PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 09: Pitcher Emmet Sheehan #80 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning of a spring training game at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 09, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers snapped their two-game losing skid on Monday, as they rallied for a pair of eighth inning runs to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday 4-3.
Emmet Sheehan made his first start of the spring, lasting 2 1/3 innings while tossing 49 pitches (26 strikes) while allowing two hits and one earned run coming via a Greg Jones RBI single, but struggled with his command as he walked three and struck out two. Cody Morse was able to get out of the third inning in relief of Sheehan as he struck out two to escape further trouble.
River Ryan came in relief to begin the bottom of the fourth inning, and despite letting the Brewers pull ahead by a run with Jake Bauers taking him deep to left field, he registered 2 2/3 solid innings of work, with the home run being the only hit he allowed while striking out three and walking one. Ryan now has a 1.59 ERA with seven strikeouts across 5 2/3 innings this spring as he continues to increase his odds of being a part of the starting rotation come the team’s home opener on Mar. 26.
Dalton Rushing plated home the first run of the game with an RBI single to tie the game at 1 in the top of the third. Although the counting numbers look great on paper (two home runs, five RBI), Rushing has struggled at the plate so far this spring, slashing just .200/.250/.440 across 28 plate appearances with a 32.1 percent strikeout rate.
Michael Siani and Ryan Fitzgerald managed to even the score at two runs apiece with a double and an RBI single respectively with two outs in the top of the seventh. The Dodgers took their first lead of the game in the top of the eighth with an RBI single from Seby Zavala, later adding an insurance run with Emil Morales scoring on a double play. The elder Ryan brother, Ryder Ryan, managed to record the final six outs of Monday’s contest despite allowing a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to trim the Dodger lead to one run.
UP NEXT
The Dodgers head back to Camelback Ranch to host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday (1:05 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Tyler Glasnow gets the start for the Dodgers, facing right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.
Feb 23, 2026; Bradenton, Florida, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Zack Short (38) and center fielder Spencer Jones (78) are congratulated after they scored runs second inning at LECOM Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The Yankees announced today that they’ve optioned two of their top prospects, Spencer Jones and Elmer Rodríguez, to minor league camp. The two will finish out spring training at minor league camp and will start their seasons with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
Even as they head back to the minors, both prospects showed very well with the major league club this spring. The 6-foot-7 Jones slashed .333/.455/.889 with three homers in 22 plate appearances, with six strikeouts against four walks. Facing pitching that’s roughly equivalent to that of Triple-A, you can in a way view this as Jones continuing to tear up the highest levels of the minors, as he did to close out his 2025 campaign.
Rodríguez is currently with Team Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic, though he has yet to appear in a game. The right-hander made two starts for the Yankees in spring training and was impressive, totaling six innings while allowing two runs with five strikeouts against one walk. He touched 97 mph on the radar gun and showcased a nasty-looking changeup and some solid command, particularly in his first start against the Orioles, in which he held a lineup of regulars scoreless over three frames.
While it was to be expected that players like Jones and Rodríguez, who were longshots at best to make the club out of spring training, would be sent down, it’s always a bit of a bummer to see the top prospects depart, as their presence in camp is one of the more fun reasons to tune into preseason games. If the two of them can perform as well for Scranton as they had thus far in spring, they’ll be among the first names the Yankees call during the season when the need arises.
The Philadelphia Phillies, envisioning a future in which Zack Wheeler is no longer part of their rotation, moved to lock up another stalwart from their staff for the long term.
Left-hander Jesús Luzardo and the Phillies are in agreement on a five-year, $135 million contract extension, a person familiar with the agreement confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been finalized.
Luzardo, 28, was eligible for free agency after the 2026 season, and was coming off perhaps the finest campaign of his career, winning 15 games and posting a 3.92 ERA across a career-high 183 ⅔ innings. While he might have garnered more than a $27 million average annual value on the free agent market, it actually puts him in line with Yankees ace Max Fried, whose eight-year, $218 million deal is worth $27.25 million per year.
Wheeler, the Cy Young Award runner-up in 2024, has indicated he'll retire after his three-year, $142 million deal expires after the 2027 season. The club already retained right-hander Aaron Nola on a $172 million deal signed after the 2023 season, and Luzardo's extension ensures a decent base from which to work.
The club also hopes top prospect Andrew Painter solidifies the back of the rotation and grows into mid- to frontline starter. Now, he'll have both Nola and Luzardo to slot behind in the future.
Luzardo will make $11 million this season in his final year of arbitration-eligibility before his extension kicks in.
