PEORIA, AZ - FEBRUARY 28: Kade Anderson #13 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres at Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Opening Day for the 2026 Major League Baseball season is about three weeks away (beginning officially with a standalone game between the Yankees and Giants on March 25), and while there are several former Tigers already in the Big Leagues, LSU’s pipeline to The Show is alive and well.
On Thursday the MLB announced preliminary rosters for the third annual Spring Breakout Games. If you’re unfamiliar, this showcase is a chance for the best prospects across the MiLB to show why they’re the next crop of stars and LSU will be all over these games.
In total, 15 former Tigers made the preliminary rosters to compete for their respective clubs, highlighted by Seattle’s Kade Anderson, Houston’s Ethan Frey, and Boston’s Anthony Eyanson. LSU and Tennessee tied for the most preliminary selections; the final rosters, consisting of 23-27 players, will be announced on March 18.
As it stands right now, here are the 15 former Tigers that made the preliminary rosters.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 19: Former major league baseball and game analyst Rex Hudler looks on a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 19, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals will get ready for their close up on TV tonight, under the bright lights of Surprise Stadium. The big name players are at the World Baseball Classic, so tonight it’s…..Lane Thomas! Brandon Drury! Josh Rojas! All the remaining stars on one stage!
Hey, you can see Cole Ragans and Carter Jensen, that’s not nuthin’.
Cole takes the mound under the lights in Surprise.
The Rangers start left-hander Mackenzie Gore, who they acquired from the Nationals this offseason. They have a few starters in the lineup too – Wyatt Langford, Corey Seager. It’s probably too soon to see Andrew McCutchen in a Rangers uniform.
The team’s first Rule 5 pick since 2011 must be on the major league roster all season or be placed on waivers and offered back to the Cardinals for half of his $100,000 selection fee if he clears waivers.
Winquest has intrigued the organization since it nearly selected him in the 2022 draft, but the hard-throwing righty hasn’t been overly impressive in limited spring work, going 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and .316 BAA in 4 ²/₃ innings.
The 25-year-old worked primarily as a starter last season, posting a 3.19 ERA in eight starts at Double-A (Springfield) after recording a 4.52 ERA in 17 games at High-A (Peoria).
“I would say he’s in the mix, but also the next few weeks matter, too, for a lot of people,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I think he’s flashed things that we like about him. We like his fastball. We like the curveball … Because we don’t necessarily have that long window with him, we gotta kind of [give him a] baptism by fire a little bit. I haven’t hesitated bringing him in, in the middle of an inning or whatever. I think he’s worked really diligently at developing that routine [as a reliever] and getting used to it, and I think all in all, it’s gone pretty well.”
Cade Winquest throws a pitch during the Yankees’ Feb. 26 Grapefruit League game against the Braves. Charles Wenzelberg
Winquest — a former eighth-round pick out of UT-Arlington — has been pleased with the development of the sinker he added since joining the Yankees, but he acknowledges that he is still searching for consistency with a fourth pitch (sweeper/slider).
In Tuesday’s rain-shortened 15-0 loss to the Twins at Steinbrenner Field, Winquest wasn’t hit hard in one inning of work, but he allowed two runs (one earned), two (infield) hits, one walk and one wild pitch, with one strikeout in his fourth spring training appearance.
“I’m still adjusting to the reliever role, bouncing back quicker, but I feel like my routine is starting to make that step forward and I’m getting used to it,” Winquest said. “It’s definitely more mental than anything. If you tell yourself you feel good, you’re gonna feel good. I think I have the mentality to get there. Now, I just need to adjust the routine on the body.
“Starter, reliever, whatever, it’s just a great opportunity for me. The opportunity is right there. I just gotta walk through that door and take advantage of every opportunity I have and just see what happens.”
Winquest has never pitched above Double-A, where he’s only thrown 42 ¹/₃ innings.
Cade Winquest prepares to deliver a pitch during the Yankees’ Feb. 26 game. Charles Wenzelberg
His career ERA in the minors (4.19) offers little excitement.
“It definitely gives me confidence being the first Rule 5 pick in 14 years,” Winquest said. “I know this organization wants me. They’ve been looking at me since the 2022 draft. That helps the mental side of it. They believe in me. I believe in myself. I know I have the stuff out there. Now, I just have to make the adjustment and face big league hitters. The more reps I get, the better I’ll get.”
Jeremy Peña of the Dominican Republic throws the ball during the third inning of an exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers at Estadio Quisqueya.
