Category: Sports News

The bats are cracking. The gloves are popping. The fans are arguing over uniforms. Brandon Marsh’s hair is wet. Baseball has arrived.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Jesús Luzardo faced live hitters for the first time this spring yesterday, and he put on a show.
• Bunting isn’t really considered “cool” anymore, but Justin Crawford is determined to bring back the art of the bunt base hit. ($)
• José Alvarado is looking to move past his disappointing 2025. One way he’s trying to do it is maybe throwing more four seam fastballs. ($)
• Bobby Dickerson has worked some wonders with the Phillies infield defense. Here’s a peek inside at his unconventional spring drills. ($)

MLB news:

• Bruce Meyer has been named the interim executive director of the MLB Players Association in the wake of Tony Clark’s resignation.
• The Braves will start the season down two starting pitchers, as Spencer Schwellenbach had a procedure to “clean up” his elbow and Hurston Waldrep will undergo a similar procedure sometime next week.
• The Yankees are reportedly hiring a former Cubs official to their front office who was credited with helping to make Chicago a destination for Japanese players. ($)

Hello, friends.

There are now 35 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. That’s just five weeks away. Something vaguely resembling an Orioles game will be available on your television or other streaming device tomorrow with the opening of the Grapefruit League schedule.

This also means that today is the last day that there will just be general spring workouts that are not in some way oriented towards a game. For all of the focus on spring training being a time to iron out fundamentals and what not, there’s really only a handful of days after the full squad has reported before games start up and it becomes less about drills and more about game readiness.

The only thing that can come from these early days is bad news, probably news of the injury variety. I’m still looking to get something more specific about what’s going on with Jordan Westburg’s sore oblique. Mike Elias’s “surprise offseason injury” update from the start of camp implied that Westburg would miss only the first few exhibition games and that’s it, but Westburg’s self-assessment a couple of days later was vague and not supportive of that initial claim, with not even an aspirational timeline to when he might return.

My rule about baseball injury news is that vague is frequently eventually bad news that nobody wants to say right now. I hope that doesn’t prove to be the case with Westburg’s oblique as well. Specific news can also be bad, of course. You just know how specifically bad it is rather than having to wonder. Again, the games start tomorrow. I think they should have offered a firm date for his first game by now, and until they do that I’ll be at least a little bit concerned that they haven’t said one because there isn’t one.

Just last spring we saw Gunnar Henderson’s sore oblique drag out almost through the whole of spring training, with the Orioles perpetually acting like Henderson could be back in two or three more days. That didn’t do anybody any favors, especially when they rushed him back into action at the tail end of the recovery. If that is how it goes with Westburg, I hope they’ve learned their lesson. But I also hope that’s not how it goes with Westburg.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Adam Jones arrives as guest coach, more from day 8 of Orioles camp (School of Roch)
Also includes Blaze Alexander hitting a home run off of Cade Povich, which probably shouldn’t be taken as a sign to get hype about Alexander. Good for him, though.

Building a football team out of all of the ‘really large humans’ at Orioles camp (Orioles.com)
There are a lot of possible linebackers around here, apparently.

Jeremiah Jackson on making an impression with Orioles: ‘Every day is a job interview’ (Baltimore Baseball)
Although he made a nice impression last year, it does seem like Jackson is going to have to fight for a roster spot even after the Jackson Holliday injury, and possibly even also if Westburg’s situation develops worse than they’ve revealed so far. I just don’t know if the Orioles will trust him to play an infield position.

OOPSY 2026 top 100 prospects (FanGraphs)
I’m pretty much only posting this because my guy Aron Estrada checks in at #31 on the top 100. Obviously, that makes this the best top 100 prospect list that anyone has put out yet this year.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Nothing of particular note is recorded for this day in Orioles history. That probably won’t change this year unless there’s some bad news.

Of all the players to ever play for the Orioles, not a single one was born on this day.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! You may not have any Orioles birthday buddies for today, but you do have these: astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473), author Carson McCullers (1917), musician Smokey Robinson (1940), actor and movie maker Benicio del Toro (1967), singer-songwriter Chappell Roan (1998), and actress Millie Bobby Brown (2004).

