PEORIA, ARIZONA - JULY 19: Nick Becker of the Seattle Mariners signs his contract at the Peoria Sports Complex on July 19, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Seattle Mariners/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The lone high school talent taken by the Mariners last July, Nick Becker makes his LL organizational prospect debut at #9, beating out Tuesday’s entry Griffin Hugus by a healthy margin and setting the foundation of what we’d consider the upper echelon of present prospect pedigree. Hailing from the state of New Jersey, the cold weather prep bat has been a demographic the Mariners have invested in heavily in recent years, with both Cole Young and Colt Emerson preceding Becker as non-hotbed prospects that blossomed into top talents. Now one of the core pieces in what could be considered the “next wave” of prospects, Becker immediately possesses the highest ceiling of any one prospect in this entire system and is a “must know” for the 2026 season.
‘25 SS Nick Becker (NJ) all over this one for a double that hops over the CF wall.
Becker’s tools are unreal. Packaged in a 6’3 190lb frame that’s still filling out, Becker immediately becomes one of the fastest players in the Mariners organization, posting 70 grade run times with tremendous athleticism. His approach has been consistently above average during his time against premium competition, showing good strike zone judgement and avoiding chase. The contact rates are more average as of now, but he’s shown some adjustability at the plate and the innate feel for hitting is present. The strength and physicality will come with maturation, and there’s a world where he packs on enough weight to get into above average juice if everything clicks. The glove, however, is of less concern. He’ll have little trouble staying at shortstop despite his size. His foot speed and arm alone are enough to give him a shot at an above average glove down the line.
The present product is unrefined, and he’s yet to put all of his tools together all at once, but it’s impossible to shake the feeling that Becker will turn into a damn good ball player. More than a “pray he hits” type of lottery ticket, Becker’s glove and speed give him a sound floor to pair with his blossoming offensive game that’s shown serious life against elite competition on the summer circuits. If anything, him being from New Jersey might be the biggest reason he fell to the M’s in the second round at all; many evaluators saw him as someone who would find his way inside the first forty picks, but a strong college commitment (his older brother Eric, Virginia’s current starting shortstop, is slated to be a first rounder this year himself, and the UVA coaching staff tried very hard to get the two teamed up) and the dearth of spring competition seems like it was enough of a deterrent for 29 other teams to pass.
Likely to be starting at Modesto this season, Becker will look to get his first full season underway in the coming weeks and establish himself as the top prospect the Mariners believe he can be. If everything clicks and he approaches anywhere near his ceiling, he’ll be ranked much higher than #9 in the system by midseason.
TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 12: Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez sits with Daulton Varsho #25 of the Toronto Blue Jays as he warms up ahead of their MLB game against the Texas Rangers at Rogers Centre on September 12, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Jays made a couple of announcements in one this morning. They are changing the ‘Level of Excellence’ to the ‘Hall of Excellence’, which will be a display on the 100 level right field concourse. I’ll admit I like the Level of Excellence because you can see it in telecasts, from most of the park if you are sitting in the stands, even from the field. The Hall of Excellence will be seen if you are in the 100 level concourse in right field. I’m taking it for granted that there will be more than the names up there, likely some information, pictures and all. Mark Shapiro said there will be an interactive display.
I guess I’ll save judgement until I see it, but I really do like seeing the names on the Level of Excellence. This move, to me, almost seems like hiding it.
If it were me, I’d keep the Level of Excellence as well.
But the other news is that they will be adding five names to the Level Hall of Excellence, over the next five years, and the first one will be Buck Martinez. Mark Shapiro talked about his lifelong service to the team, as a player, a manager and a broadcaster. If I was him I’d have skipped over the manager part. But he has been the public face of the team for a long time now.
It is nice and I’m glad they are doing it while he is around to see it. I think he’ll be touched.
And Shapiro said there will be fan voting for future inductees, which is a nice idea. I don’t know if that will skew the results more towards people from recent years.
Coming in August: A NEW Hall of Excellence – a display in the 100 Level RF Concourse.
Trey Yesavage will start the season on the IL. They are calling it shoulder impingement. I think we knew that was happen. He is throwing now. Shane Bieber and José Berríos will also start the season on the IL.
It looks like the Jays rotation, to start the season, will be Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Max Scherzer and Eric Lauer. The line about ‘you can never have too much pitching depth again turns out to be turn. Though I would say you likely can never have too much depth at any spot.
Who drops in if one of those five is a subject worthy of discussion.
Oh, and there is going to be a Buck Martinez bobblehead. I hate that they limit it to 15,000 fans. The park will be full, limit it to everyone that has a ticket:
Today’s lineups for the Yankees/Blue Jays game. The Yankees are playing split squad games, and obviously, they are sending the b-lineup to Dunedin. But there is Randal Grichuk. That will make it worth watching. I want to watch Cody Ponce.
Today’s Lineups
YANKEES
BLUE JAYS
Amed Rosario – 3B
George Springer – DH
J.C. Escarra – C
Daulton Varsho – CF
Randal Grichuk – LF
Vladimir Guerrero – 1B
Seth Brown – 1B
Addison Barger – RF
Paul DeJong – SS
Alejandro Kirk – C
Yanquiel Fernandez – RF
Jesus Sanchez – LF
Max Schuemann – 2B
Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
Kenedy Corona – CF
Ernie Clement – 2B
Enmanuel Tejeda – DH
Andres Gimenez – SS
Ryan Weathers – LHP
Cody Ponce – RHP
Yimi Garcia is throwing off a mound:
Yimi Garcia throwing a bullpen at Blue Jays camp on Thursday as he continues working his way back from elbow surgery pic.twitter.com/evf9cHKMg6
JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Walker Janek #84 of the Houston Astros at bat during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros will face the Miami Marlins in this year’s Spring Breakout game.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, March 19, 11:05 a.m. CST
Location: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 02: Eugenio Suarez #7 of the Cincinnati Reds looks from the dugout steps while blowing a bubble during a game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 02, 2020, in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Slugger Eugenio Suárez is fresh off a season that saw him thwack 49 home runs and be valued at 3.8 fWAR (3.6 bWAR). He reached free agency at season’s end and signed a one-year deal to return to the Cincinnati Reds, the club that traded for him prior to the 2015 season – and the club for whom he thwacked 189 homers across 7 years previously in his career.
Despite the successes at the plate Suárez saw for the bulk of the 2025 season, the Reds managed to land him for just a $15 million guarantee for 2026, well below the three-year, $63 million predicted by the fine folks at MLB Trade Rumors earlier in the offseason. Perhaps it was the high strikeout rate, or the suppressed offensive numbers Suárez put up in the tough hitting environment in Seattle, but it’s pretty clear something suppressed the now 34 year old slugger’s value enough that he landed in Cincinnati’s lap for a year.
It certainly could have had something to do with the nature of this particular free agent class, one that featured a number of high-caliber sluggers. Kyle Schwarber and Kyle Tucker, for instance, were out there on the open market, as were each of Pete Alonso, Josh Naylor, Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, and Cody Bellinger for every team looking to add thump to their lineup. Suárez, it seems, got overlooked just enough by other teams for the Reds to be able to pounce for cheap, and there’s every chance that Geno gets to hit free agency next year – when there’s expected to be a much lighter supply of sluggers – with a bit more leverage.
But, what if the Reds have already positioned themselves to have a little leverage here, too?
