TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 06: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of Team Japan reacts in the third inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between Japan and Chinese Taipei at Tokyo Dome on March 06, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers have their first off day of the spring this week, with no game on the docket for Wednesday. It’s one of two off days on their Cactus League schedule, along with Thursday, March 19. Also this week, pool play concludes in the World Baseball Classic, which moves into elimination games next weekend.
Korea, at 1-2 in Pool C, needs a win over Australia on Monday and some help to stay alive in the tournament. If Japan advances out of Pool C as expected, expect Yoshinobu Yamamoto to pitch in the quarterfinals on Friday or Saturday.
Daylight saving time starts on Sunday, so Arizona will be on the same clock as those of us in and around Los Angeles now. Here is the schedule for the week ahead (all times PT):
Sunday, March 8
WBC: Japan vs. Australia, 3 a.m. (FS1) Dodgers at A’s, 1:05 p.m. (SportsNet LA)
Monday, March 9
WBC: Korea vs. Australia, 3 a.m. (FS1) Dodgers at Brewers, 1:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA) WBC: Puerto Rico vs. Cuba, 4 p.m. (FS1) WBC: United States vs. Mexico, 5 p.m. (Fox)
Tuesday, March 10
Dodgers vs. D-backs, 1:05 p.m. (SportsNet LA, AM 570) WBC: Puerto Rico vs. Canada, 4 p.m. (Tubi) WBC: United States vs. Italy, 6 p.m. (FS1)
Mar 3, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Team USA outfielder Aaron Judge against the San Francisco Giants during a spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Yankees have spent a lot of time talking about their pitching this spring, Brian Cashman making a point to praise the high upside arms the team will have at their disposal throughout the season. To be sure, the thought of Gerrit Cole arriving midseason to reinforce a rotation that should already include Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, and Cam Schlittler is tantalizing, not to mention the potential on offer from new addition Ryan Weathers and prospects Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodríguez.
But perhaps we should be spending more time talking about offense. It was on offense, after all, that the Yankees shined in 2025, running a 119 wRC+ that was by far the best in baseball. Their 118 wRC+ in 2024 also led MLB, albeit by a lesser margin. Judge’s production is incomparable, but he’s been backed up by enough depth in recent years to put the offense into elite territory.
Yet the Yankees aren’t alone even in their own division in terms of offense, with particularly strong outfits in a few spots in the AL East. So let’s keep it simple: who’s got the best lineup in the division?
The Yankees are the incumbents, having paced the league last year and continuing to employ the greatest hitter of his generation. But will one of their rivals surpass them? At first blush, the Blue Jays seem like the strongest contenders. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and George Springer lead the way, backed up by a few group breakout players, a group that cut the Yankees pitching to death in the ALDS in 2025.
That said, the Orioles could be a dark horse. The O’s disappointed last year, but they made some serious power additions in the form of Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward, deepening a lineup that already included loads of talented young players, led by Gunnar Henderson. Baltimore would need bounce back seasons from Adley Rutschman and Jackson Holliday, among others, but this Orioles offense has the talent to be very, very good. The last two offenses here, in Boston and Tampa, probably don’t have quite the horses to get into this conversation, though the Red Sox could surprise. Roman Anthony is already a star, and Willson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu, and Jarren Duran round out a formidable top quartet of hitters.
What do you think? Is the best lineup in the division still in New York? Or will they be outstripped by the batters in Baltimore, Toronto, or elsewhere?
The WBC is roaring along, so this morning Matt and Peter will get you caught up on the latest action. We also have a fascinating figure for our Yankees Birthday series in Jim Bouton, while John takes a look at the Rangers as part of our 2026 MLB Preview, and also provides this week’s runaround Yankees social media.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — There was a time when the Yankees might have envisioned a 2026 Yankee season with Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones both starting in the outfield, with Aaron Judge in right.
The reality, though, is that both young players have significantly more to prove before they get starting jobs in the majors, which is part of the reason why Trent Grisham received a qualifying offer this offseason and the Yankees signed Cody Bellinger to a new deal.
