Category: Baseball

The San Diego Padres still have a lot to determine as Spring Training kicks off with their game against the Seattle Mariners on Feb. 20. Among the 28 non-roster invites the Friars extended, surely one of them will be the next Gavin Sheets – someone who will go on a tear this spring and surprise us all by becoming a major contributor to the big-league club. So, who are these candidates? Here’s two possibilities: one pitcher and one position player. 

Marco Gonzales

While not the most inspiring offseason pickup by the Padres, there is a hopefulness surrounding Marco Gonzales’ return to the majors. In late August of 2024, Gonzales underwent surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his left elbow, which kept him out for the entire 2025 season. It’s hard to say exactly what is expected of the 33-year-old veteran as he enters his 11th season, but there are some interesting markers to watch for this spring.

Percentage of pitches thrown for strikes

Gonzales has shown throughout his career that he has a fantastic ability to pepper the strike zone. Throughout his 10 seasons in MLB, his lowest mark was 62% of pitches thrown for strikes (S%). Since then, he has averaged 67%. 

Padres fans may remember Dylan Cease as a starter known for his strikeout numbers (200 Ks in five straight seasons). But Cease’s career high in S% came in at 63%, four percent lower than Gonzales’ career average.

Now, obviously, anyone can throw it down the middle (if that was the measurement of elite pitching I could be on the mound). The important thing is being able to dance around the corners of the zone. That’s why pitchers like Cease are able to achieve high strikeout numbers where Gonzales has never reached more than 147 Ks (2019). But with the help of pitching coach Ruben Niebla, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Gonzales turn into the strikeout artist he seems poised to become in San Diego. 

Double play opportunities

That being said, an interesting stat to note with Gonzales is his ability to induce double play opportunities (GIDPO). In the seasons he made 30-plus starts (2019 and 2022), he managed to induce 134 and 105 opportunities, respectively. 

To put that into perspective, Framber Valdez and Cristopher Sanchez (two of the best ground ball pitchers in the sport) have only managed to reach a max of 121 and 108 GIDPO, respectively. 

Unfortunately, in 2019 Gonzales found himself on a Seattle Mariners team ranked 28th in defensive metrics, so only 22 of those 134 opportunities were actually converted into double plays. In 2022 the Mariners defense was quite good but seemed to be cursed when Gonzales took the mound, making crucial errors and again converting only 17 of 105 opportunities. 

Thankfully Gonzales won’t have that problem in San Diego. The Padres had elite defense in 2025, with a .991 fielding percentage. And with middle infielders Xander Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth returning, it’s difficult to imagine the Friars being unable to provide defensive support for Gonzales.  

Nick Solak

Who knew both of these candidates would come from the Pittsburgh Pirates? Nick Solak represents the Padres’ next-best option at first base, and (in my opinion) is ready for a Gavin Sheets-esque renaissance. 

Solak decimated minor-league pitching in the Pirates’ system last year. He ended the season with a .332/.411/.492 slash line. But his time with the big-league club was far worse, going 1-for-11 at the plate. That’s obviously a small sample size, and he will get more opportunities this spring to prove himself. But there’s one particular stat of note.

Splits versus lefties

Solak mashes against lefties. His career major league slash line versus left-handed pitchers is .255/.319/.394 compared to .182/.249/.251 against right-handers. That does include outliers like the shortened 2020 season and the meager 11 at-bats in 2025. But removing those doesn’t change the fact that, every single year, Solak has performed far better against lefties than righties. 

*no plate appearances in 2023 and spent all of 2024 in the minors

Throughout his career, Solak has managed to produce incredible results against lefties (something the Padres have struggled with mightily in recent years). If he’s able to match or increase his past levels of production, perhaps Solak starts against left-handed pitchers — forming a platoon at first base with Sheets. 

Whether Gonzales and Solak can put it together remains to be seen. Neither of them have managed to so far in their combined 17 years of MLB experience. But however Spring Training shakes out for these players, the excitement is palpable with San Diego’s first game of 2026 fast approaching. 

