Tyler Callihan is the #18 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds system!

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 03: Tyler Callihan #32 of the Cincinnati Reds hits an RBI single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Great American Ball Park on May 03, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. This was Callihan's first career hit. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tyler Callihan was playing the best baseball of his career in early 2025. After reaching AAA Louisville for a cameo at the end of 2024 (and raking during it), he began 2025 at the highest level of the minors and picked up right where he’d left off.

He mashed to the tune of .303/.410/.528 across 106 PA, showing the gap power and patience at the plate that have been his calling cards (when healthy) all through his pro career to date. That earned him a call-up to the Cincinnati Reds, one that went awry almost immediately when he dove for a ball in the outfield corner and broke his arm in two to nine places, ending his season.

Several surgeries later, Callihan is reportedly back in action and ready to compete again for a spot on the Reds roster, and will do so in 2025 in his age-26 season after being drafted by the Reds all the way back in the 3rd round of the 2019 MLB Draft.

He’s the #18 prospect in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, earning that honor after dominating the vote in a busy, crowded ballot.

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May 14, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics fans cheer in the second half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Most know that this blog has been around for quite a while (21 years and counting) and the community has evolved over the years. We have some people that have been commenting since the first days, some that joined during the title years, some that joined just to complain about the down years, and some that just arrived recently.

However, there’s another category of folks out there, the silent majority. Now, I don’t mind people just reading. I think we could operate just fine as a magazine or newsletter or whatever format. But from the very beginning, I’ve believed in the power of interaction. Put another way, people say that “content is king,” which is true, but let’s extend it to say “and community is queen.”

So this is my call to all the readers that haven’t signed up for a CelticsBlog account. The time is right to join the community and contribute your voice. Or to quote Dead Poets Society quoting Walt Whitman: “That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

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All-Star Break Checkup: Where’s the Signal?

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 08: Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards blocks a shot in the first quarter against Kasparas Jakucionis #25 of the Miami Heat at Capital One Arena on February 08, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Wizards lost by 25 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a game that I just don’t want to think or write about. Except for this: the person watching last night’s game with me thought it was nice James Harden was introduced as part of a ceremony to honor old-time players. They were shocked to learn he was playing.

Instead of talking about defensive rotations and offensive actions against Cleveland, let’s zoom out and take stock of the Wizards season so far.

Wizards big man Alex Sarr continues to be the NBA’s busiest rim protector. | Getty Images

The Measuring Stick

Here’s where the Wizards currently rank in the various key stats of team strength (where they ranked at the last update, which was Jan. 20, is in parentheses):

  • Offensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions): 28 (28)
  • Defensive rating (points scored per 100 possessions): 29 (29)

I’m reasonably sure I’ve spotted moments of growth and improvement, though those moments haven’t been consistent enough to send a signal through the numbers. That signal isn’t necessarily important right now. The roster is extremely young, and the overarching organizational goal is keeping their top eight protected first round pick.

At least in theory, we might hope to see some positives in the individual numbers, but team data will remain in the basement because the team needs to lose.

Some of this will (and has been) done at the roster level. For example, sitting everyone with “injuries” in a must-lose game against the Brooklyn Nets. Some of it will (and has been) done at the lineup level, such as playing two-way and G League guys for entire fourth quarters (and winning a game anyway) or starting the diminutive lineup they did against Cleveland last night (the tallest player was the 6-8 Kyshawn George).

Offensive Four Factors

  • eFG%: 26 (23)
  • Offensive Rebounding Percentage: 16 (19)
  • Turnover Rate: 24 (26)
  • Free Throws Made/Field Goal Attempts: 26 (27)

Over the past few weeks, the Wizards are shooting a little worse but getting a few more offensive rebounds. This is something of a young team cliche, which is fine.

Defensive Four Factors

  • eFG%: 24 (22)
  • Defensive Rebounding Percentage: 30 (30)
  • Turnover Rate: 27 (28)
  • Free Throws Made/Field Goal Attempts: 23 (21)

Effectively no change on the defensive end. Opponents are shooting slightly better, which has been sorta offset by committing fewer fouls that send opposing players to the free throw line. The signal here is clear: the Wizards don’t make the other team miss shots, they’re worst in the league at getting the ball when the opposing team misses, and they don’t force turnovers. They also foul at an elevated rate relative to the league.

Player Production Average

Below is a table with updated results from the Player Production Average (PPA) metric so far this season. PPA is an overall rating metric I developed that credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, play-making, defending) and debits them for things that hurt the cause (missed shots, turnovers, fouls, ineffective defense). PPA is similar to other linear weight rating metrics such as John Hollinger’s PER, David Berri’s Wins Produced, Kevin Pelton’s VORP, and the granddaddy of them all, Dave Heeren’s TENDEX.

PPA weighs a player’s performance per possession against that of his competitors season by season. While PPA falls into the category of a linear weight metric, the values for statistical categories float a bit season-to-season based on league performance.

PPA is pace neutral, accounts for defense, and includes a “degree of difficulty” factor based on the level of competition a player faces while on the floor. Beginning with the 2019-20 season, I added a position/role adjustment designed to reflect how roles and on-court positioning affect individual abilities to produce certain stats.

Inputs include:

  • on-court team defensive rating
  • points
  • rebounds (offensive and defensive weighed differently)
  • assists
  • steals
  • blocks
  • shot attempts
  • turnovers
  • personal fouls
  • starts
  • minutes

In the table below, I’ve included each player’s PPA last time, currently (through games played Feb. 11 — game 53), as well as games played and minutes per game. The Garbage Time Brigade has their own section.

In the table below, LAST = the player’s PPA when I last ran an update, which was through games played Jan. 19, 2026.

