
Who wins the NLCS: Dodgers or Brewers?
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00:00 — Dodgers vs. Brewers NLCS Preview
03:47 — Can Milwaukee Crack the Dodgers' Rotation?
09:03 — Breaking Down the Dodgers' Bullpen
11:47 — Is Edwin Díaz Back?
16:25 — What's Wrong With the Dodgers' Offense?
19:25 — Dodgers vs. Brewers Offense
23:03 — Jacob Misiorowski & the Brewers' Rotation
25:34 — Where the Dodgers Have the Pitching Edge
26:55 — The Key to the Series
28:06 — Brewers Bullpen & Aaron Ashby
31:33 — Death By A Thousand Cuts
32:20 — How Milwaukee Can Attack Dodgers Pitching
36:35 — Can the Brewers Grind Down Skubal?
38:41 — How Milwaukee Can Slow Down an Ace
41:20 — The Left-Handed Matchup Game
43:41 — NLCS X-Factors
48:54 — Trevor & Eno Make Their Picks
51:15 — Why Is Postseason Offense Disappearing?
58:13 — Has Baseball Come Full Circle?
Hosts: Eno Sarris & Trevor May
Executive Producer & Editor: McEnroe Francis
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The Championship Series field is starting to take shape.
The Dodgers, Brewers and Rays are moving on after a massive day of postseason baseball, while the Guardians kept their season alive and forced another game against the White Sox.
DVR and Eno recap all four games, breaking down the biggest performances, pitching decisions and moments that decided each matchup. They look at how Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay punched their tickets to the next round, what Cleveland did to extend its series with Chicago, and what it all means as the MLB postseason moves one step closer to the ALCS and NLCS.
Plus, who earned a 🥂 **Toast of the Game** after a full day of October baseball?
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The Division Series are heating up, and Rates & Barrels is LIVE to break down everything from a huge night of October baseball.
DVR and Eno Sarris recap Tuesday’s NLDS action, including Brewers-Padres Game 3 and Braves-Dodgers Game 3, as both National League series take another major step toward determining who will reach the NLCS.
Then, the guys turn their attention to the American League after the Rays and White Sox took control of their respective series. The Yankees and Guardians now head into Wednesday facing potential elimination games with their seasons on the line.
What went wrong for New York and Cleveland? Can either team fight its way back into the series? And what have Tampa Bay and Chicago done to put themselves one win away from the ALCS?
Plus, we break down the biggest performances, managerial decisions, pitching matchups and turning points from another packed day of postseason baseball.
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The NLDS is getting interesting in a hurry.
DVR, Eno Sarris and Britt Ghiroli take a deep dive into both National League Division Series after a dramatic opening weekend.
The Braves stole a game in Los Angeles without using Chris Sale and now head home tied 1-1 with Sale lined up against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3. Did the Dodgers get too far ahead of themselves by setting up Yamamoto with the NLCS in mind — and could that decision come back to haunt them?
Plus, Atlanta’s bullpen has stepped up in a huge way, Ray Kerr continues to emerge as an October weapon, and the Dodgers’ lineup suddenly faces enormous pressure.
Then, Britt takes us inside two incredible Brewers-Padres games in Milwaukee. The Brewers head to San Diego with a 2-0 series lead despite defensive mistakes and less-than-dominant starting pitching. Did San Diego pull Michael King too early? Was asking Mason Miller for six outs a mistake? And can the Padres’ offense finally capitalize after leaving 20 runners on base through the first two games?
Finally, the crew tackles one of October’s biggest debates: Do analytics actually work in the postseason? Or does playoff baseball require teams to think differently when every pitch, matchup and managerial decision is magnified?
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Guest: Britt Ghiroli
Executive Producer & Editor: McEnroe Francis
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#brewers #dodgers #braves #padres #mlbplayoffs
00:00 NLDS Deep Dive
01:57 Braves-Dodgers: Atlanta Steals the Split
03:54 How Atlanta’s Bullpen Beat the Dodgers
05:00 Are the Dodgers in Trouble?
06:57 Ray Kerr Becomes an October Weapon
10:51 Dodgers’ Curious Bunt Decision
14:05 Did LA Make a Mistake With Yamamoto?
18:05 Sale-Yamamoto & What Comes Next
21:25 Are Teams Pushing Pitchers Too Hard?
