Category: MLB

Good evening! Hope it’s been a good day for you so far. Here’s a random clip:

I was about to say we finished with the pitchers, but since our previous installment, the D-backs added a couple of further players on minor-league contracts, with spring training invites. While they don’t yet appear on the team’s official page of non-roster invitees, I figure I should catch up with these before I forget, and we’ll then move on to the catchers who are NRIs.

Joe Ross

This right-handed pitcher was a first-round pick (25th overall) by the Padres back in 2011, and comes with more than 500 innings at the MLB level, acquired across eight seasons. He also had a World Series ring, won in 2019 with the Nationals Last year, he was with the Phillies and made 37 appearances with a 5.12 ERA and a K:BB of 39:18 across 51 innings, before being released by them in late August. That’s not especially impressive, so I feel like he is going to be depth in Reno this year, unless he really impresses in Spring Training. He has had his career interrupted by various injuries, including a pair of Tommy John procedures, but seemed healthy enough in 2025.

Oscar Mercado

Though born in Venezuela, Mercado was part of the MLB draft, being picked in 2011 by the Cardinals. He was subsequently traded to the Indians, and debuted for them is 2019, with a solid campaign which got some down-ballot Rookie of the Year acknowledgment. But it has been a replacement-level struggle since, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since July 2023, back with the Cardinals. He spent last year in Triple- A with the Phillies, where he had a line of .249/.369/.373 for a .741 OPS across 115 games. Mercado turned 31 in December,but given the shortage of outfielders on the 40-man roster, I don’t mind seeing

And now, onto the catchers.

---

Aramis Garcia (35)

That name might be vaguely familiar. He did appear for the Diamondbacks last year, but very much in a “blink and you’ll miss it capacity,” being selected, making a single appearance and then being designated for assignment twice in the month of June. The team then signed James McCann as a better backup, and Garcia stayed in Triple-A the rest of the way. There, he was the Reno Aces most regular catcher, appearing in 56 games there. He re-signed with Arizona in November, and will likely remain in a similar position of emergency catcher, tucked away behind a plate of glass in Reno, with a hammer conveniently to hand.

Gavin Logan (94)

Canadian alert! Logan was born in the wonderfully-named Medicine Hat, and was a ninth-round pick by the D-backs in 2022. He racked up the frequent flyer miles in 2025, changing levels four times between mid-June and mid-August. He initially bypassed Double-A, jumping straight from High-A to Triple A not once, but twice, before ending the season in Amarillo. Across all three levels the catcher, who turned 26 last month, posted a .754 OPS, and hit eight home-runs in 65 games, including the grand-slam above for Reno. He’ll likely start the year again in Amarillo, with the aim of getting a more permanent promotion by the end of the year.

Matt O’Neill (66)

This will be O’Neill’s first year outside the Mets organization, which originally selected him in the 20th round of the 2019 draft. Last year, Matt split time between Double-A and Triple-A, with an overall line of .231/.335/.343 for an OPS of .678. That’s actually his highest figure since the year he was drafted, and it’s very unlikely he is going to see major-league playing time this year. If he does, a lot has gone very wrong for Arizona. But the news that Adrian Del Castillo is struggling with a calf injury, and is likely to miss Opening Day, does emphasize the importance of depth at this position.

PHOENIX –– In the middle of their Camelback Ranch clubhouse Wednesday afternoon, the Dodgers laid out a stack of shirts commemorating their 18-inning victory in Game 3 of last year’s World Series.

Across the front of the blue tees, the four heroes of the game were displayed: Teoscar Hernández, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and, yes, Will Klein.

“It’s kind of been like a 180,” Klein joked about how much his life has changed since that night. “You can see the social media, fan stuff. But just on the personal side, there’s more confidence. Seeing myself do that kind of built a foundation to keep going.”

Indeed, when Klein arrived at spring training last week, he found himself in a peculiar spot: A postseason legend on one hand, after throwing four scoreless innings as the last man standing in the Dodgers’ bullpen during that marathon Game 3 triumph; but also, a fringe roster candidate on the team’s loaded pitching staff, trying to parlay his brief moment of playoff glory into a more established big-league job.

In this boat, Klein is not alone.

Entering camp, several other standouts from last year’s World Series run also found themselves battling for roster spots –– including Justin Wrobleski, the left-handed swingman who pitched five scoreless innings in last year’s World Series, and Edgardo Henriquez, the hard-throwing right-hander who provided two scoreless innings in Game 3 of the Fall Classic.

A week ago, all of their roles for 2026 seemed uncertain.

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

But now, injuries elsewhere on the roster are giving them renewed opportunities.

In the bullpen, the Dodgers will start this season missing several key arms. Evan Phillips is recovering from Tommy John surgery and won’t be back until midseason. Brock Stewart is recovering from a shoulder surgery he had in September and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Brusdar Graterol was also ruled out for the start of the campaign on Wednesday, with manager Dave Roberts saying the team is keeping him on “an intentionally slow build-up” process as he returns from a 2025 season lost to his own shoulder procedure.

