We’ve reached the gap between the end of spring training and opening day. The Jays don’t play until Friday night. To fill that gap, we’re going to run our annual top 40 prospect ranking this week, with two editions per day from now through Thursday. We’ll take opening weekend off and come back on Monday to count down the top 8. Without further ado…
Brandon Barriera’s trajectory has been mostly downwards since he was selected 23rd overall back in 2022. He showed up to camp the next summer visibly out of shape and had a thoroughly disappointing first pro season that ended early due to elbow soreness. He cleaned up his conditioning, and reports out of camp in 2024 were good. That lasted just 1.1 innings into the regular season before he went down with elbow issues again, this time requiring Tommy John surgery. He made it back in June of last summer and pitched 5.2 extremely messy innings before going down yet again, this time with a fractured ulna. It’s been a rough ride.
So why is he still here? Because in the brief flashes we’ve gotten the stuff that made him a first round pick still appears to be there. He touched 99mph with his four seamer in his good outings last summer, and has apparently been regularly showing 98 in camp this summer. He has actually shifted to his cutter as his primary weapon, though. It’s a plus pitch that sits in the mid 90s. His slider is also plus, and he’s shown some feel for a change that could be average or a little better. His command was rough last year, but that’s often the last thing to come back after TJ and he never got to get himself established. There’s hope that it can get to fringe average because he’s a good athlete with a reasonably clean delivery.
Injuries and lost reps point to Barriera’s future being in the bullpen, if his body can stand up to even that workload. The upside is such that we can’t quite quit him, but he’ll really need to log a few innings in 2026 or it’s likely that his career just never gets off the runway.
39. Chay Yeager, RHP, Age 23 (DOB: 9/11/2002), Grade 35, 2025: NR
Yeager was the Jays 12th round pick out of Paso Hernando Community College in 2023. He threw 8.1 innings that season, somewhat unusual for a drafted pitcher, looking good against A ball competition. He scuffled a bit at A+ Vancouver the next season, walking nearly as many batters as he struck out (41:33 in 54.0 innings) and posting a 5.50 ERA. He came into camp throwing much harder in 2025, and the results followed. In his second go-round in Vancouver, he struck out more batters in 35.2 innings (43) than he had in 54 innings the year before while bringing his walks under control. That earned him a promotion to AA, where he punched out 21 against 7 walks in 20.0 innings. Overall, his season finished with a 2.75 ERA and more than three strikeouts per walk.
Yeager has added velocity since signing and now sits 96-97 and touches 99 with good vertical carry. His other pitch used to be a slider in the mid 80s, but he’s firmed it up into a cutter-ish pitch that sits in the low 90s and makes hitters look bad. In his AA time, his 15.9% swinging strike rate was in the 92nd percentile for pitchers with 20+ innings at that level. It’s a pure one inning reliever look, with two pitches and solidly below average command, but both offerings can be plus and he gets enough of the zone often enough to let them play. The upside is limited, as repertoire depth and the lack of command or a 70+ grade pitch probably keep him from being a true closer, but he needs minimal additional development to fill his likely eventual role as a 7th inning guy.
38. Franklin Rojas, C, Age 19 (DOB: 3/20/2007), Grade 35, 2025: NR
Rojas signed for just under $1m as part of the 2024 International Free Agent class. Prior to signing he was described as the top catchers in that year’s class, with a solid build and strength for a 16 year old, sound swing, and plus baseball IQ. Scouts project him to stick behind the plate as a solid average receiver with an above average arm.
At 5’10” and already looking physically mature, it’s unlikely that Rojas will ever have more than 45 grade raw power and right now his in-game production is well below that. A switch hitter, his swings both produce a lot of pulled fly balls, so as he develops that fringe power should actualize in games.
Rojas chased aggressively in 2024, swinging and missing at a high rate because he was so often out of the zone. He repeated the Domincan Summer League this past year and his swing and contact numbers were much better. He’s produced at a better than league average clip both years, and looks ready for the American complex this summer.
Rojas’ upside is capped by his limited offense, but if he can continue to make contact at an above average rate and refine his now decent plate discipline, he could profile as league average on both sides of the ball. Given the offensive bar at catcher, that’s an above average everyday player. More likely he fits eventually as a backup who can get on base enough not to be a major liability in the 9 spot.
Messina was a major over slot singing in 2004, getting $550,000 in the 12th round to buy him out of a commitment to his home state school of South Carolina (his older brother Cole went in the third round to the Rockies in that same draft). He was shut down after the draft. In 2025, he was assigned to the complex, where he made one appearance before again being shut down for the season with elbow inflammation. He was reportedly throwing again by the end of last season and looks to have avoided surgery for now.
Messina is a stocky 6’2”, 225lbs. He pitches with a deep drop and drive delivery and a 3/4 arm slot that gives him a low release point and a tough angle to the plate. The fastball sits 93-94 but plays above average due to heavy arm side run. He throws two breaking balls, a cutter-like slider that drew some future plus-plus grades before he was drafted and a low-80s downer curveball that apparently looked better in his limited work last season. He has a fringy change-up that needs development. His command is below average right now, and at draft time he was evaluated as needing work to clean up his mechanics, but if he’s able to do that he has the foundations of a #4 starter.
This is basically a placeholder ranking for Messina. His bonus and draft reports suggest considerable upside, and the stuff appeared to be as advertised in the limited looks scouts got last season. We’ll get our first real looks at him as a pro in 2026. If he’s been able to begin moving his development forward in spite of last season’s injury, he has the potential to move quickly up this list.
After months of waiting, Opening Week is finally upon us, and the Nationals’ 2026 regular season campaign will finally kick off Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. It will be the second time they’ve kicked off a season on the road against the Cubbies, with the last time coming in 2012, when Stephen Strasburg threw 7 scoreless innings and an Ian Desmond go-ahead single in the 9th lifted the Nats to a 2-1 victory.
Opening Day is one of the most-watched and discussed games every year for every ballclub, and the Nationals have played some thrillers in their history. Let’s go ahead and rank the very best Opening Days the Nats have been a part of.
Honorable Mentions
HM: 2005, Nationals 4 Phillies 8
Opening Day 2005 marked a historic moment in DC baseball history, the first game in Washington Nationals history and the first game for a DC ballclub in 34 years. It was a rather unremarkable game, but marked some important milestones in team history, such as Josh Willingham knocking the first hit in club history and Terrmel Sledge hitting the first home run.
HM: 2013, Nationals 2 Marlins 0
Opening Day 2013 marks what truly was a golden age of Nationals baseball at the time, as the 2 young phenoms, Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, led the way to a 2-0 victory, with Harper hitting 2 solo home runs and Strasburg throwing 7 scoreless innings. While the 2013 season didn’t go the way the club or fans would’ve hoped it would, that reality couldn’t dampen the vibes on game 1, as the defending NL East champ Nats handled their division rival Marlins with ease in front of a sold-out home crowd.
Top 5
5th: 2016, Nationals 4 Braves 3
After an extremely disappointing 2015 campaign, which led to the firing of manager Matt Williams, the 2016 club, led by new manager Dusty Baker, faced high expectations to get back to postseason play. From game one of that year, this team showed why they were different than the year prior’s team, showing resilience in an extra innings win at Turner Field against the Braves. Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy both clubbed solo shots in the early innings, and a Murphy double down the line in the 10th inning sealed a 1-0 start to the year.
