Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Kyle Harrison throws a pitch against the Seattle Mariners on March 8 at American Family Fields of Phoenix. | Curt Hogg / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Brewers are in split-squad action this afternoon against two of the teams alongside the Brewers near the bottom of the Cactus League standings. In one of the games, Milwaukee will send a group to play the Seattle Mariners, who are in last place with a spring record of 7-17, while the other half of the squad will stay at American Family Fields of Phoenix to take on the 12-14 Angels.
Kyle Harrison will make the start in the home game vs. the Angels. Harrison has allowed a bunch of runs this spring — eight of them, seven earned, in seven innings — but he’s also struck out a ton of batters (12 of them in seven innings) and his stuff has generally looked good. Given the injury to Quinn Priester and the slow ramp up for Brandon Woodruff, Harrison has a good shot at sticking in the rotation, so he’ll be looking to build on that. Scheduled to follow Harrison on the mound today are the team’s two lefty swingmen, Aaron Ashby and DL Hall.
In Peoria against the Mariners, Carlos Rodriguez will get the start. It’ll be Rodriguez’s second appearance with the Brewers after returning from duty with Nicaragua’s World Baseball Classic team last week; he threw two innings last time out. Also scheduled to pitch for the Brewers in this game are Easton McGee and Jacob Waguespack.
The stronger lineup is pretty clearly the one at home versus the Angels; all nine players in that lineup should make the Opening Day roster. The Mariners game, which can be seen on Brewers.TV, features another player freshly back from the WBC, Tyler Black, leading off, along with an interesting team of young players including Jett Williams, Brock Wilken, Luis Lara, Cooper Pratt, and Marco Dinges.
First pitch in both games is at 3:10 p.m. CT, and as mentioned, the away game against the Mariners can be seen on Brewers.TV. The Angels game, with the varsity squad, can be heard on WTMJ and the Brewers Radio Network.
Feb 24, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets right fielder Mike Tauchman (50) runs onto the field before the game against the Houston Astros at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
With an off day for the Mets in Grapefruit League action today, there are just four days’ worth of games left before Opening Day next week. After spring training concludes, I will post a final poll with all of our candidates’ cumulative spring training stats and KoST point totals and we will determine a winner. In the meantime, let’s see where things stand with our field of KoST candidates as we approach the final stretch in the 2026 KoST contest.
Cristian Pache – .464/.516/.786 in 28 ABs
With just four days’ worth of spring training games left to go before Opening Day, Pache shares the team lead in hits with Carson Benge with 13. One of the hits he amassed since our last update was a home run, his second one this spring.
“He’s an elite defender,” Carlos Mendoza said of Pache, who has impressed on both sides of the ball this spring. “Offensively, we’ve seen him hit the ball hard up the middle and run the bases. There are a lot of tools there. It’s good to see him getting results.”
He is not likely to make the team, but he is definitely a KoST favorite as a guy who perfectly embodies the spirit of the contest: someone who came out of nowhere and turned some heads. He will be useful depth for the Mets to have in Triple-A.
KoST Points: 4 Total KoST Points: 12
MJ Melendez – .364/.364/1.000 in 11 ABs
No updated stats for MJ Melendez, who was optioned to minor league camp yesterday in a flurry of cuts. His sample size is probably not large enough to be a serious KoST contender due in part to his participation in the World Baseball Classic, but he is a worthy mention for having made an impression during his brief time in camp.
KoST Points: 0 Total KoST Points: 4
Austin Barnes – .313/.389/.500 in 16 ABs
Barnes has logged just two at-bats since our last update, but he got a hit in one of them, which improves his already impressive overall Grapefruit League batting line slightly.
KoST Points: 1 Total KoST Points: 4
Mike Tauchman – .280/.419/.520 in 25 ABs
Mike Tauchman continues to be in the starting lineup most days for the Mets in Grapefruit League action and it’s becoming increasingly likely he may make the Opening Day roster even if Carson Benge also earns a spot. Something that is working in his favor is that he holds an opt out for March 25, so if he doesn’t make the roster, the Mets risk losing him altogether.
