Feb 11, 2026; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jorge Alcala (65) throws a bullpen session for spring training practice at Blue Jays Player Development Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
On Monday, Tom and I asked your thoughts about the Jays’ most exciting and most concerning moves (or non-moves) of the winter. Now, how do you think they did overall? I’m sure the vibes would have been better on this question 48 hours ago, before we knew that Anthony Santander was out for most of the season and that Shane Bieber had the dreaded forearm tightness. But then it makes the Cody Ponce signing and the decision not to try to trade Nathan Lukes both look pretty wise. I’m happy overall. The pitching is better and deeper, and while they didn’t get a big bat, Kazuma Okamoto has interesting upside and fits into the roster. On paper they’re better than the team that came within a run of winning the World Series in November. Of course, a lot had to break right for them to get that far, and would have to do so again. That’s kind of always the case. But I don’t see a roster in the American League that’s better than theirs. What do you think? Did they do enough? Or are there holes that they’ll regret not addressing?
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 11: Chase Dollander #78 of the Colorado Rockies looks on while warming up before a bullpen at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 11, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spring training is finally upon us as pitchers and catchers began reporting this week with the Colorado Rockies joining the party on Thursday. This means we’ll be getting our first look at the new-look Rockies after a busy offseason that saw them remake their entire front office and coaching staff. The next step is figuring out their roster for both 2026 and beyond, and that step starts tomorrow.
So, with action getting underway, let’s explore some storylines to follow for pitchers and catchers in Rockies camp.
New faces, new philosophies
Pitching has always been both an emphasis of the Rockies and the bane of their existence. They’ve tried to mitigate the issue as much as possible, including opening a dedicated pitching lab at their spring training complex in early 2024.
After a disastrous 2025 that featured one of the worst team pitching staffs in MLB history, overhauling the pitching department was priority number one, the revamped coaching staff features Alon Leichman as the pitching coach, Gabe Ribas as assistant pitching coach, Matt Buschmann as the bullpen coach and Matt Daniels as the director of pitching.
President of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta, along with Leichman, has talked at length about the need to become innovative and experimental in developing a winning pitching strategy for Colorado. What exactly will that look like? Well, that’s what to look for in spring training. The Rockies have kept their intentions close to the chest, but once games get underway, we’ll likely see some of their ideas come to fruition. We know they want to help pitchers, particularly starters, expand their arsenals while also encouraging pitchers to pound the zone and stop nibbling.
So, sequencing and perhaps new pitches will become more evident for the arms the team deploys. We could also see the team try out pitch calling from the dugout, utilize openers and bridge arms to figure out new roles that could play a part in 2026. The new pitching brain trust has a lot on its plate, and spring training will their first crucial chance to set the tone for the year.
Who fills out the rotation?
After a rough year in 2025, the rotation had plenty of questions heading into the new season. Kyle Freeland will surely lead the group, but it was a little less certain after that. The team solidified the rotation with the signing of Michael Lorenzen, who is eager to take on Coors Field, and also signed veteran Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano and veteran lefty Jose Quintana yesterday. With those four filling up the rotation, that leaves roughly one more spot up for grabs in camp.
It stands to reason that Ryan Feltner will be the one to win the spots. Injuries limited Feltner to just a handful of starts in April last season, preventing the Rockies from seeing if he could build up his excellent second half in 2024. Can he return healthy and be a significant boon for the rotation?
Chase Dollander made his MLB debut in April and had an up-and-down season. He performed well on the road but struggled at home, as is to be expected from a first-year pitcher at Coors Field. His storyline will be one to follow during the season with the revamped coaching staff. Can the 2023 ninth-overall pick take a big step forward in 2026?
Tanner Gordon will also be up for a rotation spot after figuring some things out near the end of 2025 and posting some big wins against notable teams in big spots. Will it have been enough to garner a spot over someone like Dollander?
The team has also brought in a varied number of arms capable of starting, like Pierson Ohl and Keegan Thompson, who could fit into the rotation if needed, while looking towards the bullpen. Prospects like Sean Sullivan and Gabriel Hughes will also have a chance to make a strong impression and position themselves for a promotion this season.
The rotation needs to take a massive step forward in 2026, and the additions of Lorenzen and Sugano give the Rockies a pair of arms that have a deep pitch-mix and will be interesting to watch in camp while the younger arms try to prove their mettle.
The bullpen bunch
While the rotation is a little more clear-cut, the bullpen has become increasingly crowded heading into spring training. The arm barn was certainly a strong suit for the Rockies in 2025, and its depth was expanded even more during the offseason. That means there will be plenty of opportunities to battle for spots for the Opening Day roster.
Perhaps the most intriguing player to watch is R.J. Petit, the Rockies’ first overall selection in the Rule-5 Draft back in December. Petit is a mountain of a man who was well-regarded in the Detroit Tigers system. He is viewed as a power reliever who could become a bulk reliever. He has to be carried on the 26-man roster or be offered back to the Tigers, so the pressure is on for him to earn his keep to start the season.
Beyond that, the swath of veterans on minor league deals will be interesting to watch, particularly the addition of John Brebbia, who would seem like a prime candidate to break camp. The youth of the bullpen was a strength, but the team is likely hoping to hedge its bets in protecting some of those that may need more development time in the minors if spring training doesn’t quite go their way.
All eyes will also be on pitchers like Seth Halvorsen, who missed the latter part of the season with injury. Can those who dealt with some injuries rebound and replicate some success after the heavy workload in 2025?
The role of a long reliever seems to be prevalent coming into camp. Thompson and Ohl can easily fit that role, but the team also has Antonio Senzatela earning $12 million in his final guaranteed year with the club. Having multiple long reliever/swingman-type players seems like a useful tool, but how will it shake out with who is available? Senzatela seems like it’s do-or-die time for the veteran righty after losing his starting spot last season.
