BRADENTON, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Nick Yorke (38) tags out Minnesota Twins right fielder Alan Rodeo (18) who tried to stretch a single into a double on February 26, 2026, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
And the injuries just keep piling up. While spring training stats and records do not matter, the Twins do have the worst run differential through nine games across the majors this spring. That being said, we did have some good news on the injury front. Royce Lewis’ recent MRI is clean (Bobby Nightengale at the Star Tribune), and he’s expected to return to the team this weekend. Meanwhile, while the team expects to place David Festa on the injured list to start the season, Pablo Lopez did not get full reconstructive surgery on his torn UCL and could return by Opening Day next season (Bobby Nightengale at the Star Tribune). Unfortunately, Walker Jenkins has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. While he was a long shot to make the Opening Day roster, it’s definitely not providing any confidence to Twins fans that the newest star in the making could also just be another injury-prone player.
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
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We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
With spring training underway, game threads are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we prepare for Opening Day.
James Fillmore recaps the Stratton Story for our Twinkie Town Movie Night. Stop Making Sense is now on deck.
The 18-year-old recorded four goals, becoming the first rookie this season to score 20 after a two-goal night in the Islanders' 4-3 win against the Florida Panthers on Sunday night.
He added one assist to go along with those four goals, for five points in three games, helping his team to a 3-0-0 week. The Islanders trailed 2-0 in each of those three games.
Against the Montreal Canadiens, Schaefer scored two goals in 55 seconds to tie the score at 2-2 in a 4-3 overtime win.
Schaefer has 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points in 61 games played this season, averagin 24:07 minnutes per game. x.com
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Johan Oviedo #29 of the Boston Red Sox poses for a picture during the 2026 Boston Red Sox Photo Day at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 17, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Is the game on TV?
Yes, first pitch is at 1:07 PM (what? why?) on NESN. I’m guessing this broadcast be similar to a few days ago, though, when NESN simply streamed the home team’s feed, so don’t expect to get your daily dose of Tom Caron.
What’s the lineup?
What should we watch for?
Man, would you get a look at that dog of a lineup? This is the worst type of Spring Training game. Thankfully, though, Franklin Arias gives us a reason to watch. And it’ll be nice to get a second look at Johan Oviedo.
Mar 1, 2026; Lakeland, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter (30) bats during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images
ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 17: St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) pitches in the first inning during a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals on September 17, 2025, at Busch Stadium, in St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals begin their trek through the 2026 Spring Training schedule with a Monday game against the Miami Marlins. According to MLB.com, Andre Pallante gets the start for St. Louis while the Marlins will send Adam Mazur to the mound.
FORMER CUBS IN REDS CAMP: P. J. Higgins — who has become the best catcher at getting ABS challenges overturned, per this chart.
CUBS NUMBERS TO DATE: (Minimum 11 AB). Alex Bregman, .455/.571/.909 (5-for-11, two doubles, one HR, three walks. Dylan Carlson, .455/.647/.545 (5-for-11, a double, five walks). Jefferson Rojas, .313/.389/.625 (5-for-16, two doubles, one home run, five RBI, two walks).
Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds 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.
A new week of NBA action tips off with just four games on the schedule, but there’s still plenty of value to be found in the player prop markets.
I’ve found my favorite plays for today, which include the Celtics efficient big man coming off the bench, and the Jazz rookie Ace Bailey continuing to flash his potential.
Those and more NBA picks for Monday, March 2, below.
Nikola Vucevic has been thriving in his new role with the Boston Celtics. He’s averaging 12 points and 8.6 rebounds coming off the bench and has recorded four double-doubles in nine games since being traded.
Tonight, he gets a great matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. With Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are a bad rebounding team. Without him, they’re downright awful. They enter this matchup with the NBA’s fourth-worst rebounding rate.
Vucevic to record a double-double at +350 is worth a look, but our best bet is Over 7.5 rebounds, a number he’s topped in four of his last five games.
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCS-Boston, FDSN-Wisconsin
Prop #2: Ace Bailey Over 15.5 points
-120 at bet365
It’s on to next season for the Utah Jazz, so now it’s time to figure out how guys like Ace Bailey and Kyle Filipowski fit into their plans.
