SAN FRANCISCO — Free agent infielder Luis Arraez and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations.
A three-time batting champion, Arraez led the National League in hits the past two seasons and is expected to be San Francisco’s second baseman for new manager Tony Vitello.
The 28-year-old Arraez, a left-handed hitter, batted .292 with eight home runs, 61 RBIs, 181 hits and 11 stolen bases for the San Diego Padres last year. The three-time All-Star spent his first five major league seasons with the Minnesota Twins before they traded him to the Miami Marlins in January 2023. San Diego acquired him in May 2024.
Earlier in the week, the Giants added center fielder Harrison Bader on a two-year, $20.5 million contract — meaning Jung Hoo Lee will now play right field.
San Francisco has missed the playoffs in each of the past four years since winning the NL West with a franchise-record 107 victories in 2021.
01 February 2026, Lower Saxony, Pattensen: Marienburg Castle in the Hanover region in frosty, cloudy weather behind a snow-covered field. Photo: Moritz Frankenberg/dpa (Photo by Moritz Frankenberg/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Team News
Alek Thomas to play for Mexico in 2026 World Baseball Classic Fellow Diamondbacks Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo will play for the Dominican Republic, while Corbin Carroll will play for Team USA. Eduardo Rodriguez will pitch for the Venezuelan national team, and newly acquired Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado will represent Puerto Rico after previously playing for the United States. https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/alek-thomas-wbc/3610147/
Pitching help? Another 1st baseman? D-backs expect to make more moves “I think we still have a few moves to make,” Hall said at the team’s annual charity golf tournament. “I’m happy with what we’ve done so far. Bringing Merrill back was a strong move, and he wanted to be here as well, so that’s a perfect fit for both of us. And then the trade for Arenado, I think, made a lot of sense for us. I know we’re still trying to find another complementary first baseman, and I think we can still look to improve our pitching, both starting and relievers, but we still have some moves to make. We’re not done.”
In other units of measurements, it is 298-293K or 59-77°F.
Spain has the world’s biggest food fight once a year.
Also known as the biggest food fight in the world, La Tomatina is a Spanish festival held on the last Wednesday of August each year. The La Tomatina tradition began in 1945, when a food fight broke out in a parade at a town square. From the name itself, the festival had people throwing tomatoes at each other. La Tomatina got banned in the early 1950s. However, after a somewhat comical protest involving citizens carrying a huge tomato in a coffin, the festival was allowed again.
The pea is the oldest known vegetables.
Historians have found traces of its origins dating back as far as the stone age. Since then it has been heavily cultivated and consumed.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 22: Washington Nationals 4th round pick in the 2025 MLB draft, Miguel Sime Jr., waves to the crowd during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park on July 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are plenty of Nationals prospects who have a chance to breakout in 2026. However, the one I want to talk about today is Miguel Sime Jr., the 18 year old fireballer. Even in today’s world, where velocity is king, you will not find many teenagers who throw harder than Sime. He routinely touches triple digits, which obviously makes him a name to watch.
Sometimes drafting can be quite simple. When you have the chance to draft a 6’4 235 pound 18 year old who throws 100 in the 4th round, it is tough to pass up. The Nats took that chance on Sime, betting on his upside. He is far from a perfect prospect, but you do not find pitchers with that kind of arm talent in the 4th round very often.
This winter, there was a video of Sime throwing 102 MPH. Obviously, that is special stuff, especially for an 18 year old. It got me fired up about his future. He is still very far from the MLB, but if he is even around the strike zone, he could move quicker than expected. Lower minors hitters would just be overwhelmed by his triple digit heat.
I missed this. Good lord. If Miguel Sime is even around the strike zone, his stock is going to explode this year https://t.co/9VnHnGp87J
Throwing strikes is a concern for Sime though. Both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America gave his control a below average 40 grade. Pipeline did note that his control improved during his senior spring and in the MLB Draft League. However, he still has a ways to go. There is some effort in his delivery and his arm action is on the longer side.
Sime will never be an above average command guy, but he does not need to be. He has the chance to sit at 100 MPH one day, so as long as he is in the zone, he does not have to paint corners.
