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Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz believed that his team was going to get a huge boost in the lineup this offseason.

Before Kyle Schwarber signed a five-year, $150 million deal to stay with the Phillies in December, De La Cruz thought that the three-time All-Star was joining the Reds.

“I thought we were going to get him,” De La Cruz told The Enquirer on Friday. “That was going to be fun.”

De La Cruz also said he saw Schwarber on his free agent visit for Cincinnati while working out at the Reds’ facility, and that they had a brief conversation.

It was rumored early in the offseason that Schwarber, an Ohio native, could have signed with the Reds, and that they offered him a five-year deal worth $125 million, according to multiple reports.

Though Schwarber ultimately remained in Philadelphia, he admitted that he was “impressed” by the Reds after meeting with them.

“I was impressed,” Schwarber told MLB.com in December. “Me and [my wife] Paige went down to Cincinnati, and we were able to sit down and have that conversation with them and hear them out. I would say that they were not pulling chains, and that they were wanting to try to get me to Cincinnati.

“There are things that you have to cover your bases and every aspect of it. We had those conversations, and I appreciate every conversation I had with every team.”

De La Cruz was not alone in thinking that Schwarber could have wound up in Cincinnati, as Phillies teammate Bryce Harper told reporters earlier in February that he also thought the designated hitter was signing with the Reds.

“I thought Kyle was going to go to Cincinnati to tell you the truth,” Harper said. “I thought it was a done deal going to Cincinnati just because being at home and things like that.

“Obviously I didn’t know. We kind of messed with him the whole time about him going back home and playing in front of his fan base.”

Schwarber was regarded as one of the top available bats this free agency after having a career year in 2025, posting a slash line of .240/.365/.563 with an NL-leading 56 homers while leading all of MLB in RBIs (132).

PHOENIX –– Blake Treinen made the road to redemption sound simple Saturday morning.

The Dodgers’ bullpen can learn from the struggles it endured last year. But that dark past is now something to forget.

“Nobody in this organization, in the seven years I’ve been here, has ever focused on negatives,” Treinen said. “Some teams might be like, ‘I can’t act like I did last year. I can’t do what I did last year.’ But we’re not gonna live in the past. Nobody lives in the past.”

Revisiting last season, of course, is not a fun exercise for many of the Dodgers’ returning relievers.

As a group, the team’s bullpen posted the 10th-highest ERA in the majors while blowing the 10th-most saves.

Previously trustworthy veterans including Treinen and Tanner Scott were a big part of the problem. Treinen suffered a career-worst 5.40 ERA while battling an elbow injury that sidelined him for 3.5 months over the summer. Scott succumbed to a 4.74 ERA while dealing with his own elbow problems, ultimately losing his role as de facto closer after going 23 for 33 in save opportunities.

Those flaws nearly sunk the Dodgers’ title-defense hopes, forcing the team to lean heavily on its starting rotation in the playoffs and convert Roki Sasaki into an emergency postseason closer.

But now, the club is banking on a bounce-back performance from its new-look –– yet largely familiar –– relief corps.

“They’re going to be better this year,” manager Dave Roberts declared Saturday.

It starts, in many ways, with Treinen and Scott.

While the arrival of new $69 million closer Edwin Díaz should provide the Dodgers’ bullpen with backend stability, getting Treinen and Scott back on track will be just as important.

In a perfect world, they could be two of the Dodgers’ primary set-up men. Díaz’s presence should also allow Roberts to deploy them in more matchup-friendly situations. 

First, however, they’ll have to rectify the issues that plagued them last year –– and forget the frustrations that came along with them. 

For Scott, the task this year will be staying away from the middle of the strike zone, a bugaboo that resulted in him allowing 11 home runs in 2025 (tied for ninth most among all MLB relievers). 

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He said he’s done a “deep dive” with pitching coaches Connor McGuiness and Mark Prior this spring to diagnose flaws in his delivery, which he believed contributed to his poor command and his late-July elbow injury. 