Jesus Luzardo stats
2025 (Philadelphia): 15-7 record, 183.2 IP, 216 SO, 3.92 ERA
2024 (Miami): 3-6, 66.2 IP, 58 SO, 5.00 ERA
2023 (Miami): 10-10, 178.2 IP, 208 SO, 3.58 ERA
2022 (Miami): 4-7, 100.1 IP, 120 SO, 3.32 ERA
2021 (Oakland/Miami): 6-9, 95.1 IP, 98 SO, 6.61 ERA
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: A general view of a Spring Training Cactus League game between the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 23, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Rachel ODriscoll/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Record 8-9. Change on 2025: +0.5. 5-inning record: 4-11-2.
The pitching was on point for both teams this afternoon. For Arizona, that meant starting with three perfect innings from Zac Gallen, who struck out a trio as he retired all nine batters faced. It took him 41 pitches to get there, and was probably the best start from a D-backs’ pitcher this spring. After him, Juan Morillo put the first two on base, before retiring the next three. Andrew Hoffmann’s zero ERA ended as he allowed a run over 1.2 innings, and it probably would have been worse but for the Mariners running into two outs on the basepaths. Among the “known” names, Taylor Clarke also pitched a scoreless frame.
Not much doing on offense, the Diamondbacks being held to six hits and two walks. The first Arizona run crossed the plate in the fourth, Pavin Smith singling home Jorge Barrosa, who had doubled to lead off the inning. Ivan Melendez had the D-backs’ only other extra-base hit, also a double. That was it until the bottom of the ninth, where two singles around a walk gave Arizona a walk-off win, Adrian Rodriguez driving home Alexander Benua. I don’t know much about either player – neither even fall into the category of non-roster invitees. Looks like between them, they have nine games above A-ball: so all I can say is, welcome to spring, and well done to both. Anyway, five ABS challenges on the afternoon, three of which were successful.
Tomorrow, it’s back over to the West side for the Diamondbacks, who will be taking on the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch. It’s a 1:05 pm first pitch, with Brandon Pfaadt starting. And with that, I’ll cut this short, and go back to celebrating Britain’s victory over Brazil, sealing their participation in the 2029 WBC, while I wait for USA/Mexico to kick off! Feel free to use this as a GDT for that if you’re watching.
The deal many expected to happen this spring has indeed come to fruition, as ESPN’s Jeff Passan is reporting that the Phillies and Jesús Luzardo have agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep the left-hander in Philadelphia through 2031. Luzardo, now 28 years old, will be 34 when his contract expires.
BREAKING: Left-hander Jesús Luzardo and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a five-year contract extension, sources tell ESPN. Luzardo, 28, was set to become a free agent after this season. The new deal will begin in 2027 and locks up one of baseball’s best young arms.
Passan also reported that the deal is worth $135M, putting Luzardo 12th among all active pitchers in total value and average annual value.
Jesús Luzardo’s five-year extension is for $135 million, sources tell ESPN. The deal, negotiated by Roger Tomas and Brodie Van Wagenen of Roc Nation, puts Luzardo among the highest-paid left-handed pitchers in baseball and solidifies the Phillies’ rotation going forward.
Luzardo arrived in Philadelphia prior to last season in a trade with the Miami Marlins. He turned in the best season of his career in 2025, going 15-7 with a 3.92 ERA while setting new career highs in innings (183.2) and strikeouts (216). Outside of a brutal two start span in June where he allowed 20 runs in 5.2 IP, Luzardo was excellent all season for the Phillies and, most importantly, finished a season healthy for the first time since 2023. The lefty also added a strong performance in the postseason, pitching six innings while allowing two runs with 5 Ks in his only start in Game 2 of the NLDS and adding an 1.2 scoreless in relief in Game 4. Luzardo now joins Cristopher Sánchez, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Aaron Nola as Phillies players under contract through at least 2030.
Japan has survived back-to-back scares following tight wins over Korea and Australia. But there’s a good chance the Samurai return to their dominant form when they take on Czechia in their final pool stage game.
In a game where Japan is such a heavy favorite, where is the value? My Czechia vs. Japan predictions and World Baseball Classic best bets picks break it all down for this Pool C clash.
Czechia vs Japan prediction
Czechia vs Japan best bet: Over 9.5 (80¢ at Kalshi)
Japan’s pitching staff wasn’t going to be as dominant as 2023, with Yoshinobu Yamomoto being the main holdover. We’ve seen that in close results against Australia and Korea.
