Category: MLB

After the signings of Miles Mikolas and Zack Littell, four of the five spots in the Nationals rotation were filled. The two newcomers joined Foster Griffin and Cade Cavalli in the rotation. That left one spot for the likes of Josiah Gray, Brad Lord and Jake Irvin. A strong spring from Irvin has given him the upper hand, and I want to talk about it.

In the first half of the 2024 season, Irvin looked like an ascending pitcher. He posted a 3.49 ERA in 116 innings prior to the All-Star break. His moxie and solid stuff was just so impressive. However, it has been downhill from there. He has seen a drop in velocity and home run problems eat into his production. In the second half of 2024, he posted an ERA of 5.90, and it was more of the same in 2025.

However, Irvin was given a shot to compete for a rotation slot due to his ability to eat innings. This spring, Irvin has been very impressive. The mid-90’s velocity he showed in 2023 and 2024 has not returned, but he looks more equipped to compensate for that. His command has been really sharp and he is showing a true six pitch mix this spring.

If Irvin can throw quality strikes and manipulate the ball effectively, he does not need to throw 95 plus to be effective. We saw that in his start against the Cardinals yesterday. His fastball only averaged 92, but he was so unpredictable that it did not matter. Irvin threw all six of his pitches at least 9% of the time. 

Last year, Irvin also technically had six pitches, but he mainly threw a 4-seam, a sinker and a curveball. He threw a changeup 8% of the time and used his cutter and slider 4% each. In his start yesterday, he used the cutter 14% of the time, the changeup at a 12% clip and his slider at a 9% rate. 

This new mix has allowed Irvin to get more strikeouts this spring. He only struck out 6.2 batters per 9 innings in 2025. However, he has 15 strikeouts in 13.1 innings so far this spring. Last spring, he only struck out 9 batters in 16.1 innings. That is a very good sign for Irvin.

These performances should be enough to earn the big right hander a spot in the rotation. Brad Lord can slide to the bullpen and it would not be the worst thing for Josiah Gray to get a few AAA starts under his belt after missing two seasons. 

However, Irvin is still going to be on a short leash. Sure, he has had a good spring, but he did post a 5.70 ERA last year. We are going to have to see it in regular season action. The velocity still being in the low-90’s also is not the best sign. I think his deep mix will allow him to pitch more effectively at lower velocities, but it is never a good thing to lose steam on your heater.

There is also going to be plenty of competition behind Irvin this year. Andrew Alvarez, Mitchell Parker, Riley Cornelio and Luis Perales are all Triple-A arms hungry for a big league call up. Josiah Gray will also be nipping at Irvin’s heels. DJ Herz is also going to be back from injury at some point this season. If Irvin or Miles Mikolas struggle out of the gates, they could be in trouble. 

I like what I have seen this spring from Irvin though. The strikeout stuff is really nice to see from him. Between his deep bag of pitches, a lower arm angle and some funky release traits, Irvin has things going for him. I also really like his mound presence. He is a guy I am rooting for, but he is under pressure this year.

If he pitches like he has this spring, he will lock down a spot in the Nats rotation. However, for the first time in a while, Jake Irvin is truly under pressure. Last year, Irvin was allowed to take the ball 33 times despite poor results because the Nats did not have any pitching depth. Irvin will not have that luxury again this season, so he will have to perform.

With the Nats already optioning Mitchell Parker, the new regime has shown themselves to be willing to make big changes to last year’s team. If Irvin did not have a big spring, he could have been on the chopping block as well. However, he has earned a second chance with his performances. Now, he will have to take advantage of that opportunity when the real games begin.

The glory years are what usually spring to mind when you bring up the history of the New York Yankees, whether the days of Ruth and Gehrig, the midcentury dominance of Mantle and Berra, or the 1990s dynasty. Those teams and players are honored time and time again for their contributions to their franchise. However, what’s not talked about as much are the lean years, such as the time prior to that dynastic run in the ’90s that set everything in motion for the future.

Those were some tough years for the organization, and while the team still had its fair share of big names (most notably, Don Mattingly) and wasn’t even finishing with records that were too bad, there were too many quiet Octobers in the Bronx. And for the first two years of his career, Brian Fisher was part of those ranks.

Brian Kevin Fisher
Born: March 18, 1962 (Honolulu, HI)
Yankees tenure: 1985-86

Born in Honolulu, Fisher and his family moved to Colorado, where he attended William C. Hinkley High School in Aurora and helped the school win a state title in 1979. After showing well in high school, he was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 1980 MLB Draft.

Fisher worked his way up through the minor league ranks and developed a mid-90s fastball that could hit 97 mph, but before he could make it to the majors with Atlanta, he was traded. On December 5, 1984, Fisher was sent to the Yankees for catcher Rick Cerone, and he made his MLB debut on May 7, 1985, against the Minnesota Twins at the age of 23. He finished the day with three hits, no strikeouts, one walk, and one earned run in three innings pitched.

From there, Fisher went on to not just have a strong rookie season by comparison to others, but he had the best season of what would be an abbreviated professional baseball career. He finished the year with a 2.38 ERA and a 2.37 FIP, along with a 170 ERA+ and 2.4 bWAR in 98.1 innings pitched. Fisher was capable of filling whatever role skipper Billy Martin needed, whether it was covering middle innings, setting up for closer Dave Righetti, or even finishing off ballgames himself. Indeed, Fisher recorded 14 saves of his own, like the one in the clip below at Fenway Park, where he went four-up/four-down to both escape a jam and preserve a win for Ron Guidry.

Fisher also placed sixth in American League Rookie of the Year voting as the Yankees won 97 games but fell two wins shy of Toronto for the AL East crown.

Fisher would spend one more campaign with the Yankees organization. In 1986, he finished the year with a winning record at 9-5. However, over 62 games and 96.2 innings pitched, he posted a 4.92 ERA and a 4.45 FIP, with an ERA+ of 83 and a bWAR of -1.2, a harsh dropoff from his production as a rookie.

