SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 01, 2026: Germán Márquez #33 of the San Diego Padres throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on March 01, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
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The San Diego Padres entered the 2026 season knowing they would have to address needs in the starting rotation, but with a limited budget, doing so through free agency proved to be difficult. San Diego re-signed Michael King, who could easily be considered the ace of the staff and that was the one “big signing” that was made to address the rotation. At the very least, King would be considered a co-ace with Nick Pivetta, who finished sixth in Cy Young voting following the 2025 season.
The return of Joe Musgrove gave the Padres a solid top of the rotation, and if Randy Vasquez could continue to improve throughout Spring Training and into the season, the top four spots in the rotation would be set. San Diego would need to address the fifth starter in the rotation and general manager A.J. Preller attempted to do so by bringing in several veteran pitchers on minor league deals to compete with JP Sears, Matt Waldron and potentially Kyle Hart, who were already on the roster. Hart has been used more as a long-relief bullpen arm and seems to be out of starter consideration.
Preller signed German Marquez to a major league deal and Walker Buehler, Marco Gonzales and Triston McKenzie to minor league deals. They all came to Spring Training with a chance to win a spot in the rotation. Each pitcher has had positives and negatives this spring, but only McKenzie seems to have played himself out of consideration due to control issues. The right-hander has good stuff and a high-velocity fastball, but his ability to command his pitches could be what keeps him off the roster.
Marquez seems to have the liveliest arm in the group of rotation contenders, but he has not been able to stand out from the group and take control of the competition. Buehler, who was previously known as a fastball pitcher, is re-inventing himself and becoming more of a “pitcher,” relying on movement to keep hitters off balance. Gonzales has had a spring similar to Marquez. He has not been bad, but he has not done anything to separate himself from his competitors.
Sears continues to have trouble with the home run ball. He has been a flyball pitcher for his career, but the problem he runs into is that too many of those flyballs land beyond the outfield wall in the stands.
With Opening Day approaching March 26, Preller, manager Craig Stammen and pitching coach Ruben Niebla will have to decide who will make the roster and fill the final rotation spot. With news in recent days of Pivetta missing a start due to arm fatigue and Musgrove’s return to the mound after one spring start in question, perhaps multiple candidates will make the Padres roster.
For this week’s Padres Reacts Survey, Gaslamp Ball asks readers which candidate they think will win the fifth and final spot in the rotation. For this exercise, let’s assume King, Pivetta, Musgrove and Vasquez are all healthy and on the Opening Day roster. Results will be published later in the week.
HOUSTON — Vinnie Pasquantino, walking though the corridor with a half-empty can of beer Wednesday night, lifted up his blue suit jacket, smelled it, and wrinkled his nose.
He has worn the same suit every day, to day games and night games, with Team Italy at Daikin Park, maintaining the tradition Italy manager Francisco Cervelli established for his team in this World Baseball Classic.
But Pasquantino may have made a serious wardrobe miscalculation.
Team Italy, which was supposed to be dismissed from the World Baseball Classic after four games in pool play, is sticking around for awhile, and perhaps may have another flight to catch. It pulled off a second consecutive stunning upset Wednesday, 9-1, over Mexico.
The team that was supposed to be an afterthought, suddenly is on everyone’s forefront, sweeping all four games in the WBC to win Pool B and be a No. 1 seed for the first time in Italy history. It will play Puerto Rico on Saturday afternoon at Daikin Park for the right to play in the semifinals in Miami.
“There’s another team in the world that can play baseball,’’ Cervelli proudly said.
And there’s another slugger in the world who can hit three home runs in a single game, becoming the first player to achieve the feat in World Baseball Classic history.
So, is there a nickname Pasquantino wants after his feat, considering Reggie Jackson earned his monicker after hitting three homers in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series for the Yankees?
“Mr. March,’’ he said, laughing.
“It’s just a good night. That's it. This will be forgotten very soon. But you know, anytime you can just say Reggie Jackson's name to me is cool.’’
When was the last time Pasquantino, the Kansas City Royals first baseman, hit three homers in a game?
“I've never done it before,’’ he said.
College?
“No.’’
High School?
“No.’’
Little League?
“Never.’’
And never had the Hall of Fame ever reached out and requested anything from him to be displayed in Cooperstown.
Then, again, he might become the first one to flatly turn them down. Well, at least delay them a bit.
“They liked the bat,’’ Pasquantino said. “I said, 'I need the bat for a few more days.’’
When you go hitless in the first three games of the WBC, and get so desperate that you actually attempt a bunt in your first at-bat Wednesday, you’re sure not going to hand over the bat that made you an overnight WBC legend.
“Just nice to be involved and help the team offensively,’’ Pasquantino said. “It's no secret how I'd been doing prior. So, you know, we worked really hard to try to get right, and tonight was a good night.’’
Pasquantino’s struggles were so pronounced that simply laying off a 2-and-2 slider in the eighth inning, instead of chasing a slider that was low, was his proudest moment of the night. He hit the next pitch 337 feet over the right-field fence.
