NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 26: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees hits a two run home run in the third inning against Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles during their game at Yankee Stadium on September 26, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After finishing last in the AL East division in 2025, this offseason the Orioles have set to work re-building. They added power to the lineup in the form of Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward, a lockdown ninth inning in closer Ryan Helsley, and two starter signings, Shane Baz and Zach Eflin, to steady the rotation, although many feel they’re still missing an ace.
But how do these moves stack up with the rest of the competition? The AL East is always a behemoth, and several competitors have made noteworthy moves.
NYY: Last season, the Yankees finished 94-68 and lost to Toronto in the ALDS. This offseason, they re-signed Cody Bellinger and brought back Trent Grisham, plus they’ve got closer David Bednar solidifying their bullpen after last year’s trade deadline pickup.
TOR: The Blue Jays made it to the World Series and missed a championship by inches. Since then, they’ve loaded up on pitching with Dylan Cease (seven years, $210 million), Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers, and they also added power in the form of slugger Kazuma Okamoto.
BOS: After finishing third in the division last year, the Red Sox have gone big on pitching, signing Ranger Suárez to a five-year, $130 million deal and trading for Sonny Gray to pair with Garrett Crochet.
TBR: Tampa Bay finished in fourth place last season, two games ahead of the Orioles, and they’ve made a lot of minor moves this offseason. They shipped out starter Shane Baz to the Orioles for four prospects, unloaded second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and lefty reliever Mason Montgomery, traded outfielder Josh Lowe to the Angels and acquired second baseman Gavin Lux from the Reds in a three-team swap, along with veteran outfielders Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley and left-hander Steven Matz.
So where do the O’s slot in in this group? I’d say third feels about right to me—good enough for a wild card push, but trailing the loaded Blue Jays and steady Yankees. Then again, maybe Alonso mashes 45 homers and the rotation exceeds expectations.
What’s your ranking, Camden Chat? Tell us in the comments.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves runs to first base after hitting a two-run homer to score himself and Matt Olson in the first inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on September 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is some video out there of Ronald Acuña playing second base. There’s also footage of Acuña crushing a pitch while swinging left handed. How bananas would it be to see him play 162 games as a switch-hitting second baseman? Ivan ran the numbers, and he said that he would be worth approximately 3700 WAR doing that in 2026. Honestly, right field and designated hitter is fine, Ronnie. Please take care of that lower body.
Spring Training is the time of year to see players trying out some different things. So which Braves players will play out of position this Spring? I would be curious to see Eli White playing some second base. I don’t think they see him as an infielder, but he might have to play there to make it as the last or second to last guy on the bench. There might be some center field in the future for John Gil. I don’t if we’ll see it this early in his career, though.
Jun 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second base Nolan Gorman (16) celebrates his home run with shortstop Masyn Winn (0) against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
It happened. It stinks, but it happened. The St. Louis Cardinals are in full rebuild (as evidenced by FanDuel’s 69.5 win total), but that reality has sunk in enough that fans seem to embrace the idea of growing pains with the young, but talented roster.
With the trade of Brendan Donovan, who it looked like was going to be heading to Jupiter with the team before the three-team deal with the Mariners, the Cardinals projected starting lineup has a total of three hitters over the age of 27, with one of them being the oft and currently injured Lars Nootbaar. That leaves Alec Burleson and Pedro Pages as the elders of the clubhouse as the team searches for their next leader on and off the field. Burly and Pages both have just over three years of MLB experience, so the team that we see taking the field at Busch next year will likely be learning the big league game together. Now that Donnie is in Seattle and the roster is complete outside of the rumored righty power outfielder, it seems like a fair time to see how that trade impacts the lineup to start the 2026 season. In case you missed it, I had Redbird Farmhands and Aidan Gray from Redbirds on the Arch, as well as Tampa Bay Rays contributor Roman Rodriguez on my podcast to discuss the trade from those sides.