The Rangers are getting creative with their promotions this season. 

In a callback to an iconic moment in club history, the team is giving away a replica blood-stained Nolan Ryan throwback jersey to fans in attendance for their May 29 game against the Royals. 

The jersey harkens back to Sept. 8, 1990, when the Hall of Fame flamethrower pitched with blood dripping from his lip. 

In the second inning that day, Ryan misplayed a sharp ground ball off the bat of the Royals’ Bo Jackson. 

The grounder ricocheted off Ryan’s glove and into his face before getting the out at first. 

But Ryan didn’t let a little blood take him out of the game. 

Ryan stayed on the mound, throwing seven scoreless innings, with the red blood stains on his chest, adding to his legend and giving the franchise a unique promo opportunity decades later. 

MLB’s all-time strikeouts leader will also be honored with a bobblehead giveaway of his iconic on-field fight with Robin Ventura on July 20, 1993, against the White Sox.

A 1965 draft pick and member of the 1969 Miracle Mets, Ryan, born in Refugio, Texas, played the final five years of his 27-season big league career with the Rangers. 

In 1989, Ryan made his eighth and final All-Star team of his career at 42 years old, as he posted a 3.20 ERA over 32 starts with Texas.

He had his No. 34 retired by the Rangers in 1996 and was inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame three years later.

After his playing days, Ryan served as the Rangers’ president and CEO for six seasons (2008-13).

Spring Training is officially underway with Atlanta Braves pitchers and catchers reporting to North Port for workouts.

Today has been a jam-packed news day with the Braves adding catcher Johan Heim, losing starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach to the 60-day IL, dealing with new reliever Robert Suarez having visa issues and Dylan Lee winning his arbitration case. Oh, and Nacho Alvarez, Jr. is working out with the catchers.

All of that and it is just day one!

What do the Braves do next in the starting pitching market? Does the team look to bring in a right-handed bat?

Sound off below.

The Los Angeles Dodgers unveiled their 2026 promotional schedule and it reads less like a giveaway list and more like a victory lap written in plastic, resin, gold trim, and intentional nostalgia. Bobbleheads headline it, of course. They always do in Los Angeles. But this year, the Dodgers aren’t just handing out figurines — they’re curating memory, mythology, and celebrating a season that permanently rewired October.

Here’s the highlights of the Dodgers 2026 promotional schedule:

“Game 7” — The Two Words That Became a Collection

The two best words in sports have always been “Game Seven,” and last October it became scripture for the Dodgers.

Down 4-2 in the eighth inning against Toronto, their season teetering on the brink of disappointment, the Dodgers authored one of the most audacious World Series comebacks the sport has ever seen, winning 5–4 in extra innings to secure back-to-back championships. The organization isn’t letting that night fade quietly into highlight packages.

Instead, it’s turning it into a four-part bobblehead series — each piece frozen at the exact moment the season tilted on the edge.

It starts immediately. Opening weekend. Saturday, March 28 against Arizona. Will Smith, mid-swing, immortalized for the go-ahead home run he launched in the 11th inning of Game 7.

Then comes the heartbeat of the comeback. Miguel Rojas, honored May 8 against Atlanta, recreating the game-tying homer in the ninth inning — the first of its kind in a World Series Game 7. A moment that didn’t just keep the Dodgers alive. It resurrected them.

The most reverent piece of the series arrives May 27 versus Colorado. Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Less than 24 hours removed from dominating Game 6. Zero days of rest. Dave Roberts handed him the ball anyway. The “Game 7 Last Out” bobblehead captures the exclamation point: 2.2 innings of shutout baseball, pain ignored, pressure embraced.

And then there’s the final snap of the frame. June 19 against Baltimore. Mookie Betts, now fully at home at shortstop, turning an unassisted 6-3 double play — the last outs of the World Series. A former Gold Glove outfielder redefining himself again, sealing history with his own hands.

Shohei Ohtani, Still Breaking the Bobblehead Economy

No Dodgers promotional calendar is complete without Shohei Ohtani bobbleheads that have fans lining up outside Chavez Ravine.

