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Outside of Trey Yesavage, who will be graduating from prospect status before long, JoJo Parker is the top-rated prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays system before even playing a game. Where did this guy come from, what does his skillset look like, and how long will it take for him to reach the show? We answer all of these questions. View the full article

The 2026 Minnesota Twins entered spring training with a clear identity. If there was one area this roster could hang its hat on, it was starting pitching. That strength was supposed to give the Twins a path, however narrow, to relevance and possibly even a surprise playoff push. That plan lasted exactly one day. Twins ace Pablo López suffered a torn UCL on the first day of spring training, an injury expected to sideline him for the entirety of the 2026 season. In one moment, the Twins lost the pitcher they were most reliant on to anchor the rotation. In the wake of that injury, the Twins need to reassess their direction, and that reassessment should lead to one clear conclusion: It is time to trade Joe Ryan. Even before López went down, the Twins' margin for error was already slim. The idea was never that Minnesota could contend with a merely solid rotation. Their chances rested on starting pitching being outstanding in order to offset a lineup filled with question marks and a bullpen that lacked proven reliability. Without López, that scenario becomes increasingly difficult to envision. Every remaining starter is now pushed up a rung in responsibility. The first depth arm in St. Paul, whoever that would have been, is no longer a depth option but a necessary member of the rotation. Any flexibility the Twins may have had to deploy a starter in a hybrid bullpen role, similar to how Louie Varland had been used just last season, is now gone as well. Even if starting pitching remains the team’s relative strength, that says more about the rest of the roster than it does about the rotation’s ceiling. A good rotation is not enough for this team. The Twins needed an elite one, and without López it is hard to imagine a realistic scenario in which they reach that level. The projections reflect that reality. FanGraphs gave the Twins a 31% chance to make the playoffs before the injury. Following Lopez’s diagnosis, that number has dropped to 26.5%, with Vegas moving the Twins' win total to just 73.5 games. The odds were already low. Now they are even lower. That context makes Ryan’s situation impossible to ignore. He is 29 years old and firmly in the prime of his career, coming off a season in which he earned his first All-Star selection while posting a career-best 3.42 ERA. He also has two full seasons of team control remaining, which matters greatly in the current pitching market. That market has changed. The free agent pool of starting pitchers has largely dried up, leaving trades as the primary avenue for contenders to improve their rotations. There may not be a more attractive starter realistically available than Ryan, who is durable, effective, controllable, and producing at a peak level. The Twins already know the interest is real. At last season’s trade deadline, during the team’s fire sale in which 10 players were moved, Ryan nearly became the 11th. Advanced talks with the Boston Red Sox never materialized into a deal, but speculation followed Ryan into the offseason as many wondered whether the Twins would ultimately trade him, López, or both. The Twins chose to hold onto their starters with the belief that pitching could carry the 2026 roster. That bet didn't work out. Whether it means reopening discussions with Boston, a team that still enters the season with questions at the back of its rotation, or engaging another contender looking to stockpile pitching depth, the Twins should be aggressive. Injuries happen every spring. Another team could quickly find itself desperate for a starting pitcher, and Minnesota should be prepared to capitalize. It was arguable that the Twins should have traded Ryan during last year’s fire sale. It was arguable that they could have done it this offseason. After López’s injury, it is no longer debatable. Ryan would command a significant prospect return, the kind of capital that could help reset the organization’s timeline and better position the Twins for the future. With each passing month, his value declines as his remaining team control decreases. There is also an uncomfortable reality the Twins just experienced firsthand. Health is far from guaranteed, especially for starting pitchers. What happened to Lopez this spring could just as easily happen to Ryan. While no one could have predicted López’s injury, the decision not to trade him now looks like a missed opportunity in hindsight. The Twins cannot afford to risk another one. With a healthy Ryan who may never have more trade value than he does right now, the Twins should cash in. López’s injury did not just remove an ace from the rotation. It fundamentally altered the Twins competitive outlook for 2026. The path that once existed, however narrow, has become even smaller. In that context, holding onto Ryan no longer makes sense. Trading him now offers the Twins their best chance to extract meaningful value, mitigate risk, and begin charting a more realistic course forward. What do you think? Should the Twins move Joe Ryan now and lean into a reset, or is there still a case for holding onto him despite the long odds? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View the full article

Baseball action is finally back, and the Boston Red Sox's roster looks largely complete. However, when you take a look at the bullpen, it's clear the team still has some moves to make prior to Opening Day. If the season were to start today, the only guaranteed left-handed reliever would be Aroldis Chapman. With Chapman slotted to be the closer once more after a historically great season in 2025, that would leave the Red Sox without a left-handed option for earlier in the game. Jovani Morán is a likely case to break camp with the team as he is out of minor-league options, though necessity doesn't always equal preference. It seems that the team would want a second left-handed option to pair with Morán for the middle innings. Earlier in the offseason, you could argue that the Red Sox had plenty of left-handed options in Brennan Bernardino and Chris Murphy also on the 40-man roster, but they were both traded. Shane Drohan could have been another option to be a reliever for the team but he too was shipped off. Thus, the team must turn to a dark horse candidate. Drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2019 Draft, T.J. Sikkema has spent a lot of time in the minor leagues since. After making four starts in 2019, he would not pitch again until 2022, where he would be part of a package by the Yankees sent to the Kansas City Royals for Andrew Benintendi. Sikkema would become a minor-league free agent after the 2023 season and would find himself pitching in the Cincinnati Reds’ organization; in 2025, he finally managed to make it to Triple-A. While it was only five appearances, he still garnered decent results, tossing 23 1/3 innings while walking just eight batters and striking out 16. Most impressively, he only allowed opposing batters to barrel up his pitches 1.4% of the time. For good measure, he walked batters at a reasonable 8.1% rate. Sikkema doesn’t come without his own issues, however. He isn’t a big strikeout guy, nor does he generate a ton of chases or whiffs. Again, it was during a small sample, but it demonstrated that Sikkema has never really been someone who overpowers or tricks batters. And yet, Sikkema threw a live bullpen in Sox camp on February 18, going up against Roman Anthony, Caleb Durbin, Nate Eaton, Masataka Yoshida and Tsung-Che Cheng. Of the five hitters, Sikkema managed to get Anthony out twice on weakly hit balls including a broken bat and struck out Yoshida. While spring is still early, it’s a positive sign of a pitcher who may just force his name into the bullpen conversation. Sikkema relies on a fastball-slider combination, though the slider is the better of the two pitches. Sikkema isn’t the hardest thrower as his fastball averages 88 to 91 mph, but he has managed to get it into the mid-90s on occasion. With an offseason of working in the Red Sox's pitching lab, it's not unreasonable to suggest that he could add some more punch to his heater, which would make him a far more intriguing candidate for the bullpen. At this point, whoever the Red Sox bring in as a left-handed reliever will lead to divisiveness, but the options are what they are. Sikkema may never reach the majors with Boston, but there's a reason the team signed him with a non-roster invite attached. He may be a longshot, but opportunity has come knocking. View the full article

Speaking to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, Blue Jays right-hander Yimi García confirmed that he will open the 2026 season on the injured list. García, 35, had elbow surgery last September. He has not suffered a setback, but the Blue Jays are simply taking things slow with the veteran reliever, who also dealt with elbow issues in 2024. The righty has not yet thrown off a mound this spring, though he's hoping to do so soon. While it once seemed as if the Blue Jays would have some tough decisions to make regarding their Opening Day bullpen, that might not be an issue anymore. Barring a particularly impressive spring training from Chase Lee or one of the Rule 5 guys (or a last-minute Max Scherzer signing), Toronto's Opening Day bullpen is likely to include Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Louis Varland, Brendon Little, Eric Lauer, Tommy Nance, Braydon Fisher, and Mason Fluharty. View the full article

