Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Daniel Duarte (77) tosses a rosin bag and shakes his head after giving up a solo home run to Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) in the eighth inning of an MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. The Cubs won the first game of the doubleheader, 6-2.
Daniel Duarte was signed rather unceremoniously back in December of 2025, with his signing being discovered on his MLB.com profile page by MLB Trade Rumors. Duarte, however, is one of the more intriguing of the cornucopia of relief options that were brought in by David Stearns this past offseason, due to his past MLB experience and winter ball dominance this year.
The 29 year old righty is no stranger to playing on the biggest stages, despite quietly signing a minor league deal with little fanfare. He’s appeared in 36 Major League games in his career, debuting with the Cincinnati Reds in 2022, after bouncing around the Rangers, Royals and Reds systems prior to his debut, with a brief stint in the Mexican League in between his Reds tenures. He was traded from the Reds to the Twins prior to the 2024 offseason, played in two games for them, underwent season-ending elbow surgery, and missed all of the 2024 and 2025 campaigns. He comes to the Mets with a 3.99 career ERA.
He also has played on the international stage, representing Mexico in the 2020 Olympics and will represent his country in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, which will be a fun side story for Mets fans to keep track of while watching the tournament.
Duarte got put on a few people’s radars after signing his minor league deal due to his performance in the Mexican Winter League. He was untouchable for Caneros de Los Mochis, playing in 25 games, throwing 24 innings, with a 0.00 ERA (not a typo, he did not surrender a single earned run in the entire season — he did surrender an unearned run, don’t sue him). He surrendered only 10 hits and walked just four batters. It was utter dominance.
Now, of course, dominating the Mexican Winter League does not necessarily mean you will be getting big outs against Major League hitters, but the performance definitely put him on the map some. He brings to the Mets a slider heavy arsenal, throwing it 36% of the time. He throws a 95-ish MPH four-seamer, a cutter, and a changeup in descending order of usage. He does not strike anyone out, nor does he walk many hitters; he relies on getting weak contact and forcing ground balls. In his lone long stint in the bigs (2023) he had a 50% ground ball rate, struck out 16.9% of batters, walked 14.7%, had just a 32.6% hard-hit rate, and a 4.3% barrel rate (all per his Baseball Savant page).
In all likelihood, Duarte will not make the Mets Opening Day roster barring some injuries ahead of him, instead pitching important innings for Triple-A Syracuse. However, he comes with an interesting profile and is fresh off dominating in Mexico over the winter, so a strong WBC and Spring performance after that could put him in pole position to be an early season call up when the bullpen roster churn eventually begins to pick up.
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 28: Miles Mastrobuoni #21 of the Seattle Mariners bats during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Sunday, September 28, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mollie Handkins/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Happy Sunday everybody! Did anybody wake up for the gold medal hockey game this morning? As of compiling these links last night, I’m still uncertain if I’ll make it out of bed in time for the start. Today is set up to be one of the best sports Sundays I can recall ever getting in a February. The hockey game starts before dawn, there’s a full slate of spring training games to choose from, the final round of the Genesis Invitational will be on all day, and there’s ten NBA games on throughout the afternoon.
In Mariners news…
February 2026 seems fated to be remembered as the month of Kade Anderson. A crowd of people gathered to watch him throw a live BP yesterday that included strikeouts of Julio and Cal.
Game two of the spring ended in a Mariners loss, but Miles Mastrobuoni had a big day at the plate to add to an already impressive spring resumé.
On the Giants side of yesterday’s game, the focus was all on Hayden Birdsong and Giants fans were left badly disappointed.
Truly, unequivocally, without a doubt, the most shameless, pathetic, little-brother energy move I’ve ever seen.
Sources to @NFLonCBS: The Rams are planning rules proposals that would address this successful and controversial 2-point conversion from their late-season meeting against the Seahawks. Full story here https://t.co/uThOaPc2jBhttps://t.co/spF44eGxN8
NEW YORK - 1958: Pitcher Ryne Duren of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait prior to a game in 1958 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York. (Photo by: Kidwiler Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The “pitcher with unbelievable stuff, just with no control over where it’s going” is a well known player type in baseball. In fact, the most enduring character from one of the most famous baseball movies — Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn from Major League — is that exact player.
You could say that the Vaughn character drew inspiration from many different players over the years. However, according to the director of the movie, the player who most inspired the pitcher was a Yankee: Ryne Duren. Today happens to be Duren’s birthday, so let’s look back at the original “Wild Thing.”
Rinold George “Ryne” Duren Born: February 22, 1929 (Cazenovia, WI) Died: January 6, 2011 (Lake Wales, FL) Yankees Tenure: 1958-61
Duren was born in Wisconsin in 1929 and grew up working on his family farm. He would credit the manual labor he did in his youth with helping develop his arm muscles. On the baseball field, he tried out for his high school’s baseball team as a pitcher, but poor control led him to hitting and injuring a teammate, as the team opted to use him as a position player instead. In 1945, he came down with rheumatic fever, which left him bed-ridden for several months and also caused problems with his vision.