Bailey has recently shown why he was considered a top prospect heading into last June’s draft. He’s averaging 15.6 points and 5.5 rebounds over his last 17 games, and he gets a sneaky good matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets have struggled to prevent buckets all season long and enter this game ranked 21st in defensive rating. Bailey has topped 15.5 points nine times during this 17-game stretch.
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ALT, KJZZ
Prop #3: Brook Lopez Over 4.5 rebounds
+100 at bet365
The Golden State Warriors have had to battle without Steph Curry. Their offensive rating drops to 21st in the NBA this month.
The Dubs are missing more shots, and they don’t have much in the realm of rebounding. They rank 22nd in rebounding rate and 19th in opponent rebounds per game heading into tonight’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers have several good rebounding options in this one, and my favorite is Brook Lopez. The big man has reentered the starting lineup and is averaging 6.6 rebounds over his last five games, hauling down six plus four times.
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NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 16: John Gil #97 of the Atlanta Braves singles in the third inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s a road spring training game, folks, so that means the Atlanta Braves are going to be letting their organizational depth shine in this one. With that being said, there’s still plenty of reason to tap in. Bryce Elder is right in the thick of the race for the final spot in the rotation and he’ll be looking to make sure that he can continue to fortify his position in this particular race.
Also, rising prospect John Gil will be leading off for the Braves in this one. Gil has already crushed two homers so far this spring and all eyes will be on him as he sits at the top of the order in this one. Here’s the rest of the lineup for the Braves:
First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET and the good news is that it will be televised! Yeah, it’s on ESPN but that’s still TV! If you prefer the radio, then make sure to tune in to 103.7 FM in the Atlanta area.
All the major conferences have one week left before their respective postseason tournaments. Arizona (Big 12), Duke (ACC), Michigan (Big Ten) and Florida (SEC) ― all ranked inside the top 7 of the Feb. 23 poll ―have claimed at least a share of their conference championship.
On Friday, Feb. 27, No. 3 Michigan earned a dominant 84-70 road victory over Illinois to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten, just two years after finishing dead last in the conference. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Feb. 28, Florida dismantled No. 17 Arkansas by a tune of 111-77 to clinch its first SEC regular season title since 2015.
No. 4 Iowa State, No. 8 Purdue, 9 Gonzaga, 11 Virginia and No. 14 Kansas all stumbled over the weekend, which could have an impact on this week's rankings. Just how much?
Here’s a look at the latest Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 for March. 2:
Others receiving votes: BYU 74, Kentucky 47, Louisville 47, Missouri 40, Wisconsin 27, Clemson 16, Utah St. 10, UCF 7, High Point 7, Dayton 5, Villanova 4, Navy 3, NC State 2, TCU 2, Ohio St. 1, Santa Clara 1.
After routing Virginia to win the ACC regular-season title, Duke retains the No. 1 ranking for a second week, once again claiming 28 of 31 first-place votes. The other three top nods once again went to Arizona, which holds the No. 2 position following an impressive defeat of Kansas. No. 3 Michigan also stays put, though the Wolverines looked just as dominant as the Blue Devils and Wildcats over the weekend in winning at Illinois.
Connecticut and Florida each move up two positions to round out the top five, as No. 6 Houston and No. 7 Iowa State each fall two spots. Michigan State vaults five places to No. 8, edging ahead of No. 9 Nebraska. Texas Tech also leaps back into the top 10, gaining six positions after an important win at Iowa State.
Illinois keeps the No. 11 spot by a single poll point over Gonzaga, which slips three spots to No. 12 with its loss to Saint Mary's. Purdue takes a six-place hit sliding to No. 14 with two losses in the week.
Saint Mary’s joins the poll at No. 21 after upending Gonzaga, and No. 23 Miami (Fla.) also moves in. Louisville and Brigham Young drop out.
The NHL’s trade deadline is scheduled for March 6 at 12 PM PST, and this season has a unique landscape as that anticipated date on the calendar approaches.
Typically, around the 60-game mark, the list of “buyers” and “sellers” has been all but solidified, but with the deadline just a week away, all but four teams (New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks) are either in a playoff spot or within ten points of the final wild card spot in their respective conference.
