Category: Baseball

2025 stats: 29 GS, 152 IP, 3.85 ERA / 4.24 xERA, 8.1 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 1.36 WHIP, +2.2 fWAR

The first ballot Hall of Famer joined the Giants as a sort of prove-it year to show the sport that he still could be “that guy,” and he pulled it off, becoming just the 48th pitcher in MLB history to throw at least 150 innings at the age of 42 (or older). He’s also just the 17th pitcher this century to accomplish the feat, and if you narrow it down to just right-handed pitchers, the list looks like this:

Roger Clemens (2005), 211.1 IP — 1.87 ERA
Bartolo Colon (2015), 194.2 IP — 4.16 ERA
Greg Maddux (2008), 194 IP — 4.22 ERA
Bartolo Colon (2016), 191.2 IP — 3.43 ERA
R.A. Dickey (2017), 190 IP — 4.26 ERA
Tim Wakefield (2011), 154.2 IP — 5.12 ERA
Justin Verlander (2025), 152 IP — 3.85 ERA

Subtract PEDs, knuckleballs, and Bartolo Colon from this list and Verlander really stands out, right? Seriously, though, the rest of those names are from a previous generation of the sport. What Verlander managed to do ought to be considered as impressive as whatever accolades you want to throw at the rest of the names on this list because it’s a very different game now.

The season was far from a farewell tour, which is what it kinda-sorta felt like it could be when the Giants signed him last January. Another Randy Johnson situation. Instead, what the Giants got and what the sport saw was a pitcher who was riding the rapids of time and not defying it so much as going with his increasing limitations.

On the year, his 2.2 fWAR was in the realm of an average starter, but over his final 13 starts, his 2.60 ERA in 72.2 IP with a 22.8 K% and 7.8 BB% made him the sixth-most valuable pitcher in baseball, sandwiched between Max Fried and Garrett Crochet. The Giants went just 6-7 in those starts and all 4 wins of his 4-11 record came during this stretch, which ought to be enough to prove how silly a pitcher win is.

Still, for a guy hoping to retire with 300 wins or thereabouts, pitching for the San Francisco Giants sort of worked against him. He now stands at a career record of 266-158 in 555 career starts, and you could see how if he’d made it to 10 or 11 wins that he’d plausibly be within spitting distance if he pitches two more seasons. The Giants’ bullpen and offense definitely cost him 5 wins and he wouldn’t record that first win in a Giants uniform until literally July 23… simply remarkable.

Less remarkable was how wrong I was about the signing. I was skeptical from the start but on July 7th, I wrote this post: The Justin has Verlanded,

So, is this actually another Buster Posey win, even if it looks ugly? I think so. It seems that Buster’s expectations had nothing to do with statistics and, instead it’s about everything else that Justin Verlander brings to the team. That has to be it, right? Because even by his own assessment, he’s not a competitive pitcher against major league talent.

Of his most recent start against the A’s he said:

I’m just not deceptive enough […] Guys are able to execute their game plan against me too easily. I can’t quite get fastballs by guys when I should be able to. I can’t quite get them to chase the good off-speed pitch. When I do throw a bad one, they’re on it.

[…]

It’s his worst season in the Statcast era (since 2015), and it’s clear this is probably going to be his worst non-injury season ever. At least, that’s how it’s trending. Is there room in the modern game for a team to run out the gritty veteran every fifth day who doesn’t have the stuff but has the resume? It was common enough in Posey’s playing days. Does he believe such a thing is another thing “analytics” took away?

Definitely mean and, of course, totally wrong. I am far from the main character of reality, but as a blogger who swung and missed very, very hard here, I must point out Verlander’s numbers on this very me-centric split:

Prior to The Justin has Verlanded post: 0-6, 4.84 ERA (4.32 FIP) 70.2 IP 60 K 26 BB

After the Justin has Verlanded post: 4-5, 2.99 ERA (3.43 FIP) 81.1 IP 77 K 26 BB

According to Statcast, Verlander’s sweeper was 1) a new pitch and 2) his most valuable by far with a +8 Run Value. That’s Top 10 in the sport good. His changeup, four-seamer, and sinker were also effective enough that he’s still got the bones of a solidly average pitcher going forward.

He gave the Giants everything he had last season and it was plenty and demonstrative of a guy who still has more to give. Unfortunately for Justin Verlander, the Giants could not return the favor.

PORT ST. LUCIE — Freddy Peralta threw a bullpen session Monday to his primary catcher for the first time this spring, under the watch of the team’s new pitching coach.

There is much newness to the Mets, to which the ace right-hander is a significant component.

But now comes the other side of it, as Peralta begins the acclimation process to his new team.

Some introductions won’t be necessary: Peralta had Tobias Myers, Devin Williams and Tyrone Taylor as teammates with the Brewers.

Many others have become acquaintances over his eight major league seasons.