Suffice it to say that the bullpen is primed for some interesting battles in camp.
Who backs up Goodman?
We know Hunter Goodman is going to be the catcher come Opening Day, pending any sort of injury or drastic move. However, the backup position is a little less certain, at least in the sense that there will be some competition.
Braxton Fulford seems the easy bet after his debut last season and brings the tool of speed to his game, something manager Warren Schaeffer likes. However, his bat struggled, and the defense was a little lacking, leaving the window open for an alternative option.
The team brought in Brett Sullivan and Kyle McCann on minor league deals, both of whom have good reputations with the glove behind the dish. Prospects Bryant Betancourt and Cole Messina will also audition in camp, but it’s not expected that either of them will crack the big league roster.
What does stand out is that three of the four non-roster invites are left-handed batters. The Rockies have made an effort to add more left-handed hitting options this offseason and catchers have been no different. If there was a player to watch, it would be McCann, who had a solid rookie campaign in 2024 but missed all of 2025. However, a .319/.450/.611 slash in the Mexican League could be what he needed to propel himself back in a big league role with the Rockies, providing a quality left-handed backup for Goodman.
Fulford has the inside track, but the team will have to figure out if he will be better suited playing every day in Albuquerque or playing every couple of days with the big league squad. It’s a small pool of players, but the catching battles will be interesting.
Conclusion
2026 is going to be an incredibly interesting year for Rockies pitching. The experimentations and new faces will help shape the pitching strategy for a team that plays half its games at an unforgiving ballpark. Spring training has a lot of questions surrounding a 119-loss team and that can only foster some innovation and problem-solving to make sure that never happens again.
Pitchers are ready to embrace the challenge and long-tenured players like Freeland are ready to try anything if it wins, winning more games as a team. And then, seeing how the catchers fit into the mold of not only improving their offensive and defensive games, but also how they handle this pitching staff is going to be huge.
Next week, we’ll look at some position player storylines once they report to camp. What other pitching and catching storylines are you looking for this year? What player do you think needs to have a great spring training? Continue the discussion below!
There is, I suspect, very little doubt about the top and bottom of the division. The Dodgers are prohibitive favorites – around 7-1 on at the sports books – to win the NL West for the thirteenth time in the past fourteen years, as well as the fifth season in a row. At the other end, the Rockies finished 2025 a whopping thirty-seven games behind the fourth-place D-backs. They will probably be better this year – if only because it’d be very difficult for them to be worse – but they ain’t making up that deficit. In the middle, though? Things get a lot more murky. What do you think?
Rank the division, honestly. Who’s real, who’s fake, and who’s lying to themselves?
It’s between the D-backs, Giants and Padres for second, third and fourth, and I don’t feel like any order of those three teams for those three spots would particularly surprise me. If you want some objective measures, FanDuel has the projected win totals as Padres 84½, Giants 81½ and Diamondbacks 79½. Fangraphs has them at Giants 82.3, Diamondbacks 80.9 and Padres 79.9. Baseball Prospectus? Giants 82.3, Padres 81.3 and Diamondbacks all the way down at 77.1. But not particularly consistent there either. So how are you feeling, as we stand at the very start of spring training.
How would you rank the three teams, between the juggernaut-like Dodgers and paper airplane Rockies? Bonus points for explaining your working…
Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer and General Manager Carter Hawkins met with media in Mesa, Arizona Wednesday, which was also the day that Cubs pitchers and catchers officially reported for Spring Training at the Sloan Park complex, though many players have been in camp already for a couple of weeks.
There wasn’t any real news made at this presser. Most of it was just reiterating things that were said at the Cubs Convention, or over the winter in general.
Many Cubs fans, myself included, felt that the 2025 season was sort of like where the Cubs were after 2015, a team that went pretty far but had “unfinished business.” That was exactly the term Hoyer used in describing the atmosphere in Mesa. He said, “Expectations are high, which is great. The excitement in camp is palpable, players and coaches are excited about our group.”
Clearly, it’s not an exact comparison. The 2016 team was widely considered to be a World Series favorite and came through. The 2026 Cubs, while a serious contender, aren’t quite perceived in that way. Nevertheless, I personally think the Cubs have as good a chance as any to win it all this year.
Hoyer was asked whether the team was still looking at signing players, and he said that he is still on the phone with agents about guys who have yet to sign. But when Bruce Levine asked a question that appeared to specifically be about Zac Gallen (and you might have seen some recent Gallen-to-the-Cubs rumors), he said, “I’m not going to address specific free agents.”
You can read that however you want, but I’m pretty sure the Cubs aren’t signing Gallen to an eight-year deal (which is one rumor that spread on social media recently). Hoyer did add that they feel the team is in a good place to add at the deadline, if needed.
Hoyer and Hawkins talked about the way the Cubs Pitch Lab has worked well to make pitchers “the best version of themselves,” as Hawkins put it. He specifically referenced Matthew Boyd and the improvements Boyd made last year, and feels the same thing could be done with Hunter Harvey, who has had recent seasons ruined by injuries.
It was noted that Justin Steele, who is throwing bullpen sessions, won’t be ready for Opening Day. That’s something I think all of us pretty much knew already. I would expect Steele to be placed on the 60-day injured list today, which is the first day he’s eligible for that placement (it’s the day for each team when pitchers and catchers report). This would make Steele eligible to return in mid-April, but I don’t think he’ll be ready by then and I believe the Cubs will not rush him back.
Further to that, Hoyer noted the additional starting pitching acquisitions made this offseason as a way to address the way the rotation got “thin” at the end of the season and in the postseason. In addition to Boyd, Cade Horton, Jameson Taillon, Edward Cabrera and Shōta Imanaga, who will be the five rotation starters on Opening Day, the Cubs have Colin Rea in the pen as a potential swingman, and Javier Assad and Steele as guys who could join the rotation later on, as well as a potential Horton-like promotion of Jaxon Wiggins sometime during the season.