Over his two seasons with the Yankees, Fisher worked in the role of a starter and as a reliever, but after his second season in pinstripes, he ended up being traded for a second time in his career, this time to the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was a multi-player deal that included Brian Fisher, pitcher Logan Easley, and (most regrettably) pitcher Doug Drabek from the Yankees for another trio of pitchers: Rick Rhoden, Cecilio Guante, and Pat Clements.

Fisher moved into a starting role with the Pirates, pitching three seasons with the team from ages 25-27 and a total of 348.2 innings. He finished his Pirates career with a 4.72 ERA, inflated plenty by a poor performance in his final season (where he had a 7.92 ERA), albeit in limited innings after playing only nine games and starting three.

Fisher left the Pirates after three seasons and sign with the Houston Astros, where he pitched in only four games due in part to a broken knee that took a wrecking ball to his career. He did not play in 1991 and returned to the majors in 1992 at the age of 30, pitched 91.1 innings, and finished with a 4.53 ERA.

While it was not an incredible career overall for Fisher, he was able to pitch for a few storied organizations, and his rookie season in pinstripes was one he can certainly look back on fondly. Reflecting on it years later to the Denver Post, he knew just how special it was:

When I talk about pitching for the Yankees, it’s an icebreaker for any conversation … If I say that I pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, it doesn’t have the same impact.

For a brief moment, it looked as though the Yankees could have a prominent young arm on their hands to help bolster their staff into the late ’80s, but alas, Fisher can hang his hat on his rookie breakout.

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

Morning, all!

Shawn McFarland continues his top 30 prospect countdown with number 8, Winston Santos, and number 7, David Davilillo.

The Rangers have two of the five minor league prospects listed as two way players after signing two teenagers last year that are both shortstops and right handed pitchers.

Seong-Jun Kim and Josh Owen’s development is going to be a priority of the entire organization says director of player development Josh Bonifay.

Joc Pederson has posted a sub .500 OPS this spring, but has historically his regular season performance has matched his spring numbers.

Major League Baseball’s opening day is just a week away as the spring training wanes, and the Detroit Tigers are rounding into shape ahead of the 2026 regular season schedule.

The Motor City Kitties are just 7-11 during preseason play, but the results do not mean anything until next Thursday afternoon’s matchup with the San Diego Padres out on the West Coast. Still, it is encouraging that the Olde English D has won its last three in a row and has a plus-9 run differential heading into the final week of play.

With the start of the regular season just over the horizon and a sufficient sample size of stats amassed, it is as good a time as any to start thinking about what the opening day starting lineup will look like. There are a few players who are absolute locks at their positions: Tarik Skubal will undoubtedly take the mound in the first game, while Riley Greene will no doubt be on the field to start things off.

But who else will be in the starting lineup? Additionally, where in the field will they play and at what spot will AJ Hinch place them in the batting order? These are the questions bouncing around inside the heads of many Tigers fans as they watch the spring unfold.

So that is the question for today for our loyal Bless You Boys audience. Let us know in the comments below how you think the starting lineup will shake out on March 26.

German Marquez must have taken some inspiration from Walker Buehler because the right-hander took the mound for the San Diego Padres and delivered a five inning, nine strikeout performance against the Seattle Mariners that resulted in a 9-6 win for San Diego at the Peoria Sports Complex on Tuesday. Marquez did allow three runs on three hits, but the Padres offense powered up and hit six home runs off Mariners pitching. All six home runs were hit by different players, and half of those were hit by regulars Gavin Sheets, Xander Bogaerts and Nick Castellanos. Ty France who is battling for one of the final bench spots as Spring Training enters its final week, also homered as well as Jase Bowen and Rodolfo Duran. San Diego returns to action Thursday against the Chicago White Sox at 6:10 p.m.

Padres News:

• Buehler came to Spring Training as a minor league signing with the Padres and was only guaranteed the opportunity to compete for a spot in the rotation. He has taken advantage of that opportunity and has shown to be the most consistent arm in the group vying for a rotation spot and Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball thinks he has done enough to have secured his place on the roster.

• Bradgley Rodriguez opened some eyes when he made his MLB debut in 2025 and he has continued to do so in Spring Training. Perla Paredes of Padres.com believes that his spring performance has earned him a spot in a crowded San Diego bullpen.

• Kruz Schoolcraft is hard to miss on the baseball field because his typically stands head and shoulders above everyone else on the diamond. Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune said the San Diego prospect is more than just a physical presence he is athletic as well and that will benefit him as he progresses through the minor league system.

Baseball News:

• New York Yankees pitcher Garrit Cole is expected to return to the mound today. He has not pitched since Tommy John surgery last March. Shohei Ohtani is also scheduled to take the mound Wednesday for the Los Angeles Dodgers, which will be his Cactus League debut.

• Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki suffered a knee injury in the WBC while playing for Team Japan, but it does not appear to be serious, and he still has a chance to play on Opening Day.

WBC News:

• Venezuela took advantage of their first trip to the World Baseball Classic final and upset the US with a 3-2 win. The teams entered the ninth inning in a 2-2 tie, but Venezuela was able to scratch out a run in the top of the ninth to win their first WBC title.

Mid March is a great time of year for any number of reasons, but it isn’t necessarily a great time for analysis. A regular commenter asked how I analyze spring numbers. The simple answer is I don’t. There are any number of reasons why. The most important reason is that the sample size is just too small. I’ll sometimes quote the numbers, but they really don’t mean anything.

The second problem is that we don’t know what level of competition these guys are facing. We can get excited about a young player breaking out until we realize they are mainly squared off against other young players. Obviously, that is doubly true for veterans. Finally, when we look at veterans we have to consider that sometimes they are working on something specific that may not translate to performance. Pitchers may work on a specific pitch or hitters may try to hit the ball the opposite way.

Keeping all of this in mind, I wanted to take the opportunity to answer another question that came down the pike. Someone asked for the source for many of these numbers. An analyst is only as good as his or her tools and I need to be upfront in admitting that others have done the heavy lifting for the most part. My job is to take those numbers and use them to analyze players and performance. However, much like theologians and the Bible, we are better off when more people understand the underlying sources and their strengths and weaknesses.

