BRONX, NY - OCTOBER 01: Romy Gonzalez #23 of the Boston Red Sox at bat during the American League Wild Card Game 2 against the New York Yankees on October 1, 2025 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Miami Hurricanes baseball team is off to a 13-5 start in 2026 but the ‘Canes are only 1-3 in the ACC and finished 0-2 against the Florida Gators in a weather shortened series. While UM might struggle a bit in a talented ACC, there are some ‘Canes in the pros this season as spring training gets into full swing as well as the World Baseball Classic.
Boston Red Sox IF Romy González is Miami’s best bet at an every day player in 2026. González had a .826 OPS on nine HR’s in 2025. González is projected to have over 300 AB’s playing first and second for the Sox.
Cleveland Guardians hitter C.J. Kayfus is another Hurricane on a major league roster. Kayfus had a .707 OPS last season and is projected to log 200+ AB’s in ‘26. Kayfus is playing 1B and RF for the Guardians.
Slade Cecconi and Andrew Walters should be on major league rosters in 2026 as pitchers. Cecconi started 23 games in ‘25 for the Guardians posting a 7-7 record on a 4.30 ERA. Cecconi is posting a strong spring training with 4.67 SO/W and a 2.13 ERA. Walters, another Guardian player, struggled in limited duty in ‘25 after a solid ‘24 campaign.
Miami will be well represented in the minor leagues with Victor Mederos, Carson Palmquist, Rafe Schlesinger, Gage Ziehl, Yohandy Morales, Alejandro Rosario, and Dominic Pitelli along with Freddy Zamora and Zach Levenson who are in the WBC.
ZachLevenson (St. Louis Cardinals) represented Israel in the WBC and FreddyZamora (Milwaukee Brewers) represented Nicaragua. Levenson was 3-for-14 in the WBC while hitting .250 in spring training for the Cards. Zamora was only 1-of-9 in the WBC, but is hitting .333 in spring training for Milwaukee.
Mederos and Palmquist are on the LA Angels and Colorado Rockies 40-man rosters, respectively. Mederos made three starts with an 0-2 record and 7.41 ERA in ‘26, while Palmquist really struggled in the majors in ‘25 posting an 8.91 ERA and 0-4 record in seven starts.
2025 top picks Griffin Hugus and Brian Walters have yet to make their spring training debuts in the Mariners and Phillies organizations, respectively. Both players will be in the minor leagues in 2026.
Feb 20, 2026; North Port FL, USA; Atlanta Braves infielder John Gil (93) poses for a photo during media day at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves continued to trim down the roster on Friday, with John Gil and Tayler Scott being the next victims. After these two were reassigned to minor league camp, the Atlanta roster stands at 47.
The #Braves today reassigned INF John Gil and RHP Tayler Scott to minor league camp. Atlanta now has 47 active players in camp.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 09: Pitcher River Ryan #77 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes the sign during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 09, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
River Ryan is scheduled to pitch one of the Dodgers’ split squad games on Sunday, getting the home game at Camelback Ranch against the Texas Rangers. The right-hander who had Tommy John surgery in August 2024 and missed all of 2025, is now vying for a spot in the Dodgers’ rotation, or at least a spot on the opening day roster in some role.
He’s also having a solid spring training, with seven strikeouts and three walks in 5 2/3 innings, with a solo home run his only hit given up so far in Cactus League play.
Ryan was listed in two different articles this week about strong performances this spring, including by J.J. Cooper at Baseball America:
Back from Tommy John surgery, Ryan needed one spring training outing to dial in the strike zone, as in his first appearance against Arizona he landed strikes with only 42% of his pitches. But he showed no control problems in his next two outings, and he’s sitting 96-98 mph with a swing-and-miss 90-91 mph slider. That slider has generated eight whiffs in 14 swings.
“Ryan has looked excellent in the early going in Arizona after not pitching since 2024,” McDaniel wrote. “He has the components to start but his deep arsenal of plus stuff can work in any role.“
Links
Major League Baseball this week released a report about Game 7 of the World Series regarding Miguel Rojas throwing out Isiah Kiner-Falefa at home plate in the ninth inning, that the play was not as close as it originally seemed From Ben Walker at The Associated Press:
“After reviewing all relevant angles, the replay official definitively determined the catcher’s foot was touching the plate when the ball contacted the interior of his mitt,” read the official report by MLB, which recently provided it to The Associated Press.