25:27 ABS Changes October Baseball
27:37 Brewers-Padres Game 2 Deep Dive
28:21 Did the Padres Pull Michael King Too Early?
31:35 Mason Miller’s Six-Out Gamble
35:28 Padres’ Offense Comes Up Short
39:04 Brewers Escape Milwaukee Up 2-0
41:29 What Happened to Mason Miller?
46:38 Can San Diego’s Bullpen Recover?
48:35 Brewers-Padres Game 3 Preview
50:05 Is Playoff Baseball Actually Different?
54:03 Do Analytics Work in October?
58:53 The Analytics vs. Eye Test Debate
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The MLB Division Series are already delivering chaos.
DVR and Eno recap a wild weekend of postseason baseball, beginning with the White Sox taking Game 1 from the Guardians behind Munetaka Murakami, Hagen Smith and another huge performance from Grant Taylor. What does Cleveland need to change with Gavin Williams taking the ball in Game 2?
Then, Drew Rasmussen delivered one of the best pitching performances of the postseason, carrying a no-hitter through six innings against the Yankees before finishing eight innings of one-hit ball. DVR and Eno break down why Rasmussen remains one of baseball's most underrated starters, Austin Wells' costly baserunning decision, the Rays' unusual approach to outfield defense, and what to expect from Cam Schlittler vs. Freddy Peralta in Game 2.
Plus: CABLEGATE! Did Ty France actually lose a potential game-tying home run when his fly ball struck a roof cable at American Family Field? Eno digs into the Statcast data, comparable batted balls, foul-ball probability and information from MLB analysts to determine what probably would have happened without the cable.
The Brewers ultimately survived Game 1 and rallied against Mason Miller in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead over the Padres. How much did San Diego's aggressive bullpen usage contribute to the loss, and can the Padres still make this a series?
Finally, the Braves steal Game 2 in Los Angeles to earn a split against the Dodgers. DVR and Eno examine Atlanta's unusual Chris Sale usage, the cost of leaning heavily on the bullpen, Teoscar Hernández's resurgence and what the series looks like heading back to Atlanta.
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Executive Producer & Editor: McEnroe Francis
00:00 Division Series Weekend Recap
01:14 White Sox Take Game 1 From Cleveland
02:03 Grant Taylor & Chicago's Pitching Chaos
04:44 Tommy Pham's Almost-Homer
07:47 Hagen Smith & White Sox Pitching Plans
13:39 White Sox-Guardians Game 2 Preview
17:36 Drew Rasmussen Dominates the Yankees
18:11 Austin Wells' Costly Baserunning Decision
19:18 Is Drew Rasmussen MLB's Secret Ace?
23:15 Cam Schlittler vs. Freddy Peralta
26:38 The Rays' Secret Outfield Defense Weapon
35:06 Cablegate: Did the Padres Get Robbed?
44:44 Brewers Survive Game 1
45:59 Did the Padres Overuse Their Bullpen?
48:51 How Milwaukee Escaped With a 2-0 Lead
50:53 Braves-Dodgers Series Recap
54:14 Atlanta's Chris Sale Gamble
58:55 Monday's ALDS Game 2 Matchups
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Tom Hamilton and Len Kasper join Starkville! This week, Jayson and Doug sit down with the longtime voices of the Red Sox and White Sox to discuss the matchup between two teams that have taken different paths but built their success the right way. They break down why America needs this series, whether any non-playoff teams could surprise everyone and make the postseason next year, and the emergence of José Ramírez, Chase DeLauter and other young players making their mark. They also discuss the early injury chaos, the contrasting pitching staffs, and the importance of trust when managing new coaches and young players. Plus, Jayson and Doug highlight players who deserve more attention, including Brayan Rocchio, Joey Cantillo, Tristan Peters and Sam Antonacci. And in Strange But True, the guys explore the Pope factor and his unexpected influence on the action in the field.
Rundown:
03:36 Am I Wrong?
05:41 Losing Left Handed Leverage
08:35 UP NEXT
09:04 Tom and Len Visit Starkville!
12:04 Why America Needs This Series
19:48 The Game of Predicting Playoffs
24:46 Chase Delauter and Parker Messick
27:11 Crazy First Inning Injuries
28:19 Contrast Between Pitching Staffs
31:15 Role of Trust in the Game
36:37 Players We Should Know Better
42:19 The Pope Factor In This Series
46:21 UP NEXT
Follow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.social
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E-mail: starkville@theathletic.com
Starkville Hotline: (347) 313-8371
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Hosts: Jayson Stark & Doug Glanville
With: Tony Gwynn Jr. & Mark Grant
Producer: Matthew Chilelli
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The NLDS is here. DVR and Eno preview Braves-Dodgers and Padres-Brewers, breaking down the pitching matchups, lineup weaknesses, bullpen advantages and X-factors that could decide both National League Division Series.