“I had been chasing quite a bit to the point that, you know, I wanted to just cry,’’ said Pasquantino. “Just like, 'Hey, stop chasing balls. Just take balls.' And I took that pitch. And I think I was about as happy as I could be.’’
Pasquantino, their leader who orchestrated the espresso shots after homers, parading in the dugout with an Armani jacket and passing out celebratory bottles of wine after victories, refused to let his struggles carry over into the clubhouse. His teammates will tell you he was the same guy, clowning around, keeping everyone loose.
“He's been the happiest player on the team,’’ Italy second baseman Jon Berti said. “Trust me.’’
Yet, Pasquantino's struggles were burning inside, and only Italy’s victories kept his sanity.
“Francisco and I had talked about it, and I said, 'Skip, if you need to drop me in order, do it because I understand,’’’ Pasquantino said. “It's been bad. But I felt like I was still competing and giving it my best. (USA pitcher) Nolan McLean made me look like I'd never hit a baseball before last night.
“So, I'm glad we were able to do something productive tonight.’’
Yes, for the first time in the WBC, he actually got to keep a bottle of the fine wine for himself. He also presented one to Marco Mazzieri, the Italian Baseball Federation president, for making this all possible.
“I'm like weirdly emotional tonight,’’ Pasquantino said, “to the point I'm thinking about crying. Which is funny for a tournament in March.’’
Pasquantino thinks about the players on the team who risked losing their jobs in spring training to come play for Italy. He thinks about the guys who may wind up in the minor leagues instead of the big leagues because of the time away from their team. He thinks about players like White Sox catcher Kyle Teel, who will be out four to six weeks with a strained hamstring after stretching a single into a double against the USA.
And he gets emotional about playing for Cervelli, GM Ned Colletti, Mazzieri and Yankees great Jorge Posada.
“I'm so thankful for those guys for allowing me to be myself,’’ Pasquantino said, “and to lead this team the way that I've kind of seen from a player perspective. They have to do what they need to do from a leadership side, from a coaching staff. But to kind of give me the reins to say, 'All right, this is your team, what do you want it to look like?’
“It doesn't mean that I'm making decisions or anything, but it just means, like, what can we do to get the best out of every player? And honestly, like the 'C' on my chest, which we argued about if I was going to wear or not, that's what that means to me. It wouldn't matter. What matters is trying to get the best out of my teammates, and they've given me the freedom to try to do that, whether it's taking mound visits or talking to the group.’’
Cervelli, who was mentored by Hall of Famer Joe Torre, and brings the great Yankees tradition to the team, knows the value of leadership, being around Derek Jeter, CC Sabathia and Posada during his playing days.
Pasquantino may not have the Hall of Fame resume, but those leadership qualities, they are all there.
“I think leaders, they're born like that,’’ Cervelli said. “This guy, everybody follows him. He respects everyone. He can be loud sometimes when he needs to. He doesn't talk that much. Everybody follows him.
“That's a leader. He put himself before everyone to protect everyone, not because it's Vinnie, that's what a captain is. This is amazing to have. It's a pleasure for me to have a player like that because it makes my job very easy.’’
It was Pasquantino’s leadership that prevented Italy from having an emotional letdown after beating the USA in the biggest victory in Italian history just 24 hours earlier. They sat around and talked about the tiebreakers. They were told they could actually lose to Mexico, but as long as they didn’t give up more than four runs, they’d earn a tiebreaker over the USA.
They talked about all of the scenarios, and then Pasquantino put a stop to it.
“Just being realistic, there was a lot of conversation if different scenarios arise,’’ Pasquantino said, “what do we do? Then finally, we just got together and said, 'You know what? Let's just win the game.’
“So last night when we were celebrating, we had a good time in the locker room. But I said to the guys, 'Once midnight hit, guys, we've got to get going.' We stayed and we hung out and we had a good time. But it was a lot of hanging out and just, 'What are we going to do tomorrow? How are we going to win this game?'"
They won the game by jumping on Pasquantino’s back as he hit the three solo homers, the arm of Aaron Nola who pitched five shutout innings, and the contributions of seven different players producing hits, and six different pitchers getting outs.
“Tonight, we just handled business,’’ Pasquantino said. “That was the expectation. And it was awesome.’’
Next stop: vs. Puerto Rico on Saturday afternoon.
Win, and they have a flight to Miami for the semifinals, going where no Italy team has gone before.
So, considering Team Italy will be sticking around for awhile, perhaps it could be time to grab a new suit, particularly since the Italians have the next two days off.
But, hey, as long as Team Italy keeps winning, and the suit is working, how in the world can Pasquantino change the wardrobe now?
And, if someone wants to buy him a nice Italian designer suit, he knows just the guys who owe him.
Yep, Team USA, which staved off elimination in the WBC thanks to Italy’s victory.
“You're welcome, USA,’’ Pasquantino said on the field. “We were thinking of you guys over at your hotel. We were thinking of you guys, so glad you guys can join us in the party.’’