Mark Simon wrote about the Dodgers team defense at Sports Info Solutions: “The one thing that could go against them is age, with Betts, Muncy, Freeman, Rojas, and Hernandez all being 33 or older and on the downside of the aging curve. If it came apart for all of those players at once, the Dodgers could be in trouble.”
Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) leads off first base against Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) during the ninth inning of game four of the ALDS round of the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The MLB regular season is less than two weeks away, and teams and players across the league are just about geared up and ready, whether they’re fine-tuning in Arizona or Florida or letting it fly in the World Baseball Classic. Thanks to the WBC, relevant baseball is already here, and not a week after the tournament concludes will we have Opening Night between the Yankees and Giants to greet us.
With the season about to kick off, we asked Yankees fans who they thought was the Yankees’ primary foe entering the year:
Unsurprisingly, the reigning AL champs won this poll in a landslide. The Blue Jays tied with the Yankees for the most wins in the American League last season before handling the Bombers in the ALDS en route to the pennant. Though they fell just short in the World Series, Toronto moved aggressively in the offseason to bolster their chances at a repeat run through the AL, landing Dylan Cease on a seven-year deal, while also adding NPB star Kazuma Okamoto and pitchers Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers. To wit, most projections have the Yankees and the Blue Jays neck-and-neck at the top of the AL East.
The Red Sox come in second here above the Mariners, in part perhaps because Boston is obviously a direct (and hated) division rival, while Seattle feels like a far-off threat. But the Mariners, in the grand scheme of things, might be strongest AL team the Yankees have to deal with this year. Those projections that have the Yankees and Jays locked at the top of the AL East? They also have the Mariners projected to lead the AL in wins. The M’s didn’t have a super flashy offseason, but made a couple solid moves to augment a roster that came achingly close to the pennant last year, re-signing Josh Naylor and then adding Brendan Donovan in a trade with the Cardinals. If Seattle’s typically strong rotation bounces back from an iffy 2025, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
Now, on to the cellar of the Junior Circuit:
This is Chicago’s crown to lose, though the Angels are pushing them in the race to the bottom. The White Sox “rebounded” from their historically poor 2024, looking more like a normal, terrible team rather than a mind-bendingly bad one. A few young talents, like Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery, and Shane Smith provided bright spots, though unfortunately Teel is already down after injuring his hamstring in the World Baseball Classic. The White Sox also added Munetaka Murakami to the mix, the kind of risky but high-upside play that it feels like the Pale Hose should be making.
If you squint, it’s possible to see the White Sox rebuild moving in a positive direction. The Angels, though, seem stuck in purgatory, aimlessly wandering through the desert. Their roster is close to barren beyond Zack Neto, Yusei Kikuchi, and the still-fighting Mike Trout, and their farm system looks unlikely to provide much help any time soon. Dark times indeed in Anaheim.
These next two are MLB-wide polls:
PED’s are unfortunately in the headlines right now, with Jurickson Profar getting suspended for the entire 2026 season after a second positive test, while Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas received an 80-game suspension after his first positive test. Profar has fully torpedoed what was once a great story, one of a former top prospect finally making good after a decade-long journey through the majors. Instead, he will likely always be remembered for his two PED suspensions.
Less than half of fans feel that PED’s aren’t a major problem, and it’s easy to argue that recency bias is suppressing that number bit. As disappointing as it was to see two big leaguers popped in the span of a week, from 2023 to 2025, just five players were suspended under the league’s doping policy. Unless MLB is simply failing at detecting juicers, there just haven’t been many guys turning to PED’s in recent years, with the exception of the couple of cases that just came down.
Fans are rather split on whether the league’s current punishments are harsh enough. Currently, a first positive test nets an 80-game suspension, a second yields a season-long suspension, and a third leads to a lifetime ban. These punishments, which have been in effect for 12 years now, are notably harsher than previous PED policies, which had much shorter suspensions for first- and second-time offenders. That those harsher policies have coincided with a pretty low number of positive tests would suggest that players are being sufficiently deterred from turning to drugs, but it stands to reason that unless the league adopts a literal zero-tolerance policy, some fans will be left feeling that the rules aren’t stringent enough.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 04: A detailed view of the Rawlings baseball gloves used by Casey Schmitt #10 of the San Francisco Giants is seen in the dugout prior to the start of the game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park on June 04, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants will be at home for the two games this weekend.
