Happy Wednesday, everyone! Tigers fans got an unexpected surprise yesterday when the team announced a one-year deal with Justin Verlander. Verlander, who began his career in Detroit, was a beloved former ace for the club, and the reunion—that might be more of a farewell tour—feels like an appropriate next chapter for both Verlander and the club.
In today’s news bites we’ll also look at Paul Goldschmidt’s reunion with the Yankees, plus the lockout-proof contract Cody Bellinger signed with the Bronx Bombers. We’ll also explore how the World Baseball Classic managed to help form some of the best pitching we’ve seen in MLB, and also puzzle out precisely how we’re all supposed to watch baseball this season.
We loved Kris here, but this is starting to look like it wasn’t the best signing for the Rockies…
The Rockies placed Kris Bryant on the 60-Day IL. Bryant did not play after April 12th last season, and has only played in 170 games since signing his seven-year, $182M contract with Colorado in 2022. pic.twitter.com/9MLFViuSjX
Now is prime time for the first stab at a Kansas City Royals roster projection. David Lesky started his take over at Inside the Crown with a good layout of the process.
Every year at the start of spring, I like to take stock of where the Royals roster is at that moment. What we see on February 10 (or whatever day I’ve started in the past) is generally a good chunk of what we’ll see on Opening Day, but there are always some surprise entrants. This year’s Royals roster is filled with some guaranteed spots, but there are still roster battles, both on the bench and among starters. Some of those battles may be more ceremonial than anything, but sometimes those become very real.
Today I’m going to start with the position players and tomorrow I’ll shift to the pitchers. Today, I’m going to include last year’s stats with each player. In another round, I’ll shift to some projections, including maybe even my own if I ever get those done. I look at this as a running piece that I’ll do every couple of weeks or when there’s a reason to make a shift and I’ll run it right up to probably around March 19 or so.
The offense should make a significant leap in 2026. That is due to both the new additions and the club’s decision to move the outfield fences in at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals expect an influx of extra-base hits as the changes are tailored to their lineup.
In the same vein, the pitchers welcome the new challenge. “I’m not even thinking about it really,” Wacha said. “As a pitcher, at least for me, you know, I’m going to stick to what’s worked for me. I tend to be more of a flyball pitcher, but I feel like I’m able to get weak contact at times as well. Hopefully, rely on that weak contact and get a bit more swing and miss than I did last year. I’m not too worried about it though.”
With an influx of teams being available through mlb.tv adjacent services, there is rightfully a flood of questions with few answers. How do you prefer your explanation? Perhaps from the source itself, MLB.com.
“We are proud of the award-winning production MLB has offered clubs while increasing the reach of the games, enhancing production features, and offering greater access to the players and game,” MLB Deputy Commissioner for business and media Noah Garden said in a release. “Additionally, we are listening to our fans who want blackouts eliminated. MLB’s in-market streaming option allows us to remove a point of friction for the fans.”
For the 15 non-RSN teams, MLB.TV subscription prices will be the same as last year — $99.99 per season or $19.99 per month. Fans can bundle a club’s local streaming service with an MLB.TV out-of-market subscription — giving them access to the entire league’s local games — for $199.99 per season or $39.99 per month, a 20% savings off individual pricing of the two services.
Those who subscribe to Spectrum, DirecTV, Fubo TV, Hulu Live TV and Verizon Fios have access to ESPN Unlimited subscription as a part of their TV plan. The rest, including cord-cutters, pay $29.25 per month for all of the ESPN networks. The local in-market streaming products for 14 teams whose games are produced by MLB will be available on the MLB site and through the teams. So far those teams are the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, San Dieg
Technically There’s No Double-Dip Subscription Required There has been some reporting that, under this new agreement, customers are locked into a dual-subscription model to access MLB.TV. Users may choose to retain ESPN Unlimited and access the wide range of other sports options available there, but there’s no requirement. Again, you have the option to opt out at any time.
As with Rogers, this is an aggressive rank that Bubic will have to earn — with both quality and quantity. He’s thrown 162 innings total at the big-league level over the last three seasons, with nearly three-quarters of those coming in 2025. Bubic was sensational when he was healthy, but he had his campaign end prematurely on account of a strained rotator cuff. Stay tuned.
For the Royals, a name like Durbin would’ve given even more cover at second over their questionable duo of Jonathan India and Michael Massey and Monasterio and his 111 wRC+ in 2025 provided a versatile infield upgrade over current utility options like Nick Loftin and Tyler Tolbert.
And while the Royals top trade piece from their starting pitching surplus, Kris Bubic, may not exactly match the Brewers return of Harrison – given the latter’s remaining team control and prior prospect pedigree – it’s not as if Bubic is their only tradeable starter.
An encouraging trend is that Jensen has bounced back in minimizing passed balls in his repeat of a level the following season. He improved by 15 points in High-A from 2023 to 2024. He improved by 16 points from 2024 to 2025 in Double-A. An encouraging part of his trend was that, while he had some regression in Omaha, he kept it below 0.20 (unlike his first stints in High-A and Double-A in 2023 and 2024, respectively).
Thus, while Jensen has some work to do, he will have plenty of time to improve his blocking skills during Spring Training in Surprise, Arizona. Thus, he should see some improved blocking metrics at the MLB level as a result, especially as he gets a bigger sample of innings behind the plate for the Royals in 2026.
Is he an old friend if he never pitched for the big-league club?
Kyle Wright to the Cubs. Minors deal with MLB camp invite. Wright is the majors’ last 20-game winner.
DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 04: A young fan of the Colorado Avalanche cheers against the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena on February 04, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
THIS IS A GUEST ROCKPILE BY EVAN LIU (@evanliu.bsky.social)
Unfortunately, the Colorado Rockies have been an afterthought in MLB in terms of competitiveness. The only way they garnered national attention was by going on massive losing streaks and contending for the worst record in MLB history.
Just one mile down Blake Street at Ball Arena, the Colorado Avalanche went through a similar rebuild and scenario around a decade ago.
There have been some striking similarities in the Rockies’ path to today.
A surprising playoff run leading to nothing
In the 2013-14 season, the Avs made a surprising push for the Stanley Cup. With team legend Patrick Roy making his coaching debut, he shocked and stunned several folks around the NHL with his wild style.
