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It wouldn’t be a Boston Red Sox spring training without a competition for second base. Last year, Kristian Campbell ultimately won out and made the Opening Day roster but failed to make a lasting impact during the 2025 season. This year, though, it’s different. We have a general idea of who will be in the infield, just not where they will play. Obviously, Trevor Story will man shortstop, and Willson Contreras will be the starting first baseman barring injury. But that leaves two other positions with question marks as to who will be playing them in just about three weeks from now. Marcelo Mayer and Caleb Durbin both feature the positional versatility to swap between second and third base, but as we saw with Campbell last season, shuffling young players between positions can negatively impact their experience in the big leagues. Expect to see the team lean into this mentality when it comes to both Mayer and Durbin as spring training continues. Which player needs to be at which position though? Let’s see if we can figure out the path Craig Breslow and Alex Cora may take for Opening Day. After the team traded for Durbin, the initial belief was that he would slot into the lineup as the second baseman. The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey also reported that the team preferred for Mayer to remain at third after he showed promising skills at the hot corner while he served as the starter in the wake of Alex Bregman’s quad injury. Now, though? Durbin hasn’t sniffed an inning at second, while Mayer has been at the keystone during both spring training starts. On the surface, this positioning makes a lot of sense. Durbin took over the starting third base job for the Brewers after only 10 games at second in 2025. He played second for the majority of his minor-league career, but the team was confident that he’d be able to shift to his right and continue to play high-level defense at the hot corner. They ended up being correct, but things started off pretty rocky for Durbin after the switch. He settled down after a time though and became a good enough defender to go alongside his solid offensive production that he came in third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. Keeping him in the position that he’s most recently played at the big-league level makes sense, especially during spring training. He’s spent the majority of the offseason preparing as a third baseman with the Brewers — remember, he was only traded to Boston on February 9, so shifting him back to second could stall or delay his ramp up to full time playing this spring. Shifting our attention to Mayer, we see a young, former top prospect who is looking to prove to the organization that drafted him so high that he was worth the investment. Playing regularly at second base will give him that opportunity. Mayer has often been injured since being drafted in 2021, but he’s added weight that the team believes will help keep him healthy moving forward. In addition to the added weight, moving him from third to second should also help to keep him on the field for much of 2026. Mayer is a capable third basemen, he proved as much last season, but moving him to second helps in a number of ways. First, his arm strength leaves a bit to be desired. In 2025, it graded out in the 26th percentile. That’s iffy from across the diamond at third, but more than passable for second and eventually shortstop where he is expected to end up once Story departs the organization. More importantly, Mayer will likely be used in a platoon role for much of the 2026 season as Cora looks to protect the young star from overpowering left-handed pitchers. He was expected to platoon with Romy Gonzalez, but a shoulder injury has put him on the shelf for the foreseeable future. Now, expect to see Mayer work in a platoon with Andruw Monasterio, another piece of the trade that brought Durbin to Boston, at second. There could certainly be a position switch between Caleb Durbin and Marcelo Mayer as spring training continues to unwind, but it seems that Alex Cora is leaning in the direction of having Durbin at third and Mayer at second. Assume that such an alignment is the plan come Opening Day, but having two players who can flip flop positions when necessary isn’t a bad thing either. View the full article

As of this writing, the Chicago Cubs have played 13 spring training games so far, including one exhibition against Team Italy in their tune up for the World Baseball Classic. We knew from the beginning of the year that Marquee Sports Network, whose main function is to show Cubs games and content, will not show most of the spring training games. That Tribune article is behind a paywall, so here's a Sports Illustrated proxy that tells us which 11 games we expect to see on Marquee itself, whereas the rest you might have to hunt down an opponent's feed with a VPN because of the Chicago-area blackout. What's even more galling is that of the broadcasts those of us who even have Marquee have seen, at least two of them have been just carrying the opposing team's feed. I suppose there are contract details we aren't privy to for on-air talent such as Boog Sciambi, Elise Menaker, and Taylor MacGregor. Plus, it isn't like the Cubs and Marquee are the only ones not showing every single spring game, as there have been a handful where neither team has a feed and we're just left to the literal devices of fans in attendance, or the social media intern if the team(s) could even bother to bring them along. For the remainder of the Cactus League slate before we get back to Wrigley for Opening Day, we can expect only six more Marquee broadcasts, and I just ran through the schedule and I see the following: Friday, March 6 - @ Padres, via SDPA, MLB Network, and free game broadcast on MLB.tv Sunday, March 8 - vs Giants at Sloan, OMG it's actually on Marquee and also MLB Network Friday, March 13 - @ White Sox, via CHSN Sunday, March 15 - vs Dodgers at Sloan, via SNLA and Marquee Monday, March 16 - @ Guardians, via CLEG (I assume that's Cleveland's network) Friday, March 20 - split squad @ Athletics, via Marquee and NBC Sports CA (they're not showing the split squad game at Sloan, which is frustrating) Saturday, March 21 - @ Mariners, via Marquee and the Mariners network Sunday, March 22 - vs Brewers at Sloan, via Brewers, Marquee, and ESPN+ At least the first exhibition against the Yankees on Monday, March 23, will be broadcast on the radio, but then we get nothing until Opening Day. Noting that most of the remaining Marquee broadcasts are actually away games, I'd expect Marquee to be paying the rental fee just to carry the other team's broadcast. The fact that the Cubs chose not to also pay for the three opponent broadcasts (bolded above) as well suggests some behind-the-scenes drama, which was alluded to by Crane Kenney's comments in the Tribune article. If you checke on the Dodgers broadcast schedule, you'll note that every game is on their channel, and though other big market clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox have scaled back their broadcast dates, they still seem to be showing way more than the Cubs are, and the Yankees even have a streaming app for most of the games that aren't on YES. There are, again, most likely contract stipulations for any "extra" work done outside the regular season, but the Yankees streaming app (known as Gotham Sports App, which combines content from YES and MSG) shows at least one alternative that Marquee could employ, especially since they have their own direct streaming app now (which ironically shows a splash screen of spring training content, and I'm just like, "what content?"). It also isn't like the Cubs situation is unique with a team-owned network, as Atlanta and Detroit have both announced new launches of multimedia platforms beginning this season. With the Cubs, at least Marquee is established. Now, they just have to use it properly to bring us the content we fans demand and deserve. Whether it's just paying a fee to use their opponent's feed, or just putting a static camera that either is set up in the batter's eye and focuses on home plate, or is set up from the press box and shows you the entire field, some content is better than no content. We can even see that the Cubs have such a camera set up as they were able to show Dansby Swanson's home run against Team Italy at Sloan! If Marquee really is having issues (financial or otherwise), this needs to become a priority in whatever restructure takes place. One hopes that as the Cubs navigate the new era of cord-cutting and further establish their in-market app while figuring out carriage issues, they find the resources to make this happen so we don't complain about this same issue next spring, particularly when the Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire and we'll be locked out of spring training anyway. Among other things Cubs roster-wise and spring training, we also lamented the lack of coverage by Marquee on the latest Dreamcast episode. View the full article

