Category: Baseball

Bo Naylor and Tugboat Wilkinson shone for the Canadian World Baseball Classic team in a losing effort, and Bazaana returned to the Guardians in Cactus League play.

The Canadians lost to the USA 5-3, but Bo Naylor went 2-for-4 with this two-run homer:

Bo Canada, that’s an excellent nickname. Can I write a baseball-themed parody of O Canada or is that considered sacreligious?

Meanwhile, Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson made some pretty great hitters look silly in two scoreless innings, with two walks and two strikeouts.

I suspect we will see Tugboat in the bigs for someone someday… perhaps as a reliever. The Dominican Republic destroyed Korea and will face the USA team next. Puerto Rico plays Italy at 3PM ET today, and Venezuela plays Japan at 9PM ET.

The Guardians lost a Cactus League game yesterday with Nolan Jones, Stuart Fairchild and Dayan Frias hitting doubles. Joey Cantillo struck out six in four and two-thirds but surrendered a homer and gave up three runs. Colin Holderman and Peyton Pallette both had clean innings, but Koby Allard did not. Travis Bazzana returned but went 0 for 2 with a strikeout.

Make sure to check out our fellow CtC user jeffguards82’s interview with Travis Hafner, here. Jeff did nice work. The Guardians play the Padres at 4:10PM ET today. Daniel Schneemann was a late scratch yesterday with a sprained ankle, but it’s not expected to be a very lengthy time away, as it’s apparently not a serious sprain.

A three-time World Series champion, Dodgers utilityman Kiké Hernández has had his fair share of clutch hits, home runs and game-saving, series-defining moments that will forever be etched in baseball lore.

Earlier this month, however, he witnessed something new.

On March 7, hours after Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies hit the first walk-off home run in World Baseball Classic history to power Team Netherlands past Nicaragua in Miami, Athletics prospect Darell Hernaiz delivered a game-winning blast of his own to lift Team Puerto Rico over Panama in extra innings in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Hernández stormed out of the dugout at Hiram Bithorn Stadium alongside his teammates to greet Hernaiz at home plate and celebrate the monumental moon shot.

Read more:Blake Snell throws first bullpen session of spring training, taking key step forward

“There had never been a walk-off homer in the history of the WBC, and we [got] to see two in the same day, which was pretty cool,” Hernández said at his clubhouse stall at Camelback Ranch. “For me personally, I was running to home plate, conscious that I wasn’t necessarily part of the team so I couldn’t run laps around home plate, like I did on Freddie [Freeman’s] walk-off homers [in the World Series], but it’s still up there as one of those really cool moments that I’ll always remember.”

Unable to participate in this year’s WBC as he recovers from offseason left elbow surgery, Hernández left Dodgers camp to spend the first leg of the tournament with Team Puerto Rico.

“I got to experience it in a different way this year,” said Hernández, who has played twice in the WBC. “I was just kind of there as a fan, almost in like a coaching role. I get a lot more nervous when I’m not playing, because I really don’t have any power over it. I don’t have any control over what’s going on, so it was pretty nerve-wracking.”

He added: “Obviously, seeing that stadium packed out was pretty special. And of course, I’m still bummed that I don’t get to be a part of it, but I still support my people, and I’m still hoping they can win.”

During a Team Puerto Rico news conference last week, Hernández told reporters in Spanish that the WBC rates above the World Series. Hernández, who's played in five World Series, elaborated on his statement.

“I said it feels bigger,” Hernández said. “I didn’t say it’s bigger. Atmosphere, crowd, you’re representing your country. You’re not representing a city. You don’t always choose who you play for. Sometimes that’s out of your control and you know, when you’re representing your country, you’re playing along with your homies. Sometimes you’re playing along with people that you grew up with. Your people back home are rooting for you, at times.

"You’re playing in the United States, you’re playing for different teams, and sometimes they’re rooting against you. And for us, coming from our little island, the things that we can do for our island while the tournament is going on, it becomes a lot bigger than baseball, to where, it does not always feel that way when you’re playing for an organization in Major League Baseball.”

Hernández will be in Houston for Puerto Rico’s quarterfinal game against Italy on Saturday, and he said he doesn’t know if he would go to Miami if Puerto Rico reached the semifinals.

"I haven't had the conversation yet with Andrew," Hernández said, referring to Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. "I only asked permission to go to Houston. We win in Houston, he might get another text message if I can go along for the ride, but haven't decided yet."

Read more:Dodgers prospect James Tibbs III attempts to show staying power after multiple trades

As for his rehab from surgery, Hernández said he's progressing rapidly and hopes to return in late May, when his 60-day IL stint expires.

