SARASOTA, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Taylor Ward #3 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a home run during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The ideal baseball lineup has players with high on-base percentages near the top of the order, setting the table for the sluggers in the middle. Optimizing a lineup like this can allow a team to score a few more runs per year. On a given day it may not make much of a difference, but over a 162-game season it could net your team an extra win or two. That’s nothing to sneeze at, and teams—especially those on the fringes of the playoff discussion—should be doing whatever they can to maximize runs.
This topic of lineup optimization has become a hot one as Orioles camp comes to a close. Manager Craig Albernaz was asked about it over the weekend, specifically who he planned to put in the leadoff spot on Opening Day. The skipper kept it vague with his answer.
“It all depends,” Albernaz said. “Depends on the hitter, depends on the pitcher, depends on the team we’re playing. Depends on a lot of different stuff.”
It also depends on who is healthy. That is what has really complicated things this spring. Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg are two guys that would probably top the list of consideration. But both will open the season on the IL instead.
MLB.com’s Jake Rill indicates that Albernaz won’t be committing to any one guy day in and day out. But he does seem to prefer either Gunnar Henderson or Taylor Ward in the role for now. While Henderson has been with Team USA, Ward has been getting a lot of at-bats in the top spot.
Ward does not scream “leadoff hitter” when you look at his recent numbers. He’s been a run producer that hits home runs. But he has experience in the role. The 763 plate appearances he has batting first are his most of any spot in the order, and the numbers have been good (.259/.326/.456, 32 homers). He’s also a patient hitter that doesn’t chase much and walks at a solid clip (11.3%). Putting him first and then, presumably, Henderson second, could benefit both. Pitchers may be more likely to give Ward pitches to hit, and it would also give Henderson traffic on the bases more often.
For whatever it’s worth, Ward does not seem to care when or where he hits.
“Really, it doesn’t matter to me. I mean, hit me ninth, eighth, I really don’t care,” Ward said. “I try to treat it like the same thing, just all the same. I like to keep it simple like that. So wherever Alby wants to put me, I’m good for it.”
The leadoff spot has also been Henderson’s most frequent role throughout his career. Over 789 plate appearances he owns a .276/.347/.533 line with 42 homers. Clearly, he is better than Ward, but putting Henderson first could be a waste of his slugging potential. He’s healthy this year and swinging the bat well for Team USA. If he is going to bounce back and return to the 37 home run form he had in 2024, it would be wise to have that happen with more runners on base. Moving him down a spot in the order makes sense.
But before we go and etch all of this in stone, let’s be clear that committing to any one lineup at this point in the year is foolish. So much is going to change throughout the summer. Players will get hurt. Hot streaks and cold streaks will pop up. A certain pitching matchup will present itself. Someone other than Ward or Henderson will lead off at some point. All of this could completely change Albernaz’s way of thinking.
Consider a few alternatives.
When healthy, Holliday and Westburg are going to be in the conversation. Holliday led off more than any other Orioles hitter in 2025. It didn’t go great (.236/.311/.366), but he is still young. You have to think the Orioles want him to eventually own the role if he can produce. Westburg has hit all over the lineup, usually settling into the second or fifth spots. But he can do a a job anywhere. He feels like the guy they will turn to if the lineup is in the midst of a bad run and needs some sort of spark.
Colton Cowser began the 2025 season as the Orioles’ leadoff hitter. At the time, he had a reputation for controlling the strike zone. His nightmarish campaign may have altered some perspectives, but it’s entirely possible he gets back to that point.
Dylan Beavers showed impressive plate discipline during his first taste of big league baseball. He walked 19 percent of the time and rarely chased pitches out of the strike zone. Putting a rookie atop a lineup with playoff aspirations right out of the gate might be a bit much, but Beavers could force the Orioles hand at some point.
And what about Adley Rutschman? His performance over the last season and a half suggests he should be in the bottom third of the order rather than the leadoff spot. But it wasn’t that long ago when he looked like the best hitting catcher in baseball. His 2023 season saw hime finish with a .374 on base percentage. If he could get back to that sort of production, he might be the team’s best option to hit first. He will need to prove that he’s actually back to that level before getting the distinction as everyday leadoff hitter.