So that would make the Cubs at least nine deep for rotation options, not even counting a potential mid-season acquisition.
There were a few comments made about Matt Shaw and his playing some outfield, with Hawkins saying, “He will put in the work needed,” and about Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch taking steps forward and that those two also know what they need to do in order to continue the progress they made last year.
Lastly, Hoyer was asked about the World Baseball Classic and whether the 12 Cubs who are going to play in the tournament would be a “disadvantage” to the team. He said it was anything but that, it was “fun” to watch the WBC and it gives an opportunity for minor league free agents to play. He was especially excited for Seiya Suzuki to go and play for Samurai Japan, because Suzuki suffered an injury just before the last WBC in 2023. You might recall that Samurai Japan dedicated their win to Suzuki and held up his jersey during their title celebration.
The first Cubs full-squad workout will come on Monday, when team Chairman Tom Ricketts usually addresses the team, and the first game is a week from Friday.
It’s not there at the time of this post but the entire Hoyer/Hawkins presser should be available on the Marquee YouTube channel sometime later today.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 26: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees poses for a picture before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on September 26, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It has been 469 days since we last saw Gerrit Cole on an MLB mound, and it won’t be that much longer before the Yankees’ ace makes his triumphant return. After missing an entire season to Tommy John surgery, it is uncertain whether we can still consider him to be the Yankees’ ace, but there is no doubting that he remains the leader of the staff and one of the top voices in the clubhouse. Knowing his competitive spirit and the resulting desire to erase the mistakes made in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, I am choosing to remain bullish on Cole’s projections for 2026.
2025 Stats: Missed season due to Tommy John surgery
Cole injured his elbow in spring training last year — the same elbow that suffered nerve inflammation in 2024, costing him the first half of the season but determined to not require surgical intervention at that point — and underwent complete UCL reconstruction including an internal brace procedure on March 11, 2025. He was provided a 14-month recovery timetable at that point and the most recent reports confirm that he is right on schedule. He began his throwing program last August and threw his first bullpen at the start of November, with he and the team continuing to target an early-June return, though late-May is not out of the question.
Cole’s projections reflect that initial two-month absence as well as the expected rust for a pitcher coming off his first major surgery. ZiPS expects his ERA and FIP to hover just below four, which would be his worst marks as a Yankee, accompanied by the worst strikeout-minus-walk ratio (16.5-percent) since his final season with the Pirates.
It’s not just the return from injury that underlies this diminished performance. We had already begun to see a transformation in Cole’s pitcher profile prior to his injury. He lost about a mile per hour off his average fastball velocity in each of his last two seasons, though we can’t say whether this is age-related loss of stuff or an intentional effort on Cole’s part to save bullets for the grind of a long season with a further eye toward preserving longevity into his late-30s.
His first few seasons in pinstripes, Cole still pitched like the bulldog that was unleashed in Houston, looking to bully every hitter he faced into submission. The strikeouts flowed in bunches from this approach, but he was also prone to the long ball when he would stubbornly try to throw the ball by the hitter rather than pitch to a spot. However, in 2023 and 2024, he shifted his focus from hunting strikeouts to hunting early outs on harmless contact. Indeed, the strikeouts began to dry up, but so did the home runs as Cole improved his barrel and hard-hit rates, culminating in his best season with the Yankees from a run prevention standpoint and his long-elusive Cy Young award in 2023. All this being said, all these data points are at least two years old, and we simply will not know what Cole is capable of until he starts throwing in live game situations.
That’s the leading problem when it comes to Cole: uncertainty. We just don’t have enough data points to project with any clarity what his 2026 will look like. How do you project a starter who hasn’t thrown a pitch in MLB since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series? How do you project someone with just a 95-inning sample size over the last two seasons, when most recent performance is the best predictor of future outcomes? How do you project how his body will respond now at the age of 35 coming off the first Tommy John surgery — and first arm surgery of any kind — of his career?
The error bars are so wide that it really feels like anything is possible. His pedigree as the former best pitcher in all of baseball might lull you into a false sense of security when it comes to his floor and allows you to dream of a ceiling as a Cy Young candidate. On the other hand, there is a legitimate chance he pitches less than half the season should he encounter a delay at any stage of his rehab.
If the Yankees are searching for a kernel of hope, they might look to Justin Verlander as the ideal outcome for Cole. Verlander underwent Tommy John surgery on September 30, 2020, and missed the entirety of the 2021 campaign. He made his return to an MLB mound on April 9, 2022, having thrown just six big league innings since the end of the 2019 season. He blew every expectation out of the water, making 28 starts with a 1.75 ERA, 2.49 FIP, 185 strikeouts, and 6.1 fWAR to secure the third AL Cy Young Award of his career at the age of 39.
I don’t need to tell you that it is unreasonable to expect Cole to come back and win the Cy Young, if for no other reason than the existence of a certain pitcher named Tarik Skubal. And of course, far more pitchers who undergo Tommy John surgery struggle in their first season back, many of them younger than Cole.
Instead, the focus for Cole is and should remain getting fully healthy and properly built up without putting unnecessary stress on himself to return by some predetermined date. If there is any pitcher on the Yankees’ staff who I would trust to complete his rehab properly, it’s Cole. He’s one of the true pitching professors in the game, and he knows better than anyone else what his body needs to eventually take the ball every fifth day.
