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Jarren Duran has been making a bold statement before the start of 2026 spring training. Is his power a sign of what's to come? Jarren Duran's 2025 regression was largely characterized by a decline in luck and plate discipline rather than a loss of physical power. Preseason action is justifying that he's retaining better discipline at the plate. View the full article

Daniel Palencia has pitched seven scoreless innings this spring. The first three were virtually meaningless Cactus League warmups. The last four have been some of the biggest games of his life, serving as the closer for Team Venezuela in its first-ever run to the finals of the World Baseball Classic. He closed down wins for his country in both the quarterfinals against Japan on Saturday and the semifinals against Italy on Monday. Now, there's a tough question at hand. Relievers don't work three times in four days during March. That simply doesn't happen. It's not even something rubber-armed guys do to get ready for that pattern when it arises during the regular season; it's viewed as a greater risk than it's worth. However, Palencia has pitched twice in the last three days, including Monday night. If Venezuela has a late lead it needs to protect, will he be available to pitch? The answer isn't clear. Team USA closer Mason Miller is in a similar situation, having pitched both Thursday and Saturday, but he has an extra day of rest in his would-be three-appearance window—and still, neither he nor the team is yet committing to him being able to go. Miller did need a combined 40 pitches to get through his outings Thursday and Saturday, though. Palencia has yet to throw more than 17 pitches in a WBC game, and only needed 13 and 15 to mow down Japan and Italy, respectively. With hard throwers, in particular, a heavy early workload feels risky. There's no getting around the fact that Cubs fans have divided allegiances, because for many of them, the top priority is having Palencia healthy for the full regular season and (they hope) postseason ahead. Indeed, realistically, that's the nature of the relationship between MLB and international baseball right now: the latter is subservient to the former. Major League Baseball puts on the WBC; the event has little hope of real independence from the league. In my opinion, though, if the right moment comes, Palencia has to be on that mound. The Cubs should contact Venezuelan manager Omar López expressly to tell him that he has their blessing to go to his closer. This could easily be the biggest baseball moment of Palencia's life—even bigger than winning a World Series in the States. He deserves the opportunity, and international baseball needs that boost in legitimacy. Players take extended breaks from the top soccer clubs in the world several times each season to reunite with their national teams for various competitions and qualifiers. Sometimes, guys get hurt during international duty, as happened to Seiya Suzuki in the quarterfinals of the WBC. Other times, when a player needed a true break, playing for their country further wears them out instead, and they need to be lightly used for a period after returning from abroad. It's never fun when these things happen, but there's little expectation from fans that clubs will exercise power over the player or some national federation to prevent them from playing. That's the culture we need to pursue with baseball. If players want to play winter ball in Australia or in the Caribbean, they shouldn't need their MLB team's permission. When players join their national teams for the WBC or the Olympics, they shouldn't be constrained in usage by the dictates of their home club. We can move forward, toward a less MLB-centric baseball world. It can be a more vibrant world, and a more immersive one. Injury risk is a part of the game, but it should be a shared burden, and letting players and lesser leagues have more power to decide when and how players are used would do that—while also fostering the growth of shared benefits, like a game with greater global popularity and a more year-round calendar. It's clear that pitching for Venezuela is important to Palencia. He looks strong. He's been efficient. He has a chance to create the memory of a lifetime Tuesday night, if the right situation arises. If that happens, López should give him that chance, and the Cubs and their fans should be rooting unreservedly for a showdown between Palencia and Alex Bregman or Pete Crow-Armstrong with everything on the line. View the full article

Their vaunted rotation-fronting trio was to be foundational for Minnesota's hopes of fielding an unlikely contender this year. When Pablo López, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober are healthy and on their games, it's hard to discount this team. Unfortunately, López went down with a season-ending elbow injury on the first day of spring training. Ryan and Ober were slow to get going in the first half of camp, and both have question marks attached to them entering their second-to-last seasons under team control. It's unclear which version of Ober we're going to get this year, and whether Ryan will still be a Twin after the deadline. These factors increase the urgency for the next wave of pitching talent to firmly establish itself in the major leagues. It is going to be the central storyline of this season, with major implications for the team's ability to compete in 2026 and contend for a championship down the road. TWINS STARTING PITCHERS AT A GLANCE Projected Rotation: Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, Taj Bradley, Mick Abel Depth: Zebby Matthews, Andrew Morris, David Festa Prospects: Connor Prielipp, Kendry Rojas, Dasan Hill, Charlee Soto, Riley Quick Twins fWAR Ranking Last Year: 16th out of 30 Twins fWAR Projection This Year: 14th out of 30 THE GOOD The Twins have invested heavily in turning their pitching pipeline into a strength. They used high draft picks on Connor Prielipp, Dasan Hill, Charlee Soto and Riley Quick. They targeted Simeon Woods Richardson, Taj Bradley, Mick Abel and Kendry Rojas in high-profile deadline trades. Several of those pitchers on the verge of joining the MLB rotation mix, if not on already in it. Others are rising fast through the minors and garnering acclaim. It's an exciting group. Woods Richardson has proven himself as at least a solid big-league starter, and his strong finish last year hinted at more to unlock. Bradley undoubtedly has more to unlock as a former top prospect who hasn't quite pulled it all together, but is still only 24. Rojas and Abel have commanded attention with their performances in camp, and the latter is angling for a spot in the Opening Day rotation. Abel is competing for that spot against Zebby Matthews, who was conversely not acquired via any ambitious investment, but rather through savvy drafting and development. He's gone from eighth-round draft pick to potentially entrenching himself in the major-league rotation if he can stay healthy and find consistency. Much like Bradley, Rojas and Abel, Matthews has frontline-caliber stuff and that's plain to see. Same goes for David Festa, who will hopefully be able to rebound from a shoulder setback and contribute. This deep assortment of promising arms could give the Twins a big advantage when facing lesser fourth and fifth starters for other clubs. The top of the rotation took a major hit with the loss of López, but in such a scenario, few teams could turn to an alternative No. 1 starter as good as Ryan. He's coming off an All-Star season at age 29. This year, only 11 AL starters are projected for a higher fWAR than Ryan's 3.1. The right-hander was slowed out of the gates in camp by a minor back tweak, but threw three innings in his spring debut last week and went four in a crisp outing on Monday. Minnesota projects as a middle-of-the-pack team for starting pitching. If some of these young starters and post-hype prospects take real steps forward, they can easily finish a lot higher. The front office is counting on just that. THE BAD In a recent survey, MLB coaches and executives were asked to name the best teams at pitching acquisition and development. The Twins received only four votes, ranking near the bottom. That's not what we were hoping for after seven years of Derek Falvey's leadership. For all the talk of his pitching specialization, and all the success stories we've seen sort of start to materialize, not that many panned out under Falvey. Injuries have ravaged the pitching pipeline. Guys like Matthews and Festa, who rose to prominence as prospects, have stalled out in their entry to the majors. And the Twins are taking on several more similarly intriguing but unfinished projects that other orgs more or less gave up on in Bradley, Abel and Rojas. Jeremy Zoll now leads baseball ops for the Twins, but otherwise the faces are mostly the same. Pete Maki survived a coaching shakeup and still runs the pitching staff. These guys need to buck the trend and turn some young arms into actual difference-makers in the MLB rotation. Past successes are already starting to fade from the picture. López will be coming back from Tommy John surgery in his final season under contract. Ryan seems somewhat unlikely to make it past this trade deadline as a Twin. And Ober saw a dramatic drop-off last year due to a velocity loss that shows no sign of being resolved. No doubt these emerging arms entering the fold can be good. They just haven't been good yet. Bradley has a 4.86 career ERA, including 6.61 with the Twins last year. Able has a 6.23 career ERA (8.36 with Twins). Matthews and Festa haven't turned the corner, with ERAs over five. Rojas has yet to find success in Triple-A. At the end of the day, the proof is in the pudding. THE BOTTOM LINE This is going to be a transitional year for the Twins rotation. The younger starters have a chance to stake their claims and position this unit for a bright future, but they need to stay healthy and turn promise into results. Up until now, none have really been able to do it on the big-league stage. I don't want to say "now or never" for them because they've all got time left to figure things out, but if several don't do it now, the Twins will never have a chance in 2026. Catch up on the rest of our roster preview series: Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Catcher Twins 2026 Position Analysis: First Base Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Second Base Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Third Base Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Shortstop Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Left Field Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Center Field Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Right Field Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Designated Hitter View the full article

