Category: Baseball

The United States wasted little time showing how potent its roster could be at the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

The Americans needed just three batters to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning of their exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday after Bobby Witt Jr. singled, Bryce Harper doubled and three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge hit a two-run single.

The U.S. won 15-1 with a 19-hit performance in the 10-inning contest. Roman Anthony hit a two-run homer, Alex Bregman added a solo shot and Gunnar Henderson had a two-run double.

“We’ve got a great group of guys,” Harper said. “Bobby Witt starting it at the top, being a table-setter up there for us. Obviously, one through nine we’ve got a pretty good dynamic. We’ve just got to continue to be good.”

National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes had a solid outing, giving up one run and one hit while striking out four over three innings. The right-hander gave up a leadoff double to Willy Adames, who scored on a groundout.

The 23-year-old retired his last nine batters.

“It’s a spring-training game, but it’s still surreal,” Skenes said. “It’s going to be exciting when we get to Houston and it’s the real deal.”

Left-hander Matthew Boyd followed Skenes, striking out four over 2 2/3 scoreless innings. David Bednar, Mason Miller, Griffin Jax and Gabe Speier each threw a scoreless inning.

The Americans are trying to win their second WBC title and first since 2017. Manager Mark DeRosa said he was thrilled that all the starters stayed in the dugout well after being taken out of the game, talking with their temporary teammates.

“You look down the dugout, you’re seeing Bregman talking to Roman Anthony, you’re seeing (Tarik) Skubal and Skenes on the top step, you’re seeing Judge and (Cal) Raleigh talking,” DeRosa said. “That’s what I wanted to create, the coaching staff wanted to create — an environment where these guys didn’t want to leave.”

Bregman — who lives in the Phoenix area — had several U.S. teammates over for dinner last night. He said 23-time U.S. gold medalist swimmer Michael Phelps spoke to the group for motivation.

“He just shared what it takes,” Bregman said. “Controlling the controllables and getting after it.”

The U.S. will play one more exhibtion game in Arizona on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies before traveling to Houston on Thursday to prepare for the the group stage.

San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb will start the opener against Brazil on Friday. Two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal is expected to start Saturday against Britain, followed by Skenes vs. Mexico on Monday.

New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean is tentatively scheduled to start on Tuesday in the final pool-play game against Italy, even though he’s dealing with vertigo-like symptoms and hopes to join the U.S. in Houston. DeRosa said after Tuesday’s exhibition that McLean’s health was improving.

Skubal is expected to make just one start for the U.S. before rejoining the Detroit Tigers for the remainder of spring training.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

No one will be asking themselves, “Which MLB stars are playing in the 2026 World Baseball Classic?” Instead, they’ll be asking, “Which MLB stars aren’t playing in the 2026 World Baseball Classic?”

Yes, this tournament is absolutely stacked with MLB’s best.

The games begin on Wednesday night and here are the 26 best players — positions players and pitchers — in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Note: Pitchers who are part of the Designated Pitcher Pool (e.g., Seattle Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo) aren’t included in this list. Players that are part of a team’s DPP (up to six pitchers) can be called up after the initial round. 

The 2025 season was Caminero’s first extensive time at the big-league level, and he made himself known to the masses. Launching 45 home runs, posting a .535 slugging percentage and finishing in the top-eight percent of MLB in average exit velocity (92.4 mph) and hard-hit percentage (51.4%), Caminero was among the most dangerous hitters in the sport, an All-Star and held his own at third base. Caminero is a future star, if he isn’t one already.

Duran puts the ball in play with consistency, cranks out extra-base hits and is a steady, versatile presence on the outfield grass. Duran led the American League in triples in both 2024 and 2025, doubles in 2024 and posted 8.7 wins above replacement in 2024. Meanwhile, he has posted a combined 32 defensive runs saved in left field and center field since 2024.

Bregman is a proven commodity. The star third baseman is smooth at the hot corner and has a crisp swing from the right side of the plate. Bregman seldom strikes out, slugs at a plausible rate and remains a highly effective player. Last season, he totaled 18 home runs, 62 RBIs and 3.5 wins above replacement across 114 regular-season games with the Red Sox.

