Phoenix, AZ - February 20, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) takes his shoes off after batting practice during Los Angeles Dodgers' spring training in Camelback Ranch, Phoenix, AZ on February 20, 2026. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is expected to make his 2026 game debut on Tuesday, when the Dodgers host the Cleveland Guardians.
In speaking with reporters on Thursday at Camelback Ranch, Freeman talked about his plans for 2026 and beyond, which included wanting to play 162 games again this season, something he did previously in 2014 and 2018. But part of that plan included the 36-year-old dialing things back a bit this spring, including not playing for Canada in the World Baseball Classic and the Dodgers being more methodical with his Cactus League reps.
“I’m feeling good, but we are going to slow-play it a little bit,” Freeman said Thursday, as shown on SportsNet LA. “It’s kind of planned out that I’ll be around 47 plate appearances, which I kind of like.”
That last part is hilariously specific — later in the media scrum Thursday widened the range a bit to 45-50 plate appearances — but also quite fitting for Freeman, who is acutely aware of his own numbers. And who could blame him? After all, Freeman is the active major league leader in hits (2,431), doubles (547, 34th all-time), total bases (4,145), runs scored (1,379) and runs batted in (1,322).
Excluding the extremely-truncated spring training in 2022 after the MLB lockout in his first year with the Dodgers, Freeman in the last three spring trainings got 43, 51, and 40 plate appearances, the latter two years also including exhibition games in Korea and Japan in which Freeman played. In 2025, his start to Cactus League play was delayed after rehabbing from right ankle surgery the previous December.
But all of those are right in line with what Freeman feels comfortable with to get ready for the games that count, with this his 17th major league season.
Today’s question is how many plate appearances will Freddie Freeman get this spring training?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the second half of their game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
#1 – 60 seconds that says it all
Sometimes, 48 minutes can be sum up in just 60 seconds – and last night’s game against LA was the case. In this sequence, the Celtics are able to take four shots while the Lakers only have one attempt, which is blocked from behind.
The willingness to fight for offensive rebounds and to put pressure from the other side of the court was a big difference-maker for the Celtics against a team that can be elite offensively when they are able to run their usual offense.
The Celtics didn’t let that happen and limited the Lakers to an 89-point game.
#2 – Payton Pritchard’s magic
The level of efficiency Payton is showing since moving back to a 6th-man role is just out of this world. Last night, again, the former Oregon star showed why the Celtics believe so much in him to get the offense going, especially in late-clock situations.
Besides the incredible shooting touch, his ability to create space is what stands out the most this season. At the rim or on the perimeter, his frame, handle, speed, and footwork are working together to create space, even when he seems to be stuck.
It’s not just a gimmick, and the shots he is making aren’t just fun highlights for TikTok. He is becoming an offensive threat that the Celtics can rely on to close games because, against the matchup he wants, Pritchard is able to get to his spots and carry the team on his large shoulders.
The other big change in the last few weeks was the addition of Nikola Vucevic, who is also coming off the bench. The former Bull is bringing some post-up gravity, but it is quite different from what we are used to seeing from the Celtics. He gets the ball far deeper than Kristaps Porzingis would.
His post-up positions are deeper in the paint, not at the top of the key. With his low center of gravity (for his size), he can push back players with ease and find deeper positions on offense. This gives the Celtics coaching staff new options for play-calling, like here where, after a timeout, they draw a play to get the ball inside for Nikola.
Derrick White cuts from the right corner to the left as the center sets a screen for him, and then Hugo Gonzalez screens to give Vucevic more space to catch the ball near the rim. Exquisite play call to beat the Lakers’ zone defense.
When the Lakers weren’t in a zone defense, they tended to switch a lot, and the Celtics took advantage of that. Recently, we saw a lot of teams that would rather hedge on the pick-and-roll, leaving the short roll open, but this wasn’t possible against that Lakers defense. So, instead of setting ball screens with their big men, the Celtics went for ghost screens with shooters.
Ghost screens, or slip screens, are very tough to defend for switch defenses because often one of the two players involved forgets to switch, as it doesn’t feel like a “real screen.” However, even if that isn’t a real screen, the confusion between the defenders is enough to create the required space.
On this second example, Queta’s screen creates confusion off the ball, as Luka Doncic expects Deandre Ayton to switch onto Hauser, but the big man follows Neemias Queta and that’s an open shot for Boston.
Here again, this time for White, the Celtics trick the Lakers. Derrick gets close to Luka Doncic as if he were setting the screen, so Luke Kennard gets ready to switch. But Luka doesn’t feel White, so he stays on Pritchard, as there was no “real screen.” The consequence? Yet another 3-pointer for the Boston Celtics.
With a bigger volume, the opportunity for Jaylen Brown to learn how to become elite at reading space has been obvious — and he is getting there. There were a couple of actions last night where he looked like one of the great playmakers in this league.
On this first drive of the game, he attracts three defenders and doesn’t have a lot of time to think or space to move. He stops, pivots, finds an open man, and swings the ball to the corner for Baylor Scheierman.
On the pick-and-roll below, he reads the defensive mistake really well. Ayton switches, but Rui Hachimura doesn’t, leaving the roll man alone for a second. Brown sees it and finds a passing lane above the Lakers center, right where Queta needs the ball. Great read again to punish the defensive mistake.
Yet, his passing wasn’t the most impressive part of his game last night.
#6 – Brown’s defense and transition motor
The Celtics’ #7 was the transition motor the Celtics needed to get over that Lakers defense. The All-Star put a lot of pressure on the ball and in the passing lanes, leading to three steals and one out-of-bounds turnover.
In transition, he was able to draw a lot of free throws, which were more than welcome to compensate for his 18 missed field goals. His speed, aggressiveness, and willingness in these fast-break situations really made the Lakers defense collapse and were perfect to punish the turnovers he often created.
Defensively, the Celtics dared the Lakers to make their pull-ups — and they didn’t. Straight from the jump, Queta was deep in the paint after the Ayton screen, showing LA that if they wanted to win, they had better be ready to make it rain.
Unfortunately for Pat Riley and the Lakers, it didn’t happen. The Lakers shot 37% from mid-range. And, because the Celtics were protecting the paint at all costs, the rim efficiency from the Lakers was very poor compared to their standards.
