Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

Joey Votto spent the years since his 2024 retirement surfing in Sri Lanka, watching cricket in Dubai, and learning to make sushi in Japan. Now he's back in North America and stopping by Starkville for a wide-ranging conversation with Jayson and Doug — what he took away from his travels, and how he sees baseball differently from the outside. Plus, the Pittsburgh Zoo and Boston's Franklin Park Zoo just completed a gorilla-for-gorilla swap — Frankie for Little Joe, straight up — and Jayson and Doug break it down before building their own MLB all-zoo team.
Rundown:
3:00 A Most Unusual Trade Involving Gorillas
6:45 Starkville’s All-Zoo Team
17:18 Joey Votto Joins the Show
20:00 Living the Retired Life
28:17 Greatness of Shohei Ohtani
38:48 Analyzing the Game
41:13 Reaction to ABS
48:07 If You Were Commissioner…
53:23 Living the Retired Life
1:00:06 Coming Back to the Game
1:04:45 Strange But True: Byron Buxton and the Minnesota Twins
Follow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.social
Follow Doug on Bluesky: @dougglanville.bsky.social
E-mail: [email protected]
Starkville Hotline: (347) 313-8371
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Hosts: Jayson Stark & Doug Glanville
With: Joey Votto
Producer: Jason Potere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Fantasy Friday, and with trade season heating up, fantasy managers are getting antsy to make moves. Eno and DVR break down which hitters have faced the nastiest stuff so far this season — and which ones have still managed to thrive. Plus, the guys discuss the risk-reward proposition of paying up for Colt Emerson in redraft leagues, before taking a closer look at the struggles of two key Royals bats: Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez.
Rundown:
0:35 Allergy Season is Trade Season! Time to Wheel and Deal
6:40 Strength of Schedule: Which Hitters Have Hit the Best Stuff?
10:08 Opportunity to Buy? Which Hitters Have *Seen* The Best Stuff?
14:20 Salvador Perez’s Struggles: A Familiar Start After Early 2025 Slump?
22:36 Colt Emerson Outlook: Bidding Big Where Available?
27:37 A Hitter Toss-Up: Luis García Jr. vs. Nolan Gorman
32:12 Catcher Injuries: A Few Replacements to Consider
36:40 Vinnie Pasquantino’s Poor Start: What’s Happening Here?
41:46 Good Projections vs. Bad Results: When Do You Pass on Projections?
47:55 Pitchers of Interest: Troy Melton & Jared Jones, A Few Streamers
Some big name hitters are struggling and the pitchers they’ve faced may explain why:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7298365
Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social
e-mail: [email protected]
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Editor: Jason Potere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Little League homers are making a comeback — at least for now — as the numbers have spiked across MLB this season. Eno, Trevor, and DVR break down what’s driving the surge in inside-the-park home runs, which pitchers have been hurt most by ABS, and who the most underrated relievers in baseball are in 2026. Later, the guys answer a Discord question about how MLB’s paternity list works and what it’s like balancing fatherhood with life in the big leagues.
Rundown:
0:30 Little League Home Runs: Are They Way Up This Season?
7:36 ABS Zone Impact: Which Pitchers Are Getting Hurt Most?
15:42 More Walks From Lefties?
19:46 Will Depth of Arsenal Guide Rebounds?
28:15 Who Succeeds at the Top of the Zone?
30:28 Underrated Relievers
51:30 Paternity List & Baseball Dads: How Does It Work?
Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social
Follow Trevor on Bluesky: @iamtrevormay.bsky.social
e-mail: [email protected]
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Trevor May
Editor: Jason Potere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Baseball is hard — just ask Nationals top prospect Dylan Crews and Twins slugger Royce Lewis, two players trending in very different directions. Eno, Jed, and DVR discuss Crews’ promotion to the Nationals and Lewis’ surprising demotion to Triple-A. Then, the guys dive into the diminishing value of “barrels” and whether baseball’s obsession with advanced stats has gone too far in 2026.
Rundown:
0:42 Dylan Crews Back with Nats: Will Adjustment Click?
10:41 Royce Lewis to Triple-A: Can He Reset at Triple-A?
21:39 How Barrels Have Lost Value
25:02 Heliot Ramos: A ‘Solved’ Player?
32:42 Bat Speed is Next: Is Goodhart’s Law Ready to Strike Again?
36:26 Miguel Vargas: Swing Decision Foundation, Power Added?
43:02 Cam Smith: Growing Pains a Cost of Rushing Player Development?
Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social
e-mail: [email protected]
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Jed Lowrie
Editor: Jason Potere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Padres and Guardians are surging, while the Orioles are still searching for answers. Eno, Britt, and DVR break down how San Diego has managed to stay atop the standings despite underperformance from a few key stars. Then, the crew takes a closer look at Baltimore’s continued struggles, examining why the Orioles haven’t been able to build on their 100-win season just a few years ago — and whether the bigger issues stem from pitching development or a lack of continuity on the coaching staff. Later, DVR sits down with The Athletic’s Zack Meisel to discuss Cleveland’s early success and whether the Guardians’ young core can keep them atop the AL Central.
Rundown:
3:30 First Place Padres!
10:57 Starting Pitching Questions: How Will They Find Enough?
12:50 Can Walker Buehler or Griffin Canning Put it Together?
14:42 A Slow Start in Baltimore: Is This a Bottom-Five Team?
22:20 Can Shane Baz, Trevor Rogers & Chris Bassitt Turn It Around?
30:10 Turnover on the Staff: Is the Lack of Continuity an Issue?
34:05 Zack Meisel Joins the Show
35:11 Travis Bazzana: Impressing From the Jump
36:44 Brayan Rocchio & Angel Martínez Impressing
39:55 Guardians Tied for Second in Steals This Season
42:54 Ralphy Velazquez to Columbus: Is an August Promotion on Tap?
46:35 Parker Messick is Rolling: What Do the Next 16 Starts Hold?
50:15 Potential Weakness: Is the Rotation Depth Lacking?
51:44 Bullpen Remains a Strength
Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social
Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social
Follow Britt on Bluesky: @brittghiroli.bsky.social
e-mail: [email protected]
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe
Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Britt Ghiroli and Zack Meisel
Editor: Jason Potere
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.