Category: Baseball

While most are not predicting the St. Louis Cardinals will not be a playoff-caliber team in 2026, the upcoming season is full of compelling storylines including many players who have the most to gain (or lose). There are several players who have a lot on the line in 2026.

The St. Louis Cardinals with the most obvious high stakes for the 2026 season are Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker. Both were given a lot of “runway” (there’s that word again) last season, but neither impressed with their results. I won’t say that it’s necessarily a last chance for either Gorman and/or Walker, but it would be hard to imagine the team moving forward with them if the 2026 results resemble what they didn’t accomplish in 2025.

JJ Wetherholt looks primed to possibly make the opening day roster for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2026 barring a performance problem in Spring Training. I view JJ as only having something to gain by establishing himself as a part of the future St. Louis Cardinals core. Even if he performs below the potential rookie of the year level some are predicting, I think he’ll be allowed to have time to make the adjustments needed to be a centerpiece for the Cardinals for the foreseeable.

I think the one Cardinal who stands the most to gain financially is Dustin May. If he bounces back from his injuries and becomes a solid mid-rotation starter again, he’ll be a valuable free agent if he declines the mutual option after the season with the Cardinals. Depending on how the St. Louis season goes, he could also be a prime trade deadline candidate for a contender if the Cardinals aren’t.

Masyn Winn could be viewed as a player that stands a lot to gain in 2026. For the first time in a year or two, Masyn is expected to start the season healthy. If he adds more offensive pop to his gold glove defense, he has the opportunity to be considered for a valuable long-term extension if he doesn’t seek more wealth in the free agent market a few years from now.

Alec Burleson is another player that could gain elevated status on the roster if he backs up his Silver Slugger performance of 2025. He signed a one-year $3.3 million dollar deal with the Cardinals for 2026 to avoid arbitration and is set to become a free agent after the 2028 season. The 2026 season could lead to several outcomes for Alec. He could be a trade deadline target, an extension possibility for the Cardinals or cash in on a nice free agent deal a few years from now if his bat continues to improve.

Matthew Liberatore has the chance to establish himself as a top of the rotation starter if he takes his game to the next level during the upcoming season. Riley O’Brien could develop into one of the NL’s top closers with a great 2026 although the mild calf strain he’s experienced already during Spring Training isn’t a great start. I could go on and on as the St. Louis Cardinals 2026 season is nothing if not a fertile field for opportunities. Who on the St. Louis Cardinals roster do you think has the most to gain or lose in 2026? The possibilities are nearly endless.

The offseason may be officially over, with the first slate of spring training games set to begin in just two days (!), but the Mariners aren’t done making moves, and they’ve brought back an old friend for at least the Cactus League.

There has been enough ink spilled about how Garver’s previous two years with Seattle didn’t live up to the expectations of his two-year, $24 million contract he was signed to on Christmas Eve 2023. After spending 2025 as Cal Raleigh’s backup, it was an easy call for the M’s to decline their end of his mutual option, despite a couple of fun moments in the postseason. Seattle brought aboard Andrew Knizner and Jhonny Pereda to round out the 40-man roster, and with the former being out of options, the Garv man looks to be on the outside looking in for the backup catcher gig.

That doesn’t mean he won’t get a good look this spring, though. With Cal Raleigh set to suit up for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Seattle will find itself in need of extra backstops for a good chunk of the Cactus League. Garver also has a leg up on the rest of the competition when it comes to familiarity with the Mariners’ pitching staff, with prominent hurlers like Andrés Muñoz and George Kirby previously citing his work with them as reasons for their success. While it’s currently unknown if his minor league deal contains an opt-out clause, it’s not out of the realm of possibility he sticks around with the Rainiers should he not break camp – after all, Tacoma needs catchers, too.

It’s a mild surprise that Mitch Garver couldn’t find a big league deal elsewhere. Despite his multi-year struggles, he was still a capable option against left-handed pitching, and settled in nicely as the second-string catcher after the plan of deploying him as a primary DH went off the rails. In any case, he’ll be a solid addition to the club’s catching depth for now, and his previous work with Seattle’s pitching corps could stand a decent chance at rubbing off on Knizner and Pereda.

PHOENIX — Bruce Meyer, the tenacious veteran litigator who has been the Major League Baseball Player Association’s lead negotiator, was voted unanimously Wednesday by the players to be their interim executive director, replacing Tony Clark.

