Max Scherzer is not ready to step off the mound just yet.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner is set to return to the Toronto Blue Jays for his 19th season in MLB, according to multiple reports.
Scherzer and the Blue Jays have agreed to a deal that carries a $3 million base salary for 2026 with up to $10 million in incentives, Sportsnet baseball columnist Shi Davidi reports.
Scherzer returns to a team that reached the World Series, going all the way to Game 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Scherzer was given the ball to start that Game 7 at home on Nov. 1 and went 4.1 innings, striking out 3. He exited with a 3-1 lead, but Toronto eventually lost 5-4 in extra innings.
The 41-year-old pitcher had a 5-5 record and finished with a 5.19 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 17 games in 2025. In three playoff appearances he posted a 3.77 ERA.
He helped fill a need in Toronto after right-hander Bowden Francis underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery. Scherzer will enter the 2026 season with a career record of 221-117 and a 3.22 ERA. He has 3,489 strikeouts, which places him 11th all-time.
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The headline says it all, but the Jays have signed Max Scherzer to a one-year contract. He’ll make $3 million with ‘up to’ $10 million in incentives.
He won’t be starting the season with the Jays. I’d imagine the plan will be to get him going in May with the idea he could join the major league team in June or July (unless there is an injury or two in the rotation).
I’m not all that excited. I didn’t think he was all that terrific last year. He had a 5.19 ERA n 17 starts. In 85 innings batters hit .262/.313/.497 against him.
He made one start in the ALCS, throwing 5.2 innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 earned, with a home run, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts. In the World Series he made two starts, 8.2 innings, allowing 9 hits, 4 earned, 2 homers, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.
Max is 41 now, he’ll be 42 on July 27.
I think he’s a great teammate, but I don’t know that I’d want to give him starts.
There is also a note that Jays minor league pitcher, Chay Yeager is going to have UCL surgery and is out for the season. He split last year between Vancouver and New Hampshire, with a 3.23 ERA in 42 games, 1 starts and 55.2 innings. He allowed 36 hits, 20 walks and 64 strikeouts.
Randal Grichuk signed a minor league deal with the Yankess. He hit .228/.273/.401 in 113 games last year split between the Diamondbacks and the Royals.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws during the first inning of a MLB baseball game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in...
Max Scherzer is coming back for a 19th season.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner has agreed to a deal to return to the Blue Jays, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.
Scherzer, 41, told The Athletic in January that he was “healthy and ready to sign at any moment if certain teams call” but was willing to wait until Opening Day to make his decision.
Max Scherzer throws during the first inning of the Blue Jays’ loss to the Yankees on Sept. 7, 2025 at the Stadium. Noah K. Murray-NY Post
The right-hander now heads back to Toronto, where he pitched last season.
Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts during the regular season, but pitched well over three starts in the postseason.
The eight-time All-Star made two more appearances in the World Series, starting Game 7. He went the first 4 1/3 frames, striking out three and holding a vaunted Dodgers lineup to just one run.
Scherzer made clear after the final game of the Fall Classic, which the Blue Jays lost in heartbreaking fashion, that he was not done pitching.
Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer walks to the dugout after being relieved during a World Series game against the Dodgers at Rogers Centre. Sports Illustrated via Getty Ima
“The only thing I can say is it’s going to take some time to give a full answer to that but there is no way that was my last pitch,” Scherzer told reporters. “That loss is so tough because you’re so close to everybody. This team had that closeness, had that camaraderie. We had that passion not only for the game but for each other.”
Toronto, in its efforts to get back to the World Series, has been active this offseason. It has added pitchers Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers to bolster the rotation and bullpen.
Amed Rosario crushed his first home run this spring training, going deep on the first pitch he saw from Nationals lefty Andrew Alvarez in the bottom of the first inning.
DC comical
It might be a long season in the nation’s capital. The Nationals recorded more errors (three) than hits (one) in their 7-0 loss to the Yankees.
Their only base runner of the night was immediately erased in a double play.
Caught my eye
George Lombard Jr. turned in a dazzling night on both sides of the ball.
