MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Juan Soto #22 of the Dominican Republic hits a two run home run during the first inning against the Venezuela at loanDepot park on March 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers are back-to-back World Series champions, but they may not have back-to-back White House visits.
Bill Plunkett of the OC Register has all of the details of how a trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave may or may not happen.
The main roadblock is that the Dodgers are playing the Washington Nationals in D.C. the first weekend in April, which also coincides with Passover and Easter. Furthermore, the games are all day games making the visit that much more difficult.
As Bill covers in the article, they have an off day the Thursday before they start the series with the Nationals, and they have an off day between a New York and Philly road trip in July. None of those dates are without issues, however.
It remains to be seen if they go to Washington at a later date.
Japan to Dodgers pipeline?
During the last World Baseball Classic in 2023, Team Japan had three future Dodgers playing for them – Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. Dylan Hernandez of the California Post wonders if there are any other current Team Japan players that may become Dodgers in the future.
One player is Hiroto Takahashi, a 23-year-old righty who pitched in the WBC three years ago and got some people talking. He also in pitching this year but doesn’t seem to have improved nor declined on the last three years. The Dodgers are known for their pitching coaching staff, and they could help Takahashi take the next step. He is not expected to leave Japan for the States for at least two more years, and scouts currently have him as a number 3 or 4 starter.
So many questions
Katie Woo published the annual Dodgers Spring Training mailbag in The Athletic. Main topics of discussion include what will Roki Sasaki’s role actually look like this season, and what will Tommy Edman’s role be when he returns.
Most interesting to me was the discussion of who Edman’s replacement will be to start the season, and who of the three of Alex Freeland, Santiago Espinal, and Hyeseong Kim will make the 26-man roster to start the season. Spoiler alert – Freeland is the odd man out. Espinal, Kim and Miguel Rojas could be on rotation to cover the second base position, just as we all thought at the beginning of Spring Training.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Ketel Marte of the Dominican Republic hits a home run during the third inning against Venezuela at loanDepot park on March 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ah, the World Baseball Classic. The FIFA World Cup’s strange cousin who trades the English-invented soccer for an American invention with a stick and many strange rules based on the number nine. And just like how England gets consistently embarrassed by nations they technically exported soccer to, the United States looks well and truly poised to do the same with baseball (sarcastic applause).
It is very hard to predict who is going to win this thing because trying to predict the outcome of a single baseball game is of similar statistical merit to getting a hit: if you succeed 30 percent of the time, you’re doing pretty well! Baseball is shockingly random, and three of the teams remaining have bona fide god squads. To keep things exceedingly simple, the United States, Japan and the Dominican Republic have easily the best three rosters on paper — they’re also the only three nations ever to win the WBC. Whether or not any of that will translate to a victory is anyone’s guess. I’m going to guess anyway.
1. Dominican Republic
They aren’t the defending champions and they have arguably a worse roster than the United States on paper but come on man… this batting order is just outrageous.
Tatis Jr. leading off, never fun. Get through him and Ketel Marte cleanly you get Juan Soto. One of them gets on? Vlad Guerrero Jr. Heart of the order? Machado, Caminero, JRod. If you don’t understand what that means, it can easily be translated into two words: home run.
This team is power personified. It’s a walking bat flip. It’s every bit oozing with swag and intimidation as it is exit velocity and launch angle. There’s a reason most MLB home run derbies have a strong Dominican presence. There isn’t a single hitter to attack, and rock solid starting pitching to get them through the knockout rounds.
Why are they above the United States and Japan? Well, for one, how am I out here picking the United States to win after the week they just had (more on that below)? And for all the Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto awesomeness for Japan, this lineup is just way better one through nine. And among all the lineups, it is so easily the coolest. In a world where I am predicted one game series’, cool counts for something.
2. United States of America
So… not great thus far.
Just as a rule, I’m not a fan of my manager going on TV and saying that the team had clinched a quarterfinal berth when it had not and then my team going out there against Italy to not clinch because Red Sox legend Greg Weissert fanned Aaron Judge on four pitches in the bottom of the ninth with a man on down two… only to then get bailed out by Italy the next day because they’re a juggernaut and beat Mexico to get Team USA a spot.
All that said, it is undeniable that Team USA is an absurd collection of baseball talent that can and should be the best team in whatever game they play. The problem is they just haven’t been so far; that game against Italy was legitimately alarming, and the offense couldn’t get a leadoff hitter on all night.
Pitching is so variable, and Team USA has amazing pitching even without Tarik Skubal. That said, the offense — and Aaron Judge, who has been a visible and obvious no-show in the WBC so far — needs to be better. There is no reason it shouldn’t be better, and it must be for the United States to achieve anything more.
3. Japan
Coming in at a very close second in coolness ratings behind the DR is Japan, boosted mightily by having the coolest dude ever leading off, the World Series MVP as your ace, newly minted Chicago White Sock Munetaka Murakami and Barry Bon… I mean Masataka Yoshida (who the Red Sox were or are still actively trying to trade) going crazy. Lots of other great MLBers too like Seiya Suzuki and Yusei Kikuchi, but Japan’s success comes, in truth, on the backs of their domestic league.
Japan is a country with a robust and professional baseball infrastructure, and they are the defending champions for a reason. One of the only countries in the world where baseball is the most popular sport and by far the most populous (for those who didn’t know yet, baseball is in third place in the United States… has been for a while now), Japan has shown an ability to develop talent and produce quality national teams for the entire existence of the WBC. They have the best player in the world and probably of all time on their team. 4-0 in the group.
Frankly, it’s all well and dandy. From an on-paper talent perspective, it isn’t as good as the USA or DR, but Japan could totally win. They literally won last time.
4. Italy
I have chosen, against my better judgment, to provocatively put Italy here, bucking the trend of basically going in order of who I think has the best team when Venezuela is definitely a better group. That is for one simple reason: Italy is playing Puerto Rico and Venezuela is playing Japan.
Italy, described by some as “American 2: Italy Edition” since 24 players on the roster were born in America and only three in Italy, has been playing like the best team in the world (for some reason) for this entire tournament, pretty soundly annihilating Team USA until the very end when it got close. Our guy Greg Weissert had it covered, though.
This is a very solid team with a deep list of professional hitters — captain Vinnie Pasquantino is a power slugger for the Royals and straight up has an Italian Beef Sandwich named after him called the Pasqwich that they sell at Royals games. I mean, come on now. How are we doing any better than that?
I would not be surprised if Puerto Rico beats Italy — I thought they were a better team coming in (everyone did). But it would be disrespectful to the 4-0 Italians to have them lower.
