Category: Sports News

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Reds fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The 2025 season was something of a success for the Cincinnati Reds, at least by the modern standards set by the franchise and its current ownership group.

The club managed to coax future Hall of Fame manager Terry Francona out of his temporary hiatus and into their dugout. The team on the field put together the most cromulent set of starting pitchers since their 2012 NL Central title. As the race for the final playoff spot in the National League intensified, they managed to get the job done, sneaking into the postseason with a final regular season record of 83-79.

Their faint championship hopes faded immediately at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers, eventual World Series champs, but the reality is that 2025 featured more good news than bad. Still, they finished a distant 3rd in their own division.

The Milwaukee Brewers paced all of Major League Baseball with their 97 regular season victories, and the Chicago Cubs surged into the playoffs with 92. The Reds, who made the playoffs slightly ahead of the New York Mets, finished 14 games back of their division leaders, while the Mets finished only 13 games back in their own NL Central.

Cincinnati, to its credit, went out and signed slugger Eugenio Suárez over the winter to bolster their offense, and they are banking on improvements across the board from their emerging corps of position players. Hunter Greene is once again sidelined for quite awhile, though, and it’s not as if the Brewers and Cubs haven’t made their own moves to get better this winter, too. The Pittsburgh Pirates, too, are even looming after an offseason of spending that’s unprecedented for that club.

That begs the question – just how high in the NL Central standings can the Reds finish in 2026? Have they done enough to climb the ladder to the top, or is the ladder simply not tall enough?

Let us know where you think the Reds can finish this season!

Happy Tuesday! The Mariners are back in action today against the Colorado Rockies at 1:10 PM, with the starting pitcher yet to be announced.

In some non-baseball news, it’s time for March Madness! One of my personal favorite times of the year. If you think you have what it takes to beat both staff writers and commenters, or if you’re just in it for the love of the game, sign up for our Lookout Landing March Madness bracket pool. Updates of bracket standings will be posted in the Moose Tracks as the tournament goes on, and who knows, there might even be some fun prizes involved for the winner. Brackets officially lock on Thursday morning, good luck to all!

In Mariners news…

• Mariners prospects Lucas Kelly, Casey Hintz, and Yorger Bautista are a few names in a loaded Mariners farm system who could be poised for breakout seasons.
• Mariners senior director of player personnel Dave Cameron was once a Mariners blogger just like us!
• Lookout Landing is collecting your preseason predictions to include in our annual predicitions article. Fill out the form here.

In the World Baseball Classic…

• An electric seventh-inning rally from Venezuela started by Ronald Acuña Jr. propelled them to a 4-2 win over Italy in the WBC semifinals. They will matchup against Team USA in an exciting final tonight at 5 PM.

Around the league…

• MLB will reportedly implement five different experimental rule changes in the minor leagues this season, including starting pitcher reentry, pitch clock changes, and more.
• Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
• Patrick Dubuque at Baseball Prospectus writes eloquently about the unfortunate strike call that ended the Team USA vs Dominican Republic WBC semifinal game. ($)
• San Diego Padres RHP Joe Musgrove will likely begin the 2026 season on the injured list.
• The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed infielder Luis Urias to a minor league deal.
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been named as the Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day starter.

The 2025 Boston Red Sox were the third team in the AL East to make the postseason with an 89-73 record. They had the fourth-best record in the American League and lost in the Wild Card round to the Yankees. It was the Red Sox first playoff appearance since 2021 and just their second since they won the World Series in 2018. They had a three-season non-winning streak prior to 2025, and I certainly wasn’t happy to see that streak end.

The 2025 Red Sox were good enough to make the playoffs, but they had plenty of room to improve. Their bullpen was one of the best in baseball, but their starting rotation was middle of the pack. Their offense was top-10 by most measures. They have made a lot of changes to improve and make up for players they lost, especially in the starting rotation.

Additions & Subtractions

The 2025 Red Sox starting rotation had a combined fWAR of 11.7, with half of that coming from ace pitcher Garrett Crochet. Their #2 starter was Brayan Bello, who is a fine pitcher but not a number two. So the Red Sox went out and got two more starters to boost their rotation.

First,they traded for Sonny Gray. Gray is 36 years old and starting to show his age. He had a 4.28 ERA in 32 starts with the Cardinals last year, but the Red Sox are obviously hoping Gray has enough in the tank to be a solid contributor. In December, they traded for Johan Oviedo, who comes from the Pirates and slots in at the back of the rotation.

