LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Jack Suwinski #65 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium on July 06, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The never-ending quest for depth continues, and on Saturday the Dodgers claimed outfielder Jack Suwinski off waivers from the Pirates.
Suwinski was designated for assignment on Monday when the Pirates signed free agent designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, ending a four-year stint in Pittsburgh for Suwinski. Acquired from the Padres in the Adam Frazier deal at the 2021 trade deadline, Suwinski hit 45 home runs with a combined 106 wRC+ in 2022-23, but was below replacement level in each of the last two seasons, hitting just .169/.271/.297 with a 59 wRC+ in 455 plate appearances in 2024-25.
Suwinski with the Pirates spend a little over half his time in center field, and also mixed in time in left field and right field. By Outs Above Average, Suwinsnki in his career is plus-2 in center, minus-3 in right, and minus-6 in left.
The only other center fielders besides starter Andy Pages on the 40-man roster are Michael Siani, who has an option year remaining, and Hyeseong Kim, who has options but is really an infielder by trade and is in the running to play second base. Suwinski is out of options, having used option years in 2022, 2024, and 2025 with the Pirates.
With two years, 170 days of major league service time, Suwinski was a Super Two this offseason, among the top 22 percent among players with between two and three years of service. He avoided an arbitration hearing in November with a one-year, $1.25 million deal in November.
Aaron Judge launched two long home runs and Spencer Jones hit one, too, as the Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers, 20-3, in their second game of Grapefruit League play on Saturday in Tampa.
- Judge, getting his first action of the spring, lined out to center in the first inning, before he tattooed a cutter at the knees 420 feet to center (104.5 mph off the bat) for a two-run home run in the third off veteran right-hander Burch Smith.
Judge added another two-run shot in the fourth, taking an up-and-in fastball from long-time minor leaguer Ricky Vanasco and keeping it fair down the left field line. The 92 mph heater went out in a hurry, 106.1 mph off the bat, and 395 feet just inside the foul pole.
- Jones, sporting a bit of a Shohei Ohtani-type toe tap, launched a monster home run with one out in the second. The big lefty took a Keider Montero up-and-in fastball 408 feet (111.7 mph off the bat) for a very Ohtani-like no-doubt homer. He went down swinging on a changeup off the plate to end the third inning, his next time up.
Jones used the Yanks' first challenge as a batter of the spring in the fifth, but the low strike was correctly called as it did clip the bottom of the zone. He went down swinging on the next pitch, chasing a slider outside the zone.
- Carlos Lagrange got the start for the Yanks and allowed a bullet, one-out single to Kevin McGonigle, the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball, in the first and nearly got his head taken off by a liner up the middle off Gleyber Torres' bat. The big Yankee youngster burned in the two fastballs at 100.5 mph and 98.2 mph, but they went for hits at 104.5 mph and 101.7 mph.
The Tigers got on the board after catcher Ali Sánchez couldn’t block a third strike in the dirt, and his throw to third went right past Ryan McMahon, scoring McGonigle. The No. 3 prospect in the NY system finished the inning with a second strikeout, showing off a very live arm.
Lagrange had the changeup working, but he left one up and over the plate to Corey Julks, and he tagged it 387 feet to left field for a solo home run to leadoff the third. After walking the next batter, the right-hander got the next two before issuing a two-out walk, and Aaron Boone was out of the dugout. His final line: 2.2 innings, two runs (one earned) on three hits, two walks, two strikeouts on 53 pitches (32 strikes).
"What I've been pleased with in just his first couple of life outings, and now obviously here, just filling up the strike zone for the most part. That's the next step for him," Boone said on the YES broadcast about Lagrange. "You see all of the stuff, the big fastball, really good changeup – although he gave up the homer on the changeup that he hung today – and then the sweeper. I like that he was in the zone for the most part with all of it."
On the day, Lagrange threw 19 fastballs (99.8 mph average), 11 changeups, his second-best pitch and one highly thought of (91.5 mph average), and 13 sliders, a pitch that was working well to upset the Tigers' timing with five called strikes.
"He's been excellent all camp so far," Boone said of the 6-foot-7 starter. "Really, really good kid, really good makeup. Kinda has developed into a leader coming up through the minor leagues."
- McMahon took a two-strike 97 mph fastball the other way for a ground-rule double into the corner in left with one down in the first inning. The Yanks have encouraged McMahon to have a narrower, less open stance, and it looked pretty good in his first time up. He finished the day 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
- Paul Goldschmidt, with runners on second and third and one out in the first, took a 3-2 fastball at the top of the zone and smacked it into left field to put the Yanks up 2-1. The veteran hit one right on the screws (108.3 mph) for a lineout to left his second time up. He reached on an infield single on another hard-hit ball (107.5 mph) in the fourth to finish the game 2-for-3 with two batted in.
- Jasson Dominguez, who walked his first time up, made a nice play to start the second when he got a good jump on a sharply hit liner to left to record the out. He reached second on a ‘double’ to start the fourth when Julks in left field lost a pop fly while battling a bright sunny sky. He added a sacrifice fly to center in the fourth.
- George Lombard Jr. got a RBI chance in his first at-bat with two on and two in scoring position in the fifth, and the Yanks’ top prospect bounced out to short.
- Out of the bullpen, David Bednar worked around a one-out walk with a double play ball, needing just 10 pitches for a clean fourth, and Fernando Cruz used six pitches in a 1-2-3 fifth.
- Sanchez got involved with the ABS challenge system in the third inning. He lost on his first attempt when the ball was indeed outside (by 0.8 inches) and was successful on his second with a strike that caught the bottom of the zone. At the plate, the catcher went 1-for-2 on the day with a strikeout.
- The game blew open in the eighth inning after the Tigers' pitchers just lost the plot with four walks and a Roderick Arias grand slam before a few singles and a Jackson Castillo three-run shot in the nine-run inning.