His exposure to the team’s pitching group, headed by new pitching coach Justin Willard, was immediate following the trade that sent Peralta and Myers from Milwaukee on Jan. 21 for Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams.

And upon arriving to camp, Peralta said he’s been impressed with the amount of information he’s been provided.

“When I got over here, they knew all my stuff and a lot of things that I got surprised by, but that’s good,” Peralta said.

Those surprises have included learning about the progression of his slider over the past four seasons, and how frequently he’s used the pitch, down to his preferred grips.

The purpose isn’t to change Peralta — who finished fifth in the National League Cy Young Award voting last season after pitching to a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts for the Brewers — but to inform him.

“It’s been very comfortable, because they have been asking me how I do things and how I do my stuff, what I have been doing and we just communicate all that,” Peralta said. “We have been working together. It’s not like, ‘We have this new idea, and I think you can do this now.’ It’s been very nice and easy. I feel happy about that because they are not trying to change somebody. They are just trying to communicate and it will help to keep me doing what I have been doing.”

Peralta expects a seamless transition throwing mainly to Francisco Alvarez, who tops the Mets depth chart at catcher.

Luis Torrens also has extensive experience as the team’s primary backup.

“[Alvarez] has got a lot of energy, a lot of potential and I saw that before I became his teammate and I am very excited to see what we’re going to accomplish together,” Peralta said. “We had some conversations already, he caught my bullpen today and it was great. I think the relationship we are going to have is very important.

“But I think I am pretty easy to know, too. I don’t think it’s going to take that long, probably, but hopefully we get to know each other right before the end of spring training. That’s all we need, but I think it’s not going to take that long.”

Peralta, Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, David Peterson and Kodai Senga are the main rotation pieces, with depth options Jonah Tong and Christian Scott in the mix.

Peralta, an early arrival to camp, said his first days in the clubhouse have been welcoming.

“I know a lot of guys here and we’ve never played together, but we have been seeing each other during the season and we’ve been playing many times and it’s awesome, man,” Peralta said. “I have been getting a lot of love from everybody.”

Peralta is not participating in the World Baseball Classic this spring, instead pouring his energy into his first camp with the Mets.

“I’m just focusing on what I need to do and meeting everybody,” Peralta said. “Get my workouts done and try to stay healthy.”

Most seem to agree that the St. Louis Cardinals have had a very active and successful offseason, but how likely is it that they still might trade JoJo Romero? There are many questions including if, to who and when.

As of today, the St. Louis Cardinals are only days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training in Jupiter, Florida. There are still rumblings that the trade winds haven’t stopped blowing yet as JoJo Romero is reportedly still being discussed with other teams. While I can’t confirm that anything is close, a trade of JoJo is still possible. The most recent reporting I can find about Romero’s status came from MLB Trade Rumors just a few days ago on February 6. They asked their audience if they believe the St. Louis Cardinals will complete another trade before opening day and nearly 66% said yes.

The teams that reportedly have expressed the most interest in JoJo Romero are the New York Yankees, the Seattle Mariners and the Baltimore Orioles also according to MLB Trade Rumors. I’ve also seen mock trades suggested from the Toronto Blue Jays, but cannot confirm if that interest is serious. I thought there was a chance we’d see JoJo moved along with Brendan Donovan when his trade to the Seattle Mariners happened, but the fact that it didn’t makes me think that Chaim Bloom may have a different timeline in mind for JoJo.

I’m wondering now if the St. Louis Cardinals are going to try and position JoJo Romero as a closer and then move him at the trade deadline when that market might be hot. That’s a gamble, but it might be the frame of mind that Chaim Bloom and his team have now that the ramp up to the season gets closer. I am reminded of an interview that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch had with JoJo late last season about what he learned from former Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley. Could it be that the Cardinals will set up closer by committee with JoJo and Riley O’Brien sharing that role?

Do you think that the St. Louis Cardinals will trade JoJo Romero? If the answer is yes, do you think it should happen before Opening Day or at the trade deadline? If no, why are you in favor of holding onto him? I think we’ll find out sooner rather than later of what the St. Louis Cardinals are thinking about the future of JoJo Romero whether he’s a prime trade opportunity now or a bigger trade chip as a closer near the deadline this summer.

Good evening, folks. I hope your week has gotten off to a solid start and that this evening goes well for you, as well.

Here’s a random clip:

TAMPA — Meet the 2026 Yankees, same as the 2025 Yankees.

OK, so that may be a slight oversimplification, but not by much, as the Yankees are set to open spring training with a roster mostly identical to the one at the end of 2025, when they were boat-raced by the Blue Jays in the ALDS — 24 of the 26 players on the roster for that series are back in the organization.

Their decision to essentially run it back has not sat well with the fan base, and will loom throughout the year until something changes, but their brain trust insists it was the right path to take because of how strongly they felt about their roster by the end of 2025 and believing that it can bear better fruits over the course of a full season.

