Daniel Jesus Palencia, the 26-year-old Venezuelan native, is the Cubs’ current closer. It’s his second year in the top spot, and so far he looks like he plans to stay there.
Palencia throws the ball hard and has evidenced decent control of his offerings. Last year, he had a losing record (1-6), but also logged a 2.91 ERA, with 22 saves and 61 strikeouts, in 52.2 innings in 54 games, good for 0.6 bWAR (1.0 fWAR). He have up 5 home runs and issued 16 bases on balls. That’s good stuff.
Projections generally have him throwing a few more innings but continuing in the same vein, which would be just fine with the Cubs, I would imagine. A 25 plus strikeout percentage, and a 10% or under BB% are other features that Palencia is predicted to gather.
Palencia threw three pitches in 2025, out of five he has on hand. His FB can reach triple digits and sits around 98 mph, his splitter travels around 88, and his slider is around the same. He abandoned his changeup in 2024 and his curve last year. He doesn’t seem to need them. He also throws a very occasional sinker, Baseball Savant says.
Palencia gets his power from his tree-trunk thighs and Cal Raleigh fundament. At 26, he should be able to keep those heaters coming for a while still.
MESA, AZ - OCTOBER 23: Yunior Tur #52 of the Mesa Solar Sox pitches during the game between the Salt River Rafters and the Mesa Solar Sox at Sloan Park on Monday, October 23, 2023 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
*In an effort to make the nomination voting easier for everyone, I will comment, “NOMINATIONS”, and you may reply to that with your picks and upvote the player you’d like to see on the next nominee list.
The voting continues and the winner of this round of voting is right-handed reliever Yunior Tur. A 26-year-old out of Cuba, Tur was always considered a large project as a pitcher but also one that has a high ceiling if he can learn how to pitch instead of throwing. His first couple years in the system were a big learning curve as he struggled to adjust to the States and better hitters, but Tur put up a solid season this past year, spent mostly at Double-A. The jury is still out on his ultimate role with the big league club in the future, whether that’s starting or relieving so watching his progress this coming year should provide answers on that front.
Joining the next list of nominees is outfielder Ryan Lasko. The Athletics’ second-round draft pick in the 2023 Draft, Lasko’s calling cards are his above-average speed and defense, though those also come with questions about his abilities in the batter’s box. That should provide him with a high floor as a possible defensive-oriented center fielder or fourth outfielder, but if he can show some improvement with the bat and unlock the power he’s shown he has in the past, Lasko would be yet another quality outfielder in the Athletics’ farm system.
The process for this public vote is explained below. Please take a moment to read this before participating:
Please only vote for one. The player with the most votes at the end of voting will win the ranked spot. The remaining four players move on to the next ballot where they are joined by a new nominee.
In the comments, below the official voting, the community will nominate players to be put onto the ballot for the next round. The format for your comment should be “Nomination: Player Name”.
If a prospect is traded, his name will be crossed out, and all other players will be moved up a space. If a prospect is acquired, a special vote will be put up to determine where that player should rank.
The voting continues! Time to vote for the 2nd-best in the A’s farm. Here’s a quick rundown on each nominee— the scouting grades (on a 20-to-80 scale) and scouting reports come from MLB Pipeline.
Núñez has an electric fastball that sits 97-99 mph and reached up to 101 last year, though the movement is somewhat lacking as hitters are able to see it a little longer. His upper-80s slider is his best pitch. It’s at least a plus offering that gets good depth and has posted high whiff and chase rates in the Minors. He occasionally throws a curveball, but that is a distant third pitch in his arsenal, leaving him with drastic handedness splits.
Núñez is inconsistent in his delivery at times, and that was evident with his inability to consistently throw strikes in his short time with the A’s last year. The arm talent is there to carve out a role for himself in a Major League bullpen, perhaps as a quality late-inning weapon, though he will always come with some volatility given his challenges with locating pitches.
Causey thrives with a fastball that hovers around 90 mph, but that’s because he has a funky sidearm delivery that helps him get crazy movement and deception with his arsenal. Causey excelled in his first full pro season, posting a 1.72 ERA across High-A Quad Cities and Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He’s a fast mover with a different look that could add to the Royals’ bullpen in the coming years.
Causey began the year with a sinker, changeup and sweeper, but he added a four-seam fastball this season to help him at the top of the zone. After years of working on adding a cutter, Causey finally found something that works with the four-seamer.
Zhuang leans heavily on his four-seam fastball that he can change speeds quite a bit with, throwing heaters that range anywhere from 86-96 mph, though it generally sits in the low-90s. His low-80s changeup has emerged as his best secondary pitch. He also brings a mid-70s curveball, low-80s slider and mixes in a low-80s splitter, providing a decent starter repertoire.
Zhuang, nicknamed ‘Z-Man’ within the organization, did a good job of staying healthy last season to silence some previous injury concerns. But while he has above-average command and enough pitches to remain a starter in the Minors, questions still remain about the effectiveness of his offspeed stuff, especially against higher competition, which could eventually lead to him switching to a bullpen role where his fastball can play up in shorter stints.
Turley falls in line with similar A’s draft picks in recent years — like Denzel Clarke and Rodney Green Jr. — as a toolsy outfielder with some concerns about his ability to make consistent contact. He’s got big power and is able to drive the ball out to all fields with great bat speed, but his strikeout rates throughout his career with the Beavers were somewhat alarming. The question over whether he can hit enough to tap into that raw power is something he’ll have to prove early in his pro career. He has a tendency to chase breaking stuff often, though he mitigates that issue somewhat with his strong ability to draw walks.
A big knock on Turley coming out of college was poor defense, but the A’s believe he is plenty athletic and speedy enough to improve and envision that happening as he grows into his 6-foot-1 frame. His body type and look in the box remind some within the organization of Mark Canha, and he’ll look to move through the system as a power-hitting corner outfielder.
Lasko is still trying to learn his craft from an offensive standpoint. He brings good plate discipline and bat speed, but pitch recognition is something he’s still working to improve. The A’s have also worked with him to rein in his high intensity during games. The power element he showed in college has also yet to show up much in pro ball.
Defense is Lasko’s calling card. He’s a plus defender in the outfield with a great arm and plays center field fearlessly with high energy. His speed is evident in his range, as well as on the basepaths. He’s another talented center fielder in the A’s system who could one day provide stellar defense in the Majors, but the hit tool is something he’ll have to continue improving to become anything more than a fourth outfielder at the highest level.
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Programming Note: Each CPL vote will run for around 48 hours, so don’t delay in making your
Before leaving for his third World Baseball Classic, Paul Goldschmidt offered a simple, personal reason for participating.
“It’s maybe the most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball.’’
And maybe there’ll be a magic moment for the veteran Yankees’ first baseman, in the twilight of a fine career, on a talent-loaded Team USA – favored to win the gold.
