On this day 72 years ago, the White Sox were part of the first-ever national Spring Training telecast. | Society for American Baseball Research
1934 All-time White Sox playing and managing great Fielder Jones died, at age 62, in Portland. His 32.0 WAR for the club ranks 10th all-time among hitters and places him as the best center fielder in White Sox history. Jones was staggeringly good with the White Sox, never dipping below a 3.1 WAR season and leaving the game after a 1908 season that saw him tally 4.7 WAR, at age 36.
Jones was a player-manager for his final five White Sox seasons (1904-08), never suffering anything close to a losing season and by far the winningest (%) manager in club history. He piloted the White Sox to their first World Series win, over the Cubs in 1906.
1952 One day before celebrating his 31st birthday, southpaw hurler Bill Kennedy was sold to the White Sox by the St. Louis Browns. Kennedy would end up having the best season of his career on the South Side, leading the AL in appearances (47) and putting together a marvelous 2-2, five-save, 2.80 ERA/131 ERA+, 1.4 WAR season.
Eleven months after this purchase, Kennedy was shipped to Boston in a package that yielded the Pale Hose Vern Stephens.
1954 Think today’s streaming madness has made baseball too hard to watch, or the MLB’s blackout rules are an anachronism?
On this day, ABC made an ill-fated effort to televise a Spring Training game featuring the White Sox at the Phillies in Clearwater, Fla. ABC intended the game as a national Game of the Week presentation, while GM Frank Lane of the White Sox felt it would not be shown in MLB cities and the Phillies believed the game was only going to be broadcast back to Chicago.
ABC proceeded with its broadcast prep, which would feature just a single camera, in the stands behind home plate. A hole was cut in the protective screen and the sole cameraman, from a local affiliate in Ft. Lauderdale, donned full catcher’s protective gear in case of foul balls getting through the opening.
The resulting chaos — during the game broadcast, mind you — forced ABC to cut its broadcast off after the third inning, without any explanation for viewers.
The White Sox won the game, 6-3.
1960 During spring training and near this date, the White Sox became the first team in MLB history to wear player names on the the back of their jerseys. The announcement had been made back on January 22. It was another Bill Veeck innovation, only done on road jerseys, met with some resistance from players, but soon adopted across baseball.
2000 White Sox slugger Frank Thomas was again featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. A lengthy story talked about his career, the controversies and his desire to return to the top of the game. The headline stated, “Don’t Question My Desire. Frank Thomas Comes Out Swinging.”
Thomas would have a spectacular 2000, missing a chance to win his third AL MVP after losing in a narrow vote to the A’s Jason Giambi, who’d later admit to using steroids in grand jury testimony. Frank’s numbers in 2000 included a .328 batting average, 43 home runs, 143 RBIs, 112 walks and a slugging percentage of .625 for the team that led the American League in wins with 95. Despite those gaudy figures, Thomas didn’t lead the league in any single category that year.
2024 In the first major trade of GM Chris Getz’s tenure, the White Sox shipped superstar starter Dylan Cease to San Diego. The Padres shipped back four players: starting pitching prospects Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte, outfield prospect Samuel Zavala and veteran reliever Steven Wilson.
Cease originally arrived on the South Side with Eloy Jiménez in exchange for José Quintana in 2017. The righty had a brilliant year out west, putting up 4.2 WAR and going 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA/3.10 FIP and 1.067 WHIP, and continued his streak of essentially never missing a start to five seasons. Brilliant beginnings in Double-A by Thorpe (7-1, eight earned runs in his first 10 starts) and Iriarte (one earned run in his first four starts) seemed to grade this speculative deal out evenly from the get-go. But after making their major league debuts later on in the summer, both Thorpe (injured elbow) and Iriarte (wildness) ended the year on softer notes and Zavala had a very down season in High-A ball.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: (ALTERNATE CROP) Josh Smith #8 of the Texas Rangers poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for March 13, 2026 against the Colorado Rockies.
Texas heads to Scottsdale to take on the Rockies of Colorado. Sam Haggerty is playing second base and Josh Smith is at third, as Josh Jung continues to be unavailable. Jacob Latz is starting.
International baseball drama, rising Royals stars, and spring training momentum — this episode has it all.
In the latest episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, hosts Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco break down the Kansas City Royals’ strong presence in the World Baseball Classic, highlighting standout performances and unforgettable moments from the tournament. From Vinnie Pasquantino’s leadership and celebratory espresso shots to Jac Caglianone’s eye-catching performances, the hosts explore how Royals players are making an impact on the global stage.
The conversation also dives into the evolving dynamics within Team USA, including player camaraderie, competitive tensions, and the high-energy environment surrounding the tournament. Jacob and Jeremy analyze key matchups, tournament rules like pitch limits and scheduling constraints, and offer predictions for upcoming quarterfinal games.
Back on the Royals front, the episode covers recent roster updates, including Michael Wacha’s return, bullpen outlooks, and injury news affecting both major league contributors and emerging prospects. The hosts also discuss the growing culture of international baseball, the significance of WBC collectibles and memorabilia, and how weather and logistics could impact the lead-up to Opening Day.
Whether you’re following the Royals’ players on the global stage or preparing for the upcoming MLB season, this episode provides insightful analysis, entertaining moments, and a passionate discussion of baseball’s international spotlight.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 13: Mark Vientos #27 of the New York Mets looks on during spring training workouts at Clover Park on February 13, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets need to know who Mark Vientos is, and 2026 is likely the last opportunity they will have to find out.
Is he the 27 home run impact bat who lit up the 2024 playoffs? Or is he the guy who in ten more plate appearances in 2025 hit ten fewer home runs and saw every offensive rate stat drop precipitously?
If he’s the former, Vientos would be an incredibly useful right-handed designated hitter and sometimes corner infielder who would bolster and deepen the Mets’ lineup. If he’s the latter, he’s at best a part time player and might be a square peg for the club even in that instance.