Suárez, who’ll turn 35 years old in July, has somehow managed to make it to this point in a career that’s seen him hit 325 homers and accrue 33.1 fWAR without ever having been issued a Qualifying Offer. That’s largely due to the long-term contract extension he signed with the Reds the first time he was in town, one that kept him signed despite trades from Cincinnati to Seattle, Seattle to Arizona, and from Arizona back to Seattle along the way. Somehow, this past winter – at age 34 – Geno was a free agent for the first time, but since he’d been traded mid-season the Mariners were not able to issue him a QO at season’s end.
If he stays with Cincinnati for the duration of the 2026 season, though, the Reds could issue him a QO at season’s end, much the same way they did with Nick Martinez one winter ago. And given that Geno only found a one-year, $15 million market for his age-34 season after swatting 49 homers and posting 3.8 fWAR, it’s hard to see there being a significantly bigger market for him entering an age-35 season even if he completely replicates the production in 2026 that he did last year.
(By default, that fWAR mark it going to be much more difficult to get to since he’ll be asked to DH much, much more than he ever has, and therefore won’t get granted any value at all from his glove.)
Granted, next winter could see a free agent slugger class devoid of the franchise-altering names that were available this winter. For all their talents, Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki, and George Springer entering his age-37 season don’t quite move the needle the way the previously mentioned group did. So, if Suárez does manage to go nuclear while playing another season in Great American Ball Park, there’s always the chance he finds richer pastures than what he’d get by simply accepting a QO from the Reds – something that’ll be akin to $23 million for the 2027 season. But even then, the Reds would get a draft pick out of the deal if Geno turned down the QO and found a better deal elsewhere.
So, there’s a chance Suárez could already be on a two-year, ~$38 million deal with the Reds, effectively, though there’s still a number of scenarios that let the Reds off that hook if they so desire.
Obviously, a poor year by Geno could allow the Reds to eschew even issuing him the QO at season’s end and allow him to simply reach free agency with no strings attached. That would effectively make it as if the Reds had a team option for him for 2026 that the declined with no buyout.
Things could very well go sideways for the Reds during the 2026 season, too, at which point they could trade Geno to someone else in July and escape even having to make these decisions. They could even decide to do that if things in town are going well, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Sal Stewart and Spencer Steer all hit well, and the fit simply doesn’t seem as obvious as it did this winter.
However, if the guy they turned to for his ability to sock baseballs over the fence continues to excel at that again in 2026 and they determine they want his gum-bubble ability back for a second year, well, that decision may well have already been made for them.
When evaluating a farm system, it always starts with the top-level prospects, and the Mets have some top-level ones inNolan McLean andCarson Benge, both of whom should make a significant impact on the 2026 Mets. That means those two names are going to be graduating off prospect lists in the coming months.
The true sign of a functioning, quality farm system is its depth, and prospects who are not spoken about much, breaking out. Things can change quickly in the prospect landscape. An example: A.J. Ewingwas not ranked in my Top 30 list this time last year, and he now is ranked No. 3 in the 2026 iterationand is considered a consensus Top 100 prospect.
Here are four under-the-radar prospects to keep an eye on heading into 2026.
1B/OF Randy Guzman
Guzman is teetering on no longer being “under the radar,” but he is a new name that is beginning to crack Top 30 lists for the first time.
The No. 19 prospect in the Mets system was signed as an international free agent in 2022 out of the Dominican Republic as a smaller-scale signing for $10,000. He is the younger brother of former Top 100 prospect Ronald Guzman.
After struggling in two stints in the Dominican Summer League, Guzman had a breakout 2025 in his first season stateside. In 75 games between the Complex League and Low-A St. Lucie, he hit .302 with a .898 OPS. He also added 22 doubles, 10 home runs and drove in 57 runs.
Guzman possesses the second-best power tool in the system, behind onlyRyan Clifford. He has plus bat speed and his batted ball data was elite in the Florida State League. He consistently was able to barrel the ball and hit the ball hard. His 108.8mph 90thpercentile exit velocity was at the top of the FSL, and he had a max EV of 112 mph.
Swing and miss is a part of his game, but the issue is more with chasing offspeed out of the zone. His in-zone contact rate of 82.7 is slightly above average. With some approach adjustments and continuing his special batted ball data, Guzman could take a big leap in 2026.
RHP Camden Lohman
The Mets drafted Lohman in the eighth round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Fort Zumwalt North HS in Missouri. He received the third biggest signing bonus in the class at $797,500 to lure him away from a Missouri commitment. His bonus equated to roughly the value of the 96th overall selection, a third-round pick.
He was drafted as a projectable 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds. The Mets put him on a strength and nutrition program, and he is already up nearly 20 pounds, reporting to camp around 212 pounds.
The No. 26 ranked prospect in the system was a late bloomer as a pitcher, but is up to 95-96 mph on his fastball and shows the natural ability to spin a slider and curveball. The Mets are also working with him on adding a changeup to his arsenal.
With the Mets' recent history of developing pitchers whom they drafted in the middle rounds, Lohman stands out as a high upside arm that will get his first taste of pro ball in 2026.
INF/OF Yunior Amparo
Amparo was another value international signing as a bit of a later sign. He signed in August of 2024 as an 18-year-old for $10,000.
He had a strong pro debut in 50 games in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .312 with a .903 OPS. He hit four home runs, stole 16 bases and had more walks (26) than strikeouts (24).
Mets people laud his bat-to-ball skills and he flashed some good exit velocity numbers despite a 6-foot, 170-pound frame. As he physically matures, there is belief that there is more impact in the bat to come.
Amparo is a hyper-versatile player, having played every single position on the diamond except catcher and pitcher in 2025.
He is following a trend where the Mets are going to focus on promoting the bat-to-ball type prospects stateside quicker. Amparo will likely start 2026 in the Complex League. While he did not crack the Top 30 prospects list, it should not be surprising if he makes it in there next year.
OF Yonatan Henriquez
The Mets signed Henriquez as an international free agent in 2022 out of the Dominican Republic.
He had a very strong second half with Low-A St. Lucie, posting a .916 OPS and carrying that over to his small sample size at High-A Brooklyn at the end of the season. He began to impact the baseball more as the season went on, averaging 89.5 mph exit velocities, which is a borderline plus number. His max EV of 108 mph was an average number, but he is working on his bat speed, so there could be more in the tank.
He is an above-average athlete with speed. In 2025, he played all over the diamond defensively, but the Mets will focus primarily on center field with him while keeping some versatility in the dirt, likely at second and third. He should start the 2026 season back with Brooklyn and is another name to keep an eye on that did not crack the top 30 prospect list this run, but could within the calendar year.
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 06: Kyle Schwarber #12 and Aaron Judge #99 of Team USA celebrate after Judge hits a two-run home run in the first inning of during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game presented by Capital One between Team USA and Team Brazil at Daikin Park on Friday, March 6, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ken Griffey Jr./WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The World Baseball Classic is over, and it ended with a thrilling 3-2 Venezuelan win over the United States on Tuesday night. Lots of Yankees were involved in the exciting and ever-growing tournament, and it’s a good time to take a look at how they did.
Aaron Judge, United States
Statistically, Judge didn’t have a bad WBC. He finished with a .845 OPS, a pair of home runs, five runs, and five RBI. Unfortunately, he came up empty-handed in most high-leverage at-bats, including a 1-for-4 game with two strikeouts in the semifinal vs. the Dominican Republic and a 0-for-4, three-strikeout performance in the final against Venezuela.
It’s important and fair to add that without his brilliant outfield assist in that semifinal (and in earlier pool play against Mexico), the outcome of that game could have been different. It was a perfect throw, and if we count the ugly at-bats, we have to include the impactful defensive plays, too.
