

Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball
The Athletic
In baseball, numbers are everywhere. But they’re not just numbers. For Derek VanRiper and Eno Sarris, they’re the keys to solving the most fun problem in sports.Every weekday, join DVR and Eno as they unpack baseball in ways you’ve never heard before, endeavoring to figure out all they can about a sport that’s constantly changing. Alongside contributors Britt Ghiroli, Trevor May and Jed Lowrie, the Rates & Barrels crew breaks down all the latest MLB news through an analytical lens, feeding your unhealthy addiction to numbers, while helping you master your fantasy baseball GM skills. But wait, there's more: come back for Saturday mornings in Starkville, where Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville talk to some of the most important players, coaches, and thought leaders in the league. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 1, 2025 • 1h 15min
The Nimmo-Semien Swap, Sonny Gray to Boston & Dylan Cease Lands with the Blue Jays
Eno and DVR return from their Thanksgiving break to discuss a busy final week of November that included a surprising Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien trade between the Mets and Rangers, Sonny Gray to the Red Sox for two pitchers, Dylan Cease's new seven-year, $210 million deal with the Blue Jays, and another move for the Orioles with the addition of Ryan Helsley.Rundown4:22 Mets Trade Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien10:23 Nimmo's Place Among All-Time Mets14:48 What Does Semien Have Left as a Hitter?20:00 Sonny Gray Traded to the Red Sox for Richard Fitts & Brandon Clarke34:30 Dylan Cease Lands a Seven-Year, $210M Deal with the Blue Jays42:40 Ryan Helsley: Two-Year Deal with Orioles (Plus Opt-Out)50:37 Raisel Iglesias: Back in Atlanta on One-Year Deal; Still Clear Closer?1:01:29 ICYMI: Hader, Manaea Injury Updates; Jordan Walker "Found Something" at Driveline, Anthony Rendon is Working on a Buyout, Warren Shaffer Stays as Rockies Manager, Pirates & Marlins Looking for their CheckbooksFollow 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 SarrisProducer: Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 snips
Nov 24, 2025 • 1h 16min
Rebound Starting Pitchers, Past Big Contracts & 'The Year of the Splitter' in 2026?
Rebound Starting Pitchers, Past Big Contracts & 'The Year of the Splitter' in 2026?
Eno, DVR, and Trevor discuss several rebound candidates in the starting pitcher pool for 2026 including a potential Cy Young Award candidate in the American League who was limited by injuries in 2025. Plus, they look back at how big deals for starting pitchers have worked out throughout the past decade, and wonder if 2026 will become 'The Year of the Splitter' after the uptick in splitters we saw in the playoffs. Rundown4:54 Cole Ragans as a Bounce Back Ace with Health?16:58 Aaron Nola's Unusual 2025 Absence24:28 Zebby Matthews: Rebounding From Rough Start to Big League Career?44:13 Recent Big Contracts for Free Agent Pitchers1:03:56 Will 2026 Be the 'Year of the Splitter?'Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Trevor on Bluesky: @iamtrevormay.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris & Trevor MayExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 19, 2025 • 1h 6min
Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels, Four Accepted Qualifying Offers & Free Agent Bargain Bats
Eno, DVR, and Jed discuss Tuesday's trade between the Angels and Orioles, which sent Grayson Rodriguez to Anaheim for Taylor Ward. Plus, they discuss several accepted Qualifying Offers -- including Brandon Woodruff, Trent Grisham and Gleyer Torres (Shota Imanaga accepted one too, he'll be covered on the next episode) -- a few ideas for how the Pirates can make a splash this winter, and a few potential bargain bats available in free agency. Rundown1:38 Grayson Rodriguez Traded to the Angels for Taylor Ward!14:57 Brandon Woodruff Accepts Qualifying Offer17:22 Trent Grisham & Gleyer Torres Stay Up Too25:39 Is a 2026 Power Rebound On Tap for Gleyber Torres?34:57 Let's Make the Pirates' Offseason an Interesting One49:12 'Bargain' Bats We Like in Free Agency This Winter1:03:52 Minor Moves & NotesFollow 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 SarrisExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 17, 2025 • 1h 19min
