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Spring training is going to look quite a bit different for the Boston Red Sox for the next two weeks, as multiple players have departed to participate for their respective countries in the World Baseball Classic. What that does, though, is give us fans an opportunity to watch some of the less heralded players in the organization. Once teams have been eliminated from the WBC, we’ll see more familiar names start to pop up here. but it will be interesting to see which players are making a case for themselves to be in the Opening Day roster conversation based on these next two weeks. Who’s Hot for Red Sox? Braiden Ward: Ward has been not so quietly making a case for himself to be the utility man off the bench come Opening Day. Offensively, he’s been absolutely on fire. He’s slashing .389/.450/.444 with a .894 OPS. He’s notched seven hits in 10 games with three RBIs and no home runs. Where he has absolutely shined is on the basepaths. In those ten games, he’s swiped eight bags while only being thrown out once. He’s lao scored six runs so far in Grapefruit League action. If Ward continues to be an absolute menace on the basepaths while playing solid defense in the outfield, it will be tough deny him a spot on the Opening Day, or at least have him cooking in Worcester, ready to be called up at a moment’s notice. Trevor Story: Story is looking to build on his first healthy season with the Red Sox in 2025 and through the first portion of spring training, he’s doing just that. He’s slashing .400/.400/.667 with six hits, two RBIs, and one triple over five Grapefruit League games. He’s showing that he’s still comfortable at shortstop on defense and is already rounding into form on offense. There’s a lot riding on Story being healthy again in 2026, which is always a huge question mark. As of right now though, Story looks strong and ready for the season to start. If his bat can avoid the early season cold snap he went through last season, he will force his way into the All-Star conversations for the first time since 2019. Noah Song: Song is making a case to be a part of the major-league bullpen sooner than later with his early performances in spring training. He’s appeared in two games, tossing 2 1/3 innings with a flat zero ERA and three strikeouts. He’s topping out at 96.7 mph on his four-seam fastball and getting whiffs with it up in the zone. He’s been a name that diehard fans have been tracking since he was drafted in 2019 due to his military service commitment and then subsequently being taken by the Phillies in the Rule 5 Draft in 2022. Song has all of the tools to be a major-league contributor this season, but he’s going to have to keep this up for the remainder of the month to shoo away the remaining doubters. Who’s Not? Nick Sogard: Sogard has logged 22 at bats over nine games so far this spring, but he’s failed to make much of an impact. He’s slashing .091/.167/.091 with two hits and two runs. He was believed to be in contention for a bench spot entering camp, but he may be quickly playing his way into a role with the WooSox instead. He could be one of the people most impacted by playing time changes over these next two weeks, so he has a chance to turn things around, but the spring has not been kind to Sogard so far. He will be one of the first names called up in the event of injury, but if this level of play keeps up then he’s going to be jumped in the pecking order pretty quickly. Wilyer Abreu: Abreu has taken some great swing against left-handed pitchers during spring training but his stats leave a lot to be desired. He’s slashing .143/.294/.143 through six games of Grapefruit League action. He’s been playing out of position, left field, as he prepares to join Team Venezuela in the WBC, but that shouldn’t make such a drastic impact on his offensive numbers. He’s likely going to start every game for Venezuela while they are in the tournament; hopefully, he shows back up to camp ready to go and is able to prove that he deserves more than just being part of a platoon in right field in 2026. Connor Wong: This feels like low-hanging fruit after the season Wong had in 2025, but he’s not performing well in camp so far. He’s slashing just .111/.200/.111 over nine at bats in four games. He’s registered one hit, zero runs, two strikeouts, and one walk. Wong entered camp hoping to reestablish himself as a viable option as the backup catcher, but we could be seeing the beginning of the end of Wong. He would have benefited from Carlos Narvaez playing in the WBC, but Narvy was denied insurance to compete, so he’s sticking around camp for all of spring training. He was scratched from the lineup on March 3 with back spasms, but it’s unlikely that sidelines him for very long. Wong likely has a short leash this year and his lack of production is making it shorter and shorter by the day. View the full article

There is more at stake this spring than just whether a player starts, is in the bullpen, or comes off the bench. Spots on the 40-man roster are also in jeopardy for a handful of San Diego Padres who do not have the ability to be optioned to the minor leagues. Without going into too much detail, players have to be put on the 40-man roster in order to be promoted to the major leagues. You do not have to be promoted to the major leagues if you are on the 40-man roster as MLB rosters are limited to 26 players. This creates a pseudo taxi squad of 14 players who are ostensibly in the minor leagues or on either the seven-day concussion list or the 10- (position players) or 15-day (pitchers) injured lists or other emergency lists such as bereavement or paternity. Players who are on the 60-day injured list do not count against the 40-man roster (temporarily removed) until they are activated. The first time a player is put on a 40-man roster in his career, he receives three minor-league options. Each of these options cover a single season and allows a player to be moved freely between the majors and minors, typically Triple-A. Players can be optioned from the majors to the minors up to five times in a single season. This means a player can be optioned from the majors to the minors in three different seasons. Options do not reset when a player changes teams or if he is removed from the 40-man roster for some reason and added back. Occasionally, a player is able to petition for a fourth option year, usually due to an injury situation or other circumstance. One other thing: Players with five years of service time can't be optioned without their permission, so none of those players are included here. OK, now that we have that established, how does that apply to the Padres this spring training? There are six players in Friars camp on the 40-man roster who do not have a minor-league option remaining. The are catcher Luis Campusano, outfielder Bryce Johnson and pitchers Randy Vasquez, Matt Waldron, Ron Marinaccio and Ty Adcock. Their paths to making the Opening Day roster are different, with some have a better chance than others. For players from this group who don't earn one of the 26 spots on the major-league roster and are not placed on the injured lists, they will either be traded or designated for assignment, which removes them from the 40-man roster and subjects them to waivers. If they clear waivers, they can be either released or outrighted to the minors. Luis Campusano Campusano is as solid of a lock as there is on this list. He entered camp as the No. 2 catcher behind Freddy Fermin and no real competition from within the organization. Unless someone else is brought in or he is traded or gets hurt, Campusano will be on the Opening Day roster. Bryce Johnson Johnson's chances of opening the season with the Padres took a turn when outfielder Alex Verdugo agreed to a minor-league contract. Johnson played 47 games in 2024 after joining the Friars in free agency, left that offseason to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who traded him back to the Padres on April 17 for catcher Brett Sullivan. He went to Triple-A, where he stayed until being called up June 16. He saw action in 56 games the rest of the way. Now, he faces increased competition for one of three non-catcher bench spots. With one going to infielder Sung Mun Song and the other to outfielder-infielder Miguel Andujar, that leaves one more depending on how the Padres want to configure their bench. An outfielder like Johnson or Verdugo would be logical, while perhaps other non-40-man players such as Samad Taylor, Ty France, Jose Miranda, Carlos Rodriguez or Nick Schnell could grab that spot. Randy Vasquez Early results look promising for Vasquez to be part of the Opening Day roster and in the starting rotation, where he has been each of the last two seasons with the Friars. There was competition brought in to challenge for the last two spots in the rotation after camp began. Those additions are right-handers German Marquez, Griffin Canning and Walker Buehler, the latter signing a minor-league deal and thus not appearing on the 40-man. Canning is still making his way back from a left Achilles injury and is a candidate to begin the season on the 15-day IL. Matt Waldron Waldron, like Vasquez, is in competition for the rotation, though the former received a reprieve from the Padres having to make a decision on him before Opening Day. That is because the right-handed knuckleballer had hemorrhoid surgery recently and is expected to start the season on the 15-day IL. He was a borderline candidate to begin with, now with more time before the team has to add him to the major-league roster or trade or DFA him. Ron Marinaccio A right-handed reliever, Marinaccio spent most of 2025 at Triple-A El Paso after being purchased from the Chicago White Sox, who DFA'd him that January. Marinaccio did get called up three times and pitched in seven MLB games with a 2.01 FIP. He is squarely on the bubble, with the Padres having a few choices on how to handle him. How he performs in the World Baseball Classic with Italy could play a role; another factor is the health of the other Padres relievers. Right-hander Jason Adam (ruptured quad) and left-hander Yuki Matsui (strained adductor) are on the mend, while another candidate, right-hander Bryan Hoeing, was just shut down due to discomfort in his throwing elbow. Ty Adcock An early offseason signing to a major-league contract, the 29-year-old right-handed reliever has just 18 MLB games to his credit over the last three seasons with the Seattle Mariners and New York Mets. Adcock has had a good start to camp and will need to continue that in order to make the team. Like Marinaccio, his chances could depend on the health of others and the fact other candidates, like Bradgley Rodriguez, Kyle Hart, and Alek Jacob, have minor-league options remaining. View the full article

