Jeff Passan

The Dodgers vs. Brewers series is a proxy war for the future of baseball's economic system

This is not just the Brewers versus the Dodgers. This is the future of baseball as we know it in a proxy war because whoever ends up winning this series, the other side will use this when the MLB goes to a lockout and fights for a salary cap.

The impending MLB lockout will be the defining story of baseball next year

This is going to be the defining story of baseball next year. So hopefully people understand that this is gonna be a big deal... owners essentially lock players out, say you cannot report to work. And then it just becomes a staring contest.

The Philadelphia Phillies' current core is at a dead end and needs a major shakeup

The Phillies like, could be in a very transitional phase at this point because this current incarnation of them guys just has failed. Like they have not been able to win a championship. They've gone backward or, or been stagnant every year. And at some point you just gotta change the mix in the room.

The Dodgers have a chance to win more games than any team in MLB history this season

They have an incredible team. They have a chance to win more games than any team in Major League Baseball history this season if they can manage to stay healthy.

The MLB postseason is more of a crapshoot than fans realize

The great equalizer in baseball is that its postseason is just kind of a crapshoot. Like even the best team is gonna go into a series with a 60% chance of winning. Not a whole lot higher than that.

The Pirates have an incredible pitching staff but failed to support them this offseason

The Pirates have an incredible pitching staff and they didn't do shit this off season... go out and try to field a winning team.

The Cincinnati Reds are a sleeper team that could win the NL Central

I think people are sleeping on Cincinnati a little bit. Elly De La Cruz has a chance to be a super duper star... I like a team that has some youth on its side... the Reds feel like they could be that team this year.

Bubba Chandler will win NL Rookie of the Year and eventually be better than Paul Skenes

Bubba Chandler with the Pirates... Fastball up to a hundred now. Great breaking stuff, good control and commit. I picked him to win Rookie of the year this year. [He texted Paul Skenes] enjoy it while it lasts because next year I'm going to be starting opening day.

The New York Yankees will miss the playoffs in 2025

Before Gerrit Cole needed Tommy John surgery, I still had the Yankees winning the American League East. I do not have that as the case anymore. I don't have them making the playoffs... the floor happens to be lower I think, than it is in typical years for the Yankees.

The Boston Red Sox will win the American League East

The Red Sox I have winning the division. I feel good about what they did. Getting Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman this winter.

The Texas Rangers will win the American League pennant

The team I'm picking to win the pennant is the Texas Rangers... they get Jacob deGrom back to headline their rotation this season... If the Rangers bullpen can perform... I think they have probably the highest ceiling in the league.

Mike Trout may never know what winning feels like in his professional career

It saddens me that Mike Trout might never know what winning feels like... Mike Trout simply has never had that in his professional career.

Shohei Ohtani's two-way dominance is more impressive than Travis Hunter's

Shohei Ohtani [is more impressive] because he has done it at the big league level... Ohtani being elite at both levels at the highest level of baseball. If Travis Hunter can be an all pro cornerback and an all pro wide receiver in the same season, get back to me.

The Shohei Ohtani investigation will take a long time to resolve because of federal involvement

I think it's gonna be a long time... This is such a tiny little speck of a much larger investigation that's going on right now into this alleged illegal gambling ring in Southern California.

October baseball is a complete crapshoot

October baseball is a complete crapshoot... What that suggests to teams is October baseball is a complete crapshoot... You don't have to be great, right? You just have to be competitive and get to October and then once October comes, anything really can happen.

The Dodgers will never get over the hump if they don't fix their playoff choking habit

If the Dodgers weren't choking things away in October or the Braves weren't choking things away in October, then the discussion wouldn't quite focus on them the same... you want your postseason to closer represent the regular season.

The Orioles are a better team than the Yankees

I picked the Orioles in the American League East and honestly I still think the Orioles are a better team than the Yankees.

The next 'Moneyball' is figuring out how to keep pitchers healthy

Figuring out how to keep pitchers healthy is the holy grail of Major League baseball. And the first team that can truly figure out how to do it is going to win championships because of it. Now the problem is, I don't know if that's an achievable goal.

Babe Ruth would stink if he played in the MLB today

If you had Babe Ruth playing baseball today right now, he would stink... I think if you gave Babe Ruth this guy with immense physical talent, the ability to adjust, then he would be a really good baseball player. But if you took 1927 Babe Ruth and dropped him into the big leagues today, he'd be down in AAA.

Steroid users like Barry Bonds belong in the Hall of Fame

Barry Bonds is the best hitter I have ever seen. It's honestly, it's not even close... The Hall of Fame especially is not [sacred]. The Hall of Fame is a museum that should celebrate the good, bad, and ugly of the sport.