Baseball-reference.com

One could call baseball-reference.com the official online baseball encyclopedia. The strength comes in the wealth of information and the ease of finding what you are looking for. It sets itself apart from Fangraphs.com by including things like rankings in certain categories on each player’s page including a section of when they led the league in certain categories or finished in the top ten. This was huge for me when I was calculating awards voting and deserved MVP points.

It should be noted that B-ref uses it’s own WAR formula we normally call BWAR. It is based primarily on their fielding metric which ties pretty closely to defensive runs saved (Fielding Bible). It does not have the wealth of fielding metrics that Fangraphs and other sources have. However, it is an absolutely terrific resource if you want quick information on players from conventional data to the more sabermetric data.

Fangraphs.com

Fangraphs.com is my favorite site and probably most trusted resource. The advantage of Fangraphs over Baseball-reference is that it includes more minor league information and that came in handy when breaking down the hitters and pitcher numbers from the past few weeks. They also include international numbers as well. Baseball-reference also has this information, but it takes a few extra clicks to get there. When I want this information in a hurry I go to Fangraphs.

Obviously, the graphs part of the name is key. They include a lot more of what I would call process data than Baseball reference. So, what exactly is process data? In short, it includes things like pitch velocity, spin rates, and exit velocity for hitters. So, if you want to know what a pitcher’s average curveball velocity or what a hitter’s chase rate, contact rate, or hard hit rate then Fangraphs is the fastest resource to get that information.

I should note that they do have access to leaderboards. Both Fangraphs and Baseball Reference have paid services that allow you to custom those leaderboards for your own research. I personally do not currently do that because the free versions give me everything I want, but people that want to go into even more detailed analysis should check those out.

Baseball Savant

Baseballsavant.com is another resource that more and more analysts are using. In particular, it includes some of the same information as Fangraphs, but uses more charts and graphics to show the information more graphically. That includes things like heat maps for hitters and tracking pitches for pitchers along with movement, velocity, and spin.

These numbers come in handy particularly when looking at individual performances early in the season. Hitters and pitchers can look great or horrible because of the numbers, but the underlying information may not match. Seeing it graphically is great for visual fans that want to see what the numbers are saying. The site also includes more underlying numbers that can explain why fielding numbers and base running numbers say what they do.

As I said earlier, an analyst is only as good as his or her tools. The goal of this space is not only to analyze but to educate about how analysis gets done. I may be the analytics guy around here, but I am also a teacher at heart. As such, if you have ever had a question that has had you scratching your head, this is the space for you. Feel free to jump into the comments with a particular question. As we get closer to the actual season we will start going fast and furious into the actual numbers flying at us. Until then, enjoy the last few days of spring baseball while you can.

What’s This Team’s Deal?

Last year, this article began with a picture of a completely disheveled Tropicana Field, still unusable six months after Hurricane Milton. After sustaining significant water and wind damage, the stadium has been renovated and the Rays will return to Tropicana Field in less than a month.

The capacity of this renovated Tropicana Field will be reduced due to the damage. But that’s nothing new to the Rays. For several years, the upper decks of Tropicana Field were closed off due to lack of interest. This lack of interest is almost entirely due to stadium’s location far from downtown Tampa, as has been addressed many times. The Bucs are closer to downtown and manage a near-sell-out crowd despite relatively similar recent performance (outside of a 2021 Super Bowl… I don’t want to talk about it.) But, looking at this year’s roster in comparison to the rest of the division, I don’t know how Rays fans could find too much intrigue in this team, which was hit hard by a fire sale in 2024. The storm before the storm, if you will.

The next storm the team has to weather is deciding whether to play baseball in Tampa or St. Petersburg. This decision will be tantamount to any other decision the team makes before the conclusion of the 2028 season, when the lease runs out.

How Good Are They?

They’re probably just fine. Which is best case scenario for a team that recently gave away a perennial All-Star and who’s marching out a guy straight off two serious arm injuries as their ace. Shane McClanahan was one of the best in the game prior to his Tommy John surgery, clocking elite velocity and extension, resulting in a top-eight percentile whiff rate among all pitchers. The problem for the Rays? His surgery was on August 15, 2023. A lot’s happened since then, but McClanahan is still just 29 years of age and shows a lot of promise to go with an 8.0 career WAR in fewer than 3 seasons.

Behind McClanahan in the rotation is Drew Rasmussen, who’s coming off of his first All-Star selection and first Cy Young vote (it was only one fifth-place vote, but still!) The 30-year-old stayed healthy, reliable, and kept innings short, tallying a WHIP of 1.02 over 150 innings. That’s all you can ask from a rotation pitcher, and McClanahan coming back takes some pressure off him. Ryan Pepiot, part of the return for sending Tyler Glasnow to LA to win a couple World Series titles, looks fine enough in the middle of the rotation, putting up an ERA+ slightly above average last year.

Offensively, the Rays are led by budding star Junior Caminero, who’s coming off of a 45 home run season and a berth in the Home Run Derby finals. Caminero, who’s still just 22 until July, had an OPS of .846 and the highest bat speed in baseball on his way to slashing .264/.311/.535. He can really spread the ball around with the best of them already… but don’t take my word for it, here’s his spray chart.

Elsewhere, Yandy Diaz is returning despite every talking head (and most of us on this site, including yours truly) booking his plane ticket at the trade deadline of 2025. Cedric Mullins, former Oriole, rejoins the division where he enjoyed a decade of very dependable play in Baltimore. Jon Aranda batted .316 and had an incredible Savant chart in his own right along with providing versatility by playing all over the infield. And while Gavin Lux may not have the shine as he did coming through the Dodgers’ farm, he’s still a good infield option for a team looking to replace the productivity of Brandon Lowe.

Outside of those stalwarts, though, the roster’s kind of a mess, having got there in the name of efficiency, with a front office eager to ship players out before big paydays in exchange for players who aren’t quite ready to appear on a Major League team yet. But if these aforementioned guys can contribute at close to their best, the team might be good. Good players performing at their best helps a team… who knew?