When it comes to evaluating pitchers and their pitches, pitch modeling is all the rage. Whether it's models from Eno Sarris (Fangraphs), Jeremy Maschino (Pitch Profiler), or Kyle Bland (Pitcher List), pitching models give us a chance to understand how the characteristics of a pitcher's particular offering contribute to preventing runs. Thomas Nestico's pitch model, TJ Stuff+, has been one of my favorite models, mostly because I believe in the data he selects and analyzes. Furthermore, TJ Stats' presentation of the data, especially through his pitcher summaries, makes the most sense to me for understanding pitch effectiveness. When it comes to what TJ Stuff+ does, there are three key characteristics: A full deep dive into the TJ Stuff+ process is available in this Medium article published by Nestico in 2024. With that context about TJ Stuff+, Nestico's TJ Stats site has seen massive improvement over the past year and has been one of the best resources this spring for acquiring and breaking down pitch-modeling data from Spring Training. With every MLB Spring Training ballpark having public Statcast data, fans can get a breakdown of pitcher TJ Stuff+ every outing and overall this spring as well. Thus, with Opening Day coming up in 10 days, I wanted to see which Royals pitchers have been the top performers this spring in TJ Stuff+, whether in Cactus League play or WBC competition. A full leaderboard of Royals pitchers and their TJ Stuff+ marks can be seen here. Let's take a look at five Kansas City pitchers who have thrived this spring in TJ Stuff+ and what Royals fans can take away from those particular pitchers' metrics in preparation for the upcoming season. Steven Cruz, RHP, 107 Overall TJ Stuff+ Cruz hasn't seen a whole lot of work this spring, as he has only pitched 4.2 innings and thrown 56 total pitches. However, in his limited work, the 26-year-old righty has been sensational on a TJ Stuff+ end. The 6'7 pitcher leads all Royals with a 107 overall TJ stuff+ mark this spring. That includes two pitches with TJ Stuff+ marks of 110: his four-seamer and slider. His four-seamer has been his best pitch not just in terms of velocity (96.6 MPH), but also whiff rate (70%) and xwOBACON (.274). The pitch has shown some growth for Cruz over the past year in generating better iVB while still maintaining the horizontal break (HB) that makes it a unique fastball offering. When he locates the four-seamer effectively in the zone (especially up), it can be an effective offering, especially in two-strike counts. Here's an example of Cruz pumping the four-seamer 101.2 MPH last year to Cal Raleigh and striking him out. His slider has also been an effective offering in terms of TJ Stuff+ and zone rate (58.8%). He hasn't generated as many chases (28.6%) or whiffs (18.2%) with his primary breaking offer, but he may still be working on the command of the pitch this spring. I think once he gets more ramped up, his slider will be an effective secondary offering for him. Last year, he produced a 24.5% whiff rate and .201 xwOBA on the slider. The only pitch that has been underwhelming is the cutter, which has a 99 TJ Stuff+. Cruz has been flooding the zone with the offering (69.2%), but it's been getting hit hard (.691 xwOBACON). The cutter was a great put-away pitch for him last year (36.4%), but it wasn't a great overall whiff pitch (19%). His cutter was his second-most-thrown offering last year (25.5%), so I wonder if Cruz will throw his cutter less and slider more in 2026, based on his Spring Training trend. Cole Ragans, LHP, 104 Overall TJ Stuff+ Ragans has been the Royals' second-best pitcher in terms of overall TJ Stuff+ and the best starter this spring in this category. He has four pitches with a 100 TJ Stuff+ or higher, including his four-seamer, slider, changeup, and cutter. He also has three pitches with 60 grades or higher (four-seamer, slider, and changeup). His four-seamer and slider have been his main weapons in Cactus League play, as Ragans has thrown them 53.4% and 18.7% of the time, respectively. His four-seamer is generating a 30.2% chase and 37.7% whiff, and his slider has a 47.8% cahse and 43.5% whiff. The four-seamer has gotten hit a bit hard, with a .535 xwOBACON. That said, it's Spring Training, and Ragans' command is still getting ramped up (46.6% zone rate). Ragans generated a 43.4% whiff rate and 28.9% put away rate on his slider in 2025. He threw it only 13.8% of the time last year, nearly 5% lower than his usage this spring. When the slider is working, it's his best swing-and-miss offering, as illustrated in this strikeout of Austin Hedges last year. He's only been using the knuckle curve sparingly this spring, with an 8.8% usage. That's four percent down from a year ago. However, it only has a 97 TJ Stuff+ and a 40 grade, so it makes sense why Ragans would opt for the slider more and the curve less in Arizona. It will be interesting to see if this usage breakdown carries over to the regular season. Ryan Bergert, RHP, 102 TJ Stuff+ The results haven't been great for Bergert this spring. After a strong start, he has a 6.52 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 9.2 IP. To make matters worse, his FIP is worse than his ERA at 9.46. That doesn't bode well for him getting a spot on the Opening Day, though Spring Training numbers always have to be taken with a grain of salt. On a positive note, the stuff has been solid for Bergert in Cactus League play. He has an overall TJ Stuff+ of 102 with four pitches with TJ Stuff+ marks over 100 (four-seamer, slider, sweeper, and curveball). He also has a chase rate of 36.5% and a whiff rate of 34.7%. What's interesting, however, is that despite those strong chase and whiff numbers, he has a pretty mediocre K% (19%). Thus, putting away batters has been a work in progress for Bergert this spring. An issue is that Bergert's control has been erratic, as evidenced by his 43.5% zone rate. One concerning pitch related to this trend has been his slider. It has a 106 TJ Stuff+ and some great chase (45.2%) and whiff (54.8%) rates. However, it has a 42.6% zone rate and .497 xwOBACON. A primary issue is that it hasn't been all that effective against lefties this spring, according to his heatmap data from TJ Stats. The slider has a 52.8% CSW and 80% whiff rate against righties. However, it has only a 16.7% CSW and a 9.1% whiff rate against lefties. He is also leaving the pitch a lot more in the zone against righties, which explains why he's not generating as many whiffs. Bergert has thrown the slider 19.6% of the time against lefties this spring, so it is used fairly often. Hence, ironing out the command on the pitch to generate more strikes, especially of the whiff variety, could make his slider more effective overall in 2026 (and thus help his strikeout problem in Spring Training). Dennis Colleran, RHP, 102 TJ Stuff+ Colleran has been one of the best non-roster invitee stories this spring for the Royals. In four innings of work in Cactus League play, he posted a 0.00 ERA, 0.25 WHIP, 1.65 FIP, and a 25% K% and K-BB%. When it comes to results, no NRI pitching prospect was more impressive than the former Northeastern product. In terms of TJ Stuff+ data, there was also a lot to like with Colleran this spring. The 22-year-old righty posted a 102 overall TJ Stuff+ with a 55.2% zone rate, 30.8% chase, 33.3% whiff, and .241 xwOBACON. All those metrics are not just above-average, but quite stellar. Even though Colleran was already sent to Minor League Camp for the remainder of Spring Training, he may be a candidate for a midseason or end-of-year call-up if he progresses in Minor League ball as expected in 2026. One of Colleran's most intriguing pitches was his four-seamer, which he threw 34.5% of the time this spring. The four-seamer averaged 98.2 MPH and had an excellent chase rate (33.3%), whiff rate (45.5%), and xwOBACON (.277). However, the TJ Stuff+ was mediocre at 99. When it comes to shape, Colleran's four-seamer is pretty atypical. It has more horizontal movement with a 12.7 HB. As a result, his iVB is lower than typical for a four-seamer, at 11.6. Colleran has a pretty horizontal arm angle at 19 degrees, so increasing the iVB should be possible. However, it's a bit flatter, moving more like a sinker than a traditional four-seamer. Here's a look at the heatmap data of Colleran's four-seamer, and it's interesting to note how much he left it in the zone this spring. Now, the middle location of those four-seamers didn't hurt him too much. He had a 33.3% CSW against lefties and 50% CSW against righties, as well as xwOBACON marks of .321 and .263, against lefties and righties, respectively. However, when it came to the quality of competition, he had an Opponent Quality of 6.4, according to Baseball-Reference. That is just below Double-A competition on their scale. Thus, Colleran still has some things to work on, especially with his four-seamer. The velocity is there. The swing-and-miss ability is there. However, generating a better shape on the pitch will help him in his transition to the Major Leagues, whether it's this year or next. Luinder Avila, RHP, 102 Overall TJ Stuff+ Avila has been one of the more intriguing pitchers for the Royals this spring, as his outlook for 2026 still feels a bit in flux. On one hand, it seems that Matt Quatraro and the organization believe Avila can still develop into a frontline starting pitcher at the MLB level. If that's the case, then it would make sense for Avila to begin the year in Triple-A Omaha so he can get starts and innings. That's hard to do now at the Major League level with a crowded Royals rotation. However, looking at his repertoire and TJ Stats summary, it's hard to fully buy into Avila as a starter for now. The Venezuelan-born pitcher has an elite curveball that demonstrated a 107 TJ Stuff+ and a 66 grade this spring. He had some trouble with locating it in Arizona, as evidenced by his 38.6% zone rate and 18.5% chase. However, he still had a 35.7% whiff rate on the pitch, which shows its effectiveness at generating swing-and-miss swings. The big area of focus with Avila is his fastball offerings, specifically his sinker and four-seamer. The pitches have average grades, with his sinker at 96 TJ Stuff+ and his four-seamer at 101 TJ Stuff+. That said, despite having a lower TJ Stuff+, this sinker has been more effective this spring for Avila, as he is generating a 37.5% chase, 35% whiff, and .171 xwOBACON with the pitch. His four-seamer has a better TJ Stuff+ but lags in whiff (15.4%) and xwOBACON (.627). What's intriguing about Avila's sinker and four-seamer is that when he's fully letting loose of it in high-pressure situations, like the WBC, he has seen a sharp jump in pitch quality. That was the case in Monday's WBC semi-final, as he went 2.1 IP and posted excellent stuff metrics in his relief appearance against Italy. Not only did Avila have a 106 overall TJ Stuff+ against Italy, but he had three pitches with grades over 70 (curveball, changeup, and four-seamer), and all of his pitches were over 60. He didn't generate a lot of whiff (11.8%), but he did a solid job when it came to inducing chase (38.9%) and weak contact (.291 xwOBACON). Thus, would Avila be better served in the bullpen, where his stuff could play up in the big, high-leverage moments? The data seems to point in that direction, though the decision will ultimately fall on Quatraro and GM JJ Picollo. Safe to say, after a strong MLB debut in 2025 (1.29 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 14 IP) and a strong spring in the Cactus League and WBC play, it will be tough to leave Avila off the Royals' Opening Day roster. View the full article

