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The Twins haven’t been terribly active this offseason. If Jeremy Zoll has the same offseason habits as Derek Falvey, there might be a few more moves on the way. Nonetheless, let’s try to map out what the Opening Day roster might be, given the players who are in the organization right now. Catchers (2): Ryan Jeffers, Victor Caratini Others on the 40-man roster: Alex Jackson The most unexpected move of the offseason has been the addition of Victor Caratini as a second catcher. Ryan Jeffers has spent most of his career in a timeshare behind the plate, typically catching about half of the Twins’ games and topping out at 81 games started at catcher. Caratini, a switch-hitter better against righties, forms a good platoon with the righty-batting Jeffers. Both will likely see some time at DH, and Caratini can also play some first base if needed. It’s unclear whether the team foresees another 50/50 split or if Jeffers will start closer to two of every three games (or if Caratini’s presence will lead to him being traded). Alex Jackson, for whom the Twins traded utility infielder Payton Eeles in November, is out of options, but it seems unlikely that the Twins will carry three catchers with a four-man bench, even if Caratini sees time at first base. Jackson may be waived or traded before Opening Day. Infielders (6): Josh Bell, Luke Keaschall, Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Kody Clemens, Ryan Kreidler Others on the 40-man roster: Tristan Gray, Eric Wagaman Second base, third base, and shortstop are pretty well set ahead of the season, with Luke Keaschall, Royce Lewis, and Brooks Lee, respectively. Lewis and Lee are unlikely to see time away from their primary position, other than an occasional day as the DH, but Keaschall may moonlight in the outfield. Josh Bell is also a lock to make the roster, slotting in at both first base and designated hitter. It’s unclear how his playing time will break down between those two assignments. When and if Bell is in the DH spot, Kody Clemens will likely get dibs on playing first base, and he’s primed to get time at second base, giving Keaschall a day off now and then. He could also be used in the corner outfield, or at third base in a pinch. The Twins have cycled through many different options for the backup shortstop position this offseason. Ryan Kreidler seems to be at the front of the position battle, with Tristan Gray and Orlando Arcia also in the running. Kreidler has no options remaining, Gray has one, and Arcia is on a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training. Payton Eeles, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Vidal Bruján were all in this conversation at various points, but cycled out of the organization. In this scenario, Kreidler gets the nod, not just because he cannot be sent down without being exposed to waivers, but also because he’s the best fielder in a crowd of suspect hitters. He can also play center field, adding extra flexibility. Eric Wagaman may also make the team as a platoon corner bat, but it would probably come at the cost of an outfielder. Outfielders (5): Alan Roden, Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Austin Martin Others on the 40-man roster: Gabriel Gonzalez, Hendry Mendez, James Outman, Emmanuel Rodriguez Byron Buxton is obviously a lock in center field, as is Matt Wallner in right. Left field is a bit more up in the air, but if Trevor Larnach is still on the team on Opening Day, he’ll have a spot. Whether that spot is primarily as a designated hitter is up for debate, but Larnach has spent more than half of the previous two seasons as a DH. If Larnach is primarily the DH (pinning Josh Bell to first base, more often than not), Alan Roden and Austin Martin appear to be the two to split duties in left field. Roden, acquired along with Kendry Rojas in the Louis Varland trade, was inserted directly into the Twins’ lineup last summer, but soon suffered a season-ending thumb injury. Martin impressed down the stretch, with a .374 on-base percentage and solid corner defense. They make a natural platoon fit, as Roden is left-handed and Martin bats righty, and both can play some center field if necessary. James Outman, acquired at the deadline for Brock Stewart, is a notable cut in this iteration. He is out of options. His struggles both offensively and defensively (and his redundancy with other lefties Wallner, Larnach, Roden, and Clemens) make it difficult to justify a roster spot. However, if the Twins are adamant that his center field defense is necessary or believe that he could recapture the promise he showed in 2023 as a rookie, he could make the team. There is an outside chance that Gabriel Gonzalez makes the team as a platoon bat in a corner or that Emmanuel Rodriguez or Walker Jenkins supplant one of the starting corner outfielders, but it seems unlikely. Starting Rotation (5): Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, Simeon Woods Richardson Others on the 40-man: Mick Abel, Zebby Matthews If there are no subtractions and everyone is healthy, Pablo López and Joe Ryan will start the first two games of the season, in some order. Bailey Ober has been a fixture in this rotation for years, and if he’s healthy, he’ll also be given a shot to rebound after a 2025 that was mostly lost to nagging injury and mechanical issues. Simeon Woods Richardson has quietly been a consistent back-end starter for the past two seasons, and although the prospect shine on other potential rotation names is brighter, Woods Richardson has earned an opportunity to start the season in the rotation. He’s also out of minor league options, so the Twins need to keep him in MLB or risk losing him on waivers. The fifth spot is up in the air, but Taj Bradley seems the most likely recipient. Acquired for Griffin Jax, he has the most MLB experience among the names vying for the spot, though he had a shaky 2025. Zebby Matthews is his stiffest competition, but to this point, Matthews has not been able to match his underlying metrics with his performance. Mick Abel and David Festa are also in the running, but it’s difficult to see them beating both Bradley and Matthews (though all four do have minor league options). Bullpen (8): Cole Sands, Taylor Rogers, Justin Topa, Kody Funderburk, Eric Orze, David Festa, Travis Adams, John Klein Others on the 40-man roster: Andrew Morris, Connor Prielipp, Marco Raya, Kendry Rojas The Twins have only made one free-agent addition to the bullpen this offseason, bringing back Taylor Rogers. Rogers currently fits into the late-innings group as the lefty, alongside righties Cole Sands and Justin Topa. Middle relief-bound Kody Funderburk and Eric Orze are the only two other names that seem likely to make the Opening Day bullpen. The other three spots are up for grabs. David Festa, given durability concerns and struggles to accumulate innings as a starter, seems like a prime candidate to step into a bullpen role. If the Twins believe that they have enough rotation depth, that could happen as early as Opening Day. Travis Adams provided long relief in 2025, and John Klein, one of the more impressive arms in the system last season, could be an excellent option in the bullpen, should he have a good spring training. Connor Prielipp and Marco Raya were also named earlier in the season as starting depth who could transition to the bullpen. Non-roster invites like Matt Bowman and Dan Altavilla could also be counted on to round out the eight-man corps. View the full article

Pitchers and catchers report next week, and there are still multiple unanswered questions for the Boston Red Sox to answer. There is an overwhelming amount of depth in the outfield and on the bench. As it stands today, the Red Sox have four legitimate outfield options in Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, and Wilyer Abreu. Ideally, all four of these guys see the field with regularity, as each of them provides strength from either their bat, glove, or both. Those four alone will require a unique rotation of sticking someone at DH while the others fill in in the outfield. Roster Resource currently has Duran at DH versus both righties and lefties, while Anthony fills in at LF, Rafaela at CF, and Abreu in RF. This situation in a vacuum is great. It allows each guy to get rest when they need it, and all four of them play at an above-average level of defense, with Rafaela and Abreu being Gold Glove talents. To stick with the classic cliche, "You can never have too much depth." Well, what if you can? As it stands today, the Red Sox will be paying Masataka Yoshida $18.6 million to sit on the bench and fill in for an injury or a rest day. Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic said: "The Red Sox may still try to trade him this spring. If that doesn't happen, his outfield reps will be limited, and his chances as a designated hitter may be, as well, with Duran and Anthony seeing more time in that spot." Yoshida is a very useful MLB hitter; his problem is that he is not as useful as the four other options. If he were a right-handed hitter, there would be a clear and obvious place for him to slot in against lefties. Unfortunately for him, Rafaela is the only right-handed hitter among the quintet, and his defense is irreplaceable. A clear opening for Yoshida would be a time when Rafaela goes cold or gets hurt. That would move Duran to center and open up a DH spot. Against right-handers, Yoshida shines far brighter than Rafaela. He boasts a career wRC+ of 118, an OPS of .795, and an OBP of .345 against righties. The way to find a spot in the daily lineup for Yoshida is playing the matchups. I'm not talking about what side the pitcher throws from, I'm talking about pitch-type matchups. Yoshida crushes fastballs, hitting .338 off of four-seamers and producing a run value of 4. On the other hand, he struggles mightily against curveballs and cutters. So, the key for him getting in may very well be finding right-handed pitchers who rely heavily on their four-seam fastball for success and avoiding pitchers with high cutter and/or curveball usage in order to maximize Yoshida's skill set. Finally, that leaves Triston Casas, who is unlikely to break camp with the team due to his brutal knee injury that knocked him out for all of 2025. When the Red Sox acquired Willson Contreras, Casas' spot on the team became significantly foggier than before. Who can blame the Red Sox? Beyond his fabled 2023 second half, Casas has not shown up in ways that allowed him to maintain his spot in the lineup. Before his injury, he hit incredibly poorly, posting a 56 wRC+ and a .182 AVG over his first 23 games. With a poor bat and subpar defense, Casas' value comes into question. His staple was elite discipline mixed with pop, and he showed that in his first two full seasons, putting up consecutive .800+ OPS seasons. Then, his walk rate dropped from 12.3% to 9.8%, and his average exit velocity from 90.3 mph to 87.6 mph. That, on top of his injury-riddled career (he's spent 320 games on the IL) makes him an unreliable option day-to-day. Oddly enough, though, he is not exactly your prototypical platoon bat. Casas has a higher OPS against lefties, along with a higher wOBA and wRC+ — albeit, this is a smaller sample size, with 165 PAs vs. lefties as opposed to 651 vs. righties. His reverse splits are surely something the Red Sox will consider when making the lineup once Casas returns. What Should the Red Sox Do? As much as I would love to fit all of these guys into the picture, with how the roster is constructed today, it is simply impossible. Rostering four legitimate outfield options already throws a wrench into the mix. Having a likely infield addition AND all three of the players mentioned being left-handed ensures there is an odd man out. Duran cannot be one of them. He is too valuable off the field and on it, providing more in all facets of the game than either Yoshida or Casas can with his mix of speed and power. That leaves Casas or Yoshida fighting for the last spot, and the choice is clear. Triston Casas sticks around while Yoshida finds greener pastures elsewhere. The ceiling case for Casas is higher than it is with Yoshida at this point in his career. Call me naive, but I'm still clinging to the Casas we saw earlier in his career. The mix of plate discipline along with 70-grade power exists, and it's a profile I am more than willing to chase. Especially with not having the pressure of playing every day, thanks to Contreras, this will allow the Red Sox to place him in positions to succeed. Yoshida will have about a month to prove he belongs and make Craig Breslow's decision with the lineup even more difficult. View the full article