4th: 2012, Nationals 2 Cubs 1
Opening Day 2012 was a similar story to 2016, a resilient late-inning win, but this one had some extra emphasis to it, as it marked a new chapter in Nationals history as serious contenders. In his first career Opening Day start, Stephen Strasburg threw 7 innings of one-run ball, our first glimpse at the kind of big game pitcher he would eventually become. A Jayson Werth bases-loaded walk tied the game in the 8th inning, and an Ian Desmond go-ahead single in the 9th would get the Nats their first of 98 wins in the 2012 campaign.
3rd: 2021, Nationals 6 Braves 5
The 2021 Washington Nationals would not go on to be a great ballclub, but that doesn’t take away from the hope fans had on Opening Day 2021, when in the first game with fans in the crowd for the club since 2019, Juan Soto hit his first career walkoff to lift the Nats over the Braves 6 to 5. The wildest part about this Opening Day was that it was not supposed to be the first game of the year, with the original opening series against the Mets being postponed due to 4 Nationals testing positive for COVID-19. Opening Day 2021 truly marks what an odd time it was for both Nationals baseball and the world during that time period.
2nd: 2014 Nationals 9 Mets 7
Similar to Opening Day 2016, the 2014 Nats had high expectations after a disappointing 2013 season, and they showed in game one why they had what it took to get back to playing October baseball. Tied 5-5 entering extra innings, Ian Desmond gave the Nats the lead with a sacrifice fly before a then 24-year-old Anthony Rendon hit a 3-run shot that would secure the Nationals a 9-7 victory. The Nationals have had a lot of great road victories on Opening Day, but this is the best of the bunch on the road, and would be the best overall if not for another special one.
1st: 2008 Nationals 3 Braves 2
2008 is and will likely always remain the most iconic Opening Day in Nationals history, as in game one at the newly constructed Nationals Park, Ryan Zimmerman hit a walkoff home run into the red porch seats in front of a sold-out crowd and on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. Festivities were large, and vibes were high, with President George W. Bush throwing out the first pitch and fans getting accustomed to the place the Nats have called home now for 18 years. The 2008 Nationals were not a good baseball team by any means, but Opening Day isn’t for worrying how the following 161 games will look; it’s about celebrating the return of baseball and taking it one day at a time.
FORT MYERS, FL- MARCH 04: Mick Abel #20 of the Minnesota Twins pitches prior to a spring training game against Puerto Rico on March 4, 2026 at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this morning, the Twins announced that they optioned Ryan Kreidler, Alan Roden, and Eric Wagaman to AAA. Combined with Zebby Matthews getting options yesterday and the Twins letting Liam Hendriks and Andrew Chafin walk, and the Opening Day roster is nearly finalized.
With the recent round of cuts, Minnesota appears to have set their position players in stone.
Starters
C Ryan Jeffers
1B Josh Bell
2B Luke Keaschall
SS Brooks Lee
3B Royce Lewis
LF Trevor Larnach
CF Byron Buxton
RF Matt Wallner
DH Victor Caratini
Bench
OF James Outman
IF Tristan Gray
UTIL Kody Clemens
OF Austin Martin
The team will likely rotate through options at DH/LF, with all three of Outman, Clemens, and Martin seeing significant time when Caratini is catching or Larnach needs some days off his feet. Gray will likely only play when Lee needs a day off.
The pitchers are less set, but there’s essentially only a single spot up for grabs. Mick Abel dazzled this Spring and stole the 5th starter slot from Zebby Matthews. Matthews will undoubtedly see plenty of time with the Twins throughout the season, but Abel will get the first extended chance to establish himself as a regular.
Starters
RHP Joe Ryan
RHP Bailey Ober
RHP Simeon Woods Richardson
RHP Taj Bradley
RHP Mick Abel
Relievers
LHP Taylor Rogers
LHP Kody Funderburk
RHP Cole Sands
RHP Justin Topa
LHP Anthony Banda
RHP Eric Orze
RHP Zak Kent
That leaves one bullpen slot open that appears to be a competition between veterans Dan Altavilla and Matt Bowman. Cody Laweryson is also still in camp, but the Twins don’t risk losing him for nothing if he doesn’t make the team like the vets. There’s also a good chance the Twins search the waiver wire for an outside addition as other teams make their final cuts today and tomorrow. Regardless, with three lefties already on the team, the final reliever will undoubtedly be a righty, it’s just a matter of finding the right one.
JUPITER, FL - MARCH 20: Washington Nationals infielder Brady House (12) high fives teammates in the dugout as he celebrates scoring a run during a MLB spring training game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 20, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Nationals have their final Spring Training game this afternoon, before the real thing starts. This game will be at Nationals Park, so it will be a good opportunity for the fans. It will also be one last audition for the players on the roster bubble.
The Nats will roll out a fairly strong lineup. It will feature James Wood at the top, who is playing right field after being in left yesterday. There is also a new face in the lineup, with Jorbit Vivas donning the curly W for the first time. Vivas came over in a trade with the Yankees yesterday. It will be a bullpen game today, with PJ Poulin starting things off. This will be a good final audition for a lot of these bullpen arms.
The O’s lineup looks a lot like what they could potentially roll with on Opening Day. New addition Pete Alonso is hitting in the heart of the lineup. After seeing Adley Rutschman yesterday, we will see youngster Samuel Basallo behind the plate. The O’s overhauled their rotation this offseason, and we will see one of those new faces in Shane Baz.
Orioles’ lineup posted in the Nationals Park clubhouse for their final exhibition game today:
SS Gunnar Henderson (L) C Samuel Basallo (L) 1B Pete Alonso RF Tyler O’Neill CF Colton Cowser (L) DH Ryan Mountcastle 3B Coby Mayo 2B Blaze Alexander LF Jeremiah Jackson
Baseball is back in Nationals Park! The Nats will be playing in their home stadium for the first time in 2026. This is also the last time we will see them until the games really count. Follow along down below and let’s go Nats!
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 17: Ezequiel Tovar #14 of Team Venezuela celebrates after the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game presented by Capital One between Team Venezuela and Team USA at loanDepot Park on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After several weeks of intense and exciting international competition, the 2026 World Baseball Classic has sadly drawn to a close. The sadness stems from the fact that the next tournament will not come until either 2029 or 2030—and may come with changes to the scheduling and format. However, for victorious Venezuela there is no sadness to be had.
The Venezuelans openly wept tears of exuberant joy on the field following their upset win over the United States. At the beginning of the tournament, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the finals would be a rematch of USA and Japan—the two finalists from the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Instead, the 2026 Classic held multiple surprises and upsets with an environment some said was better than the World Series.
The Colorado Rockies had their own part to play in this year’s World Baseball Classic. Not only did Venezuela have multiple Rockies on their championship roster, but the Rockies were well represented throughout the entire tournament. Their 12 players (and one coach) were one of the largest delegations of any Major League team. Each participating Rockie would have their role to play while wearing their nation emblazoned on their chest.
Team Israel (2-2, eliminated in group stage)
In all honesty, Team Israel didn’t stand much of a chance in a Pool D that also included semifinalist Dominican Republic and eventual champion Venezuela. However, they finished 2-2 with wins over Nicaragua and the Netherlands to avoid relegation and having to requalify for the next Classic.
