Category: Baseball

Team could be looking at an infield logjam that could compromise their outfield depth.

In the aftermath of Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reporting that the Astros could be looking at OF Michael Conforto as a left-handed hitting option in the outfield primarily because they are finding their trade options dwindling, it is impossible not to consider this very serious idea:

Did the Astros blow it?

With their chances of trading 3B Isaac Paredes diminishing, the Astros have expressed interest in free agent OF Michael Conforto, a source tells MLB. com. A LH hitter, the 32-year-old slashed .199/.305/.333 last year with 12 homers and 36 RBIs in 128 games for the Dodgers.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 18, 2026

Houston has been shopping players on its major league roster all offseason. Isaac Paredes is the most valuable of the names often mentioned, but Christian Walker and Jake Meyers names have also been mentioned.

We have seen reports of the high interest in both Paredes and Meyers, and of the very faint interest in Walker, but for a team with obvious roster holes it seems unconscionable that GM Dana Brown was unable to deal from his infield surplus to fix at least one hole in his roster. It doesn’t even matter if that hole addressed the outfield, the bullpen, or backup catcher situation, as long as it addressed something.

Did they overplay their hand? Did they hold too high an asking price? Did other teams simply not value the Astros’ players as much as Houston did? We don’t actually know the answers to these, which is why we will speculate. When you are trying to create a properly balanced lineup for a playoff run, sometimes the end justifies the means.

It won’t matter if Dana Brown held on to his players because he didn’t think he was getting enough value if the team fails to make the postseason again, because he won’t be here. It is very likely such a scenario could cost Joe Espada his job as well, even though he would again be forced to work with a roster that is clearly flawed and been decimated in the past 2 seasons by injury.

The fact that the team is now looking at Conforto, a player who is a shell of what he once was in his heyday as a power hitter who got on base and was a defensive star. Today’s version of Conforto still has some power but doesn’t make nearly enough contact and is now below average in the field.

Conforto’s last strong full season was 2019. He had shoulder surgery after the 2021 season and the difference has been notable. He has also played in some absolutely stacked lineups the past 3 seasons, making his mediocrity (or worse) even more damning.

The Astros could have been in on Mike Tauchman, a superior player to Conforto at this stage and Tauchman signed a minor league deal with the Mets. Yes you read that right, a minor league deal.

Of the remaining free agent outfielders, Starling Marte is probably the best hitter of all of them. Even though he’s right-handed, he hits equally well against both righties and lefties, and for more power against righties as well. of course, he’s now 37 and there is no telling how long his balky right knee will hold up. The Mets made him a part time player last year to get him through the season. The Astros deal will too many injuries already for such a risk.

What is left of the free agent crop is very “slim pickins” indeed. In reality, a trade is probably the only way the Astros can get an impact outfield bat unless Zach Cole, Cam Smith or Zach Dezenzo becomes that player.

Coming into camp with the infield logjam was a miscalculation by the Astros. There may not be a way out of it at this point.

I posed the question of whether the Astros should just heed the request of Yordan Alvarez and allow him to play more LF than he has previously been permitted just three days ago:

https://www.crawfishboxes.com/houston-astros-analysis/72122/could-astros-listen-to-yordan-keep-paredes

Now they may find themselves without a choice.

Do you think the Astros can still pull off a deal to get one of their three biggest needs before the season starts? Let us know in the comments.

A slimmer Teoscar Hernández reported to Camelback Ranch this week, willing to take on a new role in the Dodgers' quest for a three-peat.

Hernández acknowledged Tuesday that he played through a nagging left groin injury last year, which forced him to miss time early in the season.

“I didn’t get back in my health,” Hernández said. “When I got back from the injury, I was fighting through it. Obviously, I didn’t say anything. I just wanted to be on the field and try to help the team.”

Hernández says he was overweight in 2025, and took better care of his body this past winter.

Read more:Q&A: What's next for MLB players after union chief Tony Clark quit?

“It’s a combination of eating really good or knowing what you’re eating, and working a little harder than normal,” Hernández said. “But, right now I’m feeling really good. Back to the way I used to be. My whole career I used to be 204-205 [lbs.], in that range. Last year, I was a little over [that], but I’m back to normal right now.”

Hernández says the extra weight he had put on undoubtedly slowed him down last season.

“[As] the season [went], I realized that I wasn’t moving the way I know I can move,” Hernández said. “And that was one of my goals for the offseason, trying to get back in the shape I used to be, the weight that I know that I can be and I can perform really good. So, that was the main goal for this offseason.”

The veteran corner outfielder played 134 games in 2025, down 20 games from the 154 he played the season prior, his first with the Dodgers. He also saw a decline in home runs (33 to 25), RBI (99 to 89), batting average (.272 to .247), on-base percentage (.339 to .284) and OPS (.840 to .738) from 2024 to 2025.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he expects Hernández to bounce back.

“He’s one of our best run-producers," Roberts said. "And then if you look at this lineup, there should be a lot of guys on base with him up to bat. So, I think that this could be a year where he really drives in a lot of runs. He should drive in a lot of runs this year. I think he’s out to prove something, which is good.”

Hernández primarily played left field in his first season with the Dodgers, before taking over right-field duties in 2025. With the Dodgers signing four-time All-Star Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract over the winter, Hernández will return to left field.

“We made the signing and then I ended up reaching out to Teo and said, ‘This is what’s going to happen,’ and he gave me a big thumbs up,” Roberts said. “And he’ll be ready to go. I think it just speaks to the guys we have in the room. If winning is the most important thing, then it doesn’t matter the role [or] the position.”

