Each MLB Team's Biggest 'What-if?' of 2025 Season

As the regular season winds down, all 30 MLB teams can reflect on what went right and wrong during the course of the 162-game season.

For teams who are either headed to the postseason or still hoping to snag a playoff spot, perhaps there's one thing—such as an injury or underperformance—that prevented them from being even better.

But for clubs who have long been eliminated, it's often bigger-picture questions that come to mind.

Here's a look at each MLB teams' biggest 'what-if?' of 2025.

AL East

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Toronto Blue Jays: What if Jeff Hoffman had a better season?

During the final week of the regular season, the Blue Jays will look to wrap up both the AL East and the top seed in the AL, two spots they are currently in pole position for.

Imagine where they would be if closer Jeff Hoffman had a better first season. Hoffman does have 32 saves in his first season with the Blue Jays, but he also has seven blown saves and a 4.50 ERA. Compare that to the 2.28 ERA that he posted over the prior two seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, which convinced the Blue Jays to give him a three-year, $33 million deal.

If Toronto is going to return to the World Series for the first time since 1993, they need the 2023-2024 version of Hoffman.

New York Yankees: What if Gerrit Cole hadn't needed Tommy John surgery?

This easily could have been an item focused on how good the Yankees would be if their bullpen had more certainty, particularly from Devin Williams.

But considering how well Max Fried and Carlos Rodón have pitched, it's hard not to think about what Aaron Boone's starting rotation could have looked like if former AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole hadn't needed Tommy John surgery in March. Even if the Yankees didn't have the peak version of Cole, their starting rotation would be pretty scary entering the postseason if they had the iteration of the righty that posted a 3.41 ERA over 17 starts a season ago.

At some point in 2026, the Yankees should get the six-time All-Star back. But considering he just turned 35, it's unclear what Cole will look like post-Tommy John surgery.

Boston Red Sox: What if they hadn't bungled things with Rafael Devers?

Rafael Devers has 32 home runs, 105 RBI, 106 walks and an .832 OPS between the Red Sox and San Francisco Giants this season. The Red Sox are off the hook for the remainder of the 10-year, $313.5 million deal Devers is signed to through the 2033 season, but they would probably be better off if they still had him in their lineup.

With all due respect, Devers would be a massive upgrade over Masataka Yoshida and Rob Refsnyder at DH, perhaps enough that the Red Sox would be in a position to win the AL East.

Beyond that, the threat of potentially moving Devers back to third base would have given chief baseball officer Craig Breslow more leverage in the offseason when Alex Bregman inevitably opts out and returns to free agency.

Tampa Bay Rays: What if they had a home stadium?

The trade deadline pickups of Bryan Baker and Griffin Jax didn't pan out how the Rays had hoped, and Tampa Bay ultimately faded out of the playoff picture.

But the chips were stacked against Kevin Cash's squad all along. Hurricane Milton destroyed the roof at Tropicana Field, forcing the team to play all their home games this season at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Because of being in the suboptimal position of being outside in Florida in the summer, the Rays played just 15 total home games between July and August.

The Rays will return to the Trop in 2026, which, although still suboptimal, is preferable to playing outside in the summer in Florida. Once their sale goes through, commissioner Rob Manfred says that the team will restart their search for a long-term home.

Baltimore Orioles: What if they had other pitching around Trevor Rogers?

One of the only silver linings in a disastrous season for the Orioles has been the resurgence of Trevor Rogers, who has gone 9-2 with a 1.35 ERA in 17 starts this year.

The problem is that outside of Rogers, the O's have almost no certainty moving forward with their pitching. They traded away Charlie Morton, Seranthony Domínguez, Andrew Kittredge and Gregory Soto. Zach Eflin and Tomoyuki Sugano are headed for free agency. Star closer Félix Bautista will likely miss most, if not all, of 2026 after undergoing right shoulder surgery in August. Kyle Bradish recently returned from Tommy John surgery, and Grayson Rodriguez will be coming back next season from elbow debridement surgery.

President of baseball operations Mike Elias has made his name off of his eye for position-playing talent. But to avoid another dismal season next year, he's going to have to work wonders in finding pitching talent for both the starting rotation and bullpen.

