Category: Baseball

Earlier this week, I asked you this question via the SB Nation Reacts survey: How many games will the Cubs win this year?

The overwhelming majority of those who voted in the survey said the Cubs will win at least 90 games:

Eighty-five percent of you said the Cubs will win between 90 and 99 games, with the plurality (47 percent) saying the sweet spot is between 90 and 94.

The Cubs, as you know, won 92 games last year — and that was after a 59-39 start. That’s a winning percentage of .602. If the Cubs had continued to play at that percentage the rest of 2025, they’d have won 98 games. Personally, I think the 2026 Cubs are a better team than last year’s and I was in the “95 to 99” group.

Of course, there are a lot of variables here — injuries, unexpected good or bad years, luck, etc.

But the Cubs, in my view, go into this year as the clear favorites to win the NL Central.

Here are the two national questions asked in this week’s survey:

I think there should be some concern, especially after Atlanta outfielder Jurickson Profar tested positive for the second time and is facing a suspension for all of 2026. I think it’s in between “not at all” and “it’s a major problem.”

I would agree with this vote. Profar’s first suspension cost him half of last year, now he’s likely going to miss all of this year (he’s appealed, but it’s unclear whether he can do that under MLB’s Joint Drug Agreement with the MLBPA).

Thanks for participating in this week’s survey!

This edition of SB Nation Reacts is sponsored by FanDuel.

In a recent post by MLB Pipeline, they made predictions for every farm system heading into the 2026 season, and their outlook for the Houston Astros system was fairly bullish.

The Astros enter the 2026 season without a Top 100 prospect on Pipeline’s list for the third time in the last five years, but that doesn’t mean the system lacks talent.

Their bold prediction is that the Astros will have three Top 100 prospects by the end of the 2026 season. The three players they project to make the list are:

Kevin Alvarez – Alvarez was signed by the Houston Astros this past winter for $2 million, one of the largest international bonuses the organization has ever handed out. Just 17 years old, Alvarez was widely regarded as one of the top pure hitters in the 2025 international signing class. A left-handed hitter with an advanced approach at the plate, he projects for above-average power and stands out as a well-rounded athlete with a strong arm and solid defensive instincts. Alvarez backed up the hype in his first professional season, hitting .300 with 12 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 33 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases over 47 games.

Ethan Frey – Frey was selected by the Houston Astros in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft, with the team going over slot to secure his signing. The former LSU Tigers baseball standout broke out during his junior season, batting .331 with 15 doubles, 13 home runs, and 50 RBIs over 62 games. Standing 6’6”, Frey combines impressive size with surprising athleticism and speed. He offers above-average raw power and currently has the tools to handle center field. The 21-year-old impressed in his professional debut, hitting .330 with five doubles, three home runs, and 17 RBIs while drawing 20 walks against 25 strikeouts.

Xavier Neyens – Neyens was selected by the Houston Astros in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $4.12 million, the organization’s largest signing bonus since Alex Bregman received $5.9 million in 2015. A left-handed hitter out of Mount Vernon High School in Washington, Neyens possesses some of the most impressive raw power in the 2025 draft class. Standing 6’4″ and weighing 210 pounds, Neyens projects as a potential middle-of-the-order bat thanks to his powerful swing and advanced hitting ability.

If these three prospects take the steps forward that MLB Pipeline predicts, the Houston Astros farm system could quickly gain more national attention. While the system may lack a current Top 100 prospect, the talent is there for a few players to break out in 2026. A strong season from this group could reshape the perception of the Astros’ pipeline.

The final two weeks of camp are way more important than the first two but the heat is on between Dylan Moore and Bryan De La Cruz for the final spot on the 26-man roster.

The 13th position player may not play much at all with how Rob Thomson has the roles aligned. Edmundo Sosa acts as the backup infielder who might platoon with Bryson Stott. Otto Kemp is probably platooning in left field with Brandon Marsh and is the primary fourth outfielder. Rafael Marchán will have the hardest job in baseball, being the backup catcher to JT Realmuto.

So there isn’t much wiggle room for the final position player. The Phillies carried Kody Clemens for the first three weeks of 2025 and appeared in seven games with just six plate appearances. Things could always change injuries occur of course.

A good way to measure a hitter’s performance in spring training is by looking at their average exit velocity and launch angle. The limited sample size against questionable competition doesn’t allow for massive conclusions, but it can at least tell you who’s seeing the ball well. Raw results can also get weird in a sample size this short.

Bryan De La Cruz has crushed the ball in camp with a 97 mph average exit velocity and 15 degree launch angle. He has made consistent hard contact even if there are a few too many strikeouts in there. The results have been there with a .478 slugging and batting average over .300.

Dylan Moore is not getting the same results but has hit the ball hard too with a 93.9 mph exit velocity and optimal launch angle. There have been less strikeouts but he hasn’t seen the ball drop too often.

With both having good springs, it will make for an interesting final two weeks to see who’s still hot.

Roster fit and path to least resistance probably favor Moore here. If the Phillies want Kemp to be the primary platoon partner for Brandon Marsh in left field, it would make more sense to send De La Cruz to AAA. Moore gives them more positional versatility with being able to play seven different positions.

