Category: Sports News

More baseball! For those of us unsatisfied with yesterday’s contest we get another game today to get our first win of the season this afternoon. Time for a win!

The A’s will be going with a veteran for today’s start as Luis Severino gets the ball for the first time this spring. The leader of the starting rotation, we’re all hoping for better results here in Year 2 of his deal and it seems like he’s ready to put last year’s struggles in the rearview mirror as well.

“Yeah, I think everybody is more comfortable. The pitchers had a year in Sacramento to figure out what we need to do. I think this year, we just need to stop making excuses, go out there and compete, and try to win more games.”

Love the sound of that! The A’s won’t be going anywhere if Sevy doesn’t step his game up and this is the type of attitude he needs to have right out of the gate. Are we set for a massive season for Severino? He does have an opt-out after the season concludes so in a sense he’s pitching for a potential next contract. He’ll be an interesting player to watch over the coming months.

Other pitchers we are expected to see today include Luis Morales, Wei-En Lin, Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, and Kade Morris. Morales looks to have a spot in the rotation more or less in the bag and just needs to get through spring without an injury or obvious ineffectiveness. Lin, Zhuang, and Morris meanwhile are unlikely to be on the Opening Day roster but could each be an option for the team later this summer. Pitching will be interesting to watch this afternoon.

Here’s how the starting lineup looks for the second game of Spring Training:

Lots of Opening Day starters in today’s lineup! In fact, this could very well end up being the regular batting order that manager Mark Kotsay intends to use this season. There’s been a lot of debate and discussion about first baseman NickKurtz’s lineup spot this coming season but it seems like Kotsay is genuinely planning to have Kurtz atop the lineup in some way or fashion. One would think a potential 50-homer bat would be hitting third or cleanup, but not with our A’s. Where he bats in the lineup will be another thing to keep an eye on this spring.

Here’s how the Guardians will line up for their game today against our Athletics:

No regulars in Cleveland’s lineup this afternoon so hopefully that helps the pitchers have a strong day on the bump.

Who is ready for more spring baseball? Time to secure that first win. Let’s go A’s!

First Pitch (CT):12:05
TV: MLB.tv (Braves Broadcast)
Radio:Braves Broadcast — 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan
Know Yo’ Foe: Battery Power

Lineups

Twins

SP: Taj Bradley

1. Byron Buxton, DH
2. Josh Bell, 1B
3. Victor Caratini, C
4. Trevor Larnach, LF
5. Orlando Arcia, SS
6. Kody Clemens, 2B
7. James Outman, CF
8. Alan Roden, RF
9. Eric Wagaman, 3B

Braves

SP: Chris Sale (LHP)

1. Ronald Acuña Jr., RF
2. Drake Baldwin, C
3. Matt Olson, 1B
4. Jurickson Profar, LF
5. Austin Riley, 3B
6. Ozzie Albies, 2B
7. Michael Harris II, CF
8. Aaron Schunk, DH
9. Mauricio Dubon, SS

If you’ve gotten accustomed to Orioles spring training games being on television after the first two games of the schedule, tough luck today. No video feed! The game will at least be broadcast on 98 Rock (97.9 FM) in the Baltimore vicinity, or online anywhere you can access that feed. The O’s are on the road to play the Tigers in this one, lining up like this:

1. Colton Cowser – CF
2. Pete Alonso – 1B
3. Heston Kjerstad – LF
4. Coby Mayo – 3B
5. Sam Huff – C
6. Samuel Basallo – DH
7. Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
8. Reed Trimble – RF
9. José Barrero – SS

Now this is a spring training road lineup. Four guys who figure to be regular major league players, two guys who have a reasonable path to some MLB playing time if not a guaranteed spot on the Opening Day roster, and three guys where the season has probably gone towards disaster if they get any kind of extended run on the roster.

Kyle Bradish is the starting pitcher, expected to be followed by these pitchers, probably not in alphabetical order by last name: Cameron Foster, Andrew Magno, Anthony Nunez, Cameron Weston, Brandon Young. Cade Povich is expected to start tomorrow, with Albert Suárez making Tuesday’s start. For the expected starting rotation, still waiting to see Chris Bassitt, Shane Baz, or Zach Eflin get on the calendar. We know they are pitching live BPs, so don’t worry.

Sunday notes…

• FORMER CUBS IN GIANTS CAMP: Michael Fulmer and Caleb Kilian (back where he started!). Rowan Wick was signed by the Giants, but he’s on the 60-day IL.
• THE CUBS SPRING COMPLEX: The Cubs complex features 20 batting tunnels, including 16 indoors, and 22 pitching mounds. The 142-acre property features the 70,000-square food Nike Performance Center that houses Cubs offices, clubhouses and workout and training facilities.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Giants lineup:

Colin Rea will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Jordan Wicks, Caleb Thielbar and Riley Martin.

Robbie Ray will start for the Giants. Other Giants pitchers scheduled today: Carson Seymour, Tristan Beck and Spencer Bivens.

Today’s game will be on Giants TV. There will also be a radio broadcast on the Giants flagship station, KNBR 104.5.

MLB.com Gameday

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

Please visit our SB Nation Giants site McCovey Chronicles. If you do go there to interact with Giants fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.

These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles

Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., Joker Marchant Stadium – Lakeland, FL
SB Nation Site: Camden Chat
Media: Tigers Radio Network

Right out of the gate, a 438-foot Schwarbomb — and more from Phillies camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CLEARWATER, Fla. – It didn’t take Kyle Schwarber long to do what he did better than anyone else in the National League last season.

Schwarber, who led the league with 56 homers in 2025, went deep in his first at-bat of the Grapefruit League season on Sunday. The home run, against Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft, came off the bat at 108.7 mph and traveled 438 feet to right field. In other words, a bomb.

“I got a good swing off,” Schwarber said. “But the wind was blowing and that made it look further.”

Schwarber doesn’t often rack up eye-popping results in spring training. Last year, he went 9 for 49 (.184) with two home runs. The year before, he was 5 for 38 (.132) with no homers. But Schwarber is a veteran player and a proven big-league performer. For those types, membership has its privileges: He uses spring training to get ready for the regular season. Results are secondary at this time of year. He has finished 15^th and second, respectively, in NL MVP voting the last two seasons so those lackluster springs clearly didn’t carry over.

Schwarber hit second in the Phillies’ lineup Sunday, behind leadoff man Trea Turner and ahead of No. 3 hitter Bryce Harper and cleanup man Alec Bohm. It’s possible that Schwarber and Harper will flip-flop in the regular season. Or things could stay the same. Manager Rob Thomson will use different variations throughout spring training. Schwarber’s goal is to just be ready when the bell rings March 26 at Citizens Bank Park.

Actually, Schwarber will need to be ready earlier than that. He will play on Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. First game is March 6.

“Usually, Schwarber doesn’t hit in spring training so (the home run) was good to see,” Thomson said after the 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh. “And Bohmer (sacrifice fly, double) stung the ball really well.”

Though Schwarber is and will be the Phillies’ primary DH, he could get some work at first base this spring just in case an emergency arises during the regular season. That work could actually come in workout situations. For now …

“We’re trying to get his bat ready for the WBC,” Thomson said.

It looked good on Sunday.

“He understands the strike zone,” Thomson said. “He can hit velocity, hit off-speed stuff, shoot the ball the other way. He’s improved overall as a hitter. It’s not just the power. He can use the whole field and pull the ball with the best of them.”

Despite chilly temperatures, Sunday’s home opener drew 8,157.

“Great crowd, especially with the weather,” Schwarber said. “A little rain then the cold front that pushed through. It’s always great when the berm is full and you get the stadium going and everybody gets that buzz going. To see fans down here ready to rock and roll for game 1 (of the home Grapefruit League schedule) that gets us to game 1 (of the regular season) is great.”

AIDAN MILLER DOWN

Infield prospect Aidan Miller is sidelined with a sore lower back. It has kept him out of the first two games. It is not considered serious. He is receiving treatment.

“We’re just being super cautious with him this early in camp,” Thomson said. “We’re getting him some treatment to calm it down.”

EAST COAST BOUND

The Phillies play the next two days on Florida’s East Coast – Monday against Washington in West Palm Beach and Tuesday against Miami in Jupiter.

1pm CT SECN+.

After a 12-1 run rule win in the 7th, the Diamond Dores are riding a 4 game winning streak… all by the run rule. Let’s keep this red-hot Esposito-run high-powered offense rolling for the series sweep and 5th run rule win in a row (please and thank you). Then we can tell Daphne to break out the brooms, despite her being Martin’s home care worker and not the maid, as she is seemingly forever unable to convince Frasier.

Yesterday, the offense wasn’t just donger-powered, as the Diamond Dores had 15 hits in 7 innings. Logan Johnstone, Mike Mancini, Braden Holcomb, and Tommy Goodin all had 2 hit games, with the former and latter of that list hitting one over the fencing they’ve set up.

…and Austin Nye extended his season-opening scoreless innings streak at 9IP.

…and Marist still doesn’t know what to to with Vanderbilt’s tossed salads (offense) and scrambled eggs (pitching).

They’re calling again.

I was punched in the face by a man now dead.

I’m listening.

Frasier!

…and now, what you all came for… Dingers!

On the Mound

Saturday @ 2:00pm SECN+

Vanderbilt #80 So. RHP Nate “Nasty Nate” Taylor (0-1; 4.15 ERA)

vs. Marist #18 Grad. RHP Jack “John L.” Sullivan (0-1; 6.00 ERA)

The Lineup

See you in the comments.

The Dodgers on Monday make their 2026 Camelback Ranch debut, hosting the Mariners for their third Cactus League game on the schedule.

Landon Knack gets the ball to start for the Dodgers, after a rough second season in the majors in 2025. Knack had a 4.89 ERA and 5.66 xERA in 10 games last year, including seven starts, with 42 strikeouts and 19 walks in 42 1/3 innings.

Logan Gilbert starts on Monday for the Mariners.

Monday game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Mariners
• Ballpark: Camelback Ranch
• Time: 12:05 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (simulcast), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

The Dodgers on Sunday head to Peoria to play the San Diego Padres. Here are the active players making the trip slightly north from Camelback Ranch.

Lineup

Miguel Rojas SS
Kyle Tucker RF
Will Smith C
Ryan Ward 1B
Nick Senzel 3B
James Tibbs III LF
Zach Ehrhard DH
Ryan Fitzgerald 2B
Michael Siani CF

Kyle Tucker bats second in right field, playing his first game in a Dodgers uniform. Ryan Ward and Zach Ehrhard are the only two Dodgers in the starting lineup for each of the first two games, if you were keeping track of the team’s games played leaderboard.

Non-roster invitee Jackson Ferris starts on the mound. Last spring training he appeared in three games, including an impressive start at Dodger Stadium against the Angels.

Other pitchers

Will Klein and Ronan Kopp are the two Dodgers pitchers on the 40-man roster scheduled to throw in Sunday’s game. Non-roster invitees Patrick Copen, Chris Campos, Garrett McDaniels, Jerming Rosario, and Carlos Duran are also on the schedule.

Active from minor league camp are Payton Marin (wearing number 06), Roque Gutierrez (87), Cody Morse (90), Christian Suarez (91), and old friend Nick Robertson (97).

Other position players

The outfield prospect trio of Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, and Kendall George are active again on Sunday, as are fellow non-roster invitees Keston Hiura, Noah Miller, and catchers Seby Zavala, Griffin Lockwood-Powell, and Nelson Quiroz.

From the minor league side, infielders Austin Gauthier (88), Jose Izarra (89), and Kyle Nevin (03) are active, as is outfielder Kole Myers (07).

The question as to where in the 2026 Atlanta Braves batting order outfielder Ronald Acuña, Jr. will hit can come to an end. Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters this morning that Acuña, Jr. will reclaim his spot at the top of the order, batting lead-off for the team this season.

Despite some questionable line-up constructions with Acuña, Jr. last season – him batting seventh was a thing that happened – it was reasonable to have expected him to return to the top of the order, the question was whether or not that would be in the lead-off spot or batting second.

Well, Acuña, Jr., he of the first 40 home runs, 70 stolen base season in MLB history will return to the spot where he has started 676 games during his career – at the top of the line-up. (His next highest batting order location is hitting third, which he’s done 46 times, by the way.)

As for who will bat second, that is still an open question according to the new Braves’ skipper, with Weiss noting that both catcher Drake Baldwin and first baseman Matt Olson hit left-handed pitching well enough that he could hit them back-to-back. Outfielder/designated hitter Jurickson Profar is likely another option, specially given his ability to switch-hit and get on base.

Now, for the next five weeks, it is just matter of everyone staying healthy so that the offense hopefully get off to a hot start when the Braves start their regular season at home against the Kansas City Royals.

The San Diego Padres have played two Cactus League games with many more to go before Opening Day in late March. Even with only two games played, the Friars have given fans plenty to think about.

As Spring Training continues the next few weeks, certain players have more to prove than others in order to make it onto the major league roster. Among these there are few with as much on the line as Matt Waldron. 

The last of the knuckleballers

Apart from Waldron, there are no active pitchers using the knuckleball in MLB. After R.A. Dickey retired in 2017, as well as Tim Wakefield in 2011, no one apart from Waldron has had any legitimate success with the pitch.

Part of this is due to the fact that the pitch, as unhittable as it is, is incredibly difficult for catchers to get their gloves on and for umpires to correctly call. Umps simply don’t know how to call the pitch well because of how much movement it has, and the catching situation is even more dire.

In 2024, Kyle Higashioka did most of the work behind the plate and managed to do a decent job of catching Waldron, but others have not done as well.

In his lone start of the 2025 season against the Philadelphia Phillies, Martín Maldonado caught for Waldron and allowed a passed ball and three wild pitches, leading to the Phillies scoring a run in the fourth inning.

Waldron used his knuckleball 74.0% of the time in his outing against Philly, much higher than the 38.2% average across the 2024 season.

The problem with the pitch is that if it’s not executed perfectly, batters will destroy it. And even if it is executed correctly there’s no guarantee the pitch will be called a strike, with umpires having difficulty calling the pitch accurately for Waldron throughout his career.

Struggles with settling in

Waldron has spent most of his career in the minors, but he spent significant time shuttling between the major and minor league clubs from 2023-25. His largest stint in the majors came in ‘24, making 26 starts for the Padres and helping them reach the postseason in October. 

In those starts, he finished with a 4.91 ERA across 146 2/3 innings. While most pitchers struggle their second and third times through the lineup, Waldron had his biggest problems his first time through. His ERA through the first three innings was much higher than it was in innings four through six (4.62 compared to 3.36). In fact, he ended the season with a 7.88 ERA in the first inning alone. 

Waldron’s problems settling in have hurt his resumé deeply, leading to a 6.48 ERA during the 2025 season spent in the San Diego minor league system. If Waldron can find a way to warm up sooner and settle in, he’ll be absolutely dominant with his unhittable knuckleball. 

Saturday’s start

In the Padres 10-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, Waldron allowed only one walk and one single across two innings of work. In those innings, Waldron decreased his typical knuckleball usage from 46.3% (major league career average) to 33.0%, opting to use a more balanced pitch mix.

In the first inning, he faced four batters who all start for Kansas City’s major league ball club, getting Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr. to groundout before walking Vinnie Pasquantino. He ended the inning by striking out Salvador Perez.

In the second, he got Kyle Isbel to lineout and then gave up a single to Dairon Blanco. Waldron then caught Blanco stealing second base before striking out John Rave, ending his first game of the year.

If he can capitalize on this start to Cactus League play over the next few weeks, it would earn Waldron consideration for a backend spot in the Padres’ rotation and possibly revive his career.

Maybe he learns how to settle in sooner and is used in a swingman role who can take over the brunt of a game’s middle innings. 

Whatever the case, Waldron is running out of time to prove his usefulness at the major league level. He’s out of options and, although it’s unlikely another club claims him off waivers, it’s always possible the Padres lose him for good. 

After a losing effort against the Guardians on Saturday afternoon, the Brewers are back at it with their first split-squad day of the spring. The road Brewer squad is in Glendale, where they’ll take on the Chicago White Sox, while the home team welcomes the Royals to American Family Fields of Phoenix.

In the road lineup, Joey Ortiz bats leadoff as the DH, followed by Andrew Vaughn, Akil Baddoo, and Tyler Black. Jeferson Quero makes his spring debut behind the plate, followed by top prospect Jesús Made at second base. Fellow top prospect Cooper Pratt starts at shortstop, Luke Adams starts at third, and Luis Lara rounds out the order in right field.

Logan Henderson starts on the mound in that one, with righties Carlos Rodriguez and Peter Strzelecki also scheduled to pitch behind him.

In the home game, Jackson Chourio bats leadoff and starts in left, followed by Gary Sánchez, who serves as the DH. William Contreras bats third and starts behind the plate, followed by Brice Turang, Sal Frelick, and Jake Bauers. New Brewer Luis Rengifo bats seventh and starts at third base, followed by center fielder Blake Perkins and Jett Williams at short.

Robert Gasser will start for the home squad, with fellow lefties DL Hall and Tate Kuehner also slated to pitch.

First pitch for the road game against Chicago is set for 2:05 p.m. CT, with the home game against Kansas City scheduled to begin at 2:10 p.m. The road game is also Milwaukee’s first televised spring game on Brewers TV, free for viewing (even in the blackout region). The road game will be broadcast on 94.5 ESPN Milwaukee and the Brewers Radio Network across the state.