The list of true Stanley Cup contenders (judging solely by the standings) is relatively short as well, with just five teams with a points percentage over .650 (Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars).
The rest of the teams in the NHL will likely conduct themselves as “soft buyers” or “soft sellers,” meaning franchise-altering pieces will likely remain in place unless said piece is seen as a substantial player for whichever acquiring organization beyond the 2025-26 season.
The Anaheim Ducks are currently in line to achieve the mandate set forth nine months ago by owner Henry Samueli and general manager Pat Verbeek: to take the next step in their build and make the playoffs.
As of Monday morning, the Ducks currently sit in second place in the Pacific Division standings and are just one point behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights.
A fully healthy Ducks lineup (based on their most recent games) roughly resembles something like this:
Kreider-Carlsson-Gauthier
Killorn-McTavish-Sennecke
Granlund-Poehling-Terry
Johnston-Washe-Viel
Vatrano-Harkins-Strome
LaCombe-Trouba
Zellweger-Gudas
Mintyukov-Moore
Helleson
Dostal
Husso
With the Ducks’ playoff contention window seemingly just opening and their potential cup-contending window still at least a couple of years in the future, it’s safe to assume they won’t be in the market to add significant rental pieces that the front office doesn’t project to be part of the roster beyond this season.
A glance at the roster won’t uncover any glaring holes, just an underdeveloped young core surrounded by mostly post-prime veterans. Again, unless a young or prime-age impact player can be had, minor upgrades here and there may be the focus heading into this trade deadline for Verbeek and the front office.
With just 23 games remaining on their 2025-26 schedule, the Ducks remain one of the poorer defensive teams in the NHL, both in traditional numbers and 5v5 underlying numbers. They rank 31st in goals against per game (3.49) and 21st in shots on goal allowed per game (29). At 5v5, they’re 25th in shot attempts allowed per 60 minutes (59.66), 23rd in shots on goal allowed per 60 (27.85), and 29th in expected goals against per 60 (2.86).
Three areas to focus on heading into Friday’s deadline for Anaheim could be a top-line forward, a depth defensive-oriented forward, and a top-four right-shot defenseman. Let’s take a look at some of the more consistent impact names currently available on various outlets’ trade boards that could fit the bill, to give an idea of what the Ducks could look to add should the opportunities present themselves.
Top Line Forward
The Ducks deploy four dynamic young forwards in their top-six on a nightly basis: Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, Cutter Gauthier, and Mason McTavish. Filling in the gaps are Troy Terry, a prime-age complementary scorer, and a trio of savvy veterans with varying skillsets: Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, and Mikael Granlund. Another high-end talent who can become or remain a core piece when the Ducks’ contending window is truly open could round out the top of their roster, especially so if that player provides a positive defensive impact.
Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks)
27, $11.6 Million Cap Hit, Full NMC, Expires 2032
Pettersson is in year two of a massive contract extension, but three years removed from his most productive season in 2022-23, where he notched 102 points (39-63=102) in 80 games. His last three seasons have been full of both on and off-ice turmoil and injury concerns. He can play wing or center, and he can kill penalties, but the question remains if Pettersson can recapture his production from a few years ago. If an acquiring team isn’t 100% certain, that contract becomes the riskiest of risky gambles.
Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues)
26, $8.125 Million Cap Hit, Full NTC, Expires 2031
Over the past four seasons, Thomas has been one of the most consistent and healthy 75-90-point centers in the NHL, who controls the game in all three zones. He’s run into a bit of injury trouble this season, and the Blues seem to be heading in the opposite direction for the talented playmaker. The ask is reportedly high, justifiably and predictably so, but a player of his caliber could round out an up-and-coming forward group. These kinds of players aren’t available often, so if a deal can be made, GMs in Verbeek’s situation would be wise not to hesitate.
Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis Blues)
27, $8.125 Million Cap Hit, Full NTC, Expires 2031
With an identical contract to Thomas’, every point made above can be echoed for Kyrou. He attacks dynamically with pace, and though he doesn’t kill penalties, he produces quality defensive metrics likely due to his team’s possession time when he’s on the ice. His potential fit with Anaheim isn’t quite as obvious as Pettersson’s or Thomas’ due to Terry and Sennecke’s presences, but that would be a good problem to have, and shouldn’t be seen as a deterrent, again, if a deal can be had.
