DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 20: Starting pitcher Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers throws in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a MLB game at Comerica Park on August 20, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Dodgers 6-1. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There could be little else to start today’s news roundup with than general enthusiasm over the return of former Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander. Verlander, who accompanied the Tigers on both their last visits to the World Series, is winding down his Hall of Fame career, and seems to want to bring it back to where it all began in Detroit. We’ve covered his one-year deal in more detail on the site already, but a news recap wouldn’t be complete without some general chatter about the signing. We’d love to know how you feel about the deal. While Verlander is not as young and no longer has the same stats he did when he was traded to Houston all those years ago, he has certainly proven over the last several seasons that there is still gas in the tank. And with Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson both hitting the 60-day IL yesterday, this is a team that could certainly use pitching. On that note, yesterday the Tigers made things official with Framber Valdez as well.
There’s more tidbits in today’s news, including the unexpected passing of a former Royal, and some legal woes for a former Dodgers outfielder. So let’s just jump right into it.
Detroit Tigers News
Welcome back to the D, JV!
The Tigers have signed three-time American League Cy Young and nine-time All-Star RHP Justin Verlander to a one-year contract for the 2026 season.
The Rockies placed Kris Bryant on the 60-Day IL. Bryant did not play after April 12th last season, and has only played in 170 games since signing his seven-year, $182M contract with Colorado in 2022. pic.twitter.com/9MLFViuSjX
Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa rout opponents in 67-run win
Skipper pulled out injured 30 minutes before start of play
Adam Zampa and Nathan Ellis combined for eight wickets as Australia overcame the shock pre-match loss of skipper Mitch Marsh to post a crushing 67-run victory over Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener in Colombo.
Marsh was officially ruled out just 30 minutes before Wednesday night’s toss after scans revealed he was suffering internal testicular bleeding from a blow he suffered at training earlier in the week.
ST PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 18: Brian McCann #34 of the New York Yankees checks on pitcher Cesar Cabral #64 of the New York Yankees after hitting a Tampa Bay Rays batter at Tropicana Field on April 18, 2014 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Scott Iskowitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just by the nature of doing a daily birthday post, we’re going to run into some days where there’s not a truly notable Yankee from history to profile. There are also going to be some days we run into where there’s more than one beloved player. However, today is definitely the former and not the latter.
There have only been three Yankees players who have ever had a February 11th birthday, and you’d be forgiven for not remembering any of them. Maybe you can recall the recently-released Jayvien Sandridge, just because he made a cameo for last year’s team.
However, one of today’s birthday boys is engrained into my mind. Unfortunately for him, it’s not for a reason you would want to be remember for.
César Augusto Cabral Born: February 11, 1989 (Sabana Grande de Palenque, Dominican Republic) Yankees Tenure: 2013-14
Cabral’s road to the major leagues was a strange journey. He originally signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2005. While he had some OK years in the meantime, by 2010, he had only advanced to High-A ball. Left off the Red Sox 40-man roster, he was then selected by the Rays in that offseason’s Rule 5 Draft.
In the ensuing spring training, the Rays and Blue Jays played a bit of hot potato with him before the Rays had to return him to the Red Sox after Cabral failed to make Tampa Bay’s roster. Following another season back in Boston’s system, he was again picked in the Rule 5 Draft, this time by the Royals. Once again though, he wasn’t destined to play there, as later that same day, the Yankees purchased him from Kansas City.
In spring training 2012, Cabral pitched well enough that the Yankees were considering rostering him full time, negating him returning to Boston. However, he suffered a stress fracture in the dying days off spring, leading to him missing the entire 2012 season. The injury also mean the Yankees could put him on the 60-day injured list and avoid sending him back.
With the possibility of losing him wiped out, the Yankees sent Cabral to the minors to begin 2013, where he produced some iffy results. But when the rosters expanded in September, the Yankees decided to call up the pitcher. In addition to him having the raw “stuff” that impressed them in 2012, he was also a lefty who could allow them to further play matchups in the days before the three batter rule. He ended up appearing in 3.2 innings across eight games for the 2013 Yankees, striking out six batters.
In 2014, Cabral started the season in the minors, but came up that April following an injury to David Robertson. He was again used as a LOOGY, combining for one total inning across his first three games. His fourth appearance came on April 18th, and became the reason why I—and other sickos—continue to remember him.
Playing the Rays on April 18th, the Yankees brought in Cabral in the bottom of the eighth. Adam Warren had just allowed a two-run homer to increase the Yankees’ deficit to 8-5, and they were likely just looking for someone to get a quick final out of the inning before trying to rally in the ninth.
Cabral started his day by giving up a single to Ben Zobrist, and then uncorking a wild pitch in a sign of things to come. Following a Brandon Guyer RBI single, Cabral hit Evan Longoria with a pitch. He then also hit James Loney, having already fallen behind 3-0 in the count. Wil Myers followed that with a single, but in the first pitch of the at-bat after that, Cabral hit a third batter, plunking Logan Forsythe. At that point, home-plate umpire Joe West ejected Cabral, despite the protestations of manager Joe Girardi. Cabral almost certainly didn’t hit any of the batters on purpose, but at that point, the ejection was almost for the safety of batters as much as anything else.
Immediately after that game, the Yankees DFA’d Cabral, but eventually cleared waivers and returned to the Yankees’ minors. Following the season, Cabral elected for free agency and signed with the Orioles. He appeared in two games for them in 2015 and after that spent the next couple years playing in the minors and Independent ball. His last recorded stats are in the 2023-24 season in the Dominican Winter League.
Every season for every team usually features relievers who only appear in a handful of innings. Usually, those stint are uneventful and not particularly remembered. That’s probably the case for Cabral for most people out there. However, some of us are weird, and Cabral plunking three batters and getting ejected for the wellbeing of the opposition is something to remember.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 26: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets fields a hit against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning of the game at loanDepot park on September 26, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Christian Scott trained at the same facility as Max Scherzer this offseason, and Scherzer is still as intense as ever.
Juan Soto will be making the move to left field this season.
Francisco Lindor has a hamate bone injury, one which could require surgery with a six-week recovery period, which brushes up against the start of the regular season.
Hayden Senger resigned from his winter job at Whole Foods this past offseason, opting to play winter ball instead.
The Mets acquired left-handed reliever Bryan Hudson from the White Sox for cash considerations, and they in turn moved Reed Garrett to the 60-day injured list.
The timeline for A.J. Minter’s return is early May.
MLB’s prospect writers placed odds on which top 20 prospects will (and won’t) make Opening Day rosters.
Around the National League East
The Braves signed catcher Johan Heim to a major league deal worth $1.25 million, and he’ll likely be the backup catcher with Sean Murphy starting the season on the injured list.