Meyer, who was promoted to be the union’s deputy executive director in 2022, has been MLB’s public enemy since he joined the union in 2018. He frequently has clashed on even small agenda items with MLB, which has accused him of being bad for baseball.

Meyer, 64, is considered the union’s most fierce litigator since the days of Don Fehr and Gene Orza, and once again Wednesday expressed his deep resentment towards MLB’s hopes for a salary cap, believing that a lockout Dec. 1 is inevitable when the collective bargaining agreement expires.

“A lockout is all but guaranteed at the end of the agreement,’’ Meyer said Wednesday afternoon after meeting with the Chicago Cubs, and spending the morning with the Kansas City Royals. “The league has pretty much said that. Their strategy in bargaining has always been to put as much pressure on players as they can to try and create divisions and cracks among our membership.

“It never worked. I don’t think it will ever work.’’

Meyer, who said he will continue to be the lead negotiator, said that he and his staff have a duty to the players to listen to whatever MLB offers, but showed his disdain towards even entertaining a salary cap.

“Our position and the historic position of this union for decades on the salary cap is well known,’’ Meyer said. “It’s the ultimate restriction. It is something that owners in all the sports have wanted more than anything, and in baseball in particular. There’s a reason for that, because it’s good for them and not the players.’’

Meyer, even with the sudden resignation of Clark over an inappropriate relationship with a union employee, insisted Wednesday morning there is no disarray among the union ranks, and its resolve remains strong.

“I think anybody who's going to assume that and act on that,’’ Meyer said, “is really making a mistake. I'm not going to say (the timing of Clark’s resignation) is a great thing. This is unforeseen. There have been some issues hanging over (him), and in some respects, it's good to get them out of the way sooner rather than later.’’

Who is Bruce Meyer?

Meyer, while respected for his fierceness, does have his detractors. There was an attempt to remove him from the office two years ago, an effort led by attorney Harry Marino, who organized the efforts to have minor leaguers unionized. It failed when Clark came to Meyer’s defense.

The eight-person executive subcommittee pushed for Meyer to be voted as the executive director in their meeting Tuesday, but after pushback by at least three players on the call, no vote was taken. The larger group of 72 players, including player representatives from all 30 teams, decided to reconvene at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday after polling their own teammates. If Meyer didn’t receive enough support, they likely would have turned to Matt Nussbaum, the union’s general counsel who was promoted to interim deputy executive director, Meyer’s previous title.

Now, Meyer, who previously worked as a senior adviser at the NHL players union and was a partner at the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, will be running the whole show, much to MLB’s fear.

When the 99-day lockout ended in 2022, and the rank-and-file voted to accept MLB’s last proposal, Meyer sympathized with the executive council who wanted to continue negotiations, even if it meant losing games.

“Some players emerged from bargaining disappointed that we did not accomplish more,’’ Meyer said in a letter to players two years ago, “and in particular that we did not miss games to see if more gains could be made. To be clear, I sympathized and still do with these players and this position.’’

Meyer, who becomes the seventh executive director of the union, expects negotiations with MLB to begin in April on the next CBA, and just like the last round, tranquility will not be on anyone’s bingo card.

“I'd say I'm known as a tough litigator who also knows how to make deals when necessary,’’ Meyer said in a Q&A with the MLBPA newsletter. “In the sports area I've been involved in just about every type of issue, including labor, antitrust, licensing, collective bargaining and others. But the common thread is I have a passion for player advocacy and defending player rights.’’

Let the negotiations, with plenty of rancor, begin.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLBPA selects Bruce Meyer as interim boss after Tony Clark resignation

The Sox weren’t the only thing left red in Boston after a three-part saga over a jersey design mishap.

The team acknowledged issues with its 2026 home jerseys on Wednesday, with some of the front of the D in Red and S in Sox stitched directly over the red piping coming down the center of the top. Normally, there is a little separation between the two areas, and the mistake has been less noticeable on the all-red spring training uniform top. 

Nike’s iconic swoosh on the right shoulder was much closer to red piping compared to last season, and the piping itself was much higher around the neck.  

Boston only added to the woes by addressing the mistakes and concerns about the uniform in a statement, then in an amended statement and then an additional clarification on where the blame lies for the snafu.

