Category: MLB

The Mets were bitten by the walk on Tuesday afternoon, and as a result had to settle for a 6-6 tie with the Astros at Clover Park. Each of the Mets’ ten pitchers issued a walk, and the team issued 13 walks in total on the afternoon—Houston walked just four. That, as Gary Cohen mentioned, is not a recipe for winning baseball games. The Mets ended up with seven hits on the day, while the Astros had nine hits of their own.

• Jack Wenninger pitched two scoreless innings in his first spring outing. The right-hander escaped a bases loaded jam in the first and a one-out double in the second to keep Houston off the board.
• The Mets jumped all over George Costanza Jason Alexander in the first inning. Juan Soto poked a ball through the infield for a single, and Bo Bichette rocked a liner off Alexander that ended up going for an infield single. Mike Tauchman, in his first at-bat as a Met, launched a three-run home run on a change up that just cleared the right field wall. Two batters later, Ronny Mauricio hit a solo home run to give New York an early four-run lead. Alexander did not make it out of the first inning for Houston.
• The Mets extended their lead to five after Marcus Semien doubled, advanced to third on an out, and scored on a Bichette sacrifice fly.
• Jonathan Pintaro pitched a scoreless third but allowed a run in the fourth and could not escape the frame. He pitched 1 2/3 innings of one-run ball, as he walked two, struck out one, and allowed one hit. Jefry Yan closed out the fourth.
• Huascar Brazobán and Austin Warren pitched scoreless, hitless innings in the fifth and sixth, respectively. Brazobán struck out one and walked one, while Warren walked a batter.
• The Mets added an insurance run in the sixth on an A.J. Ewing sacrifice fly, which scored Austin Barnes, who led off the inning with a double.
• Daniel Duarte had a rough go of it in the seventh, allowing three earned runs on three hits, with a walk and a strikeout in 1/3 of an inning. Bryce Conley was called upon to close out the seventh, and he did so while issuing one walk and striking out one batter in 2/3 of an inning.
• The Mets narrowly avoided allowing a run in the eighth, as Jose Ramos threw out Lucas Spence at home on a Brice Matthews fly ball to right field.
• The inning ending double play would turn out to be huge, because things got dicey in the ninth with Josh Blum on the mound. Blum loaded the bases on two walks and a single, and exited with one out. Colton Cosper came in and allowed a run to score on a force out, and Spence drove in the game-tying run on a two-out, two-strike single. The Mets went down meekly in the ninth.
• In all, the Mets got one hit apiece from Semien, Soto, Bichette, Tauchman, Mauricio, Barnes, and Tyrone Taylor.

Yankees 8 Blue Jays 7

We got to see the ball/strike appeal system, several times. It works great. Very quick.

Beyond that, well, the Yankees scored a lot of runs.

Jays pitchers:

• Grant Rogers: 2 innings, 4 hits, 2 earned, 1 walk, 1 k and he hit Aaron Judge with a pitch.
• Tyler Rogers: 1 inning, 2 hits, 2 earned, 2 strikeouts, 1 home run. It was fun to watch him pitch.
• Angle Bastardo: 1 inning, 1 walk, 1 strikeout. Game day shows he topped out at 98 mph.
• Jesse Hahn: 2 outs, 3 hits, 1 walk and 3 earned.
• Hayden Juenger: 1 out.
• Ryan Jennings: 1 inning, clean.
• Tanner Andrews: 1 inning, 1 strikeout.
• Nate Garkow: 2 innings, 2 hits, 1 earned, 1 k.

Batters:

Starters:

• Miles Straw: 0 for 3, 1. He’s hitting .167 this spring.
• Daulton Varsho: 1 for 2, a triple. He’s hitting .500. Played center after DHing the first couple of games. He’s played a more than most. I think he wants to get in a lot of at bats early.
• Jesus Sanchez: 1 for 3, RBI, 2 strikeouts.
• Davis Schneider: 1 for 2. .200.
• Leo Jimenez: 0 for 2, 2 k. .167.
• Brandon Valenzuela: 1 for 2, k. I thought he looked good behind the plate. .333.
• Josh Kasevich: 1 for 2. .500.
• Riley Tirotta: 0 for 2. .200.
• Ben Cowles: 0 for 2, 2 k. .000.

