Category: MLB

Well, Aaron Judge and company won’t be returning to the Yankees just yet. After shocking Team USA on Tuesday, Italy did the Americans a solid by thumping Mexico at the World Baseball Classic, avoiding any of the weird tiebreaker scenarios that were floated over the past 36 hours or so. They’ll face Canada on Friday night. Congrats to Mark DeRosa, I guess.

So now that we have an actual bracket, we can have some March Madness-esque fun! Considering that we won’t know the actual college basketball March Madness brackets until March is just about halfway done, maybe this is the real March Madness. Anyway, here’s what the WBC version looks like:

So who ya got? Here’s mine:

Quarterfinals
Dominican Republic over Korea
USA over Canada
Puerto Rico over Italy
Japan over Venezuela

Semifinals
Dominican Republic over USA
Japan over Puerto Rico

Finals
Dominican Republic over Japan (MVP: Fernando Tatis Jr.)

Today on the site, Sam will recap the end of WBC pool play as we await the knockout round beginning tomorrow. Peter will preview Ryan Yarbrough’s 2026 season, Jeff will celebrate Darryl Strawberry’s 64th (yowza) birthday, and Josh will look at what’s ahead for the nemesis Astros, who could be in their twilight after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers

Time: 1:05 p.m. EST

Video: N/A (audio available via MLB.tv on Tigers radio, WXYTAM)

Venue: Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, FL

Pittsburgh Pirates fans were dealt a massive blow last Thursday morning as news had broke out of Dallas that long time Bucco, Andrew McCutchen, is signing a Minor League contract with the Texas Rangers. McCutchen has been listed as a non-roster invitee to the Ranger’s Spring camp and will have an opportunity to compete for a spot on the big league roster.

For the past three years, McCutchen has signed one-year contracts with the Pirates in the offseason, but of course this year he was noticeably missing from their list of signings, Spring Training and the annual Pirates Fest. While Pirates’ management and ownership has been mostly mute on the topic, ‘Cutch has been very vocal on his social media pages, citing that other franchise stars in the past have gotten better treatment in regards to a farewell tour in their final seasons.

In a now deleted post on X, the former National League MVP voiced his frustrations with the lack of communication he was having with the Pirates’ organization.

“I wonder, did the Cards do this Wainwright/Pujols/Yadi? Dodgers to Kershaw?Tigers to Miggy? The list goes on and on. If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player. Talk to them about my appreciation for them over the years. Shake that little kids hand or hug the fan that’s been a fan since Clemente. You see, this is bigger than baseball! Bigger than looking at a 40 man roster and cherry picking numbers that fit your agenda or prove why your opinion matters. The fans deserved at the very least to get that opportunity. Idk what the future holds for me at the present moment, but what I do know is though I am 39, on the backend of my career, I still work everyday to be better than I was the year before. If there wasnt a burning desire to continue this journey, I would be home surrounded by my family, in which no one would judge or be surprised. But not yet. There’s more work to do and Im not done, no matter what label to you try to stamp on me. Rip the jersey off of me. You dont get to write my future,God does.”

Despite the lack of communication that General Manager Ben Cherington had with McCutchen this offseason, the writing was on the wall when the Pirates signed Marcell Ozuna to be their designated hitter for 2026. When Ozuna was signed in early February, McCutchen removed all mentions of the Pirates from his social media pages. Cherington commented on ‘Cutch during the offseason at the time of the Ozuna signing.

“As far as I’m concerned, Andrew will always be a Pirate,” Cherington said. “I think most people feel that way. I certainly speak for the organization and that’s how we feel, that no matter what Andrew is a Pirate, and certainly our desire will be to continue to have a really strong relationship with him into the future, whatever that looks like.”