First up, they will play the Arizona Diamondbacks at 1:05 p.m. PDT on Saturday, which will have broadcasts on NBC Sports Bay Area for local fans and MLB Network for out-of-market fans. Radio coverage will be available on KNBR.
Sunday, they will play the Milwaukee Brewers at 1:05 p.m. and this game will have radio coverage available on KNBR.
While we wait, I thought we’d watch another fun video from the Giants social media team. Earlier this week, I shared a video from their YouTube channel of Ron Washington running first base drills with Jerar Encarnación. They recently put out another in that same series, with Washington working with Luis Arraez. So I thought we could watch that this morning.
More than 750 players have appeared in a Rockies game — but only about 200 have ever started on Opening Day.
As spring training is in full swing and Opening Day is approaching quickly (seriously… how is it March 14th already?!), there are still plenty of roster battles playing out. The Colorado Rockies will open the season in Miami on March 27, and the lineup is undecided to say the least.
With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to look back over previous Opening Day lineups in Rockies history. And I’m glad I did.
This exercise won’t suddenly explain how the Rockies can become competitive, but it does reveal some interesting — and occasionally funny — takeaways.
Roster Churn
Turnover from year to year is very real. According to Baseball-Reference Opening Day lineup records, not once since 1993 have the Rockies opened a season with the same lineup as the year before. Given injuries, roster churn, and offseason changes, that result isn’t surprising.
The most consistent stretch came from 2016 through 2018, when seven starters carried over year to year, including Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu, Trevor Story, Gerardo Parra, Charlie Blackmon, and Carlos González. Not coincidentally, that stability helped produce back-to-back playoff appearances in 2017 and 2018.
Jon Gray started Opening Day in both 2017 and 2018, providing rare stability on the pitching side as well.
The Stable Positions
First base, shortstop, and right field have historically been the most stable spots in the Rockies’ Opening Day lineup.
Todd Helton is the model of consistency, having started at first base in a club-record 16 consecutive Opening Day lineups. Few players in franchise history have come close to that level of stability, and Helton’s mark feels safe for the foreseeable future.
Shortstop was anchored for 15 seasons by Troy Tulowitzki and Trevor Story. Tulowitzki started nine Opening Days at the position, with Story adding six more.
Right field also saw extended stability. Hall of Famer Larry Walker started seven Opening Days there while Brad Hawpe and Charlie Blackmon each started five.
Blackmon ranks second in franchise history in Opening Day starts, and his appearances came at multiple positions — center field (5), right field (5), and DH (1).
Left field, meanwhile, has been anything but stable. If Jake McCarthy gets the nod this year, he would become the eighth different Opening Day left fielder in the past eight seasons, making LF arguably the Rockies’ most inconsistent position over the past decade.
On the Mound
The franchise leader in Opening Day starts is Kyle Freeland. The Denver native has made four Opening Day starts and appears likely to make his fifth this season.
Germán Márquez is next with three starts. Others include familiar names like Jorge De La Rosa, Jason Jennings, and Aaron Cook — along with surprises like Kyle Kendrick, Kip Wells, and Joe Kennedy.
Opening Day Oddities
There are also some strange historical oddities buried in these lineups.
After trading Nolan Arenado, who had started seven consecutive Opening Days, the Rockies replaced him at third base for Opening Day 2021 with… his cousin, Josh Fuentes.
It was the first Opening Day after the trade, and the family connection made for one of the stranger trivia notes in franchise history.
Kris Bryant’s lack of availability has been unfortunate. Seeing him on the field in a Rockies uniform sometimes feels about as rare as spotting a puffin, yet he has somehow appeared in the last four Opening Day lineups — starting at left field, right field, first base, and DH.
Another fun tidbit involves Chris Iannetta, who holds the franchise record for Opening Day starts at catcher with six. Those starts came across two separate stints with the Rockies.
Iannetta made his fourth Opening Day start with Colorado on April 1, 2011, then didn’t make another until March 29, 2018 — a seven-year gap between Opening Day starts with the same franchise.
To me, the strangest Opening Day lineups came in 2004 and 2005. Those were years when the Rockies were cycling through veterans, short-term roster fixes, and rebuilding pieces before the club eventually turned the corner toward the 2007 pennant.
Those lineups featured names like Kit Pellow, JD Closser, Jeromy Burnitz, Dustan Mohr, and Shawn Estes — a group that reads today like a particularly deep baseball trivia question.
Looking ahead
Looking ahead to 2026, several players are hoping to make their first Opening Day lineup, while a few newcomers are vying for their first Opening Day start with the Rockies.