Suddenly, there is a lane for Klein and Henriquez to not only make the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster but also serve potentially important roles in the early part of the season.

After closer Edwin Díaz, the team’s next-best righty reliever is veteran Blake Treinen, who is coming off a career-worst season in 2025.

Roberts voiced optimism in Treinen bouncing back this year, saying the 37-year-old still has “a lot in the tank” and that his early spring bullpens have been “as good as I’ve seen him throw the baseball in a while.”

Still, the Dodgers will need more right-handed depth. Ben Casparius figures to be part of the solution, having transitioned to a full-time relief role this year. But Klein (who had a 5.16 ERA in 22 career MLB appearances before last year’s playoffs) and Henriquez (a 2.42 ERA in 25 career outings prior to last October) might now have a pathway to more impact contributions themselves.

“I’m still the same guy, like I need to work and earn a spot and all that,” Klein said. “But on the mound, in games, there’s a little bit more (confidence) than I’ve had in the past. Like, I know I can do all this. I’ve seen myself do 10 times harder stuff.”

Wrobleski has an opening of his own this spring. Five weeks from Opening Day, the Dodgers are already facing several rotation questions, with Blake Snell taking things slow after last year’s shoulder injury and Ohtani facing a build-up that will be complicated by his participation in next month’s World Baseball Classic.

Thus, the Dodgers will look for extra starting depth this spring –– giving the 25-year-old Wrobleski, who was needed more in relief duty last season but is still seen as a high-upside starter long term, the chance to compete for a potential rotation spot.

Last season, Wrobleski’s two starts did not go well. He gave up eight runs over five innings in a dispiriting outing in Washington in April. He was tagged with four more runs in a six-inning loss to the Cardinals two months later.

After that, however, the left-hander found success in the bullpen, pitching to a 3.17 ERA over his final 25 appearances (including the playoffs) while showcasing an uptick in velocity and command.

“I think his ability to grow and mature and learn how to harness his stuff and compete in those moments will serve him well as he tries to navigate a lineup two, three times,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “So he’ll certainly be a candidate (to pitch in the rotation).”

It’s all part of the Dodgers’ ever-changing roster puzzle this spring, in which even old October saviors are having to compete to carve out their roster spots.

Team could be looking at an infield logjam that could compromise their outfield depth.

In the aftermath of Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reporting that the Astros could be looking at OF Michael Conforto as a left-handed hitting option in the outfield primarily because they are finding their trade options dwindling, it is impossible not to consider this very serious idea:

Did the Astros blow it?

With their chances of trading 3B Isaac Paredes diminishing, the Astros have expressed interest in free agent OF Michael Conforto, a source tells MLB. com. A LH hitter, the 32-year-old slashed .199/.305/.333 last year with 12 homers and 36 RBIs in 128 games for the Dodgers.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 18, 2026

Houston has been shopping players on its major league roster all offseason. Isaac Paredes is the most valuable of the names often mentioned, but Christian Walker and Jake Meyers names have also been mentioned.

We have seen reports of the high interest in both Paredes and Meyers, and of the very faint interest in Walker, but for a team with obvious roster holes it seems unconscionable that GM Dana Brown was unable to deal from his infield surplus to fix at least one hole in his roster. It doesn’t even matter if that hole addressed the outfield, the bullpen, or backup catcher situation, as long as it addressed something.

Did they overplay their hand? Did they hold too high an asking price? Did other teams simply not value the Astros’ players as much as Houston did? We don’t actually know the answers to these, which is why we will speculate. When you are trying to create a properly balanced lineup for a playoff run, sometimes the end justifies the means.

It won’t matter if Dana Brown held on to his players because he didn’t think he was getting enough value if the team fails to make the postseason again, because he won’t be here. It is very likely such a scenario could cost Joe Espada his job as well, even though he would again be forced to work with a roster that is clearly flawed and been decimated in the past 2 seasons by injury.

The fact that the team is now looking at Conforto, a player who is a shell of what he once was in his heyday as a power hitter who got on base and was a defensive star. Today’s version of Conforto still has some power but doesn’t make nearly enough contact and is now below average in the field.

Conforto’s last strong full season was 2019. He had shoulder surgery after the 2021 season and the difference has been notable. He has also played in some absolutely stacked lineups the past 3 seasons, making his mediocrity (or worse) even more damning.

The Astros could have been in on Mike Tauchman, a superior player to Conforto at this stage and Tauchman signed a minor league deal with the Mets. Yes you read that right, a minor league deal.

Of the remaining free agent outfielders, Starling Marte is probably the best hitter of all of them. Even though he’s right-handed, he hits equally well against both righties and lefties, and for more power against righties as well. of course, he’s now 37 and there is no telling how long his balky right knee will hold up. The Mets made him a part time player last year to get him through the season. The Astros deal will too many injuries already for such a risk.

