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  • Baseball Preview: Burroughs, Burbank, Providence, Skilled, Ready To Battle

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    Burroughs readies for another successful season. (Photo courtesy Matt Magallon)

    By Rick Assad

    Spring is almost here and there is a jump in baseball players’ steps and the three local high school teams – Burroughs, Burbank and Providence – are ready to battle for their respective league championships.

    Burroughs is coming off a season in which it went 20-8 and 10-4 in the Pacific League for third place.

    The Bears fell 2-0 in a contest to Ganesha during a CIF Southern Section Division IV opening-round game.

    Burroughs lost to graduation several key members and they are Kyle Smith, who played catcher and pitched, Kenny Montgomery, who also pitched and Chase Robinson, who was extremely versatile and could literally play anywhere on the field.

    Matt Magallon is the Burroughs head coach and expects to have a strong season and has a number of seniors to help lead the way.

    They include Jack Smith at catcher, Thomas Martin, Devin Whittekiend at pitcher, Logan Drossin, Ryan Walsh, Nate Sepulveda, Theo Gara, Jack Guest, Mason Fournier, Zack Guevara and Nathan Bartolo.

    The juniors are Elliott Ross at shortstop, Slater Mersola at second base/third base, Jake Rauenswinder at center field, Logan Manolakis, Teddy Severse and Kayson Montgomery at pitcher.

    On the team is sophomore Connor Cox and freshman Brady Powers.

    Burbank has the talent and desire to compete for the Pacific League banner and beyond. (Photo courtesy Bob Hart)

    Magallon, who won a CIF Southern Section Division V title in 2022, believes the team will make a run for the league crown.

    “This group has earned the right to be excited about the season,” he said. “They’ve worked hard every day, pushed each other to improve and built great chemistry as a team. We’re looking forward to seeing that hard work pay off.”

    A season ago, Burbank went 8-11 and carved out a 6-8 league mark for sixth place.

    Bob Hart has been the Burbank head coach for two decades and wants his club to get better each and every day.

    The Bulldogs saw several players graduate and they include Robert Snyder, who pitched and played first base and Colby Bette, who pitched and played catcher.

    “Our focus is on getting better each day. We don’t really concern ourselves with the rest of the league,” he stated. “We try to take one game at a time. Playing good clean baseball is always our primary goal.” 

    Hart talked about who he thinks will pace the team.

    “Carter, Casey, Ryan and Tomas will be leading the way but Jeremy’s injury is a big hit to our program. Our approach is always the same,” he explained. “Next man up. He will still be a huge part of our team but it won’t be on the field. It’s a big loss for us, but the fight goes on and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

    Burbank has a number of returning players and many are seniors but one key member, Jeremy Lee, who plays first base and is also a pitcher, is out for the season with a shoulder injury.

    Other seniors are Sebastian Aguirre who is an outfielder and pitcher, Tomas Angel at first base and center field, Brandon Hernandez in right field, Ryland Le Clair at first base and pitcher, Andru Machado at second base and the outfield and Julian Recinos at shortstop and pitcher.

    The juniors are Grady Gibbs in right field and Tanner Kramer at catcher and the outfield.

    Providence isn’t in the Prep League and will now battle in the Liberty League. (Photo courtesy Mando Contreras)

    The rest of the juniors are Casey Peters at first base and pitcher, Anthony Sanchez at shortstop and pitcher, Carter Williamson at catcher, the infield and pitcher and Ezekiel Canto at first base, the infield and the outfield.

    Last season, Providence had a 9-12 record and went 3-5 in the Prep League for fourth place and were led by Adrian Contreras, who graduated and played the infield and also pitched.

    This season the Pioneers have ten seniors and should lend leadership on the field and off and the team will compete in the Liberty League.

    The upperclassmen are Luc Rode at shortstop and second base, Nicholas Delger at second base, Asa Langlois at shortstop and second base, Jason Carillo at center field and right field, Hudson West at right field and designated hitter, Arlo Wicke at left field, Dylan Sarkisian at third base and Roman Mastandrea.

    Senior Kiran Kostecka and junior Cade Mackenzie will be starting pitchers and sophomore Nathaniel Palmer will play catcher.

    Junior J.J. DiBianca will play at shortstop and second base and there are several freshmen and they include Nathan Mendoza at catcher, Liam Simpson, Ben Oremland at first base and pitcher and Arem Mardirosian at second base.

    Mando Contreras is Providence’s head coach and likes his club.

    “This year I expect our seniors to take the lead on and off the field. We have 10 of them which is the most I’ve ever had at Providence,” he said. “My guys that have been here for four years understand what we do and what we try to do every year. I’m excited for them to lead.” 

    Contreras believes in his squad and feels confident in what they will be able to achieve.

    “We don’t have any expectations. We do have team goals to win. We have values to be good baseball people and challenges to keep us motivated,” he said. “We preach the acronym ACE. It’s about the type of attitude we bring every day, what kind of concentration we can control on and off the field, and bring all the effort we have, all the time.”

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    Rick Assad

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  • Cal Raleigh Not Focused on Trying for Another 60-Homer Season in Seattle

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    PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Cal Raleigh has already gone deep this spring, yet the switch-hitting Seattle Mariners catcher isn’t focused on trying to hit 60 home runs again this season.

    Raleigh, who had an MLB-leading 60 homers last year, hit a 427-foot homer against the Chicago White Sox in an exhibition game Tuesday. His first spring homer came in his third game.

    “I think the elephant in the room is 60 home runs. That’s not something I’m setting out to do,” Raleigh told Seattle Sports this week. “To me, I’m just trying to be as consistent as possible, trying to do what I did last year.”

    His 60 homers last season were the most for a player who was primarily a catcher, having started 119 games behind the plate and another 38 at designated hitter. The 29-year-old Raleigh, nicknamed “Big Dumper,” also had a career-high 125 RBIs and finished second in the American League MVP voting behind New York Yankees slugger and third-time winner Aaron Judge.

    Judge and Raleigh are both set to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, which begins pool play next week. Judge set the AL record with 62 home runs in 2022.

