Worldwide Sports News

Spring Training is in full swing, and regardless of their 8-8 record, the Guardians have still given us plenty to be positive about.

Guards Making Waves in WBC

Numerous Guardians players are taking a break from Spring Training to represent their countries in the World Baseball Classic. Top prospect Travis Bazzana made headlines in Team Australia’s first game by hitting a home run to secure a 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei. Stuart Fairchild has also had a few big moments for Chinese Taipei including a grand slam in a 14-0 victory over Czechia. Pitcher Logan Allen had a successful outing for Panama in Friday’s game against Cuba when he struck out five hitters in three innings. The WBC will continue until the championship game on March 17th.

Hoskins Heating Up

After a slow start to Spring, new addition Rhys Hoskins has begun to see some success at the plate. In Saturday’s game versus San Diego, Hoskins had two hits including his first home run of the year and four RBIs. He was the biggest contributor in the Guards’ 7-1 win over the Padres. He is currently hitting .200/.294/.400, and if he’s able to build on this success, he’ll be a key contributor heading into the regular season.

Velazquez Making Waves

Cleveland’s No. 4 prospect Ralphy Velazquez has been proving himself in Spring Training. The 20 year old is hitting .385/.429/.538 with five hits and three RBIs. He split 2025 between Single-A Lake County and Double-A Akron and was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training. He’s also shown his speed on the basepaths and has been a good defender at first base. While there’s no guarantee he’ll see the big leagues this year, he is proving that he’d deserve it.

Social Media Spotlight

This week’s social media spotlight comes from the World Baseball Classic. During Sunday night’s game between Panama and Canada, current Guardians pitcher Logan Allen and former Guardians pitcher Logan Allen found themselves in an anthem standoff. Shockingly, Logan Allen pulled off the win.

When we reach this point in spring training, finding stories is often hard to do. For teams like the Phillies, teams that have a rather full roster difficult to crack for most veterans, they are reduced having to slog through games that will have very little determination on the edges of that roster. While the bullpen does have one, maybe two, spots that will have a rock fight over them until the very end of camp, the position player side of things is more or less settled. Now that Johan Rojas is apparently out of the picture, we more or less know who will be the thirteen players going north to open the season against the Rangers.

OR DO WE????

This is where we are at, friends. We are debating whether or not Garrett Stubbs should make the team as the 26th man on the roster.

There is no need to debate that.

Stubbs is not making the team as anything other than the backup catcher. If he’s not doing that, he’s in Lehigh Valley.

Let’s lay out some facts, first being Stubbs’ contract. Once again, this offseason, Stubbs agreed to a split contract that would pay him $575,000 should he have to go to the minor leagues, $925,000 if he were to make the team over Rafael Marchan. It’s a substantial financial incentive for Stubbs to accept the assignment that might be headed his way should he not make the Opening Day roster, one designed by the Phillies to help them maintain some catching depth in case of injury. Stubbs no longer has minor league options, so he’d have to pass through waivers before going to Lehigh Valley, yet it’s unlikely anyone would claim him or his contract. That contract is actually more conducive to his staying with the team than it is to his going somewhere else.

Second, Stubbs’ production does not outweigh what others ahead of him might be able to produce on the field. While his 2022 season was actually quite good considering how little playing time he actually received, Stubbs, while in the major leagues, has done almost nothing with the bat, posting OPS numbers that start with a 5 in the two seasons he was the lone option carrying J.T. Realmuto’s clubs. Of the options on the team, Marchan alone (.210/.282/.305 in 2025) is the better of two rather poor options to back up Realmuto, but at least Marchan has some solid defensive numbers to fall back on. We know that Realmuto took a step backwards defensively in 2025, but even if we’re talking about a limited number of chances Marchan had as compared to the starter, he was better than Realmuto in almost all aspects of catcher defense that is measured by Baseball Savant.

If we look at what the team needs on the field, Stubbs’ meager bat is not one that should be kept over potentially better options like Bryan de la Cruz (who fills an actual need in the outfield) or Dylan Moore (who could fill a potential need as a right handed bat off the bench). Keeping Stubbs over either of those two would be roster mismanagement that, while not crippling due to the nature of the spot, would make one start to further question how they see their weaknesses that exist on roster.