Hernández recalls the conversation with Roberts being short.

“He told me, ‘Look, you’re moving to left field,” Hernández said. “And I said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ That’s about it. I’m ready in any way that they may need me. I just want to be there and be on the field, and just play every day.”

Yoshinobu Yamamoto to start either Saturday or Sunday

Roberts revealed Yoshinobu Yamamoto will likely start one of the first two Cactus League games for the Dodgers, either Saturday against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium or Sunday against the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex.

“That’s the thought, the plan,” Roberts said. “I’m not sure which day. That’s more [pitching coach] Mark Prior-driven, but that’s the hope. If things go well, we should see him in one of those games.”

What went into Shohei Ohtani’s decision to not pitch in WBC?

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman offered a glimpse into what resulted in Shohei Ohtani’s decision to not pitch in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Read more:Where River Ryan and Gavin Stone figure in the Dodgers' crowded pitching plans

“We sat down and talked to him about it, and just coming off the surgery, coming off the year he had, pitching through October, just the quick turnaround,” Friedman said. “At that kind of intensity, coming off surgery, and obviously, we have designs of playing through October this year, and Shohei being a big part of that, on the mound. That, coupled with the idea that he wants to pitch for the next eight years [and] we want him to pitch for the next eight years. We sat down and had the conversation with him. He understood it. The competitor in him doesn’t love it, but he understood it.”

Friedman did not specify when Ohtani will depart for the WBC, but he did say Ohtani will continue to throw on his off days with Team Japan as he ramps up for opening day.

“He will continue his throwing progression, but not necessarily getting into games,” Friedman said. “And then we’ll figure out what he’s able to accomplish while he’s in Japan on those off days. And then we’ll be able to slide him back in here into the rotation as quickly as possible.”

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The San Diego Padres know a little something about controlled chaos. Over the holiday weekend, general manager A.J. Preller made a flurry of moves (and he’s likely not done yet), signing Griffin Canning, Germán Márquez and Walker Buehler in order to address the depth question in the starting pitching group.

These players might seem like random selections by Preller — like the Friars are blindfolded, throwing darts at the board until they happen to hit a bullseye — and maybe there’s a part of that that’s true. But the prevailing belief at play is that these pitchers can return to form this season. 

In that sense, each of them is somewhat of a reclamation project for pitching coach Ruben Niebla. The Padres are hoping that if just one of them can have a Nick Pivetta-esque surge then they’ll have the problem of another ace in the rotation.

Here’s a look at what’s holding these three pitchers back, and how they could return to their former glory.

Griffin Canning

Canning is an interesting case because (of the three) he is the closest removed from being a reliable starter. After spending his first five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Canning had a renaissance year in 2025 pitching for the New York Mets. In his first seven starts for the club, he turned in a 2.47 ERA before a couple rocky starts bumped it up to 3.77. Across 16 starts he averaged close to five innings with a 1.38 WHIP.

Prior to ‘25, Canning had never turned in an ERA below 4.00 outside of the shortened 2020 season. His resurgence ended when he ruptured his Achilles tendon in late June, putting a stop to the comeback year for the right-hander.

If Canning can build on the positive trend forward he had with the Mets, the Padres will be able to slot him into the fifth spot of the rotation with ease.

Germán Márquez

The longtime Colorado Rockies ace found a new place to call home this offseason for the first time in the last decade. Over the better part of that time in Colorado, Márquez was one of the most reliable starters in the game. Prior to 2022, he posted a 4.25 ERA across 795.2 innings (135 starts). During that he also held a 6.9% walk rate and a 24.0% strikeout rate.

However, in ‘22 his performance took a nosedive, and eventually Márquez underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2023. Since coming back he has not been the same, posting an ERA over 6.00 in both 2024 and ‘25. If Márquez can return to the durable strikeout artist he once was, San Diego will have a de facto replacement for free agent departure Dylan Cease.

Walker Buehler

It’s easy to forget that Buehler is only five years removed from finishing fourth in NL Cy Young voting. In 2021, he finished with a 2.47 ERA across 33 starts for the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the following year he had Tommy John surgery and didn’t pitch for the entire 2023 season. When he finally did return, he struggled to find his footing, posting an ERA above 4.00 every year since. 

Buehler was a borderline ace for the Dodgers prior to his injuries. He spent the 2025 season splitting time between the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies. His time in Boston was rough, to say the least, with a 5.45 ERA in 23 starts before eventually being released in August. He then made three appearances for Philly and turned in a 0.66 ERA across 13.2 innings. 

The bet for San Diego is that Buehler can return to a fragment of the ‘21 version of himself that took the league by storm. After spending the first seven years of his career in the NL West (and with the Padres’ rivals no less), the hope is that Buehler can use that elite knowledge of the division to his, and the Friars’, advantage.

Whatever comes of these three pitchers in the 2026 season, the long and short of it is that the worries about rotation depth are now gone. At bare minimum, the Padres now have competent pitchers to fill out the back end of their rotation and eat innings, giving their bullpen time to rest. But the hope is (as always) that these three can become more than that and be contributors to San Diego’s bid for its first World Series championship. 

The Yankees are planning on giving infielder Ryan McMahon reps at shortstop during spring training to see if he can possibly be a backup option if needed this season, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Wednesday.

McMahon has spent nine seasons in the league and has made two career appearances at shortstop totaling 3.0 innings, but he had zero defensive chances in those games. The 31-year-old's primary position is third base where he's played 750 games. He played exclusively third base (54 games) for New York after being traded from the Colorado Rockies at last year's deadline.