A 52-22-8 record led Colorado to the top of the Central Division in dramatic fashion, which no one expected. Ultimately, they were bounced in the first round in heartbreaking fashion in overtime at home in Game 7 against the Minnesota Wild.
Similarly, the Rockies made the playoffs in two straight seasons in 2017 and 2018. An 87-75 record in 2017 saw them play in the then-one-game Wild Card Game on the road against the Arizona Diamondbacks. They battled hard, coming out on the losing side of an offensive battle 11-8.
The next year, Colorado took the Los Angeles Dodgers to Game 163 for the NL West. While they fell in LA, the next night at the Friendly Confines saw them win a playoff game for the first time in nearly a decade. Tony Wolters’ historic single in the 13th inning gave the Rockies the 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.
While they were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS, there was hope about going further in the coming years. The same was said about the Avalanche in 2014. Both teams had capable players to build around and push for another chance at the chip. But the following years would not be pretty for either group.
The awkwardly-timed departure of a coach
At Ball Arena, Roy’s tenure came to an abrupt end. Just a month before the 2016-17 season, the Avs announced his resignation as head coach. Colorado was left scrambling for a new man at the helm, who would eventually be Jared Bednar.
Meanwhile, at Coors Field, last season saw Bud Black finally be on the chopping block. His departure would come a month into the start of the new season, though. Both of the coaches leaving at the times they did just made things that much harder for each team.
The Rockies announce they have relieved Bud Black of duties as manager. Third base coach Warren Schaeffer has been named interim manager, hitting coach Clint Hurdle has been named bench coach. pic.twitter.com/Yb8XVpcW1A
Bednar had less than a month to prepare for the 2016-17 season for the Avalanche. It showed, as they scored only 48 points with a record of 22-56-4. It marked the worst season in franchise history since they moved from Quebec City.
While they did not make history as the Chicago White Sox did just a year before, the Colorado Rockies dropped over 100 games in three straight seasons. The latter of the three smashed the franchise record for most losses in a single season.
A -424 run differential was made up by the worst 50-game start to a season, with an 8-42 record. Even after Warren Schaeffer was made interim manager, it didn’t get much better. The Rox rebounded but were still in the basement of the league by season’s end.
Big-name moves to change the team
Both the Avalanche and the Rockies made big moves to change course.
The Avs traded away Matt Duchene, a fan favorite and third-overall pick in 2009, at the start of the 2017-18 season after voicing his displeasure with the team and their trajectory. The move actually heavily benefited the Avs, as young defenseman Samuel Girard blossomed into a nice addition on the blue line, still to this day.
Meanwhile, the Rockies let go of another fan favorite recently: Ryan McMahon. The Rox only got two prospect relievers in the form of Josh Grosz and Griffin Herring. Grosz was dealt for Jake McCarthy last month, but Herring could blossom into a nice addition in the coming years.
The Avalanche were able to bounce back from their worst season on record to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs the next year. Since then, they haven’t missed the postseason and took home the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Meanwhile, should the Rockies continue following a similar pattern to their neighbors down the street, a first World Series ring is coming in 2031! All jokes aside, the purple pinstripes have some work ahead of them to follow a similar trajectory to the Avalanche and their striking similarities thus far.
The Rockies got a new arm in the rotation with the surprising signing of Tomoyuki Sugano. He’s the first Japanese player joining Colorado since 2007 – conincidentally the last time the Rox made it to the World Series. The former Baltimore Orioles starter has joined for one year at $5.1 million, sure to bring an interesting spin to the rotation. In a corresponding move, Kris Bryant was added to the 60-day IL.
The Rox released a beautiful spring training hat to kick off pitchers and catchers reporting to Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. There are several Arizona-desert themes alongside the typical purple ‘C’ and ‘R’ like a flowery cactus. In just over a week’s time, the hats will be in action for all to see – and perhaps flying off the shelves.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report put out a spicy trade the Colorado Rockies could make before the regular season begins. It involves a major name from the Phiadelphia Phillies: Nick Castellanos. With his fallout with the Phillies organization and the Rockies looking to add another right-handed man, perhaps they could take a chance on him in hopes of either sticking in the side or becoming trade bait come July.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow and Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox look on in the bullpen during a Spring Training workout at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 19, 2025 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday night, just a few days before the New England Patriots attempt to assume their rightful position as the class of the NFL (narrator: they did not), I was doing what any 28-year-old man does on a Friday night: talking about relief pitching. As I was scrolling Twitter, I ran into a tweet from Sammy James, a co-host of the Play Tessie Podcast. Sammy is always thinking outside the box when it comes to roster moves, and pitched old friend Jalen Beeks as a potential fit for the left-handed relief role in the bullpen.
I wonder if the Red Sox could have any interest in a reunion with FA Jalen Beeks. His changeup was elite in 2025—opponents hit .067 with an .080 SLG off of that pitch. Fastball sits between 94-95 MPH, pretty solid. Plenty for the pitching lab to work with. Red Sox need a LHP. pic.twitter.com/BQfQb441x7
He highlighted Beeks’ changeup, noting the remarkably low batting average and slugging percentage against it. If you look at those numbers and nothing else, it appears to be an elite pitch. I dug in a little bit further, and while I found that the pitch was solid, I wouldn’t place it among the league’s best changeups.
Not that the changeup is a bad pitch, but I’d be careful using BAA and SLG at the pitch type level here. 30% zone rate and almost never throwing it behind in the count is doing a lot of work there. A 55% strike rate and fairly average movement means probably can’t throw it much…
None of this is a knock on Sammy. He’s got great insights and has as many ideas on how to improve the roster as anyone. At the same time, I’ve written what feels like 1,500 pitcher evaluations, and don’t think I’ve ever broken down my methodology.
The Red Sox could use a left-handed reliever. Last season, Justin Wilson, Brennan Bernardino, and Chris Murphy were the first lefties out of the pen for the Red Sox. As it stands, none of those three is on the 40-man roster. Outside of Aroldis Chapman, there aren’t many left-handed relievers with major league experience on the team, making an addition to the group before the season begins likely.
There’s not necessarily a rush to acquire a reliever. While it’s definitely a hole, as teams cut down their rosters, there will be opportunities to find a lefty, and they won’t need much time to stretch out before the season. Still, having bodies in camp to see what you have is a good thing. So, with all that being said, let’s look at one option and see what he might bring to the table for Boston.
