2026 is already void of Pablo Days. | Stephen Maturen / Getty Images
As many suspected once the news of Pablo López’s ligament tear broke, the right-hander’s season is over.
One day into the 2026 season, the Twins lost their #1 starter to an elbow injury during live batting practice. López will now spend the season recovering after doctors reconstruct his elbow.
In terms of roster construction, this immediately knocks askew any perceptions of trying to win with this roster constructed from pockets sewn shallow. Joe Ryan, who spent last year in Cy Young contention, stays at the top of the rotation unless or until he gets traded; behind him, the Twins have a handful of back-of-rotation players, at least one of which now have to elevate their play if the team hopes to, as ownership insists, win with the guys they have.
We’ve already discussed on the site the different options Minnesota has to fill out their rotation, whether through elevated an untested player or bringing in someone still on the market. But whichever option the front office chooses, the team now lacks one of their best players, an energetic fan favorite.
The news of López’s surgery was not a surprise, but to all Twins fans, it was a disappointment, and fewer and fewer will be looking forward to the 2026 season. It’s still baseball, but the excitement that comes with spring has faded.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Eric Lauer #56 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 15th inning in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After that Canada/Finland, I’m sure I’m five pounds lighter.
Tomorrow, we get our first real fake baseball game of the year. The Jays are playing the Philles in Dunedin. It is a 1:00 pm start time and it will be on Sportsnet 1. Eric Lauer is listed to start the game.
And speaking of Lauer, he told Gregor Chisholm that, he felt, the Jays told him he would be in the starting rotation this season. But, after adding, Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, there might not be a spot for him.
“It is a little frustrating,” Lauer admitted during an interview with the Star this week. “I mean, I was told last year some things, like, for certain would happen this year, and then we made some moves.
“We got some great guys, so I’m not mad about that, but I think I’m still in a position where I’m in a great spot to produce and all I have to do is go out there and do it.”
I do feel for him. He was terrific last year, and, generally, that would mean he would have a spot in the rotation. But the team does have to do what they think is best, they had the chance to improve the pitching staff. It would be wrong not to do it.
Having the extra arm is great for the team, but not so great for Eric. If he starts the season in the bullpen and stays there for a couple of months, it would be hard to see him switching back to the rotation. If he really wants to be a starter, I guess he could ask for a trade, though it might be hard to leave a team that made it to the World Series.
He is a free agent after the season. If he were to get 30 starts and pitch the way he had last year, he’d be looking at a big contract. If he is a long reliever, he would likely be looking at far less of a payday.
Beyond that there isn’t a lot for Jays’ News:
Kevin Gausman talked about the possibility of retiring after the season. I’m expecting that he’ll be good enough this year to get offers that he would have a hard time refusing.
Shane Bieber is further ahead than the Jays thought he would be. He’s throwing ‘120 feet’. There is no rush to get him onto the mound, but he might get there sooner than we figured.
Shi Davidi tells us that Ricky Tiedeman feels good, thinks he’s ready to contribute and that he threw two simulated innings yesterday.
SCOTTSDALE, - MARCH 16: A general view of Salt River Fields prior to the 2024 Spring Breakout Game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
And so, it begins! The first time our D-backs have taken the field since September 28, and we now begin the slow march towards Opening Day, in slightly less than five weeks. You may be looking at the line-up above, and be going “Who?” with regard to our first starting pitcher of the season, Thomas Hatch. Well, unless you did the smart thing, and have been reading our series on non-roster invitees, anyway. 🙂 But to save you a click, he seems very much like a depth piece, with underwhelming numbers, and the peripherals don’t exactly stand out at great either. Still, someone has to throw these innings.
After Hatch, we should expect to see some or all of these over the rest of the game: RHP Andrew Hoffmann, LHP Philip Abner, RHP Isaiah Campbell, RHP John Curtiss, RHP Taylor Rashi and RHP Bryce Jarvis.
Otherwise, and with the obvious exception of right field, this looks – at least for the first couple of innings – quite close to what might be our Opening Day line-up. But plenty of time for things to change, between now and then. The good news. Today’s game will be a free broadcast through dbacks.tv. You just need to register with an email address. The bad news? It’s the Rockies broadcast, so you should probably expect only tangential mention of the Diamondbacks. Still, it’s baseball, and you can watch it. Beats working, certainly.
Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt (77) during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
I don’t have anything especially profound to share with you other than one new fact. We’ll have live game discussion threads for all of the St. Louis Cardinals regular season games obviously, but also now for all of the Spring Training games.
In a normal world, there wouldn’t be a lot to talk about during Spring Training, but the St. Louis Cardinals are in a pivotal year where there should be plenty to discuss. How does JJ Wetherholt look so far? Do Jordan Walker’s swing decisions look any better? We’ll have so many opportunities to overanalyze and overreact to everything and anything the St. Louis Cardinals do until they break camp for the regular season.
First Spring Training game is Saturday, February 21 at 12:05pm central time as the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Washington Nationals. I plan to be here and I invite you to the Spring Training baseball discussion party, too.
One upshot of the Mariners’ deep playoff run in 2025 is that fans have been gifted with the shortest offseason in Mariners history. It’s been exactly four months since Game 7 of the ALCS. Those four months have contained multitudes: a rollercoaster of emotions, the stages of grief, one of the most exciting free agent signings of the last decade in Josh Naylor, and somehow the same offseason discourse that we have every year.
All of that has led us here.
It’s not quite an Opening Day lineup. Julio isn’t playing the field. Luke Raley is leading off. Michael Arroyo and Colt Emerson are getting some run, which means Cole Young and Brendan Donovan will wait to make their Spring Training debuts. Dane Dunning is neat, but hopefully won’t be a significant part of the 2026 Mariner rotation.
But it doesn’t particularly matter who’s in the lineup. It’s baseball. It’s televised baseball. The frigid weather in Seattle tells us it’s still winter, but the sunny warmth of Peoria we can see through the screen gives us a preview of what’s to come.
Oh yeah, and the Padres play too.
It’ll be all Dane Dunning can do to keep Padres legends Nick Castellanos and Ty France under control, lest this game get out of hand.
Game time: 12:10 PM PT
Watch: The shiny new Mariners.tv (the successor to Root, if you were living under a rock all winter)
Listen: Seattle Sports 710 AM
If you’ve never commented before, a game thread is a great place to get your feet wet because the energy tends to move quickly. Think of the game thread like you’re watching a game with friends (or a friend of a friend, if you’re new here) – sort of a virtual living room or neighborhood bar – and treat it with the same respect you’d give the time and talents of real-life people (including your overworked and underpaid bartenders, aka the mods and staff). Even if you’re not ready to jump into the conversation yet, signing up for an account and signing in gives you a better experience on the site and is recommended, and as a bonus helps us out as a site as well.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 15: Chase Meidroth (L) #10 and Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox high five during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 15, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Even if there are some of you out there who, for whatever twisted reasons, root for the White Sox to lose, on one thing we should be able to agree: Beat the Cubs, always.
That includes a Cactus League opener on the road, with roughly three players likely to be in the White Sox lineup on Opening Day:
Jonathan Cannon, possibly THE mystery man at Camelback Ranch with regard to outcomes (heck, anywhere from Opening Day starter if he kills in Arizona to outright released if he picks up where he left off in 2025), gets the nod to start. As Malachi Hayes surmised earlier today, Cannon is on the outside looking in to the 2026 rotation — but the competition is open.
And there are a number of bubble players in the lineup as well, who figure to see a lot of game action as the White Sox bench gets sorted out: Curtis Mead at third base, Derek Hill in center, Korey Lee DHing, Tristan Peters in right and Tanner Murray playing shortstop.
No White Sox TV broadcast today, but you can catch the radio call at WMVP-AM 1000. First pitch is at 2:05 p.m. CT.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 07: Carlos Carrasco #59 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on August 07, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re officially one night’s sleep away from getting the Grapefruit League underway for the Atlanta Braves. With that being said, the team sure took their time before letting everybody know who’d be playing and most importantly, who’d be starting on the mound over in Port Charlotte against the Tampa Bay Rays.
As it turns out, ol’ Cookie Carrasco will be getting the ball to start the first game of spring training for the Braves. Atlanta Braves beat writer for MLB.com Mark Bowman also reported that Mike Yastrzemski, Jonah Heim, Eli White and Jorge Mateo will be playing as well.