Lastly, if they’re even considering contributions that Stubbs could make to the locker room (and by the sounds of it, they are), one has to wonder if they’re putting too much stock at this point in clubhouse cohesion versus on-field results. We have heard many, many stories about how close this clubhouse has become over the years and it still makes for an unquantifiable aspect to roster construction. However, if the team feels that adding Stubbs to continue creating a clubhouse environment that helps the team win, what does that say about the players already in the locker room? Why would they even consider it when they have so many leaders already giving the team a foundation?

So, despite saying that there is nothing saying Stubbs can’t be the 26th man, there are actually a decent amount of reasons why Stubbs should not be considered for the job.

In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast from Royals Review, hosts Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco dive into the excitement of the World Baseball Classic while breaking down the latest news surrounding the Kansas City Royals during spring training. From Team Italy’s now-famous espresso celebration to standout tournament performances, the hosts explore how international competition is shaping MLB players and creating new energy around the sport.

Closer to home, Jacob and Jeremy analyze the progress of Royals prospects Noah Cameron and Dennis Kolaron Jr., discuss the development of Isaac Collins, and examine the implications of recent roster transactions and minor league moves. The conversation also highlights the Royals’ bullpen outlook heading into the season, identifying strengths, potential breakout arms, and roster flexibility that could impact Kansas City’s competitiveness.

The episode also ventures beyond the diamond with thoughtful discussion of a Texas Rangers statue controversy and how baseball history intersects with cultural conversations. As always, the hosts close with a lighter segment reviewing baseball-adjacent entertainment, including Pixar’s Turning Red and upcoming movie releases.

Packed with World Baseball Classic highlights, Royals spring training analysis, prospect development insights, and engaging baseball culture discussions, this episode offers Royals fans a well-rounded look at the stories shaping the team and the sport.

Email Jacob directly at: jm17971047@gmail.com

Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online:

BlueSky
– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com
– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social

Twitter / X
– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod

Scottsdale, Arizona — The World Baseball Classic is in full swing, and Team USA is looking to return to the top of the podium after finishing second to Japan in 2023. 

The lineup is a formidable one, featuring MLB All-Stars such as Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt and Kyle Schwarber, among others. However, they are also facing other teams filled with MLB’s top players, so it could prove to be a tough challenge as the tournament goes on. 

But that’s not deterring the excitement they have to play in the tournament.

“The biggest thing is just this is a once-in-a-lifetime (experience), getting the chance to be surrounded by the greatness we have in this room,” said Judge after the team’s exhibition game against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. 

“MVPs, Cy Young winners, World Series champs, All-Stars… the list goes on and on. It’s going to be a cool experience, getting to play for your country and also learn a thing or two and just kind of pick guys’ brains, see what makes guys tick, and hopefully you can add something to your game and help you out.”

Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw agrees. 

“I think being on this team was a bucket list thing for me from the beginning, so to get to do that was really great and really fun,” he added. “Obviously, I thought I was never going to throw a baseball again, so to get to do it with Team USA across your chest and come back to that dugout… that team is really special.”

The WBC started with exhibitions on March 2 and runs through March 17, which doesn’t give players a lot of time to get to know each other and build camaraderie. But the players have wasted no time and are jumping on the opportunity to meet teammates they might not play with otherwise.

“An All-Star game is fun to get to know guys, but here, I think the difference is that we’re bonding,” said Judge. 

“We’re really diving into each other, trying to get to know each other, having each other’s backs. We’re rooting for each other. Guys are hitting homers that are usually on opposing teams and jumping out of the dugout. It’s pretty cool. It’s amazing to see, and I’m looking forward to (this tournament).”

Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt points to the size of the US as a factor. 

“It’s a challenge to get thrown together, honestly, especially for [Team] USA with how spread out the United States is,” he said. 

“Not a lot of us are going to play winter ball and stuff like that, where some of these other countries have that in the offseason. So there’s just being very intentional about having conversations with players in the locker room and not just leaving when the game ends or when you come out of the game and just doing your own thing. It does take time, and you can see everyone doing it. Everyone wants to play well and get to know each other, and just try to speed up that process as much as possible.”