Could a healthy Francisco Lindor open the door for the Mets to carry five outfielders? Here, I suggest there's room for both Carson Benge and Mike Tauchman (who holds an opt out for March 25, per league sources): https://t.co/elCjU7Vv1j
Tauchman has been productive this spring and although he has more of a major league track record than some of our other KoST candidates, he deserves a lot of consideration if he forces his way onto the roster with his spring performance—an outcome that was perhaps unexpected at the start of spring training. Of Tauchman’s seven hits in Grapefruit League play, four went for extra bases, including a home run. He also walked four times and drove in six runs.
KoST Points: 3 Total KoST Points: 8
Vidal Bruján – .231/.375/.231 in 26 ABs
Another player who continues to get looks is Vidal Bruján, who has an outside chance of making the team if the Mets decide they need an infielder instead of a fifth outfielder. But as Francisco Lindor continues to progress and remain on track for Opening Day, Bruján’s chances of making the roster decline. Also in decline is his statistical output since our last update when he was first added to the KoST field.
KoST Points: 1 Total KoST Points: 5
Tobias Myers – 1.86 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 12 Ks in 9 2/3 IP
Myers continues to be excellent overall this spring, even if his most recent outing against the Marlins wasn’t as stellar as his other appearances. His 12 strikeouts are tied with Freddy Peralta for the second-most on the team behind Clay Holmes. The Mets are tinkering with Myers’ arm angle and his repertoire and the results have spoken for themselves so far, particularly when it comes to the induced vertical break on his fastball. Myers is a lock to make the bullpen as the Mets’ long man, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he ends up in the rotation at some point if he continues pitching well.
Myers is prepared for whatever role the Mets have for him. “To be DFA’d three times when you’re still starting your career really opens your eyes and makes you realize you need to go out there and get it,” Myers recently said to the New York Post. “I learned you’ve got to be good when called upon. You’ve got to commit and be available.”
KoST Points: 3 Total KoST Points: 7
Robert Stock – 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 6 Ks in 3 IP
Obviously no new updates on Robert Stock, who is dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome. We will always remember his brief, shining KoST campaign.
KoST Points: 0 Total KoST Points: 3
Austin Warren – 2.25 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 2 Ks in 4 IP
Warren has not made any appearances since last week’s update, but remains in big league camp for now.
KoST Points: 0 Total KoST Points: 3
Matt Turner – 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 6 Ks in 5 IP
Matt Turner was reassigned to minor league camp at the beginning of the month and while he still logged some appearances in Grapefruit League action after that, he hasn’t appeared in any games since our update last week. He ends his KoST campaign with a perfect 0.00 ERA and has an intriguing KoST case if you want to get a little weird with it.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 28: Maui Ahuna #1 of the Scottsdale Scorpions throws to first base during an Arizona Fall League game against the Surprise Saguaros at Scottsdale Stadium on October 28, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Thursday night, a group of top prospects from the San Francisco Giants organization will square off against a group of top prospects from the Cincinnati Reds organization at Scottsdale Stadium. It’s the oh-so-exciting Spring Breakout game, back for the third year (though it’s just the second time the Giants have played the game, thanks to an untimely rainstorm in Arizona).
Almost two weeks ago, the 30 MLB teams revealed their initial roster. The Giants roster was full of exciting names, albeit not surprisingly: the initial rosters of 40 players are simply the 30 prospects in MLB Pipeline’s top 30 list for each team, plus 10 more youngsters of the team’s choosing.
But on Wednesday, on the eve of the game (which will be on MLB’s website and on MLB Network), teams were required to trim the initial roster to a smaller list of talent that will actually be available for the game — 27 players, in the Giants case.
Needless to say, it’s still an exciting list, though it’s not as exciting as it could have been. Notably, the consensus top two prospects in the organization — first baseman Bryce Eldridge and shortstop Josuar González — are absent.
For the former, that’s not surprising. Eldridge is still in Major League camp, and is fighting for a spot on the opening day roster. The organization is never going to send those players (a group that also includes Trevor McDonald and Carson Whisenhunt) to an exhibition game, so there was never really a chance of Eldridge playing.
