ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 28: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the third inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on September 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There has been a decent bit of discussion around Alex Anthopoulos’ comments regarding essentially only looking to add a starter who would be a middle/top of the rotation guy and not really trying to add just a guy to fit into the back of the rotation. I have conflicted feelings on these comments. A guy like Chris Bassitt would have made this roster better on paper. That’s not really something disputed. I think there is an argument if you think that Bryce Elder and/or Joey Wentz are 1-1.5 fWAR/162 starting pitchers, then adding a 2-2.5 fWAR/162 starter for just under $20 million isn’t good return on investment and doesn’t substantially improve depth when it results on the likely loss of a guy like Elder from the roster entirely. One counter-argument to that would be that Elder or perhaps a Holmes or Lopez could be stashed in the bullpen to preserve depth if a guy like Bassitt had been added, but I don’t see Elder as a particularly strong bullpen candidate and that scenario wouldn’t have made much sense until Schwellenbach’s injury status was discovered. That said, adding a top 3 starter to the roster for reasonable cost is a very difficult task, so perhaps that is an unrealistic self-imposed bar for adding to the pitching staff. It’s an interesting approach and I hope that the Braves don’t suffer from another plague of injuries to their pitching staff this season.
Braves News
We put out some early roster predictions including the starting rotation and the backup catcher spot.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 05: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees hits a two run double during the seventh inning in game two of the American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on October 05, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Greg Joyce | X: After learning on Friday that Cam Schlittler was dealing with a back/lat issue that is not believed to be serious, the team reported that first baseman Ben Rice is also nursing a minor injury. The young first baseman, per Joyce, ‘slept on his neck wrong the other night’ and that’s why he has not been hitting the last few days. The hope is that he starts swinging again in a matter of days, possibly hours. Big things are expected from Rice, who put together a breakout season in 2025 with 26 home runs and a 133 wRC+.
Francys Romero | X: Heavily criticized in recent seasons for their lack of success in the international market, the Yankees secured their first major prospect in the Mario Garza era: Venezuelan catcher Sebastian Pérez, who is expected to sign for a $1.7 million bonus. The real challenge for the Yankees will be actually signing the young star when the next period opens in January 15, 2027. According to Romero, Pérez “features elite exit velocity at the plate and premium defensive skills behind the dish.”
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Gerrit Cole threw his first official bullpen session of the spring on Friday, and reportedly touched 96 mph on the radar gun. Despite the pitcher himself doing his best to control expectations, he looks ahead of schedule and could return in April. When asked about his ace and how he looked, manager Aaron Boone gave an encouraging response: ‘He looked like Gerrit Cole.’
“Just really efficient, really great command,” Boone told Hoch. “When I think of Gerrit and his greatness, a lot of it ties to his delivery. Everything looks like it’s coming out free and easy. I liken it to a diver that dives off the high board and just goes in the water, making no splash. That’s Gerrit.” Catcher Austin Wells also praised the veteran pitcher, saying he could get outs in the majors right now. The Cole Train is in full swing this spring.
MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco Late on Friday, the Yankees added a veteran right-hander to their bullpen mix. They signed Rafael Montero to a minor league deal with an invitation to camp, with a $1.8 million base salary if he makes the club. Montero played with three clubs in the 2025 campaign: the Astros, the Braves, and the Tigers, compiling a 4.48 ERA in 60.1 innings pitched.
SNY | Phillip Martinez Last spring, Yankees prospect Chase Hampton was diagnosed with a flexor strain that resulted in Tommy John surgery. After several months of grueling rehab, the right-hander is trying to show the organization he is ready to pick right where he left off.
“I don’t know his progression, so to speak. I’ve seen a couple of his bullpens now and it keeps ticking up,” Boone said after Saturday’s practice. “I know he is chomping at the bit for a little bit more because he is feeling really good as well. Boone added that Hampton is looking ‘pretty good right now’ and that bodes well for his future and his chances. The skipper didn’t want to predict if the young righty is going to pitch in Grapefruit League games, though.
Peoria, Ariz. - February 11: Craig Stammen of the San Diego Padres speaks to the media during the first day of spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz.(Photo by Photo by Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images via Getty Images via Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres got off to a good start with their first week of Spring Training for the 2026 season. From all reports, all the pitchers and catchers reported on time and healthy with multiple position players reporting early or on time and with no injuries noted.
While the players were meeting one another again after several months of separation, president of baseball operations A.J. Preller held his usual media scrum on the first day of availability and repeated his desire to add another bat or two and another starting pitcher to the roster.
New manager Craig Stammen made his first remarks, emphasizing communication and relationships as his early priorities. He also wasted no time in naming Luis Campusano as the second catcher to Freddy Fermin as well as designating that newly acquired bat Miguel Andujar would get work at first base along with utility player Sung-Mun Song.
Pitcher Kyle Hart will be tried as a starter to begin with but no other pitchers on the staff will be stretched out as a starter.
With super-utility man Song getting opportunities to start at first and the outfield, the team was still lacking a platoon partner for first baseman Gavin Sheets, as well as more options for the rotation.
Stammen designated Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and Michael King as locks for the rotation and indicated that Randy Vasquez, though the leading candidate, would compete for the fourth spot with JP Sears, Matt Waldron, Marco Gonzales, Kyle Hart and Triston McKenzie. That group would also fill the fifth rotation spot.
