Category: MLB

In case you missed it yesterday, MLB Players’s Association (MLBPA) Executive Director Tony Clark resigned abruptly on Tuesday after an internal investigation found evidence he had an “inappropriate” relationship with his sister-in-law, who was concurrently employed by the union starting in 2023. Clark, a former MLB player, had held the position since 2013, when he became the sixth-ever director of the MLBPA (often called the “player’s union” or just “the union”) and the first former player.

It’s the latest firestorm for Clark, who is, along with the MLBPA, also under investigation for…they’re not using the e-word in the articles I read so let’s call it Financial Impropriety. Prosecutors in New York are looking into whether a joint venture between the MLBPA and its NFL counterpart was being used to enrich union leaders, while the feds are investigating an MLBPA-owned youth baseball organization that has some…let’s call them questionable accounting practices. This is what I get for writing late at night when our LLegal CounseLL is already asleep.

While the MLBPA is led by its executive director, there is an eight-player executive subcommittee, and it’s that player subcommittee that reportedly voted to ask for Clark’s resignation after hearing evidence of the alleged inappropriate relationship. The current committee consists of Marcus Semien, Brent Suter, Tarik Skubal, Chris Bassitt, Jake Cronenworth, Pete Fairbanks, Cedric Mullins, and Paul Skenes.

This is especially poor timing for another scandal to hit MLBPA, especially one that is such a needless distraction, as MLB and the MLBPA seem to be headed for a contentious collective bargaining agreement (CBA) re-negotiation and potential lockout following the end of the 2026 season. If you were following baseball closely in 2022-23, you probably remember the last time the CBA expired and the 99-day lockout that resulted and how we were all so so bored we actually did become a volcano blog for a little while.

The player subcommittee was also instrumental during that lockout; however, only Semien and Suter remain from that group. Three players left, and another three – Lucas Giolito, Jack Flaherty, and Ian Happ – were voted out after an attempt to oust Clark’s chief negotiator, Bruce Meyer, and replace him with Harry Marino, a former minor leaguer and labor champion who was instrumental in helping minor leaguers receive union benefits. The attempted coup failed, and now Meyer, who led negotiations during the previous bargaining period, will reportedly remain in place to continue in his role as Senior Director of Collective Bargaining.

But beyond this interpersonal drama (and the alleged Finance Crimes, I guess), inheriting the MLBPA right now is a little like being handed a bag of wet hornets. And also the bag is on fire. And also you are on fire. While being dropped blindfolded out of a plane towards a bullseye labeled “CBA NEGOTIATIONS.” The bullseye is also on fire. The biggest issue in the upcoming CBA negotiations will almost certainly be a salary cap. The owners and MLB want a cap on player earnings just as desperately as the players do not want it, and have indicated their intent to lock the players out for the 2027 season to try for the umpteenth time to demand it. But there’s no shortage of other things to fight about: there are also arguments to have about how arbitration works – or doesn’t work, from team’s perspectives, as players continue to score in arbitration hearings this winter like The Monstars – as well as revenue sharing. And if there’s time, maybe a fight about an international draft or maybe expansion. For fun.

It’s a grueling road ahead, and even if you think Clark was ineffective or even a figurehead who didn’t do the nitty-gritty numbers stuff, the MLBPA does find itself wrong-footed at a crucial moment. So while we wait for all this drama to play out, a thought exercise: Assuming there would be no negative influence on their career, if you could nominate anyone in baseball to serve as a singular voice for the player’s union, who would you pick? Feel free to think expansively about what “in baseball” means. Also we’ll allow current and former players too, I know one or several of you want the Greinke there. And for bonus points, who is on your dream eight-player executive subcommittee?

A month ago, I wrote about the new jersey numbers among the Twins’ roster. Now that the team’s spring training roster is finalize, why not do it again? After all, there have been several signings, both major- and minor-league, and other roster changes.

I won’t spend as many words on numbers for individual players this time, just highlighting ones I find interesting and going over general trends and changes.

Here goes. (All players in italics are non-roster invitees to major league camp.)

Starting Pitchers
17 Bailey Ober
20 Mick Abel
24 Simeon Woods Richardson
26 Taj Bradley
41 Joe Ryan
49 Pablo López
52 Zebby Matthews
58 David Festa
60 Kendry Rojas
61 Connor Prielipp
71 John Klein
74 Trent Baker
78 Andrew Morris
81 Cory Lewis
82 Christian MacLeod
85 Marco Raya

(López tearing an elbow ligament yesterday already throws the projected rotation into question, but that has been discussed elsewhere.)

Unsurprisingly, players at the back of the roster have been largely assigned higher numbers as seems to be baseball tradition. I know many are projecting Prielipp to move to the bullpen, but I left him here just for the sake of the list. Interestingly, the three 80s numbers on this list have been worn by Twins: Jordan Balazovic wore 81, Ober and Austin Martin started their careers in 82, and Charlie Barnes and Jair Camargo wore 85.

Relief Pitchers
19 Eric Orze
31 Liam Hendriks
39 Andrew Chafin
43 Anthony Banda
44 Cole Sands
45 Travis Adams
47 Julian Merryweather
48 Justin Topa
51 Matt Bowman
53 Dan Altavilla
55 Taylor Rogers
57 Kody Funderburk
59 Grant Hartwig
65 Cody Laweryson
93 Andrew Bash
94 Raul Brito

Also unsurprisingly, major league veterans invited to camp don’t get assigned high spring training numbers. Hendriks, who debuted as a starter for the Twins wearing #62 before becoming a top-level closer, will wear his regular #31 because he is the 31st Australian to play in the majors. Chafin takes #39 for the fourth time (he’s worn it with the Cubs, A’s, and Angels), Banda has claimed the #43 he wore for the past two seasons (and earlier in Toronto) from James Outman, and Rogers (as mentioned in last month’s article) got his old #55 back from Funderburk. Laweryson debuted last year in #66; that number now belongs to field coordinator Toby Gardenhire.

