Nov 15, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) runs the ball as Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) attempts the sack during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Happy Monday one and all.
The Arizona Cardinals will be on the clock in just over three weeks, and they need to help.
We discussed that with your own thoughts this morning:
104. Arizona Cardinals: Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State
143. Arizona Cardinals: Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest
183. Arizona Cardinals: Toriano Pride Jr., CB, Missouri
217. Arizona Cardinals: Jager Burton, G, Kentucky
The first three rounds is what I really want to focus on, because it seems to be a weirdly precise look at the Cardinals potentially.
Mauigoa going at three overall seems to be the consensus favorite among fans and the media, which is interesting because we don’t see that line up very often.
Then there is Young. Young came in at 6-6 and 262lbs at the 2026 NFL Combine, and improved each of his four years in college football. He finished his career at Mizzou with 6.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. Before that in three seasons between Michigan State and Mizzou he had a total five sacks and 12 tackles for loss in his career.
We know what Beck is. He is a good college quarterback who needs to get back to having the zip on the ball he had before his UCL surgery. If he gets there, he could be a potential starter, but he has the makeup to be a longtime NFL backup.
It’s been a surprisingly busy Monday for the Milwaukee Brewer organization. After the team announced a trade for outfielder Luis Matos earlier this afternoon, it has also been reported that infield prospect Cooper Pratt has agreed to a big eight-year, $51 million contract with a pair of club options.
In other news, the Brewers’ new City Connect jerseys are rumored to have been leaked on Twitter/X over the weekend. More on that below.
Pratt Extension
Pratt, just 21, was a sixth-round pick out of high school in 2023, as the Brewers signed him for second-round money to lure him away from an Ole Miss commitment. A defense-first infielder, Pratt is ranked as Milwaukee’s No. 4 prospect and MLB’s No. 62 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.
Source confirms: Infield prospect Cooper Pratt finalizing eight-year, $51M contract with Brewers. Deal includes two club options with escalators on option years. Has played only three games above AA. Brewers’ No. 6 prospect per The Athletic’s Keith Law. First: @BNightengale
His scouting grades are headlined by a 60-arm rating and a 60-field rating on the 20-80 scale. He also has average speed and hit tools (both at 50) and a slightly below-average power rating at 45. With Double-A Biloxi in the notoriously difficult Southern League last season, Pratt hit .238/.343/.348 with eight homers, 22 doubles 62 RBIs, 71 runs, and 31 steals over 120 games. He also walked nearly as many times as he struck out (67 and 80, respectively).
A Minor League Gold Glove winner in 2024, Pratt continues to improve on both sides of the ball and is now locked up as a key part of Milwaukee’s future. He’s currently at Triple-A Nashville, but with the extension, it seems more likely than not that he’ll be in the majors before we know it.
City Connect Jerseys
In an article written by JR Radcliffe of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel earlier on Monday afternoon, Radcliffe speculated that the Brewers new City Connect jerseys may have been leaked on Sunday. “A Brewers spokesman declined to comment when asked if the jersey posted to X by user Steve Freed is indeed the jersey that has yet to be officially unveiled for 2026,” per Radcliffe.
An apparent leak of the Brewers new City Connect jersey
The Brewers, who released their first City Connect jerseys back in the summer of 2022, were retired after the 2025 season, with the promise of a new design in 2026. The old jerseys, which were powder blue with “Brew Crew” across the chest, were retired at the same time Milwaukee brought aboard a new powder blue option, which was announced during the offseason.
The potential new uniforms feature “Wisco” across the chest and “Forward,” Wisconsin’s state motto, sewn into the collar. The color looks to be similar to the Bucks’ “Great Lakes Blue” used in alternate jerseys in recent seasons, though this design also seems to include orange, which (in my opinion) makes it look like a Mets jersey. Bleh.
The Brewers haven’t said when they’ll officially unveil the new design, but it isn’t the first City Connect design to reportedly be leaked, following recent leaks of the Royals, Rangers, Pirates, Padres, and Orioles new designs. If these jerseys are indeed the new City Connects, I have a feeling Brewer fans won’t be very happy.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 6: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers walks to the dugout prior to a Spring Training game against the Seattle Mariners at Surprise Stadium on March 6, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for March 30, 2026 against the Baltimore Orioles: starting pitchers are Jack Leiter for the Rangers and Chris Bassitt for the O’s.