Like any manager who supports his players, Stammen expressed complete faith in this group to get it done but also reminded everyone that Preller is always working and new players wouldn’t be a surprise.
None of us should be shocked that Stammen was correct. On Saturday, the day before the official first day of workouts for the whole squad, Preller signed OF/DH/1B Nick Castellanos to a one-year deal for the league minimum of $780,000 after being released by the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. This is a low risk move for the Friars and Castellanos has reportedly been working out at first base during the offseason in preparation for a move in position.
Within minutes of that report, another popped up on the internet. Right-handed starter Griffin Canning reportedly signed a one-year deal and profiles as a backend of the rotation starter. He is coming off a season-ending Achilles injury and surgery while playing for the New York Mets. Reports are that he could be ready for the start of the season.
A few hours later there was another reported signing. Right-handed starter German Marquez signed a one-year deal with the team. He had Tommy John surgery in 2023 with a difficult return and then had a stress reaction and biceps tendinitis in 2024 and 2025 with the Colorado Rockies. He seeks to get back to being the reliable back-end starter he was during the first years of his time in Colorado.
Instead of two bats and a pitcher, Preller signed two bats and two pitchers to add much needed depth to the roster. With only one 40-man roster spot available after signing Andujar, fitting all these players on the roster will require some moves before they can become official.
Minor league signings
Before all this excitement, outfielder Jake Cunningham, 23, was signed to a minor league contract and should be assigned to either Fort Wayne or San Antonio this season.
1B/DH Leandro Cedeño, 27, distinguished himself with the Venezuela winter league champions and bypassed a reported intention to play in Mexico this year by signing a minor league contact with the Padres. He played the last three seasons in the NPB.
RHP Daichi Moriki, 22, was signed to a minor league contract from the NPB. He had a 6.87 ERA over four seasons and has had command issues.
International agreement
The Padres reached a pre-agreement for the 2027 International class with RHP Yoel King, 16, from the Dominican Republic. He is considered the best pitcher in the class and will receive the highest bonus of his class. He reportedly already throws 100 mph with his fastball.
WBC updates
Padres reliever Alek Jacob was selected to pitch for Team Israel in the WBC and will also leave camp when the others leave on March 1. The Padres have regulars Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts all leaving. Relievers Mason Miller, Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matsui are also joining their WBC teams.
Padres minor league pitchers Victor Lizarraga and Omar Cruz are both joining Team Mexico as reserves for the WBC.
Padres pitcher Yu Darvish released a statement on social media stating that he will be with Samurai Japan for the WBC as an advisor for the team. Although he intends to join the Padres spring camp at some point, he will be gone helping Japan in the tournament. Reports continue that Darvish will walk away from his Padres contract after the details are worked out. He has not announced any plans beyond that.
Some of the game’s best
Miller, Morejon and Adam were all named as top 10 relievers by MLB Network. They join Machado as the No. 5 ranked third baseman, Tatis Jr. as the No. 6 right fielder and Jackson Merrill as the No. 5 center fielder. All three were rated higher in fan poles than the official rankings by MLB Network.
Jhonny Brito update
Manager Craig Stammen was asked in his Saturday morning media scrum about the progress of RHP Jhonny Brito, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Stammen said he is throwing off a mound and has had no setbacks yet. He will not be available any earlier than mid-season and it could be later than that.
MLB media
The Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Red Wings are officially joining MLB media for their broadcast rights, terminating their agreement with FanDuel Sports Network. The Tigers will be broadcast by MLB starting this season while the Red Wings have this season left on the FanDuel Network and will join MLB as their media partner starting in the 2026-2027 season. Although not yet official, there could be 14 to 16 teams with MLB as their broadcast partners for the new season.
This spring, the hard-throwing 22-year-old will get a chance to show the Yankees up close why he has begun to climb onto many of those Top 100 prospect lists.
Lagrange is a few days into his first big league camp and, judging by his first bullpen session, Saturday, there will be plenty of eyes on him as long as he is here.
A 6-foot-7 frame with a big arm that can reach triple digits will do that.
“We’re excited about him, for good reason,” manager Aaron Boone said. “His size obviously stands out. But just the downhill he creates with obviously a huge fastball, really good changeup and then the slider and the sweeper. For him, it’s just a matter of continuing to get better with the command and strike throwing.
Yankees prospect Carlos Lagrange throws a pitch during his Feb. 14, 2026 bullpen session. Charles Wenzelberg
“And on top of it, just one of those kids over there that you get really great makeup reports on. He’s a leader, takes initiative. He’s got a lot of the intangibles as well as obviously a ton of talent.”
Lagrange is coming off a big year for his development, when he stayed healthy and pitched to a 3.53 ERA with 168 strikeouts across 120 innings across High-A and Double-A.
The right-hander also made some strides with his command, which has been his bugaboo (and remains a work in progress) since the Yankees signed him as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic.
He walked just 12 batters in 41 ²/₃ innings at High-A before walking 50 in 78 ¹/₃ innings at Double-A.
The Yankees want to give him every opportunity to remain a starter, though some scouts believe he will eventually end up in the bullpen, which is also where he could make a more immediate impact in The Bronx — perhaps as early as this season.
“I want to show I can compete,” Lagrange said. “Try to help my teammates and the team, do whatever they want.”
General manager Brian Cashman has mentioned Lagrange (among others, including fellow top prospect Elmer Rodríguez) multiple times when talking about the pitching depth the Yankees have that could help fill spots in the bullpen.