Catchers
27 Ryan Jeffers
37 Victor Caratini
70 Alex Jackson
73 Patrick Winkel
77 Noah Cardenas
83 Ricardo Olivar
90 Andrew Cossetti
92 David Bañuelos

Except for his debut, Caratini has worn #7 or #17 for his entire career. However, #7 is retired in Minnesota for Joe Mauer and #17 belongs to Bailey Ober, so he gets the next available number up (Jeffers has #27) ending in 7. Oh, and he debuted in 2017. (Additionally, Jackson had #64 last month but has switched to #70, which he wore for his debut with Atlanta and as an Oriole last year.)

Infielders
2 Kody Clemens
4 Tristan Gray
11 Orlando Arcia
12 Gio Urshela
13 Eric Wagaman
15 Luke Keaschall
22 Brooks Lee
23 Royce Lewis
56 Josh Bell
76 Kaelen Culpepper
86 Aaron Sabato
89 Tanner Schobel

Arcia’s most common numbers have been 3 and 11; 3 is retired for Harmon Killebrew, so it’s no surprised he’s claimed #11. Urshela has never before worn #12, but the #15 he wore as a Twin in 2022 is taken by Keaschall.

Outfielders
5 Ryan Kreidler
9 Trevor Larnach
16 Austin Martin
18 Alan Roden
25 Byron Buxton
30 James Outman
33 Emmanuel Rodriguez
38 Matt Wallner
64 Hendry Mendez
72 Gabriel Gonzalez
75 Walker Jenkins
80 Kyler Fedko
87 Kala’i Rosario

As mentioned above, Outman switched away from last year’s #43 to accommodate Banda; he now wears #30. His old #33 now belongs to Emmanuel Rodriguez, who has switched off of #32 because…

Coaches
0 Grady Sizemore (1BC)
8 Derek Shelton (MGR)
32 LaTroy Hawkins (BPN)
46 Ramon Borrego (3BC)
63 Mike Rabelo (ABEN)
66 Toby Gardenhire (MLFC)
67 Trevor Amicone (AHIT)
68 Mark Hallberg (BEN)
79 Rayden Sierra (AHIT)
84 Keith Beauregard (HIT)
88 Pete Maki (PIT)
91 Luis Ramirez (APIT/INT)
97 Anderson De La Rosa (BPNC)
98 Frank Nigro (BPNC)

…LaTroy got his number back!

So if you’re watching or attending the games, and you see someone you don’t recognize with an unfamiliar number, now you know who they are. (Until the roster inevitably shuffles again.)

The Rangers v Hearts encounter was a top-of-the-table clash for the ages and Rangers' comeback ensured they very much remain in contention for the title.

It was a performance and result that simply could not have happened earlier in the season as Rangers showed a grit and determination along with a clinical edge that had been missing under Russell Martin.

That short-lived era has been gradually erased from the memories of the club's supporters who are now revelling in the possibility of a turnaround in their season most would not have deemed conceivable when Danny Rohl took over in late October.

But since then, Rangers have taken 11 points more than Hearts and nine more than Celtic (from one game more) to give themselves a fighting chance of reclaiming the Premiership title.

His January signings all made significant contributions to Sunday's victory. Tuur Rommens' energy and strength on the left flank, allied to good crossing ability, make him a force to be reckoned with. Tochi Chukwuani has also added a powerful edge to the midfield as well as an element of guile that had been lacking previously.

In attack, Andreas Skov Olsen is improving with every passing game and could have a huge role to play in Rangers' quest for a league and cup double, while Ryan Naderi - although not on the scoresheet against Hearts - showed terrific positional awareness and a desire to put himself about.

Questions remain over Rohl's team selection against Motherwell last midweek. Rommens and Skov Olsen might have made the difference and Rangers could be in an even better position but the manager has earned the right to make the calls he believes are best for the team and given what he has achieved so far, it's difficult to be too critical.

Baseball is coming soon. Hot dogs, green grass, the crack of the bat and the sharp cry of “safe!” from the umpire… you can’t have a baseball game without these things. You can, however, have a baseball game without a stadium giveaway. But isn’t it better when there is one?

A new season means new giveaways: bobbleheads, hats, jerseys, various Phanatic-themed tchotchkes. The giveaways bring joy to children and adults alike, reminding us all how much fun toys can be (and the scalpers, sadly, remind us how much of a pain they can be).

Today’s question is: What’s your favorite stadium giveaway?

Here at Camden Chat, we have been posting a question of the day every day for a few weeks now. Most of these questions asked your thoughts about the upcoming season, but today I want to look backward and ask you, “What is your favorite Orioles memory?”

We have baseball fans of all ages here, so it’ll be fun to read answers from throughout the Orioles’ history. Some of us have seen three World Series winners; others have seen zero. I expect some favorite memories will be about the team itself, while others are more personal and perhaps revolve around family or growing up.

I am closer to 50 years old than I’d like to admit, and yet I am too young to remember the Orioles making it to the World Series. I was alive for the most recent two appearances, though in 1979 I wasn’t even a year old. In 1983, I was probably more interested in riding my Big Wheel or He-Man than in watching Cal Ripken make that final catch to capture the title.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t have any big memories of the Baltimore Orioles. Some of my fondest memories include going to the first night game at Camden Yards with my dad and brother. We couldn’t get tickets to Opening Day, but we made the first night game a tradition for many years after.

In 1996, I remember calling Ticketmaster over and over to try to get tickets to my first-ever playoff game, which I attended with my older brother. I saw my favorite player, Brady Anderson, hit a leadoff home run.

And of course, there is 2130. I prefer 2130 over 2131 because I got to be in the stands for that one. I was 16 years old, and my uncle somehow got a bunch of tickets in the Eutaw Street bleachers. He invited a friend and me along with him and his grown-up buddies.

I was in the stands when the 2014 Orioles clinched the division. I celebrated after the game by watching Adam Jones pie Nick Markakis while Zack Britton sprayed champagne into the stands.