As play begins, 13 Yankees are scattered about WBC rosters, the largest pinstriped collection since the tournament began in 2006.
Austin Wells: Faster start?
Perhaps the WBC can be a launch pad for Wells.
Offensively last year, Wells got off to a slow start and didn’t build on 2024, his first full MLB season.
At the plate, “I expect a lot more out of him. As does he,’’ Yankees manager Aaron Boone said recently, referencing Wells’ .219 average and .712 OPS in 126 games.
Playing in his first WBC, Wells is catching for Team Dominican Republic, honoring his mother’s heritage.
And as Goldschmidt said recently, WBC play “can help you prepare for the regular season,’’ by facing better competition in a playoff-type setting – a different ramp-up than the exhibition schedule.
“You can’t simulate these really meaningful (WBC) games,’’ said Goldschmidt. “I think that’s beneficial.’’
Elmer Rodriguez: Breakout star?
Rodriguez and fellow right-hander Carlos Lagrange are the most exciting pitching prospects in Yankees camp.
Now, Rodriguez has an opportunity to showcase his talent for Team Puerto Rico, in what MLB.com called the tournament’s most balanced of the four WBC pools.
Rodriguez is scheduled to start Puerto Rico’s second game of pool play, against Panama (with Yankees infielder Jose Caballero on the roster).
Canada, Cuba and Colombia are also in Pool A.
In the WBC leadup, Rodriguez tossed three scoreless innings Tuesday against his old organization; last year, the Yanks sent catcher Carlos Narvaez to the Boston Red Sox for E-Rod.
With a four-pitch arsenal, led by his fastball and slider, Rodriguez – who reached Triple-A by the end of last year – could impact the Yankees’ pitching staff at some point in 2026.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.: World stage advantage?
Yes, this looks like a brief WBC stay for the Yankees’ second baseman.
Chisholm is one of six players from the Bahamas on Team Great Britain, residing in Pool B with Team USA and Team Mexico.
The lefty-hitting Chisholm is Great Britain’s greatest player by far. And despite the tough draw, he’ll get a personal chance to display his talent and plus-personality before entering a key 2026 season.
This is Chisholm’s free agent walk year, and he’s already discussed following up his 30-homer, 30-steal season with a 50-50 campaign – with a substantial payday to follow.
If he stays healthy for the full season, anything’s possible. However it shakes out, Chisholm’s important year begins here.
Yankees relievers: Highlight innings?
Last year’s trade deadline acquisitions of David Bednar and Camilo Doval were also aimed toward fortifying the 2026 club.
Meanwhile, fellow right-hander Fernando Cruz, added via trade before the ’25 season, became an important end-game bridge.
Bednar (USA), Doval (Dominican Republic) and Cruz (Puerto Rico) are all participating in the WBC, with a chance to pitch some big innings, while Yanks’ lefty reliever Tim Hill could potentially enter as a Team USA alternate.
Naturally, the overriding WBC wish of Yankees Universe is returning their pitchers healthy and ready for the regular season.
How this trio emerges after the early, adrenaline rush of tournament play is one more thing to watch.
Aaron Judge: WBC MVP?
Here's the latest, big stage for the two-time defending AL MVP.
In his first WBC, Judge is also Captain America - the signature player on a USA team seeking just its second tournament title.
Judge recently spoke about the inspiration drawn from the recent men's and women's Team USA hockey gold medal performances, and how personally meaningful it is to finally play for his country.
Plus, "this room has a presence,'' said Judge, who's elevated 2025 postseason performance was something Yankees fans had long hoped to see.
Tops on that list is Judge leading the Yanks up the Canyon of Heroes. Before that, he can lead Team USA to a title.
Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals hall of fame Ozzie Smith (middle) talks with infielders Masyn Winn (0) and JJ Wetherholt (77) during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
For a while now, it’s felt like most of the National League Central is just a step behind. In four of the last five seasons, the Milwaukee Brewers have walked away division champions, oftentimes by some distance. The only exception in the span was the St. Louis Cardinals, back in 2022. However, since that 2022 season, when the Cardinals posted a 93-69 record (and went two-and-out in the Wild Card Series to the Phillies), it has been a rather large fall from grace for the Redbirds.
Now, after a long (and active) offseason that saw the departure of a handful of veterans, St. Louis is looking to begin stacking up on young players and continuing to develop their young players already on the roster under Chaim Bloom.
The Cardinals, despite having some big names last season, weren’t able to make any major waves in the NL Central. And instead of keeping them around, the organization decided to move forward in a different direction with former Red Sox head honcho Chaim Bloom officially taking over for the departing John Mozeliak after a one-year apprenticeship behind the scenes in the front office.
Nolan Arenado was traded back to the NL West and the sunny state of Arizona with the Diamondbacks. Willson Contreras was traded to the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Hunter Dobbins and prospects Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. Former Yankees pitcher Sonny Gray also joined Contreras on the Sox, being traded in November for pitching prospect Richard Fitts, prospect Brandon Clarke, and cash.
Another notable departure from the roster include second baseman Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners in a three-team deal that also included the Tampa Bay Rays. The Cardinals sent theutility man to the northwest for right-handed pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, outfield prospects Tai Peete and Colton Ledbetter, and two 2026 Competitive Balance Round B draft picks.
These departures signal a new direction for a Cardinals team and franchise that is used to being in the driver’s seat in the NL Central. After a few seasons of treading water somewhat aimlessly, the club appears to have chosen a definitive direction. With these changes both at the helm of the franchise and with the names on the field comes a new crop of players that will begin to make their mark in a Cardinals uniform as soon as this coming season.
The biggest names to watch for the Cardinals include their most prominent free agent signing Dustin May, who came on with a one-year, $12.5 million deal to help lead the rotation and prove himself after a tough season split between the Dodgers and Red Sox. He could prove to be a useful trade chip for a retooling squad if he can bounce back. Elsewhere, there’s a host of young players that will take the reins, including JJ Wetherholt and Masyn Winn.
Last year with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, Wetherholt slashed .314/.416/.562 for an OPS of .978, and his play in 62 games at Double-A was just as good, if not better. His power helped him make waves in the minor leagues, and with his current spring training performance, smashing a 422-foot homer with an exit velocity of 105.4 mph against the New York Mets, according to our sister site, Viva El Birdos. If there was a player to watch for coming up, Wetherholt is the guy.
Winn is more established, with a solid body of work at the major league level. His last two seasons at the plate have been around average, but his defense is spectacular, and his wicked arm from shortstop helped him make an impression early both nationally and within the Cardinals organization.
The rest of the young talent on this roster is more of the post-hype variety. Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, and Alec Burleson were all Top 100 prospects once upon a time, but none has been able to put things together at the major league level. On the pitching side, St. Louis will hope that young starters Matthew Liberatore and Michael McGreevy can build on respectable 2025 campaigns.