“I disagree it’s the same team running it back,” said Brian Cashman, entering his 29th camp as general manager and the final year of his current contract. “There’s going to be some differences and the competition’s going to be different, too. In some cases, some teams got better. In other cases, some teams you could argue maybe got a little worse. Our division’s the best in baseball. 

“But long story short, one series [the ALDS], make-or-break, is not going to define what we think our capabilities are. We all understand in postseason baseball, you got to bring your best baseball every series and if you don’t, you’re going home. It doesn’t mean that we weren’t capable of great things. We just didn’t get the job done in that time frame against the Toronto Blue Jays.”

Of course, the Yankees are still eight long months away from actually getting a chance to flip the script in the postseason, as they try to end a World Series championship drought that is entering its 17th year.

But their work to get there begins now, with pitchers and catchers reporting Wednesday and position players set to follow Sunday.

The reality is that two of the biggest culprits in the ALDS were Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, who combined to give up 13 runs in 5 ¹/₃ innings, but are not going anywhere as important staples of the rotation.

The offense that led the majors in runs during the regular season also came up short when it mattered most, but the Yankees are bringing that unit back in full as well.

The biggest potential difference this season is that the Yankees expect to have Gerrit Cole back at some point in the first half (they hope by June) after he missed all of last season with Tommy John surgery.

What version of the former AL Cy Young winner they are getting remains to be seen, but even a slightly diminished one would bolster a potential powerhouse rotation along with Fried, Rodón (who hopes to return from his own elbow surgery by early May) and a full season of 2025 rookie phenom Cam Schlittler plus a mix of Luis Gil, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers and eventually Clarke Schmidt.

But Fried, Schlittler, Warren and Rodón are all coming off career-high workloads, so the Yankees may handle their buildups carefully this spring in an attempt to keep them healthy.

Then there is the lineup, where the returns of Cody Bellinger — which loomed over the whole offseason before he signed a five-year, $162.5 million contract late last month to remain in pinstripes — and Trent Grisham on the qualifying offer ensured it would look the same.

They also brought back Amed Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt as right-handed bench bats — Rosario offering defensive versatility and Goldschmidt providing insurance behind Ben Rice.

But questions still remain, including whether they are too left-handed, whether Grisham can repeat his breakout season, what Anthony Volpe will look like when he returns from shoulder surgery around May and whether he will simply reclaim his starting shortstop role or have to fight José Caballero for it.

“I feel like our roster flexibility’s better, night in and night out, going in,” manager Aaron Boone said. 

The biggest changes involve the bullpen, where the Yankees let Devin Williams and Luke Weaver walk in free agency but have not yet filled their spots with established options.

They took their big reliever swings last summer at the deadline when they acquired David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Jake Bird with mixed results, but now will have them for a full season.

The wild card is whether the Yankees will have any of their young pitching prospects — a la the hard-throwing Carlos Lagrange — emerge as bullpen options as early as this spring.

Otherwise, there will be plenty of familiarity this spring around the confines of George M. Steinbrenner Field — both in the personnel and the yearning for a different October ending.

“It’s just going to be a little bit of a different mix, a little different feel,” Cashman said. “Everything’s different. It’s a different year, and we’re looking for a different result, meaning a better result.”

If you’ve only been following the Major League deals Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen has made over this offseason, you’re likely very disappointed in the lack of pitching additions via Free Agency, aside from Merrill Kelly and Taylor Clarke. However, GM Mike Hazen has actually made quite a few additions at the minor league level, and this article I’ll be going over the majority of them, while gauging their chances at cracking an MLB roster in 2026.

The Likely Five

There’s five pitchers that GM Hazen signed to minor league contracts that I think are the most likely to contribute at some point in 2026, with the major caveat of ‘if healthy’.

Jonathan Loáisiga RHP

Makakilo just did a great writeup on Loáisiga, which I suggest you go read for a much more in depth look at him. Out of all the players in this group, Loáisiga likely has the best chance at providing positive value at the MLB level in 2026.

Derek Law RHP

Law was an effective reliever from 2019 through the 2024 season, especially in 2023 when he posted a 3.60 ERA for the Reds, and even more so the following year, when he put up an even better 2.60 ERA for the Nationals. Unfortunately, Law is coming off a forearm injury that left him sidelined for all of 2025, but he hasn’t thrown an inning since the 2024 season, so how healthy and effective he can be is really in question.

Thomas Hatch RHP

Hatch was a somewhat effective reliever back in 2023, when he put up a 4.08 ERA for Toronto and Pittsburgh. Hatch would head to Japan to play for the Hiroshima Carp but it wasn’t exactly a succesful stint, considering he put up a 7.36 ERA, but his 5.65 FIP and 3.73 xFIP show that he wasn’t nearly as bad as the results indicate. He’d come back to the states last season and pitch for the Kansas City Royals, but spend the majority of his season for them playing in AAA Omaha.

