Category: MLB

The Diamondbacks are 7-5, fourth in the Cactus League, and still only the third best NL West team in the league. Preview of what’s to come?

James: While I never consider Cactus League indicative of anything remotely accurate to the regular season, I do still think AZ finishes 2026 in a battle for third or fourth.

Wesley: There’s very little correlation between a team’s performance in spring training and how they ultimately do in the regular season, although I also wouldn’t be surprised if they finish third or fourth anyway. I am actually somewhat encouraged by the performance of some of our young hitters. Seeing Jordan Lawlar, Tommy Troy, Ryan Waldschmidt, and Alek Thomas hit the cover off the ball this Spring should be a sign of encouragement, but it has to be taken with a massive grain of salt especially with Thomas and Lawlar’s previous offensive struggles.

Makakilo:  The manager and coaches are looking at things that don’t show up in the box score, such as player skills, poise, and confidence.  Three thoughts follow:

• In the first 11 games, the offense scored an average of 6.5 runs per game.  That encourages me to predict above average offense. 
• With four infielders who are excellent defenders (Arenado, Perdomo, Marte, and Santana) now playing WBC games, runs allowed are not predictive of the regular season.
• Thru Saturday the 5-inning win-loss record would be 4-10-1, which is worse than their full-game win-loss record of 7-8.  Nevertheless, my view is that 81 regular-season wins is the floor for the Diamondbacks.

Spencer: They keep a record of Cactus League results?

1AZfan1: Ha Spencer wins

How’s the unexpected fifth starter competition going? Any standouts to you so far? If the season started tomorrow, who gets the nod?

James: This is sort of a trick question for me. If Merrill Kelly is healthy enough to not miss more than the first run through the rotation, I don’t see much of a competition for fifth starter. Michael Soroka was never a serious rotation candidate, despite the narrative around his initial signing. If Soroka is in the rotation, someone is hurt long-term. That would be bad.

Wesley: I’m with James on this, it really depends on how many starts Merrill Kelly is likely to miss. Soroka has stood out to me for the wrong reasons, as he’s been awful so far this spring.

Spencer: Sadly I agree here. I think unlike with The Bum and The Full Monty, Rodriguez is guaranteed a rotation spot because he was actually a Hazen target and signing not a Kendrick splurge. I personally would rather have Soroka in there but he’s headed to the bullpen most likely. I think the only way that changes is if Pfaadt has a rough go and they choose to stash him in Reno for some reason. I put that option at 10% likelihood. 

1AZfan1: Concur with the consensus. Soroka will be the odd man out if Kelly is healthy enough to start the year on the active roster.

Makakilo:  The following is good news about Kelly:

“But, after throwing 26 pitches Thursday and feeling no discomfort Friday, Kelly may very well be able to open the season on the active roster and pitch at the backend of the rotation.”  – Steve Gilbert, 6 March

On the flip side, who gets the ball on Opening Day 12 games in?

James: Unless Ryne Nelson turns into Brandon Webb between now and just under three weeks from now, the answer is Zac Gallen. It shouldn’t even really be a debate.

Wesley: Ryne Nelson has actually been better than his already solid performance this spring, but James is right, Gallen is the obvious answer here.

Makakilo:  Last season, Ryne Nelson pitched better than Gallen (ERA 3.39 vs 4.83, FIP 3.73 vs 4.50).  Therefore, Ryne Nelson is my choice.

Spencer: The concept that Opening Day Starter means something still confuses me. Whomever is ready and looks good will start. We play in LA. You can basically pencil in a loss already. So ERod or Pfaadt gets my vote. 

1AZfan1: Nelson deserves it. He’s been our best starter for the past year and a half. Opening Day starter is largely ceremonial in my mind, so I could see the argument for Gallen getting the ball as he’s been the guy for the past 3 years. Torey has a valid excuse to delay Gallen’s start to the home-opening series, though. If this isn’t Nelly’s perfect opportunity (late start for Gallen and Kelly injury setback) then I don’t know what is.

Jurkison Profar will be serving his second PED suspension in 2 years. Is that a sign the program is working? Or do you feel it’s a sign that even more is happening we can’t see?

James: In this particular case, both. Overall, I think the system works as-is. While the system is far from perfect, it has the sort of teeth that clearly have had an effect. 