Other Notable Candidates: Vincent Trocheck (New York Rangers), Nazem Kadri (Calgary Flames), Steven Stamkos (Nashville Predators)
Depth Defensive Forward
Having a true 200-foot forward that the coaching staff can deploy on the penalty kill, against opposing top lines, and provide offense from the bottom six would relieve some pressure from the LaCombe-Trouba pair, as well as some of the Ducks’ top offensive players who haven’t developed on that side of the puck quite yet.
Ryan O’Reilly (Nashville Predators)
35, $4.5 Million Cap Hit, NO trade protection, Expires 2027
The Preds are suddenly in the playoff mix, but if they decide to sell, O’Reilly is a suitable candidate for several middle-sixes across the league. He doesn’t have an NTC, but Nashville has stated they’re treating him as if he does, indicating he will dictate where he’ll land if he moves. He’s been one of the NHL’s top defensive forwards for most of his long career, and he’s on pace to set a career high in points, as he’s scored 57 points (21-36=57) through 59 games this season.
Blake Coleman (Calgary Flames)
34, $4.9 Million Cap Hit, 21-Team NTC, Expires 2027
For a player who plays as physically taxing a brand as Coleman does, he’s been surprisingly durable through the course of his career, is good for 35-50 points a season, and is a proven playoff performer. Coleman is the type of player who will likely command a sizable return, but his trade protection could mute that somewhat. However, one wouldn’t be surprised if a first-round pick is exchanged in a potential deal.
Warren Foegele (Los Angeles Kings)
29, $3.5 Million Cap Hit, 5-Team NTC, Expires 2027
After back-to-back 40-plus point seasons, Foegle hasn’t been able to find that same level of production in his second season in LA. He had even served as a healthy scratch earlier in the year. The Kings just made a change at head coach, bringing in DJ Smith, and they seem to be interested in making a playoff run in Kopitar’s final year. If Foegele is available, he can provide a versatile middle-six role, blending speed and tenacity, and is one of the first forwards over the boards on the PK.
Other Notable Candidates: Scott Laughton (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jason Dickinson (Chicago Blackhawks), Erik Haula (Nashville Predators)
Top Four Defensemen
Jacob Trouba has elevated his game and has been an impactful defenseman opposite the club’s #1 defenseman in LaCombe. However, he’s unlikely to assume that role, even if re-signed, too far into the future. Similarly, the same could be said for Radko Gudas, who’s in the last year of his deal. Gudas would likely be most effective in bottom-pair minutes at this stage in his career and into the playoffs should the Ducks make it that far.
Tyler Myers (Vancouver Canucks)
36, $3 Million Cap Hit, Full NMC, Expires 2027
The towering 6-foot-8 defenseman is being held out of Vancouver’s nightly lineup in anticipation of a trade ahead of Friday’s deadline. Seemingly a product of environment, Myers has had a rollercoaster career for the Buffalo Sabres, Winnipeg Jets, and Vancouver Canucks. His best years were alongside Quinn Hughes with the Canucks as the defensive-oriented half of a dynamic pair. The Ducks have three young, dynamic defensemen on their current blueline (LaCombe, Mintyukov, Zellweger), and if paired next to one, Myers has a chance to recapture some of that magic in the later stages of his career.
Justin Faulk (St. Louis Blues)
33, $6.5 Million Cap Hit, 15-Team NTC, Expires 2027
Faulk has been the Blues’ most consistent all-situations defenseman for the better part of a decade. He moves pucks, kills penalties, and has performed well in his five career trips to the playoffs. The underlying metrics haven’t been kind to Faulk since arriving in St. Louis from Carolina in 2019, but perhaps a slightly lesser role on a contender would iron some of that out. Again, St. Louis probably has phones ringing off the hook due to their volume of tradable assets, as they will hope for a quick reset with plenty of young talent either on the roster or in the way.