Subs:

• Yohendrick Pinango: 2 walks.
• Ismael Munguia: 1 for 2.
• Jake Casey: Ninth inning 2-run homer.
• Rafael Lantigua: 1 for 2.
• Arjun Nimmala: 0 for 1, walk, k.
• Cutter Coffee: 0 for 3.
• Aaron Parker: 1 for 2.
• Edward Duran: 0 for 1.
• Carlos Mendoza: 1 for 2, RBI
• Charles McAdoo: 1 for 2, double, 2 RBI, 1 k. He also made an error on a popup near second base, calling off the second baseman and then he didn’t get to the ball. .500.
• Josh Rivera: 0 for 2, k.

Tomorrow’s game isn’t on TV. Can listen on radio if you really are hard cord.

The Jays are now 1-3 on the spring.

For some reason I thought the game was going to be road game for the Jays but it was in Dunedin. I think I got up too early this morning.

Probably the most perplexing move the Yankees made this offseason was the re-signing of Paul Goldschmidt. After a hot start to last year — especially against lefties — he fell away towards the back half of the season. Plus with the emergence of Ben Rice as a legitimate hitter, it seemed like the Yankees didn’t have any worries at first base. However in the dying days before spring training, the Yankees brought back Goldschmidt on a one-year deal, confusing people.

You obviously can’t judge anything on one spring training game, but some early signs show that maybe the Goldschmidt re-signing could come in handy. The veteran clapped back at the haters (sorry), driving in four runs for the Yankees on Tuesday afternoon. Those RBI were the driving force as a representative Yankees’ lineup had a pretty good day on the whole, recording 10 hits in an 8-7 road win over the Blue Jays in Dunedin.

With the Yankees running out a fairly strong spring training starting nine, they got off to a quick start versus Blue Jays minor leaguer Grant Rogers. Trent Grisham led off the game with a single, and Rogers followed that by hitting Judge with a pitch. Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. then recorded a single each, both bringing home a run.

Meanwhile, Will Warren got the start for the Yankees. While he got one quick out to start the game, Toronto then got on the board as well. Daulton Varsho hit a triple which was followed by a Jesús Sánchez single to open the Jays’ account for the day.

In his 2.2 innings on the day, Warren ended up allowing just that one run on four hits, while striking out four. Among the other possible big league players for the Yankees to appear on the mound were relievers Jake Bird and Brent Headrick. Bird struck out two and allowed one hit in 1.1 scoreless innings. It was a similar story for Headrick, who put up similar numbers in 1.0 innings.

A couple innings later, the Yankees tacked back on to their lead. With Bellinger on base after another single, Paul Goldschmidt recorded his first home run of the spring, going deep to dead center field.

Two innings after that, Goldschmidt struck once again. Judge and Chisholm were on base after a single and walk respectively when the first baseman stepped to the plate. This time, Goldschmidt doubled to left field, scoring both runners. A couple batters later, Amed Rosario hit a hot shot to third that former Baby Bomber Ben Cowles couldn’t handle, scoring Goldschmidt.

As is custom in spring training games, the Yankees unloaded the bench. Not long after that, the Blue Jays’ backups gained some ground on the Yankees’ backups. Pitcher Bradley Hanner hit Davis Schneider and allowed a couple hits, leading to three runs crossing, including two on a Charles McAdoo double. McAdoo then attempted a steal of third, which led to an error on catcher Miguel Palma, allowing McAdoo to come home for another run.