Even without signing Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette, the Blue Jays have had a successful offseason. While they said goodbye to players like Bichette, Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer, and Seranthony Domínguez, they improved by adding Dylan Cease, Kazuma Okamoto, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers. They look like one of the best teams in baseball, and they’re primed to defend their AL East title. Of course, to do all that, they had to spend. They had to spend a lot. In terms of guaranteed money, the Jays have given out $337 million this winter, in addition to Okamoto’s $10.875 million posting fee. On top of that, this coming season will mark the first year of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk’s extensions, and several more players are due raises, either due to arbitration or back-loaded contracts. As such, RosterResource estimates Toronto’s player payroll will rise from $258 million to $282 million, just a year after increasing from $217 million to $258 million. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that a $282 million payroll would be the highest in franchise history. What’s more, the Blue Jays’ payroll for luxury tax purposes is an estimated $311 million. For 2025, they ended up paying a $13.6 million tax bill on a CBT payroll of just over $286 million. As of right now, their tax bill for 2026 will be another $22 million higher: Tax Rate Tax Total CBT Payroll $310,590,764 Amount between $244M - $264M $20,000,000 30% $6,000,000 Amount between $264M - $284M $20,000,000 42% $8,400,000 Amount between $284M - $304M $20,000,000 75% $15,000,000 Amount over $304M $6,590,764 90% $5,931,688 Total $35,331,688 All things considered, the Jays will be spending almost $50 million more on their roster in 2026 compared to 2025, and about $100 million more than in 2024. That’s a lot of moolah. Of course, it’s not like they can’t afford it. The Blue Jays have one of the richest owners in the league, and they play in one of the biggest media markets in North America. Oh, and they just so happened to rake in more than $100 million in extra revenue during their run to the World Series last fall. They also still only have the fifth-highest payroll in MLB, trailing the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, and Phillies. This kind of spending may be unprecedented for Toronto, but that doesn’t mean it’s unsustainable. With that said, there is a limit to how much the Blue Jays can spend, even if we don’t know what that limit is. So, presuming the front office is done with major moves for now, I want to turn my attention to how much money is coming off the books next winter. That should give us at least a rough idea of how much Ross Atkins and company will be able to spend for 2027 (and beyond). I know a lot could change between now and then. The Blue Jays could still add more payroll. They could also shed payroll. The next free agent class already looks thin, and it will only grow weaker if top projected free agents like Tarik Skubal, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and David Bednar sign extensions, or if players with contract options, like Bichette and Michael King, choose not to opt out. Moreover, the possibility of a lockout looms large. As far as the Blue Jays go, even a slightly less successful 2026 season could put an end to their status as a desirable destination for top free agents or, even worse, persuade ownership to tighten the purse strings. These are all key reasons why Atkins was smart to go big this year. Still, it’s always worth thinking ahead. (Also, let’s face it, the offseason is boring right now.) So, let’s talk about how much the Jays will have to work with next offseason. Expiring Contracts Six Blue Jays are headed for free agency after 2026. They’re listed below, along with their pay for the upcoming season. Eric Lauer’s salary has yet to be determined, so I listed the halfway point between the number he filed at ($5.75M) and the number the team filed at ($4.4M) for his arbitration hearing. I also included Myles Straw; he is technically under contract through 2028, but I’d be surprised if the Blue Jays pick up his $8 million club option for 2027 instead of paying a $1.75 million buyout and setting him free. George Springer: $24.167 million Kevin Gausman: $23 million Shane Bieber: $16 million Daulton Varsho: $10.75 million Yimi García: $7.5 million *Myles Straw: $7.4 million ($1.75 million buyout) *Eric Lauer: $5.075 million Total: $92.142 million That’s a lot of cash coming off the books. In terms of annual salary, it’s significantly more than Toronto spent on free agents this winter (Cease, Okamoto, Rogers, and Ponce will earn about $50 million combined in 2026). However, expiring contracts are only part of the equation. Guaranteed Raises Almost every Blue Jay with a guaranteed contract beyond 2026 will see a salary bump in 2027. The only exceptions are Guerrero, Anthony Santander, and Jeff Hoffman. The eight players receiving raises are listed below, along with the amount by which their salary is increasing: Kazuma Okamoto: $9 million Dylan Cease: $8 million Andrés Giménez: $8 million Cody Ponce: $6 million José Berríos: $6 million Tyler Rogers: $5 million Alejandro Kirk: $3.625 million Yariel Rodríguez: $1 million Total: $46.625 million That right there is half the money "freed up" by expiring contracts. And the raises aren’t done coming. Players Eligible for Arbitration Seven players on Toronto's roster will be eligible for arbitration next offseason: Ernie Clement (Arb 2) Tyler Heineman (Arb 2) Louis Varland (Arb 1) Brendon Little (Arb 1) Davis Schneider (Arb 1) Nathan Lukes (Arb 1) Bowden Francis (Arb 1) These players’ salaries are hard to estimate when we don’t know how any of them will perform in 2026. Still, this is another $10 million in raises at the minimum, presuming the Jays tender contracts to all of the above except Bowden Francis. So, now we’re looking at only $35 million or so to fill significant holes in the rotation (Gausman, Bieber), bullpen (García, Lauer), and lineup (Springer, Varsho, Straw). That’s not a lot to work with. Don’t forget, however, that Toronto is also set to pay another $35 million or so in luxury tax penalties for 2026. That’s also money coming off the books, even if it isn't included in the estimated payroll. Thankfully, payroll for luxury tax purposes is calculated using AAV, not yearly salaries, so Toronto’s CBT payroll figure won’t be affected by any of the players under guaranteed contract who are earning raises. It will, however, drop significantly thanks to all those expiring deals. Right now, RosterResource projects Toronto’s CBT payroll for 2027 at about $202 million. That estimation doesn’t include any salaries for arbitration-eligible players or pre-arb players, so let’s tack on another $20 million for arbitration salaries and $12 million for pre-arb salaries. Those are rough estimates, but rough estimates are all we have right now. That brings the CBT payroll up to $234 million. We also don’t know what the luxury tax thresholds or penalties will be in the next collective bargaining agreement. Heck, we can’t be sure the luxury tax as we know it will exist at all come 2027. (We can't be sure Major League Baseball will exist come 2027!) For my purposes right now, I’m going to pretend the current system remains in place. That’s a big presumption, but everyone is operating under big presumptions right now – major league executives included. So, let’s say the first threshold for luxury tax penalties increases by $4 million in 2027 and all the penalties stay the same. If the Jays add $35 million in new salary during the 2026-27 offseason, their estimated tax bill would only come to about $10 million. That’s $25 million less than their estimated tax bill for 2026. Now, that doesn’t mean they'll have another $25 million to spend, because every dollar spent would also increase their tax bill. But they could spend about $16 million more (on top of that initial $35 million) without increasing their total expenditure compared to 2026. That’s $51 million. All of a sudden, those numerous holes seem a lot more fillable. Furthermore, my whole exercise, to this point, has presumed the Blue Jays won’t spend a dime more in 2027 than they will in 2026. Yet, we all know they could spend more. A lot more. The Jays reportedly offered Kyle Tucker a 10-year, $350 million deal. We don’t know the exact details of that offer, but presuming the same annual salary all 10 years, Tucker would have added $35 million to the payroll and $31.5 million to the tax bill. That’s another $66.5 million. The Blue Jays made a huge splash this offseason. They’re spending at a level we’ve never seen them spend at before. However, their front office isn’t one that ever likes to sacrifice the future for immediate gain, and that’s not what they’ve done here. The Blue Jays should be one of the best teams in baseball in 2026, and the following winter, they should have the financial flexibility to rule the offseason once again. View the full article

The Miami Marlins are set to hold their annual FanFest this Saturday from 4:00-8:00 pm. The following tips and event details will help fans enjoy themselves to the fullest. “This event is all about bringing our fans and the South Florida market closer to our brand, through player interactions, exclusive sneak peeks at what’s coming in 2026, and capping it off with a fireworks show,” said Marlins chief brand officer Alex Parker. “We can’t wait to see Marlins fans at the ballpark to mark the start of baseball season.” You can claim free FanFest tickets here (up to six tickets available for each MLB.com account). More than 31,000 tickets have been claimed as of Monday afternoon, according to club sources. Tickets will be delivered to the Ballpark app. A personal suggestion for my fellow iPhone users would be to add them to your digital wallet—that will keep the line moving as fast as possible on Saturday. Parking is complimentary for this event. You will be able to use any of the ballpark's four garages at no additional cost. To ensure that you and your children can participate in all FanFest activities, make sure to fill out this waiver in advance. Who will be there? In addition to president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and manager Clayton McCullough, the vast majority of Marlins major league players are expected to be at FanFest (Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Xavier Edwards, Jakob Marsee, Agustín Ramírez, etc.). This is your first opportunity to meet players who were acquired this offseason via trade and free agency like reliever Pete Fairbanks, infielder/outfielder Christopher Morel, outfielder Owen Caissie and outfielder Esteury Ruiz. Most spring training non-roster invitees attend, including top prospects Thomas White, Robby Snelling and Kemp Alderman. One notable absence will be 2025 Marlins All-Star representative Kyle Stowers. He and his wife, Emma, are expecting the birth of their first child in the days leading up to FanFest. Activities "Access has been a big thing for us—making sure that there is enough activities for everyone to be occupied the whole time," said Marlins president of business operations Caroline O'Connor in an exclusive interview with Fish On First. Similar to last year, there will be an arcade trailer on the West Plaza, behind-the-scenes tours, a pop-up challenge, speed pitch contest and wiffle ball home run derby. The Marlins Museum, located on the Legends Level behind home plate, will be open. A new addition to FanFest will be the youth clinics. Kids from ages 5-13 will be able to play on the field with current Marlins players in one-hour sessions. The available time slots for this are 5:00 pm, 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Weather permitting, the roof will be open for a fireworks show at 8:00 pm. Photo Ops Active players and Marlins alumni will be stationed throughout the ballpark. Fans can take selfies with them in Sections 1, 32 and 205. Only Marlins Members will be able to get autographs from players. For non-members, keep in mind that if you attend spring training in Jupiter, players may be willing to sign for free if approached politely before or after games. The World Series trophies from both 1997 and 2003 will also be on display for photos. Main Stage The Marlins have a tradition of making announcements at FanFest. In 2023, it was that they were bringing back the old teal jerseys and wearing them for every "Flashback Friday" home game. In 2024, it was adding their blue spring training uniforms to the regular season rotation and editing their black jerseys. In 2025, the Marlins announced the first official Hall of Fame class. They are expected to do it in 2026. Last season's class, the first of many, featured Jeff Conine, Luis Castillo, Jim Leyland and Jeff McKeon. In 2024, the Marlins did do what they call a "State of the Fish" session, which back then included manager Skip Schumaker and president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. This time around, it will be second-year manager Clayton McCullough and Bendix to talk about the 2026 team. Marlins Season Ticket Members will have exclusive seating access to State of Marlins, as well as enjoy a private autograph session with Marlins players. O'Connor told Fish On First that there will be a couple of surprise announcements during this portion of the four hour window. Along with the hall of fame announcement and State of the Marlins, the main stage will have player and alumni segments, animal show hosted by Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill and the jersey lineup announcement. Food & Drink Add-ons Foodie Passport is your ticket to eating and drinking your way around the ballpark. Explore five must-visit stops featuring exclusive bites and specialty drinks. Check in, discover new flavors, and experience FanFest one taste at a time. Tickets are limited. Must be 21 years of age or older to purchase. Valid forms of ID include a United States Driver’s License, United States Identification Card, United States Military Identification Card and Passport. All forms of ID should be current (non-expired) and intact (non-damaged). This is a ticket that does need to be purchased through the same link that you can claim you free FanFest ticket. The price for the Foodie Passport is $26. Although this event is meant more for kids, the Marlins always find a way to include everyone, no matter how old you are. Like last season, fans 21 and older can get an early taste of one of the Marlins biggest promotions in Beerfest, which will take place in the Bullpen Bar and Grill from 4:00-6:00 pm. For $25, you can taste 20 domestic, international and local craft brews. Last year, the Marlins hosted a couple of Sahlen's dollar dog nights at the ballpark. To kick off the 2026 season, they will once again host a dollar dog night at the ballpark for FanFest. View the full article

Charlee Soto is on only one top 100 prospect list going into 2026. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN remains a favorite of his upside. Jamie and Jeremy break down why McDaniel remains high on Soto and why they believe he could reach that top 100 prospect status industry-wide with a healthy 2026. View the full article