His showing in the MLB draft league was very encouraging. Sime was showing a better feel for his power arsenal, which made the Nats more comfortable buying him out from his LSU commitment. The fastball was in the 98-100 range at times and he showed off an improved curveball.
Miguel Sime @LSUbaseball commit gets us started with some heat!
Baseball America even noted that the Nats like the look of his changeup. It is not a pitch he throws that often, but it showed signs of being a promising pitch. The Nats will have to help him become more confident throwing the pitch. Right now, neither of his secondary pitches are anything special, but the fastball is elite and he is very young.
If the Nats can help turn the breaking ball or changeup into an above average pitch, we will be cooking with gas. Sime and Landon Harmon are two power right-handers with insane upside. Getting both in the same draft is a major coup for the Nats.
Miguel Sime Jr. is another prep arm to watch for 2026. The 18-year-old, 6-ft-4, 235-lb RHP runs his fastball into the upper-90s consistently, and pairs it with an above-avg slider!
Between Sime and Landon Harmon, the upside of the Nationals’ 3rd/4th-round picks is sky-high.
When you see Miguel Sime Jr., it is easy to see similarities between him and Jarlin Susana. While Susana is even bigger, their builds are similar. Both are massive, intimidating right handed pitchers with triple digit velocity.
Susana developed a plus-plus slider, which Sime does not have yet. However, at just 18 years old, Sime has plenty of time to develop. The Nats know he has plenty of time, so they are likely to take things slowly. Sime should spend a lot of this season in rookie ball. His main goals will be refining his control and finding a consistent secondary pitch.
If Sime comes out with better control than expected, he could make the jump to Low-A pretty quickly though. Rookie ball will not be a challenge for Sime at all if he is throwing strikes. He would just be able to bully hitters with his heater.
As long as Sime’s control is not truly woeful, I actually think his floor is relatively high for an 18 year old pitcher. Guys who throw 100 MPH get plenty of chances, and for good reason. If things do not work as a starting pitcher, you could easily move these flame throwers to the bullpen. Sime should get a long look as a starter before we entertain those conversations though.
Right now, Miguel Sime Jr. is a moldable ball of clay with a 100 MPH fastball. The Nats will be able to test out plenty of secondary pitches and see which one he has the best feel for. They will also be looking at his mechanics to see if there is anything to tweak there. The upside here is massive though.
I actually think BA and Pipeline are undervaluing Sime a little bit. Pipeline has him as the Nats 20th best prospect and BA has him at 24. Personally, I would probably have him somewhere in the 15-20 range. I get that he is raw, but arms like this do not exactly grow on trees.
It will be a long trek to the majors for the youngster, but the sky is the limit. I am so excited to see how he looks this season. Right now, I cannot put a ceiling on Sime. With control challenged flame throwers like Jacob Misiorowski succeeding, I just want to see what Sime can do.
If his control is even fringy, he can be a very exciting prospect. Scouting can be simple sometimes. Take the chance on the giant dude who throws 100 MPH. That is what the Washington Nationals did with Miguel Sime Jr., and hopefully it pays off.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 16: Teoscar Hernandez #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers participates in a fielding drill during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 16, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s February now, which means the Dodgers will play baseball games this very month. Sure, those games won’t count, but they will be televised nonetheless, and we will get to watch as the team gradually builds up toward the season.
This will be more of a normal spring training for the Dodgers, at least in the sense that they won’t have to depart camp in Arizona with two weeks to go, in order to travel to play games in Asia like they did the last two springs. There is still the World Baseball Classic this March, but for the bulk of Dodgers roster, their time at Camelback Ranch will be more like usual years in terms of getting ready for the season.
And it sounds like the Dodgers will need a full spring training camp to give them time to build up toward March 26.
“Having the experience of being in the World Series multiple years now, understanding how important rest is — Most of the guys I’ve talked to have kind of been on the same program I’ve been on, that we haven’t started any baseball activity until the middle of January almost,” third baseman Max Muncy said on Foul Territory on Wednesday. “Some guys are still just now starting, just trying to give your body as much rest as possible, knowing that if we want to make another run to November, you’ve got to be as rested as you can to get through the summertime.”
We’re bringing back daily questions to the site, and today’s is a broad one. What are you looking forward to the most during this Dodgers spring training camp?
