Category: MLB

Not that Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman make a bad double play combo to anchor your infield, but didn’t the A’s go into the off-season with different goals than their current outcomes? What is the method behind the madness?

The A’s off-season shopping list started with the rotation, where the team was statistically among the worst in MLB last season. Terrible production at 2B and 3B was also noted and the team was without a closer following the Mason Miller trade.

So what has the off-season brought so far? Need a SP? Well…….the most we can say about that is “Hey, pitchers and catchers haven’t reported yet…” Need a closer? The bullpen additions have been Mark Leiter Jr., a solid under the radar set up man and now Scott Barlow, he of the many walks, many strikeouts, and ERA consistently around 4.00. 3B and 2B? Meet Jeff McNeil and … Andy Ibañez, more of a utility infielder pick up than anything.

So as it stands, we hit February 7th with the rotation still looking like Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, Jacob Lopez, Luis Morales, and perhaps Jack Perkins backed by several talented but unproven youngsters. The bullpen has gotten deeper but not demonstrably more dominant in any way. 3B still appears to belong to Max Muncy backed by Brett Harris now backed by Andy Ibañez with Darell Hernaiz potentially in the mix.

In other words, other than at 2B not all that different from how we left off in 2025. Now the good news is that the A’s weren’t necessarily a “76-86 team” in 2025 even though that was their record. The roster which finished the season went 34-24 over the last 60 games, good for a .567 winning percentage also known as a 92 win pace. Just look around the inexplicable 1-20 stretch and you see a team that was 9 games over .500 for the year.

But still, some key upgrades were identified as needed and as Super Bowl Sunday approaches with Valentine’s Day not far behind, the moves are … guys like Ibañez and Barlow. Why?

Reason # The First One: Opportunity

The meme is proving to be a reality: luring pitchers to a AAA facility that proved to be a launching pad in 2025 is nigh impossible. Pitchers who have multiple options and desirability simply are going to be hard pressed to select Sacramento no matter how lovable our team is. Offers have undoubtedly been made, and rejected, by starting pitchers we would have been glad to see added.

Reason # The Second One: The Best Moves

The cliche is also a reality: sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make. The A’s best avenue for bolstering the rotation probably comes from the trade market and you can be sure David Forst has had umpteen conversations around available pitchers.

The issue becomes what other teams want in return for a starting pitcher worthy of slotting into the middle of a rotation. These are highly valuable commodities in what has been an extreme seller’s market — nearly every team identified adding starting pitching as a priority this off-season.

What that means is that teams offering pitching are looking more for a Tyler Soderstrom in return than a Colby Thomas, more for a Gage Jump prospect than a Mason Barnett. The A’s may have wisely “stayed the course” by not making these key players and prospects available just to try to improve the rotation for 2026.

Reason # The Third One: It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over

My Aunt Bertha has yet to sing (and that’s always a good thing) and out of necessity to some degree, the A’s might be “waiting out the market” hoping a quality player will sign who wasn’t willing to before. Pitchers and catchers may be reporting next week, but pitchers like Chris Bassitt and Justin Verlander have nowhere to report to. With each passing day, the possibility that a pitcher who said “no” before now sees Sacramento as viable becomes greater. Many of the best SP have come off the market, of course, but several quality arms remain and you only need one.

We also don’t know to what extent the A’s are trying to load up for 2026 or whether their sights are more to 2027 or 2028 — in which case their prized SP addition could be Gage Jump or Jamie Arnold, their missing infield Leo De Vries, and so on.

I have felt strongly all along that one way or another, one day or the other, this off-season the A’s are going to add a starting pitcher. I still believe that and still have no idea from where this pitcher will come. But if you want them to report on time, you had better get them on your roster before all the Valentine’s Day candy is sold. It’s almost “show time”…

Former MLBer Terrance Gore has passed away.

Gore died during “what was supposed to have been a simple procedure,” according to a post on social media from his wife, Britney. 

He was 34 years old. 

“Our hearts are shattered, my babies are shattered,” she wrote. “Our whole family is lost. This was so unexpected.”

Gore spent eight seasons in the big leagues, making a name for himself as a baserunning specialist for the Royals during their AL pennant-winning seasons in 2014 and 2015. 

In those two playoff runs, Gore stole four bases in five attempts and scored two runs across 10 appearances, culminating in Kansas City’s 2015 World Series win. 

He played in only 112 games and came to the plate just 85 times during his career, but he made a major impact on the bases, stealing 43 bags out of 52 attempts while often coming into the game in late pinch-run situations. 

Gore was also excellent in the outfield with his blazing speed, posting +6 Outs Above Average in just 188 1/3 regular-season innings in the field.

Drafted by the Royals in the 20th round of the 2011 MLB draft and debuting in 2014, Gore spent the first five seasons of his career in Kansas City.

After coming off the bench for those mid-2010 Royals teams, Gore bounced around the big leagues with stints on the Cubs, Dodgers, Braves and Mets. 

He won two more World Series rings with Los Angeles in 2020 and Atlanta in 2021. 

In 2022, Gore stole three bags for the Amazin’s before retiring after the season. 

The sports world came out in droves after news of his passing broke. 

“We are heartbroken from the loss of Terrance Gore, and send our love to his family and loved ones,” the Royals wrote in a statement on X.

“We join the Gore family and the world of baseball in mourning the passing of Terrance Gore,” the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate, wrote on social media. “Known for his great speed but even more so for his kindness and joyful smile, Terrance will be remembered as a tremendous teammate and a dedicated family man.”

On Thursday, the Yankees announced the group of 27 players who they are inviting to spring training as non-roster invitees. This cohort of NRIs consists of 13 position players and 14 pitchers, headlined by several of their top prospects in addition to some familiar veteran names. I’ll be taking a look at some of the more notable names on the position player side, while my colleague Nolan introduced you to the pitchers earlier today.

Catchers

Abrahan Gutierrez

The Yankees purchased the contract of Abrahan Gutierrez in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft from the Pirates. He is a right-handed hitting catcher who slashed .235/.316/.275 with one home run and six RBIs in 32 games between Low-A and Triple-A in 2025.

Payton Henry

Payton Henry signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees back in December after electing free agency from the Phillies’ system. The righty catcher was drafted by the Brewers in the sixth round in 2016 and was traded to the Marlins in 2021 for reliever John Curtiss. He made his MLB debut for Miami in 2021 and got 20 big league appearances between that season and the next, slashing .186/.314/.209 with no home runs, four RBIs, and a 58 wRC+ in 51 plate appearances.

