Category: MLB

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase is accused of manipulating his performances in 48 MLB games over two years, according to a court document obtained by ESPN. 

The new document significantly increases the number of games during which Clase was believed to have fixed his pitches.

Key Takeaways

• The original number of games Clase was believed to have rigged was nine.
• Luis Ortiz’s attorney asked that the cases be heard separately.
• Two anonymous bettors won more than $460,000 betting on pitch outcomes of Clase and Ortiz.

Clase was indicted for his role in the alleged betting scandal in November. The original unsealed documents accused the 27-year-old and three-time All-Star of manipulating his pitches in nine games.

Christos N. Georgalis, an attorney for teammate and alleged co-conspirator Luis Ortiz, claimed that the government believed the real number of games was in the dozens. He also asked in a filing that his client’s case be reviewed separately from Ortiz’s due to the “markedly different levels of culpability.”

“With 26 months of alleged criminal conduct by Mr. Clase -- including suspect pitches during 48 games, dozens of communications with [a bettor], cash transfers and coordination of illegal wagers, [Ortiz could receive an unfair trial].”

Unlike Clase, Ortiz was only believed to have rigged pitches in two games in June 2025. 

Clase’s actions supposedly occurred from 2023 to 2025, according to the indictment. He made 197 regular-season appearances during that time, meaning that nearly 25% of them allegedly involved illegal activity. 

Piling accusations

Prosecutors claim that the two pitchers received thousands of dollars worth of bribes to help two anonymous gamblers in their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 in bets.

Both Clase and Ortiz allegedly fixed different aspects of their pitches, including whether a pitch would be a ball or a strike, or if it would be slower or faster than a given velocity.

In one instance, the government claims that a message sent in April 2025 led to bettors winning $15,000 by wagering a pitch would clock in at less than 98.5 miles per hour.

The judge in the case asked the government to provide Clase’s legal team with evidence of “at least 250” suspicious pitches so they could prepare for trial.

Clase and Ortiz pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting events by bribery. 

It was about … cockfighting?

In a unique defense, one man who bet on Clase’s pitches said he only traded messages with Clase about cockfighting, not sports betting, per the New York Times. The bettor said that he won money because he was familiar with his friend’s pitching tendencies, and that the money that was discussed was for a legal rooster fighting ring in the Dominican Republic. 

Clase is in the fourth season of a five-year, $20-million contract. Ortiz joined the Guardians at the start of the 2025 season and made 16 appearances before he and his teammate were placed on non-disciplinary leave by MLB in July.

The trial is set to begin on May 4. Ortiz’s attorney has not received a response to his request for more time to prepare. 

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been more aggressive than usual in the offseason acquiring veteran players like Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn and Jose Urquidy. These moves have made a lot of Pirates fans excited for the 2026 season, but how high should the expectations for this team really be ?

The last time the Bucs had a winning record was in 2018 where they went 82-79. They were unable to make the playoffs that year even with the winning record. Since 2018, they have had three seasons with 60 or more wins. Their last three seasons, Pittsburgh has had 76, 76 and 71 wins, with the last two seasons resulting in last place finishes in the National League Central. 

The last time the Pirates made the playoffs was in 2015 where they lost in the wild card round to the Chicago Cubs. They made the playoffs for three straight seasons from 2013-2015, where they won the Wild Card Game against the Cincinnati Reds in 2013. 

Talking about the past gives a good baseline on what a successful season for this team will look like for 2026. The Buccos have the former Cy Young winner in Paul Skenes and a plethora of young talent in the pitching rotation and in the batting lineup. 

When you also look at the NL Central, it looks more open than it has in the past. The St. Louis Cardinals are projected to finish in last place in the division, while I believe the Reds will be on par with the Pirates. The Milwaukee Brewers lost Freddy Peralta who had a CY Young season, and they didn’t really add anyone major in the offseason. 

When you put all of those details into consideration, I think a successful season for the Pittsburgh Pirates is winning around 82 games this year. Last year the Reds got into the playoffs with 83 wins, so if Pittsburgh can get around that win total there is a shot they will be competing in October. 

Winning 80 or more games will show that the Pirates are on an uphill trajectory and are heading into the right direction.Although I don’t even think they need to make the playoffs for this season to be considered successful. With how rough the last couple of seasons have looked, I will take a winning season even if that means that there is another October that the Bucs won’t be playing in.   

I know fans in Pittsburgh are probably getting sick of the losing seasons and not competing in the postseason but I would tell everyone to trust the process. The Pirates have a lot of young potential that even if they can show that they can be competitive in the months of August and September to me that would be a realistic successful season. 

Tell us in the comments what you think qualifies as a successful season for the Pirates.

