Jack Perkins gets the nod today in the Spring Training matchup against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark in Arizona. | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Athletics take on the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona. The A’s come into this game fresh off a split squad sweep of the Angels and Dodgers yesterday.
Jack Perkins will take the mound to get the A’s started today. So far this spring he’s 1-2 in two starts with a 6.75 ERA. He’s only gone 2.2 innings, so the numbers are statistically meaningless. But I imagine Mark Kotsay will try to stretch him out a bit more today. Perkins will face off against 24-year-old Rhett Lowder for the Reds. Lowder is a 2023 first round draft pick who has pitched five innings this spring in both a start and relieving appearance. He has a 1.80 ERA and seven strikeouts so far.
Lowder will go face this lineup for Mark Kotsay’s Athletics:
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Rhett Lowder #25 of the Cincinnati Reds, right, and catcher Tyler Stephenson #37 walk in from the bullpen before the World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Cuba at Goodyear Ballpark on March 4, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If it feels to you as if the Cincinnati Reds have hit a bit of a lull this spring, you aren’t alone.
The starting pitching – the bedrock on which this franchise is built – has seen some hiccups of late, chief among them the elbow issue that Hunter Greene is dealing with and the ripple effect that’s had through the entire team. Chase Burns got knocked around just yesterday, Nick Lodolo allowed 8 baserunners (and a Jonathan India homer) in just 3.0 IP over the weekend, and Brady Singer still boasts a 9.00 ERA despite yesterday’s scoreless trio of frames.
Eugenio Suárez is off at the World Baseball Classic, as is top prospect Edwin Arroyo. The event itself has so far been magical to watch, and perhaps that’s taken a lot of the spotlight off what’s going on in Cactus and Grapefruit League play, respective.
There have also been some notable cuts, with Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Chase Petty shipped over to minor league camp just yesterday.
It’s truly the dog days of spring training at the moment. Players are trying to actively get better and into regular season shape without overdoing it in games that don’t matter, trying to perform well while not giving away any of their tips or tweaks or secrets until the games actually matter. Players are also doing their best to simply stay healthy and get to Opening Day at 100%, and sometimes that doesn’t make for the best on-field product when paired with daily exhibition games.
Still, this is a Reds club with ample players trying to prove themselves, and Rhett Lowder is chief among them. He’ll take the mound on Monday afternoon at home in Goodyear opposite the Athletics, and will do so a leader in the clubhouse for one of the opening(s) at the end of the team’s starting rotation. He’s looked brilliant so far this spring, fully removed from the dual injuries that cost him almost all of 2025, and is poised to be a key part of the team from the outset in 2026.
First pitch on Monday is set for 4:05 PM ET, though sadly there is no televised coverage of the game. You can listen in via 1360 WSAI, however.
Here’s how the Reds will line up for the day (just a day removed from split-squad action where everyone in camp played at least a bit).
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 14: Alan Roden #19 of the Minnesota Twins bats against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning of the game at Target Field on August 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first rule of spring training is not to get too excited about spring training stats. That being said, Alan Roden is maybe making the Louis Varland trade look like a better deal, as he has eight hits in 22 at-bats, with one homer and a steal. For sure, a positive after he finished last season with a .191/.261/.294 slash line with two home runs and one steal in 153 plate appearances. Mick Abel is also doing his best to take the sting out of the Jhoan Duran trade, as through three starts, he has a 39% strikeout rate and a 0% walk rate and has yet to give up a single run through 10 innings. Of course, he did finish last season with a 6.23 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP through 39 innings, so let’s not get too excited. But hope does somewhat spring right now, and we’re going to need all the positivity we can get for this long season.
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
With spring training underway, game threads are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we prepare for Opening Day.
Today we look at the Cubs’right-handed relief pitcher, who is diminutive in baseball terms.
Ethan Michael Roberts, 5’10”, 180 lbs, was born in Sparta, Tennessee 28 years ago, and has been in the Cubs’ system for quite some time, first surfacing in 2022 for a small coffee. He got into five games and picked up a hold and a save in 5.1 innings. He was drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round in 2018.
He was injured and spent 2023 rehabbing, surfacing again in 2024 when he had a decent season, throwing in 21 games (26.2 IP), earning a 3.71 ERA, averaging a strikeout an inning, and not giving up an alarming number of home runs or bases on balls.
