The American League East should be baseball's finest pennant race this season, with three to five teams battling for a title that ended last year with the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees each landing on 94 wins.
And now a most unlikely character has emerged to stir the pot.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa played for the Yankees from 2022-23, joined the Blue Jays at the 2025 trade deadline and played a key role in their run to the World Series. Now, he's a Boston Red Sox, and did not hold back in propping up his new team and tweaking the Yankees.
The Blue Jays won the division over the Yankees on a tiebreaker, then awaited the winner of a Boston-New York wild-card series in the ALDS. And Kiner-Falefa didn't hesitate to say who the Blue Jays preferred to play in the ALDS.
"We definitely felt (Boston) was a tougher matchup for us," Kiner-Falefa told reporters upon arriving Tuesday, Feb. 10 at the Red Sox's spring training camp in Fort Myers, Fla. "Once we saw the other team, we were a lot happier.
"It was definitely a topic.”
The Blue Jays proved as much, dispatching the Yankees 3-1 in the ALDS. Kiner-Falefa said the Red Sox proved themselves a far scrappier team than the Yankees, and he feared the presence of ace Garrett Crochet could tip the balance of the series.
That didn't leave his old boss, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, in too cheery a mood.
"I guess he was right," Boone said of Kiner-Falefa in his first spring press conference Wednesday, Feb. 11 in Tampa. "Little surprising to hear IKF say that.
"But whatever, that's fine."
Kiner-Falefa does have a knack for attracting main character energy, given his .660 career OPS and status as a utility infielder. He fielded hateful messages from Blue Jays fans all winter after he was forced out at home representing the potential World Series-winning run in the ninth inning of Game 7.
Following instructions, Kiner-Falefa stayed close to the bag to avoid a back pick, then, he explained Feb. 10, was intent on breaking up a double play at home to ensure Ernie Clement – the Blue Jays' hottest hitter at the time – got a chance to hit with two outs.
Kiner-Falefa did not see Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas slip after fielding the ball.
"From my instinct, from where I was, I was initially just thinking, break up that double play right there and get our best, hottest hitter up at the time," says Kiner-Falefa. "It almost paid off. Ernie almost got the job done on the next one, but at the end of the day it’s just a great learning experience. And I’m ready to flip the page."
Kiner-Falefa also wished he'd had a chance to explain that way back in November. But in the chaos of an 11-inning Game 7 loss, reporters did not approach him about the play and the controversy did not emerge until there was greater scrutiny on various angles of his forceout at home.
"It blew up without me getting a proper interview, so I thought that was unfair," he says.
Now, he's got a lot to say, and follows in Sonny Gray's footsteps as former Yankees tweaking their old team now that they're on Boston's side of the rivalry.
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, left, talks to pitcher Justin Verlander after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The whiplash from the surprise of the Justin Verlander signing, to the images of the franchise’s greatest pitcher working out in his old haunts alongside Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Framber Valdez on Wednesday, made from some fine visual storytelling. Pitchers and catchers reported to the Detroit Tigers complex in Lakeland to kick off spring training on Wednesday. Along with the traditional first injury report, which held a few minor surprises, we got our first look at the refurbished 2026 starting rotation.
There were a few features, as Framber Valdez had his press conference alongside Scott Harris and GM Jeff Greenberg. There was an interesting note as his full group of rotation mates, Tarik Skubal, Justin Verlander, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize all walked in as the presser was starting to support their teammate. You like to see them working on that unity within the group from the start.
A.J. Hinch talked to reporters about recruiting Framber Valdez, whose nickname is La Grasa. It literally refers to grease, but can be taken as something like “Slick” and comes from his former catcher Martin Maldonado teasing Valdez about his cologne and hair products rather than his pitching motion.
Hinch also announced the Skubal will be the Opening Day starter. It’s a pretty good bet that Verlander will be lined up for the April 3 home opener against the Cardinals. It’s also a pretty good bet that the crowd is going to be downright ravenous even compared to most home openers.
Your 2026 starting rotation.
Skubal, Verlander, Flaherty and Mize were all on hand for Valdez’s intro presser. Hinch and Fetter as well. pic.twitter.com/BicrLe2YzJ
We also got the first injury report of the spring, which always holds some surprises. Jackson Jobe and Jake Miller were throwing from 60 feet, which is particularly positive in Jobe’s case as he’s still only about eight months out from his Tommy John surgery. On the most optimistic timetable, he’ll be ready for a rehab assignment in July. Miller, in my eyes the Tigers top pitching prospect right now, is recovering from hip labrum surgery and may require a little extended spring training time before returning to Double or Triple-A to begin his season.
The only thing to really give any pause was the note that Dillon Dingler had his second elbow arthroscopy in two years. The procedure is generally very minor, used to clean up any scar tissue or bone spurs around the UCL. Still, while he’s expected to be fully on schedule for Opening Day, it’s worth keeping in mind. LHP Bailey Horn and RHP Troy Watson, both expected to provide minor league depth to the bullpen and rotation, also had the procedure but are on track. Beyond that it’s the usual litany of minor injuries.