It’s hard to narrow it down to one memory. If the Orioles ever win the World Series, I expect that’ll be the easy answer. But if I am picking one, I have to go with game two of the 2014 ALDS. I was in the stands with my father-in-law and watched as Wei-Yin Chen struggled and the Orioles fell behind. When the Tigers scored a run in the 8th to go ahead, 6-3, I remember saying to him that I much preferred the game the day before when the Orioles won big.

Then came the bottom of the eighth. We all remember it. Joba Chamberlain hit Adam Jones. Back-to-back singles by Nelson Cruz and Steve Pearce scored Jones. Joba was pulled for Joakim Soria. J.J. Hardy walked to load the bases. The crowd got louder and louder. Could they do this? Might they possibly do this? We didn’t have long to wait. Pinch-hitter Delmon Young sent the first pitch he saw to left field. Cruz scored. Pearce scored. Hardy, who used to run like he was fighting through Jell-O, rounded third. The throw came in. Cruz motioned “slide! slide! slide!” Hardy slid. SAFE! The Orioles took the lead. Camden Yards shook. I had never felt that way before or since.

I know I’m not alone in that memory. Let me know if you felt the same! Or share your other favorite Orioles memories. Let’s spread some good feelings around as we wait for the 2026 season to begin.

Meet the Mets

Clay Holmes threw live batting practice yesterday, and new Mets Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette were impressed by his breaking stuff.

John Harper posited Carson Benge as the Nolan McLean of the 2026 Mets, as he sees him coming up and adapting quickly to become an impact player.

The Mets plan to ease Luis Robert Jr. into spring training in an attempt to prioritize his health over the long season ahead.

Load management this early reveals the Mets’ plan to try to keep him as healthy as possible.

In addition to Robert, the Mets are taking things slow with Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez, and Jorge Polanco.

Around the National League East

Dominic Smith has signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Around Major League Baseball

MLBPA executive director Tony Clark has resigned from the organization. It was revealed that the reason behind Clark’s resignation was an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, who had been hired by the union in 2023.

The representatives in the Players Association met yesterday after the shocking Clark news, but they reiterated that the union is strong despite this.

In yesterday’s meeting, they didn’t vote on a new leader for the union, though an internal option has already emerged.

The union will hopefully vote today, as they are expected to have another meeting.

Twins starter Pablo López has a significant tear in his UCL and will likely need Tommy John surgery.

Pete Alonso has found a team and city that loves him in Baltimore.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Vasilis Drimalitis took a look at Anderson Severino and his attempt to make it back to the big leagues by way of the Mets’ bullpen.

This Date in Mets History

Several former Mets are celebrating birthdays today, including Shawn Estes and John Valentin.

It is John Mayberry’s 77th birthday.

Mayberry was drafted in the 1st round (6th pick overall) in the 1967 amateur draft. The number 1 pick that year was Ron Blomberg by the Yankees, so the Astros could have done much worse. Only Ted Simmons and Bobby Grich, also first-round picks, had better careers than John

John was a big, left-handed slugging first baseman. Officially listed at 6’3” and 230 pounds, he was likely heavier by the time he reached the Jays. He made his MLB debut as a September call-up in 1968 at 19, although he went hitless in 9 at-bats. The following September, he got just 4 at-bats and still no hits. After two more seasons as a part-timer, he was traded to the Royals, where he became their everyday first baseman for six seasons.

In his first four seasons as a Royal, Mayberry was a star—twice an All-Star, and runner-up in the 1975 AL MVP voting. He received MVP votes in four of six seasons with the Royals. His best year: 34 home runs, 119 walks, 106 RBI, and a .291/.416/.547 line. But his numbers dropped sharply in his last two years with Kansas City (.232 in 1976, .230 in 1977), and there may have been a reason.

To understand what happened, you need some context about baseball—and society—in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Decades before performance-enhancing drugs dominated sports headlines, non-performance-enhancing drugs were the issue. Cocaine was popular among the wealthy, and its dangers were often downplayed.

Baseball wasn’t the only place where drugs were a problem. Cocaine was the drug of choice for the financially well-off throughout society. Time Magazine had a cover story saying it was the in thing, without suggesting that there could be a downside.

In the 1977 AL Playoffs, with the Royals leading 2-1, manager Whitey Herzog let players skip batting practice before Game 4 for rest. Herzog later recalled: “Mayberry dragged in real late, but I put him on first base anyway, which was my big mistake.” Mayberry had a rough game, and Herzog suspected the cause: “The man couldn’t even talk, and I knew what was wrong….It must have been a hell of a party.” Herzog insisted on moving Mayberry, and the Royals sold him to the Jays.

“Mayberry dragged in real late, but I put him on first base anyway, which was my big mistake”. Mayberry had a bad game, dropping pop-ups and striking out. Herzog asked him what was wrong. “The man couldn’t even talk, and I knew what was wrong….It must have been a hell of a party”. Herzog insisted on moving Mayberry, and the Royals sold him to the Jays.

A few years later, as Cardinals manager, Herzog made a similar move with Keith Hernandez, a talented first baseman whom he traded after concerns about his work ethic—later linked to drug use. Herzog didn’t want Hernandez influencing younger players. Ironically, two young Mets stars later struggled with drugs, though blaming Hernandez would be a stretch

At the time, it was surprising for the Royals to part with Mayberry. As more stories of baseball’s drug problem emerged, it became clear that most teams chose to ignore it. Herzog was one of the few who would act.

Mayberry joined the Blue Jays for their second season, joining a struggling team that finished 59-102. He had some strong seasons with Toronto, though never matching his Kansas City peak. It’s hard to say if his decline was due to drugs, age, or size—he was always big and only got bigger and slower.

In 1979, Mayberry played 137 games, hitting .274/.372/.461 with 21 home runs and 74 RBI. In 1980, he posted a .248/.349/.473 line with 30 HR (6th in the AL) and 82 RBI—productive, if not superstar numbers.

