Category: Baseball

As we prepare to head into a transitional season for the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the bigger projects will be to determine if Ivan Herrera can become the team’s regular catcher. The question is if you have confidence that Ivan can make the changes needed after his time behind the plate last season was less than inspiring and do the Cardinals really need him to be a catcher long-term?

In 2025, Ivan Herrera caught a grand total of only 14 games. We know that he battled elbow issues that limited him resulting in his move to DH where he appeared in 89 games. At the Winter Warmup, Ivan was very positive about how his elbow feels now. He also elaborated on how his elbow was a key factor into his efforts as a catcher. “Yeah, I mean…I basically couldn’t straighten my elbow”. The surgery has created one issue he’s never had to deal with before and that’s the fact that he hasn’t been able to do his typical off-season workout.

There’s more to Ivan and his development as a catcher than just his elbow issues. President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom has said that he believes that Herrera was “not set up for success”.MLB.com quoted manager Oli Marmol as saying ““There’s a real curriculum that’s been put together for him to follow and build upon,” Marmol said. “It’s a very hands-on approach” that will be led by catching coordinator Ethan Goforth that will work with Ivan and help him develop the workflow he needs. Herrera said that he and Goforth have been meeting every week of the off-season going over his defensive approach as he’s just now been able to start ramping up his physical activities.

I will admit that I initially balked at the idea of the Cardinals trying to give Ivan another shot at being the team’s catcher especially after the dumpster fire of the Willson Contreras catching situation. The Cardinals wanted Contreras to be the regular catcher for the same reason they want Herrera behind the plate. They want/need that bat in the lineup and the team is much better if their catcher is also a positive offensive contributor. My knee-jerk reaction is don’t try to turn a player who isn’t a natural catcher into one, but I’m now completely on board for several reasons with only one big picture reservation.

As was mentioned by Jake Wood a few days ago, the St. Louis Cardinals really benefit if Ivan Herrera is the catcher. I’ve also had to adjust my thinking from approaching the season as an expected contender to understanding the St. Louis Cardinals have really shifted to an emphasis on development. I would never want to enter a season with a question mark at the catcher position if the St. Louis Cardinals were a serious playoff contender. That being said, the team really has nothing to lose with Ivan Herrera being given a shot and turning his development as a catcher around. We have Pedro Pagés, Jimmy Crooks and Yohel Pozo to fall back on if this new attempt at making Herrera a reasonable defensive catcher falls short.

The only question that remains in my mind is if we really need Ivan Herrera as catcher with top prospects Leonardo Bernal and Rainiel Rodriguezwaiting in the wings? If either or both players are ready for the majors either sometime in 2026 or 2027, wouldn’t Herrera be a block to their progression? I understand you can never have too many great catchers as any one of them would be prime trade candidates. What do you think? Do the St. Louis Cardinals need Ivan Herrera to be a catcher or are we about to create a problem we don’t currently have?

An anonymous pitcher whose entire life changed with four innings is standing in a crowded Dodger Stadium bullpen in the middle of winter when he hears a voice from the stands.

“Will, thank you so much!” shouts a fan, and underneath his thick beard, the pitcher blushes.

“This is something I’ve never had before,” said Will Klein.

And this is ruining baseball?

On a crowded concourse in the middle of a Saturday morning two months before the start of the season, fans are chugging beers, scarfing Dodger dogs, and even doing a line dance.

The queue at the elevator is endless. The screams from the crowd are constant. Blake Snell is walking along one of the barriers giving every nearby fan — every one — a fist bump.

And this is ruining baseball?

Read more:Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for Japan in WBC: 'Just seemed like the right decision'

The Dodgers officially opened their doors for the 2026 season Saturday, holding an annual DodgerFest that has sent a clear message to a landscape of whiners.

This is what winning looks like.

This is why winning is worth it.

The baseball owners will likely lock out the players after this season in hopes of installing a salary cap that will curb the sort of spending that has fueled the Dodgers’ consecutive championships.

They don’t get it. In hoarding their revenue-sharing money, the owners don’t realize the benefits of reinvesting that money in the players and, by extension, the fans.

The Dodgers do that more often, and more effectively, than anyone.

The result Saturday was a mid-winter party that felt different than any of their previous bashes. Some years they spent this day apologizing for their playoff collapses. Last year they spent the afternoon tentatively talking about going back-to-back.

This year the constraints were off, the party was on, and they all spoke freely of becoming the first time in National League history to win three consecutive World Series titles.

”I don’t mind the ‘three in the air’ as a carrot,” said manager Dave Roberts, adding, “There’s a challenge we’re not going to run from.”

And so the players showed up brandishing hope for this summer while sweetly admitting the emotion that still lingers from last fall.

Klein, who came out of nowhere to rescue the Dodgers with four scoreless innings in the marathon Game 3 of the World Series, was still pinching himself about being recognized in public.

“A guy told me I looked like me,” he said. “I said, ‘Thank you.’”

Then there was Miguel Rojas, finding deeper meaning in his ninth-inning homer that tied the World Series Game 7.

”The most important part is that everybody continues to say that is the best moment that they have in their life, the best moment of sports they watched,” said Rojas. “That makes me feel really good, because we were part of something bigger than just a home run.”

