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Seven Minnesota Twins are competing in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, including Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Pablo Lopez, Luis Quinones, Dan Altavilla, and Matt Bowman. Here's a guide covering who's competing and the countries they're representing! View the full article

Jack and Spencer react to the Brewers trading Caleb Durbin, Anthony Seigler, and Andruw Monasterio to the Red Sox for more pitching depth (Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, Shane Drohan), where it leaves their roster, and where they should go from here. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

Before acquiring Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler, and a comp B pick, the Boston Red Sox had their sights set on a different player to fill their infield needs. Sean McAdam of MassLive wrote the following: "With Marte off the market, the Red Sox, according to an industry source, took several tries at obtaining Zach Neto from the Los Angeles Angels". He added that "Neto could have moved [off shortstop] to either second or third for the time being until Trevor Story’s deal was up." However, the Halos "set a very high bar" to acquire Neto. Neto, 25, played 128 games in 2025, carrying a .793 OPS with 26 home runs and swiping 26 bags. In two plus years in the big leagues, Neto has now posted a 115 wRC+ or better in back-to-back seasons. However, his -6 Outs Above Average indicates that shortstop may not be his best position long term, but that the hot corner or keystone, in fact, are better defensive spots for the righty. Do you think the Red Sox made the right move in acquiring Durbin instead of giving up what it took for Neto? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

When it comes to evaluating catching defense, it can be a polarizing subject among baseball fans. Is a good catcher someone who can throw down runners and prevent stolen bases? Is it someone who can block balls and prevent wild pitches and passed balls? Or is it a player who can frame effectively and steal extra strikes? According to Statcast, all three aspects are important to effective catcher defense and can be properly measured via appropriate metrics. When it comes to measurable catcher defensive metrics, Baseball Savant has four categories: Catcher Blocking Catcher Framing Catcher Pop Time Catcher Throwing Catcher pop time and throwing can be lumped together effectively. Both present important information when it comes to the speed of a catcher throwing the ball to the infielder (pop time) and how accurate their throws are (throwing). Thus, one part of this series will examine both pop time and throwing metrics and how they work together to help a catcher limit runners on the basepaths. However, part one of this post will focus on the metrics of a basic catching skill: blocking. It's something Little League catchers are first taught when they put on the catcher's gear. If a catcher can't block effectively, they won't last long at the position. Thus, I will take a look at catcher blocking metrics via Statcast, what they measure, who the top blocking catchers are in the league, and how Royals catchers fared in 2025. Lastly, I will predict the Royals' catchers' outlook in these categories based on these blocking metrics. What are the types of blocking metrics? When it comes to blocking metrics on Statcast, the most important metric is blocks above average. This metric shows how well a catcher prevents passed balls and wild pitches. The fewer balls that get by a catcher, the better they typically are when it comes to blocking and defense in this category. Here's a breakdown of how Statcast calculates blocks above average. Based on this definition, blocks above average don't just reward blocking easy pitches; they also reward blocking difficult ones, and to a greater scale. Because blocking requires good instincts and athleticism, the more talented and agile catchers cannot only make the routine blocks but also the ones that save pitchers' butts (especially the wild ones with lackluster control). Therefore, the younger or less experienced a pitching staff is, the more important it is to have a strong blocking catcher. Who were the best blocking catchers last year? I imported the blocking data from Statcast into Datawrapper. The only Statcast section I omitted was the difficulty of opportunities. The blocks above average, based on difficulty, seemed to adequately display which catchers were better at blocking the different types of pitches. Here's what the ranking of qualified catchers from last season looked like, as organized by blocks above average. The top five catchers in terms of blocking, based on blocks above average, were Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays), Danny Jansen (Rays and Brewers), Tyler Stephenson (Reds), Dillon Dingler (Tigers), and Sean Murphy (Braves). All five of those catchers have blocks above average marks of eight or higher. On the flip side, the worst five catchers included Connor Wong (Red Sox), Kyle Teel (White Sox), Martin Maldonado (Padres), Salvador Perez (Royals), and Agustin Ramirez (Marlins). Kansas City's own Perez had the second-worst blocks above average in baseball last season, with a -15 mark. Only Ramirez was worse, with a -28 mark (nearly double Perez's total). Perez has a solid defensive history in his career. He is a five-time Gold Glove winner, with his most recent coming in 2018. Unfortunately, in terms of blocking metrics, the Royals captain was among the worst in baseball last season. It's unlikely his blocking will improve much in 2026, especially since he will be 36 in May. How did Royals catchers fare in blocking metrics? When it came to organizing Royals catchers, I kept the threshold low (1 minimum pitch) so I could see how all the Kansas City catchers did last year, regardless of sample size. Perez obviously showcased rough skills behind the plate when it came to preventing passed balls and wild pitches. However, was it a similar situation for others behind the plate in Kansas City? Here's a look at how the four Royals catchers (Perez, Luke Maile, Freddy Fermin, and Carter Jensen) did last year in blocking metrics via Statcast. I did keep the Opportunity% numbers in this table (unlike the league-wide one), as I felt it was necessary given the wide range of sample sizes. Looking at the metrics, Fermin excelled most at blocking the ball. Not only did he lead all Royals catchers in BAA/Game (0.06), but he also had a 3 BAA, 1 BAA on medium pitches, and 1 BAA on hard pitches. He was the only Kansas City catcher with positive marks in those three categories. Maile was behind Fermin and ranked second in blocking metrics among Royals catchers. However, he still produced a negative value in this defensive category. He had a -2 BAA, a -0.12 BAA/Game, a 0 BAA on medium pitches, and a -1 BAA on hard pitches. He also had a negative value on easy pitches as well (-1 BAA). The biggest surprise of the group was Jensen, who actually rated worse than Perez in BA/Game with a -0.38 mark, 0.20 points worse than the Royals captain. His BAA of -2 matched Maile's mark despite seeing 317 fewer pitches. He also had the lowest easy opportunity% of the bunch, meaning he saw a higher percentage of medium- to hard-opportunity% pitches than the other three. That said, he also had the smallest sample, so it's likely that the easy percentage would have gone up had he seen more pitches behind the plate. Regardless, while the sample size is small, the blocking metrics indicate that Jensen still has some work to do in this defensive category at the Major League level, especially in 2026. What is the blocking outlook for Royals catchers in 2026? Perez certainly isn't a good blocking catcher. However, the same can be said for Jensen, who was even worse than Perez, though the sample was a sliver of Perez's in 2025. To be frank, some of that is to be expected, especially since this was Jensen's first professional exposure not only to the big leagues but also to the Royals' pitching staff in a competitive environment. On a positive note, Jensen has demonstrated progress in blocking in the Minors. That is evident in his passed ball numbers from 2023 to 2025, which span from High-A Quad Cities to Triple-A Omaha. Let's break down his passed-ball metrics from each season and level. 2023 (High-A): 68 games, 593.2 innings at C, 16 PB, and 0.24 PB/G 2024 (High-A): 47 games, 406 innings at C, 4 PB, and 0.09 PB/G 2024 (Double-A): 26 games, 226.1 innings at C, 6 PB, and 0.23 PB/G 2025 (Double-A): 44 games, 393 innings at C, 3 PB, and 0.07 PB/G 2025 (Triple-A): 33 games, 274 innings at C, 4 PB, and 0.12 PB/G For context, let's take a look at Jensen's trend in PB/G from that 2023 to 2025 period in the Minor Leagues, via Datawrapper. An encouraging trend is that Jensen has bounced back in minimizing passed balls in his repeat of a level the following season. He improved by 15 points in High-A from 2023 to 2024. He improved by 16 points from 2024 to 2025 in Double-A. An encouraging part of his trend was that, while he had some regression in Omaha, he kept it below 0.20 (unlike his first stints in High-A and Double-A in 2023 and 2024, respectively). Thus, while Jensen has some work to do, he will have plenty of time to improve his blocking skills during Spring Training in Surprise, Arizona. Thus, he should see some improved blocking metrics at the MLB level as a result, especially as he gets a bigger sample of innings behind the plate for the Royals in 2026. How much will that improvement be? That is yet to be determined, especially since his sample was so small in 2025. However, Royals fans shouldn't discredit Jensen's blocking outlook because of his rough debut in this defensive category. View the full article

