There was a lot of noise surrounding Adam Fox’s comments last week regarding his future with the New York Rangers.
Upon his return to the lineup last week on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers, Fox was asked if he wants to stick around with the Rangers through a retool, and his noncommittal answer raised some eyebrows.
“I'm just trying to focus on this year right now and play each game,” Fox said. “That's really all I could do right now. That’s a conversation for when we’re done playing.”
After the Rangers’ Monday night 5-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Fox was given the opportunity to clarify his previous statement about his future.
However, he decided to go down a similar path, answering the question vaguely while giving no reassurances about where his head is at this season.
“Kind of the same,” Fox said of whether he had anything to add to his previous comments about his future. “We’re just trying to focus on games, myself included. Like you said, there's a lot going on, the deadline and everything. But I think all anyone can do right now is just take it day by day and try to bring a good effort, trying to bring a good attitude and obviously, go from there.”
Mercogliano reports that Fox wants to see how Drury handles the coming months and assess the state of the roster this summer before making a full-throated commitment to stick it out with the Blueshirts.
The 27-year-old defenseman holds a full no-movement clause through next season. Over the final two years of Fox’s contract, which expires in 2029, he’ll have a 16-team no-trade list.
There has been no immediate speculation that the Rangers are looking to entertain offers for Fox before the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline.
Unless I’m mistaken, today’s matchup against Team Brazil is the first time the ball club has ever competed against a World Baseball Classic team?? Can anyone fact check that? Google has really taken a dive and I’m having a difficult time locating any type of database that says otherwise. Although I want to say I remember there being an A’s vs Team Venezuela game back in 2017. Did I make that up? Classic case of the Mandela effect? Brent Rooker played the genie in Kazam!, right?
Making his A’s debut against Team Brazil is none other than Aaron Civale, who recently signed a one year deal worth about $6 million with the green and gold. Now I’d be lying to you if I said I was super pumped for the Civale era. Not very often does a pitcher with a 65.1 % flyball rate and a high 80s cutter get me all hot and bothered. In fact, I don’t think there’s ever been more of a turn off. That being said, his success is our success so I will gladly sit back and support.
Go Aaron!
I don’t see the righty going more than two innings today as it is his first outing. Still, it’ll be interesting to see him shake off the rust against Team Brazil’s trio of Nepo babies:
Lucas Ramirez (son of Manny Ramirez)
Do you think he knows that his pops is an A’s spring training legend?
Joseph Contreras (son of Jose Contreras)
Dante Bichette Jr. (I won’t patronize you fine readers)
There’s something very “Straight-to-Video” about this Team Brazil squad. But that doesn’t mean we should expect them to roll over. No, in fact Civale and the A’s should be careful as, if American Pie: Band Camp has taught us anything, it’s that sometimes greatness comes from places you’d least expect. It’s been over ten years since the last time Team Brazil punched their ticket to the WBC, and manager Daniel Yuichi Matsumoto, who was captain of that squad back then as a player, will be damned if the club doesn’t walk away from this whole affair without at least one victory. Beating the A’s could either be the feather in their cap when it’s all said and done, or the very victory that propels them towards being a cinderella team (they play Team USA on Friday btw).
It is worth noting, not a single position player on their roster has Major League experience. Literally not a single soul with a bat. With all due respect to Team Brazil, I hope the A’s put up fifteen runs. Losing isn’t the end of the world (baseball classic 😉 here but it is still embarrassing. Especially knowing that Mark Kiger has seen more action in the bigs than every one of their position players combined.
(In Robert Stack’s voice) UPDATE: I looked a bit harder and found that the A’s actually squared off against Team Colombia back in 2023 and…lost :/ Final score 3-2. Freddy Tarnok got the L. Brent Rooker did, however, go 2-2 with a walk.
I turned back the clock a little further and discovered that in 2017 and 2013, the A’s took two wins away from Team Italy, and 2009 saw them beat Team South Africa. MLB.com lists their match up against Team South Africa in 2006 as a scoreless exhibition, but according to SFGATE – – the A’s dropped thirteen runs on their heads while only giving up one.
Combing through these games made me curious to how they map out who plays who. Like why have the A’s played Team South Africa and Team Italy twice? Why is Team USA playing the Rockies and Giants this year? If anyone knows the answer to this question, please feel free to word vomit in the comments. If not, I’m sure our amazing broadcast team will hit us with a little trivia throughout the game.
Checkout the lineup below as we get ready for a fun little day of baseball!
Baseball has always been framed as pitcher versus hitter beneath the bright lights of a full stadium. But often, the decisive showdown happens somewhere less visible and far more difficult to quantify.
“Everybody knows mechanics now. Everybody knows what a good swing looks like,” said Mariners mental performance coach Adam Bernero. “The edge isn’t in spin rate. The edge is mindset. It’s who can fully express themselves with freedom.”
Bernero pitched for five MLB teams across parts of seven seasons, largely without the mental performance resources now embedded across the sport. In his current role with Seattle, his work centers on helping players manage pressure and uncertainty by understanding their own identities.
“Identity is a big one,” said Bernero. “Once guys are really comfortable in who they are, things tend to free up. If they’re trying to impress everybody else, they can’t be free in their bodies.”
