Category: Baseball

One of the key moments in the film “Moneyball” comes when Brad Pitt’s Billy Beane and Brent Jennings’ Ron Washington visit Chris Pratt’s Scott Hatteberg to inform him they’re offering him a contract to play first base for the Oakland Athletics, even though he’s only played catcher in his big-league career so far. Beane insists that it’s not that hard. Washington disagrees.

24 years later, the 73-year-old Washington is the San Francisco Giants’ new infield coach. And he’s got another relative newbie at first base in Rafael Devers, who was enmeshed in a huge first base controversy last season with the Boston Red Sox after they signed third baseman Alex Bregman in free agency, moved Devers to DH, then asked him to play first.

But if Hatteberg could develop into a first sacker at age 32 with an elbow injury that hampered his throwing, then Devers, just 29 years old and already familiar with playing infield, should surely develop, right? Here’s the “Moneyball” playbook.

Get rejected by the Boston Red Sox

Done and done! Not only did the Sox trade Devers to the Giants in a deal where they seemed most interested in salary relief — they have only one player left from that return left on their roster — they bad-mouthed Devers after the deal, saying he had “not lived up to his responsibilities” by refusing to switch positions midseason. A team source also lamented what Devers’ actions would do to a club “increasingly reliant on young, impressionable players.” Won’t someone think of the Red Sox children!

(Note: The Red Sox were “increasingly reliant” on young players because they didn’t want to pay Mookie Betts or Xander Bogaerts.)

Find a wife

Hatteberg’s wife, Elizabeth, helped him prepare for his position change by hitting grounders to him off a tee at a tennis court near their home. However, Devers does not have a wife, so he’ll have to get someone else to do it. Is Bob Melvin busy? Does Devers live near a tennis court? If Devers chooses to seek out the wife first, it’s possible that Washington is not the right man to help with his Hinge profile.

Become a pickin’ machine

According to Chapter 8 of “Moneyball,” titled: “Scott Hatteberg: Pickin’ Machine,” Washington spent the six weeks of spring training in 2002 encouraging Hatteberg as he learned the new position. Every time Hatteberg dug a throw out of the dirt, Washington would yell, “Pickin’ machine!”

Is Devers really going to be worse than some of the Oakland first basemen Washington had to work with before? This is a group that included both Jason and Jeremy Giambi (R.I.P.), Olmedo Sáenz, Matt Stairs, and John Jaha. The bar for becoming una máquina recolectora is not too high.

Receive huge from Buster Posey

Obviously, this is the pinnacle of success every San Francisco Giants aims for.

Luis Arraez

Probably would not have been signed by 2002 Billy Beane.

As for Bryce Eldridge in left field… look, Wash is only in charge of the infield and he can only do so much.

The Minnesota Twins signed three-time All-Star reliever Liam Hendriks to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training on Thursday.

Hendriks, who turned 37 on Tuesday, made his major league debut with the Twins on Sept. 6, 2011, and appeared in 30 games from 2011-13 before finding great success and dealing with much adversity in his career.

The right-hander appeared in just 14 games last season with the Boston Red Sox, going 0-2 with a 6.59 ERA, seven walks and 12 strikeouts in 13 ⅓ innings.

The native of Australia went on the injured list with right hip inflammation, suffered a setback and missed the rest of the season. He had a right elbow ulnar nerve transposition procedure in September and became a free agent in November.

Hendriks underwent treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in early 2023 and made his debut that season on May 29 for the Chicago White Sox. But he pitched in only five games – going 2-0 with one save and a 5.40 ERA in five innings – before an elbow injury required Tommy John surgery and led to a lost 2024 campaign for rehabilitation.

For his career, Hendriks is 33-36 with 116 saves, a 3.88 ERA, 166 walks and 739 strikeouts in 663 2/3 innings over 490 regular-season games (44 starts) for the Twins, Kansas City Royals (2014), Toronto Blue Jays (2014-15), Oakland Athletics (2016-20), White Sox (2021-23) and Red Sox (2025).

From 2019 to 2022, Hendriks was selected to three All-Star Games and in the other year, 2020 with Oakland, he finished ninth in the American League Cy Young Award voting and 13th for AL Most Valuable Player.