Caleb Durbin’s long-term future with the Brewers was likely to be a supporting role, rather than a multi-year residency as the starting third baseman. While his 105 wRC+ and 2.6 fWAR as a rookie demonstrated his high floor, Durbin was unlikely to improve upon that production. His hard-hit rate, barrel rate, and expected wOBA on contact were all in the bottom 4 percent of big-league hitters. As a short player without much power, he has already maxed out his abilities. Given that low ceiling, Durbin was likely to become replaceable sooner, rather than later. Surprisingly, the Brewers feel they can replace him now. On Monday, they dealt him to the Boston Red Sox (with Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler, and their competitive balance round B pick in the 2026 Draft) for left-handers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan and infielder David Hamilton. With pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training this week, the deal leaves the roster in an odd place. The Brewers now have even more bodies in what was already a crowded rotation picture, and the three players who combined for 85% of last year’s innings at third base are gone. For that matter, Vinny Capra and Oliver Dunn are gone, too. They combined for just over 200 innings at the position last year. The rotation additions might seem redundant, but the Brewers don’t view them that way. Acquiring even more controllable starters remained enticing to them after they traded away Freddy Peralta last month. While Peralta’s 65 ERA- last year was seventh among qualified starters, replacing his volume will be the greater challenge. He started at least 30 games in each of his last three seasons in Milwaukee, including 33 in 2025. That kind of durability has become increasingly rare in modern baseball, where frequent arm injuries limit availability and starters work fewer innings even when healthy. The Brewers will need a collection of arms to backfill Peralta’s innings. “It’s no longer just the five-man rotation where every guy’s going to give you five innings anymore,” president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said on Monday morning. “It’s a combination of your entire staff.” The Brewers have seen firsthand how quickly injuries can chew through a depth chart. A slew of spring training ailments contributed to a pair of season-opening blowouts in New York and left Elvin Rodríguez starting their home opener. Excluding openers, Milwaukee used 14 different starting pitchers last season and 13 the year before. “We know we’re going to have injuries,” Arnold said. “You guys saw what we were dealing with at the start of last year, when not everybody’s 100%. That’s going to happen again, and we know that. But having a number of guys here, like Harrison and Drohan, really does raise the floor for us.” While there’s no such thing as having too much pitching, the Brewers are testing how much pitching is the best use of a team’s resources—and how many starters they can realistically develop in that role at once. Milwaukee’s 40-man roster currently contains as many as 15 potential starters, although Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, and Ángel Zerpa could remain relievers after the additions of Harrison, Drohan, and Brandon Sproat. With another crop of prospects (Tate Kuehner, Brett Wichrowski, and K.C. Hunt) progressing to the upper minors, finding consistent starts for nearly 20 pitchers between the majors and Triple-A Nashville could get tricky. Meanwhile, the left side of the infield is unclear. After acquiring Jett Williams in the Peralta deal and Hamilton (Monasterio’s likely replacement) for Durbin, the Brewers have enough players to man the dirt, but only Joey Ortiz has experience at third base. Arnold also pointed toward infield prospects like Jesus Made, Cooper Pratt, and Andrew Fischer, each of whom is carving a rapid path toward the big leagues. “There’s just a lot of these types of guys coming in our system that we feel can absolutely handle the left side of the infield and have really high upside,” Arnold said. “And so we feel like we have the ingredients now to weather the loss of somebody like Caleb Durbin.” Still, as things currently stand, the Brewers will have to fill third base with an infielder who does not profile well at the position. They could use their rotation depth to trade for a more proven option, such as Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes or Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams. Ramón Urías, Enrique Hernández, and Jose Iglesias are among the lower-cost free agents still available. They could decide against further additions, though. Paredes would supply the power the Brewers need, but he lacks the speed, defense, and versatility they usually prioritize. Those veteran free agents are not clearly better than their internal options. Furthermore, reporting from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel suggests that the Brewers’ stated confidence in their current infield is genuine, not just posturing for trade talks. Arnold said the Brewers remain open to outside acquisitions, but if the current mix holds, they will use spring training to test different arrangements and determine the best one. “We’re not really married to any one particular permutation of the infield here,” he said. “I think there are a number of different ways we could sort this out.” One option is handing third base to Williams. At 5-foot-7 and with a suspect throwing arm, the 22-year-old profiles best at second base or in center field. Durbin is, notably, the same height and had the same defensive concerns as a prospect, but Matt Erickson successfully converted him to a capable third baseman last year. Arnold confirmed that Williams will receive reps at third this spring, along with shortstop, second base, and outfield. The Brewers are also open to trying Ortiz (who could slide back to third) and Brice Turang (a former shortstop) at other positions, based on how Williams or other players look defensively. “We want to put him in a position to succeed, because he hasn’t played third base yet,” Arnold said of Williams. “But he certainly has the ingredients to do so. So we’re going to give him some reps there, along with other guys as well.” The Brewers either have another move in the hopper that will tie their infield together, or they’re taking a pair of calculated gambles. There’s a world in which injuries make nearly 20 starters the right number to fill innings, while some combination of Ortiz, Williams, and Pratt provides solid production at shortstop and third base. There’s another in which the Brewers don’t have enough innings for their myriad arms, as the left side of their infield struggles. View the full article

Last year around this time, Twins fans were buzzing about the team's bullpen outlook. With Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax leading a deep unit, Minnesota was projected to have the highest fWAR in baseball from relief pitchers – one of the big reasons for optimism surrounding the 2025 club. In some respects, the bullpen was living up to this billing through midseason. At the point that they traded everyone away last July, the Twins did indeed rank first in the American League in fWAR at the position. And yet, the team was well below .500 and fading from relevance, largely because – for all the strong underlying stats and indicators – Twins relievers weren't making the desired impact. They ranked fourth in FIP but 23rd in ERA and 25th in WPA. The talent and ability across the relief corps were plain to see, but these pitchers were lapsing too often when it mattered most. It proved costly. So it goes with bullpens. We're talking about small samples and situational outcomes. Sometimes a good group of relievers amounts to sub-par effectiveness overall. The Twins are hoping for the opposite this year: a bullpen that is greater than the sum of its parts. Some of the outside factors have changed. There's a new bullpen coach leading the crew in LaTroy Hawkins, and a new manager determining usage in Derek Shelton. Other factors will likely remain constant: these relievers will be protecting slim leads (if that) and the defense behind them is not going to be very good. Despite parting with their three best relievers, and not replacing them with anyone on remotely the same tier, the Twins still have some intriguing arms in the mix and a track record for successful reliever development under Pete Maki. They have significantly less proven quality to work with than in the past, and the pressure will be high under Tom Pohlad's "be competitive" edict. For the Twins bullpen to hold its own, they need most, if not all, of the following things to happen. At least one more impact arm joins the fold There's no one left in free agency that's going to provide a slam-dunk upgrade at this point, but there are at least a few wild-cards offering the upside to be a real difference-maker if things break right. Michael Kopech is the standout name, but Shelby Miller and José Leclerc are other examples of veteran free agents who've been dominant at times. Trades are also still an option. The hope here would be to catch lightning in a bottle, if even for a temporary spell, until others break through later in the season. I'm reminded of how Brandon Kintzler sprung up as an out-of-nowhere All-Star closer in 2017, helping that team shock the baseball world coming off a 103-loss campaign. Cole Sands recaptures his 2024 form It's clear that the Twins are really counting on this. The only remaining holdover from the previous late-inning relief mix was one of its top performers in 2024, posting a 3.28 ERA and 85-to-12 K/BB ratio in 71 innings. He took a step backward last year, but the peripherals weren't as bad as the ERA and the stuff still looked pretty good for the most part. Sands in 2024 showed the profile of a credible relief ace. Last year he was barely good enough to trust in the sixth inning. In order to have a shot at competence this year, Minnesota's bullpen needs him to gravitate back toward his previous breakthrough form. Taylor Rogers and Justin Topa are extremely reliable These aren't ceiling-raisers but they can bring a needed level of sturdiness and steadiness to the table. Both in their mid-30s, Rogers and Topa aren't going to blow anyone away. You don't want them facing the opposing lineup's biggest threats in the highest leverage. But they've been around the block, they're crafty and they've both been perfectly solid in terms of recent results. Since 2023, Rogers has a 3.16 ERA in 162 innings and Topa's at 3.15 in 131 innings. Continue to operate at that level and these seasoned hurlers will play key roles in stabilizing the pen with experience. Surprising depth emerges What really worries me about the Twins bullpen is the depth. You take the three guys mentioned above, plus Eric Orze, plus hopefully one more decent addition, and you've got the potential makings of an okay unit. But as we know, people are going to get hurt. Probably in spring training. And then you start digging into the thin layers of depth left behind from the deadline purge. It's not just downgrading from, say, Jax to Topa in the eighth inning that hurts you. It's the corresponding downgrades for the fourth and fifth right-handers in the bullpen, where Topa used to slot. And it's the guys who are stepping into those spots if anyone above them goes on the injured list. As things stand we are dangerously close to seeing a large amount of innings go to the likes of Travis Adams, Marco Raya, etc. They Twins are going to need some unexpected and largely unknowns to step up and hold their own. This is where their self-belief will really be put to the test. Keep a close eye on the non-roster invites this spring to see who might establish themselves atop the reinforcement ranks. Prospects and converted starters quickly break through Ultimately, this will make or break the 2026 Twins bullpen. There's no two ways around it. It's clear that the team's plan is to transition some of their many starting prospects into relief roles, mirroring the approach that yielded Jax, Sands, Louie Varland and others. But who specifically will they push down this path, and how quickly will it pay dividends, if at all? The Twins have enough MLB-ready pitching outside of their Big 3 vets to instill some level of confidence, but they've got work to do in determining how it will all shake out. It's great to say, in theory, that a few arms out of a group that includes Simeon Woods Richardson, Taj Bradley, Zebby Matthews, David Festa and Mick Abel will develop into effective bullpen arms, but putting that plan into practice is another story. You've got to get the players on board, you've got to accept the trade-offs in terms of SP depth, and you've got to make the switch actually click. It's not difficult for me to envision, say, Matthews and Festa offsetting a considerable amount of the dominance lost in relievers like Jax and Duran. Will it actually happen, and how long will it take? This question, more than any other, will dictate the upside of the Twins' relief corps in 2026. What am I missing? What else needs to play out this year for the Twins to find surprising bullpen success? Or is it a moot point given the personnel and timelines at hand? I'd love to hear from you in the comments. View the full article