Most Likable Player: Junior Caminero

I was going to use Jon Aranda here because there’s a lot of value in a guy who can get on base as much as he does and play three positions. But I can’t deny a guy who placed sixth in baseball in home runs in a year that one of the top five was Aaron Judge, another was the best baseball player of our generation, and another was someone who left the stratosphere in catcher metrics. Caminero is good and it would be heartbreaking if Tampa decided to ship him off for prospects like the rest of their homegrown stars (besides one they did pay who will be on the restricted list for a very, very, long time).

Least Likable Player: DJ Kitty

I don’t have the heart to select former Red Sox reliever Steven Matz here because he was fine for the Sox and left on amicable terms. And Caminero is a Red Sox killer but he’s honestly an everyone-killer and so awesome to watch against any other team. But remember: it was DJ Kitty who was unable to pry Triston Casas’ first career home run from this Ryan Brasier lookalike.

Schedule Against the Red Sox

The Rays visit Fenway for a four-game series from May 7-10. A month later, on June 8-10, the Sox head to the Trop. Fenway then gets the first series post-All-Star game from July 17-19. Finally, the Red Sox travel down to Tampa in what could be an all-important series from September 18-20. It’s the Rays’ last home series of 2026 and the Red Sox’s last away series before heading back to Boston to finish the season out.

Season Prediction

Overall, this is probably a last place team, but they’re better than most last place teams and their overall result likely hinges on just how extraordinary their star power performs. No matter how good Caminero is, though, this team could use a Tyler Glasnow, or Randy Arozarena, or either Lowe, or maybe a half dozen more players that have graced the Trop — or Steinbrenner Field — in recent years. When the front office wants to ask why the team went from nearly 100 wins to to 77 in 2025, they only need to look within.

PREDICTION: 79-83, 5TH IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Tuesday night we saw two powerhouse teams go head to head in the World Baseball Classic Final as Team USA and Team Venezuela squared off to see who could call themselves best in the world. Team USA was always going to be a juggernaut, but Venezuela beat out several other teams that were predicted to do better in the series. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, considering the dominant talent that has come out of Venezuela for decades.

In the winner-take-all final, it was ultimately Team Venezuela that came out the champions. The final score was 3-2. Bryce Harper made a valiant effort to tie the game in late innings, but it wasn’t enough to keep Venezuela down. This is Venezuela’s first WBC championship.

With the WBC now finished, focus will return to the final weeks of Spring Training as teams gear up for Opening Day and the dawning of the new MLB season.

WBC years are always such a treat, getting to see the best of the best go head-to-head is a wonderful showcase for baseball talent on a broader stage.

Now let’s get into the rest of today’s links.

Detroit Tigers News

• We love a good stat.

• When Miguel Cabrera gives you advice, you take it.

• Hey, we know him!

AL Central News

• White Sox RHP Mike Vasil will miss the season following elbow surgery.

MLB News

• Some experiment rules we might see tested in the minors this season.
• How baseball really is sometimes just a children’s game.
• What can the Brewers expect from their new pitching rotation?
• Providing context for the Texas Ranger statue at Globe Life Field.
• Team Venezuela finally found their pitching groove, but was it in time to tackle their biggest rival?
• The Red Sox have signed old friend Tommy Kahnle to a minor league deal.
• All the previous MVP winners of past WBCs.
• Alex Rodriguez is very bad at making comparisons.
• A sweet moment between Clayton Kershaw and his son.
• Team USA were rocking a lucky charm on their way to the WBC final.
• The WBC has succeeded in creating a consistent buzz around baseball ahead of the regular MLB season.
• Shohei Ohtani will make his Spring Training pitching debut today.
• Gerrit Cole is also poised to make his return today for the Yankees.
• How much do WBC winner stand to make? ($)
• Why would Team USA lean on a rookie pitcher with the biggest game of the WBC on the line? ($)
• A very important update about the Mariners’ ferry boat.

• Some great moments from WBCs past.

• Oof, bring on the ABS, please.

White Sox fans are nothing if not optimistic. Every spring brings a new breakout candidate, every top prospect becomes the next cornerstone, and the most recent hot streak has us dreaming about what could be. Sometimes that hopefulness pays off. Other times, well, we’ve all been there before.

So, every fanbase has them — the players we hype up a little more than reality probably warrants. Sometimes it’s because of prospect pedigree, sometimes it’s a great half-season, and sometimes it’s just the hope that this guy will finally be the one.

South Side fans are no different.

Over the years, there have been plenty of players who captured the imagination of Chicago’s faithful. A big spring training, a loud tool, or a few memorable moments can turn someone into a fan favorite pretty quickly. But that doesn’t always mean the production matches the reputation.

So that brings us to today’s discussion question:

Who do you think White Sox fans tend to overrate?

It could be:

• A current player people expect too much from
• A recent prospect whose hype got a little out of hand
• Or even a former player that fans still talk about like a star

There’s no wrong answer here because baseball fandom is built on optimism, after all.

Who does this fanbase overrate, and why?

Last week I dug into the things we think we know at this point of the Orioles spring. We know that Tyler Wells is going to start the season in the bullpen because Craig Albernaz told us. We’re pretty sure that Coby Mayo is going to get a shot at third base with Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday sidelined, and we’re all but certain that the Orioles roster will not have room for a third catcher.

We know a lot more than that about the Orioles, but those were questions that followed the team to Sarasota. With those all but settled, I’m focused on a few things we still don’t know at this point of spring training.

What if Eflin is ready for Opening Day?

With Wells set to join the bullpen, a healthy Eflin would still give the Orioles six solid starting pitchers for the rotation. The Orioles resigned Eflin after an injury-filled 2025. Last year’s Opening Day starter tallied only 71 1/3 innings last year with an inflated 5.93 ERA.

