Pitching his first inning of the spring as he ramps up for both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Team USA's World Baseball Classic squad, Skenes faced called strike challenges from Atlanta Braves batters on three occasions.
And the Braves successfully challenged all three calls by homeplate umpire Chris Segal - and added another in the second inning.
Two of the overturns definitely made life more difficult for Skenes. Braves first baseman Matt Olson - one of the game's most disciplined hitters - challenged a 1-1 curveball that Segal called a strike, nicking the outside corner. Olson, a sheepish grin on his face, tapped his head just, you know, to see what happened.
Sure enough, Segal erred - by one-tenth of an inch, ABS ruled - and a 1-2 count became a 2-1 count. Olson went on to draw a two-out walk, illustrating how certain counts - such as 1-1 - are more pivotal and perhaps crucial to challenge.
Thusly emboldened, Jurickson Profar followed by challenging the first pitch - a 98.3 mph fastball seemingly on the outside corner. Segal? Wrong again, this time by a half-inch. And 0-1 became 1-0 and Profar drew a walk.
On challenge No. 3, Skenes finally took matters into his own hands. Jumping ahead 0-2 on Austin Riley, he fired a 99-mph fastball at the top of the zone. Segal punched Riley out - and Riley was tapping his helmet before Skenes could even think to trudge off the mound.
Call overturned - a whole 1.5 inches above the zone.
At that point, the camera turned to Skenes' girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, in the stands at the Braves' CoolToday Park in North Port, Fla. She looked far more relieved when Skenes threw an almost identical pitch - just a smidge lower and in the zone.
And Riley swung through it anyway.
The Braves' pedantry cost Skenes anywhere from three to 13 more pitches, finishing with 31 for the inning. Not necessarily what the Pirates or Skenes wanted.
But he still put up a zero and struck out two - proving robots can only break Skenes down so much.
Yet challenges will be a way of life in this, the first year of the ABS system in which teams are granted two challenges for both sides of the ball - and get to keep them if they're successful. Spring 2025 was a trial run, but with the system going live on Opening Day, teams are doing what they can to ace the system.
And perhaps the Braves got the NL's reigning Cy Young Award winner off his game just a bit.
In his second inning of work, Skenes was his own enemy, issuing walks to Mike Yastrzemski and Mauricio Dubón. Leadoff batter Ronald Acuña Jr. then challenged a fastball that ABS ruled was 1.5 inches outside.
Skenes got Acuña on a pop-up, seemingly no worse for wear. Yet this was Skenes' lone spring start for the Pirates before the WBC, and they'd hoped to get him through three innings.
Instead, he was lifted with one out in the third, his 53 pitches not enough to complete the frame. Skenes struck out four but also walked four - technology no help in his efforts at pitch efficiency.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 23: Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (3) celebrates scoring a run with players in the dugout during a MLB spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 23, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We are less than a week into Spring Training, but that does not mean we cannot make some observations. There have been a few trends I have noticed through the first five games of Spring Training. With the Nats sitting at the top of the Grapefruit League, things have mostly been good, but it has not been perfect.
The Boys are Winning Ballgames:
The first takeaway from the beginning of Spring Training is that the Nats are winning! They are 4-0-1 in their first five games and are the only unbeaten team in the Grapefruit League. Of course, these games do not count, so this does not matter much. However, I like the way the boys have been fighting.
Final: Nats 6, Cardinals 1. Cade Cavalli looked good. Riley Cornelio looked good. They scored 5 runs with 2 outs in the 8th on only 2 hits. They remain undefeated this spring at 4-0-1.
Building a new culture is a big part of this spring. It is a new regime with new ideas. We want to see that new philosophy manifest itself on the field. While these games do not count, we are seeing some promising signs.
For years, the Nats have been overly aggressive at the plate. They have not made pitchers work, and often starters can just cruise through six innings in 75 pitches or less. However, the Nats are second in the league in walks so far this spring. This probably means nothing, as it is just Spring Training but I am going to monitor this as we get into the real season.
Cutting down on chase and being a pesky lineup should be a goal for the Nats this year. You do not need to be an Aaron Judge level talent to be a tough out. If the Nats just become a pesky lineup, they could find a way to be close to an average offense this year. With James Wood, CJ Abrams, Daylen Lile and other young players, this lineup is not devoid of talent. They just have not had a great approach as a team. Hopefully that will change this year.