Rasmus Ristolainen (Philadelphia Flyers)
31, $5.1 Million Cap Hit, NO trade protection, Expires 2027
Another towering right-shot defenseman on trade boards, Ristolainen is coming off an impressive Olympic performance, earning a bronze medal with his native Finland. Injury concerns are real, as he’s barely played more than 100 games (116) over the past three seasons for the Flyers, and a saturated right-shot defense market may drive the price down. However, his lack of trade protection could recoup some of that lost value. He still skates well, he’s still physical in the small areas, and he is still prone to some unfortunate, costly mistakes. It will be interesting to see how his market plays out over the next few days.
Other Notable Candidates: Dougie Hamilton (New Jersey Devils), Luke Schenn (Winnipeg Jets), McKenzie Weegar (Calgary Flames)
Clearing Space
When healthy, the Ducks will have 15 current NHL forwards on their roster and seven NHL defensemen. Frank Vatrano has yet to be activated from IR, and when he is, some type of move will have to be made, one way or another.
The Ducks also have young players in the AHL, with the San Diego Gulls, pushing for NHL ice time at every position: Nathan Gaucher, Sam Colangelo, Nikita Nesterenko, Tyson Hinds, and Tristan Luneau.
For whatever reason, this season has been unkind to Verbeek’s first two UFA signings from when he first took the Ducks’ GM job in 2022: Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano. With the emergence of young players, they’ve had a difficult time carving out depth roles for themselves, leaving them as fourth-line or healthy-scratch players. Combined, they make $9.6 million against the Ducks’ cap, so something will have to give at some point, especially with projected expensive contract extensions likely due to young core pieces in the summer.
Verbeek will have his work cut out for him shaping the Ducks’ roster, especially over the summer. However, it’s unclear how much business he’ll get done, if any, before Friday’s deadline.
The Philadelphia Flyers are set to face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 2. They have now made a roster move ahead of the contest.
The Flyers have announced that they have recalled defenseman Adam Ginning from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Ginning has appeared in five games this season with the Flyers, where he has recorded zero points, four hits, five blocks, and an even plus/minus rating. However, he has primarily played in the AHL with Lehigh Valley this season. The 6-foot-3 defenseman has one goal, four points, and a minus-7 rating in 31 games this season with the Phantoms.
Ginning was selected by the Flyers with the 50th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. In 16 games over four seasons with the Flyers, he has recorded one goal, 17 blocks, 25 hits, and a minus-1 rating.
Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland has been a busy man in the second half of this regular season. He acquired Artemi Panarin and has handled multiple key roster injuries such as Joel Armia, Kevin Fiala and Andrei Kuzmenko.
But most recently, he and the rest of the Kings' brass decided it was time to let go of coach Jim Hiller, making the coaching change official on Sunday morning. D.J. Smith, who was the associate coach to Hiller, is now the interim head coach.
Holland held a press conference at Sunday's practice, explaining his thinking behind his decision, but also his plans for Friday's NHL trade deadline. By the sounds of it, he won't be extremely active with the phones.
"If on Thursday I added Panarin, it'd be a big deadline deal," Holland told reporters. "I happened to do it three weeks ago because we wanted him.
With that, Holland believes he doesn't need to make any grand roster changes following his trade for Panarin from the New York Rangers.
"We made a big deadline deal," he explained. "It's just not on the deadline, it's in advance of the deadline."
Further, the Kings' GM described the team's injury situation, with Fiala out for the year, as well as Armia and Kuzmenko out. He said when those players return, Armia is likely the soonest, and they would provide a boost like a deadline deal would.
Kevin Fiala, Andrei Kuzmenko and Quinton Byfield (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)
Eventually, Holland addressed what may happen with the team's draft capital. Los Angeles has all its first-round picks for the next three drafts, and two second-rounders in 2026.
However, at least concerning this year's first-round pick, Holland doesn't want to take any chances.
"Given where we are in the standings, I don't anticipate our first-round pick being in play," Holland said.
Following Sunday's NHL fixtures, the Kings are seven spots off the bottom of the league's standings. Meaning, if the regular season ended today, not only would they miss the playoffs for the first time in four years, but they'd also have the seventh-best draft lottery odds.
Last year, the Buffalo Sabres had the seventh spot going into the draft lottery and dropped two places, earning the ninth overall pick. The Boston Bruins ended up with the seventh pick, taking center James Hagens.