Dillon Dingler had an elbow procedure this winter but doesn’t sound like a huge deal. His volume could be slightly limited early in camp but he doesn’t expect to miss any time. He had the same operation two years ago pic.twitter.com/wWMInJJiFN
Finally, Parker Meadows wasn’t checking his phone over the past 24 hours and got a surprise when he arrived to find Justin Verlander in the clubhouse.
Parker Meadows had no idea the Tigers signed Justin Verlander until Justin Verlander strolled into the clubhouse in Lakeland yesterday. Had to ask a clubby what JV was doing there.
The veteran reliever signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Dodgers on Wednesday, the team announced, rejoining the organization three months after he was non-tendered at the start of the offseason.
The veteran reliever signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Dodgers on Wednesday. Getty Images
Because the right-hander is recovering from Tommy John surgery and not expected to return until midseason, that maneuvering allowed the Dodgers to preserve a space on their crowded 40-man roster during the winter –– and re-sign Phillips this week, when they will be able to start transferring players to the 60-day injured list.
It’s likely the Dodgers could do the same thing with Kiké Hernández, who has lingered on the free-agent market this winter while recovering from offseason elbow surgery.
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An eight-year veteran who has pitched to a 2.22 ERA since joining the Dodgers in 2021, Phillips made only seven outings last year before going down with Tommy John, costing him the rest of the season.
The veteran reliever rejoins the organization three months after he was non-tendered at the start of the offseason. MLB Photos via Getty ImagesThe eight-year veteran has pitched to a 2.22 ERA since joining the Dodgers in 2021. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
However, even after Phillips was non-tendered in November, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman reiterated the team’s interest in keeping him with the organization. The $6.5 million salary Phillips ultimately agreed to Wednesday slightly surpasses what he was projected to earn in arbitration had he not been initially released.
The Dodgers did still have to make one corresponding move to clear a 40-man spot for Phillips’ signing. Catcher Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment, just days after being re-claimed by the club after being DFA’d and lost on waivers earlier this winter. The team will be hoping Rortvedt is able to sneak through waivers this time, and stay in the organization as minor-league catching depth.
At the start of his fourth season with the Mets, right-handed pitcher Kodai Senga was asked a straightforward question after Wednesday's workout in Port St. Lucie: Any goals coming into spring training?
After a pause, Senga said, "To not get injured.”
His face formed a wry, quarter-smile acknowledging that the numerous injuries have plagued his time in the big leagues just as much as his "ghost fork" has been to opposition hitters.
"These past two years have been frustrating and tough mentally. At some points, maybe I started to lose confidence,” said Senga, speaking through an interpreter, when asked about his confidence level. “In this world, it's either you do it, or you don't. And I'm here to do it. That's all there is."
After a stellar rookie season saw him pitch to a 2.98 ERA over 166.1 innings, injuries curtailed the next two campaigns, to the tune of 118.2 innings and 23 starts. And after a phenomenal start to 2025, a calf injury derailed his year so much that he finished the season at Triple-A Syracuse after several ineffectual starts.
“Last year with the injuries, it really put me off balance,” the 33-year-old said. “Had to end the year that way, but through rehab this offseason, I feel really good, and I’m really happy with where I’m at.”
Senga added that his rehab this offseason has been with the clear goal of pitching a full season without injuries, which led to reevaluating himself and studying his body to figure out why his performance dipped late last season.
Asked if he felt he needed to earn the organization’s trust back after the last two seasons of play, Senga said he was focused on looking inward at first.
“Before showing the organization anything, I think I need to prove it to myself that I can go out there and pitch a full season,” he said. “And once I can prove it to myself, I think then comes the third party, how everyone else sees me. So, first I need to be out there for myself.”
A healthy Senga pitching to his full capabilities would be a huge boost to the Mets’ rotation, as the club is coming off a year in which the team struggled to find consistency and stability from the starting pitchers. And his importance to the team reaching its full potential isn’t lost on Senga, even if his job in that rotation isn’t assured.
“To be in this locker room, I think it’s obvious and clear that I have a spot to get and be out there and perform. And as long as I’m given this opportunity, I’m gonna give it my all for this organization,” he said.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said later on Wednesday that his expectations for the righty all come down to availability.
"He needs to be healthy," Mendoza said. "When he's healthy, we know the type of pitcher he can be. People saw it here in 2023; we saw it for the first two-and-a-half months last year, how effective he was. And then he got hurt, and he wasn't able to be himself again.
"My biggest expectation here is, we need this guy healthy. If he's healthy, he's gonna help us."
Of course, amid a big offseason of change for the Mets, Senga was the subject of trade whispers. And he reportedly asked Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns not to trade him this offseason.
“At the end of the day, I control only what I can control,” Senga said when asked what prompted this request. “And at that point, I hadn’t gotten traded yet, so I just wanted to do whatever I can, in that moment, and be back out there for the Mets and play hard.”
PORT ST. LUCIE — Francisco Lindor’s spring will consist mainly of rehab from surgery.
