Category: Baseball

Missouri baseball heads into its upcoming series against Mount St. Mary’s with a fairly clear idea of how it wants to line things up, even if nothing is fully set this early in the season. Like most early-season projections, there is some guesswork involved, and what we see this weekend could change once games are played.

There are not all true locks right now, but Missouri appears ready to use this series to establish baseline roles rather than constantly mix and match. The defensive alignment looks mostly settled, with the designated hitter spot offering the most flexibility.

Here is one possible way Missouri could line up for the series, based on current expectations.

C — Mateo Serna

1B — Tyler Macon

2B — Gehrig Goldbeck

3B — Chris Patterson

SS — Kam Durnin

LF — Cameron Benson

CF — Kaden Peer

RF — Pierre Seals

DH — Jase Woita

At first base, Tyler Macon finished last year hitting .272 with a .391 on-base percentage, making him a dependable option near the top or middle of the lineup. In the middle infield, Goldbeck posted a .407 OBP while hitting .248 last season in the DH spot, unable to play defensively due to injury. He offers speed and versatility, even if his offensive production leans more toward contact than power.

Chris Patterson mans the hot corner and showed flashes of power throughout the season. He slugged .393, and while his average sat at .232, his ability to drive the ball with eight doubles gives Missouri some upside at third base. Shortstop Kam Durnin brings experience and stability after transferring in, hitting .251 with 27 RBIs last season and providing solid production while anchoring one of the most important defensive positions on the field.

In the outfield, Cameron Benson impressed in his limited 40 plate appearances, hitting .324 with a .425 on-base percentage and a .529 slugging mark. If he stays healthy, he could be one of the more impactful bats in the lineup. Alongside him, Kaden Peer emerged as one of Missouri’s most complete offensive players, batting .299 with a .411 OBP, adding five home runs and 33 RBIs.

Pierre Seals rounds out the outfield with steady production across the board, hitting .291 with eight home runs and a .446 slugging percentage, giving Missouri a reliable bat from the outfield.

Serving as the designated hitter, Jase Woita adds middle-of-the-order pop. He hit .300 with a .394 on-base percentage and a .508 slugging mark last season with South Carolina, making him one of the more consistent run-producing options in the lineup.

Missouri’s rotation for the series appears more clearly defined, with starters already lined up for each game from Friday to Sunday. 

Friday — Javyn Pimental
Saturday — Josh McDevitt
Sunday — Brady Kehlenbrink

Midweek- JD Dohrmann

Missouri’s pitching staff enters 2026 with renewed energy and a fresh identity under new pitching coach Drew Dickinson. After a rough 2025 season in which the team posted a 9.19 ERA and allowed a conference-worst 458 earned runs, Dickinson brings a competitive mindset and a proven track record from his time at Virginia, where his staffs ranked among the nation’s best.

​​JD Dohrmann showed promise during the Tigers’ intersquad scrimmage, tossing six innings while allowing three earned runs. Left-hander Javyn Pimental, despite missing the 2025 season following Tommy John surgery, his presence back is in the rotation. In 2024, he led the Tigers with a 3.61 ERA and allowed the fewest hits on the staff, proving he can keep runners off the bases when healthy.

The bullpen should feature a wide group of arms, especially early in the season as innings are managed.

Ian Lohse, Juan Villareal, Keyler Gonzalez, Kadden Drew, Trey Lawrence, and Dane Bjorn are all expected to factor into relief situations. Lohse was in and out of the starting rotation last season due to injury, so his return will be anticipated for a staff looking to turn the page on a rocky last season.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expects a lot from Shohei Ohtani this season. But even with those high expectations, a topic of conversation Friday as pitchers and catchers went through their first official workouts at Camelback Ranch, the superstar two-way player already found a way to exceed them.

“I came into camp at the beginning of February,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton following a bullpen session. “This is my third bullpen with pretty good intensity. … I’m not really sure how I’ll be able to practice in the WBC setting, so I’m going to try to ramp up as much as I can to a point where I’m throwing a live BP, which should be next week.”

The 2026 season will be Ohtani’s third year with the Dodgers, and his first pitching without restrictions. Fully recovered from his second Tommy John surgery, Ohtani was able to enjoy a regular, albeit short, offseason. With Ohtani in full bloom, Roberts has even higher hopes for the four-time MVP in the coming season.

Read more:Plaschke: Alex Vesia opens up about unimaginable loss: 'Life can change in an instant'

“I think there’s certainly a lot more in there, and regardless of my expectations for him, his are going to exceed those,” Roberts said Friday. “I think it’s fair to say, he expects to be in the Cy Young conversation, but we just want to be healthy and make starts and all the numbers and statistics will take care of themselves, but man, this guy is such a disciplined worker, and expects the most from himself.”