Vientos was drafted by the Mets in 2017 out of high school and tore up the lower levels of the Mets’ system. As he reached higher levels, Vientos would often start the years cold, but never stopped hitting. This paved the way for call-up in 2022 and 2023, but neither showed much of the prospect that we had raved about year after year.
Never a defensive specialist, this is what our Steve Sypa wrote about him ahead of his MLB call up:
Though initially drafted as a shortstop, Vientos does not have the ability to play up the middle. He was moved to third base in 2018, and at the present is stretched even there. While not unathletic, Vientos is a low-energy guy that lacks explosive quick twitch muscle, resulting in a slow first step and below-average lateral quickness. His average-to-above-average arm and solid instincts allowed him to handle the routine plays fine at third fine initially, but the pace of the game increased as he worked his way up the minor league ladder, and Vientos is a well-below-average defender at third base as a professional at the highest level. He played limited innings in the outfield in 2021 as the Mets explored the best way to give both him and Brett Baty playing time, but the experiment ended and was not resumed in 2022; while there is enough data to make any conclusive, definitive remarks about his ability there, based on how he looked visually along with the fact that he has not played in the outfield at all in 2022, it is safe to conclude that the experiment will not be resumed again. Instead, the Mets actually have shifted Vientos down the defensive spectrum, giving him more play at first base and DH this season than ever before.
Steve was fairly prescient in his write up, as Vientos has struggled mightily in his time in the big leagues. Not only has third base looked downright rough, but the Mets seemingly don’t believe that he’d be much better at first or in a corner outfield spot. His left-handed counterpart, Brett Baty, has proven to be a better defender all over the diamond, and so has more of a roster fit for himself with the Mets.
But that bat! When Vientos is hot, like in late 2024, he’s someone who drives the ball with authority and has impressive natural power. Sure, he strikes out more than you’d like and doesn’t quite walk enough, but those are workable issues if he’s really projecting to hit 30+ home runs over the course of a season.
But we’ve seen more of the cold Vientos than the hot, and there is a limited amount of time that the Mets, or any team, will wait to see if Vientos can consistently produce. If he’s his 2025 self, a slightly below league average hitter with some pop (.233/.289/.413 with an OPS+ of 97), it’ll be hard to justify giving him too much playing time. This is a year where Vientos will likely get some opportunities to show that he can play some first base as well as extended opportunities as a designated hitter. He’s going to get one last shot to show that he can handle big league pitching with any consistency.
If he can do so? The Mets’ lineup gets a right-handed power boost, the Mets have a backup plan if Jorge Polanco can’t make the transition to first, and the fans will get another taste of Swaggy V. That would be a really nice outcome.
If he can’t, and loses at bats to the Mike Tauchmans, the MJ Melendezes, and the Jose Rojases of the world? Then this will likely be his last season as a Met.
(Original Caption) Frank "Home Run" Baker (left), who was once as bright a star with a bat as Mickey Mantle is today, poses with Mantle at the Yankee Stadium as the old-timers had their inning today. Former stars of the Yankees and the Chicago White Sox donned their uniforms and enjoyed the roar of the crowd once again before the game between the Yankees and the Chisox. The Mantle bat is a special job.
When you see someone dubbed with the nickname “Home Run” and then compare that to their career total of 96 homers, you might think that was an ironic title. Maybe it was a joke like when a big guy gets nicknamed “Tiny.” However for his time Frank “Home Run Baker” was a prolific slugger, leading the league in homers on four occasions. It’s just that his era was directly before and then overlapping a certain Babe Ruth, who proceeded to blow Baker and everyone else’s tallies out of the water.
However, Baker was very rightly a star of his era and was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame, for his work with the Yankees and the then-Philadelphia Athletics. Today is also his birthday, so let’s look back on the man dubbed “Home Run.”
John Franklin “Home Run” Baker Born: March 13, 1886 (Trappe, MD) Died: June 28, 1963 (Easton, MD) Yankees Tenure: 1916-19, 1921-22
Baker was born in 1886 in a town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, not far from the Chesapeake Bay. He was born into a farming family, and spent many years of his youth working the farm. Doing all that hard work on the farm helped Baker develop into a muscular young man, who first started to make waves on the baseball field while playing for his high school.
In high school, Baker was a pitcher and an outfielder, and caught some scouts’ eyes. He was signed by a local semipro team, where he was moved to third base, which would become the only defensive position he would ever play in the major leagues.
After a couple seasons playing semipro ball, Baker received a tryout with the then-minor league Baltimore Orioles of the Eastern League in 1907. While a run with Baltimore wasn’t on the card, Baker did sign professionally for 1908, joining the Reading Pretzels of the Tri-State League. Putting up a .299 batting average and a .417 slugging percentage, Baker was noticed by Philadelphia Athletics legendary manager Connie Mack. With Hall of Famer Jimmy Collins nearing the end of his career, Mack was looking for a young third baseman to take his place, and gave Baker a try, purchasing his contract from Reading in September. In eight games at the end of 1908, Baker hit just well enough for Mack to not only keep him around, but to install him as the regular third baseman for the A’s in 1909.
In Philadelphia, Baker would become a star and one of the key cogs in the A’s dynasty of the early years of the World Series. In seven seasons from 1908-14, he put up 40.9 fWAR and 42.2 rWAR, including a 1912 season that was worth 9.1 and 9.3 respectively. He led the league in home runs every year from 1911-14. It’s just that, again, the highest of those totals was 12 as it was the Deadball Era. The A’s won four AL pennants in that time and won the World Series title in 1910, 1911, and 1913. In all three of those victories, Baker OPSed over 1.000 for the series. Had the World Series MVP Award existed then, he would’ve had an especially good argument in ’11, as he hit a couple crucial home runs (the real spark for his amusing-in-hindsight nickname), including one in their clinching Game 6 win that ended up providing the series-winning runs.