With both Tyler Austin and Jonathon Long dealing with injuries, non-roster invitee Chas McCormick has gained an inside track on an Opening Day role with the Cubs. McCormick, 30, is a seasoned veteran with ample experience in center field, and he bats right-handed, so he can (at least theoretically) swap in to shield starting center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong from tough matchups against left-handed pitchers. McCormick also hit a ball 110.8 miles per hour off Angels starter José Soriano in a game last week, harder than any he's hit in a big-league game in his career. However, he's also come into camp swinging rather desperately, trying to create flashes just like that double against the Angels but not demonstrating the improved approach he needs to succeed sustainably. He's swung at 43 of the 71 pitches he's seen this spring—almost 61% of them. A whopping 19 of those swings have been whiffs or foul tips. He might make the team purely because of his defensive utility, but he's not truly showing that he's ready to regain his footing at the plate, after batting .211/.273/.301 since the start of 2024. That makes the lineup Craig Counsell wrote Tuesday against Team Italy important. Matt Shaw, who had previously made three starts in right field and two each at second and third base, patrolled center field in the exhibition game leading into the World Baseball Classic. He was neither notably good nor a disaster there, and he also got two hits in the game—though he made a baserunning mistake (not his first of the spring, and an increasingly sore subject for Counsell). It's just one game, so it's far, far too early to make any kind of assessment. The simple fact of his standing out there, however, carries some heavy implications. If the Cubs can get Shaw more reps in center over the fortnight for which Pete Crow-Armstrong will be absent from camp, and if he shows himself to be capable there, the roster math changes. The team claimed infielder Ben Cowles from the Blue Jays on Sunday, the third time they've acquired him. They first dealt for Cowles at the 2024 trade deadline, when they shipped Mark Leiter Jr. to the Yankees, and after losing him on waivers to the White Sox last September, they reclaimed him in January—only to waive and lose him again in February, then scoop him up once more to open March. Cowles, 26, can be optioned to the minors, but as the four times he's been waived in the last six months attest, he's a fringe guy. If McCormick does assert himself as a solid candidate for the roster, he'll need a spot on the 40-man reserve list, and Cowles could easily be the casualty. However, the Cubs wouldn't keep bringing him in if they didn't like some of the things Cowles does. He's a solid defender at shortstop, second base and third base. He's not a good hitter, but he has a modicum of both speed and pop—though the latter would be muted at the big-league level. If Shaw keeps playing center field and looks good there, the chances of the team making him the backup center fielder and letting Cowles (rather than McCormick) take up the final spot on the roster. Even better, perhaps, would be the scenario in which Pedro Ramirez—unlike Cowles, a good contact-oriented hitter who also hits from both sides of the plate—claims that utility infield role. Unless Shaw can handle center, the team needs a righty-batting guy who will do so, not only to insure them against an injury to Crow-Armstrong but to give them someone who can hit lefties at that position. McCormick, Dylan Carlson, Justin Dean and Kevin Alcántara are all auditioning for that job, but none has come into camp looking so good as to make the decision clear. If they have to give one of their bench spots to one of those guys, Shaw will be the utility infielder, with occasional time in right field mixed in. The results of the converted third baseman's trial in center, then, will determine from which pool the team selects the last member of their bench cohort. View the full article

It feels hard to believe now, but it's true: the Opening Day starter at third base for the Minnesota Twins last year was José Miranda. His last hurrah didn't last long; Miranda was demoted to the minors in mid-April with a .417 OPS and did not return. He moved on during the offseason, landing with the Padres, and now the layer of third-base depth that Miranda provided — however tenuous — is gone, along with the rest of their in-house backups from last year, leaving a lot of pressure on Royce Lewis to stay healthy and produce. What could go wrong? TWINS THIRD BASEMEN AT A GLANCE Starter: Royce Lewis Backup: Kody Clemens Depth: Eric Wagaman, Gio Urshela, Tristan Gray Prospects: Quentin Young, Brandon Winokur, Billy Amick Twins fWAR Ranking Last Year: 20th out of 30 Twins fWAR Projection This Year: 14th out of 30 THE GOOD We all know what Lewis is capable of. He's done it in the regular season, the playoffs. He's doing it again this spring — it took him exactly one at-bat to remind us of his awesome power. Now that's the guy we remember. The first overall draft pick, top prospect and rookie phenom. The unstoppable force who took the league by storm and lifted the franchise out of its postseason malaise. Even with his struggles over the past couple years, he has a very respectable .255/.310/.453 career slash line and 109 OPS+ at age 26. Of course, those good-not-great numbers are split down the middle, blending Lewis' otherworldly production in 2022-23 (148 OPS+ in 70 games) with his sub-par performance over a much larger sample in 2024-25 (93 OPS+ in 188 games). He doesn't need to get quite back to the level of his early peak — that may not even be possible, given the cumulative toll of his injuries — but the Twins need something far closer than what we saw in 2025. And it's more than possible! Believing in a Lewis resurgence is more than just wishcasting. He's still relatively young, his natural talent is obvious, and he ended last year looking as healthy and spry as we've seen him in a long time. Lewis graded out better defensively than ever before, and made some legitimately dazzling plays down the stretch. He stole nine bases on 10 attempts in September, and has been running early this spring, as if to make a statement about how good his legs feel. The missing piece is his bat, with Lewis acknowledging that his swing has long felt broken and out of whack. He spent the offseason working with a personal hitting coach, and early signs have been positive. THE BAD Aside from Lewis, these are the players who made starts at third base for the Twins last year: Brooks Lee (32), Jonah Bride (16), Willi Castro (9), Miranda (9), Ryan Fitzgerald (4). Lee is now the starting shortstop and everyone else is no longer in the organization. While Lewis' run of good health in the second half last year was encouraging, the injury stormcloud isn't going to stop looming over him for a while, especially given that he already had an early scare this spring. Fortunately, the side discomfort that scratched him from the lineup last Thursday came up clean on an MRI, and Lewis was back in the lineup batting leadoff on Tuesday, but it was a stark reminder that contingency plans behind him matter. I found myself asking: if a more serious injury struck and Lewis were sidelined for a prolonged period, who would step in as the regular third baseman? I guess as of now it's Gio Urshela, who joined the Twins on a minor-league deal in early February. He offers a lot of MLB experience at third and an okay glove, but little else. Urshela hasn't hit at all for multiple years and he's legitimately one of the slowest players in the major leagues. But I also think a long-term injury to Lewis is the only thing that gets Urshela on the roster. In the event of a more short-term absence or rest day for Lewis, the top backups as of now are seemingly Kody Clemens and Eric Wagaman. Maybe those two could even form a platoon if Lewis went down. But man, what an incredibly dire situation that would be on defense. Tristan Gray, Ryan Kreidler or Orlando Arcia are more palatable gloves at the hot corner, depending who's on the roster, but like Urshela they haven't hit. The Twins don't really have much going on in terms of quality infield depth, and that's felt at third as much as anywhere. THE BOTTOM LINE This feels like a make-or-break season for Lewis. He still has three remaining years of control but if he doesn't significantly improve or can't stay on the field, you've got to think the Twins will be inclined to chart a new path at third base. Presently, it's totally unclear how that path might look take shape. Maybe Kaelen Culpepper shifts over to third at some point, though that would open up its own can of worms for planning elsewhere, as we'll address in the next installment of this series. For now, all eyes are on Lewis, whose own success (or lack thereof) will play a huge role in determining whether the Twins are able to field a competitive team this season. 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 View the full article

After a rough 2024 season, Jake Bauers was non-tendered by the Brewers, and limped back into camp last year as a non-roster invitee. He earned a place with the team, though, and went on to have a strong season—especially down the stretch. He missed five weeks with a shoulder impingement, but after returning in late August, he batted .321/.433/.500 in 67 regular-season plate appearances to close the campaign. In the playoffs, he was 4-for-13 with a double, a home run and a walk. This time around, he and the team agreed to a deal ahead of the non-tender deadline, guaranteeing him $2.7 million. Bauers said that his time on the injured list in the latter part of the summer afforded him a chance to shift the focus of his conditioning work, which led to his late-season success and inspired a change to his offseason routine. "I think there was a real emphasis on mobility toward the end of last year, and just making sure I was controlling my body as well as I could, so that was kind of the main focus," Bauers said. Entering the winter, that informed how he worked out. "A lot more focus on functional training, as opposed to just throwing weight on a bar and squatting. A lot of single-leg stuff, stability work, mobility, stuff like that." Although a California native, Bauers now lives outside Dallas, in the same area as new teammate Jett Williams. He turned to a new trainer, Nick Daley, who helped him develop a plan focused on specialized movements and maximizing the utility of his movements. He's always been an athletic specimen, and a much better mover than most first basemen and corner outfielders. Now, he hopes, he's tapped into a way to better convert that athleticism into consistent on-field value. The Brewers have bought in. Though Andrew Vaughn and Bauers won't play in a platoon—that would marginalize the righty-batting Vaughn too much—Pat Murphy is enthusiastic about Bauers's value and expects him to play more in 2026 than he did last season. Despite the team's apparent logjam in the outfield, Murphy emphasized the versatility Bauers brings as a left fielder, in addition to first base. That could come into play especially prominently if (as seems increasingly plausible) Jackson Chourio ends up spoending significant time in center field again this year. Bauers is preparing to play both positions. "I think the second you assume something—assume you might not get out there—I've found that to be exactly the moment you do end up in the outfield," he said. "So I'm trying to stay ready for whatever it is." Both Bauers and Murphy said the lefty slugger will play some outfield in the coming days, which works just fine for the Brewers. With Chourio away for the World Baseball Classic and both Brandon Lockridge and Jett Williams slowed by injuries, there's playing time available out there. Of course, Bauers's main job is to hit. That's where his improved body control will be most important, because he already has ample explosiveness. He owns the best bat speed on the team, and his average swing speed increased substantially last season. At the same time, as part of a more patient approach, he let the ball travel a bit deeper into the hitting zone before contact, reducing his likelihood of whiffing. It was a major change, although a subtle one, and his hope is that a winter of work focused on the aspects of his movement that are most essential to it will result in similar results to what he managed late last year. If so, the Brewers will find a lot of plate appearances for him. His could be the unexpected slugging that infuses this year's seemingly underpowered with its missing ingredient. View the full article