As Mets pitchers lined up along the third baseline to take their turns in one of those mundane spring training drills Saturday morning, an outfielder whose presence was not required sidled into the queue.
Within seconds, Freddy Peralta’s laugh rang out over the voices of coaches and infielders navigating rundowns. A coach or two wandered over to get in on the joke. New center fielder Luis Robert Jr. wandered over and seemed to catch some flack. A few minutes later, Juan Sotoemerged from the huddle that had suddenly formed around him, his attempt to feign solemnity disrupted by a smile he could not hide.
The moment is one of many like it in the early weeks of Soto’s second spring training as a Met and emblematic of his presence so far: the 27-year-old looks less like a player trying to determine his role in the clubhouse and more like a superstar who understands it perfectly.
Impromptu gatherings seem to coalesce around him, whether in the back corner of the clubhouse with Spanish-speaking relievers or behind home plate during live batting practice, where he and Carlos Beltran descended on Robert Jr. because both noticed something with his hands as he was loading.
“We’re just talking a bunch of crap all day. We’re usually not talking that much about hitting,” Soto said. “Definitely when things come up like that, and Beltran is trying to explain something, I try to be there just to be there for him and also listen for myself.”
Soto is now a relative old-timer on a new-look Mets roster devoid of many players who used to mold its personality. This year, Soto and Francisco Lindor will anchor a core built around newcomers Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, and Jorge Polanco, all of whom earned teammates’ respect elsewhere and are known as less vocal, lead-by-example types.
And while the dynamic between Lindor and Soto last season was reportedly uncomfortable, it has not been on display much at all in the early days of camp. Lindor, like most injured veterans, is maintaining a low profile in the clubhouse as his left hand heals from surgery. Soto spends most of his time with the outfielders anyway. At the moment, there seems to be plenty of room for comfortable coexistence.
Feb 17, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (left) and outfielder Juan Soto (right) run during a spring training workout at Clover Park. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
At the very least, Soto said his offseason was more comfortable than the last one, and a few teammates have noticed he has a slightly different look: Soto arrived looking visibly more muscular in his arms and shoulders, prompting his former Yankee teammate, Luke Weaver, to ask, “Are you getting bigger, or am I getting smaller?”
Soto said he did not make a concerted effort to add muscle this winter and that he tried to do the same things he has done in years past. But this winter, he was able to do them better.
“I feel like last year’s offseason was kind of tough. I was going through a lot of ups and downs. Traveling a lot. Moving everywhere. Getting phone calls. Stopping workouts in the middle. It just wasn’t my best workouts,” Soto said. “This year, I could work a little harder and have a little more fun with it.”
The slugger will spend spring training refamiliarizing himself with left field, where he will play regularly for both the Mets and the Dominican Republic in next month’s World Baseball Classic. Several defensive metrics suggested Soto had the second-worst defensive season last year in right field, and he has been open about his desire to improve defensively. He played four innings in left field Saturday and successfully fielded a base hit.
Of course, comfort comes easily in spring training, when a few innings comprise a full day’s work and losses end in laughs. But Soto seems at ease in his routine, comfortable with his teammates, and eager to help Robert Jr. unlock his full potential. And after an offseason filled with discussion about the emotional state of stars in the Mets clubhouse, comfortable seems like a reasonable place to start.
TAMPA — The two biggest Yankees began Grapefruit League play by sending towering blasts into the stands and beyond.
Aaron Judge homered twice, and Spencer Jones added a moonshot of his own on Saturday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field as the Yankees opened their home spring schedule against the Tigers.
Jones’ mammoth shot came first off right-hander Keider Montero, clearing everything in right field and leaving the stadium altogether.
New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones (78) hits a home run against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning in a Spring Training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Feb. 21, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It was projected by Statcast to travel 408 feet, which seemed incredibly light for the homer that came off the bat at 111.7 mph.
Judge then homered in his next two at-bats, the first a 420-foot poke off the batter’s eye in center field and the second a 395-foot drive down the left-field line that he was somehow able to keep fair.
Aaron Judge hit two homers on Saturday afternoon. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The 6-foot-7 sluggers were playing next to each other in the outfield, with Judge in right and Jones in center.
The Yankees typically slow-play Judge into Grapefruit League games, but he got into action quickly this spring since he is leaving camp next week to go play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Brandon Waddell #82 of the New York Mets poses for a photo during the New York Mets Photo Day at Clover Park on February 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Marlins defeated the Mets 2-1 in the opening game of Grapefruit League play. The Mets were no-hit in the contest until the fifth and threatened late, but were unable to pull out the late-inning comeback.
Brandon Waddell pitched two scoreless (and smooth and easy) innings to kick things off for the Mets.
The Marlins scored their first run in part thanks to an error by first baseman Jose Rojas in the fourth trying to corral a poor throw from Bo Bichette at third base.
Austin Barnes broke through with a single for the Mets’ first hit in the fifth.
The Marlins added a run on a Christopher Morel sacrifice fly in the sixth.
The Mets loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch and a pitch clock violation walk in the eighth and A.J. Ewing hit a sacrifice fly for the Mets’ only run.
Ewing also had a nifty outfield assist in the top of the ninth, nabbing Colby Shade trying to get to third base.
The Mets will play their crosstown rival Yankees in Tampa tomorrow at 1:05pm ET.
PORT ST. LUCIE - The Mets opened Grapefruit League play Saturday with a 2-1 loss at home to the Miami Marlins, managing to get only two hits in the game.
Here are the top takeaways:
-Of most interest, Bo Bichette played his first game as a Met and made his debut at third base. Other than a routine pop-up, the only fair ball he had a chance to make a play on was Connor Norby’s ground ball down the line in the fourth inning.
