Willie MacIver has caught loads of energy arms since coming into professional ball in 2018. Some have been in Sacramento this season — the 28-year-old College of Washington product spent a bit of the summer season with the Athletics, backing up Shea Langeliers — however none of these hurlers stand out as having one of the best uncooked stuff he’s been behind the dish for. That distinction belongs to a former Colorado Rockies farmhand whose transient major-league ledger features a 22.09 ERA and a 22.7% stroll price over 5 appearances comprising three-and-a-third innings.
“I caught a man named Riley Pint,” mentioned MacIver, citing the right-handed flamethrower whom the Rockies drafted fourth general in 2016 out of an Overland, Kansas highschool. “To today, he has one of the best stuff I’ve ever seen. I caught him from Low-A during Triple-A, so I used to be on the experience with him the entire time.”
That experience isn’t essentially over. Pint is simply 27 years previous, and whereas he missed the 2025 season with an harm, the arm is certainly particular. MacIver caught him as lately as 2024, and it’s being Pint, and never current teammate Mason Miller, who he cited speaks volumes.
“After we have been in Low-A, it was 102 [mph] in every single place,” MacIver advised me. “Then he began throwing a sinker. We have been at Driveline collectively and he was throwing sinkers that have been registering as left-handed curveballs on the TrackMan. He may make the ball transfer like nothing else. His sinker could be like negative-eight, after which he would throw a real sweeper that was Morales-like with the horizontal, however at 87 [mph].
Per Statcast, Luis Morales’s sweeper averaged 19.5 inches of horizontal break this season, tied with Will Warren’s for essentially the most within the majors. Morales, who turned 23 in late September, debuted with the A’s in August and is their top-rated pitching prospect.
“When he began clicking in Triple-A, we have been throwing like 60 % sweepers,” MacIver mentioned of Pint, who had a 4.12 ERA, a 35.7% strikeout price, and a 20.5% stroll price with the Albuquerque Isotopes in 2024. “His fastball command was all the time an issue, so we have been going to throw the sweeper all day. However yeah, his metrics have been off the charts. The ball was transferring a lot that he simply couldn’t get it within the zone.
“I nonetheless have hope for him,” added MacIver. “That dude is as gifted as any pitcher I’ve ever seen by way of skill to make any pitch transfer at an elite stage. He’s tall [6-foot-5] and lanky, throws from a cool launch level.… I imply, when folks ask me concerning the craziest pitchers I’ve ever caught, Riley Pint is all the time on the prime of that checklist. If he may discover a method to dial issues in, he’d be an elite bullpen arm.”
If any crew may assist Pint put issues collectively, it will in all probability be the one which signed him to a one-year minor-league deal final winter. The Cleveland Guardians have a means of working magic with pitchers, though once more, the previous prime pitching prospect within the Rockies group landed on the shelf and ended up not taking the mound. Pint will as soon as once more be obtainable on the free-agent market.
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Michael Younger went 10 for 17 towards Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Ian Kinsler went 10 for twenty-four towards Cliff Lee.
Elvis Andrus went 17 for 36 towards David Value.
Buddy Bell went 21 for 47 towards Mike Caldwell.
Toby Harrah went 25 for 59 towards Vida Blue.
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Jahmai Jones went from an unproven journeyman to a productive position participant for a playoff crew. Signed off the scrap heap by the Detroit Tigers final November, the 28-year-old outfielder went on to log a .287/.387/.550 slash line and a 159 wRC+ over 150 plate appearances. The majority of these numbers got here versus opposite-handed hurlers. The righty-swinger slugged all seven of his residence runs and put up a 167 wRC+ over 122 PAs with a southpaw standing atop the bump.
His observe document was really that of an itinerant. Drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in 2015 out of a Peachtree Corners, Georgia highschool, Jones proceeded to bounce round organizations — the Tigers are his sixth — by no means fairly discovering his footing. Previous to touchdown in Motown, Jones amassed simply 137 big-league PAs and posted a 50 wRC+ whereas seeing motion for 4 groups over that very same variety of seasons.
“I feel this has all the time been in there,” Jones mentioned of his breakthrough. “I’ve made some small changes during the last couple of years which have paid some actually large dividends. Not making an attempt to do an excessive amount of on the plate has additionally allowed me to be who I’m as a hitter.”
Requested to elaborate on the changes, Jones defined that he tweaked his stance and cargo, making him extra balanced within the field. Feeling that he had “gotten a bit of stagnant,” he “sort of bought again to simply being an athlete within the field.”
There was a psychological element to his long-awaited success, as nicely.
“As a lot as you make the small bodily modifications, the psychological modifications are simply as necessary,” Jones advised me.”They’ve allowed me to settle down and, once more, not attempt to do an excessive amount of. I simply attempt to move it on to the fellows behind me. They’ll get the job completed once I’m on base, whether or not it’s a single, a stroll, slug — no matter it is likely to be.