5. Venezuela
Second half of the provocative 4-5 slots is the second most populous country where baseball is the most popular sport: Venezuela, with a squadron of great players that is unfortunately playing Japan in the quarterfinals.
Venezuela has a bunch of great players: Acuña, Arraez, two Contrerases (contrari?) and legends like Salvador Perez. They just aren’t as deep as other teams and will have to beat three great teams in a row to win it all. They are a great team themselves, but it’s simply not as likely.
6. Puerto Rico
A decent team with professional talent but even less depth than Venezuela, Puerto Rico would have to beat Italy (which they could do) but then defeat two consecutive titans (don’t see that happening. They are missing some of their best players, too, with Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa not playing in this year’s tournament. I will, however, take this moment to remind everyone that it’s not crazy for any team to beat any other team because this is baseball. I do not take responsibility if something crazy happens.
7. South Korea
Another team with lots of home league players, this team is also sneaky-solid. Jung Hoo Lee and Hyeseong Kim are the two players most MLB fans will have heard of, but South Korea took Japan the distance and could be an upset factor if their young hitting can get hot. That said, every team can be an upset factor if their hitting gets hot. And they’re playing the Dominican Republic, who was my number one. So…
8. Canada
Fun team, lots of fun players, two Naylors, my guy Abe Toro, major-leaguers all around the batting order. I just have a hard time imagining this team beating the United States with their pitching staff. They essentially do not have a single major league reliever, so unless they can go completely nuclear on offense, it’s a hard sell. Totally defensible to swap them with South Korea, too. You would not lose any points on the test if you did that.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 11: Vinnie Pasquantino #9 of the Italy celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against Mexico during the 2026 World Baseball Classic between Italy and Mexico at Daikin Park on March 11, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you didn’t watch the WBC game last night, Royals 1st baseman Vinnie Pasquantino saved Team USA’s bacon with his historic 3 home run game over Mexico.
It was quite the evening for Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, who put on a show for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.
Pasquantino hit three home runs vs. Mexico on Wednesday evening, becoming the first ever player to accomplish the feat in the WBC.
Not only did Pasquantino make history, but his performance also helped Team Italy and the United States advance to the quarterfinals of the classic, thanks to a dominant win over Mexico.
Michael Wacha returned to the Royals’ Spring Training facility after his stint with Team USA, ready to get back to work with his Kansas City teammates in anticipation of Opening Day just over two weeks away. Wacha threw off the mound Wednesday and is scheduled for three innings in his next Cactus League start on Friday night against the D-backs.
“It was all around just a great experience,” Wacha said. “From being in the clubhouse with those guys to the atmosphere out there playing in those games, getting those juices flowing again. It really did just create a lot of excitement for myself getting this season started up. It’s a couple of weeks away now, and just fired up to be back here and get this season rolling.”
The Royals got swept in split squad action yesterday against the Cubs and Giants, but Gavin Cross, Brett Squires, Elias Díaz, Luca Tresh, Peyton Wilson and Blake Mitchell all homered.
Royals Keep asked if Michael Massey’s injury opens up a roster spot for Josh Rojas.
In other WBC news, the Dominican Republic beat Venezuela, Maikel Garcia went 4-4 with a walk as well. Former Royal Angel Zerpa threw a scoreless inning.
Chourio exploded onto the scene in 2025 with 63 strikeouts and only five walks across 51 1/3 innings while climbing from the DSL to Single-A Columbia. His mid-90s fastball and upper-70s curveball both receive strong reviews, but it’s the ability to command the ball that has Kansas City officials so excited about his future. It’ll also help him rank among the Minors’ top five in K-BB% (min. 70 IP) in just his age-18 season.
Netflix to have first MLB broadcast on Opening Day?
Here is your song of the day: Home Sweet Home by Motely Crue. My favorite rock band of all time!
Mar 4, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Team Mexico shortstop Joey Ortiz against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
I would not exactly be breaking news to inform you that Joey Ortiz had a rough year in 2025. The infielder who was part of the return for superstar pitcher Corbin Burnes had an extremely promising rookie season in 2024, but to call the step back he took at the plate in 2025 “significant” would probably be understating it. He was a disaster.
We’ll get more into the details below, but for the purposes of this preview, we will simply point out that by having a brutal sophomore slump, Ortiz opened a door that seemed pretty tightly shut when the 2025 season started: a door to the possibility that if he doesn’t improve at the plate, the Brewers might look for alternative options.
Do the Brewers have any viable alternatives in 2026? That’s arguable, and depends a little bit on how ready you think the 18-year-old with superstar potential (who’s looked pretty darn good this spring) in the Brewer minor league system is. But that point is likely moot; even if merely for service time reasons, we are not going to see Jesús Made in the major leagues this season.
But does that mean the Brewers won’t explore other options if Ortiz looks as rough at the plate through the first two months as he did for most of last season? No, it certainly does not. Let’s dig into it.
Joey Ortiz
As we sit here on March 11, I am comfortable saying that Ortiz (who is off playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic at the moment) will be the starting shortstop on Opening Day, and likely almost every day after that.
It’s not difficult to see why. For roughly the first 120 years of organized baseball, shortstops were expected to do one thing: play defense. For every Ernie Banks or Vern Stephens who helped his team out offensively, there were 10 Juan Uribes or Rey Ordoñezes. Some of the players in that mold — all defense, little-to-no offense — turned into superstars and even got into or near the Hall of Fame. Say hello to Ozzie Smith, Pee Wee Reese, Bert Campaneris, and Omar Vizquel.
That model has changed somewhat since the 1990s, though. Teams finally realized that having a complete black hole in the lineup is not great, and that model of player is increasingly disappearing; it’s difficult for anyone, at any position, to get reps in the lineup if they’re a total zero on offense, no matter how good they are defensively. Look at the case of Andrelton Simmons, who for 11 years played some of the best defense that major league baseball has ever seen, but who was out of the league before he turned 33 because he could no longer hit at all. Simmons’ career OPS+ of 87 is exactly the same as Ozzie Smith’s.
Simmons’ career 87 OPS+ is also 21 points higher than Joey Ortiz’s in 2025. It was a brutal offensive season. There were warning signs in the second half of 2024; Ortiz finished that season as essentially an exactly league-average hitter, but he hit just .211/.283/.362 after the All-Star break (bringing his OPS down from .817 in early July to .726 at the end of the season). That slide coincided nearly perfectly with a neck injury that landed him on the 10-day IL just before the break in early July, and while he seems to have recovered, there are some questions as to whether he adjusted his approach at the plate to relieve pain in his neck and somehow screwed himself up.