Shortstop Jeremy Peña suffered a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the Astros announced Thursday.
Peña, who is part of the Dominican Republic’s team in this year’s World Baseball Classic, will miss the tournament and could be out for Opening Day, which is 22 days away.
He sustained the injury in the third inning of Wednesday’s exhibition contest against the Tigers in the Dominican Republic after fielding a ground ball hit by Detroit outfielder Wenceel Pérez.
Jeremy Peña of the Dominican Republic throws the ball during the third inning of an exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers at Estadio Quisqueya. Getty Images
The 2022 World Series MVP could be seen inspecting his finger multiple times after recording the out, and he left the game after taking one more at-bat.
The injury paves the way for Diamondbacks All-Star Geraldo Perdomo to take over at shortstop, with Yankees utilityman Amed Rosario also an option.
This appears to be the play in question. Peña looked at his finger a couple of times after that out was made. He stayed in the game for one more at bat before leaving. pic.twitter.com/66ltSgeUOY
Dominican Republic general manager and former MLB slugger Nelson Cruz said that an injury replacement for Peña would be announced shortly, per ESPN.
While the loss of Peña is a crusher, D.R’s star-studded squad still boasts Mets star Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero, Ketel Marte and Julio Rodriguez.
The Dominican Republic is set to kick off the tournament on Friday night against Nicaragua in a Pool D matchup.
Peña made his first All-Star team in 2025. Getty Images
Peña, 28, is coming off a banner year in Houston, which saw him make his first career All-Star team while finishing 10th in American League Most Valuable Player voting.
In 125 games, he slashed .304/.363/.477 with 17 home runs, 62 RBIs and 20 stolen bases despite missing time with a fractured rib.
In the interim, Peña’s injury actually eases a logjam in the Astros’ infield.
Third baseman/outfielder Isaac Paredes, who has been floated in trade rumors all offseason, could see regular playing time to open the season in Peña’s absence.
Carlos Correa, currently slotted in at the hot corner, could shift back to his familiar shortstop position, which temporarily opens a spot for Paredes.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Rece Hinds #57 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Leo Balcazar during the seventh inning of the World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Cuba at Goodyear Ballpark on March 4, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a wild one in Goodyear Ballpark on Thursday afternoon as ESPN broadcast a ridiculous 14-13 victory by the Cincinnati Reds over the Los Angeles Dodgers that featured a combined 10 (!) homers between the two clubs.
Fortunately for the Reds, they came out victorious in this game that ultimately means nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it sure was entertaining in the process.
The Good
Cincinnati’s offense got off to a rockin’ start against LA lefty Cole Irvin. Elly De La Cruz ripped a 438 foot blast off Irvin in the Bottom of the 1st to get the Reds on the board (from the right side of the plate!), and Will Benson followed later that inning with a 2-run blast of his own (off a lefty!).
Elly’s homer came off the bat at 114.5 mph. Not bad for his less-productive side of the plate.
Cincinnati’s offense was potent throughout, with Nate Lowe (3-run tater), Matt McLain (4th tater of the spring already), and eventually Rece Hinds (a 3-run walk-off in the Bottom of the 9th) all eventually adding to the tally.
Here’s Hinds’ laser down the LF line to flip a 13-11 defecit to the final 14-13 margin.
Cincinnati also managed to walk more times (6) than they struck out on the day (5), and I’ll wager that each and every time the Reds hit as many homers as they have Ks will end up being a very, very good day for them going forward.
The Bad
The pitching today…woof!
Shoutout to Julian Aguiar, at least, who fanned 4 against nary a walk while allowing just a lone earned run (on a solo dinger) in 2.0 IP to get the late win. Hagen Danner, to his credit, also pitched a scoreless, perfect frame.
Everyone else, though got rocked through and through, and that includes projected closer Emilio Pagán. Pagán was tagged for 4 ER on 4 H in his lone frame, and that included an ugly trio of homers allowed. Meanwhile, top projected setup man Tony Santillan wasn’t much better as he allowed 3 ER on a hit and 3 walks while also yielding a homer before being pulled having recorded just a pair of outs.
The miserable spring for Connor Phillips continued too, unfortunately, as he once again had serious issues finding the zone. He was tagged for 3 ER on 2 H and 2 BB in his IP while recording nary a K, and his spring ERA now sits at 14.73.
Adding insult to injury was the way the pitching staff got knocked around. Old friends Santiago Espinal and Nick Senzel combined for 3 homers and 7 ribbies off Reds pitching on the day, though at least the arms kept Matt McLain’s brother Sean from socking one into the stands.