The veteran shortstop was scheduled to undergo that procedure Wednesday, after an evaluation confirmed a stress reaction to the hamate bone in his left hand. Lindor’s expected recovery time from the surgery is six weeks, putting in question his availability for Opening Day.
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“I’m not going to bet against him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said on the official report day for pitchers and catchers. “This is a guy who has played through broken toes and lower back [discomfort]. Two years ago he barely walked and he continued to play through it, so we’re optimistic he’s going to be available for us on Opening Day.”
The stress reaction and surgery is just the latest offseason setback for Lindor, who previously withdrew from the World Baseball Classic — he was set to serve as Team Puerto Rico’s captain — after the event’s insurer denied him coverage. Lindor underwent a second elbow surgery in three years this offseason.
The Mets will head into full-squad workouts next week with a shortstop cast minus Lindor that consists mostly of Ronny Mauricio, Vidal Bruján, Grae Kessinger and Jackson Cluff.
“The guys that we have in camp are the ones who are going to get the reps early on,” Mendoza said. “And then as we continue to get information we’ll make some adjustments if we need to.”
Francisco Lindor during the 2025 season. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Bo Bichette, who was signed this offseason to play third base — after playing shortstop his entire career — likely won’t move from his new position this spring.
Lindor’s absence from the Grapefruit League will prevent him from building an early rapport defensively with double-play partner Marcus Semien, who arrived from Texas in a trade for Brandon Nimmo.
“But the one thing Lindor will try to do is be out there for team defense as much as possible,” Mendoza said. “He will have conversations with Marcus after games, so that way we can create that type of relationship there.”
Mendoza said he just learned in recent days that Lindor might need surgery. Team officials were aware in past seasons that Lindor was playing through discomfort in the hand.
Lindor last season appeared in 160 games — marking the third time in four seasons he reached that plateau. Overall, he produced a .267/.346/.466 slash line with 31 homers and 31 stolen bases.
“I think the only time he feels 100 percent is Day 1 of spring training since I have been here,” Mendoza said. “So he’s mentioned it the past couple of years, but it came and went. But we found out a couple of days ago and for him to say something like that was concerning to the point we took the step that we did.”
Lindor is hardly alone — Jackson Holliday and Corbin Carroll, according to reports — will both undergo hamate bone surgery this week.
“This is a pretty common [injury],” Mendoza said. “It’s just rare that in the span of 24 hours we had three really good players going down with the same injury.”
Francisco Alvarez underwent hamate bone surgery last March and was in the Mets starting lineup by late April. But Alvarez’s early lack of power was an issue — he hit just three homers over two months before he was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse. Alvarez showed greater power late in the season, hitting seven homers over the final two months.
“We’re optimistic that Lindor is going to be the same player [as always],” Mendoza said. “There’s been cases where power has been a topic, but there’s also been cases where guys have that type of surgery and it doesn’t affect them at all.”
Feb 17, 2018; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Franklyn Kilome's (66) glove and shoes sit on the field as players warm up during the workout at Carpenter Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Oh man, first I had to brush up on my low level catchers. Now, I have to research a guy that, prior to this prospecting season, I hadn’t really heard much of.
It isn’t hard to see the highlights and frame and dream he is a future impact player with plus tools everywhere, but he has an enormous distance to go and there are a lot of pitfalls he hasn’t faced yet.
Listen, it’s always fun to dream on a prospect when he really, really young and Espinosa will likely make us do that. Choosing a young player and following his progress as he moves up the chain is a time honored tradition of many fans, so get used to hearing Espinosa’s name a lot as time moves on.
This is an aggressive evaluation of Espinosa meant to illustrate his ceiling. He presents a rare combination of present contact feel and long-term power projection for an up-the-middle prospect. Espinosa’s build comps to Elly De La Cruz at the same age: endless limbs on a broad-shouldered 6-foot-4 frame, with the room to add big strength while remaining sufficiently lithe and agile for shortstop. The 2025 DSL season began a few days before Espinosa’s 17th birthday, and he managed to slash .282/.363/.430 there while posting a 77% contact rate (a shade better than the big league average). That’s a very positive contact-hitting origin point for a shortstop prospect built like this, as long-levered hitters like Espinosa are often still uncoordinated at this age… [l]et’s see how his chase rate trends in year two. He’s one of the more exciting and tumultuous prospects in all of rookie ball.
With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.
Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 16: John Gil #97 of the Atlanta Braves runs to first base during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For best tools when it comes to pitchers, click here.