And to make matters worse for the young duo, they even brought in Randal Grichuk for a bench spot to add some right-handed depth to the roster.
But in Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Nationals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, Domínguez was in left and Jones in center, as the Yankees look at the two talented prospects who are almost certainly ticketed for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Domínguez was first unable to outperform Alex Verdugo in 2024 and then Grisham last year, as Grisham emerged as an offensive force.
And Jones has shown flashes of phenomenal power in the minors, but not the consistency to warrant a call-up to The Bronx.
Still, they have time to make an impression on the organization — and Aaron Boone — especially this weekend with an inexperienced lineup because of back-to-back games on the opposite side of the state and other players absent due to the WBC.
Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez rounds the bases after hitting a home run earlier in spring training. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Boone said Saturday there have been encouraging signs from both Domínguez and Jones.
Of Jones, the manager said, “He’s done a nice job. He’s worked really hard this winter to make adjustments to try to hone his craft and had pretty good results here the first few weeks of games.”
He had a hard-hit single and stole second in the second inning Saturday.
Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones looks on from from the dugout earlier in spring training. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Still, the 6-foot-7 Jones is coming off a season in which he whiffed 179 times in 506 plate appearances, an issue the Yankees remain hopeful will dissipate with more experience.
“Those are the challenges of being a big guy,’’ Boone said. “It’s a hard thing to figure out, but if you can do it, [that size is] a massive advantage.”
Judge is the best example of that, clearly. He turned 25 the year he set the rookie home run record in 2017.
Jones, the team’s first-round pick out of Vanderbilt in 2022, turns 25 in May.
“You’ve just got to figure out your mechanics,’’ Boone said of super-sized players. “It’s a challenging thing to do when you’re really big, but once you do, you have an advantage.”
That’s not what’s kept Domínguez back.
The switch-hitter has not blossomed from the right side yet — which helped lead to the Grichuk signing — and remains a work in progress in the outfield.
After Boone criticized some of his decision-making in the outfield Saturday, Domínguez threw out Washington’s José Tena, who was trying to stretch a single into a double in the third.
That’s not enough to unseat any of the starters — or Giancarlo Stanton at DH — but Boone said the situation hasn’t impacted Domínguez’s work.
“One of the things I appreciate about Jasson is how consistent a person he is,’’ Boone said. “He’s the same all the time. He has a good way about him. I’m not surprised, but I also think he continues to be a better pro. He’s done a good job.”
HOUSTON — For the first four innings of Saturday’s World Baseball Classic game, Team USA struggled to consistently generate offense while trailing Great Britain 1-0. It looked like an upset was brewing, until an unlikely hero stepped up.
The catalyst was infielder Ernie Clement, one of just two players in Saturday’s USA starting lineup who has never been named an MLB All-Star. At the plate with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Clement connected on a two-strike pitch and put it into play. Great Britain third baseman Ivan Johnson overthrew first base. Clement hustled and was safe at first, cracking the door open just wide enough for the Americans to start a rally.
Clement moved to third base on a Pete Crow-Armstrong double, then scored the USA’s tying run with gutsy baserunning when he slid home on a wild pitch. The door blasted off its hinges.
The USA scored five runs that inning, grabbing a lead it never relinquished in a 9-1 win against Great Britain at Daikin Park.
“To have that little spark – it started with Ernie there, a big hustle play to get to first base,” said Kyle Schwarber, who hit the USA’s go-ahead home run.
Clement, the Toronto Blue Jays utility man, scored three runs and hit 1-for-3 in the win. He took five plate appearances, saw 18 pitches and reached base four times courtesy of an error, a single, and two walks.
A team’s ceiling is often defined by its depth, which is exactly what Team USA manager Mark DeRosa had in mind when he recruited Clement as a plug-and-play infielder to join a roster that constitutes an embarrassment of riches.
“He’s deserving of being in that room,” DeRosa said. “(I) wanted to get Gunnar (Henderson) and him in the lineup. I felt like coming out of Arizona, I felt like everybody was worthy of a start. And wanted to get these guys rolling, and they deserve it.”
