Major League Baseball and ESPN may have ended their Sunday night marriage, but they remain a couple with the announcement Tuesday that ESPN will be the streaming home for MLB.TV.
“We’re really excited about this partnership," Rosalyn Durant, ESPN executive vice president of programming & acquisitions, tells USA TODAY Sports. “I can tell you that it’s been a journey with them, but we’ve never been closer than we are now, and nor have we ever been more deeply connected than we are now.’’
Current ESPN Unlimited plan subscribers can purchase MLB.TV for $135 for the season, or those without an ESPN unlimited plan can purchase it for $150. They also are providing monthly plan options for $30, which would include a free month of ESPN for new subscribers. For new MLB.TV subscribers, signing up on the ESPN app provides the option of watching MLB.TV on ESPN or MLB platforms.
“It’s all about providing more value to MLB fans, more value to MLB.TV subscribers," Durant said, “providing them with more content and more options."
Said ESPN senior vice president John Lasker: “It basically allows us to bring that wonderful MLB.TV product and marry it with ESPN’s digital products and platforms to create this ultimate win for baseball fans. We’re really excited about what this agreement is allowing baseball and ESPN to do for baseball fans."
While NBC and Peacock will now broadcast the exclusive Sunday night games – as well as the wild-card postseason round – ESPN will still broadcast 30 weeknight games each season. ESPN also will televise the Little League Classic in August and will have rights to games on Memorial Day, and the standalone game two days after the All-Star game, which this year features the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Netflix will also take over the Home Run Derby, and will have exclusive coverage of the New York Yankees-San Francisco Giants season opener on March 25.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 18: Starter Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Chase Field on August 18, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As a whole, the 2026 offseason stands in stark contrast to the disappointing winter that preceded a disappointing 2025 season. The Orioles made a major signing in slugger Peter Alonso, made major trades for Taylor Ward and Shane Baz and acquired Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Helsley to bolster the bullpen. However, one feeling remains the same from last offseason: the starting rotation still seems unfinished.
Despite the addition of Baz, the Orioles’ front office has failed to add a pitcher who can push Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers for the top spot in the Baltimore rotation. There have been some swings and misses, too. The O’s were reportedly interested in Ranger Suárez before the lefty landed in Boston on a five-year, $130M deal. The Orioles were also seen as potential front-runners in the race for former Astros southpaw Framber Valdez, before he signed with Detroit for $115M over three years.
With other starters like Dylan Cease, Michael King and Tatsuya Imai long off the board, there is one pitcher left who has the potential to truly upgrade the Orioles rotation. Enter former Diamondbacks’ All-Star Zac Gallen. While the right-hander is far from a sure thing, he offers an upside unmatched by the remaining free agents—a potential I believe the Orioles can unlock.
All-Star upside with room for improvement
Unlike Suárez and Valdez, Gallen is not coming off a good 2025 season. Arguably, the whole reason the Diamondbacks let Gallen reach free agency was the disappointment of this past season, when the former Cy Young finalist posted a 4.83 ERA, saw his K/9 drop to a career-low 8.2 and had his H/9 and HR/9 balloon to career-worsts.
Trying to explain Gallen’s sudden dip in form is tricky. His batting average against was largely unchanged from the previous seasons, while his BABIP actually went down. His average exit velocity and hard-hit rate also remained largely unchanged when compared to his previous, more successful seasons. His pitch velocities also remained largely unchanged.
What stands out as a potential cause of his regression was a trend that saw him leave the ball up and over the middle of the plate more. When Gallen was consistently a Top 5 pitcher in the NL in 2022 and 2023, he attacked the zone with his fastball and cutter while using his knuckle curve and changeup to attack below the zone and generate strikeouts. Last year, Gallen saw his fastball catch too much of the plate while also leaving his curveball up more than he’d ever done. These struggles to command the right parts of the zones led to a career-high 30.3% fly ball rate, which in turn saw his home run rate and slugging percentage against rise to career-worsts.
Gallen also seems to be in the midst of a minor identity crisis when it comes to how he uses his five-pitch mix. Declining confidence in his fastball and cutter saw him lean more than ever on his changeup last year, with the off-speed offering ranking as his best pitch for the first time in his career. Whether that increased change up usage can be refined to return to All-Star form is yet to be determined.
However, we’ve seen the Orioles help pitchers like Bradish, Rogers and Zach Eflin tinker with their pitch mix to great effect. If the pitching coaches and analytics can get their hands on Gallen, there’s reason to believe they can unlock the version of him that put up a 3.20 ERA while averaging 9.4 K/9 across 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Best fit for the Orioles’ timeline
As he heads into his age-30 season, Gallen is two years younger than Valdez and at least seven years younger than other rumored Orioles targets Chris Bassitt and Justin Verlander. While the Orioles may be one move in the rotation from truly being able to compete for an AL East title, AL pennant and World Series title in 2026, they’re also not only trying to compete in this upcoming season.
Of the Orioles’ current projected starters, only Zach Eflin is over 30 and only Rogers is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season. A consistent frustration throughout Birdland is the front office treating the rotation as a patchwork quilt that needs to be cut up and reimagined every offseason. Signing Gallen to a multi-year deal would give the rotation the foundation it needs to open a window for prolonged contention—something that’s eluded the Orioles since the 70s.
Gallen also carries less injury risk than a lot of the remaining free agent starters. Other reported Orioles target Lucas Giolito missed the first month of last season with a hamstring injury and has two Tommy John surgeries in his medical history. On top of being 43, Verlander has missed time in each of the last three seasons with a variety of leg, shoulder and neck injuries.
Comparatively, Gallen has been the picture of health. The 6’2” right-hander has only had two significant injuries in his career, a hamstring strain that cost him most of June in 2024 and an elbow sprain that shelved him for five weeks in 2021. Given the lengthy medical files of several other Orioles starters, adding a proven workhorse would be a big boon for the Baltimore rotation.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 05: Relief pitcher Andrew Saalfrank #27 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Chase Field on September 05, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Red Sox 10-5. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Andrew Saalfrank shares on Instagram that he underwent surgery.
“The game of baseball can be a brutal one, but it's also given me some of the best moments of my life, and I don't expect that to change moving forward. … A big thank you to Dr. Meister and the entire team at TMI.” pic.twitter.com/bFv6v7hS3W
“It’s baseball, I understand the business side of it and how it works,” Marte said. “There were a few comments out there on social media that I wasn’t happy with, but I love the D-backs and I want to be here.”