And Rojas said he hears that a lot.

“I waited 20 years in professional baseball to have that moment ... something different happened to my life,” he said. “I’m walking around Rome, I’m seeing Dodger fans saying thank you for that home run. It’s crazy, it’s overwhelming.”

Equally overwhelmed was Freddie Freeman, who grew tearful on the stage when talking about hitting the winning homer in the 18th inning of the World Series Game 3 and the impact of winning two titles in his four years here.

“I’m home playing baseball in front of the best fans day in and day out,” he said. “I couldn’t even wrap my mind around coming back and signing here and being part of this. This has blown me away.”

Read more:Add Dodgers' Miguel Rojas to the list of those unable to play in the World Baseball Classic

Even the struggling players seemed thrilled to be here, Tanner Scott acting amazingly relaxed when asked for his 2026 goals.

“Not being as bad as last year,” he said. "I was terrible."

OK, then.

Bottom line, on a midwinter day when most of this country’s major-league baseball stadiums were empty, Chavez Ravine was full of life and wonder and winning.

“Today we see a lot of fans and that really gets me going,” said Shohei Ohtani.

And this is ruining baseball?

“This organization is never ready to be done ... they continue to add players, they continue to add talent, that is a good thing,” said Rojas. “We push ourselves ... we believe we can always get better.”

Like he said, a good thing.

“I like winning,” said Klein. “People are always going to be jealous of teams that try to win when they feel like others aren’t. Everybody can go out and do the same thing.”

Spring is here, the haters are out, and the Dodgers are ready.

Seeing players here, seeing their energy, obviously seeing the energy of the fans, its certainly time,” said Roberts.

Three-peat, you’re up.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Introduction

With just over two weeks left until pitchers and catchers report to spring training and less than a month remaining until the first spring training games, the offseason has entered its final stretch. As such, we’re fully into the projection phase of the offseason, which includes minor league prospects. We just got a pretty significant update on the sport’s young stars last Wednesday when Baseball America released its Top 100 paywalled list of the best prospects and MLB Pipeline followed suit two days later. For the second year in a row, the lone Diamondback on the Pipeline list is Ryan Waldschmidt while Baseball America deigned to include Kayson Cunningham at number 97. While prospect evaluations and rankings are inherently subjective, it’s fascinating to see how external evaluators view Arizona’s minor leaguers and there’s genuine value to be had if any ranked prospect wins end-of-the-year award.

Ryan Waldschmidt

The sole Arizona representative on the MLB Pipeline list for the second straight year, Waldschmidt continues to impress less than two years after being drafted with Corbin Carroll’s prospect promotion incentive (PPI) pick out of Kentucky. Across two minor league levels last year, the native Floridian posted a .289/.419/.473 slash line while walking nearly as often as he struck out (106 strikeouts and 96 walks in 601 plate appearances). For context, an 18% strikeout rate would place Waldschmidt among the likes of Francisco Lindor and Bobby Witt Jr from last season. I sincerely doubt he’d be able to maintain that kind of performance in the majors and FanGraphs specifically calls out his strikeout proclivity as a limit on his ceiling. But even with that caveat, both FanGraphs and MLB Pipeline project him out as a middle-of-the-order batter who could ably hold down a corner outfield position or even center if needed. That kind of profile makes him a dark horse candidate for securing a spot on the Opening Day roster out of Spring Training given the Lourdes Gurriel Jr-sized hole the team currently has in left field.

Kayson Cunningham

A newcomer to the franchise after being selected with the 18th overall pick in last summer’s draft, Cunningham was viewed as a well-developed high schooler who fit the team’s preference for undersized up-the-middle talents. He had a relatively rough introduction to pro ball with a .255/.308/.277 slash line in a couple weeks of play at Low-A Visalia while getting some pretty poor reviews on his fielding where the game seemed to be too quick for him at times. He’ll need to hit since he’s not projected for much power – likely a result from his relatively slight 5’10” frame that might fill out a little as he ages into his 20s but will likely still be somewhat undersized for a big leaguer. As it stands, he’s listed as a shortstop by ESPN and that’s where he spent his time during his first cameo with Visalia, but he’ll need to make some significant strides with his footwork and reads to stick there. Otherwise, he’ll end up at second base where his reads and footwork won’t be nearly as important. Overall, we’re looking at a player that has a much longer developmental road ahead of him than you might expect for a first-rounder, but there’s still an old-fashioned leadoff hitter who could hit .300 and steal 30 bases lurking at the end of that road.

Tommy Troy

I’ll be honest, I was pretty surprised to see Troy drop off MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 after appearing at #74 there just two years ago and still hanging on at #96 for Baseball Prospectus last year. In the interim, all the first-rounder has done is hit: across two levels last year, he combined for a .289/.382/.451 slash line while also swiping 24 bases on the year. Admittedly, some of that damage came while he was with Reno in the inflated offensive environment that the Pacific Coast League can represent and he didn’t hit a ton of homers even in that inflated environment. There are also some questions on where he’ll play too as he spent significant time at second and centerfield raising the possibility of a utility role rather than a single defensive position. Even still, the combination of hit tool and speed means that Troy could easily morph himself into a solid big league contributor even if he doesn’t become a bonafide star.

