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Nolan McLean likely would have been the Game 1 starter had the Mets made the playoffs last year. 

And while that didn’t come to fruition, he got the ball Tuesday night in a playoff-like atmosphere on a global stage. For the most part, he showed the tantalizing talent that has made him one of the best prospects in baseball. 

The United States hurler allowed two runs on four hits over 4 ²/₃ innings while striking out four in a 3-2 defeat in the World Baseball Classic championship game against Venezuela at loanDepot park in Miami. 

“I felt good out there, proud of the way I competed,” said McLean, who graded his start a seven out of 10. “Stuff felt great, filling up the zone, tried to control everything I could.” 

McLean, who averaged 95 mph on his fastball during his rookie campaign, was consistently hitting 98 and above against Venezuela. 

“I thought Nolan pitched his tail off. We were not prepared for him to go five [innings],” manager Mark DeRosa said after the loss. “We were thinking he’d give us three, he’d give us four, and we were going to go right to the bullpen and see where the game was at. 

“That’s a testament to him. He had unbelievable stuff tonight.” 

McLean got off to an inauspicious start when Ronald Acuña Jr. rocketed a 108.4 mph single on the first pitch of the ballgame. But the righty settled down, inducing a double play from Maikel Garcia before Luis Arraez hit a lazy fly ball to center. In all, the frame took him just five pitches. 

He started the second inning with dominant stuff, striking out the first two with filthy breaking pitches before working around a bloop single. 

Venezuela broke through in the third, thanks in part to McLean uncorking a wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position. Garcia came through this time with a sacrifice fly, but McLean avoided further trouble. 

He finally had an easy fourth inning, his first clean frame of the night, but allowed a leadoff homer to Wilyer Abreu in the next inning. 

“I thought Mac threw the ball great,” Bryce Harper said. “He’s a special talent. He’s going to be a special talent for a long time.” 

McLean’s Venezuelan counterpart, Eduardo Rodriguez, proved to be even better, though, keeping the United States off balance and mostly off base. He yielded one hit and one walk with four strikeouts in the first 4¹/₃ innings. 

On the hook for most of the night, McLean was spared from taking the loss after Bryce Harper’s two-run homer tied the game briefly in the eighth inning.

One former Yankee is heading to the Bronx Bombers’ biggest rival.

Veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle has agreed to a minor league deal with the Red Sox, The Post’s Jon Heyman first reported.

The move comes days after Boston signed lefty reliever Danny Columbe to a big league deal. The contract for Kahnle should give the Red Sox more depth in the bullpen.

Thanks in large part to an All-Star season from Aroldis Chapman, the Red Sox ranked second in MLB — and tops in the American League — in reliever ERA (3.41) and ninth in WHIP (1.25).

Kahnle, 36, pitched last season with the Tigers, holding a 4.43 ERA and 1.302 WHIP across 66 appearances. He also saved nine games for Detroit, which made the playoffs as a wild-card entrant. He was mostly undone by an ugly July in which he carried a 19.64 ERA across 11 games.

Most of his innings, 195 2/3 to be exact, came over six seasons and two separate stints for the Yankees. He was first acquired by New York in a pre-trade deadline deal with the Rockies in 2017.

His best season in The Bronx came during his last in 2024, when he recorded a career-best 2.11 ERA over 42 2/3 innings.

Kahle didn’t allow a single earned run through his first eight playoff games in 2024 but allowed two without recording an out in Game 5 of the Fall Classic, taking the loss as the Dodgers took the series.

He’s known for wielding his changeup as his primary — and sometimes only — offering, and he deployed it at an 86 percent clip in 2025.

Kahnle also pitched two scoreless innings for Team Israel at this year’s World Baseball Classic.

Observations from Mets spring training on Tuesday.

All Right

Francisco Lindor continued to take strides in his comeback from left hamate bone surgery, taking swings in a game from the right-handed batter’s box and he “looked like a normal player,” Carlos Mendoza said.

Slow Play

Like Sean Manaea, Craig Kimbrel hasn’t seen his velocity come all the way back as he tries to make the bullpen. Perhaps it will happen in the regular season.