González’s absence is more disappointing, as he would have been the star most worth watching. Unfortunately, he exited a game at Minor League camp a few days ago with a limp … and while it was thankfully diagnosed as a cramp, it has sidelined him for a few days, and will keep him out of the showcase … or so we think. In the write-up announcing the article on MLB’s site, González’s name is not listed, with beat reporter Maria Guardado writing, “is expected to miss Spring Breakout due to an injury.”
But in the announcement from the team’s official social media accounts, González is listed, taking the place of outfielder Bo Davidson to keep the roster at 27. So who knows.
Right-handed pitcher Keyner Martinez, one of the breakout stars on the farm in 2025, is slated to start the game. He’s one of many must-watch players, including infielders Luis Hernández and Gavin Kilen, and outfielder Dakota Jordan. Middle infielder Jhonny Level is absent from the roster, and I believe that’s due to a minor ailment he’s dealing with.
Mar 14, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; Venezuela left fielder Wilyer Abreu (16) rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against Japan in the sixth inning during a quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
I was afraid of flying until a pilot with whom I grew up set me straight. A plane wants to stay in the air, he said, comfortingly. A plane’s wing can bend at nearly a 90 degree angle and not snap, he said, less comfortingly. A plane will only crash when a thousand things go wrong or someone’s trying to make it crash, the same way Major League Baseball games will be played minus a few hundred thousand raindrops stop it or a group of owners try to stop it from happening. Which, after the 2026 season, is exactly where we’re headed.
There’s almost certainly going to be a lockout after this year because Rob Manfred and his band of miserable men are sick of what the Dodgers have done to the sport: spent the most money, in the smartest ways, and built the best organization backing it up. They’ve won two World Series in a row, and it hardly matters to baseball as a whole that the second was by the skin of their teeth – what matters is they signed Kyle Tucker after signing Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow and
You get it. You might also intuitively understand that this is good for baseball, the same way it was when the Yankees did it in the late 90s and the Red Sox joined the fun in the early aughts. A rising tide lifts all boats, and the best way to raise the tide is with a hose full of money. (And PEDs, TBH, but that’s an issue largely consigned to the past, at least outside of the Profar household.) But here’s the thing about most baseball owners: they are very stupid and selfish, so they are intent on taking their frustrations out on the sport and its fans by depriving us of good baseball.
Make no mistake: Post-lockout, the sport will be worse for wear. Or the league will be, I should say. Baseball – the sport of baseball, not Major League Baseball – is just fine when done right, and the World Baseball Classic does it right. There’s nothing like it. If the plane that is MLB wants to stay in the air but is forced down, the WBC is its black box. You can’t make the whole plane out of it, but if you could, you would.
Last time around, we were treated to one of the single greatest at-bats to happen in the history of the sport to end the whole shebang, with Shohei Ohtani striking out then-Angels teammate and fellow league MVP Mike Trout on a 3-2 pitch to end it all. This year, in something of a synecdoche (if I’m using that word right, which I mightn’t be), the whole tournament seemed to have been made out of the Ohtani-Trout at-bat, with a breathtakingly close or raucous game happening every day.
All of that was reaffirmed last night, when Venezuela absorbed a momentous and aesthetically beautiful game-tying homer in the bottom of the 8th inning to rebound on the shoulders of Eugenio Suarez and defeat the country that kidnapped their leader months earlier on its home soil. From a pure baseball perspective, the Ohtani/Trout moment is fairly unstoppable, but internationally and locally, this one was more momentous. Internationally because of said kidnapping. Locally because this tournament and this game was teeming with current and former Red Sox. Roman Anthony – batting directly behind Kyle Schwarber and Alex Bregman – struck out to end it, in a game started by Eduardo Rodriguez, starring Wilyer Abreu, that was lost by Garrett Whitlock. It was dizzying. Plus Aaron Judge choked. What else could you want?
Well, you could do the thing dumbasses do when a plane crashes, and ask why they don’t make the whole thing out of the black box. And again, it’s simply because it’s not necessary. The plane wants to stay in the air. Baseball wants to thrive. The WBC is great because it’s scarce, but the sport shouldn’t suffer in its absence. It’s not suffering in its absence. If it’s suffering, it’s because the people running it want it to suffer. The WBC is a permanent reminder of what we stand to lose.
MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 28: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, September 28, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds are in the middle of making their final roster decisions in the run-up to Opening Day, so it’s little surprise they’ve packed this portion of their spring schedule with as many games as possible.