Eflin underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure to address prolonged back pain in the second half of last season. The surgery could have ended his tenure in Baltimore, but the organization brought him back on a one-year, $10-million deal that features a mutual option. At the time of the signing, it seemed unlikely that Eflin would be healthy enough to break camp with the team. Eflin has undergone a delayed ramp up this spring, but the team has yet to announce whether he’ll be ready in two weeks. Eflin has a pair of Grapefruit League starts under his belt in 2026.

If Eflin is ready to go, and the Orioles avoid any other injuries, he’ll join a rotation that features Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt and Dean Kremer. A majority of Orioles fans recently came out in support of a six-man rotation, but the strategy would potentially weaken an already certain bullpen.

Who will set up Helsley with Kittredge sidelined?

Speaking of the bullpen, the Orioles are running it back with another pitcher that missed time with an injury last season. Baltimore re-acquired Andrew Kittredge from Chicago in exchange for cash considerations. Unfortunately, Kittredge will begin the season on the IL for the second consecutive year. The team announced that the veteran reliever had a “low probability” of making the Opening Day roster due to shoulder inflammation.

Kittredge and new closer Ryan Helsley are expected to anchor a bullpen with several unknowns. Wells could emerge as a multi-inning option, a high-leverage reliever, or anything in between. The same can be said for Albert Suárez. Yennier Cano and Keegan Akin have leverage experience but come with less certainty. Rico Garcia and Grant Wolfram have potential, while several others remain in the mix for a spot in the ‘pen.

Albernaz said that Kittredge was “on the right track” after he played catch earlier this week, but the skipper reiterated that the they are taking it one day at a time. The bullpen will need to tread water in the meantime. The roster will be set at the end of spring, but the hierarchy will remain fluid throughout the start of the season.

Which infielder takes the last spot?

There’s more room on the roster due to the Holliday and Westburg injuries. Holliday appears on track for a quick return, but Westburg’s status represents the greatest unknown of the Orioles spring. Westburg’s long-term availability will not be decided in the next two weeks, but Baltimore’s utility infield competition will.

Jeremiah Jackson, Luis Vázquez, Weston Wilson and Bryan Ramos all have a shot at making the team. Jackson could be considered a favorite after slashing .276/.328/.447 over 48 games in his debut season, but the 25-year-old still has minor league options. The 25-year-old looks like player that could carve out a Ramon Urías type role in Baltimore, but the Birds may be willing to stash him at Triple-A in an effort to keep another guy in the organization.

Vázquez is back in camp after representing Puerto Rico in the World Baseball classic. Vázquez appeared in 32 games for Baltimore last season. He slashed a discouraging .160/.208/.240 over 53 plate appearances, but his versatile glove proved valuable. The 26-year-old made 12 appearances at third, 11 at short, three at second, and he even logged an inning at first base. His four relief appearances won’t win him any prizes, but the ability to play shortstop holds real merit. The Orioles believe there’s at least a little more offensive upside than what he displayed last season.

Bryan Ramos is the flavor of the day after finishing a triple shy of the cycle yesterday. Ramos made his first start at second base and took future hall-of-famer Justin Verlander deep in a 1-1 tie. The Orioles DFA’d Wilson when they acquired Ramos from the White Sox. Wilson has big league experience at multiple infield positions and the corner outfield. He can match Vázquez with mop-up relief appearances too.

One possession from my childhood that is a continuous source of fascination is a Kansas City Athletics yearbook, the type that you used to be able to buy at the ballpark, or by sending in a few dollars to the club.  The yearbook looks to be from 1967.  It was given to me by a friend of my father’s, who attended a game.  The cover has been missing for years and the brittle pages are starting to show their age which is tragic, as the yearbook is a time capsule for that era.  Near the front, there are two pages dedicated to Charlie O. Finley, and his family.  No surprise there given Finley’s ego.  Towards the back, there are two pages dedicated to Charlie O., the mule mascot of the Athletics.

Overall, the publication is put together very well.  It has two pages of headshots of the players; all dressed in black suits and ties.  Very classy.  There are several pages dedicated to player profiles, talking about their careers, where they grew up and some tidbits about how they came to be Athletics, either through trades or free agent signings.  Since the player draft was new, no drafted players had yet made the Kansas City roster.  Rick Monday was the first ever choice of the Athletics and at this printing, he was still in the minors.

One player who figured prominently in the publication was a slugging first baseman named Ken Harrelson. 

Harrelson was born September 4^th, 1941, in Woodruff, South Carolina.  He grew up in Savannah, Georgia, where he was a star athlete in baseball, golf, football and basketball.  Like many young men from the south, he dreamed of playing basketball at the University of Kentucky.  Golf may have been his best sport, but his mother convinced him to pursue baseball as she thought the sport gave him the best chance for a long and lucrative career.  Harrelson listened to his mother and signed with the Athletics after graduating from high school, figuring correctly that the woebegone Athletics offered him the best chance of quickly making the majors.   The scout who signed him was the legendary Clyde Klutz. 

At the age of 17, Harrelson was assigned to the Olean A’s of the New York-Pennsylvania league.  He started to blossom at the age of 19, hitting .301 with 25 home runs and 114 RBI at Class C Visalia.  He followed that up with a .272, 38 home run, 138 RBI effort in 1962 at Class A Binghampton during his age 20 season.  His rapid ascension continued in 1963 as he started the year at AAA Portland.   He hit .300 with 9 home runs in 41 games for the Beavers.  That was enough to convince Finley to call up the young slugger.  Why not?  The Athletics weren’t contending and they needed fresh young stars to attract fans, and the somewhat flamboyant, talkative Harrelson was nothing if not fresh.

He made his major league debut on June 9^th, 1963, at the age of 21.  He got two pinch hit at bats before he got his first start on June 12^th against the Twins in Bloomington.  He collected his first major league hit with a first inning single off Hall of Famer Jim Kaat.  He collected his first home run, and RBIs, in the 8^th inning with a two-run shot off Bill Pleis.

The Athletics acquired veteran slugger Jim Gentile in the offseason, which left no position for Harrelson going into the 1964 season.  Gentile did what he was brought in to do, by hitting 28 home runs and driving home 71.  Finley went all in on power for the 1964 season.  Another off-season acquisition was Rocky Colavito.  The Rock was very popular with Athletics fans and his 34 home runs, and 102 RBI didn’t hurt his standing.