According to Matt Gelb on the podcast Phillies Therapy, Moore has an opt-out five days before spring training and De La Cruz is not until later in the season. If the Phillies want to keep both, Moore would be easier to pick.

After all of this, it might be Garrett Stubbs. Guy is a winner.

Jonathan Bowlan

Bowlan’s performance has been mixed through Grapefruit League games but there are two main takeaways. The first is that the fastball looks really tough to hit. He will throw it at the top of the strike zone but his delivery makes it hard for hitters to pick up while having good velocity.

This was the big reason the Phillies traded for him. In 2025 with the Royals, Bowlan’s four-seam fastball generated a whiff rate of 43.5% in a limited, but not super small sample size.

The other is that the way he pitches might leave for a bit of variance. His fastball is going to often miss high, which might be easier for hitters to take. He also might tend to miss high with his breaking balls which could cause some damage problems. Spencer Jones crushed a hanging slider from him on Tuesday.

It wouldn’t be correct to say he has terrible control because Bowlan can throw strikes but there could be a home run problem going from Kauffman to Citizens Bank Park.

When a team — say, the Detroit Tigers — has, arguably, one of the best pitchers on the planet — maybe someone like Tarik Skubal — and their control of that pitcher is in its last season, it would make sense to seize the moment and try to win it all.

Further, let’s posit that said team is coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, which indicates some organizational momentum. The only reasonable choice, then, would be to move heaven and earth and build around that player for one last run.

For most of the offseason, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris seemed relatively tame as the team was inactive in the free-agent market while rumors flew that the Tigers might be open to trading Skubal. And then Harris began building seriously for 2026 — as in signing Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million contract and bringing back fan favorite Justin Verlander, along with a series of other moves designed to fortify the Tigers as they push their chips to the center of the table.

The question now is whether they did enough.

2025 Record: 87-75 (1st in the AL Central)

Projected FanGraphs 2026 record: 86-76 (1st in the AL Central)

What did they do during the offseason? Well, the Tigers went to work this winter despite a slow start. Besides the aforementioned additions, they extended manager A.J. Hinch, brought back Jack Flaherty (well, he exercised his player option) and Gleyber Torres (accepted a qualifying offer), and made some interesting signings, such as relievers Kyle Finnegan and Kenley Jansen, plus KBO sensation Drew Anderson.

Other minor moves included trading righty Chase Lee for lefty Johan Simon and flipping outfielder Justyn Henry-Malloy for cash.

So, how good are the 2026 Tigers? Well, despite the fact that they did their best to irritate the best and most consistent pitcher in the league with lowball offers, they can actually compete.

Skubal, winner of the last two AL Cy Young awards, remains with the team despite the record gap in arbitration negotiations and the endless trade rumors, so the Tigers begin with a significant advantage. Plus, they’ve added Valdez to an already solid rotation, which also projects to have Flaherty (3.85 FIP last year), Casey Mize (3.87 ERA), and Verlander. Anderson is around in case there’s an injury, and he just put up a 2.25 ERA in 171.2 innings in Korea with 245 punchouts.

Detroit will miss Reese Olson in 2026 after he underwent right shoulder labral repair surgery, but waiting on the farm will be Troy Melton, Keider Montero, and Sawyer Gipson-Long; plus, Jackson Jobe is expected to return from Tommy John surgery in the second half of the season.

Long story short, the Tigers have a deep rotation.

As for the bullpen? The Tigers are mostly solid on this front. They have Jansen, Finnegan, Will Vest, Anderson, Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee, Brant Hurter, and Beau Brieske. That group should hold its own.

While there were some clear upgrades acquired in the pitching department, the same can’t be said about the offense. This is largely the same group that ranked 12th last year with a 103 wRC+, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Detroit had nine guys with above-average offensive performance in 2025 in a minimum of 150 plate appearances: Jahmai Jones (159 wRC+), Riley Greene (121), Spencer Torkelson (118), Kerry Carpenter (115), Zach McKinstry (114), Torres (113), Dillon Dingler (109), and Colt Keith (109).

Of course, they also have the jewel of the crown: shortstop prospect Kevin McGonigle, who posted a 182 wRC+ last year in the minors and is at 172 in spring training play. He should be able to break camp with the team and projects as a future star.

The Tigers’ offense is full of steady, above-average guys but lacks one true, difference-making talent. Greene is close, but he is not a superstar. If McGonigle develops as expected, he could fill that void and give Detroit a true star in the position player department.

As things stand right now, the Tigers will fight with the Guardians and Royals for the AL Central and a place in the postseason. If they consider themselves out of it, there is a chance they ultimately flip Skubal for prospects ahead of the deadline, but they should be good enough to make one last run with their ace before he hits free agency.

More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.

While the prep pitchers have dealt with injury, the Detroit Tigers continue to do well in the college ranks. Outside of Jackson Jobe, most of their pitching success on the farm has come from finding undervalued college arms like Troy Melton, Jake Miller, Andrew Sears, Lucas Elissalt, and Jaden Hamm. Other than Melton, the group hasn’t quite broken through at the major league level yet, and the Tigers dealt away a pair of solid young prospects in Josh Randall and Micah Ashman, both college draft picks, in trades last July. For the first time in Scott Harris’ tenure running the club, the Tigers took a college pitcher in the top two rounds last summer when they selected Oklahoma right-hander Malachi Witherspoon with the 62nd overall pick. We’re excited to see his pro debut this spring.