Saturday night’s gutsy performance further underscored Clement’s dramatic career transformation – from underproducing fringe player in danger of falling out of the majors to heroic playoff performer to Team USA contributor.
Following a miserable 2022 season in which he batted .184 in 69 games, Clement was not even in consideration for Team USA’s roster for the 2023 WBC. In fact, during the tournament, he was released by the A’s and two days later signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays.
“If you told me back then that I would be doing this, I would be pretty surprised,” Clement said. “But I’ve always believed in myself and I’ve always put the work in, and it’s nice to see it rewarded.”
Clement’s resume looks much different these days. He made his WBC debut coming off a record-setting 30-hit postseason for the 2025 American League champion Blue Jays, a season in which he was also nominated for Gold Glove awards at third base and the utility position.
And yet on paper, Clement was hardly the biggest threat on a USA team littered with league MVPs, Gold Glovers and Cy Young winners.
“You kind of run into, what All-Star is going to be in the lineup?” Great Britain manager Brad Marcelino said before Saturday’s game.
The USA started seven All-Stars. The two exceptions were outfielder Roman Anthony, the former top prospect who made his big-league debut in 2025, and Clement, the veteran two weeks shy of his 30th birthday.
Saturday was Clement’s first start of the WBC. He entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning and did not take a plate appearance in the USA’s opening win over Brazil on Friday. Against Great Britain, he started at second base and batted eighth in the lineup.
After grounding out his first time up, Clement took advantage of Great Britain’s throwing error.
“I’m trying to hustle as much as I can,” he said. “I saw the first baseman jump up and as soon as I see that, usually I try to slide, but it was so bang-bang. I’d already made up my mind.”
He was just as aggressive sliding headfirst to score on Andre Scrubb’s wild pitch that same inning. Leading off the bottom of the sixth, Clement lined a two-strike slider into left field for a single and later came home on Alex Bregman’s sacrifice fly. In the seventh inning, after getting on base with a walk, he scored again on another Bregman sacrifice fly – the final run of the game.
Team USA, and in particular clubhouse leaders Schwarber and captain Aaron Judge, have attempted to create a camaraderie absent of a hierarchy. The goal is to relieve the burden felt by the more experienced (and accomplished) players on the team and simultaneously empower everybody else.
“We don’t want to feel like anyone needs to do something extraordinary because this is a lineup of extraordinary people and a bullpen and a starting staff of extraordinary people,” Schwarber said. “We play for our country and play for our team and that’s all we care about.”
Clement’s background as a utility player who in his MLB career has played at seven different positions – including four games at pitcher, allowing six earned runs across four innings – demanded that he be prepared for a variety of scenarios.
“I’m just kind of going in with an open mind and being ready for anything because in these kinds of tournaments, really anything can happen,” Clement said.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 7: Trayce Thompson #28 of Great Britain makes a catch in the outfield during a World Baseball Classic Pool B game between Great Britain and the United States at Daikin Park on March 7, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Will Smith played a part in the United States’ 9-1 win over Great Britain Saturday night to improve to 2-0 in Pool B in the World Baseball Classic. But he was also on the wrong end of a couple of nice defensive plays that prevented an even bigger night for the Dodgers catcher.
Smith walked twice and threw out a baserunner trying to steal second base against Great Britain. But he was also robbed of a solo home run in the second inning, when former teammate Trayce Thompson made a leaping catch over the right field wall to bring it back.
Early leader for catch of the World Baseball Classic?! 😤
Smith also tattooed a ball 104.1 mph in the sixth inning with the bases loaded, but left fielder Kristian Robinson tracked it down in the gap, making Smith settle for a sacrifice fly instead of extra bases. Smith had another hard-hit flyout to Thompson in the eighth inning.
Old friend Hyun-jin Ryu, two and a half weeks shy of his 39th birthday, was back on the mound for Korea for the first time in the World Baseball Classic since 2009. The former Dodgers left-hander allowed a solo home run in the second inning and worked around two singles and two steals to get through three innings with just the one run allowed with three strikeouts against Chinese Taipei.