In AAA, Hatch was acceptable, putting up a 4.22 ERA, 4.12 FIP, and 4.09 xFIP, but he’d allow a run to score in his only inning of work at the MLB level. The Royals would go on to designate hatch for assignment, and he’d then get claimed on waivers by the Minnesota Twins. Hatch would actually get into eleven games and 33 innings pitched for the Twins, but he’d put up a 5.82 ERA (4.81 xERA) and an even worse 6.02 FIP and 5.29 xFIP.

Shawn Dubin RHP

Shawn Dubin’s most valuable season came in 2024, when he put up a 4.17 ERA (3.98 xERA, 3.72 FIP, 4.29 xFIP) in 45.1 innings pitched in 31 games for the Houston Astros. In 2025, he wasn’t nearly as effective for the Astros; after 25.2 innings with a 5.61 ERA, which was bad enough that he’d get Designated For Assignment. The Baltimore Orioles would claim him off waivers, and he’d appear in seven games and pitch eight innings down the stretch. Dubin would have six scoreless appearances before he gave up three runs in his final outing of the season. I actually think this may be one of the more underrated signings by Hazen this offseason, especially if the Dubin of 2024 and down the stretch with Baltimore shows up in 2026

Isaiah Campbell RHP

Campbell was excellent for the Seattle Mariners in his pro debut, pitching 28.2 innings in 27 games with a 2.83 ERA. His advanced metrics weren’t nearly great, as evidenced by the 3.86 xERA, 3.32 FIP, and 4.15 xFIP. The Red Sox were particularly impressed by Campbell, who’d acquire him in the offseason for Luis Urias. The 2024 season saw Campbell beset by injuries; first a shoulder impingement in April, right elbow inflammation in September along with minor 7 day IL stints in-between the two.

He’d appear in just 6.2 innings at the MLB level with a 16.20 ERA. In 2025 Campbell spent the majority of the season in AAA, where he’d put up a 3.90 ERA in 57.2 innings. At the MLB level, he’d appear in only 7.2 innings while putting up a 7.04 ERA, 5.01 xERA, 4.83 FIP, and 4.14 xFIP. The biggest positive for his 2025 season was his velocity being not only higher than the 93.8 vFA he put up in his injury plagued 2024 season, but at 96.1 it was a full 1.1 MPH faster than where was averaging in his healthy 2023 season.

The Other Guys

Then there’s guys who have yet to make their MLB debuts, some of whom have made it as high as AAA amd some of whom have only just made it to the AA level in 2025. Of the latter group of players, unless one of them dominates the hitter friendly confines of the Texas League and Pacific Coast League in a sustained run of pitching, it’s unlikely any of them make it to the MLB level, or contributes any positive value. Gerardo Carrillo RHP, Indigo Diaz RHP, Junior Fernández RHP, are all guys that fall into this category.

Then there’s the Rule 5 guys, who although they aren’t minor league free agents, the process is basically the same as far as the AAA portion goes. The Diamondbacks didn’t select anyone in the MLB phase of the Rule 5 draft this past December, but they did take select three players in the AAA phase, two of which are pitchers, so I’ll discuss them here.

First up is RHP Sean Harney, who has had a hectic 2025 season. Originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 8th round of the 2022 draft out of the University of Kentucky. Harney was traded to the Mets for future considerations (international bonus pool money) in December of 2024. The Mets then traded him (again) to the Cardinals at the end of March for international bonus pool money. Finally he’d end up with the Diamondbacks a year later in the Rule 5 draft, who then assigned him to AAA Reno. Harney has only reached the AA previously, last year pitching for the Cardinals AA affiliate, he put up a 4.24 ERA in 34 IP. Considering how challenging it can be to find success pitching in the PCL for the first time, I would be shocked if Harney has enough success to earn a promotion to make his MLB debut.

The other pitcher the Dbacks took in the rule 5 draft is RHP Antonio Menendez, also out of the Tampa Bay Rays farm system, though without the St Louis Cardinals as the middle man. Menendez was extremely solid in AA in 2024, putting up a 3.14 ERA, 3.47 FIP, and 3.66 xFIP in 63 innings. In 2025 he was even better, putting up a 1.99 ERA in 22.2 IP, though his 3.45 FIP and 4.25 xFIP show that improvement may have been influenced by luck and excellent fielders behind him. Either way, he’d get a promotion to AAA and his stretch of dominance would come to an end as he’d have 8.31 ERA, 5.02 FIP, and 4.48 xFIP in 21.2 IP at that level. I could actually see Menendez finding success in 2026 in his second go around in AAA, and I think he stands a better chance to make it to the big leagues in 2026.