The Miami Marlins have a clearer idea of what their starting rotation will look like after striking a one-year ,$4M deal with Chris Paddack on Monday. Drafted by the Fish in 2015, Paddack has seven seasons of MLB experience, but it's been a bumpy road for him. After a relatively successful yet injury-riddled first three seasons with the Padres, he never regained his footing. Last season between the Tigers and Twins, Paddack had a 5.35 ERA and 5.03 FIP through 158 innings. Not ideal outcomes. The Marlins are making this move with the expectation of extracting more value out of his Paddack than his most recent teams did. How could they do that? Let's begin with what Paddack does well. He limits walks and, if healthy, can eat innings for the Marlins. Paddack was tied for 10th in all of baseball with a 5.5% walk rate (min. 150 IP). Paddack's four-seam fastball is metrically appealing as well, combining Paddack's seven feet of extension with efficient spin, high induced vertical break, and good command at the top of the zone. The issue is, Paddack has no reliable secondary offering and that leaves him too reliant on his fastball. Even with good fastball data, the pitch's velocity is ordinary at 93.7 mph, leaving it vulnerable to damage, especially when hitters anticipate it coming. bGJlQlJfWGw0TUFRPT1fVXdJRkJnWUNYZ0VBQUFCWFV3QUhVRkJmQUFNRlZnUUFWbFlFQkFZRVVBWUhWRkJm.mp4 The Marlins ought to work on the rest of Paddack's arsenal to keep opponents off balance. Paddack's changeup was his second-most-used pitch last season. The pitch has graded out well per FanGraphs' stuff model in years past, although it was a below-average pitch in 2025. The changeup is commanded very well and generated a lot of chase compared to the MLB league average with a 42.6% O-Swing. With that being said, it was hit hard when catching too much of the zone. Adding more depth on the pitch or tweaking its location could make a big difference. MTZxbjNfWGw0TUFRPT1fQmdaU1Vsd0hYMUFBWGdGV0F3QUhCUThBQUFNRVcxRUFVRlVGQndzQ0NGWUdBZ1FD.mp4 Paddack also has a large, droopy curveball that he uses to steal called strikes. Overall, though, it is not very useful. The usage of his slider went down from 2024 to 2025. I believe the Marlins should reverse that trend and look to expand on this pitch, modifying it into a sweeper, as they've done with other arms. It could be effective against righties and fit into the east-west approach that he has tried adopting recently. Because Paddack naturally spins the ball well, he most likely will never develop an above-average sinker, but that does not mean he cannot use the pitch effectively. His sinker limited damage in 2025, which is a plus, but induced a ton of contact (90%) and was hit for line drives often. I predict that the Marlins will encourage him to continue using it vs. righties so that they aren't always sitting on his four-seam. ZFh6QllfWGw0TUFRPT1fVWdkU0IxSldYd1VBQVFjRFZRQUhBZzlXQUZsVFZ3QUFBUVFCVmdVTlZGWlRVd1Jl.mp4 Lastly, the cutter was poor and not commanded well in 2025. Paddack simply may not have a "feel" for that pitch. Just eating a similar amount of innings as he did last year would make Paddack useful to the Marlins. But in order to feel genuinely satisfied with their investment and get 1 WAR of production out of him, they'll have to tweak his pitch usage and sequencing. View the full article

Buck Martinez has epitomized Blue Jays baseball for close to four decades. His steady and warm presence has perhaps eclipsed the likes of Tom Cheek, Jerry Howarth, Don Chevrier and Dan Shulman, especially for younger fans. He has been catcher and captain in the broadcast booth; player and manager on the field; confidant and teacher, a living bridge between expansion growing pains, pennant chases and modern playoff rushes. In the simplest terms, he has been a Blue Jay, on the field, on the top step and right beside us in the stands (in our headsets). To explain what Buck Martinez means to the Blue Jays is to chart a timeline in a sport that constantly reinvents itself. He arrived in Toronto via trade as a veteran catcher in 1981, appearing in six seasons as a player. His move behind the microphone was somewhat related to his infamous broken leg that he sustained while turning a double play in 1985. The time off to rehab led him to reflect on what he wanted to do after his playing career, and once he retired in 1986, he entered broadcasting. Since then, he has been a consistent presence in the broadcast booth, with the only exceptions being the year and a half when he managed the team from 2001-02, and the time he took off in 2022 and '25 while undergoing cancer treatment. Of course, Jays fans have had to share Martinez with the rest of baseball. He spent some time working for the Baltimore Orioles and worked on and off with ESPN. Whether you were a fan of early Buck and Dan Shulman or Buck and Pat Tabler or the most recent version of Buck and Dan, you know that Buck knows baseball. Apart from playing the game as a catcher in the majors for 17 years, Martinez has called well over 4,000 games. For comparison's sake, legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully called over 9,000 games during his 67-year career. Tom Cheek called 4,306 consecutive regular-season games and 411 playoff games from 1977 until 2004. Some have described Martinez's style as the inner narrative of a catcher’s mind, shaped by thousands of pitch calls, by collisions at the plate, by relationships with pitchers and umpires, by the daily habit of seeing the entire field at once. That is what he brought to each and every broadcast. There are countless photos of him leaning on the cage during batting practice, connecting with players and coaches. His connections within the organization and across MLB run deep. Clearly a student of the game, his broadcast colleagues have described his dedication to the craft as unparalleled. Somewhere between his catchphrases of “a swing and a drive!” and “get up, ball!” a particular Buck cadence formed, equal parts technical and theatrical, as familiar as the exterior stadium shot before first pitch. When he became the Blue Jays’ skipper in 2001, he brought that same blend of clarity and conviction. His combined record of 100–115 won't put him in the conversation with great managers like Bobby Cox, Cito Gaston or even John Gibbons, but his brief managerial tenure was yet another way that he was inextricably linked to this franchise from every angle. It speaks to his willingness to step where the team needed him. When Martinez stepped away from the booth in 2022 for health reasons, he was missed. On July 26 of that year, he returned to an ovation that felt like a reunion. It wasn’t just the fans that responded, but the players, who tipped their caps from the field. Last week, he and Sportsnet announced his retirement. He mentioned in his farewell letter, posted on social media, that he really wanted to be a part of this 50th season for the Jays, but after careful consideration with his family, it felt like the right time to step away. The numbers speak for themselves – nearly 40 years in the booth, more than 4,000 games called, two Sports Emmys – but only tell one side of the story. Buck is the TV voice of the Blue Jays, just like Hall of Fame announcer Tom Cheek was to the team’s radio broadcasts. What does Buck Martinez mean to this franchise? He means continuity. A club that moved through front office overhauls and bursts of reinvention never lost the thread that connected new rosters to old ones. If there is poetry in baseball, it is often unplanned. A flare drops in. A slider doesn’t. A voice ages with an audience, and without anyone scheduling it, the voice becomes the sport’s local idiom. “A hit and a drive” feels like a title built for Buck because it captures the old and the new at once. Martinez was there when the Jays were figuring out who they were and still there when they once more demanded the country’s full attention in the postseason. He did it with humility, preparation, resilience and the conviction that a team is bigger than the man describing it. Soon, a new voice will anchor the summer. It will be informative and educational in its own way, and it will earn trust over time, because that’s the only way it can be earned. But for anyone who found their fandom with Martinez in their ear, through TSN and Sportsnet, through grand slams that bent the night, through quiet innings that carried a city home, there will always be a frequency you can tune to without a device. It lives in memory, in the way you hear certain at‑bats before you see them, in the way a familiar phrase can prompt you to look up and find that a fly ball is going farther than you thought. Perhaps it’s fitting that in the team’s 50th season, they will welcome a new voice (probably Joe Siddall) to the broadcast booth. At the same time, we can celebrate an old voice that will forever be part of the Blue Jays' broadcast tapestry. View the full article