PLAYERGAMESMPGLASTPPA
Alex Sarr4128.2145138
Justin Champagnie5019.396108
Kyshawn George4330.19497
Tre Johnson4025.08082
Bilal Coulibaly3326.88180
Malaki Branham289.85658
Bub Carrington5328.05153
Tristan Vukcevic3311.94652
Cam Whitmore2116.94949
Will Riley4516.63446
GTBGAMESMPGPPAPPA
Kadary Richmond16.0315
Jaden Hardy115.099
Skal Labissiere312.773
Anthony Gill193.84848
Jamir Watkins1713.42929
Keshon Gilbert316.08

A few quick observations:

  • Alex Sarr’s production has been drooping a bit lately. Over the past few weeks, he has had some good games and great moments, as well as some real duds. He’s more than a little overtaxed inside where he continues to be the NBA’s busiest rim protector.
  • Justin Champagnie has generally produced when given minutes.
  • When I mentioned earlier how perceived improvement isn’t sending a signal in the numbers, I was thinking in part of the overall consistency in individual production numbers. Scanning the list, Sarr has declined a bit, Champagnie and Will Riley have improved, and everyone else has been about the same.

Final PPA numbers for traded guys — with the Wizards and then with their new team:

  • CJ McCollum: 113 | 91
  • Marvin Bagley III: 103 | 130
  • Khris Middleton: 83 | 99
  • Corey Kispert: 79 | 76
  • AJ Johnson: 0 | -98

The Sixers have an unfixable Knicks problem

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 11: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on February 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Sixers’ woes against the Knicks go beyond the 49-point thrashing they received on national television on Wednesday evening. They go beyond the remnants of the team’s 2024 playoff loss to New York. When the Knicks come to South Philadelphia, those issues begin before tip-off.

The Sixers have a Knicks fan problem that was exacerbated during Wednesday’s loss. It sounded like the game was being played at Madison Square Garden with how many Knicks fans were in attendance. When the Sixers are hosting New York, the prices jump for tickets on the secondary market. That’s been the case for a while. I can distinctly remember being a freshman in college in the city and overhearing a couple New Yorkers discuss getting “cheap” tickets to a Sixers-Knicks game because the fans here “don’t care.” This was during New York’s Carmelo Anthony era and during the Sixers’ lone season with Andrew Bynum on the roster. Can you blame Philadelphians for not caring at that point?

There will be some consternation, as there has been over the years, blaming fans in the Philly region for “allowing” this to happen. The day I blame the fans is the day I stop writing. There’s a difference between being a bandwagon fan who tunes out during some lean years, which is fine for casual observers, and being just so utterly fed up that you don’t want to put your money into a claw machine you know is never going to give you a prize. Maybe it’ll latch onto one for a fleeting moment, but that bad boy is slipping away like a Game 7 victory in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Again, I don’t begrudge Sixers fans for not going on Wednesday. I considered going just to do something, but the ticket prices were more than they usually are for a weeknight game on the likes of SeatGeek and StubHub, so I passed. Are people going to be mad that fans decided not to see the Joel Embiid-less Sixers lose by nearly 50 freaking points? Are we supposed to be mad at fans that they didn’t expose themselves to embarrassment of that magnitude?

People in Philly are voting with their wallet. This isn’t 2018 or 2019. The Sixers, after a plethora of second-round exits and the infuriating way they handled the trade deadline last week, aren’t a prime asset in anyone’s entertainment portfolio right now outside the hardest of the hardcore fans. When Embiid plays, they’re awesome and the building blocks of in-prime superstar Tyrese Maxey and beloved rookie VJ Edgecombe are there, but people don’t want to get hurt again while getting wrapped up in the perpetual nonsense that is the NBA regular season.

Speaking of wallets, let’s just be honest. New Yorkers, on the whole, have more cash than the average Philadelphian. A Knicks game in South Philly is way cheaper than a Knicks game at MSG. Whether people are doing a quick Amtrak trip, taking a Peter Pan bus or are simply transplants to a less expensive urban dwelling, money talks for that fan base. Knicks fans, even during their frequent dark times, love their team. Given the juice the franchise has had in recent years, it’s not surprising to see this hit another level when the Knickerbockers come to town.

There doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut fix for this. People are out on the Sixers locally. They have distinct disdain for management. New Yorkers are willing to fork over the dough for a quick, cost-effective road trip. Winning cures all and it will likely take the Sixers reaching a threshold they haven’t hit in a quarter of a century, whether that’s merely an Eastern Conference Finals appearance or a NBA Finals berth outright, to get that arena truly rocking again.

In The Lab: Astros Fielding Numbers

In the last week, we talked about platoon splits for the various Astros position players, but platoon splits are only part of the equation. One of the more fascinating parts of sabermetrics is looking at how our conception of the game has changed over the years. If you watched the movie “Moneyball” you probably heard him utter, “his fielding does not matter.” That was an even bigger theme in the book. The entire message was that when teams make lineup decisions placing more value on defense than offense then they were doing it wrong.

I am ashamed to say I said something similar in one of my first books. I’d have to go back and look at how I said it exactly, but it pretty much echoed what Billy Beane had said. Were we idiots? I suppose that is a fair way to think of it, but I would prefer to say we were not informed or simply didn’t have enough data. That particular book was published in 2004. We have learned a ton since then and any team discounting fielding does so at its own peril.

Fielding and hitting are still two very different things and there is not one universal metric that is universally accepted as the go to metric for fielding. We will look at three different sources in this piece, but there are more. Furthermore, we can be sure that each team has their own internal metric that they use. So, what we will see here is not meant to be gospel. In fact, these numbers will demonstrate how evaluating fielding is still very much in the eye of the beholder. This is even for those that use data regularly.