When the San Diego Padres signed Jose Miranda to a minor-league deal in December, the level of intrigue in response was tepid at best. A former top prospect of a certain pedigree with two separate years of success at the top level as a change-of-scenery candidate rung as similar to Gavin Sheets. But could the Padres capture lightning in a bottle twice after Sheets established himself as a key bat following multiple down years with the Chicago White Sox? If Miranda’s early returns in spring training are any indication, they just might. While the story of Sheets didn’t quite reach the valleys on the performance front as that of Miranda, the context is somewhat similar. After two steady years of above-average play that bookended a brutal 2023, Miranda was woeful in 2025. He struck out over 36 percent of the time, didn’t walk once, and saw his power dissipate entirely across 36 plate appearances with a Minnesota Twins team that traded away as much of their roster as they could at the trade deadline. His Triple-A output wasn’t much better, as a .214 batting average on balls in play pinned him down to a wRC+ of 49 in 371 plate appearances with the St. Paul Saints. So, even for a team mired in a rebuild like the Twins, they didn’t feel he was worth giving another shot at either infield corner ahead of 2026. Miranda caught on with San Diego on that non-guaranteed pact and has immediately produced during the exhibition season. As of this writing, he’s stepped to the plate 19 times, turned in a .412/.474/.765 line with a 15.8 percent strikeout rate against a 10.5 percent walk rate. He’s slugged a homer and a trio of doubles along the way. It’s a small sample, but gaudy numbers are gaudy numbers, especially this time of year. The “issue” for the Padres is if Miranda continues this pace. With an already-existent glut of profiles that read as quite similar to Miranda, could they make room for him on the Opening Day roster even if they wanted to? Miranda offers a bat at first base, third base, and designated hitter for the Padres. As of right now, the only of those three spots with a guaranteed body entrenched is third base featuring Manny Machado. As far as guaranteed contracts on the roster, the Padres figure to rotate Sheets, Nick Castellanos, and Miguel Andujar into those other two spots regularly. The latter two can fill in on the outfield grass occasionally, but with Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, and Ramón Laureano occupying the three spots, opportunities there may be sparse. However, given that at least two of those three names will have to be in the lineup on a given day, the Sheets-Castellanos-Andujar contingent will, technically, only count for one bench spot. However, even one bench spot counts for a lot given how the rest of the reserves stand to shake out. Sung Mun Song will occupy a key role as a utility player, but without a clear path to a starting gig, someone’s on the bench in his stead as he moves around the diamond. Beyond Song, Luis Campusano has the inside track as the No. 2 gig behind the plate, and Bryce Johnson is the favorite as the fourth outfielder. That’s a very murky picture for someone like Miranda, good as his spring has been thus far, to actually crack the roster barring an injury. Additionally, it’s difficult to see the Padres cutting someone from that mix in order to accommodate him. Let’s deal in hypotheticals for a moment, though. An injury could put Miranda on the roster on its own. To a corner outfielder, you’ve got Andujar, Castellanos, and Sheets in tow capable of handling such a role over a short stint. In center, you’re looking at Laureano or Bryce Johnson, with Song sliding into regular duty wherever infield coverage may be needed. Either way, a lane would open up for Miranda in that case. Obviously, that’s not the ideal scenario, of course, so let’s talk about a pathway to the roster that doesn’t involve someone’s trip to the injured list. The Padres need offensive upside from their bench. They’re not a team that is necessarily prioritizing defense. Johnson offers the least offensive upside of anyone currently in the group. He’s also out of options. Would the team part ways by way of a DFA for their lone three-position-capable outfielder if it meant further stocking up the bench with bats? In that case, you get Miranda on the roster with Laureano filling in in center field on occasion. Should the Padres want Miranda on the roster to the point of executing that type of move, though? That all depends on how the remainder of spring shakes out. If he keeps going this way, you’re not just talking about him on the roster, but supplanting either of Andujar or Castellanos as a right-handed hitter getting regular work on a corner or as the designated hitter. Then again, that develops a concern regarding the defensive limitations of that veteran-laden group. Should he make the roster in someone like Johnson’s stead, you’d be looking at Miranda on either infield corner, Andujar at any of the four corners, and Sheets and Castellanos each at first and handling one side of the outfield apiece (the former in left and the latter in right). That leaves only Song up the middle, unless the Padres trust Jake Cronenworth to slide over to shortstop from the keystone on occasion. In those terms, it doesn’t seem as dire. Of course, Miranda has to sustain his output before this is a conversation the team is willing to have. As muddled as it might make things if he does, it does appear that there are at least a couple of paths toward feasibly getting him on the Opening Day roster. Ultimately, it’d make for a good problem to have for the Padres in 2026. View the full article

Fans caught their first glimpse of the roster Canada is bringing to the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday, when Team Canada took on the Blue Jays in a pre-tournament exhibition match. While the Blue Jays came out on top, Team Canada put up one heck of a fight, thanks to an offense led by Josh Naylor, Tyler O'Neill, and Owen Caissie. Altogether, the bats combined for seven runs on 10 hits and five walks. The Canadian pitching wasn't quite as strong, though Adam Macko tossed a scoreless frame. Facing his own team, he gave up a single to Nathan Lukes but erased it by inducing a double play from Daulton Varsho. A groundout from Addison Barger got Macko out of the inning. In addition to Naylor, O'Neill, Caissie, and Macko, more notable players on Team Canada include pitchers Jameson Taillon, Michael Soroka, Cal Quantrill, and James Paxton, as well as position players Bo Naylor, Edouard Julien, and Denzel Clarke. Former Blue Jays Otto Lopez and Phillippe Aumont are also suiting up for the national squad, while four more former Jays are on the coaching staff: manager Ernie Whitt, first base coach Russell Martin, pitching coach Paul Quantrill, and bullpen coach Denis Boucher. Team Canada has never advanced past the first round of the World Baseball Classic before, but the roster they've put together this year has what it takes to change that. Here's everything you need to know about when and how to watch Canada's pool play matchups against Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba, and Panama. Team Canada First-Round Schedule (Pool A) Three of Canada's four first-round games will air on Sportsnet. However, to watch their faceoff against Puerto Rico, arguably the most exciting game of them all, you'll have to tune in to Sportsnet One instead. (The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing the Montreal Canadiens that evening in the same time slot.) Date Opponent Start Time Where To Watch March 7 Colombia 11:00 am ET Sportsnet March 8 Panama 7:00 pm ET Sportsnet March 10 Puerto Rico 7:00 pm ET Sportsnet One March 11 Cuba 3:00 pm ET Sportsnet TVA Sports has the rights to Canada's French-language WBC broadcasts, while in the USA, games will air on FOX Sports and its various divisions. More information about how you can watch the WBC from other countries is available on MLB.com. View the full article

Following an impressive 2024 season that saw Matt Duffy dominate in Salem during his first full professional season, the Boston Red Sox expected for the young pitcher to take the next step forward last year as a pitching prospect. Instead, an injury occurred that derailed his entire season. Duffy, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, made 22 appearances for Low-A Salem. In that span, he tossed 98 2/3 innings with a 2.83 ERA while striking out 100 batters. The right-hander also managed to limit walks, allowing only 27 free passes throughout the entire season. The thought of playing in 2025 was quickly wiped away when he tore his UCL in February, requiring elbow surgery. “Before I got hurt I was slated to go to Greenville. But I know when I finish my rehab I’ll go back to Salem for probably one or two starts,” Duffy explained when asked about the plan for 2026. “But I don’t really know what the plan is cause it’s kind of far away from now.” Duffy is one of many young Red Sox pitchers working his way back from injury. While he may not be the highest on the depth chart or prospect lists, as a command-oriented pitcher who has seen his velocity increase from the high-80s to around 93 or 94 mph is an interesting arm to keep an eye on. Should he continue to increase the velocity on his fastball once healthy, he could become another success story for the Red Sox's pitching lab down the road. Along with Duffy, Conrad Cason has been working his way back from injury. Drafted in 2024, the two-way player didn’t get a chance to play much in his first professional season as he appeared in just three games, one as a pitcher and the other two on the positional side. In total, Cason tossed two innings and struck out five batters while offensively he went one-for-four with an RBI. Cason’s season would be cut short when he underwent Tommy John surgery much like Duffy, only his came in August. In an offseason interview with Cason, the two-way player stated that he was doing well in his rehab and that the next step was seeing how his arm would respond during the beginning of spring training. In the first week of spring training, he appeared to be doing well, playing long toss to test out his arm along with taking batting practice like everyone else. The most encouraging sign for his arm was the fact Cason was taking infield grounders with other minor-league players at both shortstop and second base. After fielding, he would throw across the diamond showing no issues with his arm. Cason himself said that he felt great and that his arm felt great after throwing, but he would not be pitching in 2026 because of the surgery. He will be playing as a positional player, getting a chance to develop on that side of baseball while he waits for his return to the mound. Despite losing a year of pitching, the team isn’t ready to give up on having him throw off a mound and will look to 2027 to see if he’ll continue as a two-way player or focus on just one aspect of baseball instead. These two young players will continue to work their way back onto a baseball field as they look to move onto the next step of their careers. While things haven’t gone as planned for either of them, their resilience and talent portends a bright future for both Duffy and Cason. View the full article

