Category: Sports News

It’s been a while since we’ve done a 26-man roster projection here at Brew Crew Ball, and in the wake of the moves of the past couple of weeks, it’s again time to take a look at the landscape.

When you start crunching the numbers, there isn’t a whole lot of mystery here, beyond who ends up with the final opening day spots on the pitching staff and maybe one or two small questions on the position player side. Let’s get to it.

Position Players

Catcher (2): William Contreras, Reese McGuire

Yes, McGuire is in camp on a minor league deal. But the only other catcher on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster is Jeferson Quero. There are a couple of spring training scenarios for Quero, and I don’t believe either of them results in him making the opening day roster: first, if Quero’s arm looks healthy and he plays well, I would expect the Brewers to send him to the minors in order to delay his service clock. Second, if he doesn’t look ready, then he’s obviously not the choice to make the team out of spring training.

McGuire isn’t fancy, but he’s a proven backup catcher at the major league level. I expect that the minor league nature of his deal came with a strong suggestion that he’d have a very good chance of making the major league roster out of spring training; if they were able to get McGuire to agree to it, it’s a smart move on the Brewers’ part, as not needing to add McGuire to the 40-man right away gives them a little extra roster flexibility throughout spring training to see how things shake out (though it should be acknowledged that, as it stands, the Brewers are using only 38 of their 40-man roster spots).

Regardless, my guess is that the only way that Quero is the opening day backup catcher is if McGuire gets hurt.

Infield (6): Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, Joey Ortiz, Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio

Outfield (4): Sal Frelick, Jackson Chourio, Blake Perkins, Garrett Mitchell

Designated Hitter (1): Christian Yelich

I’m listing Yelich as the DH and not as an outfielder because I just don’t believe the Brewers are going to play him in the outfield more than, maybe, a handful of times. They seemed to prefer Bauers in the outfield over Yelich toward the end of last season, which tells you what you need to know. Factor in that the primary concern with Yelich going forward is going to be his ability to healthily swing a baseball bat, and I expect we’ll barely see him in the field this year, if at all.

The others feel quite predictable. Is there a chance that Brandon Lockridge or Akil Baddoo sneaks in ahead of Garrett Mitchell? I’m not going to rule it out, but I think Mitchell gets one more shot. If everyone is healthy, I’d predict this is who the Brewers go with. (Note that Baddoo’s contract is for $1.25 million if he’s in the majors and $845,000 if he’s in the minors, so this is not a situation where he’ll opt out if he doesn’t make the major league team out of spring training.)

One last position player note: I don’t expect Jett Williams to make the Brewers out of spring training, but if he looks like he’s ready to play, I think he’d be the first guy up with a significant injury to essentially anybody anywhere on the field other than catcher (with service time considerations).

Pitchers

Starters (5): Brandon Woodruff, Jacob Misiorowski, Quinn Priester, Chad Patrick, Robert Gasser

Relievers (8): Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, Jared Koenig, Aaron Ashby, Ángel Zerpa, Grant Anderson, DL Hall, Craig Yoho

A bit more intrigue here. First things first: there are two notable absentees who I believe will have big roles on the 2026 Brewers: Brandon Sproat and Logan Henderson. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if either breaks camp with the team, but a few thoughts: I referenced service time in regards to Quero earlier, and I think the same applies to Sproat. He needs to stay in the minors for something like 6-8 weeks to ensure that the Brewers get an extra year of service, and I think they’re going to do that if they can find an excuse.

For Henderson, it’s a simple numbers game. There are a couple of different versions of this starting group. We could see Patrick move back into the relief role that he thrived in last postseason, or we could see Henderson snag one of those last two rotation spots. I sort of think Gasser gets a chance if only because he’s left-handed; the only other potential left-handed starters are all guys I expect will pitch in relief, and that’s Ashby, Hall, and Zerpa. Personally, I don’t think the Brewers need to use a lefty in the rotation, especially with how many options there are in the bullpen, but I think Gasser sort of has an “I got here first” advantage over Henderson (who probably has better stuff) and, I’m not sure, my gut just tells me that this is how they go.