Wesley: I think there’s a very real issue with medication/supplement labeling in Caribbean and Latin-American countries. There’s also the real issue of tainted/adulterated supplements being sold online as well. While I don’t think that either is applicable in Profar’s case, both are very real issues not being discussed, and MLB really needs to do a better job educating young players on “Maybe don’t take that sketchy supplement from a pharmacy back home”  and “Don’t order cheap bulk supplements from a sketchy online retailer.”

Makakilo:  There is reason to believe the program is working to reduce PEDs.  Looking at this Wikipedia Website, suspensions of MLB players and former MLB players dropped from about 10 per year in 2020 to 2022, to about 6 per year in 2023-2025, with 3 so far in 2026.  

An interesting point is that Profar had nothing to gain financially from using PEDs.  His high-paying contract was good thru the 2027 season.  That would be his age 34 season, which might have been his last season before retirement (and now it looks likely to be his last season before retirement).

Profar’s reaction after his first suspension (assuming it was unintentional per his statement at the time) should have been to consistently guard (and document) his intake of foods, vitamin supplements, and medicine to for-sure avoid a second suspension.  Some people might have avoided anything that might have a risk, even if it hurt their health.  And yet he is facing a second suspension. Why?

Spencer: Working. The league is actually testing people and following through on punishment. The list of PED users this decade is laughable. And Tatis showed a new generation just how good PEDs can make a player. Profar has proven how stupid players can be… 

1AZfan1: I think that’s a really interesting point brought up by Wesley. Something worth looking into further for sure. General rule of thumb is that programs like these don’t catch every rule-breaker, but I still speculate that the program is working overall, though.

What’s your favorite Spring Training park?

James: Trick question. While I am torn between Scottsdale Stadium and SRF for favorite venue, my favorite place to attend an actual game is Tempe Diablo. If one arrives early to the game, there are shaded tables situated along the outfield concourse with individual seats. The view is great. Sitting in those seats allows stretching out. The shade is a massive boon. Also, the be girl is 8-10 feet away. My mattress and I regularly have purchased premium seats to enjoy the game (in case we couldn’t get one of those tables). We then don’t feel bad if we monopolize one of those tables for the duration. Without that loophole, Tempe Diablo needs a serious updating.

Wesley: The two spring training parks I’ve been to no longer host spring training games, ie Hi Corbett Field and Kino Ballpark. I can’t really answer the question honestly.

Makakilo:  I, like Wesley, have been to games at Hi Corbett Field and Kino Ballpark. Also, many years ago, I went to Surprise Arizona.  Because Surprise was a delightful adventure, and because spring training games happen there this season, my choice is Surprise Stadium. 

Spencer: I have no idea what parks I attended as a kid living in Phoenix. So I’ll just say Peoria because it’s the only one I’m confident I went to. As I recall, most Spring Parks are nicer than Chase, but lackluster compared to most AAA/MLB parks around the country. I’m also told this has been changing since I left AZ in 2012. 

Justin: Same as Wes. I think of the two, I preferred Hi Corbett. It’s an older ballpark, so maybe the old timey nostalgia feel. When the Sidewinders were still here, I would go to several games over the summer (yay living at my parents house still…) at Kino, versus maybe 1 game at Hi Corbett so that might add to it.
1AZfan1: I’ve only been to one Spring game in the past 20 or so years and that one trip to Salt River Fields was very nice. Baseball is generally a nostalgic pastime, though, so with that in mind, my absolute favorite Spring Training memory occurred at Peoria Sports Complex. I was thrilled to see my all-time favorite player, Ken Griffey Jr., launch a moonball to the top of the berm in right field in his first AB of the game. I was the happiest kid alive that day – except for maybe the kid who got that Griffey home run ball. So I’ll go with Peoria as my fave.

TAMPA — There are players who overhaul mechanics during an offseason or spring training and then cram in every at-bat or inning they can, determined to feel comfortable before the games actually matter. 

Ryan McMahon is not in this subset. The Yankees third baseman, who will debut a new batting stance on Opening Day after a winter and a spring devoted to altering his setup, feels adjusted and natural with his new posture. 

“I’m ready,” McMahon said before Monday’s 5-3, exhibition loss to the Pirates at Steinbrenner Field. “I’m ready for some games with some juice.”