Texas heads to Baltimore for three after their series win in Philadelphia. After extensive bullpen usage on Saturday and Sunday, the Rangers will be wanting Jack Leiter to try to work fairly deep today.
The lineup:
Nimmo — RF
Langford — LF
Seager — SS
Burger — 1B
Pederson — DH
Smith —2 B
Jung — 3B
Carter — CF
Higashioka — C
5:35 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +105 underdogs.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 24: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on March 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You may recall some of the highlights (and lone true lowlight) of Chase Burns’ rookie campaign in 2025.
He began his year in late June by striking out just about every single New York Yankee that came to the plate against him only to get lit up by a Boston Red Sox club in his second start (once they realized he was tipping his pitches).
That wrinkle was immediately ironed out, and over his final 11 games of the season he thre 38.0 IP of 3.32 ERA ball (with a microscopic 2.16 FIP) buttressed by an absurd 59/14 K/BB. All that came as he juggled a sore forearm and almost a month off, and it came in a hybrid role that featured multiple innings most times out but not as a fully stretched-out starter.
The former #2 overall draft pick is set for his 2026 debut on Monday evening in Great American Ball Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates as the 2-1 Cincinnati Reds play host to their longtime NL Central rivals for the first time this season. Burns, with all the talent in the world, is still a bit of a mystery, as he de-loaded towards the end of spring camp after not responding as well to his ramp-up as he and the Reds had hoped.
In other words, he enters this first start of the season completely healthy, but without the expectation that he’ll throw 100 pitches and try to get through 7 frames. How, exactly, the Reds use him remains to be seen, especially since the rest of the rotation is already dealing with the elbow surgery on Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo’s IL stint due to blisters.
What we do know is that when he’s on the mound, he’s going to be chucking 100+ mph heaters and his knee-buckling slider, a combo that already has him among the most feared arms in the sport.
The Reds will roll out a lineup featuring most of the usuals up top, though Will Benson will get another start in RF in this one as Pittsburgh sends RHP Braxton Ashcraft to the mound.
Good news: The Cincinnati Reds play baseball tonight, tomorrow night, the day after and many more days to come.
Kevin McGonigle during spring training. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Tigers Pitching & Diamondbacks offense.
Rotation: In February, Matt Snyder ranked the Tiger rotation as the third best in the Majors. Its’ best two pitchers are Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez.
Bullpen: “The bullpen has more experience to handle high-leverage situations now, with Finnegan brought back and Jansen brought aboard to aid Vest, Holton and Co.” — Anthony Castrovince, March 2026
Overall, the Tigers pitching staff was ranked as the fifth best in the Majors by MLB.com. Because the Diamondbacks batters will be challenged by great pitching, this series will be an early look at the Diamondbacks offense. The question of interest is whether the offense is as good as last season, when they scored 5.074 runs per game at Chase Field, where this series is being played.
In this series, will the Diamondbacks score 15 runs or more against one of the best pitching staffs in the Majors? If so, the Diamondbacks offense may be better than last season.
The Diamondbacks infielders (Arenado, Perdomo, Marte, and Santana) are excellent defenders. The question of interest is how good are they? The ratio of infield hits to outfield hits will provide an early indication. Last season, 12.7% of Diamondbacks hits involved batted balls to infield locations (League average was 12.4%).
In this series, will the Diamondbacks hold the Tigers to infield hits less than 12.7% of hits? If so, the Diamondbacks infield defenders are as excellent as expected.
Tigers player to Watch.
Kevin McGonigle (shortstop) is the Tigers number one prospect. At 21.6 years old, he was this season’s youngest player to be an opening day starter per Baseball Reference.
Once McGonigle lined a two-out single in the ninth off Wandy Peralta, he joined Billy Bean (April 25, 1987) as the only players in Tigers history with four hits in their MLB debut. — Jason Beck
He was drafted in the first round of the 2023 draft. How well is he defending at the challenging short stop position? Will he continue his excellent batting? Will he net the Tigers an extra draft selection?
Home Opener Series: What to look for each day.