“I’m not surprised that it’s going well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “End of May, beginning of June is probably a safe bet. Something like that.”

Kyle Tucker hits first home run in Cactus League play

Dodgers left fielder Kyle Tucker hit his first home run of spring training to lead off the sixth inning of Friday's 10-7 win over the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, Ariz. Tucker also walked twice and scored twice as the Dodgers also got homers from Teoscar Hernández and James Tibbs III, his third of the spring.

"Man, it's just fun to watch him compete in the batter's box," Roberts said of Tucker.

Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol continue build-up

Injured relief pitchers Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol are progressing in their respective rehabs, Roberts said before Friday's game. Phillips is recovering from Tommy John surgery, while Graterol is working his way back from right shoulder surgery. Graterol hasn’t pitched in a game since the 2024 World Series.

“It’s going,” Roberts said. “I think [Phillips had] a pen today. It’s a short ten to fifteen-pitch pen, but it’s good effort, and he’s trending in the right direction. I think that with Evan, with some other guys that are continuing to build up, Graterol is another one, just continuing to build up, so they’re in their progression, but they’re still a ways away.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Good morning everyone, just for the weekend, we’ll be returning to our traditional Today on PSA open thread format. It’s sure to be a busy weekend, with the World Baseball Classic in its knockout rounds, and spring training starting to head towards its end. It’s a funny piece of dissonance, switching from watching high-stakes, high-level games in a major international tournament to monitoring low-key preseason matchups. It’s like watching two storylines at once, with one at the climax and the other still working through the opening exposition. That twin experience will continue today, with a pair of big quarterfinal matchups in the WBC, as well as some spring training action, which in Yankees camp features Max Fried making a tuneup start.

This morning on the site, Kento will recap last night’s WBC action, which featured one fairly tense match and one romp. Peter will write up an interesting entry in our Yankees Birthday series on Butch Wynegar, and Andres will continue our MLB Preview series with a rundown on the Tigers, before Josh provides the coverage of today’s game, which will see Fried take on the Phillies.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Time: 1:05 p.m. EST

Video: Gotham Sports App, NBCSP+

Venue: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL

Questions/Prompts:

1. Who do you favor in today’s WBC matchups, between Italy and Puerto Rico, and Japan and Venezuela?

2. Do you want to see Gerrit Cole make an appearance in Grapefruit League play, or would you rather see him be more conservative and wait for a rehab stint before making appearances in games?

LAKELAND, FL – The Detroit Tigers lost, 7-5, to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, March 13, at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in spring training.

Detroit is 4-11 with four ties in Grapefruit League play.

What happened

The Tigers matched up against right-hander Mike Clevinger.

Once a mainstay in the Cleveland Guardians' rotation in the late 2010s, over the past couple of seasons, Clevinger has failed to stick in the big leagues – resulting in a minor-league contract with the Pirates in 2026.

Facing the Tigers, Clevinger allowed four walks and registered five strikeouts, but he surrendered just one hit across 4⅓ innings.

The only hit off Clevinger came from Wenceel Pérez on an infield single with one out in the fifth inning. After that, both Colt Keith and Jace Jung walked to load the bases.

TWO WEEKS MATTER: Parker Meadows must show two things to make Tigers' Opening Day roster

The Pirates replaced Clevinger with right-handed reliever Joshua Loeschorn.

Parker Meadows took advantage of the pitching change by shooting a middle-middle cutter into center field for a two-run single with two outs in the fifth inning, trimming the Tigers' deficit to 6-2.

It was a much-needed hit for Meadows.

Starting off

Right-hander Casey Mize made his fourth appearance this spring.

The 28-year-old allowed six runs on six hits and four walks with two strikeouts across three-plus innings, throwing 67 pitches. The Tigers used the spring training re-entry rule to remove him with two outs in the second inning, then send him back to the mound for the third.

Mize is still trying to lock in his mechanics.

"My mechanics are off. Something is out of whack," Mize said. "I look forward to chatting with Robin [Lund] and Fett [Chris Fetter] to figure out what's going on. I just feel like my timing is still off. I've got to figure that out."

EYES ON MIZE: Casey Mize ready for contract year with Tigers: 'I'm certainly aware'

Of his four walks, all of them occurred in the first two innings, including three walks in a stretch of five batters in the second inning. He walked both Alika Williams and Jake Mangum on eight total pitches.

The walk from Mangum happened with the bases loaded for a 1-0 Pirates lead.