Their biggest move came in January, when they signed Ranger Suárez to a five-year, $130 million contract. This one hurt the Orioles on multiple fronts. Not only did their division rivals sign one of the best pitchers on the market this offseason, but Suárez is a pitcher the Orioles are believed to have pursued. After the signing, Jon Heyman reported that the Orioles offered him $125M. Ouch.

Lucas Giolito had a solid 2025 season with the Red Sox, but is currently still a free agent. That’s strange to me, but he isn’t a Red Sock any longer. With the changes, the Red Sox rotation currently stands as Crochet, Suárez, Gray, Bello, and Oviedo.

The Red Sox didn’t make many changes to the bullpen, though they recently added former Oriole Danny Coulombe. Their bullpen will continue to be headlined by closer Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock. If we’re lucky, this will be the year that the 38-year-old Chapman gets bad and goes away forever.

On offense, the Red Sox look to improve first base with Willson Contreras, acquired from the Cardinals. They had something of a revolving door at first base last year, including Nathaniel Lowe, who left as a free agent and signed with the Reds.

Their biggest offensive loss is Alex Bregman, who left Boston for the Chicago Cubs. In turn, the Red Sox traded for Caleb Durbin, who had a solid rookie season with Milwaukee in 2025.

2025 rookie Marcelo Mayer will slot in at second base. Trevor Story will continue to man shortstop and the outfield will be manned with returning players Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela. Anthony could end up being the best hitter on the team.

Projections

• PECOTA: 82-80 (4th in AL East)
• FanGraphs: 89-73 (3rd in AL East)

That’s a pretty big difference in the two projection systems. The Red Sox made a lot of changes this offseason. Their starting rotation has been overhauled and their offense has several key changes. PECOTA thinks that will lose them seven wins from last year and FanGraphs has them holding steady. It’ s interesting that even with all their changes, these projections don’t expect any improvement.

In recent history, the Red Sox have been contenders or have been terrible. Middle of the road isn’t really a thing for them. Given that, I won’t be surprised no matter what happens with them.

Baseball careers rarely follow a straight line. Some players spend years bouncing not only between the majors and the minors, but between teams and even leagues. Others remain in the game long after their playing days end as coaches, broadcasters, or front office executives. Some players never make it to the big leagues and fade from memory. Others are fortunate enough to reach the majors and then find another adventure that keeps them fulfilled.

Tim Lollar is one of those latter fortunate fellas. The former Yankees southpaw celebrates his 70th birthday today.

William Timothy Lollar
Born: March 17, 1956 (Poplar Bluff, MO)
Yankees tenure: 1980

Tim Lollar was a Show-Me State standout athlete at Farmington High School in the 1970s, excelling in baseball, football, basketball, and golf. After graduating, Lollar accepted a baseball scholarship to Mineral Area College in nearby Park Hills, where he played for two seasons before transferring to the University of Arkansas.

In Fayetteville during the late 1970s, Lollar developed into a dominant left-handed pitcher and among the most accomplished players in Razorbacks history. His success at Arkansas came during an era when the Razorbacks were building a reputation as one of the strongest baseball programs in the country. Under legendary head coach Norm DeBriyn, Arkansas developed a steady pipeline of major-league talent, and Lollar quickly established himself as one of the program’s brightest stars.

During his time in Fayetteville, Lollar showed the kind of versatility that made him particularly appealing to professional scouts. Not only could he dominate on the mound with a powerful left arm, but he also contributed at the plate. His talent earned him All-American honors in 1978, becoming the first player in Razorbacks history to receive the distinction.

Lollar’s well-rounded skill set made him one of the most intriguing players available from the 1978 amateur pool. For a franchise like the Yankees, which was constantly looking to restock its pitching depth during the late 1970s, Lollar represented exactly the kind of high-upside arm worth investing in.

His success on the hill in Fayetteville eventually led to the Yankees selecting him fourth round in the 1978 MLB Draft. At the time, New York was one of baseball’s premier franchises, fresh off back-to-back World Series championships in 1977 and 1978. Breaking into the big leagues with those expectations hanging over the organization was no small task for a young pitcher.

Lollar reached the majors in 1980 and made his debut in pinstripes as part of a Yankees pitching staff trying to help fight off the defending champion Orioles in a loaded American League East. His first career game on June 28, 1980, was part of a wild 11-10 slugfest between New York and Cleveland, and Lollar actually outpitched fellow standour relievers Ron Davis and Goose Gossage, allowing just one run on two his in two innings of work.

