Worldwide Sports News

PHOENIX –– Last year, Dalton Rushing felt like he was playing on “thin ice.”

As a rookie back-up catcher with the juggernaut Dodgers, he spent most of his debut season almost walking on eggshells.

Maybe on another team, or in a less star-studded clubhouse, his big-league introduction would’ve felt different. In many organizations, his arrival as a top-ranked, power-hitting catching prospect would have been a very big deal.

But with the Dodgers, the former first-round draft pick got a reality check. 

While he would’ve liked to stand out, he instead needed to learn how to blend in.

“I was told to view it as an internship,” Rushing said of his rookie season, in which he batted just .204 over 155 plate appearances while spending most of his time riding the bench and building a rapport with pitchers behind the scenes.

“I don’t like viewing it like that, I don’t like viewing this game as an internship,” he added. “But at the same time, I see the perspective they were coming from, and the idea of what they wanted to do last year. They wanted to make sure I understand these guys as much as possible moving forward.”

Now, the 25-year-old is ready for the next step.

“I by no means anticipate being a role player like this for my whole career, and I don’t think they do either,” he told the California Post on Monday. “But I think last year was a really good learning year for me … I learned a lot about myself and understand the game a little better now.”

Where Rushing fits into the Dodgers’ long-term plans, of course, remains up in the air.

His primary position is blocked, with All-Star backstop Will Smith under contract for the next eight years. Other pathways to playing time also appear complicated, with everything from first base to DH to even the outfield –– a position Rushing said he volunteered to play again this season, before the team signed Kyle Tucker –– occupied by established MLB stars.

His name has been in trade rumors before. It’s likely such speculation will percolate again.

But for now, Rushing is doing the only thing he can: Embracing his reality as a part-time player, and preparing himself for unforeseen potential opportunities.

“I think there could be avenues and opportunities where I get on the field more regularly this year,” he said. “And it’s up to me to take advantage of that and show them what I can do to help this team win.”

On the field, Rushing failed to capitalize on the chances he did get last season, after being called up to replace Austin Barnes as the team’s backup catcher in mid-May.

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He started swinging too hard, losing the simple mechanics that helped him post a .933 OPS with 54 home runs in his minor-league career. He chased too many pitches, resulting in a 37.4% strikeout rate that ranked fourth-highest in the majors among players with 150 plate appearances.

As a result, he was passed over when the doorway to more playing time finally did open, supplanted by trade deadline acquisition Ben Rortvedt early in the playoffs while Smith was out with a hand fracture.

And in hindsight, Rushing acknowledged, “I worried too much about how sporadic the playing time was, instead of worrying about the consistency of where my body is at, where my swing is at.”

“It felt,” he continued, “as if I had to step in the box and show these guys I could hit.”

That’s why Rushing has tried to reframe his mindset this spring.

He feels like he has now forged strong relationships with the team’s pitching staff, something he hopes will “take some stress off the bat” and “let it do its thing a little better.”

He has also adopted a new mindset at the plate.

“Just be a hitter,” he said. “I’m blessed enough to not have to try and hit a homer to hit a homer, or try and hit a double to hit a double. My goal this year is, let’s see if I can hit 200 singles.”

That’s an exaggerated number, of course. If everyone stays healthy, Rushing might be lucky to get 200 total at-bats.

But it’s the mentality he knows he has to have to carve out a place on the team –– to be more of an impact player now, and remain a key part of the club’s future as well.

“At the end of the day, doing damage every week will keep me in the lineup,” he said. “And I’m gonna do whatever I have to do to try and find myself in the lineup as much as possible.”

Observations from Mets spring training on Tuesday:

What a relief

The two major additions to the bullpen were in good form against Team Nicaragua, as Luke Weaver and Devin Williams each pitched a scoreless inning in a 6-3 win. Weaver struck out one in his inning, while Williams fanned three.