Indeed, the Lakers are the most efficient team at the rim this season, with 74% on shots within four feet of the basket. Last night, the Celtics limited them to only 55%, and all that without fouling, as the Lakers only took 18 free throws.
It’s hard not to be romantic about basketball. Hugo Gonzalez was a child when Luka Doncic was still playing at Real Madrid, and last night, they faced each other on the biggest stage, in the NBA’s most historical matchup.
The Lakers superstar tried to go after the Spaniard, but most of the time, the young wing was able to hold his ground and not fall into the guard’s fakes.
Safe to say I’m looking forward to their next matchup. In the meantime, Luka Doncic wished him the best of luck.
Luka Doncic on playing against Hugo Gonzalez:
“It was very special. Obviously, he played at the same club as me. I wish him the best of luck. He’s an amazing guy and an amazing player.” pic.twitter.com/JAFhFmXbnd
One image means a thousand words, and this one speaks loudly. These possessions came one after another, and it is obvious how much better the Celtics’ spacing is compared to the Lakers’.
With this great defensive presence, thanks to the Lakers’ lack of spacing, the Celtics can concede a mismatch because they can protect it, shrink the space, and cut the passing lanes.
#10 – Mazzulla remaining quiet about JT
CelticsBlog’s Bobby Manning tried to get some input from Joe Mazzulla about Jayson Tatum’s participation in practice, but all he got was a long silence and Joe Mazzulla staring at him.
By the time next week’s column is published, we’ll be into the first week of March, and fantasy playoffs will be underway for many managers. The roster threshold to appear in this column has been 50% all season, but now that we’ve reached the final month of the season, quality adds will be far harder to find.
Starting this week, the threshold for this column will shift to 25% so that competitive teams can add useful options to propel them to their league title.
Maxime Raynaud, Jalen Smith and Jarace Walker should be mentioned. They’re all rostered in more than a quarter of Yahoo! leagues, but if they’re still on your waiver wire, they should be added immediately.
→ Check out an NBA doubleheader on Peacock on Monday night! The Spurs and the Pistons will tip off at 7 p.m. ET before the Rockets visit the Jazz at 9:30 p.m. ET!
Here are the top fantasy basketball waiver wire adds for Week 18.
Priority Adds
1. GG Jackson 2. Nolan Traoré 3. Gui Santos 4. Day’Ron Sharpe 5. Marvin Bagley III 6. Olivier-Maxence Prosper 7. Julian Strawther 8. Brook Lopez 9. Kris Dunn 10. Jose Alvarado 11. Precious Achiuwa 12. Oso Ighodaro
Jackson has posted strong numbers over the last two weeks, and with little competition for frontcourt touches down the stretch, he’s in line for plenty of opportunities. Jackson has averaged 16.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.0 triples across his last seven games (six starts). He’s scored 20+ in three straight, and he posted a monstrous 28/9/2/1/1/1 line at Miami on Saturday.
Sharpe shifted back to the bench in his last game out, but it’s tough to expect Nic Claxton to remain healthy and starting for the rest of the campaign. Sharpe has standalone value as a backup, but in six starts, he’s averaged 11.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocked shots.
Nolan Traoré, Brooklyn Nets (18 percent rostered)
Traoré has started 11 straight, and he appears to have locked in a starting gig for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign. Over his last seven outings, Traoré has posted strong averages of 15.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocked shots and 1.4 triples. Available in more than 80% of fantasy leagues, he’s worth a look as a reliable source of assists and steals with some scoring baked in as an added bonus.
Brook Lopez, Los Angeles Clippers (18 percent rostered)
BroLo has turned back the clock over his last eight games, posting 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.5 swats and 1.3 triples across 29.9 minutes. The big man has a clear runway to start and push for 30 minutes a night for the final stretch of the season as the Clippers push for a playoff appearance.
Gui Santos, Golden State Warriors (18 percent rostered)
It’s absurd that Santos is so widely available on the waiver wire considering how consistent he’s been for the shorthanded Warriors. Across his last 10 games, Santos has averaged 14.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 blocks and 2.0 triples across 28.1 minutes.
Marvin Bagley III, Dallas Mavericks (17 percent rostered)
Bagley III is Dallas’ backup center, but he’s carved out a quality role off the bench with averages of 11.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks across 23.6 minutes in five games with the Mavs. Daniel Gafford is bound to miss time down the stretch of this lost season, so expect Bagley III to get opportunities as a starting center sooner rather than later.
Injuries to Domantas Sabonis and Dylan Cardwell have freed up additional playing time for Achiuwa, who has started four straight contests. In that span, he’s averaged 10.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocked shots across 22.8 minutes. Achiuwa hasn’t been excellent in most categories, but he’s been elite as a steals specialist.
Kris Dunn, Los Angeles Clippers (10 percent rostered)
Dunn has started 51 of 57 appearances for the Clippers this season, and he’s seen his assist numbers tick up since James Harden was traded to Cleveland. Across his last nine games, Dunn has averaged 7.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 triples.
O-Max has enjoyed a revival in Memphis, and he’s averaged 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.4 triples across 26.4 minutes over his last five outings. In that span, he’s scored 20+ twice, and he posted a well-rounded line as a starter on Saturday, going for 9/3/4/4 and a triple.
Jose Alvarado, New York Knicks (5 percent rostered)
Alvarado has made an immediate impact for his new team with averages of 10.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.2 steals and 2.2 triples across 21.3 minutes over his last six games. Alvarado is exceptional in the scarce steals category, making him a worthy add for managers in need of that stat.
Injuries have plagued Denver all season, and with Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson sidelined, Strawther has played well as the “next man up” in the Nuggets’ rotation. Across his last six games as a starter, he’s averaged 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.3 triples across 26.5 minutes.
Oso Ighodaro, Phoenix Suns (1 percent rostered)
Ighodaro is better as a deep-league add while backing up Mark Williams, but he could become viable in standard leagues if Williams is forced to miss time. Over his last five games, Ighodaro has averaged just 21 minutes while posting 8.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocked shots and shooting 75% from the floor.
The Spurs (40-16) and Pistons (42-13) meet in Detroit for the first matchup of the season. San Antonio and Detroit are both 2-0 in the second half of the season and enter on some of the longest winning streaks in the NBA.