Bernero can often be seen playing catch with players and hanging out near the cage. These routine and simple interactions can lead to meaningful breakthroughs.
⚾️ Coming soon: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Logan Gilbert is one of many players who has worked closely with Bernero. His rise into one of the game’s top pitchers has coincided with an evolution in his mental process. He came to this realization after some initial struggles as a rookie.
“I kind of used to just bang my head against the wall — mechanics, mechanics, mechanics. And then if you’re still struggling, you start realizing maybe that isn’t the problem.”
For Bernero, each relationship is different and comes with its own dynamics. There isn’t always an immediate conversation after a bad game. Instead, Bernero spends time observing players, learning their tendencies, and recognizing when behavior or emotion falls outside of their normal patterns.
“He helps you understand yourself really well,” said Gilbert. “And then there are different things like breath work and mindfulness, walking, solitude.”
While Gilbert utilizes the tools he’s learned from Bernero over the years, he still doesn’t consider himself a finished product.
“It’s nuanced and complicated. The better you get, the more questions you have. It’s kind of peeling back layers on things that needed to be worked on.”
The approach isn’t unique to Seattle. Former major league outfielder James Jones understands the pressures and struggles that players face because he lived it. After injuries curtailed his playing career, Jones moved into mental performance work with the Rangers, helping players prepare not only for competition on the field, but for the expectations and scrutiny that come with reaching the major leagues.
“It’s really about understanding their personality, understanding how they tick,” said Jones. “It’s more of an art form than anything. Instead of just giving advice, our biggest thing is coming alongside the journey with them.”
Jones points to the Rangers’ preseason leadership camp, where prospects are introduced to on-field expectations and the realities of life in the major leagues. It’s part of an effort to ensure that when players arrive, the moment feels familiar rather than overwhelming.
Jones’ experience as a former player might build some initial credibility and trust in a clubhouse, but relationships ultimately sustain the work.
Brewers reliever Hoby Milner understands the mental side of the game through the daily uncertainty of relief pitching. For him, not knowing when he’ll pitch actually works to his advantage.
“Typically, I don’t like knowing the days I throw,” said Milner. “As a starter in the minor leagues, I would stress so much knowing, like, ‘The game rides on me today.’ When you know what’s going on, you can start spiraling some negative thoughts that way. When you don’t know, it’s easier to go with the flow. You’re always prepared, but you never know. It’s just, ‘Hey, you’re in.’ Okay, cool.”
Milner has been open about the mental challenges of the game and still navigates moments of self-doubt even as he’s found steady success over the past four seasons.
“Normally I go home after a bad outing and start talking to my wife about what I want to do after baseball. And she’s like, ‘Shut up, you’ll be fine.’ The next day I break it down — was it pitch selection, execution, stuff? — and try to get excited about making that adjustment next game.”
As Milner looks back at the winding road that brought him to the Cubs this offseason, he focuses on the value of controlling the things that he can control and not worrying about external factors.
In 2026, the pressures extend far beyond the field. Intense scrutiny comes with the territory of being an MLB player, including the perils of social media. It’s a challenge to block out the noise.
“What these guys have to go through with outside pressures is just extraordinary,” said Bernero. “I think if most fans saw what players get on their Instagram or Twitter feeds every day, they’d be shocked. And beyond that, just expectations — the season’s longer, and there’s not really much of an offseason anymore.”
Even for the best of us, social media is at times unavoidable. From Jones’ work with the Rangers, they try to find ways to help players think about coming at social media from a different perspective.
“Especially right now, social media can either be a trap or it can be an actual platform they use,” said Jones. “Once we shift the identity around social media — where they use it to actually impact the communities they’re going back to — we put a purpose to it rather than it just being a place to scroll.”
Baseball is defined by failure. Those failures are inevitable, and with it comes the pressure. The pressure to win, to earn the next contract, to keep a roster spot. The goal for Bernero is to help players understand themselves well enough to move through it.
“Success for me is joy and freedom,” Bernero said. “A lot of guys go through their careers without having any fun because they’re trying to be perfect. How can you enjoy the game you’ve played your whole life?”
With every pitch and every at-bat, the work continues. A quieter showdown unfolding beyond the traditional scouting report.
NEW YORK — Atlanta outfielder Jurickson Profar faces a 162-game suspension by Major League Baseball for a possible second failed test for a performance-enhancing drug, a person familiar with the issue told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the process, first reported by ESPN, was ongoing.
Profar intends to ask the players’ association to file a grievance to appeal any discipline to baseball’s independent arbitrator, Martin F, Scheinman, a second person familiar with the process said, also on condition of anonymity, because no announcement had been made.
Because this would be Profar’s second infraction, an appeal would take place after a suspension was announced.
An All-Star in 2024, Profar was suspended for 80 games last March 31 following a positive test for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG), a hormone that helps production of testosterone. He issued a statement then saying: “I would never willingly take a banned substance, but I take full responsibility and accept MLB’s decision.”
His agent, Dan Lozano, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Profar homered in his return from suspension on July 2 and finished with a .245 average, 14 homers, 43 RBIs and a .787 OPS in 80 games. He batted .280 in 2024, when he set career highs with 24 homers, 85 RBIs and an .839 OPS.
