Category: MLB

When Marcus Semien was introduced to the New York media for the first time following his trade from the Rangers, the Mets hadn’t yet acquired their new third baseman, Bo Bichette. 

Arriving in Port St. Lucie for his first day in spring training on Saturday afternoon, the veteran infielder finally had a chance to discuss reuniting with his former Toronto teammate. 

“That’s a big pickup,” Semien said. “I got to play with Bo when he was a 23-year-old shortstop, so now he’s a little older, a little more seasoned, and he’s learning a new position -- I was in that position when I met him too, learning second base. 

“Being in a new place and learning a new position can get uncomfortable at times, but because he’s such a pure hitter and a great hitter, that’s where I know he’s going to be one of the best hitters.”

Semien, Bichette, and Luis Robert Jr. are the big-name additions to this offense. 

While losing some key sluggers like Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso certainly hurts, Semien feels that the new pieces mixing with the returning stars and young bats make for a strong lineup on both sides of the ball. 

“It’s a loaded group,” he said. “We have a lot of All-Stars, guys who have played in big games; World Series champions, Silver Sluggers, all kinds of accolades up and down this lineup -- a good amount of speed, power, good defenders. 

“I look at the whole package, the lineup is one thing, but everyone is playing both sides of the ball. If we all score as many runs as we can, that means we’re running the bases well, we’re getting on-base, we’re slugging, we’re doing those things -- if we can all do that together, we can win a lot of ballgames with our bats.”

Semien himself is coming off back-to-back down seasons at the plate, but the Mets believe he still has the MVP form he showed during the ’23 campaign. 

The 35-year-old was in contact with New York’s staff all offseason, discussing his performance the last couple of years and adjustments he can make to help get back on track. 

“We’ve had a lot of conversations,” he said. “And those conversations were good. I think I’ve been able to control the strike zone for the most part, but it’s about hitting the ball with more authority, and getting my body in the right position to do that more consistently.”

It’s well known that relievers are a volatile bunch. From year to year you don’t usually know quite what to expect, as mediocre relievers suddenly blossom and have career years and the guys you thought you could count on inexplicably struggle.

Sometimes this volatility doesn’t just show up from one season to the next. Relievers often have great months followed by terrible months even though their velocity and arsenal remain unchanged. Case in point, Justin Sterner, April 2025: 14.2 IP, 0 ER. May, 2025: 11.2 IP, 9 ER. September, 2025: 12 IP, 1 ER.

This makes it especially hard to construct a bullpen for an upcoming season, not knowing who will regress or blossom for no apparent reason, and who will pitch with at least some consistency from month to month versus who will ride the proverbial roller coaster.

Why are relievers so prone to this extreme variance? Some possible answers:

They’re Not

Perhaps relievers aren’t that much more volatile from season to season and month to month than other players. Cody Bellinger is a good example of a position player who has vacillated from spectacular to spectacularly awful without warning. In 2025 Cam Smith went from a 116 wRC+ in the first half to a 41 wRC+ in the 2nd half. Is the whole ‘relievers are volatile’ narrative a “perception” thing rather than a reality?

Small Samples Produce Large Variance

Relievers don’t wind up accruing large inning totals and anytime you look at 50 inning samples instead of 150 innings or 500 plate appearances, you are going to see more variance. This is especially true the more you zoom in: the samples cited above for Sterner are all of 11.2 – 14.2 innings each.

Perhaps the difference between a good season and a medium season, at least statistically, boils down to 2-3 gascan appearances totaling 3 IP and 8 ER which inflate the numbers in a 50 inning sample. A starting pitcher with one start out of 30 in which he lasts just 3 innings and serves up 8 ER still has a chance to put up excellent overall numbers.

It’s The Demographic, Stupid

Hey, no insults on AN please. OK I suppose it’s fine to insult yourself. Just don’t do it again, dumba$$. Anyhoo, another theory is that who becomes a reliever is not a random group of pitchers. It’s pitchers who specifically did not make it as a starting pitcher and don’t have the stuff to thrive multiple times through a batting order.

This might mean reliance on 2 pitches, in which case any time one pitch isn’t working you have a “one pitch pitcher” on your hands. Or it might mean not being good enough to crack the “best 5” — including the flaw of not being consistent enough from outing to outing, or from inning to inning.

Perhaps what got a reliever to the bullpen is precisely what makes him more prone to volatility: he has the stuff to pitch in the big leagues, but just enough flaws to require a slot in the bullpen rather than the rotation.

There’s 3 possibilities, any or all of which could be right or wrong. Here’s where you come in (to type a minimum of 3 words, new rules) and weigh in on whether any of these are correct or what other factors might be in play. And if you have truly figured it out, by all means share it with the A’s because I can assure you no one in MLB has all the answers — or relievers would be a lot more consistent and bullpens would be much easier to assemble.

Brendon Little is a 29-year-old, left-handed reliever. The Jays picked him up from the Cubs in November 2023. When we picked him up, he had less than an inning of major league experience. The Jays liked that got ground balls. Lots of ground balls, thinking that would be a nice combination with their good infield defense. He still has an option year left.

He threw 45.2 innings in 2024, with a 18.7% strikeout rate. In 2025, he threw 68.1 innings and had a 30.8% strikeout rate. Unfortunately, the walk rate also increased substantially, from 9.8% to 15.3%.

Little had a 70.9% ground ball rate in 2024, dropping to 59.0% in 2025 (still very high).

There are a few great stats from last season:

• Whiff rate 100th percentile.
• Strikeout rate 92nd percentile.
• Ground ball rate 97th percentile.
• Barrel rate 80th percentile.

But then there was some bad stats:

• Walk rate 1st percentile.
• Hard hit rate 2nd percentile.

And, as we know, he had a great first half of the season (2.03 ERA, .177/.305/.234, in 44.1) than the second half (4.88, .230/.355/.345 in 24 innings). And, of course, the playoffs didn’t go well for him. He allowed two home runs during the regular season and two home runs in the playoffs.