Mendoza said Kimbrel has looked good, but added the team will have “some tough decisions.” Kimbrel said he “absolutely” feels like he can help the team with his current stuff.

Caught My Eye

The new-look infield made its Grapefruit League debut, with Jorge Polanco at first, Marcus Semien at second, Bo Bichette at third and Lindor at shortstop.

They made it through the game against the Marlins seemingly without any issues.

Wednesday’s Schedule

The Mets are off and will pick up their Grapefruit League schedule Thursday against the Astros at 6:05 p.m. in West Palm Beach, Fla., with Kodai Senga starting.

Derek Jeter played in seven World Series and won five of them. He also competed with Team USA during the first two World Baseball Classic tournaments in 2006 and 2009.

As talk of the WBC atmosphere rivaling the World Series grows louder, the former Yankees captain, Fox analyst and Hall of Famer stuck to his trademark script.

“I think the people that say it’s bigger than the World Series never played in a World Series,” Jeter said Tuesday during FS1’s pregame coverage ahead of the championship game between Venezuela and Team USA.

“I think people are always trying to compare what’s bigger. … It’s completely different. When you retire, they ask, ‘How many championships did you win?’ for a reason. Playing in a World Series, going through a 162-game schedule plus the postseason, is difficult to do.”

Jeter’s remarks come on the heels of several high-profile major leaguers saying the possibility of winning the WBC and bringing glory to their country would mark the biggest accomplishment of their career.

Braves superstar and Venezuela standout Ronald Acuña Jr. said to ESPN his team’s victory over Italy to reach the 2026 WBC final was “No. 1 for me in my career.”

"When you retire, they ask 'how many championships did you win?' for a reason."@derekjeter weighs in on the attempts to compare the World Series and the World Baseball Classic. pic.twitter.com/z9HoU5Jfwq

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 17, 2026

Before the D.R. was eliminated, Mariners star Julio Rodriguez said, that compared to a possible World Series victory, “winning the World Baseball Classic would be top of the list.”

Most notably, Aaron Judge, who succeeded Jeter as Yankees captain, called the tournament atmosphere “bigger” than the World Series after leading his team to a 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic on Sunday.

“I’ll say, it’s been bigger,” Judge told reporters. “The World Series I was in versus the crowd here and the one we had against Mexico, it’s bigger and better than the World Series.

“The passion that these fans have representing their country, representing some of their favorite players, there’s nothing like it.”

Judge’s comments also puzzled Yankees announcer Michael Kay, who said he couldn’t “wrap my mind around” the sentiment.

Unlike Acuña and Rodriguez, Judge has World Series experience as he helped lead the Yankees to the 2024 Fall Classic, which the Dodgers won in five games. Acuna was injured when the Braves won it all in 2021.

Jeter acknowledged the pride players feel representing their country in the WBC, a tournament in which he hit a solid .347/.439/.429 across 14 total games.

But, after appearing in seven Fall Classics, Jeter said that it’s still a “completely different” baseball stage.

“Doesn’t take anything away from the WBC,” Jeter said. “It is an absolute honor, I’ve done it a couple of times, it’s an honor to wear the USA across your chest. How this tournament has grown over the last 20 years is impressive.”

“This really unites fans. I remember playing for the US, running into Boston and them telling me, ‘Hey, I hate the Yankees, but I’m going to enjoy rooting for you the next two weeks. So it doesn’t take anything away from the WBC [but] it’s completely different.”

JUPITER, Fla. — If all goes according to plan, Tobias Myers will be in the Mets bullpen, pitching multiple innings — as he did Tuesday against the Marlins.

His numbers weren’t great in a 5-5 tie at Roger Dean Stadium, but he’s been pleased with his adjustment to a new team and something of a new role.

As the Mets have noted since Myers’ arrival in a trade from Milwaukee, the right-hander is considered much more than a throw-in piece coming along with Freddy Peralta.

After Myers was stretched out a bit early in the spring, manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday they are having him throw around 40 pitches to adjust to a long relief spot in the pen.

He was sharp in his first inning of work Tuesday before his command failed him when he went back out for the seventh.

But Myers has felt good about his stuff this spring, as he explained recently in Port St. Lucie.

“I just like to compete,” Myers said. “I’m ready to flip the switch to the regular season.”