While St. Louis is in a tough spot for now, they’re geared toward bigger and better things with the young talent they have on hand and are in the process of acquiring. They might have to go through some more growing pains in the interim, though.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 19: Chris Martin #55 of the Texas Rangers pitches during a game against the Miami Marlins at Globe Life Field on September 19, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at relief pitcher Chris Martin.
Chris Martin is very tall.
Martin is listed at 6’8”. Per B-R, there are only 72 pitchers in major league history who were 6’8 or taller. Given that there have been roughly 10,000 or so pitchers in MLB history, that’s a remarkably small number.
Weird fact…until 1939, there was no pitcher listed at 6’8” or taller in MLB history. But in 1939, two such pitchers debuted — Mike Navmick, listed at 6’8”, and Johnny Gee, listed at 6’9”. Neither pitcher was particularly successful — they combined for 96 career games, most of which came during WWII, when teams were hard up for players — but they were very tall and they pitched in the majors.
There was no one else of that height until the 6’8” Gene Conley, who debuted in 1952 and had a fairly successful career, which included three All Star appearances.
J.R. Richard was next, debuting in 1971. Richard pitched his entire career — which was tragically cut short due to a stroke in the middle of the 1980 season — with the Houston Astros, and was one of the best pitchers in baseball for the last several seasons of his career. Richard’s size was one of his defining characteristics, with contemporary stories about him calling him “imposing” or “towering” or something similar.
Pitchers Of Unusual Height* became more common beginning in the early-80s, with the number mushrooming in the 21st century — 55 of the 72 MLB pitchers listed at at least 6’8” debuted after Y2K. 21 of them have debuted in the past five years. Exactly one-quarter of all pitchers in MLB history listed as at least 6’8” pitched in the majors in the 2025 season.
* Yes, this is a play on the Rodents Of Unusual Size from The Princess Bride. I wanted to say Pitchers Of Unusual Size, but that appellation could refer to Rich Garces, or Terry Forster, or others who of that ilk. So in the interest of clarity and precision I’m saying Pitchers Of Unusual Height.
The increase over the years may be because society as a whole has grown taller on average. It may be because pitchers are fudging their listed height more. It may be because teams are making a point of seeking out taller pitchers than they have in the past.
I do wonder if the success of the six foot ten inch Randy Johnson led teams to be more open about the possibility of Pitchers Of Unusual Height having major league success. When The Big Unit debuted, he was the tallest pitcher in MLB history, and only the ninth pitcher to be listed at 6’8” or taller. While he was a highly touted prospect, there were also concerns about his height potentially being a hindrance to him.
Here is the BA write-up of Johnson prior to the 1988 season, when he was 24 years old and the #1 ranked prospect on BA’s Montreal Expos list:
Johnson’s fastball registers on the (slow) Ray Gun at 95 mph and his size puts him about a foot closer to the plate than most pitchers when he releases the ball. Johnson also throws a hard slider but needs to develop an offspeed pitch. He limited Double-A hitters to a .204 batting average, which is minuscule for a starting pitcher. Being 6-foot-10 makes it difficult to maintain a consistent delivery. Johnson has improved, though a 130-pitch limit last season kept him from working a complete game. Control problems were blamed for his second-half slump, when he lost seven of his last 11 decisions and his ERA rose from 2.51 to 3.73. Some scouts say Johnson’s future is in short relief, though the Expos are not ready to consider that option.
That write-up is fascinating for a variety of reasons — a draconian 130 pitch limit! — but of particular relevance to our discussion is the mention of Johnson having a hard time repeating his delivery due to his size. Long levers are seen as being harder to control, leading to more difficulty in maintaining consistent mechanics and repeating your delivery, and repeating your delivery is key to having quality command.
On the flip side, a tall pitcher is going to release the ball higher off the ground than a shorter pitcher, which means a steeper downward angle of approach to the plate, which makes it harder for the hitter to make contact. In addition, a tall pitcher is generally going to be able to release the ball closer to the plate, which makes the ball seem faster to the hitter. So there are inherent advantages in being a Pitcher Of Unusual Height, though it requires the pitcher to overcome the command hurdle.
That said, there has only been one Big Unit, who finished his career as a first ballot Hall of Famer with 103.5 bWAR. J.R. Richard has the second highest career bWAR of the POUHs, at 21.5. Only seven other POUHs have at least 10 career bWAR — Doug Fister, Chris Young, Gene Conley, Jeff Nelson, Dellin Betances, Tyler Glasnow, and Brandon McCarthy. Bailey Ober is 10th all time, followed by Chris Martin, who has 7.7 career bWAR.
Yes, there are five players who pitched for the Rangers — Fister, Young, Nelson, McCarthy, and Martin — in that list. The Bottom 61 bWAR POUHs have just two former Rangers — the above-mentioned Smithson, who was traded, along with John Butcher, to the Minnesota Twins for Gary Ward after one-plus seasons in the bigs, and LSB favorite and legendary ophiophilist Kam Loe.
So Chris Martin, Arlington native, and graduate of Arlington High School (though not, sadly, Arlington Martin), is one of the best POUHs of all time. Not bad for a guy who had to go to Japan at the age of 30 to get his career back on track.
Making him even more unique is that he has defied the “tall pitchers struggle with command” conventional wisdom — his defining characteristic, particularly since his return from Japan, is that he throws strikes. His 1.2 BB/9 walk rate is the best of any player 6’8” or taller who has thrown more than 1 major league inning. The next lowest rate belongs to Eric Hillman, at 1.7 BB/9, almost 50% higher than Martin’s rate.
And to be clear, Martin’s ability to avoid free passes is elite relative to MLB as a whole, not just POUHs. His Statcast page is consistently very red when it comes to walk rate. 264 pitchers have thrown at least 350 innings since the start of the 2018 season. Martin’s 1.1 BB/9 over that span is 1st out of 264.
Martin was good when he was healthy in 2025, but had numerous physical issues, including back to back appearances in May which saw him leave after throwing one pitch in the first outing and leave without throwing a pitch in the second outing. Still, despite three injured list stints, Martin made 49 appearances, threw 42.1 innings, and put up a 2.98 ERA.
It was reported prior to last season that this would be Martin’s swan song, that he was retiring after the 2025 season and wanted to pitch his last season with his hometown team. He ended up deciding to return for 2026, and is back with the Rangers for this year. He will turn 40 in June, and if he keeps throwing strikes, and if the twine and chewing gum can hold his body together, he seems likely to be one of the Rangers’ best relievers yet again.