Who’s on second? And third? And DHing? And playing the outfield? All questions the Cardinals must answer in 2026
According to FanGraphs, the starting nine for the Cardinals are 28-years-old or under, with Lars Nootbaar being the eldest of the group. The outfielder’s health is a problem of its own, but I guess until we hear any update on his health, we have to trust Bloom and expect that Noot will be healthy and at the top of the order. Interestingly, this FanGraphs projection also points out how the entire lineup consists of homegrown talent, with five of the nine starters being selected in the first and second round. For as much grief as Mozeliak gets, that entire projected lineup was acquired during his reign, and its not like these players are bottom of the barrel major leaguers. The vast majority of them, if not all, would be likely find a major league taker if the Cardinals were to simply cut these players loose like certain Cardinals “fan” social media accounts imply.
So with the departures of lineup fixtures Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras, what does the Cardinals Opening Day lineup look like as of early February? This is probably easier to predict the players involved than it is to guess the starting five in the rotation at this moment, but the order in which these players hit is likely to be up for conversation for much of the season’s first half. The FanGraphs projection has Pedro Pages starting at catcher with Ivan Herrera at DH. While I think this could be a real possibility at some point during the year, I think it is more likely that Oli Marmol will stick to his word and allow Herrera the chance to start 3-4 times per week at the start of the season.
The other defensive question comes at second and third base, with each of Nolan Gorman and Rookie of the Year co-favorite JJ Wetherholt as the likeliest outcomes at those spots. Where they spend most of their time will again be a talking point, but it seems like Wetherholt has been spending most of his time, as well as being most comfortable, at second base. Hopefully, the Cardinals will not want to tweak with position alignment too much in Wetherholt’s rookie season, as we have seen what learning new positions in the bigs as well as adjusting to major league pitching at the same time can do to the beginning of a career. Because of this, Gorman will probably switch back to his natural spot at the hot corner, despite below-average marks there after bouncing back to third base at times last season.
Speaking of positions, I get irked at times when people just suggest that so and so should try the outfield or first base. While it is likely that these high level athletes can handle it, I see too many suggestions in-season for someone like Herrera to “try first base” while having a total of six appearances at any level at the position. I do believe that he is athletic enough to figure out how to play first, or even be a potential fit in the outfield, but again, we need to remain focused on one thing at a time and right now, I see that primary focus as offensive production for basically every person in the order.
The adoption of the designated hitter by the NL on a full-time basis was one I was against for the majority of my baseball life, but as I got older and the game changed, whether we like it or not, getting rid of pitchers (like myself) at the plate made the most sense for the league. What I have found interesting, though, is that the days of the big, beefy, bomber at DH seems to be gone and the NL has been slower to adopt to the DH spot being a position for homers and/or extending careers of those power hitters. According to FanGraphs sortable DH data from 2022 through the 2025 season, nine of the top 15 teams are AL teams when sorted by offensive value, because somehow defensive value is a DH measure available on the site.
Of the six NL teams cracking the top half, all six have been in the playoffs since the adoption of the DH, but the drop off in value from the top five to the next 10 is exponentially greater. For example, the Phillies rank 4th with a 131.2 value, while the Cardinals come in at 13th with a 32.1 value. The other three at the top are Yankees (261.6), Dodgers (171.6), and Astros (143.1). The Cardinals have not settled on one player being the everyday DH, typically using a rotation for players to get half days off. Personally, I think that they could have (the options are limited now), used the DH spot to invest in a Kyle Schwarber-lite and find someone who can hit 30+ homers to actually inject some life into the lineup while not blocking youngsters on the defensive side.
Back to the lineup. With Donnie gone, we can change our pencil to erasable pen that Wetherholt will be ticketed for St. Louis out of Spring Training. I fully expect him to break camp with the team, but I also want to be fair to him, the organization, and make sure to not get too far ahead like we did for Walker, Scott, Carlson, and so on, and so on…
The leadoff spot will be up for grabs if Nootbaar is not ready for the opener, and the in-house options look like Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II as the table setter. VSII has the gamebreaking speed to cause chaos, as long as he can fine tune his approach to get on base more often in 2026. He has spent nearly his entire major league career sitting in the ninth spot, the other, and potentially more likely outcome for Scott. Winn has been the leadoff man in 112 of his 316 games, with 62 games in the second spot, and another 61 hitting ninth. So far, hitting first has been a struggle for Winn due to his aggressiveness at the plate, but his refined approach, maturity, and health could make him an electric player to start the offense for the Cardinals. He has shown more patience in the minors, but asking for a walk rate approaching 10% may be a difficult task for Winn, and I would personally rather have him swing away than be passive at the plate because I believe he has some more power and speed potential that he is still hoping to unlock. I did see Wetherholt mentioned as possible in the comments, but I would be surprised if his debut season was spent at the top of the order until he proves himself at the big league level.