That includes Tuesday, which will see Cincinnati send Chase Burns & Co. on the road to Tempe to take on the Los Angeles Angels while also playing host to the Colorado Rockies at home in Goodyear. Brady Singer will start for that Goodyear club as many of the team’s veterans got to stay at home for the day, while Burns will be backed by the likes of Will Benson, Noelvi Marte, Sal Stewart, and both JJ Bleday and Rece Hinds – the latter two being locked in a battle for one of the final spots on the roster.
Nate Lowe, who has also continued to impress while looking to fight his way onto the Opening Day roster, is in the lineup with the crew playing at Goodyear.
The good news is that you’ll be able to watch some of this. The bad news is that only the game against the Rockies in Goodyear is televised (via Reds.TV), while the Burns game in Tempe is radio only.
Singer will fire the first pitch in Goodyear at 4:05 PM ET, while Benson will lead off against the Angels with a first pitch set for 4:10 PM ET.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Wednesday was a productive day for the elder statesman and the young kid in the Phillies’ starting pitching rotation.
Zack Wheeler took another step in his comeback from surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome as he threw the equivalent of two innings against hitters.
“I felt good, my arm felt good,” Wheeler said after the workout. “We’re going in the right direction.”
It’s not clear whether Wheeler will throw to hitters in a controlled setting one more time or pitch in a minor-league game next week, but he’s getting closer to ramping up the intensity of his buildup.
The Phillies have been careful not to speak of a timetable for when Wheeler will be ready to pitch in regular-season action. Pitchers generally need a month of exhibition game action to build their pitch count before the season. If Wheeler is indeed close to pitching in a minor-league game, he could be ready in a month or maybe a little more – provided there are no setbacks. One thing is certain: The Phillies will not rush him.
While the 35-year-old Wheeler was clearing another hurdle in Clearwater, 22-year-old rookie Andrew Painter was in North Port firing four shutout innings against an Atlanta Braves lineup that included regulars Austin Riley, Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris III.
“Against a regular lineup, he commanded the baseball better than he has all spring,” manager Rob Thomson said. “The split was really good. The slider was really good. The velocity (average 96.2 mph) was really good. He looked poised and ready to go. So, I’m happy with it.”
Painter allowed just a hit and a walk and struck out three in what was his final Grapefruit League start. He drove up his pitch count with some extra work in the bullpen after coming out of the game.
Painter pitched well in four starts in the Grapefruit League. He allowed seven hits and three runs in 11 2/3 innings. He walked two, struck out eight, held opposing hitters to a .171 batting average and had a 0.77 WHIP. His next start will come during the first homestand of the season. He will pitch a simulated game at Citizens Bank Park in the days leading up to that start.
After his path to Philadelphia was slowed by an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, it’s almost showtime for Painter.
“I’m just trying to stay in the present and look forward to each and every start,” said Painter, who will turn 23 on April 10. “I think it’ll hit me when the time comes, and the next start is a big-league start. I think that’s kind of when the realization will hit.
“I think I’m in a good spot.”
The Phillies lost the game to Atlanta, 3-2. Dylan Moore, a strong candidate to win the final spot on the bench, had two hits, a walk and two RBIs. Moore left the game after fouling a ball off his foot in the late innings, but Thomson said it was precautionary.
Thomson intends to use his bullpen for Thursday’s game against Tampa Bay. Presumed opening day starter Cristopher Sanchez will start Friday. Saturday’s starter is TBD. Aaron Nola will pitch Sunday and Jesus Luzardo will close out the spring Monday.
Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Ben Brown, Gavin Hollowell and Corbin Martin.
Merrill Kelly will start for the Diamondbacks. Other D-backs pitchers scheduled today: Joe Ross, Taylor Clarke, Juan Morillo, Paul Sewald and Jonathan Loaisiga.
There will be a TV broadcast today via the D-backs channel AZ Video. No radio today.