What is left of the free agent crop is very “slim pickins” indeed. In reality, a trade is probably the only way the Astros can get an impact outfield bat unless Zach Cole, Cam Smith or Zach Dezenzo becomes that player.

Coming into camp with the infield logjam was a miscalculation by the Astros. There may not be a way out of it at this point.

I posed the question of whether the Astros should just heed the request of Yordan Alvarez and allow him to play more LF than he has previously been permitted just three days ago:

https://www.crawfishboxes.com/houston-astros-analysis/72122/could-astros-listen-to-yordan-keep-paredes

Now they may find themselves without a choice.

Do you think the Astros can still pull off a deal to get one of their three biggest needs before the season starts? Let us know in the comments.

A slimmer Teoscar Hernández reported to Camelback Ranch this week, willing to take on a new role in the Dodgers' quest for a three-peat.

Hernández acknowledged Tuesday that he played through a nagging left groin injury last year, which forced him to miss time early in the season.

“I didn’t get back in my health,” Hernández said. “When I got back from the injury, I was fighting through it. Obviously, I didn’t say anything. I just wanted to be on the field and try to help the team.”

Hernández says he was overweight in 2025, and took better care of his body this past winter.

Read more:Q&A: What's next for MLB players after union chief Tony Clark quit?

“It’s a combination of eating really good or knowing what you’re eating, and working a little harder than normal,” Hernández said. “But, right now I’m feeling really good. Back to the way I used to be. My whole career I used to be 204-205 [lbs.], in that range. Last year, I was a little over [that], but I’m back to normal right now.”

Hernández says the extra weight he had put on undoubtedly slowed him down last season.

“[As] the season [went], I realized that I wasn’t moving the way I know I can move,” Hernández said. “And that was one of my goals for the offseason, trying to get back in the shape I used to be, the weight that I know that I can be and I can perform really good. So, that was the main goal for this offseason.”

The veteran corner outfielder played 134 games in 2025, down 20 games from the 154 he played the season prior, his first with the Dodgers. He also saw a decline in home runs (33 to 25), RBI (99 to 89), batting average (.272 to .247), on-base percentage (.339 to .284) and OPS (.840 to .738) from 2024 to 2025.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he expects Hernández to bounce back.

“He’s one of our best run-producers," Roberts said. "And then if you look at this lineup, there should be a lot of guys on base with him up to bat. So, I think that this could be a year where he really drives in a lot of runs. He should drive in a lot of runs this year. I think he’s out to prove something, which is good.”

Hernández primarily played left field in his first season with the Dodgers, before taking over right-field duties in 2025. With the Dodgers signing four-time All-Star Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract over the winter, Hernández will return to left field.

“We made the signing and then I ended up reaching out to Teo and said, ‘This is what’s going to happen,’ and he gave me a big thumbs up,” Roberts said. “And he’ll be ready to go. I think it just speaks to the guys we have in the room. If winning is the most important thing, then it doesn’t matter the role [or] the position.”

Hernández recalls the conversation with Roberts being short.

“He told me, ‘Look, you’re moving to left field,” Hernández said. “And I said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ That’s about it. I’m ready in any way that they may need me. I just want to be there and be on the field, and just play every day.”

Yoshinobu Yamamoto to start either Saturday or Sunday

Roberts revealed Yoshinobu Yamamoto will likely start one of the first two Cactus League games for the Dodgers, either Saturday against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium or Sunday against the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex.

“That’s the thought, the plan,” Roberts said. “I’m not sure which day. That’s more [pitching coach] Mark Prior-driven, but that’s the hope. If things go well, we should see him in one of those games.”

What went into Shohei Ohtani’s decision to not pitch in WBC?

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman offered a glimpse into what resulted in Shohei Ohtani’s decision to not pitch in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Read more:Where River Ryan and Gavin Stone figure in the Dodgers' crowded pitching plans

“We sat down and talked to him about it, and just coming off the surgery, coming off the year he had, pitching through October, just the quick turnaround,” Friedman said. “At that kind of intensity, coming off surgery, and obviously, we have designs of playing through October this year, and Shohei being a big part of that, on the mound. That, coupled with the idea that he wants to pitch for the next eight years [and] we want him to pitch for the next eight years. We sat down and had the conversation with him. He understood it. The competitor in him doesn’t love it, but he understood it.”

Friedman did not specify when Ohtani will depart for the WBC, but he did say Ohtani will continue to throw on his off days with Team Japan as he ramps up for opening day.

“He will continue his throwing progression, but not necessarily getting into games,” Friedman said. “And then we’ll figure out what he’s able to accomplish while he’s in Japan on those off days. And then we’ll be able to slide him back in here into the rotation as quickly as possible.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The San Diego Padres know a little something about controlled chaos. Over the holiday weekend, general manager A.J. Preller made a flurry of moves (and he’s likely not done yet), signing Griffin Canning, Germán Márquez and Walker Buehler in order to address the depth question in the starting pitching group.

