SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 04: Pitcher Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers looks on from the dugout during the World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Brazil at Surprise Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today the Texas Rangers have welcomed the Chicago Cubs to Surprise, AZ for the latest spring training game. Of note, after debuting yesterday at DH, today veteran Andrew McCutchen is playing left field for the Rangers as he continues to audition for a spot on the club.
RHP Jacob deGrom will get his first look at a big league squad this spring for Texas opposite RHP Cade Horton for Chicago.
Today’s Lineups
CUBS
RANGERS
Michael Busch – 1B
Brandon Nimmo – RF
Matt Shaw – CF
Wyatt Langford – CF
Kevin Alcantara – DH
Corey Seager – SS
Michael Conforto – LF
Jake Burger – 1B
Chas McCormick – RF
Joc Pederson – DH
Moises Ballesteros – C
Andrew McCutchen – LF
James Triantos – 2B
Danny Jansen – C
Jefferson Rojas – SS
Josh Smith – 2B
Scott Kingery – 3B
Ezequiel Duran – 3B
Cade Horton – RHP
Jacob deGrom – RHP
There’s no broadcast for this one as far as I’m aware but you can follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is scheduled for 3:05 pm CT.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: General view of a Dodgers logo during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Over to the West side go the D-backs, hoping for better than the last time they faced the reigning NL West champions. That was on February 25 at Salt River Fields, where Arizona lost 10-7, despite handily out-hitting Los Angeles by a 13-7 margin. Nine walks, and three errors leading to five unearned runs, were the difference in that contest, so definitely room for improvement on the pitching front. Despite yesterday’s strong performance on the mound, the Diamondbacks still rank 22nd for team ERA this spring, at 5.80. And it’s worst still if you look at just the first six innings, when it’s usually MLB pitchers vs. MLB hitters: there, they are at 6.26.
After Brandon Pfaadt, we might see RHP Joe Ross, LHP Brandyn Garcia, RHP Kade Strowd, RHP Isaiah Campbell, RHP Jonathan Loáisiga and RHP Bryce Jarvis. Pfaadt had a good first outing in the Cactus League, going 2.1 scoreless innings on just one hit. I imagine he’ll look to go three frames today, though if he gets a four-pitch first inning like he did last time, he might go deeper. Of the relief arms, Garcia is the one I’ll be keeping an eye on. He’s and Philip Abner are the only left-handed relief options left. Both have pitched well this spring, but Garcia’s K:BB of 7:1 across 4.2 innings gives him the edge over Abner (6:3 over 5 IP).
No broadcast today, but I should be better able to follow on Gameday today. Being at work has its advantages!
Mar 10, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman (55) celebrates after scoring during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Braves 0 Blue Jays 7
Nice to see the Jays score some. Early in spring we didn’t seem to be able to score.
Dylan Cease was really good. 3 innings, 2 hits, and 3 strikeouts. Reached 97.5 mph on the fastball.
Other pitchers:
Tommy Nance: 1 inning, 1 hit.
Jeff Hoffman: 1 inning, 2 strikeouts.
Tyler Rogers: 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 hit batter.
Louis Varland: 1 clean inning.
Brendon Little: 1 inning, 2 hits, 1 strikeout.
Connor Beabold: 1 inning, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts.
Offense, Starters:
Georger Springer: 0 for 3. .250.
Jesus Sanchez: 0 for 3. .215.
Tyler Heineman: 0 for 2, walk. .231. He also took a pitch off the mask and was down for a bit.
Addison Barger: 0 for 1, 2 walk, k. .261.
Daulton Varsho: 1 for 3, double. .400.
Davis Schneider: 1 for 2, RBI, walk, k. .095.
Nathan Lukes: 1 for 1, 2 RBI, walk. .250.
Josh Kasevich: 0 for 2. .348.
Riley Tirotta: 1 for 3, home run, 2 k. .174.
Others:
Eloy Jimenez: 0 for 1, walk. .310.
Rafael Lantigua: 1 for 2, k. . 524.
Brandon Valenzuela: 1 for 1, home run, 3 RBI. .375.
Charles McAdoo: 0 for 1. .261.
Jonatan Clase: 0 for 1. .278.
Carlos Mendoza: 1 for 1. .467.
Yohendrick Pinango: 0 for 1, k. .095.
Arjun Nimmala: 0 for 1. .235.
Sean Keys: 1 walk.
The Jays are 7-8 on the spring now.