UNDATED: Toby Harrah #11 of the Texas Rangers poses for a portrait. Toby Harrah played for the Texas Rangers from 1972-1978, 1985-1986. (Photo by Louis Requena/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
There’s so much drama in the WBC its kind of hard being Puerto Rico, who may withdraw from the tournament after 8-10 players expected to be on the team’s roster were denied insurance coverage, including team captain Francisco Lindor.
Luis Arraez is reportedly in agreement on a one year deal with the San Francisco Giants, which is good news for those of us who were tired of him being a topic of conversation in the comments here. We can now devote more time to Chase Utley’s Hall of Fame case.
Jul 7, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Robert Stock (89) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
It’s February 1st, which means that we are just about two weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting. And while we are all excited to see the return of our favorite players, let’s be real. There’s very little that Francisco Lindor or Juan Soto could do on a spring training field that would change much for their status on the club.
But there are 35ish people who will be in camp whose performance over the six weeks of spring training will mean everything to them. To some, it will allow them to make their big league debut; for others, this may be their last chance at the spotlight. For others, it is the difference between bus rides and plane rides between games. These are the real stories of spring training, even if, for the vast majority of fans, they will go unnoticed.
That brings us to Robert Stock. Stock is a 36 year old veteran pitcher who has logged time with five MLB franchises – including the Mets in 2021 – as well as played in Korea, Mexico, and has even suited up for that station of the cross for so many journeymen: the Long Island Ducks.
Stock is an unusual signing not just because of his age, but because of the type of player he’s been in his career. Yes, he’s had a cockroach-like ability to adapt and survive in a game where many players flame out a decade earlier than where Stock is now. Yes, it’s a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, so it’s not exactly a financial burden to the Mets to take a chance on Stock. But Stock never had that one ‘pop’ in his career that teams are trying to recapture when they sign him.
Stock agrees that this is unusual, as he posted on Twitter shortly after his signing was announced:
“I’m 36 years old and have had extremely limited MLB success. And yet MLB teams continue to give me chances. Why? Because I continually find new ways to improve. Newest trick for 2026 – the knucklecurve.”
Stock is right – there aren’t many pitchers of his age with his lack of easy to point to successes (a career -0.5 bWAR) who keep getting the call to travel to Florida or Arizona each year to give it another try. But his curiosity and his ability to move beyond what is expected of him and try new things – like the aforementioned knucklecurve – that allows him these opportunities. He’s also a thoughtful and interesting follow on Twitter, where he talks about baseball in a way that belies his professional pedigree.
If Stock works out for the Mets, he’s likely looking at some time split between Syracuse and the big league club. That would be considered, objectively, a good outcome for him. Could magic happen and he earns a full-time role with the Mets? It seems unlikely, but sure, that’s possible. Could he earn a high-leverage spot by taking his 20+ years of baseball knowledge and applying it in a new way, stunning not just the Mets but baseball in general?
He could. Even though that possibility is slight, it is still a possibility. And that is what makes the next eight weeks so intriguing for fans and players alike. We’ve all got our dudes that we root for, despite their longshot status. We know the stories of the guys not willing to trade in their sliders for Adidas sliders just yet. And we hope that maybe, just maybe, one of our dudes can have a year and make all of this look even more romantic and magical than it already does to our frostbitten eyes on the eve of a new season.
Sep 26, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) hits a home run against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
In Mariners news…
Fan Fest returned for day one yesterday and the biggest reveal was the demise of the cream alternate uniforms in favor of what I can confidently say is the new best uniforms in the entire league.
Introducing Steelheads Sundays!
New in 2026, we’ll be honoring the 1946 Seattle Negro League team by wearing our Seattle Steelheads uniforms every Sunday home game and committing $500,000 to support local Black-led baseball & softball initiatives.
Everything we once loved continues to be ruined in unique and terrible ways. The newest ruination is insurance potentially ruining the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Contract insurance is pretty complicated, and it’s become a very serious issue with a suspicious number of Latin American players being denied contract insurance and being forced to withdraw from the tournament, with Team Puerto Rico being most heavily affected after team captain Francisco Lindor withdrew due to insurance denial. Puerto Rico’s roster has been so gutted that the president of the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation threatened to drop the team from the tournament altogether.