Two through four are going to be the engine of the order, just like most quality teams. In some order, I would expect Ivan Herrera, Alec Burleson, and then my pick to click for this year, Nolan Gorman. I understand those that have jumped off the Gorm train years ago, as I have been close, but I think this year is truly the season the organization learns who he will be. Yes, Gorman has the second-most career at-bats on the roster, but those 1500+ appearances have been unevenly spread over four strange seasons for the infielder. The pop is there in potential for all three of these middle of the order players, but we have yet to see sustained power numbers that could make the trio push for 90+ homers on the year. If we can approach that (75-80 this year), much of my offseason negativity towards the lack of home runs the Cardinals have had in their lineup for much of the 2020s, where they are 21st in homers and 16th in slug.
The bottom-third of the order is where we will probably have to wait and see Wetherholt, and with Marmol’s desire to go lefty/righty, his spot could be determined by wherever Burleson and Gorman end up. If Burly or Gorm end up hitting fourth over Herrera, we could see Wetherholt pushed down to sixth for whoever fills the DH spot, assuming Herrera is slotting in behind the plate. The lack of answer at DH could be a reason why Marmol would hesitate to start the Panamanian at catcher regularly, especially with Pedro Pages available to handle the pitching staff albeit with a needed progression on offense. That will be a probable outcome when Herrera needs a day or struggles defensively, but until then, we might see a mix of Gorman, Thomas Saggese, and Jose Fermin mixing in as the full-time hitter. Both Saggese and Fermin offer positional versatility, so they could also give Gorm and/or Wetherholt a needed day in the field and swap spots. Neither player, though, possesses the power potential expected from a DH, but both profile strong enough offensively to work their way into regular at-bats in this season of evaluation.
If Noot is healthy, this is also where Masyn Winn can slot in. As a six or seven hitter, Winn could find a way to tap into his offensive potential if the guys in front of him do their job. There will absolutely be extended period of lineup growing pains this season, but from watching the team nearly everyday, I feel like the lineup could be an underrated part of the Cardinals, while understanding that the low expectations is due to the overall lack of experience and production to this point. I believe, that a year of seasoning for the other nine in the lineup around Wetherholt, we have the potential of seeing leaps across the order, including who I see hitting eighth in Jordan Walker.
Had Bloom made good on his wishlist of wanting a power righty in the outfield, that could have spelled more trouble for Walker than Noot or Scott. As things stand, though, everyday right fielder makes the most sense, like it or not, for Walker and the Cardinals. Because of his mismanagement to start his career, Walker has just one minor league option season remaining and I would be shocked if the Cardinals burned that option in a year meant for runway and opportunity. As is the case in most offseasons, we have heard positive reviews on Walker’s work ethic and his positivity that he is going to turn a corner in 2026. If he is able to match the ZiPS projections set for him by Dan Szymborski, Walker would put up a .232 batting average with 14 homers and a much reduced K-rate. According to the site, this would put Walker at an 88 wRC+ for the season, still below-average but a massive jump from his bummer 66 wRC+ he put up last season. That type of production, along with gains in the stolen base and fielding departments, would do well for Walker’s confidence and future in the league.
The rest of the lineup could set up Victor Scott II in the nine hole, unless he gets a shot to prove his value at the top of the order sans Noot. We have heard about the adjustments he has made to his offensive approach, and hopefully those show up in the box score. Scott has set his goal at 70 stolen bases this season, but he needs to find ways to get on base more consistently for that to happen. With him hitting ninth with a walk or single having the potential to turn into a double really quickly, his presence anywhere in the order could do a lot to get the offense moving.
At this point, the starting nine looks mostly set with defensive alignment and slots in the order left to be settled upon. Heading into Spring Training, I admit that I’ll be more focused on the games than I have in the past with a lineup that had veterans entrenched into positions or a roster without much turnover. The pitching may be the ultimate competition in Jupiter, but the lineup construction will be an extensive story that likely won’t be settled upon when the team heads north.