Compared with last spring, which Scott described as a “sprint” because of the Dodgers’ early start in Japan, he also feels like he has more time to make sure the changes stick.

In his Cactus League debut Saturday, he offered some early encouraging signs by throwing a scoreless inning in which he located his pitches around the edges of the zone.

“(I’m) just making sure my stuff is playing exactly how I want it to be,” Scott said. “Everything starts with delivery.”

For Treinen, one big focus will be recalibrating his typically lethal sweeper. Last season, the pitch failed to induce as much swing-and-miss as usual, a problem some people around the team believed stemmed from slight changes in his arm slot.

On Thursday, Treinen also had an encouraging start to spring play, throwing a scoreless inning that included two strikeouts, the first coming on a swing-and-miss sweeper. 

“Last game was great, results-wise,” Treinen said. “There’s still a lot to improve on. But that’s good, when I feel like I was OK but the results were good.”

There are other middle relievers the Dodgers will count on this season.

Alex Vesia remains another top left-handed option, while Jack Dreyer will look to build upon his rookie success. The team is hoping to get production from Brock Stewart, Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol once they return from injuries (though Graterol’s status is uncertain now, as he continues to battle shoulder problems that sidelined him all of last season). Ben Casparius, Will Klein and Edgardo Henriquez are also battling for depth roles (though Henriquez has looked shaky in his first couple spring outings, struggling to command the ball).

“I mean, our whole lineup is stacked,” Scott said of the bullpen. “Anyone can pitch in any spot.”

Still, outside of Díaz, no other relievers on the club have the kind of track records that Treinen and Scott do.

That’s the past experience they’ll try to tap into this season –– leaving the failures of last year, for both themselves and the bullpen at large, in the rearview mirror as they look forward now.

“Wash it, flush it like a toilet, and just let it be,” Scott said. “Wasn’t that great last year. But it’s a new year.”

TAMPA — Jasson Domínguez looked like the future, going 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs in Friday’s win over the Twins.

On Sunday, “The Martian” will be spotted again, starting against the Phillies in Clearwater.

But Saturday, general manager Brian Cashman brought the once-hyped prospect back to earth, reiterating the challenge that the 23-year-old outfielder still faces to make the major league roster.

“He’s taking his reps and trying to push himself in the mix,” Cashman said before the Yankees’ 5-1 win over the Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “Clearly the everyday spot’s not there, with [Trent] Grisham and [Cody] Bellinger and [Aaron] Judge and [Giancarlo] Stanton, currently. But you know how things change really quickly, so all he can do right now, him and [Spencer] Jones, as well as [Randal] Grichuk and anybody else, is put themselves in a position for us to take notice and we’ll evaluate what opportunities exist at the end of camp and make calls.

“Hopefully those calls will be tough ones to make.”

Despite a slash line of .417/.429/.833 through four spring training games, Domínguez’s narrow path back to The Bronx grew slimmer when the Yankees recently agreed to a minor league deal with Grichuk, a 12-year veteran who offers a far superior track record against lefty pitching.


Grichuk, who participated in his first workout with the Yankees on Saturday, has a .268 lifetime batting average against southpaws, while posting a .819 OPS.

Domínguez has only had 134 career plate appearances against lefties, but the switch-hitter has badly struggled from the right side, batting .176 with one home run and a .530 OPS. 

Grichuk, who debuted with St. Louis in 2014, has 212 career home runs and a career .763 OPS. 


“Just trying to provide some choices for us,” Cashman said of signing Grichuk. “Hopefully we’ll have tough decisions by the end of camp. That means everybody stayed healthy and performed at a high level and it makes those decisions difficult. That’s ultimately the goal. But obviously he has a history of hitting left-handers. We tried to acquire him at the deadline last year. He got popped from Colorado to Kansas City, so took another crack at him again this winter.”

