October baseball has begun with a bang. With the Mets down to their last two outs, struggling slugger Pete Alonso flipped the script and launched New York past Milwaukee and into the National League Division Series.Â
Amazing.
FOX Sports MLB writers Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner offered their top takeaways from Thursday’s thriller.
–>
ADVERTISEMENT
What’s cooler than cool? The Polar Bear
Pete Alonso, after scuffling through September and the first days of October, finally got his moment. Entering the biggest at-bat of his career, Alonso had two options. He could end his 2024 campaign (and perhaps his Mets career) on the sourest of notes, doing little to nothing to change the script in a win-or-go-home game. Or, he could help save the Mets season and possibly send them to the NLDS against the Phillies. Which one was calling out his name?Â
Option number two.Â
During a hard-fought at-bat against closer Devin Williams, in which he took balls on pitches 2, 3 and 4, Alonso’s decision to swing on the fifth pitch, a changeup in the heart of the zone, was a moment of destiny. The All-Star slugger crushed a ninth-inning three-run home run, the Mets dugout emptied onto the field, the watch party of 10,000 fans at Citi Field lost their minds, and a season of underwhelming moments from the Polar Bear were all but forgotten.
Up until Thursday’s Game 3, Alonso was becoming the butt of the joke. He couldn’t hit with runners in scoring position. He recorded a full-season career-low 34 home runs. As if things couldn’t get worse, he tripped on his bat while running out of the box in Wednesday’s Game 2 to produce an inning-ending double play. In a Mets season full of whimsy, humor and joy, Alonso was the odd-man out.Â
All year, the Mets waited for Alonso’s big moment. All year, manager Carlos Mendoza said it would come. Finally, in Game 165, it came. With one swing, Alonso erased all the bad memories of his walk year. Alonso needed that home run, no doubt. But the Mets needed it more, and that’s why Alonso delivered. — Deesha Thosar
Young talents are meeting the moment in these playoffs
In another world, we’d be talking about rookies Jackson Chourio and Tobias Myers catapulting the Brewers to the National League Division Series. Of course, Pete Alonso authored a different tale.
Devin Williams had allowed three runs in 22 appearances this season. The Mets tagged the Brewers star closer for four in the deciding Game 3 of the wild-card series. And just like that, a day after the neophyte Tigers bombarded former All-Star relievers Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader to move on in Houston, another highly decorated closer was sent off unceremoniously into a long winter.
While it won’t ease the pain of Brewers fans, it was their young standouts who gave them a chance. Chourio, at just 20 years old, finished the three-game set with five hits, including two game-changing homers in Milwaukee’s Game 2 victory that forced the win-or-go-home matchup. After Freddy Peralta was tagged for three runs in four innings in Game 1 and Frankie Montas allowed three runs (one earned) in 3.2 innings in Game 2, it was Myers, in his first career postseason appearance, spinning five scoreless frames. And before the late implosion, it was 24-year-old Sal Frelick providing a usually reliable Brewers bullpen an insurance run to work with.
MLB’s abundance of youthful talent has been on full display early in October, and that shouldn’t change now.
Padres Rookie of the Year candidate Jackson Merrill went 3-for-7 in the wild-card series with a double and a triple. Parker Meadows started the scoring in the Tigers’ clinching wild-card game in Houston with a homer.
For the division winners waiting for their turn, Yankees catcher Austin Wells and pitcher Luis Gil have been in the AL Rookie of the Year conversation most of the year. In Cleveland, Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis have helped turned the Guardians bullpen into a juggernaut. Both teams also have another rookie X-factor who could help flip a series in Jasson DomÃnguez and Kyle Manzardo, respectively. Whatever happens from here, more rookies will have a say. — Rowan Kavner
Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.
October is here, and the only thing certain in baseball is that it will be wild. Fittingly, the postseason commenced Tuesday with four wild-card games.
Day 1 certainly hasn’t disappointed thus far, as the Tigers and Royals stunned the Astros and Orioles, respectively.Â
FOX Sports MLB writers Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner will be offering their top takeaways from all the action.
