PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 06: Nick Castellanos #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on after hitting a two-RBI double against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning in game two of the National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 06, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Philadelphia Phillies have released outfielder Nick Castellanos, per multiple reports. Castellanos had one year left on the five year, $100 million deal he signed with the Phillies prior to 2022 season.
It had been a given that the Phillies were not going to open camp with Castellanos still on the team, and the only question was whether they could find someone to take Castellanos and pay a small portion of the $20 million he is owed in 2026, or if they’d end up simply cutting him. In his four seasons with the Phillies, Castellanos slashed .260/.306/.426 and put up a 1.3 bWAR.
We had previously talked about the possibility of the Rangers taking a look at Castellanos as a potential platoon DH when he hit the market. However, this piece in the Athletic by Matt Gelb, where Gelb says that “many teammates had come to resent Castellanos for his attitude” even before he sat in the dugout in a June game in Miami drinking a beer while displaying his displeasure at being lifted for defense late in the game. Gelb also paints a picture of a player who views himself as a star and is unhappy if he is not being treated like one, and not wanting to accept a part-time role.
So yeah, thinking that’s a no on Castellanos for the Rangers.
TAMPA — It only took a day for the first injury concern of Yankees camp to pop up, even if they insist it is not much of a concern at all.
Cam Schlittler is dealing with mid-back inflammation that he is also feeling in his left lat, the right-hander said Thursday, though he described his level of concern as “zero” and claimed the Yankees are just being cautious by keeping him off the mound for a few days.
Last year’s breakout star indicated he has been dealing with the issue for a few weeks, but he will continue to throw on flat ground and hopes to get back on the mound for a bullpen session by next week.
“It’s just so insignificant,” Schlittler said at Steinbrenner Field. “It’s very minor. We’re just taking some precautions for a few days and that’s really it. … . I’ve been dealing with it for a little bit, so just want to make sure I’m on top of it and ready for Opening Day and that week in San [Francisco].”
Cam Schlittler throws during a workout on Feb. 12, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Yankees are already set to open the season with Carlos Rodón, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt on the injured list, and while they say they feel good about their starting depth, they can ill afford to lose Schlittler on top of all that.
There have been some examples in recent years of the Yankees initially downplaying an injury only for it to turn into something more serious, so while back inflammation sounds harmless enough in the middle of February, it will bear watching in the coming days as Schittler tries to return to building up for the regular season.
The 25-year-old, who posted a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts last season before dazzling against the Red Sox in the American League wild-card series, recently got tests done on his back that came back with “good news,” manager Aaron Boone said.
“Just want to make sure we don’t turn this into something else,” Boone said. “He’s felt a little tweak here and there, but has been doing his lives. He’s already done two [innings] in lives, so I don’t think it’ll slow him that much.”
Boone and Schlittler both said the righty was already ahead of other pitchers in his progression, having faced hitters multiple times.
If he is able to get back on the mound by next week and advance without issues, he still should have plenty of time to start the season on time.
“That setback, it’s really minor in terms of the longevity when you’re looking to throw a full season,” said Schlittler, who has been working out here for about a month. “There’s really no concern or worries when it comes to that stuff.”
The Yankees are banking on Schlittler being a staple in their rotation and building off what he did last year after being called up midseason to make his MLB debut as an injury replacement for Schmidt.
He delivered beyond expectations, after having started the year at Double-A, and punctuated his season mowing down the Red Sox with a memorable 12-strikeout gem in the playoffs.
“I feel like I found my identity a little bit those last three outings I had,” Schlittler said. “It took two months up there to really figure out how I need to pitch and all that. For me, it’s just the routine and making sure I’m taking care of myself on and off the field. Going out there with what I learned at the end of last season and really taking off.”
The potential of having Schlittler pitch a full season is part of the reason why the Yankees are so high on what their rotation could give them this year, especially once Rodón and Cole return.
Now they just need this “minor” back issue to remain minor so he can have the chance to deliver on that promise.
“I came in here last spring training kind of as a no one, prospect, whatever it was,” Schlittler said. “But I was really trying to learn things. Come in here, get my work in. It was more of an experience last year. Now I feel like being over here, I’ve earned that role and I’m going to go out there, I know exactly what I need to do. When these games come up, I’ll work on things and prepare for the season.”
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Philadelphia Phillies released outfielder Nick Castellanos on Thursday after the team was unable to make a deal to trade him. Castellanos then revealed he was benched last season after bringing beer into the dugout during a game.
The team wanted the situation resolved before its first full-squad workout at spring training, which is Monday.