Bichette had to range to his right, nearly to the foul line to backhand the ball, and from there his throw wasn’t particularly strong, as well as a bit off-line.
First baseman Jose Rojas stretched for the ball and dropped it, getting an error on the play.
So it could have been an out, but the throw also raised the question that scouts have had about whether Bichette has the arm strength to make those types of plays at third base.
In his two at-bats, Bichette went 0-for-2.
He grounded a chopper the other way, down the first base line, but Marlins’ first baseman Christopher Morel made a nice play, grabbing the ball over his shoulder going back for it, and throwing to the pitcher for the out.
Bichette also grounded to third in his second at-bat before coming out of the game.
-Carlos Mendoza’s lineup featured two more regulars, Juan Soto and Marcus Semien. Each went 0-for-2 before leaving the game.
Semien popped to third and struck out swinging. Soto popped to short and grounded out to first.
-Mets’ starting pitcher was lefty Brandon Waddell, who could earn a spot in the Mets’ bullpen with a strong spring, as AJ Minter won’t be ready to open the season.
Waddell threw two scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out three of the six hitters he faced.
-The Mets were held scoreless until the eighth inning, when they loaded the bases and scored a run on AJ Ewing’s sacrifice fly to center. Ewing emerged last season as a top prospect for the Mets and has a chance to be the center fielder of the future.
Veteran catcher Austin Barnes, competing for the backup at age 36, had the first hit for the Mets, lining a single to center in the fifth inning.
-Ronny Mauricio was the first Met to reach base, on a throwing error in the second inning, and he promptly stole second, getting one of those running leads/early starts with which they had so much success last season.
There were questions whether the Mets’ running game would be as good this season, after first base coach Antoan Richardson left to take a job with the Atlanta Braves. Richardson was credited with much of the success in how aggressive the Mets were last season.
Mauricio, meanwhile, hasn’t received much attention in Mets’ camp, but he could wind up starting the season at shortstop if Francisco Lindor isn’t ready to return after last week’s surgery for a broken hamate bone.
-MJ Melendez, who could be a candidate for playing time in right field, made two nice running catches from that position.
He ranged far to catch one fly ball in foul territory, nearly reaching the fence in front of the seats. On the second one, he was playing toward the gap, had to come a long way over and in to catch a shallow fly ball. Looked under control on each one.
Feb 21, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto (7) runs out onto the field for the start of spring training games against the Philadelphia Phillies at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Philles 0 Blue Jays 3
As everyone knows, the pitchers are ahead of the hitters at the start of spring training (when the teams score a bunch of runs tomorrow, the opening line will be reversed). Jays allowed just 4 hits and 4 walks.
Eric Lauer looked sharp in his inning, giving up a single, and getting a strikeout.
Other’s pitching:
Tyler Rogers: He was fun to watch. Gave up a single, but got out of the inning.
Adam Macko threw two innings, one walk, two strikeouts.
CK Van Eyk had one hit, two walks, two strikeouts in his two innings.
Jack Cushing had a walk and two strikeouts in one inning.
Gage Stanifer started the inning with a double and hit a batter, then got a ground out, a pop out, and a ground out.
Javen Coleman came in for the save. Got a lineout, strikeout, error on the shortstop, and strikeout. He looked good.
Batters:
Daulton Varsho hit a fifth inning home run.
Starting lineup:
Ernie Clement singled and walked in his two PA.
Andres Jimenez hit into a double play and ground out.
Vladimir Guerrero walked and lined out.
Kirk singled and struck out.
Addison Barger was 0 for 2.
Kazuma Okamoto was 0 for 2, but made a nice play coming in on a ball and made a strong throw to first. He also booted a ball that went off the pitcher to him, but it had no shot at a play.
Daulton Varsho, as noted above homered. He also singled. A 3.500 slugging average.
Davis Schneider was 0 for 1 with a walk.
Nathan Lukes was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Replacements:
Leo Jimenez played 2b: 0 for 2.
Josh Kasevich had a misplay at short, called a hit, could have been an error. And then in the ninth had a bad error, easy ground ball, right at him and he booted it. Also had a single in two trips.
Sean Keys 1B: 1 for 2 with a two-run homer.
C.J. Stubbs: 1 for 2.
Yohendrick Pinango: 0 for 2, k.
Charles McAdoo: 1 for 1, walk. Made some nice plays on defense at third.
Riley Tirotta: 0 for 1, k, walk.
RJ Schreck: 0 for 2, k. He had a fly ball to the wall in the eighth. I thought it was out.
Feb 20, 2026; North Port FL, USA; A photographer takes photos of Atlanta Braves right fielder Mike Yastrzemski (18) during media day at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
If first impressions are any indication, then the Atlanta Braves and their fanbase should be pretty happy with what Mike Yastrzemski may have in store for the upcoming season. One of the newest signings for the Braves made his presence felt almost immediately in the Grapefruit League opener. He kept that up and had a pretty good day at the plate as the Braves cruised to a win over the Rays.
When I say that Yaz made his presence felt immediately, I mean it — he hit second for the Braves in this one and he took the first pitch he saw from Rays pitcher T.J. Nichols and crushed it deep to center field to put the Braves ahead early on in this one. Nichols left one right in Yaz’s wheelhouse and he made no mistake with it in order to crack his first homer (of spring training) with the Braves.
Yastrzemski wasn’t done there, either. He hit a hard single off of Kodi Whitley in the third inning and then he capped off his day by coaxing a walk out of Joe Rock. Once he reached base, Kevin Kilpatrick replaced him at first place and that was the end of his day. Sure, it was the very first day of spring training but I’d say that reaching base three times with one of those being a homer and playing some solid defense in the field on top of that makes for a lovely start to spring training. Here’s to seeing plenty more where that came from from here on out and especially in the regular season as well.