During the 1981 strike season, he played 94 of 106 games, hitting .248/.360/.452 with 17 home runs (7th in the AL). In each full Jays season, his OPS+ was over 100: 108, 124, 119, and 128.

In 1982, Mayberry played just 17 games, mostly at DH, as Willie Upshaw took over first base. He hit .273/.405/.455 before being traded on May 5th to the Yankees for Dave Revering, Tom Dodd, and Jeff Reynolds. None made much of an impact for Toronto, but Dodd was later traded back to New York (along with Dale Murray) for Dave Collins, Fred McGriff, Mike Morgan, and cash—a great deal for the Jays.

I was young when Mayberry played for Toronto, but I remember him as a smiling, engaging presence—great in interviews, and eager to help sell baseball to Canada. It couldn’t have been easy, leaving a contender for a cellar-dweller.

At the time of his trade to the Yankees, Mayberry held the Blue Jays’ career records for homers and RBI.

Bill James’ Historical Baseball Abstract once ranked Mayberry as the 49th best first baseman, though he’d drop a few spots now. He later coached for five years in the Jays’ system. His son, John Jr., played 15 games for Toronto in 2014.

Happy birthday, John. Hope it’s a good one.

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It’s also Alex Rios’ birthday—he turns 45 today.

Alex played six seasons with the Jays and was a solid contributor. He finished 5th in Rookie of the Year voting in 2004 and made All-Star teams in 2006 and 2007.

Before 2008, the Jays signed Rios to a 7-year, $70 million contract, which looked smart at first: he hit .291/.337/.461. But by August 2009, his numbers had dipped to .261/.317/.427, and Toronto put him on waivers. The White Sox claimed him and, after a few days of negotiation, took on his contract. Rios struggled in Chicago, hitting just .199/.229/.301 in 41 games that year.

He stayed with the White Sox until a 2013 trade to the Rangers, where he was perfectly average: .280/.312/.414 over a year and a half.

In 2015, Rios earned a World Series ring with the Royals, playing right field. He had a great ALCS against Toronto (.368/.368/.526, 1 HR, 3 RBI)—I try not to hold that against him. He struggled in the World Series, though, hitting .133 in 15 at-bats.

2015 was his final MLB season. Over 12 years, Rios hit .277/.321/.434 with 165 home runs and 244 stolen bases.

Happy birthday, Alex.

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It is also my niece Nicola’s birthday; happy birthday, Nicola.

The Galactic Empire of baseball has assembled at Camelback Ranch. Their first spring game is in just three days. The anticipation and excitement surrounding the start of the 2026 season is brewing.

On Tuesday, both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani faced live hitters, and the latter’s arm will be preserved during the World Baseball Classic to prepare for the regular season ahead. Instead of fans having to wait nearly three months to see Ohtani on the mound, the expectation is that he will be ready to go at the start of the year.

The Dodgers are willing to put an innings limit for Ohtani to begin the season, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com, as they gradually increased his limit by one inning for every two starts once he made his return to pitching last year. Ohtani still has hefty goals for what he can do on the mound this season, and his early season workload will ultimately be dependent on his discretion.

The Dodgers won’t operate by the rigid rules they set for much of last year, but it is likely that Ohtani will be limited innings-wise, at least to begin the season… But if the Dodgers have learned anything in the past two years, it’s that they should never count out Ohtani when he has his mind set on achieving something.

“The fact that he is saying that, he seems like he’s on a mission, pitching-wise,” Friedman said. “Whenever we’ve seen him on a mission, good things happen.”

Links

Teoscar Hernández is back in left field for the 2026 season, and he has shown up to camp with a slimmer physique, having lost 12 lbs over the offseason. Hernández reflected on this past offseason, where his name was the subject of trade conversations while his role as right fielder was removed with the signing of Kyle Tucker, and is eager to be a key contributor to a team eyeing its third consecutive championship, notes Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

“My whole career I used to be 204, 205 (pounds), that range. Last year was a little over. But I’m back to normal right now… I’m ready in any way they need me. I just want to be there, be on the field and play every day.”

Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández will begin the 2026 season on the injured list, opening a runway for Hyeseong Kim to earn the starting second base job. Kim spoke about the changes he made to his swing throughout the course of last year and how he’s entering this spring working on feeling more comfortable at the plate, per Jack Vita of the Los Angeles Times.

“The swing changes we made last year, I would say I felt about 70% comfortable with,” Kim said through an interpreter on Monday. “And then, this offseason and spring training, we were able to recognize some of the other stuff that we needed to work on, so I’m working very hard to make those changes again this year.”

Spring training is underway, and we are finally hearing from Rays players, coaches, and front office personnel for the first time in 2026. Junior Caminero spoke with the media and discussed his role on the team, and that discussion started to touch on a potential extension. Caminero says that’s up to his team and the agent, and his job is to just play baseball, but we debate whether or not we could see a new deal for the star third baseman before Opening Day.

Caminero and several of his Rays teammates will compete in this year’s World Baseball Classic, so we break down how each Ray fits into their respective country’s roster, and who has a chance to do real damage at the tournament.

If you love what we do on Rays Your Voice, consider becoming a Patreon member for as little as $1/month. Also, if you’ve been a podcast listener from the jump, subscribe to our YouTube channel as well! We go live on YouTube for almost every single episode. Make sure to turn on our channel notifications so you can join us when we go live.

It’s pitching preview time, ladies and gentlemen. Over the next several days, I’ll be writing 10,000 words or so about everyone you might see pitching for the Red Sox to start the season. We’ll start with the starters, because if we didn’t start with the starters, they wouldn’t be starters, and that doesn’t make any sense.

I’m grouping the Sox’ starting pitching options into tiers because that’s how my brain works. Don’t think of them as rankings, but rather buckets based on some similarities I see. Stay tuned for more installments on the new guys, the young guns, and the vets battling out at the bottom of the rotation.