No one would argue the San Diego Padres’ biggest offseason need was upgrading the depth of the starting rotation. But it would not hurt to add another bat to the mix. Well, the Friar Faithful should be excited about the recent free agent signing of Miguel Andujar.

No question, the Padres have added a proven bat in Andujar. Scouts describe him as one of the top contact hitters in baseball without a natural position. His presence should provide stability at the designated hitter position or off the bench. It was something that was missing from the roster last season.

All of Andujar’s faults are fixable

Andujar is not the smoothest fielder, but he will not embarrass you if called upon to play in the field. He does have a strong, accurate arm, but poor footwork and a lack of range have made him a defensive liability.
Possibly, a change of scenery and working with a new coaching staff could unlock his potential as a defender. Spring Training provides a setting where Andujar can transform into a serviceable utility player.

The Friars are not expecting him to play the field every day, but part of his role is to give Manny Machado, Ramon Laureano, and Fernando Tatis Jr. an occasional day off. Keeping them fresh will come in handy during the grind of a major league season.

Another aspect that needs improvement is his below average baserunning skills. Andujar is labeled a station-to-station runner because he fails to get a good lead off the bag. This might be the season where he becomes more aggressive in taking an extra base to put himself in scoring position. 

Let’s not kid ourselves, Andujar is in San Diego for one reason — to hit

The right-handed hitter batted .318/.352/.470 with 10 HR and 44 RBI in 94 games with the Athletics and Cincinnati Reds last season. It was his best offensive production since his rookie season in 2018. Andujar hit .297/.328/.527 with 27 HR and 97 RBI in 149 games with the New York Yankees. 

The Friars expect his bat to shine in the bottom third of the batting order. Andujar’s power numbers will not jump out at you, but he can drive a ball into the gaps with runners in scoring position. There is room for improvement, as Andujar’s bat control is too good to not be able to provide more production at the plate. The Padres’ offense has been missing another proven bat for too long.

It is time for Andujar to outperform his career batting numbers. The Friar Faithful are hoping for his 2026 results to be promising. If so, the Padres should have a very successful season.

PORT ST. LUCIE — As Mark Vientos considers the Mets’ collapse last season, he suspects the team was “forcing wins.”

In what manner?

“It’s when there’s a bunch of noise and a bunch of talking, it’s just you go out there and play and don’t have fun,” Vientos said Monday. “It’s just like, ‘I gotta win. I gotta win.’ And I feel like we put too much pressure on ourselves last year.”

It’s a team that had the major leagues’ best record in mid-June before beginning a freefall that culminated with the Mets going 21-32 over the final two months to miss the playoffs by one victory.

That’s over now, and Vientos — as one of the players who underperformed last season following his breakout 2024 — is focused on ensuring there isn’t a repeat.

Last season Vientos produced a .233/.289/.413 slash line with 17 homers and 61 RBIs.

Vientos had one strong month — August — but had an otherwise disappointing year in which he lost his starting job, leaving the 26-year-old’s future within the organization in question.

“It was just inconsistency overall,” Vientos said. “I think it starts with the routine and stuff before the game starts. I was inconsistent in that part and then that just kind of showed in my season. I didn’t feel good for most of the year. I didn’t have a routine to fall back on, that could keep me steady.”

He will begin camp without a true position, after the team signed Jorge Polanco and Bo Bichette to anchor the corner infield positions.

Vientos could see occasional action at first base behind Polanco and receive at-bats in a part-time DH role.

He’s also still taking grounders at third base in case he is needed.

Vientos indicated spring training will have a different feel following the departures of Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Edwin Díaz, but roster turnover is a natural part of the game.

“I feel like there’s always a new group of guys every year, so it’s not really something different,” Vientos said. “I have [Brett] Baty still, I have [Francisco] Alvarez, [Ronny] Mauricio. Those are guys I have known since the beginning and they are still here with me, so it’s awesome to be around them still.”

Matt Arnold has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt.

In his time as the Brewers’ general manager, he’s swung a few trades that have worked out swimmingly for the Brewers. One of those happens to be last offseason’s trade for Caleb Durbin, who became an integral part of a team that led the league in wins and made it to the NLCS. Last month, it seemed like he might even be the third baseman of the future. Instead, he’ll be in a Red Sox uniform on opening day.

Maybe Arnold and the Brewers front office wanted to sell high on a player who wasn’t widely seen as a long-term starter before the 2025 season. Maybe they identified red flags in his profile. Maybe they’re looking at their loaded farm system and thinking they can survive without him.

Or maybe there’s another trade coming.

Milwaukee also sent Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler to Boston in the trade, so the Brewers’ entire depth chart at third base is now in Boston. After shortstop Joey Ortiz, the most experienced third baseman on the Brewers is… Andrew Vaughn.

There has to be something coming.