Los Angeles, CA - May 30: Arizona St. pitcher Ben Jacobs (22) throws at the NCAA baseball regional tournament game between Arizona State and UC Irvine at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday, May 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
While it’s going to take time to see if the Detroit Tigers prep pitching strategy ultimately pays off, they’ve managed to balance out their risk with some successes with college pitchers. They’ll be hopiong left-hander Ben Jacobs out of Arizona State will be the next.
The Tigers selected the 6’1” 195 pound southpaw in the third round of the 2025 draft. They signed him for roughly $60,0000 under slot value at $722,500, and as they’ve typically saved money with college players, paying so close to slot value says they really liked Ben Jacobs at 98th overall.
Jacobs played his high school ball for Huntington Beach HS, a notable long-tiem prep powerhouse. He pitched for UCLA in his freshman year before transferring to Arizona State for his sophomore and junior seasons, where he became their Friday night starter. In 2024, between those seasons, he pitched in the Cape Cod League and for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, so he’s been well known to scouts for a long time.
After a very good college career, one might expect Jacobs to go in the first or second round, but he just doesn’t have that one monster pitch teams can dream on. He was closer to late first, early second round levels on draft boards after his sophomore season, but regressed a little at times throughout his junior year. He throws strikes, and he has three average pitches that flash plus. He’ll need to refine them in pro ball to push his ceiling higher than backend starter projections.
His fourseam fastball is typically around 93 mph, and he had some stretches his junior year where it was down a little bit further. However, he’s also shown some bursts where he’s reaching back for 95 mph. The fourseamer had good riding life his sophomore year and is aided by pretty good extension, but that movement wasn’t as consistent in his junior year, which was another part of him slipping a bit into the late third round. His primary breaking ball is a low 80’s slider and he shows feel for both a harder version with late gloveside break and a softer, slurvier version to steal strikes. His changeup is typically 82-84 mph with good fade but pretty average depth. Both offeringa got whiffs for him in college and give him weapons to handle either-handed hitters. Overall he’s a good strike thrower who needs a little more precision and consistency as he develops. Nothing unusual there, and Jacobs has already shown himself capable of managing all that for stretches in his college career.
Jacobs has a pretty prototypical delivery and generally repeats it well. He usually lands closed to the plate, and will sometimes lose his landing spot and start rolling off his lead foot to get back on his target. His lead leg blocking and lower half strength and balance could use some work, but those are things the Tigers are pretty good at correcting. If he can clean that up he should hold 94 mph more consistently with more consistently good ride on the fourseamer. If the slider and changeup keep their shapes but are thrown a little harder, that’s all enough to make him a solid 4/5 starter, and if his command really improves, perhaps even a regular mid-rotation arm. If he falls a little short he’ll fall more in the swingman category.
Jacobs is not super projectable in terms of his physique, but his best is already near good enough for the major leagues. If he can build himself up to produce his best stuff and command consistently, he develop into a solid starting pitcher. He threw 83 2/3 innings in his junior year, and the Tigers would like to see him get to 100 innings and graduate through Single-A by the end of his 2026 pro debut. He’s advanced enough that he shouldn’t spend long in extended spring training, nor the Complex League. If conditioning and minor adjustments to his delivery click for him this year, he’ll move pretty quickly into the upper levels as an advanced lefty.
Since we began our Yankees’ birthday series at the start of the new year, we’ve generally gone back in time to celebrate a Yankee from the distant past. However today, we don’t have to go back very far at all. In fact, we’ll almost certainly see this player take part in further games as a member of the Yankees this season.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is one of the brighter lights in the Yankees’ lineup. Today also happens to be his 28th birthday, so let’s look back at the Bombers’ current second baseman.
Jasrado Hermis Arrington “Jazz” Chisholm Jr. Born: February 1, 1998 (Nassau, Bahamas) Yankee Tenure: 2024-current
While it’s an emerging sport, baseball is hardly the biggest in Chisholm’s birthplace of the Bahamas. However, he was drawn to the game as a child. His grandmother, who was a member of the Bahamas national softball team taught it to a young Jazz and would practice with him. (And apparently will still call him after every game with advice and well wishes.) The lessons turned Chisholm into a full-blown fan, who would watch highlights of Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds. and other stars of the time.
