Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

Which MLB contenders have the bullpens built to survive October? DVR, Eno Sarris and Trevor May rank the best relief units in the American and National Leagues and break down which teams they trust most heading into the MLB postseason.

The Guardians headline a tightly packed group of American League bullpens, with the Red Sox, Yankees, Astros and Rays all making their cases. The guys examine Cleveland’s high-leverage arms, Houston’s top-end talent, Boston’s impressive results and whether the Yankees have enough depth to shorten games in October. They also explain why Tampa Bay may be missing the overpowering arm that becomes so valuable in the postseason.

In the National League, the Padres have built one of baseball’s deepest and most dangerous bullpens around Mason Miller, but the Brewers, Dodgers, Braves and Phillies all enter the conversation. Has Milwaukee quietly assembled an elite October bullpen? Can the Dodgers piece together enough healthy arms? And should Philadelphia’s actual results make us skeptical despite strong underlying projections?

Plus, Baseball News You Should Know covers another late-season injury concern for the Dodgers after Blake Snell exits with a groin strain, Aaron Judge leaving early with leg tightness, Jackson Holliday landing on the IL and Kyle Bradish’s season coming to an end.

Finally, Closing the Tab turns to the Seattle Mariners. After entering the season as heavy favorites in the AL West, Seattle fell well short of expectations as Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and several key players took steps backward or battled injuries. But the biggest question may be the pitching staff: Have T-Mobile Park and Seattle’s run-prevention environment caused us to overrate just how good Bryan Woo, George Kirby and the Mariners’ rotation really are?

DVR, Eno and Trevor examine Seattle’s surprising home-road pitching splits, what could change in 2027 and why a disappointing season doesn’t necessarily mean the Mariners’ successful pitching-development model is broken.

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First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
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e-mail: [ratesandbarrels@gmail.com](mailto:ratesandbarrels@gmail.com)
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis
Editor: McEnroe Francis

#MLB #MLBPlayoffs #Mariners #FantasyBaseball #RatesAndBarrels
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Are Trea Turner, Manny Machado and José Ramírez beginning to show real signs of decline — or are MLB’s aging stars poised to bounce back in 2027?

DVR, Eno Sarris and Jed Lowrie dig into three veteran hitters on the wrong side of 30 and examine what the underlying numbers tell us about where their careers are headed. José Ramírez continues to provide plenty of fantasy value despite an injury-altered season, while Manny Machado’s declining hard-contact numbers raise questions about how much elite production remains.

Then DVR takes a deep dive into Trea Turner’s surprising 2026 season. Turner’s bat speed still looks healthy, but his production against fastballs has fallen, his swing decisions have changed and his overall offensive production has dropped significantly. A surprising comparison with Xander Bogaerts may also offer a better idea of what Turner could look like over the second half of his long-term contract.

First, Baseball News You Should Know covers another huge moment from Junior Caminero, Pete Alonso’s return to Citi Field, the Guardians-White Sox playoff battle and a razor-thin AL West race between the Astros and Rangers.

Finally, Closing the Tab heads to Washington. The Nationals have made a massive offensive leap in Year 1 under their new front office, but questions remain about their pitching development. DVR, Eno and Jed look at what changed in Washington, the next wave of pitching prospects and the rapid ascent of 18-year-old Eli Willits.

Plus, Jed puts a new spin on Name That Dude with the help of a pack of 2026 Topps Chrome.

#MLB #FantasyBaseball #TreaTurner #MannyMachado #JoseRamirez #RatesAndBarrels

00:00 Intro
02:03 Junior Caminero Is Fearless at the Plate
04:42 Pete Alonso Returns to Citi Field
08:31 Guardians-White Sox Delivers Again
11:29 Astros & Rangers Battle for the AL West
15:09 What's Going On With Wyatt Langford?
16:49 Decline or a Cliff?
17:12 Is José Ramírez Finally Slowing Down?
25:32 What’s Happening to Manny Machado?
37:39 What Happened to Trea Turner?
38:59 Turner’s Fastball & Swing-Decision Problems
40:25 Trea Turner vs. Xander Bogaerts
45:45 Closing the Tab: Washington Nationals
49:50 Can the Nationals Fix Their Pitching?
57:14 Eli Willits’ Incredible Rise
57:34 Name That Dude: Topps Chrome Edition
1:00:40 The Mystery Player Revealed

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First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Rates & Barrels MERCH https://rates-and-barrels.printify.me/

Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis
Editor: McEnroe Francis
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are the New York Yankees getting healthy at exactly the right time? DVR and Eno break down the latest MLB playoff picture before Yankees reporter Brendan Kuty joins the show to discuss Aaron Judge finding his timing, the Yankees’ October rotation and a fascinating decision between George Lombard Jr. and Anthony Volpe.

The American League playoff race remains unsettled as the White Sox battle Cleveland, Toronto and Texas for position. DVR and Eno also examine the Padres’ biggest October weakness, a crushing Blue Jays loss and whether heavy workloads eventually catch up with MLB relievers.

Plus, the Rays have already punched their ticket to October. DVR and Eno examine Tampa Bay’s lineup, rotation and bullpen and assess whether the Rays have everything they need to make a deep postseason run.

