Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

J.T. Realmuto returns to Starkville this week, joining Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville to talk about everything from his last appearance on the show (which happened on a golf course) to catching Cristopher Sánchez, facing Jacob Misiorowski, and the unforgettable time Freddie Freeman kicked dirt on him.
Plus, Jayson and Doug weigh in on Manny Machado's criticism of analytics and what it says about the modern game, and Jo Adell makes another appearance in Strange But True — though this chapter of the story isn't nearly as triumphant as the last one.
Rundown:
2:50 Manny Machado Dislikes Analytics
13:55 J.T. Realmuto Joins the Show
14:48 Golfing with Kyle Schwarber
16:58 From Thomson to Mattingly
21:30 Catching Cristopher Sánchez
25:11 Sánchez vs. Misiorowski
29:12 Adjusting to ABS
32:38 Being a Catcher in 2026
37:41 2026 Team Expectations
41:21 Realmuto & Freeman’s Dust-Up
43:10 Strange But True: Jo Adell
Follow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.social
Follow Doug on Bluesky: @dougglanville.bsky.social
E-mail: starkville@theathletic.com
Starkville Hotline: (347) 313-8371
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Hosts: Jayson Stark & Doug Glanville
With: J.T. Realmuto
Producer: Jason Potere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Fantasy Friday, and with Eno out today, DVR enlists a pair of special guests. First, James Anderson of RotoWire joins the show to discuss the draft picks he’s already regretting, along with prospects generating plenty of buzz, including Braden Montgomery, Cole Carrigg, and Jordan Lawlar.
Later, Ottoneu founder and Senior Hot Dog Correspondent Niv Shah stops by to examine Aaron Judge’s long-term outlook as he turns 35 next April before sharing reviews from his latest ballpark hot dog tour through Detroit and Miami.
Rundown:
0:37 James Anderson Joins the Show
1:55 Draft-Day Regrets: Price Enforcing & the Cal Raleigh Premium
6:25 Prospect Profiles: How Has Increased Data Altered Your Targets?
11:39 Chasing Unicorns: Could Aaron Judge’s Success Lead Us Astray?
14:38 Accounting for the Ball: How Is James Dealing with Lively Minor-League Baseball?
20:46 2026 Prospects to Come: Are We Facing a Drought Until Mid-August?
23:45 Braden Montgomery
27:26 Cole Carrigg
30:07 Jordan Lawlar
33:58 Jac Caligianone is Heating Up!
37:12 The Big Picture: Are We Always Going to Be Limited by Waiver-Wire Pitching?
41:19 Making Draft-Day Adjustments to Avoid In-Season Shortages
43:36 Hagen Smith May Debut This Weekend
48:17 Other SPs to Consider
52:31 Closer Carousel: Low Bids Could Pay Off on Elvis Alvarado
54:46 Niv Shah Joins the Show
55:35 Aaron Judge in Ottoneu & Other Keeper/Dynasty Leagues
1:07:13 Detroit Dog Reviews: The Tiger Tail & A Polish Sausage
1:10:46 Taste of the Majors: Behold, The ‘Miami Dog’!
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
With: James Anderson and Niv Shah
Editor: Jason Potere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After news of a setback for Garrett Crochet’s injured lat, DVR and Stephen revisit the 2024 blockbuster that sent the ace to Boston and brought four prospects back to Chicago — all of whom have now reached the majors with the White Sox. Then, they sort through a group of potential regression candidates, including Dillon Dingler, James Wood, Jordan Walker, Brandon Lowe, José Soriano, Gavin Williams, Max Meyer, and Bryce Elder, to determine who’s most likely to cool off in the months ahead.
Rundown:
3:35 Garrett Crochet’s Injury Setback
8:37 The White Sox Did Well in Crochet Trade
11:22 Reid Detmers as a Trade Candidate?
18:32 Oneil Cruz Out with Broken Hand
28:20 Fear the Regression Monster? Or Feed the Beast?
28:57 Dillon Dingler: Fully Buying the 2026 Power Breakout?
32:47 James Wood: Will He Avoid Second-Half Slide?
38:30 Jordan Walker Homers Again: Is a 30-20 Season On Tap?
42:17 Brandon Lowe: Resurgence Hinges on Continued Good Health?
46:08 José Soriano: Has the Regression Monster Already Arrived?
51:09 Gavin Williams: A Capital ‘A’ Ace Now?
54:42 Max Meyer: Will He Hold Up Through Career-High Workload?
59:30 Bryce Elder: Better than ROS Projections, Right?
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
With: Stephen Nesbitt
Editor: Jason Potere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Baseball Savant has given fans a new toy to play with. Today, DVR and Jed dig into the site's new swing timing and miss distance leaderboards and what they can reveal about hitter performance. Then, they break down the struggles of several young hitters, including Lawrence Butler, Evan Carter, Coby Mayo, Masyn Winn, and Marcelo Mayer. Later, they open the mailbag and tackle one of baseball’s most pressing questions: Is Brandon Marsh good?
Rundown:
0:45 New Toys at Baseball Savant!
12:54 Lawrence Butler: Can He Press Reset in 2026, or Beyond?
23:42 Evan Carter: Homers & Steals, Without a Supporting Slash Line
31:03 Coby Mayo: A Pull-Heavy Approach Gone Too Far?
40:45 Masyn Winn: Will the Bat Catch Up to His Elite Glove?
46:45 Marcelo Mayer: Can He Live Up to His Potential?
50:24 Are PCA’s Adjustments Paying Off?
55:20 Is Brandon Marsh Good?
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
With: Jed Lowrie
Editor: Jason Potere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Manny Machado really mad about analytics, or is a tough season at the plate fueling the frustration? Today, Eno, Britt, and DVR unpack Machado’s comments and discuss whether advanced stats can help him break out of his prolonged slump.
Then, they look at three of baseball’s biggest surprises this season: the White Sox, Cardinals, and Nationals. Are these teams legitimate contenders, or should they sell at the deadline?
Later, Eno and DVR are joined by Patrick Mooney of The Athletic to discuss the Cubs’ disappointing season, what’s gone wrong, and whether there’s still a path back into the playoff race.
Rundown:
0:36 Brewers-A’s Goes PCL: Outdoor Baseball in Vegas in June, Yikes!
7:48 Manny Machado’s Frustration: Was Analytics Rant Just Venting?
15:20 It’s About Communication: Always Has Been, Always Will Be
22:10 Longer Road Trips? Would Teams Benefit From Less Back-and-Forth?
26:13 Should They Be Buyers? Watching White Sox, Cards & Nats Closely
41:36 Braden Montgomery Gets the Call
43:58 Patrick Mooney Joins the Show
44:18 An Unusual Start: Making Sense of Cubs’ Streaky Path to 34-22
46:32 Sitting in Discomfort: Believing in the Core to Click Despite Early Struggles
49:25 Trade Deadline Plan: How Much Rides on Path to a Wild-Card Round Bye?
52:15 Pitching Development: Why Are the Cubs Short on Arms?
56:02 A Pleasant Surprise: Ben Brown is Cruising in the Rotation
57:52 PCA Back to MVP Form? What Has Changed in His Approach?
Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social
Follow Britt on Bluesky: @brittghiroli.bsky.social
e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Britt Ghiroli
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.