Castellanos was benched last season after he made what Phillies manager Rob Thomson described as “ an inappropriate comment ” after he was pulled for a defensive replacement. Castellanos said in September that communication with Thomson had been “ questionable, at least in my experience.”
On Thursday, Castellanos posted a hand-written note on social media explaining an incident in Miami that preceded his benching. He said he brought beer into the dugout after being taken out of a game and complained to Thomson about team rules. He said teammates took the beer away before he drank any.
Afterward, he went into the office with Thomson and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.
“We aired out our differences and the conversation ended with me apologizing for letting my emotions get the best of me,” Castellanos said, adding that he was benched the next game as punishment.
Castellanos, who turns 34 on March 4, hit .250 with 17 homers and 72 RBIs in 147 games for the NL East champions last year. He was going into the final season of a $100 million, five-year contract, but Dombrowski said Monday the Phillies were talking to other teams about him.
Adolis García is expected to replace Castellanos in right field after he signed a $10 million, one-year contract with Philadelphia in December.
After Castellanos’ release was announced by the team, the veteran outfielder acknowledged bringing a beer into the dugout after being removed from a game in Miami last June.
That led to Castellanos being benched the following game by Phillies manager Rob Thomson, who said at the time the outfielder was being punished for an “inappropriate comment” in the dugout, something the 33-year-old Castellanos addressed Thursday.
He sectioned this part of the note, “Miami Incident.”
Nick Castellanos is pictured during the Phillies’ Aug. 15 game. Getty Images
“As a veteran of the game of baseball, there are rules, and I broke one in Miami,” Castellanos posted on Instagram. “After being taken out of a close ball game in front of my friends and family, I brought a presedente [sic] into the dugout. I then sat right next to Rob and let him know that too much slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others are not conducive to us winning. Shoutout to my teammates and Howie [Kendrick, assistant GM, who was in the dugout] for taking the beer out of my hands before I could take a sip. (I appreciate you guys).”
His benching made headlines at the time, in part, because Castellanos had a 236-game starting streak prior to the incident. He also grew up in the suburbs of Miami.
Castellanos, who has played 13 years in the majors, has one year and $20 million remaining on a five-year, $100 million deal he signed after coming off a career-best year in Cincinnati in 2021.
Castellanos also played parts of seven seasons with the Tigers.
His time with the Phillies didn’t go well, although he was an All-Star in 2023.
Castellanos’ production fell off sharply following that season and his departure from Philadelphia was almost a foregone conclusion, especially when the team signed Adolis Garcia this past offseason.
Team president Dave Dombrowski said of Castellanos during the offseason “sometimes a change of scenery can be beneficial for people.”
He was reportedly told not to report to spring training and there was no locker for him at the team’s spring training facility in Clearwater, Fla.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 07: Dominic Canzone #8 of the Seattle Mariners hits an RBI single to win the game in eleven innings against the Chicago White Sox at T-Mobile Park on August 07, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners won 4-3 in eleventh innings. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At two on the ante meridium, you’ll find me asleep.
Most nights, this is no guarantee. Fiddling and futzing, filming and flamming, the unobserved hours of night offer me nourishing ease for my brain’s constructive efforts. It’s your fault, really, and Dominic Canzone is one of you, to be so damned compelling that in the decades I’ve determined my own bedtime that I’m rarely able to quell my mind until most of my world is at rest. But I’ve endeavored, dare I say vowed, to sleep soundly tonight. And for this, Canzone must be confronted on his terms: over the heart of the plate, in the light of day.
It’s a terrible gameplan for retiring the 28 year old Buckeye, whose outstanding second half caulked the corner outfield gap left by the injury-ridden seasons of Victor Robles and Luke Raley, as well as the better-the-sooner-we’re-rid-of-him Leody Taveras experiment. Canzone’s zone of influence is over the plate’s inner half, where his lean, wristy swing can deliver maximum impact with his whiplash hacks. Five of his 11 big flies came middle-in last year, and seven were on the inner half overall – just a single one was on the outer third of the plate. When Canzone connects, it’s thunderous.
Julio’s seemingly-annual second-half surge was a massive part of Seattle’s blistering finish to the season, but Canzone’s scalding September and solid season overall played a mighty role as well. Expected to take a strong-side platoon, if not near-daily role in the 2026 lineup between DH and corner outfield, Canzone was on the outside looking in (with glasses) at this time a year ago. Defensively limited, Canzone was a bat-first platoon man who wasn’t batting. A series of adjustments to his stance and approach, as well as improved health and the opportunity provided by the injuries to Victor Robles and Luke Raley were all necessary to put Canzone back into Seattle’s plans.
