Category: Baseball

With the start of the World Baseball Classic, many Mariners are on loan to their respective national teams. As such, get ready to see some weird looks from the M’s as the organization gives some unusual opportunities to top prospects.

One of those unusual looks is right hander Cooper Criswell. The pitcher was in the Boston Red Sox organization last year, only to be DFA’d the Sox and claimed by the New York Mets. Just over a month after that, the Mets DFA’d him and the Mariners picked him up for cash. Tonight will be his third appearance this Spring but only his first start. He’s gone two innings in each of his last two outings, and it will be interesting to see how far he is pushed tonight. Probable pitchers to follow Cooper are Jose A. Ferrer, Carlos Vargas, Josh Simpson, Yosver Zulueta, and Ryan Loutos.

Also in the “weird” bucket is J.P. Crawford in the DH spot. He’s making room for Leo Rivas, who in turn is over at short to make room for Cole Young to play second and lead off.

Over in the orange dugout, there’s also a healthy portion of prospects. Real heads will zero in on Robbie Ray, former Mariner, on the mound. Since his time on the Mariners, Robbie Tight Pants has done his best to add a third pitch, picking up his knuckle curve and changeup and using the slider much, much less. Tonight will be his third start of the Spring. Following him is likely to be Carson Seymour, Keaton Winn, and Michael Fulmer. Perhaps the short probables list means they intend for Ray to go deep.

Game Information:

Game Time: 6:05 pm PT

Radio: Seattle Sports 710 AM with Rick Rizzs, Gary Hill Jr. and Shannon Drayer on the call.

TV: Mariners.TV (maybe? Sound off in the comments if it’s working for you.)

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — He is the only retired pitcher on a World Baseball Classic roster.

He’s also the only one with three Cy Young awards, three World Series championships, and 11 All-Star appearances.

And is the lone WBC pitcher who can already make reservations for his Hall of Fame induction in five years.

Clayton Kershaw, who could have stayed home in Dallas after retiring on top of the world with back-to-back World Series titles with the Los Angeles Dodgers, strolled to the mound Wednesday one last time in a spring-training game.

The moment the public address announcer at Salt River Fields called out his name as he walked to the mound, he received a thunderous standing ovation by the sellout crowd of 11,803.

“That was so cool, I had chills out there with the standing O they gave that man,’’ USA teammate and Yankees three-time MVP Aaron Judge said after the USA’s 14-4 victory against the Colorado Rockies. “The crowd went crazy for him out there pitching. Just to see him back out there and get a chance to share a clubhouse with a guy like that, and so respected around the game. He’s accomplished everything in his career.

“It was pretty special.’’

The results weren’t pretty. Kershaw gave up a home run on the third pitch he thew, walked a batter, threw a wild pitch, didn’t throw harder than 87.2 mph, and struggled with his control, throwing just six of his 13 pitches for strikes.

Yet, just wearing the red, white and blue, and considering his arm and body still felt perfectly fine in his first outing since Game 3 of the World Series, he was ecstatic.

“It was so cool,’’ Kershaw said. “I played against Colorado and Arizona a lot, so to hear that was special. ... Just being on this team was a bucket list for me from the beginning, and so getting to do that, it was really cool.

“Obviously, I thought I was never going to throw a baseball again, so to get to do that with Team USA across your chest, and come back to that dugout, that team is really special.’’

Really, his USA teammates were more thrilled than Kershaw watching him in uniform for the final time before they open the World Baseball Classic on Friday against Brazil in Houston.

“It was awesome,’’ said Paul Goldschmidt, the seven-time All-Star and former MVP, who faced Kershaw 67 times in his career. “I’ve been looking forward to playing with this guy instead of against him my whole career.

“He’s had the most amazing career anyone could imagine. It’s just awesome that he’s coming back and doing this.’’

Said two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal: “That was so awesome seeing that. ... That’s a big reason why I wanted to be part of this, to be with teammates like Clayton Kershaw.’’

Kershaw, who considers himself the emergency pitcher for Team USA, said that if his outing Wednesday was the last time he steps on the mound, “it was worth it.’’

Sorry, but USA manager Mark DeRosa isn’t going to let him sail off into the sunset of his magnificent career with his last outing being against the Rockies in a meaningless spring-training setting. Kershaw will definitely pitch sometime in the tournament when they play four pool games in five days in Houston, DeRosa says, even if it’s just in a mop-role to eat innings.

Kershaw, 37, deserves a send-off that is fitting for one of the greatest left-handed pitchers in baseball history, and pitching in a WBC game will be the perfect ending.

“I wouldn’t put on a uniform,’’ Kershaw said, “for anything else.’’

Kershaw, who spent his entire 18-year career with the Dodgers, badly wanted to pitch in the 2023 WBC. Yet, the WBC insurance wouldn’t cover him with his array of injuries, forcing him to miss the tournament.

Now, with his family getting to see him pitch one last time in Houston, this could be the perfect farewell.

