Minnesota Twins
Team Leader
Rival Roundup, Vol. 71: The Ball is Literally in Court
Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/general/50058/rival-roundup-vol-71-the-ball-is-literally-in-court
As we sit in that fun little zone between Halloween and the rest of the holiday season, so too does the Major League Baseball offseason schedule sit between the fervor of Game 7, and the gate-opening pandemonium of Genuine Transactions. We’re almost there, and with the GM Meetings this week and the more-famous Winter Meetings not too far behind, it shouldn’t be long before we learn a detail or two about what the division will look like in 2026.
Until then, we have a little more housekeeping to detail with — this year, that’s a nice mix between the usual BBWAA announcements, and the slightly-more-unusual federal arraignments.
Enjoy!
- One of the biggest and wildest stories of the offseason has already come crashing into view, with the arraignment and subsequent arrest of Emmanuel Clase and his teammate Luis Ortiz on pitch-fixing gambling charges for which they have been federally indicted. Clase has pleaded not guilty and was released on $600,000 bail, but it’s only the beginning.
- The major awards are in full swing, and for the second consecutive year, Tarik Skubal is the class of the pitching crop in the American League. It’s a golden era for repeat winners of major awards, apparently; as the MVPs in both leagues locked themselves in for another round, so too does Skubal take home the first set of consecutive Cy Youngs since Jacob DeGrom won in the 2018/2019 seasons. To find the last American League pitcher to match Skubal’s accomplishment, you have to go all the way back to Pedro Martinez at the turn of the century.
- Skubal also joins Denny McLain as the only Tiger to win more than one Cy.
- All this, of course, comes as the trade vultures have been swirling around Skubal ever since his team was bumped from the 2025 postseason. The current understanding is that Skubal won’t be dealt this winter, but with his free agency looming large next offseason, whether he’s on the Tigers for the entirety of 2026 will depend upon just how deeply Detroit is in the mix.
- Also on the repeat train is Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt, who wins Manager of the Year for a second straight campaign, becoming just the second AL manager to do so (Kevin Cash, 2020/2021.) His NL counterpart, Pat Murphy, also took home his second such award in as many years, prompting one to wonder whether the entire BBWAA just said, “double it and give it to the next guy,” and then didn’t realize it was actually the same guy.
- The Royals are bringing on a familiar mid-2000s name as a hitting coach.
- Thames has now coached for the Royals and White Sox, while also having played for the Tigers for the majority of his career. He just can’t quit the Midwest, and you know what? I don’t blame him.
- In a somewhat more reasonable “will he be traded” scenario, Athletic writer Will Sammon breaks down whether KC starter Kris Bubic will be snatched up over the winter.
- Finally, Royals Review breaks down the availability of trade target Brendan Donovan.
Next week, assuming the Gregorian calendar doesn’t change too drastically, we’ll have tidbits on 40-man roster protections and notable non-tenders. If that’s the kind of thing that keeps your vessel buoyant, then don’t touch that dial. Leave this tab open for one week. Don’t go to any other websites.
See you then!
Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/general/50058/rival-roundup-vol-71-the-ball-is-literally-in-court