Last year, Domínguez lost his starting job after being deemed too green to contribute to a title contender. This year, a 34-year-old on a minor league deal may provide more upside.

The future may have to wait.

“He’s been a pro,” said Cashman, describing how Domínguez has handled the situation. “I think he knows what’s in his control, which is performing, showing a commitment level on a day-in and day-out basis, and then letting the rest take care of itself. So he knows what’s in his control, which is that, and what’s not in his control, which is how the roster shakes out.

“I think Domínguez, Spencer Jones and anybody else is just looking to make a name for themselves and make sure people take notice of them. We’ll act accordingly.”

PORT ST. LUCIE — In a bullpen that’s been overhauled since last year, with former closer Edwin Díaz now a Dodger, replaced by Devin Williams following a rough season in The Bronx, among the most intriguing members is Craig Kimbrel. 

Only four pitchers have recorded more career saves than the right-hander who turns 38 in May and is still looking to contribute. 

Kimbrel is coming off a season in which he did not record any saves and was released twice before he finished the year with Houston. 

He made his Grapefruit League debut on Saturday and had mixed results in his one inning, as Kimbrel gave up a run and walked a pair of batters in a 3-2 loss to Washington at Clover Park. 

At this point of Kimbrel’s career, though, he’s not overly concerned about the numbers — although he was bothered by the two free passes. 

Earlier in the week, Kimbrel said his body felt good and he was working his way back into form, and following Saturday’s appearance, Carlos Mendoza was encouraged by some of the veteran’s stuff. 

There was increased velocity on his fastball and Kimbrel said he’s trying to integrate a cutter into his arsenal “to get guys off my fastball and open up some offspeed opportunities.” 

“It was good to go out there and compete and get on track to where I want to be,’’ Kimbrel said. 

The Mets could have a spot for Kimbrel in the pen if he proves that he’s still capable of getting batters out and the team values his presence in camp, but he turns 38 in May and will have to earn a spot. 

Mendoza said Saturday that Luis Robert Jr. is scheduled to play his first game of the spring Wednesday, adding that it will be on the minor league side as the team looks to keep the center fielder — acquired from the White Sox in the offseason for a package that included Luisangel Acuña — healthy after Robert battled lower-body injuries during the previous two seasons. 

He’s been getting at-bats, but the team has held off on putting Robert in game situations. 

Mendoza said Francisco Lindor has not yet progressed to impact activities — like catching a ball — after getting the stitches out of his surgically repaired left hand following the stress fracture in his hamate bone. 

“He’s getting a lot of exercise and [building] strength in that area,’’ Mendoza said of the shortstop who advanced to long toss and one-handed swings Friday. “He’s continuing to get stronger before we start impact drills.” 

Grae Kessinger, in camp as shortstop depth, was scheduled to get an MRI on Saturday after injuring his left knee in Friday’s game against the Cardinals in Jupiter, Fla., was on crutches in the clubhouse Saturday.

TAMPA — There goes the captain — and a third of the projected Opening Day roster. 

The Yankees just hope to get them all back in the condition they sent them. 

Aaron Judge and most of his other teammates who are playing in the World Baseball Classic got their final tuneup in Saturday afternoon before leaving for the camps of their respective countries. 

Some could be back in as soon as 10 days, but others, including Judge, may be gone for two-plus weeks — meaning they would return just a week before Opening Day — which comes with a bit of an unsettling feeling for the Yankees as they watch their most precious commodities from afar. 

“Honestly, I’m excited for them,” manager Aaron Boone said Saturday after a 5-1 win over the Blue Jays at Steinbrenner Field. “I am looking forward to following it. I think it’s going to be a great tournament. So sure, in some ways, you want to make sure they’re getting what they need and obviously you don’t want injury to happen. 

“The reality is, somebody in the tournament is probably … something’s going to happen. It doesn’t mean it wouldn’t happen here necessarily. But I think everyone that is going is very well prepared. There’s risk in everything you do in life. These guys have come in ready to go, checked a lot of boxes this winter to put themselves in position to go do this. At the end of the day, it’s something that’s been very good for the game. 