In addition to the emergency shortstop appearances which happened in 2020, McMahon has experience moving around the infield, also playing second base (244 games) and first base (70) in his career. His last time playing second came in 2023 before he made the permanent switch to third base the following season. 

Prior to that, McMahon played at least some second base in every season since his debut and even spent the majority of his defensive innings at second in 2019. McMahon's time at first base was more sporadic and mostly happened between 2017-2020.

If the experiment of McMahon at shortstop goes well during camp, he will join Anthony Volpe, Jose Caballero, Oswaldo Cabrera, Amed Rosario and Max Schuemann on the current depth chart. 

Volpe has been the starting shortstop since his debut in 2023, but he is expected to miss the start of the season while he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. Injury notwithstanding, Volpe's grasp on the starting job is also in question this season after he's failed to continue his development at the plate through three seasons. Meanwhile, after winning a Gold Glove his rookie season, Volpe's defense also took a big hit in 2025.

Chicago is finally thawing out after an interminable winter that saw a brutally cold January transition straight to a just as frigid February. While Chicago shows signs of emerging from its long winter slumber pitchers and catchers have already reported to Arizona. There will be Spring Training baseball this week when the Cubs host the White Sox at Sloan Park in Mesa on Friday afternoon.

There’s a familiar cadence to these days as baseball gets every closer. The Cubs’ promotional item schedule dropped yesterday with a number of interesting bobbleheads and alternate jerseys that are sure to fire up fans. We’re getting reports of players in the best shape of their life hitting bombs in batting practice. And the Cubs social media hashtag and marketing slogan for 2026 was unveiled: #This

THIS. pic.twitter.com/SDzDLlwsIo

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) February 16, 2026

The Cubs have used a lot of different social media hashtags over the years. You can see all of them for the last decade or so courtesy of Six Point Sports below:

What's the BEST Cubs slogan over the years? pic.twitter.com/8YUE53kO2q

— Six Point Sports (@SixPointSports) February 16, 2026

There were fans who seemed enthusiastic about the new slogan, including a well known shirt brand:

I love THIS. A+, Hired. So many shirt ideas. Call me, Cubs. You can have them. https://t.co/wHV8eNZj64

— OBVIOUS SHIRTS® (@obvious_shirts) February 17, 2026

However, a lot of fans had questions on social media yesterday as fans frankly asked, what is #this?

Fans from other teams immediately pointed out the potential double-edged sword #this could become:

https://t.co/cMNpEqbbF3pic.twitter.com/xXRSD6AHX3

— Cam Collier Truther (@CCollierBurner) February 16, 2026

It wasn’t just fans from other teams, however. You may remember a similar dynamic emerging pretty quickly during the #ThatsCub run in 2017. Cubs Insider recognized this dynamic right away:

Can’t wait to use this slogan daily. For good or for bad https://t.co/CoJNyFB2CW

— Cubs Insider (@realcubsinsider) February 17, 2026

There were quite a few criticisms from inside the house:

"So what's your new marketing campaign, Cubs?"
"This is." pic.twitter.com/zh3ZC8aIw7

— Mikey G ⚾🏈 (@ohgreatitsmike) February 17, 2026

https://t.co/jgx7F67ZA3pic.twitter.com/60TWYpZbzm

— Mike Praznowski (@PrazMaster) February 16, 2026

So what say you, Cubs fans? Vote in the poll and let us know more about what you think of the 2026 slogan #This in the comments.

Red Sox infield preview: Can Contreras replace Bregman's production? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox infield will look much different in 2026.

Veteran third baseman Alex Bregman was a one-and-done in Boston as he left for the Chicago Cubs in free agency. He’ll likely be replaced at the hot corner by either Marcelo Mayer or newcomer Caleb Durbin.

First baseman Willson Contreras and utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa have also entered the equation. The Red Sox traded for Contreras to address their need for a right-handed bat, and later signed Kiner-Falefa as a versatile infield depth option.

Boston will need its infield defense to improve next season, because the revamped starting rotation includes multiple pitchers who depend on getting ground-ball outs. Contreras and Kiner-Falefa should help in that department.

Here’s a closer look at the Red Sox’ infield situation for 2026:

Willson Contreras, 1B

2025 stats: .257/.344/.447, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 142 SO, 44 BB (135 games)

Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

The Red Sox entered the offseason needing a right-handed bat, and they got one by acquiring Contreras in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. The issue is that they also lost their biggest right-handed bat in Alex Bregman.

As a result, Contreras will be counted on to replace Bregman’s offensive production. It’s a tall task, but one that the 33-year-old is capable of completing.

Contreras had two more homers and 18 more RBI than Bregman last season, albeit in 21 more games. His OPS (.791) wasn’t much lower than Bregman’s (.821).

The big difference between the two is their strikeout rates. Contreras struck out 25.2 percent of the time last season, while Bregman K’d in only 14.1 percent of his plate appearances. Bregman’s bat-to-ball skills are far superior.

Defensively, Contreras should be a significant upgrade over the options Boston has had in recent seasons. He ranked fourth among all first basemen last season with six Outs Above Average.

Trevor Story, SS

2025 stats: .263/.308/.433, 25 HR, 96 RBI, 176 SO, 33 BB (157 games)

David Butler II-Imagn Images

In 2025, Story bounced back from another injury-plagued campaign with his best Red Sox season yet. The 33-year-old played in 157 games — tying a career-high — and led the club in hits (161), runs scored (91), homers (25), RBI (96), and stolen bases (31).