Shota Imanaga has been in Cubs spring training headlines for the full spectrum of reasons. While his fastball velocity is hovering around 94 MPH at times, up from 2024 and 2025 numbers, he recently gave up some hard contact to the Cubs' crosstown rivals, the Chicago White Sox. Should we be worried about Imanaga regressing in 2026? We break it all down in this video. View the full article

The Kansas City Royals have signed 14-year MLB veteran Starling Marte. Does the 37-year-old have anything left in the tank, and what are realistic expectations for his role in 2026? We dive into Marte's strengths, weaknesses, and expected contributions to the team this season. Enjoy! View the full article

Spring training stats are always difficult to navigate. There are five Milwaukee Brewers turning heads in Arizona. Players discussed in this video are Luis Lara, Joey Ortiz, Akil Baddoo, Brandon Lockridge, and Tyler Black. View the full article

Safe to say, expectations weren't high for Brett Squires entering Royals Spring Training in Arizona. Squires wasn't an official non-roster invitee, meaning that his starting outlook in 2026 would be in the Minor Leagues. A couple of seasons ago, the former University of Oklahoma product seemed to be making the case as a dark horse for a 40-man roster spot. In High-A Quad Cities in 2024, the undrafted prospect posted a .309/.390/.481 slash with a .401 wOBA and 151 wRC+ in 270 plate appearances. He only had nine home runs, but he likely would've surpassed his 15-HR mark in 2023 in Columbia in 122 games had he not gotten injured. Despite the shortened sample, he stole 16 bases and collected 42 RBI. There was some hope that Squires would make a run for a roster spot in 2025 despite not being added to the 40-man roster in the offseason. He went unselected in the Rule 5 Draft that December, but that didn't mean he didn't hold potential as a dark horse prospect in Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Unfortunately, the power didn't develop as hoped last season, and the overall metrics plateaued a bit as well over a larger sample of games. In 116 games and 496 plate appearances, Squires slashed .248/.327/.411 with a .341 wOBA and 105 wRC+. While those latter numbers are encouraging, he only hit 10 home runs and posted an ISO of .163. That latter mark was nine points lower than his 2024 mark in Quad Cities and his 2023 mark in Columbia. He also struck out 27% of the time, had a 0.36 BB/K ratio, and a contact rate of 67.4%, according to Fangraphs. The Texas-born corner infielder showed flashes, with this bomb hit against Wichita in May being a prime example. That said, while Squires had those flashes of mammoth power, he just didn't do it enough consistently. As a result, he went undrafted again in the Rule 5 Draft this past December and wasn't listed as a non-roster invitee to Spring Training. And yet, despite his long odds and lack of at-bats, Squires is doing all he can to turn heads in Arizona. Squires Putting Up Solid Statcast Metrics This Spring When it comes to Squires' Statcast profile from a year ago via TJ Stats, there isn't much because Double-A data isn't publicly available. However, the limited profile of his campaign in Northwest Arkansas last year is nonetheless interesting to see. Squires' wOBA was decent, ranking in the 65th percentile. He also swung a LOT last year, as his 53.8% swing rate ranked in the 90th percentile. However, his whiff rate ranked in the 14th percentile, and his K% ranked in the 22nd percentile. Those two numbers aren't encouraging, especially for a hitter who swings as much as Squires. On the flip side, his walk rate wasn't terrible at 9.7%, which ranked in the 43rd percentile. Add that with a strong ability to pull the ball in the air (14.8%, 60th percentile), and one can see why Squires could be an intriguing fringe prospect to the more analytically inclined Royals fan. Still, the profile last year wasn't enough to garner Squire much love in most prospect lists, including ours at Royals Keep. That said, here's a look at what Squires is doing so far in Spring Training. Some things haven't changed for Squires. He still whiffs a lot, as his 35.3% whiff rate ranks in the 17th percentile and his 66.7% Z-Contact% ranks in the 8th percentile. However, everything else has been quite impressive. His 90th EV, Max EV, Barrel%, and Pull Air% rank in the 100th percentile. His wOBA, xwOBA, Average EV, and LA Sweet-Spot% rank in the 99th percentile. Lastly, his O-Swing% ranks in the 98th percentile, and his hard-hit rate ranks in the 78th percentile. While it's not a whole lot of plate appearances or batted ball events (just 5), he is locked in, and it's been fun to see in Spring Training, as illustrated in the video of his homer below. Squires saw a 100.3 MPH four-seamer from Colorado's Seth Halvorsen and absolutely launched it. Here's what the exit velocity and distance on Squires' home run looked like via Savant. Furthermore, here's a look at the pitch chart matchup between Squires and Halvorsen. Notice the location of Halvorsen's pitch below. That's not an easy pitch to go yard on, especially at 100+ MPH. And yet, Squires got his hands around the pitch and launched it 393 feet with an exit velocity of 103 MPH. And it's not just that particular home run where Squires has succeeded. According to TJ Stats' Statcast leaderboard for Royals players, Squires ranks third in average EV (100.8 MPH), third in 90th EV (115.8 MPH), and second in Max EV (115.8 MPH). Again, it's a small sample, but it shows the kind of impact Squires has made at the plate in Spring Training. What Does This Mean for Squires? Squires likely will begin the year in Triple-A Omaha, probably splitting time at first base with Abraham Toro, who is a non-roster invitee. However, while Squires will begin the year with the Storm Chasers, he will still be one to watch in Spring Training, especially with players like Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, and Salvador Perez, all of whom play first base, participating in the World Baseball Classic. Thus, Squires will get at-bats for the next week or two, simply due to so many Royals playing in the WBC. If Squires can continue this exit velocity and barrel trend over the next two weeks, he could not just earn a starting spot in Omaha, but also put him on the radar of some other teams looking to acquire cheap power at first base. With Pasquantion locked in at first base for the foreseeable future, Squires may be more of a trade asset than one who can matriculate to the Major Leagues and have an impact with the Royals. His situation feels similar to CJ Alexander in 2024. Alexander was launching balls as a fringe prospect, especially in Triple-A Omaha (as seen below in his Statcast profile), but he showed in a short call-up that he wasn't ready for MLB competition. The former Braves draft pick was designated for assignment later in the season by Kansas City, but he could've been a player that the Royals could've utilized in a trade with a team desperate for offensive help. However, because Kansas City exposed him to MLB competition, his trade value plummeted. The Royals learned their lesson with Cam Devanney: not exposing him to MLB pitching, but instead utilizing him in a midseason trade for Adam Frazier. Maybe Squires is a Four-A player like Alexander, or he finds success in the NPB (Japan) like Devanney. That said, I think there's a player in Squires who can generate some serious buzz in Omaha, especially in their hitter-friendly environment. If he can build on this spring and continue to mash in Triple-A, he could build himself up to be a throw-in piece to a trade later in the season, which isn't a bad asset for the Royals to have. View the full article

We've already explored the 11th- through 20th-ranked prospects in the Cubs system, as voted on by our North Side Baseball writers, in two installments (Nos. 11-15, and Nos. 16-20). Today, we continue our look at our top-20 by diving deep on our 10th-ranked prospect: infielder James Triantos. #10 - James Triantos (Iowa Cubs, Triple-A) Triantos, 23, saw a full season of Triple-A action in 2025 after a strong 2024. While at Double-A Tennessee, the former second-round pick showed improved power, posting a career-high .137 ISO. Power has been one of the knocks on the infielder's game, so seeing him begin to flash some pop while in Tennessee provided hope that he could marry his contact-oriented approach with just enough pop to create the ultimate version of himself. Sadly, his first extended look at Iowa was not what he or the Cubs had hoped, putting his place in the organization a bit in limbo as we enter the 2026 season. What To Like One thing Triantos has never struggled with is making contact, and a lot of it. Even during his time in Iowa last year in which the player struggled, Triantos only struck out 15% of the time. On top of the low punchout rate, Triantos showcased a 90th-percentile whiff rate and 82nd-percentile zone contact rate. He makes a lot of contact, regardless of whether it's in the zone or out of it. One of the things the diminutive hitter has struggled with has been selectivity. This isn't unique to Triantos; it's something many high-contact hitters need to learn—that not everything you can hit is something you should hit. While the overall numbers didn't really get much better, his swing decisions did ,and that is a positive sign for the future. From the beginning of the season to the end of the year, he lowered his chase rate and his overall swing rate, which is a good thing; he needs to be a little bit choosier at the plate. His bat control is good enough that he's able to get deeper into a count and still make contact. Another thing he does well: he hits the fastball. Triantos's best outcomes were on fastballs last year. His overall wOBA of .312 was disappointing, but a .337 wOBA when making contact with fastballs was better. By being more picky at the plate, he can also hunt these pitches a little more successfully. While you'd love to see his numbers against other types of pitches be better than where they are, getting to the fastball is a good first-step as he continues to grow as a hitter. What To Work On: While Triantos clearly can hit the ball often, his quality of contact is just not where it needs to be right now. While some of these things can be explained away as the cost of a contact-oriented approach, he's never going to survive at the next level if he doesn't hit the ball with a bit more authority. On the 2025 season, James had just a 76 wRC+ against Triple-A pitching. For any organization to think he's ready, he's going to need to show (at least) the ability to dominate at the highest level of the minors. Sadly, because he will offer limited defensive ability (despite his versatility), his bat is going to have to be a bit stronger. One reason why his batted-ball data is so poor could be a leg injury suffered early in the season. Triantos has a pretty quiet swing and doesn't generate a lot of power to begin with, but if you cut a leg out from under him, it's going to be even worse. We shouldn't attribute everything to this, but it could be a mitigating factor, and something to keep in the back of our minds. What's Next: Another full year of hitting in Iowa is on tap, barring his turning a corner. While Triantos once looked like a virtual lock to make an MLB roster one day due to his versatility and bat-to-ball skills, his 2025 season threw that into question. The good news is that he's still quite young, still has versatility, and if he can show an offensive game 10% or so better than league average, he'll quickly put his name back onto broader prospect radars. One thing to keep an eye on: there's video out there of what looks like an overhauled swing entering this spring. We'll have to see what he looks like in games and what this means, but he appears to be a little less upright, and his hands seem to have been raised. It's a setup and swing geared toward a little extra loft, as well. Compare the video below with the video above, from August 2025. I don't think Triantos profiles as a big-league regular. He's probably best at second base (despite a plus arm), but he's not particularly great at any position. His arm is strong enough for third, but he isn't a particularly adroit fielder. His legs are good enough for center field, but he hasn't found a home there, and against the best pitching in the world, his bat probably doesn't have enough oomph to be a starter on a good team. With that said, he's got a great chance of being "just good enough" to play second,. third and anywhere in the outfield, while flashing enough contact ability and speed that if you squint hard and believe even harder, he can offer sneaky value. There's still upside in Triantos, even if 2025 didn't really go to plan. What do you think of James Triantos? Do you like his new mechanics? What are your projections? Let us know in the comment section below! View the full article

