Three hours and 13 minutesafter the biggest comeback win of the season for Missouri baseball, Josh McDevitt provided the Tigers with what they had been lacking for the first two games of the series in their 7-0 series-clinching victory over UIC. Quality starting pitching.
In his previous three outings this season, McDevitt has given up six hits combined. He had an ERA of 3.21 coming into Saturday. He’s struck out 19 batters and consistently finished his outings around the pitch mark of the mid 80’s. The one problem? He’s walked 16 batters this season.
McDevitt’s fourth start of the season at Taylor Stadium saw him tie his career-high in strikeouts with seven, dousing the Flames despite walking six batters. He worked his way out of two jams in the third and fifth innings, in which UIC left a combined five runners on base.
“I think they gotta get in and do some things mechanically with him this week, before we get into conference play,” Jackson said. “Really missing to the glove side, and yanking a lot of fastballs, high counts to guys, walks that we’re not accustomed to seeing him doing. Coach Drew, he’s gotta get in there with him and kind of try to figure that out a little bit, because it’s really good stuff — a good three‑pitch mix, very, very competitive — but we’re putting ourselves in situations that we shouldn’t be putting ourselves in.”
The final result ended with two five shutout innings for McDevitt, two hits allowed by the Tigers staff, and the first shutout victory for Missouri since Mar. 7, 2023, a 6-0 victory over Western Illinois. It also marked the 11th straight victory for the black and gold.
Perhaps UIC was still deflated after the Tigers completed their massive comeback win less than an hour before; even so, the Missouri offense came out with a purpose. The first inning saw Macon open the game how he likes to, a lead-off hustle double, his seventh of the season, extending his hit streak to 14 games.
Jase Woita followed with an RBI single to left, and Cameron Benson added another run with a sharp base hit to make it 2–0 before UIC recorded its second out of the first inning.
Benson capped off the Tigers’ 12-run comeback against UIC, and just like the rest of the offense, he kept continuing to pick up right where he left off. Missouri, already up 4-0 in the top half of the fifth, Benson cushioned the driver’s seat, cracking a two-run shot over the right field fence. The first two homers of his season came in one day, both 377 feet apiece.
“Cam is capable of doing whatever he wants to do on a baseball field,” head coach Kerrick Jackson said. “He’s finally coming into his own and realizing that, and it’s fun to watch.”
Missouri wasn’t done. Utility man Jamal George followed with a double down the right‑field line, driving in another run to make it 7–0 in the fifth and effectively put the game out of reach.
Relievers Isaiah Salas, Keyler Gonzalez, and Dane Bjorn combined to finish the final four innings, allowing only three hits and striking out four. Gonzalez, making his Mizzou debut, tossed a clean eighth inning with his first strikeout as a Tiger.
“You’re seeing a lot of freshmen come out in big situations and compete their tails off,” Jackson said. “High leverage is high leverage, and they’re getting valuable experience.”
The Tigers have now thrown 15 straight scoreless innings and improved to 13–2 — their best start since the 2017 team opened 20–1.
“We just needed to come out and throw punches,” Jackson said. “If we play our baseball, we’ll be in a great situation.”
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - MARCH 07: Darell Hernaiz #23 of Team Puerto Rico celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off solo home run against Team Panama during the tenth inning at Hiram Bithorn Stadium on March 07, 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have our first walk off of the 2026 WBC! Athletics infielder Darell Hernaiz smacked a two-out home run for Puerto Rico to walk off Panama in ten innings, the first walk-off home run in tournament history. USA and Venezuela maintained their perfect starts to the tournament with resounding wins over Great Britain and Israel, respectively. Let’s see how it all shook out.
Pool A: Puerto Rico (2-0) 4, Panama (0-2) 3
The starting pitchers opened this rain-delayed game in San Juan with quite a duel, Ariel Jurado of Panama getting the upper hand with his five scoreless innings allowing three hits and no walks with five strikeouts over Puerto Rico’s Eduardo Rivera, who also struck out five in his 4.1 innings of one-run ball. Panama broke the seal in the fifth, Jonathan Araúz reaching with one out on a hit-by-pitch and scoring on a Christian Bethancourt double, himself scoring as Luis Castillo followed with a double of his own.
Puerto Rico cut that deficit in half in the sixth on a sac fly by Nolan Aranado with the bases loaded after Bryan Torres and Willi Castro singled and Heliot Ramos was hit by a pitch. Then in the bottom of the ninth, Eddie Rosario walked, Martín Maldonado singled, and Matthew Lugo walked to again to load the bases, allowing Castro to draw the game-tying free pass to send the game to extra innings.
Panama immediately put the pressure on in extras, a sac bunt advancing the automatic runner to third, allowing him to score the go-ahead run on a José Caballero single. However, after stealing second, the Yankees’ speedster and back-to-back AL stolen base leader was thrown out at the plate by Carlos Cortes on a Leonardo Bernal single.
Buoyed by that play to end the top-half, Puerto Rico put the game to bed in the bottom of the tenth. Luis Vázquez singled to lead off and advance the automatic runner to second and again it was Cortes’ turn to come through, his ground ball double play plating the tying run. Up stepped A’s infielder Darell Hernaiz with two outs to yank the first walk-off home run in WBC history just fair inside the left field foul pole.
It was a hit parade for Venezuela in Miami, with 14 base knocks against the hapless Israel pitching staff. They set the tone scoring four in the first and never took their foot off the gas pedal from there. Luis Arraez opened the scoring with a double after Ronald Acuña drew a leadoff walk, the former coming around to score on a Salvador Perez single. Eugenio Suárez then crushed a two-run bomb, and already you could sense that this could be a blowout.
From that point forward, this became the Luis Arraez game. Known almost to a fault as a slap singles hitter, the newly-minted Giant brought his slug to the ballpark today. To go along with his first inning RBI double, Arraez lined a solo home run to right in the fifth before smacking a three-run bomb to almost exactly the same spot as part of Venezuela’s five-run sixth, Maikel Garcia also chipping in with a two-run single with the bases loaded earlier in the frame.
Venezuela’s dominant offensive display was matched by that of their starting pitcher, Enmanuel De Jesus setting the tournament high water mark with eight strikeouts in his five innings of one-run ball. RJ Schreck and Harrison Bader hit solo home runs for Israel, but the game was already well in hand for Venezuela at that point.
Pool B: United States (2-0) 9, Great Britain (0-2) 1
It was a slow start for Team USA despite having the best pitcher on the planet on the mound, but the bats broke out once they dug into Great Britain’s bullpen. Tarik Skubal declared prior to the tournament that he would only make one start, and it followed an eerily similar trajectory to that of Logan Webb the night prior. The two-tim defending AL Cy Young winner surrendered a leadoff home run to Nate Easton on the very first pitch of the game, but was nigh-on untouchable from that point forward. He finished his outing having given up two hits and no walks with five strikeouts, setting the tone for the rest of the game as he, Clay Holmes, David Bednar, Griffin Jax, and Brad Keller combined to strike out 17 British hitters.