Nonetheless, while Holland won't be looking to move his first-round pick of the 2026 draft, he said he'll "work the phones" to see what could be available going into Friday's deadline.
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TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 25: Amed Rosario #14 of the New York Yankees runs the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Washington Nationals during a Grapefruit League spring training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 25, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Not all ballplayers need to be well-rounded in order to find success. Sometimes, one skill is enough to keep them in demand. That’s the case for Amed Rosario, who’s played for six teams over the last three seasons alone for one simple season: the man hits lefties.
Rosario began his career as a highly regarded Mets farmhand, rising as high as the number-five prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline. After mixed results in parts of four seasons, he was moved to Cleveland as one of the centerpieces of the blockbuster that brought back Francisco Lindor. Rosario was Cleveland’s primary shortstop for two-and-a-half seasons and, while his hit tool consistently played, the defense was not up to par; among 41 qualified shortstops from 2021-2023, his -27 Outs Above Average ranked dead last.
The Dominican Republic native then began what has been a nomadic journey, usually occupying a niche role as designated lefty masher while failing to carve out a starting job or nail down a single defensive position. His 2025 season was typical of this stage of his career. After starting the year with the Nationals, he was traded to the Yankees in a deadline deal, where he would finish out the year.
In total, he faced lefties in nearly two-thirds of his at-bats and posted an .819 OPS against them, more than 200 points higher than his mark against righties. And, while seeing time at second, third, shortstop, and the outfield (as well as DH and pitcher for good measure) he graded out with -7 OAA. With the Yankees facing tough lefties like Garret Crochet in the postseason, he appeared in four of their seven playoff games, going 3-for-10.
This offseason, the Yankees re-signed the 30-year-old to a one-year, $2.5-million deal to fill a similar role for 2026. It’s a low-risk play that does not prevent the team from pursuing other avenues should he fail to repeat his excellence against southpaws. With lefties Ryan McMahon and Jazz Chisholm Jr. slated for regular playing time at third and second, respectively, it’s easy to see Rosario gaining a path to considerable usage as the weak side of a platoon rotation. It’s also plausible he could see time at corner outfield with lefties Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger installed as everyday players, though Randal Grichuk, who the Yankees recently brought to spring camp as a non-roster invitee and has a similar track record against left-handers, could end up occupying that role instead.
ZiPS is anticipating a pretty significant offensive regression for Rosario from his recently established norm — all three elements of his expected slash line would be his lowest since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. If deployed strategically against left-handers as he was last year, there is good reason to expect him to exceed a .255 batting average. Don’t expect much pop or plate discipline, though, and the defense will be weak wherever he plays. Instead of rostering a higher-ceiling all-around talent, like Jasson Domínguez or Spencer Jones, the Yankees seem likely to enter the season with specialists on their bench while allowing their prospects to see regular playing time at Triple-A. Even if injuries take their toll on the team, expect the front office to look elsewhere for everyday players while allowing Rosario to continue filling his niche.
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 26: Cleveland Guardians right fielder Nolan Jones (22) and Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias (13) celebrate following the Major League Baseball doubleheader between the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Guardians on April 26, 2025, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With twenty games left in Spring Training, it’s looking like the Guardians are going to be pushed to put their money where their mouths have been when it comes to not blocking young players.
All offseason, President of Baseball Operations, Chris Antonetti, and General Manager, Mike Chernoff, have been clear about the plan to fix the Guardians’ hitting woes of 2025 without spending a dime in major league free agency in the attempt to do so:
“As we looked at a lot of the external the possibility of external additions, one of the questions we continually have to ask ourselves is, ‘whose opportunity does this impede’”? – Chris Antonetti, 1/23/2026.
“We need to get better offensively. …we believe that growth and development can come from the guys we have in the organization.“ – Antonetti, 1/30/2026
“One of our key goals was not to impede players with the most upside (from playing in Cleveland). We saw a glimpse of what Chase DeLauter could do in the playoffs. George Valera and C.J. Kayfus also showed up pretty well at the end of the season.” – Chernoff, 1/30/2026
Right now, projected to be on the Opening Day Guardians’ roster, there are two players who have over 1,000 plate appearances who are blocking younger players with less experience, eager to prove themselves as more valuable major leaguers: Nolan Jones and Gabriel Arias.