Well, perhaps the two most impressive Atlanta relievers of Spring Training have now been sent to minor league camp, in Hayden Harris and James Karinchak. It seems likely that both will appear in Atlanta this year, assuming Karinchak sticks around long enough to do so as a veteran. They have each been strikeout machines this spring, but did not have to be on the active roster to start the season in order to remain in the organization, and thus are expendable as potential members of the Opening Day roster. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman also speculates that the run of consecutive games to start the season lends itself to more of a long-relief role and perhaps a sixth starter, which logically would lead to the likes of Harris and/or Karinchak making the roster perhaps in mid-April.
Spencer Strider had a nice day, sitting mid-90s with his fastball and showcasing two breaking balls, as the Braves notched another Spring Training win.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Joe Musgrove #44 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a World Baseball Classic scrimmage against Great Britain at Peoria Stadium on March 4, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres need to slow-play starter Joe Musgrove at the beginning of the 2026 season. Coming off Tommy John surgery in October of 2024, Musgrove is a month shy of 18 months post-surgery. The usual recovery time for TJ is 12-18 months but that is a range that is very individual and Musgrove himself said that in his research for the surgery he was told by other pitchers that they didn’t feel normal until two years removed from the actual operation.
In February, Musgrove had a long interview on the Friar Territory podcast where he outlined his willingness to do whatever it took to be ready to pitch at the end of the season. Starting the season in the rotation wasn’t seen as a must although he specifically said that taking breaks, pushing back his starts and limiting innings or pitches to start the season would all be in the mix.
After his first spring start on March 4 against the Great Britain WBC team, Musgrove reported no physical issues after his 60-pitch performance over three innings and six outs. He felt challenged by the pace with the pitch clock and the intensity of having to compete in a real game-setting versus the controlled settings on the back fields of Peoria Sports Complex.
The real test for recovering pitchers is how they bounce-back after pitching. According to manager Craig Stammen, Musgrove threw a bullpen at some point after his start but it was announced yesterday that there is no scheduled next start for Musgrove. He will be day-to-day with an evaluation each day to see how his arm feels.
When asked how his arm felt, Musgrove replied, “It feels like I had surgery.”
Musgrove’s repertoire
At the end of the 2024 season, when it was clear that Musgrove had been pitching most of the season hurt and was just doing his best until his elbow gave out, it seemed pretty remarkable that he managed a 3.88 ERA when his Baseball Savant page showed a pitcher that shouldn’t have been in MLB; much less get through almost 100 innings pitched with a winning record. He had removed his slider from his pitch mix and added a sweeper.
During his last healthy season, in 2023, Musgrove’s Savant page revealed an effective pitcher that was really successful despite not having elite velocity. Musgrove was a pitcher, working with his six-pitch mix to get hitters out with efficiency and smarts.
In his start on March 4, Musgrove used a seven-pitch mix, bringing back the slider he had removed in 2024 and incorporating the sweeper as well. His fastball velocity averaged 94.1 mph, slightly up from 2023.
Handling the new season
Pushing Musgrove’s start back, allowing his tired arm to fully recover and giving him more time between starts, will probably mean he isn’t ready for Opening Day. That is not a real problem as things stand currently. He was not in line to be the starter on March 26. At most, he would be third in line for the Padres.
He could start the year on the IL but the Padres have plenty of options to keep the team competitive until he is ready to step into the every five or six day rotation. There are two off days in the first eight days of the season and the team can use a fill-in to start a game or allow the other starters to work on normal four days rest.
The “bridge’” pitcher can help
The organization is currently evaluating three pitchers to work as “bridge” pitchers on the team. Stammen, a former pitcher, doesn’t seem to like the term “long-man” and they have used “bridge” instead.
Ron Marinaccio, currently with Team Italy in the WBC, lefty Kyle Hart and Logan Gillaspie are all auditioning for the role and it is possible that two could make the team. Marinaccio and Gillaspie are out of options and will have to be put through waivers if not on the roster.
The starters
With Musgrove out to start the year, both German Marquez and Walker Buehler have a chance to make the roster out of spring. It seems obvious that Randy Vasquez has locked up a spot with his outstanding spring performances. This will have to be decided by March 21, as Buehler has an opt-out on that date. He must be on the roster or allowed to pursue other opportunities.
None of the pitchers vying for the rotation have an ERA below 5.40, but that isn’t a reliable stat to use for evaluation in the spring. The underlying stats on the competitors show that Marquez and Buehler have better stuff and a bit more velocity than Marco Gonzales. And… Tristan McKenzie is a work-in-progress and not a contender.
When he is ready to return, Musgrove will probably be limited in some way. Either an innings limit or longer recovery time between starts would make sense. The bullpen is certainly up to supporting that approach and the “bridge” pitchers would also be available to step in.
Slow-playing the season
Musgrove has repeatedly stated that opening the season as a starter might not be important but ending the season as a starter is very important.