Brendon was part of a story about the Jays in the Athletic this morning (nice timing). In it, he says that he warmed up too often and too vigorously during games last year, and tired himself out. He mentions that he threw in the pen three times, as well as throwing two other times, before coming into the playoff game, where he gave up the home run to Cal Raleigh.

He also said that he is going to warm up at “80%” before coming into games and “70%” before games, feeling that he tired himself out as the season went on.

And, he also said that he is adding a couple of pitches, a slider and a ‘tweaked’ four-seam fastball, to give him more pitches he can throw in the zone.

Last year he threw three pitches: a knuckle curve (46% of the time), sinker (45.6%) and an occasion cutter (7.8%).

Being a two-pitch pitcher worked for the first half of the season, but batters figured out that he tended to throw the knuckle curve below the strike zone most of the time. Once they realized they didn’t have to chase it, it wasn’t as effective (surprising, isn’t it).

The question is ‘Will he be a high-leverage reliever again this year?’

Since he and Mason Fluharty are the only lefty relievers who are on the 40-man (though Eric Lauer may well be a reliever this year), odds are pretty good that Little will be a high-leverage guy again.

Steamer figured Little will pitch in 54 games, with a 3.41 ERA (and 10 holds, he had team leading 30 last year).

In honor of the Philadelphia Phillies playing host to the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, we here at The Good Phight are launching a yearlong series that focuses on the history of the Phillies and the All-Star Game. Check back regularly for posts about the Phillies participation (or lack thereof) in the Midsummer Classic over its history.

Last time in this series, we learned about the three players from the 1930s Phillies era that appeared in one career All-Star game. Today, we’ll move on to the 1940s. To be completely transparent, there were a lot of them in this decade, as the Phillies were not a particularly good ballclub then (shocker I know), so we’re going to break them up into two posts.

Merrill May, 1940

A 5’11 third baseman from Indiana, Merrill “Pinky” May signed with the New York Yankees upon graduating Indiana University in 1932. May was a star centerfielder at his alma mater and served as c0-captain of a Big 10 Championship team his senior year. College was also where he was bestowed the nickname of “Pinky” due to his face often turning bright red when he was angry. The Yankees sent May to the minor leagues to begin his professional career, and unfortunately for May, that is where he would remain throughout his Yankees tenure. May advanced as high as Double-A Newark by 1935, but he was trapped there through the 1938 season.

That was when May was drafted by the Phillies out of the Yankees farm system. He would go on to make his MLB debut with Philadelphia in 1939 at the fresh young age of 28. May appeared in 135 games with the Phillies his rookie year, hitting .287 with 32 extra-base hits, despite suffering a late spring training injury on March 30th when he twisted his spinal column chasing a pop-up.

May got off to a strong start in 1940, as he was hitting .330 with 24 RBIs through the end of June. Despite the Phillies having the worst record in baseball at 23-44 at the time of the All-Star game, the Phillies sent four representatives to the game, and May’s performance was good enough to be one of them. He was joined by pitchers Hugh Mulcahy (more on him later) and Kirby Higbe as well as manager Doc Prothro at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis.

None of the Phillies player representatives started, but May did find his way into the game as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning for the Dodgers’ Cookie Lavagetto with the National League leading 3-0. May came to the plate in the bottom half of the inning to face the Tigers’ Bobo Newsom and flew out to center in a full count. The Phillies third baseman got another chance to hit in the bottom of the eighth with a runner on third and two outs. But the first pitch from Cleveland’s Bob Feller hit May, putting runners at the corners for the Cardinals’ own Terry Moore, but Feller erased the threat with a strikeout. Nevertheless, despite the Phillies’ rather small impact, the NL went on to beat the AL by a final score of 4-0.

May went on to finish the 1940 season hitting .293 with a .954 fielding percentage at third. He would play three more years for the Phillies, hitting a very pedestrian .264 with a .667 OPS. Then in 1944, the 33-year-old May enlisted in the Navy where he played for the Great Lakes Naval Station team before being deployed to the Pacific theater of World War II. While there, May played for baseball teams that entertained soldiers fighting on the front lines. He was eventually stationed on the island of Tinian, where his makeshift home was less than 100 yards from an airstrip where he watched American B-29 bombers take off for bombing runs over Japan. One such plane he witnessed take off in 1945 was the Enola Gay leaving on its mission on August 6th to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

After the war, May returned to the Phillies but never again appeared in a Major League game. He was released by Philadelphia on May 7th, 1946, and rather than sign with the Pirates as a third baseman, May decided to pursue a managerial career. He first served as a player-manager for the Pirates Single-A affiliate in Albany before moving to the Cleveland organization through 1962. He then had his final stops in the systems of the Yankees and Reds, during the latter of which May became the last person to manage Satchel Paige in 1966 with the Peninsula Grays of the Carolina League. May then made his way back to the Cleveland organization where he managed his son Milt before finally retiring in 1972.

Hugh Mulcahy, 1940

Like his teammate May, Hugh Mulcahy was also a representative of the Phillies at the 1940 All-Star game. Nicknamed “losing pitcher”, Mulcahy led all of baseball in losses twice in six seasons with the Phillies. At the time of the All-Star break in 1940, Mulcahy had a 7-10 record but that was despite a solid 3.44 ERA. That was even after Mulcahy allowed eight runs in just 1.1 IP against the Giants a mere four days before the All-Star game. Luckily for Mulcahy, his numbers were still good enough to get him named to the NL’s team. Unluckily for him however, he did not see the field in the game.

That bad luck seemed to foreshadow much of his next calendar year. Mulcahy returned to the Phillies after the break and won his first five starts, all of which were complete games, to bring his season record above .500 for the first time since June 27th. But the reality of playing on the 1940 Phillies came crashing back down on Mulcahy, as he then embarked on a twelve-game losing streak that started on August 4th and didn’t end until Mulcahy’s last start of the season on September 27th. He didn’t pitch as bad as one might think over such a streak though, as he averaged over 7 innings pitched per start, including two starts where he pitched past the ninth inning, but nevertheless Mulcahy still sported a 4.90 ERA over that span and allowed five or more runs in five of those starts.

