Category: MLB

MLB News

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Arizona Diamondbacks News, 1/19: Blast from the Past

Team news

[MLB] From World Series winner to sausage meister: A visit to Byung-hyun Kim’s German restaurant – “When I was playing in the States, any time families and friends would come, I would take them out to a restaurant that I recommended. I saw the joy that people felt from having good food,” Kim said. “That’s where it all started.” He began with three sushi restaurants in San Diego – today there is only one, Umi Sushi – before he followed his teenage dream and opened a handful of burger and hot dog joints, with two of the locations inside KBO stadiums at the Gocheok Sky Dome and Changwon NC Park. “The inspiration was Gonzo’s Grill in Arizona at Chase Field,” Kim said. “I saw that and I really wanted to replicate it and have a burger joint at a baseball stadium.”

[AZ Big Media] Merrill Kelly returns to the Diamondbacks for his family – His family’s thrilled to be back in the Valley. Korean cuisine has become an occasional stop, indulged in “probably a little more than we should,” Kelly joked. “We don’t venture out much unless we have to,” he said at first. “I’m a big golfer. If I do go somewhere, at least on my own, it’s usually the golf course. “We found a couple spots that we really like. There’s a place in Mesa, Jin BBQ, [near Mekong Plaza] that we like. There’s an H Mart, which is a big Korean grocery store. It’s good to be back.”

[Dbacks.com] Marte plan unchanged in face of Bregman, Suárez signings – If you’re holding your breath on them bringing in a bona fide closer at this point, well … don’t. “Would I like to have somebody that has a clear pedigree of pitching in the eighth and ninth inning?” Hazen said. “That’s an easier answer. I’m not sure what we’ll have access to in that way. I think if we continue to build out talent in the bullpen, this bullpen is going to be good in time as we move through the season. We’re going to obviously be getting guys back as we move through the season, so I think the talent is naturally going to improve as we move through the year.”

[New Baseball Media] 2025 MLB Farm Review: Arizona Diamondbacks – There is a new #1 atop the Diamondbacks’ farm system. It’s close between Waldschmidt and Caldwell, two different outfielders. Both are fantastic at getting on base and swiping bases, Caldwell more than the former. However, Waldschmidt is a formidable power hitter, moreso than Caldwell. After that, we’ll go with Cunningham at #3. Kohl Drake, acquired last summer as part of the Merrill Kelly, was a strong swing-and-miss pitcher in the Rangers’ organization. has a diverse & modern pitch arsenal, regularly using both a four-seamer and two-seamer.

And, elsewhere…

[Just Baseball] Top 20 MLB Free Agents With Contract and Team Predictions – Zac Gallen – Two-year, $54 million deal, opt-out after 2026, Orioles, we now have Gallen signing with a team that has been very aggressive this offseason. My initial contract prediction has aged well, as the market has stalled on Gallen and he could be forced to take a two-year deal with an opt-out. Paul Goldschmidt – One-year, $5 million, D-backs. Goldschmidt is looking like a great fit in Arizona. With the left-handed hitting Pavin Smith set to start at first base, Goldy could form a platoon there, or could even push Smith to DH some if they wanted him to play every day. If this is the last season of Goldschmidt’s career, there would not be a better place for him.

[MLB Trade Rumors] Elly De La Cruz Declined Franchise-Record Offer From Reds – While details were sparse at the time, president of baseball operations Nick Krall revealed today the team made an official offer that would have topped their 10-year, $225MM franchise-record deal with Joey Votto. “We made Elly an offer that would’ve made him the highest-paid Red ever,” Krall said (link via C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic). “That’s not where he is and you respect that. It’s their career. You keep going and you keep working on what you can do today.” De La Cruz opted not to go into specifics, telling fans at Redsfest only that he leaves contractual matters to his agent, Scott Boras.

[NY Post] Jazz Chisholm Jr. joining Great Britain for 2026 World Baseball Classic – Jazz Chisholm Jr. has committed to suit up for Great Britain, as WBC reporter Shawn Spradling reported Friday, giving the Yankees [and former D-back!] second baseman a chance to play on the big stage this spring. Great Britain delegation head Gary Anderson and manager Brady Marcelino said last month at the Winter Meetings that there was strong interest in having Chisholm — who is entering his walk year — on the team; it was just a matter of working through eligibility and insurance, which has evidently been approved. The Bahamas native played for Great Britain in the WBC qualifiers as an 18-year-old in 2016.

The Rip (2026)

Dir: Joe Carnahan
Star: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Stephen Yuen, Scott Adkins

a.k.a. Cops Yelling: The Movie. Or perhaps it just seems that way, because nobody here seems to use their inside voice. However, it’s still decently entertaining, in a “Saturday night and I just want something mindless” way… It’s nice to see Damon and Affleck working together again: they’re the Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee of contemporary urban thrillers. Carnahan, too, has certainly come a long way since Blood Guts Bullets & Octane. Probably inevitably, the Netflix sausage machine has knocked off the rough edges of personality, in favor of smooth, slick and ultimately forgettable product. Though, as ever, the “based on real events” tag is more marketing than reality.

Read more

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Orioles offensive outlook hinges on improvement from Holliday and Westburg

There are many reasons for the Orioles failure in 2025. Injuries piled up. The rotation was too thin. And a little bad luck certainly contributed. But perhaps the most disappointing part of the entire squad was the offense, a largely homegrown unit that was supposed to be the backbone of the team’s championship window. Instead, it collapsed.

Orioles President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias did quite a bit of work to improve the lineup this offseason. Most notably, he signed first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract with the expectation that he will hit 35+home runs in the middle of the order for years to come. Prior to that, he traded for Taylor Ward, a pending free agent that has hit 61 home runs over the last two seasons.

In short order, Elias injected power back into an Orioles lineup that sorely needed it. They had dropped from third in MLB in slugging (.435) in 2024 down to 19th (.394) in 2025. Some of that was due to the loss of Anthony Santander to free agency, and the rest was caused by underperformance from just about everyone else that stuck around. Bringing in external talent will help to a point, but the ceiling of this team will depend on what the players that were already in-house can do to bounce back. Two players, in particular, stand out.

Hip hip Holliday

The rare Oriole that actually improved in 2025 was Jackson Holliday. The former top prospect had a rough go in his rookie season of 2024, getting an early-season call-up, only to struggle mightily, go back to Triple-A Norfolk, and then return with some inconsistent performances through season’s end. He ended that year with a paltry .189/.255/.311 slash line.