Profar said at the start of spring training that he had sports hernia surgery in November, requiring a six-week recovery time. He has appeared in four spring training games this year, going 3 for 10 with three RBIs.
A native of Curaçao, Profar had been set to play for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic.
Under the suspension, he would be ineligible for the postseason.
Profar would lose his $15 million salary for this year as part of a $42 million, three-year contract through 2027. He lost half his $12 million salary in 2025 due to the initial suspension.
Four players have been suspended previously this year for positive tests, including free agent outfielder Max Kepler for 80 games under the major league program following a positive test for Epitrenbolone.
Following the offseason signing of left fielder Mike Yastrzemski to a $23 million, two-year deal, Profar had been targeted to be the Braves’ primary designated hitter.
When catcher Sean Murphy returns from a hip injury, perhaps in May, 2025 NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin could fill in at DH when not behind the plate.
With Yastrzemski, Michael Harris and Ronald Acuña Jr. in the outfield, Eli White could be a DH option. The Braves also are without projected starting shortstop Ha-seong Kim due to a finger injury. Mauricio Dubon, expected to serve a utility role, is scheduled to open the season as the starting shortstop.
The loss of Profar could create an opportunity for Dominic Smith, who signed a minor league deal on Feb. 17.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners swings during the game against the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium on February 20, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a restful off-day, the Mariners are back in action today with another televised game. J.P. Crawford returns to the lineup today at DH for the first time since the opening game of spring training, while Bryan Woo makes his second start of the spring. This is also the first time the Mariners are seeing the Angels this spring, although this traveling lineup probably isn’t representative of the team they’ll see in Anaheim.
Lineups:
Scheduled to pitch behind Woo are Michael Morales, Michael Rucker, Cole Wilcox, Casey Legumina, Domingo González, and Robinson Ortiz. Wilcox, Legumina, and Ortiz are three of the pile guys I’m most interested in watching, so that should be interesting.
No Trout for the visiting Angels. George Klassen, who was part of the return from the Phillies in the Carlos Estevez trade, gets the start for the Angels.
Old friend Tayler Saucedo is scheduled to appear for the Angels.
Game information:
Game time: 12:10 PT
TV: Mariners.tv
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports (delayed); listen live on the Seattle Sports app or Gameday
Looking ahead: Cooper Criswell will start tomorrow’s game at San Francisco; Luis Castillo will start Thursday’s game against the Padres.
Also of note:
There are some WBC scrimmages going on today. Of note for Mariners fans: Team Canada vs. Toronto is currently underway, as is Colombia vs. Pittsburgh. Sadly, the Cubs – Team Italy game featuring Dominic Canzone batting cleanup isn’t available, but you can tune in right now to Team USA scrimmaging against San Francisco on ESPN, or Team Mexico vs. Arizona if you have MLB TV. At 3 PT, you can see the Dominican Republic take on Detroit, Puerto Rico vs. Boston, or Venezuela vs. Houston. We could put up a separate thread for those later games if there’s interest; otherwise, feel free to use this one to chat WBC as well as Mariners.
Sep 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Ryan Bergert (38) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Is it Spring Training? Is it the World Baseball Classic? It’s both!
Today’s Royals game is an exhibition against Cuba. Which is fun! I like these contests; it’s not everyday that you get exhibitions against an entire country’s national team.
You’ll also notice who’s not in the lineup: Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, and Jac Caglianone. That’s because they’re elsewhere, with Team USA and Team Italy.
Royals 3/3 lineup
Meanwhile, Cuba will field a roster headlined by Yoan Moncada as well as multiple other big league players.
The Chicago Blackhawks made a notable move on Monday, as they traded defenseman Connor Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a second-round pick. The Blackhawks moving Murphy was not surprising, as he was the subject of trade rumors for quite some time due to his pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) status.
Now, with the Blackhawks trading Murphy, one of their promising young defensemen is getting another chance on the NHL roster.
The Blackhawks called up defenseman Ethan Del Mastro with Murphy being traded. Now, Del Mastro has a golden opportunity to show what he can do during his latest opportunity on the Blackhawks' roster.
After appearing in a career-high 24 NHL games last season with the Blackhawks, Del Mastro has only played in two games so far this campaign with Chicago. The Blackhawks' defensive depth made it hard for Del Mastro to crack the Blackhawks' roster this campaign, but with Murphy now gone, it has opened the door for him to get another look on Chicago's roster.
Del Mastro has certainly earned this latest call-up from Chicago, as he is having a solid year in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs. In 45 games, the 6-foot-4 defenseman has recorded two goals, 16 assists, 18 points, and a plus-1 rating. This is after he had nine assists in 47 games with Rockford last season.
Del Mastro is a solid prospect who Blackhawks fans should be excited to see back on the NHL roster. It will be fascinating to see how much of an impact he can make with Chicago, but there is no question that the 22-year-old has a great opportunity here.
Peoria, AZ - February 19: Nick Pivetta #27 of the San Diego Padres throws during a spring training practice on February 19, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
San Diego Padres at Chicago White Sox, March 3, 2026, 12:05 p.m. PST
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GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!
A Nazem Kadri reunion in Colorado once felt like wishful thinking. Now, it feels possible.