In a back-and-forth contest in which no team ever lead by more than one run, Chinese Taipei scored in the 10th inning to outlast Korea 5-4.
Ryu, who returned to the KBO the last two years after pitching over a decade in MLB, talked with Michael Clair at MLB.com about his history in international play, including winning an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and finishing as the runner-up in the 2009 WBC:
“As a young guy back then, I remember a lot of good veterans were there for me. So, I try to do the same thing. We have a much younger pitching staff compared to years ago with the national team. I just try to be there. I think one thing I want to do for them is not only care about my baseball here now, but try to think for the young kids, so they can grow. Just being there really, but I’m also getting a lot of energy and things to learn from those young kids, as well.”
Hyeseong Kim walked in the eighth inning and scored the tying run from first base on a double.
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 8, 2026
With the tying run on third base and one out in the 10th, Kim laid down a squeeze bunt but the runner was out at home. Kim stole second to get into scoring position, but he was stranded to end the game.
After throwing a scoreless inning on Friday, Edwin Díaz did not pitch for Puerto Rico on Saturday. Puerto Rico erased deficits in the ninth and 10th innings to stun Panama and improve to 2-0 in the tournament. Daniel Hernaiz delivered the walk-off blast for Puerto Rico in front of his home fans with one of the most joyous celebrations you’ll ever see on a baseball field.
Aaron Boone put the 20-year-old at shortstop Saturday in a 3-0 loss to the Nationals and said he planned on starting him at third base Sunday against the Mets in Port St. Lucie.
The part that needs more development is Lombard’s offense, although he has given the Yankees reason to believe that’s not far away with his home run against Boston’s Garrett Crochet earlier in the spring.
Boone also said he thought Lombard might have had another one Friday against Tampa Bay lefty Ian Seymour if the wind hadn’t knocked it down.
On Saturday, he walked in the first before being picked off to end the inning.
George Lombard Jr. hits a single during the Yankees’ Feb. 27 Grapefruit League game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Despite making an error at short against Washington, what continues to wow the team — and opposing scouts — is his glove work.
“He’s mature, he’s a pro, he’s physical [and] he’s prepared,’’ Boone said. “He’s played really well. He’s swung the bat well, but also played phenomenal defense wherever.”
Despite that ability to play numerous infield positions, Boone said it’s clear where Lombard’s future is.
Asked about showing his versatility, Boone said, “I don’t know how important it is because he can really play short.”
Still, it’s a nice luxury to have and Lombard excels at the other spots, as well.
“The fact he plays the other ones with the ease with which he does, that’s what’s impressive to me,” Boone said. “Wherever I put him — even going back to last spring — he makes a play every time that you’re like, ‘Dang, not a lot of people make that play, even if they’re familiar with the position.’ He’s pretty special on the defensive side.”
And his bat is developing.
“He’s just impressive physically,’’ Boone said. “As a young man, he keeps filling out and you notice another level every year.. He gives you a really good at-bat, knows the zone and is very disciplined and focused. The last thing for him is to continue to develop the hit tool to finish off the player.”
Jake Bird has looked like a different pitcher this spring compared to what the Yankees saw after they acquired him from the Rockies at the trade deadline last season — at least until Saturday, when he gave up a pair of runs and retired just two batters.
The right-hander had a rough introduction to the Yankees last season, allowing multiple runs in two of his three outings following the trade before being sent to the minors.
He had also been shaky in his final month with the Rockies and wasn’t much better with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Boone said Bird might have been impacted by a heavy workload prior to the trade, as he appeared in 45 of Colorado’s first 106 games before the Yankees picked him up and “hit a little bit of a wall physically.”
Now, Boone said Bird is “one of the guys very much in the mix” for a spot in the bullpen.
“We got him last year for a reason,’’ Boone said. “He’s had a good bit of success at this level. He had a really good winter and shown well [here].”