Having spent the last couple of weeks examining the top 20 prospects in the Chicago Cubs organization (as voted on by our North Side Baseball writers), we, at last, turn our attention to the man in the top spot who may lack a position but not a future in Chicago. Be sure to check out all of our previous rankings! Prospects #20-16 Prospects #15-11 Prospect #10 - James Triantos Prospect #9 - Josiah Hartshorn Prospect #8 - Kane Kepley Prospect #7 - Pedro Ramirez Prospect #6 - Ethan Conrad Prospect #5 - Jonathon Long Prospect #4 - Kevin Alcantara Prospect #3 - Jefferson Rojas Prospect #2 - Jaxon Wiggins #1 - Moisés Ballesteros (Iowa Cubs, Triple-A) A relatively quick riser through the Cubs' system after being signed out of Venezuela in 2021, the 2025 campaign was Ballesteros' first extended action in Triple-A. The year prior, he split between Knoxville and Iowa, with his first taste of the higher level leading to an uptick in strikeouts, a dip in walks, and a fall in his wRC+ (to exactly average, 100). An adjustment manifested quickly, however. Last year, Ballesteros was back in Iowa to start the year. Across more than 500 plate appearances, he slashed .316/.385/.473, with a 13.2 percent strikeout rate that was eight points lower than when he initially reached that level. The walk rate crept back up (9.6 percent), and his total body of work featured a wRC+ that came in at 121. One might have hoped for a bit more in the power game (.157 ISO), but the bat-to-ball skills were on display enough that Ballesteros was able to earn a cup of coffee with the Cubs. In 20 games, he finished at a 143 wRC+ and showcased some particularly encouraging signs toward what his future could look like in the lineup. What To Like The bat is big-league ready. Ballesteros has already proven that much, both through the evidence in Iowa and his small body of work in Chicago. Ballesteros made contact at an 81.8 percent rate in Iowa last year and didn't experience too much of a downturn upon his call-up (77.6 percent). In addition to quality contact skills, he's plenty capable of driving it to all fields; he split between a 35.6 percent pull rate and a 33.4 percent opposite-field rate in Iowa. What's more is that his swing is adaptable. Our Matt Trueblood recently explored this as a benefit within Ballesteros' game. Not only is he capable of creating consistent contact, but he's able to generate different types of it based on pitch type. While that skill will continue to evolve, that's part of the reason we see such a wide distribution of his hits to each portion of the field. For an organization that likes efficiency in their swings, it's hard to find a better prototype. However, there's just a bit more nuance needed within that offensive profile before we're ready to declare Moisés Ballesteros an everyday bat for the 2026 Cubs. What To Work On From an offensive standpoint, Ballesteros has work to do on two fronts. The first is adjusting the approach to suit his skill set. Yes, he can create contact from various parts of the zone and spin that into hits in any part of the field. But he could also be seizing more opportunities to create impactful contact: There's just a touch too much aggression in Ballesteros' approach at present. He's able to compensate well given the aforementioned bat-to-ball skills and inherent ability to avoid whiffs, but he's also not finding the barrel at the type of rate one might expect, and there's room for growth in his overall hard-hit rate. Further, there's a bit more elevation needed if Ballesteros is to get his game moving to the next level. He spent 49.6 percent of the time on the ground with his contact last year and was up over 62 percent in his small sample with the major-league club. While the all-fields contact offers its share of benefits, the nature of such an adaptable swing should allow him to lean into the pull side just a bit more. If Ballesteros' ability to recognize pitches continues to develop, that varying swing path should be able to produce such results to a degree that will allow him to reap the benefits of an increased barrel and hard-hit rate. On the defensive side, the picture has been murky for quite some time. The Cubs are continuing to develop Ballesteros as a catcher, despite the fact that he appeared there just once in his 20 major-league games last season. His arm is decent from behind the plate, but he has enough work to do in virtually every facet with the glove that any answers about his long-term position might have to wait until the end of 2026 at the soonest. Nevertheless, his offensive profile should earn him regular work as a designated hitter, and demonstration of the refinement needed in his bat could make a defined defensive position somewhat unnecessary. What's Next There are two paths before Moisés Ballesteros ahead of 2026. The first is that Seiya Suzuki slides back into regular work in right field following Kyle Tucker's departure, freeing up the designated hitter role for Ballesteros. Perhaps he gets occasional work behind the plate, but he factors into the lineup on the strength of his bat almost exclusively. Maybe he draws an occasional start or appearance at first base, but that part seems less likely for a player standing 5'8". That's assuming he doesn't falter at the plate, with some adjustments to his approach manifesting into one of the better hitters on the team. Of course, the possibility exists that the team goes in a different direction, wherein Ballesteros gets just a bit more seasoning in Triple-A, especially to work on his defensive game. With Carson Kelly reaching free agency following the year, the Cubs will have some space behind the dish. Extra time to develop the glove and all of the intricacies that come with being a big-league catcher could do Ballesteros some good. Injuries could land him back up on the Cubs' roster at a decent rate, but the focus remains on development in this case. In terms of a one-or-the-other scenario, the former feels far more likely. The Cubs could certainly work with Ballesteros the catcher at the top level throughout the year, even if it features fewer game reps. They could go that route while keeping Ballesteros the batter in the lineup on a regular basis. With a decent volume of bench options remaining in camp, though, it might not be entirely unreasonable to see them go the latter path, either. Either way, we're likely to see a whole bunch of the hitting artist known as Mo Baller throughout the 2026 season. View the full article

Big questions gnaw at the Kansas City Royals. Will offseason acquisitions Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas, and now Starling Marte, breathe more life into the infamously poor offensive production of KC’s outfielders? Can Jonathan India or Michael Massey come through at second base? Will the starting rotation, so strong in 2024, shake the injury bug that struck too hard and too often in 2025? And is Jac Caglianone ready to prove he can handle big league pitching? No such questions, though, loom over Kansas City’s catchers. When the Royals take the field at Atlanta’s Truist Park to open the season against the Braves on March 27, and absent a late spring training injury, look for nine-time All-Star Salvador Perez behind the plate, where only twice since 2013, his first full big league season, has he not been stationed on Opening Day. And backing him up will be promising Carter Jensen, the franchise’s No. 1 prospect and heir apparent to Perez when the club captain retires. But expect some change at the position. Not a lot, mind you, but some. Royals Catchers At A Glance Starter: Salvador Perez Backup: Carter Jensen Depth: Luca Tresh, Elias Díaz, Jorge Alfaro Prospects: Blake Mitchell, Ramon Ramirez, Hyungchan Um Royals fWAR Ranking Last Year: 18th of 30 Royals fWAR Projection This Year: 18th of 30 The Good There’s a lot about his catchers for manager Matt Quatraro, a former professional backstop himself, to like. Perez, still primarily a catcher as he preps for his 15th big league campaign, threw out 43.8% of runners who tested his arm last season (43.9% is his career high) and KC pitchers seem well-satisfied with his game-calling. His five Gold Gloves speak for themselves. And although the five-time Silver Slugger winner slashed only .236/.284/.446 in 2025, his 30 homers and 100 RBI prove he can still produce. Jensen is, of course, a work in progress, but the progress is excellent. After slashing .290/.377/.501 with 20 homers and 76 RBI in 111 games split between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha last season, he spent September with the Royals, where his 20-game .300/.391/.550 line and 159 wRC+ made him a cinch for the club’s 2026 Opening Day roster. He’ll also get plenty of work at DH. Perez and Jensen will probably be it for the Royals — carrying a third catcher seems unlikely. But the club should be in good stead if injuries hit: Luca Tresh can be called up from Omaha in a pinch, and don’t be surprised if at least one of the two major league veterans working in spring camp on non-roster invitations — Elias Díaz or Jorge Alfaro — sticks around and heads to Omaha with Tresh. There’s also Blake Mitchell, our No. 2 KC prospect who’s in line for No. 1 when Jensen compiles enough big league time to drop off its list. Mitchell, the Royals’ top 2023 draft pick, will reach the majors, but probably later rather than sooner — he’s had some bad injury luck and has yet to see a Double-A pitch. Don’t be shocked, though, if the club gives him a taste of The Show in September. The Bad Perez isn’t, and never will be, a great framer, and he doesn’t block pitches as well as he used to. He’s also entering his age-36 season and will need more time at first base and DH than he’s accustomed to. All that isn’t terrible, though, and beyond the need to rely more on the less-experienced Jensen behind the plate, there isn’t much about KC’s catching to worry Quatraro. The Bottom Line The Royals are in good shape behind the plate. Expect good performances from Perez and Jensen, with Jensen making even more strides under Perez’s tutelage. Previous Installments: Second Base Position Analysis View the full article

Baseball is back, and there’s no better way to celebrate opening day than surrounded by the Twins Daily community. Cold beer, great food, watching baseball with friends, and more – that is how we’re kicking off the 2026 season. The Twins Daily Social Club is heading back to BlackStack Brewing for another Opening Day watch party after the incredible turnout and atmosphere last year. Their team helped make it unforgettable, so teaming up again was an easy call. This year’s opener features a fascinating matchup as the Minnesota Twins take on the Baltimore Orioles: two talented clubs with plenty of star power and plenty to prove right out of the gate. Twins fans will be eager to see how the lineup looks from the very first pitch. All eyes will be on stars like Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan, while fans are excited to watch emerging talent such as Luke Keaschall continue to make his mark. Opening Day always brings a little extra electricity – the first crack of the bat, the first big defensive play, the first chance to imagine what the season could become. The Orioles bring plenty of excitement of their own. Dynamic young stars like Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman have turned Baltimore into one of the most entertaining teams in baseball, making this season opener matchup one fans across the league are looking forward to. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 pm on Thursday, March 26, and the Twins Daily Social Club will have the game on with a full house of fans ready to cheer. Our party kicks off an hour before first pitch, at 1:00 pm. The best part? You don’t need to buy a ticket. Simply RSVP using the Eventbrite link we will send out later this week, which will include full details for this year’s watch party. When you arrive and check in with the Twins Daily crew, we will get you set up with your first raffle ticket and everything else you need to enjoy a fantastic Opening Day with fellow fans. Stay tuned for more details about the event, the prizes we’ll be giving away, and everything else we have planned. Baseball is almost back. Let’s celebrate together. EVENT DETAILS What: Twins Daily Social Club's Opening Day Watch Party Cost: Free When: 1 pm, March 26, 2026 Where: Blackstack Brewing, 755 Prior Ave N, St Paul, MN View the full article