Before we bust out the numbers, I should note that a number of people are familiar with WAR without necessarily understanding its components. A replacement level player is not an average big league player. That is the first misconception. A player with zero WAR would be a typical everyday player in AAA. That is true with hitting and with fielding. A player with zero runs in any particular category is average. Average is better than replacement level. Obviously, how much better depends on the number of innings and the particular formula.

In a 1200 inning season, we could surmise that the replacement level fielder would actually be closer to -10 at a position. Of course, that changes depending on the position. The positions up the middle are worth more than the positions on the corners. There is a ton of math involved and I don’t want to get bogged down in the gory details. What we will do is look at the raw numbers in the first table and then convert those into a 1200 inning season to see what each player’s value would be over a full season.

Actual Numbers

INNDRSOAAFRV
Yainer Diaz C9901N/A-3
Christian Walker 1B1316-722
Jose Altuve 2B499-801
Jose Altuve LF371-10-5-5
Isaac Paredes 3B766-4-3-2
Carlos Correa 3B417-221
Jeremy Pena SS1061586
Nick Allen IF1070121712
Yordan Alvarez LF116-1-1-1
Jake Meyers CF844598
Cam Smith RF10791210
Jesus Sanchez OF9777-10

It should be noted that I did not include Carlos Correa’s innings at shortstop because he is not likely to play shortstop this season. Paredes has innings at third base, but he is likely to play the bulk of his time at first base and/or second base. Sanchez played most of his time in right field, but theoretically could also play some left field. Nick Allen played mostly shortstop, but also logged some innings at second base.

Our three sources for fielding can all be found at fangraphs.com. DRS stands for defensive runs saved. It is the metric from the Fielding Bible and uses video scouting to rate plays and how likely a player was to successfully field it. OAA stands for Outs above average. That and Fielding run value are Statcast numbers which do not rely on humans, so they are more systematic in their methods.

I try not to judge between the three because just the simple act of choosing one over the other introduces bias. It also leaves us open to cherry picking. For instance, I could say I love DRS for Smith and Sanchez, but prefer OAA or FRV for almost everyone else. What we can say is that teams probably gravitate to one of these over the others and without knowing which one we should simply report them all and let the chips fall where they may.

When we convert these to 1200 innings we are creating a math problem. By sheer definition, only eight of these guys could possibly reach 1200 innings and given the balanced nature of the Astros lineup, it is quite possible that none of these guys reach 1200 innings. However, looking at a real estimated run value helps drive home the relative cost or benefit of playing any of these guys for 150 games.

Per 1200 Innings

DRSOAAFRV
Yainer Diaz1N/A-4
Christian Walker-622
Jose Altuve 2B-190-2
Jose Altuve LF-32-16-16
Carlos Correa-663
Isaac Paredes-6-5-3
Jeremy Pena697
Nick Allen131913
Yordan Alvarez-10-10-10
Jake Meyers71311
Cam Smith1310
Jesus Sanchez9-10

Like we said, the above mathematically can’t happen. However, we show this to show what would happen if Joe Espada simply plugged in eight guys into the same positions for 150 games. That would mean choosing between second base and left field for Altuve. As you can see, neither is an appealing option. This is why we will likely see a ton of mixing and matching.

Managers must synthesize this information along with the platoon splits to cobble a lineup together on a daily basis. Additionally, they have to consider load management, whether hitters are hot and cold, and what they have done individually against that day’s pitcher. It’s a lot to consider and it is important for us to keep that in mind the next time we want to crush Joe Espada for one of his managerial decisions.

Nick Allen wasn’t an Astro last year, but he and Mauricio Dubon are similar as fielders. It should be noted that when you total the number of runs together for the actual production we get +9 for DRS, +25 for OAA, and +17 for FRV. Effectively, that means that pitchers were a collective one to three wins better with this fielding team behind them than an average fielding team. If we added the 1200 inning totals together we get -31 for DRS, +17 OAA, and -1 for FRV.

Those numbers are obviously inflated since those amount of innings are not available, but it does show that simply putting the best hitters in the lineup and closing your eyes will create an inferior fielding alignment. The question is what is the effective difference between defensive runs and how that compares with the difference between runs created offensively. That is the whole ballgame.

12 stats to explain Cavs 138-113 win over Wizards

CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 11: Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks against Jamir Watkins #5 of the Washington Wizards during the second half at Rocket Arena on February 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers ran over a bad Washington Wizards team 138-113 on Wednesday evening.

The stats in the table below are taken from Cleaning the Glass.

Effective Field Goal PercentageOffensive Rebounding PercentageOffensive Turnover PercentageFree Throw Rate
Cavs63.9%, 91st percentile44.7%, 96th percentile19.4%, 12th percentile38.6, 98th percentile
Wizards47.1%, 14th percentile37.5%, 86th percentile14.4%, 51st percentile14.4, 19th percentile

Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

  • Sam Merrill scored a career-high 32 points. He was on fire from deep, going 9-10 from three. He also made both of his shots inside the arc. Merrill simply couldn’t miss, and there was nothing the Wizards could do to contain him.
  • James Harden assisted on six of Merrill’s 11 field goals. He did a great job of finding Merrill whenever he could. We’ve seen how Harden can open up the game for guys like Jarrett Allen. Clearly, he can have that same kind of effect on an off-ball shooter like Merrill as well.
  • The Cavs registered a 113.3 offensive rating in the half-court (88th percentile). This was the third game with Harden, and the third time the half-court offensive rating was over 109 — which is an elite number. This team has the skills to be absolutely lethal in the half-court, and they have been.
  • Cleveland took 40% of their shots at the rim (86th percentile). Washington didn’t have the personnel inside to keep the Cavs from getting to the basket, and the Cavs took advantage. The restricted area is still, and always will be, the most efficient place to score from. There’s no reason to go away from your advantage once you create it.
  • Jarrett Allen went 8-8 from the field to finish with 21 points. It seems like Allen has made every shot that he’s put up recently, which has led to his teammates calling him Wilt. In his last four games, Allen has gone 34-44 (77.3%) from the field. He’s playing some of the best basketball of his career right now.
  • The Cavs are now 9-0 when Allen scores 20 or more points. Allen playing his best offensively has led to wins. Now, the question is figuring out how to get this version of Allen when Evan Mobley gets back into the equation.
  • Harden took just four shot attempts in over 28 minutes. The last time he took four or fewer shots was in April 2024 during a game he played under 10 minutes. Harden isn’t too concerned about his lack of scoring. “I’m top 10 in scoring all-time. Scoring isn’t a problem for me.”
  • The Cavs had their highest free-throw rate in a game this season. Harden is to thank for that with his 12 free throw attempts. This is an area he’s going to help immensely.
  • Washington controlled the offensive glass, finishing with 28 second-chance points. Offensive rebounding has been an issue of late, and understandably so. Being without both Dean Wade and Mobley hurts in this department. Still, you’d like to see the Cavs do a better job on the glass. Fortunately for them, they gathered many of their misses as well and had 27 second-chance points of their own.
  • The Cavs played at a 105.5 pace. Despite concerns that the offense would play slower with Harden, they’ve actually increased their pace. Over the past three games, Cleveland has been playing at a 102.3 pace. For context, their season-long average is 101.8. It’ll be interesting to monitor this as Harden continues to get implemented into Kenny Atkinson’s system.
  • Donovan Mitchell has taken more shots since playing with Harden. He had 19 attempts on Wednesday and is averaging 22 in the three games he’s played with Harden. For reference, Mitchell is averaging 20.8 field-goal attempts per outing on the season. One of the concerns with adding Harden would be that he could take away some of Mitchell’s shots and keep him from doing what he does best. So far, that hasn’t been the case. He’s only made life easier for Mitchell.
  • The Cavs have registered a 125.6 offensive rating with both Mitchell and Harden on the floor this season. Cleveland’s offense has been humming in the 54 minutes the duo has spent on the court together. This has led to a +10.9 net rating together.

Which Phillies player will you be watching the closest this spring?

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 06: Otto Kemp #4 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on before game two of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park on October 06, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

A player’s performance in Spring Training is not necessarily a sign of things to come. A strong performance doesn’t always portend a good season, and a poor performance doesn’t mean the season is lost. However, that doesn’t mean that a player can’t change the early narrative for his season in the spring.

There are plenty candidates for who to watch this spring in Phillies camp. Perhaps none bigger than the big three prospects of Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter, and Aidan Miller. Crawford and Painter can spark some excitement and give a better idea of how they will fare with the Phillies this season, as both are expected to travel north with the team and be on the Opening Day roster. Miller isn’t expected to be a factor for the MLB team until later in the season, but perhaps a good showing and a hot start to the Triple-A season can force the issue.

There’s no lack of roster mainstays to keep an eye on either. Bryce Harper is coming off of a down season by his standards and perhaps has a bit of a chip on his shoulder thanks to some comments from Dave Dombrowski. Aaron Nola is coming off of a disaster of a season and will be much more important in the middle of a Phillies rotation that will not have Zack Wheeler at least for the first few weeks of the season. Those two players and others will be participating in the World Baseball Classic however, so they will be absent from camp for a couple weeks starting at the end of February.

But that absence means there’s more opportunities for players like Otto Kemp and even free agent signing Adolis Garcia to impress. The team has talked up Kemp at almost every opportunity this offseason and is clearly high on him. He had a mediocre rookie season and apparently suffered a knee injury that was not revealed until after the year. Kemp will be given the first chance to be Brandon Marsh’s platoon partner in left field. Garcia meanwhile figures to be the Phillies everyday right fielder after they finally move on from Nick Castellanos. Can Garcia provide hope that he has rediscovered some of his 2023 form before he likely slots into the middle of the Phillies batting order on Opening Day?

These are just a few of many interesting player storylines to follow this spring. So, which Phillies player will you be watching the closest this spring?

How many innings will Bryce Elder and Joey Wentz pitch for Atlanta in 2026?

ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 03: Braves pitchers Bryce Elder (l), Spencer Schwellenbach, Grant Holmes and Chris Sale (r) watch from the top of the dugout during the Tuesday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 3, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

I’m shamelessly stealing from the comments, here.

Unless there’s a move on the rotation side, Bryce Elder will probably begin the year in Atlanta’s rotation. Joey Wentz is out of options, as is Elder. Seems reasonable — unless you’re willing to roll the dice on the Braves going in a very different direction at this point in the offseason.

Anyway, I won’t linger because you get the contours of the question. The FanGraphs Depth Chart assignment has Elder throwing 109 innings as a starter and ten in relief; for Wentz, it’s 18 innings as a starter and 34 in relief. The range of other projection systems features the combination of these two guys going about 110 to 240 innings, though you shouldn’t take the upper end of that range seriously because that’s more of a “how healthy are they?” measure than a depth chart-informed one.

My own sense is that if both guys were given free rein, they’d basically total about 100, on average, before injuries/performance saw their playing time curtailed. But they’re also somewhat competing with one another for innings provided the pitching staff health isn’t entirely a shambles, so I don’t know. 150ish might be reasonable but not exciting; I responded to said comment earlier saying that it felt like placing the over/under at 130 would be great to maximize betting, but with the Braves not signing Chris Bassitt for his fine enough deal with the Orioles, bumping that towards 170 might make more sense — at least for the time being.