SELF PROMO OF THE WEEK
I already linked the Cardinals on My Time where I spoke with the fellas from Redbirds on the Arch and Roman, the Tampa Bay Rays contributor. For those that followed COMT on your podcast platform of choice, I have merged with Redbird Rundown so all future pods will be posted there. Link to RR Spotify.
This week’s Random Cardinal of the Week featured the pitcher who threw the last no-hitter for St. Louis. I know this audience knows that without researching, but he is pretty random.
Finally, Redbird Rundown discussed the Donovan trade, Cardinals TV (where I go off on National broadcasts and MLB layoffs), and a short segment during February pointing out lesser known Black Cardinals during Black History Month. This goes live at 6pm on YouTube and audio.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 04: Mark Canha #19, Terrance Gore #4 and Tyler Naquin #25 of the New York Mets celebrate the win over the Washington Nationals during game two of a double header at Citi Field on October 04, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The New York Mets defeated the Washington Nationals 8-0. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Anthony DiComo of MLB.com ran down the Mets’ biggest questions heading into spring training, including whether Carson Benge will break camp.
Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes were among the pitchers to throw batting practice in yesterday’s workout at Port St. Lucie.
Around the National League East
The Phillies signed free agent reliever Lou Trivino to a minor league deal.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Hurston Waldrep had his jersey retired Friday night at his alma mater Thomasville High School.
Mark Bowman gave his thoughts about seven Braves players and what their 2026 seasons may look like.
Around Major League Baseball
Former major league outfielder and stolen base specialist Terrance Gore tragically passed away at the age of 34, we learned yesterday. Gore was a member of the back-to-back AL champion and 2015 World Series champion Kansas City Royals, as well as a member of the 2022 Mets, who were the final team he played for in his eight-season big league career.
José Ramos is likely to begin 2026 in Triple-A Syracuse, but he may have a role to play on the team this season given the Mets’ thin outfield depth, wrote Chris McShane in the season preview for the 25-year-old.
This Date in Mets History
On this date in 1994, the Mets signed Rey Ordóñez. He went on to win three consecutive Gold Gloves from 1997 to 1999.
The White Sox may not have a seat at the adults’ table when it comes to offseason trades or signings, but GM Chris Getz has been active. The coaching staff was revamped and front office bolstered. And the discount shopping and bottom-feeding that have become trademarks of 2020s Jerry Reinsdorf clubs has continued.
To what end, however? Is Getz merely shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic, or building a team not just pointed to the future but possibly able to surprise the AL Central this summer?
Seemingly there are more, and better, major-leaguers on the roster heading into 2026 as opposed to one year ago. But looking at the roster position-by-position, the improvement could be less concrete and more mirage; entire chunks of the roster (outfield, pitching) might be taking a step back in 2026.
Has Getz done enough — or is this just another season of have-not White Sox fans watching the haves feast?
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 21: Kyle Bradish #38 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the first inning during a baseball game against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 21, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
There are now 46 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. Much closer than that is when WBC pitchers and catchers will report, because that’s tomorrow. It is, famously, only a day away.
If you are still wondering whether the Orioles have another starting pitching move in them before this season begins, so are pretty much all of the professionals. As you’ll see in today’s stories below, there is a lot of thinking about the rotation. It’s not much of a surprise. This is the thing everyone has been wondering about all offseason and it’s still a big question mark. Is getting Shane Baz and reuniting with Zach Eflin going to be enough? It’s fair to wonder!
Framber Valdez being signed and officially clearing away the top of the starting pitching market has not resulted in any movement among pitchers who are going to sign for less money. Take your pick out of Chris Bassitt, Zac Gallen, Lucas Giolito, and Justin Verlander. Or if you’re like me, don’t take your pick out of them. Unless there’s an injury we don’t know about, I’ll take my chances with who is here already.