The United States offense was silent for the first four innings before exploding for five in the fifth, following the pattern from their tournament opener of scoring in bunches. Ernie Clement reached on a one-out throwing error and scored the tying run on a wild pitch after a Pete Crow-Armstrong double advanced him to third. Following up on his two-hit day on Friday, Kyle Schwarber put the USA on top with a booming two-run blast to right, Gunnar Henderson then tacking on a further pair of runs with a two-out single with the bases loaded after Alex Bregman doubled, Bryce Harper was plunked, and Will Smith walked — part of a 4-for-5 performance from the Orioles shortstop in the lineup in place of Bobby Witt Jr.
In their game against Brazil, the US relied on their patience to get the job done, drawing an astonishing 17 walks. With the Great Britain pitcher much less afraid to challenge their daunting lineup in the strike zone, the US had to shift gears to more of a batted ball approach to get the job done. They collected three more insurance runs in the sixth, initially loading the bases with no outs on a Clement leadoff single and walks by Schwarber and PCA. Bregman hit a sac fly and Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper lined RBI singles to put the game to bed, Bregman wrapping up the scoring with his second sac fly an inning later. Brad Keller struck out Jazz Chisholm Jr. to end the contest, the Yankees second baseman going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts to earn the dreaded golden sombrero.
Pool C: Chinese Taipei (2-2) 5, South Korea (1-2) 4
Chinese Taipei have bounced back valiantly from getting manhandled in their first two games of the tournament, scrapping out an extra-innings victory to finish at an admirable 2-2 in pool play. The long ball was the difference maker of this contest, seven of the nine combined runs coming via the home run.
2023 was the last time that Hyun Jin Ryu last pitched in MLB, the 38 year old now plying his trade for the Hanwha Eagles of KBO, but he showed he’s still got it with three innings of one-run ball for South Korea. The only damage against him was the opening run of the contest, a leadoff home run from Yu Chang in the second. South Korea responded in the fifth, a run-scoring double play ground ball from Shay Whitcomb plating the tying run after Hyun Min Ahn drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a Bo Gyeong Moon single.
Tsung-Che Cheng reclaimed the lead for Chinese Taipei with a home run to leadoff the second, but it was immediately erased in the bottom half, Do Yeong Kim slugging a two-run blast to grab the lead for South Korea after Dong Won Park drew a leadoff walk. That set Stuart Fairchild up for his second clutch home run in as many nights, following up his grand slam on Friday with the go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth. However, Do Yeong Kim replied with an RBI double in the bottom half to send the game to extras.
Home runs pay have powered most of the scoring, but this game was won in the most small ball way possible, Chinese Taipei plating the automatic runner in the top of the tenth with consecutive sacrifice bunts. It looked like South Korea would follow suit in the bottom half, but Ju Won Kim was thrown out at home on a soft grounder to preserve Chinese Taipei’s 5-4 victory.
After back-to-back days with eight games, today and tomorrow will only feature seven as we wrap up pool play. As expected, the US and Japan are the early frontrunners with two wins through two, although Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Australia are more than holding their own with perfect records as well. Here’s the slate for today:
Australia vs. Japan (Pool C) Pitching matchup: RHP Connor MacDonald vs. RHP Tomoyuki Sugano Time: 6:00 a.m. ET TV: FS1 Venue: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Colombia vs. Cuba (Pool A) Pitching matchup: RHP Luis Patiño vs. RHP Denny Larrondo Time: 12:00 p.m. ET TV: FS2 Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, PR
Dominican Republic vs. Netherlands (Pool D) Pitching matchup: RHP Luis Severino vs. RHP Arij Fransen Time: 12:00 p.m. ET TV: Fox Venue: loanDepot park, Miami, FL
Great Britain vs. Italy (Pool B) Pitching matchup: TBD vs. RHP Dylan DeLucia Time: 1:00 p.m. ET TV: Tubi Venue: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Israel vs. Nicaragua (Pool D) Pitching matchup: RHP Dan Kremer vs. RHP Carlos Rodriguez Time: 7:00 p.m. ET TV: Tubi Venue: loanDepot park, Miami, FL
Panama vs. Canada (Pool A) Pitching matchup: TBD vs. RHP Jameson Taillon Time: 7:00 p.m. ET TV: FS2 Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, PR
Brazil vs. Mexico (Pool B) Pitching matchup: RHP Eric Pardinho vs. RHP Taijuan Walker Time: 8:00 p.m. ET TV: FS1 Venue: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals hall of fame Ozzie Smith (middle) talks with infielders Masyn Winn (0) and JJ Wetherholt (77) during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
This could be a long article made short with the simple word: yes. I truly believe we are seeing the middle infield that will be standing at Busch Stadium for the foreseeable future. But Doc probably would not be happy if my write up just ended there. So here we go.
The St. Louis Cardinals have their middle infield of the future
For those who have been checking in on my work, first off, thank you. Secondly, you know that I am enamored with the future potential of shortstop Masyn Winn. He will turn 24 later this month and is just scratching the surface for what I hope to see flying around short for the next 8+ years.
Yes, I know the offense needs to show some progress, but even if he is unable to reach my lofty annual 20 homer/20 stolen base floor prediction, his defense is just so darn good that I will settle for a plain old 100 wRC+ with Platinum Glove level performance one of the hardest positions on the field. Call me a hypocrite because when I talked about Ivan Herrera, I basically said the opposite as I am saying for Winn. Herrera can play mediocre defense behind the plate and put up a 130 wRC+ and I will forgive a 20% caught stealing rate with a few passed balls in a growth season. For Winn, though, his athleticism and overall talent at short will allow him to be an above-average major league contributor for a long time, even if the bat does not fully progress, even though I have confidence it will.
In exactly 1200 at-bats, Winn has a .252 average and .680 OPS, which measures him as a 91 wRC+ for his career. On FanGraphs, he has accumulated a 6.3 fWAR in his 2+ years in the bigs, but much of that is due to his incredible abilities at shortstop. I sorted FanGraphs’ leaderboard for shortstop value to just include each of Winn’s last two seasons and his 7.2 fWAR (subtracting his negative debut cup of coffee) puts him as the 11th-best shortstop in baseball. His defense ranks second in MLB behind Bobby Witt, Jr., but his offensive production sits at 31st. Even with a mediocre couple of years with the bat, Winn is making a case to be a top 10 player at the position, a distinction I have already given him.
Masyn Winn’s 2024 season was an exciting glimpse into the future as he put up a 104 wRC+ with 15 homers and 11 stolen bases with top 10 defensive value. He did that while primarily hitting leadoff, a spot in the order that may not be the best fit for Winn’s skillset. Because of that great year, the expectations were high for Winn as he entered his second full season and had built a consistent track record of success in the minors. Unfortunately, his production took a step back in some ways while staying similar in other aspects.