Asked specifically Friday whether he would be comfortable with Lagrange or Rodriguez pitching in a relief role this season, he did not rule it out.
“It’s easy to always say you want to keep guys staying in the starting rotation and stay on their turn and be depth and continue their journey to build innings as they’re developing, but at the same time, you got to rob Peter to pay Paul at times and do that balancing act where you got to service the major league club,” Cashman said. “A lot of major league starters historically break in out of the pen, too, when they get their feet wet.”
When the clock ran out on the Yankees' 2025 season, it wasn't long before Carlos Rodon went under the knife to shave down a bone spur and remove loose bodies from his elbow.
The procedure was a surprise to many in the industry, but the southpaw revealed to the media after Saturday's workout that he had been managing the pain in his elbow through the season.
“It was fun every day to challenge myself to go pitch,” Rodon said. “Did it hurt sometimes pitching? Sure, but I’d rather go out there and compete. I was throwing well, so I couldn’t just say, ‘Oh, I can’t pitch.’ It was manageable."
A big reason why the announcement of the surgery came as a surprise was that Rodon enjoyed his best season as a Yankee in 2025. He pitched to an 18-9 record and a 3.09 ERA, en route to his third All-Star selection. Rodon said he's had aches in his elbow for three or four years, describing it as "chronic" and that had gotten worse over time.
However, Rodon said he decided to undergo surgery because he noticed his velocity dip as the season went along.
Post-surgery, Rodon said his arm felt like it "got ran over by a bus" but he has since received two PRP injections. The most recent came about 10 days ago.
Despite those feelings, Rodon is on the mend and has already thrown a few bullpen sessions this spring. On Saturday, he threw off a mound for the first time since that second PRP injection and he is just working on upping his velocity, and that it's a slow progression.
Manager Aaron Boone said that Rodon's range of motion in his left arm is right where they want it to be after his latest bullpen, which was an issue a season ago. In fact, by the time the season ended, Rodon admitted he could barely button his shirt due.
Rodon, who had Tommy John surgery as a member of the Giants in 2019, didn't worry about his elbow issues in 2025. He knew he could be serviceable and that he wanted to be there for his team.
“Being a guy that’s been on the injured list a good part of his career, missing that time sucks,” Rodon said. “Not being able to compete, it’s hard. I’d rather be pitching. If I think I can pitch at 80 percent, or whatever it is, and help the team win and I could do that, I’m gonna do that because that’s what I was brought here to do.”
So, now that he's thrown five or six bullpens, when can Rodon get into a spring training game? He said he hopes sooner rather than later. When asked if April was a possibility, the 33-year-old said with a laugh, "that would be great."
Rodon will likely miss the start of the season, but he won't be alone as the Yankees won't have Gerrit Cole (Tommy John rehab) and Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John) to start the year as well.
"His range of motion is right where they would want it to be" @NikiLattarulo breaks down day four of Spring Training, including an update on Carlos Rodón's progression after receiving a PRP injection in his elbow and when to expect him back: pic.twitter.com/81NZoOCVW9
The right-handed pitcher has agreed to a deal with the Padres on Saturday, according to multiple reports.
The 29-year-old, who is working to come back after rupturing his left Achilles last summer, is expected to add to much-needed depth to San Diego’s starting rotation.
Griffin Canning pitches in the first inning of the Mets’ win over the Braes on June 26, 2025 at Citi Field. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Terms of the contract are not yet known.
The deal, which has yet to be confirmed by the club, was followed by a one-year contract with starting pitcher Germán Márquez, according to ESPN.
The 30-year-old Marquez will be looking to have a bounce-back season after struggling with a 6.70 ERA in 2025 with the Rockies.
On top of the Padres’ pitching moves, an offense-boosting one-year deal was made on Saturday with veteran outfielder Nick Castellanos, who was released by the Phillies after four seasons on Thursday.
Canning was a second-round draft pick by the Angels in 2017 and made his debut two years later.
Nevertheless, with a 4.78 ERA across five seasons, he never lived up to high expectations.
Griffin Canning is helped from the field after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury on June 26, 2025 at Citi Field. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
And in 2024, he went 6-13 with a 5.19 ERA in 31 starts before getting dealt to the Braves as part of a Jorge Soler salary dump. But Canning was non-tendered by Atlanta, and the Mets eventually grabbed him.
Feb 10, 2026; North Port, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Sandy Leon takes batting practices during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
I hope the weekend has been treating y’all well so far! Happy Valentine’s Day to everybody who’s celebrating. Here’s a random clip:
The college baseball season is officially upon us.
UConn baseball team opened its 2026 campaign on Friday night under the lights in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Huskies took part of the MLB Desert Invitational at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the spring training home of both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, but took a gut punch from the Nebraska Cornhuskers. UConn fell 12-2 in a game that was decided by the end of the first inning.
Charlie West received the starting night nod from head coach Jim Penders, to mixed results.
West’s changeup showed elite strikeout potential, evidenced by his six punch-outs across just 3.2 innings of work. The left-hander struggled to limit the baserunners, though. The junior allowed six hits and six free passes, with two of those being hit-by-pitches.
Out of the bullpen, Evan Hamberger made his season debut, while Charlie Hale and Garret Garbinski made their UConn debuts.
Hale performed best out of the three. After working as a starter for most of last season with Endicott College, the righty gave up just one run in 1.2 innings as the swingman.
