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The biggest success a team can find in spring training is getting through the month-plus grind with most of its key players healthy. For the 2026 Miami Marlins, that won't come to pass, as it was announced that Kyle Stowers, the club's All-Star representative last season, will start the season on the injured list with a grade-1 right hamstring strain. In what was a breakout 2025 season for him, the former top prospect hit .288/.368/.544/.912, slugging 25 home runs in the process. Limited to all of 117 games, one can only think the Marlins, winners of 79 games, could have found themselves securing a wild card spot had Stowers been more readily available. The club's depth will be tested, too, as it was later announced that Esteury Ruiz would be out 6-8 weeks with a left oblique strain. Acquired in the offseason as a potential bench piece and late-game pinch-runner, Ruiz struggled this spring, hitting .129 with a .446 OPS across 41 plate appearances but also five steals. Not committing to one player, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough noted the roster's versatility as a potential strength. "We feel like we have enough players that can play multiple spots and can move pieces around." One player who could see time out there is Connor Norby, who started in left field on Saturday, homering in his second plate appearance. The questions around Norby have largely centered on his defense, and suffice to say, those concerns weren't quelled when he dropped a line drive in Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Cardinals. The club's swiss army knife last season, newly minted World Baseball Classic champion Javier Sanoja, is a likely candidate, as well,m. He saw parts of 35 games in left, appearing at eight different positions overall. Sanoja's effort would be rewarded with the National League's utility player Gold Glove Award. Let's not forget Griffin Conine, who has shown above-average defense and raw power in parts of two seasons. Conine would go back-to-back with Norby in Saturday's loss. Heriberto Hernández could find himself playing more than initially expected in the wake of Stowers' injury. The 26-year-old posted a batting line 16 percent better than league average in a part-time role in his debut 2025 season, finishing 13th in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Signed with the intention of being the club's primary first baseman, Christopher Morel has 164 games of outfield experience in his four seasons in the Major Leagues, grading out rather poorly at minus-16 DRS. The Game at Hand Sandy Alcantara, set to extend his franchise record as he makes his sixth Opening Day start this coming Friday, Todd the slab for the club's Grapefruit League finale, allowing three runs over 4 2/3 innings pitched in Miami's 4-3 walk-off win over the division rival New York Mets. Prior to a three-run top of the fourth, Alcantara had set down the first nine Met hitters faced, including strikeouts against Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Luis Robert Jr. It would be the former two who would start New York's rally in the top of the fourth. Miami finishes its spring training schedule 11-13. "Nice to end on a winning note," said McCullough. Speaking on how he feels for the start of the season, Alcantara noted the confidence he has in both himself and the team as a whole. "Last year, it wasn't my best year, but I think about it from a positive...I finished strong, finished healthy, I threw 170-plus innings, but you just forget what happened last year, be here today and be out there during the season." Alcantara struggled in his first year coming off Tommy John Surgery, posting a career-worst 5.36 ERA. Amid the news of the Stowers injury, a feel-good story came out of Marlins camp this weekend, as it was announced that Andrew Nardi had made the Opening Day roster. Nardi, who missed all of 2025 with lower back inflammation, owns a career 4.51 ERA in parts of three seasons. In five appearances this spring, the Tennessee native struck out nine, allowed just one hit, and didn't allow a single run. "I feel like I'm back in 2023 again when I was told I made the Opening Day roster for the first time. I'm just excited to get going," reflected a smiling Nardi. That 2023 season saw Nardi establish himself as one of the better left-handed relievers in the sport, posting a 2.67 ERA over his 57 1/3 innings pitched. Not Talked About Enough If the Marlins want to take continued steps forward, suffice to say their forward progression is predicated on how they fare against left-handed pitching. The club's collective .656 OPS against southpaws last season ranked 24th. Even the Colorado Rockies, fresh off a 119-loss season, finished at .679. The biggest offenders here are two of the better position players on the team last season, in Otto López and Xavier Edwards. Among the 57 players with at least 175 plate appearances against lefties in 2025, López and Edwards ranked worst and second-worst at .521 and .564, respectively. While we're not making much of spring training statistics, López has hit .333 with an .833 OPS in a limited, six-plate-appearance sample. Edwards, on the other hand, has seen his struggles carry over into the new year, as he's hit .091 across 11 such plate appearances. Looking Ahead The next time the Marlins take the field, the 2026 regular season will be upon us, as they're set to open the year at home against the Colorado Rockies on Friday, March 27. As noted, Sandy Alcantara will take the ball in his franchise-record sixth Opening Day start. Opposing him, Kyle Freeland will start for Colorado. First pitch from loanDepot park is slated for 7:10 EST. View the full article

The Spring Breakout game has come and gone, as the Red Sox prospects unfortunately fell to the Orioles prospects in what was a close game. The idea behind the game is a great one, as it gives all 30 major league teams a chance to showcase their top prospects in a game worth little beyond bragging rights for the young players. For any Red Sox fan, the roster was a look into the organization's possible future, as it was filled with both players knocking at the major league level and newcomers poised to make their own mark. Among the players on the roster that fans were excited to see were infielders Franklin Arias, Henry Godbout, and Mikey Romero, along with outfielders Allan Castro and Justin Gonzales. On the pitching side, fans got to see the likes of Anthony Eyanson, Marcus Phillips, and Kyson Witherspoon make appearances. Despite the Red Sox ultimately losing 3-1, there were plenty of highlights and things to be excited about. We’re going to go over a few players who put on a good display during the showcase. Anthony Eyanson – Talk Sox’s No. 10 Prospect Eyanson, who was taken in the third round of the 2025 draft, may have been the Red Sox's most dominant pitcher in the game. Despite pitching only one inning, Eyanson looked nearly unhittable on the mound as it took just 14 pitches to strike out the side. Relying on his cutter, four-seam fastball, and curveball, Eyanson threw 10 of his 14 pitches for strikes. Of the 10 strikes, two were called while the rest were the result of the batters swinging. Eyanson generated four whiffs, three of them on his cutter. Eyanson’s fastball was a pleasant surprise, as the pitch averaged 99.1 mph in his lone inning of work. He threw the pitch five times and, unfortunately, was unable to generate a single whiff with it. He did, however, top out at 100.2 mph in the inning. He also managed to get batters to chase the pitch on 50% of the batters’ swings. The curveball was used the least, but it was the pitch he turned to in order to get each of his three strikeouts. It broke well, having a vertical break of -16 inches and a horizontal break of six inches, breaking in on left-handed batters, including a called third strike to the final batter he faced. While it would have been nice to see Eyanson pitch a second inning (and had it gone to the bottom of the ninth, he likely would have), you can’t help but be impressed by his lone inning. The big question will be whether that velocity will hold up over multiple innings, or if he was letting it fly because it was just one inning. Regardless, the fact that he and the Red Sox turned a fastball that was around 93-95 mph in college into one that topped out at 100.2 mph in less than one year is impressive and points to a bright future for the pitcher. Marvin Alcantara – Unranked Alcantara was an interesting player in the game. Not ranked by Talk Sox (or any other sites that have Top 30 prospect rankings), Alcantara was previously viewed as one of the top position players on the Red Sox's 2022 Dominican Summer League team. While offensively he’s yet to replicate the results in affiliate ball, he has shown improvement, hitting .271/.344/.331 with four doubles, one home run, and 15 RBIs in 32 games with High-A Greenville before a promotion to Double-A Portland. While he struggled offensively with Portland (.226/.289/.298) in 87 games, he was only 20 years old at the time. Alcantara is also a much better defender than he is a hitter, being viewed as potentially being an above-average defender at both middle infield positions. During the game, Alcantara struck out in his first at-bat but made up for it during his second and final at-bat in the sixth inning. Taking a 93.5 mph fastball that was left over the heart of the plate, Alcantara drove it on a line drive into the right-center gap for a double. Off the bat, Alcantara’s hit had an exit velocity of 98.8 mph, showcasing that while he may not have much power in his game, he could still develop into a doubles hitter if he manages to improve his hitting ability. The Orioles' pitcher at the time was Nestor German, the 12th-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline. More importantly, Alcantara’s defensive showing was where he made four plays, including a double play, and was involved in a runner being thrown out while trying to steal second base. Alcantara’s defense has always been his calling card, and it was on display Friday night. While Alcantara will likely be playing second base in Portland this season due to Franklin Arias being there, his defense shouldn’t take a hit, and in theory, the middle infield duo should provide Portland with some of the best defense up the middle in Double-A. If his hitting comes around and he can be like the hitter he was in Greenville to begin 2025, the Red Sox could have another intriguing middle infield prospect. Jake Bennett – Talk Sox’s No. 12 Prospect Bennett, who was acquired for Luis Perales from the Washington Nationals back in December, is part of the 40-man roster and could potentially see time with Boston at some point in 2026. Tasked with being the starting pitcher of the Spring Breakout game, the left-hander did not disappoint. Tossing two innings, he allowed just one hit while striking out two batters. Bennett used five of his pitches, tossing his four-seam fastball, changeup, cutter, sinker, and slider for a total of 25 pitches. Though he had different plans for his pitches depending on the batter. For left-handed batters, Bennett relied on his cutter, sinker, and slider, as these were the only pitches he threw. Against right-handed batters, he didn’t throw one sinker or slider and only threw one cutter. Instead, he tossed his fastball and changeup 18 times. His fastball showcased great movement, averaging 13 inches of ride and 12 inches of glove-side run. The pitch averaged a spin rate of 2,172 RPM and was used for the only two strikeouts Bennett had on the day. One positive with his fastball was that it topped out at 95.1 mph, and he gained velocity on it during the game, going from 93.5 mph in the first inning to 94.8 mph on average in the second inning. Unfortunately, it did not generate much whiff on the six swings he got it to generate, only getting one whiff. He also gave up a hard-hit ball at an exit velocity of 102.9 mph that fortunately ended in an out. Despite that, it might have been his best pitch as he threw it for a strike 91% of the time, including four times for a first-pitch strike. For Bennett, his changeup looked good despite being used just six times. It generated a whiff on the three swings and was hit twice, but very weakly. The pitch had an average exit velocity of 60.2 mph and was chased out of the strike zone 40% of the time. The changeup had four inches of vertical break and 12 inches of glove-side run. The only real blemish on the outing was the hit Bennett allowed on a cutter. While it was just a single, the ball was crushed at 106.6 mph, which was fortunately hit into the ground by Orioles hitter Enrique Bradfield Jr. The pitch caught too much of the plate despite being down and away from the batter, and Bradfield Jr. shot it past Alcantara and Freili Encarnacion. Bennett will still have some things to work on in 2026, especially after missing time in 2023 and all of 2024. Last season, he pitched 75 1/3 innings after returning from injury, making 19 appearances, and was also sent to the Arizona Fall League to make up for the time he lost. While he’s made strides, Bennett is still developing as a pitcher, and 2026 will be a big year for him. Overall, the Spring Breakout once again showed that Boston’s ability to develop prospects on both sides of the ball has improved greatly over the last half-decade. The future looks to be bright for the organization, so long as they can agree on which prospects are key to the organization and which can be moved to improve the immediate team. View the full article