I did mention that the ‘pen is heavy on lefties (the three mentioned above plus Koenig), which is why I opted for Craig Yoho in the last spot rather than someone like Rob Zastryzny (who, I will say over and over again, has done nothing but get outs for the Brewers in his limited time with the club). Yoho certainly hasn’t earned Pat Murphy’s trust yet, but he’s 26 now, and it’s getting to be make-or-break time with him. I’m banking on a strong spring that earns him a spot.

If there’s one thing that we know about the Brewers, it’s that they’ll be constantly shifting pitchers between the injured list, Triple-A Nashville, and the major leagues. In addition to Sproat and Henderson, I expect we’ll see Coleman Crow at some point, and maybe Carlos Rodriguez. Zastryzny will surely get a shot, and we’ll probably see some of Easton McGee and Sammy Peralta, too. That’s all the pitchers currently on the Brewers’ 40-man roster, but don’t be surprised if some others make appearances, too.

Recap

Position players: Contreras, McGuire, Vaughn, Bauers, Turang, Ortiz, Durbin, Monasterio, Frelick, Chourio, Perkins, Yelich, Mitchell

Position players to keep an eye on: Williams, Quero

Pitchers: Woodruff, Priester, Misiorowski, Patrick, Gasser, Megill, Uribe, Koenig, Ashby, Zerpa, Hall, Anderson, Yoho

Pitchers to keep an eye on: Henderson, Sproat, Crow

The spots I feel least confident about: Yoho, Hall, Mitchell

Jaylon Thompson gets the word from Vinnie Pasquantino about his new deal at Royals Rally.

“Happy to be here, and I’m glad we got that done,” Pasquantino said. “They didn’t have to do that, and I think the negotiations went pretty well. I’m glad that it’s over. This would’ve been an interesting two-week span here — I think just because of the lack of contact — which is weird for me to not be talking to people. I think it’s good for both sides and I think both sides are taking on some risk. I think both sides understand the value there, and I’m happy we got it done.”

J.J. Picollo is also glad a deal got done.

“Vinnie is a premier run producer, a huge part of our team and someone our fans have really connected with,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said in a news release. “We’re proud of the player he’s become, and that he’s earned this contract. We are happy as an organization and for Vinnie personally to have stability moving forward.”

Anne Rogers writes that the team could still make some moves.

“I know J.J. [has] a couple of objectives,” CEO/chairman John Sherman said Saturday. “I can’t tell you, depending upon the day, whether those opportunities are narrower or wider. If he could add another bat, I think he’d do it. We have a surplus of pitching talent, particularly starting pitching talent, that’s valuable. … I think we have some opportunities.

“By the same token, if this is where we are, the good news is that the pitching talent will be deeper. And I think we feel like we’re going to compete for the division. That we’ll be right in this thing. We had some regression last year, but we also think there are some areas that we’re going to fix. I can’t predict whether he’s done or not. But if the opportunity was there, I think we would still add to our team.”

John Sherman didn’t totally close the door on staying at the K.

Even remaining at Kauffman Stadium beyond the current lease that expires after the 2030 season, undesirable as it might be, remains a possibility.

“That’s always a fallback position, we have that option,” Sherman said. “But that’s not something we intend to happen. That would be, from my perspective, kicking the can down the road relative to making sure we settle the Royals into their next generation.”

But the preference is downtown.

“Just like in any business, you have to be willing to adapt and be flexible to achieve that ultimate goal that we talked about,” Sherman said. “But I think if you have your druthers, I would love to see us in the heart of the city and cultural part of the city, where we can enhance some other things already going on and make it better. That’s probably a soft spot, but I also have to be open to other ideas to make sure we accomplish that goal.”

Salt Lake City leaders say they cannot comment on the Royals.

Royals executive Cullen Maxey says the team would prefer to stay with FanDuel Sports Network if they can.

“Our plan with them is to stick with our partners, as long as they can convince us that there will not be a risk of an interruption during our season on bringing our games to our fans. That’s the most important thing,” Maxey said. “They have actually done a great job, and I think it’s documented, of expanding our reach and throughout our television territory.

“They’ve also had a successful launch of our direct-to-consumer product, and that has been very well received as things continue to go in that direction and in the way people consume our games. So we would like to stick with them, but we do need to feel very stable that there will be no interruptions during the season, and that decision will come soon. If we do pivot from FanDuel Sports Network, we’ll be going to Major League Baseball.”

The Clay County presiding commissioner says “the process continues” despite the Royals not meeting a deadline to get a measure on the ballot there.