After a World Series loss in 1914, Mack began to sell off several of the pieces from the previous championship teams. While he attempted to keep hold of Baker, the slugger was looking for a pay raise, having been one of the heroes of the A’s recent successes. However on the other side of the negotiating table was the notoriously stringy Mack. Both sides were also quite stubborn and stuck to their guns. In the end neither side budged, and Baker ended up sitting out the entire 1915 season. Eventually, AL president Ban Johnson put some pressure on Mack to try and resolve the situation of one of the league’s stars, which ended with Baker being sold to the Yankees ahead of the 1916 season.
In New York, Baker hit the ground running, putting up a 130 wRC+ in 1916, even with having sat out the entire previous season. He continued to be a very steady bat for them over the next several seasons, as the Yankees turned from a cellar dweller in the early 1910s to a contender by the end of the decade.
Tragedy struck in 1920, as during that offseason, Baker’s wife passed away after a scarlet fever outbreak. Devastated, Baker sat out the entire season, which was also Babe Ruth’s first in the Bronx. Towards the end of that year, he eventually began to get the itch again, and eventually rejoined the team for the 1921 season.
However this time, taking an entire season off led to some rust. The now 35-year old Baker was a below average hitter for the first time in his career, although he did help the team to their first ever AL pennant in 1921. Despite his previous postseason heroics, Baker struggled this time around, recording just two hits as they lost to the Giants. He returned to the Yankees the following year, but in more of a bench role. He again helped the Yankees to the World Series, but got just one at-bat in another series loss.
After that season, Baker decided to hang it up, just narrowly missing the Yankees finally getting over the hump in 1923. Still, he had been a major part of the team building up to get in position to win the championship. Over his six seasons in New York, he put up 19.2 fWAR and 20.6 rWAR. Following his playing career, he returned to his native Maryland and spent some time as a minor-league manager, including giving a pro debut to future Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx and helping connect him with Mack, his old A’s skipper. He was later voted into the Hall himself, by the Veterans Committee in 1955. He eventually passed away in 1963.
It’s somewhat funny that someone got the nickname “Home Run” immediately before there was a huge jump in homers, making his record look paltry. Make no mistake though, for his era, Home Run Baker was absolutely a feared slugger.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 29: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Kansas City Royals in the seventh inning at Kauffman Stadium on June 29, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians seemingly do nothing each offseason, plug-and-play guys, and keep winning. They have had just one losing season since 2012, with eight playoff appearances in that time. Constancy. Sweet, sweet constancy.
The downside is they have just one pennant in that time, and have not won a championship since 1948. The team did make a major investment in All-Star third baseman José Ramírez, signing him to a seven-year, $175 million contract extension this offseason. Despite that, they’re projected to have the second-lowest payroll in baseball, par for the course for the franchise.
Cleveland Guardians
2025 record: 88-74
2026 PECOTA projection: 75-87
2026 ZIPS projection: 76-86
Manager: Stephen Vogt
Key additions: Shawn Armstrong, Rhys Hoskins
Key losses: Nic Enright, Jakob Junis, Jhonkensy Noel, Lane Thomas
Offense
The Guardians scored the third-fewest runs in baseball last year, despite an MVP-level performance by Ramírez. Steven Kwan is an All-Star-level performer as well, but he spent the entire offseason in trade rumors. The Guardians did get a breakout season from Kyle Manzardo, who terrorized Royals pitchers by hitting .382/.512/.794 with three home runs in 11 games against them. They brought over former Phillies and Brewers slugger Rhys Hoskins on a minor league deal, hoping he has something left in the tank at age 32 after suffering through a thumb injury last year.
The club is really banking on the farm system supplementing this lineup. Chase DeLauter is ranked as the #34 prospect in the game by Baseball America, but was limited to just 42 games in the minors last year due to a wrist injury. First baseman CJ Kayfus, outfielders Kahlil Watson and Ralphy Velazquez, and former #1 overall pick Travis Bazzana could also contribute this summer.
All statistics from 2025.
Pitching
Pitching has been the calling card for the Guardians in the last decade, and they finished with the fourth-best ERA in baseball. They are hurt by the loss of Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, both on non-paid disciplinary leave and facing federal indictments for their roles in a gambling scheme. Gavin Williams was one of the best pitchers in baseball after the All-Star break last year, with a 2.18 ERA that ranked third-best in the second half. Cleveland got 888 innings from their starters last year, second-most in baseball. Lefty Joey Cantillo could be poised for a breakout season, with a change-up that got a 49 percent whiff rate last year.
Even without Clase for part of the year, the Guardians had one of the best bullpens in baseball last season. Cade Smith will presumably take over closing duties after leading all relievers in fWAR last year. The only MLB free agent the team signed was Shawn Armstrong, who pitched effectively last year in Texas.
All statistics from 2025.
The Guardians are projected by most systems to be a losing team this year, but Stephen Vogt has twice won Manager of the Year by beating expectations. The Royals won just 5 of 13 games against the Guardians last year, so a better showing could help their chances in the standings. But don’t count the Guardians out, they just seem to find ways to win.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 7: Slade Cecconi #44 of the Cleveland Guardians throws a pitch during a Spring Training game against the San Diego Padres at Goodyear Ballpark on March 7, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians’ pitching staff turned in quite a performance yesterday, throwing a shutout against the Milwaukee Brewers, striking out 16, and winning 1-0.
It was, admittedly, the B-team for Milwaukee as far as hitting goes, but it was still good to have Slade Cecconi be sharp for four innings, allowing two hits and one walk and striking out six, Cade Smith be dominant again striking out two, Erik Sabrowski striking out the side, and Connor Brogdon and Codi Heur striking out two, and Will Dion finishing with a scoreless ninth as well, striking out one batter.
Chase DeLauter had a walk and scored a run, Kyle Manzardo singled him home, Rhys Hoskins and Gabriel Arias had singles and Angel Martinez hit a double… that’s about all the offense did.