FORT MYERS - Minnesota Twins baseball returned on Friday night, though it won’t count even in spring training’s Grapefruit League standings. The Twins beat the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers baseball team, with Zebby Matthews starting and Cole Sands following him on the mound. Gophers pitchers faced a mix of veterans (Josh Bell - 1B, Kody Clemens - 2B, Gio Urshela - 3B) and top prospects (Emmanuel Rodriguez - CF, Henry Mendez - DH, Gabriel Gonzalez - RF; Walker Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper subbed in midway). I’m not going to go over any of their stats, because it would create the false impression that any of it means anything. Instead, I’ll tell you that it was a beautiful night, included a great sunset, and was appreciated by an appropriately sized half-full Hammond stadium. Matthews threw hard and seemed to feel good, which is probably the most important takeaway. Tomorrow afternoon, the Grapefruit League schedule will start with a home game versus the crosstown rival Boston Red Sox, and with Joe Ryan starting the game. Ownership Thoughts New Twins executive chair Tom Pohlad has spent the week in Fort Myers with his family, the team, management, and even the media. The message has been consistent: he wants to be hands on, he wants to be aggressive, and he wants the team to win this year. The reaction, of course, has been skepticism, because the Twins have consistently spent less under the Pohlads than the average MLB team for at least the entirety of 21st century. View the full article

At the start of the off-season, it seemed pretty clear-cut that the Twins would promote their reigning Minor League Hitter of the Year, Kaelen Culpepper, to Triple-A at the start of 2026. Now, it's not quite clear with the additions of Orlando Arcia and Gio Urshela on minor league deals, both of whom will likely be platooning the left side of the Saints' infield to start 2026. View the full article

Max Scherzer has had an exceptional 18-year career, which includes three Cy Young Awards. However, his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays didn't live up to Mad Max's standards. He suffered a career-worst ERA (5.19) and his second-worst WHIP (1.29), and an injury was an issue. The 41-year-old made one start last season before going on the 60-day injury list with right thumb inflammation. Scherzer would return in late June, but he just wasn't his usual self. His up-and-down performance could have been due to the thumb injury or simply to the fact that he was 40. Despite the struggles, he still looked like his fiery self at times, including in a World Series Game 7 start, in which he threw 4 1/3 innings of one-run baseball against the Los Angeles Dodgers. News regarding Scherzer has been limited this offseason, as expected for a player of his age, but things may be heating up. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet has reported, "The Blue Jays' talks with Max Scherzer have gotten more serious in the last week." This comes a day after the news that Shane Bieber, who will start the season on the injured list, is hoping to begin throwing off a mound in the next week or two. The Blue Jays have a loaded starting rotation, even with Bieber not throwing yet. Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, José Berríos, and Cody Ponce currently form their starting five, with Eric Lauer available as depth. So, it will be interesting to see how the rotation works out if Scherzer is added. Will Ponce get moved to the bullpen, or will Berríos be traded? There are many different ways the Blue Jays could utilize Scherzer. View the full article

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You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, GleemanAndTheGeek.com, click this link or you can listen to it or watch it below. View the full article

Beginning with the 2026 season, the Miami Marlins are making a major change by leaving the regional sports network model behind and partnering with Major League Baseball to produce their television game broadcasts. A source told Fish On First that all of the team's on-air talent will remain employed for the upcoming year, but with changes to some of their roles. While we await a formal announcement from the Marlins, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald broke down many of the specifics Friday morning in this column. Marlins.TV Kyle Sielaff will be back as the Marlins play-by-play announcer. Sielaff called the vast majority of games on FanDuel Sports Network Florida in 2025 and his workload will increase even more moving forward, slated to do 154 of the 157 Marlins.TV games, according to Jackson. Craig Minervini will fill in for the other three. Former pitcher Jeff Nelson previously served as an analyst for both the Marlins and New York Yankees. Focused fully on the Fish in 2026, there are 70 games on his schedule (most among Marlins.TV analysts). Longtime analyst Tommy Hutton is doing 60 games, all of them at loanDepot park. The other 27 games will go to former Marlin Gaby Sanchez. Rod Allen, who was part of the game analyst rotation for the past four seasons, will no longer be in the booth. He'll work the pregame and postgame shows, alternating with Nelson and former Marlins closer AJ Ramos. However, the length of those shows is being reduced as part of this transition. There was previously 30 minutes of coverage before and after games, but that's going down to 15 minutes for home games, and on the road, there will be no pregame show and only a five-minute postgame show. Minervini and Marlins insider Craig Mish are each hosting half of the home games, and sometimes, Mish will be paired with Minervini and function as the analyst. Kelly Saco and Jeremy Taché will still serve as in-game reporters, but Mish and Minervini are in the fold for that as well. Saco will get the most amount of games, followed by Taché, then Minervini and finally Mish. Marlins Radio Network The Marlins are "close to finalizing an agreement" that would move their radio broadcasts from WINZ (940 AM) to WQAM (560 AM and 104.3 FM), per Jackson. WQAM was home to the inaugural Marlins season, but this would be the club's first time back with them since 2007. Due to those ongoing negotiations, fans trying to access the Marlins Radio Network during spring training should use MLB.com or the MLB app. Rod Allen and AJ Ramos will be the primary analysts alongside second-year play-by-play man Jack McMullen. Nelson, Saco and Marlins Radio pregame host Stephen Strom will handle the leftover games. Combining his assignments across both mediums, Ramos will have a much bigger role than he did last season. View the full article

As expected, Minnesota Twins ace Pablo López will undergo Tommy John reconstructive surgery on Wednesday. A second opinion confirmed the initial diagnosis of significant tearing in the ulnar collateral ligament in López’s right elbow, leaving little doubt about the path forward. The procedure will take place in Texas under the care of noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister. It will be López’s second Tommy John surgery, and while the Twins are optimistic about a full recovery, he is expected to miss the entire 2026 season. The typical recovery timeline for pitchers following the procedure is roughly twelve months, which gives López a chance to return near the beginning of the 2027 campaign. That timeline would place his comeback in the final season of his four-year extension with Minnesota. Minnesota acquired López in one of the franchise’s most impactful trades in recent memory when they sent batting champion Luis Arraez to the Miami Marlins prior to the 2023 season. Since then, López has been everything the Twins hoped for at the top of their rotation. Across three seasons in Minnesota, he posted a combined 3.68 ERA while striking out 26.8% of opposing hitters and walking just 5.8%. He also helped the club end their playoff losing streak that had stretched into a second decade. López looked poised to deliver another excellent season in 2025 before injuries began to mount. He carried a 2.82 ERA through his first 11 starts before suffering a Grade 2 strain of his teres major in early June, an injury that ultimately sidelined him for roughly 3 months. He returned for three strong starts in September, allowing four runs across 15 innings, but ended the year back on the injured list due to a minor forearm strain that he suffered after diving for a ball. He entered the offseason with a clean bill of health, making the sudden UCL tear that surfaced all the more surprising. With López officially sidelined, the responsibility of leading the rotation will almost certainly fall to Joe Ryan on Opening Day. Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson should also slot into prominent roles, while younger arms such as Zebby Matthews and David Festa now find themselves with an opportunity to claim meaningful innings. Minnesota built its pitching staff around stability at the top of the rotation. Losing López for the entire season changes the outlook in a significant way and puts immediate pressure on the club’s depth to respond. The Twins still believe they can compete this season, but that task became considerably more difficult the moment their ace’s elbow gave way. View the full article

