Feb 27, 2026; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray (38) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn...
Near-perfect: What did Robbie Ray do after leaving his last spring start with a no-hitter intact? He retired all 15 batters he faced Sunday, punching out six, but Giants pitchers didn’t stop there in a 7-1 win over the Brewers. Carson Seymour, Tristan Beck and Matt Gage didn’t allow a base runner, either. The Giants came one out from the first spring training perfect game since 2000. They lost the perfecto, the no-no and the shutout when Gregory Santos walked one batter and allowed Blake Burke, one of Tony Vitello’s players at Tennessee, to rip an RBI double down the right field line. No less encouraging for Ray, who has strung together nine no-hit innings his past two starts.
The Giants’ Jerar Encarnacion hit a mammoth blast estimated at 463 feet Sunday against the Brewers. Getty Images
Jerar and the Giant Blast: At 115 mph off the bat and an estimated 463 feet, Jerar Encarnacion delivered the Giants’ most gargantuan home run of the spring. In a twist of irony, Encarnacion went deep on a pitch that would have been called a ball. He fell behind in the count by unsuccessfully challenging a pitch closer to the plate. The out-of-options slugger has turned it on as attention has turned to those on the 26-man roster bubble: He has nine hits in his past 20 at-bats, four of them for extra bases.
Double-double: Matt Chapman continued his strong spring with three more hits in three at-bats, raising his average in Cactus League play to .448 with a 1.310 OPS. He went the other way for ground-rule doubles in his first two at-bats.
Caught my eye: Christian Koss and Grant McCray both showed what they could bring to the Giants’ bench, with Koss making an over-the-shoulder snow-cone catch on a pop-up behind second base and McCray bunting his way on and stealing two bags. However, McCray was caught leaning between second and third, and Koss was picked off for the second time in three games.
Up next: The Giants travel to Peoria, Arizona, on Monday to face the NL West-rival Padres for the second and final time this spring. Including Saturday’s 8-7 loss to the Diamondbacks, they will play each of their divisional foes over the final week of Cactus League play.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 13: Ketel Marte #4 (L) and Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 (R) of Team Dominican Republic great teammate Juan Soto #22 (C) before playing Team Korea of the quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park on March 13, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first semifinal of the 2026 World Baseball Classic is packed with about as much star power as you could hope for. The United States will be sending Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes to the mound opposite Luis Severino of the Dominican Republic (and the Athletics) with a trip to the final on the line.
As Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com noted, the US currently boasts a roster that includes nine players who received MVP votes in 2025, while the Dominican Republic boasts – you guessed it – nine players who received MVP votes in 2025, too.
Exactly zero of those players, or any of these players for that matter, are Cincinnati Reds. That doesn’t make it any less of a spectacle, of course, and this game is poised to be packed with action.
Here’s how the two clubs will line up:
United States
1. Bobby Witt Jr., SS 2. Bryce Harper, 1B 3. Aaron Judge, RF 4. Kyle Schwarber, DH 5. Gunnar Henderson, 3B 6. Will Smith, C 7. Roman Anthony, LF 8. Brice Turang, 2B 9. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
Dominican Republic
1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF 2. Ketel Marte, 2B 3. Juan Soto, LF 4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B 5. Manny Machado, 3B 6. Junior Caminero, DH 7. Julio Rodríguez, CF 8. Austin Wells, C 9. Geraldo Perdomo, SS
First pitch is set for just after 8:00 PM in Miami’s loanDepot park, and game coverage can be found on FS1.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 09: Pitcher Shane Drohan #73 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning of the spring training game at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 09, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the headline suggests, there weren’t many positives in today’s game. The Brewers were just one out away from falling victim to a combined perfect game, ultimately losing 7–1 to the San Francisco Giants.
Giants starter Robbie Ray went five innings, racking up eight Ks in the process. Relievers Carson Seymour, Tristan Beck, and Matt Gage kept the perfect game going. Gregory Santos came in for the ninth and recorded two quick outs, but he lost the zone against prospect Cooper Pratt — throwing five consecutive pitches out of the strike zone to put Pratt on first. The next batter, Blake Burke, went down 0-2 before breaking up the no-hitter with a double down the right field line, scoring Pratt to give the Brewers their first and only run of the game. Unfortunately, that was where the scoring would end, as José Anderson struck out swinging to end the game.