Philadelphia Phillie Kyle Schwarber can already see things coming together 

“Luckily, we all kind of have a really good idea of who everyone is,” he said, “and I feel like the coaching staff has done a really good job of putting a lot of these guys in the room here that are great dudes. And we’ve been having team dinners and getting to know each other, and team meetings and things like that. No one’s afraid of conversation here, and I think that’s the best thing to have.”

Goldschmidt has played in three Classics – the only player on Team USA to do so. And he has seen significant changes since he first donned the uniform in 2017.

“In my first year, there were definitely some of the best of the best players that didn’t want to play,” he said. 

“Those of us that were there kind of wanted to prove how great this team could be, and we were able to win. And then I think more guys last time wanted to do it, and we saw the ending there against Japan. Even though we came up short, just how much fun everyone was having and how great the event [was] brought more media coverage on TV. So this time around, it feels like almost everyone wants to be a part of it.”

And Goldschmidt played a part in recruiting some players to play for their countries in the WBC.

“I went back [after 2017] and was just telling everyone on my team, everyone that got to first base that would listen, like, ‘You need to play for your country’ and of course the US guys need to go play for Team USA because it was great,” he said. 

“It was so much fun. The competition was great. We were basically playing an All-Star Game every night, and it definitely prepares you for the season. So I think all of those things really helped. And the same thing in 2023, and I just felt the momentum growing as well. Hopefully we can play well and keep it going where it grows even more.”

Kershaw has also paid attention to how the WBC has evolved, which is why playing for Team USA was a “bucket list item.”

“Every guy from Mookie [Betts] to Will Smith and even [Austin Barnes] when he played for Mexico – they all told me that it’s something you have to do and just the environment that’s created with it,” he said. “And now you see some of these teams… I mean, they’re pretty stacked with the [Dominican Republic] and Japan and those groups. So it’s going to be a playoff environment. It’s what everybody has told me, and [this] group is certainly motivated to win, which is really fun.”

For Schwarber, this year is about taking care of unfinished business.

“There’s a new team, new faces, new everything but we still have the same three letters across our chest where we didn’t get the job done three years ago and we want to fix that,” he said. 

“Everyone’s got the right mindsets here. Everyone’s looking forward to getting in this tournament and making a deep run and making it all the way and wearing a gold medal. So it’s a step at a time, a game at a time, and there’s no looking ahead and no looking behind. We’ve just got to be able to do what we do, take care of business, and go from there.”

Team USA is 2-0 in Pool Play so far, and will take on Mexico Monday at 8pm ET.

Baseball season is back, and spring training is in full swing. With that, there has been opportunities for prospects to play with the Major League club and show what they can do. While it’s still early, below are a few prospects that have stood out so far in Spring Training.

Hitter – Walker Janek

Janek was the Astros first round pick in 2024, and seen as a plus defender. In 2025 the 23-year-old hit .263 with 21 doubles, 2 triples and 12 home runs over 92 games for High-A Asheville. He also added a surprising 30 stolen bases. Even more important though, he threw out 31% of base stealers, a really strong number for a catcher.

So far this spring he has played in six games and is 4-for-9 with a double, home run, 4 runs batted in and 3 walks. He has also added four stolen bases. His first professional season was solid, though a little underwhelming for a first round pick. Getting off to a nice start in 2026 would be huge for Janek.

Hitter – Brice Matthews

Matthews was the Astros first-round pick in 2023, and Dana Brown’s first first-round selection. Matthews is a great athlete though he does have some swing and missing in his game. Matthews backed up the scouting reports in 2025, hitting .283 with 10 home runs and 25 stolen bases over 73 games at Triple-A, earning a call-up to Houston.

Matthews came into Spring Training with a chance to seize a spot on the big league roster as an outfielder, or maybe a utility type player. So far this spring he has performed well hitting 6-for-22 with two doubles, 7 runs batted in and four stolen bases. We know the potential is there, he just has to translate it on the field.

Pitcher – AJ Blubaugh

Blubaugh was a 7th round pick back in the 2022 draft out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Blubaugh was up and down a bit in 2025 but when he got a chance with the Astros, he showed off posting a 1.69 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 32 innings. The 2025 season showed that Blubaugh belongs with the big league club and should get some good long looks this season.

So far this spring training, Blubaugh has been strong. The right-hander has pitched in three games totaling 5.2 innings. He has allowed 1 run while striking out 3, and running his fastball up to 97 MPH. While his role for 2026 isn’t clear yet, I think it is clear that he needs to be on the Opening Day roster either in the rotation or the bullpen.