“I was pretty much mentally shut down,’’ Kershaw said. “(DeRosa) called and I thought about it for a minute, and I was like, 'it’s not going to be fun to pick up a baseball again, but it’s worth it to be part of this group. …'

“It’s a great group. It’s been a lot of fun to get to know them.’’

And even as sensational as a Hollywood script it would be, Kershaw is already putting a stop to the idea he could be the one pitching the final out against former teammate Shohei Ohtani of Team Japan.

“I think for our country’s sake,’’ Kershaw said, “it’s probably better if I don’t.

“If they need me, I’ll be ready. It’s not going to be pretty, but I’ve got a lot of bullets. They just might not be quality bullets.’’

While Kershaw rules out any possibility of a future comeback after the WBC, he does have one more baseball stop before his career officially comes to an end.

He’ll be at Dodger Stadium on March 27.

He’s got a World Series ring to collect.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clayton Kershaw WBC exhibition went badly ... but was so worth it

The Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates may well be National League Central rivals, but that hasn’t stopped them from swinging notable trades of late. Last summer, we saw the deal that sent Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Bucs down river to the Queen City, and on Wednesday evening we saw yet another deal between the two clubs.

This time, it sent infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan up to Pittsburgh in exchange for right-handed reliever Kyle Nicolas. The Reds announced the move on Twitter.

The #Reds today acquired RHP Kyle Nicolas from the Pirates in exchange for IF/OF Tyler Callihan.

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 5, 2026

Nicolas, 27, is an Ohio native from Massillon and a former 2nd round pick by Pittsburgh out of Ball State University from back in 2020. He’s appeared in 86 games at the big league level across the last trio of seasons, and since the start of the 2024 season owns a 4.27 ERA and 4.00 FIP in 92.2 IP with an 89/49 K/BB in that time. At the AAA level just last year he struck out 50 batters in 35.2 IP using a combination of a fastball that flirts with triple digits (and averaged 97.6 mph during his time in the majors), and he’s also recently added a sinker in early spring training action after working with a slider and cutter over the course of his career.

He’s got an option remaining and is still pre-arb, with his first year of arbitration eligibility due in 2028.

Callihan, meanwhile, is a former 3rd round pick of the Reds who Cincinnati coaxed into turning professional with a well above-slot signing bonus. His minor league career (and brief big league career) have been littered with injuries, his broken arm just last year while playing left field the most gruesome of the bunch. Still, he’s a left-handed hitter with polish who has hit everywhere he’s been when healthy (and not rusty), and his defensive versatility will give him a shot to make the Pirates roster come Opening Day in some form or fashion.

Mexico made its final tune-up ahead of the World Baseball Classic against the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on Wednesday afternoon.

It was a tightly contested matchup between both squads as the fans in attendance — many of whom are both Dodgers and Mexico fans — alternated between chants of "Me-xi-co!" and "Lets go Dodgers!"

It was the Dodgers who would come out on top with a 7-5 win, thanks in large part to a three-run eighth inning sparked by a two-out, ground-rule RBI double by first baseman Joe Vetrano to break a 4-4 deadlock. Mexico rallied in the ninth but ultimately fell short.

Mexico will begin World Baseball Classic pool play on Friday against Great Britain at Daikin Park in Houston.

Here are the highlights from Wednesday's exhibition game between the Dodgers and Mexico:

Mexico rallies late, but it's not enough for the win

Down to their final out, Joey Meneses — pinch-hitting for Jonathan Aranda — turned on a fastball over the heart of the plate from Ben Casparius and lined it on a rope at 109.4 mph into center field for a double. He scored on the next at-bat when a broken-bat chopper hit by Alexis Wilson got past Dodgers third baseman Kyle Nevin and into shallow left field.

¡Ah Wilson!🗣️

Alexis Wilson produce la quinta para México. 🇲🇽 #EsMiSangre🩸🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/6fcqDAr7yT

— Novena México 🇲🇽⚾ (@MexicoBeis) March 4, 2026

Santiago Chávez came to the plate representing the tying run but struck out on four pitches to end the game.

Dodgers prospects come up big

Entering the bottom of the eighth locked in a 4-4 tie, the Dodgers got a much-needed jump-start when Austin Gauthier and the team's No. 14-ranked prospect, Elijah Hainline, drew back-to-back walks to lead off the frame. Vetrano then gave LA the lead with his ground-rule double into the right field corner.

Joe Vetrano hits a ground-rule double and Austin Gauthier scores to give the Dodgers the lead again!

Dodgers 5, Mexico 4 pic.twitter.com/j7OTairjbi

— Hyeseong Kim Muse 김혜성 (@HyeseongKimMuse) March 4, 2026

With two runners in scoring position, Dodgers No. 3 prospect and 2025 Minor League Player of the Year Eduardo Quintero added on with a sacrifice fly to center field. No. 13 prospect Kendall George capped off the big inning with a line drive single into left field that scored Vetrano from second for LA's third run of the eighth.

Andy Pages continues productive spring

Individually, Pages largely had a postseason to forget at the plate. He mustered just four hits in 51 at-bats last October, slashing a dreadful .078/.113/.098.

