Category: Baseball

It is finally here. We made it. Pitchers and Catchers reported to Spring Training yesterday, heralding the start of the 2026 season.

It’s so beautiful. Much like this year’s Spring Training hats:

All Spring Training facilities will have Statcast data available. Every Spring Training game will have pitch and batted ball data publicly available.

Luis Ortiz is looking to have a separate trial from Emmanuel Clase.

Steven Kwan is being considered for replacing Corbin Carroll on the WBC team.

Corbin Carroll is out as he joins the weirdly growing list of players with broken hamate bones.

MLB released a “how-to watch their product” guide to ease some of the confusion.

Topps announced yesterday that the 2026 Series One includes a chance to win 2 tickets to the World Series. Series One released yesterday. I wrote up a quick guide on what Cleveland players you can expect to see in this Series.

The Phillies told Nick Castellanos to not report to Spring Training.

Four and a half months — 137 days to be exact — after the Rockies lost their 119th game in the 2025 season finale, pitchers and catchers begin reporting to spring training today. 

It’s finally time for the Rockies to start proving that they are no longer a team falling into a losing abyss, but instead a team with a plan to change the direction of the organization. 

For manager Warren Schaeffer, this is his first time going into spring training as the man in charge. At Rockies Fest in January, he sounded more than ready for the challenge and has a plan to do it.

“We need to talk about winning all the time. We need to be able to feel it in the spring training clubhouse on day one,” Schaeffer said. “I mean, it’ll look completely different — standards, expectations need to be risen. But there always, always has to be a focus on winning. Winning in the little things, winning that night — every night — winning championships. And that’s what we’re all here for.”

The “we” Schaeffer referred to is the mostly-new coaching staff and an overhauled front office led by president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta. Their work includes forming an organizational identity that ranges from who is drafted and to how players are developed to how analytics are used and strategies on the field.

Spring training will also provide the first glimpse of how the hiring decisions made by executive vice president Walker Monfort are panning out since he took the lead in the personnel searches. At Rockies Fest, Monfort’s new role in leadership was on full display. Dick Monfort, Rockies CEO and Walker’s father, stood to the side as Walker joined panels with the front office and with Rockies Hall of Famer Larry Walker. He said he believes it’s been a great offseason for the Rockies.

“We’re all very excited about the people that we brought on board. We’re excited about focusing more on our process, as it relates to player development, scouting, player acquisition,” Walker said. “But really, I think what we’re looking most forward to is seeing all these people in action.”

In addition to a new look behind the scenes, the change will also be evident on the field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Arizona. Going into spring training, the 40-man roster is far from being decided, let alone the Opening Day lineup. This spring training, there is an undeniable feeling that players have to earn their spots.

This is especially in the rotation as the Rockies have signed three new veteran starters in Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Jose Quintana. With struggles and injuries in 2025, the lack of depth in the starting staff forced prospects to be called up before they were ready and, it seemed like, without a solid plan for how to succeed.

The two signings this week of Sugano and Quintana certainly prove the Rockies believe some pitchers — possibly including Chase Dollander, Ryan Feltner, Tanner Gordon, McCade Brown, and Gabriel Hughes — either need more time and/or less pressure if they prove they do need another stint to work out their stuff in Triple-A Albuquerque.

For more on the rotation and bullpen battles, check out Skyler Timmins’s storylines to watch for pitchers and catchers.

Of course, battling for roster space has always been the case in spring training, but the competition of “winning the little things” that Schaeffer is focusing on will be pivotal in figuring out who makes the team. 

The transforming organization is 43 days away from Opening Day on March 27 in Miami. On that day, we will see a starting lineup that has at least five different players.

First base, second base, third base, right field, and the Opening Day starting pitcher will all look different than they did in 2025. The Rockies started last season with four starters and called up Dollander for game No. 9. This year, they head into spring training — as long as Quintana clears his physical — with much more depth in the starting staff.

That’s exciting. That’s change in action before the action starts.

No one knows the struggle of the Rockies seven straight losing seasons more than Kyle Freeland. After posting an amazing 2.85 ERA with 17 wins in 2019, which was good enough to see Freeland finish No. 4 in NL Cy Young voting, his performance aligned with the Rockies freefall. 

The only remaining starter from the 2017 and 2018 seasons when the Rockies last made it to the postseason, the lefty is now 32 years old. Born the same year the Rockies played their first game, he’s purple and black to his core.

At Rockies Fest, Freeland echoed Schaeffer’s words of being excited about a change that fans will be able to see on day one. Even as a veteran who could be set in his ways, Freeland is down for change in his form and pitch mix, as well as the structure and vibe on the field and in the clubhouse.