Brewers starter Shane Drohan got hit around today, allowing six hits, four runs (three earned), and striking out five in four innings of work. He got through the first inning without allowing a run, with the Giants stranding Matt Chapman after a one-out double. The second inning was a different story. Drohan allowed a bunt single to Grant McCray before walking Bryce Eldridge, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Up next was Jerar Encarnación, who smoked a high and inside cutter 463 feet to give the Giants a 3-0 lead. That brought up Christian Koss, who beat out an infield single to give the Giants yet another baserunner — still with nobody out.
With Casey Schmitt batting, catcher Reese McGuire threw Koss out trying to steal second. Schmitt ended up walking, prompting Brewers manager Pat Murphy to pull Drohan in favor of Kaleb Bowman. Bowman got Willy Adames to strike out swinging for the second out, but Chapman hit another double — this one a ground rule — to put runners on second and third. Bowman then walked Patrick Bailey to load the bases before getting Luis Matos to hit a weak grounder to shortstop David Hamilton. That should have been the third out, but Hamilton bounced the throw to first baseman Jake Bauers, and Bauers couldn’t handle it. Bailey and Chapman both scored on the throwing error to make it 5-0, San Francisco.
Bowman melted down after that, walking the next two batters to walk in another run before finally getting Encarnación to line out to Garrett Mitchell for the third out. Since it’s spring training, Drohan reentered the game for the third and fourth innings and managed to hold the Giants scoreless. San Francisco added another run on an Adames sacrifice fly in the sixth inning off of Jacob Waguespack, Waguespack’s first earned run of the spring.
San Francisco’s pitching staff combined to strike out eleven Brewers while allowing just one hit (Burke’s double) and walk (to Pratt). As a team, Milwaukee allowed 11 hits and walked six batters. Overall, this was a game to forget.
The Crew is back at it again tomorrow against the Los Angeles Dodgers. First pitch is slated for the same time as today’s game, 3:05 p.m.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 09: Pitcher River Ryan #77 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning of a spring training game at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 09, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A busy Sunday saw every position player in big league camp getting into a game, plus 12 others as the Dodgers blew out the Cubs 14-8 in Mesa and beat the Rangers 5-3 at Camelback Ranch.
Hyeseong Kim, back from the World Baseball Classic, singled and stole a base in Mesa against the Cubs. Mookie Betts hit his first home run this spring, off Cubs starter Jameson Taillon. Kyle Tucker hit a two-run shot of his own against the Rangers.
Rotation competition
With Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, and Roki Sasaki firmly in the Dodgers rotation, there isn’t room for all three of Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan, and River Ryan to all start games at the beginning of the season. Sheehan and Ryan both started on Sunday, and each made strides toward a potential roster spot.
Ryan continued his impressive spring. After four singles plated a run in the first inning, he allowed only a walk the rest of the way, finishing with five strikeouts in his four innings of work. The issue this year with Ryan will be how the Dodgers will limit his innings after missing all of 2025 after Tommy John surgery. But performance-wise, he’s been the best and most consistent of the three vying for a rotation spot this spring.
Sheehan entered this spring with an inside track toward a rotation spot after a dominant final two months last season, but a flu sidelined him and kept him off the mound for a while. He hasn’t yet been able to fully stretch out, such that his 3 2/3 innings and 66 pitches on Sunday marked the first time Sheehan recorded more than seven outs this spring. A two-run home run in the third inning were the only runs Sheehan allowed on Sunday, but in his three outings and 38 batters faced this spring, he has as many walks (six) as strikeouts.
Ryder Ryan followed his brother River on the mound against the Rangers and pitched his longest outing of the spring with 2 2/3 innings with three strikeouts, and a two-run home run allowed. His 53 pitches were five more than his brother, who recorded four more outs.
Zach Ehrhard hit a two-run triple against the Cubs, and his three triples are tied for the major league lead this spring.
Waiting game
Gavin Stone missed all of last season after shoulder surgery, and after just one start this spring he was shut down with more shoulder soreness. The Dodgers will undoubtedly be cautious with his return, but the right-hander offered a peak into a rough timeline for what’s next.
Gavin Stone update…Stone told us earlier today he will begin playing catch next week… "Hopefully within the next month I can pitch off the mound."#Dodgers@AM570LASports
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 28: Zach Eflin #24 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Monday, July 28, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Howell/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It took a while, but the Orioles are finally playing their first night game of spring training, taking on the Yankees under the lights at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.
Zach Eflin will make just his second start of spring training and first since his impressive two-inning debut March 5. Orioles beat reporters are generally assuming that Eflin won’t get enough innings this spring to be ready for the Opening Day roster, but the O’s haven’t indicated anything one way or the other about Eflin’s status. How he looks tonight might affect their decision.