He had highlights in the field, like his ninth inning catch over Kiké Hernández in Game 7 of the World Series, but his lone shining moment on offense came when he chopped a groundball back to the mound in Game 4 of the NLDS that Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering botched and threw away as Hyeseong Kim crossed home plate to advance to the Championship Series.

But the 25-year-old slugger has been putting it together this spring, averaging .333 with an OPS of .906 in 20 plate appearances over seven games. And on Wednesday against Mexico, Pages boomed his first longball of the year, jumping on a hanging slider and driving it 430 feet to left field to put the Dodgers on the board first.

Start it off, Andy! #DodgersSTpic.twitter.com/dz2Zt2V9D5

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 4, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mexico vs Dodgers score, highlights from WBC tune-up

While there is still a relatively small sample size, we’ve played enough Spring Training games to begin to get an idea of what players are impressing and which ones aren’t. In my attempt to be a more positive person (work in progress), I’ll ask the question who has been the most impressive player during St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training so far. I’ll begin with some nominees.

JJ Wetherholt

Let’s get the obvious pic out of the way first. JJ Wetherholt has shown a keen batting eye as he’s racked up walks while also making strong contact including a 422 foot home run against the Mets that had an exit velocity of 105.4 mph. I’ve also been impressed by JJ’s disposition. This kid is confident and looks like he belongs. The ridiculous question of whether he breaks camp with the team and makes the opening day roster should be considered answered by now. I have seen nothing that would change my mind.

Richard Fitts

I’ve only seen Richard Fitts toss two innings so far in Spring Training, but that was enough to see that he has nasty stuff. His fastball has seemed to gain velocity up from 95.9 last season to 97.6 this Spring. He’s making that Sonny Gray trade feel pretty good so far.

Joshua Baez

Top 15 prospect Joshua Baez has seen quite a bit of action for the St. Louis Cardinals so far this Spring with a solid .286 average over 14 at-bats. While the expectations coming into camp would be that Baez would start the season in Triple-A, it’s not impossible that he forces his way onto the major league roster. The question is where would there be space on the roster for that to happen, but Joshua Baez has been a bright spot so far.

Matthew Liberatore
Matthew Liberatore is starting to look more like the top-of-the-rotation pitcher that the Cardinals were hoping he’d be only 1 walk and 7 strikeouts in his first 5 innings of Spring Training appearances. Is it just me or has Matthew’s velocity increased? I haven’t seen the metrics, but that’s my impression.

Packy Naughton

Here’s a surprise mention on the list. Who saw Packy Naughton becoming a potential key part of the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen? Three scoreless innings so far in Spring Training with 4 strikeouts have put Packy on the radar for a bigger role this year than expected.

I’ve seen moments to be optimistic about from Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman, but also some old swing decision bad habits that haven’t gone away yet. Same can be said for Victor Scott II, Jimmy Crooks and Nathan Church. Who have I missed? What St. Louis Cardinals has impressed you this Spring?

The Athletics fell short for the first time this week, suffering a 3-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Following three straight days in which the A’s scored more than five runs, Diamondbacks pitchers shut the A’s offense down today, limiting a lineup full of starters to only one run.

A’s starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs pitched much better this afternoon in his second spring tuneup appearance. He did not allow a run over two and one-third innings. However, he gave up three hits and one walk. Springs made things difficult for himself as two back-to-back jams raised his pitch count, likely the reason why he was removed from the game midway through rather than after the third inning.

Reliever Tyler Ferguson replaced Springs and induced a double play grounder to end that inning. He pitched the next inning as well, although that did not go as well because Diamondbacks infielder Jacob Amaya hit a two-run home run to right field. Amaya drove in all three of Arizona’s runs, his third RBI a sacrifice fly off A’s reliever Justin Sterner in the sixth inning. Sterner and Ferguson have not had the best starts to spring. On the other hand, left-handed relievers Hogan Harris and Matt Krook have been flawless so far, with a spot in the bullpen potentially available for Krook should he continue having success this spring.

Meanwhile, it seemed from the game’s beginning that it was not going to be a good day for the A’s offense. Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt, making his first spring start, got through the first inning on just four pitches. The A’s did not threaten until the third inning when they got two runners on base to knock Pfaadt out of the game. Unfortunately, A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz grounded into a double play against the Diamondbacks reliever to end that scoring threat.

The A’s lone run came the next inning, courtesy of Jacob Wilson’s sacrifice fly, which was set up by back-to-back singles from Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker.

Later in the game, the A’s had a couple of chances to put more runs on the scoreboard. They wasted Kurtz’s leadoff double in the sixth inning and then Colby Thomas grounded out with two of his teammates on base to end the eighth inning.

The A’s will look to bounce back tomorrow at the Los Angeles Angels. Right-hander Luis Morales will make his third appearance and second start. The Angels will counter with their latest reclamation project, right-hander Alek Manoah, who is off to a strong start this spring. A’s fans will also get their second look at last year’s first-round pick, left-hander Jamie Arnold. If they all pan out and stay healthy, Morales, Arnold and fellow pitching prospect Gage Jump could be the top-of-the-rotation arms that can get the A’s back to consistent playoff contention.

