Category: Baseball

It never feels good to have someone tell you that “almost isn’t good enough,” or that “close doesn’t cut it.” Growing up in the south, the phrase I always heard was “close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” People use these sayings whenever some who failed to reach a goal says that it’s okay because they were “close.” And often, they’re right. If you were “close” to making that big sale or if you “almost” didn’t crash your forklift the end result is still a disaster. Hell, the Mariners were close to making the World Series last year, and we all remember how that turned out.

But often, especially for the small stuff, close does count, so long as you do your best. Today, I almost did all my laundry. I’ll finish tomorrow. I’m close to finishing the book I’m reading, but I see how it’s going to end. Tonight the Mariners were, for a while at least, close to winning a Spring Training game. Maybe they’ll win the next one.

The Mariners almost had some productive at-bats against Robbie Ray in the first inning. Cole Young led off the game and worked a six pitch at-bat by fouling everything off before whiffing on pitch 6. J.P. Crawford watched from the on deck circle and wanted in on the fun, working a 7-pitch AB that ended in a groundout. Brennen Davis got bored and grounded out on the first pitch. Almost some productive outs.

The Giants almost put a rally together in their half of the first, with Matt Chapman and Will Brennan hitting back-to-back one out singles, but Mariners pitcher Cooper Criswell neutralized the threat by inducing a double play from Casey Schmitt. The Mariners were also close to putting a rally together in the second, but likewise stranded runners on first and second.

In the top of the third Jonny Farmelo hit a leadoff triple, and almost didn’t score with Cole Young and J.P. Crawford making back-to-back outs, but was able to scamper home on J.P.‘s groundball. After a few quiet innings it looked like the Mariners were close to carrying their slim lead into the “every starter leaves the game” portion of a Spring Training game. Alas, close did not count.

Carlos Vargas replaced Criswell on the bump in the bottom of the fourth, and sadly wasted no time in getting hit all up and down the field. Brennan, Schmitt, and Matos led off the inning with a trio of singles to load up the bases and put all of the pressure on Vargas’ shoulders. That pressure may have gotten to him, as he found it impossible to find the zone and issued a free pass to Grant McCray. From a pitcher’s perspective, a no-out bases loaded walk is very close to the worst possible outcome. You’re in the same situation and you just gave them a run for free. The worst possible outcome is of course a grand slam — hey what’s this video of Jake Holton doing here?

After that back-breaker, the Giants really wanted to get another rally going. Christian Koss almost even got a hit to speed that along. But just almost, thanks to Cole Young.

Afterwards, the Giants went into full Spring Training mode and pulled half their starters from the game. The Mariners clawed back a couple of runs on a Cole Young single and a J.P. Crawford sac fly, but couldn’t keep the line moving long enough. And honestly? They didn’t even come close.

The Giants secondary squad contended with Jose A. Ferrer on the mound in the bottom of the 5th, and had no trouble extending their lead back to five runs, with the capper being a two-RBI double by Bryce Eldridge. Even though the Mariners were able to get another run back in the sixth, the game still wasn’t nearly close enough. In a close game when the offense is clicking, singles can turn into doubles and doubles can turn into homers. But when you’re down by a grand slam or more, everyone is sad. And no one plays good baseball when they’re sad.

[Speaking of sad, Jake had to end the recap here, because he is in Texas and did not realize this game would end at midnight his time. I am here to tell you things did not get better, tonight. The Mariners will try again tomorrow, in a home game back in Peoria at the normal 12 PM PT start time. -KP]

Well in the aftermath of Jurickson Profar’s suspension, the Braves are down a (presumably) productive bat, but up $18 million dollars when you include luxury tax savings. That Mike Yastrzemski signing looks even more important now and Eli White is really not a bad platoon partner for him. That said, for a team that wanted to add a quality starting pitcher but was unable to and suffered a couple brutal pitching injuries right at the beginning of Spring Training, the Profar news really is an instance of “when it rains, it pours”. The team said they had money leftover before, but they certainly have more now. It will be really tough to add impact players in March, but they’ve almost got to be at least making calls on the trade market for another bat, a starting pitcher, or both. We’ll see if the front office can pull a rabbit out of a hat and bolster a roster that still has significant talent, but has already been substantially depleted before the season has even started.

Braves News

The Braves cut Rolddy Munoz, Owen Murphy, and Garrett Baumann from major league camp, as they have begun whittling down the roster.

Brady wrote up some prospect performances of note so far in Spring, including JR Ritchie and John Gil.