AL Central

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Detroit Tigers: What if they had better pitching behind Tarik Skubal?

Tarik Skubal is headed for his second consecutive AL Cy Young Award, but one of the reasons the Tigers are in a position where they are desperately trying to stave off the Guardians in the AL Central is they don't have much behind him right now.

Veteran Charlie Morton was designated for assignment over the weekend after posting a 7.09 ERA in nine starts for the Tigers. Since being selected to the All-Star Game, Casey Mize has a 5.21 ERA over 10 starts. Jack Flaherty has disappointed in his second stint with the Tigers, as evidenced by the 4.60 ERA he has in 30 starts. Jackson Jobe had season-ending Tommy John surgery in June, while a strained shoulder has sidelined Reese Olson. Meanwhile, veteran Alex Cobb has dealt with hip inflammation that's kept him from pitching at all this season after Detroit gave him $15 million in free agency.

The Tigers have the best starter in the sport right now, but Skubal's margin for error is almost non-existent considering what's behind him.

Cleveland Guardians: What if ownership invested a little money into this team?

Stephen Vogt is obviously an excellent manager, a major reason why the Guardians are nipping at the heels of the Tigers late in the season despite having a negative run differential. But just as they were with Terry Francona, the Guardians are too reliant on great infrastructure to overcome their lack of spending on players.

Cleveland is 25th in payroll this season, per Spotrac. Despite reaching the ALCS last year, the Guardians traded away first baseman Josh Naylor in the offseason ahead of his contract year. They replaced him with Carlos Santana, who has had an excellent career, but didn't last a whole year back in Cleveland before getting released.

It obviously hasn't helped the Guardians that star closer Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz have been sidelined because of a gambling investigation that might end both of their MLB careers. But imagine what Vogt could do if Guardians ownership invested more in MLB payroll.

Kansas City Royals: What if they could get component outfield production?

A year ago, the Royals overcame a lack of strong offensive outfield production to reach the postseason and win a playoff series. They haven't been able to replicate that formula in 2025.

Kyle Isbel is a strong defender in center field, but has a .654 OPS. You can get away with having that type of player in center field if you have strong hitters in the two corner outfield spots. The Royals don't fit that description.

Whether it's been Jac Caglianone, Drew Waters, Nick Loftin, Mike Yastrzemski, Mark Canha, Hunter Renfroe or someone else, the Royals have gotten embarrassing corner-outfield production at the plate.

General manager J. J. Picollo has generally done a strong job in his role given the limited resources he has. But while he might need to just hope that Caglianone breaks out next year, Picollo needs to make a major addition at the other corner outfield spot in the offseason.

Minnesota Twins: What if they also traded Joe Ryan?

The Twins had one of the most notable in-season teardowns that we've ever seen, trading the likes of Carlos Correa, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax and Harrison Bader, among others, prior to the trade deadline.

Still, you're left to wonder what it might have looked like if they went even further.

In a weak starting pitching market, it feels like a mistake that the Twins didn't capitalize by trading Joe Ryan, who had a 2.72 ERA over 109.1 innings in the first half. But since the All-Star Break, Ryan has a 4.92 ERA over 11 starts. Minnesota could still move Ryan—who is under team control through the 2027 season—in the offseason, though he may never been as coveted as he was in the summer.

Chicago White Sox: What if they traded Luis Robert Jr.?

One of the arguments that the White Sox made during the summer is they weren't going to trade Luis Robert Jr. for a middling prospect because they were content to pick up his $20 million club option for 2026 if they couldn't find a trade partner.

The problem is, now they're going to be faced with actually doing that this winter. And while Chicago has the financial capability to do so, it would be hard to justify the decision. Robert has a .660 OPS since the start of the 2024 season. He's also constantly injured, with the latest being a left hamstring strain that ended Robert's campaign in late August.

Chicago could have at least saved face by trading Robert for a lottery ticket in late July. Instead, they'll likely lose him for nothing when they decline his $20 million club option for 2026, triggering a $2 million buyout.

AL West

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Seattle Mariners: What if Eugenio Suárez was same player after trade?

Even as is, the Mariners are going to enter the final week of the regular season in control of the AL West, and in position to make a run to their first American League pennant in franchise history.