In the third inning, Jhostynxon Garcia blasted Mize's middle-middle slider for a two-run home run to left field, producing a 108.5 mph exit velocity. In the fourth, Mize allowed back-to-back singles to Mangum and Tyler Callihan with one out, leading to his removal from a concerning start.

"It's important that I feel good going into Arizona [against the Diamondbacks]," Mize said, referencing the second series of the regular season, with two more spring starts before then. "But I'm not going to freak out, either. It's spring training, and I'm working through some things."

At the plate

The Tigers added three runs in the seventh inning.

But it was too little, too late.

In the seventh, Woody Hadeen (single), Seth Stephenson (walk) and Jack Penney (walk) loaded the bases with two outs. From there, the Tigers took advantage of defensive mistakes from the Pirates, scoring one run on a wild pitch and two runs on a fielding error.

The Pirates, though, retired the final seven batters.

First baseman Spencer Torkelson went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, dropping his batting average to .160 in 10 games; left fielder Riley Greene went 0-for-3, lowering his to .208 in 10 games; and top prospect Kevin McGonigle went 0-for-2 with one walk, bringing his average to .280 in 13 games.

On the mound

Right-handed reliever Brenan Hanifee replaced Mize with runners on the corners and one out in the fourth inning.

Hanifee struck out Konnor Griffin – MLB's No. 1 prospect – on four pitches, with Griffin swinging through three consecutive middle-middle sinkers for the second out of the inning. He had a chance to escape the jam, only to fumble a dribbler from Joey Bart for a run-scoring infield single, making it 5-0 Pirates.

Even worse, the mistake meant Hanifee had to face left-handed hitter Endy Rodríguez.

Here's why that matters: In 2025, right-handed hitters (such as Griffin and Bart) hit .220 off Hanifee with a .549 OPS, while left-handed hitters (such as Rodríguez) hit .373 with a .995 OPS.

ROSTER MOVES: Tigers cut three pitchers from spring camp, including arm with big upside

Rodríguez took advantage of the opportunity, dropping Hanifee's changeup into right field for an RBI single and extending the Pirates' lead to 6-0. On the play, Bart was thrown out at home plate on a relay started by right fielder Kerry Carpenter, with catcher Jake Rogers applying the tag.

After Hanifee, right-handed reliever Beau Brieske completed a scoreless fifth inning and left-handed reliever Tyler Holton tossed a scoreless sixth inning. The duo combined to retire six of seven batters, with Brieske issuing a two-out walk in the fifth.

Both runs with Hanifee on the mound were charged to Mize.

Three stars

1. Meadows, 2. Holton, 3. Brieske.

Next up

Saturday (1:07 p.m., Detroit SportsNet/MLB Network) vs. Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Casey Mize 'not going to freak out' after latest game

Record: 9-12. Change on 2025: -1.5. 5-inning Record: 5-14-2.

The D-Backs responded to an ugly loss against the Rockies yesterday with some surprising power during an uneven – but victorious – performance in Surprise. Merrill Kelly made his Spring Training debut and looked all right. He threw 36 pitches with a slight emphasis on his fastball (36%) compared to his usual usage from last season (23%) with a mix of his offspeed stuff as well. Unsurprisingly, the velocity was a little down as he continues to ramp up from the back soreness that has been plaguing him since reporting to camp last month. There were definitely positives to take away from the outing including three whiffs on his changeup which was an absolute weapon last year with a 34% whiff rate that were balanced out by some negatives – like giving up six hits to a less-than-stellar lineup. After a scoreless first inning that included a single and error from Tommy Troy, Kelly returned for the second and got smacked around including a grand rule double and triple from Jonathan India and John Rave. He would exit the game after allowing two runs in 1.2 innings, but the bigger question will be how his back holds up over the coming days.

At the dish, Jorge Barrosa was the unquestioned sparkplug for the D-Backs, collecting a pair of walks and a hit out of the leadoff spot, but there were plenty of offensive highlights up and down the lineup. Jansel Luis hit his first homer of Spring Training as the 21-year old looks to start adding some pop to his average-ish batting skills while AJ Vukovich continues his offensive barrage this spring with his third roundtripper in the first two weeks. It was also nice to see some continued offensive contributions from Ben McLaughlin – a ninth-rounder back in 2024 who moved across three minor league levels last year while slashing .282/.396/.446 in 101 games. Those kinds of numbers will quickly turn some heads and he’s shown little signs of slowing down so far this spring as he owns a .375/.545/.438 slash line while walking as much as he strikes out.