Garbinski struggled immensely after missing all of last season with Tommy John surgery. The 21-year-old was shellacked for four runs in the game’s final inning.
University of Maine transfer Evan Menzel got first cracks at replacing Ryan Daniels’ infield spot, getting the start at second base and reaching base once.
Menzel, primarily a third baseman at Maine, was pushed off the hot corner in deference to the returning Maddix Dalena. After being named 2025 Preseason Big East Player of the Year before missing most of the season with a wrist injury, Dalena returned to UConn’s lineup and picked up one of the team’s four hits on the night.
That knock, an RBI single to score Menzel, gave UConn a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Jackson Marshall also singled in the inning.
That advantage was short lived, though. The Cornhuskers picked four runs in the bottom of the frame and never looked back. Another run in the second and three more in the sixth pushed the game into blowout territory.
Preseason All-Big East selection Tyler Minick scratched one more across with an RBI single in the top of the seventh, one of two hits on the night for the outfielder. That would be it for UConn while Nebraska scored four more in the bottom of the inning for the mercy rule win.
Shortstop Dylan Carey tripled in the final two runs of the night to walk it off. That was part of a bigger three hit, four RBI performance for the senior.
As a team, the Cornhuskers collected 16 hits. In addition to Carey, Case Sanderson and Cole Kitchens both had three-hit nights.
On the mound, Ty Horn got the start for Nebraska. After allowing the run in the first, the right-hander finished his night with 3.2 scoreless and a total of six strikeouts.
The Huskies will be back on the field tonight, looking to regroup against Kansas State in a 7 p.m. Valentine’s Day showdown at Scottsdale Stadium, the spring training stadium of the San Francisco Giants. The game will stream live on MLB.com.
Sep 26, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Casey Schmitt (10) is unable to catch the ball against the Colorado Rockies during the fifth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Luis Arraez’s 2026 defensive reclamation project has kicked Casey Schmitt to the curb, and once again the infielder has found himself without a hook to hang his hat.
Schmitt has been the question mark of the Giants’ infield conundrum for more than a year and a half now. Since Matt Chapman’s signing, which blocked Schmitt from his natural position in early 2024, he has wandered the infield desert, kicking stones from position to position, filling in but never settling in while having to scratch and claw for playing time scraps with other rag-tags like Thairo Estrada, Nick Ahmed, Marco Luciano, Brett Wisely, Tyler Fitzgerald, and Christian Koss.
Better suited for the more aesthetic left-side of the diamond, Schmitt has had to adapt to the right-side’s restrained pragmatism as a last resort once Willy Adames locked up the shortstop position. Half of his defensive appearances from 2024 and 2025 have come at second base, a position he had never played until 2023. At the start of last year, Schmitt found himself with a lobster claw on his hand, forced to learn first base in order to stay roster relevant. He made 18 appearances there, most of them coming in April before an injury, and the arrival of Dom Smith, then Rafael Devers.
While Schmitt’s flexibility has been invaluable to the club, it has also come with a personal cost. I’ve wondered at times if the inconsistencies of his schedule and the uncertainties of his role year-after-year has toyed with his development. Instead of being able to focus on his offense, Schmitt has been forced to rethink his defense in a way he never really had to before. His willingness to serve the whims of fickle coaches and front offices in order to gain access to the field has affected his play on it.
There are certain traits that lend oneself to being able to play anywhere at any time with little notice. There is a temperament and style required to be a successful utility infielder. Christian Koss has it. I’m not sure Schmitt does. To me, Schmitt feels like a homebody. A man with simple but essential needs: iced coffee in the fridge, a California burrito to eat, a couch to sit on. In order to really access his power and hit in the way that separates himself from players like Koss, Schmitt needs to be comfortable positionally. He’s a defense-first player at his core. Home is where the glove is, and it’s clear from his defensive position splits where home his, no matter how long he’s been away.
As a third baseman: .286/ .349/ .454 / .803 OPS (217 PA)
On June 8th, Matt Chapman injured his hand trying to dive back to first base. On June 10th, Schmitt started at third base for just the second time all year. He was hitting .180 with a .521 OPS while sporadically covering first. In the 9th inning of that game, he lasered an elevated fastball 408 feet for his first homer of the year. That solo shot sparked a 4-run game-winning rally and set Schmitt off on a 14-game tear in which he slashed .375 with a 1.090 OPS.
Though he committed a costly error in the Colorado finale, Schmitt made amends by becoming the first player in franchise history to hit a grand slam in back-to-back games — both made that much sweeter by coming against, and in, LA.
Schmitt was back in his element, his natural and preferred state. He was a third baseman again. The comfort and ease he felt being in a familiar position led to an outburst at the plate — was it as simple as that? I mean, we had seen something like it before at the end of the 2024 season when Schmitt responded to three consecutive starts at the hot corner against Baltimore with five hits and three RBIs.
Here’s his defensive splits from 2025:
Rather cruelly Schmitt took a fastball to his left wrist in a game on June 25th that promptly brought an end to his hot streak. The two-week stint at third felt like a fever dream. When he returned from the IL, Chapman was back, and reality resided on the right-side of the diamond. Second base beckoned, and though it has never been his position of choice, it gave him the chance to keep riding the wave if he could, providing him the most consistent playing time he has ever had in his short career. From early July to the end of the season, he played in 61 games, most of them at second — and he hit just .220 with a .663 OPS.