McMahon is ready with a stance that is noticeably narrower than what was one of the widest stances in baseball last season. According to Statcast, he averaged 42.7 inches between his feet while in the batter’s box last year, the fourth biggest gap in the majors. That stance saw him swing and miss at a 35.2 percent clip, the worst rate among qualified hitters for a player who struck out 189 times between the Rockies and Yankees. 

After the season, McMahon sat for a lengthy Zoom with Yankees hitting minds including hitting coach James Rowson and assistant hitting coach Casey Dykes. McMahon is a good pupil, according to Dykes, both because he is receptive to new ideas and because he is clearly talented — a few tweaks can make a large difference. 

“You’re always trying to help guys be in a position where they can be multidimensional,” Dykes said. “He can make more contact. He can keep the ball up [for fly balls rather than ground balls]. He obviously hits the ball hard. He sees the ball really well. 

“We’re trying to put him in a position to maximize all those things.” 

McMahon is a bit of a rarity and has not suffered from the problems that usually plague the strikeout-prone. He rarely chases pitches out of the strike zone, above-average in ignoring pitches that become balls and ranked 24th last season — in between Bryce Harper and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — in drawing walks. His 93.3 mph average exit velocity last season was the 14th best in the game, percentage points behind 13th-place Fernando Tatis Jr. 

He swung at the right pitches, ignored the wrong ones and did plenty of damage. He simply whiffed too often. Were his legs too far apart? 

“We’re trying to get him in a consistent position to maximize what we think he can do offensively,” Dykes said of McMahon, who himself said the extreme nature of the stance was not a lifelong issue but a bad habit that had “kind of happened over time.” 

McMahon, about to embark on his 10th major league season, did not realize how far apart his legs had grown over the years. The tick reappeared recently at camp. 

“The coaches brought it up to me immediately,” McMahon said. “Got in the cage the next day, worked it out. Felt great. Went into live [batting practice]. I think I had like six at-bats that day, and I think I walked in one and then hit all the other five balls over 100 [mph]. 

“It’s going to be something I got to keep my eye on because my feel — if I’m not feeling it right, I can get wide.” 

It is rare that a 31-year-old with an impressive résumé — a 2024 All-Star and routinely one of the best third basemen in the sport — qualifies as a bit of a project, but McMahon’s first experience with a new organization and away from the Rockies, along with his sheer talent, makes him particularly intriguing. McMahon, who has begun his Grapefruit League season 3-for-23 with three doubles, said the new stance feels natural and “sturdier.”

The Yankees have appreciated that McMahon has fully bought in. 

“He’s been great,” Dykes said. “A lot of conversations throughout the offseason, a lot of work in camp. … Just like anybody who was going through adjustments during the offseason period, as you go into the season you’re going to continue to try to refine — especially when you’ve been doing something one way for a long time. 

“He’s had a lot of success at the big league level already. Sometimes it takes time for things to feel natural, to be able to repeat them without having to overthink it. But he’s been great and working his tail off. 

“He looks great.”

New San Francisco Giants second baseman has read your (our) criticism of his lack of power and he decided to take it out on the beleaguered pitchers of Team Israel. Luis Arraez went 4-for-5 with four runs, five RBIs, two doubles and two big home runs as Venezuela defeated Israel Saturday night, 11-3. at loanDepot Park (It’s a lowercase “L” because the Marlins are the worst).

Arraez got scoring started in the first inning with an RBI double, a play that didn’t make new Giants center fielder Harrison Bader look great as he utilized what looked like a pilates move in his attempt to catch the line drive.

Arraez went deep for the first time in the bottom of the fifth off of New York Mets reliever Jordan Geber, he of 6.2 career major league innings pitched.

In the bottom of the sixth, Venezuela had a 7-2 lead and two runners on when Israel brought in left-handed reliever Ryan Kaminsky to shut down the Reggie Jackson of the World Baseball Classic. Arraez said “Nacht gut!” and sent 3-1 pitch over the right-field wall.

Arraez added another double in the eighth and came around to score. That almost capped the scoring, but Bader proved the Giants may have one of the most powerful lineups in the world by hitting a 397-foot home run in the top of the ninth.