Josh Naylor Stays in Seattle and More Hardware for Ohtani, Judge, Skubal & Skenes
Eno and DVR discuss Josh Naylor's return to Seattle on a five-year deal (financials unconfirmed prior to recording) and the other moves that might be on tap in Seattle this winter. Plus, a check-in on Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, before a look at this year's BBWAA Award Winners, a few reports and rumors around starting pitchers, and some excitement for the expected return of Cody Ponce after an impressive stint in the KBO. Rundown2:21 Josh Naylor: Stays in Seattle with Five-Year Deal13:07 A Quick Adjustment to T-Mobile & A Good Fit19:53 Emmanuel Clase & Luis Ortiz Plead Not Guilt to Illegal Betting Charges33:30 More Hardware for Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal43:56 Drake Baldwin & Nick Kurtz Win Rookie of the Year Honors1:00:18 Rumors & Reports: Kodai Senga, Freddy Peralta & Kris Bubic; Brad Keller as a Starting Pitcher Again?Follow 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 SarrisExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 14, 2025 • 1h 9min
Free Agent Rankings: Closers, Mid-Tier Targets and Avoids & Potential Bargains
Eno and DVR discuss the closers, mid-tier hitters and starting pitchers, and potential bargains from this winter's free-agent class. Will Edwin Díaz find another five-year, nine-figure deal? For teams with limited budgets, which mid-tier players make the most sense?Rundown1:31 How Would You Approach This Year's Group of Relievers?16:04 'Would You Rather?' (FA Target Preferences): Michael King, Brandon Woodruff and Shota Imanaga28:00 The Case for Josh Naylor32:17 Gleyber Torres' Unusual Power Drop Before Age-3039:14 Kazuma Okamoto Expectations43:16 Mid-Tier Targets & Avoids59:00 The Search for Bargain Bin Free AgentsFollow 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 SarrisProducer: Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 13, 2025 • 1h 23min
What We Learned From the 2025 Fantasy Baseball Season
Eno and DVR are back from First Pitch Arizona to discuss a few things they learned from the 2025 season. The decision to maintain a more balanced approach to pitching on draft day helped Eno in a big way last season as the 21-40 range Starting Pitchers continue to provide plenty of added value. They look at some of the inexperienced risers in that range for 2026 including Nolan McLean, Jacob Misiorowski, Cam Schlittler, Chase Burns, and Trey Yesavage. Plus, they wonder if spring injury news should carry a higher level of importance when making draft-day decisions, and they look ahead at a few early-round surprises by November average draft position (ADP). Rundown5:30 What Did We Learn in 2025?12:50 Eno's Early Starting Pitcher Rankings (No. 21-40)21:05 Would You Rather? Exciting SP Risers Edition29:11 Should Spring Injury News Carry More Weight?35:22 Injuries We're Watching Closely for 202648:22 Post-Hype Sleepers; They Weren't Foolproof in 20251:01:36 Early ADP Decision: Is Nick Kurtz a Top-15 Player?1:05:44 Other Early ADP Surprises: Brice Turang, Spencer Strider, Augustin Ramírez, & Cal Raleigh1:13:20 Overpriced Relievers in Early DraftsFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RatesBarrelsSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 snips
Nov 6, 2025 • 1h 12min
Free Agent Rankings: The Best Available Upgrades This Winter
Eno and DVR discuss the top of the this year's free-agent class, headlined by Kyle Tucker -- a player they are divided on with the potential price tag approaching the $400 million range -- and featuring a mix of interesting bats including Bo Bichette, Cody Bellinger, Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, and Alex Bregman, and at least a trio of major rotation upgrades with Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease and Ranger Suárez all available.Rundown2:54 Kyle Tucker: Expectations Over a Long-Term (10+ Years?) Deal?15:57 Who Would Eno Target Near the Top of the This Year's Hitter Class?25:38 Cody Bellinger's Massive Home/Road Splits at Yankee Stadium in 202533:58 Munetaka Murakami's Outlook w/Elevated Strikeout Rate in NPB40:09 Will Alex Bregman Find a Longer Deal This Winter?47:00 Stacking Up the Three (or Four) Best Starting Pitchers Available This Winter53:42 Tatsuya Imai: Is The Fastball Weird (Good)?1:09:09 Yu Darvish Will Miss 2026 Season, Rockies Split w/Front Office Finalists, Walt Weiss (Atlanta) and Craig Albernaz (Baltimore) in Manager SpotsFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/RatesBarrelsJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisProducer: Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 snips
