Sep 23, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guards Egor Demin (8) and Nolan Traore (88) speak at Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Back when they were drafted and even into the season, there were doubts — a lot of them — about the Nets top two picks: Egor Demin, the 19-year-0ld Russian guard selected with Brooklyn’s first lottery pick in 15 years, and Nolan Traore, an even younger French guard, selected with a mid-first round pick. Both were seen as stretchs.
Many — how about most — pundits thought both were taken too high or worse. Demin couldn’t shoot, the narrative went, and he was coming off a plantar fascia issue that had put him a wheelchair for a while. Traore was seen as a long-term project at best who needed a lot of time in the G League. There were concerns about whether he was even an NBA player. Oh yeah, he couldn’t shoot either, said the pundits.
Fast forward to this week and a lot of those concerns now seem to have been exaggerated or maybe even foolish. After all., they were very young — the 11th and sixth youngest of 540 NBA players — and needed time to develop. Bottom line, as Tom Cruise told Renee Zellwegger in “Jerry Maguire”, it’s about making each other better.
“Yes, we complete each other, and we play great [together],” Traore told Brian Lewis of The Post. “He is a good shooter, and it is always good for me to play with good shooters.”
For his part, Demin has said that Traore’s ability to fly past defenders and open things up on the perimeter is a big help to his shooting. And while they haven’t played a lot minutes together — including Monday night when Demin rested and Traore had his best game: 13 points and an equal number of assists — the numbers are catching up to the eye test. We’re no longer in small sample theater.
Look at the six games that Demin and Traore have started since January 29. Demin has averaged 11.7 points on 43/38/83 in those games while Traore has put up 11.0 points on 49/37/78. Those are not huge numbers but for teenagers, they’re more than solid.
Indeed, they go a long way to justifying the Nets decision-making back in June. Within that stretch, Demin has twice broken his career highs in points with games of 25 and 26 plus once in rebounds at 10 and registered his first NBA double double. Traore also notched his first double-double within that stretch and had career highs in points — 21 twice — and assists at 13. Moreover, Demin set an NBA rookie record for 3-pointers in consecutive games and Traore became the youngest player in Nets history to register 10 assists in a game. Together they became the two youngest rookies in franchise history to register 20 points in the same game vs. the Magic.
For Traore, it has to be particularly encouraging considering his slow start.
“Each time you improve, and when you go out and improve a level it shows progress. It’s hard in the beginning, and then it becomes easier,” Traore told Lewis, adding of his improved finishing, “I think it’s just the work; the work I put in every day. And then I’m just getting used to the speed of the game.”
Their coach is also encouraged by how they’re progressed as individuals and teammates.
“I like the creation,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “Nolan is able to get into the paint early in possessions, whether it’s to finish or spray it out. We’re starting to see us play earlier, which is good.
“He and Egor can both create. … The next step is the level of physicality. Them being rookies will never be an excuse. They’ve got to use those minutes to improve their technique and learn how to play with more physicality right now.”
That said, he told Lewis he sees the potential.
“I don’t see it as one guy covering for the other: I like the shooting from both of them. Nolan’s not shy when he’s open. We’ve seen Egor shoot at a very high level. Nolan’s speed, his paint touches and pick-and-roll playmaking, same with Egor. … They have clear goals, short-term things they need to do on both ends. As long as they keep taking those steps they’re doing a great job and that’s what matters.”
What also will matter in June, as Lewis notes, is how the Nets will see the 2026 Draft with its plethora of guards. Darryn Peterson, Kingston Flemings and Mikel Brown Jr. all are “on-ball dynamos.” With a little luck, the Nets could have their choice and Sean Marks & co. always professes that it’s about best pick available. We shall see.
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 8: The sneakers worn by Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the New York Knicks on February 8, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training is no longer the only early sign that baseball is around the corner. Now, the year might as well officially begin with fans figuring out what subscriptions they need to stream MLB games.
In 2026, the answers are more complicated. Starting Tuesday, ESPN manages MLB’s out-of-market streaming package for the first time, as MLB.TV went on sale for $150/season or $30/month. However, as the local sports TV industry crumbles, the league is handling in-market rights for more than a dozen teams, leading to a split of viewing—and purchase—opportunities across MLB and ESPN apps. Add in the transition of numerous bundle and discount offers, and at least some confusion is nothing to be ashamed about.
Here are the most common questions fans might have and what we know for now…
I’m an existing MLB.TV subscriber. What changes this year?
Potentially nothing. MLB will continue handling billing for fans whose accounts are set to renew normally. This year, viewers can still watch games in the MLB app, or they can authenticate their subscription to watch in ESPN’s app as well.
“The proposition here for this year and moving forward, we believe, is pretty simple,” ESPN direct to consumer SVP John Lasker said. “We’re creating more flexibility, more accessibility and enhancing the entire experience for baseball fans.”
Do I need ESPN Unlimited to access MLB.TV?
No, despite what you may have read. Again, existing subscribers won’t need to do anything to continue accessing MLB.TV. And for a service that’s been around for two decades, that’s likely most viewers.
Those existing MLB.TV subscribers who auto-renew their accounts through MLB platforms will also receive the option to sign up for a one-month free trial offer for ESPN Unlimited.
New MLB.TV subscribers or those who didn’t auto-renew, meanwhile, will be signed up for an ESPN Unlimited account, including a free month to start, before purchasing MLB.TV. People can immediately cancel their Unlimited subscription before being billed, without impacting their MLB.TV access, though they can’t opt-out of being enrolled in the first place, much to the chagrin of a few online posters.
Ifnew MLB.TV users already have ESPN Unlimited, which is included in many cable packages or costs $30/month, they can get a 10% discount on MLB.TV ($135/year). That means if you have a cable subscription and are an annual MLB.TV buyer, it’s worth looking into turning off that auto-renewal so you can get the discount via ESPN.
Those currently paying for Unlimited need to end their membership and wait for their current pay term to end if they want to get a free month of ESPN’s all-in-one product along with MLB.TV.
(I warned you this might get complicated!)
ESPN has also promised to continue offering discounted MLB.TV subscriptions beginning mid-season. In those cases, fans will similarly be enrolled for ESPN Unlimited, with a free month to start, as part of the checkout process. As for future years, ESPN has not yet announced whether the free Unlimited month promotion will carry over into 2027, or whether fans would need to have ESPN Unlimited at that point to either renew or sign up for MLB.TV.
What about T-Mobile’s free MLB.TV promotion?