The Braves crushed Columbia in a lopsided Spring contest that at least made just about everyone on the Braves’ side look good.

MLB News

Reds’ star Hunter Greene is undergoing an MRI after experiencing elbow stiffness.

The Pirates and Reds made an intra-divisional depth trade, swapping members of their 40-man rosters.

ESPN ranked their top 100 players in baseball, featuring a handful of Braves.

MLB.com | Ian Browne: George Lombard Jr.’s strong spring continued Wednesday as he took Red Sox ace Garret Crochet deep to lead off a Grapefruit League game. The Yankees’ top prospect pulled the ball 392 feet and it exited his bat at 104.2 mph. Crochet was “just trying to push it up in the zone instead of just throwing it up in the zone,” the 2025 AL Cy Young runner-up said after the game of the pitch that led to the long ball. “But that was a good swing, because it was still a good bullet by me.”

Lombard has flashed the leather at shortstop throughout camp, though he’s not expected to be in play for an Opening Day roster spot.

SNY | John Flanigan: Cam Schlittler has gotten the go-ahead to make his spring debut Friday against the Rays, easing concerns about his back. The starting pitcher was delayed earlier in camp due to back inflammation. Given his later start, it’s expected that he might only get stretched out to 65-80 pitches to start the season. Still, with fellow starters Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt expected to begin the season on the IL, the Yankees will take all the Schlittler they can get.

MLB.com | Alfred Santasiere III: In light of Schlittler’s scheduled return, what better time for a profile on the young right-hander? The sophomore touches on adjustments to big-league competition, evolving his pitch mix, and closing out the season strong. But the lion’s share of the Q&A provides a remarkably in-depth, sometimes inning-by-inning, breakdown of his instantly legendary performance in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against his hometown Red Sox.

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) After the Dodgers’ repeat title last year, their blockbuster offseason acquisitions of Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz intensified backlash from many around the game decrying the lack of parity in today’s game. Don’t count the Yankees’ biggest stars among the detractors of LA’s approach. “They’re trying to get the best product on the field and finding a way to maximize whatever they can to get the best players,” says Aaron Judge, adding (perhaps pointedly), “I wish a lot of teams found a way to do that.”

“They’re maximizing their efficiency,” ace Gerrit Cole said in typically analytical fashion. “They are getting contracts that are making them better quality. It’s within the rules.”

Giancarlo Stanton lauded the Dodgers for creating “good buzz for baseball.”

Lastly, a couple Yankees went deep in World Baseball Classic exhibition play yesterday, with Aaron Judge launching a 453-foot moonshot for Team USA off the Rockies’ Kyle Freeland …

… Paul Goldschmidt joining the Team USA slugfest by homering off John Brebbia …

… and Jazz Chisholm Jr. belting a bomb of his own for Great Britain against Padres righty Eli Villalobos:

We are on the eve of official World Baseball Classic play!

Last night, Sam Bradfield asked for predictions of who will win.

I want to build off of that tonight and ask this: Which Rockies do you think will have the best showing?

So, Purple Row Night Owls, who ya got?

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Today, the Colorado Rockies took a positive shellacking at the hands of Team USA, losing 14-4.

For more game highlights, click here.

Let’s start with comments from manager Warren Schaeffer:

Here’s starting pitcher Kyle Freeland, who is working on a new cutter:

Gabriel Hughes weighed in on his day:

Mickey Moniak weighed in on hitting a home run off Clayton Kershaw:

And here’s Team USA hitting coach Matt Holliday:

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PORT ST. LUCIE — It was mostly quiet, with not many people in the makeshift stands, for Nolan McLean’s latest outing, a minor league game on a back field behind Clover Park.

And there weren’t too many familiar faces in the opposing lineup through the right-hander’s four innings Wednesday.

But that didn’t make the start any less important for McLean, who emerged as one of the most promising Mets pitchers last season and early this spring before he was sidelined by vertigo-like symptoms that were caused by a viral infection in his inner ear.

The symptoms are now gone. After exiting the game, his focus shifted to the WBC.

He’s expected to leave to meet Team USA as soon as Thursday and is slated to pitch March 10 against Team Italy, and if the U.S. advances to the final of the tournament March 17, McLean will get the ball then, as well.

“That’s a great honor,’’ McLean said of Team USA manager Mark DeRosa naming him the potential starter for the tournament finale. “But there’s a lot of baseball to be played [and] a lot of really good teams out there. My job is to go out there, compete against Italy, do the best I can and be a good teammate for the rest of the games. Then, hope we make the finals and I get the ball.”