As the MLB offseason nears its end, the best remaining free agents are starting pitchers Zac Gallen and Framber Valdez. Even the next-best tier is made up mostly of starters, too—guys like Nick Martinez, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito and Zack Littell. For the Minnesota Twins, that's not obviously helpful, because the starting rotation is the strongest segment of their roster right now. Led by frontline, playoff-caliber starters Pablo López and Joe Ryan, the rotation has been the pillar around which the rest of the roster has crumbled over the last two seasons. However, the team's depth in starters doesn't prohibit them from improving by adding to the group, as long as they land someone who is genuinely likely to deliver above-average performance. Last year, injuries and shaky command left Bailey Ober a shell of his previous self, but he's penciled in as the No. 3 starter for the team with spring training on the horizon. A signing that pushes Ober down to fourth in the rotation and leaves the club's cluster of young, controllable starters vying for places in the bullpen or Triple-A St. Paul would be a wise investment, since new chairman Tom Pohlad seems intent on having the team challenge for a playoff berth in 2026. Thus, Valdez is beginning to make some sense for the Twins. It would be a very unusual move from a team this deep in an offseason this underwhelming, but Minnesota could still increase their payroll a bit from the present projection of $108.9 million. Valdez, 32, is a two-time All-Star and has averaged 192 innings per year over the last four seasons. He's as reliable an innings-eater as any starter in the league, and although Gallen is almost as durable, Valdez is the one guy who combines volume and impact in a way that could take the Twins' pitching staff to another level. It would take a minor miracle of coaching and development (not to mention good health) to make the 2026 Twins more than an average team when it comes to run production. However, with another high-upside arm like Valdez's in the mix, they could become a nearly elite run prevention club. That's the most realistic path to an AL Central title for the team this year, and if they do get to October with a starting rotation of Valdez, López and Ryan, anything is possible. They might even find that they can reinforce the positional side of the roster at the trade deadline, or that young players like Walker Jenkins and Luke Keaschall transform them into a more complete team by season's end. Valdez is still available because the long-term, nine-figure deal he envisioned when the winter began has not materialized. His price would have to swoop quite low for the Twins to become a legitimate candidate to sign him, but the team has been known to pull off unexpected February splashes. More importantly, there are already signs that Valdez's market is down low enough for that possibility to appear on the radar. A deal somewhat similar to the one the Padres roughed out with Nick Pivetta last winter—whereby Pivetta was guaranteed up to $55 million over four years and had the right to hit the market again after either of the first two seasons, but which helped San Diego by being heavily backloaded and including conditional club options—might end up making sense for both sides. After the departure of Derek Falvey last week, the temptation to doubt that the Twins will do anything of note for the balance of the offseason is understandable. The team continues to proclaim their intention to get better, though, and in a market drying up in a hurry, signing Valdez is one of very few ways they could still concretely do so. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox made a deal with their frequent (as of late) trade suitor, the White Sox, over the weekend. In sending Jordan Hicks and a fellow righty, David Sandlin, along with $8 million, to Chicago, Fenway faithful get a minor league arm they could see in the next year or two. Enter Gage Ziehl, a crafty righty with a varied pitch arsenal and, so far, a successful career in professional baseball. In this video, we dive into Ziehl's pitch mix, his overall body of work, and just how well he could fit into Boston's pitching depth chart in the near future. View the full article

The Dominican Republic's World Baseball Classic roster will include the San Diego Padres' two biggest stars. That came after third baseman Manny Machado was announced as part of the team. Previously, right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. was named to the roster. The deadline to finalize rosters is Tuesday, with official announcements made by the WBC on Thursday. This will be Machado's third appearance in the WBC, having played in 2017 and 2023 (no tournament was held in 2020 due to the pandemic). Machado is the latest to become an official member of the team. Superstar New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto was named Sunday, and Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena earlier Monday. The Dominican Republic typically has the strongest roster of all the WBC teams. View the full article

This news was just this side of inevitable, but it still registers as a major development. With their game broadcasts orphaned by the need to terminate their contract with Main Street Sports earlier this offseason, the Brewers join a fistful of other teams in turning over the production and distribution of those broadcasts to the league. If the pattern established by the previous rounds of migration to league-operated broadcasts repeats itself, most of the names you know and love—Brian Anderson, Bill Schroeder, and Sophia Minnaert, for starters—will be invited back, and many of the same people will make the broadcast happen behind the scenes. How the games can be found and a plan purchased, however, will change. Expect the Brewers to find a home on the major local cable and satellite providers, but they'll no longer receive any significant amount of revenue from those deals. Instead, they'll make money almost exclusively by selling direct-to-consumer streaming packages, through MLB.TV. In the short term, this will reduce the team's income, and that's unlikely to change for at least a few years. It could, of course, have an effect on payroll, though there's no reason to assume it will make a meaningful difference in the team's budget for 2026 or (as some will say) that the knowledge that this was coming prompted the team to trade Freddy Peralta last month. The regional sports network (RSN) model has been slowly dying for a decade. The Brewers have made less money than in the halcyon days of that system even over the last few years, as they've flirted with cutting ties with what was first called Bally Sports Wisconsin, then FanDuel Sports Network but ultimately reunited on short-term deals. They delayed the leap off the financial cliff of the RSN model's demise for as long as possible, but now, they've gone over the edge. Generally, fans of other teams (including the Rockies, Padres, Twins, Guardians and Diamondbacks) have found the production values on the league-run broadcasts to be solid. However, this transition usually comes with a reduction in ancillary programming, like pre- and postgame shows. Team-run broadcasts have always been largely propagandist outlets, but it's even harder to convey any measure of criticism when the system is under team or league control, end-to-end. Again, there's no broad reason to expect the team to change its core broadcast team, but the Brewers are a special case. They have Anderson, Jeff Levering and Lane Grindl, all of whom do other work, too, and Anderson has increasingly ducked out for stretches of the season to perform national duty as a play-by-play broadcaster for basketball, golf, and more. The league and the team could opt to pivot to a primary TV voice with 162-game availability. More details will emerge over the course of spring training, but Monday's news gives us a bit more clarity about the Brewers' future on TV. It also gives us a bit of reason to wonder whether the team can still spend money this winter to round out the roster. After all, they're likely to make less money this year (if only incrementally) than if their deal had held together for one more season on the RSN model. View the full article

The death spiral of Main Street Sports Group took its biggest fall of a brutal last couple of years Monday when the Milwaukee Brewers and five other MLB teams officially said they were no longer going to have their games telecast on FanDuel Sports Network. The Brewers were joined by the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Rays in completely ditching Main Street. MLB will take over the telecasts of those teams, as it already has for seven others. The three still hoping for a Main Street miracle regarding their regional sports network are Atlanta, the Detroit Tigers, and the Los Angeles Angels. Main Street, formerly Diamond Sports Group, restructured under Chapter 11 bankruptcy for 20 months and emerged about a year ago, hoping the new structure would last. But Main Street missed payments to multiple teams across its portfolio of MLB, NBA, and NHL clubs in recent months; the Brewers were among nine MLB teams to announce last month that they were terminating their deals. Shortly thereafter, there was some renewed hope that Main Street could continue as it searched for a potential buyer — DAZN was one of the rumored suitors — but that appears to have fizzled out. The timing is also important, as teams are less than two weeks from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, with the first exhibition games shortly thereafter. For the Crew, the report dates are February 12 for pitchers and catchers and February 17 for position players. The first Cactus League game is Feb. 21. How does that affect how fans can watch the Brewers? For in-market games, which include most of Wisconsin and include all home and road games during the regular season not on a national outlet, you will still be able to watch the Crew on your cable or satellite provider, as well as streaming through MLB.tv. But those games will be a separate package, likely priced at $19.99 per month or $99 for the entire season (the better deal), from a typical MLB.tv package. The Brewers said those packages will go on sale this month. Instead of FanDuel Sports Network, you will see the branding of Brewers.tv. On cable and satellite, that will also likely mean new channel locations. The TV announcing teams will remain the same, with Brian Anderson, Bill Schroeder, and Sophia Minnaert leading the way. The announcers are hired by the team. Main Street continues to provide TV coverage of its NBA and NHL teams through the end of the current season, but what happens after that is unclear. Main Street offered a reduced rate to continue carrying the nine MLB teams, with the Reds offered $42 million, down from $52 million, according to The Athletic. The Brewers were reportedly getting $35 million in regional sports network fees. Teams that lost their RSN (FanDuel Sports Network) received about 50% of what they did with their previous deals. Before this latest announcement, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Washington Nationals were slated to be carried by MLB in 2026. Some teams have faced this situation for a couple of years, with the Nationals just recently joining the fray after a dispute with the Baltimore Orioles was resolved. That brings the number of clubs whose television rights are being taken over by MLB to 13. View the full article

He doesn't have to answer this question for a while, but at some point, Craig Counsell will need to make the call: Who will be bumped from the Chicago Cubs' rotation when Justin Steele is ready to come back from elbow surgery? Steele is, in his words, "ahead of schedule" and moving "full steam ahead" in his rehab, but an early return is not happening. At the Winter Meetings, Counsell was looking at some point in the first half, barring a setback. Last month, Steele told reporters that he's thinking long term as well. He's assuming that his surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister, will recommend a cap on his 2026 workload. A later start changes the goal to being available for the second half and postseason. "There’s going to be some kind of innings limit, so there’s definitely some comfortability knowing that I don't have to rush,” Steele said after a throwing session at Elite Baseball Training, per MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. So, Counsell and the Cubs' front office have time on this. But let's address the question now, anyway: Whenever Steele is medically cleared and built up, who goes? The choice will probably be easy, because so many things go wrong with a pitching staff during a season. The Cubs could be faced with making one of these four simple moves: Replace an injured guy. The Cubs' projected Opening Day rotation is, in some order, Matthew Boyd, recently acquired Edward Cabrera, Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon. Odds are that there will be attrition among this group, same as there was among last year's group. Steele went down in April, Imanaga (hamstring strain) got hurt in early May, Taillon (calf and groin strains) hit the injured list in July and August, and Cabrera (elbow sprain) missed three weeks in September for the Miami Marlins. Replace the guy who replaced an injured guy. Counting Steele, the rotation could go nine deep. Colin Rea would be the next man up if one of the top five goes down. He's now the swingman after making 27 starts last year. If more injuries hit, Chicago could turn to Javier Assad (seven starts in 2025) and/or Ben Brown (15 starts last year). Assad was mostly effective in his limited duty. Brown lost his rotation spot and was optioned to Triple-A Iowa last June. He came back a month later and switched to long relief. If the Cubs stretch Jordan Wicks back out and fast-rising prospect Jaxon Wiggins takes a big step forward in the spring, the number of starting candidates could grow to double digits. Replace an ineffective guy. Brown had a 6.13 ERA/4.14 FIP when he was sent down. Horton is the only pitcher in this year's projected rotation with minor-league options, but after he dominated in the second half last year, would the Cubs give him extra time to work things out in the majors if he regresses hard? A vet who's getting hammered would have to shift to the 'pen or land on the IL, assuming the Cubs forgo an early-season trade or surprise DFA. Replace no one and go to a six-man rotation. This could be a necessity or a best-of-all-worlds solution, depending on when Steele comes back. If he returns within the first two months, Counsell could back off his starters during a heavy portion of the schedule: the Cubs are looking at a stretch of 42 games in 45 days from April 17 through May 31. If Steele returns in June, the starters could get extra rest following that gauntlet. The bottom line? As with most thorny issues in baseball, the question of how to make room for a healthy Justin Steele will answer itself when the time comes. View the full article

