DiamondCentric

Jays Centre is counting down the top 20 prospects in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Check out prior entries in the series here: No. 20 to 16 No. 15 to 11 No. 10 No. 9: OF Yohendrick Pinango (New Hampshire, Buffalo) PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 90th EV 533 117 29 2 15 .790 122 .362 20.1% 13.1% 7.5% 20.2% 42.3% 23.1% 34.6% 23.0% 24.7% 34.3% 28.0% 6 0 100% 108.8 Yohendrick Pinango had a breakout season with the Jays in 2025, just after getting acquired from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Nate Pearson at the 2024 trade deadline. Pinango was always and still is a data darling, but he finally parlayed that into real-life results this past season. He was Rule 5 eligible this offseason, and the Jays left him unprotected, to the dismay of many prospect watchers and analysts, but he was not selected, and the Jays subsequently re-signed him to a minor league contract. The outfielder was merely an afterthought in the roller coaster trade deadline for the Jays in 2024, as they made a flurry of trades, and he struggled to perform in his first stint in the Jays organization. Pinango got out of the gates hot in 2025, however, torching Double-A New Hampshire in his second go-around there. In 47 games and 192 plate appearances, Pinango scorched for a 169 wRC+, slashing .298/.406/.522. He was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo and fell back down to earth, hitting just under the league average; however, that doesn’t tell the whole story. Despite Pinango’s performance dropping off after reaching Triple A, the underlying metrics still supported stronger results from him going forward. Pinango paired strong contact metrics (87.4% zone-contact rate, 20.2% whiff rate) with consistent hard contact due to his fast bat speed (91.9 mph average exit velocity, 108.8 mph 90th percentile exit velocity). He is also disciplined, although a bit passive, with a 39.2% swing rate and just a 25.6% chase rate. The issue with his offensive profile is his launch angles. When Pinango is making the most impact on the ball, his launch angles are suboptimal, resulting in lower liners or grounders instead of balls lifted in the air. He’s able to spray the ball with his current launch angles, being adept at hitting the ball the other way. Still, there is a ton of power for Pinango to unlock if he can start lifting the ball consistently. If he can tap into that, he could have 20-plus home run power. Defensively and on the basepaths, Pinango is quite limited. He did steal 100% of the bags that he attempted in 2025, but he runs poorly, which carries over to his defense. His already limited defensive profile due to his build and height forces him to play corner outfield, and with his below-average speed, he’s below average there as well. That limits his floor and ceiling, as his bat is the only carrying tool for Pinango. The Jays are still quite loaded in the outfield, with Daulton Varsho, George Springer, Jesús Sánchez, Myles Straw, Nathan Lukes, RJ Schreck, and Jonatan Clase all potentially being ahead of Pinango on the depth chart. When Anthony Santander gets healthy, he’ll also be in the mix. Pinango's path forward to the major leagues will need to come off of an excellent second stint in Triple A, where he will hope to show that his underlying batted ball data can turn into real production. View the full article

As prospect season ramps up, outlets across baseball are refreshing top-100 rankings for 2026, and for the local nine, the news is relatively good. Despite several Minnesota prospects battling minor injuries this spring, the system's overall talent remains impressive. Using the traditional 20-to-80 scouting scale (where 50 represents major-league average), several Twins prospects stand out for their pure hitting ability. To qualify for this list, each player appears on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Twins prospects. Hit Tool Standouts Honorable mentions include Marek Houston, Billy Amick, and Bruin Agbayani, each of whom has shown promising bat-to-ball skills with a 50-grade hit tool, but just missed the cut. Houston has a lot to prove with his hit tool this season after being Minnesota’s first-round pick in 2025. Amick has been floating around on top Twins prospect lists, but hasn’t put all his tools together. Agbayani might be a new name to Twins fans, as he was Minnesota’s sixth-round pick in 2025 from high school in Hawaii—but, like fellow 2025 draftee Quentin Young, he has big-league bloodlines and a high ceiling. That said, here are the top five hit tools in the Twins system. 5. C Khadim Diaw: 50-grade hit tool Diaw’s development has been interrupted more than once, but his ability to hit has shown up whenever he’s been healthy. He produced at a high level in college (.348 average, .985 OPS) and carried that same approach into pro ball. Even in limited action, he has consistently found ways to get on base (.422 OBP) and control at bats (11.8 BB%). His game is not built around power, instead prioritizing contact and a polished approach early in counts. Diaw demonstrates a mature understanding of the strike zone, rarely expanding unnecessarily and effectively limiting swing-and-miss (17.8 K%). The challenge for him moving forward is simply staying on the field long enough to let that skill play out over a full season. 4. SS Kaelen Culpepper: 55-grade hit tool Culpepper has translated his college approach (.314 BA) well into professional baseball (.294 BA in 2025). He maintains consistent contact and shows the ability to use all fields, helping him avoid prolonged slumps. His bat speed allows him to handle velocity, and he does damage when pitchers challenge him in the zone, with a .585 slugging average on contact (SLGCON). There is still some refinement needed. Offspeed pitches can give him trouble, particularly when he expands the zone. However, if he tightens that area of his game and lifts the ball more frequently, there could be another level to unlock offensively. 3. OF Hendry Mendez: 55-grade hit tool Few hitters in the system demonstrate Mendez’s feel for the strike zone. He has built a reputation for controlling at-bats, often walking (13.6 BB%) as much as he strikes out (13.2 K%). That kind of balance is rare, and points to a hitter who understands exactly what he's trying to do at the plate. The next step in his evolution is adding impact. Mendez has historically put the ball on the ground too often, limiting his extra-base production. In 2025, he slashed .299/.399/.439, with 31 extra-base hits in 118 games. Encouragingly, there were signs last season that he is beginning to elevate more and tap into his strength without sacrificing his elite contact ability. His SLGCON rose from .468 in 2024 to .522 last year. 2. OF Gabriel Gonzalez: 55-grade hit tool Gonzalez rebounded in a big way last season, climbing multiple levels to Triple-A and forcing his way into the organization’s long-term plans. His calling card has always been his natural ability to put the bat on the ball, and that skill remained intact even during tougher stretches. In 123 games last season, he hit .329/.395/.513 with 38 doubles and 15 home runs. What stood out most in his recent performance was the added balance. He cut down on strikeouts (14.5 K%), showed a bit more patience (8.7 BB%), and paired his contact ability with sneaky pop. He will likely always be an aggressive hitter, but if he continues to refine his pitch selection, there is everyday upside here. 1. OF Walker Jenkins: 60-grade hit tool Jenkins sits at the top of this list for a reason. When healthy, he looks every bit like a middle-of-the-order hitter with both average and power upside. His left-handed swing is smooth and repeatable, allowing him to consistently square up pitches and drive the ball with authority. Last season, he slashed .286/.399/.451, with 29 extra-base hits in 84 games. There will likely be comparisons to Joe Mauer’s swing (whether fairly or unfairly) throughout his career. Despite missing time early in his career, Jenkins has advanced quickly and already reached the upper levels of the minors at a young age. He combines strong plate discipline (13.5 BB%) with the ability to impact the baseball, a rare blend that gives him one of the highest offensive ceilings in the system. Minnesota’s farm system continues to lean on polished hitters who bring a mix of contact ability and developing power. While injuries have slowed a few of these players at different points, the underlying tools remain strong across the board. The encouraging part for the Twins is the variety within this group. From high-contact table setters to potential middle-of-the-order bats, there is a blend of skill sets that could complement each other at the big league level. If even a couple of these hitters reach their ceilings, the organization will be in a strong position to sustain offensive production for years to come. Do you agree with the rankings above? Who has the best hit tool that isn’t on this list? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The Twins aren't the favorites in the American League Central, but don’t count them out just yet. If a few things break their way, there’s a real path to the top of the division. Here’s exactly what has to happen for that to become a reality.View the full article

Welcome to the Miami Marlins podcast directory, highlighting talented creators of Marlins-related audio programming. This information has been updated entering the 2026 regular season. The embedded Spotify players below will have the most recent episode of each pod queued up for you to listen to for free. The majority of them are also available via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, YouTube, etc. There is probably too much content being produced collectively by these podcasts during the Marlins regular season to digest to every second of every episode. What a wonderful "problem" to have. Fish On First: A Miami Marlins Podcast Hosts: AJ Ramos, Kevin Barral, Isaac Azout, Ely Sussman and Jeremiah Geiger Shows: Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE Miami Marlins Podcast Hosts: Jack McMullen and Stephen Strom Shows: Marlins Rewind, Side Sessions and Hot Stove Show Turn 2 with Scott & Troy Hosts: Scott Kornberg and Troy Johnston Battered Marlins Fans Hosts: Daniel Solana and Branton Griffin Bleav in Marlins Host: Johnny Campbell Play Ball Marlins (Spanish) Hosts: Alfre Álvarez and Yordano Carmona Here are some additional podcast channels that frequently cover the Marlins, though not exclusively: Bullpen Mafia Un Podcast de las Mayores (Spanish) View the full article

Jesus Made is the no. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, and the Milwaukee Brewers' top pipeline talent. With how versatile he is, how much he's impressed in spring training, and the maturity he holds, is there any way that Made makes his major league debut in 2026? Today, we break down all aspects to answer that very question. View the full article

Owen and Jesse debate what success looks like for the Blue Jays coming into a season with high expectations but a crowded American League East before breaking down the extensions of General Manager Ross Atkins and Manager John Schneider. The guys then talk about Trey Yesavage's Injury that will have him starting the season on the injured list. The second half of the pod is when Owen and Jesse pick over/ under for players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, and Addison Barger, and get some bold predictions about the upcoming season off their chests. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