Mike Yastrzemski wasn’t the only player who hit the ground running. Journeyman outfielder Ben Gamel also made his presence felt in this one, as he hit a homer of his own to lead off the second inning. Gamel golfed one that was low and in the zone from Andrew Wantz and sent it flying way out for a dinger that extended Atlanta’s quick start in this one.
Gamel wasn’t finished as he went on to tack on two more RBI via a looping double to left-center. Mike Yastrzemski scored on the play as well, so those two players really were all over the place (in a good way) in this one. The Braves led 5-0 after three innings in this one — Mike Yastrzemski and Ben Gamel were responsible for four of the runs scored (two each) and four of the RBI (three for Gamel and one for Yaz) as well. Again, talk about hitting the ground running!
On the other side of things, Atlanta’s pitching staff did their part in order to make sure that the Rays stayed quiet for the vast majority of this contest. Carlos Carrasco got things going with three strikeouts and three hits allowed over two innings of work. Carrasco won’t win any velocity contests any time soon as he topped out at around 91-mph on the radar gun during Saturday’s action but it was still nice to see him retire the side in both innings with little-to-no issues.
Dylan Dodd picked up the baton in the third inning and pitched a scoreless frame while only giving up a hit and striking out a batter. Dodd’s velocity was certainly up, as his sinker was regularly hitting 96-mph on the gun in this one. That’s definitely encouraging if he can keep that up going forward since he was sitting at 94-mph with his sinker last season.
Hayden Harris got the ball for the fourth inning and while he did run into a situation with two men on and nobody out, Harris did a great job of escaping the jam by getting an infield fly and two strikeouts to nip Tampa Bay’s scoring threat right in the bud.
Offseason signing James Karinchak took on pitching duties in the fifth inning and tallied two strikeouts of his own with just one hit allowed in order to keep the ball rolling for the Braves and keep the Rays off of the scoreboard. In fact, the Rays did not score until the sixth inning when Logan Davidson homered off of Elieser Hernández and the Braves didn’t give up a walk until Austin Pope handed out the first free pass of the day all the way into the eighth inning. Atlanta’s pitchers racked up 12 strikeouts in this one. Suffice to say, this was a very solid performance from the pitching staff in this one.
It was a very solid performance all-around for the Braves as they got their Grapefruit League campagin started off on a winning note. The excitement should bleed into Sunday’s outing as Chris Sale has been confirmed as the starter for the home opener at CoolToday Park against the Twins. For now, Mike Yastrzemski and Ben Gamel should both feel pretty satisfied with their efforts today as they make the short trip back to Braves camp in North Port from the Rays facility in Port Charlotte.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 10: A general view of the video board during an ABS, or automatic ball-strike, challenge review during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Monday, March 10, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Well, the D-backs are already off to a better spring start than they were in 2025. Last year, they lost their first three games, conceding a total of 32 runs in the process. So it was nice to see them put together a well-pitched game right out of the gate. On the other hand, opening with a victory makes it a little harder to remember that spring training numbers are totally meaningless! We’ll see if the Diamondbacks can run their unbeaten streak to a mighty two games this afternoon!
[Wrestling commentator voice] WHAT IS JORDAN LAWLAR DOING IN CENTER FIELD?!?!? After yesterday saw a fairly convincing facsimile of Arizona’s Opening Day line-up, this afternoon is… not so much. In fact, absent any injuries, Lawlar might be the only one who’ll be trotting out onto the field in Los Angeles next month. Still, we should probably get used to this, because it’s not long before the World Baseball Classic will be sucking away seven of the 40-man Arizona roster from Salt River Fields, and we should get used to seeing replacements for the next few weeks.
Also, Mitch Bratt makes his first appearance in a Diamondback jersey. He was one of the players received by Arizona from Texas, in exchange for Merrill Kelly’s holiday in Arlington, and will hopefully become a useful piece in the D-backs rotation. Perhaps not this year – Kohl Drake is the more advanced prospect we got off the Rangers – but fingers crossed for down the line. After him, we can expect to get some or all of the following pitchers: RHP Alfred Morillo, RHP Hayden Durke, LHP Spencer Giesting and LHP Yu-Min Lin. I don’t believe today’s game has any TV coverage, but it’ll be on the radio through ESPN 620 AM.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 19: Joey Cantillo #54 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a portrait during photo day at Goodyear Ballpark on February 19, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Feb 17, 2026; Surprise, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker during media day at Surprise Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers hitch a ride east for their first road game of the spring where they will take on the Chicago Cubs from Mesa, AZ. It’s days like today where we discover people such as Jonah Bride, Cooper Johnson, and Tyler Wade both exist and are employed by the Rangers.
Right-handed rotation hopeful Kumar Rocker will make the start for Texas opposite LHP Matthew Boyd for Chicago. According to Kennedi Landry, expect to see Cal Quantrill, Patrick Murphy, Luis Curvelo, and Carter Baumler also pitch for Texas in today’s game.
Today’s Lineups
RANGERS
CUBS
Sam Haggerty – 2B
Matt Shaw – RF
Ezequiel Duran – SS
Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
Danny Jansen – C
Carson Kelly – C
Justin Foscue – 1B
Jonathon Long – 1B
Jonah Bride – 3B
Justin Dean – LF
Mark Canha – LF
James Triantos – 2B
Cooper Johnson – DH
Pedro Ramirez – 3B
Tyler Wade – CF
Jefferson Rojas – SS
Aaron Zavala – RF
BJ Murray – DH
Kumar Rocker – RHP
Matthew Boyd – LHP
You can listen to the game via 105.3 The Fan, watch the Chicago feed via MLB.TV, or follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Sloan Park is scheduled for 2:05 pm CT.
TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Three Shohei Ohtani fans pose for a photo during a spring training exhibition between the Los Angeles Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Peoria Sports Complex on February 24, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the Dodgers, the Cactus League gets underway today, on the road in Tempe.
Feb 20, 2026; Surprise, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) doubles in the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Can I interest you in an embedded Bluesky post to set the mood?
The Royals are back in action this afternoon, hosting the San Diego Padres in Surprise. They’ll face off against MLB The Show stud but real-life underperformer Matt Waldron, the last known (to me, at least) knuckleballer in MLB. Here’s the lineup they’ll be using:
Kyle Isbel gets to bat fifth in today’s contest, likely to give him a third plate appearance before letting him head off to the golf courses. And don’t worry, that’s not the nearly-87-year-old Cookie Rojas (His birthday is March 6. Happy early birthday, Cookie!) but instead former White Sox infielder Josh Rojas getting the start at third as he tries to reclaim the success from his time with the Diamondbacks of three and four years ago. Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, and Salvador Perez are the only Royals to start a second game in a row. That’s fitting as they are the heart of both the lineup and the team in general.
Ryan Bergert will be taking the mound in a semi-competitive game for the first time since he exited a start against the Cleveland Guardians early in September with forearm tightness. He’s someone we’ll be watching closely to make sure he’s healthy heading into the season. He might not even make the opening day rotation, but he’s likely to be very important as the year goes on.
They announced who all would be pitching after him during yesterday’s broadcast, but like a rookie, I chose not to write it down, assuming I’d be able to find it easily somewhere today. Don’t worry, I’ll have that cleaned up by Opening Day. The Royals do have the following pitchers listed on their game roster for today, and I imagine most of them are going to get an opportunity to pitch:
Eli Morgan
Chandler Champlain
Jonathan Heasley
Mason Black
Christian Chamblerain
Ben Kudrna
Dennis Colleran Jr.
Andrew Pérez
Oscar Rayo
Of that batch, I’m most interested in Morgan and Black as they both seem to have outside shots at making the bullpen out of Spring Training. I had forgotten Heasley had returned on a minor league deal last August, and even if I had remembered, I wouldn’t have realized he was still in the organization this spring. Colleran is another guy to watch closely, even if he’s unlikely to make the Opening Day roster. He had a 1.83 ERA in A+ ball last year, though with a FIP over 4.00 and not nearly enough strikeouts.
The outfield situation should be interesting as well; the Royals have Tyler Gentry, Gavin Cross, Kameron Misner, and Carson Roccaforte on the game roster outside the starters, and all of those guys have something to prove to the team, though only Misner seems remotely likely to break camp with the big club.
Today’s game will only be broadcast in online audio, but it’s free through either the Royals’ site or the MLB App. In the past, during such broadcasts, they haven’t played commercials but have instead allowed us to soak in the sounds of the ballpark between innings. Hopefully, we’ll get to enjoy that again this year.
John Fogerty can play center field, but can Luisangel Acuña? | Getty Images
The undefeated (OK, 1-0, if you insist) Chicago White Sox get home turf at Camelback this afternoon to face the also undefeated (but just 0-0) Sacramento/Las Vegas/You Name It A’s, as they follow the usual early Cactus League procedure of having no starters back from yesterday’s game.
That game was lots of fun slaughtering the Cubs, with a number of batters getting big shots in. The most notable was Munetaka Murakami’s double, because that smash came off a pitch three mph faster than his supposed limit (albeit a grooved one, but we take what we can get), which is a good sign for the future.
The Sox lineup today contains a half-dozen returnees from 2025, with the key addition to watch being Luisangel Acuña, obtained in the trade of Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets. That’s because the plan is apparently to play Acuña in center, which both the Rangers and Mets decided he’s not much good at, despite his speed and excellent infield skills. Another player to watch is Jarred Kelenic in left, a free agent signee getting a chance to show yet again he really is the major-leaguer he was thought to be when the Mets drafted him in the first round in 2018.
They’ll be first facing righty Jack Perkins, who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
Starting the parade of pitchers for the Sox will be lefty Chris Murphy, picked up in a November trade with the Red Sox. Murphy ostensibly is under consideration for a back-end rotation spot even though he’s never started a major league game. The A’s aren’t putting any of their stars in the lineup against him.
First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. Central on what is for Arizona a downright nippy day with a high of just 70°. This one is on the tube with CHSN, as well as a ESPN 1000 radio broadcast.
This piece was originally planned for the end of January. However, the Diamondbacks were still deep into the offseason rumours, so I gave them until the beginning of spring training to make their final moves before weighing in.
As the 2025 season rolled to a close, the Diamondbacks found themselves in a somewhat unexpected position. They were, despite a massive deadline sell-off, pushing for the final National League Wild Card berth. Alas, they came u just short, despite playing with a deleted roster. One only has to wonder how things might have been different if any of Corbin Burnes, A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez, or Gabriel Moreno had avoided long-term or season-ending injuries. The same can be said about if Zac Gallen had rediscovered his mojo two or three weeks sooner than he did. If anything, this late-season surge complicated the entire offseason for General Manager Mike Hazen.
The players moved at the trade deadline were all out of contract at the end of the season. However, many of them were also primary contributors to the modest success of the first half and some were also fan-favourites. Additionally, of the players to fall by the wayside due to injury, only Gabriel Moreno has yet to return to the roster. The team’s ace starter (a legit top-5 in the league starter), the team’s closer, and the team’s primary lefty and set-up man are all still out and will miss the early portions of the 2026 season.
Trades, injuries, and departures to free agency combined, the Diamondbacks entered the winter down, Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez, Corbin Burnes, A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Randal Grichuk, and former franchise disgrace Shelby Miller. In numbers, that is the team losing 60% of its starting rotation, the best 43% of its bullpen, and 37.5% of its everyday lineup. By the time the Diamondbacks were playing ball in September, it was already readily apparent that Mike Hazen was preparing to enter far and away the most difficult offseason of his tenure as Arizona’s general Manager – ecliping even the offseason following the teams disastrous 110-loss season.
