Kuzul

Playoff sensation Daniel Murphy was bound to attract plenty of interest on the free-agent market following his October heroics, which propelled the New York Mets to the National League pennant. 

At least one team is already expressing its desire to sign the seven-year veteran. 

Continue for updates.

Rockies Discussing Murphy at 1B

Saturday, Nov. 7

The Colorado Rockies have internally discussed signing Murphy but are interested in shifting him from second base to first, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. Murphy has played 183 games at first.

The Rockies entered last season with reigning NL batting champ Justin Morneau as their first baseman but declined his $9 million option last month after the 34-year-old struggled to stay healthy. 

The Rockies infield already consists of 2015 breakout bat DJ LeMahieu at second and established star Nolan Arenado at third, leaving only first as a realistic option for Murphy. 

Colorado would retain its fourth overall pick in the 2016 first-year player draft but would lose the Comp Round A pick should it sign Murphy, according to Charlie Wilmoth of MLB Trade Rumors. 

As good as he was in October—he hit .421 with seven home runs and 11 RBI in the NL playoffs—he doesn’t necessarily boast a power bat the Rockies could exploit in the majors’ most hitter-friendly park. 

Dan Szymborski of ESPN noted the Rockies may want to rethink their approach:

Murphy received a $15.8 million qualifying offer—nearly double his 2015 salary, per Spotrac—from the Mets on Friday, despite a report from Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News during the playoffs that the team had no plans to bring him back. 

But as David Waldstein of the New York Times notes, the Mets altered their plans for good reason: “Murphy is not worth that kind of money, but for the Mets, it was a gamble worth taking. If Murphy rejects the offer and signs elsewhere, the Mets will receive a draft pick as compensation. Teams covet draft picks as the most cost-effective way to build a roster.”

Murphy, 30, has one week to decide on the offer, which is above what he’s worth. However, he could rake in roughly $14 million per year and get a lengthier deal on the open market, per Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors. 

The Mets would miss his bat at an otherwise weak offensive position—particularly given power-hitting Yoenis Cespedes’ possible departure in free agency. Murphy will have to decide what his priority is: stay in Queens and run at the title again or dash for the cash in Colorado—home of the NL West cellar-dwellars three of the last four years.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Chris Heisey cleared outright waivers and Friday elected to become a free agent, according to Alanna Rizzo of SportsNet LA.

Heisey would’ve been arbitration-eligible had he remained on the team’s 40-man roster and likely would’ve earned a raise from the $2.16 million he earned in 2015, per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.

The 30-year-old outfielder began the season with the Dodgers, was designated for assignment in July, signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays in August and then was traded back to the Dodgers in September. 

He played in just 33 games for the Dodgers last season, hitting .182 with 12 hits in 72 plate appearances, and spent most of the season in Triple-A, tallying 83 games between the Dodgers and Blue Jays affiliates.  

Though a talented defender, Heisey didn’t stand much chance in the crowded Dodgers outfield with the likes of Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson, Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford, even though each either struggled or missed time due to injury.

The Dodgers won their third straight National League West title for the first time in franchise history in 2015. But another early exit in the postseason, this time in five games at the hands of the New York Mets in the National League Division Series, prompted a mutual parting between Dodgers brass and manager Don Mattingly, who has since signed with the Miami Marlins.

Given Heisey’s veteran status—he spent five years with the Cincinnati Reds and is a career .245 hitter—he should find a suitor, though it may be on a minor league deal.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Free agency is hogging most MLB headlines with players eligible to sign with teams as early as Friday, but there is still plenty of buzz on potential trades that could contribute to the personnel shifts among the baseball landscape.

Here is a glance at the latest names rumored on the trade market in the young offseason.

Brewers Eyeing Rebuild Through Trades

The Milwaukee Brewers finished 26 games under .500 a year removed from a September meltdown that cost them the National League Central after leading the division for 159 days.

They are reportedly in a rebuild mode and have been linked to trade talks surrounding first baseman Adam Lind, catcher Jonathan Lucroy and closer Francisco Rodriguez, per Buster Olney of ESPN The Magazine:

Lucroy is a career .282/.340/.430 hitter and is considered one of the best defensive backstops in the game with a .992 fielding percentage in six seasons. He spent time on the disabled list with a fractured toe in 2015 but has played an average of 118.3 games per year and was fourth in the NL MVP voting in 2014.