In less than two weeks, pitchers and catchers will report to the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, serving as the unofficial start to the 66th season of Minnesota Twins baseball. Understandably, angst, uncertainty, and pessimism will be the forefront emotions of many who follow the club. Still, reasons for optimism will manifest this spring, with the club’s starting rotation being the most likely source to bring that trait to light. Barring injury or an unforeseen trade, Pablo López and Joe Ryan will operate as co-aces of the five-pitcher unit, creating one of the most formidable frontline duos in baseball. Experienced righties Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson will likely occupy the third and fourth spots, respectively. Interestingly, the club has four more starting pitchers with major league experience on its 40-man roster. However, only one of those four arms will win the final rotation spot, creating one of the more fascinating Spring Training competitions in recent Twins history. Taj Bradley, Zebby Matthews, David Festa, and Mick Abel are the four arms set to compete for the fifth rotation spot. Luckily, all four pitchers have minor league options remaining, meaning Minnesota won’t need to make any drastic 40-man roster decisions before flying to Baltimore in late March. Still, deciding which arm to hand the fifth rotation spot to will be an incredibly consequential decision as the Twins try to avoid starting their 2026 campaign on the wrong foot, as they did in 2024 and 2025. As noted earlier, Twins decision-makers could demote the three pitchers who lost the camp competition to Triple-A St. Paul, with that trio headlining the Saints’ rotation. Interestingly, one of the four rotation hopefuls could still make an immediate impact on the major league club, just not in the role he entered Spring Training vying to win. David Festa's Stuff Making his major league debut with Minnesota in 2024, Festa has struggled during his first two seasons, generating a 5.12 ERA and 4.27 FIP over 117 2/3 innings pitched. The primary reason behind Festa’s struggles in the majors, so far, is that his four-seam fastball has been ineffective. Thrown a combined 36% the past two seasons, hitters have generated a .344 batting average against the 25-year-old’s fastball. Alongside hitting the pitch often, batters have also done a meaningful amount of damage with the pitch, evidenced by the pitch surrendering a .609 slugging percentage last season. On average, major league fastballs thrown by right-handed pitchers move eight inches toward same-handed hitters while dropping 15 inches. Festa’s moves only two inches while dropping 13 inches. His fastball is flat, so hitters can see it clearly as it enters the zone. A lack of four-seam shape and movement can work if a pitcher generates above-average velocity (i.e., Paul Skenes). Yet, given that Festa’s average four-seam velocity is below-average alongside being flat, hitters are able to tee off on the pitch, despite him being able to consistently locate it high in the zone. Fortunately, the Seton Hall product’s breaking and offspeed pitches are far more effective, functioning as driving forces in the minimal success he has generated in the majors. Last season, Festa threw his change 29% of the time, nearly matching his four-seam usage rate. Unlike his four-seam, however, the right thrived with his change, posting a .113 batting average against while throwing it 256 times. Festa primarily threw the pitch low in the zone against left-handed hitters. Lefties often swung over the pitch, often whiffing or dribbling the ball to the right side of the infield, evidenced by his impressive .274 slugging percentage against. Festa’s change also functioned as his put-away pitch, evidenced by him generating 26 strikeouts and a 23.2% put away rate. David Festa's Pitch Arsenal His slider (thrown 27% of the time) was similarly effective. However, he primarily threw his breaking pitch to right-handed hitters. Festa generated a .231 batting average against and a .423 slugging percentage against with his slider. Yet, underlying metrics undermine his success with the pitch, evidenced by his generating a .550 expected slugging percentage against (xSLG) and a .359 expected weighted on-base average (xWOBA) with the pitch. For reference, his four-seam manufactured a .568 xSLG and .418 xWOBA. Festa often caught too much of the plate with his slider when throwing it to right-handed hitters. Similar to his four-seam, Festa’s slider lacks horizontal movement, meaning hitters can see it well as it crosses the plate. That being the case, right-handed hitters generated a lot of damage against his slider, making it an ineffective secondary pitch. Given the plus nature of his change, Festa has somewhat surprisingly been more effective against left-handed hitters of the course of his career, evidenced by lefties generating a combined .305 wOBA the past two seasons compared to righties posting a .322. Being 6’6”, Festa has one of the highest release points in baseball, releasing the ball six feet from the ground on average. Given his lanky frame, Festa also sports one of the highest extension rates in the sport, shortening the distance between him and the batter. Unfortunately, the lanky righty’s height-driven advantage has been nullified by his throwing at a 50-degree angle, one of the highest release points in baseball. As noted earlier, Festa often throws his four-seam high in the zone. Throwing the pitch high in the zone from a high arm slot is what makes the pitch flat and, therefore, ineffective. Also, releasing breaking pitches from a high arm slot creates less horizontal movement, explaining the ineffectiveness of his slider. Interestingly, his high arm slot is likely the driving factor in his change being so effective, given that he can drop the pitch in from such a high release point. Year Pitch Type # # RHB # LHB % MPH PA AB H 1B 2B 3B HR SO BBE BA XBA SLG XSLG WOBA XWOBA EV LA Spin Ext. Whiff% PutAway% 2025 Four Seamer 280 120 160 31.7 94.1 76 64 22 13 5 0 4 9 56 .344 .309 .609 .568 .447 .418 90.1 26 2416 7.0 14.1 16.1 2025 Changeup 256 91 165 29.0 87.8 67 62 7 3 1 0 3 26 36 .113 .134 .274 .302 .201 .221 85.7 19 1758 6.9 44.0 23.2 2025 Slider 236 154 82 26.8 87.6 55 52 12 8 1 0 3 16 36 .231 .263 .423 .550 .300 .359 91.3 19 2595 6.9 32.2 20.5 2025 Sinker 110 73 37 12.5 93.9 31 26 8 8 0 0 0 2 25 .308 .301 .308 .435 .319 .365 92.2 7 2297 7.0 13.0 25.0 2024 Four Seamer 442 242 200 40.2 94.7 93 79 24 13 7 0 4 23 56 .304 .265 .544 .514 .410 .385 91.3 18 2349 7.0 19.4 21.3 2024 Slider 349 244 105 31.8 86.1 97 92 19 13 3 2 1 26 66 .207 .236 .315 .394 .246 .292 90.2 13 2564 6.8 29.1 20.2 2024 Changeup 308 116 192 28.0 88.4 87 80 19 10 4 1 4 28 53 .238 .203 .463 .329 .319 .262 85.9 13 1839 6.8 39.4 23.0 What Should Be David Festa's Role In 2026? Given Minnesota’s surplus of starting pitching depth and Festa’s struggles the past two seasons, the lanky 25-year-old would be best used in a short-relief role, with the Twins' pitching development staff working with him to lower his arm slot to maximize his four-seam and slider. If converted into a short relief role, the 25-year-old could add velocity to his four-seam, potentially bumping the pitch up to 96-97 MPH. As mentioned earlier, pitchers can make flat four-seams work with increased velocity. Festa would likely be able to sustain increased four-seam velocity pitching in a one-inning role. Also, minimizing his workload would allow him to maximize his slider, adding more break and velocity to the pitch. If he is able to refine his four-seam and slider while continuing to sport an elite change, Festa could quickly become Minnesota’s most effective reliever, given how little high-end talent presently resides in the club’s bullpen. View the full article

For much of the last decade, the Pohlad family has operated the Minnesota Twins as if accountability were a shell game. When results soured, someone else was usually nearby to take the fall. Executives were shuffled, managers were dismissed, and coaches were swapped out. Each move came with the implication that the problem had been identified and removed. Yet, the cycle has continued, and the list of available scapegoats is getting uncomfortably short. What once looked like decisive action is starting to resemble a pattern of deflection. The common thread is that the ownership group remains untouched, while nearly every layer beneath it has been stripped away. President Derek Falvey (January 2026) The most significant domino fell last week, when Falvey and the Twins agreed to mutually part ways. The language was polite, but the reality was clear. Falvey and Tom Pohlad did not see eye-to-eye on the direction of the franchise. Falvey had been the face of baseball operations and often the public shield for ownership decisions, particularly as payrolls tightened and long-term planning gave way to short-term austerity. By removing Falvey, the Pohlads removed the last executive who could plausibly claim autonomy over roster construction. It also raised an obvious question: If the architect of the modern Twins model is gone, who's responsible for the limitations placed on him in the first place? Joe Pohlad (December 2025) Just weeks earlier, the family turned inward. Joe Pohlad was pushed out as his elder brother assumed control. The move was framed as a necessary reset, but it also signaled something deeper. When even a family member can be deemed expendable, it suggests panic, rather than vision. Joe Pohlad had been positioned as the future of the franchise. His removal did not come with a clear philosophical shift or a renewed commitment to spending. It simply concentrated power, while offering another name to point at when explaining why things had gone wrong. Manager Rocco Baldelli (September 2025) Baldelli was fired after two disappointing seasons, something few managers can withstand. However, the decision felt less like a baseball call and more like an ownership directive. Baldelli was widely respected in the clubhouse and around the league. He had navigated earlier Twins teams through adversity and postseason success, with limited resources. His dismissal appeared to come from above Falvey, rather than through him. In hindsight, it may have marked the beginning of the end for Falvey, as well. Once the manager was removed, the front office structure began to crack, and the chain of responsibility became murkier. SS Carlos Correa (July 2025) Correa was meant to be the franchise cornerstone and a signal that the Twins were willing to spend like a contender. Instead, his time in Minnesota was defined by inconsistency. He showed flashes of playing like a $30-million player, but those moments were fleeting and often disrupted by injuries. The expectations never aligned with the on-field results, and frustration followed. By July 2025, the Twins moved on, while still paying the Astros $10 million per season to take Correa. Minnesota is saving roughly $20 million annually by having him off the roster, but it doesn't feel like that money has been reinvested into improving the team. Correa became another name attached to failure, while the larger issue once again went unaddressed. GM Thad Levine (October 2024) When the Twins collapsed in 2024, someone had to answer for it in the front office. Levine became that person. While elements of the failure were tied to decisions made during his tenure, the issues ran far deeper than the actions of one executive. Development stalled, depth eroded, and financial constraints tightened. Levine’s departure offered a clean headline and a sense of action, but it did little to address the systemic problems that had been brewing for years. The organization moved on quickly, and the root causes remained. Hitting Coach David Popkins (October 2024) In the weeks before Levine left, the Twins fired a trio of hitting coaches, including Popkins. The offense collapsed in the second half of 2024, making changes to the coaching staff inevitable. Popkins was fired, and the Twins pointed to approach and preparation as culprits. Then Popkins landed in Toronto and helped the Blue Jays make a World Series run in 2025 on his way to being named Baseball America’s MLB Coach of the Year. The contrast was jarring. What was deemed failure in Minnesota translated to success elsewhere. It reinforced the idea that the environment and roster construction matter and that coaching alone was not the issue in Minneapolis—especially after the team ousted Popkins's replacement, Matt Borgschulte, at the end of 2025. With Falvey gone, Joe Pohlad sidelined, Baldelli dismissed, and a wave of executives and coaches already removed, the Pohlads are running out of people to blame. The familiar explanations are wearing thin. At some point, the constant turnover stops looking like accountability and starts looking like avoidance. The Twins do not lack talent or institutional knowledge. They lack stability and a clear commitment from the top. Until ownership is willing to examine its own role in the franchise’s struggles, the cycle will continue. There are no scapegoats left, except the ones in the mirror. Are there any scapegoats left for the Pohlads? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Several weeks after the longtime married couple separated, they are moving forward with a divorce. The Miami Marlins are ditching the regional sports network setup to produce their own television broadcasts in partnership with Major League Baseball. The Marlins and five other teams informed MLB of their plans last weekend, according to John Ourand of Puck. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald confirmed the report on Monday. The Marlins' TV rights previously belonged to Main Street Sports Group, which distributed their games via FanDuel Sports Network Florida throughout the 2025 season. But Main Street's business model has been steadily deteriorating and it was highly unlikely that they'd be able to continue paying tens of millions of dollars in annual rights fees to the Fish. In an interview with Fish Unfiltered, Marlins president of business Caroline O'Connor said that the Marlins expect to retain much of their TV talent during this transition, specifically mentioning play-by-play announcer Kyle Sielaff and host/reporter Kelly Saco. The Marlins' presence on traditional TV isn't disappearing entirely. "There'll probably be some aspect of simulcasting this year" with CBS 4 and WBFS 33, O'Connor said. The Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals are among the teams making the same transition to MLB for broadcast production/distribution. For context, their products are priced at $19.99 per month or $99.99 per year. It's unclear whether the Marlins will follow suit. Marlins.TV subscriptions will be available later this month. Fish On First will have an in-depth "how to watch the Marlins" guide for you once all the specifics of this new arrangement are available. View the full article