Please visit our SB Nation Diamondbacks site AZ Snakepit. If you do go there to interact with D-backs 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 3:05 p.m. CT and 4:40 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.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 30: Matt Quatraro #33 of the Kansas City Royals brings out the starting lineup against the Minnesota Twins on Opening Day at Kauffman Stadium on March 30, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In nine days, the Royals will begin the regular season against the Braves in Atlanta. We have a fairly good idea which players will be in Matt Quatraro’s starting lineup, barring injury. Familiar names like Salvador Perez, Bobby Witt Jr., and Vinnie Pasquantino will lead an offense that looks to improve on last year’s performance. But how exactly will they lineup?
Who should lead off for this team? Isaac Collins has battled injuries, Jonathan India is coming off a down year, and some feel Bobby Witt Jr.’s bat is too valuable to hit in the top spot. How would assemble the middle of this lineup? How do you fill out the bottom?
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27, 2026: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Dodgers’ penultimate spring game in Arizona is their final night game of this portion of their exhibition schedule, hosting the San Diego Padres Friday night at Camelback Ranch.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto makes his final spring start this season, and his first since returning from the World Baseball Classic. This will be the final tuneup for the right-hander before he starts his second consecutive opening day for the Dodgers, on March 26 at Dodger Stadium.
PHOENIX — For several minutes on Monday, Miguel Rojas said his world “rumbled.”
For several minutes that afternoon, the baseball world thought he had tested positive for steroids.
In reality, of course. Rojas hadn’t.
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas against Team Mexico during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
But that day, a reporter from The Athletic incorrectly posted on social media that the Dodgers infielder had been suspended 80 games because of a banned substance — before quickly deleting the post and explaining his mistake.
Turned out, it was Johan Rojas of the Philadelphia Phillies who had been popped for PEDs, receiving an 80-game ban for testing positive for Boldenone.
“I’ve deleted a post incorrectly identifying who was suspended today,” the reporter later clarified. “It was Johan Rojas of the Philadelphia Phillies who was suspended.”
Two days later, Miguel Rojas was still voicing frustration over the situation, telling reporters in the Dodgers’ Camelback Ranch clubhouse that he had yet to receive an apology over the incorrect report.
“I’m not frustrated because of the report,” he said. “We’re all humans and we make mistakes.”
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
However, he quickly added, “I was expecting a little bit more of an apology. Not just to me, but the organization. Because it wasn’t just my name. It was pretty clear that he said, ‘Miguel Rojas from the Los Angeles Dodgers.’
“That’s the only thing that I’m kind of bothered by.”
An apology eventually came later on Wednesday, with the reporter, Evan Drellich, tweeting: “To Miguel Rojas and the Dodgers, I sincerely and publicly apologize. I’ve reached out to Miguel, the Dodgers and Miguel’s agent to say the same. Once again, I’m sorry.”
But by then, viral videos were already circulating of Rojas first discussing the situation in an interview with Chris Rose on Tuesday night, when he described the lack of an apology as “bulls–t.”
“For six minutes, (it) kind of rumbled my whole world, and got so many people around me and around us, the team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, worried because of one guy making a mistake,” he said then. “I’m totally OK with making mistakes. But at the end of the day, I was expecting an apology.”
However, Rojas also said he wanted to move on from the story, trying not “to make it a big deal” or “make it about myself.”
“I just feel like whenever the tweet was deleted and the clarification was trying to be made, I think we all deserve a little bit of an apology there,” he said. “Because it wasn’t just my name. It was the organization that I represent too. And that’s really important to me.”
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 17: Eugenio Suárez #7 of Team Venezuela reacts after hitting an RBI double against Team United States during the ninth inning at loanDepot park on March 17, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Diamondbacks News
Eduardo Rodriguez Leads Venezuela over Team USA Eduardo Rodriguez turned in just the sort of performance Arizona was hoping to see out of him regularly when they signed him after the 2023 season.
Evaluating Rodriguez’s Night In anything other than a championship game like last night, Rodriguez probably goes another inning or two at least. The veteran lefty put together a commanding performance in one of the biggest games of his life.