Miguel Palma

The Yankees signed Miguel Palma to a minor-league contract in December after he missed much of the 2025 season to injury in the Astros’ system. He’s another right-handed hitting catcher who played 41 games between Rookie, Double-A, and Triple-A last season, slashing .155/.264/.264 with two home runs, 12 RBIs, and a 51 wRC+ in 148 plate appearances.

Ali Sánchez

Ali Sánchez is the fourth righty catcher the Yankees are inviting to camp, signed as a minor-league free agent after getting DFA’d and released by the Red Sox. The 29-year-old was signed as an international free agent by the Mets in 2013 and has since played for the Cardinals, Marlins, Blue Jays, and Red Sox. In 50 big league appearances across the last six seasons, he has slashed .183/.220/.233 with no home runs, four RBIs, a 24 wRC+, and -0.3 fWAR in 133 plate appearances. Presumably, he would be the emergency third catcher option if any of Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra, or Ben Rice get hurt in camp.

Infielders

Jonathan Ornelas

Jonathan Ornelas joined the Yankees last November on a minor league pact after getting DFA’d and electing free agency from the Braves. He was the Rangers’ third-round selection in the 2018 MLB Draft, and he earned the organization’s 2022 minor league Defender of the Year honors. He made his MLB debut in 2023 and received an 18-game runout in 2024 as an injury replacement for Corey Seager before getting traded to the Braves the following year for cash considerations. In 32 games at the big league level, the righty-hitting shortstop and third baseman slashed .208/.263/.245 with no home runs, three RBIs, a 47 wRC+, and -0.2 fWAR in 58 plate appearances.

George Lombard Jr.

George Lombard Jr. was the Yankees’ first-round selection in the 2023 MLB Draft and is their top-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline at No. 32 overall. The son of former major-league outfielder George Lombard, the 20-year-old shortstop played 132 games between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2025, slashing .235/.367/.381 with 32 doubles, 9 homers, 35 stolen bases, a 15-percent walk rate, 25.2-percent strikeout rate, and a 127 wRC+. He struggled initially at the plate upon his promotion and is unlikely to be called up to the majors in 2026 according to Brian Cashman, though the GM said in the same sentence that his defense was big-league ready. This is his second spring as an NRI after impressing last spring with a pair of home runs in 28 plate appearances.

Paul DeJong

Paul DeJong is a former All-Star shortstop with the Cardinals who is now with his seventh organization. He signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees on January 4th after missing half of the 2025 campaign with a fractured nose and cheekbone, sustained upon getting hit in the face with a 93-mph fastball. He spent the first seven seasons of his career in St. Louis, leading all NL shortstops with 25 home runs in 2017 en route to finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting behind Cody Bellinger, and slugged a further 30 in his lone All-Star season in 2019.

However, injuries sapped DeJong’s effectiveness not long after signing a six-year, $26 million extension with St. Louis, and he was subsequently traded to the Blue Jays and picked up off waivers by the Giants before signing a one-year deal with the White Sox, getting traded to the Royals, and finally signing a one-year deal with the Nationals. In 57 games for Washington last year, DeJong slashed .228/.269/.373 with six home runs, a 76 wRC+, and 0.2 fWAR. He seems to profile as infielder injury insurance should someone join Anthony Volpe on the IL to begin 2026.

Zack Short

Zack Short signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees in December after bouncing around the Tigers, Mets, Red Sox, Braves, and Astros. The 30-year-old infielder is primarily a shortstop, though he has logged a fair number of innings at second and third. In 243 big league games, Short has batted .172/.271/.296 with 15 home runs, a 59 wRC+, and -1.5 fWAR. Just to shoot from the hip, he’s probably more likely than DeJong to accept a Triple-A depth role.

Outfielders

Kenedy Corona

Kenedy Corona signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees last December after clearing waivers and electing free agency from the Astros. The 25-year-old righty outfielder signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2019 and was traded to the Astros for Jake Marisnick at the end of that season. He has just four big league plate appearances to his name, going hitless but drawing a pair of walks for Houston in 2025.

Duke Ellis

Duke Ellis was a surprising late addition to the Yankees’ 2024 ALDS roster despite having made just 11 big league appearances in his career. His speed has always been a threat in the minor leagues, with the 28-year-old outfielder having swiped 180 bags across the lower levels. He’s undoubtedly ticketed for a “Triple-A outfield depth” role (just like last year) unless something weird happens.

Utility

Ernesto Martínez Jr.

Ernesto Martínez Jr. signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees last December after electing free agency from the Brewers’ organization. The 26-year-old lefty is primarily a first baseman and played the entirety of the 2025 season at Triple-A, where he slashed .255/.357/.388 with six home runs and a 104 wRC+ across 80 games and 311 plate appearances. He offers perhaps the most intrigue of the Yankees’ recent minor-league signings to earn a spring training invite given the improvements he has made with drawing walks and limiting strikeouts to go along with the power upside he has flashed over the last three minor league seasons.

Seth Brown

Seth Brown was drafted by the Athletics in the 19th round in 2015, debuted in 2019, and spent the first seven seasons of his career in their organization. His best performances came in 2021 and 2022, when the lefty bat slugged at least 20 home runs and posted above-average production by wRC+ in both seasons, playing 150 games in 2022 with roughly equal reps at first base and in the outfield.

Brown has always graded out poorly as a defender though and is likely a primary DH at this point in his career. He lost his job as a starter in 2025 with the youth movement in Sacramento, and appeared in just 38 games, slashing .185/.303/.262 with one home run, three RBIs, a 64 wRC+. and -0.4 fWAR. If he can get back to some respectability with the bat, he could help, but it will have to be at Triple-A. Brown may take a ticket to Scranton, however, as he did get 161 PA at the level last year, accepting assignments there from the A’s and later the Diamondbacks.

Marco Luciano

Marco Luciano was long one of the prospect darlings in the Giants’ organization after they signed him to a $2.6 million signing bonus as one of the top international prospects in 2018. He was selected to play in the 2021 All-Star Futures Game and was the youngest player in the league as a participant in the 2021 Arizona Fall League. He ascended to become the Giants’ top overall prospect in 2022 and was added to their 40-man roster at the end of the season for Rule 5 protection.