You've made it through numbers 20-16 and 15-11, and now we begin our coverage of Jays Centre's top 10 prospects by taking a much deeper look at each of the players that made it into this most coveted top-tier territory. Coming in at number 10, we have Jake Bloss, someone who has traversed the country toward his goal of making it to and sticking at the major league level. No. 10: SP Jake Bloss (Buffalo) IP G GS ERA FIP xFIP K% BB% 23.2 6 6 6.46 4.76 4.85 20.9% 11.3% After a four-year college career, where he played three years at Lafayette and one year at Georgetown, Bloss was drafted in the third round of the 2023 MLB draft by the Houston Astros. After some token innings to end the season at Rookie ball and Single-A Fayetteville, he would start the 2024 season at High-A Asheville. In his first full professional season, he would accomplish a feat virtually unheard of in today's baseball world. He would play in games at four different levels, including the major leagues, and for two different teams after being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline. In the minor leagues that season, he pitched in 21 games for a total of 93.1 innings, amassed a 3.18 ERA, and a 3.92 FIP. He had a 23.3% strikeout rate, a 9.5% walk rate, and a 1.07 WHIP. His time in the major leagues for Houston was not nearly as rosy. In three starts (11.2 innings), he had a 6.94 ERA and an insane 7.92 FIP. In 2025, Bloss was looking to get back on track at Triple-A Buffalo for the Toronto Blue Jays and even make it back to the major leagues. However, fate intervened when he had Tommy John surgery after just six starts. Those six outings were rough to say the least; he had a 6.46 ERA in 23.2 innings, but a more respectable 4.76 FIP. His season would end with him having a 20.9% strikeout rate and a walk rate that ballooned to 11.3%. He had begun to turn a corner before his injury; in two of his last three starts, he went a total of nine innings, didn't give up an earned run, and struck out 12. What To Like Bloss has a very big pitch arsenal for a pitcher in the minor leagues. He used five pitches in 2025, with his four-seam fastball grading out as one of his best pitches. He sat just under 94 mph with the offering and averaged 18.3 inches of induced vertical break (IVB). His above-average extension of 6.9 feet also helps to boost how the fastball plays against hitters. It works to give him the appearance of a slightly faster pitch, and when coupled with his high IVB, makes his fastball a near plus offering. His other nearly elite pitch was actually his curveball, which he only used 12.4% of the time. What he was doing well with his pitches in 2025 was setting up batters with his fastball high and then getting swings and misses down in the zone from his secondaries. He had 55.6% and 73.3% whiff rates just below the zone on each side of the plate. It can also be seen in his 13.2% swinging strike rate (SwStr%), which was his highest mark since his debut in 2023. What To Work On Bloss has a daunting task ahead of him. Not only does he have to rehab and return healthy from Tommy John surgery, but he also has to get back to what made him so good in 2024. The first thing he will have to do is focus his control/command, which will help him to miss less often high and to the arm side. The vast majority of his pitches in 2025 were missed there, and it undoubtedly led to his 11.3% walk rate (41st percentile). He also needs to stay away from the middle of the zone with his pitches, where he gave up high slugging rates. He needs to work hitters down in the zone and on the edges, as his pitches give him the best success when located there. One of the easier, but most effective things he can improve on is his first pitch strike rate (F-Strike%). In 2025, his F-Strike% sat at 47%; in 2024, it was 51.2% in the minors and 60% during his three starts in the majors. What's Next? Bloss is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery and, as such, won't likely return to games until late in the season, if at all this year. He is still one of the better starting pitching prospects in the Blue Jays organization and will immediately look to regain the 2024 form that saw him shoot all the way up to the major leagues. If he can do so, he will have an upside of a poor man's SP2 but will most likely land as a back-of-the-rotation starting pitcher. He was on the cusp of being a contributor at the major league level, but he will have to get healthy and find the stuff that made him a prized piece at the 2024 trade deadline. It's an uphill battle for him, but he's got all of the talent to get there and maybe even shine while doing so. View the full article

There are a few guarantees in life. Death. Taxes. And Chicago White Sox fans logging on to explain why projections are not just wrong, but deeply offensive on a personal level. This week’s outrage stems from FanGraphs projecting the Minnesota Twins to finish 79-83, while the White Sox sit at a cozy 69-93. In most corners of the baseball world, that would register as a shrug. In the digital corners occupied by White Sox Twitter, it has sparked a full-scale philosophical crisis. User @SouthSideScholar took a measured approach. “79 wins for the Twins is comedy. Name five players on their roster without Googling. I dare you.” User @RealChiSoxTruth responded moments later with a thread that included 47 tweets, three pie charts, and a conspiracy theory about lake-effect weather. “The projections don’t account for vibes. Our vibes are elite this year. Minnesota’s vibes are like a Tuesday at the DMV.” Others pointed to the White Sox offseason as clear evidence that the gap should not only be closed, but reversed entirely. “People are sleeping on Munetaka Murakami ,” wrote @MurakiMVP2026. “You don’t just import a first baseman from Japan and not immediately add 20 wins. That’s basic baseball economics.” Muraki, who has yet to take a regular season at bat in Major League Baseball, has already become a cornerstone of online optimism. According to at least six accounts with egg avatars, his swing alone is worth “minimum four WAR based on aura.” The bullpen additions have only strengthened the case. “Seranthony Dominguez is depth,” posted @DepthWinsTitles. “Do you know what depth is? Championships are built on depth. We have depth. Therefore, do the math.” Ironically, math is at the center of the current dispute, though not in the way projections intended. There is also growing excitement around the rotation, where Anthony Kay has become something of a folk hero before throwing a meaningful pitch. “Anthony Kay breakout season incoming,” @KayHive declared. “People forget he once threw a baseball 95 miles per hour. That doesn’t just go away.” Twins fans, for their part, have mostly watched from a safe distance, occasionally checking in like one might observe a storm from across a lake. A few have attempted to engage, only to be met with replies that include phrases like “small market propaganda” and “midwestern bias.” Back on the South Side, the frustration continues to build. “I’m not saying projections are fake,” @SoxLogicGuy posted. “I’m just saying if you adjust every variable to favor the White Sox, we clearly win 90 games.” At press time, FanGraphs had not responded to requests to simply “feel the vibes” before updating their projections. Meanwhile in Minnesota, the reaction has been far less dramatic and significantly more passive-aggressive. Twins fans have spent the past 48 hours pretending not to notice while quietly bookmarking screenshots for future use. User @MNNiceButPetty summed it up best. “I don’t even care about projections. But I have saved 12 of these tweets just in case.” There is also a growing sense of confusion among the Twins faithful. Not about their own team, but about how a 79-win projection somehow qualifies as disrespect. “Are we good now?” asked @TargetFieldTherapist. “Because last year, everyone said we weren’t. Now we’re projected to be mid, and it’s still a problem.” Inside the clubhouse, one can only assume the Twins are preparing in the most dangerous way possible, by saying very little and letting the internet do the talking for them. If nothing else, Minnesota appears poised to weaponize mild expectations, polite indifference, and a deep archive of receipts. And if the projections do hold, Twins fans may not say much at all. They will just like a few old tweets, nod quietly, and go back to insisting they were never worried in the first place. View the full article

The buzz around the 2026 Chicago Cubs is real. They have a new marquee bat in Alex Bregman and a new marquee arm in Edward Cabrera, and are coming off a postseason berth primed to compete for a division title. Among their burgeoning set of high-end talents, one stands out: Cade Horton. It's difficult to overstate how much of a success Horton's rookie campaign was. Across 22 starts at the major-league level last year, he pitched to an 11-4 record, a 2.67 ERA, and a 20.4% strikeout rate, with a 6.9 percent walk rate. Even with room for growth in missing bats and a fractured rib that cut his season short, Horton finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting to Atlanta's Drake Baldwin. It sets the stage for one of the most hyped pitching prospects that the organization has seen in decades. That might seem like hyperbole; it isn't. The Cubs have done well in drafting and developing hitters over the last decade-plus. They've been able to acquire prospects from the lower levels of other organizations' minor-league ranks and do the same. Pitching, however, has not been as consistent an area of excellence. The odd reclamation project or mid-rotation arm notwithstanding, it's been an area in which the team has lacked going back multiple generations of front office leadership. That perception of the Cubs and their pitching development could shift dramatically if Horton is able to continue the ascent he began after being selected 7th overall in 2022. We know that the upside is beyond what Horton turned in across the 118 innings of his rookie campaign, particularly in regard to the strikeouts. While the control was a healthy element, he'd been running strikeout rates between 28% and 30% in the minor leagues. Generating whiffs outside the strike zone should help him to do just that. Opponents made contact on about 52% of their out-of-zone swings against Horton at the big-league level last year; he's shown the ability to generate whiffs much more often on chase pitches. Horton isn't an overwhelming strikeout pitcher, but by virtue of generating more swings with his secondary offerings alone, that number should increase. What should work farther in Horton's favor is the continued development of his changeup. Once thought of as a tertiary pitch, that offering has become arguably his best. Matt Trueblood examined this as a concept following Horton's 10-strikeout outburst against Cleveland on Monday. In that outing, Horton garnered whiffs on 11 of 15 changeups thrown, which could be indicative of where some of that additional whiff might be found. Ultimately, though, the projections don't love Horton to build on that aspect of his game too much. The following is where the various models have him performing in 2026: Steamer: 24 GS, 8-9, 4.34 ERA, 4.40 FIP, 20.4 K%, 7.9 BB%, 1.2 fWAR ZiPS: 25 GS, 8-7, 3.89 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 21.2 K%, 7.2 BB%, 1.6 fWAR ATC: 23 GS, 9-7, 3.91 ERA, 4.14 FIP, 20.6 K%, 7.5 BB%, 1.7 fWAR THE BAT X: 23 GS, 8-8, 4.06 ERA, 3.89 FIP, 21.0 K%, 7.5 BB%, 2.3 fWAR OOPSY: 24 GS, 8-8, 3.96 ERA, 4.12 FIP, 22.4 K%, 8.3 BB%, 1.7 fWAR Pitching projections are notoriously difficult to gauge, given the position's reliance on other factors beyond their own skill set. Nevertheless, there's a fair bit of consistency here, and each projection speaks to a central idea: Horton will experience regression in run prevention, with essentially similar peripheral numbers. You could do worse than a season like that. A season of 23-25 starts, an ERA around 4.00, and a strikeout rate working its way slightly more toward average would keep Horton in the thicket of mid-rotation starters. At the same time, it's fair to hope for more than that. Horton's fastball-sweeper combination was already going to be adept at getting outs. Use that combination against right-handed hitters, offer the changeup against lefties, and you're in a good spot. If Horton can sustain the results he's getting in the spring on that changeup, you're not looking for middle-tier results. You're looking for something that finishes closer to the top tier of all starting pitchers in the sport. It doesn't feel unrealistic to expect that out of Horton in 2026. His first taste of big-league action proved that he's a resourceful, intense competitor with plus stuff. If he stays healthy, those traits should carry him to a stronger 2026 than the raw numbers imply. View the full article