Meanwhile, they put Spencer Schwellenbach on the 60-day injured list with bone spurs in his right elbow.
The Braves made a trade with the Rays, acquiring infielder Brett Wisely (who they traded to the Rays last month). They subsequently placed pitcher Joe Jiménez on the 60-day injured list.
Around Major League Baseball
Jayson Stark wrote about how, very soon, the idea of who qualifies as a Hall of Fame-caliber pitcher will change drastically.
Justin Verlander has signed a one-year contract with the Tigers, returning to where his career began.
MLB put out a primer on how to watch MLB.tv games this season.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa gave his side of the story in one of the most infamous plays in last year’s World Series.
Kyle Wright, the last major league pitcher to win 20 games in a season, signed a minor league contract with the Cubs, with an invitation to spring training.
Former Met José Quintana signed a one year contract with the Rockies, his 15th season.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Yours truly took a look at Craig Kimbrel’s potential as a bullpen option for the Mets this season.
The Amazin’ Avenue prospect staff writers gave their thoughts on the site’s top ten prospect rankings.
This Date in Mets History
Ray Knight, coming off his World Series MVP win, signed with the Baltimore Orioles on this day in 1987.
Jul 24, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) celebrates after the Cardinals defeated the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
As Orioles relief pitchers report to spring training this week, it’s largely the same crew that finished the 2025 season. And that’s a surprise.
The expectation was that the O’s would be aggressive in reshaping their bullpen after trading away four veteran relievers last year and losing closer Félix Bautista to injury. Instead, the O’s have made only two relief additions. On Nov. 4, they reacquired Andrew Kittredge, one of the relievers they’d dealt at the deadline. And on Dec. 1, they signed Ryan Helsley as their new closer. Since then, it’s been crickets. The O’s even traded away a reliever, Kade Strowd, in the Blaze Alexander deal.
With Helsley and Kittredge slotted into the closer and setup roles, respectively, the O’s otherwise are rolling with a group of largely untested arms to fill out the rest of the bullpen. Keegan Akin and Dietrich Enns are the top lefties, perhaps with Grant Wolfram in the mix. Candidates from the right side are Rico Garcia, Yennier Cano, Yaramil Hiraldo, Colin Selby, and Tyler Wells, if he’s not needed in the rotation. Albert Suárez is back on a minor league deal. Prospects Cameron Foster and Anthony Nunez were added to the 40-man roster and could get a look.
If the O’s don’t have another bullpen acquisition in the cards before the season starts, which of these relievers — if any — are you feeling the most confident about? Did Kittredge impress you in his three-month stint as an Oriole last year? Do you trust in the two-time All-Star Helsley’s strong Cardinals career, or did his brutal post-deadline performance with the Mets last year turn you off? Do any of the lesser-known names strike you as breakout candidates?
As the Olympic men’s hockey tournament gets underway this week, it also marks the 20th anniversary of a moment that derailed one of the Ottawa Senators’ greatest Stanley Cup opportunities.
On this date in 2006, the Senators led the old Northeast Division with a record of 36-14-5 and stood fourth overall in the NHL with what many people believe was the most talented roster in the franchise's history.
It was backstopped by future Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek, who had a record of 28-10-4, a goals against of 2.09, and a save percentage of .925.
On The Sens Nation Podcast, THN's Steve Warne says big trades to beef up at the deadline should be reserved for the true Cup contenders.
But now it was time for the Olympic break, and Hasek headed for Italy to play in the Olympics.
As good as he still was, Hasek had missed two of the previous three NHL seasons. He retired and didn't play in 2002-03, but came back the following year, before a lockout wiped out the year after that.
It was remarkable that Hasek was going as strongly as he was for the Sens, not to mention appearing in 42 of their first 55 games.
As far as the Senators’ Stanley Cup hopes went, it would have been the perfect time for the 41-year-old to get some rest instead of being thrust into a best-on-best Olympic tournament, filled with huge emotional and physical intensity.
Sure enough, just six minutes into the Czech Republic's first game, Hasek suffered an adductor injury while making a split-leg save against Germany. Just over three minutes later, he left the game.
Hasek left Italy and returned to Ottawa to try to rehab the injury in time for the playoffs, but wasn't successful. The six-time Vezina winner reportedly offered to return in 2006-07, but the Sens weren't interested.
Hasek would eventually sign back with Detroit and win a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2007-08, but the Senators’ best chance at a Cup may have slipped away two years earlier in Turin.
Nearly two decades later, Sens fans were again left wondering about the potentially high cost of midseason best-on-best hockey.
They had just snapped an eight-year Stanley Cup playoff drought and drew a first-round matchup against their arch rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team they'd never beaten in the postseason. The Senators quickly fell behind in the series 3-0, and despite a valiant comeback effort, they lost in six games.
But would things have gone any differently if captain Brady Tkachuk had been anywhere close to 100 percent?
Like Hasek, Tkachuk was also injured in a midseason tournament, the league's brand new 4 Nations Face-Off.
No one knew if fans and players would truly embrace the event's debut or not. But even those who thought it would be kind of a big deal weren't ready for just how big it was, and amidst the intensity of it all, both Tkachuk and his brother, Matthew, suffered injuries with Team USA.
Brady missed a couple of games after the tournament, then powered his way through March before being shut down. He insisted he was fine, but the eye test told a different tale. He also suffered an upper-body injury and missed 8 of the last 9 games before the playoffs.
In his final postseason availability, after still managing to lead the Sens in playoff scoring with 7 points in 6 games, he admitted he wasn't physically right.
"Yeah, I mean, everyone's got something going on," Tkachuk said. "So yeah, I was battling through a couple of things. But I don't think injuries are an opportunity to be an excuse, because everybody's got something going on. So now it's just time to take care of it, deal with it, and make sure I'm 100 percent come next year."
Tkachuk was excellent in the series, but how much better could he have been?
The effect of these important mid-season tournaments isn't just physical. When it's best on best, and players are wearing their country's colours, these players will always pour all of their emotion into this event.
An Olympic gold medal in hockey is as cherished as a Stanley Cup ring.
For example, the Olympic finalists will have to play three straight sudden-death games, the equivalent of playing a Game 7 three times in five days.
Once this tournament is done, win or lose, they'll almost need a decompression chamber to transition back to the NHL.
For fans, the league's return to the Olympics for a true best on best event feels long overdue, and it's going to be fantastic theatre that hockey fans should appreciate while they can. Because while the NHL has a much better deal with the IIHF and the IOC now, you never know what the league's bigwigs will decide to do in the future.
But when you look at it through the lens of an NHL owner, it’s easy to understand why they walked away from the past two Olympics. They were being asked to risk the health of their players, pause the momentum of their NHL season, and cover insurance and travel costs, with little tangible return.