He’ll be leaned on heavily again in 2026. By letting Bregman walk in free agency, Boston put pressure on Contreras and Story to deliver as the team’s two biggest right-handed bats. It’ll be a massive blow to the lineup if Story struggles to stay healthy.

It’ll be interesting to see whether the Red Sox move Story to second base at some point in 2026. Story’s defense was well below average last season, and there’s little doubt that former top prospect Marcelo Mayer would be an upgrade at the position.

Marcelo Mayer, 2B/3B

2025 stats: .228/.272/.402, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 41 SO, 8 BB (44 games)

Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Mayer’s much-anticipated rookie season ended prematurely as he underwent wrist surgery in August. It marked the third consecutive year that the former top Red Sox prospect suffered a season-ending injury.

Health and struggles against left-handed pitching are the top two concerns for Mayer heading into the 2026 campaign. The 23-year-old went 4-for-26 (.154) with a .416 OPS and 10 strikeouts against LHP.

Mayer’s issues against southpaws persisted throughout his minor-league career, so it’s no surprise that they continued in the majors. But as a former No. 4 overall pick who is believed to have an All-Star ceiling, he’ll be expected to take a noticeable step forward next season.

Where Mayer excelled as a rookie was defensively at second and third base. His above-average glove will be a huge plus for a Red Sox club that needs more consistency out of its infield defense, especially with a pitching staff that will induce a ton of ground balls.

Caleb Durbin, 2B/3B

2025 stats: .256/.334/.387, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 50 SO, 30 BB (136 games)

Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

In need of another starting infielder after losing Bregman, the Red Sox acquired Durbin in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The soon-to-be 26-year-old spent most of his time at third base for Milwaukee last season, but he could play second for Boston with Mayer at the hot corner.

Durbin finished third in the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year voting after amassing a 2.8 WAR in 136 games. He was a league-average hitter, though he provided value with his advanced bat-to-ball skills. He boasted an elite strikeout rate of 9.9 percent, but he ranked near the bottom of the league in hard-hit percentage (26.9) and average exit velocity (85.2).

Boston’s lineup features several players who strike out a ton, so Durbin’s plate discipline will be a breath of fresh air. His defensive versatility will also be useful this upcoming season.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, UTIL

2025 stats: .262/.297/.334, 2 HR, 40 RBI, 77 SO, 17 BB (138 games)

Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

The Red Sox signed Kiner-Falefa to a one-year, $6 million deal in free agency. The 30-year-old is a glove-first utility player who has played every position except first base in his eight-year MLB career.

With Boston, Kiner-Falefa will be leaned on as a versatile defender off the bench. He won’t be expected to do anything special at the plate as he has always been a below-average hitter.

Kiner-Falefa has earned a reputation as a clubhouse leader. Perhaps he’ll help fill the leadership void left by the departures of veterans Bregman and Rob Refsnyder.

Romy Gonzalez, UTIL

2025 stats: .305/.343/.483, 9 HR, 53 RBI, 81 SO, 18 BB (96 games)

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Gonzalez has played a key role for the Red Sox as a utility infielder who mashes left-handed pitching. He’s expected to reprise that role in 2026, though he may not be ready for Opening Day due to a shoulder injury he suffered at the end of the 2025 season. Manager Alex Cora recently announced that Gonzalez is currently shut down from all baseball activities except for playing catch.

If and when Gonzalez returns to the lineup, Cora will continue to lean on him against lefties. We could see a Mayer/Gonzalez platoon at second base if Mayer’s woes against LHP persist.

Nick Sogard, UTIL

2025 stats: .260/.317/.344, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 24 SO, 5 BB (30 games)

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Sogard has been a solid utility player for the Red Sox over the last two years, and he could have a bigger role in 2026 if Gonzalez misses time. He doesn’t offer much upside at the plate, but he is capable of playing every infield spot and also made a few appearances in right field last year.

Triston Casas, 1B

2025 stats: .182/.277/.303, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 27 SO, 11 BB (29 games)

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

It won’t be an easy road back to Boston for Casas, whose 2025 season ended in May after he suffered a ruptured patellar tendon. Even if he’s fully healthy, he’ll likely be eased back into action with a minor-league stint before the Red Sox consider calling him back up to the big-league roster.

The question is, where does Casas fit on this year’s Red Sox club? Contreras is expected to be the everyday first baseman, and the team already has multiple DHs. Casas doesn’t currently have a clear path to consistent playing time, but Boston will have to find some way to fit him into the puzzle if he shows the power that once helped make him the top prospect in the organization.

Catchers – Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Red Sox will roll with the same catching tandem in 2026: Narvaez as the primary backstop and Wong as the No. 2.

Narvaez far exceeded expectations last year in his first season with Boston. The 27-year-old was among MLB’s best defensive catchers, ranking near the top of the league in caught stealing above average, blocks above average, pop time, and framing. He was also a pleasant surprise at the plate, belting 15 homers and amassing a solid .726 OPS in 118 games.

Wong quickly lost his starting job to Narvaez in what was an abysmal season for the 29-year-old. It took him until June 23 to earn his first RBI of the year, and he also had his worst season yet as a defensive backstop. He’ll look to bounce back and take pressure off Narvaez, who was clearly affected by his heavy workload down the stretch in 2025.

