PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 21: Christian Scott #45 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the Miami Marlins and the New York Mets at Clover Park on Saturday, February 21, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In their second of two games against WBC teams, the Mets (2-0 in WBC play) defeated Israel (1-1) at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie.
Carson Benge got the scoring started today, hitting an opposite field home run solo home run in the fifth third inning.
David Peterson went three innings, allowing one hit, two walks, and striking out four.
Christian Scott threw two and two-thirds innings, allowing two hits, no walks, and striking out five. The best named player in Mets’ camp, Hoss Brewer, finished out the sixth inning for the Mets, relieving Scott.
Adbert Alzolay and Nick Burdi each gave up a run in their respective inning of work, but each also notched two strikeouts. Joey Gerber and Saul Garcia combined for a scoreless ninth.
Zach Levenson homered in the top of the seventh to tie the game and one inning later, an RJ Schreck double put Israel up 2-1.
While the scoring started with dingers, it was singles that ultimately decided the game for the Mets. In the bottom of the eighth, Ji Hwan Bae singled in two runs, followed by a Jacob Reimer RBI single, and the scoring closed out with a Yohairo Cuevas single, plating Reimer.
The Mets resume Grapefruit League play tomorrow with a 1:05 game in West Plam Beach against the Nationals. Justin Hagenman will take the ball for the Mets.
Christian Scotthas been thinking about this day for a long time.
After missing nearly two years following Tommy John surgery, the young Mets starter made his highly-anticipated return to game action Wednesday against Team Israel.
Scott admitted there were some nerves, but it certainly didn’t show.
The right-hander was in complete control, working around a walk and a stolen base in the fourth, before striking out two in the fifth, then retiring the final two batters he faced in the sixth.
Certainly an encouraging way to rip off the band-aid.
“It felt great to go out there and have a defense behind you,” Scott said. “It was a lot of fun to be able to see people in the stands and get out there for my first game action -- I thought it went really well, just excited to be out there.”
Scott used his full arsenal as he allowed just two baserunners, struck out five, and threw 40 of 50 pitches for strikes.
His secondary pitches looked extremely sharp on the afternoon, and he topped out at 96 mph on his fastball, a very encouraging sign this early in camp following surgery.
“It’s just my first start, but I think there’s a lot to build off of,” Scott said.
“The way the ball is coming out, he has life on his fastball,” Carlos Mendoza added. “Not only hitting 96, but there’s a lot of life, and the way he was using all his pitches -- the cutter, the sweeper, the changeup -- it was fun to watch.”
The 26-year-old will now look to continue building up his pitch count from here.
While he figures to begin the season in Triple-A, he could find himself back in the majors before long if he can stay on the mound and put together more dominant outings like his return.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Hunter Greene #21 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the first inning during Game One of the National League Wild Card Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On two separate occasions the Cincinnati Reds have turned to Hunter Greene to start for them on Opening Day, first back in 2023 and again in 2025. He’s the undisputed ace of their staff, a former #2 overall draft pick who was long assumed to be a frontline starter for any team that lucked into getting his services, and despite being banged up off and on through the years he’s absolutely begun to live up to the immense hype.
The Reds, presumably, were going to turn to Greene for the start on Opening Day 2026. After finding out this morning that Greene was dealing with stiffness in his right elbow – an issue that dates back to last fall prior to the end of the 2025 season – it’s looking less and less likely he’ll be available to do that.
As Mark Sheldon of Reds.com relayed, Greene is set for an MRI after experiencing pain in his right elbow after his first start of the spring. Greene remains optimistic that it’s not going to be anything too serious – he goes as far as confirming that his surgically repaired UCL is completely intact – but notes he knows there are bone spurs in there and that he received an injection in it over the winter after it ailed him down the stretch in 2025.
The Cincinnati Reds have a wealth of depth at starting pitcher, for now. They just welcomed back each of Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson, and Julian Aguiar after the trio was lost for 2025 with their own arm injuries and surgeries. Still, Greene’s the kind of arm that simply cannot be fully replaced even if the Reds are perhaps better equipped than any team in the game to stomach having him out for a short period of time.
How short that is remains to be seen. That’s why the MRI is going down in the first place. If it’s merely an issue of rest and taking time off, that’s obviously the best-case scenario, but even then that would put him behind the eight-ball to build back up to be ready by Opening Day. If it’s anything beyond that, god forbid, any timeline for when he’ll work his way back onto the 2026 squad gets thrown up in the air.
Greene, who only fired 107 IP last year and has only once reached so much as 150 IP in a season, is going to be managed with the softest of gloves in this instance. The Reds want him to get to that number and be ready to pitch deep in the playoffs, after all, and it now looks like the best route for him to get to that number may include being sidelined for the first week, weeks, month of the season and then ramping it up from there.
Brady Singer, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Chase Burns, Lowder, Williamson, Aguiar, and Chase Petty buy the Reds the chance to be patient with this, however serious it ends up being. Still, there was immense hope that 2026 might be the year Greene shakes off the injury bug for once and pitches well enough (and often enough) for his typically elite production to put him squarely in the mix for a Cy Young Award – or more – and now that path is already facing a serious hiccup.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed that shortstop Francisco Lindor started his hitting progression on Wednesday.