“As part of Major League Baseball’s return to the 2023 jersey template, we approved a design for our home white jerseys that, once produced and seen in person, we felt there should be more spacing between the lettering and piping,” the Red Sox said in their first statement. “In collaboration with MLB and Fanatics, we’re adjusting the home whites to achieve this separation. The updated jerseys will be ready for Opening Day.”

The since-deleted post was replaced with a new statement — and an additional classification — that seems to be an attempt to take Fanatics, which produces MLB’s on-field jerseys, off the hook for the error.

The phrases “which Fanatics produced exactly to our specs” and “We are grateful to our partners for their ongoing support” were added to the second official statement. 

The Red Sox just made an updated statement (right) about their uniforms, with a notable difference from the original (left): pic.twitter.com/gT5PRKnoqY

— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) February 18, 2026

The Red Sox’s official X account later replied to its own post to further back Fanatics.

“To be clear, the original design was selected by the Red Sox. Fanatics executed to our specifications and has been an outstanding partner throughout,” the team wrote. “They deserve no blame and we are grateful to them for making the new jerseys in time for Opening Day.”

The changes and additions brought plenty of backlash from fans and the team’s handling of it, including Barstool Sports founder and avid Boston sports fan Dave Portnoy.

“Did the Red Sox just post and delete a tweet saying their Fanatics jerseys sucked?” he wrote in a quote post with three laughing emojis.

Portnoy also added a meme of John Krasinski from “The Office” with the caption: “Okay…Yeah Sure.”

The Red Sox are trying to improve on an 89-73 campaign that saw them get bounced from the playoffs in the wild-card round by the rival Yankees. 

The Cactus League is upon us! Baseball is here!

It’s an especially exciting time for San Francisco Giants fans. Not only do we get our first glimpse of how the team will perform under the leadership of trailblazing manager Tony Vitello, but we also get to see tons of exciting prospects in action. The Giants farm system is stronger than at any point in recent memory, and opportunities will be in abundance, given that the organization is sending a cavalry — including their entire starting outfield — to the World Baseball Classic.

Thankfully, preseason baseball is modernizing. Not only is every Cactus League stadium now equipped with Statcast gear, but there are more televised games that starved-for-baseball Giants fans have grown accustomed to. So here’s the complete schedule for the preseason, with dates, times, and, most importantly, TV schedules. Some of the games listed as being broadcast by the Giants will be available to those with access to NBC Sports Bay Area, while others will be a webcast online. The games broadcast by the opposing team can be watched on MLB TV (subscription required, with exceptions noted) or, depending on the broadcast, online.

So here it is, friends! All the baseball!