Tarik Skubal and the Tigers absolutely came to play. Even taking away the fact that Detroit had to win Game 1 with their ace on the mound, this young and hungry squad made it obvious they’ll be tough to go through for the remainder of the series, too.
While Skubal’s dangerous arsenal and fired-up attitude were nothing new, what stood out to me is the advantage he gives himself by pitching so quickly. With that fast delivery, Skubal can easily replicate his mechanics and give hitters minimal time to adjust to what might be coming next. His six scoreless innings Tuesday made it easy to see how he earned the pitcher’s triple crown. — Deesha Thosar
As incredible as their end-of-season run was — they went an MLB-best 31-13 in their last 44 games and led the majors with a 2.72 ERA in that time — what was equally incredible is the way they did it, with ace Tarik Skubal serving as the workhorse of a patchwork rotation composed primarily of multi-inning relievers. That’s what it’s going to be in October, too. As manager AJ Hinch told reporters before the wild-card series, “Our plan, to give you an overview, is Tarik Skubal tomorrow and pitching chaos the rest of the way.”
The Tigers have clearly demonstrated they can win with that chaos, but it’s hard to rely on mayhem. Winning the Skubal game felt like a must. He provided the one sure thing in the Detroit rotation, and in his first career playoff appearance, the triple crown winner got it done.
Now, things will get interesting. The Tigers have other actual starters they can use on the roster, including Reese Olson and Casey Mize, but odds are the next day (or two) will feature a bevy of arms. Expect to see a good amount of Tyler Holton — he had an 0.83 ERA in the second half and threw only two pitches in Game 1 — with a chance to close it out.
For the Astros, it’s not panic time. They have the clear upper hand in the rotation the rest of the way, and experience is on their side. But the youthful Tigers, in the dance for the first time since 2014 after a scorching finish to the year, don’t appear fazed. — Rowan Kavner
Check back later for commentary on Royals-Orioles, Mets-Brewers and Braves-Padres.
Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.
The 2024 MLB playoffs are almost underway, so we asked our staff to create superteams out of the best players remaining in each league.
For Part 1, FOX Sports’ Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner drafted exclusively from American League postseason teams. Each roster includes eight position players, one designated hitter, four starting pitchers and one closer. The writers could assemble their teams in any order but had to declare what position each player would occupy upon selecting them. Naturally, things became competitive and contentious.Â
Thosar drafted first in our American League exercise, with Kavner selecting first for our National League iteration. Both drafts were linear.
But enough with the footnotes. Enjoy the stacked lineups, ruthless trash talk and sometimes loopy explanations for certain selections.Â
Deesha: He’s a threat to change the game with every swing in every at-bat, and there’s no one else in the AL that I’d trust more at the plate in do-or-die moments to come up clutch. After his heartbreak of missing the playoffs last year, then leading the majors in home runs, RBIs, OBP and OPS this year, this is finally the October that he steps up as the postseason MVP.
Rowan: I could take a player who hits for a high average. Or I could search for someone with slug. Or I could go with someone who can cause havoc on the bases. Or I can take a player I can rely on defensively at a premium position. Or…I can just go with Witt and get everything in one package. Sign me up.
Deesha: Perennial All-Star and MVP candidate? Add best third baseman in baseball to his list of accolades. RamÃrez finished the year just one home run and one double shy of an unheard of 40/40/40 season.
Rowan: Yankees fans are hoping Judge and Soto won’t be split up after this season. In this draft, though, I have to do it. With Witt and Soto, who are both hitting over .340 with runners in scoring position this year, I feel confident in my squad not just reaching base at a high clip but also bringing runners home when they have the chance.
Deesha: Henderson will get on base, slug, bring runners home, swipe bags, and play solid defense in the hole. But he’s also the third MVP candidate on my team, and that friendly competition between teammates will only bring out the best in the 23-year-old shortstop.
Rowan: We know Soto can thrive on the biggest stage, but it can’t hurt to add a veteran to the squad who happens to be one of the all-time greatest postseason performers. One of just two players in MLB history with 27 career playoff home runs, Altuve is far and away the most accomplished and productive second baseman in the AL playoff field.
