Author: MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

When the San Francisco Giants first made the mildly-surprising news to sign bat-to-ball maven Luis Arráez, there were questions about where he would play. Like most infielders, Arráez had played all over the dirt in the Minor Leagues, though he was viewed as a second baseman by the time he made the Majors. After a few years and some NSFW advanced metrics, Arráez was mostly moved to first base and designated hitter during his time with the San Diego Padres the last two years.

The Giants, of course, have first base handled for the foreseeable future with Rafael Devers, and hope to have designated hitter accounted for with Bryce Eldridge. Did the organization see things differently? Was Arráez there to play DH while Eldridge returned to Sacramento? Perhaps to play the Wilmer Flores/Dominic Smith role off the bench? Or was he supplanting Casey Schmitt at second base?

As soon as those questions were asked, reports were sent out that it was the latter: the Giants were hoping to sprinkle some of Ron Washington’s magic infield dust on Arráez’s glove (and arm, and cleats), and run him out as the near-everyday second baseman. But with the move not yet finalized and made official, neither Arráez nor the Giants could actually comment on that.

Now they can, and it’s clear as day: Arráez is the handsomely-compensated second baseman for your 2026 Giants.

Speaking in Giants gear for the first time on Tuesday at the start of Spring Training, the always-jovial Arráez confirmed the reports that he had rejected multi-year deals because the Giants, unlike the teams offering those longer contracts, promised to play him at second base.

Luis Arraez said he had multi-year offers, but chose the Giants because they’ll have him at 2B. He also spoke to Gregor Blanco, who gave a glowing review of SF. He’ll wear No. 1 as a Giant. Asked about his hitting approach, he smiled: “I hate strikeouts.”

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) February 10, 2026

The coaching staff and Buster Posey confirmed that Arráez is there to hold down the fort at second, and they certainly conveyed confidence in his ability to do so. According to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser, Washington — widely considered one of the best infield coaches in baseball history — called the three-time batting champ a “pro,” and said, “He just has to be educated about the correct way to play defense — it’s more than what goes on between the lines, it’s also what your thoughts are, your work ethic, your ability to listen, learn and apply. I believe Arráez can be a very good second baseman.”

Posey, as is his style, was a bit more calculated in his response, but NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic quotes the Giants president of baseball operations as telling reporters, “I think we’re all really optimistic about (Washington) getting Luis into a good spot defensively, and then the bat, I mean, he’s the best bat-to-ball guy in all of baseball … We felt comfortable that there was a solid foundation there for a guy that could play second base well.”

Words and intention, of course, can only go so far, as Posey seemed to admit when saying, “As far as the defense, it’s not going to be for a lack of effort and work on his part and (from) the coaching staff.” But that’s what the next six weeks are for: seeing how far Arráez can progress, and how much work Washington and the coaching staff con do with him.

With no place to put him if second base doesn’t work out, it’s safe to say the Giants wouldn’t have committed $12 million to the three-time All-Star if they weren’t confident in his ability to play second … or at least, to derive more offensive value than he loses with the glove while at that position. So it seems likely that he’ll get quite a long leash, even if he struggles in the early part of the season.

The San Diego Padres season ended on a sour note in 2025. Losing two out of three to the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card series, the team then lost its manager when he retired 11 days after the season ended. Citing mental, physical and emotional exhaustion, manager Mike Shildt left the team and subsequently took a job with the Baltimore Orioles in their player development department.

After his retirement from managing, news came out about several issues that were common between Shildt’s two opportunities to manage in the major leagues. His temperament with his coaches and front offices was portrayed as volatile and there wasn’t anyone who watched the team closely that didn’t notice his short temper with media during his press conferences.

Despite these issues, Shildt was a successful manager and won 90 games or more in his two seasons with the Padres. Players cited their good relationships with him and how they felt he had their backs throughout his time with the organization. But the tensions and constrained environment could not have been good for the overall vibe with the team. It isn’t hard to assume that the choice of Craig Stammen as manager by president of baseball operations A.J. Preller was partly a reflection of wanting someone whose temperament and personality he knew well.