Or maybe he just hasn’t been able to adjust to the fact that the rest of the league has the book on him, now. Either way: 2025 was a horror show. Ortiz seemed to be not swinging at the good pitches to hit and swinging at the bad ones, a bizarre display of bad plate discipline — we usually just think of bad plate discipline as “not being able to not swing at pitches off the plate,” but we don’t always think of the flipside, the “I need to be swinging at the pitches in the zone I can do damage on.”
The result was that Ortiz was one of the very worst full-time hitters in baseball last year. On Statcast, he ranked in the bottom 3% of the league in all of xwOBA, xSLG, average exit velocity, and launch angle/sweet-spot percentage. He was in the bottom 13% in barrel percentage and hard-hit percentage. His walk percentage dropped from 11% (good!) in 2024 to 5.3% (bad!) in 2025, likely because pitchers just were not afraid of the contact he’d make. That plays out in another way: Ortiz remained very good at not swinging and missing in 2025, when he was in the top 15% of the league in whiff percentage and strikeout rate. But it does not matter if you hit the ball if you never hit the ball hard.
We’ll see if Ortiz can right the ship. His defense is good enough that if he gets anywhere close to league average offensively, he will be a clear net positive. Split the difference between 2024’s 102 OPS+ and 2025’s 66 OPS+, and you’ve probably got a player with close to 3.0 WAR. His spring stats are encouraging, I suppose: he’s only got one extra-base hit in six games (plus one more double in three games with Mexico), but he’s hitting .412. The samples are too small and against pitchers who are barely trying to get him out, but he is hitting the ball a little harder this spring.
While an Ortiz “renaissance” seems unlikely, I’m optimistic that he can get at least part of the way back. I don’t have a lot of data to back that up, except that his track record prior to last season has never suggested that he should be as bad as he was, and at least part of his struggles last year looked, to me at least, mental. Hopefully, the offseason has “cleared the cookies,” so to speak.
If not? We might have to start seriously thinking about one of the names below.
Who are the other options?
In terms of major league options, the most likely guy to take the most reps at shortstop if Ortiz were to either get hurt or play himself out of a job would be someone I talked in depth about in the third base preview, David Hamilton. Hamilton figures to be the team’s utility guy, the backup at all of second base, third base, and shortstop, but finding his way into the starting lineup three or four times a week at various positions. He can certainly handle shortstop defensively. His offense would bring many of the same questions that Ortiz’s does.
Were the Brewers looking for a long-term solution during the season, we can’t dismiss the idea that Brice Turang would move over — though I think it’s unlikely they would move Turang in the season, so I don’t really think this would happen. But I would have to think the first big minor league option would be Jett Williams (covered in the second base preview), who has played a bunch of shortstop but would probably be a worse defensive option there than Turang (or Hamilton). Might the Brewers opt to put Turang at shortstop and Williams at second base if they knew they were making that decision for the rest of the season? It’s possible.
Another minor league option might be Cooper Pratt, who is viewed as the best current defensive option at the position, and with the possible exception of Ortiz himself, maybe the best defensive option at shortstop in the entire system. But Pratt has a lot to prove with the bat after he was mildly disappointing at the plate in 2025, and he’s never played above Double-A. If he has a couple of solid months at Triple-A Nashville, though? I’d say it’s in play. He’d be young, but Pratt will be 22 by the end of the summer. (Or thought of a different way, he’s just a few months younger than Jackson Chourio, who will be close to completing his third full major league season at that point.)
Earlier in the offseason, I daydreamed a bit about whether there was a star middle infielder in the majors who the Brewers could acquire — someone like Ketel Marte or Zach Neto — who could jump into the lineup (either at shortstop or second, with Turang doing the other) and turn the significant weakness of Ortiz’s offense into a real strength. But here we are, Ortiz is in the lineup, and after watching Made for a couple of weeks, he suddenly feels remarkably close to the major leagues. If he’s on the Chourio path, which he has followed pretty closely thus far, that would put the 19-year-old Made in play for the Opening Day roster in 2027. And honestly, seeing him hit this spring has made me think that he might be the system’s best option as a starting major league shortstop today.
That’s not going to happen, but the future is bright, and it feels closer than ever.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: A general view of the entrance to the Rockies training facility at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 17, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In March the sun rises in Arizona just before 7:00 a.m. It varies slightly from team to team but, for decades spring training work has generally been expected to start around that time. Just last month the Arizona Diamondbacks social team showed off their players arriving to camp in darkness:
With work starting as the sun is coming up, everyone needs to be waking up significantly before dawn to get ready and travel to the complex.
As soon as the regular seasons starts, most games are played in the evening. This leads to a yearly sleep schedule whiplash right as game results start counting.
Teams are in full control over the start time of their home games. It’s easy to envision being frustrated at being asked to go through this yearly shift change when your boss could just decide not to require it.
This year, the Rockies are attempting to be ahead of the curve… by showing up later.
“We’re pushing the guys’ morning schedule back and giving them time to get ready for the day, and not having to wake up at 5 a.m.”
There isn’t an obvious conclusion to be made as to immediate performance effects, however, Brenton Doyle made it clear that he believed the schedule change is a net positive:
“I’m glad things have changed, and the schedule is much better than in the past. ‘Schaeff’ has given us time to get warmed up and get ready, so that when we do go on that field, it doesn’t feel rushed.“
Sleep & athletes
While the exact impact on baseball performance specifically hasn’t publicly been quantified with a meaningfully large dataset (though some smaller studies have been done), the overall benefits of sleep on generic athletic performance are non-controversial.
This has always seemed like a fixable problem but year after year teams have continued to stick to the same existing schedule. The 2026 Rockies just happen to have had all the correct ingredients in place to both motivate the change.
Warren Schaeffer is a young manager in his first spring training. He isn’t beholden to the way things have been done and is looking at the process of getting his team ready for the season with a fresh set of eyes.
This is a relatively young team filled with many players that may not have had a chance to develop personal routines to prepare for the schedule shift that comes with the regular season.
This is a new front office that has openly talked all offseason about wanting to experiment and try new things. They are looking to find every unique edge they can.
This change won’t make the Rockies good this year. Most folks outside the organization will likely have forgotten the Rockies ran camp this way by May. That, however, is an important contributing factor as to why the Rockies are perfect to give this a try.