Still around! After activating T-Mobile’s offer, fans can watch in the MLB or ESPN app. As in the past, that deal does not include MLB Network access, which otherwise comes with the MLB.TV all-team product. MLB will still allow fans to buy standalone MLB Network access. MLB.TV won’t be available on other platforms, such as Amazon Prime Video.
Any other changes to be aware of?
One downside of the new agreement is that MLB.TV apparently no longer offers a free game each day. Instead, ESPN Unlimited subscribers will be able to watch one game each day, even without an MLB.TV subscription. The same is true for Peacock subs.
Several cable replacement services, such as YouTube TV, are integrating ESPN Unlimited content into their platforms. All of MLB.TV likely won’t be available within those interfaces, though the daily free game could potentially flow through, alongside traditional TV channels.
MLB.TV handles my team’s local streaming rights. How’s that going to work?
With Main Street Sports on the brink of collapse—again—MLB now handles the in-market broadcast and streaming rights for 14 teams and counting. Local fans can subscribe to watch those games online for $20/month or $100/season within the MLB app. That will still be the case this year, though ESPN hopes to offer those local packages starting next year. If and when ESPN sells the full suite of local and out-of-market packages, it’s unclear what will become of the league’s own app offering.
For now, MLB will also directly sell bundled packages of local and national streaming rights. For example, fans in San Diego can watch every MLB game, including Padres contests (but still excluding blacked out nationally televised games), for $200 via MLB.
ESPN VP of programming and acquisitions Ashley O’Connor said ESPN is not actively involved in conversations with local teams such as the Atlanta Braves that are currently determining their local media futures. However, the company’s deal with MLB accounts for any new teams whose rights might fall under league control.
Why is ESPN/MLB doing this?
ESPN’s takeover of MLB.TV emerged from rights talks last year after the company opted out of its Sunday Night Baseball deal, leading to new agreements between MLB and ESPN, NBC and Netflix.
Lasker said ESPN’s goal is to both extend the distribution of MLB.TV to more fans—links to watch games are already live on ESPN’s baseball schedule and scores pages—while also generating additional engagement with the six-month-old ESPN Unlimited product.
“Our streaming ambitions are to make sure that ESPN is serving sports fans in the best possible way with the most valuable and comprehensive offerings,” Lasker said.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 16: Andre Granillo #65 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the New York Yankees at Busch Stadium on August 16, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With one day before pitchers and catchers report to camp, Paul Toboni made a move. He traded the recently DFA’d George Soriano for Cardinals reliever Andre Granillo. This is just an exchange of two players on the fringes of 40 man rosters, but it is one the Nats did well in. Granillo has some interesting traits as a slider heavy reliever.
This is an interesting trade because the Cardinals could have waited to claim Soriano, but wanted to jump the line. They probably gave Toboni the choice of a few players on the edge of the 40 man roster and gave him a choice. Granillo might have been the one the Cardinals DFA’d if they decided to just claim Soriano.
Granillo is a 25 year old reliever who has some intriguing qualities. His primary pitch is his slider, which he just spams. In the MLB, he threw the pitch 65% of the time in his 14 outings. At the AAA level, he threw it 55% of the time. Despite the heavy usage, the pitch was still dominant.
MLB hitters only batted .245 against the pitch with an expected batting average of .188. Granillo also got whiffs at nearly a 35% clip. The slider was even more dominant in the minors with a .139 expected batting average and a 47.5% whiff rate. Here is a look at the pitch.
While Granillo is very slider heavy, his fastball has enough life for hitters to respect it. He averaged 94.6 MPH on the pitch, but his fastball shape is not very good. It can be used as a pitch to keep hitters off guard though.
Granillo had a 4.71 ERA in 14 outings at the MLB level, but he showed some promising flashes. He only struck out 19.8% of hitters, but his whiff rate was excellent at 31.5%. Granillo also limited hard contact well with an average exit velocity of 86.7 MPH and a hard hit rate of just 27.7%. These are some things for the 25 year old to build on.
While the results in the MLB were mixed, he was dominant in AAA. He posted a 1.29 ERA in 42 innings with 58 strikeouts. Getting a pitcher that is that productive, who is still pretty young is a major win for Toboni.
Andre Granillo at Triple A in 2025 -42 IP, all in relief -1.29 ERA -2.42 FIP -27.3 K-BB% -91st percentile xwOBA -92nd percentile whiff rate -94th percentile strikeout rate Acquired for a guy picked up off waivers a few days ago? That’ll play. https://t.co/ds8S6QgLXY
I am also interested to see what Toboni can do with Granillo. He might try to diversify Granillo’s pitch mix. There is an intriguing changeup that Granillo threw that could be used as a third pitch more frequently. He also experimented with a sinker, which could be a good idea given his lack of ground balls and sub-optimal fastball shape.
It feels like Toboni may have fleeced his former boss Chaim Bloom here. Granillo is not likely to ever be a closer, but he looks like a solid medium leverage option who is young and has options.
The corresponding move to this was sending Trevor Williams to the 60-day IL. This is unsurprising given that Williams is coming back from elbow surgery. It also underscores the Nats need for starting pitching.
The Nats will be able to open up at least one more 40-man spot with DJ Herz likely to start the year on the 60-day IL. Hopefully that spot can go to a starting pitcher. Picking up Granillo is a nice move, but the Nats still need more pitching.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is being evaluated for a stress reaction in his left hand.
Lindor experienced some soreness in the area around his left hand and wrist over the past couple days. David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for New York, said Lindor is going to visit a hand specialist on Wednesday to check his hamate bone.
“It is possible this will result in hamate surgery. If it does, that's a six-week recovery, which puts us right at opening day,” Stearns said. “So at this point, even if it does require surgery, we would remain optimistic that Francisco would be back for opening day.”
Lindor, 32, hit .267 with 31 homers, 86 RBIs and 31 steals in 160 games with New York last year. The five-time All-Star was left off Puerto Rico's roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic over insurance coverage.
Stearns also announced that Juan Soto is going to shift from right to left field. The change was finalized after discussions between the slugger and manager Carlos Mendoza.
Soto also is going to play left for the Dominican Republic in the WBC.
“Over the last month or so, as Mendy and Juan were talking about the season, Juan was working out in left field because he's going to play left field for the D.R. in the WBC,” Stearns said. "As they had their conversations, he felt really comfortable there.
“It made sense for us from a roster perspective, so we're going to go forward with it and everyone's on board with it.”
New York's pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first spring training workout Wednesday. The team’s first full-squad workout is Monday.
