Category: Sports News

Three months after their baby’s death, Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia and his wife, Kayla, paid tribute to the little girl with a touching social media post.

The Vesias shared a snap of them on Tuesday embracing in front of a sunset with the caption, “Sterlings mom and dad .”

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In the picture, the two had smiles on their faces.

It’s the first time Kayla has put anything on her Instagram grid since Nov. 7, when she and Alex announced they had lost their daughter on Oct. 26, just two days after the Dodgers and Blue Jays began the World Series.

Alex was left off the roster for the championship games with what the Dodgers called “a deeply personal family matter.”

In the Vesias’ announcement of Sterling’s passing, they wrote, “There are no words to describe the pain we’re going through but we hold her in our hearts and cherish every second we had with her.”

They also penned a thank you message to the Dodgers, the Blue Jays and all their fans for their support.

“Our little angel,” they added in the caption of the post that showed them holding hands with their little girl, “we love you forever & you’re with us always.”

Vesia, 29, made his MLB debut in 2020 for the Marlins and then made his Dodgers debut in 2021 following a trade from Miami.

He’s logged 270 innings pitched in his five seasons with L.A. and has helped the Dodgers win two World Series.

He and Kayla went public with their romance in 2019, and they got married in 2024. Sterling the couple’s first child.

Fox Sports unveiled the bulk of their 2026 schedule on Friday, which includes six planned exclusive Saturday games on Fox and two more games on FS1.

Saturday games on Fox are exclusive broadcasts, which means no local telecast for those games, no SportsNet LA broadcast for the Dodgers games. The Dodgers’ six games exclusively on Fox include facing each of their last two National League Championship Series opponents as well as a 2024 World Series rematch against the Yankees in The Bronx. All of these Saturday games starting at 4:15 p.m. PT, except for July 18 against the Yankees:

• April 25 vs. Chicago Cubs
• May 2 at St. Louis Cardinals
• May 23 at Milwaukee Brewers
• July 18 at New York Yankees (5:08 p.m. PT)
• July 25 at New York Mets
• August 15 vs. Brewers

The Dodgers also had exactly six games exclusively on Fox each season dating back to 2022, the first four years of the network’s seven-year contract with Major League Baseball that runs through 2028.

Two other Dodgers games in 2026 will be on FS1, which are non-exclusive broadcasts and available locally, offering the rare dual-broadcast option for folks in the home markets for these games. Both of the FS1 Dodgers telecasts are road games — Monday, April 6 at the Toronto Blue Jays, and Thursday, August 27 at the Atlanta Braves.

To date, the other Dodgers games known to be exclusive to national television are opening day March 26 against the Diamondbacks on NBC and Peacock, and on Jackie Robinson Day Wednesday, April 15 against the Mets on ESPN. There are also two Tuesday games in the first half of the season on TBS, with those telecasts not exclusive.

Here are all the Los Angeles Dodgers games during the 2026 season that will be available to watch on television or streaming nationally.

NBC Sports is the newcomer among Major League Baseball’s broadcast partners this season, signing a three-year deal to take over the former ESPN ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ slate as well as Sunday leadoff games on NBC, NBC Sports Network, and Peacock. ESPN will still have exclusive games this season and through 2028, but those will now be during the week.

Other national broadcasters are Fox Sports, Apple TV+, and TBS.

The Dodgers’ first game of the season will be exclusively on national television, with NBC and Peacock showing opening day, March 26 against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers will also have three Sunday Night Baseball games on NBC/Peacock in July and August.

Six Dodgers Saturday games will be exclusively televised by Fox this season, beginning on April 25 against the Chicago Cubs. Two more games will be on FS1, though those games aren’t exclusive, which means the Dodgers’ own telecast on SportsNet LA will be available locally as well.

ESPN has already announced a little more than a handful of games this season, including the Dodgers on Jackie Robinson Day April 15 against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.

TBS announced its Tuesday night games through the end of June, including two Dodgers games on that first-half schedule.

Apple TV+ has not yet announced any of its exclusive Friday Night Baseball broadcasts. Typically, Apple TV+ announces the first half of its schedule before the season, then announces each successive month over the course of the season.

The Dodgers in 2025 had 17 games exclusively televised or streamed nationally, with 16 such games in 2024, and 17 exclusive national games in 2023.

Seranthony Dominguez, the long time Baltimore Orioles reliever whom the Blue Jays acquired at this past season’s trade deadline, has signed a deal with the Chicago White Sox. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the deal is for two years and $20 million.
Dominguez has been a steady performer throughout his career, with an ERA between 10 and 30% better than league average in all but one season and a 3.50 mark overall in 306.0 innings. Since missing 2020 and most of 2021 with injury, he’s managed at least 54 appearances and 50 innings in four straight seasons. His 10.5% career walk rate and very good but not elite 27.9% K rate aren’t quite high end closer material, but he has consistently limited hard contact and fits as a high quality setup man in a contender’s bullpen.

