GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Rece Hinds #57 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Leo Balcazar during the seventh inning of the World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Cuba at Goodyear Ballpark on March 4, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a wild one in Goodyear Ballpark on Thursday afternoon as ESPN broadcast a ridiculous 14-13 victory by the Cincinnati Reds over the Los Angeles Dodgers that featured a combined 10 (!) homers between the two clubs.
Fortunately for the Reds, they came out victorious in this game that ultimately means nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it sure was entertaining in the process.
The Good
Cincinnati’s offense got off to a rockin’ start against LA lefty Cole Irvin. Elly De La Cruz ripped a 438 foot blast off Irvin in the Bottom of the 1st to get the Reds on the board (from the right side of the plate!), and Will Benson followed later that inning with a 2-run blast of his own (off a lefty!).
Elly’s homer came off the bat at 114.5 mph. Not bad for his less-productive side of the plate.
Cincinnati’s offense was potent throughout, with Nate Lowe (3-run tater), Matt McLain (4th tater of the spring already), and eventually Rece Hinds (a 3-run walk-off in the Bottom of the 9th) all eventually adding to the tally.
Here’s Hinds’ laser down the LF line to flip a 13-11 defecit to the final 14-13 margin.
Cincinnati also managed to walk more times (6) than they struck out on the day (5), and I’ll wager that each and every time the Reds hit as many homers as they have Ks will end up being a very, very good day for them going forward.
The Bad
The pitching today…woof!
Shoutout to Julian Aguiar, at least, who fanned 4 against nary a walk while allowing just a lone earned run (on a solo dinger) in 2.0 IP to get the late win. Hagen Danner, to his credit, also pitched a scoreless, perfect frame.
Everyone else, though got rocked through and through, and that includes projected closer Emilio Pagán. Pagán was tagged for 4 ER on 4 H in his lone frame, and that included an ugly trio of homers allowed. Meanwhile, top projected setup man Tony Santillan wasn’t much better as he allowed 3 ER on a hit and 3 walks while also yielding a homer before being pulled having recorded just a pair of outs.
The miserable spring for Connor Phillips continued too, unfortunately, as he once again had serious issues finding the zone. He was tagged for 3 ER on 2 H and 2 BB in his IP while recording nary a K, and his spring ERA now sits at 14.73.
Adding insult to injury was the way the pitching staff got knocked around. Old friends Santiago Espinal and Nick Senzel combined for 3 homers and 7 ribbies off Reds pitching on the day, though at least the arms kept Matt McLain’s brother Sean from socking one into the stands.
The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
That goes to Sean’s big brother Matt, who went 3 for 3 with a homer, 3 runs scored, and a pair of ribbies to push his Cactus League OPS up to a ridiculous 2.112 so far.
Hat tip to Elly (2 for 3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR) and Lowe (2 for 3, R, 3 RBI, HR) for equally excellent play.
What’s Next
Andrew Abbott will take the mound on Friday on the road in Scottsdale as the Reds take on the San Francisco Giants. First pitch is set for the usual 3:05 PM ET, though this one sadly won’t be televised. You will be able to listen in through 700 WLW’s feed, however.
Edgar Quero got buff over the winter. So far this spring, the cleanup hitter’s box score lines have been buff as well. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
For you night owls in the readership, today’s game is for you: The first night game of 2026.
For you aspiring broadcast consumers in the readership, however, this game is not at all for you, with no options beyond play-by-play on Gameday to follow the action. Yes, it’s unlikely you’re going to stay up until 10 p.m. chatting about agate type-reports of Game 14 of Spring Training. Still, I will persist with a game thread.
Sean Burke gets the ball for the third time, back by some of the hotter bats of spring:
I don’t profess to know much about the Guardians, but a lineup sans Kwan or Ramírez is advantage: White Sox in my eyes. Or alternately, a new White Sox Killer could be born in today’s game.
Tipoff is 7:05 p.m. I will try to pen a creative recap base on, dunno, exit velocity, very late tonight.
And in other news, the roster for the Spring Breakout Game on March 21. Undoubtedly, this roster consists of the most promising prospects in the White Sox system:
As we did a year ago, we’ll be carving out separate coverage for the prospects game, a couple of weeks from now.
In related news, beginning in 2027 this prospects showcase is going to expand into a tournament, which could be fun to follow — especially in a non-WBC year.
MESA, Arizona — It was a windy day in the Valley of the Sun Thursday, but neither Cubs home run needed any help from the wind. Dansby Swanson homered in the third and Carson Kelly added one in the fifth and the Cubs defeated the Diamondbacks 8-1.
You can’t really see it in that clip, but the ball rattled around in the right-field corner, allowing Hoerner to take third. One out later, he scored on a single by Swanson.
Colin Rea gave up a couple of hits in the first but after that retired eight of the next nine D-backs hitters. One of them was on a really nice, PCA-style diving catch in center field by Kevin Alcántara and you’re just going to have to trust me on that because there’s no video available. Rea then allowed a homer to Pavin Smith leading off the fourth, the only run he allowed. Rea struck out six and threw 57 pitches (41 strikes). Here’s more on Rea’s outing [VIDEO].
The Cubs extended their lead to 4-0 in the third. With two out, Ian Happ walked.
Conforto, incidentally, had two hits and a walk as the DH in this game. He’s looked pretty good, yes in a very small sample size. He has a real chance to make this team, in my view.
The Cubs were up 7-1 at this point. They got good relief outings from Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar and Corbin Martin.
You’ll notice I left out Luke Little, who threw a scoreless eighth. Sure, that’s good, but once again he got himself in trouble with walks, two of them. He’s thrown 3.2 innings this spring and walked six and yes he has talent but the walks are likely to send him back to Triple-A Iowa again. Here’s hoping he can figure things out.