Can Atlanta find a way to slow down the Dodgers? The Braves took five of six from Los Angeles during the regular season, but the postseason pitching staffs look very different. DVR and Eno examine how Chris Sale could be deployed, why J.R. Ritchie could become a surprise weapon for Atlanta and how the Dodgers’ collection of high-velocity arms could attack one of the Braves’ biggest offensive weaknesses.
The Dodgers finished among MLB’s leaders in 95+ mph fastballs, while Atlanta posted a .295 wOBA against those pitches during the regular season. Which Braves hitters can handle premium velocity? Plus, how healthy and effective will Shohei Ohtani be, and can Freddie Freeman bounce back after a difficult September?
Then it's Padres-Brewers. Milwaukee owns the top seed, but San Diego enters the NLDS after a huge second half and a Wild Card Series win over the Cubs. DVR and Eno dig into Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Milwaukee’s pitching plans, Mason Miller and the battle between two deep bullpens.
The Brewers' offense might also be more dangerous than its reputation suggests. Milwaukee combines on-base ability, bat speed and aggressive baserunning, while both the Brewers and Padres finished among MLB's best teams against 95+ mph fastballs. Could that become a major factor against Misiorowski and San Diego's power bullpen?
Finally, it's time to Close the Tab on the 2026 Philadelphia Phillies. After another disappointing October exit, DVR and Eno discuss how the Bryce Harper era should be evaluated, an aging roster, Zack Wheeler, Trea Turner, Andrew Painter and whether Philadelphia should keep pushing its chips in for another championship run.
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Executive Producer & Editor: McEnroe Francis
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:46 Braves-Dodgers: Setting Up the Series
05:46 How Atlanta's Rotation Could Line Up
09:10 Could J.R. Ritchie Be Atlanta's X-Factor?
11:44 The Dodgers' Pitching Advantage
12:34 Atlanta's Problem With High-Velocity Fastballs
17:06 Shohei Ohtani & Freddie Freeman Questions
20:18 Braves-Dodgers Predictions
21:05 Padres-Brewers NLDS Preview
25:26 How the Schedule Impacts Jacob Misiorowski
27:49 Milwaukee's Rotation After Misiorowski
32:45 How Dangerous Is the Brewers Offense?
35:24 Can San Diego Stop Milwaukee on the Bases?
36:59 Breaking Down the Bullpens
39:36 Milwaukee's Bullpen vs. Mason Miller
41:12 Brewers & Padres Can Both Hit Velocity
42:40 Padres-Brewers Predictions
43:19 Closing the Tab on the Phillies
47:23 Evaluating the Bryce Harper Era
48:12 What Should Philadelphia Do Next?
52:11 The Phillies' Aging Lineup
55:29 A Wild Trade Idea for Philadelphia
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The MLB Wild Card round comes down to one final elimination game — and Rates & Barrels is going LIVE for Phillies-Braves Game 3.
Join DVR and Eno starting in the 7th inning as Philadelphia and Atlanta battle for a spot in the NLDS. We’ll react LIVE to the biggest moments, pitching decisions and late-game strategy as the final Wild Card series is decided.
Then we turn our attention to the American League Division Series.
The ALDS matchups are set:
⚾ Yankees vs. Rays
⚾ White Sox vs. Guardians
How do the Yankees match up with Tampa Bay after advancing through the Wild Card round? Can the White Sox keep their surprising postseason run going against Cleveland? Which rotations, bullpens and lineup matchups could ultimately decide each series?
We’ll break down both ALDS matchups, identify the biggest players and X-factors to watch, and get you ready for the next round of the 2026 MLB Playoffs.
Bring your questions and reactions to the LIVE chat as we watch the end of Phillies-Braves and turn the page to the Division Series.
Like, subscribe and turn on notifications so you don’t miss any of our LIVE postseason coverage!
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#MLB #MLBPlayoffs #Phillies #Braves #Yankees #Rays #WhiteSox #Guardians #ALDS #Postseason #RatesAndBarrels
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