Justin Verlander evolved to get back on track in 2025

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the signing of Justin Verlander is certainly exciting and nostalgic all at the same time, let’s talk about how he turned his 2025 season around, and about keeping expectations reasonable. The future Hall of Famer isn’t quite the beast he was even 3-4 years ago. Time catches up with everyone eventually, but Verlander’s willingness to keep experimenting with his approach, along with a good run of health, salvaged his 2025 season with a pretty strong finish.

A year ago things weren’t looking so hot. Back with the Houston Astros after a brief stint with the Mets in 2023, Verlander’s 2024 campaign was marred by a shoulder strain that limited him to 90 1/3 innings, and his 5.48 ERA was easily the worst mark of his career. The San Francisco Giants took a chance on him for the 2025 season, and for a few months, it looked possible that he was in his final season. With pedestrian strikeout and walk rates, another minor injury, and a few too many home runs allowed, Verlander produced a 4.70 in the first half of the season. His slider was still effective and his velocity was intact, but hitters were teeing off on his fastball and curveball to an egregious degree.

Verlander managed to shake off the neck strain in June and July, and as it turned out, he had a few more tricks up his sleeve. Adjustments he started in June were refined over the All-Star break, and he came back out for the second half, cut the home run rate down dramatically, and started collecting more whiffs and weak contact. A 2.99 ERA with a 3.47 FIP after the All-Star break says he figured some things out.

A nice, successful season in Detroit would see Justin Verlander throw 150 innings with a 4.00 ERA. ZIPS projections have him at a 4.24 ERA over 133 1/3 innings. We would celebrate either, but it may take some adjustment to stop expecting more. Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez are tasked with leading the way. The Tigers legend just needs to contribute good outings and hopefully have another mostly healthy season. That would be plenty, and plenty fun to witness as a fan.

We do need to check any wild expectations at the door for now. Tigers fans are used to seeing him in his prime, overpowering hitters and pitching through minor injuries, whereas this season putting him on the injured list for anything minor is the move. Ideally, you’d keep his starts short as well, especially early in the season. If the Tigers can keep Verlander relatively fresh throughout the season while getting Troy Melton, Drew Anderson, or Keider Montero a few starts in his stead, all the better.

Adjusting his delivery and angles

Two adjustments he made in 2025 were pretty straightforward. First, he started taking the ball out of his glove earlier in his delivery. The second adjustment was moving over to the third base side of the rubber. The different angles that created seemed to help his fastball, and he was still able to maintain enough deception out of the glove that hitters weren’t picking up any early visual cues.

Starting his arm motion a little earlier, as opposed to gripping the ball in the glove belt high until well into his leg kick may have helped keep him in rhythm. The late hand-glove separation he’s often used in his career required a quicker move early in his arm path to catch up to his torso and lower half, and perhaps separating a little earlier freed his arm to catch up with the rest of his motion and get into sequence. Pitchers are always tweaking little timing mechanisms, and something about it clicked for him.

It’s also possible that he just got healthier. After some shoulder trouble in 2024, and then a neck strain in 2025 that cost him about a month in May and June, Verlander made every start from June 18 to the rest of the season, and other than getting blown up on a few occasions, was consistently good the rest of the way. Health would also explain why he was able to get back to the higher arm slot he threw from in his best years with the Astros. That alone helped him to get a bit more riding action back on his fourseamer, a few more whiffs, and fewer home run balls launched.

Sweepers and changeups

Verlander has slowly dialed back his fourseamer usage as his velocity has dipped, and a lot of that extra workload has fallen on his slider. Early in 2025 he just didn’t have much else to work with. His trusty curveball was even less effective than the fourseamer in the first half, and right-handers in particular were hitting it harder than ever before. The solution there was to develop a sweeper at 84-85 mph. Much firmer than the curveball, the sweeper still has a lot of depth, but it has a sharper bit of gloveside break, while the curve is usually close to 12-6. All things being equal, it’s better to throw a harder breaking ball. Neither pitch needs to be more than a third offering from him, and by pairing the two, hitters had a harder time squaring either of them.

By season’s end, Verlander was mixing the curveball and the sweeper in equal doses, replacing a third pitch with two solid breaking balls that look similar out of the hand. Neither is a huge swing and miss pitch, but mixing the pair made it harder for hitters to barrel them up.

2025 SplitsERAK%BB%HR/9BABIP FIP
First Half – RHH5.0819.65.41.20.3173.88
First Half – LHH4.3020.110.11.20.3154.57
Second Half – RHH3.2920.76.90.90.2863.74
Second Half – LHH2.6222.59.30.50.3173.14

While the sweeper is an interesting development, another thing that really helped Verlander squash left-handed hitters was using his circle changeup more effectively in the second half. Long-time Tigers fans will remember the early years of his career, when he routinely dropped in a straight 88-90 mph changeup. Back then, it played well mainly because the fourseam fastball was so terrifying. The version he’s started working with in recent years, and used more in the second half of 2025, is more of a classic circle change that moves away from lefties like a sinker.

Verlander threw the changeup about 14 percent of the time to left-handers in 2025, and hitters posted a downright horrendous .237 wOBA against it. He still uses all three breaking balls against lefties too, so it’s no surprise hitters weren’t looking for it often. Verlander doesn’t have a ton of confidence in throwing the changeup in the zone, but breaking out the changeup helped him handle certain hitters. Perhaps he’ll lean into that this season. It will be interesting to see if Chris Fetter and his staff has an impact on the pitch mix, or if it’s just mainly a matter of having more tools to work with so that if one pitch isn’t feeling great, he has other options to turn to in a pinch.