Canzone’s quality improved last year with some good fortune: a .354 BABIP that is the dream of the shift-banners, rewarding a hitter who seeks to pull the ball with authority. But accomplishing this task also came on significant strides in his approach. Those mechanical changes seem to have made major strides, with Canzone improving his average bat speed on his swing while lowering the length of his swing. That’s not unheard of, but broadly speaking, bat speed is its best in longer swings, a give and take of impact authority in exchange for adjustability – e.g. Giancarlo Stanton constantly leads the league in average bat speed, but is an infamous whiff risk when contact is not made.
Ryan explored Canzone’s numbers in depth earlier this winter, which I implore you to read, because it gets at why Canzone is not like Stanton, nor even a more comparable feast or famine slugger in the same bat speed range: Teoscar Hernandez. Despite eschewing free passes to a deleterious degree, Canzone is able seemingly to better dominate the inner half of the zone while at least getting a piece of pitches he needs to spoil. In 2025, the slugger who will anchor a plucky Team Italy roster in the World Baseball Classic in less than a month struck out less than the league average, and whiffed barely a tick above the median.
In a slightly more ideal roster, Canzone could be confidently slated to DH for the Mariners heading into 2026. There’s not much sugar-coating Dom’s defensive shortcomings. He runs slowly, has a strong but inconsistent arm, and looks like a student of Randy Arozarena more than Julio or Victor Robles in his routes. In 2025, Canzone was dependent on the performance of others to have a chance at playing a role in the big leagues. This year, a major role has been earned, but the shape of it remains to be seen, ranging from platoon bat to full-time DH/RF given the small gains Canzone showed against southpaws.
Canzone will likely have to see what Robles can deliver this spring, as his fellow 28 year old is unequivocally a defensive superior who can allow Julio to better shade to cover his DH-worthy compatriot in left. Wherever he plays, however, Canzone has earned his way back into the center of the plan, well lit and looking forward.
Nick Castellanos' time with the Philadelphia Phillies came to an end on Thursday, Feb. 12 with his release as the team began to gather for spring training.
The former Phillies outfielder wasted no time in penning a four-page handwritten letter, which he shared on his Instagram account, following the news of the release.
In the letter, Castellanos addressed Philadelphia fans and made an admission about the events that led to his eventual release, which he called the "Miami incident."
"As a veteran of the game of baseball, there are rules, and I broke one in Miami," Castellanos wrote. "After being taken out of a close ball game in front of my friends and family, I brought a Presidente (beer) into the dugout. I then sat right next to Rob and let him know that too much slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others are not conducive to us winning."
Castellanos said his teammates prevented him from taking a sip.
Nick Castellanos posted a goodbye on IG to Philly fans as well as an explanation of the “Miami incident” with Rob Thomson when he was benched. pic.twitter.com/6HGWT7ULaf
The incident Castellanos refers to happened on June 16, 2025, in a game against NL East rival Miami Marlins. During a 5-2 Phillies win over the Marlins, manager Rob Thomson removed Castellanos in the eighth inning for defensive replacement Johan Rojas.
With Castellanos being from Davie, Florida, being just over 20 miles from Marlins Park, he took exception to being removed from the game. The next day, Thomson and the Phillies announced Castellanos was being benched for making an "inappropriate comment."
"One of the many things about Nick that I love is that he's very emotional," Thomson said. "He loves to play, and he loves to play every inning of every game. I just thought last night he made an inappropriate comment after he came out, and so today, he's not going to play. And I'm going to leave it at that."
Castellanos revealed on Feb. 12 that it was not only his comments, but also his actions that led to his benching.
Despite the troubles near the end of his Phillies career, he showed an appreciation to the city and the fans in part of the letter he shared on social media.
"To the people of city, thank you for showing up for the past four years," Castellanos wrote. "Applauding or booing, you were there."
Feb 10, 2026; North Port, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider (99) works out during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The good news for the Atlanta Braves as we continue to progress through the early portions of spring training is that two days of camp have come and gone and the Braves haven’t had anybody else go on the 60-Day IL. Here’s hoping that this continues long into spring training, the World Baseball Classic and the regular season as well, since the last thing this ballclub needs is a repeat of the injury struggles that this team has gone through for the past couple of seasons now.
That is especially true for the starting rotation, which suffered some astonishing bad luck during last year’s regular season campaign. There’s already been a bad omen of that bad luck lingering into this season after we got wind of the news earlier this week that Spencer Schwellenbach will be starting the season on the 60-Day IL. A fully-healthy rotation would’ve gone a long way towards bringing the Braves back into relevancy as far as the Postseason is concerned and already they could be missing Schwellenbach for who-knows-how-long.