Local businesses seem supportive of the possibility of the Royals putting a ballpark at Washington Square Park.

Dan Szymborski at Fangraphs projects the Royals and Tigers atop the division with 83 wins apiece.

The Reds sign third baseman Eugenio Suárez to a one-year, $15 million deal.

The Giants sign Luis Arraez to a one-year, $12 million contract to play second base.

The Angels sign outfielder Jose Siri to a minor league deal.

The White Sox acquire pitcher Jordan Hicks and former Royals prospect David Sandlin from the Red Sox.

Padres GM AJ Preller says the team’s impending sale isn’t impeding his offseason.

Longtime reliever David Robertson announces his retirement.

Puerto Rico is considering withdrawing from the World Baseball Classic because they can’t get their players insured.

Shohei Ohtani will hit, but he won’t pitch in the World Baseball Classic.

What are the oldest ballparks in the minor leagues?

The Mariners will wear Seattle Steeleheads uniforms from the West Coast Negro Baseball League every Sunday.

Formerly suspended Braves GM John Coppolella is writing for Baseball America now.

The Raiders will hire Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their next head coach.

The Kansas City Kangaroos will hire Mark Turgeon as their next men’s basketball coach.

Southwest Airlines has its last flight with open seating.

A look back at all the penises shown on HBO.

Steven Spielberg wins a Grammy, earning “EGOT” status.

Your song of the day is Jeff Rosenstock with 9/10.

Happy Monday, everyone! We’ve got some fun little news tidbits to start your week with, all while we count down the days (less than two weeks!) before pitchers and catchers report. Yes, friends, we’re currently in the same month that Spring Training will begin, meaning the offseason is winding down. The hot stove is cooling, and we’re starting to see the version of teams that will likely take the field when the new season begins.

One of the bigger stories for those watching the NL Central specifically is the return of Eugenio Suarez to the NL Central, specifically to the Reds. He’s only on a one-year deal, though, so small comfort for those who don’t want to see him in so many games again.

We’ve got that and more in the links today, so let’s get right into it.

• Mike Bates, who was a three-time first-round draft pick and never played a game of professional baseball in his life, has passed away. Story by Jon Paul Hoornstra.
• Davy Andrews rounds up the best wall smushes of 2025.
• Sonja Chen reports that Shohei Ohtani won’t be pitching in the World Baseball Classic but he anticipates being ready for the regular season.
• Luis Arraez agreed to sign with the Giants after they promised he would be able to play second base. Story by Michael McDaniel.
• Jeff Passan reports that the A’s and All-Star Jacob Wilson agreed on a 7-year contract worth $70M.
• Eugenio Suarez is back in Cincinnati.

• Michael Baumann tries to determine if there is any value left for platoon players.
• A Sox-to-Sox trade as the White Sox trade for Jordan Hicks. Story by Scott Merkin.
• Nick Selbe looks at five bounce-back candidates for the 2026 season.
• Despite the potential sale of the Padres, they aren’t slowing down on making offseason moves. (AP)
• While it’s unlikely any team would take this risk on, it’s still interesting to know there’s a workaround. (Here’s a direct link to the Bluesky post for those on Apple News.)

• Ryan Phillips takes a deep dive into all the issues we’ve been seeing with players getting insured.
• Ben Clemens does some fun WAR math.
• Thomas Harrigan looks at several players who need to step up to fill the shoes of players who have departed their teams.
• Frank Thomas didn’t mince words when he shared his feelings about being left out of the White Sox graphic that celebrated Black History Month. Story by Ryan Phillips.
• The countdown is on! (Here’s a direct link to the Bluesky post for those on Apple News)

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

I saw a little bit of surprise that Leonardo Bernal, voted as the sixth best prospect in the system, wasn’t voted in the top 5. I am not surprised. Doing this for three years, catchers usually end up lower than I expect, not higher. Bernal was ranked 8th last season and that definitely surprised me (I had him 5th). I can’t think of an instance where a catcher outkicked their coverage in the way that, say, Victor Scott did when he was voted 2nd. It just doesn’t happen. Catchers are not trusted by this voting bloc. And yes, I know Rainiel Rodriguez was voted 3rd, however I’m talking relative to expectations and 3rd in the system is pretty much in line with what national publications think. And I think a good many of us don’t think he will actually be a catcher. That leaves the current list at:

1. JJ Wetherholt
2. Liam Doyle
3. Rainiel Rodriguez
4. Quinn Mathews
5. Joshua Baez
6. Leonardo Bernal

Comparable Player Corner

Once again, here is a very immediately relevant comparable player poll. I won’t say that the winner will be on the next vote, but that whomever wins will determine who gets added next. That’s because one of these players has already been in this feature a couple times. Once the voting has established what you, the readers, think of a player, I can learn more information about the complete unknown player I am comparing him to.