NL West Outlook: Second Place or Better Likely Necessary for October Baseball The NL West is already stacked against the Diamondbacks, what with the Dodgers being in the same division. But preseason projections make it look like Arizona will need to finish no worse than a strong second in order to punch their ticket to the playoffs in 2026.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 06: Harry Ford #1 of Team Great Britain celebrates in the dugout with props after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during a World Baseball Classic game against Team Mexico at Daikin Park on March 06, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It felt like it was trending this way for a little while, but Harry Ford was officially optioned to Triple-A this afternoon. Paul Toboni acquired Ford in a trade that sent Jose A. Ferrer this offseason. At first, I thought Ford would have a good chance of cracking the Opening Day roster. However, as camp progressed, it was clear the new regime wanted to give Keibert Ruiz another chance.
The Nationals have made the following roster moves:
Optioned to Triple-A Rochester: -C Harry Ford -1B/DH Abimelec Ortiz
Reassigned to Minor League camp: -C Riley Adams
— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) March 18, 2026
That is an understandable decision, especially considering the service time ramifications for Ford. However, I cannot say I am fired up about a Keibert Ruiz and Drew Millas catching tandem. The Nats had the worst catching situation in baseball last season, yet they still did not give Ford a spot on the Opening Day roster.
Yes, we will see plenty of Harry Ford this season, but I am still bummed out that he did not make the Opening Day roster. I really hope Ruiz’s contract doesn’t give him a longer leash than he deserves. While Ruiz showed promise in 2022 and 2023, the last two seasons have been disastrous for the Venezuelan catcher. As a bat first catcher, he has posted a .619 and .595 OPS the last two seasons.
Harry Ford should be given the benefit of the doubt in the Nats catching competition, not Keibert Ruiz https://t.co/kFAEVi6a3S
His contract which runs through the 2030 season and a solid spring have given Ruiz another shot behind the plate. However, his leash is going to be shorter this time. With Ford in the fold, he has real competition for the first time in DC. Hopefully, he can rise to the challenge, but I have my doubts. Ruiz has serious flaws on both sides of the ball which have persisted for years.
Ford is far from a perfect player himself, but he would provide new blood. He also represents a big investment from Paul Toboni. Ford had solid WBC and an up and down spring, but he showed why the Nats got him. He walked a lot this spring, which is a big part of his game. Ford also showed off some power for Great Britain at the WBC.
I do not think sending Ford down is an irrational decision by any means, it is just a bit of a bummer. Fans were excited to see him, and now they are going to have to wait a little longer. Ford already has a strong track record in AAA with a .283 average and .868 OPS at the level last year.
However, the new regime clearly thinks he needs more seasoning. I would not be surprised if a big reason for the demotion is to work on his defense. While Ford has steadily improved on that side of the ball, there is still more work to be done.
Another reason for this demotion could be service time related. If teams keep a player in the minors long enough, they can gain an extra year of team control. That deadline usually comes sometime in mid to late April, so it would not be a surprise to see Ford called up around then.
I cannot say I am excited about this decision, but it is understandable. Keibert Ruiz has looked better this spring, but he still has a lot to prove before he can regain faith from the fanbase. Hopefully we see Harry Ford sooner rather than later.
LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 16: The scoreboard displays a Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge sponsored by T-Mobile during the spring training game between the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 16, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. The Tigers defeated the Phillies 13-6. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While it feels like the baseball gods have laid low every Detroit Tigers pitcher under the age of 22, that’s not strictly true. One of the best stories at the A-ball levels last summer was the emergence of right-hander Kelvis Salcedo. While there is certainly relief risk present in his frame and delivery, Salcedo arguably boasts the nastiest set of pitches in the whole farm system already, so we’ll kick off our 45 FV tier with a pitcher who will have a lot of eyes on him in 2026 as he looks to build on a breakout campaign.
The Tigers signed 20-year-old Kelvis Salcedo back in January 2023, as he was turning 17. He hails from Santa Barbara del Zulia, Venezuela in the northwestern corner of the country. Salcedo wasn’t a big bonus prospect in a class where catcher Enrique Jimenez and outfielder Anibal Salas were the big names at the time, but he’s already outpaced them in terms of future major league projections.
The young right-hander stands 6’0” but while his official weight is 180 pounds, he’s clearly bulked up since that weigh-in and has filled out in his chest and legs significantly. He looks like he’s probably touching 215 pounds or more. That additional muscle now powers a fastball that can clip 99 mph at max effort. It’s a fairly high effort delivery, but as he continues to develop things may come more easily for him. There really isn’t any physical projection left, and the program for him is more about building more functional strength rather than filling out any further.