Tomorrow the Jays visit the Yankees and it is a, 6:30 Eastern starting time. Eric Lauer gets the start.
Mar 10, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Spring training is all about watching talent you can dream on—even with the fever-pitched debates around the futures of Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones in Yankee circles, it’s always a treat when either of them connect. Today, both of them homered early in the Yankees’ 4-2 Grapefruit League victory over the Phillies in Clearwater. J.C. Escarra and Max Schuemann collected RBIs in a go-ahead fifth inning rally, and the Bombers saw good performances on the mound from Luis Gil and Paul Blackburn.
The Martian struck first, and he didn’t just homer—he went yard from the right side of the plate against lefty Tanner Banks. Any sign Domínguez can give the Yankees that he won’t be a total liability against left-handed pitching is welcome. Now, Banks’ offering was a very hittable 91-mph fastball with two strikes, but a homer is a homer and it’s not as though mistake offerings vanish during the regular season.
Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan pitched the second inning for the Phillies, but he too fell victim to a powerful Baby Bomber. Spencer Jones waited back on a 2-0 slider and sent it hurtling to the fans sitting on the berm in left center field. The 415-foot opposite field blast was just the latest display from Jones, who now has four home runs this spring—and they’ve all gone more than 400 feet.
Jones was officially optioned to Triple-A yesterday due to the Yankees’ crowded outfield depth chart, but darn if he won’t continue to put on a show while he can this spring.
The Phillies responded against Gil in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Bryan De Le Cruz, then J.T. Realmuto tied the score in the third on his first spring homer. Still, it was good to see Gil attacking the strike zone. He responded to the run in the second by getting ahead of René Pinto 0-2 and inducing an inning-ending double play. Then after the homer in the third he racked up back-to-back strikeouts of Alec Bohm and Adolis García to retire the side. Gil picked up one last out in the fourth before departing with 62 pitches thrown.
Tim Hill completed the fourth inning without incident, then Brent Headrick took the ball for the fifth. The lefty got the first two outs before running into trouble, with a pair of singles giving Garcia an opportunity to give Philadelphia their first lead. With two strikes, García hammered a ball on a line up the middle, but second baseman Max Schuemann was played perfectly to snag it and preserve the 2-2 tie.
The top of the Yankee lineup got to work the following half-inning against former Yankee Lou Trivino. Ben Rice worked a leadoff walk, reached second on a wild pitch, then took third on an opposite-field single by Domínguez. Jasson stole second with one out, taking away the double play chance, and a sharp grounder to second by J.C. Escarra scored Rice to give the Bombers the lead back. Schuemann followed with a double in the right-center gap to plate Domínguez and make it 4-2. That was Schuemann’s first RBI of the spring, but he’s now hitting .400 in camp—continuing his push to make the roster as infield depth.
Paul Blackburn took over for Headrick and wound up finishing out the remainder of the game on the mound with minimal drama. Over four scoreless innings, he collected a quartet of K’s, pitching around a pair of baserunners in the ninth. The Phillies worked a bevy of long at-bats in the ninth and brought the tying run to bat while down to their final out, but Blackburn never lost command. He now has a 1.46 ERA in the spring; his track record as a starting pitcher could make him a useful swingman for the Yankees as they wait for Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón’s returns.
Another Wednesday evening game at Steinbrenner Field awaits tomorrow, and Cam Schlittler will make the start in the full pinstripes against the Toronto Blue Jays. Lefty Eric Lauer will be his opponent. YES Network will have the broadcast, with first pitch expected at 6:35pm ET. And if you just can’t wait until tomorrow for more Yankees action, Aaron Judge and company will be back in action for Team USA tonight in the World Baseball Classic as they try to sweep their pool against Italy at 9pm ET on FS1.
Feb 26, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Dodgers’ lineup on Tuesday has their most players likely ticketed for the opening day roster than at any other point this spring.
A major career milestone awaits Calgary Flames forward Ryan Strome on Tuesday night as he prepares to skate in the 900th game of his NHL career when the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The veteran forward is no stranger to the building. Strome spent four seasons with the Rangers from 2018 to 2022 and also played earlier in his career across town with the New York Islanders, giving him nearly a decade of experience playing in New York.
Originally selected fifth overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Islanders, Strome has built a long and steady career that has included stops with the Islanders, Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and now the Flames.
Reaching the 900-game mark is something the veteran forward doesn’t take lightly.