The Pistons are on a five-game winning streak having beat the Hornets, Bulls, Raptors, and Knicks twice. Detroit is 7-1 in February and have the best overall record in the NBA this season. The Pistons rank third in offensive efficiency, second in defensive efficiency, and eighth in true shooting percentage this month. Detroit has three games remaining this month against the Spurs, Thunder, and Cavaliers.
San Antonio is on an eight-game winning streak and currently undefeated in the month of February. All eight wins have come by at least 9 points as the Spurs have dominated opponents. San Antonio has the second-best offensive rating in February, the fourth-best defensively, and second-best true shooting percentage. This is the firs game of three games in four days for San Antonio. The two teams meet again for the final time on March 5 in San Antonio.
Lets take a closer look at the matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Spurs at Pistons
Date: Monday, February 23, 2026
Time: 7PM EST
Site: Little Caesars Arena
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: Peacock
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Game Odds: Spurs at Pistons
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Pistons (-118), San Antonio Spurs (-102)
Spread: Pistons -1.5
Total: 232.5 points
This game opened Pistons -1.5 with the Total set at 232.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Spurs at Pistons
Detroit Pistons
PG Cade Cunningham
SG Duncan Robinson
SF Ausar Thompson
PF Tobias Harris
C Jalen Duren
San Antonio Spurs
PG De'Aaron Fox
SG Stephon Castle
SF Devin Vassell
PF Julian Champagnie
C Victor Wembanyama
Injury Report: Spurs at Pistons
Detroit Pistons
Isaiah Stewart (suspended)is OUT for tonight’s game
San Antonio Spurs
Mason Plumlee (groin) is listed as OUT for tonight’s game
Lindy Waters III (knee) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
David Jones Garcia (ankle) is listed as OUT for the remainder of the season
Important stats, trends and insights: Spurs at Pistons
Detroit is 30-25 ATS, ranking 7th-best
Detroit is 30-24-1 to the Under, ranking 9th-best
Detroit is 16-11 to the Under as the home team, ranking 10th-best
Detroit is 14-13 ATS as the home team
Detroit is 11-12 ATS as the home favorite
San Antonio is 31-24-2, ranking 5th-best
San Antonio is 15-12-1 ATS as the road team
San Antonio is 8-5 ATS as the road underdog
San Antonio is 33-24 to the Under, ranking 7th-best
San Antonio is 16-12 to the Under as the road team, ranking 8th-best
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Spurs and Pistons’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Spurs +1.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 232.5
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SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 20: Colorado Rockies infielder, Cole Carrigg runs to third base for a triple during the first 2026 spring training game at Salt River Field at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 20, 2026. The Arizona Diamondbacks went onto beat the Colorado Rockies 3-2. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
The term “super-utility player” is often employed with hyperbole, but in the case of Carrigg, it fits like a glove (any kind of baseball glove, in Carrigg’s case). The 23-year-old has played literally every position (and played them well) in a college or pro game over the last few years — and he’s even a switch-hitter so he provides versatility there too. Colorado drafted the 6’2” Carrigg 65th overall in 2023 out of San Diego State as a catcher with a plus-plus arm (he threw 102 MPH from the outfield at the Draft Combine) — and signed him for a $1.3 million over-slot bonus (by $116k).
Mid-season 2025 Rank: 6
High Ballot: 3
Mode Ballot: 5
Future Value: 40+, super-utility player
Contract Status: 2023 Second Round, San Diego State University, Rule 5 Eligible After 2026, three options remaining
MLB ETA: 2026
Carrigg tore up the Complex League and Low-A during his draft year (while playing catcher, shortstop, and center field), then mostly stayed at High-A Spokane for 2024. In 510 plate appearances, Carrigg’s 16 homers and 11 triples led the Northwest League — and he added 15 doubles and 42 steals in 51 attempts for good measure — as part of a 132 wRC+ performance. Carrigg settled into a center field role more full time, where he threw out five runners and committed two errors in 92 games. He won the Northwest League Player of the Week award three times — once each in June, July, and September — and was named the best defensive outfielder and most exciting player in the league by Baseball America en route to an All-Star berth and league championship.
In 2025, Carrigg headed to Double-A Hartford, where he was 0.5 years below league-average age. He brought his exciting brand of baseball to the Eastern League, swatting 15 homers, six triples, 18 doubles, and stealing 46 bases in 56 attempts (including stealing second, third, and home in one inning) while scoring a league leading 81 runs, though he also had the second most strikeouts (145) in the league. In 537 plate appearances, Carrigg had a .237/.316/.394 batting line while striking out in over 27% of PA (walking in 8%), which is a 106 wRC+. Defensively, Carrigg had 18 (!!!) outfield assists and six errors in 111 games, most of them in center field.
Carrigg is a tall, athletic switch-hitter with the ability to do a variety of things well. He has developed as a hitter as a professional and shows bat-to-ball skills and power from both sides of the plate. Carrigg still shows just fringe bat-to-ball skills overall and struggles against spin and offspeed. Carrigg destroys fastballs and velocity, against which he does most of his damage. … A plus runner who will flash a plus-plus run time, Carrigg is an aggressive basestealing threat.
Keith Law of the Athletic ranked Carrigg 17th in the system earlier this month:
Carrigg played only outfield last year, although he’s previously played shortstop in A-ball and caught a little in college. He has plus speed, helping him to maybe average or 55 defense in center, but he plays out of control on both sides of the ball and hasn’t really made any adjustments since the Rockies took him in the second round in 2023. He hit .237/.316/.394 as a 23-year-old in Double A last year, with a well below-average approach that included a 33 percent chase rate. His speed and positional flexibility get him there, but he’s several adjustments away from being a long-term big leaguer.
Carrigg was ranked third in the system last year by MLB Pipeline as a 50 FV player with a 70 grade on the arm and 60 on the speed:
A super high-energy player who gets some “hair on fire” evaluations, Carrigg is a switch-hitter who makes a ton of contact from both sides of the plate. There was some concern about his aggressive nature and hit tool and how it would translate to this level, but the transition has gone well so far as Carrigg doesn’t strike out much and even drew a decent amount of walks. There’s more pop than many expected, with most of it coming from the left side of the plate to his pull side. He also can turn singles into extra-base hits and doubles into triples — he led the league in three-baggers, too — with his plus speed clearly an asset and giving him at least 20-30 potential.