And he’s prepared to embrace the opportunity that he expects to have in Queens, which isn’t surprising considering the route he took to get here.

Many Mets fans recall Myers as an important piece of Milwaukee’s pitching staff when the teams faced off in the wild-card round in 2024.

It was Myers who started the decisive Game 3 and tossed five shutout innings before turning it over to the bullpen.

That’s when Devin Williams gave up Pete Alonso’s memorable home run that extended the Mets’ playoff run.

But even before that, Myers had already defied the odds to get to the majors.

As he noted, he was designated for assignment by three teams in 2022 alone, as Cleveland, San Francisco and the White Sox all let him go before he signed with the Brewers following that season. 

“I don’t think I knew how to deal with it then,” Myers said of the disappointment of not being able to stick with a team. “I think that’s why the trend kept going. But it definitely helped me, for sure, in the long run. I found out how to handle the business side of baseball at a young age and I think that was beneficial.”

And he’s brought that with him to the Mets, where the 27-year-old has impressed for much of the spring and could still end up starting at some point.

“If he goes to the bullpen, [it means] everyone is healthy in the rotation,” Mendoza said.

As the manager pointed out, the Mets already have six starters, and Myers said he’s OK with whatever the team wants him to do.

He went through that eventful 2022 and wasn’t especially effective with Double-A Biloxi in his first season in the Brewers organization.

Then he broke out in 2024 in Milwaukee before an oblique strain early last year got him sidetracked.

He’s appeared in just 49 games in the majors, yet the Mets have high expectations, and Myers said he’s ready to deliver, with the lessons from 2022 still fresh.

“To be DFA’d three times when you’re still starting your career really opens your eyes and makes you realize you need to go out there and get it,” Myers said. “I learned you’ve got to be good when called upon. You’ve got to commit and be available.”

And when you’re given the chance, pitch well.

“No team is going to let you struggle for a couple of years and just keep going,” he said. “It’s a tough business and you have to produce.”

There was a time—not long ago—when baseball believed it understood its place in the modern sports economy. The sport was a regional game masquerading as a national pastime, rich in history, but lagging in marketing muscle.

Without a salary cap, baseball’s biggest stars made their money in contracts, not commercials. The legends of the sport sold jerseys, not entire industries. 

Then Shohei Ohtani arrived like a rocket tearing across the sky. He didn’t just change baseball’s economics; he transformed them.

In 2026, Ohtani is expected to earn more than $127 million in off-the-field earnings alone. A number so staggering that it doesn’t just shatter the record for baseball, but it shatters the record for all of sports. Period. The number eclipses Tiger Woods’ once untouchable mark of $105 million in endorsement deals from 2009. It’s a number that places Ohtani in a category all his own.

And yet, the most absurd part isn’t the number itself. It’s the gap.

According to Sportico, Ohtani earns more from endorsements than the top 15 highest paid MLB players, who collectively earn $47 million in off-field income. It’s more than likely that Ohtani earns more in endorsements than every single player in MLB combined. Think about that for a moment. In a league filled with MVPs, Cy Young winners, and billion-dollar franchises, one player has turned the endorsement economy into a one-man monopoly.

That’s not a gap. That’s a canyon.

Ohtani’s rise to this record-breaking milestone is a triumph, but it’s also an indictment on Major League Baseball. For decades, the sport failed to globalize its stars the way the NBA, PGA, NFL, and soccer did. MLB marketed teams, not individual personalities. It tried to sell the country on tradition instead of transcendence. 

Even Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton ($20M) makes more in off-field endorsements than any other MLB player outside of Ohtani. 

According to Forbes, the list of highest paid athletes in terms of off-field earnings in 2025 reads like a who’s who of global superstars. 

Stephen Curry, thanks to his Under Armour deal that ended in 2026, was the only other athlete close to Ohtani at just under $100 million. Next were LeBron James ($85M), Lionel Messi ($75M), Cristiano Ronaldo ($50M), Kevin Durant ($50M), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($45M), Rory McIlroy ($45M), and Woods ($45M).

Scottie Scheffler ($30M), Neymar ($30M), Patrick Mahomes ($28M), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($25M) round out the top-ten, but Ohtani is on an island all his own. 