Probably it would have been better to sign one of the above guys than Zach Eflin, but Mike Elias had other ideas on how to best build the rotation for this year. He’s made some savvy moves in his time but there are also times where he does something where just about any idiot could figure that’s not going to work out and sure enough, it doesn’t work out. We’ll see which of these categories the reunion with Eflin fits into.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
Position preview: Will Orioles starting rotation get one more splash? (The Baltimore Sun) The question remains even now that Framber Valdez has been gone for a few days. Are they going to do something now that they’ve missed out on all the big free agents? The answer is no until it suddenly changes to yes.
Five key topics to follow as Orioles head to camp (Orioles.com) Beat writer Jake Rill’s first question is in the same vein as the previous: Is the rotation mix finalized? What happens with Ryan Mountcastle and Coby Mayo is also a question.
Shane Baz is an increasingly important part of the Orioles rotation (The Baltimore Banner) It is not reassuring to have this written about a guy who had a 4.87 ERA last year. A lot is riding on that disastrous home split getting resolved by getting out of a weird minor league stadium.
Orioles beat Keegan Akin in arbitration case (ESPN) Akin is set for a $2,975,000 salary instead of the $3,375,000 for which he argued. You may be among those Orioles fans who are not particularly interested in seeing him on the roster at any price.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 2008, the Orioles traded Erik Bedard to the Mariners for five players. Adam Jones was the fantastic find in the trade, as he went on to be a great Oriole. Chris Tillman had some good years here as well, and George Sherrill made an impression before being traded as well. Bedard put up 3.1 bWAR with the Mariners in the years of control that Seattle acquired.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2009-11 outfielder Félix Pie, 1974 infielder Bob Oliver, and 1955-56 outfielder Hoot Evers.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: mathematician Daniel Bernoulli (1700), author Jules Verne (1828), chemist Dmitri Mendeleev (1834), actor James Dean (1931), actor Seth Green (1974), actress Cecily Strong (1984), and surfer Bethany Hamilton (1990).
On this day in history…
In 1837, the Senate selected Richard Johnson as a vice president to President Martin Van Buren. This is the only time the Constitutional provision for the Senate to choose a vice president has been employed.
In 1904, a Japanese assault against the Russian forces controlling Port Arthur marked the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War, a conflict ultimately won decisively by Japan, to the shock of many in Europe.
In 1960, Hollywood’s Walk of Fame was inaugurated. The first star actually placed the following month belonged to Stanley Kramer, with nearly 1,500 being placed in the first year of existence.
A random Orioles trivia question
I received a little book of Orioles trivia questions for Christmas. I’ll ask a question each time it’s my turn in this space until I either forget or run out of questions. My book has multiple choice answers, but you don’t get those because it would just be too easy.
Which player led the 1970 World Series champion Orioles in batting average during the regular season?(300 PA minimum)
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on February 8. Have a safe Sunday.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Roki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after pitching the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Super Bowl Sunday, bringing an end to another exciting football season and leaving a small gap between the end of the NFL season and the beginning of spring training.
As the Dodgers prepare to once again defend their title, they do so without a concrete plan for the starting rotation. While the quartet of All-Stars remains a fixture, the final one to two spots are seemingly up for grabs, and one pitcher looking to make an impact as a starter will be Roki Sasaki.
Sasaki’s first season in the big leagues was a mixed bag, scuffling through eight starts before landing on the injured list. Once he came back in late September, he became the Dodgers’ go-to bullpen option late in postseason games as a dynamic force in relief.
For Sasaki to truly get his shot as a starter, Dave Roberts insisted that Sasaki develop an effective third pitch to compliment his fastball and splitter, as Dylan Hernandez of the California Post notes that the right-hander has been working on incorporating a cutter and a two-seamer.
“For me,” Roberts said, “he needs to develop a third pitch.”
In response to this, Sasaki said today that he is working on a cutter and two-seamer. https://t.co/mVr7Rw8dUX
With just five days until pitchers and catchers report to Camelback Ranch, Sasaki posted a video to his Instagram of himself warming up on the mound of the University of Arizona’s baseball field.
Links
Manny Randhawa of MLB.com writes about former Dodgers second baseman Steve Sax’s collaboration with sports artist Opie Otterstad, and how they both have found a way to honor Sax’s late son, John, through digitized art.