Jalen Beeks
The bulk of my analysis is done with three websites: Pitcher List, Baseball Savant, and FanGraphs. Baseball Savant is always a decent starting point, just for their dashboard information.
I focus on the left and right panels, although the middle panel is probably the most popular among people who pretend that they know what they’re talking about (that’s another rant for another day). On the left, we see the pitch usage chart, broken out by handedness. Handedness is everything. Garrett Crochet throws his sinker 16% of the time, which makes it appear to be a secondary offering. When we split it, we see it’s his most thrown pitch by a wide margin to lefties at 37%. For Beeks, we can see he’s a pretty fastball-heavy pitcher, using a changeup most often as a change of pace, and mixing in a cutter against lefties. On the right, I like to see the arm angle, because it provides some context about pitch usages. Beeks is more over the top, which means he’ll likely have a harder time generating East-West movement. The movement chart helps see how much of the plate a pitcher can cover, but it’s hard to draw conclusions from movement alone.
Pitching is about getting outs. The best way to get outs is to throw strikes. That’s what we look for next: what pitches does he throw for strikes, and how does he end at-bats? Beeks is a left-handed reliever, and while the three-batter minimum rule means he’ll have to get righties out as well, I’m mostly concerned with what he does in same-handed matchups.
Going over to Pitcher List, we can filter by handedness and see when Beeks is throwing each pitch.
The right side of the Counts tab is categorized into three sections: Early, Behind, and Two-Strike. Early consists of the first two pitches of an at-bat as well as 1-1 pitches, behind consists of 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, and 3-1 counts, and two-strike is any two-strike count (duh). If it were up to me, I’d have an additional view showing the percentage of each bucket by pitch type, but we can use Baseball Savant’s search function to find that. Beeks, for example, throws a four-seam fastball 58.3% of the time in “early” counts. Putting all of this together, it looks like he uses his four-seam fastball and cutter to get strikes, and his changeup to put hitters away.
Now that we understand what Beeks is trying to do, we can assess his effectiveness. The overview tab on Pitcher List is great for this.
Paring it down to one pitch, we get nice percentiles and averages, although sometimes I’m skeptical of how accurate the percentiles are (They’re based on total stats and don’t change based on the handedness filter, for example). Regardless, strike rate is always the first place I look, and Beeks fastball has a huge number. It also comes with a massive 60% zone rate, as well as a mediocre 9.5% swinging strike rate and 15.2% called strike rate. A 70% strike rate with swinging and called strike numbers that low likely means the ball is in play a lot. So how’s the contact?
Here’s where you might be tempted to look at batting average or slugging percentage, but those can lead you astray because they’re only considering the final pitch of an at-bat. A pitch that’s thrown only in two-strike counts out of the zone is going to have a low batting average, because it will result in strikeouts, weak contact, or be taken for a ball. I like to use Ideal Contact Rate (ICR) because the denominator is total batted ball events, removing strikeouts from the equation. For a fastball, we want to see a number below 40%. In Beeks’ case, the 53.5% mark against lefties is high. That’s in part because the pitch is in the zone so often, but also because the shape isn’t much of an outlier.
Beeks also throws the majority of his cutters early in counts, although 34% usage in two-strike counts is fairly high as well. A look at the metrics shows a 15.8% swinging strike rate and a 17.1% called strike rate. The strike rate is incredibly low at 51%, while the zone rate is also fairly low at 38%. Because it’s able to return both called strikes and swinging strikes, my assumption is he’s deploying it more as a slider in two-strike counts. Looking at the heatmaps (below) that appears to be the case. Further, if you look at the movements, he throws some cutters as hard as 88 mph with less vertical drop, while others are as slow as 82 mph.
The pitch returned a 44.4% ideal contact rate, which is high for an off-speed pitch that isn’t in the zone much. It didn’t induce many chases either. It was able to generate whiffs at a decent rate, but it was a pitch that lefties handled well for the most part. Overall, when looking at the pitches designed to be strike-getters, both are hit fairly hard, and only the four-seam returns consistent strikes.
We’ll circle back to the strike-getting pitches, but let’s jump ahead to the changeup. Same-handed changeups are controversial. Some people hate them, some people are fine with them. I think it depends on the changeup, but that’s a discussion for another day.
Beeks throws his changeup 26.6% of the time to lefites, most of which are in two-strike counts. He throws it primarily down and inside to lefties, which always gives me pause, but it appears to work for him. While it’s only in the zone 35% of the time, the 42% chase rate and 20% swinging strike rate are both excellent. The ICR rate was 0%, but the sample was incredibly small. It’s been a solid pitch throughout his career, though, so it’s safe to say that hitters will continue to struggle with it.
While his changeup is a good pitch, I’ll again caution against using plate appearance level stats such as batting average against as your barometer. Take Jojo Romero, for example. He throws his changeup 22.3% of the time, and opponents hit just .167 against it. At the same time, it was never in the zone and only returned a 14% swinging strike rate and 50% called strike rate. While the pitch wasn’t getting punished, it also wasn’t doing its job by generating whiffs; batters were just letting it go for a ball. A .167 batting average might make you think it’s one of the best changeups in baseball, but it’s wildly inefficient.
So now that we’ve looked at all three of his pitches against lefties, what I see is a pitcher with a good putaway pitch, but one who needs to find a way to get ahead in counts. While his four-seam returns strikes, it gets hit too hard for him to throw it 50% of the time. His 2025 cutter shows some promise in its swinging and called strike numbers, but it doesn’t get enough chase to support a 38% zone rate.
He was very successful against lefties in 2025, so there isn’t necessarily a need to make changes, but there’s room for improvement early in counts. I’m speculating at this point, but a return to his 2024 cutter, which featured more vertical lift and was slightly harder, could pay dividends. He used the pitch more often, and while it wasn’t returning strikes at a high rate, the contact against it was poor. High cutters can often drop back into the zone for called strikes, which would play well off his four-seam fastball. Again, Beeks was great against lefties in 2025, but the contact stats against his fastball suggest some regression there if he doesn’t make changes.
I’ve written 1,500 words about Jalen Beeks so far, so I won’t repeat the process, but you should. Use Pitcher List and Baseball Savant, and tell me what you think about Beeks against righties. It’s fun. I promise.