• Saturday, February 21at Mariners(Peoria)
  • 12:10 p.m. PT
  • Mariners webcast (free on MLB TV)
  • Mariners radio
• Sunday, February 22 vs. Cubs (Scottsdale)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • Giants webcast
  • Giants radio
• Monday, February 23 vs. Athletics (Scottsdale)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and A’s radio
• Tuesday, February 24 at Angels split squad (Tempe)
  • 12:10 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and Angels radio
• Wednesday, February 25 at Brewers (Phoenix)
  • 12:10 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and Brewers radio
• Thursday, February 26 vs. Rockies (Scottsdale)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants radio
• Friday, February 27 vs. Dodgers (Scottsdale)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • Dodgers TV broadcast and Giants webcast
  • Giants and Dodgers radio
• Saturday, February 28 at Athletics (Mesa)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and A’s radio
• Sunday, March 1 vs. Padres (Scottsdale)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • Giants webcast
  • Giants and Padres radio
• Monday, March 2 at White Sox (Phoenix)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and White Sox radio
• Tuesday, March 3 vs. Team USA (Scottsdale)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • ESPN broadcast
  • Giants radio
• Wednesday, March 4 vs. Mariners (Scottsdale)
  • 6:05 p.m. PT
  • Giants and Mariners TV broadcast
  • Mariners radio
• Friday, March 6 vs. Reds (Scottsdale)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and Reds radio
• Saturday, March 7 split squad vs. Rangers (Scottsdale)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • Giants TV broadcast
  • Giants and Rangers radio
• Saturday, March 7 split squad at Diamondbacks (Scottsdale)
  • 12:10 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • D-Backs radio
• Sunday, March 8 at Cubs (Mesa)
  • 1:05 p.m. PT
  • Cubs TV broadcast
  • Giants and Cubs radio
• Monday, March 9 vs. Angels (Scottsdale)
  • 1:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and Angels radio
• Tuesday, March 10 at Guardians (Goodyear)
  • 1:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and Guardians radio
• Wednesday, March 11 at Royals split squad (Surprise)
  • 1:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and Royals radio
• Thursday, March 12 vs. White Sox (Scottsdale)
  • 6:05 p.m. PT
  • Giants TV broadcast
  • No radio
• Friday, March 13 split squad vs. Reds split squad (Scottsdale)
  • 4:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants radio
• Friday, March 13 split squad at Reds split squad (Goodyear)
  • 6:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Reds radio
• Saturday, March 14 vs. Diamondbacks (Scottsdale)
  • 1:05 p.m. PT
  • Giants TV broadcast
  • Giants and D-Backs radio
• Sunday, March 15 vs. Brewers (Scottsdale)
  • 1:05 p.m. PT
  • Giants webcast
  • Giants and Brewers radio
• Monday, March 16 at Padres (Peoria)
  • 1:10 p.m. PT
  • Padres TV broadcast
  • Giants and Padres radio
• Wednesday, March 18 at Dodgers (Phoenix)
  • 1:05 p.m. PT
  • Dodgers TV broadcast
  • Giants and Dodgers radio
• Thursday, March 19 Spring Breakout: Giants prospects vs. Reds prospects (Scottsdale)
  • 1:05 p.m. PT
  • MLB.com broadcast (not yet announced, but likely)
  • No radio
• Thursday, March 19 at Rockies (Scottsdale)
  • 1:10 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • No radio
• Friday, March 20 split squad at Rangers (Surprise)
  • 5:05 p.m. PT
  • Rangers TV broadcast
  • Rangers radio
• Friday, March 20 split squad vs. Royals (Scottsdale)
  • 5:05 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants and Royals radio
• Saturday, March 21 vs. Guardians (Scottsdale)
  • 12:05 p.m. PT
  • Giants webcast
  • Giants radio
• Sunday, March 22 at River Cats [Giants AAA affiliate] (Sacramento)
  • 5:07 p.m. PT
  • No TV broadcast
  • Giants radio
• Monday, March 23 vs. Sultanes [Mexican League] (San Francisco)
  • 6:45 p.m. PT
  • Giants TV broadcast
  • Giants radio
• Tuesday, March 24 vs. Sultanes [Mexican League] (San Francisco)
  • 6:45 p.m. PT
  • Giants TV broadcast
  • Giants radio

And then it’s off to the races! Less than 24 hours after that final exhibition against Sultanes, the Giants will be hosting the New York Yankees in the first game of the 2026 MLB season.

As always, the broadcast and radio schedule can change. I’ll try to update this article as it does.

Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt said Major League Baseball potentially implementing a salary cap “doesn’t fix anything” as the possibility of a lockout looms after the 2026 season.

Bassitt, who signed a one-year, $18.5 million contract with Baltimore last week, was among eight players named to the Major League Baseball Players Association’s executive subcommittee in December 2024 — a role that places him at the center of labor discussions as the collective bargaining agreement nears expiration.

“The salary cap doesn’t fix anything,” Bassitt, 36, said Wednesday, according to the Baltimore Banner. “If you look at every major sport that has a salary cap, we have the best parity. The salary cap is not the issue. Having suppressed salaries across the league so owners can make more money is not the answer.”

MLB owners are expected to push for a salary cap “no matter what it takes” when the current CBA expires in December, a source told The Athletic last month.

Talks of a possible lockout accelerated this offseason when the reigning back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers added star outfielder Kyle Tucker on a $240 million contract.

Los Angeles’ projected luxury tax payroll for 2026 is an MLB-leading $410,771,686, per Cot’s Contracts, which is larger than the bottom four payroll clubs combined.

Beyond the Dodgers, the Mets’ three-year, $126 million signing of Bo Bichette “raised dander” across the sport — fueling speculation that New York and Los Angeles could be the organizations opposed to a salary cap, per The Athletic.

A veteran of 11 MLB seasons, Bassitt insisted that MLB’s parity, even with lavish spending by the Dodgers and Mets, is superior to the other major sports.

“Like, if I tell you in 25 years, the Dodgers will be going to 10 World Series and winning seven of them, is that an issue?” Bassitt said. “Because that’s the [New England] Patriots. The Chiefs have been to six or seven [Super Bowls]. The Philadelphia Eagles have been to four or five. The parity in our sport is better than any other sport.