Although his time in New York was brief, the rookie left-hander showed flashes of the talent that had made him such a standout in college. Across 14 appearances for the Yankees during the 1980 season, Lollar went 1–0 with a 3.34 ERA (119 ERA+) while making one start and picking up two saves as a reliever. The start coincided with his first career victory, six innings of two-hit, one-run work against the Tigers in Game 162. For a first-year pitcher adjusting to the major leagues — and doing so in the Boogie Down Bronx — it was a respectable beginning to his professional career and enough to help New York take the AL East with 103 wins to Baltimore’s 100.

The Yankees didn’t use Lollar in the postseason, which turned out to be a quick three-and-out ALCS sweep at the hands of the same Royals team that they’d handled three times during the late-1970s playoffs. He pitched in the Puerto Rican Winter League and reported to camp in great shape in 1981. But he never made it to the regular season. The free-wheeling Yanks traded him to the Padres just over a week before Opening Day, on March 31st.

Lollar spent the most significant portion of his career there, pitching four seasons in San Diego from 1981 through 1984, including their first-ever pennant-winning season in ’84 — though his two postseason starts were not ones to remember. His best season was actually ’82, when he went 16-9 with a 3.13 ERA (111 ERA+) and 3.4 rWAR while tossing two shutouts.

In December 1984, Lollar was part of a big trade that sent 1983 AL Cy Young Award winner LaMarr Hoyt to San Diego with Lollar among the names heading back to the White Sox — including their future Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star, and fiery 2005 World Series champion manager, Ozzie Guillén. Lollar would not remain on the South Side nearly as long as Ozzie, as he was dealt again in July, changing his Sox to Red.

Lollar remained in Boston through the 1986 season, and after being left off the playoff roster, he tried to catch on with the Tigers and Cardinals on minor-league deals in 1987. His Triple-A ERA was 5.87 in 19 outings though, so at age 31, that spelled the end. Lollar closed out a seven-year major league career that included 199 appearances, a 47–52 record, and a 4.27 ERA. He also hit eight home runs in 231 at-bats — a notable total for a pitcher even during the era when pitchers still hit.

While he never developed into a frontline ace, Lollar carved out the kind of career many pitchers aspire to — that of a reliable big-league arm capable of filling multiple roles on a pitching staff. His willingness to move between starting and relief duties helped him remain valuable throughout the 1980s as teams increasingly relied on pitching depth.

Yet the most unusual chapter of Lollar’s professional life began after he hung up his baseball cleats and put on a different kind of spikes.

Following his retirement from baseball in 1989, Lollar stepped away from the sport entirely and pursued a completely new career path. Rather than remaining in baseball as a coach or instructor, he turned his focus toward another lifelong passion: golf.

Lollar eventually became a PGA professional, building a second career within the golf industry as both an instructor and club professional. The transition from pitching on major league mounds to working on the golf course may seem unusual, but for Lollar it represented an opportunity to reinvent himself after baseball.

His journey illustrates something many professional athletes eventually discover: life after sports often requires starting over and finding a new competitive outlet. For Lollar, that meant trading the pitching mound for the fairway.

Today, Lollar’s baseball career remains a fascinating footnote in Yankees history — a rookie season in the Bronx that launched nearly a decade in the major leagues, including a stop to become one of the 251 players to play both for the Yankees and Red Sox.

From small-town Missouri to the University of Arkansas, to Yankee Stadium and eventually the PGA, Tim Lollar’s career path proves that sometimes the most interesting journeys are the ones that take a few unexpected turns.

Happy birthday, William Timothy Lollar — and Woo Pig!

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

For the last 13 years, the Colorado Rockies have played a comical game of musical chairs at first base. Since Hall of Famer Todd Helton retired in 2013, 38 players made a start at first base. Much like the quarterback carousel for the Denver Broncos, the team has struggled to find a permanent or even long-term solution at the cold corner.

2025 proved no different.

Michael Toglia entered last season as the de facto starter at first after a breakout 2024 campaign. However, his severe regression led to him losing his starting position and being sent to Triple-A in the middle of the season, and he was eventually non-tendered in the offseason. Warming Bernabel had replaced him during the season, but his hot start went ice cold, and he was also released during the offseason.