In 2025, the Orioles cleared the deck for Holliday so that he could be their clear everyday second baseman. The results were…better. Over 149 games, he hit .242/.314/.375 with 17 home runs and a 95 OPS+. All in, that is a slightly below league-average hitter, but that OPS+ was a 32-point improvement from his rookie campaign. There was plenty to be encouraged by. He showed solid control of the strike zone, never looked out of his depth the way he often did in ‘24, and stayed at the big league level all season long.

There is no indication that the Orioles are wavering on Holliday’s potential. With spring training around the corner, he remains the only everyday option at second base on the roster. And while the team has continued to pursue high-end pitching through the winter, Holliday’s name has not been mentioned in any public trade rumors. He is poised to play a ton of baseball in Baltimore once again in 2026.

It has become commonplace for this era of Orioles prospects to scuffle right at the start of their big league careers, only to figure things out a bit more in years two and three. Holliday is in a good position to have the same experience.

Westburg, straight ahead

Elsewhere on the infield is a player that has had no such issue with big league pitching. In fact, he’s already made an all-star team and owns a career 116 OPS+. He’s not bad with the leather either. A Gold Glove isn’t out of the question before his career ends. That is, if he could only stay healthy.

Jordan Westburg missed time on three different occasions in 2025. He was out from late April through early June with a hamstring strain, lost a few games in June and July with a finger injury, and then sprained his ankle in mid-August, keeping him on the shelf until mid-September. All of those injuries limited him to just 85 total games.

Despite that, Westburg tied for the team lead in home runs (17) hit last year, alongside Holliday and Gunnar Henderson, who each played in 149 or more games. It doesn’t feel like a coincidence that the team’s worst month of the year (May), was the one that Westburg missed completely.

It’s unlikely that Westburg was ever truly healthy in 2025. Even still, he was productive, posting a solid .265/.313/.457 slash line with a 114 OPS+, and the aforementioned 17 home runs. Defensively, he graded out well, accumulating 3 outs above average, according to Baseball Savant.

On top of that, he maintained his 29 feet per second sprint speed (89th percentile in MLB), which is well above the league average (27 ft/sec), and among the very best at third base. In fact, no other third baseman had a faster time from home plate to first base (4.23 seconds) than Westburg, which is extremely impressive for a right-handed hitter.

All of the tools are there for Westburg to be the type of player that makes all-star teams on a yearly basis and might even get down-ballot MVP consideration some seasons. But he has to stay on the field for any of that to happen.

Table setters

Holliday and Westburg are not the only two hitters on the Orioles roster that need to improve going into 2026 if the team’s hopes of returning to the postseason are going to come true. But they are the two on the roster for which that jump in performance feels the most attainable.

Holliday has already shown he can develop at the major league level. Year two was a humble one in terms of production, but the growth was clear. Now he has a base from which he can build. FanGraphs calculated that he was worth 1.2 WAR in 2024. Many of their projection systems believe he could double that value in 2026, ranging from 2.3 to 3.1 WAR. A performance like that would have him in the all-star conversation, and maybe even some position-specific awards come October. An even bigger jump than that is also possible. After all, he was the absolute top prospect in baseball not so long ago. But let’s see pump the brakes a bit.

Westburg should have no doubt about his ability to be one of the best third basemen in the game. He has already done it, albeit for brief moments. Now it’s about staying off the IL, which can be a skill of sorts that players develop as they get more experience in the game. You can’t eliminate injury risk, but you may be able to mitigate it with adjustments to playing style. Whatever can be done, should be done. The Orioles are a much better team with Westburg in the lineup. If he plays in 130+ games, he is nearly a lock to be a 3.5+ WAR player, and maybe even better.

Lineups obviously aren’t set in stone, but right now the Roster Resource tool at FanGraphs projects the Orioles everyday offense to include Holliday as the leadoff man, a role he handled many times in 2025, and Westburg in the second spot. Right behind them is Henderson at three, with Alonso in the clean-up role. Maybe you like Westburg better in the leadoff spot with Holliday farther down the order, but at the very least that projection illustrates the pair’s expected importance to the team.

In theory, that sounds like a fearsome quartet to face right out of the gate. But it gets far less scary if Holliday can’t continue to grow and Westburg is on the IL more than the infield. The outcome of the 2026 Orioles is not entirely on the duo’s shoulders, but they will need to bare quite a bit of weight.

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MLB News: Tigers amateur signings, Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker, Elly De La Cruz, free agent signings

Happy Monday, everyone! The past few days have stoked the flames on the offseason hot stove into a fever pitch (no pun intended, I promise). With the Mets losing out on signing Kyle Tucker, and the Dodgers once again proving they’ll spend whatever it takes to become the next MLB dynasty, we’re seeing a lot of high-priced short-term deals making the rounds. The Mets pivoted, signing Bo Bichette, and it’s making folks wonder what this means for free agency deals and if we’re seeing the new normal in terms of shying away from the longer-term deals.

It remains to be seen, but there’s plenty more juicy tidbits in today’s news breakdown, so let’s just jump right into it.

Detroit Tigers News

AL Central News

MLB News

  • An interesting look at the financial side of running a baseball team.
  • This is genuinely insane.
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What will Drake Baldwin produce in 2026?

Prior entries:

Back when I was updating IWAG in earnest, one of the flags or parameters that I put in was essentially a confidence rating — not just of the point estimate, but the distribution. Not surprisingly, my work and research indicated that it is a lot easier to forecast the upcoming season of a player with at least a handful of MLB seasons under their belts. Younger players, or more accurately, less experienced players, posed a relative challenge. Trying to forecast a to-debut rookie was a nightmare, but second-year players weren’t much better. (I remember a study a while ago by either Tom Tango or Mitchel Lichtman, or maybe both of them, that indicated that assuming league average for a given to-debut rookie ended up less wrong than trying to use their minor league stats and other parameters to actually forecast their performance.)

Unfortunately for me, and for you, if you care about forecasting, Drake Baldwin is a second-year player. His rookie year was great, one of the few things that actually worked in the Braves’ favor in 2025, and now there’s a question of whether he’ll maintain that hardware-and-Prospect Promotion Incentive-winning performance, improve upon it, or backslide for whatever reason.