Pitcher – Hudson Leach

Leach was signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 draft. He was dominant at times in 2025, but his command would get away from him and he ended up with a 5.54 ERA overall, though he had a 3.51 FIP. He did finish with 63 strikeouts in 39 innings, including some run in Triple-A. The Astros sent Leach to the Arizona Fall League where he struck out 13 in 6.2 innings allowing 3 runs showing off a high 90s fastball.

So far this spring, Leach has pitched in three games and tossed three scoreless innings while racking up three strikeouts. His cutter has been great, including generating 3 whiffs on 4 thrown in his last outing. As mentioned before, he has a big league fastball that he’s ran up to 97.1 MPH. He is a dark horse candidate to be in the pen this year.

We kick off this year’s preview of the Atlanta Braves positional groups with possibly the strongest collection of catchers on a National League roster in the 2026, with one large question mark – health.

Atlanta’s catching group features the reigning 2025 National League Rookie of the Year, a two different backstops who have an All-Star appearance and Gold Glove award on their resume as well as a deeper-down-the-depth-chart 13-year big league veteran and six-year veteran – both of whom are well-respected within the Braves organization.

Drake Baldwin

This time last year, Drake Baldwin appeared set to make his the Opening Day roster and his big league debut after a rib injury knocked presumed starting catcher Sean Murphy off the active roster.

Murphy’s injury opened the door for Baldwin to prove he belonged in big leagues. Despite a slow offensive start that was buoyed by positive underlying metrics, Baldwin more than held his own behind the plate while bringing an outstanding offensive profile to the Braves lineup.

Not only did Baldwin win the 2025 NL ROY award, but his inclusion on the roster and qualifying roster-time equirements allowed the Braves to gain an extra first round draft choice in the 2026 amateur draft.

For the season, Baldwin posted a 125 wRC+ at the place behind a .274/.341/.469 slash line that included 19 home runs and 80 RBI in 124 games. He struck out in only 15.2-percent of his plate appearances while walking 8.5-percent of the time.

Offensively, he excelled, with most of his batted-ball metrics placing him in the top 18-percent of the league. His Baseball Savant page in littered with bright red – a good thing, for those unfamiliar – with his bat speed, average exit velocity and hard hit-percentages amongst his best overall offensive traits.

Defensively, he caught 85 games – including 79 starts – logging 759.2 inning behind the plate. He excelled in blocking pitches but was middle of the road in framing and pop time. Although he allowed a league-high 88 stolen bases, that is as indicative of his pitchers inability to hold base runners as it was his inability to throw them out.

His ZIPs projection for 2026 sees him repeating his 2025 season – and if he does – that Braves will benefit from having one of the best young catchers in the game.

Given the 162-game suspension handed down to outfielder/designated hitter Jurickson Profar for his second failed PED test earlier this month, Baldwin is likely to factor in at designated hitter even more than he was penciled in to prior to Profar’s suspension.

If Murphy is able to successfully return from his hip injury by early May, Baldwin could log more time at DH than behind the plate by season’s end, with Murphy acting as the de facto starting catcher with Baldwin splitting time between DH and catcher. That would be no means be a slight to Baldwin, as Murphy is the superior defensive player, but Baldwin would still likley catch at least 75 games this season. If Murphy is delayed in his return, Baldwin could easily catch 100 games in 2026.

Baldwin, who will turn 25 the day after the Braves open their regular season, may slide into the second spot in the Braves’ lineup, hitting behind outfielder Ronald Acuńa, Jr. and ahead of first baseman Matt Olson. If he does, expect him to see action in at least 140 games, while being in consideration for an All-Star appearance if he is able to replicate his 2025 offensive success.

Jonah Heim

With Sean Murphy’s regular season likely to be delayed for at least six weeks due to his continued recovery from the hip surgery that prematurely ended his 2025 campaign, Atlanta signed former Texas Rangers starting catcher and 2023 American League All-Star and Gold Glove winner Jonah Heim to a one-year, $1.5M deal to be Baldwin’s back-up.

Heim, who is a switch hitter, struggled offensively and defensively in 2025 but did see action in 124 games. It was the second-consecutive year of declining production after back-to-back strong performances in 2022 and 2023.