Monday, 7:10 PM MST. Home opener for the Diamondbacks. One perspective is that the season starts with this series.
Michael Soroka. Last season, opponents did not score any runs in his last 6.2 innings pitched. Can he extend his streak?
Justin Verlander. In the last two seasons, he pitched against the Diamondbacks three times. His results mixed: zero earned runs in seven innings, 2 earned runs in six innings, and 8 earned runs in three innings. Three Diamondbacks have great results against Verlander (minimum 10 ABs). They follow:
Carlos Santana, .913 OPS, 9 homers, 100 PAs.
Nolan Arenado, .938 OPS, 1 homer, 16 PAs.
Corbin Carroll, 1.001 OPS, 2 homers, 15 PAs.
“We’ll see how many punches the 43-year-old Verlander has left in him and if his return to Motown can be a true feel-good story. (His second half with the Giants last year indicates it can).” — Anthony Castrovince, March 2026
This matchup of starting pitchers is like David vs Goliath, and I’m cheering for David.
Tuesday, 6:40 PM MST.
Brandon Pfaadt. In the Snakepit article, one of my wagers was that Pfaadt will total more than 10 wins this season. Will this be his first win? I’m feeling somewhat confident.
Casey Mize. In his career, he pitched 1.2 innings against the Diamondbacks. The only Diamondback with more than 10 PAs against Mize is Carlos Santana, who has an OPS of .363 in 29 PAs.
“And while Flaherty and Mize were inconsistent in 2025, they have the pedigree to be something more than just back-end filler.” — Anthony Castrovince, March 2026
This matchup of starting pitchers is slight advantage Diamondbacks.
Wednesday, 12:40 PM MST.
Zac Gallen. In the season opener, he held the Dodgers scoreless for four innings. That’s big. So what that the Dodgers scored in the fifth inning. My expectation is that Zac Gallen will keep this game close.
“Typical Zac fashion, he was controlling counts, had some quick, easy innings. It looked like he was going to be able to get through five, maybe pitch into that sixth inning.” — Torey Lovullo
TBA, likely Tarik Skubal. In the season opening game against the Padres, he allowed zero earned runs in 6 innings pitched.
“Two-time defending AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal moves the needle in a big way here, obviously. Though he has hot competition from at least two pitchers, he’s still my pick for the best pitcher in the world.” — Matt Snyder, February 2026
“I don’t want to ever not be a power pitcher.” — Tarik Skubal
This matchup of starting opening-day pitchers in advantage Tigers.
For the second straight year, the New York Yankees are opening their season up with a convincing sweep. This time around, the pitching staff led the way as they delivered two shutouts followed by a one-run performance in the finale on Saturday, though the offense more than arrived as well with a seven-run outpouring to start the season before putting up three runs in each of the next two games with an Aaron Judge homer in both of them.
Now we’ll have full weeks of Yankees baseball to look forward to for the next six months at least, and there’s already so much to look into. That dominant opening from the pitching staff was led by a strong one-two punch from Max Fried and Cam Schlittler, the latter of whom truly dazzled despite still needing to ramp up his pitch count and could only throw into the sixth inning. Do the Yankees have a true phenom in the rotation to join their big-dollar aces? Is Fried cruising out of the gate despite not having sharp command a sign that he’ll be right back in Cy Young discussions? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.
Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of April 2nd will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 02: Dylan Smith #58 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning of game one of a split doubleheader at Nationals Park on July 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The bullpen was the lone bright spot for the San Francisco Giants in what was otherwise a miserable opening series sweep against the New York Yankees. But that didn’t keep the team from seeking an upgrade, just a few days into the season.
On Monday afternoon, ahead of their second series of the year (against the San Diego Padres), the Giants announced a trio of moves: they acquired right-handed pitcher Dylan Smith from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for cash, designated for assignment infielder Tyler Fitzgerald, and traded outfielder Luis Matos to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations.