Goldschmidt became the symbol of the bench players manager Mark DeRosa sent to the field in that fateful Pool B game vs. Italy, when he seemingly believed they had already punched their ticket for the quarterfinals. That was the only game Goldy started, and he went 1-for-3 with a run and a strikeout as the U.S. fell, 8-6.
David Bednar, United States
Bednar pitched four innings in the Classic, and while he surrendered six hits and even hit a batter, he didn’t walk anyone and struck out eight to round out a solid tournament. His 0.00 ERA carries more weight than any of the other stats. It wasn’t always a smooth ride, but Bednar gave Team USA a solid late-inning reliever. They trusted him in close games, and he delivered, especially against the imposing Dominican bats in the semifinal.
Speaking of that clash against Italy, it was the only one in which Yarbrough pitched. He threw 2.1 innings and allowed three runs, even though only two were earned. Two of those runs came on a Jac Caglianone home run in the fourth inning that gave Italy a 5-0 advantage at the time, and the other one came due to a throwing error by Brad Keller a couple of innings later. The insurance runs definitely helped the Italians. After that game, Yarbrough returned to Yankees camp and gave way to teammate Tim Hill.
Tim Hill, United States
Called upon to join Team USA before the quarterfinals, Hill was in the bullpen for the entire knockout phase but did not play (much like Toronto’s Jeff Hoffman).
Austin Wells, Dominican Republic
Wells actually had a very good tournament, which he played because of his Dominican heritage on his mother’s side. He was a force at the plate with a .267/.353/.733 line, two homers, and a 1.086 OPS. Wells reportedly loved the experience and his teammates, who embraced him like one of their own. He was the only Yankee named to the All-WBC Team after the tourney’s conclusion.
The World Baseball Classic was smooth sailing for Doval, expected to be a key cog of the Yankees’ bullpen this year. Three games, three innings, no baserunners, and three strikeouts: a perfect ERA and a perfect WHIP for the righty fireballer. The Yankees couldn’t have asked for a better showing from him on the bright stage.
Amed Rosario, Dominican Republic
Rosario was a reserve for the Dominicans, playing two games and taking just one at-bat, in which he couldn’t produce anything.
Yerry De Los Santos, Dominican Republic
De Los Santos was part of the Dominican Republic’s Designated Pitcher Pool (DPP), which is basically the reserve pool for teams to call up after the first round. He didn’t get the call.
Fernando Cruz, Puerto Rico
Cruz reached the quarterfinals with Team Puerto Rico, falling to Italy. The splitter maestro played three games in which he contributed 2.2 scoreless innings, with no hits, a walk, and four strikeouts. As with Doval, the Yankees had to be encouraged.
One of the most promising pitchers in the Yankees’ farm system, Rodríguez helped his country with one start in which he covered three scoreless innings against Cuba. He walked three and surrendered a hit, but his three punchouts helped him avoid any scares.
The dynamic infielder did drive in four runs in four games, but didn’t really have a good WBC with a .222 batting average, a .485 OPS, one walk, and six strikeouts. He also stole a base and scored a couple of runs as the British bowed out in the first round.
Brendan Beck, Great Britain
Beck, a top-30 Yankees prospect, hurled four hitless, scoreless frames against Brazil in which he walked two, hit a batter, and struck out four. Not bad.
The Yankees’ Opening Day shortstop was busy, logging four hits, including a double and a home run in the Classic. He added two runs, two RBI, three walks, and a couple of stolen bases to his totals, hitting a solid .267/.421/.533 with a .954 OPS.
Cohen, reassigned to minor-league camp by the Yankees on Wednesday, had a very impressive relief appearance against the Netherlands in pool play, completing two perfect innings with five strikeouts.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 27: Robert Garcia #62 of the Texas Rangers prepares to pitch during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 27, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond 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 reliever Robert Garcia.
In the 2024-25 offseason, one of the Rangers moves that immediately looked like a coup was sending first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to the Washington Nationals in exchange for relief pitcher Robert Garcia.
Lowe wasn’t a bad player for the Rangers, by any means. Acquired from the Rays by the Rangers in the 2020-21 offseason, in a deal that was viewed in these parts with a fair amount of skepticism, there seemed to be an inherent bias against Nathaniel Lowe in these parts. After all, if Tampa Bay was giving him up, there must be something wrong with him. And the Rangers were in full-fledged rebuild mode at the time, so trading three prospects — Heriberto Hernandez, Osleivis Basabe, and Alexander Ovalles — for a current major leaguer without a huge ceiling seemed counterintuitive, even if the major leaguer in question had not yet accumulated even a year’s worth of service time.
That deal worked out great for Texas, as Lowe put up 11.2 bWAR over four seasons for Texas, while Tampa got 94 unproductive plate appearances from Basabe and nothing from Hernandez and Ovalles. None of the three are with Tampa anymore. The Giants purchased Basabe from the Rays a year ago. Ovalles was released after 2023, played Indy ball in 2024, and now appears to be out of baseball. Hernandez became a minor league free agent after 2024 and signed with Miami, for whom he had a nice 2025 season as a COF/DH, though in just 87 games.
By the end of the 2024 season, however, it was becoming clear that Lowe’s time with the Rangers was likely coming to an end. Texas had gotten two pre-arbitration years out of him and two relatively cheap arbitration years after that, but Lowe was now getting more expensive, especially given that he had seemingly plateaued as a good-OBP, middling power, decent starting first baseman. Projected to make $10-12 million in arbitration in 2025, Lowe still had some value, but the delta between open market value and arbitration value was shrinking, and he was only under team control through 2027.
There was talk that Lowe was a non-tender candidate, though that always seemed misguided, since it seemed clear that there would be some market for him at his still less than market value 2025 salary and the potential team control for 2026. It wouldn’t necessarily be a big return, but you’d get something of value for Lowe, it seemed, from a contender (or wanna-be contender) needing a short-term fix at first base.
So the Rangers trading Lowe wasn’t a surprise.
What was a surprise, however, was that Nathaniel Lowe was traded to the Washington Nationals, a bad team that seemed to be in the latter stages of a lengthy rebuild, but was still in rebuild mode.
And not only did Lowe get traded to Washington — the Rangers got in return what appeared to be a pretty good young reliever, one with five years of team control and a full compliment of options remaining.
Yes, at first glance, Robert Garcia wasn’t anything to get excited about, having put up a 4.03 ERA in 91 innings over 97 games for the Marlins and Nationals (well, mainly the Nationals, who claimed him off waivers in 2023 after Garcia had pitched in one game for Miami) in a season plus two months. But Garcia had a 2.78 FIP and a sub-3 xERA in that span. His 4.22 ERA in 2024 belied an impressive K rate of 11.3 per 9, a 2.38 FIP, and a 2.52 xERA, with a .329 BABIP and 57.2% strand rate driving the high ERA and seemingly owing to bad luck and bad defense.
The Rangers appeared to have got themselves a really good reliever, at a relatively low price.
Garcia ended up being a significant part of the Rangers’ no-name bullpen in 2025, and was, I think, a mixed bag. In a reverse of 2024, his xERA (3.81) and FIP (3.71) were significantly worse than his 2.95 ERA. Garcia saw his K rate drop and his walk rate and home run rate jump up.
To be clear, Garcia’s peripherals weren’t bad in 2025 — his K rate was above average and his walk rate about average. He generated a lot of swings and misses, and he avoided hard contact, with a hard-hit rate of 91%. He went from being a ground ball pitcher in 2024, however, to being a fly ball pitcher in 2025, and ended up getting victimized more often by the long ball.