Before the start of the 2023 season, Statcast introduced the sweeper as a new label for certain breaking pitches, separating them from tighter, harder sliders. Since then, the term has found a strong foothold in the modern pitching vernacular. Sweeping sliders themselves aren’t new, but the classification came about as more pitchers and coaches learned to generate the sidespin that creates more extreme lateral break than gyro sliders have, without much depth. That means more pitchers throw it now, including some who throw both sweepers and gyro-spin sliders. Once several pitchers threw both, it became especially useful to have distinct labels for the two different offerings. But as the percentage of pitches tagged as sweepers has steadily increased over the last few seasons, the Brewers have lagged behind. In fact, they cut their sweeper usage last year. Pitching coach Chris Hook and the rest of Milwaukee’s pitching development team have nothing against sweepers, but they generally prefer shorter pitches that spend time in the strike zone, particularly for multi-inning pitchers. They often encourage bulk pitchers to throw more cutters and sinkers, instead of a bigger breaking pitch. Veteran starters Aaron Civale and Tyler Alexander threw fewer sweepers and more fastballs after joining the Brewers, even though those breaking pitches were previously among their most effective. Brandon Woodruff developed a sweeper while rehabbing from shoulder surgery, but he quickly realized he had a better feel for pairing a new cutter with his two existing fastballs. Prospect Coleman Crow, whose signature pitch is a big, high-spin curveball, has thrown his cutter more than any other pitch in big-league camp this year, after it was just a supporting pitch in the minor leagues last season. Sammy Peralta featured the sweeper last season; the team's first recommendation after claiming him last fall was to add a cutter. All indications have been that the Brewers are keeping that emphasis on in-zone pitches at the heart of their pitching philosophy, but sweepers could complement that approach more than in recent seasons. Crow and DL Hall have added sweepers to their arsenal. Brandon Sproat, who could crack the Opening Day rotation, has continued throwing his sweeper 14.3% of the time in Cactus League outings since coming over via trade. Sweeper specialist Robert Gasser is also set for a fully healthy season after spending much of 2025 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. And they did claim Peralta, after all, which shows a certain openness to acquiring guys for whom the sweeper is important and not a candidate to be scrapped or neglected. The Brewers may apply elements of a larger philosophy to most of their pitchers, but above all else, they try to avoid putting them into a box. This year’s staff will still live mostly off fastballs, but it may be better equipped to sprinkle in more sweeping breaking balls than last year's version was. Whether that was a conscious change of course or just a product of organic efforts to improve the team one move and one player at a time, they're evolving. View the full article

Talk Sox's top prospect rankings for the 2026 season has officially reached the elite tier of prospects, featuring a young arm making some Top-100 noise after getting selected in the first round by the Boston Red Sox last summer. Be sure to check out all of our previous rankings here: Part 1 (Nos. 16-20) Part 2 (Nos. 11-15) Part 3 (No. 10) Part 4 (No. 9) Part 5 (No. 8) Part 6 (No. 7) Part 7 (No. 6) Part 8 (No. 5) Boston Red Sox Top Prospects: No. 4 Kyson Witherspoon The Red Sox were lauded for a strong performance during last year's annual amateur player selection process, especially during the first day of the draft. The biggest steal of that day could be argued as any of the three pitchers the Red Sox drafted, however, none stand out more than the first player who fell right into their laps. Drafted 15th overall, Kyson Witherspoon was viewed as a consensus top-10 talent prior to the event. Fortunately for the Red Sox, the right-handed pitcher from Oklahoma State slipped and ended up available right in the middle of the first round. Witherspoon dominated in his final season at Oklahoma to the tune of a 10-4 record and 2.65 ERA in 16 starts. In that span, he threw 95 innings and struck out 124 batters, thanks in part to his velocity and secondary pitches that have scouts drooling over his potential. Witherspoon, who turned 21 in mid-August, made significant strides during his college career and is already implementing some changes in Boston. One of the more notable alterations to his profile was the addition of a sweeper he worked on over the winter with Driveline, and the pitch is already flashing some impressive break. No prospect with the Red Sox averaged close to 20 inches of horizontal break with a sweeper, but Witherspoon’s managed that after one offseason of working on the pitch. The rest of Witherspoon’s arsenal is made up of a fastball, cutter, slider, curveball and changeup. Unlike other pitching targets by the Red Sox, his extension is under six feet (averaged around 5.7 feet). However, he’s able to repeat his delivery easily and hides the ball well throughout his throwing motion. His fastball averaged 95 to 97 mph in college, which he maintained during his first two innings of game action in minor-league spring training. His velocity seems to have improved since being drafted (in terms of maintaining upper-echelon consistency), which will pair well with his strong command. However, the pitch gets its bat-missing ability from its velocity and not its shape. His cutter was used often in college as a pitch he threw for consistent strikes. Velocity-wise, it averaged between 88 and 91 mph, though it's shown an ability to miss bats while also inducing batters to chase outside the zone. Likewise, his slider is a pitch he was able to use to generate whiffs, especially against right-handed batters. Both pitches have plus tendencies and are viewed as being potentially above average. The curveball, on the other hand, is seen as a middling offering, and that's if he learns to consistently land it in the zone. In college, it sat 78 to 82 mph and is considered to have good depth on its break. When he’s able to command and control it he can generate a few whiffs. His changeup is certainly the one that needs the most development (ignoring the new sweeper). The pitch has managed to reach the low-90s, but it was his least used offering in college and lacks the fade/tail to really dominate lefties down and away. Overall, Witherspoon has a chance to join the likes of Payton Tolle and Connolly Early as pitchers who moved through the system quickly. He's got a projectable mid-rotation future, though there's no denying the ace upside occasionally flashing in his profile. His fastball, despite being viewed as his best pitch, could also be in line for some tweaking should the Red Sox want it to have a different shape. Witherspoon, barring a surprise placement, will open the season in Greenville much like Tolle did the year prior. Though, should he dominate High-A batters, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is promoted to Portland by some point in June. The Red Sox have been aggressive the last few years when it comes to promoting prospects that are performing well, and it shouldn’t be any different with the draft class of 2025. View the full article