Hazen said over the winter that he didn’t talk to Marte about the rumors because he didn’t think anything would come to fruition, but he made it a point to sit down with Marte face-to-face once he announced he would no longer listen to offers for him.
“We talked a lot and hashed some things out, talked it all through and everything is great,” Marte said. “Mike knows I love the D-backs, I love my teammates. Everyone knows what type of player I am, and I’m just happy it all worked out and I’m here.”
“According to multiple league sources, the Sox were open to dealing a package headlined by Franklin Arias and either Payton Tolle or Connelly Early in exchange for Marte,” wrote Speier. “However, when Arizona sought a package led by Marcelo Mayer and one of the pitchers, the Sox declined.”
Hazen told Gilbert he apologized to Marte for the process — not for exploring trade options, but for how widespread and public they became.
“[Trade rumors are] not an easy thing for a player to constantly read,” Hazen said. “I apologized for that part of it, and look, Ketel was great about it. I feel like the conversation with him was good and we’ll continue to have an open dialogue as we always do.
“He’s out here working his butt off already. We’ll continue to demonstrate to him that we appreciate him and did not want to trade him. He’s a superstar in the game and I think he’s gonna have another great year for us.”
The Red Sox acquired third baseman Caleb Durbin from Milwaukee in a six-player trade Monday that sent left-hander Kyle Harrison back to the Brewers, ending Boston’s winter-long search for a right-handed-hitting infielder on the eve of spring training opening.
Durbin, 25, finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting last year after winning Milwaukee’s third-base job in the wake of a trade from the New York Yankees, who had sent him to the Brewers in the Devin Williams trade. With a surfeit of young infielders, Milwaukee lined up with the pitching-abundant Red Sox as they sought to fill their third-base hole vacated by free agent Alex Bregmansigning with the Chicago Cubs.
When Munetaka Murakami first arrived at Camelback Ranch on Sunday morning, the nameplate above his home White Sox clubhouse locker read “Munetaki Murakami.”
It unofficially goes down as the first error of Spring Training.
Murakami posted the mistake on his Instagram stories at ys_munetaka55, with a “thinking” emoji followed by a “laughing” emoji.
On Friday afternoon, the Yankees and Paul Goldschmidt agreed to a one-year deal worth $4 million, as ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported. Friday in the early evening, I began contemplating how I’d like my career to end. These are related incidents.
Three years ago, Goldschmidt stood at the pinnacle of the game. He’d just won NL MVP on the back of a spectacular all-around offensive season, carrying the Cardinals to the playoffs in a rousing capper to his long, decorated career. It was his eighth straight season receiving MVP votes, and brought his career WAR total to 52. Have you ever considered retiring at the top of your game? With two years left on his contract, Goldschmidt must have given the idea some thought. Finish those two out well, get a bit more hardware, and ride off into the sunset toward Cooperstown.
Phillies position players are scheduled for their first official workout next Monday. It’d make for an awkward situation if Nick Castellanos is still on the team. Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported at the end of last season that the Phils would trade or release the outfielder. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has all but confirmed as much on the record, pointing to the need for a change of scenery.
Keeping Castellanos on the 40-man roster into Spring Training would be a needless distraction. It comes as little surprise that the Phils are motivated to get something done within the next week. “We’re doing everything we can to make a move by (Monday),” Dombrowski told reporters (link via Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer). “I’ll leave it at that right now.”
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 17: Odudel Herrera #37, Scott Kingery #4 and Roman Quinn #24 of the Philadelphia Phillies stand during the national anthem prior to the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Detroit Tigers during a spring training game at BayCare Ballpark on March 17, 2021 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Over the past ten years the Phillies have had a lot of good, and even great, players who have since moved on either to other teams or to retirement. Many of those players would have provided a boost to this year’s roster. For today’s question of the day: Which player from the past decade do you think would most help this year’s roster?
Would you lean into more bullpen assistance with someone like Hector Neris, or add another starter like Jake Arrieta? Would you add consistency to the lineup with someone like Jean Segura, or add some defensive depth with Roman Quinn? Would you bring back a clubhouse leader like Andrew McCutchen, or take another chance on someone whose career didn’t pan out the way it was expected like Scott Kingery? Who would you add, and why?
Trade rumors can wait. Kyle Teel is busy looking like someone you don’t move. | Getty Images/Mitchell Layton
We are launching a new daily article here at South Side Sox, more prominently than our items that pop up on The Feed. It falls under the category of White Sox Discussions, which you’ll see in a few weeks will also be our new branding for Game Threads.
Today, we’re tackling another deeply personal Sox fan dilemma: the player you refuse to even hear in trade talks. Baseball is a business, or so we’re told. Prospects are currency. Windows open and close. But every now and then, logic runs straight into a brick wall labeled hands off. This is the guy you don’t include in mock trades, the name you scroll past in rumors with a scoff, the player you’d rather rebuild around than flip for “value.” You know the arguments — sell high, roster flexibility, timeline alignment — and you adamantly reject all of them.
Some players mean more than surplus WAR or controllable years. They represent belief, direction, or the faint outline of what you hope the next good White Sox team looks like. Trading them might make sense on paper, but emotionally, it feels like waving a white flag. So we’re asking you to tell us which White Sox player should be absolutely off limits, no matter the return? Who’s untouchable, and why is that the line you refuse to cross?
SURPRISE, AZ - FEBRUARY 19: Evan Carter #32, Sandro Fabian #81, Wyatt Langford #82, and assistant hitting coach Seth Conner #86 of the Texas Rangers look on during a spring training workout at Surprise Stadium on February 19, 2024 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning. Texas Rangers pitchers and catchers are reporting to Surprise, Arizona today. Welcome back, baseball.
With the Rangers officially beginning their quest for glory in 2026, Kennedi Landry takes an early stab at a potential Opening Day roster.
Evan Grant lists a handful of Rangers hurlers who have the ability to gain the most from their time in Surprise this spring.
Jeff Wilson writes that one of the main battles this spring will be a duel between Kumar Rocker and Jacob Latz for the fifth spot in the rotation.
MLB dot com’s David Adler names new Texas addition MacKenzie Gore near the top of the list for arms to watch this spring.
And, Matt Snyder writes that, when it comes to the Rangers, it is the rotation that is the reason to be most excited for the upcoming season. Strange days, no?
ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 26: Grant Holmes #66 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field on July 26, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back when I was working on IWAG a lot, I noticed a dichotomy of sorts. For position players, IWAG did basically about as well as Steamer and ZiPS, which wasn’t really surprising, given that it was made to try and replicate them. No matter what year I looked at, no system really beat the others, and IWAG was right there with them, generally with the same misses and successes. In unison or individually, the systems basically gave you “the right” idea about what the position players you looked at would do, even when restricting yourself to a small group of names.