The Giants are sending Smith, who has two option years remaining, to AAA Sacramento, where he’ll join Spencer Bivens, Tristan Beck, Carson Seymour, Blade Tidwell, and Trevor McDonald in a large group of rostered right-handers in the Minors (a group that also includes Gregory Santos and Michael Fulmer, if you count non-rostered players). Smith, who turns 26 in May, was a third-round pick in the 2021 draft, and signed for a few hundred thousand over slot, with a bonus in line with a late second-round selection. After so-so results with as a starter, the Tigers moved Smith to the bullpen last year, and the results were splendid. In AA, he posted a 1.80 ERA and a 1.64 FIP, with 27 strikeouts in 20 innings; in AAA, he had a 3.65 ERA and a 2.69 FIP, with 22 strikeouts in just 12.1 innings.
That earned Smith a Major League debut where, interestingly, the strikeout stuff did not play at all. While he had a delightful 1.38 ERA in seven big league appearances, his FIP with 4.37 and he had just four strikeouts in 13 innings.
Smith is primarily a two-pitch arm, as he relies heavily on his four-seamer and his sweeper, with the former averaging 94 mph in AAA last year. He also has a split-finger fastball, a curveball, and a sinker that he’ll use. He had some of the best chase and swing-and-miss metrics in AAA a year ago, but very poor batted ball data; interestingly, in his short MLB stint, the opposite was true.
To make room for Smith on 40-man roster, the Giants had to DFA Fitzgerald, their Opening Day second baseman last season. Fitzgerald, a fourth-round pick in 2019, captured Giants’ fans hearts with a stunning display of baseball brilliance in 2024. Through a five-week stretch spanning July and August, the righty hit 36-103, with a stunning 13 home runs in 26 games. But he fell hard after that: he hit just one home run over the remaining 36 games he played that season, and hit .217/.278/.327 in the Majors last year, which cost him his starting job and, eventually, his spot on the active roster. He also struggled in AAA last year, with just a .700 OPS and an 84 wRC+.
Given Fitzgerald’s speed (97th percentile in the Majors last year) and positional versatility (he’s competent at every position except catcher and pitcher), the Giants were surely hoping he could rebound this year. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen: he hit just 7-37 with 14 strikeouts in Spring Training, and went 0-12 with five strikeouts in the opening series for Sacramento. Given that the Giants have everyday players across the diamond, and two backup infielders already on the active roster (plus three rostered outfielders in AAA), there wasn’t an easy path for Fitzgerald to be able to utilize his depth. Given that he still has an option year remaining, he’ll almost certainly be claimed off of waivers.
And speaking of being claimed off of waivers, the Brewers clearly liked something that they saw from Matos, as they paid a fee to jump the line and acquire his services. Matos was designated for assignment before Opening Day, and the Giants knew the most likely scenario was that they lost him to the waiver wire. Since he’s out of options, the Brewers will have to carry him on their active roster, or try to sneak him through the waiver wire as well, which seems very unlikely.
Matos will be reunited with Kyle Harrison, where the pair will hope to materialize their once sky-high prospect status. There may be no better place to do that than in Milwaukee, where the Brewers have quite a reputation for developing young talent.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves is introduced before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics will be starting Jacob Lopez in the series opener in Cobb County against our Atlanta Braves. Lopez is a left-handed starter. As such, Walt Weiss has decided to break out the left-hand counter lineup and as such, Ozzie Albies is batting right-handed and hitting third in this particular lineup once again.
If the lineup looks really familiar, that’s because this is the exact same lineup that the Braves rolled out there on Opening Night. That was a 6-0 win for the Braves so maybe that’ll be a good sign for what’s coming tonight. For now, here’s hoping that Ozzie Albies continues to make the manager look good for placing him that high in the lineup against left-handers.
As I mentioned in the preview, the Blue Jays absolutely had their way with this lineup (except for old friend Shea Langeliers) so they may be looking for a bit of a breakout tonight against Bryce Elder and the Braves pitching staff.
What do y’all think about this lineup from the Braves?
Dylan Garand, Adam Edström, Adam Sýkora, Matthew Robertson, and many of the New York Rangers’ young players of the past and present all have something in common.
They’ve all been mentored by Jonny Brodzinski at the American Hockey League level with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The AHL is a developmental league, as a significant amount of attention and coverage within the league centers around young players.
However, what is often overlooked is the importance of veteran players who compete in the AHL and hold prominent leadership roles.
Since signing with the Rangers in October of 2020, Brodzinski has been a valuable piece for the organization, but a lot of his contributions haven’t even come in the NHL.