Tommy Nancy is a 34-year-old (35 in March), right-handed reliever, from Long Beach, California. He was undrafted (is that a word?), and signed as an amateur free agent in 2016 by the Cubs, after playing in an independent league in 2015.

He had a rather slow climb up the minors. When you are undrafted, you have to prove yourself every step of the way. He missed the 2017 season with a shoulder nerve injury, and then the 2020 season because COVID-19 led to its cancellation.

Tommy made it to the majors in 2021, pitching in 27 games and posting a 7.22 ERA. Before the 2022 season, he was taken by the Marlins off waivers. He pitched in 35 games for them with a 4.33 ERA. From there, he went to the Padres as a free agent and then, in August of 2024, the Jays traded (bought?) Nance for cash.

He is out of options.

Tommy pitched in 20 games for us in 2024, with a 4.09 ERA. At the start of the 2025 season, the Jays DFAed him, but he stayed in the organization.

Then, in late July, Nance was called up again and stayed up with the team the rest of the way. He ended up pitching in 30 games, in half the season, with a 1.99 ERA. Batters hit .214/.262/.231 against him, with 5 holds. He moved up to pitch in higher-leverage spots as the season went on. I don’t know if there was a pitching coach that unlocked something, or it was just a run of good pitching, but he was pretty amazing.

Unfortunately, he had a rough couple of outings in the ALDS against the Yankees.

He threw three pitches:

• A slider, 43.0% of the time.
• A curve, 29.2% of the time.
• A Sinker, 27.8% of the time, 94.5 mph.

Nance got a lot of ground balls, 52.9% ground ball rate, which, considering our infield defense should be even better this year, is a very good thing.

Spring Training will be interesting. We have 11 or so relievers, all trying for 8 spots. Hoffman, Garcia, Rogers, Varland, Little, Fisher, and Fluharty all, at least in my mind, are very likely to make the team. If Lauer is pitching out of the pen, that would be 8 spots. But then injuries tend to happen in spring training.

And then there is Miles, Lee, and Bastardo.

Steamer thinks he’ll pitch in 58 games with a 3.80 ERA

The buzz has begun for the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic, which is scheduled to start March 5 and end March 17 in Miami.

The tournament features stacked rosters and international bragging rights. One MLB superstar believes his country, the Dominican Republic, is going to win it all, and he has some words for reigning champion Team Japan.

Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. will make his debut in the WBC when he steps on the diamond alongside his father, Fernando Tatis Sr., in a couple weeks.

Tatis Sr. serves as the team’s hitting coach under manager Albert Pujols. During his first conversation with reporters Tuesday, Tatis Jr. spoke about his dream of playing for his country in the WBC — where he joins Juan Soto, Manny Machado and a constellation of other Caribbean stars in a bid for global glory.

“It’s definitely what you dream about as a kid. I’ve always wanted to do it. This came at the right time. I’m really happy it’s going to happen. It’s going to be a beautiful experience.”

When asked about facing Japan’s powerhouse team — laced with Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and his Padres teammate Yuki Matsui — he didn’t flinch:

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“They’re nasty, but we’re going to beat them.”

If confidence were a currency, the Dominican Republic might just be the richest team in the Classic. With history beckoning and legacy on the line, Tatis Jr. isn’t just playing for a flag — he’s playing to immortalize a father-son chapter in baseball lore. It’s Dominican baseball with a pulse, a heritage-heavy heartbeat that could very well carry them all the way to glory.

‘There’s a lot of great competition, but I’m looking forward to facing that competition and coming out on top.”

PHOENIX — Brusdar Graterol’s return to the mound will have to wait a little longer.

After missing all of last season recovering from a shoulder surgery, the hard-throwing Dodgers reliever is not expected to be ready for Opening Day this year, manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday.

Though Graterol came into spring training hopeful of returning for the start of the new season, Roberts said the right-hander will be on a slower progression as he ramps up in the coming weeks, after he struggled to dial up his velocity in some early throwing session in camp.

“With Brusdar, he’s shown that we can count on him when he’s needed in the biggest of spots,” Roberts said. “We just got to get him back up to that velocity. It’s an intentionally slow build-up.”

Graterol — who has a 2.78 career ERA — becomes the Dodgers’ latest right-handed reliever expected to be sidelined at the beginning of the year.

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Brock Stewart is still working his way back from a shoulder surgery he underwent in September. Evan Phillips isn’t expected back until midseason as he completes his recovery from last year’s Tommy John surgery.

Their absences could create opportunities for younger right-handers including Will Klein and Edgardo Henriquez, who are trying to parlay their success in last year’s playoffs into more permanent roles in the team’s big-league bullpen.

Instead of sharing that Jurrangelo Cjintje lost the head-to-head vote to Quinn Mathews for the #5 prospect during our regularly scheduled programming (tomorrow), I figured it was more appropriate to have its own official post. There was an interesting quandary posted in the comments that was not a quandary at all as it turns out. There was a belief that Cjintje could have plausibly lost to Joshua Baez but would have beat Mathews. But no, the prospect order was seemingly confirmed when Cjintje beat Baez and then lost to Mathews. The order as it stands now:

1. JJ Wetherholt
2. Liam Doyle
3. Rainiel Rodriguez
4. Quinn Mathews
5. Jurrangelo Cjintje
6. Joshua Baez
7. Leonardo Bernal
8. Jimmy Crooks
9. Brandon Clarke
10. Tink Hence
11. Tekoah Roby

The 12th prospect gets revealed tomorrow, although it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to figure out who that is if you really wanted to know right this minute. And hey while you’re here, I might as well get some use out of this post and run another comparable player poll, which I technically lost when Cjintje was automatically placed in the top 7 without ever going on the vote.

