TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 22: New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (91) throws a pitch during a game against the New York Mets on February 22, 2026, at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Pardon our delay on the game thread this afternoon! It’s spring training for all of us, but we did want to get one set up in case anyone wanted to chime in on the Yanks/Phils road matchup today.
Luis Gil will aim to build on his much more impressive last time out in comparison to what came before this spring. He went three shutout innings against the Red Sox at Fenway South, striking out six and allowing two hits and two walks on 56 pitches. Gil is probably making the rotation regardless given the health of the Yankees’ rotation, but they’ll have much more confidence in his ability to stick if he pitches like that.
The Yankees’ road lineup today features just one surefire regular in first baseman Ben Rice, though Jasson Domínguez will follow him and bat second, manning left field. Top prospects George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones will have prominent roles in today’s starting nine as well.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 14: Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds speaks with Hunter Greene in the dugout during a memorial ceremony for former player Pete Rose on Pete Rose Night prior to a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 14, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s a good chance that the Cincinnati Reds will have their ace pitching every fifth day down the stretch of the 2026 season. That’s the best possible way to spin the news that dropped on Tuesday, which contains the important caveat that Hunter Greene will have surgery to remove bone chips in his ailing right elbow and will miss between 14-16 weeks while recovering.
So relayed MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon earlier in the day on Bluesky.
Sheldon later spoke with Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall who confirmed that Greene’s surgically repaired UCL “looked intact and good,” so there’s hope this arthroscopic procedure will be nothing more than cleanup to get him right back to 100%. Given that we’d already known about his elbow pain and stiffness and the MRI that came after it, that means that today’s news is more or less best case scenario within the framework of bad news we were already operating.
Still, it’s a major setback for both the Reds and Greene himself, who only started 19 games in 2025 due to various other ailments and who has never pitched more that 150.1 IP in any season of his career.
As for the Reds, they’ll lean on the envious starting pitching depth they’d accumulated over the last few seasons to bridge the gap until they get their ace back at some point during the summer. We already learned that All Star Andrew Abbott will get the ball on Opening Day to lead the unit, and he’ll be backed by Nick Lodolo and Brady Singer in some order, too. After those two, though, the Reds will be leaning heavily on the likes of Rhett Lowder, Chase Burns, and Brandon Williamson even though Lowder and Williamson both missed all (or most of) the 2025 season.
If there’s any consolation to this prognosis, it’s that Greene will almost certainly be placed on the team’s 60-day IL, and that will free up a spot on the 40-man roster for someone else should the Reds like to add someone not currently on the roster. Someone like, say, Nathaniel Lowe.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MAY 27: Joe Ryan #41 of the Minnesota Twins pitches in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on May 27, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):12:05 TV: None Radio: MLB App via TB Audio Know Yo’ Foe: DRaysBay
What to watch: Joe Ryan finally makes his long-awaited debut! Unfortunately this game appears to be lost to the void.
Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II (11) during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals are traveling to the New York Mets Spring Training home at Clover Park. According to MLB.com, the Cardinals will have Jared Shuster take the mound while the New York Mets are expected to start David Peterson. The game today will not be televised.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 04: Pitcher Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers looks on from the dugout during the World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Brazil at Surprise Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Rangers led all of baseball in run prevention in 2025. Behind a full, healthy season from Jacob deGrom, a career-best and injury-shortened season from Nathan Eovaldi, and a big step forward from Jack Leiter, the starting rotation was among the best in baseball and the bullpen was deceptively deep. Even though the team led the majors in ERA, their peripherals didn’t necessarily back up that performance; they were just fifth by FIP, tenth by xFIP, and 16th by xERA.
Facing an exodus of a significant portion of their depth this offseason, Texas’s pitching staff looks a lot weaker than the elite unit from last year. Yes, deGrom and Eovaldi still form a formidable pair atop the rotation, and the team made one huge move to bolster that unit behind those two stars, but there were just too many pieces they needed to replace across the entire staff. The run prevention should still be very good, just not as good as it was a year ago.
Notable Transactions
Out: RHP Tyler Mahle, RHP Merrill Kelly, RHP Jon Gray, LHP Patrick Corbin, RHP Phil Maton, RHP Shawn Armstrong, LHP Hoby Milner, LHP Danny Coulombe, RHP Jacob Webb In: LHP MacKenzie Gore, LHP Jordan Montgomery, RHP Jakob Junis, LHP Tyler Alexander, RHP Alexis Díaz, RHP Carter Baumler, RHP Michel Otañez, RHP Ryan Brasier, LHP Austin Gomber, RHP Cal Quantrill Italics = Minor League Deals with Spring Training Invite
The biggest move the Rangers made this offseason was sending a ton of prospects to the Nationals in exchange for MacKenzie Gore. After being one of the centerpieces in the Juan Soto trade a few years ago, Gore established himself as a solid, if inconsistent, starter in Washington. He’s still got two years of team control remaining which fits the Rangers’ contention window pretty neatly.