With one of the best arms in baseball, there were some who wanted to see if catching would work at this level, but that’s been shelved. He’ll keep getting some reps on the dirt at shortstop to maintain some versatility, but it should surprise no one if he shows up to Coors Field as an every day center fielder.
John Trupin of Baseball Prospectus ranked Carrigg fifth last January with a 55 OFP grade:
In a fully healthy campaign [in 2024, Carrigg] swiped over 50 bags, while hitting for power and contact, maintaining his average rates at a higher level. Carrigg pokes his big flies more than crushes them, but his strength is sufficient to keep a pitcher honest, and a lot of his hardest contact comes in the air. Every action he takes on the field has a slight raw tinge still, with his athleticism covering some mechanical inconsistencies on both sides of the ball and an at times overexuberance for swinging outside the zone whilst at the plate. He may not be a superstar, but you only need to look at another multi-positional player, Tommy Edman, to see a beacon for what this sort of player is capable of.
Carrigg could be a shortstop and center fielder with 30-40 steals a year and 20+ home runs.. His relative rawness on both sides of the ball make his longer-term projection hazier, however, as he could end up an outfielder only without the game power to put the rest of his profile together.
Carrigg is a unique multi-positional prospect, a fair switch-hitter with some low ball pop from the left side of the plate and an all-world arm. He slashed .283/.359/.491 with 17 homers in his first full pro season, spent mostly at High-A Spokane. Both visual scouting and a data-oriented assessment of Carrigg as a hitter have him more average (contact) or a shade below (raw power). Both of Carrigg’s swings are geared for pull and lift (he has a pretty classic low-ball stroke as a lefty), and he’ll be able to get to relevant (if modest) power.
The Rockies deployed Carrigg behind the plate a little bit right after he turned pro, but he spent most of 2024 in center field, with infrequent starts at shortstop. A long-striding runner, Carrigg has plus speed underway but takes a little while to get going. In a year and a half of pro ball, Carrigg has now played twice as many games in center field as he did throughout his three years of college. He was more comfortable out there late in 2024 than he was at the start and should be average there in time. Plus, he brings show-stopping arm strength to the table. The way Carrigg’s body unfurls on a max-effort outfield chuck is incredible, though he isn’t an accurate infield thrower at all, and it’s a big enough issue that he might just be an outfielder. The peak outcome for Carrigg would be a dynamic, Willi Castro-esque utilityman, though he’s trending more like a good part-time outfielder whose career might have a relevant second act on the mound.
Carrigg is a really fun player to watch at the plate, on the base paths, and in the field. His tremendous defensive utility makes him very easy to fit into whatever fantasy future Rockies roster you may have in mind (he’s the 2029 starting center fielder for Baseball America). He continued to hit for power against upper minors pitching last year in Hartford, making him more of a candidate to be a big league regular, though the strikeout spike is worrisome. Carrigg won’t be Rule 5 eligible until after the season and should start in Triple-A Albuquerque, but I expect him at Coors Field soon in some capacity, even with the logjam of outfield prospects ahead of him.
If and when a MLB debut happens, Carrigg could be a valuable player all over the diamond, especially if his plate discipline doesn’t crater against big league pitchers and the power development sticks. I ranked Carrigg eighth in the system as a 40+ FV player because I’m a little less sold that he’ll be a big league regular, but even a true super-utility player as exciting as Carrigg would be a win for Rockies fans.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 01: Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is interviewed during the 2027 Chicago All-Star Game Announcement before a game between the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on August 01, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hope springs eternal, and spring training is supposed to be an especially hopeful time for fans of all Major League Baseball clubs, even those who don’t root for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is the only time of the season where all fans can maybe, just maybe, convince themselves that this could be the year.
It’s a great time of year to be a baseball fan.
So why does Major League Baseball keep getting in its own way?
I promise, I’m trying to think positively these days, especially about the Royals and their (real!) shot at capturing the American League Central and getting back to the playoffs after a minor step backward in 2025. I’m reading tons of baseball content while watching baseball movies—even Rookie of the Year, which glorifies the Cubs.
The Cubs! That’s the worst team ever!
Still, Daniel Stern’s movie about exploiting child labor is pretty entertaining. Gary Busey isn’t that weird in it. Hey, there’s John Candy! Solid flick. Made me excited about the upcoming season.
But then Tony Clark happened.
And there’s not great news about Mike Trout.
Oh, and also, the Guardians pitchers remain in the news.
Nothing halts optimism like an ugly concoction of a potential work stoppage, controversy, insurance problems, and a gambling scandal.
Let’s start with the least of it and progressively get worse. Nothing like waiting to tear off the band-aid.
Have you heard of this guy named Mike Trout?
It’s hard to sum up into words what these last couple of weeks have meant to me. I had the time of my life representing that USA on my chest! The energy was electric and made the WBC a moment I’ll always cherish. So thank you all so much. It was an honor to be your captain. 🫡🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/V5TOEaKpu7
He’s pretty good. Getting up there in age, in relation to baseball. Owns quite a bit of hardware. Breathtaking centerfielder, awesome with the bat. An Angel his entire career, he hasn’t had much success in the playoffs, but c’est la vie, say the old folks.
In the last World Baseball Classic, he cooked in seven games, cracking three home runs en route to a .962 OPS. Iconically, he struck out to end the tournament against his then-MLB teammate, Shohei Ohtani, pitching for Japan, in baseball’s version of the duel of the fates.
Yeah, him. That guy. Mike Trout: Future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.
But he’s been hurt a bunch. That’s the main thing about him these days. Injuries galore. Also, he’s due $35 million in 2026. Turns out he couldn’t get that figure insured, and so he will miss the World Baseball Classic this year.
Sure, he’s diminished. He’s not the player he was when the tournament was last held, but tell me this: wouldn’t you rather see Mike Trout play than Pete Crow-Armstrong? No offense, PCA.
Trout’s not the only star who’s gonna miss the tournament due to insurance issues. Venezuela will be without Jose Altuve, Puerto Rico without Carlos Correa.