Rockies prospect Cole Carrigg (no. 4 PuRP) had a somewhat difficult showing for Israel. Playing regularly at shortstop for the first time in a few seasons, Carrigg appeared in all four group stage games. He went 2-for-15 at the plate with an RBI and two strikeouts. His best game came in Israel’s 5-0 shutout of Nicaragua in which he went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases.
Colombia avoided relegation and having to requalify for the next tournament, but they were one of seven teams with one or fewer wins during group play. A win over Panama—who will have to requalify for 2029 or 2030—was their lone victory.
Playing in his second World Baseball Classic, left-handed veteran Jose Quintana also wore the Captain’s “C” for Colombia.
“Getting the jersey from my country and getting Colombia on my chest was a huge honor,” Quintana said. “And I think as a big league player, that’s the only thing you can share with your country and say ‘thank you’ for all the things the country did for you.”
Quintana made his lone appearance of the tournament against Cuba and pitched quite well. He threw three shutout innings without giving up a hit while notching one walk and one strikeout. Unfortunately, Quintana’s relief from the bullpen yielded five runs—three earned—while Colombia was shut out.
Manager Benji Gil and bench coach Vinny Castilla’s Mexican team was looking to repeat their exciting 2023 push to the semifinals, only to come up short in a three-way fight with Italy and the United States. Needing a win to advance and knock either competitor out of the tournament, Mexico instead was on the receiving end of Italy’s merciless offense.
The Rockies sent two relief pitchers to play for Mexico. The right-handed Victor Vodnik—whom we learned was of Mexican and Slovenian descent this spring—was invited to Team Mexico by Rockies legend Vinny Castilla.
“Vinny asked me, ‘Hey Vic, are you Mexican?’ and I told him everything. He was like, ‘Okay, do you want to go? You down to play for Team Mexico?’ That’s how everything came about. They invited me and I was like, ‘Heck yeah, I’ll do it!’”
Vodnik struggled somewhat with his command during his two appearances in the tournament, but gave up just one unearned run and one hit. In his first outing against Great Britain he walked two batters but got out of the inning unscathed. In the elimination match against Italy, Vodnik hit a batter who then scored on a fielding error after the next man up singled.
Newcomer Brennan Bernardino, received via trade this off-season from the Boston Red Sox, also joined the Rockies’ Mexican delegation with Vodnik.
“It’s good to finally meet [Vodnik],” Bernardino told Purple Row before the tournament. “Watching him pitch has been awesome. We share cultural similarities, right? Both Mexican-Americans that grew up in the Los Angeles area. Great guy.”
Bernardino was also excited to work with Vinny Castilla.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “I always heard good things about [Castilla] growing up and watching him play. Then I heard good things once I started playing in Mexico, and then meeting him in person is even cooler than what I heard.”
Bernardino pitched a scoreless frame with two strikeouts against Great Britain but found himself in a less than favorable situation against Italy. With runners on the corners in the fifth inning, Bernardino was called in to relieve starting pitcher Javier Assad. A sacrifice bunt, a walk, and a single helped Italy pad their lead.
Team Puerto Rico (3-1, eliminated in quarterfinals)
Part of Pool A, Puerto Rico played their group stage games at their home stadium: Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They lost just one game to Canada, who also advanced to the quarterfinals, and had plenty of exciting moments. Perhaps one of my favorite and most electric was their win via walk-off home run against Panama with former Purple Row contributor Tyler Maun on the call.
Playing a vital role in that victory was new Rockies second baseman and utility-man Willi Castro, who drew a patient and crucial bases-loaded walk to send the game into extra innings. He also played solid defense, including a slick play while out of position at first base to keep Panama within striking distance.
Castro went 4-for-15 at the plate with four walks to four strikeouts and drove in three runs with a stolen base. His other big moment of the tournament was a lead-off home run against Italy on the fourth pitch of the game. Puerto Rico ended up being eliminated by Italy in the quarterfinals.
Even though Puerto Rico was eliminated in the knockout stage, playing in the Classic is an experience that has resonated with Castro.
“It’s a great experience. It was my first WBC, but man, over there I really enjoyed their energy,” Castro told Purple Row. “Everybody is together over there. It’s something that you’re gonna keep for the rest of your life and it was amazing representing Puerto Rico.”
With their lone loss coming against Panama and a win against Puerto Rico, Canada emerged as the surprise top seed of Pool A and advanced to the knockout round for the first time in World Baseball Classic history. Unfortunately, they met a team in the quarterfinals they had never beaten in Team USA and were eliminated in a 5-3 loss.
The Rockies sent two French Canadians to the tournament. 2025 seventh round draft pick Antoine Jean made his professional debut wearing the Canadian national uniform.
“Just walking into our locker room for the first time and seeing your name on that Canada jersey [was the highlight of the tournament],” Jean said.
Jean pitched 1 1/3 innings against Panama in the group stage. Coming in with inherited runners in the fourth inning , Jean gave up two singles and a run that wasn’t credited to him. When he came back out in the fifth he was much sharper, setting the side down in order.
Second baseman Edouard Julien struggled with a cold bat for much of the tournament. He drew two walks in the first contest against Colombia, but didn’t get his first base hit until the third game of group play an struck out a total of eight times. Over the last two games Canada played before being eliminated by the United States, Julien managed another two walks and two more hits, including a double.
Julien had previously participated in the 2023 tournament, but he recognized how important this year’s performance was for the True North Strong and Free.
“To go out there against Puerto Rico and all these great countries – Cuba, Colombia, and Panama… it was the first time that we ever came out of a pool, so that was a great experience. And just to be around these guys now that we have pretty much a full lineup of big league players, which has never happened for Canada. The sport is growing, and hopefully the kids back home can keep dreaming and believing in themselves. Maybe this can mean they’ll go to play for Canada one day.”
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of this year’s tournament was the fate of Shohei Ohtani and Samurai Japan. Expected to be a likely shoo-in for the finals and a rematch against Team USA, the 2023 World Baseball Classic champions were instead eliminated in their first game of the knockout stage against Venezuela.
Tomoyuki Sugano made just one start during the Classic, although he might have gotten the nod should Japan have advanced to the semifinals.
As part of Pool C, Sugano was able to return to the Tokyo Dome where he was an eight-time NPB All-Star, three-time Central League MVP, and won the Eiji Sawamura award—the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young Award—twice with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants. There, the highly decorated Japanese pitcher had a distinguished visitor in attendance.
“I haven’t pitched in the Tokyo Dome in a while, so that was one of the highlights,” Sugano said. “And the Emperor of Japan was there to visit and watch the game, and that hasn’t happened in a very long time. It hasn’t happened in like 70 years, so it was a special moment for me.”
Sugano took the mound against an Australian team that had been hitting the ball hard to start the tournament and held them scoreless in four innings of work on four hits. He commanded the strike zone well, striking out two batters without issuing a walk.
Team Dominican Republic (5-1, eliminated in semifinals)
After their first five games, it looked like the Dominican Republic was the true powerhouse of this year’s tournament. With strong pitching and a surging offense—they had the most runs scored, home runs, and walked more than they struck out—they went 4-0 in the group stage and crushed Korea via mercy rule in the quarterfinals. However, their bats fell silent against the pitching of Team USA and were eliminated in the semifinals.