These players might seem like random selections by Preller — like the Friars are blindfolded, throwing darts at the board until they happen to hit a bullseye — and maybe there’s a part of that that’s true. But the prevailing belief at play is that these pitchers can return to form this season. 

In that sense, each of them is somewhat of a reclamation project for pitching coach Ruben Niebla. The Padres are hoping that if just one of them can have a Nick Pivetta-esque surge then they’ll have the problem of another ace in the rotation.

Here’s a look at what’s holding these three pitchers back, and how they could return to their former glory.

Griffin Canning

Canning is an interesting case because (of the three) he is the closest removed from being a reliable starter. After spending his first five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Canning had a renaissance year in 2025 pitching for the New York Mets. In his first seven starts for the club, he turned in a 2.47 ERA before a couple rocky starts bumped it up to 3.77. Across 16 starts he averaged close to five innings with a 1.38 WHIP.

Prior to ‘25, Canning had never turned in an ERA below 4.00 outside of the shortened 2020 season. His resurgence ended when he ruptured his Achilles tendon in late June, putting a stop to the comeback year for the right-hander.

If Canning can build on the positive trend forward he had with the Mets, the Padres will be able to slot him into the fifth spot of the rotation with ease.

Germán Márquez

The longtime Colorado Rockies ace found a new place to call home this offseason for the first time in the last decade. Over the better part of that time in Colorado, Márquez was one of the most reliable starters in the game. Prior to 2022, he posted a 4.25 ERA across 795.2 innings (135 starts). During that he also held a 6.9% walk rate and a 24.0% strikeout rate.

However, in ‘22 his performance took a nosedive, and eventually Márquez underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2023. Since coming back he has not been the same, posting an ERA over 6.00 in both 2024 and ‘25. If Márquez can return to the durable strikeout artist he once was, San Diego will have a de facto replacement for free agent departure Dylan Cease.

Walker Buehler

It’s easy to forget that Buehler is only five years removed from finishing fourth in NL Cy Young voting. In 2021, he finished with a 2.47 ERA across 33 starts for the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the following year he had Tommy John surgery and didn’t pitch for the entire 2023 season. When he finally did return, he struggled to find his footing, posting an ERA above 4.00 every year since. 

Buehler was a borderline ace for the Dodgers prior to his injuries. He spent the 2025 season splitting time between the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies. His time in Boston was rough, to say the least, with a 5.45 ERA in 23 starts before eventually being released in August. He then made three appearances for Philly and turned in a 0.66 ERA across 13.2 innings. 

The bet for San Diego is that Buehler can return to a fragment of the ‘21 version of himself that took the league by storm. After spending the first seven years of his career in the NL West (and with the Padres’ rivals no less), the hope is that Buehler can use that elite knowledge of the division to his, and the Friars’, advantage.

Whatever comes of these three pitchers in the 2026 season, the long and short of it is that the worries about rotation depth are now gone. At bare minimum, the Padres now have competent pitchers to fill out the back end of their rotation and eat innings, giving their bullpen time to rest. But the hope is (as always) that these three can become more than that and be contributors to San Diego’s bid for its first World Series championship. 

The Yankees are planning on giving infielder Ryan McMahon reps at shortstop during spring training to see if he can possibly be a backup option if needed this season, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Wednesday.

McMahon has spent nine seasons in the league and has made two career appearances at shortstop totaling 3.0 innings, but he had zero defensive chances in those games. The 31-year-old's primary position is third base where he's played 750 games. He played exclusively third base (54 games) for New York after being traded from the Colorado Rockies at last year's deadline.

In addition to the emergency shortstop appearances which happened in 2020, McMahon has experience moving around the infield, also playing second base (244 games) and first base (70) in his career. His last time playing second came in 2023 before he made the permanent switch to third base the following season. 

Prior to that, McMahon played at least some second base in every season since his debut and even spent the majority of his defensive innings at second in 2019. McMahon's time at first base was more sporadic and mostly happened between 2017-2020.

If the experiment of McMahon at shortstop goes well during camp, he will join Anthony Volpe, Jose Caballero, Oswaldo Cabrera, Amed Rosario and Max Schuemann on the current depth chart. 

Volpe has been the starting shortstop since his debut in 2023, but he is expected to miss the start of the season while he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. Injury notwithstanding, Volpe's grasp on the starting job is also in question this season after he's failed to continue his development at the plate through three seasons. Meanwhile, after winning a Gold Glove his rookie season, Volpe's defense also took a big hit in 2025.

Chicago is finally thawing out after an interminable winter that saw a brutally cold January transition straight to a just as frigid February. While Chicago shows signs of emerging from its long winter slumber pitchers and catchers have already reported to Arizona. There will be Spring Training baseball this week when the Cubs host the White Sox at Sloan Park in Mesa on Friday afternoon.

