SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 11: Dean Kremer #64 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches live during practice at Ed Smith Stadium on February 11, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Baltimore Orioles/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles are 3-2-1 through their first six Grapefruit League games. They had a tie with the Tigers on the road back on Sunday. The two teams – with very different lineups, because it’s early in spring training and this one is in Sarasota instead – will be back at it again today.
This game is going to be televised on MASN, although the announcers will be back in Baltimore instead of where the game is happening. There is no local radio broadcast, although if you’re limited to audio only, you might be able to find a Tigers audio feed.
Orioles lineup
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Tyler O’Neill – RF
Pete Alonso – 1B
Samuel Basallo – C
Taylor Ward – DH
Heston Kjerstad – LF
Coby Mayo – 3B
Leody Taveras – CF
Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
Dean Kremer is the starting pitcher for the game, though he’ll probably cap out at three innings. Other pitchers expected to get into the game are Trey Gibson and Jackson Kowar.
With one month to go until Opening Day, how close do you think this lineup is to the lineup that we’ll see on Opening Day? I think we’ve got six of the nine starting players, assuming there aren’t any injuries that happen over the next month. Taveras is a likely backup player. As things stand now, I think it’s a longshot for Kjerstad or Jackson to get in there, but either one could surprise me over the course of camp and force Mike Elias to make a different choice.
FORMER CUBS IN ANGELS CAMP: Drew Pomeranz, Jorge Soler, Jeimer Candelario, Nick Madrigal, Trey Mancini
CUBS CAMP NOTE: Christian Bethancourt, whose arrival from Panama was delayed by visa issues, is now in camp.
LOOKING AHEAD: Edward Cabrera will make his first start of the spring Friday at Sloan Park against the Guardians, and Colin Rea will take the mound against the Dodgers Saturday in Glendale.
Matthew Boyd will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Riley Martin, Jaxon Wiggins, Corbin Martin and Connor Noland.
José Soriano will start for the Angels. Other Angels pitchers scheduled today: Sam Aldigheri, Mitch Farris, Jayvien Sandridge, Tayler Saucedo, Chase Silseth and Jose Gonzalez.
No TV today. There will be a radio broadcast via the Angels flagship station KLAA 830.
Please visit the Angels site Crashing The Pearly Gates. If you do go there to interact with Angels 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 2:05 p.m. CT and 3:40 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.
Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) 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 with a matchup against the Houston Astros starting at 12:05pm Central. According to MLB.com, Matthew Liberatore will take the mound for St. Louis for his 2nd start of the Spring. The Astros starter was to be determined according to the last update I’ve seen.
Munetaka Murakami looks to hit his first Glendale homer of the spring before heading off to represent Team Japan in the WBC | (Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
The high-octane offense that has defined the South Siders for most of this spring is packing its bags and heading across the complex today for a showdown at Camelback Ranch. The White Sox enter Thursday’s action still pacing the league in several hitting categories, proving that their aggressive, contact-first approach wasn’t just a weekend fluke. They’ve traded patience for production, and while it’s a complete 180 from the stagnant offenses of years past, today they’ll have their work cut out for them as they face a star-studded Dodgers squad.
This afternoon, we’ll get a glimpse of the “dual-threat” dynamic behind the plate. Both Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero are penciled into the lineup today, a configuration that manager Will Venable will often have to juggle with throughout the 2026 season. While Quero has been the statistical darling of the spring with that gaudy .667 average, he’s still going to have to answer questions about his glove. Seeing how he and Teel split the defensive and DH duties this spring will be a major subplot as the roster begins to take its final shape.
The youth movement doesn’t stop with the catchers, as Braden Montgomery finally gets his first start of Cactus League play. The switch-hitting outfielder has been an intriguing prospect since coming over in the Garrett Crochet swap. After a few late-inning spring cameos, today we’ll see how he fits into the outfield puzzle.
Munetaka Murakami, who is likely making his final appearance in a Sox uniform for a few weeks, gets one more afternoon in the desert sun. The Japanese superstar will soon head off for the World Baseball Classic, and fans are hoping for at least one Glendale moonshot before he represents his home country.
On the mound, the Good Guys turn to lefty Sean Newcomb. The veteran, who is effectively auditioning for a permanent rotation spot, will need to be sharp against a Dodgers lineup that rarely lets any pitcher off the hook. The former Round 1 pick (No. 15) of the Los Angeles Angels made the Red Sox big league squad out of camp on a minor league deal last season, only to be DFA’d and traded to the Athletics for cash in May despite a decent start. He reinvented himself with the A’s, turning in an impressive 1.75 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP over 51 1/3 innings out of the pen. Now, he’s looking to prove that late-season dominance was no fluke.