Tough start

Craig Kimbrel allowed a run on three hits. Carlos Mendoza remains impressed with Kimbrel’s stuff, though, as the 37-year-old looks to find a place in the pen on his eighth team in the past six years.

Caught my eye

Mark Vientos was back at third base, this time for Team Nicaragua, as they prepare for the WBC.

Vientos has mostly been working at first base this spring, as the Mets look to use him, Brett Baty and newly signed Jorge Polanco there this year.

Facing the Mets on Tuesday, Vientos went 1-for-3.

Wednesday’s schedule

David Peterson will make his first Grapefruit League start, facing Team Israel in an exhibition game before the start of the WBC at 1:10 p.m. at Clover Park.

Nolan McLean and Luis Robert Jr. are also slated to play in a minor league game on a back field. 

The Mariners lost another tough one in the later innings in today’s spring training game against the Angels, who staged a three-run comeback in the ninth inning to snatch victory away from the Mariners, who now stand at 3-7 on the spring.

Angels starter George Klassen looked tough today in his three-inning sample, busting fastballs up to the plate at an average of 97.5 mph, paired with a changeup that was his actual whiff-getting weapon: all four of his whiffs (and therefore all four of his strikeouts) came on the changeup. You might have read about Klassen in our writeup of the Angels’ farm system; John’s analysis of Klassen is there are questions if he’ll be a starter or reliever due to his limited repertoire and occasional command outages. Three spring training innings isn’t enough to judge, but we’ll certainly see him in some form when facing Anaheim this season.

Two Mariners did get to Klassen: Patrick Wisdom ambushed a first-pitch fastball for a well-struck solo home run in the second inning, and two batters later Rhylan Thomas dropped the barrel on a slider for a turn-and-burn pull solo homer.

The Mariners couldn’t hold that lead, however. Bryan Woo was good-not-great in his second outing of the spring, with four punchouts of his own over 2.1 innings. The first two innings went smoothly, but he opened the third inning with a walk followed by a single off the bat of Bryce Teodosio and then used up the remainder of his pitch count for the day on a nine-pitch battle with Chris Taylor that ended up with Taylor striking out chasing a fastball off the plate. Michael Rucker, called in to polish off the inning, couldn’t keep his inherited runners from scoring, eventually walking off the mound to a 2-2 tie.

The Angels went ahead in the following inning. Casey Legumina got into another lengthy battle with an Angels hitter, eventually walking Kyren Paris on ten pitches. He then fell behind Jeimer Candelario, who is apparently an Angel now, 3-1 before serving up a 93 mph fastball right in the lefty loop zone for a two-run homer to make the game 4-2. No, Casey! Don’t do that, Casey! It’s an unfortunate step back for Legumina, who has looked better this spring, but as they say, growth isn’t linear.

Seattle got one of those runs back in the fourth; Brent Suter walked J.P. Crawford and Ryan Bliss doubled him over to third (the crowd was very unhappy with third base coach Carlos Cardoza’s refusal to send J.P. home; friends, this is spring training). 19-year-old Colt Emerson then came up with a sacrifice fly off the 36-year-old Suter, a fact that amuses me and also feels very appropriate for a player who, as Ryan Divish says, was “a 27 year old when he came out of the womb.”

The Mariners were able to tie things up in the fifth thanks to Brendan Donovan, doing his best Josh Naylor impression by walking, stealing second, and then taking third on a wild pitch from Ryan Zeferjahn, which I spelled right on the first try, thank you. Brian O’Keefe walked and moved to second when Zeferjahn hit Jakson Reetz with a 92 mph sinker, and Patrick Wisdom singled to bring home both the tying and go-ahead run.

The second line added another insurance run in the sixth. Rhylan Thomas singled off old friend and Tacoma teammate Tayler Saucedo and moved to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a Spencer Packard single, making it 6-4 Mariners.