Musgrove wants to play in October. He wants to pitch in playoff games. If the Padres get to that point, they need a healthy and strong Joe Musgrove. We have seen what Playoff Joe looks like. The Friar Faithful should all be patient and support getting that Musgrove back with the Padres.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees smiles during a spring training game against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
FanGraphs | Ben Clemens: Aaron Judge is the best hitter in baseball, and has been just about that since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2017. Once again heading into 2026 he’s expected to lead the league in offensive production, and as Clemens digs in, there’s a very good argument that barring a catastrophe, he’ll be tabbed as the best slugger in 2027 too. We are simply witnessing one of the finest hitters in the history of the game, and both the numbers and the eyes can back that up.
On the topic of Judge, his hopes of a World Baseball Classic title with Team USA did not come to an end with their loss to Italy on Tuesday after all. Thanks to Italy finishing an impressive sweep of Pool B by beating 2-2 Mexico, 3-1 Team USA backed into a spot in the quarterfinals. As the Pool B runner-up, they’ll stay in Houston and on Friday, will face Canada, who advanced to the knockout round for the first time after winning Pool A. The other matchups will be: Dominican Republic vs. South Korea, Japan vs. Venezuela, and Puerto Rico vs. Italy.
New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez and Dan Martin: Jasson Domínguez is in tough to break camp with the MLB roster, but he has been doing his best in spring training action. The Martian adjusted nicely in Tuesday’s Grapefruit League game against the Phillies’ Tanner Banks, moving to a toe-tap instead of a full leg kick and taking the left-hander deep. Hitting against lefties has been Jasson’s biggest problem at the plate despite being a natural right-handed hitter, and maybe these kind of mechanical shifts can be the key he needs to be an MLB regular.
Apple Newsroom: AppleTV Plus is once again broadcasting doubleheaders on Friday nights this season, alongside Netflix having Opening Day—which will feature the Yankees and Giants—and the All-Star festivities (aside from the actual Midsummer Classic). The Yankees don’t appear on Apple until May 15th, the start of the Subway Series against the Mets.
Another broadcast item: CC Sabathia will be in booth for the aforementioned Netflix Opening Day alongside Matt Vasgergian and former Giants standout Hunter Pence. CC’s fellow Yankees alum Anthony Rizzo will be in the studio, as will future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.
MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: The Yankees have gotten lucky so far in camp by managing injuries, always the biggest concern about spring. Unfortunately, the bug has bitten Brock Selvidge, the club’s third-round pick in 2021, and the right-hander underwent an internal brace procedure in his pitching arm. The surgery will mean Selvidge misses the entire 2026 season, and while he was an outside shot for him to make the MLB roster at all this year, the chances he never throws a pitch in the bigs got a little bigger with that news.
Observations from Yankees spring training on Wednesday:
Two strong
Giancarlo Stanton hit a projected 826 feet worth of home runs.
Giancarlo Stanton belts a two-run homer off Eric Lauer in the third inning of the Yankees’ 8-1 exhibition win over the Blue Jays. It was the first of two homers in the game for the veteran slugger. AP
In the third inning of the Yankees’ 8-1 spring training win over the Blue Jays, the Bombers DH demolished one to left-center against Eric Lauer before crushing a Lazaro Estrada slider over the wall in center field during the sixth.
Stanton owns an impressive 1.546 OPS through four Grapefruit League games.
McMahon down
Working with a different batting stance, Ryan McMahon is statistically off to a slow start, his 0-for-2 with a walk dropping him to 3-for-25 in the Grapefruit League.
Caught my eye
Trent Grisham, who stole 15 bases with the Padres in 2023 but has rarely run with the Yankees, swiped his first bag of the spring.
Toronto Blue Jays infielder Rafael Lantigua (72) attempted to tag out New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham (12) as he stole second base during the fifth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Thursday’s schedule
Will Warren will face Justin Verlander and the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla., at 1:05 p.m.
For months, the play had been argued, analyzed and debated in baseball’s collective memory.
Frame by frame. A lifted spike. A desperate slide.
Blue Jays fans stare at the replay the way gamblers stare at dice still rolling across the felt, convinced that somehow the outcome might change if they watch long enough.
Baseball fans argue that Isiah Kiner-Falefa should have taken a bigger lead. Their anger and ire directed at him until he revealed it was the third base coach who drew a line in the dirt and told him how big of a lead to take.
Dodgers catcher Will Smith forces out Blue Jays runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa during Game 7 of the 2025 World Series. AP
Millions watched from home believing that the outcome of the 2025 World Series was determined by inches.
Now MLB has delivered the final verdict — and it’s not even close.
According to a recently released MLB report provided to The Associated Press, the infamous Game 7 play at the plate between the Dodgers and Blue Jays wasn’t decided by inches, a sliding foot or the controversial moment when Dodgers catcher Will Smith briefly lifted his spike off home plate.
Kiner-Falefa was already dead in the water.
“After reviewing all relevant angles, the replay official definitively determined the catcher’s foot was touching the plate when the ball contacted the interior of his mitt,” MLB wrote in the report.
Translation: The out happened the instant Miguel Rojas’ throw smacked Smith’s glove.