There’s a familiar cadence to these days as baseball gets every closer. The Cubs’ promotional item schedule dropped yesterday with a number of interesting bobbleheads and alternate jerseys that are sure to fire up fans. We’re getting reports of players in the best shape of their life hitting bombs in batting practice. And the Cubs social media hashtag and marketing slogan for 2026 was unveiled: #This

THIS. pic.twitter.com/SDzDLlwsIo

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) February 16, 2026

The Cubs have used a lot of different social media hashtags over the years. You can see all of them for the last decade or so courtesy of Six Point Sports below:

What's the BEST Cubs slogan over the years? pic.twitter.com/8YUE53kO2q

— Six Point Sports (@SixPointSports) February 16, 2026

There were fans who seemed enthusiastic about the new slogan, including a well known shirt brand:

I love THIS. A+, Hired. So many shirt ideas. Call me, Cubs. You can have them. https://t.co/wHV8eNZj64

— OBVIOUS SHIRTS® (@obvious_shirts) February 17, 2026

However, a lot of fans had questions on social media yesterday as fans frankly asked, what is #this?

Fans from other teams immediately pointed out the potential double-edged sword #this could become:

https://t.co/cMNpEqbbF3pic.twitter.com/xXRSD6AHX3

— Cam Collier Truther (@CCollierBurner) February 16, 2026

It wasn’t just fans from other teams, however. You may remember a similar dynamic emerging pretty quickly during the #ThatsCub run in 2017. Cubs Insider recognized this dynamic right away:

Can’t wait to use this slogan daily. For good or for bad https://t.co/CoJNyFB2CW

— Cubs Insider (@realcubsinsider) February 17, 2026

There were quite a few criticisms from inside the house:

"So what's your new marketing campaign, Cubs?"
"This is." pic.twitter.com/zh3ZC8aIw7

— Mikey G ⚾🏈 (@ohgreatitsmike) February 17, 2026

https://t.co/jgx7F67ZA3pic.twitter.com/60TWYpZbzm

— Mike Praznowski (@PrazMaster) February 16, 2026

So what say you, Cubs fans? Vote in the poll and let us know more about what you think of the 2026 slogan #This in the comments.

Red Sox infield preview: Can Contreras replace Bregman's production? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox infield will look much different in 2026.

Veteran third baseman Alex Bregman was a one-and-done in Boston as he left for the Chicago Cubs in free agency. He’ll likely be replaced at the hot corner by either Marcelo Mayer or newcomer Caleb Durbin.

First baseman Willson Contreras and utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa have also entered the equation. The Red Sox traded for Contreras to address their need for a right-handed bat, and later signed Kiner-Falefa as a versatile infield depth option.

Boston will need its infield defense to improve next season, because the revamped starting rotation includes multiple pitchers who depend on getting ground-ball outs. Contreras and Kiner-Falefa should help in that department.

Here’s a closer look at the Red Sox’ infield situation for 2026:

Willson Contreras, 1B

2025 stats: .257/.344/.447, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 142 SO, 44 BB (135 games)

Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

The Red Sox entered the offseason needing a right-handed bat, and they got one by acquiring Contreras in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. The issue is that they also lost their biggest right-handed bat in Alex Bregman.

As a result, Contreras will be counted on to replace Bregman’s offensive production. It’s a tall task, but one that the 33-year-old is capable of completing.

Contreras had two more homers and 18 more RBI than Bregman last season, albeit in 21 more games. His OPS (.791) wasn’t much lower than Bregman’s (.821).

The big difference between the two is their strikeout rates. Contreras struck out 25.2 percent of the time last season, while Bregman K’d in only 14.1 percent of his plate appearances. Bregman’s bat-to-ball skills are far superior.

Defensively, Contreras should be a significant upgrade over the options Boston has had in recent seasons. He ranked fourth among all first basemen last season with six Outs Above Average.

Trevor Story, SS

2025 stats: .263/.308/.433, 25 HR, 96 RBI, 176 SO, 33 BB (157 games)

David Butler II-Imagn Images

In 2025, Story bounced back from another injury-plagued campaign with his best Red Sox season yet. The 33-year-old played in 157 games — tying a career-high — and led the club in hits (161), runs scored (91), homers (25), RBI (96), and stolen bases (31).

He’ll be leaned on heavily again in 2026. By letting Bregman walk in free agency, Boston put pressure on Contreras and Story to deliver as the team’s two biggest right-handed bats. It’ll be a massive blow to the lineup if Story struggles to stay healthy.

It’ll be interesting to see whether the Red Sox move Story to second base at some point in 2026. Story’s defense was well below average last season, and there’s little doubt that former top prospect Marcelo Mayer would be an upgrade at the position.

Marcelo Mayer, 2B/3B

2025 stats: .228/.272/.402, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 41 SO, 8 BB (44 games)

Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Mayer’s much-anticipated rookie season ended prematurely as he underwent wrist surgery in August. It marked the third consecutive year that the former top Red Sox prospect suffered a season-ending injury.

Health and struggles against left-handed pitching are the top two concerns for Mayer heading into the 2026 campaign. The 23-year-old went 4-for-26 (.154) with a .416 OPS and 10 strikeouts against LHP.

