Archive for Effectively Wild 2026 Season Preview

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB’s new experimental minor league rules, and the potential downsides of trying to skip straight to a desired on-field result, then complete the 14th annual season preview series by previewing the 2026 Los Angeles Dodgers (35:35) with The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, and the 2026 Colorado Rockies (1:30:13) with Rockies Insider’s Patrick Lyons.

Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: The Spaghettis, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Ward article 1
Link to Longenhagen on the new rules
Link to Stark on the new rules
Link to Stark on second base
Link to disengagement rules
Link to Bois on balks
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Dodgers offseason tracker
Link to Dodgers depth chart
Link to Baumann on Roki
Link to Fabian on Roki
Link to Dodgers first-rounders
Link to field-sponsorship story
Link to Fabian’s author archive
Link to Rockies offseason tracker
Link to Rockies depth chart
Link to Rockies team wRC+ by year
Link to article on Bryant’s back
Link to article on Vodnik’s family
Link to article on Vodnik at the WBC
Link to Brebbia on EW
Link to Patrick’s work

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about speedster Braiden Ward’s record spring, whether there’s a baseball equivalent of Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game, and Paradise being a baseball show, then preview the 2026 Atlanta Braves (38:00) with From the Diamond’s Grant McAuley, and the 2026 Chicago White Sox (1:29:45) with Sox Machine’s James Fegan.

Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Ward article 1
Link to Ward article 2
Link to Ward video
Link to Adebayo article 1
Link to Adebayo article 2
Link to Adebayo article 3
Link to Adebayo article 4
Link to SGA record article
Link to Adebayo Facebook thread
Link to stream Paradise
Link to Paradise clip
Link to Ben on the Castellanos meme
Link to Minor’s 200th K article
Link to Minor’s 200th K video
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Braves offseason tracker
Link to Braves depth chart
Link to spring standings
Link to Strider velo article
Link to 2025 team SS WAR
Link to BravesVision wiki
Link to From the Diamond site
Link to From the Diamond podcast
Link to Wax Packing Nostalgic
Link to White Sox offseason tracker
Link to White Sox depth chart
Link to 2025 team RP stats
Link to Reinsford/Ishbia article
Link to James at Sox Machine
Link to James at FanGraphs
Link to James at Baseball America
Link to Sox Machine podcast

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Team Italy’s triumphs (and good vibes) at the WBC, a tumultuous week for Team USA and Mark DeRosa, and where the tournament stands entering the quarterfinals, then preview the 2026 Philadelphia Phillies (39:21) with The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, and the 2026 Los Angeles Angels (1:21:00) with The Athletic’s Sam Blum, plus a postscript (2:09:08).

Audio intro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)”
Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to WBC standings
Link to WBC bracket
Link to “caffeine and kisses” story
Link to Pasquantino homers
Link to “beaned up” article
Link to “beaned up” clip
Link to DeRosa clip 1
Link to DeRosa clip 2
Link to DeRosa clip 3
Link to latest DeRosa comments
Link to clip removal
Link to article on DeRosa’s mistake
Link to Ghiroli on DeRosa
Link to Rosenthal on DeRosa 1
Link to Rosenthal on DeRosa 2
Link to article on DeRosa/Harper
Link to Disgrace of Gijón
Link to roster reconfigurations
Link to Raleigh shirt
Link to Team USA chemistry article
Link to Sopranos clip
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Phillies offseason tracker
Link to Phillies depth chart
Link to Harper EBOO article
Link to Matt on Harper
Link to Matt on Harper/Dombrowski
Link to Matt on Castellanos
Link to Castellanos Insta post
Link to Matt on Kerkering
Link to Phillies himbo article 1
Link to Phillies himbo article 2
Link to Stark on Phillies continuity
Link to Matt on Strahm
Link to Girl With a Pearl Earring
Link to team SP projections
Link to team RP projections
Link to Matt’s author archive
Link to Matt’s podcast
Link to TB12 update
Link to Angels offseason tracker
Link to Angels depth chart
Link to Sam’s Angels beat farewell
Link to Sam on Netflix in Japan
Link to Sam on Rendon
Link to Angels TV network story
Link to Trout sprint speed story
Link to article on fastest human
Link to pitching development survey
Link to Sam’s author archive
Link to Paxton/pitch limits article
Link to WBC rules
Link to Ben on “Strategy”
Link to Laureano post 1
Link to Laureano post 2