Kansas City Royals' starting pitcher Jimmy Gobble (41) hands off the ball to manager Buddy Bell as catcher John Buck (14) looks on in the fifth inning during their game against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, July 20, 2006, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) | We’ve had some lean times
Most readers here love the game of baseball and love our Royals, but there are some seasons that truly test us. The hitters can’t hit, the pitchers can’t throw strikes, the ball gets kicked around the field, and the losses pile up. By June, you already have an eye towards Chiefs training camp. You’re a real sicko if you’re watching a 106-loss Royals team get beat down by the Twins in front of a few hundred fans in September.
By pure losses, here are the worst seasons in Royals history:
2023 (106 losses) – A bad season after a long rebuild, but there seemed to be hope about the future
2005 (106 losses) – Tony Peña quits in the middle of the season, and the Buddy Bell era isn’t any better
2018 (104 losses) – The entire championship team departs, leaving a lot of “who is this guy?”
2004 (104 losses) – Fresh off a surprise run in 2003, this team fell flat on their face
2019 (103 losses) – Allowed 219 home runs, second-most in club history.
2006 (100 losses) – Gave up a club record 971 runs, getting Allard Baird fired
But maybe it was a season that was miserable for other reasons – Dick Howser’s death in 1986? The strike-shortened almost-contention of 1994? Maybe it was miserable for reasons in your personal life?
Royals fans have lived through rebuilds, retools, collapses, and the long, quiet stretches in between contention windows. So let’s ask the uncomfortable question: what was the most miserable Royals season you ever endured as a fan?
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 20: Bailey Ober #17 of the Minnesota Twins pitches against the Cleveland Guardians on September 20, 2025 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves got some more bad news when it was discovered that Spencer Schwellenbach will need arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow. This leads to wondering what the way forward.
It was widely expected that the Braves would try to land a playoff caliber starting pitcher this off-season, which obviously has not happened yet. This is not to say that the front office has not tried. It is not like walking into a grocery store and you pick what you want. It takes two parties and a lot of moving parts to get a deal done. This goes with both free agents and trades.
As it stands now, the five-man rotation looks to likely be Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes, and Hurston Waldrep to start the season. AJ Smith-Shawver is likely out for the entire year, Strider has yet to be his former self, and we don’t know for certain how Reynaldo López will be post injury. Add the fact that the Braves usually opt to give Sale extra rest and that means they will need either a sixth man or run a bullpen game. The depth has been worn thin yet again this season.
It makes sense that the Braves should at the very least entertain bringing someone else in. There are a few free agents available still, but there these names have been floated around social media like crazy. There have been some trade targets that have been talked about a lot like Sandy Alcántara. There is also a possibility that a farm arm steps into a rotation spot. However, let’s have some fun and look at some lesser mentioned names, or out of the box ideas.
First, we need to point out a few things. If you are looking at trades, then you must be realistic. Teams that are looking to make a playoff push rarely move starters. We have also seen teams that likely won’t win their division add players. For example, the Pirates and Angels have added a decent number of players for teams in their position that typically would not, which leads to thinking they are planning on keeping their starters for now. It should also be noted that we are not looking at players to replace Schwellenbach’s level of play, but rather serviceable arms to fill out the rotational depth that is sorely needed.
Let’s start with a team that may think they can compete but may be willing to move certain starters if the trade makes sense for them.
López is coming off a season in which he only pitched 75.2 innings, but he looked like his former self in terms of ERA with a 2.74. He had a much higher expected ERA (xERA) of 3.96, but that is still in the upper half of pitchers in MLB. Fangraphs has him projected at 3.75 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 3.2 fWAR, 9.0 K/9, and 2.3 BB/9. The reason this may work is he still has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $18.375MM. The Twins may be willing to move him to clear up some money while also bringing in prospects.
It may seem weird to be considering a pitcher that had a 5.11 ERA last season, but don’t quit reading just yet. His xERA of 4.36 shows he was unlucky, not to mention he was dealing with a hip issue. Braves fans know that hip injuries can have a lingering effect after watching Marcell Ozuna last year. He was a hitter, but still. Ober is supposedly good to go this season.
Four out of the last five seasons he has been in the top ten percent or better in walk rate, and from 2023-2024 he was arguably an all-star level talent with an xERA of 3.61 and 3.25 respectively. Fangraphs does not have much faith in him projecting a 4.28 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 1.8 fWAR, 8.2 K/9, and 2.1 BB/9. If the Twins are willing to sell low on him, he may be worth the gamble. The Braves would have team control through 2027.
Staying in the division, let’s look at the Guardians.
If the Guardians are willing to move Bibee, he is an excellent bounce back candidate that could be under team control through 2030. He has four years left on his $48MM contract with a team option for 2030. It is clear the Guardians plan on him being part of their core, so it depends on if they think they can be competitive within his contract window.
A 4.25 ERA is nothing to be excited about, but his xERA was much lower at 3.64 and was actually the lowest of his three-year career. He also is extremely durable. He had two complete games and pitched 182.1 innings last season. His lowest number of innings in a season was 142.0, and that was his rookie season.
Fangraphs projects that he will have a 3.90 ERA, 4.04 FIP, 2.5 fWAR, 8.4 K/9, and 2.7 BB/9. These are numbers that pretty much any rotation would be happy to have, especially when you consider the inning count. The real question is if the Guardians can be persuaded to move him. The odds are low.
Moving on to an outside of the box idea. The Cardinals are clearly sellers, but how much do they want to sell? They have two arms that are under their control for a while.
The odds of the Cardinals trading McGreevy are slim to none, but why not consider it if it is a non-zero chance? McGreevy is under team control through 2031and has only pitched 118.2 innings at the MLB level with a 3.94 ERA. Fangraphs likes what they have seen enough to project him having a 3.98 ERA, 4.02 FIP, 1.6 fWAR, 6.3 K/9, 2.2 BB/9. It should be noted that Statcast does not like his stuff as much as Fangraphs.