A different approach

So what will be the new philosophy for the team be going forward?

What will Stammen bring to the environment that takes a talented group of players and helps them take the next step that is needed to win a World Series championship?

During his first presser of Spring Training on Tuesday, Stammen was asked about his organizational philosophy for the team. His response shows his sense of humor as well as his desire to build on what the team has already accomplished and then add his own contributions.

“Score as many runs as possible, that would be a good philosophy,” Stammen said, with a big grin. “We’re going to talk about hard work, we’re going to talk about togetherness and we’re going to talk about, you know, adding days together that add up to a big picture. So, being really good at the small things, being ‘extraordinary at the ordinary’ – if you want some buzz words. Those are the things I believe in and the things I’m going to try to impart on the team.”

This does sound a little similar to Shildt’s ‘winning on the margins’ philosophy but if you add the comments of new hitting coach, Steven Souza, to what Stammen stated you get a more complete picture of what they want the offense to be like.

Steven Souza outlines his goals

“First of all, it’s nice to have a talented roster like this. You’re only as good as the players you have and the culture you create,” Souza said. “There’s a lot of really good players in this offense that do a really good job at a lot of different things.”

“Controlling the zone, hammering mistakes, being able to make the pitcher do something different out there,” Souza said.

Souza went on to expand on his thoughts by adding, “create traffic, when that happens, is a huge part of the success going forward.”

He acknowledged that slug was an issue last season but emphasized having a dialogue with the hitters to give them a different creative avenue.

“The offense needs to be able to play the game that we need to play,” Souza said, stating that hitting in Petco Park might mean spraying the ball around, but a different environment would call for more slug.

“Not limiting this roster to one type of team, I think that’s what I want to do. Controlling the zone is part of that.”

He also said that he wants the hitters to feel free to do what works for them. The dialogue and communication will stress that the hitters need to feel free to be themselves.

An optimistic clubhouse

Communication and relationships are the two words most often heard from both Stammen and the players who spoke to the media at Padres FanFest on Jan. 31 at Petco Park. Many of the guys he will manage this season also played with Stammen when he pitched for the Padres.

Jake Cronenworth wasn’t shy about his feelings for Stammen, as quoted in the San Diego Union Tribune – “What an amazing guy… a mentor and an incredible human to be around. I couldn’t be more excited.”

The other telling quote from that same article came from Padres pitcher and clubhouse leader, Joe Musgrove.

“The manager’s biggest goal is to have a happy clubhouse and a good relationship with the players,” Musgrove said. “He’s coming in already ahead of the game in that aspect, having played with us. I think the communication is going to be a lot freer and a lot more open, a little bit of honesty. And I think Craig’s the kind of guy that’s not looking for praise, you know, he’s not looking to be the hero that comes in and always makes the right decision.”

Read into that what you will but just from the tone at FanFest, this team seems happier.

There is a long way to go before we get to Opening Day, but the next six weeks will hopefully show signs of what the personality of this team will be, both on offense and defense. If Stammen and his coaches do their jobs well, the Padres should give the Friar Faithful more reasons to fill Petco Park in 2026.

A Mets rival took a major blow to its starting rotation on Tuesday. 

Braves righty Spencer Schwellenbach was placed on the 60-day injured list with inflammation in his throwing elbow. 

The injury is the latest setback for the 25-year-old right-hander, who missed the final three months of the 2025 season after fracturing the same elbow in late June. 

“I feel for Spencer more than anything else,” new Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters. “The kid has done some amazing things in a short time, and still has a bright future ahead of him. But I’m sure it’s tough for him.”

While Weiss said Schwellenbach avoided a more serious injury to his ulnar collateral ligament, he said the young pitcher is still expected to miss a “significant amount” of time.

Before going down last summer, Schwellenbach emerged as an ace-like presence in the starting rotation, posting a 3.09 ERA across 17 starts. 