Trivia question: Other than the fact that they both played for the Brewers, what do Robin Yount and John Briggs have in common? (Answer at the end of this piece.) John Briggs followed a slightly different path to professional baseball than most players. After he graduated from Paterson (NJ) Eastside High School in 1961, he was honored with the Dave Curtis Award (named for a Marine combat flyer who died in a plane crash) as the outstanding student-athlete at Paterson Eastside High School. Thanks to @JohnBriggs12, who prompted this retrospective after making a comment in our retrospective on the debut season of Robin Yount. Briggs attended the Paterson satellite campus of Seton Hall University for a few semesters, but there is no record of him ever playing baseball for Seton Hall. He played amateur league basketball for a couple of seasons after high school, as well as playing American Legion baseball in the summer. In September 1962, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Briggs to an estimated $8,000 bonus, with scouts Jocko Collins and Ben Marmo signing Briggs moments before a New York Mets scout arrived, albeit too late. “I never found out the kind of offer the Mets had in mind for me. I sure would’ve liked to have known, because I know the Mets’ scout, Pete Gebrian, liked me a heck of a lot,” Briggs said in a 2011 interview for a Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) bio. Briggs, who batted and threw left, was originally scheduled to play in the rookie Pioneer League in 1963 but performed well in the minor league camp and was sent instead to Bakersfield in the Class A California League. In his rookie season, Briggs slashed .297/.379/.500 with 21 home runs and 20 steals. After the season, he was added to the Phillies' 40-man roster. Even though Briggs had only two hits in the spring, he and pitcher Rick Wise were placed on the Phillies Opening Day roster in order to protect them from the ‘First-Year Player Draft.’ In those days, major league teams would keep the young player on the roster but not give him much playing time that first season. Briggs played in only 61 games and had 66 at-bats, slashing .258/.347/.333 with one home run. In only his sixth start, Briggs led off, playing center field against the Mets in the second game of a June 21 doubleheader. Batting against Frank Lary in the first, Briggs blasted a 430-foot shot over the center field fence for his first major league dinger. As special as the day was for Briggs, it couldn’t compare to the performance pitcher Jim Bunning had in the first game. All he did was pitch a perfect game in a 6-0 victory against the Mets. Briggs played a part in the first game as well, making a nice running catch of a long drive to center field by the Mets’ Charlie Smith in the third inning to keep the perfecto intact. Briggs also had a front-row seat for one of the biggest collapses in major league history. The Phillies were leading the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals by 6 ½ games with 12 left to play. Philadelphia promptly lost 10 straight games, including three each to the Reds and the Cards, before winning the last two games of the season. Unfortunately for them, it was too little, too late as the Phils finished one game behind the Cardinals. Briggs got into seven games during that 12-game stretch, going 0-for-5 in a pinch-hitting role. Briggs would play six more seasons for the Phillies, splitting time in the outfield, never getting more than 361 ABs in a season. He started the 1971 campaign with the Phillies, but on April 22, he was traded to the Brewers for catcher/first baseman Pete Koegel and RHP Ray Peters in what was arguably one of the most one-sided trades in Brewers history, with Milwaukee coming out on top. Peters never again pitched in the bigs, and Koegel played in just 53 games over the next two years. In his four-plus seasons with Milwaukee, Briggs hit 80 homers, which currently ranks 25th on the Brewers' all-time list. He was also named the left fielder on the Brewers all-decade team for the 1970s. In an interview with SABR, Briggs said of Milwaukee, “The fans were great. I always had a great rapport with the fans.” In 1972, Briggs hit two home runs (and six RBI) off Nolan Ryan in a 7-3 victory over California on July 14. On August 4, 1973, Briggs went 6-for-6 with two doubles in a nine-inning game against Cleveland. That year, he got down-ballot most valuable player consideration, ranking 23rd in the American League MVP. In June 1975, the Brewers traded Briggs to Minnesota for outfielder Bobby Darwin. Briggs played his last major league game on September 28, 1975. Next spring, he asked for his release so that he would be free to pursue an opportunity in Japan. He signed a two-year contract in Japan but played only part of one season due to an illness caused by foodborne parasites, per his SABR biography. After Japan, Briggs eventually moved back to his hometown of Paterson and worked as a corrections office from 1982-2007. He also worked as a recreation supervisor. In 2008, Paterson’s Little League 13-14-year-old division was named the ‘Johnny Briggs Division.’ In 2008, Paterson Little League’s Bill LaSala said of Briggs, “He’s regarded very highly as a ballplayer and a person, probably more important as a person.” Trivia Answer: They both played just one year in the minors before getting called up to the major leagues. What are your favorite memories of Johnny Briggs? Please add them in the 'comments' section. View the full article

The Red Sox went extension-crazy last spring, notably locking up Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony. Will they go back to the well in 2026? Some extension candidates discussed are Wilyer Abreu, Connelly Early, and Payton Tolle. View the full article