The team also restocked the bullpen with a mix of veteran arms and reclamation projects. None of those relievers look like they’re up to the level of Maton, Armstrong, or Milner, but relief performance is notoriously volatile so maybe they’ll get lucky with a few of the new arms.
The Rotation
Player
Age
Throws
IP
K/BB
ERA
FIP
WAR
Jacob deGrom
38
R
169
4.75
3.51
3.46
3.7
Nathan Eovaldi
36
R
173
3.64
3.78
3.77
2.9
MacKenzie Gore
27
L
160
3.05
3.83
3.71
2.9
Jack Leiter
26
R
148
2.32
4.29
4.29
2.0
Kumar Rocker
26
R
106
2.92
4.18
4.02
1.2
Jacob Latz
30
L
111
1.98
4.42
4.45
0.8
Cody Bradford
28
L
71
3.56
4.36
4.25
0.5
FanGraphs Depth Charts Projections
After pitching just 265.1 total innings over the previous five seasons, deGrom dialed things back a bit in 2025 in an attempt to stay healthy for an entire season. The effort was a great success; he made 30 starts for the first time since 2019 and crossed the 150 IP threshold for just the fifth time in his career. The tradeoff from a small amount of elite production on a per inning basis to pretty good results over a full season was the right call. Yes, he posted his lowest strikeout rate since 2016 and the highest FIP of his career, but as the saying goes, the best ability is availability.
Eovaldi made some pretty significant changes to his pitch mix last year, fueling his fantastic season. He dropped the usage of his four-seam fastball by nearly 15 points, added a sinker to his repertoire, and increased the usage of his cutter and curveball. The result was a pitch mix that was a lot less predictable and a lot less dependent on his deteriorating fastball velocity. Unfortunately, an elbow issue forced him to miss a month of the season in June and then he was sidelined in September with a shoulder strain and underwent surgery in October for a sports hernia.
Leiter finally took a big step forward last year behind his excellent raw stuff. His command still leaves a lot to be desired, but he’s got the look of a mid-rotation arm now with some ceiling to grow into if he can get his walk rate under control. The fifth spot in the rotation is a bit up in the air. Kumar Rocker hasn’t been able to harness his raw stuff like Leiter did last year but the talent is still very apparent. He’s battling with Jacob Latz for that final spot in the rotation this spring. For his part, Latz is attempting to evolve from his swingman role last year but needs to bring down his walk rate to really take a step forward.
And then there are the injured arms who could make an impact later on in the season. Cody Bradford had a really promising stint in the rotation back in 2024 but was sidelined for all of 2025 after undergoing elbow surgery in the spring. He’s working his way back from that injury and should be a factor in May or June. And then there’s Jordan Montgomery who was a huge part of Texas’s 2023 championship run, but hasn’t pitched since late 2024 and is still recovering from Tommy John surgery. I have no idea what to expect from him and I don’t think the Rangers do either.
The Bullpen
Role
Player
Age
Throws
IP
K/BB
ERA
FIP
WAR
Closer
Robert Garcia
30
L
64
3.10
3.54
3.52
0.9
Setup
Chris Martin
40
R
54
4.66
3.38
3.42
0.8
Setup
Cole Winn
26
R
63
1.78
4.64
4.67
-0.3
Middle
Jakob Junis
33
R
65
3.34
4.08
3.95
0.4
Middle
Josh Sborz
32
R
48
2.42
4.07
4.01
0.1
Middle
Tyler Alexander
31
L
69
3.11
4.68
4.49
0.1
Middle
Ryan Brasier
38
R
48
2.85
3.99
3.97
0.1
Long
Carter Baumler
24
R
52
1.84
4.63
4.54
0.0
FanGraphs Depth Charts Projections
The Rangers’ bullpen was pretty strong last year thanks to unheralded seasons from guys like Phil Maton, Shawn Armstrong, and Hoby Milner. That trio of veteran arms is out the door while guys like Jakob Junis, Tyler Alexander, and Ryan Brasier take their place. The most important roles in the ‘pen will be manned by two veteran holdovers. The ninth inning should be handled by Robert Garcia; he spent a few months as the team’s closer last year, compiling nine saves and 15 holds with a 2.95 ERA. He was a bit home run prone which pushed both his FIP and xERA nearly a run higher than his ERA. Texas also re-signed the ageless Chris Martin to continue serving as a setup man. Even as he enters his age-40 season, he’s shown very few signs of decline and would be the next man up in the pecking order if Garcia falters.