“Been lucky to do this for a long time and feel very privileged,” Strome told the FlamesTV media on Tuesday. “Every hundred games seems to have its new challenges and I think it’s a great time to reflect for a quick second and just see where you’re at and look forward to the next hundred.”
"Been lucky to do this for a long time."
Ryan Strome speaks on getting to play in his 900th career game tonight in New York. pic.twitter.com/xMajr68wgT
Playing the milestone game in New York makes the moment even more meaningful given his history in the city.
“Anytime you get to come to New York, it’s a special place, playing for the Islanders and the Rangers I spent almost 10 years here so… anytime you get (to play) a former team it brings that extra joy and excitement and you bring that little extra passion to the game.”
Strome’s start in Calgary has been a strong one. Since joining the Flames, the forward has recorded three points — including a goal and two assists — in his first two games with the club. He made an immediate impact in his debut against the Carolina Hurricanes, finding the back of the net and finishing with a two-point performance.
The opportunity in Calgary also provides Strome with a larger role than he held earlier this season in Anaheim. With the Flames navigating a transition and focusing on a younger roster, the experienced forward has quickly stepped into a leadership role while logging increased minutes.
Now, with game No. 900 on the horizon, Strome will mark the milestone in a city where much of his career unfolded — and against a team that played a major part in his NHL journey.
A major career milestone awaits Calgary Flames forward Ryan Strome on Tuesday night as he prepares to skate in the 900th game of his NHL career when the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The veteran forward is no stranger to the building. Strome spent four seasons with the Rangers from 2018 to 2022 and also played earlier in his career across town with the New York Islanders, giving him nearly a decade of experience playing in New York.
Originally selected fifth overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Islanders, Strome has built a long and steady career that has included stops with the Islanders, Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and now the Flames.
Reaching the 900-game mark is something the veteran forward doesn’t take lightly.
“Been lucky to do this for a long time and feel very privileged,” Strome told the FlamesTV media on Tuesday. “Every hundred games seems to have its new challenges and I think it’s a great time to reflect for a quick second and just see where you’re at and look forward to the next hundred.”
"Been lucky to do this for a long time."
Ryan Strome speaks on getting to play in his 900th career game tonight in New York. pic.twitter.com/xMajr68wgT
Playing the milestone game in New York makes the moment even more meaningful given his history in the city.
“Anytime you get to come to New York, it’s a special place, playing for the Islanders and the Rangers I spent almost 10 years here so… anytime you get (to play) a former team it brings that extra joy and excitement and you bring that little extra passion to the game.”
Strome’s start in Calgary has been a strong one. Since joining the Flames, the forward has recorded three points — including a goal and two assists — in his first two games with the club. He made an immediate impact in his debut against the Carolina Hurricanes, finding the back of the net and finishing with a two-point performance.
The opportunity in Calgary also provides Strome with a larger role than he held earlier this season in Anaheim. With the Flames navigating a transition and focusing on a younger roster, the experienced forward has quickly stepped into a leadership role while logging increased minutes.
Now, with game No. 900 on the horizon, Strome will mark the milestone in a city where much of his career unfolded — and against a team that played a major part in his NHL journey.
A major career milestone awaits Calgary Flames forward Ryan Strome on Tuesday night as he prepares to skate in the 900th game of his NHL career when the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The veteran forward is no stranger to the building. Strome spent four seasons with the Rangers from 2018 to 2022 and also played earlier in his career across town with the New York Islanders, giving him nearly a decade of experience playing in New York.
Originally selected fifth overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Islanders, Strome has built a long and steady career that has included stops with the Islanders, Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and now the Flames.
Reaching the 900-game mark is something the veteran forward doesn’t take lightly.
“Been lucky to do this for a long time and feel very privileged,” Strome told the FlamesTV media on Tuesday. “Every hundred games seems to have its new challenges and I think it’s a great time to reflect for a quick second and just see where you’re at and look forward to the next hundred.”
"Been lucky to do this for a long time."
Ryan Strome speaks on getting to play in his 900th career game tonight in New York. pic.twitter.com/xMajr68wgT
Playing the milestone game in New York makes the moment even more meaningful given his history in the city.
“Anytime you get to come to New York, it’s a special place, playing for the Islanders and the Rangers I spent almost 10 years here so… anytime you get (to play) a former team it brings that extra joy and excitement and you bring that little extra passion to the game.”
