Category: Baseball

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Joey Wentz will miss the 2026 season with a torn ACL, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman and the AJC’s Chad Bishop. Wentz was injured in a Spring Training game on Sunday, March 8, 2026 when covering first base.

Wentz joins fellow starting pitchers Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep in missing at least a big part of the 2026 season, if all all of it, thinning Atlanta’s starting rotation options greatly.

Wentz, once a top Atlanta Braves prospect, re-joined the organization and found some success after being thrust into starting duty when injuries mounted during the 2025 campaign.

The injury to Wentz leaves Atlanta’s starting rotation thin – with Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez and Grant Holmes in the the top four spots. Bryce Elder is the front-runner for the fifth spot with prospect JR Ritchie a potential option to start the season. Veterans Martin Perez and Carlos Carrasco are both in camp on minor league contracts. Veteran Jose Suarez, who pitched with Atlanta last season, and returned to the team this off-season after being designated for assignment, is another option.

Wentz debuted for the Detroit Tigers in 2022 and has also appeared for the Minnesota Twins and Pittsburgh Pirates during his career. He pitched in 14 games with Atlanta in 2025, making 13 starts.

This is a developing story.

The Nationals have a stockpile of young infielders. That means 19 year old Ronny Cruz can get lost in the shuffle sometimes. However, he showed off what he can do yesterday in his first at bat of the spring. The youngster launched a home run off of big leaguer JP France, which gave the Nats the lead in their Grapefruit League clash with the Astros.

Hopefully this home run could prove to be a bit of a coming out party for Cruz. He is going to have to stand out because the Nats have so many 18 to 20 year old infielders all coming through the system at the same time. Cruz is more of a project than some of these other guys, but he has a ton of potential if everything clicks.

Despite a slender 6’2 170 pound frame, Cruz has big time raw power, as we saw yesterday. He is also a good athlete and a strong defender. Cruz plays shortstop right now, but with all the young infielders in the system, he is likely to play all over the infield. In the game yesterday, he played second base. 

It is clear that Cruz is held in high regard by the organization. When asked about which minor leaguer has impressed him the most, Cruz was Paul Toboni’s answer. With the depth of talent in the Nats system, that tells you a lot. 

Cruz is actually an interesting story. He grew up in the Dominican Republic, but after an IFA deal fell through, he moved to the US for his last two years of school. Cruz impressed enough on the field in those two years to be drafted by the Cubs in the third round. That is despite suffering a knee injury in his senior year.

With all of this in mind, it is understandable that Cruz is a bit raw. He has some swing and miss issues, and his swing decisions are not great. However, the raw talent is undeniable. There is also more to dream on once he fills out his frame. That is why the Nats took a flier on him as part of the Michael Soroka deal last deadline.

They took one safe, lower upside prospect in Christian Franklin and shot for the stars with Cruz. There is a chance that Cruz just does not pan out. His numbers in rookie ball were only average, and his raw power did not translate to games. 

However, with all the buzz surrounding him this spring, it is clear that Cruz got a lot better in the offseason. The fact he homered off an experienced arm is a great sign. Cruz is just scratching the surface, but some of his gifts are starting to show.

Seeing guys like him is one of my favorite parts of Spring Training. It gives you a taste of the next generation of players. That home run will stick with me when thinking about Cruz. With guys like Devin Fitz-Gerald, Gavin Fein, Coy James and Eli Willits joining the organization in the last year, Cruz gets a bit overshadowed. However, he has my attention now.

It will be interesting to see what they do with him this season. With all of these infielders, finding playing time for them could be tough. I think Cruz should start the year in Low-A, but he will have to compete with guys like Fein, Willits, Angel Feliz and potentially Luke Dickerson. 

Having all of these mouths to feed forces these guys to be versatile, which could be a good thing in the long run. It also creates healthy competition. If you do not perform, the guy next to you is there to take your spot. There are not going to be enough spots for all of these guys to make it, so only the cream of the crop will rise.