Comparable Player Poll #1

One of the appeals of making this its own post, quite frankly, was being able to run a couple extra of these. When Cjintje got added to the top 7 without ever going into the main vote, I lost a comparable player poll. And since this is such an exceptionally short post and you’re already here, help me separate seemingly indistinguishable prospects who may or may not get added to the voting, but at least shortening my options from 3 to 1 would help a lot. The first of these will be simple: pick the best of the 2025 trade deadline pickups:

Nate Dohm, 23 – RHP

Low A: 7 GS, 28.1 IP, 27.9 K%, 8.2 BB%, 43.4 GB%, .351 BABIP, 3.18 ERA/2.66 FIP/3.14 xFIP

High A: 15 GS, 46.2 IP, 27.9 K%, 10.9 GB%, 39 GB%, .289 BABIP, 3.28 ERA/4.28 FIP/3.52 xFIP

Scouting (FG): 50/60 Fastball, 45/50 Slider, 30/50 Command

Frank Ellisalt, 24 – RHP

Low A: 18 G (7 GS), 50.2 IP, 28.4 K%, 10.4 BB%, 30.2 GB%, .222 BABIP, 3.02 ERA/3.69 FIP/3.64 xFIP

High A: 6 (3 GS), 15.1 IP, 22.2 K%, 12.7 BB%, 35 GB%, .282 BABIP, 4.70 ERA/4.18 FIP/4.26 xFIP

Scouting: 55/60 Fastball, 50/60 Slider, 30/40 Change, 30/40 Command

Mason Molina, 22 – LHP

Low A: 11 GS, 46.2 IP, 32.3 K%, 8.3 BB%, 43.6 GB%, .298 BABIP, 3.86 ERA/3.87 FIP/2.94 xFIP

High A: 11 GS, 49 IP, 28.1 K%, 13.3 BB%, 36.5 GB%, .270 BABIP, 2.39 ERA/3.38 FIP/4.03 xFIP

Scouting: 45/50 Fastball, 40/45 Slider, 35/40 Curve, 50/55 Change, 30/40 Command

No mini-profiles here, just the stats and the scouting.

VOTE HERE

Comparable Player Poll #2

Kind of weird comparison honestly, but today we are looking at two recently recovering from Tommy John pitchers with not much of a sample size and a recent draft pick with zero sample size. I wanted all of them in a poll at some point, and honestly, comparing three guys with very little sample to work with makes sense to me. As such I don’t think listing the stats is particularly useful. Here’s a spoiler: the Tommy John guys struck out a lot of guys but also walked a lot of guys.

Cade Crossland was the 2025 3rd round draft choice out of Oklahoma. He is left-handed and had in my opinion a bit of a confusing stat line last season. Playing in the SEC, he struck out a good number of batters, walked a bit too many but nothing too bad and…. allowed a lot of runners to score. He is an underlying metrics + scouting the stuff bet I would guess.

Andrew Dutkanych IV was the 7th rounder from the 2024 draft who was drafted after having already gotten Tommy John, with a gamble on grabbing a higher round talent who was available lower because of his injury. He threw 17 total innings and finished the year in Low A.

Jacob Odle was a 14th round pick from the 2023 draft who needed Tommy John after getting drafted and thus missed all of 2024. On the bright side, he threw 51 innings last season including 43 in Low A. He averaged a bit more than 3 innings per start.

All three are 22-years-old, so age is not a separator.

VOTE HERE

That’s all I have for you. The #12 prospect will be revealed tomorrow and so will the chance to vote on 13th best prospect.

Today we look at the Cubs’ younger right-handed swingman.

The Cubs have restocked the bullpen and added a starter. So far, we’ve covered the starting five and the entire batting/fielding group (as it stands). We’ll look at the additional starter candidates and the bullpen in alphabetical order, which means that the roster will consist of Assad, Brown, Harvey, Hodge, Hollowell, Little, Martin, Maton, Milner, Neely, Palencia, Ray, Roberts, Rolison, Thielbar, Webb, Wicks. We’ll skip Miller and Steele until they are activated.

Javier Eduardo Assad was born July 30, 1997 in Tijuana, Mexico. He’s 18-12 lifetime, 3.43 ERA in 78 games, 54 of which were starts, over a four-year period. When he isn’t starting, he’s a long reliever. He’s fine in either role — I don’t think he gets enough respect, honestly. He started 29 games in 2024, his best overall and most complete season, and then got hurt, suffering a Grade 2 left oblique strain in Spring Training which bit him twice, aborting a first comeback attempt.

He seems fine now, is playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, and is said to be focused on his health.

His health willing, Assad will probably make the cut in the spring and travel north. He’s more or less on a plain with Colin Rea as a swingman, and there’s no reason not to keep both unless they lay eggs in Mesa.

He’s amassed a career 5.1 bWAR (2.7 fWAR), and is an injury away from the rotation.

We’ll see you tomorrow with a few words about Ben Brown.

This time of year, there are always a few young players across the league that get contract extensions. Teams try to buy out a few free agent years at what they think will be cheaper costs, while players get long term security. Bobby Witt Jr., Jackson Merrill, Kristian Campbell and Keibert Ruiz are all young players who have signed lucrative extensions right before a season over the last few years.

From that list, you can see this is a high risk, high reward approach. If you sign the right player, you will be getting these guys on huge bargains for most of their primes. However, extending the wrong guy could be an anchor on the franchise. Not only financially, but also from an opportunity cost standpoint.