For those worried about Kahl Stephen, he spoke to the media yesterday, so seems like he’s ok:
"There's a reputation of pitching here"#Guardians RHP Khal Stephen on finding out he was getting traded for Shane Bieber and his excitement to be in a pitching development system like Cleveland's#GuardsBall@WEWSpic.twitter.com/QnDxGWjQkw
For those worried about Jace LaViolette, assistant GM James Harris spoke highly of him to the media, mentioning his blazing speed:
"Last I checked, he was the second fastest person on campus, behind Fairchild"#Guardians assistant GM James Harris has been impressed with 2025 1st Round pick Jace LaViolette#GuardsBall@WEWSpic.twitter.com/Ts6TywJ70N
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Didier Fuentes #72 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
Spring Training is now in full swing and the Atlanta Braves have already made several moves to shape up what their opening day lineup is going to be.
One area that is not certain is who will shape up the back end of the rotation to start the year. Didier Fuentes is one of the arms in contention for a rotation spot, although the odds may not lead that way. Fuentes has only pitched 2.0 innings thus far this spring but will get the nod to start against the Yankees today in Northport.
In his two innings he did not give up a walk or hit. He did have a hit batsman but struck out four. Today he will face the Yankees with aspirations of proving he has what it takes to get some MLB playing time this season. He has never faced any of the players on the Yankees roster at the big league level, so it will be fun to see how he handles them.
Offseason acquisition Ryan Weathers will be pitching for the Yankees and has struggled to a 7.94 ERA in his limited sample of 5.2 innings this spring.
Today, the Braves are going with a lineup that is mix of everyday starters, potential platoon bats, and players fighting for the final spots. Ozzie Albies also rejoins the lineup after his time in the WBC.
It is safe to say that this lineup will not be the opening day lineup, but there is a legitimate chance that Kyle Farmer will make the roster to face lefties like he is today.
The Yankees are bringing a lineup similar to the Braves with some starters, but also some players that likely won’t make the Opening Day squad.
Odds are this game is not going to decide a rotation spot on its own for Fuentes, but he is one to keep an eye on along with Farmer who looks to possibly win a roster spot as a platoon bat against LHP.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 9: Umpire CB Bucknor #54 walks onto the field before the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs at Truist Park on September 9, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you watched the first inning of last night’s Spring Training game between the Astros and Nationals, you got to see the future of baseball on display. The ABS challenge system was put into overdrive, as three CB Bucknor calls were overturned in just the first inning. It was a quick and easy system that will be a genuine game changer for MLB.
There were two overturns just in the first at bat of the game. CJ Abrams successfully challenged the second pitch of the game, turning a 1-1 count into 2-0 count. When the count was full, Astros catcher Yainer Diaz returned the favor, turning a walk into a strikeout on a breaking ball that just clipped the top of the zone. There was actually a called strike in the at bat that Abrams should have challenged but did not.
In the bottom half of the inning, it was Keibert Ruiz’s turn to help out his pitcher. He challenged a ball call, which was clearly in the zone. That made three overturns on CB Bucknor calls in just the first inning. This new system is clearly going to hurt some umpire’s pride this season. They are going to have to be on their A game at all times.
Those were not the only challenges of the game though. In the bottom of the second inning, Ruiz won another challenge on a faulty Bucknor call. That made it four overturns in just two innings. After all, it is Spring Training for the umpires as well.
Four overturned calls for CB Bucknor through two innings already
As the game went on, things calmed down. Bucknor was actually vindicated a couple times later in the game, with two challenges going his way. This is going to be such an interesting storyline to follow as the season gets going. Baseball Savant is going to be tracking this like a hawk, so we will see who is the best and worst at challenges.
It will also expose some of the weaker umpires we have in the sport. I am not surprised that it was CB Bucknor behind the plate when all these calls got overturned. He does not have a strong reputation as an umpire, and the numbers bear that out. Bucknor was towards the bottom of the umpire rankings last year.
After seeing this, there are definitely going to be games where this challenge system goes viral. There were some calls that could have gotten challenged early in the game that didn’t. That would have made things even worse for Bucknor. Umpires are going to have their feet held to the fire in a way they have not before.
The players are also going to need to know when to challenge as well. You can only fail two challenges before you run out for the game, so you have to be sure if you are challenging. That is why most teams have the catcher challenge rather than the pitcher, who could be liable to make rash decisions.
This is going to be an amazing wrinkle to this season. It is also very quick and easy. These challenges only take a few seconds, so it does not slow down the game much at all. It is also a bit of a spectacle for the fans because they show the decision up on the big screen. Having these decisions go down in playoff games is going to be really exciting.
Like the pitch clock, I think the ABS challenge system is going to be a big hit. Rob Manfred takes a lot of heat, much of it being justified, but he has made some great changes the past few years. The pitch clock was the best change the sport has seen in decades and now the ABS challenge system looks like it will also be a success. I am very excited to see how this plays out in the regular season.
ATLANTA, GA AUGUST 01: Atlanta pitcher Raisel Iglesias (26) is embraced by Atlanta bullpen coach Erick Abreu (85) following the conclusion of the MLB game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves on August 1st, 2024 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Jeez, how did I get the relief pitching assignment? You know about me and relievers, right?
The thing with this series is that we’ve theoretically gone through “who the Braves have at their disposal this year” and “how those guys are gonna do.” For relievers, though? That’s the place where the mid-March answers to those questions are way less reliable than for any other position.
So, let’s do something at least a bit different. Not too different, just a bit. First, a top-down view.
The Braves’ bullpen has not exactly been an organizational strength since the Alex Anthopoulos regime took over. They rank 12th in MLB in fWAR in that span, though at least they’re eighth in WPA. Part of the reason they are ranked where they are is because, under Brian Snitker, the team honestly didn’t really care about using relievers all that much: from 2018-2025, the Braves ranked 24th in bullpen innings, and 25th in bullpen batters faced.