However, Luciano’s development has stalled out after suffering a back stress fracture in the 2022-23 Dominican Winter League. Strikeouts and poor contact rates have always been a major issue at Triple-A and above, with strikeout and whiff rates hovering well above 30 percent between both levels since the start of 2023. He has bounced around quite a bit this winter, getting claimed off waivers and subsequently DFA’d by the Pirates, claimed and DFA’d by the Orioles, and finally claimed and DFA’d by the Yankees, passing through waivers and outrighted to Triple-A. New York will be hoping they can help him reclaim some semblance of that former top prospect pedigree.

Terrance Gore was known as one of the fastest men in baseball. He played in 14 games for the Cubs in 2018, mostly as a pinch-runner, and also appeared in the Wild Card Game that year against the Rockies. He was still in MLB as recently as 2022, with the Mets.

Today, I have sad news to pass along about Gore (Bluesky link):

Here is more from Gore’s wife (Bluesky link).

Here is a steal of second Gore made against the Nationals Sept. 6, 2018 [VIDEO].

In that clip, you can see just how fast Gore was, including some Statcast numbers.

It’s sad when anyone passes away, but age 34 is way, way too young. From all accounts Gore was one of the nicest, kindest people in the game. Sincere condolences to his family, friends, teammates and colleagues in baseball, and fans who enjoyed watching Terrance Gore play.

In our last matchup, we had yet another blowout (not surprising really considering how bad the lower seeds were), with Jose Contreras easily overcoming Ronny Cedeño.

Here’s our next matchup:

4. Jeff Hoffman, 2023

Jeff Hoffman came up with the Rockies in 2016, and as most Colorado pitchers do, he struggled. After a couple of decent seasons in Cincinnati, Hoffman was a free agent and spent 2023 Spring Training with the Blue Jays. They chose not to include him on their Opening Day major league roster, so he returned to free agency. The Phillies signed him to a minor league deal, and he was famously used to pitch to a rehabbing Bryce Harper.

Harper said that Hoffman was really good, so the Phillies added him to the major league roster, and he soon developed into a top setup reliever, making the All-Star team in 2024.

13. Chad Qualls, 2012

Chad Qualls had a lengthy career as an effective reliever. After a solid year with the Padres in 2011, signed him to bolster their middle relief for 2012. (Keep in mind, that the Phillies had gotten used to getting at least seven strong innings from their starting pitchers the year prior, and middle relief wasn’t thought to be an especially demanding job.)

Just like the rest of the 2012 Phillies, Qualls was a major disappointment. He was used as one of their primary setup men to start the season but largely faltered in that role. At the end of June, he had a 4.60 ERA and five blown saves, so the Phillies shipped him off to the Yankees. He was also bad in New York, so the Yankees traded him to the Pirates less than a month later.

Today in Relief Room history 2012 the #Phillies send Chad Qualls to the NYY as part of a conditional deal. 30 days later the Yanks did him dirty & sent him to PIT. The surprising part is that he didn't fall down when he played for either of those teams. #Upsetpic.twitter.com/5A8kjGYUjc

— TheReliefRoom (@TheReliefRoom) July 1, 2022

Annoyingly, Qualls would rebound to have a good season for the Marlins in 2013.

Who should advance? Vote now!

Terrance Gore, one of the last major leaguers to make an impact solely with the most exciting of the game’s tools – breathtaking speed – died Friday, Feb. 6, the Kansas City Royals announced.

Gore was 34 and, according to a social media post from his wife Britney, died following complications during a routine surgery. Gore is survived by his wife and three children

A revered teammate and dynamic personality, Gore’s tremendous speed kept him in the major leagues for parts of eight seasons and produced one of the most remarkable feats to which a player could lay claim: He was a 2015 World Series champion with the Royals in his second season in the bigs, but had not yet recorded his first major league hit.

We are heartbroken from the loss of Terrance Gore, and send our love to his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/qgZFkHRFSx

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 7, 2026

In fact, it wasn’t until his fifth major league season – 2018 with the Chicago Cubs – that he got his first hit, a single up the middle off future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer.

Yet his legs held immense value.

Gore was clocked at 4.29 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and the lower-revenue Royals, always seeking an edge, deployed him as a designated runner during their two-year run as American League champions that culminated in their 2015 title.

He was nearly impossible to catch: Gore was 17-for-17 in stolen bases to begin his career (though he was caught once in the postseason), finally getting nabbed by Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez in 2016.

By then, though, he was a cult hero in Kansas City, on a Royals team that in a powerball era somehow conjured up memories of its 1980s speed and defense dynasty. Led by All-Star Lorenzo Cain and buttressed by Jarrod Dyson and Gore, Kansas City found a way to topple bigger-market clubs and win its first championship in 30 years.

It was Dyson who famously coined the phrase “That’s what speed do,” yet even Dyson could not keep up with Gore, who stole a base and scored a walk-off run in his major league debut.

"I wouldn’t say I’m cocky," he told the Kansas City Star in 2014, "but I know I’m really fast.

"And it’s going to take a perfect throw."

Gore grew into a more fully-formed player in his second tour with the Royals, batting .275 with 14 hits in 58 at-bats in 2019, and swiping 13 bases in 18 attempts.

He’d latch on with the Dodgers, Braves and Mets in subsequent years, and got one more shot at postseason glory, appearing in the 2021 NLDS for Atlanta. Yet he showed how big his heart was once the Braves went on to win that World Series.

As the Braves celebrated closing out the Houston Astros in Game 6 of that Fall Classic, Gore made sure to pull out his phone and shoot a video call to pitcher Charlie Morton, who broke his foot in Game 1 and was home recuperating from surgery.

Terrance Gore = the ultimate teammate. The 3-time World Series champ video chatted Charlie Morton after the final out so he could celebrate with the @Braves.

You love to see it ♥️ pic.twitter.com/oErdOSHNck

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 7, 2021

Simply, he wanted Charlie to be part of the celebration. And somehow, wherever Gore went, a celebration – no matter how unlikely – of some sort was likely to follow.

Gore retired without a major league home run - or even a run batted in - yet managed to impact the game forever.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Terrance Gore death: Former Royals speedster dies at age 34

Looking back at the 2015 season, you can’t help but think of what was probably the greatest Cy Young battle in the modern era, as Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Jake Arrieta delivered a memorable three-way race, with the award going to the Cubs’ ace. Greinke and Kershaw were the heart and soul of that Dodgers pitching staff, with Greinke making a run at the scoreless innings record still held by Orel Hershiser and Kershaw putting up his only 300-strikeout campaign, the first one baseball had seen since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling both did it in 2002.