Heading into the 2025-2026 offseason, changes were needed. Fans knew it, coaches knew it, players knew it, and most importantly, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns knew it. Not only did the Mets overhaul almost their entire coaching staff, but they also overhauled the entire team. With spring training nearing its end with Opening Day less than two weeks out, it's time to project the Mets' Opening Day roster. Let's take a position-by-position look to see who will make the 26-man roster on March 26 when the Mets host two-time reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. Starting Rotation (6) RHP Freddy Peralta RHP Nolan McLean LHP David Peterson LHP Sean Manaea RHP Clay Holmes RHP Kodai Senga Searching for a frontline arm all offseason, the Mets traded for Freddy Peralta on Jan. 21 from Milwaukee for top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. It was a hefty price to pay for someone with one year left on his contract before reaching free agency, but the Mets weren't going to squander the opportunity of acquiring an ace-level talent in Peralta. Manager Carlos Mendoza announced on Feb. 27 that Peralta will take the ball for his new team on Opening Day. Nolan McLean, who was slated to be the club's Opening Day starter had they not acquired Peralta, burst onto the scene in August 2025 and wowed not only the Mets, but everyone across MLB. Nicknamed "Cowboy Ohtani," McLean dazzled to a 2.06 ERA in eight starts (48 innings) down the stretch. Two innings shy of exceeding his rookie status, McLean already looked like an established star. Now in 2026, the 24-year-old, who participated in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA, looks to build off his impressive 2025 cameo. Entering his seventh season with the Mets and his first as the longest tenured Met, David Peterson will look to rekindle his first-half form in 2025 that earned him the first All-Star nod of his career. After four up and down years, Peterson has established himself as a quality starting pitcher as he enters his first contract year. It was not the season the Mets or Sean Manaea envisioned the 34-year-old would have. Manaea missed significant time in 2025 with a strained right oblique in spring training and later dealt with a 7-millimeter loose body in his left elbow, which he managed with a cortisone shot rather than surgery. Heading into the new season, the Mets believe Manaea can return to the pitcher he was in 2024. The former closer-turned-starting pitcher Clay Holmes is entering his second season as such in a Mets uniform. Like McLean, Holmes also participated in the WBC for Team USA. Stearns didn't get a whole right last season, but Holmes was certainly a right move. He'll look to throw more innings and get deeper into games in 2026. Since bringing Kodai Senga over from Japan in 2023, the Mets have accommodated Senga by going to a six-man rotation. It's been quite the first three years for Senga in the US. The 33-year-old finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting, seventh for NL Cy Young, and was selected to his first All-Star team. The right-hander then missed all but one start in 2024, and similarly to Peterson, Senga dominated in the first half last year. Senga came back in June after a hamstring strain and pitched to a poor 6.56 ERA and was subsequently sent down after eight starts. This offseason, Senga made changes with his "brain" as he hopes to rebound. "Run-prevention" has been the name of the game for Stearns and the Mets this offseason. A 1-2 punch of Peralta and McLean at the top of the rotation should help. Bullpen (7) RHP Devin Williams RHP Luke Weaver LHP Brooks Raley RHP Tobias Myers RHP Luis García RHP Huascar Brazobán RHP Craig Kimbrel The Mets signed Devin Williams before fan favorite closer Edwin Díaz, but that quickly turned into a replacement when Díaz chose the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Mets. The club signed Luke Weaver to a two-year deal and is getting veteran left Brooks Raley back, who will serve in a setup role. Similarly, A.J. Minter, whom the Mets signed ahead of the 2025 season, will also serve as a setup man once he returns in May from injury. Just days before the Mets were set to play their first Grapefruit League game, the club signed veteran Craig Kimbrel to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring camp. Kimbrel has made changes in his repertoire, and the Mets will likely value his experience and give him a spot on the roster. Tobias Myers, who was the "other piece" in the trade for Peralta, will likely serve in a long-relief or spot-starter role. For his career, Myers has appeared in 49 games (31 starts) and has pitched to the tune of a 3.15 ERA in 188 2/3 innings. Catchers (2) Francisco Alvarez Luis Torrens The former No. 1-ranked prospect Francisco Alvarez is due for a breakout year. Every year, Mets fans say, "This is the year." Alvarez has shown many flashes of breaking out, but hasn't been able to fully put it all together yet. Traded for in May 2024, Luis Torrens has been the Mets' backup catcher the past two years. Known for his defensive prowess, Torrens led all catchers in the NL with a 40.8 Caught Stealing percentage in 2025. Infielders (6) 3B Bo Bichette SS Francisco Lindor 2B Marcus Semien 1B Jorge Polanco 3B/2B/1B/RF Brett Baty 3B/1B Mark Vientos Stearns knew he would take heavy criticism from the Mets faithful after letting franchise stalwart Pete Alonso shake hands with the Baltimore Orioles; he even heard it from his own family. Instead of replacing Alonso with one player, the Mets will likely use a rotation of Polanco, Baty, and Vientos to man first base. Newcomer Bo Bichette, like Polanco, will also have to learn a new position at third base. Signing two players, especially ones who are not known for their defense, to play positions they are unaccustomed to had fans questioning the moves. But adding Marcus Semien, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, to play second certainly wasn't. Francisco Lindor remains on track to be on the Opening Day roster as he made his first start in spring training on Sunday. Outfielders (5) RF Carson Benge CF Luis Robert Jr. LF Juan Soto RF Mike Tauchman CF Tyrone Taylor Since November, the Mets' top position prospect, Carson Benge, was notified that he would have the chance to come into major league camp and be able to compete for the starting right field job. Well, the 23-year-old has taken the chance and run away with it. Less than two weeks to go, and Benge is leading the team in hits with 11. Benge is hitting .367/.406/.433 with an .840 OPS in 30 at-bats. Benge, who played right field for the most part at the University of Oklahoma, said he "feels really comfortable" at the position. Mike Tauchman, who is in direct competition with Benge for the starting right field job, has also played well this spring. While Tauchman was signed to a minor league deal, his contract includes an opt-out on March 25. The Mets will likely value his veteran-ship and keep him on the roster. Luis Robert Jr., whom the Mets traded for this offseason, has lots to prove. Coming off two down years, the one-time All-Star will look to recapture his tremendous 2023 form, where he hit 38 home runs and drove in 80 RBIs with an .857 OPS in 546 at-bats, showing the ability to stay healthy. 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 Over the years, the Toronto Blue Jays have had many players who donned their jersey and played a starring role. Whether it be during the team’s years of struggle or during their contending regimes, there were a select number of Jays that made an indelible mark on the organization. Now, through careful analysis in the selection process, we bring to you our distinguished list of the top 50 Blue Jays of all time. Here, we begin the countdown, starting with numbers 50 to 46. No. 50: Buck Martinez Blue Jays Career Stats: 454 GP, .222 average, .675 OPS, 114 runs scored, 35 home runs, 154 RBIs, 3.5 bWAR Accolades/Accomplishments: 2023 Jack Graney Award Buck Martinez may not be the first name that people would come up with in terms of his contributions to the Jays during his time in the majors. But he has definitely cemented himself as a Blue Jay for life after what he has done for the organization following his retirement as a player. Martinez became a colour commentator for Toronto initially, and later on even managed the Blue Jays in a stint between 2001 and 2002; he compiled a 100-115 managerial record over the two seasons. More significantly, Martinez became the official voice of the Blue Jays by becoming their everyday play-by-play announcer in 2010. From then on, Jays fans enjoyed the flair and excitement that he brought with his broadcasting for the next decade and a half. He was recognized for his excellence with the Jack Graney Award in 2023. Martinez announced his retirement last month, and he leaves behind him a legacy of service to the organization that Jays fans will forever remember. No. 49: Mark Eichhorn Blue Jays Career Stats: 279 GP, 29-19 record, 15 saves, 3.03 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 493 IP, 372 strikeouts, 11.5 bWAR Accolades/Accomplishments: 1986 AL Rookie of the Year finalist When it comes to some of the side-earm submariners that have pitched for the Blue Jays over the years, the first and most obvious one that should come to mind is none other than reliever Mark Eichhorn. After failing as a starter when he was first brought up by the Jays back in 1982, Eichhorn reinvented himself as a multi-inning reliever in the subsequent years, and boy, was that a brilliant move. The side-arm reliever instantly found himself among the elite bullpen arms in the league, finishing sixth in Cy Young voting and third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1986 after going a stellar 14-6 with a 1.72 ERA over 69 relief appearances. More importantly, as one of the key cogs of the Jays’ relief corps, Eichhorn was instrumental in helping Toronto in their two postseason runs in 1992 and 1993. Without the elusive side-armer, the Blue Jays might still be searching for their first World Series title. No. 48: José Cruz Jr. Blue Jays Career Stats: 698 GP, .250 average, .793 OPS, 396 runs scored, 122 home runs, 355 RBIs, 11.5 bWAR Accolades/Accomplishments: 1997 AL Rookie of the Year finalist, 2003 Gold Glove winner Back when the Blue Jays made their 1997 trade deadline deal for José Cruz Jr., many were surprised that it only cost Toronto pitchers Mike Timlin and Paul Spoljaric to get it done. After all, Cruz was one of the top prospects in all of baseball at the time, and his potential had him destined to become a star in the major leagues. Despite the Jays outfielder never fully reaching that potential, he did manage to produce two 30+ home run and three 70+ RBI seasons in the six years that he ended up spending with the organization. His best season came in 2001 when he posted a solid .274 average and .857 OPS, along with 92 runs scored, 34 home runs, 88 RBIs and 32 stolen bases in just 146 games played. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to lead the Jays to success, as they failed to make the playoffs during his tenure with the club. No. 47: Marco Estrada Blue Jays Career Stats: 124 GP, 39-40 record, 4.25 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 686 2/3 IP, 575 strikeouts, 9.6 bWAR Accolades/Accomplishments: 2016 All-Star Despite not being viewed as a frontline starter for much of his MLB career, Marco Estrada nonetheless became a difference maker for the Blue Jays during his four-year stint with the club. In particular, he played a key role during the Jays’ two postseason runs in 2015 and 2016, even with the likes of former Cy Young winners R.A. Dickey and David Price being around. It was Estrada who was handed the ball with the Blue Jays on the verge of elimination, down two games to none in the 2015 ALDS against the Texas Rangers. He would prevail to help kick off the amazing series comeback win for Toronto, which of course included José Bautista’s Game 5 bat flip home run heard around the world. Estrada would follow that up the next season, pitching a gem in Game 1 of the 2016 ALDS for the Jays against the Rangers once again, paving the way to Toronto's three-game sweep over Texas. Even though the spotlight was focused on many of his teammates, it was Estrada who provided the much-needed stability for the Blue Jays' postseason rotation that enabled them to go on two deep playoff runs. No. 46: Todd Stottlemyre Blue Jays Career Stats: 206 GP, 69-70 record, 4.39 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 1139 IP, 662 strikeouts, 10.2 bWAR Accolades/Accomplishments: 8 seasons of 10+ wins As a high first-round pick from the 1985 MLB Draft, there were high expectations for Todd Stottlemyre. He was supposed to help the Blue Jays become legitimate contenders after years of working to establish themselves in the league. Stottlemyre didn’t end up posting the big numbers that were expected of him, but he did succeed in taking the Jays to the postseason in four of his seven seasons with the team. His best year with Toronto came in 1991 when he registered a 15-8 record with a 3.9 bWAR, 3.78 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 34 starts. Stottlemyre’s best postseason performance came in 1992 when he was used as a reliever due to Toronto’s stacked rotation featuring Jack Morris, David Cone, Jimmy Key and Juan Guzman. In five playoff appearances, Stottlemyre yielded only one run on seven hits along with five strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings for a stellar 1.23 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. But for Blue Jays fans, Stottlemyre will likely be forever remembered for his aggressive baserunning play against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series, in which he scraped his chin on a head-first slide while getting thrown out at third base. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs have announced that Matthew Boyd will get the ball for their Opening Day contest. The 2025 All-Star will take the hill on March 26th against the Washington Nationals, who feature a budding talent group that's aiming for a climb up the competitive NL East division. In this video, we break down Boyd's arsenal, his path to this point, and how he can be effective in the 2026 season. View the full article

Luis Pena is the no. 2 prospect in the Brewers' system and the no. 26 overall prospect in baseball. What makes the 19-year-old infielder so special amongst a loaded Milwaukee pipeline? In this video, we dive into Luis' speed, adjustment period with off-speed offerings, and odds that he makes it to the majors with Milwaukee or even another team via trade. Enjoy! View the full article

Twins Daily contributors have voted, and we're ready to reveal the Minnesota Twins' top prospects in the 11-15 range. Andrew Morris is at the doorstep of the big leagues, but can he crack the top 10? Included in this video are Marco Raya, Quentin Young, Brandon Winokur, Andrew Morris, and Riley Quick. View the full article

Prior to his WBC semifinal game at loanDepot park, Marlins outfielder Jakob Marsee speaks with Fish On First about Italy's undefeated run in the tournament.View the full article