As a child in Catholic school I was taught the difference between want and need. Needs: food, shelter, water, clean air to breathe. Wants were everything else, always tinged with a suspicion of selfishness. The implication was clear: wants were excessive, amoral, ungodly. So as a kid I never asked at a birthday party for the piece of cake I wanted, the one thick with frosted flowers; if the person cutting the cake handed me that slice, a tacit reward for being so altruistic, so agreeable, such a good girl, so be it, but I wouldn’t make my mouth say the words. I learned over time how to push down want and shape it into something acceptable, something that took just enough to satisfy a desire but didn’t dare ask for more.

But yesterday, standing in a rain of blue and green confetti, watching the Seahawks victory parade, that want surged up suddenly, an aching feeling in my chest that was so acute I literally had to breathe around it.

Because I want this for the Mariners. So badly. I want the streets to be full of Mariners jerseys. For confetti in Northwest Green. For MVP chants to follow Cal Raleigh down the street, carrying an award earned in a ballroom and not in the court of public opinion. I want that compass rose S, something that has signified so much pain over the years as we’ve watched it sink lower in the standings, flying from every flag on every building.

I want the Mariners players to get to wave from their own custom-wrapped double decker buses. For J.P. Crawford, who has seen this organization and fanbase through so much, has had the captaincy passed down to him, has grown into a husband and father here, to get to wave to his adopted city. For Julio Rodríguez, who has not always been treated kindly by the city he threw both arms around to adopt, to have a moment of pure, untarnished joy. For the core of young pitchers who put their bodies on the line every night and push past pain and exhaustion, who push each other to be better, to have a moment to relax and take it all in. I want Josh Naylor to feel like he made a good choice, signing himself in partnership with this city for the next half-decade.

And I want the Mariners front office and staff members and clubhouse attendants and nutritionists and mental skills coaches and all the hundreds of people who touch the on-field product without ever being seen to get their due praise other than the tepid applause of a hurriedly-read list of names on Opening Day. Justin Novak the bullpen catcher who has a t-shirt for each member of the roster, even if he has to special-order some of them from Etsy. Ally the nutritionist who curates game-day snack boxes and smoothie flavors of the day written in a sunny penmanship that tempt grumpy professional athletes into taking care of themselves. Kaz the manual therapist who trained with Cirque de Soleil, taking care of bent and battered bodies. Pete the beloved clubhouse attendant who brings in a bucket of his own personal Halloween candy the last series of the season. All these people deserve their flowers, and not just on Opening Day.

I want this for Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander, proof their plan has worked, that the gambles and risks they’ve taken—or not taken—have been correct. For ownership to be rewarded for making a financial investment in the team, to realize that winning baseball is profitable and fun. I want this for Dan Wilson and the fierce protective love he feels over his players, all that he pours into them with no expectation of getting anything back. For all the nights after losses we walked by his office and saw him sitting in his chair staring into the middle distance, processing but in pain.

I want this for Rick Rizzs. Before he retires, while he is still the primary play-by-play voice of the Seattle Mariners, and our remaining direct link to Dave Niehaus, who never got the privilege of calling a World Series game. I want it, too, for all the broadcasters who have to make a good broadcast out of a bad game. (And maybe, selfishly, for the media members who have to do the same.)

But really I want it for the fans. For the people who haven’t quit on this franchise despite years of ineptitude, frustrating losses, head-scratching decisions, embarrassing meltdowns by members of the organization. All the shame we’ve carried over the years with this team, on the field and off. I want this for the people who know baseball isn’t boring, who drag friends to games and make them care about our sport, and grow the fanbase one soul at a time. For Mariners fans to get to feel the connection Seahawks fans felt yesterday, united in joy, the crowd shouting as one, bouncing chants up and down the street on a cold winter’s day. Right now that kind of connection feels so precious, a way of being in the world that isn’t complicated or fraught but just joyful, being in community with each other.

Last year I was not sad about the outcome of the ALCS. No, that’s not right—I wouldn’t let myself be sad. Because sadness meant wanting more than I felt like I had the right to ask for. It was a historic run by one of the best Mariners teams we’ve ever seen. It was logistically implausible, considering where they started the season, and yet came so close to being possible. It was enough that they made it this far. It was enough.

Now I know. It was not enough.

That became clear during the post-season media meeting, where eyes were still wet and the pain was still palpable. It sharpened over Fan Fest, the collective low-grade fury over the way the season ended and the steely determination to do better. It honed into a clear point with the trade for Brendan Donovan, slotting in the missing piece in a game the Mariners are determined not to lose again.

It’s scary, wanting things. Wanting opens you up to being vulnerable, exposed, hurt and disappointed. It feels bone-deep selfish: who am I to want this more than anyone else? I have always believed in parity, in fairness. No one gets everything. Be happy with what you’re given by grace and don’t ask for a second serving.