Hello everyone and welcome to February. We’re trying out something new this month with “Today on Pinstripe Alley” in alignment with many of our fellow SB Nation sites. Instead of getting two occasionally random questions per day at the end of the Today on PSAs, we’ll be choosing one and offering our own answers before turning it over to you all for discussion. We’ll still be detailing what’s ahead on the docket at PSA, but the goal here is to really engage on something of note, so let’s see what happens!

There’s no time to waste! So what’s the strongest reason to believe this Yankees season won’t be a waste? I think there’s a number of ways to approach this. There’s the very obvious, and that’s the 6-foot-7, three-time AL MVP who patrols right field for the Yankees. Anytime you get to pencil Aaron Judge into a lineup, you feel like good things will follow.

The only time the Yanks have missed the playoffs since he broke out as a rookie in 2017 was when the Dodger Stadium outfield fence rudely interrupted another MVP-caliber campaign in 2023. They’ve been one of the last four teams standing in four of those eight seasons, and while the rest of the team wasn’t as sharp last October, Judge was en fuego, shaking off some playoff doldrums. He’ll be another year older in 2026, but it’s not as though 34 is ancient; former teammate Paul Goldschmidt didn’t win his first career MVP until his age-34 season in 2022. Judge can absolutely be as good again, or at least at a highly impressive level.

One player cannot make a team though (ask the Angels). And yet for as much as I would’ve liked to see the Yankees do more this offseason to bolster their championship odds and better safeguard them from potentially ruinous injuries, it’s still a very good ballclub. They have flaws, but ask an opposing fan if their own preferred team has any flaws; trust me, they’ll be sure to find ‘em! (Yes, even on the Dodgers.) The Yankees’ offense easily led the majors last year with 274 homers, and non-Judge players still combined for 221 bombs, which would’ve still ranked six without Judge. Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Trent Grisham, Giancarlo Stanton, and Ben Rice all provided hefty support, and for as frustrating as the “run it back” approach is in some aspects, that’s not really the case for the offense. They should rake again, and for as uneasy as fans were with the non-Gerrit Cole pitching staff last year, they still recorded more strikeouts than every AL team outside of Houston — and Cole will rejoin them eventually.

Is this the rose-colored glasses view? Perhaps, but hope springs eternal. What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

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Today on the site, Matt will celebrate a very familiar Yankee second baseman’s birthday as part of our ongoing series and Peter will look into pitcher Nick Martinez as a free agent addition, given the recent news of the Yankees’ possible interest in the erstwhile Reds righty. Later, John will present the weekly Social Media Spotlight.

Every offseason here at Amazin’ Avenue, our overlords editors set up a spreadsheet for season reviews and send out a for us writers to claim them. There’s an initialrush for the best players – Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Nolan McLean – though most folks usually show a modicum of discipline and don’t claim too many of the elite guys. Personal favorites get snapped up next, followed by the large group of guys in the middle. Your useful contributors, like Tyrone Taylor and Luis Torrens and Max Kranick.

Then there’s a Mexican standoff as most of us look at the remaining spots on the sheet. Did that guy really play for the Mets last season? Did his presence matter in any way other than for comprehensive record keeping? Do we really need to write about him? These are the folks that you and most everyone else will forget on the annual Sporcle quizzes, leaving you frustrated as you sit at 55/63 and can’t progress any further. Slowly, but inevitably, those guys get claimed, and we eventually finish out the list.

It is in this spirit that we now discuss Chris Devenski, who did indeed actually pitch for the Mets in 2025. He appeared in 13 games, starting once (as an opener) and tossing 16.2 innings of 2.16 ERA ball with a 3.50 FIP. It was a disjointed tenure in Queens; Devenski had a single outing in April, another in May, got two outings in the middle of June, actually stuck around for a bit in July with 7 appearances, and then finished the season with single appearances in each of August and September. In between, he spent his time posting a broadly similar performance for Triple-A Syracuse. If anything, the most impressive part of this performance was his willingness to put up with the Triple-A / MLB shuttle as a 34-year-old veteran.

Was any of this particularly memorable? No, not really. Even though Devenski was broadly decent as an up-and-down guy, this is the sort of performance that gets lost in the wash of a 162-game season. Don’t feel guilty about not remembering though because it doesn’t seem anyone else around the league noticed either; Devenski signed a minor-league deal with the Pirates in early January. So it goes for the late-career middle reliever. Just do your best to remember him on your next Sporcle quiz.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts answered one key question heading into spring training.

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic in March, Roberts told reporters during Saturday's annual DodgerFest at Dodger Stadium. The manager added it was Ohtani's decision and the Dodgers would have allowed him to do so if he had wanted to.

Ohtani said in November he would participate in the WBC but did not signal at the time whether he would pitch. When Team Japan's roster was announced Monday, manager Hirokazu Ibata did not say if Ohtani would pitch, only saying they would get a better sense in spring training.

And on Saturday, Ohtani — who spoke to reporters before Roberts did — said he was still unsure if he would pitch in the WBC and it would depend on how he feels as he began ramping up to pitch over the next few weeks. The expectation going into the season, he told reporters, had been he would be able to pitch without restrictions from the start for the Dodgers.