George Lombard Jr. hits a two-run double in the fifth inning of the Yankees’ 7-0 spring training win over the Nationals on Feb. 25, 2026. Getty Images
The top prospect made what Aaron Boone called a “special” play at third base, charging a chopper down the line, barehanding it, and firing to first for the out.
He later added a two-run double that came off the bat at 108.8 mph.
Thursday’s schedule
Pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez will make his second start of the spring when the Yankees host the Braves at 1:05 p.m.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: Randal Grichuk #15 of the Toronto Blue Jays follows through on his third inning home run against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 15, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: The previous edition of the Yankees news roundup noted that the Yankees were still considering adding a platoon bat. Well they may have found one in a player who has surfaced in various Yankees rumors for a few years now: Randal Grichuk. Formerly a pesky division rival with the Blue Jays from 2018-21, Grichuk had a penchant for making his pop count in New York, as he has 18 career homers in 63 games against the Yankees. Grichuk had a 139 OPS+ in 279 PA for the D-backs in 2024 and blistered lefties to the tune of a .941 OPS from 2022-24 but dipped this past year with Arizona and Kansas City, so at age-34, he had to settle for a non-roster invitation from the Yankees. Still, while Grichuk might not be a lock for the Opening Day roster, this may be just another sign that Jasson Domínguez is heading to Triple-A to start 2026.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Entering play on Wednesday, the Yankees have gone 6-for-7 in ABS challenges in Grapefruit League action. The lone loss came on Austin Wells challenging behind the plate, but challenges from the hitters have been well-timed and correct. The club has long preached hitters’ knowledge and control of the strike zone, and that seems to be paying off in the big-leaguers’ first taste of the review process. The team is still dialing in how it’ll implement their own challenge strategy once the games count for real, but for now, they might just be best off to keep doing what they’re doing.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: My least-in-demand party trick will require an update, as the Yankees announced that CC Sabathia’s No. 52 will be retired, with a plaque ceremony taking place pregame on September 26, 2026. Monument Park isn’t just a collection of Yankee greats, but a who’s who of some of the most dominant players to ever put a baseball jersey on, and it’ll be great to see the former ace take his rightful place in Yankee history. For more on CC, check out Matt’s breaking news story from last night.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: Will Warren is going to be called upon to start the season strong, as the Yankees wait for a couple of their bigger arms to recover from injury. While he wasn’t exactly bad in 2025, bouts of inconsistency especially against left-handed batters plagued the righty, and lowering that platoon tax is a major focus of Warren’s time in camp. Fortunately, Warren seems to have been taken under the wing of Clarke Schmidt, who was in a similar position to Will two years ago and if it weren’t for Tommy John surgery, would have made that jump from touch-and-go hurler to respectable rotation piece.
NJ.com | Randy Miller: One of the recurring themes of Yankee spring is that because the team inks so many players to major deals — deals that command a roster spot of their own virtue — there are plenty of “bubble” players who have to prove themselves in camp. Jasson Domínguez is likely to be one of those hard-luck losers, with a stacked outfield and frankly a need to polish up some defense and hitting from the right side, perfect for a Triple-A assignment. The bullpen picture is also muddy so far, with newbie Angel Chivilli and last year’s pickup Brent Headrick both in competition for the last MLB roster slot.
Hall of Fame pitcher CC Sabathia will be forever honored among the New York Yankees' legends.
The team announced on Wednesday, Feb. 25, that it will retire Sabathia's No. 52 in September.
Sabathia will become the 25th player to have his number retired at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have the most retired numbers in the league.
"From the first number that hung in my locker to 52 forever hanging in Monument Park - this HOF journey has come full circle,” Sabathia wrote in a post on X. “To have my number retired by the New York Yankees this year is one of the greatest honors of my life. The LegaCCy continues.”
Sabathia spent 11 of his 19 seasons in New York, retiring in pinstripes after starting 22 of the 23 games he played in during the 2019 season. He finished with a 251-161 overall record and a 3.74 ERA. He started 560 of the 561 games he played in.