“I’m sure there’ll be some moments you hold your breath a little bit, but that’s OK.” 

Besides Judge, the Yankees will be without their starting catcher (Dominican Republic’s Austin Wells) and starting double-play combination (Great Britain’s Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Panama’s José Caballero); their top three relievers (USA’s David Bednar, Dominican Republic’s Camilo Doval and Puerto Rico’s Fernando Cruz); and two of their most important bench bats (USA’s Paul Goldschmidt and Dominican Republic’s Amed Rosario). 

And while Judge said he told his teammates staying back at camp that he would be just a phone call or text away if they needed anything, he is also taking on the captaincy for Team USA and wants to be present in that role while he is there. 

“I wear many hats,” Judge said. “Captain of the Yankees is one of them. … But I’m going to try to be where my feet are. Be with those boys with Team USA, I’m going to try to soak all that up, enjoy that moment and give everything I can to those guys.” 

Judge, who is usually just easing into Grapefruit League games at this point in spring, played in his fifth exhibition Saturday.

The back-to-back AL MVP has been looking forward to this event since being the first player to officially commit to Team USA last April, spearheading a flurry of the game’s best players joining — which wasn’t fully the case in the last WBC in 2023, when USA fell to Japan in the championship. 

“Now it’s time for us to go out there and change that script,” Judge said. “You get a chance to throw yourself into full games, heated competition, you’re fighting for your country, it’s pretty cool.” 

The Yankees are hoping that playing in such high-stakes games in early March can benefit their large swath of participants, taking that momentum right into the start of the regular season. Most of them also mentioned wanting to pick the brains of their new teammates and find out what makes them great. 

“I haven’t known any professional baseball outside the Yankees, so I’m looking forward to getting out there, listening to what guys are doing and maybe bring some stuff back here,” Wells said. 

But the event also comes with its share of injury risk, no matter how careful and intentional the Yankees were in building their WBC players up early this spring. 

“It’s the same risk for anybody else,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “It’s part of this year’s process. Like any year, there’s so many twists and turns as your season plays out and challenges, from injuries to unexpected poor performance to whatever other issues might pop up. It all gets put in the pot as you’re trying to cook up a championship run. But we wish them all the best. 

“If you have good players that those countries want, we’re losing a lot of people — it’s a reflection of we have a lot of good players.”

PORT ST. LUCIE — For most of the previous seven seasons, there was hardly ever a question about who would be at first base.

For better or worse, Pete Alonso was an everyday presence at first base, solid at scooping balls in the dirt, despite lacking range or a strong arm.

Those days are over and the hole Alonso leaves is clearly felt more in the lineup than in the infield.

Still, until the Mets prove that some combination of Jorge Polanco, Mark Vientos and Brett Baty can handle the position, there will be curiosity regarding the new-look infield.

Saturday was another step in that process, as Baty made his first start of the spring at the spot and the lefty swinger — while not looking like a natural — at least held his own.

“It was a fun challenge out there,’’ said Baty, who’d never appeared in a game at first in the majors or minors prior to Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Washington at Clover Park. “There were no mistakes, but it didn’t look pretty, either. We’ll get better over there, for sure.”

The overall performance, though, was encouraging, according to Baty.

“It gives me confidence [going] into the next game,’’ Baty said.

There was a grounder to the right side by Washington’s James Wood that caused Baty to pause only briefly before he headed quickly to first, as second baseman Marcus Semien made the play easily.

“There are some things you never see in practice till you get out there and do it in a game,’’ Baty said.

Speaking of a play like the Wood one in particular, Baty said he chatted with infield instructor Kai Correa and Carlos Mendoza, as part of the learning process.

“I felt like I wanted to go get the ball,” Baty said. “That’s just how I’ve always been: At third base, go get every ball you can go get. Second base the same thing. Some [balls] I wanted to get and I had to remember Marcus is right behind me and I need to get my butt to first base.”