Last season, the Brewers used Jackson Chourio in center field most of the time, and Isaac Collins emerged as the team's regular left fielder. Rather than running that back, though, they dealt Collins to Kansas City this winter, and Chourio will be back in the corner outfield mix for 2026. Who else will factor in prominently? Let's break it down. The Starters Left Field: Jackson Chourio Right Field: Sal Frelick Milwaukee prioritizes fielding an excellent defense. Nowhere is that clearer than in the corner outfield spots. Frelick and Chourio are solid center fielders, but as they've established themselves in the majors, they've moved to the corners. Chourio is a franchise cornerstone. The massive eight-year, $82-million contract (with two team options) he signed before 2024 made that abundantly clear. He’s posted two straight 20-20 seasons, and he still hasn’t hit his peak yet. Frelick is a Gold Glove-caliber right fielder who could start in center for about two dozen other major-league clubs. While he lacks the traditional power of a corner outfielder, some power did emerge in 2025. Frelick is simply a solid all-around player who can add speed and defense to his impressive bat control. The Major-League Backups Jake Bauers Brandon Lockridge Yes, you saw the header right: backups, plural. Bauers will get most of his playing time by dividing chances with Andrew Vaughn at the cold corner, but he made an offensive leap in 2025. If it holds up in 2026, he can keep Frelick and Chourio fresh, especially if his bat is on a hot streak like the one he had late in the 2025 season. Lockridge was acquired when the Brewers moved on from Nestor Cortes, making him an indirect return from the Devin Williams trade. He's beaten out Blake Perkins for an Opening Day roster spot based on a red-hot spring training. If it carries over into the regular season, it will be the second time the Brewers have generated a massive secondary return on trading a closer—the first being when Esteury Ruiz, who had been acquired in the Josh Hader trade, went to the Athletics in a three-team deal that brought William Contreras to Milwaukee—under Matt Arnold. He'll also play a good amount of center field, but he's available to slide to the corners as needed. Other 40-Man Roster Options Tyler Black Jett Williams Christian Yelich Akil Baddoo Steward Berroa The Brewers' corner outfield group is so deep that both a former MVP and a former MLB Top-100 prospect are on the outside looking in for playing time. Yelich is still an outfielder, the organization insists, and has played there twice this spring, but he went nearly two months between appearances in the outfield two different times last year. Black is a solid hitter, if his power surge this spring is for real. The rest of these options are emergency-only—not because they can't be good, but because the team has considerably better options and/or would rather play those guys elsewhere. Overview Having so many center field-capable athletes in the mix to play in the corners is an extraordinary luxury—one of several the Brewers have afforded themselves of late. The team doesn't have one or two clear-cut candidates for each position, but that just serves to insulate them against injuries and maintain opportunities for players who break out unexpectedly. View the full article

The Miami Marlins are reacquiring one of their Rule 5 draft departures. Right-hander Zach McCambley did not make the Philadelphia Phillies' Opening Day roster, so they will return him to the Fish (h/t Todd Zolecki, MLB.com). Meanwhile, fellow right-hander and Rule 5 draftee Matt Pushard is sticking with the St. Louis Cardinals. McCambley and Pushard were both trending toward these fates earlier this month, as I detailed here. Individual ability aside, McCambley had a tougher path to a big league job considering that the Phillies have a deeper and more experienced bullpen than the Cardinals and much more urgency to win games in 2026. In eight Grapefruit League games (7.1 IP), McCambley allowed one earned run, six walks and four strikeouts. He threw only 55.3% of his pitches for strikes. In Pushard's eight games (8.2 IP), he allowed three earned runs, two walks and nine strikeouts. He faced his former organization twice during that span. McCambley has a long history with the Marlins, who selected him in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He spent most of 2025 with Triple-A Jacksonville. In 62 total innings working exclusively in relief (AA and AAA combined), he posted a 2.90 ERA and 2.60 FIP with a 24.3 K-BB% (best of his professional career). His arsenal consists of a four-seam fastball, cutter and sweeper. Expect the Marlins to assign McCambley to Jacksonville again. Health permitting, he's likely to make his MLB debut by season's end. Turning 27 years old in May, McCambley can elect minor league free agency next offseason if he isn't on the Marlins 40-man roster by then. View the full article

The Brewers didn’t use much variation at designated hitter in 2025, with only 12 players recording an appearance at DH. However, only two hitters had more than 20 appearances at the position, and both are still on the roster as Milwaukee heads towards Opening Day at American Family Field. Brewers Designated Hitters At A Glance Starter: Christian Yelich Backup: William Contreras Depth: Jake Bauers, Gary Sanchez Prospects: Luke Adams, Brock Wilken Brewers fWAR Ranking Last Year: 10th out of 30 Brewers fWAR Projection This Year: 9th out of 30 The Good Yelich still led the team in home runs in 2025 with 29, but the main positive was his health. The former MVP appeared in 150 games for the Brewers, which is his most since 2022. Yelich slashed .264/.343/.452 in 2025, and while his OPS was his lowest since 2022, Yelich is still the most dangerous bat in the Brewers lineup, day in and day out, even if he isn’t an MVP-caliber player anymore. The highest-paid player on the Brewers will look to continue his stretch of success with the club in 2026. William Contreras is the other hitter who got significant time at DH in 2025, starting 22 games. This lineup construction usually appeared when Contreras needed time off behind the plate, opting to keep his bat in the lineup to give Yelich a day off. Contreras slashed .260/.355/.399 in 2025, and his OPS was down overall from his past three seasons. However, the two-time all-star is a mainstay in the Brewers lineup, and he will look for a bounce-back year in 2026. Jake Bauers and Gary Sanchez are two bench bats that could provide value for the Brewers in 2026, and both should see appearances at DH during stretches this season, depending on matchups or injuries. Bauers appeared in seven games at DH for the Brewers this past season, slashing .235/.353/.399 in 85 total games. Sanchez returns to Milwaukee after his short stint with Baltimore in 2024, only appearing in 29 games for the Orioles. The Bad The main problem with this group would be health, primarily Christian Yelich. If Yelich isn’t in the lineup at DH for the majority of 2026, something has gone wrong with his health, and the Brewers will have a significantly worse lineup without him. Not to say that Contreras, Bauers, or Sanchez wouldn’t be adequate fill-ins, but much of the Brewers’ success relies on Yelich, his performance, and his leadership on and off the field. Contreras is an everyday contributor for the Brewers, but Bauers and Sanchez will contribute in a matchup-based role from their respective bench spots. Sanchez has more sustained major-league success than Bauers, and the team could look for an outside addition if this duo struggles. However, if Bauers and Sanchez were forced into a more significant role, the Brewers would be worse off for it, but the two of them could potentially form a serviceable duo at DH if Yelich goes down. The other thing Yelich contributes from the DH spot is competent base running, stealing 16 bases this past season. None of the backup options would be able to contribute to the ground game like Yelich can, even though he is a year older. However, this is mainly a secondary contribution from Yelich’s game, and Milwaukee will be able to find speed from Brice Turang, Sal Frelick, and Jackson Chourio, among others. The Bottom Line This may be the most boring position analysis for the Brewers this year, but it may be the most important. The designated hitter spot will primarily be split between two players, and both players' health will be crucial this year, especially Yelich’s. Additionally, while all of us truly believe in the coaching staff to produce sufficient pitching out of seemingly nowhere, Milwaukee traded away its ace, Freddy Peralta, to the Mets earlier in the offseason. Assuming the pitching will be worse, the Brewers will need to score more runs this year, period. This comes down not only to the younger players stepping up but also to Yelich continuing his consistent production for the Brewers in the designated hitter role, with Contreras still providing meaningful at-bats on days when he isn’t behind the plate. View the full article