    They are among only seven players with a 60-homer season, and Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are the only ones to do so in consecutive seasons (1998 and 1999). McGwire and Sosa are the only players with multiple 60-homer seasons, and Sosa had a third in 2001.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Feb. 2026

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    Associated Press

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  • ‘My brother is my superhero’: Fairfax Co. student starts baseball clinic for athletes with disabilities – WTOP News

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    Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia hosts an adaptive baseball clinic for young athletes with disabilities.

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    Fairfax Co. high school student starts baseball clinic for athletes with disabilities

    The gym at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County, Virginia, was packed Saturday as 25 young athletes with disabilities took part in the school’s first adaptive baseball clinic.

    The event was hosted by the school’s varsity baseball team and led by Andrew Haydon, a 17-year-old junior who created it. He said the idea grew from his experience with his 13-year-old brother, who has autism and other learning disabilities.

    “This whole camp is deeply personal to me,” Haydon said. “My younger brother has autism and an array of learning disabilities.”

    He called his brother his “superhero” and credited his mother for encouraging him to turn the idea into reality.

    Haydon said he wanted to give kids like his brother a chance to discover adaptive baseball. “I feel like this is a great opportunity to give kids like my little brother, who weren’t aware of adaptive leagues, a chance to get experience with adaptive baseball and maybe fall in love with baseball and continue playing,’ he said.

    Twenty members of the school’s varsity baseball team volunteered as coaches, guiding the athletes through drills. Haydon’s brother Nick helped out in the sensory room.

    “It’s a room where there’s fidgets. They’re supposed to help with kids if they get overwhelmed,” Nick said.

    The gym at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was packed with 25 boys and girls who were there to take part in the school’s first-ever adaptive clinic for young athletes with special needs on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.
    (WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)

    WTOP/Jimmy Alexander

    Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology baseball clinic for special needs kids
    The gym at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia, was packed Saturday as 25 young athletes with disabilities took part in the school’s first adaptive baseball clinic.
    (WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)

    WTOP/Jimmy Alexander

    Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology baseball clinic for special needs kids
    Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology baseball clinic for special needs kids

    The clinic was overseen by varsity baseball coach Jennifer Hammond, who said the team is focused on more than teaching skills. “We are realizing we’re not just helping shape baseball players, but we’re trying to shape good humans on and off the field,” she said.

    Parents filled the gym’s sidelines and watched as the young athletes worked on batting, running and throwing skills. Shannon LaBarbara brought her son Edison and said the clinic left her feeling encouraged.

    “I feel very inspired,” she said. “This group of young men feels inclined and encouraged to do this and to bring inclusion to everything that they’re doing.”

    One athlete, Kai, seemed to know everyone there. His mother, Candita Sabavala, said the 13-year-old has always loved sports. “We drag him to his older brother’s games all the time, so it’s nice for him to be able to have something of his own,” she said.

    Between running, batting and throwing balls, WTOP asked Kai what he liked most about the baseball clinic.

    With a laugh, Kai said “Everything.”

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Jimmy Alexander

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  • SF Giants’ Whisenhunt lights up radar gun in simulated game

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    SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — Carson Whisenhunt wasn’t expecting to see a number that high.

    During the first inning of Thursday’s simulated game, Whisenhunt geared up and fired a four-seam fastball to catcher Logan Porter. The pitch felt good coming out of his hand, so he took a look at Scottsdale Stadium’s scoreboard to see how hard he just threw.

    97.

    This wasn’t a case of a stadium having a hot radar gun. The scoreboard projected Trackman readings, meaning this was a legitimate 97 mph. And if this caliber of heat is real, it has the potential to transform him as a pitcher.

    “I think there’s more in there, too,” Porter said. “It’s coming out firm.”

    Whisenhunt’s velocity wasn’t just for show. He retired seven of the eight batters he faced during the sim game, striking out Jesus Rodriguez, Jake Holton and Bo Davidson on his signature changeup.

    “I’m feeling a lot better than I did last year,” Whisenhunt said. “I’m moving better mechanically, especially, so everything’s just kind of flowing right now. I’m trying not to overdo it, but it came out hot today.”

    Whisenhunt didn’t exhibit this type of velocity during his brief time in the majors last season. Over five starts, the left-hander had an average fastball velocity of 92.6 mph, which ranked in the 23rd percentile. His velocity with Triple-A Sacramento (92.3 mph) was no better.

    The left-hander said he was sinking in his back hip a lot more last year, which he felt like was “blocking velo, so to speak.” Now, Whisenhunt is a little more upright and trying to get into his back hip.

    “And then, just kind of throwing the [expletive] out of it,” Whisenhunt said with a smile. “That’s the best way to put it.”

    In his estimation, the last time Whisenhunt exhibited consistent mid-90s velocity was 2023, his first full season as a professional after being drafted in the second round of the ‘22 MLB draft. That year, which he spent with Single-A San Jose, High-A Eugene and Double-A Richmond, Whisenhunt’s velocity sat in the 94-97 mph range.

    Whisenhunt, who’s peaked as high as 98 mph, acknowledged that he probably won’t consistently hit as high as 97. If he can sit comfortably in the 94, 95-mph range as he did in 2023, the rest of his arsenal plays up — especially his bread-and-butter changeup.

    “Obviously, trying to win a job, you have to do a little extra as a young guy, but not trying to overdo it,” Whisenhunt said. “But also, get my work in and make sure I’m ready for the season.”

    Improved velocity isn’t the only new tool in Whisenhunt’s bag. The left-hander, like many other young starters in camp, added a cutter to his repertoire. Whisenhunt has also worked on his slider, the focus being on generating more horizontal and downward movement.

    One of Whisenhunt’s biggest additions to his game hasn’t been extra velocity or refined pitches, but the subtraction of tipping.

    Whisenhunt and the Giants’ coaching staff realized he was tipping pitches after his start against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 27, a game he won after allowing three earned runs over five innings. Before Whisenhunt could address the issue, his lower back began giving him issues and sidelined him for the rest of the year.