After high school, he began playing for local teams, and returned to the mound. While he often couldn’t control where the ball was going, he had an absolutely blazing fastball, which led to the St. Louis Browns taking a chance and signing him in 1949.
Even after that signing, it would be several years before Duran saw the mound in a major league game. His aforementioned poor vision caused problems with control and seeing the catcher’s signs in the minors. Over the course of his first two seasons in the minors, he issued 271 walks in 275 innings. Eye doctors encouraged him to give up baseball, but he was too much of a sicko to do so. Instead, Duren began wearing thick, tinted “Coke bottle” glasses, which he would do throughout his career.
Duren never truly would rein in his problems with walks, but his other numbers, especially his strikeouts, eventually became too much to ignore. He got the call up to the big leagues in 1954, joining the Baltimore Orioles — where the Browns had moved to that year. His one appearance that year didn’t go great and the O’s returned him to the minors the following year. While he improved his control somewhat upon going back down, Baltimore ended up dealing him to the Kansas City Athletics.
Upon moving to Kansas City, Duran got a chance back in the big leagues, and started to develop his reputation as the hardest thrower around, and someone you didn’t want to face … just not necessarily because he was really good. He put up a 5.27 ERA in 42.2 innings with KC, while he walked 30 batters and hit two others in that time. Despite that, he would soon find himself on the move again, and to a team higher in the standings.
Back in May, Billy Martin and several other Yankees had been involved in the famed “Copacabana incident.” Martin had the reputation of a troublemaker, and the incident was something of a final straw. At the trade deadline a few weeks after, they sent him to the A’s in a multi-player deal, with Duren among those going the other way.
To start, the Yankees sent Duren back down to the minors, where he impressed. That led to the team bringing him back up for the 1958 season. In his first full season in the bigs, Duren posted a 2.02 ERA in 75.2 innings, while recording a league high 19 saves. While he still issued plenty of walks, that season got him a second-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting, as he helped the Yankees to a World Series title. Duren got off to a bumpy start in said Fall Classic, allowing a walk-off single to the Braves’ Bill Bruton in the opener, but he rebounded to to earn the save in Game 3 with two scoreless frames and then won the win-or-go-home Game 6 back in Milwaukee with 4.2 innings of one-run ball, preserving a 2-2 game into extras before the Yanks scored two in the 10th.
Meanwhile, Duren was also becoming quite the character on and off the mound. His wildness, iffy vision, and trademark glasses have already been mentioned, but it goes beyond that. When called upon, Duren would opt to hop the Yankee Stadium outfield fence instead of open the bullpen door. Upon reaching the mound, he would then often intentionally sail his first warm up pitch way over the catcher’s head, playing up his wildness and trying to strike a little fear into opposing batters.
All of that stuff is pretty amusing, but Duren also had to deal with some issues off the field. Throughout his career, Duren battled alcoholism and related mental health issues. At a later stop in his career, he threatened suicide, only to be talked down by his then-Washington Senators manager Gil Hodges. After finishing his playing career, Duren got sober and spent much of his later life as a speaker and counsilor on addiction issues.
On the mound, Duren fell away after notching a 1.88 ERA in 76.2 innings 1959. He was sub-replacement level for the AL champs in 1960 and the Yankees eventually dealt him away to the expansion team Los Angeles Angels in May 1961. He spent the rest of his career as a journeyman, never quite managing to harness his raw stuff into anything consistent. One bit of trivia about him is that late Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg was named after the pitcher (many kids in the 1980s and ’90s with baseball-loving parents were subsequently named after Sandberg).
Upon his death in 2011, the always quotable Yogi Berra had another one:
“Ryne could throw the heck out of the ball. He threw fear in some hitters. I remember he had several pairs of glasses, but it didn’t seem like he saw good in any of them.”
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 28: Jake Woodford #46 of the Chicago White Sox throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 28, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this offseason, the Rays signed RHP Jake Woodford to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. He has bounced around several teams over the last six seasons, throwing over 250 innings with a career ERA and FIP that both flirt with 5.00. On the surface, there’s little reason for excitement. But beneath those numbers are a couple of traits that stand out in ways the Rays tend to value, even if Woodford’s results haven’t yet been noteworthy. No doubt the Rays believe Woodford’s tools can be better optimized for success.
Offspeed Pitch
Woodford’s changeup shape provides a unique look to hitters. Below is a graph of how its vertical and horizontal break compared to other offspeed pitches in the majors last year:
We can see that it has significantly less ride and run than the average offspeed pitch, and this remains true when we account for arm angle and limit the pool to low slot pitchers in the 15-35 degree arm angle range (Woodford sits around 25 degrees):
Even with the adjusted averages to account for arm angle, Woodford’s changeup stands out among the rest. He lands it both in-zone and for strikes at an above average clip, so it’s something that batters need to be ready to swing at. The grip almost looks like an old-school palmball style or maybe a circle change grip.