The hits kept coming (literally and metaphorically) for Mulcahy. He finished the 1940 season with a respectable 3.60 ERA but led all of baseball in losses with 22 and surrendered the most hits of any pitcher with 283. That season would be Mulcahy’s last until 1945, as his bad luck was capped off by being drafted into the Army on March 8th, 1941, notably becoming the first MLB player drafted into the military. The date of which Mulcahy was drafted had the added touch of bad luck by occurring nine months before the United States’ entry into World War II. It was also right on the eve of Mulcahy possibly being bought by the Brooklyn Dodgers, who finished second in the NL in 1940, for the price of $75,000. The timing ended up costing Mulcahy five full seasons in the Majors, having left for the Army at age 26 and returning at age 31.

Ultimately, Mulcahy would pitch in only 23 more MLB games after being honorably discharged by the Army on August 5th, 1945. He played in Philadelphia until asking for and being granted a release following the 1946 season. Mulcahy then signed with the Pirates who ultimately released him on May 11th after appearing in only two games. He then bounced around the minor leagues for the Chicago White Sox before retiring in 1951 and embarking on a career as a pitching coach.

Danny Litwhiler, 1942

Not many people may have ever heard of Danny Litwhiler, but he continues to impact the game today in ways you wouldn’t expect. A Ringtown, Pennsylvania native and Bloomsburg University graduate, Litwhiler originally signed with the Detroit Tigers organization in 1936. He suffered a pair of major injuries to his ankle and knee over the next few years, resulting in Litwhiler being released by the Tigers in 1939. He joined his brother at a tryout for the Baltimore Orioles, and after waiting for a promised call that never came, finally discovered that the scout that wanted to sign him was John Ogden, who in the meantime had been hired as general manager of the Phillies and wanted to sign him to play in Philadelphia instead.

The Pennsylvania Dutch outfielder made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 1940 after recovering from knee surgery stemming from his injury with the Tigers. He appeared in just 36 games but hit .345 with 5 home runs. Littwhiler got down ballot MVP votes in his first full season in 1941 when he finished the year hitting .305/.350/.466. He wasn’t as impressive in 1942, as he was hitting just .265 by the end of June, but Litwhiler had not yet committed an error in the outfield after having a Major League leading 14 errors the previous year.

That defensive improvement was good enough to earn Litwhiler a spot at the All-Star game as the 21-54 Phillies lone representative at the Polo Grounds. The National League was defeated 3-1 thanks in large part to a two-run homer in the first inning from Rudy York of the Tigers, but Litwhiler was actually able to see some action. He entered the game as a pinch hitter in the sixth and hit the first pitch he saw from Detroit’s Al Benton into right for a single. His effort was quickly erased though, as the Cardinals’ Jimmy Brown grounded into a double play.

Litwhiler returned to the Phillies and finished the season hitting a very pedestrian .271/.310/.389. However, he became the first player in MLB history to play a full season without recording an error, a remarkable accomplishment considering his previous history of poor defense. Perhaps part of that success could be due to his fielding glove’s fingers being tied together by rawhide, the first time any player had done that to a glove in the Majors.

The following year, Litwhiler and fellow outfielder Earl Naylor were traded to the Cardinals in exchange for Herman Coaker Triplett, Dain Clay, and Elvin “Buster” Adams, all of which were also outfielders. The surprise trade of Litwhiler angered the Phillies fanbase who were given a “frothing-at-the-mouth argument that will enable them to take their minds off war worries for a few minutes” according to Stan Baumgartner of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Baumgartner wrote in the paper that fan reaction was very “bitter” and even talked to one man with a Texas accent who remarked “I saw that Clay play in the Texas League- and if he’s a big leaguer, I’m a storm trooper.”

Things worked out pretty good for Litwhiler at least, as he was a member of the 1944 World Series champion Cardinals while the Phillies continued to wallow in loathing and self-pity. Litwhiler, who was previously ineligible for military service due to his knee injury, was accepted for limited service in the Army in 1945 and rose to be recreation director for the 10,000 soldiers stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington state. He returned to the Cardinals in 1946 but was traded to the Boston Braves whom he started for on Opening Day 1947. That day was rather significant, as it was the day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers, the team Litwhiler’s Braves were playing against that day.

Litwhiler played for four more seasons in the Majors, having been traded to the Reds in 1948 and playing his last game with Cincinnati in 1951. He then embarked on a coaching career that started in the minor leagues but soon moved to college ball. During his time coaching is when Litwhiler created numerous inventions that are still in use today, such as the JUGGS radar gun and Diamond Grit, the drying agent that grounds crews use during rain delays. His prototype radar gun and his tied rawhide glove are both enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Sources

Baseball-Reference.com

Alan Cohen, Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) biography for Pinky May

Evansville Press, June 1st, 1932

The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 2nd, 1940

James C. Isaminger, The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 7th, 1940

C. Paul Rogers III, Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) biography for Hugh Mulcahy

The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 25th, 1940

John M. Cummings, The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2nd, 1941

Glen Vasey, Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) biography for Danny Litwhiler

Pottsville Republican, June 26th, 1942

Stan Baumgartner, The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 3rd, 1943

The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 2nd, 1943

Happy Valentine’s Day. Here’s to hearts, roses, chocolates and Atlanta Braves baseball.

Well, one out of four ain’t bad.

The first week of Spring Training is almost in the books, and there’s already been the notable addition of catcher Jonah Heim and the loss of starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach.

Projecting the Opening Day roster before Spring Training games begin is a fool’s errand, but luckily for you, that’s what we’re going to do.

This projection is based on who is on the Braves’ 40-man roster or in camp with the team and assumes that everyone is “healthy” six weeks from now. All the usual caveats apply related to injuries, acquisitions and the like.