For a team that has spent the better part of the last calendar year trying to insulate itself from exactly this type of situation, the timing is less than ideal. The Minnesota Twins have quietly built legitimate starting pitching depth over the last year, particularly following last season’s trade deadline acquisitions that reshaped the upper levels of the organization. That group was supposed to supplement a rotation headlined by Pablo López, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober, a trio viewed internally as the foundation of what could be a contending club in 2026. Now, the load-bearing rotation will be put to the test after news that López will likely miss the 2026 season with a tear in his UCL. Twins Chairman Tom Pohlad has spoken openly this offseason about his belief that Minnesota can outperform outside expectations. Public projection systems have not been nearly as optimistic. FanGraphs currently forecasts the Twins for an 80-82 finish, while some betting markets have placed the club’s win total at just 73.5 victories. “That’s ridiculous,” Pohlad said at the start of camp. “I’ve been consistent from the beginning, saying that we feel confident in this team and that we think what you see, the talent we have, is stronger than maybe you guys or the fans are giving the roster credit for. We’re very confident in what this group of people can do together.” Those projected win totals were built with López firmly at the front of Minnesota’s rotation. His injury threatens to shift that math considerably. “Everything’s getting rolling and the expectations and stuff, and then just having him go down like that, it’s tough,” Ryan said. “It doesn’t feel real in a sense, it’s just a shock. We’ve got to make that adjustment.” Fortunately for Minnesota, making that adjustment was always part of the plan. Rotation Options Already in Camp Ryan now becomes the de facto leader of the staff. The All-Star right-hander continues to miss bats at an elite rate thanks to one of the most deceptive fastballs in baseball and has developed into a stabilizing presence capable of working deep into games. With López sidelined, his ability to anchor the rotation becomes even more critical. Ober remains one of the most underrated starters in the American League if he can return to his 2022-24 form. His extension-based approach and elite command allow him to limit hard contact despite below-average velocity. Now, Minnesota must trust that he is healthy and can consistently provide quality innings regardless of the matchup. Simeon Woods Richardson offers a different look with a deep pitch mix and an improving strike-throwing ability. He may not have the upside of some of the other arms in camp, but he’s been one of the most consistent young pitchers for the team over the last two seasons. The former top prospect took meaningful steps forward last season and appears poised to handle a full-time rotation role if needed. Acquired last July, Taj Bradley has over 380 innings at the big-league level, and there’s a reason the Twins targeted him in a trade. He finished the 2025 campaign with a 5.05 ERA in a career-high 142 ⅔ innings, but his 4.37 xFIP suggested that he got a little unlucky. His development has centered around improving command of his fastball and splitter, but the raw stuff is capable of overpowering opposing lineups when he is in rhythm. Zebby Matthews has impressed internally with his poise and ability to attack hitters in the zone. Matthews posted a 3.79 FIP and paired it with an 18.1 K-BB% that sat well above league average. He may not generate the same level of chase as others on this list, but his strike-throwing and efficiency give him a strong chance to contribute meaningful innings. There has been talk of moving David Festa to the bullpen, but that plan may need to be put on hold with the Lopez news. The primary reason behind Festa’s struggles in the majors is that his four-seam fastball has surrendered a .609 slugging percentage last season. Improving his secondary offerings could allow his fastball to perform better. Perhaps the most intriguing name in the mix is Mick Abel. Abel’s fastball shape and spin rate grade out better than average, especially once one adjusts for his low three-quarter arm slot. Abel can still refine his mechanics and improve his strike-throwing to put himself squarely in the conversation for early-season innings. Depth Waiting in St. Paul At Triple-A, additional reinforcements are expected to be available. Connor Prielipp remains one of the system’s highest upside arms when healthy and could factor into the major league picture at some point this season. Prielipp has told reporters he is building up as a starter this season, and that makes sense given teams' need for high-upside pitching depth. Andrew Morris has steadily climbed the organizational ladder with a polished repertoire that plays up due to his command. Meanwhile, Kendry Rojas offers another developmental arm with the type of stuff that could force the issue if he continues to progress against upper-level competition. Minnesota spoke very highly of Rojas after acquiring him from Toronto. The Twins entered camp believing their starting pitching depth was finally a strength rather than a question mark. López’s injury does not erase that progress, but it immediately places added pressure on the next wave of arms to prove they are ready for meaningful innings at the major league level. If Minnesota is going to surprise the sport in 2026 as Pohlad expects, the path likely runs through this group. The rotation depth built at last summer’s deadline was designed for moments like this. Now the Twins will find out just how prepared they really are. Can the Twins still outperform their projections even with López’s injury? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Cactus League play is finally here, with the San Diego Padres opening the exhibition season by playing the Seattle Mariners, with whom they cohabitate the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona. The wins and losses don't mean anything. For a handful of the dozens of players who will play in these games, neither does their performance. Their spot on the Opening Day roster is set. But there are others, whether they are on the 40-man roster or a spring training invitee, who are depending on these games to prove they belong among the 26 who will be in the Petco Park clubhouse come March 26 vs. the Detroit Tigers. With that in mind, here are three position battles to keep an eye on this spring. (Players listed in order of strongest candidacy.) No. 4 and No. 5 Starting Pitcher After feeling a good bit of unease when pitchers and catchers reported last week, Friars fans have to be feeling a bit more comfortable now that president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has added three more arms, all with plenty MLB experience, to the field battling for the last two spots in the five-man starting rotation. The top three is set with right-handers Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Joe Musgrove. RHP Walker Buehler: Relegated to a minor-league deal after a poor 2025 as a whole, the former Los Angeles Dodgers star will look to build on his final seven games (four with the Boston Red Sox, three with the Philadelphia Phillies) in which he posted a 2.53 ERA. RHP German Marquez: In his first season following Tommy John surgery, Marquez had a 5.47 FIP in 26 starts with the Colorado Rockies in 2025. Like a few others on this list, Marquez is a low-cost bounce-back option (one year, $1.75 million) who could become a stalwart at the back of the rotation. RHP Griffin Canning: Coming off a torn left Achilles, Canning (one year, $2.5 million) will begin the season on the injured list, but could be ready to join the rotation by the end of April at the earliest. The good news is Canning had the best 2025 of anyone in this this group before getting injured in late June, putting up a 4.04 FIP in 16 starts. RHP Randy Vasquez: The person whose stock suffered the most with the above additions, Vasquez went from securely being the No. 4 starter to now wondering where he fits in. Perhaps that will bring out the competitor in Vasquez and unlock a little more in his performance. LHP JP Sears: We enter the left-handed portion of this list. Any of these southpaws could have an advantage by virtue of simply being a lefty. That begins with Sears, who put up a 4.92 FIP in parts of four seasons (95 starts, one relief appearance) with the A's. He struggled in five starts after coming over at the trade deadline and could be a long reliever if he doesn't grab a rotation spot. LHP Kyle Hart: Often a forgotten figure in this discussion, Hart returned to the majors for the first time since 2020 to make 20 appearances (six starts) with the Padres in 2025. He figures to be an option only if injuries take their toll on the rotation. RHP Triston McKenzie: After emerging as breakout star in 2022 in Cleveland, McKenzie has had issues repeating that performance. Most of that has to do with choosing rehab over Tommy John surgery in 2023, a decision that has led to him pitching in just 24 games over the last three seasons. Starting at Triple-A El Paso could be a better situation for McKenzie, with an early call-up possible. LHP Marco Gonzales: Signed to a minor-league contract with a $1.2 million price tag in the majors, Gonzales had flexor tendon surgery late in 2024 and missed all of 2025. That scenario also makes him better-suited to start at Triple-A El Paso and come up when a starter is needed. First Base This position also changed dramatically in the last week due to a couple more free agents joining the mix. Jake Cronenworth will see time at first, though he is currently slated as the starting second baseman. Nick Castellanos: Following his well-publicized release from the Philadelphia Phillies last week, Castellanos became the front-runner to start at first base, a position he hasn't played in the majors. The former third baseman who has been playing right field almost exclusively since 2018 could bring some much-needed power to the lineup if he shows he can play first. Otherwise, he will be one of the primary designated hitters. Gavin Sheets: Entering spring training, Sheets was the favorite to start at first. This comes after just 13 games at the position and 64 games in left in 2025. Sheets' bat is his primary asset, having hit 19 homers and driven in 71 in 145 games last year while also seeing action in 64 games as the DH. With extra outfield depth acquired, Sheets will either be the first baseman or DH in 2026. Ty France: A 34th-round pick of the Padres in 2015, France returns to the organization on a minor-league deal after being traded to the Seattle Mariners in 2020. He was the AL Gold Glove winner at first base last season, in which he was traded from the Minnesota Twins to the Toronto Blue Jays at the deadline. Miguel Andjuar: The 2018 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up to Shohei Ohtani has lost much of the power that he showed that year (27 homers) following a rash of injuries. But he can still hit. Andujar had a slash line of .318/.352/.470 between the A's and Cincinnati Reds in 2025, with 10 homers and 44 RBIs. His 341 plate appearances were his most since his rookie year. Sung Mun Song: Signed to a four-year, $15 million contract to come over from the Korea Baseball Organization, Song is a long shot to start at first, but will see time at the position as he floats around the diamond as a super-utility option. Last Bench Spot This is where Preller and manager Craig Stammen face their biggest decision as to roster construction. While going with three catchers had been floated, that idea is no longer in play with the additions of Castellanos and others. With Luis Campusano set as the back to Freddy Fermin at catcher, there are three other bench spots to fill. For argument's sake, we will pencil Castellanos and Sheets in as the starters at first base and DH in some fashion. Song and Andujar are givens at the moment. Song will be the backup at second and third base and will try the outfield this spring, while Andjuar has the ability to play left field, third base and first base. If Song is tried in center and shows he can play the position, that could make for other interesting decisions. That leaves one bench vacancy. Bryce Johnson: His spot on the 26-man roster is in jeopardy if Song can play center. Otherwise, he is the only other pure outfielder on the 40-man roster now that Tirso Ornelas has been jettisoned. He was really good offensively in 2025, with a .342/.383/.434 slash line to pull his career mark up to .240/.298/.305. Mason McCoy: The only other player on the 40-man with shortstop experience besides McCoy is Cronenworth. Do the Friars choose to have Cronenworth as the backup to Xander Bogaerts or do they prefer McCoy? The benefits of having another shortstop on the 26-man roster may overshadow other shortcomings on the roster. Will Wagner: The son of Hall of Fame closer Billy Wagner hasn't established himself in the majors, though he's produced a .294/.394/.439 slash line in five minor-league seasons. In 55 games between the Toronto Blue Jays and Padres after coming over at the trade deadline, Wagner's slash line was .225/.324/.279. He has played second, third and first in the majors. If he expands to center field, that gives him a better shot. Ty France: Already with limited defenders in Castellanos and Sheets, do the Friars carry a third first baseman? As mentioned, France has a minor-league deal, but likely with an out by the end of camp to pursue a major-league job. Samad Taylor: A true wild card, but perhaps the only other non-roster position player to have a legit chance to make the Opening Day roster. Taylor brings the positional versatility needed from the last bench spot as he can play second, third and short on the infield and all three outfield spots. In addition to defense, he brings speed to the lineup, but has a slash line of .205/.272/.260 in 38 MLB games over the last three seasons. View the full article