Yhoiker Fajardo is the complete unknown. I didn’t really know when to add him and I’d like a little more information first. Acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the package for Willson Contreras, Fajardo will be 19 heading into the 2026 season. He pitched part of the season in the complex league and part of the season in Low A and he did well at both, striking out over 27% of hitters, walking 9% and getting groundballs over 50% of the time at both levels. Presumably he will be in High A.

Tanner Franklin was last year’s 72nd overall pick out of Tennessee. On a stacked Tennessee team, he was relegated to the bullpen, striking out 32% of hitters and walking just 5.5%. With an MLB ready fastball, the Cardinals will attempt to transition him to starting. He pitched at both Low A and High A last season, although only 6 innings in 3 appearances. He will be 22 next season and I’m guessing also at High A.

This will be the last time Franklin is in this section. I just really liked this comparison. Both should be at the same level and probably for just about the entire season, due to Fajardo’s age and Franklin needing to establish a starter’s workload. Franklin has better stuff and a better floor, but threw 30 less innings than Fajardo and is three years older. They are similar in terms of future value, but represent different types of prospects philosophically.

VOTE HERE

New Add

I thought it was about time to add Yairo Padilla, the teenage prospect who got very overshadowed by Rainiel Rodriguez. Who could have known Rodriguez would explode in his stateside debut? Anyway, last year Yairo Padilla finished 15th, which is both why I’m adding him now and also why he’s being added this late.

This might be a good time to ask about a few players I have no intention of ever adding to the vote who did make last year’s top 20 since Padilla is one of the last players. Last year’s #13 player, Sem Robberse, got DFA’d and is going to miss most of the 2026 season. Last year’s #14 player, Matt Koperniak, is now 28, got DFA’d and is coming off a poor season. #17 prospect Zack Showalter did not build off his 2024, suffered a few more injury problems, and could not throw strikes when he did pitch. #20 (or #21, the voting results have been lost) prospect Max Rajcic was bad in AAA and barely made the list.

Those seem straightforward. I also kind of think #16 prospect Darlin Saladin doesn’t need to go in the voting either. He’s more borderline than the above, but I feel like he was only on the top 20 because his stats made it impossible to not include him, and then he pitched worse at a level it seemed like he already conquered. The scouting on his pitches was never that great, so I’m not sure what the hook would be to get him on a top 20 now. Let me know if I’m right about these players. I’m asking so that I don’t have to include them on this section either for the record.

Jesus Baez, IF – 21

Stats (High A): 416 PAs, .244/.327/.397, 10.3 BB%, 18.5 K%, .153 ISO, .270 BABIP, 116 wRC+, 121 DRC+

Scouting (FG): 30/45 Hit, 35/50 Game Power, 50/55 Raw Power, 40/40 Speed, 40/45 Fielding

I think Baez is bound to get overlooked in this ranking, because it does not seem like recent trade acquisitions do not do particularly well in the voting – fans haven’t had a chance to attach themselves to them yet. On top of that, Baez did not play particularly well as a Cardinal, although he did finish strong. But Baez can’t legally drink for a few more weeks, had a fairly successful season at High A and if he doesn’t start the year in AA, he’ll be there soon. The scouting doesn’t love his approach, although it’s not really seen in his stats yet, but the Cardinals’ success with Alec Burleson does give me some hope with Baez.