The Mets are no doubt relieved McLean was back on the mound Wednesday, after the 24-year-old was struck by symptoms that included dizziness and a loss of appetite for much of last week before they began to dissipate over the weekend.

During Wednesday’s outing, which lasted about 55 pitches, he showed no effects of the issues he dealt with that led to his delay in getting to the WBC.

McLean said he felt “pretty good, almost too loose, at times,’’ while on the mound.

“Which I guess is a good thing,’’ McLean added. “I felt a little erratic, but I think I was just fired up to get out there. It’s hard to explain. I like feeling a little tightness and soreness — I don’t know what you want to call it — when I’m out there.”

Carlos Mendoza noted McLean’s velocity was up, which was another positive sign.

The results were promising and now McLean appears set to take the next step in his development as a top-tier pitcher, joining a pitching staff that includes not just Mets teammate Clay Holmes, but aces like Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes and Logan Webb.

“I’m excited to pick their brains,’’ McLean said. “We’ve got a bunch of Cy Youngs in that building. I’m excited to learn from them and see how they do everything and watch from afar.”

He’ll first have to make sure he bounces back fine Thursday and meet with the training staff, but McLean was encouraged.

“I had no symptoms out there throwing, which I think was the ultimate test,’’ McLean said.

If all goes according to plan, his teammates in Port St. Lucie will be paying attention to how McLean pitches on the big stage, and prospect Carson Benge has little doubt he’ll succeed.

“I feel like he just goes out there and has fun,” said Benge, who played with McLean at Oklahoma State. “He doesn’t care who’s out there or who he’s going up against. That’s all you can do.”

While there have been other prospect rankings, from the likes of Fangraphs and 1500 Prospects, the list put out by MLB Pipeline is always seen as one of the most highly-regarded. Well, they just dropped the Diamondbacks list for the start of 2026. 30 prospects are ranked there, and here’s what they have, along with their position and age:

1. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, 23
2. Kayson Cunningham, SS, 19
3. Slade Caldwell, OF, 19
4. Tommy Troy, 2B/OF, 24
5. Demetrio Crisantes, 2B/3B, 21
6. JD Dix, 2B, 20
7. Daniel Eagen, RHP, 23
8. David Hagaman, RHP, 22
9. Patrick Forbes, RHP, 21
10. LuJames Groover, 3B, 23
11. Cristian Mena, RHP, 23
12. Kohl Drake, LHP, 25
13. Jansel Luis, INF, 20
14. Mitch Bratt, LHP, 22
15. Cristofer Torin, SS/2B, 20
16. Druw Jones, OF, 22
17. Carlos Virahonda, C, 20
18. Ashton Izzi, RHP, 22
19. Dean Livingston, RHP, 19
20. Brandyn Garcia, LHP, 25
21. Yassel Soler, 3B, 20
22. Brian Curley, RHP, 22
23. Yilber Díaz, RHP, 25
24. Wellington Aracena, RHP, 21
25. Daury Vasquez, RHP, 19
26. Ivan Luciano, C, 19
27. Jose Fernandez, SS, 22
28. Mason Marriott, RHP, 23
29. Avery Owusu-Asiedu, OF, 22
30. Gavin Conticello, OF, 22

No great surprise at the top, where Ryan Waldschmidt (top) retains the #1 position he had last year. He was also named at the head of the Fangraphs and Prospects 1500 lists. Behind him, Kayson Cunnigham moves up one place from the final ranking of 2025, and is preferred here to the other two systems, which both ranked him lower (Fangraphs at #7, P1500 at #4). The biggest jump is by pitcher David Hagaman, who came over from Texas in the Merrill Kelly trade, and moves up from #15 to #8, entering the top ten for the first time. Catcher Carlos Virahonda also improved by seven spots, and is at #17. Though Yilber Diaz is ranked for the first time, coming in at #23.

In the other direction, Yu-Min Lin is likely the biggest bad news candidate. He was ranked 20th, but is no longer listed. Fellow pitchers Yordin Chalas (#21 last time) and Hunter Cranton (#29) have also dropped out, with Jose Fernandez and Mason Marriott joining Diaz in entering the top thirty. Fernandez, in particular, has seen his stock rise rapidly, first being added to the D-backs’ 40-man roster, and then making a strong impression in spring training. He has a .934 OPS across eight games so far.