The Yankees’ reserves did bounce back a bit after that. In the eighth inning, outfield prospect Jace Avina (once acquired for Jake Bauers) hit a long home run to left field to give the Bombers some breathing room. Toronto did make things close in the ninth when Jake Casey—son of former Yankees interim hitting coach Sean—homered to get the Jays within a run. The tying run got as far as third base for Toronto before the Yankees finally shut the door.

One general game note was that the Yankees had a quite successful day with the ABS challenge system. They correctly challenged six calls out of nine attempts.

Tomorrow, the Yankees will return home to Steinbrenner Field, where they’ll play host to the Nationals in a 6:35pm ET night time spring game. Offseason acquisition Ryan Weathers will make his first appearance of the spring and his first as a member of the Yankees.

Box Score

We have stressed all offseason that the battle for spots in the Nationals bullpen is wide open. That means we could have some surprise contenders pitch their way on to the roster. One player who made a strong first impression is Bryce Montes De Oca, who struck out the side in his first outing of the spring.

The 29 year old Montes De Oca has been a favorite of analytics types for years now due to his nasty stuff. He has a fastball that can run into the triple digits, a wipeout slider, a tight low to mid 90’s cutter and a changeup. The raw stuff is good enough to be a high leverage arm. However, he has run into health and control questions. 

Montes De Oca missed all of last season due to Tommy John, and has only thrown 10 innings since 2022. However, he looked good as new in his first spring outing. He was leaning on a nasty mid-80’s slider which accounted for all his strikeouts. The 6’7 righty also showed off his cutter, sinker and changeup. That one sinker he threw was 98 MPH.

I've been following Bryce Montes de Oca since his electric ST a few years ago, but he's battled injuries since then. Back on the mound at long last, now with the Nationals, and what looks like a revamped arsenal, with much more SSW mvmt than before. Power supinator profile. pic.twitter.com/aa9JKMtBEF

— Eli Ben-Porat 🇨🇦 (@EliBenPorat) February 23, 2026

This offseason Paul Toboni decided not to spend money on bullpen arms. Instead of paying guys like Lucas Sims and Colin Poche, Toboni looked for diamonds in the rough. Montes De Oca was one of the pitchers he signed to a minor league deal. He is a long shot to make the team out of camp due to his lack of work over the past few years.

However, if he continues to look like he did in his first outing, it could be time to have a conversation. It is not like the Nats bullpen is full of proven commodities that are locks to make the team. Sure, it has only been one appearance, but Montes De Oca looked much sharper than Andre Granillo, who had a much better chance of making the team entering camp.

Even before the Nats signed him to a minor league deal, there were people who saw something in Montes De Oca. His stuff just exploded off the page when you look at the data. In 2022, he averaged 100 with a 95 MPH cutter and a slider with crazy movement. Even if the stuff is a bit watered down after multiple Tommy John’s, what he showed the other night was still nasty.

Now a Free Agent, Bryce Montes de Oca is worth an MiLB deal.

Montes de Oca, 29, has some of the best stuff in the game and 3 MiLB Option Years.

Although his walks and injuries have been persistent, the upper-echelon stuff makes him tantalizing for teams: pic.twitter.com/FmvP07shuP

— Remi Bunikiewicz (@RBunikiewicz) November 18, 2025

Signing stuff monsters like this to minor league deals is a great process. If they fail to throw strikes or don’t look as sharp due to injuries, you can still just send them to the minors. However, arms like Montes De Oca do not grow on trees. He is unique, and unique is good in the pitching world.

Some of the pitches he was throwing before the injuries hit were downright ridiculous. There is one 101 MPH sinker that just moves across the plate that is totally nuts. It is one of the craziest pitches I have ever seen.

So Bryce Montes de Oca can throw 102 with elite extension and movement like this

cool cool coooooool cool pic.twitter.com/DWzTqwfNXD

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) September 11, 2022

Sure, Montes De Oca has 7.55 walks per 9 in his MILB career, but the stuff is filthy. He also has 13.31 K/9 in his career as well. It is a fun gamble to take for a rebuilding team. An example of this approach working out well, at least in a small sample is Clayton Beeter.