Position Players

Catchers: Drake Baldwin

First base: Matt Olson

Second base: Ozzie Albies

Shortstop: Mauricio Dubón

Third base: Austin Riley

Right field: Ronald Acuña, Jr.

Center field: Micheal Harris II

Left field: Mike Yastrzemski

Designated hitter: Jurickson Profar

Bench: Jonah Heim, Sandy León, Eli White, Jorge Mateo

The only slight surprise here is León. Although Atlanta’s schedule to start the season isn’t menacing as the start to the 2025 campaign, the Braves do play 13 games in-a-row to open the season, including an eight-game west coast road trip, meaning that Atlanta could opt to give León a start or at least have him as an emergency option on the bench.

Heim’s ability to switch-hit and All-Star pedigree means Atlanta could carry three catchers on the 26-man roster once Sean Murphy returns from injury.With Baldwin likely to see a good-bit of time at DH, León gives the team the third catcher to open the season and allow the team to test-run their possible future position player roster breakdown.

Wild Cards: Kyle Farmer, Luke Williams, Chadwick Tromp, Nacho Alvarez, Jr.

Farmer was a late addition to Braves camp, and has played all-over the infield in his career with 300 career games at shortstop, 200+ games at second base, more than 160 appearances at third base and 19 games behind the plate. Yes, Farmer caught 15 games for the Reds in 2019 (although that was also the last time he appeared behind the dish).

Farmer could take the place of León or Mateo but Mateo’s speed and defense at shortstop could make him the more valuable of the two until shortstop Ha-Seong Kim returns from injury.

That note about Atlanta playing 13 consecutive games? Well, chances are at least one of those games will be a blow-out and that’s where Williams shines. Williams can play in the infield and outfield and is an excellent baserunner, but offers nothing with the bat. But as a position-player pitcher, he adds marginal value and being the 13th position player and 14th pitcher with the Braves is a roll he knows well.

Tromp could be an option as a third catcher to start the season over León after returning to the organization in the off-season. It would be a familiar role for the well-liked Tromp, who could get the call should the organization want the respected León to work with the next player on this list at Triple-A.

Nacho Alvarez, Jr. spent time with the catchers in the early days of Spring Training and that’s an interesting development for his long-term future with the Braves. If Atlanta is committed to see if he is capable of picking-up the position with an eye toward a hyper-valuable back-up infielder/third-catcher role at the big league level in the future, he seems almost certain to be ticketed to Gwinnett.

Pitchers

Starting pitchers: Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz

Bullpen: Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee, Tyler Kinley, Aaron Bummer, Dylan Dodd, Joel Payamps

Again with that whole 13 games-in-a-row thing. With Holmes, Elder, Wentz and Dodd all out of options, they all make the team out of Spring Training with the Braves starting the year with a six-man rotation and Dodd who could cover multiple innings in the bullpen. Payamps, who’d been a been a highly-effective reliever until struggling for much of last season, gets the nod as the fourth right-hander in the bullpen.

Wild Cards: Hurston Waldrep, Jose Suaréz, James Karinchak, Martín Peréz, Hayden Harris, Daysbel Hernández

Karinchak’s addition to the Opening Day roster was tempting but may be more sentimental than practical given the team brought back Payamps on a $2.25M deal after a brief audition late in the 2025 regular season. Karinchak, who was a standout reliever with the Cleveland Guardians, has had his career derailed by injuries and hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2023.

Suaréz, who was DFA’d by Atlanta but was re-claimed by the team prior to Spring Training, and Dodd could be in a battle for the third lefty in the bullpen or six starter with Wentz.

Waldrep and Peréz are two players on opposite sides of their careers who face similar challenges to the Opening Day roster. With Holmes, Elder and Wentz all out of options, Waldrep could find himself starting the year at Triple-A just because he has options left. If he shines in Spring Training or if an injury to any of the other starters arises, he could find himself with the big league team to start the season. Based on last season, he’s may be one of the team’s five best starting pitchers, but future roster flexibility may be more important than a few weeks of big league starts.

A late-in-the-off-season signing, Peréz was solid last year in 11 games with the White Sox. He has been an average back-end starter for most of his career outside of his stand-out All-Star season in 2022. Now 34, he’s made 20-or-more starts eight times in his 14-year big league career, and if healthy, could be an alternative to Wentz as a left-handed starter.

Harris offers another third-lefty option with his unique pitch mix, but barring a bombastic performance this spring, he seems likely to be an option for later in the season. Hernández has a big arm and bigger control issues and seems to be on the outside of the Opening Day roster bubble.

Will the Opening Day roster shake out like this? Not of the team finds that mysterious post-season quality starting pitcher or if a few injury bugs bite.

For nearly 20 years, the Yankees had an ace in the hole who gave them an advantage over every other team in the league, boasting the nearest the game has ever known to a true shutdown closer. Of paramount importance, therefore, was establishing a bridge between the team’s starters and Mariano Rivera, who lay in wait should the team hold an advantage entering the ninth inning. That role was filled by an endless stream of arms over the years, including All-Stars, phenoms, and journeymen. And, for one glorious month, Dámaso Marte served as a key plank in the bridge as the Yankees captured their 27th championship.

Dámaso Marte Saviñón
Born: February 14, 1975 (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
Yankees Tenure: 2008-10

Dámaso Marte was born on Valentine’s Day in 1975 in the Dominican Republic’s capital city of Santo Domingo. He signed with the Mariners for $2,500 as a 17-year-old, rising through the ranks of their minor-league system until debuting with Seattle during a five-appearance stint in 1999. But, after a left elbow strain cost him most of the following season, the Mariners cut the southpaw.

It was here that the left-hander would first intersect with the Yankees. “They released me after elbow surgery, and the only team interested was the Yankees,” Marte would later say of his exit from Seattle. “I signed a contract with a clause that [said] I would stay in the big leagues if I could make the team, but, unfortunately, I couldn’t do it and was sent to the minors.”