Didier Fuentes looked absolutely dominant on Saturday, drawing 7 whiffs on just 25 pitches and pumping up to 99 MPH with his fastball. He did so, however, throwing only two pitches and throwing his four-seamer 80% of the time. It will be interesting to see what additional pitches he adds to his arsenal this season, if any. It’s difficult, as we know, to succeed as a starter with only two pitches. Fuentes looked nasty though and looked the part of an absolute weapon who could handle up to one time through the order, but I would be skeptical of his success seeing hitters multiple times with that pitch mix, even if the fastball is looking like it did today.
Feb 13, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) works out during spring training practices at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
New York Post | Mark Sánchez: After yet another bullpen session on Saturday, Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón got some good news. He is set to face hitters next week, for the first time since going under the knife to remove loose bodies from his elbow in the offseason. Rodón is healthy, but the Bombers have been slow with his ramp-up process in order to avoid any setbacks. He said his range of movement improved considerably, so he is still ‘trying to figure out how everything moves again and just find the [pitch] shapes.’
SNY | Philip Martinez: Right-hander Will Warren extended his spring dominance on Saturday night vs. the Washington Nationals, pitching four quality frames in which he surrendered just one unearned run, lowering his Grapefruit League ERA to an impressive 0.87. He allowed two hits and walked a pair, striking out three. The talented but inconsistent hurler stretched out to 50 pitches and looks ready for the start of the season. He has a chance to prove he can improve his command and take the next step.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: On Friday, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole completed his third live batting practice session of the spring, and it went as well as you can expect. He completed two innings, threw 30 pitches, and reached 97.5 mph with his heater. He also included some breaking balls and looked excellent, just like he has all spring. “It actually felt good,” Cole said. “The second inning felt really good.” The team and the pitcher are both taking things really slow because he didn’t pitch at all last season, but it’s hard not to feel excitement at the prospect of a healthy Cole dominating in October.
Aaron Judge might have to write out a check for this one.
During the sixth inning of Team USA’s 9-1 blowout win over Great Britain on Saturday in Group B pool play, Judge hit a laser directly into the left field wall, breaking the scoreboard at Daikin Park in Houston.
The ball, which ended up resulting in an RBI single for Judge, wound up destroying a panel on the left-field scoreboard at a scorching 109.6 mph off of the bat.
Judge’s hit also came during a three-run sixth inning for Team USA, which saw them break the game open against Great Britain.
Team USA was held scoreless for the first four innings, with Great Britain jumping out to an early lead after outfielder Nate Eaton homered off of Tarik Skubal on the first pitch of the game. Trayce Thompson also robbed Will Smith of a homer in the second inning, but the Americans rolled after that.
After their victory against Brazil on Friday, Team USA improved to 2-0 in pool play, with the team set to face Mexico next on Monday.
The U.S. went all out with its roster for this year’s tournament following a devastating loss to Japan in the finals back in 2023.
Aaron Judge flies out during the fifth inning of Team USA’s 9-1 blowout win over Great Britain in a World Baseball Classic game on March 7, 2026, in Houston. AP
Manager Mark DeRosa assembled a star-studded U.S. squad this time around, and was dead set on landing Judge, previously detailing on “The Show with Joel Sherman & Jon Heyman” last month how he got the three-time American League MVP to come aboard.
DeRosa said he was able to recruit Judge through former Yankee great — and current Team USA pitching coach — Andy Pettitte, who said that the seven-time All-Star wanted to play for the U.S.
“I just said, ‘Hey Aaron, I’m not going to bug you throughout the year. … I talked to Andy Pettitte, I’d love for you to be obviously the captain of Team USA and kind of start with you and filter everything around you as the pillar of this thing,’” DeRosa said was his pitch to Judge.