Soto, 27, agreed to a record $765 million, 15-year contract with New York in December 2024. The four-time All-Star batted .263 with 43 homers, 105 RBIs and 38 steals in his first season with the Mets.
Soto also played left field at the beginning of his career with the Washington Nationals. Mendoza said the conversations about moving to left started in late December.
“I just asked him, ‘How would you feel to play left field for us?’” Mendoza said Tuesday. “And he was like ‘I’m willing to do whatever, you know. If you want me to pitch, Mendy, I’ll pitch.’ Kind of like with that smile, right? And then I was like, ‘Now seriously speaking here, is that something you will consider, if it makes sense for both?’ He's like, 'Absolutely.'"
Francisco Lindor has a stress reaction in his left hamate bone, New York Mets president David Stearns said Feb. 10, and the All-Star shortstop is expected to miss six weeks, putting his status for Opening Day in doubt.
Lindor, 32, had already been ruled out of competing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic due to insurance concerns regarding past offseason surgeries, but Stearns said this injury emerged recently and wasn't part of the WBC decision. Lindor will see a hand specialist Feb. 11, says Stearns, which should determine whether Lindor requires surgery.
Hitters often have surgery to remove the hamate bone once it fractures, with recoveries ranging from a few weeks to a couple of months. Lindor is coming off his fifth All-Star season, and the fourth consecutive year he's finished in the National League's top 10 in MVP voting.
"Knowing Francisco, I’m optimistic, even if he has to go the surgery route," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said on a video call with news reporters. "Found out a couple days ago and didn’t think much of it because this is a guy who’s played through a lot. For him to say something this early, I was like, hmm.
"But if he has to go that route, I’m optimistic he’ll play shortstop for us on Opening Day."
Meanwhile, Mendoza confirmed that Juan Soto will move from right to left field this year, a move that evolved from conversations they had about him playing left for the Dominican Republic in next month's WBC.
The Mets acquired Luis Robert to play center field, and Soto − in the second year of a 15-year, $765 million contract − might be better suited for left, anyway. Former center fielder Tyrone Taylor and rookie Carson Benge are, for now, expected to command most of the playing time in right field.
"I asked him, 'How would you feel playing left field for us?" Mendoza said. "He said, 'I'm willing to do whatever. If you want me to pitch, Mendy, I'll pitch.' I asked if it made sense for both.
"He said, 'Absolutely.'"
The Mets won 83 games but missed out on a playoff berth by one game last season.
If you are wholly unfamiliar with how Major League Baseball arbitration cases work, this headline could sound somewhat ominous. The reality, though, is that MLB’s arb system is something of a binary system if salaries for eligible players are not hammered out and finalized by a certain date, and an independent arbiter simply gets to pick which side – the player, or the team – has a number that is most deserved.
That’s precisely what went down today between Tyler Stephenson and the Cincinnati Reds. The team’s veteran catcher had submitted a $6.8 million request for the upcoming 2026 season, and the Reds had come in with a $6.55 million number, and despite those two being incredibly close (by baseball salary standards) it was up to an arbiter to decide between the two. And, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon relayed, they picked Stephenson’s $6.8 million mark.
The $250K is even less significant in the grand scheme given that the 2026 season will be Stephenson’s final year of team control before he reaches free agency. Since arb salaries become benchmarks on which future year salaries are built, a difference of even that amount in a first year of arbitration could end up escalating further in each of the subsequent trips through the process, but in Stephenson’s case, this is obviously the last time he’ll be doing that.
It remains to be seen whether this February will also be the final time he reports to Goodyear, Arizona as a catcher in a Reds uniform. The Reds went out and acquired Jose Trevino this time last winter to augment the catching mix and immediately signed him to a contract extension through at least 2027 (and potentially 2028), and top catching prospect Alfredo Duno has rocketed up the rankings after his monster 2025 in the minors. That means the writing may be on the wall for Cincinnati’s 1st round pick from back in 2015, but it could also be the right kind of fuel for him to do everything he can to have a monster platform season in 2026 before hitting free agency.
Regardless, one final, major piece of the roster puzzle for 2026 has been adjudicated.
Vancouver's hockey scene has lost a legend, as former Canucks play-by-play broadcaster Jim Robson has died at the age of 91. Robson has been a staple in Canucks history, as he called the team's games from their NHL induction in 1970 and beyond (beginning in 1956) to his retirement in 1999.
Robson was behind the calls for many of the Canucks' most iconic moments in franchise history, most notably those from Vancouver's Stanley Cup run back in 1994. Even so, his list of accomplishments extends past the Canucks. Robson also called various Stanley Cup Finals (1975, 1980, 1982), NHL All-Star games, as well as lacrosse, football, and baseball.
Despite his retirement in 1999, Robson remained a fan of the Canucks and could occasionally be seen attending games. His contributions to the sport resulted in him being named to the BC Hockey Hall of Fame (1998), BC Sports Hall of Fame (2000), CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame (2002), and more.
Mar 2, 2013; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Sports broadcaster Jim Robson is honored during the first period as the Vancouver Canucks host the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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February 9 is a big date in Montreal Canadiens history, not only is it the date of Martin St-Louis’ hiring, but it’s also the date on which 31 years ago, then GM Serge Savard made one of the worst trades of his tenure.
On that date, Savard, keen to acquire some real star power, made a big trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. He traded Mark Recchi and a third-round pick in 1995 (who became Martin Hohenberger, an Austrian player who never made the NHL) for John LeClair, Eric Desjardins, and Gilbert Dionne.
At the time, Recchi was 27 years old, had won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and had registered three 100-plus-points seasons (one in Pittsburgh with Mario Lemieux and two in Philadelphia with Eric Lindros). He was already an established NHL star.
Meanwhile, John Leclair was 25 years old, had never scored more than 19 goals in a season, and his most productive season had yielded 44 points, but he did contribute 10 points in the Canadiens’ run to the 1993 Stanley Cup.
As for Eric Desjardins, the right-shot defenseman was also 25 years old, and a key element of the Canadiens’ blueline. He had registered 45 points in his most productive season. He contributed 14 points in 20 games during the 1993 Stanley Cup conquest, including a hat trick in game two of the final, the game that is now known as the turning point of that series because of the illegal stick penalty.
Finally, Dionne was 25 years old and had played only two and a half full seasons in Montreal, during which he had scored 21, 20, and 19 goals. He had also produced 12 points in 20 games during the 1993 playoffs, but he could be a frustrating player to watch at times.