The World Baseball Classic starts in less than a month, and the Boston Red Sox are going to be incredibly well represented across multiple countries. Fourteen members of the organization will be playing for ten different teams, all vying to capture the WBC Title on March 17. While this will cut into their time with the club in spring training, the experience gained throughout the WBC should be instrumental in the further development of the young talent in the organization. Let’s take a look at which members of the Red Sox are playing in the WBC this year. Team USA: Garrett Whitlock, RHP Whitlock is hoping to help anchor the back of Team USA’s bullpen, much like he did for the Red Sox in 2025. He should prove to be an instrumental part of the bullpen throughout the tournament. While the closing duties will likely be handled by Mason Miller, Whitlock should be penciled in as a late-inning specialist that bridges to the lights out closer, a role he’s incredibly comfortable with after spending last season doing the same for Aroldis Chapman. Team USA has finally fielded an absolute juggernaut of a team and should be on the short list of favorites to win the entire WBC. Team Dominican Republic: Brayan Bello, RHP Bello joins an absolutely stacked roster for the Dominican Republic this year and hopes to help make a name for himself behind other starters such as Sandy Alcantara and Cristopher Sanchez during his time playing in the WBC. As we know, Bello is a ground-ball specialist and will be pitching in front of a defensive-minded team representing the Dominican, so he has a chance to really shine as the tournament gets underway in March. Should that happen, watch for Bello to take another step forward during the actual season with the Red Sox to help solidify him as a building block moving forward. Team Japan: Masataka Yoshida, OF/DH Masa rejoins Samurai Japan in 2026 to help them achieve their goal of becoming back-to-back WBC Champions. He was a late addition to their roster but comes with the pedigree of being one of the best players in Japan’s WBC history. The biggest pause for concern with Yoshida and the WBC, though, is that the last time he competed in it, he ran out of gas about halfway through his first big league season. Hopefully having a few more years of experience under his belt will help to keep him from the same fate in 2026. Much like the United States and the Dominican Republic above, Samurai Japan employ a deep roster of talent and are expected to be competing for the WBC Title. Team Venezuela: Wilyer Abreu, OF; Willson Contreras, 1B; Ranger Suarez, LHP Team Venezuela has the largest group of Sox players competing together during the tournament, so there should be ample opportunity for the new teammates to get to know one another while they are together. Abreu will look to continue his defensive dominance in the outfield, Contreras will be hoping to showcase that his first full season at first base wasn’t a fluke defensively, and Suarez will get a chance to get tuned up well before the MLB season starts. Team Great Britain: Jack Anderson, RHP; Nate Eaton, UTIL Both of the remaining Red Sox players for Great Britain are likely won’t see a ton of playing time, but Eaton figures to get into games as a pinch-running threat and a steady defensive sub when needed at multiple spots across the field. It’s unfortunate that Aroldis Chapman will no longer be suiting up for Great Britain this year, as watching him come in and close games in March would have been incredibly fun. Team Mexico: Jarren Duran, OF Duran is likely looking to put the stench of his 2023 WBC appearance behind him. He barely saw any playing time with Team Mexico and, in turn, was ridiculed for choosing to participate in the tournament instead of spending time in big league spring training. What followed was an abysmal season for Duran that left many questioning where his future in the organization was headed. He turned things around in 2024 and 2025 though, and he’s looking to make a huge impact for Mexico this time around. Team Columbia: Tayron Guerrero, RHP Guerrero was signed in January to a minor-league deal with the Red Sox after spending the last few seasons in the NPB with the Chiba Lotte Marines. He’s a hard-throwing right-handed reliever who is expected to compete for a spot in the major-league bullpen once he returns from the WBC to spring training. He just turned 35 and hasn’t seen any MLB action since 2019, but he can hit 101mph on occasion, so a good showing for Columbia could bode well for him in Boston. Team Puerto Rico: Jovani Moran, LHP; Eduardo Rivera, LHP Moran figures to head back to the bullpen for the Red Sox once the WBC concludes, where he will be the left-handed specialist in the middle innings. He earned that spot from a late-season call up in 2025 where he performed well and he survived the offseason without being traded or DFA’d, so it stands to reason that he’s penciled into a solid role as we approach the start of spring training. Rivera has made it to Double-A Portland in 2025 and is considered a lefty specialist as well. It’s hard to predict how much play time both will get, especially with Moran being a late addition after an issue with his insurance almost prevented him from competing in the WBC altogether, but good showings from both lefties would help them solidify their spots in the organization this season. Team Netherlands: Ceddanne Rafaela, OF The Gold-Glove-winning center fielder will be roaming the same position for Team Netherlands this year in the WBC. He’s expected to bring high-level defense and his clutch hitting to a Netherlands team that could make a deeper run in the tournament than most fans expect. He’s going to be joining former Red Sox Xander Bogaerts with Team Netherlands. That sentence still makes me sad to type. Rafaela should thrive under the bright lights of the WBC and the hope, much like Yoshida above, is that the physical toll of playing in the tournament doesn’t wear him out as the regular season drags through the dog days of summer. Team Italy: Greg Weissert, RHP The sneaky reliever for the Red Sox is joining team Italy this year and looks to establish himself as the go-to right hander behind Whitlock in the Sox’s bullpen when he returns to spring training. While Italy isn’t a world beater by any means, Weissert getting live game reps against elite talent from across the world will likely set him up to be a trusty hand in the middle innings as the season gets underway. The Red Sox are going to be using a lot of minor-league talent during the month of March while the World Baseball Classic is going on, but the team will be well represented through multiple different countries. Be sure to tune in on March 5 when pool play begins to support your Red Sox representatives! View the full article

MIAMI—Josh White is coming off of a dominant season, posting a 1.86 ERA, 1.65 FIP, 14.23 K/9 and 3.06 BB/9 in 67 ⅔ innings between Double-A and Triple-A. The homegrown Miami Marlins reliever was on the mound when the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp clinched the 2025 International League championship. Now, White looks to go into his first big league spring training and potentially break camp with the Fish. "Very excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity," White told Fish On First in an exclusive interview at Friday's Marlins Media Day. "Being in minor league camp for three years is definitely exciting. I backed up a game last year. I was around (the big league side) a little bit, but everything is new here." White, 25, missed the original phone call informing him that he was selected to the 40-man roster because he was working out. It wasn't until a couple minutes later that he called them back and received the news from Marlins director of player development Rachel Balkovec and director of minor league operations Hector Crespo. "I called them right back, talked to Rachel and Hector, so it was a good call and it made my day for sure," White said. In Pensacola, White had a 1.27 ERA and 1.03 FIP in 28 ⅓ innings pitched, striking out 15.88 batters per nine. In Jacksonville, although the ERA (2.29) and FIP (2.10) ticked up, he was walking fewer guys (2.52 BB/9) than he had in AA. Prior to 2025, his MiLB career averages were a 3.52 ERA, 3.94 FIP and 4.44 BB/9. White attributes the breakout year to "just knowing what my strengths are and utilizing that, going after guys directly at all times in the count and then just trying to rack up punchouts as I can." One of the nastiest pitches in the Marlins organization is White's curveball, which generated a 59% whiff rate last season and was given a 65 grade by Baseball America. "It comes out of my slot and I am able to throw it hard," he said. "The harder it is, the less loopy it gets, the less it pops. It plays off the fastball well." White has also developed a 60-grade slider, which helps him neutralize left-handed batters. "The slider was a new add this year that was definitely refined through (Jerad) Eickhoff in Double-A and then (Robbie) Marcello in Triple-A." Marcello has since been promoted to Marlins assistant pitching coach. "I texted him right when I found out. Super happy for the guy. We worked well together last year and exciting to keep working with him here." History says that White will probably head back to Jacksonville following spring training. The last reliever with zero MLB service time to break camp and make the Marlins Opening Day roster was Zach Pop in 2021, who was under Rule 5 draft pick restrictions. But with nothing left to prove against MiLB competition and the Fish attacking 2026 with a sense of "urgency," in the words of manager Clayton McCullough, maybe White could force the issue and earn a spot right away. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox took a swing. After losing former third basemen in Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman over the last ten months, enter Caleb Durbin and the rest of the Milwaukee Brewers' third base depth chart. In this video, we analyze the acquisitions of Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox took a swing. After losing former third basemen in Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman over the last ten months, enter Caleb Durbin and the rest of the Milwaukee Brewers' third base depth chart. In this video, we analyze the acquisitions of Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler. View the full article