But imagine if they had gotten the version of Eugenio Suárez that was performing at an MVP level for the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting 36 home runs with a .897 OPS in 106 games. Since being re-acquired by the M's, Suárez has hit just .193 with a .698 OPS. The MVP-level Suárez would have made Seattle's offense lethal when you factor in Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor.

However, the remainder of this season plays out, Suárez is likely going to depart in free agency. He has a .793 OPS in his career, but just a .722 mark at T-Mobile Park. That can't be a coincidence.

Houston Astros: What if stars stayed healthy?

The Astros still have a shot to catch the Mariners and win the AL West, and if not, are in the mix for the final wild-card spot in the junior circuit. Still, this was a club that felt like a World Series contender at one point this year, so for them to be just trying to sneak into the postseason feels like something of a disappointment.

Injuries have been a recurring theme for the Astros the last few seasons, and that trend didn't end in 2025.

Yordan Alvarez is currently on the injured list with a left ankle sprain, after already missing a significant chunk of the season with a right hand fracture that was initially misdiagnosed as inflammation.

Closer Josh Hader has been sidelined with a sprained shoulder since early August. While he hasn't been ruled out for the season officially, it certainly feels like the six-time All-Star is finished for 2025. You're also left to wonder if he'll eventually need surgery on the shoulder, which would likely knock him out for all of 2026.

Additionally, infielder Isaac Paredes just returned from a right hamstring strain that cost him almost the entire second half of the season. How much better position would the Astros be in if they had Paredes, who has an .826 OPS in his first season in Houston, for the whole season?

Texas Rangers: What if hitters performed as expected?

The Rangers haven't been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, but Bruce Bochy's squad appears to be competing more to finish with a winning record than playing in October.

Frankly, it's pretty remarkable for Texas to even be in this spot considering how underwhelming their offense has been. Two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager is the only regular for the Rangers with an OPS above .800, and he's missed the entire month of September after undergoing an appendectomy.

Among those who have disappointed at the plate in what should have been a great lineup are Marcus Semien (.230 batting average), Jake Burger (.271 on-base percentage), Adolis García (.395 slugging percentage) and Joc Pederson (.620 OPS).

How much of this is fixable versus this just being what some of these guys are at this stage of their careers? Beyond the uncertainty of Bochy's future, this will be an interesting offseason for the Rangers because they are at a crossroads with their lineup.

Athletics: What if they had capable pitching?

The Athletics are sixth among AL teams in runs scored, but still have a minus-69 run differential.

Nick Kurtz is going to win AL Rookie of the Year, and with Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler and Shea Langeliers, the Athletics have a super bright future offensively. This is a lineup that could compete for a postseason spot in 2026.

The problem is that pitching is a disaster. Luis Severino complained about what it's been like to pitch at Sutter Health Park earlier this season, and he seems to have a point considering he has a 5.16 ERA in 20 home starts, as opposed to a 3.56 ERA in eight road outings.

It was always going to be difficult to convince pitchers to sign with the A's considering they are going to be playing at a Triple-A stadium in Sacramento through at least 2027. But with a year of evidence that Sutter Health Park is a disaster for pitchers, it's going to be even more harder, threatening to prevent the team from taking advantage of a window to win with this lineup.

Los Angeles Angels: What if they had sold at the trade deadline?

The Angels were on the fringes of wild-card contention around the trade deadline, and weren't honest with themselves as they tried to reach the postseason for the first time since 2014. Despite having a negative run differential, the Angels made some minor additions to their bullpen, and held onto some pieces that would have been compelling trade candidates.

Specifically, in a market desperate for impact bats, both Taylor Ward and Jo Adell would have been coveted. Instead, the Halos held onto both controllable pieces. Ward is 31 and will be entering a contract year in 2026, so keeping him—as opposed to the 26-year-old Adell—is even harder to justify.

Predictably, the Angels have played to their run differential since the trade deadline, going 23-37. And both owner Arte Moreno and general manager Perry Minasian didn't even recoup any future prospect capital for their troubles.

NL East

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Philadelphia Phillies: What if Zack Wheeler hadn't gotten hurt?

The Phillies will enter the postseason with one of the better starting rotation trios with Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo. Coupled with their improved bullpen, the Phillies have enough pitching to win a World Series.