Strome’s start in Calgary has been a strong one. Since joining the Flames, the forward has recorded three points — including a goal and two assists — in his first two games with the club. He made an immediate impact in his debut against the Carolina Hurricanes, finding the back of the net and finishing with a two-point performance.
The opportunity in Calgary also provides Strome with a larger role than he held earlier this season in Anaheim. With the Flames navigating a transition and focusing on a younger roster, the experienced forward has quickly stepped into a leadership role while logging increased minutes.
Now, with game No. 900 on the horizon, Strome will mark the milestone in a city where much of his career unfolded — and against a team that played a major part in his NHL journey.
While the Seattle Mariners look to handle the Randy Arozarena – Cal Raleigh situation, the A’s prepare for what’ll be their second time squaring up against the Chicago White Sox in 2026. The first meetup between the two squads kicked off this year’s rendition of Spring Training – – and let’s just say the outcome was less than desirable. In fact, the first week of 2026 A’s baseball couldn’t have gone worse. They got kicked around by these Chi-Sox, the Guardians, Giants, and Brewers. Not once in any of these games did the A’s score more than two runs. Since then, things have wavered between formidable and mid. Yesterday’s route of the Cincinnati Reds was sort’ve a microcosm of this team’s performance so far: think lots of runs, scored as well as given up, early and then infrequent during the middle innings, until all the Non-roster invitees like Domingo Robles are thrown in there to run amok.
Looking at the schedule, it turns out that our last game of Spring Training will be against these very same Chicago White Sox, providing us with a proper bookend to our assessment of how this team has grown over the course of a month. If we were to view today’s game as the mid-way point, we’d see that the club has improved on some their early hitting woes, though the pitching has remained pretty much the same on paper.
Let’s see how much they’re able to refine the staff between now and the next time we play these White Sox on March 23rd.
Our first pitcher in this mild social experiment is Jeffrey Springs. The southpaw had a rough pre-season debut against the Kansas City Royals, giving up 4 ER in less than two frames. His second outing, however, proved to be a step in the right direction. In 2.1 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he struck out four while giving up no runs and only three hits. Six days have passed since then, so Springs should be well rested and ready to go.
According to Jason Burke from Sports Illustrated, Joey Estes is also slated to pitch today…Can’t say that I’m totally thrilled to have Estes still in the mix. The most notable thing he did last season was hit Victor Robles in a AAA game. Even then, he was on the losing end of that interaction as Robles decided to throw his bat at Estes from home plate. That being said, Estes does fit nicely into an A’s pitching staff that has done nothing but walk batters and give up hits. Maybe Kotsay’s trying out a new strategy that us fans just wouldn’t understand?
Aside from Andy Ibanez, I have the utmost faith in every one of these hitters. Jeff McNeil has had a solid Spring, coming off a 3-3 2 RBI performance just day ago. One guy to keep an eye on (if you aren’t already) is Stickman Nick Kurtz. Not a great Spring Training so far for the big lefty slugger. Would love to see them slot him in different places in the batting order so that we can really see if his slow start can be attributed to the use of him in the leadoff spot. I guess we’ll have to wait another day for something like that as he’s back up there, followed by my beloved tandem of Shea Langeliers, Tyler Soderstrom, Brent Rooker, and Jacob Wilson.
What a magical time to be a fan of A’s baseball. Despite all the head banging when it comes to the pitching staff, I really have to stop and appreciate how exciting this team actually is. I mean, we have a former batting title champion behind one of the most consistent hitters in baseball. Not mention a diamond in the rough in Austin Wynns. If he hits more than ten home runs this season I’m buying a jersey.
On the other end of things, we have the White Sox’s starting nine…
The South Siders come into Hohokam Stadium with an 11-7 record and 4-game winning streak. Their 12-3 beatdown of the Colorado Rockies matched their highest run total of the Spring (a feat they’ve reached twice so far). Shane Smith has been tabbed as today’s starter. On Sunday, the White Sox also announced that Smith, a 2025 All-Star, will be taking the mound on opening day against this former club, the Milwaukee Brewers.
So we’re getting Chicago’s best starter today, in front of lineup that features a young and exciting Colson Montgomery and the switch-hitting specialist Luisangel Acuna!
Should be a fun one in the desert. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05pm. For those of you following along, you can find me here in the threads, talking ish during this rematch of the 2020 AL Wild Card Series.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 16: JR Ritchie #80 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Not to panic, Atlanta Braves fans, the 0-7 loss from the Braves today seemed to be more of a tune-up for JR Ritchie as he took his first start as a prospect for the Braves (4 IP/ 1 H/ 2 ER/ 4 BB/ 2 K) and playing in his third game in general. His outing today was actually a decent one for his first start.