For pitchers, though, it was all over the place. Sometimes one system clearly did better than the others, but more to the point, pitchers had breakouts and lost seasons that deviated from their central estimate (or even their distribution, insofar as I could generate or infer it) more often.
Why this dichotomy? My guess — an educated guess based on me tinkering with IWAG to little avail — is that hitters playing through or affected by injury tend to just kind of look like less effective versions of themselves, but pitcher injuries completely upend both availability and effectiveness. On the flip side, I can’t really confirm that a pitcher feeling “really” healthy can set a new performance baseline, so maybe that’s just attributable to pitch design and mechanics cleanup things. Either way, though, pitchers were less predictable.
Which brings me to Grant Holmes, the subject of today’s post. There’s a lot of uncertainty with Holmes! He went down with elbow troubles last year, but didn’t have Tommy John Surgery. Is he going to be healthy enough to contribute? Well there be a rotation spot for him? He’s out of options, so short of additional minor league rehab, there’s not really anywhere to “put him.” He’s already served as a reliever, but that shoved him into the rotation, and maybe he’ll be forcibly shoved out of it by others, who knows. (And then, will other injuries pull him back in.) What’s going on with his HR/FB, which was to his benefit in 2024 but very much to his detriment in 2025? How many innings will he get, and how effective will be, depending on role and considering all of the above? Oy.
I’m not saying every pitcher is Grant Holmes, but when you consider this laundry list of “issues” with thinking about Holmes’ future versus that of your run-of-the-mill potential-starter-quality position player, you get where I was going with the intro paragraphs, hopefully.
Career-to-date, status
A first-round pick all the way back in 2014, Holmes spent seemingly forever in the minors until the Braves gave him a chance in the bigs last year. He pitched incredibly well for about five weeks as a reliever, then got a shot to start and kept up the good work. He transitioned back to a shorter-stint relief role and faltered, but finished the year fairly strong in his final four (and especially his final three) outings, most of which were starts. (He even did something pretty crazy, getting five outs in relief on September 29, before pitching four innings as a starter in a must-win-to-make-playoffs game for the Braves on September 30 — though the Mets were likely taking it very easy by that point.)
All in all, Holmes had an 86/81/87 line (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) as a swingman in 68 1/3 innings in 2024, which is an insanely good outcome considering he was a minor league journeyman who hadn’t gotten a shot to that point. He still has under two years of service time, so the Braves have him for quite a while… provided they don’t lose him to a roster crunch given his out-of-options status.
Recent performance
Holmes made (and kept his spot in) the obliterated Braves’ 2025 rotation — at least until he was the last guy to go down when his own elbow started barking. He struggled out of the gate with some pretty clunky pitching in his first five starts of the year, but then got it together and had an awesome nine-start stretch that was marred only by the fact that he ran a HR/FB over 20 percent in that span. That good run culminated in a 15-strikeout performance in just 6 1/3 innings against the Rockies, but then he faded again, and he was really struggling by the time his season ended in late July. Specifically, by ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-:
First five starts: 110/141/123
Middle nine starts: 87/98/71
Last seven starts: 95/102/120
Put those things together with a single dominant relief appearance he had early in the year before making a start, and Holmes finished with a 94/108/98 line in 115 innings, good for 0.9 fWAR. If not for the HR/FB, that would’ve been solid #2ish/#3ish starter production. (Alas, the homers were a problem, for him and many of his teammates.)
Forecasting
Forecasting for Holmes (and any other pitcher with an uncertain role) is tough. I theoretically should build in some module in IWAG about how to handle this separately, since it’s not exactly a pure starter or pure reliever profile, but instead, I’m going to shortcut it by assuming that Holmes completes roughly 80 percent of his 2026 innings as a starter. That can artificially inflate his WAR, since it’s technically harder to be a starter than a reliever as far as replacement level goes, so just keep that in mind…
Basically, IWAG’s point estimate is that Holmes is a guy capable of preventing runs at a roughly league-average rate when used as a swingman. If a lot of that usage is as a starter, that’s about 1 WAR for 100 innings, which is not all that exciting but also far better than letting someone bleed value.
As you can see from the projections above, this is not an off-kilter take on Holmes. Steamer has him at 0.8 WAR in 87 innings, mostly relieving. ZiPS is a little lower, but still in the same-range-ish, again, mostly seeing Holmes as a reliever. IWAG’s higher WAR total is, in part, due to the assumption above about how much Holmes will start.
I would describe this curve as “cute.” An actual curve! Neat. Basically, the main question for Holmes is availability and usage. Which, yeah, we kind of figured.
Your turn
Alright, I’ve given you the info. Well, some info. You may have your own info. With that, I ask you:
Rounded to the nearest fWAR, how much will Grant Holmes produce in 2026?
How confident are you in your choice? Go with a scale from 1-5, where 3 is “I dunno, reasonably confident,” 5 is certain, and 1 is “I am participating but have no confidence in my choice and don’t want the fact that it will likely be incorrect to affect my place in any theoretical standings all that much.”
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - MARCH 24: New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (22) laughs before the Spring Training game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets on Monday, March 24, 2025 at Clover Park in Port Saint Lucie, FL. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Pitchers and Catchers don’t report to spring training until tomorrow, but some notable Mets were seen checking in to Port St. Lucie yesterday, including Carlos Mendoza, Mark Vientos, Luke Weaver, and Jorge Polanco.
Philadelphia is doing everything they can to try and move Nick Castellanos this week.
Mark Bowman took a pass at predicting the Braves’ Opening Day 26-man roster.
The Marlins signed Chris Paddack, whom they once drafted, to a one-year deal.
Jessica Cametaro took a crack at the Nationals’ 26-man Opening Day roster.
Around Major League Baseball
The ESPN staff wrote about stars, teams, and themes they want to see at spring training.
Jim Bowman gave us eight reasons to get excited about spring training.
It looks like MLB.tv subscribers will also need to be ESPN Unlimited subscribers to purchase the package, meaning MLB.tv will be behind a double paywall this season.
Fangraphs compiled their spring training power rankings, which sees the Mets coming in at number 3 behind the Dodgers and Braves.
The World Baseball Classic will feature a pitch clock but won’t feature the ABS challenge system.
Playing in the WBC will be a ‘whole other level’ for Team USA superstars Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, and Tarik Skubal
The Red Sox picked up Caleb Durbin in a six-player trade with the Brewers. They also added Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler while sending Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan to the Brewers.