Heading into a baseball season, you have to think about depth, even when it’s not particularly pleasant to do so. Take the signing of veteran Dodgers’ catcher Austin Barnes for example. For Austin Barnes to have a meaningful impact on the 2026 season, something has gone wrong for either Luis Torrens or, more problematically, Francisco Alvarez. That might mean injury, ineffectiveness, or some equally unpleasant option, but nobody really wants to see Barnes in Queens in 2026. 

While that may seem unfair, there’s a reason that Barnes was signed to a minor league deal just a few weeks before spring training began. Barnes is 36 years old, playing a position that rarely ages well and is nine seasons past his last meaningfully productive season in the majors. Sure, he’s been essentially league average, give or take, since then, but he’s a glove-first catcher whose playing time has steadily decreased over time. His career slash line of .223/.322/.338 isn’t exactly awe inspiring, but he’s a steady hand behind the dish with veteran experience and still solid defensive metrics who will occasionally turn on one. He’s exactly who every team should have in their back pocket as a third or fourth option. 

The question is if Barnes is still willing, at 36, to play in Syracuse for the bulk of the season with the hopes of getting a shot at some more big league time down the road. If recent evidence is to be believed, the Mets will need a third catcher at some point. In fact, 2025 was the only year since 2016 that the Mets used just three, and not four or five, catchers over the course of a year. So if the goal is more MLB at-bats and another cap/jersey to frame for the den, then have at it, Austin. 

But for a guy whose knees have to be begging for a breather, it would be totally understandable if this was the end of the road for Barnes as a player. For his sake, I hope we see him in Queens at least once this season. For the team’s sake, let’s hope it’s a short stay. 

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) rosters were announced yesterday on the MLB Network and MLB.com. There is no shortage of talent taking part in this year’s classic led by current and former league MVP’s. But don’t expect just wily veterans to show up because thirty of MLB Pipeline’s top one hundred prospects have made the rosters also and will get the nod in the tournament which runs from March 5-17.

The A’s young arms will be prominent for Chinese Taipei with Top 30 prospects Wei-En Lin (number 19), Tzu-Chen Sha (number 28), and Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang (number 29) all making the team. The Dominican Republic has two strong arms straight from the team’s 25-man roster Elvis Alvarado and Luis Severino. Other names familiar to A’s fans making international rosters are Denzel Clarke for Team Canada and Darell Hernaiz for team Puerto Rico.

Here’s the full list of A’s players participating in the classic:

ATHLETICS
Elvis Alvarado (Dominican Republic)
Brayan Buelvas (Colombia)
Denzel Clarke (Canada)
Carlos Cortes (Puerto Rico)
Max Durrington (Australia)
James Gonzalez (Panama)
Darell Hernaiz (Puerto Rico)
Wei-En Lin (Chinese Taipei)
Joey Meneses (Mexico)
Luis Severino (Dominican Republic)
Tzu-Chen Sha (Chinese Taipei)
Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang (Chinese Taipei)

For the first time in the tournament’s history, all four reigning MVP Award and Cy Young Award winners are on rosters. Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, and Aaron Judge will play for Team USA, and Shohei Ohtani is returning to Team Japan. In all, seventy-eight previous MLB All-Stars will play in the tournament including thirty-six from last year’s game. Twenty-two all-stars will don Team USA’s stars and stripes, the most of any team.

The tournament will begin on March 5 at the Tokyo Dome. The other pools — located at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Daikin Park in Houston; and loanDepot Park in Miami — will begin play on March 6. The finals will once again take place at loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins.

A’s Coverage:

• Solve Today’s A’s Trivia Puzzle
• A’s single game tix on sale now
• A’s Announce 2026 Sacramento Promotional Schedule
• Athletics Sign Jacob Wilson to Extension
• Athletics Community Prospect List: Colome Takes Seventh Spot
• Extensions For Everyone! (Except Kurtz)
• Wilson extension signals shift for A’s ahead of Vegas move
• Managers & Top Front Office Executives On Expiring Contracts
• De Vries (No. 4 overall) leads Athletics trio on Top 100 Prospects list
• A’s Spring Training Report Date, and everything you need to know
• After monster stats as rookie, Nick Kurtz has a new number in mind: 162
• Projecting Nick Kurtz after Rookie of the Year campaign
• Analysts say this A’s outfielder could follow Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakout path
• A’s Odds of Reaching the Postseason this year
• A’s prospect Mason Barnett has an atypical arm angle and an old school approach
• Blogfather Sabatoges Own Wins Over Replacement Hip (And A’s Stuff)

MLB News and Interest:

• Tigers, Framber Valdez Agree To Three-Year Deal
• Padres adding veteran bat Andujar on 1-year deal
• Red Sox, Kiner-Falefa agree to 1-year deal
• Eugenio rejoins rising Reds at perfect time: ‘It made it easy for me to be back home’
• Detroit Tigers World Series hero, Tigers great Mickey Lolich dead at 85
• Pirates Reportedly Avoided Andrew McCutchen Talks
• Hall of Fame reveals cap picks for incoming Beltrán, Jones, Kent
• Carlos Santana reportedly signs with the Diamondbacks
• Luis Arraez, Giants Reportedly Agree to Contract in MLB Free Agency
• Shohei Ohtani Won’t Pitch at 2026 World Baseball Classic
• NBA, MLB, NHL, WWE, Major Sports Leagues to Join NFL in Wearing ‘USA 250’ Uniform Patches
• Red Sox Trade Jordan Hicks to White Sox
• Why Francisco Lindor, Jose Altuve, More MLB Players Can’t Play in 2026 World Baseball Classic
• Today In Baseball History

Best of X:

What Would It Cost The A's To Continue Their Run Of Extensions? https://t.co/TNlkZ9WNBFpic.twitter.com/RM9o9T6qyr

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) February 5, 2026

Nationals Claim Ken Waldichuk, Designate George Soriano For Assignment https://t.co/kWCOy41DFtpic.twitter.com/MTGRXApMZb

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) February 5, 2026

World Baseball Classic jerseys are HERE 🤩

Take a look at the home white jerseys for all 20 federations! pic.twitter.com/Zn7pVBiteI

— MLB (@MLB) February 6, 2026

Yesterday, I released my preseason top 30 Washington Nationals prospects, which you can find here. The driving focus of my rankings was a combination of prospects’ performances so far in their careers, their underlying numbers for those performances, and the tools they have, which could lead to future success. Here are the 3 biggest takeaways from my list that you should know about.

#1: The Nationals’ farm system is the deepest it’s been in a long time

For the last few years, the Nationals’ farm system has had plenty of top-end talent, with names such as Dylan Crews and James Wood, but lacked the depth that rebuilding teams should be accumulating. Thanks in large part to the 2025 draft, where the Nationals selected Eli Willits first overall and acquired even more talent in the later rounds with the savings from the pick, 1-for-1 deals this offseason such as Jose A. Ferrer for Harry Ford and Jake Bennett for Luis Perales, and the big MacKenzie Gore trade this offseason, the Nationals farm system has depth it hasn’t had perhaps ever, with prospects ranked in the 10 to 20 range who could be plus big leaguers one day.

An important part of building depth in the Nats’ farm system is not only acquiring players in trades, but acquiring the right kind of prospects in those deals. Mike DeBartolo and Paul Toboni have done an excellent job acquiring prospects in deals that have the tools required to succeed at the big league level, such as power potential in hitters and strikeout stuff in pitchers.

Pitchers like Griff McGarry and Eriq Swan, who take up spots at the backend of my top 30, are valuable not because they’re excellent now in the minor leagues, but because they have the stuff and projection to be good MLB players one day. Once you have enough of these high-risk type prospects, over time, a few of them will break out and give you great major league talents.

#2: The MacKenzie Gore trade was a shot of adrenaline for the farm system

Speaking of the MacKenzie Gore trade, the deal is unique because not only did the Nats acquire 5 prospects in the deal, but all 5 prospects have tools that make them more than just throw-ins, with all 5 ranking in my top 15 Nats prospects, and 3 within the top 10.

Fien and Fitz-Gerald could wind up as top 100 prospects by the end of 2026, Rosario was a top 10 pitching prospect in the sport before his injury and could wind up being a steal if he returns fully healthy, and Cabrera and Ortiz have the tools to be solid regulars one day. All in all, while the headlines may say the Nats received 0 top 100 prospects in return for Gore’s services, the truth is they received a package with a high chance of producing 2 or more impactful big leaguers one day.

#3: Marconi German is a name to watch in 2026

The prospect in my top 30 Nationals prospects you are least likely to recognize is Marconi German, a 17-year-old, switch-hitting shortstop, and while my ranking may seem rather high for a player who’s only played in the Dominican Summer League in his career, I have complete faith this ranking will be justified once the 2026 season gets underway.

German was one of the best hitters in the DSL in 2025 while also being one of the younger ones, posting a 159 wRC+ and hitting 8 home runs in 53 games. He showed great plate discipline, posting a 1.02 BB/K ratio, and punished pitchers when he got his pitch, with a .513 slugging percentage. He also has great speed, with 33 stolen bases in those 53 games.