Hitters aren’t used to seeing an offspeed pitch with this movement profile and it should induce plenty of awkward swings and poor contact in a larger sample. Here’s a fun video of Fernando Tatis whiffing on a Woodford changeup, and then checking the video board wondering what he swung through:
The pitch dies under his barrel late, not fading arm-side, but almost dropping straight down.
Four-seam Fastball
Below is a graph of how Woodford’s four-seam shape compared to others in the major leagues last season:
We can see that it takes on a cut-sink sort of shape relative to the average four-seamer, and like his offspeed pitch, it remains an outlier even when accounting for arm angle:
Within his arm angle bucket (15-35 degrees), Woodford’s fastball has less horizontal break than 87% of other pitchers who throw a four-seamer from that same slot. The vertical movement isn’t anything that stands out, but the VAA on it is as flat as other outlier four-seamers thrown by Bryan Woo and Edwin Diaz thanks to Woodford’s low release height and above average extension. The movement profile resembles some of the flattest four-seamers in the league, though obviously not with the same velocity.
His two-seamer is more of a traditional shape for his slot but seems like a fine contact-management type of pitch or something he can land in-zone when he needs a strike. It’s still a unique part of his arsenal when considering how it pairs with his offspeed pitch; the difference in horizontal movement between the two pitches is greater than 7 inches on average. Only five other pitchers in the majors (Yu Darvish, Logan Webb, Anthony DeSclafani, Fernando Cruz, and Carmen Mlodzinski) could match that kind of shape differential between their two-seam and offspeed pitches last season.
2026 Outlook
Expect the Rays to refine and optimize Woodford’s approach to each side of the plate. He played in three different organizations last season — Cubs, Yankees, and Diamondbacks – all with their own coaches and philosophies. Woodford would likely benefit from the consistency and clarity the Rays are known for across their organization.
Woodford has a wide range of weapons he can throw to both righties and lefties, so he should be able to effectively navigate a lineup multiple times in an outing. His ability to throw both fastballs to the glove side and land his changeup for strikes gives him multiple ways to navigate opposite-handed hitters.
The contrast between a cut-sink four-seamer and a vertically dying changeup creates two very different movement planes, making it difficult for hitters to square both in the same at-bat. When hitters train against common movement patterns, deviation becomes a weapon. The question isn’t whether the shapes are interesting; it’s whether usage, sequencing, and execution can elevate them to major-league effectiveness. Without higher end velocity, Woodford’s ability to mix his pitches and lean into his uniqueness is critical to his success.
I’m looking forward to seeing his usage rates and role in Durham this season. His lack of option years might make it challenging to roster him for an extended period of time in the majors, but Woodford has the traits of a viable sixth starter or multi-inning reliever rather than just another name on the depth chart.
It's the first Sunday of the 2026 Spring Training slate, with 16 games on the docket.
My MLB picks have boiled things down to the best three bets on the board for Sunday, February 22. See why I'm targeting the Giants moneyline at a coin-flip price.
Spring Training predictions for February 22
Picks
Giants moneyline
-120
Athletics moneyline
-140
Dodgers moneyline
-125
Pick #1: Giants moneyline
-120 at bet365
San Francisco Giants SP Robbie Ray makes his 2026 Spring Training debut, and he had a sparkling exhibition season last year, going 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA over 17 1/3 innings.
Contrast that with Colin Rea, today's Chicago Cubs starter who had a 7.94 ERA last spring in limited opportunities.
Rea took on the Giants twice last year, and the results were not pretty. He authored a 9.31 ERA over 9 2/3 combined frames.
Pick #2: Athletics moneyline
-140 at bet365
Luis Severino had a forgettable campaign overall as the Athletics' ace last year, but his road ERA of 3.02 was nothing to be ashamed of.
The Cleveland Guardians offense was far from scary in 2025, putting up the third-fewest runs per game.
Sutter Health Park was a hitter's haven last year, but the Athletics offense still traveled well, authoring 4.51 runs per game on the road.
The A's were sixth in the majors in batting average vs. lefties last year, and it's a southpaw on the bump today for Cleveland in Parker Messick.
Pick #3: Dodgers moneyline
-125 at bet365
The Los Angeles Dodgers have owned their rivalry with the San Diego Padres of late, going 66-40 since 2020, with a 12-6 record dating back to the 2024 NLDS.
The Dodgers had a strong 2025 Spring Training, going 14-9 with a +15 run differential. The Padres, by contrast, went 12-17 with a -33 run differential in Cactus League play last year.
L.A. is trotting out a highly-touted prospect in Jackson Ferris today. His opposite number is Randy Vasquez, a solid but unspectacular rotation piece with a career 4.08 ERA.