As such, the need for some more starting pitching has come under the magnifying glass once again. Earlier this week, Sam Peebles talked about some outside-of-the-box trade options that the Braves could pursue when it comes to fortifying their rotation. That’s certainly a route the Braves could go down, especially considering that there’s a bit of a murky idea as to just how much the Braves are going to be willing to spend as the season gets closer and closer.
As of right now (according to FanGraphs), the Braves are currently committed to paying $264 million towards their payroll in 2026, which would be good for a Top 10 payroll in all of baseball and sixth place, to be exact. Atlanta was pushing for a Top Five payroll and as of right now, they’re going to come up short as they trail the Blue Jays and Phillies, who are spending $281 million and $284 million, respectively.
While we know that they’re not going to go into Dodgers/Mets territory any time soon (the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers are the only teams currently spending over $300 million, with the Dodgers being closer to $400 million. Phew.), there is a question as to how much the Braves are going to spend over what they’re already planning on spending right now. MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal recently went on Foul Territory TV to discuss the situation for the Braves from a financial standpoint and he didn’t seem to indicate that the Braves were going to be super aggressive in adding to their rotation going forward.
“I don’t know if it changes anything for them financially,” said Rosenthal when he was asked about the Braves potentially hitting up the free agent market for a starter. “They were going to spend what they were going to spend, and the guys out there right now were only going to get a certain amount.” He did mention that one of the options for Atlanta was Zac Gallen but he also made sure to mention that the fact that Gallen comes alongside the potential penalty of the Qualifying Offer as a potential stumbling block to the Braves going after him.
“The one thing that is a little bit different with them, and they’ve been unwilling to deal with this due to the qualifying offer situation, is the loss of a draft pick,” stated Rosenthal. ”The pick they would lose is No. 26 overall, that’s kind of a high pick to lose, and they’ve been reluctant to do that. They would do it for the right pitcher. I don’t know if Zac Gallen on a short-term deal is that pitcher and I still expect him to go back to Arizona.”
Lucas Giolito is also still out there and he was previously linked to the Braves along with Chris Bassitt — though Bassitt is now off of the table after the Orioles snapped him up on a pretty reasonable deal. Whether the Braves decide to pursue Giolito, they actually decide to say [bleep] that pick and go for Gallen or if they potentially trade for a. hurler, the point is that Atlanta’s going to need to take some action here.
I’m not trying to pick on Bryce Elder here but again, things will probably not be going well around here if Elder is among the team leaders in innings pitched. Of course, things could go well for the Braves from a health standpoint but that’s a pretty big “if” for this ballclub right now. Chris Sale has always been an injury risk, Spencer Strider is still trying to figure things out after coming back his most recent elbow surgery, Reynaldo López certainly has questions about his durability and all we can do is hope that Grant Holmes will remain steady as he returns from elbow issues of his own — and it’s not even a guarantee that Holmes will be a starter going forward.
– Grant Holmes is back to 100%. Says rehab went great. Spent it here in Florida. Went to the beach a lot. – Ozzie is 100%. Has something to prove. His fish are doing great. – Drake Baldwin enjoyed rookie of the year off-season. Very locked in.
The starting rotation sure could do with some fortification and maybe we’ll have to see the Braves either dip into the free agency market or swing a trade somehow. Either way, the Schwellenbach injury could serve as a wake-up call to make sure that the front office knows that the job’s not done yet when it comes to making sure this team will be solid going forward.
I’m sure they’re working hard and keeping their eyes peeled for anything that may materialize (and this front office with Alex Anthopoulos at the top still deserves the benefit of the doubt based on past achievements and transactions) but time’s of the essence. Let’s hope that this rotation gets fortified soon and in a way that’s conducive to the club’s success going forward.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 11: Paul Sewald #38 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after the Diamondbacks defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 12-5 at Chase Field on August 11, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, this is certainly something. Former D-backs’ closer Paul Sewald, an integral part of the bullpen which reached the 2023 World Series, is apparently coming back to the team. Steve Gilbert was the first to report the deal, confirming it is a major-league contract, rather than a minor-league one with an invite to spring training. Nick Piecoro subsequently added that it’s a one-year deal at a cost of $1.5 million.