Look, maybe Arraez has only hit 16 home runs in the last three seasons, when he hasn’t slugged over .400, despite winning a batting title in 2024. But if this tournament is any indication, Arraez is poised for a power breakthrough, as long as he can solely face marginal Israeli one-inning relievers.

Israel! Venenzuela! They’re all about power now, and not just the United States imperial overreach kind!

Team Panama did not go down without a fight in this year’s World Baseball Classic – on the field and in the dugout.

Trailing 4-3 against Team Colombia in the bottom of the ninth inning in Monday’s contest, veteran infielder Jonathan Araúz – who entered as a pinch hitter – grounded out to second base to begin the frame.

Araúz did not hustle out of the batter’s box and got into a heated exchange with Team Panama manager José Mayorga as he returned to the home dugout at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The pair was immediately separated, with Araúz being physically restrained by a member of Team Panama.

“To put yourself in [Araúz’s] shoes, he’s not playing, he’s a former major league player, he’s frustrated,” Fox Sports 2 announcer and ex-MLB pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith said during the broadcast. “And then he got some words from his teammates for not busting it, there’s so much pent-up frustration.

Panama pinch-hitter Jonathan Arauz had to be held back during an altercation with manager José Mayorga while they were down one in the ninth inning and facing elimination

A former Red Sox, Orioles and Mets infielder, Arauz got just one start and five at bats in this WBC pic.twitter.com/jhgdbSj91X

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) March 9, 2026

‘He’s probably like, ‘Oh, you have me pinch-hitting now.’ He’s probably frustrated he’s not starting on this team because he’s a veteran player and this is what happens when you start pressing.”

It’s not Araúz’s first time showing emotion during a WBC contest, as he was visibly frustrated with a teammate who did not tag up and score on a flyout during a game against Cuba in 2023.

In four games during the 2023 WBC, Araúz slashed a solid .267/.421/.333 with three RBIs – but registered one walk and no hits in five at-bats this time around.

He has appeared in parts of four MLB seasons, most recently suiting up for the 2023 Mets, where he hit a meager .136 with three home runs over 26 games.

Mayorga did not go into detail about the confrontation with Araúz after Monday’s game.

“These are clubhouse matters and stay in the clubhouse,” Mayorga said, per baseball journalist Francys Romero.

Former Mets infielder Ruben Tejada singled moments after the confrontation, but Enrique Bradfield Jr. struck out and Yankees shortstop José Caballero – who homered in the sixth inning to make it 4-1 – flew out to right field to end the game.

Colombia was eliminated from WBC title contention after Panama defeated Canada on Sunday and returned the favor on Monday, knocking Panama out of the tournament.

Both teams finished 1-3 in Pool A play, and one of them now faces relegation depending on how Canada fares in its remaining games.

Canada (1-1) is set to face Puerto Rico on Tuesday and Cuba on Wednesday. If Canada also finishes 1-3 in Pool A, a tiebreaker will determine whether Colombia or Panama is relegated to the qualifying tournament for the next World Baseball Classic.

No matter how the 2026 season ends up going, we’ll always have the fourth inning of a who-cares Spring Training game on March 9.

The White Sox steamrolled Colorado, 12-3, on the wings of a ridiculous 11-run outburst in the fourth inning.

In the words of White Sox beat writer and witness to the massacre Scott Merkin, who in a quarter-century of coverage may never have witnessed an 11-run inning in Spring Training, and certainly not one accomplished without making an out:

The White Sox social media account certainly acted like this was commonplace:

Here’s the blow-by-blow of the miraculous inning:

Oliver Dunn led off with a triple. Drew Romo singled to center field, sending Dunn home. William Bergolla Jr. singled Romo to third, taking second on the throw trying to get Romo. Chase Meidroth tripled to deep right-center field, scoring both Bergolla and Romo. Braden Montgomery singled, sending Meidroth home. Andrew Benintendi singled Montgomery to third, followed by an Austin Hays single to right-center that pushed Benny to second and plating Montgomery.

That seems like a lot, right? The five runs without a single batter retired made the score 6-0, White Sox. But wait — there’s more!

LaMonte Wade Jr. singled to pack the sacks, and then Tristan Peters walked, pushing Benintendi home.

Yes, the White Sox batted around without making an out!

Dunn was back with more power, this time via an RBI single that would keep the bases loaded. After homering in the second and with two hits this frame, Dunn was a double away from the cycle — with nobody out in the bottom of the fourth!