Witherspoon and his twin brother Kyson were both notable prep pitchers and they went to Oklahoma together, eventually heading up the Sooners rotation in their junior seasons. Kyson was the more successful of the two, but Malachi has huge stuff and simply hasn’t been able to refine his command enough. He spent his junior year striking out plenty of batters when he was on, and falling behind too often and giving up walks and homers when he wasn’t. It was a disappointing junior season with an ERA over 5.00 for him, and his draft stock slipped out of the top rounds as a result. The Tigers were apparently confident they could make him a much more consistent strike thrower, and drafted him in the late second round last summer. They paid him full slot value at $1,448,700, so it wasn’t as though they got a discount either. We’ll see if this minor gamble pays off.

The powerfully built, 6’3” right-hander certainly has the stuff to be great. Witherspoon has routinely hit 98-100 mph while sitting comfortably in the 95-96 mph range as a starter. The fourseamer has good riding action with a little cut, and the Tigers, as we mentioned in Michael Massey’s scouting report, seem to be hunting for that shape a bit these days. Tarik Skubal himself is a prime example of a pitcher who can really jam opposing handed hitters with a riding fastball that looks like it should tail back into the strike zone, but never quite does. Thrown inside to right-handers, Witherspoon’s heater does feature a bit more late tailing action that ties hitters up and generates a good whiff rate. The problem remains commanding it, and this has been Witherspoon’s issue since the Jacksonville, Florda native’s days in high school, when his raw stuff was already getting him some notoriety.

Witherspoon backs up the gas with a plus slider in the upper 80’s with a traditional shape. He’ll also throw a cutterish version around 90 mph, and can snap the slider off into more of a sharp, downward diving version for whiffs when he wants it. He also has a good 12-6 power curveball in the lower 80’s. He throws with a really sound delivery and a pretty standard three-quarters look, but doesn’t seem built to turn over circle changeups or sinkers very well. He might be a splitter candidate, or perhaps the beneficiary of seam-shifted changeup like Skubal’s, because otherwise his changeup is well behind his main offerings and shows no signs of developing into a major league caliber pitch.

The big issue here is command, and there isn’t really an obvious flaw in his delivery to pin it on. Oklahoma has a pretty good pitching program, and couldn’t really crack the case in two seasons of working with him after Witherspoon transferred there after a freshman season at the JUCO level. His stride direction can sometimes get a bit out of whack, but otherwise it just seems like rhythm and timing issues that may be tricky to correct. He shows pretty good balance and a nice clean arm path. He gets solid extension and resists well with his lead leg to help generate velo without excessive upper body effort. From the wind-up he does raise his arms up head high and has a pretty high leg kick as well. Perhaps just trimming those moves down a little could make the whole delivery a little more consistent in terms of timing.

If the command doesn’t improve significantly, it may be that Witherspoon ultimately has to simplify his pitch mix and work in relief. So there’s certainly some real relief risk despite his durability and pretty ferocious pitch mix. However, the upside here is definitely as a frontline major league starting pitcher. If he’d thrown more strikes last year the stuff alone would’ve made him an easy first round pick in the draft. If he figures it out he’ll be a top 100 prospect by season’s end.

All his issues have been present for a while and he had plenty of eyes on him in his junior year, so the Tigers must have a plan to help him spot the fastball and avoid the occasional bouts of spiked sliders that plagued his junior year. If they can get him sorted, this is going to look like a steal and Witherspoon could move very quickly toward the major leagues. Presumably he’ll be starting for West Michigan this season as an advanced college starter. If things come together he’ll be in the upper minors by year’s end and could be ready for a debut sometime in 2027.

After signing with the club a few days ago, Zack Littell made his first start of the spring last night. His three innings of work gave Nats fans a taste of what they should expect from him. There was some hard contact, but he pounded the zone, was efficient and fired three innings of one run ball.

For a guy who signed just a few days ago, Littell looked sharp. His velocity was down by about a tick, but that is not very surprising to me. He signed late and still needs time to build up. 

Littell is confident that his velocity will be in a good spot by the time the season is under way. He said, “As I continue to get everything in sync, the timing gets better, the body continues to organize itself better, everything should continue to get sharper”. The way he talked about his mechanics and getting his body aligned is very interesting to me. It shows the importance of mechanics and the way a pitcher moves.

From talking to him, it is clear that Littell is very hard on himself. Despite using his splitter effectively last night, he was not happy with his signature pitch. He actually thought the splitter was his worst pitch last night. Littell thought his command of the pitch was solid, but he did not love the movement profile of his splitter.

That splitter is a big part of why Littell transformed from a middling reliever to a solid middle of the rotation starter. The Rays had him bump up the usage of the pitch, and it has become his best offering. He does a great job killing spin and getting that downward tumble. 