Ohtani’s highest placement in Cy Young Award voting came in 2022, when, still a member of the Angels, he finished fourth after logging 15 wins, a 2.33 ERA and a 1.012 WHIP across 166 innings pitched. Ohtani suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament the following season, requiring Tommy John surgery.

“If the end result is getting a Cy Young, that’s great,” Ohtani said. “Getting a Cy Young means being able to throw more innings and pitch throughout the whole season, so if that’s the end result, that’s a good sign for me. I’m just focused on being healthy the whole year.”

Ohtani appeared in 14 games last season, logging 47 innings pitched. Roberts liked what he saw in the small sample size.

“I think the thing that was most surprising from last year was his command,” Roberts said. “And I’ll say that he still feels his command wasn’t up to par, but given the Tommy John and what typically command looks like the year after, it was above that. So, I think that was impressive. Just his ability to command the couple different breaking balls, to change the shape of his breaking balls was pretty impressive, and everything he does is with a purpose. So, I’m really excited to see with the full offseason and to just prepare and not rehab, what he can do this year.”

Physically, Roberts believes Ohtani is in the right place entering the ninth year of his career.

“I think he just looks strong,” Roberts said. “He looks strong, but there’s not too much mass. Just watching him throw, watching him run, his body’s moving well. I think he’s in a sweet spot. Just watching him, the muscle mass, it just seems that he’s in a sweet spot.”

Ohtani and Roberts said that they don’t yet know when Ohtani and some of his teammates will be departing for the World Baseball Classic, but Ohtani will continue to ramp up in the time leading up to next month's event. Last month at DodgerFest, Roberts announced Ohtani will not pitch in the WBC in order to focus on pitching in the regular season.

"As much as people think that he's not human, he's still a human being who's had two surgeries," Roberts said Friday. "He's got a long career ahead of him."

Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws live BP

Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a live batting practice Friday as the World Series MVP took the mound for the first time since he recorded the final out of last year’s Fall Classic. Yamamoto threw 20 pitches to a pair of his teammates, with right-handed hitting catcher Will Smith and left-handed hitting infielder Hyeseong Kim alternated at-bats.

Kim turned on a pair of fastballs from Yamamoto, ripping a pair of base hits into right field.

A little over an hour before Yamamoto pitched, Roberts was asked by reporters about Yamamoto’s durability, coming off a postseason where the 27-year-old totaled 526 pitches, capped off by a Herculean effort in Game 7 that powered the Dodgers to their second straight World Series championship.

Read more:Plaschke: Start talking three-peat! Dave Roberts believes these Dodgers can be better than ever

“I just believe that he knows his limitations and he’s prepared, so I’m not too concerned about it,” Roberts said.

Yamamoto wasn’t the only pitcher to see some run on the Dodgers’ first day of camp. Among those to throw a bullpen session Friday: veteran Tyler Glasnow, promising sophomore Roki Sasaki, playoff hero Will Klein, newcomer Edwin Díaz, and Ohtani.

Staff writer Anthony Solorzano contributed to this report.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Royals announced they have signed left-handed pitcher John Means to a two-year minor league deal. Means is a Gardner, Kansas native who was an All-Star with the Orioles in 2019, but has battled injuries the last four seasons.

Means graduated from Gardner-Edgerton High School and attended Fort Scott Community College before being drafted by the Orioles. He made his debut in 2018 and was an All-Star the next year, winning 12 games with a 3.60 ERA and 4.4 rWAR, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. He was Baltimore’s Opening Day starter in 2021 and tossed a no-hitter in May of that year. He made just two starts in 2022 before he was sidelined with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

Means returned late in 2023 and was very effective in four starts. But in 2024, he made just four starts with reduced velocity before he injured his ulnar collateral ligament again, requiring a second Tommy John surgery. He spent last year in the Guardians organization, making seven starts in the minors. Last December, he was about to sign with a team when he ruptured his Achilles, requiring surgery.

The Milwaukee Brewers traded away their entire third base depth chart on Monday. It seemed they were going to be in need of bringing in additional infield depth right as spring training was getting started. They were left with just David Hamilton as the only infielder as an option at third base on the 40-man roster. On Friday, they made their addition to shore up that depth.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com has reported that the Brewers are signing veteran utility infielder Luis Rengifo to a one-year contract. Rengifo will earn $3.5 million in salary with another $1.5 million in possible incentives. The deal includes a mutual option for 2027 valued at $10 million.

To this point, the 28-year-old Rengifo has spent his entire seven-year career with the Los Angeles Angels.

Luis Rengifo provides stopgap help

Rengifo has played all over the diamond for the Angels, playing three infield spots and all three outfield positions. The best seasons of his career came in 2022 and 2023, when he was able to slug 17 and 16 home runs, respectively, with a .264 batting average.