As the Minnesota Twins finalize their Opening Day roster, the bullpen remains one of the most fluid areas of the team. One of the biggest questions involves the final left-handed spot in the relief corps. Several left-handed relievers are competing for as many as four available spots. Veterans Taylor Rogers and Anthony Banda are roster locks, leaving one certain spot (and perhaps a second, but perhaps not) for Kody Funderburk or Andrew Chafin. Funderburk brings youth and had a strong finish last season, while Chafin provides over a decade of MLB experience. With the Twins unlikely to carry four left-handed relievers, one of these pitchers may end up on the outside looking in. Why Funderburk Should Make the Roster On performance alone, Funderburk has made a strong case to remain in the Twins bullpen. He has been sharp during spring training, posting a 1.35 ERA with a 7-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 6 ⅔ innings. That success has carried over from the second half of last season, when he became a stabilizing force in a bullpen that needed reliable innings. After the All-Star break last year, Funderburk produced a 2.61 ERA, with 21 strikeouts and eight walks across 20 2/3 innings. Even more impressive was his dominant stretch late in the season. During August and September, he appeared in 25 games and posted a 0.82 ERA, striking out 25 batters and recording a save. That stretch suggested that Funderburk may have turned a corner in his development. One of the biggest adjustments came from a change in his arm slot during the 2025 season. By lowering his release point, Funderburk created more deception, aided by extension that sits in the 95th percentile league-wide. That extra deception can make his fastball appear to jump on hitters faster than its radar gun reading. If those mechanical tweaks continue to pay off, the Twins could have a dependable bullpen arm who is already familiar with the organization and capable of handling meaningful innings. Why Funderburk Could Be Left Off the Roster Despite his recent success, Funderburk still faces significant competition for a roster spot. The Twins may simply have too many left-handed relievers. Carrying four southpaws in the bullpen would create matchup complications throughout a 162-game season, particularly when several of those pitchers struggle against right-handed hitters. Funderburk’s splits highlight that concern. Over the last three seasons, right-handed hitters have produced a .279 batting average and a .768 OPS against him. Those numbers make it difficult to rely on him in high-leverage situations when opposing managers can counter with right-handed bats. His overall underlying metrics also present some warning signs. While his surface numbers have looked strong at times, his WHIP has remained elevated. Even during his excellent late-season run, that figure still sat at 1.23; elite relievers often keep their WHIP around 1.00. Some of his expected metrics paint a more modest picture, as well. A 4.08 xFIP and a 76.4% strand rate suggest that some regression could occur if batted-ball luck begins to shift. Because of those factors, Funderburk may find himself squeezed out by veteran options, even after a strong finish to last season. Why Chafin Should Make the Roster Chafin offers the type of veteran reliability that teams often value when shaping a bullpen. If he makes the roster, the 35-year-old will be pitching for his ninth major-league team in what would be his 13th season in the majors. Last year, he split time between the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Angels, posting a 2.41 ERA with a 25.2% strikeout rate across 33 2/3 innings. Those results suggest that Chafin still has something left in the tank, despite his age. While his strikeout rate dipped slightly from the previous season, many of his underlying metrics remained solid. His ability to miss bats and limit hard contact has kept him effective even as he moves deeper into his career. Chafin has also proven capable of handling right-handed hitters better than many left-handed relievers. Over the past three seasons, righties have posted a .243 batting average and a .714 OPS against him. Those numbers are noticeably better than Funderburk's splits. That difference could be meaningful for a Twins bullpen that cannot always guarantee favorable matchups late in games, and who already have two locked-in lefties to handle those moments. Why Chafin Could Be Left Off the Roster Despite his long track record, Chafin’s case is not without flaws. One of the biggest concerns is his control. Last season, he posted a 13.3% walk rate, which created unnecessary traffic on the bases. While his ERA remained excellent, his 4.11 SIERA suggested that his true performance level may not have been quite as dominant. His velocity is also a major red flag. All his pitches averaged under 90 mph last season, and he has been topping out in the upper 80s so far this spring. He has found a way to be successful at a lower velocity in previous years, but at some point, that level of velocity is unsustainable in modern baseball. Health has also become a growing concern. Chafin spent time on the injured list in 2025 due to a right hamstring strain, and later dealt with left triceps inflammation. Those issues caused him to miss more than five weeks during the season. There is also the reality that Chafin signed a minor-league contract, which means he's not guaranteed a roster spot. The Twins could prioritize a younger arm already in the organization, rather than committing to a veteran who may be nearing the end of his career—and having to make room for him on the 40-man, to boot. The Twins’ final bullpen decision may come down to experience versus internal momentum. Funderburk offers familiarity with the organization and is coming off a strong second half that hinted at real improvement. His mechanical adjustments and strong finish make him an intriguing option if the Twins believe his development is sustainable. Chafin brings a veteran presence and a lengthy track record of success across multiple teams. His ability to better handle right-handed hitters could make him a safer option in a bullpen that may already lean heavily on matchup-based left-handers. Either way, the Twins appear unlikely to carry four left-handed relievers on the Opening Day roster. That means one of these pitchers will likely be watching from the outside when the season begins. Who will win the final left-handed relief role for the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The 2025 iteration of second baseman Nico Hoerner was the best version the Cubs have yet seen. Sure, he'd hit more than .297 in a season. He'd reached base at a clip better than the .345 mark he posted. He's also stolen more bases in a season than the 29 bags he swiped, and he's hit for better power than indicated by a .097 isolated power (ISO). Yet, in terms of his total value, both his wRC+ (109) and his fWAR (4.8) were above any figure he'd posted in his three previous seasons of full-time action. Much of the value lies in Hoerner's glove. His 15 Outs Above Average ranked 12th among qualifying players regardless of position, ninth among infielders, and at the top of the list of players who log regular time at the keystone. While much of his value may be wrapped up in that facet of his game, however, last season saw him consolidate his skills at the plate, too. Hoerner's 2025 season was his best in the contact game. His 48.5% swing rate was his highest since 2022, as was a 31.9% chase rate. But the aggression didn't mitigate his ability to make contact. He touched 89.8% of the pitches at which he swung, continuing a four-year progression of improvement there and sitting fourth on the leaderboard among qualifying batters. He whiffed on just 4.9% of all pitches he saw, both a career best and a number which landed in the 99th percentile of hitters. Of course, very little of that was hard contact. Hoerner logged Statcast Barrels on just 2.3% of his batted balls—the league average is 7.2%—and hit the ball 95 MPH or harder just 30.3% of the time (league average: 37.0%). Both rates put him among the bottom 10% of batters who saw substantial time. When one encounters high swing rates alongside such a dearth of power, the player who comes to mind is Luis Arráez, whose value has been mitigated by his approach and his shortcomings. Hoerner, though, has a bit more to his offensive profile than that. The version of Hoerner we saw in the second half of 2025 was a bit different than the one in the first. His hard hit rate was 32.1% in July, and progressively increased over the final three months of the year. His ISO was essentially flat from the first half to the second, but it ticked up a tiny bit (.094 to .100), while his line-drive rate jumped by seven percentage points. He swung at a higher rate against fastballs over that span, which is encouraging, given most players' penchant for generating more line drives and some extra power against that pitch type. As the year went along, he found a consistent feel for pulling the ball neatly and undefendably, on a line. To update the key stat from the linked article in the last sentence, he had 41 pulled batted balls at launch angles between 5° and 13° last season, compared to: 17 in 2022 23 in 2023 21 in 2024 He had more hits (30) on that kind of batted ball last year than he'd had batted balls matching those criteria in any previous season, regardless of outcome. Earlier this offseason, I broke down where in the zone Hoerner needs to focus in order to produce more consistent power in 2026. Part of that is simply attacking more on the inner half of the plate. Between the adjustments that led to a slight uptick in impact and the knowledge that there is an area of the plate where Hoerner can tap into a bit more, there's reason to think he could clear the fence a bit more often this year. His hard-hit rate (35%), average exit velocity (89.3 MPH) and 90th-percentile exit velocity (102.9 MPH) are all higher this spring than in 2025, which is good news. But is that what fans should be expecting: more power, from a player whose game isn't primarily about that? Realistically, the expectation should be for Hoerner to repeat much of what he did in 2025. With his defense and baserunning, continuing to make contact at an elite rate, control the strike zone and hit for average with solid line drives is plenty. Hoerner's process has improved to the point where he can be a great player even without finding double-digit home-run power. That's the key takeaway. Whatever their superficial similarities, Hoerner is not Arráez. Not only does he sport a more impressive profile on the bases and in the field, he has a broader array of offensive skills, beyond batting average. A repeat of 2025 with an ISO that creeps back to multiple points above .100 would represent a blend of each of his career trends to date and the final frontier of his development. The most impressive thing is that none of that feels unrealistic. View the full article

The first significant blow to the San Diego Padres' Opening Day rotation became somewhat official as first-year manager Craig Stammen said Monday that right-hander Joe Musgrove will begin the season on the injured list. Musgrove, the Padres' best pitcher when healthy and author of the first no-hitter in franchise history, has not pitched since having Tommy John surgery after the Friars were eliminated from the postseason in 2024. The 33-year-old had been building toward a spot in the rotation to begin the season, but made just one appearance, a start against Great Britain in a World Baseball Classic exhibition on March 4. He needed 60 pitches to get through two innings in his first game action since Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series vs. Atlanta in 2024. Musgrove's arm didn't bounce back, and he has not pitched since. "He’s most likely going to start on the IL this year," Stammen said. "We're getting to the point where he's taken enough time off that it would be hard to ramp him up to get him to be a viable starter that can throw five innings, 90 pitches. This was part of the plan. We knew he was going to have to take some time off. We knew we were going to have to get him ready for the entire season, and not just Opening Day." That leaves the Padres' rotation with three known starters: right-handers Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Randy Vasquez. Pivetta returned to action Saturday after skipping a start due to arm fatigue. Pivetta pitched three innings, throwing 56 pitches, against the Cleveland Guardians. He would have one more Cactus League start, potentially Thursday or Friday, before the season begins. He was the top candidate for the Opening Day start entering camp. The Padres do have options to fill the void with Musgrove starting on the IL. Those begin with right-handers German Marquez and Walker Buehler. Buehler is a non-roster player, meaning he would have to be added to the 40-man roster before Opening Day. The Padres have one confirmed spot open and another with Yu Darvish not pitching this season. Stammen said he was not ready to name the slots for his starting pitchers yet. One option for the Friars, with two days off in the first eight days of the season, is to open with four starters and nine relievers. "We'll probably pick spots probably the day before Opening Day," Stammen said. "We'll wait all the way until we have to make a decision. I think it's probably smart to wait as long as you can to make decisions because you never know what can happen in between that time period. We're going to be smart, we're going to be patient, and we're going to try to make the best decision with all the information." The setback is likely to sideline Musgrove for most, if not all, of April. Another right-handed starter, Griffin Canning, is expected back in April as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury last season, when he was with the New York Mets. View the full article

For Brewers fans, beating the Cubs in Game 5 of the NLDS last fall was much-needed catharsis. It wasn't just about advancing in the postseason; it was also about proving that their supremacy in the NL Central was real and complete. It was energizing, for many, to see the team hold up an 'L' flag during their on-field team picture after the game. The phone gestures toward the Cubs dugout by William Contreras and Abner Uribe at key junctures are iconic moments from that series. However, while it's easy to forget this part of the reporting, there was a collective hesitation by the team before they agreed to hold up the flag. While Contreras seemed to savor beating the Brewers' top rivals (and an organization by which his big brother felt slightly disrespected), he also singled out Craig Counsell in a Player's Tribune column last fall—not for the so-called treachery of leaving his hometown team to manage the Cubs, but for his excellent treatment of Latino players. Counsell and Pat Murphy have a many-layered, lifelong friendship. The Cubs keep picking up players (Colin Rea, Hoby Milner) whom the Brewers employed first, and who still have nothing but good things to say about the Milwaukee organization. New Brewers prospect Jett Williams has a surprisingly close relationship to Alex Bregman, whom Murphy also knows and immensely likes. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Brice Turang, Bregman and Matthew Boyd have been Team USA teammates this month for the World Baseball Classic. Contreras, Jackson Chourio and Cubs closer Daniel Palencia are together on Team Venezuela. Tyler Black and Jameson Taillon (Canada) and Joey Ortiz and Javier Assad (México) were tournament teammates, too. Their entrenched places at the top of the division make their games feel extremely important; the enmity between the fan bases is real (and unfortunate); and the front offices have some ongoing and real (though low-level) beef. On the field, however, it's harder all the time to make the case that these teams don't like each other. There's been mutual respect even at harder moments, like Counsell's first season in Chicago. Now, with Murphy locked in for a long tenure with the Crew and some of the resentment of Counsell's departure blunted by the success of the team he left behind, there's something much like mutual affection between the teams. Off the field, the rivalry is likely to remain bitter for a while. Because the Brewers just came to the National League in 1998 and the two teams didn't overlap near the top of the standings for the first fistful of years, this is still an adolescent rivalry. It's not as settled or comfortable as those between, for instance, the Cubs and Cardinals or the Brewers and Twins. A rivalry born in the age of the internet, it's also burned a bit hotter from its inception than many of the game's older rivalries did. It'll be interesting, though, to see whether the shared DNA of the two teams and their lack of genuine dislike at the field level begins the inevitable process of bringing down the temperature of the off-field hatred. Reasonable people can disagree about the value of sports rivalries, but there have been many times over the last decade when the fans, franchises and even players and coaches in this particular one have been deleteriously angry and confrontational with one another. Entering 2026, that feels less likely to happen on the field than at any time in the last 20 years. Whether that reduction of tension can carry over to the crowds at games and the timelines on social media remains to be seen. View the full article