Notes

• Third baseman Max Muncy made his second throwing error this spring. His defensive consistency remains a question as he competes for the starting job.
• Leo De Vries got another hit today and is now batting .375 in the Cactus League! Impressive for a 19-year-old.
• Colby Thomas continued his slow, injury-hampered start to the spring. There are still multiple weeks until the regular season starts, but at this point he seems likely to start the season in Triple-A unless he starts playing and contributing more.

Box Score

Despite a vintage performance from Christian Yelich, who reached base three times in his spring debut, Milwaukee fell to the Chicago Cubs 4-1. Chicago jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and never looked back.

In the top of the first, Brandon Sproat made short work of the Cubs, retiring the top of the order on just 11 pitches. Sal Frelick and Andrew Vaughn both made outs to start the bottom of the frame, but Christian Yelich reached on a walk and Gary Sánchez singled. Akil Baddoo, the next batter up, grounded into a force out at second to end the mini rally.

Chicago promptly broke the tie in the top of the second. With one out in the frame, James Triantos hit a line drive single into right field, scoring Chas McCormick from second to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. David Hamilton led off the bottom of the second inning with a bunt single. He then stole second to give the Brewers a runner in scoring position with nobody out. That brought up three of the Brewers top prospects — Luis Lara, Cooper Pratt, and Jesús Made — but all came up empty, leaving Milwaukee scoreless.

The Cubs tacked on another run in the top of the third on a walk, a single, and a RBI groundout from Moises Ballesteros. While Sproat allowed two earned runs in his three innings of work, he racked up four strikeouts and his stuff looked great — as seen below:

Brandon Sproat de-bats Kevin Alcantara with a changeup

Has been a pretty clear focus on the sinker/cutter combo today for Sproat, but also more changeups than usual for him.

The epitome of a spring training start really.

Anyway, the stuff is quite good. pic.twitter.com/8InkY2mN0J

— Spencer Michaelis (@smichaelis234) March 4, 2026

The Brewers finally got on the board courtesy of a Christian Yelich solo shot that came off the bat at 106.8 mph. Notably, if you watch the video, you’ll notice that Yelich is using a bigger leg kick, which he had stopped using in early 2024 in favor of more of a toe-tap. This could be indicative of a long-term change in his approach, or it could just be him experimenting during spring training. The leg kick was clearly working for him today, so we’ll likely see it in more games this spring.

CHRISTIAN YELICH DINGERS

WE’RE BACK pic.twitter.com/1iHym5PXxc

— Tapping The Keg Sports (@TappingTheKeg) March 4, 2026

Unfortunately, Yelich’s home run would be the last time the Brewers would score, while Chicago tacked on a couple of insurance runs against Logan Henderson. Triantos hit a double in the fourth, then reached third on a Frelick error. Former Brewer Owen Miller knocked Triantos in with a sac fly. Jefferson Rojas hit a solo home run two innings later to bring the game to its final score: Chicago 4, Milwaukee 1.

Shane Drohan worked the final three innings of the loss, allowing just a single hit while striking out four and holding the Cubs scoreless. The Brewers briefly mounted a rally in the ninth after Eddys Leonard and Brady Ebel both singled, but Daniel Dickinson and Greg Jones both struck out to end the game.

Other than Yelich, who singled, walked, and homered, Milwaukee was only able to muster five more hits — all singles. Two of those were the Hamilton bunt and the Sanchez single in the first. Jesús Made singled in the seventh, but got picked off trying to steal second by Cubs pitcher Vince Velasquez. A pair of singles in the ninth also went for naught. Despite the loss, there were still a few things to feel good about — especially Yelich and Drohan’s performances. Drohan wasn’t facing the Cubs’ starters today, but he looked borderline dominant.

Milwaukee will be back on the field again tomorrow as they take on another division rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT.

Included in the Dodgers’ 7-5 win over Mexico in Wednesday’s exhibition at Camelback Ranch were a few performances that can’t help but be viewed with an eye toward the regular season.

Each of Andy Pages’ seven previous starts this spring were in center field, so he got to stay off his feet a bit on Wednesday as the designated hitter. Pages followed the assignment to a tee with a home run and double in his first two at-bats.

Start it off, Andy! #DodgersSTpic.twitter.com/dz2Zt2V9D5

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 4, 2026

Pages has five extra-base hits in 23 plate appearances this spring.

Dalton Rushing continues to hit the ball hard, and often in the air, this spring. That included a second-inning triple off the center field wall for another run, then an RBI double into the right field corner in the third inning. Baseball Savant didn’t register data for that triple, but in Rushing’s other 11 batted balls this spring have an average exit velocity of 100.3 mph, including six balls hit over 100 mph.

He has two home runs this spring to go with his two extra-base hits on Wednesday.

