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Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball
Baseball's ABS System Is Working!
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Eno and DVR look back at the first weekend of the 2026 MLB season, which featured immediate ABS drama in several games and plenty of excitement at the ballpark, Plus, they discuss an extension for Nico Hoerner, as the Cubs secure another long-term part of their core, before answering mailbag questions about limiting challenges to critical counts, and what 'A' and 'B' bullpens are. Finally, they explain their process for making some of their toughest decisions for the week, and takeaways from a messy weekend in several bullpens.
Rundown
0:21 The Crowd Goes Wild, For ABS!: Loud Roars & the First Ejection!
7:41 Righting the Wrongs: Can Aaron Judge Become Even Better with ABS?
8:57 Coming Soon: Challenge Timers & Lights?
12:42 The Cubs Extend Nico Hoerner: Six-Year, $141 Million Deal Adds to Core
20:03 Jacob deGrom Scratched From Weekend Start (Neck Stiffness): Could Return This Week
21:02 Will Teams Limit Challenges Based on Count?
25:30 How Do Stuff+ Updates Drop on FanGraphs?
27:51 Jake Irvin, Emerson Hancock & Randy Vásquez Surprise
36:05 What Are ‘A’ and ‘B’ Bullpens?
40:40 How We Make Our Most Difficult Lineup Decisions
50:14 Pickups & Panics: Messy Bullpens & Eno’s FOMO Drop
Related Reading ($)
"Inside MLB’s new ABS challenge system: Which umpires, teams and players thrived and struggled" by Johnny Flores Jr.:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7156691
"Payback time for Yankees’ Aaron Judge? ABS could mean revenge after years of bad calls" by Brendan Kuty:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7153125
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social
Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
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Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Editor: Jason Potere
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