For his part, Blake Butera thought Littell “threw the ball well”. Butera loved how much his right hander was pounding the zone and getting ahead of hitters. After all, those are the attributes that make Littell such a solid pitcher. However, Butera knows that Littell’s mind-set, calling him “A perfectionist who expects really good stuff out of himself”.

While Littell may not have been satisfied, I think this was a good first start. He got through three innings and threw 15 more pitches in the bullpen to continue his ramp up. As we get closer to the season, I would also expect his stuff to keep ticking up. It can be tough to sign late, but I think Littell came just in time to have at least a somewhat normal spring.

Honestly, Littell is an optimized version of what the Nats want in their pitchers. He can throw any pitch in any count and has a deep arsenal. Last year, Littell’s two most used pitches were his slider and splitter. That matches well with the Nats new pitching approach.

Littell actually got his two strikeouts on those offerings. He struck out the first batter he faced by freezing him on a slider. There is actually a cool video I found from behind home plate of that pitch.

By the deadline, Littell may be trade bait, but he should stabilize the rotation while he is around. He is a no-nonsense righty who pounds the zone with a variety of different pitches. Littell got through three innings on just 39 pitches, which is something I love. Being efficient and getting deep into games is something he excels at despite being a reliever only a couple years ago. 

Of his 39 pitches, 28 were strikes. He did not walk anybody and only got into one three ball count. Littell may give up some extra base hits, but he will give the Nats length while keeping them in the game. That is exactly what this team needs and why I think he is a great signing for the Nats.

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Team Italy has been the surprise of the World Baseball Classic.

The Italians upset Team USA in pool play, putting the Americans' chance of advancement at risk before Italy's own rout of Mexico helped keep Team USA alive on a tiebreaker.

The Italians are one of the three classic teams remaining unbeaten. That might end, however, against a Puerto Rican team that has the potential to shut them down. 

My Puerto Rico vs. Italy predictions and World Baseball Classic best bets have Puerto Rico advancing to the semis.

Puerto Rico vs Italy prediction

Puerto Rico vs Italy best bet: Puerto Rico -1.5 (+140 at DraftKings)

Italy has not scored fewer than seven runs in its four WBC games. Puerto Rico has allowed a total of six in its four games. Team P.R. has a WBC-low 1.22 ERA so far.

The Puerto Ricans are starting 10-year MLB veteran Seth Lugo, who is 1-0 in the WBC and 1-0 in two pre-WBC spring games with a strikeout per inning. He should help keep a Team Italy order that has hit 12 home runs in check.

Puerto Rico has been to the knockout round of all six WBCs. Italy is making its first trip.

Puerto Rico vs Italy same-game parlay (SGP)

Team Puerto Rico has not had a WBC game with more than seven total runs scored and is averaging a run total of 5.5 in its games. Including two MLB exhibition games against the Twins and Red Sox, Puerto Rico has averaged 6.5 runs per game in six games. 

Team Italy has been tearing it up, but has been slowed somewhat when facing pitchers with MLB experience. They strike out 9.75 times per 9 innings compared to 6.75 and score nearly a full earned run less, with five and a half fewer hits.

Lugo had four innings of three-hit ball in the WBC opener against Colombia. He's not a big strikeout pitcher, but he should be able to hit five against an Italian team making its first appearance in the knockout stage.

Heliot Ramos star player prop

Heliot Ramos best bet: Anytime home run (+550 at DraftKings)

Heliot Ramos has 43 home runs over the last two seasons. He had a 1.836 OPS in six pre-WBC spring games but has struggled in the classic so far.

Facing Italian starter Sam Aldegheri, who allowed 2.0 home runs per nine innings for the Angels last year, should help light a fire. 

Puerto Rico vs Italy opening odds

• Moneyline: Puerto Rico -110 | Italy -115
• Run line: Puerto Rico -1.5 (+140) | Italy +1.5 (-175)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)

How to watch Puerto Rico vs Italy and game info

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Diamondbacks News

Burnes Takes Next Step in Recovery
Arizona’s ace starter made 15 throws in the bullpen yesterday, with results being promising. Burnes could return to the mound for the team around the break. if things continue to go well.

Merrill Kelly Uncertain About Starting Season on Time
It is certainly looking like Merrill Kelly will miss more than just his opening day start.

Gabriel Moreno Scratched, Undergoing Imaging
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno was scratched from the lineup on Friday with right forearm tightness, manager Torey Lovullo said before first pitch against the Kansas City Royals in Cactus League. Lovullo added that Moreno would undergo imaging Friday evening. Reports are that Moreno has had discomfort for a few days now and played through it. But things have come to the point where it is time to find out what is wrong.

Other Baseball News

Cactus League Teams Push Back Starts to Avoid Extreme Heat
Forget hydration breaks. Teams are starting to move their start times back in the Cactus League to play in cooler conditions once the sun goes down.

Team USA Defeats Canada to Punch Ticket to WBC Semi-Finals
Team USA held off a late rally to defeat Canada 5-3 in the quarterfinals of the WBC. Next up is the Dominican Republic in the semi-finals on Sunday, with Paul Skenes taking the mound for Team USA.

Dominican Republic Run-Rules Korea to Advance to Semi-Finals
Austin Wells launched a three-run home run in the 10-0 drubbing of Korea in the quarterfinals.