If there is a set of players who have a chip on their shoulder entering the 2026 season, it is the group who will primarily fill the role of designated hitter for the San Diego Padres. Nick Castellanos was dumped by the Philadelphia Phillies. Miguel Andujar spent most of the last two seasons with the nomadic Athletics. Sung Mun Song is new to MLB. Ty France is back just looking for a job. And there is Gavin Sheets, who could lose playing time to one or all of those players. It is all part of the throwing-spaghetti-against-the-wall plan the Friars have taken to boosting a position that was woefully inadequate in 2025. Padres Designated Hitters At A Glance Starter: Nick Castellanos Backup: Gavin Sheets, Miguel Andujar Depth: Sung Mun Song, Manny Machado, Ty France Padres fWAR ranking last year: 21st out of 30. Padres fWAR projection this year: 25th out of 30. The Good At one point just before spring training, you could take a look at the Padres' roster and wonder if the designated hitter spot would be at all productive this year. But thanks to the usual offseason shenanigans of A.J. Preller, that is no longer the case. In fact, there are enough candidates for at-bats here that the DH spot could be a very nice contributor to the offense. Castellanos, the Philadelphia Phillies castoff, could get most of the time here if Sheets starts at first. Those two figure to be interchangeable at both positions depending on whose glove (or bat) is hotter. Then you have to factor in Andujar, who will be in the lineup somewhere—DH, left field or third base—due to his career success against left-handers (.297/.332/.475). Song and France, who could snag the last bench spot, will also see time at DH to keep their bats fresh. And that isn't even figuring in Machado, who will DH on occasion to keep him fresh from the wear and tear of playing third base. But the real focus here should be Castellanos. Setting aside the problems with the Phillies, Castellanos was a constant in Philadelphia's lineup the last four years. He posted a .260/.306/.426 slash line in that time, averaging 20 homers and 81 RBIs. Castellanos could also end up playing more first base, a position he has never played before this spring, with Sheets taking more DH at-bats. Sheets rotated between DH, first base and left field in 2025, producing a .252/.317/.429 slash line with 19 homers and 71 RBIs. With Song expected to play second base, third base and possibly shortstop and the outfield, nearly anyone could take a day or two off the field to fill in at DH. Of course, Song himself is working his way back from his second oblique injury in two months, so DH is also a spot to ease him into his first season in MLB after nine years in the Korea Baseball Organization. In his last two years in the KBO, Song hit 45 homers and had 46 steals combined while putting up slash lines of .340/.409/.518 and .315/.387/.530. respectively. The Bad Do you remember who started off at DH for the Padres in 2025? It was Yuli Gurriel, who was off the roster by early May. That set the tone for the position, which produced a .225 batting average, 25th in MLB. It could be that the Friars have too many bodies to throw at DH at this point of the season, but in essence that is a good problem to have. That depth usually sorts itself out through injuries and production. There is no huge investment in any single player in the mix at DH, so this should be a true meritocracy. The designated hitter should never be among the least productive hitters on the team, but it was for the Friars last year. A repeat of that from the laundry list of castoffs the Padres are employing in 2026 would be catastrophic. The Bottom Line Whether the individuals in this group have something to prove based on their MLB track record or are a newcomer to the league, there are plenty of possibilities here. The depth itself is better than what the Padres ran out there last year, which ended up dragging down the offense. There will be more power out of the DH position, something the team needs as a whole. Castellanos is surely motivated following his unceremonious exit from Philadelphia, but he did just turn 34 and is coming off the worst season of his career. Perhaps that is resolved with the change of scenery. Having Andujar, Song and potentially France as alternatives will provide manager Craig Stammen with choices. View the full article

On Saturday morning, Blue Jays manager John Schneider confirmed his starting rotation to begin the 2026 season. As we already knew, Kevin Gausman will take the ball on Opening Day against the Athletics. He will be followed by Dylan Cease and Eric Lauer to close out the first series of the year. After that, when the Jays welcome the Rockies to the Rogers Centre, Cody Ponce and Max Scherzer will take the bump for the first two games, before (presumably) handing the ball back to Gausman. At one point, it seemed like Toronto had too many good starting pitchers to choose from. Yet, in the end, the Blue Jays and Schneider didn't have any difficult decisions to make. Shane Bieber, José Berríos, and Trey Yesavage will all begin the season on the IL, leaving five starters left for five jobs. View the full article

On Friday, the Minnesota Twins released veteran relievers Liam Hendriks and Andrew Chafin, providing clarity on how the club’s eight-pitcher collective will be constructed as the team travels to Baltimore to begin its 2026 campaign on Mar. 26. Cole Sands, Kody Funderburk, Taylor Rogers, Justin Topa, and Anthony Banda are all but guaranteed bullpen spots. Fringe major league relievers Eric Orze, Zak Kent, Cody Laweryson, and Dan Altavilla appear to be the four remaining arms competing for the final three spots. Possessing 40-man roster spots, Orze and Kent have the inside track over non-roster invitees Laweryson and Altavilla. Still, how the end of Minnesota’s bullpen will be constructed remains unknown, with Opening Day less than one week away. Projected to be the 20th-best relief group in baseball according to Wins Above Replacement at FanGraphs (fWAR), Minnesota’s bullpen could reasonably end the 2026 season as a bottom-five collective, with the 25th-ranked team (Los Angeles Angels) expected to net only 0.8 fWAR less than Twins relievers. The club’s bullpen is in dire straits, and no amount of copium can fix that, not even for the proudest of Twins apologists like myself. But glimmers of hope persist in this lackluster octet, most notably in the aforementioned Funderburk. Through 6 ⅔ innings pitched this spring, the 29-year-old has generated a 1.35 ERA, 2.47 FIP, and 21.9% strikeout rate. The lefty has excelled this spring on the heels of being the club’s best reliever post-Aug. 1 last season, netting a 0.75 ERA, 2.87 FIP, and 28% strikeout rate over 24 innings pitched. Funderburk’s late-season renaissance was the product of missing barrels and generating weak contact, particularly against left-handed hitters. His ability to suppress hard contact has only progressed this spring, with the southpaw dominating both left- and right-handed hitters, getting lefties to produce an average exit velocity (EV) of 80.6 MPH and righties to produce an average EV of 86.3 MPH, both of which are well above league-average results for Funderburk. Having been able to suppress runs at a near-elite rate for three consecutive months, Funderburk profiles as one of Minnesota’s most effective reliever entering the 2026 regular season. Banda is the only reliever who held a candle to Funderburk’s dominance late last season, generating a 2.12 ERA, 4.43 FIP, and 29% strikeout rate over 17 innings pitched after Aug. 1, 2025. Again, it cannot be overstated how ineffective the Twins' bullpen could be in 2026 if trends from late last year persist. Still, if we are to squint hard enough through our rose-tinted glasses (which I fear no longer exist in Twins Territory, but alas), one could see Funderburk excelling early this season, quickly solidifying himself as one of the club’s preferred high-leverage arms. View the full article

Entering the 2025 season, the Boston Red Sox made waves with a regime change at third base for the first time since 2017. Following their first postseason appearance since 2021, Boston will once again turn to a new face at the hot corner in 2026, this time in the form of Caleb Durbin. Despite having Rafael Devers as the primary third baseman in 2025, Boston made a clubhouse-altering signing late in the offseason, bringing in two-time World Series Champion and former Gold Glove-winner Alex Bregman. While Bregman provided the Sox with offensive stability at third, as well as strong defense, the infield was never a puzzle the team was able to solve. A year later, both Devers and Bregman are with new teams, and the hot corner will look completely different. Red Sox Third Baseman At A Glance Starter: Caleb Durbin Backup: Isaiah Kiner-Falefa Depth: Marcelo Mayer, Andruw Monasterio The Good In January, Bregman signed a five-year, $175 million deal with the Chicago Cubs, leaving a gaping hole on the left side of Boston’s infield. Following Bregman’s departure, second-year infielder Marcelo Mayer seemed to be the top candidate for the job. Mayer took over the hot corner from late May to early July during Bregman’s stint on the injured list, providing above-average defense. However, recent trades by Boston have moved the former top prospect to second base for 2026. With said trades, the Red Sox have put together a young core at the hot corner, including stability for the future under rookie contracts. Boston acquired Durbin and Monasterio from the Brewers in February in exchange for pitchers Kyle Harrison, Shane Drohan and infielder David Hamilton. The catch? Everyone that Boston acquired in the Devers trade is no longer on the roster. Perhaps a small price to pay for long-term stability? While the Devers trade may hurt, and parting ways with everyone they got in return stings, Boston has a lot to look forward to with the acquisition of Durbin. Following the departure of Bregman, the Red Sox had three cornerstones they wanted to solidify at third base: youth, defense, and power. While Durbin is not the biggest home run threat, the 26-year-old has strong defensive upside and is entering his second full season at the big-league level. Durbin posted an impressive 2.8 WAR across 136 games in just his rookie season, including a stout .979 fielding percentage. He also hit .256 with 11 home runs and drove in 53 runs. Bregman sported a 3.5 WAR in 2025, but played in 22 less games. With Devers at third in 2024, the slugger posted a 3.7 WAR in 137 games, a slight increase, but with poor defensive play. Durbin may not be a star, but he’s a high-floor replacement for the two most recent faces of the franchise. The Bad One of the biggest questions surrounding the team the last two seasons has been defensive efficiency. The Red Sox led the entire league in errors in 2025 with 116, six more than the next team in the Rockies. In 2024, Boston committed 117 errors, which was second most in the league. With the addition of Durbin, what will that number look like in 2026? With Durbin being confirmed as the Opening Day starter at third base, there’s also questions about Mayer’s future. He played the majority of his 44 games in 2025 at the hot corner, but unfortunately for him, his rookie season ended in late July, as he underwent wrist surgery in August. In his shortened season, he hit just .228 with four home runs and 10 RBI. Mayer is likely to find most of his playing time at second, but will be a viable backup for Durbin at third. Neither is an offensive savant, and Kiner-Falefa would be lucky to hit somewhere around league average. Have the Red Sox traded too much stick for the improved gloves? The Bottom Line Boston’s infield defense has significantly improved with the offseason additions of Durbin and Willson Contreras at first, plus whatever Mayer provides at the keystone. After years of fielding superstars like Bregman and Devers at the hot corner, it’ll be difficult to accept someone who does the little things well but doesn’t carry the team, but Durbin is a foundationally solid, cheap piece to build the rest of the infield group around. He should have a nice season playing alongside Trevor Story on the left side of the infield. View the full article

Are you excited for the 2026 Brewers? YOU SHOULD BE.View the full article

The surface numbers this spring look promising for Brooks Lee, but the underlying data tells a much different story. With 2026 shaping up as a make-or-break year, can he turn weak contact into real production before the Twins start looking elsewhere? View the full article

The contributors at Talk Sox have ranked their top 20 prospects, and in this video, we look at the 16-20 ranked prospects. Will Tyler Uberstine crack the top 20? Where will Conrad Cason fall? Tune in to find out! Discussed in this video are Conrad Cason, Nelly Taylor, Tyler Uberstine, Yophery Rodriguez, and Yoeilin Cespedes. View the full article