He’s still underwater lifetime, having amassed a grand 0.2 bWAR ( 0.5 fWAR) despite positive WAR in both cases in 2024. And so it’s kind of a mixed bag. We don’t know for sure where he’ll end up but I’d say the strongest likelihood is Iowa, though projections think he’ll do some time in The Show as well.
He throws a sweeper, cutter, and sinker. Once in a very great while he throws a four-seam. In 2022 he had a curve, but has since abandoned it. A break-glass arm, it looks like to me. His track record isn’t so great. His sweeper does have the highest horizontal break, so there you go.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - JULY 04: David Davalillo #20 of the Frisco RoughRiders pitches during the game between the Frisco RoughRiders and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday, July 4, 2025 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Braeden Botts/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers have optioned outfielder Dairon Blanco and pitcher Michel Otanez to AAA Round Rock yesterday, the team announced today. In addition, the MLB transaction logs are showing that pitchers David Davalillo and Leandro Lopez were optioned to AA Frisco yesterday, though that transaction apparently hasn’t been officially announced by the Rangers.
Blanco and Otanez are both claimed on waivers this offseason by the Rangers — Blanco was claimed yesterday, and Otanez was claimed in early November. Both seem to be guys who the Rangers are taking a look at while they have 40 man roster spots available, and who would seem to be candidates to be dropped from the 40 man roster once the team needs a 40 man spot for someone like Andrew McCutchen.
Davalillo and Lopez, meanwhile, are guys who were added to the 40 man roster this winter. Neither was a serious candidate to be on the Opening Day roster, and both will likely start the year in the rotation for Frisco.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 15: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros bats in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park on September 15, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At some point, the Houston Astros need to stop overthinking this and simply accept reality.
Yordan Alvarez can play left field. And more importantly, if the Astros are serious about maximizing their championship window, they should let him.
For years now, the organization has treated Alvarez with extreme caution defensively. The reasoning is obvious: he’s one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball, and keeping him healthy is a top priority. The safest place for him, in theory, is at designated hitter.
But here’s the problem with that logic, the cautious approach hasn’t exactly worked.
Despite limiting his time in the field, Alvarez has still missed large stretches of games over the past several seasons. Injuries happen in baseball. They always have, and they always will. Trying to eliminate that risk entirely is a losing battle. So if the Astros are going to face that reality anyway, they might as well put their best possible team on the field when Alvarez is healthy enough to play.
That includes letting him play left field.
This idea isn’t as radical as it might sound. Alvarez has said himself on multiple occasions that he actually prefers playing the field. He’s talked about how it helps him stay engaged in the game and keeps him mentally sharp between at-bats. For a hitter of his caliber, feeling locked into the rhythm of the game matters.
If your best hitter is telling you he performs better when he’s involved defensively, that should carry some weight.
There’s also a practical reason this makes sense for the Astros right now. The roster construction leaves them juggling pieces in the lineup almost every night. With a crowded infield mix and questions still lingering in the outfield, Alvarez playing left field would give manager Joe Espada far more flexibility when building his lineup.
Simply put, it allows Houston to put its most dangerous offensive lineup on the field more often.
Even if Alvarez doesn’t play left field every single game, making it a regular part of the plan, especially at home at Daikin Park, would help solve some lineup puzzles. Think about it, the talk is, it’s easier to play left in front of the Crawford Boxes. I mean, Jose Altuve was given the opportunity whole heartedly by throwing caution to the wind. Why not Yordan? On days when the Astros want to give him a partial break, he can slide right back into the designated hitter spot.
It’s about creating options instead of limiting them.
And let’s be honest: Alvarez doesn’t need to be a Gold Glove defender. He just needs to be serviceable. Plenty of elite hitters across baseball play the outfield despite not being defensive standouts. Aaron Judge patrols the outfield for the Yankees regularly, and while Alvarez is built differently, there’s no reason he can’t handle left field well enough to make it work.
Meanwhile, Houston’s roster is still taking shape. Jake Meyers seems like the frontrunner to once again handle center field duties alhough others are getting an opportunity to challenge him. While right field remains somewhat unsettled, whether that role goes to Cam Smith or someone the Astros acquire before the season gets too far along, there is still potential and plenty of time to figure out the other two spots in the outfield.
Defensively, there will likely be some growing pains. But offensively, this team has the pieces to compete with anyone in the American League.
