Category: Sports News

TAMPA – Carlos Rodonwas still walking off the field after throwing the equivalent of two innings to Yankees hitters Thursday when someone popped out of the dugout with questions galore.

"How did you feel?" an eager Gerrit Cole asked him. "Did you like the curve?"

The answer to the first question was "good." The answer to the second was "better." No one can relate to the zig-zagging process that is a return from elbow surgery quite like Cole, who is navigating his own version of that process these days, too. He knew Rodon didn’t like the way the curve felt in one of his two previous live sessions, but he also knew that it would probably feel better next time. It had for him.

"[I felt] physically fine. I’m just working to get a feel for things," Rodon told SNY afterward. "Obviously, I would like everything to be crisp, but it’s hard to do that when you have to build up and come back from surgery. It’s coming. Trying not to get frustrated with myself."

Rodon was scheduled for 35 pitches Thursday. He threw them against Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, Spencer Jones, and Zack Short. He threw them to catcher Ben Rice, with whom he was in constant conversation between pitches, seeking feedback from his catcher and the screens Yankees coaches had behind the mound. The surgery he underwent in October removed loose bodies and a bone spur that limited his range of motion last season. But with increased range of motion comes more possibilities for variation around his arm action and release point, which means his spring training has been as much about building stamina as rebuilding his sense of where his arm needs to be and how best to get it there repeatedly.

"My arm moves a lot more, so it’s just understanding that leash I have, how far I’m going," Rodon said. "I just need to throw more, so I build the proprioception, build the feel of that."

The 33-year-old will not travel with the Yankees when they head to Arizona for next week’s spring-ending exhibition games. Instead, he said he will stay in Tampa to continue his progression – a progression Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he hopes will lead to a return in April.

"It feels like a normal progression. It’s just refining every day. Every day I play catch is taking in a lot of information," Rodon said. "It’s not like, drastically different. But building a new feel."

Howie Rose announced he is retiring at the end of the 2026 Mets season. The longtime broadcaster has been behind the mic for a myriad of signature sports moments across Mets, Rangers and Islanders games. Here are eight of his best calls.

1. Stéphane Matteau’s double-overtime game-winning goal in Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals against the Devils. 

Matteau’s epic goal sent the Rangers into the Stanley Cup Final, where they would capture their first championship since 1940.

2. Shawn Bates’ penalty shot in Game 4 of the 2002 first round.

Bates became the first Islander to score on a penalty shot in the playoffs. He was the second American-born player and 13th NHL player overall to do so. The goal won the game for the Islanders and tied their first-round series against the Maple Leafs, 2-2, before Toronto won the series in seven.

3. Mike Piazza’s home run in the first baseball game in New York after Sept. 11.

After the horrific terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Mike Piazza homered in the first baseball game back in New York. His home run secured a 3-2 victory for the Mets in an emotional moment for the city.

4. Johan Santana throws the first no-hitter in Mets history.

On June 1, 2012, Santana threw the first no-hitter in the Mets’ 50-year franchise history. He did it on an unfathomable 134 pitches.

5. Mets win the 2015 NL pennant to reach the World Series

The Mets swept the Cubs in the 2015 NLCS, snapping a 15-year drought since their last National League pennant in 2000.

6. Pete Alonso’s go-ahead, ninth-inning home run in Game 3 of the 2024 NL Wild Card round.

Entering the ninth inning down 2-0, the Mets rallied to win the 2024 Wild Card against the Milwaukee Brewers. Alonso was the hero, hitting a go-ahead, three-run home run off Brewers closer Devin Williams. 

7. Francisco Lindor’s grand slam in 2024 NLDS Game 4. 

Entering the sixth inning down 1-0, Lindor hit a go-ahead grand slam in Game 4 of the 2024 NLDS. It was off Philadelphia Phillies closer Carlos Estévez, which led the Mets to their first NLCS appearance since 2015.

8. The Mets clinch the 2006 NL East title

In one of the best seasons in franchise history, the Mets clinched their first division title since 1988 with a 4-0 win over the Marlins on Sept. 18.

Two different sets of Orioles will be in action on Thursday down in Florida. They are squeezing in one last split-squad before the Grapefruit League schedule wraps up for them on Saturday.

The 1:05 game is on the road, with no local television or radio broadcast. I had not intended to set up a game thread covering both games since that first one isn’t being covered locally. However, the Orioles have chosen to send the A team on the road to play the Yankees here, which is interesting enough to me to note it.

