2026 MLB Postseason Thread

[Stangstag]

On 10/1/2026 at 11:05 PM, Brownie19 said:

Crazy and kinda too bad the Braves had to bring in Sale go close it.  It will push back when he's available v. the Dodgers. Still love seeing it though.  Sale is so good.

I don't get how their pitching is good enough to win in the playoffs.  Jays fans are worried that Soriano and Yesavage aren't good enough to win the in playoffs, but the Braves are rolling out Tyler Mahle and Grant Holmes after Sale.  There's no one way to win in the playoffs.  That's the beauty of it.

Anyway.  Like the Braves franchise. Congrats to them for moving on.  Nice to see the franchise favorite Albies knock one out.

Still crazy the Dodgers won in 2024 with a rotation of

Yamamoto - Flaherty - garbage ball Buehler - bullpen games

[Stangstag]

13 hours ago, jaysblue said:

Each of those Braves bats would look like a star in this Toronto lineup.

Acuna is an elite offensive player when he’s healthy and right - legitimately could be one of the best hitters in baseball. Olson has monster power and is basically a lock for 35–40 HRs every year. Michael Harris II is still only 25, and going back to the second half of last season, he’s really started to look like he could develop into an offensive stud as well. Then you have Drake Baldwin, who has already emerged as one of the better young catchers in the game.

Not sure about Riley. He looks like he could be a disaster. Albies is meh, but at least he has some pop for a second baseman. 

So yeah, I’m not sure why we’re suddenly acting like Atlanta’s lineup is full of mediocre bats. Put those guys in Toronto’s lineup this season and we’d be talking about them completely differently.

Vlad is an elite offensive player when he’s healthy and right - legitimately could be one of the best hitters in baseball. Okamoto has monster power and is basically a lock for 35–40 HRs every year. Brett Bateman is still only 25, and going back to the second half of last season, he’s really started to look like he could develop into an offensive stud as well. Then you have Alejandro Kirk, who has already emerged as one of the better young catchers in the game.

 

Hey look what i did!

[Brownie19]

14 hours ago, jaysblue said:

Where did I say they were all top-of-the-rotation guys? My point was simply that Atlanta dealt with a ton of injuries to its pitching staff and still found a way to win the division. At the beginning of the season, I actually wrote them off largely because of those injuries, so clearly I was wrong about that.

A lot of the pitchers I mentioned were still important pieces of their rotation. You can debate how good each individual pitcher is, but don’t make it sound like they all sucked and those injuries were insignificant. It’s no different than the Jays losing guys like Ponce, Bieber, Berrios, Yesavage and others throughout the season. They don’t all have to be aces for losing that much rotation depth to matter.

And if we’re talking about actual top-of-the-rotation upside, Strider absolutely looked like one of the better arms in baseball a few years ago. Injuries have clearly taken a toll and he hasn’t been the same pitcher since, but that doesn’t change what he was before getting hurt.

I also have no idea why you’re bringing up the Braves’ offense. I never mentioned their offense. Same thing with this hypothetical about simulating their season 10 times and them being below average in eight of them. I never made that argument either, so I’m not sure what you’re responding to there.

Seriously, this is why these discussions with you can get annoying. I’m just trying to have a baseball conversation, and instead you’re arguing against points I never made and making it personal because I’ve been an AA/Braves fan in the past. Respond to what I actually wrote instead of turning it into something else.

Man - I started this conversation.  I was just pointing out how bad the Braves playoff starting rotation is and how their offense has 4 guys who were good, not great this year - and then they have a bunch of sub 100 wRC+ guys.

People on here have been suggesting we need another top of the rotation starter if we want to compete - as come playoff time, it's sketchy relying on Yesavage and Soriano.  I pointed out the Braves are doing it without a 1B or #2.  And I was just suggesting the list of guys you said were hurt - they aren't tol of the rotation arms either. AA didn't address that "hole" this year or at the deadline and they are doing just fine.

I clarified my point about their offense because others made comments about it that I felt I needed to.  Olson and Acuna "have" been offensive stars - but they really weren't this year.  Obviously they were better than the Jays top bats this year.  I don't know why you're comparing them to the Jays?  Not many 94 win teams top hitter is a 126 wRC+ bat.  