Recent history has been a mixed bag. The bullpen was fantastic in 2024: third in fWAR despite the third-fewest innings (somehow…). But, in 2025, it was very bleh: there were five teams who had under 1.0 fWAR from their relief corps, and the Braves had the lowest fWAR among teams that weren’t one of those sad sacks. As for the future, well, the Braves are currently projected to have baseball’s tenth-best bullpen in 2026, but bullpen projections are… not exactly something you want to take to the bank. Even so, when we talk about the vague amoeba-esque shape that we think the bullpen will take for 2026, it kind of looks like this:
High leverage
The Braves have dumped over $30 million in salary into Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suarez. Iglesias will return for his fifth-ish (he was acquired midseason in 2022) season with the team after re-upping on a one-year, $16 million agreement, while Suarez signed a three-year, $45 million deal in the offseason.
Both Iglesias and Suarez are up there in age, as they’ll be in their age-36 and age-35 seasons, respectively. That hasn’t really slowed them down yet, as Iglesias hasn’t had a season below 1.0 fWAR since 2018 (including 2020!), while Suarez put up 0.9 fWAR in 2024 and a thrilling 1.9 fWAR last season after an injury-shortened down year in 2023. That said, Iglesias is clearly declining — his xFIP-s have gone 54, 76, 76, 83, 92 from 2021 through 2025, and his early-season struggles last year basically kneecapped the Braves’ season before it really got going. Suarez was incredible last year, but he had xFIP-s in the 90s the two years before.
Both guys are projected to be good, but not elite, probably because of the age thing and the performance nits picked above. Iglesias is in that 0.5 – 1.0 WAR range, with the variance as much about assumptions about leverage as anything else. Suarez is… pretty much in the same boat.
On the one hand, having two relief guys that are similarly quite good diversifies the risk and provides a handcuff if Iglesias “decides” to get murdered by HR/FB or whatever for a long stretch again. On the other hand, the Braves have committed $31 million in salary obligations for 2026 to this. Maybe it’ll be great. Maybe it’ll just be fine.
Set-up or something
The next three guys in the presumed-but-maybe-not-actual bullpen pecking order are like, “names that will almost certainly be around pitching meaningful frames barring a trade or whatever.”
Dylan Lee has also been around since 2021 (well, mostly since 2022) and has a career 67 ERA-, 86 FIP-, and 79 xFIP-. He’s also straight-up eviscerated left-handed batters (33 percent strikeout rate, 3 percent walk rate, a 2.53 xFIP). Lee was really good in 2022 and 2024, but had homer problems in 2023 and 2025. Those homer problems curiously didn’t really ding his ERA, or even his WPA, but given the Braves’ issues with HR/FB last year, it’s just one of those things that sometimes makes you wake up in a cold sweat. (Or maybe that’s just me.)
Aaron Bummer was, and might continue to be, kind of the weirdest part of this roster. He was great in 2024 (1.1 fWAR) but the Braves didn’t really care in terms of using him accordingly. 2025 was worse in basically every respect, but still fine-ish. The Braves also made him start games for some reason, and he missed the last five weeks of the season with shoulder inflammation. This isn’t the place to re-litigate whatever is going on between Bummer, the coaching staff, and the organization, but suffice to say, Bummer probably can be in the mix to effectively pitch meaningful innings to the extent any reliever in this section or the ones below can, though whether he ultimately is remains a question mark due to his prior bizarre usage. There’s been a fair bit of noise that the Braves might trade Bummer to free up some cash, but there’s been no indication the organization is interested in that — and if they are, it’s not clear what they might do to bulk up the depth chart in his theoretical absence (if such a thing is even needed).
And then we have Tyler Kinley, who kind of differs from Bummer and Lee in that his peripherals don’t actually suggest he’s going to be all that productive. The Braves acquired Kinley partway through the year in 2025, and then declined his club option even though he posted a 17/68/106 line (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) for them down the stretch. They later re-signed him for a lower dollar total ($4.25 million). In the end, Kinley is a bit of an enigma, even if he’ll probably be used as a right-handed set-up-ish option to complement the lefty-hurling Lee and Bummer. His peripherals, as noted, have been poor — even after he departed the dysfunctional Rockies’ organization. You could argue that as a fly ball pitcher, xFIP undersells Kinley, and you kind of have to in order to feel good about his prospective role in this bullpen.
In any case, projections generally have all three of these guys around the 0.5 WAR mark, with an ultimately meaningless but nonetheless noticeable rank order of Lee > Bummer > Kinley in expected effectiveness.
Bullpens have way more than five pitchers, right?
So, who else is going to be in the bullpen? Uhhhhh… probably a whole lot of guys over the course of the season.
Joel Payamps seems like a decent bet, because the Braves gave him $2.25 million for 2026 after picking him up late last season. He was awful in 2025, but good in 2024 and great in 2023.
Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine, because there aren’t really any clear slam-dunk options, but just a bunch of guys to either cycle through or give a trial run and dump shortly thereafter unless they thrive.
Some guys in the organization are out of options or added on non-guaranteed deals. Jose Suarez has big swingman energy, was an okay starter a few years ago, and has sometimes looked flat-out dominant while causing Bad Josh Tomlin (not to be confused with Relief God Josh Tomlin) flashbacks otherwise. Ian Hamilton was great in 2023, good in 2024, and replacement level in 2025 — but hasn’t really gotten much run in camp so far.
Your ride-the-Gwinnett shuttle types include Dylan Dodd (who was fine as a reliever last year) and Hayden Harris (who’s had great minor league numbers but didn’t impress in a tiny sample in the majors last year, and seems to be less favored by the organization than his video game minor league numbers would suggest). Other guys that you might see here and there include:
Daysbel Hernandez (coming off a shoulder injury and a woeful 2025 after a very exciting short MLB stint in 2024);
James Karinchak (impressive in camp but hasn’t been useful in the majors since 2022);
Hunter Stratton (basically depth, but had a nice 2024);
Rolddy Munoz (at least in theory, but nothing he’s done in the minors suggests there’s any reason to give him a bullpen spot);
Jhancarlos Lara (like Munoz, hasn’t done anything in the high minors but maybe he figures it out one day this year); and
Tayler Scott (run-of-the-mill replacement-level reliever).