Clayton Kershaw Replaced by Jeff Hoffman for Semis
Retired lefty Clayton Kershaw will not make an appearance for Team USA in this tournament, having been replaced by reliever Jeff Hoffman on the roster. The injured Kershaw will still travel with the team, despite no longer being rostered.

Hiromi Itoh, Teruaki Sato Expected to be Posted for 2027
One of the NPB’s better right-handed starters and a slugging third baseman are both expected to be posted by their clubs in advance of the 2027 season – if there is one.

Good morning, LSB.

Evan Grant’s observations include Josh Smith’s hot streak and the fifth starter competition coming down to the wire.

Kennedi Landry writes about Robert Garcia and the lessons learned from his Mexico teammates while pitching in the WBC.

Grant also writes about Garcia and his goals for 2026, mental or otherwise.

Elsewhere the Rangers are putting a few more opening day tickets up for sale, with a catch.

No. 12 on the Rangers prospect countdown, Elian Rosario, can hit ball far.

And former Ranger great Pete Incaviglia is the latest guest on the SportsDay Rangers pod.

That’s all for this morning. Have a great weekend!

Anne Rogers gives a roster projection with two weeks to go.

If Massey is healthy enough to make the team, there’s just one spot really up for grabs here. Loftin has been a standout this spring, from his .308/.400/.654 slash line to getting a ton of defensive work all over the field, including a lot of first base in case he’s needed as a backup there. Plus, he’s a right-handed bat that could be useful against lefty starters or late in the game.

There are others still competing for the lone spot, though. Tyler Tolbert brings a speed component to the table. The Royals could go with a more experienced bat for pinch-hit opportunities, like Rojas or Abraham Toro. If Massey isn’t healthy, there’s another spot for any of those players.

She also investigates if the Royals will adopt Team Italy’s espresso home run tradition.

We can’t get a clear answer right now because the main team leaders and decision-makers are at the WBC. Pasquantino is one of them, but he would have to get the all-clear from Royals captain Salvador Perez, along with Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia and some pitchers, too, like Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha.

But manager Matt Quatraro brings up a good point: “If it was a guarantee that someone or we as a team would hit three homers in a game, we would have as many as we could get,” he said.

Fair enough.

And an injury update.

Jeff Passan at ESPN has a season preview capsule for each team.

It wouldn’t surprise me if … Jac Caglianone hits 30 home runs this year. His rookie year was rough, with flashes of brilliance surrounded by fits of disappointment. The talent hasn’t gone anywhere, though, and Caglianone’s raw power is so supreme that anyone sleeping on it will be awoken by the sound it makes when his barrel strikes the ball. Maybe, at the end of the day, Caglianone is nothing more than an exit-velo monster who can’t put together the other elements to become a quality hitter. But that’s unlikely. Only a handful of players in the world can hit a ball 120 mph. That’s a skill worthy of faith.

David Lesky writes about the possibility raised by Passan on 810 that this could be a top-ten offense.

And what I keep coming back to is what the Royals did after the break with a 106 team wRC+ and the seventh-most runs in baseball. Then I think back to what they did for the first five months of the 2024 season when they had the fifth-most runs in baseball before Pasquantino got hurt. This offense flashing top-tier potential isn’t new. They actually started getting going immediately after the calendar flipped from that brutal June. They were 10th in the league in runs scored last year from July 1 on with a 106 wRC+ as a team. They were 10th in home runs too. In the last 12 months of baseball, this has been a top-10 offense in runs scored for eight of them.

Craig Brown profiles pitcher Mason Black.

Manager Matt Quatraro has said that the Royals see Black primarily as a reliever who can provide an occasional spot start. Yet if he can rediscover some of that prospect mojo, could those potential spot starts turn into something more? The only thing that is absolutely certain at this point is the Royals pitching lab continues to yield results. I’m not crazy enough to throw Black into the mix for that fifth spot in the rotation—hell, because of the makeup of the 40-man roster, he remains a longshot to break camp with the major league squad—but I’m intrigued enough by his pedigree and his brief time with the Royals to offer the idea that anything is possible.

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Keep wonders if Michael Massey’s injury opens up a spot for Josh Rojas.

The Royals traded pitcher Matthew Hoskins, a 12th-round pick in 2025 to the Rays to complete the Kameron Misner trade.

The Red Sox sign lefty reliever Danny Coulombe to a one-year deal.

The Rangers sign lefty reliever Jalen Beeks to a one-year deal.

Brewers pitcher Quinn Priester will miss the first month of the season.

Randal Grichuk’s lefty-mashing could earn him a roster spot on the Yankees.

The Padres narrow the bidders for the team to four groups.

The Mariners are not concerned about any beef between Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena.

What are the doomsday scenarios for top teams?

Which pitchers are aces?

Andre Dawson is getting his Hall of Fame cap changed to no logo.

The World Baseball Classic experience has already been a huge success this year.

The Hulu series Paradise gets in a Nick Castellanos joke as the world ends.

Kansas State hires Belmont coach Casey Alexander as its new basketball coach.

So…what happened with the Maxx Crosby non-trade to the Ravens?