Cruz is behind a lot of these players in the pecking order, but if he continues to perform, he will make it. He has as much raw talent as any of these guys, but he is rough around the edges. If he can refine his game, Mike DeBartolo may have found a diamond in the rough in his only trade deadline as an MLB GM.

With 17 days left until the Mets open the regular season against the Pirates at Citi Field, president of baseball operations David Stearnsis -- unsurprisingly -- not yet prepared to make definitive statements about which players will win the roster battles.

That includesCarson Benge, who has impressed on both sides of the ball as he looks to win the starting right field job.

"I think Carson is having a nice camp, similar to all of our guys," Stearns said Monday during his regular middle of spring training news conference. "He's worked really hard. I think we've had a really work-intensive camp, across the field, and Carson has participated in that.

"In the games, we've seen what we would've expected. He's taken very competitive at-bats. He's a tough out. I think he's played a nice right field. So, he's done what we would expect him to do. We think he's gonna be a really good player, and we'll have a difficult decision as we get toward the end of camp."

Benge, who has spent most of his time in right field and who gets the start in center field for Monday night's game against the Marlins, is coming off a strong game.

He had two hits in three at-bats against the Yankees on Sunday, and made a hard out his final time up.

Benge is hitting .350 with a .381 OBP and .731 OPS in Grapefruit League play -- a stat line that doesn't include the opposite field home run he hit last week against Team Israel.

Since going 0-for-5 in his first two spring training games, Benge has reached base seven times in his last 15 at-bats spanning five games. He has also stolen two bases during that span.

Benge has impressed in right field, showing good range and putting his plus arm on display.

In addition to Benge, the competition for the right field job includes Mike Tauchman, MJ Melendez, Tyrone Taylor, and Brett Baty.

Melendez is on a split contract and can be sent to the minors without the Mets running the risk of losing him on waivers.

As far as Taylor, he is guaranteed a spot on the bench if healthy, and is best suited as a fourth outfielder.

When it comes to Baty, he could get plenty of at-bats at designated hitter and first base.

That means the right field job could possibly come down to Benge and Tauchman.

One thing to keep an eye on:

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said earlier Monday that the team hadn't decided yet whether they'll need a backup shortstop on the roster.

If New York opts to not carry a backup shortstop, it could theoretically pave the way for Tauchman to be on the bench with Benge the starter in right.

No matter what, Stearns expects Benge to make a big league impact this season.

"I expect him to contribute to our team this year," Stearns noted. "There's no question about that. I think the way he has developed throughout his professional career indicates that he's reaching that level. Whether that's on Opening Day or not, I don't know."

There’s some interesting decisions that have to be made. Where could the Astros be leaning as of today?

This article updates my previous roster projection: https://www.crawfishboxes.com/houston-astros-analysis/72007/astros-2026-roster-and-depth-chart-projections-as-of-february-1

Let’s start with the rotation:

1. Hunter Brown
2. Tatsuya Imai
3. Cristian Javier
4. Mike Burrows
5. Spencer Arrighetti
6. Lance McCullers Jr/Ryan Weiss

Now, Arrighetti hasn’t been sharp, and his velocity hasn’t been consistent. He’s also only pitched twice, so there’s time.

Weiss went 2.1 IP in his first appearance. He’s also coming off a year where he threw over 170 IP and that durability/reliability should matter. Weiss went 3 innings today in his second appearance of the spring, allowing 1 run on 2 hits, walked 1 and struck out 6. By performance, he should be in the rotation, but we know there’s more to it than that. He will be on the roster in some fashion.

Jury is still out on Lance McCullers Jr. He’s only pitched one time, and he threw all of 8 pitches. The good news was that his velocity was significantly up from last year on his fastball/sinker. It’s the difference between him being a major leaguer or not.

The bad news is he’s only pitched once, and threw all of 8 pitches. Astros are understandably being cautious with Lance considering his injury history, and he has thrown a simulated game for 2 innings, the details of which are not public outside of the fact he threw “about 40 pitches”. That happened March 4, so 5 days ago.

McCullers gets the start tomorrow against Baltimore in an outing that could very much determine his future going forward with the Astros.