Best Hitter – John Gil
It was quite the first full season for John Gil, as he was the catalyst at the top of a young and exciting Augusta GreenJackets lineup and showed advanced ability at the plate at just 19 years old. Early in the season he showed struggles despite high contact rates, hitting the ball into the ground far too often and struggling to produce any sort of pop, but throughout the season swing and approach adjustments paid major dividends. He began hitting the ball harder with more line drives but without sacrificing walks or ever going through a stretch where he had swing-and-miss issues. These adjustments combined with his advanced feel for the strike zone and recognition of spin made him a contact beast and allowed him to post a 132 wRC+ and more walks than strikeouts over his final 300 plate appearances. Gil has all of the tools to be a plus major league hitter, though he is going to go through the same struggles many young hitters do. To make a recent comparison to a Braves prospect, Gil has similar issues with consistently lifting the ball to his pull side and keeping the ball off of the ground as Nacho Alvarez did coming through, and though his barrel feel is behind Alvarez at the same level Gil was younger and has a bit more upside at the plate. Gil has a looser, more explosive swing and gets to better top end exit velocities, meaning there are much fewer mechanical adjustments needed for him to tap into pull side power. He also has better bat speed and isn’t going to be beat by velocity, giving him a relatively high contact floor for a player his age. His barrel rates need to improve for him to get to a starter outcome, but he is in a phenomenal place at the moment and has shown the ability to adjust and improve rapidly.
Best Power – Diego Tornes
Tornes is a name that is going to catch a lot of attention around the league for his raw tool set, and his power potential is the attribute that should most excite Braves fans. While there are other players in the system who are in the debate with Tornes for raw power (such as Juan Espinal), Tornes is the one who has been able to consistently put the bat on the ball and produce the coveted high exit velocities of a premium power hitter. That’s not to say there is no question about his hit tool, as he certainly has as much need for growth as any teenager, but of the players in the Braves system who can boast plus or better raw power he is the only one who currently projects to have the hit tool necessary to tap into it. Tornes has explosive hands, especially from the left side of the plate, and has the power to fit into the middle of a major league lineup with the ceiling of a player who can reach 25+ home runs consistently. Tornes still needs to prove himself against quality competition, but it says a lot even in a system weak on hitters that a player who is 17 years old and hasn’t even matriculated to the United States yet gets our highest regard for his power. There is significant hype within the Braves organization surrounding Tornes’s future, and his power puts him in elite company and makes him a top five player in the system.
Best Speed – John Gil
John Gil has elite footspeed to go along with his contact ability, turning in 80 grade times down the first base line and showing the ability to consistently beat out grounders on the infield. Anything hit slowly to the left side typically gave the defenders no chance on Gil, and he has recently done better about making use of that speed on the defensive end. Gil has the range to be an elite shortstop, but at times his footwork and instincts held him back from making every play on that side of the ball. 2025 saw him steadily improve and get better with his first step and positioning, and he has matured from a guy with some questions about whether he would stick to one who seems like a solid fit for the shortstop position long term. If he is pushed off of the dirt due to the competition in the system his speed could make him a plus center fielder, as his top end speed would allow him to track down balls in the gap with the best of them. It’s his best defensive attribute, but he does need to do a bit better job on the bases. Gil did put pressure on defenses with 54 stolen bases last season, and he did so with above average efficiency but not the elite efficiency or volume that his raw foot speed would suggest. His speed makes him an above average baserunner, but if he can improve his jumps or timing he could reach the next level and add even more value to his game.
Best Arm – Conor Essenburg
There aren’t many players in Atlanta’s system with standout arms at the moment, and Essenburg is a pretty clear top guy here given his pitching background and how much value his arm could add to his profile. Essenburg doesn’t have the athleticism to stick up the middle, but his plus arm strength makes him a fit in right field which will slightly ease the burden on his bat compared to if he had to play left or first base. He is a plus thrower who should produce significant excess value with his arm out in right field.
Best Infield Defense – Ambioris Tavarez
For a stretch in 2024 Ambioris Tavarez seemed to be making strides to turn his career around, but after a broken hand he struggled down the stretch and then had a disappointing season in 2025. With that, the emergence of Gil, and the two shortstops Atlanta added in the draft he seems unlikely to ever carve out any sort of significant role in the Braves system, but his claim to the best glove in the system still goes unchallenged. Tavarez has just average speed, but every one of his other traits is above average or better and it leads to a profile of a player whose defensive acumen should give him some sort of professional role as long as he wants it, even if that’s just as minor league depth. He has an elite first step and is always in the right position to make plays, and he has smooth glove work and great hands allowing him to avoid errors. He had a tough time with his footwork and throwing in 2023, but after significant work (and getting further away from his TOS surgery) he always has a solid base and can make throws from multiple angles with ease.
Best Outfield Defense – Isaiah Drake
2025 was a massive year for Isaiah Drake, as he re-established himself as a legitimate prospect in the Braves system and at times was the best of a solid outfield in Augusta. Defensively the Braves have a number of talented outfielders in the system – notably Kevin Kilpatrick Jr., Luis Guanipa, Patrick Clohisy, and Owen Carey – but Drake’s combination of top end speed and first step quickness gives him a unique ceiling among that group. He isn’t quite as efficient with his route-taking as Kilpatrick Jr. is, but with double-plus speed, the ability to get up to top speed quickly, and solid routes he can make just about any play look easy. Drake has improved his reads and angles year-over-year since joining the system, and it’s important to remember he is still in the early stages of playing baseball full time. He has the potential to be a 65 defender in center fielder and could make a huge impact with his glove, and so far he hasn’t had to sacrifice any speed as he has added strength to his frame to help him on the offensive end.