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    Justice delos Santos

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  • Minnesota Twins starter Pablo López ends bullpen session early over elbow soreness

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    Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo López ended a bullpen session early on Monday over what manager Derek Shelton said was “a little bit of elbow soreness.”

    López, who turns 30 next month, threw two-plus innings before shutting things down. He was considered ahead of schedule in preparations to join Venezuela for the World Baseball Classic.

    López has been the opening day starter for the Twins the past three seasons. He was limited to 75 2/3 innings last year, with three stints on the injured list for hamstring, shoulder and forearm issues.

    The 2023 All-Star had made 32 starts in each season from 2022-24, the first of those with Miami before a pair with Minnesota.

    “We decided, out of an abundance of caution, let’s get him off, let’s get him off the field and make sure he’s OK,” Shelton told reporters at the club’s spring training facility. “We’ll get some imaging on it, just because of how important it is and he is to us.”

    Lopez was 5-4 with a 2.74 ERA last season. He won 10 games in each of the previous three seasons, capped by a career-best 15 in 2024.

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  • Nick Townley inspired by long line of Plant baseball legends

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Wade Boggs Field, the baseball stadium at Plant High School, has the footsteps of legends on it.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Plant baseball program has sent multiple players to the MLB

    • Jac Caglionone just got his number retired, meeting the current group of Panthers players

    • Nick Townley hopes to be the next guy in line

    • Townley is the ace of the staff, a senior pitcher who has impressive command on the mound


    “We’ve always had some pretty good players and there’s kind of a long line of tradition to that,” Plant baseball head coach Dennis Braun said.

    The program boasts an impressive list of alums on the outfield wall, which has numbers retired from left field all the way down to right field.

    “We’re one of the few schools that has a Hall of Famer in Wade Boggs and we might have a future couple more if they keep doing the things they’re doing,” Braun said.

    Braun is referring to 5-time MLB All-Star Pete Alonso and 4-time All-Star Kyle Tucker, both former Panthers who are two of the best hitters in baseball.

    The latest pro to get his number retired is Jac Caglianone, a 2021 Plant alum who was a two-way star for the Florida Gators and is already in the bigs with the Kansas City Royals. The current team was able to meet Cagnianone at the ceremony earlier this month, seeing a guy who sat in the same dugout they do move on to accomplish what he has accomplished.

    “Yeah, I think that’s what the motivation is, I think everyone wants to be them not all of them are going to be 6 foot 5 250 pounds and that’s a big part of getting to the level that they get to but I think that motivation is a big deal for them and I think it’s what makes the program grow,” Braun said.

    “It was really nice to see. Obviously, he’s one of the greats of high school baseball, and it was really nice to be able to see the impact he’s made here,” Plant senior pitcher Nick Townley said.

    Townley hopes to one day be the next guy in line.

    “Yeah it really does help my focus. It just helps me stay concentrated on my main goal here which is competing as a team and winning and focusing on getting better,” Townley said.

    Townley is the ace of the staff, a senior right-hander who doesn’t light up the radar gun with a ton of velocity but makes up for it with an impressive command on the mound.

    “Throughout the fall and early spring I’ve just been working on my pitch location and delivery, getting better at sequencing and finding out where hitters are weak against me so I can get them out in the best way,” Townley said.

    He got some preseason recognition from 813 Preps, a Hillsborough County high school baseball publication, ranking him as the 23rd best player in the area.

    “I thought it was pretty cool but the rankings don’t mean anything until we start playing games so I try not to focus on it much, yeah it for sure adds some pressure but I gotta go into games knowing that I still have a job to throw good pitches and compete with the hitters so that just helps me stay focused,” Townley said.

    “Being ranked means you’ve done something you’ve earned that and every year you’ve gotta earn it. Baseball is a tough game so I think it’s important for him to come back down a little bit and not get too caught up in that throw strikes rely on his defense and if he does those things I think he will have another great year,” Braun said.

    Of course, Townley dreams of making it to “The Show.” Every baseball player does. No program around here has sent more players to the pros than Plant lately, so he’s in a great spot to try and get that dream started here.

    “Even though you may not make it, you may not be them let’s do everything we can so if that day comes that we don’t you can hang your cleats up and say I did everything I could to be the best player I could and that’s what we’re trying to do every day,” Braun said.

    For now, Townley is focused on this season and getting his team to state.

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    Michael Epps

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  • SF Giants observations: Roupp ramps up for innings uptick

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    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A year ago, Landen Roupp entered camp in competition for the fifth spot in the Giants’ rotation with Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp — a spot he ended up winning. His spot in the rotation has long been secure, but Roupp isn’t changing anything ahead of his third major league season.

    “I’m just thinking of it the same way, trying to fight for my spot,” Roupp said. “Even if I do have the spot, I’m going to attack it like I don’t.”

    Roupp and left-hander Matt Gage threw their first live bullpens of camp on Saturday afternoon after right-handers Logan Webb and Hayden Birdsong did so on Friday afternoon.

    The 27-year-old Roupp, pitching to Logan Porter, threw 25 pitches and faced six hitters, though his second time facing Patrick Bailey ended early due to pitch count. He struck out Jesus Rodriguez swinging but allowed a home run to non-roster invitee Eric Haase.

    Gage, pitching to Diego Cartaya, faced four batters and threw 20 pitches, striking out Porter swinging but allowing a base hit to Bailey.

    Roupp emphasized his cutter during his live bullpen season. He threw the pitch last year but changed his grip at the suggestion of new assistant pitching coach Christian Wonders.

    “I threw it a lot today, just trying to feel it out and see how it played,” Roupp said. “Got some good swings on it.”

    With a solidified spot in the Opening Day rotation, Roupp is headed for a significant workload spike after throwing a career-high 109 2/3 innings last year (three of those innings were during a rehab assignment).

    Roupp landed on the 15-day injured list last year with right elbow inflammation, but he believes the Giants made the move out of caution. He also missed the last month of the season after awkwardly twisting his knee at Petco Park in late August, but that injury was of the fluke variety.