Young Rockies reliever Juan Mejia was originally named to the reserve pitcher’s list for the Dominican Republic, but found himself not only on the active roster but one of his country’s most utilized relievers. Mejia was one of six Dominican pitchers with three or more appearances in the tournament. In those three appearances and three innings, the breakout pitcher didn’t allow any runs—earned or otherwise—while only giving up two hours and tallying one strikeout without any walks.
“I’m obviously thankful to have gone over there. I’m thankful for the opportunity, and to all those coaches for giving me the opportunity,” Mejia said of his experience. “I think I’m going to try to bring as much as I can from there – the energy, the atmosphere, the feel of the Classic. I think I learned a lot while I was over there. So I’ll just bring everything I can from that experience, all that atmosphere.”
Team Italy (5-1, eliminated in semifinals)
If you had said before the tournament that Italy would not only make the final four for the first time in World Baseball Classic history, but also be the surprise top seed and the final undefeated team standing before falling to Venezuela in the semifinals, you would have been called crazy. However, that’s exactly what happened this year as Italy combined a potent offense, solid pitching, a designer jacket, an in-dugout espresso machine, and il bacio from team captain Vinnie Pasquantino to defeat strong teams like Mexico and the United States in convincing fashion.
Michael Lorenzen, the latest member of the “Mile High Baseball Nerd Club,” made the start when Italy played Team USA during pool play. Lorenzen used everything in his arsenal and pushed his pitch count to the very limit for 4 2/3 scoreless frames against a potent (on paper) American offense. He walked one batter, gave up two hits, and struck out two batters.
Lorenzen described it as the highlight of the tournament for him.
“Definitely when we beat Team USA and we kind of established that we were there for real,” he said. “So that — even for us to learn that about ourselves — was kind of fun.”
Lorenzen was called in from the bullpen in the semifinals against Venezuela. He gave up a lead-off walk but then set down his next six batters in order for two clean innings. The seventh inning is when things fell apart. After walking the lead-off hitter he struck out two batters. It looked like he would escape unscathed until four consecutive singles gave Venezuela the lead and ended Lorenzen’s night—and Italy’s hopes of advancing.
At the cost of losing the chance in the Rockies starting rotation to start the season, right-handed pitcher Antonio Senzatela instead decided to join his native Venezuela’s bullpen for the WBC. Senzatela had previously pitched three scoreless innings with four strikeouts for Venezuela in a pre-tournament exhibition match against the Washington Nationals.
Senzatela’s lone outing during the Classic came against an incredibly potent Dominican lineup. He quickly earned two outs—including a strikeout against Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodríguez—to start his inning of work, but then found himself in trouble with a walk and a single. He then threw a slider high that didn’t break, and was punished for it via the bat of Fernando Tatis Jr for a three run home run.
The longtime Rockies pitcher wouldn’t get another chance to pitch during the tournament, but that didn’t matter. He was there for the final out when Venezuela clinched their title.
“When we won it all, it was the best moment I’ve ever had in my life,” Senzatela told Purple Row. “It was super special to represent my country and be there for my country. It was really special for me.”
After coming in as a late-game defensive substitution in their tournament opener against the Netherlands, young shortstop Ezequiel Tovar became a mainstay of the Venezuelan lineup with a consistent bat and his regularly gilded glovework up the middle.
Tovar went 8-for-17 at the plate with three doubles and two stolen bases. Perhaps his best performance came during pool play against Israel in which he went a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk in four plate appearances. Tovar also played a critical role in Venezuela’s upset of Samurai Japan in the quarterfinals. Against a strong Japanese pitching staff led by Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tovar went 3-for-4 with two doubles, scored three times, stole a base, and recorded the final out of the game off the bat of Shohei Ohtani to eliminate Japan from the tournament.
The Rockies’ shortstop again came to play in the final match against the United States where he went 2-for-4 as Venezuela completed their championship run. Following their victory ceremony, Tovar was named shortstop for the the All-World Baseball Classic team.
The Colorado Rockies are rebuilding, and 2026 is likely to be another difficult year for the organization as they build a foundation for the future. However, for a few weeks in early spring 12 Rockies players got to taste something special: meaningful, competitive, high-stakes baseball.
Victor Vodnik described it as a “crazy experience” where “everybody was engaged with every pitch.”
Michael Lorenzen called it “playoff baseball in March.”
Each player had an unforgettable experience but came away with one general consensus for any Rockies of the future given the opportunity to participate in the next World Baseball Classic.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – On the final day of spring training Monday, a couple of important Phillies matters came into focus:
Zack Wheeler’s timetable for a potential return to the rotation.
And Rob Thomson’s lineup.
Moments after a 7-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, and a couple of hours before his team was to board a flight back to Philadelphia in preparation for Thursday’s season opener, Thomson revealed that Wheeler would begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment at Triple A Lehigh Valley on Saturday.
Wheeler is scheduled to pitch three innings against the Toledo Mud Hens, game time 4:35 p.m. Pitchers can spend up to 30 days on minor-league rehab, though the assignment can be paused if need be. Barring any setbacks, Wheeler’s rehab stint would end during the final week of April. And it could end sooner than that if he’s ready to return to the majors.
Wheeler had surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome in September and the Phillies took a methodical approach with him in spring training. He graduated to a simulated game against minor league hitters on Monday, threw 29 pitches and reported no problems.
“It was a successful spring,” Wheeler said after striking out four of the eight hitters he faced in the simulated game. “It was good to check this box and have no setbacks as we move through camp to be able to get to this point.”
As for the lineup, Thomson went with a largely familiar look in the spring finale. Trea Turner led off in front of Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm. Bryson Stott, who had a strong spring, hit fifth, giving the Phils a lefty bat behind Bohm, followed by righty-hitting Adolis Garcia. Brandon Marsh, J.T. Realmuto and rookie Justion Crawford rounded out the bottom third.
The Phillies face Texas right-hander Nathan Eovaldi on Thursday. Thomson said he would likely go with a similar lineup.
“Pretty close,” he said. “Probably.”
Throughout the winter, it was speculated Thomson could hit Harper second and Schwarber third.
“We had a lot of success with (Schwarber batting second and Harper batting third) last year,” Thomson said. “That could switch, too. We’ll take it game by game. We’re open to making some moves.”
Thomson said he gave his lineup a lot of thought and spoke to his hitters about it.
“All those guys like to hit where they’re hitting, that’s part of it,” he said. “But we still have to have success with it or we’ll have to make some changes. Right now, we’ll go this way.”
Jesus Luzardo, who will start the third game of the season Sunday against Texas, finished a strong spring by pitching into the sixth. He reached 88 pitches, allowed two runs, struck out six and walked two.
The Phillies finished the spring 10-17-2. Most importantly, they stayed healthy. Two rookies, Crawford and Andrew Painter, earned spots on the roster with high numbers on their backs. On Thursday, they will trade in their football numbers, Painter for 24 and Crawford for 2.
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On Nov. 10, 2020, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen claimed “If [we] don’t win a World Series in the next three to five years — I would like to make it sooner — I would consider that slightly disappointing.”
Sadly, that five-year period has come and gone.
And, while this upcoming season looks promising, there’s only one true guarantee the Amazins’ can make to fans:
That the ballpark experience at Citi Field is unmatched.
