Feb 20, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Dane Dunning (27) throws in the first inning against the San Diego Padres during a Spring Training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the weekend!
Though the Mariners lost to the Dodgers 10-7 in yesterday’s spring bout, we saw the first Cactus League homer of the year from Colt Emerson in the latest stages of the contest. It’s been a sleepy spring so far for the young infielder, but it’s good to see him get some opportunities.
What are you most looking forward to this weekend? Got any plans? Hoping to just relax and watch some sports? Or, do you have any major obligations such as work or activities with the kids?
In Mariners news…
With Bryce Miller likely to start the season on the injured list, Brent Stecker thinks the Mariners should try to bring James Paxton out of retirement.
Daniel Kramer provided an update on his projection for the Mariners’ 2026 Opening Day roster.
Michael Clair spoke to Mariners right-hander Dane Dunning about his experience repping his mother’s home country of Korea in the WBC.
In the World Baseball Classic…
Team USA earned a hard-fought victory against Josh Naylor’s Team Canada in the quarterfinal, squeezing out a 5-3 win.
Former Rangers and A’s reliever and current free agent José Leclerc is targeting a return to play in July. Leclerc has been recovering from shoulder surgery since last summer.
Jorge Castillo wonders which Japanese stars will be the next to make the jump from WBC fame to MLB.
Mets fans were abuzz in January when David Stearns pulled off a trade to acquire ace Freddy Peralta from the Brewers. Not to be overlooked, however, was the other pitcher acquired in that deal, Tobias Myers. The 27-year-old served as both a starter and reliever in Milwaukee and he certainly made an impression on the team when he pitched five scoreless innings in Game 3 of the Wild Card series against the Mets in 2024.
The confidence Milwaukee showed in him to start that game came from their development of the righty after he bounced around in the minors for a few years. Most notably, they allowed him to effectively use his four-seam fastball which rates as one of the highest in active spin. While it is not overpowering, the movement fools hitters enough to keep them off balance.
So far this spring he is repeating the, albeit limited, success he found with the Brewers. As of this writing, he is 1-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 8.1 IP during Grapefruit League action. He has struck out nine and has a WHIP of 0.96. Last season he appeared in 22 games and started 6 of them. As a starter he went 1-1 with 5.64 ERA and as a reliever he went 0-1 with a 1.91 ERA.
Manager Carlos Mendoza has already confirmed that Myers is making the team but he did not confirm what his role will be. He will most likely serve as the team’s swingman, a role that was last effectively filled by Trevor Williams, who also happened to be the extra piece in a blockbuster trade. With a lot of uncertainty surrounding the rotation, having someone who can be a bridge to the backend of the bullpen is a crucial weapon for the Mets to have. Last year, Mets starters only pitched 796.0 innings which was good for 27th in the league. That averaged out to only 4.91 innings per start. This under-performance led to an overtaxed bullpen, as the team did not have a reliable swingman to pitch those innings. Myers now fills that role for the 2026 team.
Stearns’s trade back in January helped acquire both an ace and a swingman and, while Peralta will continue to get headlines, Myers has the potential to be just as crucial in getting this team back to the playoffs.
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1984: Butch Wynegar #27 of the New York Yankees poses with two catchers gloves prior to the start of a Major League Baseball game circa 1984 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Wynegar played for the Yankees from 1982-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Butch Wynegar had such exciting potential when the Twins traded him to the Yankees in 1982. A Rookie of the Year runner-up and already a two-time All-Star catcher at the age of 26, he should have been a foundational piece of the offense alongside Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield, and later Rickey Henderson. Instead, the end of his tenure in pinstripes serves as a crucial reminder of the prominent role mental health plays in professional sports and indeed in life, reinforcing the attention and care that must be paid to it if we want to perform at a desired level in any of our pursuits.
Harold Delano “Butch” Wynegar Jr. Born: March 14, 1956 (York, PA) Yankees Tenure: 1982-86
Harold Delano “Butch” Wynegar Jr. was born on March 14, 1956, in York, PA, to Harold D. Wynegar Sr. and Dorrea L. “Dee” Wynegar. He earned his nickname “Butch” from an aunt on account of his chubby appearance as a baby. A multi-sport athlete at Red Lion High School, Wynegar idolized Mickey Mantle growing up, crediting the Yankees legend as the inspiration for Wynegar to become a switch-hitter when he was nine. He was a star football center and third baseman, but moved behind the plate for his final two years of high school, batting .370 as a senior.
Those performances his senior year caught the eye of the Twins, who drafted him in the second round of the 1974 MLB June amateur draft. He began his professional career with the Rookie-level Elizabethton Twins of Tennessee and led the Appalachian League with a .346 batting average while also leading his team with eight home runs and 51 RBIs. This earned him a promotion to the Class A Reno Silver Sox of the California league in 1975, where he would again lead the team with 19 home runs and 119 RBIs to go along with a .314 average, his contributions leading the team to win the pennant.