In 2025, a lot of ink was spilled on Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong, and understandably so. McLean started the season with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, posted a 1.37 ERA in 26.1 innings with them, then a 2.78 ERA in 87.1 innings with the Syracuse Mets, and then dazzled the baseball world with a 2.44 ERA in 48.0 innings at the major league level. Jonah Tong also started the season with Binghamton and posted a 1.76 ERA in 102.0 with them, then was promoted to Syracuse and did not allow a run in 11.2 innings, and then limped to the end of the season by posting a 7.71 ERA in 18.2 major league innings. A lot of people don’t realize this, but Jack Wenninger kept pace with both of them. Making 26 games for the Rumble Ponies, the right-hander posted a 2.92 ERA in 135.2 innings, allowing 114 hits, walking 42, and striking out 147 batters- tied for second most in the Mets minor league system in 2016 with R.J. Gordon.
Wenninger was drafted in the 6th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the 186th player selected overall. At the time, he was an unheralded right-hander and one of a large group of day two pitchers that included Kade Morris, Wyatt Hudepohl, Austin Troesser, Zach Thornton, and Noah Hall (and Nolan McLean, though he was still a two-way player at the time and not a full-time pitcher). Unlike that other group of pitchers (once again excluding McLean), Wenninger has rocketed up past his peers, landing at 10 on Amazin’ Avenue’s 2026 Top 25 Prospects list.
As an amateur, and prior to the 2025 season, the right-hander got by using a low-90s fastball, an above-average split changeup, and a fringy slider, cutter, and curveball. This past season, Wenninger added a little bit of velocity to his fastball, refined his cutter and slider- morphing the two into a sharper gyro slider- and began using a different curveball grip to give the pitch more bite. Both breaking balls are now average offerings, supplementing an average fastball and an above-average changeup. Tying his overall pitching abilities together, the right-hander is able to reliably command all four.
Where Wenninger fits into the Mets’ pitching puzzle in the immediate future is unclear. While the pitching rotation as it stands now certainly has plenty of volatility in terms of health and performance, Wenninger is so far down in the depth chart that he is likely a non-factor in 2026 unless something catastrophic happens with the starting rotation. A non-roster invitee to spring training, in addition to having to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to activate him, youngsters with MLB experience such as Tobias Myers, Jonah Tong, Christian Scott are likely ahead of Wenninger in the depth chart, with veterans such as Justin Hagenman and Jonathan Pintaro in contention for spot starts as well. As with any pitcher, he could be shifted into the bullpen, but a spot on the 40-man and active roster would need to be made for him. Regardless of his performance, Wenninger likely has his ticket stamped for Triple-A Syracuse to begin the season.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after being mentioned during the Athletics Hall of Fame induction at Sutter Health Park on September 13, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds will open their 2026 season on March 26th in Great American Ball Park with the Boston Red Sox in town. Cincinnati’s Cactus League slate at their home in Goodyear, Arizona will begin this Saturday, February 21st, with the Cleveland Guardians both their home complex compatriots and opponents for the day.
With competitive baseball firmly on the horizon, here was Red Reporter’s first stab at how the 26-man roster would look when regular season ball commences just five weeks from now. Since then, though, we’ve obviously seen some major news, deals, etc. that will impact how this entire thing shakes out.
There will surely be many, many more twists and turns between now and Opening Day, but here’s our second guess at what the roster will look like when it gets here.
Starting Rotation
LHP Andrew Abbott
LHP Nick Lodolo
RHP Brady Singer
RHP Chase Burns
RHP Rhett Lowder
Notes: Wednesday’s news that Hunter Greene is dealing with concerning stiffness in his surgically repaired elbow sent shockwaves through Reds camp, through Red Reporter Headquarters, and through the entire baseball world. Now, there’s still plenty of optimism that Greene’s MRI and second opinion will show that he only needs weeks – not months – on the shelf, something this club has dealt with in every season of his career to this point, but regardless of the severity the odds of him being ready for Opening Day seem incredibly long.
So, that makes both Burns and Lowder – both of whom have looked great in camp – near locks for the starting rotation come Opening Day.
Bullpen
RHP Emilio Pagán
RHP Tony Santillan
RHP Graham Ashcraft
LHP Brock Burke
LHP Caleb Ferguson
RHP Pierce Johnson
RHP Connor Phillips
LHP Sam Moll
Notes: Wednesday evening’s trade of Tyler Callihan to Pittsburgh for reliever Kyle Nicolas throws an interesting wrench into this mix, though Nicolas still has an option remaining. I do believe he’ll be very much in the running for a spot on the OD roster, though, with Moll the likeliest to miss out if that’s the case – and Moll is out of options, so he’d need to clear waivers to stick around the organization at all.
The other wild card here is Brandon Williamson. Even though he’s been used as a starter in 118 of his 121 career games since turning pro, the innings management the Reds will employ with both Burns and Lowder in the rotation over the course of the year means they could well choose to carry a long man in the bullpen to mitigate that a bit, and Williamson – who’ll be on an innings limit of his own after missing 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery – could well profile as that guy for a time to begin the year.
For now, though Moll holds onto the job thanks to his lack of options giving him that administrative edge.
Position Players
C Tyler Stephenson
C Jose Trevino
1B Nathaniel Lowe
DH/IF Eugenio Suárez
IF Sal Stewart
IF Matt McLain
IF Elly De La Cruz
3B Ke’Bryan Hayes
IF/OF Spencer Steer
OF TJ Friedl
OF Noelvi Marte
OF JJ Bleday
OF Dane Myers
Notes: The lone change here is moving Bleday onto the OD roster and dropping Will Benson, who has an option remaining, off of it. The reality here is that Bleday, Benson, and Lowe are battling for two spots on the roster, and only Bleday and Benson have the ability to be optioned to AAA and kept within the organization. So, I think that gives Lowe the inside track to making the OD bench since the Reds would prefer he stay in the org for long term depth purposes and keeping Bleday and Benson over him would send him back to the free agent market.
If Lowe doesn’t hit over the first few weeks of the season that would become moot with a DFA and promotion of Benson back to the active roster in a LHH role, with where Spencer Steer plays being tweaked to more 1B/DH duties than LF duties in that alignment. Again, the OD roster is not always a reflection of where the roster will be in June, for example, and this series of decisions positions the Reds for the best combination of good enough on Opening Day and maintaining the most depth for the 162 game long haul.
The Cardinals' decision to release quarterback Kyler Murray next week was inevitable, based on recent events.
A divorce was inevitable based on events from four years ago.
When the Cardinals signed Murray to a five-year, $230 million extension in 2022, the contract initially included an "independent study" clause. When the term came to light, the reaction was swift, loud, and negative. The perception that Murray needed an "independent study" clause made him look bad. The team's decision to request it made them look foolish.
The mere fact that the Cardinals entertained the thought that Murray needed an external incentive in the form of an addendum to his contract should have been regarded as a red flag on the entire question of whether to extend his contract. If, as they believed, Murray had a flaw in his work ethic that required a term that threatened default if he didn't comply, they shouldn't have signed him to a second contract.
They should have traded him.