#MLB #Yankees #Rays #MLBPlayoffs #RatesAndBarrels #baseballgame

00:00 MLB Playoff Race Heats Up
01:44 White Sox Take a Huge Game From Cleveland
06:31 Can the Padres’ Rotation Survive October?
09:30 Blue Jays Let One Get Away
11:57 How Much Is Too Much for MLB Relievers?
14:29 Four More Teams Punch Their Playoff Ticket
17:37 Aaron Judge Looks Like Aaron Judge Again
22:02 Is the Yankees’ Rotation Getting Healthy at the Perfect Time?
23:56 George Lombard Jr. or Anthony Volpe?
27:09 Did Volpe Fix His Swing in Triple-A?
28:43 Can the Yankees Still Steal the AL East?
30:04 What Could Sink the Yankees in October?
33:35 Are the Rays Built for an October Run?

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First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Rates & Barrels MERCH https://rates-and-barrels.printify.me/

Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis
Editor: McEnroe Francis
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are the Milwaukee Brewers built to make a deep October run? DVR is joined by WTMJ Brewers host Dominic Cotroneo to examine why Milwaukee’s unconventional offense works, Jacob Misiorowski’s transformation into an ace, Logan Henderson’s emergence and how the Brewers could build their pitching staff for the MLB postseason.

First, the American League playoff picture is finally beginning to take shape. The Toronto Blue Jays have quietly pushed their way back into serious contention, while the White Sox and the rest of a crowded AL field battle for six postseason spots. Could Toronto be a dangerous “house money” team if Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays get back to October?

Then it’s time for Where the Money Went. Dodgers prospect Josue De Paula gets his first taste of the majors, showing impressive plate discipline and hitting his first MLB home run. DVR and Dom also discuss late-season fantasy baseball strategy, returning catchers and why finding usable pitching in the final two weeks has become increasingly difficult.

Finally, Closing the Tab turns to the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals. Is Jordan Walker’s breakout sustainable? Does St. Louis have the position-player core to contend again soon? And can the organization’s pitching development catch up quickly enough to complete the rebuild?

Plus, Dominic discusses the Service Time podcast and the history of baseball’s relationship with its players.

#MLB #Brewers #BlueJays #MLBPlayoffs #FantasyBaseball #RatesAndBarrels

00:00 Blue Jays Emerge in the AL Playoff Race
03:43 Is the AL Playoff Picture Finally Taking Shape?
09:25 The Blue Jays Are Making Their Move
12:42 Padres-D-backs & the NL Wild Card Race
18:05 Where the Money Went: Josue De Paula Arrives
21:19 Late-Season Fantasy Baseball Strategy
25:30 Brewers Deep Dive: Is This Team Better?
29:17 Why Milwaukee’s Offense Works
33:43 What Really Happened to Milwaukee in the 2025 NLCS?
36:43 Misiorowski, Henderson & the Brewers’ October Rotation
41:15 Who Emerges From the Brewers Bullpen?
43:58 Closing the Tab: 2026 Cardinals
49:03 Is Jordan Walker’s Breakout For Real?
52:22 The Cardinals’ Young Core
55:13 Dominic Cotroneo’s Service Time Podcast

Like, Subscribe and drop us a comment!

First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels

Host: Derek VanRiper
Contributor: Dominic Cotroneo
Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis
Editor: McEnroe Francis
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hall of Famer Chipper Jones returns to Starkville!
This week, Jayson and Doug sit down with the Braves icon to talk Ronald Acuña Jr.’s memorable curtain call, his favorite Bobby Cox ejection stories, whether Chipper ever got tossed himself, and what he thinks he would hit in today’s game. Plus, Chipper weighs in on ABS, the evolving role of hitting coaches, the Braves’ World Series chances, and his memorable battles with Doug Glanville.
Later, the guys head to Arizona for Strange But True, where the Diamondbacks and Royals somehow turned a 0 0 game into an absolute baseball zombie thriller.

Rundown:

0:00 Today’s Lineup
00:37 Welcome to Starkville
8:33 UP NEXT: CHIPPER JONES VISITS STARKVILLE
8:35 Ronald Acuña Jr. Curtain Call
18:05 Did Chipper Jones Ever Troll?
21:58 Changing Role of Hitting Coaches
26:40 The Braves’ World Series Chances
31:08 In Honor of Bobby Cox - what’s your favorite Bobby Cox Ejection Story?
35:39 Has Chipper Jones ever been Ejected from a game?
37:35 What would Chipper Jones have hit if he were still playing baseball today?
39:32 Thoughts on ABS - is it helping the game?
41:22 Chipper Vs. Doug - stories about Doug Glanville going up against Chipper Jones
45:27 UP NEXT: STRANGE BUT TRUE
46:21 Strange But True Diamondbacks Vs. Royals Zombie game

Follow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.social
Follow Doug on Bluesky: @dougglanville.bsky.social
Follow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.social

E-mail: starkville@theathletic.com
Starkville Hotline: (347) 313-8371
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels

Hosts: Jayson Stark & Doug Glanville
With: Joe Maddon
Producer: Matthew Chilelli

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