The 2025 San Diego Padres saw six different players log time at first base. If Craig Stammen and Gavin Sheets have their way, that number will come down quite a bit in 2026. Last year's iteration of the Padres rode out Luis Arráez for 117 games, Ryan O'Hearn for 27 games, and each of Sheets and Jake Cronenworth for a baker's dozen. Yuli Gurriel got four games worth of time, while Connor Joe appeared once in his brief time with the organization early in the year. Of those names, only Sheets and Cronenworth remain in the mix now. Comprehensively, the results were not terrific. The Padres' 1.6 fWAR at the cold corner ranked 15th in the league. Their cumulative wRC+ was 109, which sat 14th. Where issues arose was on the power side. A position that traditionally favors a power profile checked in at just 23rd on the Padres' end of things, as they finished the year with a .138 isolated power figure. Things were even worse on the defensive side, where the team's -6 Outs Above Average finished in 24th. The combination of uneven performance and various departures, both during and after the season, led to questions about the shape the position could take ahead of 2026. Without a designated hitter and in need of some extra depth in the outfield corners, there was an immediate assumption that Gavin Sheets would fill the former role primarily and fill in at either corner or at first base on occasion. Cronenworth, meanwhile, was expected to take back over at the keystone and perhaps move a bit in either direction upon the arrival of Sung Mun Song in San Diego. Either way, the position lacked someone of a visibly full-time vintage. This weekend's Fan Fest in San Diego appeared to put some of those questions to bed with new manager Craig Stammen asserting that Sheets would get the first run at serving such a role. After a career rebirth in San Diego last year and another two seasons before he hits free agency, is it possible that Sheets might actually offer some stability at first base? The profile is certainly there, at least. Sheets turned in above-average offensive production for the first time since he was a rookie, with a 111 wRC+ that was aided by some of the more sustained power output the team had last year. His .177 ISO was also his highest since he posted a gaudy .256 figure back in 2021. Both the strikeout (19.6 percent) and walk (8.1 percent) rates were steady, and a career-low chase rate indicated that there was some refinement occurring in his approach. From an offensive skill set, Sheets certainly has the chops to hang at the position. The primary question will come with the glove. A quality defensive first baseman improves the entirety of the infield defense. The Padres have posted -14 OAA at first base over the last three years, which ranks 21st over that span. In an ideal world, the regular first sacker is someone who can make life easier for the likes of Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Cronenworth. It remains to be seen, though, if a player with fewer than 800 innings across five seasons can be the one to do it. Much of Sheets' work at first came in 2023 and 2024 with the Chicago White Sox. In the former campaign, he posted -2 OAA in about 140 innings before following it up with another -2 in roughly 360 frames the following year. Last season, however, he was actually above average, with 1 OAA in 99 innings. Perhaps there's something in his positioning — which moved a touch deeper and at a narrower angle — that was able to provide a bump in the defensive performance. Should that defensive growth continue to manifest into 2026, the Padres find themselves in a much more stable position than they might've been otherwise. It seems necessary more now than ever, too. With no visible trade options and defensive quality lacking in what remains on the free-agent market, there's a good deal of pressure for this to work. The offensive should play, at least. It's just a matter of the defense continuing to follow suit. View the full article

February is here, which means pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training is on the horizon. A lot of the heavy work has been done by president of baseball operations A.J. Preller (or has it?), with the majority of players who will be reporting to Peoria, Ariz., already on the roster. Still, there are some soft spots, including the bench. Which of those players will be on the Opening Day roster come March 26 when the Friars host two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park? Let's take a position-by-position look to see who those 26 will be. Starting Rotation (5) Nick Pivetta Michael King Joe Musgrove Randy Vasquez JP Sears There was a saying by the old Boston team that was in the NL in the 1948 season when referring to its starting staff of "Spahn and Sain, then pray for rain." Well, this Padres rotation isn't at that level, but could be if it could gets hit by injuries. And that is with the knowledge that Musgrove has yet to pitch in a game since having Tommy John surgery in October 2024. Musgrove will be 16 months removed from that procedure when spring training begins and recently said he is in a "good position" to begin 2026. The veteran right-hander only made 19 regular-season starts in 2024, as he battled elbow ailments before blowing it out in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series vs. Atlanta. That came after a 2023 season in which he was limited to 17 starts due to a weightlifting incident in which he broke a toe (and developed shoulder issues). If Musgrove can hit the ground running to begin the season, the Friars' top three of him, Nick Pivetta, and Michael King will be just fine. It is a big season for all three right-handers. While Musgrove is hoping to remain healthy, Pivetta and King have contract motivations. Both have opt-outs following 2026, so this could be the last season for the duo in San Diego. That carrot at the end of the stick serves as additional motivation to do well, knowing a payday is waiting for them. Pivetta had a breakthrough 2025 in his first season with the Padres, finishing sixth in NL Cy Young Award voting. King returned to the Friars after receiving a qualifying offer and, sensing a soft market, took a three-year, $75 million deal that pays him $17 million in 2026. Shoulder and knee injuries hampered him in 2025, when he made just 15 starts. After that, the Friars are hoping for the best. Vasquez made 26 starts (28 appearances) last year and had a 4.85 FIP and 3.84 ERA. Sears is the only left-hander in this group and made just five starts with a 6.18 FIP after coming over from the A's in the Mason Miller trade. The options should anyone go down are left-hander Kyle Hart and right-handers Matt Waldron and Miguel Mendez. Another low-cost addition to the rotation wouldn't be surprising before Opening Day. Bullpen (8) Mason Miller Adrian Morejon Jeremiah Estrada Wandy Peralta David Morgan Yuki Matsui Bradley Rodriguez Ron Marinaccio This is a pretty good group even after the loss of closer Robert Suarez to free agency. Miller's acquisition at the trade deadline softens Suarez's loss a bit. Morejon, Estrada and Peralta will be the key performers in bullpen that could get a lot of work early in the season with Musgrove's uncertainty and the dependance on Vasquez and Sears in the rotation. Morgan was a true find last year, coming out of nowhere to earn a trusted spot in the bullpen, making 41 appearances. Rodriguez is an exciting prospect to watch, having also made his MLB debut in 2025 like Morgan. Rodriguez has been a top prospect and made seven MLB appearances and could earn a vital role as the season goes along. Marinaccio will be looking to prove himself after being on the shuttle to Triple-A El Paso in 2025. He gets this opportunity thanks to a couple of injuries; right-handers Jason Adam (ruptured left quadriceps tendon) and Jhony Brito (right elbow surgery) aren't expected to be ready for Opening Day. Brito would be the first one back following internal brace surgery as well as a procedure to fix his flexor tendon that sidelined him all of 2025. Adam might not be too far behind depending on his recovery after being injured Sept. 1. A ruptured quad tendon has a recovery time of six-nine months — Feb. 1 marks six months. Matsui has been solid, albeit with some rocky experiences. Catcher (2) Freddy Fermin Luis Campusano The only truly locked-in position for the Friars at this moment. Fermin came over at the trade deadline for a big price in young starting pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. Catcher was a nonentity for the Padres most of last season, so getting anything out of Fermin, who has a .264/.309/.376 career slash line mainly as the backup to Salvador Perez, would be terrific. Campusano gets another chance after being relegated to El Paso most of last season. He had a monster year at Triple-A (.336/.441/.595, 25 homers, 95 RBIs), but other than a flash in 2023, he hasn't shown that ability at the MLB level. Combine that with suspect defense and you get why this might be his last chance in a Friars uniform. Campusano could see time as the designated hitter, too. Infield (6) Manny Machado (3B) Xander Bogaerts (SS) Jake Cronenworth (2B-1B) Gavin Sheets (1B) Sung Mun Song (2B-3B) Mason McCoy (SS-2B) This group could use another bat, especially if the DH comes from here. Machado and Bogaerts are the no-doubters here at third base and shortstop, respectively. The true wild card is Song, the free-agent signee from South Korea. The 29-year-old had two really productive years in the Korea Baseball Organization in 2024 and 2025, posting slash lines of .340/.409/.518 and .315/.387/.530 with a combined 45 homers, 194 RBIs and 46 stolen bases. While his natural position of third base is manned by Machado, if he can prove a capable glove at second base, a position he did play in the KBO, and adjust to MLB pitching, the Padres could be sitting in a good spot offensively. He is also expected to see some time in the outfield in spring training to see how he fits there. Song at second would allow Cronenworth to slide to first base, with the veteran infielder playing second when Song spells Machado. For a better defense, Sheets is better-suited to be the DH (he had 64 starts each in left field and DH and 13 at first in 2025). The real question on the infield is who will get the other backup spot: McCoy or Will Wagner. Neither will give you much of anything offensively, so it will be up to their defense. The other contender here is Jose Miranda, who has a minor-league deal with a spring training invite. While he does have the ability to hit, Miranda is a corner infielder, leaving the Friars without a backup shortstop. McCoy and Wagner have options left, so one will start in the minors. Another option could be to carry McCoy and Wagner and go with four outfielders with Sheets and Song being able to flex out there. Outfield (5) Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF) Jackson Merrill (CF) Ramon Laureano (LF) Bryce Johnson (OF) Tirso Ornelas (LF-RF) Tatis, Merrill and Laureano are the clear-cut starters from right field to left. Defensively, it might be the best trio in all of baseball, thanks to the addition of Laureano at the trade deadline. That will certainly bolster any shortcomings in the starting rotation. Offensively, Merrill had a down sophomore year after finishing second in the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year voting. Some of that downswing can be attributed to injuries. Merrill had a strained right hamstring, a concussion and a bone bruise in his left ankle. Laureano is coming off one of his best offensive years, which included him matching his career high with 24 homers. Johnson is a solid backup who can play all three spots and had a really good offensive showing in 2025. In just 55 games, he slashed .342/.383/.434, with his batting average nearly double what he had in limited time in his first three MLB seasons (.177). Then we get to Ornelas, who is primarily a corner guy who has some experience in center. Ornelas made his MLB debut in 2025, appearing in seven games, and doesn't bring much in the way or power or sustained speed on the basepaths. A recent addition on a minor-league deal, Samad Taylor could also be in the mix for the last roster spot. View the full article

Publications across the industry are releasing their top 100 prospects lists, with spring training soon upon us. Jamie and Jeremy look into the Twins players making their names on Baseball America, ESPN, MLB.com, and Keith Law's list at The Athletic. Included players are Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kaelen Culpepper, and others. View the full article

Marlins president of business Caroline O'Connor speaks with Fish Unfiltered about when the Miami Live! entertainment development will be coming to loanDepot park.View the full article