The Angels are adding Hunter Strickland on a minor league deal.
The Yankees acquired infielder Max Schuemann in a trade with the Athletics.
After bringing back Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal, Bryan Hoch analyzed how Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt could fit on the Yankees’ roster.
Ben Clemens wrote about one more ride for Goldschmidt.
Ketel Marte says he is excited to return to the Diamondbacks after an offseason of uncertainty.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
I previewed Cristian Pache’s 2026 season, as the non-roster spring training invitee looks to earn a spot in the team’s outfield.
Amazin’ Avenue writers shared their thoughts on the players that came in at 25-11 on the Top 25 Prospects list.
This Date in Mets History
Happy 56th Birthday to Bobby J. Jones, the man who hurled the one-hit shutout in Game 4 of the 2000 NLDS to seal the Mets’ victory and (yes, this is true) my first favorite Met when I started following the team in 1997!
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 24: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Houston Astros at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 24, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spring training begins this week, and with it will come a new season’s worth of storylines. Which players are in the best shape of their lives? Are there any secret injuries or surgeries that happened over the off-season? What are they going to do with all those first basemen?
Making predictions about an upcoming season is half the fun of spring training. It’s a time of year when anything can be imagined, and only after the year is over can we know if our guesses were prescient or foolish. If you had predicted the Orioles to win 100 games or go to the World Series last year, it wouldn’t have turned out so well for you in the end. But if you guessed the team would sign one of their big prospects to an extension, you would have looked like a genius!
This offseason, the Orioles have acquired some players, sent a few players packing, and are relying on big seasons from their returning core. Taking all those things into consideration, not to mention the improvements made by other AL East teams, what is one prediction you have about this season?
Do you think one player will be particularly bad or good? How many wins do you expect to see? Will the Orioles have their first pitcher with 200 innings pitched since 2014, or will another one need Tommy John surgery?
No prediction is too big or too small. What do you think will happen?
As for my prediction for 2026…I think Gunnar Henderson will hit over 30 home runs.
PORT ST. LUCIE — It’s telling of how precipitously the Mets starting rotation plummeted last year that if the team reached the postseason, three rookies with a combined 17 major league appearances would have been scheduled to start in the wild-card round.
Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong were those pitchers.
The Mets dropped their season finale in Miami, rendering the point moot after losing a tiebreaker to the Reds in the race for the NL’s third and final wild card.
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Peralta, 29, pitched to a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts for the Brewers last season, in which he logged 176 ²/₃ innings.
Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta is working out at spring training. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
Twice an All-Star, he finished fifth in last year’s National League Cy Young Award voting.
But was Peralta’s addition alone enough to transform a rotation that cratered down the stretch last season?
Kodai Senga struggled enough that he agreed to accept a minor league assignment in early September and finished his season with Triple-A Syracuse.
Sean Manaea strained an oblique in spring training and didn’t pitch for the Mets until July, and then hardly resembled the dominant force he was a year earlier.
The left-hander pitched to a 5.64 ERA in 15 appearances, raising questions about the decision to give him a three-year contract worth $75 million before last season.
And then there was David Peterson, selected to the NL All-Star team before pitching to a 6.34 ERA over 12 starts in the second half.
As pitchers and catchers report this week for spring training, there might not be a larger question surrounding the team than whether the Mets have fixed their fatal flaw.
“We like our rotation,” Stearns said. “I think adding Freddy as somewhat of a stabilizing force to help lead our rotation probably gives a little bit of space to some of our younger pitchers and keeps the opportunity to get real bounce-back seasons from guys like Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga — who we are still going to rely upon and still believe are going to give us some real quality innings this year — so we like where our rotation is. I think it’s got a nice combination of youth and established major league veterans.”
Mets Pitcher Kodai Senga throws in the bullpen during spring training at Clover Field on Monday. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
There is McLean, who dazzled in his eight starts — all the while maintaining his rookie status as he pitched to a 2.06 ERA over 48 innings.
Sproat’s subtraction perhaps can be offset by Christian Scott’s return from Tommy John surgery, and Tong (who like Scott figures to begin the season at Triple-A Syracuse) completes the talented young trifecta.
Clay Holmes was the one veteran starter on whom the Mets could rely in last season’s second half.
In his transition from reliever to starter, the right-hander pitched to a 3.53 ERA over a career-high 165 ²/₃ innings.
For insurance, the Mets acquired the swingman Myers, who started six games for the Brewers last season.
Peralta alone might be enough to change perceptions, but can he change results?
That will likely depend on the other “aces” in house.
“We have got multiple starters in our rotation who at various points in their career have pitched as a No. 1 starter and certainly Freddy qualifies as that,” Stearns said. “We saw Nolan flash potential as a No. 1 starter last year. We have seen Sean Manaea pitch as an ace. Before I got here Kodai Senga pitched as an ace. We have multiple pitchers in our rotation right now that have pitched as an ace, and I would certainly put Freddy in that category.”
The Orioles took a big swing when they signed Pete Alonso away from the Mets — who didn’t seem all that interested in bringing back the franchise home run leader. Ryan Helsley, a disaster with the Mets after a midseason trade, also signed with Baltimore to be its closer. And the Orioles added Andrew Kittredge to the bullpen, as well as Shane Baz to the rotation and Taylor Ward and Leody Taveras to the outfield.
Pete Alonso (25) is pictured at his introductory press conference with the Orioles in December 2025. AP
Key losses
To acquire Ward from the Angels, the Orioles traded Grayson Rodriguez, their first-round pick from 2018 who showed plenty of promise — especially in 2024, but he didn’t pitch last season due to a variety of injuries and was shut down after elbow surgery. Former Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez is still a free agent, as is right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, who made 30 starts for them as a 35-year-old rookie.
Storylines to watch
Even after an eventful offseason, the Orioles could still use another veteran starter and had been linked to Framber Valdez before he signed with the Tigers. As spring training approaches, plenty of options remain available. Much of the spotlight will be on Alonso and his five-year, $155 million contract. His presence in the lineup is sure to help Baltimore’s young offensive core, including Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday and Adley Rutschman as they look to bounce back from 2025’s disappointment.
Ranger Suárez throws a pitch for the Phillies during a September 2025 game. AP
Key losses
Boston’s offseason took a turn when Bregman signed with the Cubs after the Red Sox were confident in bringing him back following his opt-out. Rob Refsnyder, Steven Matz and Dustin May left as free agents, while Jordan Hicks was traded to the White Sox. Lucas Giolito remains a free agent.