The 2026 season features multiple Ohtani bobbleheads, each one louder than the last. April 10 brings the “Greatest Game” version, commemorating his offensive eruption in Game 4 of the NLCS. 

Later, the pitching edition drops July 8, honoring his dominant Game 4 start on the mound in the clincher. 

And the “Starter Series” version arrives August 22 to complete the arc.

The Supporting Cast Bobbleheads

The Dodgers didn’t stop at their biggest stars. They never do.

Roki Sasaki opens his bobblehead chapter April 25. 

Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow anchor the “Starter Series.” 

Dave Roberts gets his managerial moment. Yoshinobu Yamamoto appears again. So do Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández, Alex Vesia, Miguel Rojas, and cultural crossover icons that twinkle, ranging from Ice Cube in a lowrider to Shaquille O’Neal and Son Heung-min.

Twenty-four bobblehead nights. For a franchise that already leads MLB in attendance year after year, that number feels less like excess and more like a flex.

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Non-bobblehead Giveaways

If bobbleheads aren’t your thing, then the non-bobblehead giveaways hit just as hard.

How about a back-to-back World Series champions hoodie? Or a Jackie Robinson jersey?

A replica World Series trophy. A gold championship jersey. A World Series replica ring after the All-Star break. Soccer jerseys. Mother’s Day. Father’s Day. This is merchandising as celebration, not filler.

The Dodgers aren’t promoting games in 2026. They’re setting a standard for the rest of baseball.

This is what dynasties do when they understand the moment they’re living in. They preserve it. They package it. And they dare you to keep up.

The bobbleheads are just the proof that sits on your shelf reminding you that you were there.

Tickets and Full Promotion Schedule:

Single-game tickets go on sale Thursday, February 12, and fans would be wise to plan accordingly. The first 40,000 through the gates will be walking out with history tucked under their arms.

The entirety of the Dodgers’ promotional schedule can be found at Dodgers.com/Promotions.

Atlanta Braves reliever Dylan Lee has reportedly won his arbitration case over the team, according to a report by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. Per the report, Lee will make $2.2 million for the 2026 season. The club had filed at $2 million. Lee was the Braves’ only arbitration-eligible player this offseason to go to arbitration.

Dylan Lee has won his arbitration hearing against the Braves, per source. Lee will earn $2.2 million in 2026; the club had filed at $2 million.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 11, 2026

Lee has established himself as a key part of the Braves bullpen over his five seasons with the club. He appeared in a career-high 74 games in 2025 while posting a 78 ERA- and 78 xFIP-. Unfortunately, though, he got stung by the HR/FB bug and ended up with a 99 FIP-, such that he earned just 0.3 fWAR on the season. He struck out 76 hitters and issued just 14 walks in 68 1/3 innings. Over the arc of his career, Lee now has a 67 ERA-, 86 FIP-, and 79 xFIP- in 204 1/3 major league innings.

The Braves originally signed Lee in April of 2021 after he was released by the Marlins. He is in his second year of arbitration eligibility and isn’t scheduled to become a free agent until after the 2028 season.

When the San Francisco Giants first made the mildly-surprising news to sign bat-to-ball maven Luis Arráez, there were questions about where he would play. Like most infielders, Arráez had played all over the dirt in the Minor Leagues, though he was viewed as a second baseman by the time he made the Majors. After a few years and some NSFW advanced metrics, Arráez was mostly moved to first base and designated hitter during his time with the San Diego Padres the last two years.

The Giants, of course, have first base handled for the foreseeable future with Rafael Devers, and hope to have designated hitter accounted for with Bryce Eldridge. Did the organization see things differently? Was Arráez there to play DH while Eldridge returned to Sacramento? Perhaps to play the Wilmer Flores/Dominic Smith role off the bench? Or was he supplanting Casey Schmitt at second base?