Sewald’s first stint with the Diamondbacks began at the trade deadline in 2023, when he came over from the Seattle Mariners. He picked up thirteen saves with a 3.57 ERA down the stretch in Arizona, but really came into his own during the post-season. On the way to the National League pennant, he pitched eight scoreless innings and notched six saves, with a 11:1 K:BB ratio. Everything went pear-shaped (to put it mildly) in the World Series against Texas, and that was a portent of things to come. For in 2024, his ERA was a mediocre 4.31, and he lost the closer’s job at the beginning of August.
Last year, he split time between Cleveland and Detroit, though the results were not brilliant with either team. Overall he had a 4.58 ERA across 22 games, spending most of the year on the injured list with a strained shoulder. He earned $6 million that year: there was an option for 2026, but at $10 million was an easy decline. He was therefore able to return to Arizona on a considerably cheaper deal. I will make no comment more predictive about his performance than “We’ll see…” But I would be quite surprised if he gets any significant high-leverage situations out of the gate.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 13: Colorado Rockies first baseman Keston Hiura (7) during the MLB game between the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves on June 13, 2025, at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The 29-year-old who went to Valencia High School in Santa Clarita and played college baseball at UC Irvine has played parts of six seasons in the major leagues. But most of his time in the last three seasons has been in Triple-A for the Brewers, Angels, Tigers, and Rockies, with a total of 18 games in the majors during that time with the Angels in 2024 and Rockies in 2025.
Hiura in the bulk of his time in the majors, mostly with the Brewers from 2019-22, came at second base. But over the last three years in the minors and majors combined, Hiura started 166 games at first base, 28 games at third base, and 24 games at second base.
For Triple-A Albuquerque in 2025, Hiura hit .272/.369/.507 with a 107 wRC+ and 21 home runs in 100 games, and had four hits in 18 at-bats, including a double in eight games with the Rockies.
Jeremy Hefner spoke to the media for the first time as the Braves’ pitching coach – and refused to name the Mets, where he spent two years as a player and six years coaching.
“Yeah, a lot of respect for this organization,” Hefner said when asked about what it was like to be with the Braves after leaving the Mets. “Grew up watching the Braves on TBS, watching [John] Smoltz, [Greg] Maddux, and [Tom] Glavine — all those guys do their thing.
“And then obviously been with that other team up north for a number of years, both as a player and as a coach. A lot of admiration and respect for this group. And just super grateful to be here and looking forward to continuing to work with these guys.”
Jeremy Hefner speaks to reporters for the first time with the Braves.
Hefner was one of several coaches let go by the Mets after a highly disappointing 2025 season, where they had a league-best 45-24 record as of June 12, before collapsing and missing the playoffs.
He is not the only Mets coach to hint at bad blood with the organization; hitting coach Eric Chavez has also been very vocal about how he was given his walking papers by Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns.
Hefner was let go by the Mets in favor of new pitching coach Justin Willard, who was previously the director of pitching for the Boston Red Sox.
David Stearns cleaned house for the Mets coaching staff. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The Mets also unceremoniously parted ways with first base coach Antoan Richardson, who was integral in helping Juan Soto become a legitimate stolen base threat for the first time in his career.
For Hefner, he will have his work cut out for him in Atlanta.
The Braves are already down one of their top starters, Spencer Schwellenbach, who was immediately put on the 60-day IL after experiencing forearm tightness to begin spring training.
Braves pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said “that other team up north” in reference to his former employer pic.twitter.com/FC5u3twoA6
The ominous sign could point to the Braves needing some fill-in starting pitching help, as Bryce Elder may be forced to take on the fifth starter role.
Elder pitched to a 5.30 ERA last season and a 6.52 ERA the year prior.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says the league's negotiations over MLB players competing at the 2028 Olympics are with "the institution of the Olympics" and not LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
As Major League Baseball closes in on an agreement for its players to participate in the 2028 Olympics, Commissioner Rob Manfred said the controversy surrounding LA28 chief Casey Wasserman would not impact the league’s final decision.
“Our dealings are not with Casey,” Manfred said Thursday at the MLB owners’ meetings. "Our dealings are with the institution of the Olympics.”
In recently released emails, Wasserman was linked to Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. The board retained a law firm to investigate, the statement said, and the review did not uncover any behavior beyond what was already known: a “single interaction with Epstein” on a plane flight for a humanitarian mission and raunchy emails with Maxwell, both two decades ago, before the “deplorable crimes” of both became public.
“Based on these facts, as well as the strong leadership he has exhibited over the past ten years, Mr. Wasserman should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games,” the committee statement said.
Epstein died by suicide after his indictment on sex trafficking charges in 2019. Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021.