Ohtani is baseball’s first true modern global superstar—an athlete who moves seamlessly between cultures, languages, and markets. In Japan, he is omnipresent. Billboards. Television. Subways. Taxis. Entire city blocks feel like extensions of his brand.

His endorsement portfolio reads less like a sponsorship sheet and more like a corporate empire: Seiko, Kosé, Kowa, Hugo Boss, Japan Airlines, New Balance, Fanatics, and more than 20 total partnerships. When Japanese brand Kirin signed him as the face of its “Immune Care” campaign, it wasn’t just a deal—it was a nationwide event.

This is what baseball never had before: an athlete who isn’t just famous, but culturally embedded.

And here’s the twist that makes the entire story even more audacious—Ohtani is doing all of this while technically being one of the lowest-paid players on his own team.

His $2 million salary with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2026 ranks 17th on the roster. A number that would be laughable if it weren’t so strategically brilliant.

Because Ohtani understood something most athletes never do: money isn’t always about what you earn— it’s about when you earn it, and what it allows you to build.

By deferring $680 million of his $700 million contract, Ohtani didn’t sacrifice wealth. He weaponized it. He gave the Dodgers financial flexibility to construct a superteam, stacking talent around him like kindling around a fire. The result? Back-to-Back World Series Championships. Global visibility. Baseball dominance.

And dominance, in turn, feeds the machine.

Winning amplifies relevance. Relevance drives endorsements. Endorsements create empires.

That’s why the Dodgers are the modern day Evil Empire, and Ohtani is at the center of it.

Even the Dodgers’ clubhouse culture reflects his reach. Last season’s home run celebration—a playful gesture mimicking a Japanese skincare ad — wasn’t just a joke. It was a signal. A reminder that Ohtani’s influence stretches beyond the diamond and into the everyday rhythms of global commerce.

He isn’t just in advertisements. He is a walking advertisement.

New Balance understood this early. Their partnership with Ohtani isn’t structured like a traditional baseball deal—it mirrors the architecture of an NBA signature empire. Shoes, apparel, global campaigns. In 2026, the brand expanded his collection into dozens of products, effectively turning him into a walking, swinging, pitching marketplace.

And still, somehow, this might only be the beginning.

Because what makes Ohtani truly dangerous to the record books isn’t just his popularity—it’s his duality. He is the only athlete in modern sports who can dominate two roles at once: a once-in-a-century talent at the plate and a Cy Young Award-caliber pitcher on the mound. Ohtani has the only two 50-50 seasons in MLB history. 50+ homers and 50+ stolen bases in 2024, and 50+ homers and 50+ strikeouts as a pitcher in 2025. He has four MVP awards. Two World Series titles. A résumé that reads like fiction.

The word “unicorn” gets thrown around too easily in sports. With Ohtani, it still feels insufficient.

Even when you widen the lens beyond active athletes, the only name that truly dwarfs him is Michael Jordan, whose Jordan Brand empire generated an estimated $300 million in 2025. But that’s a different kind of legacy—built over decades, fueled by nostalgia and ownership.

Ohtani is doing this in real time.

And that’s what should both excite and terrify the rest of baseball.

Because this isn’t just about one player making more money than everyone else. It’s about one player changing the economic blueprint of an entire sport. The next generation of stars won’t chase contracts the same way. They’ll chase markets. They’ll chase global reach. They’ll chase what Ohtani has built—a brand that transcends borders and turns performance into currency.

Baseball didn’t create this moment.

Shohei Ohtani did.

And now the sport is racing to keep up with the future he’s already living in.

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Right-handed pitcher Ryan Bergert was among five players assigned to the minors, along with pitchers Mason Black and Helcris Oliváres, and outfielders Kameron Misner and John Rave.

Bergert had a 3.66 ERA in 76.1 innings between the Padres and Royals, including a 4.43 ERA in eight starts after his trade to Kansas City. He had a 6.52 ERA in four spring training games with eight strikeouts and three walks in 9.2 innings, but five home runs allowed. The Royals are expected to begin the year with a rotation of Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Kris Bubic, and Noah Cameron, so Bergert was unlikely to crack the starting five unless there was an injury. The Royals have talked about possibly having a six-man rotation later in the year, and assigning Bergert to the minors can keep him stretched out to be ready to be a starter when needed.