The skipper didn’t provide any further details in terms of how many swings were taken.
This is obviously another step in the right direction for the stars shortstop, who had surgery on his left hamate bone on February 11.
Lindor played catch on Monday, took part in live defensive drills on Tuesday, and now has moved on to hitting, with Opening Day just over three weeks away.
All along, Lindor, Mendoza, and Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns have said that they are all optimistic that the five-time All-Star will be ready to go when the Mets host the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 26.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 25: George Lombard Jr. #96 of the New York Yankees stands for the national anthem before a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 25, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What’s the best way for a young top prospect to introduce himself to a national baseball audience before making his MLB debut? Is it gaudy minor-league numbers? Is it College World Series heroics? Is it highlight plays or eye-popping Statcast numbers on the backfields?
What about homering off of one of the most dominant starters in baseball in your first-ever at-bat against him while your swing is broadcast live on ESPN? For George Lombard Jr., the Yankees’ top prospect, that’s the path he chose on Wednesday afternoon in Fort Myers, making an early statement off of Boston’s Garrett Crochet that served as the opening salvo for the Yankees’ 4-0 win over their rival Red Sox down at JetBlue Park. Lombard, paired with a home run from Ben Rice and strong pitching from Luis Gil, gave Yankees fans a lot to be excited about in another spring victory.
With a very young Yankees lineup making the trip down to Fort Myers to face one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, the bar was relatively low entering the day as to what we’d be happy to see with this lineup against him. Well, Lombard told a national audience that he’s not just a slick defender, absolutely tattooing a 1-2 fastball at the top of the zone for a leadoff home run in the first against the 2025 AL Cy Young Award runner-up.
Yes, the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect that multiple outlets have slowed their roll on because of the growing pains he encountered at Double-A at the age of 20 just homered off one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball.
It was the way he did it that might’ve been more impressive than the feat itself. A 96.8-mph high fastball from Crochet is near-unhittable, and he not only put a tremendous swing on it, but crushed it over JetBlue Park’s Green Monster replica. Pulling this ball—given its velo, location, and who threw it—for a home run over a high wall is absolutely absurd for a young hitter like Lombard.
Crochet settled in to retire the next three in order, but the ESPN broadcast and all Yankees fans were buzzing over Lombard. Gil took the mound in the bottom half and started his day with a pair of strikeouts, toying with Kristian Campbell and freezing Trevor Story. Marcelo Mayer tagged a ball to deep center for a barrel shortly after, but it innocently landed in the glove of Spencer Jones on the lip of the warning track.
Crochet rolled through the second, with the aforementioned Jones avoiding a punchout (good) with a non-threatening groundball to second base (not so good). Gil opened the second with two scary long fly balls, one off the bat of former Yankees prospect Caleb Durbin that landed in Jones’ glove, and another from Andruw Monasterio that hit the top of the wall for a double. Fortunately, non-roster invitee backstop Payton Henry erased the baserunner with a dart of a throw to catch him stealing third to evade the jam.
After getting the bottom-two hitters out with relative ease, Crochet once again faced off with the 20-year-old Lombard. After falling behind 2-1, Crochet grooved a relatively hittable sinker down the cut that Lombard smashed up the middle for a 108.5 mph single. The All-Star was replaced by minor-league reliever Max Carlson, who gave up an RBI double to Rice to make it 2-0 Yankees.
Gil’s command was strong through two innings, but he opened the third with a walk to both Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Tyler McDonough, though the latter was a matter of just barely missing rather than pure wildness. A trip to the mound was all he needed; however, striking out each of the next three hitters he faced, capped off with a 97.9-mph fastball he ripped past Story to end the third.
Paul DeJong led off the fourth and had to deal with Crochet being able to re-enter due to spring training rules. At the end of his rope, though, Crochet fell behind and hung a sweeper to DeJong, who crushed one off the confusing Mini Monster for a single to finally end the lefty’s day for good. Tayron Guerrero took the bump for the BoSox and gave up an excuse-me ground rule double to Jones before Jonathan Ornelas perfectly executed a safety squeeze to bring in the game’s third run.
Mayer singled off Gil to open the bottom of the fourth and, after he fell behind Durbin 2-1, Aaron Boone interrupted his interview with Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez to take out Gil. Overall, it’s an encouraging day for the young starter, whose fastball had more zip on it than he had previously shown this spring and racked up six strikeouts, some of which came against guys who he’ll see in the regular season.
Jake Bird was first out of the ’pen and immediately induced a 5-4-3 double play after taking over mid-at-bat. He continued what’s been a very sharp spring by making Monasterio look silly with an array of sweepers to end the inning.