Nats Saying No to Fastballs:
In my opinion, the most consequential storyline of Spring Training so far is the Nats pitchers moving away from fastballs. We did a deep dive on this the other day, but I want to revisit it here.
Last season, the Nats were near the top of the league in fastball usage despite not really having many pitchers with dominant heaters. Mitchell Parker and Jake Irvin, two guys without premium velocity, were throwing their heaters over half the time. If the start of this spring gives us a hint, the Nats will be throwing way fewer heaters. Heading into last night, the Nats were throwing fastballs at the third lowest rate of any team this spring.
Lowest combined four-seam and sinker usage through the first couple games of Spring Training…
This is something I love to see. I have been calling for this for a while now. We saw what happened when Kyle Finnegan cut his fastball usage when he went to Detroit. He became a much better pitcher who struck out hitters at a significantly higher rate. Cutting fastball usage has been low hanging fruit for smart organizations for years. It is nice to see the Nats joining the party.
Last season it was so frustrating to see Nats pitchers trying to establish their mediocre fastballs. Pounding fastballs that are not good was an example of the Nats outdated philosophy. It is not some magical elixir, but throwing your best pitches more often will be a helpful strategy for Nats pitchers.
This is a trend that I am confident will carry over into the regular season. Paul Toboni came from the Red Sox, who have been as aggressive as anyone in cutting fastball usage. It seems like he is bringing that trend with him to DC and I love to see it.
Defense Still a Work in Progress:
While it has been a really strong start to Spring Training, things have not been perfect. Last season, the Nats defense was really bad and that still appears to be an issue. The Nats made four errors in a game against the Phillies the other night and have been prone to mistakes early this spring.
One thing I have noticed is that the pitchers have not been fielding their position well. It is still early in spring, so I am willing to give grace. However, the Nats are going to have to clean this up as we get deeper into camp and approach the regular season.
Defense has been a major point of emphasis at camp so far. There have been many videos of Nats players working on their fundamentals and fielding ground balls. Yesterday, I saw a video of the Nats working on defense and situational plays in the main stadium.
Nationals working on game situations with defense and baserunners inside the stadium today. pic.twitter.com/TblvKV9nkW
You cannot accuse the new regime of not trying to improve the defense, but these changes do not happen overnight. Guys are also shaking off rust and have not been in game action for a long time. Errors are going to be inevitable, but I hope to see the Nats play cleaner baseball as we enter March.
Overall, I have been impressed with the Nats early this spring. They are competing hard and seem bought into the new vision. These players have a lot to prove in Spring Training, so I am not totally surprised to see them come out of the gates hot. It is just a few games that don’t count in February, but this week has me looking forward to the start of the season which is just a month away now.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - MARCH 13: Mac Horvath #19 and Aidan Smith #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays sign autographs for young fans prior to the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park on Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
N/A
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
N/R
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
N/A
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
N/A
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
N/A
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
N/A
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
N/A
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
N/A
17
Trevor Harrison
RHP
9
26
35%
10
18
Jose Urbina
RHP
13
26
50%
25
19
Tre’ Morgan
1B/LF
15
25
60%
4
20
Jackson Baumeister
RHP
12
27
44%
12
21
Aidan Smith
OF
17
29
59%
6
Smith surged from only late consideration in the voting to surpassing a player he tied with last week — stopping his free fall before Bush Jr. could rise further in the rankings. Farther in the rankings? Not sure. Adding Gill Hill!
Candidates
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Homer Bush Jr., OF 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Gary Gill Hill, RHP 21 | 6’2” | 160 A+ | 3.82 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 136.2 IP (25 GS), 18.8% K, 5.3% BB
A groundballer, Gill Hill was a feather in the cap for the Rays scouting department when snagged in the sixth round in 2022. He raised his armslot in 2024 to great success, but got off to a rocky start in 2025, which muddies the water on his statline. On the whole, GGH has the body and the look to be a major league starter, particularly thanks to a plus fastball in the upper 90’s and plus control, but needs to find a longterm solution for opposite handed hitting as he climbs the ladder. Accordingly, he projects as a reliever until his arsenal finds a plus third pitch.
Brailer Guerrero, OF 20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215 A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA
Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.