Career-to-date, status, and recent performance

Baldwin was drafted in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft, spent the bulk of his first full professional season in High-A, and moved up to Triple-A on a full-time basis midway through 2024, after fewer than 300 PAs in Double-A. The Braves have, historically, promoted guys they expected to be key performers without needing them to pay their dues or pad their stats in Triple-A, but Baldwin wasn’t earmarked for a big league role until Sean Murphy got hurt in Spring Training 2025. Given that Baldwin spent much of 2024 destroying Triple-A pitching, their hand was basically forced — which, as you can tell from how 2025 played out, is not always a bad thing.

Baldwin finished 2025 with 3.1 fWAR in 446 PAs, a pretty sexy WAR-per-600-PAs rate of about 4.2. Catchers can achieve high WAR/600 rates by virtue of the positional adjustment for donning the tools of ignorance (about 1.3 WAR/600 alone) and playing decent defense, but Baldwin DHed a fair bit and was below-average defensively, such that his offense was about three times as valuable as his defense in terms of performance above average.

That offense was revelatory, in part because Baldwin, with seemingly little effort, resembled a paragon of what the 2025 Braves were hoping to sculpt of their hitters: he walked at an average rate, struck out way less than average, and made a ton of contact while maintaining above-average oomph on said contact. While many Braves hitters had long swings that they whipped through the zone, basically leveraging delta-vee to their benefit when connecting, Baldwin kept the bat speed aspect but relied on a shorter swing that seemed to have few ill effects on his power production while allowing him to mitigate swing-and-miss. He obliterated four-seamers (.419 xwOBA) and had no issues with sliders (.365) — in a somewhat-crazy development, he managed a .370 xwOBA against sliders when lacking the platoon advantage. His issue was changeups, but which is not surprising given that he’s a lefty-batting rookie.

He was also pretty consistent, or at least, consistently valuable. His worst monthly xwOBA was .321, when he wore down a bit in September. He had one really great month, with a near-.400 xwOBA in May, but had three others where he was solidly at .350 or above. Defensively, it was more of a mixed bag: he has great mechanics in terms of positioning himself to block and throw, but lacked zip on his throws. In terms of framing, he really struggled to be convincing when he had to reach for the ball — either above the zone or, more critically, across his body. It’s the sort of thing that can probably be fixed mechanically, though I’m not exactly sure whether the Braves are equipped to do that well given the whole William Contreras thing.

Forecasting

So, how do you take this and shove it into 2026? It’s tempting to just say the status quo will prevail — it gives Baldwin the credit for his offensive performance, prevents assuming any uptick defensively, and precludes any headache that one could get from trying to figure out how much Baldwin will or not will be DHing by simply setting it equal to the same rate of catcher-versus-DH breakdown in 2025. Adjustments after using 2025 as a starting point might be easy to eyeball… or not.

For a projection system, well, I think things go back to my first paragraph here: how much do you regress to the mean given how good Baldwin was in 2025? Something is probably warranted, and there’s a big issue that is hard to implement effectively regarding the huge swing in positional adjustment between catcher and DH, which are the two positions that Baldwin will likely play heavily in 2026. IWAG’s best attempt is below, and it’s not really that heartening…

As you can see, IWAG applied some regression to the mean offensively. But, a similarly chunky hit came from something akin to a 2-to-1 split between catcher and DH — which is really different from 2025. Last year, Baldwin only had 52 PAs as a DH, less than one-in-eight if you ignore his pinch-hitting appearances. This year, unless Sean Murphy ends up being a non-entity, 2ish-to-1ish is punishing for Baldwin on a value basis, but it’s hard to assume he’ll hit 500-plus PAs without a breakdown like that.

As far as distributions go, this is a fun one, which is another way of saying, “yeah, IWAG has no idea.” There just isn’t too much to go off of that would cabin the range, and the catcher-versus-DH thing causes a lot of issues that requires pontificating on Sean Murphy’s health and whether any other player gets ensconced at DH, neither of which IWAG is actually capable of doing in a projection for Drake Baldwin.

Your turn

Alright, I’ve given you the info. Well, some info. You may have your own info. With that, I ask you:

  • Rounded to the nearest fWAR, how much will Drake Baldwin produce in 2026?
  • How confident are you in your choice? Go with a scale from 1-5, where 3 is “I dunno, reasonably confident,” 5 is certain, and 1 is “I am participating but have no confidence in my choice and don’t want the fact that it will likely be incorrect to affect my place in any theoretical standings all that much.”
    • Guys, seriously, stop picking numbers that aren’t a whole WAR, though if you do, it’s not like you’ll remember my forced adjustment to it when I score these next autumn anyway.
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Mets Morning News: Botential

Meet the Mets

With Bo Bichette suddenly in the Mets infield, the future of Brett Baty and other potential Mets to come leave the roster in a state of flux with a month to go until pitchers and catchers report.

Around the National League East

Ha-Seong Kim slipped on some ice in Korea, tore a tendon in his right middle finger, and will be out until the summer comes, leaving an opening on the Atlanta infield.

The Nationals and Cade Cavalli avoided arbitration with a contract for 2026 and an option for the 2027 season.

Around Major League Baseball

Does it make you better at baseball if you have [Al Pacino Heat voice] A GREAT ASS?

Wilbur Wood, a man who once threw 376 innings in a season and will undoubtably be the last man in the history of baseball to both win and lose 20 games in the same season, died at 84.

Mookie Betts announced his retirement…and the end of the 2032 season when his contract expires.

Upon making what they consider to be their best and final offer, the Yankees have no interest in getting into a bidding war for Cody Bellinger and are prepared to let him go elsewhere.

Owner of 667 games played and a 2022 World Series ring, Ryan Pressly, announced his retirement from baseball and will immediately be switching to the team side and working with the Minnesota Twins.

Former starter and current reliever Jacob Junis is heading to the Texas Rangers on a deal for one year and $4M.

This Date in Mets History

On this date five years ago, the Mets fired general manager Jared Porter one month and six days into his tenure.

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Atlanta Braves News: Ha-Seong Kim, Trade Candidates, More

Even though the calendar says 2026, Sunday unfortunately felt a lot like 2025 for the Braves. Ha-Seong Kim, whom the Braves resigned this offseason, will now miss a good portion of the 2026 season with a torn finger tendon. It was a freak injury that occurred when Kim slipped on a piece of ice in his native Korea.