I'm just discussing it because I think it's a miracle the Braves are having this much success.  It doesn't feel like a 94 win team.  Their offense and pitching really isn't that good.  It's just an observation and this is a message board where people post their thoughts, opinions and observations.  Sorry for any confusion.

[jaysblue]

31 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Vlad is an elite offensive player when he’s healthy and right - legitimately could be one of the best hitters in baseball. Okamoto has monster power and is basically a lock for 35–40 HRs every year. Brett Bateman is still only 25, and going back to the second half of last season, he’s really started to look like he could develop into an offensive stud as well. Then you have Alejandro Kirk, who has already emerged as one of the better young catchers in the game.

 

Hey look what i did!

Sure, 100% Vlad could absolutely be that type of player. As for Okamoto, he’s never hit 35–40 HRs in a season technically. Once he shows he can consistently produce that kind of power and become a better well-rounded bat, then I think you can start putting him in the same conversation as Olson.

Bateman is also no Michael Harris lol. Harris has been in the majors since he was 21 and has already put together some very solid seasons. He also has legitimate 25+ HR power, whereas I’m not convinced Bateman ever even reaches double digits consistently. That’s a pretty big difference offensively.

Kirk and Baldwin are probably closer to a wash with the bat. Baldwin might have the slight edge in terms of raw power, but Kirk is far superior defensively, so overall I’d still take Kirk.

Atlanta’s lineup is still better than Toronto’s, even with some of their bats having mediocre 2026 seasons. They simply have more raw power throughout the lineup, which can make a difference in closer games. Even Albies, who has been about as bad offensively as Clement, still gives you 20+ HR power. In some ways, both teams are similar in that a lot depends on getting an elite, healthy season from Acuna or Vladdy. Either one can completely change the look of an offense. But overall, Atlanta still has more power and more proven offensive upside throughout the lineup.

[jaysblue]

46 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

Man - I started this conversation.  I was just pointing out how bad the Braves playoff starting rotation is and how their offense has 4 guys who were good, not great this year - and then they have a bunch of sub 100 wRC+ guys.

People on here have been suggesting we need another top of the rotation starter if we want to compete - as come playoff time, it's sketchy relying on Yesavage and Soriano.  I pointed out the Braves are doing it without a 1B or #2.  And I was just suggesting the list of guys you said were hurt - they aren't tol of the rotation arms either. AA didn't address that "hole" this year or at the deadline and they are doing just fine.

I clarified my point about their offense because others made comments about it that I felt I needed to.  Olson and Acuna "have" been offensive stars - but they really weren't this year.  Obviously they were better than the Jays top bats this year.  I don't know why you're comparing them to the Jays?  Not many 94 win teams top hitter is a 126 wRC+ bat.  

I'm just discussing it because I think it's a miracle the Braves are having this much success.  It doesn't feel like a 94 win team.  Their offense and pitching really isn't that good.  It's just an observation and this is a message board where people post their thoughts, opinions and observations.  Sorry for any confusion.

Fair enough. I wasn’t trying to argue that Atlanta has some dominant playoff rotation or that all of those injured pitchers were top-of-the-rotation arms. My point was simply that they lost a lot of legitimate rotation depth and still managed to win 94 games and take the division, which I honestly didn’t expect them to do.

I also agree that their playoff rotation behind Sale is pretty underwhelming. Where I pushed back was on the idea that losing guys like Strider, Schwellenbach, Smith-Shawver, Waldrep, Lopez etc. wasn’t a significant issue just because they weren’t all aces. Losing that many starting options matters over a 162-game season.

As for the Jays, I still think there’s a difference between saying they need another elite starter to compete and saying it would be ideal to add one. I’ve never said they can’t win with Yesavage or Soriano. I just think there are legitimate questions about relying on them as your No. 2/3 starters in October, especially given Soriano’s results with Toronto and Yesavage still being young. If Yesavage takes another step, that concern could disappear pretty quickly.

And yeah, I only brought up Atlanta’s lineup because the discussion shifted there. For a 94-win team, the overall numbers don’t exactly jump off the page. They were much better in the first half and started 23–10, then cooled off later in the season. Even some of their bigger bats struggled for extended stretches. Olson, for example, went through a pretty long home run drought. I remember it well because I own him in fantasy haha.