Plenty of speculation revolved around what the Rockies would do at first base, and new President of Baseball Operations, Paul DePodesta, even signaled that they were talking to free agents. However, as spring training began, the Rockies left first base fairly unsettled, creating one of the more notable battles in spring training, and throwing off the normal format for this entry in our State of the Position series.

The experienced contenders

This category of players in camp includes those who have already stepped on a major league field.

After the releases of Toglia and Bernabel, the incumbent spot entering the offseason fell to Blaine Crim, who was claimed on waivers by the Rockies near the end of the 2025 season. The 28-year-old impressed in his brief 15 games to close out the season, slashing .241/.295/.556 with five home runs and 12 RBI in 61 plate appearances. However, strikeouts proved troublesome in the small sample size, as he recorded 22 strikeouts against just five walks. Still, manager Warren Schaeffer liked what he saw, and Crim appeared to have a simple path to filling in at first base as a stopgap until someone else was ready. However, an oblique strain early in spring training has sidelined him for a few weeks now, and it’s looking increasingly likely that he may lose his spot. He recently resumed taking batting practice and will have to hit the gas if he can make it into games before camp breaks.

Before the Rockies even had a new head of the front office, the team claimed Troy Johntson off of waivers once the offseason officially started, a move we can only say was made by “The Council.” Much like Crim, Johnston is also 28 and just made his debut last season after a successful minor league career. He got a little more run with the Miami Marlins, slashing .277/.331/.420 with four home runs and 13 RBI over 44 games. In 121 plate appearances, he drew just eight walks, but also struck out 26 times. Thus far in spring training with the Rockies, the left-handed-hitting Johnston is slashing .325/.404/.425 with two doubles and a triple while drawing five walks against six strikeouts in 47 plate appearances. While more attention is being directed toward a pair of prospects in camp, Johnston has quietly gone about his business and presents an intriguing option for the Rockies, especially since he can also play both corner outfield positions.

Finally, the Rockies acquired left-handed-hitting Edouard Julien in a trade with the Minnesota Twins. While second base has always been his main position, Julien picked up first base out of necessity for the Twins and himself. Since his stellar rookie season in 2023, Julien has struggled to find an offensive rhythm at the big league level and now finds himself out of minor league options and hoping for a fresh start in Colorado. He hasn’t done much with the bat thus far in five games with the Rockies, batting .133/.235/.133 with five strikeouts and two walks in 16 plate appearances. He also went 3-for-19 in five games with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, but did draw four walks against eight strikeouts. He was viewed as the starting first baseman when he was acquired, but as camp has unfolded, it’s unclear what his role on this team could actually be.

The rookie contenders

The talk of Rockies camp in spring training has revolved around the performances of two young prospects looking to break through in 2026.

One of the more surprising moves was when the Rockies traded reliever Angel Chivilli to the New York Yankees for first baseman T.J. Rumfield. Blocked by Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt in New York, Rumfield has put together a compelling case to be the Rockies’ starting first baseman come Opening Day. Displaying elite contact, plate discipline, glove work, and a knack for power, Rumfield has checked plenty of boxes in spring training. In 16 games, he is slashing .333/.432/.667 with four home runs and 10 RBI. Additionally, in 44 plate appearances, he has five walks while striking out just one time. Yes, Rumfield has struck out fewer times in 16 games than Luis Arráez has in five games in the WBC (2). With nothing much left to prove in the minors, Rumfield has not given the Rockies much of a reason to deny him a spot.

Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) has also impressed in his first big league camp with the Rockies. The third overall pick of the 2024 draft has had a difficult start to his professional career after injuries hampered him. However, once he returned in 2025, Condon slowly began to find his rhythm at the plate that continued into a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League. In 18 games of Cactus League action, Condon is batting .371/.439/.714 with three home runs and nine RBI while also striking out eight times to four walks. It was said he would have every opportunity to win a job, and while it may be in his best interest to get more seasoning in Triple-A, Condon has risen to the challenge. He has also embraced the directive to develop defensively at first base while also honing his skills in the outfield. There is no doubt he will make his debut in 2026 if everything goes according to plan, it’s just a matter of when.

The other candidates

The Rockies were interested in bringing in an experienced bat to play first base and that may still be the case in some format. Particularly, a right-handed hitting veteran could be used to complement and mentor someone like T.J. Rumfield in a part-time role. A move of some kind can’t be ruled out before the end of spring training. Additionally, the idea of Tyler Freeman picking up a first base glove has been floated around to expand his versatility. Should that happen, it would be akin to Orlando Arcia starting at first base last season — it’s weird, but it would be fine if needed.