Mayer’s issues against southpaws persisted throughout his minor-league career, so it’s no surprise that they continued in the majors. But as a former No. 4 overall pick who is believed to have an All-Star ceiling, he’ll be expected to take a noticeable step forward next season.

Where Mayer excelled as a rookie was defensively at second and third base. His above-average glove will be a huge plus for a Red Sox club that needs more consistency out of its infield defense, especially with a pitching staff that will induce a ton of ground balls.

Caleb Durbin, 2B/3B

2025 stats: .256/.334/.387, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 50 SO, 30 BB (136 games)

Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

In need of another starting infielder after losing Bregman, the Red Sox acquired Durbin in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The soon-to-be 26-year-old spent most of his time at third base for Milwaukee last season, but he could play second for Boston with Mayer at the hot corner.

Durbin finished third in the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year voting after amassing a 2.8 WAR in 136 games. He was a league-average hitter, though he provided value with his advanced bat-to-ball skills. He boasted an elite strikeout rate of 9.9 percent, but he ranked near the bottom of the league in hard-hit percentage (26.9) and average exit velocity (85.2).

Boston’s lineup features several players who strike out a ton, so Durbin’s plate discipline will be a breath of fresh air. His defensive versatility will also be useful this upcoming season.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, UTIL

2025 stats: .262/.297/.334, 2 HR, 40 RBI, 77 SO, 17 BB (138 games)

Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

The Red Sox signed Kiner-Falefa to a one-year, $6 million deal in free agency. The 30-year-old is a glove-first utility player who has played every position except first base in his eight-year MLB career.

With Boston, Kiner-Falefa will be leaned on as a versatile defender off the bench. He won’t be expected to do anything special at the plate as he has always been a below-average hitter.

Kiner-Falefa has earned a reputation as a clubhouse leader. Perhaps he’ll help fill the leadership void left by the departures of veterans Bregman and Rob Refsnyder.

Romy Gonzalez, UTIL

2025 stats: .305/.343/.483, 9 HR, 53 RBI, 81 SO, 18 BB (96 games)

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Gonzalez has played a key role for the Red Sox as a utility infielder who mashes left-handed pitching. He’s expected to reprise that role in 2026, though he may not be ready for Opening Day due to a shoulder injury he suffered at the end of the 2025 season. Manager Alex Cora recently announced that Gonzalez is currently shut down from all baseball activities except for playing catch.

If and when Gonzalez returns to the lineup, Cora will continue to lean on him against lefties. We could see a Mayer/Gonzalez platoon at second base if Mayer’s woes against LHP persist.

Nick Sogard, UTIL

2025 stats: .260/.317/.344, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 24 SO, 5 BB (30 games)

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Sogard has been a solid utility player for the Red Sox over the last two years, and he could have a bigger role in 2026 if Gonzalez misses time. He doesn’t offer much upside at the plate, but he is capable of playing every infield spot and also made a few appearances in right field last year.

Triston Casas, 1B

2025 stats: .182/.277/.303, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 27 SO, 11 BB (29 games)

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

It won’t be an easy road back to Boston for Casas, whose 2025 season ended in May after he suffered a ruptured patellar tendon. Even if he’s fully healthy, he’ll likely be eased back into action with a minor-league stint before the Red Sox consider calling him back up to the big-league roster.

The question is, where does Casas fit on this year’s Red Sox club? Contreras is expected to be the everyday first baseman, and the team already has multiple DHs. Casas doesn’t currently have a clear path to consistent playing time, but Boston will have to find some way to fit him into the puzzle if he shows the power that once helped make him the top prospect in the organization.

Catchers – Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Red Sox will roll with the same catching tandem in 2026: Narvaez as the primary backstop and Wong as the No. 2.

Narvaez far exceeded expectations last year in his first season with Boston. The 27-year-old was among MLB’s best defensive catchers, ranking near the top of the league in caught stealing above average, blocks above average, pop time, and framing. He was also a pleasant surprise at the plate, belting 15 homers and amassing a solid .726 OPS in 118 games.

Wong quickly lost his starting job to Narvaez in what was an abysmal season for the 29-year-old. It took him until June 23 to earn his first RBI of the year, and he also had his worst season yet as a defensive backstop. He’ll look to bounce back and take pressure off Narvaez, who was clearly affected by his heavy workload down the stretch in 2025.

Tommy Nancy is a 34-year-old (35 in March), right-handed reliever, from Long Beach, California. He was undrafted (is that a word?), and signed as an amateur free agent in 2016 by the Cubs, after playing in an independent league in 2015.

He had a rather slow climb up the minors. When you are undrafted, you have to prove yourself every step of the way. He missed the 2017 season with a shoulder nerve injury, and then the 2020 season because COVID-19 led to its cancellation.

Tommy made it to the majors in 2021, pitching in 27 games and posting a 7.22 ERA. Before the 2022 season, he was taken by the Marlins off waivers. He pitched in 35 games for them with a 4.33 ERA. From there, he went to the Padres as a free agent and then, in August of 2024, the Jays traded (bought?) Nance for cash.