If he'd been available in 2022, the Cardinals could have gotten a respectable return. He had made the Pro Bowl twice in three seasons, and he had taken the Cardinals to the playoffs in 2021. He was regarded as a rising star, a potential short-list franchise quarterback.
And while it would have been a risky move based on those objective facts, the Cardinals knew something the rest of the league didn't. They knew (or at least they believed) there was an issue regarding his preparation habits. They could have moved him before anyone else became aware of their position.
Obviously, they didn't. They renewed vows, with a clunky caveat that may have permanently poisoned the relationship.
In the past four years, he has missed 20 games due to injury. His record is 16-26, after starting his career 22-23-1.
The market, at the time Murray signed his deal, was $46 million per year. He emerged with an average of $46.1 million per year. He has made more than $113 million since 2022. He exits with another $36.8 million owed to him in 2026.
It could have gone a different way. It should have gone a different way. If the Cardinals had sufficient misgivings about Murray to insert an unprecedented (for a reason) contract clause that required him to do something that, for most franchise quarterbacks, is a given, the Cardinals shouldn't have re-signed him.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 14: Cole Henry #99 of the Washington Nationals pitches to the Philadelphia Phillies during the ninth inning at Nationals Park on August 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last year was a true breakthrough season for Cole Henry. After years of battling major injuries, including Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, the former second round pick made the big leagues as a reliever. Despite the solid season, Henry has seemingly overhauled his pitch mix entering year 2. I think his cutter will prove to be a massive weapon this season.
While Henry technically threw five pitches last season, he was primarily a 4-seam fastball and sweeper pitcher. Both of those pitches have strong characteristics, but with nothing in between those pitches, it could be easy to tell what was coming. I think that is part of the reason hitters rarely chased against Henry. He needed to find a bridge pitch between the fastball and the sweeper.
For most of his career, Henry has been reliant on his dynamic fastball and a slower breaking ball. Last year, that breaking ball was classified as a curveball, but this offseason that was changed to a sweeper. Whatever you want to call it, Henry has always relied on those two pitches. Even when he was a starter before all the injuries, those were the highlights of his mix.
Cole Henry and his mustache struck out 9 batters in 5 innings last night.
However, he did not have an effective pitch in the velocity range between the fastball and sweeper. It looks like that is what he spent his offseason focusing on because Cole Henry has really been leaning on a refined cutter this spring. He has thrown the pitch at least 20% of the time in all of his spring outings so far, and I really like it as a compliment to his other two pitches.
Last year, Henry threw a cutter just under 4% of the time. However, it was not effective and he did not trust the pitch. This year he is throwing it way more and it looks a little bit different. The pitch is 2 MPH harder than it was last while having more of a true cutter shape. He must have found a new grip or something because the shape is completely different to the cutter he was throwing last year.
This change makes Henry a true three pitch guy who can throw any of those offerings at any time. I love this tweak because it makes him much less predictable. Armed with this new cutter, I think Henry has a chance to get save opportunities at some point this season. Clayton Beeter’s stuff may be louder, but his feel for the zone comes and goes. Henry has command issues at times, but has more strike-throwing than Beeter.
I would not be surprised if this tweak was driven by the new front office and coaching staff. Henry actually talked about some of the changes the front office made on the radio yesterday. They had him study his own game using data in a way he had not done before.
Nats reliever Cole Henry gets into the changes with the Nats new regime, getting into the new resources under Paul Toboni and Blake Butera. pic.twitter.com/Rkmp6wYtG3
With this new information, Henry must have decided that he needed a pitch between the fastball and the sweeper. I think that is a smart decision that could make Henry a much better pitcher. He was already solid last year, but there is another level for him to reach. Having another healthy offseason under his belt will be helpful as well.
Even before this tweak to his arsenal, Henry was an intriguing reliever. His low arm slot and dynamic fastball shape made him a favorite for some analysts. There is a list I saw that included Henry when discussing underrated relievers heading into the season.
This is a fun idea!
Here are some non-closer relievers I like for 2026: – Elvis Alvarado, ATH – Grant Wolfram, BAL – Jake Bird, NYY – Erik Sabrowski, CLE – Carter Baumler, TEX (Rule 5) – Cole Henry, WSH – Kade Strowd, AZ https://t.co/t9GYksC4Fh
Now with this new change, he could be even better. Henry tossed a 1-2-3 inning against Venezuela last night and has looked very sharp so far this spring. There is a chance that he could open the season as the closer if he keeps this up. Clayton Beeter is probably the favorite for that role, but there is a real shortage of proven options at the back end of the Nats bullpen.
Now heading into his second year and armed with a new weapon, this could be a big year for Cole Henry. I really do think the cutter solves a lot of his biggest problems. The other thing he is going to have to improve is his command. He walked over 13% of hitters last year and had a real problem with hit batters.
I actually think the cutter could help improve that as well. It gives him a pitch he can throw in the zone and get weak contact with. The cutter could also make his fastball and sweeper tougher to prepare for as well. It just gives hitters a whole new look and I love the addition. I think Cole Henry could be in for a big 2026 season.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 26: Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during batting practice prior to the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Friday, September 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Texas Rangers have signed veteran outfielder/DH Andrew McCutchen to a minor league deal, per Evan Grant.
The Rangers have had a need for a righthanded bat who can platoon with Joc Pederson at DH all offseason, and the only real move they have made to potentially address that was adding Mark Canha on a minor league deal.
McCutchen, 39, has a much stronger pedigree and recent track record than Canha. The 2013 National League MVP has spent the majority of his career with Pittsburgh, including each of the past three seasons. He has gotten the bulk of his playing time at DH since the 2022 season, though he has made the occasional appearance at a corner outfield spot.
McCutchen slashed just .239/.333/.367 last year, but did put up a .267/.353/.389 slash line against lefties. He is also known as a positive clubhouse presence, and has the potential to offer some veteran leadership should he make the team.
The term “old friend alert” usually applies to players who have taken the field in a major-league game for the Royals. Over a thousand athletes have worn a Kansas City uniform in the big leagues, but is that the only standard for being considered a “former Royal”?
Here are some players who didn’t play in a regular-season game for Kansas City. Should they be considered former Royals?
Players who were in the Royals farm system, but never appeared in a game with them
It includes guys who went on to fame elsewhere, like Cecil Fielder. That’s right, the two-time home run champ became an All-Star with the Tigers, but he began his career as an 18-year-old hitting .322 with 20 home runs in 69 games in Butte, Montana, for the Royals. But the Royals wanted to get veteran outfielder Leon Roberts from the Blue Jays, so they traded the rotund first baseman. In fairness, he didn’t really pan out with the Jays either, and it wasn’t until he returned to MLB after a stint in Japan that he became a star.
Other Royals farmhands who had solid careers elsewhere include Greg Minton, Ken Phelps, Greg Hibbard, Jon Lieber, Fernando Cruz, and Rookie of the Year Wil Myers.