At times, Ben Brown looks like an impact starter with his high-octane four-seam fastball and wipeout breaking ball. He’s been held back by lacking an effective third pitch, especially against lefties. This spring, it appears that the Chicago Cubs' right-hander may have found an answer. Much of Brown's past struggles can be traced to his limited pitch mix. His .323 career BABIP allowed and 12.9% home-run-to-fly-ball rate may stem from being mainly a two-pitch pitcher. Allowing a .351 wOBA to lefties, compared to .291 to righties, shows the need for a third offering, particularly one that runs away from the former. After several years of wondering whether Ben Brown would add that third offering, it appears he's finally done it. He debuted a sinker this spring, and it might be just what he needs to take the next step. It's a legitimately different option to turn to, with six more inches of horizontal break than his four-seamer. Two starts ago, the sinker was Brown’s most used pitch. He used it comfortably against hitters on both sides. In his last start, he threw the sinker only to lefties, who have often overmatched him. The pitch posted a 33.3% whiff rate and allowed only weak contact. Sinkers are not traditionally the go-to option when it comes to retiring opposite-handed hitters in the MLB. For that reason, many had hoped Brown would integrate a change or a splitter into his repertoire, which is typically a great equalizer. That being said, sinkers performing better against same-handed hitters is not a universal truth in baseball. Plenty of pitchers have found great success with this strategy. Even though the sample size is small, it’s hard not to be encouraged with this new pitch, especially with how it was used and how it performed in Brown’s last start. If the sinker becomes an effective answer against left-handed hitters, the sky is the limit. The velocity and break are both flashing plus tendencies, and the pitch works tremendously off his best pitch, the knuckle curve. The Cubs boast ample starting pitching options. Ben Brown may have to wait for another rotation opportunity, as his remaining option allows the team to send him to Triple-A, but a return shouldn't be out of the question. His dominant arsenal finally has a complement, and after years of showing promise, Brown might be poised to put everything together. View the full article

As the Minnesota Twins gear up for their season opener in Baltimore, the major-league roster continues to be trimmed down to its appropriate 26-player size. Friday, two recognizable veteran relievers, Andrew Chafin and Liam Hendriks, were granted their release after being informed they wouldn't make the team. Considering the depleted state of the Twins bullpen after the trade deadline sell-off, this seems like a strange move and one that should invoke panic. It may instead be the exact opposite: a move that signals a lesson learned from past roster mistakes. Hendriks, at the outset of camp, was a leading candidate to be the top right-hander at the back end of the bullpen, vying for save opportunities. Coming off injuries and a cancer battle, the Twins needed to see Hendriks regain form closer to his 2022 self. While Hendriks was able to ramp up to the mid-90s in velocity, general manager Jeremy Zoll stated they didn’t see the consistency they had hoped to from their reliever. The most recent of those inconsistencies was on display Thursday evening as the Twins visited the Red Sox. Hendriks, in his one inning of work, gave up two hits, two walks, threw a wild pitch, and allowed one run. Evidenced by his release the next day, it was not what the Twins and Zoll were looking for in the veteran. Chafin came to the Twins with a similar good veteran track record, offering continued hope for the rebuilding bullpen. When the left-hander was at his peak of success, he was able to throw 93 mph with his sinker. As Chafin worked through spring, he was never able to touch 90 mph and sat at only 86 mph in Monday’s outing. It's a continued negative trend from his 89 mph average in 2025. Moving on from those two veterans represents a shift from what we have traditionally seen from the Twins. The club is giving a chance to an unproven group that may have upside, rather than potentially watching some name-worthy veterans continue to trend in the wrong direction. This means that now the likes of Cole Sands, Zak Kent, Eric Orze, Dan Altavilla, Matt Bowman, Trent Baker, and Cody Laweryson will have a shot at being the arms that rebuild the Twins bullpen. It may be too early to call this a full-on change in philosophy, but it is a positive sign that there may be one in process. Twins fans have had to endure watching the Twins hang onto veterans of the likes of Joey Gallo way beyond their usefulness. Instead, we will get to see if one of these low-wattage additions can have the sort of success the team desperately needs for the sake of the bullpen. It should be a welcome change from the post-deadline stretch in 2025 when veteran placeholders got most of the innings rather than anyone with much future potential. It wasn’t too long ago that the Twins had both Danny Coulombe and Jeff Hoffman in camp and released them just before they had great success elsewhere. While Derek Falvey is gone, others like Zoll have been part of a leadership that has been able to identify good arms, but hasn't held onto them long enough. Just a fraction of that sort of success from one of the group of relievers still in camp would be great development for the 2026 roster. If this is a true signal of a renewed willingness to move on from veterans sooner rather than later, it could be a significant advantage on the positional side as well. Right now, the Twins will have an exciting group of outfield prospects in St. Paul to start the season, including Emmanuel Rodriguez, Carlos Gonzalez, and Walker Jenkins. If the likes of James Outman or Trevor Larnach struggle out of the gate, fans can be hopeful that a Zoll-led front office may be willing to move on with appropriate timing, paving the way for this exciting group of prospects ready to hit the majors. What do you think? Did the Twins make a grave mistake by letting go of two proven veterans, or do you have faith that this is a sign that the tide is turning in Minnesota in how the front office handles veterans? View the full article

While the corner outfield had a lot of variance in the day-to-day starting lineup, center field was a position of relative stability. Kyle Isbel started 118 games in center field last season. When Isbel was not in the lineup, the Royals did not have a viable option to replace him, to the point that they even experimented with playing Maikel Garcia in center. Going into 2026, the Royals signed Lane Thomas to a one-year contract. The addition of Thomas gives the Royals a proven Major League depth option and the flexibility to platoon him with Isbel against left-handed pitching. Royals Second Basemen At a Glance Starter: Kyle Isbel Backups: Lane Thomas Depth: Tyler Tolbert, John Rave, Drew Waters Prospects: Gavin Cross, Carson Roccaforte Royals fWAR Ranking Last Year: 24th out of 30 Royals fWAR Projection This Year: 30th out of 30 The Good Kyle Isbel is an excellent defender. According to Statcast data via Baseball Savant, Isbel grades in the 93rd percentile in fielding run value. In 2025, he was worth 12 Outs Above Average (OAA) based on his range. The Royals know what they are getting with Isbel in the field, and they are willing to live with offensive deficiencies (we’ll get to that later) if he can continue to provide exceptional defense. Lane Thomas can help pick up the slack for Isbel’s lack of offensive production, particularly against left-handed pitching. From the 2021 through the 2024 seasons, Thomas provided above-average production against lefties, posting a wRC+ of at least 107. That will be a welcome improvement compared to the 56 wRC+ that Isbel had against lefties in 2025. Historically, Thomas has been graded close to average fielding run value with above-average arm value, arm strength, and spring speed. There shouldn’t be too big a defensive dropoff when Thomas starts against lefties. The Bad Isbel has not been good on offense, even against right-handed pitching. He has not posted an above-average wRC+ against righties since his rookie season in 2021. In 2025, Isbel graded in the 9th percentile in batting run value, along with 1st percentile marks in xwOBA, xSLG, and launch angle sweet spot. While Isbel is above average in whiff and strikeout rates, he rarely walks, doing so at just 5.6%. Ideally, Thomas would mitigate Isbel’s deficiencies, but Thomas dealt with multiple injury setbacks that limited him to just 39 games in 2025. He is only a couple of years removed from a season where he slashed .268/.315/.468, but Thomas will need to prove that he can both return to that level of production and stay healthy for a long stretch of the season. If the Royals only ask him to contribute on the short side of the centerfield platoon, that could help keep Thomas fresh and reduce the risk of additional time on the injured list in 2026. After Isbel and Thomas, there are prospects who have not yet been able to make a meaningful impact at the major-league level. Tyler Tolbert, John Rave, Kameron Misner, and Drew Waters all have struggled to impress in their limited time in the big leagues. Waters is also out of minor-league options and is more likely to be designated for assignment rather than make the Opening Day roster. While there is still time for any of them to grow into contributors in MLB, the Royals will hope that their services won’t be necessary in 2026. The Bottom Line The fWAR projection for Royals center fielders is concerning, and a majority of that production is expected to come from Kyle Isbel’s exceptional defense. While Lane Thomas is a major-league proven option, his injury history casts doubt on whether he can be a reliable option in 2026 for a full season. If Thomas can stay healthy, his offensive production could be a boon for the Royals in 2026 as a complement to Isbel’s strong defense. If his health remains an issue, however, the Royals may once again look to their minor-league depth for answers in center field. Previous Installments: Second Base Position Analysis Catcher Position Analysis First Base Position Analysis Corner Outfield Position Analysis View the full article