If a team with actual expectations of winning tried this first they’d risk a slow start being blamed on having not “put in the work” in spring training. Sports talk radio would be up in arms and jobs could become less secure than if they’d lost without first rocking the boat.
This is just one specific example of how the extreme lack of expectations for the 2026 Rockies will allow the new leadership team to take small experimental risks. They do not need to worry about hardly anyone outside the team even noticing while they search for unique advantages.
A rundown about how team Italy, after a great start from Michael Lorenzen, bested team USA last night. The thrilling win briefly put team USA in danger of failing to advance to the quarterfinals of the WBC.
Mark Knudson chronicles the Rockies history of opening day starters at first base. He posits that the battle this spring is one that the franchise has previously been able to avoid for a long time.
Thomas Harding catches up with Ryan Feltner about his outlook and plans this spring. Feltner goes into the various changes he is experimenting with even while his spot in the rotation remains up in the air.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 09: Deniel Ortiz (91) of the St. Louis Cardinals prepares to slide at third base during a spring training game against the Houston Astros on March 09, 2026 at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I am genuinely kind of surprised Ortiz is this low and it’s not necessarily because I disagree with his ranking so much as he certainly felt like a prospect that would be ranked a lot higher based upon the last three top 20s I’ve run. Speaking for myself, I think what hurts him is that he seems like a bat-only prospect. From what I can tell, his bat is going to be need to be great because he’s probably a 1B – and yeah also the lack of belief from scouts and his strikeout issues, but mainly just that it seems like he’s set up to “need” a 120 wRC+ unless his defense is better than I’ve been reading about.
JJ Wetherholt
Liam Doyle
Rainiel Rodriguez
Quinn Mathews
Jurrangelo Cjintje
Joshua Baez
Leonardo Bernal
Jimmy Crooks
Brandon Clarke
Tink Hence
Tekoah Roby
Tanner Franklin
Brycen Mautz
Nathan Church
Cooper Hjerpe
Ixan Henderson
Yairo Padilla
Deniel Ortiz
New Add
I strongly suspect I could stop adding guys and it wouldn’t make a lick of difference. There are more players than spots left in the top 20 of players who one could argue rather easily belong in the top 15 – someone is getting left out who will elicit “wow he didn’t make the top 20?” With all that said, congratulations, your voting singlehandedly vaulted Andrew Dutkanych IV into the voting – I thought I was high on the dude, I was proven wrong – he was honestly not even on my radar to be added to the voting. But he kept winning his comparable player polls. So onto the list he goes.
And honestly, I want more names in the mix just to see how they perform, so I’m going to be removing Colton Ledbetter, dead last in the voting, for another outfielder, Chase Davis. Is this a shuffling of deck chairs? Yes. But despite Davis losing a couple votes to people on this list, he never did get blown out. And with 0.9% of the vote, I just can’t see Ledbetter being a serious contender to being voted onto the top 20 honestly.
Scouting (FG): 30/45 Hit, 35/50 Game Power, 50/55 Raw Power, 40/40 Speed, 40/45 Fielding
Ironically, the last time I remember being so incredibly tired of writing a profile about a prospect in this feature is…. Joshua Baez. Yeah he was the #11 prospect three years ago, I added him pretty quickly and then nobody voted for him the entire time. With Joshua, I was being careful but probably agreed with you guys at the time. With Jesus, I was also being careful, but I added him too early, I did not think he would he would not make the top 20, which is a very distinct possibility.
Scouting: 30/35 Hit, 30/45 Game Power, 60/60 Raw Power, 50/50 Speed, 45/55 Field
Davis started as a power-hitting outfielder when the Cardinals drafted him in the 1st round back in 2023 draft. That advertised power has never really come and really disappeared last year, although as we saw in spring training, it might be in there somewhere. Not necessarily advertised for his defense, it seems like it’s going to be better than originally expected, which is certainly considered his bat has been worse than expected.
Drafted in the 7th round of the 2024 draft, Dutkanych was drafted injured. He had undergone Tommy John surgery earlier that year and most of his appearances in 2025 were effectively rehab appearances. He did max out at 3.2 innings pitched in his last appearance, and allowed no runs for his troubles. He will presumably be on some sort of pitch innings limited, but I’m not real sure what that limit will be.
Fajardo is getting more scouting love, but he kind of reminds me of Deniel Ortiz to an extent, where stats are certainly there and the age is certainly there, but the scouting is a little behind where I would expect given how much they dominated their two levels and the age when they did it. I suspect if he at all duplicates his performance at a higher level – same with Ortiz – the scouting will probably follow.
I was hesitant to add Luis Gastelum to the voting, but I think the voting results say I made the right decision. Now, he might not end up making the list, but that was unlikely for anybody I added. It’s always hard to know how to value a prospect like this, who has zero shot at starting, and in his specific case, arguably just one really great pitch. Now that Mexico has been eliminated, I wonder if we’ll see any more of him in spring training games.
What I find particularly fascinating about Hansen’s scouting report is that one would think Fangraphs was low on him, but they aren’t. They definitely aren’t. They ranked him 10th in the system last season. But that 35 fastball grade kind of pops out at you. It’s the kind of grade you give to a prospect that you aren’t typically high on, so I suppose it provides an insight into what FG thinks of the importance of command. You don’t usually see 60 command prospects.
Scouting: 40/50 Hit, 40/50 Game Power, 60/60 Raw Power, 30/30 Speed, 40/45 Fielding
I’m very interested in seeing what Jordan can do in AAA this year. Obviously, his spring has not gone very well, but it’s important to remember that spring training does not matter and also that nobody expected him to be MLB ready right now anyway. If they did, he would have been protected from the Rule 5 draft or drafted in the Rule 5 draft.
I am curious where Lin is assigned in the minor leagues. I am pretty sure he’ll still be tried as a starting pitcher, but he could plausibly be put in High A or AA. He was aggressively promoted to Springfield last season for a reason. But had some control problems to say the least, not to mention injury problems, and I could also see him beginning the year in High A with the hope and idea for a quick promotion.
Ryan Mitchell, 19 – OF
No stats
Scouting: 25/55 Hit, 25/50 Game Power, 40/55 Raw Power, 60/60 Speed, 25/50 Fielding
Speaking of curious where they assign a player, I wonder where Ryan Mitchell will be assigned. He was sent down but assigned to “St. Louis Cardinals Prospects.” He could be sent to rookie league, which would be the “conservative” option, the play it safe option. Or they could send him to Low A, which would be the #1 sign for me that we are underrating him. Especially if he doesn’t fall flat on his face. Until games are played though, we’re relying entirely on scouting.