Mike Yastrzemski, Jorge Mateo, Eli White and Jonah Heim will be the veterans in the Braves' lineup for tomorrow's Grapefruit League season opener against the Rays. Carlos Carrasco will get the start. John Gil will come off the bench.
As you would imagine since this is a spring training road game in February, we aren’t going to see too many big names in action away from CoolToday Park in North Port. Instead we’re going to see a very young squad with the aforementioned veterans peppered in there, alongside Carlos Carrasco making the start. Carrasco figures to be a very long shot to make the rotation for Opening Day but he’ll be getting the opportunity to hopefully make a good impression in his spring debut.
Bowman also mentioned that John Gil will play, albeit coming off of the bench. There’s a lot of excitement surrounding John Gil lately, as he is entering 2026 following a very good 2025 campaign and has already been garnering a lot of positive attention during spring training so far. It sure seems like he’ll be one of the main prospects to keep an eye on as the spring training progresses and he’ll certainly be one to keep an eye on during tomorrow’s contest.
Braves shortstop prospect John Gil has been turning heads this spring
So while we won’t see a lot of the familiar faces that we’ve grown used to over the years with this current era of the Atlanta Braves, we’re still very, very close to seeing the Atlanta Braves in action once again. Happy days are here again.
Aug 19, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) is greeted by catcher Will Smith (16) after hitting a two run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
For purposes of accounting, if a player reached free agency and re-signed with the Dodgers without going anywhere else, I included them as having stayed continuously. Evan Phillips, who was non-tendered in November but re-signed last week, still counts has having been a Dodger since they claimed him off waivers during the 2021 season, for instance. Neither Smith nor Muncy have reached free agency since joining the Dodgers.
A few other fun facts about the Dodgers 40-man roster:
Edgardo Henriquez, born in June 2002, is both the second-youngest Dodger on the roster (one month older than Ronan Kopp) and fourth-longest-tenured, having signed in September 2018.
Andy Pages, born in December 2000, is the fifth-youngest Dodger and the third-longest-tenured, having signed in March 2018.
Ryan Ward was just added to the 40-man roster in November but has yet to play a game in the majors, but he was drafted in the eighth round in 2019 and is the fifth-longest-tenured player by date acquired.
Mookie Betts and Brusdar Graterol are tied for fourth-longest on the 40-man roster, both acquired back on February 10, 2020, and are tied for seventh-longest in the organization.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 10: Antonio Senzatela #49 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch during a bullpen session at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 10, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Baseball is finally back!
After one of the most interesting offseasons in franchise history, the new era of Colorado Rockies baseball finally begins today with the first game of Cactus League play. The Rockies open up play against their roommates, the Arizona Diamondbacks, at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
Antonio Senzatela will take the pill for the Rockies, kicking off what may be an important spring training for the veteran right-hander. 2025 was a disastrous year as Senzatela struggled to be effective and was eventually relegated to the bullpen. However, one of the important things was that he was able to stay healthy. Under the new leadership, Senzatela is aiming to expand his pitch-mix and prove himself a capable starter in the final guaranteed year of his contract.
For the Diamondbacks, Thomas Hatch will make his first start of spring training. Hatch signed a minor league deal with Arizona after posting a 5.82 ERA in 12 appearances, including one start, with the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins last year. He made 18 starts with the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate, recording a 4.22 ERA in 91 2/3 innings and joins a field of players battling for one of the few rotation spots for the Snakes.
ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 13: Tré Morgan #25 of the Tampa Bay Rays calls his shot during the 2024 MLB Futures Skills Showcase at Globe Life Field on Saturday, July 13, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. He continued his improved, quieter two-strike approach in 2025 that built on his success retooling his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
NA
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
NA
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
NA
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
NR
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
NA
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
NA
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
NA
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
NA
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
NA
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
NR
17
Trevor Harrison
RHP
9
26
35%
10
18
Jose Urbina
RHP
13
26
50%
25
19
Tre’ Morgan
1B/LF
15
25
60%
4
Morgan pulled 15 votes in the previous round, tied for the second most in any poll this off-season. We didn’t get a poll up on Wednesday, sorry about that friends, but we are back at it for an interesting vote over the weekend. In the round for No. 19 only one player had multiple votes other than Morgan, and that was Baumeister (8). Next round adds Fabricio Blanco.