A strong outing could put him into a rotation slot, likely bumping Ryan Weiss to the pen even though Arrighetti hasn’t performed well as yet. A tough outing could have the team reevaluating his timeline and his role. Whether or not McCullers can maintain velocity inning to inning is a very big question that needs to be answered.

Considering Lance threw 40 pitches in a simulated game 5 days ago, I would expect he’s looking at something between 50-60 pitches tomorrow.

Now the bullpen:

1. CL Josh Hader (likely IL)
2. SU Bryan Abreu
3. LHP Bryan King
4. LHP Bennett Sousa
5. LHP Steven Okert
6. RHP AJ Blubaugh
7. RHP Ryan Weiss
8. RHP Roddery Munoz (last spot if Hader on IL)

The final two spots in the bullpen are the ‘flex spots’. I have included Weiss here as well as the rotation because what happens with McCullers directly impacts Weiss.

With the Astros employing a 6-man rotation, they will need a couple of pitchers who can go multiple innings, which Blubaugh and Weiss can certainly do. Having a short pen and trying to protect Hader and Abreu from multi-inning appearances will require having guys who can go multiple innings all season.

Sam Carlson and Kai-Wei Teng have impressed in camp, but the Astros selected Munoz in the Rule 5 draft and like his power stuff. After a rough start to Spring Training, Munoz has settled in and shown that power stuff racking up 7K in 4 inning. Since the team has to keep Munoz on the roster all season or offer him back to his original team, if Munoz continues to pitch well I think that situation gives him a leg up in being the last man in the pen with Hader sidelined.

Peter Lambert has also impressed in camp, and threw 3 shutout innings today, allowing 2 hits with 2 BB and 3K. He has worked himself into the conversation as a non-roster invitee.

Josh Hader’s situation is still the most tenuous of any Astros player. Hader is one of the most irreplaceable players on the roster, and he is still only throwing bullpens after being shut down last year with a shoulder capsule injury and then biceps tendinitis he developed before Spring Training. Presuming the bullpen session goes well, Hader will throw live BP Friday.

At this current progression, it’s possible Hader doesn’t return to the roster until after April 15, perhaps closer to May 1 to sharpen his stuff and command after the offseason setback.

Pitchers recap:

Starters: Brown, Imai, Burrows, Javier, Arrighetti, McCullers Jr (pending Tuesday start)

Bullpen: Hader (IL) Abreu, King, Sousa, Okert, Blubaugh, Weiss, Munoz (with Hader sidelined for now)

Now let’s get to the lineup:

C: Yainer Diaz, Christian Vazquez

It’s clear Astros don’t like/trust Cesar Salazar to handle regular backup catching duties, nor do they think he’s capable of being an everyday player if Yainer were to be down for any length of time. They bring back Vazquez for his defense, preparation and leadership. Vazquez can’t hit a lick anymore, but Houston values his veteran leadership presence.

Walker Janek, who has torn it up in spring, still needs another year of minor league ball. He hasn’t played above high A ball. He is expected to start the season at Double-A Corpus Christi, but could be promoted to Triple-A Sugar Land with a strong first half.

IF: Christian Walker, Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena, Carlos Correa, Isaac Paredes, Nick Allen

The first 5 of these players, barring a trade, are going to play a significant amount of time – meaning full time to very close to full time starter reps. How the Astros manage this is debatable, but they will all play the overwhelming majority of games. Allen is the backup SS/defensive replacement.

OF: Yordan Alvarez, Jake Meyers, Cam Smith, Zach Cole, Joey Loperfido

Yordan is expected to primarily DH, but how much time does he actually get in LF is still to be determined. If he played twice a week in LF, that would be 52 games. That doesn’t seem unreasonable. Three times per week would be 78 games, which would be a new career high and seems unlikely (at least for now).

Cole is a power LH bat with a cannon arm, and the team reacquired Loperfido because they like the adjustments he’s made to his swing and think it will make him more consistent. They always liked Loperfido’s defense.