Romo tripled — the third three-bagger of the inning — and sent three players across home plate. Finally, Bergolla grounded out, but still drove Romo in. For those not keeping count, the White Sox had 10 hits in a row, one walk, and three triples before the Rockies recorded a single out.

While this game was all about the bats, the pitching was impressive as well, holding Colorado to three late runs, at a point when the regular lineup was probably having a pizza party in the clubhouse for putting up 12 runs in its first 12 outs.

Starter Jedixson Paez pitched for two innings, only allowing one hit and striking out two. The outing was key, both in that it allowed Paez to bounce back from a six-run disaster his last time out, and perhaps give the White Sox more reason to keep the Rule 5 hurler into the season.

Mike Vasil, who’d also struggled a bit this spring, took over on the in the third inning and allowed one hit, two walks, and a strikeout over three innings. While the pitching was mostly positive today, the real story comes in the fourth inning.

Brandon Eisert came on after that and threw another scoreless outing, two innings with two hits, a walk and a K.

The Rockies attempted a comeback in the eighth when Drew Avans doubled to left field, allowing Roldy Brito to score. They also loaded the bases when Robert Calaz walked, allowing Avans to score. They also had a solo run in the ninth from Roc Riggio, but that was all they could muster.

While the Rockies managed seven hits, it wouldn’t be a match for the 16 White Sox hits.

In other White Sox news: Seranthony Domínguez helped secure a win for the Dominican Republic, knocking out Israel in a 10-1 win.

The United States is 2-0 thus far in Pool B in the World Baseball Classic, as is Mexico, which places high stakes on Monday night’s game in Houston in terms of advancing to the quarterfinals.

Italy is also 2-0, and the top two teams advance out of each pool. Team USA plays Italy on Tuesday, and Mexico and Italy on Wednesday. The first of this three-game gauntlet is Monday night, and Paul Skenes is on the mound for the United States.

No Will Smith in the lineup on Monday, with Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh behind the plate against Mexico.

Monday game info

• Event: World Baseball Classic, Pool B
• Teams: United States vs. Mexico
• Ballpark: Daikin Park, Houston
• Time: 5 p.m. PT
• TV: Fox
• Radio: MLB Audio, Sirius XM

In the first significant cuts of camp, the Yankees optioned a pair of top prospects in outfielder Spencer Jones and righty Elmer Rodríguez. 

Jones enjoyed another strong spring with the major league club, going 6-for-18 with three home runs, a double and three steals. He walked four times and struck out six times in the Grapefruit League.

He is expected to start the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he left off last season and displayed both prodigious power and a tendency to swing and miss too often. 

Jones was never going to make the team out of camp with Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham installed in the outfield plus Giancarlo Stanton set at DH. 

The message to Jones? 

“As much as you can, don’t focus on things that right now might be out of your control a little bit,” said manager Aaron Boone, who added that the move is purely transactional and that Jones would be playing in Tuesday’s game. “Reality is he’s coming off a really strong season. I feel like he continues to make really solid adjustments. He came in here to spring and has represented really well. Has performed. You see the signs of him continuing to get better.” 

Rodríguez showed well in camp, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk in six innings in which he struck out five.

The third-best Yankees prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, he only appeared in two games because he left to pitch for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

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

We’re almost there. In just over two weeks, the Yankees will open the 2026 MLB season in San Francisco against the Giants. Final rosters around the league are still being developed, so we don’t know just yet what each of 30 teams will look like when the season starts. But we know a decent chunk about it now, so why not speculate?

Focusing on the American League, who do you think will be the toughest foe for the Yankees to take down this season? Is it the Blue Jays, who narrowly beat out the Yankees for the AL East last year, took them out in the playoffs, and then nearly won the World Series? They’re probably the favorite, but you don’t have to look too hard around the internet to find people doubting their ability to repeat that magic. Maybe you’re more of a believer in the youthful Red Sox, now also infused with Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras. The Mariners came oh-so-close to dispatching the Jays in the series before the Fall Classic, and their oft-vaunted pitching should stand to rebound from 2025 anyway. The Tigers added more Astros nemesis Framber Valdez to a rotation that also included two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, so Detroit won’t be a walk in the park either.