Manfred declined to say whether he was concerned that an association with Wasserman could be detrimental for baseball.
“I’m going to pass on that one,” Manfred said. “People much closer to that situation are better to opine on that.”
Mark Attanasio, the Los Angeles-based owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, is a member of the LA28 executive committee. Attanasio said he would let the statement speak for itself.
While baseball is not new to the Olympics, the participation of major leaguers would be. In past Olympics, MLB declined to interrupt its season so its players could travel halfway around the world, and Team USA featured minor leaguers and college players.
MLB players already travel to Los Angeles every summer, and Wasserman has pitched Manfred and MLB owners in a variety of meetings on the benefit of using major leaguers at a time the league is focused on broadening its international appeal.
“What an incredible opportunity to elevate the sport in a city where you have one of the great cathedrals of the sport,” Wasserman told The Times last year. “There is no better chance to tell the global story of baseball than from the Olympics in Los Angeles.
“They understand that. We could have another Dream Team, or two, depending on the countries. That is a vehicle to tell the story of baseball around the world, and that is really powerful.”
MLB and LA28 officials have worked out a tentative timeline under which the All-Star Game would be played in its usual mid-July spot in 2028, most likely in San Francisco, followed by a six-day, six-team Olympic baseball tournament at Dodger Stadium.
“I think people have come to appreciate that the Olympics on U.S. soil is a unique marketing opportunity for the game,” Manfred said Thursday. “We’ve got a lot of players interested in doing it, and I feel pretty good about the idea we’ll get there.”
Are the Dodgers good for baseball?
Outfielder Kyle Tucker adjusts his Dodgers cap during his introductory news conference at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 21. (Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)
“I think great teams are always good for baseball,” Manfred said. “I think, with respect to this particular great team, it added to what we have been hearing from fans in a lot of markets for a long time about the competitiveness of the game. But great teams are always good for baseball.”
MLB officials have cited that fan concern repeatedly over the last year, prelude to an expected push for a salary cap. Manfred declined to discuss the owners’ labor strategy but said he expected negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement to begin after opening day and said he would not talk about MLB proposals until they are presented to the players’ union.
The current agreement expires Dec. 1, and a lockout is widely expected.
Where can you watch the Angels?
Angels star Mike Trout celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros on Sept. 28 in Anaheim. (Wally Skalij / Associated Press)
The Angels already are in spring training, and yet their fans have no idea where to watch their games on television this season.
The Angels have agreed that MLB will provide a streaming option, and a team official confirmed they are still deciding whether to let MLB sell their telecasts to cable and satellite distributors or reinvent what remains of the FanDuel Sports channel already part-owned by the team, with the Kings joining the Angels.
The Angels’ situation is not unique. Three years ago, MLB did not provide broadcast services to any team. Today, amid the collapse of the cable and satellite universe, MLB provides broadcast services to 14 of its 30 teams — 15, if the Angels go that way.
In 2028, Manfred would like to sell national streaming packages, in the hope that more bidders would mean more revenue, a particularly acute need for the teams losing revenue as guaranteed rights fees are cut or eliminated altogether. The challenge: how to convince the Dodgers and other big-market teams to sacrifice their still-lucrative local rights so MLB can sell a 30-team package.
“Ideally, I’d love to get there,” Manfred said. “I don’t need to get all the way there to accomplish most of what I am thinking about.”
On Thursday, Manfred cited one way he could get close enough: have rival owners vote to expand the number of games — for the Dodgers or anyone else — that would be classified as national rather than local.
“We can take as many games as we want from any club in a national package,” Manfred said, “with a majority vote of the clubs.”
The Dodgers' Kiké Hernández throws to second base to complete a double play to close out Game 6 of the World Series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Kiké Hernández agreed to a one-year, $4.5-million deal with the Dodgers Thursday, with the popular utilityman taking to his Instagram account to announce his return.
“What else did you expect?!!! 3 in a row has a nice ring to it,” he wrote, accompanied by a picture of him at the parade celebration last year.
In a video posted on the Dodgers' Instagram account, the three-time World Series champion apologized to fans for taking so long to re-sign, and jokingly put the blame on Andrew Freidman, the team's president of baseball operations.
“There’s no other place I would rather be than here,” he added.
Hernández repaired a torn extensor tender in his left elbow after the season, which will cause him to miss next month's World Baseball Classic and the start of the 2026 season. In order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, right-hander Evan Phillips — whom the Dodgers signed to a one-year deal on Wednesday — was placed on the 60-day injured list as he continues to rehab from the Tommy John surgery he had last June.