It seemed as well like fans lost trust in him as the season went on. Garcia got a reputation for being someone who would perform well in low pressure situations, but cratered when the game was on the line.
Garcia ended up getting tagged with 8 losses on the season, which seems like a lot. He tied for third in losses for the Rangers in 2025, with Jacob deGrom. Among pitchers who had at least 90% of their appearances coming out of the bullpen in 2025, the only other guys with at least that many losses were his new teammate, Tyler Alexander (14 losses, 12 in relief) and Brandon Eisert (8 losses, all in relief). Garcia’s 8 losses in relief were tied for the second most in the 21st century for a Ranger pitcher, behind Neal Cotts, who picked up 9 L’s in 2014, and tied with Francisco Cordero, who had 8 L’s in 2003.
Exacerbating that perception was that Garcia had an especially bad stretch in the first half of August, when the Rangers were fighting to stay in the playoff race. From August 1 to August 15, Garcia appeared in eight games. He only recorded 15 outs in those eight games and allowed 8 runs (7 earned), including 4 home runs. He blew three saves and picked up a pair of losses in that stretch, as the Rangers went 1-7 in those eight games.
It was really a remarkably awful stretch. Eight of the 26 runs Garcia allowed in 2025, seven of the 21 earned runs he allowed, and four of the eight homers he gave up came in that 15 day period in August. And it was a period when the pressure was definitely on, when the stakes were high, and the Rangers were collapsing.
Through the end of July, Garcia had a 2.61 ERA and a 3.01 FIP. After August 15, he had a 1.02 ERA and 3.02 FIP. Its a great example of how a bad stretch of games can wreck a reliever’s overall season line.
I tend to be dismissive of claims that a player — particularly a reliever — can only pitch well in low pressure situations, that he can’t handle the stress and the pressure of the big moments. You look at Garcia’s splits, and he gave up a 695 OPS with RISP compared to a 683 OPS with no one on and you figure its not a “melting down” issue.
That said…in late and close situations, Garcia allowed an 814 OPS, including 7 of his 8 home runs, in 181 plate appearances. Given he only faced 269 batters in 2025, and allowed an OPS of 676 overall, that would indicate a pretty big split in late and close situations compared to not late and close. And in what B-R defines as high, medium and low leverage situations, Garcia allowed OPSs of 779, 846, and 451, respectively, in 2025. In 2024, with the Nats, it was 752, 786, and 434.
Does that mean Garcia can’t handle high-pressure situations? Not necessarily, but it does give one pause. Especially when one reads the quotes from Garcia about his experience in the WBC pitching for Team Mexico and what he learned from veteran Mariners closer Andrew Munoz. The first two games of that horrid August stretch, Garcia blew saves in back-to-back games in Seattle, which Garcia talked to Munoz about:
“He said ‘I felt for you there’,” Garcia said. “He knew exactly what I was talking about on failure. He said he’s seen it, done it and experienced it. It’s the worst. And sometimes you think: ‘Oh my God; like I can’t do it again. I can’t do this.’ And you stray from the right mindset. So it was about keeping it one day at a time and understanding that very day is a new day.
“He was like ‘Dude, there’s not one guy that I’ve talked to that pitched in the ninth and didn’t have a little bit of nerves going in there. That’s normal.’ Just understand that all you have to do is execute pitches; that’s your job. Once I heard that from him, from a guy who has had a lot of success there, I think that calmed any anxieties I had going into the WBC and about pitching in leverage situations. It was a huge weight off my shoulders.”
If there were issues in regards to pressure, nerves, whathaveyou for Garcia in the past, one can at least hope that working with Munoz, the experience in the WBC, will help in that regard going forward.
Garcia has a strong two-pitch mix with his fastball and his changeup, and misses bats with pitches. His change is his best pitch, a legitimate out pitch that has above average vertical and horizontal break. It neutralizes righthanded hitters and results in him having almost no platoon splits.
Garcia’s third pitch — his slider — is where he has issues. While he goes with roughly 40% fastballs, 40% changeups, and 20% sliders to righthanders, he throws mostly fastballs and sliders to lefties, as one would expect. His slider is rather mediocre, and he too often left it in the heart of the plate in 2025, resulting in it getting hit hard, especially by lefty hitters.
Garcia could end up as the Rangers’ closer in 2026. Even if he doesn’t, he’s going to be counted on to pitch meaningful, high-leverage innings. His ability to handle those situations better in 2026 than he did in 2025 will have a big impact on the team’s 2026 campaign.
The Good Phight will be previewing the 2026 season by going over each position on the field. We’ll talk about the players that will occupy them, the players behind them, their strengths and weaknesses and give a few takes about how we think the season will shake out.
It’s no secret that the backbone of the Phillies success in recent seasons has been their pitching, specifically their starting pitching. Since 2023, the Phillies rotation ranks first in innings pitched (2,731.2), third in ERA (3.88), fourth in WHIP (1.21), and first in FIP (3.78). That dominance continued in 2025, as the Phillies starters led by Cy Young runner up Cristopher Sánchez were first in innings pitched, (929.2), second in ERA (3.53), and fifth in WHIP (1.18).
But entering 2026, there are some legitimate questions in the rotation for the first time in a long time.
The rotation: Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Zack Wheeler*, Aaron Nola, Andrew Painter
Sánchez continued his ascension in 2025 and cemented his status as the best left-handed starting pitcher in baseball not named Tarik Skubal and one of the best starters overall. He was first among pitchers in bWAR (8.0), third in fWAR (6.4) and fifth in ERA (2.50) while throwing a career-high 202 innings and collecting a career-best 202 strikeouts. Sánchez’ signature changeup graded out in the 100th percentile among all offspeed pitches in baseball, giving him one of the very best pitches overall in the game. He will look to continue his dominance in 2026.
Luzardo came to the Phillies in a preseason trade and turned in the best all-around season of his career. He set career highs in games started (32), innings pitched (183.2), and strikeouts (216). The lefty was one of the best strikeout artists among starters in 2025, ranking fourth in K/9 (10.6) and sixth in strikeout rate (28.5%). Luzardo wasn’t far behind Sánchez in fWAR either, with his 5.3 mark the sixth best in baseball. His first season in Philadelphia surpassed most expectations and earned him a new contract extension. With that contract comes raised expectations. The Phillies are counting on Luzardo to continue to improve and, most importantly, put together another healthy season, as he has never had back-to-back 20 start seasons in his seven-year career.
Perhaps the biggest question mark in the rotation is the health and status of Zack Wheeler. It’s an odd thing to say, as Wheeler has been both an ace of aces and a workhorse since arriving in Philadelphia, but he is still working his way back from thoracic outlet surgery. He will not be ready by Opening Day, but it appears he may not be far behind as he is back to throwing bullpen sessions. No matter when Wheeler comes back however, no one knows exactly how the now 36-year-old Wheeler will perform after undergoing such surgery.
If Wheeler is the biggest question, the second biggest question has to be Andrew Painter. The Phillies top pitching prospect finally looks primed to make his MLB debut after missing almost two full years with a torn UCL and then recovery from Tommy John surgery. Still just shy of 23, Painter will be asked with holding down the fifth spot in the Phillies rotation. His return to the mound at Triple-A last season did not go well and there are legitimate concerns over whether he can regain his pre-injury fastball shape.