Smith, an All-Star in each of the last three seasons, is among the elite catchers MLB has to offer. He’s a veteran behind the plate and has a sweeping swing from the right side. Smith is coming off arguably his best offensive season in the big leagues, posting a career-high in batting average (.296), on-base percentage (.404), slugging percentage (.497) and OPS+ (152) in the regular season. And, of course, he hit the go-ahead home run for the Dodgers in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.

Machado is still raking. The star third baseman, who’s a two-time Gold Glover and three-time Silver Slugger, is a smooth presence at third base and a potent presence at the plate. Last season, Machado finished in the top-eight percent of the sport in average exit velocity (92.9 mph) and hard-hit percentage (51.5%). This will be the third World Baseball Classic that Machado competes in.

His production has dipped a bit in recent years, but Harper remains one of the most intimidating hitters in the sport. Harper, a four-time Silver Slugger who made a successful transition from an outfielder to a first baseman in recent years, possesses mammoth power from the left side, boasts a career .519 regular season slugging percentage and a career .596 career postseason slugging percentage. This will be the first World Baseball Classic that Harper plays in.

Marte, who has extensive experience playing second base, shortstop and center field, is among the best players of his generation. Just one season removed from hitting a career-high 36 home runs and posting 6.8 wins above replacement, the switch-hitting Marte is both a balanced and impact hitter who’s difficult to strikeout. A Silver Slugger in each of the last two seasons, Marte posted a .329/.380/.534 slash line for Arizona in the 2023 postseason en route to winning the NL pennant.

19. Arizona Diamondbacks SS Geraldo Perdomo (Dominican Republic)

Perdomo is a burgeoning superstar. Already a stellar shortstop, it came together at the plate for Perdomo last season in emphatic fashion, with him totaling 20 home runs, 100 RBIs, 27 stolen bases and an NL-high 7.0 wins above replacement, while posting a .290/.389/.462 slash line. Defensively, he led the NL with 223 putouts and 84 double-plays turned. Perdomo finished fourth in NL MVP voting. He’s an all-around force who’s on the verge of being the face of the D-backs and challenging for the title of best overall shortstop in the sport.

Like the Orioles as a collective, Henderson is coming off a down season by his standards. Still, a “down” offensive year for Henderson (.274/.349/.438 slash line and 5.3 wins above replacement) is a quality year for the bulk of the sport. Henderson is an impact hitter who slugs at a high rate, swipes bags and is a reliable shortstop. In 2024, Henderson posted 9.1 wins above replacement and finished fourth in AL MVP voting. At his best, the 24-year-old Henderson is arguably a top-10 player.

When Tatis barrels up the baseball, it goes places. Last season, Tatis, a two-time Silver Slugger, finished in the top-five percent of MLB in average exit velocity (93.3 mph) and top-seven percent in hard-hit percentage (51.8%). Meanwhile, he posted 5.9 wins above replacement in 2025 and has won a Gold Glove in right field in two of the last three seasons (2023 and 2025). One of the faces of the sport in recent memory, Tatis is an explosive, right-handed hitter who has shown up in the postseason (career .317/.414/.700 postseason slash line).

Crow-Armstrong gave a compelling glimpse of what’s to come in his MLB career in 2025. Showcasing power from the left side, flying around and creating havoc on the basepath and playing center field at a high level, the young Cubs’ star was among the individual storylines of the 2025 season; he totaled 31 home runs, 95 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, 6.0 wins above replacement and 15 DRS in center field. Crow-Armstrong, who earned a Gold Glove and an All-Star nod, has “future star” written all over him.

Rodriguez is a special talent. He has thumping power at the plate, moves well, has great range in center field and possesses a reputable arm. It’s all about him being consistent. Last season, Rodriguez, a two-time Silver Slugger and three-time All-Star who boasts a career 130 OPS+, totaled 32 home runs, 95 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, a career-high 6.8 wins above replacement and nine DRS in center field. In the postseason, he blasted four home runs. Rodriguez is a star player with superstar talent.