Cole Winn is a former first round pick who flamed out as a starter but has taken to short-stint relieving pretty well. He’s got a lively fastball and a nasty slider but has a tough time with his command. Josh Sborz has spent the last five years with the Rangers but missed all of last year with a major shoulder injury. He re-signed with Texas this offseason on a minor league deal, and given his familiarity with the organization, he probably has an inside track on a backend bullpen role if he can prove he’s healthy. Carter Baumler is a Rule 5 pick and will need to stick on the major league roster or risk being sent back to Baltimore. He’s dealt with both elbow and shoulder injuries but was finally healthy last year. He’s got an explosive fastball and a big, bendy curveball, but profiles as a pretty generic middle relief arm.
SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Dylan Beavers #12 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during Spring Training photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The O’s are making the 3.5-hour trip across Florida to West Palm Beach this afternoon, taking on the Astros at CACTI Park. Most of the regulars are staying in Sarasota, but the Birds’ lineup today includes four projected Opening Day starters — Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser, Samuel Basallo, and Coby Mayo — along with a bunch of randos. Interestingly, Beavers is starting in center, with Cowser sliding over to right.
Mayo, who started at third base yesterday, gets a semi-breather with DH duty this afternoon. Samuel Basallo starts behind the plate, where he hasn’t looked stellar this spring. I guess that’s why you practice. They’ll face veteran Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr.
The Orioles’ expected pitchers today are all guys who won’t be breaking camp with the team. Levi Wells makes the start, with Andrew Magno, Eric Torres, and Josh Walker scheduled to follow. Prospects like Wells, Trey Gibson, and Luis De León have all made starts in the past few days, which is nice to see, but I’m sort of wondering where all the actual O’s starting pitchers are. None of the Orioles’ top six guys have started since Chris Bassitt last Friday the 6th. Dean Kremer has the excuse of being away at the World Baseball Classic, but it’s been a minute since we’ve seen any of the others. I assume they’re getting their work in on the back fields and simulated games.
Orioles lineup:
CF Dylan Beavers RF Colton Cowser C Samuel Basallo 3B Bryan Ramos DH Coby Mayo 1B Ryan Noda SS José Barrero 2B Willy Vasquez LF Will Robertson
Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas dives into dugout suites to catch a foul fly ball by the Baltimore Orioles' Adam Jones in the sixth inning in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014. The Royals won, 2-1, for a 3-0 series lead. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The amazing plays by Bobby Witt Jr. in the World Baseball Classic yesterday had me thinking about Royals defense. He has dazzled us just a few years into his playing career, but Royals fans have really been spoiled by great defense over the years. There was Amos Otis, then Willie Wilson flying around the outfield. Frank White winning Gold Gloves at second by playing at the edge of the infield. We had Bo Jackson throwing guys out from the warning track. Carlos Beltran making dazzling catches at the wall. Alex Gordon learning how to play left field and firing guys out. Salvy gunning guys from behind the plate.
But what was your favorite defensive play in Royals history? A few come to mind:
Was there a moment you caught live that stands out to you? Was there a play that may not be the best, but just the one you aesthetically appreciate, or perhaps one that came in a clutch moment? What was your favorite defensive play in Royals history?
LAKELAND, FLORIDA - MARCH 09: Spencer Torkelson #20 of the Detroit Tigers rounds first base after hitting a double in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays during the Grapefruit League spring training game at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 09, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox
Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., JetBlue Park – Ft. Myers, FL SB Nation Site: Over the Monster Media: MLB+ Audio (Red Sox broadcast)
Feb 28, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; a general view of the stadium during a spring training game between the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
After an off-day, the Jays are back at it, hosting the Braves.
I’m putting this together Monday night, so I don’t have the lineups.
But the Jays have Dylan Cease making his second spring start. I’d guess they would want 3-4 innings out of him.
The Braves are starting JR Ritchie, who pitched in the Braves minor league system last year, when he could get away from Southfork (sure Tom, use a reference that no one under 60 will get), starting in A ball and finishing in Triple-A, with a 2.64 ERA in 26 starts, 140 innings with 140 strikeouts.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Jeremy Peña #3 and Josh Hader #71 of the Houston Astros pose for a photo after media availability during MLB All-Star Week at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Things may be progressing well for Astros closer Josh Hader, according to this update from Brian McTaggart:
Josh Hader (biceps) returned to the mound just now, throwing about 15 pitches in the bullpen.