“So, we will make changes to try to help the so-called bottom teams out, but a salary cap and suppressing salaries and taking from players to try to help the so-called bottom teams spend more, that is not the answer, because again, if you’re trying to make a competitive league across the board, we have proof that every single league has less parity than ours.”

The union’s labor fight saw an unexpected twist Tuesday when MLBPA executive director Tony Clark shockingly resigned over reports of an alleged inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law.

Clark’s abrupt ouster left the union without a key voice ahead of the critical labor discussions, but several player reps have downplayed the situation.

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal does not think Clark’s exit “has any impact on negotiating,” while Yankees representative Austin Wells said the players “have a lot of confidence in our executive subcommittee” as the MLBPA looks to name an interim executive director.

Bassitt praised Clark on Tuesday for his role in helping “grow the game” but echoed his fellow players’ sentiments.

“I understand that there’s a sense…there’s weakness all of a sudden,” Bassitt said. “The reality is, no matter who’s in charge, our strength is the players and I don’t think for a second that has changed. We will continue to fight and protect our rights.”

Good evening! Hope it’s been a good day for you so far. Here’s a random clip:

I was about to say we finished with the pitchers, but since our previous installment, the D-backs added a couple of further players on minor-league contracts, with spring training invites. While they don’t yet appear on the team’s official page of non-roster invitees, I figure I should catch up with these before I forget, and we’ll then move on to the catchers who are NRIs.

Joe Ross

This right-handed pitcher was a first-round pick (25th overall) by the Padres back in 2011, and comes with more than 500 innings at the MLB level, acquired across eight seasons. He also had a World Series ring, won in 2019 with the Nationals Last year, he was with the Phillies and made 37 appearances with a 5.12 ERA and a K:BB of 39:18 across 51 innings, before being released by them in late August. That’s not especially impressive, so I feel like he is going to be depth in Reno this year, unless he really impresses in Spring Training. He has had his career interrupted by various injuries, including a pair of Tommy John procedures, but seemed healthy enough in 2025.

Oscar Mercado

Though born in Venezuela, Mercado was part of the MLB draft, being picked in 2011 by the Cardinals. He was subsequently traded to the Indians, and debuted for them is 2019, with a solid campaign which got some down-ballot Rookie of the Year acknowledgment. But it has been a replacement-level struggle since, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since July 2023, back with the Cardinals. He spent last year in Triple- A with the Phillies, where he had a line of .249/.369/.373 for a .741 OPS across 115 games. Mercado turned 31 in December,but given the shortage of outfielders on the 40-man roster, I don’t mind seeing

And now, onto the catchers.

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Aramis Garcia (35)

That name might be vaguely familiar. He did appear for the Diamondbacks last year, but very much in a “blink and you’ll miss it capacity,” being selected, making a single appearance and then being designated for assignment twice in the month of June. The team then signed James McCann as a better backup, and Garcia stayed in Triple-A the rest of the way. There, he was the Reno Aces most regular catcher, appearing in 56 games there. He re-signed with Arizona in November, and will likely remain in a similar position of emergency catcher, tucked away behind a plate of glass in Reno, with a hammer conveniently to hand.

Gavin Logan (94)

Canadian alert! Logan was born in the wonderfully-named Medicine Hat, and was a ninth-round pick by the D-backs in 2022. He racked up the frequent flyer miles in 2025, changing levels four times between mid-June and mid-August. He initially bypassed Double-A, jumping straight from High-A to Triple A not once, but twice, before ending the season in Amarillo. Across all three levels the catcher, who turned 26 last month, posted a .754 OPS, and hit eight home-runs in 65 games, including the grand-slam above for Reno. He’ll likely start the year again in Amarillo, with the aim of getting a more permanent promotion by the end of the year.

Matt O’Neill (66)

This will be O’Neill’s first year outside the Mets organization, which originally selected him in the 20th round of the 2019 draft. Last year, Matt split time between Double-A and Triple-A, with an overall line of .231/.335/.343 for an OPS of .678. That’s actually his highest figure since the year he was drafted, and it’s very unlikely he is going to see major-league playing time this year. If he does, a lot has gone very wrong for Arizona. But the news that Adrian Del Castillo is struggling with a calf injury, and is likely to miss Opening Day, does emphasize the importance of depth at this position.