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    Justice delos Santos

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  • A Healthy Shohei Ohtani Eyes the One Major Award He Hasn’t Won — a Cy Young Award

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    GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is a five-time All-Star, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a two-time World Series winner and a World Baseball Classic champion, giving him a sparkling baseball resume that no current player can touch.

    The only major honor he hasn’t won? A Cy Young Award.

    Given his track record, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the two-way Japanese star add that trophy to his collection in 2026.

    “I think it’s fair to say he expects to be in the Cy Young conversation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday. “We just want him to be healthy, make starts, and all the numbers and statistics will take care of themselves.

    “But, man, this guy is such a disciplined worker and expects the most from himself.”

    Just 105 days after the Dodgers became MLB’s first back-to-back champs in a quarter century — beating the Toronto Blue Jays in a thrilling Game 7 — Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the rest of the team’s pitchers and catchers went through their first spring training workout at Camelback Ranch on Friday.

    Ohtani is expecting to be a full-time, two-way player for the first time since 2023. An elbow injury kept him off the mound for the 2024 season and he returned to pitching midway though last year, going 3-0 with a 4.43 ERA in the postseason to help the Dodgers capture their second straight World Series title.

    Roberts said an injury-free offseason — where he could focus on rest, recovery and strength — should make him even more formidable on the mound this season.

    “He just looks strong, but not too much mass,” Roberts said. “Watching him throw, watching him run, his body is moving well. I think he’s in a sweet spot.”

    The 31-year-old Ohtani munched on breakfast and laughed with teammates in the clubhouse before his bullpen session, fully comfortable in what are now familiar surroundings. He’s entering his third season with the franchise that has helped him blossom into the biggest baseball phenomenon in decades.

    “I was finally able to have a normal offseason,” Ohtani said. “Although the offseason was pretty short, I thought it was a good thing.”

    Ohtani said he arrived at Camelback Ranch at the beginning of the month and Friday’s bullpen — which he said went well — was his third of the spring. The goal is to throw live batting practice next week before he leaves to join Team Japan in Tokyo, where it will be playing in the World Baseball Classic.

    He won’t be pitching for Japan in the WBC — focusing solely on his work at the plate.

    Roberts said keeping Ohtani off the mound in the WBC was a collaborative decision that focused on his long-term health.

    “As much as people think that he’s not human, he’s still a human being who has had two major surgeries,” Roberts said. “He’s got a long career ahead of him.”

    The timeline and schedule of the WBC — Team Japan could be playing from March 6-17 on two different continents — makes Ohtani’s preparation for the Dodgers’ opening day game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 26 a challenge. Neither Roberts or Ohtani were sure what his throwing schedule would look like in Japan.

    Roberts said he’s sure Ohtani will want to be ready to pitch at the beginning of the season, but the team would be flexible.

    “It’s delicate,” Roberts said. “We’ll know more in the next couple weeks and see where the progression is at. But for us, there’s not going to be any timeline or endline or finish line where he has to be ready.”

    The Dodgers enter the season as World Series favorites. They were big spenders on the free agent market once again, landing four-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker on a $240 million, four-year deal that further exacerbated the divide between baseball’s haves and have nots. Los Angeles also nabbed star reliever Edwin Díaz on a $69 million, three-year deal.

    Díaz also threw a bullpen on Friday. He had a 1.63 ERA and 28 saves for the New York Mets last season.

    “Guys are anxious,” Roberts said. “We’ve got a long camp, longer than we’ve had in recent years. We’re trying to get guys to start slow and be intentional and methodical. That’s kind of the message.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Feb. 2026

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    Associated Press

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  • How SF Giants’ additon of Arráez affects Schmitt, Fitzgerald, Koss

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    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Giants were intent on adding a second baseman this winter. They couldn’t land Brendan Donovan. Or Nico Hoerner. Or CJ Abrams. Then, a week-and-a-half before spring training, they landed Luis Arráez, a three-time batting champion with a divisive skillset, on a one-year deal.

    For Casey Schmitt, the ripple effect was obvious. Despite an encouraging season, one where he grinded through multiple brutal injuries, Schmitt will transition from starting second baseman to San Francisco’s utility man.

    “Casey did make some big strides last year,” said president of baseball operations Buster Posey on Tuesday. “(Christian) Koss, same thing. Adding a guy like Arráez, I think, is an opportunity for a guy like Casey and a guy like Koss to learn from, as well as they continue their development. And then it just gives us another layer of depth in our infield to have Arráez.”

    Having played all four infield positions, Schmitt is plenty qualified for the role. Still, there’s an argument that Schmitt, who turns 27 in March, deserved a chance to start at second base — and that the Giants should’ve dedicated the $12 million they spent on Arráez to its pitching staff.

    Schmitt’s third season in the majors was his best to date, one that ended with him seizing the starting second baseman job. His numbers don’t leap off the page but he totaled career-highs in homers (12), RBIs (40) and games (95) while posting a .706 OPS (101 OPS+).

    The former second-round pick struggled for the first two months, missing time due to a left oblique strain. When Matt Chapman hit the injured list, Schmitt took off as Chapman’s temporary replacement. Before Chapman’s injury, Schmitt had a .521 OPS over 58 plate appearances. From June 10 onward, Schmitt posted a .742 OPS over 290 plate appearances.

    That performance is especially impressive considering his body was a magnet for baseballs.

    On June 15, the day the Giants traded for Rafael Devers, Schmitt fouled a pitch off his left foot and left the game.

    On June 25, Schmitt got nailed in the left wrist by a 95.2 mph sinker from the Miami Marlins’ Calvin Faucher.

    On August 15, the Tampa Bay Rays’ Edwin Uceta nailed Schmitt on the right elbow with a 93.3 mph fastball, forcing Schmitt to leave the game.

    On September 1, Chase Dollander, who played for new manager Tony Vitello at Tennessee, hit that same right elbow with a 95.7 mph sinker.

    Schmitt described the season as “a little bit of a grind physically and mentally,” but thought the season went well overall. He conceded that the left wrist ailment affected his swing, particularly his ability to hit the inside fastball.