With only ten days remaining until pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers, the Minnesota Twins bullpen remains very much a work in progress. There are arms on hand, ideas on the table, and a front office that knows this group will not look the same on Opening Day as it does right now. What that final version becomes is still open for debate. General manager Jeremy Zoll has been clear that the bullpen is the central focus as camp approaches, and the path to improvement is not limited to one obvious move. Building a Bullpen “For sure, I think it’s the most obvious area of need coming into the offseason,” Zoll said. That acknowledgement sets the tone for everything else. The Twins know the bullpen needs help, and they know it cannot be solved by a single signing alone. Zoll pointed to Taylor Rogers as “a step in that direction,” but emphasized that help can arrive from multiple angles. “Help in that regard is going to come in all shapes and sizes,” he said, whether that means “more major league signings,” or working through “the NRI process and waiver claims and DFA trades.” That creative approach has been a calling card for the organization before. Zoll noted that the Twins have “shown the ability to build bullpens well in the past in creative ways and different ways.” It is a reminder that the most effective relief groups are not always the most expensive ones. Configuration, opportunity, and internal development often matter just as much as name recognition. Still a Goal to Add a Right-Handed Reliever While creativity is important, there is still a very clear type of arm the Twins would like to add. A reliable right-handed reliever remains high on the list. “I think that feels like the most obvious opportunity for us to find ways to raise the floor and improve the club,” Zoll said. That phrasing matters. This is not just about chasing upside but about stability. After the bullpen turnover of last summer, Minnesota could use more certainty in the middle and late innings. Zoll also hinted that timing may work in the Twins' favor. “The trade market is starting to open up more as some of the dominoes are falling across the rest of the league,” he said. Whether that addition comes via free agency or trade remains unclear, but the next couple of weeks could provide more clarity as other teams finalize their plans. Starters Tabbed for Relief Conversion One of the more interesting questions is whether any starters could eventually slide into bullpen roles. It is a topic the Twins have revisited successfully in the past. “Definitely, internal conversations continue on that,” Zoll said. What he was careful to emphasize is that nothing has been decided yet. The Twins have not told anyone that a move to relief is coming, and they are waiting to see how things unfold. Several factors complicate that decision. Minnesota likes its starting depth, and with it being a World Baseball Classic year, there will be multiple starters heading to that tournament. Zoll acknowledged that “there’ll be a number of innings available,” and the club wants to avoid limiting itself too early if injuries pop up during camp. Some names to keep an eye on are Connor Prielipp and Marco Raya, who Derek Falvey mentioned by name earlier this winter. Still, the track record is there. Zoll referenced previous success stories like Griffin Jax and Louis Varland, noting that it remains an internal topic as the Twins continue to evaluate how best to deploy their arms. Who Is the Team’s Closer? Perhaps the most unsettled question of all is who finishes games when the season begins. At the moment, there is no clear answer. “I think it’s a topic,” Zoll said, while also pointing out that building bullpens continues to evolve. “I think there's a lot of different ways that you can get to having a successful ‘pen, and also want to make sure we're giving various guys opportunities to take that step forward.” Rather than locking into a single name, the Twins want to see which pitchers take a step forward. Zoll mentioned Cole Sands and Justin Topa as pitchers who handled late-inning opportunities last season and remain very much in the mix. “Think they can really contribute,” he said, reinforcing the idea that the closer role could evolve naturally once the roster takes its final shape. For now, Zoll is not interested in rushing to label roles before the group is fully built. It will be “an ongoing discussion,” and one that likely carries into camp itself. As spring training approaches, the Twins bullpen sits in a familiar place. There are questions, possibilities, and a front office confident that answers will come, even if they arrive later than fans might prefer. Is this bullpen missing one final move, or will internal growth have to carry the group early in the season? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The San Diego Padres are looking to shore up their infield depth despite having multiple options currently on the 40-man roster. Especially on the right side, Jake Cronenworth and Gavin Sheets are expected to share some combination of time between first base and DH. Will Wagner and Sung Mun Song can both play second base (among other infield positions), while depth options include Luis Campusano and Mason McCoy. Despite those options, that's not stopping the Padres from looking at an upgrade for their bench. Chris Cotillo of MassLive is reporting that the San Diego Padres are part of a "robust market" who have shown interest in first baseman Ty France. France, who was drafted by the Padres in the 34th round of the 2015 draft, won the American League Gold Glove in 2025. However, he struggled at the plate in back -to-back season posting a sub-.700 OPS, hitting 20 home runs, and having a below-average wRC+ in both 2024 and 2025. The San Diego State product would serve as a right-handed option on the right side of the infield that has four left-handed options. Do you think the Padres should sign him? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

Welcome to part eight of North Side Baseball’s offseason series covering the 1918 Chicago Cubs. You can find the first seven parts here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Today, we’ll be doing another player profile, this time on the great Hippo Vaughn. By FanGraphs WAR, Vaughn is the best left-handed pitcher to ever don a Cubs uniform, and he was an essential member of that 1918 Cubs team, leading the pitching staff in fWAR. His 1.74 ERA that season was second among qualified pitchers, behind only Hall of Famer Walter Johnson. Vaughn never made the Hall, but deserves to be recognized for his contributions to the Chicago Cubs. James Leslie “Hippo” Vaughn was born on April 9, 1888, in Weatherford, Texas, a town located about 25 miles outside of Fort Worth. According to his Society for American Baseball Research biography, the young lefty began pitching professionally in the Texas League, where he was eventually recognized and acquired by the New York Highlanders—or, as you likely now know them, the Yankees. Vaughn would become the youngest Opening Day starting pitcher in Yankees history in 1910, at 22 years and five days old—a record that he still holds today. He would go on to post a stellar 1.83 ERA in the 1910 season, but following a more difficult 1911 season that saw him put up a 4.39 ERA, Vaughn was sold to the Washington Nationals, and then to Kansas City of the American Association. After a couple of impressive seasons there, Vaughn wound up on the Chicago Cubs, and it was there where his career really took off. Following a brief debut of 56 innings in 1913, from 1914 to 1920, he never had a season wherein he posted less than 3.8 fWAR, and he never produced an ERA higher than 2.87. From 1914 to 1920, per FanGraphs, his 33.6 WAR was third in baseball, behind only two future Hall of Famers: Walter Johnson and Grover Alexander. The latter, ironically, was Vaughn’s teammate in Chicago for a bit. Vaughn’s 2.16 ERA over those seven seasons was fourth. His 143 wins was third. His 165 complete games, 2,051 innings pitched, and 1,071 strikeouts all also ranked third, behind the aforementioned greats. Any way you slice it, he was one of the best pitchers in baseball for a time. There is no greater illustration of how dominant Vaughn could be than the game he started on May 2, 1917. It featured him against Fred Toney of the Cincinnati Reds. Both pitchers threw no-hitters through nine innings, though, of course, the score was tied at 0-0, so the game persisted into the tenth. In a retrospective on the game from 1953, Arthur Daley at The New York Times wrote the following about Vaughn: “Vaughn, perhaps, pitched a mite better than Toney because only one member of the Reds even stroked the ball beyond the infield.” Daley would go on to describe the top of the tenth inning, when Vaughn finally allowed a hit (and, unfortunately, a run) that led to a 1-0 Reds win. “Larry Kopf sliced a roller between the gloves of Fred Merkle at first and Larry Doyle at second. It was the first hit of the game," Daley wrote. "Then Hal Chase flied out deeply to [Cy] Williams—except that Williams dropped the ball for an error, as Kopf raced to third.” That brought up Jim Thorpe, who hit a little tapper out in front of home plate. Vaughn, likely knowing that he would have a tough play on Thorpe, a former Olympic gold medalist in the classic pentathlon and decathlon, threw home. Art Wilson, the catcher, never saw it coming, and the ball “shot past him to the backstop and Kopf pattered home from third base with the only run of the game.” Toney retired the Cubs without a hit in the bottom half of the tenth, completing his no-hitter and wrapping up the win for the Reds. Still, this is the only known game in baseball history where two pitchers both had no-hitters through nine innings of baseball. Unfortunately for Hippo, who was given that nickname due to his large stature for a player at the time at 6’4”, 215 lbs, he is also commonly known for the way that he left baseball. He was not his usual, dominant self during the 1921 season, and after a start against the New York Giants on July 9, Vaughn disappeared. “Jim walked from the pitchers’ box to the clubhouse at the Polo Grounds on Saturday after being belted for successive home runs by Frank Snyder and Phil Douglas and he has not been seen since by Manager Johnny Evers or any other member of the Chicago Cubs,” the Times reported on July 11. The article said that should Hippo Vaughn return to the team, he would be suspended for his unexplained absence. According to his SABR biography, the Cubs were later ready to reinstate the pitcher, but Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the commissioner of baseball, refused to do so, and suspended Vaughn for the remainder of the season. Interestingly enough, the Times reported in October of that same year that Vaughn was missing again, with his wife having asked the Chicago police to look for him. The same wife, Edna, filed for divorce in 1920, the previous year, only to later drop the proceedings sometime after Edna’s father stabbed Vaughn. Perhaps this all helps explain the sudden decline of Vaughn, who went from one of the best pitchers in the National League in the 1920 season, to a pitcher with a 6.01 ERA in the 1921 season. He would never appear in Major League Baseball again, despite bouncing around several lower-level leagues. Arguably, Vaughn is the best left-handed pitcher that the Chicago Cubs organization has ever seen. Between the double no-hitter and his performance both during and leading up to the 1918 World Series (we’ll get to that in more detail in a future article), his on-field feats deserve greater remembrance. View the full article

