Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

Eno, DVR, and Jed continue the Team Preview series with a breakdown of the Rangers, whose injury-risk brings a high ceiling and a low floor as a potentially dangerous team in the AL West, the Nats, entering Year 1 with a new group in the front office at the helm, and the White Sox, who should be slightly improved as their rebuilding effort continues. Check out the current win totals projected by PECOTA here: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/Rundown3:46 Texas Rangers Team Preview24:52 Underrated Rangers We’re Interested In30:25 Washington Nationals Team Preview48:20 Underrated Nationals We’re Interested In56:49 Chicago White Sox Team Preview1:14:14 Underrated White Sox 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 SarrisWith: Jed LowrieEditor: Jason Potere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They unpack the bombshell that Tony Clark is expected to step down amid a federal probe and what that means for union leadership and bargaining. Injury news around Pablo López and roster fit for Nick Castellanos with the Padres get quick updates. Deep team previews dig into Orioles roster construction and fantasy sleepers, Brewers’ timelines and pitching depth, and the Rockies’ youth and pitching outlook.

Spring training injury updates and a looming MRI draw early attention. Arizona’s pitching depth and Zac Gallen’s return spark a deep team breakdown. Atlanta’s rotation health and bench questions get scrutiny. Kansas City’s surprising projected ceiling and recent pitching additions round out the previews.

A deep dive into why Nick Castellanos was released and how that affects his chances of landing elsewhere. A look at Reese Hoskins’ free agent status and which teams could take a flyer. Injury updates, hamate surgery timelines, and fantasy implications for hitters and pitchers. Discussion of Pitching+ vs Stuff+ and which FanGraphs modules the hosts use for drafting.

They break down spring training headlines from a likely season-ending UCL tear to notable signings and roster shuffles. They track a new changeup and other pitch innovations, including seam-shifted movement and cut-ride fastballs. They debate chasing ideal pitch shapes versus designing complementary pitch mixes and name pitchers to watch this spring.

They cover a string of hamate injuries to top prospects and what those recoveries mean for spring training. They break down a surprising Brewers-Red Sox trade and how the pieces fit. They debate managerial and coaching changes, including the trend of first-base coaches running the team’s base-stealing strategy.

A deep dive into late-round starting pitchers typically picked after pick 250. Short scouting rundowns on arm stuff, pitch mixes, injury histories, and role clarity. Comparisons of sleepers and innings-eaters, plus debate over bounceback candidates and roster logjams. Fantasy draft implications for stashable veterans and high-upside prospects.

A deep dive into the 2026 relief pitcher landscape with tiered ADP breakdowns and close looks at top closers. Short debates on Mason Miller vs Edwin Díaz and which Tier 1 arms are safest. Rundown of mid and late-tier targets, unsettled bullpens to avoid, and draft strategies for saves-plus-holds formats. Quick checks on young arms to watch and a draft checklist to finish.

Jeff Zimmerman, fantasy analyst and author focused on pitcher health and injury risk. Jordan Rosenblum, creator of the Oopsie projection system and projection-methods writer. They discuss Framber Valdez joining Detroit and rotation fits. Jordan explains projection methodology, Stuff+ influence, and defensive metric stickiness. Jeff covers health grades, injury inputs, and roster risk management.

A deep dive into mid-to-late draft starting pitchers taken around picks 175–250. They break down pitch mix changes, injury histories, and velocity trends for a long list of names. The conversation highlights stash candidates, rehab timelines, and where spring performance or contract signals could change draft value.