There’s one more part I haven’t mentioned, and it’s arguably the most important. Watch the pitcher pitch. While a huge swinging strike rate can’t be faked, you might see a pitcher who’s missing spots over and over again and posit that they won’t have the same success consistently. In the case of Beeks, you’ll find an unorthodox delivery that looks to be deceptive. It reminds me of Kutter Crawford, but the ball is hidden at his hip rather than his ear. Nerds (like myself) run baseball (not me), but the game is still played on the field. There’s a lot to learn by watching.
Familiar face, Erick Fedde, is returning to the White Sox for another stint on the South Side. | Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images
White Sox pitchers and catchers officially reported to camp yesterday, beginning their Spring Training preparations for the 2026 season at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. There, they’ll ease into throwing routines and conditioning ahead of full-squad workouts later this month with their first Cactus League game scheduled on Feb. 20 against the Chicago Cubs.
For South Side fans, camp is more than just formality. It’s the first chance to see how the pitching staff comes together, with both new and returning faces. Veterans like Erick Fedde, who just signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract to compete for a rotation spot, and Anthony Kay, looking to make his MLB comeback, will join young arm prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith. Don’t forget about some of last year’s most consistent performers in Shane Smith, Davis Martin and Mike Vasil. Meanwhile, there are injury recovery stories to follow for hurlers Prelander Berroa, Mason Adams and Drew Thorpe as they work back from Tommy John surgery. Lastly, there are two Rule 5 Draft picks, Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto, in the mix. All will build up their innings and look to prove themselves to new pitching coach Zach Bove and his staff.
From the backstop perspective, there’s a plethora of depth at the position. Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero are one of the most fascinating young catching duos in baseball. Teel flashed plenty of bat with plus hit tools during his rookie campaign. He hit .273 with eight home runs and 35 RBI at just 23 years old and is considered a high ceiling OBP bat behind the dish. Teaming him up with fellow-year catching prospect Quero has allowed Chicago to have one of the deepest young tandems in the league. The 22-year-old Cuban rookie also stood his ground at the MLB level in 2025. Having posted a .268 batting average with five home runs and 36 RBI as a switch-hitter in his first year, Quero provides Chicago with a nice complementary catching profile. While having two solid catchers is a good problem to have, juggling playing time will be a significant challenge for second-year manager Will Venable.
Then there’s also still the issue of Korey Lee, and it’s doubtful that the Sox head into the season carrying three catchers. Lee is out of minor league options, so while three catchers certainly allows for flexibility, it just doesn’t seem like a very sensible roster move. It’s possible that GM Chris Getz is waiting to showcase Lee’s ability in Spring Training and working behind the scenes to get a trade done before the season starts.
Overall, Spring Training feels a bit more significant this year. There’s real arm competition in the starting rotation and meaningful decisions to be made behind the plate. These first few weeks in Glendale won’t just be about loosening up those arms and knocking off the rust. They’ll be about answering questions about who fits where, what players can be expected to do, and which guys will be factors as we look to upgrade on last year’s squad. Of course, these things will start to sort themselves out as camp progresses and games start getting put on the schedule. But for now, pitchers and catchers reporting gets us one step closer to baseball and Opening Day!
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 15: A general view of the Coca Cola bottle and glove at Oracle Park before a MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the San Francisco Giants on August 15, 2025 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
As we approach Spring Training and the beginning of the season, we’re going to be doing some questions for y’all about your thoughts about the San Francisco Giants and baseball in general!
Today’s question: How would you rank the 2026 NL West?
The Giants have the misfortune of being in one of the most difficult divisions in baseball at the moment. Aside from the outlier that was the 2021 season, they have not taken the division since 2012 and the last time they even managed second place was 2016.
So let’s do our best to see if we can rank the NL West teams for the 2026 season. You can rank them in a way that makes sense, or not. I’m not the boss of you, and I’m pro-manifesting success through sheer delusion.
Here’s my ranking:
5. Colorado Rockies
This is an obvious ranking, of course. The Rockies have not been competitive in the division or otherwise since 2018 and at this point I’m not sure if they’re even still an actual team, or a group of LARP-ers who show up to take the field when the Giants are in town.
4. San Francisco Giants
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. But this feels realistic to me. The only reason they didn’t end up in fourth place last season, in my opinion, is the hot start to the season that they had. And while I think the 2026 team might be slightly better than the 2025 team, I don’t think it’s significant enough. Though I’d love to be wrong! I often am.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
I struggled with this one, because I think the Diamondbacks are basically the Giants at this point so it could go either way. The Diamondbacks have been trending downward over the last couple of seasons after their World Series loss in 2023. However, I’m giving them an edge over the Giants because their ballpark is hitter friendly, and the Giants’ is where offense goes to die a slow painful death.
2.) San Diego Padres
The Padres are tough to predict, but they’ve been pretty consistent over the last few years, cementing themselves as the given second place team in the division after having done so in four of the last six seasons. So I think this one is a fairly safe bet as well.
1.) Los Angeles Dodgers
I hate typing this. I know you hate reading it. But it’s the reality we live in. Unless something catastrophic happens, I think it’s a very safe bet that the Dodgers will take the division once again. Just like they’ve done for 11 of the last 12 seasons. What a joy.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 15: Senior vice president and general manager Brian Cashman of the New York Yankees speaks during the 2024 Grapefruit League Spring Training Media Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Thursday, February 15, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, all! It’s a welcome day in Yankeeland, as pitchers and catchers officially report to spring training today. Of course, that oft-cited countdown following the last out of the World Series only means so much since plenty were already in camp a little early and dudes jogging around and lifting weights hardly feels like the true siren sound of baseball on the horizon. But it is a milestone nonetheless! Exhibition games will begin the Friday after next, and Opening Day on March 25th in San Francisco will be here in a blink.
On to today’s question. The offseason isn’t fully in the books since some notable players like Zac Gallen, Rhys Hoskins, Lucas Giolito, and Zack Littell remain available. But for the Yankees’ sake, it probably is; they don’t seem likely to make any further additions, barring a surprise trade or an end-of-spring swap to supplement the bench/back of the bullpen. So we can start to look in the rearview mirror with more confidence.