Depth
Guys not starting could be relieving. Or perhaps guys not doing so great at starting could be pushed into relieving by promotions of other arms in their place. Unfortunately for the Braves, they kind of have a “not sure we have enough guys to start effectively” issue potentially looming given their pitchers’ tendencies to keel over at the inkling of a stiff breeze on the other side of the continent, so this is a weird category. Could Grant Holmes, Reynaldo Lopez, and/or Bryce Elder do relief stuff? Yeah, sure, probably — if they’re not starting for some reason. This also probably isn’t the year that Spencer Strider, High Leverage Reliever comes to pass, but you know people will still talk about it.
The Braves could also give essentially battlefield promotions to a bunch of prospects and pseudo-prospects — Blake Burkhalter, Cade Kuehler, Connor Thomas as pure-play relievers, or Carter Holton, Lucas Braun, Drue Hackenberg, and Brett Sears as “sorry buddy, you’re not gonna be starting anymore, but brief major league paycheck?” options. Maybe this is the year that actual meaningful prospects JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes somehow establish themselves as elite bulk options as the Braves revolutionize how they use their pitching staff but… nah.
Jesse Chavez probably isn’t coming out of retirement, either, but you never know. (He’s coaching for the Giants anyway at this point.)
Overall
This is an expensive bullpen, and it’s not all that top heavy, nor overwhelmingly heavy at the top. While it’s true that most teams don’t have a duo like Iglesias and Suarez at the back end, all the teams with even better projected bullpens than the Braves do, generally with an even better duo (or trio). The Braves are five-ish deep in better-than-average-we-hope relievers, which is actually where their real bullpen “strength” is. But, because we’re talking about relievers, I wouldn’t really count on it. Things are gonna get weird, because that’s what relief pitching is apparently all about. Even though I hate it, and wish it were more normal. Oh well.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 19: Infielder, Kyle Karros, works on drills during spring training for the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Field at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 19, 2026. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
From 2013 onward, third base for the Rockies had been synonymous with only two names: Nolan Arenado and then Ryan McMahon. Because of those two, Colorado has had a Gold Glove finalist at the hot corner each of the past 13seasons. It has been one of the most stable positions in the entire league.
This offseason there was uncertainty at the position for the first time in ages. The team seems intent to give Kyle Karros the opportunity to take the spot and see if he can run with it.
The (likely) starter
Karros had succeeded at every level of the minors on his journey up the organizational ladder despite middling scouting reports from most public evaluators. His first taste of the majors looked more like the player scouts had said he’d be — a good defender with a second division bat — instead of the player he’d performed as in the minors — a gold glover and MVP — but he came into the spring with a plan:
“I think going into this season, I know what I have works. I’ve seen it work at every level, so just being more convicted with that and staying true to myself each and every day.”
That restraint in avoiding overreaction to a little over a month’s worth of big league at-bats says some interesting things about Karros as a person. It may prove to be a mistake in the end, however, the early returns do seem promising. In a sample size even smaller than his struggles from last year, he has an OPS well over 1.000 so far this spring.
That high mark won’t continue over a full season even in the best-case scenario, but it has been enough to already make him the presumptive Opening Day starter at third base.
Given that opportunity, he’ll be able to continue showing off the aspect of his game that has never really been in question: his glove. Last year, Karros accumulated three Defensive Runs Saved and four Outs Above Average, which were tied for 19th and 9th among all third baseman despite him having played only 43 games.
That standout defense should give him a long leash should his offensive struggles resurface during the regular season.
The backups
The highest profile bat brought in this offseason, Willi Castro has had a close to league average wRC+ over the past three seasons (107 in ’23, 106 in ‘24, and then 92 last year). It’s his defensive versatility, however, that most makes him stand out.
Having made starts at almost every position on the field he provides plenty of options for Warren Schaeffer regardless of how the rest of the roster shakes out. He’ll be playing every day somewhere, and even if that’s not third, he’ll still sometimes be called upon to slide over when Karros needs a day off.
Ryan Ritter’s first taste of the majors was rough. He dealt with a finger injury that kept him out for roughly a month, and when he was on the field, he struggled to the tune of a 64 wRC+ and a 29.5% strikeout rate. Those both would have been bottom ten in the league if he had played enough to qualify.
Coming into camp, it was a reasonable question whether or not he’d make the Opening Day roster. So far he has hit well, and the coaching staff has been impressed by his work at third base and in left field. That extra flexibility gives him a real shot at sliding into a big league utility role.
In many ways Castro is a solid comp of what a good outcome for Ritter would look like — both are jack of all trades, master of none style players. Not being especially bad at any aspect of the game doesn’t make Castro a star, but it has allowed him to accrue 5.9 fWAR since the start of 2023.
If Ritter can become that type of player, he’ll be forcing his way into a starting role.
Depth options
Likely due to the lack of turnover at the position over the course of the past decade, the Rockies entered the offseason with very little in the way of realistic major league depth at third.
Tyler Freeman has played the position at times in the past and could do so again in a pinch but he’s never graded out particularly well over there. He’s an acceptable option if needed but they’d rather not need to use him in that role.
Likely as a response to this lack of depth, the front office brought in a couple of veterans on minor league deals this offseason in the form of Nicky Lopez and Vimael Machín. Neither is likely to make the roster but would be the first called upon to fill in should injuries change the current paradigm.
Lopez in particular has established a track record as a good fielder capable of playing any infield position as long as you know not to expect much out of him at the plate.
On the farm
Third base is usually one of the landing spots for a player with a good arm that moved off of shortstop because they didn’t have the range to cover the middle infield. As such, it’s hard to determine who will be play third in the majors solely by looking at where they play currently.