Then there were those MLB veterans that the Royals signed to play in the minors, but who never appeared with the big league squad. Players like Todd Van Poppel, Erik Hanson, Benny Agbayani, Chris Truby, Pat Mahomes, Xavier Nady, Casey Kotchman, Travis Snider, Clay Buchholz, Kyle Lohse, Dallas Keuchel, Bobby Dalbec, and Nick Gordon.
And then there are those players that the Royals signed, but who couldn’t stay healthy enough to ever appear in a game with them. Former 20-game winner Kyle Wright was acquired by the Royals with the hopes he could join the rotation. But he suffered setbacks in his rehab and never appeared in a big league game with the Royals, signing with the Cubs this offseason. Is he an “old friend”?
Players who were in spring training with the Royals but didn’t make the team
Then there are the players that the Royals signed to a deal and invited to spring training, but never made a roster out of camp. Lee Smith announced his retirement in 1997 after 478 career saves. But he kept in shape that winter, and the Royals invited him to spring training the next year. “My wife told me to see about playing some ball. She was about tired of me. She had to cook every day. She said, ‘Go do something with yourself,” joked Smith.
Smith pitched well enough to be considered for the Opening Day roster, but the Royals had some pitchers out of options and asked the future Hall of Famer if he would go to Omaha for 30 days. He passed. “That’s kind of a weak act for somebody with 18 years in the big leagues to be waiting for somebody to screw up,” he reasoned.
Lee Smith pitched for eight different MLB teams in his career, and his bust in Cooperstown has a Cubs cap. But is he a former Royals pitcher?
Players that were acquired, but left the organization before ever playing a game with the Royals
Then there were those players who were Royals only on paper, never to adorn the blue jersey. Hoyt Wilhelm, another Hall of Fame reliever, was selected by the Royals in the expansion draft before their inaugural season. But he was immediately traded to the Angels for Ed Kirkpatrick and Dennis Paepke. Is he a former Royal?
The Royals signed pitcher Jeff Shaw to a minor league deal after the 1992 season, after he had a decent showing in Triple-A in the Indians organization. But a month later, he was shipped to the Expos in a four-player trade for pitcher Mark Gardner. Five years later, he led the National League in saves and became an All-Star closer. Do we consider him a former Royals pitcher?
So what exactly qualifies someone as a “former Royal”? Is it only players who appeared in a regular-season game for Kansas City? Or does time in the farm system count? Is it anyone that has ever been acquired by the team? Baseball transactions can be messy, and players pass through organizations in all sorts of ways. So where do you draw the line? Who counts as a former Royal?
SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 27: Jurickson Profar #7 of the Atlanta Braves reacts to a wild pitch during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Thursday, March 27, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In 2013, the consensus number one prospect in all of MLB was Jurickson Profar. The switch-hitting shortstop for the Texas Rangers was turning heads with his elite combination of power, speed and defense.
It’s hard to forget the miraculous year that Profar had in 2024 with the San Diego Padres. Unfortunately, that season is stained by the PED suspension that caused Profar to miss 80 games last year.
Yesterday came news that Profar tested positive for PED usage for the second time in as many years. This forfeits the $15 million he’s owed by the Atlanta Braves for the 2026 year and keeps him out of MLB until 2027.
So what happened to Jurickson Profar? How did the former number one prospect fall so far from grace?
It’s not totally his fault
Injuries have wrecked Profar’s career, plaguing him since he was a prospect. In fact, right after being labeled the top prospect in the game, he was diagnosed with a shoulder injury that kept him out for both the 2014 and ‘15 seasons, halting his entrance into MLB.
Following his rehab, Profar came back for the Rangers and struggled at the big-league level. He hit .222 in three more years with Texas before being traded to the Oakland Athletics prior to the 2019 season.
Hopes of improvement in his new environment were dashed as Profar only hit .218, but it was his second consecutive season with 20-plus homers. So, when the offseason came, Profar was again on the trade block, and Oakland sent him to the Padres.
Tenure in San Diego
Profar has been more successful with the Friars than any other team, and it’s not even close. Across five years he’s hit .265/.350/.401 with 51 home runs. He was also a part of the 2022 San Diego team that made a World Series run which ended in heartbreaking fashion against the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS.
But prior to ‘24 his bat was middling at best. So, when Profar became a free agent after the ‘22 season, he signed a $7.75 million deal with the Colorado Rockies. And he performed so poorly there that the team released him (a Colorado team that only won 59 games in ‘23, by the way).
After being released, the Padres scooped him back up for the back stretch of the season where he began to flash promise, hitting .295 across 14 games.
The (besmirched) turnaround
The best year of Profar’s career, by a lot, was 2024. He was the starting left fielder in San Diego, finishing with a .280/.380/.459 slash line, mashing a career-high 24 home runs. More than that, he was an All-Star and a key piece of getting the Padres to the postseason.
After that season he was a free agent again and (due to a payroll crunch Padres’ fans know all too well) Profar left San Diego for Atlanta. The club signed him to a three-year, $42 million contract, expecting him to be their starting left fielder.
In a fun twist of fate, Profar played the first game of the ‘25 season at Petco Park, but with his new team, as the Padres faced the Braves to open the year. That would be the only action he saw for a while, with MLB handing down its 80-game suspension as opening weekend wrapped up.
After returning from his suspension, he hit at a decent .245 clip with 14 home runs across only 80 games for Atlanta. The team went into the offseason excited to finally get a full year of Profar in ‘26.
Then came the news early Tuesday morning that Profar had been suspended 162 games, forfeiting the $15 million he was owed for the season. If he is caught a third time, he’ll face a lifetime ban from MLB.
In the heat of the 2024 offseason it felt like Padres general manager A.J. Preller was dragging his feet by not re-signing Profar. And when news came that San Diego hadn’t even extended him an offer to return, fans were upset.
But looking back, it seems that this is a move the Friar Faithful can be grateful for not having made. The Braves have been forced to scramble for outfield help while the Padres have managed to figure it out without the burden of an expensive contract.
And, whether you love him or hate him, you can thank Preller for that.
Feb 20, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Luke Raley (20) singles in the first inning against the San Diego Padres during a Spring Training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
It’s a bit disappointing that unlike many teams, the Mariners don’t get to play an exhibition against a World Baseball Classic squad. It would have been cool to see some of our own stars playing against us, like Julio on the Dominican team or Cal Raleigh on Team USA. Which WBC team would you have liked to see face off against the M’s this spring?
Andrés Muñoz has already climbed the mountaintop as one of the game’s premier relievers. But as he told Shannon Drayer, he’s always seeking wisdom from other MLB veterans.
I’m giving in to MLB this year. Just gonna call them “Athletics” like MLB insists. Baseball-reference.com is doing it, so… I’m good with it.