He produced 3,093 strikeouts in 3,577.1 innings pitched. He won the World Series in 2009, his first season with New York. He was named as a first-ballot inductee for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025.
List of retired Yankees numbers
No. 1: Billy Martin
No. 2: Derek Jeter
No. 3: Babe Ruth
No. 4: Lou Gehrig
No. 5: Joe DiMaggio
No. 6: Joe Torre
No. 7: Mickey Mantle
No. 8: Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey
No. 9: Roger Maris
No. 10: Phil Rizzuto
No. 15: Thurman Munson
No. 16: Whitey Ford
No. 20: Jorge Posada
No. 21: Paul O'Neill
No. 23: Don Mattingly
No. 32: Elston Howard
No. 37: Casey Stengel
No. 42: Mariano Rivera and Jackie Robinson (league-wide)
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a photo during Spring Training photo day at CoolToday Park on February 20, 2026 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite the woes for rotation depth early this offseason, there is quietly a lot of competition for the back of the bullpen. Tyler Kinley, Dylan Lee, Dylan Dodd, Hayden Harris, and James Karinchak all had strong outings out of the bullpen Wednesday, with Harris and Karinchak looking especially impressive. The Braves have four bullpen locks or near locks with Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Aaron Bummer, Dylan Lee. If they choose to run with a 6-man rotation to start the season, they would only have 3 spots left in the bullpen. Joel Payamps seems a likely member of the bullpen, while Hayden Harris, Daysbel Hernandez, James Karinchak, Ian Hamilton, Jose Suarez, Joey Wentz, and potentially even Jhancarlos Lara are real options for the bullpen. Harris, Hernandez, Dodd and Lara all have options, so they could very easily find themselves in AAA, though Dodd especially and to a lesser extent Harris and Hernandez may have real claims to a top 7-8 option on the 40-man. Hamilton and Karinchak are on minor league or split contracts, which sometimes include options for veterans to opt out if they don’t make the active roster, so they may be effectively out of options. Meanwhile, Wentz and Jose Suarez are out of minor league options.
I would personally not be particularly inclined to keep Jose Suarez, as he seems like a very replacement level pitcher, but this front office does often opt to preserve depth over picking the best guys for Opening Day. I am intrigued by Karinchak if he can look anything like his old dominant self. Hamilton has been good in the past, but we need to see which version of himself he looks like. Wentz could make sense as the de facto 6th member of the rotation who could easily convert to a solid lefty reliever with some stamina for multiple innings as needed. It will be a fascinating battle to watch over the next month.
Braves News
Austin Riley went yard, as Baldwin and Profar collected extra-base hits against Paul Skenes and bullpen competitors shined in a 3-1 Spring Training win.
Randal Grichuk #15 of the Kansas City Royals swings against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning in their MLB game at Rogers Centre on August 1, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
TAMPA — The Yankees are adding a veteran right-handed bat to their bench competition this spring.
The club is signing outfielder Randal Grichuk to a minor league deal that includes an invite to big league camp, a source confirmed Wednesday night.
Grichuk, 34, will try to prove he can fill a need for the Yankees as a righty bat off the bench that can play left field against left-handers (when Cody Bellinger would move over to center).
Randal Grichuk of the Kansas City Royals swings against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning in their MLB game at Rogers Centre on August 1, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Getty Images
Before adding Grichuk, the Yankees’ options beyond their projected starting outfield included Jasson Domínguez (a switch-hitter who is stronger from the left side), Spencer Jones (a lefty bat) and fellow non-roster invites Seth Brown and Yanquiel Fernandez — two more left-handed hitters.
Across 12 seasons in the big leagues, Grichuk has hit .268 with a .819 OPS against lefties.
He had a dip in production last season with the Diamondbacks and Royals, when he hit .227 with a .703 OPS against lefties, though that still included a .430 slugging percentage.
In 2024 with the Diamondbacks, he hit .319 with a .913 OPS against lefties.
