But Wainwright would automatically be gone after game 162, so weeding him out would not be the first thing to be done to get ready for 2024. The same for anyone else who is already gone or would be gone after game 162. Logically, he would be referring to players who would need to be removed this winter.
I did think it was a bad look. Waino was terrible for most of the season, but when it got to crunch time for getting his 200 he suddenly put together some good outings, and then his back hurt too much to take his last turn.
But the same could be said about Mikolas. He had seemingly run out of gas and was turning in some lackluster starts and not going deep. Then he suddenly gets rejuvenated and puts up two good starts at the end to get his 200 IP.
I have seen speculation that Arenado rubbed some the wrong way in that regard. He fought through physical issues a lot, but once it became clear he could not reach personal goals as to RBIs, or whatever, he packed it in. Maybe justified, not saying it isn’t, but a bad look.
So there might be some pattern of ‘bad looks’ from the veteran leader contingent.
I could see where Marmol, and perhaps his boss, could be frustrated by the seeming ability to take it up a notch to achieve a personal goal when the team did not get the benefit of any extra notches earlier.