Seeing as the 2026 World Series will mark the 10-year anniversary of that championship, I don't feel it is a stretch to say that most of us would love to skip ahead to March 26 when the 150th version of this squad hosts the Washington Nationals on Opening Day. Lest one of you fine readers be Marty McFly, we are required to wait it out here in the present, but this past week alone, the club gave its faithful a lot to be excited about. Now, while fans of the city's North Side ball club don't need to line up for their Ben Zobrist bobbleheads quite yet, they certainly are recognizing both the work and the tone being set down in Mesa, Arizona. Since the outset of spring training, no one has put in more work than the Cubs' new superstar third baseman Alex Bregman. On three separate occasions recently, the veteran slugger sent cascading long flies into the dry Arizona skies during live batting practice. It was Bregman's signing in mid-January that created the most positive buzz around this club, and he's currently displaying that buzz was for good reason. He's settling in nicely and buying into the team culture as hoped. It's great to have him in the Cubs' pinstripes. This squad's pitching staff is heralded as being one of the most formidable in baseball, and a key piece of that staff, newly-acquired starter Edward Cabrera, gave his new team their first taste of what to expect from the young hurler. Cabrera established a rhythm and chemistry with catchers Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya, looking to come back strong from an injury that sidelined him in the midst of a promising 2025 season. What this squad accomplishes on the mound this year will directly inform how much success they do, in fact, attain. Off the practice fields, all eyes were on team Chairman Tom Ricketts this past week, as he spoke candidly with the media on expectations for this specific club and the franchise as a whole. It turns out, he also wants to see some success, as Ricketts expressed an explicit desire to win the division, and ultimately, yes, the World Series. His candor wasn't necessarily a heel turn; he wants to win, but he received some praise for saying the quiet part out loud in his comments. Depending on when you've clicked on this article, the Cubbies have already gotten their spring training slate underway against their Crosstown rival, the Chicago White Sox. Toeing the rubber for the North Siders in their spring opener is the underrated Jameson Taillon. The versatile righty is set to get his first meaningful reps of the year against Chicago's Southside team. Taillon went 11-7 with a 3.68 ERA in 2025. Completely letting yourself bask in a good Cubs team can be a big ask, but at this point, the club has provided plenty of convincing evidence as to why it's ok to catch a good vibe, at least for now. View the full article

Despite projections in the 72-80 win range and a remarkably small payroll, Twins owner Tom Pohlad said he expected the team to be competitive in the AL Central. The lack of splashy free-agent signings or big trades led almost everyone in Twins territory to question this goal. Still, Pohlad expressed remarkable confidence in his team, going so far as to give an impassioned speech to the squad on the first day of spring training. In an unfortunate bit of timing, this was followed by staff ace Pablo López likely going out for the season with an elbow injury. Sources say adding insult to this particular injury was the flaw it exposed in Pohlad’s Top Secret Pennant Plan, or PTSPP, known to only a handful of front office employees. “The main tenet of PTSPP was ‘We’ll Be OK If Nobody Gets Hurt'," said a person with knowledge of the plan. “In fact, it was the only tenet. Lots of white space on the paper.” Pohlad was reportedly very disappointed when they learned the extent of the López injury, which is likely to result in a second Tommy John procedure for the All-Star hurler. “He was definitely upset,” said the source. “He repeatedly asked (new Twins general manager Jeremy) Zoll how often pitchers get hurt like this. Jeremy said quite often. I don’t think Tom liked that answer. “Then Jeremy told him this happens to every other team. It made him feel a little better, even though Jeremy couldn’t tell him when or to whom it would happen.” The source says Pohlad is calling an emergency meeting of team stakeholders to reveal PTSPP 2.0 on Friday. “I’m not at liberty to discuss the details, but I can reveal that there are two to three sentences.” Image license here. View the full article