Tyler O’Neill returns to the Orioles after Team Canada’s elimination from the World Baseball Classic. O’Neill was scalding hot for the O’s before leaving camp, but didn’t play particularly well in the WBC.
Curiously, Coby Mayo remains absent from the Orioles lineup. He hasn’t played since March 10, when he went 4-for-4 as the designated hitter. His last appearance at third base was the previous day, March 9. There haven’t been any reports of an injury, but you’d think the O’s would want Mayo to get as many game reps at third base as possible before the season begins. It’s strange.
Also still missing from the lineup is Ryan Mountcastle, who left the March 11 game after being hit in the hand. X-rays came back negative and Mountcastle was considered day-to-day. MASN’s Roch Kubatko reports that Mountcastle is expected to return tomorrow. Hopefully the same is true for Mayo.
Orioles lineup:
DH Taylor Ward CF Colton Cowser 1B Pete Alonso C Samuel Basallo RF Tyler O’Neill LF Heston Kjerstad 2B Blaze Alexander 3B Bryan Ramos SS José Barrero
RHP Zach Eflin
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Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) is congratulated by left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) after scoring run in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Clover Park.
Observations from Mets spring training on Sunday.
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For a guy who just started playing Grapefruit League games a few days ago, Luis Robert Jr. has hit the ground running. He had two more hits as the Mets monitor his playing time in an effort to help him avoid the lower-body injuries that have plagued him in recent years.
Going… Going…
Carlos Mendoza praised a handful of players who were sent to the minors Sunday, with A.J. Ewing impressing in the outfield and right-hander Ryan Lambert out of the bullpen. Both could see Citi Field sooner or later.
Caught My Eye
After picking up just one hit over his previous seven spring training games, Marcus Semien blasted a 102 mph homer and added a 101 mph sacrifice fly against Toronto. The 35-year-old is coming off back-to-back subpar seasons at the plate in Texas.
Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) is congratulated by left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) after scoring run in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Clover Park. Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Monday’s Schedule
David Peterson gets the start against the Nationals at Clover Park, with first pitch at 6:10 p.m.
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) hits a single in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Clover Park.
PORT ST. LUCIE — The final piece of the Mets puzzle got on the field Sunday, discarding much of the concern that may have lingered about his potential Opening Day readiness.
Francisco Lindor played four innings at shortstop and received three plate appearances against the Blue Jays at Clover Park, giving the All-Star shortstop his first Grapefruit League action this spring.
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Lindor has spent the past month rehabbing from left hamate bone surgery and had just progressed to batting against live pitching in recent days.
Lindor finished 1-for-3 with a single in a game that was called after five innings because of rain. The Mets won 8-1.
“I felt pretty much like myself,” Lindor said. “I finished the game healthy. It was a good day for me.”
Lindor will likely have Monday off and then resume Grapefruit League action a day later. The Mets have spring training games through next weekend, ahead of the March 26 opener against the Pirates at Citi Field.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said in the aftermath of the surgery there wasn’t a firm timetable for Lindor to begin playing exhibition games.
“But we saw he was progressing, not only defensively but offensively, with the way he was swinging the bat in the cages, transitioning to the field, getting live at-bats,” Mendoza said.
Lindor, in his final at-bat Sunday, hit a ball to right field that carried home run distance, landing foul. It was perhaps a good first sign that Lindor’s power hasn’t been compromised by the surgery.
“I don’t think it’s going to take time for the power to be there,” Lindor said. “It’s one of those where I feel fine right now, I am in a good spot. I spent the whole offseason trying to hit the ball over 100 mph, even before my wrist injury. I hit two balls over 100 today. You swing and get the right pitch, and I am sure the ball is going to go where it’s supposed to go.”
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) hits a single in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Clover Park. Jim Rassol-Imagn ImagesFrancisco Lindor has spent the past month rehabbing from left hamate bone surgery. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
He was asked if there are differences in how he feels physically, dependent on which side of the plate he is swinging.
“There’s a little bit of difference, but I feel good from both sides,” Lindor said. “There’s going to be a test throughout the rest of spring training and when I face people … I am in a good spot.”
Lindor became the second starting position player to begin exhibition games this week: Luis Robert Jr. debuted in the Grapefruit League on Thursday after the Mets slow-played his spring to ensure his legs were strengthened.
On this day, Lindor got to mesh in a game with new double-play partner Marcus Semien. Bo Bichette was at third base, with Brett Baty at first.
“It was cool to play ball with Marcus,” Lindor said. “At one point I looked to my side and I was like, ‘Wow, I have got a shortstop next to me’ … it was a cool day.”
Among the tests Lindor faced was a dive, landing on his hand, on a ball that shot through the middle.