Feb 23, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Walker Buehler (10) looks on from the dugout in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Walker Buehler is well-known to San Diego Padres fans. The former two-time World Series champion and two-time All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers was a member of the hated rivals from 2017 when he made his debut with the club until 2025 when he left the Dodgers as a free agent and signed with the Boston Red Sox.
Buehler did not make it through the 2025 season with the Red Sox and was released on Aug. 29 after appearing in 23 games with 22 starts in Boston. He worked to a 7-7 record with a 5.45 ERA, which was the highest of his career, before his release. Buehler was not a free agent long and agreed to a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 31. He performed well with the Phillies and played in three games and made two starts, finishing with a 0.66 ERA over 13.2 innings.
The deal Buehler signed with Boston was only for one year, so even without the release he would have been looking for another job. The short-term deal made him expendable and allowed Boston to release him and Philadelphia to pick him up for its playoff run, which ended in the National League Division Series against the Dodgers. Once the season was over, Buehler returned to the free agent market and started searching again for a team to call home. He found that team in San Diego and agreed to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, where he has yet to make an appearance in a game.
It is odd and can be jarring for Padres fans to see the long-time Dodger in brown and gold, but it may be something we all have to get used to. Buehler has said his intention is to compete for a starting job and with his major league track record and his opportunity to work with San Diego pitching coach Ruben Niebla, he might win it.
Walker Buehler discusses why he signed with the Padres, how he views his last few seasons and how it feels to be on the other side of the Padres-Dodgers rivalry: pic.twitter.com/WCEDpeXLnt
Buehler established himself as one of the best pitchers in MLB during his time in Los Angeles. He also became highly disliked by the Friar Faithful thanks in part to his 7-1 career record in 13 games against San Diego with 83 strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA. He pitched aggressively against the Padres and seemed to fully embrace the rivalry that exists between the teams.
While his career numbers against the Padres in the regular season were outstanding, Buehler struggled in postseason outings against San Diego. In 2020, he pitched one postseason game and lasted four innings, allowing one earned run on two hits. In 2024, Buehler made it through five innings but was touched up for six earned runs on seven hits which included a memorable two-run blast from Fernando Tatis Jr.
Buehler’s combined postseason numbers against the Padres are 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA over nine innings with seven runs allowed, five walks, an intentional walk and a wild pitch. Bueler did have eight postseason strikeouts against San Diego, but all eight came in 2020.
With all the history between Buehler and the Padres, would you, the Friar Faithful, root for him to win one of the last rotation spots on the 2026 roster? That is the Padres Reacts Survey poll question from Gaslamp Ball to the readers. Results will be revealed later in the week.
TAMPA — The regular season is still a month away, but Cam Schlittler took a key step Wednesday toward being ready to start it on time.
The right-hander threw 25 pitches of live batting practice on a back field, facing hitters for the first time since the Yankees slowed him down two weeks ago to deal with mid-back/left lat inflammation.
Both Schlittler and the Yankees had downplayed any concern about it, but the minor flare-up stifled the 25-year-old’s buildup while they made sure it did not turn into a bigger deal.
Assuming he recovers from Wednesday’s session without issues, Schlittler will face hitters again on Sunday before potentially getting into his first Grapefruit League game late next week.
Yankees starter Cam Schlittler throws a pitch during a live batting practice on Feb. 25, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I expect him to be good [for the start of the season],” manager Aaron Boone said before Schlittler took the mound. “Now, I don’t think he’ll be to 80-90 pitches yet. … But I’ll take 70 pitches of Cam Schlittler, especially with some of the off-days you have. Even if you’re in a piggyback situation for a time or two, sign me up for that.”
The Yankees do not necessarily need to carry a fifth starter to begin the season, due to four off-days before they play their 10th game.
But if Schlittler is healthy enough by then, the Yankees plan on using him from the get-go.
Cam Schlittler throwing live BP on Wednesday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Oswaldo Cabrera could get into games by late next week, as the utilityman continues to shake off more rust coming back from a broken ankle and ligament damage last May.