The Yankees made a number of different decisions this offseason that run the gamut on roster spots from “passive acceptance” to “active choice.” So which one makes you most nervous for the sake of the 2026 season? Is it not adding to the rotation depth beyond Ryan Weathers? Rolling the dice on outfielders Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham to remain as good as they were in 2025 while sitting out the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes? Losing two key relievers from the already-shaky 2025 bullpen and declining to make any obvious impact moves out there? Retaining Aaron Boone as manager?
There’s no shortage of options. I think leaving the rotation in such a dodgy place is the winner for me, given that all of Carlos Rodón, Gerrit Cole, and Clarke Schmidt will begin 2026 on the IL, and both Weathers and Luis Gil absolutely qualify as injury risks on their own.
Today on the site, Matt will remember a minor-but-infamous Yankees reliever from the early 2010s as part of our Yankees Birthdays series, Josh will critique The Shredder’s list of top MLB first basemen, and Peter will welcome back Cole in his 2026 Yankees preview post.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 18: A general view outside the stadium prior to Game 5 of the NLCS presented by loanDepot between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Friday, October 18, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.
If you could only attend one regular season Mets game this year, which one would it be?
Former Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez is greeted by Justin Verlander after he threw out the first pitch before the game against the Red Sox on Friday, April 7, 2017, at Comerica Park. Tigers 040717 Kd 9 | Kirthmon F. Dozier via Imagn Content Services, LLC
On Tuesday, it was announced that pitcher Justin Verlander had signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers, reuniting him with the team that drafted him a mere 22 years ago. Verlander was traded from Detroit to Houston in 2017, where he won a pair of World Series, before joining the San Francisco Giants last year. Now he returns to Detroit after nine years away in the hopes of winning one more World Series for a franchise that hasn’t won a title since 1984.
The Detroit Lions are similarly trying to make a jump from playoff contender to champion. And while the league isn’t rife with former Lions players who could help the team get over the hump in a reunion, there are certainly some familiar faces who could help.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which former Lions player would you welcome back for a one-year re-signing?
My answer: I won’t give a comprehensive list, because that would take away all the fun from you guys, but here are three that jump to mind for me, all of whom are unrestricted free agents in 2026:
G Kevin Zeitler
S Ifeatu Melifonwu
DL Da’Shawn Hand
Do I expect any of those players to re-sign with Detroit? Seems unlikely, although Melifonwu would certainly make sense given Detroit’s uncertainty at safety.
Let me hear which former Lions you’d love to see the Lions reunite with. Doesn’t matter if they’re free agents or not! Scroll down to the comment section and share your answer!
Oct 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) reacts in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game three of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
We’re back with another daily question, and today’s may be one of the more polarizing topics: would you rather watch a pitchers’ duel or a slugfest?
Pitchers’ duels are entertaining in that you’re watching to see who will break first. Slugfests are entertaining in that you’re watching to see who gets the last laugh at the plate.
In my opinion, a slugfest is more entertaining, but that isn’t to say I’d rather watch a slugfest. Slugfests are fun because odds are, you’re going to see a lot of homers and a lot of runs, which, as we’ve come to learn over the last couple of decades, MLB loves.
But I think I’d rather watch a pitchers’ duel.
Maybe I’m biased because of the long string of great pitchers we’ve seen come through Milwaukee, but I think there’s just something about two star pitchers going head-to-head and waiting for somebody to crack. Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta have all had their share of ace-esque performances in recent years, and it isn’t uncommon to see the pitcher on the other side do the same.
Just think about the Paul Skenes-Jacob Misiorowski matchup from last summer, a game that turned into a Wednesday afternoon sellout at American Family Field and lived up to the hype — Miz went five shutout frames with eight strikeouts while Skenes scuffled a bit, allowing four runs over four innings in what ended up one of his worst outings of an NL Cy Young-winning year.
So, imagine this: You’re headed to Am Fam Field for a game. Would you rather see a pitchers’ duel or a slugfest?
Weigh in in the comments, and join us throughout the month as we keep these conversations rolling into spring training. Have a question you’d like to ask in a future BCB Daily Question? Drop one in the comments, and we may use it later this month.
The Detroit Tigers took a rollercoaster ride on Tuesday on the news that Justin Verlander will be returning to his original franchise for a Hall of Fame-bound swan song in 2026. While that marked the apex of the day, the following news that Reese Olson is out for the year with surgery brought things back to earth.
Maybe missed among the big moves was the finalization of Framber Valdez’s contract, which along with JV’s return to the D, gives the Motor City Kitties a formidable starting five heading into spring training. The Tigers also added outfielder Austin Slater on a minor league deal.
That is a lot to take in on one day, with Detroit’s pitchers and catchers set to report to Lakeland on Sunday. What felt like a mostly meh offseason finally has some spark — and just in time.
So Tigers fans, how are you feeling out there? It feels like forever since Chris Ilitch greenlit some big offseason moves, and despite PECOTA’s bearish outlook, this could actually turn out to be a season to remember for the Olde English D.
On a scale of 1 to 10 — with 1 being the 2003 Tigers and 10 being the 1984 edition of the D — how excited are you now with less than two weeks until the first spring training game? Let us know in the comments below!
In full disclosure, I am somewhere around a seven… but there is a lot of upward momentum right now.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
1962 – Before the start of spring training, Don Zimmer and right-hander Bob Miller, both who reside in the St. Pete area, become the first players to don a Mets jersey when they model the club’s away uniform tops for a photo shoot at Huggins Field. The expansion team’s inaugural third baseman, who will be traded to the Reds in May for southpaw Bob Miller, poses with his nine year-old son Tommy on his shoulders.
1974 – Forty-eight major-league players invoke the new arbitration procedure established to settle contract differences. Pitcher Dick Woodson (seeking a contract for $29,000) and the Twins (offering $23,000) are the first to present their respective cases to Detroit lawyer and labor arbitrator Harry H. Platt, who must decide on one of the monetary amounts presented. Woodson wins. (2)
2006 – Avoiding an arbitration hearing, starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano (14-6, 3.26) and the Cubs agree to a one-year deal worth $6.5 million. After earning $3.76 million last season, the emotional right-hander had asked for $7.2 million, with Chicago offering $6 million. (1)
2015 – Little League International decides to strip the Jackie Robinson West team of Chicago, IL of its United States Championship won at the 2014 Little League World Series because it used players from outside its territory and manipulated district boundaries in order to field a stronger team. Various officials from the district are also suspended for their actions. (2)
55 – Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Emperorship, dies under mysterious circumstances in Rome, clearing the way for Nero to become Emperor.