The San Diego Padres learned a lot about their team following more than a month at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona. With the exception of a few minor injuries (plus the season-ending surgery for reliever Bryan Hoeing), the Friars came out of camp mostly healthy. That made for a competitive situation all around camp, which produced some unexpected results. As the Padres get ready for Opening Day against two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park, let's take a look back at each of the position groups (rotation, bullpen, position players) to see who stood out—for reasons good and bad. Padres' Camp Stars Jase Bowen The outfielder certainly opened eyes this spring and made a push to supplant Bryce Johnson as the backup outfielder. Bowen tied for the most games played (24), had the most at-bats (54) and hits (16), tied for the team lead in homers (4) at the conclusion of spring training. Yet to make his MLB debut, the 25-year-old has just 36 games of Triple-A experience, so he will report to Triple-A El Paso and probably be the first call-up if the outfield needs reinforcement. Randy Vasquez While he stumbled a bit in his last to spring outings, the right-hander was otherwise stellar this spring. Vasquez was suddenly put in the spotlight when the Padres brought in Buehler and right-hander German Marquez, which put his seemingly safe job in the rotation somewhat in jeopardy. But he responded by not allowing a run in his first two starts, which has secured his spot among the starting five. He now sits as the No. 3 starter following a setback in Joe Musgrove's timeline, so he has a chance to further improve his standing on this team after a solid 2025. Bradgley Rodriguez The young right-hander showed why he will be a big part of the Padres' bullpen not only this year, but in the future. The 22-year-old has appeared in a team-high 10 games and allowed just one earned run (two total) in 9⅔ innings (0.83 ERA), striking out 12 and walking five. Rodriguez's status regarding the Opening Day roster is still up in the air as it will depend on how the bullpen is configured. However, he will see plenty of action in the majors this season as the inevitable opportunities arise. Padres' Camp Busts Mason McCoy The shortstop simply never put himself in position to make the Opening Day roster with his bat. He is just 7-for-41 (.171/.227/.268) this spring, although three of his hits are for extra bases. McCoy has played in 37 games with the Friars over the last two seasons, posting a slash line of .183/.275/.225. He is a glove-first player, having committed just one error with the Padres, but if he wants to be more than an emergency call-up, he will need to improve his offensive contributions. He did have a .272/.354/.450 slash line in 90 games at Triple-A El Paso in 2025. Marco Gonzales When camp began, there was real talk that the veteran left-hander might be in the rotation. That dissipated once the Friars made a few moves to bolster the starting group. Still, Gonzales didn't do himself any favors with what he did this spring; he worked to a 10.80 ERA in five appearances and 13⅓ innings. Now, Gonzales missed the entire 2025 season with left flexor tendon surgery, so shaking off some rust would be understandable. Going to Triple-A El Paso to begin the season will give him the opportunity to get back on track and make himself an option should the Friars need him. Manuel Castro The 23-year-old right-hander had a chance this spring to elevate his profile as he awaits to make his MLB debut. Instead, Castro struggled in six appearances that covered 5⅔ innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts for a 7.94 ERA. Castro struggled with walks at Triple-A El Paso last year, issuing 23 in 32 innings, while striking out 30. Those 24 games were his first taste of Triple-A, so a little extra seasoning may be what he needs. View the full article

As we enter the top 10 Boston Red Sox prospects as voted on by the contributors at Talk Sox, we look at where Marcus Phillips lands. What is Justin Gonzales's long-term outlook? That and more on the prospects in the 6 through 10 range! Discussed in this video are prospects Anthony Eyanson, Marcus Phillips, Dorian Soto, Justin Gonzales, and Mikey Romero. View the full article

It's annoying to watch a bad team. It's aggravating to watch a bad defensive team. The two often go hand in hand, and that was certainly the case last year for the 92-loss Twins, who ranked second-to-last in Runs Saved, according to Sports Info Solutions. Watching so many games slip away was one thing. But when makeable plays are getting missed, and fundamentals are running astray, the viewing experience really degrades in a hurry. On top of that, bad defense is costly for pitchers, inflating their numbers while forcing pitch counts to mount and long innings to drag. Improving the defense was said to be a key priority for the Twins at the end of last season. "When Derek Falvey spoke at a year-end news conference, one day after Baldelli was fired as manager, the Twins president was asked a question about things he could have done differently this year," Bobby Nightengale wrote at the Star Tribune. "He immediately brought up defense as one of the things that was constantly on his mind." But that wasn't really reflected in the team's offseason moves, and certainly won't be reflected on their Opening Day roster. After seeing several of their better defenders depart — including Harrison Bader, Christian Vazquez, Ty France and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. — the Twins have done little to replenish their lost fielding acumen. Josh Bell comes aboard with a truly terrible defensive rep. Victor Caratini is probably closer to average. Ryan Kreidler was the only legitimate glove-first player acquired over the winter, and he's more glove-only, which is why he's been sent to the minors to start the season. Without Kreidler, the Twins roster will have few players who could confidently be called strong defenders. Byron Buxton might be the only member of the starting lineup with such a designation, though he himself shows clear signs of decline. Source: Sports Info Solutions Maybe you can make the case for Royce Lewis if he carries forward last year's improvement. But Bell, Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee, Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner all grade out poorly in the field. Backups Austin Martin and Tristan Gray (or Orlando Arcia) are stretched at the most important defensive positions they'll be asked to play (center and short). That leaves James Outman, who made the team over Alan Roden mostly because he's out of options, but also because he gives the Twins the closest thing to a defensive specialist off the bench. Unlike Roden or Martin, Outman is a natural center fielder and ostensibly a standout in left or right. But like Buxton, Outman's defensive metrics have seen a downward trend in recent years. As far as late-game defensive replacements go, he'll be a step down from Keirsey at best. There is hope for future improvement, with prospects like Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Marek Houston boasting quality defensive skills. But in the short-term, it's really hard to find sources of optimism for defensive improvement on the Twins. As Mark Simon concluded at SIS, "Their best-case scenario with what’s currently on the roster is probably something close to average. Their worst-case scenario is dropping to last overall in Runs Saved." That worst-case scenario feels more likely to play out than not, unless several players can really step it up. View the full article

When you watch Pete Crow-Armstrong hit, 'optimized' isn't the first word that springs to mind. Because he swings at practically everything, the Cubs' young center fielder is forever displaying his warts. He often looks like a mess up there, because when we think about players who are exceptionally efficient at the plate, we think first about swing decisions. That's the internet's shared inheritance, having witnessed Moneyball and the change it wrought throughout professional baseball. Crow-Armstrong is an extremely aggressive hitter; his approach has plenty of rough edges. Break down his actual swing, though, and you're forced to admit that there's a method beneath the madness. Far from flailing at the ball the way many free swingers do, Crow-Armstrong spent 2025 drawing a bead on the ball and attacking it in a very calculated way—without the restraint of a Juan Soto or a Kyle Schwarber, but very much with their level of lethal barrel accuracy and timing. Only six qualifying hitters pulled the ball in the air on a higher percentage of their batted balls than Crow-Armstrong did in 2025, and every name makes it a bit clearer how important that skill is: Isaac Paredes - 38.5% Cal Raleigh - 38.4% Spencer Torkelson - 31.8% Max Muncy - 31.5% Kyle Schwarber - 31.1% José Ramírez - 30.9% Pete Crow-Armstrong - 30.2% Raleigh and Schwarber, of course, led their leagues in homers last season. Of these seven players, only Paredes and Muncy failed to crack 30 homers, and then only because each of them missed a substantial portion of the season. Though lithe and speedy, Crow-Armstrong's swing is as geared for power as the game's elite sluggers—and that was no accident. Crow-Armstrong entered last season knowing he needed to tap into more of his power. He'll never be a Schwarberesque home-run hitter, because Schwarber is much stronger and has about two grades better raw power than Crow-Armstrong does. However, Crow-Armstrong knew that he could produce at least average pop, as measured by 90th-percentile exit velocity. That number is a better indicator of power than a player's average EV, and the league's median EV90 last year was 105.1 miles per hour. In a limited stint at Triple-A iowa in 2024, Crow-Armstrong had put up an EV90 of 105.7 MPH, but in an uneven year in the majors, that number was just 101.2. Worse, the percentage of his plate appearances that ended in a pulled fly ball was a robust 17.9% in the minors, but an unimposing 10.9% in the majors. Thus, he came to camp in 2025 ready to attack the ball more ferociously, but also to lift it and maximize the damage done by the contact he made. Firstly, he developed a more spread-out stance, but didn't shorten his stride accordingly. Though starting deeper in the batter's box, he began catching the ball farther in front of his body, thanks to the aggressiveness of his lower half. Although Crow-Armstrong's swing is steeper, slower and targeted differently than Juan Soto's, it's a bit instructive to compare the way he gets into his lower half to the way Soto does so. With his new stance and stride, Crow-Armstrong—like Soto—stretches the elastic aspects of the body and maximizes the torque he eventually produces. His swing speed increased by nearly 2 MPH in 2025, but it wasn't because of dedicated bat speed training. He just got much more aggressive, forcing his body into a position where it had to fire a harder swing. Compare his 2024 (left) and 2025 (right) swings at three crucial moments, and you can see the differences. The wider base created more torque right from the beginning of his swing last year. That opened his front side sooner, which allowed (and, indeed, compelled) him to get around the ball more, even as he began to work up through the ball, rather than down into the hitting zone. By the time he made contact, his barrel was almost 4 inches farther in front of his frame, oriented more toward right-center field, and working more steeply uphill. Swinging harder and catching it farther in front meant that Crow-Armstrong's EV90 jumped right back up to the league's average over his first full season in the majors in 2025, at 105.2 MPH. Obviously, though, his power played at much more than an average level. That's because a whopping 18.9% of his plate appearances ended in pulled fly balls. As the leaderboard above hinted, he'd optimized his swing. It unleashed a version of him with plus-plus overall power, including not just the 31 home runs but 72 total extra-base hits. To visualize this another way, consider the distributions of Crow-Armstrong's batted balls by exit velocity for both 2024 and 2025. Here's the first of those years. I've colored the chart by expected batting average, based on exit velocity and launch angle. As you can see (and would guess), the best results came when he hit the ball over 100 MPH, but he was more likely to hit it in the upper 70s. This is an interesting distribution—not unique, but unusual. Most players' histograms show something closer to a normal distribution. This one is a reminder that even as a rookie, Crow-Armstrong was prone to either click on a ball or miss fairly badly, leading to those mishit balls with 75-85 MPH exit velocities. He had a similar distribution in 2025, but note the important differences. Firstly, this is closer to a distribution curve with a hard rightward skew, rather than a bimodal distribution. Crow-Armstrong got better at missing by smaller margins. He also hit more balls hard, especially above 105 MPH. Just as importantly, though, look at the red glow of those tall bars where the plurality of his batted balls still fall. By pulling it and lifting it more often, he got a lot more mileage out of those balls on which he made middling contact, too. He found many more hits by hitting low fly balls and flared line drives at those exit velocities than he had by hitting them (mostly) on the ground in 2024. He also collected several RBIs on sacrifice flies by operating that way. Crow-Armstrong has only average raw power, as even he knows. He has below-average feel for contact, and below-average plate discipline. By optimizing his swing path, though, he exploded into being a plus power threat with average hit-tool utility last year. If he can figure out how to better control the strike zone—a somewhat pie-in-the-sky hope, but one of which there was some evidence this spring—he can take a further step toward greatness. For now, though, his swing and his approach have turned him into a sufficiently dynamic offensive weapon to make him worth a long, nine-figure deal with the Cubs. Even amid his breakout, early last summer, his frankness and advanced understanding of his own game were gratifying. Now, that polish—in however unorthodox a form—has borne fruit for him. The Cubs are buying into the ongoing optimization of their elite outfield athlete. It's a big gamble, but one he's already shown them he can make worthwhile. View the full article