From the Mets Hall of Fame to the mini museum to the mouth-watering meal options to the Big Apple in center field to singing Louis Prima’s “Che La Luna” loud and proud after the seventh inning stretch, there’s always a good time to be had in Flushing on game days.
This year, they’re sweetening the pot with their impressive slate of giveaways.
Just a few of the most exciting freebies on the docket include:
1986 World Series Championship Replica RingSaturday, March 28 Juan Soto 40/30 BobbleheadSaturday, April 11 1986 World Series Champion Retro T-ShirtTuesday, May 26 Bobby Valentine DisguiseFriday, May 29 Marcus Semien Replica JerseyJune 24
In total, there are 15 giveaway days from March through June.
Throw in the fact that you get to see Cohen, Carlos Mendoza and David Stearns’ re-tooled club with new stars Freddy Peralta, Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco along with fan favorites Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Nolan McLean and you’ve got yourself a steal.
Plus, who knows?
Maybe Cohen was just a year off in his bold World Series prediction.
A Fall Classic victory 40 years after the Mets’ last would be pretty sweet.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about all of the New York Mets’ March through June 2026 Citi Field giveaways below.
New York Mets home game tickets
Inventory to see the New York Mets live is available on all verified ticketing sites.
We recommend checking out StubHub, Ticketmaster and Vivid Seats to find the seats that makes the most sense for you.
New York Mets season tickets
Diehard fans who want to don blue and orange every time the Amazin’s are at home, you’re in luck.
New York Mets season tickets can be picked up as early as today, right here, right now.
We’ll see you at Citi Field this year … a lot.
New York Mets 2026 giveaway dates
A complete calendar of all Mets giveaway home games, including dates, opponents, freebies and links to buy tickets, can be found here:
Mets’ giveaway dates
Pirates vs. MetsThursday, March 26 2026 Magnet Schedule
Pirates vs. MetsSaturday, March 28 1986 World Series Championship Replica Ring
Pirates vs. MetsSunday, March 29 Five-Borough Race Kids Puzzle
A’s vs. MetsSaturday, April 11 Juan Soto 40/30 Bobblehead
Rockies vs. MetsSaturday, April 25 Mr. Met at the Unisphere Light-Up Bobblehead
Reds vs. MetsTuesday, May 26 1986 World Champions Retro T-Shirt
Marlins vs. MetsFriday, May 29 Bobby Valentine Disguise
Cardinals vs. MetsThursday, June 11 Mets Soccer Jersey
Braves vs. MetsSaturday, June 13 Hello Kitty Bobblehead
Braves vs. MetsSunday, June 14 Crayola Color Your Own Mrs. Met Bobblehead
Cubs vs. MetsMonday, June 22 Mets Purse
Cubs vs. MetsTuesday, June 23 Mets Chain Necklace
Cubs vs. MetsWednesday, June 24 Marcus Semien Replica Jersey
Cubs vs. MetsThursday, June 25 Juan Soto Baseball Card Bobblehead
Phillies vs. MetsFriday, June 26 Mets Pride Sleeveless Jersey
Note: Most freebies will be given to the first 15,000 or 18,000 fans. The one exception is the five-borough race kids puzzle and Color Your Own Mrs. Met bobblehead; they’ll be doled out to the first 5,000 attendees to enter that game day.
Key Mets home games
Every game counts but some come with a little added intrigue.
Here are 10 Mets huge home games at Citi Field — against heated rivals and the return of fan favorites who departed over the offseason — we’re already reserving tickets for this year.
Important 2026 New York Mets home games
Pirates vs. MetsThursday, March 26Opening Day
Athletics vs. MetsFriday, April 10Jeff McNeil’s first game back
Yankees vs. MetsFriday, May 15
Yankees vs. MetsSaturday, May 16
Yankees vs. MetsSunday, May 17
Braves vs. MetsFriday, June 12First game against Atlanta
Cubs vs. MetsMonday, June 22First game against Chicago
Phillies vs. MetsFriday, June 26First game against Philadelphia
Dodgers vs. MetsFriday, July 24Edwin Diaz’s first game back
Orioles vs. MetsMonday, Sept. 14Pete Alonso’s first game back
New York Mets full 2026 schedule
Fans that plan on seeing Bichette, Lindor, Soto and the squad away from Citi Field can catch the Amazin’s on the road all spring and summer long including three-game stint at Yankee Stadium from Sept. 11-13.
Want to be there?
Tickets for all New York Mets game from March through September can be grabbed here.
Fireworks nights at Citi Field
At the time of publication, there are four Flushing fireworks nights scheduled this spring and summer. You’ll find everything you need to know about them below.
Citi Field fireworks nights
Marlins vs. MetsFriday, May 29 at 7:10 p.m.
Braves vs. MetsFriday, June 12 at 7:15 p.m.
Dodgers vs. MetsFriday, July 24 at 7:10 p.m.
Nationals vs. MetsFriday, Aug. 14 at 7:10 p.m.
New York Mets food
Our excitement for Citi Field this year isn’t reserved for just the giveaways.
We’re also pumped for all the grub the stadium is offering in ’26. Here are just a few we can’t wait to sample:
Eat in the Cave’s Puerto Rican soul food and their vegetarian empanadas with sweet pumpkin and chickpeas.
Pig Beach BBQ’s loaded corn bread featuring cheddar cheese sauce, bbq sauce and, of course, their incomparable pulled pork.
Taqueria Ramirez’s one-of-a-kind hand-crafted tacos, which will be at the ballpark starting Opening Day and up until the All-Star Break.
It’s never easy to remember where the best views of the diamond are in the park.
That’s where we come in. To make your life easy, we recommend checking out Vivid Seat’s official Citi Field map to find the section that best suits your seating needs.
Vivid Seats Vivid Seats
Mets gear
No Mets fan is complete without the team’s iconic blue and orange gear.
If you’re looking to update your Mets wardrobe — whether it be jerseys, hats, shirts, sweatshirts, or hoodies — we’ve got all your Mets goods’ needs covered here.
Huge concerts at Citi Field in 2026
When the Mets are away, some of the biggest names in music will play.
Here are three huge artists dropping into Citi Field in 2026.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
Mar 10, 2026; Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Gavin Lux (11) throws to first few an out against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning during spring training at Charlotte Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Rays projected starting second baseman Gavin Lux has been battling through a right shoulder impingement, with manager Kevin Cash saying the team was in a time crunch ahead of Opening Day.
As the best cure for such irritations in the rotator cuff region is rest, the Rays have opted to move Lux to the injured list to start his Rays career, clearing a roster spot for Richie Palacios to make the Opening Day roster.
Palacios has had a long road to making the Rays 2026 roster, having been expected to make the team out of Spring Training in 2025 until he suffered a broken finger. Palacios returned for one game on April 17 before picking up yet another injury through a right knee sprain. He wouldn’t make his way back to the Rays until September, with 2025 getting chalked up as a lost year.
On the bright side, Palacios was able to finish the year with a 138 wRC+ over 48 plate appearances, so hopefully the left handed hitting utility man can make an impact early on. No matter what happens, Lux will be expected to receive a roster slot when he returns from injury.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home against the Atlanta Braves, where they will try and pick up one last win in the Grapefruit League.