“He’s doing really well,” Boone said. “I feel like he’s made real improvements the last couple weeks. So possibly at the back end of next week, maybe getting into games. I know he’s starting to feel really good. It’s just getting that last level of burst.”
Anthony Volpe is a little over a week into his hitting progression and “doing well,” Boone said, as he hits off the tee and soft tosses.
The Yankees are looking for a right-handed outfielder and have invited Randal Grichuk to camp.
YES Network's Jack Curry reports that Grichuk will be joining the Yankees in spring training on a minor league deal as a non-roster invite.
Grichuk is a 12-year veteran who played with the Diamondbacks and Royals last season. In 113 games, he slashed .228/.273/.401 with an OPS of .674 to go along with nine home runs and 27 RBI in 2025.
Over his career, Grichuk has 212 home runs with a .251 average and a .298 OBP.
However, Grichuk was a notorious Yankees killer. In 68 games against the Bombers, Grichuk slashed .253/.302/.523 with an OPS of .825. He also hit 18 home runs against the Yankees, his second-most against an opponent (Orioles). Most of that damage was done as a member of the Blue Jays (2018-21), where he had his best years. Across those four seasons, Grichuk hit .243 with 90 home runs and 257 RBI.
With the Yankees so left-handed, especially in the outfield, Grichuk could give the team a boost off the bench. The starting outfielders are projected to be Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger. Jasson Dominguez, the switch-hitting prospect, may not break camp and could be sent to Triple-A to start the season and get more seasoning.
That leaves a spot open for a fourth outfielder, especially if Oswaldo Cabrera -- who has outfield experience -- is not ready for Opening Day as he continues to return from a season-ending leg injury.
New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge hits a single in the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during Spring Training at Clover Field, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Port St. Lucie.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Panic had not yet set in at Clover Park, but knowing these parts, if Carson Benge had too many more hitless games, there would have been some red flags.
Benge eased any potential early concerns with a three-hit day in Wednesday’s 6-0 loss to the Cardinals, reaching on an infield hit, an opposite-field single and a grounder through the left side of the infield.
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Each hit came with two strikes — a fact Benge seemed as pleased with as the results.
“I hate striking out,” Benge said. “That’s one thing about me. So being able to fight for every pitch, scrap for it, is really big.”
And could be just as big for the Mets, who have made no secret that the 23-year-old Benge is in the mix to win the starting job in right field this spring.
Despite having played just 24 games at the Triple-A level, the Mets think enough of Benge’s skill set that they’re giving him a chance to be in Queens next month. He just has to take it.
Wednesday’s performance at the plate showed why, putting up three tough at-bats and drilling his second hit 101 mph.
New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge hits a single in the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during Spring Training at Clover Field, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Port St. Lucie. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“The ability to stay in the fight, especially when he gets behind in counts,’’ Carlos Mendoza said when asked what stood out about Benge. “Fouling off pitches, using the whole field [and] putting the ball in play. He just finds a way.”
While he’s fighting for a job, Benge said he’s trying to take advantage of every part of the opportunity.
“Just soaking up every bit of information I can from veteran guys around here,’’ Benge said of his experience in major league camp. “I feel like I’m getting adjusted day by day, seeing what it takes [and] seeing how good they are.”
And although it’s hard to count on too many more 3-for-3 afternoons, Benge is confident his bat-to-ball skills will only help his game.
New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge is at bat in the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I feel that sprouted from me not liking to strike out,’’ Benge said. “I’d do anything not to strike out. Just put the ball in play.”
So while some in the game disregard the number of whiffs they pile up, as long as the production is there, Benge has a different mindset.
“I try to go out there and fight every at-bat and not give anything away with a dumb swing,’’ Benge said.
Francisco Lindor continues to progress in his recovery from the hand surgery he underwent Feb. 11, with the stitches removed Tuesday and “impact” drills expected to begin within the next few days, according to Mendoza.
“So far, it’s been good,’’ the manager said.
If all goes well, the shortstop could also start hitting in two weeks as he recovers from the stress reaction in his left hamate bone, seemingly putting him in position to be ready for Opening Day.