From 2020 to 2024, Brodzinski played 113 games for the Wolf Pack, while also serving as the team’s captain for much of that time.
Brodzinski is a player who’s always had to fight for a roster spot and work hard to earn his opportunities. Those experiences helped him relate more to younger players in similar situations, trying to work their way up to the NHL.
“I think being in those situations a lot, it kind of helps me lead those guys a little bit better,” Brodzinski said. “Being a bubble guy pretty much my whole career, being the last guy cut out of camp three or four times, I think it can teach you a lot of things. What it takes to stay here, not only make it here, but then stay here, I think is the hardest part. Anybody can get up and play one or two games in the NHL, but it's a lot harder to stick and stay and really earn the trust of the coaching staff. Just trying to tell them (younger players) things that can help them stick.”
The 32-year-old forward has spent the vast majority of his professional hockey career playing at the AHL level.
Through his time with the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings’ AHL affiliate, and the San Jose Barracuda, the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate, Brodzinski transitioned from a young, wide-eyed kid into a bona fide leader, which he did by looking up to veterans in his shoes and learning from them.
“It kind of just evolved over time,” Brodzinski said of his leadership qualities. “When I was younger, I looked up to the leaders that were on the team, and kind of adapted my leadership style. Through that, I had a few guys that kind of led in a similar style that I do, where it's a little bit by example, but some of my best friends are the younger guys. It’s just about trying to empathise with everybody, being able to be good friends with everybody, I think is a huge asset…
“Being down in Hartford, being with Ontario, and just kind of grinding it out there, and really trying to figure out my game personally. Once I did figure that out, it’s a little bit easier to help these younger guys get up through that American Hockey League bubble area, and kind of push through to this spot.”
In 48 games with the Rangers this season, the Minnesota native has recorded six goals, seven assists, and 13 points, while averaging 11:01 minutes.
The impact that Brodzinski brings to the table goes far beyond his individual statistics.
While not a regular mainstay in the Rangers’ lineup, Brodzinski has been up in the NHL for the past two seasons, with his presence carrying weight within the locker room.
Brodzinski’s team-first mentality to be flexible regarding his specific role, on top of the way he’s taken it upon himself to mentor the team’s young talent, certainly does not go unnoticed amongst the Rangers’ coaches and teammates.
“He’s a great pro,” Mike Sullivan said of Brodzinski. “He’s in and out of the lineup. He knows what his role is, he embraces it. He works hard when he's not in the lineup. He keeps himself ready when he gets in the lineup. He tries to make an impact and help us win. Sometimes we use them on the wing, sometimes we use him in the middle. We move him all around the lineup. I think he's a positive influence on the young players when they come up. He’s got a great attitude, and he embraces his role most importantly.”
Recently, the Rangers recalled Garand and Sýkora from the AHL, and the two have run with their NHL opportunity, taking full advantage of what could be an audition for the 2026-27 campaign.
Seeing them thrive with the Rangers brings joy to Brodzinski, who grew a strong bond with both of them in Hartford and empathizes with their journey to have gotten themselves to where they are now.
“It’s great,” Brodzinski said of watching Garand and Sýkora play in the NHL. “I’ve been playing with them for a little while. I think it's the work ethic, more than anything, is what you see all the time. Before practice, after practice, they put so much into becoming the best hockey player that they can be. It’s really, really good to see it finally be rewarded. I think it’s just great.”
On Jan. 16, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury issued a letter, outlining the team’s plan to “retool” the roster, with an emphasis of getting younger.
Since the letter was released, we’ve seen more young players called up and given increased responsibility on a game-by-game basis.
Similar to his days playing in the AHL, Brodzinski is focused on trying to help the team’s youth thrive and develop into players who could stick around with the Blueshirts for years to come.
“It's awesome to see these guys here. It's awesome to see him succeed,” Brodzinski said. “It’s the best part about hockey, watching the next generation of Rangers’ break through and really have fun with it. I think they're bringing a lot of enthusiasm and energy, all the right things we need right now.”