We will never know and Winn will likely never admit to how much injuries played a factor in his 2025 season, as he only played 129 games after missing time with back and knee issues before eventually going under the knife to repair his meniscus once the season was deemed over. All told, Winn ended up with a 91 wRC+ with just nine homers and nine stolen bases, but took home his first Gold Glove award. Assuming Winn is back to full strength like he claims, get me back on the 20/20 watch. He surpassed the 20 stolen base mark in each of his first two pro seasons, including swiping 43 bags in 2022, and hit 18 homers with a .288 average and 17 swipes before he was called up for the end of the 2023 season. It is because of that consistent showing, yes I know it was the minor leagues, that my hopes for Winn’s bat are still high. With a team full of youngsters all looking to make an impact on the roster, I could see Winn finding another level in his game and finally be recognized nationally as one of the best all-around shortstops in the game. ZiPs and the other projection sites predict a similar season for Winn in 2026, but with improved health and another year of offensive maturity, I will say I think the 12 homer prediction we see from ZiPS is going to be low.
Over across the bag to Winn’s expected double play partner. Maybe you’ve heard of him: JJ Wetherholt. Before I gush over Wetherholt’s expected season and career, let us first look back at what second base provided the Cardinals last year. Sorry to bring it up as we are finally starting to move past it, but Brendan Donovan was the primary second baseman last year and put up his typical Donnie season, finishing as the 5th-best second baseman in baseball with a 3.0 fWAR while playing the keystone. His shift to second from his usual utility role provided some stability at the position that saw him, Nolan Gorman, Jose Fermin, Thomas Saggese, and of course Pedro Pages see time there. But now, that position belongs to JJ Wetherholt and that’s all there is to it. Everyone in Cardinal Nation is excited for his arrival, even Kareem Haq. Kareem joined us on Redbird Rundown this past week to partake in a Prospect Draft, and even though he scooped up Rainiel Rodriguez with the first overall pick, he is still as pumped to see JJ in St. Louis as the rest of us.
So why the excitement? For one, he will probably take the leadoff spot away from Winn and allow the shortstop to find a place in the lineup that fits his aggressive, yet contact-oriented approach. We have seen how Wetherholt approaches his at-bats this spring (yes, it is still spring) and his .579 OBP shows he knows the strike zone, but his homer and four RBIs also means he knows when to attack. While he has shown that patience, I want to be wary of being grouped into Lars Nootbaar territory, where Noot was so patient he rarely swung at pitches he should hit over the mountains. Wetherholt’s Savant page shows he does have that level of selectivity, but the infielder’s K-rate is better than the outfielder’s.
We know all of Wetherholt’s accolades and expectations, so I won’t spend my time (but since you’re also here, our time) rehashing all of that. Basically, JJ is major league ready and the Arenado and Donovan trades cemented his spot on the Opening Day roster. The projection systems predict that Wetherholt will hit a little bit of a snag during his first big league season, with ZiPS being the most optimistic with a .254 batting average, 11 homers, 13 stolen bases which equates to a 103 wRC+ and 2.8 fWAR. By that last measure, Wetherholt would be a near-even replacement for Donnie at second. I’m sure it is just my Cardinals-colored glasses talking, but if Wetherholt sticks in the majors for 130+ games this season, I would hope his actual numbers are a tick better across the board than the prediction.
To round this week’s position group up, I wanted to do a quick view of who could fill in if either of these two missed extended time or if Wetherholt struggled to the point a demotion was necessary. One of the actual competitions we are seeing this spring is for a spot on the major league bench. With Ivan Herrera continuing to get catcher reps, the Cardinals may very well roll with three catchers on the big league roster with Pedro Pages and Yohel Pozo offering support. Even if Herrera were to move out from behind the plate, that moves him to a DH role so that trio would remain the same, just in a different capacity. Assuming Lars Nootbaar is going to start on the IL, the Cardinals still need to find a left fielder (preview to next week) who can start multiple times a week. Because of this, backup infield options Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin have been working in the outfield to gain the upperhand and earn a spot.
Each of those guys can play around the infield and have shown the athleticism to handle those spots with at least average defensive abilities. Depending on what Oli Marmol wants out of his bench could determine who takes the opening. Of the two, Saggese is projected to be the more complete hitter with the former Texas League MVP popping double-digit homers in every professional season so far with Fermin maxing out with eight home runs. Fermin is the quicker athlete, though, with the Dominican notching 20 stolen bases in three different seasons. Personally, I would like Saggese to push for the Opening Day roster and maybe even give Nathan Church (glimpse to next week again) a run for the left field job. Saggese is the younger of the two and the higher profile prospect, so in a season of opportunity, I would like Saggese to get the call to see if he can tap into some of that power he flashed in the minors.
If (when) both Masyn Winn and JJ Wetherholt make their presence known at the national level, it creates a much more interesting roster construction for the future at other positions. With Nolan Gorman at third and Alec Burleson at first, the spots for Saggese and Fermin run thin for the long-term future with the organization. Of course, that means that the incumbents stay healthy, consistent, and even improve to work their way into an extension. Either way, the 2026 season is going to be an exciting one to watch, even if the wins don’t show up early and often in the standings.
SELF PROMO OF THE WEEK
Random Cardinal of the Week returns to its roots with one of the most underrated and/or unknown player on the 2005 and 2006 teams. Check out my Twitter to see how I actually have some experience and Six Degrees of Separation with this week’s featured player.
Redbird Rundown had Kareem last week and kept the prospect conversation going this week with the infamous Redbird Farmhands. We talked about the Oli Marmol extension before discussing some offensive camp battles.
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BRADENTON, FL - FEBRUARY 27: Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (75) runs to first base during a game against the Baltimore Orioles on February 27, 2026, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The same guys have been getting the attention at Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training, like Konnor Griffin, and rightfully so. The No. 1 prospect has been putting on a clinic with his towering home runs and impressive skills. He is also building a compelling case to make the Pirates’ Opening Day roster and become the starting shortstop.
Former MLB GM for the Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds Jim Bowden believes Griffin is the best teenage prospect ready for the show since Juan Soto and Bryce Harper.
Bowden also believes the Pirates should already pursue a long term extension for the 19 year old.
“Griffin told the media that he would be open to signing a long-term contract, something the Pirates should jump on as soon as possible because he profiles as one of the best players in the sport over the next 10-15 years,” Bowden wrote.
It feels a little risky to me to already give Griffin a massive contract extension without even seeing how good he is going to be in the major league. Although if he plays well in his rookie season and he is already looking like the star everyone expects him to be, they should extend him early.
Bowden also praised O’Neil Cruz for trying to address the flaws in his game before the start of the season.
“Oneil Cruz of the Pirates struggled last year against left-handed pitching, batting just .102 against them over 125 plate appearances. He hired a left-handed batting practice pitcher this offseason to improve his at-bats against southpaws,” Bowden wrote. “In addition, he hit just .141 against breaking balls and has been working hard on tracking them and making better contact against them.”
Cruz has the potential to be an elite player in the National League. He has serious power to his bat with the potential of having a 30 plus home run season. He just has to put it all together and if he can do that we will be looking at one of the most improved players in the league. You also have to look at defensive play which needs to seriously improve for this upcoming season.
Cruz is emerging as an above-average hitter and that would give Pittsburgh’s lineup a much needed boost.