Beeter does not have the injury history of a Montes De Oca, but he also has issues finding the zone at times. However, he still posted a 2.49 ERA in 24 outings due to his swing and miss stuff. There were times where he just didn’t have it, and was not able to find the zone. On the flip side, there were other outings where Beeter just overwhelmed hitters. 

Bryce Montes De Oca is cut from the same cloth. When he is hitting his spots, he is absolutely untouchable. You are just going to have to have another reliever ready to warm up in a pinch because there will be nights where he does not have it. Even with his dominant outing the other night, Montes De Oca is still unlikely to break camp with the team. However, he will be a factor if his stuff looks this crisp.

 Who knows, maybe all the arm issues have forced him to clean up his mechanics and he throws more strikes. It is a long shot, but we can dream. Bryce Montes De Oca’s dominant outing the other night caught my eye and it should make you guys pay attention too. Maybe just maybe Paul Toboni found a diamond in the rough.

The Atlanta Braves took on the Detroit Tigers today in North Port, FL. With it being a home game for the Braves we saw mostly starters in the lineup and the debut Reynaldo López after his long injury absence.

The game started off strong for the Braves both offensively and on the pitching side of things. It is important to note that the Tigers only had approximately three to four starting caliber players in their lineup, but López looked solid in his two innings of work.

López only saw eight batters. He was not perfect, but he got the job done. He surrendered a single in the first inning to Kevin McGonigle and in the second inning he walked Zach McKinstry in the second, but he also secured two strikeouts along the way. One thing to keep an eye on is that while he was pitching two stolen bases happened. Grant Holmes came in to take over and also pitched two innings. He saw the minimum number of batters with six. He did give up a walk, but the damage was mitigated by inducing a double play.

Joey Wentz came in to pitch the fifth and it did not start well. He walked the first two hitter and gave up a single right after that. Luckily for Wentz he got bailed out with an outfield assist on that single, but a run scored. Wentz then settled down for the most part for the rest of his two-inning outing. He ultimately had three strikeouts, one HBP, two walks, one single, and one ER.

Owen Murphy broke the trend of two-inning outings for Braves pitchers today and finished up the game for his third inning of work by pitching ninth. He held his own with one hit and four strikeouts. His only blemish was giving up a bases empty double. He also had an ABS win as a pitch was overturned for a strikeout.

The bats for the Braves started the game hot. They scored three runs in the first inning thanks to a single from Olson, Riley reaching on an error, Albies hitting a double to score two, and then Yastrzemski continuing his hot spring with a double of his own. It should also be noted that Acuña walked, but when he tried to steal third, he was thrown out. This could be a good sign that Acuña is being aggressive on the base paths after taking a step back the past few seasons due to injuries.

The offense was relatively quiet until the fifth, but new Braves addition Mauricio Dubón reached on a single and ultimately score when Matt Olson hit a two-run bomb to make the score 5-1 at that time.

Back in the swing of things! pic.twitter.com/2wupnUOqfE

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 24, 2026

After the fifth the Braves brought in most of their subs. Prized SS prospect John Gil did come in game as well, but he pinch hit for Profar in the seventh and walked and eventually scored. The subs did not slow down with the bats at all, ultimately scoring three runs after the fifth inning to total eight total runs for the Braves today.

The Braves will take on the Pirates tomorrow at the same time and same place where the Pirates will send their ace Paul Skenes against the Braves’ Bryce Elder who is fighting for a rotation spot.

If Konnor Griffin had any designs on quietly making the Pittsburgh Pirates' opening-day roster, they can be put to rest. Baseball's No. 1 prospect doesn't do much of anything quietly - and that includes his first two Grapefruit League home runs.

Griffin crushed a pair of balls up and over two levels of Monster seats at the Boston Red Sox's JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida, on Feb. 24, staining the exhibition debut of Boston free agent signee Ranger Suarez.