What do you call a best-on-best baseball tournament that doesn’t involve the best players because of insurance issues? Probably not best-on-best. Dilutes the product. Softens the enthusiasm. Let the best play. Make it happen.
Back in the American League Central, a gambling controversy continues to linger. Who knew that getting in bed with the gambling world would end up with players embroiled in lawsuits?
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are the two Guardians pitchers currently staring down the legal system. I won’t get into the whole details of their case(s), but suffice to say, they allegedly (a defense attorney’s favorite word; I should know) rigged pitches.
The case continues. Trial is scheduled for early May, but now could be pushed to October. Great timing, going head-to-head with the playoffs and the World Series, baseball’s marquee event. Guardians could still be on the hook for their salaries this season. Who cares? Dolan has the money. Hell, he probably received (at least) triple what Clase’s set to make for cozying up with bookmakers.
This was always gonna happen. It’s happening in other sports, too, most notably the NBA. Did baseball really think it wouldn’t happen in its own backyard? Naive, if so. Now, it very well might take headlines away from the World Series.
Which could be the last baseball we see for some time.
As fans know, an ugly labor dispute is on the horizon. So ugly that it could cost teams games or possibly even all of 2027. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if that happened. Owners want a salary cap. Players don’t. Major League Baseball is the only North American professional sports league without one. A fight over a salary cap wiped out an entire NHL season some twenty years ago. Time is a flat circle.
To muddy the waters, MLBPA head Tony Clark just resigned. Bizarre stuff. He needed to go, obviously. No argument for keeping him. Bruce Meyer, who joined the MLBPA less than a decade ago from the NHLPA, takes over, at least in the interim, at least for the upcoming labor discussions.
"From what they're saying about how they'll now operate internally, perhaps they will be stronger."@Ken_Rosenthal doesn't expect the MLBPA's approach to change under interim executive director Bruce Meyer. pic.twitter.com/bGnHVcQflm
I’m no billionaire owner, but even I know they smell blood in the water. They’re going to do everything they can to sow chaos in the players association, to break it, to get the salary cap and other items, like further shrinking the minors and barring the drafting of high school players. What’s a missed season to the owners? Reap what you sow, but the chaos benefits owners, not players.
Who’re the fans going to turn on? The players, that’s who. Just like ‘94. Took a while to recover.
Talk of the union being stronger under Meyer—fishy. From The Athletic: “Meyer does not have universal support in a fractured player and agent community. A group of players and agents tried to encourage Clark to dismiss Meyer in 2024.”
Like a stagnant, dark cloud, the approaching labor war is going to hover over the entire baseball season. It’s already here. In Spring, a time for hope, there’s that cloud up above.
Whatever progress the Royals make this season, it won’t bleed into 2027.
Because baseball just can’t get out of its own damn way.
Oct 26, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Ben Rortvedt (47) during World Series workouts prior to game three against the Toronto Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
When Ben Rortvedt was claimed off waivers by the Mets on Sunday, it wasn’t the first time the catcher joined a New York organization, but it was certainly the quietest. Back in 2022, Rortvedt was acquired by the Yankees as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela to Minnesota. Four years later, the 28-year-old will compete in Spring Training to move up the Mets’ catching depth chart.
A second-round draft pick out of high school by the Twins in 2016, Rortvedt received his first taste of big league action in 2021. From that point on, Rortvedt has shuffled from organization to organization. Prior to the 2022 season, he was sent to the Yankees along with Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa; just before Opening Day in 2024, Rortvedt was traded to the Rays; at the 2025 trade deadline, he was shipped off to the Dodgers.
Rortvedt played in just 18 regular season games with the back-to-back champions, but he received four starts early in the postseason while catcher Will Smith recovered from injury. Rortvedt went 3-for-6 with a double and an RBI in the Wild Card Series as the Dodgers teed off on the Reds, who promptly claimed Rortvedt off waivers a month and a half later. Earlier this month, Rortvedt bounced back to the Dodgers before the Mets finally claimed him on Sunday.
Rortvedt’s upside as a potential backup backstop primarily comes from his defense. Back in 2021, he racked up a Fielding Run Value of 5 despite only playing in 39 games. He still grades as an above-average pitch framer, and he averaged 85.3 mph on his throws last season (good for 16th-highest in baseball, just behind Francisco Alvarez).
Rortvedt has never found much offensive success in the majors, bearing a career 57 OPS+ and .190/.279/.270 slash line. Last season was especially a struggle for Rortvedt, who accumulated -0.5 bWAR in just 44 games played. Only once has the catcher ended a season with a positive bWAR — back in 2024, when he posted an 80 OPS+ while playing quality defense in 112 games with the Rays. Rortvedt opened that 2024 season with a stellar first month, holding an .831 OPS by the end of April, but he was unable to sustain that offensive success throughout the remainder of the year.
Rortvedt has no options remaining, meaning the Mets would have to carry him on their Opening Day roster in order to avoid placing him on waivers. Alvarez and Luis Torrens are likely locked for the Mets’ catching spots on the major league roster. Behind that pair is a quartet of viable backup options for 2026, including Rortvedt, defensive specialist Hayden Senger, longtime-Dodger Austin Barnes, and former first-round pick Kevin Parada, who concluded last season in Triple-A. The question for the Mets’ catching corps entering Spring Training is who among that quartet will be the first man up in case of an injury to Alvarez or Torrens.
If Rortvedt rakes over the next five weeks, he might earn that third slot in the Mets’ organizational catching hierarchy, but he would also earn himself a probable waiver selection by one of the other 29 teams before the Mets have the chance to option him to Triple-A. This makes the acquisition of Rortvedt more of an insurance move for David Stearns, protecting the Mets in light of Francisco Alvarez’s injury history. Whether the Mets end up being a comfortable home for Rortvedt or just another quick stop in the catcher’s continuing journey across the league, it’s hard to envision Rortvedt becoming better remembered in New York for his time in orange and blue than his inclusion in 2022 headlines.
I’ve chosen a few different formats for this series now that the Cubs play all 29 other teams every year. Sorry, I’m not writing 29 of these.