That’s especially true if the Astros keep Isaac Paredes, something I’ve been very vocal about supporting.
The bigger picture here is simple. The Astros are still operating within a championship window. That window doesn’t stay open forever, even for organizations as consistently successful as Houston has been during this golden era of Astros baseball.
When you have a generational hitter like Yordan Alvarez in the middle of your lineup, your job as an organization is to maximize what he brings to the field.
Right now, that might mean trusting him with a glove in left field more often.
Some fans will disagree and prefer the cautious route. That’s understandable. Protecting a superstar always feels like the safer choice.
But playing it safe doesn’t necessarily mean playing it smart.
At some point, the Astros need to stop worrying so much about what might happen and focus on giving themselves the best chance to win tonight.
And that might start with letting Yordan Alvarez jog out to left field.
SURPRISE, AZ - FEBRUARY 17: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers poses for a photo during the Texas Rangers photo day at Surprise Stadium on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for March 9, 2026 against the San Diego Padres.
Texas plays at the Padres this afternoon, though it isn’t a full-blown “away game spring lineup” from Texas, even though Trey Supak is starting on the mound.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 7: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians participates in a team workout prior to a Spring Training game against the San Diego Padres at Goodyear Ballpark on March 7, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Which Guardians will make the 26-man roster to open this season, as things currently stand in Guardians’ camp?
It has been two months since our last roster projection, and we have had a chance to see players begin hitting and pitching and hear what manager Stephen Vogt has to say about them. The Guardians have to make it a few more weeks injury-free to make Spring Training a success, but, the second week of March is USUALLY when you start seeing managers begin to play their “A-lineup” together for the purpose of repetitions. Today’s (3/9/2026) lineup, then, looks like a pretty decent clue as to what we should expect on Opening Day:
Kwan CF Rocchio 2B Ramirez 3B Manzardo 1B Arias SS Valera RF Hoskins DH Hedges C Halpin LF
Chase DeLauter played yesterday, as did Angel Martinez, and Stuart Fairchild and Bo Naylor are in the World Baseball Classic, so those are some factors to consider. Nolan Jones has a guaranteed major league contract, but, as we’ve been saying for a while now, since it is unlikely a team will pick him up on waivers and Jones is short of his 5 years of major league service time to refuse a minor-league assignment, I think we will see Cleveland designate him for assignment and, essentially, get an extra option year on him, leaving him as hopefully useful depth in Columbus for a while.
We know David Fry is making this team. You and I might question if that is the right move, if maybe an option to Columbus might be a better call, but he’s making this team if he’s healthy. We also have seen Daniel Schneemann play tons of positions this spring and I think it’s clear he is the team’s choice for super utility as the year opens. With those pieces of knowledge in mind, here’s how I think the Opening Day roster LIKELY sorts out at the moment:
Catcher – Bo Naylor, Austin Hedges and David Fry Notes: Fry will probably also be in the mix at first base as needed, and I assume the team will try to work him into right field reps during the year. It’s possible Fry will DH but I’d much prefer to have him in the field so he can be available to sub in for Bo against tough lefty relievers and for Hedges when anything notable is on the line during a Hedgey plate appearance. That would seem to be his best path for adding significant value to this roster.
First Base – Kyle Manzardo and Rhys Hoskins Notes: Hoskins is no Gold Glover at first, but Manzardo has looked borderline unplayable there this Spring. I’d like to see the Guardians give Manzardo no more than one start at first a week, and that’s still a lot. But, in any case, I am optimistic that these two will provide valuable presences in the middle of the order as hitters, most days with one of them as DH and the other as the first baseman.
Second Base – Brayan Rocchio Notes: Today’s lineup makes it clear to me that Rocchio will start out at second base and move to shortstop whenever the team eventually decides to promote Juan Brito and/or Travis Bazzana. Grieve, rage, accept.
Third Base – Jose Ramirez Notes: None. He’s the GOAT.
Shortstop – Gabriel Arias Notes: Time to pivot from absolutely hating this idea to hoping that Arias has the late stage breakout of a Gio Urshela or Ernie Clement. Why not.
Utility – Daniel Schneemann Notes: He can play every position well. That’s basically all you need out of this role, but hopefully, he’ll be able to also be a league average hitter against RHP. Not probable, but possible.