#6 Logan Henderson (Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee Brewers) Henderson impressed in his limited major-league opportunities with a 1.78 ERA and 33 strikeouts in his first five starts, spanning 25 ⅓ innings. He showed why he has been one of the more interesting pitching prospects in the system for a while now. PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 90th EV 283 65 17 1 10 .817 115 .364 13.8% 9.9% 10.5% 22.6% 43.5% 22.0% 34.4% 25.5% 36.5% 38.0% 24.1% 2 0 100% 102.8 What to Like Logan Henderson’s fastball and changeup form the foundation of his arsenal, and both pitches performed very well for him against big-league batters. The changeup, in particular, stands out as a plus offering, featuring strong velocity separation from the fastball, good fade, and solid depth. He also tunnels it very well with his fastball. His four-seam fastball also performs better than the 92-95 MPH readings on the radar gun might suggest, due to Henderson’s ability to generate an excellent vertical approach angle and strong carry through the zone, from a low release height, helping him miss bats at a higher rate than expected. Henderson is also a bulldog on the mound. He competes with whatever he has that day and isn’t afraid to show a little emotion after recording a big out. He has the type of mentality that helps a pitcher work around some of the potential downfalls discussed below. The combination of command, mentality, and two high-quality pitches gives Henderson a strong baseline as a major-league arm. Even without further development in his arsenal, the current profile suggests a reliable floor in a relief role. His ability to locate his best pitches and generate swing-and-miss results should allow him to contribute at the big-league level in some capacity for a long time. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the velocity tick up a bit in a shorter role, either. What to Work On The biggest question surrounding Henderson is the lack of a consistent third pitch. He currently does not have a reliable offering that moves glove-side or provides a different look from his fastball and changeup combination. While the two-pitch mix has worked in short outings and early appearances, it may be more difficult to sustain success as a starting pitcher once opposing lineups see him multiple times. He has experimented with both a slider and a cutter, with the cutter appearing more likely to develop into a usable pitch. His natural pronating arm action makes it difficult for him to consistently create the shape needed for a traditional breaking ball, which has limited the effectiveness of his slider. Continued refinement of the cutter or the development of any glove-side moving pitch would significantly strengthen his starting profile. On that note, there may have been a breakthrough this spring. Henderson has been working to bring back a curveball that he threw in college, and he debuted it in his first spring outing. The shape and the spin of the pitch grade out as a perfectly solid third pitch, and it’s a much bigger shape than any other breaking ball he has thrown in the past. Without that additional pitch, his overall ceiling as a starter remains somewhat limited. The current arsenal can succeed, but expanding his pitch mix would improve his ability to handle lineups multiple times and raise his long-term upside. The curveball could be the pitch that does this, but it’s too soon to say for sure. What’s Next His early major-league success has raised expectations, but his long-term value will depend on how his repertoire develops over the next season. If a consistent third pitch emerges, Henderson has the tools to settle into a role as a mid-to-back-end starter, right out of camp in 2026. Without it, his strong fastball and changeup combination still provide a clear path to a long-term role in a major-league bullpen, where his pitch mix could play up in shorter outings. What are your thoughts on Henderson? What are you hoping to see from him in 2026? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

Signed out of Cuba by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2020 International Free Agent class, Kendry Rojas quickly progressed through Toronto’s minor-league system, jumping from starting his 2022 campaign in Single-A to earning a promotion to Triple-A in July 2025. Kendry Rojas Age: 23 (DOB: 11/26/02) 2025 Stats (A, Double-A, Triple-A): 69 innings pitched, 4.70 ERA, 3.77 FIP, 28.8% strikeout rate, 10.3% walk rate ETA: 2026 2025 Ranking: NR National Top 100 Rankings BA: ? | MLB: NR | ATH: NR | BP: ? | ESPN: NR After making just one start at Triple-A Buffalo, the then-22-year-old was traded alongside left-handed hitting outfielder Alan Roden to the Minnesota Twins for right-handed reliever Louis Varland and first baseman Ty France. Similar to what Toronto did with Simeon Woods Richardson in 2021, many believe the organization aggressively promoted Rojas to inflate his trade stock right before the trade deadline. The young lefty struggled at Triple-A St. Paul last season, generating a 6.59 ERA, 5.73 FIP, and a 90-to-32 strikeout to walk ratio over 27 1/3 innings pitched. Rojas cited external factors, such as the baseballs used in Triple-A, as a driving factor in his performance woes in the high minors. Yet, the most likely reason behind his struggles was that Toronto promoted him too aggressively. Regardless, Twins' decision-makers likely won’t reverse course with the now 23-year-old as the hard-throwing lefty is set to begin his 2026 campaign at Triple-A, citing notable advancements in his arsenal this spring. What’s to Like Despite posting lackluster surface stats this spring (6.75 ERA and 5.87 FIP over four innings pitched), Rojas’s stuff has caught the attention of fans and pundits alike, headlined by increased four-seam velocity. Last season, the southpaw's four-seam hovered around 94 MPH. Yet, it is sitting at 96.4 MPH, while topping out at 98.5 MPH in an appearance against Ronald Acuña Jr. on Feb. 22 (statistics below courtesy of TJStats). His four-seam fastball could become a true plus-pitch if he can sustain his newfound velocity bump into the regular season. However, there are concerns with the shape and movement profile of the pitch, which we will get into later. Throughout his career, his best pitch has been his slider, and that trend has continued early this spring. Rojas has been able to pound the zone with his slider (hovering around 88 MPH), generating a high whiff rate against right- and left-handed hitters. Given its handedness-proof nature, he should be able to lean on the pitch going forward, making it his primary put-out pitch against all types of hitters. His change up (also sitting around 88 MPH) has also impressed this spring, primarily throwing it low in the zone to righties. Sporting a plus breaking pitch, a plus offspeed pitch, and an ascending fastball, Rojas could soon develop into an above-average major league starter and cost-controlled rotation stalwart for Minnesota for seasons to come. What’s Left to Work On To become that, however, the hard-throwing lefty will need to continue refining his four-seam. The pitch is coming out of his hand flat, evidenced by his fastball generating only 14 inches of induced vertical break (IVB) in his last appearance. The lower the IVB, the longer hitters see the ball, improving their chances of making hard contact like Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran did below: YVk5TGVfWGw0TUFRPT1fVUZNRFV3WlhCUUlBWGxjREFnQUhCUUZWQUFNTUFBVUFCZ1lEQXdNQkJGZGRWQWRS.mp4 The former Blue Jays prospect has also struggled with command in the minors, highlighted by sporting a well-below-average 15.9% walk rate with St. Paul last season. He is showing signs of improvement this spring, decreasing his walk rate to an admirable 6.7% over four innings pitched. Still, like his four-seam velocity bump, he will need to sustain these improvements into the regular season for him to become a serviceable major league starting pitcher in 2026. Again, Rojas has the potential to be a high-strikeout, high-whiff starting pitcher, especially given his handedness. He needs to hone in on his command, however, but that’s okay. He is an uber-talented 23-year-old left-handed starting pitcher. Something this organization hasn’t had since Francisco Liriano. What to Look For in 2026 As noted earlier, Rojas will likely begin his 2026 campaign as part of the Triple-A St. Paul Saints starting rotation, alongside fellow young, high-upside starting pitchers in Mick Abel, Connor Prielipp, and Andrew Morris. He will continue working on refining his four-seam fastball shape, sustaining his velo bump, and sharpening his secondary pitches with the Saints' pitching development staff, with eyes toward making his major league debut come midsummer, if not earlier. Again, his surface stats with St. Paul in 2025 were nothing to write home about. Still, he has the stuff necessary to blossom into a frontline starting pitcher, ushering in Minnesota’s next wave of young starting rotation talent. View the full article