Highest Ceiling – Diego Tornes
The Braves have had a run of their high value, high ceiling position players failing to live up to expectations, but as mentioned above Diego Tornes seems to be the real deal. His defensive potential is lower than players like Tate Southisene, Isaiah Drake, or Luis Guanipa given the near certainty he is going to end up in a corner, with a real chance that corner is left field. Thus it should make it clear how bullish we are on his offensive projections given that we still see him as a step above that group. Tornes has the chance to be a true impact bat in the middle of a lineup, something the Braves have struggled to produce in the Alex Anthopoulos era. Tornes has commonly gotten Anthony Santander comps – high praise for a player that young – and with elite bat speed there is still a ceiling to reach for his hit tool. Tornes has all star talent and the early returns back up a measure of confidence.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 01: Joe Jimenez #77 of the Atlanta Braves looks on prior to Game One of the Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on October 01, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Walt Weiss gave the press some more injury news today. To no Braves fan’s surprise, it’s not good news.
Weiss said he doesn’t know if Joe Jimenez will be available this year. He described the knee ailment as a “very complex injury.”
Oy. It’s the song that never ends. Jimenez, already having lost the 2025 season with a left articular cartilage injury and further surgery in November, may be out for 2026. The Braves, after placing Spencer Schwellenbach on the 60-day Injured List yesterday, have lost two pitchers in as many days. Standard disclaimer that I’m not a doctor. But this doesn’t look good. How he would return in 2027 after two years out would be a challenge as well.
Coming into this year’s Spring Training, I assumed that we all might see Joe Jimenez for the majority of the season. The Braves looked set in the bullpen, and adding another reliever would have made it obvious that Joe would not be back. They have 44 days until Opening Day if they choose to add.
Good luck, Joe. Get well soon. We want you to get well.
Though there was a brief detour through free agency this offseason, Evan Phillips is back with the Dodgers for a sixth season. The veteran right-hander re-signed with Los Angeles on Wednesday on a one-year, $6.5 million contract, the team announced.
After beginning the 2025 season on the injured list with a right rotator cuff strain stemming from the 2024 postseason, Phillips pitched in only seven games last season, with six strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 scoreless innings in April and May.
“We had a number of back and forth discussions with Evan and his agent,” Friedman said via text. “It is challenging with him coming off surgery, so he is going to take some time and look to sign after he throws off the mound when his rehab allows. Evan has been a big part of our past success and we will continue the conversation about bringing him back. We respect that he is taking this time to decide what is best for him and his family.”
Since joining the Dodgers on a waiver claim from the Rays in 2021, Phillips has been one of the best relievers in baseball, with a 2.22 ERA and 2.87 xERA in 201 games, with 221 strikeouts and 52 walks in 195 innings, and 45 saves. The right-hander is 31 years old.
To make room on the 40-man roster, catcher Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment. Rortvedt was just re-claimed off waivers on Friday from the Reds, after the Dodgers lost him on waivers in November. This move was expected at some point, considering Rortvedt is out of options and behind Will Smith and Dalton Rushing on the depth chart. Rortvedt didn’t get through waivers the last time the Dodgers tried this in November, but if he clears waivers this time they can keep Rortvedt around for depth, but just off the 40-man roster.
What is bad news for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic is worse news for the Arizona Diamondbacks as baseball season looms.
Star outfielder Corbin Carroll is going to miss the international event for Team USA this season after suffering a broken hamate bone in his right hand during a live batting practice at Salt River Fields in Arizona. Carroll, a two-time All-Star who has played at least 143 games in each of the past three seasons, does not yet have a timeline set for his return.
Carroll suffered the injury early on Tuesday, Feb. 10. He now joins the Mets' Francisco Lindor and the Orioles' Jackson Holliday as players to start 2026 rehabbing a broken hamate bone. The same injury hindered Mike Trout in July and August in 2023 and Jose Ramirez in 2019.
For Carroll, the injury does not necessarily preclude him from starting for the Diamondbacks on opening day, but it does take a player Team USA undoubtedly hoped would be a key contributor at the World Baseball Classic in March out of the fold.
What is Corbin Carroll's injury?
Carroll suffered a broken hamate bone in his right hand during a live batting practice on Feb. 10. The star outfielder, who won NL Rookie of the Year in 2023 en route to a Diamondbacks World Series appearance, had a strong bounce-back season in 2025 after struggling in 2024.
Carroll has managed to stay relatively healthy in his first three full seasons, playing 155 games in 2023, 158 in 2024, and 143 in 2025.
How long is Corbin Carroll out?
Carroll's injury will keep him out for the entirety of the World Baseball Classic in March. Team USA will have to fill his roster spot.
More concerning is his status with the Diamondbacks. While a hamate bone can generally take anywhere from four to eight weeks to heal, it's the kind of injury that can linger and affect a batter. Power in particular can be hindered, which would be particularly damaging for Carroll, who saw his power numbers go up last year and is coming off the first 30-plus home run season of his career.