The reality is that the Orioles do not have an “ideal” leadoff hitter on their roster. But they have plenty of competent big league players that they can cycle in and out to find advantageous matchups and put runners on base ahead of Henderson and Pete Alonso. That should be a recipe for success no matter who actually ends up in the top spot day to day.
The Houston Rockets haven’t won consecutive games in three weeks, and the Los Angeles Lakers will look to keep that trend going as they seek a sixth straight victory.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have gotten the Lakers rolling, and my Lakers vs. Rockets predictions expect the pair to lead L.A. to an upset win on the road.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this matchup of Western Conference contenders on Monday, March 16.
Lakers vs Rockets prediction
Lakers vs Rockets best bet: Lakers moneyline (+115)
The Los Angeles Lakers have won five straight and eight of their last nine.
In that span, L.A. owns the second-best offensive rating (122.5), sixth-best defensive rating (110.1), and third-best net rating (12.3).
The Houston Rockets rank 19th in offensive rating (112.6), 20th in defensive rating (117.1), and 19th in net rating (-4.5) in that same span.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have posted tremendous numbers, averaging 33.2 and 22 points per game, respectively, over that nine-game sample. The Lakers have the best player on the court and, given their recent form, the edge.
Lakers vs Rockets same-game parlay
LeBron James has taken a deferential role to Doncic and Reaves in two games since returning to the lineup. In that pair of games, Doncic’s usage rating is 36, Reaves’ is 25.3, and LeBron’s is just 20.8. Doncic and Reaves have delivered huge numbers as a result, but the pair were on heaters even before that.
Doncic has been masterful across his last five games, averaging 56.4 PRA. In that span, he’s cleared the Over on his combo line four times and finished with exactly 47 PRA in the other.
Reaves has averaged 41.8 PRA across his last four, going for 30-plus in each contest. He’s scored 30-plus points in three straight, surpassing his combo line in that category alone. This line is comically low.
Lakers vs Rockets SGP
Lakers moneyline
Luka Doncic Over 47.5 points + rebounds + assists
Austin Reaves Over 29.5 points + rebounds + assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Make it Rain!
Over the last nine games, no team has been more generous to opposing three-point shooters than the Rockets, who have allowed a league-best 40.9% shooting from beyond the arc.
Doncic has knocked down 4.8 triples per game across his last nine outings, canning 4-plus in five straight, while Reaves has sunk 3-plus in four straight games.
Luke Kennard is one of the deadliest sharpshooters in the NBA, and his long-range shooting has been an important part of the Lakers’ success over their last nine. In that span, Kennard has buried 2.1 triples on 48.7% shooting.
Marcus Smart also has the green light from beyond the arc, and he’s converted 2.3 of his 5.7 3-point attempts per game across his last nine, hitting multiple triples seven times.
Lakers vs Rockets SGP
Luka Doncic Over 3.5 made threes
Austin Reaves Over 2.5 made threes
Luke Kennard Over 1.5 made threes
Marcus Smart Over 1.5 made threes
Lakers vs Rockets odds
Spread: Lakers +2.5 (-110) | Rockets -2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Lakers +125 | Rockets -150
Over/Under: Over 227 (-110) | Under 227 (-110)
Lakers vs Rockets betting trend to know
The Houston Rockets have only covered the Spread in 15 of their last 45 games (-18.00 Units / -36% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Rockets.
How to watch Lakers vs Rockets
Location
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date
Monday, March 16, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Lakers vs Rockets latest injuries
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TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 01: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a double in the eleventh inning during Game Seven of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday, November 1, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
As the Red Sox approach Opening Day, it’s time to start taking at look at the other American League playoff contenders. Next up, a team that may still be recovering from baseball heartbreak.
What’s this team’s deal?
The Toronto Blue Jays were inches away. Minutes away. One play or bounce away. They took the Los Angeles Dodgers to Game 7 of the World Series and nearly had it won. But the Dodgers found a way. That’s baseball. But don’t think for a second that when the game was over the Jays were ready to take a step back. After missing out on free agents and being lost in the shuffle of the Yankees and Red Sox as powerhouses, Tampa Bay as a relentless underdog payroll wise, and the Baltimore Orioles with their young core of stud prospects, the Jays aren’t a flash in the pan. They want to be here to stay.
Being in the World Series last fall is a step in the right direction for the Jays’ ambitions. And it may or may not have paid off in their recruiting. The money was there for the infamous Shohei Ohtani plane flight but no signing actually happened. This year?