Overall, it’s clear that there’s still work to do by Mike Hazen, in terms of improving the pitching situation on the farm. While the arrival of Hagaman, Kohl Drake (#12) and Mitch Bratt (#14) from Texas was certainly helpful (that trade, for two months of Merrill, could turn out to be a real steal for the D-backs), there isn’t much in the way of top-tier talent. It’s equally obvious what Hazen is attempting to do lately. Eight of the top thirty came to Arizona in trades, going back to Cristian Mena in 2023. Of those, only one – outfielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu – is a position player, and he’s only just on the list, coming in at #29.

I can certainly see several names graduating from the list this year, as they come onto the major-league roster. Waldschmidt is the obvious top candidate, but we could potentially also see Tommy Troy, Drake, Bratt, Diaz and Fernandez lose their rookie status in 2026. That’s why any team needs to work on having a constant stream – a pipeline, one might say – of prospects coming through the system. What do you reckon about the D-backs farm system? Where does it stand, and which prospects are you particularly excited about following this season? Tell us in the comments!

Game No. 1: Chinese Taipei (中華臺北) at Australia (ɐı̣ןɐɹʇsnⱯ)

Venue: Tokyo Dome — Tokyo, Japan

The first game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic includes one of the last tournament’s hosts. Chinese Taipei finished the group stage with a record of 2-2, as did everyone else in 2023’s Pool A. However, they failed to qualify for the knockout quarterfinals with a -5 run differential. They’ll be the away team against Australia, who went 3-1 in the group stage only to be knocked out by Cuba in the first round of the knockout stage in 2023.

Rockies fans may recognize left-handed pitcher Jack Te Haki O’Loughlin—who spent time with the organization last year—on the Australia roster. He is joined by former Rockies farmhand and catcher Robbie Perkins, young Cleveland Guardians star Travis Bazzana, and 2023 tournament standout Robbie Glendinning on the team.

For Chinese Taipei, viewers may recognize journeyman MLB outfielder Stuart Fairchild. Fairchild spent the 2025 season with the Atlanta Braves and is currently on a minor league deal with the Cleveland Guardians. I personally suggest keeping an eye on outfielder Chen Chieh-hsien. Chen is a six-time All-Star in the CPBL with four Gold Glove Awards and has been playing for the Uni-President Lions since 2016.

First Pitch: 8:00 PM MDT

TV: FS1

Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM

Lineups:

RHP Jo-hsi Hsu vs LHP Alex Wells

Game No. 2: Czechia (Česká) at Korea (대한민국)

Venue: Tokyo Dome — Tokyo, Japan

The darlings of the 2023 tournament take on a former powerhouse looking to make a comeback in the second game of the day.

Czechia was eliminated in pool play back in 2023 with a 1-3 record, but captured the hearts of viewers with their story. A team of electricians, doctors, engineers, and school teachers from a country hardly considered to be baseball-focused, Czechia played David versus Goliath games against the likes of Japan and finished with a record just good enough to automatically qualify for this year’s Classic.

Although retired from baseball, 2023 team captain Petr Zýma is Czechia’s bench coach with catcher Martin Mužík taking over as the new captain. Electrician and right-handed pitcher Ondřej Satoria—who made a name for himself by striking out Shoehi Ohtani on three pitches in 2023—has also returned to the team. Rockies fans might recognize infielder Terrin Vavra, whom the Rockies selected in the third round of the 2018 draft. Vavra is the only player for Czechia with big league experience.

Korea was knocked out in pool play after finishing 2-2, and is now back with a roster absolutely packed with talent. MLB players Shay Whitcomb, Jahmai Jones, Woo-suk Go, and Dane Dunning all have roles to play, while highly decorated former MLB pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu, Giants outfielder and “Grandson of the Wind” Jung-hoo Lee and electric young Dodgers infielder Hyeseong Kim bring star-power to the lineup.

First Pitch: 3:00 AM MDT (March 5th, 2026)

TV: FS1

Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM

Lineups:

RHP Daniel Padyšák vs RHP Hyeong-jun So

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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.)

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Isiah Kiner-Falefa was a part-time SS (shortstop) by the end of his time with the Yankees, but always a full-time SS (straight shooter).

So the more Aaron Boone thought about Kiner-Falefa’s comments earlier this spring — that the Blue Jays preferred to face the Yankees in the ALDS over the Red Sox because they thought it was a better matchup — the more he realized he probably shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Because IKF is very honest and real,” Boone said Wednesday. “And I don’t think he meant any slap at us. I frankly didn’t take it that way.”