Back-2-back RBI doubles gives the boys in blue the lead! #DodgersSTpic.twitter.com/kcGe9MoK6B

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) March 4, 2026

It’s never wise to read too much into exhibition stats, but how the Dodgers have utilized and talked about veteran non-roster infielder Santiago Espinal this spring fits the pattern of someone exceedingly likely to begin the regular season on the active roster.

Wednesday was Espinal’s seventh start this spring, getting the call at third base against Mexico. He had an RBI double in the third inning to go with his fly ball that somehow landed for a single in the second. Espinal has reached base 14 times in 21 trips to the plate so far this spring, and while you should take that .667 on-base percentage with a grain of salt, his on-roster percentage appears from my vantage point to be north of that.

On the mound

After pitching to one batter in the third inning in his first Cactus League affair last Thursday, Tyler Glasnow on Wednesday faced five batters in the third inning against Mexico. That third frame gave the right-hander the most trouble, with two singles and a run plating a run, driven in by Toronto Blue Jays catcher (and last year’s final batter) Alejandro Kirk to drive Glasnow from the game.

Glasnow left with two runners on, and both scored on a single off reliever Jacob Frost, the Dodgers’ 10th-round draft pick last season out of Kansas State. Glasnow threw 51 pitches this time around, up from 33 six days prior, staying in progression toward the opening series of the regular season with time still for three more exhibition starts to further prepare.

Emmet Sheehan got the ball to start the fourth, pitching in his first game this spring (not including some simulated action on the backfields). While there is still time enough in camp to build up his innings, Sheehan didn’t do himself any favors by recording only four outs in his nine batters faced.

Mexico got three singles and two walks off Sheehan, who didn’t strike anyone out on Wednesday. One run scored against him but it could have been worse, having left with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth inning. But Carlos Duran induced an inning-ending double play to strand all three runners.

Keeping options open

With Pages at DH on Wednesday, Alex Call got the start in center field, his first time at the position this spring.

Call played one inning in center field for the Dodgers after getting acquired last July, and over the last two seasons with the Washington Nationals totaled seven games, four starts, and 46 innings at the position. In his career Call has started 85 games in center, 77 of them coming in 2023.

Up next

The Dodgers wade back into the Cactus League on Thursday with their second trip to Goodyear in three days, this time to face the Cincinnati Reds (12:05 p.m. PT; SportsNet LA, ESPN). Non-roster invitee Cole Irvin gets the start for Los Angeles, in his third outing this spring.

For 24-year-old Alex Freeland, the time is now.

After the switch-hitting middle infielder enjoyed a cup of coffee in the big leagues last season, he’s trying to break camp with the Dodgers and get increased playing time at second base with veteran Tommy Edman expected to be on the injured list as he works his way back from right ankle surgery.

Freeland, who played 29 games with the Dodgers last season, and second-year utility man Hyeseong Kim, who played 71 games and was on the postseason roster, are among those vying for playing time at the start of the season, with veteran Miguel Rojas and and nonroster invite Santiago Espinal also in the mix.

Kim, who started Cactus League games at second base and center field, recently departed for the World Baseball Classic as he competes for Team South Korea, opening a door for Freeland to get more reps in the heart of the Cactus League season.

Read more:Dodgers' Roki Sasaki struggles early in second Cactus League start, then settles down

“Opportunity is present, so I’m trying to make the most of it,” Freeland said. “It sucks that Tommy’s not ready and he won’t be ready for the beginning of the season. He’s a big part of this team, so I wish him a super speedy recovery and I hope that he gets out there as quickly as possible. But yeah, with Hyeseong being gone, I am getting more reps at second and short, so I’m just trying to make the most of them.”

Freeland entered last season as MLB Pipeline’s No. 45 overall prospect. Though he posted a .190/.292/.310 slash line at the big league level, prospect analyst Jim Callis still has high hopes for Freeland.

“Freeland doesn't have a wow tool but he does a lot of things well,” Callis said. “His best attribute is probably his defense at shortstop and versatility to play other positions. He's a switch-hitter who draws a lot of walks and has some sneaky pop. He's just an average runner, but his instincts allow him to play quicker than that.”

As a switch-hitter, Freeland has had more success from the left side than the right. He worked on his swing from both sides of the plate over the offseason and feels he’s in a good place.

"My right-handed hitting could be better,” Freeland said. “I mean, part of my game is walking, so I felt like I wasn’t patient at the right times last year. Sometimes I was too patient, just taking pitches down the middle. Walking is a big part of my game, so I’m looking to walk, and I feel like I’ve done that this spring training.”

Freeland has drawn eight walks in 24 plate appearances in Cactus League play, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been impressed with what he has seen this spring.

"Maturity,” Roberts said. “Playing both sides of the baseball really well. The bat, right-handed looks really good. Lefty is typically his strong side, but I like the right-handed at-bats. Just playing with a lot of real confidence.”

If it weren’t for the Dodgers’ star-studded roster, Callis believes Freeland’s chances at playing time would be better.