Hopefully the D-Backs can continue the positive momentum as they take on the Giants tomorrow with Opening Day starter Zac Gallen on the bump opposite Adrian Houser.

In the preview, I noted that Kade Anderson would face a real test with the top third of the Dodgers lineup tonight, and his results were like my typical attempts to pick up women: 0 for 3. Miguel Rojas led off with a double off the 410 marker on the centerfield wall. Anderson then tried to avoid the middle of the zone against Kyle Tucker, but ended up avoiding the zone entirely, with a five-pitch walk. Teoscar Hernandez put the cap on it by going yard to right field. Anderson picked up the next three outs, but, even then, he was consistently missing arm-side. His velo’s up a bit from his first outing, but this was the first time he looked simply overmatched.

He settled down a bit in the second, punching out Nick Senzel on a Bugs Bunny changeup and Eliezer Alfonso on a fastball. Anderson’s third inning was shaping up to be another rough one when he walked Tucker again, but Brandon Donovan cleaned it up with a very quick-handed double play, and Anderson completed his day with his third strikeout, this time on a 94-mph fastball. While he looked less impressive than his first couple outings, I still came away pleased, as he never seemed to lose his composure even as things were going off the rails in the first. A guy in his third pro game got beat by some of the Dodgers’ everyday players; that’s hardly cause for concern.

The bottom of the Mariners’ lineup tried to back him up a bit with a rally in the second where back-to-back doubles from Rhylan Thomas and my boy Brock Rodden tied the game up at three. But that was just about all the bats did all night other than when they drew three free passes off Blake Treinen in the fifth, but they couldn’t cash any of those runs in.

The middle of the Mariners bullpen was the most impressive contingent tonight, with Carlos Vargas and Jose Ferrer recording six outs on 33 pitches with five pieces of weak contact and a strikeout. The strikeout was the separator between them that secures Ferrer tonight’s Sun Hat Award for making a notable individual contribution to the game. The pair’s competence was a welcome reprieve from Gabe Speier surrendering a home run to Bo Naylor in the WBC. You’ll forgive me for being too distraught to follow the rest of the Mariners game closely.

It wasn’t as if I was missing much. The sixth inning saw a bizarre face-off between Kyle Tucker and Robinson Ortiz (who I always think of as “Robinson Ortiz, Caribbean fusion,” a phrase that lives in my head rent-free). We got an ABS challenge that overturned a call, followed by a pitch-clock violation, followed by a monster home run. Our beautiful game.

Robinson Ortiz, Caribbean fusion couldn’t find the zone after that and got pulled before recording an out. Tyler Cleveland came in to relieve him, so we got to hear another team’s broadcast booth marvel at his funky delivery. Despite walking his first batter, Cleveland looked pretty good, right up to the point that he gave up a three-run home run. Although that ball was barely fair and barely over the wall, it brought the score to 9-3, and a couple batters later, the second base umpire had to call a runner out when he was safe just to make it all stop.

They played three more innings because the rules mandate they must. But as a special reward for those who stayed all the way to the end, Colt Emerson hit a three-run home run when the game was one strike away from being over.

The Dodgers poured it on with a six-run sixth against the Mariners in a 10-7 Cactus League win in Peoria Friday night. Yency Almonte nearly blew the victory with a three-run ninth, but the cushion the Dodgers created early kept them ahead.

The warm night in Arizona helped three home run balls fly high for the Dodgers. Teoscar Hernandez homered in back-to-back nights for the Dodgers. Kyle Tucker hit his first home run in Dodger Blue. James Tibbs III also hit a three-run shot for his third spring homer.

Miguel Rojas didn’t waste any time with a booming leadoff double to deep center field. Rojas took advantage of some lazy defense by Seattle and swiped third base. Tucker drew a walk, and Hernandez flexed his power with a three-run shot before the first out of the game was recorded.

Knack pitched a solid inning in the first, but the Mariners made him work in the second.

The former 2020 second-round pick is vying for a spot in the rotation for the Dodgers. He’s only entering his second big-league season as a 28-year old. Knack pitched consecutively this spring training while Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are away with Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

The early-season injury to Blake Snell and Gavin Stone’s shoulder issues give Knack the opportunity. While Knack and Blake Treinen both struggled in a spring loss to the Rockies last week, Knack made more promising contact in his last outing.

Rhylan Thomas attacked a changeup from Knack to make it a 3-2 game in the bottom of the third with a two-run double. Brock Rodden got a hold of a fastball to tie the game with a RBI double.

Knack struck out four batters in two innings of work, but he also allowed three runs on three hits with a walk.