He is out of options.

Tommy pitched in 20 games for us in 2024, with a 4.09 ERA. At the start of the 2025 season, the Jays DFAed him, but he stayed in the organization.

Then, in late July, Nance was called up again and stayed up with the team the rest of the way. He ended up pitching in 30 games, in half the season, with a 1.99 ERA. Batters hit .214/.262/.231 against him, with 5 holds. He moved up to pitch in higher-leverage spots as the season went on. I don’t know if there was a pitching coach that unlocked something, or it was just a run of good pitching, but he was pretty amazing.

Unfortunately, he had a rough couple of outings in the ALDS against the Yankees.

He threw three pitches:

• A slider, 43.0% of the time.
• A curve, 29.2% of the time.
• A Sinker, 27.8% of the time, 94.5 mph.

Nance got a lot of ground balls, 52.9% ground ball rate, which, considering our infield defense should be even better this year, is a very good thing.

Spring Training will be interesting. We have 11 or so relievers, all trying for 8 spots. Hoffman, Garcia, Rogers, Varland, Little, Fisher, and Fluharty all, at least in my mind, are very likely to make the team. If Lauer is pitching out of the pen, that would be 8 spots. But then injuries tend to happen in spring training.

And then there is Miles, Lee, and Bastardo.

Steamer thinks he’ll pitch in 58 games with a 3.80 ERA

The buzz has begun for the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic, which is scheduled to start March 5 and end March 17 in Miami.

The tournament features stacked rosters and international bragging rights. One MLB superstar believes his country, the Dominican Republic, is going to win it all, and he has some words for reigning champion Team Japan.

Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. will make his debut in the WBC when he steps on the diamond alongside his father, Fernando Tatis Sr., in a couple weeks.

Tatis Sr. serves as the team’s hitting coach under manager Albert Pujols. During his first conversation with reporters Tuesday, Tatis Jr. spoke about his dream of playing for his country in the WBC — where he joins Juan Soto, Manny Machado and a constellation of other Caribbean stars in a bid for global glory.

“It’s definitely what you dream about as a kid. I’ve always wanted to do it. This came at the right time. I’m really happy it’s going to happen. It’s going to be a beautiful experience.”

When asked about facing Japan’s powerhouse team — laced with Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and his Padres teammate Yuki Matsui — he didn’t flinch:

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

“They’re nasty, but we’re going to beat them.”

If confidence were a currency, the Dominican Republic might just be the richest team in the Classic. With history beckoning and legacy on the line, Tatis Jr. isn’t just playing for a flag — he’s playing to immortalize a father-son chapter in baseball lore. It’s Dominican baseball with a pulse, a heritage-heavy heartbeat that could very well carry them all the way to glory.

‘There’s a lot of great competition, but I’m looking forward to facing that competition and coming out on top.”

PHOENIX — Brusdar Graterol’s return to the mound will have to wait a little longer.

After missing all of last season recovering from a shoulder surgery, the hard-throwing Dodgers reliever is not expected to be ready for Opening Day this year, manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday.

Though Graterol came into spring training hopeful of returning for the start of the new season, Roberts said the right-hander will be on a slower progression as he ramps up in the coming weeks, after he struggled to dial up his velocity in some early throwing session in camp.

“With Brusdar, he’s shown that we can count on him when he’s needed in the biggest of spots,” Roberts said. “We just got to get him back up to that velocity. It’s an intentionally slow build-up.”

Graterol — who has a 2.78 career ERA — becomes the Dodgers’ latest right-handed reliever expected to be sidelined at the beginning of the year.

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

Brock Stewart is still working his way back from a shoulder surgery he underwent in September. Evan Phillips isn’t expected back until midseason as he completes his recovery from last year’s Tommy John surgery.

Their absences could create opportunities for younger right-handers including Will Klein and Edgardo Henriquez, who are trying to parlay their success in last year’s playoffs into more permanent roles in the team’s big-league bullpen.

Instead of sharing that Jurrangelo Cjintje lost the head-to-head vote to Quinn Mathews for the #5 prospect during our regularly scheduled programming (tomorrow), I figured it was more appropriate to have its own official post. There was an interesting quandary posted in the comments that was not a quandary at all as it turns out. There was a belief that Cjintje could have plausibly lost to Joshua Baez but would have beat Mathews. But no, the prospect order was seemingly confirmed when Cjintje beat Baez and then lost to Mathews. The order as it stands now:

1. JJ Wetherholt
2. Liam Doyle
3. Rainiel Rodriguez
4. Quinn Mathews
5. Jurrangelo Cjintje
6. Joshua Baez
7. Leonardo Bernal
8. Jimmy Crooks
9. Brandon Clarke
10. Tink Hence
11. Tekoah Roby

The 12th prospect gets revealed tomorrow, although it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to figure out who that is if you really wanted to know right this minute. And hey while you’re here, I might as well get some use out of this post and run another comparable player poll, which I technically lost when Cjintje was automatically placed in the top 7 without ever going on the vote.