“There was one hesitation, when I hit the ground I was like, ‘Uh, that’s different,’ ” Lindor said. “But I got up and was OK. The training staff has said to me whenever there’s a little pain, as long as it goes away, you’re in a good spot, and that is what’s happened. It did not make me timid. The rest of the game allowed me to continue to play at full speed and it gives you confidence that you can have that not in the back of your mind.”
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 13: Aaron Judge #99 of Team United States looks on during a game against Team Canada during the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Editor’s note: We have Yankees in separate games tonight and since we’ve been preparing game threads for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Baseball Classics, we’re blending both together tonight! No need to make people go to separate threads for different conversations at the same time. The Yankees’ spring training game against the Orioles is up first, so we’ll run through what you need to know for that one first.
New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles: Paul Blackburn vs. Zach Eflin
The Yankees got torched in the early game of split-squad action, Luis Gil surrendering seven runs on nine hits in just three innings as the Tigers made it a laugher early. That brings us to the nightcap, the other half of the current spring team traveling to Sarasota to take on the Orioles.
Paul Blackburn was one of many players who the Yankees brought back from last season, re-signing on a one-year, $2 million deal in January. He has generally looked sharp in four appearances this spring with a 1.46 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. His fastball velocity is up, which should help him retain his longman roll with the team and serve as rotation insurance alongside Ryan Yarbrough.
Zach Eflin re-signed with the Orioles in December after missing the final two months of last season due to lower back surgery. He had a 5.93 ERA prior to the procedure and looked a shadow of the Rays righty who quickly excelled for the Orioles post-deadline in 2024. He has pitched just two innings so far this spring in his recovery.
The Yankees still have plenty of regulars in the lineup despite it being a split-squad day. Ben Rice leads off, followed by Jasson Domínguez, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and José Caballero. Spencer Jones looks to continue his searing spring despite being optioned to minor-league camp, the towering lefty going 8-for-24 with four home runs, eight RBIs, and a 226 wRC+ in 11 games.
The Orioles field their strongest lineup minus WBC starter Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday, out with a broken hamate. Taylor Ward was acquired from the Angels over the winter for the promising but oft-injured Grayson Rodriguez — he leads off while marquee signing Pete Alonso bats third. Top prospect Samuel Basallo is slashing .320/.414/.560 with a 149 wRC+ in 10 games this spring, and though he’ll likely see more DH time from the jump, he has a chance to displace Adley Rutschman from the starting catching job. He’ll bat cleanup.
USA vs. Dominican Republic: Paul Skenes vs. Luis Severino
It’s a battle of the titans in the first WBC semifinal, Team USA taking on the Dominican Republic for the right to play in the Championship Game on Tuesday in Miami against the winner of Italy vs. Venezuela (which will begin tomorrow night).
Team USA stumbled against Italy in pool play, backing into the knockout rounds via a Mexico loss in their final game. They got back ont track against Canada in the quarterfinals, beating them 5-3 behind a good effort from starter Logan Webb. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic has been far and away the dominant force of this tournament, going undefeated in pool play and scoring double digit runs in all but one of their five total games. They’ve outscored the opposition by a combined total of 51-10.
There is perhaps no pitcher in the world who Team USA would want on the mound more to face the seemingly unstoppable Dominican lineup than Paul Skenes. The reigning NL Cy Young winner was utterly dominant in his lone start of the tournament — four scoreless innings against Mexico in pool play, allowing a hit and a walk with seven strikeouts. He will need to replicate that form tonight if Team USA is to keep within touching distance of their opponents.
Luis Severino was no slouch either in his previous start this tournament, allowing a run on three hits and no walks with five strikeouts across four innings in a 12-1 beatdown of the Netherlands. He’s no longer the power pitcher of his back-to-back All-Star campaigns with the Yankees last decade, instead transforming himself into a pitcher with more ways to get batters out. His six-pitch arsenal of four-seamer, sweeper, sinker, cutter, changeup, and slider keeps hitters off balance, meaning Severino now relies more on soft contact than strikeouts and swing and miss to record outs. With all due respect to the Dutch though, he has a more daunting starting nine to face tonight.
It’s fair to say that the Team USA lineup has fully clicked in only one game this tournament — a 15-5 drubbing of Brazil in the tournament opener. Aaron Judge, Roman Anthony, and Kyle Schwarber have largely carried the offense, while guys like Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh, and Byron Buxton just haven’t shown up at all. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Will Smith therefore get the start in center and behind the plate, while Harper remains as part of a largely-unchanged top four of the order. They manage to squeeze in their three best infielders, Bobby Witt Jr. joined by Gunnar Henderson and Brice Turang, the latter pair combining to go 12-for-25 this tournament.