“He called me back within 48 hours and was like, ‘I’m in, I want to do it.’ … I started it in April, I just started slow-playing and trying to make pitches. I was building a Dream Team at night in my apartment on paper. Trying to make lineups out and pitching staffs. I was just slowly cold-calling people and seeing where their heads were at”
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Brenton Doyle #9 of the Colorado Rockies runs during the spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 23, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This evening in the Colorado Rockies first night game of 2026, they headed home with a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Blake Treinen #49 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch in the seventh inning during a World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Mexico at Camelback Ranch on March 4, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite allowing only one hit in three innings of work, Landon Knack was unable to keep the Rockies off the board in what ultimately became a 6-4 loss to the Rockies. More important than the result, Knack struggled with an aspect of a starter ’game he ought to navigate well in order to have the desired impact. The young right-hander didn’t make the most out of allowing only one hit in three innings of work, done in by the Rockies small-ball game—one that works particularly well with a speedster like Jake McCarthy at the top of the batting order.
In the first inning, a walk was all it took for Colorado to get on the board, with McCarthy stealing back-to-back bases in order to score on a simple sacrifice fly. A couple of frames later, a ground rule double and a pair of sac-flies got Colorado on the board once again. Knack, who had a 1.394 WHIP last season, needs to do a better job of stranding runners and controlling the running game if he is to compete at even a decent level, much less a high one.
Sadly, Knack, who has multiple youngsters ahead of him in the pecking order for innings on this staff, wasn’t even the most disappointing Dodger pitcher of the evening, a distinction that belonged to Blake Treinen. Severely underwhelming in 2025, particularly in the postseason, Treinen came into this season on the final year of his deal, looking to bounce back to the form that made him one of the more dependable relievers of this team not so long ago. After a couple of scoreless outings in spring, the veteran got roughed up by the Rockies, who hung a four-spot on him in the sixth without the need of a single extra-base hit. On the flip side, there wasn’t a lot of hard contact to go around, so for now, we chalk it up to an isolated, unfortunate incident, even if the downward trend was cause for concern well before spring got underway.
For a game with 10 runs scored, neither offense looked particularly potent, with them combining for only three extra-base hits in the whole game—responsible for the Dodgers only one, Andy Pages continued his terrific showing this spring, now 7 for 20 in eight games. The first five hitters in the batting order all got three at bats with each of Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández, and Max Muncy going 1 for 3. Both in the eighth and ninth innings, the Dodgers had the tying run in scoring position, but failed to capitalize once all the starters had left the game.
Up next, the Dodgers will go to Mesa to face the Athletics with a couple of left-handers taking the ball—Justin Wrobleski for Los Angeles and Jacob López for the A’s.
United States pitcher Clay Holmes (35) throws a pitch against Great Britain during the fourth inning at Daikin Park.
Mets starter Clay Holmes had himself a dazzling World Baseball Classic debut for Team USA on Saturday night.
While coming in relief for reigning American League Cy Young champion Tarik Skubal during the Untited States’s’ 9-1 blowout win over Great Britain in Group B pool play, Holmes, 32, threw three scoreless innings and struck out six batters.
The Mets right-hander also struck out five Great Britain hitters in a row across the fourth and fifth innings.
Clay Holmes throws a pitch during the fourth inning of the United States’ 9-1 blowout win at Daikin Park on March 7, 2026. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Saturday’s game was Holmes’ first appearance in the WBC, with the two-time All-Star previously telling reporters that he was ready to represent his country.
“I feel ready,” Holmes told reporters earlier this month, according to MLB.com. “Whether you know you’re in spring training facing a big league lineup or you’re going to face another team in the WBC, you’re trying to get outs, and you’re doing the best you can.”
After initially being held scoreless for the first four innings, Team USA erupted for five runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth and never looked back.
Following Holmes, Yankees closer David Bednar came in and threw a scoreless seventh inning, striking out two.
After losing in heartbreaking fashion to Japan in the 2023 WBC, Team USA came back stronger than ever for this year’s tournament, with manager Mark DeRosa assembling a star-studded team this time around.
“Not only can we talk about players, but our coaching staff, too,” Team USA captain Aaron Judge told reporters on Monday, according to The Athletic. “We’ve got All-Stars, Silver Sluggers, World Series champs, [pitching coach Andy] Pettitte, one of the best postseason pitchers ever.