“I know Schaeff is going to shake things up. The business spring training is going to be different than what I’m used to, to what some of these guys are used to, and this organization is used to. So it’s one of those things that’s super exciting,” Freeland said. “It’s kind of a breath of fresh air that [with] new regime, new things are coming. It’s very exciting. I can’t wait to get to work down in Arizona with everyone down there.”

I am excited, too.

Rockies’ Ryan Feltner goes ‘caveman’ as he returns from injury-marred 2025 season | Denver Post ($)

In a great article on the pitcher who pitching coach Alon Leichman says, “has what it takes to be an All-Star in this league,” Patrick Saunders dives into how Ryan Feltner spent his offseason — mostly in the gym. Trying to diagnose why he’s struggled with injuries and taking out his anger in “caveman” style, Feltner got stronger and has a better plan to be a sustainable pitcher for the Rockies in 2026.

MLB spring training 2026: One player to watch on every team | ESPN.com

ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez will have his eye on Chase Dollander to see how the heat-throwing, highly-touted prospect can respond after a challenging rookie season in 2025.

Rockies’ Chase Dollander could finally break out — here’s why | Sporting News

The hype around Dollander keeps growing.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

1955
Chet Lemon, who would become the best defensive center fielder in White Sox history, was born in Jackson, Miss.

Moving to Los Angeles at a young age, Lemon played youth baseball with Hall-of-Famers Eddie Murray and Ozzie Smith, and was drafted in the first round out of high school at age 17 by Oakland. However, just three years later the A’s shipped Lemon and Dave Hamilton to the White Sox for Stan Bahnsen and Skip Pitlock. (The shortsightedness of the deal can be forgiven in that Oakland was trying for a fourth consecutive World Series title.)

Ironically, the future defensive wizard was poor with the glove at his drafted positions, shortstop-third base. After the White Sox acquired him and Chuck Tanner noticed how aggressive Lemon was at third base in his short call-up to the White Sox in 1975, the White Sox moved him to center — where he had played just 10 games in his life.

After a strong rookie year in 1976 that saw Lemon make the Topps Rookie All-Star Team, he exploded in 1977. At just age 22, Lemon slugged with the best of the South Side Hit Men (38 doubles, 19 homers, .804 OPS). Moreover, he set AL records for both putouts (411) and chances (431) — records that have yet to be broken.

Lemon remained the best two-way player on the White Sox and was at times the only star on the roster during the lean years of the late 1970s and early 1980s. After agreeing to a contract extension but then pulling out after the White Sox signed Carlton Fisk in 1981 to a bigger deal, the White Sox shipped Lemon to the Detroit Tigers after the 1981 season. He went on to win a World Series with Detroit in 1984.

For his major league career, Lemon ranks ninth all-time in range factor in center field (2.83) and 29th all-time as an outfielder overall (2.65). JAWS ranks Lemon as the 21st-best center fielder ever to play the game.

In White Sox annals, Lemon is the 18th-best position player all-time (24.9 WAR) and ranks 16th in offensive win percentage (.610).

1981
Marc Hill signed with the White Sox, as a backup catcher to … Jim Essian. At the time, Hill probably figured to get an increase in playing time from his days in San Francisco. But there was a twist to that plan, as on this very same day Carlton Fisk was granted his freedom after the Boston Red Sox goofed on sending him his 1981 contract.

Fisk signed with the White Sox a month later, dropping Hill to third on the catching depth chart. He never played in more than 77 games or saw more than 209 plate appearances in a season, and wrapped up his playing career with the White Sox in 1986 having accumulated -0.6 WAR over 266 games.

2010
After spending the 2009 season waiting for a call from any of 30 teams, White Sox slugger Frank Thomas signs a one-day contract with his home club and officially announces his retirement.

Frank spent the first 16 seasons of his career in Chicago, accumulating a team second-best 73.8 WAR and still ranking in the Top 10 in a number of all-time White Sox categories:

• 74.9 offensive WAR (1st)
• .427 on-base percentage (1st)
• .568 slugging percentage (1st)
• .995 OPS (1st)
• 161 OPS+ (1st)
• 1,327 runs (1st)
• 447 doubles (1st)
• 448 home runs (1st)
• 906 extra base hits (1st)
• 1,465 RBIs (1st)
• 1,466 walks (1st)
• 68.3 WAR (2nd)
• 3,949 total bases (2nd)
• 3,673 times on base (2nd)
• 15.5 AB/HR (2nd)
• 2,136 hits (4th)
• 1,959 games (4th)
• 1,230 singles (7th)
• .307 batting average (tied for 10th)

He finished in the Top 8 of AL MVP voting for the first eight full seasons of his career, winning the award outright in 1993 and 1994. He had a third MVP essentially stolen from him in 2000 by Jason Giambi, who later admitted to taking steroids in his award-winning year. And perhaps most extraordinary in terms of award achievements is the fact that the year after Thomas left the White Sox (2006), his comeback season saw him finish fourth in MVP voting — at age 38.