Brandon Clarke, 23 – LHP

Stats (Low A): 3 GS, 9.2 IP, 47.2 K%, 5.6 BB%, 68.8 GB%, .125 BABIP, 0.93 ERA/0.98 FIP/1.32 xFIP/3.66 DRA

High A: 11 GS, 28.1 IP, 31.2 K%, 18.1 BB%, 62.5 GB%, .254 BABIP, 5.08 ERA/4.17 FIP/4.74 xFIP/4.75 DRA

Scouting: 60/60 Fastball, 70/80 Slider, 40/50 Change, 30/40 Command

I could say the same thing for Clarke. The Cardinals just got Clarke, so fans do not yet have an attachment to him. One could argue that leads to a more objective view of a player, but one could also argue their attachment to other prospects causes them to overrate them and thus put them above the “objective” prospect. In either case, Clarke had sort of a Tink Hence season, where he didn’t remotely convince you he’s more likely to avoid his downside, but he still pitched good enough to believe in the possibility of his upside. That’s a hard player to rank honestly.

Jimmy Crooks, C – 24

Stats (AAA): 98 G, 430 PAs, .274/.337/.441, 8.4 BB%, 26.5 K%, .167 ISO, .352 BABIP, 105 wRC+, 106 DRC+

MLB: 15 G, 46 PAs, .133/.152/.244, 0 BB%, 37 K%, .111 ISO, .185 BABIP, 5 wRC+, 67 DRC+

Scouting: 35/40 Hit, 40/45 Game Power, 50/50 Raw Power, 20/20 Speed, 60/70 Fielding

I don’t know where I stand on Crooks. I reflexively defend players who seem to drop when I’m not really sure why. Or I don’t like the reasons. Interestingly, I think I disagree with the scouting on Crooks by Fangraphs, although it might lead to the same place. I am a little skeptical of their defensive scouting, but at the same time, they might be lower on his offense than I’d predict too. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could manage a 90 wRC+ or so, and I think a 40 hit tool with below average power describes a worse hitter than that.

Tink Hence, 23 – RHP

Stats (Three levels): 8 G, 21.1 IP, 27.9 K%, 15.1 BB%, 45.8 GB%, .255 BABIP, 2.95 ERA/3.80 FIP/4.18 xFIP, 4.56 DRA

Scouting: 45/45 Fast, 50/55 Slider, 60/70 Change, 45/55 Command

One thing about Hence that might not quite come across if you just look at last season is that I think he’s absolutely ready for AAA. If you look at his 2024 season, I don’t see how you wouldn’t come to that conclusion. He didn’t pitch in AAA last year for health reasons and that’s it. He never quite got past the rehab status. He spent most of his season working his way up to AA, struck out 8 to 1 BB in 4.1 IP where he didn’t allow a hit. He then got rocked in his next start and made just one more start after that where he was removed after just 11 batters. I imagine they wanted him to throw 5 innings before they promoted him and it never happened. Of course, Hence isn’t on the list yet because of health, so that isn’t exactly comforting.

Ixan Henderson, 24 – LHP

Stats (AA): 25 GS, 132 IP, 25.2 K%, 9.6 BB%, 37.1 GB%, .278 BABIP, 2.59 ERA/3.16 FIP/4.00 xFIP/4.51 DRA

Scouting: 50/60 Fastball, 45/50 Slider, 30/40 Change, 40/45 Cutter, 40/50 Command

As more of a stat follower than someone who scouts players or even looks at scouting reports of players, I am rather surprised how Fangraphs rates his pitches. If forced to guess, I would have predicted his secondaries were good, but his fastball was below average. It’s almost the opposite. I don’t know if this is accurate of course. But he’s a fastball/slider pitcher who needs a third pitch – according to this person’s opinion of course. Certainly, these scouting numbers for his pitches suggest an easy transition to the bullpen at the least.

Cooper Hjerpe, 25 – LHP

Didn’t pitch

Scouting: 55/55 Fastball, 55/60 Slider, 50/50 Change, 45/50 Cutter, 45/50 Command

It is easy enough to see why Hjerpe is still making top 20 lists despite having the durability of Mark Prior. And this is only kind of a joke – the mechanics of a Carter Capps. He has the stuff to start. Look at that scouting. Two above average pitches, including a strong putaway pitch, and two other average pitches (or we hope in the case of the cutter). That’ll play. We just need Cooper Hjerpe to actually play.