Cam was the prize oft he Tucker trade and they expect him to take a big step forward this season, but they have the depth if he doesn’t. Meyers will play CF as long as he is an Astro.

Taylor Trammell has really played well this spring. Team loves his grit and hustle, he is a terrific defensive player as well. Trammell has always had the tools to be successful but he’s never hit at the MLB level. With Cam and Jake entrenched as the right handed OFs, there’s just no room for Trammell right now.

Shay Whitcomb and Zach Dezenzo are both playing in the WBC. Whitcomb went 2×4 for Team Korea with 2 HR in a start at 3B, and had a pinch hit double in today’s win over Australia. Dezenzo went 1×3 with a double for Team Italy in a start in RF. He also walked and scored twice.

However, both being right handed bats, neither seems to have a role on the current roster as neither can play SS at the MLB level, and the Astros have corner infield spots covered between Correa, Walker and Paredes. Both could be call ups during the season as injury replacements.

Best projected lineup:

1. Pena – SS
2. Alvarez – LF
3. Altuve – 2B
4. Correa – 3B
5. Paredes – DH
6. Walker – 1B
7. Diaz – C
8. Smith/Cole -RF (Smith vs LHP, Cole vs RHP)
9. Meyers – CF

Paredes has only had a handful of innings at 2B this spring, so whether or not the Astros are comfortable with him at 2B is yet to be determined. However if they are, it would make more sense to DH Altuve, who posted his best offensive numbers last season while DHing. This lineup actually projects to be pretty good.

Now best projected lineup doesn’t equate to most likely projected lineup, as we know Yordan will not play LF often.

Here is what a Yordan at DH lineup looks like:

1. Pena – SS
2. Yordan – DH
3. Altuve – 2B
4. Correa – 3B
5. Paredes/Walker – 1B
6. Diaz – C
7. Cole – LF
8. Smith – RF
9. Meyers – CF

This is still a solid lineup that should produce.

I also think that on days when Paredes spells Altuve or Correa, Paredes should slot into that player’s spot in the lineup and not change the entire lineup as a result. Espada is the King of Lineup Variations, but with a steadier reason for variations instead of playing injury mix-and-match, it may become more uniform in that regard.

Here is a maxed out lefthanded hitting lineup for Astros:

1. Pena – SS
2. Yordan – LF
3. Altuve – 2B
4. Correa – 3B
5. Paredes – DH
6. Cole – CF
7. Walker – 1B
8. Loperfido – RF
9. Diaz – C

or Yordan at DH:

1. Pena – SS
2. Yordan – DH
3. Altuve – 2B
4. Correa – 3B
5. Paredes/Walker – 1B
6. Cole – LF
7. Diaz – C
8. Loperfido – RF
9. Meyers – CF

Lineup Recap:

Regulars: Diaz, Walker, Paredes, Altuve, Pena, Correa, Yordan, Meyers, Smith

Bench: Cole, Loperfido, Allen, Vazquez

This team has a lot more depth than it had last season, and along with better health (how could it be worse than last year?) it should translate to more wins.

As I write this, I am watching the Great Britain baseball team take on Brazil in the World Baseball Classic. While both sides have been eliminated, there’s still something to play for here: the winning country will automatically be entered the next WBC, without having to go through the qualification tournament. So this is definitely a significant game. Right now, it’s proving a tense affair, with the game scoreless through four innings. Fingers crossed the British team can avoid the late-inning meltdowns which have been a bit of a feature in their previous three games. Meanwhile, on the domestic front, here’s the D-backs line-up this afternoon.

We will see how deep Zac Gallen goes this time. After him, potential pitchers are: RHP Hayden Durke, RHP Taylor Clarke, RHP Gerardo Carrillo, RHP Andrew Hoffmann, RHP Juan Burgos and RHP Grant Holman. Hoffmann has been one of the spring standouts so far, with five strikeouts over three innings of one-hit ball. Also, be interesting to see whether Burgos can sustain his streak: all seven outs he has recorded so far have been by way of the K. He leads the team in that department. Unfortunately, over those 2.1 innings, there have been six hits and two walks as well.