The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
That goes to Sean’s big brother Matt, who went 3 for 3 with a homer, 3 runs scored, and a pair of ribbies to push his Cactus League OPS up to a ridiculous 2.112 so far.
Hat tip to Elly (2 for 3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR) and Lowe (2 for 3, R, 3 RBI, HR) for equally excellent play.
What’s Next
Andrew Abbott will take the mound on Friday on the road in Scottsdale as the Reds take on the San Francisco Giants. First pitch is set for the usual 3:05 PM ET, though this one sadly won’t be televised. You will be able to listen in through 700 WLW’s feed, however.
Edgar Quero got buff over the winter. So far this spring, the cleanup hitter’s box score lines have been buff as well. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
For you night owls in the readership, today’s game is for you: The first night game of 2026.
For you aspiring broadcast consumers in the readership, however, this game is not at all for you, with no options beyond play-by-play on Gameday to follow the action. Yes, it’s unlikely you’re going to stay up until 10 p.m. chatting about agate type-reports of Game 14 of Spring Training. Still, I will persist with a game thread.
Sean Burke gets the ball for the third time, back by some of the hotter bats of spring:
I don’t profess to know much about the Guardians, but a lineup sans Kwan or Ramírez is advantage: White Sox in my eyes. Or alternately, a new White Sox Killer could be born in today’s game.
Tipoff is 7:05 p.m. I will try to pen a creative recap base on, dunno, exit velocity, very late tonight.
And in other news, the roster for the Spring Breakout Game on March 21. Undoubtedly, this roster consists of the most promising prospects in the White Sox system:
As we did a year ago, we’ll be carving out separate coverage for the prospects game, a couple of weeks from now.
In related news, beginning in 2027 this prospects showcase is going to expand into a tournament, which could be fun to follow — especially in a non-WBC year.
MESA, Arizona — It was a windy day in the Valley of the Sun Thursday, but neither Cubs home run needed any help from the wind. Dansby Swanson homered in the third and Carson Kelly added one in the fifth and the Cubs defeated the Diamondbacks 8-1.
You can’t really see it in that clip, but the ball rattled around in the right-field corner, allowing Hoerner to take third. One out later, he scored on a single by Swanson.
Colin Rea gave up a couple of hits in the first but after that retired eight of the next nine D-backs hitters. One of them was on a really nice, PCA-style diving catch in center field by Kevin Alcántara and you’re just going to have to trust me on that because there’s no video available. Rea then allowed a homer to Pavin Smith leading off the fourth, the only run he allowed. Rea struck out six and threw 57 pitches (41 strikes). Here’s more on Rea’s outing [VIDEO].
The Cubs extended their lead to 4-0 in the third. With two out, Ian Happ walked.
Conforto, incidentally, had two hits and a walk as the DH in this game. He’s looked pretty good, yes in a very small sample size. He has a real chance to make this team, in my view.
The Cubs were up 7-1 at this point. They got good relief outings from Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar and Corbin Martin.
You’ll notice I left out Luke Little, who threw a scoreless eighth. Sure, that’s good, but once again he got himself in trouble with walks, two of them. He’s thrown 3.2 innings this spring and walked six and yes he has talent but the walks are likely to send him back to Triple-A Iowa again. Here’s hoping he can figure things out.
Of note: Brady Counsell, Craig’s son who was Arizona’s 10th-round pick out of the University of Kansas, entered the game in the seventh and was one of the two guys Little walked in the eighth.
Attendance watch: 12,824 attended this game at Sloan Park. That makes the season total 92,201 for eight dates, or 11,525 per date.
The Cubs will play their first spring night game of 2026 Friday at Peoria against the Padres. Ben Brown will start for the Cubs and Germán Márquez will go for San Diego. Game time is 8:10 p.m. CT and there will be TV coverage via Padres TV. It’s also on MLB Network (no blackouts). There will also be a radio broadcast with the Padres announcers on KWFN 97.3.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Alex Hoppe #48 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Peoria Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you missed today’s Mariners spring training game, well, that might have been for the best. This one got out of hand early when the Padres put up an twelve-spot in the second and didn’t improve from there. Of all the spring training games, this one was the spring trainingiest (so far).