Kazuma Okamoto, third base. Coming over from Japan, Okamoto signed a four-year deal to play in Toronto. In NPB the 29-year-old hit .277/.361/.521 over eleven seasons. If he’s close to that, watch out. For example, Alex Bregman, after his two big seasons and the COVID 2020 year has hit .264/.352/.447 from 2021-2025.
Dylan Cease, starting pitcher. The 30-year-old signed to play for the Blue Jays a long time. Seven years. Cease finished second in AL Cy Young voting in 2022 and 4th in NL Cy Young voting in 2024. Chris Bassitt moved to the Orioles over the winter and that’s a nice upgrade.
Cody Ponce, starting pitcher. Ponce is returning to North America after 3 years in Japan and one year in Korea. He shined in the KBO last year and the Jays’ think the changes are real. He’s in town for three seasons.
Max Scherzer, a familiar starter, is back for one more year at 41 and showed some life in the World Series.
Old friend Josh Winckowski signed a minor league deal with the club.
How good are they?
They’re good. Right now FanGraphs projects they Jays to finish with about 85 wins, one or two behind the Yankees, and essentially tied with the Red Sox. Will the AL East winner win more than 86 games? Almost certainly. That’s not what’s important here. The general feeling that the Jays are going to be in the fight for the top of the division.
Their rotation includes the two new members mentioned in the signings above, Max Scherzer, 2025 rookie sensation Trey Yesavage, and veteran stalwart Kevin Gausman. Plus Shane Bieber and José Berríos who are a little behind dealing with some injuries.
George Springer rediscovered himself in 2025 and hopes to continue playign like his younger self. Alejendro Kirk is one of the best catchers in the American League.
Addision Berger and Ernie Clement had breakouts in 2025 to help get the team to their first World Series in 30 years.
Oh, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Who’s their most likable player?
At least for Red Sox fans it’s going to be Vlad Jr.
‘Nuff said.
Who’s their least likeable player?
George Springer was part of the Astros cheating scandal. Max Scherzer is kind of a hothead on the mound, although seems to mostly yell at himself. Kevin Gausman has really owned the Red Sox at times. He’s unlikable for that.
Do people have strong feelings about any Jays players?
Schedule against the Red Sox
As an AL East opponent, the Sox will see a lot of the Blue Jays.
April 27-29 in Toronto.
June 16-18 in Boston.
July 24-26 in Boston.
August 10-13 in Toronto.
Season Prediction
The Blue Jays won 94 games last season and are arguably better this year. They also have a lot of places where there could be some regression in the lineup and maybe the rotation. Vlad also didn’t hit for tons of power so maybe that comes back to balance things out.
They’re going to win between 92-96 games because the Orioles should be better, although the Rays may be worse. The Jays are going to finish first or second again in the AL East assuming they’re about as healthy as they are right now. The question will be who in the AL East finishes third and if that is a playoff trip or not.
“I’ll see how my body feels,” said the world No 2. “We’ll see how I feel in practice and at home and if I get itchy feet at home maybe add an event at some point.
NORTH PORT, FL- FEBRUARY 22: JR Ritchie #92 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins on February 22, 2026 at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you are a fan of the Braves and baseball in general, this weekend was we worth the wait. From WBC moments to multiple Braves pitching prospects looking highly impressive, it was a great reminder that baseball is here to stay for the next 6+ months. On Sunday for the Braves, JR Ritchie once again was spectacular. It remains to be seen whether or not it will translate into a Opening Day roster spot, but in terms in what he can control, Ritchie has made a strong case to make his MLB debut in the near future.
Mar 9, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) and catcher Dalton Rushing (68) talk in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
As of Monday morning, 51 players remain in big league camp, a number that will be trimmed nearly in half within the next 10 days.
Hyeseong Kim already returned from the World Baseball Classic and played on Sunday, battling for a roster spot and a share of second base duties at the start of the regular season.
Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Edwin Díaz will be back from the World Baseball Classic, perhaps as soon as Monday, so we’ll get to see them in games this week. Ohtani last played for the Dodgers on February 21, so it will be nice to see him back in the fold.
After pitching for Japan on Saturday Yamamoto could presumably start again for the Dodgers on Friday, which would presumably line him up for the opening day start, which would be his second in a row. The Dodgers have not yet announced their plans for Game 1.