Justin Slaten took the ball in the fifth for the Red Sox and showed Crochet how to get Lombard out, but even he couldn’t escape the inning unscathed. With two out, he left a fastball up in the zone to Rice, who clobbered it 412 feet to right-center field for his first home run of the spring to make it 4-0. At 108.8 mph off the bat, it marked just another day that ends in “y” for Ben Arroz.
Bird got the first out of the fifth before Rice knocked down a hard grounder and flipped to a covering Bird, who missed the bag and allowed IKF to reach. That, kids, is why they practice PFPs! Bird was pulled for Yerry De los Santos, whose job was immediately made easier when Henry hosed his second runner of the day (with help from a nifty tag by Lombard). He gave up a single shortly after, but induced a groundout to end the fifth.
We got a mini-blockbuster battle between hyped prospects in the sixth between Jones and Payton Tolle after DeJong opened the inning with a walk. The hulking outfielder jumped ahead 3-1 with good patience, but missed his opportunity on a wheelhouse fastball that he fouled off before being caught looking on strike three at the top of the zone. Jones challenged, but the ABS system ruled that it nipped the top of the zone. Bah humbug. Even worse, the pinch-running Kenedy Corona slid off the bag on a stolen base attempt two pitches later.
De los Santos walked a pair in the bottom of the sixth before rebounding to strike out Max Ferguson to end his day. Bradley Hanner was tasked with getting the third out, and he got out of the jam by inducing a flyout to Jones in center.
After Tolle tore through the NRI trio in the seventh, Hanner flirted with more trouble after the seventh-inning stretch, allowing a double to IKF before walking Will Turner with two out. Double-A reliever Carson Coleman came on to extinguish the fire and retired Corey Rosier with a filthy 1-2 curveball to end the frame.
Tolle put up another zero in the eighth, working around a two-out single by Braden Shewmake. Boston’s offense, while continuing to be held off the scoreboard, once again refused to go away. An E3 by Ernesto Martinez Jr., a walk, and a single suddenly loaded the bases with one out for Jason Delay, who represented the tying run. As much as the outcome doesn’t matter that much this time of year, don’t tell that to Shewmake, who turned a very flashy 6-2 double play to end the inning.
Noah Song, most known for being the highest-drafted player out of the Naval Academy, got a 1-2-3 ninth. Kervin Castro, who induced the double play to end the eighth, finished off the shutout victory with a perfect final frame.
Oh, and because we’d be remiss if we didn’t share a monster Aaron Judge homer, he obliterated a pitch from Colorado’s Kyle Freeland for a 453-foot bomb in Team USA’s final World Baseball Classic tune-up.
Judge and the Americans will open up their WBC slate on Friday night at 8pm ET against Brazil on Fox. But you won’t have to wait as long to watch the Yankees again. They’ll be back at it on YES at George M. Steinbrenner Field tomorrow afternoon at 1:05pm ET, with Paul Blackburn on the bump.
After a slight setback, Mets and Team USA starting pitcher Nolan McLean was back on the mound Wednesday and feeling more like himself again.
"Pretty good. Almost too loose at times, which I guess is a good thing," McLean told reporters after throwing in a sim game on the backfields. "Felt a little erratic. I think I was just fired up to get out there."
McLean had been scheduled to leave Mets camp last Friday, but after dealing with the vertigo-like symptoms, he has yet to travel. Luckily, he seems to be in good spirits and is ready to join his Team USA teammates (likely in Houston) as they prepare for the 2026 World Baseball Classic and their first game on March 6.
"I had no symptoms out there throwing, which I think was the ultimate test," McLean said, adding that he'll meet with the Mets training staff soon to make sure he's good to go. "Hopefully I can leave here in the next day or so."
The right-hander is scheduled to pitch in the final pool-play game on March 10 against Team Italy, but could make arguably the biggest start of his career later on in the tournament. Manager Mark DeRosa said Tuesday that McLean is slated to be the WBC Championship Game starting pitcher if Team USA makes it there on March 17. When asked about the honor, the 24-year-old said he's focused on having a strong outing against Italy and helping the team reach the title game.
"That's a great honor, but there's a lot of baseball to be played and a lot of really good teams out there," McLean said. "So my job is to go out there and get to compete against Italy, do the best I can, and to be a good teammate for the rest of the games. Hopefully make the finals and get the ball."
When McLean joins the rest of Team USA, he'll be the second-youngest pitcher on the roster (Paul Skenes is 23) and the one with the least amount of major league experience. With other aces on the team in addition to Skenes, including Tarik Skubal, Logan Webb, and retired, future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, McLean is looking forward to being a sponge around them.
"I'm super excited to pick their brains," McLean said. "We got a bunch of Cy Youngs in that building so it'll be really cool to kind of learn from them, see how they handle everything, and just also watch from afar at the same time."
In his one spring training start on Feb. 26, McLean tossed four innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts. Afterward, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza noted how the young star is "built different" for the big moments. McLean was asked about that on Wednesday and gave some insight into his mindset, especially with the potential WBC Championship Game outing on the horizon.