But I want. Want is a noun and a verb that answers itself: the lack of the thing (want, noun) creates the need for the thing (want, verb). And it’s time to make peace with that, to reframe it not as greed, and not as something owed, but purely as an object of desire. At Fan Fest, George Kirby spoke about how he and his fiancee practice manifestation, speaking things into existence (George, I have a feeling, never had trouble asking for what piece of cake he wanted). Because that is how it starts: Naming a thing, and being honest about it, is the first step to bringing it to you, to making it yours.

I saw a parade.

I want a parade.

Let’s go get a parade.

San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller has found himself in a bind year after year when it comes to starting pitching, and every year he has managed to eke his way out. He traded for Sean Manaea just before the beginning of the 2022 season, signed free agent Michael Wacha in ‘23, traded for Michael King and signed Dylan Cease in ‘24, and signed Nick Pivetta in ‘25. Each time, Preller has found creative ways to attain reliable starting pitching. Unfortunately, he may be unable to swindle his way out of trouble this year.

With a lack of trade candidates (and an even greater lack of payroll flexibility), Preller could be out of options. That being said, the creative GM has never shied away from bold moves in the past and it’s unlikely he’ll stop now, even when faced with his thus far absent contract extension.

In light of the news that the Padres lost out on Chris Bassitt to the Baltimore Orioles, as well as veteran Justin Verlander to the Detroit Tigers, here are a few possible additions (from least to most expensive) Preller might make in the coming weeks prior to Opening Day.

Patrick Corbin

The 36-year-old veteran had a solid year with the Texas Rangers in 2025, finishing with a 4.40 ERA through 30 starts. What he lacks in elite stuff he makes up for in durability. Since 2017, Corbin has made 30 or more starts every year, apart from the shortened 2020 season. His ability to consistently take the mound is something the Padres desperately need.

Corbin was the definition of league average in ‘25, with a 1.36 WHIP and 131 strikeouts. He’s unlikely to give the Friars a flashy front-end starter, but he will give San Diego exactly what they are looking for: reliable depth in their starting pitching.

Right now, FanGraphs projects the Padres’ depth chart in starting pitching to be 26th in MLB based on WAR (wins above replacement), with only the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies having worse projections. Those are not teams San Diego wants to grouped with if they’re seeking to contend in ‘26. They need solid depth, and Patrick Corbin can give it for a reasonable price.

Zack Littell

The journeyman righty found himself splitting time in 2025 between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cincinnati Reds. Littell has been on five teams in only eight years of MLB service time. After spending the first five years of his career as a reliever, Littell converted to a full-time starter after being traded to the Rays during the 2023 season and exceeded expectations. He finished the year with a 3.93 ERA across 26 games (14 starts) in Tampa Bay. He has yet to post an ERA over 4.00 since converting to the starter role, finishing ‘25 with a career-best 3.81 mark.

Littell would likely be more expensive than Corbin, given his younger age and reliable track record as a starter. But it could be worth it to offer him a creative multi-year deal similar to how the Padres structured Pivetta’s deal last season.

If San Diego were to pick up Littell, he would represent a middle-of-the rotation starter who could take pressure off Joe Musgrove as he makes his return from Tommy John surgery. This addition would immediately give the club breathing room in their depth chart, giving Musgrove time to acclimate in his return to pitching.

Zac Gallen

This is the big one. The former ace who helped the Arizona Diamondbacks make it to the World Series in 2023. By his standards, Gallen is coming off a down year, which is the only thing making it even remotely possible San Diego signs him. He ended 2025 with a 4.83 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP, but the underlying metrics paint the picture that the ace that finished 5th in NL Cy Young voting in 2022 is still there.

While it’s incredibly (almost ridiculously) unlikely that the Padres sign Gallen, especially amidst rumors that his market is heating up and he’d like to return to the Diamondbacks, anything’s possible with Preller in the general manager’s chair.

Maybe Arizona moves on from Gallen or the Padres offer him a player-friendly contract with opt-outs like they did with King earlier this year. Perhaps Preller swings a trade at the last minute to free up payroll and then offers Gallen a short-term deal with a higher AAV.

The long and short of it is this, the Friars need quality pitching if they’re going to contend in 2026. As good as the bullpen is, they need consistent starters to cover five-plus innings each game. Otherwise relievers are going to get taxed fast, and pretty soon that bullpen — no matter how elite it is — will look sluggish from overuse. It’s hard to say where the Padres will go from here but one thing is for sure: they’re running out of time to make a move.