Kiner-Falefa, the Blue Jay-turned-Red Sox player, confirmed that he did not, in fact, mean it as a jab at his former club, even if it may have quickly endeared him to his new fan base. But he was asked a question in his introductory news conference here last month and did what he always does.

“I just gave the honest answer,” Kiner-Falefa said before the Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-0 at JetBlue Park. “It is what it is. I love the guys over there. I have nothing bad to say about anybody over there. It was just a matchup thing. [Garrett] Crochet’s an unbelievable pitcher and we did not want to face Crochet after he went eight innings against us [in late September].”

Kiner-Falefa did not join the Blue Jays until September, so he was not around to see them bludgeon the Yankees during a pair of series at Rogers Centre over the summer. But he had heard about their success against them during the season (8-5) and also knew that if the Red Sox had beaten the Yankees in the AL wild-card series, that would have meant having to face Crochet, the AL Cy Young runner-up.

“I was just hearing what everybody else was telling me,” said Kiner-Falefa, who signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Red Sox to serve as a utility player. “Obviously you know you have all the [Yankees] big bombers and [Aaron] Judge and all those guys. I’ve seen how good these guys are. It’s like, ‘Are you guys sure?’

“I didn’t mean to ruffle the feathers,” he added. “I forgot how it is back in a big market.”

The comment spread like wildfire, even if it had sound reasoning behind it. The Blue Jays had the Yankees’ number for most of the year and that carried over into the postseason, when they scored 34 runs in 34 innings against them, winning the ALDS in four games. Kiner-Falefa called the Blue Jays an “offensive juggernaut,” a lineup that was contact-oriented but had power, too, and was full of players who knew their role.

Aside from losing Bo Bichette, the Blue Jays are essentially returning the same lineup this season, meaning it remains a problem the Yankees will have to figure out — one of many challenges standing in their way in the AL East, which Boone perennially describes as the toughest in baseball.

“It doesn’t feel like everything has to go right for these teams to be good,” Boone said. 

That includes the Red Sox, the spring version of which the Yankees got their first look at on Wednesday. Crochet, too, remains a problem, but Boone also said their offense could be better than they are getting credit for.

“I know Alex Bregman leaving them is a big loss or whatever, but it doesn’t feel like people are talking about [Willson] Contreras enough, from a production standpoint and how consistent he’s been throughout his career,” Boone said. “So it’s going to be a team that puts the ball in play, they’ve got athleticism, they’ve got some complementary parts. I think they’re going to be good offensively.”

Alex Cora, not surprisingly, was also complimentary of the Yankees – pointing to their pitching and getting “one of the best, if not the best pitcher in the big leagues” back in Gerrit Cole — even if much of their fan base was not satisfied with their winter.

“I got a lot of friends that are Yankee fans and some of them are happy, some of them are upset,” Cora said. “But at the end of the day, one of the things they always do is they’re in the dance, and that’s what you try to do. Just get in the dance and then see what happens.”

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.

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.

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.

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?

Wilmer Flores is looking for a job. 

The ex-Mets fan favorite told The San Francisco Chronicle that he’s received minor league offers but is holding out hope on receiving a big league deal with Opening Day just weeks away. 

“I’m not done playing,” Flores said. “I’m just waiting.”

Flores, 34, said he was in Florida working out as he awaits a phone call from a club in need of a right-handed bat. 

“I’m healthy, I feel good and I’m staying ready,” Flores said, per the outlet. “I believe I can help a team. I wouldn’t be doing this if I thought I would embarrass myself.”

Flores has spent 13 years in the majors, including the first six of his career with the Mets. 

He’s spent the last six seasons in San Francisco, hitting .249/.321/.426 with 92 home runs during his tenure as a Giant. 

In 2025, Flores hit 16 long balls and drove in 71 runs in 463 plate appearances. 

Injuries and age have turned Flores, who has bounced around all four infield positions throughout his career, into largely a platoon bat off the bench and fill-in designated hitter, limiting his appeal on the free agent market. 

Flores is best known to Mets fans for his touching moment near the trade deadline in 2015, when the then-23-year-old teared up on the field after reports surfaced that he had been dealt to the Brewers with Zack Wheeler in exchange for Carlos Gomez.

That deal would fall apart, and two days later, Flores hit a walk-off home run, setting off a seven-game winning streak and turning the Mets’ National League pennant-winning season around. 

Despite Flores expressing his desire “to be a Met forever,” he was non-tendered by the team after the 2018 season before joining the Diamondbacks later that offseason.