385 – Siricius, bishop of Tarragona, elected as Bishop of Rome; first to style himself Pope.
1809 – American inventor Robert Fulton patents the steamboat.
1907 – Passenger ship Larchmont sinks by Block Island, off Rhode Island, 322 die.
1938 – World’s first science fiction TV program is a broadcast of the play R.U.R. by Karel Čapek.
1990 – Nelson Mandela is released after 27 years of imprisonment in South Africa.
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
PITTSBURGH - JULY 14: Outfielder Alfonso Soriano #12 of the Washington Nationals on the field before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on July 14, 2006 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates defeated the Nationals 7-4. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Continuing my series of articles that take a look at NL Central teams using several different projection systems, I now zoom in on the Cincinnati Reds. Last week I noticed that the Pirates could have problems scoring runs, but the Reds are here to outdo them. I will re-do the Pirates article down the road, and there’s plenty of time for that and more work to do with some of their recent acquisitions. I should not have scoffed at the Pirates, because now they’ve made some upgrades that may put them over the edge vs the Reds and Cardinals. The dust of the offseason is still settling, and pitchers and catchers will be reporting soon, but the actual season is still sort of distant… foggy at best.
This week I have decided to add in OOPSY projections, because the name is super funny (projections often get it wrong) and in the spirit of this series over the years, I try to bring in as many projection systems as possible. This is just as much an exercise for me as it is for you, so I hope you dig this poring over data that you could probably look up, but it’s fun to read about and compare/contrast these different systems, no?
I have left out systems like PECOTA because they are not too accurate and are not readily available on fangraphs. Last fall I analyzed the projections from last year and found ZiPS and The Bat to be most accurate, but I could be suffering from just looking at one year and one team. But anyway, I’m incorporating ZiPS, Depth Charts which was actually pretty accurate last time I wrote this, The Bat X (*or the Bat for pitchers), and now OOPSY because it’s been known to be pretty accurate too. It incorporates a lot of statcast data so I want to include it.
So I’ve been spitballing here, getting to know what the other teams the Cardinals are directly competing with are going to look like this year, on paper at least. Last year the Reds were a playoff team. I had them pegged as about as good as they were, but maybe not to make the postseason. Can they repeat a wild card this year and appease their fans after an early playoff exit? Or were they more of a fluke team in 2025…
The Reds key producer from their position player side is still Ely De La Cruz, who’s consensus projection is over 4 WAR. He is a defensively pretty good shortstop with 20+ HR power. Most of the projections think he will hit at least as well as last year, but none of them outside of OOPSY have him topping what he did in 2024, where he was definitely a little better hitter than he was last season. That said, he is still going to derive a lot of value from being a plus on defense at shortstop. Ely De La Cruz is no Masyn Winn defensively, but he is the better hitter. I must note however, that OOPSY sees De La Cruz 2026 as the potential breakout player many saw him as when he was a rookie.
Where do the projection systems agree on De La Cruz? ZiPS and Fangraphs DC are closest to agreement, with The Bat X pessimistic and OOPSY being high on the hopium.
Matt McLain is a more defense forward player over at the keystone for Cincinnati. He should quietly put up over 2 WAR while hitting a little below league average. Run preventing middle infield for the Reds.
Where do the projections agree? Depth Charts and OOPSY both have him at 2.4 WAR in 2026. ZiPS is more optimistic and The Bat X doesn’t think much of Matt.
Perhaps more exciting, 22 year old Sal Stewart will be a player to watch out for: ZiPS says 2.7 WAR but Depth Charts thinks more like 1.5 WAR. The other systems are more in line with DC so it would appear ZiPS is the outlier and that maybe Stewart isn’t that exciting.
Eugenio Suarez is also sort of exciting, because he is the addition to the team largely at DH. Suarez is a low batting average high power hitter. He will most likely not hit as many home runs as he did last year, but he will add 30+ home run power to the Reds lineup. That certainly has helped a lineup that could use some blast power. He will surely hit a lot of home runs in Cincinnati, but he strikes out so much that he’s going to be around a 110 wRC+ hitter. He should be about a 1.4 WAR player according to a consensus, none of them see him as a breakout player.
So far, neither the Reds or Pirates position player roster is projected for as much WAR as the Cardinals, but both team’s starting rotations are twice as good as the Cardinals rotation. In fact, the Reds and Pirates rotations should be about equal in value, with Pittsburgh’s rotation having a higher upside, and the Reds’ rotation locking in with five 2+ WAR pitchers lead by Hunter Greene, who will likely finish with around 3.4 WAR. Where am I getting all these numbers? Well, from these four projections systems. Basically, the whole Reds starting rotation is at the least, pretty darn good.
Reds might have the lowest projected position player total in the NL Central before the season starts
Very solid rotation that stacks up with Pittsburgh’s minus the elite ace… likelihood to be slightly better overall than the Pirates’
Suarez could make or break this team, but so could Ely De La Cruz… if he goes over 5 WAR their chances increase. If Suarez hits 50 HR this year, their chances increase even more.
Andrew Abbott or Chase Burns could surprise as the team ace, but my bet’s still on Greene
I’m going to go out on a limb and predict the Reds as battling it out for last place with the Pirates and Cardinals… And it might be only the Cardinals they can beat, leaving the Redbirds in the basement. I won’t be making my final “predictions” until around the WBC, with the Brewers and Cubs still to go and re-do’s on both the Pirates and Cardinals. My methodology is to look at each team’s top 20 players, with a minimum of 11 position players.
Next week I will take a look at the Milwaukee Brewers!
1977
Continuing along with another series I’ve been writing, about every year of music and culture in my life. As a musician and baseball fan, I’ll be focusing on mostly music, and some baseball factoids, but also movies and the current events of the time. I have found my favorite albums from 1975 and 1976, so on to 1977…
1977 was Jimmy Carter’s first year as president. When he was on the campaign trail in 1980, I actually got to meet the man as a child, and it is one of my first memories actually, meeting a president. One of the best presidents in history, if you ask me, but I’m also judging him on his whole life, not just his presidency. Anyhow, he was sworn in on January 20th, 1977.