"What else did you expect?!!!"

Those were Kiké Hernández's own words when he broke the news on his Instagram Thursday morning that he was re-signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The defending back-to-back World Series champions also announced a one-year extension of third baseman Max Muncy's contract. As had been mostly expected all offseason, the two stalwart veterans are re-joining the Dodgers just ahead of spring training.

In a corresponding move, the Dodgers placed right-handed pitcher Evan Phillips on the 60-day injured list.

"[Three] in a row has a nice ring to it," Hernández said in his post, accompanied by a picture of him at the Dodgers' World Series parade from November.

Kiké Hernández contract details

According to multiple reports, Hernández's deal is for one-year, $4.5 million. The longtime fan favorite at Dodger Stadium underwent surgery on his left elbow over the offseason and is not expected to be ready for Opening Day, which is part of the reason he and the Dodgers waited until spring to get the contract done. That way, the club could place him on the 60-day IL and keep a 40-man roster spot open.

The 34-year-old utilityman's numbers during the regular season declined in 2025 -- his .621 OPS was a career-low -- but the legend of "October Kiké" once again rose to the occasion. Starting in 17 postseason games, Hernández put together multiple clutch performances, including back-to-back multi-hit games in the Wild Card and a crucial two-run double as the Dodgers rallied to beat the Philadelphia Phillies in game one of the NLDS.

But his biggest moment -- maybe of his career -- came in Game 6 of the World Series when Hernández possibly saved the Dodgers season when he turned a game-ending double play with the bases loaded on a running catch in left field that he immediately threw to Miguel Rojas at second base to force a game seven.

“October Kiké is something pretty special,” manager Dave Roberts said at the time. “And the track record speaks for itself. Throughout history, he's one of the best throughout history of the postseason.”

The Philadelphia Phillies have released outfielder Nick Castellanos, per multiple reports. Castellanos had one year left on the five year, $100 million deal he signed with the Phillies prior to 2022 season.

It had been a given that the Phillies were not going to open camp with Castellanos still on the team, and the only question was whether they could find someone to take Castellanos and pay a small portion of the $20 million he is owed in 2026, or if they’d end up simply cutting him. In his four seasons with the Phillies, Castellanos slashed .260/.306/.426 and put up a 1.3 bWAR.

We had previously talked about the possibility of the Rangers taking a look at Castellanos as a potential platoon DH when he hit the market. However, this piece in the Athletic by Matt Gelb, where Gelb says that “many teammates had come to resent Castellanos for his attitude” even before he sat in the dugout in a June game in Miami drinking a beer while displaying his displeasure at being lifted for defense late in the game. Gelb also paints a picture of a player who views himself as a star and is unhappy if he is not being treated like one, and not wanting to accept a part-time role.

So yeah, thinking that’s a no on Castellanos for the Rangers.

At two on the ante meridium, you’ll find me asleep. 

Most nights, this is no guarantee. Fiddling and futzing, filming and flamming, the unobserved hours of night offer me nourishing ease for my brain’s constructive efforts. It’s your fault, really, and Dominic Canzone is one of you, to be so damned compelling that in the decades I’ve determined my own bedtime that I’m rarely able to quell my mind until most of my world is at rest. But I’ve endeavored, dare I say vowed, to sleep soundly tonight. And for this, Canzone must be confronted on his terms: over the heart of the plate, in the light of day.

It’s a terrible gameplan for retiring the 28 year old Buckeye, whose outstanding second half caulked the corner outfield gap left by the injury-ridden seasons of Victor Robles and Luke Raley, as well as the better-the-sooner-we’re-rid-of-him Leody Taveras experiment. Canzone’s zone of influence is over the plate’s inner half, where his lean, wristy swing can deliver maximum impact with his whiplash hacks. Five of his 11 big flies came middle-in last year, and seven were on the inner half overall – just a single one was on the outer third of the plate. When Canzone connects, it’s thunderous.

Julio’s seemingly-annual second-half surge was a massive part of Seattle’s blistering finish to the season, but Canzone’s scalding September and solid season overall played a mighty role as well. Expected to take a strong-side platoon, if not near-daily role in the 2026 lineup between DH and corner outfield, Canzone was on the outside looking in (with glasses) at this time a year ago. Defensively limited, Canzone was a bat-first platoon man who wasn’t batting. A series of adjustments to his stance and approach, as well as improved health and the opportunity provided by the injuries to Victor Robles and Luke Raley were all necessary to put Canzone back into Seattle’s plans.