This year, I’ll focus an article on each of the Cubs’ NL Central rivals, since the Cubs play them more than any other teams. That’ll make four articles. The rest of the series will cover the other 29 teams by division.
Let’s start with the Cubs’ postseason rivals from last year, the Brewers, who beat out the Cubs by five games for the NL Central title and then defeated them in a Division Series.
Before we begin, a note: This series is intended to give broad overviews of each team and start some discussion, not as a real detailed look.
Key departures: Freddy Peralta, Caleb Durbin, Erick Fedde, Rhys Hoskins, Isaac Collins, Tobias Myers, Andruw Monasterio, José Quintana
The Brewers were certainly busy this offseason, trading one of their top starters along with two young players (Durbin and Collins) who were key players in their 29-4 run mid-season.
They are, apparently, hoping that the two prospects (Sproat and Williams) that they got from the Mets in the Peralta deal will be useful replacements for the guys they traded. The starting rotation will be helped by Brandon Woodruff’s expected return for Opening Day. But Woodruff is now 33 and has missed much time over the last three seasons, making only 23 total starts from 2023-25.
William Contreras will now be their top offensive player, and Christian Yelich, who didn’t have a good 2025, is a year older. They are hoping for big things from Jackson Chourio, who doesn’t turn 22 until next month.
Former Cub Reese McGuire has a chance to make Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster, but they just signed Gary Sánchez to back up Contreras, so McGuire might wind up as he was with the Cubs, a “break glass in case of emergency” guy.
The Brewers always seem to find a way. They are well managed by Craig Counsell’s former bench coach, Pat Murphy. I don’t think they are a 97-win team anymore, but they have surprised people in the past.
Unlike last year, these teams will have meaningful games against each other in September.
At Wrigley Field: May 18-19-20 and Aug. 31-Sept. 1-2-3
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics bats in the bottom of the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park on September 28, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning everyone and happy Monday!
We’re now two games into the spring schedule and while there’s not much we can really glean from these early contests, we do have some hints about how manager Mark Kotsay plans to write out his lineup this coming season.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz is the Athletics’ best hitter and one would normally think the 3-hole is the spot reserved for the team’s best hitter. The A’s are not your typical team however. When the league zigs, we zag. In that sense it shouldn’t be any surprise that the Athletics are genuinely considering using Kurtz as the primary leadoff man this season.
It’s not an unfamiliar spot for Kurtz, who was in the leadoff spot 18 times in his rookie campaign. He hit .242/.413/.403 with four long balls in that spot. That on-base percentage is to die for but the power wasn’t as prodigious and he’s not exactly a burner on the basepaths either. Not that that is the A’s calling card right now, but you don’t want a Bengie Molina clogging up the basepaths.
Now, Kotsay says that yesterday’s lineup isn’t “set in stone”, and that he’s merely putting Kurtz and Shea Langeliers near the top of the order to get them as many at-bats as possible, but it’s hard to believe that he’s not seriously considering Kurtz atop the lineup when Opening Day rolls around. And frankly, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Langeliers right behind him.
In a sense, it might be genius. Leadoff guys get more at-bats over the course of the season than 3-hole hitters. It might not seem like much but those extra plate appearances really do add up and by the end of the season the leadoff man will likely have dozens more at-bats than guys just a spot or two lower in the batting order. Kotsay even acknowledged this when discussing lineup configurations:
“My opinion, getting the best hitter on the team the most amount of at-bats is productive,” Kotsay said. “Especially when that at-bat comes around the 18th through the 21st out of a game when a starter is going through a lineup a third time, it’s nice to get those guys an opportunity. It presents a leverage situation.
It makes sense in one way, but not in others. Kurtz could very well be a tone-setter for the club but the team could be leaving extra runs on the table just to get him a few extra at-bats. Imagine a world where Jacob Wilson and Jeff McNeil, two slappy on-base machines, get on and set up Kurtz for a three-run bomb in the first inning. That sounds better than a solo shot to start the game to me, but what do I know. We’ll be keeping an eye on where Kurtz hits during this spring but it seems like the A’s have already sort of decided that he’s the best option to leadoff. What do you guys think? Is it genius? Or are the A’s way overthinking this?
“I told [Denzel] Clarke he’s got no chance against me.”
Luis Severino, who is testing out changes to his windup and changeup this spring, looked electric on Sunday as he prepares to head out for the World Baseball Classic. https://t.co/Ou2mQ4xYiq
What triggered the emergency warning at Scottsdale Stadium in the first inning? Someone was smoking in a restroom, and it set off the alarm. True story. https://t.co/ans96d2dC8
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 19: Jaylen Brown #7 talks with head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on January 19, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics are closing in on an interesting benchmark for potential NBA contenders. Their current record is 37-19, which puts 40-20 in play. For those that aren’t familiar, the 40-20 rule is defined as follows (via NBA reddit):
The 40-20 rule, coined by Phil Jackson, states that legitimate NBA championship contenders must secure 40 wins before losing 20 games. This benchmark, emphasizing consistency and dominance, holds a 90.9% success rate, with 40 of the last 44 champions meeting this criteria since 1979-80.
The Celtics have had a strong recent record, going 8-2 in their last 10 and overall are at a .661 winning percentage for the season. They have two more West coast road trip games against the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets. Then they return home against the Brooklyn Nets. If they can win the next 3 games, they’ll have met the criteria for the 40-20 rule.
Of course there’s a Jayson Tatum sized “yeah but” to consider here. The premise of this rule is that teams performing well in the regular season are poised to do well in the postseason (duh). The thing is, if Tatum does return, then the makeup of the team will look noticeably different in the playoffs than it did for the first 3 quarters of the season. So even if the team fails to reach the 40-20 mark, they still have a great chance to be one of the outliers that gets the job done regardless.
Still, it would be pretty cool for the team to reach that goal and something the current construction of the team can hang their hat on. Like “look, we met the criteria of a contending team even without our superstar player.”
So, on to your topic questions:
Do you think the Celtics can make it to 40 wins before 20 losses?
Do you think this is a good benchmark to track for contenders?
Do you think the rule applies to a team about to get back their star player from injury?
Do you think the Celtics are winning the title this year?
Two of the worst teams in the Western Conference meet tonight as the Sacramento Kings face the Memphis Grizzlies. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at the FedExForum.