So, how did Mike Hazen and Company do this winter? Here’s a quick look at the moves made and how they may or may not pan out for Arizona and how things look for Arizona now that spring training games have begun.
The moves:
Arizona tenders a qualifying offer to long-time starter Zac Gallen. This move was about the biggest no-brainer of the offseason, even if it did not eventually end in the team acquiring an extra draft pick and draft pool money.
The MLB Free Agent Signings:
The following are ranked best-to-worst from this pundit’s vantage point.
Arizona re-sign James McCann to 1-year/2.75 million contract with easy escalators to push the deal up to $3.25 million. This deal is almost without a doubt, the single-best free agent signing or trade made by the franchise this past winter. Not since the early years of Miguel Montero have the Diamondbacks had this level of relative depth behind the plate. Instead of a starter and a borderline AAA/AAAA player behind the dish, the Diamondbacks are running out a top-five backstop whose back-up is a borderline starter for lower-tier teams who has extensive experiences as a top-flight catcher. Given McCann’s reputation as a solid pitch-caller and the fact that, when he gets hot, he can carry a club for a week or two, and bringing back was a no-brainer decision for Arizona, so long as he agreed to a reasonable late-career contract. The deal McCann signed to return to Arizona comes in below market value for many backstops, giving the club and fans even more to appreciate.
Arizona re-signs Zac Gallen to a 1-year/$22.025 million deal. Zac Gallen had an abysmal 2025. It was the worst season of his career. Here’s the thing though, he turned it around post-deadline, in a fairly dramatic way. Also, outside of the disastrous 2021 season where Gallen was injured and missed 8 starts, it is the only season of his career where he did not rate 15% or better than the rest of the league. Last season is also the only season (including the painful 2021 season) in which Gallen did not post a least 2.1 WAR. Back at the deadline I wrote an article where I was getting flack for estimating $9-10 million/WAR. Then the latest number came out and it seems the real cost is now closer to $11 million/WAR, especially for pitching. Suddenly, $22 million seems very reasonable for a pitcher with the pedigree of Gallen. Could Gallen continue his slow, gradual decline into 2026 and end up being below average? Of course he can. Is it likely? Probably not. Yes, he may fall short of his best seasons. But it is not at all a stretch to see even a diminished Gallen being at least a league average, 160+ IP starter. That’s a 2 WAR player. Given that Gallen’s contract is a 1-year deal, there is really not much risk and almost no downside. If he is terrible, he’ll be gone sooner rather than later. If he is good but the team struggles, he’s easily traded. If he is vintage Gallen, not only is he tradeable, but Arizona might just find themselves in contention for October baseball. Additionally, when Gallen was signed just before the start of spring training, the Diamondbacks were still looking at opening the season with fewer than five established starters. With the new finances of MLB contracts in full effect, this is about as close as a deal for a starter comes to being low-cost/low-risk with a potential high reward.
Arizona signs Merrill Kelly to a 2-year/$40 million with a vesting option worth up to $18 million for year three/2028. The return of Merrill Kelly to the Diamondbacks was one of the most anticipated moves of this offseason going all the way back to the trade deadline in 2025. The return of Merrill Kelly to the Valley of the Sun always seemed like a foregone conclusion, even after his abysmal spell with the Texas Rangers and his comments that he would not be returning to Arizona for a hometown discount. Seriously. I have been covering the team since their inception. I cannot for the life of me think of a single instance where a free agent has been more telegraphed and anticipated joining the club than Merrill Kelly. So why do I rank signing him as third on this list? That comes almost entirely down to the length of the deal. While it is true that Merrill Kelly has proven himself the textbook definition of a workhorse starter during his time in Arizona, he has also shown the signs of the ravages of time and use. Frankly, Merrill Kelly for $20 million or less in 2026 seems like a minor bargain. It’s beyond that that I have an issue. While Zac Gallen’s deal may be problematic, it is a one-year deal, mitigating risk. Merrill Kelly is seven years older and starting to show signs of the mileage on his arm. While I feel confident there is little downside to 2026, it is the 2027 and likely 2028 seasons I am concerned with. For one thing, I am not at all convinced there will be meaningful baseball in 2027. In 2028, Kelly will be three years removed from his workhorse seasons and 40 years of age. The number of red flags associated with Merrill Kelly in 2028 is too much for me to ignore. That said, teams like Arizona, if they want premium free agents, often need to be willing to take on a bit more risk than other clubs. Sometimes, that works in marvelous ways (Randy Johnson, Steve Finley, Troy Glaus). Other times, it is a nightmare (Russ Ortiz, Maddison Bumgarner). The jury remains out on Kelly and likely will continue to be out until August or September, unless he simply implodes. Under no circumstances does Kelly ever fall into the same category as the two listed free agent busts. But this contract does not come without real risk for a team with essentially no wiggle-room when it comes to payroll. The likelihood of a 2027 lockout that costs a majority of the games for the year does not help matters.
Arizona signs Carlos Santana to a 1-year/$2 million contract. This deal feels very much like the proverbial making a deal to make a deal. Yes, Santana was marginally above average with the glove at age 39 in 2025. Does that automatically make him a better option than the beleaguered Pavin Smith and Tim Tawa? That’s a pretty tall order for Santana, who will be 40 and coming off a season in which his bat was only good for an OPS+ of 77 for 2025, including a -25 OPS+ for his short stint in Chicago’s north side. While there is reason to appreciate the likes of Smith and Tawa being pushed to e better, it feel a bit rich to be spending $2 million on a player whose biggest contribution to the team is likely to be eating up at-bats that could just as easily go to one of a handful of other players already in the organization. The likelihood of Santana out-performing any of his competitors offensively is quite low.