Canzone’s quality improved last year with some good fortune: a .354 BABIP that is the dream of the shift-banners, rewarding a hitter who seeks to pull the ball with authority. But accomplishing this task also came on significant strides in his approach. Those mechanical changes seem to have made major strides, with Canzone improving his average bat speed on his swing while lowering the length of his swing. That’s not unheard of, but broadly speaking, bat speed is its best in longer swings, a give and take of impact authority in exchange for adjustability – e.g. Giancarlo Stanton constantly leads the league in average bat speed, but is an infamous whiff risk when contact is not made. 

Ryan explored Canzone’s numbers in depth earlier this winter, which I implore you to read, because it gets at why Canzone is not like Stanton, nor even a more comparable feast or famine slugger in the same bat speed range: Teoscar Hernandez. Despite eschewing free passes to a deleterious degree, Canzone is able seemingly to better dominate the inner half of the zone while at least getting a piece of pitches he needs to spoil. In 2025, the slugger who will anchor a plucky Team Italy roster in the World Baseball Classic in less than a month struck out less than the league average, and whiffed barely a tick above the median.

In a slightly more ideal roster, Canzone could be confidently slated to DH for the Mariners heading into 2026. There’s not much sugar-coating Dom’s defensive shortcomings. He runs slowly, has a strong but inconsistent arm, and looks like a student of Randy Arozarena more than Julio or Victor Robles in his routes. In 2025, Canzone was dependent on the performance of others to have a chance at playing a role in the big leagues. This year, a major role has been earned, but the shape of it remains to be seen, ranging from platoon bat to full-time DH/RF given the small gains Canzone showed against southpaws.

Canzone will likely have to see what Robles can deliver this spring, as his fellow 28 year old is unequivocally a defensive superior who can allow Julio to better shade to cover his DH-worthy compatriot in left. Wherever he plays, however, Canzone has earned his way back into the center of the plan, well lit and looking forward.

Nick Castellanos' time with the Philadelphia Phillies came to an end on Thursday, Feb. 12 with his release as the team began to gather for spring training.

The former Phillies outfielder wasted no time in penning a four-page handwritten letter, which he shared on his Instagram account, following the news of the release.

In the letter, Castellanos addressed Philadelphia fans and made an admission about the events that led to his eventual release, which he called the "Miami incident."

REQUIRED READING: Phillies release Nick Castellanos, eat $20 million salary

"As a veteran of the game of baseball, there are rules, and I broke one in Miami," Castellanos wrote. "After being taken out of a close ball game in front of my friends and family, I brought a Presidente (beer) into the dugout. I then sat right next to Rob and let him know that too much slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others are not conducive to us winning."

Castellanos said his teammates prevented him from taking a sip.

Nick Castellanos posted a goodbye on IG to Philly fans as well as an explanation of the “Miami incident” with Rob Thomson when he was benched. pic.twitter.com/6HGWT7ULaf

— Amy Fadool Kane (@amyfadoolNBCS) February 12, 2026

The incident Castellanos refers to happened on June 16, 2025, in a game against NL East rival Miami Marlins. During a 5-2 Phillies win over the Marlins, manager Rob Thomson removed Castellanos in the eighth inning for defensive replacement Johan Rojas.

With Castellanos being from Davie, Florida, being just over 20 miles from Marlins Park, he took exception to being removed from the game. The next day, Thomson and the Phillies announced Castellanos was being benched for making an "inappropriate comment."

"One of the many things about Nick that I love is that he's very emotional," Thomson said. "He loves to play, and he loves to play every inning of every game. I just thought last night he made an inappropriate comment after he came out, and so today, he's not going to play. And I'm going to leave it at that."

Castellanos revealed on Feb. 12 that it was not only his comments, but also his actions that led to his benching.

Despite the troubles near the end of his Phillies career, he showed an appreciation to the city and the fans in part of the letter he shared on social media.

"To the people of city, thank you for showing up for the past four years," Castellanos wrote. "Applauding or booing, you were there."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What did Nick Castellanos say? Phillies release prompts beer admission

The good news for the Atlanta Braves as we continue to progress through the early portions of spring training is that two days of camp have come and gone and the Braves haven’t had anybody else go on the 60-Day IL. Here’s hoping that this continues long into spring training, the World Baseball Classic and the regular season as well, since the last thing this ballclub needs is a repeat of the injury struggles that this team has gone through for the past couple of seasons now.