In the 2023 WBC, Ohtani won tournament most valuable player with a .435 batting average and 1.86 ERA, helping Japan to the title. He punctuated the event with his memorable strikeout of his then-Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out in the championship game. But five months later, Ohtani was pulled from a home start against the Cincinnati Reds for what ultimately was revealed to be a torn UCL.

Ohtani had his second career Tommy John surgery in September and did not return to pitching until last June with the Dodgers.

MLB players like Ohtani and teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto are expected to join Team Japan for exhibition games on March 2. Japan will open WBC play on March 6 against Taiwan.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Shohei Ohtani said on Saturday that he remained uncertain whether he would be a two-way player for Japan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was more definitive: He won’t be.

“He’s not going to pitch in the WBC,” Roberts said.

Focusing on hitting in the tournament was “absolutely” Ohtani’s call, according to the manager, who revealed the decision was made about a month ago.

If Ohtani had wanted to pitch in the WBC, would the Dodgers have given him their blessing?

“Absolutely,” Roberts said.

Playing in the 2023 WBC as a two-way player, Ohtani made two pitching starts and was Japan’s closer in its victory over the United States in the championship game. Ohtani registered the final out of the game by striking out Mike Trout in what became the signature moment of his career.

What might be welcome development for the other countries in the tournament could be bad news for other major league teams. 

If the legacy-conscious Ohtani is willing to sacrifice potential glory on the international stage, what does that say about what he has in mind for the regular season?

He must have something big in mind – like a season in which he wins his fifth MVP award and becomes the first Japanese pitcher to ever win a Cy Young?

On stage at DodgerFest alongside right-hander Roki Sasaki, Ohtani shared his goals with the fans in attendance.

“It would be best if I can mix it up,” Ohtani said in Japanese to the Dodger Stadium crowd. “Stealing bases, hitting home runs, getting strikeouts – I think doing it all would be great.”

Relayed Ohtani’s words, Roberts became visibly animated. Roberts recently told the California Post that he expected Ohtani to compete for the National League Cy Young Award with teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Roberts’ prediction was made in reaction to Ohtani’s interview with NHK that aired in Japan last month. In the interview in question, Ohtani acknowledged he was disappointed by how he was charged with three runs in only 2 ⅓ innings in his start against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series last year.

“There’s always something that Shohei needs to fuel him,” Roberts said. 

Roberts never concealed his preference that Ohtani not pitch in the WBC, and he said he expected Ohtani to ultimately reach the decision he did.

“I wasn’t surprised, so I can’t even say I was relieved,” Roberts said. “Understanding what he did last year, what he had to go through to then how best to prepare himself for ‘26 to do both (pitch and hit), it just seemed like the right decision.”

In the season that followed the last WBC, Ohtani was a two-way player for the Angels and damaged the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The injury forced him to undergo his second Tommy John operation.

Still recovering from surgery, Ohtani couldn’t pitch in 2024, his first year with the Dodgers. He made his mound return in June of last season. He went on to pitch in 14 regular-season games, posting a 3.14 earned-run average. He pitched in four postseason games, including a win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series in which he struck out 10 batters over six scoreless innings and whacked three homers as a hitter.

With Ohtani only hitting in the WBC this year, the Dodgers won’t have to take any extreme measures to protect his arm early in the season, which means he should be able to make enough starts to merit consideration for the Cy Young Award. While Ohtani might receive extended breaks between some pitching appearances, Roberts said he would otherwise be “used as a normal pitcher.” 

“It’s not going to be a two-inning, three-inning governor” per start, Roberts said.

Roberts said Ohtani would be “ramping up” his arm in spring training to prepare for the regular season, and Ohtani said he has already thrown “three or four” bullpen sessions. Addressing reporters before Roberts did, Ohtani made it sound as if his pitching status for the WBC was still undetermined.

“I think it will come down to the end, depending on how I’m adjusting, depending on the condition of my body,” Ohtani said in Japanese.

There’s no reason to question Roberts. Unless something was lost in translation, Ohtani isn’t pitching in the WBC. Assuming that’s the case, what that means doesn’t require any translation: Ohtani is preparing for another history-making season with the Dodgers.

David Stearns is very familiar with Tobias Myers. 

The two were not only together during Stearns’ final year in Milwaukee, but Myers was also the starter who carved up the Mets in Game 3 of the 2024 Wild Card Series. 

The right-hander allowed just two hits and struck out five batters over five scoreless innings of work in his first-ever postseason appearance. 

That fearlessness is one of the things Stearns and the Mets’ front office valued when they picked up Myers as part of the blockbuster deal for Freddy Peralta. 

“He’s not afraid,” Stearns said. “He fills up the zone, he goes right after people, he can zone up with pretty much his entire arsenal -- and he’s pitched well in very big moments, as we saw firsthand a couple of years ago.”

The Mets also like the versatility the 27-year-old brings to their staff. 

Myers made 25 starts for the Brew Crew during a strong rookie campaign, but he enjoyed even more success as a long-man out of the bullpen last season. 

He pitched to a 3.48 ERA as a starter, and a 1.62 ERA in 18 appearances as a reliever. 

“Being able to have that success in both,” Stearns said. “We like his ability to give us multiple innings out of the pen, and also flex into the rotation if that’s the way it goes."