Salcedo will sometimes utilize a rock step with the bases empty, but either way it’s a simple motion and he’s basically pitching out of the stretch most of the time already. Like most with a higher arm slot, he has to pull his head hard to the first base side to create space for his arm path to get to that high three-quarters position, and as a result he will spin off to the first base side at times. Still, while he’ll occasionally sail a fastball or have his cutter and slider back up on him somewhat, he’s already an effective strike thrower who pounded the zone very well for his age and didn’t walk too many batters. He hides the ball well and that delivery makes it hard to pick up his release point until a hitter has seen him a few times.
A delivery with a good deal of visible upper body effort to throw hard is something scouts tend to key on as a poor sign for a future starting pitching role, and Salcedo isn’t the long-limbed, lanky 6’3”-6’5” with big extension that teams favor these days in a starting role. As a result, Salcedo gets high relief risk marks. Of course, you can tell that to Max Scherzer and many other high effort starters around the league. It’s just up to the player to put the work in to get in the best shape possible by the time they reach the major leagues. Salcedo may well be able to keep repeating his delivery with better efficiency as he builds up reps into his early 20’s. So, right now it’s just a note of caution as to his future role, and we’ll see how well he holds up to full seasons of pro ball the next two years.
The right-hander worked with fourseam fastball, cutter, and splitter last season, though he will mix in a slider and sinker as well, per Statcast. He can really spin the baseball to go with the raw velocity, and has a pretty intriguing fourseam fastball shape. In Lakeland last summer, Salcedo’s average fastball was already 95.4 mph and he topped out at 98.5 mph. The deception in his delivery helps balance out his below average extension, but it’s still not a huge, whiff generating fourseamer. The movement is more deceptive than explosive. It looks like a fourseamer in terms of spin alignment on the ball, but instead it has some late cut and drop that routinely had hitters breaking bats and beating it into the ground last summer. Hitters don’t swing and miss at it much, but they really struggled to barrel it up.
Salcedo backs the heater with a nasty 88-89 mph cutter that averaged 2711 rpms of spin last year. It plays off the fastball well with sharp late break to his gloveside and average depth. He drew a whopping 50 percent whiff rate on the cutter last year. His slider moves like the cutter but with a little more depth in the mid-80’s, and Salcedo tended to turn to it once he already had a hitter down and was trying to get them to chase down. It too produced a huge whiff rate, but it’s inconclusive whether these are even two distinct pitches as they blur together often. He might do better adding a spike curveball from that arm slot for a change of pace and something with more downward action.
His best pitch is a pretty spectacular changeup that looks like a splitter although the grip hasn’t been confirmed. It’s a mid-80’s offspeed pitch and Salcedo really kills the spin on it to go with the velocity separation, getting serious late drop and armside run on it. This is already a consistent plus pitch and drew a 60 percent whiff rate in Lakeland. When he’s really commanding it well it’s better than plus and you won’t see a nastier changeup anywhere in the minor leagues.
Salcedo had a really good Dominican Summer League season in 2024, and arrived stateside last year to pitch in the Complex League. He dominated there, and then moved over to the Single-A side to pitch for the Lakeland Flying Tigers in August and early September. He was already boasting an ERA under 2.00 in Complex League action, with really good strikeout to walk ratios, but things clicked into another gear in full season ball as he finished the year with a flourish. Salcedo only spent about a third of his season there, but he put up a 1.54 ERA with a downright crazy 39 percent strikeout rate against a walk rate of just 7.3 percent. He threw strikes, he didn’t give up hard contact, and the cutter and changeup generated tons of whiffs. If he was a young college draft pick this would be outstanding, but when you also consider that Salcedo only turned 20 in January of 2026, that’s particularly eye-popping.
Salcedo made 10 starts and had 18 appearances in 2025, throwing a combined 68 2/3 innings between Complex League ball and the Florida State League. He finished with a 1.83 ERA and a 2.88 FIP and a combined 33.5 percent K-rate. So, we have a very young pitcher here doing all the things we were hoping to see from recent top picks like Owen Hall, Paul Wilson, Zach Swanson, Ethan Schiefelbein, among others.