Left Field – George Valera and Angel Martinez Notes: It’s not a clear thing if Steven Kwan will become the team’s centerfielder or not. Today, I’m going to guess that they end up being comfortable moving him there. If not, I’d expect either Angel Martinez or Stuart Fairchild to be your primary centerfielder, with Schneemann giving them a day off there now and then. Is that good? No, no, it’s not. So, I assume Steven Kwan will be in center. The murky rules of MLB make me unclear if the Guardians can option Fairchild to Columbus or not, but I believe they can. With Angel’s positive spring, I then expect him to get the first look in that centerfield (if Kwan is in left)/fourth outfielder role. And that’s more than fine.
Center Field – Steven Kwan Notes: No one should ever complain about Kwan ever again if he bites the bullet and takes on the challenge of playing center for this team.
Right Field – Chase DeLauter (and Angel Martinez, Daniel Schneemann, eventually David Fry) Notes: I hope it is clear to everyone that the team is going to play DeLauter like a maximum of three days a week in the field to start the season. He will also take some DH days and push Hoskins or Manzardo to the bench. It’s the way it’s gonna be. If Kwan is in left, Valera will get significant time in right to spell Chase, at least for a month or two. I am not sure how well Angel’s arm plays in right field, but, until Fry is ready to try it out there, we are about to find out.
Projected lineup vs. RHP
Kwan CF DeLauter RF Ramirez 3B Manzardo DH Valera LF Hoskins 1B Bo C Arias SS Rocchio 2B
Projected lineup vs. LHP
Kwan CF Martinez LF Ramirez 3B Hoskins DH Fry 1B Arias SS Valera/DeLauter/Schneemann RF Bo/Hedges C Rocchio 2B
Notes: The bottom of the LHP lineup is horrendous because DeLauter can’t play everyday. Just gotta hope the top of the lineup comes through.
Rotation: Gavin Williams Tanner Bibee Joey Cantillo Slade Cecconi Logan Allen Notes: I’ve decided to give up the hope that they start Messick in Cleveland. They will slow play his innings and wait for an injury or an Allen-implosion to bring him up. Do I like that? No, Allen should be the one demoted. But, I have to be an adult and accept reality.
Bullpen: Peyton Pallette, RHP Tim Herrin, LHP Matt Festa, RHP Connor Brogdon, RHP Colin Holderman, RHP Erik Sabrowski, LHP Shawn Armstrong, RHP Cade Smith, RHP Notes: So far, Hunter Gaddis’s forearm tightness has been the worst news of the Spring. Hopefully, he will be ok to start the season… but I think the safer guess is that he will not be (may I have just jinxed myself and we find he is pitching today). That could open up the possibility of having Logan Allen be the long-relief option in the pen, but I suspect they use it to get a longer look at Holderman (who has an option) and Brogdon (who does not).
Overall, the biggest issue for me about this projection is that I badly want the team to put Rocchio at shortstop and have Juan Brito get his chance at second base, while Arias and Schneemann compete for that super utlity role. However, after Stephen Vogt said Arias would play around the infield this spring, Gabby has only been a shortstop (perhaps affected by his brief time on the injury report). I think we need to face the facts that he’s the shortstop… for at least a month… and root for him to put it all together.
What do you think? Whom do you think makes the roster that I’m overlooking.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers removes Tyler Glasnow #31 in a pitching change during a World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Mexico at Camelback Ranch on March 4, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers on Tuesday host the Arizona Diamondbacks at Camelback Ranch, their 18th consecutive day of playing at least one game, before Wednesday’s first scheduled off day of the spring.
Tyler Glasnow makes his third start of the spring, progressing nicely toward what will likely be a start in the Dodgers’ opening series of the regular season from March 26-28 against the Cleveland Guardians. Glasnow threw 51 pitches in 2 2/3 innings last Wednesday in an exhibition against Mexico at Camelback Ranch, and will presumably be stretched into the fourth inning on Tuesday.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 8: Joey Lucchesi #57 of the San Francisco Giants pitches a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on September 8, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Monday, just two-and-a-half weeks before Opening Day, the San Francisco Giants shored up their left-handed depth with a move many expected months ago: Joey Lucchesi.