Deesha: He should be more dangerous than usual in October thanks to all that extra rest and preserved energy from his three-month absence due to injury. Fortunately, it looks like he picked up where he left off in the first half, and he’ll be essential in creating runs and getting on base for my squad.
Rowan: Is it too early to grab the guy who won the pitching Triple Crown here? I don’t think so. Good luck, hitters. Oh, and if you do make contact against the guy with the most strikeouts in the AL, try not to hit it to shortstop.
Deesha: An ace pitching in the playoffs weeks before he hits the free-agent market as the best available starting pitcher? Yes, please. After a 1.20 ERA in five September starts, I’m expecting Burnes’ postseason to be extra dominant as he stabilizes my rotation with his devastating cutter and workhorse mentality.
Rowan: I should probably just make him my left fielder here to justify taking a DH this high, but considering his health concerns going into the postseason and that we have to pick the position with each pick, I’ll just take the dude with a .949 career playoff OPS — the most dangerous bat remaining in the field — and worry about finding another guy to roam the outfield later.
Deesha: We didn’t get to see last year’s Cy Young winner at his best in the postseason last year, but if you take out his weird intentional-walk start against the Red Sox, this is the closest we’ll get to that version of Cole. The 1-2 punch of Burnes/Cole will allow for zero breathing room for opposing hitters in a short series. Have fun!
Rowan: Oh, good. I was worried you might take one of the best pitchers left.
Deesha: Honestly, I‘m overthinking over here and that’s dangerous.
Rowan: You take your Burnes-Cole mix, and I’m plenty comfortable having the starter with the lowest ERA (Skubal) and second-half ERA (Valdez) in the AL playoff field.
Deesha: Don’t forget to mention his 12 earned runs in 12 innings last October.
Rowan: He also had 4 in 25 innings the previous one, so …
Deesha: Yeah, well, he was younger then.
Rowan: I didn’t see Cole’s first half numbers on your blurb? Did I skim over it?
Deesha: Sure, he hasn’t played in left all that much. But the havoc he’ll cause with his bat after a 44-home run season that went under the radar makes my outfield a powerhouse full of guys who can slug and stay calm under pressure.
Rowan: Can’t even hate on that, except he basically never plays LF.
Rowan: Well, turns out I didn’t need to wait that long to get that left fielder. Happy to get an All-Star at this spot with the fourth-highest OPS among all qualified AL outfielders this season. Greene is hitting over .300 in his last 20 games and has played a huge role in the Tigers’ stunning late-season run.
Deesha: The best closer in baseball – and nobody is even remotely close. It’s virtually impossible to score on him (you can count the number of runs he gave up all year on one hand) and, somehow, Clase surrendered just two home runs in 74 appearances. The game is over the minute those bullpen doors swing open.
Rowan: After RamÃrez went early, there’s no question Bregman stands out as the next best option at the position, so this is incredible value for him before Deesha snags him and tries to play him somewhere else. Bregman should be extra motivated as he heads into free agency, but if he performs anywhere close to the way he has the last couple months — he has an OPS over .880 since the start of August — I’m in good shape.
Deesha: Amid 49 games played at first, the Royals veteran enjoyed a renaissance season — drawing a career-high 44 walks while earning his ninth All-Star nod. Perez brings World Series experience to my team, where he’ll fit right in as the cleanup hitter.
Rowan: Oh, here we go …Â
Deesha: Hey, he did play at first a lot!
Rowan: I actually didn’t realize he played THAT much at first. I thought it was like five games.
Rowan: I promise I didn’t set out to create an Astros All-Star team, but here we are. Since Deesha got fancy putting Perez at first base, I’ll take the other top offensive catcher on the board so she can’t. Diaz had the highest batting average of any qualified catcher in the majors this year and should keep the line moving in this stacked lineup.
Deesha: Nnnnnoooooonooooo. You are literally Joe Espada at this point.