Despite speculation, general manager David Sterns indicated last week Lucroy should be back next year, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Rodriguez tied for seventh in the majors with 38 saves in 2015 despite the Brewers’ overall struggles. His velocity has steadily decreased from 94.4 miles per hour to 89.7 between 2007 and 2015, per FanGraphs, but he proved he’s still a threat in critical situations with only seven blown saves in parts of three seasons with Milwaukee. 

He’s scheduled to make $11.5 million the next two seasons, per Spotrac, for a team that had the 10th lowest payroll. If the Brewers aren’t winning many games, it may not be practical to keep that kind of financial commitment. 

On Adam Lind, the Brewers exercised the one-year, $8 million option on the first baseman Tuesday, though the team’s RBI leader could be a trade chip, as Olney noted. The Brewers tried moving Lind near the trade deadline last year, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, though talks eventually fell through with the St. Louis Cardinals.

General manager David Stearns hinted the team will be much younger in the coming years, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, though how it does so remains to be seen:

I think we recognize that we’re going to have a young roster, whether that’s this year, next year, the year after. We’re going to have a young group of core players for the foreseeable future, and we want to make sure that we surrounded them with members of a staff who are used to and comfortable with working with younger players.

Baseball America ranked the Brewers farm system 19th, which could prompt Stearns to deal a few veterans to free up cash and build a younger foundation to compete in the rugged NL Central, which featured three playoff teams in 2015.

Cubs Shopping Starlin Castro

With a crowded infield full of young and productive talent, the Chicago Cubs‘ Starlin Castro has been linked to trade talks as far back as the 2014 deadline.

A deal never manifested this past year due to Castro’s midseason struggles—he was benched for rookie Addison Russell at shortstop in early August, then became the team’s starting second baseman a week later and through the postseason. But given Castro’s strong finish to the regular season, the NLCS bridesmaids are reportedly shopping the infielder again, per Julie DiCaro of 670 The Score:

Castro hit .353/.373/.588 with six home runs, 23 RBI and just 18 strikeouts after his benching, and the Cubs went 30-17 in that span. His upward trend to finish the season should make him more marketable this offseason. 

Castro is also just 25, a three-time All-Star and has played in at least 150 games in four of the past five seasons. He’d be a valuable asset to most. 

The Cubs can fill Castro’s void with Javier Baez at second and could lean on Tommy La Stella as a backup utility infielder.  

Baez was also rumored in talks—with the San Diego Padres in July, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports—but he wouldn’t return as much as Castro and is locked up through 2020 at a convenient price, per Rotoworld. 

A realistic way Castro stays is if the Cubs are unable to re-sign outfielder Dexter Fowler, who became a free agent this week. Chicago could then move the versatile Baez to the outfield and keep Castro at second. But Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com noted that’s unlikely:

Fowler had a big second half, getting on-base about 39 percent of the time, leading to speculation he’ll get a long-term contract after earning $9.5 million last season. The Cubs have stated their offseason goals are to land more pitching, which might not leave room in the budget for Fowler’s return.

The Cubs are the early favorites to win it all in 2016, per Odds Shark, and they may start their hopeful run by dealing Castro to bulk up their roster in more needing areas.

Clay Buchholz Could Be Red Sox Trade Bait

The Boston Red Sox this week picked up the $13 million option on starting pitcher Clay Buchholz, but like the Brewers’ Lind, the move may have been executed to trade the veteran right-hander, per Ian Browne of MLB.com:

Buchholz would be a costly add given his limited return potential. He’s never made 30 starts or reached 200 innings in his nine-year career and has exceeded a 4.50 ERA in two of the last four seasons. 

But Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote some teams have already expressed interest in Buchholz behind closed doors:

Buchholz’s name is already rolling off the lips of some mid- to small-market teams who believe they could trade for him if the Red Sox have bigger fish to fry in pursuit of a true ace who can stay healthy.