Lucchesi was somewhat surprisingly non-tendered at the start of the offseason, after a fairly strong 2025 with the Giants (MLB Trade Rumors projected him for $2 million in arbitration). He didn’t land anywhere else and now, according to Jon Heyman, the Giants have brought Lucchesi back on a Minor League deal that includes an invitation to camp. Per Heyman, Lucchesi’s deal is for $1.55 million, with an additional $300,000 in incentives, though since it’s a Minor League deal, he’s not guaranteed to make the team.
Unfortunately, this is more than just stockpiling depth. There’s a reason the Giants made the move for a southpaw reliever, and there’s a reason they made it when they did. At the same time as news was breaking of Lucchesi’s signing, the team was revealing that Reiver Sanmartin will be sidelined for up to three months with a right hip flexor strain.
In all, while it’s been a great spring for the Giants (who have the best record in either league at 12-3), it hasn’t been for their lefty relievers. Sam Hentges, the only healthy reliever they signed to a Major League deal this offseason, is no longer healthy, and won’t be in time for Opening Day. Erik Miller is nearing a return, but has been dealing with an ailment that has kept him from appearing in a Cactus League game. Sanmartin made two appearances before hitting the shelf for an indefinite amount of time. Matt Gage has a 6.00 ERA that would look worse if it included his stats against Giants Minor Leaguers in the exhibition versus Team USA. Carson Whisenhunt has had a hot-and-cold spring and looks more like rotational depth in AAA than bullpen depth in the Majors. Juan Sánchez has been the lefty reliever of the group, but he’s coming off a lost season, has no Major League experience, and isn’t on the 40-man roster.
So it’s easy to see why Buster Posey wanted to bring Lucchesi back. The veteran also signed a Minor League deal with the Giants last year, and began the year with Sacramento before later joining the big league squad. The 32-year old ended his first season in orange and black with 38 appearances, all out of the bullpen, and a 3.76 ERA with a 3.97 FIP. He had 31 strikeouts against 12 walks in 38.1 innings.
Welcome back, Joey. There’s a path there, should you choose to take it.
Three years ago today, Naperville’s very own Nicky Lopez took his hot bat to Taiwan for the WBC. | (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)
1927 Popular White Sox outfielder Johnny Mostil attempted suicide in a hotel room in Shreveport, La. Despite razor cuts to his wrist, neck and chest, Mostil survived and returned to the team in April, although he’d only play in 13 games that season.
Mostil suffered a number of injuries in his career, and had severe dental issues and neuritis in his jaw and shoulder; neuritis is an inflamed nerve condition, resulting in sharp and chronic pain. Given the severity of this suicide attempt — and the fact that Mostil plunged his hand into scalding water during his rehab, delaying his return to the White Sox — the star may have been simply trying to end significant suffering, suffering that the medicine of his time could not soothe.
In 10 years with the White Sox, Mostilwould hit better than .300 four times (with a high of .328 in 1926) and in two other years, he’d bat better than .290. His 23.8 bWAR ranks 21st among batters, and 34th among all players, in White Sox history.
After his career, Mostil was a longtime White Sox scout/coach. He helped develop future players like All-Star and Gold Glove-winning outfielder Jim Landis.
1934 Speaking of Jim Landis, the fleet center fielder of the Go-Go White Sox was born on this day, in Fresno, Calif. Signed at 18 years old before the 1952 season, Landis spent just three full years in the minors (interrupted by two years of military service) before becoming a White Sox fixture from 1957 to 1964.
Landis is regarded as one of the greatest defensive outfielders in major league history, punctuated with numerous heroics in the 1959 World Series. He also won Gold Gloves in five straight seasons (1960-64). When Landis retired, only Jimmy Piersall had a better fielding percentage among center fielders.
Interestingly, however, Landis only had a career defensive WAR of 2.0 and one outstanding season (2.4 dWAR, 1959) with the White Sox (yes, this means that in his career Landis actually had negative defensive WAR). That 2.4 ranks in a tie for the 31st-best season in White Sox history. More so, it’s probably a reason to pump the brakes on too many defensive metrics, because this one sure seems a bit off.
Incidentally Landis’ son, Craig, became a player agent and represented Paul Konerko, among others.
1972 With talks at a standstill between the owners and the MLBPA over a new labor contract focusing on the players’ pension plan, the White Sox became the first team to have their players vote to authorize a strike if a new deal wasn’t put in place. The vote was 31-0, in favor. When all was said and done, the final vote of all players was 663-10 to strike if a new agreement wasn’t reached. As it turned out a new agreement wasn’t reached before the first few weeks of the season were impacted, and regular season games were lost for the very first time; each team played a different number of games in 1972, with the White Sox playing 154 instead of 162.