Arizona Diamondbacks' Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after hitting a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Team News
Kelly slowed by back injury at D-backs camp “I don’t have a concern level [yet],” Kelly said. “Because we don’t know, at the end of the day, what it is. I mean, the last week and a half, I’ve been throwing, been doing everything normal, and it didn’t kind of rear its head until today. So I’m going to take that as a good thing, the fact that I’ve felt it for that long but I’ve still been able to do everything.” https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/merrill-kelly-has-back-injury-at-diamondbacks-spring-training
They are mainly built for killing prey and can open very wide to ensure their kill. Cats also cannot easily chew their food.
Avocados never ripen while they are still attached to the tree.
Avocados do not ripes despite physically maturing mainly due to the inhibitor located in the fruit stem. This makes it a convenient storage system for farmers.
Spartans were so rich that nobody had to work. Ancient Sparta was an immensely wealthy country. Mainly due to their conquest and domination of their neighbors, the Helots. When a Spartan boy reached adulthood and became a man, the Spartan state awarded him with an allotment of public farmland. They also rewarded him with a constituent of Helot slaves to work it.
Peoria, AZ - February 20: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres comes runs to the dugout during a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners on February 20, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres handed new manager Craig Stammen his first win in his new position with a 10-3 romp over the Kansas City Royals on the road on Saturday. The Padres will have a chance to repeat their success against much stiffer competition on Sunday when they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Peoria Sports Complex. Jose Miranda has been the breakout player for San Diego after the first two games and is making a push to be added to the Padres roster as a depth option off the bench. There are still plenty of games to be played this spring before San Diego has to make a decision.
Padres News:
Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball takes a look at how the Padres will use the new ABS system. After two games, the Padres have had three successful challenges with the system from their catchers. Zdunich thinks the ability for catchers to know and understand the strike zone gives them the best chance to be successful.
Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune has gathered news and notes about the Padres while spending his time in Peoria, Ariz. He touches on several topics including Miranda and the recovery of reliever Yuki Matsui. Acee added in a separate story that the Padres feel more prepared than they were in the 2023 season to deal with the impending absences for the World Baseball Classic.
One of the reasons the Padres feel like they are in a better place to deal with absences of players created by their WBC appearances is third-year star Jackson Merrill. In a report from Dennis Lin of The Athletic, Merrill does not feel snubbed by not being asked to play for Team USA, adding he will get there someday. However, Merrill is going to make the most of his time in Peoria and work on becoming the leader he and the team believe he can be.
Nick Castellanos has played third base and the outfield in his major league career, but the new Padres slugger is being asked to play first base in San Diego. Castellanos showed some promise with some difficult plays against the Seattle Mariners according to AJ Cassavell of Padres.com.
Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees hit two home runs in his first Spring Training game. As impressive as it was, Spencer Jones may have topped Judge’s feat with a homerun of his own that left the stadium.
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan was scratched from his start with back tightness, but the news came approximately 15 minutes before the start of the contest, which had many wondering if he was being traded.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty walks towards practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Well Game 1 of spring training is in the books, and let’s just forget that one happened, ok? The Yankees bludgeoned a chorus of Tigers minor league relievers to win 20-3 on Saturday. Yeah, it doesn’t matter, but nobody likes getting shelled out of the park.
The key notes on the Tigers’ side was a home run by veteran outfielder Corey Julks, who is in camp trying to compete for a bench outfielder role. Kevin McGonigle smoked a 100 mph fastball from Carlos Lagrange for a sharp oppo single and turned a nice, but fairly routine double play on a feed from Gleyber Torres. The veteran second baseman has been working with McGonigle since well before camp got underway, as each reported early and have been taking infield together the whole time.
Catching prospect Thayron Liranzo really does look like he lost, as claimed, 35 pounds since last season, and moved better behind the plate including pouncing on a little tapper down the third base line and firing a quick strike to first. Keider Montero’s command was pretty meh though he was also pumping a steady 96 mph and threw a couple of good changeups too. Right-handed reliever Cole Waites used to throw high 90’s heat, but returning from surgery he hasn’t found it yet and sat 92-93 mph on Saturday. Not a whole lot else to take away from that one.
Thayron Liranzo, who has not caught since around mid June or so, looking comfortable behind the plate with a nice play here. pic.twitter.com/HZYPyt1ce3
Jack Flaherty and Bryan Sammons are both scheduled to pitch on Sunday against the Orioles, with Flaherty obviously getting the start. Tarik Skubal will make his debut in Lakeland on Monday against the Twins. Drew Anderson, offseason free agent signing, is also scheduled to pitch in that game.
Typically players get some days off the first few days of camp in particular, so we’ll see if McGonigle, Torres, Colt Keith, Max Clark, Josue Briceño, or Thayron Liranzo play on Sunday. Probably not, but we’ll likely see more of the Tigers regular lineup instead. We’re expecting to see Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter, and Javier Báez on Sunday, but possibly they’ll just package those core players behind Skubal on Monday instead.