In 1976, the Twins fired manager Frank Quilici and replaced him with Gene Mauch, previously of the Phillies and Expos. Unimpressed with the catching options at his disposal, Mauch surprised Wynegar by inviting him to spring training despite the young catcher never having played a game above Class A. After an owner lockout delayed the start of spring training, Wynegar came out on a tear including a grand slam in his first spring exhibition. Though he cooled off to bat just .187 that spring, Mauch was impressed enough by his all around game to allow Wynegar to break camp with the big league club, praising his new catcher’s maturity:
“When spring training opened, I had no right to expect he’d be as polished behind the plate as he is. He looks like he’s 15, plays like he’s 25, and has the maturity of a man of 30.”
Wynegar made his debut on Opening Day, April 9, 1976, against the Rangers, collecting his first big league hit and RBI with a single off Gaylord Perry in the sixth inning. A week later at Yankee Stadium, Wynegar slugged his first big league home run — a game-winning solo shot in the ninth inning off Catfish Hunter. The next night, he homered off Jim Palmer in a game against the Orioles in Minnesota, meaning in the span of a week, the rookie had amassed his first big league hit and first two big league home runs off three future Hall of Famers.
His strong performances continued that year including an impressive ability to throw out runners — he had an almost 50-percent caught-stealing rate in those opening months — earning the rookie an All-Star selection alongside Rod Carew as the Twins’ representatives. At just 20 years old he was the youngest ever participant in an All-Star Game at that point, earning a pinch-hit appearance in the seventh against Luis Tiant and drawing a walk.
He finished his rookie year batting .260/.356/.363 with ten home runs and 69 RBIs to earn a runner-up finish in AL Rookie of the Year balloting behind Tigers pitcher Mark Fidrych. He followed that up with a nearly identical sophomore campaign, slashing .261/.344/.370 with ten home runs, 79 RBIs, and an AL-leading 60 runners caught stealing to earn his second consecutive All-Star nod in his first two seasons in the bigs. He suffered a downturn in form the following season but rebounded to again lead the league with 64 runners caught stealing in 1979, finishing with a .270/.363/.351 triple slash line, seven homers, and 57 RBIs.
Wynegar retained his grasp on the starting catcher job into the ’80s, earning a five-year, $2 million extension in 1981. This made him a target for cost-cutting owner Calvin Griffith as the Twins floundered in 1982, and Wynegar found himself traded alongside Roger Erickson to the Yankees for Larry Milbourne, John Pacella and Pete Filson on May 12, 1982. Thus, Wynegar found himself playing for the team of his childhood hero, but little did he know the perils that come with playing for the Yankees teams of that era.
He more than acquitted himself in that debut Yankees season, batting .293/.413/.393 the rest of the way. The following season, he found himself in a platoon with Rick Cerone behind the plate. He appeared in just 94 games but was one of the Yankees’ best hitters that season, slashing .296/.399/.429 with six home runs and 42 RBIs — good for a 136 wRC+. Despite having his playing time reduced for the first time in the bigs, that season featured one of the most memorable moments of his career, Wynegar catching Dave Righetti’s no hitter at Yankee Stadium against the Red Sox on Independence Day.
“It was one of my biggest thrills, no doubt about it. Raggsy and I were close, having had a pitcher-catcher relationship… If I remember right, if Raggsy shook me off that day, it wasn’t very much. We seemed to really be on the same wavelength. When you’ve got a guy who has four pitches working for him, it’s a lot of fun, so there wasn’t a whole lot of thinking that had to be going on. We stayed hard, just mixing enough soft stuff in there to keep them off balance.”
Wynegar won back the full-time starting catcher role in 1984, but would never again reach the heights on offense of his first year-and-a-half in pinstripes. He batted .267/.360/.342 with six home runs and 45 RBIs, playing in 129 games for the first time since 1980. But then came the 1985 season and the beginning of Wynegar’s loss of desire to play baseball.
The season started on inauspicious terms, the Yankees firing manager Yogi Berra — a decision Wynegar says caused many of his teammates to throw things in anger in the clubhouse — replacing him with the volatile temperament of Billy Martin. That offseason also brought a contract dispute with Wynegar entering the final season of his five-year contract, Wynegar initially being offered a three-year extension with a fourth year option. However, when his agent proposed that the fourth season be converted to a guaranteed year, George Steinbrenner angrily pulled the offer off the table (though he would eventually sign for three years and $2.2 million at the conclusion of the season).
His performances suffered at the plate as he dealt with the lingering effects of being struck in the head by a foul ball while he stood in the on-deck circle early in the season. He also could not adjust to Martin’s confrontational style of managing, rankled by Martin’s habit of frequently embarrassing his pitcher and catcher in front of the whole team with an expletive-laced tirade when opposing batters found success. Martin certainly didn’t help matters with his confrontational style with umpires, Wynegar confirming that several umpires confided in him that they intentional called close calls against the Yankees as a result. His .223 average also made him a target for Steinbrenner, the owner demanding an explanation when Wynegar had a bad night at and behind the plate. The lone bright spots that season for Wynegar came when the backstop caught both the 300th win and 3,000th strikeout from Phil Niekro.