Luis Castillo got the start today and, well, things could have gone better. Castillo worked out of a jam in the first: after allowing Jake Cronenworth to reach on a hard-hit (104 EV) single, Jackson Merrill fought off a four-seamer up in the zone for a double, putting runners at second and third with no outs. But, Houdini-like, Castillo escaped the jam, striking out Ramón Laureano swinging on a 95.7 mph four-seamer, getting Gavin Sheets to tap into an easy groundout on a changeup (the Mariners executed their second rundown of the spring, again recording the out even as the runners advanced to second and third), and ending on a sword strikeout of Nick Castellanos on a 96.3 mph fastball. Castillo’s four-seamer had some extra heat in that first inning, registering as high as 96.7.
The velocity held for Castillo in the second, but unfortunately the run suppression did not. He gave up a lot of hard contact to the Padres, including a first-pitch ambush swing for a solo home run to Sung-Mun Song followed by back-to-back doubles to make it 2-0; then some sloppy play ensued including a walk to Cronenworth and a fielding error by Ryan Bliss, which then resulted in two more runs scored on a Laureano single, making it 4-0.
Then the game got silly. Tyler Cleveland came in to try to stop the bleeding and instead allowed in another run, although he didn’t get help from Spencer Packard in left field who dropped a sun ball. Cleveland walked in a run. Luke Raley lost a ball in the sun in right field. The Padres lead doubled to 8-0. Then 10-o. The scoreboard operator made a mistake and put up 11-0. Dan Wilson was forced to get another cannon fodder arm to try to finish the inning. Stefan Raeth threw one pitch to Jake Cronenworth that he hit over the left field wall. 12-0. Laureano doubled. The third out in the second inning was proving to be as elusive as the Mariners getting their fourth win of the spring.
Finally, finally, Gavin Sheets hit a little flare to left field, headed towards the much-abused Packard. It looked like it might drop in to create a touchdown of runs for the Padres, but Packard ran in and, against all odds, made the catch. The crowd went wild.
The Mariners got a run back off Walker Buehler in the bottom of the inning. Patrick Wisdom singled, and Rhylan Thomas tripled into the right field corner. Packard small-balled the second run home with an RBI groundout. While it is probably a better long-term strategy to focus on things that would actually help win games during the regular season, it’s a little disappointing the Mariners didn’t do what the Padres hitters were doing and just put a bunch of stuff up into the swirling wind and hope for the best.
But the Padres got all those runs right back and more off Alex Hoppe, who gave up five runs on two homers to turn the game from a laugher into laughing gas, 17-2. Hoppe baffles me. His four-seamer is a great pitch, with heavy downward plane that comes in around 98-99 and creates swing-and-miss, and he can throw it for strikes. The problem seems to be that pitch’s supporting cast. Today he couldn’t land his slider, which wound up fat and juicy on the plate for hard contact; the changeup didn’t tempt swings, and the cutter location was inconsistent. There’s something there; it’s just not there yet.
Troy Taylor had the fourth and got two quick outs on his sweeper, leading me to mentally retitle this recap “the Troy Taylor Game” before he surrendered a solo home run to Andujar, who dropped the barrel on a sweeper to make it 18-2, but he rebounded to strike out Francisco Acuna looking (thanks to a savvy ABS challenge by Mitch Garver). Troy Taylor game back on!
Then it was trading solo home runs. The Mariners got two, from Patrick Wisdom and Rob Refsnyder. The Padres got two off Casey Lawrence, who gets today’s Sun Visor award for cleaning up this stinker.
But wait. There were still several more innings to play, and another three-run home run for Blas Castaño to give up. And then another two-run home run for Nick Davila to give up.
In the eighth, Jared Sundstrom – who is nicknamed “Sunny” which is one of the better baseball nicknames, especially for the blond-haired golden-skinned Sundstrom – realized that he could also, like Captain Planet, use the power of the wind for his own ends and blasted his first home run of the spring off Tristan McKenzie, who apparently is doing mop-up work in spring training games these days. Rough. Sundstrom’s calling card is his light tower power, so it was fun to see that in action.
The Padres were able to add one more run in the ninth off Reid Van Scoter just so no Mariners pitcher would post a clean line today. But Carson Taylor got that run right back on a solo shot of his own (maybe his pal Sunny clued him in about the wind trick), keeping the deficit at a solid three touchdowns’ worth of runs. The Mariners will try again to secure that elusive fourth win of the spring tomorrow in Surprise against Texas, and surprise, Kade Anderson gets the start, so don’t let today’s stinker preclude you from tuning in to that one (although sadly it is radio only).
Other bits and bobs:
-Brendan Donovan worked a walk in the first inning. His OBP this spring is currently a nice round .500.