"I'm just uber-competitive. Whether it's out there on the backfield today or if it's in the WBC, I try to treat every start the same," McLean said. "At the end of the day, it's a competition -- me vs. the batter. I never want to give in and lose any competition that I'm playing in.
"I try to do my best to treat it all the same. Obviously there is an intensity spike in certain situations and certain games, whether it's at Citi Field, WBC, or like I said, in the backfield. I try to treat everything the same and just win the competition every time I go out there."
For Curtis Mead and the White Sox 'bubble crew,' the waiver wire is the only alternative to the active roster. In Glendale, the margin for error has never been thinner. | (Jeremy Chen/Getty Images)
For the 2026 Chicago White Sox, the arrival of Opening Day isn’t just a celebration of a new season; it’s also a deadline for a game of “Roster Tetris.” With a front office focused on a deep rebuild, the team finds itself with a critical mass of “bubble players.” Guys who are talented enough to be on a 40-man roster, but out of minor-league options, and facing the cold reality of the waiver wire.
If these guys don’t crack the 26-man, it’s DFA city — tossed to the wolves, with 29 teams circling for scraps. In a league desperate for cheap depth, most of them are one waiver away from vanishing off the South Side for good.
Top of the line talent crew
First up: the ex-top prospects, now dangling at the end of their developmental rope.
Lenyn Sosa (INF): Once a prized international signing, now a walking question mark. He led the team with 22 bombs last year, but can’t find a glove that fits. With Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and the rest of the infield mob breathing down his neck, Sosa is squarely on the must-keep-or-must-lose chopping block.
Luisangel Acuña (INF/OF): The Sox have no choice but to keep Acuña on the 26-man. That sets off a domino chain with someone else getting the boot. Getz keeps promising Acuña the runway he never got with the Mets, but with the infield jammed, he’ll be scrapping for second base and probably thrown into center, the spot vacated by Luis Robert Jr.
Everson Pereira (OF): Acquired from the Rays, Pereira has “bust-level” hit tool concerns but “All-Star” athleticism. If the Sox can’t find 400 at-bats for him, another team surely will take a flyer on his raw power.
Miguel Vargas (INF): A key piece in the Michael Kopech/Erick Fedde trade, Vargas certainly improved in 2025, but how he fits in 2026 is uncertain. The White Sox need him to work out, but if he struggles in camp (he’s actually been killing it) and they attempt to “hide” him in Triple-A, he’s as good as gone.
Jarred Kelenic (OF): Kelenic isn’t just a typical non-roster invitee; he signed with Chicago specifically because hitting coach Ryan Fuller, who worked with him in Nashville during the offseason, believes he can help him adjust his swing. To keep Kelenic, the White Sox must add him to the 40-man roster, but since the 40-man is already bursting with “no-option” players, adding Kelenic means the Sox would likely have to designate someone else.
With Andrew Benintendi and Pereira both nursing “right side soreness” in early March, Kelenic may have a window to seize an Opening Day starting role. If he hits as he did in the 2023 season (.253/.327/.419), he isn’t just a bubble player, but rather a middle-of-the-order threat. Although his play in Spring Training so far hasn’t indicated that guy is in there, as he’s slashing .176/.222/.235.
Pitching logjam
Tyson Miller (RHP): Not on the 40-man, minor-league deal in January, and the poster child for Catch-22. If he shoves in spring, someone else gets the axe. He was nails for the Cubs in 2024, then his hip exploded in 2025. Now he’s healthy, but a 7.36 ERA in Arizona is not exactly banging down the door.
Tyler Gilbert (LHP): Ate innings for the 2025 Sox — 46 games, 3.88 ERA, and plenty of opener gigs. He’s out of options, and the Sox have a lefty pileup with Brandon Eisert and Chris Murphy lurking. If they only keep two southpaws and Gilbert gets the chop, he’s gone. At 32, a lefty who can start or mop up is catnip for contenders.
Odd man out in a three-headed monster
Korey Lee (C/OF): The White Sox are currently carrying three catchers who all arguably belong in the majors: the veteran-minded Lee and the “future of the franchise” duo of Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero. Because Chicago cannot send Lee down without clearing waivers, he is essentially holding a roster spot hostage. In a desperate bid to increase his value, Lee began taking reps in left field late in the 2025 season and made one in-game appearance, even making a sliding catch against the Padres.
If he makes the Opening Day roster, it likely won’t be as a primary catcher, but as a “Swiss Army Knife” who can catch, DH, and fill in at the corners. If the Sox decide they can’t afford to carry three catchers, Lee is a prime candidate for a claim. At 27 years old, with a first-round pedigree and a respectable .762 OPS in his limited 2025 action, a team would likely snatch him up the moment his name hits the wire.
The land down under
Curtis Mead (INF): Came over for Adrian Houser at the deadline. Former Top-100 guy, with a quick bat and sharp eye. He’s off to play for Team Australia in the WBC, so his Cactus League showcase is done. The Sox have no choice but to keep him on the 26-man because if they let him hit waivers, he’s gone in a heartbeat.