Los Angeles counters with Tyler Glasnow, who was highly effective when available last season, posting a 3.19 ERA and a 4-3 record despite being limited to 90 1/3 innings due to shoulder inflammation. He’s looking to prove he’s past the health hurdles and side soreness that cropped up late in their 2025 World Series run.
Here is how the managers line up their teams this afternoon.
Once again, it’s not easy if you want to catch the action today. You’ll need an MLB.TV (out of market) or SNLA+ subscription to tune into the Dodgers’ broadcast at 2:05 p.m. CST. Let’s cross our fingers and see if the “Good Guys” can fire up the bats and bring another win.
Sarasota, FL: New York Yankees' Elmer Rodriguez throwing in the top of the 4th inning against the Baltimore Orioles in a pre-season game during Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida on February 20, 2026. (Photo by J. Conrad Williams, Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
Almost a full week into Spring Training, the biggest story coming out of the Yankees’ camp has been starting pitching. Each of the first six games of the Grapefruit League schedule have seen impressive performances from a starter—from Elmer Rodríguez posting three scoreless frames on the first game of the spring last Friday to Ryan Weathers lighting up radar guns last night. This afternoon, Rodríguez will get his second turn with the ball and try to keep the good times on the bump rolling against the Braves.
Don’t forget: Elmer is on the roster for Team Puerto Rico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. It’s not entirely clear how big of a role he’ll play for manager Yadier Molina’s squad, but his confidence must be very high after his first spring start, in which he faced an Opening Day-caliber Orioles lineup and shut them down over three innings. The Atlanta lineup he’ll face today is … not quite that, as it doesn’t seem like manager Walt Weiss brought a single likely starter on the road to Tampa. The only player on the Braves’ projected Opening Day bench is utilityman Brett Wiseley. Shout-out to long-ago Baby Bomber Ben Gamel though, still getting after it as an NRI and batting cleanup.
If we make comparisons to last year’s rookie starters, Elmer is closer in terms of profile to Will Warren, as opposed to fellow hotshot prospect Carlos Lagrange with his more Cam Schlittler-esque wipeout stuff. Rodríguez has already shown a knack for sequencing, allowing him to stay a few steps ahead of his opponents and allowing his stuff to play up. Still, it’s not like he can’t throw hard: his sinker reached 97 mph last Friday.
The Braves will send veteran and recent Yankee Carlos Carrasco to the hill today. Carrasco struggled in eight appearances with the Bombers last year, pitching to a 5.91 ERA before being cut loose. He joined Atlanta later in the year and was hit even harder, surrendering 15 runs in three games. Still, while he hasn’t registered a positive WAR figure since 2022, that’s not really the point with Carrasco. He’s a highly experienced, well-regarded clubhouse figure who clearly still has the competitive fire. The soon-to-be 39-year old righty pitched well in his first spring start, with two scoreless frames against the Rays.
Cookie will face a plethora of his former Yankee teammates this afternoon. The first eight lineup spots are essentially the full regular season order. Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger, all playing in the outfield, will get us started. Jazz Chisholm Jr. will man the keystone, Paul Goldschmidt anchors first, and Austin Wells will don the tools of ignorance. Ryan McMahon and José Caballero are your left-side infielders with former A’s power bat Seth Brown pulling up the rear at DH.
How to watch
Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field — Tampa, FL
First pitch: 1:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES Network, Gray TV (ATL), MLB Network (out-of-market)
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Simeon Woods Richardson #24 of the Minnesota Twins poses for a photo during Spring Training photo days at Lee Health Sports Complex on February 19, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):12:05 TV: Twins.TV Radio: NA Know Yo’ Foe: Bucs Dugout
What to watch: The backup SS/utility battle continues. Orlando Arcia gets his first start at 2B while Tristan Gray sees his first action at short.
Feb 19, 2026; Peoria, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Tyler Cleveland (79) during spring training photo day in Peoria, AZ. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
After a dominant 2025 season across two separate levels, Tyler Cleveland joins our Mariner prospect ranks at #15 this season. Given a boost thanks to recent departures from the system, Cleveland represents the last of the true relief types on our list and carries some of the highest floor of any prospect in the back half of these rankings, though naturally comes with a somewhat limited ceiling. A consistent performer through pure funk, Cleveland should be one of the more interesting arms to monitor in Tacoma’s bullpen this season.