1981 Although the deal would take an agonizing nine more days to officially wrap up, Carlton Fisk flew to Chicago to commit to signing with the White Sox. During the press conference, the ex-Red Sox catcher expressed no doubt the deal would get done.
Boston, who lost the rights to Fisk after missing a deadline to mail him his 1981 contract, made a $2 million offer to the catcher over five years, which the White Sox blew out of the water with a $2.9 deal. The Toronto Blue Jays were the third team most prominent in the running for Fisk’s services.
One of the key concerns addressed at the press conference was the risk in giving a 33-year-old catcher a five year deal. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf expressed little concern.
“Fisk will be well-paid, but I don’t think it will be a foolish deal,” Reinsdorf told the assembled reporters. “How many years he has left is a matter of conjecture. But if in three years he does what we anticipate he’ll do, then it will be worth paying him for five years.”
Fisk ended up playing 13 years in Chicago, remaining at least a better-than average catcher through 1990, at 40 years old.
2011 Former White Sox player and first-year minor league manager in the Atlanta system Luis Salazar was hit in the face by a foul ball from Braves catcher Brian McCann. Salazar, who was standing in front of the Atlanta dugout, collapsed and passed out, bleeding profusely. Transported by helicopter to Orlando from Kissimmee, Fla., there was some concern that Salazar will not survive the injury; he recovered, but not without losing his left eye and suffering multiple facial fractures.
Amazingly, Salazar returned to the field to manage his Lynchburg Hellcats in time for the team’s home opener on April 15. Salazar would manage in the Atlanta system from 2011-18.
2023 Taking some time away from Naperville, Nicky Lopez drove in two runs in Italy’s 6-2, 10-inning win over Cuba in Taiwan during the World Baseball Classic. Lopez was outstanding in the WBC, starting at shortstop and hitting .474/.524/.632 with seven RBIs in five games. He led the team in most offensive categories and was only beat out as the All-Star shortstop for the WBC because the U.S.’s Trea Turner was somehow even better.
A year later, Lopez signed with the White Sox and commenced his pretty terrible year on the South Side.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Will Warren #98 of the New York Yankees throws a pitch in the fourth inning during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 19, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/IOS/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Gerrit Cole was forced to miss the 2025 season with Tommy John surgery, several young pitchers were forced to step up ahead of schedule to provide valuable innings in the ace’s stead. Cam Schlittler stole headlines with his late season surge, however there was another rookie pitcher who was arguably just as impressive, just in a different fashion. Will Warren was quietly one of the best rookie starters in MLB last season, and he is poised to take another huge step in his development at the major league level in 2026.
Among all rookie pitchers in 2025, Warren finished with the most starts (33), innings pitched (162.1), and strikeouts (171), while accumulating the sixth-most fWAR (2.1), establishing a floor as a bona fide backend MLB starter, while also flashing glimpses of a ceiling of being able to dominate an entire lineup — like he did when he struck out ten Rangers across 5.2 scoreless innings in May.
Of course, it’s also hard to forget him giving up seven runs in relief in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Blue Jays. We can chalk that up partially to a rookie pitcher being thrust into the cauldron of his first playoff experience — plus, it’s not like any of the Yankees pitchers pitched particularly well against a Blue Jays offense that was all hitting their stride at the same time.
Warren showed he has the stuff and pitchability to stick at the back of any major league rotation, the question in 2026 being opportunity. He faces a similar situation to the start of last year, when he was guaranteed a rotation spot while the team dealt with injuries to their other starters. FanGraphs Depth Charts projection system expects that he will make 21 starts before being moved to the bullpen once Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón return from their elbow surgery rehabs.
There are several things Warren can do to ensure that his name is one of the last to come up for consideration for a demotion from the rotation when Rodón and then Cole are brought back into the fold, and encouragingly it looks like he is already working on those improvements this spring. He struck out three in each of his first two scoreless spring starts, but it’s process rather than results I would like to look at.