In 2024, Schwellenbach’s rookie season, he looked just as strong, registering a 3.35 ERA in 21 outings.

The injury continues what has been a nightmare stretch for the Braves’ starting staff over the past year-plus, with Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes and AJ Smith-Shawver also missing time in 2025. 

“I always say before a season even starts, your pitching depth is going to get tested,” Weiss said. “It’s inevitable. You’d rather not have it be right away in February, but we’ve got a lot of capable guys in there. They’re going to get a look, and that’s exciting.”

After coming into the season with World Series aspirations, the Braves finished 76-86, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017. 

But they’re expected to once again be a division contender in the National League East alongside the Mets and Phillies this season.

The Cubs are adding some starting pitching depth:

Kyle Wright to the Cubs. Minors deal with MLB camp invite. Wright is the majors’ last 20-game winner.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 10, 2026

Kyle Wright was the Braves’ first-round pick (seventh overall) in 2017 out of Vanderbilt and was a Top 100 prospect three years in a row (2018, 2019, 2020). He made his MLB debut with the Braves in 2019 and joined their rotation full-time in 2022, when he had an outstanding season: 21-5, 3.19 ERA, 1.159 WHIP, 174 strikeouts in 180.1 innings, 3.7 bWAR and 10th place in Cy Young voting.

A serious shoulder injury cost Wright most of the 2023 season and he had surgery on the shoulder in October 2023. A month later the Braves traded him to the Royals. Wright missed the entire 2024 season and made eight rehab starts in the Royals system with a 6.97 ERA and 1.565 WHIP in 23 innings. He became a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.

Wright turned 30 in October. There’s really no way of knowing whether he could get back to his 2022 form after that shoulder surgery, but this is a depth signing. Wright most likely starts the year at Triple-A Iowa (perhaps with an opt out) and will see some time during Spring Training. Seems a worthwhile NRI signing.

As noted by Jon Heyman, Wright is MLB’s most recent 20-game winner. Also, Wright and Dansby Swanson were Vanderbilt teammates in 2015. Here’s some video of Wright from a game April 28, 2022 against the Cubs:

The outset of Spring Training is not treating the defending American League champions kindly.

Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander is expected to undergo surgery for the labrum in his left shoulder and miss the next five to six months, manager John Schneider told reporters in Dunedin, Fla., on Tuesday.

On top of that, Schneider said right-handed pitcher Bowden Francis will miss the entire season with ulnar collateral ligament surgery.

Fellow righty Shane Bieber is expected to start the regular season on the injured list with right forearm fatigue.

Santander, 31, was one of the big prizes of the Blue Jays’ 2025 offseason when he inked a five-year, $92.5 million contract.

But thanks to a left shoulder issue, Santander was limited to just 54 games and hit .175/.271/.294 with just six home runs.

He contributed three hits over five playoff games but was removed from the Blue Jays’ roster during the American League Championship Series when a back injury forced him off the field.

A 2024 All-Star with the Orioles, Santander, at his best, is one of the better switch-hitters in the game. During his final three-year stretch (2022-24) with Baltimore, he clubbed 105 home runs with a 124 OPS+ and averaged over 153 games per season.

As for the pitching side, Francis emerged on the scene in 2024 with a 3.30 ERA over 103 2/3 innings as both a starter and reliever.

Notably, he had two starts in which he lost no-hitters in the ninth inning.

But 2025 proved not to bear the same success, as he held a 6.05 ERA before landing on the IL in June with a shoulder impingement. He did not pitch in the World Series run.

Bieber, who opted into his $16 million deal for 2026, made 11 starts for Toronto down the stretch after a trade from the Guardians, including four during the playoffs.

The Rays have announced the promotional schedule for the 2026 season. Each item will be made available to the first 10,000 fans in attendance.

As is tradition: The first is a schedule magnet presented by Orlando Health at the Rays Home Opener at Tropicana Field (April 6) against the Chicago Cubs.