That is especially true for the starting rotation, which suffered some astonishing bad luck during last year’s regular season campaign. There’s already been a bad omen of that bad luck lingering into this season after we got wind of the news earlier this week that Spencer Schwellenbach will be starting the season on the 60-Day IL. A fully-healthy rotation would’ve gone a long way towards bringing the Braves back into relevancy as far as the Postseason is concerned and already they could be missing Schwellenbach for who-knows-how-long.

As such, the need for some more starting pitching has come under the magnifying glass once again. Earlier this week, Sam Peebles talked about some outside-of-the-box trade options that the Braves could pursue when it comes to fortifying their rotation. That’s certainly a route the Braves could go down, especially considering that there’s a bit of a murky idea as to just how much the Braves are going to be willing to spend as the season gets closer and closer.

As of right now (according to FanGraphs), the Braves are currently committed to paying $264 million towards their payroll in 2026, which would be good for a Top 10 payroll in all of baseball and sixth place, to be exact. Atlanta was pushing for a Top Five payroll and as of right now, they’re going to come up short as they trail the Blue Jays and Phillies, who are spending $281 million and $284 million, respectively.

While we know that they’re not going to go into Dodgers/Mets territory any time soon (the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers are the only teams currently spending over $300 million, with the Dodgers being closer to $400 million. Phew.), there is a question as to how much the Braves are going to spend over what they’re already planning on spending right now. MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal recently went on Foul Territory TV to discuss the situation for the Braves from a financial standpoint and he didn’t seem to indicate that the Braves were going to be super aggressive in adding to their rotation going forward.

“I don’t know if it changes anything for them financially,” said Rosenthal when he was asked about the Braves potentially hitting up the free agent market for a starter. “They were going to spend what they were going to spend, and the guys out there right now were only going to get a certain amount.” He did mention that one of the options for Atlanta was Zac Gallen but he also made sure to mention that the fact that Gallen comes alongside the potential penalty of the Qualifying Offer as a potential stumbling block to the Braves going after him.

“The one thing that is a little bit different with them, and they’ve been unwilling to deal with this due to the qualifying offer situation, is the loss of a draft pick,” stated Rosenthal. ”The pick they would lose is No. 26 overall, that’s kind of a high pick to lose, and they’ve been reluctant to do that. They would do it for the right pitcher. I don’t know if Zac Gallen on a short-term deal is that pitcher and I still expect him to go back to Arizona.” 

Lucas Giolito is also still out there and he was previously linked to the Braves along with Chris Bassitt — though Bassitt is now off of the table after the Orioles snapped him up on a pretty reasonable deal. Whether the Braves decide to pursue Giolito, they actually decide to say [bleep] that pick and go for Gallen or if they potentially trade for a. hurler, the point is that Atlanta’s going to need to take some action here.

I’m not trying to pick on Bryce Elder here but again, things will probably not be going well around here if Elder is among the team leaders in innings pitched. Of course, things could go well for the Braves from a health standpoint but that’s a pretty big “if” for this ballclub right now. Chris Sale has always been an injury risk, Spencer Strider is still trying to figure things out after coming back his most recent elbow surgery, Reynaldo López certainly has questions about his durability and all we can do is hope that Grant Holmes will remain steady as he returns from elbow issues of his own — and it’s not even a guarantee that Holmes will be a starter going forward.

The starting rotation sure could do with some fortification and maybe we’ll have to see the Braves either dip into the free agency market or swing a trade somehow. Either way, the Schwellenbach injury could serve as a wake-up call to make sure that the front office knows that the job’s not done yet when it comes to making sure this team will be solid going forward.

I’m sure they’re working hard and keeping their eyes peeled for anything that may materialize (and this front office with Alex Anthopoulos at the top still deserves the benefit of the doubt based on past achievements and transactions) but time’s of the essence. Let’s hope that this rotation gets fortified soon and in a way that’s conducive to the club’s success going forward.

Well, this is certainly something. Former D-backs’ closer Paul Sewald, an integral part of the bullpen which reached the 2023 World Series, is apparently coming back to the team. Steve Gilbert was the first to report the deal, confirming it is a major-league contract, rather than a minor-league one with an invite to spring training. Nick Piecoro subsequently added that it’s a one-year deal at a cost of $1.5 million.