Recchi went on to play parts of five seasons in Montreal, never putting up more than 80 points on a Canadiens’ team that didn’t feature a Lindros or a Lemieux. Vincent Damphousse, Brian Bellows, and Patrick Roy were Canadiens at the time, but not for much longer for the last two. Bellows left in June 1995, and Roy in December. Pierre Turgeon was also acquired later in 1995 but was traded in October 1996.
Recchi led the Canadiens in points in the shortened 1994-95 season with 43 points, three more than Damphousse. The following season, he was third with 78 points behind Turgeon (96) and Damphousse (94). In 1996-97, he was second with 80 points behind Damphousse, who had 81 points. In 1997-98, he was the team's highest scorer with 74 points; no one else cracked the 60-point mark, with Damphousse second at 59 points. Finally, in 1998-99, he had 47 points in 61 games before being traded back to the Flyers. The years that followed the Roy trade in Montreal were a very dark time. There were three seasons in which the Canadiens made the playoffs with Recchi, but they never got very far.
It’s not that Recchi didn’t play well for the Canadiens, but he wasn’t surrounded well enough to have the same kind of impact he had with his previous teams. Meanwhile, John LeClair became a three-time 50-goal scorer in Philadelphia, adding another two seasons with 40-plus goals. He was a third of the famous Legion of Doom line alongside Lindros and Mikael Renberg, a line that has marked the Flyers’ history and that took them to the Stanley Cup Final in 1997.
The power forward spent nine and a half seasons in Philadelphia and was one of their key players, just like Eric Desjardins. The blueliner spent 10 and a half seasons in Pennsylvania, finishing his career with the Flyers, reaching new heights in points production, including three 40-plus-point seasons and two 50-plus-point campaigns, and all the while remaining a stabilizing presence on the blueline, very rarely finishing the year with a negative differential (twice).
As for Dionne, he never managed to establish himself as an NHLer in Philadelphia and played only 27 NHL games after being traded from Montreal, the last five with the Florida Panthers.
In the end, that trade helped the Flyers become Cup contenders by giving them two of their key pieces while the Canadiens were on the verge of entering a very dark age with Roy’s departure. Recchi was an important piece of the Canadiens during his stay, but he didn’t make the kind of impact LeClair and Desjardins had in Philadelphia. For younger fans, he remains the Boston Bruins player who made questionable comments on the Max Pacioretty-Zdeno Chara incident.
With Soto shifting to left field, that leaves right field as Benge's spot to potentially win.
Benge has plenty of experience in right field, including 26 games last season. And he was primarily a right fielder during his college career with Oklahoma State.
"We've been consistent throughout the offseason that Carson's gonna come to camp with a chance to make our team -- that remains the same," Stearns said. "He's played a lot of right field during his time in the minor leagues. We're confident with him out there. We also think Brett (Baty) is gonna be able to adjust out there just fine. Tyrone Taylor we're confident is a very quality right fielder. So we feel like we've pretty good options to work through there. MJ Melendez, who may become official here shortly, could potentially be another option."
Benge was tremendous last season across three minor league levels, ending the year with Triple-A Syracuse.
Regarding how the Mets will determine whether Benge makes the team or not, Stearns said the decision will be layered.
"I think evaluations in spring are always a little bit fraught, and we know that," Stearns noted. "We want to see quality at-bats, we want to see him handle the outfield. It's also gonna depend on what some other guys do, right? It's not all going to be dependent on how Carson looks.
"We're not gonna get too preoccupied with surface line results one way or the other, and we'll make the best decision that we can on Opening Day -- recognizing that Opening Day is one day, and rosters can change pretty quickly."
Jul 10, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Mets pitcher David Peterson (23) delivers during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Mitch Stringer - Imagn Images
Will Mets use a six-man rotation?
As things currently stand, the Mets have six major league starting pitchers -- Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga.
To Stearns, that's a good "problem" to have.
"I think we'll cross that bridge if we get to it," Stearns explained about utilizing a potential six-man rotation. "We've got six healthy guys feeling really good right now. If we have six healthy guys feeling really good on Opening Day, I will gladly work through that challenge at that point.
"And we may decide at times to go with a six-man, or we may not. We'll figure that out. That's a really good problem to have if that's where we are on Opening Day."
New York's other rotation options include Tobias Myers (who is stretching out as a starter), Jonah Tong, and Christian Scott.
A.J. Minter's timeline
The expectation all winter has been that Minter, who is recovering from season-ending lat surgery, will not be ready for Opening Day.
Speaking on Tuesday, Stearns said a "realistic return" date for Minter is early May.
Minter is at camp, and was throwing on the field on Tuesday.
Brooks Raley is the only left-hander viewed as a lock to make the Opening Day bullpen.
The Mets added depth there earlier Tuesday, acquiring left-handed reliever Bryan Hudson from the White Sox in exchange for cash considerations.
Hudson, 28, had a 4.80 ERA (5.34 FIP) and 1.86 WHIP in 15.0 innings last season for the Brewers and White Sox.
He was tremendous in 2024 for Milwaukee, during what was his first full big league season. In 62.1 innings over 43 games, Hudson had a 1.73 ERA (3.60 FIP) and 0.72 WHIP while striking out 62.
Standing at 6'8", Hudson gets elite extension from a low-angle delivery (he was in the 99th percentile last season). He featured mainly a four-seam fastball and sweeper in 2025. In 2024, he also relied heavily on a cutter, which he threw 24 percent of the time (Hudson threw the cutter just three percent of the time last season).
Hudson is out of minor league options, which means the Mets cannot send him to the minors without exposing him to waivers.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Juan Soto is moving across the field.
After spending his first season in Queens as the right fielder, the franchise player has agreed to begin playing left field full-time, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Tuesday.
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Soto is slated to play left field for the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. It led in recent weeks to conversations between Soto and manager Carlos Mendoza about a switch to left field for the Mets, according to Stearns.
“It made sense for us from a roster perspective so we’re going to go forward with everyone on board with it,” Stearns said. “It’s not something we really contemplated coming into the offseason, but as we had conversations over the last month it made sense.”
With Soto in left field and Luis Robert Jr. in center, right field is now the unclaimed outfield position. Candidates for the spot include Carson Benge, the organization’s top prospect among position players, Brett Baty, Tyrone Taylor and MJ Melendez, who was signed to a major league contract Sunday.
“We have got a lot of athletic outfielders at or near the major league level, so having right field available to them isn’t a bad outcome,” Stearns said. “[Soto] is comfortable in left and it fits our roster.”