“I additionally bought older,” Jones added. “Extra video games performed.. Seeing extra pitches. Through the years, you simply mature a bit of bit in your method. I perceive who I’m higher than I did once I was 23-24 years previous. I perceive what works for me. I’m not dwelling and dying by each single AB.”
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Dave Burba wasn’t a lot of a hitter. The now-59-year-old right-hander slashed simply .134/.184/.186 over 228 profession plate appearances. However whereas he recorded simply 26 base hits, three of them left the yard. Furthermore, the primary two got here in back-to-back begins he made for the Cincinnati Reds in 1996.
Now a pitching coach within the Athletics system, he advised me about these dingers earlier this summer season.
“The primary one, I really thought it was a foul ball,” Burba recalled of his solo shot off of Pirates righty Paul Wagner. “I regarded up, noticed [Orlando] Merced going again after which it was, ‘No means; I simply hit a house run.’ I ran across the bases.
“Very subsequent recreation I began, we performed Pittsburgh once more. A reliever [lefty Chris Peters] got here in and I hit the ball out. Once I bought again to the dugout, Eric Davis pulled me over. He was ribbing me. He mentioned, ‘Son, when you’re going to hit residence runs, you’ve bought to be taught to run the bases. You want a house run trot.’ I advised him I didn’t assume so. I mentioned, ‘If you hit ‘em it’s ‘How far did it go?’ Once I hit ‘em, I’m saying, ‘The place did it go?”
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A quiz:
Three pitchers have gained 200 or extra video games with the Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw is one in every of them. Who’re the opposite two?
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NEWS NOTES
The San Diego Padres introduced this week that they’ve signed 18-year-old Taiwanese pitcher Lan-Hong Su. The suitable-hander served because the nearer for Chinese language Taipei in final month’s 18U Baseball World Cup in Okinawa, Japan.
Javik Blake is the recipient of this 12 months’s Future Star Award, which acknowledges Minor League Baseball’s prime govt who’s 25 or youthful. The 2023 Elon College graduate is the media relations supervisor and play-by-play broadcaster for the Biloxi Shuckers, the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Mike Greenwell, a left-handed-hitting left fielder who spent his total profession with the Boston Crimson Sox, misplaced his life to most cancers this previous week at age 62. Twice an All-Star, “Gator” logged 1,400 hits, a .303 batting common, and a 120 wRC+ from 1985-1996.
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The reply to the quiz is Don Sutton (233 wins) and Don Drysdale (209). Kershaw will end his profession with 223.
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A random obscure former participant snapshot:
Dana Kiecker had a stable season as a 29-year-old rookie for the Boston Crimson Sox in 1990. A right-hander born in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, Kiecker gained eight video games whereas placing up a 3.97 ERA and a 3.43 FIP over 152 innings. Furthermore, he proceeded to carry out nicely in his lone playoff begin. Dealing with the Oakland A’s in Recreation 2 of the ALCS, he allowed only one run over five-and-two-thirds frames. His future regarded promising.
Sadly for the St. Cloud State College product, his elbow didn’t cooperate. Kiecker ended up throwing simply 40-and-a-third innings with the Crimson Sox in 1991, logging an unbecoming 7.36 ERA. Surgical procedure was required, and his arm by no means absolutely recovered. Kiecker was simply 30 years previous when he threw his final skilled pitch.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The KBO postseason bought underway this weekend with the Samsung Lions and SSG Landers splitting a pair of selections. The winner of the five-game collection will play the Hanwha Eagles, who acquired a first-round bye. The LG Twins mechanically superior to the finals by posting one of the best document within the common season. They’ll play the winner of the Hanwha-Samsung/SSG collection
The NPB postseason bought underway this weekend with a pair of best-of-three sweeps. The Yokohama DeNA BayStars beat the Yomiuri Giants by scores of 6-2 and 7-6, whereas the Nippon-Ham Fighters bested the Orix Buffaloes 2-0 and 5-4. The Hanshin Tigers and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks acquired first-round byes.
The BayStars should not have Trevor Bauer on their energetic roster, making it unlikely that he’ll pitch within the playoffs. The erstwhile MLB right-hander went 4-10 with a 4.51 ERA for Yokohama within the common season.
Teruaki Sato had a .277/.345/.579 slash line whereas main NPB with 40 residence runs and a 182 wRC+ (the latter amongst certified hitters) this season. Per experiences, the 26-year-old Hanshin Tigers third baseman/outfielder has beforehand expressed a want to maneuver to MLB , though he isn’t anticipated to be posted.
Munetaka Murakami, who reportedly might be posted this winter, returned from an harm to log a 210 wRC+ over 224 plate appearances. The 25-year-old Tokyo Yakult Swallows nook infielder slashed .273/.379/.663 with 22 residence runs.