Chisholm moved stateside for a couple years to attend high school in Wichita, Kansas, before returning to the Bahamas and enrolling at a sports academy. He also developed into quite the baseball player himself, and eventually signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks as an international free agent in 2015.
As he began to play in the minors, Chisholm started to develop into a a big deal of a prospect. By 2019, he started to crack Top 100 prospect lists. However, he soon found himself on the move. At the 2019 Trade Deadline, the Diamondbacks traded him to the Marlins for pitcher Zac Gallen in a rare win/win deal involving prospects.
Chisholm would make his MLB debut in the 2020 COVID season, and appeared a bit in the Marlins’ unexpected run in that year’s expanded playoffs. He then made the team out of spring training the following season. His combination of speed, some power, and a whole bunch of flashiness quickly got him on the radar around the sport. By 2023, he was selected as the cover athlete for MLB: The Show.
However, the third part of that equation often made him a target, even in his own clubhouse. Chisholm drew the ire of some Marlins’ veterans, especially Miguel Rojas, now of the Dodgers. The young star’s fashion sense seemed to irk Rojas in particular, who reportedly destroyed a couple pairs of custom cleats Chisholm had made. Things got so bad that then-Marlins manager Don Mattingly had to call a team meeting to try and resolve the issues.
On the field, Chisholm broke out with a All-Star season in 2022. The following season, the Marlins even tried playing him in center field to make room for trade acquisition Luis Arraez. Advanced metrics didn’t grade Jazz out as a disaster, and that alone shows the raw talent he possesses.
As 2024 came along, trade rumors started to surface, as they so often do for Marlins’ players — especially given the controversial front-office change from Kim Ng to Peter Bendix despite the team’s Wild Card berth in 2023. In the end, the Yankees were the team that pulled off the move to land Chisholm, sending prospects Agustín Ramírez, Jared Serna, and Abrahan Ramírez to Miami.
On a new team, and one that has seemingly been much more willing to let Jazz be Jazz, Chisholm made an immediate impact. He hit two home runs each in his second and third game as a Yankee and quickly won people over. Over the course of his 46 games with the 2024 Yankees, Chisholm posted a 133 wRC+ and hit 11 homers, taking him to a career high 24 for the year. Looking to try and put their best lineup on the field, the Yankees also moved him over to third base. While it wasn’t always pretty, it did help accommodate Gleyber Torres at second, and the Yankees went on a deep playoff run. In the postseason, Jazz didn’t quite replicate his regular season results, but did hit a home run in Game 5 of the World Series, prior to everything going wrong. Along the way that October, he also managed to alienate the entire city of Kansas City for being correct.
This past year, having moved back to the keystone, Chisholm followed up with another stellar campaign in his first full season as a Yankee. He topped the 30 home run mark for the first time in his career, as he became the third Yankee to ever join the 30/30 Club (alongside Bobby Bonds and Alfonso Soriano) while posting a 126 wRC+ and 4.4 fWAR. He also won his first career Silver Slugger and earned his second All-Star nod as well.
As for the future, Chisholm will be back for the Yankees in 2026, but is set to be a free agent after the season. While that will probably lead to trade rumors at points, it would be tough for the Yankees to improve on the production that they’ve gotten from him at second. He also seems to fit in well in this particular clubhouse, and it’s been pretty easy to jump in a root for him. Happy birthday, Jazz!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Boston, MA - April 8: Boston Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell reacts after committing a throwing error in the sixth inning. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
I like Kristian Campbell and want him to succeed. But I am totally convinced that, if he does, it won’t be at second base.
Is it harsh to say that he was arguably the worst defensive middle infielder I’d ever seen last season? Maybe I’m still haunted by the routine double play that he flubbed against the Yankees, when he broke the wrong way on a ground ball that was hit just a few feet to his left. I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever seen a big league middle infielder go the wrong way on a slow grounder like this:
The Red Sox brass seemed to agree with my assessment. He barely stepped foot on the infield grass after his demotion to Worcester and played exclusively in the outfield during winter ball, amongst a lot of chatter that he would focus on left field going forward.