Sewald’s first stint with the Diamondbacks began at the trade deadline in 2023, when he came over from the Seattle Mariners. He picked up thirteen saves with a 3.57 ERA down the stretch in Arizona, but really came into his own during the post-season. On the way to the National League pennant, he pitched eight scoreless innings and notched six saves, with a 11:1 K:BB ratio. Everything went pear-shaped (to put it mildly) in the World Series against Texas, and that was a portent of things to come. For in 2024, his ERA was a mediocre 4.31, and he lost the closer’s job at the beginning of August.

Last year, he split time between Cleveland and Detroit, though the results were not brilliant with either team. Overall he had a 4.58 ERA across 22 games, spending most of the year on the injured list with a strained shoulder. He earned $6 million that year: there was an option for 2026, but at $10 million was an easy decline. He was therefore able to return to Arizona on a considerably cheaper deal. I will make no comment more predictive about his performance than “We’ll see…” But I would be quite surprised if he gets any significant high-leverage situations out of the gate.

On a busy transactional day that saw the Dodgers bring back utility man Kiké Hernández and extend third baseman Max Muncy, they also have signed infielder Keston Hiura to a minor league contract, per multiple reports.

Hiura will receive a non-roster invitation to big league camp, per both Jon Heyman of the New York Post and Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic, bringing the total number of NRIs in camp to 33 players.

The 29-year-old who went to Valencia High School in Santa Clarita and played college baseball at UC Irvine has played parts of six seasons in the major leagues. But most of his time in the last three seasons has been in Triple-A for the Brewers, Angels, Tigers, and Rockies, with a total of 18 games in the majors during that time with the Angels in 2024 and Rockies in 2025.

Hiura in the bulk of his time in the majors, mostly with the Brewers from 2019-22, came at second base. But over the last three years in the minors and majors combined, Hiura started 166 games at first base, 28 games at third base, and 24 games at second base.

For Triple-A Albuquerque in 2025, Hiura hit .272/.369/.507 with a 107 wRC+ and 21 home runs in 100 games, and had four hits in 18 at-bats, including a double in eight games with the Rockies.

As Major League Baseball closes in on an agreement for its players to participate in the 2028 Olympics, Commissioner Rob Manfred said the controversy surrounding LA28 chief Casey Wasserman would not impact the league’s final decision.

“Our dealings are not with Casey,” Manfred said Thursday at the MLB owners’ meetings. "Our dealings are with the institution of the Olympics.”

On Wednesday, amid a stream of artists dumping Wasserman’s talent agency and a growing list of civic leaders calling on him to resign, the executive committee of the LA28 board issued a statement backing Wasserman.

In recently released emails, Wasserman was linked to Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. The board retained a law firm to investigate, the statement said, and the review did not uncover any behavior beyond what was already known: a “single interaction with Epstein” on a plane flight for a humanitarian mission and raunchy emails with Maxwell, both two decades ago, before the “deplorable crimes” of both became public.

Read more:LA28 Olympic Committee backs embattled Casey Wasserman over Epstein files

“Based on these facts, as well as the strong leadership he has exhibited over the past ten years, Mr. Wasserman should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games,” the committee statement said.

Epstein died by suicide after his indictment on sex trafficking charges in 2019. Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021.

Manfred declined to say whether he was concerned that an association with Wasserman could be detrimental for baseball.

“I’m going to pass on that one,” Manfred said. “People much closer to that situation are better to opine on that.”

Read more:Epstein files reveal emails between Ghislaine Maxwell, L.A. Olympics boss Casey Wasserman. He expresses regret

Mark Attanasio, the Los Angeles-based owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, is a member of the LA28 executive committee. Attanasio said he would let the statement speak for itself.

While baseball is not new to the Olympics, the participation of major leaguers would be. In past Olympics, MLB declined to interrupt its season so its players could travel halfway around the world, and Team USA featured minor leaguers and college players.

MLB players already travel to Los Angeles every summer, and Wasserman has pitched Manfred and MLB owners in a variety of meetings on the benefit of using major leaguers at a time the league is focused on broadening its international appeal.

“What an incredible opportunity to elevate the sport in a city where you have one of the great cathedrals of the sport,” Wasserman told The Times last year. “There is no better chance to tell the global story of baseball than from the Olympics in Los Angeles.

Read more:Rob Manfred feels 'positive' about MLB players participating in 2028 Olympics

“They understand that. We could have another Dream Team, or two, depending on the countries. That is a vehicle to tell the story of baseball around the world, and that is really powerful.”

MLB and LA28 officials have worked out a tentative timeline under which the All-Star Game would be played in its usual mid-July spot in 2028, most likely in San Francisco, followed by a six-day, six-team Olympic baseball tournament at Dodger Stadium.