What Bowden is saying in my opinion is absolutely true. If the young star for the Bucs can make that next step the Pirates can compete for a playoff spot. The pitching will do their thing this year but it’s up to the offense and the young guys to back the pitching up.
Two-time Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal planned to make just one start in the World Baseball Classic before returning to spring training with the Detroit Tigers.
But after getting a taste of what it's like to represent Team USA, he's not so sure he's ready to leave.
"When you get into these environments, when you get this team, it’s hard to walk away from that," Skubal said Saturday, March 7, after tossing three strong innings in the Americans' 9-1 win over Great Britain.
"I didn’t expect these types of emotions to run through my brain or my thoughts to differ. I was pretty committed to making a start and getting back to camp," Skubal said. "Things have changed, obviously, that’s why I’m going to have some conversations to try and figure out a plan for me."
The Tigers left-hander, who is ticketed for free agency – and likely one of the largest contracts in baseball history – at the end of the 2026 season, said he'll talk with the Tigers, his agent and his family before making what he calls "one of the tougher decisions I’ve made in my career."
He said he'll make the call "in the next couple days."
Skubal allowed a leadoff home run to Great Britain's Nate Eaton in the first inning, but he settled down and struck out five over his three-inning stint on Saturday in Houston. But he said he didn't expect his emotions to take over the way they did after getting on the mound.
"It just changes your perspective a little bit, you know?" Skubal said. "And how proud I am to be an American and go out there and pitch and compete. (Thinking about) the people that make real sacrifices for me to play a kid's game. So we'll see."
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after hitting a double during a World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Mexico at Camelback Ranch on March 4, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2025 saw Andy Pages fully emerge at the plate, with his 27 home runs on the season ranking second on the Dodgers behind Shohei Ohtani while being one of the best offensive hitters while playing at home. In the postseason, Pages was a shell of himself at the plate, relegated to bench duties during the final two games of the World Series.
Had it not been for a season-saving catch to rob Ernie Clement of a World Series winning walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7, Pages’ reputation as a postseason letdown would’ve made all the headlines. Instead, he enters the 2026 season as one of many unsung heroes during the Dodgers’ most recent title run.
Pages has performed well at the plate so far this spring to the tune of a .350/.364/.600 slash line with four RBI, and is firmly positioned to be the Dodgers’ starting center fielder this season. Dave Roberts noted that the team has instilled confidence in Pages as he continues to mature as a big league hitter and get past his postseason struggles, notes Doug Padilla of the Orange County Register.
“I do think (the Game 7 catch) can add that confidence because he was a big part of what we did all year,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I hope that he learned from that last month, month and a half, whatever it was, and know he was still valuable to the end. He’s a confident young player right now.”
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Landon Knack tossed three solid innings on the mound on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, allowing a pair of runs on two sacrifice flies while also holding Colorado to just one hit— thanks in part to a horrible route by Teoscar Hernández in left field. Knack is one of a handful of young arms eager to be a part of the Dodgers rotation for opening day, but Knack has his sights on staying in the big league rotation throughout the duration of the season, per Courtney Hollmon of MLB.com.
Two years ago, James Tibbs III was selected 13th overall out of Florida State University by the San Francisco Giants. A year later, he was dealt to the Boston Red Sox in the Rafael Devers trade before being traded again to the Dodgers in the Dustin May deal. Now, he is putting on a show in his first big league spring training.
There is promise for the young outfield prospects, and Dave Roberts hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Tibbs making his big league debut at some point this upcoming season, per Jack Harris of the California Post.
“He’s on our radar,” manager Dave Roberts said Monday, after Tibbs belted a 458-foot home run, in a left-on-left matchup no less, for what has been his biggest highlight so far in camp. “I wouldn’t be surprised at all if, at some point this year, he makes his debut.”
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Zach Agnos #36 of the Colorado Rockies poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last two seasons have been filled with MLB debuts for Colorado Rockies pitchers, including a trio of young relievers who have made an impact late in games: Seth Halvorsen, Zach Agnos and Juan Mejia. Halvorsen debuted in August 2024, while Agnos and Mejia both debuted in 2025.
Of the three, Mejia made the biggest splash in 2025, ranking eighth in our “Ranking the Rockies” series, and is currently playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. But all three are making their cases for why they should start 2026 with the team after taking some big lessons from last season.
Lessons learned in 2025
“I think the biggest lesson that I learned [in 2025] is that I’ll always be able to make adjustments,” Halvorsen said. “I think that I’m always wanting to make adjustments and improve, whether it’s game to game, year to year, pitch to pitch – I just want to be able to consistently make adjustments going forward.”
Mejia echoed that, while also leaning on his faith.
“Every mistake that I had, I can learn from that,” Mejia said through interpreter Edwin Perez. “Without any mistakes or errors, you can’t really grow as a player or you can’t learn. So I think I just grew overall learning through all the things that I went through last year.”
For Agnos, the lesson was different.
“Just being in the strike zone, honestly,” he said.
“When I was throwing really well, I was throwing a ton of strikes. And then when I wasn’t throwing so well, I didn’t throw a ton of strikes. And that’s been kind of the emphasis this camp and my bullpens and my live [BP’s] and from Alon [Leichman] and Gabe [Ribas] and Matt [Daniels] and [Matt Buschmann] and [Warren] Schaeffer and Paul [DePodesta] – everybody top to bottom, ‘Just throw strikes!’ I believe in my stuff. I believe I have the stuff to be an everyday guy, so now it’s just putting it over the plate and making hitters earn it.”
Throwing strikes and getting ahead in counts early has been an emphasis of the newly revamped coaching staff, and something Schaeffer has preached throughout camp.
Something else that has permeated Rockies camp since the new coaches were hired is an increased arsenal. Ryan Feltner added a cutter; Chase Dollander added a sweeper; and Kyle Freeland has been tweaking his changeup.
New pitches incoming
And just like the starters, the relievers are adding to their arsenals, too.
For Halvorsen, the work started in the offseason with his fastball and slider.
“I switched the grip [on my fastball] a little bit to maybe make it a little more true,” he said,” and then I switched the grip of my slider for it to maybe have a little more depth, or at least have the ability to do that. And then maybe I’ll manipulate that pitch a little bit, so I’m excited with those two for sure.”
Mejia, like Freeland, is working on his changeup and slider.
“I didn’t have the biggest confidence in it last year, and that’s why I didn’t throw it,” he said. “So that’s my pitch that I’ve held back, but I think I’m truly growing into it and getting better at it. And the slider – I think the slider’s still the same, but in a sense, it’s getting better. I’m just improving that.”
Agnos, on the other hand, is adding a plethora of new pitches.
“Sinker and curveball, and then we’re tweaking with my cutter, sweeper and slider,” he said during the first weekend of spring training. “I was actually with my brother (Jake) in the offseason. He gave me a lot of helpful little tips and showed me some grips that I talked to Alon and Gabe about, and the sweeper has been good. So it’s kind of nice to have these guys as pitching coaches and my brother as a pitching coach. You get two sets of eyes.”