Painter has pitched well enough so far this spring, but his velocity dropped significantly in his most recent start, another issue he suffered in Lehigh last year, and he was chased from the start in the third inning. The Phillies don’t need Painter to be a star right away, but they do need him to provide some sort of meaningful production in a back of the rotation role.
Aaron Nola meanwhile is looking to rebound from a truly disastrous, injury-filled 2025 that saw him make 17 starts while saddled with an unsightly 6.01 ERA and a 5-10 record. Simply put, 2025 Aaron Nola was one of the worst starting pitchers in baseball. Now healthy, Nola has looked sharp this spring, crediting his participation in the World Baseball Classic with Team Italy for helping him get into shape sooner. His velocity is way up from this time last year and is much closer to his career average.
Nola has averaged 205 innings pitched a season in his career. The Phillies need him to be a steady, middle of the rotation innings eater with the status of Wheeler and Painter up in the air. It would be hard to be much worse than 2026, but is a rebound to form closer to 2023 Nola (4.46 ERA) or 2024 Nola (3.57 ERA)?
The backup: Taijuan Walker
Walker will actually start the season in the rotation with Wheeler’s absence, but we’ll put him here because he occupies much more of a traditional swing-man role on this team. In that role last year, Walker appeared in 34 games including 21 starts and finished with an ERA of 4.08 in 123.2 IP that was right around the league average. Walker adopted something of a kitchen sink junkballer profile, as he threw six types of pitches in 2025. The most notable change was a plummeting of his fastball rate to a career-low 9.5% while raising his cutter usage to a career-high 30.1%, making it his most used pitch. Opponents hit .244 off of that cutter with a slugging percentage of .480 though, meaning it wasn’t some magical elixir that cured all of Walker’s previous struggles in 2024.
Nevertheless, the approach worked in 2025 and allowed Walker to give the Phillies much needed quality innings as injuries hit their rotation. Will it work again or will Walker’s still poor contact rate spell a harsh regression to the mean?
The depth: Jean Cabrera, Yoniel Curet, Alan Rangel, ???
A general lack of starting pitching depth is a bit of a leaguewide epidemic, but the Phillies in particular are razor thin in the department. The impending promotion of Painter and the mid-season trade of Mick Abel has depleted the Phillies of their upper-minors rotation depth, so much so that 24-year-old Cabrera, who has yet to pitch above Double-A, is possibly their best option in the event of a long-term injury.
Curet appeared in 16 total games in the Rays system last year and had a 6.07 ERA in eight games at Triple-A. Rangel has allowed 9 runs in 7.2 innings pitched this spring. Philadelphia brought in Bryse Wilson and Tucker Davidson as non-roster invitees to spring training, with Wilson possibly being in line for a spot on the 40-man roster after a decent spring.
Strengths: The ability to pitch deep into gameswhile keeping pitchers (mostly) healthy
The Phillies are a bit of an outlier in that they allow their starters to pitch deep into games, as they are one of just five teams to have had multiple pitchers (2) throw at least 180 innings in 2025. In 2024, they had three pitchers accomplish the feat, one of only two teams along with the Seattle Mariners to have at least three starters cross that innings threshold. Manager Rob Thomson and the Phillies have been able to accomplish this while mostly avoiding major injuries, with Wheeler and Nola being exceptions in 2025.
Weaknesses: Lack of depth
As we’ve already touched on, the Phillies have next to nothing in the way of starting pitching depth outside of the Majors. It is nigh impossible to keep all five starters healthy and on schedule all season, despite the Phillies relatively good track record of starter health. You will need players to make spot starts here and there to get through a long season. That’s not even counting that the Phillies are already down Wheeler to start and Painter is likely on some sort of total innings limit. Outside of Walker, the Phillies really don’t have anything even remotely close to reliable rotation depth. They simply cannot afford to suffer a major injury to this position.
Hottest take: Cristopher Sánchezstarts the 2026 All-Star Game
It’s no secret that Sánchez deserved to be named an All-Star last season, but instead he was snubbed in a series of events that led to Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski being named to the All-Star team despite only having five career starts at the time. This year the All-Star game will be held in Philadelphia and the wrongs will be righted, as Sánchez will be the one toeing the rubber for the National League when the game begins.
Realistic take: The rotation takes a step back, but is still among the league best
The Phillies will go as far as their rotation takes them. They should reasonably feel good about Sánchez and Luzardo heading into 2026, but everything else has varying degrees of uncertainty surrounding it. It’s because of that uncertainty that it’s reasonable to expect a step back. At a minimum, a rookie is taking the place of Ranger Suárez and Wheeler is coming off of major surgery at 36 years old.
With that being said, having Sánchez and Luzardo is a great start to a very good rotation. If the rest of the rotation can even perform to modest expectations, the Phillies will once again have a very good rotation, albeit maybe one in the top ten rather than the top five.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 31: (L-R) Jeremy Pena #3 of the Houston Astros, Jose Altuve #27 and Alex Bregman #2 pose with their World Series Ring at Minute Maid Park on March 31, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Astros fans know the numbers by heart. 106, 107 and 111.
In a three-year span from 2011-2013, they’d amass 324 losses. I can vividly recall attending a four game home series verses the Tigers in May of 2013 in which they were outscored by a margin of 37-8 in four straight defeats. These were the early origins of Jim Crane’s team ownership. Things were beyond bleak.
To appreciate what they became, you must appreciate where the humble beginnings. Now that the Astros payroll has dipped out of the top 10 amongst clubs, ironically thanks in large measure to the Tigers absorbing the salary of Framber Valdez, many are wondering if Crane and the top brass are still committed to delivering a winner to the Bayou City.
While Mark Walter in LA and Steve Cohen in NY are in a competition to see who will ultimately one day surpass 400-million-dollar payrolls in MLB, the Astros have been measured and calculated, waiting to see who ultimately wins positional battles in spring training.
Former MLB pitcher Steve Sparks has served as the Astros color analyst on radio since that referenced 2013 campaign, sat down with me for Four Big Questions.
Q: How determined is this organization to return to playing meaningful games in October?
I think the Astros are very hungry to get back to the playoffs, and beyond, this year. During this 11-year stretch, they’ve barely played any games that didn’t mean anything. So, with that, those expectations permeate the organization in every facet. They haven’t won a playoff game in a couple of years, so that empty feeling has been motivating the players to do everything in their power to stay on the field.
Q: Let’s talk about Hunter. How imposing is his knuckle curve on opposing hitters?
Hunter Brown is one of the few true aces in baseball now. Finishing 3rd in the AL Cy Young voting last year was just scratching the surface. With the addition of the sinker two years ago, he’s able to keep righties from diving, and that makes all his pitches more effective. And by all pitches, I especially mean the nasty curve. Because of its shape, it’s equally as devastating to both righties and lefties. I think there are a few pitches in the major leagues that can induce swing-and-miss in the strike zone. Brown’s hook is one of them.
Q: How crucial is it for Cristian Javier to return to his form of 2022 for this rotation?
Cristian Javier is finally far enough away from Tommy John surgery to mentally take the next step as a rotation stalwart. There seemed to be some trepidation last season when he returned, but this spring we’ve seen hop and life back in his four-seamer. I expect a bounce back to his former self.
Q: With Josh Hader still in the process of returning to 100%, can the Astros do it bullpen by committee?
I guess if there’s a silver lining to a setback to one of the best closers in the game, the Astros have one. With Hader down to start the season, they turn to one of the best setup men in the last three years. Bryan Abreu has punched out triple-digit batters in each year, and sometimes overpowers the game’s best hitters. Not all the fans know a whole lot about him, but every hitter does. He’s in a select class of baseball’s best relievers who aren’t closers YET.