Though the news of Joey Wentz was a blow to the Braves fans, they’re looking to the usual starters and upcoming prospects to step up when it counts to receive that nod before the season officially starts.
This might not have been the outing that people were hoping for, especially where his command was concerned, however, with the news of Ritchie starting and witnessing his past success, it’s something to add to his portfolio as he continues to develop his pitching arsenal, as he’s mentioned how he wanted to increase it in the past, and has received high praise from a few of the veteran pitchers on the team on his discipline and growth since the start of training.
It’s still very possible that he has the opportunity to gain a spot on the Opening Day roster.
As for the remainder of the lineup…well, let’s say that this looked like the definition of a Spring Training roster without the team’s usual names, facing a prepared Blue Jays lineup led by Dylan Cease.
As mentioned earlier, this was more of a tune-up event that didn’t show much of what the offense could do, but it was a glimpse of what Ritchie had, as well as giving him more reps he’d need to add to his resume before decisions are made for the Opening Day roster.
Tomorrow, the Braves will be taking on the Tampa Bay Rays with Spencer Strider taking the mound.
The Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 4-2 on Tuesday afternoon in Clearwater, Fla.
Here are the takeaways...
-- The Yankees got a pair of home runs from two of their young outfielders. First, Jasson Dominguez demolished a solo home run off of Tanner Banks in the first inning. It was a good sign to see Dominguez homer from the right side, as he’s only homered once from that side in his career, batting .186.
Dominguez ended up 2-for-3 on the afternoon with a stolen base to go along with the home run.
-- Then, in the second inning, it was Spencer Jones getting in on the action. Jones was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday, but that didn’t stop him from blasting his fourth home run of the spring, a shot to left-center to put the Yankees up 2-0 in the second inning.
-- Luis Gil pitched around a dropped pop-up in the first inning, striking out Adolis Garcia looking on a 97 mph fastball. He gave up an unearned run in the second and another run in the third on a J.T. Realmuto solo homer, but pitched pretty well overall, showing off impressive velocity on his fastball.
Gil went 3.1 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
-- George Lombard Jr. got the start at shortstop, going 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts.
-- Following Gil, the Yanks had a few notable pitchers go on Tuesday, as Tim Hill (0.2 innings), Brent Headrick (1.0 inning), and Paul Blackburn (4.0 innings pitched) all took the mound and turned in scoreless outings.
Mar 5, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (7) returns to the dugout against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Mets topped the Cardinals 6-1 in Tuesday’s Grapefruit League game to earn their fourth straight spring victory. The Mets improved their Grapefruit League record to 9-5 (along with one tie).
David Peterson picked up where he left off in his spring debut on March 4. He followed up his three shutout innings against Israel by tossing four innings of one-run ball against the Cardinals. He allowed two hits, struck out three, and did not walk a batter. The lone run he surrendered came on a two-out home run to Nelson Velázquez in the first inning. He threw 35 of his 52 pitches (67%) for strikes.
The Mets overcame the early 1-0 deficit with relative ease. They tied things up in the bottom of the first with a Brett Baty two-out single, which plated Jorge Polanco with New York’s first run. Polanco had reached first on a single and advanced to second on a Bo Bichette ground out.
The Mets jumped all over Jared Shuster for three runs in the third inning. Polanco hit his first home run in a Mets uniform. Three batters later, following a Bichette single and a Baty ground out, Francisco Alvarez pummeled a baseball 439 ft to give the Mets a 4-1 lead.
Baty, who played right field in this game, drove home another run in the fifth on a single. In total, he had two hits in three at-bats, drove in two runs, and scored a run.
Ji Hwan Bae tripled home a run in the sixth to extend New York’s lead to five.
Brooks Raley pitched a perfect fifth inning.
Christian Scott hurled three shutout innings in relief for the Mets. He struck out four but also walked four batters. He allowed just one hit over the three frames.
Bryan Hudson hurled a scoreless ninth inning to close the win out for New York.
The Mets recorded 14 total hits on the afternoon, including two hits apiece from Baty, Polanco, Alvarez, and Bae.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 20: Joc Pederson #4 of the Texas Rangers takes a lead from first base during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Globe Life Field on September 20, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at designated hitter Joc Pederson.