"Speed is there, fastball is there, action is there, synched up. All positives," he said.
While it should still be considered unlikely Hader would be ready Opening Day, this update does indicate that if Hader has to start the season on IL, he could potentially only miss the minimum required time.
Having Hader at the back of the pen with Bryan Abreu gives the Astros one of the best 1-2 punches to close out a game in baseball.
Meanwhile, SS Jeremy Pena is still getting some work in, despite his fractured finger, as shown here in another McTaggart update.
Jeremy Peña is still able to get his infield work in despite his fractured right ring finger pic.twitter.com/WYCupElmhF
Pena is seen getting in grounders while not using his bare hand at all, flipping the ball with his glove to the coach during the drill.
Pena should be back as soon as his finger is healed, and the Astros have previously shown they will push a top player right back to the lineup in the past. If Pena misses Opening Day, he may not miss much more. At this point it seems like Pena could avoid the IL to start the season. Carlos Correa is scheduled to play SS until Pena returns, with Isaac Paredes playing 3B.
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Cincinnati Reds’ ace Hunter Greene is scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday on his right elbow and could miss up to the first four months of the season.
The Reds said Greene was diagnosed with bone chips and loose bodies in his elbow. Greene needed an MRI last week after he left spring training camp due to right elbow stiffness.
Greene went 7-4 with a 2.76 ERA last year, helping Cincinnati earn an NL wild card for its first playoff appearance since 2020.
Greene, whose 99.5 mph average four-seam fastball velocity led the major leagues among those throwing at least 1,250 pitches, was limited to a career-low 19 starts and 107 2/3 innings. Still, his 296 pitches of 100 mph or higher were second in the major leagues behind Mason Miller’s 422.
Greene was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 9 with a right groin strain. He returned on May 23 and made three starts before going back on the IL with the same injury. This time, he was sidelined until Aug. 13.
The 26-year-old Greene is entering his fifth big league season. He made the NL All-Star team for the first time in 2024 while going 9-5 with a 2.75 ERA in 26 starts. He also had 169 strikeouts in 150 1/3 innings despite spending time on the IL that year with elbow soreness.
Feb 22, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) returns to the dugout against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
We’re back with Tuesday Spring Training to go alongside your dose of the WBC.
Seattle native JR Ritchie will be entering his third game and first start with the Braves after being invited as a non-roster prospect during this Spring Training series. This is an open opportunity for him, especially after the news that LHP Joey Wentz is suffering a knee injury, scratching him out for the remainder of the season.
Ritchie will be facing Dylan Cease and the Blue Jays today at 1:07 EST, and the game will be broadcast on the Blue Jays’ Sportsnet and can be listened to on ESPN 103.7.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros delivers a pitch during the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 28, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros (5-8-3) host the Baltimore Orioles (7-8-2) in Grapefruit League play.
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. is set to start for the Astros, with RHP Levi Wells starting for the Orioles.
TODAY’S STARTER: This is Lance McCullers Jr.’s second appearance of the spring. He previously pitched one shutout inning on Feb 27 vs. the Nationals, working a 1-2-3 inning on 8 pitches. His velocity was improved from last year, primarily working 93-94 with his fastball/sinker.
He made his return to the mound in 2025 after missing the entire 2023-24 seasons due to a right flexor tendon injury that required surgery, working around four IL stints to go 2-5 with a 6.51 ERA (40ER/55.1IP) and 9.92 SO/9IP through 16 games (13 starts).
TODAY’S POTENTIAL RELIEVERS: RHP Bryan Abreu, RHP AJ Blubaugh, LHP Tom Cogrove, LHP Bryan King, RHP Michael Knorr, RHP Roddery Muñoz.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVES: Following yesterday’s game, the Astros reassigned C Walker Janek and OF Lucas Spence to minor league camp…additionally, the Astros optioned RHP Jayden Murray to minor league camp this morning.
ASTROS IN WBC: IF/OF Shay Whitcomb went 1×1 with a double as a pinch-hitter in Team Korea’s 7-2 win yesterday vs. Team Australia. Team Korea secured a spot in the WBC quarterfinals with the victory.
In Team Italy’s last game on Sunday vs. Team Great Britain, IF/OF Zach Dezenzo went 1×3 with a double, a walk and two runs scored.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, March 10, 12:05 p.m. CST
Location: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL.
TV: Space City Home Network, MLB Network (HOU Blackout)
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 13: David Peterson #23 of the New York Mets trains during spring training workouts at Clover Park on February 13, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