Comparable Player Poll #1

One of the appeals of making this its own post, quite frankly, was being able to run a couple extra of these. When Cjintje got added to the top 7 without ever going into the main vote, I lost a comparable player poll. And since this is such an exceptionally short post and you’re already here, help me separate seemingly indistinguishable prospects who may or may not get added to the voting, but at least shortening my options from 3 to 1 would help a lot. The first of these will be simple: pick the best of the 2025 trade deadline pickups:

Nate Dohm, 23 – RHP

Low A: 7 GS, 28.1 IP, 27.9 K%, 8.2 BB%, 43.4 GB%, .351 BABIP, 3.18 ERA/2.66 FIP/3.14 xFIP

High A: 15 GS, 46.2 IP, 27.9 K%, 10.9 GB%, 39 GB%, .289 BABIP, 3.28 ERA/4.28 FIP/3.52 xFIP

Scouting (FG): 50/60 Fastball, 45/50 Slider, 30/50 Command

Frank Ellisalt, 24 – RHP

Low A: 18 G (7 GS), 50.2 IP, 28.4 K%, 10.4 BB%, 30.2 GB%, .222 BABIP, 3.02 ERA/3.69 FIP/3.64 xFIP

High A: 6 (3 GS), 15.1 IP, 22.2 K%, 12.7 BB%, 35 GB%, .282 BABIP, 4.70 ERA/4.18 FIP/4.26 xFIP

Scouting: 55/60 Fastball, 50/60 Slider, 30/40 Change, 30/40 Command

Mason Molina, 22 – LHP

Low A: 11 GS, 46.2 IP, 32.3 K%, 8.3 BB%, 43.6 GB%, .298 BABIP, 3.86 ERA/3.87 FIP/2.94 xFIP

High A: 11 GS, 49 IP, 28.1 K%, 13.3 BB%, 36.5 GB%, .270 BABIP, 2.39 ERA/3.38 FIP/4.03 xFIP

Scouting: 45/50 Fastball, 40/45 Slider, 35/40 Curve, 50/55 Change, 30/40 Command

No mini-profiles here, just the stats and the scouting.

VOTE HERE

Comparable Player Poll #2

Kind of weird comparison honestly, but today we are looking at two recently recovering from Tommy John pitchers with not much of a sample size and a recent draft pick with zero sample size. I wanted all of them in a poll at some point, and honestly, comparing three guys with very little sample to work with makes sense to me. As such I don’t think listing the stats is particularly useful. Here’s a spoiler: the Tommy John guys struck out a lot of guys but also walked a lot of guys.

Cade Crossland was the 2025 3rd round draft choice out of Oklahoma. He is left-handed and had in my opinion a bit of a confusing stat line last season. Playing in the SEC, he struck out a good number of batters, walked a bit too many but nothing too bad and…. allowed a lot of runners to score. He is an underlying metrics + scouting the stuff bet I would guess.

Andrew Dutkanych IV was the 7th rounder from the 2024 draft who was drafted after having already gotten Tommy John, with a gamble on grabbing a higher round talent who was available lower because of his injury. He threw 17 total innings and finished the year in Low A.

Jacob Odle was a 14th round pick from the 2023 draft who needed Tommy John after getting drafted and thus missed all of 2024. On the bright side, he threw 51 innings last season including 43 in Low A. He averaged a bit more than 3 innings per start.

All three are 22-years-old, so age is not a separator.

VOTE HERE

That’s all I have for you. The #12 prospect will be revealed tomorrow and so will the chance to vote on 13th best prospect.

Today we look at the Cubs’ younger right-handed swingman.

The Cubs have restocked the bullpen and added a starter. So far, we’ve covered the starting five and the entire batting/fielding group (as it stands). We’ll look at the additional starter candidates and the bullpen in alphabetical order, which means that the roster will consist of Assad, Brown, Harvey, Hodge, Hollowell, Little, Martin, Maton, Milner, Neely, Palencia, Ray, Roberts, Rolison, Thielbar, Webb, Wicks. We’ll skip Miller and Steele until they are activated.

Javier Eduardo Assad was born July 30, 1997 in Tijuana, Mexico. He’s 18-12 lifetime, 3.43 ERA in 78 games, 54 of which were starts, over a four-year period. When he isn’t starting, he’s a long reliever. He’s fine in either role — I don’t think he gets enough respect, honestly. He started 29 games in 2024, his best overall and most complete season, and then got hurt, suffering a Grade 2 left oblique strain in Spring Training which bit him twice, aborting a first comeback attempt.

He seems fine now, is playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, and is said to be focused on his health.

His health willing, Assad will probably make the cut in the spring and travel north. He’s more or less on a plain with Colin Rea as a swingman, and there’s no reason not to keep both unless they lay eggs in Mesa.

He’s amassed a career 5.1 bWAR (2.7 fWAR), and is an injury away from the rotation.

We’ll see you tomorrow with a few words about Ben Brown.