Like any young starter, Salcedo has to refine his game and prove he can hold up to a starter’s workload over the next few seasons. His frame and delivery raise some red flags for relief risk, but even as a reliever he’s got a good chance at a long career in high leverage work. On the other hand, the stuff is already overpowering from an A-ball standpoint and he had no real issues throwing a lot of strikes. As long as he’s handling the workload, the Tigers will rightfully continue to develop him as a starter. There’s a chance that Salcedo turns out to be a really good one. If they decide to convert him to relief at some point, Salcedo already has closer caliber stuff when he airs out the fastball. He could prove a really great weapon for the Tigers’ bullpen.
Shane Smith comes off a strong rookie campaign to head the rotation, eyeing a second All-Star nomination and looking to improve upon a strong 7-8 record, 3.81 ERA, and 1.20 WHIP. If Smith can keep his performance at a similar level and tack on a few more starts, he’ll take significant pressure off a bullpen that now needs more help than expected.
Last year’s Opening Day starter Sean Burke gets the No. 2 spot, which is a strong testament to Venable’s confidence in him. His six quality starts and ability to pitch deep into games make him a logical choice to back up Smith, helping build in a lighter workload for relievers.
Anthony Kay, slotting in third, is not at all shocking upon closer inspection. His lefty arm breaks up the two straight righty starters. Additionally, his reformed sinker ball and emergence as a strikeout pitcher from playing in Japan offer a dynamic and natural deviation from Smith and Burke’s styles. His 1.72 ERA, 130 punchouts in 24 games, and veteran presence almost serve as a palate cleanser before getting to the back half of the bullpen.
Davis Martin at fourth is a bit interesting, considering he was Venable’s second rotation arm in 2025, but with the first half set, it’s difficult to put him anywhere else. Martin’s pitching wasn’t mind-blowing last season, but he showed glimpses of brilliance. He lasted at least five innings in 23 of his 26 games, and he recorded two runs or fewer in 11 of his games. His range, from a durable innings eater to an effective strikeout-seeker, offers plenty of upside with a tolerable amount of risk. Sensible for a fourth pitcher.
Finally, the prodigal son, Erick Fedde, brings up the rear. Venable is justified in prioritizing young guys and newcomer Kay in the rotation over a veteran traded away in 2024. Zach Bove and Co. should be carefully dissecting Fedde’s command issues and dramatic decline from a 3.30 ERA in 2024 to a 5.49 ERA last year. Perhaps he missed pitching for Chicago so much, or maybe it’s because he didn’t have Ethan Katz whispering in his ear during mound visits. The southpaw is looking to squeeze a couple more years of baseball out of that arm, and the Sox are hoping they don’t have to go to the pen before the fourth inning when he starts.
All told, it’s a rotation built on balance more than flash — a clear blend of upside, durability, and just enough experience to stabilize things early. If the top half delivers as expected and the back end holds its own, this group should give Chicago a fighting chance to stay competitive while the rest of the roster finds its footing.
TAMPA — It was only a Grapefruit League exhibition, and only 10 pitches in one inning.
But 53 weeks after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Gerrit Cole returned to the mound for his first game action on Wednesday afternoon at Steinbrenner Field, checking off another significant box in his comeback toward potentially rejoining the Yankees by May.
Cole looked as sharp as one can while only throwing 10 pitches — he was set to head down to the bullpen afterward to throw about 20 more — flashing some life on his fastball, which topped out at 98.7 mph, in the scoreless frame.
Gerrit Cole threw 10 pitches across one scoreless frame in his return to the mound pic.twitter.com/EaXsEShsnG
The 35-year-old threw six fastballs (averaging 97.1 mph), two sliders and two knuckle curveballs.
He allowed two singles — one on a bunt up the first base line on the first pitch he threw — but also got some fielding work in when he covered first base on a groundout to end the inning.
Cole still has more hurdles to clear over the next two months before he could return to a big league mound, building up his workload and stamina after not throwing a single inning last season.
Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole throws a pitch against the Red Sox during the first inning of a spring training game on March 18, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
But the Yankees are eagerly awaiting his return, and Wednesday’s tease only re-emphasized that feeling, allowing them to dream on what their rotation could look like with him in it.