Dominic Minchella highlights why the Rockies are hopeful that Chase Dollander could become a key piece of the team’s future rotation. The article acknowledges Dollander hasn’t yet found consistent success in the majors and that Coors Field presents a uniquely difficult environment for young pitchers. Still, learning how to pitch effectively at Coors is part of the challenge— and part of what could define Dollander’s development this season.
In this article from MLB.com, Thomas Harding looks at Jordan Beck’s continued development as he tries to take another step forward. The piece notes that Beck reached the majors after a relatively short time in the minor leagues, which means he’s still learning and adjusting at the big-league level. If that growth continues, the Rockies believe Beck has the tools to become an important piece of their outfield.
In this 18-and-a-half-minute video from Mile High Sports, Drew Creasman breaks down the Rockies’ unsettled first base battle as spring training winds down. He looks at several candidates — including T.J. Rumfield, Troy Johnston, and Charlie Condon — and weighs their chances of claiming the job.
Jun 30, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Trevor Rogers (28) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Good morning Birdland,
MLB’s regular season is inching ever closer. The World Baseball Classic will wrap up in just a few days. The Grapefruit League enters its final week. And the Orioles have named an Opening Day starter.
Team USA is still alive in the WBC, although the road has not been as easy as they probably expected it to be. They had to sweat out the final game of Pool play in order to squeak into the quarterfinals. That set the stage for a matchup with Canada on Friday night. That was a game they ultimately won 5-3, and now they will face a very impressive Dominican Republic squad on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. Even if you aren’t a WBC fan overall, that is a game worth checking out. Will USA skipper Mark DeRosa come to his senses and put Gunnar Henderson (5-for-10, home run) in the lineup ahead of Alex Bregman (2-for-11, five walks)? Don’t count on it.
One week from today, the Orioles will play their final game in Florida. After that, they are due to head north for a home-and-home pair of exhibition games with the nearby Nationals. Those will be the last tune ups before Opening Day on March 26. It’s practically right around the corner!
And we now know who will be pitching for the Orioles on March 26. The team announced on Friday that Trevor Rogers will take the hill as the unofficial “ace” of the staff. On one hand, it’s no surprise to give a veteran coming off of a Cy Young-contending season the Opening Day start. But on the other, Kyle Bradish is far more established within Baltimore, and still felt like the favorite to a degree coming into camp. Instead it looks like he will get to work in Game 2 of the year.
In the meantime, there is still plenty of baseball to watch. In the WBC, Puerto Rico and Italy will play at 3 p.m. ET, while Venezuela and Japan meet up at 9 p.m. ET. The Orioles will head to Bradenton for a 1:05 p.m. first pitch against the Pirates. Rogers will be on the bump.
Links
Gunnar Henderson, underrated? WBC treatment is puzzling for Orioles star | The Capital Gazette Bregman is still a good player, but he is years past his prime. Meanwhile, Henderson might still be ascending. There is no question about who is the better player right now. The only arguments for Bregman being in the lineup is that he has more experience, has won big tournaments (World Series), and he plays third base everyday. And I will say that those are not without merit. Would I still pick Henderson? Yes, but I am openly biased.
How the Orioles built a potentially special draft class of pitchers in 2023 | The Baltimore Banner The Mike Elias era of Orioles baseball is not without its pitching success stories. Bradish was plucked from the Angels when many saw him as a relief pitcher long term. Rogers has found a new level in Baltimore. Dean Kremer has been far more productive than many expected when he was a prospect. But the team has not really built a player from draft pick up to impact big leaguer yet. Maybe that changes soon.
Trying to learn more about Albernaz’s leadoff plans, Jackson on playing second base, teammates happy about Rogers’ Opening Day start | Roch Kubatko The lead off consideration is interesting. The team probably still wants Jackson Holliday to be that guy at some point, but he’s hurt and still needs to prove some things at the big league level. Given the current state of the team, I would probably go with Henderson. It feels like a waste for his power potential, but he does so many things well on offense. For me, he is the best choice to set the table ahead of Taylor Ward and Pete Alonso.
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Mar 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) throws against Great Britain in the first inning at the American Family Fields. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Brewers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
After asking fans to round out the Opening Day roster last week, we followed that up with a question about who should be Milwaukee’s Opening Day starter this week.