As trade chatter intensifies around the Calgary Flames forward, the idea of him returning to the Colorado Avalanche is gaining legitimate traction. With the deadline approaching and contenders looking to separate themselves from the pack, Kadri is emerging as one of the most intriguing names potentially available — and Colorado suddenly checks every box as a landing spot.
Nazem Kadri could be useful in the shootout as well.
Reports of Kadri being available date back to training camp, but the noise has grown significantly after word surfaced that the 35-year-old would welcome a move to a Stanley Cup contender. That development alone changes the market. Kadri isn’t just a veteran scorer — he’s a proven playoff performer who can tilt a series.
Several teams have been mentioned as possible fits, including the Dallas Stars, Utah Mammoth, and Montreal Canadiens. But Colorado is the team generating the most traction — and for good reason.
After moving Samuel Girard to the Pittsburgh Penguins last week, the Avalanche created roughly $9.8 million in cap space. That kind of breathing room gives them the ability to swing big without gutting the roster. If they want to add a true difference-maker down the middle, they can.
Right now, Colorado is relying on Jack Drury as its third-line centre. He’s been solid, but that spot feels like a clear area to upgrade before the playoffs. Kadri, who leads the Flames with 41 points, would be a major boost in that role — and head coach Jared Bednar knows exactly what he brings in high-pressure games.
Talks Picking Up
Momentum behind the talks appears to be building.
“Definitely, things are picking up with talks between the Avalanche and the Flames,” Chris Johnston said on The Chris Johnston Show.
“Right now, the way it looks is that Colorado could be at the front of list. We’re down to one phone call territory now, where everything could change at a moment’s notice.”
Kadri spent three seasons in Colorado and played a key role in the franchise’s 2022 Stanley Cup run, posting a career-high 87 points that year. The organization wanted to keep him at the time but simply couldn’t make the numbers work under the cap.
Now, the situation is different.
Kadri still has term remaining on his contract through the 2028-29 season, carrying a $7 million cap hit along with a 13-team no-trade clause. That long-term commitment is something Colorado would need to weigh carefully. While the cap hit is manageable now, it could create challenges down the road as other core players come up for new deals.
But windows don’t stay open forever.
Could we see this again? Credit: Geoff Burke
The Avalanche sit first in the NHL standings and look every bit like a legitimate Cup threat again. Adding a familiar, battle-tested centre who thrives in big moments might be the move that separates a contender from a champion.
If the Flames are serious about moving Kadri — and if Colorado is serious about maximizing this season — this reunion may not just be talk for much longer.
Adric and me immediately after Game 7 of the World Series at Rogers Centre. November 2, 2025. | Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
A new year, a new Guide trailer. Please enjoy.
Once again, we have reached the time of year when I write out where I have been and where I plan to go in the coming year, for year five, the planned final year of field research for True Blue LA.
Wait. Final? Are you quitting?
Never, but there comes a moment where prudence is required.
If I could take a moment, I have had the adventure of a lifetime traveling to Dodger games since April 2021, and as a professional since January 2022. If you told me at the Oakland Coliseum that an evening out after being vaccinated for COVID, where Cody Bellinger broke his leg, would be the starting gun to an adventure that would take me all over the world, including Game 7 of the World Series, I would look at you as if you had gone mad.
For five years, the movements of my life have been dictated in part by the baseball schedule.
I will complete the circuit in 2026. Then, once I look out at the Philadelphia skyline after my visit, I anticipate a feeling of quiet accomplishment.
Once the entire baseball 2027 schedule is published, I will get to go where I want to go, rather than having my mindset be “where have I not been yet and how do I mark that location off my list?”
If and when baseball expands, I will return to the road, be it Las Vegas, Nashville, Salt Lake City, or Portland. But generally limiting myself to the Western divisions or wherever Mom wants to go (for as long as she wants to go) is a state of play that I am genuinely looking forward to.
But before we start our final run, let us check the final score of my visits during the Dodgers’ 2025 title run. The table will look best in landscape mode if you are reading this article from a mobile device.
The results of the 2025 itinerary of field research for the Guide
Date of Game
Opponent, Stadium, and City
Result
Overall Record
Starting Pitcher
March 18, 2025
Cubs, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
W, 4-1
1-0
Yamamoto
March 19, 2025
Cubs, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
W, 6-3
2-0
R. Sasaki
April 18, 2025
Rangers, Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
W, 3-0
3-0
Yamamoto
April 19, 2025
Rangers, Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
L, 4-3
3-1
R. Sasaki
April 20, 2025
Rangers, Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
W, 1-0
4-1
Glasnow
July 13, 2025
Bonus – Giants, Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
W, 5-2/11
5-1
Yamamoto
August 15, 2025
Padres, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
W, 3-2
6-1
Kershaw
August 16, 2025
Padres, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
W, 6-0
7-1
Snell
September 2, 2025
Pirates, PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
L, 9-7
7-2
Kershaw
September 3, 2025
Pirates, PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
L, 3-0
7-3
Sheehan
September 4, 2025
Pirates, PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
L, 5-3
7-4
Snell
September 5, 2025
Orioles, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
L, 2-1
7-5
Ohtani
September 6, 2025
Orioles, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
L, 4-3
7-6
Yamamoto
September 7, 2025
Bonus – Orioles, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
Woof. That September losing streak built character and honestly tested my sanity a little. Still, things worked out in the end.