“The NFT has what’s called a utility attached to it,” Steve said. “And that utility is that everybody who owns one, we’re going to become a team. And every year, we’re going to have an event where we all get together and everyone’s going to give their input on what we should do the next year to raise money for the foundation… This is how we can honor my son,” Steve said. “And that is so important to me.”
Former outfielder Terrance Gore passed away on Saturday at the age of 34. The speedster appeared in a combined 112 regular season games across parts of eight regular seasons, helping win titles with the Kansas City Royals in 2015, the Dodgers in 2020 and the Atlanta Braves in 2021. Former Royals general manager Dayton Moore reflected on Gore as a beloved teammate, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com.
“There have been very few players who can take over a baseball game,” said former Royals general manager Dayton Moore, the architect of the 2014-15 postseason teams. “That’s exactly what he did. He became a fan favorite. He was beloved by his teammates. And he was just fearless and impactful on the bases but also off the field.”
The time for hibernation is ending and soon it will be serious business in Arizona. Some players, notably Nico Hoerner, are already in camp. The fires have been banked, but we are told the flames are ready to be fanned and that we’ll see that post-season-ready buzz in short order.
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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 21: A detailed view of the orange nike batting gloves and purple nike arm sleeve worn by Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants against the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the six inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on June 21, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
As we approach Spring Training and the beginning of the season, we’re going to be doing some questions for y’all about your thoughts about the San Francisco Giants and baseball in general!
Today’s question: Are the 2026 Giants actually trying to contend, or are they just pretending?
I’ve made my opinion on this known. Many times. I think that if they are actually trying to contend, they’re not doing a particularly good job of showing it.
They have the dual misfortunes of both being in the same division as the Los Angeles Dodgers in the year 2026, while also somehow pretending that that is not the case.
If your direct competition is outspending you and building a dang super team, and you aren’t doing anything tangible to actually try to keep up with them, you are not a contender. You are delusional.
But that’s just my personal opinion as a fan, based on observing this team as closely as I have for the last decade.
Now, I’m not saying I don’t think they can be successful. Nor am I saying that I don’t think they are actually making good faith attempts to improve the on-field performance. But I am saying that if they think those moves are enough to truly be competitive in the division, they are lying to themselves (and/or us).
Among White Sox managers with at least one full season in the books, Will Venable has the second-worst winning percentage in franchise history. | (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
Because the Chicago White Sox are in the middle of an epic rebuild, it is not fair to assess the job manager Will Venable is doing based solely on his record.
You could argue that Will deserved votes for 2025 American League Manager of the Year after guiding the Pale Hose to a 19-win improvement. However, all he did was manage the White Sox to 60 wins in 2025 after losing a historic number of games in 2024. That shows how far this franchise has to go before getting back to something resembling a competitive ball club.
That is why I propose using these benchmarks as way to evaluate the job Venable does in 2026.
The team continues to be in tight games — and wins more of them The South Siders may have lost 102 games in 2025, but Chicago lost only 26 of those contests by five or more runs. The White Sox were in a lot of games last season, as evidenced by the 115 games decided by four runs or less. In fact, they played in 51 games decided by a single run. However, the club went 15-36 in those tight contests.
Wins and losses still will not matter this season, but it would be a sign of progress for the rebuild if the club prevailed more often in close games.
The lineup will have to improve at hitting with runners in scoring position, the defense must be tighter and the bullpen must improve at getting high-leverage outs to turn those opportunities into more victories.
Proper bullpen deployment Venable subscribes to the new-school thinking of using his best relievers for the biggest outs when they are needed and not saving those arms for high-leverage outs that may never come. That could mean the biggest outs are needed in the sixth inning, rather than the ninth.
However, he did get exposed using that strategy if the game stayed close as it went along. That left Venable with using a reliever like Brandon Eisert in the ninth, whose stuff does not translate well to high-leverage situations.
Seranthony Domínguez, Jordan Hicks and Sean Newcomb were added in the offseason to give Venable more arms to execute his bullpen strategy. Grant Taylor and Jordan Leasure finished 2025 strong. Mike Vasil was impressive in filling any and all bullpen roles last season. In theory, Venable will have six arms to use to get key outs when needed. It is a theory for now, as Vasil, Newcomb, Taylor or Hicks could start the season in the rotation.