It wasn’t pretty but the bullpen held the line <— a line from another, more fun recap I was writing before Michael Morales, after barely escaping the eighth inning, went back out for the ninth and gave up a double followed by a walk, forcing Dan Wilson to call on one of his “jicky” (Just In Case) players in Reid Easterly, who is someone I didn’t know was a Mariner until today. Maybe faced with a clean inning Easterly would have gotten out of the jam, but as it was, he immediately gave up a game-tying double followed by a go-ahead single. The Mariners had one last chance—Carson Taylor hit a two-out double and Cole Young worked a walk behind him—but Brock Rodden popped out to end the game.

Pitching Pile Update:

Today’s clear winner was Cole Wilcox, who pitched a sterling 1-2-3 inning and looked dominant, needing just nine pitches, eight of which he threw for strikes—a big development for a player whose bugaboo has been command. Wilcox spammed his off-speed today: six of those nine pitches were the slider/sweeper (although only one a sweeper, per Statcast); the other three were sinkers. It seems like each of Wilcox’s innings has been stronger than the last; I’m very intrigued by him and what he does next.

Robinson Ortiz technically worked a scoreless inning, but it should be noted he got bailed out by a dazzling double play from Will Wilson at third base, who handled a very sharply-hit ground ball (105.5 EV) on a tricky hop for a seamless double play. While Brennan Davis has sucked up most of the post-hype-prospect redemption-arc attention, I am intrigued by Will Wilson, who soothes the ache somewhat of losing the surehanded Ben Williamson at third (although the Rays are apparently using Williamson as a utility infielder, playing him at second, third, and short this spring).

Fringe Friends Update:

Speaking of Brennan Davis, he had another loud single today. You know how they say “it just sounds different off his bat”? I experienced that firsthand with Davis, as the contact he made on a single that came off the bat at 111 mph was so loud in the press box I literally gasped out loud like I was in a telenovela. On a team that is pretty well settled as far as position battles go, following the Brennan Davis storyline is one of the most fun things about this spring.

Cole Young Appreciation Post:

Cole Young played the back half of this game in order to give Ryan Bliss a chance to play at second, which is a little like your teenage cousin being forced to sit at the kids’ table, but Young handled it well. He worked a walk to extend the ninth inning with yet another polished plate appearance, and he also showed off what’s becoming a theme this spring of improved infield defense. Hobby horse alert: you will be seeing something on the site soon about Young’s improved (re-proved?) defense. Look at the ground he covers on this bunt!

David Ross is headed back to the Worldwide Leader. 

ESPN announced Tuesday that the longtime MLB catcher and ex-Cubs manager is coming back to the network on a multiyear deal after having previously been on its airwaves from 2017-19. 

Ross, 48, joined his former broadcast partner, Jon “Boog” Sciambi, during Tuesday’s Team USA exhibition game against the Giants on ESPN to break the news of his return. 

“I’m so fired up,” Ross, who is serving as Team USA’s bullpen coach during the World Baseball Classic, said during the broadcast.

“Pumped to be back. The ESPN family has been special to me, and I can’t wait to watch some more baseball and be more involved.”

Ross will serve as an MLB analyst for both the network’s game and studio coverage, ESPN added. 

A seventh-round pick by the Dodgers in 1998, Ross went on to play 15 big league seasons with seven different teams largely as a backup catcher, retiring after the 2016 season. 

Former Cubs manager and current Team USA WBC bullpen coach David Ross is returning to ESPN as an MLB analyst. #MLBpic.twitter.com/stmEO9p0az

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 3, 2026

He won two World Series titles during his career in 2013 with the Red Sox and in 2016 with the curse-breaking Cubs. 

Ross was especially key during Chicago’s 2016 run, hitting two postseason home runs, including a solo shot — in the last official at-bat of his career — during the epic World Series Game 7 against Cleveland.

In October 2019, Ross signed a three-year deal to take over as the Cubs’ manager. 

He was fired and later replaced by Craig Counsell after the 2023 season amid a three-season playoff drought.