Flexibility is crucial on a modern baseball roster. The more positions a player can cover, the more likely a manager is to keep a strong bat like Luke Keaschall’s in the Minnesota Twins’ lineup. On Thursday, Keaschall made his first start in the outfield since injuring his elbow two seasons ago. The appearance marked an important step for a player who was expected to see time in the grass last season before injuries altered those plans. The Twins originally envisioned Keaschall as someone capable of bouncing between the infield and outfield in 2025. Instead, a hit by pitch broke his arm early in the season and complicated his defensive development. When he returned later in the year, Minnesota chose not to rush him back into the outfield. He finished the season working exclusively in the infield. This spring serves as a fresh opportunity for Keaschall to resume his transition between positions. Manager Derek Shelton explained that the Twins have always intended for him to build experience at both infield and outfield, now possible with his recovery. “We had said he was going to play both. We prepared for it this winter. Just wanted to make sure that he got his feet on the ground at second.” The Twins also have a crowded outfield this spring, making it a challenge to find innings for everyone. “And honestly, we are heavy outfield-wise. Trying to get a look at Gabby (Gonzalez) and trying to get a look at (Hendry) Mendez and Emma (Rodriguez), Rosie (Kala’i Rosario), it’s been a little bit hard, but we will get him out there.” For Keaschall, being in the outfield does not mean giving up second base. Instead, it expands his opportunities, letting the Twins move him between positions as needed to keep him in the lineup. Shelton highlighted the advantages of this flexible approach during games. “I think the impetus would be, like if Kody (Clemens) was going to play second and Josh (Bell) was going to play first and (Victor) Caratini was going to DH, I think more positional flexibility we can have is good, especially in Luke’s case, the fact that he can do both and keep his bat in the lineup.” “So the functionality of being able to move around. And then, just quite honestly the in-game portion of it. He starts the game at second and then all of a sudden, we pinch run for Josh and Kody’s at first, and he comes in, being able to move around, I think is really important.” Keeping Keaschall’s bat in the lineup is a priority after the impression he made last season. In just 49 games, he slashed .309/.382/.445 (.827) across 207 plate appearances. The sample size was limited, but it was still enough to land him ninth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. His strong showing was not a fluke, given his track record. From 2023 through 2025 in the minor leagues, Keaschall posted a .294/.411/.458 (.869) slash line with 19 home runs. He has consistently controlled the strike zone while finding ways to reach base. When a rookie makes an immediate impact, the mental image is usually of someone bursting onto the scene to change the team’s long-term outcome. A late-season call-up arrives and suddenly becomes a spark for the team. Keaschall’s debut followed a different path. He was called up in April and immediately flashed his speed, stealing five bases in his first seven games before the hit-by-pitch broke his arm. When he returned in early August, he picked right back up, swiping nine more bases before a thumb injury ended his season a bit early. There will be adjustments ahead. His .340 BABIP from last season will likely drop, although his speed should help keep that number comfortably above .300. Pitchers will also challenge him more often after getting a better look at his tendencies. Still, there are encouraging signs in his profile. At Triple-A last season, he posted identical 14.4 percent walk and strikeout rates. That kind of plate discipline suggests a hitter capable of maintaining a strong on-base percentage even as the league adjusts. The Twins believe the bat will play. Now they are simply looking for more ways to use it. If Keaschall proves capable of handling both second base and the outfield, Minnesota gains another versatile piece. More importantly, it gives the Twins more chances to keep one of their most promising young hitters in the lineup every day. What role do you see Keaschall playing in the Twins’ outfield this season? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

MIAMI, FL—Earlier this year, Javier Sanoja wasn't even projected to be on Venezuela's World Baseball Classic roster. When he was ultimately selected, it was only with the idea of him being a versatile bench piece. However, an opportunity to start suddenly presented itself when Jackson Chourio was hit by a pitch in Wednesday's exhibition game against the Washington Nationals. The night before Venezuela's opening game against the Netherlands, manager Omar Lopez informed Sanoja that he would be starting in center field, hitting eighth in the lineup. The undersized utility player ended up taking one of the most important at-bats of Friday's game. On the first pitch he saw from Antwone Kelly (Pittsburgh Pirates No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline), Sanoja went deep 370 feet to left field, retaking the lead for Venezuela in the bottom of the second inning. According to MLB researcher Sarah Langs, Sanoja joined former Marlin Luis Arraez (2023) as the only two MLB players to homer in their current team's home ballpark during the WBC. Sanoja played the entire game, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Venezuela held that lead the rest of the way, winning 6-2. Javier Sanoja's Go-Ahead Homer Leads Venezuela To Victory Over The Netherlands - MLB - DiamondCentric DIAMONDCENTRIC.NET It was all about Venezuela's offense in the first pool play game against the Netherlands. It was also a day to remember for three other members of the Marlins organization. Representing Cuba in Pool A, Yiddi Cappe took on FIU alum Logan Allen and Panama. Cappe started at second base and hit ninth in the lineup. He finished the day going 1-for-2 with a walk. His lone hit of the game was off of Allen in the top of the third inning, a 103.9 mph double to left field, which set up a two-run homer by third baseman Yoan Moncada. z3fabg.mp4 Cuba would wind up winning by a final score of 3-1. Ian Lewis Jr., who is from the Bahamas, is able to participate for Great Britain because the Bahamas remains part of the Commonwealth of Nations. Even with the help of Bahamian talent, the team's roster is pretty thin compared to most others in the WBC, so despite being an unranked Marlins prospect, Lewis has a significant role. In his WBC debut against Mexico, Lewis went 2-for-4, both singles. His first base hit was off of Brennan Bernardino in the bottom of the fifth inning at 103.9 mph. In the bottom of the ninth, Lewis did the same thing against Seattle Mariners All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz. fnxnz6.mp4 Lewis was one of three players on Great Britain who had a multi-hit day. Unfortunately, they fell to Mexico by a final score of 8-2. Opposing the Brits, Jared Serna did not start the game for Mexico, but entered in the top of the ninth inning as a pinch-runner. He came around to score an insurance run in the game. The following Marlins players haven't seen any action yet, but are expected to make their tournament debut in the coming days: RHP Sandy Alcantara (Dominican Republic) OF Owen Caissie (Canada) C Liam Hicks (Canada) SS Otto Lopez (Canada) OF Jakob Marsee (Italy) C Agustin Ramirez (Dominican Republic) View the full article

Byron Buxton came to the plate for Team USA in the bottom of the fourth inning. The bases were loaded. Team USA led 3-1 but had struggled with runners on base since Aaron Judge's first inning, two-run homer. It felt like a key moment in the game. Gabriel Barbosa, a 24-year-old right-hander who pitched at three levels for the Phillies in 2025 came to the mound, having replaced Thyago Vieira who left with injury. Barbosa walked Roman Anthony to lead the bases. Buxton came to the plate, and Barbosa got ahead quickly with two sharp sliders just off the outside corner. After Buxton took another slider and swung out of his shows at a hanging slider (foul ball), Barbosa came inside with a running fastball. It just kept running in on Buxton and when it hit him, you could hear an audible moan. At first, it appeared he was hit in the hand, something that Twins fans certainly did not want to think about. We've seen that. Replay in slow motion showed that it hit him in the elbow, likely near the funny bone. Buxton stayed in the game having driven in the team's fourth run "the tough way." The next batter was Brewers second baseman Brice Turang who cleared the bases with a double off of the wall in left field. The USA team led 7-1. While it doesn't look serious, it only makes sense that manager Mark Derosa pulled Buxton and replaced him with Pete Crow-Armstrong. Team USA is going to play Great Britain on Saturday night. Twins fans will want to check out the lineup when it becomes available. Seth Level of Concern right now: 2 on a scale of 1-10. (Subject to change) View the full article

