CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 27: Cody Freeman #39 of the Texas Rangers looks on prior to a game 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
Texas Rangers infielder Cody Freeman has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back, the team announced today. He is expected to miss four to six weeks.
Freeman, who the beats say gave the team an injection of energy when he came up last August, was in the mix for a bench spot to start the season. This would seem to lock Ezequiel Duran in for the backup infielder spot, which, barring injury, would mean that one spot is still open among position players, given that Sam Haggerty appears to be a given.
The team also announced that Winston Santos has a fracture in his non-throwing hand, a result of being hit by a comebacker while throwing batting practice. He won’t be facing batters for the next four weeks, but he will be able to throw in that period, so once his left hand heals he should be able to get back into action pretty quick.
Santos missed most of the 2025 season due to injury, making only 6 starts — five for Frisco, one for Round Rock — before throwing 18 innings in the Arizona Fall League. I would expect he’ll start the season in Round Rock, though he could go back to AA Frisco to start the year.
Tarik Skubal is fresh off a record-setting $32 million dollar arbitration win and is one of the eight players on the MLB Players Association executive subcommittee, so his hands have been full this summer.
Skubal is also coming off back-to-back Cy Young awards and an absolute dominate showing in 2025. The 29-year-old LHP had a 2.21 ERA, 13-6 record, and career-highs in WHIP (0.89), WAR (6.6) innings pitched (195.1) to go along with 241 strikeouts to 33 walks. Looking over his baseball savant page, Skubal couldn't have really been better, unless he was a video game character playing on easy mode.
Tarik Skubal baseball savant page
Skubal is renown as the best pitcher in all of baseball, not just the AL, and a third-straight Cy Young would make him the sixth player to accomplish this feat after Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martínez, Sandy Koufax, and Jim Palmer. Barring injury, Skubal will be a top-two candidate to win the AL Cy Young all season, and all trade rumors should be put to rest. The Tigers would be fools to deal Skubal.
2. Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox (+425)
The leash was off of Garrett Crochet last year in his debut season with Boston and it resulted in as second-place finish for the AL Cy Young. Crochet totaled four first-place votes and 26 second-place votes last year finishing behind Tarik Skubal and ahead of Hunter Brown, Max Fried, and Bryan Woo.
Crochet led all of baseball in strikeouts (255), was second in wins (18), second in innings pitched (205.1), sixth in ERA (2.59), eighth in WHIP (1.03), and 12th in OBA (.217). Crochet matched his 2024 season with 32 games started, but tripled his wins from 6 to 18 and added almost 60 more innings pitched going from the White Sox to the Red Sox. The 26-year-old LHP is entering his prime and is the biggest contender to Skubal.
I bet Crochet last year to win AL Cy Young and he came as close as possible despite Skull's fantastic season. I will run it back and bet on Crochet to win the award, as it's difficult to win three consecutive Cy Young's and pitch 190-plus innings in three straight years.
3. Max Fried, New York Yankees (+1700)
In his first season with the Yankees, Max Fried led the MLB in wins (19) and set a career-high in victories, plus innings pitched (195.1), strikeouts (189), and games started (32). The 32-year-old picked up where he left off in 2021 and 2022 with the Braves and dominated the regular season.
The last time we saw Fried, he was bombarded for seven earned runs on eight hits against the Blue Jays in a Game 2 loss, which I'm sure added some fuel to the fire for this upcoming season. Fried finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting last season with six third-place votes, 20 fourth-place votes, and three fifth-place votes.
The Yankees get Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon back from injuries this season, so New York's rotation won't rely on Fried as heavily. I think a third-place finish is likely for the lefty and his odds should be a little shorter to match Hunter Brown (+1300), Cole Ragans (+1300) and the next pitcher on my list.
Before we get there, her are the top candidates for American League Cy Young courtesy of DraftKings.
American League Cy Young odds via DraftKings
4. Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers (+1300)
Last season, Jacob deGrom recorded his most wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, and more since 2019. After being riddled with injuries over the last five seasons, with the Mets and Rangers, the 37-year-old won American League Comeback Player of the Year.
deGrom had the second-best WHIP (0.92) behind Skubal, the fifth-best OBA (.196), and the 12th-best ERA (2.97). If he posts similar numbers, drops the ERA a bit, and can give Texas more than 172 innings of work, then he should be a top five contender for the Cy Young. deGrom won back-to-back Cy Young awards in the 2018 and 2019, which were the last healthy seasons for the veteran.