-With Donovan on first, Luke Raley hit a hard groundball (103 mph EV) that the shortstop couldn’t handle, bobbling it before tossing it to second, and Donovan probably should have been called safe. In penance, Raley went on to steal second. Healthy Luke Raley is fun.
-Rob Refsnyder hit a solo shot off lefty JP Sears, earning that lefty-killer moniker.
-In the eighth inning Freddy from Mariners PR bought churros from the churros man and I didn’t get one. OSHA violation! Hostile workplace!
-Brock Rodden showed off a very strong arm at third base, making a surehanded play right at the line followed by a strong toss across the diamond. Good third base defense is my love language. (You will see, if you look at the box score, Rodden was given an error on a throw later. This, in my opinion, was not a fair error assignation, and it was also not considered an error by the first baseman Carson Taylor who immediately threw his glove over his mouth and shouted something unrepeatable when he didn’t field the ball cleanly.)
Mar 5, 2026; Goodyear, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) looks on against the Cincinnati Reds during the second inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Process, process, process—the results of a spring training game matter most when they validate certain processes and reinforce an idea. The Dodgers scored a boatload of runs in a 14- 13 walk-off loss against the Reds; one of their expected regulars, Max Muncy, went yard, but what mattered more than anything else was the validation of Santiago Espinal’s case to make the Opening Day roster as a utility bat off the bench.
Espinal, who entered the game scorching hot this spring, having gone 8 for 14 in his first six games with a couple of extra-base hits, went yard twice, responsible for half a dozen RBI. Adding further praise to Espinal’s performance, those two home runs came against Emilio Pagán and Tony Santillan, two of the more experienced arms in the Reds bullpen.
Once upon a time, an All-Star when he played for the Blue Jays in 2022, Espinal is coming off two horrendous campaigns with the Cincinnati Reds, and perhaps a change of scenery is exactly what his career needed.
Even before the game, Dave Roberts wasn’t shy about singing the praises of Espinal’s impact on and off the field.
Dave Roberts said today of Santiago Espinal: “It’d be hard to imagine him not being on the team.”
Espinal is 8-for-14 this spring, playing multiple positions defensively, and fitting in "seamlessly" in the clubhouse, Roberts added
Equally important as his production with the bat, Espinal, who played first base in this particular affair against the Reds, earns praise for his flexibility, having experience covering second, short, third, and corner outfield. It’s worth pointing out that there is a larger need at the start of the season for this role Espinal is likely to fill, given the fact that Kiké Hernández will begin the year on the injured list. Hernández is currently recovering from elbow surgery.
On the mound, it was not a pleasant time for the veteran Cole Irvin, on the hook for six of the runs the Dodgers allowed by giving up a trio of home runs, one of them at 114.5 MPH exit velocity to the very impressive Elly De La Cruz. The Dodgers led by three in the ninth when Jordan Weems came in to close the game, but Cincinnati ambushed him for four runs, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Next on the docket, the Dodgers will play an evening game against the Royals on Friday, sending out youngster Jackson Ferris to make his third spring start. Ferris has yet to allow a run in 2.2 innings of work.
As the Yankees continue camp this spring, here are the latest moves as New York cuts their roster to 26 active players ahead of Opening Day...
March 6, 2:37 p.m.
The Yankees have reassigned RHP Adam Kloffenstein to minor league camp.
The 25-year-old right-hander did not appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring. Kloffenstein has three major league appearances under his belt with the Blue Jays and Cardinals. He allowed two runs on five hits and two walks across 5.0 innings pitched in the bigs.
March 5, 6:30 p.m.
The Yankees announced their second wave of cuts and it includes RHP Chase Hampton.
Hampton, the team's No. 8 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, is coming off Tommy John surgery he had in February 2025. Hampton had not appeared in a Grapefruit League game this spring as he continues his recovery from elbow surgery.
In addition, the Yankees reassigned RHP Travis MacGregor and RHP Drake Fellows to minor league camp.
Of the two, only Fellows appeared in an actual game. He threw 27 pitches, and allowed a hit and two walks in his one inning of work this spring.
Feb. 17, 4:10 p.m.
The Yankees announced they have reassigned RHP Alexander Cornielle and catcher Abrahan Gutierrez to minor league camp. This comes a day after the Yankees outrighted OF Yanquiel Fernandez off the major league roster and onto the Triple-A roster.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto participates in Team Japan's practice session in Tokyo on Wednesday. (Hiro Komae / Associated Press)
Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto was slated to start Team Japan’s first game in the World Baseball Classic early Friday morning Pacific Time in Tokyo against Chinese Taipei, with the expectation that he would pitch three innings.