Brycen Mautz, 24 – LHP

Stats (AA): 25 GS, 114.2 IP, 28.6 K%, 7.1 BB%. 41.2 GB%, .286 BABIP, 2.98 ERA/3.58 FIP/3.20 xFIP/4.54 DRA

Scouting: 45/45 Fastball, 55/55 Slider, 40/45 Curve, 35/40 Change, 45/55 Command

2026 will prove to be an important year for Mautz. I feel like we’ve seen a few of the underwhelming scouting starters who nonetheless manage to pitch well reach AAA and just hit a roadblock. I will say that usually that type of pitcher doesn’t strike out 28.6% of batters in AA however. That gives me more hope that he either has better stuff than what the scouting says or that he’s better at utilizing and knowing his stuff than pitchers in the past. Either way, it’s hard to argue with his results.

Deniel Ortiz, 21 – 1B/3B

Stats (Low A): 320 PAs, .285/.406/.446, 15.3 BB%, 27.5 K%, .162 ISO, .386 BABIP, 145 wRC+, 119 DRC+

High A: 130 PAs, .336/.438/.500, 13.8 BB%, 22.3 K%, .164 ISO, .436 BABIP, 168 wRC+, 97 DRC+

Speaking of players with underwhelming scouting whose stats force you to pay attention to them, welcome to the poster child. I don’t actually have scouting on Ortiz, that’s how under the radar he was last year. He was a 16th round pick back in 2024, so it’s hard to blame the scouts. The Cardinals would have drafted him higher if they knew this 2025 was in him. They probably saw something in him that other teams didn’t certainly, but it’d be wild to wait 16 rounds – which is well past the point where you expect anything from your draft picks – and you just gambled correctly that nobody would pick him.

Yairo Padilla, 19 – SS

Stats (CPX): 38 G, 148 PAs, .283/.396/.367, 12.2 BB%, 14.2 K%, .083 ISO, .340 BABIP, 119 wRC+

I honestly did not know how long I could or should wait to put Padilla into the voting. The main reason was that I didn’t know how much success at a rookie league improved a player’s stock in these type of rankings. And that goes for me and where I’ll rank him personally. Padilla was not in my top 20 because I don’t trust the DSL. He will be in my top 20 this year. Where, I have no idea at the moment. Because he certainly took a big step in showing he could succeed in the states – Jonathan Mejia very much failed this test for example. I will be curious if the Cardinals put him in Low A to begin the 2026 season. It will tell us a lot.

Tekoah Roby, 24 – RHP

Stats (AA): 10 GS, 47 IP, 31.1 K%, 6 BB%, 42.9 GB%, .273 BABIP, 2.49 ERA/2.90 FIP/2.73 xFIP/4.56 DRA

AAA: 6 GS, 31.1 IP, 22.6 K%, 6 BB%, 44.7 GB%, .319 BABIP, 4.02 ERA/4.01 FIP/4.04 xFIP/4.50 DRA

Roby had Tommy John surgery in July of 2025, so his ability to pitch next year is a little more in question than Hjerpe. But he pitched well last year, re-establishing himself as a prospect. Without the injury, I wonder how high he would be selected. I also feel that Roby was an example of a prospect that didn’t get as much love because he was a deadline acquisition so there was less attachment. However, fans have gotten familiar with him for now two and half seasons, so he’s probably not harmed by this effect anymore.

VOTE HERE

Picking the best starter on the Detroit Tigers roster is easy. There’s a cliff looming beyond the 2026 season when Tarik Skubal will presumably be gone to greener pastures, but for one more season the Tigers have their ace leading the way. Beyond him the question is a lot tougher.

Reese Olson continues to post the best performance by most statistical measures, but he’s also dealt with significant shoulder injuries both of the past two seasons. That makes it hard to depend on him to give the Tigers a strong 140-150 innings this year. He controls contact well and racks up a solid share of strikeouts, but he can be a little too walk prone as well. But you’re not providing value on the injured list so it’s a bit of a roll of the dice guessing how much he’ll give the Tigers in 2026.

Jack Flaherty is still punching out the most hitters, but his walk rates are a bit high and he sometimes has trouble with home runs. There are stretches where he looks great and stretches where he’s getting knocked out early, but it added up to above average performance but certainly a real drop off from his 2024 resurgent campaign.

Casey Mize controls contact and doesn’t issue many walks, but the upgraded fastball since Tommy John surgery and various attempts to dial in his splitter haven’t led him to the promised land of higher strikeout rates. Mize did strike out 22.2 percent of hitters faced in 2025, which is his first time over 20 percent for a season. However, he had his own trouble with home runs at points throughout the season.