In the same line of thinking we can look at Liberatore. He is under control through 2029. To say his career started off poorly would be an understatement, but he has shown improvements to be at least a cheap depth arm that is good enough for the back of a rotation. Back in 2023 he had a horrendous xERA of 6.04. It was in the bottom 5.0 percent of all MLB pitchers, but he improved to a much more palatable xERA of 4.19 in 2024. Both of those seasons he bounced between being an SP and RP. In 2025 he settled in as a full-time starter and gave the Cardinals 151.2 innings of 4.21 ERA and 4.03 FIP ball. This included his best strikeout to walk ratio of his career with a 3.05.
Fangraphs projects him to have a 4.22 ERA, 4.19 FIP, 1.5 fWAR, 7.5 K/9, and 2.9 BB/9. These are not numbers that jump off the page, but they are much better than what we would likely see from Bryce Elder, who is out of options anyway. It would be a gamble by both the Cardinals that he would not progress and the Braves that he would progress if this hypothetical trade were to take place.
One can only guess what route the Braves will take in terms of reacting to Spencer Schwellenbach’s injury, but one thing is for sure. The Braves will most certainly need depth after what we saw last season.
The American League East should be baseball's finest pennant race this season, with three to five teams battling for a title that ended last year with the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees each landing on 94 wins.
And now a most unlikely character has emerged to stir the pot.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa played for the Yankees from 2022-23, joined the Blue Jays at the 2025 trade deadline and played a key role in their run to the World Series. Now, he's a Boston Red Sox, and did not hold back in propping up his new team and tweaking the Yankees.
The Blue Jays won the division over the Yankees on a tiebreaker, then awaited the winner of a Boston-New York wild-card series in the ALDS. And Kiner-Falefa didn't hesitate to say who the Blue Jays preferred to play in the ALDS.
"We definitely felt (Boston) was a tougher matchup for us," Kiner-Falefa told reporters upon arriving Tuesday, Feb. 10 at the Red Sox's spring training camp in Fort Myers, Fla. "Once we saw the other team, we were a lot happier.
"It was definitely a topic.”
The Blue Jays proved as much, dispatching the Yankees 3-1 in the ALDS. Kiner-Falefa said the Red Sox proved themselves a far scrappier team than the Yankees, and he feared the presence of ace Garrett Crochet could tip the balance of the series.
That didn't leave his old boss, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, in too cheery a mood.
"I guess he was right," Boone said of Kiner-Falefa in his first spring press conference Wednesday, Feb. 11 in Tampa. "Little surprising to hear IKF say that.
"But whatever, that's fine."
Kiner-Falefa does have a knack for attracting main character energy, given his .660 career OPS and status as a utility infielder. He fielded hateful messages from Blue Jays fans all winter after he was forced out at home representing the potential World Series-winning run in the ninth inning of Game 7.
Following instructions, Kiner-Falefa stayed close to the bag to avoid a back pick, then, he explained Feb. 10, was intent on breaking up a double play at home to ensure Ernie Clement – the Blue Jays' hottest hitter at the time – got a chance to hit with two outs.
Kiner-Falefa did not see Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas slip after fielding the ball.
"From my instinct, from where I was, I was initially just thinking, break up that double play right there and get our best, hottest hitter up at the time," says Kiner-Falefa. "It almost paid off. Ernie almost got the job done on the next one, but at the end of the day it’s just a great learning experience. And I’m ready to flip the page."
Kiner-Falefa also wished he'd had a chance to explain that way back in November. But in the chaos of an 11-inning Game 7 loss, reporters did not approach him about the play and the controversy did not emerge until there was greater scrutiny on various angles of his forceout at home.
"It blew up without me getting a proper interview, so I thought that was unfair," he says.
Now, he's got a lot to say, and follows in Sonny Gray's footsteps as former Yankees tweaking their old team now that they're on Boston's side of the rivalry.
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, left, talks to pitcher Justin Verlander after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The whiplash from the surprise of the Justin Verlander signing, to the images of the franchise’s greatest pitcher working out in his old haunts alongside Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Framber Valdez on Wednesday, made from some fine visual storytelling. Pitchers and catchers reported to the Detroit Tigers complex in Lakeland to kick off spring training on Wednesday. Along with the traditional first injury report, which held a few minor surprises, we got our first look at the refurbished 2026 starting rotation.
There were a few features, as Framber Valdez had his press conference alongside Scott Harris and GM Jeff Greenberg. There was an interesting note as his full group of rotation mates, Tarik Skubal, Justin Verlander, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize all walked in as the presser was starting to support their teammate. You like to see them working on that unity within the group from the start.
A.J. Hinch talked to reporters about recruiting Framber Valdez, whose nickname is La Grasa. It literally refers to grease, but can be taken as something like “Slick” and comes from his former catcher Martin Maldonado teasing Valdez about his cologne and hair products rather than his pitching motion.
Hinch also announced the Skubal will be the Opening Day starter. It’s a pretty good bet that Verlander will be lined up for the April 3 home opener against the Cardinals. It’s also a pretty good bet that the crowd is going to be downright ravenous even compared to most home openers.
Your 2026 starting rotation.
Skubal, Verlander, Flaherty and Mize were all on hand for Valdez’s intro presser. Hinch and Fetter as well. pic.twitter.com/BicrLe2YzJ
We also got the first injury report of the spring, which always holds some surprises. Jackson Jobe and Jake Miller were throwing from 60 feet, which is particularly positive in Jobe’s case as he’s still only about eight months out from his Tommy John surgery. On the most optimistic timetable, he’ll be ready for a rehab assignment in July. Miller, in my eyes the Tigers top pitching prospect right now, is recovering from hip labrum surgery and may require a little extended spring training time before returning to Double or Triple-A to begin his season.