The Red Sox are reportedly in the market to add an ace via trade or free agency this offseason, per Ricky Doyle of NESN.com, which could slide Buchholz to the back of the rotation and shadow what could be more limited contributions. 

Buchholz went 7-7 in 18 starts last year with a 3.26 ERA, 1.209 WHIP and 8.5 K/9 before being placed on the 15-, then 60-day disabled list in July, which he never returned from. 

One AL GM told Cafardo that when healthy, Buchholz is “as good as anyone out there.”

New president Dave Dombrowski will be as busy as any executive this offseason, and Buchholz may be a chip used to rid a sizable bill from the payroll while yielding a few younger players to build around. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The World Series may be in the books, but the MLB offseason should be as lively and dramatic in the four short months before pitchers and catchers report for spring training.

There are plenty of marquee free agents hitting the market—139 total, according to the MLBPA, up 18 from 2014—with plenty of shuffling afoot among the baseball landscape. 

Will the four blue-chip starting pitchers get the nine-figure deals they’ll seek? How much turnover will the champion Kansas City Royals endure? Which team will be last year’s San Diego Padres in making the most surprise splashes?

Winter is coming, but the baseball offseason is heating up, and here is the latest buzz to prepare.

Marlins Won’t Pursue Top Aces Greinke, Price

The Miami Marlins will not contend to claim top starting pitchers such as Zack Greinke and David Price, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.

Both are expected to command deals exceeding $200 million, which doesn’t necessarily fit into the Marlins payroll, currently at $31,450,000, per Spotrac. Though that figure will assuredly increase before Opening Day, the Marlins splashed last November when inking superstar Giancarlo Stanton to a backloaded, 13-year deal for $325 million.

The report that Greinke and Price won’t be in the Marlins mold surfaced the same day that Miami ace José Fernandez turned down an undisclosed multiyear deal months before returning from Tommy John surgery in July, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 

Jackson reported team president David Samson said negotiations dwindled over money, not years:

He was offered what we thought was a very fair, tremendous amount of money. I don’t believe he had any interest in having another offer [this winter], but we always will talk. He is ours for three years at a minimum. Building around Jose and [Giancarlo] Stanton is two smart things to do, but it takes two people to sign a contract.

As Samson noted, Fernandez, 23, cannot hit free agency until after the 2018 season, though he is arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, per Rotoworld. When healthy, he’s one of the best in the game—22-9 with a 2.40 ERA, 1.014 WHIP and 10.5 K/9. 

Under new manager Don Mattingly, the Marlins should see increased success but could be handicapped by starting pitching—particularly in the ace-full National League East facing remarkable rotations within the New York Mets and Washington Nationals. 

That’s not exactly what vocal owner Jeffrey Loria hopes to hear as his team seeks its first winning season since 2009. As Mark Bowman of MLB.com showed, Miami hasn’t been a home for stability:

The Marlins not pursuing Price or Greinke doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t chase a second-tier free-agent starter such as Jeff Samardzija, Scott Kazmir or Doug Fister. That trio each hopes to cash a nine-figure deal, though ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian indicated the three “are going to get paid, but maybe not as much as they’d like.”

The Marlins could also be preparing for the hefty bill in the coming years for Fernandez, a client of Scott Boras, who notoriously hauls in heaps of cash for his clients and rarely ever agrees to terms before they hit free agency. 

Alex Gordon to Opt Out of KC

The heart of the Royals clubhouse could be on his way out of Kansas City, as Alex Gordon is expected to decline his $14 million option and hit what should be a hungry market for the outfielder. 

Gordon is coming off a four-year, $37 million contract, per Spotrac, and CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reported he will likely get a similar offer in years but with a large uptick in dollars. 

Gordon, who turns 32 in February, has a respectable career slash line of .269/.348/.435 and has averaged 17.1 home runs, 68.7 RBI and 77.5 runs in the seven seasons over his nine-year career he’s played at least 100 games. 

But his pedigree is rooted in defense. Gordon posted an eye-popping .995 fielding percentage with just five errors over the life of his last contract, according to baseball-reference.com, which was such a focal factor in the Royals’ success. 