The Toronto Blue Jays' preseason is just around the corner, as players have reported to training camp and begun full workouts during the past week. With the club's official spring training schedule set to start on Saturday, Jays fans should get ready for another year of fun and excitement with their favourite team. So, how can viewers watch the Blue Jays in action this spring? We would like to let you all know that Sportsnet will be on tap for a whopping 23 of Toronto's 29 total preseason games in the coming weeks. The following listing shows which games will be covered by Sportsnet Ontario, with the exception of the March 6 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, for which Sportsnet ONE will provide the coverage, as well as the March 11 game against the New York Yankees, for which Sportsnet 360 will be responsible. Saturday, Feb 21: vs. Philadelphia, 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22: at Boston, 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23: vs. New York Mets, 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24: vs. New York Yankees 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26: vs. Miami, 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27: at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28: vs. Philadelphia, 1 p.m. Sunday, March 1: at Detroit, 1 p.m. Monday, March 2: vs. Boston, 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 3: vs. Team Canada, 1 p.m. Friday, March 6: vs. Pittsburgh, 1 p.m. (Sportsnet ONE) Sunday, March 8: vs. Detroit, 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 10: vs. Atlanta, 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 11: at New York Yankees, 6:30 p.m. (Sportsnet 360) Friday, March 13: vs. Minnesota, 1 p.m. Saturday, March 14: vs. Detroit, 1 p.m. Sunday, March 15: at New York Mets, 1 p.m. Monday, March 16: at Miami, 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 18: vs. Baltimore, 1 p.m. Thursday, March 19: vs. New York Yankees, 1 p.m. Friday, March 20: at Minnesota, 1 p.m. Saturday, March 21: Spring Breakout at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. Sunday, March 22: vs. Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. In terms of the six games that won’t be televised, they include the following: Wednesday, February 25: at Detroit, 1 p.m. Saturday, February 28: split-squad game at New York Yankees, 1 p.m. Thursday, March 5: at Atlanta, 1 p.m. Saturday, March 7: at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. Sunday, March 8: split-squad game at Baltimore, 1 p.m. Thursday, March 12: at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. In addition to watching on TV, listeners can tune in to the Sportsnet Radio Network, the Sportsnet app or live audio on Sportsnet.ca to pick up live action of the Jays on air. Blue Jays fans will get their first chance to see the team's most exciting new additions – Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers, Chase Lee, Kazuma Okamoto and Jesús Sánchez – in action. Of course, Toronto also has the bulk of its contending roster returning for another shot at a World Series title this coming season. So, let’s go Blue Jays, let’s play ball! View the full article

Jack and Spencer break down the Luis Rengifo signing, Pat Murphy's new contract, and other developments from the first week of spring training. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

So much for the creative wheeler-dealer reputation A.J. Preller has built up. While Preller, the team's president of baseball operations, has acknowledged that he made preemptive moves at the 2025 trade deadline to fill anticipated holes on the 2026 roster, the Friars entered spring training in Peoria, Ariz., with a handful of areas still needing to be bolstered. (Cough, starting pitching, cough.) But that conversation is for another day. What it is time to do now is go over the moves Preller made before pitchers and catchers reported to camp. And these are only involving the MLB roster, not minor-league contracts with spring training invites, such as the deal given to left-hander Marco Gonzales, a candidate for the rotation. As a telling example, the Padres did not execute a trade, not even a minor one. Also, the fact that there are only five signings here could be a sign that Preller's hands have been tied due to the Friars' financial situation and the fact that they are currently up for sale. This also does not include the three deals made after pitchers and catchers reported to bring on first baseman-outfielder Nick Castellanos and right-handed starters Griffin Canning and German Marquez, nor does it include mention of the minor-league pacts Walker Buehler and Ty France inked. Grading Every Major Padres Move This Offseason Free-Agent Signing: RHP Michael King to 3-year, $75 million contract It took until mid-December for the Padres to make their first real move — and it involved a familiar face. After declining the $22.025 million qualifying offer, King returned to the place he spent the last two seasons as a key member of the starting rotation. The right-hander coming back was huge as the Padres were not only facing his loss, but the loss of right-handed starter Dylan Cease, another free agent who joined the Toronto Blue Jays. King had a combined 3.65 FIP (3.10 ERA) and an ERA+ of 134 (100 is an MLB-average pitcher) over those two seasons after being acquired in the Juan Soto trade. One of the reasons why King may have chosen to come back was he only made starts last year, first due to a nerve issue in his right shoulder, then inflammation in his left knee. He will likely slot in behind right-hander Nick Pivetta and ahead of right-hander Joe Musgrove in a strong top three in the rotation. The contract was a definite win for King, who gets paid $17 million in 2026, $28 million in 2027 and $30 million in 2028. King does have opt-outs after each of the first two years should he perform well enough to hit the free-agent market again, but also protecting himself if he gets hurt. The Padres are facing an even bigger rotation crisis next year if King and Pivetta opt out. Grade: A- Free-Agent Signing: INF Sung Mun Song to 4-year, $15 million contract Song is the most intriguing move of the offseason and could turn out to be a huge bargain. Coming over from the Korean Baseball Organization, Song has traditionally been a third baseman who has also spent time at second base and first base. But third base is superstar Manny Machado's position, so Song will see a majority of his time at the keystone, while filling in at third and occasionally at first. This spring, Song will learn to play the outfield, a place he never played in the KBO. He made himself an attractive candidate for MLB teams with his performance over the last two seasons. The 29-year-old had his best season in 2024, posting a .340/.409/.518 slash line with 19 homers and 104 RBIs. He also stole 46 steals in 48 attempts in that time. That brought his career line up to .283/.347/.431. The real value comes in the contract. If Song is just an average utility player, $2.8 million in 2026, $3.3 million in 2027 and $3.8 million in 2028 is really cheap by MLB standards. He has an opt-out after 2028, with $3.8 million scheduled for 2029. If there is a question, it is whether Song's last two seasons were the real deal, or whether he's actually something closer to what he did in his first seven seasons in the KBO. If he hits and defends well enough to become a starter at second base, this move will be a home run. Grade: B+ Free-Agent Signing: INF/OF Miguel Andujar to 1-year, $4 million contract Needing a right-handed bench bat, Andujar was a good addition for that price. Technically, Andujar makes $1.5 million in 2026 with a $2.5 million buyout for a mutual option for 2027. He split time pretty evenly at third base and left field last year, while seeing action in three games at first base between the A's and the Cincinnati Reds following a trade. He also played 28 of his 94 games at designated hitter. Andujar hits left-handed pitchers very well, with a .297/.332/.475 career slash line, compared with .275/.307/.427 vs. right-handers. Andujar is long past his peak power-hitting days, when he smacked 27 homers in 2018 for the New York Yankees en route to finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting to some guy named Shohei Ohtani. That is thanks to a number of injuries zapping his power. He did hit 10 homers in those 94 games last year, a season in which he had the most games, plate appearances and homers since that rookie campaign. He should be in the mix for at-bats at first base and left field, with some third base a possibility. He could also be a DH, particularly against southpaws given the number of lefty bats the Friars have. As long as he can stay healthy, this is a nice move to solidify the bench. Grade: B Free-Agent Signing: RHP Ty Adcock to 1-year, $850,000 contract Considering the MLB minimum salary in 2026 is $780,000, the 29-year-old is a low-risk addition and a safety net in case injuries decimate the bullpen. The right-handed reliever has 18 games of MLB experience, 12 coming in in 2023 with the Seattle Mariners and three in each of 2024 and 2025 with the New York Mets. In that brief MLB time, Adcock has a 7.18 FIP and a 5.48 ERA, which indicates he could have had a little luck on his side. He had a 14.3% walk rate and 35.7% strikeout rate, suggestive of someone with elite stuff who has yet to learn how to harness it. In four years in the minors, he has a career 4.40 ERA, including a 4.66 mark in 2025 at Triple-A. Grade: C Free-Agent Signing: RHP Daison Acosta to 1-year, $780,000 contract Similar to Adcock from a financial commitment perspective, Acosta has yet to make his MLB debut and has just 23 games at Triple-A over the last two seasons. The 27-year-old has spent eight of the last 10 years in the minors, with the 2020 minor-league season being wiped out by the pandemic and a lost 2021 campaign due to injury. Acosta allows 4.6 walks per nine innings and strikes out 10.1 batters in that same sample. The Friars had to see something in Acosta to give him a major-league contract and a spot on the 40-man roster, but he will be ticketed for Triple-A El Paso as bullpen insurance. Grade: C- Verdict If you were trying to come up with a book title for what Preller was able to do this offseason, it would be "Unfinished Business." Thus, what he accomplished between the final out of the NL Wild Card Series loss to the Chicago Cubs to the day pitchers and catchers reported is underwhelming. No starting pitchers and no starting position players were added. Even the bench feels like it needs another body. That isn't to say the moves that were made were bad ones. None is bad on face value. But as the leader of the front office of a contending team playing in a stadium that is filled to the brim by passionate fans on a nightly basis, Preller's job is to give the team every chance to win the NL West and contend for a World Series. He fell short of that goal this winter. Final grade: F Note: The three additions made over the weekend in Castellanos, Griffin and Marquez (plus France and Buehler) were smart and necessary signings. Since they came after pitchers and catchers reported to camp, they don't get factored into our grade here, but each of those fives players could have a significant impact on the team in 2026. If you believe that's the case, you can adjust the grade accordingly. View the full article