The 34-year-old Hernández hit .203 with an on-base percentage of .255 and .366 slugging percentage in 256 regular season plate appearances, with 10 home runs in 92 games last season.
His splits between regular season and the postseason, however, are significantly different. In 103 career playoff games, Hernández carries a .826 on-base plus slugging percentage, a .272 batting average and a .486 slugging percentage.
During the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, he played every game, mostly in left field. In Game 6, Hernández’s catch and throw to Miguel Rojas at second sealed the Dodgers' 3-1 victory to force a Game 7.
During DodgerFest, Rojas spoke to reporters about the importance of Hernández’s presence in the Dodgers' pursuit to become the first back-to-back-to-back champions since the New York Yankees in 2000. He compared his impact on the team to Scottie Pippen with the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls.
In other moves, the team announced third baseman Max Muncy received a one-year contract extension that will pay him $7 million in 2027 and has a $10-million club option for 2028. Muncy, whose current deal was set to expire after the 2026 season, is the Dodgers' longest-tenured player and enters his ninth season with the team. And Anthony Banda, who was designated for assignment last week by the Dodgers, was traded to the Minnesota Twins for international bonus pool money.
Feb 18, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Gomes talks with manager Dave Roberts (30) during spring training at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Here is every transaction for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the entire 2026 season, starting with the first day of spring training through the end of the team’s postseason run.
We will keep track of every single transaction involving the 40-man roster here, including players getting called up or sent down to the minor leagues, as well as signings, trades, waiver claims, getting designated for assignment, or released.
Also here will be every injured list stint, though we will also tract all the IL moves in their own post. We’ll also have another post that keeps track of minor league options, with a limit of five times a player can be optioned to the minors beginning after opening day.
Aug 12, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (52) pitches against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals revealed their new Spring Training facilities by turning the camera over to Matthew Liberatore for their tour with a creative play on words.
As pitchers and catchers have now reported to Jupiter, Florida, Matthew Liberatore and a lone camera person gave a tour of what the new training facilities are like.
The walkthrough included 6 or 7 new covered batting cages, pitching machines, weight room areas including outdoor options and the multi-purpose field for ground ball work. The new performance center is impressive with both minor league and major league areas intertwined. The saunas and hyperbaric chambers are state of the art and the brand new food room is stocked with what Matthew says are healthy food options.
According to the Sports Business Journal, the St. Louis Cardinals invested $108 million dollars for these new Spring Training places. I fully expect there will be ample references to that being greater than the St. Louis Cardinals payroll for the coming season.
One additional side note. The St. Louis Cardinals just released the Spring Training broadcast schedule.
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 16: Warming Bernabel #25 of the Colorado Rockies reacts during the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, August 16, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Every year, teams have non-roster invites to Spring Training. They are a mixture of prospects who are not on the 40-man roster and veterans trying to fight their way on to the roster. The Nats have found some gems among their pool of NRI’s the past couple years. In 2024, Jesse Winker was a non-roster invite and last year Brad Lord made the team out of camp as an NRI.
This year the Nats have 62 total players at camp, which is on the bigger side. The NRI’s range from prospects, to journeymen, to familiar faces who have been DFA’d lately. While most of these guys will not make the roster and head to the Minor Leagues, one or two of these players are likely to stick.
I wanted to go over a few of the players who have the best chance of making the team. The battle for the first base position will be one of the biggest stories this spring. There will be a few NRI’s who are battling for that first base position. Warming Bernabel, Matt Mervis and Yohandy Morales all have a chance to win at least a share of the first base job with a strong spring.
The first player I want to discuss is Morales. He was the Nats second round pick in 2023, and is a fairly well regarded prospect. However, his stock has been slowly dipping the past couple of years due to some red flags in his profile. In college, he played third base, but has made the move to first now. Naturally, sliding down the defensive spectrum hurts.
However, the biggest concerns stem from his bat. Morales has huge raw power, but his batted ball profile and his whiff issues are concerning. Last year, he hit the ball on the ground over 50% of the time and struck out over 30% of the time in AAA. Morales had a good start to the year in AA, but the move up to Triple-A saw mixed results.
He still has a chance to make the team with a big spring though. I am very interested to see if he is helped by the new hitting coaches. Scouts have been worried about Morales’ swing mechanics and hopefully the new staff can clean them up. He was highly productive in the Puerto Rican Winter League and in the Caribbean Series, but the level of competition there is not the highest. Still, we got a glimpse of his raw power.
Yohandy Morales is on a heater.
The Nats 2023 second rounder crushed a 445 foot homer in the Caribbean Series semifinals and finished winter ball hitting .395 in Puerto Rico.