The Cubs wrapped up their first series against the Nationals at home over the weekend. It didn’t go as planned with the North iders dropping two of three games after both Matthew Boyd and Shōta Imanaga had some trouble with the long ball. But the big news last week wasn’t the opening series, it came in terms of contract extensions, with Jed Hoyer and company wrapping up one big deal on the eve of Opening Day extending centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong through the 2032 season and completing another with second baseman Nico Hoerner at the end of the week. Today, let’s take a closer look at the numbers behind PCA’s deal. You can see the basic structure of the deal by year per Jon Heyman below:
The deal does not include a team option which ESPN’s Senior MLB Insider, Jeff Passan noted is rare for an extension of a young player under team control:
The lack of a club option in Pete Crow-Armstrong’s deal with the Cubs is rare. This is by far the biggest guarantee for a player with five years of club control that doesn’t include an option. Cubs were still fine with it. They get a high-floor player with superstar ceiling.
Obviously the money matters a lot here. Buying out PCA’s arbitration years at $55 million, followed by $30 million a year guaranteed in free agency says that the Cubs believe PCA will be a star. The fact that this is a six year deal rather than a longer deal like the fully guaranteed 12-year contract Julio Rodríguez signed for a guaranteed $209 million or a pre-debut deal like eight year contract Jackson Chourio signed for a guaranteed $82 million tells you a little bit about where the Cubs see PCA relative to two other young, star outfielders. Unlike PCA’s deal, both of those deals have options. Like PCA’s deal, both of those deals have escalators that can push the value of the contract far higher than its guaranteed rate, in PCA’s case adding potentially $18 million to the deal.
Pete Crow-Armstrong gets the benefit of being assured he’ll hit free agency before his age-30 season. That’s an interesting nugget in this deal given that the biggest question mark in terms of PCA’s long-term value is his ability to control (or not) the the strike zone. A skill that he could continue to improve on marking last year’s gains or one that could fall apart entirely as he ages. From FanGraphs’ write-up of the extension:
That’s decent, but I don’t know if I’d call it plus power or anything; Crow-Armstrong’s EV90 in 2025 was 81st out of 145 qualified hitters. That’s where the other two changes come in. As a rookie, PCA had a 79.2% Z-Contact%. Anything below 80% in that mark is survivable, but it’s hard to thrive in that range without truly elite power. In 2025, he raised his in-zone contact rate to 83.8%.
Third: He is getting the absolute maximum out of what contact he makes. The most valuable batted balls, in general, are hit in the air and to the pull side. In 2024, Crow-Armstrong put 19.3% of his batted balls in that direction, which is above average, even good. In 2025, that number was 30.2%, which was the seventh-highest figure out of 251 players on Baseball Savant’s leaderboard.
Crow-Armstrong hit 31 home runs last year because he got the absolute maximum out of his plate discipline and quality-of-contact numbers. Add in the defense and the baserunning, and I think this might literally be the best all-around baseball player you could have with a 4.5% walk rate and a .247 batting average.
But he’s still a player with a .247 batting average and a 4.5% walk rate. Or, to use the more legible figure I mentioned above, a .287 OBP. Last year, Crow-Armstrong made more outs per plate appearance than Nick Castellanos, Lenyn Sosa, and Ke’Bryan Hayes. Is it possible to be a franchise player if that’s true? We’ll find out.
To put this slightly differently, there are question marks about whether PCA will age like Javy Báez or Castellanos — both players who had above average contact skills, right until time caught up to them and then they didn’t.
In that sense, this deal is timed perfectly for both the Cubs and PCA. The Cubs will get a chance to see how that contact tool develops (or doesn’t) over the next six years. If it looks like it will age poorly, they locked down the very best years of PCA in centerfield at Wrigley Field and he should still be a valuable enough player to command additional years of service with another team. If it looks like that tool has improved, they can attempt to negotiate another extension that would make PCA a Cub for life. You can get a sense of the variability in PCA’s hit tool from this 15-game rolling wOBA chart through the 2025 season:
Even with some concerns about a contact tool that may provide some high-highs and low-lows similar to last season, his defense should provide a floor that makes the deal well worth the guaranteed $115 million. PCA is already one of the best defenders in the league. According to Statcast, he saved 22 runs in centerfield during the 2025 season and was tied with Bobby Witt Jr. for the league lead in outs above average with 24. The value of his run-prevention in centerfield alone makes this a smart extension for a Cubs team that tends to sign pitchers who pitch to contact.