    The wrist kept barking after the season, and Schmitt underwent surgery in December to remove the carpal boss in his left wrist. He’s a little behind schedule compared to other position players in camp, but has one more week of his hitting progression before being fully cleared for all baseball activities.

    Assuming health, Schmitt is the overwhelming favorite to win a spot on the bench as a utility player. Schmitt, who has dropped five to ten pounds, said he hasn’t done any work in the outfield aside from shagging fly balls, and Vitello said the Giants haven’t discussed getting Schmitt reps in the outfield.

    “It just seemed to be a season of interruption for him,” Vitello said. “For him to do what he did and look back on it and still gain valuable reps … he should take confidence in that he was able to accomplish things, but he also he was able to build up some experience.”

    Added Vitello: “To me, if he’s of the right mindset and he prepares the way I think he will with Wash, he kind of becomes a weapon at third base and second base defensively.”

    Schmitt isn’t the only primary infielder affected by the team’s signing of Arráez.

    For Koss and Tyler Fitzgerald, the path to an Opening Day roster spot becomes more unclear. Given the positional inflexibility of Arráez and Rafael Devers (and potentially Bryce Eldridge), it’s pretty much a prerequisite for Fitzgerald and Koss to play in the outfield.

    Fitzgerald and Koss aren’t unfamiliar with grazing the grass. The former has played 61 combined games in the outfield in the majors and minors, while Koss has seen time in the outfield in both the minors and the Puerto Rican Winter League.

    “I think grabbing reps voluntarily is important, but also it’s on us, if we see a point where it’s like, there could be a day in May where this guy needs to help us at this position, then we need to put him that position in spring training,” Vitello said.

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    Justice delos Santos

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  • Rangers lose top prospect, infielder Sebastian Walcott, to UCL injury and surgery

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    FILE – This is a 2025 photo of Sebastian Walcott of the Texas Rangers baseball team. This image reflects the Texas Rangers’ active roster as of Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, when this image was taken in Surprise, Ariz. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

    The Associated Press

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  • One dead, dozens hurt when bus carrying community college baseball team crashes in Iowa

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    A community college bus carrying the school’s baseball team crashed and overturned in a ditch in rural Iowa on Wednesday, authorities said, killing one person and injuring all the other 32 occupants.

    The 11 a.m. crash involved the Iowa Lakes Community College bus and no other vehicles, the Iowa State Patrol said in a statement. It occurred on a highway near Twin Lakes, about 110 miles northwest of Des Moines.

    The name of the deceased victim was not immediately released. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Paul Gardner confirmed to CBS News that the other 32 occupants aboard the bus were hurt.

    Three people were airlifted to trauma hospitals in Des Moines, said Bruce Musgrave, director of Calhoun County Emergency Medical Services, and others were taken by ambulance to four hospitals in the area.

    KTIV-TV reported that the college’s baseball team was on board.

    Iowa State Patrol is investigating.

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  • ‘Never know’: SF Giants’ Eldridge starts shagging outfield fly balls but focus remains at first base

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    SCOTTSDALE — Bryce Eldridge used two different gloves on the backfield at Scottsdale Stadium on Tuesday morning. One belonged to him; the other belonged to Jung Hoo Lee.

    Eldridge dedicated the early part of his morning to working on infield defense, beaming with joy as he described his first fielding session with new infield coach Ron Washington. Then, as the first position player groups took batting practice, Eldridge grabbed Lee’s glove and headed out to left field to shag fly balls alongside outfielder Drew Gilbert.

    To be clear, Eldridge isn’t changing positions anytime soon. He is a first baseman, and barring the unforeseen, he will continue to be a first baseman. But his presence in the outfield might be a common sight this spring.

    Eldridge told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that manager Tony Vitello wants him to shag fly balls just in case a need suddenly arises. The Giants’ top prospect added that he will just be shagging and he won’t be taking reps with the team’s actual outfielders.

    “My mom’s shipping my outfield glove that I’ve never used because I haven’t played outfield in the last two years,” Eldridge said.

    Eldridge, 21, isn’t completely unfamiliar with the outfield. In 2023, Eldridge played 26 minor-league games in right field after the Giants selected him in that year’s draft. The following year, San Francisco moved Eldridge to first base, the only defensive position he has played the last two seasons.

    “I never really got a chance to get comfortable out there. I never played out there in high school, so for what it’s worth, I felt comfortable enough,” Eldridge said. “Obviously, it probably wasn’t pretty. You can ask the Low-A (San Jose) coaches if it was pretty or not. I felt like I did a good job.”

    Eldridge, in all likelihood, won’t be anything more than an emergency outfielder in the same way that teams have an emergency catcher.

    The Giants will always carry at least one, if not two, outfielders on the bench, and utility players Tyler Fitzgerald and Christian Koss have professional experience in the outfield. Even new second baseman Luis Arráez has played 48 games in left field, though he hasn’t played the position since 2021. For Eldridge to see time in the outfield, multiple things would have had to go off the rails.

    Still, as Eldridge put it, you “never know.”

    “Me and Gilbert are really tight, so he … was giving me some tips on how to prep and approach the ball when it’s on the ground and how to go about it,” Eldridge said. “I was kind of just running around there. I would run for one, then I saw another one in the air and go sprint. He’s like, ‘Dude, just take a rep, take it seriously, go reset.’ I’m kind of out there doing cardio.”

    While Eldridge’s attitude regarding his outfield duties is more of the laissez-faire variety, his approach to improving as a defender at first base is anything but.

    Eldridge, who is full go after undergoing left wrist surgery in October, has been in Arizona since January and has been taking grounders for over a month. After completing fielding drills with Washington and Jolbert Cabrera, the fundamentals coach for Triple-A Sacramento, Eldridge listened intently to Washington’s defensive guidance for several minutes.

    If Eldridge has a good spring, he and Washington may both be standing on Oracle Park’s third-base line on Opening Night.

    Eldridge will be one of the biggest storylines to monitor over the next six weeks. The Giants’ top prospect isn’t guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster, and it’s possible he starts the season with Sacramento despite making his debut last September.

