Welcome to The Opener, our new weekday morning series here at MLBTR! Nick Deeds will walk you through three things to see around MLB with our signature hot oven tilt.
Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on in the baseball world:
1. The World Series sees its second no-hitter
After watching Lance McCullers Jr. giving up five home runs Ranger Suarez Complete the lineup in Game 3, Astros fans no doubt felt a little queasy as they squared off in Game 4 Aaron Nola, one of the best pitchers in the NL. However, just like in Game 1, the Astros lineup managed to reach Nolan and hit five runs in the fifth inning. The Astros’ offense wasn’t the story of this game, however – Christian Javier struck out nine over six shutout innings to combine with Bryan Abreu, Raphael Monteroand Ryan Pressley for a no hitter. It was the second no-hitter in World Series history (prior to Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series) and only the third post-season no-hitter (also at Citizens Bank Ballpark, Roy Halladay threw a no-no in the NLDS 2010). While there’s still plenty of baseball left to play this November, it’s worth noting that both Larsen’s Yankees and Halladay’s Phillies won their respective series. The Phillies will start for the deciding Game 5 tonight Noah Syndergard against Houston’s Justin Verlander.
2. The Mets Brace for Losses, Eye Supplements in Free Agency
After a 101-win season abruptly ended by the Padres in the wild card streak, the Mets are now facing some significant losses as a free agent and midfielder Brandon Nimmo and closer Edwin Diaz are reportedly the free agents New York most wants to keep. Mets owner Steve Cohen certainly isn’t afraid to make a splash in the free hand, and the team will need to devote some more resources to rebuilding the rotation with three starters (Jacob de Grom, Chris Bassittand Taijuan Walker) are likely to meet free agency this offseason, and a fourth could join them if the Mets retire Carlo Carrasco‘s Club option. There are few players with deGrom’s potential influence in-game, let alone in the free-agent market, but Verlander and Carlo Rodon are both arms that could take deGrom’s place alongside Scherzer at the head of the Queens rotation. They like Nathan Eovaldi, Jameson Taillon and Tyler Anderson represent possible mid-rotational replacements for Bassitt, while Walker’s quality back of rotary production could be replaced by a variety of pitchers including Syndergaard, Corey Kluberor Sean Manaea.
3. Brewers face difficult decisions in arbitration
In yesterday’s opening we discussed the massive arbitration class the Rays are leading into 2023, with their 19 players the most of any club. Milwaukee isn’t far behind with an 18-player class expected to receive $79.9 million, and as such, the Brewers will get closer to their 2023 payroll before they make any additions this offseason. While there are some untenable candidates in the group, most of the significant money in the Milwaukee arbitration class is tied up in prolific players who are too valuable to simply cut, so a trade in one of these pricier names (ieHunter Renfroe, Willy Adames) might make sense. Of course, the brewers are then faced with the new problem of finding an adequate substitute for their production at a lower price. Whichever path he chooses, GM Matt Arnold’s first offseason at the helm of the Brewers’ front office will be one he will follow.