In 2024, Rengifo was on pace to have a truly fantastic season, with career highs in batting average (.300), on-base percentage (.347), and stolen bases (24), but he played in just 78 games as he dealt with a wrist injury that required surgery. He had proven to be a solid contact hitter that could hit from both sides of the plate with some decent pop while able to play all over the diamond.

Then he had a tough season in 2025, hitting just .238/.287/.335 with nine homers and a woeful 73 OPS+. Still, he was healthy with a career-high 147 games played.

Now with the Brewers, Rengifo immediately becomes the most experienced third baseman on the roster and would appear to have an inside track to regular playing time at the position. Being a switch-hitter, he’d be largely immune to platoon needs. He has power from both sides, but hits for a higher average as a righty.

Brewers PBO Matt Arnold said after the Durbin trade that they liked the depth in their infield but were open to making more additions.

Rengifo is a good fit for the Brewers because he makes a lot of contact, doesn’t strike out a ton, has some speed, and is versatile defensively. He can provide a legitimate stopgap at the hot corner in Milwaukee until the young prospects are ready. Once they are, Rengifo can settle into a utility role that he’s probably a better overall fit for. He won’t block Jett Williams, Cooper Pratt, or Brock Wilken when they’re ready, but he can bridge the gap until they are.

With the Yankees’ starting outfield locked in again, youngster Jasson Dominguez’s role is a bit of an unknown heading into this season. 

Dominguez spent all of last year on the big-league roster, but the team struggled to find him consistent at-bats for the majority of the second half.

GM Brian Cashman considered optioning him to Triple-A at the time, but he ultimately decided against it. 

With the 23-year-old facing similar circumstances now, could that change? 

“Stay tuned,” Cashman said. “[Trent Grisham] came out nowhere last year and really had an All-Star season and took control of one of those everyday spots with [Aaron] Judge and [Cody Bellinger], which reduced Jasson to a role player. There were still lanes for him to contribute with us coming off the bench, pinch-run, etc. when we were in the midst of a pennant race to try to determine the AL East title or Wild Card situation. 

“So there are still ways,” Cashman continued. “Dominguez is an extremely talented player -- both offensively, defensively -- and he’s one of our best runners. Having him as a choice for a manager to use, coming off the bench at times definitely improves our chances of success because of his pure athleticism. So if everything stays the same, we’ll be forced to choose our best course of action to help this team.

“I would conceive that it’s in our best interest to get him everyday reps. We’ll be able to do that with all of these guys down here as they go through their ramp-ups, then we’ll see have to wait and see how the spring shakes out and who’s standing when we have our meetings closer to the end of camp. So we’ll see where it takes us.”

Dominguez finished 13th in AL Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .257 with 29 extra-base hits, 23 stolen bases, and a .719 OPS last season.

PHOENIX –– Alex Vesia looked down, wiped his eyes, then handed a box of tissues to a nearby Dodgers staff member.

For the first time since losing his newborn daughter, Sterling Sol, last October, and subsequently missing the World Series as he and his wife, Kayla, mourned her death, the Dodgers reliever was about to discuss the tragedy publicly with reporters.

And even before he began, he was fighting through somber tears and quivering breaths.

“I was not prepared to not bring my baby girl home,” Vesia said. “But we’re carrying her with us every day.”

In his six-minute address Friday, Vesia thanked the Dodgers and the larger baseball community for the support his family felt last October and over the offseason. “The outpouring of love and support Kay and I have had over the past few months has been unmatched,” he said.

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He expressed gratitude for gestures made by the Blue Jays (who had every one of their relievers write Vesia’s No. 51 on their caps during last year’s Fall Classic) and Los Angeles Rams (who sent him a signed jersey with the name “S. Vesia” on the back), while noting that “my DMs are basically broken on Instagram from all the love and support that we’ve had.”

He described the conflicting emotions he felt while watching the World Series from afar: “Stepping away from the team, and the brothers I go to war with every day, was difficult,” he acknowledged. “But it was also an easy decision, because my family needed me.”

His full remarks pic.twitter.com/Ablc5yQj2a

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) February 13, 2026

Then, he got most choked up while remembering the short time he and his wife had with their daughter, who died from unspecified causes on Oct. 26, shortly after being born.

“The lessons we’ve learned from this is that life can change in an instant,” Vesia said. “Ten minutes is all it took. Sterling Sol was the most beautiful girl in the world. We got to hold her, change her diaper, read to her and love her. Our time together was far too short. Kay and I will keep those precious moments and memories to ourselves. I hope that anyone listening can empathize and respect our wishes for privacy as we continue to heal, and as we navigate the ups and downs of a baseball season.”

Friday started with a sense of normalcy for Vesia, a six-year MLB veteran who has emerged as one of the top left-handed relievers in the majors with a 2.92 career ERA.