MESA, Arizona — The Cubs wore their white pinstripe home jerseys for the exhibition game against Team Italy, and that was more than just a pleasant view. Before the game started I saw a few Cubs minor leaguers enter Sloan Park wearing the blue alternates and wondered why.

“Why” was because several of them played for Team Italy, and that had them match Italy’s blue jerseys. And a couple of the Cubs prospects hit Cubs pitching pretty hard. Owen Ayers, a catching prospect who did well in the Arizona Fall League, smashed a two-run homer and also singled, and Parker Chavers was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

All of this led to Team Italy’s 9-4 win over the Cubs in front of a very small crowd at Sloan Park, just 8,068.

While Cubs major leaguers were in the game, though, things went quite well. Cade Horton threw three strong innings, allowing a walk and single and striking out three. Here are the three K’s [VIDEO].

Dansby Swanson gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead with this solo homer in the second [VIDEO].

That ball was up and out right in the middle of the zone and was hit a long way:

The Cubs scored three more times in the fourth. Matt Shaw led off with a double and Pedro Ramirez walked. Both runners moved up on a fly ball by Jefferson Rojas and both scored on an infield hit by Nico Hoerner, after the ball was thrown away by Italy shortstop Thomas Saggese, who you’ll remember as a member of the Cardinals.

Jacob Webb and Ethan Roberts threw scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth and so the game went to the sixth with the Cubs up 4-0 and Italy having only one hit.

Jack Neely should have had a scoreless inning, too, only Ben Cowles, just returned from his waiver sojourn to Toronto, threw a ball away for a throwing error to lead off the sixth. Neely retired the next two hitters, but then Ayers homered, and another single and homer made it a four-run inning, all the runs unearned due to the Cowles error.

Another homer in the seventh, by Saggese off Jeff Brigham, gave Italy the lead and they put the game away with a four-spot off Cubs minor leaguers Ben Heller and Tyler Santana.

So, basically, the Cubs major leaguers did what they needed to do and the loss was all off guys who won’t be on this team, some of the runs produced by their own Cubs minor-league teammates.

As noted, only 8,068 paid to see this one. This is one of the smallest crowds in the history of Sloan Park. It makes the total for seven dates this spring 79,377, or 11,340 per date.

The Cubs head to the west side of Phoenix to play the Brewers Wednesday afternoon. Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs and Brandon Sproat, one of the two top Mets prospects the Brewers got in the Freddy Peralta deal, will start for Milwaukee. Game time Wednesday is 2:10 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on Marquee Sports Network and also Brewers TV. There will also be a radio broadcast on the Brewers flagship station, WTMJ 620.

Another MLB player is facing a suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.

Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas failed a test for PEDs, The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Tuesday.

He is appealing the test.

Players who violate the league’s drug policy for the first time face an 80-game suspension.

The news comes as Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar faces a 162-game suspension for testing positive for PEDs for the second time in as many years.

Profar was suspended for 80 games last year for violating the league’s drug policy.

Rojas, unless he wins his appeal, will be the second Phillies player to be suspended for PEDs over the past year.

Reliever Jose Alvarado tested positive in May of last season and served an 80-game suspension.

He was also ineligible to pitch in the postseason.

Max Kepler, who played with the Phillies last year but became a free agent and is no longer with the team, tested positive in January and was handed an 80-game suspension.

Rojas, 25, was battling for a roster spot with the Phillies.

A strong fielder who has struggled to establish himself at the plate, he played in 71 games last year for the Phillies and hit .224 with a .569 OPS.

He was set to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, but did not report with the rest of his teammates over the weekend amid the failed test.

Rojas will still be allowed to play spring training games as his appeal process plays out, though it’s unclear if that’s the Phillies’ plan.

Roki Sasaki’s struggles from his first Cactus League start carried over into Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark.

The Dodgers right-hander gave up three walks and two hits, including a grand slam to Guardians slugger Kyle Manzardo, before he was lifted after 23 pitches. He displayed no command, missing arm side repeatedly and throwing only eight strikes. None of the five batters he faced in the first inning saw a first-pitch strike.