The St. Paul Saints are set to have one of the best outfields in the Twins organization for their Opening Day, and the same can be said for the Cedar Rapids Kernels and their starting rotation. But which of these two groups will have the better future value once they are all in the majors? Discussed in this video are Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Gabriel Gonzalez, Dasan Hill, Charlee Soto, Adrian Bohorquez, and others. View the full article

Zebby Matthews made an exciting rise through the Twins’ system in 2024 and flashed his potential in the majors in 2025. The expectation was that 2026 would bring him more opportunities to cement himself in the Twins’ rotation, and to finally turn the corner from promising to productive. As spring training winds down, it's looking like that chance is slipping past him. While it's important not to put too much weight into spring performance, we know some roster battles are underway. The bench spots are the obvious examples, but another opened in the rotation when Pablo López went down with an injury. It's safe to say the fifth spot (after Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson and Taj Bradley) will go to either Matthews or Mick Abel. The two have had very different springs. Abel, 24, was acquired at last year's trade deadline and has been one of the best arms in all of camp. He’s allowed just two runs in over 13 innings and struck out over a third of opposing hitters. Matthews's ERA is just under 6.00, and some of the underlying metrics are even more concerning. The velocity and raw stuff that jumped off the page while Matthews ascended through the Twins’ system haven't shown up this spring. In Sunday's start, he was missing a tick and a half on the fastball, and the velocity was down across the board. It’s worth wondering whether his shoulder injury from last season has anything to do with the dropoff, but even if this is simply a delay in getting into midseason form, it's easy to make an argument that Matthews should begin the season atop the Saints rotation, rather than at thee bottom of the Twins'. His stuff is worse even if we keep it apples-to-apples by setting his spring readouts alongside the ones from last spring training, rather than the regular season. While it would be good to afford Matthews all of the opportunities possible this season, he's still just 25 years old. The Twins will need another starting pitcher by the end of the first month or two. The team is also steadfast in its stated intention to win in 2026. If they want to hit the ground running, Abel has looked like a stronger bet to contribute immediately. Besides, rewarding a top prospect for an exciting spring is a good notion. If Matthews had built himself a stronger résumé at the big-league level, things would be different. He has yet to put it all together, though. The Twins came into this spring wanting to see one of their young starters come in and win a rotation spot, rather than having Matthews's name already written in. Abel is looking like that guy, instead of Matthews. Matthews has nothing left to prove in Triple-A, which would make him missing out on the Opening Day rotation a disappointing outcome. The same can be said for Abel, though. The Twins are fortunate to have several options for this spot, even if someone has to lose out, and that someone could be a homegrown prospect with a bright future with the team. View the full article

Can you believe we are entering the final week of spring training? In 10 days, the San Diego Padres will host two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park for Opening Day. Following the Dominican Republic's 2-1 loss to the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic semifinals, the Friars will get their two superstar position players, third baseman Manny Machado and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., back earlier than the duo had wanted. Perhaps that is good news for the Padres, who can get a few days to do the final experimentation in setting their lineup. As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. The Friars improved to 11-11-1 in the Cactus League, beating the A's 13-9, using split squads to beat the Cleveland Guardians 8-2 and lose to the Texas Rangers 22-2, then tying the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-4. Who's Hot? 🔥 Jase Bowen The 25-year-old outfielder has been one of the feel-good stories in camp. He went 3-for-8 in back-to-back games with three extra-base hits and three RBIs. Bowen, who left the Pittsburgh Pirates as a minor-league free agent and signed with the Friars, had a pair of doubles vs. the A's and a two-run homer for the only runs against the Rangers. Manager Craig Stammen recently pointed out the immense athleticism that Bowen has as a former football player (he committed to play wide receiver at Michigan State), but said his skills are still shifting to a baseball mentality. Xander Bogaerts The starting shortstop returned from the World Baseball Classic and picked up where he left off. After going 5-for-15 with the Netherlands, Bogaerts went 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI in his first game since the WBC. That is good news considering Bogaerts was 2-for-12 in Cactus League play before heading to the tournament. He should be in fine shape to start the season. David Morgan The surprise of last year's bullpen has been pretty sharp this spring, his first with an MLB job in his back pocket. Morgan pitched a scoreless inning vs. the Diamondbacks, keeping his slate clean in the Cactus League. In six innings, Morgan has allowed four hits and two walks, while striking out five. The undrafted free agent who signed with the Padres in 2022 out of college will have a big role in the bullpen again this season after a strong rookie campaign. Who's Cold? 🧊 Marco Gonzales I promise I'm trying not to pick on the left-hander, but being included here is a unavoidable following the stat line he put up against the Rangers. Gonzales could only get two outs in the first inning and left down 1-0 with the bases load. Those runners came in to score for a four-run inning. Gonzales came back out for the second and gave up a homer to the first batter he faced, Brandon Nimmo, before retiring the next three hitters. In the third inning, Gonzales fell victim to needing to get in a certain number of pitches and had to wear another six runs. He gave up a total of eight hits and walked six, with only one strikeout. Logan Gillaspie A candidate to make the bullpen as a long reliever, or as Stammen is calling him and Kyle Hart, a "bridge" arm, Gillaspie followed Gonzales and had a similar fate, lasting just 2⅔ innings and coughing up nine runs on 11 hits. He walked three and struck out one. With questions at the back end of the rotation and the favorable early-season schedule, the Friars could go with four starters and nine relievers, giving Gillaspie and/or Hart a shot at the Opening Day roster. Luis Campusano The backup catcher got a couple of days off to clear his head as he endures a subpar spring, with Rodolfo Duran getting back-to-back starts. But Campusano returned to the lineup Sunday and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. The offense-first catcher saw his splash line drop to .148/.233/.185. Campusano is out of minor-league options, so he will either make the Opening Day roster or be designated for assignment, with either a free agent being signed or Duran possibly making the roster and his MLB debut instead. View the full article

With the Twins looking to return to being competitive in the AL Central, we wanted to take a look around at the other teams in the division and what moves they made this offseason. This is a look at what to expect from the Chicago White Sox this season. The White Sox finished last in the division with a 60-102 record, marking their second straight season with over 100 losses after setting an MLB record with 121 in 2024. Here is a look at some notable additions and subtractions for the White Sox this offseason. Subtractions OF Luis Robert Jr. SP Martin Perez RP Tyler Alexander OF Michael A. Taylor RP Miguel Castro OF Mike Tauchman Additions INF Munetaka Murakami, 2 years, $34 million RP Seranthony Dominguez, 2 years, $20 million SP Anthony Kay, 2 years, $12 million, mutual option for 2028 SP/RP Jordan Hicks (trade w/Red Sox) OF Austin Hays 1 year, $6 million, mutual option for 2027 2B Luisangel Acuna (trade with Mets) SP/RP Sean Newcomb 1 year, $4.5 million OF Jarred Kelenic (minor league deal) P Erick Fedde, 1 year, $1.5 million Chicago made headlines this offseason with several notable changes. The addition of infielder Munetaka Murakami, signed from the NPB in Japan, is expected to bring significant power to the lineup despite a tendency for strikeouts. Seranthony Dominguez was signed as the new closer to help improve a bullpen that has struggled for the last couple of years. Just as notable as their signings, the White Sox made a major move by trading former All-Star and Silver Slugger OF Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets. In return, they acquired infielder Luisangel Acuna—brother of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr.—along with pitching prospect Truman Pauley. The White Sox also acquired veteran pitcher Jordan Hicks in a trade with the Red Sox. Hicks is expected to either join the starting rotation or be used as a high-leverage relief pitcher, depending on team needs. Although the additions seem to surpass the subtractions for the South Siders, the overall impact will depend on how the team manages a new direction and if young players can take a step forward to being more consistently competitive going forward. Here is a look at a few injuries and the players who should have the biggest impact on the successes the White Sox will have in 2026. Injuries LHP Ky Bush, Tommy John surgery RHP Drew Thorpe, Tommy John surgery 1B Tim Elko - Torn ACL - expected return June/July RHP Prelander Berroa - Recovering from Tommy John surgery in March 2025. Losing two pitchers to Tommy John surgery—Ky Bush, a top thirty prospect, and Drew Thorpe—depletes pitching depth. Tim Elko and Prelander Berroa have gotten a cup of coffee, but they will be out to start the year, which will limit options in the lineup and out of the bullpen. Key Players SS Colson Montgomery - 3.3 bWAR SP Adrian Houser - 3.0 bWAR RP Mike Vasil - 2.9 bWAR SP Shane Smith - 2.3bWAR C Kyle Teel - 1.9 bWAR 3B Miguel Vargas - 1.9 bWAR Other players include starting pitcher Davis Martin, infielder Chase Meidroth, outfielder Andrew Benintendi, and utility player Lenyn Sosa (2B/OF). Notably, SS Colson Montgomery finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting and led the team in bWAR in 2026. Starting pitchers Adrian Houser and Shane Smith will anchor the rotation, with Smith displaying front-line potential thus far in his career. Catcher Kyle Teel and third baseman Miguel Vargas are also young players aiming to build on strong 2025 campaigns and step into more prominent roles at their respective positions. With a team looking to return become more competitive, there will be opportunity for a number of young players. Young players can help speed up a rebuild and return a team to competitiveness quickly if they are called up and have success. The White Sox system boasts five prospects in MLB Pipeline’s top 100, led by OF Braden Montgomery, whose advanced approach and athleticism make him a potential everyday outfielder. LHP Noah Schultz, a power lefty, is expected to contribute to the major league rotation as early as 2026. LHP Hagen Smith projects as high-upside rotation depth. Both SS Billy Carlson and SS/3B Caleb Bonemer show promise but may need more seasoning in the minors before contending for roster spots. Spring Storylines (and beyond) Early in the year, attention will rest on how the team's catcher and designated hitter roles take shape. With three catchers—Teel, Edgar Quero, and Korey Lee—vying for playing time both behind the plate and at DH, and potential contributions from Murakami, Andrew Benintendi, and Lenyn Sosa in the DH role, this competition will be something worth keeping an eye on. Like many teams, the White Sox will be hoping their young players can take a step forward and provide the next core of players to build around when they return to contention. Colson Montgomery and Shane Smith will headline the position player and pitchers as young players with high upside. Munetaka Murakami signing with the White Sox was a bit of a surprise, and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to MLB. Transitioning leagues can present challenges, and evaluation will focus on both his adjustment to Major League pitching and how opponents approach him as well. Murakami brings considerable potential, especially in the power department. With all of the additions shaping the roster for this year and into the future, here is a look at the projected lineup, rotation, and expected record for the White Sox in 2026. Projected Lineup Chase Meidroth - 2B Kyle Teel - C Colson Montgomery - SS Munetaka Murakami - 1B Miguel Vargas - 3B Austin Hays - RF Andrew Benintendi - LF Edgar Quero - DH Brooks Baldwin - CF Projected Rotation Shane Smith - RHP Davis Martin - RHP Anthony Kay - LHP Erick Fedde - RHP Sean Burke - RHP Projected Record PECOTA: 5th place, 69-93 Fangraphs: 5th place, 69-93 While the projections may temper White Sox fans' expectations, the roster features intriguing talent and some interesting storylines to keep an eye on this year. Both PECOTA and Fangraphs see improvement over last year, making it worth watching whether the team can surpass forecasts and build momentum throughout 2026 and beyond. While not projected as favorites, the White Sox are positioned to offer stronger competition in the AL Central this season than in recent seasons. Progress this year could spark renewed division rivalries and signify important steps toward contending for the division crown in the near future for the South Siders. View the full article