The Royals' Opening Day will be Friday night in Atlanta. Kansas City is hoping for an improvement upon its 82-80 record a season ago. While it was only the second winning season for the Royals since 2015, they missed out on the postseason after going 86-76 in 2024 (they made it to the ALDS, where they lost to the Yankees in four games). For the Royals to return to the postseason after a one-year hiatus, certain players will have to step up and have productive seasons. Of course, while some positive regression is due for a handful of Royals players, there will also be some negative regression. Thus, which Royals will be key to their postseason chances this season? And which ones may be due for disappointing campaigns? In this post, I will share my five bold Royals player predictions for the upcoming season, which begins this week, and how they could impact the 2026 season. Bobby Witt Jr. Wins the AL MVP Let's start really bold with the first one. Yes, I know the chances will be tough for Witt to win the AL MVP, especially with Aaron Judge and the Yankees' media "bias" working against the Royals franchise star. However, I think many chips will fall in Witt's favor, helping him earn his first-ever AL MVP award in 2026. Witt did have a "down" season in 2025, especially compared to his sensational 2024 campaign. In 2024, he hit .332 with a .977 OPS, and he hit 32 home runs, scored 125 runs, collected 109 RBI, and stole 31 bases. He also played stellar defense, which contributed to his 10.5 fWAR. Thus, people who valued "overall" play may have favored Witt over Judge in the AL MVP race. In 2025, many of Witt's offensive metrics regressed. His average and OPS were .295 and .852, respectively. Furthermore, he only had 23 home runs, 99 runs scored, and 88 RBI. He stole 38 bases and was caught only 9 times (compared to 12 in 2024), and he earned his first Platinum Glove award. That said, his decline in hitting numbers put him out of the AL MVP discussion early on (though he did finish fourth, behind Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Jose Ramirez). However, according to TJ Stats, Witt's 2025 Statcast percentiles indicate his skills were among the most elite in the league, as shown below. Not only did his wOBA and xwOBA rank in the 92nd percentile, but his .374 xwOBA was 14 points higher than his actual wOBA. That suggested Witt may have suffered from some poor batted-ball luck, and his .334 BABIP, 20 points lower than his 2024 BABIP, seemed to support that. In addition to the difference in wOBA and xwOBA, Witt ranked in the 98th percentile in Max EV, 90th percentile in hard-hit%, 82nd percentile in barrel%, and 72nd percentile in LA Sweet-Spot%. While he could pull the ball more (47th percentile PullAir%), he showed the skills of a hitter who would benefit in a more "homer-friendly" home ballpark. Thankfully, that will be the case in 2026. Kauffman Stadium will have friendlier dimensions for home runs, especially those balls hit in the gaps. When considering the new gaps of the K for 2026, which mirror Target Field in Minneapolis closely, Witt will seem to see more hits go for homers in those gaps, which is a strength of his as a hitter. Witt has already proven that he is a stellar fielder and baserunner, and it's unlikely that either of those skills will decline in 2026 (barring injury). Thus, a tick up in power numbers, which I think is bound to happen with another year of maturity and a more hitter-friendly home ballpark, will help give him the edge that he's been missing against the Yankees slugger for the past couple of seasons. Jac Caglianone Hits 25 Home Runs Cags had a nightmare debut with the Royals in 2025. In 62 games and 232 plate appearances, he hit .157 with a .532 OPS. He hit seven home runs, but his LA Sweet-Spot% was only 30.4% (5th percentile), and his O-Swing% was 38.5% (5th percentile). Due to these two factors, Caglianone couldn't fully tap into his power profile despite prodigious power tools (97th-percentile 90th EV and 70th-percentile barrel rate). This spring, in both Spring Training and the WBC with Italy, the former Florida product has made all the right adjustments at the plate. He's still showcasing that unique power, but he's showing positive gains in launching the ball, as well as swinging and chasing less. That is illustrated in his TJ Stats summary this spring. The LA Sweet-Spot% is only marginally better percentage-wise, but the 32nd percentile is much better than the fifth percentile. Conversely, his 24.8% O-Swing% this spring has been a major improvement, ranking in the 64th percentile. Thus, not only is his walk rate higher (23.1%), but he also produced better results in Arizona, with a .443 wOBA and .439 xwOBA. With less pressure on him in 2026 than in 2025, I think Cags will thrive, especially now that he's more in tune with a patient and selective approach. I am not sure if Cags will be a high-average hitter, and the projections are mixed with that as well. ZiPS and OOPSY project averages of .254 and .258, while the BAT X projects an average of .232. That said, they all seem to think he's capable of 20+ home runs, especially if he can play in 140 or more games. If Caglianone can stay healthy, I think he will lock in and hit 25 or more home runs in 2026 as a No. 5 or 6 hitter in the Royals lineup. That will help solve the outfield production problem that has plagued the Royals over the past couple of seasons. Lucas Erceg Has More Saves Than Carlos Estevez It has been an alarming spring for Estevez, who begins his second year in Kansas City. The 33-year-old Dominican closer has traditionally been slow to ramp up, and after saving 42 games and posting a 2.45 ERA last year, fans want to give him the benefit of the doubt. That said, the metrics are pretty tough to stomach, even for his standards. In four innings of work this spring, Estevez has a 9.00 ERA and 15.15 FIP. Furthermore, he has failed to get a strikeout and is averaging under 90 MPH on his four-seamer, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary below. When looking at TJ Stuff+, Estevez has an overall 91 TJ Stuff+, with his four-seamer having an 88 TJ Stuff+. Considering he leans heavily on his four-seamer, that kind of regression on the pitch is concerning, even if it may increase in velocity over the course of the season. A red flag with Estevez is that he struggled to generate whiffs last year. Despite solid ERA numbers, his whiff rate ranked in the 9th percentile, and his CSW ranked in the 8th percentile, via TJ Stats. He also showcased plenty of concerning Statcast percentiles last year, as evidenced below. Those are the kinds of numbers that are more typical of a setup man, not a closer. These percentiles were with strong TJ Stuff+ numbers, as his 103 overall mark ranked in the 66th percentile. Any decline in TJ Stuff+ quality in the regular season could produce disastrous results in 2026. Conversely, I think Erceg is ready to bounce back after a down 2025 and could take the closer spot from Estevez at some point in 2026. After posting a 28.5% K% in 2024 (32% with the Royals), his K% declined to 19.6% in 2025. Despite this decline, his ERA went from 3.36 in 2024 to 2.64 in 2025. While the strikeouts were down, Erceg learned to pitch better overall, and it's likely that he never was 100% following an early back injury, which may have affected his ability to hit spots to generate whiffs and chase, as illustrated below in his TJ Stats season summary. This spring, he's still getting ramped up, so the TJ Stuff+ isn't as high as it was a year ago. That said, his chase rate is up, and his xwOBACON is down, both encouraging signs. With Matt Strahm now in the Royals bullpen, manager Matt Quatraro has another arm to serve in the fireman role that Erceg had a season ago. Because of that, Erceg may be in line for more saves, which could come even earlier in the season if Estevez isn't 100% back stuff-wise. Starling Marte and Lane Thomas Are More Productive Than Isaac Collins The Royals made some headlines with their trade for Collins and Nick Mears from Milwaukee in exchange for Angel Zerpa. It seemed like a win-win deal that addressed two much-needed areas for the Royals this offseason. While Collins doesn't offer much power (nine home runs in 441 plate appearances), he didn't chase last year (97th percentile O-Swing%) and got on base (.368 OBP). This spring, Collins has had an uneven campaign, missing some time due to nagging injuries. As a result, he hasn't produced much at the plate. In 28 plate appearances, he is hitting .120 with a .374 OPS and has 11 strikeouts to 3 walks. While the O-Swing% has been solid, per usual, his other Statcast percentiles have been pretty mediocre. It's not that Collins won't be a factor for this Royals lineup in 2026. He will be a crucial part. That said, I think he will end up being more of a rotational one than an everyday one, as many Royals fans initially believed when he was acquired. As a result, Marte and Thomas have had solid Spring Training campaigns. In 23 plate appearances, Marte is hitting .300 with a .741 OPS and three walks to five strikeouts. He also has shown excellent plate discipline and contact skills in his limited sample with the Royals this spring. As for Thomas, he's struck out a lot, but he's hit two home runs and has posted an .839 OPS in 49 plate appearances. There's a lot more risk with Thomas, but there's also more upside power-wise than Collins. Thomas' barrel and exit velocity numbers have been encouraging this spring. I don't think Thomas will match his 2023 numbers again (28 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and .783 OPS). However, it's looking like Thomas may be able to match his 2024 metrics (15 home runs, 32 stolen bases, .709 OPS), which is more than satisfactory for a rotational outfielder. Ryan Bergert Becomes the Royals' Third-Best Starter Bergert was optioned to Triple-A, thus eliminating his chance of making the Opening Day roster. That said, Royals fans shouldn't sleep on Bergert despite the early demotion. In Cactus League play, the former Padres pitcher was hit hard, as evidenced by his 7.24 ERA, 8.84 FIP, 1.54 WHIP, and 35.3% HR/FB rate. He also allowed an xwOBACON of .403 and only had a zone rate of 43.4%. Thus, the command just wasn't there for Bergert in Arizona this spring, and it makes sense that the Royals sent him to Omaha so he could work through those issues while pitching innings. However, despite the command problems, the stuff was good, as illustrated by his TJ Stuff+ metrics below. Not only did Bergert post a 103 overall TJ Stuff+, but four of his six pitches had TJ Stuff+ marks over 100. He also generated a chase rate of 34.1% and a whiff rate of 32.8%, both above-average marks. Hence, the stuff is there for Bergert. He just needs to get his control in check. I believe he is more than capable of doing that, and once he is ready, he will be able to succeed at the Big League level immediately. So why will Bergert be the Royals' third-best pitcher in 2026? Well, his stuff has been much better than the other Royals' starters this spring. Here's a ranking of Royals starting pitchers by TJ Stuff+ via TJ Stats' leaderboards. Bergert: 103 TJ Stuff+ Cole Ragans: 102 TJ Stuff+ Stephen Kolek: 102 TJ Stuff+ Kris Bubic: 100 TJ Stuff+ Mitch Spence: 100 TJ Stuff+ Bailey Falter: 99 TJ Stuff+ Ben Kudrna: 99 TJ Stuff+ Seth Lugo: 98 TJ Stuff+ Mason Black: 95 TJ Stuff+ Michael Wacha: 95 TJ Stuff+ Noah Cameron: 94 TJ Stuff+ Not only did Bergert lead all Royals starting pitching candidates on the 40-man roster in TJ Stuff+, but he also had a TJ Stuff+ that was nearly double digits better than two starters slated to be in the Opening Day rotation (Wacha and Cameron). Bergert will be one to watch in Omaha. If he's able to get the zone rate up while still maintaining excellent stuff, chase, and whiff rates, he will not just be an early call-up, but a huge impact pitcher in the Royals' rotation both in the short and long term. View the full article