The only thing to really give any pause was the note that Dillon Dingler had his second elbow arthroscopy in two years. The procedure is generally very minor, used to clean up any scar tissue or bone spurs around the UCL. Still, while he’s expected to be fully on schedule for Opening Day, it’s worth keeping in mind. LHP Bailey Horn and RHP Troy Watson, both expected to provide minor league depth to the bullpen and rotation, also had the procedure but are on track. Beyond that it’s the usual litany of minor injuries.
Dillon Dingler had an elbow procedure this winter but doesn’t sound like a huge deal. His volume could be slightly limited early in camp but he doesn’t expect to miss any time. He had the same operation two years ago pic.twitter.com/wWMInJJiFN
Finally, Parker Meadows wasn’t checking his phone over the past 24 hours and got a surprise when he arrived to find Justin Verlander in the clubhouse.
Parker Meadows had no idea the Tigers signed Justin Verlander until Justin Verlander strolled into the clubhouse in Lakeland yesterday. Had to ask a clubby what JV was doing there.
The veteran reliever signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Dodgers on Wednesday, the team announced, rejoining the organization three months after he was non-tendered at the start of the offseason.
The veteran reliever signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Dodgers on Wednesday. Getty Images
Because the right-hander is recovering from Tommy John surgery and not expected to return until midseason, that maneuvering allowed the Dodgers to preserve a space on their crowded 40-man roster during the winter –– and re-sign Phillips this week, when they will be able to start transferring players to the 60-day injured list.
It’s likely the Dodgers could do the same thing with Kiké Hernández, who has lingered on the free-agent market this winter while recovering from offseason elbow surgery.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
An eight-year veteran who has pitched to a 2.22 ERA since joining the Dodgers in 2021, Phillips made only seven outings last year before going down with Tommy John, costing him the rest of the season.
The veteran reliever rejoins the organization three months after he was non-tendered at the start of the offseason. MLB Photos via Getty ImagesThe eight-year veteran has pitched to a 2.22 ERA since joining the Dodgers in 2021. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
However, even after Phillips was non-tendered in November, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman reiterated the team’s interest in keeping him with the organization. The $6.5 million salary Phillips ultimately agreed to Wednesday slightly surpasses what he was projected to earn in arbitration had he not been initially released.
The Dodgers did still have to make one corresponding move to clear a 40-man spot for Phillips’ signing. Catcher Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment, just days after being re-claimed by the club after being DFA’d and lost on waivers earlier this winter. The team will be hoping Rortvedt is able to sneak through waivers this time, and stay in the organization as minor-league catching depth.
At the start of his fourth season with the Mets, right-handed pitcher Kodai Senga was asked a straightforward question after Wednesday's workout in Port St. Lucie: Any goals coming into spring training?
After a pause, Senga said, "To not get injured.”
His face formed a wry, quarter-smile acknowledging that the numerous injuries have plagued his time in the big leagues just as much as his "ghost fork" has been to opposition hitters.
"These past two years have been frustrating and tough mentally. At some points, maybe I started to lose confidence,” said Senga, speaking through an interpreter, when asked about his confidence level. “In this world, it's either you do it, or you don't. And I'm here to do it. That's all there is."
After a stellar rookie season saw him pitch to a 2.98 ERA over 166.1 innings, injuries curtailed the next two campaigns, to the tune of 118.2 innings and 23 starts. And after a phenomenal start to 2025, a calf injury derailed his year so much that he finished the season at Triple-A Syracuse after several ineffectual starts.
“Last year with the injuries, it really put me off balance,” the 33-year-old said. “Had to end the year that way, but through rehab this offseason, I feel really good, and I’m really happy with where I’m at.”
Senga added that his rehab this offseason has been with the clear goal of pitching a full season without injuries, which led to reevaluating himself and studying his body to figure out why his performance dipped late last season.
Asked if he felt he needed to earn the organization’s trust back after the last two seasons of play, Senga said he was focused on looking inward at first.
“Before showing the organization anything, I think I need to prove it to myself that I can go out there and pitch a full season,” he said. “And once I can prove it to myself, I think then comes the third party, how everyone else sees me. So, first I need to be out there for myself.”
A healthy Senga pitching to his full capabilities would be a huge boost to the Mets’ rotation, as the club is coming off a year in which the team struggled to find consistency and stability from the starting pitchers. And his importance to the team reaching its full potential isn’t lost on Senga, even if his job in that rotation isn’t assured.
“To be in this locker room, I think it’s obvious and clear that I have a spot to get and be out there and perform. And as long as I’m given this opportunity, I’m gonna give it my all for this organization,” he said.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said later on Wednesday that his expectations for the righty all come down to availability.
"He needs to be healthy," Mendoza said. "When he's healthy, we know the type of pitcher he can be. People saw it here in 2023; we saw it for the first two-and-a-half months last year, how effective he was. And then he got hurt, and he wasn't able to be himself again.
"My biggest expectation here is, we need this guy healthy. If he's healthy, he's gonna help us."
Of course, amid a big offseason of change for the Mets, Senga was the subject of trade whispers. And he reportedly asked Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns not to trade him this offseason.
“At the end of the day, I control only what I can control,” Senga said when asked what prompted this request. “And at that point, I hadn’t gotten traded yet, so I just wanted to do whatever I can, in that moment, and be back out there for the Mets and play hard.”
PORT ST. LUCIE — Francisco Lindor’s spring will consist mainly of rehab from surgery.
The veteran shortstop was scheduled to undergo that procedure Wednesday, after an evaluation confirmed a stress reaction to the hamate bone in his left hand. Lindor’s expected recovery time from the surgery is six weeks, putting in question his availability for Opening Day.
Access the Mets beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.
“I’m not going to bet against him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said on the official report day for pitchers and catchers. “This is a guy who has played through broken toes and lower back [discomfort]. Two years ago he barely walked and he continued to play through it, so we’re optimistic he’s going to be available for us on Opening Day.”