My Kings vs. Grizzlies predictions are targeting Memphis to add to Sacramento’s recent misery.
Read more in my NBA picks for Monday, February 23.
Kings vs Grizzlies prediction
Kings vs Grizzlies best bet: Grizzlies -4 (-110)
The Memphis Grizzlies are sitting in 11th place in the Western Conference with a 21-34 record. However, they’ve covered tonight’s spread in back-to-back games at home, comfortably beating the Timberwolves and Jazz.
Memphis is riding a three-game winning streak against the Sacramento Kings, who are in 15th place in the West. Sacramento has lost 16 in a row and has been absolutely blown out in four straight, losing by at least 17 points each time.
The Grizzlies have covered the spread in two of their three victories against the lowly Kings in 2025-26.
Kings vs Grizzlies same-game parlay
Jaylen Wells is coming off an impressive 25-point showing in Saturday's loss to the Heat. He’s cashed the Over in four of his last seven, and he’s averaging 16.3 points per game in February.
In three meetings with Sacramento this season, Wells is also averaging 15.3 PPG.
The Kings have scored fewer than 100 points in three of their last four, and that wasn’t even against any elite defensive teams. Memphis ranks 16th in defensive rating, allowing 117.7 points per game.
That being said, two of the last three meetings between Sacramento and Memphis have cashed the Under in points, and the Kings are struggling immensely on the offensive end. The Grizzlies aren’t a whole lot better.
Kings vs Grizzlies SGP
Grizzlies -4
Jaylen Wells Over 14.5 points
Under 233
Our "from downtown" SGP: Thank you, Jerome
Ty Jerome has cashed the Over in triples in back-to-back outings, draining three treys in each contest.
Kings vs Grizzlies SGP
Grizzlies -4
Jaylen Wells Over 14.5 points
Under 233
Ty Jerome Over 2.5 threes
Kings vs Grizzlies odds
Spread: Kings +4 (-110) | Grizzlies -4 (-110)
Moneyline: Kings +150 | Grizzlies -180
Over/Under: Over 233 (-110) | Under 233 (-110)
Kings vs Grizzlies betting trend to know
The Sacramento Kings have hit the Team Total Under in 32 of their last 50 games (+11.50 Units / 20% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Kings vs. Grizzlies.
How to watch Kings vs Grizzlies
Location
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Date
Monday, February 23, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSCA, FDSN SE-MEM
Kings vs Grizzlies latest injuries
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Peoria, AZ - February 19: Sung-Mun Song #24 of the San Diego Padres walks to a field during a spring training practice on February 19, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres dropped their second game of Spring Training action in a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. There were positives to be sure. Fernando Tatis Jr. recorded his first two hits of the spring and Randy Vasquez allowed just one hit and one walk over two scoreless innings. On the other side, Triston Mackenzie did not look good in his first appearance for San Diego. He allowed four runs in 2/3 of an inning although his velocity was up. The Padres will have the chance to continue to prepare for the regular season with a contest against the Milwaukee Brewers today.
Padres News:
The Padres had a busy week that saw new addition, Nick Castellanos, make his first appearance in the brown and gold. He also made his first appearance at first base and finished the day with a couple solid defensive plays. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball provides information about Castellanos and other news and notes that came from the Padres over the past week.
AJ Cassavell of Padres.com identifies six takeaways from what he has seen in the first three Spring Training games for the Padres. The first takeaway for Cassavell is the overall usage of the players who will be participating in the World Baseball Classic. One of the WBC players who was scheduled to join his fellow countrymen, Yuki Matsui, will not take part to allow him time to recover from injury.
Sung-Mun Song made his first appearance for the Padres in their loss to the Dodgers and appeared healthy taking swings at the plate after suffering an injury earlier in the offseason.
Mason Miller seems to make news every time he steps on the mound. His first spring appearance was no different. Miller threw multiple pitches at or above 100 mph, which did not go unnoticed by the Padres.
Players around MLB commented about their thoughts on the USA men’s hockey win over Canada in the gold medal game. Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes said he has been inspired by the hockey team to help the US win gold in the WBC. Toronto Blue Jays star George Springer was showed his support, donning a USA hockey jersey during his batting practice session.
NYON, Switzerland (AP) — UEFA said on Monday it has provisionally suspended Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni for one match following accusations he racially abused Vinícius Júnior.
The decision means that Prestianni will miss Wednesday’s second leg of the Champions League playoff between Real Madrid and Benfica. Madrid won the first match in Lisbon last Tuesday with Vinícius scoring a second-half winner for a 1-0 victory.
The game was halted for nearly 10 minutes after the Brazil forward scored and celebrated by the Benfica corner flag, upsetting local fans and players. After being confronted by Prestianni, Vinícius accused the Argentine player of calling him “monkey.”
The anti-racism protocol was activated but no further action was taken during the match as there was no evidence against Prestianni, who covered his mouth with his shirt while talking to Vinícius. The Madrid forward was shown a yellow card after his celebration.
UEFA said the decision from its control, ethics and disciplinary Body (CEDB) is related to a discriminatory behavior.
“This is without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and its respective submission to the UEFA disciplinary bodies,” it said in a statement.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said after the match he was “shocked and saddened to see the incident of alleged racism” and praised the referee for activating the anti-racism protocol.
Benfica showed support for Prestianni, with the Portuguese club claiming that Madrid players who said they heard the insult were too far away. Benfica later released a statement saying it welcomed UEFA’s investigation and that it “fully supports and believes the version presented” by Prestianni, “whose conduct while with the club has always been guided by respect” toward everyone.
Benfica fans had reacted angrily to Vinícius celebrating his 50th-minute goal by dancing at the corner flag, throwing bottles and other objects toward the Madrid players. Prestianni then confronted Vinícius and said something while covering his mouth with his jersey.
Prestianni insisted that Vinícius misunderstood what was said, while Benfica players after the match reportedly said the Argentine provoked the Brazil forward but never racially insulted him.
Kylian Mbappé was among the Madrid players who strongly defended Vinícius and posted on X: “Dance, Vini, and please never stop. They will never tell us what we have to do or not.”
The France star also said Prestianni should never play in the Champions League again.