The return for Durbin, Monasterio, and Seigler — Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan — could look really good in a couple of years. It doesn’t really look great right now. Harrison, a left-handed pitcher, is a former top-25 prospect and clearly the main piece in the deal. Hamilton, an infielder, had a great 2024, but he probably won’t be anything Durbin — or even Monasterio — wasn’t. He hit under .200 last year. Drohan, also a lefty, does have an intriguing profile. He’s also 27, has a career 4.29 ERA in the minors, and had a rough season last year after returning from shoulder surgery.

There has to be something coming.

Who’s going to play third base? Would the Brewers move Joey Ortiz back to third? That would mean, one way or another, that they’re confident in Jett Williams’ (who has yet to make his major league debut) ability to become an everyday contributor next year. Maybe they think Andrew Fischer and Jesus Made are closer to ready than it currently seems. Maybe Sal Frelick has secretly been taking (more) reps at third base. Maybe Ryan Braun has spent the last 20 years fielding grounders at third and is about to pull a Philip Rivers in hopes of seeking redemption. Or maybe, just maybe, there’s another move coming.

Maybe it’s a trade for Isaac Paredes. Or a trade for Alec Bohm. Maybe it’s some AAAA guy most fans haven’t heard of, and maybe that guy will end up hitting .270 and leading the league in hit by pitches.

There has to be something coming… right?

The Super Bowl always, for me, marks the transition between the end of Other Sports season and the beginning of Baseball Season. Pitchers and catchers report this week, players are already in Arizona, and it feels like we’re ready to start grinding on the 2026 season. It’s an especially exciting one, with the Mariners’ deep playoff run followed by a thrilling run by the Seahawks culminating in the highest honor in the sport.

With our minds now bending towards baseball season, what are some of the things you’ll be looking at this spring? We’ll be doing some more in-depth analysis on this later but I find it’s always helpful to crystallize what people think are the most salient issues before diving in (apparently no one cares about the battle for backup catcher as much as I do). Also, if there’s one particular hobby-horse question you’re intent on watching for this spring, do tell.

Three more days until pitchers and catchers officially report.

11 days to the first spring training game.

Happy dawning of baseball season, everyone.

The long-awaited return of baseball is almost over. This week, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. Not many teams have as much riding on these two groups as the San Diego Padres. With the Friars’ pitchers and catchers reporting to the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona, Wednesday, here’s what to look forward to between the two groups. 

Catchers: Who will back up Fermin?

The Padres addressed their need behind the dish with the trade deadline acquisition of Kansas City Royals backup catcher Freddy Fermin. Fermin hit respectably to start his San Diego tenure with a slash line of .244/.278/.339. That might seem low but remember the Friars’ options prior to that were even worse with Elías Díaz and Martín Maldonado. 

The question now is who Fermin’s backup will be. Two possibilities are Triple-A El Paso mainstay Luis Campusano and minor league pickup Blake Hunt.

Luis Campusano

Time is running out for Campusano. He is out of options and must make the major league roster or else he has to clear waivers to be sent back to the minors. His time in San Diego has been a strange case. A former top 50 prospect, he has struggled to produce in the majors despite the fact he raked in the minor leagues (finishing the season batting .334/.438/.586 across 466 plate appearances). His offense has not translated over, with him not recording a hit in 27 plate appearances at the big-league level. 

Adding insult to injury, his defense has never been particularly strong. Across 2023-24 he recorded a -20 defensive runs saved, ranking second worst among qualified catchers. If he can’t put it all together this season, it’s likely general manager A.J. Preller will shop him at the trade deadline.

Blake Hunt

The Padres picked up Hunt this offseason on a minor league deal. For San Diego it serves as a reunion with the former second-round pick from the 2017 draft. Hunt owns a .245/.324/.398 slash line across his eight-year career in the minors. And it’s here that Campusano has one thing over Hunt: major league playing time. Apart from one day on the Baltimore Orioles’ active roster (in which he did not record a plate appearance), Hunt has spent no time at the major league level.

Because of that, it’s likely Campusano ends up in the backup role, but it remains to be seen given his obvious struggles. It seems Campusano will be the one with the club on March 26, if only so he doesn’t have to clear waivers, but Hunt may be viewed as the more long-term option behind Fermin if Campusano’s production woes continue.

Pitchers: A duel for back-end spots… or a late acquisition?

As the Padres entered the offseason, it was glaringly apparent that the starting rotation was a major problem. In spite of that, San Diego is in a much better position now. Re-signing Michael King and adding numerous minor-league pickups has helped. The first three spots of the rotation are set with Nick Pivetta, King, and Joe Musgrove, but who will follow?

The returners

Randy Vasquez and JP Sears seem to be the favorites for the final spots, given their time in San Diego’s club. Vasquez produced fairly well across 28 games in 2025, but the underlying metrics suggest that will not continue to be the case.