Dom Keegan, C 25 | R/R | 6’0” | 210 AAA | .241/.306/.429 (89 wRC+) 297 PA, 10 HR, 0 SB, 8.1% BB, 30.6% K
Keegan is at an inflection point in his minor league career, having joined the 40-man roster as the third catcher, and overall the jury is still out. Trusted more at first base than backstop at Vanderbilt, the Rays have kept him behind the dish but reports still have his defense below average, and 2025 was a wash after an elbow injury in the Spring sank his season, in particular his bat speed. While the lack of progress on the edges of his game has some evaluators calling into question his once-sure major league projection, he’ll get a long look in Spring Training, where his ability to punish mistakes in the zone may flourish.
Victor Mesa Jr., OF 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.
Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.
Victor Valdez, SS 17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186
A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.
Feb 24, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Max Clark (84) drops a fly ball in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves during spring training at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
FORMER CUBS IN ROCKIES CAMP: José Quintana, Keegan Thompson, Willi Castro, Nicky Lopez and former Cubs prospect Vimael Machin. Kris Bryant is on the 60-day injured list and it’s not known when, or if, he will play this year.
A REMINDER: Here are all the Cubs heading to the World Baseball Classic: Miguel Amaya (Panama), Javier Assad (Mexico), Christian Bethancourt (Panama), Matthew Boyd (United States), Alex Bregman (United States), Pete Crow-Armstrong (United States), Jonathon Long (Chinese Taipei), BJ Murray (Great Britain), Daniel Palencia (Venezuela), Yacksel Ríos (Puerto Rico), Erian Rodriguez (Panama), Seiya Suzuki (Japan), Jameson Taillon (Canada).
Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Cade Horton, Caleb Thielbar, Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, Luke Little and Jack Neely. It will be the first spring outing for Horton, Maton and Harvey.
Old friend José Quintana will start for the Rockies. Other Rockies pitchers scheduled today: Antonio Senzatela, Jaden Hill, Carson Palmquist and RJ Petit.
Please visit our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row. If you do go there to interact with Rockies fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITORS NOTE: A special effects camera filter was used for this image.) Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during the Baltimore Orioles photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After a three-day hiatus from our television screens, the Orioles are back on the air this afternoon with a MASN broadcast against the Rays. Trevor Rogers becomes the first O’s starter to make an encore appearance this spring after opening with two scoreless innings against the Yankees last Friday.
He’ll take on another AL East opponent today, though this Rays travel lineup bears little resemblance to the one they’ll use in the regular season. There are nearly no recognizable names in Tampa Bay’s order. The bottom of their lineup includes players like Tre’ Morgan, Raynel Delgado, Bradford Dill, and Tatem Levins. Those guys are so anonymous that I just made up one of those names and you don’t know which one!
The O’s, by contrast, have a lineup full of guys who will be on the Opening Day roster (aside from #9 hitter Weston Wilson, who is a long shot). Dylan Beavers will be making his first start in center field, something he’s done 70 times in his minor league career but never in the majors. Beavers isn’t considered a great defender in center, but if he can hold his own at the position, that would give the O’s some added flexibility in the outfield and allow Colton Cowser to get more rest. Today the Orioles are facing Brody Hopkins, one of the Rays’ top prospects.
Orioles lineup:
SS Gunnar Henderson LF Taylor Ward 1B Pete Alonso RF Tyler O’Neill C Adley Rutschman DH Ryan Mountcastle 2B Blaze Alexander CF Dylan Beavers 3B Weston Wilson
Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Richard Fitts (35) throws a pitch during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals continue their Spring Training schedule as they take on the New York Mets. According to MLB.com, Richard Fitts will start the game for St. Louis. This will be his first appearance in a game since he came to the Cardinals in the Sonny Gray trade early in the offseason.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 27: Kody Funderburk #55 and Ryan Jeffers #27 of the Minnesota Twins celebrate after the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):12:05 TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe: Over the Monster
With the longest tenure on the roster, veteran Davis Martin takes the hill for his first Cactus League start looking to lead a young staff by example. | (Mike Christy/Getty Images)
Offense, offense, and more offense — that’s been the name of the game for the South Siders this spring. The White Sox rolled into Wednesday’s action having smacked the most hits of any MLB team, sitting first in runs, doubles, and RBIs. So far, the Good Guys have prioritized contact over patience. While that aggression has kept the walk total at a modest 21, it’s also keeping the strikeouts down. At just 38 punchouts, they’re sitting in the bottom half of the league in K’s, ensuring they put the ball in play more often than not. It’s all added up to a team that currently sits atop the league in batting average, OPS, and slugging.