Arizona signs Paul Sewald to a 1-year/$1.5 million deal. Excuse me, what?!?!?! Are we talking about the same Paul Sewald that might have cost the Diamondbacks the 2023 World Series? Are we talking about the experienced closer who spent the very next season vacillating between injury and ineffectiveness? It would seem that the answer to those questions is, yes, Arizona is reuniting with that Paul Sewald. What’s more is, Sewald was again below average in 2025. As a low-cost reliever add, Sewald is not the worst option. Even some of the best teams have a marginal reliever that throws the middle innings that can flash brilliance from time-to-time. However, comments made by the organization since the signing point toward Sewald being a short-list candidate for closer. That is a far more problematic proposal. While I am not sure if Paul Sewal will turn out to e superior to Arizona’s in-house options for relief pitching, I am downright skeptical as they come to the notion of him ever being a closer again. For a team like Arizona that has pushed its payroll to the point of bursting at the seams, this particular contract seems ill-advised, even at the price. When combined with the salary given to Carlos Santana,
Arizona signs Mike Soroka to a 1-year/$7.5 million deal with escalators that could take the deal up to $9.5 million. Frankly, I am not terribly worried about Soroka ever obtaining the levels of performance for the escalators to kick in. I almost made my take on this signing an entire article all in itself. Mike Soroka has not been an effective starter since 2019. Then, in the COVID-shortened 2020, he started only three games and 13.2 innings before his season was done. He wouldn’t return to the mound until 2023. Since then, across three seasons, he has made a total of 54 appearances (32 starts) . He has been injured again. He has also been considerably below league average. Across all those appearance scattered across three full seasons, Soroka only barely eclipsed 200 innings pitched (201.2). His ERA+ of 85 over that time is worse than Zac Gallen’s terrible single season of 2025. Sure, Soroka has a bit of heat, but nothing special. Yet, despite all this, until the late signing of Zac Gallen, all reports out of Arizona’s camp were that Soroka was expected to be in the team’s rotatin. Now, after the addition of Gallen, the narrative has changed a bit, slotting Kelly, Ryne Nelson, and Gallen into the rotation, with the final two spots up for competition. That is only somewhat reliable though, as Eduardo Rodriguez is all but a shoe-in for the rotation is he is healthy. The signing of Soroka was one of Arizona’s very first decisions of the winter. Dedicating a full $7.5 million to a lottery ticket starter, all the way back when the entire field was still available, feels suspect at best – negligent at worst. Given the price paid to so many established relievers and utility bats, this feels very much like $7.5 million nearly flushed down the drain. Is Soroka truly better than anyone Arizona has in-house, including the trade acquisitions and minor league signings? It is honestly difficult to even give him credit for being better than the aforementioned Paul Sewald. The signing of Mike Soroka back in December was a warning klaxon to the world that Arizona was desperate and tapped out regarding payroll.
The Minor League Signings
Honestly, this category is so fluid, I give up trying to make sure this is accurate to the moment. The number of organizational filler players that come out of this category makes it difficult to grade the entire pool. Instead, I’ll just be highlighting the more notable moves.
Jose Urquidy nearly joined the Diamondbacks as a minor league signing. If he had, his arrival would have ranked among the better moves the organization has made in the last two or three seasons. Unfortunately, the deal fell through. Urquidy will instead be pitching for Pittsburgh, for only $5 million, substantially less than the lesser Mike Soroka. The upside for Urquidy is not terribly special. In fact, it is pretty average. But at least he can eat innings and is likely to give the team more than a small handful of appearances. Let me be clear, neither player is a needle-mover. But when finances are as tight for the club, every MLB move has an out-sized impact.
Joe Ross – Joe Ross looks very much like a potential middle relief swingman. He hasn’t had much success of late and has battled injuries. He was a solid bullpen arm as recently as 2024, but as he is a reliever, volatility goes hand-in-hand with him. In all likelihood, Ross fills in as organizational depth in Reno. However, if he finds a good run of form, he could quickly reinforce the MLB bullpen during the dog days of summer. At the very least, the team is getting some veteran leadership in the Reno bullpen to help mentor the youth upward.
Grant Holman – Holman is a late-inning reliever with solid set-up man upside. Holman was claimed from the Athletics when they needed to make 40-man space for Aaron Civale. Holman’s 2025 was marred by significant injury. Before that he was shaping into a reliable late-inning arm. Holman features mid-90s velocity on his fastball and his slider features roughly 9 mph slower with hard bite. Despite this, he doesn’t miss quite as many bats as one would hope. This is where he may run into trouble in the dessert or Reno. He allows more contact than someone with his stuff probably should. On the other hand, he does a better job than most of Arizona’s pitchers (especially relievers) of limiting walks. If Holman is able to work his way back to his pre-injury form, the Diamondbacks may have found a steal to bridge the gap until the returns of A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez. If he should continue to show rust or a decline in control, he’ll slide into anonymity in Reno before moving on.
Jonathan Loáisiga – Loáisiga is a former Yankee standout whose career has been something of an injury-fueled rollercoaster. Loáisiga’s worst season came in 2022, when he was still essentially league average, pitching in the AL East. If Loáisiga can stay healthy throughout spring and can combine that with throwing as well as he did for the Yankees in 2025, the right-hander has every reason to expect that he will crack the opening day 26-man roster. If he is on top of his game entirely, he is the sort of arm that can anchor a bullpen. Chances are, he’ll be somewhere in between those points. Even if he falls short of making the roster though, he’ll slot nicely into the first call-up from Reno when there is the inevitable injury or ineffectiveness. Loáisiga represents the sort of high upside, solid floor that fans would like to see in more of the waiver and late-winter pick-ups.