    “I knew coming into (camp) last year that I didn’t really have a chance to make it, so it’s definitely different,” Eldridge said. “It makes it easier to relax and have fun. We heard a good message from Willy (Adames) and (Matt) Chapman in a camp the other week, saying everyone just has to be themselves and don’t try to impress (anybody). I feel like being myself is what got me here, so I’m just going keep being myself.”

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  • MLB players strike deal to be turned into AI characters that can chat with fans

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    Major League Baseball players have agreed to let a tech company create AI characters of themselves that can chat and interact with fans

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  • Florida’s DeSantis and MLB commissioner support new Rays stadium in Tampa

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis joined Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday in supporting a proposed new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, a project that could determine whether the franchise remains in the region long term.

    The Rays are under lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg through at least the 2028 season, but the Trop sustained significant hurricane damage in 2024 and a $1.3 billion redevelopment deal fell through last year, raising new questions about the future of the team, which is under new ownership.

    The newly proposed ballpark would be built in Tampa, in the shadows of the New York Yankees’ spring training facility and across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

    While the governor and commissioner both said they believe baseball belongs in Tampa Bay, few specifics were offered during a news conference in Tampa, including how much the proposal would cost or when it would be completed.

    “In the coming days, you’ll see the first renderings of our new development and ballpark, the new forever home of the Tampa Bay Rays that will serve as a catalyst for this new community,” Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby said.

    Manfred noted that the key to economic success for most sports franchises is a strong partnership between the team, the community and the local government.

    “Today’s an important day, a milestone along a path that I believe will lead to the Tampa Bay Rays being a part of this community for decades to come,” Manfred said.

    Last month, the Rays signed a nonbinding memorandum of agreement with Tampa’s Hillsborough College to build a multiuse facility on a 113-acre site along Dale Mabry Boulevard. The project has been compared to Truist Park, where the Atlanta Braves play. The development would include a hotel, residential and retail areas along with multiple restaurants and bars.

    The Hillsborough County Commission will discuss the stadium proposal during its regular meeting on Wednesday. An agenda item posted on the county’s website notes that the Rays have expressed intent to “bear a minimum of 50% of the cost of the construction of a ballpark.”

    In that document, the team noted it would redevelop the Hillsborough College campus as a mixed-use campus district with retail, restaurants, entertainment, multifamily residential areas, hotels and a new building for classroom and administrative uses.

    The remainder of the cost, which hasn’t yet been made public, would be left to public funding of some kind.

    It’s unclear whether the county or city would be open to using local financing, which could include a local bed tax, for the project.

    Any framework of funding for the stadium would have to be presented to the county commission, the city of Tampa and the Tampa Sports Authority for consideration.

    DeSantis, while expressing full support for the proposal, said the state would not contribute direct funding to the stadium but could assist with road improvements and relocating a nearby juvenile justice facility.

    The Rays have played 27 of their 28 seasons at Tropicana Field, located across Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg. Last season, the team played at Steinbrenner Field due to damage to Tropicana Field caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024. The Category 5 storm shredded the roof off the domed stadium, which took over a year to repair.

    The storm damage and the rising costs of repairs and new construction contributed to Stuart Sternberg’s decision to withdraw from a proposed deal with St. Petersburg last year and sell the team.

    Babby is part of the new ownership group, which includes Patrick Zalupski, the CEO of Jacksonville-based Dream Finders Homes Inc., and Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage in Ohio. Babby also leads Fast Forward Sports Group, which owns minor league teams in Jacksonville, Florida, and Akron, Ohio.

    Repairs at the Trop are complete, and the team is scheduled to return for the 2026 season.

    The Rays are on the clock. Their lease at the Trop could be extended past 2028 until a stadium is completed. But no specifics have been addressed.

    Through the years, there have been talks of relocating the team to Orlando or elsewhere.

    On Tuesday, Manfred reiterated he does not view the new proposal as a last-ditch effort to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay.

    “I do think we’re at a point in the history of the club that something needs to get done, but I would be hesitant to characterize it as it’s this or never again,” Manfred said.

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  • Eugenio Suárez and the Reds Agree to a $15 Million, 1-Year Contract, AP Sources Say

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    Eugenio Suárez and the Cincinnati Reds have agreed on a $15 million, one-year contract, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Sunday night.

    The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and had not been announced.

    Suárez was the top slugger left on the free agent market and the two-time All-Star returns to Cincinnati, where he played seven seasons. He hit 189 home runs for the Reds from 2015 through 2021, including 49 in 2019.

    The move gives the Reds the proven power hitter they had been seeking throughout the offseason. A third baseman for most of his 12-year major league career, the 34-year-old Suárez is expected to be Cincinnati’s primary designated hitter and perhaps play some games at third base or first.

    The team has Gold Glove winner Ke’Bryan Hayes at third, and touted prospect Sal Stewart is likely to play first.

    The Reds were one of many teams interested in Suárez at the trade deadline last year, but they didn’t want to part with key prospects. He was traded from Arizona to Seattle on July 31 and finished fifth in the majors with 49 home runs and fourth with 118 RBIs. He batted .228 overall with an .824 OPS.

    Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati has averaged 2.67 home runs per game since it opened in 2003. That is the second-highest homer rate in the majors among ballparks to host at least 1,200 games.

    Suárez was traded by the Reds to Seattle during spring training in 2022. He spent two seasons with the Mariners before getting traded to the Diamondbacks.

    Suárez broke into the majors with Detroit in 2014. He is a .246 career hitter with 325 homers, 949 RBIs and a .792 OPS.

    AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Ohtani Won’t Pitch in World Baseball Classic, Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Says

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    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani won’t pitch for Japan in the World Baseball Classic in March, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday.

    Roberts said it was Ohtani’s decision to focus solely on being the designated hitter for his native country.

    He said the team “absolutely” would have supported Ohtani if he had wanted to also pitch. Ohtani’s teammate and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch for Japan in the WBC despite his heavy workload with the Dodgers last season.