At least with the 4 Nations, it was their event.
Regardless, as Ottawa knows all too well, midseason best-on-best tournaments can come with a price. Senators fans are simply hoping their players return healthy and ready to push for another playoff spot.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News. Check out other THN Senators articles here:
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 29: Anthony Banda #43 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers made a flurry of waiver claims over the past week, first by reclaiming outfielder Michael Siani from the New York Yankees while designating recent signee Andy Ibañez for assignment.
The Dodgers then brought back catcher Ben Rortvedt off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds, and in doing so, they made the tough decision to designate Anthony Banda for assignment. Banda had been a fixture within the Dodgers bullpen over the past two seasons, posting a combined 3.14 ERA across 114 2/3 innings while pitching 30 percent better than league average per ERA+.
With the Dodgers having a plethora of left-handed relief options paired with the fact that Banda no longer has any available minor league options, the expectation is that Banda will be traded by Friday, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Ardaya notes that Banda should have a respectable amount of interest, considering the scarcity of left-handed bullpen options still available on the open market.
Now, the team will look to see if it can fetch anything for Banda via trade… Banda is expected to have an interesting trade market, with quality left-handed relievers being hard to come by – much less at his $1.625 million price tag.
Links
The Dodgers continued shoring up their non-roster invitee group on by signing both right-handed pitcher Jordan Weems and catcher Seby Zavala to minor league deals. Weems has appeared in 144 career games across parts of six big league seasons, most recently posting a 14.54 ERA in just 4 1/3 innings with the Houston Astros last year. Zavala has played in 194 career games across parts of five seasons, having most recently appeared in 18 games with the Seattle Mariners in 2024.
The Dodgers outfield is now more fortified both offensively and defensively with the addition of All-Star Kyle Tucker, giving Teoscar Hernández the opportunity to return back to left field. Waiting in the distance are some of the Dodgers’ top prospects, which includes outfielders Josue de Paula and Zyhir Hope.
Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com aren’t ready to jump the gun on de Paula getting his first cup of coffee at the big league level this season, with Callis noting that the star talent is too heavy for the 20-year-old outfielder to get a legitimate shot.
Per Mayo: There’s no chance. I love Josue De Paula. I love the bat. I could see him being ahead of the timeline and being ready by, say, September.
Per Callis: The Dodgers’ lineup is just too loaded.
The salary cap/floor debate will be the one of the main talking points once the current CBA expires after the 2026 season, as the Dodgers seemingly “ruin” baseball with the amount of spending they’ve done over the last three offseasons. Just because there is a salary cap doesn’t automatically give every other team a fair chance of being competitive.
Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times takes a look at the Sacramento Kings and the NBA as a whole when discussing the need for a salary cap, as he notes that the quality of spending and managing outweighs the amount of capital they possess.
If you are a fan of a small-market baseball team, and you hear your owner say your team would win if only MLB had a salary cap, our friends in Sacramento would offer you three letters in response: LOL.
A fine all-round performance saw West Indies move closer to the Super 8s with a 30-run win over England
England, of course, sneaked by Nepal on Sunday; West Indies whacked Scotland on Saturday.
If there’s heavy dew, batting first is a big advantage because it makes the ball hard to grip. Both sides have serious batting firepower, but unreliable attacks, so we can expect runs.
It’s pencils down for this MLB offseason, as nearly every notable free agent has found a home and players begin to arrive at spring training sites in Florida and Arizona. As we hear the pop of mitts and the crack of bats again, it’s time to take stock of what transpired during MLB’s Hot Stove.
The defining theme of this offseason wasn’t who spent the most money, but which teams acted with urgency and which ones didn’t. There are plenty of reasons for that divide, something which will loom large as the league approaches the expiration of the current CBA, but this is an assessment of the here and now. Who pushed themselves forward? Who set themselves back? Who doesn’t fit neatly into a category as the league heads toward the 2026 season? Let's break it down.
⚾️ Coming soon: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Stay up to date with the MLB free agent market this offseason, including player signings, contract details, and team fits as the 2025-26 Hot Stove heats up.
D.J. Short
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Offseason Winners
Blue Jays
After coming up heartbreakingly short against the Dodgers in the World Series, the Blue Jays kept their foot on the gas with an active offseason. This approach was highlighted by Dylan Cease’s seven-year, $210 million contract with the club. While the Jays said goodbye to longtime shortstop Bo Bichette and came up short on Kyle Tucker, they added Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto on a four-year, $60 million deal, along with veteran reliever Tyler Rogers (three years, $37 million) and KBO breakout pitcher Cody Ponce (three years, $40 million). Even with a growing list of injury concerns this spring, the Blue Jays appear set on finishing the job in 2026.
Dodgers
The big, bad Dodgers did big, bad things this offseason, at least according to every fanbase outside of Los Angeles. First, they solved their late-inning issue by luring Edwin Díaz away from the Mets with a three-year, $69 million contract. From there, they handed out the richest AAV (average annual value) of all time as part of a stunning four-year, $240 million deal with free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker. Under a microscope heading into a looming CBA battle next offseason, Los Angeles is paying to put an elite team on the field and fully exploit its championship window with Shohei Ohtani and company.
Orioles
2025 was a bitterly disappointing step back for the Orioles, so they had to come out swinging this offseason; they mostly stuck the landing. That effort was highlighted by the signing of Pete Alonso to a massive five-year, $155 million contract. The O’s also swung trades for Shane Baz and Taylor Ward while picking up Ryan Helsley (two years, $28 million) to serve as their closer with Félix Bautista set to miss the 2026 season following shoulder surgery. The fresh look includes new manager Craig Albernaz, who joins the Orioles by way of the Guardians.
Mets
Change was expected after the Mets won just 83 games and missed the playoffs last season, but David Stearns’ sweeping makeover touched both the roster and the coaching staff. Stearns drew sharp criticism from fans and media after Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso signed elsewhere in December, but redemption followed with the high-profile moves for Bo Bichette and Freddy Peralta. The Mets signed Bichette away from division rival Philadelphia, while Peralta gives the club the front-end arm it desperately needed. The new-look team also includes Marcus Semien, Luis Robert Jr., Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams, and Luke Weaver. The pieces don't fit perfectly yet, but the roster is clearly formidable.
Cubs
Kyle Tucker may be a Dodger, but the Cubs made a big statement of their own by adding Alex Bregman on a five-year, $175 million contract, as well as bolstering their rotation with a trade for Edward Cabrera. Chicago also overhauled their bullpen corps with the acquisitions of Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, Jacob Webb, and Hoby Milner. While the Brewers are piecing it together, the Cubs have positioned themselves as the favorites in the NL Central.