Bobblehead giveaways will include the following:

• a Junior Caminero City Connect Bobblehead presented by Orlando Health (May 30 vs. Los Angeles Angels)

• a Jonathan Aranda Devil Rays Bobblehead presented by RIPA (May 16 vs. Miami Marlins)

• Chandler Simpson Bobblelegs (June 27 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks)

• Flappy Boi Bobble (August 15 vs. Baltimore Orioles)

Other notable giveaways include:

• a Jersey Jacket presented by Spectrum (June 20 vs. Washington Nationals)

• a Devil Rays Retro Snapback hat presented by Dream Finders Homes (July 25 vs. Cleveland Guardians) – sponsored by the principal owner’s company

• a Tropicana Field Tour Tee presented by Morgan Automotive Group (April 25 vs. Minnesota Twins)

• a Tropicana Field Light-Up Replica presented by Tropicana (May 2 vs. San Francisco Giants) sure to bring nostalgia for the giveaways of old

There will also be giveaways associated with Longo’s Legacy Weekend including:

• an Evan Longoria Snapback hat presented by Union Home Mortgage (July 11 vs. Seattle Mariners)

• an Evan Longoria Bobblecard presented by DEX Imaging (July 12 vs. Seattle Mariners)

Finally, there is my personal top-three:

3. Rays Hockey Jersey presented by the Florida Department of Transportation (September 12 vs. Houston Astros) – honoring the legacy of the Thunder Dome no doubt

2. Raymond Shoulder Plush (July 26 vs. Cleveland Guardians) – like your own personal Raymond parrot

1. Devil Rays Windbreaker presented by Orlando Health (August 29 vs. San Diego Padres) – 10/10 would wear to a boat parade

Still to be released is a City Connect button up, and there are always surprises in-store for the season, as well as various theme nights throughout the year, some of which include bobbleheads, hats, or shirts.

These include a Yandy Diaz Mandalorian Bobblehead on May 4th for the nerds, an incredible Juneteenth City Connect Jersey on June 19th, and a Harry Potter hat on July 31st my eldest child would love.

The defending American League champions have been rocked by injury before spring training even begins.

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Anthony Santander will undergo left labral surgery Feb. 11 in Dallas and miss the next five to six months, manager John Schneider said on a video call on the eve of spring training. Additionally, right-hander Shane Bieber has been slowed by forearm fatigue and will not be ready for the start of the season.

And finally, right-hander Bowden Francis, who started 14 games last season, will undergo UCL reconstruction surgery and miss the entire season, Schneider said.

Santander, 31, was limited to just 54 regular season games in 2025, the first year of a five-year, $92.5 million contract, due to a left shoulder subluxation. He returned in time to play in five playoff games, but a back injury forced his removal from the ALCS roster, ending his season.

His loss will put additional pressure on a bevy of Blue Jays − infielder/outfielder Addison Barger, utilityman Davis Schneider and newcomer Kazuma Okamoto, an infielder, will all bear some of that burden.

"We built this team planned for setbacks. Different guys will have to step up," general manager Ross Atkins said. "That versatility we have and the depth we have, hopefully, we’ll be able to do that again."

Bieber, who returned from Tommy John surgery late last season, had an offseason MRI that revealed only fatigue, Schneider said. Given his ramp-up, slow playing Bieber's progression made sense this spring, though it will leave a void initially.

"We're going to make sure he's in a very, very strong position to help us win as many games as possible," Atkins said.

The Blue Jays acquired Bieber at the trade deadline before he'd made his season debut. He made his season debut Aug. 22, started seven regular season games and four more in the postseason before giving up Will Smith's go-ahead home run in the 11th inning of the Blue Jays' Game 7 World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He picked up his player option for 2025, fueling speculation that his health was still shy of optimal.