Being present to watch the Dodgers in three countries and two continents in 2025 is the weirdest flex I will ever have as a Dodger fan. Honestly, I am surprised how often I saw Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Clayton Kershaw pitch in the last campaign. It’s not seeing Walker Buehler more often than his mother in 2021, but considering I try to halve my workload when compared to the 2021 amateur campaign, proportions matter.
Being at Kershaw’s actual regular-season farewell is something I do not think I will ever forget.
If one factors in the inaugural amateur year of 2021, the Dodgers are now 62-38 with me in attendance in 27 major league cities and Tokyo. The team is also 2-0 in postseason play with me in attendance. Admittedly, Game 7 of the 2025 World Series has infinitely more cachet than Game 2 of the 2021 National League Division Series in San Francisco.
Accordingly, it is time to complete this five-year mission. I plan to visit my final three MLB stadiums in 2026: Daikin Park (Houston), New Yankee Stadium (the Bronx), and Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia). Considering the Dodgers’ recent history in these venues, I will have my work cut out for me as a visiting Dodgers fan.
The 2026 itinerary of field research for the Guide
Behold — my travels to complete the circuit. Again, the table will look best in landscape mode if you are reading this article from a mobile device. In the grand scheme of things, I am well ahead of schedule this year compared to the past couple of years.
Stop Number
Dates of Games
Opponent, Stadium, and City
Comments, if Any
1a
May 2-3
Cardinals, Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
1b
May 4-6
Astros, Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Stadium 28
2
May 23-24
Brewers, American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Going for Bernie’s Slide
3
June 13-14
White Sox, Rate Field, Chicago, IL
First visit since 2024
4a
July 17-19
Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Stadium 29
4b
July 20-22
Phillies, Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Stadium 30
5
August 17-18
Rockies, Coors Field, Denver, CO
Annual trip with Mom
I plan to attend 17 games in seven cities over five trips. I could take or leave going to St. Louis, but considering that weekend, I would just be sitting at home before flying to Houston, for a few hundred more, I would rather watch the Dodgers in person.
Admittedly, while it would be nice to return to Toronto (April), Minneapolis (May), or Cincinnati (September), sometimes there is valor in saying no. My funds are not infinite, as my tax return reminds me on a now-annual basis. Besides, I really should not press my luck (Toronto) or wait until the next cycle (Minneapolis).
I had originally planned to go to San Diego this season, but the Murakami signing in Chicago swayed me. Moreover, I get the chance to meet up with friends in Chicago, which also prompted my return to Milwaukee. Molly Knight is doing an event with her readers in three ballparks in Chicago and Milwaukee over Memorial Day weekend, and I figured it would be fun to tag along for the Milwaukee/Dodgers portion of the trip.
With that idea in mind, I am going to do something I once planned to challenge David Vassegh to do: I am going to challenge Bernie’s Slide in Milwaukee, while also ghost-hunting at the Pfister Hotel. Apparently, to do the Slide, I need a buddy, which was not the rule when I last visited. Am I going to be blasting the Ghostbusters Theme on a loop while in Milwaukee? Probably.
Mom did not want to go back to Dodger Stadium in 2026, and I do not blame her for that decision one bit. Accordingly, she has chosen Denver for our annual trip in 2026, which should be fun. There is a mostly-zero probability I conclude my 2026 shenanigans in Cincinnati, but for now, what you see above is the plan.
While I hope to achieve a goal I first set out to do in 2021 this year, by definition, it will not be as epic as completing the lifelong bucket list items I managed to complete in 2025, when I went to Japan. I am very much looking forward to completing my circuit of MLB ballparks this season.
“Home” Games
Since I have returned to the Bay Area, and with the now-Sacramento Athletics’ departure from Oakland, the closest ballpark to me is, once again, Oracle Park. Joy.
My general rule for Oracle Park remains: I do not go to games in San Francisco unless I am with friends and family, because I have been to Oracle Park far too many times for any novelty to remain. I covered Oracle Park in its Guide entry. It’s fine, even though I serve as a personification of the living bane of the San Francisco Giants, who are 8-15 in my presence at Oracle Park.
If folks wish to go to Oracle Park and invite me, here are the dates for the upcoming year:
April 21-23
September 25-27 (weekend series, regular season finale)
While Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, CA, is about an hour away, I will still not attend when the Dodgers are there for two reasons.
First, I still do not want to. Second, while the Dodgers will, unfortunately, visit Sacramento in 2026, I will write up what can best be described as an anti-Guide entry explaining why Dodgers fans should not give John Fisher their hard-earned money. Moreover, even the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets will visit Sutter Health Park while I am on the East Coast, completing the circuit.
Please holler if you wish me to tag along on any adventure to any of the above-listed ballparks.
If folks want to join me on the road, please reach out as soon as possible—the more, the merrier, as I always say. The meetups I had in Tokyo, Baltimore, and Seattle were great fun.
I have been at this long enough that I am getting recognized more often in the field, which is still both confusing and neat. As always, please say hello, unless I am in the bathroom or eating.