Tigers
The Tigers are a late winner here. A couple of weeks ago, they might have fallen into the offseason loser category, especially with the wide gap in arbitration numbers with Tarik Skubal. Since then, Detroit has taken advantage of their one-year window with Skubal by signing both Framber Valdez and Tigers legend Justin Verlander. The rotation depth is necessary with Reese Olson expected to miss the season following shoulder surgery. The lineup is essentially unchanged, but prospect Kevin McGonigle looms as an impact player. The Tigers enter 2026 as the clear favorite in the AL Central.
Honorable Mention: Pirates
The Pirates finished last in the majors in runs scored last season, so adding Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna can only help in that regard. It might not be enough to move them into contention, but at least they are trying to improve while they still have Paul Skenes on their roster.
The trio will appear as pregame analysts for the Wild Card round of the MLB postseason as well as select Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts.
D.J. Short
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Offseason Losers
Phillies
It’s slightly unfair to put the Phillies here after they were able to keep Kyle Schwarber, but they’ll no longer have Ranger Suárez in their rotation after he signed with the Red Sox and the club also missed out on free-agent target Bo Bichette. Making matters worse, Bichette landed with the Mets, something Phillies president Dave Dombrowski described as a “gut punch.” J.T. Realmuto will also return this season, but the only real notable outside additions were Adolis García and Brad Keller. And despite their best efforts to trade him, Nick Castellanos is still on the team as of this writing. Getting a full year out of Jhoan Duran should help, and the Phillies also have a handful of intriguing young players who could make an impact. Even though the Phillies are in the offseason "losers" category, they should be considered the favorites in the NL East.
Twins
Go hug a Twins fan. Coming off a demoralizing sell-off at the trade deadline last summer, the Twins did very little in the way of spending this offseason as Tom Pohlad and the ownership group attempted to keep their heads above water. The drama continued at the end of January, when the Twins and general manager Derek Falvey parted ways. Josh Bell was the biggest expenditure, while Victor Caratini gives the club another option behind the plate and Taylor Rogers returns to the team’s bullpen. It’s a tenuous situation for Derek Shelton to step into as manager.
Brewers
I’m fully prepared to look silly here if the Brewers win the NL Central once again, but how long can they possibly get away with this? In what feels like an annual tradition, the Brewers traded another big star this offseason, this time with Freddy Peralta going to the Mets. But they were active in other ways as well, trading two top-four finishers in the NL Rookie of the Year voting (Isaac Collins, Caleb Durbin) to address other areas of their roster. It’s a big plus that Brandon Woodruff will return for another season, but the margin for error for this team appears razor thin.
Stuck in Neutral
Red Sox
On one hand, the Red Sox did an impressive job strengthening their rotation with the additions of Ranger Suárez and Sonny Gray, but they failed in pursuits of Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber, then watched Alex Bregman sign with the Cubs. A healthy Roman Anthony for a full season should help, but Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin aren’t exactly the power infusion Red Sox fans had in mind entering the offseason.
Yankees
Can you blame Yankees fans for feeling underwhelmed? Keeping Cody Bellinger was a major win, but that also underscores that Brian Cashman is mostly running it back with the same group as last year. The Yankees won 94 games last season, so maybe that’s not the worst thing. Ryan Weathers gives the club another rotation option, and Gerrit Cole should return at some point as well. It’s not exciting, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work.
Padres
The Padres are still built to compete this season with Michael King returning and Joe Musgrove back from Tommy John surgery, but payroll has remained flat while the ownership situation remains unresolved. The club is largely locked in with their future commitments and there’s not much help on the farm due to A.J. Preller’s aggressive trading. Korean infielder Sung-Mun Song and Miguel Andujar were the only notable outside additions this offseason and trade conversations failed to provide meaningful payroll relief.
Too Soon to Say
Cardinals
The Cardinals continued to trade away veterans this offseason, including Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, and Brendan Donovan. The Cardinals are adjusting to a new reality, not just with Chaim Bloom leading baseball operations, but also a changing television landscape that the team asserts has reduced their revenue. Bloom is doing the right thing by turning the page on an aging and flawed roster, but it will take time for those changes to bear fruit.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: Avery Hayes #85 of the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing in his first NHL game, is congratulated by Rutger McGroarty #2 after scoring his first goal during a game against the Buffalo Sabres on February 05, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Olympic break gives a chance to pause and look at the top prospects within the Penguins’ organization. Here’s a quick refresher based off last summer’s rankings for how things are going for the prospects.
Tier 7: #22 – honorable mentions; Long-term prospects with some upside
The biggest story in this group is the great season that Lucius is off to at Arizona State. The Penguins have a decision coming up to sign him, being as this is his last year of NCAA eligibility. As of now he’s definitely looking like a player that should be brought in on an AHL PTO and eventually signed to a pro contract. Otherwise this list about is what it is for some longer-term prospects, including honorable mention and 2025 fifth round pick Ryan Miller who is playing as well as anyone in this tier (53 points in 49 games for WHL Portland).
Tier 6: #15 – 21; Slightly more developed prospects still a ways away
This has been one of the more interesting tiers, albeit dogged by injuries. Tanner Howe has made an early splash in his debut in the AHL following a lengthy rehab from a torn ACL in 2025. Unfortunately Joona Vaisanen, one of the top players on last year’s Western Michigan NCAA championship team, was lost for the season early on with an injury. Emil Pieniniemi balked at going to the ECHL, eventually relented and got his season off to a delayed start (with a few AHL callups along the way). Broz and Hayes have been chugging along as some of the team’s best AHL players but still looking for traction at making the leap to the NHL. Hayes with two goals in an almost accidental one-game cameo (that only happened due to an illness, a childbirth and an injury) will put him on the radar for more as it opens.
Tier 5: #12 – 14; Intrigue, but patience required
Patience was required and patience will be tested here. Kettles, a 2025 second round pick, was lost early in the season with a shoulder injury, in what could be a tough obstacle to overcome for a young player and career. Fernstrom struggled in Sweden, getting demoted a league before the Penguins decided they wanted him to work in the minor leagues. To his credit, he’s made the most of the chance with a strong opening impression. Ilyin remains a very productive player in Russia. The picture, overall, in this tier is remains muddled, but still with some hope and promise.
Tier 4: #9 -11; The wildcards
Wildcards indeed. Tomasino quickly went bust, surprising since he had a few very nice moments in Pittsburgh last season before falling out of grace quickly and getting moved on (the Flyers have yet to recall him to the NHL after the trade). Other wildcards have been more promising, Silovs’s play has been a bit all over the map — sometimes it’s worth remembering he technically is an NHL rookie. At time he’s been pretty good for the Penguins, at other times it’s been a struggle. Overall for a first time goalie, he’s having a pretty nice year. The other player in this tier, Sergei Murashov, didn’t have as many skill or pressing age-related questions, and still looks like he’s handling every challenge thrown his way. The future remains bright and promising there.