Fortunately for the Blue Jays, they invested heavily in pitching this offseason, signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract and Cody Ponce − returning from Japan − to a three-year, $30 million deal. They'll join Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage atop the opening-day rotation, though Yesavage may face innings limits this season after unexpectedly pitching into November as a rookie.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Santander, Shane Bieber injury news, Blue Jays status

While speaking to the press today, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns announced that the team is moving Juan Soto to left field for the 2026 season. The move doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as the 27-year-old was the worst defender in the big leagues in right field last year according by OAA at Statcast.

While Soto has spent the majority of his major league career in right field, he’s no stranger to playing left. He’s logged 4,000.2 innings at the position over 460 appearances, but it’s worth noting that his most recent significant playing time there came in 2023 with the Padres. Soto played just six games in left for the Yankees in 2024 and didn’t play any position other than right field in his first season with the Mets last year.

The Mets’ decision to move Soto is very likely motivated primarily by the team’s desire to maximize the value that they’re getting out of him as opposed to moving him specifically for their other outfield options. Luis Robert Jr. has played center field exclusively in his major league career, and he’s one of the better defenders in the sport at the position. And Carson Benge, who figures to be the team’s right fielder on Opening Day barring a horrendous showing in spring training, has spent some time in both corners while primarily playing center in his minor league career.

While the 2026 Olympic Winter  Games commence in Milan-Cortina, we are a month away from the world’s best baseball players taking center stage.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic will take place in North America this March, leading into the regular season at the end of the month. 

20 teams will compete in the WBC to earn the title as best in the world, concluding at LoanDepot Park in Miami on March 17.

The Pittsburgh Pirates will be well represented with eight players from the organization set to compete.

Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes will lead Team USA’s rotation, alongside AL Cy Young Tarik Skubal. The two young pitchers give the USA a leg up on the competition against talented lineups from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. 

That’s our Ace. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/QJDou2CH67

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) February 6, 2026

The most represented team is the Dominican, as center fielder Oneil Cruz, closer Dennis Santana, and bullpen signee Gregory Soto will all play for their country.

Two starting infielders who will be called on in various ways to help the Pirates’ lineup are playing internationally. First baseman Spencer Horwitz will suit up for Team Israel and Nick Gonzales for Team Mexico. 

Reliever Kyle Nicolas will play for Team Italy, the country currently hosting the Olympics. 

One Pirate who has yet to make his MLB debut, but is on the 40-man roster, is going to compete. Right-handed pitcher Antwone Kelly was added to the team to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft and is a member of Team Netherlands.  

Japan defeated the United States in the 2023 championship game, and Shohei Ohtani was named MVP. Ohtani will not pitch in this year’s tournament. 

The teams are separated into four polls in San Juan (A), Houston (B), Tokyo (C), and Miami (D). 

Pirates minor league players Pietro Albanez (Mexico), Emmanuel Chapman (Cuba), Po-Yu Chen (Chinese Taipei), Alessandro Ercolani (Italy), Oddanier Mosqueda (Venezuela), and Jose La Sosa (Italy) will also participate in the 2026 WBC.

The World Baseball Classic begins on March 5 and commences with the championship game at the home of the Marlins on March 17.

Pool A:

• Canada
• Columbia 
• Cuba
• Panama
• Puerto Rico

Pool B:

• Brazil
• Great Britain 
• Italy
• Mexico
• United States of America 

Pool C: 

• Australia
• Chinese Taipei
• Czechia
• Japan
• Korea

Pool D:

• Dominican Republic
• Israel
• Netherlands
• Nicaragua
• Venezuela

Alright, this we did see coming. After two years of shoulder trouble, and seven months removed from his last start, it was clear that if Reese Olson was still having issues, it was time for surgical intervention.

The Detroit Tigers have announced that the right-hander underwent right labral repair surgery on his right shoulder on February 2, and will miss the 2026 season. He and Jackson Jobe, whose recovery from 2025 Tommy John surgery will keep him out until at least the second half of the season, have both been moved to the 60-day injured list. Those moves open 40-man roster spots for Framber Valdez, whose deal is now official, and Justin Verlander, who agreed to a one-year deal with the Tigers earlier today.