Marek Houston might not be the biggest name in the Twins’ farm system right now, but that could change quickly. In this video, we break down what he does well, why his skill set matters at shortstop, and how realistic his path to Minnesota actually is. View the full article

Alex and Maddie sit down with Corbin from Red Seat Radio to discuss the start of spring training, whether they are already worried about the lockout, and their predictions for where the Red Sox will finish in the AL East. They talk through the logjam at DH and what an eventual Triston Casas return could mean for the position. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talk-sox-podcast/id1783204104 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qPrPXEngu0CxgTmlf0ynm Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-talk-sox-podcast-244591331/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/4tmd121v Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talksox View the full article

Just in time for the Miami Marlins' Grapefruit League opener, here is an overview of how to follow the Fish throughout spring training via television and radio. The debut of Marlins.TV won't be until the final week of spring. In the meantime, road games against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday and against the Philadelphia Phillies next Friday (Feb. 27) will be carried live on MLB Network. Because the Marlins do not have their own television feed for those games, blackout restrictions don't apply, so in-market fans with access to MLB Network can watch that way. Expect more road games later in the spring to be available through that same method. Every Saturday and Sunday, there will be Spanish radio broadcasts on WAQI 710. Date / Time (ET) Matchup Radio TV February 21 / 1:10 PM Marlins @ Mets MLB.com / WAQI SNY February 22 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Nationals MLB.com / WAQI February 23 / 1:05 PM Marlins @ Cardinals MLB.com Matrix Midwest / MLB Network February 24 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Phillies MLB.com February 25 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Astros MLB.com February 26 / 1:07 PM Marlins @ Blue Jays Sportsnet February 27 / 1:05 PM Marlins @ Phillies NBCSP / MLB Network February 28 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Cardinals MLB.com / WAQI March 1 / 1:05 PM Marlins @ Nationals MLB.com / WAQI March 2 / 1:05 PM Marlins @ Cardinals MLB.com March 3 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Israel MLB.com March 5 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Astros MLB.com March 6 / 7:10 PM Marlins vs. Mets MLB.com March 7 / 12:05 PM Marlins @ Astros MLB.com / WAQI HOU Video March 8 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Cardinals MLB.com / WAQI Matrix Midwest March 9 / 6:10 PM Marlins @ Mets SNY March 10 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Nationals MLB.com March 11 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Astros MLB.com March 13 / 6:10 PM Marlins @ Mets WPIX March 14 / 12:05 PM Marlins @ Nationals (SS) March 14 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Cardinals (SS) MLB.com / WAQI March 15 / 1:05 PM Marlins @ Astros WAQI HOU Video March 16 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Blue Jays MLB.com Marlins.TV / Sportsnet March 17 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Mets MLB.com March 18 / 6:05 PM Marlins @ Nationals MLB.com Nationals.TV March 19 / 12:05 PM Marlins @ Astros (Spring Breakout) MLB.com March 20 / 6:05 PM Marlins @ Astros (SS) HOU Video March 20 / 7:10 PM Marlins vs. Nationals (SS) MLB.com March 21 / 1:05 PM Marlins @ Cardinals MLB.com / WAQI March 22 / 1:10 PM Marlins vs. Mets MLB.com / WAQI Marlins.TV Thinking about attending any of these games in person? Consult Fish On First's spring training guide. View the full article