FORT MYERS - Bailey Ober made his first spring training start Friday night and looked crisp from the outset, tossing two scoreless innings on just 25 pitches, including 19 strikes. He did not allow a hit or a walk and recorded one strikeout, an efficient first step as he begins building toward the regular season. More than anything, Ober sounded relieved to finally be back in game conditions after progressing through live batting practice. “Felt great,” Ober said of his outing. “Felt really good to be out there during game action instead of being in live BP like I have been. Felt really good to put the uniform on, have the defense behind me and be in a game atmosphere.” Ober said he was especially focused on getting a feel for his changeup early in the outing, wanting to reestablish a pitch that remains central to his arsenal. “It’s my pitch — my highest off speed usage pitch,” Ober said. “Just trying to get a feel of it early so I can progress that and put it in my back pocket.” That process appeared to go well; he threw nine changeups, six for strikes, and got two swings and misses with the pitch. By Ober’s own assessment, the outing checked a lot of boxes. “Definitely taking steps forward to where I want to be,” he said. “I felt like the ball was coming out good. I felt like I had uncomfortable at-bats the whole time. I was throwing strikes. Didn’t seem like anyone really hit anything hard.” He added that while he would still like to sharpen his two-strike execution to turn more of those counts into strikeouts, the overall objective was clear: “That’s kind of what I’m looking for when I’m out there — just being able to locate.” Maybe more important than the results was how Ober felt physically. After pitching through a nagging hip issue last season, he said taking the mound healthy again changed everything. “It’s night and day,” Ober said. “It doesn’t matter what I did out there. I was gonna have a smile on my face, just being able to feel healthy and do what I love, pain free.” Ober said the plan is to continue stretching out over his next few outings, with three innings likely next time, then four, then five, as he ramps up toward being ready for his first turn in the regular-season rotation. Two Wrongs Make A Right Major League Baseball’s new ABS (Automated Ball Strike) system gave fans a jolt of energy in the first inning Saturday night. View the full article

Mick Abel is turning heads this spring, and the numbers are backing it up. The Twins' right-hander has been racking up whiffs and lighting up the radar gun through his first two outings. Are we watching Mick Abel’s breakout happen in real time? View the full article

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The injury bug has struck another member of the Boston Red Sox organization: Isaac Stebens will spend the season on the injured list. As first reported by SoxProspects’ Andrew Parker, Stebens will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in early March. Stebens was drafted out of Oklahoma State in the 16th round of the 2023 draft and split 2024 between Salem and Greenville. In 2025, the right-hander spent the entire season with Greenville where he appeared in 38 games and tossed 50 1/3 innings. After the season concluded Stebens, was one of the Red Sox representatives for the Arizona Fall League where he appeared in eight games and tossed seven innings. Stebens was one of Greenville’s most dominant relief arms and had a good chance of opening the season with Double-A Portland. Instead, he will look to recuperate from his surgery before attempting to rehabilitate from his injury. View the full article

While the progress continues for the Chicago Cubs at their Arizona home, the much-anticipated World Baseball Classic is off and running in Tokyo, Japan. Last season, a different-look Cubs squad commenced their regular season in the same venue opposite the vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers. The Tokyo Dome is playing host to some of the game's best, including standouts from your North Side ball club. Fans of this baseball team want a lot out of its stars, especially newbie Alex Bregman, and de facto squad leader Pete Crow-Armstrong. Both have been electric so far in the international tournament. During two recent exhibition tilts versus big league clubs, Bregman drilled two no-doubt home runs, igniting the hopes of Red Line riders across the city of Chicago. Elsewhere, Crow-Armstrong looks as good as ever, both at the plate and patrolling center field for the American squad in the WBC. To this point, Crow-Armstrong looks like he's in mid-season form. In terms of rumors surrounding the franchise, it's hard to ignore what's going on in left field. Veteran Ian Happ is synonymous with the Chicago Cubs franchise. A true lifer in this organization, Happ is a tremendous ambassador for the city, but as he volunteered, his time in the blue pinstripes may soon be drawing to an end. "It’s been a true honor for me to represent this great city, organization, and fan base," Happ said. "The reality of this is, you can’t control if the team wants you back. It's totally plausible another chapter elsewhere awaits me." During his nine years with the North Siders, Happ famously stipulated a no-trade clause on his contract, but with a crowded list of prospects ready for opportunities in left field, it appears Chicago is ready to move on from the Gold Glover, now that he's on the wrong side of 30. Of the myriad pleasant surprises from the Cubbies' 2025 campaign, the arrival of Moises Ballesteros was arguably the most pleasing. With a .394 OBP, "Mo Baller" came through in key situations during his club's playoff push. As an encore, Ballesteros, 22, looks to deliver more behind the plate and "prove people wrong," as to the extent of his capabilities. Soon, music will blare from the rooftops up and down Sheffield Avenue and the surrounding areas near the Cubs' home of Wrigley Field. There are no awards handed out for who can practice the best, but the improvements and implications of the North Siders' performances this spring prove that many coveted accolades could come in time. View the full article

Two down, three to go. Or four? Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy made official what has seemed obvious: right-handers Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick will be in the Opening Day rotation. It will be the first Opening Day for Misiorowski, while it will be the second straight for Patrick. Both made their MLB debuts last season. Misiorowski, an All-Star after less than three weeks in the majors in 2025, is also the leading candidate to start Opening Day. That is because right-hander Brandon Woodruff, the likely Opening Day starter entering camp, is being brought along slowly this spring following a strained lat that ended his season early. The other top candidate is right-hander Quinn Priester, who has been dealing with inflammation in his right wrist and slowed his progress toward Opening Day. It is likely that Priester begins the season on the 15-day injured list. Woodruff is hoping to avoid the same fate, but could be limited if he is available on Opening Day. That could lead to a tandem starter situation or a six-man rotation. The Brewers have plenty of candidates for the other three spots regardless of the setup, with Kyle Harrison, Logan Henderson, Brandon Sproat, Robert Gasser, and Shane Drohan. Harrison, Gasser, and Drohan are left-handers, while Henderson and Sproat are righties. Left-handers Aaron Ashby and DL Hall can also provide multiple innings out of the bullpen. View the full article