There was a solar eclipse back in 1977. Cambodia and Vietnam fought each other. A huge part of my childhood began with the release of Star Wars, although I didn’t see it until I was a little older. They would show this movie in the theaters years after it came out. They still do and how many times it will be re-released is anyone’s guess. It was so popular that it was a box office hit FOR SIX YEARS. Probably not until The Empire Strikes Back debuted. May 25, 1977 was its original release date.
On July 13, 1977 Somalia declared war on Ethiopia, and NYC had an electricity blackout that lasted into the next day, resulting in looting and arson. Around July 21st, the Libyan-Egyptian war broke out. On August 4, 1977 Jimmy Carter created the US Dept of Energy. The military controlled government of Uruguay turned power back over to the people through general elections. The first test flight of the Space Shuttle Enterprise was successful.
The Big Ear radio telescope at Ohio State University received a transmission from deep space. Three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd died in a plane crash. October 26, 1977 is considered the date of the elimination of smallpox.
Punk rock started to hit the mainstream.
In baseball, the first year of familiar franchises the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays was 1977. This was baseball’s third expansion. Prior to that, the Seattle Pilots relocated to Milwaukee and became the Brewers. I did not know that! The NL did not expand, and remained at 12 teams until the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins were introduced to the world in 1993. In what would’ve been both a popular and very unpopular world series, the Yankees beat the Dodgers. It ended a fifteen year Yankee drought and was their 21st world series championship.
The Royals and Phillies had more wins than the Yankees 100 in the regular season, but just by a game or two. The Cardinals and Cubs were mid level teams in the NL East, with the Phillies and Pirates being the two teams to beat. The Cincinnati Reds finished second to the LA Dodgers in… the NL West?? ok!
Rod Carew and George Foster were the MVPs, Sparky Lyle (baseball name!) and Steve Carlton were the Cy Young Award winners, Eddie Murray and Andre Dawson were the rookies of the year, and Rollie Fingers got his fingers on a Relief Man of the Year Award (along with Bill Campbell in the AL).
Back to Rod Carew: he batted .388!!!!! What?? George Foster was no slouch either, hitting 52 HR and knocking in 149 RBI for the Reds of the west. Nolan Ryan threw 341 strikeouts, not to be outshined by the hitters. The NL won the All-Star Game.
Bob Watson, John Mayberry, and Jack Brohamer (another baseball name!) all hit for the cycle in 1977! Willie Stargell reached 400 home runs vs the Cardinals in 1977, and Lou Brock stole his 900th stolen base on September 30th! Lou Brock also surpassed Ty Cobb in stolen bases just 7 SB prior to #900.
The Cardinals attendance went back up in numbers this season with an above .500 team that finished just ahead of the Chicago Cubs. The first Mariners game ever was a loss to the Angels, while the first Blue Jays game ever had Toronto over the Chicago White Sox. A Canadian pitcher playing for Boston, Ferguson Jenkins, threw the first shut out in Exhibition Stadium vs the Blue Jays, in their first month of existence. The White Sox selected Harold Baines as the #1 pick in the 1977 MLB draft.
Top 10 Albums of 1977
#1: Heart – ‘Little Queen’ This is my album of the year for 1977. I’ve always liked the song “Barracuda” as does everyone I know. Roger Fisher is one of my favorite unsung guitar heroes, and the Wilson sisters are among my favorite singers of any genre. I think both their 1975 album and this one are perfect albums, but ‘Little Queen’ is their best album of all. An absolute classic of the rock genre. Ahem.
#2: Rush – ‘A Farewell To Kings’ this particular album is many Rush fan’s favorite one, but it’s not my favorite Rush album. However, it is REALLY good still, for me it’s all about three songs: “Closer To The Heart”, “Xanadu”, and “Cygnus X-1” being among the best rock songs of all time. The rest of the album ain’t bad either and it flows start to finish. I struggled putting this album this highly on the list, but man, those three songs are just life changing. Farewell!
#3: Fela Kuti & Africa ’70 – ‘Zombie’ here is my sleeper pick, that I would not have even ranked in my top 10 without research… even though I’m familiar with Fela Kuti I need to know the discography better. Speaking of mid 70’s funk and punk, this is perhaps the most funk punk album of all time. The sound is mostly funk, but the spirit is very punk. The genre is called Afrobeat. The Nigerian government hated this album and Kuti’s own elderly mother was thrown out a window resulting in her death, while his commune was destroyed by the military. Fela Kuti was severely beaten in the process, but survived. ‘Zombie’ has made a couple of different major top 100 of the 1970’s music lists. An absolutely legendary album.
#4: Wire – ‘Pink Flag’ Funny thing is, I actually have met a member of The Wire at The Gingerman, an old bar neighboring The Metro in Chicago. He was having a drink at the bar talking to a cool younger lady. I think that bar is now known as the G-Man, an idiocracy level downgrade for a name of a bar, but whatever. They always had a good jukebox. So far I have been reviewing some proto punk albums, and this is the one that has struck me as most influential. Its production and sound sound much clearer and louder than other albums from this time period, every layer is really apparent in their sound. Not only is it awesome, but it’s the very first Wire album, showing poise and maturity from the get go. This is another album that I was unfamiliar with prior to this writing that I am glad to have found. I am sure I have heard it before but have neglected it since. It’s almost as if they’re inventing new genres of alt rock with every track.
#5: MX-80 Sound – ‘Hard Attack’ This album should be in every punk rock fan’s collection, but it’s not. The only reason this isn’t ranked higher than ‘Pink Flag’ is that the production isn’t nearly as cool, and the music is a little more jammy, but this is a proto punk masterpiece collection of songs from a band in 1977. Blending in multiple other genres as the band finds its way, creating new paths in the process. This is so far ahead of its time, cannot really overstate it.
#6: Talking Heads – ‘77’ Speaking of debuts from important bands such as Wire, here is the debut from Talking Heads! I mostly love this because of bassist Tina Weymouth’s playing, but the whole band is really good, and it’s a really fun listen. It’s more of a prediction of what is to come from this band, but it’s among the very best releases of 1977.