Luckily, they still have Shohei Ohtani and a bevy of other major league talent leading a lineup that has plated 25 runs over three games in this tournament, with Ohtani going deep twice and owning a crazy 2.025 OPS.
Czechia is a good story, but this team full of part-time players already has a -25 run differential. The best bet here is to back Japan to power this game Over the total.
Czechia vs Japan players to watch
If Japan wants to defend its World Baseball Classic crown, it will likely have to outslug their opponents. Luckily, they have the lineup to do just that.
Shohei Ohtani is leading the way, going 5-for-9 with three extra-base hits and six RBI. But don’t overlook Masataka Yoshida, who has been nearly as good.
The Boston Red Sox outfielder is 5-for-10 with three extra-base hits and six RBI.
Slowing down the Samurai will be tough for a Czechia pitching staff with a 10.88 ERA in this tournament.
Czechia vs Japan opening odds
Moneyline: Czechia 3¢ | Japan 97¢
Run line: Czechia +2.5 | Japan -2.5
Over/Under: Over 9.5 | Under 9.5
How to watch Czechia vs Japan and game info
Location
Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Date
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
First pitch
6:00 p.m. ET
TV
FS1
Czechia starting pitcher
Ondrej Satoria
Japan starting pitcher
Hiroto Takahashi
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 01: Thomas Harrington #40 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday, August 1, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are beginning to shrink their spring training roster as Opening Day approaches.
On Monday, the Bucs announced several players being optioned to Triple-A, and others reassigned to minor league camp.
Eight moves were announced, most notably right-handed pitchers Antwone Kelly, Thomas Harrington, and Wilber Dotel sent to Triple-A Indianapolis, signaling they are highly unlikely to make the team.
Kelly was one of the most impressive pitchers in the organization last season, going from unranked in MLB Pipeline’s Pirates Top 30 to ranked No. 9 this season.
In 25 starts between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, Kelly earned a 3.02 ERA, a .206 opponent batting average, 1.06 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts in 107.1 innings.
Kelly, 22, owns a 65-grade fastball, 50-grade slider, and 55-grade changeup on MLB Pipeline’s 20-80 scale. He is one of 20 pitchers on the Pirates’ 40-man roster.
Harrington made his MLB debut last season but struggled mightily, allowing 15 runs in 8.2 innings in three outings.
In two spring training outings, Harrington allowed a solo home run and struck out two in six innings, earning a 1.50 ERA. He’s a former Pirates top 10 prospect who now ranks No. 14 by MLB Pipeline and will be a key part of the Bucs’ depth this season.
Dotel ranks one spot ahead of Harrington and had a breakout season in Double-A. In 27 starts with the Altoona Curve, Dotel earned a 4.15 ERA with a .234 opponent batting average, 1.23 WHIP, 43 walks, and 131 strikeouts in 125.2 innings.
The Pirates put Dotel on the 40-man roster this winter to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. Dotel, 23, owns a 60-grade fastball, 50-grade slider, and 50-grade sweeper.
Pittsburgh also optioned right-handed pitcher Brandan Bidois and outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez. All five are on the 40-man. That’s the reason for the difference between being optioned to Indy or outrighted to minor league spring training.
We have made the following roster moves. There are now 54 players in Major League camp. pic.twitter.com/Wgg9WSQKqn
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 03: New York Yankees Pitcher Max Fried (54) delivers a pitch to the plate during the spring training game between Team Panama and the New York Yankees on March 03, 2026 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Spring training continues tonight for the Yankees, with Pittsburgh coming to George M. Steinbrenner Field to face off with the Bronx Bombers. A considerable chunk of the Yankees’ roster is occupied at the World Baseball Classic—albeit with Jazz Chisholm Jr. and José Caballero now about to head home with their teams eliminated— but the Yanks are still throwing a perfectly cromulent lineup out against Pittsburgh, with ace Max Fried taking the mound for his second start of the spring.
Fried debuted this spring against Caballero and Team Panama on March 3rd, tossing three scoreless innings in the exhibition and throwing 56 pitches. We’ll see to what extent he surpasses that pitch count tonight. Last season, Fried threw seven distinct pitches. With that kind of a repertoire, it will be worth seeing what Fried chooses to work on in his second outing of the spring.
For Pittsburgh, José Urquidy gets the ball, also making his second start of the spring. The veteran right-hander (and former Houston Astro) has missed virtually all of the past two seasons due to injury, so despite having been in the big leagues for several seasons, these are invaluable reps for Urquidy.