While the right-hander is away from Camelback Ranch, other pitchers vying for a spot in the Dodgers' starting rotation will be under the microscope — especially with health concerns yet again coming into play.
The Dodgers are no strangers to navigating pitching injuries over the course of a long season. Last year, Yamamoto was the only Dodgers starter to not miss a turn, making 30 starts before making five more during the postseason. But other than the now-retired Clayton Kershaw, who made 22 starts last year, no other Dodger hurler started more than 18 games.
Yamamoto, right-hander Shohei Ohtani and right-hander Tyler Glasnow are locks for the rotation. But with left-hander Blake Snell likely to open the season on injured list as he nurses a shoulder injury, and right-hander Gavin Stone forced to pause any throwing activities as he attempts a comeback from major shoulder surgery, where do other potential starters stand at this stage of spring training?
Hard-throwing right-hander Roki Sasaki, looking to make a return to starting after a successful run as a relief pitcher in last year's postseason, has allowed seven runs combined in two Cactus League starts while giving up a good deal of hard contact. While Sasaki is trying to work through things in live action, including honing a third pitch for his arsenal, there is also the practical matter of making sure Sasaki is built up to start games once the regular season gets underway.
Which is why Roberts said Thursday the team plans to have Sasaki pitch a simulated game on their backfields at Camelback Ranch in addition to making his next start in order to help with his buildup.
“We need to get him to build up,” Roberts said.
Sasaki said Tuesday after his last start — in which he gave up four runs without retiring a batter in the first inning before getting re-inserted to pitch two scoreless frames — that he felt that he was having mechanical issues. Roberts, however, disagreed.
“This last start, I don’t think it was a mechanical thing,” Roberts said. “He just wasn’t making pitches early and we have to get him to four innings. ... We gotta build up, all the while being good, too, right? We had to take him out of the game the other day, and so when you’re getting down the road, you can’t afford to not have him build up.”
Another rotation option is 26-year-old Emmet Sheehan, who made 12 starts and logged a 2.82 ERA for the Dodgers after returning from Tommy John surgery midway through the season.
After falling behind early in camp due to an illness, Sheehan made his first appearance in the Cactus League Wednesday against Team Mexico. Sheehan recorded four outs, allowing one run off three hits and two walks.
“I felt good,” Sheehan said. “[My] body felt great, delivery felt good. I just think execution was obviously a little bit off, so go back to work this week, and try to figure it out. I was just doing stuff that I don’t usually do today. [I’ll] probably focus a little more on slider execution, fastball execution next week, and get back to that.”
Two other options for the Dodgers include right-hander River Ryan, attempting to come back from his own Tommy John surgery, and left-hander Justin Wrobleski, who became a reliable option out of the bullpen during the postseason last year after serving as a spot starter and middle reliever during the regular season.
Ryan also appeared in Wednesday's game, tossing two scoreless innings and registering a 0.00 ERA in two appearances. Wrobleski has also not allowed a run over three innings of work in two Cactus League appearances, including one start.
Kyle Tucker will return to Dodgers Friday
Kyle Tucker is expected to return to the team Friday after his wife, Samantha, gave birth to a boy.
“Kyle Tucker will be back tomorrow morning,” Roberts said. “He’s a daddy, so they have a healthy baby boy and so that’s been great to hear. I chatted with him briefly yesterday, so he’ll be back tomorrow morning to then hopefully be in the lineup Saturday or Sunday, so that’s great.”
GOODYEAR, Ariz. –– The Dodgers’ Opening Day roster became a little clearer Thursday, with manager Dave Roberts all but assuring former All-Star and current minor-league signing Santiago Espinal of making the cut when camp breaks later this month.
“(He has fit in) seamlessly,” Roberts said. “It’d be hard to imagine him not being on the team.”
Espinal won’t have a big role, likely to be a utility option occupying the final spot on the bench.
Former All-Star Santiago Espinal likely will break camp with the Dodgers. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Still, his emergence this spring has been a pleasant surprise, giving the Dodgers a Kiké Hernández-esque player capable of playing multiple positions defensively while Hernández recovers from offseason elbow surgery.
An All-Star with the Blue Jays in 2022, Espinal had regressed into one of the least productive regulars in the majors over the last couple seasons, culminating in a career-worst 2025 campaign with the Reds in which he hit .243 with a woeful 57 OPS+.