With only a few years left before retirement, deGrom's last chance to join the elite ranks of an AL and NL Cy Young trophy is running out. Since 2000, only Max Scherzer has won a Cy Young in the AL and NL. Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens are two more stars who accomplished this feat in the 1990's. With Skubal and Crochet in their primes, I personally don't see deGrom winning this season, but anything can happen.
A sleeper for this award is deGrom's teammate, MacKenzie Gore (+4000). Gore joins the Rangers after a 5-15 season with the Nationals and a 4.17 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 159.2 innings pitched. The trio of deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and Gore will be one of the most fun pitching rotations in baseball this year.
5. Framber Valdez, Detroit Tigers (+2200)
This may come as a surprise having Framber Valdez as my No. 5 pick for Cy Young, but the move to Detroit was massive. Valdez has five-straight seasons of double-digit wins, four consecutive of 176-plus innings pitched, and at least 169 strikeouts over the past four years.
While Valdez is coming off his worst ERA (3.66) since 2020, the former Astro posted the second-best WAR of his career (3.8) and tied for the most games started (31). Valdez is durable and he will join Tarik Skubal, Justin Verlander, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize in one of the best rotations in not just the American League, but all of baseball. That rotation will boost Valdez's status and he won't be playing indoors as often like he was with Houston.
Detroit has hitters all over the lineup and I fully expect Valdez to post another double-digit win season and a sub 3.00 ERA like he did in 2022 and 2024. Winning the award is a different story though with Skubal in the lineup, but Valdez could be a top-five finisher for Cy Young and beat out guys with better odds like Hunter Brown (+1300) or Cole Ragans (+1300).
MLB Futures Card
3 units: Pittsburgh Pirates Over 76.5 Wins (-115) 1 unit: Pittsburgh Pirates to win NL Central (+800) 1 unit: Paul Skenes to win NL CY Young (+250) 1 unit: Garrett Crochet to win AL CY Young (+425) 0.5 unit: Konnor Griffin to win NL Rookie of the Year (+600) 0.5 unit: Bubba Chandler to win NL Rookie of the Year (+1200)
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SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 11: Dean Kremer #64 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches live during practice at Ed Smith Stadium on February 11, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Baltimore Orioles/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles’ Grapefruit League opener yesterday was a resounding success, at least if you’re a pitcher or Pete Alonso. The Birds’ newest slugger mashed a two-run homer in his O’s spring debut to provide all the offense in a 2-0 win over the Yankees. Trevor Rogers, Keegan Akin, Rico Garcia, Grant Wolfram, Jose Espada, and Trey Gibson combined on a three-hit shutout, with Gibson pitching the final three innings for the save. All of those guys except Gibson are either locks or strong candidates for the Opening Day roster, so it’s nice to see them all start well.
The O’s have a return engagement at Ed Smith Stadium today against the Pirates. Dean Kremer, who will soon be leaving the Orioles to pitch for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic, takes the mound today. It’s strange to think that Kremer might have to compete for a rotation spot, but that may be the case, as he, Chris Bassitt, and Zach Eflin (if healthy) are three candidates for two openings behind Rogers, Kyle Bradish, and Shane Baz.
Today’s game marks the Orioles debuts for Taylor Ward and Blaze Alexander, while Dylan Beavers and Ryan Mountcastle will also be starting for the first time this spring. Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, the latter of whom will soon leave for the WBC as well, are the only Orioles from yesterday’s game who are starting again today. They’ll take on Pirates prospect Wilber Dotel. Former Orioles Ryan O’Hearn and Billy Cook are in the Pirates’ lineup this afternoon.
The game will be televised on MASN and on radio on 98 Rock.
Orioles lineup:
LF Taylor Ward C Adley Rutschman 1B Ryan Mountcastle 2B Blaze Alexander DH Gunnar Henderson RF Dylan Beavers CF Leody Taveras 3B Weston Wilson SS Luis Vázquez
Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Iván Herrera (right) and pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) shake hands after pitching drills during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander talks to pitching coach Chris Fetter after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
CUBS vs. RANGERS: The Cubs will also face the Rangers in a Spring Training game Tuesday, March 10 at Surprise Stadium. The teams will play a three-game regular season series in Arlington, Texas May 8-9-10.