It’s a tough blow to Olson, whose early promise in 2024 has been derailed for two seasons. Hopefully, he can finally get this all resolved and return fully healthy and ready to go in 2027. For now, Scott Harris and the Tigers have added ample reinforcements to make up for his absence.

RHP Jackson Jobe has been placed on the 60-day injured list as he continues his recovery from Tommy John right elbow ligament replacement surgery.

RHP Reese Olson has been placed on the 60-day injured list following a right shoulder labral repair. The surgery was performed on…

— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) February 10, 2026

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Tony Vitello was more nervous Tuesday talking about a Waymo trip he planned to take in a driverless car this spring than he was for his first day on the job as manager of the San Francisco Giants.

Vitello, in his first spring-training press conference, rambled, philosophized, cajoled, and turned the first day of the Giants’ camp into a businessmen’s meet-and-greet. He didn’t give out name-tags, but required everyone to wear their official spring training jerseys with their names on the back.

“You want to set a vibe,’’ Vitello said, “for what you want your team to be.’’

It’s a new era in San Franciso, where the Giants took the biggest gamble in all of baseball this winter with the hiring of Vitello, a wildly successful college coach at Tennessee, but the first to transition directly from a college to MLB manager in baseball history.

“The one thing I will say without hopefully sounding too preachy,’’ Vitello said, “is college coaches deserve a lot of credit.’’

The biggest challenge Vitello immediately faces is his lack of familiarity with his own team. He coached two of the Giants’ players at Tennessee: outfielder Drew Gilbert and pitcher Blade Tidwell. He recruited, albeit unsuccessfully, two Giants to be on his college team: Sam Hentges when he was at Arkansas and first baseman Bryce Eldridge at Tennessee.

But, for the rest, well, there was a reason he traveled to meet Jung Hoo Lee in South Korea, Willy Adames in the Dominican Republic, and moved into his spring-training home three weeks ago to meet early arrivals and players who live in the Phoenix area.

“It’s a little different when you don’t have the recruiting background as far as relationships go,’’ Vitello said. “I just wanted to let everyone know where I was coming from. … I think there’s decisions and conversations that come with any role, so by now at least everybody hopefully knows my name.’’

While Vitello claims he rambled during his introductory speech with the team, arriving about 20 minutes late for his first spring training press conference, his boss, Buster Posey, and the Giants’ players disagreed.

Nothing personal against former manager Bob Melvin, who was fired after the season − just two months after his option was exercised − but the Giants raved about the energy and passion exhibited by Vitello.

“It was inspiring, pretty amped up in a good way,’’ Giants reliever Ryan Walker told USA TODAY Sports. “Bo-Mel was like chill. He’s at one level. He would introduce himself, tell us what the goal for the season is, and that kind of stuff. It was all in a chill-like voice.

“Then, you get Vitello, who’s more energetic. He’s coming from college so he’s got this louder voice, bringing more energy to the meeting.’’

More from Bob Nightengale: Dusty Baker has some advice for MLB's historic class of newbie managers

It was no different than back in 2014, Hentges says, when Vitello recruited him out of high school in Shoreview, Minnesota Hentges was drafted by Cleveland in the fourth round and turned pro. Still, he kept in touch with Vitello over the years, and when it was time for him to decide where he wanted to pitch after missing last season with shoulder surgery, Vitello was the difference-maker.

“We haven’t been super, super tight,’’ Hentges said, “but I kept tabs with him. So, I was super excited, and obviously it’s super cool to see him again. He gave me a little jab about finally coming to join him, but I told him that he did all right for himself the last 10 years without me.

“Guys in here who have played for him at Tennessee keep raving about him. He’s got a great baseball mind, (is) a great motivator, and I’ve heard he’s a great leader. A big, big energy guy. I know it’s a different situation going straight from college to the big leagues, but I think he’s fully capable of it.’’

Giants All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman says he has spent quality time with Vitello the last few weeks working out in Phoenix, exchanging ideas and thoughts to help the Giants get back to the postseason for the first time in five years. The Giants won 107 games in 2021, interrupting the Dodgers’ NL West division title dynasty, but haven’t produced a winning record since, and are now on their third manager in four years.