Already falling out of love with the game, things reached a head in 1986. The Yankees fired Martin and replaced him with Lou Piniella, and though Wynegar had a good relationship with him when he was hitting coach, he saw Piniella transform into a carbon copy of Martin once he took the helm of the team. Wynegar fell into a deep depression as his performances plummeted, creating a brutal reinforcement loop as both Piniella and Steinbrenner became increasing critical. He finally realized he needed help when, on July 29th, he rejected a hug from his 17-month-old son:
“I had goose bumps all over. It just hit me that I had brushed off my little boy, the pride and joy of my life, one of the only people who really matters. I just wanted to get home and get out of there so badly. I thought I’d been dealing with my depression, but then I said to myself, ‘Holy cow, you’re really taking your work home with you now.”
Earlier that day, Wynegar was the starting catcher in a 6-4 loss against the Brewers. He was in a haze during his pre-game routines having gotten into an argument with Piniella, which reached full blown apathy by the first pitch:
“That was pretty much the last straw. I was back there calling signals and not caring what I was calling. I’d call for a curveball or a slider and have no idea why. I was watching the scoreboard. I was watching the innings tick off. That was the only thing that mattered, not whether we won or lost. It was like I was in a fog. When I got back to the hotel, I realized I’d never want to go through that again.”
Scott Nielsen was the pitcher that day and gave up five runs while recording just one out, leading to his demotion to Triple-A. Two days later, Wynegar called GM Clyde King and begged to be given time off. King needed permission from Steinbrenner, who initially advised Wynegar to see a doctor in Cleveland before acquiescing to a single day off. However, the issues ran much deeper than that.
“I don’t even want to see my glove or a baseball. I’m not going to see some strange doctor in a strange city. I want to go back home. I’m not doing the team any good. This is not a one-day thing. I’m not coming back.”
Wynegar eventually resolved to take the rest of the season off. He saw seven different doctors including two psychiatrists, and was eventually prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. In response, Steinbrenner added Wynegar to the restricted list, enabling him to withhold the remaining $250,000 owed to Wynegar for the rest of the season. Wynegar filed a grievance at the season’s conclusion, which unfortunately for him killed a trade the Yankees had agreed to send him to the Angels. However, Wynegar followed through with his resolve to not play another game for a team from New York, thus forfeiting the $1.4 million remaining on his contract for the 1987 and 1988 seasons.
Just when it seemed like his career was over, Wynegar found new life after withdrawing his grievance and earning the trade to California for pitchers Ron Romanick and Alan Mills on December 19, 1986. Key in his decision to keep playing was his old manager from Minnesota, Gene Mauch, now at the helm of the Angels. Wynegar considered Mauch to be a father figure, the man who gave him his first shot and his second wind. In a far more peaceful environment and playing for a man who always supported him, Wyengar was happy to be backup to Bob Boone, and he played 58 games across his final two seasons before retiring at the age of 32.
Wynegar put together an admirable career as a major league backstop, with a pair of All-Star appearances, an impressive 40.3-percent caught stealing rate, and 626 walks drawn against just 428 strikeouts. However, his greatest legacy is the courage to put his family and mental health before the game and the courage to seek professional help in an era when mental health was heavily stigmatized, especially for professional athletes. He may not have achieved the on-field results that his first few seasons presaged, but he can be more than proud of the human results he achieved.
References
Butch Wynegar. Baseball-Reference.
Butch Wynegar. Baseball Almanac.
Wancho, Joseph. “Butch Wynegar: From Single-A to the Major League All-Star Game in One Year.” The National Pastime: Baseball in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. 2024.
Weyler, John. “Big Apple Turned Sour for Wynegar : Angels’ New Catcher Had to Get Out of New York Before He Lost His Mind.” Los Angeles Times. March 26, 1987.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 10: Jac Caglianone #14 of Team Italy takes a shot of espresso as he celebrates with teammate Vinnie Pasquantino #9 in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against Team United States in the fourth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park on March 10, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If Massey is healthy enough to make the team, there’s just one spot really up for grabs here. Loftin has been a standout this spring, from his .308/.400/.654 slash line to getting a ton of defensive work all over the field, including a lot of first base in case he’s needed as a backup there. Plus, he’s a right-handed bat that could be useful against lefty starters or late in the game.
There are others still competing for the lone spot, though. Tyler Tolbert brings a speed component to the table. The Royals could go with a more experienced bat for pinch-hit opportunities, like Rojas or Abraham Toro. If Massey isn’t healthy, there’s another spot for any of those players.
We can’t get a clear answer right now because the main team leaders and decision-makers are at the WBC. Pasquantino is one of them, but he would have to get the all-clear from Royals captain Salvador Perez, along with Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia and some pitchers, too, like Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha.