Today was a great day for baseball. To be fair, every day is a great day for baseball, but Tuesday afternoon in Dunedin felt different. Blue Jays spring training was well underway, but this time it wasn’t just “root, root, root for the home team.” Team Canada was in town for the first of their two exhibition games ahead of the World Baseball Classic, with their tournament opener set for Saturday, March 7, at 11 a.m. against Colombia. There was plenty of Blue Jays blue in the crowd, and just as much red and white, but this wasn’t a case of two separate fan bases showing up to watch a game; this was an irregularity. Fans at the ballpark were cheering for both teams. Former Blue Jay and long-time manager of Team Canada, Ernie Whitt, led his team onto the field with numerous fellow former MLB players and Team Canada alumni on the coaching staff. Most notable was Russell Martin, who spent four seasons with the Blue Jays from 2015 to 2018. He was spotted pregame giving handshakes and hugs to several players on the Blue Jays bench with a massive smile on his face. Once he took his spot in the first base coach's box, it was game on. Team Canada sent out a lineup full of MLB players, led by captain Josh Naylor, paired with his younger brother Bo, and full of young but talented players, all with MLB experience. Their first task wasn’t going to be easy, as the Blue Jays handed the ball to Kevin Gausman, the two-time All-Star and 13-year MLB veteran. Canada went quietly in the first against Gausman, who looked sharp in his second start of the spring. Tyler Black flew out to begin the game, and aside from a Josh Naylor walk, that's all Canada could muster in the top of the first. Toeing the rubber for Team Canada was the left-handed throwing Logan Allen. He’s a veteran of five MLB seasons with four teams and has recently pitched in Korea for the NC Dinos. He struggled with his command in this one. After a hard lineout from George Springer, he walked Nathan Lukes, which was followed by a Daulton Varsho infield single. Addison Barger walked, and two batters later, Jesús Sánchez smoked a two-run single, and Canada found themselves down early. After Gausman struck out two and allowed just a soft single to Otto Lopez in the top half of the second, things really unravelled in the bottom of the frame. After three straight walks to start the inning, Allen’s day was done. Cambridge, Ontario’s Noah Skirrow entered in relief, but by the time he escaped the inning, the damage had been done, and Canada was losing 7-0. Or, depending on your allegiance, the Blue Jays led 7-0. But Canadians don’t just quit, and neither does Team Canada. From there, things got better. Skirrow came back out for the third and struck out the side, including Springer. The next three pitchers, Adam Macko (who was facing his own teammates), Eric Cerantola and Indigo Diaz combined to pitch three innings while allowing just one hit. It showcased one of Team Canada's strengths: bullpen depth. Maybe that was the change of momentum Canada needed, as then the bats woke up. In the top of the sixth, Longueuil, QC native Abraham Toro smoked a single to centerfield. Then, Mississauga, ON native Josh Naylor ripped an even harder single (110.4 EV) to right field, and Team Canada had runners on the corners with no out. After the elder Naylor stole second, the national team was able to drive both runners in on a Tyler O’Neill sacrifice fly and an Owen Caissie RBI single. Just like that, the score was 7-2, and suddenly, there was life. Canada added a third run in the seventh via a Jared Young sac fly, and then in the eighth, the bats exploded off of Jays Centre's #6 prospect Gage Stanifer. London, ON, native Jacob Robson led off the inning with an opposite-field home run, which started a run of four straight hitters reaching base, capped off by Athletics center fielder and Toronto native Denzel Clarke, who ripped a double. Black then proceeded to hit a sacrifice fly, and just like that, Canada had erased a seven-run deficit to tie things at 7-7. Team Canada was alive. The lead was short-lived, as in the bottom half, Canadian right-hander Brock Dykxhoorn gave up a three-run home run to Blue Jays first baseman Riley Tirotta. That proved to be the difference in the ballgame, as the Blue Jays defeated Team Canada 10-7. Overall, it was a good start for Team Canada, as they did what they set out to do. The offence showed life, scoring seven runs and recording three sacrifice flies, a sign of unselfish situational baseball, and they actually outhit the Blue Jays 10 to eight. Canada still has work to do. Allen’s five walks won’t win many baseball games, and the two defensive errors Canada made will need to be cleaned up if this group hopes to advance to the knockout round for the first time in tournament history. Team Canada will get another warm-up game against the Phillies at 1:05 p.m. this afternoon before their tournament opens on Saturday against Colombia at 11 am ET. Now, allegiances are split no longer. There's no more cheering for both teams – it’s all red and white from here on out. Ahead of a short tournament where anything can happen, Canada showed it has the talent to make things interesting, and if the breaks go their way, there’s a real opportunity to do something this program has never done before. From the Notebook Adam Macko (Stony Plain, AB) was in a precarious position as he got to pitch against his own team. Macko has pitched three scoreless innings for the Blue Jays so far this spring, and on Tuesday, he came in to face a pocket of three lefties. After a single to Nathan Lukes, he got Daulton Varsho to hit into a double play and Addison Barger to ground out to get out of the inning. Blue Jays prospect Je’Von Ward ended up playing for Team Canada in this game. Seems like the Blue Jays were lending a helping hand to the national team, since Ward is from Cerritos, California. He did play for the Vancouver Canadians this past season, and just for one day, he was an honorary Canadian. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout. Josh Naylor not only stole a base, but he also had the two hardest-hit baseballs in the game: a 110.4-mph single in the sixth and a 108.6-mph double play ball in the third. Hitting coach Justin Morneau revealed that Team Canada is planning on bringing some mini-sticks to Puerto Rico so they can play during any downtime at the WBC. View the full article

As dedicated sports fans and analysts, there's something of a bizarre phenomenon that takes place once a player reaches a certain stratosphere: We stop talking about them. I don't mean literally, of course. People didn't stop wearing David Ortiz jerseys or magically forget the historic ascendancy unfolding every time Pedro Martinez took the mound. But articles breaking down the minutiae of a player's stats or endless forum discussions about their value to the team are often reserved for those on the fringes of a casual fan's mind — the "X-factors" of the world, as we've come to call them. Sometimes, a pitcher or hitter becomes so good that their greatness is inevitable. Last season, Garrett Crochet entered that tier of greatness. He was so singularly dominant — so guaranteed to put the Boston Red Sox in a position to win every time he took the mound — that it became easy to take him for granted. Leading the American League in workload (205 1/3 innings), the War Pig accumulated an MLB-leading 255 strikeouts. His 2.59 ERA and 6.3 bWAR were enough to earn him a second-place finish in Cy Young Award voting, behind only back-to-back champion Tarik Skubal. That is now the standard to which Crochet must adhere. No matter which outlet or sportsbook you choose to get your odds from, you'll find the Red Sox's ace as one of two favorites for the Junior Circuit's top pitching award this season, alongside Skubal. No one else comes within their vicinity, with Jacob deGrom and Hunter Brown serving as dark-horse options as the next-biggest favorites on the list. That's awe-inspiring company to be a part of. Crochet joins Skubal, Paul Skenes (reigning NL Cy Young) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (reigning World Series MVP) as one of the four best pitchers in the sport. Even on a pitching staff that's set to introduce All-Stars Sonny Gray and Ranger Suárez to the fold this year, the incumbent southpaw is the unquestioned leader of the group. The projection systems offer similar hope and hype for an encore. Every notable model foresees at least 5.0 fWAR worth of production from Crochet in 2026, and even those that aren't overtly bullish on him still can't help but prognosticate greatness. Garrett Crochet 2026 Projections Steamer: 193 innings, 3.02 ERA, 2.84 FIP, 30.8% strikeout rate, 5.6 fWAR ZiPS: 184 1/3 innings, 2.78 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 30.7% strikeout rate, 5.5 fWAR Composite: 187 innings, 2.98 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 30.4% strikeout rate, 5.6 fWAR There were already considerable expectations on his shoulders after the trade with the Chicago White Sox, and even those ballooned after he inked a $170 million extension to remain in Boston for the foreseeable future. Now, Crochet is facing do-or-die pressure every time he steps to the mound. Anything short of another top-three finish in Cy Young voting will register as disappointing, as insane as that is to say during the first week of March. Remember, none of the Red Sox's previous southpaw aces (Chris Sale, David Price, and Jon Lester) were able to win the award in Boston. Rick Porcello's questionable victory in 2016 is the last one the franchise has had; before him, it was Pedro's two-year run in 1999 and 2000. MVPs have been nearly twice as common as Cy Youngs in team history (11 to 7), and that includes a man (Roger Clemens) who won both a combined four times. Asking Crochet to win the top pitching award — while having to out-duel an all-time great in Skubal for it — is probably asking to be disappointed. But that's what being great is all about: having to exceed even the most outlandish expectations. Crochet has earned his place in this discussion. The projection systems clearly favor his chances to repeat his breakout 2025 season. As he's soon to find out, though, there's only one thing more difficult than reaching the mountaintop: maintaining your place atop it. View the full article

Veteran left-hander Joe Mantiply re-joined the Blue Jays today, signing a new minor league contract. Unsurprisingly, his deal includes an invitation to spring training. Mantiply, now 35, was a late bloomer. Following several years in the Tigers, Yankees, and Reds organizations, he broke out in his thirties with the Diamondbacks. From 2021-24, he pitched in 236 games for Arizona, putting up a 3.63 ERA and 3.49 xERA. He did an exceptional job of keeping the ball on the ground and limiting home runs. More than half of the batted balls he allowed in those four years were on the ground, and he kept his opponents to just 12 home runs in 820 trips to the plate. The lefty had a strong season in 2024 but struggled terribly in 2025. The D-backs optioned Mantiply in April after he gave up 13 runs and 20 hits over his first eight games. His struggles continued at Triple-A and in his brief return to the majors. Eventually, on June 1, the team for whom he made an All-Star appearance in 2022 and pitched meaningful postseason innings in 2023 released him, less than one year removed from a 75-game, 1.2 fWAR season. After six weeks in the wilderness, Mantiply found a new home in the Blue Jays organization. He looked much more like his old self over two months with Buffalo, producing a 3.45 ERA and 1.90 FIP in 15.2 innings, striking out 19, walking none, and giving up just one home run. Presumably, Mantiply was hoping to parlay that strong finish into a major league deal. Evidently, however, he was unable to land a guaranteed contract, so he chose to re-up with the organization that bought stock in him last summer. He will most likely start the season back at Triple-A, but if he performs anything like he did in his last stint in Buffalo, he'll get his chance in the big league bullpen eventually. View the full article