For his full career, Thomas hit better than .300 (.301) with an .974 OPS and 156 OPS+. He led all of baseball for at least one season in games, runs, doubles, walks, on-base percentage, OPS, OPS+, sacrifice flies and intentional walks.

Thomas was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first ballot, in 2014, earning 83.7% of the vote. Through the 2023 season, Thomas still sits high on many all-time career leaderboards:

• 1,667 walks (10th)
• 4.79 MVP shares (14th)
• .974 OPS (18th)
• 521 home runs (20th)
• .419 on-base percentage (22nd)
• .555 slugging percentage (23rd)
• 156 OPS+ (25th)
• 1,704 RBIs (26th)
• 1,028 extra-base hits (33rd)
• 15.7 AB/HR (34th)
• 4,222 times on base (35th)
• 80.4 offensive WAR (38th)
• 4,550 total bases (47th)
• 73.8 WAR (56th among position players, 88th overall)
• 495 doubles (70th)
• 1,494 runs (76th)

Coincidentally, Thomas’ fellow future Hall-of-Famer Tom Glavine also announced his retirement on this day.

The White Sox would honor Thomas with a retired number and ceremony before the Aug. 29, 2010 game against the Yankees.

2020
Despite questions growing over the likelihood of the season being dramatically affected by the growing pandemic, MLB announced its new rules:

• No more LOOGYs (minimum of three batters faced for relief pitchers)
• Active rosters expanded to 26 players, but no more than 13 pitchers
• September call-ups limited to two players, expanding rosters to 28, with no more than 14 pitchers
• Position players pitching limitations
• 15-day injured lists for pitchers, 10-day lists for position players

The 2020 season would not be cancelled, but would be severely limited by the pandemic, with no fans in attendance, a delay of the start of the season, just 60 regular season games, and expanded playoffs.

DRaysBay works best as a place for community and conversation. Accordingly, in the lead up to the new season, we are posting “Daily Questions” in the month of February. I look forward to seeing you in the comment section!

Is it the rotation, and the combined risk of injured elbows and lack of innings?

Is it the turnover on the roster, or an over-reliance on platoons to succeed?

Hello, friends.

There are now six weeks remaining until Orioles Opening Day. We’re three days from position players being required to report, with the first spring training game now eight days away. Many position players have reported days early.

Last night brought the late-breaking news that the Orioles are adding one more pitcher to the starting rotation after all. It’s Chris Bassitt time, y’all. Mike Elias didn’t get any impact guys on the free agent market but, just like last year, he’s once again dipped into the well of older guys who will sign for one-year deals of over $10 million. It didn’t work out too well with Charlie Morton last year. Hopefully it goes better with Zach Eflin and Bassitt this year.

Assuming that neither of these guys is a Morton-level disaster, the signing does at least seem to reduce the chances that the Orioles have to give a lot of starts to guys who have no business being major league starters. That’s what happened in 2025 when so many starts were made by Cade Povich and Brandon Young. Going into 2026, it seems that the 6 and 7 options for starters are Dean Kremer and Tyler Wells. That’s not an exciting improvement, but it is an improvement. It’s not immediately clear how the guys will line up for Opening Day. That’s a problem they can figure out if everyone gets through camp healthy. That sure didn’t happen last year.

Earlier yesterday was “Elias tells us about all of the secret offseason injuries” time. The big one from that news dump is that Jackson Holliday broke his hamate bone within the last week and will have surgery that will have him on the shelf until around Opening Day; he’ll have to start ramping up like he would have done during spring training only after that. Holliday’s injury was one of only a trio of hamates to come up in baseball as camps open, joining New York Met Francisco Lindor and Arizona’s Corbin Carroll.

The other update was about Jordan Westburg, who has been dealing with a sore oblique for about three weeks. Elias said that Westburg should miss the first few exhibition games but will be back after that.