No scheduled broadcast for this one, so see you in Gameday, providing GB vs. Brazil has finished! And as I write, the southern hemisphere has just taken the lead… [Update Britain roared back to win. D-backs prospect Wallace Clark walked twice and scored a run. See you again in 2029, WBC!]

Today the Texas Rangers take a day trip over to Peoria, AZ for a Cactus League matchup against the National League’s San Diego Padres. Recent signee Andrew McCutchen is in the lineup at DH for his spring debut with the Rangers.

Taking the mound for Texas will be RHP Trey Supak, who is 29 years old and still trying to make it to the big leagues, opposite RHP Randy Vasquez for San Diego.

The Padres will have a telecast and radio feed for this one but you can also follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Peoria Stadium is scheduled for 3:10 pm CT.

Go Rangers!

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By the end of the night, one Pool B team at the World Baseball Classic will have their unbeaten record snapped.

Both Team USA and Mexico are entering tonight’s matchup 2-0 in pool stage play, but either teams’ hopes of winning the pool wouldn’t be dashed with a loss tonight, as each team is scheduled to play the also-unbeaten Italy over the next two days. A win against Italy would go a long way in determining quarterfinal placement.

USA and Mexico’s baseball rivalry goes back four World Baseball Classics; in 2006, the United States beat Mexico in their first-ever matchup, but Mexico won the next three, including an 11-5 victory in the 2023 WBC.

Mexico is coming off a huge 16-0 win over Brazil — marking the third-largest margin of victory in any World Baseball Classic. The game ended with a walk-off home run that pulled Mexico past the 15-run threshold to end the game in the sixth inning.

In Team USA’s last game, Kyle Schwarber opened scoring with a two-run homer in the fifth and they went on to beat Great Britain, 9-1.

Tonight, Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young winner Paul Skenes will be on the mound for Team USA.

World Baseball Classic: USA vs. Mexico start time

Tonight’s (March 9) World Baseball Classic matchup between USA and Mexico is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.

How to watch USA vs. Mexico for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching baseball live for free — its five-day free trial includes FOX (plus most other channels you’ll need for the upcoming MLB season including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $34.99/month and gain access to top live channels.

Sling TV is another affordable way to stream NFL games; its Select plan includes FOX and starts at $19.99/month.

World Baseball Classic 2026: Team USA roster

• Pitchers: David Bednar (Yankees), Matthew Boyd (Cubs), Garrett Cleavinger (Rays), Clay Holmes (Mets), Griffin Jax (Rays), Brad Keller (Phillies), Clayton Kershaw, Nolan McLean (Mets), Mason Miller (Padres), Joe Ryan (Twins), Paul Skenes (Pirates), Tarik Skubal (Tigers), Gabe Speier (Mariners), Michael Wacha (Royals), Logan Webb (Giants), Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox)
• Catchers: Cal Raleigh (Mariners), Will Smith (Dodgers)
• Infielders: Alex Bregman (Cubs), Ernie Clement (Blue Jays), Paul Goldschmidt (Yankees), Bryce Harper (Phillies), Gunnar Henderson (Orioles), Brice Turang (Brewers), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)
• Outfielders: Roman Anthony (Red Sox), Byron Buxton (Twins), Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Aaron Judge (Yankees)
• Designated hitter: Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)

World Baseball Classic 2026: Team USA schedule

• USA (15) vs. Brazil (5), March 6
• USA (9) vs. Great Britain (1), March 7
• vs. Mexico, March 9 at 8 p.m. ET (FOX)
• vs. Italy, March 10 at 9 p.m. ET (FS1)

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With Opening Day about two and a half weeks away, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns met with members of the media to break down what he's seen so far this spring, while looking ahead to the regular season....

Francisco Lindor remains on track

While Lindor has been sidelined from game action since undergoing surgery on his left hamate bone in early February, the expectation all along has been that the star shortstop would be back by Opening Day.

Stearns said on Monday that the plan hasn't changed.