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TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 05, 2026: Luis Morales #19 of the Athletics throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
We did it folks. The A’s are set to play their final exhibition game this morning, taking on the Chicago White Sox for the spring finale. Let’s finish out camp in a winning note.
Right-handed Luis Morales is set to get the bal for the Athletics this morning. The righty has made five appearances so far with uneven results but spring stats aren’t all that matter, especially for a young pitcher like Morales. It would be nice to see him put up some zeros today though.
Here’s the bating order the A’s will go with today:
Lots of regulars in today’s starting nine. And look at that, Jacob Wilson leading off in front of Nick Kurtz. A more typical lineup that we haven’t seen much of this spring.
The Sox meanwhile have lefty Anthony Kay getting the ball for them this morning. The former top prospect has had a strong camp for the South Siders this spring and will be looking to keep that rolling into the regular season.
NORTH PORT, FL- FEBRUARY 22: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins looks on during a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins on February 22, 2026 at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Twins had a purported “fire sale” last summer, but they didn’t completely clear out the racks of all their talent. They still have All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton on the field – while he’s still healthy – and All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan. However, they have decimated much of their depth, and it will be up to the farm system to replenish much of it.
They enter the season with Derek Shelton as their new skipper. He never won more than 76 games in four full seasons with the Pirates. The Twins are projected by most to be around that number of wins this season.
Minnesota Twins
2025 record: 70-92
2026 PECOTA projection: 78-84
2026 ZIPS projection: 79-83
Manager: Derek Shelton
Key additions: Anthony Banda, Josh Bell, Vidal Bruján, Victor Caratini, Tristan Gray, Zak Kent, Ryan Kreidler, Eric Orze, Taylor Rogers, Eric Wagaman
Key losses: Mickey Gasper, Edouard Julien, Christian Vázquez
Offense
The Twins had the eighth-fewest runs in baseball last year, and that was with Carlos Correa, Harrison Bader, Ty France, and Willi Castro on the roster for more than half the season. The team went 19-35 after the July 31 trade deadline. Buxton played in 126 games last year, the most he had played in a season since 2017. Josh Bell will be on his eighth team in seven seasons, but he has put up an above-average OPS+ in each season since 2020. Rookie Luke Keaschall had an impressive debut last year, including hitting 9-for-25 (.360) with a home run against the Royals.
Pitching
Trade rumors swirled around Ryan all off-season, but the Twins held onto him after he set career-bests in innings (171), wins (13), strikeouts (194), and ERA (3.42). Taj Bradley had a 6.61 ERA in six starts with the Twins after they acquired him from the Rays last summer. Mick Abel was a former top 100 prospect acquired from the Phillies for Jhoan Duran, and he had a 2.20 ERA in 18 starts in Triple-A last year. The bullpen had a 4.93 ERA after the trade deadline and has been completely overhauled from last year. The Twins bring back veteran Taylor Rogers, but much fo the rest of the staff is inexperienced.
The Twins have been a thorn in the side of the Royals, and will likely to continue to be pesky, even if they don’t win as many games as they used to. With the sale of the team now finalized, they could move into a different direction and look to build back up this summer. Or perhaps the debt issues that have plagued the franchise will continue to direct them towards austerity measures that could lead to Ryan and Buxton being traded. Either way, they have just enough talent to make them a pain to face up against.
Can anyone stop the 2009 Mets? No, this matchup wasn’t comparable to their staggering upset victory against the 1986 World Champions last round, but it was surprising all the same — partially because one would think the 1968 home-field tendencies exposed their biggest weakness: the rotation. Instead, ’09 received fantastic starting pitching, including 8.2 innings of two-run ball from John Maine in Game 2 and a complete-game, four-hit performance from Mike Pelfrey in Game 3. In Game 1, when Johan Santana got lit up after earning an MVP last round, the ’09 offense was able to mount a six-run comeback, with Carlos Beltrán delivering the game-tying hit and Jeff Francoeur providing the go-ahead knock in the eighth inning while Francisco Rodríguez (who has been utterly un-hittable in the tournament) fired two perfect innings of relief. ’68 completed a comeback of smaller magnitude in Game 2. Trailing 2-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Ed Charles lined a game-tying single up the middle, and two innings later Bud Harrelson snuck a grounder past the dive of Luis Castillo to secure a walk-off victory. But the ’09 team didn’t falter again, propelled by the heroics of Pelfrey and Ángel Pagán, who accounted for two runs with his bat and his speed in Game 3 while going 4-for-4 in Game 4. J.J. Putz induced a ground ball from Ken Boswell to Alex Cora at short to end it as the first Citi Field squad got to celebrate in their new ballpark.
The ’68 Mets were able to take down the 2005, 2024, and 2002 squads, but not this mysteriously magical ’09 team, which I can only imagine enters the Final Four with a sense of overwhelming confidence. They mustered just 70 regular season wins, but they slew the giant of ’86. They’re no joke. Plus, if they beat the ’68 Mets, how afraid can they really be of the ’69 team lurking on the other side of the bracket? If anything, they might as well be more afraid of the other pesky underdogs awaiting them in the next round…
2001 (8) vs 2013(11) G1: 9-4, ’13 G2: 4-3, ’13 G3: 7-4, ’01 G4: 6-4, ’13 Series MVP: Daniel Murphy
The 2001 Mets might have eliminated the 2015 team back in the Second Round, but the 2013 Mets — having a fair amount of players in common with the N.L. Champion roster two years later — were here to avenge that upset. That felt particularly true for Daniel Murphy, who channeled his 2015 postseason mode by going 8-for-19 with seven RBI (all of them relatively clutch) in the series. Matt Harvey was also in vintage form in Game 1, out-dueling Al Leiter by allowing just one run through his first seven innings of work (he did tire in the eighth, but reliever Scott Atchison was able to get out of trouble before things got too dicey). The ’13 Mets won Game 2 thanks to a four-hit day from Juan Lagares and a three-hit day from the next season’s Opening Day left fielder Andrew Brown, overcoming a late homer from Mike Piazza. In Game 3, ’01 saw an early 5-0 lead cut to 5-4 due to RBI from Brown, Murphy, and David Wright; but they got insurance runs thanks to a late hit from Piazza, who reached base five times in the game. Game 4 began in similar fashion, with the ’01 Mets going up big early and the ’13 Mets making an ambitious comeback attempt, only this time it was successful. A critical error by Todd Zeile in the bottom of the seventh set up a Murphy go-ahead, two-run double, and Bobby Parnell was able to pin down the save.
With the ’01 team’s elimination, it officially marks the end of the road for a number of iconic Mets in the tournament (Piazza, Leiter, and Edgardo Alfonzo to name a few). As for the ’13 Mets, the most promising sign as they advance to the Final Four is that they didn’t even need two starts from Harvey to win this series, since their relatively unassuming offense is performing unfathomably well. If middle-of-the-order bats like Lagares and Brown keep their hot streaks going while Murphy mashes like it’s October 2015…who’s to say they can’t be this tournament’s Cinderella story?