Of note: Brady Counsell, Craig’s son who was Arizona’s 10th-round pick out of the University of Kansas, entered the game in the seventh and was one of the two guys Little walked in the eighth.
Attendance watch: 12,824 attended this game at Sloan Park. That makes the season total 92,201 for eight dates, or 11,525 per date.
The Cubs will play their first spring night game of 2026 Friday at Peoria against the Padres. Ben Brown will start for the Cubs and Germán Márquez will go for San Diego. Game time is 8:10 p.m. CT and there will be TV coverage via Padres TV. It’s also on MLB Network (no blackouts). There will also be a radio broadcast with the Padres announcers on KWFN 97.3.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Alex Hoppe #48 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Peoria Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you missed today’s Mariners spring training game, well, that might have been for the best. This one got out of hand early when the Padres put up an twelve-spot in the second and didn’t improve from there. Of all the spring training games, this one was the spring trainingiest (so far).
Luis Castillo got the start today and, well, things could have gone better. Castillo worked out of a jam in the first: after allowing Jake Cronenworth to reach on a hard-hit (104 EV) single, Jackson Merrill fought off a four-seamer up in the zone for a double, putting runners at second and third with no outs. But, Houdini-like, Castillo escaped the jam, striking out Ramón Laureano swinging on a 95.7 mph four-seamer, getting Gavin Sheets to tap into an easy groundout on a changeup (the Mariners executed their second rundown of the spring, again recording the out even as the runners advanced to second and third), and ending on a sword strikeout of Nick Castellanos on a 96.3 mph fastball. Castillo’s four-seamer had some extra heat in that first inning, registering as high as 96.7.
The velocity held for Castillo in the second, but unfortunately the run suppression did not. He gave up a lot of hard contact to the Padres, including a first-pitch ambush swing for a solo home run to Sung-Mun Song followed by back-to-back doubles to make it 2-0; then some sloppy play ensued including a walk to Cronenworth and a fielding error by Ryan Bliss, which then resulted in two more runs scored on a Laureano single, making it 4-0.
Then the game got silly. Tyler Cleveland came in to try to stop the bleeding and instead allowed in another run, although he didn’t get help from Spencer Packard in left field who dropped a sun ball. Cleveland walked in a run. Luke Raley lost a ball in the sun in right field. The Padres lead doubled to 8-0. Then 10-o. The scoreboard operator made a mistake and put up 11-0. Dan Wilson was forced to get another cannon fodder arm to try to finish the inning. Stefan Raeth threw one pitch to Jake Cronenworth that he hit over the left field wall. 12-0. Laureano doubled. The third out in the second inning was proving to be as elusive as the Mariners getting their fourth win of the spring.
Finally, finally, Gavin Sheets hit a little flare to left field, headed towards the much-abused Packard. It looked like it might drop in to create a touchdown of runs for the Padres, but Packard ran in and, against all odds, made the catch. The crowd went wild.
The Mariners got a run back off Walker Buehler in the bottom of the inning. Patrick Wisdom singled, and Rhylan Thomas tripled into the right field corner. Packard small-balled the second run home with an RBI groundout. While it is probably a better long-term strategy to focus on things that would actually help win games during the regular season, it’s a little disappointing the Mariners didn’t do what the Padres hitters were doing and just put a bunch of stuff up into the swirling wind and hope for the best.
But the Padres got all those runs right back and more off Alex Hoppe, who gave up five runs on two homers to turn the game from a laugher into laughing gas, 17-2. Hoppe baffles me. His four-seamer is a great pitch, with heavy downward plane that comes in around 98-99 and creates swing-and-miss, and he can throw it for strikes. The problem seems to be that pitch’s supporting cast. Today he couldn’t land his slider, which wound up fat and juicy on the plate for hard contact; the changeup didn’t tempt swings, and the cutter location was inconsistent. There’s something there; it’s just not there yet.
Troy Taylor had the fourth and got two quick outs on his sweeper, leading me to mentally retitle this recap “the Troy Taylor Game” before he surrendered a solo home run to Andujar, who dropped the barrel on a sweeper to make it 18-2, but he rebounded to strike out Francisco Acuna looking (thanks to a savvy ABS challenge by Mitch Garver). Troy Taylor game back on!
Then it was trading solo home runs. The Mariners got two, from Patrick Wisdom and Rob Refsnyder. The Padres got two off Casey Lawrence, who gets today’s Sun Visor award for cleaning up this stinker.
But wait. There were still several more innings to play, and another three-run home run for Blas Castaño to give up. And then another two-run home run for Nick Davila to give up.
In the eighth, Jared Sundstrom – who is nicknamed “Sunny” which is one of the better baseball nicknames, especially for the blond-haired golden-skinned Sundstrom – realized that he could also, like Captain Planet, use the power of the wind for his own ends and blasted his first home run of the spring off Tristan McKenzie, who apparently is doing mop-up work in spring training games these days. Rough. Sundstrom’s calling card is his light tower power, so it was fun to see that in action.
The Padres were able to add one more run in the ninth off Reid Van Scoter just so no Mariners pitcher would post a clean line today. But Carson Taylor got that run right back on a solo shot of his own (maybe his pal Sunny clued him in about the wind trick), keeping the deficit at a solid three touchdowns’ worth of runs. The Mariners will try again to secure that elusive fourth win of the spring tomorrow in Surprise against Texas, and surprise, Kade Anderson gets the start, so don’t let today’s stinker preclude you from tuning in to that one (although sadly it is radio only).
Other bits and bobs:
-Brendan Donovan worked a walk in the first inning. His OBP this spring is currently a nice round .500.