The Yankee lineup tonight is replete with legitimate big leaguers to face off with Urquidy and whoever follows him out of the Pirates’ bullpen. The top half of the lineup is really just missing that Judge fellow who is off captaining Team USA. Trent Grisham, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton form an imposing, albeit lefty-heavy one through four in the lineup. Elsewhere, NRI and fourth outfielder candidate Randal Grichuk makes his spring debut, playing left field. And Oswaldo Cabrera, recently returned from an awful ankle injury, holds down the keystone.
March baseball is still baseball. Go Yankees and stay healthy.
How to Watch:
Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field — Tampa, FL
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 25: Emilio Pagán #15 and Noelvi Marte #16 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrate after beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 at Great American Ball Park on September 25, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s impossible to land on just one definition of the word ‘success’ in anything, let alone in the world of sports. Success as a concept to the Boston Celtics and New York Yankees is a vastly different bird than success to, say, the Cleveland Browns or Colorado Rockies.
Success to the Cincinnati Reds, at least as the franchise has devolved over the last trio of decades, has limped to meaning just slightly more than not being terrible.
You’ve begun to remember specific seasons and specific rosters who simply finished with a winning record. You recall each and every player brought in on a waiver claim or non-roster deal who actually netted the team more than 0.0 WAR. You don’t have to remind yourselves that Buster Posey’s grand slam and Pirates fans abrasively chanting ‘Cue-to, Cue-to’ were actually the good times of the last 30 years, the times this club dared participate in league-sponsored postseason activity before hibernating again for the winter.
If that run of form continues any longer, we’re going to begin to remember the 2025 Reds the way we recall 2013, 2012, 2010, 1995. They did make the playoffs in a full 162 game season, after all, even if they snuck into a superexpanded megaplayoff bracket with a barely .500 record (and were summarily dismissed immediately). The 2025 Reds made the playoffs, and around these parts that’s damn near tattoo-worthy. As the cobwebs envelope those 2025 memories, it will be hard for anyone to forget the most essential plays that allowed them to sneak into the postseason, since every single one of them mattered when the season’s final day came down to the slimmest of margins in the standings.
The one that stands out most, I think, is Noelvi Marte robbing Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds of a 9th inning homer at home in GABP, bailing out closer Emilio Pagán (who’d left a meatball over the plate to the Pirates lone decent hitter with the game on the line). It preserved a 2-1 victory and moved the Reds to 81-78 on the season with just a series left to play – that’s the bottom line of it – but it also seemed to somewhat validate the odd series of moves the Reds had made in the run-up to that moment.
Marte, of course, came to the Reds in the 2022 blockbuster that saw Luis Castillo head the other way to the Seattle Mariners. He was a shortstop then, a bat-first guy with elite athleticism who seemed to be just about as can’t-miss as they come. His defensive issues moved him to 3B shortly after arriving in the Cincinnati system, however, at the time a move generally considered to have been made thanks to the presence of each of Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, and fellow former Mariner Edwin Arroyo at short. His bat then carried him through to the muddled mess that was the hot corner situation at the big league level in late 2023 only for an 80-game PED suspension to torpedohis 2024 season entirely.
Then came 2025, a year where his bat played decently despite an oblique injury that once again put him on the pine. His glovework, though, became a serious issue once again, and barely after having filed Jeimer Candelario into the 3B Sunk Costsof the Reds folder next to Mike Moustakas, Cincinnati splurged, again, on a 3B at the trade deadline by picking up Ke’Bryan Hayes and the long-term contract that came with him. That pushed Noelvi off 3B for good, and despite his complete lack of experience there it’s what put him in RF that day in GABP to be in position to rob Reynolds of a homer and ‘save’ the Reds season.
It worked! The grand plan had worked!
The Reds had picked up a pristine defender at 3B and Marte was going to stick in RF just fine!
Heck, given his offensive upside, he’s a lock to be the RF of both the present and future now!
The catch, while brilliant and ‘season saving,’ put a loose patch over some more significantly glaring issues, however. While Marte was brilliant in August after the initial move, he stumbled terribly down the stretch last season while hitting just .186/.215/.275 (.489 OPS) in 107 PA over his final 25 games. Noelvi, a right-handed hitter, was positively abysmal against LHP all season long, hitting just .232/.288/.274 in 104 PA against them to the point where manager Terry Francona has made note of them in his 2026 season preparation.