As soon as those questions were asked, reports were sent out that it was the latter: the Giants were hoping to sprinkle some of Ron Washington’s magic infield dust on Arráez’s glove (and arm, and cleats), and run him out as the near-everyday second baseman. But with the move not yet finalized and made official, neither Arráez nor the Giants could actually comment on that.

Now they can, and it’s clear as day: Arráez is the handsomely-compensated second baseman for your 2026 Giants.

Speaking in Giants gear for the first time on Tuesday at the start of Spring Training, the always-jovial Arráez confirmed the reports that he had rejected multi-year deals because the Giants, unlike the teams offering those longer contracts, promised to play him at second base.

Luis Arraez said he had multi-year offers, but chose the Giants because they’ll have him at 2B. He also spoke to Gregor Blanco, who gave a glowing review of SF. He’ll wear No. 1 as a Giant. Asked about his hitting approach, he smiled: “I hate strikeouts.”

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) February 10, 2026

The coaching staff and Buster Posey confirmed that Arráez is there to hold down the fort at second, and they certainly conveyed confidence in his ability to do so. According to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser, Washington — widely considered one of the best infield coaches in baseball history — called the three-time batting champ a “pro,” and said, “He just has to be educated about the correct way to play defense — it’s more than what goes on between the lines, it’s also what your thoughts are, your work ethic, your ability to listen, learn and apply. I believe Arráez can be a very good second baseman.”

Posey, as is his style, was a bit more calculated in his response, but NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic quotes the Giants president of baseball operations as telling reporters, “I think we’re all really optimistic about (Washington) getting Luis into a good spot defensively, and then the bat, I mean, he’s the best bat-to-ball guy in all of baseball … We felt comfortable that there was a solid foundation there for a guy that could play second base well.”

Words and intention, of course, can only go so far, as Posey seemed to admit when saying, “As far as the defense, it’s not going to be for a lack of effort and work on his part and (from) the coaching staff.” But that’s what the next six weeks are for: seeing how far Arráez can progress, and how much work Washington and the coaching staff con do with him.

With no place to put him if second base doesn’t work out, it’s safe to say the Giants wouldn’t have committed $12 million to the three-time All-Star if they weren’t confident in his ability to play second … or at least, to derive more offensive value than he loses with the glove while at that position. So it seems likely that he’ll get quite a long leash, even if he struggles in the early part of the season.

The San Diego Padres season ended on a sour note in 2025. Losing two out of three to the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card series, the team then lost its manager when he retired 11 days after the season ended. Citing mental, physical and emotional exhaustion, manager Mike Shildt left the team and subsequently took a job with the Baltimore Orioles in their player development department.

After his retirement from managing, news came out about several issues that were common between Shildt’s two opportunities to manage in the major leagues. His temperament with his coaches and front offices was portrayed as volatile and there wasn’t anyone who watched the team closely that didn’t notice his short temper with media during his press conferences.

Despite these issues, Shildt was a successful manager and won 90 games or more in his two seasons with the Padres. Players cited their good relationships with him and how they felt he had their backs throughout his time with the organization. But the tensions and constrained environment could not have been good for the overall vibe with the team. It isn’t hard to assume that the choice of Craig Stammen as manager by president of baseball operations A.J. Preller was partly a reflection of wanting someone whose temperament and personality he knew well.

A different approach

So what will be the new philosophy for the team be going forward?

What will Stammen bring to the environment that takes a talented group of players and helps them take the next step that is needed to win a World Series championship?

During his first presser of Spring Training on Tuesday, Stammen was asked about his organizational philosophy for the team. His response shows his sense of humor as well as his desire to build on what the team has already accomplished and then add his own contributions.

“Score as many runs as possible, that would be a good philosophy,” Stammen said, with a big grin. “We’re going to talk about hard work, we’re going to talk about togetherness and we’re going to talk about, you know, adding days together that add up to a big picture. So, being really good at the small things, being ‘extraordinary at the ordinary’ – if you want some buzz words. Those are the things I believe in and the things I’m going to try to impart on the team.”