Heyman reported the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros as possible landing spots should the Royals not be able to re-sign him. 

Christopher Smith of MassLive.com also speculated the Red Sox could utilize Gordon under new president Dave Dombrowski, who admitted to seeking a fourth outfielder though outright committing to Jackie Bradley Jr. and Rusney Castillo to go along with sure starter Mookie Betts. The Red Sox are coming off a last-place finish and will be active to rebound this offseason, and Gordon could certainly help.

But Gordon has said he wants to be back in Kansas City, where he’s spent his entire career, per the Associated Press (h/t KCTV5 Kansas City):

“I want to be back, trust me,” Gordon said. “This is my home. I love Kansas City. I love the fans. I love everything about Kansas City. I couldn’t see myself anywhere else. So, I hope it works out.” 

While his opting out may say otherwise, Heyman added perspective that could give KC fans optimism:

However, the Royals are hoping to keep him, quite likely with an offer of about four years. Since he accepted a team-friendly four-year deal last time, there is reason to hope. And while he got only four while in his 20s, he can probably find five if he’s open to leaving.

Gordon faces a tough decision, as Kansas City is where he hopes to be, and the Royals will be contenders again next year. But if he sacrifices, he’ll have a thicker wallet to lean on. 

Shark to Big Apple?

Jeff Samardzija is expected to receive a one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer from the Chicago White Sox, according to Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com, but he’s likely to reject that and hit the market. 

The 30-year-old right-hander has maintained his desire to hit free agency since being traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Oakland Athletics in the middle of last season.   

However, Samardzija won’t be nearly as coveted as he was then, coming off an awful 2015 in which he went 11-13 with a career-high 4.96 ERA, career-low 6.9 K/9 and MLB-worst 228 hits allowed. 

Once thought a nine-figure pitcher, that seems a stretch. He certainly won’t get that from the White Sox, who have a stable of southpaws in Chris Sale, Carlos Rodon and Jose Quintana to build around. 

Hayes noted as many as eight teams could be in the mix: the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. 

Heyman noted an alliance with the Yankees could manifest based on old roots:

Former Cubs GM Jim Hendry, a Yankees executive, is a big voice in the organization now, leading to even more speculation Samardzija will be on the agenda. Hendry was the one who plucked Samardzija out of Notre Dame, and gave him a $10 million signing bonus for the Cubs (a wise call in hindsight). 

ESPN’s Buster Olney, however, doesn’t necessarily agree:

The Yankees will likely be in the market for starters in free agency to surround Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and C.C. Sabathia but may not necessarily chase the big-ticket item. 

Samardzija is coming off a career-worst season, but perhaps playing in a contending clubhouse for once—a half-season with Oakland notwithstanding—could be just the change he needs to return to dominant form.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Kansas City Royals resiliently took down the New York Mets in five games to capture their first World Series title in 30 years after coming so close a year prior.

The Royals trailed the Mets in all five games and became the first team in history to win three World Series games when behind in the eighth inning or later, according to Dave Skretta of the Associated Press—embodying a redemption course after losing the Fall Classic in seven games to the San Francisco Giants last postseason.

Kansas City never slumped all season, losing four straight games only three times and never dropping consecutive games in the playoffs. They could lose a few key free agents this offseason, but the Royals are tied as favorites to represent the American League again in 2016, per Odds Shark. 

The Mets contended on the biggest stage a year or two earlier than anticipated, and Vegas believes they won’t slow down next season. With the Royals and four other teams, the kings of Queens are listed with plus-1,200 odds to win it all in 2016.   

But everyone will supposedly be chasing the Chicago Cubs, who sit atop the bookmarks alone at plus-1,100. With the offseason already underway, here’s a look at the early odds to win the 2016 World Series:

The Mets have their youthful rotation headlined by high-velocity starters Matt Harvey (age 26), Jacob deGrom (age 27) and Noah Syndergaard (age 23) locked up for the next three years, and Zack Wheeler will also return from Tommy John surgery at some point next year.

Cliff Corcoran of Sports Illustrated noted that the Mets will be a threat in the National League for the foreseeable future: “Assuming they are not adversely affected by the dramatic innings increases they endured on the way to the pennant, the Mets’ young pitchers should keep the team in contention for years to come.”