Nov 2, 2025 • 60min
The Dodgers Win Back-to-Back Titles w/Incredible Game 7 Victory in Toronto
Eno, DVR, and Jed discuss the Dodgers' rally from 3-2 series deficit in the series and an Instant Classic Game 7 road win in Toronto that featured nearly everything you could ask for from the final game of a great series. From Bo Bichette's early three-run homer off of Shohei Ohtani to Will Smith's 11th-inning solo shot vs. Shane Bieber, and everything in between, they discuss one of the best games in recent memory. Rundown1:21 A Game 7 That Had Everything7:43 Are Hitters Effectively Adjusting to Sliders, Sweepers & Splitters?13:56 Isiah Kiner-Falefa's Very Cautious Lead Off Third Base in the Ninth Inning16:48 Addison Barger's Tough Read at the End of Game 621:36 Will Smith's 11th-Inning, Game-Winning Homer27:08 Andy Pages' Game-Saving Catch & Collision w/Enrique Hernández34:31 A Long Winter Ahead, But Baseball Is Actually Health46:11 How Will Jays' Lineup Structure & Low K% Impact Future Roster Builds Elsewhere?Follow 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 Sarris & Jed LowrieExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 30, 2025 • 44min
Trey Yesavage Dominates to Send the Blue Jays Home with a 3-2 Series Lead
Eno, DVR, and Trevor discuss Trey Yesavage's dominant performance in Game 5 as the Blue Jays head back to Toronto with a 3-2 series lead, a puzzling decision from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts in the seventh inning when the game was still within reach, and the potential fatigue catching up to the older roster in this series after an 18-inning marathon in Game 3. Plus, they look ahead to the Game 6 matchup as Yoshinobu Yamamoto squares off against Kevin Gausman for the second time.Rundown0:28 The Splitter Velocity and Command Returned for Trey Yesavage9:37 Back-to-Back Homers From Davis Schneider & Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Set the Tone13:19 Why Didn't the Dodgers Use Their Best Reliever Down Two Runs in the Seventh?18:36 Is Late-October Fatigue Setting In for the Dodgers' Veterans?23:12 Fallout From an 18-Inning Game on Monday?28:39 How Much Do You Recover On the Off-Day After the Flight to Toronto?33:41 Game 6 Preview: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Kevin Gausman, Round 2Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.socialFollow Trevor on Bluesky: @iamtrevormay.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris & Trevor MayProducer: Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 29, 2025 • 46min
A Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Homer and a Four-Run Fourth Tie the World Series at 2-2
Eno and DVR discuss the Blue Jays' Game 4 win over the Dodgers including strong pitching performances from Shane Bieber and Shohei Ohtani, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s huge swing in the third inning, Mason Fluharty's critical work finishing up the sixth, and how they expect things to change for Game 5 with a return to the matchup that started the series (Trey Yesavage vs. Blake Snell).Rundown1:18 Shane Bieber's Effective Outing in Game 4 & How the Jays Cashed In on Two Mistakes From Ohtani8:18 Are the Dodgers' Bats Struggling -- or -- Is the Jays' Pitching Executing?11:41 Does a Great Offense Struggle in October Without Top-End Speed?17:35 Was That Blake Treinen's Last Appearance in a Close Game This Series?20:02 Shohei Ohtani's Arsenal: How Does He Look Compared to Previous Versions?26:16 Louis Varland Pitched, Again...Is He Wearing Down?31:11 Ben Clemens Did the Math, the Intentional Walks to Ohtani Were a Bad Idea (http://blogs.fangraphs.com/so-youve-decided-to-intentionally-walk-shohei-ohtani-again/)33:21 Game 5 Preview: Trey Yesavage vs. Blake Snell, Round 245:09 The Hot Take Safe ZoneFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/RatesBarrelsJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisProducer: Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