Harrelson started 1964 at AAA Dallas.  His batting average dropped to .232, but he still hit 18 home runs and drove home 52 in just 77 games.

The Athletics recalled Harrelson in July and gave him the start in leftfield on July 9^th against the Twins.  Facing Kaat once again, he smoked a 6^th inning pitch into the left field stands for a solo home run.  Welcome back to KC Hawk.  Why left field?  With Gentile entrenched at first, and regular left fielder Manny Jimenez only hitting .241, why not?

About that nickname.  Early in his KC career, someone started calling Harrelson “Hawk” due to the shape of his often-broken nose.  Harrelson wasn’t crazy about the name at first, but eventually it became his identity.  It rolls nice, Hawk Harrelson.  And Finley had a thing about nicknames.  He even tried to convince Vida Blue to change his first name to True. 

The Gentile/Colavito experiment only lasted one season (Finley had a history of being what you might describe as impulsive). 

The first base job was Harrelson’s in 1965, with Tommie Reynolds and Jose Tartabull moving to left, while Mike Hersberger manned right.

Harrelson hit just .238 but did lead the team with 23 home runs and 66 RBI.  Those totals don’t sound too imposing but remember, the Athletics finished with a 59 and 103 record.  They were not good.  Yet.

The team was starting to play some of the young talent they acquired.  Dick Green and Bert Campaneris made a solid double play combo.  Catfish Hunter and Blue Moon Odom both made their debuts in 1965.  This was also the year that 58-year-old Satchel Paige came out of retirement and threw three scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox.

Harrelson got off to a slow start in 1966 and in late June, the Athletics traded Harrelson to Washington for pitcher Jim Duckworth.  The trade didn’t make much sense, other than to fulfill the Athletics constantly churning roster.  Why trade a 24-year-old with power potential?  Duckworth appeared in eight games for Kansas City during which he compiled a 9.00 ERA.  He never appeared in another major league game.   

On June 9^th, 1967, the Athletics realized they needed Harrelson back, and with him Harrelson only hitting .237 with ten home runs during his 97 game Washington tenure, the cash strapped Senators gladly sold him back to Finley.  The reunion was not peachy.  After Finley fired manager Alvin Dark, Harrelson popped off to the media, calling Finley “A menace to baseball.”   Harrelson denied using the word menace, but even if he did, he wasn’t wrong.  The enraged Finley ordered Harrelson released, which was a major stroke of luck for the Hawk.  Three days later, he signed with the Boston Red Sox and made several key contributions down the stretch in the Sox Impossible Dream season.  Unfortunately, Harrelson had a miserable World Series, going 1 for 14 in the seven-game loss to St. Louis.

Harrelson had his best year as a pro in 1968, hitting .275 with 35 home runs and a league leading 109 RBI for Boston.  He made his only All-Star team and finished third in the leagues MVP vote.  That was Kansas City’s lot in life in those days, trade away or release a player and watch him become a star in another city.

Harrelson hit another 30 home runs in 1969, drove home 92 and drew a career high 99 walks. 

Just ten games into the 1969 season, the Red Sox shocked Harrelson by trading him to Cleveland in a six-player deal.  Harrelson then announced his retirement, saying that leaving Boston would cost him money from lost business interests.

Bowie Kuhn intervened, Harrelson relented and reported to Cleveland with a new contract in hand.  The Hawk slugged 27 home runs and drove home 84 which endeared him to the Indians faithful.  It was in Cleveland that Harrelson got his first taste of television, hosting a program called The Hawk’s Nest.

The Hawk broke his leg early in the 1970 season and when Chris Chambliss took over the first base job in 1971, Harrelson elected to retire and pursue a professional golf career.

Harrelson was a terrific golfer.  His KC bio says he won the Baseball Players Golf Tournament with a record score of 290 over the 72-hole event.  In 1972, he played in the British Open and missed the cut by one stroke.    

While he was still playing baseball, Harrelson strode to the plate once and with his hands blistered from playing golf and used his golf glove.  Some people credit Harrelson for introducing modern “batting” gloves to the sport.  Records show that other players used gloves periodically, especially in the 1950’s but Harrelson and Rusty Staub were the two modern era players who popularized the use of gloves.

In 1975, Harrelson went to work for the Red Sox as a TV announcer.  He jumped to the White Sox for the 1982 season.  He served in a variety of front office jobs for Chicago through the end of the 1986 season.

He spent a couple of years with the Yankees, before moving back to Chicago for the 1990 season.

Harrelson, an admitted homer, is one of those broadcasters that you either love or you hate.  He has a large collection of Hawkism’s such as “You can put it on the board” and “Mercy!”.  He had a long running feud with umpire Joe West and has been called to the carpet on multiple occasions by the commissioner’s office for his colorful remarks about other umpires.

Love him or hate him, Harrelson is never boring.    

MESA, Arizona — While most of you were watching Cubs closer Daniel Palencia close out the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela, Cubs catcher/DH Moisés Ballesteros and starting left-hander Shōta Imanaga put on quite a show in front of a festive St. Patrick’s Day full house at Sloan Park.

Ballesteros smashed two monster home runs to center field and Imanaga had his best outing of the spring, striking out eight and allowing just one hit over four innings (okay, it was another homer, but still, he was dominant). The Cubs defeated the Angels 8-6.

Imanaga struck out the side in the first, all swinging, and had two more K’s in the second before the Cubs offense got to work. Michael Conforto led off with a double and Carson Kelly gave the Cubs a lead with this two-run homer [VIDEO].

Ballesteros batted next and hit a baseball a very, very long way:

The Cubs loaded the bases after the homer but could not score again, leaving the second with a 3-0 lead.

Then Ballesteros smashed another homer to nearly the same spot in center field in the third. Here are both of the homers [VIDEO].

And remember, Ballesteros is just 22 years old. He usually sprays balls all over the field. This sort of power is something he’s developed more recently. I think he could be primed for a big season.

