Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

The Red Sox have been one of baseball's hottest teams since late June, and this week Jayson and Doug are joined by former major leaguer and NESN studio analyst Will Middlebrooks to break down what's behind Boston's surprising turnaround and why the club has become one of the biggest stories in baseball. Then, Jayson shares stories from Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown, including a chance encounter with one of the greatest hitters in baseball history and why even Hall of Famers are still in awe of the game's most exclusive club.Rundown:2:13 Jayson’s Weekend in Cooperstown10:23 Will Middlebrooks Visits Starkville11:23 The Red-Hot Red Sox18:02 Being a Top Prospect23:48 Curtis Mead-Connelly Early Trade26:46 Evaluating the American League33:28 Reliving the 2013 World Series37:25 The Infamous Obstruction Play41:11 Hall of Fame Perspectives45:19 Strange But TrueFollow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.socialFollow Doug on Bluesky: @dougglanville.bsky.socialE-mail: starkville@theathletic.comStarkville Hotline: (347) 313-8371Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Jayson Stark & Doug GlanvilleWith: Will MiddlebrooksProducer: Jason Potere

With Monday’s trade deadline fast approaching, Eno and DVR break down the A.J. Minter trade from the Mets to the Twins and explain why the smaller deals can be just as important as the blockbuster moves. Then, the guys dig into the waiver wire before welcoming Niv Shah to discuss perhaps his biggest hot dog review yet, ranking four Harry Potter-inspired dogs—one for each Hogwarts house.Rundown:1:33 Max Clark Gets the Call: Can He Hit Right Away?7:49 Bryan Baker Gets Save No. 3010:10 Is Baker a Top-10 Closer for Next Year?12:25 A.J. Minter to Twins: Two Prospects to Mets16:10 Luke Murphy Gets the Call17:57 Will Quinn Mathews Stick after Debut?19:52 Late-Season Looks for Whisenhunt & Tidwell?23:40 Will Phillies Upgrade No. 5 Starter Spot?27:58 Stash Héctor Rodríguez?30:49 Matt McLain Returns33:05 Odds & Ends: Miller Replacements, Walcott DH Duty & Jays Depth38:52 An Aggressive Assignment: A Four Hot-Dog Saturday?44:21  Finding Your House50:10  Should You Pay Up for Roch Cholowsky?56:13 Blocking Others From a Deal?Don't miss our LIVE Trade Deadline show; Monday August 3rd at 4p ET on the Rates & Barrels YouTube ChannelLike, Subscribe and drop us a comment!First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisExecutive Producer: McEnroe FrancisEditor: Jason Potere

What a Wednesday it was around baseball. Today, Eno, Trevor, and DVR break down Don Mattingly’s pointed comments about Bryce Harper and why he’s calling for help at the trade deadline. Then, the guys play general manager, debating which pitchers they'd target if they were making deals. Plus, could Casey Mize and Hunter Greene be on the move before Monday’s trade deadline?1:20 A Wild Wednesday: Big Comebacks, Injuries & A Trade!3:51 ‘Harper-Dombrowski Cold War’ Continues?6:44 Injury-Plagued Season Puts KC in Tough Spot15:07 Rangers Add Chase Silseth & Logan O’Hoppe21:15 Pitchers We’d Trade For: Eno’s Case for Freddy Peralta28:10 Casey Mize: The Tigers Pitcher More Likely to Move?33:00 Nick Lodolo: Could a Fresh Start Bring a Rebound Down the Stretch?41:24 Hunter Greene Rumblings: Should the Reds Actually Trade Him?50:24 Intriguing Relievers: Edgardo Henriquez, Tejay Antone & Daniel Lynch IVDon't miss our LIVE Trade Deadline show; Monday August 3rd at 4p ET on the Rates & Barrels YouTube ChannelLike, Subscribe and drop us a comment!First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisContributor: Trevor MayExecutive Producer: McEnroe FrancisEditor: Jason Potere

MLB Trade Deadline is just days away, DVR, Eno and Jed Lowrie explain why the Detroit Tigers are good enough to make a legitimate run and why trading Tarik Skubal could be the wrong move. They discuss Detroit's dominant pitching staff, the emergence of Troy Melton, potential deadline upgrades, and why the Tigers should not be sellers.The crew also breaks down the Mariners' comeback win over the Dodgers, what Seattle needs to take control of the AL West, and the latest update on Shohei Ohtani's pitching timeline as Los Angeles continues its push toward another postseason.Plus, Eno, DVR and Jed dive into one of baseball's most fascinating scouting discussions: What is "hit tool?"Don't miss our LIVE Trade Deadline show; Monday August 3rd at 4p ET on the Rates & Barrels YouTube ChannelLike, Subscribe and drop us a comment!First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisContributor: Jed LowrieExecutive Producer: McEnroe FrancisEditor: McEnroe Francis