German’s first major test will come in 2026 when he heads stateside to play in the complex league. If he continues to hit well there, he’ll likely get a chance in Low A, his first taste of affiliated minor league play. I’m excited to see how German progresses in 2026, as I believe he has the tools to be a very good shortstop or second baseman in the big leagues one day.

As discussed here and here, the Yankees’ bullpen has potential but is still, basically, a work in progress. Between this point and the start of the season, the team is quite likely to add at least one additional impact arm, whether it comes via trade, free agency, or after the spring training cuts have been revealed, à la Ryan Yarbrough last year.

Between a shoulder impingement and surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, talented right-hander Michael Kopech was limited to just 11 innings last year. Still, if he’s healthy, and the Yankees and other squads —like the Giants, linked to the power righty in early December — seem to believe he is, he could be that impact arm for the late innings that supports Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz, Tim Hill, and David Bednar.

2025 Statistics: 14 games, 11 IP, 0-0, 2.45 ERA (174 ERA+), 4.50 FIP, 5.76 xFIP, 22.6% K%, 24.5% BB%, 1.73 WHIP, 0.0 fWAR

2026 FanGraphs Depths Charts Projections: 44 games, 44 IP, 3-2, 4.37 ERA, 4.56 FIP, 25.3% K%, 12.3% BB%, 1.38 WHIP, 0.0 fWAR

Of course, it’s important to note that Kopech hasn’t been at his best for longer than a year. The last time that happened was when he landed in LA before the 2024 trade deadline. In 24 games and 24 innings in that stretch run with the Dodgers, the 29-year-old put up a brilliant 1.13 ERA with a 2.54 FIP and 29 strikeouts.

His woes started in January 2025, when it was reported he could miss the first month of the season with forearm inflammation. The fact that he was able to pitch just 11 innings last year tells us he was never quite right physically, and it’s impossible to analyze his performance based on such a limited sample. The walks — 13 in the precious few frames he was able to contribute — were particularly alarming.

If the Yankees bring him in, it would be a complete leap of faith on a pitcher who can be dominant when right, but is a near-lock to spend some time on the injured list every year. At this point, however, their bullpen needs upside, and despite the physical woes, Kopech has plenty of it.

To succeed, Kopech relies on that triple-digit fastball with elite run:

Michael Kopech struck out the side in his first #Dodgers appearance

His 11 fastballs averaged 99.4 mph (up 0.8 mph from his season average) with 8” of drop (-2” from szn avg) and 11” run (+1” from szn avg)

Six whiffs on nine swings 🔥 pic.twitter.com/U3ZwRyH1mS

— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) August 1, 2024

The pitch’s 24.4 percent whiff rate last year in the limited sample was already impressive, but if we take his last full campaign, 2024, it missed bats at an incredible 34 percent rate. That’s insane for a fastball. He also throws a slider and a cutter, and even tossed a couple of changeups last year to lefties.

A healthy Kopech would, of course, look excellent in the Yankees’ bullpen, taking care of jams in the seventh or eighth innings. It will all come down to health, though, and the organization convincing itself to pursue the talented but fragile flamethrower. A few days ago, a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Postlinked the Yankees to Kopech, who is still looking for his next home. There’s interest from New York’s side, so something could potentially happen.

When he’s at his best, Kopech definitely belongs in any bullpen, and that includes the Yankees’. At top form, he can locate that incredible fastball in all quadrants of the plate, and that’s the key to his success. After injuries to multiple body parts in the last few months, however, the team that gets him would need to gamble a bit. The Yankees, at this point, might need to gamble on upside and potential if they want to overtake the Toronto Blue Jays and other emerging forces in the American League. And that certainly can include making a run at Kopech to be one of the anchors of their bullpen. God knows the Yanks can use all the swing-and-miss ability they can get.

Hello all, and happy Friday! For those of you who enjoy the Olympics, happy Opening Ceremony day! We’re always fortunate during these Winter Olympics/World Baseball Classic years to have some sporting excitement to carry us to Opening Day.

In the meantime, let’s dig into the happenings from the world of baseball specifically.

In Mariners news…

• The Mariners’ trade for Brendan Donovan will join a list of M’s deals made under strange circumstances — Justin Hollander and Jerry Dipoto finalized the move while visiting the Washington state capitol on behalf of the organization.