Storylines to watch
With Bregman gone, how will Boston’s offense respond? Adding Suárez to a rotation that already included Garrett Crochet will bolster their pitching — as will Gray, if he can handle the pressure of pitching in Boston, something he didn’t do with the Yankees. And their new young core in the lineup — including Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell and Triston Casas (injured for much of last season) — as well as Durbin — will be counted on even more.
Tampa Bay Rays
2025
77-85
Manager
Kevin Cash (12th season)
Spring training site
Port Charlotte, Fla.
Key additions
The notoriously penny-pinching Rays didn’t sign any big-name free agents, although veterans Nick Martinez and Steven Matz give the pitching staff some depth. They also hope experienced outfielders Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley can bounce back. They were busy on the trade market, bringing in infielders Gavin Lux and young third baseman Ben Williamson, as well as outfielder Jacob Melton.
Steven Matz throws a pitch for the Red Sox during their Oct. 1 game against the Yankees. Charles Wenzelberg
Key losses
A team already weak in major league talent saw some solid performers end up elsewhere, as Pete Fairbanks signed with Miami and Shane Baz, Brandon Lowe and Josh Lowe were all included in trades. Jake Mangum and Christopher Morel are also gone.
Storylines to watch
On the bright side, the Rays will at least have a real home this season returning to Tropicana Field after it was damaged by a hurricane and playing last season at the Yankees spring training home in Tampa, Steinbrenner Field. And as Tampa Bay again looks to the future, they will keep an eye on top prospect Carson Williams, who debuted with them last season at shortstop.
Dylan Cease throws a pitch for the Padres during their May 2025 game against the Yankees. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Key losses
Bo Bichette left for the Mets, leaving a hole in the infield and the lineup. Right-hander Seranthony Domínguez signed with the White Sox and key starters Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt remain unsigned, as does INF Ty France. Isiah Kiner-Falefa signed with Boston.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 07: A general aerial view of Camelback Ranch on January 07, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. The stadium is the spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers invited 32 non-roster players to big league camp in spring training, a mix of veterans on minor league deals plus top prospects Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Jackson Ferris, and others.
Among the 32 initial non-roster invitees to Dodgers camp are 17 pitchers, five catchers, and 10 other position players. Here’s a little more on each player.
Pitchers
RHP — Chris Campos 2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 25 How acquired: 2022 draft, 7th round
Campos in a full year at Double-A Tulsa in 2025 had a 4.19 ERA with 111 strikeouts and 32 walks in 126 2/3 innings. He got engaged in December.
RHP — Patrick Copen 2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 24 How acquired: 2023 draft, 7th round
After taking a line drive off his face and losing vision in his right eye to end his 2024 season, the tall right-hander had a very nice bounce-back season in 2025, posting a 3.59 ERA in 26 starts and 117 2/3 innings between Great Lakes and Tulsa, and led all Dodgers minor league pitchers with 152 strikeouts.
Originally signed by the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, Durán last April was traded to the A’s for outfielder Esteury Ruiz. The right-hander made his major league debut with the A’s in May, but allowed three runs and recorded one out in his only major league appearance to date. Sent outright off the A’s 40-man roster in June, Durán had a 5.74 ERA in 62 2/3 Triple-A innings with nearly as many walks (55) as strikeouts (67) before reaching minor league free agency at the conclusion of the season.
LHP — Jackson Ferris 2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 22 How acquired: trade with Cubs, January 11, 2024
Named to several top-100 prospect lists prior to the 2025 season, after winning the Branch Rickey Award as the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year in 2024, Ferris took a bit of a step back in his full season in Tulsa, with a 3.86 ERA in 126 innings, with a slightly lower strikeout rate (24.2 percent after 27.4 percent) and slightly higher walk rate (10.8 percent to 11.8 percent) than the season before. But he improved down the stretch for Tulsa in 2025 — after a 6.58 ERA and 4.45 FIP in his first 12 outings, Ferris had a 2.19 ERA the rest of the way, with only three home runs allowed over his final 14 starts.
LHP — Luke Fox 2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 24 How acquired: 2023 draft, 17th round
Fox split time between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa, combining for a 2.85 ERA in 22 games, including 21 starts, with 110 strikeouts and 53 walks in 98 innings.
Frasso was acquired from the Blue Jays in the Mitch White trade in August 2022, and spent the last two seasons on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, though he hasn’t yet pitched in the majors. After shoulder and hip surgeries wiped out his 2024 season, Frasso had a 5.49 ERA in 43 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2025, with 68 strikeouts and 42 walks in 77 innings, before getting non-tendered in November.
Hobbs pitched in the back end of the bullpen for both Great Lakes and Tulsa, putting up a 2.04 ERA in 42 games, with 63 strikeouts and 21 walks in 53 innings. His 20.9-percent strikeout-minus walk rate was third-best in the Dodgers minors with a minimum of 50 innings.
LHP — Cole Irvin 2025 spring training: Doosan (Korea) 2025 highest level: Korean Baseball Organization 2026 age: 32 How acquired: minor league deal, February 3, 2026
The veteran starter pitched six seasons in the majors for the Phillies, A’s, Orioles, and Twins before heading over to the KBO in 2025. Irvin put up a 4.48 ERA in 28 starts for Doosan last year, with 128 strikeouts and 79 walks in 144 2/3 innings.
LHP — Antoine Kelly 2025 spring training: Rockies (minors) 2025 highest level: Triple-A 2026 age: 26 How acquired: minor league deal, November 14, 2025
A second-round pick of the Brewers in 2019, Kelly has pitched six seasons in the minors in the Brewers, Rangers, and Rockies systems. He had a 5.63 ERA in 34 relief appearances in 2025 for Triple-A Albuquerque, with 41 strikeouts and 27 walks in 38 1/3 innings. On the road last year, away from pitching on the moon, Kelly had a 3.43 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 21 innings, plus zero home runs and a .345 slugging percentage allowed.
McDaniels struggled in his brief time in the majors in Anaheim, but once he returned to the Dodgers put up a 3.30 ERA in 25 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, with 36 strikeouts and 17 walks in 30 innings.
RHP — Wyatt Mills 2025 spring training: Red Sox (NRI) 2025 highest level: Triple-A 2026 age: 31 How acquired: minor league free agent, August 16, 2025
After pitching parts of two-seasons for the Mariners and Royals, Mills had Tommy John surgery that wiped out his 2023-24 seasons. Last year in Triple-A Worcester, Mills put up a 3.12 ERA in 52 innings, with 49 strikeouts and 30 walks.