-With Donovan on first, Luke Raley hit a hard groundball (103 mph EV) that the shortstop couldn’t handle, bobbling it before tossing it to second, and Donovan probably should have been called safe. In penance, Raley went on to steal second. Healthy Luke Raley is fun.
-Rob Refsnyder hit a solo shot off lefty JP Sears, earning that lefty-killer moniker.
-In the eighth inning Freddy from Mariners PR bought churros from the churros man and I didn’t get one. OSHA violation! Hostile workplace!
-Brock Rodden showed off a very strong arm at third base, making a surehanded play right at the line followed by a strong toss across the diamond. Good third base defense is my love language. (You will see, if you look at the box score, Rodden was given an error on a throw later. This, in my opinion, was not a fair error assignation, and it was also not considered an error by the first baseman Carson Taylor who immediately threw his glove over his mouth and shouted something unrepeatable when he didn’t field the ball cleanly.)
Mar 5, 2026; Goodyear, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) looks on against the Cincinnati Reds during the second inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Process, process, process—the results of a spring training game matter most when they validate certain processes and reinforce an idea. The Dodgers scored a boatload of runs in a 14- 13 walk-off loss against the Reds; one of their expected regulars, Max Muncy, went yard, but what mattered more than anything else was the validation of Santiago Espinal’s case to make the Opening Day roster as a utility bat off the bench.
Espinal, who entered the game scorching hot this spring, having gone 8 for 14 in his first six games with a couple of extra-base hits, went yard twice, responsible for half a dozen RBI. Adding further praise to Espinal’s performance, those two home runs came against Emilio Pagán and Tony Santillan, two of the more experienced arms in the Reds bullpen.
Once upon a time, an All-Star when he played for the Blue Jays in 2022, Espinal is coming off two horrendous campaigns with the Cincinnati Reds, and perhaps a change of scenery is exactly what his career needed.
Even before the game, Dave Roberts wasn’t shy about singing the praises of Espinal’s impact on and off the field.
Dave Roberts said today of Santiago Espinal: “It’d be hard to imagine him not being on the team.”
Espinal is 8-for-14 this spring, playing multiple positions defensively, and fitting in "seamlessly" in the clubhouse, Roberts added
Equally important as his production with the bat, Espinal, who played first base in this particular affair against the Reds, earns praise for his flexibility, having experience covering second, short, third, and corner outfield. It’s worth pointing out that there is a larger need at the start of the season for this role Espinal is likely to fill, given the fact that Kiké Hernández will begin the year on the injured list. Hernández is currently recovering from elbow surgery.
On the mound, it was not a pleasant time for the veteran Cole Irvin, on the hook for six of the runs the Dodgers allowed by giving up a trio of home runs, one of them at 114.5 MPH exit velocity to the very impressive Elly De La Cruz. The Dodgers led by three in the ninth when Jordan Weems came in to close the game, but Cincinnati ambushed him for four runs, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Next on the docket, the Dodgers will play an evening game against the Royals on Friday, sending out youngster Jackson Ferris to make his third spring start. Ferris has yet to allow a run in 2.2 innings of work.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto participates in Team Japan's practice session in Tokyo on Wednesday. (Hiro Komae / Associated Press)
Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto was slated to start Team Japan’s first game in the World Baseball Classic early Friday morning Pacific Time in Tokyo against Chinese Taipei, with the expectation that he would pitch three innings.
While the right-hander is away from Camelback Ranch, other pitchers vying for a spot in the Dodgers' starting rotation will be under the microscope — especially with health concerns yet again coming into play.
The Dodgers are no strangers to navigating pitching injuries over the course of a long season. Last year, Yamamoto was the only Dodgers starter to not miss a turn, making 30 starts before making five more during the postseason. But other than the now-retired Clayton Kershaw, who made 22 starts last year, no other Dodger hurler started more than 18 games.
Yamamoto, right-hander Shohei Ohtani and right-hander Tyler Glasnow are locks for the rotation. But with left-hander Blake Snell likely to open the season on injured list as he nurses a shoulder injury, and right-hander Gavin Stone forced to pause any throwing activities as he attempts a comeback from major shoulder surgery, where do other potential starters stand at this stage of spring training?
Hard-throwing right-hander Roki Sasaki, looking to make a return to starting after a successful run as a relief pitcher in last year's postseason, has allowed seven runs combined in two Cactus League starts while giving up a good deal of hard contact. While Sasaki is trying to work through things in live action, including honing a third pitch for his arsenal, there is also the practical matter of making sure Sasaki is built up to start games once the regular season gets underway.
Which is why Roberts said Thursday the team plans to have Sasaki pitch a simulated game on their backfields at Camelback Ranch in addition to making his next start in order to help with his buildup.
“We need to get him to build up,” Roberts said.
Sasaki said Tuesday after his last start — in which he gave up four runs without retiring a batter in the first inning before getting re-inserted to pitch two scoreless frames — that he felt that he was having mechanical issues. Roberts, however, disagreed.
“This last start, I don’t think it was a mechanical thing,” Roberts said. “He just wasn’t making pitches early and we have to get him to four innings. ... We gotta build up, all the while being good, too, right? We had to take him out of the game the other day, and so when you’re getting down the road, you can’t afford to not have him build up.”
Another rotation option is 26-year-old Emmet Sheehan, who made 12 starts and logged a 2.82 ERA for the Dodgers after returning from Tommy John surgery midway through the season.
After falling behind early in camp due to an illness, Sheehan made his first appearance in the Cactus League Wednesday against Team Mexico. Sheehan recorded four outs, allowing one run off three hits and two walks.
“I felt good,” Sheehan said. “[My] body felt great, delivery felt good. I just think execution was obviously a little bit off, so go back to work this week, and try to figure it out. I was just doing stuff that I don’t usually do today. [I’ll] probably focus a little more on slider execution, fastball execution next week, and get back to that.”