While there was a lot to enjoy in a 27-6 shellacking of the Seattle Mariners in a Cactus League game Thursday, the San Diego Padres are looking for good news after infielder Song Mun Song left the game early. Song, who started at shortstop and homered in his first plate appearance, left after striking out in the second inning after aggravating an oblique injury sustained in the offseason, only slightly delaying his start to spring camp. Padres manager Craig Stammen said removing Song from the game was "precautionary," and the team was awaiting test results to determine the extent of the injury. Signed in the offseason from the Korea Baseball Organization, Song is expected to be a utility player in his first MLB season, seeing time at second base, third base, and perhaps the outfield. The Padres also made their second set of roster cuts, sending eight players back to minor-league camp. A ninth, right-hander Miguel Mendez, was optioned to Double-A San Antonio, making him the first player on the 40-man roster removed from camp. Right-handers Sean Boyle, Evan Fitterer, Francis Pena, and Ethan Routzahn, infielders Marcos Castanonon and Romeo Sanabria, infielder-outfielder Clay Dungan, and catcher Brendan Durfee were reassigned to the minor-league camp after being non-roster invitees. The Friars now have 58 players in major-league camp. View the full article

Everyone who is expected to be part of the Milwaukee Brewers' Opening Day roster has now played in at least one game. While there are minimal injury concerns at the moment, now the work to get everyone sharp is truly underway. The Brewers are without several camp regulars due to the World Baseball Classic. The absences of Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Brice Turang, Abner Uribe, Angel Zerpa, Rob Zastryzny, Tyler Black, and Carlos Rodriguez open opportunities for others. As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic news, not necessarily hardcore analysis. The Crew dropped to 5-7 in Cactus League play. After having Monday off, the Brewers lost to the rival Chicago Cubs 4-1 on Tuesday, lost to Great Britain 7-3 on Wednesday in a WBC exhibition, and beat the Colorado Rockies 10-8 on Thursday. Who's Hot? 🔥 Kyle Harrison The left-hander, acquired this spring in the six-player Caleb Durbin deal, made his exhibition debut against Great Britain and displayed a new weapon. Harrison's kick change was a rousing success, helping him get eight swings and misses during his three scoreless innings. Harrison allowed two hits and a walk while striking out a pair. Four of those eight whiffs came on his changeup, which he threw 10 times among his 40 pitches. Harrison only used three pitches, his four-seamer, changeup, and slurve, after also using a cutter and sinker last year. Perhaps those pitches come out later. But the changeup, revised following the trade, is certainly something that bodes well. Garrett Mitchell After a late start to game action and a 0-for-4 beginning, the potential Opening Day center fielder showed off the tools that have the Crew expecting big things from him if he can stay healthy. Mitchell went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, including a 462-foot homer on the first pitch of the game vs. Rockies right-hander Michael Lorenzen, then a ringing opposite-field double with the bases loaded off right-hander Davison Palmer, who finished last season at Double-A. Mitchell has been the clear-cut top center fielder in the organization for the past few years, but he has played just 113 games over the last three seasons due to a variety of injuries. Jake Bauers After missing a few days, Bauers was back in the lineup against the Rockies and went 2-for-3 with his first spring homer, a two-run shot off Palmer. Bauers, who was the starting designated hitter, also stole a base and was hit by a pitch as he raised his spring average to a robust .545 (6-for-11). He is expected to see some time in left field soon as he prepares for whatever role the Brewers need him for once Opening Day rolls around. The left-handed hitter is the backup first baseman to Andrew Vaughn and was a valuable bat down the stretch and in the postseason last year. Who's Not? 🧊 Jared Koenig The reliable left-handed reliever coughed up a whopping five runs in one-third of an inning against Great Britain in his spring debut. But he came out of the appearance unconcerned about the metrics in his outing. Koenig came on to start the fifth inning against Great Britain, walking two and allowing four hits, including a two-run homer to Washington Nationals catcher Harry Ford. Only 12 of his 22 pitches were strikes, a very un-Koenig-like outing. But remember, it was his first game action this spring. Robert Gasser The left-hander, bidding for a spot in the starting rotation, gave up three runs on three hits in 2⅔ innings vs. the Rockies. It was his second start this spring. While not giving up much in the way of hard hits (82.4 mph average exit velocity), it was the three walks that were troublesome. With Quinn Priester's status now in doubt for Opening Day, Gasser and the other candidates have a little wiggle room, yet still know they have to perform with the depth of the starters vying for a job. This was not a concerning outing for Gasser, but it could knock him down a rung if you are rating the candidates on a daily basis (which we hope you aren't). Cooper Pratt The shortstop, expected to be the starter at Triple-A to begin the season, has yet to get untracked this spring. He went 1-for-5 while appearing in all three games, but did have a hit, two walks, and scored twice against the Rockies. The 21-year-old is hitting just .200 (3-for-15) this spring. Pratt had a rough 2025 at Double-A Biloxi, posting a .238/.343/.348 while playing a career-high 120 games. His defense is not a question, but he has been inconsistent offensively, a trait that will need to change to become part of the MLB equation. View the full article