Leading that charge is catcher Edgar Quero, who’s slashing .667/.714/.833 and tops the squad with five RBIs. Quero, an offensive-first backstop, told CHSN’s Chuck Garfien last week that he spent his winter working on framing and defense, but we saw a bit of a lapse yesterday when he blew a rundown at third and threw it over Lenyn Sosa’s head. It’s exactly the kind of fundamental breakdown that has plagued this team for the last several years, and while Spring Training is for working out kinks, that’s the specific stuff that needs cleaning up.
Then there’s Swiss Army Knife Brooks Baldwin, who’s basically forcing his way onto the plane to Chicago at this point. Sporting a massive 1.143 SLG, he isn’t just making contact; he’s making noise. With that kind of production, Skipper Will Venable is going to have a hard time finding a reason not to pencil him into the 26-man roster come March.
As far as prospects are concerned, keep your eyes on William Bergolla. He’s 4-for-6 with two doubles and a bag. He doesn’t strike out, he plays solid middle infield and he’s got wheels. The 21-year-old came over in the Tanner Banks trade at the 2024 deadline. He’s the type of “high floor” contact hitter this lineup has desperately missed.
On the mound, it’s not all doom and gloom, though the contrast is noticeable. While the 3.43 ERA is solid enough for a top-five spot, the 1.52 WHIP shows the pitchers still shaking off some rust. However, the hurlers are at least missing bats, tied near the top of the pack with the Cubs at 49 strikeouts.
Today, we get the first Cactus League start for Davis Martin, the “glue guy” who is now the longest-tenured player on the team following the Luis Robert Jr. trade. Martin is coming off his first full year as a starter, having tossed 142 2/3 innings in 2025 with a 4.10 ERA. This season, we’re looking for his six-pitch mix to generate a few more “red” circles on the Statcast chart.
The Sox will face off against Nick Lodolo, who makes his spring debut for the Reds. Lodolo hasn’t quite hit those 7th-overall-pick expectations yet, but he’s coming off a strong 3.33 ERA season and features a heavy four-pitch arsenal. He has a pretty good curve and sinker that can really tie up hitters.
Here’s how the managers line up their teams this afternoon.
Now for the bad news: it’s a lean day for media coverage. The only way to follow the live action is through an MLB.TV or MLB+ subscription. If you’ve got one, you can tune into the Reds’ radio broadcast at 2:05 p.m. CST to see if the Sox bats can keep the heater going.
Feb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Eloy Jimenez (74) smiles after he checks on the balls and strikes during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Today’s Jays’ game is not on TV, one of the few that aren’t on TV. The game is at Lakeland, Florida in the Tigers’ spring park, Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium which has to be up there on the list of longest ballpark names, as well as getting two sponsor names into it. It isn’t on MLB TV either. If you are really interested Sportsnet will carry a radio broadcast on their site (two minutes of thinking of subtle insults for anyone who would listen to a spring game on radio and I settle on interested. I have no imagination this morning). It has a 1:00 Eastern start time.
The Jay are sending a bunch of regulars to Lakeland. Google maps tells me that it is an hour and a quarter drive from Dunedin to Lakeland, which likely means it will be a 2 to 3 hour drive on the way back.
Today’s lineups:
Today’s Lineups
BLUE JAYS
TIGERS
Ernie Clement – 2B
Parker Meadows – CF
Andres Gimenez – SS
Kevin McGonigle – SS
Vladimir Guerrero – DH
Jahmai Jones – LF
Alejandro Kirk – C
Riley Greene – DH
Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
Spencer Torkelson – 1B
Eloy Jimenez – LF
Wenceel Perez – RF
Nathan Lukes – RF
Hao-Yu Lee – 2B
Jonatan Clase – CF
Jace Jung – 3B
Sean Keys – 1B
Jake Rogers – C
Cody Ponce – RHP
Casey Mize – RHP
It is too bad that we aren’t going get to watch it, I want every chance I can to see Kazuma Okamoto play third. I also like any chance to watch Jonatan Clase play center field.
We are going to get to see a lot of the prospects and the guys on the edge of making the Jays roster, later in spring training, because there are seven Jays going to the World Baseball Classic, as well as five minor leaguers. The Jays players will be spread across 11 WBC teams.