The stress reaction and surgery is just the latest offseason setback for Lindor, who previously withdrew from the World Baseball Classic — he was set to serve as Team Puerto Rico’s captain — after the event’s insurer denied him coverage. Lindor underwent a second elbow surgery in three years this offseason.
The Mets will head into full-squad workouts next week with a shortstop cast minus Lindor that consists mostly of Ronny Mauricio, Vidal Bruján, Grae Kessinger and Jackson Cluff.
“The guys that we have in camp are the ones who are going to get the reps early on,” Mendoza said. “And then as we continue to get information we’ll make some adjustments if we need to.”
Francisco Lindor during the 2025 season. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Bo Bichette, who was signed this offseason to play third base — after playing shortstop his entire career — likely won’t move from his new position this spring.
Lindor’s absence from the Grapefruit League will prevent him from building an early rapport defensively with double-play partner Marcus Semien, who arrived from Texas in a trade for Brandon Nimmo.
“But the one thing Lindor will try to do is be out there for team defense as much as possible,” Mendoza said. “He will have conversations with Marcus after games, so that way we can create that type of relationship there.”
Mendoza said he just learned in recent days that Lindor might need surgery. Team officials were aware in past seasons that Lindor was playing through discomfort in the hand.
Lindor last season appeared in 160 games — marking the third time in four seasons he reached that plateau. Overall, he produced a .267/.346/.466 slash line with 31 homers and 31 stolen bases.
“I think the only time he feels 100 percent is Day 1 of spring training since I have been here,” Mendoza said. “So he’s mentioned it the past couple of years, but it came and went. But we found out a couple of days ago and for him to say something like that was concerning to the point we took the step that we did.”
Lindor is hardly alone — Jackson Holliday and Corbin Carroll, according to reports — will both undergo hamate bone surgery this week.
“This is a pretty common [injury],” Mendoza said. “It’s just rare that in the span of 24 hours we had three really good players going down with the same injury.”
Francisco Alvarez underwent hamate bone surgery last March and was in the Mets starting lineup by late April. But Alvarez’s early lack of power was an issue — he hit just three homers over two months before he was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse. Alvarez showed greater power late in the season, hitting seven homers over the final two months.
“We’re optimistic that Lindor is going to be the same player [as always],” Mendoza said. “There’s been cases where power has been a topic, but there’s also been cases where guys have that type of surgery and it doesn’t affect them at all.”
Feb 17, 2018; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Franklyn Kilome's (66) glove and shoes sit on the field as players warm up during the workout at Carpenter Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Oh man, first I had to brush up on my low level catchers. Now, I have to research a guy that, prior to this prospecting season, I hadn’t really heard much of.
It isn’t hard to see the highlights and frame and dream he is a future impact player with plus tools everywhere, but he has an enormous distance to go and there are a lot of pitfalls he hasn’t faced yet.
Listen, it’s always fun to dream on a prospect when he really, really young and Espinosa will likely make us do that. Choosing a young player and following his progress as he moves up the chain is a time honored tradition of many fans, so get used to hearing Espinosa’s name a lot as time moves on.
This is an aggressive evaluation of Espinosa meant to illustrate his ceiling. He presents a rare combination of present contact feel and long-term power projection for an up-the-middle prospect. Espinosa’s build comps to Elly De La Cruz at the same age: endless limbs on a broad-shouldered 6-foot-4 frame, with the room to add big strength while remaining sufficiently lithe and agile for shortstop. The 2025 DSL season began a few days before Espinosa’s 17th birthday, and he managed to slash .282/.363/.430 there while posting a 77% contact rate (a shade better than the big league average). That’s a very positive contact-hitting origin point for a shortstop prospect built like this, as long-levered hitters like Espinosa are often still uncoordinated at this age… [l]et’s see how his chase rate trends in year two. He’s one of the more exciting and tumultuous prospects in all of rookie ball.
With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.
Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 16: John Gil #97 of the Atlanta Braves runs to first base during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For best tools when it comes to pitchers, click here.
Best Hitter – John Gil
It was quite the first full season for John Gil, as he was the catalyst at the top of a young and exciting Augusta GreenJackets lineup and showed advanced ability at the plate at just 19 years old. Early in the season he showed struggles despite high contact rates, hitting the ball into the ground far too often and struggling to produce any sort of pop, but throughout the season swing and approach adjustments paid major dividends. He began hitting the ball harder with more line drives but without sacrificing walks or ever going through a stretch where he had swing-and-miss issues. These adjustments combined with his advanced feel for the strike zone and recognition of spin made him a contact beast and allowed him to post a 132 wRC+ and more walks than strikeouts over his final 300 plate appearances. Gil has all of the tools to be a plus major league hitter, though he is going to go through the same struggles many young hitters do. To make a recent comparison to a Braves prospect, Gil has similar issues with consistently lifting the ball to his pull side and keeping the ball off of the ground as Nacho Alvarez did coming through, and though his barrel feel is behind Alvarez at the same level Gil was younger and has a bit more upside at the plate. Gil has a looser, more explosive swing and gets to better top end exit velocities, meaning there are much fewer mechanical adjustments needed for him to tap into pull side power. He also has better bat speed and isn’t going to be beat by velocity, giving him a relatively high contact floor for a player his age. His barrel rates need to improve for him to get to a starter outcome, but he is in a phenomenal place at the moment and has shown the ability to adjust and improve rapidly.