Potential voids in their lineup, however, could be an immediate pitfall.

A team source told Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News that the Mets don’t plan on re-signing playoff sensation Daniel Murphy, and a league executive also told Jon Heyman of CBS Sports it’d be shocking if the Mets re-signed trade deadline superstar Yoenis Cespedes, who’s expected to command roughly $120-150 million.

That pair accounts for the second and third spots in what was a rejuvenated second-half lineup—the underrated catapult for New York’s surge to and through the playoffs. 

The Royals are in a similar boat. Outfielder Alex Gordon is expected to decline his $14 million option, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, who also reported the Royals “already know they will not be trying to retain Johnny Cueto,” the high-price free agent acquired at the deadline. Per Sherman, Kansas City is expected to go after Gordon, 31, and versatile defenseman Ben Zobrist, 34. 

First baseman Eric Hosmer knows the grim reality is that neither could be back and that the Royals could be going for their third straight pennant with a completely new look, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

I think we all know the reality of the business side of the game. We all release that these opportunities don’t come often.

I think we all realized how special it is to have another chance of accomplishing this goal, because there’s plenty of teams in the past that have come close to winning the World Series, and the next year, you just don’t get those same group of guys back.

Despite potential winter makeovers, both teams have incredible depth and newfound experience across the board to assuredly be contenders. 

Immediate odds may like the Mets and Royals to return, but long-term trends suggest that could be a stretch. The World Series has featured a rematch eight times since its inception in 1903 but only once since MLB expanded its postseason in 1969, according to Baseball-Reference.com. That came in 1978, when the New York Yankees—the famed Bronx Bombers bunch—won their second straight title over the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Whether the Mets and Royals defend their league pennants or not—health and competition will determine that—they’ll each be in the hunt.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez reportedly turned down a long-term deal with the team Monday, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Continue for updates.

Fernandez Rejects Long-Term Deal with Marlins

Contract specifics to the contract Fernandez turned down were not disclosed. 

The 23-year-old righty is arbitration-eligible, and 2016 will be his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. He went 6-1 with a 2.92 ERA in 11 starts in 2015, never exceeding seven innings and only once throwing more than 100 pitches in an outing.    

Jackson reported (via Rotoworld) that because of the righty’s high potential, he’s in no rush to ink a long-term deal:

That news comes as no surprise. Fernandez is a Scott Boras client and Boras clients rarely accept pre-arbitration extensions. Plus, the 23-year-old right-hander is coming off a season in which he made just 11 starts (due in large part to his 2014 Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery). He wasn’t going to sign a big deal with his value so low. Look for Fernandez to return to full-on ace status in 2016.

Marlins president David Samson indicated, per Jackson, that the team won’t pursue high-price free agents this offseason, such as David Price. 

The Marlins had the third-lowest payroll in 2015 at $62.34 million, per Spotrac, despite signing superstar Giancarlo Stanton to a 13-year, $325 million deal last November.

Fernandez remains a key cog to their plans of contending in what’s been a weak National League East, the New York Mets notwithstanding. But they’ll need quality starters to keep pace with the pennant champions in the coming years, as the Mets have a trio of high-velocity aces in Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom that’s going nowhere.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Kansas City Royals moved to within a win of their first title in 30 years with a spoiling and late 5-3 victory over the New York Mets in Game 4 on Saturday.

The Mets hope to salvage their season in what will be their final game at Citi Field this year. But the odds are far from their favor—teams with a 3-1 lead are 39-6 in the World Series, according to Anthony DiComo and Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com, and no team has come back from such a deficit in the Fall Classic since the Royals in 1985.

With the first elimination game on tap, here’s a preview of Game 5.

Game 5 Info

When: Sunday, Nov. 1

Where: Citi Field

Time: 8:07 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Probable Starters: Edinson Volquez (KC) vs. Matt Harvey (NYM)

Preview

Each team gets back its starters from the marathon Game 1 in which the Royals ousted the Mets 5-4 in 14 innings.