Brandon Woodruff seems like the obvious choice, but after recent news that he may not be quite ready for an Opening Day outing, it’s an open door. Beyond Woodruff, the next two options are a pair of guys coming off solid rookie campaigns in Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick. Other potential choices include Aaron Ashby, Robert Gasser, DL Hall, and Kyle Harrison.
Here’s what the results showed:
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Miz got the bulk of the vote, coming in at 50%. Woodruff netted 28% of the vote, followed by Patrick at 11% and the “Other” category at 10%.
Among the three named options, Patrick has struggled the most this spring, though he’s also pitched the most with five total innings (5.40 ERA with seven strikeouts). Misiorowski went 3 1/3 frames with one run allowed in his lone appearance, though he also went two innings with one run allowed in Milwaukee’s exhibition against Great Britain. Across those 5 1/3 innings, he’s totaled 11 strikeouts but allowed six walks and four hits.
Woodruff made his spring debut on March 7 against the Angels, working two scoreless innings with two hits allowed, a walk, and a hit batter with three strikeouts on 32 pitches. At the rate he’s going, I wouldn’t expect him to be able to pitch more than 75 or 80-ish pitches come Opening Day, which makes the case for Misiorowski or someone else a bit clearer.
Mar 7, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter (76) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Andrew Painter’s start yesterday had some good and some bad to it. It’s important to remember that he’s still just in that third start of the spring and that he’s likely working on some things right now. Still, he’s getting outs and that’s what matters.
More than half the Spring Training games are in the books. The Cardinals have played to a winning record, showed off some top prospects, and avoided catastrophic injuries. This is the first year that all spring games have been Statcast tracked, giving us plenty of data to keep an eye on while we wait for the real games to begin. Today I’m checking in on a few early Statcast indicators to see which Cardinals might be showing real underlying changes. As always, small-sample-size, spring training caveats apply to every word of this article!
Starting Pitchers
Counter to most of our offseason discussions, Oli Marmol has repeatedly mentioned that he sees the pitching as the strength of the Cardinals. Early spring Statcast numbers offer at least a little support for that optimism.
Velocity
As has been widely discussed, Dustin May and Richard Fitts rolled into camp ready to rip the fastball as both are averaging above 97 MPH on their four-seam fastballs at 97.7 and 97.4, respectively. Matthew Liberatore’s velocity has hovered around 94 MPH on both his fastball and his sinker, but his stuff has looked great overall (more on that shortly). Kyle Leahy’s velocity is down about 1.5 MPH as he ramps up and moves from the bullpen to the rotation. Andre Pallante started off the spring in the low 90s, but was up to 94 MPH in his last outing, so probably nothing to be concerned about there. Michael McGreevy’s fastball is down almost 2 MPH and it has actually gone down each of his last two starts. This has probably reached the keep an eye on it stage as he does not have the fastball shape to get away with too much of a velocity drop. On the prospect side, Quinn Mathews has maintained his regained velocity sitting in the 94-95 MPH range in each of his appearances.
Swing and Miss
Matthew Liberatore has quietly put together a dominating spring training with a 14/1 K/BB rate across 10 innings. Yesterday, Eno Sarris tweeted the Stuff+ pitching leaders among starting pitchers this spring.
Spring Training Starting Pitcher Stuff+ leaders includes two young Yankees and two young Cardinals pic.twitter.com/fM5x2Tnqlt
If these improvements for Liberatore and Fitts hold, this would be a huge development for the staff. The Cardinals haven’t had a starting pitcher register above a 107 since the inception of the statistic in 2020. For Liberatore, this improvement in stuff is backed up by the numbers as he is generating the second-lowest contact rate in baseball this spring, behind only Chase Burns, as batters are making contact on only 60% of their swings against him (min 60 swings against). Liberatore isn’t the only lefty that has proved tough to square up. Brycen Mautz ranks 4th in all of baseball so far this spring, generating swing and miss with a 61% contact rate. He had good success with his fastball (65% contact rate), but his slider was absolutely devastating, generating a swing and miss almost half the time. Mathews has missed a ton of bats too with 66% contact rate in aggregate. Here are the contact rates against so far for the starting pitchers.
As a point of reference, the league-wide contact rate against is 77%. For starting pitchers, 70% is elite, potential Cy Young votes territory. Small-sample-size caveats abound here, but you can start to see the outline of a staff that can miss some bats here. Leahy’s contact against will be worth watching as we get into the season. He has never been great at missing bats, despite having stuff that grades out well, so seeing him start off slow in this department is not ideal.