So make your vote known! And while you’re at it, just for fun, pick a team in the second question’s prompt, which asks about the worst team in the American League. There are certainly some ignominious contenders.

The Yankees optioned Spencer Jones to minor league camp, the team announced on Monday, ending the outfield prospect’s bid to make the big league roster for Opening Day.

It was always a bit of a long shot for Jones to make the Yanks’ roster out of camp with Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and Aaron Judge set in the outfield and Giancarlo Stanton at DH, and he was in an uphill battle competing with the speedy, switch-hitting Jasson Dominguez to be the youngster on the bench.

The six-foot-seven outfielder has an abundance of power, to the tune of 82 home runs over his last three minor league seasons, but the big flaw in his game will be that he strikes out at an outrageous rate, 534 times over that same span.

“Those are the challenges of being a big guy,” manager Aaron Boone said recently. “It’s a hard thing to figure out, but if you can do it, [that size is] a massive advantage.”

Jones, who did hit a 427-foot blast early in spring, had six hits in 18 at-bats for the Yanks with three home runs and seven RBI.

“He’s done a nice job. He’s worked really hard this winter to make adjustments to try to hone his craft and had pretty good results here the first few weeks of games,” Boone said recently of Jones, who turns 25 in May.

Jones, now the Team's No. 6 prospect in the system according to MLB Pipeline, is still looking to make his MLB debut.

The club also announced right-hander Elmer Rodriguez, the team’s No. 3 prospect and No. 82 in all of baseball, to minor league camp.

Rodriguez had a solid season at High-A Hudson Valley with a 2.26 ERA over 83.2 innings, and at Double-A Somerset posted a 2.64 ERA over 61.1 innings last season. 

The 22-year-old made one appearance at Triple-A last season and expects to start there this season and could be in line for his big league debut later this summer.

At a time when his rotation-mates are relishing the opportunity, while their catcher is away at the WBC, to try out new tricks, Bryan Woo is dancing with the one that brought him.

Woo looked sharp today in his third spring outing: his pitches were crisp, well-located, and thrown with conviction. He opened with a dominant first inning where he struck out the Diamondbacks’ top three hitters on, in order, an elevated fastball, a backfoot slider, and an elevated sinker at 95 mph. It took him all of 12 pitches. It took him another 10 pitches to retire the D-Backs’ next three hitters, this time working in his sweeper and sinker more. Woo didn’t allow a hit until the third inning, when he missed on a sweeper to Ivan Melendez, but Brendan Donovan helped his pitcher out with an awesome circus catch into the third base line netting for the second out, and Woo was able to coax an inning-ending groundout off the bat of leadoff hitter Ildemaro Vargas after that to end the inning.

“Much better today,” said Woo about his outing. “Getting ahead, being in better counts. That’s my brand of baseball right there. That’s exactly what it needs to look like.”

While his fellow starters might be taking the lack of regulars here in camp as an opportunity to experiment, Woo remains laser focused on Opening Day – perhaps even as the Opening Day starter.

“It’s always tempting, but I think that’s kind of the trap with any of us, trying to tweak too much. For me, just getting ready for the season and getting closer to regular season shape is more just doing the little things, so that’s exactly what we did.”

But as strong as Woo was, Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen matched him blow for blow, mowing through the Mariners the first time through the order, collecting a strikeout in each of his three innings. The Mariners finally got a little traffic on the bases when Gallen departed the game in the fourth. Brendan Donovan opened the inning with what could have been a single but it deflected off the first baseman’s glove and rolled clear to the right field wall, so, “double.” Rob Refsnyder then worked a walk to put two on with no outs. Unfortunately, that brought up the strikeout-prone part of the Mariners lineup, and both Luke Raley and Mitch Garver struck out to bring up J.P. Crawford, who swung at the first pitch he saw for an inning-ending groundout.

The Diamondbacks answered back with traffic of their own, but they were able to turn it into runs. Behind in a 2-1 count, Woo threw his hardest pitch of the day (95.6 mph) but right in the zone for Barrosa to tag for a leadoff double (109 mph EV). Barrosa then moved to third on a groundout and scored on a Pavin Smith ground ball single, but the damage was capped there when Woo was able to get AJ Vukovich to ground into an inning-ending double play on a sinker, cleanly turned by J.P. Crawford and Ryan Bliss.