Scouting: 20/30 Hit, 30/50 Game Power, 50/60 Raw Power, 60/60 Speed, 45/55 Fielding
I remember my consternation about not being able to add Tai Peete into the voting because I kept finding other players who to me made more sense to add, and I was 100 percent correct, but it is funny in hindsight that I put any worry at all in adding him too late given how the voting for him has gone. For understandable reasons, if a guy ain’t performing, you guys aren’t voting for him. Peete is missing that all-important hit tool, but he has shown power, has speed, and should have defense on his side. Just needs to make contact.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 20: A general view stadium view prior to the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants will take on the visiting Chicago White Sox tonight at 6:05 p.m. PDT, with broadcasts on both NBC Sports Bay Area and KNBR.
In the meantime, we are just under two weeks out from Opening Day, which is the best news I’ve heard in a long time. The Giants are having a strong spring, once again. And while their Cactus League record isn’t necessarily an indication of how the season will go (just look at last year), having a strong start is still preferable to the alternative.
As we enter the last couple of weeks of Spring Training games, the Giants (and more accurately the front office) will be watching very carefully because they’re going to have some tough decisions to make in terms of who will be on the Opening Day roster.
So I wanted to find out what you all think are the positions/players to watch over the next two weeks.
Personally, I can’t argue with Alex Pavlovic’s assessment over on NBC Sports Bay Area. He notes that Bryce Eldridge is easily the biggest question remaining this spring, and I agree.
I think I would be fine with either direction the team goes on this. Eldridge is young, which isn’t a bad thing, but he could benefit defensively from more time with Triple-A Sacramento. That said, I would be perfectly happy to see him start the season with the team. So that’s what I will be watching closely over the next two weeks.
Who are you keeping an eye on over the last two weeks of spring?
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Dominican Republic celebrates with teammates Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27, Geraldo Perdomo #2, Manny MacHado #3 , and Julio Rodríguez #44 after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against Venezuela at loanDepot park on March 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, Aaron Judge and company won’t be returning to the Yankees just yet. After shocking Team USA on Tuesday, Italy did the Americans a solid by thumping Mexico at the World Baseball Classic, avoiding any of the weird tiebreaker scenarios that were floated over the past 36 hours or so. They’ll face Canada on Friday night. Congrats to Mark DeRosa, I guess.
So now that we have an actual bracket, we can have some March Madness-esque fun! Considering that we won’t know the actual college basketball March Madness brackets until March is just about halfway done, maybe this is the real March Madness. Anyway, here’s what the WBC version looks like:
Quarterfinals Dominican Republic over Korea USA over Canada Puerto Rico over Italy Japan over Venezuela
Semifinals Dominican Republic over USA Japan over Puerto Rico
Finals Dominican Republic over Japan (MVP: Fernando Tatis Jr.)
Today on the site, Sam will recap the end of WBC pool play as we await the knockout round beginning tomorrow. Peter will preview Ryan Yarbrough’s 2026 season, Jeff will celebrate Darryl Strawberry’s 64th (yowza) birthday, and Josh will look at what’s ahead for the nemesis Astros, who could be in their twilight after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers
Time: 1:05 p.m. EST
Video: N/A (audio available via MLB.tv on Tigers radio, WXYTAM)
Venue: Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, FL
Aug 16, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen (22) reacts after striking out during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Pirates fans were dealt a massive blow last Thursday morning as news had broke out of Dallas that long time Bucco, Andrew McCutchen, is signing a Minor League contract with the Texas Rangers. McCutchen has been listed as a non-roster invitee to the Ranger’s Spring camp and will have an opportunity to compete for a spot on the big league roster.
For the past three years, McCutchen has signed one-year contracts with the Pirates in the offseason, but of course this year he was noticeably missing from their list of signings, Spring Training and the annual Pirates Fest. While Pirates’ management and ownership has been mostly mute on the topic, ‘Cutch has been very vocal on his social media pages, citing that other franchise stars in the past have gotten better treatment in regards to a farewell tour in their final seasons.
In a now deleted post on X, the former National League MVP voiced his frustrations with the lack of communication he was having with the Pirates’ organization.
“I wonder, did the Cards do this Wainwright/Pujols/Yadi? Dodgers to Kershaw?Tigers to Miggy? The list goes on and on. If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player. Talk to them about my appreciation for them over the years. Shake that little kids hand or hug the fan that’s been a fan since Clemente. You see, this is bigger than baseball! Bigger than looking at a 40 man roster and cherry picking numbers that fit your agenda or prove why your opinion matters. The fans deserved at the very least to get that opportunity. Idk what the future holds for me at the present moment, but what I do know is though I am 39, on the backend of my career, I still work everyday to be better than I was the year before. If there wasnt a burning desire to continue this journey, I would be home surrounded by my family, in which no one would judge or be surprised. But not yet. There’s more work to do and Im not done, no matter what label to you try to stamp on me. Rip the jersey off of me. You dont get to write my future,God does.”
Andrew McCutchen will join the Rangers on a minor league deal after spending the last three years back in Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/x63KDcJ4Ie
Despite the lack of communication that General Manager Ben Cherington had with McCutchen this offseason, the writing was on the wall when the Pirates signed Marcell Ozuna to be their designated hitter for 2026. When Ozuna was signed in early February, McCutchen removed all mentions of the Pirates from his social media pages. Cherington commented on ‘Cutch during the offseason at the time of the Ozuna signing.
“As far as I’m concerned, Andrew will always be a Pirate,” Cherington said. “I think most people feel that way. I certainly speak for the organization and that’s how we feel, that no matter what Andrew is a Pirate, and certainly our desire will be to continue to have a really strong relationship with him into the future, whatever that looks like.”
Perhaps the hardest part about this news is that the Pirates actually seem to be trying to win. The signing of Ryan O’Hearn this offseason signaled that Pittsburgh was more willing to open up their wallets. The trade acquisition of Brandon Lowe showed that the Pirates was trying to be more aggressive on the trade market and were looking to build a quality lineup. The club is projected to have one of the best pitching rotations in baseball with veteran Mitch Keller and Cy Young winner Paul Skenes leading the group that will give opposing batters plenty of headaches. On paper this could be the best Pirates team since the last time the club made the postseason in 2015.
While McCutchen never stated that he wouldn’t entertain the idea of playing for another team, he made it very clear to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette in September that he wanted to deliver on winning with Pittsburgh.
The Rangers do not play in Pittsburgh this season.