Beyond them there’s a group with Troy Melton and Drew Anderson competing for the last rotation spot, and a host of guys from Keider Montero on down to provide depth along the way.

Maybe the Tigers still have another signing in them once Skubal’s arbitration case is resolved, but right now who is your pick for second most valuable starter on the roster in 2026?

This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.

Which Mets loss, trade, or season bothers you the most?

Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! We start another day without any news from the Orioles. After a flurry of activity in the early offseason, things have come to a halt. If you think the Orioles still need changes to be successful this season, it is frustrating for sure. But as each day passes, with or without a move from Orioles, we get one day closer to the 2026 baseball season.

The Orioles pitchers and catchers report on February 11th and the first full-squad workout is February 16th. The team’s first Grapefruit League game is on the 20th vs the Yankees. There will be a month of spring games, along with the World Baseball Classic from March 5-17. Then, finally, the Orioles will host Opening Day on Thursday, March 26th. Spring training games aren’t too exciting, but the WBC should be a good time.

But speaking of the WBC, news broke over the weekend that Puerto Rico may pull out of the game over insurance issues. A league-approved insurer would cover a player’s salary if he is hurt in the WBC, and the insurer is declining to insure at least eight players scheduled to play for Puerto Rico. That includes superstar Francisco Lindor, who has had multiple surgeries in the recent past.

It would be a real blow to the tournament if Team Puerto Rico has to pull out. They are one of the powerhouse teams in the tournament, and the first round of the tournament is being hosted in San Juan. Talk about awkward. I am actually traveling to Puerto Rico to attend two WBC games, but don’t have tickets to Puerto Rico’s games. They sold out too quickly.

In former Orioles news, there have been a pair of signings. Austin Hays signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Chicago White Sox. The contract comes with a mutual option for 2027. And the Dodgers agreed with a minor league deal with pitcher Cole Irvin. The deal includes an invitation to big league camp at spring training. Irvin spent 2025 in Korea with the Doosan Bears. He made 28 starts with a 4.48 ERA.

Links

Bunch of questions for the 2026 season – MASN Sports
Roch Kubatko’s post from yesterday morning raises many questions about the upcoming season. For his question about who will hit the most home runs, I am going to go out on a limb and say Pete Alonso.

Top candidates for Orioles’ utility role – Baltimore Baseball
While the rest of Birdland waits to see if the Orioles sign Framber Valdez, Rich Dubroff is ready to talk utility guys.

More Orioles played through injuries last year than we knew. How might things change in 2026? – The Baltimore Banner
In case you missed this over the weekend, Jon Meoli took a look at how this year could be different when it comes to injury.

Birthdays and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have six Orioles birthday buddies, including two Orioles Hall of Famers. Today is Don Buford’s 89th birthday, so happy birthday to him! Buford played for the Orioles from 1968-1972. For the first four of those years, Buford played All-Star caliber baseball, though he made the All-Star team just once. He excelled in the postseason as well, with an .851 OPS over 22 games. In 1970, when the Orioles won the World Series, Buford reached base 12 times in six games with two home runs.

The second Orioles Hall of Famer celebrating today is Melvin Mora (54). Mora was a late bloomer who didn’t make his major league debut until age 27. He came to the Orioles in 2000 as part of the Syd Thrift fire sale and spent a decade with the team. He was a bright spot on a bad baseball team, with single-season bWARs over 4 in each of 2002-2005. In 2003 and 2004, his OBP topped .400, which was unheard of on those mid-aughts teams.

The other former Orioles born on this day in history are Travis Snider (38), Scott Erickson (58), Pat Clements (64), and Paul Kilgus (64).

On this day in 2005, the Orioles trade for Sammy Sosa was made official. The Orioles sent Jerry Hairston, Jr. to the Cubs for Sosa. Sosa was awful for the Orioles in a painful season for the team.

In 2009, the Orioles sent cash to the Cubs for Rich Hill. Hill had a 7.80 ERA in 14 games that year at age 29, his only season in Baltimore. He went on to pitch for 16 more seasons. That’s right, he appeared in two games with the Royals last season at age 45. Hill announced just a couple weeks ago that he will not attempt to pitch in MLB in 2026.