Around the league…

• In a monumental win for the MLB Players’ Association, left-hander Tarik Skubal was victorious in his historic arbitration case against the Tigers, earning a $32M salary for the 2026 season.
• Michael Baumann at Fangraphs dove into the immediate impact of the ruling for the Tigers and the league as a whole.
• The 2026 World Baseball Classic rosters were announced in full, with 306 MLB-employed players (78 of them MLB All-Stars) participating.
• Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase is being formally accused of rigging pitches in 48 games over the last two seasons.
• The Pirates have agreed to a one-year, $1.5M contract with former Astros right-hander José Urquidy.
• The MLBPA agreed to a deal with a tech company that will allow them to turn players’ likenesses into AI characters that can interact with fans.
• Former big league infielder Jonathan Schoop was among nine people detained at his home in Curaçao during a police search for illegal firearms.
• Jeff Passan and Buster Olney at ESPN outlined the biggest lessons they learned from this offseason.
• Bryan Joiner at Over the Monster took the Red Sox to task for seemingly breaking the law with their use of junk ticketing fees.

Good morning, LSB.

Shawn McFarland writes on MacKenzie Gore and whether or not the Rangers can unlock his true aceness.

Evan Grant takes a look at the most pressing issues facing the Rangers as they leave for Arizona.

New Rangers pitcher Cal Quantrill will pitch for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

Jack Leiter is changing numbers to match his pops.

And finally the Rangers come in at a rather unflattering 19 on FanGraphs’ preseason power rankings.

That’s all for this morning. Happy Friday!

Last time, we took a look at the outfield and the platoon splits for our various outfield candidates. Today, we will do the same with the infield. I should note a couple of things before we move forward. The first and main thing is that we are looking at career splits for all of these players. Naturally, there are positives and negatives to doing it this way and we should acknowledge those here in the lab. After all, if we fail to acknowledge things that could impact our “experiments” then those experiments become less valid.

The reason why we include career numbers over 2025 numbers is that numbers in general become more valid when we include larger sample sizes. Some players have out of context seasons here and there, but the career numbers will be more relevant when we look at these things. However, some players have out of context numbers overall because they are no longer the player that put up those career numbers. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Christian Walker are not likely going to put up their career numbers this season.

The key point here is not that the player is expected to meet their career numbers, but in the differences on both sides of the plate. The rate of difference will likely hold. The second thing we should note is that Brice Mathews will not be included in the infield for a couple of reasons. The primary reason is that he does not have the sample size to give us a valid entry. Also, he appears to be on the outside looking in in terms of making the 26 man roster.

So, to remind our viewing audience, we are simply looking at career slash numbers (AVG, OBP, SLG). I will include a fourth category which will be OPS. This is just a quick mental guide to bring in a familiar number to break everything down. When it is all said and done, we will look at a common trade that has been bandied about and why it makes sense for the Astros.

Infield Slash numbers

	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Yainer Diaz RHP	.283	.308	.463	.771
Yainer Diaz LHP	.265	.299	.430	.729
Carlos Perez RHP	.218	.267	.339	.606
Carlos Perez LHP	.216	.259	.299	.558
Christian Walker RHP	.247	.320	.460	.780
Christian Walker LHP	.249	.339	.443	.782
Isaac Paredes RHP	.228	.330	.425	.755
Isaac Paredes LHP	.264	.360	.444	.804
Jose Altuve RHP	.296	.352	.451	.803
Jose Altuve LHP	.324	.385	.508	.893
Carlos Correa RHP	.271	.342	.458	.800
Carlos Correa LHP	.286	.379	.480	.859
Jeremy Pena RHP	.260	.312	.399	.711
Jeremy Pena LHP	.302	.344	.469	.813
Nick Allen RHP	.202	.251	.245	.496
Nick Allen LHP	.241	.298	.338	.636

The important thing to note is that only one of these players is better against right-handed pitchers than lefties. When the Astros face lefties they will have five players with career OPS scores above .800. When they face righties they will have three. This is one of the many reasons why Dana Brown and Joe Espada have talked at length about adding a better left-handed hitter to the roster.

We often look at players’ overall numbers and forget that the aggregate does not represent what we see on a night to night basis. The truth is that tough right-handed pitchers will lock this team down on a number of nights. Baseball philosophers will tell you that the best thing you can do is as a pitcher is disrupt a hitter’s timing. Many things in baseball appear in a mirror image. If the job of pitchers is to disrupt timing then hitters can get pitchers out of rhythm by disrupting their timing.

If you set your team up with the same kind of hitters that all hit from the same side then it is easier for the pitcher to get into a rhythm. If you throw lefties and righties at them with some being selective and some more aggressive then you will force them to adjust to every single hitter that comes up. It is certainly possible to be successful doing that, but most pitchers would tell you that it is much more difficult.

Two players from the Boston Red Sox have been mentioned in potential deals for Isaac Paredes. Paredes is arguably a better player than one of them, but I want you to notice the breakdown of where they are most successful. Trades are often framed in the lens of who gets the better player, but it is really about making your team better.

