The Athletic
Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball
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,...
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Episodes
Jackson Merrill's Extension, Rafael Devers' Slow Start & The Importance of Contact Point 02.04.2025 48:39
Jed Lowrie makes his Rates & Barrels debut to join Eno and DVR and to discuss Jackson Merrill's nine-year extension with the Padres, Jed's trip to the season opening series in Japan between the Dodgers and Cubs, the early-season struggles of Rafael Devers, and hitters that have moved their contact point up (toward the pitcher) thus far in 2025. Please participate in our listener survey! theath...
Keenan Long of LongBall Labs talks Torpedo Bats & Much More 01.04.2025 43:21
Eno is joined by Keenan Long of LongBall Labs to talk everything bats. He talks about the process of finding the right bat for a player, the different types of bats & handles, the sudden rise of the torpedo bat, what's in the future for bats and much more. Please participate in our listener survey! theathletic.com/athletic/survey25 (Three lucky entries will receive £/$100 worth of Amazon vouch...
Torpedo Bats, A Yankees Home-Run Parade & First Weekend Takeaways 31.03.2025 54:09
Eno and DVR discuss a weekend filled with homers in the Bronx, 'Torpedo' bats, Mookie Betts' two-homer game and other takeaways from the first weekend of the 2025 season. Plus, an early look at bat speed risers and fallers, and where the money was spent in pursuit of fantasy baseball roster upgrades this weekend. Please participate in our listener survey! theathletic.com/athletic/survey25 (Three l...
Ben Clemens of FanGraphs Joins us Live from Barebottle Brewing 29.03.2025 1:37:56
Eno, Trevor, and DVR are live for Day 2 from Barebottle Brewing in San Francisco. Ben Clemens of FanGraphs joins them for this show. They break down some of the box score fun things they saw from Opening Day, standout pitching performances from the opener, what they are looking forward to this season, and awards predictions for the upcoming season. Please participate in our listener survey! theath...
Opening Day Thoughts & Predictions Live From Barebottle Brewing 28.03.2025 1:56:19
Eno, Trevor, and DVR are live from Barebottle Brewing in San Francisco on Opening Day of baseball in the US. They break down some of the big games from Opening Day and give their predictions on each division and who is going to win the World Series. Please participate in our listener survey! theathletic.com/athletic/survey25 (Three lucky entries will receive £/$100 worth of Amazon vouchers!) Rundo...
Jackson Holliday Joins The Show & Breakout 2nd Year Bats 26.03.2025 34:10
Eno and DVR are joined by Orioles star Jackson Holliday to talk about his love for donuts, struggling in his rookie season, the big difference between AAA pitchers vs MLB pitchers, if he looks at his contact point and much more. They also talk about some of the big news of the week and look at some breakout 2nd year bats that they have their eye on. Please participate in our listener survey! theat...
Bold Predictions & The Outlook for a Twins Sale 25.03.2025 44:47
Britt Ghiroli returns to the show with Eno and DVR to discuss the potential obstacles for a sale of the Minnesota Twins as the most recent franchise to explore new ownership. Plus, the trio shares a few of their bold predictions for the upcoming season! Please participate in our listener survey! theathletic.com/athletic/survey25 (Three lucky entries will receive £/$100 worth of Amazon vouchers!) R...
March Extensions & Job Battle Winners 24.03.2025 1:03:39
Eno and DVR discuss a trio of March contract extensions including Tanner Bibee, Alejandro Kirk, and Justin Martinez -- all of whom received new five-year deals with their respective clubs. Plus, they catch up on other late spring news including a scare for Shane McClanahan, a trade that sent Nolan Jones back to Cleveland, a closer role up for grabs in Cincinnati, and a few takeaways from the first...
Draft Weekend Cram Session 21.03.2025 1:15:02
Eno and DVR get ready for a busy weekend of drafts with a quick spin through spring news and notes, before discussing ideal roster builds, when to target an ace, how to approach closers, which positions thin out quickly, a few prospects worth considering as late-round stashes in redraft leagues as they await an opportunity at the big-league level. Please participate in our listener survey! theathl...
Pitching Archetypes & Top Bullpen Rankings 20.03.2025 1:04:32
Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss an interesting lawsuit around analytics a potentially lost competitive advantage, the benefits of building a 'brain' -- internal communications system -- of your own, organizational pitching archetypes, and a few different ways to grade the best bullpens in baseball as Opening Day approaches. Rundown 3:54 An Interesting Lawsuit & A 'Lost Competitive Advantage' Furt...
Roki Sasaki's Debut & Our Most Rostered Players 19.03.2025 56:43
Eno and DVR discuss Roki Sasaki's big-league debut in Game 2 of the Dodgers-Cubs series in Tokyo, the now-restored DoD page about the life of Jackie Robinson, a second option for Jared Jones' elbow injury, and other spring news and notes -- including an encouraging outing from Tyler Mahle. Plus, they reveal their most rostered players (so far) ahead of the 2025 season. Rundown 2:15 The Free Look a...
Baseball is Back! (And Spencer Strider is Too) 18.03.2025 1:05:17
Eno and DVR discuss the Dodgers' season-opening win over the Cubs in Tokyo, which featured five strong frames from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and an excellent showing from the bullpen. They also discuss a great piece from David Adler highlighting Shohei Ohtani's unique contact point as a possible explanation for his excellent all-fields power. Plus, they look at the return of Spencer Strider, who pitched...