Tier 3: #7-8; Older, near ready players
Pickering, as a draft+4 first round pick, hasn’t managed a call-up to the NHL this season putting him at risk of going into troubling territory historically for this stage of his career. Blomqvist was unfortunately hurt when Pittsburgh needed an NHL replacement the most earlier in the season but has been strong in the AHL again (8-4-3 record, .916 save%, 2.43 GAA). It can be strange to think of either as ‘older’ as far as anything but for NHL prospect time the clock is starting to tick loudly in both of these cases.
Tier 2: #4-6; Recent first round picks
What a haul the first round the 2025 draft is turning out to be for the Penguins. Zonnon came back from a pair of injuries to recently look like one of the top forwards in the QMJHL, Horcoff exploded to become one of the NCAA’s top goal scorers and Kindel is off to a history-making season for a player to produce in the NHL despite not even being a top-10 pick. There’s still a lot of time to go in all of these cases, so far the Penguins must be thrilled at the talent they’ve gotten out of that draft.
Tier 1: #1 -3; Cream of the crop
Progress not being a straight line is a lesson in all of these cases. Brunicke, especially, had to endure some bumps along the way – but joins a select club of teenaged NHL defensemen. Kouvinen has been unable to gain a lot of traction in the NHL this season but continues to be one of the top players at the AHL level and inspire some hope, though his 0.38 P/60 and skating deficiencies have taken a lot of the wind out of the sails for a possible long-term future. McGroarty has been in and out with injuries and up and down between the NHL and AHL. His NHL boxcars (2G+3A in 20 games, 1.14 P/60) suggest a less impressive impact than he’s been able to make at times with his energy and ability to get to the net.
There could be some questions for all at this midway point between the 2025 T25U25 and 2026 list about the ceilings for all — could Brunicke now come into focus as a more likely a 4/5 defender instead of a 2 or 3? Maybe McGroarty is more bottom-six than mid-six and Koivunen’s end point a lot more variable and troubling in terms of improvements needed to become an NHL regular. The good news is the talent involved makes the targets fluid and potentially prone to positive progressions in the near future with stronger second halves to the season than to this point.
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Overall on this list, Kindel would rise with his showing this season. Impressive doesn’t sound like a strong word, but at this point I’m not sure there is one. There’s good reason to be excited about the futures of Murashov and Hayes, the latter in a smaller role but both getting close to making good on NHL futures. Silovs has become an NHL caliber goalie. Down range, Zonnon, Horcoff, Brunicke and Lucius have done well in their respective leagues and unfortunately injury concerns have popped up for others like Kettles and Vaisanen. The next few months will potentially be big proving grounds for players like McGroarty, Koivunen, Broz, Hayes, Pickering and Blomqvist to pick up momentum heading into next year — all of those players getting into a range where you’d really like to see progress sooner than later given their age and the typical developmental curves.
The best news of all is the team’s system is improving and only getting better. Egor Chinakhov (who turned 25 earlier this month) will not be T25U25 eligible but is still adding youth, speed and skill to the NHL team. The Penguins, as of the moment anyways, still possess three of the first 57 and five of the top 89 picks in the draft and figure to add even more talent by the time the 2026 Pensburgh list comes out over the summer. The 2025 list was incredibly young (only Silovs will age out, though Tomasino and Sam Poulin have departed the organization), making this list something of a starting point and base for the years that follow to build upon.
The movement that the team has underwent in the past two years to stock the system and organization with the next wave of talent is just starting and figures to have the opportunity to swell the talent pool much further in the coming months and years.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 15: A general view of the Coca Cola bottle and glove at Oracle Park before a MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the San Francisco Giants on August 15, 2025 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
As we approach Spring Training and the beginning of the season, we’re going to be doing some questions for y’all about your thoughts about the San Francisco Giants and baseball in general!
Today’s question: How would you rank the 2026 NL West?
The Giants have the misfortune of being in one of the most difficult divisions in baseball at the moment. Aside from the outlier that was the 2021 season, they have not taken the division since 2012 and the last time they even managed second place was 2016.
So let’s do our best to see if we can rank the NL West teams for the 2026 season. You can rank them in a way that makes sense, or not. I’m not the boss of you, and I’m pro-manifesting success through sheer delusion.
Here’s my ranking:
5. Colorado Rockies
This is an obvious ranking, of course. The Rockies have not been competitive in the division or otherwise since 2018 and at this point I’m not sure if they’re even still an actual team, or a group of LARP-ers who show up to take the field when the Giants are in town.
4. San Francisco Giants
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. But this feels realistic to me. The only reason they didn’t end up in fourth place last season, in my opinion, is the hot start to the season that they had. And while I think the 2026 team might be slightly better than the 2025 team, I don’t think it’s significant enough. Though I’d love to be wrong! I often am.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
I struggled with this one, because I think the Diamondbacks are basically the Giants at this point so it could go either way. The Diamondbacks have been trending downward over the last couple of seasons after their World Series loss in 2023. However, I’m giving them an edge over the Giants because their ballpark is hitter friendly, and the Giants’ is where offense goes to die a slow painful death.
2.) San Diego Padres
The Padres are tough to predict, but they’ve been pretty consistent over the last few years, cementing themselves as the given second place team in the division after having done so in four of the last six seasons. So I think this one is a fairly safe bet as well.
1.) Los Angeles Dodgers
I hate typing this. I know you hate reading it. But it’s the reality we live in. Unless something catastrophic happens, I think it’s a very safe bet that the Dodgers will take the division once again. Just like they’ve done for 11 of the last 12 seasons. What a joy.
Familiar face, Erick Fedde, is returning to the White Sox for another stint on the South Side. | Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images
White Sox pitchers and catchers officially reported to camp yesterday, beginning their Spring Training preparations for the 2026 season at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. There, they’ll ease into throwing routines and conditioning ahead of full-squad workouts later this month with their first Cactus League game scheduled on Feb. 20 against the Chicago Cubs.
For South Side fans, camp is more than just formality. It’s the first chance to see how the pitching staff comes together, with both new and returning faces. Veterans like Erick Fedde, who just signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract to compete for a rotation spot, and Anthony Kay, looking to make his MLB comeback, will join young arm prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith. Don’t forget about some of last year’s most consistent performers in Shane Smith, Davis Martin and Mike Vasil. Meanwhile, there are injury recovery stories to follow for hurlers Prelander Berroa, Mason Adams and Drew Thorpe as they work back from Tommy John surgery. Lastly, there are two Rule 5 Draft picks, Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto, in the mix. All will build up their innings and look to prove themselves to new pitching coach Zach Bove and his staff.