The potent Dominican Republic lineup swept aside Korea, 10-0, in the quarterfinals, and you have to wonder how any pitcher could be expected to keep them in check. They boast All-Stars and MVP candidates at eight out of nine positions, the whole squad hitting to a ludicrous 1.090 OPS over five games. That being said, they are a combined 3-for-27 against Skenes in the young ace’s career. It’s still a gauntlet: Fernando Tatís Jr., Ketel Marte, Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero, Julio Rodríguez, Austin Wells, and Geraldo Perdomo. Good luck to Skenes — or perhaps more relevantly to David Bednar and the other American bullpen arms behind the Pittsburgh star.
PHOENIX — Spring stats can often be as predictive as shaking a Magic 8 Ball.
But in the case of Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages, there have been signs in this camp their improvements are for real.
For most other Dodgers hitters, this year’s spring training has had a throwback feel. A long October trek and short offseason turnaround have put many veteran players on a slower progression ahead of the regular season. Cactus League appearances have been occasional, and live at-bats moderated to let them build up at their own pace.
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was eager to put his 2025 season in the rearview mirror. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Hernández and Pages, however, have been the exceptions.
They expressed a desire to play early and often in spring games. They wanted to quickly flush the struggles they dealt with at the end of the 2025 season. And as camp winds down this week, they’ve turned their preseasons into promising building blocks for the campaign ahead –– both batting over .400 while taking the most at-bats of any regulars on the team.
“I like to be on the field, I like to play, I like to take a lot of at-bats,” Hernández said.
“And,” he added with a smile, “it’s always good to have success.”
Success, of course, felt elusive to both players by the time last year ended.
Hernández struggled for most of 2025, posting a career-low .738 OPS while playing through a groin injury. Pages’ performance was more of a roller coaster, peaking with a nearly All-Star-caliber first half before a late-season slump led to a benching in the World Series.
Thus, each of them has used this spring as a reset.
And entering the final days of camp, they’ve been the two biggest standouts in the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup.
For Hernández, this spring was all about getting healthy, readjusting to his move back to left field, and most importantly recalibrating his swing — after batting a disappointing .247 last year, albeit while still hitting 25 home runs and collecting 89 RBIs.
The 10-year big leaguer has checked each of those boxes in camp, arriving in better shape than a year ago and proceeding to hit 15 for 31 entering play Sunday. He has flashed power, clubbing two home runs last week including an opposite-field blast reminiscent of his resurgent debut season with the Dodgers in 2024. He has also improved the quality of his at-bats, striking out just four times in his 33 plate appearances in the Cactus League.
“I think that the great players — whatever criticisms or expectations people have of them — the great ones expect more and are more critical of themselves,” manager Dave Roberts said of Hernández earlier this spring, while praising the way the two-time All-Star has attacked his work following an offseason in which he was bandied about in trade rumors.
“I’m excited to see what Teo can do this year,” he added. “Very, very excited.”
Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages struggled in the playoffs after smacking 17 home runs in his first 83 games last season. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Pages’ stock might be even higher, going 13 for 32 in Cactus League play with five extra-base hits and consistent center field defense.
He’s looked more like the player who was batting .293 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs through his first 83 games last season –– and nothing like the one who hit a woeful .078 in the playoffs before being benched for the final two games of the World Series.
His title-saving catch in Game 7 aside, October served as a reality check for the 25-year-old slugger.
So, this spring, he arrived determined to take the next step in his career.
“There was nothing offensively I was doing really well [during the playoffs],” Pages said at the start of spring. “I just want to put it in that bucket as just a really bad streak for me.”
Pages’ main focus has been on improving his plate discipline, spending roughly half an hour every day in the team’s hitting lab trying to differentiate borderline balls and strikes from a Trajekt pitching machine.
But, he has also been more intentional in his other daily work around Camelback Ranch, taking what both Roberts and Hernández have described as a more “mature” approach to everything from his gym routine to outfield drills.
“I could think back to a few years ago when he didn’t really care for the weight room and really wasn’t the best worker,” Roberts recalled. “So he has grown considerably.”
“Now, he understands the things he needs to do, and the things he’s going to go through during the season,” Hernández added. “So he can manage his body, his mind and everything else better.”
The Dodgers are hopeful both players will manage 2026 better than they did 2025.
The team might’ve spent nearly a quarter-billion dollars to shore up the outfield with the signing of Kyle Tucker, but they need Hernández and Pages to be impact producers in the bottom half of the lineup, too.