Assigned to Double-A Norwich, Marte fared well enough in his first extended action after surgery that he drew the attention of the Pirates, who consummated a swap for the reliever that netted the Yankees utilityman Enrique Wilson. In parts of four seasons in New York, Wilson didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet. But he became a fan favorite for one bewildering — and exceedingly valuable — trait. Wilson was the Pedro whisperer, hitting .440 against the Red Sox ace over the course of his career.

After spending the rest of the 2001 season in Pittsburgh’s bullpen, Marte was moved once again, this time to the White Sox. In his late 20s, the reliever finally hit his stride, making 279 appearances with a 2.78 ERA over four seasons. This included a pivotal outing in Game 3 of the 2005 World Series in which he tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless ball during a 14-inning marathon in Houston, taking home the victory as the White Sox pulled ahead to a 3-0 series lead en route to a sweep.

Ever the nomad, Marte was traded again before the 2006 campaign, this time back to Pittsburgh. After two-and-a-half seasons in their bullpen, the Yankees pulled the trigger midway through the 2008 season on a move that would bring him back to their organization. GM Brian Cashman parted with prospects José Tábata, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens, and Daniel McCutchen to bring back Marte and outfielder Xavier Nady. “It was hard to give up the players we did. I like those players,” Cashman said at the time. “[But] the players we got back – Marte and Nady – both will hopefully contribute to the 2008 season, and we have them for ’09.”

But Marte’s transition back to the AL would not be a smooth one. He posted a 5.40 ERA down the stretch in ‘08 as the Yankees stumbled and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1993. After losing the lion’s share of the ‘09 season to injury — and allowing more than a run per inning while healthy — Marte hardly figured to be a key element of the team’s postseason plans. But he did crack the playoff roster, pairing with Phil Coke as the team’s top left-handed options out of the bullpen. His role as a lefty specialist got off to a rough start in the ALDS, when he allowed singles to Minnesota’s top two lefties — Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel — in his sole appearance and was pulled by manager Joe Girardi before recording an out.

Fortunately for Marte, he would get a second chance to help form the bridge to Mariano in the next round. And, fortunately for the Yankees, he would take full advantage of that opportunity. In Game 2 of the ALCS, with the Yankees up a game and Coke already burned in the seventh, Marte entered in extras to face Kendrys Morales, a switch-hitter who’d hit 30 of his 34 homers that season against righties. Marte induced a groundout from the Angels first baseman before giving way to David Robertson, who would record the victory when Melky Cabrera walked the game off. He was back in Game 3 and, while it was the Angels who would walk that game off, Marte came on to retire another switch-hitter who struggled against lefties, Chone Figgins, and strand a runner in scoring position. Likewise in Game 5, when he retired Figgins and the left-handed Bobby Abreu.

But it was after the Yankees advanced to the World Series that Marte would truly distinguish himself as a lefty specialist par excellence. He appeared in four games, facing eight batters and retiring all eight. He gave particular fits to the left-handed heart of the Phillies’ order, with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard going a combined 0-for-6 with four punchouts.

Marte’s ability to neutralize Utley — who hit five home runs that series, four of which came against his fellow lefties — was a major factor in the Yankees’ ability to prevail. Marte’s heroics garnered him high praise from his manager.

“When we think about the 2009 World Series, we think of Hideki Matsui, who was the MVP,” said Girardi. “But, to me, the MVP in that World Series was Dámaso Marte. The Phillies [had] really good left-handed hitters. In the top of the eighth inning of Game One, the first two batters get on and I bring in Dámaso and he strikes out Utley and I go, ‘Uh, oh!’ Then Game Three in Philly, he strikes out Howard, he strikes out Jayson Werth. … I’ve got a super weapon here. Then Game Six. There’s two on in the top of the seventh, [and he strikes out Utley]. Dámaso Marte was the unsung hero of that World Series, and I’ll never forget it.”

Marte never reached those heights again. He pitched to a 4.08 ERA while limited to 17.2 innings with the Yankees in 2010 and spent all of the following season recovering from shoulder labrum surgery. At the age of 36, the injuries which had plagued him throughout his career led him to walk away from the game of baseball. He’s now a pastor at the Ministerio Refugio de Fe y Esperanza in Santo Domingo. But, for one incredible run, he was an irreplaceable cog in the Yankees’ bullpen and, in the eyes of his manager, the most valuable player on a championship squad.

---

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

It’s Valentine’s Day today, so I hope you will all spend your Saturday thinking about Bobby Valentine, who played for the Dodgers from 1969-72, or maybe 2005 third baseman and shortstop José Valentín, or perhaps Tom Lovett, a pitcher for Brooklyn in the 19th century.

Or maybe Sandy Amorós can get you in the mood after watching his incredible catch from Game 7 of the 1955 World Series.

Today’s question is a simple one: Who or what made you fall in love with baseball?

Former Mets starter Griffin Canning is officially off the board. 

According to numerous reports, the right-hander has reached an agreement with the Padres. 

Canning spent just one season in the Big Apple after signing a $4.25 million deal last offseason. 

He was expected to serve as depth for the big league rotation, but injuries forced him into the group, and he ended up providing a tremendous boost before going down with a season-ending injury of his own. 

The former first-round pick pitched to a 3.77 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over his 16 outings. 

Perhaps his most impressive one came in early June, when he tossed six scoreless innings against the Dodgers. 

After recovering from his ruptured Achilles tendon, Canning threw for teams earlier this month, and it didn't take him long before he found a soft landing spot in San Diego. 

Some were hoping for a potential reunion in New York, but the Mets' up-and-coming young arms give them an immense amount of depth waiting in the wings. 

Spring has sprung as Major League Baseball's 30 teams gather at camps in Florida and Arizona ahead of the 2026 season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers begin spring training as the favorites to win a third consecutive World Series title and are set to play their first Cactus League game on Saturday, Feb. 21. The first official spring training games take place Feb. 20, with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles kicking off the Grapefruit League slate on Friday afternoon.