One of the best Royals stories from 2025 was the emergence of rookie left-handed pitcher Noah Cameron. In his first MLB season, the rookie from St. Joseph, Missouri, made 24 starts and pitched 138.1 innings after starting the season initially in Triple-A Omaha (seven starts and 32.2 IP with the Storm Chasers). In that MLB sample, he posted a 2.99 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 2.65 K/BB ratio, and 1.8 fWAR. In a season where Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, Seth Lugo, and Michael Lorenzen all missed some time on the IL, Cameron became a workhorse at the bottom of the Royals' rotation. As a result, he not only finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting, but he also earned the Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year team award, which goes to the best pitcher in the Royals organization that season. Safe to say, Cameron did everything in 2025 to prove that he belongs in the Royals rotation in 2026 and beyond. That said, there were a couple of minor red flags from the past year that could affect his outlook for the upcoming season, based on surface-level metrics alone. While he posted a sub-three ERA, which is pretty elite, his xERA was 4.08, his FIP was 4.18, and his xFIP was 4.08. Those aren't bad metrics by any means, especially for a No. 4 or No. 5 starter in the rotation. At the same time, each of those indicators has a difference of over 1, which is a significant gap. Add that with a .241 BABIP and 84% LOB% (strand rate), and it seems likely that Cameron will be unable to sustain his 2025 numbers into 2026, especially with the new park dimensions at Kauffman Stadium. At the same time, Cameron remains a strong pitcher with a solid repertoire and the ability to minimize hard contact. Therefore, how much regression should Royals fans expect from the 26-year-old lefty this year? Will he pitch himself out of the rotation, especially with options like Ryan Bergert, Stephen Kolek, and Luinder Avila likely starting the season in Triple-A Omaha? Or will Cameron's regression be minor? In this post, I am going to look at his pitch repertoire and quality, what the batted ball and spray chart metrics from last season illustrate, and some final takeaways about Cameron's outlook for 2026 and beyond. (All stats and graphics courtesy of TJ Stats and Baseball Savant). Excellent Repertoire, but Poor Four-Seamer Cameron doesn't sport an elite fastball, which is why he was a bit of an underrated pitching prospect in the Royals system after being drafted in the seventh round (199th overall) out of Central Arkansas in the 2021 MLB Draft. However, he succeeded in the Minors thanks to his super command. Cameron posted a 6.7% walk rate and 21.1% K-BB% over 128.2 innings with Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals and Omaha Storm Chasers in 2024. While the St. Joseph-born lefty limited walks, he also succeeded with a five-pitch mix that kept hitters off balance. That trend continued in the Majors, as he sported a diverse pitch mix, throwing all of his pitches at least 14.3% of the time. While that's not Lugo's level of pitch variety (very few pitchers can throw 10 pitches), it's still strong enough to keep hitters at bay. Furthermore, he was able to sport not just decent stuff with his pitches but also strong chase and whiff rates, as well as a reasonable xwOBACON, as seen in his TJ Stats summary below. Cameron doesn't generate a ton of extension on pitches, as his 6.3 average rates as slightly below average. Thus, it's not a surprise that he doesn't generate a ton of velocity on his offerings either. Four of his five offerings last year rated as below average in terms of velocity, with the only exception being his curve, which was slightly above with an 80.9 MPH velocity. That said, he still produced strong movement and quality on the pitches. That led to four of his five offerings earning decent to above-average ratings for TJ Stuff+. Furthermore, non-Royal folks have rated his repertoire pretty highly, pointing out his advanced "feel" for his pitches, as well as his ability to tunnel pitches with one another effectively. Speaking of "tunneling", Cameron does do a good job of pairing offerings with one another soundly, which makes it tough for hitters to hone in on his offerings, even if they aren't "elite" in terms of stuff or velocity. Below is a look at his pitch movement plot from 2025, and notice how he pairs certain offerings with one another on the chart. His four-seamer and changeup are both paired with one another, which is an effective combo, especially considering the 11 MPH difference between the two pitches. He also does a nice job blending his cutter, slider, and curve, which proved to be a sound strategy for him last year. All sport downward, glove-side movement, but to different degrees of break. That is hard on hitters because the slightest difference in movement on breaking pitches can lead to bad swings, which result in weak contact or whiffs, as seen below against Seattle. When it comes to breaking down his offerings individually, his cutter was his most standout pitch from last year and his second most-thrown offering at 21.5%. It also had a 103 TJ Stuff+, tied for the best grade of his five offerings. The cutter was an interesting pitch location-wise, as Cameron tended to throw it more in and up on righties and down and away against lefties, as illustrated by his TJ Stats pitch heatmap summary. He threw the pitch more against righties (23% to 16.9% against lefties), but in terms of CSW, it was far more effective against lefties. It sported a 36.8% CSW and 39.1% whiff rate against left-handed hitters, compared to 24% and 18.9% rates against right-handed hitters. There wasn't much difference, though, in terms of chase (34.1% O-Swing% against lefties and 30% O-Swing% against righties) and xwOBACON (.371 against lefties; .366 against righties). In terms of fastball offerings, his cutter was by far better than his four-seamer. When it comes to breaking offerings, the curve was Cameron's best swing-and-miss offering against righties. It sported a 100 TJStuff+, which was 3 points lower than his slider. Nonetheless, despite the lower grade, it was a key part of his repertoire last year (19% usage). Like his cutter, he threw the pitch in one area, down and glove-side, against both righties and lefties. However, it was more effective against righties, as illustrated by his 33.8% CSW, which can be seen below. Lefties did worse in terms of production on the pitch, as they had a .291 xwOBACON against Cameron's curve, which was 21 points lower than his xwOBACON allowed against righties. That said, when Cameron needed whiffs against righties, it seemed like his curveball was his best offering. Conversely, when it came to getting swing-and-miss against lefties, his slider was the better pitch, as seen below in the slider heatmap data. There was a huge gap in slider usage for Cameron against lefties (28.7%) and righties (9.8%). It made sense, as Cameron's slider generated a 39.2% CSW and 34.9% whiff rate, which is pretty impressive, to put it mildly. Interestingly enough, righties chased more on the slider (45.3% O-Swing%), and his xwOBACON was lower (.292 to .331 against lefties). Still, fewer strikes were generated against righties with the slider, as evidenced by his 28% CSW. His last solid offering was his changeup, which had a 98 TJ Stuff+, the second-lowest mark of his five offerings. It didn't necessarily have elite qualities, but he had superb command on the pitch, especially against right-handers (22.9% usage). Against righties, his changeup generated a 30.5% usage, 43.5% whiff rate, and 27.7% O-Swing%. He also seemed to effectively throw the pitch away and arm-side to right-handed hitters, while his command of the offspeed pitch against lefties was more erratic. Against lefties, the changeup had a CSW of 8.7% and a whiff rate of 7.7%, and a .541 xwOBACON (nearly 200 points higher than his split against righties). Thus, it wasn't really an ideal pitch against lefties in any context. Then again, he threw the pitch less than five percent of the time, so it was more of a "get-me-over" offering than a regularly utilized one against lefties. Unfortunately, when it comes to pitch repertoire, the main concern with Cameron is his four-seamer. The primary offering sported a lackluster pitch quality with an 87 TJ Stuff+. That's not a good pitch for any pitch, let alone one he throws the most in a given game. Unsurprisingly, he generated lackluster CSW and whiff marks with the pitch against both lefties and righties. However, he did at least command the pitch effectively: in the upper edges of the strike zone. Hitters didn't chase much on the pitch, and most of his CSW rates came from called strikes rather than swinging ones. He was better against lefties with xwOBACON (.393) than righties (.510), which is interesting to see for a left-handed pitcher. When it comes to Cameron moving forward with the four-seamer, he's at a bit of a crossroads with the pitch. It's an essential part of his repertoire, and I think it's more effective against righties because it tunnels well with the changeup (a pitch that righties struggled against). That said, when he makes mistakes with the pitch, it's hit hard. The .550 xSLG and .390 xwOBA on the pitch illustrate that. Thus, I don't think it's as easy as "throwing the four-seamer less" because I think that could come at a cost of his other offerings, especially the cutter, which has emerged as one of his best offerings. Rather, I wonder if new assistant pitching coach Mike McFerran can help Cameron make some tweaks to the pitch, perhaps generating more vertical movement to at least make it a slightly below-average offering in 2026 rather than a greatly below-average one. The right tweak on his four-seamer could help him avoid a major regression on the mound in 2026. Induces Weak Contact; But Will Results Change with "New" Kauffman? When it comes to contact, Cameron was obviously above average at getting hitters to not "connect" as often as they would like. When looking at his Statcast percentiles via TJ Stats from last season, he ranked in the upper percentiles of the league in terms of minimizing the kind of contact that could result in a lot of production (i.e., home runs, extra-base hits, etc.). Cameron ranked in the 91st percentile in average exit velocity allowed, 86th in barrel rate, and 85th in hard-hit rate. He also ranked in the 71st percentile in whiff% and Z-Contact%. That's pretty elite, especially for a pitcher with fastball velocity that ranked in the 24th percentile and extension that ranked in the 29th percentile. On a more negative note, he was mediocre in terms of his zone, chase, K%, BB%, and K-BB% (all under 50%). While his GB% and CSW% ranked in the 52nd percentile, they need to be higher going forward, especially since it's unlikely that the Z-Contact% and CSW will remain at such high levels with his stuff profile. A key hint that regression may be coming on the batted-ball end could be seen in his rolling xwOBA chart from 2025 via Savant. He maintained a below-average xwOBA for the first half of his season, but that trend spiked around the 350th plate appearance and stayed above the league average for the remainder of the season (above-average is NOT good in this case). Now, he still posted a 2.99 ERA last year despite this trend. Thus, let's take a look at how this correlated with his actual wOBA chart trend from 2025. Cameron saw a spike in rolling wOBA, but there was a decline at the 500th plate appearance. He also appeared to be "unluckier" around his 100th to 250th plate appearances, as his wOBA trend was higher than his xwOBA. Still, that big gap in wOBA and xwOBA from the 500th plate appearance to the end of the year is a bit concerning and could be a hint that regression could be coming to his overall metrics in 2026 unless proper adjustments are made. Speaking of adjustments, the 26-year-old lefty will be pitching in a new Kauffman Stadium in terms of dimensions. When looking at his spray chart at home from 2025, it did seem that he would've given up a few more home runs at the K when taking into consideration the new dimensions (which would be similar to Target Field in Minnesota). Notice the number of outs that would have been homers below, especially in right field. When it comes to right field, he would've given up six more home runs at Kauffman Stadium had these new dimensions been in play last year. That's a huge boost, and it could've resulted in his ERA not just being higher than his 2025 mark, but his FIP mark as well (which was already in the four range). For Cameron to overcome these new "possible" ballpark issues, he will need to increase the swing-and-miss in 2026. After all, strikeouts can't go for extra-base hits or home runs in any park. On a positive note, he showed a strong whiff trend at the beginning of the year before it tailed off around the 300th swing mark. For roughly 100 swings after the mark, the swinging-and-missing percentage stayed subpar. Thankfully, he made some adjustments and got it back to above league-average around the 425th swing mark. Getting more swing-and-miss in 2026 won't be easy, especially considering the limitations of his velocity and stuff (98 TJ Stuff+ overall). However, Cameron is a student of the game who made strong adjustments to succeed in 2024 in the Minors after a rough stint in Double-A the previous year. He also made the proper adjustments to succeed in the Majors in 2025. Perhaps he has a couple of more tweaks in him to help him become a better swing-and-miss pitcher. Final Breakdown on Cameron Cameron is well-loved by Royals fans as a local kid from Northern Missouri. However, he also had gotten plenty of attention from non-Royals fans, with Roster Economics showing some praise of the Royals' homegrown product in a breakdown of Cameron on Twitter on January 29th. The Royals have a solid asset on their hands in Cameron, even if he may never be more than a No. 3 starter over the course of his career. He still isn't arbitration-eligible until 2029 and won't be a free agent until 2032, so Cameron won't be an arm that they'll financially have to worry about for a long time (which is nice after the tough arbitration negotiations with Bubic this offseason). That kind of profile is needed for teams, especially small-market ones, trying to stay competitive each season. And yet, regression seems likely for Cameron in 2026. The stuff profile isn't there to be a sub-three ERA pitcher again, and the below-average extension will make it harder for him to add more perceived velocity on his offerings as well (Bubic succeeds with below-average velocity because his strong extension gives him more perceived velocity). When it came to this offseason, I was more willing to part with Cameron as a trade asset than Bubic simply because I believe Bubic's stuff profile makes him more dependable long-term than Cameron (even with Bubic being older and hitting free agency next year). At the same time, the Royals' pitching coaches have shown they can help pitchers make the right tweaks and adjustments to succeed and avoid long stretches of poor performance. While McFerran doesn't have the history of former assistant pitching coach Zach Bove (who's now the White Sox's head pitching coach), his background suggests he's cut from a similar cloth and will be able to do the same things Bove did. I am hoping that McFerran and Sweeney can identify the right tweaks with Cameron to get more movement and quality out of his four-seamer because that seems to be the key to what his regression could look like in 2026. A similar fastball in TJ Stuff+ in 2026 is likely to result in much worse outcomes. However, a newer, slightly better one? Perhaps Cameron could give another dependable 130-150 innings with an ERA in the 3.00-3.50 range. If that's the case, the Royals will not just have one of the best rotations in the AL Central, but perhaps in all of baseball (as long as they stay healthy, of course). View the full article