Below are the Rockies prospects most likely to end up at third by the time their minor league careers are over:
Ethan Hedges (No. 29 PuRP): A two-way player in college, the Rockies drafted Hedges in the third round last year. He grades well defensively but it remains to be seen if focusing solely on being a hitter can allow him to improve on a currently fringey offensive projection.
Ethan Holliday (No. 2 PuRP): Entering the system as the number four overall pick last summer, the youngest Holliday has a long way to go before it becomes clear exactly what type of player he’ll end up being. Currently a shortstop with immense power but strikeout concerns, if he ends up not being able to stick at short he is expected to be able to find a home at third.
Wilder Dalis (No. 24 PuRP): Coming off a couple good years between the DSL and ACL, Dalis made his debut in Low A during his age 18 season. He’s played primarily at third base but it remains to be seen if that’s where he ends up. Thus far in his minor league career the bat has impressed for someone without a notable signing bonus.
It’s also possible, but not likely, that Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) could be given another shot at third since the new front office doesn’t view him strictly as a first baseman.
Overall, this group has impact potential, but a lot of questions. Further, it will be a long time before those questions are able to be answered.
Closing thoughts
What you think about the Rockies third base situation almost entirely depends on what you think of Kyle Karros.
Do you buy into his minor league performance and hot spring? Well, then maybe by next year we’ll all be saying that the Rockies have the position locked down for the foreseeable future.
Do you think the scouting reports and his month of play in the bigs last year are more indicative of the player he’ll be long term? In that case, third base (unless Ryan Ritter happens to break out) is in for a transitional period that may well last a couple full years.
Mar 12, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Brennen Davis (78) breaks his bat against the Chicago Cubs in the third inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Good morning everyone! Happy Friday.
Emerson Hancock continued to look sharp last night, but the Mariners fell to the Cubs 7-4. If Hancock is indeed placed back into a starting role with Bryce Miller ailing, we’ll have to hope he can find some consistency out on the mound.
My question for the day has nothing to do with the Mariners, but I want to know: has a favorite musical artist of yours ever released a complete brick of an album? They say some albums are “no-skips” but I’m asking for one from an artist you like that was nothing but skips. For me, I’d have to go with Don’t Click Play by Ava Max. I should have listened to her.
In Mariners news…
Shannon Drayer wrote about young standout Brennen Davis, who is making the most of his opportunities with several regulars away from camp for the WBC.
Jenny Catlin at The Athletic provided a complete watch guide for the M’s in 2026. ($)
In the World Baseball Classic…
Jordan Shusterman at Yahoo! Sports wrote about how awesome it is to see the Dominican Republic celebrate DR baseball in such a big way in this tournament.
A one-of-a-kind Aaron Judge card broke a modern day record by selling for $5.2 million. The previous record was held by a Mike Trout card that went for $3.936 million.
Anders’ picks…
Seattle Reign forward Jordyn Huitema has been traded to Chicago. Huitema, who had been with the squad since 2022, also happens to be Julio Rodríguez’s girlfriend.
MESA, AZ - FEBRUARY 18: Lawrence Butler #4 of the Athletics takes live batting practice during a spring training workout at the Lew Wolff Training Complex on February 18, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning everyone and welcome back to Friday!
The Athletics’ Opening Day is exactly two weeks away. That means big decisions are coming all across the team soon enough. From who lines up at the hot corner (looking like Max Muncy has won that job), to the back half of the starting rotation, to the bullpen and the bench spots, manager Mark Kotsay is going to be having to make some serious choices here in the next few days.
One of the bigger decisions he will have to make is in regards to right fielder Lawrence Butler. One of the four core players the front office has already signed to an extension, Butler seemed to emerge as a difference-maker during the second half of the 2024 campaign, his first real extended look in The Show. He hit an amazing .300/.345/.553 with 13 home runs in just 61 games, which when combined with his above-average defense in right field made him look like a budding star. That was enough for the front office to make him the second extension they came to, mere months after locking down Brent Rooker.
The first season of his new deal didn’t go as the A’s or Butler had hoped though. His stats fell across the board in almost every category, all while maintaining a .304 batting average on balls-in-play so it’s not like he was getting suddenly unlucky. It’s not what the A’s had envisioned for Butler but after the season we were all informed that the 25-year-old was playing on a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. That injury had to have had some effect on his performance, right? Especially considering how he struggled much more significantly in the second half (.203/.268/.351).
The hope is that that major injury was the cause of Butler’s regression in 2025. The left-handed swinger was expected to be a crucial part of any A’s success last year and those expectations remain high in what’ll be his third full season as a big leaguer.
He’s yet to get into any spring action though and we’re really running out of time to get him ramped up. Kotsay doesn’t think so at this point, saying that Butler has been getting his at-bats in the batting cage and in games against minor leaguers. Not exactly what A’s fans would hope for but at least he’s been active and getting reps with his bat. And Butler agrees:
“I feel great at the plate,” Butler said. “I’m glad they’re letting me get all these at-bats to let me continue to work on my approach at the plate. I might not run after I hit, but I’m still getting the reps in that are needed for me to be ready for the regular season.”
Despite the serious nature of the injury it seems that he’s suffered no setbacks and is feeling ready for the upcoming grind of a six-month baseball season. The biggest and final thing for him to do is start playing in the outfield, which he has yet to do in any capacity so far this year. It sounds as though the tentative plan is to get him into some game action this coming week, but whether he plays on the grass or is merely DH’ing is unknown at this point.
Hopefully he can log some time in right field before camp is over, because Butler’s needed out there with our guys. With Rooker’s presence taking up the DH spot there isn’t a chance to exclusively put Butler’s bat in the batting order during the first few weeks of the season if he’s not ready for defensive duties. That could mean a season-opening IL stint for Butler, where he can continue to build strength in his knee and get some action reps in the outfield down in Triple-A with the Aviators.