While this was going on, Imanaga was mowing down more Angels hitters. He didn’t allow a hit through four innings, just a walk and former Cub Jorge Soler reaching on catcher interference. Former Cub Jeimer Candelario homered off Imanaga leading off the fifth, the only Angels hit off the Cubs left-hander. It was a really good outing for Shōta, who struck out eight [VIDEO].

Here’s more on Imanaga’s outing [VIDEO].

And a bit more [VIDEO].

Imanaga threw 76 pitches (50 strikes). Seven of the eight strikeouts were swinging and he had 23 whiffs, which is the most by any pitcher in the Cactus League so far this spring. I’m really encouraged by this great outing from Shōta.

The Cubs scored three more in the fifth, highlighted by this double from Dansby Swanson [VIDEO].

Kelly drove in the Cubs’ eighth and final run with a single in the sixth. Most of the Cubs starting players stuck around until the top of the seventh. They likely won’t play in Wednesday’s away game and the team has Thursday off, so this is part of getting them ramped up for full games beginning next week in Chicago.

After that it got a bit sloppy, particularly in the ninth when Cubs minor leaguer Jackson Kirkpatrick walked in a run and Tyler Beede had to be called on to wrap things up.

I look forward, though, to more good games like this from Ballesteros and Imanaga. Also of note: Pedro Ramirez made a couple of really slick plays at third base and had two hits in this game. He’s a prospect to watch, for sure.

Attendance watch: First, an update on Sunday’s game, where the official attendance is now reported as 13,888. For Tuesday evening, a full house of 15,055 paid to see the Angels and Cubs. Many in attendance (myself included) were keeping track of the WBC game on their phones or at one of the ballpark bars that had TVs. The season attendance at Sloan Park is now 176,674 for 14 dates, or 12,620 per date.

Also, ICYMI (Bluesky link):

Hopefully it will be just a bit warmer in Chicago a week from tomorrow. It’s definitely going to be warmer for Friday’s game at Sloan Park. Forecast highs for Friday in the Phoenix area are supposed to reach 106, which is nearly 30 degrees above average.

The Cubs travel to Scottsdale to play the Diamondbacks Wednesday afternoon. Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs and Merrill Kelly will go for Arizona. Game time is 3:10 p.m. CT and there will be a TV broadcast via the D-backs streaming service AZ Video.

George Lombard Jr. and Elmer Rodríguez are typically regarded as the two best prospects on the Yankees, but the next two are pretty much interchangeable. Some believe No.3 belongs to Carlos Lagrange and No.4 to shortstop Dax Kilby; others have them in the reverse order. In any case, the point stands: Kilby, last year’s first-round pick, is a top-five organizational prospect and a top-100 in all baseball per multiple outlets.

If Lombard is a glove-first prospect with developing offensive skills, Kilby is quite the opposite: the hit tool is impressive, and while he is not a disaster at shortstop, questions about his ability to make all the throws from the position remain.

2025 Stats (Single-A Tampa Tarpons): 18 games, 81 PA, .353/.457/.441 (159 wRC+), 0 HR, 9 RBI, 16 SB, 13.6 K%, 16 BB%.

So, what’s in store for Kilby in 2026? Nope, not the big leagues, if that’s what you are thinking. The most likely answer is a months-long date with High-A pitching. There might be a quick stop at Low-A to open the year, though.

If the Yankees are aggressive, they will have Kilby spend most of the season in High-A Hudson Valley and see if he can consistently produce against more polished pitchers. If his 2025 performance is any indication, he most likely can.

Last year, the Yankees sent Kilby to the Low-A Tampa Tarpons, and he hit .353 there over 81 trips to the plate, with an elite .457 OBP and a .441 slugging percentage. He had more walks (13) than strikeouts (11) and added 16 stolen bases in just 18 games. His 159 wRC+ tells you everything you need to know: he was a mismatch for Low-A pitchers.

Kilby has the tools to keep advancing. MLB Pipeline wrote the following about him and his offensive gifts:

“Kilby employs a quick and relatively compact left-handed stroke that stays in the hitting zone for a long time. He makes advanced swing decisions, rarely misses fastballs, and focuses on driving balls from gap to gap. While he stands out most with his hitting ability, he also has the bat speed and projectable strength to develop plus raw power. Add in plus speed and an aggressive nature on the basepaths, and Kilby has 20-20 potential.”

With 100 games played, he could push for 30 or 40 steals if he stays aggressive on the basepaths. There is still work to do to tap into his power, though.

In the 18 games Kilby played last year, he didn’t homer. He did have two doubles and two triples, a sign that the gap power is there and the potential for some of those balls to clear the fence remains, but he seems to be a swing change away from becoming a 20-homer guy, as many predict. He had a healthy 28.1 percent line drive rate per FanGraphs, but his 54.4 percent ground ball rate will have to come down, and his 17.5 percent fly ball rate will need to increase if he wants some balls to leave the yard.

Still, the 19-year-old Kilby might not be done adding to his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. More power should be on the way if he works for it.

The 2026 campaign will be a pivotal one for his development. If he dominates High-A as he did in Single-A, there is a chance we see him in Double-A Somerset at some point in the season.

Kilby is, without a doubt, one of the best and most exciting prospects on the farm, but he hasn’t scratched his ceiling yet. He probably won’t see the majors this year, but if he’s brought along slowly and the organization lets him develop at his own pace, he could become a franchise cornerstone in 2027 or 2028.

See more of the Yankees Previews series here.

There was a hint of optimism after Roki Sasaki struck out nine Chicago White Sox hitters in a “game B” outing last week. After Tuesday’s performance, the struggles that Sasaki has experienced throughout most of spring have returned.

Sasaki was finally able to throw at least half of his pitches for strikes on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals— 71 pitches, 38 strikes— but was wildly inconsistent over 3 1/3 combined innings, as he walked the bases loaded in the third inning and was forced to be relieved by Nick Robertson. Sasaki came back out to the mound in the next two innings, allowing a two-run home run in the fourth inning and was again relieved after allowing a double to Starling Marte to begin the bottom of the fifth inning.

Sasaki now carries an ugly 13.50 ERA over 6 2/3 innings, and although he has struck out 10, he has walked nine hitters over that span. Sasaki is cognoscente that his spring training numbers don’t ultimately matter, but Dave Roberts has expressed repeatedly the urgency for him to be a quality starter, especially as Blake Snell and Gavin Stone nurse injuries, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com.

“I have a lot of things I need to work on,” Sasaki said through an interpreter. “But it’s just Spring Training, so just keep continuing to work on that. The results in Spring Training don’t really matter.”

“I think there’s progress in the sense that we got him into the fifth inning. The stuff was good, so that’s continued progress. Pitch count we got up,” Roberts said. “But I think the thing with Roki is, again, you’ve got to be efficient, you’ve got to be able to take down innings and be able to make adjustments sooner.”

Links

After a down second half last season that bled into the postseason, Blake Treinen has yet to get over his obstacles on the mound. He is posting a 10.80 ERA across five innings of work, with his latest meltdown coming on Monday’s 24-9 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers where he allowed two runs over 2/3 of an inning.

Dave Roberts noted a lack of confidence and conviction from Treinen this spring, but isn’t concerned about opening up a potential roster spot in lieu of the veteran reliever, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

“I don’t see confidence,” Roberts said. “Obviously the execution is not there, with the sinker, the sweeper is a ball. It’s been a few, three or four outings consistently not throwing the baseball the way we expect. But for me, off the top, there’s no conviction. I see a lack of confidence.”

For the first time in his big league career, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will kick off the Dodgers’ regular season in Los Angeles, as he is slated to start the team’s home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Yamamoto spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA on Tuesday about the significance of having his name called to begin the season.

Per interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda: “It’s an honor for me, and it’s opening day at a Dodger Stadium home game. It’s an honor for me and I also feel the responsibility.”

Build Your Winning Bracket!

SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)

• Sun 4-7pm: Chris Dobbertean
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Hello Bluebird Banterers and welcome to my first post, formally known as nute39jays I will be trying to help out the two Tom’s with some posts.

It is the time of year where a career minor leaguer can look like an All Star and a unknown prospect can put themselves on the public’s radar but, as most know, you can never believe anything that happens in Spring Training what with the small samples and veteran players working on certain aspects of their games. However that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun to take a look around the Jays Spring Training stats and ask what if this was sustainable or do deep dive to look for signs of actual improvement instead of small sample size noise.

I will be digging thru some batted ball data and underlying metrics on a few Blue Jays who have had some interesting starts to their Spring Training to see if even in this small sample there could be something to be excited for or if their current production has been more of a mirage that is likely to fall off more towards their expected production moving forward.

Daulton Varsho

First up is Daulton Varsho who in his first two seasons as a Jay hit 217/289/398 with 38 HRs, a 24.9% K rate and a 8.5% BB rate for a 91 WRC+ over 1094 PAs.

Varsho went into last season coming off a off-season shoulder surgery and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried as historically shoulder surgeries have had a major impact on a player’s offense the following season but Varsho bucked that trend and put together easily his strongest season as a Jay despite the should surgery and another two months missed due to a hamstring injury Varsho hit .234/.284/.548 with 20 HRs, a 28.4% K rate and a 6.3% BB rate for 123 WRC+ over 271 PAs.

Last season, Varsho had career highs in AVG EV, Max EV, Barrel rate, Hard Hit Rate, Fly Ball rate and K rate so looked like a batter selling out for power and well it worked for him he had the lowest Zone Contact and total Contact rates of his career but when you are hitting a HR every 14 PAs while being one the best defensive CFs in MLB that is going to provide a ton of value.

Going into Spring Training, the question was what would Varsho do this year would he still be hitting HRs at 44 per 600 pace and so far in a very small sample he is hitting .432/.475/.946 which of course is not going to last but for me when I dug thru the data there is one stat that I can’t ignore, not only is Varsho carrying forward the power from last season but he is doing so while improving his contact rate and striking out at ridiculously low 2.5%!

Obviously this level of hitting is not sustainable for anyone but a Varsho who hits for power like he did last season while improving his contact rate and while still playing his customary high end defense in CF would be on the verge of at least an All Star season if not an MVP level type of season.

It is Spring Training so my first thought was he is feasting on minor leaguers and his opponent quality has been roughly between AA and AAA level according to Baseball Reference but he has also hit very well against some known pitchers having HRs off Skubal, Abel as well as a 2B off Vest, a 3B off Warren and base hits off Abel, Chandler and Alvarado.

I also considered maybe he is just not striking out because it is Spring Training and the lesser quality of pitching but his lowest K rate in Spring Training since 2023 was 15% from the 2024 season, that regular season his K rate did jump to 26.7% but his Called+Swinging Strike% that Spring Training was 21.5% which means he was likely heading to a regression in K rate as CSW% tends to a decent job predicting future K rates although like most stats needs more data than Spring Training provides in order to stabilize.

Varsho was never going to sustain a 2.5% K rate, but like his 2024 season the bad news for the sustainability of his K rate improvement is also going to be dampened a lot by his CSW% so far in Spring Training as he is massively out performing his 18% CSW.

The improvement in his CSW% is mostly on the contact portion of the stat and that tracks with his Contact rate being 88.2% this Spring but like the CSW% he has also shown higher Contact rates in past Spring Trainings but also again like the CSW% it has never been quite this good before.

Prior to this Spring Varsho’s best Spring CSW% was 21.5% and his best Contact rate with regular at bats was 84.3%, this Spring his CSW% is 18% and his Contact rate is 88.2% so even if Varsho could make enough contact to get his K rate to the lower 20% range that paired with last season’s power and his glove could be enough for a 2026 All Star season.

With Spring Training the sample is too small to make any sweeping judgements but what do you think, is Varsho about to have a career season by striking out less and hitting 35+ HRs are is the extra contact all a Spring Training mirage.

Let me know in the comments what do you predict for Varsho this season.