Suarez hung a breaking ball to Griffin in his second inning of work this spring. To his credit, the 19-year-old did not miss it, crushing it an estimated 374 feet down the left field line, a shot that might have gone out of all 30 major league parks.

MLB's top prospect Konnor Griffin homers off Ranger Suarez! pic.twitter.com/LXDc4Ab4Bj

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) February 24, 2026

There was little flukey about it, as Griffin proved in his next plate appearance, pounding an errant sweeper from Red Sox relief hopeful Vinny Nittoli over the portion of the spring Monster in left center field. He apparently broke Statcast on that shot - it finally caught up and measured the drive at 440 feet, 111.2 mph off the bat - but the sound of it told all the story.

That's ✌️ today! pic.twitter.com/VarLMbSajj

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) February 24, 2026

At 6-4, 222 pounds, Griffin, the ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft, fits the mold of the modern shortstop with significant power. He still does not turn 20 until April 24.

Will Griffin be the Pirates' starting shortstop by then? A pair of February blasts in Fort Myers won't determine that. But as eye candy goes, it doesn't get much better.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin blasts 2 home runs in spring training

The D-backs haven’t had the best start to spring, winning just one of four games, and that victory coming by a single run in the opener. They’ve lost three in a row since, and have conceded an average of ten runs per game in that time. The offense has been doing a reasonable job, its .752 OPS sitting in the middle of the pack (13th across baseball). But the pitching has an ugly ERA, just shy of eight. However, it is fair to say that hardly any innings have been thrown by players whom we can confidently state will be on the Opening Day roster. Looking at our last projection, only two of the 35 IP (by Taylor Clarke and Kade Stroud) fall into that category, zero by starting pitchers. That’ll change today. Sort of.

Starting with Soroka. pic.twitter.com/my6WQpyJHY

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) February 24, 2026

Followed by some of: LHP Brandyn Garcia, RHP Andrew Hoffmann, LHP Philip Abner, RHP Isaiah Campbell,
RHP John Curtiss, RHP Taylor Rashi, RHP Bryce Jarvis, RHP Jose Cabrera, RHP Zane Russell and
LHP Carlos Rey. It’s the D-backs debut of Michael Soroka, who was originally signed to fill a gap in the rotation. However, the subsequent signings of Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen have moved him down the depth chart, to the point where his job is uncertain. Being paid $7.5 million means his roster spot won’t be in danger. But whether he’ll be a starter or a reliever is yet to be decided. Today marks the start of that process.

No broadcast available again today for this one, so follow along on Gameday.

The Texas Rangers welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to Surprise for a lower-stakes rematch of the 2023 World Series.

LHP Jacob Latz begins his quest to earn a spot in the rotation with a start today for Texas opposite RHP Michael Soroka for Arizona.

There doesn’t appear to be a radio feed for this one so you’ll have to follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is scheduled for 2:05 pm CT.

Go Rangers!

Gavin Stone is back on the mound for the first time in a year and a half, Freddie Freeman makes his 2026 Cactus League debut, and Miguel Rojas is leading off on his 37th birthday.

Today's #DodgersST lineup vs. Guardians: pic.twitter.com/XPQh5VYo9p

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 24, 2026

Tuesday game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Guardians
• Ballpark: Camelback Ranch
• Time: 12:05 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Lefthander Anthony Kay will be making his Spring Training debut with the Chicago White Sox as Tuesday’s starting pitcher as the South Siders face the 2025 AL West division champion Seattle Mariners. Kay was signed as a free agent by Chicago in early December, hoping to make a comeback in the majors after two years in the Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball League and an underwhelming career in MLB from 2019 to 2023.