Schmitt had the chance in the second half of the season to assert a claim on second base, and he kind of chunked it. Was he homesick for the hot corner? Still focusing a disproportionate amount of energy learning the intricacies of the new position at the expense of his offense? Still dealing with discomfort in his left wrist (which he had surgery on in December)? Or was this just an inevitable leveling out for an offensively temperamental player? All of the above?
Overall, Schmitt made some impressive strides with his plate discipline, but he still ranked below average in BB, K, Whiff, and Chase percentiles. His slightly above average ability to hit the ball hard (when he hits the ball) buoyed him to becoming a pretty average offensive player (101 OPS+) in 2025. Though a MiLB Gold Glove winner years ago, he didn’t rate too well defensively either. All of that so-so-ness meant Buster Posey was keen on finding a replacement. The fact that the replacement was Luis Arraez caused some consternation, but there’s no doubt that the three-time batting champ adds a much-needed, and immediate, contact dynamic to the Giants’ line-up that Schmitt does not.
So with another year gone, Schmitt’s job options remain limited. The soon-to-be 27 year old is currently the front runner for the Giants’ utility role, staring down the barrel of another season pieced together by planned off-days, injury-coverage, sporadic plate appearances, late-game defensive substitutions, and getting really good at sunflower seed stuff. Perhaps it’s what he’s earned, and it’s certainly better than nothing, but it’s definitely not preferred. I feel for the guy. It’s been two years since third base became an impossibility, and yet the base is still there, staring at him from across the infield, reminding him of what could’ve been. It must feel so frustrating to be boxed of your natural position like that, occasionally teased with brief stints of play separated by months…then to be roster-blocked again by another late-signing. But that’s also life on this seamed hardball we call Earth. Adapt, or die. Second base is the only way forward for Schmitt. It’s not ideal, sure, but that’s the deal.
One of the biggest surprises this offseason was reliever Edwin Diaz signing with the Dodgers instead of the Mets.
Seemed like a reunion was a no-brainer, but the former Mets closer's decision to take his talents to Los Angeles even caught owner Steve Cohen by surprise.
“I’m not sure exactly how Edwin arrived at that decision, obviously it’s a personal decision, and I thought we made a pretty respectable bid -- I could argue our bid might’ve been better," Cohen said. “But he made his decision, and I’ll tell you something, when things got hot and heavy, when this was coming down, I felt pretty good about our decision to sign Devin Williams. I described it to David [Stearns] that it was really clever, because it was a good hedge in case things didn't work out with Edwin.”
Diaz spoke with the media on Saturday and was asked his thoughts on Cohen's comments.
"It's a market I was in. I was a free agent, so I got the chance to talk with everyone," Diaz told the media, including ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "And I think the Dodgers did a great job recruiting me. At the end of the day, I chose to be here. I have a lot of respect for the Mets organization, players, staff, ownership. They treated me really good. I don't have anything bad to say about them. But at the end of the day, I'm here. This is a new journey for me and I'm happy to be with the Dodgers, so let's see how it goes."
Diaz signed a three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers in December and, in his introductory news conference, said it wasn't an easy decision to leave the Mets. But he admitted he ultimately chose Los Angeles because he is "looking to win."
The Dodgers enter the 2026 season winning back-to-back World Series.
Diaz spent seven seasons with the Mets (one missed due to injury), recording 144 saves with 538 strikeouts and owning a 2.93 ERA while making two All-Star teams and winning two NL Hoffman Reliever Awards.
New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón #55, throwing in the bullpen during todays workout at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees Spring Training home in Tampa, Florida.
TAMPA — Carlos Rodón made 33 starts last season, tied for the most in the majors, and enjoyed his best year in pinstripes.
And yet, by the end of it, the enjoyment may have been subjective for someone who couldn’t bend his arm to do simple tasks like buttoning his shirt, all while trying to gut through some of the biggest games of the season.
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“It was fun, let’s just put it that way,” Rodón said with a chuckle Saturday. “It was fun every day to challenge myself to go pitch.”
Rodón’s range of motion was greatly limited because of loose bodies in his left elbow, which he eventually had removed via surgery in October that also included shaving down a bone spur.
The procedure was a long time coming — Rodón said the elbow issues were a slow progression over three to four years — and will land him on the injured list to start this season, with the hope that he can return by May at the latest.
New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón throwing in the bullpen during Saturday’s workout at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Just [doing] normal things were interesting,” Rodón said of his compromised state. “Now did it hurt? Sometimes, sure, pitching. But I’d rather go out there and compete. And I was throwing well, so I couldn’t just say, ‘Oh, I can’t pitch.’ It was manageable.
“The reason I did [the surgery] is the velocity and things were kind of taking a step back. It was just not who I normally — I was serviceable, but it wasn’t the normal version of me. So I wanted to make sure we got this fixed.”
Despite being limited physically, Rodón still pitched to a 3.09 ERA while striking 203 out across a career-high 195 ¹/₃ innings.
He then turned in a quality start against the Red Sox in the AL wild-card series before getting roughed up by the Blue Jays in Game 3 of the ALDS, though that was the case for almost every Yankees pitcher that series.
Rodón acknowledged Saturday that he was managing the elbow “probably every start,” but it became part of who he was.
“I adapted to what the arm gave me and we just went out there and competed,” he said. “That was it. I got what I got and I was going to go use it.”