Sears was part of the blockbuster deal that sent top prospect Leo De Vries to the Athletics and brought Mason Miller to the Padres. He got knocked around for 16 runs after being traded to San Diego, albeit in a smaller sample of 24.2 innings. If Sears can improve his run prevention this spring, he could earn a spot on the roster come Opening Day.

Minor league flyers

The Padres extended non-roster invites to Marco Gonzalez, Triston McKenzie and Francis Peña (among others). The three are all candidates to impact the major league roster if they prove themselves in the next month.

Of the three, McKenzie represents the greatest low-risk, high-reward option. It wasn’t long ago that he finished with a 2.94 ERA across 191 innings during his tenure with the Cleveland Guardians. If he can replicate that even a little, he’ll be well on his way to making the big-league roster.

A remaining pickup?

As always, it’s impossible to rule out a last-minute Preller addition. Whether by trade or free agency, the Friars always seem to find a way to add. Odds are high, with the Padres having checked in on a number of free agent starters as well as being linked to clubs like the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox throughout the offseason.

Whatever San Diego does, the prospect of baseball coming back this week is thrilling enough. It’s been a long (and unusually quiet) offseason for the club, and it will be exciting to see how the team performs ahead of Opening Day.

The Dodgers on Monday announced their initial set of promotions at Dodger Stadium during 2026. The list revealed so far includes 21 bobblehead giveaways, including three for Shohei Ohtani and four bobbleheads featuring notable moments from Game 7 of the World Series.

Ohtani on his six bobblehead-giveaway days at Dodger Stadium in 2024-25 had nine hits in 24 at-bats with four home runs, three stolen bases, and two walks, hitting .375/.423/.875 with nine RBI and eight runs scored. His first two bobbleheads of 2026 commemorate his Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS, during which he hit three home runs and struck out 10 in his six-plus scoreless innings en route to winning NLCS MVP.

Bobbleheads of Dodgers

• March 28 vs. Diamondbacks: Will Smith World Series Game 7 home run
• April 10 vs. Rangers: Shohei Ohtani NLCS Game 4 (batting)
• April 25 vs. Cubs: Roki Sasaki
• May 8 vs. Braves: Miguel Rojas World Series Game 7 home run
• May 9 vs. Braves: Blake Snell
• May 25 vs. Rockies: Dave Roberts
• May 27 vs. Rockies: Yoshinobu Yamamoto World Series Game 7 final out
• May 29 vs. Phillies: Alex Vesia
• May 30 vs. Phillies: Teoscar Hernández
• June 6 vs. Angels: Tyler Glasnow
• June 19 vs. Orioles: Mookie Betts World Series Game 7 final double play
• July 6 vs. Rockies: Freddie Freeman World Series Game 3 walk-off home run
• July 8 vs. Rockies: Shohei Ohtani NLCS Game 4 (pitching)
• July 29 vs. Mariners: Edwin Díaz
• July 31 vs. Red Sox: Kyle Tucker
• August 15 vs. Brewers: Reggie Smith Legends of Dodger Baseball
• August 22 vs. Pirates: Shohei Ohtani pitching
• September 5 vs. Nationals: Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitching

Bobbleheads of non-Dodgers

• May 12 vs. Giants: Ice Cube in a lowrider
• June 20 vs. Orioles: Shaquille O’Neal
• July 11 vs. Diamondbacks: LAFC soccer star Son Heung-min

The starters are presented in alphabetical order, and, as always, are written in a No. 2 pencil. Today we’re looking at Matthew Boyd, who had the best year of his career in 2025, throwing 179.2 innings and going 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.091 WHIP, though he did in fact look gassed during the playoffs and didn’t fare as well.

The 35-year-old lefty will venture into the 2026 season on the strength of the 2.5 bWAR (3.4 fWAR) he amassed during that previous season, where he’s likely to throw a few less innings and occupy a spot from 1-4 in the everyday rotation. To expect numbers like 2025 would be folly… but something between that and his late-teens work in Detroit would be fine. Win 10-11 games, throw 160+ innings, hurl @8 K/9, keep the team in the game.

Boyd and Taillon are probably 4-5, with Cabrera, Imanaga, Horton or some other combination of the three at the top, awaiting the return of Justin Steele. But Craig Counsell may have other ideas.

Boyd does have an option for 2027, with a $2 million buyout. Given his age and high odds of regression or injury, that’s a good deal. We’ll see if it’s time to roll the dice by season’s end. He doesn’t really have a lot of mileage on that arm and might be good for a bit.

TAMPA — The Yankees swung another minor trade in the name of depth on the eve of camp.

The club acquired infielder Max Schuemann from the Athletics on Monday in exchange for rookie-ball right-hander Luis Burgos.

The right-handed hitting Schuemann, 28, has started the majority of his big league career at shortstop, but also seen time at third base, second base and all three outfield spots. Across two seasons with the Athletics, he hit .212 with a .603 OPS and 21 steals in 234 games.