“I think people have come to appreciate that the Olympics on U.S. soil is a unique marketing opportunity for the game,” Manfred said Thursday. “We’ve got a lot of players interested in doing it, and I feel pretty good about the idea we’ll get there.”

Are the Dodgers good for baseball?

The Dodgers’ signing of outfielder Kyle Tucker – for $60 million per year – revived the debate over whether the big-spending, star-studded, back-to-back champions are good for baseball.

“I think great teams are always good for baseball,” Manfred said. “I think, with respect to this particular great team, it added to what we have been hearing from fans in a lot of markets for a long time about the competitiveness of the game. But great teams are always good for baseball.”

MLB officials have cited that fan concern repeatedly over the last year, prelude to an expected push for a salary cap. Manfred declined to discuss the owners’ labor strategy but said he expected negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement to begin after opening day and said he would not talk about MLB proposals until they are presented to the players’ union.

The current agreement expires Dec. 1, and a lockout is widely expected.

Where can you watch the Angels?

The Angels already are in spring training, and yet their fans have no idea where to watch their games on television this season.

The Angels have agreed that MLB will provide a streaming option, and a team official confirmed they are still deciding whether to let MLB sell their telecasts to cable and satellite distributors or reinvent what remains of the FanDuel Sports channel already part-owned by the team, with the Kings joining the Angels.

The Angels’ situation is not unique. Three years ago, MLB did not provide broadcast services to any team. Today, amid the collapse of the cable and satellite universe, MLB provides broadcast services to 14 of its 30 teams — 15, if the Angels go that way.

In 2028, Manfred would like to sell national streaming packages, in the hope that more bidders would mean more revenue, a particularly acute need for the teams losing revenue as guaranteed rights fees are cut or eliminated altogether. The challenge: how to convince the Dodgers and other big-market teams to sacrifice their still-lucrative local rights so MLB can sell a 30-team package.

Read more:Q&A: What’s the deal with the Dodgers’ TV deal? Is MLB giving them special treatment?

“Ideally, I’d love to get there,” Manfred said. “I don’t need to get all the way there to accomplish most of what I am thinking about.”

On Thursday, Manfred cited one way he could get close enough: have rival owners vote to expand the number of games — for the Dodgers or anyone else — that would be classified as national rather than local.

“We can take as many games as we want from any club in a national package,” Manfred said, “with a majority vote of the clubs.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Kiké Hernández agreed to a one-year, $4.5-million deal with the Dodgers Thursday, with the popular utilityman taking to his Instagram account to announce his return.

“What else did you expect?!!! 3 in a row has a nice ring to it,” he wrote, accompanied by a picture of him at the parade celebration last year.

In a video posted on the Dodgers' Instagram account, the three-time World Series champion apologized to fans for taking so long to re-sign, and jokingly put the blame on Andrew Freidman, the team's president of baseball operations.

“There’s no other place I would rather be than here,” he added.

Read more:Shaikin: 'They are the 900-pound gorilla.' How an opponent views the Dodgers' spending

Hernández repaired a torn extensor tender in his left elbow after the season, which will cause him to miss next month's World Baseball Classic and the start of the 2026 season. In order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, right-hander Evan Phillips — whom the Dodgers signed to a one-year deal on Wednesday — was placed on the 60-day injured list as he continues to rehab from the Tommy John surgery he had last June.

The 34-year-old Hernández hit .203 with an on-base percentage of .255 and .366 slugging percentage in 256 regular season plate appearances, with 10 home runs in 92 games last season.

His splits between regular season and the postseason, however, are significantly different. In 103 career playoff games, Hernández carries a .826 on-base plus slugging percentage, a .272 batting average and a .486 slugging percentage.

During the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, he played every game, mostly in left field. In Game 6, Hernández’s catch and throw to Miguel Rojas at second sealed the Dodgers' 3-1 victory to force a Game 7.

During DodgerFest, Rojas spoke to reporters about the importance of Hernández’s presence in the Dodgers' pursuit to become the first back-to-back-to-back champions since the New York Yankees in 2000. He compared his impact on the team to Scottie Pippen with the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls.

In other moves, the team announced third baseman Max Muncy received a one-year contract extension that will pay him $7 million in 2027 and has a $10-million club option for 2028. Muncy, whose current deal was set to expire after the 2026 season, is the Dodgers' longest-tenured player and enters his ninth season with the team. And Anthony Banda, who was designated for assignment last week by the Dodgers, was traded to the Minnesota Twins for international bonus pool money.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.