With the World Baseball Classic beginning on March 5, participating players will soon depart their clubs' camps to gather with national teams. The 2026 regular season begins on March 25 with the San Francisco Giants hosting the Yankees.

Here's what to know for the opening days of spring training games:

MLB spring training schedule 2026

All times Eastern

Friday, Feb. 20

• Yankees at Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
• Royals at Rangers, 3:05 p.m.
• White Sox at Cubs, 3:05 p.m.
• Diamondbacks at Rockies, 3:10 p.m.
• Padres at Mariners, 3:10 p.m.
• Northeastern University at Red Sox, 1:05 p.m. (exhibition)
• University of Minnesota at Twins, 6:05 p.m. (exhibition)

Saturday, Feb. 21

• Astros at Nationals, 1:05 p.m.
• Pirates at Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
• Nationals at Cardinals, 1:05 p.m.
• Red Sox at Twins, 1:05 p.m.
• Braves at Rays, 1:05 p.m.
• Tigers at Yankees, 1:05 p.m.
• Phillies at Blue Jays, 1:07 p.m.
• Marlins at Mets, 1:10 p.m.
• Reds at Guardians (split squad), 3:05 p.m.
• Padres at Royals, 3:05 p.m.
• Rangers at Cubs, 3:05 p.m.
• Athletics at White Sox, 3:05 p.m.
• Rockies at Diamondbacks, 3:10 p.m.
• Dodgers at Angels, 3:10 p.m.
• Giants at Mariners, 3:10 p.m.
• Guardians (ss) at Brewers, 3:10 p.m.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB spring training schedule 2026, when do games start?

There are lots of projection systems that proclaim themselves the most accurate, the one that hits the target more often when talking about how a player will perform. It’s a tricky business because there are so many variables that go into a season that getting even half of the projection correct would be a boon to the system. This week, at Baseball Prospectus, they are celebrating PECOTA week, the one in which they reveal the projections about the teams and players based on their proprietary system PECOTA (Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm).

Don’t ask me about their math and wizardry because I don’t know either.

What I do know is that theirs is the system I find to be most accurate when trying to determine how well a player is going to play in a given season, so when that projection is given, I like to spend some time with it. Go through all of the different percentiles, how things could shape up if player X performs well or underperforms. There is a lot of information to go through, but some things do stand out about them. These are just a few of the initial observations about PECOTA’s thoughts about the 2026 Phillies.

It does not like their chances of winning the division

The initial release of the expected standings based on PECOTA projections always brings some consternation. The system always believes in the Braves and never believes in the Brewers. For the Phillies, right now, they don’t seem overly optimistic of their winning the National League East for a third consecutive season.

Now, the thing about these projected standings is they are pretty fluid. They adjust things based on the news that is received during the day. For example, when these were initially released, the Braves had an extra two wins while the Phillies were a few tenths of a win behind their current 86 total. With the news that Spencer Schwellenbach is expected to miss a sizeable chunk of time, things were adjusted a bit.

One thing that should be encouraging is that for all the gnashing of teeth about the team’s moves (or lack thereof) this offseason, PECOTA still sees them as pretty comfortable playoff team. It just likes the Braves to be a division winner more than the Phillies, which is understandable to a degree. PECOTA always loves Atlanta and nothing much has changed there.

But the Phillies? Don’t plan on getting a replica division pennant flag on opening day in 2027.

Adolis Garcia rebound szn?

Perhaps the most controversial signing the Phillies made this offseason was bringing in Adolis Garcia to take over right field duties from Nick Castellanos. A one year deal like this one shouldn’t bring too much controversy with it, but the timing, the cost and the seemingly preventative nature of it caused many to sneer in derision at the mere reminder of the deal.

PECOTA is a bit more optimistic in its projection. Garcia hit .227/.271/.394 with 19 home runs last year, a sizeable step back from his previous seasons’ production. His DRC+ of 91 (Deserved Runs Created) was markedly better than his 83 wRC+, yet still a below average number.

However, take a bit more of a step back and something should be a bit rosier. Here is Garcia’s 2025 season compared to his 50th percentile projection from 2025:

2025: .227/.271/.394, 19 HR, 75 RBI, 13 SB, 91 DRC+, 1.4 DRP
2025 50th percentile: .228/.292/.413, 25 HR, 78 RBI, 7 SB, 101 DRC+, -2 DRP

PECOTA was pretty optimistic about Garcia at least being a .700 OPS hitter last season, though still saw his on-base percentage being an issue. It’s kind of scary how accurate they were with that projection actually.

For 2026, the outlook is every so slightly rosier (50th percentile: .236/.295/.428, 23 HR, 74 RBI, 97 DRC+), seeing maybe some upticks in both his on-base and slugging percentages with his going to a better hitter’s park than the one in Texas. It does not predict the under the hood stuff, things like bat speed, chase rate and the like, but if we’re to guesstimate on that, seeing at least both of those numbers fall from 2024 to 2025 doesn’t exactly make one feel good. It’s still not great for the money that they allotted to Garcia for 2026, but at least on the baseball card stats, PECOTA thinks that maybe there is some improvement coming over what he did last year. If he gets to those 70th, or even 80th, percentile projections, well now we have something much better on our hands.

The offense as a whole?PECOTA still believes in you to produce

If you’re of a certain age and you have a couch or chair that is lower than normal to the ground, you know that getting older is not something that is enjoyable. Pay no mind to those commercials where people are out galivanting around wineries all day once they hit the age of 70, your body starts to betray you earlier and earlier it feels like. Try as you might, but Father Time remains undefeated against all challengers.