Major League Baseball dove headfirst into the prediction market business on Thursday, announcing a multi-year deal with Polymarket after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding information-sharing with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The deal, first reported by Front Office Sports, is for three years and worth between $150 million-300 million to MLB, according to the site. Polymarket will gain exclusive access to MLB licensed logos and branding.
MLB joins the NHL, MLS, and UFC in taking on official prediction market partners. Commissioner Rob Manfred began laying groundwork for a deal with discussions with the players’ union this summer and last month suggested that such partnerships would be a boon for integrity. Polymarket will have access to official league data to resolve markets.
Manfred told ESPN that federal oversight simplified integrity procedures.
“The fact that you have a federal regulatory scheme makes our life a lot easier as opposed to … for example, sports betting, where you’re going state by state,” he said.
Prediction markets: more big-name pals
Prediction markets keep adding high-leverage partners, even as the legality of controversial sports event contracts is litigated in multiple states. The sites assert federal oversight by the CFTC and states deem them unlicensed sports betting. But with CFTC leadership allowing prediction markets to swing for the fences in terms of expansion, and legal resolution perhaps years away, deals are forming and the market keeps growing.
Kalshi is reportedly negotiating a content-integration deal with Fox Corp., after making the same pacts earlier with CNN and CNBC. Massive sportsbook brands like DraftKings and FanDuel have launched prediction market platforms to harness national interest in the upstart mode of sports betting.
We’re honored to announce MLB has named Polymarket as their Exclusive Prediction Market Exchange Partner.
The MOU with MLB is the first the CFTC has entered with a professional sports league. According to a CFTC release, it “establishes a framework for the CFTC and MLB to discuss, cooperate, and exchange information concerning issues of common interest, including protecting the integrity of professional baseball and the relating prediction markets.”
While the pact is partly designed, according to the release, to “better anticipate emerging trends,” it emphasizes that it will allow “both parties to more swiftly respond to incidents,” at a time when regulatory structure and insider-trading concerns have dogged the prediction market industry. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman noted after signing deals with Kalshi and Polymarket that fans can be assured league markets on those platforms are “based on real data.”
That said, the first-pitch markets allegedly manipulated by suspended Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were based on real data, too. But the new information cooperative should, in theory, allow similar episodes to be discovered more easily between MLB and Polymarket.
Today the @CFTC and @MLB made history by signing the first-ever MOU between a sports league and federal agency.
We’ve committed to work together to protect the integrity and resilience of prediction markets relating to professional baseball.
“The MOU is a collaborative step toward promoting the integrity and resilience of the prediction markets relating to professional baseball. Through this MOU, the CFTC is well-positioned to add additional tools to protect these markets and its participants from fraud, manipulation, and other abuses,” CFTC Chairman Michael Selig said in a release. “I thank MLB and Commissioner Rob Manfred for partnering with the CFTC and taking a leading role in protecting the integrity of these growing markets.”
Sportradar in 2025 extended its decade-long partnership with MLB as exclusive data-distributor and integrity partner. A Sportradar spokesperson said the company envisions a “significant opportunity to monetize our products and services in prediction markets.”
“Similar to our approach with [online sportsbooks],” a statement continues, “our commercial agreements will be varied and structured to optimize value. Our arrangement with MLB reflects this approach, providing Polymarket with MLB data and the opportunity to provide our broad suite of products and services, as well as an ability to provide these to other participants in the prediction markets.”
KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 13: Jermaine Dye of the Kansas City Royals looks on against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium on April 13, 1997 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals defeated the Twins 6-1. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) | Sporting News via Getty Images
Royals fans may be underwhelmed with what the club has done to address its outfield offensive needs, but even with Opening Day just over a week away, it’s not too late for the Royals to make a move. Teams around baseball are still sorting through roster crunches, injuries, and late-camp competitions, which can create opportunities for trades right up until the end of spring training. It would not be unprecedented for the Royals to make a trade in camp. Throughout their history the Royals have pulled off a number of spring training deals, some minor and some quite significant, that reshaped the roster just days or weeks before the season began.
Here are some notable trades the Royals made while players were tuning up for the season in camp.
April 1, 1969 – Acquired Lou Piniella
Piniella was originally signed by the Cleveland Indians, but bounced around to the Senators and Orioles organizations before the Indians reacquired him. But they left him unprotected for the expansion draft in 1968, and the new Seattle franchise selected him. Piniella had a fiery attitude that rubbed manager Joe Schultz the wrong way, so near the end of spring training, the Pilots traded him to the other expansion team, the Royals for outfielder Steve Whitaker and pitcher John Gelnar. Piniella would be the starting left fielder and collect the first hit in Royals history, on his way to hitting .282 and winning Rookie of the Year.
March 30, 1982 – Acquired Vida Blue
The Royals were quite active in the weeks leading up to the 1982 season, trading infielder Rance Mullinks to the Blue Jays in a trade for minor leaguer Phil Huffman, and sending infielder Manny Castillo to the Mariners for a player to be named later, a shrewd deal that would net them left-hander Bud Black.
The Giants were looking to get younger in their rotation, and the Royals considered a deal for veteran Doyle Alexander. But he refused to report unless he got a new contract, and the Royals were unable to meet his high demands. Instead, near the end of spring training, they acquired former Cy Young winner and six-time All-Star Vida Blue from the Giants in a six-player trade that included pitcher Atlee Hammaker and outfielder Renie Martin. Blue was just 32 years old and coming off a season in which he posted a 2.45 ERA, and gave the Royals an ace to pair with Dennis Leonard, Larry Gura, and an aging Paul Splittorff. Blue would win 13 games that year, but would soon be embroiled in a drug scandal that would rock the Royals’ clubhouse.
March 27, 1987 – Traded David Cone and Jim Sundberg
The Royals decided to go young behind the plate, having lost confidence in veteran Gold Glove catcher Jim Sundberg in 1987. Ed Hearn was a young Mets catcher who impressed many when he filled in for Gary Carter when the All-Star was injured. The Royals acquired him late in spring training in a five-player trade for a young pitcher named David Cone, a Kansas City native who had some control issues and posted an impressive 5.56 ERA in 11 games the previous season.
Just a few days later, the team sent Sundberg to the Cubs in a deal that saved the Royals some money and gave them sorely needed outfield depth in Thad Bosley. The deal stunned players in camp, and gave the Royals an unproven catching tandem of Hearn and Larry Owen. But the overlooked part of the move was Cone, who went on to New York and became a 20-game winner and All-Star pitcher.
March 10, 1992 – Traded Kirk Gibson
The Royals had long coveted Kirk Gibson and his fiery attitude, nearly signing him after the 1987 season before owners decided collectively not to sign free agents. But he instead went to Los Angeles and won MVP and a World Series with the Dodgers. He didn’t join the Royals until 1991, after his knees were banged up and he missed half the prior season with a hamstring injury.
He signed a two-year, $3.3 million deal, but slumped badly in September. He also clashed with new manager Hal McRae, who told him the next spring he would not be a starter. The Royals shipped him to the Pirates for high-priced lefty reliever Neal Heaton. Gibson spent just 16 games in Pittsburgh before they released him in March, but he would rebound the next year back in Detroit.