He was the first Dodgers pitcher to throw a bullpen session, on what was the first official day of spring training workouts for the team. He caught up with teammates and staff members in the clubhouse, where he said “being able to laugh and joke around, that’s been really nice for me.” And he sported a thick new beard and seemingly bulked-up physique, noting how his rigorous gym work over the offseason has crucially “been my mental clarity.”

Still, the painful memories of what he endured last October lingered; not only for himself, but others around the organization.

“I can’t put it into words,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I’m happy to see him. I spent some time with him yesterday. They’re doing well. I know his teammates are excited to have him back. It’s just, our hearts obviously went out to him and Kayla. You don’t wish that on anyone.”

Alex Vesia is first up on the bullpen mounds for today’s first official workout pic.twitter.com/Zibmy3MWzm

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) February 13, 2026

While Roberts hoped that the return of baseball would be “therapeutic” for his high-leverage southpaw, Vesia revealed that he and his wife have sought out professional help, too, going through sessions of therapy over the last six weeks.

“It hasn’t been easy, but talking to someone has made a difference,” he said. “For those out there who have lost a child, or are fighting through any struggle, if you can take anything from this, please seek help. Talk to somebody. It’s definitely helped Kay and I. Please don’t be afraid to speak up. Your mental health matters.”

As he finished reading his statement, Vesia had to stop and compose himself with more deep breaths.

“I’ve learned that what has happened to us has also happened to so many families,” he said. “And realizing that has deepened our empathy and our gratitude for this community. The baseball community is extremely strong.”

Then, he thanked the reporters before him, turned back toward the clubhouse and reached for a tissue to wipe away another tear.

“It’s been hard,” he said in his closing remark. “But, we’re doing OK.”

“Bear with me, please…”

He pitched in one of the most thrilling games of the postseason, throwing one perfect inning in the victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that sent the Dodgers to the World Series.

Nine days later, his newborn daughter died.

Four months later, in a halting six-minute address punctuated by deep breaths and stifled sobs, Alex Vesia publicly bared his battered soul.

Read more:Plaschke: Start talking three-peat! Dave Roberts believes these Dodgers can be better than ever

“ I was not prepared to not bring my baby girl home, but we’re carrying her with us every day…”

Meeting with the media at Camelback Ranch on the first day of spring training Friday, Vesia took no questions, instead reading from a statement off his phone while battling the effects of the tragedy that was his daughter Sterling’s death two days after the start of the World Series.

“The lessons we’ve learned from this is that life can change in an instant. Ten minutes is all it took….”

Vesia had allowed two runs in seven postseason appearances, including five scoreless appearances in the heart of the playoffs. He was going to be a big factor against the Toronto Blue Jays, until the unthinkable happened, and he immediately disappeared into his nightmare.

“I can’t think of anything worse,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

While the Dodgers were competing for an unthinkable second consecutive championship, Vesia was mourning an unimaginable loss. While the Dodgers were ultimately bathed in cheers, he and wife Kayla were awash in agony.

“Sterling Sol was the most beautiful girl in the world…we got to hold her, change her diaper, read to her, and love her… Our time together was far too short.”

For all the emotion that enveloped the Dodgers postseason, it turns out none of it could compare to the private hell endured by one of their own. As he spoke Friday, it became clear why Vesia is such a valued member of this group. He could barely get through his statement, yet he took deep breaths and didn’t stop talking. He couldn’t pitch in the most important games of the year, yet he put his pain aside and wouldn’t stop cheering.

“Stepping away from the team, and the brothers I go to war with every day, was difficult. But it was also an easy decision, because my family needed me. We still watched every pitch of the World Series, and for us, in so many ways, that was a light in our darkness.”

While the public was unaware of the scope of his pain — one day before the World Series began, the Dodgers announced that he had left the team for a “deeply personal family matter” — every player knew the details, and reacted with a giant embrace.

The Dodgers wore Vesia’s number 51 on their caps. Soon, so did the Blue Jays relievers in an inspiring show of solidarity.

“When Kay and I were watching the World Series, we noticed that there was (No.) 51 on Louie Varland's hat. I immediately texted Gus Varland, his brother, and I asked him if I was seeing that correctly. He texted me back right away and he said, 'The Varlands love you dude. The whole Toronto bullpen has it too. It's bigger than baseball. We love you all.' Kay and I… we were very emotional. We were super overwhelmed with emotion.”

That emotion was evident in a different way on Friday, with a newly muscle-bound Vesia throwing darts in a breathtaking bullpen session. His vacancy was nicely filled in the World Series by Will Klein and Justin Wrobleski, who combined to throw 10 scoreless innings. But this team will need Vesia this season as an important set-up man for Edwin Díaz, and are counting on him to remain his strong self.

“ I do think getting back to what he loves to do and play baseball, that's something therapeutic for him,” said Roberts.