In 2021, the Orioles traded Alex Cobb to the Angels for Jahmai Jones. Cobb had 2.5 disappointing seasons with the Orioles, but bounced back for a bit with the Angels and later the Giants.

There is no such thing as a bad one year contract. This is something that I have been told and come to believe. There are bad one year contracts insomuch as players turn into pumpkins during that one year, but there is nothing tethering them to the team long term. That’s what makes it a good contract.

Luis Arraez going to the Giants seems like a big waste of money.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• The bullpen has gotten something of a large makeover when compared to 2025 Opening Day. These three things could make it even better.
• Nine Phillies are going to various World Baseball Classic teams. That, plus some other notes, in this column.
• Another grouping of prospects, this time from the guys at Just Baseball.

MLB news:

• Shohei Ohtani is going to play for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, he’s just not going to be pitching for them at all.
• There are still some free agents left on the table for teams to bid on. Who are they and who might be interested in them?
• Eugenio Suarez is headed to Cincinnati on a one year deal as the Reds try to fill the hole left by Kyle Schwarber spurning them.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.

“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.

Happy birthdayRonny Cedeno*,the Cubs go back to flannel,and other stories.

Today in baseball history:

• 1876 – The National League is formed in New York City at the instigation of William Hulbert, owner of the Chicago White Stockings, in reaction to the lack of central direction in the fledgling National Association. The new circuit will field eight teams in its inaugural season and will become the blueprint for professional team sports in North America. (2)
• 1925 – The N.L. inaugurates its Golden Jubilee Year by holding its spring meeting in the same room of New York’s Broadway Central Hotel where the league was founded on February 2, 1876. (1)
• 1930 – The New York Yankees waive shortstop Leo Durocher, who batted only .246 in 1929. The future Hall of Fame manager will eventually sign with the Cincinnati Reds. (2)
• 1936 – The Baseball Writers Association of America announces the results of the first Hall of Fame vote. Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson and Honus Wagner comprise the inaugural class of Hall of Fame members. Several other stars like Cy Young fail to make the grade, but will enter the Hall in later elections. (2)
• 1943 – After experimenting with a vest worn over knit jerseys, the Cubs return to conventional baggy flannels for 1943. The outfitting change saves the organization $2,000 on the cost of uniforms. (1)
• 1989 – Former All-Star first baseman Bill White is elected president of the National League. White succeeds Chub Feeney, becoming the first African-American to be named president of either league and the highest-ranking black executive in the four major sports. (1,2)
• 2005 – The trade that sent Sammy Sosa to the Baltimore Orioles from the Chicago Cubs is finalized after Commissioner Bud Selig approves the deal and the slugger passes his physical. Chicago receives second baseman Jerry Hairston, Jr. and two minor leaguers, then signs Jeromy Burnitz as a free agent to replace Sosa in right field. (2)
• 2018 – Frustration over the slow pace of free agent signings continues, which some observers think is a sign of a return of collusion. The latest salvo in the ongoing war of words comes from agent Brodie Van Wagenen, who claims that players may decide to boycott the start of spring training if things do not improve quickly. (2)

Cubs Birthdays:Pat Tabler, Warren Brusstar, Paul Kilgus, Ronny Cedeno*, Scott Maine, Dan Winkler. Also notable: Red Schoendienst HoF

Today in History:

• 1536 – Pedro de Mendoza founds Argentine city of Buenos Aires.
• 1653 – New Amsterdam becomes a city (later renamed New York)
• 1709 – British sailor Alexander Selkirk is rescued by William Dampier after being marooned on a desert island for five years, his story inspires “Robinson Crusoe.”
• 1848 – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican–American War: US acquires Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona for $15 million
• 1901 – Queen Victoria’s funeral takes place in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, England
• 1922 – James Joyce’s “Ulysses” published in Paris (1,000 copies)
• 1971 – Idi Amin ousts Milton Obote and appoints himself President (dictator) of Uganda

Common sources:

• (1) — Today in Baseball History.
• (2) — Baseball Reference.
• (3) — Society for American Baseball Research.
• (4) — Baseball Hall of Fame.
• (5) — This Day in Chicago Cubs history.
• (6) — Wikipedia.
• (7) — The British Museum
• (8) — For world history.

*pictured.

Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.