Matt Harvey lasted six innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits. He’s now at 208 innings this season, his first back from Tommy John surgery. Any tension over a prospective innings limit that mounted late in the summer is in the rearview, and Harvey is looking forward to the start on a normal four days’ rest instead of the eight between his last starts, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com:

I think going back to just being on normal rest and kind of having that normal routine is good enough. Obviously I love pitching here at Citi Field. They give me great energy. For me, I think it’s a lot of excitement, but yet it’s still a baseball game, and I still have to go out and do my job.

Per Brooks Baseball, of his 80 pitches in Game 1, Harvey threw just 30 fastballs, the pitch the high-velocity ace has made his living on. The switch to more off-speed stuff stemmed from a lack of command, catcher Travis d’Arnaud told Hoch.

Harvey believes he’ll benefit from the experience gained in his second go-around against the offensively consistent Royals, per the Mets:

New York manager Terry Collins selected Harvey to open the series due to fatigue worries for Jacob deGrom, who lasted just five innings and allowed four earned runs and an uncharacteristic three walks in Game 2. 

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports noted this week the Mets’ youthful rotation might be fatigued. After all, not many expected them to be championship-caliber this quickly:

Then again, the answer simply might be that the Harvey and deGrom are tired; the Mets already plan to back off their starters next spring and possibly even in April, knowing how much each pitched in 2015.

If the end is near, so be it. The team’s journey to this point has been nothing short of breathtaking. And its future, while hardly guaranteed, holds even more promise.

Edinson Volquez will take the hill from the opposing dugout, hoping to build upon what’s been his best playoff outing in four starts—three earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts in six innings in Game 1. 

He’ll be pitching with a heavy heart after losing his father earlier this week. He was informed of the news after leaving the mound in Game 1, according to Dan Barry of the New York Times.

Volquez returned to the team Saturday after attending his father’s funeral in the Dominican Republic, according to AP Sports:

Royals manager Ned Yost maintained Volquez will remain the Game 5 starter, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. 

“These are huge games. … His dad would want him to be on that mound and helping his team win,” Yost said. “And I imagine that Eddie’s dad would want the same thing for Eddie.”

Each offense has shown signs of both vulnerability and poise—an indication that this series has a chance to go deep.

The Mets’ only consecutive losses these playoffs were in Games 1 and 2 earlier this week. Even with a tiring Harvey and against a season’s worth of resiliency from the Royals, New York will bounce back and win its final home game of the season, forcing the series back to Kansas City.

Prediction: Mets 4, Royals 3

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In dire need of a win to resist falling into a seemingly insurmountable gap, the New York Mets manufactured a 9-3 statement victory over the Kansas City Royals in Game 3 of the World Series and now trail 2-1 with another pair of games at Citi Field. 

The Mets offense that stymied the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series finally awoke, putting away the Royals with a four-run sixth inning that they rode to victory.

Now, both teams turn to the back end of their respective rotations as the series hits the midway mark, creating opportunity for another offensive showing. Here is a glimpse at the Game 4 matchup.

Game 4 Info

When: Saturday, Oct. 31

Where: Citi Field

Time: 8:07 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Probable Starters: Chris Young (KC) vs. Steven Matz (NYM)

Preview

While Game 3 featured two of the three highest-velocity starters in baseball, according to Buster Olney of ESPN The Magazine, Game 4 dishes out the lowest of each team’s rotation totem pole.

Steven Matz has been in the shadow of the Mets’ power trio of hurlers—Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard—but he’s been lurking more than hiding. Matz is 0-1 this postseason but anchored the Mets to a clinching 8-3 win over the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS. 

He’s barely four months removed from his MLB debut, but the Mets will rely on him to pull the series even. Matz is welcoming the tall task, per Chris Fickett of the Kansas City Star.

“This is where you want to be in baseball. This is the dream,” Matz said. “This is what you write up in your backyard when you’re playing Wiffle ball.”

Matz hails from Long Island and will reportedly commute from his childhood home for the biggest start of his career, per Adam Rubin of ESPN.com.