Across their tenure as a one-two punch at the top of the Dodgers’ rotation, Kershaw and Greinke had probably their worst supporting cast that year, with them combining to accumulate 16.1 of the 18.1 bWAR the Dodgers staff had as a whole. Those two and the Dodgers’ staff as a whole met their match in an exciting five-game NLDS against the young and exciting Mets, but in Game 4, Kershaw reminded everyone who was the best in the business.

The upside of having two so dominant arms, particularly in the NLDS, was that if you showed the willingness to pitch one of them on short rest, you could have the two covering four out of the five starts of the series — that’s exactly what the Dodgers did. Finding themselves with their backs against the wall, trailing the series 2-1 and on the road, the Dodgers sent out Kershaw to start Game 4 in Queens, hoping to stay alive to give Greinke the ball back home.

A notorious Met killer in his career, Kershaw had fond memories of his last visit to New York, previously throwing a complete-game shutout against the Mets in 2015—part of an incredible run of form that saw him throw four straight scoreless appearances of eight innings or more. On the flip side, he had just been outdueled by Jacob deGrom in game 1 of this series, putting the Dodgers in this position of a must-win game just to stay alive. Kershaw’s Game 1 line was solid, as the sole blemish on his record through six frames had been a solo shot to Daniel Murphy. After a walk to Curtis Granderson loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, his third walk of that frame, Pedro Báez replaced him only to give up a couple of runs in what turned out to be a 3-1 loss with deGrom dominating on the other side of it.

While the individual numbers and the subsequent loss were disappointing, Kershaw did pitch well that night, including securing 11 strikeouts, and with a little more efficiency, he’d be able to limit a Mets offense riding on the backs of a Daniel Murphy’s hot stretch that did go down in Mets history. More importantly, he faced Steven Matz in Game 4 and not deGrom, who alongside Kershaw became the first duo of starters to both strike out 11 or more batters in a postseason game.

If we can point to Báez, perhaps letting Kershaw down by allowing those two pivotal insurance runs to score in Game 1, for as dominant as Kershaw was on short rest in Game 4, the outlook might’ve been completely different if not for Justin Turner. The Dodgers’ starting third baseman not only got one of the biggest hits of the game in a 3-1 win, with a double that drove in two, but the final out came on a terrific defensive play from him. Wilmer Flores was up with one on and two out in the seventh, and grounded one to third base that was headed down the line if not for a terrific diving stop from Turner.

The storylines are written, and then the narrative gets put in to fit whatever happens. This opportunity for the Mets came about in large part because Kershaw mishandled what would’ve inevitably been a tough play to throw out Cespedes on a squibbler towards third. Had the Mets seized this chance, the idea that that play had rattled Kershaw would’ve been in everyone’s minds, true or otherwise, but it didn’t happen. Kershaw got Travis d’Arnaud and Lucas Duda before Turner helped him out with Flores, as we saw above.

Much like in Game 1, Murphy was the biggest problem for Kershaw, as the Mets’ second baseman, previously not known for his power output, was that October hitting like Chase Utley in the 2009 World Series. The Mets’ only run off Kershaw came on a Murphy solo blast in the fourth, turning on a high-heater that caught too much of the plate.

Murphy alone couldn’t beat Kershaw, who managed to keep Yoenis Cespedes and other dangerous Mets hitters quiet throughout the evening.

Already then, dealing with questions about his postseason performances, coming into that game having lost his last five postseason starts, four of them against the Cardinals, Kershaw completed seven magnificent frames on three days of rest, a little shy of 100 pitches. History doesn’t remember that performance too much because the Dodgers went on to lose Game 5 at home in a brutal fashion, but that doesn’t erase what was done—even back then, performances of that caliber on short rest had long stopped being a regular occurrence, further enhancing the magnitude of this accomplishment.

In fact, Kershaw’s ability and confidence to start on short rest played a role in the decision to have him start Game 1 over Zack Greinke, as the possibility of a short-rest start was acknowledged right from the get-go. One could argue that Kershaw would’ve started Game 1 regardless, as both he and Greinke put up massive seasons; that differentiator between the two certainly helped make the decision easier.

Terrance Gore, the fleet-footed outfielder and pinch-running specialist who appeared in the 2021 post-season with the Atlanta Braves, has passed away at age 34.

Gore, a native of Macon, Ga., passed away unexpectedly due to complications from a procedure, according to reports. He appeared in parts of eight MLB seasons from 2014 through 2022 – appearing in 112 games but stepped to the plate only 85 ties. He did steal 43 bases during his career, and became notorious for his inclusion on post-season rosters due to his base-running abilities.

He was a member of the Braves World Series-winning team in 2021, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2020 World Series championship squad, as well as the Kansas City Royals 2015 World Series championship team and the 2014 Royals team that reached the World Series.

He also appeared in the post-season with the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets.

Gore stole five bases in the post-season across 11 games but took only two plate appearances, both with the Cubs in 2018.

He did not appear with the Braves in the 2021 regular season – spending most of the season at Triple-A Gwinnett – but pinch-ran in the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers, marking his only big-league appearance with the Braves.

Keep his family – including his wife and young children – in your thoughts.

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

The addition of Miguel Andujar by the San Diego Padres and their general manager A.J. Preller earlier this week would not qualify as a significant addition to the roster, but it was the first major league addition to the lineup since the Padres signed Sung-Mun Song in December. It showed that Preller’s comments from Padres FanFest about adding a bat or two and adding starting pitching was not just lip service. The question is what is the next move, and will it be the significant move the Friar Faithful have been waiting for throughout the offseason?

Recent reports said San Diego made a late run at free agent starter Framber Valdez before he signed with the Detroit Tigers. More recently, the Padres were in the mix for free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt before he decided to re-sign with the New York Yankees. The reports are promising to an extent, whether the efforts by Preller and the Padres were authentic is a fair question considering the reported financial constraints.

Gaslamp Ballasked readers earlier this week if they expected Preller to make a significant move prior to the start of Spring Training and the fanbase was split. The numbers might have been different if the question was, “Will Preller and the Padres make a significant move prior to Opening Day?”