Perhaps the hardest part about this news is that the Pirates actually seem to be trying to win. The signing of Ryan O’Hearn this offseason signaled that Pittsburgh was more willing to open up their wallets. The trade acquisition of Brandon Lowe showed that the Pirates was trying to be more aggressive on the trade market and were looking to build a quality lineup. The club is projected to have one of the best pitching rotations in baseball with veteran Mitch Keller and Cy Young winner Paul Skenes leading the group that will give opposing batters plenty of headaches. On paper this could be the best Pirates team since the last time the club made the postseason in 2015.

While McCutchen never stated that he wouldn’t entertain the idea of playing for another team, he made it very clear to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette in September that he wanted to deliver on winning with Pittsburgh.

“Ultimately, I do feel like this is a good team,” McCutchen said. “I’d just love to be a part of that winning. Hopefully get that opportunity to have that again. And I do feel like it’s possible. If it wasn’t possible, I don’t think I’d be doing it. Maybe I doubt the Pirates would even bring me back. I think it’s there.”

The Texas Rangers are currently in Spring camp in Arizona and will give McCutchen an opportunity to earn a spot on their regular season roster. The Rangers are in the midst of finding out who will be on their bench come opening day, and are trying to decide who will make their platoon of outfielders. While ‘Cutch is certainly past his prime he is still a capable athlete who could play in the field once or twice a week. What is more likely is that McCutchen will continue to play as a designated hitter opposite of Joc Pederson.

In terms of pure production, McCutchen is head and shoulders above Pederson, even at 39-years-old. In 2025 Pederson had a .181 batting average, a .285 OBP with just nine home runs. Meanwhile McCutchen had a .239 batting average and showed excellent discipline at the plate, garnering a .333 OBP and 13 homers. The Rangers struggled offensively in 2025 and having McCutchen around to mentor young batters and add some stability to the lineup could be very beneficial to the club if he makes the team.

This is an unfortunate and seemingly bitter end to McCutchen’s time with the Pirates. He is far in a way the best player Pittsburgh has had since Barry Bonds and is also one of the best human beings the sport has ever seen. He has made Pittsburgh his home for himself and his family and truly integrated himself into the community, even after the club traded him to San Francisco. His return in 2023 felt like it was the opportunity for him to end his career where it started, but unsurprising to none the Pirates went and messed that up. Arguably one of the most disappointing franchises in professional sports, the Pirates disrespected a legend like McCutchen by giving him the cold shoulder and pushing him away not once, but twice in his career.

Andrew McCutchen will forever be linked to the Pirates and with this messy exit from Pittsburgh he will have a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt. Washington. If McCutchen makes the Rangers roster he could face the Pirates in a home series from April 21-23.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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.

More: USA advance in WBC as impressive Italy handles Mexico

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.

More: Italy GM Ned Colletti gets emotional over 'sports miracle' in WBC

“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.

“(The suit) probably stinks,’’ Pasquantino said, “really bad.’’

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.’’

Let the wine flow.

Follow Nightengale on X: @BNightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vinnie Pasquantino homers 3 times to keep Italy WBC run going

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.

Braves News

The Braves announced Braves.tv, which will provide an in-market streaming option for the vast majority of Braves games with no blackouts for $99.99.

The Braves made some roster moves, most notably sending Hayden Harris and James Karinchak to minor league camp.

Apple TV released their schedule for their MLB selections this season, including 3 Braves games.

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.

Matt looked at the Braves prospects most likely to make the major league roster in 2026.

Garrett discussed five Braves prospects with pivotal seasons ahead.

MLB News

Team USA skated by to the WBC quarterfinals, as their embarrassing performance against Team Italy did not come back to bite them.

Elsewhere, the rest of the WBC quarterfinal schedule is set.

MLB Pipeline made a prospect prediction for all 30 teams.

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.

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.

TAMPA — Carlos Lagrange and his 102 mph fastball would no doubt thrive in the Yankees bullpen at some point, but Aaron Boone wants the 6-foot-7 right-hander to focus on starting for as long as possible.