1969(1) vs 1985 (3) G1: 4-1, ’69 G2: 4-0, ’69 G3: 5-4, ’85 G4: 6-1, ’69 Series MVP: Jerry Koosman
For all those who may have wanted a championship matchup between the 1969 and 1986 Mets, this is about as close as you’ll get. And for all those who wanted an epic battle of Cy Young Award winners Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden, that’s exactly what happened…from the second inning onward. Seaver surrendered a run on a Darryl Strawberry RBI single to right in the top of the first, while Gooden was tagged for four consecutive singles to open the game; when Doc finally recorded his first two outs, they scored the ’69 Mets’ third and fourth runs of the inning. Both starters were impenetrable from that point forward (each tossed a complete game), but Gooden’s inability to limit early damage cost him and the ’85 team a win. Game 2 featured another pitchers’ duel, but Ron Darling ultimately fell to Jerry Koosman, who threw an incredible three-hit, complete-game shutout. The ’85 Mets’ sole win came in Game 3, when they jumped out to a 5-0 lead early off Gary Gentry and fended off a four-run seventh inning from the scrappy ’69 offense. In Game 4, Donn Clendenon and Tommie Agee took over, combining for five of the team’s six RBI. In the bottom of the seventh, ’85 got their golden opportunity. Trailing by four, Keith Hernandez came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded against Tug McGraw and lined the first pitch he saw, but it was snagged out of the air by Ken Boswell at second base. Two innings later, Agee sprinted into shallow center field to catch the final out off the bat of Gary Carter.
It’s a devastating loss for the ’85 Mets, who had to feel confident after taking down the No. 2 seed ’88 Mets in the previous round. For the Miracle Mets of 1969, a championship sits firmly in their sights — but their stellar starting pitching staff will face its greatest challenge yet in the Final Four…
2006 (2) vs 2011 (8) G1: 10-6, ’11 G2: 5-2, ’06 G3: 5-4, ’06 G4: 8-6, ’11 G5: 5-4, ’06 (f/12) Series MVP: David Wright
The 2006 Mets sure do know how to script an ending. For the third time in four rounds, their series came down to a winner-take-all Game 5 — and this time, it ended in walk-off fashion. ’06 might have thought this series would be a walk in the park while leading Game 1 by a score of 5-2 thanks to a Shawn Green three-run homer, but the 2011 team announced their presence with a resounding comeback kicked off against reliever Aaron Heilman. Tom Glavine pitched ’06 to victory in Game 2, while a homer and 3 RBI from José Valentín (this tournament’s unexpected slugger) supported a quality start from Orlando Hernández to secure a Game 3 win. ’11’s lineup walloped John Maine in Game 4, setting up the thrilling, twelve-inning Game 5. The ’11 Mets simply would not die, coming back from being down 3-0 in the fifth inning thanks to clutch hitting from Justin Turner and Josh Thole. The ’06 Mets rallied multiple times in extra innings but came up short, with Mike Baxter (who hit a homer earlier in the night) making a game-saving catch to rob Carlos Delgado in the tenth and 38-year-old Jason Isringhausen retiring Paul Lo Duca to evade trouble in the eleventh. Carlos Beltrán led off the bottom of the twelfth with a single, and then advanced to second on a wild pitch with David Wright at the plate. Seconds later, Wright sent a 2-0 fastball hurtling towards the center-field grass, notching his second walk-off hit in as many rounds while punching his team’s ticket to the Final Four.
The ’11 Mets showed some serious fight, as they have for the entire tournament, but this time they will not be advancing along with their ’09 and ’13 neighbors. Meanwhile, the ’06 Mets now enter a scenario which may spark traumatic memories: if they win the coming seven-game series, they advance to the championship. Their semifinal matchup against the ’69 Mets should be the most high-octane showdown in Mets Madness thus far.
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 9: Hoby Milner #41 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field on September 9, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at reliever Hoby Milner.
The Texas Rangers signed Hoby Milner to a one year deal for the 2025 season, coming off a season for the Milwaukee Brewers where he had a -0.6 bWAR and 0.9 fWAR in 64.2 innings over 61 games, with a 4.73 ERA and a 3.14 FIP.
For the Rangers in 2025, Hoby Milner had a -0.6 bWAR and a 1.0 fWAR in 70.1 innings over 73 games, with a 3.84 ERA and a 3.39 FIP.
Weird, huh? An ERA almost a run lower, but the same bWAR and fWAR, essentially.
fWAR is based on FIP, with relievers having leverage factored in as well, so the similarity in FIP (and FIP- — 80 in 2025, 77 in 2024) and similarity in Clutch performance (-0.26 in 2025, -0.19 in 2024) helps explain why the fWAR is virtually the same.
bWAR is based on RA/9, and of course, as we all know, B-R’s park effects are much different than Fangraphs’ park effects for the Shed in 2025, with the result being that Milner’s ERA+ in 2025 (95) is very close to his ERA+ in 2024 (88).
And to further illustrate the complexity, Milner’s xERA in 2024, when he had an actual ERA of almost 5, was lower than his xERA in 2025 — 3.20 in 2024 versus 3.79 in 2025.
Milner is a lefty-on-lefty specialist, and is one of those guys who is hurt by the three batter limit that MLB introduced. He allowed an 820 OPS against righthanders in 168 plate appearances, compared to a 526 OPS against lefties, in line with his career 794 OPS against righties and 608 OPS against lefties.
As with Robert Garcia, Milner gets dinged for his performance in high leverage situations last year. He allowed a .333/.362/.448 slash line in high leverage situations, though that was driven largely by a .413 BABIP. The upshot is that, despite having just 105 of his 293 batters faced being in high leverage situations, 22 of the 36 runs he allowed were in high leverage situations.
Milner had a career high in appearances and innings in 2025. Perhaps not coincidentally, he hit a wall in mid-August. Through August 13, Milner had 56 appearances in 122 team games, and had a 2.15 ERA and 2.44 FIP. From August 14 through year end, Milner appeared in 17 games, threw just 11.2 innings, and had a 12.34 ERA, 6.97 xERA and 7.94 FIP.
Milner signed a one year, $3.75 million deal with the Cubs for 2026, with incentives that would potentially increase the deal to $4 million, so he got a raise off of his $2.5 million salary in 2025. The Rangers are, I imagine, more or less satisfied with what they got from Milner in 2025.
Editor’s note: Leading up to Opening Day, our staff will share several predictions for the 2026 Red Sox season. In Part 4 of the season preview series,our three-person panel predicted the headlines that will surround the club during the All-Star break.
The Boston Red Sox will be a fascinating club to watch in 2026.
Last year, the Red Sox clinched a Wild Card spot for their first postseason berth since 2021. Many expect them to take another step forward after a productive offseason, while others are skeptical about the lineup having enough firepower to keep up in a tough American League East.
Regardless, there will be no shortage of interesting headlines and hot takes on this year’s team come summertime. In the latest installment of our season preview series, our staff shared Red Sox headlines they believe we’ll see during the All-Star break in July:
Justin Leger: Wilyer Abreu shines in first All-Star Game appearance
Abreu should get more opportunities against left-handed pitching this year. If so, he’ll be a candidate for 30-plus homers after notching 22 last season, when he mostly sat against southpaws. His unique blend of power and stellar defense will earn him his first career All-Star nod, and just as he did in the WBC, he’ll shine on the big stage.
Nick Goss: Roman Anthony has become one of MLB’s biggest stars
Anthony will live up to expectations offensively and be one of the starters for the AL at the All-Star Game, paving the way for him to become a household name by the time the 2026 season concludes.
Darren Hartwell: What does the future hold for Marcelo Mayer?