There are still rotation spots up for grabs, with River Ryan, Emmet Sheehan, and Justin Wrobleski all in the mix. Depending on how things shake out, all three might make the opening day roster, perhaps in the bullpen.
I’m sure I missed a few things, so I’ll throw the rest out to you: What are you looking forward to seeing in this final week of spring training camp in Arizona?
Manager Bobby Valentine (L) of the New York Mets takes on World Wrestling Federation Champion Stone Cold Austin prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets at Shea Stadium in the Bronx, NY on Saturday July 10, 1999 (Photo by Bernie Nunez) | Getty Images
Ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, the New York Islanders acquired 34-year-old centerman Brayden Schenn from the St. Louis Blues for the Colorado Avalanche's 2026 first-round pick, the New Jersey Devils' 2026 third-round pick, forward Jonathan Drouin, and goaltender prospect Marcus Gidlof.
In the four games since the trade, the Islanders are 3-1-0, with Schenn recording two assists, his first of the two coming up against St. Louis, dropping the puck to Mathew Barzal before No. 13 scored the overtime winner:
The former Blues captain has averaged 16:40 minutes per game, a second short of what he'd averaged over his 61 games in St. Louis. He's won 53.5% of his face-offs (23-40), with four blocks and nine hits.
Looking at his advanced metrics, when Schenn has been on the ice at 5-on-5 (47:58), the Islanders have been outshot 23-13 and outscored 4-2.
Schenn has had five scoring chances for himself, three of which were considered high-danger.
Over these four games, Schenn has played with Calum Ritchie, Simon Holmstrom, Antony Duclair, Mathew Barzal, and Ondrej Palat, as head coach Patrick Roy tries to figure out the best combinations.
Schenn has two seasons left at $6.5 million annually.
Tuesday night's Vancouver Canucks game may have just gotten a bit more interesting. On Sunday, the Florida Panthers called up forward Nolan Foote, who just happens to be the son of Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote. Nolan was a healthy scratch for the Panthers' last game, but is projected to be on the NHL roster when the two clubs battle on Tuesday.
During Footes WHL days, he was actually coached by his dad. The two were part of the Kelowna Rockets during the 2018-19 season. Foote played `195 regular-season games in the WHL, where he scored 83 goals and recorded 171 points.
While Foote has spent the majority of his career in the AHL, he does have 30 NHL games under his belt. This is the 25-year-old's first season with Florida and first call-up of the season. This season in the AHL, Foote has 14 goals and 32 points in 54 games.
Sep 24, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Nolan Foote (25) takes a shot against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-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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TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 13: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns goes up for a dunk during the game against the Toronto Raptors on March 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was just a three-game week for the Phoenix Suns, but the team had an opportunity to go undefeated during it, and it looked like they were on track to do so, until they blew a double-digit fourth quarter lead to the Toronto Raptors on Friday. That being said, it was a strong week for the Suns, as Jalen Green and Devin Booker continue to find a rhythm playing next to each other.
Here are the main questions for Week 21 we want your thoughts on:
Fourth Quarter Meltdown in Canada
Up as much as 10 in the fourth quarter, Phoenix had a chance to extend its win streak to five, but could not get it done late, allowing Toronto to score 36 points on 64% shooting from the field in the fourth quarter. If the Suns had won, they would have been just a half-game back of the fifth and sixth spots in the Western Conference. Instead, they remain a game and a half out and are still slotted in the play-in.
The Suns were coming off a back-to-back, in which they won by 15 against the Indiana Pacers but had to play Devin Booker and other key players late into the game to secure the win. Any game where a team has to travel internationally puts them at a disadvantage, and even more so on a back-to-back, and the Raptors were the more rested team, but what do you attribute most to the Suns’ fourth quarter meltdown?
The Jalen Green/Devin Booker Dynamic
Jalen Green and Devin Booker are both hitting their stride in the final fifth of the season. In March, Booker is averaging his most points in a month since October and shooting 42% from deep, while Green has crept his season shooting percentage all the way up to 40% for the season after a rough 12 games to start his season, doing so on the most shots per game. The two are averaging a combined 55 points per game, and both are averaging at least 25.