Young, who played for the Mets in 2011-2012, is making just his second start these playoffs and third appearance overall. He came out of the bullpen in Game 1 and threw 53 pitches, yet Royals manager Ned Yost remained firm that Young will start Game 4, per Fox Sports Kansas City:

Young had been a relegated reliever for roughly half of 2015, pitching in just 123.1 innings and eclipsing 100 pitches only three times. Part of his limited use stems from various injuries over the years, as he was limited to just 24 starts in his two seasons with the Mets. He has enjoyed a bit of redemption against his former teammates, per Jeff Deters of the Topeka Capital-Journal:

“I’m grateful for the opportunity they gave me,” Young said. “And certainly to see them and their success over the last few years since I last played here, it’s great. I’m happy for them. I just hope we find a way to beat them.”

Given the Mets and Royals have combined for 29 runs in three games—a surprise this late in October—the offensive trend should continue, as each team sends out the lower tier of its rotation. 

Young allowed no hits or runs in his three innings of service in Game 1, but that was the marathon that went 14 innings. Both offenses will come out sharp, particularly the momentous Mets, who are coming off a convincing Game 3 win. 

The Royals still have home-field advantage to lean on, and they’ll need it. They showed in Game 3 that they can indeed be vulnerable. This series is shaping up to be a lengthy one.

Prediction: Mets 6, Royals 4

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Fall Classic has finally arrived, with the incumbent American League champion Kansas City Royals taking on the surprising New York Mets, who have made it to the World Series for the first time in 15 years.

This mouth-watering matchup, pitting the outstanding Mets starting pitchers against the resilient Royals lineup, has the odds at dead even, per Odds Shark, setting up what hopes to be a lengthy best-of-seven series.

With each team going for its first World Series title since Ronald Reagan occupied the White House, here is a preview of Game 1:

On Monday, Royals manager Ned Yost announced right-hander Edinson Volquez will be the Game 1 starter, per Matt Axisa of CBS Sports, opposite Mets righty Matt Harvey.

Unfamiliarity could steer the matchup in the Mets’ favor, as Alex Rios is the only Royals batter who has faced Harvey in his career, going 1-for-3 while playing for the Chicago White Sox in 2013, per Baseball-Reference.com.

Harvey is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two playoff starts and will be pitching on nine days’ rest. He’s anchoring a quartet of high-velocity starters alongside Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Yost believes all four Mets starters are aces, per Erik Boland of Newsday.

“They’re all good,” Yost said. “You look at all four starters that they’re going to start, they’re all phenomenal. All of them.”

The Royals will counter with an offense that makes more contact than any other, putting the ball in play 74 percent of the time, according to Jay Jaffe of Sports Illustrated. Yost believes this efficiency gives the Royals a great advantage, per Boland.

“It does, and if you go back at our numbers, we do pretty well against power pitching,” Yost said. “So that definitely helps.”

The Mets are averaging 6.1 runs per game in the playoffs and have done so against star pitchers such as Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta—well above the pedigree of Volquez, who is 1-2 with a 4.32 ERA and coming off a 7-1 defeat in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

Experience could also be an early factor, as Curtis Granderson and Juan Uribe (who’s nursing a chest injury) are the only Mets with World Series experience, according to George A. King III of the New York Post. 

The Royals will be the first team the Mets have faced in the postseason with successful October experience. Kansas City has won four of its last five playoff series, dating back to last year.

The Royals will be playing with an unfinished-business bravado after last year’s heartbreaking loss to the San Francisco Giants, per Vahe Gregorian of the Kansas City Star.

“Maybe it’s true that even beating the Mets wouldn’t make that singular anguish vanish,” he wrote. “But the inverse might be true, too: The Royals wouldn’t be back here without the infusion of experience and motivation they derived from the way last season ended.”

The Mets will compete, but settling in may come at the expense of an early road loss at the hostile Kauffman Stadium.

Prediction: Royals win 5-4.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Fall Classic is upon us, pitting two teams each ripe with key contributors set to hit the free-agent market this offseason.

The success of the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets is the result of long-term development within their respective farm systems. As such, they’ve been able to lock up players at financially friendly costs over the first few years of their careers. 

The Royals and Mets, respectively, rank 14th and 15th in MLB payroll and may be limited in retaining some of their top free agents—some of whom are expected to command nine-figure deals, which generally aren’t within these respective teams’ budgets.