“On a lot of teams, Freeland would be getting a chance to compete for the starting shortstop job, but he's blocked on the Dodgers,” Callis said. “He's probably looking at more of a utility role than starting in Los Angeles, and he could be attractive to other clubs in trade talks too.”

Freeland, however, is embracing his role and hopes to earn his stripes. He’s tried to soak up as much as he can from the veteran stars he’s been able to spend time with.

Read more:Shaikin: Will Klein isn't surprised he saved the Dodgers' World Series dynasty

“Miggy Ro has always got something good to say. Muncy, Freddie, I mean they’ve been around so long, they’ve seen so many different things, so it’s like whatever I have a question about, like I can easily go and talk to one of them, and they’ve got an answer for me," Freeland said of Rojas, Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman. "And it’s great to have guys like that in the clubhouse.”

Freeland grew up an Atlanta Braves fan and admired Freeman for years. Freeland never imagined he one day would share a locker room with the nine-time All-Star first baseman, who spent the first 12 years of his career in Atlanta.

“I watched Freddie growing up and Mookie,” Freeland said of Freeman and Betts. “So, I mean, it’s kind of like a full-circle moment, like I watched Freddie a lot when he was with the Braves, coming up, because I lived in Georgia, so like I’d go and watch minor league games and see him in Gwinett.”

Tyler Glasnow makes second spring start

Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow made his second start of Cactus League play, pitching into the third inning of Wednesday's game against Team Mexico. After giving up two hits and striking out three over two scoreless innings, Glasnow gave up an RBI single to Alejandro Kirk, the Toronto Blue Jays catcher, and was lifted with two runners on and two outs in the third after throwing 50 pitches. Both runners came around to score.

"I still feel good," Glasnow said after his outing. "It's not going to be perfect every week. As a whole, everything's lined up and feeling good."

Right-hander Emmet Sheehan made his first appearance of the spring, pitching 1-1/3 innings and giving up one run on three hits and two walks. Left-hander Alex Vesia pitched his fourth perfect inning in as many appearances, recording two strikeouts.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Record 7-4. Change on 2025: +1.5. 5-inning record: 3-7-1.

The Diamondbacks rolled their spring winning streak to five games, with a well-pitched victory over the Athletics in Hohokam. Their pitchers held the opposition to six hits, just one (a double) for extra bases, and a pair of walks. The sole run came against former (and hopefully not future) Arizona closer Paul Sewald, who allowed two hits and a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Starter Brandon Pfaadt in his spring debut, still went 2.1 innings, allowing a hit and a walk with one K. He needed only 25 pitches for that, thanks in particular to a four-pitch first frame. Brandyn Garcia was the pick of the relievers, striking out two of the three batters faced. Isaiah Campbell pitched a clean ninth inning for the save.

Arizona certainly had chances to score more than three, but went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position – and one of those hits didn’t even bring across a run. The Diamondbacks got two in the fourth as Jacob Amaya’s first home-run of spring scored him and Luken Baker. The pair were also responsible for the D-backs’ third and final run in the fifth, Baker being driven in by an Amaya sacrifice fly. Jacob singled in addition to his home-run, and drove in all three Arizona runs. Tommy Troy went 3-for-4 and got his spring average up to .524, while also stealing his first base; Baker walked in addition to his hit.

ABS challenges went 2-for-3 on the day, and the D-backs will be on the road again tomorrow. They will face the Cubs at Sloan Park: first pitch is at 1:05 pm, with Ryne Nelson scheduled to start for Arizona.

The Cubs got some good pitching performances Wednesday afternoon against the Brewers, but a potentially even bigger story was four ABS challenges made by Moisés Ballesteros, all of which he got right!

That’s a skill that can definitely translate to MLB regular season games. Perhaps there’s hope for Ballesteros to do some MLB catching after all.

The Cubs won the game 4-1. Let’s first look at the Ballesteros challenges. Two of them were on the same at-bat to Luis Lara:

Here’s the first call, and you can see how close it was [VIDEO].

Here’s a call made while Jesús Made was at bat, also in the second [VIDEO].

And one more, with David Hamilton at bat in the fourth [VIDEO].

Good work by Ballesteros, who’s getting a bit more catching time with Miguel Amaya away at the World Baseball Classic. He also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Edward Cabrera threw efficiently in 2.2 innings and 45 pitches, striking out a pair. Here are the two K’s [VIDEO].

James Triantos went 2-for-3 and drove in a run with this single [VIDEO].

Cubs prospect Jefferson Rojas, who’s been impressive this spring, homered in the sixth, his second [VIDEO].

Non-roster outfielders Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick both went 1-for-3 in this game.

Jaxon Wiggins, who got lit up in his first spring outing over the weekend, looked much better in this game, throwing two scoreless innings, also with two strikeouts. Vince Velasquez, a late NRI add, threw for the first time this spring and also put together two scoreless innings, with three strikeouts.

So overall, a lot of small things were done well by the Cubs in this game. I was especially impressed by Ballesteros’ strike zone judgment.