Don’t get too greedy

It’s fairly ridiculous to look back and compare Justin Verlander’s current fastball with its metrics 10 years ago back in 2016. At the time, in a season where the numbers say he should have won the AL Cy Young award, his fourseamer averaged 94 mph with 17.3 inches of induced vertical break. In 2025? He averaged 93.9 mph with the fourseamer, with 18.6 inches of induced vertical break. See? The old guy has really fallen off his game.

It’s interesting that he’s still getting more ride these days than he did with the Tigers in the early Statcast era in 2015-2016. The Tigers really didn’t get that higher arm slot, truer backspin, concept for a while. It took the Astros coaching staff to fully unlock it and maximize his fastball’s effectiveness. In fairness, he also got back to averaging 95+ mph from 2017-2022, along with hitting 19-20 inches of induced vertical break in that era of his career. When your fastball is that good hitters are in huge trouble. In 2022, Justin Verlander had the most valuable fastball in baseball at age 39. This man is not normal.

Verlander doesn’t get the extension down the mound that he used to, which is probably just a product of being less flexible and shortening his stride to compensate. He also isn’t holding as much back for later in a start the way he once did. It’s 92-94mph out of the gate, and then he’ll sit 94 the rest of the way while reaching back for 95-96 in tight spots. His best fastball in 2025 was 98.3 mph, and there were only eight fastballs total at 97 mph or better.

Back in the day, he would throw 92-93 mph early in a start, hoping to rack up quick outs the first time through the order. As he loosened up he’d sit 95-97 mph by the time the top of the order came up a second time, and then reach back for high 90’s and triple digits later in an outing. Verlander still shows signs of trying to do that— yes it would be fascinating to see Tarik Skubal attempt to implement this a little more, I agree—but there just aren’t as many gears available for JV these days.

In terms of secondary factors, the changes from the Giants to the Tigers defense, or from Oracle to Comerica as a home park, don’t look too significant. Verlander pitched to Patrick Bailey a lot last year, and the Giants main backstop is probably the best pitch framer in the game, so this isn’t a case where Dillon Dingler or Jake Rogers are going to give him a boost in that regard. On the other hand, the Tigers graded out a good deal better than the Giants defensively by both DRS and Outs Above Average. No doubt Verlander’s results this year will rest partly on how the his outfielders perform behind him.

The generational raw ability to pitch and drive to be one of the best ever, along with the smarts and willingness to keep making those little adjustments in all phases of the game, from diet, conditioning, pitching mechanics, to approach, have extended Justin Verlander’s career beyond anyone’s wildest dreams other than possibly his own. His legacy was secured long ago. There are already five distinct four-year eras in his career, and in the last one, he still won a Cy Young award and a World Series ring.

We can argue about what “best” means, but Verlander is the most valuable pitcher of this millenium by fWAR, 16th best all-time by fWAR, eighth all time in strikeouts at 3553 and needs just 149 more to pass Bert Blyleven for 5th all-time. He’s already fifth all-time if you count the postseason, and if you think about it, it’s weird that we don’t. In October, the top starting pitchers on playoff teams are making the highest pressure starts of the year while already at the end of their gas tank after a long season. Only Andy Petite has thrown more postseason innings in his career than Justin Verlander. But I digress.

This is the most delightful depth move in franchise history, and we shouldn’t be too greedy about it. If he’s healthy enough to get in a good groove and keep making counter adjustments to hitters, Justin Verlander will give the Tigers decent mid-rotation production, leadership, and perhaps a little extra edge. And it could be really special to watch.

The Red Sox are relying on Roman Anthony to be their primary power acquisition

The ZiPS projections are out, and they’re not impressed with the thump — or lack thereof — in the Red Sox lineup. If you visit Fangraphs and sort these individual player projections by home runs, you have to go all the way down to a tie for 127th to find the first name in a Red Sox uniform.

More specifically, Roman Anthony, Trevor Story, and Wilyer Abreu are each projected to hit 18 home runs and lead a lineup with no clear alpha dog. For comparison, the Yankees have seven different players projected to hit at least 20 home runs in 2026 according to ZiPS.

Meanwhile, the top of the board spanning all of MLB is littered with guys who were just available in free agency and the Red Sox could have signed to fix this problem. This includes Kyle Schwarber (second at 43 home runs), Pete Alonso (fifth at 38 home runs), and Eugenio Suarez (eighth at 35 homes runs). (For anybody wondering, Rafael Devers comes in at a tie for 14th on this list and is projected to hit 30 home runs.)

So now for the real important question: How much does this matter?

Well, if recent history is any indication, quite a bit. Below is a list of the last 25 World Series champions (every team since the turn of the century minus the COVID season in 2020), the hitter who led the team in home runs, and how many they hit.

For the most part, there’s a pretty clear message here: You need at least one guy who can go deep 30 or more times. Not just because of the obvious ability to do damage, but also because having at least one big bopper in the postseason forces the opponent to game plan and pitch around them, which often paves the way for somebody else to make them pay in expensive fashion.

The only exceptions to this rule all came in a tight six year window between 2010 and 2015, when several stars aligned at the end of the steroid era and before the more recent launch angel era. Between these two power obsessed periods, you had one complete exception to everything in the 2015 Kansas City Royals, and a trio of San Francisco Giants teams, which were not only driven by pitching, but also played in about as unfriendly of a hitting environment as you’ll find anywhere in the sport. (Their 2012 team actually ranked dead last in home runs, but that was also Buster Posey’s MVP season, so you can sort of argue this one both ways.)

In other words, either the 2026 Red Sox pitching staff better resemble those early 2010s Giants teams, or somebody better step up internally and hit 30 bombs.