But manager Matt Quatraro brings up a good point: “If it was a guarantee that someone or we as a team would hit three homers in a game, we would have as many as we could get,” he said.
Fair enough.
And an injury update.
Isaac Collins is dealing with mild back/left side tightness, which is why he hasn’t been in the lineup since Tuesday. #Royals are being cautious, and Collins told me it’s something he doesn’t want to push through with opening day still two weeks away. Still something to monitor.
It wouldn’t surprise me if … Jac Caglianone hits 30 home runs this year. His rookie year was rough, with flashes of brilliance surrounded by fits of disappointment. The talent hasn’t gone anywhere, though, and Caglianone’s raw power is so supreme that anyone sleeping on it will be awoken by the sound it makes when his barrel strikes the ball. Maybe, at the end of the day, Caglianone is nothing more than an exit-velo monster who can’t put together the other elements to become a quality hitter. But that’s unlikely. Only a handful of players in the world can hit a ball 120 mph. That’s a skill worthy of faith.
And what I keep coming back to is what the Royals did after the break with a 106 team wRC+ and the seventh-most runs in baseball. Then I think back to what they did for the first five months of the 2024 season when they had the fifth-most runs in baseball before Pasquantino got hurt. This offense flashing top-tier potential isn’t new. They actually started getting going immediately after the calendar flipped from that brutal June. They were 10th in the league in runs scored last year from July 1 on with a 106 wRC+ as a team. They were 10th in home runs too. In the last 12 months of baseball, this has been a top-10 offense in runs scored for eight of them.
Manager Matt Quatraro has said that the Royals see Black primarily as a reliever who can provide an occasional spot start. Yet if he can rediscover some of that prospect mojo, could those potential spot starts turn into something more? The only thing that is absolutely certain at this point is the Royals pitching lab continues to yield results. I’m not crazy enough to throw Black into the mix for that fifth spot in the rotation—hell, because of the makeup of the 40-man roster, he remains a longshot to break camp with the major league squad—but I’m intrigued enough by his pedigree and his brief time with the Royals to offer the idea that anything is possible.
SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Zach Eflin #24 and Chris Bassitt #40 of the Baltimore Orioles smile during practice at Ed Smith Stadium on February 16, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Baltimore Orioles/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
On Friday morning, the Orioles announced their Opening Day starting pitcher: Trevor Rogers. Still unknown is in what order the pitchers will line up behind him. It’s not even clear at this moment whether the Orioles will stick with a five-man rotation or if they will push it to six. The team has stayed mum about the possibility.
In this week’s survey, I asked Orioles fans about their feelings on what the team should do about this. As we know, behind Rogers, there’s also Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt, Dean Kremer, and Zach Eflin. If they’re all healthy on Opening Day, that’s six guys. Here’s how fans responded to the question of whether the Orioles should go with a six-man rotation:
That’s a stronger majority than I expected for what I continue to think is a bad idea. Unless the starting pitchers are all going at least six innings per start, which is increasingly uncommon in baseball today, there’s just no way to keep managing a bullpen with seven guys.
Eventually, the Orioles will tip their hand and we’ll know what they are planning to do. Until then, we can only guess.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 7: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres gets set to throw a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark on March 7, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Michael King and the San Diego Padres were cruising through the first three innings of their Cactus League matchup against the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz. on Friday, but then the fourth inning happened. King, who had not allowed a hit through three innings, allowed five runs and was replaced on the mound by Fernando Sanchez after allowing a single to Shea Langaliers. Sanchez allowed a home run to the first batter he faced, which allowed Langaliers to score and King was charged with six runs in the inning. The Padres entered the inning with a 6-0 lead, but when the bottom of the fourth was complete the Athletics held a 7-6 lead. King came back out for the bottom of the fifth inning and allowed a double before striking out Henry Bolte for the first out of the inning, ending his day. King’s final line was four innings with six runs allowed on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts. He also hit a batter. The most surprising stat of the day from King was that he allowed three home runs and they were back-to-back-to-back. San Diego came back to beat the Athletics thanks to a five-run eighth inning and secured a 13-9 win in a back-and-forth battle. The Padres head to Surprise, Ariz. to take on the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium today at 1:05 p.m.
Padres News:
Xander Bogaerts has returned to the Peoria Sports Complex and rejoined the Padres after his time with Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. Bogaerts told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune that he feels good and hopes to be good for San Diego all season.
Four potential buyers of the Padres visited the Spring Training complex this week according to Acee. The identities of the potential buyers have not been confirmed, but the report from Acee states the team could sell for more than $3 billion and the sale could take place before April. The Athletic is reporting the final bids are expected in April, but also reported there are four groups still in the running to purchase the franchise.
Triston McKenzie has improved his velocity, but his control has been an issue this spring. He did enough Friday to help the Padres get past the Athletics, but he is a long shot to secure the fifth spot in the rotation with the club out of camp. Jackson Wolf is pushing to join the San Diego bullpen and could take advantage of the loss of Bryan Hoeing, who is having season-ending elbow surgery.
The US and Dominican Republic teams won their quarterfinal games against Canada and Korea respectively and will face each other in the semi-finals with the winner advancing to play for the WBC title. Paul Skenes will return for the US to face the D.R. in the decisive game.
Puerto Rico and Italy and Japan and Venezuela play their quarterfinal matchups today and the winners will faceoff to determine who will play the winner of US and D.R.
Mar 7, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) walks off the mound in the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets played two last night, with the away squad defeating the Nationals 8-3 and the home team falling to the Marlins 1-0.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred announces Michael Oliveto as the thirty-fourth overall pick by the Detroit Tigers during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Drafting prep position players with their top picks has been the core of the Detroit Tigers’ draft strategy since Scott Harris took over the club from Al Avila. It’s gone very, very well. Despite fears about the longer timelines involved, Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, and Bryce Rainer are all ranked in the top half of national top 100 prospect lists already, with McGonigle set to debut as soon as Opening Day. That’s a pretty spectacular win rate through two drafts, and this year we’ll see the debut of first round prep shortstop Jordan Yost, and prep catcher Michael Oliveto, their top two picks in the front office’s third draft class last summer. Perhaps in a year’s time the Tigers will have hit big on another pair of prep prospects at the top of the draft.
Oliveto was the Tigers selection in the competitive balance pick A round between the first and second rounds last summer. Selected 34th overall out of Hauppauge HS on New York’s Long Island, the Tigers paid him $2,447,500, about $400K underslot, to pry him from his commitment to Yale. As is the case with all catchers, especially if you ask them, Oliveto is a bright young man who posted a 1460 SAT score with the outstanding grades you’d expect.
The recently turned 19-year-old didn’t necessarily get the notice that a top young prep hitter would garner coming from baseball hotbeds in the south and out west, but he was comfortably the top prep hitter in the northeast. Between his junior and senior seasons, Oliveto broke into national consciousness in a big way with his monster performance in the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida where he mashed a pair of home runs and three other extra base hits in just 13 at-bats. While there are questions about his ability to stick as a catcher, this was one of the most exciting prep bats in the whole draft class.
Oliveto is a left-handed hitter, standing 6’3” and weighing in at 185 pounds on draft day. There is plenty of projection for him to get stronger, and a good chance that he develops plus power as he gets stronger. He has the athleticism to project as an outfielder as well as a catcher, but that athleticism gives him a good chance to develop into a top shelf backstop as well. The main defensive question is whether his current average arm strength will improve over time, and whether his bat may outpace his defense to a degree where the Tigers decide moving him to an easier position is the better option to get his bat into the lineup.
Those decisions are still years away, but the Tigers coach catchers very well in the minor leagues. Oliveto was the top prep hitter in his region as a catcher, while posting perfect grades and getting into Yale, so we can at least say that the intelligence, motivation, and overall work ethic are in place for Oliveto to develop his talent as far as it will take him. Whether his arm strength will tick up to make him more viable as a starting major league catcher is a question that won’t be answered for a few years.
The key selling point is Oliveto’s advanced plate discipline, eye for the zone, and power potential. He’s got the relaxed, confident approach you want to see in the batter’s box, and a smooth powerful left-handed stroke with present pull power. Whether he’ll develop the pitch recognition and batspeed to handle MLB caliber pitching can only be answered much further down the road. There’s always some skepticism for players in the northeast and Midwest who don’t face elite high school pitching that often, but Oliveto has shown everything you could ask against the competition he did face. You’ll recall some similar questions about Kevin McGonigle as a Philly area prep star, and we can only hope it goes that well.
The Tigers have already brought Oliveto over to major league camp for two games to get him a plate appearance or two in front of the bigger crowds. He’s put the ball in play twice. The fact that the Tigers figured he deserved those appearances as a treat bodes well for how he’s looked on the backfields this spring. A few clips from reporters on hand have shown him hitting some tanks in BP, but he’s already shown average raw power and a little more at times despite his youth, so no surprise there. We haven’t seen Jordan Yost in Grapefruit League action yet, for whatever that’s worth, but both are scheduled to be on the squad for next week’s Spring Breakout game, when the Tigers’ prospects will take on baseball’s top prospect, Konnor Griffin, and the Pirates’ farm on March 20th. Expect both to get at least one at-bat, as Bryce Rainer did last year in making his public pro debut.
My sense is that Oliveto is advanced enough at the plate that the Tigers will send him to play for the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers right away in April. If they’re comfortable with his catching enough to work behind the plate at that level, there isn’t much point to him spending a lot of time in Complex League ball. Long-term, Oliveto runs well enough to play corner outfield, and if his bat develops quickly, playing him there and at first base may be the move. For now, a good season at the plate with the Flying Tigers will end any lingering concerns about him facing weaker high school level pitching than prep hitters elsewhere in the country. That alone would send him up national rankings pretty quickly, especially if his work since draft day and throughout this season shows him refining his catching game.