“It’s just some of the best baseball players that ever played the game in one room, so it was pretty cool to get a chance to address them and talk with them. That’s what I kind of started out with: It’s just an honor to be here in front of you and be wearing the same uniform as you guys.”
Will Warren throws a pitch for the Yankees during his March 1 Grapefruit League outing.
Observations from Yankees spring training Saturday:
Good Will Warren
Despite saying his “stuff wasn’t as sharp” later in his outing as he wanted, Will Warren threw four solid innings and gave up just an unearned run in a 50-pitch outing.
Will Warren throws a pitch for the Yankees during his March 1 Grapefruit League outing. Getty Images
No-show on ‘O’
The Yankees left most of their main players — the ones who aren’t in the WBC — back in Tampa.
But the lineup that faced the Nationals didn’t impress, putting up just three hits — all singles.
Caught my eye
Washington right-hander Josiah Gray missed all of last season after July 2024 Tommy John surgery.
The New Rochelle native and Yankees fan appears to be all the way back, with three scoreless innings against the Yankees.
Sunday’s schedule
The Yankees continue their East Coast (of Florida) road trip with a game against the Mets at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie with offseason addition Ryan Weathers on the mound.
The midway point through Spring Training brings a little more clarity to the roster competitions going on in camp for the San Diego Padres with almost three weeks to go. The scores of the games don’t matter; the games often include minor league players that will never see a major league roster. Even the performances by the veterans are not too important as it is the process that is the focus in spring.
Everyone is working on stuff. Hitters are refining approaches and tweaks to their mechanics. Pitchers are working on new pitches, grips, sequences and building stamina. Despite all of that, it is still possible to impress the coaching staff if you are a non-roster invitee or minor league prospect. There are many factors that go into making the final roster decisions at the end of camp and some of those decisions are made easy by performances.
Randy Vasquez
When camp opened in February, manager Craig Stammen sent a message to starter Randy Vasquez. You have to earn your spot on this staff; nothing is a given. It appears Vasquez took that challenge to heart and has been impressive. His fastball velocity is averaging 2.2 mph higher than last season, and he is using it a lot more. The whiff percentage has gone from 16% to 27.3% in his appearances so far. Last year, of his seven-pitch mix, he had a stuff+ rating of 100 or more for his cutter, sweeper, curveball and slider. This spring, his stuff+ is 100 or more for all of his pitches.
In the 4.2 innings pitched in his two starts, Vasquez has allowed one hit with five strikeouts and three walks and no runs allowed. The exhibition against Great Britain on March 4 featured the first start for Joe Musgrove in his return from Tommy John. Vasquez came on in the fourth inning and pitched four shutout innings, allowing one hit and three strikeouts with no walks. That is a drastic contrast to watching him in past seasons, where his nickname was “Strandy Vasquez” with his penchant for getting out of messes he created for himself.
The Padres staff has expressed excitement with his performance so far and Vasquez has no worries if he can keep this up.
Fifth rotation spot
Triston McKenzie will not be in the rotation. The velocity is impressive but the control and command are everywhere. No one can fix that in three weeks.
Marco Gonzales has improved from the start of camp, but his competition is pushing him to the back of the line due to his low velocity compared to the other starter options.
JP Sears has improved his velocity (up to 94 mph on his fastball) but the command of his pitches has not been consistent. If he is to compete, he must improve his location on all his pitches.
Germán Márquez has also improved as the number of starts have increased. His fastball in the mid-90s is used about half the time and he mixes in his knuckle curve, slider, sinker and changeup. Only his curve has a stuff+ of 100 or more and the rest are below average.
Walker Buehler has a seven-pitch mix with a fastball that currently hits 94 mph. His stuff+ is better on his secondary pitches and his only appearance for the Padres showed a starter that knows how to pitch. If he improves over the course of the rest of the games, it will be hard to imagine the other starters beating him.