On this day in history…

In 1674, the English and Dutch signed the Treaty of Westminster, which ended the Third Anglo-Dutch War. Relevant to today’s United States, the treaty transferred ownership of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam to England, which renamed the area to New York.

In 1847, rescuers reached the stranded Donner Party in a pass in modern-day California. The group is now infamous for its survivors resorting to cannibalism to survive.

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which led to the internment of Japanese Americans into camps for the duration of World War II.

A random Orioles trivia question

I received a random book of Orioles trivia for Christmas. Each time it’s my turn in this space, I’ll post a question from the book until I either run out of questions or forget. The book has multiple choice answers, but that would be too easy for everyone here. Here’s today’s question:

Who slugged 31 home runs in 2002 to lead the Orioles that season?

The answer to Sunday’s question about the all-time Orioles triples leader, which stumped many who guessed, is Brooks Robinson. If you are guessing early in the day, please be considerate and place your answer behind spoiler text so that people arriving later can still have a fresh opportunity to guess.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on February 19. Have a safe Thursday.

As the adage about the baseball’s simplicity goes, you throw the ball, you hit the ball, you catch the ball, you win all your games, and you go undefeated.

The 2026 Ole Miss baseball team did most of those things in their wins over Nevada (3), Arkansas State (1), and Jackson State (1), which was a fine start to the season. Obviously, the level of competition is not what it will be during their trip to Houston at the end of this month and once they get to March, but ain’t nothing wrong with any level of TCB in the early non-conference slate.

So let’s look at some of the key stats produced in the first week, keeping in mind some are not sustainable and at least one needs to get fixed ASAP or it will cost them meaningful games.

Run Differential

Ole Miss is sitting at a cool +39 (54-15) , with two of their wins achieving a 7-inning run rule. Of note, the Rebels trailed Arkansas State 6-4 after 5 innings and rallied to win 7-6, and their lowest run output was 5 runs in the second game against Nevada.

It’s encouraging to not see a grotesque 3 runs or under game, an offense that can score when they’re not at their best, and a pitching staff that isn’t bleeding out late in games.

At the Plate

These are acceptable (ACCEPTABLE) team numbers:

• .488 on-base percentage
• .588 slugging percentage
• 10 dingers*
• 39 walks to 37 strikeouts
• 19 total extra-base hits

*4 came against Jackson State, which means 6 in the other 4 games.

They get on base and smash the baseball. It’s also encouraging to see more walks than strikeouts, which we would love to see hold steady as the season goes on.

Most importantly, Tristan Bissetta decided his home run celebration will involve giving the Italian pinched fingers gesture to the student section.

On the Mound

Much like the hitting, Ole Miss’ pitching as been on point:

• 1.15 WHIP
• 5.5 to 1 strikeout-to-walk ratio
• 9 earned runs*
• 2 dingers allowed
• 11 total extra-base hits

*More on this in a minute!

Like the hitters, they’ve dominated their opponents, and we love to see only 10 total walks. Not making it easy for opposing offenses helps win games while also not driving everyone insane.

In the Field

Granted, I don’t remember specifics, but I’m certain the Joker’s origin story involved him rooting for a college baseball team incapable of doing basic things correctly. Things like fielding a ball cleanly, throwing the ball into a teammate’s glove, and catching a ball thrown to you.

Ole Miss has 9 errors through 5 games. If there is a positive, 5 of those came against Arkansas State, which means 4 errors total in the other 4 games. Still not great!

Last year’s team made 68 errors in 64 games and had a team fielding percentage of .970. This year’s team has a fielding percentage of .949 and is on pace for 115 errors in 64 games

Look, none of us want to become the Joker, but that’s where we’re headed if Ole Miss doesn’t rise to an average fielding team. I don’t know how much a team can transform its fielding incompetence within a season, but if this team wants to have a shot at Omaha, they have to figure out a way to limit the nonsense.

Next Up

• vs. Missouri State (Friday)
• vs. Missouri State (Saturday)
• vs. Missouri State (Sunday)

No word if Bobby Petrino will be on hand to support his former employer.