There’s no question that Kristian Campbell learning to be merely an average big league infielder would be a tremendous boon to the Sox. It would instantly fix some major roster issues and, along with Marcelo Mayer, secure the team’s double play partnership for years to come (if, you know, Kristian Campbell can turn double plays).
But can he actually succeed there?
Talk about that, along with whatever else you want, in this open thread and be good to one another.
Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Jake Bennett (24) during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Who is he and where did he come from?
He’s Jake Bennett, the former Oklahoma Sooner and 2022 second-round draft pick who the Red Sox acquired for Luis Perales earlier in the offseason. This is curious because Perales had just returned from a 2024 UCL tear and still is just 22 years old, but the 25 year-old Bennett had a pretty fantastic 2025 season, albeit capping out at double-A; he even ended his campaign after fall ball as the organization’s number 10 prospect. Although he’s primarily been a starter in his career, Bennett is on the 40-man roster and, amongst a lack of lefty relief arms, definitely stands to have an opportunity at some Spring Training innings come March.
Is he any good?
Craig Breslow on Jake Bennett: “We feel like Bennett is a high probability starter that excels in some things that are hard to teach. Fastball playability driven by above average extension and strike throwing ability. His whiff rates and ability to manage hard contact have us…
Too early to really tell, but he could be. If nothing else, Bennett’s archetype is definitely a favorite of Craig Breslow’s since his appointment as Chief Baseball Officer. He’s a towering lefty, sizing up at 6’6”, 234 pounds. In the 2025 MLB draft, the Red Sox used six of their first eight picks on SEC pitchers who are at least 6’2”. It helps that Bennett, who missed all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery (another possible favorite trait of this front office…) is a lefty. Between Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, Johan Oviedo, and an emerging Brandon Clarke, Bennett joins a room full of giants. And I don’t mean the ones in San Francisco!
To get more into Bennett’s skillset, though, he certainly has some velocity across all five of his pitches (he goes to three more often, though). His fastball is creeping back up towards he 97 mile per hour peak it reached before his elbow injury. His cleanest pitch, a mid-80’s changeup with 7.1 feet of extension (which, had he pitched in the Majors, would have placed him in the top 10 percentile) is graded at a 60 on a 20-80 scale on Baseball America. His cutter is quite a bit shorter, but tops out at 88. As a whole, though Bennett struggles with control, he gets a 47.3% groundball percentage, which is definitely a positive sign in a guy with his velocity.
Too long didn’t read: big guy throws hard. And throwing hard certainly comes with advantages, as he worked his way up the Nationals’ system after returning from a year’s absence, proving himself to be up to the challenge at each level. He finished 2025 with a cumulative 2.27 ERA and 1.08 WHIP and allowed just three home runs in 75 innings.
His extension is on display here, along with his velocity, as he punches four consecutive batters, going four innings in relief while allowing a run, earning him the hold in this particular contest in front of an attendance of 488 that, at first glance, seems a bit embellished, but it’s fine.
What’s he doing in his picture up there?
I’d like to take the opportunity to say that, with his shoulder length hair and big frame, Bennett definitely looks like a guy in a mid-2000’s coming-of-age film named “Jake.” His facial expression up there adds to that.
For one more fun fact: he went to high school AND college with Nats hurler (and 2020 1st round pick) Cade Cavalli. Bennett was actually the first one drafted late in the 2019 MLB draft, but went to Oklahoma instead. Here’s the rapport between the two of them and Jake Irvin.
Jake Irvin, Cade Cavalli & Jake Bennett have a ton in common – they all pitch, they all went to Oklahoma, they all got drafted by the Nats, and they all had to come back from Tommy John.
I sat down with them in spring to discuss the bond they share & how they lean on each other. https://t.co/rWUdD9kKcL
There are a few ways this can go given that the Red Sox still have about 100 lefty relief appearances to fill between the absences of Justin Wilson and Brennan Bernardino (note that the former, at 38 years old, has not opted to retire yet amidst rumors of him doing so but is a free agent currently.) It’s possible that Bennett still lacks the stamina or the control to give the rotation five strong innings, especially at a Major League level, and especially coming off of a lengthy injury.