Additionally, as of Saturday, Agnos has added yet another pitch at the suggestion of Michael Lorenzen.
“It’s called a death ball,” he said.
“It’s an interesting pitch. I threw it against Team USA, so it’s pretty good, but I’ve still got a lot of room to grow with it. But it’s been fun!”
The new coaching staff is really helping
And, of course, they’re learning a lot from the new pitching coaches overall.
“They’ve all been super fantastic. They’ve been awesome,” said Agnos.
“They communicate a plan, whether I’ve wanted to hear it or not. They’ll tell you how it is and it’s awesome. There’s a clear plan, and they’re definitely trying to develop us, which is awesome.
“[It’s] the most fun I’ve had playing catch,” he continued. “As stupid as that sounds, I’ve never had so much fun playing catch. Like today (Feb. 15), I threw with Alon because he wanted to work on my sweeper and cutter. So it was good, and he got to see it firsthand. We had a good talk, and he’s kind of building up some confidence in us, which is good, too. He just kept being like, ‘You’re nasty, bro, you’re nasty. Trust [yourself].’ He’s like, ‘You’re nasty.’ So it’s cool to hear. It’s always nice to hear – I believe it – but it never hurts to hear.”
For Halvorsen, it was an immediate change in his slider.
“I’ve done the same pitch there for a couple years now,” he said, “and then right away they came in and they had me make that adjustment. And I saw results – beneficial results – right away. So it was pretty exciting to see that.”
Mejia is noticing the difference in the clubhouse.
“It’s been very positive overall,” he said. “They’ve helped me so much already. From the start, you can feel that there’s a different energy, a different atmosphere in here, and I think that’s going to help us a lot this year.”
“I think we can have a better record this year,” he continued. “I think we can play better as a team and hopefully these changes bring us to the championship one day. Hopefully this year, and hopefully we’re able to celebrate this year, but more than anything, I think it’s been overall a great adjustment for all of us.”
Schaeffer had nothing but glowing things to say about the trio.
“All three of those guys are dudes. There’s no doubt about it” he said. “The one that has been the most impressive in camp, for me, has been Agnos with the way he’s attacked the zone and pounded it, doing what we’ve been asking 100%. It’s been impressive.
“Mejia, also, is one of our top guys. He’s so nasty. So it’s been a good progression for him,” he continued. “And it’s been a good progression for Seth. Seth’s working on new things, and so is Juan. So it’s about striking that balance, about executing the fundamentals in game, pounding the strike zone, and working on stuff, which is difficult early in camp. So I don’t foresee any problems.”
Closing thoughts
Agnos has been lighting it up in spring training, making a very strong case for the Opening Day roster. Halvorsen has been tinkering with things, but his fastball command has been improving. And Mejia has been outstanding for Team Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
2026 is still up in the air for a lot of Rockies, but at least the bullpen appears to be a strength heading into it.
How nice that there was no available media coverage of the game on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I was looking forward to cocking one eye at the game. But no.
The faithful are taken for granted. Our only view is obstructed. We do not provide much in the way of profits, either short or long-term. We’re shut out of the entire process. We have no say. We have no power.
<snip rant>
The Cubs defeated the Athletics, 4-3, getting back to one game under .500. Once again the starting pitcher gave up three runs in his stint. This time it was Mike Imanaga who took the ball, while Shota rested. Grant Kipp walked a guy, and Riley Martin gave up a hit. That was all the A’s had. Chicago pitchers struck out ten Athletics.
Ian Happ solo-homered, Pedro Ramirez took one deep, and Nico singled in a run for the Cubs’ tallies, at home in Sloan Park.
Seiya Suzuki had a good game for Japan.
Right now, the Magic 8-Ball tells me that Ben Brown and Javier Assad will be in Des Moines to start the season.
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Mark Gonzales (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs’ catching corps returns, but it could look different. “Carson Kelly had one of the best offensive seasons of his career. He also caught a career-high 105 games, but that could dip this season if Miguel Amaya can stay healthy.”
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On this day 75 years ago, Marilyn Monroe paid a visit to White Sox camp, posing here with Gus Zernial (catching) and Joe Dobson. | Phil Burchman
1942 Future White Sox MVP Dick Allen was born in Wampum, Pa.
Allen set a franchise mark with 37 home runs in his 1972 MVP year, along with 113 RBIs. His 8.6 WAR in 1972 ranks second all-time among White Sox hitters (Eddie Collins, 9.4, 1915) and 14th all-time among all White Sox players.
Perhaps most importantly of all, Allen was credited by numerous sources as saving the White Sox in Chicago, his play driving attendance when a move to Milwaukee or other cities loomed as a consistent threat.
Allen died in 2020, still short of Hall of Fame election. In the most recent Veterans Committee vote in 2021, Allen was just one vote shy of immortality.
1948 WGN announced that it would televise Chicago White Sox games for the first time during the upcoming season.
Veteran radio broadcasters Jack Brickhouse and Harry Creighton would become the first White Sox TV announcers in history. The first game WGN aired was an exhibition game against the Cubs from Wrigley Field on April 16, 1948, in the freezing cold!. The White Sox won, 4-1.
WGN televised White Sox games from 1948-67, 1981, and 1990-2019.
1951 The White Sox held Spring Training in Pasadena, Calif. after the war. It was near Hollywood, and on this day the team had a special visitor, as actress Marilyn Monroe came calling.
Monroe was going to be the mascot for a charity game played at Gilmore Field (home of the Pacific Coast League Hollywood Stars) that Sunday. The game featured a number of All-Stars.
Monroe arrived early and took a number of publicity photos with the players, including Hank Majeski, Joe Dobson and Gus Zernial. All of the Sox players would later receive autographed pictures from her.
The photo shoot that resulted caught the eye of a player on the other side of the country: Joe DiMaggio, who reached out to Monroe’s press agent to arrange a date after the season, as he began life as a retired player.
1961 Former White Sox player and bullpen catcher Mark Salas was born, in Montebello, Calif. The catcher, drafted in 1979 by the St. Louis Cardinals, made a major impact as a rookie, with 2.2 WAR and an eighth-place finish in AL Rookie of the Year polling as a member of the Minnesota Twins. However, Salas never played in as many as 92 games after that season, taking tours with the Yankees, Tigers, Cleveland, and in 1988, the White Sox. The catcher had a barely-positive season (0.3 WAR) backing up Carlton Fisk, but was released at the end of Spring Training 1989.
Salas spent much more than one year with the White Sox later, as a coach and scout. Immediately upon retirement, he went to work as a coach in the White Sox system. Later he served as White Sox bullpen catcher from 1996-99, and again under former teammate Ozzie Guillén starting in 2007. In-between coaching, Salas scouted for the Sox.
Salas is also one of 10 major-leaguers in history whose surname is a Palindrome.
2011 On International Women’s Day, former White Sox front office analyst Kim Ng moved from assistant GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers — the highest-ranking woman in baseball — to MLB senior vice president of baseball operations.