The play itself unfolded like chaos wrapped in tension. Bases loaded. One out. Bottom of the ninth in a 4-4 Game 7. Blue Jays third base coach Carlos Febles had drawn a conservative line in the dirt, telling Kiner-Falefa not to stray too far from third while Yoshinobu Yamamoto battled Daulton Varsho at the plate.
Varsho chopped a grounder. Rojas briefly stumbled at second before firing home. Smith caught it. The plate umpire barked the call: out.
“I just cared that he was out,” Smith said later.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa could have scored the game-winning run in Game 7 of the World Series, a breakdown pic.twitter.com/6g9dUft5vy
The Blue Jays didn’t lose the World Series by inches.
They lost it by 3 feet.
And hours later, Smith crushed the exclamation point — a towering home run in the 11th inning that helped seal the Dodgers’ second straight championship, while the most argued play in baseball history quietly slipped from controversy into cold, hard fact.
The California Post recently asked Smith if he had gone back to watch the play.
“I honestly haven’t rewatched it,” said Smith, who admitted he’s afraid the outcome might change if he did.
Details have started to emerge about Netflix’s plans for MLB Opening Night, and the streaming giant apparently wants to make a splash with its baseball debut.
Literally.
Netflix is set to make a big splash in MLB’s season-opening game between the Giants and Yankees. AP
Netflix reportedly plans to station 73 red kayaks in McCovey Cove behind Oracle Park’s right field wall for the March 25 game between the Giants and Yankees that marks the official start of MLB’s regular season.
Nine of Bonds’ 73 bombs that season reached the San Francisco Bay — and 35 of the 108 ever hit by a Giant, despite only playing seven seasons in a ballpark that celebrated its 25th birthday last year.
Bonds, who rarely grants interviews, has been rumored to be targeted by Netflix to appear as an analyst on the broadcast. His name was not among the seven members of the broadcast team revealed on Wednesday, but the announcement did tease an eighth, yet-to-be-named “special guest.”
Matt Vasgersian, recently named the voice of the weekly Sunday morning game on Peacock/NBC, will provide play-by-play with popular former players from each side serving as color analysts.
Hunter Pence will provide the Giants’ perspective, while CC Sabathia will represent the Yankees. Pence, a folk hero from the Giants’ World Series dynasty, still lives in San Francisco and has done commentary for NBC Sports Bay Area, as well as Apple TV. Sabathia went in to the Hall of Fame wearing a Yankees cap, but he was born and raised in Vallejo, about 30 miles northeast of Oracle Park.
The broadcast will also feature a live set on site hosted by Elle Duncan with another Hall of Famer, Albert Pujols, commentating with Anthony Rizzo, the former Yankees and Cubs first baseman. Lauren Shehadi will report from the field and the teams’ dugouts, and comedian Bert Kreischer will reprise his role from Netflix’s NFL broadcast.
Former Giants player Barry Bonds might make a special appearance on Netflix’s MLB Opening Night. UPI
The streamer made football its first foray into the major American sports market when it aired its first Christmas Day game in 2024. With its global audience, Netflix has recently been speculated as a natural landing spot for the NFL’s increased slate of international games.
Netflix’s baseball strategy appears to follow its football footprint, targeting high-profile keystone events.
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In addition to Opening Night, Netflix acquired the rights through 2028 to air the Home Run Derby and one “special event” per season, beginning this year with the Field of Dreams game set for Aug. 13.
The Bay Area-based company appears to be going above and beyond the typical broadcast.
According to the Standard, Netflix will also host a “pop-up bullpen,” where fans can test their arms. The kayaks, branded in Netflix red, will reportedly be available for use by fans.
McCovey Cove, one of the sport’s iconic attractions, figures to be on center stage.
Whether Netflix gets its wish and truly makes a splash remains to be seen. The water sits about 20 feet behind a 25-foot brick wall in right field, and San Francisco’s marine layer only adds another obstacle.
The entirety of the Giants’ projected 26-man roster has combined for three splash hits. Nobody on the Yankees has ever done it. The mightiest slugger of them all, Aaron Judge, would seem to be a natural candidate — but only one right-handed hitter has ever splashed down on the fly.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 04: Paul Sewald #62 of the Detroit Tigers looks on prior to game one of the Division Series against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on October 04, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Diamondbacks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
It looks as if, once again, the Diamondbacks will be going into the season without a regular closer. Strengthening the bullpen was one of the major concerns this winter, after it proved such a problematic area in 2025. But it appears that is happening across other spots, rather than closer. Given the expected return of A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez at some point in the first(ish) half of the season, I can kinda see the point in not splashing out big-time on a closer. But, let’s be honest, we were all expecting better than Taylor Clarke and Paul Sewald as major-league signings this off-season, no offense intended to those two.
While it seems likely that manager Torey Lovullo will play match-ups, rumblings indicate that Paul Sewald may be the main man to be leaned upon in save situations, on the back of improved velocity this spring. Sewald has played down any such notion, telling Arizona Sports 98.7, “They’ll pitch me when they decide to pitch me.” But fans may be a little gun-shy of this idea, considering we have been here before. Sewald was the closer out of the gate in 2024, but was relieved of the role after a terrible July, where he had a 10.80 ERA and went 0-2, with four blown saves. You’re forgiven if putting him back in the roles seems almost like the definition of insanity.