Morales is a player I will be watching closely. There are a few players who are ahead of him in the race for first base at the moment. However, Morales may have more upside than anyone. It is far from a given, but he is a breakout candidate.
Matt Mervis and Warming Bernabel are two minor league free agents the Nats signed this offseason. Both will have a chance to win the 1B job this spring. There is a chance Bernabel and Mervis could be platoon partners if both impress this spring.
Bernabel became a bit of a cult hero for a horrid Rockies team after a hot start to his MLB career in late July. The 23 year old was hitting .500 with 3 homers in his first week as a big leaguer. However, he came crashing down to earth. Bernabel ended the season with a .252 average and .698 OPS.
He still has some interesting traits though. Bernabel makes a lot of contact and hits the ball in the air a lot. He only struck out 17.1% of the time and pulled the ball in the air over 20% of the time. Both of those numbers are above average. This gives him a path to some offensive production.
I truly hope Warming Bernabel has a Joey Meneses-like breakout with the Nationals. pic.twitter.com/Ak2W7yZx7j
However, Bernabel does not hit the ball very hard and chases a lot. That is not a great combination, especially for a first baseman. Maybe Bernabel can be a platoon bat at first base, but his upside is not very high. However, he is still very young and provides quality depth.
Matt Mervis is a very different profile from Bernabel. He is your stereotypical left handed slugger at the first base position. Mervis has big time power and has shown it throughout his minor league career, with over 100 MILB homers. However, his hitting in the minors has not translated to MLB production.
Mervis, who is from Washington, DC, grew up a Nats fan. It would be a cool story if he could play for his hometown team. He said he grew up idolizing Ryan Zimmerman. Mervis looked like he was finally breaking through with the Marlins last April. He hit 7 homers in April and posted an .848 OPS.
Matt Mervis hit 7 HR with an .848 OPS across 68 at-bats in April. The Nats still believe. pic.twitter.com/DTEtmxUX1j
After a disastrous May, he lost his job and was eventually DFA’d. He will look to make it back to the big leagues this year. Mervis has big power, but he also has big swing and miss issues. He struck out 37.3% of the time last year. While it would be a cool story, Mervis seems like your standard Quad-A slugger.
There is one non-first baseman I want to take a look at and that is Orelvis Martinez. He is a true wild card, with a ton of upside but a low floor. A few years ago, the 24 year old Martinez was a top 100 prospect for the Blue Jays. His massive power and ability to stick on the infield made him highly touted.
He hit at least 28 homers in the minors every year from 2021 to 2023, where he steadily climbed the ranks. Some of those homers were truly majestic shots. Martinez has plus, maybe even plus-plus raw power and it shows up in games.
After hitting 17 homers in 74 AAA games in 2024, and making his MLB debut, disaster struck. Martinez was popped for steroid use, and suspended 80 games. He was a shell of himself when he came back in 2025, hitting just .176 with 13 homers in 99 AAA games. Was he a product of steroids, or was it just a down year?
The Nats seem interested to find out, as they gave him a minor league deal with a spring training invite. Martinez can play second or third base at an adequate level. He has also been good against left handed pitching in his career. If Martinez has a good spring, he has a small chance of winning a platoon role. A pairing of Garcia and Martinez at second base could be interesting.
It is likely that he starts the season in AAA and looks to rebuild his stock. I would not be surprised at all if we saw Martinez in the MLB at some point this year. If last year was truly just a blip on the radar, the Nats could be getting a steal.
Those guys are the ones most likely to make the team, but there are a few other notable NRI’s to shout out. Andry Lara, Shinnosuke Ogasawara, Riley Adams and Trey Lipscomb were all DFA’d this offseason, but managed to clear waivers unclaimed. They were all invited to camp. A few of these guys have a chance to play a role at some point this year, but are unlikely to break camp.
Jarlin Susana and Travis Sykora are the Nats two best pitching prospects, and both got invited to camp. However, neither will pitch because they are injured. Sykora had Tommy John Surgery and Susana had Lat Surgery. Other notable prospects at camp include Seaver King, Andrew Pinckney and Caleb Lomavita.
There are also a few grizzled vets in the mix. Tres Barrera and Trevor Gott were Nats at one point. Now, they are looking for one last shot and are at big league camp. Sergio Alcantara is another veteran looking to catch on.
The position player side is more interesting this year, but guys like Zach Penrod and Bryce Montes De Oca are intriguing. Overall, this is a fun group and there are plenty of guys we will see on the roster at some point this season.