UPCOMING STARTERS: Colin Rea will start Sunday against the Giants at Scottsdale and Ben Brown will go against the Royals Monday at Surprise.
Matthew Boyd will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Daniel Palencia, Hoby Milner, Luke Little, Jack Neely and Jeff Brigham.
Kumar Rocker will start for the Rangers. Other Rangers pitchers scheduled today: Cal Quantrill, Luis Curvelo, Carter Baumler and Patrick Murphy.
Today’s game will be on Marquee Sports Network. There will also be a radio broadcast on 670 The Score, as well as on the Rangers radio channel, Rangers 105.3.
Please note that during spring training, Gameday sometimes doesn’t go pitch-by-pitch as it does during the regular season — usually, it will update after each at-bat.
Please visit our SB Nation Rangers site Lone Star Ball. If you do go there to interact with Rangers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Jackson Ferris #93 of the Los Angeles Dodgers participates in a throwing session during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers on Sunday take on the San Diego Padres at Peoria Sports Complex for their second game of the spring schedule.
Jackson Ferris gets the start on the mound on Sunday. The Branch Rickey Award in 2024 as the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year, Ferris struggled at times in Double-A Tulsa last season but rebounded down the stretch with a 1.95 ERA and three home runs allowed over his final 15 starts of 2025.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 20: Arizona Diamondbacks infielder, Nolan Arenado steps up to the plate during the first 2026 spring training game at Salt River Field at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 20, 2026. The Arizona Diamondbacks went onto beat the Colorado Rockies 3-2. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Diamondbacks News
Lawlar Gets Center Field Nod Once the team takes the field today, Jordan Lawlar will begin to make his case for or against all the faith that has been placed in him over the last few years.
Arenado Discusses Full Circle Home Run Jake McCarthy was wearing Colorado purple and Nolan Arenado was wearing Arizona colours. McCarthy showed he still has wheels. Arenado showed he still has pop in his bat. The veteran third baseman reflects on swatting a dinger against the club that brought him up.
Arizona’s Top Prospect Getting a Taste Arizona’s top prospect, Ryan Waldschmidt, is getting an opportunity to impress this spring. The slugging outfielder is unlikely to make the opening day roster, but this is an opportunity to put himself on the fast track to MLB promotion.
Bill Mazerowski Passes Away at 89 The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that 17-year Pirate, and Hall of Famer, Bill Mazerowski passed away yesterday. As one of the greatest Bucs of all-time, he will be missed.
If you aren’t already familiar with the name Dax Whitney, get familiar with him ASAP.
2027 MLB Draft 1.01 candidate – and if he was in the draft this year, he would very much challenge UCLA SS Roch Cholowsky for that slot. #MLB#NCAA#MiLBhttps://t.co/bx6KNPyTJR
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Dalton Rushing #68 of the Los Angeles Dodgers participates in a batting drill during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers open their Cactus League schedule on Saturday afternoon, hitting the road to face the Angels at Diablo Stadium in Tempe. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is on the mound for Game 1, plus regulars Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernández, and Andy Pages occupying the top three lineup slots. Here are the active players making the trip to Tempe.
Lineup
Shohei Ohtani DH Teoscar Hernández LF Andy Pages CF Dalton Rushing C (starting on his 25th birthday) Santiago Espinal 3B Hyeseong Kim 2B Alex Freeland SS Ryan Ward 1B Zach Ehrhard RF
Yamamoto starting on the mound
Other pitchers
Paul Gervase is the other Dodgers 40-man pitcher on the trip, as are non-roster invitees Ryder Ryan, Wyatt Mills, Luke Fox, Antoine Kelly, and Adam Serwinowski.
From minor league camp, Nicolas Cruz (wearing uniform number 05), Cody Morse (06), Antonio Knowles (90), Christian Suarez (91), and Cam Day (93) made the trip
Other position players
Non-roster invitees who made the trip east are outfielders Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Kendall George, and James Tibbs III, plus infielders Keston Kiura, Nick Senzel, and Ryan Fitzgerald, and catchers Griffin Lockwood-Powell and Nelson Quiroz.
Infielder Sean McClain (wearing number 87) is also on the trip, from minor league camp.