After being traded to Toronto in exchange for Juaron Watts-Brown, the Jays’ 2023 third round pick, he posted a 3.00 ERA in 24 appearances with 12 hits, 12 walks and 25 strikeouts in 21.0 innings. He also appeared in a dozen games during Toronto’s playoff run, allowing four runs over 11.1 innings. 

This winter, he entered free agency in the second tier of the relief market, behind elite closer Edwin Diaz. His contract is 10th in AAV and seventh in total value among relievers who have signed. 

The White Sox seem like an unlikely landing spot for an expensive 31 year old reliever. They project as one of the three worst teams in the league and solidly the worst in the American League. They have money to spend, though, with only four players making over a million dollars. The signing will push their payroll up from 30th in the league to 28th, ahead of the Miami Marlins and roughly tied with the Cleveland Guardians. They’ll also likely be able to flip him at either this deadline or the next, especially if they’re willing to keep some money. That’ll secure some prospect capital to continue their never ending rebuild. From Dominguez’s point of view, he lands a solid payday and a closer job, and while he isn’t going to get a chance for a ring in Chicago he might wherever they inevitably deal him.

For the Jays, this further reinforces that they’re probably done on the free agent market. The position player market is all but barren, with arguably no one left who would crack the starting lineup. Barring a shocking move for Framber Valdez, the same is true of the rotation. Dominguez coming off the board also means that there’s no remaining reliever who would move the needle. Any additions at this point will have to come from trades, if they don’t feel like they’re ready with the roster they currently have.

Best of luck to Seranthony in Chicago.

This would be a significant change on the trade winds rumor front.

According to former Fox 26 Houston Sports Director Will Kunkel, the Astros are not currently in trade discussions with the Boston Red Sox for OF Jarren Duran:

Now, trade talks and rumors are a fickle entity, as not currently being in trade talks doesn’t mean they weren’t previously in trade talks, nor does it mean they cannot be involved in future trade talks. However, at the current time, it would appear these trade talks have stalled/ceased.

The Astros have also been linked to another Red Sox player, OF Wilyer Abreu. While not possessing Duran’s offensive upside, Abreu is also a lefthanded hitter, is younger, and has won 2 consecutive Gold Gloves in the outfield. Abreu is not arbitration eligible until 2027, making him far cheaper than Duran.

As posted on Crawfish Boxes yesterday, the Red Sox may be transitioning off of Isaac Paredes and looking for a more defensive-minded player for 2B instead. You can see that information here:

https://www.crawfishboxes.com/houston-astros-discussion/71855/are-red-sox-pivoting-away-from-astros-paredes-as-trade-target

The Astros are still considered likely to clear up their current logjam in the infield by trading either Isaac Paredes or Christian Walker. Paredes has far more value, and a Walker trade would be more of a salary dump.

The Milwaukee Brewers play big. The zythophilian juggernauts of the NL Central have the same number of division titles as the Dodgers over the past half decade. They’ve been punching down on the incompetent and/or uncompetitive clubs in their division, while managing to outmaneuver the Chicago Cubs, and pushing the St. Louis Cardinals into their first period of irrelevance in the 21st century. Many of those haymakers have come from a vaunted pitching development program, generating aces from unexpected places. Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta have benefited from brilliant bullpens, too, with Josh Hader, Devin Williams, Abner Uribe, and Trevor Megill blossoming on the West Coast (of Lake Michigan).

The newest focus for the Brew Crew, however, has been on punching up. While they can frequently outfox their low-effort division-mates, what’s put Milwaukee in perennial competition in recent years has been the capacity to literally punch up. Milwaukee had the shortest position player group in MLB last year, in particular on the infield dirt. None of 3B Caleb Durbin (5’7), SS Joey Ortiz (5’10), 2B Brice Turang (5’11), nor 1B Andrew Vaughn (5’10) clear the six-foot line. Both OF Isaac Collins, since traded to Kansas City, and OF Sal Frelick, are also just 5’8. These are normal sized human beings, even on the taller end in some cases. But like Leo Rivas, clocking in at 5’8, 150, they are players against the grain of the modern, tools-oozing Adonises who will often earn the centerfold from scouts and analysts.

MLB has always had room for the little guy. Unlike basketball and football, which have the occasional pint-sized performer (or have narrow, specialized niches for such players), baseball players have always been able to more easily walk down the street without being immediately identified as athletes. It’s an endearing feature of the game, one that allows people of all ages and sizes to identify more easily with those on the field. There is an immense amount of work that goes into being a pro athlete in any sport, but most of us could simply never be Aaron Judge or Rob Gronkowski, Josh Allen or Victor Wembanyama.

But Leo Rivas? Leo Rivas could be anybody.

The good-natured Venezuelan turned 28 this past October, famously celebrating his birthday with one of the biggest hits in Seattle Mariners history. His game-tying pinch-hit RBI single capped a stellar second season, with Rivas performing his way into a key role late in the season as the 2B and backup infielder.