Kay spent time with the New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays prior to finding himself with the Chicago Cubs, where he fluctuated between the minors and the big league club and appeared in only six games. His small sample size with the North Siders wasn’t bad — a 1.50 ERA in six innings with nine strikeouts — but he wasn’t able to find his footing in MLB. Kay spent the last two years working hard in Japan to refine his mechanics, adding a sinker to his pitch mix to adapt to Japanese batters and expand his arsenal, as reported by CBS Sports.

In 2024, Kay was solid in 24 games, posting a 3.28 ERA across 26 games (148 1/3 IP), and brought that down to a 1.74 ERA in 155 innings last season (24 games). Not only did he improve his ERA, but he remained consistent in strikeouts year over year, putting up 129 and 130, respectively, and also brought his WHIP down from 1.294 to a much more efficient 0.981. Walks were an issue for Kay in his previous MLB stint, but he brought that down from a 10-13% walk rate to 6.8% in 2025 with the Yokohama Bay Stars.

Kay joins fellow NPB star Munetaka Murakami as teammates this season, and the shared NPB experience could be helpful for the two to transition into MLB together.

#ホワイトソックス#村上宗隆 内野手⚾️

vs #アンソニー・ケイ 投手ノーカット🎥

NPB対決は……👀#WhiteSox #swallows#baystars️pic.twitter.com/ClgTeSwwdQ

— Masaya Kotani (@MasayaKotani) February 19, 2026

Mune isn’t in the lineup today to get a breather, but so far, he has been solid in his first 10 at-bats (4-for-10) with two doubles, and it’s only Spring Training, and it’s the first week, but fans are so far liking what they are seeing.

Curtis Mead will be leading off and taking over first base for Murakami, while Edgar Quero will hold down the two-spot and complete the battery with Kay. Lenyn Sosa will flex into the three-hole to see how his strong performance at the plate last year will transfer into this season, especially with fewer defensive holes for him to fill. Sam Antonacci will make his third appearance of the spring and has been excellent thus far in his small sample size, batting .500 while competing for a spot on the team before he heads to compete for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

Here’s how the South Siders will round out the lineup:

Tuesday's squad: pic.twitter.com/vI4OPgCXak

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) February 24, 2026

George Kirby is supposed to make the start for the Mariners, his first in Spring Training this season. Kirby has a career MLB 3.58 ERA, all with Seattle since being drafted in 2019.

Here’s how The M’s will line ‘em up today:

Big Kirb on the mound. #TridentsUppic.twitter.com/JQTV5Y1tna

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) February 24, 2026

Today’s game is actually watchable! If you have MLB.TV, that is. You can tune into the Mariners TV or radio broadcast, or follow along on MLB Gameday at 2:10 p.m. CT.

Mentally and physically embiggened by an off-day on Monday, the Cincinnati Reds return to the field on Tuesday still seeking their first victory in Cactus League play. So far, they’re 0-2 after dropping games to both the Cleveland Guardians and Seattle Mariners, and now their tour of American League squads sees them face off against the Kansas City Royals.

Andrew Abbott will toe the rubber for the first time this spring as the starter on the day, and there’s a chance we could see Brandon Williamson at some point today for the first time in over a year, too. Hat tip to Doug Gray of Redleg Nation for linking to the travel roster on the day, where Williamson is joined by both Pierce Johnson and Sam Moll as relievers eyeing Opening Day roster spots who will be available today.

Of note is that Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez are both back in the lineup today after playing in the Reds most recent game on Sunday. They’re joined by Matt McLain, too, who is hitting 2nd for the 2nd consecutive game in what’s pretty clearly a top of the order that manager Terry Francona desperately wants to make work despite it not being too conducive in 2025.

First pitch is set for 3:05 PM ET, though you’re sadly not going to be able to watch it anywhere lest you be sitting in the stands at Goodyear Ballpark.

Go Reds!