March 27, 1997 – Traded Michael Tucker for Jermaine Dye
The Royals had a young, up-and-coming, but very left-handed-heavy outfield in 1996 with phenom Johnny Damon, speedster Tom Goodwin, and former first-round pick Michael Tucker. They sought a right-handed bat to balance things out, and found a match with the Braves. Atlanta was fresh off a National League pennant, but GM John Schuerholz was making bold moves to revamp the outfield, sending David Justice and Marquis Grissom to Cleveland for Kenny Lofton. He needed another outfielder to platoon with rookie Andruw Jones, and acquired Tucker from the Royals for young right-handed bat Jermaine Dye.
Dye had impressed in his rookie season in 1996, but many observers felt the Braves had gotten the better of the deal. Star columnist Jeffrey Flanagan wrote “the Royals have lost their minds” while the usually optimistic Joe Posnanski slammed the deal.
“This was just one of those moves that hurts a team, even if Dye turns out to be good, which is no guarantee by the way. Dye had a reasonably good half-season for the Braves, but they were not sold on him. It’s hard to be sold on a guy who walks less than Marlon Brando.
This guy chases bad pitches like Tommy Lee Jones going after the Fugitive.”
-Joe Posnanski
Dye would struggle for a few seasons, but he hit 27 home runs in 1999, and started the All-Star Game the next year.
March 16, 2022 – Traded Mike Minor for Amir Garrett
Minor was a valuable reliever for the Royals in 2017, as he recovered from shoulder surgery. He went on to have a great stint in Texas, but returned to the Royals before the 2021 season on a two-year, $18 million deal. He struggled with a 5.05 ERA, and with young pitchers like Brady Singer, Kris Bubic, and Daniel Lynch IV coming up, the team no longer needed his innings. The Royals were able to free up some money by sending him to the Reds for animated lefty reliever Amir Garrett. He struggled with his command and had mixed results in two seasons with the Royals, while Minor made just 19 starts with the Reds with an ERA over six.
February 17, 2024 – Acquired John Schreiber
After losing 106 games in 2023, the Royals sought to revamp the bullpen, adding Will Smith, Chris Stratton, and Nick Anderson in the offseason. Just after pitchers reported to camp, they brought in another reliever, acquiring sidearmer John Schrieber from the Red Sox for pitching prospect David Sandlin. Schrieber was a late bloomer, having a terrific 2022 season, with mixed results in 2023. He posted a 3.66 ERA in 59 games, and had five scoreless outings in the postseason that fall.
Other notable spring training trades:
February 18, 2000 – Traded Jeremy Giambi to the Oakland Athletics for Brett Laxton.
March 23, 2007 – Traded Erik Cordier to the Atlanta Braves for Tony Pena Jr.
March 26, 2008 – Traded Jorge de la Rosa to the Colorado Rockies for Ramon Ramirez.
Evan Grant’s final roster projection of the spring suggests that the Rangers should keep both Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker, and make a trade with Baltimore to remove Carter Baumler’s Fule 5 status.
Luis Curvelo turned down the opportunity to pitch for Team Venezuela because he wanted to concentrate on making the Rangers Opening Day roster and that decision looks to have paid off.
Cal Quantrill made the opposite decision and is just now returning to camp after pitching for Team Canada.
Kennedi Landry points out that, to the extent that spring stats actually mean anything, the Rangers have definitely made some positive changes to their offense.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MARCH 28: Josiah Gray #40 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the first inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on March 28, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After sending Harry Ford to Triple-A yesterday, the Nats sent a couple more big names to Rochester. This morning, the team announced that Josiah Gray, Robert Hassell III and Julian Fernandez had been sent to Triple-A, while Zach Penrod has been reassigned to minor league camp. Obviously, Hassell and Gray are the biggest names here, and we will break down why they are starting the season in Rochester.
The Nationals have made the following roster moves:
Optioned to Triple-A Rochester: -RHP Julian Fernandez -RHP Josiah Gray -OF Robert Hassell III
Reassigned to Minor League camp: -LHP Zach Penrod
— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) March 19, 2026
While Hassell’s demotion will be a surprise to some, it was not a huge shock to me. The Nats have a very deep pool of outfielders, and Hassell was on the outside looking in. There are a lot of mouths to feed between James Wood, Daylen Lile, Dylan Crews, Jacob Young, Hassell, Christian Franklin and even Joey Wiemer.
The fact that Hassell is left handed may have hurt him. With Wood and Lile being lefties, the Nats may have wanted a right handed bench outfielder. Christian Franklin and Joey Wiemer are both good against left handed pitching, so that may have given them the edge. Hassell also struggled pretty heavily in his first taste of big league action, with a .572 OPS.
Hassell was better than Dylan Crews this spring, but still only posted a .631 OPS despite a .286 average. Hopefully Hassell can either tap into more power or cut down his strikeouts in AAA. Right now, Hassell feels like a guy who is fairly well rounded, but does not have one thing he excels at.
Despite the demotion, I think we will see Hassell at some point this season. If Dylan Crews continues to struggle and Hassell excels in the minors, he could take that spot. However, in a crowded outfield room, Hassell is going to need to stand out to get playing time.
As for Josiah Gray, this demotion feels like a way to buy time. The former All-Star has missed most of the last two seasons due to Tommy John Surgery and needs to make up for lost time. While he is healthy now, Gray could use some time to ramp up.
Nationals have optioned Josiah Gray, Robert Hassell III and Julian Fernandez to AAA. Zach Penrod also reassigned to minor-league camp.
Not a surprise with Gray, whose workload can be managed in Rochester before he eventually gets called up. Hassell's demotion a bit of a surprise
This gives the Nats a set rotation of Cade Cavalli, Zack Littell, Foster Griffin, Miles Mikolas and Jake Irvin. If either of those last two guys struggle, Gray will be able to take their place. Both Mikolas and Irvin should be on short leashes entering the season given the starting pitching depth.
Gray’s lack of velocity is another reason why they sent him down. In his first inning of spring, he was sitting at 94, but after that he was living more in the 90-92 range. Hopefully more velocity comes back as he gets further removed from the surgery.
Josiah Gray is making his second spring training start tonight.
He just got a punch out with a CB. Threw 7 breaking balls and just 4 FBs in a clean first. Topped out at 92. pic.twitter.com/uDf5oFvK49
Even if it does not come back, Gray is mostly a breaking ball pitcher now anyway. The velocity on his slider and curve were more in line with pre-surgery numbers. This trip to the minors allows Gray to get his feet wet and re-establish himself.
If he can get back to his 2023 ways, Gray can be a valuable, if frustrating piece of the rotation. The Nats new pitching philosophy is all about cutting fastball usage if you don’t have a good fastball, and that is right up Gray’s alley. He was already doing that, but now he can take that to the extreme.
Hassell and Gray are both likely to get their shot at some point this season, but it will not be on Opening Day. With more cuts to make, Paul Toboni and Blake Butera still have big decisions to make. However, we are getting closer to seeing what that Opening Day roster looks like.
Howie Rose, a legendary broadcaster who has been a play-by-play voice for the Mets since 1996, is retiring after the 2026 MLB season.
Rose, 72, made the announcement on Thursday.
"Having grown up in Shea Stadium’s upper deck in the 1960s and early 1970s, my long career as a Mets broadcaster has been the epitome of 'Living the Dream,'" Rose said in a statement. "I have been honored and blessed to follow the lineage of Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy and Ralph Kiner and I look forward to savoring and sharing every moment of the 2026 season with the greatest fans in baseball."