As I wrote yesterday, this news provides a retroactive explanation for last week’s trade for Blaze Alexander. If the Orioles were already aware of something going on with Westburg, it makes a lot more sense to act to not have Jeremiah Jackson as the backup infielder. Holliday’s injury happened after the Alexander trade, according to Elias. So, having a guy to back up that position in place is even more of a bonus.

That’s a tough couple of injuries. The surgery for a hamate break can have lingering impacts on a player’s power even after they return. Oblique injuries also tend to be of the nagging sort. If Holliday returns around May 1 but isn’t full strength until July or August, that’s a problem for the 2026 Orioles. If this is the start of a season of injuries for Westburg, that’s also a problem.

For now, at least, there are no major issues with the pitching staff. The only injury that Elias reported yesterday is Colin Selby having shoulder inflammation. I would say that it is not especially likely that the success or failure of the 2026 Orioles hinges on the availability of Colin Selby. The anticipated starting rotation enters camp healthy, which to me makes the Bassitt signing a bit more of a head-scratcher, but someone’s going to get hurt eventually.

Last year’s start of camp injury dump wasn’t too bad, but then a bunch of injuries happened during spring training. Then, you know, the injuries just kept happening all through the year. One spring-injured player, Grayson Rodriguez, never pitched last season. That’s only a problem for the Angels to deal with this year, since the Orioles traded him for outfielder Taylor Ward. It’s still weird. I hope it works out.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Notes from day one of Orioles spring training (School of Roch)
Roch Kubatko runs down some of the day one action, including live batting practice thrown by Dean Kremer and Shane Baz.

Even if another starting pitcher walks through that door, these Orioles starters know the onus is on them (The Baltimore Banner)
As it turns out, Bassitt will now be walking through that door. How much of Elias’s confidence in the group of starting pitchers he’s assembled you share probably has a lot to do with how you feel about the potential fortunes of this year’s team.

Pete Alonso sets tone on first day of spring training (The Baltimore Sun)
The Polar Bear’s veteran leadership and its impact on the clubhouse generally and possibly certain players specifically is a good bet to be one of the ongoing storylines through Orioles spring training.

Five options to play second base with Holliday starting the year on the IL (Orioles.com)
The first name listed is Westburg, who notably for this moment is also hurt!

ZiPS 2026 movers and shakers: Hitters (FanGraphs)
Dan Szymborski looks at players whose 2026 projections have improved the most since this time a year ago, and on the other end, players whose projections have fallen the most. The Orioles, unfortunately, have four players on the list, including Holliday, and that’s before even factoring in this hamate injury’s downtime and effects.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Nothing of particular note in Orioles history is recorded on this day. Today is probably not going to be that changes, but I guess you never know.

There is one current Oriole who has a birthday today. Happy 27th to outfielder Heston Kjerstad. Yes, he’s 27. Several former Orioles were also born today: 2013 catcher Chris Snyder, 2007 outfielder Adam Stern, 1978-79/82 reliever Don Stanhouse, 1971-72 pitcher Pat Dobson, and 1957-60 pitcher Jerry Walker.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: 16th president Abraham Lincoln (1809), biologist Charles Darwin (1809), auto engineer Louis Renault (1877), rapper Gucci Mane (1980), and actress Christina Ricci (1980).

On this day in history…

In 1689, a special Parliament of England convened and proclaimed that when the monarch James II fled to France, that constituted abdicating his throne.

In 1733, the North American colony of Georgia was founded by James Oglethorpe. This was the thirteenth of the thirteen colonies that eventually became the United States to be founded.

In 1912, China’s last emperor, styled the Xuantong Emperor, abdicated his throne.

In 1947, French fashion designer Christian Dior unveiled a “New Look.” Don’t ask me to explain it.

A random Orioles trivia question

I received a little book of Orioles trivia questions for Christmas. Each time it’s my turn in this space, I’ll ask a question until I run out of questions or I forget.

The last question from Sunday is the first one that I believe stumped everyone on their first guess. Merv Rettenmund was the player who led the 1970 Orioles in batting average with a career-best .322. Today’s question:

Who was the only player to record his 3,000th hit in Memorial Stadium?

If you’re answering early in the day, please be kind to those who may arrive later and place your guess behind spoiler text in the comments.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on February 12. Have a safe Thursday.

Spring training is officially here, and with it comes the unfortunate slew of new injury updates. Hamate bone fractures seem to be an epidemic around baseball already. Orion Kerkering has a hamstring strain that will cause him to be a little behind the other pitchers. Zack Wheeler is progressing well and has a rib in his closet. Spring is almost here!

Phillies news:

• Zack Wheeler spoke for publicly for the first time since the end of last season.
• The Phillies look mostly the same entering camp, but the impending youth movement is sure to be the biggest focus of camp. ($)
• The players in the youth movement, namely Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter, and Aidan Miller, are already being ingratiated into the veteran team as evidenced by their locker placements. ($)

MLB News:

• Corbin Carroll and Jackson Holiday were the latest victims of the aforementioned outbreak of hamate bone injuries.
• Josh Hader is a few weeks behind schedule after being diagnosed with biceps tendinitis. The Astros closer missed the final two months of 2025 with a shoulder strain.
• Kris Bryant was placed on the 60-day IL with back issues that limited him to just 11 games in 2025.
• The Dodgers reunited with the former closer Evan Phillips on a one-year deal. Phillips, who is returning from Tommy John surgery, figures to be out until around July.
• Baseball Prospectus has released their 2026 PECOTA projections, and they are a little skeptical about the local squad. ($)

We’re back with another daily question, and today’s question is: What is the Brewers’ biggest weakness?

While the Brewers led the majors in wins last season, finishing with a franchise-best 97-65 record, the team completely fell apart in the NLCS against the Dodgers, losing the series 4-0 as they were outscored 15-4, scoring exactly one run in all four games.

While the pitching performances weren’t terrible — the team finished with a 3.71 ERA and 37 strikeouts across 34 innings — the offense did not show up whatsoever.

As a team, the offense went just 14-for-119, slashing .118/.191/.193 with one homer (a solo shot from Jackson Chourio), four doubles, a triple, 11 walks, 41 strikeouts, and four steals.

Not ideal in the playoffs.

In my opinion, that narrows it down to the offensive side of the ball for Milwaukee, but where is the biggest weakness? Joey Ortiz is the obvious answer after a dismal sophomore season, but after Caleb Durbin and the rest of the third base depth chart were traded to Boston earlier this week, it’s looking more like the entire left side of the infield.

I’ll leave the question to you: With spring training now here, what is the Brewers’ biggest weakness?

Weigh in in the comments, and join us throughout the month as we keep these conversations rolling into spring training. Have a question you’d like to ask in a future BCB Daily Question? Drop one in the comments, and we may use it later this month.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have the best prospect of baseball, and his name is Konnor Griffin.

Griffin, 19, was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft and he made the most of his opportunity in his rookie season in the minor leagues. Griffin made it all the way to Double-A Altoona and played well at every level, giving him a shot to make the Opening Day roster with a good Spring Training showcase. MLB.com writer Jonathan Mayo gives Griffin 50/50 odds to make the team for Opening Day.

“He’s 19. He played one year of pro ball and just barely played above A-ball. However, he had one of the best seasons in Minor League Baseball ever, especially for a teenager. A 20/60 season, making it to Double-A. He’s going to get a very long look. There’s not a shortstop that’s better or blocking him. I would love for the Pirates to break camp with him, but I’m not convinced they will. I will say that he’s in competition,” Mayo wrote.

The Pirates gain more years of team control if they keep Griffin in the minor leagues, but if he is one of the best players in the organization and he’s ready for the show, he should get the call-up. However, the Pirates may not want to skip a step or two.

“You look at this history of how they treated Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler the last two years. I know they may be a little more in contention this year. I don’t think they’re inclined to break camp with him, but he’s so talented that I can’t rule it out,” MLB.com contributor Jim Callis wrote.

Griffin’s talent speaks for itself. He is a prodigy that could emerge into one of the best players in baseball someday. The Pirates just have to make sure they hit the right buttons, one of which could mean a call-up to start the season.

BD community, would you want to see Griffin on the Opening Day roster? Chime off in the comments section below.

Spring training is an enigma of a time, statistically speaking. Up and coming prospects are competing with journeymen and aging vets to beat out roster cuts, while the core players are mostly getting their timing set and aiming to stay healthy for Opening Day. Pitchers likewise aren’t showcasing their full arsenal, or are intentionally playing with pitches they worked on in the offseason as well as utilizing different ratios of their pitches. There’s a lot of room for crazy things to occur.

You can reasonably pencil guys like Aaron Judge on top of the list of the Yankees’ WAR leaderboards for the entire season, but predicting who will be top dog during the month before the stats actually count? That’s a much tougher task, but we can try and reason out some candidates. Perhaps you look towards a young player that’s expected to get some runtime before going down to the minors like Jasson Domínguez or Spencer Jones. Maybe you think a pitcher like Ryan Weathers is going to turn heads as soon as he gets a couple sessions with Matt Blake. Could a non-roster invitee like Marco Luciano is going to turn back the clock for a month and look like the top prospect he once was? Nothing’s off the table when spring rolls around.

Personally, I think this is George Lombard Jr.’s camp to make a statement. The team’s top prospect is still viewed as being at least a year off from the majors, but he had a dazzling start in High-A last year getting him a promotion after just 24 games. Double-A proved to be more of a challenge, but he got a 108-game sample of the level, and could make a great impression of what he learned by showing off in the Grapefruit League.

Today on the site, Nolan leads off with a look at the crossroads that the Yankees and Spencer Jones find themselves stuck at. Michael wishes a happy birthday to the oft-memed native of Toms River himself, Todd Frazier, and then Sam has a double-feature on relievers first previewing Fernando Cruz’s upcoming second season in pinstripes before covering the past with Zack Britton’s tenure on the team.

In 2012, an attorney for Major League Baseball told a bankruptcy court judge that the league might soon find itself divided into “the Dodgers and the other 29 teams.”

That time might be now, at least according to fans outside Los Angeles. The Dodgers are the first back-to-back World Series champions in 25 years, they are guaranteed hundreds of millions of dollars in local television revenue every year at a time some teams are guaranteed nothing, and they are the only team with a roster headlined by a pitcher/designated hitter/tourist attraction/marketing icon/cash machine.

For Dodgers fans, nothing could be better than a team that makes lots of money, spends lots of money, and wins unapologetically.

For other fans, not so much.

Read more:Shaikin: MLB owners: A salary cap will save teams in small markets. Sacramento: Nope.

This time last year, Commissioner Rob Manfred talked about how his email reflected concern from fans across America about how their teams could not compete.

As major league owners meet here this week to consider a probable push for a salary cap, I asked one of those owners — one with a team that competes against the Dodgers in the National League West — what he hears from fans on that score.

“I think all of us recognize that fans are not happy when they see their team not being able to be as competitive as they would like,” Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick said. “That is a widely known situation.”

It is widely known in, say, Kansas City and Miami and Pittsburgh. It is more urgent in Arizona, where the Diamondbacks last won a division championship in 2011, the year before Mark Walter and Guggenheim Baseball bought the Dodgers.

To Arizona fans, the enemy is not the system, even if Kendrick says the Dodgers have mastered the system rather than skirted it. To Arizona fans, the enemy is the Dodgers.

“They are the 900-pound gorilla,” Kendrick said. “I think it’s obviously widely seen that way by everybody who has any interest in our sport. They are seen as that.

“I don’t mean that in a disrespectful way at all. They are playing by the rules.”

If competitive balance is the concern, the Diamondbacks could try to get away from the Dodgers and get out of the NL West. Kendrick did not think much of that idea.

“You have to beat everybody to win it all,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter. There is a legitimate opportunity. The last time I looked seriously at it, I think my club beat them to go to the World Series.

Read more:Q&A: What’s the deal with the Dodgers’ TV deal? Is MLB giving them special treatment?

“They are beatable.”

In 2023, the Dodgers won the NL West by 16 games. In the postseason, the Diamondbacks eliminated the Dodgers in a three-game sweep.

“We’re in a competitive business,” Kendrick said. “I’m OK with competition. It’s all the better when you beat somebody who is more highly rated than you are.”

The Diamondbacks qualified for the playoffs that year with 84 victories, taking advantage of an expanded playoff system intended to enhance competitive balance. They did not need to spend at Dodgers levels, and they did not need to win the division. They got hot in October, and they got to the World Series.

So is Kendrick saying the Diamondbacks can compete against the Dodgers, or they cannot?

“We have competed against them,” he said. “I think, on a regular-season basis — and I’m trying to be honest about the competitive atmosphere — they are a more competitive team than we are.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t end up playing for the championship, because we just did it.”

Here is something the Dodgers just did: They signed outfielder Kyle Tucker for $60 million per year, for four years, to support Ohtani and Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman and Will Smith in their lineup.

The Diamondbacks try, which is not true of all teams. They signed ace Corbin Burnes last winter for $35 million per year, for six years. He made 11 starts and then underwent Tommy John surgery.

To say other owners should spend more, yes. To say other owners can sign Tucker for that kind of money to accent their starting lineup, well, no.

“I think they made a solid business decision, based on the rules that we have,” Kendrick said. “They have deferred a ton of that money down the road, so the economics are not as they might appear in the moment. It’s a very, very significant investment. He’s obviously earned his money.”

He is going to help the Diamondbacks earn money, too.

Of the Diamondbacks’ seven largest crowds last season, five came against the Dodgers. The average crowd in Arizona for games involving the Dodgers: 43,441; for games against every other team: 27,865.

“It is L.A. It’s fairly close,” Kendrick said. “We get a lot of L.A. people coming to our ballpark.”

And a lot more fans from Arizona too, right?

“No,” he said. “You’re an L.A. guy.”

Read more:Shaikin: Kyle Tucker is really going to trigger a lockout? Come on now

The Dodgers led MLB in road attendance last season. People come out to see Ohtani and the Traveling All-Stars.

“Of course,” Kendrick conceded. “When you’re a sports fan, you want to see the very best players.

“And they have many of them.”

Kendrick and his fellow owners are here to discuss some way — a salary cap or otherwise — to stop the Dodgers from having so many of the very best players.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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

The World Baseball Classic is an opportunity for MLB players to represent their country on the baseball field. The tournament takes place every three to four years and games are played during Spring Training when MLB teams are typically trying to get their players prepared for the 162-game season. There has been some debate about whether the WBC games should be played in lieu of that season’s All-Star game to provide the athletes who are taking part more time to ramp up and prepare for the rigors of a global competition.

The WBC players often talk about how being selected to play for their country is an honor and for the fans of the players it is fun to see them competing on their respective teams. However, at the end of the tournament, the players all return to their MLB clubs and the missed opportunities to work with teammates and coaches can prove to be problematic. At least that seemed to be the case for the San Diego Padres in years past.

The last WBC was held in 2023 and that was supposed to be the year the Padres were going to coast into the playoffs, blow through the postseason and claim the first World Series Championship in franchise history for San Diego. That proved not to be the case, in fact the Padres struggled to win just 83 games and missed the playoffs completely. The team never seemed to come together under then manager Bob Melvin despite having Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts and Juan Soto on the roster and in the same lineup.

The concern about Padres players competing in the WBC is not just about how they will mesh with their teammates and makeup for lost  time building camaraderie, there are also the overwhelming health concerns. Playing baseball is going to come with a risk of injury but when you have this kind of competition and players pushing themselves to perform at a high level earlier than they normally do, it increases the injury potential. The New York Mets lost their closer, Edwin Diaz, for the 2023 season when he was injured celebrating a win during a WBC contest. He was not doing anything that was inherently hazardous to his health, but he was injured all the same.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the WBC and I will watch the games because its real baseball being played by some of the best athletes in the sport. I will do so nervously if Machado, Tatis Jr., Bogaerts, Mason Miller or any of the other Padres competing for their respective countries has a misstep, an extra circular motion of their arm or a slight wince following a swing.

It is with this information and these concerns in mind that Gaslamp Ball poses this question for this week’s Padres Reacts Survey. How do you feel about Padres players competing in the WBC? Results of the poll will be posted later in the week.

Former Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt agreed to terms on a one year, $18.5 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles today. Bassitt, who turns 37 next Sunday, spent the last three seasons with the Blue Jays. He was originally drafted by the White Sox, but spent the bulk of his MLB career as an Oakland A, with a one year stint with the Mets before signing in Toronto.

He was effective last season, making 31 starts and posting a 3.96 ERA over 170.1 innings. He moved to the bullpen for the playoffs, logging a 1.04 ERA over seven appearances and 8.2 innings and was a solid contributor to the World Series run. Overall, he gave the Jays 541.1 innings with a 3.89 ERA. That innings total ranks ninth in the majors over the past three seasons, while the ERA was 5% better than league average. He was exactly the kind of workhorse #3 they’d hoped for when they signed him, and it was great to have him on the team.

With the additions of Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce early in free agency, it doesn’t seem like the team was serious about bringing him back, though. With Cease, plus Kevin Gausman signed for one more year, the emergence of Trey Yesavage, and (theoretically) Shane Bieber also taking a spot, he’d have had to battle with Jose Berrios for the #5 spot even before the Ponce signing. Given his track record, it makes sense that he’d pursue a more guaranteed starting job.

It’s unfortunate for us that that job comes in Baltimore. The Orioles project to have one of the best offenses in baseball, with homegrown starts Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and Jackson Holliday paired with free agent slugger Pete Alonso, but their rotation is a weak spot that had looked like it might keep them out of the top tier of AL contenders. Bassitt gives them a steady hand to back up the mercurial Shane Baz and the talented but often injured Trevor Rogers at the top of the rotation. He doesn’t solve a lack of top end pitching talent, and they still project behind the Yankees, Jays and Red Sox, but the gap is closed a bit and the AL East becomes even more of a gauntlet.