    “Yoshi feels he wants to take it on and feels good, and we support him,” Roberts said at the team’s fan fest.

    Ohtani made two starts for Japan in the 2023 WBC and then came out of the bullpen in the ninth inning to clinch the championship by striking out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out against the United States.

    Ohtani tore his ulnar collateral ligament in August that year and later underwent elbow surgery, which kept him from pitching during his first season with the Dodgers in 2024, when he was their full-time designated hitter.

    He gradually returned to pitching last year and made four postseason starts during the Dodgers’ run to their second straight World Series championship.

    Ohtani didn’t confirm his decision not to pitch in the WBC when speaking with reporters before Roberts. The four-time MVP said through a translator that he had to “see how my body feels, feel the progression and see what happens.”

    The 31-year-old Ohtani said he’s had a normal offseason because he hasn’t been rehabbing from injury.

    “I’m very healthy,” he said. “Glad that I am.”

    Roberts said he won’t manage Ohtani any differently now that he’s going to pitch a full season. He said there will be ample rest days in between starts and Ohtani won’t be scheduled for any more two or three-inning starts.

    Ohtani, Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki were teammates on Japan’s WBC title team in 2023. But Sasaki won’t be pitching this time, coming off a rookie season filled with ups and downs that ended with him pitching out of the bullpen for the Dodgers.

    The WBC runs from March 5-17.

    Roberts is pondering his starting lineup ahead of the team reporting for spring training in Arizona on Feb. 13.

    “I do feel great about having Shohei lead off. I do feel great about having Will (Smith) in the 5 (spot) and then after that, I’m going to kind of read and react,” he said. “You certainly see Mookie (Betts) in the 3 (spot).”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Mariners Broadcaster Rick Rizzs Reflects On His Career As He Embarks In His Last, And 41st, Season – KXL

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    SEATTLE (AP) — As Seattle Mariners chairman John Stanton spoke fondly of Rick Rizzs on Wednesday morning, the longtime play-by-play broadcaster pulled a box of tissues close and looked around the team’s interview room in anticipation of the inevitable.

    Rizzs, who will retire at the end of the 2026 season after his 41st year in the booth in Seattle, could only hold back tears for so long while manager Dan Wilson, superstar Cal Raleigh and dozens of others looked on. And as the 72-year-old Rizzs recollected stories of both listening and writing to former Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse as a kid while growing up on Chicago’s South Side, he finally let the waterworks flow.

    “You get to a certain point where you’re not that little kid watching the games on TV,” said an emotional Rizzs, “wishing you were Jack Brickhouse at 12 years old.”

    When Rizzs got the chance to call major league games after being hired by the Mariners in 1983 to pair with Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus, he had already lived out his dream. After broadcasting minor league baseball games in Alexandria, Virginia; Amarillo, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; and Memphis, Tennessee; Rizzs’ goal was to be in the big leagues for just one year.

    Instead, he’s in his fifth decade in Major League Baseball. Rizzs also broadcast games for the Detroit Tigers from 1992-1994. But, it was in the Pacific Northwest that Rizzs became a household name, laid down roots and was part of some of the most memorable moments in Mariners franchise history.

    “I made Seattle my home,” Rizzs said. “I grew up in Chicago, but Seattle’s my home.”

    Rizzs said he had been contemplating retirement, and even considered calling it quits on a storied career after the 2025 season, one of the most successful in franchise history. In consultation with the Mariners, Rizzs decided to embrace the spotlight and enter the 2026 season with the public knowing it would be his last.

    As much as Rizzs has cherished his career as a broadcaster, he recognizes he has missed a lot, and at this stage of his life has spent a lot of time contemplating how he wants to spend it. Rizzs would like to spend more time with his grandkids, play a bit more golf and travel — to cities of his choosing, that is.

    “I want to get on a plane that I want to get on,” Rizzs said to roars of laughter. “I want to go to a place that I want to go. I want to go to Italy and eat my brains out.”

    But, Rizzs insisted he is not going away quite yet. He intends on going to spring training each year in Peoria, Arizona, and spending plenty of time around the Mariners. And should Rizzs have it his way, the Mariners will improve upon last year’s disappointing finish in which Seattle lost Game 7 of the American League championship series to the Toronto Blue Jays.

    “We’re going to get to the World Series this year,” Rizzs said, “and we’re going to win it this year.”

    Though the Mariners’ on-field performance is out of Rizzs’ control, what will be within it is cherishing every moment of his season. Rizzs looks forward to arriving early to the ballpark, chatting with players and coaches alike each day and enjoying every remaining broadcast.

    From Rizzs’ point of view, it’s all been gravy after that first season broadcasting for the Mariners.

    He’s been in the booth for the Mariners’ magical 1995 run to the AL Championship Series, which coincided with the King County Council approving funding for a new stadium. Rizzs donned a headset during the Mariners’ 116-win season in 2001, and was on the call for Raleigh’s game-tying, eighth-inning home run against the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the 2025 ALCS.

    Suffice to say, when Rizzs said he has enjoyed the “greatest life in the world,” he meant every word of it.

    “This has been truly a joy,” Rizzs said. “Lou Gehrig said it best: I’m the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”

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  • Peralta Willing to Consider Multiyear Deal With Mets but Wants to Get Settled in New York First

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Freddy Peralta is willing to consider a multiyear contract with the Mets before reaching free agency.

    But he wants to get settled in New York first.

    “I’ve got to see around, share time with my teammates and think about different ideas, learn about everybody, coaches (and) the organization in general,” the All-Star pitcher said Tuesday. “And then we can see.”

    The 29-year-old Peralta is due to make $8 million this season after the Brewers picked up their club option on a deal he signed in 2020. He can become a free agent following the World Series.

    So next winter, Peralta could be in line for a very lucrative contract as one of the most attractive players on the open market. And with only one year of club control remaining, he couldn’t fully ignore the chatter about a potential trade from small-market Milwaukee this offseason — or resist connecting the dots that made a move to the Mets a likely outcome.

    “I was trying to avoid that but I couldn’t because family members (and) everybody (was) talking about it all the time,” Peralta said on a Zoom call with reporters. “But I had a feeling that I was coming to the Mets.”