Jays Centre is counting down the top 50 Blue Jays in franchise history. Check out prior entries in the series here: Introduction 50 to 46 45 to 41 40 to 36 35 to 31 30 to 25 Baseball is a sport where you rarely ride off into the sunset, and even if the conditions are right for a cinematic exit, you might only be hitting .203. As we continue our countdown of the best Blue Jays of all time, we look back at some legends who didn’t end things in Toronto the way we wished. For the next player on our list, we can still dream of that storybook finish. No. 25: Kevin Gausman 11.2 bWAR (T-13th among Toronto pitchers) 48-41 over 125 starts 3.81 ERA 9.72 K/9 (2nd behind Tom Henke) Sometimes, you have to wait for the best things in life. Toronto tried to sign Kevin Gausman as a free agent before the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but both times, the right-hander returned to the Giants. After the Jays barely missed the playoffs in ‘21, general manager Ross Atkins finally got his guy – and let another find walk in the process. A few weeks before, Robbie Ray had become the fourth and most unlikely Blue Jays pitcher to win the Cy Young Award, but with the five-year, $110-million contract given to Gausman, it was clear Ray was out of the picture. The decision was not only the correct one, but with a year left on his contract, Gausman is arguably the best free agent signing in team history. Over four seasons, Gausman has given Toronto ace-level consistency not seen since Roy Halladay (and yes, David Price). His presence was never more apparent than during last year’s playoff run. Gausman pitches like an ace and acts like one. He is one of the coolest customers to ever pitch in a Blue Jays uniform and will take the ball on Opening Day this season, a season in which Gausman will continue to build, and maybe finalize, his Toronto legacy. No. 24: Shawn Green 13.3 bWAR (24th among Toronto position players) Gold Glove and Silver Slugger as an All-Star in 1999, hitting .309 with 42 HR and 123 RBI How quickly it came crashing down. Shawn Green was a first-round pick by Toronto in ‘91, and after destroying the minors, he earned six at-bats and a World Series ring in the ‘93 season. Green became an everyday player in ‘95 and improved each year before breaking out in ‘98 with 35 home runs. He called that year’s Blue Jays the best team he’d ever played on, but Toronto was unable to make the playoffs in a brutal AL East. Green’s following year remains one of the better individual seasons in franchise history. Behind the scenes, things had crumbled. On the final weekend of the regular season, manager Jim Fregosi and GM Gord Ash cleared out the coaching staff, firing five, including pitching coach Mel Queen and hitting coach Gary Matthews. Green was displeased, saying Queen knew more about baseball than “anyone I’ve ever met, hands down,” and he was even more befuddled when the team replaced Matthews with Cito Gaston, someone Green felt held him down in his previous job as Toronto's manager. Green would be a free agent at the end of 2000 and said the moves hadn’t impacted any extension talks with Ash. It wasn’t entirely inaccurate; negotiations just weren’t happening. A few weeks after he told the Blue Jays he wasn’t going to re-sign, Green was traded to the Dodgers for Raul Mondesi and Pedro Borbon. Green had given the fanbase a reason to be optimistic in Toronto’s post-World Series seasons; his departure marked the beginning of the end of hope for some time. No. 23: Devon Whyte 22.3 bWAR (T-10th among Toronto position players) 3.9 defensive bWAR in 1992 (highest single-season mark in team history) The first trip to Canada sucked. Devon Whyte was not supposed to be in Edmonton. No one ever is. He was an All-Star for the Angels in ‘89, but the all-world defender could not hit a lick at the start of the 1990 season and was sent up north to Triple A. Whyte was back in the majors at the end of the season, but after six years in California, he was washed out of the Angels' plans. Three days before making an even bigger trade with San Diego, GM Pat Gillick sent Junior Felix and some pocket change in a deal for Whyte, who he pictured gracefully locking down center field in the midst of a powerful lineup still being built. Gillick’s vision made Whyte's second trip to Canada a longer-lasting one. No one has looked smoother patrolling the dome's outfield turf, and Whyte rightfully won Gold Gloves in all five of his seasons with Toronto. His bat? It would do just fine. Whyte slashed a career best .282/.342/.455 in his debut season, and his All-Star campaign in ‘93 with 42 doubles and 34 steals helped Toronto repeat as World Champions. Unlike Green, Whyte played the best baseball of his career as a Blue Jay, and as a result, few are held in higher regard by fans of the World Series-era teams. No. 22: Duane Ward Second place in a few franchise pitching categories, including appearances (452), saves (121), and ERA (3.18) Best HR/9 rate (0.415) in team history. Operating as the burly consigliere to closer Tom Henke, Duane Ward logged over 100 innings out of Toronto’s bullpen in five straight seasons beginning in ‘88. When Henke left after the ‘92 title year, Ward recorded 45 saves in the closer’s role as the Jays repeated as champs. As good as he was during the regular season, Ward saved some of his best performances for when they mattered most in the World Series. He struck out half of the dozen Braves he faced in ‘92 and was vital against Philadelphia in ‘93, which culminated in a scoreless ninth inning of work preceding Joe Carter’s statue-worthy walkoff, earning the win in the series-clinching Game 6. It could be said that no one gave up more for Toronto’s successes than Ward. When he went to throw in the winter for the first time as a back-to-back champion, Ward felt pain in his shoulder. The enormous workload that got the Blue Jays to the top had taken its toll. He would miss the ‘94 season with a torn rotator cuff and would only pitch in four more games the following year. The accomplishments that earned him this spot among the franchise’s greats should never be forgotten. No. 21: Bo Bichette 21.0 bWAR (13th among Toronto position players) Sixth-highest batting average in team history (.294) It still doesn’t feel like the right time to write a postmortem about Bo Bichette. Long before Bo and Vladdy arrived in the majors in 2019, fans dreamed of the two second-generation players carrying the Blue Jays into new successes. Just as we seemingly arrived in that moment, Bo is gone. His impending departure was camouflaged in the excitement of last season’s playoff run, especially while Bichette remained out with an injury. When he returned, his offensive aura provided the World Series another star player, and he did everything one could ask and hope. Playing through knee pain, Bichette handled second base duties while going 8-for-23 with a home run in the final game we wish could be remembered more fondly. Bo never looked more like the player the Blue Jays needed than in those seven contests. A reunion then seemed plausible, but any time spent wondering about Bo coming back now seems wasted. The writing was on the wall long ago; this was an it couple from high school, unable to make it through their twenties together. You allowed yourself the thought because, well, who didn’t like Bo Bichette? Just make it work. Unfinished business and feelings aside, Bo coming back was never a likely scenario. We will see if this becomes another Robbie Ray moment, because how the next few years play out will impact how we remember Bichette’s time with Toronto and this era of Blue Jays baseball. View the full article

From start to finish, Carlos Correa’s time in Minnesota was a strange odyssey — one that, it turns out, nearly ended in tragedy. In a recent interview with MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart, Correa recounted a harrowing moment on Lake Minnetonka last July, when he found himself “fighting for survival.” During a family outing, he drifted far from both the boat and the shore, exhausted and struggling to stay afloat while carrying his 3-year-old son, Kylo. Correa wasn’t wearing a life jacket. Spotting a nearby buoy, he made for it, believing it was his only chance. Kylo, safely strapped into a life vest, sat on his shoulders, asking if they were going to be okay. Correa reached the buoy but slipped. He went under, grabbed the chain, and injured his left hand. With his son still on his shoulders, he alternated hands just to stay above water, shouting toward the boat for help. It was, by his account, his last gasp. His father-in-law eventually spotted him and swam out with a life jacket. Correa and his son made it out safely. As McTaggart notes, the experience sparked a religious reawakening, leading Correa to organize regular Bible study sessions during the offseason. I get that a lot of Twins fans are down on Correa. But, it’s difficult to hear a story like that and not feel a jolt of empathy. A situation like that — legitimately fearing for your life, trying to suppress panic while your child looks to you for reassurance — can leave lingering echoes of trauma. I know numerous people who've witnessed drowning incidents or had close calls themselves, and it haunts them. The exact date of the incident isn’t specified, but Correa was traded back to Houston two weeks later, suggesting it occurred around the All-Star break. He was in the lineup for the first game of the second half, showing no outward signs of what he’d just endured. You never really know what someone is dealing with. It's quite the bookend to Correa’s turbulent tenure in Minnesota. He arrived as a jilted free agent and experienced dramatic highs and lows over three and a half seasons. Injuries, including plantar fasciitis in both feet, disrupted his availability and hampered his performance. In 2024, that issue cut short an All-Star-caliber campaign and coincided with a team-wide collapse that carried through to 2025. I'm also not going to pretend everything was out of his control. Last season, Correa was healthy but repeatedly came up short in big moments, a stark contrast to his reputation. At times, he carried himself more like a hired mercenary than a foundational piece, and that perception only hardened on his way out. As McTaggart writes, “He never wanted to leave Houston in the first place.” Still, whatever frustration lingers is outweighed by something else. It’s disappointing that what once looked like a defining chapter for the Twins unraveled so completely. It’s disappointing that the franchise’s boldest free-agent move will be remembered more for what didn’t happen than what did. And it’s scary to realize that, near the end of it all, things came far closer to tragedy than anyone realized. View the full article

WEST PALM BEACH, FL — The Miami Marlins announced on Friday that their starting rotation will consist of right-handed pitchers Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Max Meyer, Chris Paddack and Janson Junk. Less than a week away from Opening Day, the bullpen situation is not as settled. The current locks are Pete Fairbanks, John King, Calvin Faucher, Anthony Bender and Tyler Phillips. Beyond those names, there are three open spots. The names in contention are left-handers Cade Gibson and Andrew Nardi along with right-handed pitchers Michael Petersen, Lake Bachar and Tyler Zuber (a non-roster invitee). The Marlins will wind up using all of them over the course of the 2026 season. Determining who breaks camp with the big league club will be influenced by who can be relied on most to provide quality length. "Trying to get as many members down in that bullpen that potentially would break with us into a spot where they can go multiple innings—they can go the 40-50 pitch range, if needed from them," said manager Clayton McCullough on Friday. "We feel like we're not there yet. We still have some decisions to be made here at the end with some, but we feel like that of those remaining in that mix for our 'pen, that we have a high number of them that are going to give us that type of ability to go multiple innings." Gibson, Bachar and Petersen all threw in West Palm Beach on Friday, while Nardi threw in Jupiter. Gibson struggled, unable to complete an inning, allowing two runs on three hits while recording one walk and one strikeout. Bachar, who followed Gibson, threw an inning, striking out two. The righty's fastball topped out at 96.0 mph and averaged 95.5 mph (both personal bests for him during spring training). Both strikeouts came on his slider, which generated two whiffs. Petersen struggled as well, going one inning, walking two and striking out one. "(Gibson) and (Petersen) ran into some traffic, but fought through it," said Marlins bench coach Carson Vitale following the game. "Thought they did a nice job. Lake was good tonight. It's kind of the best version we've seen of him this spring. The velo was up, the strike zone was up, the two-k execution was really good. All three of them did a nice job tonight, but Lake stood out for sure." As for Nardi in Jupiter, he went one scoreless inning, walking and striking out one. "Very encouraging," McCullough said. "I think we were optimistic coming into camp, not sure maybe what type of version we'd get. As the camp's gone along, he's handled everything that we've thrown at him. He's filled up the strike zone, breaking balls have been good and we're seeing the life of his fastball come back as he goes along." In 4 ⅓ innings of work this spring, Nardi has allowed just one hit in the process and struck out seven against two walks. He is making a strong case for the roster, but he was behind schedule compared to the other pitchers due to a blood blister issue. That may be used as a tiebreaker, giving the Marlins a reason to initially build him up in Triple-A Jacksonville. The Marlins' Grapefruit League finale will be Sunday afternoon against the New York Mets. However, they will have a series of team workouts at loanDepot park from March 24-26, allowing them to gather even more information about these relievers if necessary. View the full article