And then there’s the chance that PCA finds the level he hit in the first half of 2025 consistently and puts up multiple 30-30 seasons during the lifetime of his extension. If PCA can be a perennial 30-30 guy in addition to the value his glove provides, this deal could wind up being a steal for the Cubs.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 24: Luis Matos #29 of the San Francisco Giants takes off after the swing during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on August 24, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Milwaukee has acquired Venezuelan outfielder Luis Matos from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for cash considerations. To make room on the 40-man roster, LHP Sammy Peralta has been designated for assignment.
Matos, the Giants’ No. 7 prospect heading into the 2023 season, made his major league debut in May of that year and recorded at least 150 at-bats in each of the last three seasons. He mashed in the minors, posting an .837 OPS in Triple-A last season, but so far that production has failed to translate to the majors. He had the best season of his career in 2025, but his .690 OPS mark was still below-average.
Matos, who’s still just 24, was DFA’ed by San Francisco last week despite slashing .260/.327/.440 in 50 at-bats this spring. He figures to play a depth role in Milwaukee’s outfield as a right-handed option after the injuries to Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio in the last week. The team has not announced a corresponding move to open a spot on the 26-man active roster.
Also of note: Matos is a certified Brewer killer, with a career 1.255 OPS in 20 at-bats against Milwaukee. If you can’t stop ‘em, get ‘em.
Peralta, 27, was claimed off waivers from the Angels over the offseason. In parts of three MLB seasons with the White Sox and Angels, the lefty has made 30 relief appearances, with a 5.12 ERA, 4.29 FIP, and 37 strikeouts across 45 2/3 innings. He made six appearances this spring, allowing six runs (five earned) with three strikeouts over six innings of work. Sent to Triple-A Nashville to begin the season, he’ll now head back to waivers.
BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 29: Royce Lewis #23 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a home run in the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 29, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT): 3:10 PM TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe: Royals Review
After a back-and-forth game against the Orioles, the Twins are back in action this afternoon against Bobby Witt Jr. and the Kansas City Royals. The Royals are running back largely the same squad as 2025 and banking on better health from their pitchers and continued improvement from former Top 100 prospects Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen. If that sounds similar to the Twins, you would be absolutely correct!
The Royals are sending lefty Kris Bubic to the mound for his first start of the season. Bubic was phenomenal in the first half last season, leading to an All-Star nod, but faltered down the stretch as fatigue and injuries kept him off the field. The Twins will run out the same lineup they did on Opening Day vs fellow lefty Trevor Rogers, though they’ll need Luke Keaschall and Ryan Jeffers to show some life if they want to get some traction.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Landen Roupp #65 of the San Francisco Giants pitches at Oracle Park on March 24, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants head south to take on their division rival San Diego Padres tonight at Petco Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Landen Roupp, who completed the 2025 season with a 3.80 ERA, 3.91 FIP with 102 strikeouts to 45 walks in 106.2 innings pitched.
He’ll be facing off against Padres right-hander Walker Buehler, who completed the 2025 season with a 4.93 ERA, 5.66 FIP with 92 strikeouts to 61 walk in 126 innings pitched between the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. Buehler, of course, is a familiar face in the NL West, having played the majority of his career thus far with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
PEORIA, AZ - MARCH 12: Kris Bubic #50 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the San Diego Padres at Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday, March 12, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Baseball returns to Kansas City today as the Royals host the Twins for their 2026 home opener. After going 1-2 over the weekend against the Braves, the Royals will look for a win today to reach .500, as sort of meaningless as it is this early in the season.
Max has you covered on the series preview, as usual, which you can find here. He also has you covered on some of the logistics of opening day.
For today’s game, Kris Bubic takes the hill for the first time this season. We last saw him start a game during the regular season on July 26th, 2025, before he was injured and shut down for the season. He was in the midst of an excellent season in which he threw for a 2.55 ERA / 2.89 FIP / 3.3 fWAR. There was a lot of trade speculation during the offseason since he is entering the final year before free agency, but a trade never materialized. I imagine that speculation will restart in June/July depending on how the Royals are positioned in the playoff race. In the meantime, I just hope to see him healthy.