From the backstop perspective, there’s a plethora of depth at the position. Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero are one of the most fascinating young catching duos in baseball. Teel flashed plenty of bat with plus hit tools during his rookie campaign. He hit .273 with eight home runs and 35 RBI at just 23 years old and is considered a high ceiling OBP bat behind the dish. Teaming him up with fellow-year catching prospect Quero has allowed Chicago to have one of the deepest young tandems in the league. The 22-year-old Cuban rookie also stood his ground at the MLB level in 2025. Having posted a .268 batting average with five home runs and 36 RBI as a switch-hitter in his first year, Quero provides Chicago with a nice complementary catching profile. While having two solid catchers is a good problem to have, juggling playing time will be a significant challenge for second-year manager Will Venable.
Then there’s also still the issue of Korey Lee, and it’s doubtful that the Sox head into the season carrying three catchers. Lee is out of minor league options, so while three catchers certainly allows for flexibility, it just doesn’t seem like a very sensible roster move. It’s possible that GM Chris Getz is waiting to showcase Lee’s ability in Spring Training and working behind the scenes to get a trade done before the season starts.
Overall, Spring Training feels a bit more significant this year. There’s real arm competition in the starting rotation and meaningful decisions to be made behind the plate. These first few weeks in Glendale won’t just be about loosening up those arms and knocking off the rust. They’ll be about answering questions about who fits where, what players can be expected to do, and which guys will be factors as we look to upgrade on last year’s squad. Of course, these things will start to sort themselves out as camp progresses and games start getting put on the schedule. But for now, pitchers and catchers reporting gets us one step closer to baseball and Opening Day!
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow and Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox look on in the bullpen during a Spring Training workout at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 19, 2025 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday night, just a few days before the New England Patriots attempt to assume their rightful position as the class of the NFL (narrator: they did not), I was doing what any 28-year-old man does on a Friday night: talking about relief pitching. As I was scrolling Twitter, I ran into a tweet from Sammy James, a co-host of the Play Tessie Podcast. Sammy is always thinking outside the box when it comes to roster moves, and pitched old friend Jalen Beeks as a potential fit for the left-handed relief role in the bullpen.
I wonder if the Red Sox could have any interest in a reunion with FA Jalen Beeks. His changeup was elite in 2025—opponents hit .067 with an .080 SLG off of that pitch. Fastball sits between 94-95 MPH, pretty solid. Plenty for the pitching lab to work with. Red Sox need a LHP. pic.twitter.com/BQfQb441x7
He highlighted Beeks’ changeup, noting the remarkably low batting average and slugging percentage against it. If you look at those numbers and nothing else, it appears to be an elite pitch. I dug in a little bit further, and while I found that the pitch was solid, I wouldn’t place it among the league’s best changeups.
Not that the changeup is a bad pitch, but I’d be careful using BAA and SLG at the pitch type level here. 30% zone rate and almost never throwing it behind in the count is doing a lot of work there. A 55% strike rate and fairly average movement means probably can’t throw it much…
None of this is a knock on Sammy. He’s got great insights and has as many ideas on how to improve the roster as anyone. At the same time, I’ve written what feels like 1,500 pitcher evaluations, and don’t think I’ve ever broken down my methodology.
The Red Sox could use a left-handed reliever. Last season, Justin Wilson, Brennan Bernardino, and Chris Murphy were the first lefties out of the pen for the Red Sox. As it stands, none of those three is on the 40-man roster. Outside of Aroldis Chapman, there aren’t many left-handed relievers with major league experience on the team, making an addition to the group before the season begins likely.
There’s not necessarily a rush to acquire a reliever. While it’s definitely a hole, as teams cut down their rosters, there will be opportunities to find a lefty, and they won’t need much time to stretch out before the season. Still, having bodies in camp to see what you have is a good thing. So, with all that being said, let’s look at one option and see what he might bring to the table for Boston.
Jalen Beeks
The bulk of my analysis is done with three websites: Pitcher List, Baseball Savant, and FanGraphs. Baseball Savant is always a decent starting point, just for their dashboard information.
I focus on the left and right panels, although the middle panel is probably the most popular among people who pretend that they know what they’re talking about (that’s another rant for another day). On the left, we see the pitch usage chart, broken out by handedness. Handedness is everything. Garrett Crochet throws his sinker 16% of the time, which makes it appear to be a secondary offering. When we split it, we see it’s his most thrown pitch by a wide margin to lefties at 37%. For Beeks, we can see he’s a pretty fastball-heavy pitcher, using a changeup most often as a change of pace, and mixing in a cutter against lefties. On the right, I like to see the arm angle, because it provides some context about pitch usages. Beeks is more over the top, which means he’ll likely have a harder time generating East-West movement. The movement chart helps see how much of the plate a pitcher can cover, but it’s hard to draw conclusions from movement alone.
Pitching is about getting outs. The best way to get outs is to throw strikes. That’s what we look for next: what pitches does he throw for strikes, and how does he end at-bats? Beeks is a left-handed reliever, and while the three-batter minimum rule means he’ll have to get righties out as well, I’m mostly concerned with what he does in same-handed matchups.
Going over to Pitcher List, we can filter by handedness and see when Beeks is throwing each pitch.
The right side of the Counts tab is categorized into three sections: Early, Behind, and Two-Strike. Early consists of the first two pitches of an at-bat as well as 1-1 pitches, behind consists of 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, and 3-1 counts, and two-strike is any two-strike count (duh). If it were up to me, I’d have an additional view showing the percentage of each bucket by pitch type, but we can use Baseball Savant’s search function to find that. Beeks, for example, throws a four-seam fastball 58.3% of the time in “early” counts. Putting all of this together, it looks like he uses his four-seam fastball and cutter to get strikes, and his changeup to put hitters away.
Now that we understand what Beeks is trying to do, we can assess his effectiveness. The overview tab on Pitcher List is great for this.
Paring it down to one pitch, we get nice percentiles and averages, although sometimes I’m skeptical of how accurate the percentiles are (They’re based on total stats and don’t change based on the handedness filter, for example). Regardless, strike rate is always the first place I look, and Beeks fastball has a huge number. It also comes with a massive 60% zone rate, as well as a mediocre 9.5% swinging strike rate and 15.2% called strike rate. A 70% strike rate with swinging and called strike numbers that low likely means the ball is in play a lot. So how’s the contact?