That’s why Roberts was so enthused with their aggressive spring plan –– and why their big Cactus League numbers have carried added meaning in the run-up to Opening Day.
“We’re just trying to keep that up,” Hernández said, “and do it in the season, too.”
Against the Cleveland Guardians it’ll be Wei-En-Lin getting the start, making his first appearance back with the A’s since leaving to go represent Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic.
Speaking of World Baseball Classic – – that’s exactly where you can find the second A’s pitcher. Luis Severino is set to lead the Dominican Republic into battle against USA. The winner of this matchup will go on to the championship, facing whoever comes out on top in the Venezuela / Italy matchup scheduled for tomorrow evening.
Two A’s pitchers starting in one day where a split squad situation isn’t happening? That’s crazy! What’s even crazier is that Mark Kotsay has Zack Gelof penciled in as the leadoff and CENTER FIELDER in today’s lineup!
Check out how the rest of the order will unfold behind our new outfield option…
After the mainstays put on an absolute clinic against the Royals yesterday, it looks like Kotsay’s going to be giving some of the young guns a little moment in the sun.
Which means the legend of Cade Marlowe continues! He and the switch-hitting Leo De Vries stand as the only lefty bat options in the starting nine, in a game against right-hander Tanner Bibee, who went 3+ with 6Ks in his last outing against the San Francisco Giants.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Hayden Birdsong #60 of the San Francisco Giants warms up during the fifth inning of the spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Scottsdale Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hayden Birdsong’s tough spring just took a turn for the worse. The San Francisco Giants’ 24-year old right-hander entered camp hoping to earn a bullpen role as well as the job of next-man-up in the rotation, but his first two outings of the spring were a disaster, and far too reminiscent of his collapse during the 2025 season.
But after throwing a few sim games in Minor League camp, Birdsong returned to Cactus League play with a stellar showing in his third and final game of the spring, which featured the hardest-thrown pitch of his career, just a few ticks off of triple digits.
And now, after that upswing, things have gone quite downhill. The Giants announced on Saturday that Birdsong was dealing with forearm discomfort, which is never a good sign. And on Sunday they revealed the results of his MRI: a Grade 2 UCL sprain and forearm strain in his pitching arm.
Needless to say, that’s not good news, especially for a pitch.
Birdsong is headed for a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister, and then he and the Giants staff will decide what course of action to take. Tony Vitello said that nothing is certain until they see what Meister has to say, but that the likely discussion is whether to have Birdsong head for surgery, or to have him rehab for a few months and see how his body responds. It seems overwhelmingly likely that we don’t see Birdsong until the summer at the earliest, and quite possible that he’ll be shelved for all of 2026.
It’s the unfortunate reality for pitchers, especially in the modern era, where everyone is taught to throw as hard as possible (it’s certainly a bit ironic, and perhaps not coincidental, that Birdsong’s injury popped up right after hitting his highest velocity). And while there’s no good time to be sidelined, it’s an especially painful timeline for Birdsong. According to Evan Webeck, pitching coach Justin Meccage had just told reporters that he thought Birdsong had put it all together following his recent outing.
Hopefully the second opinion results in good news for Birdsong, but sadly it looks like we won’t be seeing him for quite a while.
Mar 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Summoning all the optimism a person can after a 12-1 run loss, the best I could offer in reference to Luis Gil’s disastrous Sunday performance is this: “At least he didn’t walk a boatload of people.”
The Yankees’ starter lined up to face a pretty strong Tigers lineup, and his inability to keep the ball in the yard led to a blowout loss. Even for those who are warned not to take spring results too seriously, this is the type of start that, at the very least, greatly enhances preexisting concerns about a talented arm, but one whose 2026 projections vary significantly depending on who you talk to.
Gil never got remotely close to a groove, trailing 3-0 by the end of the first inning thanks to a booming three-run shot from Spencer Torkelson after back-to-back singles to Kerry Carpenter and Colt Keith. The second inning was equally difficult, as following a leadoff walk, it was Matt Vierling’s turn to take Gil yard, this time on a cheaper home run that only went 358 feet.
Anxious to fill his quota of one home run per inning right away, Gil wasted no time in the third and left nothing to chance. Riley Greene was due up to lead off the frame, and after a called strike fastball at the top of the zone, Gil poorly located a second heater inside at the perfect height for Greene to thoroughly demolish it. It was the Tigers’ third home run of the game, securing a 7-0 lead quite early.