The CIA once trained cats to be spies.

Two more missing episodes of Doctor Who have been found.

Why are the Academy Awards called “Oscars”?

Your song of the day is Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers with Runnin’ Down a Dream.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

On Friday morning, the Orioles announced their Opening Day starting pitcher: Trevor Rogers. Still unknown is in what order the pitchers will line up behind him. It’s not even clear at this moment whether the Orioles will stick with a five-man rotation or if they will push it to six. The team has stayed mum about the possibility.

In this week’s survey, I asked Orioles fans about their feelings on what the team should do about this. As we know, behind Rogers, there’s also Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt, Dean Kremer, and Zach Eflin. If they’re all healthy on Opening Day, that’s six guys. Here’s how fans responded to the question of whether the Orioles should go with a six-man rotation:

That’s a stronger majority than I expected for what I continue to think is a bad idea. Unless the starting pitchers are all going at least six innings per start, which is increasingly uncommon in baseball today, there’s just no way to keep managing a bullpen with seven guys.

Eventually, the Orioles will tip their hand and we’ll know what they are planning to do. Until then, we can only guess.

This week’s survey brought to you by FanDuel.

Good morning everyone, and welcome to the weekend!

Though the Mariners lost to the Dodgers 10-7 in yesterday’s spring bout, we saw the first Cactus League homer of the year from Colt Emerson in the latest stages of the contest. It’s been a sleepy spring so far for the young infielder, but it’s good to see him get some opportunities.

What are you most looking forward to this weekend? Got any plans? Hoping to just relax and watch some sports? Or, do you have any major obligations such as work or activities with the kids?

In Mariners news…

• With Bryce Miller likely to start the season on the injured list, Brent Stecker thinks the Mariners should try to bring James Paxton out of retirement.
• Daniel Kramer provided an update on his projection for the Mariners’ 2026 Opening Day roster.
• Michael Clair spoke to Mariners right-hander Dane Dunning about his experience repping his mother’s home country of Korea in the WBC.

In the World Baseball Classic…

• Team USA earned a hard-fought victory against Josh Naylor’s Team Canada in the quarterfinal, squeezing out a 5-3 win.
• The Dominican Republic easily dispatched Team Korea 10-0 in a mercy-rule contest that only lasted seven innings.
• Clayton Kershaw was replaced on the Team USA roster by Twins right-hander Joe Ryan.

Around the league…

• Blue Jays righty José Berríos will visit a specialist about elbow inflammation he’s been experiencing.
• Former Mariners lefty and current Reds reliever Caleb Ferguson will start the season on the injured list due to a strained right oblique.
• Former Rangers and A’s reliever and current free agent José Leclerc is targeting a return to play in July. Leclerc has been recovering from shoulder surgery since last summer.
• Jorge Castillo wonders which Japanese stars will be the next to make the jump from WBC fame to MLB.

Mets fans were abuzz in January when David Stearns pulled off a trade to acquire ace Freddy Peralta from the Brewers. Not to be overlooked, however, was the other pitcher acquired in that deal, Tobias Myers. The 27-year-old served as both a starter and reliever in Milwaukee and he certainly made an impression on the team when he pitched five scoreless innings in Game 3 of the Wild Card series against the Mets in 2024.

The confidence Milwaukee showed in him to start that game came from their development of the righty after he bounced around in the minors for a few years. Most notably, they allowed him to effectively use his four-seam fastball which rates as one of the highest in active spin. While it is not overpowering, the movement fools hitters enough to keep them off balance.

So far this spring he is repeating the, albeit limited, success he found with the Brewers. As of this writing, he is 1-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 8.1 IP during Grapefruit League action. He has struck out nine and has a WHIP of 0.96. Last season he appeared in 22 games and started 6 of them. As a starter he went 1-1 with 5.64 ERA and as a reliever he went 0-1 with a 1.91 ERA.

Manager Carlos Mendoza has already confirmed that Myers is making the team but he did not confirm what his role will be. He will most likely serve as the team’s swingman, a role that was last effectively filled by Trevor Williams, who also happened to be the extra piece in a blockbuster trade. With a lot of uncertainty surrounding the rotation, having someone who can be a bridge to the backend of the bullpen is a crucial weapon for the Mets to have. Last year, Mets starters only pitched 796.0 innings which was good for 27th in the league. That averaged out to only 4.91 innings per start. This under-performance led to an overtaxed bullpen, as the team did not have a reliable swingman to pitch those innings. Myers now fills that role for the 2026 team.

Stearns’s trade back in January helped acquire both an ace and a swingman and, while Peralta will continue to get headlines, Myers has the potential to be just as crucial in getting this team back to the playoffs.

Butch Wynegar had such exciting potential when the Twins traded him to the Yankees in 1982. A Rookie of the Year runner-up and already a two-time All-Star catcher at the age of 26, he should have been a foundational piece of the offense alongside Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield, and later Rickey Henderson. Instead, the end of his tenure in pinstripes serves as a crucial reminder of the prominent role mental health plays in professional sports and indeed in life, reinforcing the attention and care that must be paid to it if we want to perform at a desired level in any of our pursuits.