Long has our roster gone without updates while we sorted through the boxes and hauled the furniture over in moving vans from the old place to the new. This has necessitated reprogramming the Mets Roster Central database as well. We apologize if this means catching up, but we need not go into Opening Day without a less-than-up-to-date roster. Please note that Mets Roster Central Updates will no longer include endless scrolls through the entire Mets roster in the forum threads (Yay!). We'll just provide the updates and post the full roster in the news articles. Let's get caught up! Transactions, 8/4/2025 "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 2px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 6px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;}" GOING Released Outfielders Willy Fanas S/R DoB: 1/23/2004 High Level: A (2025) We open, as too often happens, with an overlooked transaction from days gone by. These transactions, if nothing else, allow Mets Roster Central to update their database thumbnail photos of young prospects on the way out the door. Willy Fanas was signed as an 18-year-old and represented in the database by a grainy shot of him swinging the bat on the back field of a Dominican academy. In his three-plus years in the Mets system, he showed a promising walk/speed package, but made too little contact — and too little consequential contact — to get more than semi-regular work, or to advance past A ball. More interesting Fanas-fact is that the Mets only grabbed him after the Angels reneged on a deal — leading to a lawsuit filed by Willy and Keiderson Pavon, another prospect the Angels spurned. We don't know how that turned out, but it's always nice to see oft-exploited young Dominican ballplayers express their rights. But enough about guys released last summer. Transactions, 3/12/2026 "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 2px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 6px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;}" COMING Purchased from Washington (Frontier League), Projected for St. Lucie Purchased from Lake Country (American Association), Projected for Brooklyn Infielders Outfielders Cole Fowler JT Benson L/R DoB: 2002-12-10 High Level: Frontier League (2025) R/R DoB: 2002-04-01 High Level: American Association (2024) March isn't too late to go scouting indie-league guys. Cole and JT were probably already in Florida working out with some indy squads. The two come to the Mets from very different college pedigrees. Cole Fowler plied his trade with Division II Lynn University in Boca Raton. While a handful of D-II players get pro contracts every year, and some even sneak into the draft, nobody touched young Cole, despite a senior year for the ages — going .438/.472 /.810 (!!) for a 1.281 OPS with the Fighting Knights. (Again, that's an .810 slugging percentage! By an infielder!) That was in a robust 230 plate appearances, but no MLB team would give him a tumble, until now. JT Benson went the more traditional route, playing with Louisville in the elite Atlantic Conference. Traditionally, when the draft was bigger, virtually all ACC players — even utility infielders and mop-up relievers- got a look on draft day. But JT, despite getting better every season and performing well in the wood-bat Northwoods Summer League, did not get a call. Until now. Best of luck to them both. Transactions, 3/14/2026 "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 2px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 6px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;}" GOING COMING Placed on 60-Day Injured List with a Rib Fracture Claimed off Waivers from WAS, In Camp, Projected for Syracuse, Despite Being Out of Options Relief Pitchers Relief Pitchers Justin Hagenman Richard Lovelady R/R DoB: 35345 High Level: MLB (2025) L/L DoB: 34887 High Level: MLB (2025) Now, we move on to trannies that affect the current Mets roster directly. Justin Hagenman has been a swingman, but the Mets had been working him as a starter this spring, and they seemed serious about giving him a real look as a backup plan should one of their projected starters go down — and the nature of projected starters suggests they will. So this setback looks like a lost opportunity for Justin, but broken ribs heal, and there will be other opportunities down the road as the season unfolds. The rib injury went largely unreported until the Mets needed a roster spot to reclaim the celebrated Richard Lovelady. Richard — nee Dickey — has been the subject of a tug of war between the Mets and the Nats, each trying to sneak him through waivers when they need a roster spot, each failing as the other gets all grabby. Richard is out of options, though, so unless an injury (especially to fellow lefty relievers Brooks Raley or Bryan Hudson) comes calling, there is a good chance he will get yet another ticket on the DFA train before the spring is out. Dicky is a good pitcher, but it apparently takes more than one fractured rib to get him onto an MLB squad. Transactions, 3/16/2026 COMING Signed away from Sioux City (American Association) to Minor-League Contract, Projected for Brooklyn Signed away from TOR to Minor-League Contract, Projected for Syracuse Relief Pitchers Infielders Felix Cepeda Eddinson Paulino R/R DoB: 36722 High Level: AA (2024) L/R DoB: 37439 High Level: AA (2025) Just look at that smug smirk on the face of Felix Cepeda. With that cocky smile and that slash shaved through his eyebrow, you'd think he was coming with the Hall-of-Fame pedigree his name implies. But like Eddinson Paulino, he's a Dominican who has played out his six minor-league reserve years with a big-league organization — the Sox, in his case — without joining a big-league roster. Paulino is probably the better bet, coming with just enough of a profile to possibly edge Grae Kessinger off the Syracuse roster. (We're talking a hair's difference — a single decimal point — so who knows how such a comparison would break in real life?) Apart from bearing (a variation) on the name of a great inventor, he was a good average hitter in the low minors, but as he tried to add power to his profile. Eddie was the Jay's (supposedly) 23rd-best prospect as recently as mid-2025, so it looks like he still has some upside. And to judge from that thumbnail shot of him, he's an athletic-looking, serious dude. In fairness, that may just be an illusion of seeing him next to Felix Cepeda, who just looks like a jerk. Transactions, 3/17/2026 "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 2px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 6px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;}" GOING Optioned to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Syracuse Reassigned to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Syracuse Reassigned to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Binghamton Reassigned to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Binghamton Reassigned to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Syracuse Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Relief Pitchers Relief Pitchers Infielders Christian Scott Adbert Alzolay Nick Burdi Daniel Duarte Christian Arroyo R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 High Level: AA (2024) R/R DoB: 1995-03-01 High Level: MLB (2024) R/R DoB: 1993-01-19 High Level: MLB (2025) R/R DoB: 1996-12-04 High Level: MLB (2024) R/R DoB: 1995-05-30 High Level: MLB (2023) GOING COMING Reassigned to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Syracuse Optioned to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Syracuse Added to Projected Roster Infielders Outfielders Outfielders José Rojas MJ Melendez Jared Young L/R DoB: 1993-02-24 High Level: MLB (2022) L/R DoB: 1993-11-29 High Level: AA (2025) L/R DoB: 1995-07-09 High Level: MLB (2025) The St. Patrick's Day Massacre was when the Mets camp really began to get cleaned out in earnest, as a group of players with meaningful MLB experience went down. Christian Scott and Adbert Alzolay, of course, both spent 2025 not pitching at all, so just getting through camp not hurt has to be at least some consolation. The real big news here is MJ Melendez getting shipped out when he had the strongest profile of all the competitors for the fifth outfield spot. Profile — which we use here as a shorter version of accumulated statistical profile — isn't everything, of course, and part of what camp is about is figuring out who is maturing into form and who is fading. While this is most immediately good news for the Jared Young Fan Club (they hold their meetings in taxis), that may well only be temporary. Jared gets the first look as he is on the roster, but still alive and seemingly coming on strong (.412 / .487 / .500 // .987 in 39 spring plate appearances) is Carson Benge. Evaluators will tell you that teams look beyond the numbers in such cases, but the numbers sure look good. Also hanging around in the corners of the picture are Mike Tauchman, who profiles nicely as a lefty pinch-hitter, as well as Dominican ballhawk Cristian Pache. Pache wasn't expected to be sticking to the camp roster anywhere near this long, but an absolutely torrid spring (.464 / .516 / .786 // 1.302 in 31 plate appearances) has made him awfully hard to send away. Transactions, 3/19/2026 "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 2px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 6px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;}" GOING COMING Transferred to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Syracuse Optioned to Minor-League Camp, Projected for St. Lucie Transferred to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Syracuse Optioned to Minor-League Camp, Projected for Syracuse Added to Projected Roster Relief Pitchers Relief Pitchers Relief Pitchers Infielders Infielders Mike Baumann Joey Gerber Brandon Waddell Ronny Mauricio Francisco Lindor R/R DoB: 1995-09-10 High Level: MLB (2024) R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 High Level: MLB (2025) L/L DoB: 1994-06-03 High Level: MLB (2025) S/R DoB: 2001-04-04 High Level: MLB (2025) S/R DoB: 1993-11-14 High Level: MLB (202 We get brought up to date with the clearing out of Brandon Waddell — just needed an injury to make the team in what has turned out to be a surprising (knock wood) injury-free spring since the bad Francisco Lindor news that opened camp, along with fellow vets Mike Baumann and Joey Gerber (somehow not reported to be nicknamed "Baby," who the Mets were presumably surprised to find still hanging around after getting only one and two innings, respectively, this spring. But the real news that brings us up to date is the farming out of former top prospect Ronny Mauricio. Ronny still has upside, but his ticket to minor-league camp opens up a seat for the historically hard-to-keep-down Francisco Lindor, who is now all but guaranteed to be the Mets' Opening Day shortstop. As much as fate may still yet intervene, Francisco simply has a way of being master of his own fate. And that brings you all up to date. Here's to our new home, and future updates from the folks at Mets Roster Central being short and sweet. Your Mets Coaching Staff "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 1px; line-height: 1.1; max-width: 60px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 1px; line-height: 1; max-width: 60px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 9px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; Manager Bench Coach Pitching Coach Hitting Coordinator Third Base Coach First Base Coach Bullpen Coach Ass't Pitching Coach Carlos Mendoza Kai Correa Justin Willard Jeff Albert Tim Leiper Gilbert Gomez José Rosado Dan McKinney DoB: 1979-11-27 DoB: 1989-07-14 DoB: 1990-09-09 DoB: 1992-08-16 DoB: 1996-07-19 DoB: 1992-03-08 DoB: 1974-11-09 DoB: 1989-06-06 Hitting Coach Strategy Coach Catching Coach Coaching Assistant Bat'g Practice Pitcher Equipment Manager Bullpen Catchers Bullpen Catchers Troy Snitker Danny Barnes J.P. Arencibia Rafael Fernandez Kevin Mahoney Kevin Kierst Eric Langill Dave Racaniello DoB: 1988-12-05 DoB: 1989-10021 DoB: 1986-01-05 DoB: 1988-08-03 DoB: 1987-05-11 DoB: 1964-07-09 DoB: 1979-04-09 DoB: 1978-06-03 Your Mets Training Staff "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 1px; line-height: 1; max-width: 60px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 1px; line-height: 1; max-width: 60px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 9px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;} Director of Player Health Head Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Reconditioning Coordinator Reconditioning Therapist Head Performance Coach Assistant Performance Coach Performance Coordinator Brian Chicklo Joseph Golia Bryan Baca Sean Bardanett Josh Bickel Dustin Clarke Tanner Miracle Jeremy Chiang DoB: 1972-07-17 DoB: 1978-??-?? DoB: Circa 1980 DoB: 1988-06-23 DoB: 1996-??-?? DoB: 1987-??-?? DoB: 1991-??-?? DoB: ????-??-?? Your 2026 New York Mets "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 2px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 6px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;} Starting Pitchers Clay Holmes Sean Manaea Nolan McLean Freddy Peralta David Peterson R/R DoB: 1993-03-27 R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 R/R DoB: 2001-07-24 R/R DoB: 2996-06-04 L/L DoB: 1995-09-03 Relief Pitchers Huascar Brazobán Luis Garcia Tobias Myers Brooks Raley Kodai Senga Bryan Hudson Luke Weaver R/R DoB: 1989-10-15 R/R DoB: 1987-01-30 R/R DoB: 1998-08-05 L/L DoB: 1988-06-29 L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 L/L DoB: 1997-05-08 R/R DoB: 1993-08-21 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Devin Williams Francisco Alvarez Luís Torrens Bo Bichette Vidal Brujan Francisco Lindor Jorge Polanco R/R DoB: 1994-09-21 R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 R/R DoB: 1996-05-02 R/R DoB: 1998-03-05 S/R DoB: 1998-02-09 S/R DoB: 1993-11-14 S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 Infielders Outfielders Marcus Semien Mark Vientos Brett Baty Luis Robert, Jr. Juan Soto Tyrone Taylor Jared Young R/R DoB: 1990-09-17 R/R DoB: 1993-12-11 L/R DoB: 1999-11-13 R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 L/L DoB: 36093 R/R DoB: 34356 L/R DoB: 1995-07-09 Also on 40-Player Roster "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 2px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 6px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;} Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Tylor Megill Christian Scott Jonah Tong Alex Carrillo Reed Garrett Joey Gerber Justin Hagenman R/R DoB: 1995-07-28 R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 R/R DoB: 1997-06-06 R/R DoB: 1993-01-02 R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 R/R DoB: 1996-10-07 On 60-Day Injured List with torn right UCL. In minor-league camp. Projected for Syracuse. In minor-league camp. Projected for Syracuse. In minor-league camp. Projected for St. Lucie. On 60-Day Injured List — right UCL surgery and nerve relocation surgery. Projected for Brooklyn. On 60 Day Injured List with fractured rib. Relief Pitchers Catchers Richard Lovelady A.J. Minter Dedniel Núñez Jonathan Pintaro Dylan Ross Austin Warren Ben Rortvedt L/L DoB: 1995-07-07 L/L DoB: 1993-09-02 R/R DoB: 1996-06-05 R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 R/R DoB: 2000-09-01 R/R DoB: 1996-02-05 L/R DoB: 1997-09-25 Projected for Syracuse, despite being out of options. Expected to open season on Injured List — left UCL tear. On 60-Day Injured List — right UCL surgery. In minor-league camp. Projected for Binghamton. In minor-league camp. Projected for St. Lucie. Projected for Syracuse. Projected for Syracuse. Out of options. Catchers Infielders Outfielders Hayden Senger Ronny Mauricio MJ Melendez Nick Morabito R/R DoB: 1997-04-03 S/R DoB: 2001-04-04 L/R DoB: 1993-11-29 R/R DoB: 2003-05-07 Projected for Binghamton. In minor-league camp. Projected for Syracuse. In minor-league camp. Projected for Syracuse. In minor-league camp. Projected for Binghamton. Also in Camp "table { margin: 2px; width: auto; border: 1px solid black;} th { padding: 2px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; background-color: #000000; } td { padding: 6px; line-height: 1; max-width: 90px; border: 3px solid black; font-family: ""Arial"", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;} Relief Pitchers Catchers Outfielders Kevin Herget Craig Kimbrel Austin Barnes Carson Benge Cristian Pache " Mike Tauchman L/R DoB: 1991-04-03 R/R DoB: 1988-05-28 R/R DoB: 1989-12-28 L/R DoB: 2003-01-20 R/R DoB: 1998-11-19 L/L DoB: 1990-12-03 Projected for Syracuse Projected for Syracuse. Projected for Binghamton. Projected for Binghamton Projected for Binghamton Projected for Syracuse View the full article