While the two have been dominant and it’s led to wins, for the Suns to have a chance to make a real playoff run, they’re going to need more balance (look at the team’s 2022-2023 playoff campaign). Only one other Suns’ starter is averaging over 10 points per game in March, and it’s Collin Gillespie, who just had his first zero-point game of his season. When Green or Booker don’t have it going (like they didn’t down the stretch against the Raptors), Phoenix needs to create more consistent opportunities for others to contribute so the team can stay offensively competent.
How can the Suns find more balance in their offense around Jalen Green and Devin Booker?
Ryan Dunn’s Benching
Ryan Dunn received his first benching for an entire game this season. The second-year forward did not play against the Raptors, as Jordan Ott favored rookie Rasheer Fleming and recent signing Haywood Highsmith over him in the reserve forward spots. Before his benching, Dunn was averaging 3 points in 14 minutes per game, shooting 30% from three. Teams tend to leave Dunn open when he shoots.
Overall, Dunn’s minutes have decreased as Fleming has improved, and Highsmith and Amir Coffey were acquired. Fleming has become a reliable three-point shooter for the Suns, while Highsmith and Coffey attract more gravity from defenses.
What does Ryan Dunn’s future look like in Phoenix, especially with another young player’s ascension? Could he be a trade candidate in the offseason?
On the Suns’ Plate This Week
Phoenix heads to Boston to face the Celtics tonight, and Minnesota to face the Timberwolves tomorrow. Then they’ll have a short break before they face the Spurs on Thursday to end their road trip. Once they get back to Phoenix, they’ll have their third back-to-back in 11 days, when they host the Bucks on Saturday and the Raptors on Sunday.
Mar 14, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate a win at the horn to end the game against the Utah Mammoth at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images
As the Pittsburgh Penguins begin to enter the homestretch of the regular season, the team appears poised to return to the NHL’s postseason for the first time since 2022.
With sixteen games left to play in the season, the Penguins sit tied with the New York Islanders for second place in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division with 81 points.
It’s a tight heat in the Eastern Conference as Boston and Detroit sit one game behind the Penguins and Islanders with Columbus, Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Washington all in the hunt for wild card spots.
The Penguins don’t have the easiest of finishing stretches for their remaining games with the Avalanche, Hurricanes, Jets, Senators, Stars, Islanders, Red Wings, Lightning, Panthers, Devils, Capitals, and Blues on the schedule.
Six of the Penguins’ sixteen remaining games are against current playoff teams with several others against teams in the hunt to try and claw into playoff position.
Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby returned to practice with the team over a week ago as he continues to rehab the injury he suffered while playing for Team Canada at the Olympics.
There’s no timeline yet on his potential return, but the team has managed to tread water in his absence, going 4-3-3 since the NHL returned from its Olympic break.
With Malkin and Crosby both out of the lineup, the Penguins went 2-1-2.
WINNIPEG, CANADA - MARCH 14: Martin Necas #88 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates his third period goal against the Winnipeg Jets. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
The Avs have been featured in a couple pretty amazing outdoor games. [The Hockey News]
Avalanche expect Landeskog, Lehkonen and O’Connor back before the playoffs. [Sportsnet]
Avalanche signs NCAA free agent Gustav Stjernberg to a 2-year deal. [NHL]
Inside Nazem Kadri’s return to the Avalanche and the trade that made it happen. [NY Times]
Avalanche forward MacKinnon has game misconduct rescinded by NHL. [Toronto Star]
News Around the League
Ontario junior hockey team ends season with 0-50 record. [Global News]
John Tortorella’s confusion over Matthews signals a league prioritizing code over star safety. [Hockey Patrol]
Player safety, or playing it safe? McDavid calls out league over Gudas sentence. Oilers’ captain troubled by length of suspension issued to the player who ended Auston Matthews’ season. [Edmonton Journal]
Multi-brawl game that drew 572 penalty minutes a ‘black eye’ on N.L. hockey: official. [Soo Today]
Maple Leafs pushed for longer Gudas suspension. [Sportsnet]
SARASOTA, FLORIDA - MARCH 04: Tyler Wells #68 of the Baltimore Orioles delivers a pitch in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros during a Grapefruit League spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For a pitcher who has made just seven appearances in the last two seasons combined, Tyler Wells suddenly looms very large for the 2026 Orioles. And not just because of his 6-foot-8 frame.