The aforementioned Treinen came in to pitch in the fifth inning with the 3-3 tie still intact. He didn’t instill much confidence by walking the first two batters he faced. It took 30 pitches in the inning, but Treinen pitched around three walks to escape with the game still tied.

Tucker broke the tie in the top of the sixth with his first home run of the spring with the Dodgers. The tie-breaker was a solo shot off reliever Robinson Ortiz.

The Dodgers collected their fifth and sixth run thanks to a Santiago Espinal infield single and Nick Senzel force out that brought home Michael Siani. The Dodgers kept pouring it on in the sixth. Tibbs III picked up his third home run this spring to make it 9-3.

Ben Casparius walked two batters in the seventh before he was replaced by Matt Lanzendorfer for his Cactus League debut. The left-hander, drafted out of the University of Virginia, walked two and allowed a run. He also picked up his first strikeout in Dodger Blue.

 Yency Almonte swept back right into our lives when he returned to the mound for the Dodgers in the ninth inning. This would be his second stint with the team as he fights for a roster spot.

Down to their last strike, Colt Emerson hit a three-run shot for the Mariners. Almonte looked terrible, but he had enough cushion and was able to close up shop and secure the spring win. The Dodgers are now 14-6 in Cactus League play.

Up next

The Dodgers and White Sox, roomies, battle each other for the final time this spring at Camelback Ranch at 1:05 p.m. PT on SportsNet LA. Justin Wrobleski starts for the Dodgers and Mike Vasil for Chicago.

It’s been speculated that Albert Pujols could manage in the MLB — but some people in the game believe he should already have a gig in the big leagues.

Pujols, who is the Dominican Republic’s skipper in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, was in the mix for multiple MLB managing jobs this offseason, but they ultimately fell through.

Given Pujols’ stellar playing career, questions have arisen if he could translate that greatness to the managerial level.

Longtime skipper Dusty Baker said he thinks that the transition would be easy for the 11-time All-Star.

“It shouldn’t be someday. He should be managing right now,” Baker, who managed Nicaragua in the WBC, told The Athletic this week. “There are a lot of guys that are managing that don’t have the experience on the field of Albert Pujols. I didn’t have much experience either. I coached for a while, and then I had experience in the fall league.

“There are a lot of guys in the game that don’t have the experience that Albert Pujols has, that don’t have the knowledge that Albert Pujols has or don’t have the respect from the players.”

Juan Soto, who is playing under Pujols during this year’s tournament, told reporters that the former first baseman is a pleasure to have in the clubhouse, saying that he “understands how we feel.”

“It’s truly incredible having a legend like Albert in the clubhouse, leading every single one of us as our manager,” Juan Soto told reporters in Spanish, according to ESPN. “He’s been in our shoes and truly understands how we feel, how the pieces move on the field, every swing we take, every decision we make.

“He’s right there with us through it all, and that makes it something truly special and beautiful.”

During the offseason, Pujols was in talks about managerial openings with the Angels — whom he spent 10 seasons playing for — along with the Padres and Orioles.

Each team went in a different direction, however, and Pujols admits that he still doesn’t “know everything” when it comes to managing a club.

“I had managers such as Tony La Russa, Dave Roberts, Joe Maddon, Oli Marmol, Hall of Famers,” Pujols said, according to The Athletic. “You learn a lot from them. … This is something that I have been developing, and I have the chance to go to the stadium and learn something new every day.

“I don’t think that, just because I have been here for 23 years, I know everything. Every time I come to the stadium, I have this open mindset to learn, and I will learn with every play and go back to the hotel thinking, ‘Well, I could have done this a different way.’”

Observations from Mets spring training on Friday:

Steady Benge

Carson Benge went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the Mets’ split squad 8-3 victory over the Nationals in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Benge, who is attempting to win the starting right field job, owns an .858 OPS this spring.

Hudson plunge

Lefty reliever Bryan Hudson allowed two earned runs, two hits and one walk against the Nationals over two-thirds of an inning.

Hudson is competing for a bullpen spot.

Caught my eye

Clay Holmes induced eight groundouts over five innings in his relief appearance against the Marlins in Port St. Lucie.

Saturday’s schedule

Freddy Peralta is scheduled to face the Astros in West Palm Beach.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: Having missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Gerrit Cole is on the comeback trail. The Athletic got a chance to shadow him as he worked out as part of his ongoing rehab, getting a look into the mad man — I say with affection — that is Gerrit Cole.