John Scott, Héctor Torres, Doug Ault, Otto Vélez, Gary Woods, Steve Bowling, Pedro García, Dave McKay, and Rick Cerone. That was Toronto’s lineup on April 7, 1977. Bill Singer took the mound at Exhibition Stadium to throw the first pitch in team history. By the end of nine innings, the Blue Jays’ motley crew had beaten the White Sox 9-5. Forty-nine years, 27 winning seasons, 11 playoff berths, seven division titles, three AL pennants, and two World Series championships later, we’ve seen 556 players step to the plate with a bluebird on their uniform. We’ve seen 529 throw a pitch. Those players have combined for 113 All-Star selections, 33 Silver Sluggers, 31 Gold Gloves, five Cy Youngs, two Rookies of the Year, and two MVPs. They include eight league-leaders in ERA, give home run kings, and one batting champ. In total, nearly 1,000 players have suited up for the Blue Jays. I’m sure you remember a lot of them, and I’m sure there are many more you don’t. Over the next two weeks, Jays Centre will shine a spotlight on some of the most iconic names in franchise history. To celebrate the 50th season of Blue Jays baseball, we’re counting down the top 50 Blue Jays of all time. Starting tomorrow, we’ll write about five players each day, starting with numbers 50 to 46 and finishing with our top five the day before Opening Day. To put this ranking together, I asked our writers to each submit their own top 50 list. The task was simple, and the criteria purposefully vague. As I told the writers, “Performance, longevity, personality, awards, championships… however you weigh all the factors is up to you.” That means the top 50 list you’re going to see on our site isn’t any one person’s ranking. It’s a composite of opinions from a group of writers with a wide variety of perspectives. With that in mind, I urge our readers, just as I urged our writers, not to worry too much about any one player’s exact placement. Our final list, for instance, has Joe Carter well ahead of Paul Molitor, but I wouldn’t be mad at all if it were the other way around. The way I see it, the real point of this exercise is to celebrate 50 great ballplayers, not to fight about which of them was a little bit greater than another. Having said that, I should acknowledge some names you won’t see on our top 50. For one, I asked our staff not to include Roberto Alomar in their individual rankings. The Blue Jays cut ties with Alomar in 2014, the same year he was added to Major League Baseball’s permanently-ineligible list. If the Blue Jays have no interest in celebrating their former second baseman, Jays Centre doesn’t need to either. The other notable name you won’t be seeing is Roger Clemens. I didn’t make a hard and fast rule about Clemens like I did Alomar, but some writers chose to leave him off their lists. Those who included him ranked him low enough that he didn’t end up making the cut when I averaged everything together. Clemens would be hard enough to rank from the numbers alone. He was only with the Jays for two playoff-less seasons. Yet, you could make a case that his two seasons in Toronto were the two greatest single-season performances in team history. For those who care the most about peak greatness and individual accomplishments, there’s a case for Clemens to make the top 10. On the flip side, those who think a list like this should emphasize team success and longevity wouldn’t buy that case at all. More to the point, however, a ranking like this isn’t just about the numbers. Clemens has given us no shortage of reasons not to want to celebrate his on-field accomplishments. So, in the end, we won’t. With all that stuff I wish I didn’t have to write out of the way, I’d like to leave you with a teaser of what’s to come. You’ll have to check back tomorrow (and each of the next nine days after that) to find out who made our top 50, but this eccentric list of honourable mentions who didn’t make the cut might help you figure out who did. Frank Catalanotto Ernie Clement Alfredo Griffin Kelvim Escobar J.A. Happ Brandon Morrow Kevin Pillar Robbie Ray Ricky Romero Ed Sprague Jr. Dave Stewart Otto Velez View the full article

The Royals have less than two weeks left until Opening Day in Atlanta. As the number of players in big league camp begins to thin, many players are still fighting for their spots on the roster. With time running out to make an impression, which players are making the most of their opportunities? As a reminder, don't read too much into spring training performances. Sample sizes are small, competition levels vary, and players may be working on specific adjustments that don't necessarily translate to traditional stats. This post is only meant to inform and summarize what has happened in the past few games. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Carter Jensen Jensen continued his strong spring training with another impressive performance on Friday. Jensen went 2-4 with a home run and two RBIs. He had a quieter day on Sunday, going 0-3, but was able to score after earning a walk in the seventh inning. Following this weekend, his spring slashline is .267/.313/.567. His underlying Statcast metrics have been encouraging this spring. He is hitting the ball hard with an average exit velocity of 95.4 mph (93rd percentile) and a hard hit rate of 59.1% (84th percentile). Jensen has taken advantage of spending extra time behind the plate while Salvador Perez is spending time with Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. While there are still some aspects of his game this spring that could use improvement, only walking twice in his 32 plate appearances, the Royals will be happy with how their projected backup catcher is hitting the ball. Nick Mears Mears had another strong outing on Saturday, recording outs against all four batters he faced, including two strikeouts. Mears generated high chase and whiff rates on Saturday, and his slider was his standout pitch, grading above average with a 105 Stuff+. Mears’ outing on Saturday was an improvement on his spring so far, where he had allowed four earned runs in his first five innings pitched. If he can continue to show improved command this spring, he will surely be a lock for a spot in the bullpen in 2026. Kyle Isbel After a rough start to his spring training, Isbel had a couple of good games at the plate this weekend. On Friday, he went 1-3 with a walk, and he followed it up by going 2-2 with a double and a run scored on Sunday. After Sunday, his spring slash line improved to .231/.355/.269. With a pair of hard-hit balls this weekend, his hard-hit rate is sitting at 57.9% this spring. As a defense-first centerfielder, the Royals will not be asking Isbel to carry this offense in 2026. If he can provide hard contact and get on base similar to this weekend, then he could be a boost at the end of the lineup that the Royals were missing last season. Who’s Not? 🧊 Ryan Bergert Bergert allowed five earned runs in 3 ⅔ innings on Saturday against the Athletics. The A’s were hitting the ball hard against Bergert with four home runs, nine hard-hit balls, and an average exit velocity of 98.1 mph. Despite allowing such hard contact, Bergert was able to induce high chase and whiff rates of 46.2% and 42.1%, respectively. Bergert induced 16 whiffs and four strikeouts in his 20 plate appearances. Bergert’s overall Stuff+ was 101, with his slider and sweeper standing out in particular. The key to Bergert’s success going into the 2026 season will be to limit the hard contact with his above-average ability to induce swings and misses and swings outside of the zone. Helcris Olivárez Olivárez has been featured as a hot player for the Royals this spring, but he struggled greatly in his appearance against the Diamondbacks. Olivárez faced six hitters and was only able to get one out before being relieved in the ninth inning. Olivárez could not find the zone with a low zone rate of 20.8%, leading to three walks and one hit batter. While Olivárez was unable to find strikes, hitters against him stayed disciplined and refused to chase pitches out of the zone. The silver lining is that when hitters were able to make contact, they did not make hard contact. Despite his lack of control, his sinker and curveball graded above average with Stuff+ of 105 and 103, respectively. He also throws hard with his fastball, and averaging 97.4 mph (94th percentile for all pitchers this spring with at least 25 PAs), and his sinker averages 98.0 mph. The key for Olivárez to make the Royals’ roster this year will be his ability to find the strike zone and limit walks. Peyton Wilson On Saturday, Wilson did not have his best day at the plate, going 0-3 with three strikeouts. He also made a substitute appearance on Friday, going 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout. While Wilson hit a home run in his one plate appearance on Sunday, the non-roster invitee has not had the best spring with a .174 batting average and .256 wOBA. While he has struggled to find hits this spring, Wilson has had good plate discipline with six walks in his 30 plate appearances. Wilson has not been able to repeat his hot spring training from 2025, where he saw more success and power with a .263 batting average and a .432 wOBA in 22 plate appearances. If Wilson can return to hitting the ball hard (58.3% hard hit rate in 2025 compared to 31.3% this spring) and limit his strikeouts, he should be able to bounce back. View the full article