2025 Prospect Sleepers w/James Anderson 17.03.2025 1:00:56
James Anderson of RotoWire joins DVR to discuss a few news items from the weekend including Mookie Betts' absence from the Japan Series and the playing time outlook for Andy Pages, an early-season IL trip for Royce Lewis, and another pitching injury to watch coming out of Yankees camp. Plus, they discuss several under-the-radar prospects capable of making an impact in 2025 -- including one of Jame...
Deep League Pitching Sleepers, Future Closer Watch & Eno at Brewers Camp 14.03.2025 1:04:00
Eno and DVR discuss a few spring news items including a shoulder injection for George Kirby, before looking at a few deep league pitching sleepers and wondering if we'll ever see Reid Detmers put everything together for a full season in Anaheim. Rundown 4:22 Bobby Witt Jr.: OK After HBP on Wednesday 8:36 George Kirby: Had Biologics Injection in Shoulder 14:40 Tyler Stephenson: Headed to the IL to...
Ranking the Top Rotations in Baseball 13.03.2025 1:00:32
Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss spring news including an opportunity for Brett Baty at second base (!?) before sharing their top-10 rotations for the upcoming season and the unique challenges of grading pitching groups this way. Plus, Eno shares a few new training tools he's seen and heard about while in Arizona this spring. Rundown 1:35 Spring News & Notes: Max Scherzer, Lucas Giolito & Jef...
Can Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Find a $500 Million Payday? 12.03.2025 47:02
Eno and DVR discuss Jacob deGrom's bid to work with slightly less velocity in an effort to stay healthy in 2025, two pitching injuries that popped up in Rangers camp, Brandon Woodruff's steps toward a return to the Brewers' rotation, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s pursuit of a $500 million payday. Plus, Eno checks in from Mariners camp in Peoria before John Fogerty crashes our party over the PA syste...
Bat Speed Risers & Eno in Surprise 11.03.2025 55:12
Eno and DVR share a follow-up confirming that Gerrit Cole will undergo Tommy John surgery and discuss Francisco Alvarez's hamate injury, another delay for Rafael Devers' spring debut amidst a round of updates from Red Sox camp, before examining some of this spring's biggest bat speed risers. Rundown 3:52 Gerrit Cole: Will Undergo Tommy John Surgery 6:46 Francisco Alvarez: Out 6-8 Weeks with Hamate...
Spring Injuries Are Piling Up, But Spring Eno is Back! 11.03.2025 1:01:40
Eno and DVR discuss a weekend packed with spring injury news including Gerrit Cole facing a potential Tommy John surgery, George Kirby's delayed start to the 2025 season, and lingering questions about a timetable for Grayson Rodriguez to return from a triceps injury. Plus, they discuss a few changes for Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams as Eno visits Guardians camp, before answering a few mailbag qu...
Building Blocks & Backup Plans 07.03.2025 58:43
Eno and DVR discuss Lawrence Butler's seven-year extension with the A's, and a few potential comps for him as he approaches his peak. Plus, they share a few lessons learned from The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational, where waiting too long to address the middle-infield spots may prove costly, and answer a few draft-related mailbag questions. Rundown 2:19 Lawrence Butler's Seven-Year Extension wi...
Rethinking Reliever Evaluations & Measuring Bullpen Quality 06.03.2025 1:07:25
Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss spring injury updates and a new potential closer entering the mix in Texas, before digging into how the conversation and analysis of relief pitchers should change with a greater emphasis on leverage index and win probability added, and other existing metrics. Plus, they look at teams effectively building bullpens in different ways, and wonder if there is a better way t...
Spring Job Battles of Interest, Part 2 05.03.2025 1:01:57
Eno and DVR discuss several spring battles for rotation spots, including the potential for a 'secret' six-man rotation in Tampa Bay, Casey Mize's bid to stick in the rotation for the Tigers, Ben Brown's chances of breaking camp as a starter for the Cubs, Year 2 enthusiasm for Jordan Hicks as a potential sleeper in San Francisco, and much more. Rundown 0:00 Intro Starts 1:48 A Secret Six-Man Rotati...
Spring Job Battles of Interest, Part 1 04.03.2025 59:46
Eno and DVR take a look at several spring job battles of interest, focusing on position players including the opportunity for Brooks Lee to become a fixture in the lineup for the Twins, Colson Montgomery's path to take over at shortstop for the White Sox, Nolan Gorman's chances of being an everyday guy for the Cardinals in 2025, and how Jordan Lawlar might fit into the equation with Arizona with a...
The March Toward Opening Day 03.03.2025 1:03:42
Eno and DVR share a few show-related updates -- two live episodes on Mar. 27-28 at Barebottle Brewing Co. in San Francisco! -- and ask for feedback on a format option for the 2025 listener league before digging into a round of spring news and notes. Plus, they look at DVR's builds from last week's Tout Wars ('Solds and IP instead of Wins) and Mixed LABR draft where a conscious decision to lean int...
February Risers & Fallers w/Vlad Sedler of FTN 28.02.2025 1:08:50
Vlad Sedler (@rotogut) joins DVR to discuss a few spring news items before digging into February's risers and fallers on draft boards as Wyatt Langford has cruised into the top-40, Junior Caminero has moved into the top-75, and Alex Bregman is making his way back toward the top-100 after landing with the Red Sox. Plus, they discuss a few of the rapidly rising closers whose job outlooks changed ove...
New Pitches & A Case for Longer Starts 27.02.2025 1:00:58
Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss a few spring news items before looking at the early response to ABS in spring training games and several new pitches that are popping this spring. Plus, they examine 'The Case for Leaving Your Starter In' from Lewie Pollis, and the value added by veteran pitchers beyond the potential to chew up innings. Rundown 1:00 News & Notes: Kyle Finnegan Returns to Nats; Ohta...
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