It’s a play he watched his former teammate make plenty of times.

“I felt Pete was really good at knowing where the second baseman was and his job was just to be at first base,’’ Baty said of Alonso, who departed for Baltimore in the offseason.

Baty’s spring won’t be limited to just learning the nuances of first base. He’ll also see time in the outfield, with Mendoza saying he’d likely be in right field early on, so that Baty remains on the right side of the field.

“I tell people I feel like a football receiver out there,’’ Baty said of the outfield. “I can catch fly balls and show off the arm. I like it out there.”

Mostly, he likes being in the lineup and if all goes according to plan, Baty will see time at first, second and third base, as well as potentially left and right field.

“I love tackling adversity,’’ Baty said of the work that goes into becoming a more versatile player. “Any way to get at-bats … and help the team win.”

There will undoubtedly be bumps in the road for all three first basemen, with Polanco moving from the middle of the infield and Vientos — who is slated to play third base for Team Nicaragua in the WBC — having the most experience at the position, with just 12 major league games.

They have until March 26 to get more comfortable playing the position, with Mendoza noting how many aspects of the game they need to stay on top of at first, from in-between plays, positioning, holding runners and knowing where to be on cutoffs.

The manager remains confident they will prove to be up to the task.

“I feel comfortable that any of the three can play first base,’’ Mendoza said, adding of Baty, “I’d like to continue to get him as many reps as possible. It’s not easy, but he’s embracing the opportunity. He’s up for the challenge.”

Today, the Kansas City Royals absolutely pounded a Colorado Rockies squad that issued 15 walks. (You read that correctly.)

For more details on the game, click here.

Here are Michael Lorenzen’s comments on the day, which he saw as an important learning experience:

In addition, Ryan Feltner weighed in:

That said, please enjoy this Jordan Beck home run:

And don’t overlook Charlie Condon’s third homer:

That’s baseball.

The Rockies will face the Cleveland Guardians tomorrow afternoon at 1:05.

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With most of the expected big hitters out of the lineup after yesterday’s split-squad games, some other sources made Tanner Bibee’s first inning of the spring a miserable one. For him.

No. 2 hitter Sam Antonacci started things off for the White Sox when he got a 2-0 cutter that had too much of the plate.

Antonacci knew that was gone from the start, all 107.1 mph, 416´worth. That shot was followed by Miguel Vargas and LaMonte Wade Jr. doubles, with Wade later scoring on a wild pitch for a 3-0 Sox lead.

Bibee settled down for two scoreless innings after that, but Shane Smith showed his weak first start had just been working out the kinks as he kept the Guardians off the board until one run in the third, although a sweet play by William Bergolla Jr. at short kept the damage from being worse.

Lousy Cleveland defense (see, other teams have that, too) helped the Sox to two more runs in the fifth, with Bergolla and Antonacci scoring after walking and getting hit by a pitch, the first of two HBPs for Antonacci in the game. Bergolla also had an RBI single in the sixth, making it 6-1, and Antonacci scored in the seventh for a 7-1 lead. Both players are making management decisions on which middle infielders to keep when camp breaks ever more difficult.

Three Sox relievers cruised their way to the seventh, when Tyler Davis decided the game was too much of a yawner and coughed up three runs on two hits and a walk in the bottom of the seventh. Cleveland added one more in the eighth and had the tying run at the plate, but Adysin Coffey got a three-pitch K to end the threat. Shane Murphy then had an easy ninth for the save.

The Sox only had seven hits for their seven runs as they ran their spring record to 6-4, but six walks and those two HBPs, along with bad Guardian fielding decisions, helped things out.

Next up is a rematch with the Cubs, first pitch at 2:05 p.m. Central tomorrow. It will be on ESPN 1000, but you won’t get to watch the game unless you’re on of those turncoats who get Cubs TV.