Yes, Mayer is only 23 and is about to enter his first full MLB season. But the former first-round pick has suffered season-ending injuries in three consecutive seasons and struggled during his brief big-league cameo in 2025.
The Red Sox have a crowded infield, so if Mayer gets off to a slow start in 2026, the conversation around his future in Boston will grow louder.
Mike Vaccaro’s book, “The Bosses of the Bronx,” detailing the Yankees’ five-plus decades under the House of Steinbrenner, will be released by Harper Books March 24. You can pre-order here. Here is the third of three excerpts being shared with The Post:
His final captain would afford George Steinbrenner the last of his endless, priceless moments — and mementos — as Boss, even if he now went by Boss Emeritus. George Steinbrenner had, after all, made the unilateral decision to install Thurman Munson as captain 45 years after Lou Gehrig’s death.
Steinbrenner the erstwhile Big Ten coach never could shake his football instincts and viewed captains differently, and more fondly, all of them: Graig Nettles and Willie Randolph, Ron Guidry and Don Mattingly.
Now Derek Jeter.
One last time, Steinbrenner made the flight to New York. Once, as a young businessman crammed into a middle seat in coach, he’d sworn as his plane from Cleveland descended into LaGuardia Airport that he’d one day fly first class. Now, he’d made this trip thousands of times in his own jet.
Mike Vaccaro’s upcoming book, “The Bosses of The Bronx.”
Now he was three months shy of 80, and required a wheelchair. But he wasn’t going to miss the home opener of the 2010 season, April 13. By now, the Boss Watch — the gaggle of reporters assigned to his Stadium comings and goings — had been abandoned; he arrived in Box 44 comfortably.
Soon he was joined by two special guests.
Jeter and Joe Girardi walked the forty or so steps from the Yankees clubhouse to the VIP elevator, stepped in the Boss’ suite, and surprised him. They wanted to personally present his World Series ring. Jeter noticed the Boss was wearing two rings: one for the 2000 Yankees, and one an Ohio State ring.
Jeter looked into Steinbrenner’s eyes and laughed. “Boss, take off that Ohio State ring.”
Steinbrenner’s eyes brightened. He pointed at Jeter.
“Michigan,” he said to Jeter, a son of Kalamazoo and nearly a Michigan Wolverine before the Yankees signed him out of the 1992 draft. Jeter took the 2000 ring off instead, replaced it with the 2009 one, and everyone applauded. Later, in the bottom of the third, before Jeter stepped to the plate the scoreboard camera captured Steinbrenner wearing sunglasses in his box as “My Way” played over the public address system.
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (l.) and wife Joan (r.) watch the team’s home opener against the Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 13, 2010. Getty Images
Jeter waited a respectful amount of time for the 49,293 to roar for the Boss.
Then swung at the first pitch and dunked one over the wall in right-center.
“None of us would be here, the stadium wouldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for him,” Jeter said. “He’ll always be The Boss.”
Ninety-one days later, sitting behind a podium at the All-Star Game, Jeter had this to say about that boss: “I was 18. Suddenly here he is, walking toward me, addressing me by name, and said, ‘We expect big things from you.’ I’ll always remember that.”
Jeter was stone-faced. The news he’d received he’d been dreading for a long while, same as everyone around the Yankees. It might not have been stunning that George Steinbrenner died earlier that day, July 13, 2010, of a heart attack at his home in Tampa, it was still hard to immediately calibrate. He’d turned 80 just nine days earlier.
Derek Jeter (l.) and George Steinbrenner (r.) during spring training in 2000. New York Post
After a few respectful days, it also became clear that the Boss left a remarkable legacy for his family, which you might call priceless except it absolutely had one. The federal estate tax expired the previous January, and that would’ve cost the family around a half-billion dollars had the Boss passed in 2009. Had he died in 2011, the renewed law was to be upped to 55 percent, so it would’ve siphoned $600 million. Without an inheritance tax the Yankees remained comfortably in the hands of his children.
It was a perfect bookend for an initial investment of $168,000.
“One of a kind,” Reggie Jackson said.
“A life almost impossible to imagine,” said his friend, Donald Trump.
“I still hate his guts,” said Howie Spira, who planned on holding his grudge long into the next life and beyond.
For a brief, colorful moment, Hank Steinbrenner, George’s eldest, happily morphed into his old man, into the biggest elephant in any room he walked in, trouncing those rooms with various opinions and observations before heading outside for a satisfying smoke.
Hank had a lot of thoughts on a lot of things. And what quickly became apparent was that Hank was every bit the back-page goldmine his father had been — maybe more so. He was happy to hand out his cell phone number to reporters, happier to take their calls, downright gleeful at returning calls he’d missed, and happiest still to fill empty notebooks with gold.
(Hank really was a columnist’s best friend. Once, searching for an idea on a random Tuesday, The Post’s former sports editor, Greg Gallo, reached out to me. “Call Hank,” he said. “See what he has to say.”
“About what?” I asked.
“About anything,” Gallo said.
I called Hank, he picked up right away, and for 25 minutes he provided me that day’s column, which became the next morning’s back page: “HANK UNPLUGGED!”
After we were done, as I was hammering my laptop to beat deadline, my phone rang. It was Hank. “And a few other things …” and by the time he was done I had about 15 minutes left to finish the column. It ran a little long that day.)
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (right) sitting with his family, (l-r); Sons Hal and Hank, daughters Jenny and Jessica. Charles Wenzelberg
Hal Steinbrenner was not his brother. But Hank, who died in 2020, wearied of the spotlight’s glare and happily ceded control of the Yankees to his kid brother without much of a fight, joining his sisters Jennifer and Jessica in unanimously voting Hal managing general partner in 2008.
“My father was more about the back pages of the tabloids,” Hal said in 2013. “I’m more about a back room, away from prying eyes. Anyone who thinks I don’t want to win? Well, how does the saying go? ‘Show me you’ve never met me without telling me that you’ve never met me.’”
Hal knows that every time the Yankees go on a five-game losing streak the familiar chorus surfaces: “If only George were still alive …” He also understands that fans don’t want to hear about baseball’s ever-shifting economic realities (and was, in fact, excoriated in some circles when he seemed to cry poverty after the Dodgers spending spree in December).
Those realities happen to be true, though. When the elder Steinbrenner shocked the baseball world by authorizing (while serving the first of his two suspensions) a five-year, $3.75 million contract that temporarily made Catfish Hunter baseball’s wealthiest player on New Year’s Eve 1974, it felt like all the money in the world, especially for the time.
But in 2026 dollars that still translates to only $25 million, which is just $2 million less than what Hal paid in 2023 alone for the services of Carlos Rodón, a starting pitcher who went 3–8 with a 6.85 ERA and who never on his best day pitched as well as Hunter on his worst.
The 1977 team, dubbed “The Best Team Money Could Buy?” Total payroll: $3 million. In 2026 dollars: $16.1 million, or about what the Yankees will likely pay Gerrit Cole before he ever throws a pitch in a regular-season game this year.
There have been various times when people wonder why the family doesn’t just cash out, assuring prosperity for untold future generations of Steinbrenner, and it’s a subject that makes Hal Steinbrenner laugh.
“The Yankees,” he says incredulously, “is our family business.”
This, then, is a story about one American family business and one city’s fascination with the proprietors of that corner store.