Take a look at this lineup:

1. Taylor Ward – LF
2. Gunnar Henderson – SS
3. Pete Alonso – 1B
4. Adley Rutschman – C
5. Tyler O’Neill – RF
6. Ryan Mountcastle – DH
7. Coby Mayo – 3B
8. Colton Cowser – CF
9. Blaze Alexander – 2B

This is the first lineup all spring where I’ve looked at it and it 100% looks like it could be an Opening Day lineup. Now, part of this is because, with Henderson having been with Team USA in the WBC, there was no chance of having a full Opening Day lineup around. Another part though is that the Orioles just haven’t deployed all the rest of the expected regulars at once, until now.

If this is the Opening Day lineup, I don’t feel great about Ward, who had a .317 OBP last year, being the guy to lead it off. I don’t feel great about Rutschman as the cleanup hitter. But, as you know if you have been a Camden Chat reader for a long time, I generally never feel great about the Orioles, and it only goes badly when I do.

Dean Kremer is the starting pitcher for this road game. If the Orioles go with a five-man rotation, I wonder where Kremer fits. This is probably not a question that will be answered today, or even influenced by his performance today.

At 6:05, another set of Orioles will be at home in Sarasota against the Pirates. That game will air on MASN, with no radio broadcast. I’ll edit in the lineup for that one once there is one in a few hours.

The roster is starting to come into focus with just over a week to go before the season opener. On the pitching staff, the Royals shipped out Ryan Bergert, Mason Black, Helcris Oliváres, and Mitch Spence this week. Here’s what the bullpen looks like at this point:

Locks, barring a trade or injury: Lucas Erceg, Carlos Estévez, Nick Mears, John Schreiber, Matt Strahm

On the bubble: Luinder Avila*, Steven Cruz*, Bailey Falter, Alex Lange, Daniel Lynch IV*, James McArthur*

Probably on the outside looking in: Jose Cuas*, Eli Morgan*, Héctor Neris, Aaron Sanchez

Probably on the IL to start: Stephen Kolek*

*-have options remaining

With five starters, and five locks in the bullpen, that leaves three bullpen spots remaining. Who would you carry on the roster?

As we close in on Opening Day for the 2026 season, now is a time to start to take a look at some of the prospects who have seen their stock rise this spring within the Atlanta Braves system. Making this list isn’t just based on what we have seen in spring training games – though that is a big part of it. Reports from the backfields or a player showing up in great shape can also get a player mentioned here.

Owen Carey, OF

Owen Carey has impressed enough this spring that he has been able to earn himself nine at bats in big league spring training games. He may be just one for nine, but he has had some flashes at the plate against much more advanced competition – making it important to remember he is still just 19-years-old and hasn’t played above Low-A yet.

Didier Fuentes, RHP

Fuentes was brought up to Atlanta a bit too soon last season, and got hit pretty hard – not unexpected for a kid who had barely turned 20 and had limited Triple-A experience at the time. He responded well to that in the minors after being sent back down, and has come back this spring looking like he has completely put that behind him. In five innings over two appearances, Fuentes has a 0.00 ERA and WHIP with nine strikeouts to no walks – the only base runner he has allowed is a single hit by pitch. The Braves may be a little extra cautious with him this year after being a bit too aggressive last year, but he is looking better than we’ve ever seen him look this spring.

John Gil, SS

Gil ended last season with a short look at Double-A after a bit of a power spike to close out this season. He followed that up by coming to camp with a little added weight, and has shown that the power increase may be for real. Although he will never likely be a plus power guy, adding average power to a guy with his speed and hit tool makes him very dangerous. In 19 at bats this spring he is hitting .158, but has two homers and a .778 OPS. That should give him slightly heightened expectations heading into the season, which he is likely to open back in Double-A.

Hayden Harris, LHP

Harris is another arm who made his big league debut last year, but he seems to have built on it this spring. He has pitched five innings over five games, pitching to a 1.80 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 12 strikeouts to two walks. Harris has already been optioned down on the roster, but his continued success is worth noting, as he will be an in-season promotion candidate anytime the Braves need a relief arm.

Cody Miller, SS

The Braves third round pick out of East Tennessee State last year came in with a Trea Turner-like skill set of contact, speed, and a bit of power from the shortstop position. There were some questions about the adjustments he may need to make as the level of competition is set to really increase for him, and although he did show well in a small sample size after signing last summer, going three for four in big league games this spring is a positive sign that the competition jump won’t phase him.