Today, the Guardians put their perfect record on the line against the World Champs. Here’s the lineup:

LF Nolan Jones

3B Juan Brito

1B Kyle Manzardo

C Austin Hedges

RF George Valera

CF Stuart Fairchild

2B Travis Bazzana

DH Johnathan Rodriguez

SS Angel Genao

P Gavin Williams

The Astros Don’t Have to Fix Backup Catcher First, But They Absolutely Have to Fix It

Houston Astros fans have spent the first stretch of spring training circling the obvious needs. A left-handed bat in the outfield. Another dependable arm for the rotation. Speculation around Isaac Paredes and potential roster reshuffling.

Those conversations are fair.

They’re also missing something.

The backup catcher position may not be the Astros’ most important hole, but it is an extremely necessary one to fill before this season begins.

And pretending otherwise is risky.

---

Victor Caratini Changed the Standard

What Victor Caratini did last season can’t be overstated.

He wasn’t supposed to be indispensable. He was signed to back up Yainer Diaz. That was the assignment.

Instead, he became a stabilizer.

When Diaz struggled behind the plate, Caratini steadied the pitching staff. When Diaz’s bat cooled or fatigue set in, Caratini stepped in. When first base became unsettled, he logged 15 games there. When a professional at-bat was needed late, he delivered.

By season’s end, he had appeared in 114 games, including 49 behind the plate. That’s not a luxury piece, that’s structural support that mattered.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: he raised the expectations for what a backup catcher means in Houston.

---

This Isn’t About Blame, It’s About Reality

Caratini earned a bigger role as a starting catcher in Minnesota. You couldn’t afford what he was offered. You tip your cap and move on.

But moving on doesn’t mean ignoring the void, it means replacing him somehow, some way.

Right now, that void appears to be filled by Cesar Salazar. No disrespect, but there’s a difference between organizational depth and a proven, multi-role contributor capable of handling significant innings both offensively and defensively as needed.

And with the way this roster is constructed, that role matters.

Under manager Joe Espada, the backup catcher isn’t just a once-a-week starter. He’s:

• A second pitching coach in gear
• A defensive insurance policy
• A lineup flexibility piece
• A steady clubhouse presence
• A 70–100 game contingency plan

That role may not headline talk radio or dominate social media threads, but over 162 games it absolutely impacts the win column.

---

Not the Biggest Hole, But a Necessary One

Let’s be clear: if you gave the front office one move to make tomorrow, it probably wouldn’t be a backup catcher.

The rotation depth might be more urgent. The lineup balance might be more visible. A left handed bat might be more necessary. General manager Dana Brown has a lot on his “to do” list and several holes to fill.

But baseball seasons are rarely undone by the obvious weaknesses. They’re often derailed by the “we’ll figure it out later” spots on the roster.

Backup catcher falls squarely into that category.

If Diaz misses time, or even just needs consistent rest to stay productive, the Astros cannot afford a dramatic drop-off defensively, offensively or in pitcher trust. This pitching staff, like most in baseball, thrives on familiarity and communication. That’s not something you casually replace.

Caratini wasn’t flashy. He was functional. Dependable. Adaptable. Available.

And that’s exactly why replacing him is extremely necessary.

---

Championship Teams Don’t Leave Necessary Holes Untouched

The Astros are still operating within a competitive window. That means margin matters.

This isn’t about panic. It’s about preparation.

There are veteran catchers available. There are options who may not replicate Caratini’s exact versatility but can at least approximate his reliability. The move doesn’t need to dominate headlines.

It just needs to happen.

Because while backup catcher may not be the most important hole on this roster, it is absolutely one that must be addressed before Opening Day.

Ignore it, and you’re gambling on health, stamina, and internal growth all breaking perfectly.

Address it, and you quietly reinforce the foundation of a team that still expects to contend.

The loud moves draw attention.

The necessary ones win divisions and factor into extended playoff runs.

Following three straight disappointing performances to open spring training, the Athletics will host the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon, each team looking for their first Cactus League victory.