It also shows how important it is to have legitimate home run power throughout the lineup. Even when an offense is inconsistent overall, having multiple guys who can change a game with one swing can make up for a lot of those shortcomings. Atlanta was a pretty good example of that this season. Their team wRC+ may have been fairly mediocre, but they still had enough power throughout the lineup to overcome some of that inconsistency and win games with one swing.

So I think we’re probably closer on this than it seemed. My main point was just that their injuries were significant and that I still see value in the Jays adding another high-end arm if the opportunity is there. For the Jays, adding some more thump to the lineup should be the first priority. 

[John_Havok]

3 hours ago, jaysblue said:

Fair enough. I wasn’t trying to argue that Atlanta has some dominant playoff rotation or that all of those injured pitchers were top-of-the-rotation arms. My point was simply that they lost a lot of legitimate rotation depth and still managed to win 94 games and take the division, which I honestly didn’t expect them to do.

I also agree that their playoff rotation behind Sale is pretty underwhelming. Where I pushed back was on the idea that losing guys like Strider, Schwellenbach, Smith-Shawver, Waldrep, Lopez etc. wasn’t a significant issue just because they weren’t all aces. Losing that many starting options matters over a 162-game season.

As for the Jays, I still think there’s a difference between saying they need another elite starter to compete and saying it would be ideal to add one. I’ve never said they can’t win with Yesavage or Soriano. I just think there are legitimate questions about relying on them as your No. 2/3 starters in October, especially given Soriano’s results with Toronto and Yesavage still being young. If Yesavage takes another step, that concern could disappear pretty quickly.

And yeah, I only brought up Atlanta’s lineup because the discussion shifted there. For a 94-win team, the overall numbers don’t exactly jump off the page. They were much better in the first half and started 23–10, then cooled off later in the season. Even some of their bigger bats struggled for extended stretches. Olson, for example, went through a pretty long home run drought. I remember it well because I own him in fantasy haha.

It also shows how important it is to have legitimate home run power throughout the lineup. Even when an offense is inconsistent overall, having multiple guys who can change a game with one swing can make up for a lot of those shortcomings. Atlanta was a pretty good example of that this season. Their team wRC+ may have been fairly mediocre, but they still had enough power throughout the lineup to overcome some of that inconsistency and win games with one swing.

So I think we’re probably closer on this than it seemed. My main point was just that their injuries were significant and that I still see value in the Jays adding another high-end arm if the opportunity is there. For the Jays, adding some more thump to the lineup should be the first priority. 

That part about power is the ingredient the Jays were missing this year. 

Yes, overall the two offenses were close enough to equal in wRC+ that you would not expect nearly 100 runs different in actual scoring. RiSP was a push... .247 to .246

HRs... 204 to 152

Pretty much tells the tale right there

 

[Stangstag]

1 hour ago, John_Havok said:

That part about power is the ingredient the Jays were missing this year. 

Yes, overall the two offenses were close enough to equal in wRC+ that you would expect nearly 100 runs different in actual scoring. RiSP was a push... .247 to .246

HRs... 204 to 152

Pretty much tells the tale right there

 

Right, and 2 of our expected power guys in Barger and Santander were on the DL all year. And our biggest offensive threat Vlad had a terrible year hitting single-digit homers. (Still can’t believe that happened)

[Brownie19]

3 hours ago, Stangstag said:

Still crazy the Dodgers won in 2024 with a rotation of

Yamamoto - Flaherty - garbage ball Buehler - bullpen games

With Buehler coming out of the pen to close out the final game.  That's wild.  Talk about when managers try unique approaches in the playoffs!  Sometimes they do work.

[glory]

The Braves advancing past the Dodgers would be "playoffs are a crapshoot" on steroids. The Dodgers are starting Yamamoto in Game 3 (probably to match up with Sale) and have Skubal and Snell in the first two while the Braves are probably running bullpen games due to lack of options. Although this is the same team that won a World Series in 2021 with Eddie Rosario and Jorge Soler as their best players, so maybe AA still has some voodoo magic left over from back then. 

 

[jaysblue]

11 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Right, and 2 of our expected power guys in Barger and Santander were on the DL all year. And our biggest offensive threat Vlad had a terrible year hitting single-digit homers. (Still can’t believe that happened)

Missing Barger obviously hurt, since he probably would’ve been good for around 25 HRs.