The Tigers heard everyone’s pleas for clarity on the cable/streaming situation on Saturday. There are no doubt plenty of details to sort out on all the licensing contracts, so we’ll have to wait for next week when the Tigers say they’ll have things worked out.
In the meantime, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday’s games are all just on the radio anyway.
We are in the process of finalizing TV/streaming information surrounding Spring Training games. We expect to share full details early next week.
Feb 21, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette (19) plays his position against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets played their spring training opener yesterday and fell 2-1 to the Miami Marlins at Clover Park. Many of the team’s new faces took their first swings in a Mets uniform and Brandon Waddell pitched two scoreless innings. However, the Mets were held hitless until the fifth inning and didn’t score until an A.J. Ewing sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Francisco Lindor, who is recovering from hamate surgery, was not a participant in yesterday’s game, but his recovery is progressing.
Darryl Strawberry opened up to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com about his brush with death back in December—the second such incident in the past two years.
Back in the day, the Mets had a Cookie Club. Now they have a Chess Club and Sean Manaea is its leader.
“There’s a lot of stuff I can learn in the game, which is really important,” Bo Bichette said after making his spring debut at third base. “I’m enjoying the new challenge.”
Around the National League East
Phillies reliever José Alvarado is among the players who did not pass insurance protocol and will therefore be unable to participate in the World Baseball Classic.
Phillies owner John Middleton did a wide-ranging interview with The Inquirer, including about negotiations with now-Met Bo Bichette, about which he said he went “to bed at 11 o’clock thinking we had a deal.”
Tributes continue to pour in for Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski, whose passing was reported yesterday. Not only did Maz hit a walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, he also was the first player to hit a home run against the Mets in 1962.
Twins pitcher Joe Ryan is undergoing an MRI after being removed from yesterday’s start with lower back tightness. The Twins will provide an update today on his status.
The Cardinals signed Ramón Urías to a one-year, $2 million contract.
The Yankees are dealing with a…stinky situation at their spring training facilities.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
A.J. Ewing is closer to the majors than you may think and you should be excited about it, writes Lukas Vlahos in his season preview.
This Date in Mets History
On February 22, 1966, the Mets traded OF Wayne Graham, IF Bobby Klaus, and C Jimmie Schaffer to the Phillies for slugger Dick Stuart. It didn’t exactly work out so great for the Amazins.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 12: Iván Herrera #48 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates with Pedro Pagés #43 after hitting a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 12, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Cardinals defeated the Phillies 3-2. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
My Comparing the Cardinals Spring Training series moves forward to the other half of the battery as this week, I focus on the six… or seven… catchers that are trying to force their way onto the next great Cardinals team when this rebuild concludes. Speaking of rebuilds, this week, I had Sean Anderson from CHGO White Sox on to compare the two teams and to talk progress of the Sox. If you check it out, you’ll hear some things that sound similar to what the Cardinals are doing right now, like focusing on the “undercarriage” of the car, rather than the body. I think it was a great conversation, but that’s just me.
Back to the ‘Birds.
The Cardinals’ catching situation can go multiple ways in 2026
Last season, Cardinals’ backstops combined to put up a season that ranked 15th in baseball and 8th in the National League in terms of fWAR. That group was lead by Pedro Pages, who played 104 games behind the plate, with Yohel Pozo chipping in 39 games, Ivan Herrera suiting up for 14, and prospect Jimmy Crooks getting his first taste of the bigs with 12 games at catcher. In total, that group combined for a 2.7 fWAR and an 88 wRC+ season, although it admittedly felt way worse than that, at least to me.
St. Louis went into the season apparently ready to give Pages and Herrera a split of those catching duties, thanks to Herrera’s bat being top of the league potential, and Pages continuously being celebrated for his ability to handle a pitching staff. At risk of sidetracking too far, I found it funny how much the organization put into those compliments to Pages from the pitching staff when Gray, Mikolas, and Feddde put up mediocre seasons at best and were not even going to be around the next year. It was an interesting change of pace from when the pitching staff threw Contreras under the bus when he was catching, but still a talking point I felt was overblown because of that expected turnover and the long-term outlook of the Cardinals.
While Pages was lauded for his ability to catch and throw the ball, the offense left much to be desired. Outside of an absolutely scorching August where Pages put up a wRC+ over 200, that number did not surpass 82 in any other month and even dipped as low to a -19 value in July. By the end of the season, Pages ended up with a 77 wRC+, but ranked 7th in baseball for his defensive value. To me, that type of season and his expected progression puts Pages in the backup catcher category for me: great defender, can run into one every once in awhile, but does not move the needle enough with the bat to deserve five starts a week.