There are a few candidates, including Wilyer Abreu, who hit 18 jacks last year pre All-Star break before battling injuries in the second half, and Trevor Story, who averaged 31 home runs per year in each of his first four seasons, but hasn’t hit the mark since leaving Coors Field. But there’s one candidate who truly has the upside to solve this problem.

Before downplaying things and playfully giving it back to Rob Bradford in this clip from the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast earlier this week, Anthony gives us a pretty serios “that’s the goal” quote. It’s said so matter-of-factly, it’s hard for me to believe Anthony hasn’t been pouring his focus into that all winter.

Now of course, the front office doesn’t want to publicly put that pressure on a 21-year-old kid (even though that’s exactly what they’ve done implicitly with their roster building), so you get quotes like this gem from Craig Breslow yesterday when Alex Speier of the Boston Globe asked him about the aforementioned ZiPS projections.

Uh yeah, as noted, they probably need a guy who can launch 30 home runs, not 20, and for better or worse, Roman Anthony is the guy mostly likely to fill those shoes.

Here’s Lou Merloni on Anthony being in the best shape of his life:

Putting the weight of the world on the shoulders of one of the youngest guys in the league is exactly what you shouldn’t be doing, but that’s precisely where we’re at entering 2026. Roman Anthony is already the best everyday player in Boston, and now the Red Sox need him to be a superstar. Because if he isn’t, they don’t have one in the lineup.

Reactions to the banning of Vladyslav Heraskevych from the Olympics

Notable reactions to Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych being banned from the Milan Cortina Games because of his insistence on wearing a helmet that pays tribute to athletes and coaches killed in the war with Russia:

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“No one, no one — especially me — is disagreeing with the messaging. The messaging is a powerful message. It’s a message of remembrance. It’s a message of memory and no one is disagreeing with that. The challenge that we are facing is that we wanted to ask or come up with a solution for just the field of play.” — International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry.

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“I thank our athlete for his clear stance. His helmet, bearing the portraits of fallen Ukrainian athletes, is about honor and remembrance. It is a reminder to the whole world of what Russian aggression is and the cost of fighting for independence. And in this, no rule has been broken.” — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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"I want to believe that the reason is that she really felt sorry as an athlete, as a former athlete, and that she really wants me to compete. But we have what we have and we’ll see what is next.” — Heraskevych, on his meeting with Coventry.

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“I think I'm just left with a real sense of sadness, and real surprise." — 2014 and 2018 women's skeleton Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold, speaking on the BBC.

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“He trained wearing a helmet bearing the faces of Ukrainian athletes and friends killed by Russia. He wanted to remind the world that this war continues. That it has names. Faces. Stories. He was excluded from the Olympics. Excluded by the same Olympic Committee that allowed 20 Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag.” — Katarina Mathernova, European Union Ambassador to Ukraine, on Instagram.

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“The IOC has banned not the Ukrainian athlete, but its own reputation. Future generations will recall this as a moment of shame.” — Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

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“It’s just a shame that he’s missed out on a chance of being able to compete at an Olympics, which is very sad.” — Olympic men's skeleton leader Matt Weston of Britain.

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“The International Olympic Committee destroyed our dreams. It's not fair.” — Mykhailo Heraskevych, the slider’s coach and father.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Cooper Woods upsets Mikael Kingsbury for Olympic gold in men's moguls in a tiebreaker

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — A big upset in men's moguls at the Milan Cortina Olympics was decided by a razor-thin margin. Hardly a margin at all, really.

Unheralded Australian freestyle skier Cooper Woods snatched the gold medal away from the sport's most decorated skier, Mikael Kingsbury of Canada, after both scored 83.71 points in Thursday's final. The tiebreaker in moguls is the “turns” score, a mark judges base on how cleanly the skiers moved their way through the bumps.

Turns make up 60% of a moguls score — with the two jumps and a racer's speed counting for 20% each. In this case, turns meant everything. Woods won that element 48.40 to 47.70.

That's how the Olympic gold ended up in the hands of the 25-year-old Woods, who had managed one podium finish in 51 World Cup events, and silver ended up with Kingsbury, who last month became the first moguls skier to amass 100 wins on the sport's top circuit.

This is Kingsbury's third Olympic silver medal, adding to second-place finishes in 2014 and 2022. He broke through for gold in at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

Woods wept with joy after as he realized his achievement of beating the moguls GOAT while Aussie fans cheered in the stands, with one holding up an inflatable wallaby.

Ikuma Horishima of Japan repeated as the bronze medalist from four years ago.

On Wednesday, Americans took gold and silver in women's moguls.

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Bucks vs. Thunder: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for February 12

The Oklahoma City Thunder (42-13) host the Milwaukee Bucks (22-30) tonight in each team’s final game before the All-Star Break. Each side will take the court minus their biggest star as Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) remain sidelined for the Bucks and Thunder respectively. Despite these absences, the Thunder have won two straight, including a rout of the Suns, while the Bucks have won four of their last five.

This is the third game in four nights for the Thunder. Last night, OKC blasted the Suns in Phoenix, 136-109. Jalen Williams led the way on offense with 28 points. Isaiah Joe chipped in 21 points off the bench. Milwaukee was in Orlando last night and knocked off the Magic, 116-108. In his second game with the Bucks, Cam Thomas came off the bench and scored 34 in just 25 minutes including four three-pointers.

This is the second of two regular season meetings between these teams. OKC routed the Bucks on January 21, 122-102. SGA led the Thunder with 40 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds, while Giannis scored 19 points for the Bucks.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content. 