Schuemann has three minor league options remaining, giving the Yankees some flexibility and depth at a time when another infielder on their 40-man roster, Jorbit Vivas, is out of options entering spring training.

To make room for Schuemann on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated Yanquiel Fernandez for assignment, less than a week after claiming the outfielder off waivers from the Rockies.

The Yankees on Monday also outrighted right-hander Dom Hamel and infielder Braden Shewmake to Triple-A and invited them to big league camp.

Among those spotted at the Yankees’ player development complex Monday, two days before pitchers and catchers officially report to spring training: Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, Spencer Jones, Carlos Rodón, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe, Oswaldo Cabrera, José Caballero, Will Warren, Luis Gil, Fernando Cruz, Ryan Yarbrough, Tim Hill, J.C. Escarra and George Lombard Jr.

Dodgers pitchers and catchers have their first official workout at Camelback Ranch on Friday, so let’s look at the starting rotation for Los Angeles, the team’s greatest strength.

40-man roster starting pitchers

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto
• Blake Snell
• Tyler Glasnow
• Shohei Ohtani
• Emmet Sheehan
• Roki Sasaki
• Gavin Stone
• River Ryan
• Ben Casparius
• Justin Wrobleski
• Landon Knack

Things to watch

Ohtani unleashed: For the better part of the last two seasons, Shohei Ohtani wasn’t a two-way player while recovering from a second Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound in June, with a methodical ramp up and didn’t pitch five innings in a start until August 27. Beginning with that start, Ohtani had a 2.48 ERA in eight starts, including the postseason, with 55 strikeouts and 11 walks in 40 innings. After totaling 67 1/3 innings on the year, Ohtani will be back to full two-way status from the start of the season in 2026, the same as he was from 2021-23 with the Angels, when he averaged 25 starts and 143 innings. Expect the Dodgers to be somewhat judicious when it comes to planning out his pitching starts, including some maneuvering when possible to pitch on the day before a scheduled off day to minimize situations with next-day fatigue while batting.

“The fun part about Sho is, as long as he knows when he’s pitching, he’ll pitch whenever, if it’s six days rest, if it’s eight days rest, if it’s three days rest, he’s willing to do what it takes to help this club win ballgames,” Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said on the Dodgers Territory podcast last week. “We’ll just kind of plan it out and kind of go day by day like we always do, when were in these unorthodox situations where you can’t just map out the next four weeks.”

What to expect from Sasaki: Roki Sasaki last year was the most sought-after international free agent since Ohtani, but his first year fizzled with the Dodgers, thanks to an ineffective fastball and poor command. After some tweaks while sidelined on the injured list, Sasaki found some success in the bullpen down the stretch and into October. Still just 24 years old, Sasaki still has plenty of promise. But it will be interesting to see if he can find success while starting, and whether the Dodgers resist the urge to move him to the bullpen if things go awry.

Looking to October: The Dodgers managed to have their four best starting pitchers all healthy and thriving by last September, and rode them to a championship in October. The Dodgers didn’t necessarily plan it this way — there’s no real way to do such a thing — but they were extra cautious with some injured list stints. Blake Snell was down for four and a half months with shoulder inflammation. Tyler Glasnow missed just over 10 weeks with shoulder inflammation. Sasaki was on the shelf for five months. The team is willing to sacrifice some time during the regular season in service of potentially strengthening the cause in the postseason, and they have the depth to fill in the gaps. Remember, Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May were second and third in innings last regular season for the Dodgers. There will be plenty of starts to go around outside of the current top six in the rotation in 2026.

The Sheehan template: Emmet Sheehan is one of those top six starters on the depth chart, and his excellent 2025 season provides hope for a few other arms this year who are in the same boat Sheehan was last year. Coming off a hybrid Tommy John and internal brace surgery in May 2024, Sheehan had a 2.82 ERA and 3.00 xERA in his 15 games, with 89 strikeouts (a 30.6-percent strikeout rate) and 22 walks in 73 1/3 innings. That’s the best-case scenario for River Ryan and Gavin Stone, who each saw their 2024 seasons end with surgery (Tommy John for Ryan, shoulder for Stone) and did not pitch in 2025. Stone led the Dodgers in starts and innings in 2024 before the surgery, and Ryan impressed in his four starts that year but has yet to get an extended major league chance. This year could be the time.

Hybrids: Ben Casparius and Justin Wrobleski were both drafted by the Dodgers in 2021, and both have seen extended time in the majors the last season and a half. Most of the work for Casparius has been out of the bullpen, while Wrobleski has started or pitched extended relief a little more often but also worked as a short reliever when needed. Both could be in the mix for roster spots even if in the bullpen this year, but you figure both will be stretched out during spring training to at least have them available to start early on in the season if a need arises.