The AL East looks like the best division in baseball headed into 2026, and that’s thanks in no small part to the arms race that took place over the winter between the division’s five clubs. The Blue Jays spent big money after winning the AL pennant, the Red Sox made major moves in free agency and the trade market, and even the Orioles made splashes, swinging deals for pitching and signing Pete Alonso to a monster deal (the Rays, well, remain the Rays).

The Yankees, for as much guff as they’ve taken for their Run it Back strategy, had a somewhat active winter, even if most of their activity meant retaining players that were on the 2025 roster. All the bustle of the offseason got me wondering: of all the players acquired by AL East teams over the offseason, which one will be the best in 2026?

For the purpose of this exercise, any player that wasn’t on an AL East team’s roster once the World Series ended counts as an acquisition, which means that Cody Bellinger counts as a signing for the Yankees even though he was on the team in 2025, as does Shane Bieber for the Blue Jays, for example.

It could be Dylan Cease, who inked a seven-year deal with Toronto, or one of the Blue Jays’ other signings, such as Cody Ponce or Kazuma Okamoto. It could be any of Boston’s trade acquisitions, from Sonny Gray to Willson Contreras, or even Caleb Durbin, not to mention free-agent starter Ranger Suárez. The O’s added Alonso, as well as hard-thrower Shane Baz, outfielder Taylor Ward, and veteran Chris Bassitt. The Yankees, for their part, re-signed Bellinger and Trent Grisham, and added talented left-hander Ryan Weathers, among others. Will one of them be the best player that came on this offseason?

Another way to phrase this question: which of the players signed or traded in the division will prove to be most significant in 2026? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

This morning, Josh will discuss the Anthony Volpe Situation, and Maximo will celebrate catcher Chris Stewart as part of our Yankee Birthday series. Also, Peter previews Luis Gil’s 2026 campaign, and for the last post of our Yankees Free Agency series, Matt writes up the Max Fried signing, the most recent mega contract the Yankees have handed out.

Spring training games start this weekend which means we’re one step closer to baseball being back! As always, regular players will be slowly ramped up (pitchers especially), meaning it will be a few weeks before we see a game that looks more like a regular season game, but we’ll also get plenty of chances to see players get new opportunities in the meantime.

One the one hand, it’s always nice to see the stars like Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan back in action (though no longer Pablo Lopez. Get better soon, bud). On the other, Spring Training is also a great chance for fans to get a sample of top prospects. 

The Twins have four of their five top prospects (Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Connor Prielipp) in big league camp. With the WBC picking up later this Spring, all four of those players should get some extended run against MLB competition when Buxton, Ryan, Taj Bradley, and others leave to compete for their home countries. 

I’m also very excited to see younger regulars like Brooks Lee and Royce Lewis. A lot of the Twins’ success or failure will depend specifically on the offensive development of those two players. Spring Training stats are meaningless, but I want to see if either player has finally progressed to the point that they can be more patient and selective on the pitches they attack. 

Who are you most excited to see this Spring? 

The Pittsburgh Pirates core of infielders has some exciting pop but could be considered a unit that is incomplete overall.

For the last couple of seasons, the Pirates have struggled to find an everyday first baseman. The acquisition for Spencer Horwitz in December of 2024 was met with some critical feedback, as the Pirates gave up pitcher Luis Ortiz in the trade for a player who was going to require wrist surgery and not be ready for the beginning of the season. Although he still has a lot to prove, the Pirates have already won the Horwtiz trade. Ortiz had great potential but may never play again after being indicted for rigging pitches, and Horwitz performed well as the Buccos first baseman in 2025 once he was cleared medically to play.

Ryan O’Hearn figures to have a prominent role at first as well, but with the way the team is currently constructed, it seems that he may be playing more in the outfield than originally envisioned. In MLB.com’s list of projected Opening Day lineups, O’Hearn was slated to play left field while Horwitz was at first base. Marcell Ozuna could also see time at first when he’s not serving as the team’s designated hitter, adding additional power to this spot in the lineup. This is the first time this position has had this kind of depth since Carlos Santana was with the team.