Mason Black had a strong spring, tossing eight shutout innings with eight strikeouts. But the former Giants pitcher has an option year and will likely serve as depth in Omaha. The 26-year-old right-hander has a 6.47 ERA in 40.1 career MLB innings across two seasons. Helcris Oliváres had an impressive showing in camp as a hard-throwing lefty, but gave up five runs with three walks, while recording just one out in his last outing on Friday. Before that point he had allowed just one run in six innings. The 25-year-old is on his fourth organization and has never pitched in the big leagues.

Misner and Rave were both competing for reserve outfield roles, but will likely begin the year in Omaha. Misner was acquired over the winter from the Rays and hit .231/.333/.462 in 26 spring training at-bats. The former Mizzou Tigers outfielder is a lefty bat that can play center with good speed, but he struggles to make contact at times. Rave made his MLB debut last year with the Royals, and hit .196/.283/.307 with four home runs in 175 plate appearances.

The Royals now have 50 players on their spring training roster.

The Royals also announced that Cole Ragans will start on Opening Day.

Reliever and burgeoning starter Mike Vasil had his 2026 harshly stripped away after suffering arm soreness during a quality spring training start against the Dodgers on March 14. Vasil’s season-ending UCL injury leaves an opening on the 40-man roster, so at least someone will benefit from his ever-so-short-lived sophomore season. 

Among the currently non-rostered players, which reliever has the best chance of claiming Vasil’s vacant spot?

Hagen Smith

Vasil’s injury presents an unexpected opportunity for Smith: to break camp with the Sox bullpen. Although he hasn’t seen Triple-A hitting yet, and he started all 20 of his Barons games, Smith’s most likely path to the big leagues is through the arm barn. Falling back on Smith’s limited relief experience in college with Arkansas will give the front office a chance to accelerate his timeline while freeing up space in Charlotte for Birmingham talent that will be knocking on the door come May. 

Executing as a relief pitcher requires a completely different attitude and approach, but Smith should be able to adapt. While the Sox recently reassigned him to minor league camp, his latest performance, albeit a start, should be enough to kickstart conversations about shifting his role and big league trajectory. He may start the season in Charlotte, but he should be booking a one-way ticket to Chicago’s homestand against the Nationals.

Ben Peoples

If the Sox want to keep Smith in the rotation, then Peoples is the next logical choice. Peoples made the jump from the rotation to the pen last year after three years of being a starter, and it paid off. He held a 3.33 ERA and seven holds in just under 50 innings. Although his dramatic split between Durham and Charlotte seems concerning, it would be unfair to hold Truist Field’s extremely hitter-friendly environment against him. 

Peoples would slot into Vasil’s place in the bullpen well. He is a jack of all trades with a high-velocity fastball and high-movement slider combination, which makes him a good substitute for Vasil’s fastball-sinker-dominant arsenal. With a lot of hard-throwing relievers and plenty of lefty options who will specialize in high-leverage situations, Peoples could nicely round out the bullpen.

Shane Murphy

Murphy slid under the radar last season, but that won’t be the case this year. Murphy quietly dominated in all three levels he pitched in. His ERA never rose above 2.45, and he kept his strikeouts per walks ratio relatively high (4.16) while ascending from High-A to Triple-A. Murphy’s ability to stay steady as a starter at varying levels of competition shouldn’t be overlooked.

Although he was primarily a starter and he’s only played three games in Triple-A, it would be a crime to keep Murphy in the minors longer than absolutely necessary. The South Siders have plenty of flexibility with their rotation and should consider keeping Drew Thorpe in the pen while he finishes his Tommy John recovery to make room for Murphy in the rotation.

Injuries create openings, and this one feels too big to waste. Whether it’s Smith, Peoples, or Murphy, expect someone to turn this unfortunate break into a fast track to Chicago.

This afternoon, the Colorado Rockies fell to the Seattle Mariners 10-6. For more detailed highlights, click here.

The focus of the day was on pitchers Ryan Feltner and Chase Dollander as both make adjustments while vying for the final spot in the Rockies starting rotation.