Right-handed pitcher Mason Barnett will start today for the A’s. The A’s acquired Barnett from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for reliever Lucas Erceg at the 2024 MLB trade deadline. He spent most of last season pitching for the A’s Triple-A affiliate before getting promoted and starting five games for the A’s in September. Barnett struggled in his first MLB opportunity, going 1-1 with a 6.85 ERA over those five outings. With multiple pitchers seemingly ahead of him on the depth chart, it seems likely that Barnett starts 2026 in Triple-A as the next man up should one of the A’s pitchers get hurt. However, if Barnett pitches well this spring and others falter or suffer injuries, he could earn a spot on the A’s Opening Day roster.

After Barnett, relievers Hogan Harris, Justin Sterner, Eduarniel Nuñez and Scott Barlow are lined up to pitch for the first time this spring. Barlow, one of the A’s free agents signed this offseason, has the ability and experience to provide a major boost to the team’s bullpen, if he can limit the number of walks allowed.

Here’s how the A’s starting lineup looks today:

Today's 9 🙂‍↕️ pic.twitter.com/zyKlIZfMHT

— Athletics (@Athletics) February 24, 2026

With the A’s back at Hohokam Stadium, all of the regulars are in the team’s starting lineup. The top has a bit of a wrinkle as Shea Langeliers will bat first today instead of Nick Kurtz who moves down to the second spot in the order. Additionally, Darell Hernaiz gets the start at third base today after impressing yesterday with multiple hits.

This lineup could very well be how the A’s roll out Opening Day in Toronto, with the exception of Junior Perez who is the lone prospect in the starting nine. Perez is playing because Lawrence Butler is still rehabbing from offseason knee surgery and not ready for game action yet. Hopefully this lineup will score more than two runs and give the A’s a stronger chance to win.

Here’s how the Brewers will line up for their game today against the Athletics:

New challenge unlocked

📻: https://t.co/Nvy2XgTrpf#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/RFrrnwoAff

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) February 24, 2026

Not a lot of starters in the Brewers lineup today aside from Sal Frelick and Brice Turang at the top two spots. The rest of their lineup is a mix of backups and prospects. What do you expect to see from Barnett today? Do you think he will positively contribute to the A’s this season?

Who is ready for more spring baseball? Time to secure that first win. Let’s go A’s!

The Mariners are hosting the South Side Sox in Peoria Sports Complex this afternoon, and giving George Kirby his first innings of work of 2026. Following yesterday’s 0-3 loss, the Mariners are sending out a suspiciously Major League-shaped lineup, with Michael Arroyo and Colt Emerson serving as the obligatory “guys who are just happy to be here.”

On the other side of things, the White Sox are sending Anthony Kay to the mound. Kay is a journeyman pitcher who spent two years across the Pacific in NPB. It’s his first start of the Spring as the former first round pick hopes to break his way back into stateside baseball.

Backing George up for the Mariners are Michael Morales, Michael Rucker, Troy Taylor, Blas Castaño, Alex Hoppe, and Nick Davila. For those keeping score at home that means three (3) Michaels are likely to appear for the Mariners. I wonder what the record is.

Today’s game is one of the blessedly televised games over on the new Mariners TV service with good ol’ Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr. on the call. I’m still not over the fact that baseball is back. It’s been a long winter without hearing those two’s dulcet tones.

First Pitch: 12:10 pm PT

Watch: Mariners.TV or on Mariners.com

Listen: Seattle Sports 710AM (sadly delayed until 7 pm PT, with live listen available via Gameday. Though I suppose you could watch the game now at work — I won’t tell — and then go home and listen with your family, impressing them with your incredible predictions. A kind of low-stakes Back to the Future Part Two.)

As a reminder, we’re hoping to build our community before Opening Day for what promises to be an exciting 2026 season and we’d love to have you with us. If you haven’t yet, sign up (it makes the site function much better for you, as a bonus) and jump on in to the conversation! This is especially helpful on radio-only games to keep the conversation flowing. And don’t worry about making a mistake – it’s spring training for all of us.