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Tier One: Pig

It’s Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, and Paul Skenes. They’re the three best starting pitchers in the world. Put them in any order you want; I won’t argue with you. For the Red Sox, Garrett Crochet is in a tier of his own.

2025 in a sentence: Crochet would have won the Cy Young if it weren’t for the other dominant big lefty in the American League.

Crochet’s fastball is in the high 90s with seven feet of extension. He’s got a devastating cutter and a wipeout sweeper. He added a sinker at the end of 2024 that he carried into 2025, and it made him virtually unhittable against lefties. Seriously, he used the pitch 37% of the time, getting 72% strikes overall and 70% groundballs on contact. Ahead in the count, he went to a high four-seam or a sweeper away, putting lefties away with ease. They went 24 for 145 against him, good for a .455 OPS. Against a lefty-heavy lineup, Crochet will cruise every time.

Righties had more success, but only because it’d be hard to have less. Early in counts, he used his fastball and cutter to get ahead. Both pitches returned strikes at a high clip, though the ideal contact rate against each was on the high side. The damage came when he couldn’t get the ball inside. Fastballs and cutters on the inner third of the plate and inside returned ICR rates of 26.5% and 32%, respectively, while those over the middle and arm side returned rates 56% and 50.6%. Nitpicking one of the best pitchers in the sport is silly, and he’s already working to alleviate that issue.

With two strikes against righties, Crochet primarily turns to his four-seam and his sweeper. The four-seam lives upstairs, while he buries the sweeper at the back foot. Both pitches put away hitters at a high rate; he struck out 31.5% of the righties he faced. Still, there’s one element that could take his arsenal to the next level: a changeup. Last season, he threw a changeup 5% of the time to righties, almost entirely in two-strike counts. The 17.9% swinging strike rate was solid, but the pitch was never in the zone and was really only a surprise pitch. He’s tinkering with a new changeup that’s showing some crazy movement, and could help keep hitters off his other pitches.

Right now, almost everything with two-strikes is inside, moving towards a righty. Having a changeup that he can command off the outside edge would be one more thing for righties to think about, which could help him sneak more fastballs by hitters. We’ve seen two changeups (indoors, in a tunnel), and I wonder if it might be too slow, but the lefty seems excited about his new offering. Regardless, if he does what he did last year, no one can complain. If he takes it to a new level, he’ll add a trophy to his mantle.

Movement profile looks to be somewhere in there. The gap between his fastballs (96ish) and this new splitter (80ish) is insane. I almost wonder if it's too different. https://t.co/sSB3P7D4lOpic.twitter.com/jda9wOIlVJ

— Jake Roy (@Jake3Roy) February 11, 2026

More Crochet: 2025 Red Sox in Review: Garrett Crochet is an absolute pig

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Spring Training in Glendale is officially in full swing, and if you haven’t already muted the “Chris Getz is building a team of 2023 roster castoffs” jokes on X, now might be the time. The biggest buzz at Camelback Ranch isn’t just the desert heat; it’s the arrival of Munetaka Murakami. While most of the roster is easing into their routine, Murakami is ramping up for the World Baseball Classic. The Sox are banking on that high-stakes environment keeping his timing sharp, which is a bold strategy for a guy adjusting to MLB velocity. But hey, seeing him and Colson Montgomery side-by-side in the infield at least gives us something to dream about while we wait for the Cactus League opener against the Cubs this Friday.

a lot of power in one photo 💪 pic.twitter.com/q9J43Es8fb

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) February 11, 2026

On the “project” front, Erick Fedde is back for a second act on a one-year flyer, and the early reports suggest he’s already tinkering with his hand break to fix the mechanical mess that was his 2025. Meanwhile, the front office continues its quest to collect every available depth piece with a recognizable last name, apparently signing DarrenBaker (son of Dusty) to a minor-league deal.

Darren Baker, the son of future Hall of Fame manager Dusty Baker, is working out on the back fields of the Chicago White Sox. He officially signed a minor league contract after being with the Washington Nationals and likely will open the season at Triple-A Charlotte.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 17, 2026

Whether any of this translates to more than 60 wins is a conversation for another day. For now, the pinstripes looked crisp at yesterday’s Photo Day, and the optimism is palpable.

Polished up in pinstripes pic.twitter.com/RSOvA8koos

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) February 17, 2026

Yes, it’s early, and we all know the drill. It’s mid-February, the sun is hitting the back fields at Camelback Ranch, and hope is really the only thing we have in abundance before the actual games start exposing the flaws. But with the LuisRobert Jr. era officially over (still feels weird seeing him in Mets blue), the 2026 iteration of the White Sox is definitely leaning hard into the “Youth” movement, which does bring some excitement. And one thing is for certain, manager Will Venable has a lot of pieces to move around, with the general consensus being that the kids are finally getting the keys to the South Side. Between the high-OBP profile of Chase Meidroth, the sheer “juice” Murakami and Montgomery bring to the middle of the order, and the All-Star caliber catching duo of Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, the 2026 lineup might actually — dare I say — force a pitcher to break a sweat in the fourth inning.

So, grab your sunscreen and settle in. If Murakami’s power is as real as the desert heat and the kids can maintain that second-half swagger from a year ago, we might actually find ourselves enjoying South Side baseball again before the 162-game marathon is through.

World Series or bust y’all! Ok, this is baseball. It’s a rare team that can actually expect to win a World Series title in a given year. Even the highest projected odds for the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers to win the World Series again this year are only 27.3 percent, and by baseball standards those are incredibly good odds. Only the Mariners, Mets, and for some reason, the Braves, even have odds a little over seven percent to win the World Series.

Of course, fan isn’t short for “reasonable observer” and there’s no reason not to let your hopes fly as high as possible, as long as you can deal with the likelihood of them getting dashed on the rocks as usual. In the past two weeks, the Tigers have added roughly 3 wins to their projections, depending which system you ask, by replacing Reese Olson with Framber Valdez and then bulking up the rotation with Justin Verlander. The effect of that influx of talent and depth should improve the bullpen as well and keeps replacement level pitchers from having to cover innings.