	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Jarren Duran RHP	.279	.344	.494	.838
Jarren Duran LHP	.232	.284	.336	.620
Wilyer Abreu RHP	.265	.336	.492	.828
Wilyer Abreu LHP	.205	.271	.318	.589

It should be noted that Duran is a Gold Glove level defender in multiple outfield slots, so he carries some value in addition to his hitting. He would likely cost Paredes and considerable other compensation. Abreu is a more realistic target because it is feasible to see a one for one swap in that instance. Paredes might be the superior hitter overall because he doesn’t disappear against righties like Abreu does against lefties. However, we have to look at how this team is set up.

As it stands, we have five hitters with a career OPS over 800 against lefties and only three against righties. It should be noted that approximately 75 percent of the starters in baseball are right-handed. A theoretical swap would net you a balanced lineup against righties and lefties. Abreu would likely take the place currently occupied by Jesus Sanchez, but when you look at the career numbers you’ll notice he is the more dangerous player against right-handed pitching.

The current advantage of the Astros is that they have a number of players capable of playing more than one position. In reality, Christian Walker is the only player on the roster locked into one spot on the diamond. That affords Espada the opportunity to mix and match based on platoon splits. Both Abreu and Sanchez should not face lefties (whichever one would be in Houston), but there are creative options available to cover them up.

Obviously, time is on our side, so when we get into Spring Training we can look at theoretical lineups against righties and lefties to see how it all stacks up. It will difficult getting everyone at bats, but there is an opportunity to set up lineups that take advantage of these splits. Stay tuned.

The rosters for each of the World Baseball Classic teams were announced, Friday and the San Diego Padres were well represented on several teams. Mason Miller will play for the US, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Wandy Peralta for Dominican Republic, Xander Bogaerts for Netherlands, Yuki Matsui for Japan, Ron Marinaccio and Alek Jacob for Italy, Carter Loewen for Canada, Josh Mallitz for Israel and Miguel Cienfuegos for Panama. It is an honor and in some cases a dream for these players to compete for their country, but with so many players leaving during Spring Training to compete in the WBC, there is concern about how productive they can be for the Padres.

Padres News:

• With the bulk of the lawsuit between Sheel Seider and Matt and Bob Seidler being settled, the probability of a new owner in San Diego seems to be growing more possible by the day. A report in The Athleticidentifies potential buyers and adds that the bids for the purchase of the franchise could come by the end of the month.
• Machado has been one of if not the de facto leader of the Padres throughout his tenure in San Diego. Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribuneshifts his focus to the All-Star third baseman for his ongoing Padres roster review.
• Sanders also contributed a report on the Padres starting rotation as they prepare to open Spring Training next week. The five top arms have been discussed and dissected throughout the offseason. According to Preller he is still looking to add an arm in free agency,     

Baseball News:

• Detroit Tigers left-hander and back-to-back American League Cy Young Award-winner Tarik Skubal notched a win in arbitration. Skubal will make $32 million in 2026.
• The Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a trade that sent Blaze Alexander to Baltimore in exchange for a right-handed reliever and a couple minor league prospects.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates and free agent right-hander Jose Urquidy agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
• The Los Angeles Angels agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with left-handed reliever Brent Suter.

The Dodgers in December signed the best relief pitcher available on the market, with Edwin Díaz setting a new record for average annual value with his three-year, $69 million contract. The idea is that Díaz will solidify what was the Dodgers squeakiest wheel last season.

We don’t have to look far to note how pitching plans are quite hard to predict. Tanner Scott was dominant in 2023-24 and signed a big-money deal of his own (four years, $72 million) with the Dodgers, but struggled so badly that he plummeted down the depth chart in September and October.

There is reason to believe that Scott will be better in 2026 than he was in 2025, and still pitch important innings, whether he’s setting up Díaz or picking up a few saves of his own along the way.

Depth will be needed to get through the season, and it’s likely quite a few pitchers will record saves. A dozen different Dodgers had at least one save last season. The year before, they tied a major league record with 14 different pitchers with a save, then added a 15th when Walker Buehler capped his fairytale end to 2024 to close out the World Series.

The Dodgers have had double-digit pitchers record a save in each of the lat five seasons, whether the team had a Capital-C Closer or not.

Dodgers pitchers to record a save

• 2021: 10 (Kenley Jansen 38 saves, Blake Treinen second with 7)
• 2022: 12 (Craig Kimbrel 22, Daniel Hudson 5)
• 2023: 11 (Evan Phillips 24, Brusdar Graterol 7)
• 2024: 14 (Phillips 18, Hudson 10)
• 2025: 12 (Scott 23, Alex Vesia 5)

Today’s question is two-fold: How many different Dodgers will record a save in 2026, and which pitcher will finish second on the team in saves?