Paul Toboni comes from a Red Sox organization that has extended several young players in the last few years. Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, Ceddanne Rafaela, Garrett Whitlock and Brayan Bello have all signed extensions in Boston, with most taking place before those guys hit arbitrations. Could Toboni replicate this process with the Nats, and if he does, who should he extend?

In my opinion, Daylen Lile is the best and most obvious extension candidate on the roster. Unlike a few of the Nats other young players, he is not represented by Scott Boras, so that makes talks easier. He is not projected to hit free agency until 2032, which also means an extension will not be that pricey. As players accrue more service time, the price of their extension goes up.

Lile showed a phenomenal feel to hit in his first taste of MLB action in 2025. He hit .299 with an .845 OPS. The speedy outfielder also compiled an insane 11 triples in just 91 games. His speed and gap to gap power make him a constant threat for triples. He hit a ton in the minor leagues as well, so this is no fluke.

Daylen Lile is going to shock a lot of people this year! In 2025:

351 PA
.299 / 9 HR / 41 RBI / 8 SB

.302 xBA
.199 ISO
.348 xwOBA
16 K%

Power/speed potential going at ~200 ADP.
pic.twitter.com/HSEnkuO82t

— Andrew DeCeglie (@Andrew_FBB) February 11, 2026

I also think Lile has room to grow, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Right now, he is not a good defensive outfielder. However, I think he has the athletic ability to be at least an average defender in a corner. His reads need sharpening, but he has been making a point of improving that. Lile’s reads could also improve when it comes to stealing bases. Despite 92nd percentile sprint speed, he was inefficient as a base stealer.

Lile’s combination of current production and upside make him the guy Toboni should approach. He is already a good player, but he has clear areas of improvement. Lile also has the athleticism to improve in those areas, which makes development possible.

Honestly, the Nats should try offering him an 8-year $65 million contract with a couple team options attached as well. It is a bit more than the 8-years $50 million that Keibert Ruiz got, but Lile has produced more than Ruiz ever has.

He is not the only guy the Nats should approach though. Dylan Crews and James Wood are Boras clients, which complicates things, but it is still worth asking. That is especially true in the case of Wood, who has shown super star upside when he is at his best. 

ICYMI, Harry Ford made the switch from Boras to RocNation as his agents. With Gore gone, the Nats have James Wood and Dylan Crews as Boras guys. By our calculations, that's the lowest number since 2010 on the projected Opening Day roster. https://t.co/6rTcyDtGdG

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) January 31, 2026

Given how Wood has performed at his best and his agent, this extension will be pricey. If Scott Boras were even willing to listen, he would probably use the Julio Rodriguez contract as a point of comparison. That is a 12-year $209 million deal, but it has incentives that could take it up to $470 million. Boras would want more guaranteed money, but there would not be as much incentive based money.

A Wood extension is not very likely, but you never know. He is a local kid whose family has a lot of roots in DC. However, I do not see that happening unless the Nats absolutely blow him away. Given how they have been spending lately, I find that hard to envision.

One player who I certainly do not see the Nats extending is CJ Abrams. Despite not being a Boras client, it really seems like the extension window has closed with Abrams. He is much more likely to be traded in the next year than extended, at least in my opinion.

It is not just my opinion though. Those around the game see an Abrams trade as a matter of when not if. There was an Athletic article about potential Spring Training trade candidates, and Abrams was at the top of the list.

Will there be a good old-fashioned blockbuster deal this spring?

Never say never.

Our panel weighs in on the MLB players who could get traded, with Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams leading the pack.https://t.co/edo1yNGln2pic.twitter.com/1jMv9nQdTu

— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) February 16, 2026

I do not think Abrams will be traded before the season, but a deadline deal seems like a real possibility. The piece on Abrams was actually quite interesting. They talked about how those Giants rumors had legs, even if the move did not come to be. It was also mentioned that the Nats goal right now is making the best farm system in baseball, and that they will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.

Abrams only has three years of team control remaining and is on the trade block. Combine that with some of the maturity questions, I do not see an extension coming. If it does happen, I would be pleasantly surprised because I still think Abrams can be a long term piece for this group.

Now I am going to flip the question to you guys. Who would you want to extend and are there any guys you would stay away from? An extension this spring would be a good PR move from the Nats as well. With all the losing, there is apathy setting in. There is also a sense that ownership is checked out. An extension would not quell all of those concerns, but it would be a positive step. For me, I would be on the phone with Daylen Lile’s agent non-stop.

For the final time this year, it’s nomination day! Head to the comment section to nominate some prospects for Friday’s CPL.

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Baseball is in the air. The San Francisco Giants, like all teams, are fully in the spring swing, as they’ve been playing real baseball activities in Scottsdale for over a week now. On Saturday, they’ll play their first Cactus League game of the year. Meanwhile, over here at McCovey Chronicles, we’ve nearly finished our Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List, in which we’ll work together to rank the top 44 prospects in the Giants organization.

Our next name is a player we just might see in that aforementioned Saturday game, as he’s in camp as a non-roster invitee: it’s left-handed reliever Juan Sánchez, who earns the vote as the No. 41 prospect in the system. That’s a drop of eight spots for Sánchez, who came in at No. 33 last year.