Peoria, AZ - February 18: Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres waits for a throw during a spring training practice on February 18, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
The 2026 MLB season is finally upon us and, with it, one of the sport’s newest major rule changes since commissioner Rob Manfred took up the mantle in 2015. The ABS (automated ball-strike system) is here.
As with many rule changes, fans of the sport are divided over it, but it’s here to stay. Because of that, teams will have to spend Spring Training figuring out a strategy for how to use the rules to their advantage. How will the San Diego Padres utilize this system in their clubhouse?
San Diego’s strategy
New Padres manager Craig Stammen offered some thoughts this week on the introduction of the system into MLB. “I want… to use at least [the] first challenge not with two out and nobody on but save it for a key situation,” Stammen said. This has been the prevailing idea for ABS with the majority of MLB clubs.
It’s worth wondering whether or not that philosophy will cause challenges to be hoarded by teams and end up unused (when they could have been in situations that may not have been deemed important enough to warrant it at the time). If teams go in without a strategy for utilizing the new system, they’ll get left behind, and San Diego cannot afford to lose ground on their opponents before the season even starts.
Behind the dish
That’s what makes one particular position so fascinating to look at when it comes to this new system. The catcher has, by far, the best view of the strike zone, as well as (hopefully) the greatest comprehension of what is and is not in the zone. My guess is that catchers will be given far more leeway than other players when it comes to challenging these calls.
In yesterday’s opener to Spring Training, Padres catcher Luis Campusano challenged two called balls and got both challenges correct, turning them into strikes (one of which resulted in a strikeout of Seattle Mariners star catcher, Cal Raleigh). It will be interesting to see how much, if any, value is added to the catcher position because of this system.
It’s possible that this added value affects the catcher race between current starter Freddy Fermin, Campusano and minor-league pickup Blake Hunt. After only one game played, time will tell.
There “will be strategies we come up with as we go through Spring Training,” Stammen said. “We’ll need to see who is good at it and who is not… that will be part of it. There should be some revoking of people’s challenge opportunities.”
As Spring Training continues on, will we see some players challenge less because of their poor knowledge of the zone? Will others challenge more often because they have it down? One thing’s for sure: pitchers will not be challenging.
What about the guy on the mound?
It’s an important and fair question. Why would pitchers not be trusted to challenge? A former pitcher himself, Stammen said “Pitchers are very trustworthy. However, they’re highly emotional while pitching. And they’re also the farthest away from the strike zone… [they] will have limited opportunities to challenge.” A lot of that makes sense. It’s likely that pitchers are liable to trust their stuff and still be wrong about the call.
That being said, pitchers are probably going to want to challenge the call, but they will likely be stopped from doing so. The Padres would be wise to avoid this as well. It’s easy to get heated in the moment on what you think is a bad call when, in reality, it’s off the plate.
The takeaway
With all that still to be solved before spring wraps up, it’s certain now that – love it or hate it – ABS is here to stay for the ‘26 season (and likely beyond). It’s impossible to ignore that robust knowledge of the strike zone already added value to players, this rule change just makes it more tangible.
Instead of simply being upset about a call batters know is bad, and being forced to protect by swinging at a bad pitch, the hitter can now take the at-bat into his own hands and change the outcome. It’s a wonderful merge of accurately calling games and maintaining the human component of the game we all love.
Nothing’s set in stone for the Friars now, but it’s important a strategy is formed in the weeks leading up to Opening Day. Otherwise, they’ll find themselves floundering without a way to use this new aspect of the game to their advantage.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 22: Joe Ryan #41 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates his complete game shutout against the Boston Red Sox with teammate Byron Buxton #25 after the game at Target Field on June 22, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Red Sox 6-0. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):12:05 TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe: Over the Monster
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 16: Carlos Lagrange #84 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 16, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Elmer Rodríguez showed why he’s the Yankees’ top pitching prospect in yesterday’s Grapefruit League opener, and today is Carlos Lagrange’s first chance to impress as he also makes a case for some 2026 MLB playing time. Lagrange stands a dominant 6-foot-7 with a 70-grade fastball and above-average slider, and while he finished last year with Double-A Somerset, he has the tools to rise even quicker through the senior level of the minors, and FanGraphs projects him as eventually an MLB-caliber closing pitcher. At just 22, he certainly has time to make it stick in a rotation first.