There are plenty of moments that define a player’s tenure with the Minnesota Twins, but for Carlos Correa, one of the most impactful experiences happened away from the field. In a recent conversation with MLB.com reporter Brian McTaggart, Correa shared details of a terrifying moment on Lake Minnetonka that nearly cost him and his young son their lives. The incident occurred in mid-July, while Correa was out on the water with family. At one point, he and his three-year-old son Kylo found themselves separated from their boat and struggling to stay afloat. Without a life jacket and with his son clinging to his back, Correa quickly realized the situation was more dangerous than it first appeared. As he fought to keep them both above water, severe cramping set in throughout his legs. The physical toll made it increasingly difficult to stay afloat, forcing Correa to search for anything nearby that could provide support. Eventually, he reached a buoy, but even that proved challenging. After initially losing his grip and slipping beneath the surface, Correa injured his left hand while grabbing onto the chain. With limited strength and fading energy, he alternated hands to maintain his hold while keeping his son secure. It was a desperate effort just to buy time. Correa was eventually able to call out for help, catching the attention of his father-in-law near the boat. He swam over and delivered a life jacket, bringing a frightening situation under control before it turned tragic. Looking back, Correa credited his faith for helping him endure the ordeal, describing it as a moment that tested both his body and mindset. The timing only adds another layer to the story. Correa indicated the scare occurred around the All-Star break, and within a couple of weeks, his time in Minnesota came to an abrupt end. The Twins moved on from Correa at the trade deadline in what amounted to a financial decision. The return was minimal, Matt Mikulski, a minor league player who did not factor into the organization’s long-term plans and was eventually released after the 2025 season. Correa’s tenure with Minnesota still carried significance. After signing one of the largest contracts in franchise history prior to the 2023 season, he provided stability at shortstop and delivered consistent production. Across three and a half seasons, he posted a 118 OPS+ with 61 home runs and earned an All-Star selection during his time in Minnesota. He also played a key role in the 2023 club that finally snapped the franchise’s lengthy postseason drought, helping the Twins secure their first playoff series victory in more than two decades. However, the momentum did not carry over. A reduction in payroll the following offseason limited the team’s ability to build on that success, and Minnesota was unable to return to the playoffs before ultimately parting ways with its star shortstop. After returning to the Houston Astros, where his career originally began, Correa found another gear at the plate. He combined for a 117 OPS+ over 51 games down the stretch, a noticeable jump from his .94 OPS+ in 93 games with Minnesota earlier in the 2025 season. In the end, Correa’s departure will be remembered for what it meant on the field and in the front office. But his story now carries something deeper. Before the trade, before the roster decisions, there was a moment on a Minnesota lake that nearly changed everything. View the full article

The San Diego Padres are bringing Ty France with them to Opening Day. The Friars told the former San Diego State standout that he will be on the roster to begin the season, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Saturday. As a non-roster player in camp, the infielder will have to be added to the 40-man roster. The move comes a day after right-handed starter Walker Buehler was told he will be on the Opening Day roster. France signed a minor-league deal after camp began, which called for his salary to be $1.35 million once added to the Padres' roster. The Padres had faced a Saturday deadline to inform them of their decision or have him possibly opt-out of his contract. In winning the final spot on the bench, France has had a really good spring, putting up a .318/.367/.545 slash line with two homers with 12 RBIs in 44 at-bats. Last year's AL Gold Glove first baseman has displayed his positional versatility, playing second and third base this spring. France has played second base in an MLB game three times over the last four years and 55 times since his MLB debut with the Padres in 2019. He has not played third base since the 2022 season. But as a member of the Padres' bench for 2026, France is likely to see action at both spots early in the season, especially with Sung Mun Song expected to start the season on the injured list. Adding France means the four-person bench will likely include him, catcher Luis Campusano, outfielder-infielder Miguel Andujar, and outfielder Bryce Johnson. France started the 2025 season with the Minnesota Twins, but was traded at the deadline to the Toronto Blue Jays, where he played sparingly as the team made a run to the World Series. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox made yet another round of cuts in camp, mere days away from Opening Day. Notably, OF/INF Kristian Campbell headlines the group reassigned to minor-league camp. Pitchers Alex Gamboa, Tayron Guerrero, and Kyle Keller were also reassigned. Catcher Jason Delay, infielder Vinny Capra, and outfielder Braiden Ward were also reassigned, but they are remaining in major league spring training for now. Obviously, Campbell headlines the reassignment group for this round. Campbell came into camp with more muscle and with new mechanics at the plate. While he had some promising moments, his performance left a bit to be desired. He appeared in 18 games for the Red Sox this spring, slashing .220/.304/.645 with one home run, two doubles, a 23.9 K%, and a 4.3 BB%. If you’ve tuned into any spring training games so far, you’ll have noticed that he seems far more comfortable at the plate now, but he’s still adjusting to his new swing. When it clicks, he should take a giant step forward to hopefully become the player the team envisioned when they extended him at the start of the 2025 season. Guerrero was impressive in camp but his reassignment seems to indicate that the Andrew Bailey-led pitching lab doesn’t think what he’s currently working with is sustainable at the big-league level, yet. He’s a flamethrower, but the rest of his game needs more refinement. Keller has looked overmatched for much of spring training so his reassignment isn’t surprising. Gamboa falls into the same category as Keller; both obviously need more work and aren't likely to see the big-league roster any time soon. Delay, Capra, and Ward being reassigned also isn’t surprising. but the decision to keep them in Major League spring training is an indicator how high the organization is on them as capable depth options. Ward is likely going to be a late season call up to give the team a boost off the bench in pinch running situations, so look for him to continue to shine on the basepaths with Worcester for the bulk of the season. Delay was in the mix for the backup catcher role but this likely means he’s out of that race for now. Capra proved to be more than capable at handling infield duties while guys were given days off for rest down the stretch of spring training. Watch for at least one more round of cuts as the front office gets the team down to the 26-man roster before Opening Day on March 26. View the full article