Said Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen:
"For nearly four decades, Howie Rose’s voice has been synonymous with New York Mets baseball. His passion for the Mets has carried across the airwaves and into the homes and hearts of fans everywhere, bringing the franchise’s most memorable moments to life. Generations of Mets fans have grown up listening to Howie call the game with authenticity, energy, and a deep appreciation for what this team means to our community. We are grateful for the relationship we’ve built with Howie and for the dedication he has shown to the organization and our fans since 1987. We congratulate Howie on an extraordinary career and wish him the very best as he begins this next chapter with his wife, Barbara, and their daughters, Alyssa and Chelsea."
Since 2004, Rose has been calling Mets games on the radio, with his famous "put it in the books" putting an exclamation point on wins.
A 2023 inductee into the Mets Hall of Fame, Rose has also been the emcee for major on-field ceremonies, including number retirements.
Before becoming an in-game on-air voice, Rose -- a native of Bayside, Queens -- hosted pre-and postgame shows on Mets radio starting in 1987.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 15: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 high fives Bryce Harper #24 of Team United States after the final out of the fifth inning was recorded against Team Dominican Republic at loanDepot park on March 15, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Overview:
After a season where they took a step back, I’m pretty confident that the Royals will bounce back in a big way in 2026. I expect Witt to be his normal MVP-caliber self (I actually think he ends up winning MVP this year), with bouncebacks from Pasquantino and Ragans, breakout seasons from Jensen, and for Maikel Garcia to continue his upward swing to become among the best 3rd basemen in MLB. For what it’s worth, if you don’t know Carter Jensen by now, you will quickly become accustomed to hearing his name whenever he inevitably gets called up to the big leagues this season. He’s, in my opinion, the best catching prospect in the league, and will take over the backstop anchored by Salvador Perez for the last decade. I assume Perez will slide to DH with occasional 1B stints mixed in when Pasquantino needs a day off. Back to Jensen. He broke out last year after a disappointing 2023 campaign and, to a lesser degree, a disappointing 2024 campaign. While he posted a sub-.800 OPS at AA in 2025, he put up a whopping 166 wRC+ at AAA over 40+ games. His strikeout rate rose, which is slightly concerning, but his walk rate rose with it. He had an ISO of **.359** at AAA. All of these next stats come courtesy of Thomas Nestico (@TJStats on X, his website is tjstats.ca). He hits the ball hard — constantly — registering a 100th percentile Hard-Hit rate last year at AAA. Barrel rate is in the 95th percentile, he doesn’t chase (87th percentile), and he pulls the ball in the air (72nd percentile). His weaknesses are his passivity (6th percentile swing% at AAA), and contact (28th percentile whiff%).
Offseason Additions/Subtractions:
One of the, funny enough, biggest reasons I’m so high on the Royals this year is because of the ballpark dimension changes they made in the offseason. As you all know, Kauffman Stadium has one of the biggest outfields in the league, which has made itself one of the hardest parks to hit home runs in. Conversely, it’s made it one of the easiest parks to hit doubles & triples in. No longer! According to the Royals’ MLB.com writer Anne Rogers, the Royals are moving in their left- and right-field walls between 9-10 feet. They’re also lowering the height of walls by a little over a foot. Here’s the article.
Outside of Witt, both Pasquantino and Salvador Perez have inevitably suffered from the deep walls at Kauffman, and since neither are particularly fast, this change should help both slug a little more. Conversely, it could hurt their XBH total, but I’m assuming both will hit significantly more homers because of this change. According to Statcast’s expected home runs by park feature, Pasquantino would’ve had the fifth-fewest homers in the league last year if he’d played all his games at Kauffman. The only lower ones are Boston (weird right-field dimensions), Minnesota (high wall in right-field if I had to guess), St. Louis (no idea), San Francisco (no explanation needed). As an extreme pull-hitter, the right-field wall being brought in by any amount will vastly improve his HR total.
Of my lesser impact breakout candidates are the pair of pitchers Kansas City received in the head-scratching Freddy Fermin trade last year: Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. Both project to be back-of-the-rotation arms, but should supplement a very deep rotation. Of course, with Ragans and Bubic at the top of the rotation, everything else is just the cherry on top. I’ve been high on Ragans for a while and, as an objective fan, I hope he stays healthy this year. As a Guardians fan, I hope he puts up a 5 ERA. Circling back to the dimension change subject, I do think Lugo takes a big step back this year. He has vastly overperformed his expected stats each year he’s been in Kansas City, and with his barrel rate getting continuously worse, I’m not sure he makes it through an entire year at MLB with them. But, having Ragans-Bubic-Wacha-Cameron-Bergert is not a bad rotation to fall back on. In fact, there’s a decent chance that’s the best performing rotation in the division. Of course, it helps having an all-world defensive shortstop behind you.
Per Fangraphs’ Roster Resource Tool, this is what the Royals’ lineup should look like:
C – Salvador Perez/Carter Jensen
1B – Vinnie Pasquantino
2B – Jonathan India/Michael Massey
3B – Maikel Garcia
SS – Bobby Witt Jr.
LF – Isaac Collins (acq. from MIL for LHRP Angel Zerpa)
CF – Kyle Isbel/Starling Marte/Lane Thomas
RF – Jac Caglianone
DH – Carter Jensen/Perez
That’s a really, really good lineup, albeit there are some question marks. But what is an AL Central team without question marks? That lineup could very easily have 7 above-average hitters (save for India & Isbel).
Isaac Collins was a decent acquisition for them, and although I don’t think he’ll be as good in 2026 as he was in 2025, he’s a massive improvement from the corner outfielders they trotted out last year. I’m also not as high on Caglianone as some are but, again, an improvement. They’re one of the few teams to consistently have as bad or worse outfield productions than the Guardians, but they’ve addressed that need pretty well recently.
My biggest concern is the bullpen, particularly the closing role. They traded for LHRP Matt Strahm from the Phillies in December, acquired Nick Mears in the Collins-Zerpa trade, and of course still have Lucas Erceg, but seem content with running out Carlos Estevez for the 9th again. Bad idea. Estevez should, under no circumstance, see the 9th this year. They have too much backend depth to risk Estevez blowing games. Either let Erceg run with the closer role, or platoon it between him and Strahm. Both have enough leverage experience to succeed in that role. Estevez has been flat-out awful in Spring Training. His velocity is down about 5 (FIVE!!!) miles per hour across the board. His fastball is down below 89 (EIGHTY-NINE!!!) miles per hour. Not gonna work. He does not have a single pitch above average in Stuff+ in Spring Training (credit @TJStats on X). He’s not controlling any of his pitches (34% zone%), and is giving up loud contact (11th percentile barrel%, 15th hard-hit%). Pair that with an abysmal ground-ball rate, and he is going to get rocked. I do think they probably should have gone after another reliever in free agency. That, particularly, concerns me for them. Because of that, I’m assuming Estevez will get the 9th to start the year based off his track record, and will inevitably be eclipsed by either Erceg or Strahm if he can’t get his velocity back up.
The bullpen is going to be the biggest question mark for this team in 2026, but it’s also the easiest thing to fix. I expect them to be active at the deadline in targeting, well, anyone. I doubt that the reliever market at this year’s deadline will be nearly as robust as last year’s (hard to beat Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran, David Bednar, Kyle Finnegan, Ryan Helsley, Camilo Doval, and Tyler Rogers), but they should still be able to pick someone up.
Prediction:
The Royals win 90+ games and win the division. I assume they trade for multiple relievers at the deadline, and that helps bolster their 2nd half fortunes despite the Tigers (who I assume will come in 2nd) having a very easy schedule to close out the season.