But the Phillies would have the unquestioned best pitching staff in October if ace Zack Wheeler hadn't been lost for the season due to a blood clot and thoracic outlet syndrome. Wheeler was having his usual excellent season before getting hurt, with a 2.71 ERA across 24 starts. What's more, he's one of this generation's most accomplished postseason pitchers, with a 2.18 career ERA in the playoffs.

If the Phillies fall short in the postseason, there will be other "what-ifs?" regarding a pitching staff that's now very left-handed. It's been a lost year for Aaron Nola. No. 1 prospect Andrew Painter didn't progress as expected in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. Still, there will always be questions about what could have been with Wheeler healthy if the Phillies don't get over the hump in 2025.

New York Mets: What if their veteran starters performed better down the stretch?

If the Mets ultimately miss the postseason, many things will be second-guessed in New York. The biggest question will be whether the president of baseball operations, David Stearns, devoted enough resources to veteran starting pitching.

Sean Manaea was one of baseball's best pitchers in the second half of the 2024 season, ultimately earning him a three-year, $75 million deal in free agency. But Manaea didn't make his 2025 season debut until July, and now has a 5.40 ERA across 55 innings pitched.

David Peterson was an All-Star for the Mets in 2025, but has a 5.71 ERA since appearing in the Midsummer Classic.

Clay Holmes has a 4.70 ERA in the second half, as opposed to a 3.31 ERA in 19 first-half starts. That was predictable considering this is his first year as a starter, so he's likely gassed by this point in the season.

Kodai Senga accepted an option to Triple-A after posting a 6.56 ERA in eight post-All-Star Break starts. He's got a 5.40 ERA over his first three starts for Triple-A Syracuse.

It's great to have exciting young starters with Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, but this time of the year, you need multiple veteran stoppers. Carlos Mendoza hasn't been able to lean on those types of arms.

Miami Marlins: What if Sandy Alcantara had pitched this way all year?

Since the All-Star Break, Sandy Alcantara has looked much more like himself, with the former NL Cy Young Award winner posting a 3.40 ERA over his last 12 outings. But he definitely had quite a bit of rust coming back from Tommy John surgery, as evidenced by his first-half ERA of 7.22.

Considering the Marlins are only a few games under .500, you could take this what-if from the perspective of the Fish potentially being in the wild-card race had they gotten this type of production from their horse all year.

Realistically, though, if Alcantara had pitched this well all year, the perpetually rebuilding Marlins likely would have traded him.

There's definitely a case to be made for the Marlins trying to build a contending team for 2026, but history suggests that now that Alcantara has rebuilt some of his value, he's likely to be dealt this winter.

Atlanta Braves: What if stars had performed up to back of their baseball cards?

It's remarkable that the Braves have never been in contention this season, and this will likely lead to discussion about president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos shaking things up this offseason, beyond the likely retirement of manager Brian Snitker.

Here's a sampling of Braves stars that have underwhelmed in 2025:

• Marcell Ozuna: With a .916 OPS, Ozuna was one of the best hitters in baseball between 2023 and 2024. However, he has dipped to a .755 OPS this season, meaning the Braves will likely let him walk in free agency in the offseason.
• Raisel Iglesias: He has 16 saves and a 2.00 ERA since the All-Star Break, but only after he posted a 4.42 ERA in 39 appearances in the first half. The 35-year-old is another free-agent-to-be that the Braves could move on from.
• Spencer Strider: Coming off of his second major elbow surgery, Strider didn't look like himself at any point this season. He's got a 4.64 ERA across 21 starts in 2025.
• Ozzie Albies: Once one of the best second basement in baseball, Albies has had his second consecutive down year at the plate, hitting .240 with a .670 OPS. His campaign is now finished since he fractured his left hand. Albies is still only 28, and the Braves are certain to pick up his laughably team-friendly $7 million club option for 2026. You do wonder, though, if Albies will become a trade candidate.

Washington Nationals: What if some of this young talent was supplemented by external veterans?

After dismissing both general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez in July, the Nationals are in the process of finding their next head of baseball operations. He or she will then decide if the interim tag is removed from Miguel Cairo or if the Nats go external for a manager.