RHP — José Rodríguez 2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI) 2025 highest level: Triple-A 2026 age: 24 How acquired: international free agent, 2019
RHP — Jerming Rosario 2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 24 How acquired: international free agent, July 2, 2018
Rosario repeated with Double-A Tulsa last season and switched from starting to relief pitching, putting up a 4.67 ERA with 87 strikeouts and 51 walks in 79 innings.
The older brother of Dodgers pitcher River Ryan, Ryder pitched in parts of 2023-24 in the majors with the Mariners and Pirates. Last year in the Pirates system, Ryder Ryan had a 4.73 ERA in 42 games, with 61 strikeouts and 38 walks in 72 1/3 innings in Triple-A Indianapolis.
LHP — Adam Serwinowski 2025 spring training: Reds (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 22 How acquired: 3-team trade, July 31, 2025
RHP — Jordan Weems 2025 spring training: Braves (NRI) 2025 highest level: MLB (Astros) 2026 age: 33 How acquired: minor league free agent, February 9, 2026
Weems pitched in the majors in each of the last six seasons, including allowing seven runs in 4 1/3 innings for Houston in 2025. Between Gwinnett and Sugar Land in Triple-A, the right-hander had a 4.44 ERA in 39 games, with 49 strikeouts and 23 walks in 46 2/3 innings.
RHP — Lucas Wepf 2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 24 How acquired: non-drafted free agent, 2022
Wepf had a 2.79 ERA in 23 games for Tulsa last season with 36 strikeouts, 16 walks, and no home runs allowed in 29 innings. But his season ended in June, missing the final two and a half months on the injured list.
Catchers
C — Eliézer Alfonzo Bats both, throws right 2025 spring training: Tigers (NRI) 2025 highest level: Triple-A 2026 age: 26 How acquired: minor league free agent, November 17, 2025
Alfonzo spent the last nine years in the Detroit Tigers’ minor league system. He hit .247/.297/.322 with 14 doubles in 65 games last season, including eight games with Triple-A Toledo in his first time at that level. His father, also named Eliézer Alfonzo, played six seasons in the majors and was a non-roster invitee in Dodgers camp in 2013.
C — Griffin Lockwood-Powell Bats right, throws right 2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 28 How acquired: non-drafted free agent, 2021
Hit .226/.350/.326 in 81 games last year while repeating in Double-A Tulsa. Started five games at first base and five more at designated hitter in addition to his team-leading 69 starts behind the plate in 2025.
C — Nelson Quiroz Bats left, throws right 2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 24 How acquired: international free agent, April 1, 2019
Quiroz split time between Great Lakes and Tulsa last season, and hit .333/.393/.441 with 13 doubles and a 139 wRC+ in 55 games between both levels.
C — Chuckie Robinson Bats right, throws right 2025 spring training: Angels 2025 highest level: MLB (Dodgers) 2026 age: 31 How acquired: minor league deal, December 18, 2025
Robinson spent time on the 40-man rosters of the Angels, Dodgers, and Braves in 2025, but only played in the majors in one game, with Los Angeles in September. After ending the season in the minors with Atlanta, the veteran backstop signed a minor league deal with Dodgers in December.
C — Seby Zavala Bats right, throws right 2025 spring training: Red Sox (NRI) 2025 highest level: Triple-A 2026 age: 32 How acquired: minor league free agent, February 5, 2026
Zavala played parts of five seasons in the majors. Last year he his .165/.274/.340 with eight home runs in 67 games for Triple-A Worcester.
Position players
OF — Josue De Paula Bats left, throws left 2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 21 How acquired: international free agent, 2022
De Paula is the highest-rated Dodgers prospect by average ranking entering 2026, ranked between 14th and 24th in baseball by Baseball Prospectus, MLB Pipeline, The Athletic, ESPN, and Baseball America. This came after a .250/.391/.400 season with a 132 wRC+ and 32 steals, mostly for Great Lakes before getting promoted to Tulsa for the final week of the season. De Paula also homered in the 2025 MLB Futures Game in Atlanta to win game MVP honors.
OF — Zach Ehrhard Bats right, throws right 2025 spring training: Red Sox (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 23 How acquired: trade with Boston, July 31, 2025
A fourth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2024, Ehrhard came to the Dodgers in the Dustin May trade along with fellow NRI James Tibbs III. Ehrhard hit .282/.391/.466 with a 143 wRC+ and 13 extra-base hits in 35 games with Double-A Tulsa.
IF/OF — Ryan Fitzgerald Bats left, throws right 2025 spring training: Twins (minors) 2025 highest level: MLB (Twins) 2026 age: 32 How acquired: waiver claim, January 9, 2026
The utility man made his major league debut with the Twins at age 31 last season, splitting his time almost evenly between shortstop, second base, and third base. In his minor league career, Fitzgerald has started at all three outfield spots and all four infield positions. Fitzgerald was designated for assignment when the Dodgers signed Andy Ibáñez on January 13, then a week later after clearing waivers was sent outright to the minors.
OF — Kendall George Bats left, throws left 2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI) 2025 highest level: High-A 2026 age: 21 How acquired: 2023 draft, first round
The speedy center fielder stole an eye-popping 100 bases for Great Lakes, just the fourth player in Dodgers organizational history to do so. He got there with a strong second-half kick that improved his seasonal line to .295/.409/.370 with a 131 wRC+.
1B/OF — Matt Gorski Bats right, throws right 2025 spring training: Pirates (NRI) 2025 highest level: MLB 2026 age: 28 How acquired: minor league free agent, July 23, 2025
Gorski made his major league debut last April with the Pirates, got hurt in Triple-A Indianapolis in May, and was released in July. The Dodgers signed him to a minor league deal last July, but he spent the rest of the season on the injured list and has not yet played in the organization.
OF — Zyhir Hope Bats left, throws left 2025 spring training: Dodgers (NRI) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 21 How acquired: trade with Cubs, January 11, 2024
Hope hit .266/.376/.428 with a 131 wRC+ mostly for Great Lakes, and was promoted with De Paula to Tulsa for the final week of the season. Hope’s average rank of the five national outlets so far is the 37th-best prospect in baseball heading into 2026, topping out at No. 18 at Baseball Prospectus.
SS — Noah Miller Bats both, throws right 2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors) 2025 highest level: Triple-A 2026 age: 23 How acquired: trade with Twins, February 27, 2024
Acquired for Manuel Margot before the 2024 season, Miller struggled at the plate in his first taste of Triple-A, hitting .238/.269/.344 in 59 games for Oklahoma City. But strong defense his his calling card. Baseball America rated Miller the Dodgers’ 23rd-best prospect in the system and said, “Miller is the Dodgers’ best infield defender and has the skills to lock down any position on the dirt. He is quick, agile and fearless and has a strong, accurate throwing arm as well. Those skills alone should get him to the big leagues and keep him there for a long time.”