The players:
Andres Gimenez (Venezuela)
Leo Jimenez (Panama)
Ernie Clement (United States)
Alejandro Kirk (Mexico)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Dominican Republic)
Kazuma Okamoto (Japan)
Yariel Rodriguez (Cuba)
Minor leaguers (well, Yariel is a minor leaguer too:
Adam Macko (Canada)
RJ Schreck (Isreal)
C.J. Stubbs (Israel)
Will Cresswell (Great Britain)
Ismael Munguia (Nicaragua)
The WBC starts on March 5th and runs til the 17th.
The Jays are bringing Trey Yesavage along slowly this spring. He won’t pitch in a spring game until next week. Trey threw a lot more innings last year than he had before and, not surprisingly, they want to be careful with him. Or at least as careful as you can be, while asking someone to throw a rock as hard as he possibly can, while making it spin as much has he possibly can.
I do often wonder how so many of them can make it through a season without injury.
As well, Ricky Tiedemann ‘experienced’ elbow soreness last year and will take a week off from throwing. MRI didn’t show any damage. A pitcher coming back from Tommy John will have some soreness, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. But it does show why there the team tries to grab up as many potential MLB pitchers as possible.
We weren’t expecting Tiedemann to break camp with the team or anything like that, even if there were to be a rash of injuries to our starting pitchers. I won’t worry unless they shut him down during the season.
Before spring training, I would have said said that Eloy Jiménez had almost no chance of making the Jays out of spring training. But, he’s looked terrific (in two games), he’s a right-handed bat and our outfield is fairly lefty heavy.
If he could play center, I’d say he had a good chance, because I’d rather have his bat than Myles Straw’s. But since he can’t, he’d have to beat out Davis Schneider and that would be tough. Schneider does have options left.
But would you rather have Eloy than Nathan Lukes? Lukes has an option year left. And we have Jesus Sanchez in front of him on the left-handed hitting corner outfielder depth chart. But then, Lukes can play center.
Jiménez can also play first base and will get some time there while Vlad is at the WBC.
Anyway, I’d have guessed Jiménez had about a 1% chance of making the team, before the start of spring, he must have a 30% chance now. Of course, he would have to make it through spring training without an injury and injuries have been his downfall.
After being shown Bo Bichette video of him booting some balls, early in spring training, I liked seeing this great play:
SURPRISE, AZ - FEBRUARY 17: Willie MacIver #47 of the Texas Rangers poses for a photo during the Texas Rangers photo day at Surprise Stadium on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for February 25, 2026 against the Cleveland Guardians.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: Johan Oviedo #29 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 22, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Is it on TV?
Yes, it’s on NESN at 1:05 PM.
What’s the lineup?
What should we watch for?
It’s always fun when you get a first look at a new pitcher. It’s especially fun when that pitcher is a 6’6” beast of a man. And it’s even more fun when that beast of a man gets his size from his mother: “My mom is huge. I feel like I kind of got that from her. She’s like 5-11 I think but she’s like big and wide and huge legs. She’s a monster of (a) woman.”
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 04: Atlanta Braves pitcher Bryce Elder (55) throws a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Minnesota Twins on March 4, 2025, at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s Spring Training Game Thread time. Wooooo.
It’s the very “fun” matchup of Paul Skenes and Bryce Elder, but really, it’s an early Grapefruit League tuneup for both arms.
This game is one of the Spring Training games broadcast on Gray TV, and should be available via MLB.tv as well, regardless of where you are.
The Braves will start the regulars in a home game, as is their wont. The Pirates have kind of a half-and-half lineup as some of their starters are making the trip to North Port. The Braves will get their first look at Marcell Ozuna wearing Pittsburgh’s colors this afternoon.
The wheels of infamy were set in motion on this day, 109 years ago, with the acquisition of Chick Gandil from Cleveland. | (Photo by Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)
1903 Though under contract to the White Sox, shortstop George Davis made it known he intended to go to court in order to break it and return to the New York Giants (“May ask courts for release; Davis has novel idea for jumping contract with White Stockings despite peace” read one headline, with the “peace” referring to the battle for players between the new American and established National League.)