Catch against the Pirates aside, the surface info here suggests a guy who’s still very, very raw in RF whose offense – which is supposed to be a calling card – still hasn’t lived up to its billing. On top of that, he’s a guy with pretty glaring reverse platoon splits on a team that a) spent the winter bringing in two more left-handed hitters who could probably use a platoon partner (JJ Bleday and Nate Lowe) alongside the already-rostered Will Benson and b) threw Eugenio Suárez’s bat into the mix in a way that, with Sal Stewart around, will make Spencer Steer’s right-handed bat much more available in outfield corners when needed.
So, when you read things like this from MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon on March 9th, it’s hard not to wonder just how strong Marte’s grip on the ‘everyday RF’ role really is, or should be.
Bleday, Benson, and Lowe have all out-hit Marte this spring. Bleday and Benson both are talented, experienced career outfielders with boatloads of experience in RF. Dane Myers, acquired from the Miami Marlins over the winter, has already been out-hitting Marte, provides plus defense all over the outfield, and came in with a reputation of specifically hitting left-handed pitching with aplomb.
Against RHP, it’s hard to imagine an outfield combo of Steer, TJ Friedl, Bleday, and Benson having the most consistent two-way floor. And against LHP, it’s hard to question an outfield spread of Steer, Friedl (whose .770 career OPS against LHP is actually better than his .754 mark against RHP), and Myers.
And if that’s the case, well, I’m not exactly sure where Marte fits right now in all of this – at least for right now.
He’s still just 24 years old. He’s still just barely played RF, and his speed and arm and athleticism makes you pretty comfortable with the idea that he’ll only get better there with rep after rep after rep. But he’s also a guy with a pair of options left, and 2026 sure does look like one of those rare years where maybe, just maybe, the Reds might win more games than they lose despite already being without Hunter Greene for a time and the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers looking ever-so-potent in the NL Central.
So, it could be another one of those years where every play, every decision could be the difference between sneaking into the playoffs or finishint ever-so-short. With that much on the line, it’s hard not to wonder whether starting Marte in AAA as the team’s everyday RF for a few weeks – or maybe longer – until he begins to wow the way a top prospect seeking a promotion should is anything other than the most prudent decision Cincinnati can make in the next two weeks.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the New York Yankees looking to grab a win.
Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Bucs Dugout is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
The commenting system was updated during the summer. They’re still working on optimizing it for Game Day Threads like ours. If you don’t like clicking “Load More Comments”, remember that the “Z” key can be your friend. It loads up the latest comments automatically.
BD community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!
David Wright says he was “excited” and “surprised” when new Mets third baseman Bo Bichette asked if he was coming to spring training and if he had a few minutes to talk.
“Good one to reach out to, right?” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Bichette’s overture to the club legend.
Wright, who logged 13,924.1 innings at third base and won two Gold Gloves during his career, isn't sure what direction the meeting will go with many areas to hit on with the offseason signing, including handling the pressures of playing in New York, but he should have something to offer Bichette, who has played all 6,184 innings of his career at shortstop.
“I’m excited to spend some time with him,” Wright said.
Wright said that spring training is "incredibly important" with the Mets having several new faces and players taking on new positions, like Bichette, but also to get to know each other off the field, as well.
"You have a locker room full of veteran guys, All-Star caliber players, guys that are one their way to becoming Hall of Fame-type players, and I think that you use this time in camp to get to know one another, not only on the field," he said. "But you have guys playing new positions, so it is important for Bo to know [Francisco Lindor's] tendencies, it's important for [Jorge] Polanco to learn tendencies of feeling comfortable [with the other infielders]."
Mendoza said all of that represents the “importance of having guys like that” in camp.
“He was elite at the position,” the skipper said of Wright. “And that fact that he’s here around, anything that he can share to Bo is gonna go a long way. Just building that relationship is going to be super important.
“And the fact the’s going to be able to pick his brain, face-to-face instead of over a phone call, David is gonna have an opportunity to watch him take some ground balls and just provide some feedback immediately. That’s gonna go a long way.”
“If I could do it, anybody could do it; it shouldn’t be that hard,” Wright said in January. “But he can pick it and is such a great athlete -- I see it being a seamless transition.”
“To me, that signals that there's a lot of leaders in that clubhouse,” Wright said, adding that while he just arrived in camp on Sunday, he’s known the Mets have “a group of leaders” in the locker room already, knowing Lindor and Juan Soto for a few years.
“That is just as good, if not better, than having a single leader,” he said of the current setup. “To me, times change, it makes sense when you have the veteran group that they have in here, especially with some of these young guys, where that group can get together with these young guys, these top prospects, and say, ‘Hey, this is kinda how we’re gonna do it.’