Defensive insurance policy
Derek Hill (OF): The White Sox signed Hill to a unique split contract ($900k MLB / $450k MiLB) this winter to try to create “artificial” flexibility. However, Hill has no options left. The split contract is a gamble by the front office, betting that other teams might be deterred from claiming him because they’d have to inherit those specific contract terms. Hill is effectively the “store-brand” version of Michael A. Taylor, elite speed and defense, but a career 32% strikeout rate. If the Sox keep the high-upside youth (Acuña, Pereira), Hill is the most likely veteran wire sacrifice.
Rule 5 blues
While the other players on this list are “out of options,” the Rule 5 picks are in an even tighter cage: they must remain on the active MLB roster for the entire season. If the White Sox want to move them to the minors, they have to pass through waivers and then be offered back to their original teams (the Red Sox and Rays) for just $50,000.
Jedixson Paez (RHP): Picked second overall from Boston, Paez is the control artist of the bunch. He hasn’t pitched above High-A, but the Sox are betting his 1.40 BB/9 command can play in relief. One spring outing so far: scoreless, hitless, one K.
Alexander Alberto (RHP): A big righthander straight out of the Rays system, he’s got pure stuff with a fastball that touches 101. Three spring games, but the lack of upper-level reps is showing with a 6.75 ERA over four frames. If he can’t find the zone, the Sox have to decide if the 100 mph gas is worth bumping a vet like Tyson Miller.
If Paez and Alberto don’t show “survival skills” in the final two weeks of spring, they surely will be the first dominoes to fall. Their departure would be the only way to save the other “bubble” players from the waiver wire.
The stakes
For Chris Getz and the White Sox, the end of March is a tightrope walk. Keep the wrong guy, lose the right one, and suddenly you’re watching talent blossom somewhere else — looking at you, Romy González.
As Opening Day creeps closer, these guys aren’t just fighting for a spot on the South Side; they’re fighting to stay in the organization, period. For more than a few, the flight out of Glendale is likely a one-way ticket to somewhere else.
Feb 27, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets designated hitter MJ Melendez (1) rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The calendar has barely turned to March and we’ve already had a Francisco Lindor hamate surgery, dominant early performances from Nolan McLean and Freddy Peralta, a chess club, and a Soto shuffle.
Juan Soto shuffles to the delight of the fans in Santo Domingo
And now, in addition to all of that, we will be kicking off our annual King of Spring Training contest, in which we honor the less heralded players in camp—the non-roster invitees, the less touted prospects, and the journeymen. This year’s contest will look a little different because a significant number of players are now missing from Mets camp due to the World Baseball Classic, but that may mean some more opportunities for potential KoST candidates.
Let’s meet the 2026 field, shall we?
Cristian Pache – .727/.750/1.182 in 11 ABs
The Mets signed Pache to a minor league deal in December before they brought on Luis Robert and also MJ Melendez and Mike Tauchman—both also KoST candidates themselves—which makes his path to making the team quite difficult. But the 27-year-old former top international prospect and NL East journeyman has led the team in hits this spring with eight, which is twice as many as anybody else.
Not known for his power, Pache has also already gone deep once this spring. Unexpectedly leading the team in hitting certainly rockets him to the top of the KoST leaderboard early.
KoST Points: 5
MJ Melendez – .364/.364/1.000 in 11 ABs
The battle for right field and the fourth outfield spot for the Mets is looking stiff this spring.
It's been quite the week for the Mets' right-field competition.
Tuesday: Mike Tauchman homered in his first Grapefruit League at-bat.
Thursday: Carson Benge went 3-for-3, and Tyrone Taylor hit a three-run homer.
Melendez, much like Pache, is another player who once had quite the prospect pedigree, but he never lived up to his potential offensively. He is now trying to revive his career with the Mets. “I’ve had conversations with [the Mets] and saw that they definitely believe in me,” Melendez told NJ.com at Clover Park recently. “I definitely want somebody who has that same kind of thought process as me. I’m excited for a fresh start, excited for what’s to come and excited to get to learn here.” He also cited a great first impression from the Mets’ hitting and coaching staff. That two-home run performance on Friday was certainly a good start and has been the highlight of his spring so far. Those two long balls represent half of his four hits so far in Grapefruit League action. Though the outfield battle is crowded (and chock full of KoST candidates), Melendez’s defensive versatility may give him an edge.
KoST Points: 4
Austin Barnes – .500/.556/.875 in 8 ABs
The veteran third string catcher the Mets brought in as an NRI popping off in spring? Yeah. That’s the stuff KoST is made of, baby. Three of Barnes’ four hits in his first eight spring at-bats went for extra bases.