First, here’s manager Warren Schaeffer:

Next up is Ryan Feltner who describes some of his in-game adjustments:

Chase Dollander also discussed his in-game changes:

And, finally, Kyle Freeland described what it’s like to be the Rockies Opening Day starter:

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There was a time when I raged, raged against using all caps in headlines. That time is not now.

The Cincinnati Reds are going to play the Cleveland Guardians tonight – Thursday, March 17th – under the lights at Goodyear Stadium, and THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT ON TELEVISION THAT YOU CAN WATCH WITH YOUR OWN EYES.

Sorry, sorry – I know it’s somewhat hyperbolic. Still, they’ve spent so much time plying their trade in the Land of the Endless Strip Mall so far this March without us being able to see any of it that it’s a tremendous boon to my entertainment repertoire.

That they chose to do so (finally) at the same time that the First Four is being played and when the World Baseball Classic is being played between the USA and Venezuela is a complete bummer, and a very, very Reds thing to do. But perhaps you can track down a split screen or a laptop to allow you to watch all the action and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the most glorious of sports fashions.

Nick Lodolo will be on the mound looking to fine tune his work, while the Reds are rolling out a stacked lineup featuring Matt McLain, Sal Stewart, Elly De La Cruz, Tyler Stephenson, Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Rece Hinds, and Will Banfield.

First pitch is set for 9:05 PM ET, and you’ll be able to follow/watch it through both the Reds.tv feed and the Guardians.tv feed depending upon your location.

(It’s also the MLB.com free game of the day!)

Chicago’s (14-11) bats exploded for five runs in the third behind starting pitcher Anthony Kay. The Athletics (12-14) mounted a comeback but ultimately fell short, as the Good Guys carried home the 6-4 victory. The bullpen was a little rocky at times, but lefthander Chris Murphy was able to shut the door on the A’s and snag the save and secure the win for Kay, now 3-0 on the spring.

Kay was excellent through the first four innings and allowed just three hits: a single in the first from Nick Kurtz that turned into a double play on the next batter, a base hit in the second, and a two-out double in the fourth that turned into nothing. He started the fifth out alright with a ground out, but Andy Ibañez took him deep on a hanging slider inside, which was Kay’s only run surrendered. He struck out one more before being replaced with Jedixson Paez, and outside of the homer, he was efficient and punched out five batters while not walking any.

A five-run cushion while on the mound definitely takes the pressure off, and the South Side offense did just that in the bottom of the third. Chase Meidroth led off the rally with a solo shot to right — his first of the spring — and both Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas walked to put a couple more runners on for the Good Guys. Munetaka Murakami came up to the plate in an ideal situation, but he wasn’t the hero here … yet. Mune got Colson to third by tagging on a fly out, but Austin Hays came in clutch, driving an RBI double to right, giving the Sox a two-run lead.

Hays’ double was enough for the Athletics to head to the bullpen, but Andrew Benintendi poured some salt in the wound by mashing a 416-foot, three-run shot to right to make it 5-0.

Just a couple of innings later, the South Siders tacked on one more thanks to a Murakami moonshot — his first home run in a White Sox jersey and the first of (hopefully) many more to come.

Outside of the homers, shortstop Luisangel Acuña and catcher Drew Romo both blasted doubles in the game to account for the remaining South Side extra-base hits. As a team, the Sox went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left five on base, but they did enough to hold on to the win.

The Athletics were attempting to claw back, adding two runs in the fifth and then two more in the eighth. Paez took over for 2 1/3 innings after Kay, giving up one run on one hit and a walk, though he fanned three and has been much more efficient after a rough outing early in the month.

It was a lefty-heavy day as Sean Newcomb entered the game in the eighth, and things got dicey for a minute, but he was eventually able to work his way out of it to maintain a two-run lead. Newcomb was able to get two outs fairly quickly after walking the leadoff batter, but naturally, before he was able to get the third out, a pinch-hit home run from Shane McGuire cut the South Side lead down to two, 6-4.

In better news, the bullpen struggles ended there, as Murphy shut it down in the ninth and the Sox obtained their 14th win of the season. The Good Guys have the day off tomorrow but will have a split-squad matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres on Thursday.