Keider Montero has spent parts of two seasons in a swingman role for the Tigers, and while a decent 94 mph heater will get you onto a major league roster, an inability to command it properly probably means he’s going to be a reliever for the bulk of his career. This goes double in a rotation as deep as Detroit’s, but if Montero can unlock a little extra in his strikeout rate, he can carve himself a role as a dependable bullpen piece.
On the offensive side, Aaron Judge will make his spring debut in right field, and with another “home” game scheduled for Sunday, one wonders if he’s reached that Mariano Rivera status where he’s not even issued a road jersey in camp. The only other first-stringer in the lineup is Ryan McMahon, hitting and playing third, while Jasson Domínguez, who may start the year at Triple-A Scranton, is your leadoff hitter. Also note Spencer Jones playing center and hitting seventh.
Bill Mazeroski’s hit was so massive, it was bound to overshadow everything else he accomplished in his career.
That’s not the worst thing, at least when that hit is a solo home run for the Pittsburgh Pirates to beat the mighty New York Yankees in World Series Game 7. Mazeroski, who died this week, went on to a Hall of Fame career forged on his defensive wizardry at second base.
But that 1960 trip around the bases remains one of the biggest and most memorable blasts in baseball history, although there have been times a game-deciding hit or run driven in isn’t the most revered moment in a given Fall Classic.
With that, we take a look at the 11 homers, bloops, sacrifice flies and other oddities that ended a World Series – many of them long before Dennis Eckersley coined the term “walk-off”:
1. Bill Mazeroski, home run vs. Yankees, 1960 Game 7
Historical note: There was no salary cap in 1960, when the Pirates turned back the Yankee dynasty in a thrilling series that ended at Forbes Field. No, just the Steel City erupting when Mazeroski, as he told USA TODAY Sports years later, was “floating around the bases” after his homer against Bill Terry. It’d be 11 years before the Pirates reigned again in 1971.
Really tough to elevate a Game 6 Series winner over all the Game 7 dramas, but c’mon: A home run that flips the result of a game, stuns the Phillies into winter, with a Mitch Williams meltdown that many could anticipate coming, voiced legendarily by Blue Jays announcer Tom Cheek: “Touch ‘em all, Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!” A Game 7 winner is great, but getting the plug suddenly pulled on a winner-take-all-game is almost equally shocking.
3. Luis Gonzalez, single vs. Yankees, 2001 Game 7
It barely blooped and rolled into the grass of Bank One Ballpark, but with one defensive hack, Gonzalez toppled the mighty Mariano Rivera and ended the Yankee dynasty in stunning fashion.
An epic World Series looked for all the world like it’d end with the road team finally winning. But Rivera, who also blew Yankee playoff chances in 1997 and 2004, mishandled a bunt that changed the entire dynamic of the inning and forced the Yankees to play the infield in. Derek Jeter had no chance on the dying quail, and it’s kind of nice that exit velocity wasn’t around back then to besmirch the beauty of a perfectly placed bloop.
4. Earl McNeely, 12th-inning double vs. Giants, 1924 Game 7
Seems every fall we get a “longest game by time” or “longest game by innings.” Well, those records have to start somewhere and in 1924, the Washington Senators and New York Giants played on into the 12th, thanks largely to Walter Johnson’s four innings of shutout relief. Finally, McNeely rolled one down the third base line to score Muddy Ruel with the game-winner.
5. Billy Martin, single vs. Dodgers, 1953 Game 6
Bonus points here for the Yankees’ longtime torment of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who’d have to wait two more years to break through against their Bronx rivals. The Dodgers gamely tied Game 6 in the bottom of the ninth before Martin – better known as the mercurial manager – hit a single up the middle off Clem Labine to score Hank Bauer with the game-winner.
6. Edgar Renteria, 11th-inning single vs. Cleveland, 1997 Game 7
The grander drama seemed to occur two innings earlier, when Craig Counsell plated the tying run on a sacrifice fly off sketchy Cleveland closer Jose Mesa, denying the city its first World Series title since 1948.
No, once the Marlins tied it, a go-ahead hit had an air inevitability and the rookie Renteria delivered, right up the middle off Charles Nagy, plating Counsell with the championship run.