Didier Fuentes announced his presence with authority yesterday. It’s only Spring Training, but a 5/0 K/BB ratio will get you noticed. Watch this 98.7 MPH fastball yesterday.
Didier Fuentes struck out two in a perfect first. He ended the frame by getting Bellinger to swing through this 98.7 mph heater pic.twitter.com/hKeQa4C8oR
Now pair that with this sweeper. Didier definitely showed off the goods yesterday against the Yankees road lineup. It’s definitely enough to get him involved in the Braves’ rotation conversation. But he’s not the only prospect knocking on the door. JR Ritchie has also looked good this spring.
Imagine Atlanta Braves producing Rookie of the Year winners Back-to-Back and securing draft compensation picks for two consecutive season! 😳
Ritchie offers a fastball, sinker, sweeper, curveball, changeup, and cutter. He’s not tinkering; He’s administering, as JR appears to get results with all of them.
So who gets the most 2026 innings: JR Ritchie or Didier Fuentes? If I had to guess, JR Ritchie has a path to the Opening Day rotation, and failing that might debut in Atlanta before Fuentes returns. They’l send Didier Fuentes to AAA save a nighmare scenario. He has less than 50 innings in the upper minors. I’m not sure the Braves can quit Bryce Elder to start the year. Martin Perez is hanging around as well. But you know the prospects will get their chance. If I had to lean one way or another, I’d say JR Ritchie. Though after watching yesterday, Didier Fuentes make become undeniable.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24, 2026: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners throws to second base during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Peoria Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
As the Red Sox approach Opening Day, it’s time to start taking at look at the other American League playoff contenders. First up, a team that finished with one more win than the Sox in 2025.
What’s This Team’s Deal?
After a heartbreaking loss to the Blue Jays in Game 7 of the ALCS kept the Mariners from their very first World Series, they are looking to maintain that momentum and do one better in 2026.
They are hungry for more, and it’s not just the players; the front office has gotten in on the act too. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto’s infamous 2023 quote, where he professed to aiming to win only 54% of the time, typifies the past approach. Not this season. The Mariners believe their time is now, and they have made offseason moves to take charge of their own destiny. They locked down Josh Naylor at first base. They signed Brendan Donovan to stabilize third base; both of these players improve the offense as well.
Their starting rotation, which has remained nearly unchanged for the past three seasons, barring fluctuations for injuries, remains upper echelon, though unfortunately Bryce Miller will likely start the season on the IL.
How Good Are They?
Many are already predicting they will represent the American League in the World Series. At this point, Jon Morosi thinks they have the most balanced, talented distribution of players of all the teams in the AL.
Recent Mariners rosters have leaned into streaky players, and some like Julio Rodriguez, who take time to warm up. This has led them to rely too much on Cal Raleigh for offense. In 2026, that weight should be distributed more evenly with a full year of Naylor and the addition of Donovan. They are reliable bats, not just defensive upgrades. Second-year player Cole Young, who will likely start at second base, had some impressive moments in the summer, including whaling the longest Mariners home run of the season. An extended and ugly slump cost him the starting job, but spring training reports suggest he used his winter productively, returning as an improved hitter and defender. If he can be part of the infield turnaround, as well as provide flashy pop from time to time, the Mariners will have finally put the pieces together.
Typically, as with most teams, there is some uncertainty around the bullpen. Morosi and others note that Mariners relievers pitched a lot of innings in the postseason, and several (notably Andres Muñoz, Gabe Speier, and Eduard Bazardo) also played in the World Baseball Classic. Did they have enough time to reset over their shortened offseason? Time will tell. There are a number of new relievers, like old friend Alex Hoppe, who are getting some serious looks in spring training. For others, it may be more like the front office kicking the tires. Expect the Mariners to bolster the bullpen at the trade deadline no matter what, at least as a line of defense against injury.
Most Likable Player
The Mariners are full of likable players but for our purposes, it comes down to two:
Cal Raleigh is the backbone of this team. His historic 2025 season included doing just about everything: supporting the pitching staff, winning the Home Run Derby, hitting 60 HRs, captaining the team deeper into the postseason than they have ever been before, and being the most serious MVP runner-up in years. With his New England family ties, grinder mentality, and Red Sox Nation’s potboiling anger over Aaron Judge beating him out for said MVP, he’s the guy.
Rob Refsnyder. I was sorry to see him leave Boston, but if he had to go, I’m glad I can still watch him with the Mariners.
Least Likable Player
The whole team is genuinely likable, but Randy Arozarena raised eyebrows during the WBC by beefing with Raleigh. (Not his parents though! Notably not his parents.) If this tension doesn’t get resolved or blow over once Arozarena and Raleigh are teammates once again, Arozarena will be the bad guy.