However, he has swung a hot bat this spring, improving to 12 for 19 after a two-homer, six-RBI display in Thursday’s 14-13 loss to the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark.
“That would be amazing,” Espinal, 31, said of potentially making the Opening Day roster, in what would be his seventh MLB season. “I just gotta let my work talk for me. So far, that’s what I’m doing.”
Here are four other takeaways from Dodgers camp Thursday:
Muncy returns: After missing the last several days out sick, Max Muncy returned to the Dodgers’ lineup with a bang, hitting a home run an at-bat before Espinal’s first blast in the Dodgers’ four-run third inning. Thursday marked only Muncy’s fourth appearance in Cactus League play. His home run was his first extra-base hit.
Irvin gets crushed: Minor-league signing Cole Irvin has an outside shot of being on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster, as either a multi-inning swingman or spot starter. But the left-handed pitcher didn’t help his case in Thursday’s start, yielding three two-run homers in his three innings.
Caught my eye: Like Espinal, Alex Call is expected to be a role player this year, likely as the fourth outfielder on the roster. But the Dodgers still value his at-bat quality –– which he put on display Thursday by going 2 for 2 with two walks and an RBI double.
Up next: The Dodgers play their first night game of the spring Friday, hosting the Royals at 5:05 p.m. PT at Camelback Ranch.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers poses for a portrait during photo day at American Family Fields of Phoenix on February 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Garrett Mitchell has all the talent in the world to be a star in this league. Injuries have plagued him to this point, but he’s healthy and showing what he’s capable of. Mitchell got this game started with a bang, a 462 foot home run off Michael Lorenzen that came off the bat at 111.5 MPH.
That was then followed by a Luis Rengifo single to score Jake Bauers and the Brewers were quickly up 2-0 on the Rockies. But Colorado was able to answer back against Robert Gasser after Tyler Freeman ripped an RBI double. Then with runners on the corners, a pickoff at first was able to get Mickey Moniak in a rundown, but he stayed in long enough for the runner from 3rd to score.
But the Brewers kept putting up runs against Lorenzen. Sal Frelick had the bases loaded in the 2nd inning after three straight free passes and had an RBI groundout to take back the lead. Then in the 3rd, Brock Wilken, getting the start at first base today, ripped an RBI single to the left side.
The Rockies answered back, after Eddys Leonard lost a pop up in the Arizona sun that could’ve ended the 3rd inning and allowed a double, Gasser walked the next batter and that was it for him. Craig Yoho came in and gave up a single, which scored a run that was charged to Gasser. Gasser finished with 2.2 IP and 3 ER with 3 BBs and 2 Ks.
Yoho was back out for the 4th inning and allowed two more runs, though just one was earned after a pair of throwing errors charged to Jeferson Quero.
Then in the 5th inning, the Brewers offense exploded. Wilken and Quero had back-to-back singles, then Cooper Pratt walked, loading the bases for Garrett Mitchell. Mitchell ripped a double to the opposite field to bring home all three runners and re-take the lead at 7-5. Mitchell went 2-for-3 with a double, homer, a walk, and four RBIs.
After that, Sal Frelick singled to score Mitchell and Jake Bauers homered to put the Brewers up 10-5 and give them a six-spot in the 5th inning.
Sammy Peralta and Jacob Waguespack both had scoreless innings. Coleman Crow pitched the final three innings and gave up a pair of runs but continued to spin some 3,000 RPM curveballs and cutters.
The Brewers will be back in Cactus League action tomorrow against the Arizona Diamondbacks at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Chad Patrick is the scheduled starter for the Crew while Mitch Bratt starts for the D-Backs.
FORT MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox poses for this portrait during Major League Baseball spring training on February 20, 2011 at Jet Blue Park in Fort Myers, Florida.Pedoria played for the Red Sox from 2006-2019. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Between 1986 and 2006 15 different Red Sox players made at least 50 appearances at second base in one season: Marty Barrett, Jody Reed, Scott Fletcher, Luis Alicea, Jeff Frye, John Valentin, Donnie Sadler, Mike Benjamin,José Offerman, Lou Merloni, Rey Sánchez, Todd Walker, Mark Bellhorn, Tony Graffanino, and Mark Loretta. Barrett would also cross the threshold in 1984 and 1985 as the primary second baseman, giving us 22 years for the sample. Like “generations” of birth (Boomer, X, Millennial etc.) there is a little fuzziness here on the 20 years but, suffice it to say, Barrett pulled of this feat 5 times, Reed 4, Frye and Offerman 3, Fletcher and Bellhorn 2 times apiece, and all the rest only crossed 50 games played once.