Anyway, in 2025 the A’s, after a bad start, had a pretty good end to their season. From July 1 to season’s end they were 41-34. Among AL teams, the only ones who did better over that span were six postseason teams and the Royals.
The A’s have a tremendously good young player in Nick Kurtz, the AL Rookie of the Year who hit 36 home runs in only 117 games — and he’s only 23 (turns 23 a week from now). Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers also provide power. The A’s were seventh in home runs last year with 219 and 12th in runs scored, which is pretty good.
The pitching, though… a lot of that is the ballpark. Sutter Health Park in Sacramento is a hitter’s paradise. Look no farther than Luis Severino, who had a 3.02 ERA in 14 starts on the road, but 6.01 in 15 starts at home. So the A’s will have to slug their way to victory this year.
Key departures: Victor Caratini, Framber Valdez, Chas McCormick, Mauricio Dubon, Jacob Melton, Jesus Sanchez, Kaleb Ort
Key arrivals: Mike Burrows, Roddery Muñoz, Cavan Biggio, Tom Cosgrove, Carlos Perez
The Astros’ eight-year playoff run ended last year when they finished second in the division and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
The “key” above really is the replacement of Valdez, who they declined to re-sign as a free agent, with Burrows. Burrows has shown flashes of good pitching with the Pirates, but he’s no Valdez.
They will have Yordan Alvarez back from an injury which limited him to 48 games last year, but some of their other players (Jose Altuve, Christian Walker) are getting older. They still don’t really know where to play Isaac Paredes.
I think they’re missing the postseason again. A member of the Biggio family is here now, so that could be fun.
Key departures: Kyle Hendricks, Tyler Anderson, Andrew Chafin, Luis Rengifo, Kenley Jansen, Cavan Biggio, Jose Ureña, Brandon Drury, Taylor Ward, Brock Burke
Key arrivals: Drew Pomeranz, Jordan Romano, Angel Perdomo, Alek Manoah, Vaughn Grissom, Kirby Yates, Nick Madrigal, Trey Mancini, Jeimer Candelario, Jose Siri, Adam Frazier
I will never understand this team. Look at those arrivals! They seem to constantly be trying to re-constitute an All-Star team from like six years ago.
For a better understanding of how bad this team is, Sam Blum, a writer for The Athletic who’s been covering the Angels for the last few years, has left that beat. He wrote this article on his departure, and check all of this out:
My coverage of the Angels, I said, would be to answer one question: “On paper, the Angels should win. So why do they always lose?”
Little did I know at the time just how much of my career would revolve around that question. I’d like to think that five years later, I’ve done all I can to answer it.
That ought to sum things up. The Angels haven’t made the postseason since 2014 and haven’t had a winning season since 2015. Mike Trout’s entire postseason career consists of three losses. He deserves better. So do Angels fans.
At Wrigley Field: March 30-31-April 1 (that ought to be fun for guys whose home field is in California)
Key departures: Mitch Garver, Jorge Polanco, Collin Snider, Luke Jackson, Eugenio Suárez, Jackson Kowar, Ben Williamson
Key arrivals: Randy Dobnak, Andrew Knizner, Rob Refsnyder, Yosver Zulueta, Dane Dunning, Cooper Criswell, Brendan Donovan
The M’s had one of their most successful seasons ever, and still fell one win short of going to the World Series, where they’ve never been.
They’re pretty much running all their key players back from last year, with the exceptions of Polanco and Suárez. One of the biggest acquisitions they made at the deadline was Josh Naylor, a pending free agent who they decided to keep. Donovan, arriving from St. Louis, will solidify their infield.
Of course, the incomparable Cal Raleigh returns. He’d have received my MVP vote last year if I had one. He dismantled the Cubs in a three-game series at Wrigley, going 6-for-12 with four home runs.
The rotation remains the same and Andres Muñoz was one of the better closers in the league last year. Seattle should win the division again.
Key departures: Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim, Jacob Webb, Marcus Semien,
Key arrivals: Jonah Bride, Tyler Alexander, Brandon Nimmo, Danny Jansen, Alexis Diaz, Chris Martin, Jakob Junis, MacKenzie Gore, Austin Gomber, Cal Quantrill, Ryan Brasier, Jordan Montgomery, Mark Canha
After the Rangers won the World Series in 2023, they expected to continue to contend. It didn’t happen, as they plummeted to an 84-loss season in 2024 and finished at .500 last year.
Injuries had a lot to do with that. So, apparently, was some friction between Semien and Corey Seager, resulting in the trade that brought Nimmo to Texas.
The Rangers have tried to improve their rotation by adding Gore and Montgomery. The latter has been injured much of the last two years, but pitched well down the stretch for Texas in 2023 and in that year’s postseason. The Rangers led MLB in fewest runs allowed last year (605) and scored 684 runs, so they underperformed their projected record of 90-72 based on runs scored and allowed. Teams that underperform by that much tend to do better the following year, so… maybe this is the Rangers’ year to return to the postseason.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, there was perhaps no better rivalry in MLB than the Yankees and Royals. They seemingly met every postseason in the ALCS for the right to represent the Junior Circuit in the World Series, the Yankees usually coming out on top of those yearly meetings. A mainstay of those matchups, and one of the few players to play for both teams during that period, the Yankees chapter in Doug Bird’s story was one of unfortunate timing.
James Douglas Bird Born: March 5, 1950 (Corona, CA) Died: September 24, 2024 (Asheville, NC) Yankees Tenure: 1980-81
James Douglas “Doug” Bird was born on March 5, 1950, in Corona, CA. He was an accomplished high school pitcher whose six-foot-four frame and live arm enticed scouts before even applying to college. He has the rare distinction of being one of the few players drafted four different times. Cleveland attempted to draft him in the 29th round of the 1968 MLB June Amateur Draft directly out of Pomona High School, but he turned down that offer. Seven months later and after moving to Louisville, KY, the Seattle Pilots selected him in the eighth round of the secondary phase of the 1969 MLB January Draft, but again he declined. That summer in the June Amateur Draft, the Pilots again selected him in the eighth round only to have their advances rebuffed.
Bird enrolled in Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, CA, in 1969, right around the time of the MLB expansion that saw the establishment of the Royals, Pilots, Padres, and Expos. Only after a conversation with Royals scout Spider Jorgensen which convinced him that he “had a better shot signing with an expansion team than going to four years of college,” did Bird acquiesce, and he joined the newly-minted Royals in the third round of the secondary phase of the 1969 June Amateur Draft.
Bird debuted as a starter in the minors and experienced immediate success, pitching to a 1.84 ERA with 149 strikeouts in 147 innings with Class-A Waterloo. The following year, he repeated the level and won 15 games while pitching to a 3.41 ERA across 182 innings. 1972 saw the beginning of his transition to the bullpen, and by the time he hit Triple-A at the end of the season, he was used exclusively as a reliever.