In baseball age, the Phillies are getting older, yet PECOTA is not really sure what to think of them. Looking at just the 50th percentile DRC+ projections, there is really only one that it sees taking a big step back. Kyle Schwarber is the biggest, but his DRC+ would go from the 154 to 127 this year. That shouldn’t be surprising as expecting him to repeat his MVP runner up season with something equal to it would be foolish. But the system still believes in Bryce Harper (120 DRC+ in 2025, 127 projection) and Trea Turner (103 in 2023, 109 projection). Surprisingly, it also doesn’t portend much of a cliff dive by J.T. Realmuto (91 in 2025, 99 projection)

The biggest one that I was surprised at was what it thinks about Brandon Marsh. Pockets of the fanbase don’t see him as more than a platoon bat and the front office would agree, going out of their way to mention Otto Kemp and others as potential partners to Marsh’s left handed bat. Yet PECOTA sees that if roughly 450 at bats, against who it does not know, Marsh would hit to a 102 DRC+, a ten point increase from what he accumulated in 2025. Wonder what more playing time against left handed pitching would do to help him improve against it. After all, how can you get better at the weakness if you’re never allowed to go against it?

Projection systems really like hitters that have produced well in the past. If you’ve done it often, it believes you can continue to do it over and over again, so long as there aren’t many major issues.

What rust? 

Yankees catcher Austin Wells didn’t see any signs of it as he caught Gerrit Cole’s first bullpen session in spring training on Friday morning. 

Cole consistently sat in the mid-90s with his fastball, touching up to 96 mph. 

“He looks great, he looks sharp, he looks like Gerrit Cole,” Wells told SNY’s Niki Lattarulo. “It was refreshing to see. That was my first time catching him since surgery -- I think he’s in full-season form and he could get outs right now if he needed to.”

Certainly an encouraging sign with Cole nearly a year removed from Tommy John surgery. 

The right-hander's exact timeline for a return is still a bit of an unknown at this point, but the Yanks are hoping to be able to get him back headlining their starting rotation by May or June. 

“The target is always between 14-18 months, that hasn’t changed,” Cole said Friday.

New York will obviously err on the side of caution as their ace progresses, though, as they can't afford to have him miss more time than expected with their pitching staff already banged up. 

Along with Cole, Carlos Rodon is expected to miss the first few weeks of the season, Clarke Schmidt is expected to be sidelined until some point in the second half, and now Cam Schlittler is dealing with back inflammation. 

If Schlittler doesn't have to miss time, he'll help hold down the fort alongside Max Fried, Luis Gil, Will Warren, and the newly acquired Ryan Weathers until Cole and the others are ready to return. 

What Tony Vitello is learning from ‘entertaining' infield coach Ron Washington originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants manager Tony Vitello is enjoying the Ron Washington experience.

The first-year skipper detailed the lessons he has learned thus far from the seasoned infield coach in talking to KNBR’s “Murph and Markus” on Friday.

“‘Entertaining’ is easily the first word that comes to mind, and I don’t know if that’s going to change between now and the end of the year,” Vitello told Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher. “And obviously, there are other attributes he’s bringing to the table, but it’s been entertaining for sure. And, you know, you talk about him helping me or giving me advice …

“I jumped in on some PFP (pitcher fielding practice) yesterday — more than anything, because I kind of wanted to be in the middle of it to see how it was going and the differences and stuff like that — and he was all over me about my fielding technique. And so I think we’ve had fun and he’s had fun with the players, kind of giving each other some locker room humor, jabs back and forth. But also, I can tell you, he was very, very serious about me correcting my technique on a particular ground ball.”

That sounds like Washington.

The 73-year-old is one of the more respected names in baseball, known for his blend of humor, seriousness and teaching abilities. Considering Washington has been in MLB since his playing career started in 1977, he is a perfect fit for the up-and-coming Vitello’s staff.

Vitello is learning as he goes. And having Washington, who just served as manager of the Los Angeles Angels, around helps the Giants’ new manager formulate his plan to make San Francisco one of the more enjoyable teams in MLB.

“So that’s the balance he’s got going on between having a lot of fun, but also bringing a lot of intensity to the ballpark. It’s one of the reasons why fans like Drew Gilbert is a player, why everyone loves Washington as a coach.

“And … when this year is complete, we like fans to reflect on the team and say, ‘You know what, it was a fun group, but they also played hard. They brought a lot of intensity to the ballpark every day.’”

Washington sure does bring “fun” and “intensity” to the Giants, as Vitello has experienced firsthand.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Last July, the Washington Nationals made Eli Willits the youngest first overall pick ever. With more famous prospects like Ethan Holiday and LSU ace Kade Anderson available, it was a bit of a risky pick. However, after a strong pro debut, Willits’ stock is higher than it was on draft day. Despite ranking behind Holiday in draft rankings, he is now ahead of him in prospect rankings.

And by the way, Eli Willits ranks ahead of Ethan Holliday in the shortstop rankings for those who were so bent on July 13 during the MLB Draft. #Nats#NextGenNatshttps://t.co/wAtKLf79en

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) January 21, 2026

While Willits was considered a very well-rounded prospect, there was one part of his game that caused some concerns. That was his lack of raw power. It is important to note he was just 17 last year, but his exit velocities were still below average in his pro debut. When you looked at him, he still looked like a kid because well, he was a kid.

Entering this offseason, Willits knew he had to hit the weight room. He will never have James Wood power, but if he can get to average power, Willits has star upside. The rest of his game is so solid. He has elite contact skills and plate discipline as a hitter. In the field, he has smooth actions at shortstop. Willits is also a well above average runner.

Willits acted accordingly, and was in the weight room early and often. All offseason, you would see him posting videos lifting weights. When you saw him on the field, it was clear that Willits had room to add weight. He still looked like a baby out there. His goal this offseason was to add some man strength.

Eli Willits knows what he needs to do to improve. If he puts on some strength, there are no holes in his game pic.twitter.com/Oar4d6BpPO

— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) October 23, 2025

It is not like Willits is tiny. He is listed at 6’1 and could still be growing. There is room to pack strength onto his frame. Willits’ pro debut showed all of his strengths and weaknesses. He hit .300 and had a great feel for the strike zone. However, basically all of his hits were singles. Out of his 15 hits, only two went for extra bases and none were home runs.