This does sound a little similar to Shildt’s ‘winning on the margins’ philosophy but if you add the comments of new hitting coach, Steven Souza, to what Stammen stated you get a more complete picture of what they want the offense to be like.

Steven Souza outlines his goals

“First of all, it’s nice to have a talented roster like this. You’re only as good as the players you have and the culture you create,” Souza said. “There’s a lot of really good players in this offense that do a really good job at a lot of different things.”

“Controlling the zone, hammering mistakes, being able to make the pitcher do something different out there,” Souza said.

Souza went on to expand on his thoughts by adding, “create traffic, when that happens, is a huge part of the success going forward.”

He acknowledged that slug was an issue last season but emphasized having a dialogue with the hitters to give them a different creative avenue.

“The offense needs to be able to play the game that we need to play,” Souza said, stating that hitting in Petco Park might mean spraying the ball around, but a different environment would call for more slug.

“Not limiting this roster to one type of team, I think that’s what I want to do. Controlling the zone is part of that.”

He also said that he wants the hitters to feel free to do what works for them. The dialogue and communication will stress that the hitters need to feel free to be themselves.

An optimistic clubhouse

Communication and relationships are the two words most often heard from both Stammen and the players who spoke to the media at Padres FanFest on Jan. 31 at Petco Park. Many of the guys he will manage this season also played with Stammen when he pitched for the Padres.

Jake Cronenworth wasn’t shy about his feelings for Stammen, as quoted in the San Diego Union Tribune – “What an amazing guy… a mentor and an incredible human to be around. I couldn’t be more excited.”

The other telling quote from that same article came from Padres pitcher and clubhouse leader, Joe Musgrove.

“The manager’s biggest goal is to have a happy clubhouse and a good relationship with the players,” Musgrove said. “He’s coming in already ahead of the game in that aspect, having played with us. I think the communication is going to be a lot freer and a lot more open, a little bit of honesty. And I think Craig’s the kind of guy that’s not looking for praise, you know, he’s not looking to be the hero that comes in and always makes the right decision.”

Read into that what you will but just from the tone at FanFest, this team seems happier.

There is a long way to go before we get to Opening Day, but the next six weeks will hopefully show signs of what the personality of this team will be, both on offense and defense. If Stammen and his coaches do their jobs well, the Padres should give the Friar Faithful more reasons to fill Petco Park in 2026.

A Mets rival took a major blow to its starting rotation on Tuesday. 

Braves righty Spencer Schwellenbach was placed on the 60-day injured list with inflammation in his throwing elbow. 

The injury is the latest setback for the 25-year-old right-hander, who missed the final three months of the 2025 season after fracturing the same elbow in late June. 

“I feel for Spencer more than anything else,” new Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters. “The kid has done some amazing things in a short time, and still has a bright future ahead of him. But I’m sure it’s tough for him.”

While Weiss said Schwellenbach avoided a more serious injury to his ulnar collateral ligament, he said the young pitcher is still expected to miss a “significant amount” of time.

Before going down last summer, Schwellenbach emerged as an ace-like presence in the starting rotation, posting a 3.09 ERA across 17 starts. 

In 2024, Schwellenbach’s rookie season, he looked just as strong, registering a 3.35 ERA in 21 outings.

The injury continues what has been a nightmare stretch for the Braves’ starting staff over the past year-plus, with Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes and AJ Smith-Shawver also missing time in 2025. 

“I always say before a season even starts, your pitching depth is going to get tested,” Weiss said. “It’s inevitable. You’d rather not have it be right away in February, but we’ve got a lot of capable guys in there. They’re going to get a look, and that’s exciting.”

After coming into the season with World Series aspirations, the Braves finished 76-86, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017. 

But they’re expected to once again be a division contender in the National League East alongside the Mets and Phillies this season.

The Cubs are adding some starting pitching depth:

Kyle Wright to the Cubs. Minors deal with MLB camp invite. Wright is the majors’ last 20-game winner.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 10, 2026

Kyle Wright was the Braves’ first-round pick (seventh overall) in 2017 out of Vanderbilt and was a Top 100 prospect three years in a row (2018, 2019, 2020). He made his MLB debut with the Braves in 2019 and joined their rotation full-time in 2022, when he had an outstanding season: 21-5, 3.19 ERA, 1.159 WHIP, 174 strikeouts in 180.1 innings, 3.7 bWAR and 10th place in Cy Young voting.