Which means this was probably Andrew McCutchen's last ever at-bat at PNC Park: pic.twitter.com/IaQxpA1Oxv
“Ultimately, I do feel like this is a good team,” McCutchen said. “I’d just love to be a part of that winning. Hopefully get that opportunity to have that again. And I do feel like it’s possible. If it wasn’t possible, I don’t think I’d be doing it. Maybe I doubt the Pirates would even bring me back. I think it’s there.”
The Texas Rangers are currently in Spring camp in Arizona and will give McCutchen an opportunity to earn a spot on their regular season roster. The Rangers are in the midst of finding out who will be on their bench come opening day, and are trying to decide who will make their platoon of outfielders. While ‘Cutch is certainly past his prime he is still a capable athlete who could play in the field once or twice a week. What is more likely is that McCutchen will continue to play as a designated hitter opposite of Joc Pederson.
In terms of pure production, McCutchen is head and shoulders above Pederson, even at 39-years-old. In 2025 Pederson had a .181 batting average, a .285 OBP with just nine home runs. Meanwhile McCutchen had a .239 batting average and showed excellent discipline at the plate, garnering a .333 OBP and 13 homers. The Rangers struggled offensively in 2025 and having McCutchen around to mentor young batters and add some stability to the lineup could be very beneficial to the club if he makes the team.
This is an unfortunate and seemingly bitter end to McCutchen’s time with the Pirates. He is far in a way the best player Pittsburgh has had since Barry Bonds and is also one of the best human beings the sport has ever seen. He has made Pittsburgh his home for himself and his family and truly integrated himself into the community, even after the club traded him to San Francisco. His return in 2023 felt like it was the opportunity for him to end his career where it started, but unsurprising to none the Pirates went and messed that up. Arguably one of the most disappointing franchises in professional sports, the Pirates disrespected a legend like McCutchen by giving him the cold shoulder and pushing him away not once, but twice in his career.
Andrew McCutchen will forever be linked to the Pirates and with this messy exit from Pittsburgh he will have a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt. Washington. If McCutchen makes the Rangers roster he could face the Pirates in a home series from April 21-23.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 01, 2026: Germán Márquez #33 of the San Diego Padres throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on March 01, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The San Diego Padres entered the 2026 season knowing they would have to address needs in the starting rotation, but with a limited budget, doing so through free agency proved to be difficult. San Diego re-signed Michael King, who could easily be considered the ace of the staff and that was the one “big signing” that was made to address the rotation. At the very least, King would be considered a co-ace with Nick Pivetta, who finished sixth in Cy Young voting following the 2025 season.
The return of Joe Musgrove gave the Padres a solid top of the rotation, and if Randy Vasquez could continue to improve throughout Spring Training and into the season, the top four spots in the rotation would be set. San Diego would need to address the fifth starter in the rotation and general manager A.J. Preller attempted to do so by bringing in several veteran pitchers on minor league deals to compete with JP Sears, Matt Waldron and potentially Kyle Hart, who were already on the roster. Hart has been used more as a long-relief bullpen arm and seems to be out of starter consideration.
Preller signed German Marquez to a major league deal and Walker Buehler, Marco Gonzales and Triston McKenzie to minor league deals. They all came to Spring Training with a chance to win a spot in the rotation. Each pitcher has had positives and negatives this spring, but only McKenzie seems to have played himself out of consideration due to control issues. The right-hander has good stuff and a high-velocity fastball, but his ability to command his pitches could be what keeps him off the roster.
Marquez seems to have the liveliest arm in the group of rotation contenders, but he has not been able to stand out from the group and take control of the competition. Buehler, who was previously known as a fastball pitcher, is re-inventing himself and becoming more of a “pitcher,” relying on movement to keep hitters off balance. Gonzales has had a spring similar to Marquez. He has not been bad, but he has not done anything to separate himself from his competitors.
Sears continues to have trouble with the home run ball. He has been a flyball pitcher for his career, but the problem he runs into is that too many of those flyballs land beyond the outfield wall in the stands.
With Opening Day approaching March 26, Preller, manager Craig Stammen and pitching coach Ruben Niebla will have to decide who will make the roster and fill the final rotation spot. With news in recent days of Pivetta missing a start due to arm fatigue and Musgrove’s return to the mound after one spring start in question, perhaps multiple candidates will make the Padres roster.
For this week’s Padres Reacts Survey, Gaslamp Ball asks readers which candidate they think will win the fifth and final spot in the rotation. For this exercise, let’s assume King, Pivetta, Musgrove and Vasquez are all healthy and on the Opening Day roster. Results will be published later in the week.
HOUSTON — Vinnie Pasquantino, walking though the corridor with a half-empty can of beer Wednesday night, lifted up his blue suit jacket, smelled it, and wrinkled his nose.
He has worn the same suit every day, to day games and night games, with Team Italy at Daikin Park, maintaining the tradition Italy manager Francisco Cervelli established for his team in this World Baseball Classic.
But Pasquantino may have made a serious wardrobe miscalculation.
Team Italy, which was supposed to be dismissed from the World Baseball Classic after four games in pool play, is sticking around for awhile, and perhaps may have another flight to catch. It pulled off a second consecutive stunning upset Wednesday, 9-1, over Mexico.
The team that was supposed to be an afterthought, suddenly is on everyone’s forefront, sweeping all four games in the WBC to win Pool B and be a No. 1 seed for the first time in Italy history. It will play Puerto Rico on Saturday afternoon at Daikin Park for the right to play in the semifinals in Miami.
“There’s another team in the world that can play baseball,’’ Cervelli proudly said.
And there’s another slugger in the world who can hit three home runs in a single game, becoming the first player to achieve the feat in World Baseball Classic history.
So, is there a nickname Pasquantino wants after his feat, considering Reggie Jackson earned his monicker after hitting three homers in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series for the Yankees?
“Mr. March,’’ he said, laughing.
“It’s just a good night. That's it. This will be forgotten very soon. But you know, anytime you can just say Reggie Jackson's name to me is cool.’’
When was the last time Pasquantino, the Kansas City Royals first baseman, hit three homers in a game?
“I've never done it before,’’ he said.
College?
“No.’’
High School?
“No.’’
Little League?
“Never.’’
And never had the Hall of Fame ever reached out and requested anything from him to be displayed in Cooperstown.
Then, again, he might become the first one to flatly turn them down. Well, at least delay them a bit.
“They liked the bat,’’ Pasquantino said. “I said, 'I need the bat for a few more days.’’