The thing that has caught my eye the most this spring is Warren’s four-seamer. The pitch is operating about a mile per hour faster than it did last season, with roughly two inches more induced vertical movement (rise) and roughly two inches less horizontal movement arm-side. The result in those first two starts was ten swings and misses on 27 swings for an eye-popping 37-percent whiff rate (for reference, only four qualified pitchers — Edwin Díaz, Edwin Uceta, Devin Williams, and Mason Miller — had better than a 37-percent whiff rate on their four-seamer in 2025).
One of the biggest subjects of pitching research in 2025 was the importance for starting pitchers to throw multiple types of fastball, be that the four-seamer, sinker, or cutter. I’ve written multipletimes on the site how important it was for Warren to follow that trend, noting the similarity between him and Michael King and how the Yankees’ former pitcher leveraged that approach to becoming one of the most coveted free agent starters this past winter.
The ability to separate the four-seamer and sinker into two discrete pitches with divergent movement profiles is as key for Warren as it was for King. Because of how similar the two pitches look out of the pitcher’s hand, having a four-seamer that stays on plane versus a sinker that dives downward arm-side creates so much uncertainty for the hitter and the swing path needed to make contact. With the increased riding life and decreased horizontal run, Warren’s four-seamer now flies even straighter than the sinker, which is why you saw hitters whiff underneath four-seamers that were well inside the zone in the video of his first two spring starts.
For a pitcher who throws his fastballs as much as Warren — his four-seamer and sinker earned a combined 62.6-percent usage rate with about two four-seamers thrown for every sinker — it would behoove Warren to improve the raw characteristics of those pitches. Indeed, with the increased velocity and induced vertical break, Warren’s four-seamer has earned a Stuff+ grade of 110 this spring after grading out as roughly league average last season. There were times last season where Warren would throw a fastball in the zone when the count leverage favored a secondary for chase — and indeed Warren stands to benefit from scaling back his fastball given how nasty his sweeper, changeup, and curveball are — so possessing a four-seamer with better raw stuff should mitigate damage if he continues to deploy it in this manner.
I’m expecting big things for Warren in 2026. It’s true that he will have to fend off the likes of Cam Schlittler, Ryan Weathers, and Luis Gil if he wants to retain his rotation spot when Cole and Rodón return. However, he has continued to demonstrate this spring that he is a process-oriented pitcher always looking for ways to improve, which is why I feel Warren can work his way to becoming a mainstay of the Yankees rotation this season.
Feb 25, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Richard Fitts (35) misses a pop-up that was ruled an infield single in the second inning against the New York Mets at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will take the field at Roger Dean Stadium today as the Baltimore Orioles roll in for another Spring Training game. It’s a split-squad day as another Cardinals lineup will be playing the Houston Astros. According to MLB.com, Matthew Liberatore will make the start for the Cardinals and the starter for the Orioles is to be determined. For the Houston game, it’s Richard Fitts on the mound for St. Louis.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 27: Manager Matt Quatraro #33 of the Kansas City Royals looks on against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on August 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In just two and a half weeks, the Royals will begin the regular season in Atlanta. We know most of the players that will make up the roster for that game, but a few players are fighting for the last few spots on the roster. Some of them are MLB veterans in camp as non-roster invitees. Some are former All-Stars, some have bounced around the league, but all are hoping for one more shot to be in the big leagues. Here are some of the candidates:
Catcher Jorge Alfaro has over 500 games in the big leagues and catcher Elias Díaz was an All-Star in 2023 with the Rockies. Each is trying to make the team as a third catcher to allow the Royals to play Salvador Perez more at DH.
Héctor Neris has 107 career MLB saves, and has posted high strikeout rates. The 36-year old is hoping to show he has something left in the tank. So is Aaron Sanchez, a former All-Star who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2022 but was Pitcher of the Year in the Dominican Winter League.
Sidearmer José Cuas is back with the Royals, hoping for another shot after spending all of last year in the minors. Eli Morgan has some solid big league experience.
Helcris Olivárez has never pitched in the big leagues before, but is impressing with his velocity from the left side.
Brandon Drury, Connor Kaiser, Josh Rojas, and Abraham Toro are all vying for a bench spot as backup infielders.
Which of these non-roster players has the best shot to make the roster?
SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - MARCH 04: Ricardo Cespedes #88 of Dominican Republic slides into second base as Zach McKinstry #39 of the Detroit Tigers throws the ball during an exhibition game at Estadio Quisqueya on March 04, 2026 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