The Trades
If there is anything that defines Arizona’s winter, it is probably the trade that wasn’t made. Entering the offseason with a limited budget and a need for controlled starting pitching, Mike Hazen made the aggressive choice to put Ketel Marte on the market. That started the rumour mill swirling and frankly, the rumours still persist to a small degree. No one reached Hazen’s asking price, though it has been reported that Arizona could have had Boston’s Connelly Early. So, Marte was not moved and Arizona was forced to bring back Zac Gallen to create a bridge to next season. Other than Marte, the winter started off with the entire world expecting one of Alek Thomas or Jake McCarthy to be traded.
Jake McCarthy is traded to the Colorado Rockies for minor league pitcher, Josh Grosz The right-handed Grosz, 23, was acquired by the Rockies last summer in the deal that sent third baseman Ryan McMahon to the New York Yankees. Grosz went 5-14 with a 4.67 ERA in High-A ball with Hudson Valley and Spokane. Grosz was drafted in the 11th round out of East Carolina in 2023. Grosz shows some intriguing upside, but is still a year or two from MLB contribution. He’ll likely open the season in AA, Amarillo, which will certainly not help his attempts to show he can suppress offense. That said, Grosz misses a lot of bats and, if he continues to do that the way he has since being drafted, he could find himself moving to Reno sooner rather than later.
Jack Martinez is traded to St. Louis for Nolan Arenado and cash This could go down as an amazing steal. Likewise, it could quite easily go down as one of the bigger nothing-burgers out there. Martinez was Arizona’s eighth round selection in the 2025 draft. The right-hander was drafted out of ASU and is pegged to be a quick-moving reliever. He will make his pro debut later this spring. For Arizona, Arenado will hold down third base for 2025 and is still under team control for 2026. With the cash contribution from the Cardinals, the Diamondbacks will be footing only $11 million over the two seasons. While Arenado’s bat has certainly regressed of late, he is still a solid defender and a dangerous mid-to-late lineup bat. If rumours regarding injury impacts to his game in 2025 are true, then there is even more reason to be excited that the veteran third baseman can have a late-career resurgence not unlike Eric Chavez had for the team. The acquisition of Arenado also paved the way for a later move by Arizona and gives the team a bridge player at third while the organization continues to search for an internal long-term candidate.
Blaze Alexander is sent to Baltimore for Kade Strowd, Wellington Aracena, and José Mejia This is very much a case of selling high on a player, something that Arizona has not always been good at. While Blaze Alexander spent the last season and change establishing himself as something of a fan favourite, the reality of the situation is that he profiles as a utility player with a bat that is something just shy of league average. When Alexander goes on a tear, he can carry a team’s offense for a spell. But, when Alexander’s bat cools, he is a typical utility player bat, decent pop with little impact. With a cannon for an arm and improved glovework at the hot corner, many expected Alexander to open the season for the Snakes at third. The acquisition of Arenado pushed Alexander out from that position though, adding the young man to the mix of players looking for reps in the outfield. In return for the useful Alexander, Arizona received a right-handed reliever in Kade Strowd, who enjoyed an unexpected breakout season in 2025 for Baltimore. In the minors, Strowd’s numbers were very middling. When the Orioles began shipping out their entire roster via trades and the like, Strowd suddenly found himself being called pong to fill some innings. Not only did he do that, he thrived in the role. If Arizona gets that pitcher again in 2026, they have something special on their hands, a quality reliever under control for six seasons. The 27-year-old should be on the shortlist for relievers to open the season on the 26-man roster. Strowd also represents Arizona’s slow shift to adding more velocity to the bullpen, even if it comes with suspect control. This profile is what will make Strowd one to watch in 2026. If the control starts to waver again, he’ll need to be quickly moved back to Reno too find his mojo again. Aracena is a flame-throwing 20-year-old right-hander who will almost certainly open the season in A+ ball and continue development as a starter. At some point, he may well be moved to the bullpen. As a bullpen arm Aracena possesses the profile of a power closer. José Mejia is still a complete lottery ticket who will likely open the season in Hillsboro. There is little to talk about regarding him for now. He’s one to circle back to in about two more years. Overall, the return for a Alexander, if viewed as a utility player with some pop and speed, is fairly hefty. Sure, there are questions regarding the returned players, especially Strowd. But if Arizona can get five or six total seasons of quality relief pitching out of Strowd and Aracena, it is hard to expect much more.
Final Grade
Previous to the signing of Zac Gallen, I was hard-pressed to find reasons to award more than a D+ for the winter. The team still had only four starters and proved themselves unable to make the big move to improve the club’s problematic overall pitching. Additionally, they spent entirely too much time essentially making Marte unwanted at the club before altering course when the desired return did not materialize. The best bit of work the team had done before the 72 hours within which they traded for Arenado and re-signed Zac Gallen was likely either the James McCann re-signing or the Alexander for Strowd trade. While both served the team by improving the team’s quality of depth, neither move did anything to move the needle with regard to the expected season record for Arizona. The addition of Arenado, the return of Gallen as the team’s #3 starter, and later, adding Grant Holman to the bullpen has elevated things significantly.
The loss to injury of Corbin Carroll and Andrew Saalfrank makes grading the winter tougher, as the team is now faced with fresh challenges it did not have while working their way through the winter months. The team is now thin with regard to left-handed pitching. Problematically, there aren’t really any lefties currently openly available that the team could turn to, assuming they have any money whatsoever left to work with. The closest might be Jalen Beeks, who did well for Arizona in 2025, but did so while concealing injury. The fact that no other team has kicked the tires on Beeks suggests that there still might be something there in terms of flags. The injury to Carroll would have created some opportunities for Alexander. Instead, now, it seems that Lawlar, Troy, Robinson, and Waldschmidt will get looks. One can make a strong argument for that being a potential upgrade on Alexander.