FanGraphs | Eric Longenhagen and Brendan Gawlowski: Spring training is always a time not only for players to get ready for their upcoming season, but also for us as fans to get a glimpse of the future. Here’s another look at some of that future with another set of Yankees’ prospect rankings, this time from FanGraphs.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: With their tall frames and nasty repertoires, Yankees’ prospect Carlos Lagrange gets a decent amount of comparisons to former Yankees’ relief ace Dellin Betances. However, Betances himself thinks Lagrange could be even better, and that he could do something that Betances couldn’t quite: stick as a major league starter.

ESPN | Jeff Passan: We’re entering the final weeks of spring training, which means plenty of people are starting to look ahead to the start to the action that counts. Here is a preview of 2026 for all 30 MLB teams from Jeff Passan, featuring some possible breakout stars, including one for the Yankees mentioned right above.

PORT ST. LUCIE — A.J. Minter departed the mound at Nationals Park last April 26 knowing something was wrong, but also fairly certain he hadn’t injured himself too badly.

Even after the adrenaline subsided in the clubhouse and the initial burst of pain kicked in, the Mets reliever was thinking in terms of when he might be returning to the mound.

“I didn’t think it was going to be a season-ending injury,” Minter said this week.

Minter had completely torn a lat muscle from the bone and needed surgery.

His season was finished after only 13 appearances with his new team following his arrival on a two-year contract worth $22 million.

And so, for a second straight spring training the veteran lefty is rehabbing.

Last year it was the labrum in his hip, following surgery in 2024 with the Braves.

Minter, 32, has also undergone Tommy John and thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in his career.

“But this by far has been the easiest rehab process,” Minter said. “I’ve had it all, but this has been about getting the shoulder strong again.”

Minter threw a third live batting practice session this spring Friday.

He’s hopeful of maybe pitching in a Grapefruit League game before the Mets break camp, but regardless won’t pitch for the team for at least the season’s first month.

It’s a potential May addition to which manager Carlos Mendoza can look forward after the team struggled to compensate for Minter’s absence last season.

Brooks Raley, who returned at midseason following Tommy John surgery rehab, bolstered the lefty relief in the second half, but for two months the Mets shuffled a group that included Genesis Cabrera, Jose Castillo and Richard Lovelady before acquiring Gregory Soto from Baltimore before the trade deadline. Soto pitched to underwhelming results and wasn’t re-signed.

“Some of the guys that were there did their part, but [Minter’s absence] was a big blow for us,” Mendoza said. “We felt it while Minter was down.”

The Mets fell one victory short of the playoffs, a fact that torments Minter, who wonders if he could have provided a needed boost.

“I felt like I let the team down,” Minter said. “I knew they were counting on me, and it was definitely hard to watch them. I stayed in New York all year and just wanted to be around the guys, new team, new organization, just continue to build that bond with everyone. I felt it was my job to come in and help this team win, so when you can’t do that it’s frustrating.

“But I worked super hard this offseason and my goal is to come in here and continue to do the same. I can’t help the team if I am hurt, so the first job is just to feel healthy and stay healthy.”

Minter said his fastball is topping out in the 92-93 mph range, slightly below where he wants it.

But he also recognizes where he is in the calendar compared to his teammates.

“Of course, I want to throw harder than that, but I would say I’m a month behind everyone,” Minter said. “If you told me I was throwing 92-93, showing up to spring training … I’m competitive, I want the velocity, but I think we’re in a good spot.”

Raley has returned to give the Mets one dependable lefty reliever.

Beyond that it’s unclear if the team will carry a secondary option to begin the season.

The primary candidate for that spot is Bryan Hudson, who was acquired in a trade with the White Sox for cash considerations just before the start of camp.

“I wouldn’t put it as we’re looking for a second lefty,” Mendoza said, noting that both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver have strong crossover numbers. “I think it’s whatever we feel is going to be best by the time we break camp here.”

Mark DeRosa, at least for now, is off the hook.

An elimination that would have been humiliating has been avoided. If Team USA did not play like a juggernaut, it at least played well enough to advance without any external help this time. 

All the Americans needed to get back on track was a matchup with a nation that shares a land border and has recently doubled as a punching bag. 

The United States — a country that boasts 29 major league clubs — faced off against Canada — a country that has one — and survived a scare from its northern neighbors, 5-3, in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals Friday night in Houston. 

“The crowd really got into it. … It was absolutely electric,” Yankees reliever David Bednar told Fox Sports after escaping a seventh-inning jam, the back of the USA bullpen proving to be the difference. 