Old Friends
Although the teams have resisted repeated calls for high-profile trades with each other, there are a number of old friends to keep an eye on this year:
Rob Refsnyder (sniffle)
Cooper Criswell, who is off to a good start in the Mariners organization
Alex Hoppe, former Sox prospect who may see the bigs this season as right-handed relief, but will likely be up and down between Triple-A and Seattle
Eduard Bazardo, who pitched very well in the 2025 postseason
Gabe Speier, who began his career with the Red Sox minor league system, but was traded away years ago in the package for Rick Porcello
Honorable Mention
Dominic Canzone, Brewster Whitecaps alum.
Schedule vs. Red Sox
The Sox and Mariners will face each other in the regular season for two three-game series. The Sox visit T-Mobile Park June 19-21, while the Mariners head to Boston August 31-September 2.
Season Prediction
It would be extremely unlikely for Raleigh to repeat with another individually historic year, but he will channel that competitiveness and drive toward the greater good of the team. The AL West is the Mariners’ to lose. Last year, they were 90-72 and won the AL West by three games. With their strong pitching and improved overall roster, they’ll gain five wins and finish the regular season 95-67, sitting pretty for a deep run in October. They’ll likely make the Series against the Dodgers, barring some catastrophe on either side. And if that happens, given how well-matched the Blue Jays (who barely escaped the Mariners’ clutches) and Dodgers were in 2025, it will be a fair fight.
BRONX, NY - OCTOBER 01: Romy Gonzalez #23 of the Boston Red Sox at bat during the American League Wild Card Game 2 against the New York Yankees on October 1, 2025 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Miami Hurricanes baseball team is off to a 13-5 start in 2026 but the ‘Canes are only 1-3 in the ACC and finished 0-2 against the Florida Gators in a weather shortened series. While UM might struggle a bit in a talented ACC, there are some ‘Canes in the pros this season as spring training gets into full swing as well as the World Baseball Classic.
Boston Red Sox IF Romy González is Miami’s best bet at an every day player in 2026. González had a .826 OPS on nine HR’s in 2025. González is projected to have over 300 AB’s playing first and second for the Sox.
Cleveland Guardians hitter C.J. Kayfus is another Hurricane on a major league roster. Kayfus had a .707 OPS last season and is projected to log 200+ AB’s in ‘26. Kayfus is playing 1B and RF for the Guardians.
Slade Cecconi and Andrew Walters should be on major league rosters in 2026 as pitchers. Cecconi started 23 games in ‘25 for the Guardians posting a 7-7 record on a 4.30 ERA. Cecconi is posting a strong spring training with 4.67 SO/W and a 2.13 ERA. Walters, another Guardian player, struggled in limited duty in ‘25 after a solid ‘24 campaign.
Miami will be well represented in the minor leagues with Victor Mederos, Carson Palmquist, Rafe Schlesinger, Gage Ziehl, Yohandy Morales, Alejandro Rosario, and Dominic Pitelli along with Freddy Zamora and Zach Levenson who are in the WBC.
ZachLevenson (St. Louis Cardinals) represented Israel in the WBC and FreddyZamora (Milwaukee Brewers) represented Nicaragua. Levenson was 3-for-14 in the WBC while hitting .250 in spring training for the Cards. Zamora was only 1-of-9 in the WBC, but is hitting .333 in spring training for Milwaukee.
Mederos and Palmquist are on the LA Angels and Colorado Rockies 40-man rosters, respectively. Mederos made three starts with an 0-2 record and 7.41 ERA in ‘26, while Palmquist really struggled in the majors in ‘25 posting an 8.91 ERA and 0-4 record in seven starts.
2025 top picks Griffin Hugus and Brian Walters have yet to make their spring training debuts in the Mariners and Phillies organizations, respectively. Both players will be in the minor leagues in 2026.
Feb 20, 2026; North Port FL, USA; Atlanta Braves infielder John Gil (93) poses for a photo during media day at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves continued to trim down the roster on Friday, with John Gil and Tayler Scott being the next victims. After these two were reassigned to minor league camp, the Atlanta roster stands at 47.
The #Braves today reassigned INF John Gil and RHP Tayler Scott to minor league camp. Atlanta now has 47 active players in camp.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 09: Pitcher River Ryan #77 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes the sign during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 09, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
River Ryan is scheduled to pitch one of the Dodgers’ split squad games on Sunday, getting the home game at Camelback Ranch against the Texas Rangers. The right-hander who had Tommy John surgery in August 2024 and missed all of 2025, is now vying for a spot in the Dodgers’ rotation, or at least a spot on the opening day roster in some role.
He’s also having a solid spring training, with seven strikeouts and three walks in 5 2/3 innings, with a solo home run his only hit given up so far in Cactus League play.
Ryan was listed in two different articles this week about strong performances this spring, including by J.J. Cooper at Baseball America:
Back from Tommy John surgery, Ryan needed one spring training outing to dial in the strike zone, as in his first appearance against Arizona he landed strikes with only 42% of his pitches. But he showed no control problems in his next two outings, and he’s sitting 96-98 mph with a swing-and-miss 90-91 mph slider. That slider has generated eight whiffs in 14 swings.