San Diego added Dylan Cease in a trade with the Chicago White Sox in 2024 as the Padres were leaving to face the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the season in the Seoul Series in South Korea. Preller added last season’s ace, Nick Pivetta, after the start of Spring Training with a creative deal that kept the cost of the right-hander down in 2025 but jumps to $19 million in 2026. Considering the contracts of Cease with the Toronto Blue Jays (seven years, $210 million), Ranger Suarez with the Boston Red Sox (five years, $130 million) and Valdez with the Tigers (three years, $115 million), the cost for Pivetta seems like a bargain, especially if he can replicate what he did in 2025.

There are free agents available who would be positive additions for the Padres. Zac Gallen, Lucas Giolito and Chris Bassitt are considered the top three pitchers available followed by future Hall of Famers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. The position player free agent market is not as robust as Rhys Hoskins, Michael Conforto and Marcell Ozuna lead the group. If Preller were to sign two pitchers and a bat from these players that would be significant. One player from each of these groups would solidify the roster, but the cost to pull off  either scenario could be too steep.

Preller could look to deal with a team like the Baltimore Orioles who have first baseman Ryan Mountcastle without a position after the team signed free agent first baseman Pete Alonso. The Boston Red Sox are in a similar position with first baseman Tristan Casas after Boston traded for St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras. The Red Sox also have a crowded outfield, and Preller has long been thought to covet Jarren Duran. Perhaps it is a trade with one of these teams or another that qualifies as the significant move to improve the Padres roster. The problem in this scenario is the San Diego farm system lacks depth and inventory and was recently ranked as the worst farm system in MLB.

Time is running out on Preller to make a “significant move” prior to Spring Training with pitchers and catchers set to report on Wednesday and the first full-squad workout set for Feb. 15. But at this point any move that improves the roster and gives the Padres a chance to make the postseason will be welcomed – no matter when it comes.  

The Washington Nationals are highly unlikely to make the playoffs in 2026. Paul Toboni knows that and so do Nationals fans. Even finishing above .500 feels like a pipe dream. However, that does not mean the Nats season is destined for failure. We are just going to have to look at things beyond the win/loss record. Here are some things that would make the Nats 2026 season a success.

Continued Growth of the Young Core of Position Players:

Despite the failure of the previous regime’s rebuild, the Nationals still have a group of promising young position players at the MLB level. The development of players like James Wood, Daylen Lile, Dylan Crews, Brady House and CJ Abrams will be crucial. If those players develop, this Nats season can be a success even if the team struggles to reach 75 games.

James Wood is the most important piece of this young core and his growth is paramount to the success of this team moving forward. In the first half, Wood looked like a potential MVP contender. He posted a .915 OPS with 24 homers. However, Wood really tailed off down the stretch due to out of control strikeout rates. 

Wood has so much natural talent and he has the ceiling of a 40 home run, 20 stolen base guy. He is the only player on this team with top 10 player in baseball upside. Hopefully, this new staff can help him make adjustments and help him stay locked in for a full season.

🔦 Superstar Spotlight: James Wood ⭐️

The Capitol's Kaiju: 🏛️ 🦖

Age: 23 – 6' 7" | 234 lbs (The size of an NFL defensive end)

• 80-Grade raw power with "freakish" speed for his size.
• Advanced barrel control and a coordinated "short" swing despite his long levers.

2025 MLB… pic.twitter.com/fIwkCDO8Da

— oBAWanKenobi (@wOBAWanKenobi) February 1, 2026

He is not the only young position player this staff will need to develop though. Dylan Crews and Brady House showed they have a long way to go with their MLB performances last year. The talent is still there for both, especially Crews. It is critical for the health of the rebuild that at least one of those guys takes a big step next year.

There is also new catcher Harry Ford. Toboni’s first big move as Nats POBO was to acquire him in exchange for Jose A. Ferrer. We know Ferrer has big upside and a lot of team control. That means the Nats are going to have to turn Ford into a quality starting catcher to make this trade a win.

Given his production and pedigree, Ford has a good chance of becoming that. However, this new coaching staff will need to help him, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If Ford becomes a starting catcher, this trade is an easy win for the Nats. Overall, the Nats have a lot of position players that could break out. For this season to be a success, a few of them need to take major steps in the right direction.

Find Breakout Stars on the Mound:

The Nationals pitching staff has very few name brands, especially after trading away MacKenzie Gore. Given the names on the roster, it would be tough to project the Nats pitching staff to be even average. I would expect some blowup outings this year. However, the season could still be a success if a few Nats arms really break out.

My breakout candidate on the staff is Cade Cavalli. He has tremendous stuff and finally has a full, healthy offseason. There are a lot of smart people that really like what Cavalli has to offer. His fastball is in the upper 90’s and he has a filthy curveball to go with it. Cavalli’s changeup also shows major promise as well.

Cade Cavalli, Bound to Breakout:

A Thread🧵 pic.twitter.com/LqzynzjSxs

— Remi Bunikiewicz (@RBunikiewicz) August 17, 2025

New pitching coach Simon Mathews will have a lot to work with here. However, Cavalli is far from a finished product. He gets hit harder than a guy with his stuff should. That comes down to his command within the zone. Cavalli was throwing strikes, but too many pitches were in the middle of the plate.

Sequencing is one thing a lot of Nats pitchers could improve. Last season, Nats pitchers were throwing way too many fastballs. We saw what happened when Kyle Finnegan cut his fastball usage after his trade to the Tigers. I would expect the Nats fastball usage to come way down this season.

Too many Nats pitchers were throwing their average heaters far too often. This applies to the likes of Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker and relievers such as Jackson Rutledge. I think all of these pitchers will be leaning more on their secondary stuff this year.

Speaking of relievers, Paul Toboni is betting on internal improvement and his ability to find hidden gems. There is no clear closer right now, though my prediction would be that Clayton Beeter gets the 9th inning. Given his love for the waiver wire, I could really see Toboni churning through bullpen arms until he finds the right combination.

Clayton Beeter slams the door for his 1st career save 🔒🔥 13.2 straight scoreless, 20 Ks, just 2 hits allowed since joining the Nats. 96+ heat, filthy slider. The kid’s nasty. #NATITUDEpic.twitter.com/JtgcqKPGN7

— natsfanatics (@natsfanatics_) September 15, 2025

Even when the Nats were good, Mike Rizzo struggled to build bullpens. I have more faith in Toboni to find the right mix in the ‘pen. The Red Sox had a really good bullpen last year despite not having many big names besides Aroldis Chapman. 