As for upcoming Guide entries, given that the Dodgers return to Detroit and Rate Field this year, you can bet I will have new or updated entries ready for potential travelers. Please look forward to it!
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 02: Pitcher Clayton Kershaw #22 of Team USA fields a ground ball during a workout at Papago Park Sports Complex on March 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Clayton Kershaw may be done with Major League Baseball, but as the World Baseball Classic nears, the greatest left-hander of our generation has one more box to tick. For the first time in his career, Kershaw will represent the United States of America in the World Baseball Classic, and in preparation for that assignment, Kershaw took the field at Papago Sports Complex in Arizona as part of a team workout.
Speaking to the media, Kershaw displayed a self-awareness of his current limitations: “I think for our country’s sake, it’s better if I don’t,” he said of a potential matchup with Shohei Ohtani. However, the competitor in him remains: “I can’t imagine, if it comes down to USA versus Japan, with the arms that we have, that I’ll be needed. But I’ll be ready.”
Kershaw’s importance to the US team may be more important than originally thought, as Bill Shaikin of the LA Times notes: what looked to be a stout rotation for the US team is taking several blows—Tarik Skubal, Joe Ryan, and Paul Skenes will all have certain limitations about how often they can pitch in this tournament—the reigning back-to-back AL Cy Young will only pitch once, for instance.
MLB even published a small clip of Kershaw warming up wearing the American colors.
Kershaw made an appearance on the Pat McAfee show as well, in which he discussed the process of his retirement. The left-hander emphasized the gradual decline of his fastball velocity, the challenges of rehabbing from surgeries, and the eventual realization that it was time to call it quits at the end of 2025.
Continuing the World Baseball Classic theme—despite being currently sidelined recovering from surgery—Kiké Hernández will soon leave the Dodgers facilities to join the Puerto Rico team, reports Jack Harris, who also notes Kyle Tucker’s current absence from Dodger camp, as he and his wife are expecting a child. Lastly, according to Harris, Tommy Edman has already started taking swings, a promising sign in his rehab, although he is unlikely to feature in any games this spring.
Some other Dodgers camp notes:
— Kyle Tucker is back home right now, with his wife expecting
— Kiké Hernández is gonna leave camp soon to be around Team Puerto Rico for the WBC (he obv won’t play, but has dyed his hair)
— Tommy Edman has started swinging in the cage, but is…
ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 26: Mike Moustakas #8 of the Kansas City Royals is congratulated by teammates Eric Hosmer #35 and Lorenzo Cain #6 of the Kansas City Royals after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Kansas City Royals at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 26, 2016 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals made some improvements to the roster in the offseason, but did not make the big move that fans may have wanted. Maybe that one big player wasn’t really available. But let’s imagine we aren’t just limited to players in the game right now. What if we could add a player to the roster from Royals history?
If you could pluck one former Royal at the height of his powers and drop him onto this team, who fits like the final puzzle piece? I’m not necessarily talking about the biggest star, although George Brett could certainly fit on any roster. I’m talking about a player who would be the perfect fit for right now for this roster.
Here’s your time machine – who are you bringing to 2026?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Jurickson Profar #7 of the Atlanta Braves during batting practice before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on September 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jurickson Profar missed essentially the entire first half of the 2025 season after he tested positive for using performance-enhancing drugs. Unfortunately for him and the Braves, it’s déjà vu all over again in the worst possible way.
Jeff Passan of ESPN is reporting that Profar has once again tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and is now facing a 162-game suspension. For those of you kids keeping track at home, that’s the full season.
BREAKING: Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time, sources told ESPN. News free at ESPN: https://t.co/Od2Cht2QUO
To keep it real with y’all, this is a hot mess. It’s one thing to get caught one time. In that case, you have the benefit of the doubt where it could’ve been a mistake or a brief lapse in judgment that led to a bad decision being made. A second time is absolutely inexcusable and there’s no way to wave this away. The Braves not having Jurickson Profar for the entire 2026 season is a pretty major blow to their current plans for their lineup and it’s absolutely dreadful that this is how they’ve lost him for another extended period of time.
The only silver lining is that this now means that Mike Yastrzemski is now an everyday player for this team but just like the Ha-Seong Kim injury forced Mauricio Dubón into everyday player status, it’s a silver lining but it’s certainly not ideal. The best way forward for this squad was to have Profar serve as a DH while Yaz started against right-handed since Yaz over the course of his career is a much better hitter against righties than lefties. Losing Profar for the entire season hurts their plans for DH and the outfield as well, so this just stinks all around.
The only other positive that comes out of this is that PED suspensions are unpaid suspensions as well, which means that that’s now $15 million that the Braves have freed up to use because Profar decided to be a big dummy and use PEDs again. It’s safe to assume that the Braves are going to dip their toes back into the outfielder/DH market but as you can imagine at this point in the baseball calendar, there’s not a lot of quality out there that could come close to replacing the level of production that Profar could’ve provided.
So once again, this is a hot mess. The Braves have now lost their starting shortstop until (hopefully) May, one of their primary catchers until (hopefully) May, one of their starting pitchers for who knows how long, one of the prime candidates for the fifth starting position for who knows how long and one of the key players in their lineup for the entire season. Opening Day isn’t until March 27 so let’s hope nothing else completely absurd happens between now and then! Good grief!