Juan Soto JASON SZENES/NY POST
Soto has considerable left field experience — he last played there regularly with the Padres in 2023. He was also the starting left fielder for the Nationals in his first two major league seasons. All told, he’s appeared in 460 games as a left fielder and 603 in right field. Soto has started 22 games as a DH in his career, but has previously indicated that spot is not preferable to him.
“Early in the offseason we didn’t know how rosters for the WBC were going to shake out,” Mendoza said. “Once we started [getting] closer to the teams announcing their rosters … the left field conversation came up and he took me down the road of when he first came up [playing left]. He also mentioned that with the Yankees, they had him playing left field when they were playing the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He was very honest and very genuine about it, so that is how I decided.”
Soto was among MLB’s worst defenders last season, when he ranked in only the first percentile for range, at minus-12 outs above average, according to Statcast. He rated better in arm strength, landing in the 66th percentile. But his arm value was only in the 18th percentile.
But the Mets signed Soto to a record $765 million contract over 15 years mainly because of his bat, and in that regard he produced: Soto finished third in the National League MVP voting (behind Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Schwarber) after posting a .263/.396/.525 slash line with 43 homers and a career-best 38 stolen bases (which led the NL).
The Mets roster overhaul this winter made the possibility of Soto switching positions more palatable: Brandon Nimmo was traded to Texas for Marcus Semien, leaving the vacancy in left field.
Semien, a Gold Glove winner last season, should improve the Mets defensively at second base. The larger questions are whether Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco, who are set to start at third base and first base, respectively, will seamlessly adapt. Bichette, a former shortstop, has not played third base in the major leagues. Polanco has one inning of major league experience at first base. But Stearns has indicated the infield’s athleticism has improved, leaving him optimistic that the unit will bolster the team’s run prevention. Robert, a former Gold Glove winner with the White Sox, will also potentially boost the team’s defense.
Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign gets underway in Colombo on Wednesday, facing Ireland at R. Premadasa Stadium for the first of four group-stage matches.
Welcome to Larissa’s Lessons, a weekly takeaways series in which some combination of Karen, True and Dylan will break down the biggest takeaways from the weekend’s games. We love an alliteration and puns around here, so be prepared for some word play.
Because the Tigers are playing a ridiculous number of games in a weekend and most of aren’t televised, this will be a look at more of a big picture of a bunch of games as opposed to a recap of each game. Once the home opener comes around in March, this will likely go in a different direction, but we’ll see!
It was a pure delight to hear the metallic ping of a ball hitting a bat or the sound of a fastball smacking into a catcher’s glove again. Softball is BACK, friends. Enjoy!
Mizzou Loves Liberty
Well, to beat down on Liberty, anyway. For the second year in a row, the Tigers doused the ranked Liberty Flames, this time by a score of 13-2 in six innings. We love to see it. The Tigers took an early lead in this one thanks to the bat of Abby Hay, who hit Mizzou’s first homer of the season. In the 3rd, they tacked on another run as freshman Sidney Forrester doubled, scoring fellow freshie Addy Waits. In the 4th, RBI doubles by Madison Uptegrove and Kayley Lenger made it 4-0, before yet another double, this time by Hay, made it 5-0. In the 6th, Stefania Abruscato’s bases loaded single made it 6-0, before Forrester’s bases-clearing double made it 9-0. Just for funsies, the Tigers tacked on three more after the other Abby (Carr) walked, Lenger was HBP — is Bruiser back?!? — and so was Waits. To top it off, Lenger then scored on a wild pitch to make it 13-0. The Flames would avoid the shutout with a two-run single in the bottom of the 6th, but those Flames were already extinguished. Love a fiery pun, y’all. I could do this all day.
Abby Carr: As Advertised
We knew she was going to be one to watch coming into the season, with all her high school accolades, but you never truly know how a freshman will adjust. Turns out, it was pretty darn well!
It’s been quite some time since Missouri has utilized a true two-way player, and as only a freshman, albeit one of her talent, it will be important to do a bit of load management, just as Shannon Welker has done with fellow freshman Kimarra Echols on the gymnastics mats.
“We’ve talked about her a lot, and we know what her potential is going to be, but I think the biggest challenge is, how do we manage the two-way player?” Anderson said. “How do we get her to so she’s able to get time in the bullpen to put her in game situations that she’s prepared for if she’s in the starting lineup?”
She continued. “But we got to manage her workload. That’s the biggest thing is being able to manage how much training she does and not burn her out mentally as a freshman, trying to be a two-way player.”
It will be hard not to go to her, however, as she’s a solid bat in the lineup and she’s the Tigers’ best pitcher through five games, posting a 1.35 ERA in 10.1 innings.
In the 13-2 Liberty win, Carr threw all six innings and had a no hitter heading into the final inning before allowing two hits and a couple runs.
Against South Alabama, she got in on the hitting AND pitching action, launching her first home run, and then also coming in in relief and pitching 4.1 innings of one-hit ball.
While hitting .200 in 10 at-bats, she’s got a .933 OPS (top 3 on team), a run scored, two hits, a double, the aforementioned home run, two walks, and four RBI. Not too shabby. Good enough that between the hitting and the pitching, the freshman was the lone Missouri Tiger named to the NFCA Leadoff Classic All-Tournament team.
Of her performance, Anderson was effusive in her praise. “It was great for her. I was so glad with her pitching outing out there, [showing] great composure in some really, really tough situations that she battled through and just really stayed true to who she was. She didn’t deviate from that, and then being able to get some offensive numbers out of her.”
What I hadn’t thought of is the creativity having someone like her available. Anderson, of course, noted this.
“What I absolutely love about it is my creativity that I can manage the game. I love being able to have her being in one through nine as the DP and put someone else in the flex position, and being more creative and making some double switches defensively. Then I’m able to have some stronger nine hitters in the lineup, and then being able to flip it to have nine different defensive players out there, it gives me a lot more creativity that I can get more people in the game and maximize how they’re going to contribute.”
Welcome Back, Abby Hay!
It’s great to see a healthy Abby Hay, eh?
There were flashes of it last season at times, but to see it in the season-opening weekend is quite exciting. Hay finished the weekend as Mizzou’s top hitter, leading in about every category. Hay opened Day 2 with the Tigers’ first home run of the season, a solo bomb in the second inning against Liberty. Then she added another one in the second inning of Mizzou’s matchup against BYU. Two home runs, two wins.
“You know, she’s simplified some things, and it’s great, because we obviously need her,” Anderson said.