Second base also looks like a spot that is pretty cut and clear personnel wise. The Pirates went out and got Brandon Lowe in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays and immediately upgraded the position far beyond the caliber that they’ve had arguably since Neil Walker was with the club. Lowe was an All-Star in 2025 who had 31 homers and 83 RBIs with a slash line of .256/.307/.784 with a slugging percentage of .477 as well. Lowe was ranked as the seventh best second baseman in baseball heading into this year.

Shortstop is a position that has some question marks surrounding it because of the possibility that top prospect Konnor Griffin could be occupying that spot. Griffin is the unanimous top prospect in baseball right now and is already turning heads in Bradenton as a non-roster invitee to big league Spring Training. However, the Pirates have been notoriously slow with rookies, especially with ones that they want to maintain team control over, so it’s anyone’s guess as to when Griffin will actually start his career in Pittsburgh.

If not Griffin on Opening Day, the team will look to Nick Gonzales to take the reins at shortstop. Gonzales spent a majority of his 2025 season at second base, but made the move over after Isiah Kiner-Falefa was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays. With that being said Gonzales has spent enough time at short in the past and is more than a capable defender at the position. While Gonzales is not the weakest link in the Pirates’ lineup as an infielder, he certainly does not have the same pop as his counterparts on the other side of the field. Gonzales had an average year at the plate in 2025, but has not to this point looked like the top hitter he was at New Mexico State.

Currently, the lone option the Buccos have at third base is long time utility man Jared Triolo. The former Gold Glove Award winner is a great defender who can play virtually anywhere on the field, but will likely spend most of his time at third in 2026 given the lack of other players that can fill that role. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s, Jason Mackey, told 93.7 The Fan Pittsburgh that the Pirates’ search for another third baseman continues but has cooled since entering Spring Training.

Triolo is more than capable of being the team’s everyday third baseman for the entirety of the season, but he is by far the worst hitter from this infield group. With that being said his defensive prowess outshines anyone on the entire team so his presence should not be viewed as a negative. More consistency in the lineup could be beneficial to Triolo looking to take the next step in his career offensively.

Overall this infield group has some nice pieces, but is not without its question marks. The lack of depth at third base could become an issue if Triolo goes down with an injury but this is still a group that should be able to contribute heavily to a lineup that is in dire need of more offense. Look for this group as a whole to take a big leap forward in 2026.

Six bold predictions that would spark Phillies in 2026 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s that time. Speculation time. Spring Training brings enough preseason hype to stir some flashy expectations ahead of a new season.

We’re a month and a week from Opening Day. Time’s flying. The offseason did too.

This Phillies club has a steady floor, but there are still questions about how sustainable it is. There’s new blood on the roster, new deals with core players, and clear areas that need to improve if they’re going to get over the hump — which means there’s room for a few pleasant surprises.

Like the following.

Bryce Harper puts together a 35-plus homer campaign

He’s the hottest topic, so let him take it away. The two-time MVP has that look in his eye. The Phillies have unfinished business and he’s aware of it, having been at the forefront of four straight postseason runs.

The number might feel lofty considering Harper hasn’t hit that mark since 2021. A lot of that traces back to health, and he seems to be in a great spot entering the season. The Phillies are going to do all they can to protect his bat in the lineup.

After not seeing as many pitches in the zone in 2025, Harper can stay patient, hunt hittable pitches and punish mistakes. Don’t be surprised if we get three or four multi-homer games if he’s pushing 35. His odds to hit 40 are just over 5-1, so even that’s not completely out of the picture.

Harper might even go light up the World Baseball Classic as a precursor to a resurgent — if that’s the appropriate term — 2026.

Justin Crawford wins Rookie of the Year

The award feels wide open. There’s no clear-cut favorite, which opens the door for Crawford.

If he’s the everyday center fielder, he’ll have the chance to compile all year — extra-base hits, RBIs and stolen bases. Based on early reports out of Clearwater, he seems like one of those composed rookies — like Steven Kwan in 2022 — who can contribute from the jump.