"All indications we have is this is going as planned, and we have a similar level of optimism that he’ll be ready for Opening Day," Stearns said. 

Stearns also added that getting Lindor in-game at-bats would be a must, saying that the team would not put him in the Opening Day lineup without getting some at-bats first.

"That would be a prerequisite. We wouldn’t have his first competition be Opening Day," Stearns explained. "We would ensure there are at-bats... I would expect Grapefruit League, but we haven’t mapped this out yet."

Roster questions left to answer

While the starting right field job has been in the spotlight throughout camp, Stearns explained that the Mets still have a few roster questions still to be answered, but also said the team makes sure all players are ready for the upcoming season.

"I think we have the right field question that we’re going to have to answer. There’s probably a bench question that we’re going to have to answer, and then one or two bullpen spots that we’re going to have to answer," said Stearns. "But for the most part, this is about getting our team and individual players ready for the season. I think we’re doing that. I think our coaching staff has done a really nice job of making sure this is a well-run, efficient camp, and we’ve done that so far. And it’s been good for me to see."

Clubhouse culture

Chemistry within the Mets clubhouse has been a talking point throughout the offseason, and when Stearns was asked what he's seen from this group early on, he explained that even with a team of veterans, the Mets are putting in the work every single day.

"I think guys are getting after it, and that’s been good to see. We have a very focused group in there," Stearns said. "As I mentioned earlier, the work has been really quality on the field, and that’s something you don’t see every spring. I think we have a group that is actively trying to get better every single day, and that can be somewhat unique with a team full of veterans. That’s not often the case. 

"A lot of times you come to spring training with a veteran team and everyone’s really just got Opening Day circled and is just counting down the days until Opening Day. I think what we’ve felt here is guys are taking every single day seriously. They’re going out, they’re getting their work in, they’re working very well with our coaching staff, and it’s been very good to see."

The Dodgers look to snap their two-game losing streak as they take on the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Monday. Emmet Sheehan goes for the Dodgers while Aaron Ashby starts for Milwaukee.

MONDAY GAME INFO

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Brewers
• Ballpark: American Family Fields of Phoenix
• Time: 1:10 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market)
• Radio: none

It’s a rematch of the NLCS at American Family Fields of Phoenix as the Brewers take on the Dodgers Monday afternoon.

And just like the NLCS, on the mound for the Brewers will be Aaron Ashby to start things off. He’s continuing to get stretched out this spring training for a potential starting role. Following him will be offseason trade addition Shane Drohan and then non-roster invitee Jacob Waguespack. The Dodgers will have Emmett Sheehan starting on the mound for them.

In the starting lineup, the Brewers have a number of their key roster pieces in there today. Sal Frelick will lead off while playing in center field for a change, followed by Luis Rengifo and the 2018 MVP, Christian Yelich. Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez fill up the middle of the order. Some of the spring breakout stars, Akil Baddoo and Brandon Lockridge, will follow while David Hamilton and Greg Jones round out the bottom of the order.

The Brewers did make a round of roster cuts today, optioning Jeferson Quero and Sammy Peralta and reassigning a number of non-roster invites to minor league camp, including top prospects like Jesús Made and Luke Adams. Jones has also been reassigned, along with Eddys Leonard, Darrien Miller, Ramón Rodríguez, and Matt Wood.

First pitch is at 3:10 p.m. CT and can be seen on Brewers.TV today with Brian Anderson, Bill Schroeder, and Tim Dillard in the booth. It’ll also be broadcast on WTMJ 620 and the Brewers Radio Network.

Just a day after the White Sox announced the former Rule 5 draft pick Shane Smith would be the Opening Day starter, another Rule 5 pick takes the mound against the Rockies. Jedixson Paez, who was picked up on December 10, 2025, and was assigned to the White Sox prospects on March 5, will get this afternoon’s start. Paez was previously with the Boston Red Sox organization, and unless the Soxes come to an agreement, Paez must be on the active White Sox roster all season long, or be returned to Boston; this start is crucial to his future in Chicago.

