Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

Should the Los Angeles Dodgers actually consider BENCHING Shohei Ohtani? The Milwaukee Brewers have jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the NLCS, Cleveland has stolen Game 1 of the ALCS from Tampa Bay, and the New York Yankees are facing some uncomfortable questions after another disappointing October.Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris and Britt Ghiroli break down the latest MLB playoff action on Rates & Barrels, including Milwaukee's formula for beating the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani's struggles, Cleveland's pitching strategy against the Rays, and a deep dive into what went wrong for the 2026 Yankees.Milwaukee has taken the first two games of the NLCS despite facing Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. What's making the Brewers so difficult to beat?Looking ahead to Game 3, can Blake Snell and the Dodgers turn the series around against Robert Gasser?The Guardians stunned Tampa Bay in ALCS Game 1, rallying against Drew Rasmussen and the Rays' bullpen.Did Kevin Cash leave Rasmussen in too long? How did Cleveland use Tampa Bay's platoon weaknesses to its advantage? And can the Guardians maintain their momentum against Freddy Peralta in Game 2?DVR, Eno and Britt examine Cleveland's aggressive approach at the plate, Parker Messick's workload, the impact of Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey, and Junior Caminero's injury scare.Another 90-win season. Another October disappointment. And another winter of questions in the Bronx.Britt Ghiroli examines the Yankees' lack of accountability, the health concerns surrounding Aaron Judge, and why the organizational culture may no longer resemble the Yankees teams that won championships.Should Aaron Boone return? What changes should Brian Cashman make? Can the Yankees build a roster that wins with contact, defense and situational baseball instead of relying so heavily on power?What do you think? Should the Dodgers bench Ohtani? Are the Brewers the NL favorites? And what needs to change for the Yankees to win another World Series? Drop your thoughts in the comments!👍 Like, subscribe and drop us a comment!💬 Join the Rates & Barrels Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe📰 Subscribe to The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels👕 Rates & Barrels Merch: https://rates-and-barrels.printify.me/Follow Rates & Barrels:Derek VanRiper on Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/dvr.bsky.socialEno Sarris on Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/enosarris.bsky.social📧 ratesandbarrels@gmail.comHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisContributor:Britt GhiroliExecutive Producer & Editor:McEnroe Francis#MLBPlayoffs #Brewers #Dodgers #ShoheiOhtani #Yankees #RatesAndBarrels00:00 – Guardians Win Game 1; Brewers Take Control of NLCS02:34 – Did Kevin Cash Leave Drew Rasmussen in Too Long?06:55 – How Cleveland Exploited Tampa Bay's Platoon Weaknesses13:43 – Guardians' Aggressive Approach Against Rasmussen15:18 – ALCS Game 2 Preview: Parker Messick vs. Freddy Peralta21:43 – Brewers Lead Dodgers 2-0 in the NLCS23:24 – Milwaukee's Winning Formula: Plate Discipline and Baserunning25:40 – Shohei Ohtani's Health and Dodgers' Offensive Struggles26:28 – Why Milwaukee's Fastball Strategy Is Working28:15 – How the Dodgers Attacked Jacob Misiorowski30:17 – The Brewers' Dominant Bullpen32:17 – William Contreras, Christian Yelich and Cooper Pratt38:39 – What Went Wrong with Yoshinobu Yamamoto?39:57 – Why Haven't the Dodgers Used Edwin Díaz?44:57 – NLCS Game 3 Preview: Robert Gasser vs. Blake Snell48:05 – Should the Dodgers Bench Shohei Ohtani?50:40 – Closing the Tab: The 2026 New York Yankees01:02:36 – Are the Yankees Behind Baseball's Contact Revolution?01:03:36 – Is the Yankees' Culture of Accountability Gone?01:06:30 – The Yankees' Success Since Their Last World Series01:08:12 – Final Thoughts and What's Next

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!**👍 Like, subscribe and drop us a comment!⚾ First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026💬 Join the Rates & Barrels Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe📰 Subscribe to The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels👕 Rates & Barrels Merch: https://rates-and-barrels.printify.me/Follow Rates & Barrels:Derek VanRiper on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dvr.bsky.socialEno Sarris on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/enosarris.bsky.social📧 Email: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com🎧 Rates & Barrels — The Athletic's Baseball PodcastHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisExecutive Producer & Editor: McEnroe Francis#ALCS #Guardians #Rays #MLBPlayoffs #RatesAndBarrels00:00 – Guardians Complete an Incredible ALDS Comeback01:43 – Cleveland's Pitching Exposes Chicago's Biggest Weakness06:56 – José Ramírez's Unbelievable Game 5 Home Run11:45 – Guardians vs. Rays: Projected ALCS Pitching Matchups14:24 – Comparing the Starting Rotations and Bullpens16:22 – How Cleveland Can Attack Tampa Bay's Platoons22:33 – Rays Dominate the Regular-Season Matchups25:44 – Cade Smith and the Guardians' Bullpen Challenge28:23 – Which Guardians Hitters Must Step Up?33:14 – Breaking Down the Game 1 and Game 2 Matchups39:36 – Tampa Bay's Pitching Depth and Defensive Advantage42:16 – Why the ALCS Schedule Could Hurt Cleveland44:40 – ALCS Predictions: Rays in Six?49:24 – The Junior Caminero Trade Comes Back to Haunt Cleveland51:29 – ALCS X-Factors and Unexpected Difference-Makers52:18 – Could Tampa Bay's Outfield Defense Be Exposed?