Vesia agreed. The road back from grief is often a long and rocky one, but as he hugged teammates and the relaxed spring moment Friday, he had hope.

“Having something to look forward to has helped me. The gym has been my mental clarity. Being around the guys again, preparing for spring training, it’s been really nice. Gotten a lot of love so far in the clubhouse, and being able to laugh and joke around, that’s been really nice for me.”

While Vesia’s statement was wracked with sorrow, it was also filled with gratitude. He found time to thank the Dodgers, the Blue Jays and most notably, the fans.

Yes, all of you who reached out to him, he heard you, and he is thankful for you. This includes the Rams, who even sent him an autographed jersey as a sign of their support.

“"The outpouring of love and support Kay and I have had over the past few months has been unmatched. We're both grateful to not only Dodger nation, but the fans worldwide. My DMs, messages, my DMs are basically broken on Instagram from all the love and support that we've had. I've tried to read all the comments and everything just because it's meant the world, really.”

Read more:Kiké Hernández is back with the Dodgers, agreeing to terms on eve of spring training

At the end of his statement, Vesia put his fist over his heart, wobbled for a second, and it looked like he was going to faint before he staggered away.

Remember this on opening day. Remember the courage required of Alex Vesia to make this kind of public showing. Remember how he handled his greatest trauma with the sort of strength and conviction that has made these Dodgers one of the greatest teams in baseball history.

Do they give standing ovations to middle relievers?

They do now.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke to the media following Friday's workouts in Tampa…

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Gerrit Cole returns to the mound

The veteran ace checked off the first box on his lengthy spring training to-do list, completing a long-awaited bullpen session on Friday with a new over-the-head windup that produced mid-90s fastballs.

Nearly a year removed from Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss the 2025 season, Cole called his workout "pretty good," insisting that a return to pinstripes in May or June remains the target date after conversations with the club and doctors.

No surprise, Boone echoed Cole's optimism. After all, he recently hinted at the possibility of the 35-year-old pitching in Grapefruit League games before camp wraps up in late March, and right now the plan is for Cole to face hitters in the coming weeks. 

But they won't put him at risk of a setback -- they're prioritizing long-term goals.

"The last thing we want to do is push him early in the season, just because he looks like he does now," Boone said. "We want to make sure we give him the proper time to make sure he's good and ready to come back. Built-up in a smart way. We won't rush that with him, even if continues to go incredibly well."

The Yankees can't afford to put Cole in harm's way. In spite of his diligent routine and body awareness, questions and concerns about his health are now warranted.

After earning AL Cy Young honors in 2023, Cole missed the first half of 2024 with elbow inflammation, finishing the year with a 3.41 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 17 starts (95.0 innings).

To his credit, he also produced a laudable 0.71 ERA across two World Series games against the Dodgers. Boone doesn't see why Cole can't resemble a frontline starter once again.

"I'm not going to put anything past Gerrit," Boone said. "He's so good at his craft. Again, the success rate on these surgeries is usually pretty good. And the way his rehab process has gone, would lend itself to him returning to form... I'm not going to put any ceiling on what Gerrit can do once he's back in the rotation."

An opportunity for Jose Caballero

While the Yankees anticipate Anthony Volpe to miss at least April following offseason shoulder surgery, there's a window for utilityman Jose Caballero to grab hold of the starting shortstop role and eventually create some competition.

Caballero, acquired from the Rays before the trade deadline last season, slashed .266/.372/.456 with 15 stolen bases across 95 regular-season plate appearances for the Yankees. His career offensive metrics suggest a dip in production is coming, but his athleticism and attitude excite Boone.

"He's just a real gritty, gamer, tough, competitive, scrappy out at the plate," Boone said. "We like that about him. We like what he brings to the table. Does the short game well, can hit behind a runner, can bunt and bunt for a hit. Obviously the basestealing part of things, the defensive versatility...

"He's definitely good enough to play [shortstop]. He has that utility label, and rightfully so, because he really can go play a lot of positions well. But that doesn't mean he can't legit play shortstop too, because he can. Looking forward to seeing him out there regularly to start the year, we'll see where it takes us."

Cam Schlittler throws on flat ground

The second-year starter didn't express any concern with minor mid-back inflammation he revealed on Thursday, and considering that he did some light tossing on the back fields on Friday, his throwing program shouldn't be altered for long.

"He kind of brushes it off, like, no biggie," Boone said of Schlittler. "Hopefully this is something that, slowing him down, serves him well in the total build-up. I think it will. We'll see how the next day or two unfolds, just when he gets back on the mound. Hopefully pretty quick."

A bullpen spot for Rafael Montero?

The Yankees recently agreed to a minor-league deal with the veteran right-hander that includes an invite to big league camp. He spent the 2025 season with the Astros, Braves, and Tigers, logging a 4.48 ERA across 59 appearances. He also struck out 58, but walked 37.