Luckily, he won’t have to worry about the pressure of performing the rotation, given the big bodied southpaws ahead of him in the depth chart, like the aforementioned Connelly Early and Payton Tolle, and obviously the staples of the rotation like Crochet and a newly acquired Ranger Suarez. But, it stands to question whether, should Bennett really impress, he could be this year’s version of a Zack Kelly or Darwinzon Hernandez, who fights his way into the bullpen, wins over some goodwill and, even better, unlocks some potential in a pitching staff that holds pitchers like Bennett so dearly. Here’s hoping that Bennett has more staying power than either of those. He certainly has the mechanics to.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 13: Francisco Lindor #12 of Puerto Rico celebrates in the dugout after teammate Javy Baez #9 hit a double in the first inning against Israel at loanDepot park on March 13, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets reliever Adbert Alzolay, who the Mets signed to a two-year minor league deal last offseason as he spent 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery, is healthy and ready to fully participate in spring training in 2026 to try to compete for one of the Mets’ bullpen slots.
“With [Juan] Soto in his prime and a core of young talent coming up through the Mets’ system, it’s not entirely about the Mets winning this year, but you can be sure the expectation is that they better win soon,” writes Mike Lupica for MLB.com
The Mets’ trade for Freddy Peralta underscores a new trend that the Dodgers (like many trends in baseball) have spearheaded: amassing six, seven, or more legitimate big league starting pitchers to prepare for injuries.
Around the National League East
Theo DeRosa of MLB.com outlines three things that could make the Phillies bullpen better in 2026.
Mark Bowman gave his thoughts on the Braves’ pursuit of a top of the rotation starter.
The image immortalized on 21-year-old Atlanta Braves prospect Cody Miller’s first Bowman card, recently released by Topps, happened to be taken by his father, Brian Miller.
Cade Cavalli, Dylan Crews and Luis Perales are the three Nationals players Sam Sallick of Federal Baseball is most excited to see in spring training.
Around Major League Baseball
Tensions are rising around the World Baseball Classic regarding heightened insurance concerns for players. Since injuries to Jose Altuve and Edwin Díaz in the previous WBC derailed their MLB seasons, player insurance has become more expensive and the league’s insurer “has become more stringent about which players it approves,” per reporting by The Athletic.
Because many Puerto Rican stars (like Francisco Lindor) did not receive permission to play in the World Baseball Classic due to these insurance issues, Puerto Rico is considering not participating in the tournament. “We are considering not participating in this edition [of the WBC],” said President of the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation, Dr. José Quiles in an interview. “It’s a discussion we’ve already had. If we are not playing under equal conditions, we will not participate. It’s a decision that is almost, almost, made. We are issuing a warning. We’ll see what happens in the coming days and we will make a final decision.”
One provision in the new WBC insurance rules prevents players’ contracts from being insured after they turn 37. “It’s not right. I don’t feel it’s right,” said Miguel Rojas, who turns 37 on February 24 and therefore was denied permission to participate for his home country of Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in the WBC, per Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who said it was Ohtani’s decision.
The Giants signed free agent infielder Luis Arráez to a one-year, $12 million deal. He will play second base for San Francisco.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com takes a look at which teams may still sign Framber Valdez—the top starter remaining on the free agent market.
Austin Hays, who had been connected to both the Mets and Yankees this offseason, signed with the White Sox on a one-year, $6 million deal.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
I wrote about Griffin Canning’s injury-shortened 2025 season and how his success presents a reason to be optimistic about the Mets’ pitching apparatus in 2026.
Lukas Vlahos took a look back at Chris Devenksi’s 2025 season, in which he didn’t throw that many innings, but the ones he did throw were good ones.
This Date in Mets History
On this date in 2008, the Mets signed Johan Santana to a six-year deal. Of course, Santana would go on to throw the first no-hitter in franchise history.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 1: Fans wait outside of the ballpark before the Padres Fan Fest at Petco Park on February 1, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres held their annual Padres FanFest at Petco Park and fans came out to see the organizational leadership and the some of the players who were in attendance. One of the fans who made the trip to the ballpark and committed to a full day was Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball. She gives insights from her time at Petco Park, which included Q&A sessions and overall observations. One critical phrase Bell heard throughout the day was “World Series.” Brent McGuire of Padres.com captured a similar sentiment stating vibes were high and one specific reason for that was the return of pitcher Joe Musgrove to the starting rotation.