Brett Baty, slowed by hamstring discomfort, is scheduled to play first base by this weekend, according to Mendoza. … Vidal Bruján, who left Monday’s game after getting spiked in his left thumb while stealing second, returned to the lineup Wednesday.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: A general view of the stadium during the spring training game between the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 23, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies have completed six spring training games and are 4-2 in those games. They’ve also outscored their opponents 44-34.
Spring training games don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, but in a year such as this for the Rockies, a lot of storylines have emerged and will be watched under a close eye ahead of Opening Day on March 27.
So my question is this to you tonight: what’s your biggest takeaway from this first week of spring training games? What are you excited about? What are you concerned about? Who do you need to see more of?
DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 13: From left, Colorado Rockies Executive Vice President Walker Monfort, new President of Baseball Operations Paul DePodesta and owner Dick Monfort during Depodesta's introductory press conference at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, November 13, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Introduction
When the expansion franchise Colorado Rockies first came into existence in the early 1990s, it could be forgiven if a team didn’t have a dedicated analytics department and instead relied on the traditional old school way of running a baseball team. It has been over 20 years since Michael Lewis’s 2003 book Moneyball popularized SABREmetrics and stastical analysis in baseball and I would say that it’s clearly a disadvantage for any team to not be utilizing the best analytical tools in every step of player development and acquisition. Dick and Charles Monfort, the majority owners lf the Colorado Rockies since 2005, never got that memo apparently, nor did they read the book, or even bothered seeing the Brad Pitt lead adaptation released in 2011, because during their ownership the Rockies have had either no stastical analysis/analytics department or one that was so inadequate as to be considered a joke.
The competitive disadvantage it has given the Rockies is very clearly demonstrated by the fact they have the worst winning percentage (.456) out of all the active MLB franchises, that they have only eight seasons with a winning record, and not once have they won the NL West division title. The last Rockies winning season was in 2018, when they had a 91-71 record. Somehow, even after the Rockies lost 103 games in 2023 and 101 games in 2024, it still was not enough for Rockies ownership to make any changes to the way organization is run. Only after spending the majority of the 2025 season on pace for theworstseason ever in MLB history and finishing with a 119 losses, did it finally prompt ownership to actually do something about it.
Now with the obligatory backstory out of the way, it makes it much easier to understand how the Rockies biggest acquisition of this past offseason wasn’t a free agent signing or a trade, it was the hiring of a new president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta, who then brought in former Dbacks and Padres General Manager Josh Byrnes as the new GM. Never mind the fact that Paul DePodesta has not worked in pro baseball for nearly a decade, and instead had been the chief strategy officer for a terrible Cleveland Browns team in the NFL that has stayed pretty terrible. For a team that has essentially operated in the baseball equivalent of the stone age, it’s revolutionary move.
(Note: If you’ve only seen the movie, Jonah Hill’s character Peter Brand is a composite character largely based on Paul DePodesta, who didn’t allow his name to be used in the film)
The Rockies could have signed the top FA at every position and they still probably wouldn’t be competitive enough to win the NL West, especially with a top heavy farm system that lacks any depth. No executive is capable of turning around a historically bad MLB team in the span of an offseason, especially when it’s a franchise that hasn’t had a winning season since 2018. In the 25 years that I’ve been a fan of MLB i don’t think I have liked anything the Rockies FO has done. So it should speak for itself when I say that I actually like what Depodesta and Byrnes have accomplished so far in their short amount of time in charge of the Rockies, even if I don’t think there will be any immediate results. Claimingfirst baseman Troy Johnston off waivers, for example, might be one of the best under the radar moves by an NL West team during this past offseason. While not a top prospect due to his lack of power for a first baseman, his pro career reminds me of Christian Walker prior to getting a chance with the Diamondback. He looks primed now to breakout with Rockies while still being under team control for another five seasons. T.J.Rumfield, who was acquired in exchange for RHP Angel Chivilli, gives them another option at first besides Johnston. Edouard Julien is a nice bounceback option at second base.