Uniforms are an integral part of sports. It may not have started out that way, but today, a team's uniform fleshes out an entire identity. Some teams are able to transcend on-the-field success into off-the-field relevancy simply because of the uniforms they have created (e.g., the Oakland/Los Angeles/Vegas Raiders). Thankfully for us fans of the Chicago Cubs, the team not only has a long and rich history on the field, but lots of good looks to complement it. But what is the team's best look? Which years have given us the most visually impressive Cubs team? For this exercise, we need a few rules. The first is that we must follow the MLB uniform guidelines for teams, in that they are allowed four total uniforms (a home, an away, and two alternates) as well a City Connect, for a total of five looks. I'm also going to limit myself to official-game and on-field looks only and not allow myself to choose fashion or batting practice apparel (no rocker bear hat, sadly). So with those rules in mind, what is the Cubs' best look? Home Uniform: 1998 For the keen-eyed uniform dorks out there, you may already know this, but the Chicago Cubs have not always worn pinstripes at home, introducing them in the summer of 1957. Prior to that year, the Cubs tended to wear a logo on the left breast (dabbling with a few alterations and changes) but remained without the iconic stripes most of the time. From 1957 on, there haven't been a ton of changes in the essential home look; a slight re-imagining of the Cubs' primary logo here or there, the addition of the sans-a-belt and pullover variations in the 1970s and the 1980s, and a few patches on the shoulders. Weighing all these details, I land on the Cubs' 1998 version as the ultimate basic look at home. While the Cubs may not have invented the idea of pinstripes, we're going on 70 years of running with that look at home. Secondly, I couldn't in good conscience pick their uniforms today, with an ugly ad patch adorning the shoulder. The '98 look combines their beautiful vertical striping pattern with the introduction of the Harry Caray memorial patch, which I think balances out the uniform quite well. While there are some fans who enjoyed the Cubs going without names on the back (which they did prior to 1993, and then again for two years in 2005 and 2006), I like knowing who's playing. That season also feels like a safe choice here because they had success. This uniform (down to the Harry patch) was what Kerry Wood wore when he struck out 20 hitters, what Sammy Sosa wore breaking Roger Maris' home run record, and what the team wore when celebrating the victory over the San Francisco Giants in the Wild Card tie-breaker. Add it all up, and I don't think the Chicago Cubs have ever looked as good at home. Road Uniform: 1962 These are my favorite road uniforms in the history of the Cubs. I think they're almost perfect (I'll add one tweak I'd make later). First, for those who are less inclined to nerd out over baseball uniform lore, there is a proper way to make a baseball road look: it has to have the city on the front, not the nickname. Why is that? Uniform guru Paul Lukas (founder of Uni-Watch) explains here in an article for ESPN back in 2017, but the answer is simple. Back in the early days of the game, people didn't know where the visiting team was from, and this helped to identify them. This uniform certainly checks off that aspect, with a beautiful royal-blue "CHICAGO" across the front, and I love that it is outlined in red. Beyond just the naming conventions, what really sets the set aside for me is the addition of the Cubbie bear patch on the left shoulder. Prior to '62, the Cubs had already been using this standard set for years, but 1962 was the first year that they added the adorable little patch. Maybe you think it's too cutesy, but I think it adds a charm that uniforms once had, that we have lost today, as so many teams have tried to look tougher. My one tweak would be to give this set a front number! It just fills out the look a little bit. The Cubs did add that in 1969...but then dropped the red borders on the "CHICAGO", and I feel as though it's too blue-heavy. It's a good look, but give me those '62 beauties over them. Alternate 1: 1984 Blues The Cubs have been using a form of a blue uniform on-and-off sometime since 1978, when they first wore their blue-on-baby-blue pinstriped uniforms. In 1984, this look was their primary "road" look, and while I think they're a bad road uniform (it doesn't say where the Cubs are from on it), I do think they're a beautiful secondary/alternate look. They paired these with white pants, which make them a beautiful look to be worn at home, and that's where they'd go in my "perfect world". I'm even willing to forgive the "softball"/pullover look. I prefer a button down, but these hit a perfect balance of color and nostalgia for me. It's true that 1984 wasn't the first year the Cubs broke these tops out, but 1984 was the first year that they had sustained success in them. Despite the fact that this was the uniform they were wearing when they dropped a heartbreaking five-game set to San Diego, this version of the uniform is the one they went the furthest in. And as with the home look, I think it's important that a look has some history with it on the field if you can. Why not the current look that they won a championship in? I just like these better, on pure aesthetics. The current look is okay, but they feel like they're lacking some of that extra "oomph" these have. There's no color on the sleeves, nothing on the collar... they're just a bit plain. They won the World Series in them, which does give them juice, but not so much I can ignore that I just like these better. Fight me. Alternate 2: 1929 Home Source: https://auctions.mlb.com/1929-throwback-auction---ryan-sweeney-game-used-throwback/isynmv1/aucd/172859 Every team needs to have a proper "throwback" look and while I think the top-three could realistically look very modern, the 1930 set screams "back in my day, we walked uphill to school both ways". Starting with the socks, this kind of striped hosiery simply isn't seen now a days but absolutely pops on this set giving it a very distinct feel. Moving to the top, look at the placket (the placket is the section where the button sit) and notice how the piping cuts off about 90% of the way down the front; also something we just don't see now a days. It's a little weird, a little funky, but history is a little weird and funky! If you think these oddities and weird aspects make them bad, I just won't agree. C'mon, these things are beautiful; have some whimsey! The Cubs even threw back to these in 2014 and they looked so good on the field. The off-white color and the socks really stood out. I wouldn't wear these every day, but give me this look five to ten times a year, please. City Connect: Current Source: https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports-media/2025/04/10/sports-uniforms-cubs-baby-blue-expos-white-sox-bulls-blackhawks-alternates-city-connect-mlb-nba-nhl So, that's it, that's the definitive best looking Chicago Cubs team I can come up with. There's a little mix of present and past, some history of winning and some cutesy charm thrown in for good measure. There are some arguments you could make adding one uniform over another, but I think generally speaking, it's hard to get better than this look overall. Most importantly; I feel it's cohesive and creates a brand; the Cubs are a historic team and need to be treated as such. Do you agree? Disagree? What's your best look? Fight me in the comment section and argue for your favorite uniform. View the full article

Royals Spring Training Opening Day is Friday, which means that we will be experiencing a continuous stretch of baseball from now until the All-Star Break. With games finally starting, I wanted to finish my three-part series on Royals catcher metrics before we started getting data from actual games in 2026. In part one, I looked at blocking metrics, and in part two, I looked at framing metrics. In this final edition, I will be exploring throwing metrics of Royals catchers and how they compared to other catchers in Major League Baseball last season. Royals Fared Well in Catcher Poptime To dive into deeper Statcast metrics, it's important to understand poptime. Below is the definition of poptime, according to Baseball Savant, along with benchmarks for not just poptime but also the exchange from catching to throwing the ball to a particular base. As in my previous posts, I wanted to see how Royals catchers ranked among qualified MLB catchers. Thus, in the Datawrapper table below, I highlighted Freddy Fermin and Salvador Perez, the only Royals catchers who qualified (Luke Maile and Carter Jensen did not). When it came to blocking metrics, Royals catchers ranked near the bottom of the league. In terms of framing, it was better than in seasons past, but still ranked toward the middle or lower quadrant of the league. In terms of poptime? Fermin ranked 11th in poptime to second base, and Perez ranked 26th. Their poptimes also ranked in the upper percentiles, a far cry from their blocking and framing metrics last season. They both achieved those times in different ways, however. Perez's arm strength (which measures throws by MPH) was low at 78.6 MPH, which ranked 72nd of this 84-catcher sample. However, he had a top-20 exchange time at 0.63 seconds. Fermin was good on both ends. Not only did he have the same exchange time as Salvy, but he also threw the ball 84 MPH, which ranked 24th. Fermin and Perez excelled when it came to throwing the ball, especially to second base. However, how did Jensen and Maile fare in their smaller samples? Surprisingly, even better, as fans can see in the table below. Fermin is not listed in this sample. That said, Jensen was a carbon copy in terms of arm strength (84.6 MPH) and exchange (0.63 seconds). Maile wasn't much in those categories, though his arm strength (83.3 MPH) and exchange (0.69 seconds) were a little lower than the Royals' top prospect. When it comes to pure throwing skills, Jensen has the tools to handle MLB base stealers. His 1.87 pop time was 0.06 seconds better than Perez's and even 0.03 points better than Fermin's last year. Granted, the sample for Jensen was much smaller, but the Park Hill product's solid poptime metrics are probably a prime reason why the Royals felt comfortable parting ways with Fermin at last year's Trade Deadline. Salvy and the Royals' Catchers Kept Base Stealers at Bay Having great poptime is one thing. Transitioning those skills into actual outs is another challenge. Thus, it's important to see how many of the Royals' catchers' throws turned into outs last season, and how many runs that saved the Kansas City pitching staff. Caught Stealing Above Average (CSAA) is one of the key metrics used to determine a catcher's effectiveness at preventing stolen bases. Here is the definition of CSAA, some nuances about the metric, and Catcher Stealing runs, which is a product of CSAA. Let's take a look below at how Fermin and Perez ranked among MLB catchers last year in terms of CSAA. Perez and Fermin were even more impressive in CSAA. Salvy ranked 8th in baseball with a +4 CSAA, and Fermin ranked 19th with a +2 CSAA. Furthermore, Perez ranked third in CS rate (40%) and sixth in CSAA per throw (0.14). As for Freddy, he ranked 23rd in CS rate (25%) and 14th in CSAA per throw (0.06). Those are solid marks and explain why Royals catchers were held in so high regard defensively last season. Now, let's take a look at how Maile and Jensen fared in those metrics as well (and how they compared to Fermin and Perez). As expected, Jensen looked good in his caught stealing metrics, especially in CSAA per throw, which was 0.15. That was 0.01 better than Salvy and 0.17 points better than Fermin. Maile, on the other hand, didn't fare well when it came to throwing out runners last year. He not only had a -1 CS run and CSAA, but his -0.24 CAA per throw was the worst mark of the four Royals catchers from last season. Because of the production of these four Royals catchers, Kansas City ranked 11th in total CSAA last season, according to Baseball Savant. They also ranked 4th in CS% (29%) and 6th in CAA per throw (0.05). With the return of Perez and Jensen, Kansas City should be a scary team again in 2026 for opposing baserunners. Final Thoughts On the Royals' Catcher Metrics When it comes to Kansas City catchers' defensive data, the following takeaways could be made. The blocking is a problem. Perez and Jensen fared pretty poorly in this category last year, and they likely are making improvement a priority in 2026, especially in Spring Training. It would help if they had better consistency in the pitching staff, as I do believe the shuffling of so many starting pitchers didn't make things easier for Salvy, Fermin, Maile, and Jensen. The framing was surprising, and the improvement over the past three years under bench coach Paul Hoover is not talked about enough. The Royals were arguably the WORST team in baseball when it came to framing and getting extra strikes. Now? They're middle of the pack. That's tremendous growth and should only help the pitching staff in 2026, though the ABS challenge installation this year could minimize the impact of catcher framing (not as much as some may think). The Royals' throwing as a catching group is elite. That said, while Fermin and Jensen contributed positively in this area, most of the focus should be diverted to Salvy. His throwing metrics should be a big reason why Perez deserves a Hall of Fame case in Cooperstown. It's one thing to be an excellent-hitting catcher. However, to do that and still have elite poptime and caught stealing numbers at 35 years old is incredible and not talked about enough. Heck, just watch this throw out of Cleveland's Jose Ramirez, one of the league's better base stealers, on March 29th this season and tell me that he's not a Hall of Fame catcher. The Royals catchers may not get the defensive love that teams like the Giants, Orioles, Mets, Phillies, or Guardians receive. That said, Kansas City has been much better behind the dish than some experts give them credit for. The encouraging framing and throwing metrics outweigh the brutal blocking numbers. Furthermore, they should be even better in 2026, especially with Salvy showing such solid throwing ability and Jensen perhaps being a younger, maybe slightly better version of Perez at catching runners on the basepaths (we just need to see a bigger sample at the Major League level). View the full article