Jose Perdomo, SS

It’s been a rough couple of years for Perdomo since signing as a top international free agent. Injuries basically wiped out his 2024, and a combination of injury and ineffectiveness ruined his 2025 season. The positive with him is that he showed up to camp in the best shape he has been in since he signed with the Braves – important since there were some reports from scouts last year which said he didn’t look at all like the guy the team expected to sign just over two years ago.

JR Ritchie, RHP

Ritchie came into the spring as a real long shot to make the team out of camp, but between injuries to other starters and his own stuff ticking up, he has pushed himself into the conversation as training camp winds down. Ritchie has pitched 12 innings over four games, with a 2.25 ERA, 0.58 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts to just five walks. As great as his stat line has looked, his velocity has ticked up and his secondary offerings have also been even better than what we saw last year when he shot up to Triple-A after opening the year in High-A. Ritchie has assured himself that even if he doesn’t claim a spot in the opening rotation, he will be up for his big league debut sooner rather than later.

The St. Louis Cardinals are now one week away from Opening Day and will begin the final week of preparation with a Spring Training game against the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Stadium today. Josiah Gray will make the start for the Washington Nationals according to MLB.com. Quinn Matthews will make the start for the Cardinals.

The Good Phight will be previewing the 2026 season by going over each position on the field. We’ll talk about the players that will occupy them, the players behind them, their strengths and weaknesses and give a few takes about how we think the season will shake out.

Aaron Nola: Can he rebound?

Most of the discussion surrounding the Phillies rotation this spring has been about what to expect from Andrew Painter and the health status of Zack Wheeler. Understandably so, as they might be the two biggest questions surrounding the team in general. However, there’s one player that can help ease some of the uneasiness in both of those questions.

It wasn’t that long ago that Aaron Nola was one of the most durable, reliable starters in baseball. You could almost lock in close to 200 quality innings in the rotation, even if they were mind-numbingly frustrating at times. But the last two years especially have cast doubt on what Nola is and what he can still be, as he had a below average 2024 and a nightmarish 2025.

Well hope springs eternal, as Nola has looked rejuvenated this spring, crediting his participation in the World Baseball Classic with Team Italy as a catalyst for getting into shape sooner. The results have shown on the field, especially with his fastball velocity. Nola has averaged 91.7 MPH on his fastball in his spring training appearances and averaged just under 93 MPH in his second and final start for Italy at the WBC on Monday. For comparison, Nola averaged just under 92 MPH on his fastball last season and didn’t average over 91 until returning from injury in August. His fastball this spring is already in a better spot than it was in April of last season when he was sitting around 91.3.

For his career, Nola’s velocity has typically started below average and then gradually increases as the season wears on, usually peaking in the summer months. Take 2024 for example, when he started the season averaging 91.1 MPH but was just under 93 by the end of the regular season, peaking at 93.3 in July. This spring however, he’s already close to his career average of 92.5 MPH and Opening Day is still a week away.

So, what does all this mean? As you’re well aware, not much can be gleamed from spring training performances. Players are looking to get into shape and may be working on specific things, all while not facing top tier competition regularly. But a velocity bump like Nola’s is something that should perk you up a little, as it signals that his stuff is already in a better place than it was last season.

Now to address a more difficult question. If Nola is indeed in for a “rebound” season, what exactly would that look like? Will he be the 2024 version of himself who logged 199.1 innings with a 3.57 ERA and 117 ERA+? Or will he be the 2023 version where he still threw over 190 innings except this time had a 4.46 ERA and 96 ERA+? The Phillies desperately need at least the 2024 version, as they are facing more uncertainty in their rotation than they’ve had in years as we discussed in our rotation preview.

There’s really no way to answer this question until we see Nola in real game action. We can look at all the spring data we want and be encouraged by his performance in the WBC, but none of it ultimately matters until the real season starts. Maybe the old “even year/odd year Nola” phenomenon will be at work again in 2026, suggesting that he is in for one of his better seasons. But again, what exactly constitutes a “better” Nola season at this point in his career? Is it a mid-rotation innings eater? Is it a little bit more? Or was 2025 a harbinger of what’s to come as Nola ages?

It’s time to find out.