San Diego Padres 27, Seattle Mariners 6. The final score on Thursday looked more like a Chargers-Seahawks NFL game than a Padres-Mariners MLB matchup. But those things tend to happen in spring training. And that came with Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Xander Bogaerts not around, instead getting ready for their first games today in the World Baseball Classic. As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic news, not necessarily hardcore analysis. The Friars improved to 6-7 in Cactus League play after losing to the A's 7-2 Monday, beating the Chicago White Sox 4-3 Tuesday, tying Great Britain 2-2 Wednesday in a WBC exhibition, and clobbering the Mariners 27-6 Thursday. Who's Hot? 🔥 Joe Musgrove If you want to talk about a meaningless game that can give a boost to an entire team, this was it. And it was because Java Joe was back on the mound for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2024. Musgrove's first inning was a little rough, but that could be because it wasn't his regular defense behind him. Facing Great Britain in a World Baseball Classic exhibition, Musgrove walked Nate Eaton (Boston Red Sox), then struck out Jazz Chisholm Jr. (New York Yankees) before yielding three straight singles and a run. He was taken out at that point and, under spring training rules, returned to pitch the second inning, allowing another hit, and came out to face three batters in the third, surrendering one final hit while getting two outs, finishing with a strikeout. Only 36 of his 60 pitches were strikes, but the results weren't what mattered; it was Musgrove being back on the mound. Kyle Hart A candidate to make the Opening Day bullpen if Yuki Matsui is unable to go, Hart threw 2 ⅔ more scoreless innings against the White Sox and hasn't yielded a run in four spring appearances. He did issue two walks in this outing, but that has been the rare blemish thus far. Hart has mainly been a starter in his pro career, but a long relief role could also be a ticket to make his first Opening Day roster at the MLB level. Logan Gillaspie A dark-horse candidate for the bullpen, the right-hander spun 2 ⅔ perfect innings against the A's, striking out three. He has 12 relief appearances over the last two seasons with the Friars after 28 in two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. Gillaspie had a scoreless inning with three strikeouts in his other Cactus League outing this year. With a loaded bullpen, making the Opening Day roster could be a challenge, but Gillaspie could be one of the first relievers called upon when injuries hit. Freddy Fermin With the onslaught against the Mariners, it would be ridiculous not to include a hitter here. Fermin gets the headline with a 3-for-3, six-RBI performance, highlighted by a three-run homer in a five-run third inning off Triple-A reliever Alex Hoppe. That outburst came after the Friars erupted for 12 runs in the second inning. They sent 17 hitters to the plate, with six of the runs coming against Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo and the other half against minor-leaguers. The Padres hit eight homers in the game. Who's Not? 🧊 Triston McKenzie The right-hander's long-shot bid to join the rotation took another hit with his outing against the Mariners. After a scoreless seventh inning, he was tagged for a leadoff homer by Jared Sundstrom, who spent last year at Double-A, then retired the following two hitters before yielding a single and walking a pair to bring his day to an end. Those walks added to a troubling trend for McKenzie. He has faced 26 batters this spring, with seven walks. Pablo Reyes Before going 2-for-4 in the back half of the game against the Mariners (which Friars didn't get a hit in this game?), the infielder-outfielder had been 0-for-5 in the previous three games with a walk and an RBI. That dropped his spring performance to 2-for-14 (.143). He was a dark-horse candidate to earn the last bench job due to his ability to play shortstop (as well as the outfield). He started at short in the WBC exhibition game, going 0-for-3. Clay Dungan Another long shot to snag that final bench job, the 29-year-old, who spent last season at Triple-A El Paso, got a long look this spring. He played in 10 games, including coming off the bench against the Mariners, but only went 3-for-17 (.176) with an RBI, while walking once and striking out eight times. He was reassigned after Thursday's game to minor-league camp, but could be an infield option if injuries hit. View the full article

On Friday, Pool D will begin play in loanDepot Park. It'll be Team Venezuela "welcoming" the Netherlands. One crucial piece to that team is Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, who was named captain of the team. He will be hitting fifth and is the designated hitter in Venezuela's lineup. "I'm super happy to be the captain for Venezuela," Perez told reporters on Thursday. "I think every time we represent our country, it's a different feeling. I'm happy to be here. I've said this before, and I will always say it, but we are all captains. The difference is that I have a 'C' on my jersey. The guys are focused, and we are surrounded by hard workers, and we will give the best we've got every day." For the Venezuelan catcher, playing in the World Baseball Classic, representing his country, is like playing in Game 7 of the World Series. "Players need to be here and feel the emotion," Perez said. "When you hear that anthem, the fans and the Venezuelan's who are rooting for you. One of the best games I've ever played in was in 2023 between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. Since we were taking BP, the stadium was completely full." Perez, 35, will be participating in his fourth World Baseball Classic, having competed in the 2013, 2017, and most recently, 2023 editions of the tournament. Last season with the Royals, Perez played in 155 games, slashing .236/.284/.446/.729 with 30 home runs, 100 RBI, and a 95 wRC+. Despite his age, Perez continues to be a mainstay in the Royals lineup and will serve as a crucial piece for Venezuela. Despite being a nine-time All-Star, 2015 World Series champion, World Series MVP, five-time Gold Glove winner, and five-time Silver Slugger, Perez believes that there are still things he can work on. "I think that is going to make the difference when it comes to the type of baseball player you wanna be in MLB," Perez said. "I've always said that the sacrifice is dedication and how much you want to get better day-by-day. For many, some may think that for Salvador Perez, he won't be playing for much longer, but I don't see it from that point of view." The biggest game of the tournament will take place on March 11th when Venezuela and the Dominican Republic will clash in Miami. It'll be Sandy Alcantara on the mound for the DR, but no starter has been announced for Venezuela. Perez, who has experienced that matchup before, spoke to it "I've always said that any team in the WBC can surprise people," Perez said. We need to come out and play hard, give our best every day, no matter who we are facing. Everyone knows that the Dominican Republic is a great team, and they are extremely talented, but we will wait for that day to come, and we will see what happens after the game." Prior to the biggest game of the pool-play round, Venezuela will take on the Netherlands on Friday and Israel on Saturday, and after Monday's off day, they take on Nicaragua. Kevin Barral is on-site in Miami, covering the World Baseball Classic for DiamondCentric. View the full article

On Fish Unfiltered, AJ Ramos explains how he took full advantage of the nightlife in Miami to take his mind off of baseball after Marlins games. View the full article