MLB Trade Deadline week continues with DVR, Eno and Britt Ghiroli discussing strategies for both ends of the spectrum. The Yankees and Dodgers are looking towards the postseason while the Mets are looking towards next year. They break down the Yankees' search for offensive help following Cody Bellinger's injury and the ongoing absence of Aaron Judge. Plus, they examine whether the Dodgers should make another blockbuster move despite already having baseball's deepest roster, and what the Mets' long-term plan should be.The crew also debates potential landing spots for trade targets including Zach Neto, CJ Abrams, Matt Chapman and Tarik Skubal, examines which roster upgrades make the most sense for each contender, and wraps up the show by discussing Salvador Perez's Hall of Fame case after he became the Royals' all-time home run leader.Don't miss our LIVE Trade Deadline show; Monday August 3rd at 5p ET on the Rates & Barrels YouTube ChannelLike, Subscribe and drop us a comment!First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisGuest: Britt GhiroliExecutive Producer: McEnroe FrancisEditor: McEnroe Francis

Jacob Misiorowski was rolling again Sunday, striking out 11 of the first 12 batters he faced. Eno and DVR discuss The Miz’s ongoing dominance and prepare for the return of Ronald Acuña Jr. to the Atlanta lineup. Should Acuña’s increasing injury history significantly lower his playing time projections in the future? Plus, Spencer Nusbaum joins the show to discuss the trade that sent Curtis Mead to the Red Sox and brought Connelly Early to the Nationals, as well as a few young starters getting closer to contributing in Washington.First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisExecutive Producer: McEnroe FrancisEditor: McEnroe FrancisThumbnail Credit: Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images#Brewers #Braves #Orioles #Nationals #RedSox #Padres

There’s one thing sports fans can all agree on: Phillies fans love to boo. This week, Jayson and Doug look back at All-Star Week, share stories from the wrong side of a hostile Philly crowd, and discuss why the city’s fans have earned their reputation. Then, legendary broadcaster Joe Buck joins the show to talk about being honored at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, along with a few behind-the-scenes details from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding. To close things out, Jayson and Doug dive into another edition of Strange But True in Sacramento.Rundown:1:34 All-Star Game in Philadelphia3:00 Phillies Fans LOVE to Boo9:22 Joe Buck Visits Starkville10:38 Hall of Fame  Weekend14:04 Baseball’s Impact19:19 Calling Baseball Games28:50 Entering the Hall of Fame30:36 Announcing Baseball vs. Football33:29 Broadcasting Baseball36:25 Joe’s Cooperstown Speech46:07 Observations on Today’s Game48:12 Swift-Kelce Wedding54:25 Strange But TrueFollow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.socialFollow Doug on Bluesky: @dougglanville.bsky.socialE-mail: starkville@theathletic.comStarkville Hotline: (347) 313-8371Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Jayson Stark & Doug GlanvilleWith: Joe BuckProducer: Jason Potere

A fresh batch of starting pitcher rankings is here, and Eno already has a few regrets. On this week's Fantasy Friday, Eno and DVR break down the latest rankings, discussing the biggest risers, fallers, and surprises. Then, they hit the waiver wire to highlight hitters and pitchers worth adding before wrapping up with a look at Clay Holmes' impending return.Rundown:0:32 Updated SP Rankings!5:22 The Summer of Justin Wrobleski11:15 Logan Webb’s Fall14:53 Sean Burke is a Tough Rank!20:41 Hunter Brown’s Woes27:20 Keider Montero’s Surge32:01 Is Ethan Pecko a Deep Sleeper in Houston?33:30 Sonny Gray’s Changes40:48 Injuries of Note41:54 Hitters of Interest: Ty France, Victor Mesa Jr. & Joey Ortiz53:45 Pitchers of Interest: Zac Thornton, Brandon Pfaadt & Keider Montero57:02 Clay Holmes Nears ReturnFirst Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026Eno's Updated SP Rankings ($): https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7461994Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisEditor: Jason Potere

Pitchers have to evolve fast to stay ahead, and this season has been no exception. Today, Eno, Trevor, and DVR break down the traits today's game values most and the adjustments a handful of starters are making—with varying degrees of success. Plus, the guys take a closer look at Eury Pérez's growth and the strides he's made in his third major league season.Rundown:2:17 The Speed of Adjustments7:25 Faster Solutions: Who Actually Finds and Implements Them?12:12 Pitcher Traits: What Are You Valuing More Today?19:35 Kumar Rocker is Changing26:57 Tanner Bibee: Pitching Deep Into Starts, Not Missing Bats32:37 Brandon Sproat: Good Stuff, Inconsistent Results40:23 Janson Junk: The Intrigue Continues44:50 Eury Pérez: Has Increased Two-Seamer Usage Unlocked Ace Ceiling?48:09 Logan Gilbert: More Adjustments?Link to the Big Board: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7448958/Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow Trevor on Bluesky: @iamtrevormay.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisWith: Trevor MayEditor: Jason Potere