Here’s where you might be tempted to look at batting average or slugging percentage, but those can lead you astray because they’re only considering the final pitch of an at-bat. A pitch that’s thrown only in two-strike counts out of the zone is going to have a low batting average, because it will result in strikeouts, weak contact, or be taken for a ball. I like to use Ideal Contact Rate (ICR) because the denominator is total batted ball events, removing strikeouts from the equation. For a fastball, we want to see a number below 40%. In Beeks’ case, the 53.5% mark against lefties is high. That’s in part because the pitch is in the zone so often, but also because the shape isn’t much of an outlier.
Beeks also throws the majority of his cutters early in counts, although 34% usage in two-strike counts is fairly high as well. A look at the metrics shows a 15.8% swinging strike rate and a 17.1% called strike rate. The strike rate is incredibly low at 51%, while the zone rate is also fairly low at 38%. Because it’s able to return both called strikes and swinging strikes, my assumption is he’s deploying it more as a slider in two-strike counts. Looking at the heatmaps (below) that appears to be the case. Further, if you look at the movements, he throws some cutters as hard as 88 mph with less vertical drop, while others are as slow as 82 mph.
The pitch returned a 44.4% ideal contact rate, which is high for an off-speed pitch that isn’t in the zone much. It didn’t induce many chases either. It was able to generate whiffs at a decent rate, but it was a pitch that lefties handled well for the most part. Overall, when looking at the pitches designed to be strike-getters, both are hit fairly hard, and only the four-seam returns consistent strikes.
We’ll circle back to the strike-getting pitches, but let’s jump ahead to the changeup. Same-handed changeups are controversial. Some people hate them, some people are fine with them. I think it depends on the changeup, but that’s a discussion for another day.
Beeks throws his changeup 26.6% of the time to lefites, most of which are in two-strike counts. He throws it primarily down and inside to lefties, which always gives me pause, but it appears to work for him. While it’s only in the zone 35% of the time, the 42% chase rate and 20% swinging strike rate are both excellent. The ICR rate was 0%, but the sample was incredibly small. It’s been a solid pitch throughout his career, though, so it’s safe to say that hitters will continue to struggle with it.
While his changeup is a good pitch, I’ll again caution against using plate appearance level stats such as batting average against as your barometer. Take Jojo Romero, for example. He throws his changeup 22.3% of the time, and opponents hit just .167 against it. At the same time, it was never in the zone and only returned a 14% swinging strike rate and 50% called strike rate. While the pitch wasn’t getting punished, it also wasn’t doing its job by generating whiffs; batters were just letting it go for a ball. A .167 batting average might make you think it’s one of the best changeups in baseball, but it’s wildly inefficient.
So now that we’ve looked at all three of his pitches against lefties, what I see is a pitcher with a good putaway pitch, but one who needs to find a way to get ahead in counts. While his four-seam returns strikes, it gets hit too hard for him to throw it 50% of the time. His 2025 cutter shows some promise in its swinging and called strike numbers, but it doesn’t get enough chase to support a 38% zone rate.
He was very successful against lefties in 2025, so there isn’t necessarily a need to make changes, but there’s room for improvement early in counts. I’m speculating at this point, but a return to his 2024 cutter, which featured more vertical lift and was slightly harder, could pay dividends. He used the pitch more often, and while it wasn’t returning strikes at a high rate, the contact against it was poor. High cutters can often drop back into the zone for called strikes, which would play well off his four-seam fastball. Again, Beeks was great against lefties in 2025, but the contact stats against his fastball suggest some regression there if he doesn’t make changes.
I’ve written 1,500 words about Jalen Beeks so far, so I won’t repeat the process, but you should. Use Pitcher List and Baseball Savant, and tell me what you think about Beeks against righties. It’s fun. I promise.
There’s one more part I haven’t mentioned, and it’s arguably the most important. Watch the pitcher pitch. While a huge swinging strike rate can’t be faked, you might see a pitcher who’s missing spots over and over again and posit that they won’t have the same success consistently. In the case of Beeks, you’ll find an unorthodox delivery that looks to be deceptive. It reminds me of Kutter Crawford, but the ball is hidden at his hip rather than his ear. Nerds (like myself) run baseball (not me), but the game is still played on the field. There’s a lot to learn by watching.
DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 04: A young fan of the Colorado Avalanche cheers against the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena on February 04, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
THIS IS A GUEST ROCKPILE BY EVAN LIU (@evanliu.bsky.social)
Unfortunately, the Colorado Rockies have been an afterthought in MLB in terms of competitiveness. The only way they garnered national attention was by going on massive losing streaks and contending for the worst record in MLB history.
Just one mile down Blake Street at Ball Arena, the Colorado Avalanche went through a similar rebuild and scenario around a decade ago.
There have been some striking similarities in the Rockies’ path to today.
A surprising playoff run leading to nothing
In the 2013-14 season, the Avs made a surprising push for the Stanley Cup. With team legend Patrick Roy making his coaching debut, he shocked and stunned several folks around the NHL with his wild style.
A 52-22-8 record led Colorado to the top of the Central Division in dramatic fashion, which no one expected. Ultimately, they were bounced in the first round in heartbreaking fashion in overtime at home in Game 7 against the Minnesota Wild.
Similarly, the Rockies made the playoffs in two straight seasons in 2017 and 2018. An 87-75 record in 2017 saw them play in the then-one-game Wild Card Game on the road against the Arizona Diamondbacks. They battled hard, coming out on the losing side of an offensive battle 11-8.
The next year, Colorado took the Los Angeles Dodgers to Game 163 for the NL West. While they fell in LA, the next night at the Friendly Confines saw them win a playoff game for the first time in nearly a decade. Tony Wolters’ historic single in the 13th inning gave the Rockies the 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.
While they were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS, there was hope about going further in the coming years. The same was said about the Avalanche in 2014. Both teams had capable players to build around and push for another chance at the chip. But the following years would not be pretty for either group.
The awkwardly-timed departure of a coach
At Ball Arena, Roy’s tenure came to an abrupt end. Just a month before the 2016-17 season, the Avs announced his resignation as head coach. Colorado was left scrambling for a new man at the helm, who would eventually be Jared Bednar.
Meanwhile, at Coors Field, last season saw Bud Black finally be on the chopping block. His departure would come a month into the start of the new season, though. Both of the coaches leaving at the times they did just made things that much harder for each team.
The Rockies announce they have relieved Bud Black of duties as manager. Third base coach Warren Schaeffer has been named interim manager, hitting coach Clint Hurdle has been named bench coach. pic.twitter.com/Yb8XVpcW1A
Bednar had less than a month to prepare for the 2016-17 season for the Avalanche. It showed, as they scored only 48 points with a record of 22-56-4. It marked the worst season in franchise history since they moved from Quebec City.
While they did not make history as the Chicago White Sox did just a year before, the Colorado Rockies dropped over 100 games in three straight seasons. The latter of the three smashed the franchise record for most losses in a single season.