When you go hitless in the first three games of the WBC, and get so desperate that you actually attempt a bunt in your first at-bat Wednesday, you’re sure not going to hand over the bat that made you an overnight WBC legend.
“Just nice to be involved and help the team offensively,’’ Pasquantino said. “It's no secret how I'd been doing prior. So, you know, we worked really hard to try to get right, and tonight was a good night.’’
Pasquantino’s struggles were so pronounced that simply laying off a 2-and-2 slider in the eighth inning, instead of chasing a slider that was low, was his proudest moment of the night. He hit the next pitch 337 feet over the right-field fence.
“I had been chasing quite a bit to the point that, you know, I wanted to just cry,’’ said Pasquantino. “Just like, 'Hey, stop chasing balls. Just take balls.' And I took that pitch. And I think I was about as happy as I could be.’’
Pasquantino, their leader who orchestrated the espresso shots after homers, parading in the dugout with an Armani jacket and passing out celebratory bottles of wine after victories, refused to let his struggles carry over into the clubhouse. His teammates will tell you he was the same guy, clowning around, keeping everyone loose.
“He's been the happiest player on the team,’’ Italy second baseman Jon Berti said. “Trust me.’’
Yet, Pasquantino's struggles were burning inside, and only Italy’s victories kept his sanity.
“Francisco and I had talked about it, and I said, 'Skip, if you need to drop me in order, do it because I understand,’’’ Pasquantino said. “It's been bad. But I felt like I was still competing and giving it my best. (USA pitcher) Nolan McLean made me look like I'd never hit a baseball before last night.
“So, I'm glad we were able to do something productive tonight.’’
Yes, for the first time in the WBC, he actually got to keep a bottle of the fine wine for himself. He also presented one to Marco Mazzieri, the Italian Baseball Federation president, for making this all possible.
“I'm like weirdly emotional tonight,’’ Pasquantino said, “to the point I'm thinking about crying. Which is funny for a tournament in March.’’
Pasquantino thinks about the players on the team who risked losing their jobs in spring training to come play for Italy. He thinks about the guys who may wind up in the minor leagues instead of the big leagues because of the time away from their team. He thinks about players like White Sox catcher Kyle Teel, who will be out four to six weeks with a strained hamstring after stretching a single into a double against the USA.
And he gets emotional about playing for Cervelli, GM Ned Colletti, Mazzieri and Yankees great Jorge Posada.
“I'm so thankful for those guys for allowing me to be myself,’’ Pasquantino said, “and to lead this team the way that I've kind of seen from a player perspective. They have to do what they need to do from a leadership side, from a coaching staff. But to kind of give me the reins to say, 'All right, this is your team, what do you want it to look like?’
“It doesn't mean that I'm making decisions or anything, but it just means, like, what can we do to get the best out of every player? And honestly, like the 'C' on my chest, which we argued about if I was going to wear or not, that's what that means to me. It wouldn't matter. What matters is trying to get the best out of my teammates, and they've given me the freedom to try to do that, whether it's taking mound visits or talking to the group.’’
Cervelli, who was mentored by Hall of Famer Joe Torre, and brings the great Yankees tradition to the team, knows the value of leadership, being around Derek Jeter, CC Sabathia and Posada during his playing days.
Pasquantino may not have the Hall of Fame resume, but those leadership qualities, they are all there.
“I think leaders, they're born like that,’’ Cervelli said. “This guy, everybody follows him. He respects everyone. He can be loud sometimes when he needs to. He doesn't talk that much. Everybody follows him.
“That's a leader. He put himself before everyone to protect everyone, not because it's Vinnie, that's what a captain is. This is amazing to have. It's a pleasure for me to have a player like that because it makes my job very easy.’’
It was Pasquantino’s leadership that prevented Italy from having an emotional letdown after beating the USA in the biggest victory in Italian history just 24 hours earlier. They sat around and talked about the tiebreakers. They were told they could actually lose to Mexico, but as long as they didn’t give up more than four runs, they’d earn a tiebreaker over the USA.
They talked about all of the scenarios, and then Pasquantino put a stop to it.
“Just being realistic, there was a lot of conversation if different scenarios arise,’’ Pasquantino said, “what do we do? Then finally, we just got together and said, 'You know what? Let's just win the game.’
“So last night when we were celebrating, we had a good time in the locker room. But I said to the guys, 'Once midnight hit, guys, we've got to get going.' We stayed and we hung out and we had a good time. But it was a lot of hanging out and just, 'What are we going to do tomorrow? How are we going to win this game?'"
They won the game by jumping on Pasquantino’s back as he hit the three solo homers, the arm of Aaron Nola who pitched five shutout innings, and the contributions of seven different players producing hits, and six different pitchers getting outs.
“Tonight, we just handled business,’’ Pasquantino said. “That was the expectation. And it was awesome.’’
Next stop: vs. Puerto Rico on Saturday afternoon.
Win, and they have a flight to Miami for the semifinals, going where no Italy team has gone before.
So, considering Team Italy will be sticking around for awhile, perhaps it could be time to grab a new suit, particularly since the Italians have the next two days off.
But, hey, as long as Team Italy keeps winning, and the suit is working, how in the world can Pasquantino change the wardrobe now?
And, if someone wants to buy him a nice Italian designer suit, he knows just the guys who owe him.
Yep, Team USA, which staved off elimination in the WBC thanks to Italy’s victory.
“You're welcome, USA,’’ Pasquantino said on the field. “We were thinking of you guys over at your hotel. We were thinking of you guys, so glad you guys can join us in the party.’’
Well, perhaps the two most impressive Atlanta relievers of Spring Training have now been sent to minor league camp, in Hayden Harris and James Karinchak. It seems likely that both will appear in Atlanta this year, assuming Karinchak sticks around long enough to do so as a veteran. They have each been strikeout machines this spring, but did not have to be on the active roster to start the season in order to remain in the organization, and thus are expendable as potential members of the Opening Day roster. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman also speculates that the run of consecutive games to start the season lends itself to more of a long-relief role and perhaps a sixth starter, which logically would lead to the likes of Harris and/or Karinchak making the roster perhaps in mid-April.
Spencer Strider had a nice day, sitting mid-90s with his fastball and showcasing two breaking balls, as the Braves notched another Spring Training win.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Joe Musgrove #44 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a World Baseball Classic scrimmage against Great Britain at Peoria Stadium on March 4, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres need to slow-play starter Joe Musgrove at the beginning of the 2026 season. Coming off Tommy John surgery in October of 2024, Musgrove is a month shy of 18 months post-surgery. The usual recovery time for TJ is 12-18 months but that is a range that is very individual and Musgrove himself said that in his research for the surgery he was told by other pitchers that they didn’t feel normal until two years removed from the actual operation.