As for Santander, I don’t think the Jays can count on him for anything at this point. On the depth chart, he should be viewed as a bench bat. If he’s healthy and injuries happen, sure, he’ll find his way into the lineup. But you can’t hold down LF or DH for him and go into next season expecting him to be the guy who gives you 30–40 HRs.

Springer was another big factor. He got off to a slow start and his power basically got cut in half, going from 32 HRs in 2025 to 15 in 2026. That’s a huge drop. Varsho was also disappointing, especially when you were probably hoping for a 20–25 HR season from him.

Heading into next season, I also don’t think the Jays can afford to have both Gimenez and Clement getting everyday ABs in the same lineup. Atkins seemed to hint that Clement could use more load management, so hopefully that means they’re looking at a 2B upgrade and moving Clement into more of a super-utility role.

[John_Havok]

4 hours ago, jaysblue said:

Missing Barger obviously hurt, since he probably would’ve been good for around 25 HRs.

As for Santander, I don’t think the Jays can count on him for anything at this point. On the depth chart, he should be viewed as a bench bat. If he’s healthy and injuries happen, sure, he’ll find his way into the lineup. But you can’t hold down LF or DH for him and go into next season expecting him to be the guy who gives you 30–40 HRs.

Springer was another big factor. He got off to a slow start and his power basically got cut in half, going from 32 HRs in 2025 to 15 in 2026. That’s a huge drop. Varsho was also disappointing, especially when you were probably hoping for a 20–25 HR season from him.

Heading into next season, I also don’t think the Jays can afford to have both Gimenez and Clement getting everyday ABs in the same lineup. Atkins seemed to hint that Clement could use more load management, so hopefully that means they’re looking at a 2B upgrade and moving Clement into more of a super-utility role.

Definitely seems like they realize Ernie isn't an everyday guy if they want to get the most out of him. But at least a guy who can play for a few weeks at a time at best.

Ideally, they find a cheap defensive wiz that isnt an embarassment with the stick, aka someone who gets paid what Gimenez should be getting paid...that they can use to keep Ernie off the field. 

Or, get a bigger bat who is left handed with average or slightly worse D-wise and use Ernie as both his and Gimenez's sub when needed.

[PitaBaby]

What a BOMB.

 

[John_Havok]

24 minutes ago, PitaBaby said:

What a BOMB.

 

Do they not have the scouting report that he murders fastballs and doesnt murder breaking balls?

That was nuked

[Brownie19]

15 minutes ago, John_Havok said:

Do they not have the scouting report that he murders fastballs and doesnt murder breaking balls?

That was nuked

Is he handling high velo now?  I thought that was the knock on him?

(Yes, Messick doesn't throw hard)

[hanton]

wf Teo

he really enjoyed that

[hanton]

Kyle Tucker is stealing bases on you

[BTS]

Skubal is absolutely carving the Dodgers up 

[John_Havok]

18 minutes ago, BTS said:

Skubal is absolutely carving the Dodgers up 

Ummmm

 

[Brownie19]

Grant Taylor with the 42 pitch, 4 inning save.  Unbelievable.  He's a beast.

[hanton]

99mph!

[hanton]

excuse me......100!

[SpencerBateman]

We got Brett Bateman essentially a Thai ichiro and a son of a hall off famer Vald.

nasically how I see it is Bateman get on base and Vald drive him in.

like a modern day Gehrig Ruth 1-2 punch, maybe the best we ever saw.  But with proper immune systems not getting sick and dying

[Omar]

Strange seeing fans at the Trop.

[hanton]

42 minutes ago, Omar said:

Strange seeing fans at the Trop.

not watching but maybe a good amount are Yankee fans

[SpencerBateman]

Wow the Yankees are bad.  

[hanton]

Rasmussen

on Sep 22nd he threw 114 pitches, highest all season

[DownSouthBlueJay]

Yanks being no hit right now

[Abomination]

You have to think he's going to stay in the game as long as the no hitter is intact.

[Omar]

Rasmussen pitching a gem. 

[Omar]

1 minute ago, Abomination said:

You have to think he's going to stay in the game as long as the no hitter is intact.

Remember Cash pulling Snell in 2020 against the Dodgers? Perhaps he has learned his lesson.