In 2024, the Twins finished sixth among MLB teams in fWAR at the shortstop position, even with Carlos Correa missing much of the second half with a foot injury. Heading into 2025, Minnesota was again projected as a top-10 team at short, behind the strength of Correa coming off an All-Star season. Correa proved disappointing. At the end of July, the Twins ranked 16th among MLB teams in shortstop WAR. Mediocre, but hardly disastrous. Just minutes before the trade deadline, Minnesota's front office pounced on an opportunity to unload (some of) Correa's contract, sending him to the Astros for essentially nothing. Brooks Lee took over full-time shortstop duties the rest of the way, and things now did take a turn for disaster. He slashed .208/.274/.348 with uninspiring glovework in the final two months. Despite the underwhelming display, he's once again lined up for the everyday job in 2026, without much in the way of confidence-inspiring backup plans. Can Lee and the Twins defy expectations at a position where they are projected by FanGraphs to be the worst team in all of baseball? TWINS SHORTSTOPS AT A GLANCE Starter: Brooks Lee Backup: Ryan Kreidler Depth: Orlando Arcia, Tristan Gray Prospects: Kaelen Culpepper, Marek Houston Twins fWAR Ranking Last Year: 22nd out of 30 Twins fWAR Projection This Year: 30th out of 30 THE GOOD It's important to acknowledge that Lee is still only 25 years old, and the attributes that made him a top-10 draft pick and high-end prospect are still there. He's a switch-hitter with excellent contact skills and a very high baseball IQ, capable of playing up the middle while offering signs of latent power potential. That's a valuable asset, in theory. But so far in his major-league career, the pieces just have not clicked together for Lee, who's been a replacement-level player through 189 MLB games per FanGraphs (negative-1.0 WAR per Baseball Reference). And while there's no sugarcoating his performance up to this point, it's telling that the Twins traded Correa last year, handed Lee the reins, and are handing them right back over this spring. They believe in Brooks Lee. That was clear from very early on. Their faith may ultimately prove misguided but it's far too early to say so; he'd hardly be the first highly-touted prospect to struggle through a couple of rough seasons before finally turning a corner in his mid-20s. Tom Kelly used to say it takes 1,000 plate appearances in the majors before you really know about a guy, and Lee's still a few hundred short of that. That said, the clock is ticking. The Twins are giving him a wide open runway to take off. The time is now. Lee knows it, and has come to camp with a resolve to lock down the shortstop gig for the foreseeable future. As Bobby Nightengale wrote for the Star Tribune, Lee is living out the proverbial "best shape of his life" mantra — “Probably 15 people have said to me, ‘Man, Brooks looks great,’” said Derek Shelton — and attacking his weaknesses head on. He's focused on improving his defensive range in the field, and making better swing decisions at the plate. Average shortstop defense is about the best you can realistically hope for from Lee, so his bat needs to carry him if he's going to be a positive contributor. And while there are many things that go into that, the simplest version is that he just needs to hit the ball harder. He's shown flashes of impressive power but they are too few and far between, washed out by endless waves of weak contact. We'll see if the offseason work and partnering with new hitting coach Keith Beauregard pays off. Lifting his batting average by even 20 or 30 points would go a long way toward putting Lee's production in an acceptable range — seemingly doable for a guy with one of the lowest BABIPs (.254) in the league since debuting in 2024. Even if he rights the ship somewhat, it's not clear that Lee is part of the long-term vision at shortstop. He's better suited at second or third. Rising through the system are two clear candidates to be heir apparent: Minnesota's #1 selections from each of the last two drafts. Kaelen Culpepper, drafted 21st overall in 2024, experienced a huge breakout last year in the minors, slashing .289/.375/.469 in 113 games between Single-A and Double-A. He participated in the Futures Game and this spring finds himself as a consensus top-100 prospect. Culpepper is in big-league camp and seeing a fair amount of action, which is among the many signals that he might be inching toward entering the team's plans. Marek Houston, drafted 16th overall in 2025, lacks the offensive profile of Culpepper, but is probably already the best defensive shortstop in the organization at age 21. I don't want to overstate things but there's a reason the Twins took him in the middle of the first round, signed him for nearly $5 million and promoted him to High-A almost immediately — and it's not because of his bat. If he proves to be the level of difference-maker in the field that the Twins are envisioning, he can turn into a valuable big-league regular even if the punchless bat doesn't progress. Shortstop is one of the few positions where you can say that. THE BAD Correa, even during his down years in 2023 and 2025, was a roughly average MLB starting shortstop. I know people get lost in the salary and the "overpaid" narratives, but Correa had tremendous value to the Twins as a floor-setting veteran with All-Star potential. They traded that for nothing at last year's deadline and now we pin our hopes with an organization that has shown no real ability to develop its own MLB shortstop talent. Here's a list of first-round shortstops the Twins have drafted in the past 20 years, prior to Culpepper and Houston: Levi Michael (2011), Nick Gordon (2014), Royce Lewis (2017), Keoni Cavaco (2019), Noah Miller (2021) and Lee. That list does not include high-profile international signings like Wander Javier, Miguel Sano and Danny De Andrade. To date, none of these players have panned out as major-league shortstops. (Jorge Polanco did, briefly.) The jury is still out on Lee, but it's not looking good. And while it's easy to dream on Culpepper or Houston, the reality is that odds are stacked against them because it's just really hard to emerge as one of the 30 best shortstops in the world. Culpepper is a good prospect, but not an elite prospect, in part because many evaluators believe he's destined for third base. Houston's going to need to meet an extremely high bar defensively unless his hitting ability improves by leaps and bounds. For now, what the Twins have is Lee, a replacement-level player backed up by replacement-level options in Ryan Kreidler, Orlando Arcia and Tristan Gray. Unless Lee can stay healthy and rebound, the shortstop position is going to be rough for Minnesota in 2026. THE BOTTOM LINE The long-term picture is unclear and the short-term outlook is rather bleak. FanGraphs projecting the Twins to rank 30th out of 30 MLB teams in WAR at the shortstop position says it all — Lee hasn't shown much of anything, and there's little behind him in the way of proven depth. Catch up on the rest of our roster preview series: Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Catcher Twins 2026 Position Analysis: First Base Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Second Base Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Third Base View the full article

Padres Mission's countdown of the top 20 San Diego Padres prospects, as voted on by our staff writers, continues with deeper profiles on the top 10 entering the 2026 season. Check out previous editions of these rankings here: No. 10: Kale Fountain Nos. 11-15 Nos. 16-20 No. 9 Ryan Wideman (Lake Elsinore Storm) After one season at Western Kentucky, the San Diego Padres selected center fielder Ryan Wideman in the third round of the 2025 draft. Wideman had spent the two previous years in junior college at Georgia Highlands and then became the Conference USA Player of the Year at Western Kentucky. The 22-year-old son of former Clemson men's basketball player Tom Wideman is very toolsy. He can definitely hit for average, posting a .398/.466/.652 slash line in his lone season (60 games) at Western Kentucky after a .423/.488/.724 in 115 Juco games. He also brings a big speed aspect, stealing 48 bases in 2024 and then 45 in 2025. Besides those two traits, many onlookers feel that his power potential is untapped due in part to a 6-foot-4, 204-pound frame. Wideman had 10 homers at Western Kentucky after 22 in two Juco seasons. After being selected, he reported to Low A Lake Elsinore and had a .229/.330/.271 slash line in 26 games, with no homers and 12 RBIs with 11 steals in 12 tries. The concern with Wideman offensively is how he adjusts to pro pitching. His grounder and chase rates were among the worst in Division I. The Padres will need to help Wideman hone in his approach at the plate, perhaps eliminating a big leg kick. After striking out 47 times in 283 plate appearances (16.6%) at Western Kentucky, he went down 32 times in 112 plate appearances (28.6%) at Lake Elsinore. He had a 40% chase rate in college in 2025 and 35% with the Storm. Defensively, Wideman has the speed and the range to track down any ball in center field, but needs to improve his routes to the ball, something that can be smoothed over as a pro. While he has an average arm, his legs will keep him in center. A return to Lake Elsinore and the California League seems pretty obvious in order to put the changes made in the offseason and spring training into action. With the investment of a third-round pick, at least a round or two higher than projected, Wideman will get time to prove himself. If things click early and the Padres like what they are seeing, a promotion to High-A Fort Wayne will be waiting. His tools are easy to dream on, especially if he puts together a 25-homer season, which seems very reachable based on his college performance. It would not be out of bounds to project a 25-homer, 70-steal season while playing the premium position of center field if absolutely everything clicks. But that only comes if he is able to smooth out the rough patches at the plate. View the full article