With Jorge Polanco gone, there’s a case for Rivas to take on the starting 2B spot. After all, in half a season of total big league games, he’s mustered a 107 wRC+ with a patient approach, steals bases frequently and efficiently, and can cover the entire infield capably. Switch-hitting makes him more versatile than many utility players, and yet Seattle seems unlikely to give Rivas the pole position.

Cole Young, no towering titan himself, is much younger and more heralded than the man who came to Seattle as a minor league free agent. Despite a disappointing debut season, Young has shown higher capacity to hit the ball hard, and has on paper and otherwise similar profile to that of Little Leo. I can’t say I disagree ferociously with Seattle’s assessment. After all, for nearly a decade, Rivas struggled to separate himself as a minor leaguer. The area in which hitters who lack meaningful big league power can still be successful is a target you’d want George Kirby or Bryan Woo to be aiming for.

Still, I am concerned Rivas is being literally overlooked. Much of Milwaukee‘s lineup has been effective, not just because of their skill, but because they have been given consistent opportunities. Rivas does not look like most of the sport’s best players. And yet, everything he did last year looked at least like a solid big leaguer. Going out on a limb for players who looked like Rivas has been a boon for the Brewers. In Seattle, soft line drives and free passes are the bread and butter of their long time stalwart shortstop, J.P. Crawford. Why shouldn’t it be the foundation for their keystone as well?

Rivas will likely start 2026 in competition with Miles Mastrobuoni for the utility spot on the bench. Because he still has minor league options remaining, it’s likely the switch hitting Venezuelan starts his season in Tacoma. I can’t help but wonder if he’s capable of more.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll ranked ninth on MLB Network’s Top 100 Players Right Now countdown earlier tonight. The two-time All-Star, who was ranked 32nd on the Top 100 Players Right Now countdown last year, finished one spot ahead of five-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays and one spot behind 2025 American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers. On Carroll, MLB Network analyst Steve Phillips said, “He now is that combination of power and speed, and those are the most impactful players in the game. Those 30-plus homers, 30 doubles from him, the stolen base numbers from him, and he’s doing such unique things right now with what he’s done at the plate.”

In addition to Carroll, teammate Ketel Marte ranked 19th last night while Geraldo Perdomo ranked 24th on Monday on the Top 100 Players Right Now. Here is the top 25 listing, along with the previous year’s position in brackets.

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH/P, Dodgers (1)
2. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees (2)
3. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals (3)
4. Cal Raleigh, C, Mariners (59)
5. José Ramírez, 3B, Guardians (9)
6. Juan Soto, SS, Mets (4)
7. Paul Skenes, P, Pirates (15)
8. Tarik Skubal, P, Tigers (11)
9. Corbin Carroll, OF, Diamondbacks (32)
10. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays (13)
11. Francisco Lindor, SS, Mets (6)
12. Garrett Crochet, SP, Red Sox (56)
13. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SP, Dodgers (63)
14. Ronald Acuña Jr., RF, Braves (16)
15. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF, Padres (22)
16. Julio Rodríguez, CF, Mariners (23)
17. Kyle Schwarber, DH, Phillies (65)
18. Mookie Betts, SS, Dodgers (5)
19. Ketel Marte, 2B, Diamondbacks (18)
20. Will Smith, C, Dodgers (60)
21. Kyle Tucker, RF, Dodgers (14)
22. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Dodgers (8)
23. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics (no rank)
24. Geraldo Perdomo, SS, Diamondbacks (no rank)
25. Trea Turner, SS, Phillies (35)

Obviously, the Dodgers lead the way, with six (!) players on the list above. But nobody else has as many as the Diamondbacks, which is nice. The problem, of course, is not the top of the Arizona roster. It’s the sharp drop-off after that trio which is going to limit the D-backs. You have Gabriel Moreno, who should be solid. But otherwise? With all respect to the likes of Blaze Alexander, Alek Thomas, etc. I can’t feel they were unjustly overlooked for the top 100. The lack of pitchers is also apparent. Maybe next year, the Diamondbacks might have some listed here? Corbin Burnes and, perhaps, Ryne Nelson would be nice.

It’s also interesting to see Perdomo ranked below Carroll and Marte, even though by all metrics he was clearly more valuable than them last season. I think it’s Gerry’s lack of track record which is likely responsible for that. Perdomo was almost the highest new entry on the list this year, just one place beyond Nick Kurtz, who had a similarly unexpected breakout campaign. Anything close to the same season for Perdomo in 2026, and he could be looking at joining Carroll in the top ten.

The regular MLB Network Top 10 Right Now at each position gets under way on Monday. First up are the second baseman, and based on the above, Marte should be leading that group. But for now: what do you think – both of the Arizona player placements, and the top 25 in general?