Myers will provide the Mets with strong rotation depth, but for now, he figures to begin the year in the bullpen. 

He also has a minor league option, if the Mets decide to keep him stretched out in Syracuse.

Back in August, I began a series here at Pinstripe Alley, where I was going to put together an All-Star Yankee team of players who were born in a given month. Since then, we as a staff have started doing daily posts for the year 2026, highlighting a Yankee from history whose birthday happens to land on that day. I thought, what better way to put a cap on a month’s worth of birthday posts then by using the all-month teams as a way to look back on who we covered — and maybe some we didn’t cover who shared a birthday with someone else.

With that in mind, here are my choices for the All-January Birthday Yankee Team.

Pitcher: David Cone (January 2nd Birthday Article)

There was only one real choice I could make for the January team’s pitcher. Cone helped the Yankees to four World Series titles, threw a memorable perfect game, and is still around as part of the YES Network’s broadcast crew. Coney rules!

Catcher: Les Nunamaker (January 25th Birthday Post)

On the other hand, there’s not an obviously great option to be Cone’s battery mate, so we’ll go with Nunamaker, who we highlighted back on January 25th.

First Base: Jason Giambi (January 8th Birthday Post)

The signing of Giambi was one of the Yankees’ acquisitions that truly did make them feel like an “Evil Empire” back in the 2000s, and he ended up being a very solid presence in the lineup over his tenure in the Bronx.

Second Base: Alfonso Soriano (January 7th Birthday Post)

Considering that Soriano played outfield for much of his career in between his Yankees’ stints, we could’ve maybe finagled him into a spot out there, and rotated some others around to make the overall team stronger. However, his home for most of his Bronx life was at second base. We can’t really put him anywhere else.

Shortstop: Luis Sojo (January 3rd Birthday Post)

Sojo was the utility infield on the Yankees’ dynasty teams of the 90s and early 00s. While he was hardly an all-star at the plate, he helped keep that dynasty going with a big hit in the clinching Game 5 of the 2000 World Series.

Third Base: Brian Doyle (January 26th Birthday Post)

There are probably better players we could’ve maneuvered into this spot, but I couldn’t not include the 1978 World Series hero. He had a career OPS of just .392, however in the six-game triumph over the Dodgers, he posted a .938 OPS with a couple big hits.

Left Field: Stan Javier

This is probably the weakest spot in this team. Not because of the player himself, as Javier was a pretty good major leaguer over the course of a 17-year career. However, only seven games of it came with the Yankees (and he was overshadowed on January 9th by 1962 World Series MVP arm Ralph Terry). After he played a couple games with the 1984 Yankees, they traded him to the Athletics that offseason as part of the Rickey Henderson deal.

Center Field: Tim Hendryx

Hendryx is another player that we didn’t get to in our birthday series, but who still makes the team. He played on the Yankees from 1915-17. The last of those was the only one where he got a good amount of playing time, and he was pretty good, but the Yankees traded him that offseason. We ended up going with pitcher Duke Maas for January 31st, Hendryx’s birthday.

Right Field: George Selkirk (January 4th Birthday Post)

Selkirk was the man tasked with replacing literally Babe Ruth in the Yankees’ lineup after the Babe left in 1935. No one would ever confuse him with Ruth, but Selkirk did an absolutely admirable job, and had a very nice nine-year career with the Yankees.

Designated Hitter: Chili Davis (January 17th Birthday Post)

Hall of Famer Johnny Mize would be a decent choice here, as he spent a couple seasons at the end of his career as a pinch-hitting/bench option for the Yankees. However, the DH didn’t exist in his career, and when you look up the dictionary definition of “designated hitter,” Chili Davis might be one of the pictures you’ll find.

Last week, Tomahawk Nation’s Curt Weiler covered three new FSU position players to know ahead of the Seminole baseball season kicking off on February 13th.

Today, the focus shifts to the mound.

Last season, the Seminoles were buoyed by their weekend rotation of Jamie Arnold, Joey Volini and Wes Mendes. Outside of Arnold being scratched for one start, head coach Link Jarrett did not have to change his rotation one time, and their consistency propelled FSU to a second-straight trip to the Super Regionals. For the staff as a whole, Florida State’s pitching ranked third in the ACC in ERA a season ago and had six arms drafted in the 2025 MLB Draft, including the No. 11 pick, Arnold.

The 2026 pitching staff will look completely different.

While Mendes returns, Arnold and Volini have turned pro, as have trusted bullpen options such as Peyton Prescott and Joe Charles. Seeking to rebuild his pitching staff, Jarrett aggressively pursued reliable veteran arms via the portal, landing FAU LHP Trey Beard, the No. 7 player in the portal according to On3. Beard appears to be a shoo-in for a weekend rotation spot, and his changeup may be the best pitch on anyone on the staff this season. But outside of Beard, here are three pitchers to know ahead of the 2026 baseball season.

No. 1: RHP Bryson Moore

Heading into the final weeks of camp, Moore appears to be in a battle with LHP Payton Manca for the final spot in the weekend rotation, and both have drawn rave reviews from Jarrett. Moore, who spent his last two seasons at Virginia, entered the transfer portal after Mississippi State poached former UVA head coach Brian O’Conner, but did not follow him to Starkville and instead came to Tallahassee. Moore has a commanding physical presence on the bump, standing 6’3” and weighing 215 pounds with a three-pitch mix, fastball, changeup and curveball.