The Cubs return to Sloan Park Thursday to face the Diamondbacks. Colin Rea will start for the Cubs and Ryne Nelson will go for Arizona. Game time is 2:05 p.m. CT. No TV or radio for Thursday’s game.

Does trading a player like Sam Carrick make sense for the New York Rangers ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline?

Carrick has exceeded all expectations since the Rangers signed him to a three-year, $3 million contract in the summer of 2024. 

In a limited bottom-six role, Carrick has still been able to etch his mark with the Rangers, making his money off of playing a scrappy, physical brand of hockey. 

Despite standing at about 6’0’’, Carrick has stepped up as the Rangers’ primary enforcer. 

“I think it's certainly needed. It's a necessary role in this league,” Carrick said of the enforcer role.“You're not going to have your A game every night. Sometimes you're looking for other ways to get a spark and get either the crowd into it, or get your team into it, or get yourself into it, whatever it is. There's different situations, a lot of the time that's (fighting) an easy way to do it, and sometimes it sparks the team.”

Through Carrick’s fearless attitude on the ice, he’s gained the recognition of both the team’s coaching staff and his teammates. 

“I think he's an important part of this team with the role he plays,” Sullivan said of Carrick. “He gets defensive zone starts, he's conscientious defensively, he's part of the penalty kill. He's a huge momentum guy for us, whether it be his physicality and sticking up for his teammates, or just by nature, how he plays the game with the line that he's on.”

With More Trust Comes More Responsibility For Gabe PerreaultThe emergence of Gabe Perreault is something for New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> fans to be excited about.&nbsp;

While Carrick’s physical style of play and hard-nose persona fit what Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury is attempting to build, he doesn't exactly fit the franchise’s current timeline. 

Drury’s Jan. 16 letter issued to fans outlining the Rangers’ plan to retool the roster indicates that the team will be looking to trade veteran players with the goal of getting younger. 

Contending teams certainly covet what Carrick brings to the table in terms of his two-way abilities, while his physical nature perfectly translates to playoff hockey. 

If the Rangers make Carrick available, he’ll be a desirable candidate on the trade market and could garner a hefty return. 

He still has one year remaining on his current contract after the 2025-26 campaign and a reasonable $1 million cap hit. 

If the Rangers want to make room for some of the young talent for the remainder of this season and into next year, on top of accumulating more draft picks, trading Carrick would be a decision worth considering.

Tonight, the Nationals are taking part in an exciting and unique exhibition. They are facing Team Venezuela as they get ready for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. The Venezuelans have a stacked roster, especially offensively. Tonight will be a good test for the young Nats, who are rolling out a strong lineup.

Speaking of that lineup, it is the closest thing we have seen to a potential Opening Day lineup. I don’t think it will look exactly like this, but it will be close. James Wood, CJ Abrams, Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile and Brady House all feature. Interestingly, Luis Garcia Jr. will be playing first base for the first time this spring. We will also get to see Foster Griffin for the first time. The crafty lefty signed with the Nats after three highly successful seasons in Japan.

ready to go

watch LIVE for FREE on https://t.co/iUBDqlACVs‼️ pic.twitter.com/HuYTLi8eib

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) March 4, 2026

The Venezuelan lineup is loaded with well-known names. Ronald Acuna Jr., Salvador Perez and Luis Arraez are just a few notable names in this star studded lineup. While Jose Altuve will not be playing this WBC, the Venezuelans have more than enough fire power to make a surprise run in the competition. On the mound, Venezuela will be featuring Eduardo Rodriguez. The veteran lefty has not been the same since signing a big contract in Arizona, but he is still a serviceable big league innings eater.

Lineup de Venezuela 🇻🇪 hoy vs. Washington:

Ronald Acuña Jr. RF
Javier Sanoja CF
Luis Arráez 2B
Salvador Pérez C
Jackson Chourio BD
Eugenio Suárez 3B
Wilyer Abreu LF
Willson Contreras 1B
Ezequiel Tovar SS

Eduardo Rodríguez P

— German Augusto Cartaya (@germancartaya) March 4, 2026

Game Info:

Stadium: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches

Time: 6:05 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: N/A

This is a really exciting game that I am really looking forward to. It will be interesting to see how Foster Griffin fares against such a strong lineup. I am also interested to see how the boys can match up with a really solid Venezuela team. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!

In the cage match known as the American League East, the Tampa Bay Rays stand apart — and not for a good reason. After more than half a decade as regular contenders in the Junior Circuit, including two AL East titles and a trip to the 2020 World Series, the Rays have fallen to the wayside over the past two years. Only unexpected disaster seasons from the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024 and the Baltimore Orioles in 2025 have saved them from the division basement the last two years, as the Rays finished these seasons with just 80 and 77 wins, respectively.

That being said, this is the Rays we’re talking about, and even if they hadn’t finished the 2025 season with a run differential giving a projected record of 84-78, only a fool would truly count them out.