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Cal Raleigh, Randy Arozarena, and WBC handshake etiquette, whether a mercy-rule-inducing dinger qualifies as a walk-off, whether a winning home team could voluntarily play the bottom of the ninth, MLB’s ban of the Brewers’ challenge-system system, why the MLBPA should defend Jurickson Profar and other players with positive PED tests, and Joe Sewell’s indestructible bat, then preview the 2026 New York Mets (56:35) with The Athletic’s Tim Britton, and the 2026 Washington Nationals (1:40:27) with The Athletic’s Spencer Nusbaum, plus several postscript updates (2:27:10).

Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Ian Philllips, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to espresso shots
Link to WBC standings
Link to Skubal update
Link to handshake beef summary
Link to handshake beef precedent
Link to video of failed handshake
Link to Arozarena’s comments
Link to translation
Link to De Rosa response
Link to Raleigh response
Link to Soto homer
Link to “walk-off” etymology
Link to baseball dictionary definition
Link to Albies homer (and call)
Link to A Game of Inches excerpt
Link to MLB rulebook
Link to 2023 ump-less half-inning
Link to Brewers signs article
Link to Brewers signs update
Link to Ghiroli column
Link to listener emails database
Link to Pages from Baseball’s Past
Link to Sewell article
Link to EW wiki on bat boning
Link to MLBTR on Luzardo
Link to MLBTR on Wentz
Link to MLBTR on Greene
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Mets offseason tracker
Link to Mets depth chart
Link to Lambert eggs article
Link to Tim on the Mets’ collapse
Link to Soto/Lindor discord update
Link to Ben on Mets turnover
Link to Alvarez resurgence article
Link to Tim’s author archive
Link to Nationals offseason tracker
Link to Nationals depth chart
Link to WaPo discussion on HUAL
Link to The Athletic’s WaPo hirings
Link to Rizzo mantra
Link to Littell on EW
Link to Spencer’s WaPo author archive
Link to Spencer’s The Athletic archive
Link to Italy/USA game story
Link to tiebreak scenarios
Link to Ben on Ellen’s podcast
Link to Ella Black series
Link to Ball’s post about mornings
Link to Schaeffer clip
Link to R.J.’s farewell thread
Link to R.J.’s last EW appearance
Link to Crizer’s breakout terminology
Link to Tarkin quote

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Shohei Ohtani survey, early WBC action, Andrew McCutchen’s new team, Payton Tolle’s triple-digits t-shirt, ABS-driven changes to Alex Bregman’s and Bo Naylor’s listed heights, wonky player cards, why teams start spring training days so early, Dodgers pitching problems, and the prevalence of inventive slides, then preview the 2026 Seattle Mariners (50:22) with The Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish, and the 2026 Miami Marlins (1:34:43) with MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola, plus a few postscript updates (2:17:42).

Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to YouGov survey
Link to Team USA vs. Rockies recap
Link to WBC soundtrack story
Link to MLBTR on McCutchen
Link to Speier on Tolle
Link to Tolle max velos
Link to in-season velo data 1
Link to in-season velo data 2
Link to in-season velo article
Link to 2025 info on height changes
Link to 2025 Naylor page
Link to 2026 Naylor page
Link to 2024 Bregman page
Link to 2025 Bregman page
Link to 2026 Bregman page
Link to 2024 Lux page
Link to 2025 Lux page
Link to wonky Ohtani card
Link to wonky Judge card
Link to wonky Bregman card
Link to wonky Naylor card
Link to email about giant player
Link to early starts post
Link to Baumann on Sasaki
Link to FG World Series odds
Link to Crizer on slides
Link to Sam on slides
Link to Naylor’s inclusiveness comments
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Mariners offseason tracker
Link to Mariners depth chart
Link to “Boys Podcast” SNL skit
Link to Ryan’s author archive
Link to Marlins offseason tracker
Link to Marlins depth chart
Link to Christina on Marlins’ elimination
Link to Christina on Alcantara’s outing
Link to “catcher’s balk”
Link to Christina on pitch-calling
Link to 2025 Marlins Pythag/BaseRuns
Link to 2025 team RP WAR
Link to 2025 team RP WPA
Link to Pérez nickname article
Link to grievance avoidance article
Link to Lauren’s NL East post
Link to Christina’s author archive
Link to ball/strike ejections article
Link to Brewers challenges tweet
Link to Tango’s challenges tweet
Link to Brewers challenges article