After a 92-loss season, a trade deadline fire sale, and a lackluster offseason, Twins fans are overwhelmingly pessimistic about 2026. Still, there’s talent on the roster, with emerging players and potential breakout candidates. The Twins also remain in a poor division—one they could win if enough goes right, giving hope for an entertaining and potentially competitive season ahead. Star Players Returning With the trade deadline selloff, the Twins lost their top bullpen talent. Yet, star players remain in the rotation and lineup. The longest-tenured Twin, Byron Buxton, is coming off his healthiest season in nearly a decade, while remaining productive. Buxton delivered 5.0 FanGraphs WAR in 2025, combining 35 home runs and 24 steals (without being caught) with cromulent center-field defense. At 32, he still has fuel left, and fans should enjoy a future Twins Hall of Famer. After waiting for a healthy season, seeing another would make the 2026 team highly watchable. Joe Ryan has been at the center of trade rumors since the 2025 trade deadline, but he is still in Minnesota. He’s coming off his most successful season and could be moved at the 2026 deadline, but fans should appreciate him for now. Ryan might not have finished last year the way he hoped, but he still racked up 171 innings, 194 strikeouts, and a 3.42 ERA. He has established himself as a true frontline starter, giving the team a chance every fifth day. He's also aesthetically pleasing to watch, not only for his fluid movements and occasional bursts of emotion, but for the fact that he pounds the strike zone and doesn't get himself into trouble by walking people. Even if things go wrong elsewhere, as long as Ryan stays healthy, Twins fans will have a frontline starter to watch every fifth day. Emerging New Core While the current core (not Buxton or Ryan, perhaps, but Matt Wallner, Royce Lewis and company) has disappointed many fans, a new offensive group is ready to step up. They’ll begin 2026 in St. Paul, but are nearly ready to debut. The core is headlined by Emmanuel Rodriguez, Walker Jenkins, and Kaelen Culpepper, with Gabriel Gonzalez staking an increasingly strong claim as the fourth piece in the puzzle. This group offers both upside and varying profiles, which will be on display at both CHS Field and Target Field throughout the 2026 season. Jenkins projects as the highest-upside player, combining excellent bat-to-ball skills with notable gap-to-gap power, speed, and reliable defense. Rodriguez carries exceptional power and a disciplined approach at the plate, complemented by strong defense and speed. Gonzalez, in contrast, is a free swinger who generates line drives across the field from the right side. Culpepper brings strong contact ability and the skills to stay at shortstop, making him a potential regular at a premium position. This group will be imperative to the organization’s success in 2026, 2027, and beyond, making their development a key storyline this season. 2025 Trade Deadline Paying Quick Dividends As painful as the 2025 trade deadline was, the Twins got solid returns on most of the deals. The players Minnesota received range in how close they are to being ready for the big leagues, but many players will make an impact in 2026. Taj Bradley and Mick Abel will certainly impact the 2026 Twins after coming over from Tampa Bay (for Griffin Jax) and Philadelphia (for Jhoan Duran), respectively. Both will be in the rotation, after Abel beat Zebby Matthews for the last spot with a fantastic spring. Should those two pitch well, it will be a good start to the deadline sell-off paying off, setting the organization up well in the long run. Besides those two starters, the outfield should see James Outman and Alan Roden this year. There’s also a chance Kendry Rojas or Hendry Mendez will debut. By season’s end, last year's trade deadline could be seen as a positive turning point for fans, with Abel and Bradley headlining a new wave of talent. The Left Side of the Infield: Two Last Chances Recent years haven’t gone well for Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee. They’re nearing the end of their runway to stay in the Twins' long-term plans. Otherwise, the team will consider internal or external alternatives. After Lewis’s ascension in 2023 and a good start to 2024, he was very poor at the plate during the 2024 collapse and throughout 2025. He did, however, improve to average or better at third base. For him to be a productive player, he needs to turn it around offensively. Maybe, with new hitting coaches and some new voices in the clubhouse (and his back against the wall), he can get going once again. Lee has not come anywhere near the heights that Lewis hit at his peak. In 2025, he got on base at a putrid .285 rate and lacked the slug to offset that deficiency. Defensively, he graded out poorly at second, third, and short. The key for Lee will be whether he can improve on either or both sides of the ball enough to be a competent starting shortstop. He showed he’s motivated by overhauling his body in the winter. With Culpepper approaching and Marek Houston emerging for 2027, Lewis and Lee must perform to remain in consideration. Even though expectations are rightfully low for this team, there’s a world where enough clicks for them to remain competitive, and even win the poor AL Central. Even if they can’t compete, though, there are plenty of fun things to look forward to with this team. View the full article

The Brewers already revealed that Jacob Misiorowski would start on Opening Day. Now, they've confirmed the rest of their starters behind him, announcing the probable pitchers for the first regular-season turn through the rotation: Chad Patrick, Brandon Sproat, Kyle Harrison, and Brandon Woodruff. The last two names are the most notable. Harrison left his last spring training start with a blister on his left index finger, but the Brewers downplayed concerns about his status for Opening Day. Woodruff was building up slower than many of the other starters in camp, and his status for the start of the season was a storyline for the last month and a half. He and the club ultimately deemed him ready. "I think it's an encouraging sign," Pat Murphy said. "We weren't thinking that he was going to be on the team early with the way it was going, and it went so well, in terms of he feels great, and he feels like he's ready." "My pitch count is probably a little less than some of the guys coming out of camp, but I felt like I was recovering [properly]," Woodruff said. "I felt like the stuff was there and coming along, and I didn't feel like I necessarily wanted to go pitch in minor-league games." Those positive comments come after Woodruff's velocity, which declined a few ticks in his return from shoulder surgery last year, was down further in his two spring training outings. His four-seamer and sinker averaged a combined 93 mph in 2025, but they sat at 91.9 mph in Cactus League play. In his final inning on Thursday, his four-seamer dipped to 88.6 mph. How he felt physically was the bigger focus for Woodruff and the Brewers, and he firmly believes he's checked that box after suffering a season-ending lat injury last September. "I came into camp in a good spot," he said. "That was another thing—I'm not hurt. I didn't want that to be the story coming out of spring, having that lat [injury] attached to me, because I feel good. So that was important to me. But yeah, I'm in a good spot, and I feel like it was a good time for me to just come into the season fresh and try to get a full year." By including Woodruff on their Opening Day roster, the Brewers are trusting his evaluation of his health. "You've got to trust the player," Murphy said. "This is our decision, ultimately [president of baseball operations Matt Arnold's] decision, but we're all involved in it. But we've got to trust the player, and we do trust him." Woodruff will pitch a simulated outing at American Family Field on Wednesday as a final tune-up before starting on March 31 against the Tampa Bay Rays. It remains to be seen how the Brewers will handle his workload throughout the regular season, but Murphy downplayed the possibility of applying notable restrictions. "He can go out there and be ready as any other starter is ready," Murphy said. "This guy knows how to prepare. This guy knows how to navigate. I think he's in a better state than any of our other really young, really inexperienced guys, who may go out there and after the first inning be gassed because of adrenaline." "I try not to think about that," Woodruff said. "I try to go out and do my job and kind of leave that in the hands of the pitching coaches and Murph, when to make that decision, if they need to take me out or whatever it is. But I'm focused on building the endurance in the load right now, which I've done a good job of." For the first time since the 2023 season, Woodruff will open the year in a big-league starting rotation. Next week will mark an opportunity to prove he's as ready as he asserts, and to make a more immediate impact on the field than he has in the past few years. "I feel good," he said. "Now it's just go pitch." View the full article

As with most team developments, New York Mets fans were not happy last November when the club acquired second baseman Marcus Semien in a trade with the Texas Rangers in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo. The doomscrolling denizens of Mets Twitter were highly perturbed that team president David Stearns dealt away a fan favorite for a guy who looked washed. Were they right about the washed part? Well, they could point to the steep decline in Semien's offense over the past two years, from a 128 wRC+ in 2023 to a 101 wRC+ in 2024 and an 89 wRC+ in 2025, which was his worst output over a full season. They could also claim he was falling apart physically; he missed the Rangers' final 33 games last year with a foot contusion, and now he's entering his age-35 campaign. The response to the dissatisfied is that there's enough underlying data to argue Semien is a bounce-back candidate in 2026. Here are three reasons why he will rebound -- and three reasons why he won't: Why Marcus Semien Will Bounce Back In 2026 Semien's contact has not gotten worse. His 88.3 mph average exit velocity, 35.0 percent hard-hit rate and 6.7 percent barrel rate last year were all in line with his numbers from the previous three seasons. His average launch angle bounced back to 19.4 degrees in 2025, in line with results dating to 2020. His bat speed is slow (eighth percentile in 2025), but it did increase by a tenth of an mph to 68.4 in 2025. If the ball keeps coming off the bat the same and he gets better luck than last year's .251 BABIP, then better results should follow. He'll be hitting in a better lineup. Semien is going from a club that ranked 22nd in runs per game last year to a club that ranked ninth. Obviously, the Mets' lineup was revamped over the offseason -- Stearns essentially swapped out Nimmo, Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil for Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco and Semien. The top six most days will be Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Bichette, Polanco, Luis Robert Jr., and Brett Baty. Those guys should present Semien with a lot of RBI opportunities from the seven-hole. He'll be hitting in a better home park. Citi Field rates as friendlier to right-handed hitters than Globe Life Field in Arlington. Last season, Citi ranked 25th in MLB with a 95 park factor for righty swingers (100 is considered league-average), while Globe Life ranked dead last at 90. The ball just does not carry well in the retractable-roof stadium. Semien said in spring training that he remains intent on pulling the ball in the air. His pull air percentage last year was slightly down at 23.8 percent, but that was still above average. Driving the ball to the pull side in a better hitting environment should at least help him improve on last year's career-low .364 slugging percentage. Why He Won't He couldn't handle the hard stuff last year. This is the biggest red flag. His numbers against four-seamers tanked -- he produced a career-worst minus-5 run value against the pitch. His 36.0 percent hard-hit rate and .235 xBA against it were way down from previous seasons. Consequently, his .391 slugging percentage on the pitch was significantly lower as well. The naysayers can carp that the old man can't catch up to the heater anymore. He's making less contact overall. His Z-contact rate (contact on pitches in the strike zone) fell by just one point in 2025 to 88.0 percent, but his O-contact rate (contact on pitches outside the zone) dropped by 5.7 points, to 52.2 percent. That could be attributed to opponents working him differently. He saw larger percentages of sinkers, cutters, split-fingers, and curveballs, and smaller percentages of four-seamers, sliders and changeups, in 2025 compared to 2024. His overall whiff rate ticked up by 2.4 points from 2024, and so it followed that his K rate, while still good, increased by 2.8 points to 17.4 percent last year. His plate appearances will drop by a lot. Semien regularly made 700 or more PAs in a season as a leadoff hitter, but he's looking at a sizable decrease hitting in the lower third of his new club's order. The outlook will be even more grim if he misses time with an injury again. Verdict Semien will return to being league average if he stays healthy. His preseason wRC+ projections back up that claim; they ranged from 95 (OOPSY) to 105 (THE BAT X), with most of the others in the range of 100 to 103. His 30-100-100 days appear to be over, but 20-70-70 looks realistic. It's fair to assume the Mets would take those latter numbers from their seventh hitter. View the full article

Have you ever started a project and realized very early on that it was not what you had originally hoped for, but still felt a responsibility to get it done? That's what this article is for me. I was just trying to cheer up Miami Marlins fans! The team's best player from the previous year (Kyle Stowers) and top overall prospect (Thomas White) will both be sidelined for a number of weeks to begin the 2026 season. Throughout the franchise's history, I figured that there were many examples of guys who overcame season-opening injured list stints to post extraordinary numbers. Not so much, as it turns out. Honorable mentions For those who do not know the backstory, the man seated in this photo is Marlins fan Andres Salgado. When José Fernández underwent Tommy John surgery in mid-2014, he vowed to grow out his hair until the star right-hander completed his comeback. On July 1, 2015, the day before Fernández's return to the mound, Salgado was invited to Marlins Park where Fernández helped him celebrate the milestone. Fernández performed close to his usual standards after being reinstated from the IL with a 2.92 ERA (131 ERA+) and 2.24 FIP, but the 11-start sample was just too small. Edward Cabrera in 2022 (14 GS) and Henderson Alvarez in 2013 (17 GS) also fall into this category. I wanted to touch on Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s 2022 All-Star campaign as well. He played—and homered—for the Marlins on Opening Day, but did so while having a torn right meniscus. He suffered the injury in spring training and kept it private until a separate lower back issue ended his season prematurely. 5. Dylan Floro, 2022 Initial injury: right rotator cuff tendonitis Season debut date: May 10 Upon returning to the Marlins bullpen, Dylan Floro was lit up for five runs (all earned) in two innings. But he was quietly terrific the rest of the way (2.26 ERA and 2.82 FIP in next 51.2 IP). Following the MLB trade deadline, Floro became Miami's primary closer. 4. A.J. Burnett, 2004 Initial injury: Tommy John surgery Season debut date: June 3 A.J. Burnett worked 120 innings that season with uncharacteristically good control. On August 29, he set a then-franchise record with 14 strikeouts in a game. 3. Xavier Edwards, 2024 Initial injury: left foot infection Season debut date: June 7 Because the Marlins were being overly patient with veteran shortstop Tim Anderson, Xavier Edwards had to wait until July 2 before the window opened for him to play regularly. He excelled on the offensive side of the ball, slashing .328/.397/.423 with 31 stolen bases in 70 games. It nearly took another full year for the Marlins to accept that Edwards was best utilized as a second baseman. 2. Edward Cabrera, 2025 Initial injury: right middle finger blister Season debut date: April 11 For the third time in a four-season span, Edward Cabrera suffered a physical setback during spring training. The Marlins were thin enough on starting pitching that they endured a 7.23 ERA from Cabrera through the month of April. He rewarded them by turning into the top arm in the club's rotation from May onward. The Marlins sold high on Cabrera during the ensuring offseason, trading the right-hander to the Chicago Cubs for a prospect package. 1. J.T. Realmuto, 2018 Initial injury: lower back contusion Season debut date: April 17 J.T. Realmuto earned the first of his three career All-Star selections. He finished with 4.7 fWAR, making this arguably the best season by any Marlins catcher with the exception of Iván Rodríguez's 2003 performance. View the full article

Second base has been arguably the most hotly debated position on the diamond for the Boston Red Sox throughout all of spring training. That was all put to bed when Alex Cora informed reporters on March 21 that Marcelo Mayer would be making the Opening Day roster as the starting second baseman for the team. The word starter here is a bit subjective, as Mayer will be eased in against left-handed pitchers much like every other left-handed hitting rookie/non-veteran player has been under Cora’s management. He likely won’t start the first two games of the season against the Reds, as they are showcasing two lefties right out of the gates. That being said, second base is now no longer a position of discussion, and hopefully the revolving door has been replaced by a potential Gold Glove winner in Mayer. Behind him though, there’s still a few questions to be answered at the keystone for the Red Sox. Boston Red Sox Second Basemen At A Glance Starter: Marcelo Mayer Backup: Andruw Monasterio, Caleb Durbin Depth: Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Romy Gonzalez (on 60-day IL) Prospects: Max Ferguson, Henry Godbout, Yoeilin Cespedes Red Sox fWAR Ranking Last Season: 19th out of 30 Red Sox fWAR Projection This Year: 26th out of 30 The Good Mayer is a potential Gold Glove-caliber defender. He’s young and plays the game with a swagger that is a bit foreign to most Red Sox players. He’s California cool and if he can stay on the field, he’s going to be a player that fans continue to fall in love with. It’s no secret that second base has been a black hole since Dustin Pedroia was injured on a dirty slide and forced into early retirement. Mayer should solidify the position for the next two years, until he slides over to his natural position at short stop after Trevor Story departs for free agency in 2027. Behind Mayer, we have newcomer Monasterio, who has been the surprise of spring training. They will work in an excellent platoon role that should highlight both of their strengths well. Monasterio hasn’t played a ton of second base in his big league career, but he’s incredibly athletic and has adapted well across the diamond during spring training. He can hit left-handed pitching with relative ease and should give Mayer a longer runway to come into his own. Kiner-Falefa is, effectively, an older version of Monasterio and play everywhere on the dirt, but he will act as a veteran mentor to both Mayer and Monasterio. He has the experience to be an excellent teacher and still has the defensive ability to compete for the utility Gold Glove this season, something he has claimed multiple times he wants to win. After that, Godbout has stood out for his new-found power in camp. While he’s still quite a ways away from sniffing the big-league roster, he’s shown that the future of second base appears to be in very good hands. Cespedes is a prospect that has been around the system for a couple of years, but Godbout has already passed him on the depth chart. He’s Rule 5 eligible after next season. so he’s either going to have to take fairly significant steps in 2026 and 2027 or he’s likely going to play his way out of the Red Sox's system down the road. Ferguson profiles as an emergency call up after an injury, but he tops out there. The Bad We can’t sugarcoat the fact that Mayer hasn’t played a full season of baseball since he was drafted due to injuries. He doesn’t carry the ‘injury-prone’ label yet, but another significant period on the shelf may force the Red Sox to start second guessing not including him in a trade for Ketel Marte during the offseason. Should the injury bug show back up, the team will be counting on Monasterio to take over at second, barring an unlikely mid-season position change for Caleb Durbin. Monasterio is unproven as a full-time starter and Durbin has played mostly third base since the Brewers moved him there during his rookie season in 2025. That’s a lot for three guys who are all still very early in their careers. Kiner-Falefa has veteran experience aplenty, but his offensive profile is lacking at this point in his career. He’s best suited for platoon and backup roles on this team, so putting him in a situation where he’s the main starter at second, or any infield spot really, would hamstring this team in a way that would be tough to come back from. The Bottom Line Marcelo Mayer is looking to prove to everyone that he’s healthy and worth the number four overall pick the team used on him in 2021. Breslow wasn’t the one calling the shots then, but he has to be excited at the potential Mayer possesses. That being said, if Mayer falters and struggles to recover, then Breslow likely won’t hesitate to pick up a veteran option at the keystone. This is Mayer’s chance to prove he belongs in Boston, and he seems ready to rise to the occasion. If he clicks, this team should have one of the best infields in baseball in 2026. View the full article

Jays Centre is counting down the top 50 Blue Jays in franchise history. Check out prior entries in the series here: Introduction 50 to 46 45 to 41 40 to 36 35 to 31 30 to 26 25 to 21 20 to 16 There is no shortage of opportunity in the postseason. Heroes can be born on the swing of a bat, and a pitcher's reputation is only as good as his work in October. Any World Series win is boosted by a collective stepping up, and Toronto's '92 and '93 victories were no different. As our countdown approaches the top 10 Blue Jays of all time, these players cemented their Toronto legacies with performances when they mattered most. No. 15: Juan Guzmán Tied for sixth among Toronto pitchers in bWAR (21.0) Fourth most strikeouts in team history (1,030) 5-1 with a 2.44 ERA in eight postseason starts Pat Gillick was pissed. The Blue Jays general manager thought Fred Claire had given him a choice between two prospects, but when Gillick called his Dodgers’ counterpart back to acquire teenage shortstop José Offerman, Claire responded that he would dictate the terms. Gillick would either take his other prospect, Juan Guzmán, or he could keep demoted second baseman Mike Sharperson. Those were the two choices, and the deal Gillick thought he had was not one of them. To the delight of Epy Guerrero, Gillick went ahead and acquired Guzmán. A central part of Toronto's scouting efforts in the Dominican Republic, Guerrero had recommended George Bell, Tony Fernandez, Manny Lee, and others to Gillick in the past. Guerrero had watched Guzmán years ago at a tryout camp, but he was maybe 15, too young to consider signing. Now? Guzmán was still a kid as far as pitching prospects went, with a lively-in-all-ways arm. In 110 innings in Class A, Guzmán struck out 113, walked 84, and uncorked 19 wild pitches. Gillick's anger at Claire's switcharoo may have dissipated once Guerrero vouched for Guzmán. Toronto wanted to convert Guzmán into a reliever, but he begged minor league managers to start and impressed when given the chance. When Dave Stieb got hurt in ‘91, Guzmán got the call, and after dropping his first two starts, it seemed like he would never lose again. Guzmán won 10 straight decisions, with five coming in September as Toronto fended off Boston for the AL East title. In the postseason, he earned the sole win in the Blue Jays’ five-game defeat to Minnesota in the ALCS. Putting the challenges of hitting against him into as few words as possible, Twins manager Tom Kelly said that Guzmán was "just wild enough to be real good." It was no flash in the pan. Guzmán was similarly spectacular as an All-Star in ‘92, and he made Cy Young ballots in ‘93. He won all four starts he made in the ALCS those seasons, including eight strikeouts over seven innings in the ‘92 clincher against Oakland and seven frames of three-hit ball in a pivotal Game 5 against the White Sox in ‘93. Injuries would crush his reliability, save for 1996, when he led the American League in ERA (2.93), WHIP (1.124), and, unfathomably, strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.11). A Jheri-curled plaque of Guzmán alongside his sweet blue glove may one day enter the soon-to-be-opened Hall of Excellence. No. 14: Pat Hentgen Fourth among Toronto pitchers in bWAR (26.8) Sixth most innings pitched in team history (1,636) 1996 American League Cy Young Award winner (20-10, 3.22 ERA) Sitting in the dugout with his team down a run in Game 6 of the ’93 World Series, Pat Hentgen wondered what his manager had been thinking. Cito Gaston had big game pedigree on his pitching staff with the likes of Dave Stewart and Jack Morris, but if the series was pushed to a take-all Game 7, it would be Hentgen making the start for the Blue Jays. Gaston had the right to put trust in Hentgen. In his first full season as a starter, Hentgen went 19-9, was an All-Star, and received votes in the Cy Young race. In Game 3, Hentgen threw six solid innings in a road victory and was preparing for one more start before Joe Carter ended the series with one swing in the bottom of the ninth. Hentgen had quickly become a dependable starter, and by the mid-90s, he established himself as one of the best in the American League. He won 20 and completed 10 games on his way to the 1996 Cy Young Award. No one logged more innings or faced more batters in the majors that year than Hentgen, feats he would repeat in ‘97. His ERA ballooned in his final two seasons before being traded to St. Louis, but in ‘99, Hentgen became the fourth pitcher in team history to reach 100 wins as a Blue Jay. It was a well-earned accolade for a pitcher who kept the tough post-World Series years afloat the best he could. No. 13: Joe Carter Tied for 43rd among Toronto position players in bWAR (8.5) Five-time All-Star in seven seasons with Toronto Fifth most home runs in team history (203) As he began the biggest call of his life, a worrying thought went through the mind of Tom Cheek. A jubilant Joe Carter had ended the World Series with a walk-off home run seconds ago and was using the SkyDome’s infield turf as a trampoline as he started around the bases. “Touch ‘em all, Joe,” has become one of baseball’s most legendary calls, but at the time, it served as part instruction to Carter. “You were jumping up and down on the bases, and I was telling you to make sure you touched all the bases,” Carter said Cheek told him later. The franchise’s most iconic moment almost never happened. Carter was a free agent after the ‘92 title, and while re-signing him was Gillick’s number one offseason priority, the general manager hesitated to go over three years in length on any contract. When Kansas City offered Carter four years, talk around the winter meetings was that a deal with the Royals was imminent. That week, Carter awoke to a vision of returning to play next to Devon Whyte. On the same day Toronto signed future World Series MVP Paul Molitor, the team agreed to a three-year deal with an option with Carter, whose forthcoming home run and continued charismatic stardom will forever keep him synonymous with the Blue Jays. No. 12: Jimmy Key Third among Toronto pitchers in bWAR (29.7) Tied with Dave Stieb for best career ERA among Blue Jays starters (3.42) Fourth most games started in team history (250) All Jimmy Key wanted to do was win. Key had again pitched well in ‘92 but found himself on the periphery of Toronto’s stellar rotation heading into October. The Blue Jays clinched the AL East on the second-to-last day of the ‘92 regular season behind eight innings of one-hit ball by Guzmán, who would now take the final spot in Toronto’s three-man rotation over Key in the upcoming ALCS. It bothered Key, but only in not being one of the guys who were counted on. Key had been one of those guys for Toronto since his breakout All-Star season in 1985 and pitched through late-season heartbreak in ‘85 and ‘87 and ‘89 and ‘91. Winning is what mattered. If Guzmán gave the Blue Jays the best shot to finally reach the top, it was fine by Key. “That’s all I want to do, be part of a team that beats Oakland,” said Key. Key was part of such a team, and Toronto advanced to the World Series, where he would once again be counted on. The Blue Jays had a 2-1 series lead, and when Gaston came to take Key out of Game 4 with two outs in the 8th inning, a sold-out SkyDome rose to its feet. He allowed only one run and struck out six in the eventual 2-1 Toronto win. It was Key at his absolute best: in control of himself, the strike zone, the entire game. As the soon-to-be free agent walked off the field, he saluted the crowd back. “It was a special moment, and I wanted to remember it.” When the Braves won Game 5 to extend the series, Atlanta manager Bobby Cox credited the victory to not having to face Key. Cox would have no such luck when the series shifted back to Atlanta. Key would get four crucial outs in the extra innings of Game 6, earning the series-deciding win in the franchise’s first-ever World Series title. Key was one of Toronto’s best starters for nearly a decade, and his World Series performance guaranteed his legacy as a champion. No. 11: John Olerud Ninth among Toronto position players in bWAR (22.6) Best on-base percentage in team history (.395) Second highest bWAR season (7.8) in team history, only eclipsed in 2011 by José Bautista (8.3) Ted Williams was impressed. Well into June of ‘93, John Olerud’s batting average hovered above .400. Olerud debuted straight from college to the majors with Toronto in ‘89 and showed a great ability to get on base. This season, it was all coming together at the plate, and he certainly had the attention of the legendary Williams. “Ted and I agreed that, if any kid has the combination of ability and personality makeup to hit .400 nowadays, it’s John,” said Williams’ former teammate Bobby Doerr. Like anyone who has attempted the feat since Williams, Olerud came up short, but it was certainly no blemish on one of the top years in team history. His .363 average topped the American League, and he led the majors with 54 doubles and an eye-popping .473 on-base percentage. His sixth-inning home run off Curt Schilling in Game 1 of the World Series put Toronto ahead for good in a game they were chasing all night. 1993 was a showcase for one of the best Blue Jays to ever step into the batter’s box, one the team never really seemed to know they had. The fifth letter in WAMCO looks misplaced in Gaston’s old lineups, and Olerud’s lack of RBI production soured things with his manager and the rest of the organization. Despite slashing .274/.382/.472 in ‘96, Gaston only saw low RBI numbers (61), buoyed by a .245 average with RISP. He was unceremoniously dumped on the Mets in December for Robert Person, with Toronto eating most of Olerud’s $6.5 million ‘97 salary. The trade was one of the many tremendous missteps taken by Gord Ash, but Olerud’s ‘93 season will remain one of the greatest performances in Blue Jays’ history. View the full article