In February, Musgrove had a long interview on the Friar Territory podcast where he outlined his willingness to do whatever it took to be ready to pitch at the end of the season. Starting the season in the rotation wasn’t seen as a must although he specifically said that taking breaks, pushing back his starts and limiting innings or pitches to start the season would all be in the mix.
After his first spring start on March 4 against the Great Britain WBC team, Musgrove reported no physical issues after his 60-pitch performance over three innings and six outs. He felt challenged by the pace with the pitch clock and the intensity of having to compete in a real game-setting versus the controlled settings on the back fields of Peoria Sports Complex.
The real test for recovering pitchers is how they bounce-back after pitching. According to manager Craig Stammen, Musgrove threw a bullpen at some point after his start but it was announced yesterday that there is no scheduled next start for Musgrove. He will be day-to-day with an evaluation each day to see how his arm feels.
When asked how his arm felt, Musgrove replied, “It feels like I had surgery.”
Musgrove’s repertoire
At the end of the 2024 season, when it was clear that Musgrove had been pitching most of the season hurt and was just doing his best until his elbow gave out, it seemed pretty remarkable that he managed a 3.88 ERA when his Baseball Savant page showed a pitcher that shouldn’t have been in MLB; much less get through almost 100 innings pitched with a winning record. He had removed his slider from his pitch mix and added a sweeper.
During his last healthy season, in 2023, Musgrove’s Savant page revealed an effective pitcher that was really successful despite not having elite velocity. Musgrove was a pitcher, working with his six-pitch mix to get hitters out with efficiency and smarts.
In his start on March 4, Musgrove used a seven-pitch mix, bringing back the slider he had removed in 2024 and incorporating the sweeper as well. His fastball velocity averaged 94.1 mph, slightly up from 2023.
Handling the new season
Pushing Musgrove’s start back, allowing his tired arm to fully recover and giving him more time between starts, will probably mean he isn’t ready for Opening Day. That is not a real problem as things stand currently. He was not in line to be the starter on March 26. At most, he would be third in line for the Padres.
He could start the year on the IL but the Padres have plenty of options to keep the team competitive until he is ready to step into the every five or six day rotation. There are two off days in the first eight days of the season and the team can use a fill-in to start a game or allow the other starters to work on normal four days rest.
The “bridge’” pitcher can help
The organization is currently evaluating three pitchers to work as “bridge” pitchers on the team. Stammen, a former pitcher, doesn’t seem to like the term “long-man” and they have used “bridge” instead.
Ron Marinaccio, currently with Team Italy in the WBC, lefty Kyle Hart and Logan Gillaspie are all auditioning for the role and it is possible that two could make the team. Marinaccio and Gillaspie are out of options and will have to be put through waivers if not on the roster.
The starters
With Musgrove out to start the year, both German Marquez and Walker Buehler have a chance to make the roster out of spring. It seems obvious that Randy Vasquez has locked up a spot with his outstanding spring performances. This will have to be decided by March 21, as Buehler has an opt-out on that date. He must be on the roster or allowed to pursue other opportunities.
None of the pitchers vying for the rotation have an ERA below 5.40, but that isn’t a reliable stat to use for evaluation in the spring. The underlying stats on the competitors show that Marquez and Buehler have better stuff and a bit more velocity than Marco Gonzales. And… Tristan McKenzie is a work-in-progress and not a contender.
When he is ready to return, Musgrove will probably be limited in some way. Either an innings limit or longer recovery time between starts would make sense. The bullpen is certainly up to supporting that approach and the “bridge” pitchers would also be available to step in.
Slow-playing the season
Musgrove has repeatedly stated that opening the season as a starter might not be important but ending the season as a starter is very important.
Musgrove wants to play in October. He wants to pitch in playoff games. If the Padres get to that point, they need a healthy and strong Joe Musgrove. We have seen what Playoff Joe looks like. The Friar Faithful should all be patient and support getting that Musgrove back with the Padres.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees smiles during a spring training game against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
FanGraphs | Ben Clemens: Aaron Judge is the best hitter in baseball, and has been just about that since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2017. Once again heading into 2026 he’s expected to lead the league in offensive production, and as Clemens digs in, there’s a very good argument that barring a catastrophe, he’ll be tabbed as the best slugger in 2027 too. We are simply witnessing one of the finest hitters in the history of the game, and both the numbers and the eyes can back that up.
On the topic of Judge, his hopes of a World Baseball Classic title with Team USA did not come to an end with their loss to Italy on Tuesday after all. Thanks to Italy finishing an impressive sweep of Pool B by beating 2-2 Mexico, 3-1 Team USA backed into a spot in the quarterfinals. As the Pool B runner-up, they’ll stay in Houston and on Friday, will face Canada, who advanced to the knockout round for the first time after winning Pool A. The other matchups will be: Dominican Republic vs. South Korea, Japan vs. Venezuela, and Puerto Rico vs. Italy.
New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez and Dan Martin: Jasson Domínguez is in tough to break camp with the MLB roster, but he has been doing his best in spring training action. The Martian adjusted nicely in Tuesday’s Grapefruit League game against the Phillies’ Tanner Banks, moving to a toe-tap instead of a full leg kick and taking the left-hander deep. Hitting against lefties has been Jasson’s biggest problem at the plate despite being a natural right-handed hitter, and maybe these kind of mechanical shifts can be the key he needs to be an MLB regular.
Apple Newsroom: AppleTV Plus is once again broadcasting doubleheaders on Friday nights this season, alongside Netflix having Opening Day—which will feature the Yankees and Giants—and the All-Star festivities (aside from the actual Midsummer Classic). The Yankees don’t appear on Apple until May 15th, the start of the Subway Series against the Mets.
Another broadcast item: CC Sabathia will be in booth for the aforementioned Netflix Opening Day alongside Matt Vasgergian and former Giants standout Hunter Pence. CC’s fellow Yankees alum Anthony Rizzo will be in the studio, as will future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.
MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: The Yankees have gotten lucky so far in camp by managing injuries, always the biggest concern about spring. Unfortunately, the bug has bitten Brock Selvidge, the club’s third-round pick in 2021, and the right-hander underwent an internal brace procedure in his pitching arm. The surgery will mean Selvidge misses the entire 2026 season, and while he was an outside shot for him to make the MLB roster at all this year, the chances he never throws a pitch in the bigs got a little bigger with that news.