The main concern with Moore is how he will hold up throughout the season. During the 2025 campaign, Moore only threw 18.1 innings and did not appear in a game from March 2nd to April 29th. However, early on in the season, the righty fired five innings of two-run ball (one earned) on 83 pitches, so he does have the capability to start and throw late in games. But 31.1 innings over two seasons does give cause for concern.

Moore was the 159th-ranked recruit in Perfect Game’s 2023 class and was the D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year for baseball in his senior year of high school. The talent is obvious, but the question will be whether Florida State can get a full season out of the junior right-handed arm. Here is Jarrett on Moore in his mid-preseason press conference with the local Tallahassee media on Thursday.

“Bryson Moore, start to finish, from fall to where we are right now, has been very, very consistent. It’s a good mix of a variety of pitches. He’s very conscious of how he works. He’s been spot on, and we need to keep him headed in that direction.”

No. 2: RHP Gabe Nard

In the last two seasons, the lack of consistent options out of the bullpen has been the downfall of the Florida State season. While throughout the year, the arms out in the ‘pen have been good enough, in the biggest spots, they faultered and FSU’s seasons have ended because of it.

Enter Duke transfer Gabe Nard, who could be the slow-heartbeat, reliable, shutdown bullpen arm the Seminole staff has desperately needed. Nard transferred from Duke, which lost their head coach to Virginia, and joined the FSU program in the spring after finishing his degree in Durham over the fall. In his junior season with the Blue Devils, the righty made 29 appearances with only two starts, but fired 50.2 innings with a 4.62 ERA and a 45:17 K:BB ratio. Nard spent three seasons with the Blue Devils, making 20 or more appearances in every campaign and racking up 120.2 innings pitched across his college career.

The one question mark about Nard will be where Jarrett decides to use him. Even though he has spent most of his career out of the bullpen, Nard has never recorded a save. Will he be a multi-innings eater in the seventh and eighth and give way to someone in the ninth, or will there be a different plan for him in his senior season in Tallahassee? Here was Jarrett on Nard:

“Different profile of fastball, tremendous sink-and-run, that’s going to help us. He’s still acclimating to the program, but he’s well on his way to being a serviceable piece of this thing for us.”

No. 3: RHP Cole Stokes

Florida State has a trio of flame-throwing, right-handed relievers, Cade O’Leary, Ben Barrett and Cole Stokes. All three face similar control issues, but if Stokes gets it right, he could be the dominant closer FSU has lacked under Jarrett.

Stokes transferred to Florida State after two seasons at Oregon. In his sophomore season, the 6’6” RHP was tied for the team lead in appearances with 24, but struggled with consistency as he handed out more free passes (31, 16 walks and 15 HBPs) than he had innings pitched (20.1). Stokes made only one appearance in Oregon’s regional last year and did not record an out while allowing two walks against Utah Valley.

As mentioned, though, what makes Stokes’ potential so great is his fastball. The junior consistently sat at 96, with the ability to reach 98-99, and is working on a slider to pair with the heater. Here is what Jarrett had to say on Thursday on Stokes’ most recent appearance in practice:

“The last outing he had was as good an outing as a right-handed pitcher I’ve seen on a college field. It was dynamic; it was 98. The slider profile was unbelievably good. That was a phenomenal outing. It was fun to watch.”

Why Giants are content sacrificing defense with Luis Arráez contract agreement originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — When it comes to old school versus new, there isn’t a more polarizing player in today’s game than Luis Arráez. 

The veteran infielder is a three-time batting champion who hit .292 last year in what was considered a down year for the San Diego Padres. By some traditional measures — All-Star appearances, Silver Sluggers, hits — his career has at times been on a path to Cooperstown. While picking up all those hits, including a league-leading total last year, he virtually never strikes out.

Arráez also rates as a poor defender by all modern analytics and the eye test. He might bat .300 just about every year, but by wRC+, he was roughly a league-average hitter last season. He ranked in the first percentile last year in hard-hit percentage and bat speed. His sprint speed puts him in the bottom quarter of the league.

What do you see when you watch Arráez play? That might vary greatly depending on how you view the game. 

But it’s clear what the Giants see. 

Arráez is their new second baseman, and while it’s an imperfect fit in a lot of ways, it also is one that makes a lot of sense given how Buster Posey has rebuilt the organization over the past year.

In just about every trade, and with many of their draft picks, the Giants have chased contact skills. They pulled a hitting coach from a Toronto Blue Jays team that led the big leagues in average last year and was second-to-last in strikeouts. They are, to put it mildly, tired of watching the strikeouts pile up, and with this latest move, they won’t have to worry about it at second base. 

Arráez struck out 21 times in 675 plate appearances last year. He also drew just 34 walks and showed little power, which is why he was available for $12 million on a one-year contract. The Giants know exactly what they’re getting, although even with the one-trick profile, there have been extremes. 

Arráez is two years removed from a wRC+ of 131, which followed a season of 130. If the 28-year-old regains that form at spacious Oracle Park, the Giants will have one of the most dangerous infields in baseball, with Arráez joining Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Bryce Eldridge.