Kendry Rojas did not fare well at Triple-A once he reached the level in 2025. However, he's looked well to start out the spring, so how can he be a better starter for the Saints rotation to keep himself an option as a starter in the majors? View the full article

We know that batting averages and OPSes mean very little in spring. As Brewers fans remember well, the adventures of Vinny Capra proved to have no correlation with his performance in the regular season. He hit six home runs in the spring of 2025 and was gone from the organization by the middle of May. Pitchers aren't game-planning. Their command is hardly dialed-in, and that leaves opportunities for hitters to excel in a small sample. After four long, lonely, starving months without baseball activity, it's easy to get carried away, but that doesn't mean we have nothing to get excited about. If you're a Brewers fan, it's quite the contrary. Let's have a look at those who are making strides from their last competitive action, and why each offers a reason for positivity for a team that reached the NLCS in 2025. Brandon Sproat Brandon Sproat came over as part of the Freddy Peralta trade and has hit the ground running. Possessing a full, diverse arsenal that perhaps wasn't showcased enough by the Mets in 2025 during his cup of coffee, Sproat showed exactly how the Brewers plan to use him in 2026. Sproat has converted what was already a hard 88-mph slider into a mid-90s cutter (touching 95 mph at times) and blended the four-seamer he was renowned for in the minor leagues with the complementary sinker and cutter that the Brewers prize so dearly. While the stuff grades don't pop off the page, the hitters' swings—and the simple eye test—suggest that his combination of power and movement is valuable. He threw nearly all his fastballs for strikes, but didn't land his secondary stuff in the zone in his first game in the Cactus League. There will be far more nuance in the regular season, but the most intriguing part was the swing-and-miss element of Sproat's arsenal. He conceded two hard-hit balls—one on an upper-third four-seam fastball and the other on a back-up sweeper—but when he executed, he missed bats. Sproat struck out 17 in 20 2/3 innings last year in the major leagues, which would once have counted as dominant but doesn't open any eyes anymore. Changes to his pitch mix should increase the deception in his arsenal, and perhaps allow everything to play up. It's too early to tell, but it bears watching as spring progresses. Bishop Letson Letson has been a name on evaluators' lips for a while, struggling to stay on the field with regularity but showcasing extension, movement, command and a deep enough arsenal to generate some early hype in his young professional career. Over the offseason, his fastball has added several ticks, and the result is monstrous: Letson's fastball has averaged almost 97 mph this spring, with extreme vertical "rise" for his arm angle; plus extension; and big-time spin. It's a fastball that could be dominant. So far, he doesn't know how to tunnel it with his other offerings, using a higher release point than the rest of his arsenal to get behind the ball. That's one reason why he prefers to lead with his slider. The changeup will be key for Letson going forward, offering him an alternative out pitch to left-handed hitters, against whom a slider is typically less effective. The pitch shows good characteristics, but he'll need to improve his feel for it as he matures. Health is the main concern for Letson, but if he can stay on the field, there might be a top-of-the-rotation arm to dream on. Brandon Lockridge Lockridge appeared, initially, to be a throwaway piece in the deal that sent Nestor Cortes and Jorge Quintana to the Padres at the 2025 trade deadline. His elite speed seemed unlikely to make up for a dearth of power, but rumors did spread that the Brewers were higher on Lockridge than most. This spring, we've seen some of the fruits of this. Of Brewers to have seen over 50 pitches, only one player (Brock Wilken) has a higher average exit velocity, and only two hitters (Brice Turang and David Hamilton) have swung and missed less often. In the chart below, Lockridge's emblem is the one in the top left: Turang is Lockridge's closest comparison on this chart, also whiffing very little (just once in camp so far) without quite as much contact as Lockridge in the small sample. In case you're concerned about Vinny Capra comparisons, Capra averaged 94 mph exit velocities but did swing and miss 22% of the time last year. Lockridge won't tear through the league the way he did through early spring training games, but he's been creating hard hits across the strike zone. That changes his profile substantially. The Brewers are no strangers to an outfielder making strides, Blake Perkins being the most recent example of an unheralded pickup making a meaningful impact. Lockridge's potential is greater, but of course, we'll need a larger sample before locking in any observations. Have you noticed any other standouts in spring training that have impressed? Have you enjoyed any of the prospects making appearances, from Brock Wilken to Jesus Made? Let us know your thoughts below! View the full article

There are certain checkpoints for starting pitchers during spring training that fans have come to expect. Bullpen sessions turn into live batting practice. Live batting practice turns into Grapefruit League innings. Grapefruit League innings slowly stretch into something that resembles a normal workload by the time the regular season rolls around. When a pitcher appears to take a detour from that standard ramp-up, it's fair to wonder what it means for Opening Day. That's where things currently sit with Bailey Ober as camp moves deeper into March. It wasn’t quite game action yet, but Ober faced a string of legitimate major-league hitters in a live batting practice session on Sunday, and he liked what he saw. “Felt great,” Ober said. “It always feels good to be out there, especially when you're building up. Two innings, 40, 45 pitches, felt really good. Got swings and misses in both innings that I threw. For the most part, threw strikes. I think one at-bat got away from me. … I feel like my body was moving pretty well on my own, and I was moving fast.” On the surface, everything sounds normal enough. But Ober’s path to this point has been anything but standard. He worked extensively throughout the winter to regain his delivery, which had become significantly out of whack during 2025 while he dealt with a left hip injury. He was pleased with his form approaching camp, but then early in spring, he had a couple of throwing sessions where he felt he backslid a bit. Rather than charge headlong into games, Ober took an extra bullpen session and then two live batting practice sessions before beginning Grapefruit League play. “The last couple of weeks, [I] hadn't been feeling as sharp as I wanted to,” he said. “Some stuff was getting away from what I was working on this offseason. But I'm feeling healthy, and I think this past week I was able to get back to ... how I want to feel on the mound mechanically. So just giving me a little bit extra time to really dial that in, because I spent so much of this offseason just grinding.” That decision is probably the biggest reason why this conversation is happening at all. Ober is not injured. He's not shut down. But he is behind where he might normally be in a traditional spring progression because he needed to recalibrate mechanically before putting himself into game situations. There can be frustration when an athlete’s body isn’t responding the way they want. “It's just baseball. Yes, it is crazy frustrating, especially when you had it in camp and you're throwing 90-mile-an-hour bullpens in the first week in January, and then you get here and you're like, where the f***’s is my s***? Like, where is it?" Ober said. "And then, so being able to kind of diagnose, sit back, get a little extra time these guys allow me to get things right, and go out today and throw, and I felt really good, and feel like it's a good stepping stone going into my next outing.” The next step for Ober is a game, expected to be on Friday night at home against the Braves. From there, he’ll continue normal buildup, and Twins officials are fully confident he’ll be ready and feeling like himself when the season opens on March 26. “He's trying to do everything he can to be as efficient in his delivery as possible,” said general manager Jeremy Zoll. “The more efficient you are, the better your stuff plays. It's an opportunity to iron those things out early. He's trying to take advantage of that early, especially with camp starting earlier. We'll let him have that time now instead of down the road. “There's still plenty of time,” Zoll said. “We're not worried about that. He's had multiple ups and different things. Not worried about his availability.” Minnesota's Opening Day rotation has already taken multiple hits. Pablo López is out for the year after Tommy John surgery, and David Festa has been shut down for multiple weeks with a shoulder issue. If Ober isn't ready for Opening Day, Mick Abel would probably be the next man up in the rotation. However, that would leave few experienced options in the Triple-A rotation as depth. Is there a chance Ober isn't quite ready for Opening Day? Sure. That possibility exists any time a pitcher deviates from the normal script this late in camp. But the Twins are making a clear bet here. They would rather have Ober slightly behind on innings in late March than fighting his delivery again in late May. If this extra time now keeps his mechanics synced when the games start to matter, it may end up being less of a delay and more of an investment. Should the Twins be worried about Ober's availability? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