Whether it is Paxton Schultz, or Jackson Rutledge, or Cole Henry, I expect a couple of these under the radar bullpen arms to surprise us. I have no idea which ones will though. The pitching will likely struggle this year, but hopefully the Nats can find a few hidden gems in the rubble.

Development on the Farm:

While the MLB team will have the most eyeballs, some of the most important Nationals developments of 2026 will be taking place on the farm. Paul Toboni’s stated mission is to build a scouting and player development monster. A lot of that process will be taking place in the minors.

Toboni has already improved the Nats farm system with his trades, but that is only the first step of his process. He has placed a huge emphasis on improving players and building organizational depth. We will get a chance to see that in action on the farm.

Right now, the Nats farm is considered to be in the middle of the pack by most. However, I believe the Nats will have a top 10, if not top 5 farm by the end of the year. While some of that will be due to future trades and the draft, the main improvement will come from internal development.

The Nationals farm system is good right now but has a chance to be special this time next year. Our guy @PaulCubbage23 examined what the Nats system could look like in a year https://t.co/chHn954Zyv

— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) January 30, 2026

The Nats have so many breakout candidates on the farm right now. It feels like at least a couple of them have to explode this year. There is finally a proper infrastructure around these talented players and a real focus on their development.

There may not be a ton of winning at the MLB level, but I think we will see a lot of wins on the farm. Paul Toboni is building this thing from the ground up. That means we will see success at the minor league levels before the MLB. While minor league records do not mean a ton, do not be surprised if these Nats farm teams win more games. It would be a good sign of improved depth in the system.

A lot of the Nats talent is at the lower levels right now. The Fred Nats in particular should be a lot of fun to watch. Following these guys from Low-A to the big leagues is very exciting. Hopefully, the guys we see on the Fred Nats right now are playing playoff games for the Nationals in 5 years.

What Does Success Look Like:

For 2026, winning a lot of games is not what will make the Nats season a success. Sure, it would be awesome if this team shocked the world and made the playoffs, but that is unlikely. There are also other ways to measure success for this team.

I get that it is tiring to have to measure success through development rather than wins, but that is the reality of the situation. The Nats are not built to win now. Hopefully this team can win more games than last year, but even if they win 65-70 games, the season can be successful if the right players take the right steps and the farm system is in a healthy position. The hope is that these moral victories will turn into actual victories in the future.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a right-handed hitting first baseman who turns 27 in March. And, yeah, we really don’t need a ‘better know’ for him.

He signed a 14-year contract extension back in April of last year, worth half a billion dollars.

Seven seasons into his MLB career, he has a 25.9 bWAR, a .288/.366/.495 batting line and 183 home runs.

Vlad is moving up the Blue Jays leader boards:

• 7th in bWAR: 25.9 (Lloyd Moseby is 26.0) 3.0 WAR next year would put him in the top five.
• 8th in Batting Average: .288.
• 9th in On Base: .366.
• 8th in Slugging: .495.
• 8th in OPS: .861.
• 14th in Games Played: 975
• 10 in Runs Scored: 571.
• 8th in Hits: 1077.
• 7th in Home Runs: 183.
• 9th in RBI: 591
• 7th in Walks: 430

The Jays’ position player leader in bWAR is Jose Bautista at 38.4, so Vlad needs 12.5 more to get there. I’d imagine he’ll get there before that contract is up. The top pitcher in bWAR is Dave Stieb, at 56.9, which will take Vlad a little longer to top.

And he’s 153 back of Carlos Delgado in home runs. He should pass that with several years left on his contract.

Vlad had a much better second half (.314/376/.515) than first half (.277/.384/434) in his 2025 season. And then he had an all-world playoff run, hitting .397/.494/.795 with 8 home runs (8 home runs in 18 games, that would be 72 home runs in 162 games). That’s really turning it on when we needed him. I’d love him to carry that over to this season.

Beyond that, I’m glad that the talk about moving him to third has ended. He’s the guy you move other players around for; you don’t move him for anyone else.

I don’t see him as a Gold Glove first baseman, but he does make some sensational plays. Like this one:

Last year, Steamer figure Guerrero to play 150 games, hit 33 home runs, with a .297/.375/529 line. He ended up playing 156 games, with 23 home runs, and a .292/.381/.467 line, so Steamer was a fair bit high on homers, but the rest was pretty close.

This year Steamer thinks he’ll play 143 games (I think I’d take the over), with 32 home runs, a .299/.385/.532 line and a 4.8 fWAR.

BCB reader Clark Addison sent me some more photos to sleuth, and said none were easy.

Well! I love a sleuthing challenge.

Today, we have a photo of actor Joe Mantegna, a big Cubs fan and creator of the play “Bleacher Bums.” He’s with Cubs manager Joe Maddon, which already dates it between 2015 and 2019.

The first clue is on the jersey Mantegna is wearing. The No. 18 likely means this was taken in 2018.

The next clue — and the most important one — is on the ribbon board you can see behind the two men.

Nick Pivetta is pitching against the Cubs. Only part of the Cubs pitcher’s name is visible, but it’s clearly Tyler Chatwood.

Pivetta was pitching for the Phillies in 2018. There was just one game he pitched against the Cubs in Wrigley Field that year, and indeed, the Cubs pitcher that day was Tyler Chatwood.

That game happened Thursday, June 7, 2018.

Anthony Rizzo homered to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the fourth. The Phillies tied it up off Chatwood in the top of the fifth, but in the bottom of the inning, the Cubs put three on the board. Tommy La Stella and Kris Bryant had RBI singles and Rizzo’s sac fly scored the third run of the inning.

The Phillies scored a pair off reliever Brian Duensing in the sixth, but Justin Wilson, Pedro Strop and Brandon Morrow shut them down the rest of the way and the Cubs won 4-3. They were 35-24 after this win and in second place in the NL Central, half a game behind the Brewers.

Fortunately, this game happened in a time when MLB was putting all games on YouTube after they went final, so here’s the entire game:

Obviously, Joe Mantegna was at Wrigley that day to throw out a ceremonial first pitch. There’s no video I’ve been able to find of this, but here’s a photo taken that day:

Lastly, if you look very closely at the fans in the bleachers in the photo at the top of this post, I’m in it. Back row, section of the bleachers closest to the foul pole.

Presumably, the Detroit Tigers 2026 roster is pretty well set at this point. It’s really hard to expect any more major moves after the addition of Framber Valdez, while that and Tarik Skubal’s victory in arbitration has likely maxxed out their payroll for the season.