Somewhat surprisingly, each of the three home runs Gil allowed came on different pitches: Torkelson punishing a changeup that didn’t quite drop enough and Vierling getting ahold of a hanging slider inside. A fastball-reliant pitcher, Gil couldn’t rely on his heater that failed to miss bats (2 whiffs on 19 swings) and induced plenty of hard contact. The slider worked decently well, but the fastball and changeup were absolutely demolished, and even the breaking ball had its lousy moment, the Vierling homer, which, funny enough, didn’t even register as a hard-hit ball.
Perhaps in preparation for his likely role during the regular season, albeit with the caveat of facing a weak lineup once most of the starters had left, Ryan Yarbrough contributed three scoreless, efficient innings, needing only 35 pitches to do so. What was a 7-0 deficit when Gil left the mound got tacked on to 12-0 as the Tigers added five more runs against minor leaguer Zach Messinger in the top of the eighth. The highlight was a grand slam from Jordan Yost, the Tigers’ fourth home run of the day, one that helped Detroit complete the cycle of homers, with a solo shot, two-run homer, three-run blast, and the grand slam.
All that Gil failed to achieve, Framber Valdez had no problems with, pitching the type of game the Tigers brought him in for — even if, in this case, it was just a spring training affair. Reverting back to the pitch distribution he had early in his career with Houston, Valdez leaned into the sinker to frustrate Yankee bats for five scoreless frames with far fewer curveballs than usual.
In typical Valdez fashion, his success was helped along by an innate ability to keep the ball on the ground, where he recorded seven of his 10 outs on balls in play. Shut down by the Tigers starter, the only run the Yankees scored came in the ninth on a Jonathan Ornelas RBI single to avoid the shutout.
The other half of the split-squad Yankees will take the field tonight in Sarasota, as a lineup led by Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ben Rice, and Jasson Domínguez will take on the Orioles at 6:05pm ET. Baltimore will have the broadcast and it’ll be a battle of veteran starters as Paul Blackburn squares off against Zach Eflin. And of course, Aaron Judge will also be in action for Team USA as they face the Dominican Republic in what should be a must-watch World Baseball Classic semifinal. David Bednar, Paul Goldschmidt, and Tim Hill could also appear for the U.S., with Austin Wells, Camilo Doval, and Amed Rosario in play for the D.R. That will start on FS1 at 8pm ET; my colleague Peter will have a game thread available for both since they’ll overlap in play.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — After his struggles to find the strike zone, Hayden Birdsong seemed to find a breakthrough in his last spring outing. Now, the promising young starter might be broken.
An MRI revealed a Grade 2 sprain in the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, the Giants announced Sunday. Birdsong will fly to Dallas to seek a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister, but the diagnosis is a common precursor to Tommy John surgery.
“Certainly not the best-case scenario,” manager Tony Vitello said. “But hopefully we can get the best-case scenario of the unfortunate circumstances.”
Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong has a decision to make about his UCL. Getty Images
A Grade 2 strain typically means there is at least a partial tear in the ligament. Birdsong could attempt to rehab the injury and return this season without surgery. Reliever Randy Rodriguez pitched through a torn UCL but eventually needed to have it surgically repaired.
Birdsong was still around Sunday morning and “in good spirits,” according to Vitello, who had a brief conversation with him and the Giants’ medical staff. He said it would “probably be a day or two” before Birdsong decides one way or the other but added that “I would think” the 24-year-old right-hander would attempt to avoid surgery if possible.
“Obviously I’m not happy about it, but I feel like it’s one of those things where everybody kind of goes through it at this point,” Birdsong said. “Wish it wasn’t right now. I wish I could throw a couple seasons before something like this happens. Hopefully it’s not as bad as we think it is.”
Birdsong first reported discomfort in his elbow after throwing a scoreless inning Tuesday against the Guardians. He said that he felt a “pop” and a “rip” after a curveball to the last batter he faced.
“Just a freak (thing), one pitch,” Birdsong said. “It feels fine right now. Extension feels a little iffy, hurts a bit. … It was weird. It didn’t hurt (initially). I felt really weird and I threw it, and I was like, ‘That didn’t feel right.'”
The hard-throwing right-hander entered camp in competition for one of the final spots in the starting rotation or as a swingman out of the bullpen. He won a job in the Opening Day bullpen last spring and went on to post a 4.80 ERA over 21 appearances, including 10 starts.
But he struggled to command his electric arsenal, issuing 37 walks in 65 2/3 innings. He had a 3.25 ERA before walking 17 batters and surrendering 16 runs the final four times he took the mound.
Pitching coach Justin Meccage said they made an adjustment to Birdsong’s delivery before spring, but the same issues cropped up when exhibitions began.