Red Sox season preview: Boldest predictions for the 2026 campaign originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Editor’s note: Leading up to Opening Day, our staff will share several predictions for the 2026 Red Sox season. In Part 3 of the season preview series,our three-person panel shared its boldest predictions for the upcoming campaign.

• Part 1:Predicting the regular-season record
• Part 2: Biggest keys to a deeper postseason run

It’s officially prediction season with Opening Day just one week away. For the latest installment of our Red Sox season preview series, our staff got bold.

We went 2 for 3 in last year’s bold predictions, correctly predicting Boston to end its playoff drought and for three-plus Red Sox players to make the All-Star squad. This year’s bold predictions have a clear theme: young players blossoming into stars.

Here are our three-person panel’s bold Red Sox predictions for the 2026 season:

Justin Leger: Connelly Early is a Rookie of the Year finalist

Early shined in his first four MLB starts last season, posting a 2.33 ERA with 29 strikeouts and only four walks over 19.1 innings. Even if he isn’t in the starting rotation to begin the season, the prized left-handed prospect will play a key role for Boston in 2026.

Early’s success has continued in spring training, where he has amassed a 2.25 ERA in four games (12 IP). The soon-to-be 24-year-old projects as one of the best rookie pitchers in baseball next season, and he’ll earn national recognition as an American League Rookie of the Year finalist after earning a permanent spot in Boston’s rotation.

Nick Goss: Roman Anthony hits 40 home runs

The last Red Sox player to reach that milestone was J.D. Martinez in 2018. Before that, it was David Ortiz with 54 homers in 2006.

Anthony has the power required to hit 40. The key will be playing enough games to have a chance.

Darren Hartwell: Payton Tolle replaces Aroldis Chapman as the closer

Chapman was the best closer in baseball last season but just turned 38 years old, so we could easily see a regression coming. While Garrett Whitlock is the next-best pitcher in the bullpen, we could see Alex Cora keeping Whitlock in his setup man role and turning to Tolle, the colorful rookie who found success as a reliever last season.

With Opening Day just a week away, I thought it was time to dive into the schedule, specifically how hard it is to begin the season. The Nats open their season with matchups against the Cubs, Phillies and Dodgers. All three of those teams made the playoffs last year and project to be fearsome foes once again in 2026.

To make matters even worse, the first two series against the Cubs and Phillies are on the road. Both of those series will likely be played in chilly temperatures in front of fired up home crowds. Even if the Dodgers are the defending champions, the idea of going to sunny Los Angeles sounds more fun than a cold afternoon in Wrigley.

This will be a tough first test for new manager Blake Butera. I am intrigued to see how he navigates this, and if the Nats are able to keep their heads above water. In the Davey Martinez years, sluggish starts became the norm, even when the team was loaded with talent. Hopefully this new regime will have the team more locked in from the jump.

They will have to be, or else they could fall behind the 8 ball quickly. Nats fans are already frustrated after all the losing. The last thing you want is for the team to be 1-5 heading into the home opener. Fans just want to see encouraging signs, and holding their own in this stretch would be great.

Honestly, I feel the best about the series against the Dodgers at home of the three. Yes, the Dodgers are the best team in baseball and the back to back champs. However, they already have a couple injuries and can afford a sluggish start because they can turn it on whenever they want. I am not sure the Dodgers will be up for the fight on a 50 degree night at Nats Park the way they are in October.

We have seen this play out over the last couple of years. Last April, the Nats took two out of three against the Dodgers at home. James Wood had a couple really impressive homers and Brad Lord announced himself by getting his first career strikeout against Shohei Ohtani. A repeat of that is certainly not out of the question.

However, a slow start should not shock anyone. There is so much new in this Nats organization and they are going up against the cream of the crop in the NL. The rest of April is a bit more forgiving, with series against the Cardinals, Pirates and White Sox. However, they still have trips to Milwaukee and New York that will be tough.

It is going to be trial by fire for the new look Nats. Paul Toboni and Blake Butera are not getting an easy touch to start their first seasons in DC. Speaking of Butera, I am interested to see his managerial decisions in regular season games. It is tough to get a feel for what the manager is thinking in Spring Training, so I want to see how he uses his bullpen and sets his lineups.

Seeing three juggernauts to start the season is scary, but it is also an opportunity. It will be a good test to see where the Nats are this season. Will they be a true basement dweller or will they be more scrappy than expected? We will find out before too long.