Game Details and How to Watch Live: Bucks at Thunder

  • Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026
  • Time: 7:30PM EST
  • Site: Paycom Center
  • City: Oklahoma City, OK
  • Network/Streaming: FDSN Oklahoma, Amazon Prime Video

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Game Odds: Bucks at Thunder

The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Milwaukee Bucks (+490), Oklahoma City Thunder (-675)
  • Spread: Thunder -12.5
  • Total: 215.5 points

This game opened Thunder -13.5 with the Total set at 216.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule! 

Expected Starting Lineups: Bucks at Thunder

Milwaukee Bucks

  • PG Jaden Ivey
  • SG Anfernee Simon
  • SF Isaac Okoro
  • PF Matas Buzelis
  • C Guerschon Yabusele

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG Cason Wallace
  • SG Luguentz Dort
  • SF Jalen Williams
  • PF Chet Holmgren
  • C Isaiah Hartenstein

Injury Report: Bucks at Thunder

Milwaukee Bucks

  • Ryan Rollins (foot) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
  • Taurean Prince (neck) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Shair Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
  • Jalen Williams (hamstring) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
  • Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
  • Nikola Topic (cancer) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game

Important stats, trends and insights: Bucks at Thunder

  • The Bucks are 10-18 on the road this season
  • The Thunder are 22-5 at home this season
  • The Thunder are 27-28 ATS this season / 13-14 ATS at home
  • The Bucks are 23-29 ATS this season / 12-16 ATS on the road
  • The OVER has cashed in 21 of the Bucks’ 52 games this season (21-31)
  • The OVER has cashed in 29 of the Thunder’s 55 games this season (29-26)
  • The Thunder are 4-5-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall
  • Last night snapped a 3-game streak in which Chet Holmgren pulled down double-digit rebounds
  • Isaiah Hartenstein is averaging 7.2 rebounds through 5 games in February
  • Bobby Portis scored just 4 points in 16 minutes last night
  • Kyle Kuzma has averaged 3.8 assists through 5 games in February

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
 
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Bucks and Thunder game:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Thunder -12.5 ATS
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 215.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar! 

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

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Orioles question of the moment: If you could change one moment in franchise history, what would it be?

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 04: Edwin Encarnacion #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a three-run walk-off home run in the eleventh inning to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 in the American League Wild Card game at Rogers Centre on October 4, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Being a sports fan is all about the endurance of disappointment. Odds are that your team is not going to win the championship in a given year. They aren’t going to sign or trade for the exact player you want. That prospect that has been built up for years probably won’t pan out. But you keep watching anyway because, much like pizza, even bad sports are still pretty good.

Orioles fans are plenty familiar with all of those types of failings. The 21st century has largely been a calamity for this organization. They’ve lost a lot, gone though a few rebuilds, and gotten to experience only brief moments of glory. Hopefully 2026 will be one of the better seasons we have experienced.

But before we move forward, let’s go back. The discussion today will give you, dear reader, two powers. First, you get to go back in time. And then, you can actually alter history, probably ripping a hole in the space time continuum. But let’s not get all deep about it.

Today’s question: If you could change one moment in franchise history, what would it be?

Your answer will likely depend on your age. My realm of fandom is largely contained to the last 25 years or so. I was born in 1993, so my conscious enjoyment of baseball kicked off as soon as the team got really, really bad. The 2005 Orioles scarred me, and I will always love the 2012 squad.

With that in mind, here are some of the big things that stick out in my head. Signing Chris Davis to that massive contract going into 2016 was obviously a mistake. The decision to go with Ubaldo Jiménez while Zack Britton went unused in the bullpen during the 2016 AL Wild Card Game was baffling then, and still is today. Manny Machado should have been an Oriole for life, regardless of the cost.

Slightly older fans will certainly have thoughts about Mike Mussina going to the Yankees, or the Jeffrey Meier game in 1996. And the generation before them is likely to recall the World Series losses in 1979 or ’69. All are worthy contenders here.

What do you think, Camden Chat? What moment sticks out to you as something worth altering history for? What would you change? Let us know in the comment section.

Mets Morning News: Pitchers and catchers officially report

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 13: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets throws the ball against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning during a spring training game at Clover Park on March 13, 2025 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Meet the Mets

Francisco Lindor underwent surgery to fix the hamate injury he has been dealing with, but the Mets are optimistic he will be ready for Opening Day.

Kodai Senga has suffered some unfortunate injuries the past two seasons, and he’s hoping this is the year he will stay healthy and can be a productive member of the rotation.

There are plenty of new faces in camp both from outside the organization and rookies trying to make the team.

After a disappointing 2025 season and a revamped team heading into 2026, the Mets will need to get off to a good start or Carlos Mendoza could be facing some tough questions.

The Mets have had some dominant pitchers in their history, but who is the best pitcher of all time in the strikeout category?

Around the National League East

A panel of writers for USA Today predicted that the Braves will finish third in the NL East.

The Marlins signed lefty reliever John King to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million.

The Phillies reportedly told Nick Castellanos to not report to camp while they decide whether to trade or release the outfielder.

The Nationals signed veteran righty Miles Mikolas to a one-year contract.

Around Major League Baseball

The Orioles signed Chris Bassitt to a one-year, $18.5 million contract.

Both Corbin Carroll and Jackson Holliday also have broken hamate bones that require surgery, and it’s unclear whether they will be ready for Opening Day.

What exactly is the hamate bone, and why are so many players suffering this specific injury?

Lawyers for Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz argue he was a victim of Emmanuel Clase’s alleged pitch rigging scheme so they should be tried separately.

The number of British coaches in Major League Baseball is continuing to climb as they try to grown the game across the pond.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Chris McShane previewed Adbert Alzolay’s season.

Steve Sypa and Lukas Vlahos shared our list of the Mets’ top 25 prospects for the 2026 season.

This Date in Mets History

On this date in 1992, Keith Hernandez made a guest appearance on the TV show Seinfeld.