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Team USA’s pre-WBC warm-up games, follow up on spring training ballpark naming rights, and discuss Jurickson Profar’s second PED suspension in as many seasons, then preview the 2026 New York Yankees (20:07) with The New York Daily News’ Gary Phillips, and the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals (59:53) with The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold.

Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Sean .P, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Team USA vs. Giants gamer
Link to Team USA vs. Rockies story
Link to Kershaw clip
Link to Sunny clip
Link to Passan on Profar
Link to MLBTR on Profar
Link to Arrested Development clip
Link to Goodyear wiki
Link to Wrench Group story
Link to milkshake duck meme
Link to Wrigley naming info
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Yankees offseason tracker
Link to Yankees depth chart
Link to Cashman comments
Link to Gary on Cashman’s comments
Link to Ben on team turnover
Link to Stanton comments
Link to Chisholm comments
Link to Gary on Volpe
Link to 2025 team RP WAR
Link to team RP projections
Link to Petriello on Judge and ABS
Link to team challenges leaderboard
Link to Gary on Yankees challenge strategy
Link to Yankees sewage story
Link to Gary’s author archive
Link to Cardinals offseason tracker
Link to Cardinals depth chart
Link to Derrick on the roster
Link to team fielders by FRV
Link to team FRV leaderboard
Link to YoY attendance data
Link to 2025 team K%
Link to projected team WAR
Link to Simpsons “That’s the joke” clip
Link to Herrera/Raleigh data
Link to Derrick’s author archive
Link to Derrick’s podcast

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Mets pitching prospect Ryan Lambert’s consumption of copious quantities of raw eggs, then preview the 2026 Chicago Cubs (27:15) with The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma, and the 2026 Cleveland Guardians (1:17:46) with The Athletic’s Zack Meisel, plus a postscript.

Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Lambert article
Link to Cool Hand Luke scene
Link to Beauty and the Beast scene
Link to Syndergaard “therapies”
Link to Syndergaard velo story 1
Link to Syndergaard velo story 2
Link to pasteurized eggs wiki
Link to eggs and cholesterol link
Link to Ben’s scrambled eggs pic
Link to Ron Swanson clip
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Cubs offseason tracker
Link to Cubs depth chart
Link to Sahadev on Bregman
Link to PCA profile
Link to Sahadev on PCA
Link to Sahadev’s spring questions
Link to Shaw absence article
Link to Sahadev’s author archive
Link to Sahadev’s podcast
Link to Guardians offseason tracker
Link to Guardians depth chart
Link to team wRC+
Link to team RP WAR
Link to team SP projections
Link to framing leaders
Link to Bregman/Aiken article
Link to Zack on Kwan in CF
Link to Vogt MotY article
Link to Zack’s author archive
Link to Zack’s podcast
Link to Skenes article 1
Link to Skenes article 2
Link to Ohtani/Judge article

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Konnor Griffin’s openness to an extension with the Pirates and a weird Wilyer Abreu check-swing broken bat, then preview the 2026 Boston Red Sox (20:00) with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, and the 2026 Cincinnati Reds (1:08:36) with The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans.

Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Scherzer
Link to FG post on Sale
Link to Misiorowski video
Link to article about video
Link to FG post about video
Link to Griffin report
Link to MLBTR on Griffin
Link to Griffin’s wedding
Link to Griffin’s homers
Link to MLBTR on his bonus
Link to Skenes WBC quote
Link to Skubal start news
Link to Abreu video
Link to Abreu article
Link to definition of swing
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Red Sox offseason tracker
Link to Red Sox depth chart
Link to team SP projections
Link to Pete Abe post
Link to Red Sox HR projections
Link to Red Sox 2B projections
Link to Cora on the projections
Link to FG post on Duran
Link to Alex on Gonzales
Link to Alex’s author archive
Link to Reds offseason tracker
Link to Reds depth chart
Link to 2025 team SP WAR
Link to C. Trent on Marte’s catch
Link to Statcast park factors
Link to Votto post 1
Link to Votto post 2
Link to The Simpsons quote
Link to C. Trent’s author archive

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a video of Brandon Marsh’s hair-wetting, the Phillies’ latest therapy, the Red Sox “home whites” non-disparagement saga, a former team exec’s proposals to promote competitive balance, and the best candidates among MLB players to pit against each other in a “Who ya got?” debate, then preview the 2026 Toronto Blue Jays (55:43) with The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon, and the 2026 Tampa Bay Rays (1:42:53) with MLB.com’s Adam Berry.

Audio intro: The Spaghettis, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Steele tweet
Link to Marsh video
Link to Jake on Marsh’s hair routine
Link to Baumann on Crawford
Link to hyperbaric oxygen therapy article 1
Link to hyperbaric oxygen therapy article 2
Link to Mayo Clinic on hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Link to research on efficacy
Link to Red Sox jersey change
Link to story on changing statements
Link to side-by-side statements
Link to @RedSox reply
Link to Ball on competitive balance
Link to Moneyball scene
Link to BP on competitive balance
Link to Ben on Machado vs. Arenado
Link to Ben on Correa vs. Seager
Link to Baumann on Conforto vs. Judge
Link to Machado vs. Arenado, rest of 2015
Link to Machado vs. Arenado, 2016 on
Link to Correa vs. Seager, 2018 on
Link to Conforto vs. Judge, start of 2017
Link to Conforto vs. Judge, rest of 2017
Link to Conforto vs. Judge, 2018 on
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Blue Jays offseason tracker
Link to Blue Jays depth chart
Link to 2025 team FRV
Link to team SP projections
Link to Rogers Centre renovations
Link to “Toronto” pronunciation
Link to Return of the Jedi scene
Link to bagged milk
Link to Happ on bagged milk
Link to Sloan’s website
Link to Mitch’s author archive
Link to Mitch’s podcast
Link to Rays offseason tracker
Link to Rays depth chart
Link to Dolinar data 1
Link to Dolinar data 2
Link to three-team-trades stat
Link to Statcast park factors
Link to team WAR projections
Link to Shane scene
Link to ballpark renderings
Link to trial delay
Link to Adam’s author archive
Link to spring training Opening Day

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a generous podcast listener, Bruce Meyer’s elevation to interim executive director of the MLBPA, his framing of the sport’s competitive challenges, media messaging vis-à-vis the owners’ and players’ potential responsibility for missed games in 2027, and the creep of pitch-calling from the dugout, then preview the 2026 Detroit Tigers (53:35) with The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen, and the 2026 Athletics (1:31:28) with A’s on SI’s Jason Burke.

Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Reddit comment
Link to “meatspace” explainer
Link to “meatbag” explainer
Link to Meyer comments 1
Link to Meyer comments 2
Link to BP on competitive balance
Link to Drellich on Meyer
Link to Passan on the MLBPA
Link to Crizer on dugout pitch-calling
Link to EW on 2025 dugout pitch-calling
Link to Bendix comments
Link to Giants pitch-calling article
Link to Vitello comments
Link to Rockies article
Link to Ben on in-game interviews
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Tigers offseason tracker
Link to Tigers depth chart
Link to catcher WAR leaderboard
Link to Cody’s author archive
Link to Cody’s podcast
Link to Athletics offseason tracker
Link to Athletics depth chart
Link to FG top 100
Link to Vegas promotions
Link to Sacramento jerseys
Link to Jason’s author archive

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!