Jett Williams's feel for hitting is the tool scouts have most openly questioned during his time in pro ball. Most notably, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs tagged just a 30 present value on Williams's contact ability, on the 20-80 scale. Longenhagen cited a steep swing plane without a lot of adjustability, and that's difficult to argue with. There's some evidence, though, that Williams has an exceptionally advanced approach—and thus, that he's more adaptable than he first appears. A couple of things stood out immediately on this front. The first is that Williams's in-zone contact rate was a troubling 78% during his stint in Triple A. The second is his out-of-zone contact rate of 65%, which is well above average. One of Williams's best traits is his discipline around the strike zone. He rarely chases, but even when he does, he can foul off pitches and extend at-bats. For someone with a stiff swing and poor maneuverability, you would expect his contact rates outside the strike zone to be considerably worse. Independent analyst Thomas Nestico has an estimated model for pitch locations without Statcast that seems to be a solid approximation of reality. Even at Double A, his in-zone contact rate sagged as the season progressed. At the same time, we began to see some changes to Williams's batted-ball profile. He pulled the ball more this season than he had before that, at 47.5%, and he cleared more fences, averaging a home run for every 19 at-bats in Triple A. He traded some contact skills for a more pull-happy approach, but that changed when he got to two strikes. Most hitters are nearly as likely to swing and miss with two strikes as in any other count, with the added likelihood of chasing a pitch offset by the more defensive swings taken by the hitter. Williams, however, whiffs a lot less with two strikes than he does early in the count. The chart below shows the average whiff rate per swing when at zero, one and two strikes: There are some small samples here, particularly with the curveball and changeup, but the piece I find most intriguing is the swing-and-miss against four-seam fastballs. As Longenhagen mentioned, Williams has a steep swing that he uses to elevate to the pull side; that should create problems with high fastballs. That proved not to be the case with Williams. Nor was he merely fouling off more pitches. He put more balls in play per swing, which suggests that his swing-and-miss concerns might be more of an approach-based decision than a mechanical weakness. This is reminiscent of a new coach on the Brewers staff. Daniel Vogelbach had the lowest swing rates in the league, happy to work himself into two-strike counts and put the ball in play, but he was looking to do damage in zero- and one-strike counts. Williams might not have Vogelbach's raw power, but he does have an above-average 90th-percentile exit velocity, and with his heavy pull-side approach, the result could be the same. A better comp, perhaps, would be former second baseman Ian Kinsler, another diminutive but sturdy right-handed hitter who used both a pull-focused approach and good athleticism to carve out a long, impressive career. The approach will require some maturation, and perhaps there are some mechanical tweaks to allow Williams to find a blend where he can still access the pull-side power but cut down on whiffs early in counts. If he struggles, he could modulate his approach and become a truly contact-oriented hitter, just like Brice Turang did in 2024. With his speed and defensive cover, Williams will have time to find the mold that fits him best in the major leagues; he might have a higher floor than many believe. View the full article

In major-league front offices, no moves are made in a vacuum. Many voices are in play and Twins fans are well aware that outside constraints (e.g. payroll limitations) can hold major influence. But ever since he was first hired after the 2016 season, up until his departure on Friday, Derek Falvey was atop the chain of baseball command. Every move made over the past nine years has had his stamp on it. During that time, we've seen some of the best trades and boldest signings in franchise history. We've also seen a lot of misfires and missed opportunities that played a huge role in the inability of talented teams to get over the hump. These are my picks for the five best, and five worst, moves made by the Twins during Falvey's time in charge. 5 Best Twins Moves Under Derek Falvey The first Carlos Correa signing It's reasonable to look back at Correa's Twins career with some bitterness, given the shortcomings and early exit. His second contract with Minnesota was at best a mixed bag. But that shouldn't cause us to overlook what a monumental, game-changing moment his first signing was. Announced out of nowhere in the middle of the night, Correa's bombshell contract – three years, $105 million with opt-outs – seemed to redefine what was possible for the Twins franchise. They had never waded into these kinds of free agency waters before. This was a statement signing that they (briefly) followed through on the next year, And although the 2022 season proved to be a disappointment overall, Correa produced one of the best seasons for a shortstop in team history, posting 4.6 fWAR and setting the stage for an unlikely return. The Joe Ryan trade Now this is how you "sell" at the deadline. When the Twins fell out of contention in 2021, they made hay with their best expiring asset, trading Nelson Cruz to the Rays for two pitching prospects. One of those prospects came to the majors almost immediately, and has been excelling in the Minnesota rotation ever since, to the point where he's now arguably their ace. This was a rare moment where the Twins managed to outfox a Rays front office that they so admired and aspired to emulate. Easily one of the best trades in franchise history. The Pablo López trade The López trade doesn't rate quite as highly as Ryan, since the Twins had to give up more substantial value for him, but it looked smart at the time and looks genius in retrospect. Luis Arraez has declined rapidly since the trade while López – whom the Twins quickly extended – instantly solidified his status as a frontline starter, which he has maintained since. He led the way in two playoff victories in 2023 and will likely start on Opening Day for a fourth consecutive season. The Byron Buxton contract extension For a long time, it looked like this wasn't going to happen. Unable to find common ground on an extension as free agency approached, the Twins were actively exploring trades for Buxton before finally managing to reach an agreement just ahead of the 2021 lockout. The seven-year, $100 million contract was very favorable to the team, built around incentives due to Buxton's availability concerns. It has already paid for itself based on his performance on the field, despite injuries and missed time. Drafting Ryan Jeffers There are a lot of other candidates I thought about throwing in here: the Escobar-for-Durán trade, the Willi Castro signing, the Royce Lewis selection. Bailey Ober deserves mention as well. But I think it's fair to say Jeffers was the biggest draft success story of the Falvey era – the one position player who has developed into an above-average, multi-year major-league regular. Perhaps that is damning with faint praise, given that Jeffers hasn't been a spectacular player or All-Star, but we've seen how hard it is to develop a good big-league catcher. 5 Worst Twins Moves Under Derek Falvey The 2024 trade deadline As you'll see, most of the low points from Falvey's tenure revolve around the trade deadline. Missed opportunities to supplement good or borderline rosters will haunt memories from this stretch of competitive seasons where the Twins too often fell short of their potential. The deadline in 2024 was a perfect example. When it arrived the Twins were very much in contention, 11 games above .500 at the end of July. At the deadline, the front office did nothing of consequence; in fact, trading only for Trevor Richards – a replacement-level reliever who'd be released weeks later – was almost worse than nothing. This set the stage for a full-on collapse to ensue, with no added quality depth to help weather the storm. The 2019 trade deadline Unlike the 2024 team, the 2019 team didn't need saving. It needed reinforcements. The Bomba Squad was perhaps the best regular-season Twins teams ever, but got swept out of the playoffs. There's no guaranteeing savvier pickups at the trade deadline would've changed that outcome, but Sam Dyson was a disaster and Sergio Romo didn't move the needle enough. If ever there was a time to think big. The Alex Colomé signing Rarely has a singular offseason acquisition tanked an entire season like this. Signed as a free agent to handle the closer position in 2021, Colomé repeatedly melted down in key spots while the Twins dug an inescapable early-season hole. It's one of several examples that makes me raise an eyebrow when people intimate that building a bullpen on the fly is easy. The Ryan Pressly trade Ope, another deadline trip-up. I view letting Pressly get away as perhaps the single most regrettable move of Falvey's time at the helm. He would've been under control in 2019, when the Twins were scrambling for the likes of Dyson and Romo at the deadline, but instead was flipped in 2018 for Jorge Alcala and Gilberto Celestino. Pressly went on to become Houston's bullpen ace for several years, helping the Astros win a World Series. A former Rule 5 pick, Pressly was one of the biggest reliever development success stories for Minnesota in decades, but the front office – intent on "selling high" with extended control remaining – let him get away before his impact could be fully felt. You hope the same doesn't happen with the players lost in this final set of moves... The 2025 firesale I know this wasn't all driven by Falvey or the front office. Maybe not even mostly. But still, you have to hold the baseball decision-makers accountable for some truly baffling baseball decisions. On their own, many of the trades at least year's deadline made sense, but in totality this scorched-earth sell-off completely obliterated any realistic hopes of contention in 2026, which now looks like a glaring misstep in light of Tom Pohlad's directive to field a competitive squad this year. Had the Twins not sold off four key controllable players, that would have actually been viable. What are your thoughts? Which highs and lows did I miss from Derek Falvey's nine-year tenure as Minnesota Twins baseball leader? Where are you hoping to see the team improve in his absence? Sound off in the comments. View the full article

Trey Yesavage took the world by storm in 2025 with his high release point that led to a high rising fastball and a devastating splitter to pair alongside it. His third pitch is a harder gyro slider that sits in between the velo of his fastball and splitter, which forces hitters to guess when a pitch will be lower in the zone. The quirk of Yesavage’s arsenal is that none of his pitches break to the glove side, largely due to his release point and delivery, which make him such a nightmare for hitters to face. That does raise a concern, however, as if hitters know which direction his pitches are always going to move, will they figure him out faster than a pitcher with a more traditional four-pitch mix with pitches that break in both directions? And even if Yesavage remains effective with his current style of pitching, will he be able to stave off the three times through the order effect with just three pitches, or will he be able to get outs when one of his pitches isn’t 'on' on a certain day? Will he be able to maintain effectiveness over 30-ish starts, when division rivals are likely to see him multiple times? Graphic via @TJStats Meet the ‘new’ pitch, which is really an old pitch. Yesavage threw a low-80s 12-6 curveball in college, but since his three main pitches were so polished, it was a clear fourth pitch for him. Shape-wise, the curveball had little depth, with -7 inches of induced vertical break, and once again broke to the arm side. Baseball America gave the pitch a 45 FV grade, and with his limited usage of it in college, Yesavage wasn’t able to get a good enough feel for it to throw it in professional baseball. However, this didn’t mean that he completely left the curveball to rot. In August 2024, Mitch Bannon (now the Blue Jays beat reporter for The Athletic) reported that Yesavage was tinkering with a cutter and a curveball that he wanted to add prior to the 2025 season. This offseason, Yesavage has done more of the same, talking about adding a new pitch. Specifically, he mentioned bringing the curveball back to his arsenal in a recent interview with Jays reporters. The 22-year-old said that he “would love something that moves glove side.” So, what would this curveball look like for Yesavage? Given the uniqueness of his release point, it’s difficult to imagine how exactly a curve would look shape-wise, but a key to it being an effective pitch for Yesavage will be depth and movement to the glove side. Yesavage’s delivery allows him to be very behind the baseball when he throws his fastball, leading to the fifth highest active spin for four-seamers in 2025. This, however, creates an issue when he’s throwing his breaking balls, as not having cut-ride characteristics makes it difficult for Yesavage to supinate and get the glove side movement that pitchers like Justin Verlander and Nick Pivetta do. Both are high arm angle pitchers with high release points. Verlander and Pivetta were the only two pitchers in 2025 with an average release height of at least 6.8 feet that threw at least 100 curveballs at that release height, but Yesavage would find it difficult to replicate the shape of their breaking balls due to how efficient his four-seamer is. Verlander and Pivetta both have curveballs with at least 7 inches of glove side movement as well as over -12 inches of induced vertical break, which is a different beast compared to Yesavage's college curveball shape. There is a pitcher who has a similar profile to Yesavage, with a curveball that might be more similar to one Yesavage should be able to throw, and that is Bradley Blalock, recently traded from the Rockies to the Marlins. Another north-south pitcher with a high arm angle, Blalock has seen tough results due to pitching in Colorado. Yet, similar to Yesavage, he has > 99% active spin on his four-seamer, making it more difficult to supinate and get significant glove-side break. Blalock’s shapes were depressed by pitching in Coors, but on the road, he was able to get 1.4 inches of glove side movement and -11.3 inches of vertical break in 2025. Similar to Yesavage's in college, Blalock’s curveball sat in the low 80s as well. It’s weird looking at a pitcher with a 9.31 ERA and 7.31 FIP as someone Yesavage should replicate, but given the limitations of Yesavage's delivery, it’s difficult to find a shape that would work for him without changing what he’s best at. Here’s how his movement profile will look with a curveball similar to Blalock’s: Adding a curveball with this shape will help Yesavage perform much better against right-handed hitters. Although his slider and splitter were both effective, he performed much better against lefties than righties in 2025, with a 20.0 K-BB% against lefties compared to just a 7.4 K-BB% against same-handed hitters. A curveball that moves even slightly to the glove side will prevent hitters from knowing that all his pitches move to the arm side, and it should add an extra split-second to their decision-making process. Although Yesavage's funky delivery should help suppress familiarity, adding a fourth solid pitch will also make third time through the order penalties less severe and give him more options in pitch sequencing. The curveball is something that Yesavage has been tinkering with for years, however, and even if he can get its shape to a point where it will enhance his arsenal, he’ll still have to learn how to command it and get a feel for it. If he’s able to do that successfully, he'll have added another weapon to a devastating arsenal. View the full article