Best Power – Diego Tornes
Tornes is a name that is going to catch a lot of attention around the league for his raw tool set, and his power potential is the attribute that should most excite Braves fans. While there are other players in the system who are in the debate with Tornes for raw power (such as Juan Espinal), Tornes is the one who has been able to consistently put the bat on the ball and produce the coveted high exit velocities of a premium power hitter. That’s not to say there is no question about his hit tool, as he certainly has as much need for growth as any teenager, but of the players in the Braves system who can boast plus or better raw power he is the only one who currently projects to have the hit tool necessary to tap into it. Tornes has explosive hands, especially from the left side of the plate, and has the power to fit into the middle of a major league lineup with the ceiling of a player who can reach 25+ home runs consistently. Tornes still needs to prove himself against quality competition, but it says a lot even in a system weak on hitters that a player who is 17 years old and hasn’t even matriculated to the United States yet gets our highest regard for his power. There is significant hype within the Braves organization surrounding Tornes’s future, and his power puts him in elite company and makes him a top five player in the system.
Best Speed – John Gil
John Gil has elite footspeed to go along with his contact ability, turning in 80 grade times down the first base line and showing the ability to consistently beat out grounders on the infield. Anything hit slowly to the left side typically gave the defenders no chance on Gil, and he has recently done better about making use of that speed on the defensive end. Gil has the range to be an elite shortstop, but at times his footwork and instincts held him back from making every play on that side of the ball. 2025 saw him steadily improve and get better with his first step and positioning, and he has matured from a guy with some questions about whether he would stick to one who seems like a solid fit for the shortstop position long term. If he is pushed off of the dirt due to the competition in the system his speed could make him a plus center fielder, as his top end speed would allow him to track down balls in the gap with the best of them. It’s his best defensive attribute, but he does need to do a bit better job on the bases. Gil did put pressure on defenses with 54 stolen bases last season, and he did so with above average efficiency but not the elite efficiency or volume that his raw foot speed would suggest. His speed makes him an above average baserunner, but if he can improve his jumps or timing he could reach the next level and add even more value to his game.
Best Arm – Conor Essenburg
There aren’t many players in Atlanta’s system with standout arms at the moment, and Essenburg is a pretty clear top guy here given his pitching background and how much value his arm could add to his profile. Essenburg doesn’t have the athleticism to stick up the middle, but his plus arm strength makes him a fit in right field which will slightly ease the burden on his bat compared to if he had to play left or first base. He is a plus thrower who should produce significant excess value with his arm out in right field.
Best Infield Defense – Ambioris Tavarez
For a stretch in 2024 Ambioris Tavarez seemed to be making strides to turn his career around, but after a broken hand he struggled down the stretch and then had a disappointing season in 2025. With that, the emergence of Gil, and the two shortstops Atlanta added in the draft he seems unlikely to ever carve out any sort of significant role in the Braves system, but his claim to the best glove in the system still goes unchallenged. Tavarez has just average speed, but every one of his other traits is above average or better and it leads to a profile of a player whose defensive acumen should give him some sort of professional role as long as he wants it, even if that’s just as minor league depth. He has an elite first step and is always in the right position to make plays, and he has smooth glove work and great hands allowing him to avoid errors. He had a tough time with his footwork and throwing in 2023, but after significant work (and getting further away from his TOS surgery) he always has a solid base and can make throws from multiple angles with ease.
Best Outfield Defense – Isaiah Drake
2025 was a massive year for Isaiah Drake, as he re-established himself as a legitimate prospect in the Braves system and at times was the best of a solid outfield in Augusta. Defensively the Braves have a number of talented outfielders in the system – notably Kevin Kilpatrick Jr., Luis Guanipa, Patrick Clohisy, and Owen Carey – but Drake’s combination of top end speed and first step quickness gives him a unique ceiling among that group. He isn’t quite as efficient with his route-taking as Kilpatrick Jr. is, but with double-plus speed, the ability to get up to top speed quickly, and solid routes he can make just about any play look easy. Drake has improved his reads and angles year-over-year since joining the system, and it’s important to remember he is still in the early stages of playing baseball full time. He has the potential to be a 65 defender in center fielder and could make a huge impact with his glove, and so far he hasn’t had to sacrifice any speed as he has added strength to his frame to help him on the offensive end.
Highest Ceiling – Diego Tornes
The Braves have had a run of their high value, high ceiling position players failing to live up to expectations, but as mentioned above Diego Tornes seems to be the real deal. His defensive potential is lower than players like Tate Southisene, Isaiah Drake, or Luis Guanipa given the near certainty he is going to end up in a corner, with a real chance that corner is left field. Thus it should make it clear how bullish we are on his offensive projections given that we still see him as a step above that group. Tornes has the chance to be a true impact bat in the middle of a lineup, something the Braves have struggled to produce in the Alex Anthopoulos era. Tornes has commonly gotten Anthony Santander comps – high praise for a player that young – and with elite bat speed there is still a ceiling to reach for his hit tool. Tornes has all star talent and the early returns back up a measure of confidence.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 01: Joe Jimenez #77 of the Atlanta Braves looks on prior to Game One of the Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on October 01, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Walt Weiss gave the press some more injury news today. To no Braves fan’s surprise, it’s not good news.
Weiss said he doesn’t know if Joe Jimenez will be available this year. He described the knee ailment as a “very complex injury.”
Oy. It’s the song that never ends. Jimenez, already having lost the 2025 season with a left articular cartilage injury and further surgery in November, may be out for 2026. The Braves, after placing Spencer Schwellenbach on the 60-day Injured List yesterday, have lost two pitchers in as many days. Standard disclaimer that I’m not a doctor. But this doesn’t look good. How he would return in 2027 after two years out would be a challenge as well.
Coming into this year’s Spring Training, I assumed that we all might see Joe Jimenez for the majority of the season. The Braves looked set in the bullpen, and adding another reliever would have made it obvious that Joe would not be back. They have 44 days until Opening Day if they choose to add.
Good luck, Joe. Get well soon. We want you to get well.