With new pitcher Andrew Hoffman in for the fifth, the Mariners were finally able to break through in the run column. Connor Joe, who loves to hit the high fastball, continued his strong spring with a well-struck single up the middle. Ryan Bliss worked a walk, and then Rhylan Thomas brought home the run with a single of his own. But an opportunity for more scoring was cut off when Bliss was caught stealing and picked off of second in a rundown that wasn’t particularly close; Donovan singled for his second hit of the day but Thomas wasn’t able to beat out the throw at home, and the Mariners let a good chance to score more runs go by, continuing a frustrating theme this spring.

The teams traded zeroes after that until the dam broke for the Mariners in the bottom of the ninth; Blas Castaño, in his second inning of work, allowed a single, and then Tyler Cleveland couldn’t turn in a clean inning in relief, walking a hitter and then, with two outs, giving up a parachute fly ball to score the runner from second and hand the Mariners their 12th loss of the spring.

Other notes:

• Alex Hoppe worked a hitless inning, walking one but striking out two. Something I noticed today in watching him is Hoppe’s delivery is violent. He really comes down the mound at hitters. The pitches move violently, too; it’s 98 in the dirt, essentially, but then he also has a slider with similar movement that comes in around 88-90 and a cutter around 91. I find his stuff both beautiful and terrifying.
• In addition to his single, Connor Joe also had a hard-hit double in this game, turning on a 95 mph sinker in and stroking it to left field. After being fairly noodle-batted for his MLB career, I’m curious if Joe has made any adjustments with the Mariners or if this is just spring training noise. Sure it’s spring training but 108.4 off the bat is 108.4 off the bat.
• Staff writer Nick Tucker was at today’s game and noted that Victor Robles, working back from shoulder soreness, was clearly late with some of his swing timing, but said it looked like Robles was getting better over the course of the game.
• J.P. Crawford got a few chances at short in his first time in the field this spring since opening day of spring training, cleanly turning a double play with Ryan Bliss.
• Colt Emerson got some actual challenges at shortstop today as a defensive replacement for Crawford. He couldn’t quite get to a grounder hit hard past him (111.2 off the bat) but smothered another slow roller and made a strong throw to first.

Once again, a Brewers-Dodgers matchup ended in a low-scoring affair and the Dodgers came out on top with a 4-2 spring training win.

The Brewers got off to a strong start against Emmett Sheehan of the Dodgers with Greg Jones rifling an RBI single in the 2nd inning to give the Crew a 1-0 lead. Aaron Ashby was looking strong as he was stretched out to three ups today. But Ashby gave up an answer by the Dodgers in the top of the 3rd on a Dalton Rushing RBI single.

However, Milwaukee was able to get past their one run per game limit against the Dodgers with a Jake Bauers solo blast in the 5th inning. That’s Bauers’ third home run of the spring and he’s now 9-for-17 on the spring with five walks as well.

That lead would not last, though. Shane Drohan, who has been pitching well all spring, gave up an RBI single to Ryan Fitzgerald in the 7th and then an RBI single to Seby Zavala in the 8th. He also allowed a run on a double play by Charles Davalan and then his day was done after 3.2 IP and 63 pitches.

The Brewers tried to mount a comeback in the 9th. Josiah Ragsdale, a 7th round pick last year, roped a double into the gap. He later scored on an Ethan Murray infield single. But then Luis Lara and Mike Boeve grounded out to end the game in a 4-3 loss.

The Brewers have an off day tomorrow but will be back in Cactus League action on Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Dodgers snapped their two-game losing skid on Monday, as they rallied for a pair of eighth inning runs to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday 4-3.

Emmet Sheehan made his first start of the spring, lasting 2 1/3 innings while tossing 49 pitches (26 strikes) while allowing two hits and one earned run coming via a Greg Jones RBI single, but struggled with his command as he walked three and struck out two. Cody Morse was able to get out of the third inning in relief of Sheehan as he struck out two to escape further trouble.

River Ryan came in relief to begin the bottom of the fourth inning, and despite letting the Brewers pull ahead by a run with Jake Bauers taking him deep to left field, he registered 2 2/3 solid innings of work, with the home run being the only hit he allowed while striking out three and walking one. Ryan now has a 1.59 ERA with seven strikeouts across 5 2/3 innings this spring as he continues to increase his odds of being a part of the starting rotation come the team’s home opener on Mar. 26.