PHOENIX –– In the middle of their Camelback Ranch clubhouse Wednesday afternoon, the Dodgers laid out a stack of shirts commemorating their 18-inning victory in Game 3 of last year’s World Series.

Across the front of the blue tees, the four heroes of the game were displayed: Teoscar Hernández, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and, yes, Will Klein.

“It’s kind of been like a 180,” Klein joked about how much his life has changed since that night. “You can see the social media, fan stuff. But just on the personal side, there’s more confidence. Seeing myself do that kind of built a foundation to keep going.”

Indeed, when Klein arrived at spring training last week, he found himself in a peculiar spot: A postseason legend on one hand, after throwing four scoreless innings as the last man standing in the Dodgers’ bullpen during that marathon Game 3 triumph; but also, a fringe roster candidate on the team’s loaded pitching staff, trying to parlay his brief moment of playoff glory into a more established big-league job.

In this boat, Klein is not alone.

Entering camp, several other standouts from last year’s World Series run also found themselves battling for roster spots –– including Justin Wrobleski, the left-handed swingman who pitched five scoreless innings in last year’s World Series, and Edgardo Henriquez, the hard-throwing right-hander who provided two scoreless innings in Game 3 of the Fall Classic.

A week ago, all of their roles for 2026 seemed uncertain.

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But now, injuries elsewhere on the roster are giving them renewed opportunities.

In the bullpen, the Dodgers will start this season missing several key arms. Evan Phillips is recovering from Tommy John surgery and won’t be back until midseason. Brock Stewart is recovering from a shoulder surgery he had in September and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Brusdar Graterol was also ruled out for the start of the campaign on Wednesday, with manager Dave Roberts saying the team is keeping him on “an intentionally slow build-up” process as he returns from a 2025 season lost to his own shoulder procedure.

Suddenly, there is a lane for Klein and Henriquez to not only make the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster but also serve potentially important roles in the early part of the season.

After closer Edwin Díaz, the team’s next-best righty reliever is veteran Blake Treinen, who is coming off a career-worst season in 2025.

Roberts voiced optimism in Treinen bouncing back this year, saying the 37-year-old still has “a lot in the tank” and that his early spring bullpens have been “as good as I’ve seen him throw the baseball in a while.”

Still, the Dodgers will need more right-handed depth. Ben Casparius figures to be part of the solution, having transitioned to a full-time relief role this year. But Klein (who had a 5.16 ERA in 22 career MLB appearances before last year’s playoffs) and Henriquez (a 2.42 ERA in 25 career outings prior to last October) might now have a pathway to more impact contributions themselves.

“I’m still the same guy, like I need to work and earn a spot and all that,” Klein said. “But on the mound, in games, there’s a little bit more (confidence) than I’ve had in the past. Like, I know I can do all this. I’ve seen myself do 10 times harder stuff.”

Wrobleski has an opening of his own this spring. Five weeks from Opening Day, the Dodgers are already facing several rotation questions, with Blake Snell taking things slow after last year’s shoulder injury and Ohtani facing a build-up that will be complicated by his participation in next month’s World Baseball Classic.

Thus, the Dodgers will look for extra starting depth this spring –– giving the 25-year-old Wrobleski, who was needed more in relief duty last season but is still seen as a high-upside starter long term, the chance to compete for a potential rotation spot.

Last season, Wrobleski’s two starts did not go well. He gave up eight runs over five innings in a dispiriting outing in Washington in April. He was tagged with four more runs in a six-inning loss to the Cardinals two months later.

After that, however, the left-hander found success in the bullpen, pitching to a 3.17 ERA over his final 25 appearances (including the playoffs) while showcasing an uptick in velocity and command.

“I think his ability to grow and mature and learn how to harness his stuff and compete in those moments will serve him well as he tries to navigate a lineup two, three times,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “So he’ll certainly be a candidate (to pitch in the rotation).”

It’s all part of the Dodgers’ ever-changing roster puzzle this spring, in which even old October saviors are having to compete to carve out their roster spots.

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

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

Did the Astros blow it?

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

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 18, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now they may find themselves without a choice.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hernández recalls the conversation with Roberts being short.

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

Yoshinobu Yamamoto to start either Saturday or Sunday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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

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

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

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

Griffin Canning

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

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

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

Germán Márquez

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

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

Walker Buehler

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

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

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

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