As a result, it will be interesting to see how the Braves respond to the injury in terms of adding infield depth to the roster. With Mauricio Dubon likely playing short as the starter, the Braves could look at different options to add SS depth to the organization.

MLB News

MLB.com looks at some of the biggest potential trade candidates for the 2026 season.

It appears that the next big domino to fall on the FA market is Cody Bellinger. The Yankees currently have a modified offer out to Bellinger, including opt-outs. However, it has been reported in recent days they feel he could sign elsewhere.

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Dodgers notes: Kyle Tucker, Alex Vesia

Kyle Tucker adds a potent bat to the Dodgers lineup, especially against right-handed pitchers. Maxfield Lane and Owen Riley at the Down on the Farm newsletter tried to quantify exactly how much:

Upgrading from a league-average bat in the third OF spot to one of the league’s best hitters would be a big gain in any context, but his impact on the Dodgers is boosted further by their already loaded lineup. Tucker provides the pop to drive in LA’s elite OBP guys, while his own OBP presence creates more RBI potential for the still fantastic bottom of the Dodgers’ order.

At Big West Dugout, a writer under the pseudonym Eephus Tosser looked at a few recent transactions — Tucker to the Dodgers, Gavin Lux traded by the Reds included — through an economist’s lens. He alluded to how the Dodgers invested early in building a player development system, which coupled with their vast resources is helping them thrive now.

“They didn’t draft Tucker. They didn’t tank for him. They didn’t reorganize their system to accommodate him. They simply absorbed him—financially and structurally—without changing how they operate,” he wrote. “That’s abundance after discipline. Resource importation without institutional erosion.”

Alex Vesia’s wife Kayla posted a TikTok video on Friday showing Vesia going through the process of designing his gloves for the 2026 season, with various details. Of note, Kayla said Vesia’s gloves will now include their late daughter Sterling’s name.

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Kansas City Royals news: Honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic mentions the Royals in his latest report. [$]

The Kansas City Royals are increasingly unlikely to land either of the two hitters they pursued in trades: the St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan and Boston Red Sox’s Jarren Duran.

Barring further moves, the Royals expect to rely heavily on offseason acquisitions Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas in their outfield, as well as rookie Jac Caglianone and holdover Kyle Isbel.

Though the Royals’ outfield production might remain below average, their infield of Vinnie Pasquantino, Jonathan India, Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia should again be one of the most productive in baseball, particularly if India bounces back.

Craig Brown reacts to that report.

While the work General Manager JJ Picollo has done to upgrade his outfield has been more inspiring this offseason than last, it still feels as if the additions are falling a bit short of expectations, especially on a team with a better than average starting rotation and one of the elite superstars in the game on the roster in Bobby Witt Jr. People may not like to talk about windows of competitiveness, but when Witt is anchoring your ballclub and you’ve assembled a quality pitching staff on the back of fantastic coaching, that window is open and needs to be taken advantage of.

Last year, I gave Picollo the benefit of the doubt when given the explanation as to why the Royals weren’t able to find suitable outfield upgrades. The free agent class wasn’t the greatest and if there aren’t willing trade partners, then there’s not much he can do.

But to strike out two years in a row, if that is indeed what happens, isn’t a good look.

Preston Farr writes about how it all goes right for the Royals in 2026.

In May 2025, India was spiked on his knee by Willson Contreras. A month later, he suffered a shoulder injury making a diving play. Finally, in September, India landed on the injured list with a wrist injury. That shoulder injury is where we should focus the most, as it seemed to have a clear impact the remainder of India’s season. Take the below splits into account:

3/27/2025-6/12/2025: .252/.336/.340, 88.9 EV, 83.7% Contact%, 41.4% Swing%, 19.8% LD%

6/14/2025-9/30/2025: .219/.315/.355, 86.9 EV, 81.2% Contact%, 38.9% Swing%, 13.9% LD%

India was a completely different hitter after the shoulder injury. He didn’t miss any real time or land on the injured list, but it begs the question: was India hampered by the shoulder injury for much of 2025? The Royals are banking on a bounceback from India in 2026 and they’ll need it to find any value at second base. Perhaps playing fewer positions and getting back to the basics will help.

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Keep looks at whether Michael Massey can improve in 2026.

Former Royals pitcher Jakob Junis signs with the Rangers on a one-year, $4 million deal.

Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is out 5-6 months with a finger injury.

Who are the best fits for Framber Valdez?

The Red Sox are looking to upgrade their catching situation.

Justin Verlander is drawing interest from multiple clubs.

Elly de la Cruz turned down the largest contract in Reds history.

What’s next for the Blue Jays after missing out on Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette?

The Reds are getting calls about their starting pitchers.

Michael Lorenzen is ready to be a problem solver at Coors Field.

The Cardinals say they have room to add a right-handed-hitting outfielder,

Former All-Star reliever Ryan Pressly retires.

The Padres are up for sale, and their future in San Diego may be in jeopardy.

Sporting KC will be sold to minority partner Peter Mallouk for $700 million.

The Big Ten and SEC are still deadlocked on College Football Playoff expansion.

Some are turning to letter-writing as an escape from the digital world.

What does “goodbye” actually mean?

Zootopia 2 is the highest-grossing animated film of all-time.

Your song of the day is Al Green with Free at Last.

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Monday Rockpile: What Michael Lorenzen has revealed about the rebuilding Rockies

Last Thursday, at the same time news was breaking that the Colorado Rockies had arrived at a deal with Willi Castro, Paul DePodesta and Michael Lorenzen addressed media in two separate Zoom availabilities.

Last week, Evan Lang provided an overview of Lorenzen’s career and a glimpse of what the signing might mean, and Sam Bradfield covered some of the highlights of his interview. At this point, it’s worth taking a moment to consider the things that weren’t said — but are significant — in both pressers.

The Rockies pitching staff is recruiting

Lorenzen was clear that the Rockies new staff played a significant role in his decision to sign with Colorado — “I’ve known a lot of them for a really long time,“ Lorenzen said. His explanation of those relationships are worth quoting at length:

I’ve known Alon (Leichman) since I was, shoot, since 2017, I want to say — before he was in pro ball. So I’ve known him for a really long time, and me and him have kind of kept in touch throughout the years. And so when he told me he was interviewing for the job, I was stoked for him, and he mentioned that he was going to try and bring me in if he ended up getting the job, which is pretty cool that we’re able to work together.

And then Matt Daniels, I worked with, he’s the new pitching coordinator. I worked with him when he was at Driveline — the first time I went to DriveLine back in like, 2017, so I’ve known him for a really long time as well.

And then, I’ve known Gabe (Ribas) for a really long with the Tigers. Me and him are really close in spring training, so he cares. He’s really smart, good leader. So that’s the background when it comes to the pitching side.

And then I had (Jeff) Pickler on the coaching staff in Cincinnati. He’s the bench coach now, obviously. And so he likes to think outside the box, and, I like to say, he doesn’t play scared, which is nice.

And then Brett Pill went to Cal State Fullerton. So, it just seemed like, man, I know, everyone. It’s just great. It was a perfect fit.

What Lorenzen is saying, then, is that he decided to sign with Colorado in large part due to relationships he’s built over the years with the Rockies’ new coaching staff. For years, the Rockies were notoriously insular and unwilling to take risks. That Lorenzen chose to sign with them shows the benefits of bringing in new personnel and new ideas.

He’ll bring the pitching approach of the Kansas City Royals

In 2024 when the Kansas City Royals were in Denver, I interviewed a number of their pitching staff (see here and here). What emerged as less interesting than the interviews themselves, however, was the attitude of the starting rotation as a whole. With Michael Wacha taking a lead role, the Royals rotation developed a “workshop” mentality. They would watch each others bullpens and debrief together when the starter came out of the game. Lorenen spent the last two years working in that environment.

Cole Ragans described the workshop atmosphere like this:

We mesh very well. Everybody has a different way of pitching and a different way of thinking about pitching, but we all pick each other’s brains about things, talk to each other when we come out of the game, and we talk about what we see, even if it’s lefty or righty. We talk about what we saw and the little things to kind of help out the next guy that’s going the next day or two days or three days from then.

The Royals created a safe environment for taking risks and devalued ego: The emphasis was on collective success.

Here’s how Lorenzen described bringing those values to Coors Field:

I definitely love the process of Kansas City. And the reason behind that is just there was no ego. It was, “We just want to win, and we want what works best and what allows us to perform at the best of our ability.”

Sometimes ego can get in the way a little bit, in a sense, to where it’s like, “Hey, you’re not doing what I’ve asked you to do. And it’s even though it may not be the right thing, it’s what I what I asked you to do. So just do it.” You know, one of those situations, which I’m not saying any team that I’ve been on has done that, but it can get there.

And with Kansas City, there was just absolutely no egos, like, “Hey, we don’t care what you do. Go ahead and try it. We like it. If it works, then go for it.”

And I think this staff is definitely going to be that way, for sure. And I think just doing that alone, we should see some improvement in guys taking ownership of their careers and being more in tune with, like I said before, problem solving, trying to figure out how do we problem solve? How do we put certain pieces together? Because that’s what it takes to perform at the big leagues, and that’s what it takes to stay at the big leagues, is you got to be able to problem solve. You have to be able to adapt. And so, this staff is definitely going to be a staff that that is adaptable, and we’re going to be able to adapt to adversity.

Given that part of what Lorenzen will be doing in the coming season is mentoring young pitchers, having a leader with this approach should prove valuable for the Rockies.

Michael Lorenzen, welcome to the Mile High Baseball Nerd Club!

Here’s the thing about pitchers — and you probably already know this, but I just want to reiterate the point. Good pitchers are nerds. Complete and total nerds. In the best possible way.

The first thing Lorenzen said when asked about why he signed with Colorado was loving a challenge:

One of the things is just, I feel like it’s untapped. And I don’t think you could say that about anywhere else in Major League Baseball, that you get to go to a place that’s just, it feels like it’s untapped. It feels like there’s a lot of new information to be learned. And that’s kind of right up my alley.

I think if as you get to know me throughout the year, you’ll see that I enjoy problem solving. Failure is going to happen. Trials are going to happen. You’re going to get your teeth kicked in, but it’s the problem solving and how to make the adjustment. That’s something that I really enjoy.

And Colorado, I feel like, presents that opportunity. And so with that being said, the staff, too, that they’ve hired, it just seems like I’ve known a lot of them for a really long time, and it just seemed like the perfect fit to where we are all going to be on the same page of “How do we solve this problem?” You could take it from the perspective of look at the word “problem” in a negative way, or you can look at the word “problem” from the perspective of opportunity. That’s always intrigued me about Colorado.

There’s a lot to unpack. Lorenzen wants the challenge, and feels like he’s found a staff that he can collaborate with.

The familiarity’s there, and what’s nice, too, is they’re all pretty young, so I don’t feel like they’re too far off from my age.

So, it’ll be really nice in a sense of I’m already talked to Alon, and there’s going to be some back and forth between me and him, which I think is really good. Through the debates, and like, “No, I think this is how we do it.” He’s like, “No, I think you’re dumb, and I think we should do it this way.” And it’s like, “Well, that doesn’t make sense to me.”

I think we’ll be able to have honest conversations like that. When you can have honest conversations like that, that’s how you really grow, and that’s how you really solve problems.

That right there, Reader, is the good stuff: an approach cracking the Rubik’s cube of Coors Field using science, trust, and collaboration.

Lorenzen revealed during the presser that he’s created a variation on his changeup over the offseason. One of the benefits of signing Lorenzen is his eight-pitch mix. Leichman and his staff will have a skilled veteran pitcher to test any range of pitches to see how they work.

Think of him as a kind of pitching lab rat — and I write that as the highest compliment.

Also worth noting, he’s planning to come to Coors Field soon to throw a bullpen and see how his stuff plays at elevation. These are all signs of a pitcher embracing a challenge.

No one knows that the 2026 Colorado Rockies will look like. But we do know they’ll look different, and we’re going to see a new kind of baseball at Coors Field.

Bring it on.

Reminder: Rockies Fest is this weekend

Here’s a list of attendees and schedule:

Hope to see you there!

For Lorenzen, joining Rox brings pitching connection full-circle | MLB.com

This Thomas Harding article is well worth your time. In addition to describing Michael Lorenzen’s relationship to the Rockies pitching staff, Harding also delves into the pitcher’s training with Ido Portal. It’s interesting stuff.

Reds must consider trading for one Rockies outfielder | Clutch Points

I’ll just say this article is not focused on the Rockies outfielder you probably thought it focused on.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

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MLB News: Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Cody Bellinger, free agency, Elly De La Cruz

Happy Monday, friends. It’s been a hectic weekend around the old offseason hot stove. The Mets, who tried their hand at signing Kyle Tucker, needed to rebound quickly after he signed his spendy contract with the Dodgers, so they turned their buying power towards free agent Bo Bichette. We also learned that Elly De La Cruz may have turned down the biggest contract in Reds history.

All this, plus a debate on who the true ace of our recent generation was, and we learn exactly when Mookie Betts will retire in today’s news links.

So let’s just get right into it.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

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Liam Doyle is your #2 prospect

So far the voting on the top prospect list has produced zero surprises. JJ Wetherholt, arguably the most MLB ready prospect in the Cardinals system, was the #1 prospect. It’s certainly more of a debate about who is the second most MLB ready player, but Liam Doyle combines readiness with potential unmatched by anyone else in the system at the very least. I find it difficult to disagree with the choices made thus far.

As far as who to add to the voting, I think there’s one player I have to absolutely add to the voting given his change from last year to this year. When you have that big of a shift, I don’t know where the current opinion of the fanbase stands with that prospect. That certainly applies to Joshua Baez, who has been on a top 20 list before, but it was back in 2023 when he ranked 11th. A lot has changed since that moment, including two years where he was not voted onto the list at all. So he has to be added to the voting sooner rather than later.

There are a couple options on who to add next, but for better or worse, this is where I use a past list as a reference point. Last year, Tink Hence was voted as the #3 prospect in the system. I think it’s pretty clear he won’t be the 3rd prospect again, however I do feel an obligation to add him, especially because Fangraphs still believes him to be a top 100 prospect. So he’s a pretty easy add honestly, because he does feel like he should be among the first nine prospects added to the voting.

(I had originally planned to do Winter Warmup related posts, but my schedule has made that somewhat impractical honestly. I had interviews lined up all Saturday and then had maybe an hour break and went to my other job that night, which lasted until midnight. Back for interviews at 9 am on Sunday, I went straight from there to my parents for a Sunday night dinner. Didn’t really have any time to transcribe interviews. Not sure when I’ll return to Winter Warmup content, but for now, I’ll stick with the prospects)

Joshua Baez, OF – 23

Stats (High A): 168 PAs, .317/.404/.483, 10.7 BB%, 21.4 K%, .166 ISO, .400 BABIP, 152 wRC+

AA: 331 PAs, .271/.374/.509, 12.4 BB%, 20.2 K%, .238 ISO, .294 BABIP, 141 wRC+

Scouting: 30/35 Hit, 45/60 Game Power, 60/70 Raw Power, 50/40 Speed, 40/50 Fielding

As far as I can tell, the Fangraphs scouting report on Baez is updated as of July 1st of last year, which is to indicate that it does take into account his improvement, but they might have better reports since he continued playing well in the 2nd half. It’s a marvel that his BB%, K% and ISO all improved upon a promotion to a theoretically harder level. Obviously, the BABIP didn’t follow him, but he won’t exactly have a .400 BABIP in the majors either.

The question with Baez is obviously going to be if he can sustain his improvements from last season. If you could completely trust his numbers, he’d comfortably be considered very high on this list. But because of his past, there’s more doubt than normal. His looked way more fluky, but Moises Gomez is a good example of a one-year wonder. That’s the fear with Baez.

Leonardo Bernal, C – 22

Stats (AA): 107 G, 455 PAs, .247/.332/.394, 10.8 BB%, 16.9 K%, .146 ISO, .274 BABIP, 103 wRC+

Scouting (FG): 35/50 Hit, 35/45 Game Power, 50/50 Raw Power, 40/30 Speed, 40/55 Fielding

Bernal’s scouting reflects his appeal, which is that he’s a well-rounded catcher. He might not be elite at any one thing, but at least his potential reflects an average bat with average power and above average fielding. That doesn’t necessarily sound exciting, but would very clearly be a good starting catcher at the MLB level. There’s really only one question with his bat: why was his BABIP so low? If it was fluky, then there are no worries about his offense. If it was deserved to some extent, contact quality becomes a question mark as he rises up the system.

Brandon Clarke, 23 – LHP

Stats (Low A): 3 GS, 9.2 IP, 47.2 K%, 5.6 BB%, 68.8 GB%, .125 BABIP, 0.93 ERA/0.98 FIP/1.32 xFIP

High A: 11 GS, 28.1 IP, 31.2 K%, 18.1 BB%, 62.5 GB%, .254 BABIP, 5.08 ERA/4.17 FIP/4.74 xFIP

Scouting: 60/60 Fastball, 70/80 Slider, 40/50 Change, 30/40 Command

Clarke would not be the first pitcher nor the last to survive off two elite pitches – hell one that is potentially among the best in baseball – and spotty command, leading to an effective starting pitcher, if not an All-Star. But it’s also not hard to look at his profile and see an elite reliever rather than a starting pitcher. It’s hard to be successful at this level with below average command, not to mention just two pitches. The success of his change will make a huge difference on his future development. Luckily, he does have some time. He doesn’t need to figure it out right now.

Jimmy Crooks, C – 24

Stats (AAA): 98 G, 430 PAs, .274/.337/.441, 8.4 BB%, 26.5 K%, .167 ISO, .352 BABIP, 105 wRC+

MLB: 15 G, 46 PAs, .133/.152/.244, 0 BB%, 37 K%, .111 ISO, .185 BABIP, 5 wRC+

Scouting: 35/40 Hit, 40/45 Game Power, 50/50 Raw Power, 20/20 Speed, 60/70 Fielding

It feels weird to say in a season where Crooks got to make his MLB debut, get his first MLB hit, and hit his first homer, but one could argue his 2025 was something of a disappointment. Not for him professionally of course. One might argue the increased strikeouts has tampered the enthusiasm for Crooks’ bat when he previously had not really displayed contact issues.

On the other hand, he is going to be 24 next season. He had an above average hitting line in AAA. Yeah there’s not a lot of positives to be gleamed from his MLB experience, but it was still experience. I would even argue he may have been pushed too aggressively – with a 105 wRC+ and a .352 BABIP, it’s not a surprise he struggled at the MLB level. And most importantly, his greatest appeal is not his offense at all, but his defense.

Tink Hence, 23 – RHP

Stats (Three levels): 8 G, 21.1 IP, 27.9 K%, 15.1 BB%, 45.8 GB%, .255 BABIP, 2.95 ERA/3.80 FIP/4.18 xFIP

Scouting: 45/45 Fast, 50/55 Slider, 60/70 Change, 45/55 Command

There’s no getting around it. Hence had a lost season last year. I debated whether or not to even list his stats, because they were all effectively rehab appearances. He pitched in Low A, High A, and AA, with 3 ‘starts” and 10.2 IP in AA being the most he pitched at any level. The biggest mystery is how the Cardinals will treat Hence if he indeed is healthy. They’ve slow played him to date, trying to preserve his health, which has not necessarily translated into the health they wanted.

More importantly though, if last year was just 21 innings, what exactly does slow playing Hence look like for next season? Surely, they won’t have him only pitch 50 innings? But what is the limit? I do think people can overlook how good Hence was at AA in 2024 though, he struck out 34% of hitters in almost 80 innings. He’s probably ready for AAA. Innings is the main concern though.

Quinn Mathews, 25 – LHP

Stats (AAA): 24 GS, 99 IP, 26.1 K%, 16.8 BB%, 41.8 GB%, .302 BABIP, 3.73 ERA/4.30 FIP/4.78 xFIP

Scouting: 50/55 Fastball, 50/55 Slider, 45/45 Curve, 60/60 Change, 45/60 Command

It might be beneficial in the long run that Mathews had the 2025 that he did, even though most – myself included – largely expected him to not only debut last season, but to make as many as 20 starts. That didn’t happen. Part of it was his fault, part of it was that nobody really got injured, and part of it was that he didn’t need to be added to the 40 man. As a consequence, we are a year later and he’s kind of in the same situation as he was a year ago – we think he’ll make a good many starts, but he’s behind some guys more likely to make the roster. In this year’s case, the guys ahead of him can be sent down, for the most part, so it’s more possible.

And when I say it might be more beneficial, he had some growing pains maybe better experienced in the minors, but also his service time clock has yet to start. Unless he makes the majors earlier than expected, the Cardinals are looking at 7 years of team control. Well, depending on the CBA of course.

Raniel Rodriguez, 19 – C

Stats (CPX): 20 G, 80 PAs, .373/.513/.831, 20 BB%, 18.8 K%, .458 ISO, .385 BABIP, 238 wRC+

Low A: 60 G, 271 PAs, .249/.373/.498, 14 BB%, 17.7 K%, .249 ISO, .261 BABIP, 145 wRC+

Scouting: 25/50 Hit, 20/55 Game Power, 50/55 Raw Power, 45/40 Speed, 40/60 Fielding

You know there’s a funny thing about scouting. I get where the potential comes in – most sites roughly agree with a prospect’s potential. It’s easy enough to wrap my head around when I see a 55 potential for power or 50 potential for a hit tool. Where I notice some weird elements is in the current element of the scouting. As in I do not believe Rodriguez has 20 game power right now. I don’t know where he came up with that number. However else he would do in the major leagues, I don’t think his power would be comparable to David Eckstein. I think he would hit some homers, maybe nothing close to what he’s doing in the minors, but a 20? That suggests absolutely no power whatsoever.

Anyway, I’ll probably be commenting on weird scouting grades all voting, because it’s an easy thing for me to rant about. This is but one of many.

As with last time, I have simply given you a link to the actual poll. It doesn’t let me embed the poll onto this site, but the link should work fine. This was well-received last time, so I’m just going to keep using this method until it fails me.

strawpoll.com/xVg71D23Oyr

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Red Sox on the Six

It’s hard to believe that the Red Sox are about one quarter as many years removed from the 2004 World Series as the total length of the curse that was broken that year. A huge difference, of course, was the addition of three more trophies. With the announcement of Jon Lester being enshrined the the Red Sox and Cubs’ respective Halls of Fame and his pending addition to the Hall of Fame ballot that will come out later this year for the Class of 2027, let’s look back at the ‘06 and ‘16 teams before 2026 begins.

2006

The 2005 season ended tumultuously. The Red Sox backed into a tie with the ascendant New York Yankees and were quickly bumped from the postseason. The Chicago White Sox would win the World Series with the dominance of a team using trash cans and buzzers. Theo Epstein would flee Fenway Park in a gorilla suit for a short sabbatical.

While he was gone, the Red Sox would trade Hanley Ramirez an Anibal Sanchez for Josh Beckett. Big free agent signing Edgar Renteria would be traded for Atlanta Braves third base prospect Andy Marte. Peter Gammons would declare that the offseason would be remembered for Marte and not Beckett. So it was then a surprise when Marte would be shipped off to Cleveland for Coco Crisp.

Jonathan Papelbon, who made his major league debut in 2005, would miss out on a rotation spot in Spring Training but find a home in the bullpen. Given his career to follow, that sure worked out!

Johnny Damon would become a New York Yankee. But hopes were high. Fresh off 95 wins and adding a new center fielder and slick-fielding shortstop Álex González – plus the return of Theo Epstein – things felt good. And they looked good. For a while.

Boston headed into the All-Star Break with a .616 winning percentage and a 53-33 record. The 19-inning walkoff loss to the Chicago White Sox should have been a warning of things to come but who is really that superstitious about baseball?

Boston would suffer injuries to Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon its rapid succession. Jon Lester would make his debut and then also hit the IL with a sore back. He would later add a cancer diagnosis to his medical woes.

Then there was the five game sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees.

All-in-all it would be a 33-43 second half that would see Boston finish in 3rd place behind even the Toronto Blue Jays. The first time since 1997 that Boston did not finish second in the AL East, 86-76.

David Ortiz would hit a career-high 54 home runs, taking the Red Sox record from Jimmie Foxx who hit 50 homers for Boston back in 1938.

As a coda, Alex Cora would play in 96 games and hit .238/.312/.298

2016

If the 2006 Red Sox had some recent history to live up to, the 2016 club most certainly did not. After the 2011 collapse, 2012 dismantling (the Punto Trade), 2013 World Series out of nowhere, there were suddenly back-to-back last place seasons. Behind the Blue Jays, behind the Rays, and behind the Orioles. Ben Charington? More like Ben-barrassment.

Dave Dombrowski technically came in August of 2015 but that season was settled before his hiring. The offseason would be his first chance to really begin.

And begin he did.

Dealin’ Dave would trade for Craig Kimbrel and sign Chris Young (the centerfielder not the pitcher). Then he did what Dombrowski does: hand out a massive deal. Welcome to Boston, David Price!

In the draft that summer he’d acquire legendary Boston Red Sox Bobby Dalbec.

And Dave’s first year was a smashing success.

The Sox would once again go from worst to first and took over the AL East once more.

They’d go 49-38 (.563) in the first half and 44-31 (.587) in the second.

He’d add Aaron Hill, Brad Ziegler, and Drew Pomeranz before the trade deadline.

Mookie Betts would have a 9.8 bWAR season.

Xander Bogaerts would solidify shortstop while hitting .294/.356/.446 with 21 homers and 13 steals.

Jackie Bradley Jr. hit 26 home runs!

Big Papi would slash .315/.401/.620 on his retirement tour.

The magic would stop when they got to October, however. Cleveland, helmed by Terry Franconia, would sweep them out of the ALDS in three games.

2026

Craig Breslow and Alex Cora, teammates on that 2006 team, are still finishing the roster and lineup as January has more days behind it than ahead.

Ranger Suárez is, kinda, their David Price of 2016.

Roman Anthony is their Mookie Betts – for the story if not quite the on field production.

Can they top 2016 or will the season, like so many recently, sputter out like 2006?

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Orioles news: The free agents are signing

Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! I hope you had a nice weekend. It was another quiet weekend for the Orioles. MLB has had a busy past week overall, as the last big free agents are starting to find homes. Ranger Suárez going to the Red Sox is bad news for the Orioles, but the other signings have come outside the division. I appreciate that.

The Blue Jays were rumored to be going after both Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette, but failed to land either. The Blue Jays reportedly offered Tucker ten years and $350 million before he opted to take a shorter contract with the Dodgers. And Bichette signed with the Mets after spending seven seasons with the Jays. It’ll be nice to have him out of the division.

The Yankees have been pretty quiet this offseason, but they have been trying to lock down Cody Bellinger for weeks. Unlike the Orioles, where we don’t hear anything about a deal until it’s done, I have been seeing regular updates. The latest update from today is that they are now willing to include opt-outs in a five-year contract. Bellinger returning to the Yankees feels inevitable, but it sure would be fun if it didn’t work out.

Just four of the MLB Trade Rumors top 25 free agents are still looking for homes: Bellinger, Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, and Eugeni Suárez. Of course, one name on there is more important to Orioles fans than the rest. It seems likely that Valdez will sign soon enough. I know, we’ve been talking about that non-stop for months.

Links

Thoughts on Verlander report and Orioles’ rotation – MASN Sports
Roch Kubatko talks about the rumor that the Orioles are interested in Justin Verlander. He doesn’t seem convinced that it’s anything.

2026 ZiPS Projections: Baltimore Orioles – FanGraphs
In case you missed this from a few days ago. I’d like to see Jackson Holliday a bit higher, but overall, that infield looks pretty good to me. But Dan Szymborski’s assessment that they still need a dude in the rotation is right on.

Birthday and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies. Rick Krivda, who pitched in 45 games with the Orioles from 1995-1997, is 56 years old today. Chris Sabo is 64. He played 64 games with the Orioles in 1994 after six seasons with the Reds. And Fred Valentine (b. 1935, d. 2022) was with the Orioles in 1959, 1963, and 1968 for a total of 85 games.

On this day in 1995, with the players’ strike ongoing, Orioles owner Peter Angelos announced that his team would not use replacement players if the strike went into the regular season. The strike was ended just days before the scheduled start of the season, and the season began late.

In 2013, legendary manager Earl Weaver passed away at age 82. He died of a heart attack while on an Orioles cruise.

In 2017, the Orioles signed Mark Trumbo to a three-year contract. It was not a good idea.

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Chicago Cubs history unpacked, January 19

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.

“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.

Ernie in the Hall, The Penguin comes to Chicago, Dexter Fowler* arrives, and other stories for the discerning reader. RIP Don Sutton.

Today in baseball history:

Cubs Birthdays:Ollie Hanson, Ken Frailing, Kevin Coffman, Anthony Young, Phil Nevin, Chris Stynes, Amaury Telemaco, Nick Burdi.

Today in History:

  • 1363 – English King Edward III introduces his Sumptuary Laws, restricting what people ate and wore to preserve social status (largely ignored).
  • 1883 – The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey.
  • 1955 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower held the first-ever televised presidential press conference.
  • 1977 – Snow falls in Miami, Florida. This is the only time in the history of the city that snowfall has occurred. It also fell in the Bahamas.

Common sources:

*pictured.

Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.

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The Pirates are part of a Opening Day doubleheader on NBC

The Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets are set to play against each other opening day at Citi Field. They are going to be a part of a Primetime Opening Day doubleheader on March 26 on NBC and Peacock. This marks the network’s return to Major League Baseball, as the Mets will host the Pirates at 1 p.m. ET.

NBC’s 2026 MLB schedule is the result of a new broadcast deal. This is going to be the network’s first full season of baseball coverage in more than two decades. The night game will feature the two-time World Series defending champion Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles. 

Pittsburgh’s Opening Day starter is anticipated to be reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes. The ace is coming off of a 10-win season and a dominant 1.97 ERA.

It is less of an obvious pick for New York for who their starter should be. Top candidates include young arms like Nolan McLean, who showed a lot of potential in 2025, and the returning Christian Scott. Scott is coming off Tommy John surgery but is expected to be a top guy this season for their rotation. Other options are Framber Valdez and veterans Kodai Senga and  Sean Manaea.

Both teams missed out on the playoffs in the 2025 season. The Mets made a monster move bringing in Juan Soto in the offseason but that was not enough. 

While the Bucs went 71-91 this past season finishing in last place in the NL Central. With moves like Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn the Pirates are improving their batting lineup going into the new season. 

With Jared Jones coming back from injury and already having Mitch Keller and Paul Skenes the Pirates are looking to have a deadly pitching rotation this season.  

This is an exciting matchup to have on Opening Day for a network like NBC who is getting back into broadcasting baseball. The Pirates are a team that has a lot of potential this season. If the top guys in the rotation can stay healthy and the offense can give them run support, we could see the Bucs make a playoff run, something they haven’t done since 2015.