After a busy morning of finalizing roster decisions, the Boston Red Sox continued to whittle down the roster heading into the final day of spring training. Among the group were Zack Kelly, Tyler Uberstine, and Payton Tolle. Tommy Kahnle was also reassigned to minor league camp. Of those optioned, Kelly seemed to be a lock for low-leverage innings in the bullpen up until the signing of Danny Coulombe. With the announcement that Ryan Watson had made the team, it seemed likely that Kelly was going to be sent to Worcester, especially after the team said they might keep one of Johan Oviedo, Connelly Early or Tolle as a reliever to open the season. Uberstine was another player once considered for a long reliever role in the bullpen but instead was optioned back to Worcester where he will likely pitch out of the rotation. Tolle will join him there also pitching from the rotation as the duo will provide depth for the organization should injury or inconsistency hit. Kahnle, on the other hand, was reassigned to minor league camp, having joined the team on a minor-league contract. The organization must have felt he needed a bit more time to catch up with the other pitchers despite playing in the World Baseball Classic. Kahnle is a veteran of 11 seasons and has an assignment clause on May 1 and an opt-out on June 1. It is now all but guaranteed that both Early and Oviedo spots on the Opening Day roster. View the full article

The Cubs aren't letting their next core slip out the door the way the last one did. They've agreed to a long-term deal with star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. Jeff Passan of ESPN was first to report the news, on Twitter. More to come. View the full article

The promise of Opening Day at Wrigley Field holds an air of romance that few other spring rituals can. The North Siders are back in Chicago, ready to do battle this Thursday with the Washington Nationals. As camp broke in Arizona, Craig Counsell's crew continued to set its Opening Day roster, with Moisés Ballesteros, Michael Conforto and Ben Brown getting good news. Despite the decidedly deflating absence of the right fielder Seiya Suzuki at the outset of the season, the Cubs still feature an envious lineup, with Michael Busch, Alex Bregman, and Pete Crow-Armstrong joining Ballesteros, Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner in anchoring the batting order. Suzuki's absence will put some pressure on the remaining regulars, but it also creates early opportunities for Conforto and Matt Shaw to have an impact. Over the next day or two, we'll find out which two players will round out the bench, with Dylan Carlson and Kevin Alcántara seemingly having the inside track—barring a late trade. Matthew Boyd is set to take the bump for the squad's opener against the Nationals. After that, an expected starting rotation of Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, and Jameson Taillon will toe the rubber for Chicago to begin the season. Cabrera, in particular, brings much-needed swing-and-miss to this rotation, and that trend has held up through spring camp. The pieces for success are certainly in place for this rotation. They will depend largely on sustaining health and keeping the return of lefty Justin Steele on schedule to bolster an incredibly deep starting pitching corps. Because the hoped-for fivesome is intact so far, Javier Assad is heading for Iowa, while Ben Brown got the final spot in the bullpen. It's so close, now, you can smell it. The Cubs are on the hunt for their first full-season division title since 2017. The task is a tall one, but they have the wherewithal to complete it. All that's left is to play the games. View the full article

The Twins Opening Day roster became a bit more clear in recent days. Zebby Matthews was optioned, meaning Mick Abel appears to have a rotation spot. Alan Roden was also optioned, giving clarity to the Twins outfield situation but also creating a crowded picture in St. Paul. Top outfield prospects Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Gabriel Gonzalez are all going to be with the Saints, in addition to multiple other guys. Also, the Twins' bullpen is still very much unsettled. View the full article