7. Gene Larkin, 10th-inning single vs. Braves, 1991 Game 7
An epic Game 6 and 7 in the Twin Cities culminated when Larkin’s pinch hit fly over a drawn-in Brian Hunter allowed Dan Gladden to trot home with the winning run.
The Metrodome fairly exploded, yet the ultimate moment couldn’t compare with the nine and a half scoreless innings Jack Morris and John Smoltz spun to precede it, nor the Kirby Puckett homer a night before to force Game 7. Still, a massive hit to end an epic game.
8. Goose Goslin, single vs. Cubs, 1935 Game 6
Hey, you don’t go 108 years without a World Series title without some heartbreak. This time, it was Goslin making up for the Tigers’ misery a year earlier against St. Louis with a single off Cubs starter Larry French to score fellow future Hall of Famer – and Mickey Mantle namesake – Mickey Cochrane with the Series-winner.
9. Bing Miller, double vs. Cubs, 1929 Game 5
Once again, not the most memorable hit, as that one would belong to Mule Haas (an ancestor of Moose Haas?), whose two-run homer with one out in the ninth ruined Cubs starter Pat Malone’s shutout. Miller made the Cubs pay for intentionally walking Jimmie Foxx (can’t blame ‘em for that).
10. Earle Combs, wild pitch vs. Pirates, 1927 Game 4
The lone Game 4 “walk-off” on the list, and it only sped up the utter certainty that was the ’27 Yankees. Sadly, Pirates pitcher Johnny Miljust properly walked Babe Ruth and struck out Lou Gehrig and Bob Meusel before uncorking the fateful pitch.
11. Larry Gardner, 10th-inning sacrifice fly vs. Giants, 1912 Game 8
Game 8? As the kids now say, that’s so fake. But ties due to darkness were a thing then. Sadly, the decisive rally was spurred by a pair of errors on the Giants, enabling the Red Sox to push across the winning runs after New York took the lead in the top of the 10th.
SACRAMENTO, CA - MAY 25: Gunnar Hoglund #53 of the Athletics pitches during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Sutter Health Park on May 25, 2025 in Sacramento, California. The Athletics defeated the Phillies 5-4. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Getty Images) | Getty Images
*In an effort to make the nomination voting easier for everyone, I will comment, “NOMINATIONS”, and you may reply to that with your picks and upvote the player you’d like to see on the next nominee list.
Another right-handed pitcher! Gunnar Hoglund probably dropped farther than a lot of other fans wanted but he finally settles into his spot as the organization’s #16 prospect according to the fans. Surely most of that drop is due to the former first-rounder’s injury history but Hoglund does possess the “stuff” to be a solid mid-to-backend rotation starter. He won’t reach the heights that were expected of him when the A’s made him one of the return pieces for third baseman Matt Chapman but getting him healthy and providing innings would do wonders for the team’s rotation depth. We’ll certainly be seeing him in the big leagues this season, health permitting.
Taking Hoglund’s spot in the nominee list will be shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. A former third-rounder from 2024, the light-hitting middle infielder has drawn comparisons to current shortstop Jacob Wilson due to his penchant for not striking out. A contact-oriented hitter in the box, Kuroda-Grauer has a high floor and could easily be a utility option for the A’s down the line but we’re all hoping the organization can develop him into something more than that.
The process for this public vote is explained below. Please take a moment to read this before participating:
Please only vote for one. The player with the most votes at the end of voting will win the ranked spot. The remaining four players move on to the next ballot where they are joined by a new nominee.
In the comments, below the official voting, the community will nominate players to be put onto the ballot for the next round. The format for your comment should be “Nomination: Player Name”.
If a prospect is traded, his name will be crossed out, and all other players will be moved up a space. If a prospect is acquired, a special vote will be put up to determine where that player should rank.
The voting continues! A’s fans, are you ready to pick the team’s 17th-best prospect? Here’s a quick rundown on each nominee— the scouting grades (on a 20-to-80 scale) and scouting reports come from MLB Pipeline.
Morris runs up his four-seam fastball to about 95-96 mph and also throws a sinker with good arm-side run in the 92-95 range. His mid-80s slider has developed into an above-average secondary offering. His mid-70s curveball provides a good variation of pitch speeds, though he is still working to make it a more consistent pitch, along with his improving upper-80s changeup.
