It's September, and you know what that means in the baseball world.
Chaos. Lots of chaos.
That holds especially true with so many teams still in contention. 10 teams are in the hunt in the American League, with the Tampa Bay Rays winning seven straight and eight of their last 10 games to get back into the playoff race. The National League playoff picture is much clearer, with six teams in firm playoff position. But the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals are within striking distance of a wild card spot.
What teams will step up? What players will step up and become heroes in their cities and have their statuses elevated on a national audience? We asked our FanSided MLB staff all these questions, and much more. Here are their answers.
Well, we believe in exit velocity, bat flips, launch angles, stealing home, the hanging curveball, Big League Chew, sausage races, and that unwritten rules of any kind are self-indulgent, overrated crap. We believe Greg Maddux was an actual wizard. We believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment protecting minor league baseball and that pitch framing is both an art and a science. We believe in the sweet spot, making WARP not war, letting your closer chase a two-inning save, and we believe love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.
This week's panel:
Who will become a household name this September and beyond?
Adam Weinrib: I wish I could say “Brice Turang,” but I have fears of Brewers Playoff Syndrome and I can’t get past the likely reality that they end up felled by a hostile environment with more postseason experience. I think the world will learn much more about the legend of Jhoan Duran this fall - plus, the electric ballpark experience of his entrance video/song will be an event at every important Phillies game.
Eric Cole: I completely understand Adam’s hesitancy with the Brewers given their history, but I am going to choose to be brave here. Turang would be a fine pick and Caleb Durbin is a true sleeper pick, but I am going to go with Isaac Collins. This guy has just risen to the occasion at basically every opportunity. He might not win Rookie of the Year because the competition is fierce this season, but Collins has the skillset that is built for big moments in October. I’m betting that he is a driving force for Milwaukee finally getting over the hump.
Robert Murray: Nolan McLean. The 24-year-old right-hander has gone a long way toward reinforcing the Mets’ rotation that is without Frankie Montas and Kodai Senga. He’s stepped up, and his impact will be needed now and in the postseason. In 26.1 innings, he’s posted a 1.37 ERA in 26.1 innings. He’s been masterful, and I expect him to step up in the postseason as well.
Zach Rotman: Since Robert stole my answer, I’m going to go with McLean’s teammate, Jonah Tong. I was incredibly high on McLean prior to his call-up, but I was even higher on Tong, who was as dynamic as any strikeout arm I’ve seen in the minor leagues in quite some time this season. His delivery is fun, the results were there in his MLB debut, and his personality is infectious. Tong has the stuff of a frontline arm and a personality fans will gravitate towards.
Wild Card contenders who could surprise us all:
Adam Weinrib: The Jonah Tong/Nolan McLean-led New York Mets, who are also about to add Brandon Sproat it seems? Night and day from the scuffling version of the Mets that recently relied upon Kodai “I Can’t Believe He’s a Minor Leaguer Now!” Senga and Frankie “New York Fandom Uniter” Montas.
Some might say the Yankees, who are underperforming their expected record by five full games, but if you’ve watched them all year, you know “underperforming their true talent level” is their true talent level.
Eric Cole: I’ll go with the Mariners. They aren’t playing well at the moment which is problematic, but their starting pitching is usually great which is pretty much a prerequisite for a deep playoff run. Combine that with MVP favorite Cal Raleigh and you have the recipe for a shocking run. Don’t think they get to the World Series, but they are going to be a problem for anyone they go against assuming they get in.
Robert Murray: The Mets. But does it count as a surprise given their talent level and the fact they advanced to the National League Championship Series last year? Oh well. I’m still going with it anyways. This season hasn’t always been pretty, but they’re playing really good baseball right now. They’ve dealt with pitching injuries this year, but the young arms that Adam mentioned have are difference-makers early on. And guess what? This is exactly why the Mets signed Juan Soto for $765 million. Do not overlook the Mets.
Zach Rotman: As much as I’d like to say the Mets, I just can’t get behind the pitching. The young guys are fun, but how will they do in October? Can the bullpen get Edwin Diaz the ball with a lead? I have so many questions. As for my surprise, I’m going to second Eric and pick the Seattle Mariners. They haven’t been playing well as he pointed out, and their pitching struggles on the road are very concerning, but I do believe pound for pound they’re as talented as any team in the American League both position player and pitcher-wise. Nobody wants to deal with the top of their rotation, and nobody wants to deal with the first five or six hitters in their lineup.
MLB free agents with the most to lose (and gain) down the stretch
Adam Weinrib: Can Pete Alonso do enough to change his post-opt out free agency from “The Mets’ll pay him, right?” to “He might genuinely leave, and the rest of MLB can make this interesting”. He’s been much better year-over-year and could parlay an excellent October into a Steve Cohen shakedown or a departure to a lunchpail contender (Cincinnati?).
Eric Cole: If Bo Bichette has a strong September and has some big moments in October, he is going to get paid a boatload of money. However, if he flounders in the season’s final month and disappears in the postseason, his defensive inadequacies and down 2024 season are going to hold more weight with teams. In terms of having a wide variance of outcomes from generational wealth to having to find the right team to believe in him long-term, Bichette is my guy.