Now 31, Heim is reunited with Braves hitting coach Tim Hyers – who served in the same roll with the Rangers prior to joining Atlanta in 2025. If Hyers can unlock Heim’s offensive he will be a perfectly acceptable back-up who had hit double-digit home runs each season going back to 2021. He was a 4.0 fWAR player in 2023 and posted 2.7 fWAR in 2022, providing some optimism that a he could have a bit of a bounce-back in 2026.

If Heim struggles in 2026 – he’s been a negative fWAR player the past two years – he could be jettisoned from the roster when Murphy returns, but if he proves a capable back-up, Atlanta could potentially keep three catchers on the 26-man roster due to the likelihood that one of Atlanta’s backstops is likely to see significant time at designated hitter. That would allow Heim to effectively serve as the team’s alternate back-up catcher.

Sean Murphy

When news broke late last season that Sean Murphy was having surgery for a hip issue that he’d been dealing with for quite a while, it was the latest in a checkered injury history the former Oakland Athletics catcher has had since the trade that brought him to Atlanta.

When he’s been on the field, Murphy’s been a quality starting catcher – even elite at times – but he’s only played in more than 100 games once since joining the Braves in 2023 due to various health issues.

In 2025, despite playing in only 94 games, Murphy slugged 16 home runs and produced 2.0 fWAR, but he did so while seeing his batting average dip below .200 for the second consecutive year. He struggled with making contract with pitches outside the strike zone, doing so a career-worst 37-percent of the time after averaging around 50-percent in every other season of his career. That led to a career-worst 31.4-percent strikeout percentage.

Despite the dip in production, he still had a 97 wRC+ in 2025 thanks to continuing to walk more than 10-percent of the time and a .409 slugging percentage.

Even while battling his hip issues, he was still among the best defensive catchers in the game – ranging from above average to elite in all metrics. An ace at blocking, framing and controlling the run game, a healthy Murphy would be a boon for the 2026 Braves for his defensive value alone.

If his offensive returns to pre-2024 levels, Murphy and Baldwin could see a lot of games with both of their names in the starting line-up, as both the right-handed hitting Murphy and left-handed swinging Baldwin don’t suffer from significant platoon splits.

Chadwick Tromp

Chadwick Tromp came into the 2025 season as the presumed back-up to Murphy but ended-up playing caddie to Baldwin until Murphy’s returned forced the out-of-options Tromp off the Braves roster.

Tromp, who’d seen limited action with Atlanta in each season going back to 2022, bounced around the league for the remainder of the 2025 season but returned to the Braves organization on a minor league deal this off-season. He’ll likely head to Gwinnett to provide organizational depth while likely to be the Stripers starting catcher.

Tromp, who will turn 31 before the start of the regular season, is a quintessential third-catcher and could see time in Atlanta should an injury occur.

Sandy León

Sandy León, who will turn 37 later this week, returns to the Braves organization for his third season. He saw his first big league action since 2023 last season, but the 13-year veteran has played a pivotal role him Baldwin’s development and will be leaned on to help the organization’s pitchers at Triple-A while serving as a back-up.

Like Tromp, he returned on a minor league contract this off-season and could be an option to see time in Atlanta should an injury occur.

Jair Camargo

Atlanta added Jair Camargo – who got five games of big league experience with the Minnesota Twins in 2024 – as another minor league catching option who is likely get regular playing time in the upper minors. Camargo has been in the big league camp, but is merely organizational depth at this point.

Kyle Farmer

Kyle Farmer, the nine-year big league veteran who signed a minor league contract with Atlanta prior to the beginning of Spring Training, is battling for the last spot on Atlanta’s big league roster as a back-up infielder who has more than 300 games of experience at shortstop.

Why is Farmer listed here? Because in 2019, Farmer started nine games at catcher for the Cincinnati Reds and appeared behind the plate 15 times. He also caught three games with the Dodgers across the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Although he hasn’t appeared behind the plate since 2019, should Farmer make Atlanta’s roster, he could be a factor as the team’s third catcher should Heim struggle and lose his roster spot when Murphy returns.

Farmer, 35, wouldn’t be any more than an emergency catching option, but the fact that he does have big league experience at the position is an asset as he tries to make the team in Spring Training.

