Checking In on the Padres, Orioles & Guardians (w/ Zack Meisel)
Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball
The Athletic
4.7 • 875 Ratings
🗓️ 19 May 2026
⏱️ 56 minutes
🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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 MartĂnez 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: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Britt Ghiroli and Zack Meisel
Editor: Jason Potere
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Today on Rates and Barrels, we discuss a first place Padres team that's done it with three stars yet to find their stride. |
| 0:07.0 | What's wrong with Trevor Rogers and the Baltimore Orioles? |
| 0:11.0 | Can they develop a good pitching staff? |
| 0:12.8 | Plus, Zach Milesel drops by to talk about the first place Cleveland Guardians. |
| 0:17.3 | Let's go. |
| 0:27.5 | Music Guardians. Let's go. Gwagner Rates and Beryl's Tuesday, May 19th, Derek Van Riper, Inoceris, Britcheroli |
| 0:32.7 | here with you on this episode. |
| 0:34.2 | We discussed the fast start from the Padres in the face of their three |
| 0:38.6 | best hitters having woefully poor starts to the season, at least relative to expectations. |
| 0:45.4 | We're going to dig into the Orioles a bit too, try to figure out why they have underperformed. |
| 0:50.5 | Were we wrong about the Orioles or will they find a way to break out of their early malaise as well? |
| 0:57.6 | Britt, how's it going for you on this Tuesday? |
| 0:59.8 | Going good. |
| 1:00.6 | Those who are watching on YouTube, probably wondering, like, where am I? |
| 1:04.8 | What is that a bed in the back? |
| 1:05.9 | I'm in a very small shoe box, which is also known as a New York Hotel. |
| 1:09.7 | So it's good, though. |
| 1:12.7 | I'll head to Yankees Blue Jays after this. Got a little SNY. This won't go to ruin the surprise, but we have a push-up |
| 1:18.1 | contest unbeknownst to our host tonight. So I didn't work out, guys. Hopefully I win. |
| 1:23.5 | Fingers crossed. I want to be fresh. I'm going to guess that becomes a clip at some point. It might be. There's a wrestler that's joining the show and Sal Lekada hosts. And Sal Likata is going to think that I'm, I am going to challenge the wrestler to a push-up competition. It's really Sal. I think I could beat Sal. I think you're going to beat Sal. I'm confident you'll beat Sal. |
| 1:44.7 | I don't know. |
| 1:45.2 | Guys have upper body strength, though. |
... |
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