Opening Day is less than a week away! The Royals players just have a couple more exhibition games before they start to matter. Some players have hit their groove, and others are still waiting for that spark to get them started with real games just around the corner. Which players stood out in the final weekend of spring training? As a reminder, don't read too much into spring training performances. Sample sizes are still 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? 🔥 Starling Marte Marte was recently brought in by the Royals to improve their offensive outlook in 2026, and so far, he is showing his value. On Saturday, he went 1-for-2, bringing his spring slash line to .294/.400/.353 with a 114 wRC+. While he has not shown great power yet this spring, his on-base ability has stood out. Marte’s plate discipline has been on display with a 13.9% chase rate (98th percentile), 21.4% whiff rate (72nd percentile), and a 15% walk rate (92nd percentile). This combination of plate discipline and on-base ability will be a welcome addition to a Royals lineup that struggled to create runs from the DH and corner outfield positions. Marte has not yet shown an ability to hit for power this spring, with a double as his lone extra-base hit. Marte is sitting at the 9th percentile in hard-hit rate and 24th percentile in average exit velocity this spring. Considering he had a late start to spring, the Royals will hope that he can exhibit more power once he is fully up to speed for the season. Kyle Isbel Isbel had a solid weekend, going 2-for-4 with a walk across Friday and Saturday’s games. He has also been hitting the ball hard, with three of his four batted balls registering exit velocities over 95 mph. After this weekend, Isbel has improved his spring slash line to .303/.410/.394 with a 125 wRC+. While he has not shown much power, Isbel has excelled at hitting the ball hard, posting a 64.3% hard-hit rate (96th percentile) this spring. In 2025, he struggled in this area, with a hard-hit rate of just 38.2%. Despite still showing limited barrel and pull-air rates, this jump in hard contact could point to increased offensive upside. Given his track record, the Royals will not expect Isbel to maintain this level throughout the 2026 season. However, if Isbel can carry some of this improvement into this season, he can greatly raise the floor of the Royals' offense. Salvador Perez On Saturday, Perez went 1-for-3 with a two-RBI home run, his second of spring. Perez has had a relatively quiet spring overall, but this home run brings his spring training slash line up to .235/.316/.647, good for a 142 wRC+ in 19 plate appearances. More notably, Perez has limited his strikeouts. He has only gone down on strikes twice so far in his small sample size, making his strikeout rate 10.5% this spring, close to half his rate from the 2025 season. While Perez is still working to fully hit his stride, he has definitely shown his power ability with an OPS of .963. After spending time captaining Team Venezuela to its World Baseball Classic victory last week, he will look to continue that success into the 2026 season. While many people are looking to see Carter Jensen supplant Perez as the Royals' primary catcher, if he can maintain his power into 2026, Perez can prove he still belongs as the starter this season. Who’s Not? 🧊 Carter Jensen Jensen had a hot start to his spring but has since cooled down. On Saturday, he went 0-for-3, bringing his spring slash line to .231/..286/.462 with a 93 OPS+. He is still hitting the ball hard, with an average exit velocity of 93.3 mph and a max exit velocity of 111.4 mph. If he can optimize his launch angle more consistently and barrel the ball, Jensen will continue to have power potential. Ryan Bergert Bergert threw four innings on Friday, allowing four earned runs on five hits and two walks. He struggled to find the one on Friday with a zone rate of only 38.3%. While his fastball generated above-average chase and whiff rates, his slider and sinker were susceptible to allowing contact. The silver lining to Bergert’s performance is that his fastball, sweeper, and slider all graded highly with Stuff+ of at least 105. This outing brings his spring ERA to 7.24 across 13 ⅔ innings pitched. Bergert has allowed six home runs and an average exit velocity of 92.6 mph on contact, both signs of too much hittable damage when batters connect. This appearance came after the Royals had officially optioned Bergert to Triple-A Omaha. Bergert is likely to be one of the first starters called upon if the Royals need another arm in the rotation. Isaac Collins Collins will be hoping to move past this spring as he is still looking to hit his stride with the Royals. After another hitless performance on Friday, Collins’ spring batting average dropped to .087 in 26 plate appearances. He did manage to draw his third walk of spring. When he is able to make contact, he has been hitting the ball hard this spring with an above-average exit velocity of 91.6 mph. However, he has not been able to avoid striking out with 10 strikeouts so far this spring. Collins has featured in multiple editions of “Spring Temperature Check”, so his lack of production has been well documented. He is likely still recovering from both his offseason knee injections and a back issue that kept him sidelined for a few days this spring. Time is running out to get meaningful reps in before the season starts. While it’s not time to panic quite yet, the Royals will certainly be monitoring his health and performance closely as the season gets underway on Thursday. 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Acquired at last year's historic trade deadline sell-off, Alan Roden was an athletic 25-year-old outfielder whom the Twins chose to target in the Louis Varland trade. With a .917 OPS across over 100 games in Triple-A, Roden has little to prove in the minor leagues. That, paired with his age, means the next step in his career is proving he can produce in the majors, where he's struggled in 153 plate appearances. Unfortunately, the Twins aren't providing him that opportunity. In a vacuum, Roden should be a lock to make the Opening Day roster of a team projected to finish well below .500. He's likely the second-best defensive outfielder they have, after a strong showing in the field in 2025 by Outs Above Average. Despite his small sample of offensive struggles, he's shown significant upside in his Triple-A performance and could contribute to an MLB roster in several ways. He's a logical answer for a team looking to get faster and better on defense, while also having a chance to bloom offensively. Unfortunately, Roden had a minor-league option remaining, which led to his demotion on Sunday. His strong spring performance was not enough to beat out the Twins’ insatiable urge to hoard left-handed-hitting outfielders. Trevor Larnach and James Outman would have to be exposed to waivers if they don't make the roster. Now, the team can stash the 26-year-old Roden in Triple-A for his third stint at a level he has already dominated. Meanwhile, the 40-man roster remains overstocked with left-handed outfielders, with Walker Jenkins set to add to that group later this season. Of course, this could have been avoided at several junctures. It's worth asking why Roden was targeted by the Twins at all, as opposed to a player at literally any other position. The timeline of his career doesn't align with what the Twins need or what they can offer him in terms of opportunity. They also acquired Outman at the deadline, knowing his out-of-options status would contribute to a logjam in short order. Perhaps they saw good value and disregarded the fits. It all could have been solved this offseason by non-tendering Larnach, or trading him for just about anything. Instead, they chose to pay him $4.475 million, despite health concerns and the fact that he's little more than a DH with a career OPS of just .726. It's a baffling decision, in hindsight, considering the team's surfeit of this player type and need for as much payroll space as possible. Roden may not be a strong bet to be a big part of the next great Twins’ team, but he's an interesting player who deserves a real chance. His window of opportunity will be incredibly small—potentially limited to the time between whenever he's called up and when Emmanuel Rodriguez and Jenkins debut. This is an example of how the Twins simply cannot do a thorough job of sorting through these types of players, given how many of them they continue to collect and retain. Almost 1,700 plate appearances into Larnach's career, they're either still chasing some kind of undiscovered upside or see his career 103 wRC+ as too good to risk trying to improve upon. Alan Roden will be fortunate to get a quarter as many plate appearances to prove himself. Today, Roden is the loser in the Twins’ philosophy regarding left-handed-hitting outfielders. The team ultimately loses out, as well. They declined to take steps toward their goals of getting faster, more athletic, and better defensively. Their roster is extremely left-handed as a whole, and is certain to see that weakness attacked regularly. They're choosing not to pursue upside for a roster that is in desperate need of it if they want to contend in 2026. It's just bad roster construction. And the lack of opportunity they're creating by holding onto every player of this type will have lasting effects on players in future seasons. Roden will likely appear in 2026, but the current roster structure gave him no chance to earn a job this spring. His already limited window has likely shrunk further. The Twins could have avoided this, but their pursuit of left-handed hitters comes at a cost. Do you agree? View the full article

Pat Murphy's favorite metaphor for his own job is that of a bus driver. He's setting direction, and he bears ultimate responsibility for staying on the road and getting to the destination. However, he's cognizant of the fact that the most important people on the bus are the ones he's ferrying. Though his smirking acerbity and his penchant for storytelling and name-dropping might look like self-aggrandizement, Murphy's self-conception is as a servant leader. He understands that his job is to cultivate the talent of each individual on his roster, but it's also to ensure that the team is not unduly dependent on any one person—be that a player, a coach, Matt Arnold, or Murphy himself. When the Brewers hired Murphy to take over for Craig Counsell, it was a perilous moment in the progress of a would-be regional hegemon. Counsell had guided the team so well for the previous decade that many ascribed the small-market Crew's improbably consistent success to Counsell, so when he defected to the team's top rivals, it looked like Milwaukee was in trouble. The team was losing Counsell; they would have to survive 2024 without either Corbin Burnes or Brandon Woodruff; and Christian Yelich was in apparent decline. We know, now, that they had a deeper, abiding organizational competence that allowed them to weather those losses. The temptation might be to believe that that was true all along, and that there was never a real reason to fear the decline of the Brewers dynasty. In truth, though, that winter, even the organization itself had its doubts. The team was already doing a lot of things right—coaching players well, scouting exceptionally well, and making good, patient decisions at a front-office level—that made what they were doing more sustainable than it looked. Murphy, though, was the perfect hire, because he's facilitated the profusion of that excellence all the way to the majors and the continuity that has made the team more resilient to roster turnover than they were even under Counsell. It helped that he'd spent years at Counsell's shoulder, and was able to retain all the key coaches who helped the team be so much better than the sum of its parts. It helped, too, that he had spent most of the three decades before joining the Brewers coaching college baseball. There, roster turnover isn't optional. There, you have to have a system, and you must quickly learn not to take that as an exercise in egomania—but rather, as a dedication to principles and precepts that extend beyond the organization's reliance on any set of players. It's a balance you have to strike. It's about having an identity into which you seek to assimilate players, and about seeking players who will assimilate smoothly, but not becoming so rigid that you miss opportunities to bring in or empower great players who aren't natural fits for that identity. Not every manager even tries to be the locus of that identity in the modern game. Many of those who try to do so fail, leaning too far either toward accommodation or strict adherence to principle. Murphy has proved to be superb at that balancing act, though, and it has much to do with how long he waited for this chance and the variety of experiences he had before it came. "I think it probably helped," the skipper said of his time coaching Notre Dame and Arizona State, as he takes on the challenge of managing players much richer, much better and with much more self-actualized self-interest than college kids have. "Everything we go through like that should help. I see the correlation there that you do. You have to go, 'Ok, this is the ingredients I'm working with now.' Then, what do you do?" That's a mindset focused on adapting to his personnel, which Murphy knows will be forever changing. However, he also has a parallel mindset in which he expects his personnel to adapt to his system. The front office favors excellent defenders, patient hitters and fast runners, not because those are areas of market inefficiency—maybe they are, to some extent, but remember, this same front office seemed to endlessly collect plodding power hitters until a few years ago—but because Murphy likes them. He believes those are winning traits, and in particular, he believes that players like that who commit themselves to certain behaviors—situational swing decisions, excellent fundamentals on advanced plays, and seriousness of purpose—contribute to winning in ways that go beyond the box score. His reputation runs toward the scrappy underdog shtick, which is partly a conscious effort on his part. But Murphy likes stars. He likes power hitters. He likes power arms. He just doesn't stop with any of those traits. He craves them and celebrates them, but they don't satisfy him. Because Murphy will reward a player whose preparation, daily intensity and concentration augment their game—occasionally, even at the expense of a player he knows has a higher upside—his charges quickly learn to meet those expectations. With Murphy in the cockpit (or the driver's seat), the front office feels safe turning over the roster, even when it means trading players the skipper considered favorites. He admitted that trading Caleb Durbin "still hurts," but is on board with the udnerlying rationale for it. Swapping out Durbin, Isaac Collins and Freddy Peralta (among others) this winter gave the team better depth and more balance, and Murphy sees what he itches to see in players when he looks at new acquisitions Brandon Sproat, Jett Williams and David Hamilton. Entropy is still coming for the Brewers. The parade of rules changes from MLB continues to infringe on their competitive edges, and the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement this winter could hurt them badly, even though fans only superficially familiar with the economics of the game might expect the opposite. This team has undergone quite a bit of change since last fall, and the national baseball media doesn't believe they've improved. If anything, the numbers and the punditry say, they've gone backward. Murphy doesn't believe that. Neither does the team, and neither do I. While keeping the team's recent level of success going under their current circumstances will be difficult, I think it's much more likely than those not closely familiar with the team realize. They have depth and balance, and they have a system. It's unorthodox, but it's an excellent insulator against the erosion of their greatness. Murphy is still driving the bus, and he and the team have selected a direct route. The gas tank is full, and there are plans for refueling. They have supplies on board to withstand whatever adversity they encounter. This team isn't feeling the pulling-apart most teams like them would be feeling by now, and a great share of the credit goes to the two-time defending National League Manager of the Year. View the full article

The last round of roster cuts have occurred, so let's introduce the 2026 Boston Red Sox starters! The Boston Red Sox starting rotation is anchored by Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray, Ranger Suárez, Brayan Bello, with the fifth spot potentially held by Johan Oviedo. The starting lineup features key players including Trevor Story, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, and Marcelo Mayer. Let's dive in! View the full article