In camp with the Brewers after they acquired him as part of a six-player trade with the Boston Red Sox, Shane Drohan brings a familiar objective to his new surroundings. "I want to pitch in the big leagues," he said. "It's always been the goal." That goal, Drohan admitted, was pushed to the back burner for a couple of seasons by injuries, including shoulder issues that sidelined him for most of 2024. But after a breakout 2025 that saw him pitch to a 2.27 ERA and 65 DRA- with a 35.3% strikeout rate in Triple-A, the 27-year-old is on the cusp of his major-league debut. After the injury, Drohan slowed things down, both off the field and on the mound. When he returned a year after shoulder surgery, he was a vastly improved pitcher. From a health standpoint, Drohan was stronger from rehabbing and working in the weight room, which helped the ball come out of his hand crisper and more accurately than before. He added a tick of velocity to every pitch in his arsenal, and the induced vertical break of his fastball increased from 14 to 16 inches, meaning it had more carry at the top of the strike zone. His cutter gained even more. "I had the muscles contracting again in the rotator cuff," he said. "That wasn't happening before. So I feel like that was kind of like the uptick in velo and uptick in carry on the fastball, just quality of stuff. Everything went up, just because the shoulder was properly functioning. And on the strength and conditioning side, it's kind of been a year-to-year process of just putting on size to put more force on the ball." The time away also gave Drohan a chance to refine his slider. After he made its shape more compact and consistent, it emerged as his best offering last year. Opponents chased 49.5% of sliders outside the zone and whiffed on 42.2% of swings. "When I came back from the injury, it was just better and tighter because I had more reps with it, just working on it when I was rehabbing," he said. Drohan also slowed his delivery to better leverage his added strength down the mound. Earlier in his career, he focused on delivering the ball as quickly as possible. It's possible for a pitcher to move too quickly, though, which was what happened to Drohan. "I felt like in years past, I was pretty wound up in my delivery and just not as free as I'd like to be," he said. To establish a more natural tempo, he switched to a fuller wind-up. Drohan's delivery took slightly longer, but his improved rhythm and added strength allowed him to move more explosively toward the plate as he started moving forward. drohan.mp4 "It's just that the timing of it seems a lot better," he said. "I think it was also just the strength and conditioning. I'm just a lot stronger. I don't have to worry about moving as ridiculously fast as I used to down the mound. I just have more weight now. I can put more force into the ground." For all the positives last season brought, Drohan still missed three months with a forearm strain, which is often a precursor to more serious elbow injuries. He downplayed the severity of the injury and confirmed he is fully healthy. "I think the little forearm strain that popped up last year was almost like a reaction thing from the shoulder being strong again," he said. "The rest of my arm just wasn't used to the force that the arm was producing, because in years past, it just wasn't producing that force. So I think the forearm kind of just freaked out a little bit." Drohan said he spent most of those three months building back up as a starter, after a three-week shutdown. When he returned, he maintained his velocity gains through the rest of the year. "When I came back, I threw well," he said. "The stuff felt really good, so it was a good sign." A pair of trying seasons may have stalled Drohan's journey to the big leagues, but they made him a more polished product than he was during his first, unsuccessful stint in the upper minors. Now he's joining a Brewers pitching staff that can further develop him. "It's pretty hard to ignore the success they've had here on the mound," he said. "Starters, relievers, everybody. I wasn't too dialed in on their exact mindset and teaching certain things, but it was very easy to just watch the Brewers play. They get guys to pitch really well." It's taken longer than it has for many prospects, but Drohan is finally positioned to reach his goal. "I feel like I learned a lot in those two years. I feel ready to pitch in the big leagues." View the full article

The 2025 trade deadline saw a lot of outstanding talent shipped out by the Twins, with Jhoan Duran topping the list. It was a bold strategy for the front office, and the wisdom of their audacious gambit will ultimately be dictated by the impact of those players who came back in the veteran purge. Mick Abel, acquired alongside teenage catcher Eduardo Tait in exchange or Duran, stands out as one whose development will greatly influence how the controversial '25 deadline sell-off is remembered. Long viewed as a top prospect before debuting in the majors last year, Abel had an up-and-down rookie season that featured plenty of struggle, but also real indicators of future potential as a rotation building block. That included his final start of the year, against the Phillies, in which Abel was lights-out: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K. It was a performance that lived up to the hype of an overpowering arsenal, for which the 24-year-old has garnered much acclaim. While it's far from clear that Abel and his shaky command are going to succeed in the big leagues, especially right away, it is evident that he's ready for the challenge. There's little left to accomplish in Triple-A, where he's thrown over 200 innings. As such, it felt odd that — heading into spring camp — Abel appeared very much in line to start the season in St. Paul. With López, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober locked into the top three rotation spots, Abel was competing for one of the final two openings against several pitchers with more MLB experience and more proven track records: Simeon Woods Richardson, Taj Bradley, Zebby Matthews, David Festa. Even accounting for a bullpen conversion or two, Abel was going to need to leapfrog multiple guys ahead of him on the depth chart. But now, López is out for the year, causing a major shakeup in depth atop the rotation picture. Ryan and Ober each slide up a spot, and the back end becomes more of an open field. According to observations from early in camp, Abel is ready to make his case. In his "Live from Fort Myers" blog highlighting on-the-scene observations earlier this week, Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune wrote that Abel "looked like he was in midseason form" during his first live bullpen section on Day 2. "His fastball was sitting from 96-98 mph," Nightengale reports, "and he was mixing all his pitches." Derek Shelton, per Nightengale, was impressed with what he saw. “Abel is one of those guys that, I mean, you guys saw it last year, what he did to the Phillies late in the year,” the new Twins manager said. “He's got electric stuff. I mean, he throws the first pitch out of his hand, it's a 98-mph sinker to [Byron Buxton]. I mean, that'll make you smile.” Twins fans could use something to smile about in the wake of the devastating López news. Hopefully a clear path for Abel to step in and take hold of a rotation spot will be that. In a year that figures to be primarily focused on development and building toward the future, he's exactly the kind of player fans should want to tune in and watch. View the full article