KoST Points: 3
Mike Tauchman – .286/.444/.857 in 7 ABs
Rounding out the hot right field battle this spring is Mike Tauchman, who has more of a track record of success at the big league level than either of our other KoST candidate outfielders Pache and Melendez. He was also signed most recently, shortly before spring training began. “I think I have a good opportunity to make the team out of camp and then also have a Spring Training that I think is going to allow me to prepare myself for a season regardless — just in terms of reps, at-bats, opportunities,” Tauchman said shortly after he was signed. Thus far this spring, he has been proven right in a very small sample size, demonstrating that he is absolutely a factor in this roster battle, along with Pache, Melendez, Carson Benge (who I felt was not KoST eligible being the Mets’ top position player prospect), and Tyrone Taylor (who I also felt was too established to be KoST eligible, even if his exact role is not guaranteed). Tauchman has the fewest at-bats of any of our position player KoST candidates so far, but he is certainly one to keep an eye on in this contest.
KoST Points: 3
Tobias Myers – 1.69 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 7 Ks in 5 1/3 IP
Though Tobias Myers has already had success in the big leagues and is probably close to a lock to make the team, I still feel he has a certain, shall we say, KoSTiness about him because I get the sense he is thought of as the throw-in in the Freddy Peralta trade. I don’t think that characterization does Myers justice and if he keeps pitching like he has early this spring, he might shoehorn his way into the rotation picture despite the presence of at least five or six other major league quality starting pitchers in camp. A crowded rotation is a good problem to have and I hope that at the end of the month, it’s a problem the Mets still have. Either way, don’t be surprised if Tobias Myers makes a huge contribution to the 2026 Mets—whether it’s in the rotation or as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen.
KoST Points: 4
Robert Stock – 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 6 Ks in 3 IP
I know the community is very divided on the idea of pitchers as KoST candidates, particularly relief pitchers, but Robert Stock would be one of the most fun success stories of the spring if he managed to make the bullpen. The 36-year-old journeyman tweeted the following after the Mets decided to bring him back on a minor league deal this offseason.
I'm 36 years old and have had extremely limited MLB success. And yet MLB teams continue to give me chances. Why? Because I continually find new ways to improve. Newest trick for 2026 – the knucklecurve. https://t.co/sDYOV4knK9pic.twitter.com/ZZe8FQNkPv
Stock is a student of his craft, always tinkering with his repertoire and diving into the data. He is the sabermetrics nerd’s pitcher. And this spring so far, he is getting results.
Part-time analyst and full-time pitcher Robert Stock looked sharp in his Spring Training debut with the Mets.
He touched 97 and generated a ton of whiffs. Statcast missed a lot of the inputs needed for stuff grades, though, so those should be taken with a grain of salt. pic.twitter.com/v12z5yz5Ki
Austin Warren got some big league innings for the Mets last season and he looks good again this spring, making him a dark horse to make the bullpen, which would certainly boost his KoST candidacy. But even if he does not make the team out of camp, he seems like a guy who is sure to see the big league mound again this season at some point or another.
KoST Points: 2
Matt Turner – 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5 Ks in 3 IP
Matt Turner is arguably the KoSTiest type of KoST candidate of all: a minor league Rule 5 guy. The Mets clearly saw potential in him by claiming him from the Yankees and he has been lights out so far this spring. If he keeps it up, his stock in this race could rise very quickly (Robert Stock pun intended).
TUCSON, ARIZONA - MARCH 02: Starting pitcher Julio Teheran #49 of Colombia pitches during the first inning of game two of the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers against Brazil at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium on March 02, 2025 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In a proceeding that attempted to redefine “exhibition, nonetheless televised for your enjoyment or something like it,” the Braves routed Team Colombia as a warm-up before the latter proceeds into World Baseball Classic play later this week. It’s tempting to describe Team Colombia’s efforts in this game as “going through the motions,” but that wouldn’t be accurate, as they played pretty sloppy ball defensively, and had to use loaner pitchers from Atlanta to get through the game.
The Braves’ lineup of regulars (plus fill-ins for their own guys at the WBC or… suspended for doing dumb stuff again) plated eight runs in the first three frames. Former top prospect Luis Patino struggled as Colombia’s starter, more or less showing why the Padres moved on from him after years of elbow troubles and ineffectiveness. Patino managed just a 1/2 K/BB ratio, and his inning had to be finished by a loaner from the Braves, Isaac Gallegos. Amusingly, Gallegos actually would’ve wrapped up his appearance after just a handful of pitches, but Gio Urshela, playing shortstop, made a not-great throw to first on an Eli White grounder, and the Colombian first baseman absolutely pooched the attempt to scoop the ball.
The Braves also blew up Colombian hurler Pedro Garcia in the third, as six consecutive Braves reached against him, including back-to-back homers by White and Sandy Leon. (In Garcia’s defense, Urshela muffed another ball behind him, as well.) Another loaner, Riley Frey, had to work in Garcia’s stead, and he actually got outs from Drake Baldwin, Austin Riley, and Ben Gamel… but Matt Olson drilled a double as well.
The Braves had fun overall, though the level of competition was really just kind of sad.
On the pitching end, the Colombian lineup wasn’t particularly impressive, so take the Braves’ collective 9/3 K/BB ratio from their pitchers with a grain of salt. Elieser Hernandez got the start and was cruising early, but was pulled after 2 2/3 when his command collapsed. Tyler Kinley, Dylan Lee, Jhancarlos Lara, and Austin Pope all threw a perfect frame with a strikeout, and then James Karinchak came in a threw a frame with a walk and a strikeout as well.
