Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

Matt Gelb, Phillies beat writer who breaks down pitching and prospect outlooks. Katie Woo, Dodgers beat writer who analyzes lineup, rotation, and bullpen construction. They discuss Dodgers’ lineup juggling, load management, and bullpen/rotation questions. They also cover Phillies’ rotation depth, Andrew Painter’s ceiling, Zack Wheeler’s recovery, and bullpen reinforcements.

Stephen Nesbitt, international baseball journalist and analyst with deep WBC expertise. He previews the 2026 World Baseball Classic, assessing each pool and key teams. Short takes on pitching limits, roster depth, rising nations like Brazil and Czechia, and which squads might reach the knockouts. Plenty of bold predictions and tournament stakes discussed.

Tim Britton, Mets beat reporter covering roster moves and pitching depth. Mitch Bannon, Blue Jays analyst on lineup construction and rotation plans. Zack Meisel, Guardians writer focused on development and pitching volatility. They preview Mets' roster versatility and bullpen overhaul. They unpack Toronto's lineup, workload plans, and Varsho's upside. They debate Cleveland's quiet winter, rotation health, and upside from youth.

Jen McCaffrey, Red Sox beat writer covering roster plans and pitching depth. Cody Stavenhagen, Tigers beat writer breaking down Detroit’s rotation, bullpen and prospect timeline. Aaron Gleeman, Twins beat writer untangling Minnesota’s offseason, front office shakeup and pitching injuries. They debate playing-time logjams, recovery timelines, rotation depth, bullpen roles, and prospect windows in short, lively takes.

They break down Max Scherzer’s return to Toronto and what his role and innings might look like. They debate workload projections for Shohei Ohtani in 2026. They trace spring trends like shifting pitch mixes, rising stolen-base aggression, and which young pitchers could break out. A veteran describes a typical spring training day and off-field clubhouse rituals.

They dig into the arrival of automated ball-strike systems and which pitchers and calls will be most affected. They analyze how spring training challenge habits and umpire angle errors predict MLB outcomes. They preview the Rays’ crowded infield/outfield battles and roster puzzles. They examine the Cardinals’ youth-driven rebuild, lineup construction, and rotation and bullpen opportunities.

Chandler Rome, The Athletic’s Astros beat writer who covers Houston roster, health, and spring developments, joins to break down Astros roster construction, DH/logjam dilemmas, outfield experiments, rotation depth and a likely six-man plan. Hosts also dig into rebound hitters with discounted draft-day prices and discuss which bats could bounce back in 2026.

Brendan Kuty, Yankees beat reporter at The Athletic, breaks down New York's familiar position group and rotation depth. Melissa Lockard, Athletic writer covering the A’s, examines Sacramento’s park quirks, lineup health, and pitching uncertainty. They survey bullpen roles, platoon questions, and how ballpark effects shape player value.

Eno and DVR discuss a few news items ahead of the weekend including Jordan Westburg's elbow injury and Bruce Meyer's move into the executive director role for the MLBPA, before continuing the Team Preview series! Sahadev Sharma joins the show to discuss the Cubs, C. Trent Rosecrans drops by to break down the Reds, and Dennis Lin is here to talk about the Padres. Check out the current win totals projected by PECOTA here: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/Rundown1:16 Listener Leagues in Progress6:45 Spring Injury Updates: Jordan Westburg's Elbow, Tommy John Surgery for Pablo López15:16 Bruce Meyer Moves Into Executive Director Role for MLBPA20:19 Chicago Cubs Team Preview49:42 Cincinnati Reds Team Preview1:18:19 Padres Team PreviewFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Sahadev on Bluesky: @sahadevsharma.bsky.socialFollow Trent on Bluesky: @ctrent.bsky.socialFollow Dennis on Twitter: @dennisline-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisWith: Sahadev Sharma, C. Trent Rosecrans & Dennis LinEditor: Jason Potere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eno and DVR continue the Team Preview series with a breakdown of the Mariners, who are hoping to make another deep run in October, the Pirates, who have added a lot of much-needed pop to their lineup this winter, and the Marlins, who have a wide-range of options vying for regular run in their position player core as they continue their rebuilding effort. Check out the current win totals projected by PECOTA here: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/Rundown1:13 Seattle Mariners Team Preview17:28 Underrated Mariners We’re Interested In24:18 PIttsburgh Pirates Team Preview39:38 Underrated Pirates We’re Interested In49:10 Miami Marlins Team Preview55:21 Underrated Marlins We’re Interested InFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisEditor: Jason Potere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.