Still, Venable has to show he is capable of selecting the correct pitcher to get those outs. The only arm with a defined role is Dominguez, who will be the closer. But the manager will have to show he knows when to use the rest of those bullpen arms to get clutch outs in the sixth through eighth.
Players continuing to improve Internal improvement is the theme of the 2026 season. The hope is the young core that emerged out of the 2025 season continues to progress.
Colson Montgomery must prove he is not a flash-in-the-pan hitter after hitting 21 home runs in 71 games. Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero have to continue to ascend into star catchers. Chase Meidroth, Miguel Vargas and Lenyn Sosa must show they can continue to be solid hitters in the lineup.
Shane Smith went from being the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5 Draft to an All-Star in 2025. Now, he must elevate from mound stud to an ace.
Variance dictates that some players will not take that leap forward. However, no player having a significant regression is a key to 2026’s success.
Proper use of the designated hitter Venable was resistant to having Teel and Quero in the lineup together until Korey Lee was recalled. It will be interesting to see if Venable shows that same resistance if Lee does not make the Opening Day roster.
Teel and Quero must be in the lineup together at least four days a week. If Venable does not have that third catcher to turn to in an instance where he has to pinch-hit for Quero or Teel at catcher that day, I am not sure that will happen. He was justified in his fear at least once in 2025, when he had to give up the DH spot in a close game in Texas after pinch-hitting for Quero (catching that day) and needed to have DH Teel come in to catch.
Venable also needs to use the DH spot to get Sosa some at-bats during the week. Because the club does not believe in sunk costs, he will also have to use Andrew Benintendi there. Ideally, the front office designates Benintendi for assignment, as he is weak defensively in left field and will take away at-bats from younger hitters.
However, that will never happen. So Venable is going to have to find a way to rotate Teel, Quero, Sosa, Benintendi and even Munetaka Murakami at DH while making sure everyone gets enough at-bats.
Identifying problems and implementing solutions faster This one is dependent on the team being healthy. Last year, it took Venable almost half the season to start demanding the lineup hit fastballs better. To be fair, he could not truly identify that as a problem until most of his outfield returned from the injured list and the youngsters got called up.
Once it became clear that his regular lineup struggled to hit heat, Venable and his coaching staff got to work on fixing that problem.
If the team stays healthy and runs into similar issues, the hope is that Venable can identify the problem quickly and he and his staff can implement solutions effectively.
Sep 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (49) looks on against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
In 24 hours, the baseball season will be upon us. The NFL season finale will be complete and we will be able to watch grown men carry large bags around sun soaked skies.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 19: Yandy Díaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs the bases after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at George M. Steinbrenner Field on September 19, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DRaysBay works best as a place for community and conversation. Accordingly, in the lead up to the new season, we are posting “Daily Questions” in the month of February. I look forward to seeing you in the comment section!
Players start reporting later this week, and the roster is essentially set. Is it enough to contend? What do you see?
Among the protocols approved for the 2021 season on this day, five years ago, were a limit on the number of fans able to attend games, including this Opening Day on April 8, 2021. | (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
1958 Future White Sox hurling star Juan Pizarro set a record by recording 17 strikeouts in the Caribbean Series opener.
The game was a culmination of Pizarro’s greatest Puerto Rican Winter League season, winning the PRWL MVP as he became the second of now-four pitchers to win its pitching Triple Crown: 14-5 with a 1.32 ERA, 183 Ks and 94 hits in 170⅓ innings. Pizarro set two regular season marks as well: Topping Satchel Paige’s record by striking out 19 batters in a game against the Ponce Leones, and tossing nine shutouts on the season. And just two starts after his 19-strikeout game, Pizarro no-hit the Mayagüez Indios. Pizarro’s Criollos de Caguas went on to represent Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series, and in their series opener on this day the southpaw tossed a two-hitter to go along with 17 Ks in an 8-0 win over Panama’s Carta Vieja Yankees.
Two seasons later, Bill Veeck maneuvered a three-way deal with Pizarro’s Milwaukee and the Cincinnati Reds to acquire Pizarro for the White Sox. “Terín” blossomed into a star, winning 61 games over his first four seasons in Chicago and putting up 3.05 ERA and 12.9 WAR in his White Sox career.