A serious shoulder injury cost Wright most of the 2023 season and he had surgery on the shoulder in October 2023. A month later the Braves traded him to the Royals. Wright missed the entire 2024 season and made eight rehab starts in the Royals system with a 6.97 ERA and 1.565 WHIP in 23 innings. He became a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.

Wright turned 30 in October. There’s really no way of knowing whether he could get back to his 2022 form after that shoulder surgery, but this is a depth signing. Wright most likely starts the year at Triple-A Iowa (perhaps with an opt out) and will see some time during Spring Training. Seems a worthwhile NRI signing.

As noted by Jon Heyman, Wright is MLB’s most recent 20-game winner. Also, Wright and Dansby Swanson were Vanderbilt teammates in 2015. Here’s some video of Wright from a game April 28, 2022 against the Cubs:

The outset of Spring Training is not treating the defending American League champions kindly.

Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander is expected to undergo surgery for the labrum in his left shoulder and miss the next five to six months, manager John Schneider told reporters in Dunedin, Fla., on Tuesday.

On top of that, Schneider said right-handed pitcher Bowden Francis will miss the entire season with ulnar collateral ligament surgery.

Fellow righty Shane Bieber is expected to start the regular season on the injured list with right forearm fatigue.

Santander, 31, was one of the big prizes of the Blue Jays’ 2025 offseason when he inked a five-year, $92.5 million contract.

But thanks to a left shoulder issue, Santander was limited to just 54 games and hit .175/.271/.294 with just six home runs.

He contributed three hits over five playoff games but was removed from the Blue Jays’ roster during the American League Championship Series when a back injury forced him off the field.

A 2024 All-Star with the Orioles, Santander, at his best, is one of the better switch-hitters in the game. During his final three-year stretch (2022-24) with Baltimore, he clubbed 105 home runs with a 124 OPS+ and averaged over 153 games per season.

As for the pitching side, Francis emerged on the scene in 2024 with a 3.30 ERA over 103 2/3 innings as both a starter and reliever.

Notably, he had two starts in which he lost no-hitters in the ninth inning.

But 2025 proved not to bear the same success, as he held a 6.05 ERA before landing on the IL in June with a shoulder impingement. He did not pitch in the World Series run.

Bieber, who opted into his $16 million deal for 2026, made 11 starts for Toronto down the stretch after a trade from the Guardians, including four during the playoffs.

The Rays have announced the promotional schedule for the 2026 season. Each item will be made available to the first 10,000 fans in attendance.

As is tradition: The first is a schedule magnet presented by Orlando Health at the Rays Home Opener at Tropicana Field (April 6) against the Chicago Cubs.

Bobblehead giveaways will include the following:

• a Junior Caminero City Connect Bobblehead presented by Orlando Health (May 30 vs. Los Angeles Angels)

• a Jonathan Aranda Devil Rays Bobblehead presented by RIPA (May 16 vs. Miami Marlins)

• Chandler Simpson Bobblelegs (June 27 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks)

• Flappy Boi Bobble (August 15 vs. Baltimore Orioles)

Other notable giveaways include:

• a Jersey Jacket presented by Spectrum (June 20 vs. Washington Nationals)

• a Devil Rays Retro Snapback hat presented by Dream Finders Homes (July 25 vs. Cleveland Guardians) – sponsored by the principal owner’s company

• a Tropicana Field Tour Tee presented by Morgan Automotive Group (April 25 vs. Minnesota Twins)

• a Tropicana Field Light-Up Replica presented by Tropicana (May 2 vs. San Francisco Giants) sure to bring nostalgia for the giveaways of old

There will also be giveaways associated with Longo’s Legacy Weekend including:

• an Evan Longoria Snapback hat presented by Union Home Mortgage (July 11 vs. Seattle Mariners)

• an Evan Longoria Bobblecard presented by DEX Imaging (July 12 vs. Seattle Mariners)

Finally, there is my personal top-three:

3. Rays Hockey Jersey presented by the Florida Department of Transportation (September 12 vs. Houston Astros) – honoring the legacy of the Thunder Dome no doubt

2. Raymond Shoulder Plush (July 26 vs. Cleveland Guardians) – like your own personal Raymond parrot

1. Devil Rays Windbreaker presented by Orlando Health (August 29 vs. San Diego Padres) – 10/10 would wear to a boat parade

Still to be released is a City Connect button up, and there are always surprises in-store for the season, as well as various theme nights throughout the year, some of which include bobbleheads, hats, or shirts.

These include a Yandy Diaz Mandalorian Bobblehead on May 4th for the nerds, an incredible Juneteenth City Connect Jersey on June 19th, and a Harry Potter hat on July 31st my eldest child would love.

The defending American League champions have been rocked by injury before spring training even begins.

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Anthony Santander will undergo left labral surgery Feb. 11 in Dallas and miss the next five to six months, manager John Schneider said on a video call on the eve of spring training. Additionally, right-hander Shane Bieber has been slowed by forearm fatigue and will not be ready for the start of the season.

And finally, right-hander Bowden Francis, who started 14 games last season, will undergo UCL reconstruction surgery and miss the entire season, Schneider said.

Santander, 31, was limited to just 54 regular season games in 2025, the first year of a five-year, $92.5 million contract, due to a left shoulder subluxation. He returned in time to play in five playoff games, but a back injury forced his removal from the ALCS roster, ending his season.

His loss will put additional pressure on a bevy of Blue Jays − infielder/outfielder Addison Barger, utilityman Davis Schneider and newcomer Kazuma Okamoto, an infielder, will all bear some of that burden.

"We built this team planned for setbacks. Different guys will have to step up," general manager Ross Atkins said. "That versatility we have and the depth we have, hopefully, we’ll be able to do that again."

Bieber, who returned from Tommy John surgery late last season, had an offseason MRI that revealed only fatigue, Schneider said. Given his ramp-up, slow playing Bieber's progression made sense this spring, though it will leave a void initially.

"We're going to make sure he's in a very, very strong position to help us win as many games as possible," Atkins said.

The Blue Jays acquired Bieber at the trade deadline before he'd made his season debut. He made his season debut Aug. 22, started seven regular season games and four more in the postseason before giving up Will Smith's go-ahead home run in the 11th inning of the Blue Jays' Game 7 World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He picked up his player option for 2025, fueling speculation that his health was still shy of optimal.

Fortunately for the Blue Jays, they invested heavily in pitching this offseason, signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract and Cody Ponce − returning from Japan − to a three-year, $30 million deal. They'll join Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage atop the opening-day rotation, though Yesavage may face innings limits this season after unexpectedly pitching into November as a rookie.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Santander, Shane Bieber injury news, Blue Jays status

While speaking to the press today, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns announced that the team is moving Juan Soto to left field for the 2026 season. The move doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as the 27-year-old was the worst defender in the big leagues in right field last year according by OAA at Statcast.

While Soto has spent the majority of his major league career in right field, he’s no stranger to playing left. He’s logged 4,000.2 innings at the position over 460 appearances, but it’s worth noting that his most recent significant playing time there came in 2023 with the Padres. Soto played just six games in left for the Yankees in 2024 and didn’t play any position other than right field in his first season with the Mets last year.

The Mets’ decision to move Soto is very likely motivated primarily by the team’s desire to maximize the value that they’re getting out of him as opposed to moving him specifically for their other outfield options. Luis Robert Jr. has played center field exclusively in his major league career, and he’s one of the better defenders in the sport at the position. And Carson Benge, who figures to be the team’s right fielder on Opening Day barring a horrendous showing in spring training, has spent some time in both corners while primarily playing center in his minor league career.