Pages’ role in 2026 relies a lot on Ivan Herrera’s progression, both in terms of his catching ability and his injury rehab. The latter part is more relevant for the short-term, as Herrera is missing the WBC due to insurance issues and his arm recovery is cloudy. At Winter Warm-Up, Herrera said he had not yet been cleared to hit or throw at 100%, which was a little surprising to us in the audience. Since then, though, we have seen videos from camp where he has thrown weighted balls and taken some swings. If he keeps moving in the right direction, the Cardinals appear ready to put Herrera behind the plate to maximize his value as a 25-year-old with above-average hitting ability.
For this season, I believe this plan makes the most sense as the Cardinals sort through their roster depth and determine who has or does not have a future with the organization, either because of poor performance or to maximize trade value. In Herrera’s case, 80-100 games behind the plate with near league-average defensive numbers could launch him even further up the Top 10 Catchers Right Now conversation, as he already cracked the Top 100 across the league without a clear position. If Herrera can stay healthy and maintain his effectiveness with a near-everyday role, I believe that he could be an annual front runner for the Silver Slugger Award at catcher, and even earn some down ballot MVP votes. In the unfortunate circumstance that Herrera is either not healthy or ineffective behind the dish, I am firmly in the camp that should then force him to full-time DH this season. I understand and can partially support the fans that clamor for him to pick up a first base or outfield glove, but as we have seen, it is extremely difficult to learn a new position at the major league level. If he cannot handle catcher, then I am all about a position switch, as long as he begins some behind the scenes work this season and can fully focus on that transition during next offseason as opposed to when the games actually matter (for teams other than the Cardinals).
If Herrera did not work out, that would shift Pages back to his 100-110 starts behind the plate and open up a very interesting competition for his backup. Fan favorite and trimmed up Yohel Pozo is back on the 40-man roster on a split major league deal, but he was mostly used as a pinch hitter who finished the game behind the plate last season. He performed well in those spots, with FanGraphs showing that Pozo hit an astounding .533 with a 255 wRC+ in 16 high leverage plate appearances. Because of that, Pozo could squeeze his way onto the back end of the roster, regardless of the catching conundrum, and simply be that late game replacement.
The inclusion of Pozo on the 26-man roster could spell problems for former top prospect Jimmy Crooks. As the only lefty hitter of the group, if Pages were to be the starter, Crooks could work his way into a platoon role. This would allow Pages to still be there for the pitchers who so dearly need him, while also allowing Crooks to learn at the major league level and not take reps away from those in the minor leagues who need them. That is not to say that Crooks is a finished product, in fact, he is far from it. But with the progression of the other catchers in the organization, and the fact that Crooks has already made the majors, a move back down to Memphis could be seen as regression. The depth in the Cardinals’ catching setup is envious, and I also wrote a story earlier last season about how trading Crooks or Pages could allow the organization to start pushing the prospects up the minor league ladder and see who sticks, rather than play the waiting game with all three promising minor leaguers. For me, assuming Pages grabs the starting role for one reason or another, I am a fan of putting Crooks in that 50/50 split role as a way to 1. limit Pages’ at-bats and 2. keep Crooks fresh but also seeing consistent enough playing time for a rookie backstop who has to manage a pitching staff and learn to hit MLB pitches.
The FIFTH and final catcher on the St. Louis 40-man is switch-hitting catcher Leonardo Bernal, who has put together an impressive resume since being signed out of Panama and debuting as a 17-year-old. I would say I am more excited for Bernal than Crooks, and that is not meant to discredit the solid MLB player I believe Crooks will develop into. It is a testament to Bernal, who took the challenge of becoming an improved receiver behind the plate and went a step further. At the end of last season, the switch-hitter won the Minor League Gold Glove Award for the work he did behind the plate. Over the past two years, Bernal has thrown out 67 out of 165 baserunners trying to swipe a bag, good for an amazing 40.6% caught stealing rate. While the arm plays, a little further look saw an increase in errors, up to 10 from seven the year before, as well as jumping from just five passed balls allowed in 2024 to 13 in 2025. Award voters were obviously not too put off by those numbers, though, and Bernal also added some more pop at the plate, knocking 13 homers, without sacrificing walks or strikeouts. After spending all season in Double-A, Bernal was added to the 40-man roster this offseason, so I would expect the Cardinals to get a little aggressive with him and push him up to Memphis, either to be the everyday guy or split time with Crooks.
Moving further down the organizational ladder is one of the most exciting prospects in the system that many still may not know about. Of course, the vast majority of you know and are pumped about Rainiel Rodriguez, who is ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 37th-best prospect despite only playing A-ball. The 19-year-old took off immediately last year, hitting six homers in his first 10 games in the Complex League. By the end of his second professional season, Rodriguez was bumped up to High-A and compiled a .276 batting average with 20 homers and nearly as many walks as strikeouts. Behind the plate, he threw out 30% of would-be base stealers, but did commit nine errors for a .985 field percentage. Picking the negatives in the surging prospects’ game is tough because for one, there are few, and two, the information and data on him is light compared to his peers because of being so young and at lower levels. Assuming the catchers above him all moved up in the pecking order, Rodriguez could start the season in Springfield, potentially sharing time as he continues to get acclimated to pro ball, before eventually taking over full time. By the end of the season, it is very possible that Rodriguez slides into the top 20 prospect rankings and becomes a national name. If that were to happen, the rest of the Cardinals’ catching corps could have different futures in store, ranging from trade bait to position changes, as all six of these backstops have potential to be something at the big league level.