The attractiveness of this job ultimately depends on the plans of the ownership. When the Nationals won the World Series in 2019, they had the fifth-highest payroll in baseball. They are 24th this season. The Lerner Family flirted with selling the team, but ultimately decided to hold onto it. Assuming no sale is imminent, ownership needs to recommit to spending.

This is a team that could use a veteran slugger like Pete Alonso to supplement their lineup. While they may still hope that Josiah Gray and/or Cade Cavalli pan out, Washington needs to add pitching behind MacKenzie Gore this offseason. The bullpen has also been a disaster from the word go.

The Nationals haven't spent much since winning a World Series, and it's made them irrelevant. It's time for ownership to open the checkbook back up.

NL Central

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Milwaukee Brewers: What if their veteran arms had been healthy all season?

Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, this has been one of the greatest seasons in Brewers history. Pat Murphy is likely to win NL Manager of the Year for the second year in a row, so it's hard to complain too much.

If we had to point to anything, it's that the Crew have had trouble keeping some of their veteran arms healthy.

• Brandon Woodruff didn't make his season debut until July as he continued to recover from shoulder surgery that cost him all of 2024. He was pitching very well—7-2 with a 3.20 ERA—but now once again has been sidelined, this time with a "moderate" lat strain.
• Trade deadline pickup Shelby Miller has been lost for the season with right UCL sprain that will likely require Tommy John surgery.
• All-Star closer Trevor Megill has been out with a right flexor strain since late August.

Chicago Cubs: What if their stars had kept hitting like they did in the first half?

It can certainly be debated if president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer did enough to upgrade Chicago's pitching before the trade deadline, but what was once an elite lineup has really dipped in the second half.

Kyle Tucker has been playing with a hairline fracture in his right hand since June, so it makes sense that he has a .777 OPS since the All-Star Break, as opposed to an .882 mark in the first half.

Regression from both Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki is harder to excuse.

Given that he's not much of an on-base guy, Crow-Armstrong's .847 OPS in the first half probably wasn't sustainable. But for him to be hitting .207 with a .605 OPS since starting in the Midsummer Classic is inexcusable.

Suzuki, meanwhile, was a major All-Star snub considering he had 77 RBI and an .867 OPS in the first half. Suzuki, though, has driven in just 14 runs and posted a .598 OPS since mid-July.

For the Cubs to have any chance to make a deep run in the postseason, their top offensive trio is going to have to flip the switch again in October.

Cincinnati Reds: What if they had a sure thing or two in their lineup?

A team playing its home games at Great American Ballpark shouldn't have any problem getting offensive production. Yet, the Reds are 13th in runs scored, not nearly high enough for playing 81 games a season at a hitter's paradise.

Elly De La Cruz is hitting only .228 in the second half of the season, while neither Matt McLain or Spencer Steer has developed into the franchise pillar they each seemed destined to be.

This doesn't mean that the Reds won't eventually get more from McLain, Steer and other hitters they've developed, but this lineup is at risk of wasting what would be a pretty intriguing starting trio in the playoffs of Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo.

Whether it's Middletown, Ohio native Kyle Schwarber, Alex Bregman or another veteran, the Reds seem like a team that needs to add a lineup anchor in free agency or via trade this offseason.

St. Louis Cardinals: What if they had traded Ryan Helsley in the offseason?

This was a transition season for the Cardinals, so for them to only be a few games under .500 reflects pretty well on manager Oli Marmol.

But given that the Cardinals knew they probably weren't going to be a playoff team, it's even harder to justify them not trading Ryan Helsley last winter. Helsley was coming off of winning the Trevor Hoffman Award as the NL's best reliever, having closed out 49 games. Given the volatility of relievers, the Cardinals should have sold high on Helsley. Instead, they got sentimental.

Helsley was much less of a sure thing over 36 appearances for the Cards this year, posting a 3.00 ERA. St. Louis did eventually trade him to the New York Mets—where he's been a disaster—getting back shortstop Jesus Baez, Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt. Baez is the highest-ranked prospect of that group, with MLB Pipeline ranking him at No. 7. But the 20-year-old is likely years away from the majors.

Outgoing president of baseball operations John Mozeliak likely hoped to contend in his final year on the job, but the best move for the long-term well-being of the franchise would have been to trade Helsley at the height of his value last offseason.