A -424 run differential was made up by the worst 50-game start to a season, with an 8-42 record. Even after Warren Schaeffer was made interim manager, it didn’t get much better. The Rox rebounded but were still in the basement of the league by season’s end.
Big-name moves to change the team
Both the Avalanche and the Rockies made big moves to change course.
The Avs traded away Matt Duchene, a fan favorite and third-overall pick in 2009, at the start of the 2017-18 season after voicing his displeasure with the team and their trajectory. The move actually heavily benefited the Avs, as young defenseman Samuel Girard blossomed into a nice addition on the blue line, still to this day.
Meanwhile, the Rockies let go of another fan favorite recently: Ryan McMahon. The Rox only got two prospect relievers in the form of Josh Grosz and Griffin Herring. Grosz was dealt for Jake McCarthy last month, but Herring could blossom into a nice addition in the coming years.
The Avalanche were able to bounce back from their worst season on record to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs the next year. Since then, they haven’t missed the postseason and took home the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Meanwhile, should the Rockies continue following a similar pattern to their neighbors down the street, a first World Series ring is coming in 2031! All jokes aside, the purple pinstripes have some work ahead of them to follow a similar trajectory to the Avalanche and their striking similarities thus far.
The Rockies got a new arm in the rotation with the surprising signing of Tomoyuki Sugano. He’s the first Japanese player joining Colorado since 2007 – conincidentally the last time the Rox made it to the World Series. The former Baltimore Orioles starter has joined for one year at $5.1 million, sure to bring an interesting spin to the rotation. In a corresponding move, Kris Bryant was added to the 60-day IL.
The Rox released a beautiful spring training hat to kick off pitchers and catchers reporting to Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. There are several Arizona-desert themes alongside the typical purple ‘C’ and ‘R’ like a flowery cactus. In just over a week’s time, the hats will be in action for all to see – and perhaps flying off the shelves.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report put out a spicy trade the Colorado Rockies could make before the regular season begins. It involves a major name from the Phiadelphia Phillies: Nick Castellanos. With his fallout with the Phillies organization and the Rockies looking to add another right-handed man, perhaps they could take a chance on him in hopes of either sticking in the side or becoming trade bait come July.
Now is prime time for the first stab at a Kansas City Royals roster projection. David Lesky started his take over at Inside the Crown with a good layout of the process.
Every year at the start of spring, I like to take stock of where the Royals roster is at that moment. What we see on February 10 (or whatever day I’ve started in the past) is generally a good chunk of what we’ll see on Opening Day, but there are always some surprise entrants. This year’s Royals roster is filled with some guaranteed spots, but there are still roster battles, both on the bench and among starters. Some of those battles may be more ceremonial than anything, but sometimes those become very real.
Today I’m going to start with the position players and tomorrow I’ll shift to the pitchers. Today, I’m going to include last year’s stats with each player. In another round, I’ll shift to some projections, including maybe even my own if I ever get those done. I look at this as a running piece that I’ll do every couple of weeks or when there’s a reason to make a shift and I’ll run it right up to probably around March 19 or so.
The offense should make a significant leap in 2026. That is due to both the new additions and the club’s decision to move the outfield fences in at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals expect an influx of extra-base hits as the changes are tailored to their lineup.
In the same vein, the pitchers welcome the new challenge. “I’m not even thinking about it really,” Wacha said. “As a pitcher, at least for me, you know, I’m going to stick to what’s worked for me. I tend to be more of a flyball pitcher, but I feel like I’m able to get weak contact at times as well. Hopefully, rely on that weak contact and get a bit more swing and miss than I did last year. I’m not too worried about it though.”
With an influx of teams being available through mlb.tv adjacent services, there is rightfully a flood of questions with few answers. How do you prefer your explanation? Perhaps from the source itself, MLB.com.
“We are proud of the award-winning production MLB has offered clubs while increasing the reach of the games, enhancing production features, and offering greater access to the players and game,” MLB Deputy Commissioner for business and media Noah Garden said in a release. “Additionally, we are listening to our fans who want blackouts eliminated. MLB’s in-market streaming option allows us to remove a point of friction for the fans.”
For the 15 non-RSN teams, MLB.TV subscription prices will be the same as last year — $99.99 per season or $19.99 per month. Fans can bundle a club’s local streaming service with an MLB.TV out-of-market subscription — giving them access to the entire league’s local games — for $199.99 per season or $39.99 per month, a 20% savings off individual pricing of the two services.
Those who subscribe to Spectrum, DirecTV, Fubo TV, Hulu Live TV and Verizon Fios have access to ESPN Unlimited subscription as a part of their TV plan. The rest, including cord-cutters, pay $29.25 per month for all of the ESPN networks. The local in-market streaming products for 14 teams whose games are produced by MLB will be available on the MLB site and through the teams. So far those teams are the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, San Dieg
Technically There’s No Double-Dip Subscription Required There has been some reporting that, under this new agreement, customers are locked into a dual-subscription model to access MLB.TV. Users may choose to retain ESPN Unlimited and access the wide range of other sports options available there, but there’s no requirement. Again, you have the option to opt out at any time.
As with Rogers, this is an aggressive rank that Bubic will have to earn — with both quality and quantity. He’s thrown 162 innings total at the big-league level over the last three seasons, with nearly three-quarters of those coming in 2025. Bubic was sensational when he was healthy, but he had his campaign end prematurely on account of a strained rotator cuff. Stay tuned.
For the Royals, a name like Durbin would’ve given even more cover at second over their questionable duo of Jonathan India and Michael Massey and Monasterio and his 111 wRC+ in 2025 provided a versatile infield upgrade over current utility options like Nick Loftin and Tyler Tolbert.
And while the Royals top trade piece from their starting pitching surplus, Kris Bubic, may not exactly match the Brewers return of Harrison – given the latter’s remaining team control and prior prospect pedigree – it’s not as if Bubic is their only tradeable starter.
An encouraging trend is that Jensen has bounced back in minimizing passed balls in his repeat of a level the following season. He improved by 15 points in High-A from 2023 to 2024. He improved by 16 points from 2024 to 2025 in Double-A. An encouraging part of his trend was that, while he had some regression in Omaha, he kept it below 0.20 (unlike his first stints in High-A and Double-A in 2023 and 2024, respectively).
Thus, while Jensen has some work to do, he will have plenty of time to improve his blocking skills during Spring Training in Surprise, Arizona. Thus, he should see some improved blocking metrics at the MLB level as a result, especially as he gets a bigger sample of innings behind the plate for the Royals in 2026.
Is he an old friend if he never pitched for the big-league club?
Kyle Wright to the Cubs. Minors deal with MLB camp invite. Wright is the majors’ last 20-game winner.
D.J. Short