Harold Delano “Butch” Wynegar Jr.
Born: March 14, 1956 (York, PA)
Yankees Tenure: 1982-86

Harold Delano “Butch” Wynegar Jr. was born on March 14, 1956, in York, PA, to Harold D. Wynegar Sr. and Dorrea L. “Dee” Wynegar. He earned his nickname “Butch” from an aunt on account of his chubby appearance as a baby. A multi-sport athlete at Red Lion High School, Wynegar idolized Mickey Mantle growing up, crediting the Yankees legend as the inspiration for Wynegar to become a switch-hitter when he was nine. He was a star football center and third baseman, but moved behind the plate for his final two years of high school, batting .370 as a senior.

Those performances his senior year caught the eye of the Twins, who drafted him in the second round of the 1974 MLB June amateur draft. He began his professional career with the Rookie-level Elizabethton Twins of Tennessee and led the Appalachian League with a .346 batting average while also leading his team with eight home runs and 51 RBIs. This earned him a promotion to the Class A Reno Silver Sox of the California league in 1975, where he would again lead the team with 19 home runs and 119 RBIs to go along with a .314 average, his contributions leading the team to win the pennant.

In 1976, the Twins fired manager Frank Quilici and replaced him with Gene Mauch, previously of the Phillies and Expos. Unimpressed with the catching options at his disposal, Mauch surprised Wynegar by inviting him to spring training despite the young catcher never having played a game above Class A. After an owner lockout delayed the start of spring training, Wynegar came out on a tear including a grand slam in his first spring exhibition. Though he cooled off to bat just .187 that spring, Mauch was impressed enough by his all around game to allow Wynegar to break camp with the big league club, praising his new catcher’s maturity:

“When spring training opened, I had no right to expect he’d be as polished behind the plate as he is. He looks like he’s 15, plays like he’s 25, and has the maturity of a man of 30.”

Wynegar made his debut on Opening Day, April 9, 1976, against the Rangers, collecting his first big league hit and RBI with a single off Gaylord Perry in the sixth inning. A week later at Yankee Stadium, Wynegar slugged his first big league home run — a game-winning solo shot in the ninth inning off Catfish Hunter. The next night, he homered off Jim Palmer in a game against the Orioles in Minnesota, meaning in the span of a week, the rookie had amassed his first big league hit and first two big league home runs off three future Hall of Famers.

His strong performances continued that year including an impressive ability to throw out runners — he had an almost 50-percent caught-stealing rate in those opening months — earning the rookie an All-Star selection alongside Rod Carew as the Twins’ representatives. At just 20 years old he was the youngest ever participant in an All-Star Game at that point, earning a pinch-hit appearance in the seventh against Luis Tiant and drawing a walk.

He finished his rookie year batting .260/.356/.363 with ten home runs and 69 RBIs to earn a runner-up finish in AL Rookie of the Year balloting behind Tigers pitcher Mark Fidrych. He followed that up with a nearly identical sophomore campaign, slashing .261/.344/.370 with ten home runs, 79 RBIs, and an AL-leading 60 runners caught stealing to earn his second consecutive All-Star nod in his first two seasons in the bigs. He suffered a downturn in form the following season but rebounded to again lead the league with 64 runners caught stealing in 1979, finishing with a .270/.363/.351 triple slash line, seven homers, and 57 RBIs.

Wynegar retained his grasp on the starting catcher job into the ’80s, earning a five-year, $2 million extension in 1981. This made him a target for cost-cutting owner Calvin Griffith as the Twins floundered in 1982, and Wynegar found himself traded alongside Roger Erickson to the Yankees for Larry Milbourne, John Pacella and Pete Filson on May 12, 1982. Thus, Wynegar found himself playing for the team of his childhood hero, but little did he know the perils that come with playing for the Yankees teams of that era.

He more than acquitted himself in that debut Yankees season, batting .293/.413/.393 the rest of the way. The following season, he found himself in a platoon with Rick Cerone behind the plate. He appeared in just 94 games but was one of the Yankees’ best hitters that season, slashing .296/.399/.429 with six home runs and 42 RBIs — good for a 136 wRC+. Despite having his playing time reduced for the first time in the bigs, that season featured one of the most memorable moments of his career, Wynegar catching Dave Righetti’s no hitter at Yankee Stadium against the Red Sox on Independence Day.

“It was one of my biggest thrills, no doubt about it. Raggsy and I were close, having had a pitcher-catcher relationship… If I remember right, if Raggsy shook me off that day, it wasn’t very much. We seemed to really be on the same wavelength. When you’ve got a guy who has four pitches working for him, it’s a lot of fun, so there wasn’t a whole lot of thinking that had to be going on. We stayed hard, just mixing enough soft stuff in there to keep them off balance.”

Wynegar won back the full-time starting catcher role in 1984, but would never again reach the heights on offense of his first year-and-a-half in pinstripes. He batted .267/.360/.342 with six home runs and 45 RBIs, playing in 129 games for the first time since 1980. But then came the 1985 season and the beginning of Wynegar’s loss of desire to play baseball.