Yes, he’s stepping into a big market with a passionate fan base, but he’ll be protected from the No. 9 hole (his expected spot) by All-Star-caliber hitters in Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber.

His ability to hit same-side pitching throughout the minors — plus what happens when he puts the ball in play — gives him a real shot to be one of the more exciting young outfielders in baseball. A .290 average, 35 XBH and 30 steals would likely be enough for the award.

Speed still kills — just ask his father, Carl — and that, paired with his old-fashioned contact ability, makes him an interesting pick at 15-1 odds to take home the hardware.

Aidan Miller becomes an everyday infielder post-All-Star break

“Youth infusion,” just like manager Rob Thomson has preached.

The 21-year-old, bouncing around the infield in Spring Training, is going to put the Phillies in a tough spot all year long. Over the last two months of his 2025 season, Miller posted OPS’ over 1.000 in each month. His speed and base-running aggressiveness took a jump too, swiping 59 bases a year after tallying just 23.

He could cut down on the swing-and-miss, but that’s more of a big-league critique. The Phillies know what they have in the former first-rounder and they don’t want to rush his progression. But if he’s at Triple-A to begin the season, his presence alone will light a metaphorical fire under Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott the entire season.

Sure, that can be a positive for those former “Daycare” members. But it’s more likely that Miller’s success at the minor league level becomes so overwhelming that he forces his way up — even if it means Harper heads back to the outfield, which is very unlikely.

Phillies land Byron Buxton at the trade deadline

It’s been a name floating around for years, and the Phillies and Minnesota were a match not once, but twice last season. They made deals for Harrison Bader and Jhoan Duran.

The Phillies could still use another right-handed force who can impact the middle of the order with power. Adolis García might provide that jolt, but if it’s not his 2022-23 form, Dave Dombrowski could get antsy in a playoff push and swing a deal for Buxton.

Minnesota will easily be one of the worst teams in the game. They recently lost one of their top starters in Pablo López to a potentially season-ending injury. They’re coming off a 70-win 2025 season. It’s not looking promising.

Buxton was the lone bright spot offensively. He slugged a career-high 35 homers, drove in 83 runs and posted an .878 OPS. He earned his first Silver Sluggers honors in his 11th big league season. He even stole 24 bases without being caught — the only player with at least 15 steals without a caught stealing. Add in plus defense, and you’ve got a player who fits a winning club in a lot of ways.

The Phillies may not have a direct need in the outfield right now, but this is an upgrade anywhere. Ultimately, this might become less bold as the season progresses.

Aaron Nola notches 200 innings and posts a sub-3.50 ERA

Surprisingly, the 32-year-old has only paired those two together once in his 11-year career.

The World Baseball Classic — and the ramp-up for it — could be beneficial to Nola. He dealt with injuries last season, but don’t forget he got Cy Young votes the year prior.

Pitchers who lose a tick or two often need time to adjust — not necessarily reinvent themselves, but find a consistent new way to get outs. In Nola’s case, the velocity should return close to normal with a healthy camp. While Zack Wheeler will likely still be more than effective when he returns, Nola is the arm in the rotation there isn’t much buzz around right now.

If Nola can even make 30 starts, that’s a massive plus. And his ability to keep hitters off balance could help him return to true form. The Phillies could really use it, especially with Taijuan Walker’s uncertainty and a rookie fifth starter in Andrew Painter.

Phillies lead the league in bullpen ERA

This gets bold when you understand the history behind it. 50 years ago — 1976 — is the last time they pulled off this feat, and it’d be the first time since 2008 that they’d lead the National League.

It’s a strong group. Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran are arguably the best eighth-and-ninth inning combo in baseball. But it’s the depth bridging to those final two innings that gives them a real shot.

Tanner Banks, José Alvarado and Orion Kerkering could all realistically register below-3 ERAs, but the real swing factor is the complementary relievers fighting for spots.

While not guarantees to make the Opening Day roster right now, right-hander Jonathan Bowlan — acquired for Matt Strahm — and Kyle Backhus are two names with big league experience who, with some fine-tuning, could get meaningful outs.

Look out for this bullpen. It’s the biggest area of improvement from last year’s club heading into the season.