The Twins send Simeon Woods Richardson to start. He’s a big right-handed pitcher who throws roughly five pitches – a four seam fastball, slider, curveball, split-finger, and changeup. To me, the split-finger and changeup share a similar movement profile; his changeup is just slower. His fastball sits about 93 on average, so he doesn’t bring any overpowering heat and does not get a ton of strikeouts.
Woods Richardson pitched to a 4.04 ERA / 4.52 FIP / 1.2 fWAR in 23 appearances last year across 111.1 innings. He’s definitely hittable. It will be interesting to see if the new fence line at Kauffman will make itself known in the first game. It will be a warm opening day – the ball may carry more than usual for a March game, and Woods Richardson is a fly ball pitcher. The ingredients are here for some fun.
The game starts at 3:10pm US Central time. You can watch the game on Royals.TV, or if you are local to Kansas City, it will be available over-the-air on KCTV5/KSMO. You can listen on 96.5 The Fan or the Royals Radio Network.
SURPRISE, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: Batting gloves lie on the dugout railing during game three of the 2026 Colorado Rockies spring training at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona on February 22, 2026. The Colorado Rockies took on the Texas Rangers. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
As the Colorado Rockies MLB and Triple-A teams move into action, rosters are becoming available for the rest of the organizations farm system.
Triple-A Albuquerque
The Albuquerque Isotopes will field the following roster to start the season:
For the Isotopes, the name of the game is tested depth.
Very few players on this roster are making their Triple-A debut. Instead, the Rockies brought in a group of versatile veterans, and some of them young players. The focus will be letting roster progression happen naturally using that depth rather than promoting players before they are ready.
Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) and Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) are the position players to watch. On the pitching side, LHP Welinton Herrera (No. 17 PuRP) is the big bullpen name. Then of course the roster features two starters on the cusp of promotion: RHP Gabriel Hughes (No. 12 PuRP) and LHP Sean Sullivan (No. 8 PuRP).
Double-A Hartford
This year, the Yard Goats will begin the season with the following roster:
Things become a bit more complicated when looking at the Yard Goats roster.
There are a number of repeat assignments, some of which are clearly warranted. The Rockies decision to send Victor Juárez (No. 44 PuRP) back to Hartford after ending last season in ABQ is an interesting move.
However, there are also a few aggressive promotions, like Jimmy Obertop (who wasn’t impressive in Spokane to end last season). The decision to send Braylen Wimmer (No. 40 PuRP) going back to Hartford is notable. He spent 45 games there last season and to go back to playing at a high level so soon after his brain surgery shows he believes in himself and the organization believes in him as well.
Look for LHP Griffin Herring (No. 10 PuRP) and INF Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) to be in Albuquerque by the end of the season.
That said, that fact that Dyan Jorge (No. 21 PuRP), Zach Kokoska (No. 53 PuRP), and Benny Montgomery (No. 43 PuRP) are still not able to bust past Double-A is a concern.
High-A Spokane
The Spokane Indians will begin the season with the following players:
Here’s where things get interesting.
The Rockies were very aggressive with the pitching staff assignments. Having RHP Yujanyer Herrera (No. 22 PuRP) and RHP Jordy Vargas (No. 21 PuRP) healthy and pitching right out of the gate is excellent, and the organization finally letting RHP Jackson Cox (No. 16 PuRP) off the leash after being overly cautious with him in Fresno last season.
RHP Brody Brecht (No. 3 PuRP) clearly has earned the promotion, and Antoine Jean (No. 46 PuRP) has received an aggressive assignment for his first affiliated professional ball. Everett Catlett is a repeat assignment, but he was solid in Spokane last year and he’ll no doubt be in Hartford at some point this season.
The rotation in Spokane will be one to watch.
The position players to watch are Max Belyeu (No. 15 PuRP) and Ethan Hedges (No. 29 PuRP), both on repeat after short assignments after the draft last year. The Rockies have also promoted Robert Calaz (No. 6 PuRP), who probably should have been in Spokane at some point last season.
Other than that, lots of familiar faces from Fresno getting the bump up to High-A.
The most notable omission? Ethan Holliday, who will start the season in Fresno.
Low-A Fresno
We’ll update the roster when it becomes available.