The excitement is building for baseball fans. As the calendar hits the first Friday in March, the Kansas City Royals are only three weeks away from opening day in Atlanta. As always, spring training statistics don’t mean a lot in the big picture, but with the countdown until the regular season begins, players will be getting close to wanting to find their groove before camps break at the end of March. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Carter Jensen Jensen continues to show why he is ready to be a full-time Major League Baseball player. After appearing in 20 games last season, where the catcher batted .300 with three home runs and 13 RBI’s, Jensen has followed that up with a .400 average through his first 15 spring training at-bats. With two home runs and five RBI’s this spring, Jensen is making a case to become a middle-of-the-lineup bat, which would be a great boost to the Royals’ lineup after last season’s offensive struggles. Ryan Bergert Bergert made his third appearance of the spring on Tuesday, pitching two shutout innings against Team Cuba. Through six spring training innings, Bergert has yet to allow a run, allowing two hits, one walk, and striking out six. Bergert remains in the mix to earn a spot on the Royals’ opening day roster, especially with the injury to Stephen Kolek. After posting an ERA of 3.66 and holding opposing batters to a .215 average last season, Bergert is setting himself up to be a strong option for the Royals. Lucas Erceg Erceg made his first appearance of the spring on Tuesday, recording a scoreless inning with one strikeout. A major factor in the Royals’ bullpen last season, Erceg will be tasked with helping set up for closer Carlos Estévez. Last season, Erceg went 8-4 with an ERA of 2.64 and a WHIP of 1.17 across 61 ⅓ innings. Erceg will look to strikeout more batters in 2026 after recording only 48 last year. Who’s Not? 🧊 Cole Ragans Ragans was roughed up by the Texas Rangers on Thursday night, allowing six earned runs over 1 ⅔ innings. The left-hander allowed one home run, one walk, and hit one batter, requiring 52 pitches to get through his outing. Ragans likely has three more outings prior to opening day, giving him a chance to get right before the 2026 season kicks off. The likely candidate to be named the Royals’ opening day starter, the main concern is a healthy spring after last year’s injury troubles. Kevin Newman Signed to a minor league contract in December, Newman has struggled across 18 at-bats. Newman has hit .211, with zero home runs and no RBI’s. In 114 at-bats, last season with the Los Angeles Angels, Newman hit .202 with two home runs and 11 RBI’s. After recording an on-base percentage of .209, Newman is on the outside looking in at a big league spot. John Schreiber Schreiber was hit hard by the Rangers on Thursday night, giving up five hits in one inning of work. The right-hander allowed four runs, while walking one and striking out one. Facing many of the Rangers’ regulars, Schreiber allowed four straight hits to Corey Seager, Jake Burger, Kyle Higashioka, and Josh Smith. Last season, Schreiber appeared in a team-high 74 games, going 3-3 with an ERA of 3.80 and a WHIP of 1.19. The 32-year-old will be a big part of the Royals’ bullpen in 2026. View the full article

The back end of the Brewers' rotation has plenty of competition. Can Logan Henderson break in after a superb five-start stint in 2025? In this video, we review what made him so successful in his first taste of the big leagues, what he needs to work on, and the overall likelihood that Henderson is a member of Milwaukee's starting five. View the full article

Emmanuel Rodriguez is turning heads in Twins camp this spring. The numbers are loud, the contact quality is real, and he’s making a serious case to be part of the Opening Day conversation. Could the Twins’ outfield prospect force his way into that fourth outfield spot? View the full article

As spring training rolls on, there are a few names that Red Sox fans should be keeping an extra close eye on. Payton Tolle just made his latest case to be in the Sox rotation, Roman Anthony will enter his first full big league season since inking an eight-year extension, Seth Martinez is aiming to return to his 2024 form, Caleb Durbin has many eyes on him after Boston acquired him from the Brewers, and Vinny Capra is aiming to finally break through and shake his in-betweener reputation to this point. Enjoy! View the full article

Apologies in advance for stepping out from behind my satirical remove. But the situation demands it. Guys, I think the Twins might be pretty bad this year. Prior to spring training, 75 wins seemed about right. That isn't good, by any stretch of the imagination. But they had enough starting pitching to get from here to respectability, especially in a bad division. Enough things break right, they could sniff .500, and if they finally get some breakout performances from the kids (I'm one of the TD writers old enough to remember when Kirby Puckett started hitting for power), one could dare to dream of a playoff berth. Dream in one hand and [REDACTED] in the other, and see which one fills up first. Pablo López is out. David Festa is hurt. Joe Ryan has back trouble. Bailey Ober already had to hit reset. That's 80% of the rotation! The good part of the team! The depth has gone from enviable to Andrew Morris and ten Hail Marys. The lineup is...man, I don't know. Can anyone but Byron Buxton play defense? And are Josh Bell and Victor Caratini enough to fix the inconsistent offense of last year? I desperately want to be wrong. I want Brooks Lee to live up to his potential. I want Royce Lewis to be Royce Lewis again. I think it's foolish to expect that to happen. To be honest, the least of my concerns is the bullpen. Yes, the completely decimated one from last year with three reclamation projects as the causes for quote-unquote "hope". I like how Aaron put it over at The Athletic: There is zero reason to expect the bullpen to be good (and to be clear, Aaron doesn't), but bullpens are weird like hockey goalies are weird. No one knows how they work or what makes them tick; you just hope you fall into a decent one. Of all the things I can muster optimism about today regarding Your Minnesota Twins, it's that the bullpen might be OK—because sometimes that just happens. In the name of Tony Fiore, let it be so. Finally, I know spring training records are meaningless. But the 4-8 record as of Thursday morning is earned. It seems about right for what they're putting out there every afternoon. And it doesn't look a whole lot different from what they're going to put out there when the games start counting. I want to be wrong. As I put this in the publication queue, they are beating the living hell out of the New York Yankees, of all teams. [Ed. note: They held on to win a nailbiter, 15-0.] I would love nothing more than to have everyone reading this throwing it in my face come September's pennant race. That said, if the worst comes to pass, tickets, hot dogs, and beers will be pretty cheap this summer. See you at the yard. Image license here. View the full article