Wells, who hasn’t pitched in relief since 2023, enters the season as a key bullpen piece, likely serving as the late-inning setup man to closer Ryan Helsley. The right shoulder injury suffered by presumed eighth-inning guy Andrew Kittredge has created a void that Wells might be the best equipped to fill. The right-hander has a career 3.49 ERA as a reliever, holding opposing batters to a .168 average and .531 OPS. Wells briefly served as the Orioles’ closer during his rookie season in 2021 and again during the stretch run in 2023.
Most of the 2024-25 seasons were a wash for Wells, who underwent UCL revision surgery on his elbow after only three starts in 2024 and returned for just four outings last year. Entering this spring, his role was up in the air, but once the Orioles signed Chris Bassitt to bolster their starting staff, there was no potential rotation spot for Wells. The Kittredge injury further solidified the Orioles’ need for Wells in the bullpen.
The 31-year-old could be a boon to a relief corps that added nobody except Helsley and Kittredge this offseason and is filled with untested youngsters and uninspiring veterans. Wells attacks the strike zone and generally doesn’t get himself into trouble. As a reliever, he has a 1.7 BB/9 and an excellent 0.791 WHIP in 49 career games. His one bugaboo is home runs; Wells has served up nine career dingers in 67 relief innings. But at least there usually isn’t much traffic on the bases when he does so.
What do the projections say about Wells’s 2026 campaign? We’ll exclude ZiPS, which projects him as a starting pitcher, and instead look at the relief-only projections from Steamer and Baseball Reference:
Both of these projections grade Wells as an adequate but unremarkable relief pitcher this year. That may be disappointing to O’s fans who are hoping Wells could turn into a lockdown setup man and backup closer. But hey, projections are just projections. They’re no guarantee of what’s going to happen.
What do you think will happen, Camden Chatters? What kind of 2026 season will Tyler Wells have?
I don’t believe there has been a time in Cardinals history where a prospect with the resume of Yhoiker Fajardo has been considered the 19th prospect in the system. The closest comparable player in recent years is Darlin Saladin, but Saladin was 21 (not 18), he pitched at both Low A and High A, and I’m pretty sure his stuff is worse than Fajardo. Well Saladin was considered the 16th best prospect last season. Working against the same prospects Saladin did last year, surely Fajardo could do even better than 16 last year? And he’s all the way down to 19 this year. Kind of insane. Current list:
JJ Wetherholt
Liam Doyle
Rainiel Rodriguez
Quinn Mathews
Jurrangelo Cjintje
Joshua Baez
Leonardo Bernal
Jimmy Crooks
Brandon Clarke
Tink Hence
Tekoah Roby
Tanner Franklin
Brycen Mautz
Nathan Church
Cooper Hjerpe
Ixan Henderson
Yairo Padilla
Deniel Ortiz
Yhoiker Fajardo
Why not him?
I thought I’d create a new section and basically explain why a player you liked and may have voted for if given the chance was not added to the voting for the top 20 or in some cases, even added to a comparable player poll. For any player in the Dominican Summer League, which had a fairly strong team, or a recent international signing, I promise you: this crowd would not vote for them. Yairo Padilla and Rainiel Rodriguez were 15th and 18th on last year’s list. In a weaker system. And those guys got national attention. Your favorite DSL prospect was not getting selected.
Ramon Mendoza I think would have had trouble, because Deniel Ortiz had trouble basically. He’s all stats. I have no scouting report for him. Fangraphs did not rank him as a prospect. He’s closer to the MLB than Ortiz, but Mendoza also has a longer history of being at best mediocre, and he’s not young for his level. It would not make sense to me that this crowd would wait until 18 to select Ortiz, and then choose Mendoza two players later. And I’m comparing them because neither are as of yet considered “real” prospects by national publications near as I can tell. (The Cardinal Nation has Ortiz 15th, but even they did not rank Mendoza as a prospect)
In the underwhelming stats department, I think Jack Gurevitch had no shot at being selected because he kind of sucked in his draft year. And if you’re wondering why I’m even mentioning him, he was ranked 20th by Baseball Prospectus. Also underwhelming is Ryan Campos, who actually made last year’s BP top 20 list, but I can’t see this group voting for a catcher with okay offensive stats and no power who is undersized. Jonathan Mejia didn’t make last year’s list and then went out and had a worse season so he was pretty easy to leave off the voting.