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José DeLeón was summoned on quick discover to begin the Crimson Sox’ regular-season finale. Residence in Puerto Rico when he bought the decision, the 33-year-old right-hander hopped on an in a single day flight, and never solely did he arrive in Boston in time to pitch: he pitched his coronary heart out. Dealing with the Detroit Tigers, DeLeón allowed three runs over six-and-two-thirds innings and was credited with a win. Notably, it was his first within the large leagues since 2019, and simply his fifth general. The primary had include the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, at which era he was one of many recreation’s extra promising younger pitchers.
Sadly for DeLeón, a litany of accidents — a torn UCL amongst them — have highjacked his profession. Counting his time within the minors, he has thrown fewer than 300 innings over the previous 9 seasons, 75-and-a-third of them with Triple-A Worcester this season. Many have been tumultuous. His ERA with Boston’s prime farm membership was 6.93, and all of his selections have been within the loss column.
I’d featured DeLeón right here at FanGraphs in a 2015 Sunday Notes column, so a query appeared so as when he met with the media following final month’s Fenway Park cameo: How he would he describe his profession since we first spoke 10 years in the past?
His reply was pure gold.
“I’ve had a pair bumps within the highway,” DeLeón mentioned. “I feel that’s my story. If my story can function motivation for someone… if children are coping with one thing, they’re struggling, issues aren’t going their means, what I did right this moment will help them perceive that there’s mild on the finish of the tunnel.”
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
The Athletic’s Matt Gelb wrote about how the Philadelphia Phillies shared the ache after Orion Kerkering’s error led to a crushing elimination loss.
MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson wrote about how the Toronto Blue Jays entrance workplace constructed a winner.
The Tampa Bay Rays’ new possession group held an introductory press convention this week, with stadium plans a part of their discourse. DRaysBay’s Danny Russell gave us 5 key takeaways.
Mike Jirschele, a longtime coach and supervisor within the Kansas Metropolis Royals group, introduced his retirement after practically 5 a long time within the recreation. Anne Rogers has the story at MLB.com.
Jerry Royster was the primary international supervisor in KBO historical past. Taein Chun wrote about that legacy for SABR’s Asian Baseball Analysis Committee weblog.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
A complete of 31 gamers hit 30 or extra residence runs this season. Of them, solely José Ramírez struck out fewer than 100 instances. The Cleveland Guardians celebrity went deep 30 instances and fanned 74 instances.
Salvador Perez (28) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (29) had the bottom stroll totals among the many 31 gamers to hit 30 or extra residence runs. Juan Soto (127) drew essentially the most free passes.
James Wooden struck out 221 instances in 689 plate appearances. Luis Arraez struck out 21 instances in 675 plate appearances.
Logan Webb confronted 856 batters this 12 months, essentially the most within the majors, and surrendered 14 residence runs. Shota Imanaga confronted 567 batters and surrendered 31 residence runs.
Gleyber Torres has 154 residence runs, 57 steals, a .264 BA, and a .770 OPS.
Jorge Polanco has 154 residence runs, 61 steals, a .263 BA, and a .771 OPS.
Bryce Harper has 788 extra-base hits, 1,105 walks, and 1,654 strikeouts.
Mike Trout has 784 extra-base hits, 1,067 walks, and 1,663 strikeouts.
On right this moment’s date in 1929, the Philadelphia Athletics scored 10 runs in backside of the seventh inning to rally from an 8-0 deficit and beat the Chicago Cubs 10-8 in Recreation 4 of the Fall Basic. Mule Haas homered within the body, hitting an inside-the-parker with a pair of runners aboard. Two days later, Haas hit a two-run homer to tie the sport within the ninth, after which Bing Miller walked off the Cubs with a double that clinched a World Sequence title.
The Chicago Cubs gained the primary of the franchise’s three World Sequence titles on right this moment’s date in 1907. Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown went the gap within the 2-0 conquest of the Tigers at Detroit’s Bennett Park.
Gamers born on right this moment’s date embody Glenn Beckert, a second baseman who made 4 All-Star groups whereas taking part in for the Cubs from 1965-1973, then spent his closing two seasons with the San Diego Padres. A contact hitter, Beckert completed his profession with a .283 batting common, a 4.7% stroll price, and a 4.4% strikeout price. His .342 common in 1971 was third-best within the senior circuit, behind solely Joe Torre (.363) and Ralph “Roadrunner” Garr (.343). He was awarded a Gold Glove in 1968.
Additionally born on right this moment’s date was Phil Weintraub, a primary baseman/outfielder who noticed motion in 444 video games whereas taking part in for 3 groups throughout the 1933-1945 season. A profession .295 hitter with a 133 wRC+, the Loyola College product laid waste to Brooklyn Dodgers pitching on April 30, 1944. In a 26-8 New York Giants win, Weintraub had two doubles, a triple, a house run, 5 runs scored, and 11 RBIs.