Padres News:
Many members of the San Diego baseball organization spoke at Padres FanFest and one thing admitted by most of them is there is still work to be done. General Manager A.J. Preller said he is still looking to make additions to the roster as the start of Spring Training draws near.
Some important notes came out of Padres FanFest, which included Nick Pivetta opting to focus on the MLB season rather than competing in the World Baseball Classic; Gavin Sheets is currently the starter at first base and Luis Campusano is currently in line to be the backup catcher.
A contract extension for Preller is still not done and that has some fans wondering if an extension will happen at all. Preller said he is confident he and the team can reach an agreement but added that he has been more focused on completing the roster.
Baseball News:
Former Padre Luis Arraez and the San Francisco Giants agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract. Arraez wanted an opportunity to return to second base and that is where he will play in San Francisco.
Dominican Republic added Arizona Diamondbacks infielders Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo and New York Yankees reliever Camilo Doval to the WBC roster.
The Seattle Mariners held their FanFest, Saturday and part of the festivities was the announcement they will wear Seattle Steelheads black-and-white uniforms for Sunday home games. The uniforms are said to honor the legacy of the 1946 Negro League team.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 31: Mason Fluharty #68 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the eighth inning in game six of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on October 31, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sorry about the lack of content the last couple of days. It has been busy. It should ease off soon.
Mason Fluharty is a 24-year-old left-handed pitcher. The Jays picked him in the fifth round of the 2022 draft.
He was #40 on our 40-man prospect list in 2022. Matt said:
Listed at 6’2” and 215 pounds, the lefty has an extreme cross-fire delivery from a low arm slot that hides the ball and makes it tough to pick up, especially for lefties. A reliever profile all the way, Fluharty doesn’t have huge raw stuff with a bat-breaking low-90s cutter and sweeping breaking ball. Profile wise, there’s a lot of similarities to Brandon Eisert, just tracking about 18 months later.
The Jays called Mason up to take Max Scherzer’s roster spot early in the season. He was optioned out and brought back two times, but he still made it into 55 games (fifth most among Jays’ relievers, and second most among lefty relievers.
He had a 4.44 ERA, but a 3.31 expected ERA and a 4.19 FIP, so there was some bad luck involved.
He has a couple of option years left, which means he’ll likely have some more drives between Toronto and Buffalo in his future.
Mason and Brendon Little are the two lefty relievers the team relied on last year, and, at least at the moment, they appear to be the two important lefties in the pen this year. Eric Lauer is likely to be in the pen, too, but is likely to be in a long relief role. I did expect the team to add another lefty bullpen arm over the winter (and they might still). They did pick up Spencer Miles in the Rule 5 draft, who was a top (ish) prospect with the Giants, and who we’ll talk about later in this series. If they hold on to him, Fluharty and/or Little will lose playing time.
Baseball Savant tells us that Fluharty was a two-pitch pitcher, throwing a cutter (90.2 MPH) and a Sweeper (81.7).
Steamer figures Mason will pitch in 42 games, with a 3.94 ERA. That seems fair. Let’s do the polls:
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 15: (L-R) Cristopher Sánchez #61, Aaron Nola #27, Austin Hays #9, Bryson Stott #5, Garrett Stubbs #21, and Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies react after Weston Wilson #37 of the Philadelphia Phillies hit a double for the cycle in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on August 15, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Nationals 13-3. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phillies will be a contender this year. They have assembled a talented roster that has the ability to go on a run that would ultimately lead them to lifting a trophy when the season ends.
This very fact can sometimes offend people who might believe otherwise. Does the team have some holes? Sure. Every team, yes even the Dodgers, has holes that could be filled in a different way. Yet there is every reason to think that the Phillies will be right there when the playoffs ultimately get underway.
Which makes our question of the day easy: what is the biggest reason to believe this season won’t be a waste? There has to be a part of the roster or decision making group that would make you think this season will not be a waste of time for the people that follow them. Let us know what that reason(s) is.