One additional note is that early in Spring Training, Atlanta had infielder Nacho Alvarez, Jr. working with catchers. Alvarez, Jr. has already been optioned to Triple-A, but it will be worth keeping an eye on reports from Triple-A to see if the Braves have him work with León to learn the position.

Alvarez, Jr. won’t turn 23 until later this year, and adding the versatility of being a viable emergency catcher would be a huge asset in the profile of a player who could have a long-term role as a big league utility player.

Where were you when Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball drifted toward Aaron Boone, almost like a butterfly dancing in the wind?

Every Yankees fan remembers that October night in 2003. The stage was set after New York completed its comeback to force extra innings. Wakefield’s pitch floated the way only his knuckleball could. The crack of the bat was followed by a moment of silence, a split second of hope, immediately followed by the chaos only pure joy can produce. When the ball sailed off Boone’s bat and into the left-field seats, Yankee Stadium erupted. A player who had only been a Yankee for a few months became part of franchise history and the sport’s greatest rivalry forever. Fast-forward 23 years later, and the now-manager of the team celebrates his birthday today.

Aaron John Boone
Born: March 9, 1973 (La Mesa, CA)
Yankees Tenure: 2003 (player); 2018–present (manager)

The stitches of a baseball might actually be the strands that hold Boone’s DNA together. His grandfather Ray Boone was a two-time All-Star infielder. His father, Bob Boone, was a four-time All-Star catcher who played 19 seasons in the major leagues and later managed six seasons with the Royals and Reds. His brother Bret Boone became a three-time All-Star second baseman. The Boone family is one of the rare multi-generation baseball lineages in the sport, and Aaron entered the major leagues with expectations that came with the name.

Aaron Boone’s place in Yankees history as a player comes almost entirely from one moment. But what a moment it was.

When the Yankees acquired Boone from the Cincinnati Reds at the 2003 trade deadline for left-handed pitcher Brandon Claussen and Charlie Manning, the move looked more like a practical roster adjustment than a franchise-altering decision. New York needed help at third base after injuries and inconsistency at the position spelled the end of Robin Ventura’s tenure at the position, and Boone arrived as a solid defender who was enjoying one of his better seasons at the plate.

No one could have predicted how quickly his name would become permanent in Yankees history.

That October, the Yankees met the Boston Red Sox in the 2003 American League Championship Series, one of the most intense rivalries the sport has ever seen. After six exhausting games, the series reached a decisive Game 7 in the Bronx. The game stretched deep into extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, Boone stepped to the plate to lead off the inning against Wakefield. He hadn’t even started the game, as he was mired in a miserable 5-for-31 slump that postseason and manager Joe Torre instead elected to go with Game 7 starter Pedro Martinez’s nemesis, Enrique Wilson. But Boone entered as a pinch-runner late and now he had his chance.

The first-pitch knuckleball floated toward the plate. Boone swung.

The ball carried into the left-field seats, ending the game instantly and sending the Yankees to the World Series. Few postseason home runs in baseball history have produced a louder reaction. The Yankees’ bench flooded the field as Boone rounded the bases, and the moment immediately joined the short list of iconic plays in franchise history.

Many fans hoped Boone’s home run would become the defining image of that era of the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry. Instead, it became a dramatic chapter in the rivalry’s larger story. The Yankees fell to the Marlins in that year’s World Series, and the following season Boston completed the comeback from a 3–0 deficit to win the 2004 ALCS and then went on to end of the Curse of the Bambino.

Wildly enough, Boone’s Yankees playing career ended almost as quickly as it began. During the following offseason, he suffered a knee injury while playing basketball, which violated the terms of his contract and allowed the Yankees to release him before the 2004 season began.

Boone’s injury triggered one of the most consequential roster moves in Yankees history. Suddenly without a starting third baseman, New York pivoted and acquired Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers in February 2004. Rodriguez moved from shortstop to third base to accommodate Derek Jeter, and the deal reshaped the Yankees roster for the next decade. In a strange twist of baseball history, Boone’s brief Yankees career indirectly opened the door for one of the most famous trades the franchise ever made.

At the time, it seemed like Boone’s place in Yankees history would be limited to that single October swing, a fun memory of days gone by. Years later, his story with the organization took a second chapter.