There was a point where the game descended into silliness, as Colombia requested loaners not just on the pitching end but also to take the field. Luke Williams had a pop single because Luis Guanipa couldn’t flag it down in left field, that sort of thing. The mercy rule was apparently in effect for this game, and the Braves were a couple of runs from triggering it, which created a weird situation like Shay Schanaman pitching the eighth against his own team in a way where, if he gave up some runs, the game would just end. But, he didn’t, and this one went nine, even if it was a scrimmage more or less the whole time.
The WBC begins in earnest with real competition later tonight. Meanwhile, the Braves will host the Blue Jays tomorrow afternoon in what may be a less silly exhibition contest.
The Mets came back to beat Team Israel, 5-2, in a exhibition matchup Wednesday at Clover Park.
Here are some takeaways...
- Carson Benge continues to make a strong impression in his bid for an Opening Day roster spot. The 23-year-old outfielder accounted for the Mets' only offense in the early going of this one, taking a 1-2 offering from Israel lefty Ryan Prager just over the right field fence for an opposite-field solo home run.
Benge played five innings in the field, and finished the day 1-for-3.
- David Peterson was strong in his first outing of the spring. He struck out a pair to dance his way out of a man on third with nobody out jam in the top of the first, worked around a one-out walk in the second, then used a double-play ball to erase a leadoff single in the third.
The southpaw closed his line with two walks, a hit, and four punchouts over three innings.
- Christian Scott followed Peterson, and he was tremendous in what was his first game action since July 2024. The returning right-hander worked around a two-out single and a stolen base in the fourth, then struck out three around a two-out single in the top of the fifth -- Scott came back out for the sixth and retired the final two batters he faced.
He averaged 95 mph on his fastball as he struck out five over 2.2 innings of work.
- Adbert Alzolay gave up the game-tying solo home run in the top of the seventh, then Nick Burdi handed Israel their first lead of the day with back-to-back extra base-hits in the eighth.
- The Mets came storming back in the bottom half of the inning, though, led by some of their young talent. After versatile prospect Chris Suero started things with a leadoff walk, Jose Rojas lined a double, followed by a Ji Hwan Bae two-run single, then third base prospect Jacob Reimer laced an RBI single to make it a two-run game.
Yohairo Cuevas followed that with an RBI single of his own, capping off the four-run eight inning surge.
Highlights
Carson Benge with a homer the other way to get the Mets on the board vs. Team Israel! pic.twitter.com/PDaTHK689T
Batting leadoff and playing shortstop, the highly touted prospect launched a solo home run off of Garrett Crochet to lead things off in the top of the first. Lombard demolished a 97 MPH fastball on a 1-2 pitch, easily clearing the Green Monster-esque wall in left, traveling an estimated 392 feet.
His second time up, still facing Crochet, Lombard stung a single 108.5 MPH off the bat, good for a single up the middle. That chased Crochet from the game in the third (he would re-enter the game briefly in the fourth), with Lombard looking very much like one of the top infield prospects in baseball.
-- Ben Rice continued his strong spring, ripping an RBI double off the wall in left in the third inning, putting the Yankees up 2-0.
Then, in the fifth inning, Rice stung a solo home run over the wall in right, pushing the Yankees lead to 4-0.
Rice went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI, and now has a 1.138 OPS.
-- Luis Gil got off to a strong start, striking out the first two hitters that he faced. Gil had an easy first two innings, but walked two batters to start the third. To the right-hander’s credit, thought, he rebounded to strike out the next three hitters to escape the inning without allowing a run.
Gil pitched into the fourth inning, and was pulled at 56 pitches in the middle of an at-bat. Gil's final line read 3.0+ innings, allowing zero runs on two hits, two walks, and six strikeouts.
-- Spencer Jones was kept in the ballpark, but he did have a bloop ground-rule double in the fourth, part of a run-scoring rally.
Jones went 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
-- Right-handed reliever Jake Bird pitched another 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. While Bird struggled last season after being traded at the deadline from the Rockies to the Yankees, he's pitched well this spring, totaling 4.2 scoreless innings.
-- Braden Shewmake, a 28-year-old infielder claimed by the Yankees off waivers from the Royals in January, made a phenomenal defensive play in the eighth. With the Yankees holding a four-run lead, the Red Sox loaded the bases with no one out. Following a strikeout, Shewmake not only made a diving catch on a humpback liner to shallow left, but then had the awareness to get to one knee and throw a strike home to nab the runner trying to score.