The real issue for the Rockies is and always will be the starting pitching. Although all three free agent starters signed are out of the bargain bin, it appears to me that there’s an actual strategy there of trying to finding pitchers with a large selection of pitches. RJ Petit was a no-brainer choice for the Rockies to take in the Rule 5 draft and he is just a solid cost-controlled young pitching option.
There appears to be strategy to mitigate some of the challenges of pitching with outfield defense. It’s baffling that that outfield defense has never been a priority considering how much Coors Field’s gigantic outfield punishes bad defense. Seeing a well past his prime Charlie Blackmon struggle with getting to any ball is why I like the Jake McCarthy trade so much for the Rockies. McCarthy actually seems like a great fit for Coors Field not only defensively, but offensively as well thanks to his speed on the basepaths and willingness to take extra bases
This is still a team that likely will finish in dead last not just in the NL West but all of MLB and even best case scenario still won’t win the NL West division title, but I think the most important thing for Rockies fans is that there’s now hope for their team to be competitive again
PORT ST. LUCIE — Jonah Tong was forced to the majors last season, the result of not just his own dominance in the minors, but the Mets having all sorts of issues with their rotation as their season fell apart.
And Tong displayed what you’d expect from a prospect who had overwhelming stuff, but little experience: a promising MLB debut on Aug. 29 against Miami followed by a disaster in his third start versus Texas and then an outstanding start against the Padres.
The effort to increase his pitch mix continued Wednesday against the Cardinals, as the 22-year-old flashed the cutter he’s been working on this spring.
There were some good ones — although the final cutter Tong threw versus St. Louis was crushed by Nolan Gorman, who hit an opposite-field three-run homer to left in the top of the third.
That came after two scoreless innings in a 6-0 loss to the Cardinals at Clover Park.
“The last one got hit a little bit, but I’m happy with how things are progressing,” Tong said of the pitch. “The value of reps like this today [in a game] are the most important thing going forward. I think I’m in a good spot.”
Unlike late last season, the Mets don’t expect to need Tong in Queens when the regular season gets underway next month.
Jonah Tong delivers a pitch during the Mets’ 6-0 spring training loss to the Cardinals on Feb. 25, 2026. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
Instead, he should get more seasoning with Triple-A Syracuse, where Tong made just two starts following his promotion from Double-A Binghamton prior to his callup by the Mets for his final five outings of the year.
“I think we all know what to expect from Nolan McLean,” said one National League scout who watched Tong on Wednesday and saw him in the majors during the final month of last season. “This guy is different. He has such a unique delivery and his stuff is just different. That’s a good thing and something that you have to keep an eye on.”
Because of the high angle Tong uses in his delivery, the scout noted, it might be more difficult to make in-game adjustments and the emergence of pitches like the cutter he’s refining this spring is especially important.
Jonah Tong throws a pitch during his outing in the Mets’ spring training loss to the Cardinals on Feb. 25, 2026. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
“I think those ups and downs he had when he got called up last year [were] kind of to be expected,” the scout said. “The highs can be really high, but the lows can be tough. He’s a serious kid, though, so with that stuff and his mindset, I think he’ll figure it out.”
The Mets are counting on it.
If McLean, as expected, breaks spring in a six-man rotation, Tong will be the organization’s top pitching prospect.
They sent Brandon Sproat to Milwaukee in the trade that brought Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers to Queens, so Tong and Christian Scott could be two promising arms to begin the season at Syracuse, with Peralta, McLean, Sean Manaea, David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga in the six-man rotation and Myers perhaps in the bullpen.
That gives Tong more time to hone his pitches and Carlos Mendoza called Wednesday “a good learning [and] development experience” for him.
“He’s not a fastball-changeup pitcher anymore,” the manager said. “There are other weapons he can use.”
Wherever Tong winds up, he’s hoping for a smoother ride in 2026.
Asked what he picked up from his brief stint in the majors for that final month in 2025, the right-hander smiled.
“Baseball is a complicated game,” Tong said. “It’s my favorite, obviously, [but] it can be a roller coaster. I want to be able to learn from last year and roll along with it.”