Robert Murray: Kyle Tucker. The struggles while playing with a broken finger had many folks wondering what was wrong with Tucker and asking how much it would impact his free agency. A strong finish to the regular season and rising to the occasion in the postseason will have everyone forgetting about the midseason woes.
Zach Rotman: I’m going to go with Zac Gallen. His team isn’t in contention, but he’s slowly starting to turn things around, as his 2.20 ERA in seven post-deadline starts would indicate. Teams clearly weren’t willing to offer much for the right-hander at the deadline, but he’s proving them wrong by pitching as well as he has. It was looking like he was going to lose himself a lot of money, and he probably still will, but a strong finish can get more teams believing that he’s back in ace form. A rough September will have teams thinking he’s nothing more than a reclamation project, which is not where Gallen wants to be.
How lockout paranoia could impact the free-agent market
Context: For this question, FanSided's panel was directed to an article from ESPN's Jeff Passan, which outlined why owners might be hesitant to spend. But which free agents might this fear hurt the most?
Adam Weinrib: This depends on whether Scott Boras has changed his expectations for Cody Bellinger’s contract or not. The Yankees would love to have him back at a reasonable midpoint. It seems he’d love to return. But the contract had better start with a “1”.
Eric Cole: I’ll say Kyle Schwarber. He has been amazing this season and seems lined up for a huge payday. However, he is a primary DH with less than zero defensive value when he is in the field and at 32 years old and with an impending labor stoppage, Schwarber may find that his market in terms of long-term, big money deals may not be as robust as he hopes. Pete Alonso is in a similar position.
Robert Murray: All of them. A lockout feels inevitable. The only question is do we miss games? But any type of lockout will halt free agency and if a player doesn’t sign before the lockout, they very well could be left scrambling to find a new home. Look what happened with Kris Bryant and the Colorado Rockies. That decision, and the rushed process, may have ultimately ended his career.
Zach Rotman: I’m going to go with Pete Alonso. He’s had a bounceback season, but it’s worth noting that he has an .804 OPS since the start of May, a good but not great mark. He had an unbelievable April and a really good August, but for the most part, it’s been a lot of “meh.” I’m not sure how teams will value his offense, and his defense at first base remains lackluster. Alonso and Scott Boras certainly hope to see a better market this offseason than they did in 2024, but I’m not sure he’ll have long-term deals available, especially with the labor stoppage looming.
What a Micah Parsons trade would look like...in MLB
Context: The Micah Parsons trade reminded us any player is available under the right circumstances. Pick a player currently not on the trade block who could generate some buzz this winter
Adam Weinrib: Who is the Jerry Jones of MLB? Does he have an equivalent or heir apparent? Most owners who enter with a lot of bluster lose it when they realize how much money they can make by intentionally losing their bluster (looking at you, David Rubenstein).
I’ll go with a member of the Mariners’ rotation - either Logan Gilbert or George “Gonna Drill a Guy in Tampa Mid-Tantrum” Kirby. The Red Sox should be in play here, whether Seattle still wants Triston Casas or not.
Eric Cole: It is tempting to say Paul Skenes here because Bob Nutting is one of the worst owners in sports who would definitely force a trade to avoid paying him real money, but Skenes is still dirt cheap at the moment. Stay with me here, but what about Corey Seager? He is one of the best players in baseball when he is healthy, but Seager has struggled with injuries and is making $31.5 million a year for the next six seasons. If the Rangers fail to make the playoffs again this season, they could get a king’s ransom from a shortstop-needy team and clear a lot of money off of their books to regroup. Not saying it will happen, but it isn’t a crazy notion.
Robert Murray: It’s Paul Skenes. He’s going to get paid a ton, probably the most for a pitcher in baseball history. Parsons just signed for $47 million per season, the most for a non-QB in NFL history. I cannot see Skenes signing a second long-term contract in Pittsburgh unless Nutting drastically changes his ways. And if Nutting doesn’t pay up, then Skenes trade rumors will only continue to heat up. But the Pirates are not close to trading Skenes. They aren’t even open to the idea. So for now, it’s a pipedream.
Zach Rotman: I hate to do this, but Tarik Skubal is a free agent after the 2026 campaign. Nothing suggests that the Detroit Tigers are close to extending him. Are we sure the Tigers will be willing to spend what it’ll take to keep him around long-term? If they have any doubt, they sort of have to at least entertain trading him, right? I mean, the last thing this franchise can afford to do is watch Skubal sign elsewhere as a free agent and receive nothing more than a draft pick. I don’t want them to trade him, but if it’s unlikely they keep him around long-term, they must at least entertain offers.
Share something you wrote this week!
Adam Weinrib: The umpire who blew 15 calls against the Yankees and 21 overall on Wednesday night has zero idea what should and shouldn’t be shared publicly.
Eric Cole: As always, my prospects column went up on the Baseball Insiders feed. This time, it was a look at this year’s September call-ups and it would be great if you gave it a read!
Zach Rotman: I wrote about what could go right and wrong for MLB contenders in this year’s playoffs in my First Pitch column!