UPDATE [2:00 p.m. ET]: Ken Rosenthal from The Athletic is reporting that the MLBPA is planning to challenge Profar’s suspension and file a grievance on his behalf. I’d imagine that this is strictly procedural on the union’s part but there’s that.
The Players Association plans to challenge MLB’s intention to suspend Jurickson Profar for 162 games, source tells @TheAthletic
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 09: Isaac Paredes #15 of the Houston Astros celebrates with Christian Walker #8 after the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Daikin Park on May 09, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic calls the current situation untenable.
MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic believes the Astros must trade 3B Isaac Paredes and get a lefthanded hitting outfielder.
It’s a great idea in theory, one Astros GM Dana Brown has been trying to execute for several months. There’s just one slight problem with the plan: another team has to have a player you want and they have to be willing to trade them to you for Paredes.
Who knew such a small problem would be such a thorn in the Astros’ side in trying to make a deal?
Entering the offseason, there seemed to be two deals that made a ton of sense for the Astros to make:
trade Christian Walker to the Mets for SP Kodai Senga.
trade Isaac Paredes to the Red Sox for Jarren Duran.
They did neither.
Instead Senga is buried as the Mets’ 5th/6th starter and talks between the Red Sox and Astros are dead (at least for now) as Rosenthal said the two clubs haven’t been in recent contact.
The necessary move is to trade third baseman Isaac Paredes for a left-handed-hitting outfielder, an idea the Astros have discussed most thoroughly with the Boston Red Sox, according to people briefed on the discussions. Talks stalled, however, and the clubs have not been in recent contact.
The Red Sox, even after acquiring Caleb Durbin from Milwaukee, still look like the best fit for Paredes — they could play him at third and Durbin at second without needing to rely on Marcelo Mayer. The Astros are not getting back Wilyer Abreu, whom they traded in 2022 for catcher Christian Vázquez. A deal constructed around Jarren Duran should remain within reach. By moving Duran, the Red Sox would create DH at-bats for Masataka Yoshida and eventually Triston Casas, who could return in May from a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee.
The problem is that the Red Sox’s trade for Durbin improved their negotiating position while weakening the Astros’. Brown, then, might need to get creative, possibly involving a third team, possibly pivoting from the Red Sox entirely.
Now, I don’t fully understand why the Astros are allegedly so averse to a player like Duran in LF, who has led the AL in triples back to back years (27 total) hit over 40 doubles back to back years, hit 37 HRs in that span as well as stolen 58 bases. He seems like a pretty good offensive player. He also graded out with 11 defensive runs saved last season in LF per baseball reference, although statcast graded him at -5 outs above average.
Duran also makes $7.7M this season (so less than Paredes) and has 2 years of team control. Duran is also the OF the Red Sox were looking to move. The Astros were set on their former prospect Wilyer Abreu, whom the Red Sox have no interest in parting with.
As you look around the league, there aren’t a lot of quality lefthanded hitting OFs that are either available or on teams that would be willing to make a deal for a player like Isaac Paredes, who is a win now type of offensive impact player making $9.35M this season.
So if the Astros can’t find the deal they feel gives the equivalent value for Paredes, is it time to pivot to trading Walker?
Now, there has been little interest in Walker this offseason, partly because he’s coming off a down season (although a solid 2nd half) and partly because of the remaining 2 years and $40M on his contract.
I don’t know how much the Astros would be willing to eat on his deal, but the longer they wait to pull a deal to clear the logjam in the infield, the less leverage they are going to have unless they decide to wait out injury – a risky proposition because there is no guarantee a team that suffers an injury will still make a trade.
If the Astros value Paredes as much as they claim to, and they can’t get what they think is the right value, then they should pivot to dealing Walker, and be flexible on the money they have to eat. Maybe it’s half. Maybe its 75%.
The Padres don’t have a real 1B, they currently have a left fielder listed at 1B on their depth chart. They looked into acquiring Nolan Arenado and playing him at 1B. Clearly, Walker would be a better option than Arenado. Just at what price point for the Astros (salary pay down) and the Padres (return).
About a month ago, David Schoenfield of ESPN had posited a trade idea of Walker to San Diego in exchange for RP Bradgely Rodriguez.
From Schoenfield’s article: This would be an alternate trade option to Paredes for Houston, with him then playing first base. Walker didn’t have a good first season in Houston, his OPS+ slipping from 120 to 97, although he hit 27 home runs and Statcast still viewed him as a plus defender at first base. (Other metrics weren’t as generous, but Walker won three straight Gold Gloves from 2022 to 2024, so I would be more inclined to go with the Statcast evaluation.)
After finishing 28th in home runs in 2025, the Padres need more power, and with Walker at first, they can slide Jake Cronenworth on a full-time basis over to second base. The current alignment doesn’t project well, with the Padres ranking 28th in FanGraphs’ projected WAR at first base (a mix of Gavin Sheets and Cronenworth) and 20th at second base (a combo of Cronenworth and Sung-Mun Song). Rodriguez is a big-league ready reliever who can help a Houston bullpen that is a little thin from the right side beyond Bryan Abreu, and while the Astros would have to pay down some of the $40 million owed to Walker the next two seasons, trading him would still clear some payroll to make another move.