Carroll is undergoing surgery Wednesday, Feb. 11 to repair the injury. His status for Opening Day is in question.
Team USA World Baseball Classic outfield
Carroll's injury will have an impact on the construction of Team USA's outfield.
The United States was carrying four outfielders: Byron Buxton, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Aaron Judge, and Carroll. While Crow-Armstrong is the best defensive outfielder in the league, let alone on the team, by outs above average in 2025, Carroll figured to be a strong positive in the outfield as well.
Team USA will now be tasked with naming a replacement for Carroll.
Corbin Carroll stats
Carroll is coming off a season in which he slashed .259/.343/.541 with 31 home runs, his first 30 home run season. He had a career-best 140 OPS+ and finished sixth in NL MVP voting.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 29: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Friday, August 29, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When it comes to projection models like FanGraphs and PECOTA, the Atlanta Braves have some very high expectations in 2026. However, they’ve still got a ways to go when it comes to convincing some pundits out there — particularly the panel of five people who were chosen to make predictions for USA Today when it comes to the upcoming 2026 season.
According to that crew, the Braves will be fighting with the Mets for second place in the NL East while the Phillies run away with it.
One powerhouse. And a whole lot of parity.
That figures to be the theme throughout what should be a tightly bunched Major League Baseball season, and USA TODAY Sports’ projected win totals for 2026 reflect as much.
As a matter of fact, this projection has the Braves missing the playoffs altogether by one game, as this would have the Mets facing the Brewers and the Cubs facing the Padres in the Wild Card round with the Dodgers and Phillies getting the bye. USA Today doesn’t figure that the Dodgers are going to just run away with things but they do figure that they’ll still be clear of the rest of the pack in not just the NL but the rest of the pack as well.
Here’s some of the (brief) reasoning behind USA Today’s prediction for the ‘26 Braves:
GM Alex Anthopoulos generally doesn’t get stuck in the middle, but they’re light on starting pitching and will be missing shortstop Ha-Seong Kim for a minute.
While it is true that the Braves have some question marks with their starting pitching and will also be missing Ha-Seong Kim, I do feel like the Braves have fortified their squad a bit over the course of the offseason to be able to withstand those issues — though Spencer Schwellenbach being out for a significant amount of time certainly complicates things. The Braves could do with another addition to the starting pitching rotation but at the same time, as long as the the entire rotation avoids another collective trip to the 60-Day IL then that alone should boost the Braves’ fortunes in 2025.
With that being said, even the rosiest projection models don’t think that the Braves are going to simply dominate the division, either. Atlanta’s going to have to deal with the Phillies and Mets all season, whether they’re returning to the top of the NL East (and the NL in general) or they’re having to scratch and claw their way into simply making the Postseason.
Anything is on the table for this team when you consider how the past two seasons are gone. The potential is there for a good-to-great season but at the same time, it’s totally understandable if the Braves do end up in a season-long rock fight once again. We’ll see what happens!
For those keeping score, that’s 11 of the 34 spring games. Seven of them will be games at Sloan Park and four will be away games.
There will be some broadcasts of Cubs spring games by the TV channel of their opponent. As of now, here’s what I have:
Monday 3/16 at Guardians: Guardians.TV Saturday 3/21 at Mariners: Mariners.TV
Both of those games will also have audio broadcasts via the opponent’s radio channel.
The game on Monday 2/23 at the Royals will be carried on Royals radio, and the Saturday 2/21 game at Sloan Park, which will be televised on Marquee, will also be on Rangers radio. And, the game Tuesday 3/24 at Sloan Park vs. the Yankees will be carried on Yankees radio, WFAN.
The following games will be broadcast on Cubs radio station The Score:
Friday 2/20 vs. White Sox Saturday 2/21 vs. Rangers Saturday 3/7 vs. Athletics Sunday 3/8 vs. Giants Saturday 3/14 vs. Rockies Sunday 3/15 vs. Dodgers Tuesday 3/17 vs. Angels Saturday 3/21 vs. Mariners Sunday 3/22 vs. Brewers Monday 3/23 vs. Yankees
A note that the radio broadcasts on The Score this year are moving to 104.3 FM, so the audio quality should be better.
When I get further information on TV or radio broadcasts of Cubs spring games by The Score or the opponent’s radio or TV channel, this post will be updated. I’ll also include broadcast information on every spring game preview, which as usual will post two hours before game time.
I know this isn’t what most folks here wanted to hear about spring broadcasts, and I’m sure you’ll let us know through the complaint department, which is open.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 02: A general view during the San Francisco Giants game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park on August 02, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers are favorites to win the National League West in 2026, which is not a surprise. They have been favored to win the division nearly every year for over a decade. But perhaps the scale of their expected prowess this year stands out.
Everyone else in the division is seen as either right around .500 or are the Rockies.