Aside from the bombs, she also had two big RBI in extras against South Alabama. Obviously it didn’t end the way the Tigers would have liked, but, it wasn’t because of the Rock Bridge alum.
If Hay can stay consistent this season, it’d be HUGE for Missouri. There’s plenty of upside with younger players but Hay is a junior now, she’s only got a couple years left. It’s time for her to start showing why HCLA recruited her so early in high school.
“Being able to make the adjustments not only what pitch you’re looking for, but what pitch you’re trying to eliminate. I think Abby did that extremely well this weekend,” Anderson said.
Start ‘em Young
When HCLA said “The game doesn’t care what grade you’re in” during the preseason press conference. She wasn’t kidding.
It took 0 seconds for freshmen to make their debuts for the Tigers, and guess what? Neither of them were Carr. Yes, we all knew Abby Carr would be starting out of the gates — and she showed why on Day 2 — but I think everybody was pretty surprised when Addy Waits and Sidney Forrester were batting first and third, respectively, out of the gates. They also held these batting spots throughout the entire weekend.
The two players had quite different tales.
Forrester finished the weekend with the Tigers’ third highest batting average and tied for the second most RBI. Extremely impressive from a true freshman. Waits on the other hand has had some major struggles adjusting to collegiate ball. She is 1-for-14 with a lone RBI. The one upside is she has been walked five times so she has some plate discipline. I’d be surprised if HCLA doesn’t test out adjustments but we do know one thing for sure: She doesn’t think the game matters what grade you’re in.
The Donahue Experiment Continues
Maybe I’m being too harsh, y’all, as it is early, but I’m kinda over the Courtney Donahue experiment, sorry. In the season opener loss to Penn State, the former JuCo transfer entered after starter Cierra Harrison went five innings of three-run ball, and proceeded to give up three hits and four runs (two earned) in five innings of work, including the dagger that did ultimately did them in the 10th.
In the team’s final game against South Alabama, she actually got the start, lasting just three innings and allowing four hits, two earned runs, a walk and two wild pitches. After allowing back-to-back singles which plated two runs and allowed the Jaguars to take the lead, she was relieved by Abby Carr in the 4th, who was removed from the DP role and slotted into the circle, who went four innings.
Familiar Issues Remain
Remember when the Tigers were unable to close out games last year? Yeah, well, turns out that’s still a thing. Two times over the course of the team’s first five games, Mizzou went to extras, and two times, they just couldn’t get it done.
Against Penn State, there were four ties and the back-and-forth scoring was enough to give you whiplash. The Tigers struck first in the 2nd, taking a 1-0 lead before Penn State plated two in top of the 3rd. In the home-half, Mizzou tied it up on a bases-loaded Abby Hay walk, but the Nittany Lions regained the lead in the 5th on an RBI double. In the home-half, again Mizzou tied it up with a Madison Uptegrove RBI single. Would it last? NOPE. In extras, Penn State again re-took the lead in the 8th on a sac fly before a Kayley Lenger single tied it up once again 4-4. It wasn’t until the 10th that the Nittany Lions put down the death blow, scoring three runs an RBI double and a two-run shot. The Tigers had no answer for that offense this time.
Against South Alabama, the Tigers nabbed an early 1-0 lead on a homerun by Abby Carr, only to allow two unanswered and go cold until the 6th, when they tied it up. Both teams scored in extras in the 8th to knot it at 3-3, and again in the 10th to make it 4-4, before the Jags got the last laugh, scoring in the home-half of the 11th.
I’d also like to bring up the Oregon game, as even though they were facing AA pitcher Lyndsey Grein, they wasted a what ended up being a really nice complete game outing by Marissa McCann by being unable to get something — anything — going. They managed just two baserunners, both on walks, but that was IT. McCann held the Ducks at bay until the 6th inning, and then started to falter, breaking up the 0-0 tie on a sac fly, before allowing a two-run double in the 7th to seal the 3-0 victory. The team has to learn to take HELP their pitchers.
Talking with Anderson, however, she was happy they didn’t give in, which is a familiar trait of HCLA-coached teams, but definitely had some opportunities for improvement with the team.
“I would have liked to see two things. I would have liked to see us put up double or 12, two or three runs in those innings, rather than just one,” she said. “I don’t want to have to always sacrifice that runner to get to third base to try to get a fly ball.”
She continued. “I wanted to have better quality at bats. So that’s the first thing. And the second, I would like to see our pitchers get some more strikeouts in those situations. You know, we have the pitching staff that can get strikeouts. And if they’re getting the ball in play, like yesterday, for instance, McCann had a lot of balls put in play on the ground. She is not a ground ball pitcher, so if she’s creating ground balls, then the ball is not spinning the right way, so it’s making sure that her pitchers are spinning the ball the right way so she can get some strikeouts in those situations.”
Offensive & Pitching Leaders thru 5 games
Abby Hay: .375 BA | 1.287 OPS | 16 AB | 4 R | 6 H | 1 2B | 2 HR | 6 RBI | .813 SLG% | 3 BB | 5 K
Kayley Lenger: .333 BA | .941 OPS | 15 AB | 3 R | 5 H | 2 2B | 3 RBI | .467 SLG% | 1 BB | 3 HBP | 4 K
Sidney Forrester: .294 BA | .780 OPS | 17 AB | 5 H | 2 2B | 4 RBI | .412 SLG% | 2 BB | 3 K
Overall, the team is batting just .238 with a .753 OPS. They’ve scored 30 runs, had 35 hits, 11 doubles (that seems good!), and 3 homers (2x Hay, 1x Carr). They’re slugging just .374. They’ve walked 27 times but also struck out 41. Their on-base % is .379.
Abby Carr: 1.35 ERA | 1.06 WHIP | 10.1 IP | 5 H | 3 R | 2 ER | 6 BB | 8 K | 1 XBH | .143 Opp BA
Courtney Donahue: 3.50 ERA | 1.13 WHIP | 8 IP | 7 H | 6 R | 4 ER | 2 BB | 5 K | 2 XBH | .259 Opp BA
CC Harrison: 3.75 ERA | 1.50 WHIP | 9.1 IP | 12 H | 5 R | 5 ER | 2 BB | 11 K | 5 XBH | .300 Opp BA
Marissa McCann: 3.97 ERA | 1.22 WHIP | 12.1 IP | 13 H | 9 R | 7 ER | 2 BB | 4 XBH | .283 Opp BA
Overall, the team ERA is 3.15 through 5 games and 40 IP. They’ve allowed 37 hits, 23 runs (18 earned), 12 walks, 35 strikeouts, 6 doubles, 3 triples, and 3 home runs. Opponents are batting .250 against them.