Ng got her start with the White Sox, hired for an internship in 1991 in what she thought would be public relations. Instead, assistant GM Dan Evans saw promise in her analytical thinking and background in the game (Ng was a University of Chicago softball player) and took her under his wing. When Evans lost out on the White Sox GM job that went to Ken Williams, Evans knew his future was outside of Chicago, and when he left for the Dodgers, Ng came with him.
Nine years after taking this executive position with MLB and after at least four failed attempts at landing a GM position, Ng was hired as the general manager of the Miami Marlins.
2019 Former White Sox catcher Mike Colbern passed away in Tempe, Ariz. He played his only 80 career games with the South Siders in 1978-79, tallying 0.1 WAR and a .627 OPS/73 OPS+. He played two full seasons for the White Sox in Triple-A after that, and wound up his career with a season in the Atlanta organization.
In retirement, Colbern became the lead plaintiff in a class action for what lawyers turned into (against Colbern’s wishes) a reverse-discrimination lawsuit against MLB demanding his health costs be paid akin to an approved plan that paid for pre-1947 Negro League players’ health bills. Although that lawsuit failed, Colbern later received $3,700 in medical payments as part of a partial restitution plan initiated by MLB.
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 07: Shohei Ohtani #16 of Team Japan celebrates with Seiya Suzuki #51 after hitting a solo home run in the third inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between South Korea and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 7, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Pinstripe Alley’s coverage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic! We previewed Pool A, Pool B, Pool C, and Pool D in the linked articles. Since the first several days of the WBC feature a bevy of games, we’ll be recapping them in batches. Enjoy!
Pool C: Japan 8 (2-0), South Korea 6 (1-1)
Japan-South Korea is a heated rivalry as far as international baseball is concerned (and, uh, in life really), and the clash lived up to it in this year’s WBC. While Japan blasted four home runs for the game, it was a couple walks and a single that gave them the three-run inning they needed to come away with the win.
Korea got off to a hot start, with a Bo Gyeong Moon double scoring three runs to cap off a three-run top of the first. However, two homers from Seiya Suzuki, one from Shohei Ohtani, and one from Masataka Yoshida allowed Japan to storm back and take a 5-3 lead in the third. Ohtani’s Dodgers teammate Hyeseong Kim answered with a two-run shot of his own, tying things up as the game went into the late innings.
In the seventh, Japan’s Shugo Maki drew a leadoff walk, with the pinch-runner for him advancing to third on two outs. Korea’s pitching then got sloppy, as while they intentionally walked Ohtani, they also issued two unintentional ones, allowing a run to score. Yoshida brought home two more with a single. While South Korea did get one run back, that three spot in the seventh ended up being the difference in the game.
Pool A: Canada 8 (1-0), Colombia 2 (0-2)
Thanks to a homer from Cubs-turned-Marlins up-and-comer Owen Caissie in the second, Canada never trailed in this one. But they didn’t fully put it away until a four-run eighth inning.
Canada was never not in control of this game, as the Caissie homer gave them a 2-0 lead, and they later went on to take a 4-1 lead thanks to a Josh Naylor single. However, Colombia got back within two runs in the eighth thanks to a Harold Ramírez RBI double and even brought the go-ahead run to the plate later in the inning.
That was as close as they got, though. Canada went on to bat around in the bottom half of the eighth, plating four runs in the process and staving off any upset bid.
Pool D: Netherlands 4 (1-1), Nicaragua 3 (0-2)
Nicaragua got within one out of pulling off the upset, but a stunning, walk-off, three-run homer from Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies swung the pendulum in the complete opposite direction and gave the Netherlands a crucial win to keep any hopes of advancing alive.
Much of this game was a pitching duel between Nicaragua’s Erasmo Ramírez and Jaitoine Kelly and the Dutch bullpen. The Netherlands had taken a lead after Albies was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third, but Nicaragua answered when Cheslor Cuthbert drew a bases loaded walk in the fifth.
The game then stayed tied until the eighth. There, former Yankee farmhand Jeter Downs (most famously part of the trade package that netted the Dodgers Mookie Betts) hit a two-run home run to give Nicaragua the late lead and on the verge of their first-ever WBC win. Nicaragua pitcher Angel Obando then got through the eighth and picked up two quick outs in the ninth to get them right on the brink. Things quickly got away from them, though. Ceddanne Rafaela lined a single to center, and Xander Bogaerts caught a break when his 72.2-mph grounder hit the third-base bag and bounced into left. That set the stage for Albies, who launched one over the right-center-field fence for the first* walk-off homer in WBC history.
Through the first five innings, there was no score as Sam Aldegheri of Italy — who finished with eight strikeouts in 4.2 innings — and Enzo Sawayama of Brazil both had pretty decent days. When Italy did finally break through, the runs then came in bunches.
Zach Dezenzo and Jac Caglianone broke the deadlock with RBI hits in the sixth. Homers from Dante Nori and a moonshot from Seattle’s Dominic Canzone then helped Italy to a four-run seventh to put Italy in full control. Brazil never really troubled them after that, as Italy pitching combined to strike out 15 on the way to a win.
There will be another roundup post coming later, breaking down the rest of the games, including Aaron Judge and Team USA. Today will also be another busy day of WBC action with seven games ahead, so here’s the skinny of what’s on tap.
Australia vs. Japan (Pool C) Pitching Matchup: RHP Connor MacDonald vs. RHP Tomoyuki Sugano Time: 6:00 am ET TV: FS1 Venue: Tokyo Dome — Tokyo, Japan
Colombia vs. Cuba (Pool A) Pitching Matchup: RHP Luis Patiño vs. RHP Denny Larrondo Time: 12:00 pm ET TV: FS2 Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium — San Juan, PR
Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic (Pool D) Pitching Matchup: RHP Arij Fransen vs. RHP Luis Severino Time: 12:00 pm ET TV: FOX Venue: LoanDepot Park — Miami, FL
Great Britain vs. Italy (Pool B) Pitching Matchup: TBD vs. RHP Dylan DeLucia Time: 1:00 pm ET TV: Tubi Venue: Daikin Park — Houston, TX
Nicaragua vs. Israel (Pool D) Pitching Matchup: RHP Carlos Rodriguez vs. RHP Dean Kremer Time: 7:00 pm ET TV: Tubi Venue: LoanDepot Park — Miami, FL
Panama vs. Canada (Pool A) Pitching Matchup: TBD vs. RHP Jameson Taillon Time: 7:00 pm ET TV: FS2 Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium — San Juan, Puerto Rico
Brazil vs. Mexico (Pool B) Pitching Matchup: RHP Eric Pardinho vs. RHP Taijuan Walker Time: 8:00 pm ET TV: FS1 Venue: Daikin Park — Houston, TX
Sep 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Hello, friends.
There are now 18 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. From now through March 23 will be near-daily exhibitions where hopefully nobody will get injured and everybody will get ready to fill the role they are needed to fill this season. This afternoon, they’ll play the Blue Jays at 1:05 in a game that will air on MASN as well as on the Orioles flagship radio stations in Baltimore. Many of your electronic devices have probably already reminded you that the “spring forward” part of Daylight Savings Time happened last night, but if they haven’t, don’t show up an hour late.
