Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

MLB's final push for the Wild Card and Playoffs are here, Derek VanRiper and Eno Sarris have everything you need for the stretch run. DVR and Eno break down the best September waiver-wire targets, two-start pitchers and late-season saves options while examining whether breakouts from Jordan Walker, James Wood and other young hitters are sustainable heading into 2027.

First, the guys catch up on the baseball news you should know. Carlos Correa is nearing a September return, Eugenio Suárez and TJ Friedl have landed on waivers, Mason Winn's thumb injury creates new questions in St. Louis, and Denzel Clarke could get another opportunity with the A's. Plus, Roki Sasaki heads back to the IL while Gavin Stone and Tony Gonsolin work their way toward potential September returns.

Walker has changed his swing, lowered his strikeout rate and reached a new level of power, but should fantasy managers really pay a first-round price next spring? The guys also look ahead to Cam Smith and Lawrence Butler, including why a big September from Smith could make him more expensive than DVR wants him to be in 2027 fantasy drafts.

Then it's time to attack the waiver wire for the final month of the fantasy baseball season. Tristan Peters remains surprisingly available despite a productive season and everyday role with the White Sox, while Rafael Flores, Mickey Gasper and Tim Tawa offer potential help in deeper formats.

Follow Rates & Barrels for MLB analysis, fantasy baseball strategy, advanced stats, waiver-wire advice and player development with Derek VanRiper and Eno Sarris.

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First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels

#FantasyBaseball #MLB #FantasyFriday #WaiverWire #RatesAndBarrels

Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis
Editor: McEnroe Francis

00:00 — Fantasy Friday: September Targets & MLB News
02:05 — Carlos Correa Nearing a Return
03:56 — Eugenio Suárez & TJ Friedl Hit Waivers
06:15 — Mason Winn Injury & Cardinals Playing Time
12:19 — Denzel Clarke Nearing a Return
15:18 — Roki Sasaki Heads to the IL
17:52 — Can Hitters Really Change Their Swing Decisions?
23:08 — James Wood’s Improved Approach
24:24 — Jordan Walker’s Breakout & 2027 Value
32:54 — Cam Smith vs. Lawrence Butler
39:21 — Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets
39:42 — Why Tristan Peters Is Still Available
44:21 — Rafael Flores & Mickey Gasper
46:44 — Elliot Ramos & Taylor Ward Stock Down
48:00 — Best Two-Start Pitchers for Next Week
49:23 — Drop Grayson Rodriguez?
53:03 — Deep-League Streamers & Saves Targets
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Should MLB create a Rookie Pitcher of the Year award? DVR, Eno and Trevor May break down baseball’s best rookie pitchers, including Nolan McLean, Parker Messick and Payton Tolle, before searching deeper for young arms who could become impact starters, closers and fantasy baseball breakouts in 2027.

Parker Messick is putting together a historically impressive rookie season for the Guardians. Payton Tolle offers a different profile for the Red Sox. With more traditional high-end velocity and a polished presence on the mound. In the National League, Nolan McLean has answered some of the biggest questions surrounding his arsenal. Could increased changeup usage unlock another level for the Mets right-hander?

The crew also examines Logan Henderson's unusual combination of below-average velocity, strike throwing and swing-and-miss ability before diving into the next group of intriguing young pitchers. Walbert Ureña, Didier Fuentes, Bradgley Rodríguez, Blade Tidwell and Connor Prielipp all present different questions about command, pitch shape, sequencing and future roles.

Rates & Barrels is your home for MLB analysis, advanced stats, pitching development, fantasy baseball and everything happening around Major League Baseball with Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris and Trevor May.

Like, Subscribe and drop us a comment!

First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels

Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Contributor: Trevor May
Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis
Editor: McEnroe Francis

00:00 — Should MLB Have a Rookie Pitcher of the Year?
08:22 — Parker Messick vs. Payton Tolle
09:10 — Messick’s Historically Good Rookie Season
14:48 — How Good Can Payton Tolle Be?
19:18 — Nolan McLean’s Rookie Season
19:38 — Has McLean Answered the Lefty Question?
27:44 — The Logan Henderson Puzzle
35:20 — Rookie Pitchers to Watch for 2027
35:25 — Walbert Ureña’s Breakout Season
48:52 — Didier Fuentes’ Unusual Arsenal
55:01 — Could Bradgley Rodríguez Become a Starter?
1:01:42 — Connor Prielipp’s Next Step
#MLB #Baseball #MLBRookies #RookieOfTheYear #RatesAndBarrels
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DVR, Eno and Jed Lowrie make their final American League playoff predictions, picking all three AL division winners and three Wild Card teams as the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, White Sox, Guardians, Mariners, Rangers and Astros battle for October.

DVR still can't quit the Seattle Mariners. Seattle enters the stretch run within striking distance of the AL West and owns an extremely favorable remaining schedule, but defensive shortcomings and an inconsistent offense leave plenty of reasons to question whether the Mariners can actually get back to October.

Jed also offers a player's perspective on what happens inside a clubhouse when a team with postseason expectations starts to fall apart late in the season, drawing on his experience with the 2011 Boston Red Sox. The conversation turns to the Blue Jays and whether Toronto can find another gear before time runs out.

Then, Eno digs into one of his favorite kinds of rabbit holes: batting stance changes. Carson Benge's impressive rookie season sparks a deeper look at why hitters open or close their stance, how those adjustments can affect vision and swing mechanics, and what Fernando Tatis Jr.'s changes reveal about the tradeoffs hitters make at the plate.

Finally, Name That Dude returns! DVR puts Eno and Jed to the test with clues about a mystery former MLB player before the conversation inevitably turns into baseball cards, heat maps and Statcast ideas.

Rates & Barrels is your home for smart baseball analysis, MLB trends, advanced stats, fantasy baseball and everything happening around the league with Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris and Jed Lowrie.

Like, Subscribe and drop us a comment!

First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels

Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Contributor: Jed Lowrie
Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis
Editor: McEnroe Francis

#MLB #MLBPlayoffs #Baseball #Yankees #Mariners #RatesAndBarrels

00:00 — Final AL Playoff Predictions
03:12 — The AL Playoff Race Is Chaos
08:38 — Can the White Sox Win the AL Central?
13:19 — Why Cleveland Can Make a September Run
16:49 — DVR Still Believes in the Mariners
19:35 — Mariners vs. Astros in the AL West
23:17 — When a Contender Starts Falling Apart
24:59 — Can the Blue Jays Save Their Season?
29:19 — Final AL Playoff Picks
31:41 — Carson Benge's Breakout Rookie Season
34:40 — Why Hitters Change Their Stance
46:30 — What Fernando Tatis Jr. Changed
52:14 — Name That Dude Returns
56:21 — The Mystery Player Revealed
56:56 — What Should Be on the Back of a Baseball Card?
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Cal Raleigh finally broke out in a huge way, blasting three home runs Monday after a season-long struggle at the plate. But was this simply one monster game, or are there signs that the Mariners slugger is beginning to correct the approach issues that contributed to his disappointing season?

DVR and Eno dig into what changed for Cal Raleigh, including his swing decisions, declining aggression on pitches inside the strike zone and increased chase rate.

The Mariners aren't the only team with a star player raising questions. Zack Wheeler has been hammered over his last six starts. Is Wheeler simply hitting a late-season wall — or is there something in his arsenal that can be fixed before October?

Then, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic joins the show to go inside a turbulent stretch for the Arizona Diamondbacks. What's happening with Ketel Marte, where does his relationship with the organization and clubhouse stand, and what does it mean for a D-backs team trying to stay alive in the National League Wild Card race?

Finally, Jesús Cano of The Athletic joins DVR and Eno to break down an NL East race that suddenly looks very different. The Braves have stumbled while the Phillies have surged, dramatically shrinking Atlanta's division cushion and setting up an important stretch in the final month.

Rates & Barrels delivers MLB analysis, advanced stats, fantasy baseball strategy, prospect breakdowns and reporting from around the league every weekday.

Like, Subscribe and drop us a comment!

First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels

Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Contributor: Jesús Cano & Nick Piecoro
Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis
Editor: McEnroe Francis

#CalRaleigh #Mariners #MLB #phillies #RatesAndBarrels

0:00 Today on Rates & Barrels
02:01 Cal Raleigh Breaks Out With Three Homers
05:28 What’s Changed With Cal Raleigh & Julio Rodríguez?
08:22 How Much Have Injuries Affected Seattle’s Stars?
10:39 Colt Emerson’s Injury & 2027 Outlook
12:37 What’s Wrong With Zack Wheeler?
16:18 Can Wheeler Turn It Around Before October?
17:57 Braves-Phillies NL East Race Tightens
18:36 What’s Going On With Ketel Marte?
20:37 Inside the Diamondbacks’ Clubhouse
25:13 Arizona’s Wild Card Outlook
28:45 Corbin Carroll & the D-backs’ Young Core
33:31 Braves’ NL East Lead Is Shrinking
37:35 What’s Gone Wrong for Atlanta?
40:41 Ronald Acuña Jr. & the Braves Offense
46:06 Atlanta’s Rotation & October Outlook
51:56 Can the Braves Hold Off the Phillies?
58:12 Final Thoughts
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The Houston Astros have fired general manager Dana Brown as their season and the American League playoff race descend into chaos. DVR and Eno break down what went wrong for Houston, and what's next for their pitching plan and roster-building misses.

Plus, the Dodgers lose Andy Pages for approximately four to five weeks, prompting a deeper discussion about outfield defense and how we should evaluate metrics like Outs Above Average, Defensive Runs Saved and Statcast Fielding Run Value.

Then it's time to answer your mailbag questions. What has happened to Bryce Miller? Eno digs into Miller's declining velocity and inconsistent command — and explains why Kade Anderson's arrival creates even more pressure on Miller's rotation outlook.

Plus, Andrew Painter's arsenal changes, Matthew Liberatore, Justin Martinez and the best fantasy baseball waiver-wire options for the stretch run.

Like, Subscribe and drop us a comment!

First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels

Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis
Editor: McEnroe Francis

#houstonastros #dodgers #mlb #baseball #alwest #mlbplayoffs

00:00 Today on Rates & Barrels
01:27 Chicago Meetup & Show Business
03:05 AL Playoff Race Remains Total Chaos
05:34 Could a Losing Team Make the Playoffs?
07:39 Astros Fire GM Dana Brown
09:03 What Has Changed Inside the Astros?
09:49 Houston’s Analytics Brain Drain
12:16 What Went Wrong Under Dana Brown?
13:18 Astros’ Pitching Plan & Roster Misses
15:20 Can Houston Build Another Contender?
17:58 AL West Front Offices in Turmoil
19:31 Can the Mariners Still Win the AL West?
21:22 Dodgers Lose Andy Pages
22:41 How Should We Measure Outfield Defense?
27:41 Who Steps Up for the Dodgers?
29:09 Is It Time to Move On From Bryce Miller?
30:11 What’s Wrong With Bryce Miller?
32:21 Kade Anderson Changes Miller’s Outlook
34:00 Can You Still Start Bryce Miller?
36:56 Jacob Lopez’s Surprising Run
39:01 Has Cleveland Unlocked Joe Adell?
40:13 Can Better Coaching Really Fix a Hitter?
44:04 Kade Anderson’s First MLB Start
46:15 Eno’s Kade Anderson Evaluation
48:22 Is Kade Anderson Already Overvalued?
51:06 Andrew Painter Is Making Real Changes
52:57 Matthew Liberatore & Two-Start Pitchers
56:15 Justin Martinez Returns
57:32 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire
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