MESA, AZ - FEBRUARY 28: A general view of the Hohokam Stadium signage prior to a Spring Training game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, February 28, 2021 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After yesterday’s excursion into international waters, normal, Cactus League service resumes this afternoon for the D-backs with a relatively short trip to Hohokam Park. The D-backs come into this game with a four-game winning streak (not including yesterday, obvs), not having lost a regular pre-season game in a week. It’s the offense who has been getting it done: while Arizona has conceded 22 runs over those four victories, they have scored 33. They have all been pretty close, each ending in a save situation. In fact, the last six Diamondbacks’ contests have all been decided by three runs or fewer. Here’s the line-up for this afternoon:
After Brandon Pfaadt, candidates to pitch are from the following: RHP Yilber Díaz, LHP Brandyn Garcia, RHP Tom Hatch, RHP Andrew Hoffmann, LHP Philip Abner, RHP Paul Sewald, RHP Isaiah Campbell, RHP Gerardo Carrillo, RHP Jonathan Loaisiga and LHP Spencer Giesting. Plenty to choose from there, and a few names who I expect to be competing for spots in the bullpen by the end of the month. As for Pfaadt, this is his first game in the Cactus League: he has thrown on the backfields. This is because he is being eased into action after having a “side issue” earlier in the off-season. We’ll see how deep he goes into the game today.
No TV or radio today, so a Gameday only kind of afternoon. Probably be fairly quiet.
Mar 1, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies mascot the Phanatic entertains fans against the New York Yankees in the third inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Phillies will embark soon on a season that is under some rather intense scrutiny. It’s not just the fanbase that is expecting some results this year when it comes how and where the team ultimately finishes, it’s national media as well. Look around at different people talking about who is on the hot seat and who is not, you’ll probably find multiple outlets talking about the Phillies. It’s also the players themselves. Everyone kind of knows what is at stake here with the team. While we largely preach patience here when it comes to the team, with the players that are impending free agents and the prospects that are nipping at their heels to take over that vacated spot, this does have a bit of a feel of the last hurrah for this form of the team.
Since 2022, we have come to see the team as it being led by a Bryce Harper-Kyle Schwarber-Zack Wheeler core, buffeted by other players like J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez. With the departure of Suarez this past offseason, we have started to see layers of that team that went to the World Series in 2022 started to fall away. No longer are Suarez and Nick Castellanos gracing the corridors of Citizens Bank Park; now, we will see Adolis Garcia and Andrew Painter. Much as people would like to spin it as the team running it back, a more considered take is that there has been a decent amount of turnover.
Yet the players that remain still have that feel of “we’ve been here before”. Bohm, despite some of the team’s best attempts to move from him, remains probably the best option to give whoever hits third the protection that is required. Realmuto and Schwarber were brought back as the best available free agent options at their positions while Harper, Bryson Stott and Trea Turner continue to provide value in the infield. The outfield does have a different mix of players with Garcia joining Brandon Marsh and (probably) Justin Crawford to form maybe not the most powerful trio of outfielders in the game, but certainly some of the better defensive options the team has had in many a moon.
The pitching staff even has a different vibe to it. This isn’t one led by Wheeler, though he still remains one of the better pitchers in the game. No, this one now has a different Ace in Cristopher Sanchez, backed (at least until Wheeler is ready to resume his duties) by a burgeoning frontline starter in his own right in Jesus Luzardo. The bullpen looks like one of the best overall units on paper now that they have finally decided to hand specific roles to specific pitchers, anchored by Jhoan Duran and Brad Keller at the end of games.
This is a good team, but what ultimately will define a successful season?
The “ring mentality” that has permeated fanbases around the game has warped what constitutes a successful season. We have been conditioned to think that a season is a failure if it is not draped in confetti on the final day the team is together. Many people are criticized for believing that a team has had a good season if they make it to the playoffs, shouted down by those that would like hardware to show for their troubles.
Make no mistake, the Phillies should and could contend for a World Series title this season. Should they join the overwhelming majority of other teams in the game and not hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of the season, there will be disappointment to go around for all, but that should not push their season to the dustbin of obscurity. They have a roster that should make the playoffs and should contend for the National League pennant and should put up a fight if it reaches the World Series.
It just has to.
But the question here is: what does the team have to do this year to make it successful? That’s what we ask of you.
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SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: (ALTERNATIVE CROP) Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today the Texas Rangers invite the World Baseball Classic squad from Brazil to Surprise, AZ for a tune-up.
The game may seem even more exhibition-y than a regular Cactus League contest, but it is noteworthy for Texas in that both former New York Mets favorites Jacob deGrom and Brandon Nimmo will be making their 2026 spring debuts with Nimmo suiting up for Texas for the first time.
RHP deGrom will make the start for Texas opposite a lefty named Enzo Sawayama for Team Brazil.
I don’t believe this game is being broadcast anywhere but you can follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is scheduled for 2:05 pm CT.
TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 21: Josue de Paula #95 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks before the spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on February 21, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers take a break from Cactus League action to host Team Mexico on Wednesday. It’s one of 15 games across Arizona and Florida on Wednesday with a World Baseball Classic team tuning up by playing a major league team.
Tyler Glasnow takes the ball first for the Dodgers against Mexico. Emmet Sheehan is also slated to pitch. Josue De Paula has played nearly every day this spring, but today is his first start.