In December 2017, the Yankees hired Boone out of the ESPN broadcast booth as manager, replacing longtime skipper Joe Girardi. Despite having no previous managerial experience, the former postseason hero suddenly found himself responsible for guiding the next generation of Yankees baseball.

Under Boone over the last eight seasons, the Yankees have posted a 697–497 regular season record and a 25–27 postseason record. The stat Yankees fans care most about, though, is the one with a zero beside it: World Series titles. Entering 2026, Boone is still searching for his first championship in pinstripes as either a player or manager after coming up short in his first nine. They’ve only made it to the Fall Classic once, in 2024, and thanks to Freddie Freeman, Boone’s decision to use a rusty and somewhat-limited Nestor Cortes in extra innings of the opener will linger in fans’ minds for quite some time.

Boone’s tenure has been defined by both success and scrutiny, as managing in the Bronx always brings expectations. However, since it is his birthday, we will allow Boone’s connection to Yankees history for today to rest solely on that swing in October 2003. In a franchise built on moments, legends, and championships, very few players manage to create the moment every kid dreams about in the backyard. Aaron Boone did it.

Happy birthday, Aaron “Bleepin” Boone.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.

Today we are looking at starting pitcher Patrick Corbin.

The Texas Rangers looked around in the middle of spring training, 2025, and said, we need a cheap replacement level starting pitcher who will take the ball every fifth day and not get knocked out early. So they went out and signed Patrick Corbin, or more or less accomplished that.

I am pretty sure I described the Corbin signing, at the time, as weird. I got it, though. The Rangers didn’t want to cycle guys who weren’t ready through the rotation, didn’t want to have to deal with a spot in the rotation that regularly recorded just 8 outs and messed up the bullpen for the next few days. They wanted someone with a certain baseline level of replacement level competence.

And for what they wanted, Patrick Corbin fit the bill. He had been bad the previous four seasons with Washington, though there was a very mild improvement in 2023-24, when he put up a 5.41 ERA and 77 ERA+, compared to a 6.05 ERA and 66 ERA+ from 2021-22. But he had taken the ball every time out — he was one of just three pitchers to start at least 200 games from 2018 through 2024 — and that reliability had value for the Rangers, given the state of their rotation. And Texas would be putting a quality defense behind Corbin, and he added a cutter in the second half of 2024 that, it was thought, could result in an improvement in 2025.

The Rangers wanted a pitcher who would make 30 starts and avoid disaster outings, and paid Patrick Corbin $1 million plus incentives with that in mind.

Viewed through that lens, the Patrick Corbin signing was more or less a success. Corbin made 30 starts and a relief appearance. He threw 155.1 innings. He generally avoided disaster outings, at least until August, where he had a stretch of four starts where he allowed 17 runs and made it into the fifth just once.

Corbin’s K rate of 19.8% was the highest it had been since 2020. His walk rate was more or less in line with what it has always been. His home run rate was the lowest it had been since 2019. And yes, the Shed and its pitcher-friendly ways in 2025 contributed significantly to that — Corbin allowed 15 home runs in 80 innings on the road, compared to 6 homers in 75 innings at home. His home/road ERA splits — 3.36 ERA at home, 5.38 ERA on the road — can largely be explained by that.

Was Patrick Corbin good in 2025? I guess it depends on your point of view and what you look at.

Corbin was definitely better than he was the previous four years. His 4.40 ERA and 4.75 xERA were both the best he had put up since 2019 — his last empirically good season, and a very good season 2019 was for Corbin — and his 4.25 FIP was only beat out since 2019 by his 4.17 FIP in 2020. His ERA+ of 83 and ERA- of 109 were his best marks since 2020.

Notably, Corbin stopped being rocked quite so bad when hitters made contact off of him. Corbin has always been susceptible to loud contact — even in his two really good seasons, 2018 and 2019, he allowed an xwOBA on contact of .386, almost 20 points higher than what the league allows as a whole on contact. That got much worse beginning in 2020, when he began a stretch of five straight seasons where he allowed at least a .400 xwOBA on contact, which is very bad.