Combining the majors, Mexican League and Puerto Rican Winter League, Pizarro won 392 regular season games in his career. He remains the 36th-best pitcher in White Sox history.
1976 Trailblazing White Sox starter Jim Parque was born, in Norwalk, Calif.
It might seem more of an afterthought today, but when Parque made his MLB debut on May 26, 1998, he may have been the first pitcher of Asian descent ever to start for the White Sox (Parque is Vietnamese-American).
As an extremely undersized high-schooler (his team didn’t have a jersey small enough for the 5´1´´ newcomer), Parque was mentored by fellow southpaw and former White Sox hurler Jerry Reuss. Selected in the 50th round by the Dodgers in 1994, Parque instead opted for UCLA, where he led the Bruins to the College World Series. The White Sox picked him in the first round in 1997.
His time on the South Side ended up brief, with just two full seasons and parts of three others. However, his career encompassed the “Kids Can Play” era and 2000 Central Division winners; that year was Parque’s zenith, with a 13-6 record and 2.9 WAR.
2021 While it appeared that a full season schedule would be played after the pandemic-shortened 2020 slate, MLB and the MLBPA agreed to modifications to the season to protect the health of players and fans. Most prominent was the move to seven-inning doubleheaders and the Manfred Man runner on second base to start each extra inning.
For some reason, while nine-inning games in doubleheaders shortly returned to baseball, the Manfred Man still persists.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 01: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 talks to Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees during the game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on October 1, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees are returning almost the entirety of their 2025 squad, something that has seemed inevitable for some time. For those frustrated by the strategy, I offer a warning: it could happen next year too. A huge chunk of the Yankees’ core is under control for years into the future. Nearly every pitcher of note on their staff is either under long-term contract or young and going through their arb/pre-arb years, while the lineup is staffed largely with sluggers on long deals (Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton), or young hitters who won’t hit free agency for years (Ben Rice, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe).
Leaving aside whether or not next winter could be another Run it Back kind of offseason, the fact remains that only a handful of key contributors to the 2026 season will be eyeing free agency come next year. Those contributors are, in no particular order, Trent Grisham, David Bednar, and Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Of those three, which would you most like to see continue donning pinstripes beyond 2026? Each has their merits. Grisham has perhaps the shortest track record of high-quality play, his breakout 2025 sticking out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of his career. But that shorter track record could make him easier to retain, and perhaps on a deal that doesn’t stretch too far into the future.
Chisholm is probably the best of this trio of possible free agents. His case is the most straightforward: he’s a very good player, and he will likely cost the most to keep around. Chisholm brings a dynamic, multi-faceted game, fielding his position well, hitting for power, and running the bases with aplomb. He’s 28-years-old and appears only just now to be peaking. It’s not easy to replace those kinds of players, and it’s also not easy to retain them.
Then there’s the case of Bednar. The burly right-hander was the antidote the Yankees’ ailing bullpen needed last summer, Bednar providing steady excellence in the ninth inning while the options around him all crumbled. The Yankees haven’t made a habit of spending on relievers in recent years, but if Bednar can continue his superlative work, he’d make an argument for them to buck that trend.
So, who do you most want to see stick around? The second baseman who can rake, the fire-breathing closer, or the smooth center fielder? Lay out your case in the comments below.
It will be a little quieter on the site today, with Jeremy continuing our Yankee Birthday series by celebrating Fritz Peterson, a 20-game winner with the Yankees back in 1970, and John making his weekly run through Yankees social media.
Well Spring Training is here in only a few days now, but the Braves still have a desire to add a starting pitcher and fortunately there are still some options out there, headlined by Chris Bassitt and Zac Gallen. They’d better get a move on to sign (or trade for) whoever they intend to add if they want to have them for a normal Spring Training, with pitchers (and catchers) reporting on Monday. Right now, Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Spencer Strider are rotation locks if healthy, Grant Holmes and Reynaldo Lopez are flex options for the rotation of bullpen with injury questions of their own, and Hurston Waldrep, Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz, and Martin Perez as legitimate rotation competitors. It would be nice to have one more piece in there with a little more certainty than the incumbent options.