#7: Television – ‘Marquee Moon’ At the roots of punk rock are many different genres presented in different ways. I am not sure what other genre you would file Television under, other than that they kind of sound post-punk, already. Same with Wire, but, Television might be the only band that blended some prog rock into their punk sound, and even a little classic rock too, but making it all sound fresh and new.
#8: Rennaissance – ‘Novella’ described as symphonic prog, I find this album to be more relaxing than either genre. This is put on a sunny, cool afternoon, but stay inside watching the sun glint through the leaves music. Just space out to this and relax, thinking of other times, other places… and yes, I like some more obscure prog rock, too. I would have more King Crimson on the list but their first era ended prior to my birth! And by the way, if you love mellotron like I do, you need to hear this.
#9: The Residents – ‘Fingerprince’ is a hodgepodge of early Residents tracks, from what I can tell. One youtube reviewer said, “this is what insanity sounds like” and I tend to agree. There are parts of this album that invented early Primus sounds… Primus even covered them. But this is the only band I would compare to Chrome from this time, so that’s pretty cool. I have only discovered this album recently so I would have more to say about it, but it surely deserves a spot on this list, along with these other bands inventing new sounds!
#10: Iggy Pop – ‘The Idiot’ + ‘Lust For Life’ Iggy Pop or Bowie in this slot, and I pick Iggy here. Bowie had a trilogy, but I’d rather hear these two Pop albums.
See you next week with the Brewers and 1978. May the fruit of our labors be blessed.
Orioles President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias welcomes the media and VIPs to the new facility. The Baltimore Orioles unveiled their new Player Development Complex to the media on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. The 47,700 square-foot facility includes indoor batting cages and infield, a biomechanics lab, new outdoor covered batting cages and more fan access areas. | Mike Lang / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Good Morning Birdland,
Pitchers and catchers have arrived to Sarasota! Spring is here (kind of). We can soon stop worrying about all of the offseason storylines, and instead talk about actual baseball.
Get a look at these guys! In this post from the Orioles’ Instragram alone, you can see Dean Kremer, Samuel Basallo, Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Shane Baz, Yennier Cano, Luis De Léon, Ryan Helsley, Trey Gibson, and Yaramil Hiraldo. And the in this one you can also see Adley Rutschman, Keegan Akin, Dietrich Enns, Rico Garcia, Cade Povich, and Maverick Handley, among others already mentioned.
By the end of September, I was annoyed by all of them! The season was a disappointment and a drag. But the winter weather has cooled my anger. I am ready to be hurt again.
But before we get to that, there is still the settling of the rotation to sort out. We got some news there on Tuesday.
We learned that Justin Verlander will not be joining the team. He is headed back to Detroit, where he spent the first 13 seasons of his career. That’s nice for him.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported yesterday that the Orioles are one of four teams still in the mix for free agent pitcher Zac Gallen. Nightengale is the same guy that reported Gallen had already agreed to a deal with the Cubs way back in December, so take his words with a boulder of salt.
Mike Elias told the media yesterday that his front office continues to be “plugged in” on the pitcher market, but also said that he believes the existing rotation is “very strong and very talented.” That sounds like a guy that doesn’t love the available external options, and would prefer to wait for an in-season trade.
That logic is fine if the team can actually make it to July in a competitive position. He made a similar bet a year ago, and it didn’t pan out. This roster does feel better prepared to make a run than the one 12 months ago, but nothing is guaranteed.
A variable to consider in this are the Orioles young pitchers. We have seen Povich and Brandon Young. Both can fill in here and there, but I’m not sure anyone wants them to be full-time members of the rotation. Next up is Gibson and De Leon. Gibson is likely to get a chance at some point in 2026. If he is the real deal, all that talk of adding another pitcher will seem silly. But we won’t know that until June at the earliest. De Leon is a bit farther off, but potentially even more talented. Odds are that both of them could be in the rotation by sometime in 2027. But how much that helps the team in the near term is unclear, and that is frustrating for those that want the team to strike now.
Links
Time for the first Orioles workout | Roch Kubatko A whole bunch of quotes from new skipper Craig Albernaz. He sounds confident in his crew! But what else is he going to say? On the first day of spring training every team feels like a World Series winner.
Mike Elias has confidence in Orioles pitching staff but doesn’t rule out an addition | The Baltimore Banner If the Orioles are good, they are going to add to the pitching staff. But it has always felt like that addition was going to come from a trade, rather than the free agent market. Elias doesn’t like paying top-dollar for arms. He has said as much. If a discount isn’t available, he is usually going to prefer to make a swap for a younger option with team control.
Coby Mayo’s future with the Orioles feels more uncertain than ever | The Baltimore Sun The fact that Mayo hasn’t been moved, paired with the trade for Blaze Alexander last week, feels like something could be afoot. Is someone hurt? Or do the Orioles just plain to cycle through infielders all summer? It is odd. But it is also not uncommon for Elias to let prospects wilt on the vine a bit rather than dealing them.
Gregory Soto turns 31 today. The lefty just spent parts of two seasons with the Orioles from 2024-25, accumulating a 4.33 ERA and 0.2 bWAR over 68 total appearances. He was traded to the Mets last summer and is now with the Pirates.
César Cabral is 37. His Orioles career lasted two games, both of which came in 2015 as a reliever.
The late Brian Matusz (b. 1987, d. 2025) was born on this day. Selected fourth overall in 2008, Matusz transitioned to a bullpen role early in his big league career, eventually turning into one of the game’s better lefty specialists. He was particularly dominant against Hall of Famer David Ortiz, who went 4-for-29 with 13 strikeouts against Matusz in his career.
Matt Lindstrom is 46 years old. The reliever’s time in Baltimore was short, spanning just 34 games in 2012. He was eventually dealt to the Diamondbacks in exchange for postseason hero Joe Saunders.
This day in O’s history
1987 – The Orioles sign Ray Knight, the MVP of the Mets’ recent World Series win, to a one-year, $475,000 deal plus incentives. Knight had turned down an $800,000 offer from the Mets earlier in the offseason.
TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 28: Ian Seymour #61 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches in the first inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 28, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DRaysBay works best as a place for community and conversation. Accordingly, in the lead up to the new season, we are posting “Daily Questions” in the month of February. I look forward to seeing you in the comment section!
Pitchers & Catchers begin to report to Spring Training today, so I can think of no more timely a question than this! Who do expect to make the Rays starting rotation?