His slugging percentage was only .360, which is not very good. However, his .397 OBP allowed him to post a solid .757 OPS. For a 17 year old in pro ball, that is highly impressive. He adapted to pro ball like a duck to water, starting his career with a 9 game hitting streak. Most high school draftees either struggle or don’t even play in their draft year, but not Willits.

Eli Willits: 9-game hitting streak to begin his pro career 💥

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 Draft (@Nationals) has a .419 AVG with a .500 OBP for the Single-A @FXBGNats at just 17 years old. pic.twitter.com/UdtYGSCvFc

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 31, 2025

However, the physical limitations were still clear. Willits’ 90th percentile exit velocity was the lowest of any top 100 prospect. As the youngest player on the list, that is easy to explain away though. We will still need to see that improve though. As you rise through the minor leagues, defenses get better and Willits will have to hit the ball with more authority to get hits.

I think we will see him hit the ball harder though. Willits looked noticeably bigger and stronger when he arrived to camp a couple days ago. His lower half was so much sturdier and it was clear he put in the work. 

eli 👀 pic.twitter.com/BncCZtXsA6

— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) February 11, 2026

The before and after of Willits is pretty crazy. He truly developed from a boy into a man in one offseason. Given his age and bloodlines, this is not overly surprising. Most people get a lot bigger and stronger from that 17 to 18 mark. You start to gain that adult strength. 

Willits looking much bigger and stronger after the offseason, especially in the legs https://t.co/OImFWPiM2Ypic.twitter.com/tulGtBJEOx

— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) February 11, 2026

Another reason why I was confident Willits would add weight is just seeing his family. His brother Jaxon is the star shortstop at the University of Oklahoma, and actually a pretty good draft prospect. Jaxon Willits is listed at a sturdy 6’0 203 pounds. Eli looks like he might be close to 200 pounds after this offseason.

As we know, there are some potential downsides to adding too much muscle. It can come at the expense of your quick twitch athleticism. Hopefully that will not be the case with Eli. I do not think it will because his frame had room to add good weight before this offseason.

Even if he does lose a little bit of twitch, it would be a fine trade off. Willits needs the strength to reach his potential. With his feel for hitting, he will be able to maximize the power he has. It will never be light tower power, but he could hit 15-18 homers one day.

As long as he is able to stick at shortstop, the strength will be a good addition to his game. Even if he does lose half a grade of speed, I am still confident in his ability to field. The best part of his defensive game is his IQ and hands. Willits is so fundamentally sound that he does not need to be a hyper-athlete to be a good defender.

That also applies to the basepaths. He will be able to maximize all the speed he has due to his IQ and his ability to get good jumps. Willits loves trying to take the extra base and is a true grinder. He combines that hard scrabble style with elite talent. That is what made him the first overall pick.

Willits’ baseball IQ allows him to make the most of his tools. However, you can only do so much without power. Willits clearly spent this winter trying to add power. Given how he looks, I think the mission was a success. He is already the 13th ranked prospect in baseball, so it is scary to imagine his ceiling if he starts hitting for power.

Nick Castellanos already has a new home.

Castellanos agreed to a deal with the Padres for the veteran’s minimum, pending a physical, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed Saturday morning.

The Phillies, who were his home for four seasons, released Castellanos on Thursday with one year and $20 million remaining on his contract, which was initially for five years and $100 million.

The Yankees inquired about a potential trade prior to Castellanos’ release but receivd mixed reviews, according to Heyman.

His exit didn’t come without some fire.

The 33-year-old wasn’t shy about expressing his “disdain” for Phillies manager Rob Thomson and hitting coach Kevin Long

Additionally, he told his former teammates that he did not trust both of them since they never played in the majors — and it was not the first time he has aired that grievance.

In September, Castellanos explained he only wants to hear from those who have professional experience.

“The only opinions that I honestly care about are (from) the ones that have carried the stick,” Castellanos said during “On Base with Mookie Betts.”

“The ones that have put on the gloves and put on the cleats.”

The strain between the two parties is one of the biggest reasons Castellanos’ time ended early in Philadelphia.

Castellanos and Thomson often bumped heads, including when Castellanos brought a beer into the dugout after being removed for a defensive replacement and reportedly yelled at his manager in front of coaches and teammates.

Last season, Castellanos had a down year, hitting .250 with a .694 OPS — a significant dip from his last All-Star season in 2023 when he hit .272 with a .788 OPS.

He joins a Padres team that lost to the Cubs in the wild-card round.

While he played right field with the Phillies, the plan with the Padres is to rotate among the outfield, first base and designated hitter, according to Heyman.

The Padres already have an everyday right fielder in Fernando Tatis Jr.

Dylan Ross had such a good year in the minors in 2025 that he put himself on the prospect map here at Amazin’ Avenue, ranking 18th on our list of the team’s top 25 prospects. And that was before the Mets’ trade that sent Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to the Brewers, which effectively bumped nearly everyone on the list up a couple of spots.

You can read all about the the 25-year-old right-handed pitcher’s backstory in Steve Sypa’s write-up of him during the prospect list countdown. The short of it is that the Mets drafted him in the 13th round in the 2022 draft. The team was aware that he was injured at the time, and a lengthy recovery delayed his professional debut until the 2024 season, and even that consisted of just a one-inning appearance.

Ross finally got the chance to pitch a full season in 2025, and started the season in High-A Brooklyn, got promoted to Double-A Binghamton in mid-May, and got bumped up to Triple-A Syracuse in late June. In total, he threw 54.0 innings with a 2.17 ERA over the course of 49 appearances with a 35.7% strikeout rate and a 14.7% walk rate.

Whether or not Ross can be an effective reliever at the major league level remains to be seen. It’s not impossible for a reliever to pitch well in spite of a bad walk rate, but it certainly doesn’t help to have one. And for what it’s worth, the projection systems published at FanGraphs generally have him hovering around an ERA of four in thirty-something innings at the major league level this year.