The season started on inauspicious terms, the Yankees firing manager Yogi Berra — a decision Wynegar says caused many of his teammates to throw things in anger in the clubhouse — replacing him with the volatile temperament of Billy Martin. That offseason also brought a contract dispute with Wynegar entering the final season of his five-year contract, Wynegar initially being offered a three-year extension with a fourth year option. However, when his agent proposed that the fourth season be converted to a guaranteed year, George Steinbrenner angrily pulled the offer off the table (though he would eventually sign for three years and $2.2 million at the conclusion of the season).

His performances suffered at the plate as he dealt with the lingering effects of being struck in the head by a foul ball while he stood in the on-deck circle early in the season. He also could not adjust to Martin’s confrontational style of managing, rankled by Martin’s habit of frequently embarrassing his pitcher and catcher in front of the whole team with an expletive-laced tirade when opposing batters found success. Martin certainly didn’t help matters with his confrontational style with umpires, Wynegar confirming that several umpires confided in him that they intentional called close calls against the Yankees as a result. His .223 average also made him a target for Steinbrenner, the owner demanding an explanation when Wynegar had a bad night at and behind the plate. The lone bright spots that season for Wynegar came when the backstop caught both the 300th win and 3,000th strikeout from Phil Niekro.

Already falling out of love with the game, things reached a head in 1986. The Yankees fired Martin and replaced him with Lou Piniella, and though Wynegar had a good relationship with him when he was hitting coach, he saw Piniella transform into a carbon copy of Martin once he took the helm of the team. Wynegar fell into a deep depression as his performances plummeted, creating a brutal reinforcement loop as both Piniella and Steinbrenner became increasing critical. He finally realized he needed help when, on July 29th, he rejected a hug from his 17-month-old son:

“I had goose bumps all over. It just hit me that I had brushed off my little boy, the pride and joy of my life, one of the only people who really matters. I just wanted to get home and get out of there so badly. I thought I’d been dealing with my depression, but then I said to myself, ‘Holy cow, you’re really taking your work home with you now.”

Earlier that day, Wynegar was the starting catcher in a 6-4 loss against the Brewers. He was in a haze during his pre-game routines having gotten into an argument with Piniella, which reached full blown apathy by the first pitch:

“That was pretty much the last straw. I was back there calling signals and not caring what I was calling. I’d call for a curveball or a slider and have no idea why. I was watching the scoreboard. I was watching the innings tick off. That was the only thing that mattered, not whether we won or lost. It was like I was in a fog. When I got back to the hotel, I realized I’d never want to go through that again.”

Scott Nielsen was the pitcher that day and gave up five runs while recording just one out, leading to his demotion to Triple-A. Two days later, Wynegar called GM Clyde King and begged to be given time off. King needed permission from Steinbrenner, who initially advised Wynegar to see a doctor in Cleveland before acquiescing to a single day off. However, the issues ran much deeper than that.

“I don’t even want to see my glove or a baseball. I’m not going to see some strange doctor in a strange city. I want to go back home. I’m not doing the team any good. This is not a one-day thing. I’m not coming back.”

Wynegar eventually resolved to take the rest of the season off. He saw seven different doctors including two psychiatrists, and was eventually prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. In response, Steinbrenner added Wynegar to the restricted list, enabling him to withhold the remaining $250,000 owed to Wynegar for the rest of the season. Wynegar filed a grievance at the season’s conclusion, which unfortunately for him killed a trade the Yankees had agreed to send him to the Angels. However, Wynegar followed through with his resolve to not play another game for a team from New York, thus forfeiting the $1.4 million remaining on his contract for the 1987 and 1988 seasons.

Just when it seemed like his career was over, Wynegar found new life after withdrawing his grievance and earning the trade to California for pitchers Ron Romanick and Alan Mills on December 19, 1986. Key in his decision to keep playing was his old manager from Minnesota, Gene Mauch, now at the helm of the Angels. Wynegar considered Mauch to be a father figure, the man who gave him his first shot and his second wind. In a far more peaceful environment and playing for a man who always supported him, Wyengar was happy to be backup to Bob Boone, and he played 58 games across his final two seasons before retiring at the age of 32.

Wynegar put together an admirable career as a major league backstop, with a pair of All-Star appearances, an impressive 40.3-percent caught stealing rate, and 626 walks drawn against just 428 strikeouts. However, his greatest legacy is the courage to put his family and mental health before the game and the courage to seek professional help in an era when mental health was heavily stigmatized, especially for professional athletes. He may not have achieved the on-field results that his first few seasons presaged, but he can be more than proud of the human results he achieved.

References

Butch Wynegar. Baseball-Reference.

Butch Wynegar. Baseball Almanac.

Wancho, Joseph. “Butch Wynegar: From Single-A to the Major League All-Star Game in One Year.” The National Pastime: Baseball in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. 2024.

Weyler, John. “Big Apple Turned Sour for Wynegar : Angels’ New Catcher Had to Get Out of New York Before He Lost His Mind.” Los Angeles Times. March 26, 1987.

Verducci, Tom. “This Yankee Goes Home.” Reading Eagle. December 10, 1986.

Laurila, David. “Prospectus Q&A: Butch Wynegar.” Baseball Prospectus. September 21, 2008.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.