Rodriguez isn’t currently listed on the ESPN Depth Chart for the Padres, but he finished 2025 as the Padres #6 prospect. He throws a high 90s fastball that can touch 101, and a devastating change in the mid-to-high 80s. If Josh Hader were to be out for an extended time, Rodriguez has the kind of stuff to be the bridge to Abreu, and he’s only 22 (and CHEAP!).
The Astros may not want to pay down however much of Walker’s contract to get a deal done, but in a case like this, they should be open to paying down as much as $14M per year. A fireballing young RHP in the pen is exactly one of the deficiencies in their roster.
Now maybe that deal isn’t available – but it’s the kind of deal they should be looking for when moving Walker.
While it doesn’t address the lefthanded OF situation, it does address another need on the roster, it gets Paredes in the lineup every day, and I think giving Zach Cole an opportunity is something the team should be heavily considering.
If Joey Loperfido has truly made adjustments in his swing that have garnered improved results as Dana Brown said when they re-acquired him in trade, I have no issue in giving him a chance either.
If Cam Smith shows he isn’t ready, then give him the season in Triple-A he should have gotten last year. That would give the Astros two lefthanded bats in the corners who are both plus defenders with big arms., it keeps Yordan primarily at DH, and gives the Astros one of the best defensive outfields in the game. It’s a lot easier to survive with guys like Shay Whitcomb or Zach Dezenzo as 4th/5th OF guys (who can also play some IF for you as well) who play the short side of a platoon. It’s not hard to get a righthanded hitting platoon OF either, they are cheap and readily available.
As the spring goes on and the Astros leverage in dealing Paredes wanes, the more I would be inclined to eat the money and move Walker.
A lesser return for Walker means paying less down, but the right return for Walker, I think Houston should consider paying as much as 70% of Walker’s deal.
They’ve backed themselves into this corner. I’d rather buy my way out than surrender one of my better hitters on a discount.
Would you rather the Astros move Walker at this point? Let us know in the comments below.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 27: Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Texas Rangers looks on from his dugout during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field on August 27, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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 Nathan Eovaldi.
Nathan Eovaldi makes me happy.
I bet you feel the same way.
Just look at the photo that goes with this post.
(Yes, I know, there’s a video playing at the top of the post, but you know what I mean. Go back to the main page if you need to remind yourself of the photo that goes with this post.)
He is a good pitcher. He is, by all accounts, a great person and a great teammate, someone who makes a point of connecting with the other pitchers on the staff, mentoring and supporting and generally being a great hang.
He throws strikes, he doesn’t walk guys, he keeps runs off the board.
Nathan Eovaldi had arguably his best season in 2025, at the ripe young age of 35.
I kind of want to take “arguably” out of that sentence. Not kind of, in fact. I do want to take it out.
But while he’s never had a bWAR better than the 4.3 he put up in 2025, he did match that number in 2021. And his 2021 fWAR of 5.7 is much better than his 3.7 fWAR in 2025, the second-highest mark of his career.
So I’m resisting. I’m resisting the urge. As much as my right hand wants to move away from the keyboard and take the mouse and move up three paragraphs and do a big ol’ DELETE, I’m not going to do it.
Bad hand.
Nathan Eovaldi put up a 1.73 ERA in 2025. It looked like he was going to be vying for the ERA title until a rotator cuff strain in late August ended his season.
It was going to be a close call anyway as to whether he’d get to the 162 innings necessary to qualify, since he missed a month earlier in the season, but it seemed likely he’d have cracked that threshold if he had stayed healthy the rest of the season. Instead, he ended the year with 130 innings over 22 starts.
And, look, we know this about Nathan Eovaldi. He has always struggled to stay on the mound. He made his major league debut all the way back in 2011 — with the Los Angeles Dodgers! — and has qualified for the ERA title just three times. We know Eovaldi is going to have injury issues, is going to have an i.l. stint or two in any given season, and we accept that.
But when Eovaldi took the mound, you could count on him. Only three times did he not go at least five innings. Once was in late May, when he left after two innings and ended up on the injured list. Once was in late June, his first game back from the injured list, when he was on a pitch count. And once was his second start of the year, when he was pulled with two outs in the fifth. He went at least 6 innings in 14 of his 22 starts.
Eovaldi allowed more than three runs in a game just once in 2025, that one being an August start against Arizona where he gave up five runs on three homers. He allowed two earned runs or fewer in 19 of his 22 outings. He walked more than two hitters in a game just twice. He issued zero or one unintentional walks in 18 starts.
He was even the rare 2025 Ranger pitcher who was better on the road than at home in 2025, with a 1.39 ERA away from The Shed and a 2.15 ERA at home.
He has a fun mix of pitches, throwing his splitter, fastball, cutter and curve all at least 20% of the time, and all of them are pitches that he gets good results with. His occasional sinker is a good pitch. The slider he throws very rarely isn’t all that, but that’s okay, because he hardly ever throws it.
I was unenthused about the Rangers signing Eovaldi in the 2022-23 offseason. I now want him to retire a Texas Ranger.
Reasoning For Rangers Continuing To Hold Adam Edström Out Of The Lineup Will Adam Edström return to the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a>' lineup soon?
David Shovein