Where would that leave the big league club for the first few weeks of the season? Firstl looking at players currently on the 40-man roster, former top prospect Colby Thomas seems like he would be the logical bet to get some at-bats in right field but the right-hander is just 4-for-28 this spring with seven punchouts, and he also struggled last year in his first taste of big league pitching. Carlos Cortes could be an option, and he’s a switch-hitter, but he’s just 3-for-9 this spring and has been with Team Puerto Rico for the past week-plus and is just 3-for-13 playing for his national team. If the plan is a platoon in right field while Butler’s on the shelf then Cortes would likely be in the lineup for Opening Day considering the Blue Jays will be sending right-hander Dylan Cease to the mound.
Jeff McNeil was always expected to get some outfield work this year and has played 124 games there in his career, but the A’s brought him aboard to play second base. The A’s could, but almost certainly won’t, send Rooker out to the grass, though he made 20 starts in right field last year. Andy Ibanez is the only other player on the 40-man roster to have played right field in the big leagues, and that was just seven starts back in 2023.
If the A’s were feeling a bit bold, however, they could turn to their minor league system, where top prospect Henry Bolte is itching for his chance. The 22-year-old outfielder has been having an amazing camp, opening the eyes of both the watching fans and the coaching staff. The right-handed hitter wouldn’t be a perfect one-for-one replacement for Butler, as the lefty-swinging Butler has more pop but Bolte has more speed. Which isn’t how the A’s offense plans to operate this year but it could be a change of pace for opposing pitchers to deal with him on the basepaths. He has only played 34 games at Triple-A however so some more seasoning in Las Vegas already seemed in order (though he tore the cover off the ball in that short sample with the Aviators).
How do you guys think the right field situation is going to play out? Is Butler really going to beat expectations and be in the lineup Opening Day in Toronto? Or will the A’s turn to a Plan B that sees the A’s just try to get by while waiting for his return? Or do the A’s get aggressive with one of their top prospects who has been hitting the ball fantastically all spring? Comment and debate below!
If you’ve been watching any Athletics spring games this year, you already knew that:
Max Muncy continues to perform as one of the top hitters in all the Cactus League. He crushed a 440-foot solo shot off Jack Leiter in his first at-bat today for his third homer of spring. Now batting .414 with a 1.390 OPS.
Luis Torrens / | Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images
When the Mets picked up Luis Torrens from the Yankees early in the 2024 season, it wasn’t exactly the biggest news. Then in his age-28 season, the catcher had racked up 807 major league plate appearances but hadn’t cracked the Yankees’ major league roster. And up to that point, he was worth -1.7 fWAR in the time he had spent with the Padres, Mariners, and Cubs.
But everything changed once he got his opportunity to play for the Mets. In 130 plate appearances over the course of 48 games with the team that year, he was worth 0.8 fWAR thanks entirely to a major improvement in his defensive metrics. Having put up an 89 wRC+ that year, he improved a bit from his previous career mark of 79, but the turnaround was much more pronounced behind the plate than at it.
Torrens returned to the same role with the Mets last year, and he got more playing time thanks to a variety of injuries suffered by starting catcher Francisco Alvarez. In 283 plate appearances, he wound up with a 79 wRC+, but thanks to even better defensive metrics, he finished the season with 1.6 fWAR.
The Mets made a whole bunch of moves over the course of the offseason, but they didn’t really do much at catcher to give Torrens competition. Sure, Austin Barnes and Ben Rortvedt are in major league camp as catchers, as are longtime Mets minor leaguers Hayden Senger and Kevin Parada. None of them seem likely to displace Torrens, even though several of them—including Torrens—are out of options.
Projections published at FanGraphs see more of the same from Torrens as he enters his age-30 season: a below-league-average bat with good defense who can contribute about one win to the team by fWAR. It’d be a perfectly cromulent outcome for a relatively unheralded role on a good team.
San Diego Padres Xander Bogaerts (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In a move that drew little fanfare, San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen made a subtle change to the batting order. He moved Xander Bogaerts from the bottom of the lineup to the leadoff spot and Fernando Tatis Jr. to the middle of the order.
The Padres are seeking better run production from the lineup in 2026. The manager wants a leadoff hitter who has a high on-base percentage and can put himself in scoring position to maximize the lineup’s run-producing potential. Bogaerts fits the criteria, as he is a high-contact hitter with a career .350 OBP and stole a career-high 25 bases last season.
Leadoff hitters were once catalysts for an offense
Historically, the prototypical major league leadoff hitter was a catalyst for their team to get off to a good start in games. They reached base either by a base hit or drawing a walk because of good plate discipline.
It forced a starting pitcher to throw his entire repertoire during the course of the at-bat. Taking pitches allows their teammates to gauge how a pitcher is throwing before their initial plate appearance. Once at first base, a leadoff hitter must use their speed to put themselves in scoring position for the middle-of-the-order hitters.
Some of the best examples of this type of leadoff hitter are Rickey Henderson, Lou Brock and Ichiro Suzuki.
Speed no longer required to leadoff
However, in today’s analytical-driven sport, baseball has shifted the definition of a leadoff hitter. Managers want them to maximize their team’s first at-bats with proven hitters. Instead of a speedy table setter, the focus is now on finding a leadoff hitter with power and discipline.
The advanced metrics show Bogaerts fits the bill, as he has a consistent contact rate at 80% and an above-average career strikeout rate at 18% heading into the 2026 campaign. Stammen recognized that he averages at least four pitches before Bogaerts puts the ball in play. Having his batting acumen at the top of the lineup should jump-start the Friars’ offense.
By all signs in Spring Training, the move to the leadoff spot should offer a resurgence for Bogaerts at the plate. The projected numbers for him are a .272 batting average with a .331 OPS this season. It demonstrates that Bogaerts can make the transition from the lower third to the top of the order.
The Padres manager believes a consistent contact hitter is the right approach for the leadoff spot of the batting order. Bogaerts can draw walks, put the ball in play, and occasionally hit the ball out of the park.
Stammen expects the current look of the Friars’ lineup to score runs, but it all begins at the top.