You probably don’t want to think about Joc Pederson’s 2025 season. I know I don’t. Joc Pederson probably doesn’t want to, either.
Or you do want to think about it, but only to rage about it, and how the Texas Rangers never should have signed him.
Look, I wasn’t enthused about the signing, either. But then, I wasn’t enthused about signing Nathan Eovaldi after the 2022 season, and look how that turned out.
The idea was that Pederson would mash against righthanded pitchers and would provide good vibes and everything would be good.
Things were not, of course, good, as far as Joc Pederson’s 2025 season went. Far from it.
There was the 0 for 41 streak in April that messed things up. And you know, part of what that streak so brutal — aside from the fact that it was an 0 for 41 streak, which is historically bad — is that he wasn’t walking, either. He had three walks in that stretch. Walks are one of the things that Joc Pederson was supposed to be doing good.
Also making it worse was that Pederson wasn’t tearing it up before the hitless streak. Through April 2, a seven game span, Joc was hitting only .158/.273/.211 on the season. The 0 for 41 streak started during that April 2 game, after he had recorded a hit in the game. After the 41st hitless at bat in a row, Pederson’s slash line on the season was .052/141/.069.
Imagine coming up to the plate and having to see that line on the scoreboard.
Pederson also missed two months with an injury. One would like to think that his overall season line — .181/.285/.328 — would have been better if he hadn’t missed those two months, that he would have put up a better slash line than that in that two month period. One would like to think that.
Part of what is so weird about Pederson’s 2025 season is that his K rate was in line with previous seasons. His walk rate was in line with previous seasons. His hard hit rate was in line with previous seasons. His barrel percentage was down, but not so much you’d expect to see the sort of cratering Pederson experienced.
He did have a very large spread between his wOBA (.276) and his xwOBA (.315), though he’s also very slow, which can contribute to that. That .315 xwOBA is still the lowest of his career. His .203 BABIP was the second lowest of his career, trailing only 2020, when he slashed .190/.285/.397 in 43 games for the Dodgers in the pandemic season.
I feel like I should go do a deep dive and get a better handle on what went wrong with Pederson in 2025. It would just depress me though. So I’m not gonna do that.
The Mets beat the Cardinals, 6-1, on Tuesday as their spring training slate continued.
Here are the takeaways...
- Francisco Alvarez lined a blistering RBI single (106.7 mph exit velocity) in the first inning. In the third, Alvarez hit a monster two-run homer to center field, sending it 439 feet and clear over the batter's eye in center field. The ball came off his bat at 111.5 mph.
Alvarez also shined behind the plate, unleashing a perfect throw to nail Victor Scott II trying to steal second base in the third inning.
Alvarez finished 2-for-3 and has a 1.492 OPS this spring.
- Brett Baty started in right field as he continues to prepare for a role that could include plenty of time in the outfield, at first base, and at designated hitter.
At the plate, he continued to perform well, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
In the field, Baty secured the first chance that came his way -- a routine fly ball he didn't have to move far for. Baty's second chance was more eventful, with him making a nice sliding catch while charging in.
- Jorge Polanco had a big day at the plate. He singled his first time up and crushed a solo homer to left field in his second at-bat. Polanco finished 2-for-2 with a walk. He is hitting .333 with a 1.167 OPS this spring.
In four innings, Peterson allowed one run (on a solo homer) on two hits while walking none and striking out three.
- Christian Scott got his second taste of game action since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Scott issued four walks in his three scoreless innings but was impressive nonetheless, allowing just one hit while striking out four as his fastball sat between 94 and 96 mph.
- Bo Bichettewent 1-for-2 with a walk and had a nice day defensively at third base, including a spinning throw on a tricky grounder to his left in the fifth inning.
- Outfield prospectA.J. Ewing continued to open eyes. He hit a 105.2 mph rocket of a double off the wall in left-center in his first at-bat. In the fourth inning, he drew a leadoff walk and promptly stole second base.
- Lefty relievers Brooks Raley and Bryan Hudson delivered one scoreless inning of relief each.
With their best players playing elsewhere, the Kansas City Royals are 6-9 (nice). And in today’s contest, they’ll face a team with a worse Spring Training record: the 4-12 Seattle Mariners.
It’s the Battle for Grass Creek, in other words, but a preseason version. The Royals will send Cole Ragans to the mound. As a reminder, Team USA had asked Ragans to pitch for them, but he declined in pursuit of a more normal Spring Training experience following an injury-filled 2025.