OF — Chris Newell Bats left, throws left 2025 spring training: Dodgers (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 25 How acquired: 2022 draft, 13th round
Newell hit .241/.346/.428 with a 118 wRC+ for Tulsa last season with 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases. Coupled with his 25 home runs and 31 steals in 2024, Newell is the only Dodgers minor leaguer with a 20-homer, 20-steal season (let alone two) in the last four years.
IF/OF — Nick Senzel Bats right, throws right 2025 spring training: Mexican League (independent) 2025 highest level: Triple-A 2026 age: 31 How acquired: minor league free agent, May 1, 2025
Senzel played parts of six seasons in the majors (2019-24) with the Reds, Nationals, and White Sox before joining the Dodgers last season. In 2025 with Oklahoma City, Senzel started games at third base, left field, right field, shortstop, second base, and center field.
OF — James Tibbs III Bats left, throws left 2025 spring training: Giants (minors) 2025 highest level: Double-A 2026 age: 23 How acquired: trade with Boston, July 31, 2025
A first-round pick of the Giants in 2024, Tibbs was traded for Rafael Devers in June, then dealt with Ehrhard for Dustin May in July. With Tulsa, Ehrhard hit .269/.407/.493 with a 155 wRC+ and seven home runs in 36 games after the latter trade. Tibbs was rated the Dodgers’ ninth-best prospect heading into this season by FanGraphs.
SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 10: Troy Melton #52 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the 10th inning during Game Five of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Friday, October 10, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While we’re a SABER based site that tries to keep a cool head, every baseball fan has their favorites. Whether due to personality, background, or skill set, some players just naturally appeal to you. In other cases, team needs push additional hope onto a player of still questionable ability. All these factors can play a role in rooting interest.
So who, perhaps even despite your better judgement, are you really pulling for in spring camp? Maybe there’s a reliever that caught your eye, or a minor leaguer you’ve believed in is finally getting a chance to show their stuff in major league camp. Perhaps you’re just particularly worried about a position like shortstop or center field, and hoping someone can really show out and lend some confidence at that spot headed into the season.
Personally, I can’t help riding with Colt Keith this season. It feels like most of the fanbase has already moved on from the former top prospect. Still only 24 years old, Keith has handled himself pretty well and been a productive hitter overall through two seasons. However, he hasn’t gotten to the power production we saw in the minor leagues, and has had stretches of looking a bit overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that the Tigers have had him preparing for a different position every offseason, without any kind of consistency to help him settle into the roster. That’s just a function of need, but I can’t help feeling like Colt is going to break through as a more impactful hitter through his mid-20’s, so he’ll be someone I’m paying extra attention to this spring.
I can’t help having a soft spot for Keider Montero as well. On at least 10 teams around the league, the right-hander would be a lock for a starting rotation job with the chance to grow in that role. Instead, he’s handled a lot of mixed use pretty well, and really came through for the Tigers in the ALDS last October too. He’s still flawed, but he does have the stuff to succeed and I’m hoping he’ll put it together more in 2026.
The Dodgers open spring training this week, with pitchers and catchers scheduled to report on Thursday, February 12.
Here’s an inside look at where the team stands as camp begins:
Shohei Ohtani pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series. Getty Images
Best position battle
If the Dodgers get through spring with a fully healthy roster, most positions should take care of themselves. However, Tommy Edman is uncertain for opening day as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery. So too is Blake Snell, after slow-playing his winter throwing program while treating a lingering shoulder injury.
If Edman starts the year on the IL, it will create at least a temporary opening at second base. Miguel Rojas would figure to get plenty of the at-bats, but there could also be a runway for either Hyeseong Kim or Alex Freeland to carve out an opening day role.
In the rotation, a potential Snell absence could open a spot for one of the Dodgers’ younger arms, such as River Ryan or Gavin Stone, among others, to earn an opening-day spot.
Most intriguing minor leaguer
There has been growing excitement around the organization in Ryan, who debuted as a top prospect in 2024 and posted a 1.33 ERA in four starts before going down with Tommy John surgery. Since then, the right-hander has bulked up by roughly 30 pounds, added life to his upper-90s mph fastball, and impressed club officials in his throwing program this winter.
Whether or not he starts the season in the majors, he’ll almost certainly have a role to play at some point. And if his brief debut a couple years ago was any indication, he could be primed for a breakout campaign.
Tommy Edman runs the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees. Getty Images
Story to watch develop
The Dodgers have been open about their need to manage the starting rotation’s workload this year, coming off the heavy burden they shoulder in the 2025 playoffs. It’s why the team is already preaching patience with Snell. And it will be a subplot to follow as other veteran arms ramp up for the year.
Outside of Snell, the Dodgers’ other starters have reported feeling OK so far with the quick turnaround from last season. But as intensity heightens in the spring, so too will the threat of lingering after-effects being felt. By the time they get to opening day, the Dodgers should have a better idea of how their pitching staff rebounded from last October.
Manager’s toughest challenge
The Dodgers will have one of the oldest lineups in the majors this year. And manager Dave Roberts has already acknowledged the need to find his veterans more regular rest.
It won’t be easy. Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, for example, have been loath to off days in recent years. Thus, Roberts will have to find the right balance between keeping his older bats fresh, and keeping them happy and in-rhythm as they continue to age. It will be an ongoing challenge for the 10th-year skipper.
Blake Snell pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays. Getty Images
Most intriguing newcomer
It’s been five years since Kenley Jansen left the Dodgers. Since then, they’ve struggled to find a defined, consistent closer, having not had one reliever with a 25-save season.
That should change now, with the arrival of Edwin Díaz and his 253 career saves. The Dodgers invested $69 million in him to anchor the relief corps. And as long as he clicks, a weak Dodgers bullpen from last season should be a strength in their three-peat bid.
Most notable absence
For two decades, Clayton Kershaw has been the face of the Dodgers franchise. For the first time since 2006, he won’t be at camp for spring training.
The Dodgers, of course, have plenty of options to replace the retired left-hander in the rotation. But his clubhouse presence will leave a void, creating a Hall of Fame-sized hole that will be felt this spring.
Miguel Rojas celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays. Getty Images
Don’t be surprised if it becomes an issue
Injuries, and not just to the rotation. Freeman will be 36 this year, Max Muncy 35, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez both 33, and Will Smith, Shohei Ohtani and Edman all 31. While the Dodgers have battled injuries in recent years, they’ve largely had their entire lineup healthy come the playoffs. Accomplishing that again will only get harder as time goes on.
Pitching absences are already expected. The Dodgers have to hope position player losses don’t become a problem either.
Biggest comeback
Ohtani completed his two-way comeback last year. But now, he will enter a season without any health restrictions for the first time since 2023, when he had arguably his most complete career year.
Ohtani will begin this campaign as the frontrunner for his fifth MVP. He could very well wind up in the Cy Young conversation, too. The Dodgers have already seen historic feats from their $700 million star. Now, they’ll get their first look at a full season of Ohtani playing both ways full-time.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 01: Charlie Condon #6 of the Salt River Rafters in defensive position at first base during an Arizona Fall League game against the Scottsdale Scorpions at Scottsdale Stadium on November 1, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Remember back in December when I wrote about about “tractability?”
In this column, I want to look at a second concept Moura discusses, “optionality.”
Here, he explains how Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman approaches decision-making:
Every decision he made was governed by the guiding principle of optionality [emphasis added], a term co-opted from Wall Street, where he had his professional start. The idea is to render no decision absolutely necessary, to preserve as many possible choices as long as possible. It manifests in many ways, most notably in the Dodgers’ relative lack of desperation. Desperate teams make decisions they will regret. Because of Friedman’s patience and ownership’s resources, the Dodgers stand perpetually ready to seize on opportunities created by another team’s desperation.
So, for Friedman’s Dodgers, maintaining flexibility for as long as possible was key. We watched the 2025 Rockies play from a place of desperation — that’s why players were promoted before they were MLB ready — and we saw the results. The Dodgers would have never allowed themselves to get into that position.
But let’s return to the idea of optionality. The poster child for this concept is Mookie Betts. Here’s Moura:
Betts is the human embodiment of optionality, always available to boost the team in one facet or another. He could connect on a home run. He could beat out an infield single. He could unleash an unreasonably accurate throw. He could make a leaping, or diving, catch. He could steal second base, or he could score from first on a single, as he did to finish his final game with the Red Sox. He could demand his teammates establish a new, higher standard of effort, as he did before his first game with the Dodgers.
Look, the Dodgers moved Betts from the outfield to shortstop with very little effort. That’s how versatile he is. He gets hits; he’s athletic; he makes plays; and he does whatever is asked of him. It’s why he’s such a valuable player.
Finally, let me cite one more passage from Moura, this one on Max Muncy:
In 2019, Max Muncy became the fifth major leaguer to appear at least sixty times at both first base and second base. This flexibility, or optionality, is essential to how the Dodgers operate. It frees them to pursue off-season and midseason improvements at more positions than their peers, because somebody can always slide somewhere to accommodate a newcomer. It liberates Roberts to use the best available pinch-hitter in any game situation and not burn another reserve to defend, because, again, somebody on the field can always slide somewhere. And it insulates the team against the impact of injury. No matter where the hurt player played, the team’s best reserve can move from the bench into the lineup, because, of course, somebody—or somebodies—can always slide somewhere.
The ideas in this passage are key to the Rockies’ rebuild. It’s less about having “specialists” — though every team needs a few, say Will Smith at catcher and Freddie Freeman at first — than having highly athletic players who are willing to learn and, to quote a favorite Josh Byrnes phrase, “max out” and play a number of positions with ease.
(I’ll have more to say about “maxing out” in a separate column. I asked Byrnes about it, and his answer was interesting. I also have some ideas about the Rockies’ possible Mookie Betts, but they’re too undercooked to share right now.)
Here’s my working theory as we head into the 2026 season: Whenever you wonder what are president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and general manager Josh Byrnes doing, ask yourself, “What would the Dodgers do?”
That’s probably influencing their thinking.
Okay, hold that thought, and let me return to the spring training and non-roster invitees list we got last week.
Let’s leave pitchers out of this and just talk about position players.
Look at all those utility players. The Rockies have listed seven utility players. (I know: Kris Bryant? I just work with the list I was given.) Tyler Freeman is no longer just an outfielder; they view him as a utility player. And Troy Johnston, generally seen as a first baseman, is also a utility player. Willi Castro was signed because of his versatility.
Here’s perhaps the most interesting point. As Cory Ryan Knowles pointed out last week on the Purple Row board, “The thing I am most intrigued by is that they designated Condon as a utility player. That says to me that the current front office may not be locked in to him being a 1B exclusively going forward.”
Absolutely.
Under the former front office, it was just assumed Charlie Condon (No. 2 mid-season PuRP) would become a first-base specialist in the tradition of Todd Helton.
Not so fast.
DePodesta et al are more interested in seeing what Condon — and a lot of other players — can do.
At Rockies Fest, DePodesta made an off-hand comment that has stayed with me: Fans should expect to see players at spring training playing positions that they perhaps hadn’t expected to see those players playing.
I’ve called this an “inventory” year for the Rockies as the new front office tries to figure out what they have — and I think that’s still true — but part of that inventory involves determining who’s tractable (or teachable) and comfortable with optionality.
A comment on the Purple Row board last week was that the Rockies had replaced their worst players with less-worse players. I agree. But they’ve also been replaced with more athletic and versatile players. It’s like a table reading for the first season of a television drama as the show runner figures out who they have and what they’ll need.
Clearly, not all the non-roster invitees will make the roster, but I expect a number of those players to break camp with the Rockies. Most fans are not going to be excited about an Opening Day roster with Blaine Crim and Troy Johnston platooning at first; Edourard Julien at second; Ezequiel Tovar at short; and Willi Castro at third with, say, Tyler Freeman, Chad Stevens, and Vimael Machín as depth pieces.
But it may happen.
The Rockies are going to delay decision making and give themselves options, both in terms of their roster and in-game decision-making. This approach will also give their prospects time to develop more fully in Albuquerque or Hartford. (How DePodesta will approach Albuquerque is another interesting question.)
And DePodesta et al are going to be implementing a system not just for players but also for the coaching staff. Manager Warren Schaeffer will need to change his approach to in-game management. I’m not worried about that because Schaeffer has shown he’s as eager to learn as any player on the roster, but that’s going to take some practice.
My sense right now is that fans are not going to get the Opening Day roster they think they want.
SDS asked, “Would you please ask Dan to give us a projection for just how much worse that lineup would be than the weakest MLB team’s starting nine?” Dan Szymborski’s answer does not disappointment as he explores how the Colorado Rockies would fare in this scenario.