It’s been a long and winding road for Sánchez, who is one of the longest tenured players in the organization. Despite having only recently turned 25, Sánchez is entering his 10th year with the Giants, after signing in international free agency in 2017 out of Venezuela. That said, it’s only his seventh year actually pitching: he didn’t pitch in 2017 due to the timing of the DSL schedule and the international signing period back then; he didn’t throw in 2020 as Minor League Baseball was cancelled due to Covid; and he lost all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

But when he has pitched, the crafty southpaw has been quite successful. After a brief stint as a starter, Sánchez started to rise the ranks as a reliever starting in 2021. He really took off in 2023, when he posted a 2.39 ERA and a 3.17 FIP with AA Richmond, despite being nearly two-and-a-half years younger than the average pitcher in the Eastern League. He ended the year by holding his own in AAA Sacramento as a 22-year old, where he was more than five years younger than his peers.

Questions persisted about Sánchez’s ability to get outs at the Major League level, as he didn’t possess too much heat with his fastball. But he showed up to his first Spring Training in 2024 looking like a new man, with a notable uptick in velocity, and results that opened eyes. Sánchez was the talk of camp at times and, were it not for roster logistics — he wasn’t on the 40-man roster, and Rule 5 protection Erik Miller was — he might have made the Opening Day roster.

Instead, he returned to Sacramento for some more seasoning, and the red flags immediately started to wave. While he had a 3.93 ERA (very respectable for the Pacific Coast League), Sánchez struggled with control in a way we’d never seen before, issuing 28 walks in 34.1 innings. Soon, a scary explanation for the lack of control was given, as the southpaw hit the Injured List with elbow soreness. Not long after, it was announced that he needed Tommy John surgery, which ended his 2024 and his 2025 at the same time.

But now he’s healthy. While Sánchez didn’t get on the field for the 2025 season, he did end the year with a stint in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a 2.70 ERA in seven appearances. Most importantly, Sánchez walked just four batters in 10 innings, while striking out 11.

He’s back in camp for a second time, and once again hoping to beat out the competition and earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. Whether or not that happens, odds are good that Sánchez — if he stays healthy — will see his nearly decade-long journey in professional baseball finally result in the ultimate prize sometime this year: a Major League debut.

Now let’s add to the list, and a reminder that today is nomination day. Both nominations and voting take place in the comment section, using the “rec” feature.

The list so far

1. Bryce Eldridge — 1B
2. Josuar González — SS
3. Jhonny Level — SS
4. Bo Davidson — CF
5. Dakota Jordan — CF
6. Luis Hernández — SS
7. Gavin Kilen — SS
8. Carson Whisenhunt — LHP
9. Blade Tidwell — RHP
10. Keyner Martinez — RHP
11. Jacob Bresnahan — LHP
12. Trevor McDonald — RHP
13. Argenis Cayama — RHP
14. Luis De La Torre — LHP
15. Trevor Cohen — OF
16. Jesús Rodríguez — C
17. Parks Harber — OF/3B
18. Carlos Gutierrez — OF
19. Drew Cavanaugh — C
20. Daniel Susac — C
21. Gerelmi Maldonado — RHP
22. Josh Bostick — RHP
23. Lorenzo Meola — SS/2B
24. Will Bednar — RHP
25. Yunior Marte — RHP
26. Joe Whitman — LHP
27. Joel Peguero — RHP
28. Alberto Laroche — RHP
29. Trent Harris — RHP
30. Carlos De La Rosa — LHP
31. Diego Velasquez — 2B
32. Lisbel Diaz — OF
33. Maui Ahuna — SS
34. Cam Maldonado — OF
35. Victor Bericoto — OF/1B
36. Reid Worley — RHP
37. Jack Choate — LHP
38. Rayner Arias — OF
39. Nate Furman — 2B
40. Jakob Christian — OF
41. Juan Sánchez — LHP

Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.

No. 42 prospect nominees

Sabin Ceballos — 23.5-year old 3B — .670 OPS/102 wRC+ in AA (420 PA)

Reggie Crawford — 25.2-year old LHP — did not pitch in 2025; 1.04 ERA/4.07 FIP in AAA in 2024 (8.2 IP); 4.66 ERA/4.93 FIP in AA in 2024 (9.2 IP)

Charlie Szykowny — 25.7-year old 3B/1B — .816 OPS/122 wRC+ in High-A (549 PA)

Jancel Villarroel — 21.0-year old C — .699 OPS/91 wRC+ in High-A (61 PA); .746 OPS/123 wRC+ in Low-A (372 PA)

Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page. All stats are from the 2025 season.

The Kansas City Royals were on the brink of making the playoffs last season, they were in it until the final week of the season, despite the myriad of starting pitching injuries and hitters underperforming.

Things like that happen in baseball, everything doesn’t work out the way you want or plan for them to go. Last season, the usual suspects, Bobby Witt Jr., Salvy, Vinnie were all great. The bullpen for the most part was exceptional.

It was leaps by players like Maikel Garcia and Kyle Isbel. Taylor Clarke had a surprisingly good year, considering his expectations at the beginning of the season. Steven Cruz was a revelation out of the bullpen before suffering an injury. It was “role” players or “secondary” guys like this that helped the Royals get to another winning season of baseball.

There are plenty of candidates for the 2026 squad that could fill this role of surprise hero or big part of the team. Names like Jac Caglianone, Carter Jensen, Jonathan India come to mind immediately for me. Jac and Jensen are obviously still really young, so I don’t like calling them “role” players or “secondary” players, but the Royals are relying on those two to be huge parts of the team this season, so I feel like they fit into the category still.

The point being, outside the main cast of superstars that the Royals have, who would you pick to have a big 2026 season?