However, this poll is designed to find out less what you think the team will do, and more what you think they should do. Outside of Sewald, there are a number of possible candidates, though all of them come with question marks of varying sizes. For example, Kevin Ginkel has closing experience with 16 career saves. But he had a rough go of things last year, posting a 7.84 ERA. There’s no obvious and outstanding candidate, which is why even a non-roster invitee like Jonathan Loáisiga could be in the mix. We saw this work out very well last year, with non-roster invitee Shelby Miller, who ended up leading the team in saves by the end of the season.
So what we have below is a list of potential candidates. Which one would you LIKE to see occupy the closer’s position for the D-backs, until the more established names of Puk and Martinez come back? Or if you feel the “closer by committee” thing is a good idea, that would be “other”, I guess. As ever, you can explain your decision in the comments below…
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Arjun Nimmala #18 of the Toronto Blue Jays bats during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 11, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Blue Jays 1 Yankees 8
That didn’t go well.
Eric Lauer didn’t have a good time of it. He went 3.1 allowing 4 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, a home run, and 4 earned. His spring ERA is 8.64. I know spring doesn’t really matter for him, he’s going to make the team, but it would be nice to see him put up some zeros. Especially if he wants to be a starter.
Chad Dallas: 1 inning, 2 hits, 1 earned, home run, 2 k.
Starters:
Myles Straw: 0 for 3, k. .174 on the spring.
Nathan Lukes: 1 for 2, walk, k. .273.
Jesus Sanchez: 1 for 3, double, RBI, 2 k. .226. His defense in right field wasn’t impressive.
Eloy Jimenez: 0 for 3. .281. After a nice start to spring, he’s really slowed down. I can’t see him making the team unless he turns things around in a hurry.
Brandon Valenzuela: 0 for 2, k. .333.
Rafael Lantigua: 0 for 3, k. .458.
Sean Keys: 1 for 3. .208.
Arjun Nimmala: 1 for 2, k, steal. .263.
Charles McAdoo: 0 for 2 k.
None of the replacements had a hit.
Tomorrow the Jays play the Phillies in Clearwater. Jose Berrios starts (after not being able to play in the WBC for insurance reasons).
In the eighth inning of the Italy/Mexico game has Italy up 9-1.
It looks like Canada will play the US on Friday. And Italy will play Puerto Rico on Saturday, unless Mexico make a big comeback (they won’t). Vinnie Pasquantino has three home runs in the game for Italy.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of the spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 11, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night in Tampa behind a big performance from Giancarlo Stanton, who launched two home runs and drove in three runs as New York continued its spring slate with an 8-1 victory.
The game turned quickly in the third inning when the Yankees’ offense came to life. Trent Grisham opened the scoring with an RBI double to right field that brought home minor-league catcher Ali Sánchez. Moments later, fourth-outfielder candidate Randal Grichuk followed with a sharp double of his own, plating Grisham to extend the lead.
That set the stage for Stanton, who delivered the biggest swing of the inning. The Yankees’ designated hitter launched a two-run homer to left-center field, pushing the lead to four runs and continuing a strong spring at the plate for Big G.
Toronto managed its only run of the night in the fourth inning when Jesús Sánchez lined an RBI double to right field to score Nathan Lukes, trimming the Yankees’ lead slightly. However, Cam Schlittler and New York’s pitching staff quickly regained control of the game, keeping the Blue Jays quiet the rest of the way.
Stanton added another highlight in the sixth inning when he connected for his second home run of the night, a towering solo shot to center field that extended the Yankees’ advantage.
The Yankees continued to add insurance runs late in the game. In the seventh inning, Jonathan Ornelas launched a solo home run to right-center field, his first of the spring. Later in the frame, Zack Short delivered an RBI single that scored Ernesto Martinez Jr. to further widen the gap. New York added one final run in the eighth inning when Cole Gabrielson went deep with a solo homer to right field.
On the mound, Cam Schlittler delivered an impressive outing for the Yankees. The right-hander worked 3.2 innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out six Blue Jays hitters. Schlittler showed good command throughout the outing and consistently missed bats, an encouraging sign as he continues his development. That all-important pitch count reached 46 tonight with 36 crossing the plate for strikes.
Relievers Kervin Castro and Carlos Lagrange followed with strong appearances of their own. Castro worked 1.1 scoreless innings, while the up-and-coming prospect Lagrange closed out the game tossing four shutout innings (averaging 101.5 mph, mind you) that resulted in a save the long way.
At the plate, the Yankees finished with 10 hits on the night. Stanton’s two home runs led the way, while Grisham, Grichuk, Ornelas, and Gabrielson each contributed key knocks as New York’s lineup continued to show depth during spring training.