With Monday's surprising trade of Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers created a big question just days before spring training officially gets going: Who plays third base Opening Day? There are some internal options, but they fall into two categories: underwhelming, and not quite ready for prime time. Rather than accept one of those imperfect solutions, they could go out and find someone to play the hot corner via trade or free agency. As a reminder of what Durbin contributed in 2025, he finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting, with a .256/.334/.387 slash line, 11 homers, 53 RBIs, and 18 steals. He was hit by pitches an NL-high 24 times and played pretty good defense. In short (no pun intended), he won't be easy to replace, per se. Let's take a look at who is out there: Isaac Paredes The most expensive of the logical candidates is Isaac Paredes. A right-handed hitter with a bit of punch, Paredes doesn't have a starting role with the Houston Astros following their trade deadline acquisition of Carlos Correa. The Houston infield also includes Jeremy Peña, Jose Altuve and Christian Walker, and the DH spot will go to Yordan Alvarez. Whether it's to the Brewers or not, a Paredes deal is likely. The soon-to-be 27-year-old Paredes is a valuable piece to any club, and has been pursued all offseason. But Paredes also comes with a contract price tag of $9.35 million for 2026, with a $13.35 million club option for 2027. The Astros, always concerned with their proximity to the luxury tax, would love to move on from that contract, but taking on that kind of money in February would be an uncharacteristic move from the Crew. After Houston dealt for him last offseason, the pull-happy Paredes put together a .254/.352/.458 slash line, with 20 homers and 53 RBIs. He's slow and unathletic, and doesn't play great defense at third base. He got a lot of those homers by yanking the ball into the Crawford Boxes down Houston's left-field line, which makes him a suspect fit for Uecker Field. He's the most obviously available third baseman on the market, though, and it's easy to imagine Houston wanting to land some of the excess pitching with which the Brewers find themselves after adding two solid arms in the Durbin deal. CJ Abrams After a report of the San Francisco Giants nearly acquiring Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams last month, the Brewers could step in and take Abrams and put him at third. No, he wouldn't be an option to replace Joey Ortiz at shortstop. Abrams ranked 122nd among all MLB shortstops with -6 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). Moving him off short will be the first order of business for whoever pries him away from the rebuilding Nats. The 25-year-old Abrams is a little more dynamic than Paredes. Last year, he had a slash line of .257/.315/.433 with 19 homers, 60 RBIs and 31 steals, with the power and speed fitting what the Brewers need and seek. That slash line is very close to his career mark of .249/.306/.411, while averaging 19 homers and 63 RBIs over the last three years. He's not a good shortstop, but he could work at third, or the team could shift him to second, move Brice Turang to shortstop, and slide Ortiz to third, after all. Abrams will make $4.2 million in 2026, as he makes his first trip through arbitration. He comes with three years of team control. His 2024 ended early, when the Nationals sent him to the minors after an all-nighter at a Chicago-area casino, but there were no reported issues in 2025. A new front-office regime could simply be looking to move on from Abrams, lowering his price. Enrique "Kiké" Hernández Still recovering from elbow surgery, Enrique Hernández is expected to miss the first two months of the season and is probably a far-fetched option, considering his ties to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hernández is probably best when he is in a platoon situation, instead of a full-time starter at one position, but he does bring positional versatility, able to play anywhere on the infield or outfield. The 34-year-old is less of an offensive threat than others on this list, compiling a .236/.305/.403 career slash line. While 21- and 20-homer seasons (2018, 2021) decorate his baseball card, he's more of a 10- to 12-homer guy now, depending on his playing time. Hernández made $6.5 million last season with the Dodgers and would likely need a similar number not to return to the two-time defending World Series champs—although it's far from clear that they have room for him on their roster. Luis Rengifo A potentially sneaky-good free-agent addition would be Luis Rengifo. The former Los Angeles Angels utility man turns 29 at the end of February and has played seven MLB seasons. In 657 games, Rengifo has 409 appearances at second base, but also 199 at third. His offensive numbers were down in 2025, producing a .238/.287/.335 slash line with 9 homers, 43 RBIs and 10 steals. That came after a combined slash line of .273/.323/.431 from 2022-24, with 39 homers and 133 RBIs. His 2024 ended prematurely due to surgery on his right wrist, limiting him to 78 games. He has some speed to offer, posting a career-best 24 steals in that abbreviated 2024. Rengifo made $5.95 million in his final year of arbitration with the Angels, so he could be signed for something similar for 2026, especially to join a contender like the Brewers. Thairo Estrada Coming off an injury-plagued 2025 in his only season with the Colorado Rockies, Thairo Estrada could be more of an affordable platoon option in free agency, instead of a full-time third baseman. Mostly a second baseman, Estrada has just 13 appearances at third base in 483 MLB games. Estrada was at his peak in 2022 and 2023 with the San Francisco Giants, posting a combined slash line of .266/.319/.408 along with 28 homers, 111 RBIs and 44 RBIs over the two years. His 2025 was cut short by a fractured right wrist, a sprained left thumb, and a hamstring strain that limited him to 39 games. He made $3.25 million with the Rockies and could be had cheaply again, due to his injury-marred 2025. Ramón Urías The older brother of former Crew infielder Luis Urías, Ramón Urías enters his age-32 season having split 2025 with the Baltimore Orioles and Astros. He has played 371 of his 518 games at third base and is a good defender, with 5 DRS in 638 innings at the position. Durbin had 5 DRS at third in 1,060 innings. Urías had a .241/.292/.384 line across the two stops in 2025, with 11 homers and 44 RBIs in 112 games. For his career, his line is .257/.321/.403. He peaked at 16 homers and 48 RBIs in 116 games in 2022, but has never stolen more than three bases in any year. He earned $3.125 million in 2025 and was non-tendered by the Astros as a third-year abitration-eligible guy. Urías would be inexpensive, but feels like more of a platoon option. Whatever else the Brewers have up their sleeve, we should see it materialize soon. If nothing else happens this week, perhaps they're happy to roll the dice with the guys already coming to camp. That, however, feels unlikely, and the players named above are the most obvious options to effectively replace Durbin and keep the NL Central dynasty rolling. View the full article

Craig Breslow seems to love himself a last-minute, big-time addition for spring training. Last season, he agreed to a three-year deal with Alex Bregman after camp was underway. This year, he swung a three-for-three player trade with the Milwaukee Brewers mere hours before pitchers and catchers reported to Fort Myers. In a deal seemingly out of nowhere, Breslow traded LHP Kyle Harrison, LHP Shane Drohan, and INF David Hamilton to the Brew Crew for INF Caleb Durbin, INF Andruw Monasterio, and UTIL Anthony Seigler along with a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick that will fall around No. 67 overall. Arguably the most interesting part of the trade is the Brewers have traded their entire third base depth to Boston in exchange for two mostly unproven pitchers and a utility man who offers little outside of speed on the basepaths. That sounds like an absolute fleece for the Red Sox. Kyle Harrison was the biggest part of the return of the Rafael Devers trade. I’m not going to sit here and rehash that at all — our own @Maddie Landis has done an excellent job breaking down that trade tree here — but there is now only one part of that deal left in the organization, and Jose Bello won’t be sniffing the major leagues any time soon. Shane Drohan was returned to the Red Sox after he failed to stick on the 40-man roster of the White Sox after he was selected in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft. We don’t need to go into detail on Hamilton but we now no longer have to suffer his defensive lapses and his lack of production at the plate. Sure, he could swipe a bag, but his profile became entirely superfluous once Isiah Kiner-Falefa was signed. Diving under the hood on the return to Boston, we see why the Red Sox were eager to make this deal. Durbin finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting last season. He slashed .256/.334/.387 with 11 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. He led the National League in hit by pitches as well, so he’s not afraid to get on base by any means necessary. He was viewed as the third baseman of the future with the Brewers but will likely shift to second base in Boston so Marcelo Mayer can man the hot corner. Now, the team has options as second and third base between that duo plus Kiner-Falefa being able to spell pretty much the entire infield when necessary. What likely made Durbin even more interesting for the Red Sox though, is that he had a PullAir% of 20.4% in 2025. When the team traded for Willson Contreras in December, his 19.8% PullAir% was cited as one of the main reasons he made sense for the team. Now, we have a much younger, more controllable infielder with an even more tantalizing profile in the fold. An interesting winkle here is that Durbin’s home spray chart is tailor made for Fenway Park. He hit seven of his 11 home runs at home last year. If we overlay that chart over Fenway, we add nine additional home runs to his total. He’s not a slugger by any means, but taking aim at the Green Monster will likely add more homers to his overall total and increase the number of doubles, and maybe even triples, that he has season after season. In addition to Durbin, Monasterio and Seigler both profile as utility players. Monasterio played first, second, third, shortstop, and left field in 2025 while handling left-handed pitchers fairly well. He slashed .273/.360/.477 against lefties last season. He can insert into the lineup, along with Romy Gonzalez, against left-handed pitching to give guys like Mayer a break against tough matchups. Seigler can play second, third, and catcher. He slashed .285/.414/.478 in 72 games in Triple-A last season. In one trade, the Red Sox replenished what was considered their weakest position player group. Breslow swung big here, and at least so far, seems to have really taken advantage of the Brewers. The Red Sox have spent the offseason circling around a multitude of different infielders that didn’t make much sense for the construction of the big-league club. With Caleb Durbin though, the team gets a controllable young infielder with a high floor. He also fits the timeline of the current youth movement in the organization and should prove to be a building block in the infield. It’s always tough to correctly say that a team has fleeced the Brewers — just look at the Quinn Priester deal from last season — but this feels like an overwhelming win by the Red Sox. Factor in an additional draft pick that essentially replaced the pick they lost by signing Ranger Suarez, and the team has an incredibly bright future ahead of them. Baseball season is here and the Red Sox look like a team that’s ready to compete for the AL East. View the full article