Birdsong put himself behind the eight ball with eight runs, seven hits and three walks in his first two Cactus League appearances, recording a total of four outs. Only 33 of his 58 pitches across the two outings landed for strikes.
Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong was trying to earn either a rotation spot or as a swingman out of the bullpen. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
But after Birdsong’s last time out, Meccage said, “We were really encouraged about where he’s at [and] the progress that he’s made.”
Birdsong retired three of the four Cleveland batters he faced and threw 15 of his 21 pitches for strikes.
“It was 97 to 100 (mph) in the strike zone with four pitches,” Meccage said, later adding, “I think we’re to a point now where he’s feeling like, ‘OK, I can go out there and feel pretty good about what’s coming out of my hand.”
Then the discomfort started.
Straight from the department of bad timing.
“I don’t think the timing is ever good,” Vitello said before putting a positive spin on the news. “You can try to spin it [to him] as, ‘Now I can work on this’ … or ‘At least I have it behind me.’ He’s a pretty positive kid. … I think he’ll approach the whole deal the right way regardless of what it is.”
The Giants’ pitching depth was already a question after the only additions the team made over the winter were a pair of veteran starters on one-year deals, Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser.
President of baseball operations Buster Posey indicated the team was comfortable leaning on its assortment of young arms, beginning with Birdsong. The group also includes Roupp and McDonald, who appear primed to break camp with the big club, but also Carson Whisenhunt, Carson Seymour and Blade Tidwell, who haven’t necessarily looked like reliable depth options so far through spring.
Suddenly the stable of arms doesn’t look so stable.
“Yeah, I think a fair question of is there any doubt, or if you guys were going to throw out criticism, is: Is there the depth with the starting pitching when you remove a guy,” Vitello said. “But I think the depth, if you’re talking about the whole group, is still strong. …
“I would love to have Birdie be a part of that group because he does have a little bit of ability to swing back and forth between starting and bullpen. We’ll dive into who provides that depth on the starting roles but … I do feel good about the competitiveness and the depth.”
Mar 9, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Texas Rangers first baseman Joc Pederson (3) looks on against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Today the Texas Rangers are back in Glendale, AZ where they will take on the two-time reigning World Series champions from Los Angeles with the final week of Cactus League action on the docket.
RHP Trey Supak has drawn the road game starting pitcher assignment for Texas while the Dodgers will counter with RHP River Ryan.
Today’s Lineups
RANGERS
DODGERS
Joc Pederson – 1B
Miguel Rojas – SS
Andrew McCutchen – LF
Kyle Tucker – RF
Sam Haggerty – 2B
Freddie Freeman – 1B
Mark Canha – RF
Teoscar Hernandez – LF
Alejandro Osuna – CF
Max Muncy – 3B
Tyler Wade – SS
Andy Pages – CF
Justin Foscue – DH
Alex Freeland – 2B
Jonah Bride – 3B
Zyhir Hope – DH
Willie MacIver – C
Eliezer Alfonzo – C
Trey Supak – RHP
River Ryan – RHP
The Dodgers have a telecast or you can listen to the radio broadcast via 105.3 The Fan or follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Camelback Ranch is scheduled for 3:05 pm CT.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: A general view of the stadium during the sixth inning of the Spring Training game between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 10, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves and have 37 players in camp.
Optioned to Triple-A Reno:
RHP Drey Jameson
Reassigned to Minor League camp:
RHP John Curtiss
INF Luken Baker
Jameson and Curtiss were both players thought possible contenders for a bullpen spot. Indeed, there was some discussion that Jameson could be a closer this off-season, with improved velocity – he touched 98.7 mph in a game on March 1st. But it has been a bit of a struggle in the Cactus League, Jameson allowing eight hits and five walks in 5.1 innings. Curtiss hasn’t missed many bats: like Jameson he has as many walks as strikeouts, albeit only two of each over 5.2 innings. But I would lay good money that both men are going to see major-league action at some point this season.
After Ryne Nelson, we might see RHP Kevin Ginkel, RHP Ryan Thompson, RHP Taylor Clarke, RHP Drey Jameson, RHP Kade Strowd, RHP Isaiah Campbell and RHP Bryce Jarvis. I see Alek Thomas is back at Salt River Fields, after his spell playing for Mexico in the WBC. And speaking of which, you can use this thread to talk about the USA vs. DR semi-final, which kicks off at 5 pm Arizona time. Finally, this game will be on dbacks.tv, and we actually will get a proper Arizona broadcast of proceedings for once, hosted by Steve Berthiaume, alongside Tom Candiotti, with Todd Walsh on the field.