Team
Prospectus
FanGraphs
Average
Giants
81.3
82.3
81.8
Padres
81.9
80.1
81.0
D-backs
77.5
80.8
79.2
Rockies
60.7
65.1
62.9
The Padres will get Joe Musgrove back this year but have already lost Dylan Cease and Robert Suárez, plus Yu Darvish might retire.
The Giants got a new manager in Tony Vitello, and added a lot on the periphery, signing Harrison Bader, Luis Arráez, Tyler Mahle, and Adrian Houser.
Arizona got Merrill Kelly back, signed Mike Soroka, and will probably get ace Corbin Burnes back around the All-Star break.
The Dodgers played an NL West team in the Division Series five years in a row (2020-24) before that streak ended last year, and even then San Diego still made the postseason. Given the projections, this year might be the first time since 2019 that the division won’t have multiple playoff teams.
Today’s question is which team is the Dodgers’ biggest threat in the National League West?
Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday will undergo surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his right hand, the team announced on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Holliday was injured on Feb. 6 during a live batting practice.
Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said Holliday will miss opening day, and a timeline for his return will be measured in weeks. Baltimore will open the 2026 MLB regular season on March 26 at home against the Minnesota Twins.
Possible replacements for Holliday while he is sidelined include infielder Blaze Alexander, who was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks for reliever Kade Strowd and prospects Wellington Aracena and Jose Mejia.
The 22-year-old Holliday, the first overall pick of the 2022 Amateur Draft, hit .242 with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs in 149 games last season.
When Mariano Rivera retired in 2013, one of the greatest luxuries the Yankees had enjoyed in the Core Four dynasty came to an end. They had to start worrying long-term about who would pitch the ninth inning. The first man to succeed the Sandman was his setup man, David Robertson, who performed well enough to score a free agent deal with the Chicago White Sox to serve as their closer. Then when Andrew Miller came aboard in 2015 and notched 36 saves in 38 opportunities, it seemed the matter was settled.
But the Yankees were thinking bigger. Ahead of 2016 they traded for All-Star Reds closer Aroldis Chapman. The Cuban Missile was famous for his record-setting fastball, and would bring his near-unhittable heat to the Bronx in his last full season before free agency.
Chapman had also, however, been suspended by MLB under the league’s domestic violence policy and would miss the first 30 games of the 2016 campaign. The Yankees sputtered and ultimately traded Chapman to the eventual champion Cubs in a deal which brought Gleyber Torres to the organization. It seemed that would be that, then. Chapman might, thanks in part to his own actions, have been a mere footnote in the record of a forgettable Yankee season.
Then they brought him back.
Albertín Aroldis Chapman
Signing Date: December 15, 2016 Contract: 5 years, $86 million
Born in Cuba in 1988, Chapman became a superstar in his native country—and in the World Baseball Classic—before defecting to the United States in 2009. Once in the States, the tall left-hander immediately became a hot commodity for MLB teams. It was the Cincinnati Reds who ultimately scored Chapman, signing him to a six-year bonus-laden contract. It wouldn’t take long for his arm to enter the history books. In September, Chapman threw a record-breaking 105.1 mph fastball, the fastest pitch ever recorded.
By that point Chapman had already been moved to the closer spot, where he would remain. His breakout campaign came in 2012, when he posted 38 saves with a 1.51 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 71.2 innings. That would quickly become the new normal as Chapman made that year’s All-Star Game as well as the ensuing three Midsummer Classics.
The Reds, though, soon became a team in decline. They had snapped a 15-year playoff drought by winning the 2010 NL Central in Chapman’s rookie season and shook off both an NLDS sweep at the hands of the Phillies and a sub-.500 season in 2011 to win another division in 2012. Another October went by the wayside when they blew a 2-0 lead and painfully dropped three in a row at home to the Giants when they needed just one win to advance to the NLCS. A playoff berth in 2013 lasted just one game, as the rowdy Pittsburgh fans rattled them in a quick Wild Card Game loss.
Following that mini-renaissance of sorts, Cincy fell to the cellar of the NL Central, dropping 86 games in 2014 and 98 the next year. So inthe 2015 offseason, the Reds shopped Chapman around, nearly consummating a deal with the Dodgers in December.
Early that month, news broke that Chapman was being investigated for an alleged incident of domestic violence which occurred in October. According to what his girlfriend told police at the time, Chapman pushed her, choked her, and later fired a gun multiple times into the wall of his garage while locked inside it. Chapman was never formally charged, but was still suspended by MLB for 30 games. He did not appeal the decision.
The Reds’ deal with the Dodgers fizzled out, but evidently not every organization thought they should stay away. On December 28th, the Yankees acquired Chapman for a bushel of prospects, none of whom made an impact in MLB (save for Caleb Cotham … but only because he was retired within two years and soon became a well-regarded Phillies pitching coach). Brian Cashman and the Yankees knew exactly what they were doing with this buy-low offer, grossly referring to Chapman as “an asset in distress.”