But then, he flashed the tantalizing potential that the Dodgers saw when they signed him before last season.

Re-inserted into the game to start the second inning, which is allowed in spring training, the 24-year-old settled down and retired all six batters he faced in his last two innings of work while throwing 22 pitches — 13 for strikes — in the Dodgers' 5-4 win.

Working in a healthy mix of fastballs, cutters and splitters, Sasaki struck out two and was able to limit hard contact, which had been an issue for him in the first inning and in his first start last week against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The home run by Manzardo recorded an exit velocity of 104.6 mph.

"I wasn't overly concerned," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "But it was good to see him bounce back."

Sasaki said through an interpreter after he was lifted from the game that something felt off about his upper-body mechanics. He made a simple adjustment and found success in it.

“It was actually my upper body,” Sasaki said. “My lower half actually felt pretty good. My upper body felt a little off, so I was trying to make an adjustment.”

Said Roberts when asked about Sasaki missing arm side: "Maybe he's trying to be a little too fine and/or just a little bit out of sync with the delivery. That's why you have spring training, you work though it, you've got to be able to make in-game adjustments. As he gets more experienced, you would expect that to happen in the inning rather than sit for 20 minutes, come in and reset."

Gavin Stone has shoulder inflammation

Roberts said before Tuesday's game that right-hander Gavin Stone received a scan, which revealed shoulder inflammation. The 27-year-old pitcher, who struck out two in a perfect inning of work in his first Cactus League start last week, will stop all throwing activities for two weeks and be re-evaluated.

“I think we dodged a bullet," Roberts said. "We feel good about it.”

Stone is working his way back from a right shoulder surgery that he underwent in October 2024, which caused him to miss all of last season.

But with him and left-hander Blake Snell sidelined, that opens some spots in the starting rotation — which presents an opportunity for the likes of Emmet Sheehan, who has yet to appear in a Cactus League game, and River Ryan, who looked sharp in two scoreless innings of work Tuesday. Ryan recorded three strikeouts against the Guardians.

Tommy Edman taking batting practice, Kiké Hernández progressing

Roberts revealed Tuesday that utilityman Tommy Edman has started taking batting practice, as he recovers from ankle surgery. He will likely open the season on IL.

“I think he has [taken batting practice] in a cage,” Roberts said. “I don’t think he’s been on the field yet, but he’s swinging from both sides, he’s running, playing catch, and all of that stuff. So, he’s progressing nicely. Still, obviously a ways away from playing in a game, but it’s been really good to see his kind of progression.”

Roberts says that utilityman Kiké Hernández, who is recovering from offseason surgery on his left elbow, is also trending in the right direction.

“He is [making progress],” Roberts said. “I think he’s going to be with us for a few more days, and then he’s going to join Team Puerto Rico down there, but from what I hear every day he’s progressed really well. I’ve seen him running around and doing some movements, but yeah, I don’t know what his progression is with the hitting, but from what I’ve heard, it’s getting better each day.”

Hernández will not participate in the World Baseball Classic.

Kyle Tucker goes home to be with family

Noticeably absent from the Dodgers’ lineup and clubhouse this week is Kyle Tucker. Roberts explained that Tucker has returned to his offseason home as his wife is close to giving birth to the couple’s first son.

“He went home,” Roberts said. “He and his wife are expecting, and so hopefully we have some news here soon, and then once he does, he’ll be back.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas, 25, is facing an 80-game suspension following a failed PED test, according to multiple reports.

Rojas is appealing the test results.

He was originally slated to be a part of the Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic team, but dropped off the roster last week. He was not with the team when it made its trip to Miami over the weekend.

This marks the second consecutive year the Phillies have had a player suspended due to PEDs. In 2025, reliever Jose Alvarado received an 80-game suspension of his own, which has kept him off Venezuela's roster for the World Baseball Classic.