Davis’ decision kicks off a tug-of-war over the superstar that lasted more than eight months. He would in fact report to New York, who paid him but flouted his White Sox contract in only four instances (games on June 26-27, June 30, and July 1 before a court injunction took him off of the field for the Giants).
Only when New York formally waived any rights to Davis, in November, did the shortstop re-join the White Sox to resume his Hall of Fame career.
1917 In an ill-fated move that would stain two pennants and one title over the next three seasons, the White Sox purchased Chick Gandil from Cleveland for $3,500 (close to $100,000 in today’s dollars). Gandil was the ringleader of two scandals involving baseball bribery: the Black Sox in 1919, as well as the lesser-known (and unpunished) payoff of the Detroit Tigers late in 1917 to help ensure the pennant.
Ironic in the Gandil saga (he, of course, was banished form the game along with seven teammates for throwing the 1919 World Series) is that he was a terrible player by the time he came back to the White Sox for a second tour. (Gandil made his MLB debut with the White Sox in 1910.) After strong seasons from 1913-15 with Washington (13.5 WAR, 116 OPS+), his 1916 in Cleveland was poor for a full-time player (1.2 WAR in 602 PAs). With the White Sox, he was even worse, with just 3.6 WAR over 1,562 PAs — not much better than a replacement player.
1946 The White Sox create what is regarded as the first media guide, handed out to beat writers.
Now, clearly there were programs and even media guides published before 1946, even by the White Sox themselves. However, those were often (always?) Spring Training and/or player rosters-only. The guide, written by Marsh Samuel and running 17 pages, actually just triggers a deeper, more interesting story … that the White Sox were once forerunners of the metrics revolution!
According to researcher Alan Kornspan at Cleveland State, beginning in 1946 and following in the footsteps of some other innovative figures (Branch Rickey, for one), Samuel began tracking advanced statistics, likely of his own creation but resembling some of what we see in the metrics world today. Cleveland owner Bill Veeck got wind of what Samuel was doing — and hired him away! At that point, Sox successor Ward Stevens took the reins and continued the work, which was still merely siloed in the PR department — not player evaluation.
However, once Frank Lane was hired as GM — at this time, no one wanted the White Sox GM job, as the team was in hock and possessed a woeful roster — he added Earl Flora as both publicity director but also statistician.
Lane’s pet stat, tracked as a child rooting for the Cincinnati Reds, was RBI with RISP. Under Lane’s direction, Flora started tracking reach percentage (i.e. on-base percentage), base runs (both bases advanced by runners, as well as bases a batter’s hit moved runners) and GWRBI. In fact, Lane felt so strongly that RBIs were an overblown stat that he created his own offshoot: OBR (Opportunities to Bat in Runs), the percentage of time batters drove in RISP.
Without extending this too long, Flora returned to sports editing, to be replaced by future White Sox GM Ed Short, a tireless worker who drove statistical analysis on the South Side to new heights.
But that is a story best continued on another Day in White Sox History.
1997 After a one-season spurt with the White Sox, 34-year-old free agent outfielder Danny Tartabull signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for $2 million. Tartabull had been acquired before the 1996 season to add some punch to an already-formidable White Sox lineup, and punch he did: 27 homers, 101 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .487. However, Tartabull’s defense was so poor in right field as to earn him just 0.6 WAR on the season, so with Albert Belle signed for left field and Dave Martinez coming off of a 4.8 WAR season as a supersub ready to step into right, Tartabull was not re-signed.
And that turned out to be a solid move, because a broken foot limited Tartabull to just three games in 1997, and he never saw the majors after that. Thus the final home run of Tartabull’s 262-dinger career came in a White Sox uniform, at the Metrodome, on Sept. 27, 1996.
Mar 9, 2025; Peoria, Arizona, USA; A general view of the fans in attendance during the early inning of a spring training game between the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images
Hatfields and McCoys. Dominos and Pizza Hut. Coke vs. Pepsi. None of these rivalries hold a candle to the red-hot intensity that awaits in The Battle of Camelback Ranch, as the Dodgers face the White Sox, their spring co-tenants, on Thursday afternoon.
It’s the first of two meetings this spring between the two teams who have called Camelback Ranch home since 2009, with another encounter on the docket for Saturday, March 14. On Thursday, the Dodgers are the home team.
Tyler Glasnow is on the mound for the Dodgers, making his first spring start. Left-hander Sean Newcomb starts for Chicago.