Speaking of Contact Rates
On the hitting side, Joshua Baez and Nolan Gorman have largely had their careers defined by power and ability, or lack thereof, to make contact. Both have had good springs offensively, but in very different ways.
Baez did not disappoint in his Spring Training cameo as he blasted three home runs and slashed .333/.417/.762 in 24 plate appearances. Baez hit four out of 15 balls in excess of 100 MPH and showed off his ability to drive the ball in the air, which is crucial to get to in-game power. While his strikeout rate was acceptable at 25%, his underlying numbers were concerning as he ran only a 59% contact rate. As a point of reference, the lowest contact rate among qualified major leaguers last season was 67.6% by Aaron Judge. Christopher Morel has a career contact rate of 65.5%. 24 plate appearances is nowhere near the number needed for this statistic to stabilize, but this will be one of the key numbers that I will be watching for Baez as he moves up to Memphis. If you can take anything away from a spring training performance, Baez confirmed why he is one of the more polarizing prospects in baseball. If you are high on him, you can look at his results and see a player that will be ready to hit in the middle of a big-league lineup by this summer. If you are a non-believer, you can see the unplayable contact rate that plagued Baez for his first four professional seasons. My prediction: if Baez can keep his contact rate from Double-A in the mid-70s, he will be a star.
Nolan Gorman, plagued by a career strikeout rate of 34%, has fanned in only 12.9% of his trips to the plate this spring. Is this small sample-size noise, or has Gorman made a real adjustment? Looking at Gorman’s seven-game rolling average K% for his entire career, you can see he hasn’t touched a stretch like this in over two years.
I am not sure what to make of this, but given where Gorman has been over the last two seasons, I will take this as an encouraging sign that he has made an adjustment of some kind. If the improved contact ability is real, it will allow Gorman to access more in-game power and perhaps give the Cardinals the home run pop the lineup is currently missing.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 13: Bo Naylor #23 of Team Canada swings bat against Team United States during the second inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bo Naylor and Tugboat Wilkinson shone for the Canadian World Baseball Classic team in a losing effort, and Bazaana returned to the Guardians in Cactus League play.
The Canadians lost to the USA 5-3, but Bo Naylor went 2-for-4 with this two-run homer:
Bo Canada, that’s an excellent nickname. Can I write a baseball-themed parody of O Canada or is that considered sacreligious?
Meanwhile, Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson made some pretty great hitters look silly in two scoreless innings, with two walks and two strikeouts.
I suspect we will see Tugboat in the bigs for someone someday… perhaps as a reliever. The Dominican Republic destroyed Korea and will face the USA team next. Puerto Rico plays Italy at 3PM ET today, and Venezuela plays Japan at 9PM ET.
The Guardians lost a Cactus League game yesterday with Nolan Jones, Stuart Fairchild and Dayan Frias hitting doubles. Joey Cantillo struck out six in four and two-thirds but surrendered a homer and gave up three runs. Colin Holderman and Peyton Pallette both had clean innings, but Koby Allard did not. Travis Bazzana returned but went 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Make sure to check out our fellow CtC user jeffguards82’s interview with Travis Hafner, here. Jeff did nice work. The Guardians play the Padres at 4:10PM ET today. Daniel Schneemann was a late scratch yesterday with a sprained ankle, but it’s not expected to be a very lengthy time away, as it’s apparently not a serious sprain.
Mar 3, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (54) leaves the game against Panama in the fourth inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Good morning everyone, just for the weekend, we’ll be returning to our traditional Today on PSA open thread format. It’s sure to be a busy weekend, with the World Baseball Classic in its knockout rounds, and spring training starting to head towards its end. It’s a funny piece of dissonance, switching from watching high-stakes, high-level games in a major international tournament to monitoring low-key preseason matchups. It’s like watching two storylines at once, with one at the climax and the other still working through the opening exposition. That twin experience will continue today, with a pair of big quarterfinal matchups in the WBC, as well as some spring training action, which in Yankees camp features Max Fried making a tuneup start.
This morning on the site, Kento will recap last night’s WBC action, which featured one fairly tense match and one romp. Peter will write up an interesting entry in our Yankees Birthday series on Butch Wynegar, and Andres will continue our MLB Preview series with a rundown on the Tigers, before Josh provides the coverage of today’s game, which will see Fried take on the Phillies.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Time: 1:05 p.m. EST
Video: Gotham Sports App, NBCSP+
Venue: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL
Questions/Prompts:
1. Who do you favor in today’s WBC matchups, between Italy and Puerto Rico, and Japan and Venezuela?
2. Do you want to see Gerrit Cole make an appearance in Grapefruit League play, or would you rather see him be more conservative and wait for a rehab stint before making appearances in games?
Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko, left, and Kiké Hernández pose for a photo before Miko tossed the ceremonial first pitch before a WBC game between Panama and Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 7. Team Puerto Rico won in 10 innings on a walk-off homer. (Fernando Llano / Associated Press)
Earlier this month, however, he witnessed something new.
On March 7, hours after Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies hit the first walk-off home run in World Baseball Classic history to power Team Netherlands past Nicaragua in Miami, Athletics prospect Darell Hernaiz delivered a game-winning blast of his own to lift Team Puerto Rico over Panama in extra innings in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Hernández stormed out of the dugout at Hiram Bithorn Stadium alongside his teammates to greet Hernaiz at home plate and celebrate the monumental moon shot.
“There had never been a walk-off homer in the history of the WBC, and we [got] to see two in the same day, which was pretty cool,” Hernández said at his clubhouse stall at Camelback Ranch. “For me personally, I was running to home plate, conscious that I wasn’t necessarily part of the team so I couldn’t run laps around home plate, like I did on Freddie [Freeman’s] walk-off homers [in the World Series], but it’s still up there as one of those really cool moments that I’ll always remember.”
Unable to participate in this year’s WBC as he recovers from offseason left elbow surgery, Hernández left Dodgers camp to spend the first leg of the tournament with Team Puerto Rico.
“I got to experience it in a different way this year,” said Hernández, who has played twice in the WBC. “I was just kind of there as a fan, almost in like a coaching role. I get a lot more nervous when I’m not playing, because I really don’t have any power over it. I don’t have any control over what’s going on, so it was pretty nerve-wracking.”
He added: “Obviously, seeing that stadium packed out was pretty special. And of course, I’m still bummed that I don’t get to be a part of it, but I still support my people, and I’m still hoping they can win.”
During a Team Puerto Rico news conference last week, Hernández told reporters in Spanish that the WBC rates above the World Series. Hernández, who's played in five World Series, elaborated on his statement.
“I said it feels bigger,” Hernández said. “I didn’t say it’s bigger. Atmosphere, crowd, you’re representing your country. You’re not representing a city. You don’t always choose who you play for. Sometimes that’s out of your control and you know, when you’re representing your country, you’re playing along with your homies. Sometimes you’re playing along with people that you grew up with. Your people back home are rooting for you, at times.
"You’re playing in the United States, you’re playing for different teams, and sometimes they’re rooting against you. And for us, coming from our little island, the things that we can do for our island while the tournament is going on, it becomes a lot bigger than baseball, to where, it does not always feel that way when you’re playing for an organization in Major League Baseball.”
Hernández will be in Houston for Puerto Rico’s quarterfinal game against Italy on Saturday, and he said he doesn’t know if he would go to Miami if Puerto Rico reached the semifinals.
"I haven't had the conversation yet with Andrew," Hernández said, referring to Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. "I only asked permission to go to Houston. We win in Houston, he might get another text message if I can go along for the ride, but haven't decided yet."
As for his rehab from surgery, Hernández said he's progressing rapidly and hopes to return in late May, when his 60-day IL stint expires.
“I’m not surprised that it’s going well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “End of May, beginning of June is probably a safe bet. Something like that.”
Kyle Tucker hits first home run in Cactus League play
Dodgers left fielder Kyle Tucker hit his first home run of spring training to lead off the sixth inning of Friday's 10-7 win over the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, Ariz. Tucker also walked twice and scored twice as the Dodgers also got homers from Teoscar Hernández and James Tibbs III, his third of the spring.
"Man, it's just fun to watch him compete in the batter's box," Roberts said of Tucker.
Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol continue build-up
Injured relief pitchers Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol are progressing in their respective rehabs, Roberts said before Friday's game. Phillips is recovering from Tommy John surgery, while Graterol is working his way back from right shoulder surgery. Graterol hasn’t pitched in a game since the 2024 World Series.
“It’s going,” Roberts said. “I think [Phillips had] a pen today. It’s a short ten to fifteen-pitch pen, but it’s good effort, and he’s trending in the right direction. I think that with Evan, with some other guys that are continuing to build up, Graterol is another one, just continuing to build up, so they’re in their progression, but they’re still a ways away.”