We are launching a new daily article here at South Side Sox, more prominently than our items that pop up on The Feed. It falls under the category of White Sox Discussions, which you’ll see in a few weeks will also be our new branding for Game Threads.

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Yes, asking this question here on February 6 does presume that GM and late-starter Chris Getz, in contrast to his promises that with a week left before camp he’s “still not done” improving the White Sox. But at this moment, and as Spring Training nears, it’s time to see if the pleasant surprises that have comprised this offseason will codify into something positive.

Even the most grizzled fan must concede that the White Sox are likely on an upswing, with a core of young talent that should render setbacks deeper into the 100s of losses are over. Chicago’s second-half record indicated a 70-92 team over a full season.

Will the White Sox surpass a 10-win improvement on the season, or fall short. In short: What needs to happen with the team to consider 2026 a success?

Yesterday we opened the discussion about the Phillies impending youth movement by asking what your expectations were for Justin Crawford. Today, we’ll discuss another one of the Phillies top prospects poised to make a major impact on the big-league club in 2026.

It’s been an unconventional path to the Majors for Andrew Painter to say the least. Once a near consensus top five prospect in all of baseball, Painter was on the verge of a Major League debut when he suffered a tear to his UCL in the spring of 2023. After originally opting to rehab the elbow, Painter eventually was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery that kept him out of all of the 2023 season and limited him to just six starts in 2024.

Painter returned in 2025 and spent the year in Triple-A while slowly rehabbing and working his way fully back from the long layoff. The results at Lehigh Valley were not pretty, as Painter had a 5.40 ERA across 106.2 IP in 22 starts. His stuff eventually began to resemble what it was prior to his injury, but his command was erratic and his fastball shape was drastically different. The velocity was there, but his arm slot was different, which caused the once elite pitch to become much more hittable as it had less movement. It’s to be determined if some more time removed from rehab and a full, normal offseason for the first time in three years will help Painter’s heater fully recapture its preinjury form or at least something close to it. For more on Painter’s fastball, make sure to read Matt Winkelman’s scouting report and breakdown of the problems Painter faces.

Nevertheless, there is an open rotation spot this spring that is Painter’s to lose. It feels as though his spot is all but guaranteed, providing he ends the spring healthy and doesn’t come out flat in spring training. The question will perhaps be revisited when Zack Wheeler is ready, but that timeline is still unknown. Regardless, Painter will be the favorite to occupy the fifth starter role as long as he is able to perform adequately.

FanGraphs’ ZIPS projection for Painter is a 4.80 ERA in 108 IP across 24 starts with 0.9 WAR. So again, using those projections as a barometer, what are your realistic expectations for Andrew Painter in 2026? Will more time off help him get back to something close to his old form? Or is he a fundamentally different pitcher now?

The Baltimore Orioles enter 2026 with plenty of questions, most notably in a starting rotation that lacks the depth and dominance it showed in 2024. With uncertainty on the mound, the offense will need to carry more of the load. That makes Jordan Westburg’s health and production pivotal to the team’s success.

After a 2025 season marred by injury, Westburg is poised for a bounceback. His return to full health should provide exactly what the Orioles need: steady, reliable production in the middle of the lineup that can help compensate for whatever inconsistency emerges from a pitching staff not necessarily in its finished form.

Westburg’s 2025 was frustrating precisely because of what he’d shown in 2024. After a debut slashline of .260/.311/.404 in 68 games as a rookie in 2023, he seized the everyday second base job and delivered a .264/.312/.481 slash line with 18 home runs in 107 games the following year.

Then came 2025, and there the injuries. The specifics varied (a hamstring in May, a jammed finger in June, a sprained ankle in August) but they amounted to the same: extended absences that prevented Westburg from building any momentum. When he was on the field, he was still productive in flashes, but the continuity simply wasn’t there. He had a monster July, and a nice August, but he limped to the finish line, and ended the year with just 85 games played.

The good news is that none of this should be concerning long-term. This wasn’t a degenerative issue or something that required major surgery with a lengthy rehab. It was bad luck, plain and simple.

When Westburg is right, he’s exactly the kind of hitter the Orioles need in their lineup. Like his old scouting report said, Westburg takes a mature approach at the plate, boasts solid contact skills, can drive the ball to all fields, and has over-the-fence pop (albeit more on his pull side).

His 2024 numbers showed a hitter with developing power who could handle both righties and lefties. He posted an ISO over .216, demonstrating legitimate gap-to-gap pop that occasionally turned into home runs. More importantly, he made consistent contact, striking out at a reasonable rate while showing enough discipline to avoid expanding the zone too often. That’s the profile of a player who can hit anywhere from fifth to seventh in a good lineup and provide real value.