Still, rosters always end up getting tweaked a little bit between now and Opening Day. It might take an injury, such as rumors of ongoing shoulder trouble with Reese Olson, to push the team to another major league signing, and even that probably isn’t enough after the Valdez addition. The Tigers are still pretty weak at the shortstop position, but there are no major league caliber shortstops available in free agency, and trading for one at this point is virtually impossible. In center field, there are plenty of questions about Parker Meadows, but for now Javier Báez, Matt Vierling, and eventually Max Clark are the likely internal solutions. Perhaps Trei Cruz or Wencell Pérez can help out there as well as required.

That doesn’t mean that building in a little more depth in out of the question, however.

There’s always some nagging detail we’d like to see addrsesed even on the small side of the scale. Is there a position or a role on the bench, or even at the Triple-A level that you’d like to see addressed with a minor signing or trade to help bulk up the depth chart and provide a little more competition in spring camp?

The Yankees announced their non-roster spring training invitees on Thursday, a total of 27 players. This means 14 new pitchers will be reporting to camp: seven from within the organization and seven who signed some version of a minor-league contract for the 2026 campaign. Among the invitees are two of the organizations’s most notable pitching prospects and a few more players who found success last season and will look to keep the momentum alive.

The prospects headlining the list are the two pitchers by far the most likely to pitch in the Bronx at some point in the near future: Ben Hess and Carlos Lagrange. As a reminder, well-regarded young starter Elmer Rodríguez will be there as well, but’s already on the 40-man roster and doesn’t need an NRI.

Hess was the Yankees’ first-round draft pick in 2024, and rewarded their investment by posting much better numbers as a pro than he ever did at the University of Alabama. The 23-year-old has a lively fastball that sits in the mid-90s and a deep arsenal with two plus breaking balls and an effective changeup. He ended the season with Double-A Somerset, and while he’s likely to start the 2026 season there as well, Hess is a top candidate to earn a promotion to Triple-A sometime this year. If all goes right, he could even make his MLB debut à la 2025 Cam Schlittler — though the latter gained far more in-season helium last year.

Lagrange’s stock is in a similar place as Hess’s with both pitchers usually somewhere in the back end of Top 100 overall prospects lists, but his career journey to this point has looked a lot different. The 6-foot-7 Lagrange struggled severely with command issues prior to last season and walked 20 percent of the hitters he faced in Low-A and the Complex league in 2024. His 2025 campaign was a revelation, as much-improved control allowed his lethal fastball-slider combination to pop. He struck out 33.4 percent of the hitters he faced. The walks issue was more apparent in Double-A than it was in High-A and a few flare-ups caused his BB% and ERA to inflate, but when Lagrange was on his “A” game, he recorded several of the mostimpressivestarts at any level of the Yankees’ minor leagues. If the 22-year-old’s ability to reign in his electric stuff continues on its current path of linear development, he will be an incredibly exciting pitcher and should draw comparisons to the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski, who shares not only Lagrange’s frame but also many of his strengths and weaknesses.

Kyle Carr fits the mold of the crafty left-handed starter that found success around MLB in 2025; a pitcher who won’t blow hitters away with his fastball but has a deep enough arsenal to navigate starts effectively and efficiently. His numbers in the minor leagues jumped off the page. Carr posted a 1.96 ERA in 119.1 innings at High-A Hudson Valley despite a mediocre 11.9 K-BB%. He was older than most High-A hitters and will turn 24 in May, so Double-A will be a big test for him this upcoming season.

The Yankees drafted Brendan Beck out of Stanford in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft, and the now-26-year old finds himself on the verge of a big-league debut after only being able to make 10 professional starts from the time he was drafted up through the end of 2024. Finally healthy last year, Beck spent 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A. Beck dominated Somerset with a 1.82 ERA in 54.1 innings, but hit a wall for the first time in his pro career in Scranton with a 4.44 ERA in 77 innings. It’s unlikely Beck plays a pivotal role at the big-league level in 2026, but his proximity could make him a viable trade candidate. If you’re watching the World Baseball Classic this year, you’ll also probably glimpse him on Team Great Britain alongside his brother, Tristan (of the Giants), and the Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Michael Arias spent four years in the Cubs organization between 2021-24 before signing a minor-league contract with the Yankees for 2025. Arias pitched just 29.2 innings last season, but did so across four levels and ended the season with Double-A Somerset (and was briefly on the 40-man roster). He turned 24 in Novmber. Although Arias records a lot of strikeouts, he struggles with his command to the point where it could derail him from ever reaching the big leagues.

Harrison Cohen is another high-strikeouts, high-walks type and is primarily deployed out of the bullpen. Cohen spent his 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A where he recorded an ERA of 2.01 and 1.57 respectively, and picked up five saves. He walked 14.4 percent of the hitters he faced last season, so that number will need to come down for him to be considered a legitimate bullpen option in the Bronx. The 26-year-old will also be on the Team Israel pitching staff in the World Baseball Classic.

A former Rule 5 pick by the Rangers who was returned after never pitching for Texas, Carson Coleman made his first professional appearance since 2022 last season, spreading his 17 innings out between Low-A, High-A, and Double-A. He posted a 1.59 ERA with a 23.8-percent strikeout rate and 3.2-percent walk rate, but the sample size is too small to get excited about. FanGraphs put a 70-grade on his fastball, however, so that pitch coupled with the pinpoint command he displayed in 2025 could put the 27-year-old on the radar this season with more opportunities.

Dylan Coleman has 93 innings of MLB experience under his belt, almost entirely with the Kansas City Royals. He appeared in 68 games in 2022 and was a reliable bullpen option for Kansas City with a 2.78 ERA. His performance fell off a cliff the following year, and he pitched just one inning in 2024 with the Houston Astros before missing out on MLB play last year entirely. A stint with the Orioles’ Triple-A team went awry, and after being released in May, he exclusively trained with Feole Pitching. The minor-league contract he signed with the Yankees in January represents a comeback opportunity for the 29-year-old’s career.

Alexander Cornielle spent three years with the Milwaukee Brewers’ High-A affiliate before earning a long-awaited promotion to Double-A where he spent most of 2025 before getting a cup of coffee with the Triple-A team to end the season. The 24-year-old will probably report to the Yankees’ counterpart in Scranton and remain there for most, if not all of the season unless Matt Blake and company have a trick up their sleeves with him.