I am not writing this post to criticize the Cleveland front office for believing in Jones and Arias and for giving them their fair shot. Two years ago, I believed Arias had shown enough to get his fair chance, and last spring, I agreed with the idea of bringing Jones on board in a weak outfield group to see if he could regain his 2023 form at the plate. However, over the past two seasons Jones has now put up a 71 wRC+ in 700 plate appearances and Arias has put up a 75 wRC+ in 634 plate appearances. Jones will turn 28 years old this season and Arias just turned 26 years old; neither is likely to experience a breakout at this point in their major league careers.
In Arias’s case, replacing him involves putting Brayan Rocchio at shortstop. Rocchio is 10 and half months younger than Arias, has 100+ fewer plate appearances. He also finished 2024 with a league average 100 wRC+, while Arias finished with a 65 wRC+. There is still some slim hope remaining that Rocchio can be a league average bat – hope that no longer exists for Arias. So, the team needs to give Rocchio the reigns at shortstop and let him sink or swim, while also letting star prospect Angel Genao develop at short in Akron and, soon, Columbus. Most importantly, however, moving on from Arias with a designating for assignment, will allow the team to let Juan Brito try his hand as a full-time second baseman while the team allows Travis Bazzana to heat up at Columbus. Both Brito and Bazzana offer FAR more potential as hitters than either Arias or Rocchio and need to be featured in the Guardians’ lineup in 2026 as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Daniel Schneemann offers a perfect utility bat, capable of playing any position except catcher, and not someone who needs to be given regular plate appearances (ahem, PLEASE catch that last part, Manager Stephen Vogt). Additionally, should an injury take place with Rocchio, Milan Tolentino is having an excellent Spring Training, has an exceptional glove at shortstop, and should be capable of providing something similar to Arias’s career 76 wRC+ at the plate if called upon in a pinch. Arias is not needed on this team; while right-handed, he has a career 50 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. He also looked horrendous when asked to play outfield in the past, so he isn’t as good of an option as Schneemann in the super utility role.
As for Jones, bringing him back as an option in centerfield made sense this offseason, but spring training is making clear that keeping him as that depth is not a priority. Both Kahlil Watson and Petey Halpin have looked very good at the plate and in the field in center. It’s one week of Spring Training, so, please, don’t think I am saying either will be good major league players. However, neither has to be good to surpass average (at best!) defense in center and a 71 wRC+ at the plate provided by Jones these past two seasons. With Steven Kwan gamely taking on the challenge of center field, DFA’ing Jones allows the team to get good, solid looks at George Valera and Chase DeLauter, as well as allowing CJ Kayfus to work on his corner outfield skills in Columbus should either of the above players get hurt. If Jones were capable of hitting left-handed pitching, he’d be a roster shoo-in, but give me Stuart Fairchild and his potential for above-average centerfield play and career 106 wRC+ vs. LHP over Jones’s fielding and career 76 wRC+ against southpaws in the fourth outfielder role.
Finally, with the Guardians’ committed to Jones for $2 million for 2026, designating him for assignment makes it likely no team will claim him. Since Jones is short of five years of major league service time, Cleveland can option him to Columbus when he likely clears waivers and mix him into all three outfield positions there, hanging on to him for needed outfield depth. In effect, they will gain an option on a player who has potential to be a league average bat against RHP and a playable fielder in center. That’s worth retaining… but not at the expense of a roster and lineup spot needed to give exciting, young players like Valera and DeLauter a real chance at establishing themselves.
If the Guardians start the season – as I expect they will – with Jones and Arias on the roster, I will be disappointed. I know, I know… it’ll probably just be for the month of April, but April games count just as much as September games. The reps that players like Brito, Bazzana, Valera and DeLauter could get in April can help them work out early struggles to be prepared for summer success. Nothing against Jones and Arias, personally, as both seem like good dudes, but we need to be clear-eyed about what is best for this team. Giving further opportunities to two players who are extremely unlikely to be above-average major league contributors would be a mistake, given the strategy that Cleveland has espoused publicly all offseason.
Nikola Vucevic
Ace Bailey
Brook Lopez