For myself, it’s time the Tigers won the AL Central for one, and it would be a failure of the season if they don’t. Beyond that, they’ve been deep in the ALDS each of the past two seasons. If they could finally win through, I’d ultimately be pretty happy with the season, even assuming that a crushing defeat lies ahead in the ALCS or World Series. If they could even get to the World Series it would be a huge success after a 14 year absence.

How about you? It’s tough knowing this is their likely last shot with Tarik Skubal leading the way. Players have to take a World Series or bust approach publicly, and fans certainly can live or die with their club wanting to win it all. But, what would constitute a successful 2026 season in your mind?

Good morning.

• We’ve already covered Major League Baseball Players Association boss Tony Clark’s resignation yesterday, but Jeff Passan and Don Van Natta Jr. have the full story of the union boss’s departure.
• Gabe Lacques writes that the poorly-time departure leaves the union directionless heading into the collective bargaining agreement talks.
• Jake Mintz takes a similar approach but also focuses on the next steps for the union.
• Michael Baumann puts the scandal that brought Clark down into context and looks at the MLBPA’s next steps.
• Evan Drellich argues that commissioner Rob Manfred’s biggest problem in the upcoming labor talks may not be with the players but rather with the owners over the control of TV rights. (The Athletic sub. req.) Tom Ricketts is featured as an enemy of Manfred’s plans.
• Padres owner John Seidler says that the team is getting “tremendous interest” from potential buyers. (Free The Athletic reg. req.)
• In the meantime, Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller signed a new contract extension.
• AJ Cassavell gets reaction from players and coaches at Padres Spring Training to Preller’s extension.
• Then there’s the reaction from Padres manager Craig Stammen.

Padres manager Craig Stammen was asked about his boss getting an extension.

“My wife got an extension?” he asked.

— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) February 16, 2026

• Dennis Lim has more details on Preller’s extension and notes that it gives the Padres some certainty in a time of uncertainty. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• The Padres also signed free agent and former Dodger right-hander Walker Buehler to a minor-league deal.
• Michael Baumann notest that between the Padres’ signing of Buehler, Griffin Canning and Germán Marquez this past three-day weekend, Preller is casting a wide net in order to find a 4th starter. He also writes about the Padres signing of Nick Castellanos over the weekend.
• We are just two weeks away from the kickoff of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Tokyo. Michael Clair has one key player for all 20 teams.
• A look at the uniforms for all 20 WBC teams.
• Kiri Oler has a preview of Pool D of the WBC.
• Ken Rosenthal talks to Bobby Witt Jr. about his first WBC three years ago as the last guy on the bench and this year, where Witt is expected to be the starting shortstop. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Witt’s role of the young guy who is expected to watch and learn on Team USA will likely be filled by Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony, who was named as the replacement for the injured Corbin Carroll.
• Tigers utility guy Javier Báez addressed his WBC suspension for marijuana use. (Free The Athletic reg. req.)
• Time to pay the butcher’s bill as Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez is already out for the year with a ulnar collateral ligament injury that will likely require Tommy John surgery.
• Dayn Perry has offseason grades for all 30 teams.
• Will Leitch looks at the 14 teams with the longest World Series droughts and ranks them by their chances to end that drought this year.
• Jared Greenspan looks at how ten teams with an under 40 percent chance of making the playoffs now can defy the odds. Sorry Rockies, you aren’t on the list.
• Chad Jennings lists the biggest offseason change for all 15 National League teams. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Buster Olney is ranking the top ten players at every position. Here’s his top ten starters and top ten relievers.
• Mike Trout has told the Angels brass that he wants to move back to center field.
• Travis Sawchik tries to answer whether trading defense for offense (or vice versa) works.
• New Giants manager Tony Vitello said the team will consider calling pitches from the dugout, like NCAA teams do. (The Athletic sub. req.) The Rockies have said they will “experiment” with calling pitches from the dugout this year and the Marlins did for a few games last year.
• Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made new free agents Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz explain to the team why they decided to play for the Dodgers. I’m guessing that while “because they offered the most money” was the correct answer, it was not the acceptable answer.
• Brian McTaggart writes about how the Astros are using vocabulary lessons in four languages is helping the team come together.
• RJ Anderson has his top 30 draft prospects.
• In case you were wondering who the next White Sox star is, here’s UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky hitting two home runs in one game.
• Benjamin Hill and Josh Jackson have one fun fact about every minor league system.
• This is fascinating. Fabian Ardaya meets with Dodgers World Series hero Miguel Rojas to break down every pitch of his game-tying home run in Game 7 of the World Series. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• And finally, this is from a mailbag column and I normally ignore those, but this one is too good to pass up. Michael Baumann answers the big baseball question we all have: Are there any rules saying a golden retriever can’t play first base? 

MLB.com’s Anne Rogers talks with new Royals assistant hitting coach Connor Dawson.

A 2012 graduate of Olathe North High School in Kansas, Dawson grew up about 25 miles southwest of Kauffman Stadium. He played collegiately at Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kansas, but he set his sights on coaching early. He coached the Kansas City Bullets college prep baseball program — a team that included Royals catcher Carter Jensen — and was the hitting coach and strength coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, Kansas.

“Coaching is just such a different side of things,” Dawson said. “The one thing I knew I wanted was for players to feel confident at all times. I wanted them to know that I thought they could take on the world. … As a player, I probably didn’t necessarily think like that. There’s a ton of value in having fun and knowing that you can win, and that’s kind of what I want to instill in players.”

David Lesky looks at the lack of strikeouts from Lucas Erceg in 2025.