Rowan: This is what happens when the guardians and royals and tigers all make the playoffs. i’m realizing i’m gonna have to take hader now too eventually. maybe i’ll get cute and use a different guardians reliever. I can still get Jason Heyward to play center.
Deesha: Lugo’s not getting the same attention as some of MLB’s other lights-out rotation arms, but he’s been just as dominant in only his second season switching to a full-time starter, earning his first career All-Star selection in his age-34 season. We won’t disrespect him on my team, at least.
Rowan: Not a surprise to see the top Royals arms go back-to-back. While Lugo has the edge in ERA and wins, Ragans’ whiff rate is far superior. Missing bats is crucial in October, and I’m thrilled to end up with the AL’s top two strikeout leaders in Skubal and Ragans.
Deesha: The Astros’ top-of-the-rotation arm is a solid addition to round out my pitching staff. He owns a 1.69 ERA in 10.2 innings across seven playoff appearances that have all come out of the bullpen, and now I’m expecting Brown to produce those results for the rotation with ease.
Rowan: The fact that Perez, who spends most of his time behind the plate, was the first first baseman to go in this draft demonstrates the dearth of elite options at the position. Naylor, though, brings the most pop at the spot, leading all AL first baseman this year in both homers and RBIs.
Deesha: Even though Rowan thought he messed up my game plan by taking Diaz, I’m happy this late in the draft to go with the Orioles catcher who’s one year removed from a Silver Slugger award. It’s been a disappointing second half, no doubt. But I’m not counting out the two-time All-Star just yet.
Rowan: he’s been so bad. but yeah i was tempted too
Rowan: He’s been in the conversation for AL Rookie of the Year all season and is a helpful piece on both sides of the ball. Offensively, his strikeout rate can make him prone to ebbs and flows, but he has 24 home runs and can get hot in a hurry (he had four homers over his last eight games). Defensively, his 11 outs above average are more than the rest of Baltimore’s outfielders combined.
Deesha: Among designated hitters with a minimum of 100 plate appearances not named Aaron Judge, Carpenter has the best OPS (.968) in the AL. His numbers likely would’ve been even better had injuries not slowed him down, but he’s getting red-hot at exactly the right time.
Rowan: I wanted to add a right-hander to my southpaw-heavy group, and I feel great about getting the ace of Cleveland’s staff here. Bibee has been the one reliable force in the rotation of the AL Central champs and will head into October with some momentum after posting a 2.64 ERA in five September starts.
Deesha: After Rowan took Altuve early, I knew I could afford to make second base my final pick if only because the position is so terribly depleted among AL playoff teams. Still, snagging Chisholm here gets me extra speed and that’s music to my ears.
Rowan: I almost took him for CF, lol. I don’t know how I’d feel about throwing him back in the outfield for the playoffs. You ready for the finale?
Rowan: “Who?” some who haven’t watched much AL Central baseball might be asking. OK, this might be getting a little cute, but the Cleveland bullpen’s dominance goes beyond Clase, and Smith is the strikeout king of the group. In October, I want my closer to miss bats, to not give up free passes and to keep the ball in the yard. Smith ranks in the top 10 among all qualified MLB relievers in strikeout rate and strikeout-to-walk ratio and has surrendered one homer — ONE! — all year in more than 75 innings of work. I’ll take the guy who by fWAR is MLB’s most valuable reliever this year. Plus, Hader had too many Sept blowups
Deesha: Smith has one save! this feels like grounds for disqualification. Luke Weaver was RIGHT there
Rowan: Have you seen Smith’s numbers? He strikes people out, unlike your closer. And he has more saves than Santander has starts in left field this year.
Deesha: You’re the first and only person ever to attempt Clase hate.
Rowan: I love Clase. I’m sad I couldn’t pick him.
Team Deesha’s starting lineup:
1. Gunnar Henderson, SS 2. Kyle Tucker, RF 3. Aaron Judge, CF 4. Jose Ramirez, 3B 5. Kerry Carpenter, DH 6. Salvador Perez, C 7. Anthony Santander, LF 8. Adley Rutschman, C 9. Jazz Chisholm, 2B
Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.