A lot of guys had an opportunity to be put in the voting, but lost their comparable player polls: Bryan Torres got destroyed by Blaze Jordan, still in the voting; Travis Honeyman got destroyed by Chase Davis, who is not that close to being selected for the top 20; Braden Davis lost his head to head poll to Pete Hansen, not that close to being selected; Andrew Dutkanych personally knocked out a lot of players, beating Mason Molina, Jacob Odle, Hancel Rincon, and Blake Aita in different head-to-head polls. Molina himself defeated Nate Dohm and Frank Ellisalt. Aita beat both Sem Robberse and Leonel Sequera. Won-Bin Cho and Zach Levenson did not get more votes than Colton Ledbetter and actually lost fairly easily.
And lastly, Colton Ledbetter is not on this current vote, because he was in either last or second-to-last in every single poll since I added him. He got just two votes total for the 18th vote. There is no way that guy can go from that to winning the 20th vote. To be clear, that is why he is not being added, I’ll also add I don’t think there’s a very good argument for him being in the top 20 this particular year, because well he’s not a barely worse prospect than Yhoiker Fajardo. I think he’s a slightly farther along Zach Levenson, who nobody really thinks is close to the top 20. Last year, when being in the top 20 meant being better than Zack Showalter or Travis Honeyman or Matt Koperniak, yeah I could see him being there, but not this year.
New Add
Once again, I am adding a new player just to get a new name onto the voting. Dutkanych pretty easily won most of his comparable player polls, but one of them was an actual contest and in addition, this is a guy I can actually see being selected maybe. Or to phrase it differently, of all the possible choices not yet added to the voting, this guy seemingly has the greatest chance to be selected. That would be last year’s 4th round pick, Cade Crossland.
Scouting (FG): 30/45 Hit, 35/50 Game Power, 50/55 Raw Power, 40/40 Speed, 40/45 Fielding
Baez was a fairly strong hitter in High A with a good walk rate, solid K rate, solid pop. He has so far been reasonably good at making contact despite the 45 potential hit tool, although maybe that scouting is being felt from his .270 BABIP with him trading some potential strikeouts for weaker contact. DRC+ saw him as a little bit unlucky in that regard. I’m not real sure of the run environment for High A for the Mets’ affiliate, but he should have plenty of opportunity to show his power at Springfield this upcoming year at 21-years-old.
Those stats are going to be a hard sell admittedly, but we’re missing some very important context: I could not find any stats on his groundball tendencies. A .331 BABIP against for example does not exactly suggest a flyball pitcher. And if he was a heavy groundball pitcher, there’s a good chance he had a high HR/FB%, which would not necessarily be predictive of how he’ll perform as a pro. Fangraphs thinks he’s very close to having four at least average pitches although not a huge fan of his command yet.
Scouting: 30/35 Hit, 30/45 Game Power, 60/60 Raw Power, 50/50 Speed, 45/55 Field
Davis started as a power-hitting outfielder when the Cardinals drafted him in the 1st round back in 2023 draft. That advertised power has never really come and really disappeared last year, although as we saw in spring training, it might be in there somewhere. Not necessarily advertised for his defense, it seems like it’s going to be better than originally expected, which is certainly necessary considering his bat has been worse than expected.
Fangraphs did not give him any scouting grades, but they did write a short blurb on him: “The Cardinals still took him in the seventh round, and saw him return to action late last year, where he sat 91-94 mph and flashed a promising vertical slider from an over-the-top slot that looks difficult to reach.” He had no problems with the swing-and-miss, he did have some issues with control that can be explained away by recovering from Tommy John surgery, but that explanation probably evaporates during this upcoming season.
Gastelum has one phenomenal pitch, and two other pitches just to make the hitter think he’s not a guarantee to throw a change. But his entire plan of attack is structured around the change. And he seems to have fairly good command, which is supported in the numbers so far at least, with pretty low BB rates. Hitters know the change is coming, and it hasn’t really helped so far. Although, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that when hitters do make contact, and it’s not very often, for some reason they’re hits a lot more than you’d expect. He has run pretty consistently high BABIPs in his pro career, like .343 is actually his professional low (when he throws at least 9 innings), which is just crazy.