With the magic of spring training, the Orioles played two games simultaneously in two different places yesterday afternoon. At home in Sarasota, one group of Orioles beat the Twins, 3-2. Heston Kjerstad hit a two-run go-ahead home run in this game, and Coby Mayo later broke a tie with an RBI double.
A second group of Orioles was on the road to play the Braves in North Port, Florida. That game ended in a 2-2 tie. Not much of interest happened in this game. Samuel Basallo was on base twice, so at least there was that. Pitching prospect Boston Bateman got some action in and allowed two solo home runs, one to Austin Riley and one to Mike Yastrzemski. That’s some tougher competition than he’s seen in A-ball up to this point. Earlier in the game, pitching prospect Luis De León struck out those same two batters.
Within the next week, we’ll see more and more of the players who are obviously not going to make the MLB roster getting sent over to the minor league camp and there won’t be as many opportunities to see them in the major league spring games. The expected big league regulars will be playing more and more of the innings as the regular season gets closer. We’re not quite there yet, especially with there still being World Baseball Classic absences.
Updating Holliday’s advancements in recovery from hamate bone surgery (School of Roch) Yesterday’s development is that Holliday has progressed to swinging off a tee, with BP “within the next week or so.” They still haven’t put a timetable on his return. I’m sticking with my guess of Holliday missing a month.
Orioles option Brandon Young to minor league camp (Baltimore Baseball) As manager Craig Albernaz said, “There is no pathway for him to break with us for Opening Day,” so the team wanted to get him over to the minor league side to build up his innings there. 67 players are still on the camp roster after this lone cut.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 2001, the Orioles announced that Albert Belle was no longer able to perform as an MLB player due to his degenerative right hip condition.
There are several former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2011 pitcher Mark Worrell, 2009 pitcher Chris Lambert, 2009 utility man Ryan Freel, 2002 infielder Mike Moriarty, and 1960-62 infielder Marv Breeding.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: composer Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach (1714), Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841), baseball Hall of Famers Dick Allen (1942) and Jim Rice (1953), sports broadcaster Kenny Smith (1965), and actor James Van Der Beek (1977).
On this day in history…
In 1801, during the War of the Second Coalition (against Napoleon), the British successfully landed an expeditionary force in Egypt with a victory in the Battle of Abukir. Within six months, the French who had invaded the territory surrendered.
In 1917, protests made on International Women’s Day in Petrograd, Russia launched the February Revolution that, over the next eight days, overthrew the monarchy. If you’re wondering why the February Revolution happened in March, it’s because Russia at this time was still using the Julian calendar so for them it was February 23.
In 1979, electronics company Philips made the first demonstration of the compact disc.
A random Orioles trivia question
I received a random book of Orioles trivia questions for Christmas. I’ll ask a question in this space each time it’s my turn until I run out of questions or forget. Though the book gives multiple choice answers, I’m not giving you those because that would be too easy. Here’s today’s question:
The team’s combined no-hitter in 1991 against the Athletics saw three relievers pitch: Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson, and Gregg Olson. Who was the starting pitcher in this game?
If you are answering the question early in the day, please be considerate of those coming later and place your answer in spoiler text in the comments. Thank you!
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on March 8. Have a safe Sunday.
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 06: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of Team Japan reacts in the third inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between Japan and Chinese Taipei at Tokyo Dome on March 06, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers have their first off day of the spring this week, with no game on the docket for Wednesday. It’s one of two off days on their Cactus League schedule, along with Thursday, March 19. Also this week, pool play concludes in the World Baseball Classic, which moves into elimination games next weekend.
Korea, at 1-2 in Pool C, needs a win over Australia on Monday and some help to stay alive in the tournament. If Japan advances out of Pool C as expected, expect Yoshinobu Yamamoto to pitch in the quarterfinals on Friday or Saturday.
Daylight saving time starts on Sunday, so Arizona will be on the same clock as those of us in and around Los Angeles now. Here is the schedule for the week ahead (all times PT):
Sunday, March 8
WBC: Japan vs. Australia, 3 a.m. (FS1) Dodgers at A’s, 1:05 p.m. (SportsNet LA)
Monday, March 9
WBC: Korea vs. Australia, 3 a.m. (FS1) Dodgers at Brewers, 1:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA) WBC: Puerto Rico vs. Cuba, 4 p.m. (FS1) WBC: United States vs. Mexico, 5 p.m. (Fox)
Tuesday, March 10
Dodgers vs. D-backs, 1:05 p.m. (SportsNet LA, AM 570) WBC: Puerto Rico vs. Canada, 4 p.m. (Tubi) WBC: United States vs. Italy, 6 p.m. (FS1)
Mar 3, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Team USA outfielder Aaron Judge against the San Francisco Giants during a spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Yankees have spent a lot of time talking about their pitching this spring, Brian Cashman making a point to praise the high upside arms the team will have at their disposal throughout the season. To be sure, the thought of Gerrit Cole arriving midseason to reinforce a rotation that should already include Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, and Cam Schlittler is tantalizing, not to mention the potential on offer from new addition Ryan Weathers and prospects Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodríguez.
But perhaps we should be spending more time talking about offense. It was on offense, after all, that the Yankees shined in 2025, running a 119 wRC+ that was by far the best in baseball. Their 118 wRC+ in 2024 also led MLB, albeit by a lesser margin. Judge’s production is incomparable, but he’s been backed up by enough depth in recent years to put the offense into elite territory.
Yet the Yankees aren’t alone even in their own division in terms of offense, with particularly strong outfits in a few spots in the AL East. So let’s keep it simple: who’s got the best lineup in the division?
The Yankees are the incumbents, having paced the league last year and continuing to employ the greatest hitter of his generation. But will one of their rivals surpass them? At first blush, the Blue Jays seem like the strongest contenders. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and George Springer lead the way, backed up by a few group breakout players, a group that cut the Yankees pitching to death in the ALDS in 2025.
That said, the Orioles could be a dark horse. The O’s disappointed last year, but they made some serious power additions in the form of Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward, deepening a lineup that already included loads of talented young players, led by Gunnar Henderson. Baltimore would need bounce back seasons from Adley Rutschman and Jackson Holliday, among others, but this Orioles offense has the talent to be very, very good. The last two offenses here, in Boston and Tampa, probably don’t have quite the horses to get into this conversation, though the Red Sox could surprise. Roman Anthony is already a star, and Willson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu, and Jarren Duran round out a formidable top quartet of hitters.
What do you think? Is the best lineup in the division still in New York? Or will they be outstripped by the batters in Baltimore, Toronto, or elsewhere?
The WBC is roaring along, so this morning Matt and Peter will get you caught up on the latest action. We also have a fascinating figure for our Yankees Birthday series in Jim Bouton, while John takes a look at the Rangers as part of our 2026 MLB Preview, and also provides this week’s runaround Yankees social media.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — There was a time when the Yankees might have envisioned a 2026 Yankee season with Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones both starting in the outfield, with Aaron Judge in right.