Of course, they might also have the worst right-side defense in baseball on Opening Day. Arráez made just 10 starts at second base last year and has been worth negative-20 Outs Above Average at the position over the past three seasons. He probably should be a first baseman or DH in 2026, but the Giants won’t have that option. 

In that respect, this is risky. Posey believes Devers can turn into a Gold Glove-caliber defender at first and Eldridge worked hard on his defense over the offseason, but for a team filled with groundball pitchers, that is an awful lot of hope. 

There are, though, ways to limit the exposure. The Giants have chased second base upgrades all offseason even though Casey Schmitt seemed deserving of a real shot, and their goal has been to turn Schmitt into a super-utility player. 

It’s possible the young infielder now ends up in a trade, especially because there’s depth in Christian Koss and Tyler Fitzgerald, but if Schmitt is on the initial roster, he’ll back up second, short and third and offer a right-handed option at first base from time to time. Either he or Koss figures to enter for Arráez late in games.

This would be an interesting way for any team to build in 2026. For the Giants, it’s downright fascinating. 

The team that always talks about winning with pitching and defense is chasing batting average at second base, a crucial position when Logan Webb and others are on the mound. The lineup now appears to be strong enough to compete for a playoff spot. But the clear weakness of the roster is the bullpen, and the rotation isn’t that far behind. 

The Giants tried to reload another way, making multiple offers for St. Louis’ Brendan Donovan and chasing Nico Hoerner, CJ Abrams and others. All would have been better defenders and offered more all-around offensive upside, but the front office grew frustrated with the nature of trade talks, believing that opposing executives pulled back at times when a deal was approaching the one-yard line.

On Friday, after signing Harrison Bader — a glove-first player — Posey said he still had some balls in the air and was hopeful he could add before pitchers and catchers report. His lineup now appears set, and most of the bench pieces are in place. 

The pitching staff needs help, but the Giants got their new center fielder and second baseman without dealing prospects, so they’re still equipped to try and swing a deal for a pitcher if they find the right fit. If this is it, it will go down as a modest offseason class, but maybe one that shouldn’t be all that unexpected.

Posey won titles with pitching and defense, but he also spent most of his career playing with good infielders. He was instrumental in helping the club reach an extension with Chapman and has signed or traded for new starters at first, second and short over the past 14 months. 

There were a lot of different ways the Giants could have gone over that time. They have chosen to line up behind their infielders, and while Arráez’s defense will be an issue that new manager Tony Vitello has to work around, the Giants are betting on his bat, or more specifically, his batting average.

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Chris Getz and Will Venable definitely seem to understand that earning fan loyalty is not an easy task. Fresh off one of the strongest offseasons in recent club history and a 19-game improvement from 2024, the White Sox front office must balance providing fans with hope for the future while keeping their focus on the club’s young talent. After the first night of SoxFest 2026, it’s clear that Getz and Venable are committed to doing just that, and doing it right.

Throughout a night of vibrant music, engaging interviews and player meet-and-greets, the same key messages were reiterated to season ticket holders and press eager to know what this year will bring to Chicago’s rebuild.

Young development above all
Despite the latest addition of veteran outfielder Austin Hays, development remains the key focus. When asked whether the primary goal this season is player development or playing .500 baseball, Venable emphasized that the two go hand-in-hand. The skipper told Connor McKnight on stage, “Both. The expectations are growing here … development is not something we do without winning, and that is what we do to get to win.”

And that’s not just a sugar-coated front office answer to excuse a 100-loss season. It’s evident in SoxFest itself. Anthony Kay was the only featured veteran, with most attention paid towards upcoming sophomores and even soon-to-be Charlotte Knights Tanner McDougal and Sam Antonacci.

Beyond SoxFest, Getz and Venable know that these young players will drive the organization’s success for years to come. Miguel Vargas and Mike Vasil were named the “glue guys” in the clubhouse for their personalities, ability to communicate with everyone, and leadership. The faith and trust placed in these players who haven’t reached their prime show where the Sox are prioritizing their time and money.

Building an organization, not just a team
The Sox know that, with a strict budget, the best investment for sustainable success lies in the front office. Getz highlighted specifically the expansion and growth of research as a significant improvement this offseason. With labs in Arizona and Chicago, data is becoming the heart of player development. Venable added that emphasis on health, specifically with the medical and nutrition staff, is also a critical component to winning.

In his almost three years of serving as Chicago’s GM, Getz is getting the organization caught up to league standards. Although there’s still plenty of progress to be made, the South Siders are finally taking a page out of the Rays and Guardians playbooks and spending money on something that carries no risk of injury or sudden decline.

Attitude and ethic matter
Part of creating a franchise is fostering a clubhouse that holds players accountable. Getz and Venable made it clear that the chaotic clubhouse from the early 2020s won’t be tolerated. As seen last year, Venable sets the expectation that attitude, effort and aggressiveness are expected on the first day of Spring Training. Getz doubled down on the sentiment, calling out that it begins even before guys don a Sox uniform. He recalled the Garrett Crochet trade last offseason and the process of vetting Chase Meidroth, Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery and Wikelman González before finalizing the trade: “If we’re going to build a foundation, let’s make sure we know what we’re getting.”

That standard was evident in interviews with players throughout the event. Teel is set to arrive in Glendale nearly a week before pitchers and catchers report, eager to get an early jump. Vargas said he hasn’t stopped training since the season ended, carrying momentum straight into the offseason. Across the board, the message was clear that this group of players isn’t waiting around. They’re ambitious, excited, motivated and ready to get back on the field.

SoxFest is a chance to show White Sox fans why they should believe in this franchise. Everyone left on Friday feeling that the organization seems to be headed in the right direction. Be sure to check back for our SoxFest Day 2 coverage right here at South Side Sox!

The Yankees and Mets shored up their outfields, and Austin Hays then headed to the Windy City.

The veteran outfielder agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal featuring incentives with the White Sox, The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Saturday.

Heyman listed early Saturday the Reds, Rangers, White Sox, Tigers, Cardinals, Padres and Cubs among the teams that had shown interest in or made an offer for the outfielder, while the Mets and Yankees had interest earlier in the offseason before their recent notable moves.

Hayes, an eight-year veteran, had a solid season for the Reds in 2025, particularly offering value against left-handed pitching.

He slashed .319/.400/.549 with a .949 OPS against lefties, although he exhibited more power against righties with 13 homers compared to two while facing southpaws.

The Yankees had been linked to Hays in case they did not re-sign Cody Bellinger, since Hays could have potentially platooned with Jasson Dominguez.

With Bellinger re-signing on a five-year deal and the Yankees already re-signing righty bench bat Amed Rosario, their need for another righty reserve bat lessened.

The Post reported in December that the Mets showed interest in Hays, but once they added Luis Robert Jr. in a trade, in addition to already having Tyrone Taylor, they seemingly did not need his bat.

The Mets’ acquisition of Robert, though, ultimately factored into his decision since the White Sox needed to replace the talented yet often-injured center fielder.

Chicago has had a busy offseason, previously acquiring Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, reliever Seranthony Dominguez and Luisangel Acuna in the Robert trade.

The White Sox went 60-102 last season, which means Hays could be on the trade market this summer.

Hays is a career .262 hitter with a .748 OPS and has slugged 83 homers. He started his career with the Orioles in 2017 before a 2024 trade to the Phillies. He then joined the Reds last offseason.

The Yankees haven’t made rotation splash some thought they’d make so far this offseason, but they did bring in an intriguing arm earlier this month. 

New York acquired lefty Ryan Weathers from the Marlins for four prospects. 

Weathers has flashed big-time upside with Miami and San Diego over the years, but keeping himself healthy has been his biggest issue to this point in his five-year big-league career. 

If the Yanks can keep him healthy, Matt Blake likes what he can bring.

“This is an exciting arm,” the pitching coach said on Yankee Hot Stove. “It’s a kid who I’ve been following since high school when we were scouting him in the Amateur Draft, he’s done a nice job of growing into a major league version of himself. 

“The biggest thing is just keeping him on the field. We have to do a good job of having a nice onramp for him this spring and keeping him healthy, but an electric arm with a nice arsenal -- there’s definitely a ceiling for him he hasn’t touched yet.”

Weathers was limited to just eight starts last year due to flexor and lat strains. 

Blake confirmed that the Yanks have talked to hard-throwing southpaw about leaning on his two-seam more to help open the zone for his four-seam fastball and sweeper. 

He threw the pitch just 4.9 percent of the time last season, despite having some success. 

“I’m looking forward to learning,” Weathers said during his intro presser. “You look at the rotation, you look at the bullpen guys, there’s no excuse for me not to pick their brains and learn from some of the best.”

A healthy Weathers gives the Yanks a relatively steady, young arm to help stabilize their starting rotation until Gerritt Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt are ready to return from injuries. 

In our last matchup, Luis Garcia easily surpassed David Lough to advance.

Here’s the next matchup:

6. Brad Miller, 2021

Stats with the Phillies (in 2021): 140 games, .227/.321/.453, 20 HR, 49 RBI, 0.5 WAR

Brad Miller spent the 2019 season with the Phillies, serving mostly as a utility man off the bench. He played multiple infield and outfield positions (albeit none of them especially well). He left for a season to join the Cardinals in 2020 but then returned to the Phillies for 2021.

Once again, he played multiple positions (poorly) and provided some decent pop from the left side of the plate. The problem was, he tended to run very hot or cold. He could have a multi-home run game (three times in 2021) but then go a month without hitting another. On the other hand, he introduced a bamboo plant to the clubhouse and that was a big hit.

Us: We're not going to go overboard with this bamboo stuff.

Also us: pic.twitter.com/XU70198mvd

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 26, 2019

11. Neil Walker, 2020

Stats with the Phillies: 18 games, .231/.244/.308, 0 HR, 3 RBI, -0.1 WAR

After a solid career, spent mostly in Pittsburgh, Walker was coming off two disappointing years by the time 2020 hit. The Phillies signed him before 2020 (as part of an odd trend of signing former Pirates), hoping he could serve in a utility infield role.

Maybe in a normal season, Walker would have had more time to find his footing. But he was largely awful in the COVID-shortened 202o season. His defense was never his strong suit, but the former Silver Slugger winner didn’t do much at the plate either.

Who should advance? Vote now!