“And I think that’s what made the success that we had when I played, it seemed like those clubhouses had a group of leaders that would, starting now, let these young players know this how we play the game, this is how we carry ourselves, this is how even you as a younger player can lead by example, and I think that’s what’s going on right now.”
Wright added that it “all starts” with Mendoza, who he thinks does a great job of having his “finger on the pulse” as the manager and collecting the veteran players to “police the clubhouse.”
Cohen said that his view is that “the locker room is unique and let the locker room sort it out, year-in, year-out.”
“There'll never be a captain. I've felt that way all along,” he said at the start of spring training.
Mar 8, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Zach Thornton (80) stretches the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Skubal, the Tigers' back-to-back Cy Young winner, is a free agent after the 2026 season and had always planned to return to spring training in Lakeland, Florida after making his start on Saturday against Britain.
But in the days before the tournament, Skubal stressed how much he was loving the experience and hinted at a plan to regroup with the national team in Miami and at least be a cheerleader. And after his scheduled outing on Saturday in Houston, Skubal explicitly said that "things have changed."
"When you get into these environments, when you get this team, it’s hard to walk away from that," Skubal said after tossing three strong innings in the Americans' 9-1 win over Great Britain.
"I didn’t expect these types of emotions to run through my brain or my thoughts to differ. I was pretty committed to making a start and getting back to camp," Skubal said. "Things have changed, obviously, that’s why I’m going to have some conversations to try and figure out a plan for me."
Skubal, 29, is expected to sign the richest contract of any pitcher in MLB history this winter, perhaps approaching $500 million and his USA teammates were more than understanding about his plan.
“He's got the two Cy Young awards, but this guy's about to make half a billion dollars here in the next offseason,’’ three-time MVP and Team USA captain Aaron Judge said. “So, for him to put it all on the line for his country, and come out here and show up for us. ... You know, maybe it is just one game, but you know there's a risk with everything you do, and for him to take that risk and come out here and be with us, the boys love it."
Spring plods along, and we’re now just a few weeks away from Opening Day and the real start of the 2026 season. The World Baseball Classic will cover a good portion of that time, and the tournament is heating up as pool play is wrapping up in the next couple of days. The United States squad has gotten off to a strong start, and seem likely to end up advancing to the quarterfinals — it’s just a question of whether they’ll win out and take the top seed of their pool or not.
While we wait for the eventual champions to be determined, Yankees camp continues to churn out results. The competition within the pitching staff is ongoing, as Ryan Weathers endured his first blowup in spring on Sunday while Paul Blackburn similarly struggled on Thursday. Will there be a race for the fifth starter after all, or will spring results only shift around roles in the bullpen? How will the Yankees returning from the WBC do jumping back to spring action? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.
Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of March 12th will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 04: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the game between the Team Columbia and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Grace Hoppel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Spring Training tends to be silly, and that was perhaps best exemplified by Monday afternoon’s game against the Twins. The Braves won 9-8, but gave up a whopping five homers. I guess a 12/0 K/BB ratio is the saving grace when you give up five homers, but considering the Braves didn’t hit any homers, it just goes down as a meaningless March statistical curiosity.
Even though the game ended at 9-8, the regulars basically kept the line moving off Zebby Matthews to start the game. They sent 12 men to the plate in the first frame, riding a bunch of bloops to a massive eight-run inning (capped by Drake Baldwin actually barreling a ball for his second hit of the frame). Matt Olson made two of the inning’s three outs, but if you ever wanted to see a team and rotation hopeful (Matthews, who can win a spot on the Twins’ staff given Pablo Lopez’ absence) tormented by every bloop finding a hole, this was the game for you.
After that outburst, it was all Twins — albeit, against guys that don’t really factor into Atlanta’s big league future. Carlos Carrasco gave up two dingers in 2 2/3, but at least he didn’t walk anyone. A procession of relievers did a nice job, until the Twins knocked another homer off Hayden Harris, who struck out three in his inning of work. The game only got “close” because of the efforts of undrafted free agent Trent Buchanan, who was the victim of two more Twins homers while collecting just two outs. Eventually, Adam Maier came on and threw a single pitch to end the game.
The Braves had one barrel to the Twins’ eight. Fun times.
Austin Riley went 3-for-3, and Mauricio Dubon went 2-for-3 with a double that got out to the track. Eli White and Drake Baldwin also collected a couple of knocks.
Spring Training continues with the Braves visiting the Jays in Dunedin tomorrow.