The last starter spot will continue to be competitive until late in spring. An improvement in performance and execution could significantly affect the final decision. As things stand now, Buehler seems to be the frontrunner but that can change. There has been no clarity on what happens with the veterans who don’t make the roster. The opt-out rules and contract details aren’t totally clear, and those details could be part of the final decision.
First base and DH
The competition for the platoon partner for Gavin Sheets at first base and DH seems to have concluded with both Miguel Andujar and Nick Castellanos showing major league performances in spring games. Castellanos can play corner outfield and DH but spent his offseason working at first base. Despite learning a new position, Castellanos has looked comfortable and made some good plays. There have also been enough misplays to allow him to learn and get coaching and mentoring from those around him. Offensively, his 21 at-bats feature a home run, two doubles and six RBI with a .333 average and 1.011 OPS
Andujar, who can also play third base and left field, has had 21 at-bats with a double, two homers and three RBI. He is hitting .381 with a 1.233 OPS. Although spring stats mean very little, seeing them both make good contact and have good at-bats is encouraging for improving the production in the last half of the lineup.
Infield/Outfield depth
Sung-Mun Song looks good in infield drills, showing athleticism and excellent defense. He has played mostly third base so far this spring. He debuted at shortstop in the game on March 5, making a good play with quick reactions and a strong throw. He also hit a home run 430 feet with an exit velocity of 105 mph on a 95-mph fastball. Watching his hits so far this spring, hitting velocity hasn’t been an issue.
Unfortunately, he came out of that game with soreness in his right oblique. That is the same side he injured before camp began and is now day-to-day. Depending on his progress, there could be some competition for infield depth as infielder Ty France has impressed this spring. In his 24 at-bats, France has three doubles and five RBI while playing strong defense at first base. If the Padres test him at third base and second base in coming games, it could be a sign that he has a chance for the roster.
Coming into spring, most everyone figured Bryce Johnson had a lock on the fourth outfield job. He played well last year and is a defensive plus at all three outfield positions. It’s possible that may not be the case. Johnson has options remaining and there are multiple players in camp who have experience in the outfield. Castellanos and Andujar are infielders who have played the corner outfield spots. Gavin Sheets has also seen time. The real issue is the backup for Jackson Merrill in centerfield and only Ramon Laureano has been able to fill in. That isn’t a great fit, but Johnson could be called up in case of a longer-term issue.
It will be interesting to see if there is a true fourth outfielder on the roster when camp breaks.
Bullpen
The only clarity to come with this battle is that Bryan Hoeing appears to have a significant injury and may not be in the conversation at all. The team has been suspiciously quiet about details regarding his status. The only report is elbow soreness, and he is exploring second and third opinions on his options. None of that sounds good and it is possible surgery would be what is being debated.
The surprise has been the rise of Logan Gillaspie as an option for the long role. His velocity is also up from previous years and there looks to be more movement on his pitches as well. The 3.2 innings pitched so far have been over two games with one hit and six strikeouts. Nick Pivetta is backing off from his start on Sunday and Gillaspie will start in his place.
The final decision for the bullpen will probably come down to the last days of camp, unless there are further injuries. Fingers crossed that the performances will continue to make it hard on the Padres staff to make those final decisions.
Catcher
The start of his tenure as the new manager featured Craig Stammen naming Luis Campusano as his back-up catcher. He left no doubt he was counting on Campusano to win the job this spring. So far, Campusano has looked good behind the plate. He is noticeably more engaged with the pitchers, and his work seems a lot more focused. Although his throws were a bit off to start, his last couple have been on target and crisp.
Unfortunately, his offense hasn’t kicked in yet. It seems obvious that might lag behind if he is dedicating most of early camp to the pitchers and his defense. Watching for more offense as the games go on and we get closer to the regular season would relieve some anxiety among fans who have never seen a consistent Campusano in a Padres uniform.
If positive vibes and confidence from the manager have any effect, then Campusano should begin to bloom soon. If you buy into the theory that 80 percent of baseball is mental, then having confidence in a player and giving him all the opportunities should bring out the best in him. I continue to hope that Stammen supporting and encouraging Campusano will unlock the player we haven’t seen yet.