Chapman sat out all of April with the suspension, then managed a 2.01 ERA in 31 games for a Bombers squad plainly doomed to miss the playoffs — “No Runs DMC” be damned. Stuck in fourth place in the AL East, the Yankees dealt Chapman to the Cubs in the aforementioned deal which included Gleyber Torres in the return. Chapman went on to help win the most overdue World Series in baseball history, though his blown save in Game 7 nearly cost them the title. The Cuban Missile hit the free agent market with as stacked a resumé as any closer, but the suspension loomed large as a character concern, to say the least.
The Yankees, who had also jettisoned Miller in that trade deadline, definitely had a need at closer. They also had options. Former Yankee Mark Melancon had broken out with three All-Star campaigns in Pittsburgh (though he would quickly sign a $62 million deal in San Francisco). Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen was available, and would remain a free agent until January.
But the alleged incident hadn’t stopped the Yankees for trading for Chapman in the first place, and it wouldn’t stop them from signing him as a free agent. On December 8th, Ken Rosenthal reported that Chapman and the Yankees had agreed to a five-year, $86 million deal. That dollar figure was the highest ever given to a reliever. An apparent big-money offer from the Marlins reportedly forced the Yankees to up the ante on their deal.
Any Yankee fan who thought their hands were proverbially clean after the Cubs deal had to begrudgingly begin to root for Chapman again — or at least watch the ninth inning with a perfectly blank expression. To be entirely fair to him, he had publicly expressed contrition for his actions and is still in regular contact with his counselor, but fans understandably felt sour about him getting a record-breaking contract after the fact.
In 2017, Chapman struggled with injuries and posted subpar numbers for his lofty standards, but returned in perfect form for the playoffs. He finished five playoff games, including ALDS Game 5, in which the Yankees completed their rousing 0-2 series comeback against Cleveland.
The Bombers fell a game shy of the World Series in 2017, but were decidedly ahead-of-schedule thanks to the advent of Aaron Judge. Ahead of 2018, they geared up for a big run. Chapman returned to All-Star form with a 2.45 ERA while going 32 of 34 in save opportunities, but the Red Sox eclipsed the Yankees both in the divisional race and in the ensuing ALDS.
Chapman earned his sixth All-Star appearance in 2019, and would have his most consequential moment in pinstripes that season. It was not in victory, however, but in defeat. Of course, the Yankees dug themselves into a deep hole in their ALCS rematch with the Astros, falling behind 3-1 in the series. But they were beginning to summon that 2017 magic. After claiming Game 5 in the Bronx, a dramatic two-run home run by DJ LeMahieu off Roberto Osuna suddenly tied Game 6 when the Yankees were two outs from elimination.
But that heroism from The Machine just set the stage for humiliation in the home half of the ninth. Chapman took the mound and, with two men out, allowed Yankee nemesis Jose Altuve to end the series with a walk-off homer. There was the homer, and then there was The Grimace.
Due to opt out of his deal, Chapman received an extension to keep him in New York through 2022. But in 2020, he was was again the victim of a late consequential homer when he surrendered a bomb to Mike Brosseau in the Rays’ do-or-die Game 5 victory over the Yankees in the ALDS.
The Cuban Missile made another All-Star Game in 2021 despite a cataclysmic June in which he allowed 11 runs in 8.2 innings. He recuperated down the stretch, but the Yankees lost the Wild Card Game to the Red Sox.
The following season, in the final year of his deal, Chapman struggled with injury and fell out of the closer spot in favor of the surging Clay Holmes. He infamously went on the IL in August thanks to an infection he got from a new tattoo. Then in September, Chapman blew off a mandatory workout ahead of the ALDS, flying down to Miami and skipping a live batting practice session he was set to throw. As a result, he was left off the playoff roster. With Holmes and Wandy Peralta both capable of locking down tense matchups, the Yankees didn’t really need Chapman. But the acrimonious exit came as little surprise to a fanbase who was by now pretty tired of rooting for him.
Despite being the heir apparent to Mariano, Chapman was very rarely a comfortable watch. Throughout most years of his Yankee tenure, you knew his outings would go one of two ways: either he had his command and the game was over, or he didn’t, and you were destined to feel squeamish for however long the ordeal lasted. Then every so often, he’d give up a backbreaking homer and you were free to do something else with your day, but about 15 percent grumpier.
Of course, Chapman is still pitching in MLB. He spent a few years as a setup man and won a second World Series in more of a support role for the 2023 Rangers. Chapman returned to the closer spot with the Red Sox last year, and almost out of the blue, he posted what was statistically the best season of his career at age-37 in wake of some tweaks to his approach. He was extended by Boston in September on a deal that will go through 2027 as long as he throws at least 40 innings this year.
At this point, Chapman’s career accomplishments give him a near-Cooperstown-worthy resumé (even with bumpy playoff results). But when you betray a fanbase’s trust by crossing a line, as he did when he allegedly attacked his girlfriend in 2015—it is extremely difficult to earn that respect back. Chapman never fully did for a myriad of reasons, so while his time in pinstripes was statistically impressive, his legacy is decidedly less rosy.
See more of the “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series here.