At the moment, the Yankees' high-leverage bullpen spots belong to closer David Bednar and set-up man Camilo Doval, with Fernando Cruz and Tim Hill ranking behind. 

Boone likes the pitching competition entering camp, and believes Montero has the tools and experience to earn an Opening Day roster spot.

"I've talked about our pitching depth, all the way to the starters to non-roster invites," Boone said. "Bringing a guy like Montero in, with obviously a ton of experience. Had a lot of success, had some success last year. There's some things we really liked he was doing last year. Maybe some small adjustments we can make to help him."

One of the best things in sports is when heroes turn out to be the most unlikely candidates.

For Max Muncy and Miguel Rojas, they were the heroes needed as the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays for their second consecutive World Series last November.

In the pivotal Game 7, Muncy got things going when he hit a 373-foot solo home run in the eighth inning that cut their deficit to one. That breathed life back into the Dodgers, who at that point were floundering on the road.

Known more for his defense than offense, Rojas became a folk hero of Dodgers lore when he hit a game-tying solo blast in the top of the ninth inning. He then followed that up with a game-saving defensive play in the bottom half of the inning when he snared a hard-hit ball and threw out Isiah Kiner-Falefa at home to keep the game tied at four.

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Will Smith would later hit a solo home run in the 11th inning as the Dodgers prevailed for their third title in five years with a 5-4 win.

As spring training gets underway at Camelback Ranch in Arizona, Dodgers fans gave a loud ovation when Rojas and Muncy walked by them toward the practice fields.

World Series heroes Miguel Rojas and Max Muncy were met with tons of love as they arrived to Spring Training today.

The Dodgers aren’t back to back World Series champions without these two and they made sure to bless them with new contracts pic.twitter.com/ELbgsvVk2H

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) February 13, 2026

Dodgers Nation always celebrates its heroes — and never forgets the ones who matter most.

Hello baseball fans, the hours are ticking down to the start of the 2026 baseball season. I haven’t covered baseball in several years, but it feels less gross than other college sports at the moment. While basketball and football are imploding, baseball keeps chugging along (don’t tell me if I’m wrong about this, I need to believe).

Let’s get after it.

Projected Starting Lineup

First Base

#16 – Luke Gaffney – 6’1”, 235 – Rs Jr.

Bats/Throws: R/R

2024 – 25 Stats

Team	ST	AVG	OPS	R	H	HR	RBI
Clemson	51	.271	.745	26	51	5	39

Info

The former Big 10 Freshman of the Year from Purdue struggled to find his groove at Clemson last season. There’s been buzz around Tiger Town this winter that Gafney looks like he’s back to his Boilermaker ways. He hit .359 with 13 home runs as a freshman. If he’s back in form, look for Gaffney somewhere in the middle of the Clemson lineup. In theory, he’s one of the scariest bats on the roster. Hopefully, that theory becomes a reality for the Tigers this season.

Gaffney is a solid athlete and can play right field or behind the plate if needed, but first base will be his initial station. Clemson’s infield is going to be extremely athletic.

Second Base

#23 – Jarren Purify – 5’10”, 190 – Jr.

Bats/Throws: R/R

2024 – 25 Stats

Team	ST	AVG	OPS	R	H	HR	RBI
Clemson	57	.298	.879	54	62	6	35

Info

As a returning team captain from the 2025 squad, much is expected of Purify this season. His game is built around speed and athleticism, and he’s got both in spades. He’s a line-drive hitter who knows what to do once he gets on the basepaths and should be a top-of-the-order hitter.

While Purify is an excellent hitter, he’s an even better fielder. He has great range for a second baseman and is slick in the double play.

Third Base

#4 – Tryston McCladdie – 5’11”, 190 – Jr.

Bats/Throws: L/R

Team	ST	AVG	OPS	R	H	HR	RBI
Clemson	27	.287	.903	23	27	5	19

Info

McCladdie is the Swiss Army Knife in the Clemson lineup. He’ll start at third, but he can play anywhere other than pitcher and catcher, and he’ll be deployed accordingly. He had the fewest starts of any infielder in Clemson’s 2026 projected starting lineup, but he did lead the Tigers in games off the bench last season due to his versatility.

Regardless of where he’s playing on the field, he’s a tough left-handed outfielder with decent power for his rather diminutive size. Like Lichtenberger, he could feature at either the top or bottom of the lineup because of his ability to get on base.

Short Stop

#8 – Tyler Lichtenberger – 6’0”,195 – So.

Bats/Throws: L/R

Team	ST	AVG	OPS	R	H	HR	RBI
App St.	53	.341	.879	40	70	3	37

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Tyler is the new addition to the infield after a stellar freshman season at Appalachian State, where he earned Sun Belt Conference Freshman-of-the-Year award and first team all-conference honors. He’s a solid contact hitter from the left side of the plate and could slot in at the top or bottom of the lineup, depending on what Coach Backich is looking for on any given day. He failed to reach base in only 6 games last season and has solid speed once he gets on.