Dalton Rushing plated home the first run of the game with an RBI single to tie the game at 1 in the top of the third. Although the counting numbers look great on paper (two home runs, five RBI), Rushing has struggled at the plate so far this spring, slashing just .200/.250/.440 across 28 plate appearances with a 32.1 percent strikeout rate.

Michael Siani and Ryan Fitzgerald managed to even the score at two runs apiece with a double and an RBI single respectively with two outs in the top of the seventh. The Dodgers took their first lead of the game in the top of the eighth with an RBI single from Seby Zavala, later adding an insurance run with Emil Morales scoring on a double play. The elder Ryan brother, Ryder Ryan, managed to record the final six outs of Monday’s contest despite allowing a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to trim the Dodger lead to one run.

UP NEXT

The Dodgers head back to Camelback Ranch to host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday (1:05 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Tyler Glasnow gets the start for the Dodgers, facing right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.

The Yankees announced today that they’ve optioned two of their top prospects, Spencer Jones and Elmer Rodríguez, to minor league camp. The two will finish out spring training at minor league camp and will start their seasons with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.

Even as they head back to the minors, both prospects showed very well with the major league club this spring. The 6-foot-7 Jones slashed .333/.455/.889 with three homers in 22 plate appearances, with six strikeouts against four walks. Facing pitching that’s roughly equivalent to that of Triple-A, you can in a way view this as Jones continuing to tear up the highest levels of the minors, as he did to close out his 2025 campaign.

Rodríguez is currently with Team Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic, though he has yet to appear in a game. The right-hander made two starts for the Yankees in spring training and was impressive, totaling six innings while allowing two runs with five strikeouts against one walk. He touched 97 mph on the radar gun and showcased a nasty-looking changeup and some solid command, particularly in his first start against the Orioles, in which he held a lineup of regulars scoreless over three frames.

While it was to be expected that players like Jones and Rodríguez, who were longshots at best to make the club out of spring training, would be sent down, it’s always a bit of a bummer to see the top prospects depart, as their presence in camp is one of the more fun reasons to tune into preseason games. If the two of them can perform as well for Scranton as they had thus far in spring, they’ll be among the first names the Yankees call during the season when the need arises.

The Philadelphia Phillies, envisioning a future in which Zack Wheeler is no longer part of their rotation, moved to lock up another stalwart from their staff for the long term.

Left-hander Jesús Luzardo and the Phillies are in agreement on a five-year, $135 million contract extension, a person familiar with the agreement confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been finalized.

Luzardo, 28, was eligible for free agency after the 2026 season, and was coming off perhaps the finest campaign of his career, winning 15 games and posting a 3.92 ERA across a career-high 183 ⅔ innings. While he might have garnered more than a $27 million average annual value on the free agent market, it actually puts him in line with Yankees ace Max Fried, whose eight-year, $218 million deal is worth $27.25 million per year.

Wheeler, the Cy Young Award runner-up in 2024, has indicated he'll retire after his three-year, $142 million deal expires after the 2027 season. The club already retained right-hander Aaron Nola on a $172 million deal signed after the 2023 season, and Luzardo's extension ensures a decent base from which to work.

The club also hopes top prospect Andrew Painter solidifies the back of the rotation and grows into mid- to frontline starter. Now, he'll have both Nola and Luzardo to slot behind in the future.

Luzardo will make $11 million this season in his final year of arbitration-eligibility before his extension kicks in.

Jesus Luzardo stats

• 2025 (Philadelphia): 15-7 record, 183.2 IP, 216 SO, 3.92 ERA
• 2024 (Miami): 3-6, 66.2 IP, 58 SO, 5.00 ERA
• 2023 (Miami): 10-10, 178.2 IP, 208 SO, 3.58 ERA
• 2022 (Miami): 4-7, 100.1 IP, 120 SO, 3.32 ERA
• 2021 (Oakland/Miami): 6-9, 95.1 IP, 98 SO, 6.61 ERA
• 2020 (Oakland): 3-2, 59.0 IP, 59 SO, 4.12 ERA
• 2019 (Oakland): 0-0, 12.0 IP, 16 SO, 1.50 ERA

Contributing: Bob Nightengale