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 Booth05:59 Up Next06:03 Tim and Eduardo Visit Starkville!13:48 Best Thing This Postseason23:36 Craziest Things Seen30:21 Guardians and White Sox42:25 Let’s Talk About Roofs47:41 Elite Shortstop Explanation51:49 Top Tales About Traveling With Tim and Eduardo1:00:00 Up Next1:00:35 Strange But True01:12:26 Wrap UpFollow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.socialFollow Doug on Bluesky: @dougglanville.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.socialE-mail: starkville@theathletic.comStarkville Hotline: (347) 313-8371Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Jayson Stark & Doug GlanvilleWith: Tony Gwynn Jr. & Mark GrantProducer: Matthew Chilelli

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?Like, Subscribe and drop us a comment!e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsRates & Barrels MERCH: https://rates-and-barrels.printify.me/00:00 — Dodgers vs. Brewers NLCS Preview03:47 — Can Milwaukee Crack the Dodgers' Rotation?09:03 — Breaking Down the Dodgers' Bullpen11:47 — Is Edwin Díaz Back?16:25 — What's Wrong With the Dodgers' Offense?19:25 — Dodgers vs. Brewers Offense23:03 — Jacob Misiorowski & the Brewers' Rotation25:34 — Where the Dodgers Have the Pitching Edge26:55 — The Key to the Series28:06 — Brewers Bullpen & Aaron Ashby31:33 — Death By A Thousand Cuts32:20 — How Milwaukee Can Attack Dodgers Pitching36:35 — Can the Brewers Grind Down Skubal?38:41 — How Milwaukee Can Slow Down an Ace41:20 — The Left-Handed Matchup Game43:41 — NLCS X-Factors48:54 — Trevor & Eno Make Their Picks51:15 — Why Is Postseason Offense Disappearing?58:13 — Has Baseball Come Full Circle?Hosts: Eno Sarris & Trevor MayExecutive Producer & Editor: McEnroe Francis

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?

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.

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?Like, Subscribe and drop us a comment!Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris Guest: Britt Ghiroli Executive Producer & Editor: McEnroe Francise-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsRates & Barrels MERCH: https://rates-and-barrels.printify.me/#brewers #dodgers #braves #padres #mlbplayoffs 00:00 NLDS Deep Dive01:57 Braves-Dodgers: Atlanta Steals the Split03:54 How Atlanta’s Bullpen Beat the Dodgers05:00 Are the Dodgers in Trouble?06:57 Ray Kerr Becomes an October Weapon10:51 Dodgers’ Curious Bunt Decision14:05 Did LA Make a Mistake With Yamamoto?18:05 Sale-Yamamoto & What Comes Next21:25 Are Teams Pushing Pitchers Too Hard?25:27 ABS Changes October Baseball27:37 Brewers-Padres Game 2 Deep Dive28:21 Did the Padres Pull Michael King Too Early?31:35 Mason Miller’s Six-Out Gamble35:28 Padres’ Offense Comes Up Short39:04 Brewers Escape Milwaukee Up 2-041:29 What Happened to Mason Miller?46:38 Can San Diego’s Bullpen Recover?48:35 Brewers-Padres Game 3 Preview50:05 Is Playoff Baseball Actually Different?54:03 Do Analytics Work in October?58:53 The Analytics vs. Eye Test Debate

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.Like, Subscribe and drop us a comment!🎟️ First Pitch Arizona: https://firstpitcharizona.com/Follow Rates & Barrels:DVR on Bluesky: @derekvanriper.bsky.socialEno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social📧 ratesandbarrels@gmail.com💬 Join the Rates & Barrels Discord📰 Subscribe to The Athletic👕 Shop Rates & Barrels merchHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisExecutive Producer & Editor: McEnroe Francis00:00 Division Series Weekend Recap01:14 White Sox Take Game 1 From Cleveland02:03 Grant Taylor & Chicago's Pitching Chaos04:44 Tommy Pham's Almost-Homer07:47 Hagen Smith & White Sox Pitching Plans13:39 White Sox-Guardians Game 2 Preview17:36 Drew Rasmussen Dominates the Yankees18:11 Austin Wells' Costly Baserunning Decision19:18 Is Drew Rasmussen MLB's Secret Ace?23:15 Cam Schlittler vs. Freddy Peralta26:38 The Rays' Secret Outfield Defense Weapon35:06 Cablegate: Did the Padres Get Robbed?44:44 Brewers Survive Game 145:59 Did the Padres Overuse Their Bullpen?48:51 How Milwaukee Escaped With a 2-0 Lead50:53 Braves-Dodgers Series Recap54:14 Atlanta's Chris Sale Gamble58:55 Monday's ALDS Game 2 Matchups

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 Leverage08:35 UP NEXT09:04 Tom and Len Visit Starkville!12:04 Why America Needs This Series19:48 The Game of Predicting Playoffs24:46 Chase Delauter and Parker Messick27:11 Crazy First Inning Injuries28:19 Contrast Between Pitching Staffs31:15 Role of Trust in the Game36:37 Players We Should Know Better42:19 The Pope Factor In This Series46:21 UP NEXTFollow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.socialFollow Doug on Bluesky: @dougglanville.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.socialE-mail: starkville@theathletic.comStarkville Hotline: (347) 313-8371Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Jayson Stark & Doug GlanvilleWith: Tony Gwynn Jr. & Mark GrantProducer: Matthew Chilelli