“Ryan has looked excellent in the early going in Arizona after not pitching since 2024,” McDaniel wrote. “He has the components to start but his deep arsenal of plus stuff can work in any role.“
Links
Major League Baseball this week released a report about Game 7 of the World Series regarding Miguel Rojas throwing out Isiah Kiner-Falefa at home plate in the ninth inning, that the play was not as close as it originally seemed From Ben Walker at The Associated Press:
“After reviewing all relevant angles, the replay official definitively determined the catcher’s foot was touching the plate when the ball contacted the interior of his mitt,” read the official report by MLB, which recently provided it to The Associated Press.
Mark Simon wrote about the Dodgers team defense at Sports Info Solutions: “The one thing that could go against them is age, with Betts, Muncy, Freeman, Rojas, and Hernandez all being 33 or older and on the downside of the aging curve. If it came apart for all of those players at once, the Dodgers could be in trouble.”
Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) leads off first base against Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) during the ninth inning of game four of the ALDS round of the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The MLB regular season is less than two weeks away, and teams and players across the league are just about geared up and ready, whether they’re fine-tuning in Arizona or Florida or letting it fly in the World Baseball Classic. Thanks to the WBC, relevant baseball is already here, and not a week after the tournament concludes will we have Opening Night between the Yankees and Giants to greet us.
With the season about to kick off, we asked Yankees fans who they thought was the Yankees’ primary foe entering the year:
Unsurprisingly, the reigning AL champs won this poll in a landslide. The Blue Jays tied with the Yankees for the most wins in the American League last season before handling the Bombers in the ALDS en route to the pennant. Though they fell just short in the World Series, Toronto moved aggressively in the offseason to bolster their chances at a repeat run through the AL, landing Dylan Cease on a seven-year deal, while also adding NPB star Kazuma Okamoto and pitchers Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers. To wit, most projections have the Yankees and the Blue Jays neck-and-neck at the top of the AL East.
The Red Sox come in second here above the Mariners, in part perhaps because Boston is obviously a direct (and hated) division rival, while Seattle feels like a far-off threat. But the Mariners, in the grand scheme of things, might be strongest AL team the Yankees have to deal with this year. Those projections that have the Yankees and Jays locked at the top of the AL East? They also have the Mariners projected to lead the AL in wins. The M’s didn’t have a super flashy offseason, but made a couple solid moves to augment a roster that came achingly close to the pennant last year, re-signing Josh Naylor and then adding Brendan Donovan in a trade with the Cardinals. If Seattle’s typically strong rotation bounces back from an iffy 2025, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
Now, on to the cellar of the Junior Circuit:
This is Chicago’s crown to lose, though the Angels are pushing them in the race to the bottom. The White Sox “rebounded” from their historically poor 2024, looking more like a normal, terrible team rather than a mind-bendingly bad one. A few young talents, like Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery, and Shane Smith provided bright spots, though unfortunately Teel is already down after injuring his hamstring in the World Baseball Classic. The White Sox also added Munetaka Murakami to the mix, the kind of risky but high-upside play that it feels like the Pale Hose should be making.
If you squint, it’s possible to see the White Sox rebuild moving in a positive direction. The Angels, though, seem stuck in purgatory, aimlessly wandering through the desert. Their roster is close to barren beyond Zack Neto, Yusei Kikuchi, and the still-fighting Mike Trout, and their farm system looks unlikely to provide much help any time soon. Dark times indeed in Anaheim.
These next two are MLB-wide polls:
PED’s are unfortunately in the headlines right now, with Jurickson Profar getting suspended for the entire 2026 season after a second positive test, while Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas received an 80-game suspension after his first positive test. Profar has fully torpedoed what was once a great story, one of a former top prospect finally making good after a decade-long journey through the majors. Instead, he will likely always be remembered for his two PED suspensions.
Less than half of fans feel that PED’s aren’t a major problem, and it’s easy to argue that recency bias is suppressing that number bit. As disappointing as it was to see two big leaguers popped in the span of a week, from 2023 to 2025, just five players were suspended under the league’s doping policy. Unless MLB is simply failing at detecting juicers, there just haven’t been many guys turning to PED’s in recent years, with the exception of the couple of cases that just came down.
Fans are rather split on whether the league’s current punishments are harsh enough. Currently, a first positive test nets an 80-game suspension, a second yields a season-long suspension, and a third leads to a lifetime ban. These punishments, which have been in effect for 12 years now, are notably harsher than previous PED policies, which had much shorter suspensions for first- and second-time offenders. That those harsher policies have coincided with a pretty low number of positive tests would suggest that players are being sufficiently deterred from turning to drugs, but it stands to reason that unless the league adopts a literal zero-tolerance policy, some fans will be left feeling that the rules aren’t stringent enough.
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