Still, the manager didn’t rule out the possibility of the 22-year-old Lagrange being a factor in The Bronx this season in a relief role if the need arises later in the year.

“I think you want to find out and dream on his biggest upside [being an] impactful starting pitcher,’’ Boone said before the Yankees faced Toronto on Wednesday at Steinbrenner Field.

“There’s no denying he could be good out of the pen, but we’re certainly not gonna rush him to fill a need — especially early on, but as he logs some innings and it becomes a real need at some point, I think anything is possible.”

Lagrange then went out and finished an 8-1 win over the Blue Jays by throwing four no-hit innings, striking out three and consistently hitting triple digits.

“This is all we’ve seen,’’ Boone said of Lagrange’s dominance. “Really, really excellent.”

The Yankees want to build up Lagrange’s workload after he threw 120 innings last year, split between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset.

But if Lagrange pitches enough innings in the minors and the organization believes he can be a threat at the major league level, Boone wouldn’t say no.

“It depends how it’s going for him, how many innings he’s logged [and] how he looks as a starter,’’ the manager said. “If the need comes up and the role exists, I don’t think that’s the worst thing.”

More important, though, is whether Lagrange can build on his success from last season.

“What’s impressed me about Carlos is his strike-throwing,’’ Boone said. “The biggest question mark is, ‘Can he be efficient enough of a strike-thrower to be at the top of a rotation?’ Everything suggests you want to find that out.”

A pair of veteran players are going to get more experience playing at secondary positions this week, with Ryan McMahon scheduled to start at shortstop when the Yankees visit the Braves in North Port, Fla., on Friday, and Cody Bellinger getting work at first base against Toronto on Wednesday.

Boone said McMahon will get reps at short over the next week, as the manager prefers the third baseman there over Amed Rosario, who will focus on third base, second and the corner outfield spots, as well as some first base.

Rosario would only be used at short “in a pinch,’’ according to Boone, as they believe McMahon has the ability to fill in at short — especially while Anthony Volpe rehabs from offseason labrum surgery.

Volpe is expected to begin taking live at-bats by the beginning of April.

Bellinger, meanwhile, isn’t expected to see much action at first base during the season, with Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt splitting time there.

Still, Bellinger is in the midst of four straight days of work at first, including starting there Wednesday. He’s also expected to be in the lineup at first Friday.

“Just get him moving over there,’’ said Boone, who values Bellinger’s versatility and willingness to switch positions when asked.

“He’s great that way,’’ Boone said. “He loves it.”

The Yankees got their likely Opening Day starting middle infield back Wednesday, with the return of Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base and José Caballero at shortstop.

Left-hander Brock Selvidge will be out for the season after undergoing UCL surgery.

The 23-year-old reached Double-A Somerset each of the past two seasons after being drafted in the third round by the Yankees in 2021. The procedure was first reported by MLB.com.

Observations from Yankees spring training on Wednesday:

Two strong

Giancarlo Stanton hit a projected 826 feet worth of home runs.

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.

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. 

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.

Three feet before Kiner-Falefa ever arrived.

pic.twitter.com/3Ee9FJxWaN

— Lawrence August (@KidsGetHealthy_) March 11, 2026

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

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) November 7, 2025

Blue Jays manager John Schneider admitted the moment may haunt him forever.

“I’ll think about it until the day I leave this earth,” Schneider said.

But the numbers don’t lie. The replay doesn’t, either.

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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. 

Now he doesn’t have to worry about that.

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 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.

The plan, first reported by the San Francisco Standard, is an homage to Barry Bonds’ single-season home run record the Giants legendary slugger set during the 2001 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.

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.

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…

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.

Other pitchers:

• Chase Lee: 2 outs, clean.
• Jorge Alcala: 1 inning, 1 walk, 1 k.
• Lazaro Estrada: 1.2 innings, 4 hits, 3 earned, 1 walk, 2 home runs.
• Brendan Cellucci: 1 out.
• 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.

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.

Box Score

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.