Candidates
Jackson Baumeister, RHP 23 | 6’4” | 224 AA | 4.62 ERA, 4.15 FIP (15 GS) 62.1 IP, 19.5% K, 9.6% BB AFL | 6 ER (1 HR), 9.0 IP (4 G, 3 GS), 10 K, 9 BB
A shoulder injury derailed what should have been Baumeister’s coming out party, as his previously plus breaking ball was expected to carve up Double-A. After a tough start to the year and two months on the sidelines, Baumeister returned in August and salvaged the season with a brilliant finish. The tough luck continued, however, in the Arizona Fall League, where a line drive struck him in the head, but he escaped without significant injury. Currently, Baumeister has taken on a fastball/slutter profile, with a slow curve in his back pocket, and has shown teachability and pitchability over the years. The former Seminole currently thrives on his frequently used major league fastball that may be better challenged by a promotion to Triple-A.
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Homer Bush Jr. 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Brailer Guerrero, OF 20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215 A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA
Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.
OF Victor Mesa Jr. 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.
Victor Valdez, SS 17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186
A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 14: Jancel Villarroel #89 of the Houston Astros bats during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros at Cacti Park at the Palm Beaches on Friday, March 14, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Trevor Gallagher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We’re so close to two very pivotal things! The start of baseball, and the end of the Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List. On Saturday, the San Francisco Giants play their first Cactus League game of the year. On Wednesday, we wrap up the communal rankings of the top 44 prospects in the organization.
Taking home the most votes on the last ballot is catcher Jancel Villarroel, who makes his CPL debut as the No. 42 prospect in the system.
Villarroel, a right-handed hitter, is one of the newest prospects on the farm, as he came over just before the start of camp in the Kai-Wei Teng trade. So we’ve yet to see him don a Giants jersey.
The recently-turned 21-year old signed with the Houston Astros late in 2022 out of Venezuela, and had a strong 2025. He spent the bulk of the year with Houston’s Low-A affiliate, where he posted a .746 OPS and a 123 wRC+, with six home runs in 85 games, and 20 stolen bases in 27 attempts. That earned him a late-season promotion to High-A, where his numbers came down a bit: he had a .699 OPS, a 91 wRC+, two home runs in 15 games, and no stolen bases.
While Villarroel didn’t post a great batting average (.259 across the two levels), like so many players the Giants have targeted lately, he kept the strikeouts in check, running just a 17.8% rate, made even better by a 10.4% walk rate.
There are questions about how Villarroel will perform as he climbs the ladder. He’s a very short player, listed at 5’8 and probably not much taller than that. He’s played all over the diamond (he has a not-insignificant amount of time at first base, second base, and all three outfield spots), but his lack of speed and agility make it hard to see him playing up the middle, and his lack of power makes it difficult to envision a career at a corner, so it’s probably catcher or bust. But catchers who can hit are always valuable, and that’s the hope with Villarroel, who should open the year as the primary catcher for High-A Eugene. It will be fun getting familiar with one of the organization’s newest members!
Now let’s add to the list. For the final time, we have some new names to choose from.
Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.
No. 43 prospect nominees
ScottBandura — 24.6-year old OF — .626 OPS/88 wRC+ in AA (186 PA); .838 OPS/136 wRC+ in High-A (373 PA)
SabinCeballos — 23.5-year old 3B — .670 OPS/102 wRC+ in AA (420 PA)
ReggieCrawford — 25.2-year old LHP — did not pitch in 2025; 1.04 ERA/4.07 FIP in AAA in 2024 (8.2 IP); 4.66 ERA/4.93 FIP in AA in 2024 (9.2 IP)
JoseOrtiz — 21.7-year old OF — .803 OPS/134 wRC+ in Low-A (66 PA)
Jean CarlosSio — 21.10-year old INF — .808 OPS/130 wRC+ in High-A (122 PA); .821 OPS/129 wRC+ in Low-A (385 PA)
CharlieSzykowny — 25.7-year old 3B/1B — .816 OPS/122 wRC+ in High-A (549 PA)
TylerVogel — 25.3-year old RHP — 18.00 ERA/6.47 FIP in AAA (2 IP); 1.13 ERA/2.42 FIP in AA (16 IP); 2.83 ERA/3.86 FIP in High-A (41.1 IP)
Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page.All stats are from the 2025 season.