Hansen is very likely to throw his pitch where he wants to throw it, the question is are his pitches good enough for that to matter. Obviously, command is a very important part of pitching, especially starting pitching, but all pitchers make mistakes and it’s easier to live with mistakes with hard to hit pitches in all locations. According to the scouting by Fangraphs, Hansen has a get me over curve, and will have to spot his fastball in order to get to both his slider and change, which are probably the pitches he wants hitters to swing at.
Scouting: 40/50 Hit, 40/50 Game Power, 60/60 Raw Power, 30/30 Speed, 40/45 Fielding
Jordan has had a long route to get to this point, so it’s kind of easy to forget that he’s still just 23-years-old despite being in the minor leagues since 2021. Jordan was impossibly young when he was drafted, not turning 18 until December after his draft year in 2020. One advantage of that is that it can take you the better part of five seasons just to get to AAA and a little bit longer to truly excel at AAA and still be considered young for your level. The question for him will be can he swing at the pitches he is supposed to swing at and resist swinging at pitches that’ll produce weak contact because he’s plenty good at making contact, just not necessarily good contact.
From Lin’s perspective, he just has to forget about his 2025 season, because it did not go his way, even though he did end up getting a promotion to AA. One would assume if your season ends with a promotion to a higher level, that your season went as expected. Clearly in Lin’s case, it did not. What he did show was genuine swing-and-miss even though it seems like he rarely knew exactly where it was going. That profile typically sounds like a reliever, but a more healthy Lin walked just 7.8% of hitters in 2024 with over 5 innings per start. There’s still a chance.
Ryan Mitchell, 19 – OF
No stats
Scouting: 25/55 Hit, 25/50 Game Power, 40/55 Raw Power, 60/60 Speed, 25/50 Fielding
Also kind of a hard sell: voting for a player where you are relying on scouting, albeit scouting that led the Cardinals to draft Mitchell 55th overall in the draft. So the Cardinals certainly believe he’s a prospect. He is a speedy, athletic guy who will have the chance to prove he is a good outfielder – plenty of time honestly – who seems to have a good hit tool and good potential power. Like I’ve said before, I wish I had the power to know how quickly they would advance him to Low A, because that would tell us a lot about him as a prospect.
Scouting: 20/30 Hit, 30/50 Game Power, 50/60 Raw Power, 60/60 Speed, 45/55 Fielding
A vote for Peete is a vote for upside essentially. You’re certainly not voting for him based on his performance. In hindsight, I kind of think the Mariners should have started him in Low A last season. He did manage an above average line, but he struck out a lot and had a .391 BABIP. BABIP can be a talent in the minor leagues, but he was clearly not ready for High A. On the flipside, despite being mostly overmatched, he displayed a surprising amount of power. So his power seems legit, he’s fast, scouts think he’ll be a good fielder, but just needs to figure out how to get his K rate to a manageable level.
View of the sparsely filled stadium with Camelback Mountain in the background as the San Francisco Giants played the Chicago White Sox in a spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Thursday, March 4, 2021. (Photo By Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants are back for their last week of Spring Training baseball. So here’s what’s on deck for this week.
Monday
The Giants will visit the San Diego Padres for today’s game, starting at 1:10 p.m. PDT. This game will have audio available on the MLB At Bat app.
Tuesday
No Game
Wednesday
The Giants head to Glendale, AZ on Wednesday to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers at 1:05 p.m. PDT. This game will have a national broadcast on MLB Network, however it’s unclear if that will be available for in-market fans or not. There will be radio coverage on KNBR, at least.
Thursday
The Giants keep their road games going with a visit to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday at 1:10 p.m. PDT. Currently there is no broadcast information available for this game. But it is the Rockies, so that tracks.
Friday
Friday is another split squad day.
The road team will visit the Texas Rangers at 5:05 p.m. PDT. There is no San Francisco broadcast information available at this time.
The home team will take on the Kansas City Royals also at 5:05 p.m. PDT. This game will have audio available on the MLB At Bat app.
Saturday
Saturday will be the last Spring Training game of the year, as the Giants welcome the Cleveland Guardians for a game at 12:05 p.m. PDT. There will be radio coverage on KNBR.
Sunday
The Giants will head to Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on Sunday for an exhibition game against the Sacramento River Cats at 5:07 p.m. PDT. The game will have video coverage on MiLB.TV, with River Cats radio coverage available on KNBR.
Build Your Winning Bracket!
SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)