What’s to Come
After facing UCF on Wednesday night, the Tigers will head back to St. Pete/Clearwater for the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational. Here’s who they’re facing and how their seasons have started:
UCF (Feb 11 at 5pm on ESPN+): 5-1 at Black & Gold Classic (home) | W 13-0 (5 in.) v. Boston U | W 10-0 (5 in.) v. CSU Bakersfield | L 2-5 v. #16 Duke | W 15-7 (5 in.) & W 9-1 (5 in.) v. Maryland | W 12-2 (5 in.) v. Buffalo
In case you’re keeping track, the Knights played six games and run-ruled their opponent in FIVE of them. That’s crazy, crazy.
They’re hitting .360 with a 1.178 OPS. In six games, they’ve scored 61 runs, had 49 hits, 13 doubles, 2 triples, and 9 homeruns. They’re slugging .684.
Pitching-wise, the staff has a 2.41 ERA in 32 innings, and have allowed 21 hits, just 15 runs (11 earned). They’ve walked 23 batters but struck out 26, and allowed just 5 extra bases (3 home runs). Opponents are batting just .184.
NC State (Feb. 13 at 11:30am on ACCN): 2-3 at Tiger Classic in Baton Rouge | W 7-1 v. Lamar | L 3-11 (5in.) & L 5-7 v. #16/13 LSU | W 9-4 v. Illinois | L 0-1 v. Nevada
The Wolfpack is hitting .281 with a .809 OPS. They’ve scored just 24 runs, had 34 hits, 7 doubles and 3 home runs. They’re slugging just .413. They’ve walked 22 times while striking out 25.
On the pitching side, their team ERA is 4.79 in 30.2 IP. They’ve allowed 32 hits, 24 runs (21 earned), 23 walks with 21 strikeouts, and a lot of extra bases (8x doubles, 3x triples, 2x HR). Opponents are hitting .258 against them.
#7UCLA (Feb. 13 at 5pm on ESPN+): 5-0 at Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament (home) & Mark Campbell Invitational (Irvine) | W 18-1 (5 in.) v. UC-SB | W 10-1 (5 in.) v. Northern Colorado | W 12-4 (5in.) v. Oregon State | W 11-0 (5 in.) v. Utah | W 17-0 (5 in.) v. UC-Riverside
Like the other opponent that starts with UC (UCF, duh), the Bruins won 4 of their 5 games via run-rule. Neat!
As a team they are batting a whopping .487 with a gawdy 1.751 OPS. They scored 68 runes, added 58 hits, 9 doubles, a triple, and TWENTY-THREE HOME RUNS. No, that’s not a typo. They are slugging 1.160%. They’ve also walked 27 times and struck out JUST FIVE. Their OB% is .591…. I’m laughing so I don’t cry, you guys. I know it wasn’t against the best competition, but wow. Just wow. Against UC-Riverside, they had 8 HR from 5 different Bruins.
Oh, and their pitching is really good, too, with an ERA of just 1.68 and 0.92 WHIP in 25 innings. They allowed 16 hits and just 6 runs (all earned). They’ve walked just 7 while striking out 32, and have allowed 7 extra bases (3 HR). Opponents are batting just .182.
Jordan Woolery earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors after a team-high 10 hits — she was 10/15 at the plate — with 14 RBI and 5 HR. Read it (and weep) here.
Northwestern(Feb. 14 at 9am on ESPN+): 3-2 at Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, AZ | W 9-1 (5 in.) v. Toledo | L 3-4 & W 7-1 v. Texas State | L 0-8 (6 in.) v. AZ State | W 14-5 (5 in.) v. Memphis
The Wildcats are batting .333 with a 1.069 OPS. They’ve scored 33 runs and added 41 hits, including 9 doubles, 2 triples, and 9 homers. They’re slugging .659. They don’t walk much — just 12 BB, but do strike out a lot (29), with an OB% of .410.
The NW pitching staff has a sub-3.00 ERA (2.93) in 28.2 IP. They’ve allowed 30 hits and 19 runs (12 earned) to go with a 16 BB : 22 K ratio. They’ve allowed 8 extra bases (4 HR), and opponents are hitting .261.
FAU(Feb. 14 at 2pm on ESPN+): 5-0 at Paradise Classic (home) | W 8-0 v. Indiana | W 10-6 v. Ohio State | W 4-3 v. Wisconsin | W 10-0 v. Stonehill | W 4-2 v. Delaware
As a team, the Owls are batting .382 with a 1.064 OPS, to go with 36 runs scored and 42 hits, including 10 doubles and 5 homers. They’re slugging .609. They’ve walked 16 times to 19 strikeouts, and their OB% is .455.
On the pitching side, their ERA is a miniscule 2.03 in 31 IP. They’ve allowed 25 hits, but only 11 runs (9 earned). Their BB:K ratio is impressive, sitting at 13 : 34, and they’ve allowed just 5 extra base hits (3 HR). Opponents are hitting just .217 so far this season.
With their strong start, the Owls swept the American Conference weekly awards with Lily Holtjie named Player of the Week and Autumn Courtney as Pitcher of the Week. Holtjie had a .688 OB% this weekend, with 5 hits (4 for extra bases) and 6 walks. Her weekend average was .556. Courtney, the reigning unanimous American conference pitcher of the year, earned two wins in the Owls’ first three games and had a save. She led the team with a 1.40 ERA with a AC-best 16 punchouts. This included a complete game in the IU opener, with 8 strikeouts and just 2 hits.
#19Duke(Feb. 15 at 8am on ACCN): 4-1 at UCF Tournament | L 1-2 v. Boston U | W 5-2 v. UCF | W 3-1 v. Buffalo | W 13-4 (5 in.) & 9-0 (5 in.) v. CSU-B
The Blue Devils are batting .336 with a .943 OPS, to go along with 31 runs scored, 42 hits (16 for extra bases, including 4 HR), and a .552 SLG%. They’ve walked 11 times while striking out just 12, but have a pretty weak .391 OB%.
The pitching staff’s ERA is just 2.12 in 29.2 IP, allowing 21 hit but just 9 earned runs. They’ve allowed 12 walks but also whiffed 22 batters and allowed 7 extra base hits (4x 2B, 3 HR) for a .196 opponent batting average.