CUBS vs. SOX: According to my research, this will be the 601st game of all kinds between the Cubs and White Sox. They have met in 152 regular-season games, six World Series games and 442 exhibition games, including pre-season, in-season and post-season. Of all exhibition games, the Cubs have won 204, lost 226 and tied 12. Of the 197 pre-season games outside Chicago, they have won 103, lost 87 and tied 7. Of all pre-season games, including those in Chicago, they have won 128, lost 113 and tied 7. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THE NEW GUYS: Of the 60 players in Cubs camp, 20 were not in the Cubs organization at all last year.
Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Porter Hodge, Gavin Hollowell, Connor Noland, Grant Kipp and Connor Schultz. Also, minor leaguers Frankie Scalzo, Zane Mills, Vince Reilly and Nick Hull.
Jonathan Cannon will start for the White Sox. Other Sox pitchers scheduled today: Tyler Schweitzer, Zach Franklin, Jairo Iriarte, former Cub Tyson Miller, Ben Peoples, Garrett Schoenle and Frankeli Arias.
Today’s game will be on Marquee Sports Network. There will also be a radio broadcast on 670 The Score, as well as on the White Sox radio channel, ESPN 1000.
Please note that during spring training, Gameday sometimes doesn’t go pitch-by-pitch as it does during the regular season — if not, it will update after each at-bat.
Please visit our SB Nation White Sox site South Side Sox . If you do go there to interact with Sox fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches live during practice at Ed Smith Stadium on February 16, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Baltimore Orioles/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s here. The first Orioles game of the spring training schedule is happening today in Sarasota. The game will be aired on both MASN (TV/streaming) and WBAL (radio) in Baltimore, so if you have access to either of those, you can even follow along. It’ll feel a little warmer with baseball going on somewhere.
This being the Grapefruit League, no questions about anything will be answered today. If someone does well, it doesn’t matter. If someone sucks, it doesn’t matter. Everything over the next month is just about getting everyone prepared for the real games come Opening Day.
As nice as it will feel to have good results, particularly the closer we get to Opening Day, really all that matters is getting through the camp season without more injuries piling up on top of what was already there when players reported. There’s already bad injury news here on Friday with the Orioles having announced the official diagnosis for Jordan Westburg, revealing an elbow injury that’s cropped up during his oblique rehab.
Here’s the lineup for the opener:
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Pete Alonso – 1B
Samuel Basallo – C
Tyler O’Neill – RF
Colton Cowser – CF
Adley Rutschman – DH
Heston Kjerstad – LF
Coby Mayo – 3B
Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
Trevor Rogers is the starting pitcher for this opening game. Pitchers expected to be used after him are: Keegan Akin, Jose Espada, Rico Garcia, Trey Gibson, Jean Carlos Henriquez, Enoli Paredes, and Grant Wolfram. They will probably not appear in alphabetical order by last name. Dean Kremer is set to start tomorrow. Further than that has not been lined up (or at least not revealed publicly) just yet.
New manager Craig Albernaz has already offered caution not to read too much into any spring lineup. We certainly should not make assumptions about how the team is leaning for regular season lineups based on this first spring game.
My question for you is, how much do you think this lineup will resemble the one we’ll get for Opening Day? I think there’s probably seven out of the nine Opening Day players here. This being the first game of spring, we’ll probably only see them for four or five innings and then it will be time for the reserves. Some of the reserves might even be players you’re excited to get to see a bit in the early games.
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Kazuma Okamoto #7 of the Toronto Blue Jays bats during a spring training workout at the Toronto Blue Jays' Player Development Complex on February 18, 2026 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kazuma Okamoto is a 29-year-old, right-handed hitting corner infielder from Gojo, Japan. He’s played 11 seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball. The Jays signed him to a four-year, $60 million contract (Ben Clemens at FanGraphs figured him to sign four years and $72 million).
Not that it means much, but he’s shown a nice sense of humour (he is serious and manly) and sense of fun in the few days he’s been at the Jays spring camp.