It’s a clean sweep for the U.S., whose men’s and women’s hockey teams beat Canada in the gold medal games at the Winter Olympics last month. The Los Angeles Dodgers, too, triumphed over the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series last year. In the WBC, the Americans have won five straight times against the Canadians, including a 12-1 beatdown in 2023. 

Team USA moves on to what arguably is the showdown of the tournament: a semifinal Sunday against the Dominican Republic, which knocked off South Korea in its quarterfinal that ended in a mercy rule-inducing homer from the Yankees’ Austin Wells.

The Dominican lineup owns the muscle and star power to keep up with the Americans, an onslaught of Fernando Tatis Jr., Ketel Marte, Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero and Julio Rodríguez, just to name a few. 

Awaiting on the mound will be Paul Skenes, first of the Air Force Academy and now the best arm the Americans have to throw. 

The game will take place in the international melting pot that is Miami, which will be far more fired up than during Marlins games. 

“I expect it to be, like, one of the greatest games of all time,” DeRosa told reporters of a matchup that will pit a businesslike Team USA club against a bat-flipping group of Dominican players. 

“It’s fun. It’s exciting,” Aaron Judge (1-for-3 with a double and walk) told reporters of the flashier Dominican style of play. “I know the fans definitely love it. But I try not to look at what other teams are doing, what other people are doing. I focus on what we got here. We got a special group of guys that love to play this game.” 

As a reminder: This stage is single elimination, so another Game 7 awaits. A loss to the Dominican Republic would be disappointing, sure, but not shameful or mortifying. The Americans had earlier flirted with both. 

Just about forgotten now is the heated debate around DeRosa, who claimed he misspoke in stating that his club already had clinched a spot in the knockout stage prior to its fourth game in group play. Team USA then fielded a lineup without several of its best players and lost to Italy, requiring (and then receiving) some help to advance. 

Friday, the Americans received yet another gift. A country known for its politeness delivered with a, well, favour that cracked the game open. 

In the third inning of a game Team USA led by one, Bryce Harper, Judge and Kyle Schwarber reached to load the bases with two outs. Alex Bregman hit a ground ball to the left side that a diving Abraham Toro stabbed. A good throw would have cut down Bregman, ended the frame and kept the contest close, but the Royals infielder airmailed the throw to give the Americans a three-run cushion. 

That cushion ballooned to five runs, but Canada scored three times (including a two-run homer from Guardians standout Bo Naylor in the sixth) and put the tying run in scoring position without an out against Bednar in the seventh. 

The gutsy Yankees reliever, though, bore down. He went down, 3-1, to Josh Naylor before fighting back and inducing a pop-up. He used a big-time curveball to punch out Tyler O’Neill then a splitter to escape against Owen Caissie. Bednar hopped and smacked his right hand into his glove as he walked to the dugout after throwing 26 of the most pressurized pitches you can throw on March 13. 

Former Yankees prospect and current Red Sox weapon Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless eighth and Mason Miller was dominant for the ninth in a game the Americans survived because of their defense — which did not make the mistake that the Canadians did — and their pitching and not a lineup that has yet to be overwhelming. 

“I don’t think this entire time in Houston has been all that pretty,” Pete Crow-Armstrong told Fox Sports. “But I think we know what we have in this clubhouse. … I think it’s just most important that when it’s not always the easiest or the cleanest, we’re still getting the job done, some way, somehow. 

“We’re looking to really wake up one of these days soon.”

The United States advanced to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic with a 5-3 win over Canada at Daikin Park in Houston on Friday night.

Will Smith, who has been splitting catching duties with Cal Raleigh, did not play on Friday. Clayton Kershaw did not pitch in any of the first five games of the tournament, and he’s expected to be replaced on Team USA’s roster in favor of Jeff Hoffman for the next round.

The earlier game Friday was a blowout, with the Dominican Republic shutting out Korea 10-0.

Former Dodgers pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu got through the first inning unscathed, but it was mostly landmines for him in the second inning, with two walks, three hits, and three runs to end his start after only five outs. The Dominican Republic followed with a four-run third inning, then Austin Wells ended things with a three-run home run in the seventh inning, providing the requisite 10-run lead that late in the game to invoke the mercy rule.

Hyeseong Kim, who missed the last game of pool play in Tokyo after injuring his left hand on a slide into second base, was back in the lineup Friday for Korea, but he struck out in both at-bats. Now, he’ll be back to the Dodgers soon to resume his battle for an opening day roster spot.