As for the players currently playing in the World Baseball Classic, there was not a lot going on yesterday. Seranthony Domínguez (Dominican Republic) and Kyle Teel (Italy) did not play. Curtis Mead (Australia) went 0-for-4, 2 K, and Munetaka Murakami (Japan) was 0-for-3, BB. Sam Antonacci (Italy) had a better day, with a final of 1-for-4, 3B, R, RBI, K.

Kyle Freeland will get the start for the Rockies today. We’ll also see our old friend Nicky Lopez starting at shortstop.

The game won’t be available to watch or listen to, but it starts at 3:05 p.m. CT.

Earlier today, the White Sox sent three more players out of major-league camp:

Murray had two homers in Cactus League play but not much else. González had gotten rocked pretty hard over four appearances, while Sandlin hadn’t appeared at all in Cactus League play.

We’re back, and so is J.P. Crawford.

The Mariners play the Diamondbacks in another rousing round of Spring baseball. Crawford is in the lineup and playing shortstop for the first time this Spring, after a slower start than usual while battling shoulder issues. Ryan Bliss and Brendan Donovan flank him on either side of the infield. Luke Raley gets another starter in center field, which is increasingly becoming a thing. Rob Refsnyder is in right and Victor Robles is at DH.

Bryan Woo is on the mound for his third start of the Spring. I expect he’ll work a bit deeper than last time, and probably exit around the fourth inning, as he continues to ramp up.

Game information

Game time: 1:10 PT

TV: No

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, the Seattle Sports app, or Gameday

Texas Rangers at San Diego Padres, March 8, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Peoria Sports Complex – Peoria, AZ

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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• Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
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GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

After taking a loss to the White Sox yesterday, the Royals will play another division rival in the Cleveland Guardians today. We’ll get another look at Ryan Bergert, whose appearances thus far in Spring Training have been relatively quiet. He’s thrown only three innings of one-hit ball.

Cleveland sends Parker Messick to start. Messick is another one of those “I’ve never heard of this guy” pitchers that Cleveland seems to manufacture every year. He threw 39.2 innings across seven MLB starts last season and accumulated 1.0 fWAR with a solid 2.72 ERA and 2.98 FIP. He was the 54th overall pick in 2022 by Cleveland.

With the WBC going on, we’re definitely going to see some guys in the lineups today.

The game starts at 3:05pm US Central. You can listen on KWOD 1660.

Lineups:

In his first spring training action of 2026, Kyle Freeland faced the daunting task of pitching against Team USA in an exhibition game on March 4. He gave up a solo homer to Aaron Judge in a two-hit, one-strikeout performance in one inning.

Today, Freeland and the Rockies (8-6-1) will take part in his first Cactus League action against the White Sox (10-7) at Camelback Ranch. The Rockies are 5-2 on the road this spring vs. 3-5-1, including the showdown vs. Team USA, at Salt River Fields.

Today’s game represents a rematch of a Feb. 23 showdown where the Rockies beat the White Sox 5-4. Chicago will send Jedisxson Paez to the mound to start the game. The 22-year-old RHP will be making his third spring appearance. He’s posted a 23.14 ERA in 2 1/3 innings over two starts with six earned runs, six hits, including one homer, three strikeouts and one walk. Former Rockie Drew Romo will be starting at catcher for the White Sox.

On Sunday, four pitchers combined to throw five scoreless innings and Kyle Karros and Tyler Freeman each had two-hit performances in the Rockies 4-4 tie with Cleveland. Even though it’s only spring training, the Rockies offense has been much improved thus far. The Rockies rank among all Major League teams this Spring in: on-base percentage (.381, T-1st), home runs (23, T-4th), average (.287, 3rd), HBP (14, T-2nd), slugging (.492, 3rd), OPS (.871, 3rd), runs scored (98, 5th), RBI (91, 6th) and total bases (254, 6th).

Earlier on Monday, the Rockies released a new motto for the 2026 campaign: “New era. At altitude. We are here for the climb.”

First Pitch: 2:05 p.m. MDT

TV: None

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network (1:55 p.m. pregame)

Lineups: