Cade Horton got cuffed around pretty good, serving up six hits, including three home runs. Horton worked 3.2 innings and threw 60 pitches. Was he working on mechanics or location? Maybe. Hopefully this is just a “let it all hang out” Spring Training outing and nothing more. Here’s some good analysis of Horton’s spring.
In case you care, here’s video of the other two homers, by Corey Seager and Josh Smith, though you can’t really see Horton’s pitches here nor, really, any Cubs:
Andrew McCutchen, who’s trying to make the Rangers as a non-roster invitee at age 39, doubled in a run in the fifth inning off Ryan Rolison, who’s not going to make the Opening Day roster.
The Cubs didn’t really do much against Jacob deGrom (but then, who does?), who threw three innings and struck out five, allowing singles to Kevin Alcántara and Michael Conforto. Here are deGrom’s five K’s [VIDEO].
The two singles were the only Cubs hits until Shaw’s homer. A sacrifice fly by Chas McCormick scored another run in the sixth.
Ethan Roberts threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning with a strikeout. Collin Snider threw a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts. The Cubs scored a third run on a double by Kade Snell in the eighth. The Cubs really like Snell, who was their fifth-round pick last year out of the University of Alabama.
The Cubs return to Sloan Park Wednesday afternoon for a matchup with the Royals. Colin Rea will start for the Cubs and Mitch Spence goes for Kansas City. Game time Wednesday is 3:05 p.m. CT and once again, there’s no TV or radio for this game, though I will be attending so will recap what I see in Mesa. Wednesday’s Cubs game is the last one this year that won’t have any broadcasts. All the rest of the spring games will have either a radio or TV broadcast or both.
Feb 24, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus (76) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves during spring training at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
From the moment the Detroit Tigers signed left-hander Enmanuel de Jesus to a minor league deal and camp invite back in December, it was clear they wouldn’t be able to stash him in the minor leagues and off the 40-man roster for long. As it turned out, interest from other teams forced the issue and so the Tigers added him to the 40-man roster on Tuesday, moving right-hander Troy Melton to the 60-day injured list as the corresponding move.
De Jesus’s deal was designed to pay the veteran $1.3 million if he played in the major leagues this season. Minor league deals like that are typically only given to players who have some interest from other teams, and they invariably come with a timetable. We expected that the Tigers would have until sometime in late April to decide to add him to the 40-man roster or De Jesus would be able to opt-out and sign wherever he chose. Those may still be the terms of the deal, but as it turns out, De Jesus also had the right to accept another deal this week. With offers coming in to pitch overseas after his outstanding showing for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, the Tigers made the call on Tuesday to purchase his contract and add him to the 40-man roster.
The 29-year-old came up in the Boston Red Sox organization before briefly bouncing around with the San Francisco Giants and the Miami Marlins, the latter of which gave him his first major league cup of coffee back in 2023. Offers were not particularly compelling at that point, and so De Jesus moved to South Korea to pitch in the KBO in 2024 and 2025.
With the Kiwoom Heroes in 2024, De Jesus made 30 starts, compiling a 3.68 ERA. He came back to the KBO with the KT Wiz in 2025, making another 30 starts with a 3.96 ERA. Those two seasons had major league teams interested, but unlike Cody Ponce or the Tigers own Drew Anderson, two 2025 KBO standouts who got major league deals this offseason, De Jesus didn’t draw much the same level of offers. Instead the Tigers were able to bring him to camp on a minor league deal, and the southpaw did his part by showing out in Grapefruit League action and in the World Baseball Classic.
De Jesus had already impressed in camp with his excellent command of a solid though modest pitch mix. His outing for Team Venezuela on March 8 solidified his standing as a pitcher of interest. De Jesus struck out eight over five innings of one-run ball with no walks and just two hits allowed as Team Venezuela defeated Team Israel. That set a record in strikeouts for Team Venezuela, putting a stamp on the performance. While the competition wasn’t particularly tough, it was again De Jesus’s excellent command and ability to execute his game plan that really stood out. As a result, franchises in Asia were reportedly calling for his services this week, and the Tigers had to decide whether they were going to add him to the roster or not.
The decision was made easier by the fact that Melton, who was expected to be a force in the bullpen and perhaps swing back to a starting role if needed during the season, has been dealing with an elbow issue that has kept him off the mound since early in spring camp. Asked about his status over the weekend, manager A.J. Hinch mentioned only that Melton was doing “plyo ball stuff,” making it clear that his status and timetable remained uncertain. On the one hand, the fact that he was doing arm strengthening work was a positive sign that Melton may avoid surgery. On the other, it looked more and more like Melton would need more rehab time and then a slow progression to build up his arm, followed by rehab outings at the Triple-A level. As his timeline started to stretch into May, the Tigers realized they wouldn’t lose anything by moving him to the 60-day injured list to open a spot for De Jesus, making the decision a pretty simple one.
De Jesus is working with both fourseam fastballs and sinkers between 92-94 mph and showing outstanding command of both pitches. He backs the two fastball types with an 86 mph cutter, and a good circle changeup averaging 85 mph this spring. The changeup has late fade and seems to have plenty of deception, making it his best pitch of the bunch as hitters don’t seem to pick it up well off the same sightlines on which he’s throwing the fourseam and sinker. Less often he’ll break off a slower slider to try and get some chase down and away from left-handed hitters.
It’s not an overpowering set of pitches, and big league hitters will be the proving ground for his mistakes, but de Jesus learned how to really pitch in the KBO, and appears to be pretty deceptive as well. He’s worked the edges of all four quadrants of the strike zone with both fastball types, while consistently bending the changeup and cutter just off the edges to either side of the plate. His easy delivery and apparent lack of tells, along with that feel for his full set of pitches has allowed him to keep hitters off balance. There have been few good swings against him from anyone this spring.
Take a look at his highlights from the WBC. You’ll see little but paint.
For now, the Tigers just had to pick up de Jesus’s contract to prevent him from signing elsewhere. He still has to make the Opening Day roster, but that’s looking like a near lock right now. We’ll assume that de Jesus will be in the Tigers’ bullpen on Opening Day along with fellow lefty Tyler Holton. Between de Jesus and Drew Anderson, that would give them two depth starters working out of the bullpen, giving Hinch a lot of flexibility to help get his rotation through the early part of the season when most injuries occur. They could also choose to keep Brant Hurter in the bullpen as well, giving them three multi-inning relievers who can handle either-handed hitters.
That setup leaves Holton, Will Vest, Kenley Jansen, and Kyle Finnegan free to handle the late innings and high leverage scenarios. With two long relief style lefties in the pen of the quality of de Jesus and Hurter, the Tigers could have them follow right-handed starters Justin Verlander, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize, forcing managers to decide if they want to replace left-handed hitters in the lineup with right-handers to try and get to the Tigers’ bullpen in the middle innings. If they choose to empty their bench to stack up their right-handed hitters against de Jesus and Hurter and fail to seize a lead, then that opens up the late innings for the Tigers’ right-handed high leverage arms. When Framber Valdez or Tarik Skubal start, then the Tigers can pivot to Drew Anderson to follow them, forcing the same type of decision on opposing managers.
It won’t always work out like that, but with Anderson, Hurter, and de Jesus all looking like guys who could win a fifth starter’s gig with a lot of lesser teams around the league, the depth of the Tigers’ pen would be in great shape. They’d also still have one spot left to rotate their best remaining arms through as they try to develop another reliever out of their prospects and minor league free agent signings. The Tigers could also choose to option Hurter for a while, and just use Anderson and de Jesus as the middle relievers, giving them two open spots in the pen for single inning relievers.
They don’t have to make the final decision for another two weeks, but Enmanuel de Jesus has made a great case for himself so far. Barring any trouble, he appears destined for a spot in the Tigers’ pen on Opening Day. Hopefully, Troy Melton has avoided any major injury and will be able to join him sometime in May. A hard-throwing right-hander with a good breaking ball would really tie the whole relief corps together.
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo warm up to the World Baseball Classic and close in on Opening Day.
First up, the guys celebrate the excitement of the WBC, and do a deep dive into the motivations of Juan Soto. Then, Connor and Joe discuss Mets legend David Wright spending time in camp with Bo Bichette, the solid play so far of Carson Benge, and how the Opening Day roster may shake out.
The show also goes Down on the Farm to check in on prospects who need to step up, and answers Mailbag questions about Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty, and more.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 12: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets celebrates his two-run home run with Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets in the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 12, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been 11 years since the Mets last won the division, coincidentally the last time they made it to the World Series, losing to the Royals in five games. A historic second-half collapse saw them plummet from division leaders to being dumped out of the playoff picture entirely with a loss to the Marlins on the final day of the regular season. Perhaps the embarrassment of that demise served as a spur in owner Steve Cohen’s side, because he authorized arguably the most significant roster upheaval of any team this past winter, but will it be enough to improve their fortunes in a tough NL East?
Following a three-game sweep of the Nationals in the second week of June, the Mets held a 5.5-game lead over the Phillies. The Queens outfit then proceeded to lose its next seven games, finishing the month with just three wins in a 17-game span. What once looked like a lock to make the playoffs evaporated in a moment, leaving the Mets needing a win against the Marlins on the final day of the regular season to sneak in as the final NL Wild Card ahead of the Reds. That did not come to pass.
Going from an 89-win team that pushed the Dodgers to six games in the 2025 NLCS to an 83-win team that missed the playoffs entirely did not sit well in Queens. Determined to avoid a repeat of such an ignominious finish, Cohen authored a veritable clearing of house over the winter, purging many of the Mets’ mainstays of the last decade.
That included allowing Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz to depart in free agency. It was surprising to see the Mets decline to match the Orioles’ offer to Alonso, seemingly content to watch the franchise leader in home runs and fan favorite depart 200 miles south down I-95. The same can’t be said for Díaz, the Mets just about matching the Dodgers’ offer which ultimately proved enough to convince the three-time All-Star closer to switch coasts. Then there were the frankly stunning trades of Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, the Mets swapping Nimmo for Marcus Semien from the Rangers in December before sending McNeil to the Athletics for a pitching prospect and cash considerations amid vague and since-refuted rumors of their roles in stirring clubhouse disharmony.
With the departures of Alonso, Díaz, Nimmo, and McNeil, the Mets subtracted their four longest-tenured players to usher in a new era built in the image of team president David Stearns. He chose a peculiar strategy of targeting poor-fielding middle infielders and asking them to learn new positions, starting with a two-year, $40 million deal for Jorge Polanco to take Alonso’s place at first. They followed this up by stealing Bo Bichette out from underneath the Phillies at the last minute, inking the longtime Blue Jay for three years and $126 million to be their new third baseman.
Those weren’t the only holes they needed to plug, the trades of Nimmo and McNeil and free agency departures of Cedric Mullins and Starling Marte creating a pair of vacancies in the outfield, while the exits of Díaz and Trade Deadline acquisitions Tyler Rogers, Ryan Helsley, and Gregory Soto necessitated a bullpen rebuild. To that end, the Mets acquired perennial trade candidate Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox to man center, and look poised to hand top hitting prospect Carson Benge a legitimate opportunity to play left. Stearns then shifted his attention to the bullpen across town, signing 2025 Yankees closer and setup man Devin Williams and Luke Weaver for a combined $73 million.
The pièce de résistance of their offseason saw the Mets acquire two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta to be their long-elusive ace, sending a pair of highly regarded prospects in shortstop Jett Williams and pitcher Brandon Sproat to the Brewers to complete the deal. Even with the addition of Peralta, there are still major question marks looming over the rotation. They have six players — Peralta, Nolan McLean, David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and Kodai Senga — penciled into the starting staff, yet none are projected to be worth three wins as several models expect significant regression from Peralta and Peterson. Top prospect McLean impressed upon his call-up and could very well smash the over on his projections, and Peterson finally put it all together in his age-29 season, but outside of Peralta there is still a ton of downside and injury risk surrounding the other five starters.
Things look a lot rosier on the hitting side. Any roster built around Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor is an enviable starting point. In Soto and Lindor, the Mets boast two of the top ten position players in baseball in terms of projected fWAR for 2026, Soto projected for a 163 wRC+ and 6.1 fWAR and Lindor a 123 wRC+ and 5.0 fWAR. Bichette’s addition should go a long way to replacing the production lost from Alonso’s departure, and on the whole this is now a team with improved infield versatility and outfield defense.
A peak at various projection systems confirms that these offseason moves should improve the Mets’ outlook for 2026. FanGraphs predicts the Mets to win the division with a 92-70 record, assigning them a 79.3-percent chance to make the playoffs. PECOTA agrees, tabbing the Mets for a division-leading 89-73 record and 82.3-percent playoff odds. The question is how much the disparity between the offense and pitching projections will play a role. The Mets are projected to field the second-best offense in MLB with 31.5 batting wins, but sits middle of the pack at just 15.6 pitching wins. You could easily see the offense carrying them in most of their wins. All eyes will be turned toward the pitching staff — how much will they drag down the offense and can they avoid a similar collapse to the one that doomed the team over the summer and down the stretch last season?
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
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The pool round of the 2026 World Baseball Classic is coming to an end and Team USA has an opportunity to complete a clean sweet — and punch their ticket to the quarterfinals in the process.
They’ll face the also-undefeated Italy tonight, March 10, with the top seed in Pool B on the line. A win tonight would ensure Team USA finishes in that top spot and advances onto the quarterfinals. A win for Italy would place all of Pool B’s outcomes on tomorrow’s Italy vs. Mexico matchup, where a three-way tie for the top spot would emerge.
Team USA defeated Mexico, 5-3, for just the second time in WBC history last night to keep their perfect record alive.
2026 world baseball classic: what to know
Who: Team USA vs. Team Italy
When: March 10, 9 p.m. ET
Where: Daikin Park (Houston, Texas)
Channel: FS1
Streaming: Sling TV
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean will be on the mound for Team USA tonight; he’ll be limited to four innings before the bullpen takes over.
World Baseball Classic: USA vs. Italy start time
Tonight’s (March 10) World Baseball Classic matchup between USA and Italy is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.
Sling TV is an affordable way to watch TV live and stream baseball games; its Select plan includes FS1 and starts at $19.99/month. Sling Bluealso has FS1 and costs $54.99/month.
TRY SLING TV
DIRECTV is another great service to try — its five-day free trial includes FS1 (plus every other channel you’ll need for the World Baseball Classic and upcoming MLB season).
World Baseball Classic 2026: Team USA roster
Pitchers: David Bednar (Yankees), Matthew Boyd (Cubs), Garrett Cleavinger (Rays), Clay Holmes (Mets), Griffin Jax (Rays), Brad Keller (Phillies), Clayton Kershaw, Nolan McLean (Mets), Mason Miller (Padres), Joe Ryan (Twins), Paul Skenes (Pirates), Tarik Skubal (Tigers), Gabe Speier (Mariners), Michael Wacha (Royals), Logan Webb (Giants), Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox)
Catchers: Cal Raleigh (Mariners), Will Smith (Dodgers)
Infielders: Alex Bregman (Cubs), Ernie Clement (Blue Jays), Paul Goldschmidt (Yankees), Bryce Harper (Phillies), Gunnar Henderson (Orioles), Brice Turang (Brewers), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)
Outfielders: Roman Anthony (Red Sox), Byron Buxton (Twins), Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Aaron Judge (Yankees)
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
Presented below are our current dollar values for 5x5 12-team AL-only leagues using two catchers. For convenience, the values are divided by position starting with catcher.
We'll be keeping these updated through Opening Day.
⚾️ Coming soon: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Spring Training brings out the eternal optimist in baseball fans. The contests are hard to follow because the players are coming and going after the completion of the first couple of innings. Everyone is working diligently in preparation for Opening Day. However, some in-game appearances offer a sneak peek into what the future might hold.
The Padres’ biggest strength is their bullpen
If Major League Baseball adopted the National Hockey League’s stars of the game award. The San Diego bullpen would be the No. 1 star on most nights. Perhaps it is time we admit this is the best ‘pen in baseball.
The bullpen is looking good of late in Spring Training outings. They seem poised to dominate the final three innings of games with an arsenal of high-leverage arms.
Mason Miller is returning to the closer’s role after working as the set-up man to Robert Suarez following his acquisition in a trade deadline deal. Why not? The Friar Faithful were in awe of his fastball command.
He posted a 0.77 ERA in 22 appearances. Miller allowed seven hits, two earned runs, and walked 10 batters, while striking out 45 in 23.1 innings pitched. His performance helped the Padres earn a postseason berth in the Wild Card round.
Behind Miller is a quality group of set-up relievers. Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada are high-leverage options that can shut down potential scoring threats. Each has a repertoire that gains plenty of swing and misses from batters, and leaves runners stranded in scoring position.
Let’s not forget Wandy Peralta, Yuki Matsui, David Morgan and Bradgley Rodriquez provide much-needed bullpen depth. First-year manager Craig Stammen’s task is to identify each reliever’s role that helps the Friars win games.
What is the rotation’s role in the bullpen’s success?
No question, having quality relievers is instrumental to securing a winning record. Opposing teams understand that if they’re going to score runs, it better happen early in the game. A bullpen’s success begins and ends with the need for a functional starting rotation.
Michael King is the No. 1 starter, with Randy Vasquez ready to unlock his potential as a starting pitcher. He is throwing his fastball near 98 MPH in Spring Training outings. Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove need to have solid starts, nothing spectacular. Finally, with all the candidates that gathered in Peoria, Ariz. the Padres should be able to find a serviceable fifth starter.
Continuous poor outings by the rotation could ruin the formula. No team can afford to burn out their bullpen before the All-Star break.
Petco Park should be electric in the late innings of close games. There is nothing like watching a quality bullpen navigate through a potential scoring rally to lock down a victory.
The Padres might be on the right path to the postseason.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 04: Pitcher Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers looks on from the dugout during the World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Brazil at Surprise Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today the Texas Rangers have welcomed the Chicago Cubs to Surprise, AZ for the latest spring training game. Of note, after debuting yesterday at DH, today veteran Andrew McCutchen is playing left field for the Rangers as he continues to audition for a spot on the club.
RHP Jacob deGrom will get his first look at a big league squad this spring for Texas opposite RHP Cade Horton for Chicago.
Today’s Lineups
CUBS
RANGERS
Michael Busch – 1B
Brandon Nimmo – RF
Matt Shaw – CF
Wyatt Langford – CF
Kevin Alcantara – DH
Corey Seager – SS
Michael Conforto – LF
Jake Burger – 1B
Chas McCormick – RF
Joc Pederson – DH
Moises Ballesteros – C
Andrew McCutchen – LF
James Triantos – 2B
Danny Jansen – C
Jefferson Rojas – SS
Josh Smith – 2B
Scott Kingery – 3B
Ezequiel Duran – 3B
Cade Horton – RHP
Jacob deGrom – RHP
There’s no broadcast for this one as far as I’m aware but you can follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is scheduled for 3:05 pm CT.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: General view of a Dodgers logo during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Over to the West side go the D-backs, hoping for better than the last time they faced the reigning NL West champions. That was on February 25 at Salt River Fields, where Arizona lost 10-7, despite handily out-hitting Los Angeles by a 13-7 margin. Nine walks, and three errors leading to five unearned runs, were the difference in that contest, so definitely room for improvement on the pitching front. Despite yesterday’s strong performance on the mound, the Diamondbacks still rank 22nd for team ERA this spring, at 5.80. And it’s worst still if you look at just the first six innings, when it’s usually MLB pitchers vs. MLB hitters: there, they are at 6.26.
After Brandon Pfaadt, we might see RHP Joe Ross, LHP Brandyn Garcia, RHP Kade Strowd, RHP Isaiah Campbell, RHP Jonathan Loáisiga and RHP Bryce Jarvis. Pfaadt had a good first outing in the Cactus League, going 2.1 scoreless innings on just one hit. I imagine he’ll look to go three frames today, though if he gets a four-pitch first inning like he did last time, he might go deeper. Of the relief arms, Garcia is the one I’ll be keeping an eye on. He’s and Philip Abner are the only left-handed relief options left. Both have pitched well this spring, but Garcia’s K:BB of 7:1 across 4.2 innings gives him the edge over Abner (6:3 over 5 IP).
No broadcast today, but I should be better able to follow on Gameday today. Being at work has its advantages!
Mar 10, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman (55) celebrates after scoring during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Braves 0 Blue Jays 7
Nice to see the Jays score some. Early in spring we didn’t seem to be able to score.
Dylan Cease was really good. 3 innings, 2 hits, and 3 strikeouts. Reached 97.5 mph on the fastball.
Other pitchers:
Tommy Nance: 1 inning, 1 hit.
Jeff Hoffman: 1 inning, 2 strikeouts.
Tyler Rogers: 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 hit batter.
Louis Varland: 1 clean inning.
Brendon Little: 1 inning, 2 hits, 1 strikeout.
Connor Beabold: 1 inning, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts.
Offense, Starters:
Georger Springer: 0 for 3. .250.
Jesus Sanchez: 0 for 3. .215.
Tyler Heineman: 0 for 2, walk. .231. He also took a pitch off the mask and was down for a bit.
Addison Barger: 0 for 1, 2 walk, k. .261.
Daulton Varsho: 1 for 3, double. .400.
Davis Schneider: 1 for 2, RBI, walk, k. .095.
Nathan Lukes: 1 for 1, 2 RBI, walk. .250.
Josh Kasevich: 0 for 2. .348.
Riley Tirotta: 1 for 3, home run, 2 k. .174.
Others:
Eloy Jimenez: 0 for 1, walk. .310.
Rafael Lantigua: 1 for 2, k. . 524.
Brandon Valenzuela: 1 for 1, home run, 3 RBI. .375.
Charles McAdoo: 0 for 1. .261.
Jonatan Clase: 0 for 1. .278.
Carlos Mendoza: 1 for 1. .467.
Yohendrick Pinango: 0 for 1, k. .095.
Arjun Nimmala: 0 for 1. .235.
Sean Keys: 1 walk.
The Jays are 7-8 on the spring now.
Tomorrow the Jays visit the Yankees and it is a, 6:30 Eastern starting time. Eric Lauer gets the start.
Mar 10, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Spring training is all about watching talent you can dream on—even with the fever-pitched debates around the futures of Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones in Yankee circles, it’s always a treat when either of them connect. Today, both of them homered early in the Yankees’ 4-2 Grapefruit League victory over the Phillies in Clearwater. J.C. Escarra and Max Schuemann collected RBIs in a go-ahead fifth inning rally, and the Bombers saw good performances on the mound from Luis Gil and Paul Blackburn.
The Martian struck first, and he didn’t just homer—he went yard from the right side of the plate against lefty Tanner Banks. Any sign Domínguez can give the Yankees that he won’t be a total liability against left-handed pitching is welcome. Now, Banks’ offering was a very hittable 91-mph fastball with two strikes, but a homer is a homer and it’s not as though mistake offerings vanish during the regular season.
Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan pitched the second inning for the Phillies, but he too fell victim to a powerful Baby Bomber. Spencer Jones waited back on a 2-0 slider and sent it hurtling to the fans sitting on the berm in left center field. The 415-foot opposite field blast was just the latest display from Jones, who now has four home runs this spring—and they’ve all gone more than 400 feet.
Jones was officially optioned to Triple-A yesterday due to the Yankees’ crowded outfield depth chart, but darn if he won’t continue to put on a show while he can this spring.
The Phillies responded against Gil in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Bryan De Le Cruz, then J.T. Realmuto tied the score in the third on his first spring homer. Still, it was good to see Gil attacking the strike zone. He responded to the run in the second by getting ahead of René Pinto 0-2 and inducing an inning-ending double play. Then after the homer in the third he racked up back-to-back strikeouts of Alec Bohm and Adolis García to retire the side. Gil picked up one last out in the fourth before departing with 62 pitches thrown.
Tim Hill completed the fourth inning without incident, then Brent Headrick took the ball for the fifth. The lefty got the first two outs before running into trouble, with a pair of singles giving Garcia an opportunity to give Philadelphia their first lead. With two strikes, García hammered a ball on a line up the middle, but second baseman Max Schuemann was played perfectly to snag it and preserve the 2-2 tie.
The top of the Yankee lineup got to work the following half-inning against former Yankee Lou Trivino. Ben Rice worked a leadoff walk, reached second on a wild pitch, then took third on an opposite-field single by Domínguez. Jasson stole second with one out, taking away the double play chance, and a sharp grounder to second by J.C. Escarra scored Rice to give the Bombers the lead back. Schuemann followed with a double in the right-center gap to plate Domínguez and make it 4-2. That was Schuemann’s first RBI of the spring, but he’s now hitting .400 in camp—continuing his push to make the roster as infield depth.
Paul Blackburn took over for Headrick and wound up finishing out the remainder of the game on the mound with minimal drama. Over four scoreless innings, he collected a quartet of K’s, pitching around a pair of baserunners in the ninth. The Phillies worked a bevy of long at-bats in the ninth and brought the tying run to bat while down to their final out, but Blackburn never lost command. He now has a 1.46 ERA in the spring; his track record as a starting pitcher could make him a useful swingman for the Yankees as they wait for Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón’s returns.
Another Wednesday evening game at Steinbrenner Field awaits tomorrow, and Cam Schlittler will make the start in the full pinstripes against the Toronto Blue Jays. Lefty Eric Lauer will be his opponent. YES Network will have the broadcast, with first pitch expected at 6:35pm ET. And if you just can’t wait until tomorrow for more Yankees action, Aaron Judge and company will be back in action for Team USA tonight in the World Baseball Classic as they try to sweep their pool against Italy at 9pm ET on FS1.
Feb 26, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Dodgers’ lineup on Tuesday has their most players likely ticketed for the opening day roster than at any other point this spring.
While the Seattle Mariners look to handle the Randy Arozarena – Cal Raleigh situation, the A’s prepare for what’ll be their second time squaring up against the Chicago White Sox in 2026. The first meetup between the two squads kicked off this year’s rendition of Spring Training – – and let’s just say the outcome was less than desirable. In fact, the first week of 2026 A’s baseball couldn’t have gone worse. They got kicked around by these Chi-Sox, the Guardians, Giants, and Brewers. Not once in any of these games did the A’s score more than two runs. Since then, things have wavered between formidable and mid. Yesterday’s route of the Cincinnati Reds was sort’ve a microcosm of this team’s performance so far: think lots of runs, scored as well as given up, early and then infrequent during the middle innings, until all the Non-roster invitees like Domingo Robles are thrown in there to run amok.
Looking at the schedule, it turns out that our last game of Spring Training will be against these very same Chicago White Sox, providing us with a proper bookend to our assessment of how this team has grown over the course of a month. If we were to view today’s game as the mid-way point, we’d see that the club has improved on some their early hitting woes, though the pitching has remained pretty much the same on paper.
Let’s see how much they’re able to refine the staff between now and the next time we play these White Sox on March 23rd.
Our first pitcher in this mild social experiment is Jeffrey Springs. The southpaw had a rough pre-season debut against the Kansas City Royals, giving up 4 ER in less than two frames. His second outing, however, proved to be a step in the right direction. In 2.1 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he struck out four while giving up no runs and only three hits. Six days have passed since then, so Springs should be well rested and ready to go.
According to Jason Burke from Sports Illustrated, Joey Estes is also slated to pitch today…Can’t say that I’m totally thrilled to have Estes still in the mix. The most notable thing he did last season was hit Victor Robles in a AAA game. Even then, he was on the losing end of that interaction as Robles decided to throw his bat at Estes from home plate. That being said, Estes does fit nicely into an A’s pitching staff that has done nothing but walk batters and give up hits. Maybe Kotsay’s trying out a new strategy that us fans just wouldn’t understand?
Aside from Andy Ibanez, I have the utmost faith in every one of these hitters. Jeff McNeil has had a solid Spring, coming off a 3-3 2 RBI performance just day ago. One guy to keep an eye on (if you aren’t already) is Stickman Nick Kurtz. Not a great Spring Training so far for the big lefty slugger. Would love to see them slot him in different places in the batting order so that we can really see if his slow start can be attributed to the use of him in the leadoff spot. I guess we’ll have to wait another day for something like that as he’s back up there, followed by my beloved tandem of Shea Langeliers, Tyler Soderstrom, Brent Rooker, and Jacob Wilson.
What a magical time to be a fan of A’s baseball. Despite all the head banging when it comes to the pitching staff, I really have to stop and appreciate how exciting this team actually is. I mean, we have a former batting title champion behind one of the most consistent hitters in baseball. Not mention a diamond in the rough in Austin Wynns. If he hits more than ten home runs this season I’m buying a jersey.
On the other end of things, we have the White Sox’s starting nine…
The South Siders come into Hohokam Stadium with an 11-7 record and 4-game winning streak. Their 12-3 beatdown of the Colorado Rockies matched their highest run total of the Spring (a feat they’ve reached twice so far). Shane Smith has been tabbed as today’s starter. On Sunday, the White Sox also announced that Smith, a 2025 All-Star, will be taking the mound on opening day against this former club, the Milwaukee Brewers.
So we’re getting Chicago’s best starter today, in front of lineup that features a young and exciting Colson Montgomery and the switch-hitting specialist Luisangel Acuna!
Should be a fun one in the desert. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05pm. For those of you following along, you can find me here in the threads, talking ish during this rematch of the 2020 AL Wild Card Series.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 16: JR Ritchie #80 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Not to panic, Atlanta Braves fans, the 0-7 loss from the Braves today seemed to be more of a tune-up for JR Ritchie as he took his first start as a prospect for the Braves (4 IP/ 1 H/ 2 ER/ 4 BB/ 2 K) and playing in his third game in general. His outing today was actually a decent one for his first start.
Though the news of Joey Wentz was a blow to the Braves fans, they’re looking to the usual starters and upcoming prospects to step up when it counts to receive that nod before the season officially starts.
This might not have been the outing that people were hoping for, especially where his command was concerned, however, with the news of Ritchie starting and witnessing his past success, it’s something to add to his portfolio as he continues to develop his pitching arsenal, as he’s mentioned how he wanted to increase it in the past, and has received high praise from a few of the veteran pitchers on the team on his discipline and growth since the start of training.
It’s still very possible that he has the opportunity to gain a spot on the Opening Day roster.
As for the remainder of the lineup…well, let’s say that this looked like the definition of a Spring Training roster without the team’s usual names, facing a prepared Blue Jays lineup led by Dylan Cease.
As mentioned earlier, this was more of a tune-up event that didn’t show much of what the offense could do, but it was a glimpse of what Ritchie had, as well as giving him more reps he’d need to add to his resume before decisions are made for the Opening Day roster.
Tomorrow, the Braves will be taking on the Tampa Bay Rays with Spencer Strider taking the mound.
The Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 4-2 on Tuesday afternoon in Clearwater, Fla.
Here are the takeaways...
-- The Yankees got a pair of home runs from two of their young outfielders. First, Jasson Dominguez demolished a solo home run off of Tanner Banks in the first inning. It was a good sign to see Dominguez homer from the right side, as he’s only homered once from that side in his career, batting .186.
Dominguez ended up 2-for-3 on the afternoon with a stolen base to go along with the home run.
-- Then, in the second inning, it was Spencer Jones getting in on the action. Jones was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday, but that didn’t stop him from blasting his fourth home run of the spring, a shot to left-center to put the Yankees up 2-0 in the second inning.
-- Luis Gil pitched around a dropped pop-up in the first inning, striking out Adolis Garcia looking on a 97 mph fastball. He gave up an unearned run in the second and another run in the third on a J.T. Realmuto solo homer, but pitched pretty well overall, showing off impressive velocity on his fastball.
Gil went 3.1 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
-- George Lombard Jr. got the start at shortstop, going 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts.
-- Following Gil, the Yanks had a few notable pitchers go on Tuesday, as Tim Hill (0.2 innings), Brent Headrick (1.0 inning), and Paul Blackburn (4.0 innings pitched) all took the mound and turned in scoreless outings.