It's the rumor that will not die. At several points over the last two years, Nico Hoerner's name has become a hot one in trade discussions. In particular, since Alex Bregman signed a five-year deal with the team last month, the Cubs have received calls from several teams about Hoerner. Initially, they were more inclined to retain Hoerner and to trade Matt Shaw, who is under long-term team control and would net a similar return despite being a worse player than Hoerner. However, that might no longer be true. Early this winter, the Seattle Mariners pivoted away from previous pursuits of Hoerner and focused on the Cardinals' Brendan Donovan. The Mariners and Cubs did touch base about Hoerner after the Bregman deal, according to a source familiar with the conversation, but never came close to finding a match. The Giants were more persistently interested in Hoerner, and that interest picked up after the Bregman signing, but the Cubs refused to consider a deal in which they didn't receive top Giants infield prospect Josuar Gonzalez, so the talks fizzled. It seemed as though the market for Hoerner (along with that for Shaw) was beginning to disappear. On Monday, the Red Sox became the latest team who had reached out to Chicago about Hoerner to move on to Plan B, trading for the Brewers' Caleb Durbin instead. However, according to two league sources, there remain a couple of potential suitors for Hoerner, and the Cubs haven't shut down those talks. If they get the right offer, they'll trade the impending free agent, despite the fact that he's a fan favorite and a beloved piece of the clubhouse. That might send a shiver down the spine of some fans, but it's important to emphasize the condition in that conditional statement. The team is not desperately looking to offload salary. They're not eager to push Hoerner out of the way to give Shaw the second base job. They'll only trade Hoerner if they get the right offer. So, naturally, we must attempt to answer the question: What's the right offer? According to sources with knowledge of the team's demands in discussions with the three teams named above and two more, there are three key elements Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins view as essential in any deal that sees them part with their two-time Gold Glover. A useful big-league infielder, at an affordable price. This player would effectively replace Shaw as the backup at second, third and (ideally) shortstop, with Shaw taking over as the starting second baseman. In all likelihood, they'd be a fringe regular better suited to backup work, but with multiple years of team control remaining. A top prospect—probably a pitcher. The Cubs' farm system is thin right now, especially when it comes to hurlers. Adding an arm who can have a significant impact on the 2027-31 Cubs remains on the team's wish list as spring training gets underway. This would be one way to acquire that kind of pitcher, and although it would come with significant risk, they understand that they'll eventually have to take that kind of chance, anyway. Pitching help for 2026, in one form or another. If Chicago becomes more optimistic than they are right now about signing Zac Gallen, they might be more open to trading Hoerner for a package that focuses on the first two of the above elements. Spending another $15 million or more for 2026 might have to mean trading some salary, so in that scenario, Hoerner's $12 million could become the budgetary casualty that paves the way for a final pitching boost. Alternatively, though, the team could target an optionable or versatile pitcher on the trade partner's roster and achieve a similar, more direct upgrade to the pitching staff in the deal. That's a rich ransom, for a player who can become a free agent at the end of the 2026 World Series. So far, the Cubs haven't gotten a sufficiently appealing offer that checks each box. Most teams are willing to satisfy items 1 and 3, but reluctant to trade a player with big potential long-term value for one they might lose after one season. At this point, the likelihood of a trade is still low, especially because there are only a few interested teams left in the picture. Nonetheless, a move can't be ruled out. Looking at the roster through a wider lens, it's easy to see how a deal that checks each of those boxes could make sense for the Cubs. They've methodically converted long-term value into short-term value over the last few years, but that subpar farm system is a reminder that their shift into contention mode could leave them lurching back toward rebuilding by the end of the decade. To avoid that, they might need to reverse the flow and move a player under short-term control for someone who can be kept longer and cheaper. With Shaw on hand to replace him, Hoerner is a viable candidate for that treatment. The team needs pitching help for this season. and free-agent prices on the dwindling number of key arms are higher than they'd hoped. They certainly can't afford to get any weaker in right field or at DH, so a trade of Ian Happ or Seiya Suzuki is hard to fathom. Hoerner is the guy who can be moved without leaving an unfillable hole, and who could fetch enough to patch the holes that still exist. This would be Hoerner's seventh full season with Chicago. He's been ubiquitous for the post-COVID Cubs, and his blend of contact skills, speed and defensive aptitude have been key parts of the team's identity the last few years. They don't want to trade him. If a team gets desperate enough to check all three of their boxes, though, it could still happen. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox infield depth may have already taken a hit, as it was revealed by Alex Cora during the first media interview of spring training that Romy González injured his shoulder in the final series of the regular season and that the injury has bothered him throughout the offseason, as reported by the Boston Globe's Tim Healey. While unknown at the time, the injury could have played a role in González’s postseason struggles especially against left-handed starters Max Fried and Carlos Rodón after crushing left-handed pitching all season. Currently, there is no concrete knowledge regarding the current state of the injury, but the team and González will know more once he arrives to camp. However, the feeling right now is that he’s behind schedule. Should González miss time in spring training, his playing time will likely go to Nick Sogard, Mikey Romero and new acquisitions Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler. González said that his left shoulder originally got better but then he suffered a setback in January when he started hitting. He also received a PCP shot on January 23 and still plans to be ready for Opening Day, though things could change. For the Red Sox, they hope González can avoid missing significant time and will be able to catch up and be ready for the regular season. View the full article

Following the trade that netted them Caleb Durban and three other assets, the Boston Red Sox reportedly are not done, making moves that could impact the opening day roster. Most notably, having dealt away from their big league pitching staff, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is looking to reinforce one area of that pitching staff. Tim Healey of the Boston Globe is reporting that Breslow is "continuing to look" at bullpen additions. He adds that they could still dig into their starting pitcher surplus to fill that need. Bolstering the bullpen has been a secondary goal of the front office all offseason, and they prioritized chasing middle-of-the-order bats and players who could fill the void at third base. Following the acquisition of Caleb Durbin, they can now hone in on improving their group of relievers. Check out Alex Mays' article on how they could accomplish that via a trade. Otherwise, the free agent market is filled with names that have a track record of being solid but may be past those years, such as a David Robertson or Rafael Montero. The most realistic outcome feels like an internal move that sees a starting pitcher transition into a relief role. Whether that would mean an experienced starter like Brayan Bello, or Johan Oviedo, or possibly a high-ceiling prospect like Payton Tolle or Connelly Early remains to be seen. How do you think the Boston Red Sox should improve their bullpen internally, in a trade, or via free agency? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

The Twins are bringing Gio Urshela back where he belongs, as his once-famous walk-up music would suggest. A report from Daniel Álvarez-Montes states he has agreed to a minor-league deal, with an invitation to spring training. Urshela, 34, was a lineup stalwart for the Twins in his lone season with the club in 2022, and now he’ll hope to win a bench job out of spring camp. Many fans will remember him as one of the main pieces in the return package in the trade that sent Josh Donaldson to the New York Yankees. The Twins traded him to the Los Angeles Angels for minor-league pitcher Alejandro Hidalgo the following winter. Since leaving the Twins, Urshela has spent the last three seasons with the Angels, Detroit Tigers, and West Sacramento Athletics. While he was a well-above-average hitter in his lone season with the Twins (.285/.338/.429, 118 wRC+), his bat has dipped significantly since, combining for a .260/.298/.357 (81 wRC+) rate. In particular, Urshela has struggled against high velocity over the last two seasons. He has just a 26% Hard-Hit rate against pitches 95 MPH and above. According to Inside Edge, that’s tied for fourth-lowest in all of baseball in that time frame. Ironically enough, that rate is tied with Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was also part of the Donaldson trade with the Yankees and recently signed a big-league deal with Boston. Regardless, it doesn’t bode well for the aging Urshela, even if his value always lay mostly in his defense. Entering spring training, the veteran is hoping to prove he can still be a suitable depth piece in the Twins’ corner infield mix. With Royce Lewis penciled in as the full-time third baseman and some combination of Josh Bell, Kody Clemens and Victor Caratini manning first base, it looks to be a pretty tall task for the former fan favorite. He has mostly played third base since leaving Minnesota, and his glovework has suffered as he entered his mid-30s. His defense at the hot corner was worth -3 Outs Above Average in just 56 games last season with the Athletics. It is nice to note, at least, that he's effectively the opposite of Lewis in terms of swing characteristics, so he could have matchup value as a backup thereto, despite being a righty batter like Lewis. Whereas Lewis has a fast, flat, pull-oriented swing, Urshela uses a slow, steep one that can generate lift but also pushes the ball toward the opposite field. Even with Urshela’s uphill battle to claim a roster spot, it doesn’t hurt the Twins to bring in a player on a minor-league deal. If he fails to make the team out of spring training, there would be plenty of opportunities for him to play with Triple-A St. Paul, should he accept the assignment. What do you think about this signing? Are you glad to have Gio Urshela back in the mix with the Twins? Who else would you like to see the club bring in before the start of the 2026 season? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section, and as always, stay sweet. View the full article