It was plenty good enough on most nights as the $162 million pitcher earned his money.
But he did so with the peace of mind from the medical staff that he was not at risk of making things worse by pitching through it, with surgery the likely end result regardless.
“If I think I can pitch at 80 percent and help the team win and I can do that, I’m going to do that, because that’s what I was brought here to do, was to compete and try to win baseball games for the New York Yankees but also my teammates,” Rodón said. “That’s why I kept going. I was winning games, we were winning games and that’s what was important.
“The frustrating part was I knew I had more, but when your body’s betraying you, it’s an interesting battle. It’s an interesting dynamic in your head going through that.”
New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón walking to the bullpen at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Yankees are hoping that Rodón’s velocity — his four-seam fastball averaged 94.1 mph in 2025, compared to 95.4 in 2024 — will begin to return now that he has his range of motion back in the arm after surgery.
But he is also still working on dialing in his command with the extra range of motion that he is not used to.
“Hopefully this is something that as he continues to build, it just frees him up a little bit more,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It can add to his stuff, having that next level of range of motion.”
As for when he might get back on a big league mound?
Boone said earlier this week that he was “not far behind,” though Rodón pumped the brakes a bit, not wanting to overpromise an early return.
He has received two PRP injections as part of the rehab process — the first after feeling like his arm “got ran over by a bus” and the second about 10 days ago — and threw his fifth bullpen session Saturday.
“The volume has got to pick up,” Rodón said. “The velo[city] was good today, so just more volume, more pitches.”
PHOENIX –– The reality dawned on Max Muncy near the end of last season.
Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor were gone. Clayton Kershaw was headed toward offseason retirement. And every other player around him in the Dodgers clubhouse had arrived after he did in 2018.
The title of “longest-tenured Dodger,” Muncy realized, would suddenly belong to him in 2026.
“It was a wild thought,” the 35-year-old third baseman told The California Post on Saturday. “But it’s definitely a blessing. It’s something I’m really grateful for.”
epa07123223 Los Angeles Dodgers batter Max Muncy celebrates after hitting a game-winning walk off home run against the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the eighteenth inning of game three of the World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, 26 October 2018. The Red Sox lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 to determine the champion of Major League Baseball. EPA/ADAM DAVIS EPA
Indeed, ever since he resurrected his MLB career with the club almost a decade ago, Muncy’s goal has been to stay in Los Angeles for the rest of his playing days.
It’s why he bypassed the arbitration system to sign a three-year, $26 million deal in 2020. Why he twice agreed to club-friendly extensions, rather than test the free agent market, in the three years after that. And why, after the team exercised a club option in his latest contract this winter to bring him back in 2026, he expressed immediate interest to the front office in inking another extension –– ultimately resulting in this week’s $10 million pact through at least 2027.
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“I’m very happy with where I’m at,” Muncy said. “It’s just one of those things where, I wanted to get something done, they wanted to get something done, and we reached an agreement on something we both felt was fair.”
Muncy, of course, could have pursued a potentially more lucrative path moving forward.
Though the two-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion has been limited by injuries the last couple seasons, he remains one of the most productive third basemen in baseball, coming off a 2025 campaign in which he hit .243 (his best mark in four years) with 19 home runs and 67 RBIs in 100 games.
If he posts similar numbers in 2026, he almost certainly would have been able to earn more than the $7 million salary his new Dodgers contract will guarantee for next season.
“I know I’m leaving some money on the table,” Muncy said Saturday. “But I want to be here. I want to end my career here. I know who I am as a person, and I wouldn’t be happy trying to chase money somewhere else. I’ve never been comfortable trying to do that. And I wouldn’t be comfortable now.”
Muncy’s current contract situation includes the opportunity to make more.
According to a source, he has incentives for up to $2.25 million for this season (he will earn $15,000 for every plate appearance he makes between 401 and 550) on top of his $10 million base salary. His new extension includes salary escalators of up to $3.75 million extra for 2027 based on his number of plate appearances this year ($20,000 each for each between 401-500, and $35,000 for each between 501-550). And if the Dodgers pick up his club option for 2028, which is for $10 million and comes with a $3 million buyout, he will have the same salary escalator structure for 2028, based off his 2027 plate appearances.
Still, Muncy knows his new deal has been seen around the industry as below market value.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 08: (L-R) Max Muncy and Kellie Muncy attend Netflix Is A Joke Festival Presents: Dodgers Comedy Night Hosted By Cedric The Entertainer at The Orpheum Theatre on May 08, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)
Netflix Is A Joke Festival Presents: Dodgers Comedy Night Hosted By Cedric The Entertainer Getty Images for Netflix
For him, however, staying in Los Angeles was the most valuable thing of all.
“At the end of the day, for me and my family, you have to start putting your focus on some things,” Muncy said. “And it was, ‘Would we really be happy trying to chase money, watching these guys winning the World Series?’ No, we wouldn’t. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing, well, I got a little bit of extra money, but now I’m not in the playoffs, or I’m maybe the last team into the playoffs, and then we’re getting beat by the Dodgers. I wouldn’t be happy with that. I’ve built too many relationships here.”
Muncy said family stability was a particularly crucial factor. He and his wife, Kellie, welcomed their third child last month. And while their offseason home remains in Muncy’s native Texas, the family has put down roots in the Southland, too.
“My kids were born in LA. The Dodgers are all they know,” he said. “They know the stadium. They know all the people at the stadium. They love being there. Every time we’re driving on the road and they see a Dodger blue color, they yell out, ‘That’s da-da blue. That’s Dodger blue.’ LA means something to them.”
Then there’s Muncy’s standing within the organization.
With the Dodgers, he feels like he has “real input” with the coaching staff and front office. He relishes his veteran role as one of the more experienced players in the clubhouse.
“That’s one of those things that was important, to know I’m really a part of this organization,” he said. “That’s something that I didn’t want to try to build somewhere else –– or maybe it’s not like that somewhere else.”
Now, Muncy won’t have to find out. If he plays through the 2028 season, he’ll be 38. At that point, he thinks he’ll probably be ready to retire, preferring to finish his career before his play declines to the point he is forced out of the game.
“More than likely, this deal is gonna be it,” he said. “I’m not looking to chase it forever. I’m looking to go out there and be competitive.”
Right now, that remains the case, making Muncy not only the longest-tenured Dodger but also one of their most important players as they go for a World Series three-peat this year.
“I want to decide really when I’m done,” he said. “And this (new deal) gives me a good opportunity to do that.”
Just like a season ago, the Yankees are leaning on their young arms to overcome injuries to the top of their rotation.
Gerrit Cole (Tommy John) and Carlos Rodon (elbow) will miss the start of the 2026 season, and New York is hoping youngster Will Warren can take that next step to becoming a fixture in the rotation and get them off to a strong start this year.
Warren, who will turn 27 in June, is likely to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster after making 33 starts in his rookie year. There were a lot of ups and downs for Warren in 2025. An occasional blow-up start -- he allowed five-plus earned runs in five starts -- marred his otherwise strong campaign. He didn't land on the IL and struck out 171 batters -- the most by a rookie last season.
Still, the Yankees hope the right-hander can be even better this season.
"Hopefully, there’s even more in there. He was a big reason why we were able to have success [in 2025]," manager Aaron Boone said after Saturday's workouts. "When you have starting pitchers making all of his starts, there's value in that. Frankly, a lot of good starts. Much talked about a couple of rough ones, but he showed the ability to always bounce back….there is so much that he learned, that he gained."
"Taking the ball every five days is a huge thing," Warren said of his 2025 season after his live BP on Saturday. "The ability to be available is a big part of playing in the big leagues, so I think that’s a successful season. There’s some stuff you can clean up…but going into this year, it’s taking that extra step."
Warren said he started throwing again a month after the season ended, and while he admitted he had to adjust to the long season with how he ramps back up, his offseason routine has largely remained unchanged.
He had two live BP sessions on Saturday. In his first run, he struck out Paul Goldschmidt swinging on five pitches, punching the former NL MVP on a high fastball. He allowed a single to Aaron Judge on a 2-1 pitch before Amed Rosario hit a groundball to where the shortstop would be.
In his second inning of work, Warren struck out Judge on six pitches after a 3-2 high fastball way out of the zone to get the reigning MVP swinging. He then fanned Jose Caballero after an eight-pitch battle on a 3-2 off-speed pitch running away from Caballero.
"[Warren] did a good job of learning from his experience and he’s a confident dude," Boone said. "He wants to be one of the good ones; that’s where his focus is. He’s a really valuable part of our team."
Warren mentioned a few times about eventually becoming one of the best in the league. When he was asked how he gets to that point, Warren reiterated that it's about posting up every five days, but also to give your team a chance, even when you don't have your best stuff.
"There were some games last year where I got ran out of there in the third, fourth inning because it wasn’t my day," Warren explained. "You see those guys on a day where they don’t have their best stuff, they go into the fifth or sixth and keeping us in the game. That makes a difference…that’s the difference."
For Boone, he preaches to Warren and other younger pitchers to slow the game down and to keep their emotions in check.
"As a starting pitcher…it’s really hard to be hair-on-fire out there, emotional. As a starting pitcher, you have to find that edge," he said. "A lot of things are going to happen through the course of a game and you can’t get emotional and ride that roller coaster. It’s a microcosm of the season…that’s critical for a starting pitcher to be able to navigate the game and things that come up.
"How do you not let that stuff snowball and he’s gotten better at that and learning to work through those things."
To Warren, that adjustment going into 2026 is about confidence and knowing that his stuff plays in the big leagues. He showed that for much of last season and flashed that in his live BP on Saturday.
"I learned last year on the days that I didn’t have my good stuff, how did I end up going five and giving up just two runs? It’s knowing you belong, trusting your stuff and not overdoing it," Warren said. "Just staying even keel, maintaining your focus and going out there and taking control of the game.
"A guy like Judge, you can get him 0-2, you have to find a way to punch this guy out without giving him something over the plate. That’s something I learned last year with 33 starts. You don’t always have to punch someone out. It’s about going deep in the game, that comes with getting soft contact and avoiding the big inning."
Until Cole and Rodon return, Warren will be part of a rotation that includes Max Fried, Luis Gil, Ryan Weathers and Cam Schlittler. What happens when the two All-Star hurlers return is anyone's guess, but Warren believes he's ready to show that he belongs.
"For me, a personal goal, I want to be a starting pitcher in the big leagues, but I want to be Gerrit Cole in 10 years or Carlos Rodon," Warren said. "It’s about taking that next step to being one of the best in the league."
The Dodgers' Edwin Díaz speaks during a news conference at Camelback Ranch on Saturday. (Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)
Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz has been settling in with his new team at Camelback Ranch, but in his first comments to the media since camp opened, he faced questions about his old team.
In an interview with team broadcaster Howie Rose on Friday, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen called Díaz’s decision to a sign a three-year, $69-million contract with the Dodgers “perplexing.” Though Díaz was caught off guard by the comments, he said Saturday he has no bad feelings toward the Mets or their fans.
“It’s a market and I was a free agent, so I got the chance to talk with everyone,” Díaz said. “I think the Dodgers did a great job of recruiting me, so at the end of the day, I chose to be here. I have a lot of respect for the Mets organization — players, staff, ownership — they treated me pretty good. I don’t have anything bad to say about them. But at the end of the day, I’m here, so this is a new journey for me. I’m happy to be with the Dodgers, so let’s see how it goes.”
Díaz participated in the Dodgers’ first day of official workouts Friday, throwing a clean bullpen session without any hiccups. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts likes what he has seen from the three-time MLB reliever of the year.
“I’m very excited to get to know him more,” Roberts said. “Just a great teammate, really good person, loves baseball, a good heartbeat. You can tell he knows what he needs to do to get ready. [He’s] likable, and at the end of the day, he chose to be here, so that’s something that is of a lot of value for us. High character. I’m really looking forward to getting to know him.”
One thing that attracted Díaz to the Dodgers was the team’s culture.
“That’s how they’ve been so good,” Díaz said. “They have a really good clubhouse… They’ve got different personalities in the clubhouse. They’ve got different players from different countries, and they all get together and have fun, so that’s something good.”
Part of having a melting pot of a clubhouse means missing some key ingredients for an extended period of spring training. The Dodgers will have several players participating in the World Baseball Classic, including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith and Díaz.
Each major leaguer competing in the WBC runs the risk of an injury that could curtail their season, something Díaz knows all too well. Moments after striking out the side to send Puerto Rico to the quarterfinals in 2023, he sustained a season-ending knee injury.
Despite that bad experience, Díaz told reporters it was a no-brainer when he was asked to compete for his country again.
“It wasn’t in my mind,” Díaz said of the injury. “I have the chance to play in front of my family in Puerto Rico. It was an easy decision.”
Díaz’s fearlessness is one trait Roberts admires in his new closer. Díaz faced Roberts’ squad in the 2024 National League Championship Series, in which the Dodgers managed only two hits off him across 51/3 innings, scoring no runs.
“He’s not scared,” Roberts said. “When he’s in the game, it’s an uncomfortable at-bat for lefties and righties, and when we did see him in the postseason, [we were] really trying to keep him out of the game, knowing that he can go one, two, even three innings. That he’s done against us in the postseason; [he’s] just a great competitor.”
Díaz should stabilize the back end of the bullpen. Since bidding farewell to Kenley Jansen after the 2021 season, the Dodgers haven’t had a closer tally more than 25 saves in a season. Over his nine-year career, Díaz has 253 saves.
With Díaz expected to be the regular ninth-inning guy, Roberts looks forward to having more flexibility when managing his bullpen.
“It’s huge,” Roberts said. “I don’t think that there’s one way to manage a ’pen, but when you have a guy like Edwin Díaz as your closer, I do think it frees up other guys, myself included. Not having to worry about matchups for the ninth, I think that’s freeing for me and allows for getting the matchups we need in the prior innings.”
Dodgers staying cautious with Graterol
One key relief weapon Roberts hopes to have in his armory is Brusdar Graterol. The hard-throwing right-hander underwent surgery on the labrum in his right shoulder shortly after the 2024 World Series and hasn’t pitched in a game since.
Roberts provided an update on Graterol’s recovery Saturday.
“He’s in the picture, but I do think that coming back from the shoulder, it’s going to take some time,” Roberts said. “He’s in the bucket of, we’re going to slow-play him. I think yesterday he threw off the mound, and the velocity is not near where it’s going to be, so I think that it’s a slow progression. I just don’t know where that puts us, but it’s a slow process.”
Staff writer Anthony Solorzano contributed to this report.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 14: Germán Márquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the first inning of a gameagainst the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 14, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres, who have been relatively quiet throughout the offseason, made a lot of noise Saturday with signings of Nick Castellanos, Griffin Canning and now, German Marquez. According to reports, the right-hander joins the Padres on a one-year deal.
Source: SP Germán Márquez and the Padres are in agreement on a 1-year deal.
Márquez, 30, looks to bounce back from a rough first year back from Tommy John surgery and will do it in a far more favorable environment. Not long ago, he was one of game’s most durable starters.
Marquez has spent his entire 10-year major league career with the Colorado Rockies pitching his home games at Coors Field under former manager Bud Black, who is now a member of the front office in San Diego. Marquez has a career 4.67 ERA and has thrown more than 1,100 innings. His best season came in 2018 when he made 33 starts and finished with a 3.77 ERA over 196.0 innings.
Marquez had a difficult 2025 season, returning from a stress reaction in his elbow that he suffered in 2024. He posted a 3-16 record with a 6.70 ERA over 126.1 innings with 83 strikeouts last season. Marquez was diagnosed with biceps tendonitis in July of the 2025 season, which caused him to miss additional time. He missed much of the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of that year. Durability and health are questions for Marquez heading into 2026, making him a buy-low candidate who could add depth to the San Diego rotation if he can remain on the field.