Tyler Cleveland throws a scoreless 8th inning. AquaSox 3 outs from the first half Northwest League title. 8-3 Frogs. pic.twitter.com/TId6cU44mr
Destroying both High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas last season, the 26 year old submariner out of Central Arkansas worked to a season ERA of 0.87 over 51.2 IP, an obviously outstanding mark that is perhaps buoyed slightly due to his advanced age considering his level. Though his strikeout numbers aren’t out of this world, his 25.5% K% and 8.7% walk rate reflect a more than capable pitcher, especially given his submarine, soft-contact oriented approach on the mound.
The arsenal metrics don’t jump off the page, but everything with Cleveland requires context given how unique he is in his operation. Primarily using a three-pitch mix, the sinker typically tops out around 90 mph (I’ve seen the stadium scoreboard clock it as low as 86 at times), but the pitch gets good two-plane run and pairs well with his slow, sweeping slider that gets massive break gloveside. His final offering, a changeup, mirrors the fastball movement profile well and serves as a more than acceptable third offering he can use against lefties.
Cleveland is clearly not the flashiest prospect in the system and is likely limited to a middle-relief ceiling if everything works for him at the major league level, but it’s impossible to argue with his production as a professional thus far. In an age of 100 mph fastballs and sliders in the mid 90’s, perhaps Tyler Cleveland can be the change of pace the Mariner bullpen needs. Should he break through and debut in the big leagues this season, he’ll likely throw the best (only?) 87 mph heater you’ll see all season.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 14, 2025: Carlos Carrasco #59 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 14, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
It’s Spring Training Game Thread time again. Double wooooo.
It’s kind of weird that Carlos Carrasco is “starting” again, but I guess we’ve had enough games now, and every other actual rotation-member other than Spencer Strider has made their 2026 Grapefruit League debut. The Braves are clearly not sending any of their regulars on the 90-minute bus ride to Tampa.
This game is broadcast everywhere. That’s kind of wild to think about: remember when Spring Training games were essentially not televised? It wasn’t even that long ago.
SURPRISE, AZ - FEBRUARY 17: Joc Pederson #3 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 split squad lineup for February 26, 2026 against the Athletics:
Hey, we have a split squad lineup for today! Cal Quantrill is getting the start.
For years, Salvador Perez has been the Royals’ mainstay behind the plate. If he’s been healthy, he wants to catch, and catch he has.
But the past several years have seen an aging, albeit still productive Perez shift more to first base and designated hitter. Last year, he appeared in 92 games behind the plate with a combined 68 appearances coming elsewhere. The year before that: 91 games catching, 49 at first, 24 with a DH appearance. Perez hasn’t caught more than 100 games in a season since 2021.
Thankfully, the Royals have allocated resources to succeeding Perez, and the first true step occurred last year when Carter Jensen reached the Majors.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro on MLB's No. 18 prospect Carter Jensen:
“He's a rat. He's going to do everything in his power to be as good as he can be… you've gotta think sky is the limit [for him].”
Jensen, a 2021 third-round pick out of Park Hill High School, collected 69 plate appearances in 20 games at the end of 2025. He performed so well that I believe the Royals accelerated their plan in supplanting Perez as the full-time catcher. Not only did Jensen prove his worth defensively and build a rapport with the pitching staff, but he also slashed .300/.391/.550 with half of his hits being worth extra bases.
Incredibly, doubled up Perez in bWAR—0.8 to 0.4.
Jensen, a left-handed hitter, is not the only highly rated catching prospect in the Royals system. Sure, he’s the first to reach the Majors, but the organization has another two catchers in the wings who could, one way or another, help the Royals down the line.
First, let’s take a look at the prospect rankings. Max wrote an article some weeks ago breaking down where the current prospects land for the Royals in the big Top 100 lists. Jensen made all three of the big lists—No. 1o according to The Athletic’s Keith Law, No. 11 according to Baseball America, and No. 18 according to MLB Pipeline.
Next is Blake Mitchell, the Royals’ former first-round pick from 2023. Mitchell, like Jensen, bats left and throws right. He did not make Baseball America’s Top 100 but landed at No. 75 with MLB Pipeline (down from No. 48 a year ago) and No. 57 according to Law. Law concluded his report on Mitchell by writing that “[h]e still projects as an everyday catcher who might hit .230 or so with 20 homers and plus defense, which is a regular for almost every team in baseball.”
MLB Pipeline ranks Jensen as the game’s No. 2 overall catching prospect with Mitchell at No. 10.
But wait, there’s a third catcher raising eyebrows in the farm system. Ramon Ramirez, signed out of Valenzuela, is the youngest of the group, and while he didn’t make any of the Top 100 lists, he’s still worth a concentrated eye. Law ranks him as the Royals’ #9 prospect, noting that the young man has power but also seems to lack focus.