Just two days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Jupiter, the Miami Marlins have signed right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack to a one-year deal worth $4M, with $500k in incentives. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was to report the news and Fish On First was able to confirm it. Paddack, 30, is someone that all Marlins fans are familiar with. He was selected by the team in the eighth round of the 2015 MLB Draft, but was later traded in 2016 to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Fernando Rodney. Paddack is now a seven-year major league veteran, but his best overall season remains his rookie campaign with the Padres in 2019 where he posted a 3.33 ERA, 3.95 FIP, 9.79 K/9 and a 1.98 BB/9 in 140 ⅔ innings pitched. He has never been able to replicate those numbers. In 2022, the Padres traded Paddack to the Minnesota Twins along with Emilio Pagán for Taylor Rogers, Brent Rooker and cash. Injuries continued to limit his production, including the second Tommy John surgery on his professional career. Last season, Paddack threw a career-high 158 innings, posting a 5.35 ERA, 5.01 FIP, 6.38 K/9 and 2.11 BB/9. He was traded to the Detroit Tigers at the deadline along with reliever Randy Dobnak in exchange for catcher Enrique Jimenez. Things didn't go much better with the Tigers, where he posted a 6.32 ERA in 47 innings pitched. Paddack's four-seam fastball is currently his best weapon, with a run value of plus-two in 2025. It averages 93.7 mph and generates a 18.6% whiff rate. His signature changeup was arguably his worst pitch last season (-8 RV), leading to 10 of the 31 home runs that he allowed. On the bright side, Paddack gets plenty of chase (85th percentile) and doesn't walk a lot of guys (89th percentile). His long extension (92nd percentile) helps him overpower hitters even with ordinary velocity. He's also younger than most of the remaining free agent arms who have comparable experience. Look at this signing like a re-do of the 2025 Cal Quantrill acquisition. Even the date and contract size is practically the same in Paddack's case. The expectation is that Paddack will make the Marlins Opening Day rotation as a back-end starter. From there, his performance and the progress of top prospects Robby Snelling and Thomas White will determine how long he holds onto that job. View the full article

While he was with the San Francisco Giants, Kyle Harrison was predominantly a four-seam fastball and "slurve" pitcher, adding the occasional changeup to right-handed hitters. For large parts of his development through the minor leagues, Harrison overpowered hitters with his funky low-slot delivery and the deception of that heater-slurve combo. In the low minors, he missed lots of bats, and he peaked as the No. 18 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline in 2023. Here's the blurb that went with that lofty ranking. Harrison debuted with the Giants in 2024, posting a 4.56 ERA in 124 1/3 innings pitched, and saw his overall swing-and-miss rates drop while he consistently struggled with walks. His three-pitch mix proved less potent against the best hitters in the world, and after spending time on the shuttle for the Giants in 2025 between Triple A and the major leagues, Harrison was part of the return in the Rafael Devers trade with Boston. The Boston Red Sox Do Boston Red Sox Things Boston is known for being an organization heavily focused on secondary pitches, and keen to limit fastball usage. Although the Brewers prefer to lean on the heater, they also like pitch diversification, so it's no shock that the two teams match up well on pitcher evaluations. Milwaukee got Quinn Priester from Boston last April, to patch their desperately injury-diminished starting rotation. Now, they've picked up Harrison, after a similar transformation during a similarly short time with the Sox. Harrison's fastball usage shifted dramatically in his small sample of big-league appearances with the Red Sox, compared to those with the Giants: His velocity dipped—perhaps from the long season, as we can also see his extension shortening after the trade. That's worth keeping an eye on. However, Harrison also made some fascinating deeper adjustments. Transforming from a three-pitch mix and using four-seam fastballs 65% of the time to throwing just 46% four-seam fastballs and incorporating more slurves, cutters and sinkers made a big change to the quality of contact against Harrison. While his whiff rates weren't as strong, he was getting more chases and just a .280 xwOBACON (a statistic measuring the likely damage on contact), which would be an elite mark over a larger sample. The changeup is particularly notable. After joining the Red Sox, Harrison changed his grip from a one-seam orientation into a kick-change, something the Brewers haven't seen much of within their player development system. This version usually creates more depth, but also more inconsistent movement, making it difficult to command at times. When it's right, the kick-change will produce negative induced vertical break numbers (IVB) with ease, and in Triple A, Harrison's approached -10 inches of IVB on occasion, with an overall three inches of extra drop on average. The San Francisco Quandary The Giants have recently had a number of high-profile, talented arms pass through their system with enormous hype, but have trouble translating that onto the big-league mound. Despite an elite defensive catcher in Patrick Bailey and a pitcher's park, it hasn't come together. Perhaps it's time to question their development processes. One additional change Harrison made after going to the Red Sox lay in how he used his slurve. The Giants were adamantly and rigidly calling it to one side of the plate, down and away from lefties and toward the back foot of righties., The Red Sox encouraged him to open up both sides of the plate to complement his enhanced arsenal. The goal here was to elicit more confusion in the hitter's eye as to what pitch was coming his way, and the deception worked. He learned to land the pitch for strikes and backdoor it, as well as being able to bury it near the right-handed batter's box. Harrison located the slurve in the zone more often, got more chase, and still maintained a higher quality of contact against the pitch than he managed with San Francisco in the first half of the year. He's never likely to be a strikeout artist in the majors, but his strong movement, funky delivery, and a wider pitch mix can make him a true all-around pitcher. The majority of Harrison's Triple-A games came for the Red Sox, and they paint a picture of what he might look like at his best: Harrison does have some walk issues. As with Priester, there might be a mechanical tweak in mind to clean up his delivery, but with his ability to garner chase, limit hard contact and miss bats both in and out of the strike zone, there is a lot to like about Kyle Harrison—especially in an organization like the Milwaukee Brewers. View the full article

Some athletes make the impossible look effortless. They compete in a way that leaves fans stunned and opponents defeated, yet they do so with such composure and natural ease that the achievement seems almost casual. In the history of the Toronto Blue Jays, no player embodied that quality more than Devon Whyte. To watch Whyte patrol centre field in the early 1990s was to witness a form of athletic poetry. He was simultaneously silent, fluid and deceptively explosive. He didn’t sprint so much as float. He didn’t react so much as anticipate. Whether he was leading off a World Series lineup or tracking down a ball destined for the gap, Whyte conveyed a rare sense of certainty that if it was hit anywhere near him, the inning probably wasn’t ending in a hit. It was announced this week that Whyte has been inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame along with Stubby Clapp, Kate Psota, Bill Stoneman, Paul Runge and Jim Baba. Whyte remains a central figure in Blue Jays history not simply because he was great, though he unquestionably was, but because he redefined what greatness looked like. In a sport built on statistics and metrics, his impact often transcended numbers. Fans remember the majestic catches, the smooth strides, the baserunning intelligence and the calm presence at the top of one of baseball’s most dangerous lineups. For a generation of Jays baseball fans, Devon Whyte represented a taste of what true excellence on the biggest stage looked like. Before analytics popularized metrics to quantify defensive value, Devon Whyte was making advanced plays appear routine. His defensive ability was so natural, so unforced, that it was easy to miss just how extraordinary it was. Unlike outfielders who rely on dramatic dives or theatrical leaps to capture attention, Whyte played the position with the precision of someone who understood exactly where the ball would be long before it arrived. His routes were scientifically clean long before anyone could assign a value to them. His stride, long and elegant, allowed him to cover gaps and track down balls that should have produced extra bases. Whyte's catch style was also something of a throwback. In an era increasingly dominated by one‑handed grabs and highlight‑seeking acrobatics, Whyte preferred to catch the ball chest‑high, two hands, body composed. It was an old‑school method that communicated confidence rather than flair. That steadiness became his signature. When the ball was hit to centre, fans didn’t hold their breath because they knew it was most likely an out. Yet for all the calm he projected, Whyte was capable of breathtaking moments. And none was more memorable than what happened in the 1992 World Series. Game 3 of the 1992 World Series remains one of the most iconic moments in Blue Jays history, not only because Toronto went on to win the championship, but because it contained a defensive play that still defies belief. In the fourth inning, Atlanta’s David Justice launched a deep drive to centre field. At the time, the SkyDome was known for its deep alleys and intimidating outfield dimensions, particularly in centre. Many balls that looked catchable simply weren’t. As the ball arched toward the wall, Whyte glided back with his usual calm. Then, in one smooth motion, he ascended the fence, extended his glove above the padding and hauled the ball in while momentarily suspended at full extension. What followed was equally remarkable. A lightning‑quick turn and throw back toward the infield. The Braves’ runners, convinced the ball would drop, were already well past their bases. What should have been a historic World Series triple play was instead recorded as a double play due to a blown call. Even so, the moment lives in baseball history, and in the hearts of Blue Jays fans, as a definitive demonstration of Whyte’s unparalleled defensive brilliance (and Kelly Gruber did a pretty good job too). That single play summarized so much of what made Whyte special. His instincts, athleticism, body control, baseball intelligence and the quiet ability to rise above the biggest moments without pomp or self‑promotion. While Whyte's defence often steals the spotlight, his contributions as a leadoff hitter were just as essential to the Blue Jays' rise as a dominant team in the early 1990s. At the top of a lineup loaded with star‑calibre teammates, including Roberto Alomar, Paul Molitor, Jon Olerud, and Joe Carter, Whyte served as the spark, the tone‑setter. When he put the ball in play, he used his speed to turn singles into doubles, and once he was on base, a steal was always a possibility. He was a distraction, the type of runner who could manufacture runs simply by daring the defence to keep up with him. While the power hitters often received the headlines, their opportunities were frequently created by Whyte's ability to advance on the bases with almost effortless speed. The Blue Jays of the early 1990s were not a one‑superstar team. They were an assembled powerhouse with elite talent at nearly every position. Olerud’s batting title, Alomar’s all‑around brilliance, Carter’s power heroics and Molitor’s postseason dominance often garnered attention. Yet Whyte was the quiet constant. He was the player who made the team complete. His defence saved countless runs and settled pitchers who knew anything hit in his vicinity was most likely an out. His baserunning added a dynamic threat that forced opponents to play faster and worry more. His hitting provided stability at the top of the lineup. His professionalism and calm demeanour set the cultural tone for a clubhouse filled with strong personalities. Championship teams rarely rely solely on their biggest names. They rely on their anchors, the players who make the entire structure stronger simply by doing everything well, consistently and without ego. Whyte embodied that role. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Blue Jays do not win back‑to‑back championships without him. Devon Whyte's legacy is not built on home run records or gaudy offensive totals. His greatness emerges most clearly when watching the game through the lens of nuance, finesse and intelligence. For fans who appreciate defence, he remains one of the most graceful outfielders ever to play the game. For those who value baseball as a blend of instinct and athleticism, Whyte represented the pinnacle. His style of play also influenced generations of centre fielders who followed. An emphasis on clean routes, efficient movement and anticipation has become a key component of modern defensive analytics. In many ways, he was ahead of his time. Beyond the numbers, Whyte is a symbol of the era that introduced Canadian fans to the heights of baseball success. He was a central cast member in the production that brought the country its first World Series titles. His calm, confident presence became part of the national baseball identity. Devon Whyte made baseball feel exciting and elegant all at once. He made fans believe that extraordinary things were always possible. He didn’t just make difficult plays look easy. He made baseball look beautiful. *While he went by "Devon White" during his playing career, Baseball Reference notes that Whyte has used the original spelling of his name (with a "y" instead of an "i") since 2003. View the full article