He’s a plus defender and should give the Tigers solid defense up the middle of the field with Jarren Purify. Clemson could have one of the better double-play combinations in the ACC if everything works out according to plan, and Lichtenberger moves seamlessly into the lineup.

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Reserves

First Base / DH

#13 – Collin Priest – 6’3”, 260 – Jr.

Team	ST	AVG	OPS	R	H	HR	RBI
Clemson	57	.240	.887	36	41	12	52

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Priest is built like a tight end. When he hits the ball, the ball stays hit. Unfortunately, Priest didn’t make as much contact with the ball as he would have liked last season after transferring from Michigan. He hit .279 with a .578 slugging percentage as a freshman with the Wolverines. Hopefully, the ball finds his bat a few more times this season.

Third/First/DH

#10 – Jason Fultz Jr.- 6’0”, 215 – Fr.

Considered the 37th-best overall freshman in the 2026 class by Perfect Game and the 86th-best freshman in the nation by D1Baseball. He’s considered one of the best professional prospects on the team and has the type of power that could make a difference in the Clemson lineup if it’s calibrated to college pitching.

Fultz is the talent, and the one thing I know about coaching is you get your talent on the field. Look for him to displace the versatile McCladdie at third sooner, rather than later.

Infield

#44 – Dylan Harrison – 6’5”, 215 – Fr.

Harrison joins Fultz as one of the highest-rated prospects in the 2026 freshman class. Perfect Game Baseball considers him the 21st-best prospect in the 2028 draft. He’s considered more of a pro prospect in the field than on the mound, but Clemson will give him an opportunity to do both. Like Fultz, he’s got dynamite in his bat when he makes contact.

Second Base

#21 – Jay Dillard – 5’9”, 175 – Jr.

Heading into his third season in the program, Dillard is ready to make his mark in the 2026 season after playing in 18 games and starting 5 last season. I’m not sure about the rest of his game, but he’s patient at the plate, drawing 6 walks in 16 plate appearances. He’s a plus fielder who should provide solid depth up the middle for the Tigers.

Overall

I’m far from an expert on this roster (yet), but based on my research, I’m excited to see what the Tigers can do with these pieces. Can the veterans hold off the young bucks for their spot in the starting lineup? Harrison and Fultz are the future of the program, and the future could be now if any of the projected starters falter.

The defense should be elite; if they can get the power guys to produce, things could get exciting on the basepaths in Tiger Town.

Bad Bunny offered to pay Carlos Correa’s insurance for the World Baseball Classic. 

Major League Baseball, the Astros and his agent, Scott Boras, told the Astros infielder to think again.

“They all told me it was a bad idea,” Correa told The Athletic. “They all told me the insurance company that was proposed to me had cases where they were not paying players back. Since it was not approved by MLB, not approved by the organization and not approved by my agent, I could not sign my life away with something that three people that I trust are telling me not to do.”

Correa, one of several players not cleared to play in the tournament, still expressed his appreciation for Bad Bunny’s offer. 

“It means a lot that he’s that involved,” Correa said of his countryman. “He tried to do everything possible … I’m deeply grateful that he tried that hard.”

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, offered to pay the insurance for Mets star Francisco Lindor, who was also denied by National Financial Partners, which is the insurer for the WBC.

Team Puerto Rico was hit hard by insurance issues, with Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos and Twins catcher Victor Caratini also not being cleared. 

So much so, that the team was nearly forced to withdraw from the tournament. 

Puerto Rico will host the first round of the WBC in San Juan from March 6-11 in a pool that also includes Canada, Colombia, Cuba and Panama.

The wave of insurance denials comes after a wave of high-profile injuries during the most recent tournament. 

Ex-Mets closer Edwin Díaz missed the entire 2023 season after suffering a harrowing right knee injury in that year’s WBC.

Jose Altuve also broke his thumb in that year’s event, which took him out for several months.

The Mets made a low-risk addition last week, bringing in MJ Melendez on a one-year split contract. 

Melendez was once among the top prospects in baseball and only sat behind Bobby Witt Jr. in the Royals’ system, but he hasn’t been able to find his footing in the majors to this point. 

The former second-round pick hit just .083 last year before being demoted by the Royals.  

He did, however, enjoy another strong offensive showing down in the minors, which is why the Mets believe he still has some upside left in that left-handed bat of his. 

Melendez had 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 33 doubles, and a .813 OPS in 107 Triple-A games. 

“I think there’s more in the tank,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s coming off a couple of down years, but I remember when he first came into the league he was a pretty good player -- he’s going to get an opportunity here.”