Not expected to compete for a roster spot in 1973, Bird forced his was into the the conversation by pitching 13 scoreless innings in spring training including a combined no-hitter of the Tigers alongside Steve Busby. Needing bullpen help at the end of April, the Royals handed Bird his MLB debut on April 29, 1973, and he pitched a scoreless two-thirds of an inning in the sixth against Detroit. With some major league experience under his belt by the time summer rolled around, Bird was handed the closer role. Despite some initial struggles, Bird finished off his debut campaign strong with the Royals embroiled in the heat of a pennant race in the AL West. He made 54 relief appearances in the regular season, with a 2.99 ERA in 102.1 innings while finishing fourth in the AL with 20 saves, leading manager Jack McKeon to say of his rookie pitcher, “There’s no question about it, Bird’s our No. 1 reliever.”
Though his save totals declined in the next two seasons, Bird remained a reliable reliever for Kansas City, pitching to a 3.00 ERA, 3.09 FIP, and 226 strikeouts across 160 appearances totaling 300 innings in his first three seasons in the bigs. With the acquisitions of relievers Marty Pattin and Mark Littell and given Bird’s ability to throw multiple innings in relief, Bird was inserted into the starting rotation in 1976. He led all AL starters that season with a minuscule 3.8-percent walk rate, finishing the year with a 12-10 record in 39 appearances (27 starts), pitching to a 3.37 ERA in 197.2 innings.
His Royals finally made the playoffs after several seasons of just missing out on the AL West crown, beginning a three-year odyssey of matching up against the Yankees in the ALCS. He made his lone appearance of that series in Game 4, brought on in relief of Larry Gura in the third, after the starter surrendered a pair of runs. He held the Yankees to a run in 4.2 innings, allowing his hitters to ambush Catfish Hunter and Dick Tidrow for a 7-4 victory to send the series to a winner-take-all Game 5, when Chris Chambliss hit his iconic walk-off home run to send the Yankees to the Fall Classic for the first time in 12 years.
Bird returned to the bullpen in 1977 reprising his role as a multi-inning reliever. He still managed to finish with a team-high 14 saves, going 11-4 in 53 appearances with a 3.88 ERA in 118.1 innings. He met the Yankees again that postseason and this time appeared in three games. He recorded the final three outs of the Royals 7-2 win in Game 1, but wasn’t as effective in his subsequent two appearances. In Game 4, he entered in the ninth with Mickey Rivers on third and one out and gave up a sac fly to Thurman Munson for a crucial insurance run in an eventual 6-4 Yankees win to force a Game 5. Then in that decisive final game of the series, Bird came on in the eighth with a runner on first an no outs after Willie Randolph led off with a single. Bird surrendered back-to-bacl one-out singles to Lou Piniella and Reggie Jackson, the latter plating Randolph to pull the Yankees to within one, 3-2. In the top of the ninth, the Yankees scored three runs off three different relievers to win the game, 5-2, and earn the chance to avenge their World Series defeat the year prior.
The following season saw Bird’s first real struggles in a Royals uniform, fully demoted from the ninth inning after Kansas City acquired closer Al Hrabosky in the offseason. He made 40 appearances and saw his ERA balloon to 5.29 in 98.2 innings, but he and the Royals still earned a ticket back to the ALCS and a rematch with the Yankees. His first appearance that series was a scoreless ninth inning in Game 1, brought in to get some work in with the Yankees winning big, 7-1. After the Royals leveled the series at a game apiece, Bird was called on again in the bottom of the eighth of Game 3. The Royals were leading, 5-4, but Paul Splittorff allowed a one-out single to Roy White, prompting Whitey Herzog to call upon his former closer. Bird sailed two fastballs out of the zone to Thurman Munson, but couldn’t sneak a third one by him, the Yankees captain crushing a 2-0 elevated heater out over the plate to the deepest part of the ball park, the ball sailing over the 430-feet sign in left-center for the game-winning two-run blast.
That would turn out to be the final pitch that Bird would throw in a Royals uniform, Kansas City trading him to the Phillies the following spring for prospect Todd Cruz after Philly suffered several injuries in their bullpen to open the season. he departed as the Royals’ all-time leader in appearances with 292. His fortunes wouldn’t improve pitching in a new city and new league, missing a month with shoulder soreness and finishing with a 5.16 ERA in 32 appearances totaling 61 innings. Philadelphia released him the following spring, allowing the Yankees the opportunity to sign a pitcher who had postseason success against them.
Bird remained in the bullpen in his first season in the Bronx and finished as the team’s third-best reliever in terms of ERA (2.66), behind only Goose Gossage and Rudy May. As it happens, the Yankees would get swept in three games in the ALCS by Bird’s former employers, the erstwhile Royal not making an appearance that postseason, but 1980 still helped to rejuvenate his career.
The following season saw Bird post his best start to a season in five years, Bird pitching to a 2.70 ERA in 17 appearances. He even earned a move back to the rotation, where he won a pair of decisions before the players’ strike brought the season to a screeching halt. When the strike was lifted, the first-place Yankees traded Bird to the Cubs for Rick Reuschel, Chicago pursuing the deal under the mistaken belief that top prospect Pat Tabler would be included as a PTBNL. Bird pitched exclusively as a starter for the Northsiders, logging a 3.58 ERA in 12 starts lasting 75.1 innings. Between the Bronx and Chicago, he made 16 starts out of 29 total appearances, going 9-6 with a 3.22 ERA and 3.42 FIP.
1982 saw Bird remain in the Cubs’ rotation as a full-time starter, but his best days were behind him. In 33 starts, Bird went 9-14 with a 5.14 ERA in 191 innings and an NL-worst 26 home runs, though he did lead all of MLB with a 3.7-percent walk rate. That winter, the Cubs traded Bird to the Red Sox for pitcher Chuck Rainey, and things only got worse in Boston. After pitching to a 6.65 ERA in 22 appearances (six starts), the Red Sox granted Bird his release at the end of the season, and he announced his retirement at the age of 33.
After a short stint in the Senior Professional Baseball Association in the late-80s, Bird retired to Southwest Florida, where he offered pitching lessons and free cage time to underprivileged and special needs children at a gym he converted into a batting cage. He passed away in Asheville, North Carolina on September 24, 2024, at the age of 74.
Bird’s relationship with the Yankees was characterized by unlucky timing. He played for the Royals teams that were the perennial losers to the Bombers in the ALCS. When he finally joined the Yankees, it came just after their championship years of that era. And when he finally had a chance to make it to the World Series in 1981, the strike interrupted his season and led to his trade from a title contender to the hapless Cubs. All the same, he was a serviceable pitcher for the Yankees in his year-and-a-half with the team, though he is more known for his postseason performances against them. He appeared in six playoff games in his career, all with the Royals against the Yankees, and he held the Bombers down to the tune of a 2.35 ERA and 1.87 FIP in 7.2 innings.