“We have high hopes for this team,’’ said Posey, president of baseball operations, who could have brought back future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy, but instead took the gamble with Vitello. Bochy was hired as a special advisor, joining Dusty Baker.

Certainly, one spring training morning is not going to validate Posey’s bold move to hire Vitello, but being with him in the back fields, watching how he interacted and worked with players, only cemented his decision.

“The first time I got to see him (coaching players) was when we were in Korea and he started working with some high schoolers,’’ Posey said, “and I just saw a switch come on. I saw it today in the meeting when he’s addressing the pitchers. What I’ve learned about him is that he’s really good about turning that switch on when he needs to carry himself very confidently.

“He talked a lot about mentality and mindset, which I’m a big believer in as well. It’s hard to glean too much from the first day of pitchers and catchers, but we’re off to a good start.’’

The players immediately embraced the idea of wearing their spring-training uniforms with their names across the back. It was a professional look, straight out of the pages of Hall of Fame managers Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa.

You look like a professional ballplayer, you play like one.

“Putting on your jersey and going out there was like putting on a Superman cape,’’ Walker said. “You got out there with a certain composure and a certain mindset.’’

It was Vitello saying, “There’s a new sheriff in town, and his name is Tony Vitello.’’

“He loves the game and he’s passionate about teaching,’’ Posey said. “I think that’s why he had a successful career in the college ranks, and why I think he’ll be successful here as well because those two things will take you a long ways as a coach. I think the guys will feel quickly that he’ll be in the trenches with them. And he’ll care about them. But if he needs to push them, he’ll push them as well. …

“I think Tony’s authentic, and for me if you’re true to yourself and authentic, I think people will buy into it.’’

You don’t need to convince Chapman, a nine-year veteran, who already is a Vitello believer.

“From all of my interactions with him,’’ Chapman said, “I’m super excited to have him in charge. I feel like he’s going to do a great job for us. I feel like he’s got a really good baseball mind. You can tell he’s smart and is intense and competitive. I think he’s going to be a good fit for us.’’

And yes, even without a single day of professional experience.

“I mean, whether you’re playing at the highest level in college or the major leagues or the minor leagues,’’ Chapman said, “winning baseball looks the same. It’s pitching, defense, knowing how to run the bases and then managing personalities and managing guys. So, he has a lot of experience doing that.

“There is obviously going to be a learning curve in some areas. You can’t fully know how to run a major league clubhouse unless you’ve been in one. But I think it’s not something foreign to him. He’s a baseball guy, you know? He’s done things at a high level, so I think the transition will be smooth.’’

The Giants are confident Vitello can make the transition, even giving him the largest contract in history for a first-year manager, paying him $3.5 million annually for three years. If it works, the Giants could be trend-setters. If it fails, well, maybe there was a reason this has never happened before in MLB history.

But ... why hasn’t anyone ever hired a manager directly from the college ranks before?

“I’m assuming like all of the things that have been written,’’ Posey said, “it’s 162 games versus 60. You’re dealing with players that are making a lot of money. I do think that there used to be a bigger gap between college and professional baseball. Now, I think that gap has shrunk some.’’

If the Giants win, and Vitello gets strong reviews, could it open the door for other collegiate coaches?

“We’ll see,’’ Posey said. “I hope I’m not hiring a manager for 20 years.’’

And for Vitello, well, the two words he lives by are risk and challenge, whether it’s the risk and challenge of managing the Giants, or the risk and challenge of taking that first autonomous Waymo ride.

“We’re in the Waymo capital of the world, which is kind of creepy,’’ Vitello said. “I think I maybe got to do it just for the experience. I’ll probably jump in one at some point. Maybe I’ll take a video and document it.

“But I think I’m going to make sure it’s a very short ride.’’

And long ride as manager of the Giants.