He was fine after he came back, but not even remotely dominant. He gave up 40 hits in 38.1 innings. He struck out just 30 batters and he walked 15. Nobody is complaining about a guy with a 3.05 ERA, but he also wasn’t the pitcher he showed he could be at the end of 2024 or the pitcher the Royals needed him to be. He went on the IL again on September 19 to end his season. This time, he had right shoulder impingement syndrome. He and the Royals both said at the time that had they been in the playoff race still that he would have continued on. It’s easy to say that, so who knows if it’s really true? Regardless, he’s healthy now.

But I just want to know why he struck out 19.3 percent of batters in 2025 after striking out 27.1 percent in his rookie year and 28.5 percent in his second year.

As I’m writing this right now, I don’t know the answer. I always like to write the first part of newsletters like this before I dig into the details. If I had to guess, I’d say the injuries didn’t help, but he only had 15 strikeouts in 20.2 innings in those first 21 games when he put up video game ERA numbers. He also only gave up nine hits and two walks, so there simply weren’t runners on. Maybe he was less concerned about contact with nobody on base. But still, while the Royals staff looks to be good once again, the bullpen was badly missing strikeouts. I think there’s a good argument for Estevez to bounce back a bit in his numbers, but the real difference-maker likely comes from Erceg getting back to those punchouts.

Kansas City Star’s Jaylon Thompson wrote about Adam Frazier landing with… another team?

Former Kansas City Royals utilityman Adam Frazier has found a new home. On Monday, Frazier joined the Los Angeles Angels on a minor-league deal. Frazier, 34, was a key piece for the Royals. He spent two stints with the organization and fueled their 2024 postseason run. The Royals reacquired Frazier last season as they looked for more veteran leadership in the clubhouse.

Thompson also sat down with Royals reliever Carlos Estévez on his first year with the team.

He analyzed his performance. The self-report highlighted ways to perform efficiently while maintaining daily availability. It’s a formula that has worked in the past — most notably when Estévez pitched seven times in a 10-day stretch. “Just taking notes on what I did good, you know, attacking the (strike) zone and being available a lot,” Estévez said. “It’s just being able to keep my team in the game and that kind of stuff. I think that’s what I’ve got to focus on.”

Kevin O’Brien graded Kansas City’s offseason moves, and only one trade earned an “A” grade this winter.

In return, the Royals got an on-base machine in Collins, who posted a .368 OBP and 0.61 BB/K ratio in 441 plate appearances. Collins did lose some playing time at the end of the season, but he’s the kind of multi-positional outfielder who gives the Royals the plate discipline and versatility that they’ve desperately needed. Collins doesn’t hit the ball all that hard or barrel balls that much, but he doesn’t chase, and he pulls the ball effectively, two qualities that the Royals were looking for this offseason.

As for Mears, he had an interesting season, especially when compared to 2024. That season, he sported a 5.93 ERA in 57,2 IP. However, his FIP was 3.39, and his K rate was 29.3%. Last year, his ERA was better at 3.49 (in 56.2 IP). Conversely, his FIP was higher at 3.86, and his K rate dropped to 20.8%. Mears had trouble finishing batters off last year in his first full season with the Brewers. That said, he still showed solid TJ Stuff+ metrics and an ability to make batters chase.

Estévez recounted his experience at a Pittsburgh Pirates tryout. It was interesting, in hindsight.

I went to this Pirates showcase. They told everyone you had to be there by 10 a.m. to sign in, and I was like, no problem, we’re out early. I rolled up way before that, ended up second on the list. Perfect spot, right?” Estevez recounted. They put me in super late. I threw maybe six pitches total to two Cubans. Got a strikeout and a fly ball to left. Solid stuff. I felt good. I saw the big dawg, the legendary scout who’d signed tons of ballplayers, walking over, and I thought, here it comes. Some real feedback. He’s gonna see what I got.

Instead, in front of everybody, ‘Who brought this piece of shit here?’ In front of everybody! My heart dropped. Then he kept going: ‘Get this piece of shit out of here’.

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter named Jac Caglianone as Kansas City’s biggest breakout hitter candidate.

Following back-to-back 30-homer seasons at the University of Florida, Caglianone was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 draft. He hit .337/.408/.617 with 20 home runs and 72 RBI in 66 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year to force his way into the MLB picture. After taking his lumps at the plate while learning to play right field on the fly, he has the offensive tools to take a massive step forward in 2026.

The Royals traded pitching prospect A.J. Causey to the Athletics this offseason, and he recounted how the process went down to Sports Illustrated.

And then I was getting ready to throw my live BP, and I was in the training room, and our manager came in and was like, ‘hey, AJ, can you come here?’ I was like, ‘What could this be about? We already talked. I guess it’s about my live. BP, and then I walked into the office and just the GM and him, no pitching guys.

I knew it immediately. I was like, I just got traded. I just didn’t know to who. But yeah, I was kind of excited when I heard he was the Athletics. [laughing] Yeah, I guess I’m not throwing my live BP anymore.

Front Office Sports’ Eric Fisher added more context to Royals owner John Sherman’s comments regarding the stadium home search in Kansas City.

While local politics and the ongoing rivalry between Missouri and Kansas play a significant role in the Royals’ consideration, the club remains intent on surrounding a new ballpark with a large mixed-use development. That concept, popularized to a significant degree by the Braves, has been embraced by many other teams, most recently the Rays.

Sherman also professed a preference for an urban setting, if possible, which lends further weight to the possibility of the downtown site. “I still have a bias for baseball being in the heart of the city, in the cultural center of our city, and to have the ability to make it better,” Sherman said. “If that happens, that’s going to be best for the community and the city at large, but we have to make sure we make the right long-term decision for the club as well.”

What goes into Scout Day at Kauffman Stadium?

The Texas Rangers will start Nathan Eovaldi in their Cactus League opener against the Royals.

The Royals are hosting a hiring fair this coming Sunday for seasonal positions.

Billy Heyen says the pressure is on the Royals after doubling down on Jonathan India.

Brian Sparks looks at the battle for the final spot in Kansas City’s rotation ahead of the 2026 season.

What is the fantasy impact if the Royals traded Kris Bubic to the New York Yankees?