2025 record: 77-85 (4th, AL East)
2026 FanGraphs projection: 81-81 (5th, AL East)

The Tampa Bay Rays run the organization like they’re playing Out of the Park Baseball, shipping out established Major League vets for prospects right at the moment they’re about to start costing money, all in the effort to keep the payroll down and keep the farm system stocked. This winter was absolutely no different, as they flipped Brandon Lowe, Josh Lowe, Jake Mangum and Shane Baz, a quartet of players who were major contributors to last year’s squad. Meanwhile, their three major free agent acquisitions — Steven Matz, Cedric Mullins, and Jake Fraley — don’t exactly break the bank financially. Furthermore, they inserted themselves into a pair of three-team trades in January, reeling in Gavin Lux from the Reds to play second base and Ben Williamson from the Mariners to back up Junior Caminero at the hot corner.

As it currently stands, the Rays lineup depends on three players: the 22-year-old Caminero (128 projected wRC+), the 27-year-old Jonathan Aranda (119 projected wRC+), and the 35-year-old Yandy Diaz (128 projected wRC+). Besides this trio, FanGraphs only expects Lux to have an above-average bat, and even there, he’s projected to only have a 101 wRC+; the rest of the lineup is filled out with players who have their best baseball in the rearview mirror (e.g., Mullins) or those who have made Anthony Volpe look like a dominant hitter (e.g., shortstop Taylor Walls).

Of course, the Rays have never been built on offensive prowess, but on pitching, and that remains the same this year. Even after trading Baz to the Orioles, Tampa Bay has quite a bit of depth here, as Drew Rasmussen and Ryan Pepiot give them a pair of quality starters atop the rotation. If Shane McClanahan is healthy—something which hasn’t been the case since August 2, 2023—that ostensibly gives the team a trio of quality starters 30 years of age or younger — something that few teams would say no to. Behind them, Nick Martinez and Matz should be quality depth. And despite losing Pete Fairbanks in free agency, the bullpen — headlined by Griffin Jax — has considerable veteran depth, albeit no truly dominant relievers.

All in all, the Tampa Bay Rays are a solid team, and in any other division, would likely be in a position to win enough games to challenge for a Wild Card spot. But as Dan Szymborski said back in January, “this is a tough division,” and because of that, the Rays “need some good fortune” to sneak into the playoffs.

At least this year, they’ll be able to play in their own stadium, and not the Yankees’ minor league complex.

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More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.

Ask any Pittsburgh Pirates fan about the team this season and there’s likely a different tone to the conversation then years before.

The Pirates finished 2025 as a 71-91 club, depressing by five wins from the previous two seasons.

Don Kelly was promoted to manager to replace Derek Shelton, but the front office remained the same. 

It set in motion the most crucial offseason of Ben Cherington’s Pirates career entering his seventh season as general manager.

Cherington was the most active he’s ever been and provided the Pirates with their most exciting offseason in over a decade.

The Pirates added two All-Star position players and signed a designated hitter who finished 4th in NL MVP voting in 2024.

Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna have added 69 home runs from a year ago to a Pirates lineup that only hit 117.  

The Bucs retained Mitch Keller, instead of trading him for a bat, and acquired relievers Mason Montgomery and Gregory Soto to their bullpen. 

No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin is waiting in the wings and leads the team with three home runs… as a 19-year-old shortstop who hasn’t played more than 21 games above High-A.

It feels different. It feels refreshing. It feels like the Pirates have a realistic chance to make the postseason.

The atmosphere at spring training in Bradenton is also different, at least for Paul Skenes.

Coming off winning NL Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young the last two years, Skenes is excited for what the Pirates can do this year. 

“It’s a different vibe in camp right now,” Skenes said on The Pat McAfee Show at USA Baseball camp on Monday.

Skenes is pleased by what the Bucs did in the offseason. He’s joined Team USA in preparation for the World Baseball Classic this week, but misses the preparation and camaraderie taking place for the Pirates. 

“As excited as I am to be here right now, I’m a little upset that I’m not in camp,” Skenes said. “Kinda missing out.”

He threw three innings for Team USA in its exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. 

Skenes allowed one run on one hit in the first inning and struck out four total batters. Skenes retired the final nine batters he faced in his second spring outing.

Paul Skenes, 100mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/svXGFRnJq1

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 3, 2026

He is scheduled to face Mexico in pool play and pitch in the semifinals, if Team USA advances. 

It’s a chance for the former Air Force pitcher and catcher to represent his country and wear the red, white, and blue. 

“I'm from America, I love America… There's no bigger stage or no greater honor than wearing USA across your chest.” 🇺🇸@Pirates ace Paul Skenes discusses the pride he takes in playing for @USABaseball. pic.twitter.com/bTl8zebd3b

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 3, 2026

The Pirates have the best record of any team in spring training, tied with the Yankees at 10-2. Team USA begins the WBC on Friday night at 8 p.m. against Team Brazil. 

This will mark the first WBC since 2023, with Paul Skenes representing the Pirates on the national stage after starting the last two All-Star Games. Cinema unfolding for the USA.