The 2026 spring training schedule got underway this past weekend, giving MLB teams a chance to knock off the rust from the long winter.
Some teams might need a few more games to get up to speed, like the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs took the field Sunday for their third spring training game of the season, in Scottsdale against the San Francisco Giants. But as the proceedings got underway there was a rather strange start to the game.
An emergency alarm:
San Francisco left-hander Robbie Ray was less than five pitches into his start when the alarm went off, but the umpires instructed the two teams to simply play through the looping emergency message. But Ray conceded after the game that it was a rather unsettling way to work. “I was like, ‘We’re just going to play through this?’” Ray said after the game. “It kind of rattled me a little bit.”
Thankfully for Ray, the Cubs helped him out a few pitches later.
After Ray walked Matt Shaw and Alex Bregman to begin the game, he allowed a single to Seiya Suzuki in shallow right field. But instead of the Cubs having the bases loaded with nobody out, Ray was walking back to the dugout following one of the most bizarre triple plays you will ever see:
Suzuki tried to stretch this flare into a double, but first baseman Rafael Devers cut off the throw into home from second baseman Luis Arraez and threw to second, where shortstop Willy Adames was covering the bag. Adames snapped down a tag on Suzuki, and the Giants had the first out of the inning.
But the fun was just starting.
Shaw, who was on second when the play began, held up at third on the shallow fly ball and did not try to advance on the throw to second. Bregman, however, did try to advance to third on the play, and the Cubs ended up with a pair of baserunners on the third base bag.
Adames walked over to third and tagged both Shaw and Bregman. As the trailing runner, Bregman was ruled out by the third base umpire. But both Shaw and Bregman walked off the bag, with Shaw perhaps thinking the umpire had called him out too.
That’s when third baseman Matt Chapman, who had taken the ball from Adames, tagged out the leadoff hitter to end the inning.
“I don’t even know what happened,” Adames said after the game. “I couldn’t even look at it because we don’t have review on the iPad. But I know there were too many people at third base. There should be like maybe two guys there. There were like three.”
“Well, there were a lot of distractions going on,” Chapman said. “The fire alarm going off, people vacating the stadium. Just trying to figure out if that was real or not. And then some early baserunning miscommunication. Willy comes over and tags [Bregman] and gives me the ball. I think Shaw thought he was out, so I just tagged him. Not much more to it. Just early Spring Training, probably getting used to running the bases again, but we’ll take it.”
“That’s the beauty of baseball, I guess,” Adames said. “Every day you just see something new.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 21: Brady House #55 of the Washington Nationals bats in the ninth inning of a game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 21, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Heather Khalifa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2026 is a massive year for Brady House’s development. He is entering the season as the undisputed starter at third base. For that to be the case again next year, he is going to have to make big improvements with the bat. His first game of Spring Training was a major statement, with the 22 year old clubbing two home runs.
That power is great to see from House, and it is something that was missing in his first taste of the MLB. He only hit 4 homers in 73 games last year, and two of them came in one contest against the Brewers. That is not what you want to see from a guy who is supposed to be a power hitter. House’s chase and whiff issues will limit his on base numbers, so he will have to slug.
Anyone who has followed House knows he is capable of hitting for power. His exit velocities in Triple-A were elite last season and he even hit the ball pretty hard in the majors. The former first rounder translated that into game power in AAA last year. He hit 13 homers in 65 Triple-A games and had a slugging percentage over .500.
With his strong defense at third base, House does not need to be an elite hitter, but he needs to be much better than he was last year. A .574 OPS simply will not cut it at the MLB level. I think hitting for more power is the best way for him to improve. His approach will have to get better as well, but I don’t see House suddenly developing a strong eye at the plate.
That is one of those skills that is more innate. Tapping into more game power is something you can coach, especially when the player has the raw power. Hopefully today marks the start of a big year for House. His first homer actually came off of former Cy Young Sandy Alcantara, so at least one of his bombs came off of big league competition as well.
So how can Brady House consistently hit for power? We know he has the horsepower to be a 25 homer bat. Well, he is going to have to get the ball in the air more consistently. Last season, House’s ground ball rate was higher than average at 46.3%. He is going to have to develop into a line drive and flyball hitter to make it at the MLB level.
The whiff and chase give him a smaller margin for error when it comes to the quality of his contact. His well struck balls are going to need to be elevated for House to have big league success at the plate. Another thing I would like to see, but is not as necessary is for House to pull the ball in the air more. Last season, his air pull percentage was well below average at just 10.6%. For context, the league average is 16.7%.
House has enough raw power to hit balls out to all fields. Both of his homers yesterday actually went to right center. If House is not comfortable selling out for air pull, he can stick to just hitting line drives and flyballs all over the yard. However, pulling the ball in the air is the easiest way to compile extra base hit damage. House has enough juice where he just needs to elevate to have success though.
Mood because the Brady House breakout season is a month away:
We saw that on display yesterday. Hopefully this can continue deeper into Spring Training and into the regular season. If House can even be an average bat this season, that would change a lot for the Nats. It would make the lineup a lot deeper and more powerful.
One thing about Brady House is that he tends to get better in his second try at a new level. In 2024, House struggled with AAA after a midseason promotion. While he hit .250, he only posted a .655 OPS due to a lack of plate discipline and an inability to translate his raw power into games. That should sound familiar to Nats fans because that is what we saw from House last year.
However, he put in some important offseason work and was ready to go for the 2025 season. He hit .304 with an .872 OPS in AAA last season. That earned him a big league call up, but just like 2024, he struggled at the new level. Hopefully this first taste of the big leagues was a learning experience and House can come back looking much better.
Despite his whiff and chase issues, House has always been able to post higher batting averages than you would expect in the minors. He hits the ball so hard that he is able to sneak a lot of hits through. Even in his disastrous big league debut, his average was not horrible at .234. However, he needs that average to be fairly high because he is not going to walk much.
My dream outcome for House is for him to hit about .260-.265 with 25 homers, a .310 OBP and an OPS in the mid-.700’s. With his defense, that would be an excellent player. However, it requires quite a bit of projection to get to that point. The biggest goal for House this year should be to find a way to turn his tremendous raw power into good game power. Hitting two homers in your first game of the spring is not a bad start in achieving that goal.