The last man to do it in this sample was Mark Loretta. Loretta, acquired from the San Diego Padres for backup catcher and knuckleball specialist Doug Mirabelli, played 138 games at second and made the All-Star Game. A pending free agent, Loretta was a veteran placeholder to buy one more year of development for the future. The year was 2006. The future was a guy drafted in 2004 named Dustin Pedroia.
Boston was off on the actual day of the draft, June 7th, 2004, but on the 6th, the starting lineup included the very memorable starting second baseman César Crespo while Pokey Reese played shortstop.
Dustin Pedroia would make his major league debut on August 23, 2006 and play in 31 games – 27 as a second baseman and 6 more as the shortstop. He would then play for eleven seasons as the primary second baseman. In 2018 and 2019, Pedroia was definitely supposed to man the second base position, but due to injuries sustained through an unfortunate collision, he played in only a handful of games either year. Which means we need to take another look at the position after 2017.
Here are the players who recorded 50 or more games at second base over the last eight years: Brock Holt, Eduardo Núñez, Christian Arroyo, Trevor Story, Enmanuel Valdéz, Kristian Campbell, and David Hamilton. Holt and Arroyo pulled it off two times each, the others just once. All the other seasons since 2007 only Pedroia qualifies for the list.
It’s sort of telling that Holt and Núñez split 2018 and Campbell and Hamilton split 2025, whereas 2019-2024 was just a revolving door.
But 20 years after Dustin Pedroia emerged, and almost a decade since his keystone reign came to an end, there’s a new contender: Marcelo Mayer.
You may have seen his slick defense this week:
While it’s still possible, maybe likely, Mayer starts the season in Triple-A he’s an exciting player who can possibly bring some of what Pedroia did to second base this year: stability. That’s not to say that Mayer will be the player that Laser Show was. That’s for the future to reveal. But his time at third base covering for Alex Bregman last year was stabilizing.
Of course we don’t know for sure where he’ll play this year. He is a natural shortstop. He’ll probably the second baseman but, again, Alex Cora might like him at third. Or maybe he man both spots in some kind of defensive platoon. That are a lot of moving parts so who knows. But he’s mostly been starting at second base since beginning his Spring Training games.
Pedroia was the type of player who comes once in a generation. We already have a taste of that type of player in Roman Anthony. But Marcelo Mayer could still be the second base solution for four or five years (or more! But we’re starting small). The Red Sox haven’t had that guy in the post-Pedroia era. Penciling in a surefire starter, whether as the manger or a fan imagining the lineups, is a nice feeling. Let’s root for the kid to start that clock in 2026.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: A general view of Sloan Park during a Spring Training game between the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox at Sloan Park on February 20, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Record 7-5. Change on 2025: +1.5. 5-inning record: 3-8-1.
Well, that five-game winning streak sure was nice while it lasted. It ended in no uncertain fashion this afternoon at Sloan Park, both sides of the game leaving room for improvement. The D-backs found themselves held to fewer than three runs for the first time this spring, managing only six hits and three walks. Their sole run came courtesy of Pavin Smith’s second home-run of spring, which got them on the board in the fourth inning. Cristofer Torin – and I am really going to have to work on my spelling of his first name – got two hits. Brady Counsell, son of Cubs manager Craig, walked to lead off the eighth inning for Arizona. So that’s nice.
On the mound, Ryne Nelson fell behind before recording an out, starting the game off by allowing a double and then a triple. The latter then scored on a groundout, but he then steadied the ship. Nelson went 2.2 innings, allowing those two runs on three hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. Unfortunately, the next three pitchers Arizona used also got tagged, and they included Kevin Ginkel (a run on two hits with one K) and Ryan Thompson (two runs on two hits, also with one K). Nobody worked a clean inning for the D-backs this afternoon. Shawn Dubin, with a walk but also two strikeouts, probably came the closest.
Not a good day for ABS and Gabriel Montero. He cost the team both their challenges – the first behind the plate, the second at it. Home-plate umpire Trevor Dannegger had a good afternoon, being proven correct all four times his calls were challenged. Tomorrow is the first split-squad game of the spring, with half the team (including Daniel Eagan) hosting the White Sox at Salt River Fields, while the other half, led by Mitch Bratt, go to Maryvale and take on the Brewers there.