Yovanny Cruz is another career minor-leaguer who spent 2017-23 with the Cubs organization with most of his time spent in the lower levels of professional baseball. He took a two-year hiatus in 2020 & 2021 due in part to COVID-19 and Tommy John surgery, and never pitched more than 30 innings in a season again until logging 59.1 innings in Double-A last year as part of the Red Sox organization. Command issues have plagued Cruz his entire career, and at 26 years old he’ll need to sort them out now in order to reach the next level.

Drake Fellows spent the past five years in the Pirates organization, and spent most of that time getting hit pretty hard. He pitched 112.1 innings in Triple-A last season with a 4.41 ERA, which was the lowest mark of his career since 2021 in the Complex league. It’s a step in the right direction, but for a guy who will turn 28 next month, he has many more steps still to take before popping up on the big-league radar.

Bradley Hanner is a bullpen arm who was with the Cleveland Guardians organization from 2023-25. He pitched well in Double-A during those first two seasons, but Triple-A proved to be a daunting challenge and he posted a 4.74 ERA at the level in 49.1 innings in 2025. Hanner struck out an impressive 29 percent of hitters, but the contact he did allow was loud and punishing. Entering his age-27 season, Hanner appears to be a minor leaguer for the foreseeable future.

The one MLB inning Adam Kloffenstein pitched in 2024 went smoothly and he got out unscathed, but 2025 was disastrous as he pitched 82 frames in Triple-A with the Toronto Blue Jays organization to the tune of a 6.26 ERA. Kloffenstein had a good year in 2023 at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, but his results since then have been a lot closer to the dud of a season he recorded last year. The 25-year-old will likely come out of the Triple-A bullpen in 2026.

Travis MacGregor spent most of 2023 and 2024 in Triple-A with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Angels organizations, but the Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers chose to deploy him in Double-A instead in 2025. The Yankees will be his fifth team in three years, and he’s less likely to earn a spot in this big-league bullpen as he was with the rest. The 28-year old is not exactly expected to make his MLB debut in the immediate future.

Coming off a season where Missouri baseball sat at the bottom of the Southeastern Conference with a 16-39 record and three wins in SEC play, there’s no place to look except up for a bounce-back season. Injury returnees, a revamp in identity, and a building project were some of the main talking points from Tigers head coach Kerrick Jackson on Friday afternoon when he met with the local media. 

One key point in the talking points of positivity was that the build is going to take time, and there is no satisfaction with where the program is currently. A flip on the constant reality of the Tigers being an underdog in the all-powerful SEC baseball conference this season is to simply use that status to help themselves play their best baseball.

“It’s year three for us, and we finally have the right people in place,” Jackson said. “Whenever you’re building something, it takes time. My first year here, we didn’t bring in 25 portal guys. We didn’t do that in year two, either. We slowly pieced things together and got the right people in for the system we want. Now we have people who have been here for several years, and they know what our culture needs to be, and how we need to go about things.”

“For me, it feels comfortable,” Tigers infielder Kam Durnin said. “Growing up where I did in the middle of nowhere, the closest facility I had to play baseball at was Columbia, which was an hour and a half away. I’m used to the underdog mentality, to having to work more to get the same amount done as everyone else.”

Durnin is certainly a player who could help the Tigers reach that timeline. A standout not just due to his two years at Wichita State, but also because of his off-the-charts season in the summer of 2025. The numbers and achievements at the plate speak for themselves: .407 batting average, 56 RBI, and a 1.181 OPS in 40 games, with his BA and RBI both Appalachian League records according to MU athletics.

In that timeframe, Durnin achieved a 13-game hit streak, which also led the Appalachian League, and ultimately finished the season with a 10-game hit streak. Durnin went 1-for-3 at the plate in the scrimmage Friday afternoon with a single and a stolen base.

“He’s a high-IQ baseball guy,” Jackson said. ”Obviously, he’s really talented. He’s a really good shortstop, and he’s going to be solid there. Offensively, he really hadn’t come into his own until this past summer, and then it took off. He’s made himself a complete baseball player. He comes from a baseball family, and what he’s done by coming in here — bringing that energy and that desire to compete — has been really infectious for our guys. It’s been really good.“

The Tigers are coming off a season in which their pitching staff posted a team ERA of 9.19 and allowed a conference-worst 458 earned runs and 290 walks. Enter new pitching coach Drew Dickinson.

In June 2025, Jackson announced the hiring of Dickinson, who coached a Virginia Cavaliers pitching staff that made three total trips to the College World Series since 2021 and ranked in the upper echelon of ERA, including the fourth-best in the nation in 2021, according to MU Athletics.

When asked about the mojo the revamped pitching staff aims to develop, Jackson had two words for what Dickinson will bring: energy and identity. 

“That’s something our pitching staff hasn’t had — an identity,” Jackson said. “Now they do. He’s a competitor. He’s going to compete in anything: chewing gum, walking down the sidewalk, whatever it is. He loves to compete, and he puts that on those guys. They’re embracing that, and as a result, you’re going to see our guys go out and do just that — be relentless, put pressure on teams.”

Two arms on the pitching staff, JD Dohrmann and Dane Bjorn, both stood out among the appearances in Mizzou’s intersquad scrimmage on Friday afternoon. Dohrmann tossed six innings, allowing three earned runs, while Bjorn kept the bats quiet in his two scoreless innings of relief.

Javyn Pimental was accustomed to keeping runners off the basepaths himself, leading the Tigers in team ERA at 3.61, and allowed nine base hits, the least conceded on the Mizzou pitching staff. This strong 2024 season appeared to be a resurgence for the left-hander, before the nightmare scenario for every pitcher hit him: Tommy John surgery, which kept Pimental sidelined for the whole of the 2025 season. Pimental, being one of the multitude of starters who had limited time on the mound last season.

“I couldn’t really make an impact on the field where I wanted to, but in the locker room and clubhouse, I could still make an impact,” Pimental said. ”That year and a half where I sat on the sideline, I took things for granted, and when things get taken away, you have a different gratitude for it.”

2026 will mark the third season at the helm at Mizzou for Jackson in the rebuilding process of the Tigers’ program. Jackson said the difficulties have given him lessons, but one important one in particular.

“All good things take time. We’re building, not reloading. Nobody likes to build except the builder. It’s like the North End Zone project — nobody likes what it looks like right now, but when it’s unveiled, everyone’s going to love it. You have to enjoy the process and not get frustrated. Once we reach our timeline, we’re not going backwards.”