LAKELAND, FL – The Detroit Tigers lost, 7-5, to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, March 13, at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in spring training.
Detroit is 4-11 with four ties in Grapefruit League play.
What happened
The Tigers matched up against right-hander Mike Clevinger.
Once a mainstay in the Cleveland Guardians' rotation in the late 2010s, over the past couple of seasons, Clevinger has failed to stick in the big leagues – resulting in a minor-league contract with the Pirates in 2026.
Facing the Tigers, Clevinger allowed four walks and registered five strikeouts, but he surrendered just one hit across 4⅓ innings.
The only hit off Clevinger came from Wenceel Pérez on an infield single with one out in the fifth inning. After that, both Colt Keith and Jace Jung walked to load the bases.
The Pirates replaced Clevinger with right-handed reliever Joshua Loeschorn.
Parker Meadows took advantage of the pitching change by shooting a middle-middle cutter into center field for a two-run single with two outs in the fifth inning, trimming the Tigers' deficit to 6-2.
Right-hander Casey Mize made his fourth appearance this spring.
The 28-year-old allowed six runs on six hits and four walks with two strikeouts across three-plus innings, throwing 67 pitches. The Tigers used the spring training re-entry rule to remove him with two outs in the second inning, then send him back to the mound for the third.
Mize is still trying to lock in his mechanics.
"My mechanics are off. Something is out of whack," Mize said. "I look forward to chatting with Robin [Lund] and Fett [Chris Fetter] to figure out what's going on. I just feel like my timing is still off. I've got to figure that out."
Of his four walks, all of them occurred in the first two innings, including three walks in a stretch of five batters in the second inning. He walked both Alika Williams and Jake Mangum on eight total pitches.
The walk from Mangum happened with the bases loaded for a 1-0 Pirates lead.
In the third inning, Jhostynxon Garcia blasted Mize's middle-middle slider for a two-run home run to left field, producing a 108.5 mph exit velocity. In the fourth, Mize allowed back-to-back singles to Mangum and Tyler Callihan with one out, leading to his removal from a concerning start.
"It's important that I feel good going into Arizona [against the Diamondbacks]," Mize said, referencing the second series of the regular season, with two more spring starts before then. "But I'm not going to freak out, either. It's spring training, and I'm working through some things."
At the plate
The Tigers added three runs in the seventh inning.
But it was too little, too late.
In the seventh, Woody Hadeen (single), Seth Stephenson (walk) and Jack Penney (walk) loaded the bases with two outs. From there, the Tigers took advantage of defensive mistakes from the Pirates, scoring one run on a wild pitch and two runs on a fielding error.
The Pirates, though, retired the final seven batters.
First baseman Spencer Torkelson went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, dropping his batting average to .160 in 10 games; left fielder Riley Greene went 0-for-3, lowering his to .208 in 10 games; and top prospect Kevin McGonigle went 0-for-2 with one walk, bringing his average to .280 in 13 games.
On the mound
Right-handed reliever Brenan Hanifee replaced Mize with runners on the corners and one out in the fourth inning.
Hanifee struck out Konnor Griffin – MLB's No. 1 prospect – on four pitches, with Griffin swinging through three consecutive middle-middle sinkers for the second out of the inning. He had a chance to escape the jam, only to fumble a dribbler from Joey Bart for a run-scoring infield single, making it 5-0 Pirates.
Even worse, the mistake meant Hanifee had to face left-handed hitter Endy Rodríguez.
Here's why that matters: In 2025, right-handed hitters (such as Griffin and Bart) hit .220 off Hanifee with a .549 OPS, while left-handed hitters (such as Rodríguez) hit .373 with a .995 OPS.
Rodríguez took advantage of the opportunity, dropping Hanifee's changeup into right field for an RBI single and extending the Pirates' lead to 6-0. On the play, Bart was thrown out at home plate on a relay started by right fielder Kerry Carpenter, with catcher Jake Rogers applying the tag.
After Hanifee, right-handed reliever Beau Brieske completed a scoreless fifth inning and left-handed reliever Tyler Holton tossed a scoreless sixth inning. The duo combined to retire six of seven batters, with Brieske issuing a two-out walk in the fifth.
Both runs with Hanifee on the mound were charged to Mize.
Three stars
1. Meadows, 2. Holton, 3. Brieske.
Next up
Saturday (1:07 p.m., Detroit SportsNet/MLB Network) vs. Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin.