Baseball America ranks Ramirez as the team’s No. 8 prospect. They note that he signed with the Royals as an outfielder and also missed a chunk of time last season due to left-hand inflammation. Still, “[h]is body looked firmer in 2025, increasing his chances of staying behind the plate.”
The Royals find themselves with three stellar catching prospects and only one catching position.
Jensen is already in Kansas City and seems to have the upper hand when it comes to locking down the position for the next five to seven years. Mitchell has a chance to bounce back this year and prove the organization’s faith in him when they drafted him so high three years ago. And Ramirez, with seemingly the lowest skill level of the trio, could still make it as a dependable backup catcher who can also play the outfield.
Now, I’m not here to advocate for the Royals to trade a certain one of these young men. But with all of this in mind, the Royals should definitely cash in on one of these three chips.
Spring Training trades are not unheard of, but I think we’re more looking at a deal occurring around the trade deadline, once the Royals figure out which position needs tinkering. Of course, there’s nothing from stopping the team from making a trade before then. Perhaps I’m overestimating things, but in a trade for one of these three battery mates, the Royals should be able to land a player under team control instead of settling for a rental.
While the Royals’ farm system is on the rise, it still isn’t in the top half of the league. Despite that, the Royals have managed to develop three catchers who could, in the near future, start for a Major League club. With the big league roster still needing work, trading one of Jensen, Mitchell, or Ramirez could help shore up things.
Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth inning during game six of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Jays and Marlins play in Dunedin at 1:00 Eastern today. We have a bunch of regulars in the lineup. It actually could be close to the lineup they would put out against a lefty starter.
And Kevin Gausman gets his first time out there this spring. Gausman set a personal record for innings pitched last year. Not bad considering he was in his 13th season and 34 years old. I’d like them to take it a little easier on him this year. But, we do have a few starters that will have to be handled gently, at least to start the season. But then we have roughly 37 guys who could start games (I might be exaggerating, my wife has told me a million times that I tend to exaggerate).
“I was a very big piece of that process, getting to that World Series run,” Manoah added. “I wasn’t able to be there like I wanted to.”
The rest was very normal, nothing inflammatory. I’m almost sure that if Alek had time to think about what he was saying he would have found better words.
“Those are all my friends,” Manoah said. “A lot of those guys I called my brothers. I rooted for them 100 percent. I wanted them to win it all.”
The story also says that he is “down to” 285 lb (on his 6’6” frame).
“No, man,” Manoah said, when asked if there was a mental anxiety element to his strike throwing struggles. “I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve dealt with any of that.
“I think for me it’s more when, mentally, you don’t have your best stuff, I know for me, I’m going to go out and compete with what I’ve got.”
Ken Rosenthal tells us that Max Scherzers incentives are $1 million for each of 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, 115, 125, 135, 145 and 155. I’m quite willing to bet he won’t get to 155 innings. We could have a poll:
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 21: Brice Matthews #0 of the Houston Astros looks on during a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 21, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros travel to Jupiter, FL to take on the St. Louis Cardinals. The Astros will be playing a split squad game.
Peter Lambert gets the start for Houston. This is his first start of the spring and his second appearance. In his first appearance, he pitched one scoreless inning while allowing 2 hits and striking out 1.
Astros top prospect Brice Matthews will play 2B today and lead off, Carlos Perez starts behind the plate and Astros #3 prospect Walker Janek will DH.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, February 26, 12:10 p.m. CST
Location: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter, FL
Minnesota Twins vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, February 26, 2026, 1:05 p.m. ET
Location: LECOM Park, Bradenton, FL
How to Listen: 93.7 The Fan, 100.1 FM, AM 1020 KDKA, Sports Net Pittsburgh app SNP 360, How to Watch: Sportsnet Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home today against the Minnesota Twins looking to grab a win.
Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Bucs Dugout is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
The commenting system was updated during the summer. They’re still working on optimizing it for Game Day Threads like ours. If you don’t like clicking “Load More Comments”, remember that the “Z” key can be your friend. It loads up the latest comments automatically.
BD community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Nolan McLean #26 of the New York Mets poses for a photo during the New York Mets Photo Day at Clover Park on February 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets lineup
Marcus Semien – 2B
Mike Tauchman – RF
Bo Bichette – 3B
Mark Vientos – 1B
Ronny Mauricio – SS
Luis Torrens – C
Jared Young – DH
Tyrone Taylor – CF
MJ Melendez – LF
SP: Nolan McLean
Astros lineup
lineup to follow
Broadcast info
First pitch: 1:05 PM EST Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM
PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 24: Cedric Mullins #31 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates scoring a run against the Minnesota Twins during a spring training game at Charlotte Sports Park on February 24, 2026 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The only coverage today is courtesy of the Boston Red Sox radio team