JUPITER, FL - Team Israel took the field against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday afternoon for the first of two pre-WBC exhibition games, and one of the biggest stories was that of the Stubbs brothers, C.J. and Garrett. This marked the first time they have taken the field together on the same team. While they both participated in the 2023 installation of the World Baseball Classic, C.J. only entered the tournament after Garrett exited due to injury, "It's a dream come true,” C.J. told Jays Centre. "Every time we ever played with each other growing up, not with baseball, but whether maybe sand volleyball or anything, we competed together and always found a way to win, so we're hoping to do that on this team." Pool D, playing at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida, will feature the Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Israel. The chances of Team Israel moving on to the quarterfinals are slim, but manager Brad Ausmus and C.J. Stubbs both find the underdog mentality beneficial. "Hopefully, we're the underdog that doesn't lay down," Ausmus told reporters. "We're gonna come out and in some sense, take the game to them. We're gonna force our game, and I don't think it'd be in our best interest to sit back and wait for the three-run homer, although I'll take it if they hit it." In the last WBC, C.J., the younger Stubbs brother, played in one game, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. He will likely factor into the designated hitter mix this year, potentially catching as well. "You just got to take it one game at a time," Stubbs said. "Obviously, we got that win against Nicaragua a couple years ago, and we're gonna go out and try to get game one against Venezuela and take it game by game." During Tuesday's exhibition game, Stubbs went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. He reached on an error in the eighth. Israel beat the Marlins 1-0. The 29-year-old, who signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a minor league deal this offseason, gives a lot of credit to manager John Schneider for allowing him to join the team and play in the WBC. "It's been great to get to know [Schneider]. The Blue Jays have been an incredible place to land, an incredible facility, great people working there, and I'm excited to see what happens in the spring,” he said. Team Israel will head up to Port St. Lucie on Wednesday to face the New York Mets. Then, their first pool play game will take place on Saturday, March 7, against Venezuela at 8:00 pm. View the full article

JUPITER, FL—Tuesday's slate of spring training exhibition games looked much different than usual. Most matchups featured a major league team facing a World Baseball Classic team, with the international tournament kicking off later this week. At Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, the Miami Marlins hosted Team Israel. Israel won, 1-0. "I think it's great for baseball," said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. "It shines a real light on our sport on a global stage...It will be different, a little nice change of pace in spring training, from seeing the Cardinals, Mets, Astros and Nationals like we do—it seems like every day—to seeing someone else, but I hope we've provided them a welcoming environment as they get ready for the tournament to begin." Neither of the starting lineups on Tuesday were at full strength. Israel did not include major leaguers Matt Mervis, Harrison Bader and Spencer Horwitz, who will be crucial for them to advance past the pool play stage. Their starters against the Marlins included WBC veteran Garrett Stubbs and prospects C.J. Stubbs, Zach Levenson, RJ Schreck. "We'll want to get some at-bats and innings on the mound," said Israel's manager Brad Ausmus. "It also gives us the opportunity to see some of these guys that we have not seen as a coaching staff. As a manager, we're aware of what they've done, but we haven't necessarily put eyes on them. It's an opportunity for them and it's opportunity for us." Marlins trotted out Braxton Garrett to make his second start of the spring, going two shutout innings, walking one and striking out one. His fastball topped out at 92.6 mph and of the 26 pitches he threw, 16 were for strikes. "A lot more strikes than last time, especially to start," Garrett said following his start. "Obviously the one walk, but really pounded the zone with everything, minus the changeup. But we'll work on the on the changeup here this week." Daniel Moskos is entering his second season as Marlins pitching coach, but because Garrett spent all of 2025 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, that has been "a little bit of an adjustment" for him. "I'm not used to having such a big area to look at in the zone," Garrett said. "They're really encouraging me, telling me how good my stuff is and how good it is in the zone, and to not be so picky about where it is. We're not trying to throw everything right down the middle, but we're not trying to throw everything right on the black, either." Quick notes - In addition to Garrett, the following Marlins pitchers threw against Israel: Pete Fairbanks, Calvin Faucher, Dax Fulton, Bradley Blalock, Cade Gibson and Zach Brzykcy. - Garrett Stubbs drove in the game's only run in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI triple off of Faucher. - The first round of cuts from Marlins big league camp included Thomas White, Stephen Jones, Evan McKendry, Patrick Monteverde, Dale Stanavich, Samy Vásquez and Sam Praytor. There are 64 players remaining in camp. - Michael Petersen, who was expected to pitch for Great Britain in the WBC, will be staying back in camp instead to try to win one of the bullpen spots. What's next? The Marlins are off on Wednesday after 11 consecutive days of exhibition games, but they will be back in action on Thursday in Jupiter as they welcome the Houston Astros. In his final tune-up for the WBC, Sandy Alcantara is scheduled to go three innings against Tatsuya Imai. First pitch is at 1:10 pm. Clayton McCullough told reporters that Alcantara will have a limit of about 65 pitches in his March 11 start against Venezuela. It is undecided if he will make another WBC start after that should the Dominican Republic make a deep tournament run. "We will cross that bridge when we get there," said McCullough. Robby Snelling is expected to make a multi-inning relief appearance on Thursday. Eury Pérez will also throw that day, but on the backfields. View the full article

With 10 Grapefruit League games in the books, the Miami Marlins took the first baby step toward assembling their 2026 Opening Day roster. Only 65 players remain in Marlins major league camp as of Tuesday afternoon now that pitchers Thomas White, Stephen Jones, Evan McKendry, Patrick Monteverde, Dale Stanavich and Samy Vásquez and catcher Sam Praytor have been reassigned to the minor leagues. White is certainly the most prominent name in this group, but his inclusion is unsurprising after suffering a right oblique strain. The 21-year-old left-hander concluded last season with Triple-A Jacksonville and he'll aim to rejoin the Jumbo Shrimp sometime in April. Monteverde, Stanavich and Praytor are homegrown Marlins prospects, while Jones, McKendry and Vásquez were signed to minor league free agent deals this past offseason. Vásquez in particular has been lighting up the radar gun (98.4 mph average fastball velocity), but still needs to develop better control. Meanwhile, every member of the Marlins 40-man roster remains in big league camp. Expect another round of cuts early next week. View the full article

On Tuesday morning, Jeff Passan of ESPN announced that Atlanta outfielder Jurickson Profar has tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug (PEDs) for the second time in two seasons. After serving an 80-game suspension in 2025 for failing a PED test, Profar’s second suspension would keep him out for the entirety of the 2026 season, including the playoffs. The suspension is not yet official; the players' union intends to file a grievance on the veteran's behalf. In all likelihood, though, the Braves need to find a replacement for Profar, who was in line to take the bulk of the team’s DH opportunities in 2026 after the offseason acquisition of left fielder Mike Yastrzemski. Unfortunately for the Braves, options are limited at this point in the offseason. The free agent pool is nearly depleted: Max Kepler will be serving an 80-game suspension for a failed PED test of his own. Tommy Pham and Andrew McCutchen are in their late 30s and best-suited for the short side of a platoon. Other options include Jesse Winker or (if the team is open to a DH-only veteran of lesser note) Donovan Solano and Rowdy Tellez. The Braves have Dominic Smith in camp already, a lefty first baseman and non-roster invitee with nearly seven years of MLB service time. If the season started today, Smith—who had a 114 OPS+ across 225 plate appearances in 2025—would likely be the club’s Opening Day designated hitter. However, 2025 was the first season since 2020 in which Smith had an OPS+ over 100. Beyond that, he has some experience in the outfield, but he should not be played there except in emergencies. Atlanta could be interested in bringing in another outfielder, which is where Minnesota comes into the discussion. The Twins have a bit of a logjam in their corner outfield spots, with Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, James Outman, Alan Roden, Austin Martin, and Emmanuel Rodriguez. Except for Wallner, none of the names listed have shown themselves as a clear choice for one of the spots. At present, Larnach and Outman seem penciled into Opening Day jobs, much to the consternation of Twins fans who would prefer seeing Roden patrolling left field. Roden, acquired as the second piece in the trade that sent Louis Varland to Toronto at the 2025 trade deadline, is a superior defender to Larnach and is not a young prospect. Rodriguez is having a good camp, and his time in the major leagues may be coming soon as well, which raises questions about Larnach’s future. Many have questioned the decision to both tender Larnach a contract this winter and open the season with him on the roster. The team has a surplus of corner outfield options and is running a lower payroll than they have in a decade. Larnach’s modest $4.475-million contract takes up a notable portion of the team’s current payroll; that money could have been better spent elsewhere. The Braves losing a left fielder/DH presents an opportunity for the Twins to offload Larnach and create playing time for younger outfielders. It would also free up time at DH for first baseman Josh Bell, who has a poor reputation as a defender. But would the Braves be interested? Again, Smith is already in camp, and he had a better slash line than Larnach, albeit in less than half of the plate appearances. Larnach was right around average overall, as opposed to Smith, who was 14% better than an average hitter in his limited opportunities. The two hitters had roughly similar splits against right-handed pitchers, though, with Smith being 15% better than an average hitter, as compared to Larnach’s 9% better. In Profar, Atlanta is staring down the possibility of replacing a guy who hits well against both lefties and righties. The Braves hadn't planned to platoon Profar, and it’s unclear who on the roster would face lefties if the club elected to bring in a player who needs to be platooned, as both Larnach and Smith do. This is especially noteworthy, because Atlanta will also (probably) platoon the lefty-batting Yastrzemski. However, the club’s options are limited, and Atlanta’s head of baseball operations, Alex Anthopoulos, has been known to jump on opportunities to maintain competitiveness. In 2021, he made moves to pick up four outfielders in the 20 days after losing Ronald Acuña Jr. for the season—Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, and Adam Duvall. That team would go on to win the World Series a few months later, in large part because of that quartet of outfielders. Even if there's a trade for Larnach on the horizon, it’s unlikely that the Twins will net much in return—perhaps a middle reliever like Joel Payamps (who is making about half of what Larnach is this season), or a low-level prospect. At this point in the offseason, the savings on offloading Larnach don’t have much effect; the options for reallocating the salary are limited. The objective would probably be to free up space for the other lefty corner outfielders behind him while getting a little—likely negligible—player value in return. But, I ask you anyway, because that's what we do here: What does this mean for Trevor Larnach? View the full article