Morris is athletic with his 6-foot-3 frame. His competitive drive stands out whenever he takes the mound. Discovering the right arm slot that allows for the most consistency is the next big step in his development. How that pans out as he moves through the system will likely determine his long-term role, though he profiles as a back-end starter given his overall pitch mix and solid control.
At the plate, Morii features a smooth left-handed swing with tremendous balance. His power stands out, as he clubbed 45 home runs as a high schooler. He is considered an advanced hitter with good barrel control. On the mound, his fastball has been clocked as high as 95 mph and sits around 92-93. He also brings a splitter with nasty movement, a true 12-to-6 curveball and a tighter slider with solid bite and depth, though that offering will probably require some fine-tuning. Having only been pitching with regularity for less than two years, Morii’s arm is relatively fresh as he enters the organization.
Morii’s high-octane throwing arm plays well at shortstop, but some evaluators see a possibility of moving to third base as his 6-foot-1 frame fills out. While scouts see Morii’s long-term future in the batter’s box, the A’s plan on giving him every opportunity to succeed as a two-way player, with excitement already building over his impressive physical traits and desire to become one of the next great players out of Japan.
Per Billy Owens, Athletics director of player personnel and assistant GM: “Perez is a live-bodied specimen with high-caliber tools. His range and athleticism stand out defensively. Offensively, he can be streaky, but he has displayed plus bat speed, patience and real power. Solid package. Development is not linear. Patience will be required to realize his significant potential.”
Kuroda-Grauer’s athletic size and hard-working mentality remind some in the A’s organization of a young Marcus Semien. While he may never have Semien-type power, his high-level ability to frequently make contact and rarely strike out is reminiscent of another more high-profile touted top prospect in Jacob Wilson. His advanced approach at the plate allows him to work counts and make good decisions with his simple swing. The power remains below-average, though the A’s believe he could grow into some extra pop with 15-homer potential as a ceiling.
There is a speed element to Kuroda-Grauer’s game, and while he may not be a burner, his 40 stolen bases in college show he can be a decent threat on the basepaths. Defensively, his arm is average, but his overall glovework and instincts give him the chance to stick as a shortstop with second base as a fallback. Between that and his excellent bat-to-ball skills, Kuroda-Grauer enters his first full professional season with a chance to quickly rise through the system.
Tur is 26 but only signed with the A’s before the 2023 season after several seasons pitching in the Serie Nacional in Cuba. He started almost all of last year, going from High A to Triple A, although I think he’s a straight reliever. He comes straight over the top, sitting 96 with some ride along with a 55 splitter and a low-90s cutter that doesn’t miss many bats. The slider is fringy and he’s very north-south because of the arm slot. He could pitch in the big-league bullpen right now.
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Feb 20, 2026; North Port FL, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Mike Yastrzemski (18) poses for a photo during media day at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The offseason is officially over and now it’s time to get rocking and rolling. While it’s not quite the same as Opening Day and never will be on that level, it’s still lovely to either turn on the TV or fire up the radio and hear the crack of the bat and baseballs hitting leather mitts as spring training opens up. It’s not Opening Day but baseball is here and that’s the main thing.
Speaking of “not quite the same as Opening Day,” that’s how you could describe this lineup for the Grapefruit League opener for the Atlanta Braves. Mike Yastrzemski figures to be the only player in this lineup who will be getting significant playing time at the big league level for Atlanta this season as the other guys like Jonah Heim, Brett Wisely, Luke Williams and Jorge Mateo figure to be somewhere between serving as bench options or plying their trade in Gwinnett for most of the season.
That also figures to be the case for starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco, who is getting the start and figures to be a very long shot to crack the starting rotation for the Braves this season. Still, everybody’s going to be going for it in an effort to impress Atlanta’s staff, so hopefully we’ll see some standout performances this afternoon.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. and the game will be streamed for free on Rays.TV and you can listen to the Braves feed on 680 The Fan/93.7 FM or the 680 The Fan App as well — also for free. It’s literal free baseball.
If you’re here for the first time or you’re a long-time lurker, now is as good of a time as any to join in on the fun of a game thread. It’s free and not only do you get to participate in the game thread, you also get a bunch of other perks that come along with having an account. Whether you’re new or you haven’t logged in since Nick Markakis was running around here, it’s the perfect time to get back in the swing of things. It also helps out the community here and the website as a whole, so everybody wins.