Rogers hopes to grow the Blue Jays’ brand in Japan. We are going to Japan next month. I’m going to bring a bunch of Blue Jays caps with me. Every holiday, I end up trading a Jays cap for something
Career he’s hit .277/.361/.521, with 248 home runs. Last year, he was limited to 69 games with the Yomiuri Giants because of an elbow sprain, but he hit .327/.416/.598 with 15 home runs. FanGraphs notes that he has the second-most homers in NPB since 2019.
He’s lowered his strikeout rate the last two seasons (15.9% in 2024, 11.3% last year). And there is a note that he’s hitting better against fastballs the last couple of years. He’s a pull hitter.
There are questions about his defense at third. FanGraphs says this:
Okamoto can show you nimble lower body stability and has feel for bouncing off the dirt and spinning into accurate throws, but he lacks range and struggles making plays to his glove side.
Baseball America likes his defense more:
In the field, Okamoto is an above-average defender at third base, and he’s won multiple NPB Gold Glove equivalents. He’s a plus-plus defender at first base and offers his signing team defensive versatility.
With Vlad at first, third is Kazuma’s spot. I am interested in seeing his defense this spring. I’m guessing he’ll move to first on Vlad’s DH days.
How will he hit? I’d like to think he’ll be around 25 home runs, maybe a .250ish average, .340-.350 OBP.
Steamer? They have him playing 130 games, 22 home runs, a .251/.323/.446 batting line with a 2.3 fWAR.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 15: Elmer Rodríguez #76 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 15, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the best days of the year is here! Spring training has officially opened, the Yankees kicking off their Grapefruit League exhibition series with a trip to Sarasota to take on the Orioles. The offseason may have been “brutal”’ and “frustrating”’ at times as Aaron Judge put it, but baseball is back and we can finally look forward to the season. Let’s take a look at the players who will be suiting up for both division rivals.
Elmer Rodríguez takes the mound as the Yankees’ top ranked pitching prospect according to several publications. The 22-year-old righty vaulted his way to becoming a consensus Top-100 Prospect in baseball after being named Baseball America’s New York Yankees Minor League Player of the Year. In 26 starts between Double-A and Triple-A, Rodriguez went 11-8 with a 2.58 ERA across 150 innings, finishing with the second-most strikeouts (176) in the minors behind the Mets’ Jonah Tong. He has a chance to impact the big-league club season, and gets his first true audition this afternoon.
Trevor Rogers was one of the biggest stories for the Orioles last season, going from a Triple-A demotion following his 2024 Trade Deadline move from Miami to one of the most effective pitchers in baseball when he was one the mound in 2025. Among starters with at least 100 innings, Rogers was second only to Nathan Eovaldi with a 1.81 ERA, also placing in the top-ten league-wide in FIP (2.82) and home runs per nine (0.49). He made a pair of starts against the Yankees last year, pitching six shutout frames of one-hit ball in their first encounter before getting tagged for six runs across three innings a week later. The 28-year-old southpaw leads with a four-seamer that sits 93, backed up by a pair of nasty breaking balls, his slider and sweeper both inducing whiff rates in excess of 37-percent. In 18 starts, Rogers went 9-3 with a 1.81 ERA (223 ERA+), 2.82 FIP, 103 strikeouts, and 3.3 fWAR across 109.2 innings.
For those disappointed not to see Aaron Judge’s name in the Yankees lineup, the captain generally has not travelled to away games during spring training. We will at least get to see four major leaguers start, with Austin Wells, José Caballero, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Amed Rosario making up the top four of the batting order. The rest of the lineup consists of non-roster invitees: Ernesto Martinez Jr., Marco Luciano, Duke Ellis, Kenedy Corona, and Ali Sánchez
The Orioles meanwhile go with a starting nine that could very well resemble their Opening Day lineup. Gunnar Henderson bats leadoff while Pete Alonso takes his first competitive swings in an Orioles uniform after his big money move from Queens to Baltimore in free agency. The rest of their expected infield has taken a hit, however, with both Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg absent after suffering a broken hamate and partially torn UCL, respectively.
How to watch
Location: Ed Smith Stadium — Sarasota, FL
First pitch: 1:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: Gotham Sports App, MASN, MLB Network (out-of-market only)