Here’s a look at who is set to hit the market for each team and how there could be a shuffle among the American and National League champions.

Kansas City Royals

The blue chip is starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, acquired near the trade deadline with likely intentions of parting ways following a hopeful playoff run. He had a muddled second half, which carried over to the postseason, as shown by ESPN Stats & Info:

But Cueto is still expected to command a five- to six-year deal worth at least $150 million—well outside the Royals’ budget. He turns 30 in February, an age general managers always say they’re wary to sign long-term deals for pitchers, yet those with high payrolls generally do so anyway. Cueto has been linked to the Red Sox and Marlins, among others, but he likely won’t return to Kansas City.

Outfielder Ben Zobrist was another playoff-push acquisition who’s given the Royals a better return on their investment. Zobrist boasts a postseason slash line of .326/.375/.558 with two home runs, six RBI and just four strikeouts in 43 at-bats. Given his versatility as a strong defender, he should likely earn at least a three-year deal wherever he lands, per Yahoo’s Jeff Passan:

If Chase Headley, Omar Infante, Chone Figgins, Luis Castillo and Julio Lugo each got four, Zobrist – a superior player to all, with the sort of versatility so many smart teams today covet – should be able to do the same.

Age will be a factor for the 34-year-old Zobrist, but only in dollars. He collected $2.8 million this option year, carried over from his contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Royals would be smart to fork over what should be a modest contract.

That’s not the case for outfielder Alex Rios, whose one-year guaranteed deal is up, leaving the Royals with the decision to exercise the mutual option for $12.5 million or buy out his contract for $1.5 million. The latter may be the logical choice. In 105 games, Rios hit four home runs and knocked in 32 RBI while hitting .255, well below his career mark of .277. The Royals should be able to find a more reliable and cost-friendly outfielder this winter.

New York Mets

The Mets will likely lose their two pivotal offensive contributors this winter in Daniel Murphy and Yoenis Cespedes.

Murphy has scorched through the playoffs, hitting .421/.436/1.026 in nine games, highlighted by six homers in consecutive games, an MLB record. Bleacher Report captured his dominance over the Chicago Cubs (h/t MLB Memes):

But no matter how much his remarkable streak stretches, “it changes nothing” in the team’s plans to move on from the veteran infielder, one team source told Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. 

The Mets, per Ackert, are confident that rookie Dilson Herrera, 21, will develop into their long-term second baseman, and plans to keep Murphy as insurance for oft-injured third baseman David Wright and inconsistent first baseman Lucas Duda—two positions in which Murphy is comfortable—are not in the cards due to cost.

Murphy’s defensive versatility and upward trend of these playoffs makes him an attractive commodity with financially friendly teams, such as the Orioles, Angels, Astros, Dodgers, Padres and Tigers, per Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. One AL GM told Cafardo he expects Murphy will have no trouble landing a well-paying deal with long-term stability: 

Obviously, he’s not going to be as hot as he’s been in the postseason, but he plays positions where his power plays well. There are teams like the Dodgers and Yankees who need a second baseman. Others, like the Angels, need a third baseman, where he also plays. He’s going to be sought-after and get a five-year deal at around $75 million. Maybe more.

Cespedes became the Mets’ offensive catalyst, helping transform the Mets from the league’s lowest-scoring offense to NL champions, and there’s little doubt they would not still be playing had they not traded for the powerful outfielder. 

Cespedes will finally find stability this winter after being shuffled in trade-deadline deals the past two seasons—though unlikely with the Mets. One rival executive told Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, “I will be shocked if they sign Cespedes,” who is expected to cash in anywhere from $120-150 million, an AL manager told Cafardo.

New York’s outfield is crowded as is, with Juan Lagares, Curtis Grandson and Michael Conforto the likely 2016 starters. Cespedes’ absence will hurt, but it’s a loss the team had forecast.

The Mets aren’t necessarily playing cheap, but rather smart. With a financially limited front office oft-criticized for not making necessary deals to contend, they’ve defied critics by going from underdogs to World Series favorites, per Odds Shark.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com