Britney Gore talked more about the sudden passing of former Royals speedster Terrance Gore.

Is Bo Jackson not a fan of batters selling out for power?

Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez could miss the season after suffering a UCL tear.

I don’t think anyone missed MLBPA executive Tony Clark resigning on Tuesday. Family reunions are going to be quite awkward now.

ESPN’s Buster Olney ranks baseball’s best relievers.

Under the Knife looks at injuries around MLB and the “hamate epidemic”.

Pitcher Walker Buehler lands with the San Diego Padres on a minor-league deal.

There is one thing missing from Giancarlo Stanton’s time in pinstripes.

After the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl win, are they the system to copy or an outlier?

Is Adam Silver going to fine tanking away?

Miami (Ohio) remains men’s basketball lone undefeated team with a 26-game winning streak.

Manny Pacquiao is returning for an exhibition match in April.

Learn about the Lunar New Year celebrations in China, from robots to incense.

Smart underwear, just what we all needed in 2026.

Today’s song (and video) of the day is MORE THAN HATE by Bilmuri.

There are so many legends across the history of the New York Yankees that it feels like some members of their teams who were also excellent don’t get the recognition they deserve. Players enshrined in Cooperstown with a certain team’s logo almost always seem to be especially honored by the related club — perhaps a retired number or maybe even a statue.

Alas, though Joe Gordon is a Hall of Famer and was a slam-dunk entry on our Top 100 Yankees series (all the way up at No. 34), you won’t find a trace of him in Monument Park. That’s honestly a shame because the man could really play and was one of the best second basemen in franchise history, winning an MVP and four World Series titles.

Joseph Lowell “Flash” Gordon
Born: February 18, 1915 (Los Angeles, CA)
Died: April 14, 1978 (Sacramento, CA)
Yankees Tenure: 1938-46

Joe Gordon was born in Los Angeles, but he and his family moved to Oregon, where he spent most of his time growing up. He attended the University of Oregon and was a multi-sport athlete, competing in football as a halfback, gymnastics, soccer, and the long jump, while also developing his violin skills in the college orchestra. Gordon joined the Ducks baseball team for the 1934 and 1935 seasons and hit .358 while at Oregon, which ranks him tied for fourth in team history. The team also won the Pacific Coast Conference’s North Division in both seasons he wore the Ducks uniform.

Gordon began his MLB career after signing with the Yankees in 1936, and he immediately began proving his worth at the second base position through the minor leagues. He was initially assigned to the Oakland Oaks in the Pacific Coast League before being moved to the Newark Bears’ Double-A team in 1937. And in 1938 — after one of the best minor-league seasons ever, with the Bears winning 110 of 158 possible games — he was called up to the Yankees to make his debut on April 18, 1938, against the Boston Red Sox.

In his first season, Gordon slashed .255/.340/.502 for an OPS of .843 and an OPS+ of 109 in 127 games. The biggest feat of his rookie season, though, was his 25 home runs, which put Gordon as the American League record holder for home runs by a second baseman 64 years before being surpassed by Bret Boone’s 36 home runs in 2001. In his rookie season, the Yankees also won their third of what would be four consecutive titles.

Gordon’s years up through 1943 were simply fantastic. He collected a total of 31.7 BWAR, slashed .282/.368/.478 for an OPS of .846 and a 128 OPS+ with 117 home runs, good for 23.4 per season. And not only were his numbers good enough to garner attention within the organization as the team’s starting second baseman, but they were good enough to garner national recognition as well.

Through those 1939-1943 seasons, Gordon was a six-time All-Star and the winner of the AL MVP award in 1942, beating out a name every baseball fan will recognize — Ted Williams — for the award. It’s true that Williams almost certainly deserved it since he won the Triple Crown and had a staggering 10.5 WAR season by Baseball Reference, but, well, he and the writers were not very fond of each other, so to Gordon went the spoils! It was still a terrific campaign. In that time as well, Gordon gathered another three championships to his resume.

Outside of baseball, there was, of course, the war going on. World War II required most men to enlist in the military, and as a result, Gordon missed both the 1944 and 1945 seasons. In 1946, though, Gordon was able to make his return to the Yankees lineup, but it was a major struggle. Gordon dealt with tons of injuries that either kept him out of the lineup entirely or made it extremely hard to play at a high level. His numbers dipped to .210/.308/.338 with an OPS of .645 and the first below-average OPS+ of his career at 79.

After some internal discussions within the organization, they decided it would make sense to move Gordon, and they did in October to Cleveland for pitcher Allie Reynolds, which helped both clubs in the end. New York won a slew of championships with Reynolds leading their staff, and Gordon found new life. The second baseman’s numbers returned, playing four years with Cleveland and not seeing a below-average OPS+ for the rest of that time. He was an All-Star three of the four years as well, along with finishing seventh and sixth in the 1947 and ’48 MVP race, respectively. Gordon also won his final World Series (and the last one in Cleveland’s history to this point) in that ’48 campaign, with the six-game win coming against the Boston Braves. Although Gordon was held to four hits, he did put Cleveland up for good in the decisive Game 6 with a solo shot off righty Bill Voiselle.

At the age of 35, Gordon played his final MLB game against the Detroit Tigers, posting just one at-bat. And after his major league career, Gordon became a player-manager with the Pacific Coast League’s Sacramento Solons. After a brief scouting career, he managed four major league teams — Cleveland, Detroit, the Kansas City Athletics, and their successor in KC, the Royals. But all were relatively short stays before he moved into real estate following his resignation from the Royals after their inaugural season in 1969.

Gordon passed away in Sacramento, California, on April 14, 1978, at age 63, due to suffering multiple heart seizures. He wasn’t a Hall of Famer at the time, but the Veterans Committee did grant him posthumous honors in 2009. That July, his daughter Judy accepted his plaque and spoke on his behalf in Cooperstown. We hope that somewhere out there, the Gordon family is toasting Joe’s eleventy-first birthday!

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