Through fWAR sorted by ZiPS DC on FanGraphs, Ivan Herrera is ranked just outside the top 10 in projections at number 11, and Pedro Pages projects to be the 28th-best catcher in the MLB. Herrera was ranked as a top 10 catcher by MLB Network, so if he truly can just catch and throw the ball, while maintaining his offensive production, the Cardinals could begin extension talks despite Herrera not being a free agent until the 2030 offseason.
SELF PROMO OF THE WEEK
As showed earlier, Cardinals on My Time talked White Sox and the rebuild. This week or so, I will have some Cubs creators on to do a little tour around the NL Central
Random Cardinal of the Week kept celebrating Black History Month with Shake and Bake before Ricky Bobby ever thought of it
Tonight at 6pm, Redbird Rundown talked about some 2026 storylines and were joined by the Podfather himself, Daniel Shoptaw (@c70 on socials). This was a fun one! Next weekend, we’ll be joined by Kareem to draft some prospects. Make sure you follow our Twitter, , YouTube, Spotify, and Instagram because there is going to be some expansion news for Redbird Rundown popping up this week!!!!
Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein, president of baseball operations Mike Elias and agent Scott Boras introduce new first baseman Pete Alonso at a news conference at Camden Yards on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Baltimore. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
You could make an argument that the Orioles were baseball’s busiest team this offseason. They did a lot!
Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward were brought in to add pop to the lineup. Blaze Alexander was a late addition to provide flexibility to the position group. Ryan Helsley and Andrew Kittredge should stabilize the bullpen. Zach Eflin and Chris Bassitt are solid depth for the rotation. And Shane Baz is an upside play that the team is seemingly very excited about long term.
But it was not a perfect winter. While the current rotation does feel a lot better than it did a year ago, the front office failed to land the bonafide ace type it seemed like they were targeting. The bullpen is also a huge question mark, including the new closer Helsley, who had a rough second half with the Mets. And the lineup has already been hit with injuries to Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday. Can the bench adequately absorb the time that they miss?
With all of that said, let’s present today’s question: What grade would you give Mike Elias for his work this offseason?
I would peg him at a B+.
The signing of Alonso is a big deal. Even though the team’s overall payroll hasn’t really changed, the willingness to fork over a bunch of money to a proven veteran that can help right now sends a message. It matters both inside the clubhouse and around the league. Alonso also brings a ton of power, which the lineup lacked in 2025.
And while the rotation did not get that one single infusion of top-tier talent, the overall group is impressive to me. They have six legitimate big league arms, two of which are Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers, who each have a recent Top 10 finish in Cy Young voting on their resumé.
My biggest gripe is the bullpen. I can see the vision for the current group, but I’m not totally convinced. It would be nice to have one more veteran that feels like a sure thing. Instead it seems like they might head into the season with a whole lot of potential and depth. At least a bullpen is a relatively easy thing to improve as the season goes on.
What do you think? Was it a near-perfect offseason? Or does the lack of an ace addition make it closer to a failing grade? Let us know in the comments.
Jan 9, 2010; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General view of the exterior of Citizen's Bank Park, the home baseball field of the MLB franchise Philadelphia Phillies. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images
It has always been pretty easy for an athlete to come to Philadelphia and win over the fanbase. The only real thing that is asked is that the player play hard. Athletic talent is something of a desired quality, but there are plenty of players that have been embraced by the city that were short on that talent. Yet each time that happened, the player was one of those vaunted “lunch pail guys”. The ones that come to work every day, play hard, get a little dirty.
Good lord, I can feel the oiliness of sports radio closing in around me.
Still, there are players that this fanbase has embraced that were maybe a bit overrated. Players that maybe shouldn’t have been on the pedestal that was given to them. The reasons could be various, but whatever it was, that player was overrated just a bit too much. Who is one player that the fanbase has overrated for one reason or another? Could be any player from any era, but should be one that maybe we should dial it back a notch.
Jun 21, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; A detail view of a statue of Satchel Paige on display during a presentation at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
If you were faced to win one game, which nine players and starting pitcher would you have in a Cleveland starting lineup?
You can answer by sorting by WAR and wRC+, or by OPS and batting average. You can look and peak and longevity. You can go by your favorites and guys for whom injuries derailed promising careers.
Is it Jim Thome at first base and Jose Ramirez at third?