Spring training games rarely tell the full story of a team’s season, but performances like Stanton’s and a strong showing from the pitching staff provide the Yankees with plenty of positives as they continue working toward Opening Day. They’ll be back at it tomorrow afternoon for a road game in Lakeland against the Tigers. Will Warren is set to face future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander with first pitch at 1:05pm ET.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 3: Kyle Hart #68 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a Spring Training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on March 3, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres have been known for one thing over the last few years. Whether the offense is “Slam Diego” or in a historical rut, whether the starting rotation is elite or strung together with Scotch tape, the bullpen is elite.
The Friars have been lauded by many to have the best relief corps in all of MLB. Heading into the 2026 season, the bullpen is by far the greatest strength in San Diego.
As the final games of Spring Training are played these next weeks, there are a few spots remaining for the Padres to fill.
Obvious roster inclusions
Most teams carry eight relievers on their 26-man roster. San Diego will probably do the same despite toying with the idea of a six-man starting rotation. Doing so would lose the bullpen depth they crave so it’s unlikely for that to be the case.
Some pitchers fill clear roles on the staff. Mason Miller will be the team’s closer. There’s a case to be made that he could be the best closer in all of baseball next year.
Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam and Jeremiah Estrada will all return and fill the same high-leverage roles they excelled in last season.
David Morgan figures to be included in that group as well after his fantastic rookie campaign last season. After a bumpy start, he finished with a 2.66 ERA across 47 ⅓ innings.
Beyond that, Wandy Peralta will likely fill a similar role to last year’s as a lefty who can serviceably cover innings. But after that, the lines blur on who might join the relief corps.
The fight for the last two spots
That covers six of the bullpen spots. It gets tricky after that. The race has yet to be narrowed down and will be over the next two weeks. With Yuki Matsui possibly starting the season on the injured list, the current frontrunners are Kyle Hart, Logan Gillaspie, Bradgley Rodriguez and Jackson Wolf.
Kyle Hart
After winning the KBO equivalent of the Cy Young in 2024, Hart signed a deal with the Padres to be the club’s fifth starter in 2025. But he struggled with consistency as a starter and was sent down to Triple-A El Paso.
But later in the season he returned to San Diego as a reliever and pitched to much better results. So far this spring Hart has yet to allow a run across 8 ⅔ innings of Cactus League play. If he keeps that up he’ll be poised to fill out the bullpen given his ability to cover multiple innings.
Logan Gillaspie
Gillaspie impressed at the beginning of last season with a 2.57 ERA across 7.0 innings and was used as a reliever who could cover several innings.
His problem was limiting walks and hits, with a below-average 1.57 WHIP. But he’s also yet to allow a run and has brought his WHIP down to 0.65 across 7 ⅔ innings.
Bradgley Rodriguez
Showcasing an impressive fastball, Rodriguez made his MLB debut late last season, making seven appearances for the big-league club. In that time he recorded a 1.17 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP.
But what was most exciting was his ability to limit opponents to a .160 batting average. That ability has carried over this spring, with Rodriguez lowering his WHIP to 0.50 and not allowing a run in 6.0 innings of Cactus League play.
The number six prospect for San Diego could factor in as a major part of the plans moving forward if he keeps pitching the way he is now.
Jackson Wolf
Wolf made his MLB debut in 2023 for the Friars, only making one start for the club. He’s been used mostly as a starting pitcher in the minors. But without a clear track to a starting opportunity it seems likely he could make some relief appearances.
Across a team-leading 9 ⅔ innings this spring, Wolf has logged a 1.93 ERA with seven strikeouts. If he can limit the walks it would force San Diego to call him up to the majors.
Whoever ends up with the final spots for the Friars, what’s certain is that they have a great problem on their hands: too many good options.
Schlittler started his night on a very high note, falling just one pitch shy of an immaculate inning, as he struck out the side on just 10 pitches in the top of the first.
He continued cruising from there, retiring the first 10 batters before allowing a one-out single in the top of the third.
Jesus Sanchez followed that with an RBI double for Toronto’s first run of the game.
The 25-year-old got a groundout to bring his night to an end, before turning things over to righty Kervin Castro, who easily got a flyout to officially close his book.
Schlittler looked extremely sharp as he utilized his full arsenal to allow just the one run on two hits, while generating eight swing-and-misses and striking out six.
He stretched out to 46 pitches, 36 of which were for strikes, over 3.2 innings of work.
“I thought it was great,” he told YES Network’s Jack Curry. “I was pretty efficient, just being able to get ahead in the count and get those putaway pitches -- still a little bit I can work on, but really happy with the results.”
What exactly he has left to work on, he thinks, is pretty simple.
"Just continue to build up," Schlittler explained. "Making sure my body and arm is feeling good -- continue building six-to-eight pitches each outing, continue to refine my arsenal and just make sure I’m in the zone with all of those pitches.”
As far as his back, the youngster feels he’s in a really good position to be ready for Opening Day.
While his pitch count will likely be a bit behind the rest of the starters over his first few regular season outings, he’s prepared to go out and do whatever he can to help the team.
“It’s a little disappointing not being able to get to that 90-mark and the max some of the other guys will have,” he said. “But whatever I can do -- if I only have 70 pitches, I’m going to try to do everything I can to make it a quality start.”
The Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-1, on Wednesday night at Steinbrenner Park.
New York is now 12-6 in Grapefruit League play.
Here are some takeaways...
- Cam Schlittler was terrific in his second outing of the spring. The young right-hander was in control from the get-go, setting down the first 10 hitters he faced before Toronto was able to strike in the third. They used a one-out single and double to bring in their first run of the game, but Schlittler got a groundout and Kervin Castro a flyout to end the inning.
The 25-year-old closed his book with just the one run allowed on a pair of hits while striking out six. Three of those punchouts came when he finished just one pitch over an immaculate inning in a 10-pitch top of the first. He generated eight swing-and-misses, topped out at 99.8 mph, and his secondaries were sharp as he stretched out to 46 pitches.
- Trent Grisham has had a bit of a rough time at the plate thus far this spring, but he put together two good at-bats in this one. The outfielder doubled home the first run of the game in a left-on-left matchup in the bottom of the third, then drew a five-pitch walk and stole a base in the bottom of the fifth.
- Randal Grichuk showed exactly why the Yanks took a shot on him on a minor league deal. Also appearing in his second game of the spring, the veteran followed Grisham's double with a two-bagger of his own against Toronto lefty Eric Lauer, giving New York a 2-0 lead at the time.
- That advantage was doubled just two batters later, as Giancarlo Stanton lifted a first-pitch middle-middle curveball 411 feet over the left-center field fence. And the big man wasn't done there, as he struck again in the sixth, this time launching a slider away 415 feet to left-center for a solo shot.
All three of Stanton's homers this spring have come over the past two days.
- Carlos Lagrange walked the first batter he faced, but quickly settled in from there. He got out of the inning with a strikeout on a 102.8 mph fastball and a double play, then retired the next nine batters he faced to close the ballgame. The youngster allowed just the one baserunner, struck out three, and topped out at 103.1 mph over four scoreless innings.
- Jonathan Ornelas and Cole Gabrielson lifted solo homers, and Zack Short singled home a run in the late innings.
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jose Caballero played five innings and went hitless in their returns from the WBC.
Game MVP: Giancarlo Stanton
Big-G has had his power bat going over the past two days at Yankee camp.
A few days ago, Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said that his team is a power-hitting, not base stealing group when asked why he has slugging first baseman Nick Kurtz hitting leadoff. That was the case last year and will be again this year, evident by the 29 home runs the team has already hit this spring. This afternoon, the A’s powerful offense led the way, blasting five home runs in a 13-3 pummeling of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Diamondbacks scored first as A’s starting pitcher Luis Morales gave up a home run to the second batter he faced, second baseman Ildemaro Vargas. The A’s responded right away as their second baseman Andy Ibáñez hit his first home run in an A’s uniform, a two-run blast off Arizona’s pitcher Ryne Nelson in the top of the second inning.
Arizona continued the back-and-forth nature of the game’s early going by tying the game at two in the bottom of that inning, their rally aided by A’s third baseman Max Muncy’s third error of spring training.
The A’s took the lead for good the following inning courtesy of Shea Langeliers’ third Cactus League home run, a solo shot to left field. Muncy added a solo home run in the fourth inning, redeeming himself from the error he committed earlier in the game.
Muncy, who got three hits plus a walk, looks ready for Opening Day offensively. However, the natural shortstop’s defense at third base continues to be erratic. He will need to clean things up before the season, or his defensive mistakes could cost the A’s games this year.
Up by two through four innings, the A’s broke this game open by scoring five runs against Diamondbacks reliever Thomas Hatch in the fifth inning. Brent Rooker immediately followed Tyler Soderstrom’s three-run home run with a solo shot of his own.
Meanwhile, Morales settled down, turning in his best start of the spring so far. He allowed two runs — one unearned — over 4 2/3 innings while working in and out of trouble. In the second inning, he got Anderdson Rojas to ground into an inning-ending double play with runners on second and third and one out. The next inning, Arizona loaded the bases with one out before Morales struck out the next two batters to escape the jam and finished the day reaching 75 pitches. He should be well almost fully stretched out with just a couple weeks to go until Opening Day.
The A’s reserves added on late, scoring two runs in the seventh and eighth innings to make the game even more of a blowout. Today, the team went far down its bench, giving playing time to Carlos Pacheco, Breyson Guedez and Jose Ramos, three recent international signees who are much further away from MLB than the team’s top prospect Leo De Vries.
Unlike the past few games in which A’s relievers allowed the other team to make a comeback, they were nearly perfect this afternoon. Justin Sterner, Hogan Harris and non-roster invitee Nick Anderson all threw scoreless innings to wrap up a big win for the A’s. And now they’re rolling.
The Athletics will look to make it six wins in a row tomorrow at the Texas Rangers. Right-hander J.T. Ginn will make his fourth start of the spring, while the Rangers have yet to announce their scheduled starter for that game. Ginn allowed four runs, including two home runs, over three innings in his last outing against the Colorado Rockies. Look for Ginn to pitch better tomorrow as he vies for a spot on the A’s Opening Day rotation or bullpen.