The best offensive showing of Melendez’s professional career came in 2021, when he hit 41 homers and drove in 103 runs between Double-A and Triple-A. 

While he’s struck out a ton, he has shown flashes of that big-time pop in the majors. 

The other big thing the Mets value about Melendez is the versatility he brings. 

Melendez came up through the Royals' system as a catcher, but was forced to move to the outfield with veteran captain Salvador Perez holding down the position at the big-league level. 

He's seen time at both corner outfield spots, first base, and third base over the years. 

The 27-year-old does have a minor league option left, but if he's able to tap into some of that upside, he could provide the Mets with outfield insurance -- in case youngster Carson Benge isn’t ready -- or serve as an emergency third catcher in a pinch.

“I’m excited to have him,” Mendoza said.

As you know, the Cubs have added quite a bit of advertising to Wrigley Field since the recently-completed renovation.

This includes ads on the pads on the left- and right-field lines, on the doors on the outfield walls and behind the plate.

There are also two advertising signs on buildings on Waveland and Sheffield, as seen in this photo from last year:

As you can see, a Coca-Cola sign is on a building on Waveland, just past the left-field foul pole, and a Benjamin Moore sign is in essentially the same place on Sheffield, just past the right-field foul pole.

Now, per Ald. Bennett Lawson’s office in the 44th Ward, where Wrigley Field is located, the Cubs have proposed adding two more signs, one on Waveland, one on Sheffield, with locations as shown here (and at the top of this post):

As noted in that link, the addresses of the buildings where these new signs would be located are 3639 N. Sheffield and 1030 W. Waveland.

You can see more details of these proposed signs and how they would look here.

For those of you mourning some sort of “pristine” Wrigley Field without advertising, that ship sailed a long time ago. Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts once told me, “Wrigley Field is not a museum,” and that’s absolutely true. Now, it would be good if all the extra money brought in by these ads would be put toward player payroll, but deciding that is above my pay grade.

In any case, Wrigley Field still looks much as it did decades ago. The renovations were done in a way that is supposed to evoke the ballpark’s “Golden Age,” which was said to be the 1930s. I’d agree with that, as the team won four NL pennants between 1929 and 1938, and 1938 is also the first full year of the current bleacher configuration and ivy that give the ballpark its iconic “park-like” look.

While there’s some advertising in and around Wrigley Field, at least it doesn’t look like this, with ads plastered all over the place:

Or this, with even MORE ads:

I’m assuming these new advertising signs for Wrigley Field will be approved and likely installed on or around Opening Day. And they are easy enough to ignore if you’re paying attention to the action on the field.

Just as we all thought that the San Francisco Giants were done signing Major League contracts, they went and signed another. Except there’s a catch: it’s not for a player who will contribute this year.

In a crafty move that will no doubt upset the vast swath of fans who are still upset about the last regime’s churning ways, the Giants agreed to a Major League contract with right-handed reliever Rowan Wick, the team announced on Friday. The deal is all about securing Wick’s rights for the 2027 season: the 33-year old underwent Tommy John surgery a few months ago and will miss all of the upcoming season, but the contract includes a team option for next year, which the Giants will certainly pick up barring an injury setback.

It’s not hard to see why the Giants wanted to get ahead of the competition and grab Wick for next year, as he’s the latest former Major Leaguer to head overseas to rebuild his pitching career.

Wick was a ninth-round pick back in 2012 by the St. Louis Cardinals, and has five years of MLB experience: he debuted in 2018 with the San Diego Padres, and played for the Chicago Cubs from 2019-2022, before spending 2023 in the Minor Leagues. Across 146 appearances (and, funnily enough, exactly 146 innings), Wick has solid MLB numbers: a 3.82 ERA and a 3.49 FIP.

He headed to Japan in 2024 to rebuild his value in Nippon Professional Baseball, and the results were splendid. In his first year playing overseas, he posted a 2.60 ERA and a 2.74 FIP. But it was his work in 2025 that really shined: across 40 appearances and 42.2 innings, Wick posted a microscopic 0.84 ERA and 1.39 FIP (though that wasn’t the best mark in the league, as righty Daichi Ishii allowed an unthinkable one run in 53 innings, for a 0.17 ERA).

Wick was strong across the board in his standout season. While an ERA that begins with a “0” is always the result of some luck, he did a magnificent job staying out of trouble, allowing just 5.3 hits and 2.3 walks per nine innings for a 0.844 WHIP. He didn’t allow a single home run all year.

The Giants will be hoping that he can repeat that performance when he returns stateside. It’s just going to be a while before they find out the answer.

San Francisco will now have an open spot on the 40-man roster. In order to clear a spot to facilitate the signing, fellow injured reliever/offseason acquisition Jason Foley was transferred to the 60-Day Injured List. Wick will certainly follow Foley there, which will put the team’s roster at 39.