The farm candidates

First base continues to be one of the thinner positions in the organization.

Zach Kokoska projects to start the year in Triple-A after spending the last two years in Double-A Hartford. The left-handed-hitting product from Kansas State University has a knack for the long ball since being drafted in 2021, but has struggled with strikeouts in 181 games in Hartford while slashing .204/.297/.428. Perhaps the accession to Albuquerque will help him elevate the average and take advantage of his home run capabilities.

Aidan Longwell remains one of the more legit first base prospects in teh organization. He turned in a strong campaign with High-A Spokane in 2025, belting 15 home runs and driving in 80 runs while slashing .274/.345/.465 in 121 games. Longwell is an overlooked prospect who has been consistently good since being drafted in 2023. He’s likely to start the year in Double-A.

Beyond that, the lower levels of the minors don’t have many dedicated options at first base, despite a number of players being able to fill the position. However, perhaps the most intriguing player to keep an eye on is Tanner Thach, whom the Rockies drafted in the eighth round last summer. He briefly made his professional debut in an 18-game stint with the Low-A Fresno Grizzlies, where he slashed .279/.375/.397 with two home runs and 15 RBI. After a quality collegiate career at UNC Wilmington, Thach will now get a chance to show what he can do in his first full season.

Closing thoughts

The Rockies hoped to raise the floor of competition at several positions in spring training, and that’s what has happened at first base. It seemed like a foregone conclusion early that Crim and Johnston would hold the fort until Condon was ready, but the addition of Rumfield has made it an even more compelling race.

Despite the uncertainty of the position, first base has an air of excitement around it because of the options in camp. The Rockies wouldn’t necessarily be faulted for picking any of the currently healthy options to make the Opening Day roster, and that’s a good problem to have. They also need someone to solidify the position, kind of like C.J. Cron did from 2021 to 2023, until the permanent answer presents itself.

Otherwise, we’ll be repeating this conversation next year.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Diamondbacks News

Eduardo Rodriguez pegged to pitch for Venezuela against USA in World Baseball Classic final by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]

The last Arizona Diamondbacks player left standing in the World Baseball Classic will be in the spotlight during the championship game, as Eduardo Rodriguez will start on the mound for Venezuela against the United States on Tuesday.

Brandon Pfaadt’s Adjustments are Already Paying Off by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

“[He was] so good that we had to send him back out there for another inning of work,” said Lovullo. “We felt like the pitch count was fine, the workload was very manageable, and he just did exactly what he did in that final inning for the first four.”

But most importantly of all, Pfaadt’s sweeper was, once again, a weapon. He threw the pitch 10 times, got nine swings, and collected four whiffs. Three of his six strikeouts came on that sweeper. 

“A fantastic day for him, filled up the zone, ton of execution, a lot of swing-and-miss,” Lovullo continued. “Secondary stuff was good. So we’re very pleased with where he’s at.”

Corbin Burnes focused on command in build-up as way to pick up where he left off by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]

The next month is going to be perhaps the most difficult of Arizona Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes’ recovery from Tommy John surgery.

On Monday, Burnes went through his second bullpen session since having surgery last summer, throwing to a catcher set up a few feet closer than usual to manage his intensity.

Burnes said he typically throws three or four bullpens and then it’s time to get in a game each spring. This time, he’s going to have to trust the process and stick with bullpen work while his team begins the regular season without him.

Diamondbacks sign INF Luis Urías for possible utility role by Wendy Lopez [Burn City Sports]

Urías appeared in 96 games in 2025 with the Athletics, batting .230 with eight home runs, 25 RBIs and a .653 OPS. The 28-year-old has built a reputation for his defensive versatility across the infield throughout his MLB career.

That flexibility could prove valuable as Arizona looks for someone to fill a role similar to Blaze Alexander’s style of play. Alexander was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for pitching depth, leaving a question about who could emerge as the club’s next utility player.

Around the League

Venezuela rallies past Italy to reach first Classic final by Anthony Castrovince [MLB]

Outside, it was one of those relentless South Florida rains. But still, the hundreds of Venezuelan baseball fans who remained long after the last pitch of the World Baseball Classic semifinals had been thrown were in ecstasy. Thoroughly soaked but swept up in the moment, they sang, danced, chanted and cheered. And in the distance, you could hear drums beating, mouths whistling and car horns blaring.