The Milwaukee Brewers made something of a strange trade, sending starting third baseman Caleb Durbin and two utility players to the Boston Red Sox for a package of three players that included versatile infielder David Hamilton. Given that such a trade creates a new void for the Crew at third base — and the fact that Hamilton's more of a reserve type than a starter — the San Diego Padres could be primed to take advantage. Milwaukee no longer has a third baseman. Not only that, they traded a pair of players who could have filled in at the position for a time in Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler. There is no firm conclusion as to what things could now look like at the hot corner, though the possibility exists that they flip shortstop Joey Ortiz back over to third and let newly-acquired prospect Jett Williams handled duties at the six. That's a lot to put on a prospect with no big league experience, however. Enter the Padres. The Friars don't figure to be a team especially lauded for their depth outside of the bullpen. But position players, they have. And with the team desperately in need of some help on the starting pitching front, there's a logical connection to be made between the two organizations. It's not a terribly obvious fit. The Padres have Gavin Sheets, Jake Cronenworth, Xander Bogaerts, and Manny Machado set to start across their infield. Sung Mun Song figures to spend time at all four spots, and Miguel Andujar will occasionally fill in at a corner. They also have the likes of Mason McCoy and Will Wagner on the 40-man roster and José Miranda coming to camp on a minor-league deal. It's a lot of bodies, even if it may not be much in the way of certifiable depth. However, such volume does lend itself to the idea of attempting to capitalize on the Brewers' current positional deficiency. Is there a world where the Brewers — who spun Caleb Durbin into a quality defender within a calendar year — would be interested in doing the same with Jake Cronenworth? It might be a tougher sell in a lineup that's already heavy on left-handed hitting, but they're also a team that likes versatility. A transition to third while maintaining the ability to hang at each of the three infield spots could be enticing. His upside at the plate compared to the Padres' other options in this imaginary world also represents the opportunity to get the most effective return. Even McCoy or Wagner could have their purpose in the hypothetical game. You're not going to net one of the top rotation options, but perhaps there's a framework to be generated around one of the more fringe types currently on the Milwaukee staff. The Padres are in a position where another team's fringe is their full-time starter, after all. Given that volume exists on both ends of this these fake trade talks, though, it makes projecting anything remotely finite nearly impossible. We're merely offering a more general scenario. On the Brewers' end of things, they're not necessarily looking to move a starter just as the Padres aren't looking to move a position player. Intriguing names exist, however. Brandon Woodruff and Jacob Misiorowski are each, of course, not likely to be considered here; Woodruff costs too much for the Padres' books, while Misiorowski was one of the genuine breakouts of 2025. Robert Gasser and Logan Henderson each have upside, but it's also possible that the Brewers are more interested in retaining Brandon Sproat and giving one of the two a change of scenery to accommodate the arm they acquired from the New York Mets. Chad Patrick represents more of a back-end option that could maybe be had to eat some innings. Is Quinn Priester too valuable to do the same, or could the Padres make something work there, too? Despite so much uncertainty in what a framework would look like, it's worth noting that the two organizations also have a transactional history. The two sides came together on the trade that brought Josh Hader to San Diego back in 2022 and, prior to that, San Diego acquired Trent Grisham and Zach Davies from Milwaukee in 2019. A move here may lack the magnitude of either deal (particularly the 2019 agreement), but one can't completely underestimate such a factor in trade matters. The only logical picture to be created here is that there is a broad fit. The Padres need arms, and the Brewers need some help on the positional side. What the intricacies of that all look like is anybody's guess. The thing that is clear, though, is that there is a fit and there is a history. With the team running out of time to build ahead of the upcoming season, perhaps there's something to the abstract that could manifest into something more concrete in the near future. View the full article

At Marlins Media Day, manager Clayton McCullough speaks with Fish On First about overcoming offseason departures to his pitching staff, Liam Hicks' breakout potential and more. View the full article

Tom Pohlad has talked more openly about the Minnesota Twins in recent months than, perhaps, any member of the Pohlad family ever has. The problem is not a lack of transparency. It's that the transparency points in several different directions at once. Taken individually, each quote sounds thoughtful. Put together, they paint a picture of an organization apologizing for the past, promising competitiveness in the future, and asking fans to ignore the present. That's a difficult sell when the current reality is a payroll just north of $100 million; the departure of the team’s top baseball executive; and a fan base that feels more deflated than it did during the very period Pohlad admits was mishandled. Speaking about the decisions made following the 2023 season, Pohlad didn't mince words. “We made what we thought at the time was a responsible financial decision, and we obviously failed to consider the long-term impact of that decision, and the short-term impact of that decision, frankly,” he said. “We sucked the air right out of our fan base, and it did significant damage to our brand and to our family from a confidence standpoint. Plain and simple, we got it wrong.” That is an extraordinary admission for a Twins owner. It also lands awkwardly when paired with the state of the team today. Payroll is lower now than it was then. Confidence is not restored. If anything, the air feels even thinner. Pohlad has repeatedly pointed to 2026 as a pivotal season, framing it as both a goal and a justification for the current approach. “We will be competitive in 2026,” Pohlad replied. “Yes. I expect that. But the sense of urgency is about making sure that we start, right this second, getting after what the long-term plan is for this organization. And I’ve talked a lot recently about finding a way to build a business that can support a level of investment in the team, two or three years from now, that can be playing competitive baseball for a string of seasons in a row. That’s what we’re trying to build. And I think 2026 is critical to that success.” There is logic in building toward sustained competitiveness, rather than chasing short bursts of performance. The issue is that the Twins are asking fans and employees alike to buy into a long-term vision, while simultaneously scaling back in the short term. That tension became impossible to ignore when Derek Falvey stepped away from the organization. Whatever else his departure represented, it signaled that the internal understanding of competitiveness did not match the public one. Pohlad has also tried to shift the conversation away from payroll, urging observers to focus instead on results. “Yes, our payroll is down from last year,” he said. “I think there’s still investments to be made between now and Opening Day. And I’d also say that, at some point, I’d love to get off this ‘payroll’ thing for a second and let’s get halfway through the year, to the end of the year, and let’s judge the success of this year on wins and losses, on whether we’re playing meaningful baseball in September. And if we’re doing that, I think we’re gonna be in position to grow payroll the following year, and the following year. That’s what I hope we can start focusing on.” In theory, judging a season on wins and losses makes perfect sense. In practice, payroll remains the clearest signal of intent in modern baseball. Asking fans to ignore that signal requires trust, and trust is hard to rebuild after publicly acknowledging that it was broken. Now look at the roster construction. Few experienced and healthy free agent relief options remain. Teams rarely make significant trades during spring training, even if it is not impossible. That leaves the Twins (probably) relying on young starting pitchers to transition into bullpen roles, a process that often takes time and rarely goes smoothly. None of this means Tom Pohlad is being dishonest. It means he's speaking from multiple timelines at once. He's apologizing for past restraint while practicing present restraint. He's promising future competitiveness while overseeing the Twins' lowest payroll in over a decade. He is asking for urgency while preaching patience. Fans are not confused because they're ignoring what he is saying. They're confused because they're listening to it all. Pohlad needs to fix that, and changing actions (rather than words) seems the only way to do so. What do you make of Pohlad’s comments? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Spencer and Joseph Zarr discuss the Nashville Sounds season, and their tiers of position players and pitchers, as well as answering a bunch of listener questions, including any overarching questions we did not get to during the preceding episodes. Included amongst the entire Sounds roster players discussed include Logan Henderson, Jeferson Quero, Anthony Seigler, and Craig Yoho. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article