Per the Duke SB site: The Blue Devils also welcomed 10 newcomers, including transfers Layla Lamar (Florida), Larissa Jacquez (Incarnate Word), Tyrina Jones (Purdue) and Mallory Wheeler (Louisiana). The senior duo of Cassidy Curd and Aminah Vega were among the 53 players to earn a spot on the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List. Three Dukies earned Preseason All-ACC honors in Kairi Rodriguez, Jennings, and Vega.
Surprise, surprise: Kris Bryant is headed to injury reserve.
The Rockies slugger was placed on the 60-day IL on Tuesday with a lingering lower back issue in the latest setback for the former National League MVP.
Bryant, 34, has struggled mightily to stay on the field since coming to Colorado five years ago.
Colorado Rockies’ Kris Bryant heads to first base after drawing a walk with the bases loaded to force in a run against San Diego Padres starting pitcher Blake Snell in the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 14, 2022, in Denver. AP
Since signing a massive seven-year, $182 million free agent contract with the Rockies after the 2021 season, Bryant has played in just 170 out of a possible 648 games over four seasons with various injuries.
The latest stint is the 10th time he’s been placed on the IL since coming to the Mile High City.
Bryant hasn’t looked the part of the star worthy contract he signed when on the field either, hitting .244 with 17 home runs, 61 RBIs and an OPS of .695 when in the lineup.
The development is the latest setback in what had at one point looked like a potential Hall of Fame career.
Debuting for the Cubs in 2015, Bryant won the NL Rookie of the Year award that season while making the All-Star team and garnering some down-ballot MVP votes.
A season later, Bryant won the MVP award at just 24 years old for the historic 2016 World Series champion Cubs team.
Kris Bryant has not provided much value to the Rockies. Getty Images
Bryant would show some signs of wear over the next few seasons, although he still made two more All-Star teams for Chicago before being dealt to the Giants before the 2021 MLB trade deadline.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 16: Catcher J.T. Realmuto #10 and pitcher Taijuan Walker #99 of the Philadelphia Phillies walk to the dugout before the game against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum on June 16, 2023 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I read a lot of baseball writing, either by book or some online article that happens to catch my eye. Sometimes the writing will say something that makes me perk up a bit, particularly when it involves the Phillies. So when I read this article from The Athletic ($), there was a note here that made me pause.
With respect to the Skubal-and-Valdez Tigers, depth matters. And the Phillies, Dodgers, Red Sox (the depthiest of the rotations, imo), Blue Jays and Reds (yes, the Reds) can all make a claim that their rotations, one through five (or in some cases, six) are the best in the game.
Huh. One through five as the best in the game.
It got me thinking about this rotation and whether that claim can be made any longer.
Of course, we need a full season’s worth of recent statistics to talk about it, but with the season not having started yet, it’s just conjecture. It’s one person’s opinion matched up against another’s. Last season can be used for teams that haven’t had a lot of turnover, but as it stands right now, the Phillies will likely have two, maybe three, different members of their initial five that are new compared to 2025.
So comparing the Phillies’ rotation as is to the others around the game before spring training happens seems foolhardy, but another question pops up when looking at that quote, at least to me.
Do the Phillies even have a deep rotation? That’s something that can be debated.
Right now, were the team to have their druthers, the rotation would look like this on Opening Day:
Cristopher Sanchez
Jesus Luzardo
Aaron Nola
Taijuan Walker
Andrew Painter
The top two that the team will trot out in the first series are as good as it gets around the league. Even with Sanchez’s 2nd place finish in the Cy Young voting, it still feels like he’s underrated around the game. Luzardo finally capitalized on his immense potential to have a great season in 2025 and will be pitching to hit it big in free agency following this season. It’s as good a start as any to filling out a rotation.
After that, things get murkier. We aren’t really sure what Aaron Nola we are going to get this coming season. One could believe in the even year Nola conspiracy theory, but until it is actually shown in action, one has to wonder if the toll of all the innings he has pitched over the years without missing starts has begun to affect Nola and his health. Walker’s role as end of the rotation pitcher/first choice to get bumped to the bullpen is well documented by this point. If he can give the team even league average production in 4 or 5 inning bursts each outing, that’s a win for the team. What Painter gives the team this year is one of its biggest question marks and one of the reasons for concern. What if Painter has a bad spring and shows he’s still not ready for the major league spotlight? That would obviously go against the team’s plans, but there have to be some contingencies in place in case this actually comes to fruition.
Which brings us back to the depth that this team has accrued. Is it actually enough? Wheeler’s injury has laid bare the fact that they have not backfilled as much as maybe they should have. Right now, there is Tucker Davidson and Bryse Wilson on the depth chart behind Painter, maybe even Jean Cabrera is you’re feeling generous. Alan Rangel and Yoniel Curet are technically options, but who are we kidding. Are those the kinds of guys the team is going to want to rely on if something were to befall one of their current rotation members?
A lot of this is of their own volition. There hasn’t been much of an effort to add these kinds of starters to their minor league stable, instead having the focus on making sure that the bullpen was full of viable options in case harmful events befall someone. That will mean a lot of breath holding each time one of those five takes their start this spring, be it in Florida or in the World Baseball Classic.
It’s easy to criticize them for not getting players to join them in free agency, but it’s also easy to forget it take two to tango. Players have to be willing to come to Philadelphia and usually, if a player is going to take a minor league (their likely best offer), they’re going to want to see a clear path to being able to pitch. That path isn’t exactly crystal clear with the Phillies. They have had a pretty remarkable string of being able to keep their starters on the field, which means free agents would probably look elsewhere. It is something of a curse, where the Phillies need starters to bide their time in the minor leagues in case of injury, but a lot of times, those injuries never come. So, convincing someone who has veteran status to join the team, likely on a minor league, is always going to be something of a challenge. If there is something to compare the Phillies to the Dodgers, it’s in this fashion. Both rotations are theoretically blocked with pitchers already that getting someone to join them is tough.
However, it would behoove the team to convince someone, be it a veteran or a pitcher with a checkered history, to take a minor league deal during spring training. They have avenues of doing so, financially speaking. Kolby Allard was given a decent chunk of change to spend his time in Lehigh Valley on a minor league deal before he was eventually called up for a few starts in 2024. Giving someone a larger than normal guaranteed amount of money to spend time in the minors is one way to flex that financial muscle we always hear about.
The top part of the starting rotation is good, something on which we can all agree, but there needs a bit more backfill at the end of it. Dombrowski would seem to agree as he acknowledged the team is still chasing down options to help create that depth. It’ll be something to follow as the team heads down to Florida to begin their preparations.