Follow Nightengale on X: @BNightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Giants manager Tony Vitello officially begins college to MLB jump

Baseball Prospectus has released its PECOTA projections for 2026. PECOTA projects the 2026 Mets to win 88.4 games and come in second place in the National League East, and it puts the Mets’ chances of making the playoffs at 78.3% with a 28.5% chance of winning the division and a 49.8% chance of finishing with an NL Wild Card berth.

As for the rest of the NL East, PECOTA taps the Braves as the likeliest division winners, projecting Atlanta for 92.2 wins and over 90% playoff odds. The top three teams in the NL East are once again tightly packed with the Phillies projected for 85.1 wins with 58.9% playoff odds. Not surprisingly, there is a large gap between those top three teams and the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals, who are projected for 75.2 and 65.6 wins, respectively.

Taking a deeper dive into what PECOTA likes and doesn’t like about the 2026 Mets, the short answer is that the lineup is headlined by two very good players in Juan Soto (156 DRC+, 5.7 WARP projection—behind only Shohei Ohtani for all hitters) and Francisco Lindor (121 DRC+, 3.7 WARP projection). Going further down the depth chart, PECOTA predicts a bounce back season from Marcus Semien offensively (101 DRC+) and projects above average offensive production from all of Bo Bichette, Francisco Alvarez, Jorge Polanco, and even Mark Vientos. PECOTA also notably thinks Luis Robert Jr. will have a fully healthy season, penciling him in for 535 plate appearances of roughly average output with the bat, which would put him at 2 WARP and would represent a huge upgrade over what the Mets got out of the center field position last year.

On the other hand, PECOTA projects only 14.8 WARP from the Mets’ pitching staff—ten wins less than what it projects from their position players. Though it is quite bullish on the Mets’ bullpen and thinks Devin Williams projects similarly to Edwin Díaz in 2026, PECOTA is not enamored with Nolan McLean, despite his prospect ranking and big league success last year. McLean is projected to throw just 150 innings and put up a 100 DRA- and less than 2 WARP—pretty pedestrian numbers for what the Mets are hoping is a top of the rotation starter. McLean is probably the most obvious candidate to overperform his PECOTA projections. PECOTA does think Freddy Peralta (91 DRA-, 2.8 WARP projection) will have a very Freddy Peralta season—the exact boon to the rotation the Mets hoped for when they traded for him. And it is also intriguingly optimistic about Sean Manaea (90 DRA-, 1.3 WARP projection), but has him down for only 80 innings. PECOTA is less optimistic about the rest of the Mets’ rotation, which it projects as below average outside of Jonah Tong, who PECOTA thinks will make 11 starts with a 91 DRA-.

Both the Mets and the Atlanta Braves had disappointing finishes in 2025. The Mets turned over a significant chunk of their roster in response while the Braves are trusting their core and more or less running it back in 2026—an approach the other major competitor in the division in the Philadelphia Phillies is also taking this season. PECOTA projects a bounce back for both the Mets and the Braves, but a much more significant one for Atlanta, whose position player core outside of the shortstop position PECOTA likes quite a bit, expecting a regression to the mean for many of the Braves’ key players.

Not news we wanted to hear.

Anthony Santander will miss 5 to 6 months after labrum surgery (a ring of cartilage around the should socket). I was hoping he could make up for last season, but that’s not going to be happening. We really could have used his power.

Also Shane Bieber will not be ready for opening day, he’s still dealing with forarm fatigue.

And Francis Bowden will be out for the season after surgery for a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

You know that line about ‘you can never have too much pitching’? Seems like you can never have too many outfielders either. I don’t know why the Jays can’t spread the bad news out a bit. Tell us about one day, one on Friday and another next Monday.

They should be ok in the starting rotation for a few turns without Bieber. And it looks like Nathan Lukes, Addison Barger, Joey Loperfido and Davis Schneider will get some time to prove their value to the team. I still have high hopes for Loperfido, and I’d like to see Barger build on what he did last year. But…..having Santander’s power would have been handy. Maybe next year?