You don’t truly know how much the World Baseball Classic means until you see what it means. And here, in the downpour outside loanDepot park, as Monday night gave way to Tuesday morning — the day Venezuela would meet Team USA in the finale of this terrific tournament — it was evident that it meant a lot.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto to start for Dodgers in season opener [ESPN]

Manager Dave Roberts told reporters at spring training Monday that Yamamoto will start the March 26 opener at home against Arizona.

Yamamoto was the first and last pitcher used by the Dodgers last season, when he got the final eight outs in their 11-inning World Series Game 7 clincher at Toronto. He also won both of his World Series starts, a complete game in Game 2 and then threw 96 pitches over six innings in Game 6, a night before throwing 34 pitches to close out the series.

Exclusive: MLB to Implement Experimental Minor League Rule Changes for 2026 by Eric Longenhagen [FanGraphs] {Ed. Note: Lots of interesting rule changes for you to read through in this one. I’ve highlighted the ‘Check-Swing Challenge’ rules below}

Games played in the Pacific Coast League will use the ABS Challenge system and follow the same rules that have been adopted at the Major League level for the 2026 season (i.e., each team will start the game with two challenges, successful challenges will be retained, teams will receive an extra challenge if they have no challenges remaining in extra innings, etc.). Consistent with past seasons, MLB will monitor gameplay to determine if there is a desire to test changes at a later point in the season. Beginning on May 5, 2026, the batter, pitcher, or catcher may also appeal the umpire’s decision regarding whether the batter swung at a pitch (“Check-Swing Challenge”). A swing will be considered to have occurred if the maximum angle between the bat head and the bat handle exceeds 45 degrees. This rule was tested in the Florida State League and Arizona Fall League in 2025. In the FSL, the strikeout rate was over 3% lower when Check-Swing Challenge was used, having a positive impact on balls in play and encouraging more extensive testing at higher levels. Under this format, each team will continue to start the game with 2 challenges. Challenges may be used on either ball/strike calls or swing/no-swing calls, but not both on the same pitch.

Joe Musgrove Likely To Open Season On Injured List by Steve Adams [MLB Trade Rumors]

A Padres club already thin on rotation depth delivered some rough news for fans Monday, as manager Craig Stammen revealed that righty Joe Musgrove is expected to open the season on the injured list (video link via 97.3 The Fan). Musgrove hasn’t thrown in more than a week. Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports that he didn’t recover as well as hoped following an exhibition start against Great Britain’s World Baseball Classic club.

It’s an ominous update, though it’s worth noting that Stammen didn’t suggest there had been a setback of any note. Musgrove hasn’t pitched since the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery that cost him the entirety of the 2025 campaign.

The Texas Rangers optioned reliever Marc Church and infielder Justin Foscue to AAA Round Rock, the team announced yesterday.

Church made the Opening Day roster in 2025 but struggled with his command, was sent down, and then spent most of the season dealing with injuries, including a torn teres major muscle* that ended his season. Church was still working his way back from that injury when spring training began, and made his first spring appearance on Sunday against the Dodgers. A player can’t be optioned if they are injured, so Church couldn’t be optioned until he was healthy — otherwise, he’d have to start the season on the major league injured list.

* You may remember this as the same injury that cost Jose Leclerc and Corey Kluber most of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Foscue was slowed by a hamstring strain early in camp, and also returned to action on Sunday. At the start of camp, there was some thought that Foscue could potentially earn a spot on the Opening Day roster in a platoon DH/bench role. The combination of the injury, which sidelined him for a good amount of time, and the addition of Andrew McCutchen ended those hopes.

The Rangers still have 30 of the 40 man roster members in camp. Assuming McCutchen — who is on a minor league deal, and thus not on the 40 man roster currently — makes the team, at least five players on the 40 man roster who are still in camp will not make the Opening Day roster. Among guys who don’t have a roster spot locked up, Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker are fighting for the fifth starter spot, and Luis Curvelo is still in the mix for a bullpen spot, as is Latz, should he not make the rotation. Alejandro Osuna and Michael Helman are still in camp, though would seem to be headed to AAA unless someone gets hurt. Cody Freeman, who is sidelined with a stress fracture in his back, most likely will start the year on the major league injured list.