Pittsburgh Pirates: What if Bob Nutting cared?

Think this is harsh? Well, Paul Skenes is probably going to unanimously win the NL Cy Young Award in his second season, while posting a top-five finish in MVP voting. Yet, the Pirates have never really been in contention in 2025.

Pittsburgh fired manager Derek Shelton in May, and could very well move on from general manager Ben Cherington in the coming weeks. However, as long as Bob Nutting owns the team—and just continues bringing Andrew McCutchen back for another year in lieu of trying to land elite talents to surround Skenes—it will just be reshuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

Can Nutting afford to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers financially? No. But can he afford to spend more—quite a bit more—than the $84 million the Pirates have going towards payroll this season? You bet. And if Nutting isn't prepared to do that moving forward, he should sell the team.

NL West

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Los Angeles Dodgers: What if they could keep their pitchers healthy?

Here's a list of Dodgers pitchers currently on the injured list: Tony Gonsolin, Roki Sasaki, River Ryan, Gavin Stone, Kyle Hurt, Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech and Brock Stewart.

Here's a list of the Dodgers pitchers that are healthy now, but have spent at least one stint on the IL this season: Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Clayton Kershaw, Emmet Sheehan, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates.

At a certain point, this can't just be a coincidence. The Dodgers overcame a lack of great starting pitching last year to win a World Series, but an inability to keep their arms healthy needs to be addressed moving forward.

San Diego Padres: What if Dylan Cease and Michael King had replicated 2024 seasons?

A year ago, Dylan Cease and Michael King were a great one-two punch in each of their first seasons in San Diego. Cease finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting, going 14-11 with a no-hitter and 3.47 ERA. King got some down-ballot Cy Young Award support, with a 2.95 ERA leading to a seventh-place finish for the righty acquired in the Juan Soto trade with the Yankees.

Both, though, have had suboptimal contract years.

Cease's 3.48 expected ERA and 3.64 FIP suggest he's been unlucky, but a 4.64 ERA is very disappointing.

King has a 3.84 ERA, but inflammation in both his right shoulder and left knee has limited him to 13 starts this year.

Given how Nick Pivetta has pitched in his first season with the Padres, San Diego probably would have won the NL West if Cease and King had been able to replicate their 2024 campaigns.

Arizona Diamondbacks: What if their pitching wasn't overrun with injuries?

Any chance at a bounce-back year for Jordan Montgomery was squashed when he had season-ending Tommy John surgery in March. That proved to be a precursor for what was to come.

The Diamondbacks entered the year with World Series aspirations, but have also lost Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez and AJ Puk, among others, to Tommy John surgery.

Considering the DBacks traded away Miller, Eugenio Suárez, Josh Naylor and Merrill Kelly prior to the trade deadline and are still in the wild-card race entering the final week, it's fair to think they would have been a lock playoff team if not for a rash of pitching injuries.

San Francisco Giants: What if they had Rafael Devers for the full season?

The Giants are likely to miss the playoffs, but they have already received strong returns on the trade from Devers, which was previously mentioned regarding the Red Sox.

Since the shocking trade to the Giants in mid-June, Devers has 17 home runs, 47 RBI and 50 walks. His .780 OPS is below what you would expect, although it's worth pointing out that Devers has an impressive .839 OPS overall this year. He's the best hitter the Giants have employed since their current president of baseball operations, Buster Posey.

With a full season of Devers, the Giants should be a playoff team in 2026.

Colorado Rockies: What if they had an owner who cared?

This is largely the same as what we wrote with Nutting. Where it feels like the Pirates just keep bringing McCutchen back to distract fans from the fact they aren't spending elsewhere, the Rockies did that for years with Charlie Blackmon. In the first season post-Blackmon, Colorado has lost more than 110 games.

It just feels like the Rockies under Dick Monfort are content to participate and host 81 games a year at Coors Field. It doesn't help that the Kris Bryant deal has become an albatross, but Colorado hasn't come up with any sort of solution for pitching at Coors Field, and has an offense that is 29th in runs scored despite playing at a hitter's haven.

For all the talk of MLB expansion, there are five or six awful ownership groups in baseball. Colorado is among the worst.