The reality, though, is that both young players have significantly more to prove before they get starting jobs in the majors, which is part of the reason why Trent Grisham received a qualifying offer this offseason and the Yankees signed Cody Bellinger to a new deal.
And to make matters worse for the young duo, they even brought in Randal Grichuk for a bench spot to add some right-handed depth to the roster.
But in Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Nationals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, Domínguez was in left and Jones in center, as the Yankees look at the two talented prospects who are almost certainly ticketed for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Domínguez was first unable to outperform Alex Verdugo in 2024 and then Grisham last year, as Grisham emerged as an offensive force.
And Jones has shown flashes of phenomenal power in the minors, but not the consistency to warrant a call-up to The Bronx.
Still, they have time to make an impression on the organization — and Aaron Boone — especially this weekend with an inexperienced lineup because of back-to-back games on the opposite side of the state and other players absent due to the WBC.
Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez rounds the bases after hitting a home run earlier in spring training. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Boone said Saturday there have been encouraging signs from both Domínguez and Jones.
Of Jones, the manager said, “He’s done a nice job. He’s worked really hard this winter to make adjustments to try to hone his craft and had pretty good results here the first few weeks of games.”
He had a hard-hit single and stole second in the second inning Saturday.
Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones looks on from from the dugout earlier in spring training. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Still, the 6-foot-7 Jones is coming off a season in which he whiffed 179 times in 506 plate appearances, an issue the Yankees remain hopeful will dissipate with more experience.
“Those are the challenges of being a big guy,’’ Boone said. “It’s a hard thing to figure out, but if you can do it, [that size is] a massive advantage.”
Judge is the best example of that, clearly. He turned 25 the year he set the rookie home run record in 2017.
Jones, the team’s first-round pick out of Vanderbilt in 2022, turns 25 in May.
“You’ve just got to figure out your mechanics,’’ Boone said of super-sized players. “It’s a challenging thing to do when you’re really big, but once you do, you have an advantage.”
That’s not what’s kept Domínguez back.
The switch-hitter has not blossomed from the right side yet — which helped lead to the Grichuk signing — and remains a work in progress in the outfield.
After Boone criticized some of his decision-making in the outfield Saturday, Domínguez threw out Washington’s José Tena, who was trying to stretch a single into a double in the third.
That’s not enough to unseat any of the starters — or Giancarlo Stanton at DH — but Boone said the situation hasn’t impacted Domínguez’s work.
“One of the things I appreciate about Jasson is how consistent a person he is,’’ Boone said. “He’s the same all the time. He has a good way about him. I’m not surprised, but I also think he continues to be a better pro. He’s done a good job.”
HOUSTON — For the first four innings of Saturday’s World Baseball Classic game, Team USA struggled to consistently generate offense while trailing Great Britain 1-0. It looked like an upset was brewing, until an unlikely hero stepped up.
The catalyst was infielder Ernie Clement, one of just two players in Saturday’s USA starting lineup who has never been named an MLB All-Star. At the plate with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Clement connected on a two-strike pitch and put it into play. Great Britain third baseman Ivan Johnson overthrew first base. Clement hustled and was safe at first, cracking the door open just wide enough for the Americans to start a rally.
Clement moved to third base on a Pete Crow-Armstrong double, then scored the USA’s tying run with gutsy baserunning when he slid home on a wild pitch. The door blasted off its hinges.
The USA scored five runs that inning, grabbing a lead it never relinquished in a 9-1 win against Great Britain at Daikin Park.
“To have that little spark – it started with Ernie there, a big hustle play to get to first base,” said Kyle Schwarber, who hit the USA’s go-ahead home run.
Clement, the Toronto Blue Jays utility man, scored three runs and hit 1-for-3 in the win. He took five plate appearances, saw 18 pitches and reached base four times courtesy of an error, a single, and two walks.
A team’s ceiling is often defined by its depth, which is exactly what Team USA manager Mark DeRosa had in mind when he recruited Clement as a plug-and-play infielder to join a roster that constitutes an embarrassment of riches.
“He’s deserving of being in that room,” DeRosa said. “(I) wanted to get Gunnar (Henderson) and him in the lineup. I felt like coming out of Arizona, I felt like everybody was worthy of a start. And wanted to get these guys rolling, and they deserve it.”
Saturday night’s gutsy performance further underscored Clement’s dramatic career transformation – from underproducing fringe player in danger of falling out of the majors to heroic playoff performer to Team USA contributor.
Following a miserable 2022 season in which he batted .184 in 69 games, Clement was not even in consideration for Team USA’s roster for the 2023 WBC. In fact, during the tournament, he was released by the A’s and two days later signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays.
“If you told me back then that I would be doing this, I would be pretty surprised,” Clement said. “But I’ve always believed in myself and I’ve always put the work in, and it’s nice to see it rewarded.”
Clement’s resume looks much different these days. He made his WBC debut coming off a record-setting 30-hit postseason for the 2025 American League champion Blue Jays, a season in which he was also nominated for Gold Glove awards at third base and the utility position.
And yet on paper, Clement was hardly the biggest threat on a USA team littered with league MVPs, Gold Glovers and Cy Young winners.
“You kind of run into, what All-Star is going to be in the lineup?” Great Britain manager Brad Marcelino said before Saturday’s game.
The USA started seven All-Stars. The two exceptions were outfielder Roman Anthony, the former top prospect who made his big-league debut in 2025, and Clement, the veteran two weeks shy of his 30th birthday.
Saturday was Clement’s first start of the WBC. He entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning and did not take a plate appearance in the USA’s opening win over Brazil on Friday. Against Great Britain, he started at second base and batted eighth in the lineup.
After grounding out his first time up, Clement took advantage of Great Britain’s throwing error.
“I’m trying to hustle as much as I can,” he said. “I saw the first baseman jump up and as soon as I see that, usually I try to slide, but it was so bang-bang. I’d already made up my mind.”
He was just as aggressive sliding headfirst to score on Andre Scrubb’s wild pitch that same inning. Leading off the bottom of the sixth, Clement lined a two-strike slider into left field for a single and later came home on Alex Bregman’s sacrifice fly. In the seventh inning, after getting on base with a walk, he scored again on another Bregman sacrifice fly – the final run of the game.
Team USA, and in particular clubhouse leaders Schwarber and captain Aaron Judge, have attempted to create a camaraderie absent of a hierarchy. The goal is to relieve the burden felt by the more experienced (and accomplished) players on the team and simultaneously empower everybody else.
“We don’t want to feel like anyone needs to do something extraordinary because this is a lineup of extraordinary people and a bullpen and a starting staff of extraordinary people,” Schwarber said. “We play for our country and play for our team and that’s all we care about.”
Clement’s background as a utility player who in his MLB career has played at seven different positions – including four games at pitcher, allowing six earned runs across four innings – demanded that he be prepared for a variety of scenarios.
“I’m just kind of going in with an open mind and being ready for anything because in these kinds of tournaments, really anything can happen,” Clement said.