Two other options for the Dodgers include right-hander River Ryan, attempting to come back from his own Tommy John surgery, and left-hander Justin Wrobleski, who became a reliable option out of the bullpen during the postseason last year after serving as a spot starter and middle reliever during the regular season.
Ryan also appeared in Wednesday's game, tossing two scoreless innings and registering a 0.00 ERA in two appearances. Wrobleski has also not allowed a run over three innings of work in two Cactus League appearances, including one start.
Kyle Tucker will return to Dodgers Friday
Kyle Tucker is expected to return to the team Friday after his wife, Samantha, gave birth to a boy.
“Kyle Tucker will be back tomorrow morning,” Roberts said. “He’s a daddy, so they have a healthy baby boy and so that’s been great to hear. I chatted with him briefly yesterday, so he’ll be back tomorrow morning to then hopefully be in the lineup Saturday or Sunday, so that’s great.”
GOODYEAR, Ariz. –– The Dodgers’ Opening Day roster became a little clearer Thursday, with manager Dave Roberts all but assuring former All-Star and current minor-league signing Santiago Espinal of making the cut when camp breaks later this month.
“(He has fit in) seamlessly,” Roberts said. “It’d be hard to imagine him not being on the team.”
Espinal won’t have a big role, likely to be a utility option occupying the final spot on the bench.
Former All-Star Santiago Espinal likely will break camp with the Dodgers. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Still, his emergence this spring has been a pleasant surprise, giving the Dodgers a Kiké Hernández-esque player capable of playing multiple positions defensively while Hernández recovers from offseason elbow surgery.
An All-Star with the Blue Jays in 2022, Espinal had regressed into one of the least productive regulars in the majors over the last couple seasons, culminating in a career-worst 2025 campaign with the Reds in which he hit .243 with a woeful 57 OPS+.
However, he has swung a hot bat this spring, improving to 12 for 19 after a two-homer, six-RBI display in Thursday’s 14-13 loss to the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark.
“That would be amazing,” Espinal, 31, said of potentially making the Opening Day roster, in what would be his seventh MLB season. “I just gotta let my work talk for me. So far, that’s what I’m doing.”
Here are four other takeaways from Dodgers camp Thursday:
Muncy returns: After missing the last several days out sick, Max Muncy returned to the Dodgers’ lineup with a bang, hitting a home run an at-bat before Espinal’s first blast in the Dodgers’ four-run third inning. Thursday marked only Muncy’s fourth appearance in Cactus League play. His home run was his first extra-base hit.
Irvin gets crushed: Minor-league signing Cole Irvin has an outside shot of being on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster, as either a multi-inning swingman or spot starter. But the left-handed pitcher didn’t help his case in Thursday’s start, yielding three two-run homers in his three innings.
Caught my eye: Like Espinal, Alex Call is expected to be a role player this year, likely as the fourth outfielder on the roster. But the Dodgers still value his at-bat quality –– which he put on display Thursday by going 2 for 2 with two walks and an RBI double.
Up next: The Dodgers play their first night game of the spring Friday, hosting the Royals at 5:05 p.m. PT at Camelback Ranch.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers poses for a portrait during photo day at American Family Fields of Phoenix on February 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Garrett Mitchell has all the talent in the world to be a star in this league. Injuries have plagued him to this point, but he’s healthy and showing what he’s capable of. Mitchell got this game started with a bang, a 462 foot home run off Michael Lorenzen that came off the bat at 111.5 MPH.
That was then followed by a Luis Rengifo single to score Jake Bauers and the Brewers were quickly up 2-0 on the Rockies. But Colorado was able to answer back against Robert Gasser after Tyler Freeman ripped an RBI double. Then with runners on the corners, a pickoff at first was able to get Mickey Moniak in a rundown, but he stayed in long enough for the runner from 3rd to score.
But the Brewers kept putting up runs against Lorenzen. Sal Frelick had the bases loaded in the 2nd inning after three straight free passes and had an RBI groundout to take back the lead. Then in the 3rd, Brock Wilken, getting the start at first base today, ripped an RBI single to the left side.
The Rockies answered back, after Eddys Leonard lost a pop up in the Arizona sun that could’ve ended the 3rd inning and allowed a double, Gasser walked the next batter and that was it for him. Craig Yoho came in and gave up a single, which scored a run that was charged to Gasser. Gasser finished with 2.2 IP and 3 ER with 3 BBs and 2 Ks.
Yoho was back out for the 4th inning and allowed two more runs, though just one was earned after a pair of throwing errors charged to Jeferson Quero.
Then in the 5th inning, the Brewers offense exploded. Wilken and Quero had back-to-back singles, then Cooper Pratt walked, loading the bases for Garrett Mitchell. Mitchell ripped a double to the opposite field to bring home all three runners and re-take the lead at 7-5. Mitchell went 2-for-3 with a double, homer, a walk, and four RBIs.
After that, Sal Frelick singled to score Mitchell and Jake Bauers homered to put the Brewers up 10-5 and give them a six-spot in the 5th inning.
Sammy Peralta and Jacob Waguespack both had scoreless innings. Coleman Crow pitched the final three innings and gave up a pair of runs but continued to spin some 3,000 RPM curveballs and cutters.
The Brewers will be back in Cactus League action tomorrow against the Arizona Diamondbacks at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Chad Patrick is the scheduled starter for the Crew while Mitch Bratt starts for the D-Backs.
FORT MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox poses for this portrait during Major League Baseball spring training on February 20, 2011 at Jet Blue Park in Fort Myers, Florida.Pedoria played for the Red Sox from 2006-2019. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Between 1986 and 2006 15 different Red Sox players made at least 50 appearances at second base in one season: Marty Barrett, Jody Reed, Scott Fletcher, Luis Alicea, Jeff Frye, John Valentin, Donnie Sadler, Mike Benjamin,José Offerman, Lou Merloni, Rey Sánchez, Todd Walker, Mark Bellhorn, Tony Graffanino, and Mark Loretta. Barrett would also cross the threshold in 1984 and 1985 as the primary second baseman, giving us 22 years for the sample. Like “generations” of birth (Boomer, X, Millennial etc.) there is a little fuzziness here on the 20 years but, suffice it to say, Barrett pulled of this feat 5 times, Reed 4, Frye and Offerman 3, Fletcher and Bellhorn 2 times apiece, and all the rest only crossed 50 games played once.
The last man to do it in this sample was Mark Loretta. Loretta, acquired from the San Diego Padres for backup catcher and knuckleball specialist Doug Mirabelli, played 138 games at second and made the All-Star Game. A pending free agent, Loretta was a veteran placeholder to buy one more year of development for the future. The year was 2006. The future was a guy drafted in 2004 named Dustin Pedroia.
Boston was off on the actual day of the draft, June 7th, 2004, but on the 6th, the starting lineup included the very memorable starting second baseman César Crespo while Pokey Reese played shortstop.
Dustin Pedroia would make his major league debut on August 23, 2006 and play in 31 games – 27 as a second baseman and 6 more as the shortstop. He would then play for eleven seasons as the primary second baseman. In 2018 and 2019, Pedroia was definitely supposed to man the second base position, but due to injuries sustained through an unfortunate collision, he played in only a handful of games either year. Which means we need to take another look at the position after 2017.
Here are the players who recorded 50 or more games at second base over the last eight years: Brock Holt, Eduardo Núñez, Christian Arroyo, Trevor Story, Enmanuel Valdéz, Kristian Campbell, and David Hamilton. Holt and Arroyo pulled it off two times each, the others just once. All the other seasons since 2007 only Pedroia qualifies for the list.
It’s sort of telling that Holt and Núñez split 2018 and Campbell and Hamilton split 2025, whereas 2019-2024 was just a revolving door.
But 20 years after Dustin Pedroia emerged, and almost a decade since his keystone reign came to an end, there’s a new contender: Marcelo Mayer.
You may have seen his slick defense this week:
While it’s still possible, maybe likely, Mayer starts the season in Triple-A he’s an exciting player who can possibly bring some of what Pedroia did to second base this year: stability. That’s not to say that Mayer will be the player that Laser Show was. That’s for the future to reveal. But his time at third base covering for Alex Bregman last year was stabilizing.
Of course we don’t know for sure where he’ll play this year. He is a natural shortstop. He’ll probably the second baseman but, again, Alex Cora might like him at third. Or maybe he man both spots in some kind of defensive platoon. That are a lot of moving parts so who knows. But he’s mostly been starting at second base since beginning his Spring Training games.
Pedroia was the type of player who comes once in a generation. We already have a taste of that type of player in Roman Anthony. But Marcelo Mayer could still be the second base solution for four or five years (or more! But we’re starting small). The Red Sox haven’t had that guy in the post-Pedroia era. Penciling in a surefire starter, whether as the manger or a fan imagining the lineups, is a nice feeling. Let’s root for the kid to start that clock in 2026.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: A general view of Sloan Park during a Spring Training game between the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox at Sloan Park on February 20, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Record 7-5. Change on 2025: +1.5. 5-inning record: 3-8-1.
Well, that five-game winning streak sure was nice while it lasted. It ended in no uncertain fashion this afternoon at Sloan Park, both sides of the game leaving room for improvement. The D-backs found themselves held to fewer than three runs for the first time this spring, managing only six hits and three walks. Their sole run came courtesy of Pavin Smith’s second home-run of spring, which got them on the board in the fourth inning. Cristofer Torin – and I am really going to have to work on my spelling of his first name – got two hits. Brady Counsell, son of Cubs manager Craig, walked to lead off the eighth inning for Arizona. So that’s nice.
On the mound, Ryne Nelson fell behind before recording an out, starting the game off by allowing a double and then a triple. The latter then scored on a groundout, but he then steadied the ship. Nelson went 2.2 innings, allowing those two runs on three hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. Unfortunately, the next three pitchers Arizona used also got tagged, and they included Kevin Ginkel (a run on two hits with one K) and Ryan Thompson (two runs on two hits, also with one K). Nobody worked a clean inning for the D-backs this afternoon. Shawn Dubin, with a walk but also two strikeouts, probably came the closest.
Not a good day for ABS and Gabriel Montero. He cost the team both their challenges – the first behind the plate, the second at it. Home-plate umpire Trevor Dannegger had a good afternoon, being proven correct all four times his calls were challenged. Tomorrow is the first split-squad game of the spring, with half the team (including Daniel Eagan) hosting the White Sox at Salt River Fields, while the other half, led by Mitch Bratt, go to Maryvale and take on the Brewers there.
It may have only been for five innings, and he may have only had one ball hit in his direction, but Brett Baty made his right field debut in the Mets' 7-4 loss to the Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon.
And while he wasn't exactly tested out there like he's been in a couple of games at first base -- another position he's learning this spring -- it's still good to see Baty trying new things, having a positive attitude and most of all, having fun.
"It’s feeling more and more normal," Baty said about the outfield, adding that getting live reps during batting practice the last few days has helped. "It’s like when I played at Double-A, so I’m having a lot of fun out there."
Baty clarified that he was never asked to play right field in Double-A, just left field, but that the two positions are very similar, just flipped.
So even though he didn't get a chance on Thursday to show off everything he's learned in the outfield, he'll certainly get more chances in the future, which is something Baty revels in.
"I'll play wherever," he said.
For Baty, who also learned second base last year after coming up as a third baseman, that's not just something he says. He means it.
As for the Mets, they'll take Baty's continued versatility if it means it keeps his bat in the lineup.
The 26-year-old had a good day at the plate against Washington, going 1-for-3, including a two-run opposite-field homer in the first inning. It was Baty's first hit of the spring after he had a breakout 2025 season in which he slashed .254/.313/.435 with 18 home runs.
After a rough first few seasons in the league, Baty turned it on in the second half last year and has looked like a different player since -- one that is more mature, self-assured and confident in himself.
"You see the way he’s going about it on and off the field, the interactions, the questions he’s asking pretty much every coach," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "… Just the confidence, not only defensively but offensively. He knows he’s a really good big league player and he will continue to get opportunities here."
Another player learning a new position for New York during camp is Jorge Polanco, who saw his first game action this spring at first base on Thursday. The veteran infielder has mostly played second base and shortstop, with some third base, in his career went 1-for-2 with a walk and felt good being back on the field.
"I’m used to taking ground balls," he said when asked about playing first base. "It felt pretty good... Every time we go out there, we gotta prepare and we gotta be ready to make plays. Every time we’re out there playing, we want the ball to [be] hit to us so we can make a play."
Polanco was also asked if he's starting to feel like a first baseman and he quickly and emphatically said "yes" twice, adding that getting his reps there is helping him be more comfortable.
In fact, he and Baty have been doing a lot of work together at first base during practice, learning from one another and helping each other the best they can.
"There’s no ego with him," Baty said about Polanco. "He wants to play and he’ll play wherever, and he was ready to do that from Day 1, so I think it’s awesome. And I think we’re both bouncing ideas off of each other and working on the footwork and just like what feels good, what works.
"So it’s good to have us both over there helping each other out. And Mark [Vientos] too, when he was here."
With some official innings at both first base and right field now under his belt, does Baty feel more natural at one or the other?
"I think it’s too early to tell," he said. "I’ve only played first base in two games and I’ve only played right [field] for five innings, so I’m just enjoying the process and having fun at both positions."
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 15: Juan Soto #22 of The Dominican Republic celebrates after hitting a home run in the third inning of the World Baseball Classic Pool D game against Puerto Rico at loanDepot park on March 15, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 World Baseball Classic has technically already begun as you read this, as Australia beat Chinese Taipei in the opener, 3-0. However, Pool C is the only member of the quartet actually underway, so we have time to look ahead at the final batch of clubs, Pool D.
As Matt discussed yesterday, Pool C has a case as the Group of Death in this year’s WBC, but Pool D is at least the Group of Great Pain. Two baseball titans are expected to top the group, but all five teams feature real MLB talent. One shutdown relief performance or a ball that gets into the gap could flip the round-robin on its head. These games come in Miami, so three-and-a-half teams with majority Caribbean/Latin representation makes sense, and while Tokyo may be slightly louder for Japan and Chinese Taipei, the crowds for the Dominican Republic and Venezuela will absolutely make themselves known in an electric atmosphere.
Dominican Republic
The D.R. returns a lineup that is as good or better than any other nation in this tournament. I mean, just look at what they rolled out for a tune-up game against the poor Tigers:
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 3, 2026
Now, the appearance of Austin Wells here is a little like that “what’s a polar bear doing in Texas” meme, but the Yankee catcher qualifies under the WBC’s eligibility, and he’s looked strong in spring training so far, making him a perfect eighth hitter for a lineup with this much talent. It’s also worth noting that Geraldo Perdomo had a seven (!) win season last year, better than any other hitter on this team, and he’s batting ninth. The great weakness of Team Canada, my squad, is the pitching staff, so I’m quite glad the Canucks don’t have to face this group of hitters until at least the knockouts if at all.
The D.R.’s pitching doesn’t quite stand up to the power of the offense, but it’s certainly not lacking in talent on its own. Cristopher Sánchez, Sandy Alcantara, Brayan Bello, and Luis Severino form the backbone of the rotation, with Yankee Camilo Doval, former farmhand Albert Abreu, and Seranthony Domínguez expected to take big roles in the bullpen. This is a very, very good team.
It’s also a team that, for all the star power it boasts, has something to prove. The Dominican Republic didn’t even make it out of the group stage in the 2023 tournament, going 2-2 with big losses to Venezuela and Puerto Rico. For a nation as baseball-mad as the D.R., this squad may be coming in with the most domestic pressure to perform, and new manager Albert Pujols — yes, him — will need to get a team full of big names on the same page to avenge that ’23 disappointment and match ’13 Robinson Canó-led D.R. squad as WBC champions.
Venezuela
The winners of that abovementioned group in 2023, Venezuela swept their way into the knockout stages before finally being eliminated by Trea Turner’s grand slam in the quarterfinals.
They come into this tournament ranked fifth in the world, and like the D.R., will boast a lineup that could put up serious numbers across a 162-game MLB season. Ronald Acuña Jr is The Man, even on a squad that boasts a widely-recognized leader like Salvador Perez, but Eugenio Suárez, Jackson Chourio, old friend Gleyber Torres, and the Contreras brothers round out what should be a dynamite offense. New Red Sox starter Ranger Suárez and veteran Eduardo Rodríguez highlight the pitching staff, which will unfortunately be missing the talents of the injured Pablo López.
The marquee matchup of this pool will be Venezuela against the D.R., and whoever comes out on top will be in the driver’s seat atop the group table. A longtime baseball powerhouse, the Venezuelans have only fared better than fifth once (a third-place finish in 2009), and this is the best team of the field that has never hoisted the WBC trophy.
The Netherlands
We get a little example of the vestiges of colonialism, with many of the Kingdom’s best players coming from the Antilles, most prominently Aruba and Curaçao. Newly-minted Hall of Famer Andruw Jones, who is one of those Caribbean-born representatives, played for the side in 2006 and 2013, before being named a bench coach for the next two tournaments, and finally getting the top job as manager for this run. Andruw’s son Druw Jones, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, will look to carry on Dad’s legacy in his first taste of WBC action.
The nation has had legitimate success at the WBC, with two memorable upset wins over the D.R. in 2009 and more meaningfully, a pair of fourth-place finishes in ’13 and ’17. But they were unable to escape the group stage in ’23, as Italy beat them in the Pool A finale behind Matt Harvey (yes, really) to send ’em home. Kenley Jansen and Xander Boegarts, two stalwarts of the WBC, will lead the team’s pitching and lineup respectively, and Ceddanne Rafaela brings his excellent outfield defense to the center field slot. The infield is rounded out by Ozzie Albies and old friend Didi Gregorius, still kicking around at age-36. Jurickson Profar was supposed to be involved as well, but, uh, that isn’t happening.
Israel
Appearing in its third WBC and featuring a roster of primarily American players with Jewish heritage, Israel didn’t fare as well in 2023 as it did in its first WBC in 2017, with an opening round sweep against Netherlands, South Korea, and Chinese Taipei. They only mustered a single win last time around, going 1-3 and failing to advance out of the group stages.
Former Yankees Harrison Bader, Tommy Kahnle, and Matt Bowman are on Israel’s roster for 2026, and Triple-A arm Harrison Cohen is also expected to be in the mix. Orioles starter Dean Kremer will lead the rotation. As he is in New York, Brad Ausmus was the bench coach during the last WBC under Ian Kinsler, but like Jones, he’s now running the show. Best-forgotten 2013 Yank/old nemesis Kevin Youkilis is the hitting coach, and long-ago Yankees catcher Jerry Narron is on the staff as well.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is sort of the little brother of the quartet of Latin/Caribbean teams here, with a winless debut tournament in 2023 but sweeping its way through the qualifying process a year ago. That qualification was capped with a stunning win over #2 ranked Chinese Taipei in the final. The team does feature some very real pitching talent, but the lineup is likely to be a little thin — although adding the Mets’ Mark Vientos will help with some of the thump.
Maybe the feel-good story of the tournament will be Dusty Baker, who may have the best case to be considered the current Mr. Baseball, and who will take over managerial duties for the very young underdog squad. A win for Nicaragua would represent a huge step forward in baseball development for the small nation, and I’d be lying if I said I’m not rooting for it.
Find more Pinstripe Alley WBC pool previews here: Pool A, Pool B, Pool C.
Trump joked that watching three-hour games with Steinbrenner was the hardest thing he ever had to do. "(Steinbrenner) liked me, I liked him and we both liked nobody else," Trump said.
Trump didn't elaborate on what baseball is doing "wrong," but has previously railed against MLB as "woke."
In the diatribe about Steinbrenner, Trump shouted out his "friend" Alex Rodriguez, who was in attendance at the event. Rodriguez, who won a World Series title with the Yankees, was one of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history but hasn't been voted into the Hall of Fame due to his ties to performance-enhancing drugs.
Though Trump boasts in 2026 about his friendship with Rodriguez – and hosted him in the Oval Office before Thursday's event – the president used to excoriate the former MLB star on Twitter before entering the political arena.
Trump called Rodriguez a "druggie" and regularly advocated for the Yankees to terminate his contract. Trump even said that "it was only drugs" that made him a great player.
A-Rod is just not making it. We want to give him a chance but it was only drugs that made him great.
Jul 2, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Didier Fuentes (75) throws against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Below you will find a list of the 40 players to make the roster, as well as a guess at the 27 players who will actually participate in the game – assuming they stay healthy. The number next to them is their ranking on the Battery Power Top 30 list that was updated this winter.
40-man Player Pool
PITCHERS (21) Blane Abeyta, RHP, NR Ethan Bagwell, RHP, No. 25 Landon Beidelschies, LHP, Honorable Mention Lucas Braun, RHP, No. 19 Garrett Baumann, RHP, No. 12 Blake Burkhalter, RHP, No. 18 Cam Caminiti, LHP, No. 1 Didier Fuentes, RHP, No. 3 Isaac Gallegos, RHP, NR Drue Hackenberg, RHP, No. 30 Hayden Harris, LHP, No. 28 Herick Hernandez, LHP, No. 20 Jhancarlos Lara, RHP, No. 11 Briggs McKenzie, LHP, No. 7 Ian Mejia, RHP, NR Rolddy Munoz, RHP, NR Owen Murphy, RHP, No. 4 Raudy Reyes, RHP, No. 23 JR Ritchie, RHP, No. 2 Luke Sinnard, RHP, No. 8 Luis Vargas, RHP, NR
CATCHERS (3) Archer Brookman, C, NR Colin Burgess, C, NR Manuel Dos Passos, C, NR
INFIELDERS (9) Lizandro Espinoza, UTIL, NR John Gil, SS, No. 9 Jim Jarvis, SS, NR Alex Lodise, SS, No. 10 David McCabe, 1B/3B, Honorable Mention Cody Miller, SS, No. 16 Jose Perdomo, SS, No. 21 Tate Southisene, SS/OF, No. 6 Dixon Williams, 2B, No. 26
OUTFIELDERS (7) Owen Carey, OF, No. 17 Patrick Clohisy, OF, NR Isaiah Drake, OF, No. 15 Conor Essenburg, OF, No. 14 Luis Guanipa, OF, No. 13 Eric Hartman, OF, No. 24 Diego Tornes, OF, No. 5
Predictions
I predict the Braves will take 11 pitchers, 2 catchers, 7 infielders, and 6 outfielders to this game, with 1 wildcard spot open.
With the pitchers I think it can be safely assumed that Cam Caminiti, Didier Fuentes, Owen Murphy, and Jhancarlos Lara will all be heading to the game. JR Ritchie is only outside that group as the Braves could decide to hold him back as they consider him for a big league spot after his strong start to the spring. I also believe that Luke Sinnard, Lucas Braun, and Hayden Harris are likely, with Herick Hernandez being close to that group as another lefty option to go with Caminiti and Harris. That is eight or nine guys out of the 11, and we haven’t even gotten into talented prospects like Briggs McKenzie, Raudy Reyes, Garrett Bauman, Landon Beidelschies, or Ethan Bagwell, or more experienced arms like Blake Burkhalter, Rolddy Munoz, Ian Mejia, or Drue Hackenberg
I will pick Caminiti, Fuentes, Murphy, Lara, Sinnard, Braun, Harris, and Hernandez for the first eight slots, leaving Ritchie off the team in favor of keeping him with the big league squad. Beidelschies is the next pick, giving the team a fourth lefty. Hackenberg gets a slot here as the Braves hope he can put a forgettable 2025 season behind him. With the final spot going to young fireballer Raudy Reyes, just to give him a chance to throw gas in this game.
Catcher is going to be the toughest spot to pick as none of the names in the pool are significant prospects. I am going to go with Archer Brookman for one of the spots, as the Braves just added him via the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft this winter, so they may want to give him a look. With the other spot, young Manuel Dos Passos is the pick over Colin Burgess, as Dos Passos is the most intriguing prospect in this pool.
With the infield I believe two things are fairly safe bets. Based on how he has been used this spring plus his late promotion to Double-A last year, John Gil will be a lock if healthy. I also think David McCabe is going to go because of the need for a first baseman. The three recently drafted shortstops in Tate Southisene, Cody Miller, and Alex Lodise will all be strongly considered, as will also recently drafted second baseman Dixon Williams. But you can make an argument for former top international signee Jose Perdomo, who is finally healthy and in camp in the best shape we have seen since signing. Though minor league veterans like Lizandro Espinoza and Jim Jarvis would add a little experience to the team.
Two of these guys will need to be left out, and unfortunately I believe one of the more intriguing prospects will be in that group, as I can’t picture the Braves leaving off both Jarvis and Espinoza for their experience, versatility, and being the most advanced. I will leave Jarvis off in favor of Espinoza, and also Perdomo due to his struggles to this point in his career. That makes the group of infielders Gil, McCabe, Southisene, Lodise, Miller, Williams, and Espinoza.
The outfield is most likely to bring top prospect Diego Tornes and the most advanced player of the bunch, Patrick Clohisy. That means one Top 30 prospect will need to be squeezed out here. Top prospect Conor Essenburg seems like the most likely to get the squeeze due to his not playing in a professional game that counts yet, and I chose him over Luis Guanipa as the player not to make the cut. That means the outfield would be Tornes, Clohisy, Isaiah Drake, Owen Carey, Eric Hartman, and Luis Guanipa for the six spots. That is going to be an impressive group of young players to watch.
With the wildcard spot it would be a tough decision. On the hitting side there are prospects Perdomo and Essenburg, versatile veteran Jarvis, and a third catcher in Burgess. If they decided to go with a 12th pitcher there are prospects like top draft pick McKenzie, young prospects like Baumann and Bagwell, more experienced options like Burkhalter, Mejia, and Munoz. I am going to take Baumann over Jarvis with this pick, as he is a highly regarded prospect getting ready for his first taste of the upper minors.
Feb 26, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Elmer Rodriguez (76) throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Much of the baseball world is gearing up for the World Baseball Classic, but there’s another fun preseason date on coming up on the calendar: MLB’s Spring Breakout. Now in its third year, the Spring Breakout games feature rosters that consist only of each team’s prospects, who get a chance to showcase their abilities against some of the other top young talents in the sport.
The Yankees just announced their roster for this year’s iteration, which will take place against the Braves on March 21st at George M. Steinbrenner Field:
Yankees roster for the spring breakout game on March 21, obviously subject to change pic.twitter.com/ywGBknWSyZ
The roster sports just about every notable prospect in the Yankees’ system, as every player above rookie ball on their Top 30 list from MLB Pipeline (with the exception of Rule 5 draftee Cade Winquest) appears on the squad.
The biggest prospects to watch will be some of the players fans have already gotten to know over the past year, such as George Lombard Jr., Elmer Rodríguez, and Carlos Lagrange. It was Lagrange, in fact, who broke out at last season’s Spring Breakout, overcoming first-inning jitters to retire 11 in a row at one point while showing off his 100-mph heater. Lagrange entered the game ranked just 19th on the Yankees’ prospect list, but is now one of the club’s most exciting farmhands.
There are plenty of candidates on this roster who could do something similar to Lagrange last year, announcing their presence on a big stage before going on to have a huge year. Right-handers Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham, the Yankees’ first two picks in the 2024 draft, should see the field, and could rise up prospects lists fast this year if they can refine their games. Henry Lalane is tantalizing as possibly the left-handed version of Lagrange, the 6-foot-7 lefty still able to touch the upper 90’s after dealing with shoulder issues. Then there’s Chase Hampton, once the Yankees’ top pitching prospect who’s just now getting a shot to re-establish himself after Tommy John surgery.
Elsewhere, it’ll just be cool to potentially see Lombard and Dax Kilby, a pair of top shortstop prospects, share an infield, and dream on the possibility of the two teaming up on the infield dirt in the Bronx someday. That’s the sort of daydreaming MLB was going for in putting together the Spring Breakout, and they’ve largely been successful in creating an event that lets fans get a good look at a number of players who will soon be heading to their minor-league homes for the duration of the season.