Team USA will take on the Dominican Republic in the first WBC semifinal, on Sunday night at loanDepot Park in Miami.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be on the mound and Shohei Ohtani in the lineup as designated hitter for Japan in their quarterfinal matchup with Venezuela on Saturday night. Ohtani won’t pitch in the WBC, but he continues to build up toward the regular season, including pitching four simulated innings on Thursday in Miami.

Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior talked with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register about Ohtani’s pitching progression:

“We get Trackman reports. We know how many pitches he’s thrown, we know the velocity, we have a general idea of the movements. We get some cellphone videos and stuff from Will Ireton (who is working with Team Japan during the tournament) and Possum (Yosuke Nakajima, a Dodgers trainer), who was in Tokyo as well.

“We’ve been able to track what’s going on and talk with Will to see how he’s responding. That’s kind of how we’re staying in touch.”

Friday scores

• Dominican Republic 10, Korea 0 (7 innings)
• United States 5, Canada 3

Saturday schedule

• Italy vs. Puerto Rico, 12 p.m. PT (FS1)
• Japan vs. Venezuela, 6 p.m. (Fox)

Offensive struggles were the story for Tennessee over the last week, but over the last couple of games, the Volunteer bats have delivered. Coming off of a 20-2 explosion against Tennessee Tech, the Vols delivered again this evening in Athens to open SEC play.

Taking on No. 6 Georgia, Henry Ford got things rolling in the top of the 3rd with a 2-run single back up the middle. Teagan Kuhns was rolling along until the 5th, where trouble struck. A solo shot from Ryan Black got the Bulldogs on the board, but Georgia wasn’t done. A string of hits would end up scoring three more runs, ending Kuhns’ night on the mound and giving the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead.

Tennessee would put two on in the next inning, and Manny Marin delivered a key hit to tie things up. It was a 2-run double, which ended up chasing Georgia starter Joey Volchko.

Tied at 4-4, the Tennessee bats came alive.

It was Henry Ford — then Stone Lawless — then Manny Marin — each hitting solo shots to build the Tennessee lead out to 7-4 in the 7th and 8th innings.

Brandon Arvidson took over on the mound for Tennessee and shut things down for the rest of the night. Following Kuhns, Arvidson went 4.1 innings, giving up just two hits and striking out four. Following Tennessee’s three solo homers, Arvidson would be credited with the victory — his first of the season.

Tennessee moves to 14-4 on the season and now just a win away this weekend from clinching their first SEC series. It would be quite the statement weekend for Josh Elander’s group, doing this against a top ten team on the road. We’ll see if this offense can keep that momentum going on Saturday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET.

Austin Wells called game for the Dominican Republic on Friday.

In the seventh inning of a quarterfinal matchup against Korea, the Yankees backstop blasted a three-run homer down the right field line, putting the D.R. up 10-0 and thus enacting the tournament’s 10-run mercy rule.

With Friday’s win, the D.R. advances to the semifinals, making its first appearance there since 2013, where it wound up winning its first and only WBC championship.

“Trying to win today and be able to move to the next round was the goal,” Wells told reporters after the win. “Being able to help out today and be part of it was a lot of fun. Definitely a special moment.”

The game was lopsided from the start, with the D.R. quickly notching seven runs across the second and third innings.

They were also to keep Korea’s hitters at bay, giving up just two hits and a walk through the seven-inning game.

Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sanchez started the game for the Dominican Republic, striking out eight through five innings of work.

Albert Abreu finished the game, throwing two perfect innings while striking out three.

Wells’ blast gave the D.R. its 14th home run of the tournament, tying a WBC record previously held by Mexico from the 2009 competition.

Manager Albert Pujols said that this year’s team has unmatched energy, and it’s something unique to the culture of the country.

“I just don’t think you can,” Pujols said Friday when asked how the energy could be replicated in the MLB, according to The Athletic. “That’s in our blood, that’s in our DNA. That’s how we play baseball.

“That responsibility that we have wearing this jersey, especially representing our country — the culture, the attitude, the way the guys go about it — I mean, you’re born with that, and sometimes, you know, that’s even harder to teach.”

Outfielder Julio Rodriguez has also opened up on his country pride, saying that winning for the Dominican Republic would mean more to him than taking home a World Series title with the Mariners.

“I love the Mariners,” Rodriguez said, according to Foul Territory. “They know I give my best for them every single time I step on the field, but winning the World Baseball Classic is at the top of the list.”

“This is for my country, this is for my town, this is for the people in my neighborhood,” he added. “It’s for everybody in the Dominican Republic.”

The Dominican Republic is slated to face Team USA-Canada in the semifinal round on Sunday.