Defensively, Westburg gives the Orioles flexibility. While second base is his primary position, he’s shown the ability to handle third base and has even gotten reps at shortstop. That versatility matters for a team that likes to carry an extra reliever and may need its infielders to move around depending on matchups or injuries. It’s not flashy, but it’s valuable—especially over the course of a 162-game season.

The key to a Westburg bounceback isn’t complicated: health plus opportunity equals production. He’ll enter spring training fully healthy for the first time since his debut season, with a full offseason of normal training behind him. That matters more than people might think. After an injury-plagued year, getting back into a regular routine—working on specific aspects of your game, building strength, refining your swing—makes a huge difference.

Westburg also benefits from knowing what’s expected of him. In 2024, he was still establishing himself, proving he belonged in the everyday lineup. In 2026, he’ll arrive as an established piece of the offense, with the confidence that comes from already having succeeded at this level. That mental aspect shouldn’t be underestimated. Players who’ve proven themselves once often take another step forward when they get a clean slate.

The lineup context also sets up well for Westburg. With Henderson, Rutschman, and Pete Alonso anchoring the top of the order, and Colton Cowser continuing to develop, Westburg won’t be asked to carry the offense. He just needs to be steady—get on base, drive in runs when opportunities arise, and provide consistent at-bats that keep the lineup moving. That’s exactly what he did in 2024, and there’s no reason he can’t do it again.

A return to his 2024 form—something like .270/.320/.450 with 20-plus home runs and strong defense—would be exactly what the Orioles need from him. It would stabilize the middle infield, provide protection in the lineup, and give manager Craig Albernaz another versatile piece to deploy. More importantly, it would give the Orioles the depth they need to withstand whatever challenges emerge over a long season.

I know this is a site devoted to college sports, but forgive me as I pay tribute to a childhood hero who, nearly 60 years after his greatest act, is still top of mind to a generation (or more) of Detroit sports fans.

The death of a childhood sports hero is never easy. It often hits harder than you would expect. You may not have known them personally, but you grew up with them. They became a part of your life. And they forever remain a part of your memories.

Like most sports fans, the deaths of some of my childhood sports heroes have hit me hard. None, however, have hit as hard as that of former Detroit Tiger Mickey Lolich. Lolich was my first favorite player, and a fellow lefty at that. That’s enough to make him special to me. But it’s what he meant to a franchise and a city that made Lolich special to so many others.

Lolich didn’t have the career of players like Ty Cobb, Charlie Gehringer, Hal Newhauser or Al Kaline. He didn’t have that one shining season like Hank Greenberg, Denny McClain, Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera or Tarik Skubal. But he was as instrumental as any player has ever been in bringing a championship to Detroit.

The 1968 baseball season remains one of the greatest seasons in Detroit Tigers history. A seminal memory for a generation of fans. A 103-win season that culminated with a game seven victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, giving the Tigers their third world championship and first in a generation.

The Tigers won the 1968 World Series for many reasons. They won because four-time gold glove centerfielder Mickey Stanley made the unprecedented move to shortstop so Detroit could find a place in its lineup for a 33-year-old Al Kaline. They won because Kaline, in his only World Series appearance, hit .379 with two home runs and eight RBIs. They won because Bill Freehan tagged out St. Louis speedster Lou Brock at the plate, saving the series and the season. But more than anything, the Tigers won because of Mickey Lolich – who authored the greatest pitching performance in World Series history.

With the lights their brightest and his team in desperate need of a lift, Lolich pitched three complete game victories for the Tigers in the 1968 Fall Classic – outdueling Hall of Famer Bob Gibson in the decisive game seven. And if that weren’t enough, Lolich also batted .250 and hit the only home run of his career.

If there’s been a greater performance by any athlete in any sport when so much was on the line, there can’t have been many. And for that performance, Lolich earned his place as one of the most consequential and beloved players to ever don the Olde English D.

1968 wasn’t Lolich’s greatest statistical season. In 1971, he finished runner-up in Cy Young voting, with 25 victories, more than 300 strikeouts and an almost unfathomable 376 innings pitched. But it’s what he did in 1968 that makes Lolich a Detroit legend. Delivering a championship to a city that was in desperate need of some good news.

There’s a case to be made for Lolich being in the Hall of Fame. And with 217 victories and 2,832 strikeouts (fifth most among left handers), you could argue that it’s a strong case. But Hall of Fame or not, Lolich’s legacy is cemented. And his passing is mourned.

Mickey Lolich brought me to tears twice in my life. Once as a young child, when I learned that the Tigers had traded him to the New York Mets. And a second time earlier this week, when as a not-so-young man, I learned of his passing. I doubt I was the only one who reacted in such a way.

RIP Mickey.