That loud contact resulted in a divergence between his ERA and FIP. From 2021-24, Corbin had a 5.71 ERA but a 4.99 FIP. While the theory behind FIP being more reliable than ERA is that pitchers have minimal control over what happens to balls in play, and whether they are hits or outs, as we discussed with Caleb Boushley, that’s not necessarily the case. With Patrick Corbin, his xERA over that span ran from 5.47 to 6.29, which would seem to indicate that it wasn’t bad defense causing all those runs to score.

From 2020 through 2024, Corbin was generally in the bottom 15% in hard hit rate in baseball, which is what I think one would expect, given the discussion above. In 2024 he was in the 3rd percentile, with a hard hit rate of 46.7%. In 2025 that dropped to 40.4%, putting him right in the middle of the pack in hard hit rate. Corbin hadn’t allowed a slugging percentage of less than .481 in the previous four seasons. The combination of the lower hard hit rate, the Shed, and the strong Rangers defense resulted in Corbin allowing a slugging percentage of .430 in 2025.

So Patrick Corbin was better in 2025 than in prior years. That doesn’t mean he was good, though. fWAR would disagree — it reflects a 1.9 fWAR in 2025, as well as a 1.7 fWAR in 2024. B-R has Corbin at below replacement level each of those years. I think B-R is probably closer to correct.

With the 30 starts he logged in 2025, Corbin now has 233 starts since the start of the 2018 season, one behind Jose Berrios, five more than Luis Castillo, eight more than Aaron Nola, ten more than Charlie Morton. Kyle Gibson is still 12th on the list, with 201 starts over that stretch, despite making just four starts in 2025.

At this point, though, Corbin may be stuck on 233 for a while. He is currently unsigned, and with Opening Day just a few weeks away, it would seem like he may not have a job in 2026. On the other hand, the Rangers didn’t sign him in 2025 until March 18, so he could still get a call from a team with a hole in their rotation who needs someone who take the ball every fifth day and not blow up.

Previously:

Gerson Garabito

Tyler Mahle

Kyle Higashioka

Adolis Garcia

Luis Curvelo

Alejandro Osuna

Blaine Crim

Jake Burger

Jacob Webb

Nick Ahmed

Jon Gray

Carl Edwards Jr.

Josh Jung

Leody Taveras

Dustin Harris

Marc Church

Luke Jackson

Danny Coulombe

Wyatt Langford

Dylan Moore

Michael Helman

Evan Carter

Cole Winn

Rowdy Tellez

Dane Dunning

Marcus Semien

Billy McKinney

Jose Corniell

Jonah Heim

Cody Freeman

Sam Haggerty

Jacob deGrom

Merrill Kelly

Caleb Boushley

Justin Foscue

Nathan Eovaldi

Chris Martin

The Cincinnati Reds made another wave of cuts from spring camp on Monday morning, and in doing so got the number of players still in camp down to 42.

Both infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand and right-hander Chase Petty were optioned to AAA Louisville, while catcher Michael Trautwein – in camp as a non-roster invitee – was reassigned to minor league camp. The Reds announced the moves on Twitter.

Both CES and Petty have gotten their feet wet at the big league level, and at times both have risen to be perhaps the top prospects in the entire organization at what they do. That said, each’s production (or lack thereof) during the 2025 season slid precipitously, and both have clearly been passed on the organizational pecking order for the time being.

CES swatted 6 homers at the big league level in 2025 but posted just a .208/.234/.377 line in 137 PA, and he was optioned back to AAA in July. While he turned it around to an extent while with AAA Louisville, he didn’t play at the big league level after July 8th. The Reds subsequently acquired 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes from Pittsburgh and watched as Sal Stewart emerged as one of the game’s top prospect and then signed old friend Eugenio Suárez in free agency, pushing CES out of a job at the big league level for the time being, at least.

As for Petty, his initial foray into big league baseball could not have gone much worse. He was shelled for 14 runs (13 earned) in just 6.0 IP across a trio of appearances with the Reds, and after being optioned back to AAA Louisville in late June his season continued to spiral. His final two appearances of the season saw him fire just 4.1 IP and allow 14 ER, and on the whole he posted an ugly 6.39 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 112.2 IP at the AAA level in 2025. Still just 22 years old, though, Petty is very much still viewed as a player with big league stuff (when he can harness it), but he’s clearly fallen behind Rhett Lowder, Chase Burns, and Brandon Williamson for the time being.