    His hunch came to fruition last Wednesday, when New York sent pitcher Brandon Sproat and touted prospect Jett Williams to the Brewers for Peralta and right-hander Tobias Myers.

    The deal reunites Peralta with Stearns, who ran Milwaukee’s front office from 2015-23. Stearns pulled off one of his biggest moves with the Brewers on Dec. 9, 2015, when he acquired Peralta, then a 19-year-old who hadn’t pitched above rookie ball, from the Seattle Mariners for veteran first baseman/designated hitter Adam Lind.

    “I knew that something was going to happen and it was a little hard at the same time, because I spent my whole career in Milwaukee and there’s a lot of great memories over there,” Peralta said. “But this is a business and anything can happen. I was prepared for the moment. And being honest, I’m really happy to be here in New York and be a member of the Mets organization.”

    Peralta’s arrival gives New York a much-needed frontline starter and appears to cap a hectic offseason for the retooled Mets, who parted ways with lineup mainstays Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo as well as star closer Edwin Díaz.

    New York’s rotation wore down last season, when the Mets had the best record in the majors through June 12 but missed the playoffs.

    Peralta made the National League All-Star team and finished fifth in Cy Young Award balloting last year, when he led the NL with 17 wins and also set career bests with a 2.70 ERA in 176 2/3 innings over 33 starts. He struck out 204 batters, six shy of his single-season high established in 2023.

    Peralta and Dylan Cease are the only major league pitchers to make at least 30 starts and record at least 200 strikeouts in each of the last three seasons. The Mets haven’t had a pitcher make 30 starts in consecutive campaigns since Steven Matz and two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom did so in 2018 and 2019.

    Kodai Senga, who had 202 strikeouts as a rookie in 2023, is the lone New York pitcher with a 200-strikeout season since 2019.

    Converted reliever Clay Holmes led the Mets with 12 wins, a 3.53 ERA and 31 starts last season, when only Holmes, Senga and David Peterson reached 100 innings for New York.

    “I think that’s the No. 1 important thing for me — to be healthy, to be ready every five days to take the ball and go and pitch and be there for the team,” Peralta said. “That’s what I have on my mind all the time — get the necessary work with the trainers in the weight room, mentally with the pitching coaches, just to protect myself and try to be there every five days. Because I know when you have 30 starts, ideally 30-plus starts, something good is going to be on the line.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Giants and Outfielder Harrison Bader Agree to $20.5 Million, 2-Year Contract, AP Source Says

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    SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Free agent outfielder Harrison Bader and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $20.5 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday.

    The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.

    The 31-year-old Bader batted .277 with 17 home runs, 54 RBIs and a .796 OPS in 146 combined games with Minnesota and Philadelphia last season — setting career highs in all those categories.

    He was especially productive for the Phillies after they acquired him at the July 31 trade deadline, hitting .305 with an .824 OPS in 50 games for the NL East champions.

    Bader, a Gold Glove center fielder with St. Louis in 2021, played all three outfield spots for the Twins last season. Philadelphia used him strictly in center, where he’s spent most of his career.

    A right-handed batter, Bader is a .247 career hitter with 88 homers, 322 RBIs, 105 stolen bases and a .714 OPS in nine major league seasons with the Cardinals, Yankees, Reds, Mets, Twins and Phillies.

    AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Minnesota Twins bring back Taylor Rogers to fortify bullpen, finalize Caratini deal

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    The Minnesota Twins signed left-hander Taylor Rogers to a one-year, $2 million contract to bring the veteran reliever back to his original team as part of a bullpen revamp Friday, while also finalizing a two-year, $14 million deal with catcher Victor Caratini.

    Rogers and Caratini were at Target Field for their physical exams to make their signings official, after recently agreeing to terms. Rogers had a 3.15 ERA in 319 appearances over his first six major league seasons with the Twins, accumulating 361 strikeouts in 314 2/3 innings. He became a closer in 2019 and made the All-Star team in 2021.

    “The Taylor Rogers we knew in ’18 and ’19 is going to be different than this guy, but he’s still a really good reliever and I think he’s going to have a big impact in our bullpen not only pitching-wise but with the ability to lead our group,” said new manager Derek Shelton, who was the bench coach for the Twins during part of Rogers’ first stint with the club.

    Over the last four years, Rogers has pitched for five teams. He was traded to the San Diego Padres right before the 2022 season and then to the Milwaukee Brewers right before the deadline. Rogers signed with the San Francisco Giants in 2023 to join his twin brother, Tyler Rogers, and was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds in 2025. The Reds traded him to the Chicago Cubs at the deadline last summer.

    The 35-year-old Rogers has a career 3.34 ERA in 566 relief appearances, with 626 strikeouts in 541 1/3 innings and 83 saves. Rogers, who was drafted by the Twins as a starter in the 11th round in 2012 out of Kentucky, was converted to relief just before his major league debut in 2016.

    The Twins traded their top five relievers during the week leading up to the deadline last season: Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Brock Stewart and Danny Coulombe. Rogers will mix in with bullpen holdovers Cole Sands, Justin Topa and Kody Funderburk.

    “It’s the most obvious area of need coming into the offseason, something we feel like ‘Rog’ is a step in that direction, but help in that regard is going to come in all shapes and sizes,” general manager Jeremy Zoll said ahead of the team’s annual fan festival.

    The 32-year-old Caratini, who will also be in the mix at first base and designated hitter while backing up catcher Ryan Jeffers, hit .259 in 2025 in his second season with the Houston Astros and set career bests with 12 homers, 46 RBIs and 386 plate appearances.

    The 32-year-old switch-hitter has a .244 batting average over nine major league seasons. The Twins will be his fifth different team. Among active catchers with a minimum of 3,500 innings behind the plate, Caratini’s catcher ERA of 3.92 ranks eighth best in baseball.

    To make room on the 40-man roster for Caratini and Rogers, the Twins designated right-handed reliever Pierson Ohl and catcher Jhonny Pereda for release or assignment.

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