That aside, I wish Bassitt well. He was a great addition to the team while he was here, and seemed pretty likeable. I hope he pitches well enough to be traded to a contender in the NL at the deadline.

Following the departures of Luis Arraez and Ryan O’Hearn in free agency, the San Diego Padres have an opening at the first base position. Gavin Sheets is the projected starter, but there is room for improvement. The team should consider signing free agent Ty France. The Padres need a player of his ilk, an elite fielding first baseman who offers a strong presence in the clubhouse. 

Defensively, there is no one better than France

It seems certain that France will sign with a major league ball club before the start of spring training games. Multiple reports indicate the Padres are one of three teams, along with the Cleveland Guardians and Colorado Rockies, competing for his services.

The winning bidder is going to land one of the premier defensive first basemen, who won the 2025 American League Gold Glove while splitting time between the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays. His defensive metrics were off the charts. France led all first basemen with a +10 Outs Above Average (OAA) and recorded a .996 fielding percentage.

Signing France is a type of move that fills a void at first base, but also upgrades the overall infield defense.

France aiming for a more productive 2026 run-producing campaign

The Padres aim to avoid a platoon at first base; they view France as a full-time starter if signed. His hitting value lies in his disciplined approach against left-handers, where a low 16.3% strikeout rate boosts his offensive productivity.

Sheets will get an opportunity to make some starts at first against tough right-handed pitching. In this potential situation, his primary role would be the left-handed hitting option in a platoon with right-handed hitter Miguel Andujar at the designated hitter position.

One reason why it has taken France so long to find a new home is his declining power numbers from last season. He hit a career low of seven home runs in 444 at-bats. Keep in mind, he played in 37 games with the Blue Jays, mostly as a defensive replacement for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after being acquired at last summer’s trade deadline.

The Padres’ lineup is not perfect, but adding France gains more balance. He did hit a respectable .257/.320/.360 in 2025, but there is no evidence that he is approaching the downside of his major league career. The 31-year-old free agent is hoping a change of scenery will revive his career and allow him to become more productive at the plate.

What is the next step?

If he signs with the Friars, France would need to agree on a low-risk, cost-effective deal. The salary would be in the range of $ 3-5 million.

A return to the Padres would mark a second tour of duty for France, who was originally a 2015 draft pick out of San Diego State University. After working his way through the system, the infielder made his major league debut with the club in 2019.

Some believe the front office will not add another bat, but the outcome of Cactus League games could change that mindset. 

A reunion makes sense for both sides, though an agreement is still pending.

Well Chris Bassitt is off the board with a 1 year $18.5 million deal with the Orioles after it really felt like Bassitt would land in Atlanta. The terms of that deal seems like it would have been fairly palatable to an Atlanta front office that loves a one year deal. I wonder if they have something else in the works for another player, perhaps on the trade market, but if they are unable to add another quality starter they may regret not beating that deal for Bassitt. I wouldn’t think the club would be in on Zac Gallen, who has a bit of a concerning profile and would cost the 26th overall pick in the draft to sign. There are a few free agent options still available, all likely worse than Bassitt, and the trade market is still a big unknown, although one that Alex Anthopoulos has been known to tap into. There is some urgency to add a starter at this point, with Spencer Schwellenbach’s injury and Spring Training under way, particularly if their preferred option is not already in camp with another team.

Braves News

Walt Weiss shared that Joe Jimenez may not be back this season, and honestly his career may be over at this point. Good for him to get a decent contract before suffering serious knee issues.

Sam explored some potential trade targets on the starting pitcher market, as Chris Bassitt signed a deal with Baltimore that the Braves may regret not beating if they are unable to add another quality starter in the coming days.

Our prospect team took a look at the top tools on the position player side in the Braves’ farm system.

USA Today projected a lackluster season for the Braves in 2026, finishing third in the division.

Mark Bowman wrote up an update on Grant Holmes and his health status coming back from a partial UCL tear.

MLB News

The Orioles signed starter Chris Bassitt to a 1 year $18.5 million deal, taking one of the last quality starter options off the free agent market.

Mets’ star shortstop Francisco Lindor will get surgery on his hand for a hamate fracture, an injury notorious for sapping power from hitters, placing his availability for Opening Day in question.

The Dodgers re-signed reliever Evan Phillips to a 1 year $6.5 million deal.

Diamondbacks’ star Corbin Carroll also broke his hamate bone and will require surgery.

The Nationals added an innings-eater in Miles Mikolas on a $2.25 million deal.

Liam Hendriks signed with the Twins on a minor league deal.