Is it Bob Feller, Satchel Paige or Corey Kluber on the mound?
Is it Lou Boudreau or Omar Vizquel at short?
Is it Tris Speaker, Kenny Lofton or Grady Sizemore in center?
Is it Travis Hafner or Eddie Murray or Andre Thornton at DH?
It’s one game for all the marbles so marshall your memories and tell us which 10 Cleveland Indians/Guardians you would be lining up to win it all!
Feb 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians right fielder Nolan Jones (22), left, is congratulated by Cleveland Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo (9) after hitting a 3-run home run in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Guardians started off Spring Training 2-0, with wins against the Reds and the Brewers.
Nick has highlights here for you. Homers from Nolan Jones and Cooper Ingle headlined the day. Good at-bats from Travis Bazzana, David Fry and Gabriel Arias were also nice to see.
The Guardians play the Athletics at 3:05PM ET today. Baseball back on an everyday basis – what a joy!
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
Hello, friends.
There are now 32 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. They’ll be playing near-daily exhibitions from now until March 23. Yesterday’s game was an 8-2 loss to the Pirates, helped along by Dietrich Enns managing to give up six runs in one-third of an inning. The O’s hit the road for the first time today, with a 1:05 game coming against the Tigers. This will be broadcast on 98 Rock (97.9 FM) in the Baltimore area, with no local TV broadcast. The Tigers network is not doing a broadcast either.
Tough luck if you want to see anyone who is playing today. Or tomorrow or Tuesday. Although MASN is airing a lot more games this spring, there are gaps and those gaps are largely concentrated in the early games of the schedule. If you were watching yesterday, you got to see quite a few prospects get a little game action. Hope you enjoyed it while you could. There will be no live feed of Orioles baseball to help you feel warmer as it snows back in the home territory of Birdland today.
Not much to say about the exhibition games yet. The Orioles have played two fake games and they have one win and one loss. Probably not a ton to draw about today’s game either, since as a road game early in spring it’ll probably feature the bare minimum number of major league regulars required. There is an actual rule about this, which I believe was prompted because a number of years ago the Red Sox sent too many jabronis out on their early spring games and it was enough to make the commissioner’s office unhappy.
Notes on Eflin and Baz live BP, the plan for Kremer, and more (School of Roch) Zach Eflin and Shane Baz did live batting practice sessions before yesterday’s game. Roch notes that questions remain about whether Eflin will make the Opening Day roster.
Nothing of particular note is recorded on this day in Orioles history. Unless there’s bad news, that probably won’t change today.
One current member of Orioles camp has a birthday today. Happy 29th to pitcher José Espada, who pitched three scoreless innings in one game with the team last year. Former Orioles who were born today: 2016 reliever Brian Duensing, 2014 infielder Kelly Johnson, 2005 outfielder Ramón Nivar, 2006 pitcher John Halama, Maryland-born 1960-67 pitcher Steve Barber, and 1954 one-game pitcher Ryne Duren. Though he allowed two earned runs in two innings of his MLB debut with the Orioles, Duren made it back to MLB several years later and carved out a ten-year career.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: general and 1st president George Washington (1732), baseball Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson (1934), basketball Hall of famer Julius Erving (1950), actor Kyle MacLachlan (1959), actress Rachel Dratch (1966), and actress Drew Barrymore (1975).
On this day in history…
In 1076, pope Gregory VII, not the pope Gregory the calendar is named after, excommunicated the reigning Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV, in response to Henry sending Gregory a letter demanding that Gregory abdicate the papacy.
In 1819, Spain and the United States signed the Adams-Onís Treaty, which provided that in two years time, Spain would sell Florida to the US for $5 million. The sale occurred two years later as indicated by the treaty.
In 1848, people in Paris sparked a revolution that, within three days, led to the abdication of the king, abolition of the revived monarchy, and the formation of the Second French Republic. This was the first of a wave of revolutions across Europe in 1848, though ultimately none were as successful in their goals as the French one.
In 1889, President Grover Cleveland signed the bill permitting the admittance of North and South Dakota, Montana, and Washington into the United States.
In 1980, the US men’s hockey team defeated the Soviet Union in Olympic competition by a 4-3 score, a game known in sporting lore simply as the “Miracle on Ice.” The American team went on to defeat Finland in the gold medal game. The 2026 men’s hockey team will play for a gold medal against the Canadian team today.
A random Orioles trivia question
I received a book of Orioles trivia for Christmas. I’ll ask a question each time it’s my turn in this space until I run out of questions or forget. The book gives multiple choice answers, which I typically think would be too easy for us but I’ll give you a chance at today’s question:
In what year was the B&O Warehouse built?
A. 1904
B. 1896
C. 1900
D. 1913
If you’re answering early in the day, please be considerate and use spoiler text in your comment so that others arriving later can still feel they get a fresh crack at the question. Thanks!
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on February 22. Have a safe Sunday.
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