14. Philadelphia Phillies LHP Cristopher Sanchez (Dominican Republic)

One could argue that Sanchez has become Philadelphia’s ace. The southpaw’s strikeout rate has increased in recent years, he’s pitching deep into games and coming off a breakout season. In 2025, Sanchez recorded a 2.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 212 strikeouts, 176 ERA+ and an NL-high 8.0 wins above replacement, with him finishing as the runner-up for the NL Cy Young Award. He then posted a 2.25 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 12.0 innings pitched in two starts for the Phillies in the postseason. Sanchez is finding success while relying on three pitches: sinker, changeup and slider.

Injuries have been a hindrance to Suarez (he has never made 30 starts in a single season), but the left-hander is a force to be reckoned with when he’s on the hill. Suarez, who deploys a consistent, five-pitch arsenal (sinker, changeup, cutter, curveball and four-seamer), works out of trouble and has been spectacular in the postseason (Suarez has a career 1.48 ERA over 42.2 innings pitched in the postseason). After spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Phillies (2018-25), Suarez signed a five-year deal with the Red Sox in the offseason.

Webb has been the rock for San Francisco’s pitching staff. He pitches deep into games, finds success with a sinker as his primary pitch and won a Gold Glove at his position last season. On that note, Webb posted an NL- and career-high 224 strikeouts in 2025, which also marked the third consecutive season that he led the NL in innings pitched and finished top-six in NL Cy Young Award voting. Webb, who owns a career 3.38 ERA, surrendered just one run across 14.2 innings pitched across two starts for the Giants in the 2021 postseason.

11. Philadelphia Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber (USA)

If we’re ranking based on raw power, Schwarber is probably No. 1 in the sport. The Phillies’ slugger rips from the left side with his level, compact swing and coming off the best statistical season of his career. In 2025, he totaled an NL- and career-high in home runs (56) and RBIs (132), while posting a .563 slugging percentage. Schwarber has ranked in the top-six percent of MLB in average exit velocity in each of the last four seasons and in the top-two percent in hard-hit percentage in three of the last four seasons.

Acuna is among the best gifted players in the sport. His exceptional talent has somewhat fallen under the radar in recent years due to him tearing his ACL in 2024. At full strength, Acuna is a dynamic force who has resounding power from the right side and wreaks havoc on the basepath. Still, across just 95 games last season (Acuna made his 2025 debut on May 23), he hit 21 home runs, posted a .518 slugging percentage and 3.0 wins above replacement. Acuna, a three-time Silver Slugger, won the 2023 NL MVP in a campaign that saw him reach the 40-40 mark (40 home runs and 40 stolen bases), while leading the sport with 217 hits and 73 stolen bases.

9. Seattle Mariners C Cal Raleigh (USA)

Raleigh is arguably the best catcher in MLB. Totaling an AL-high 60 home runs — an MLB record for a catcher — and 125 RBIs, while posting a .589 slugging percentage, 169 OPS+ and 7.4 wins above replacement, Raleigh, a 2024 Gold Glove, led the Mariners to their first appearance in the American League Championship Series in 24 years last year. Raleigh, who was the runner-up for the 2025 AL MVP Award, does damage from both sides of the plate, was already a source of power pre-2025 (30.3 home runs per season from 2022-24) and is a linchpin behind the plate for Seattle.

Soto is money. He’s pound-for-pound as balanced and clutch as any hitter in the sport in both the regular season and postseason. An impact left-handed hitter, Soto drives the ball to all fields, works the count and stole an NL- and career-high 38 bases in 2025, his first season with the Mets. Soto, who has a career .531 regular season slugging percentage and .538 postseason slugging percentage, has finished in the top-one percent of MLB in hard-hit percentage in two of the last three seasons and top-four percent in average exit velocity in each of the last three seasons. He has hit 42 home runs per season from 2024-25.

Already a fearsome right-handed hitter with considerable power, Guerrero went off in the 2025 postseason. Guerrero, a five-time All-Star, totaled eight home runs and 15 RBIs, while posting a .397/.494/.795 slash line across Toronto’s 18 postseason games. The career-long Blue Jays’ infielder seldom strikes out, has a career 136 OPS+ and posted a career-high 8 DRS at first base in the regular season. Guerrero is one of the best all-around hitters in the sport and the 2025 postseason may have been the next step for him consideration for being the game’s best player.

It took Yamamoto about six seconds to become one of MLB’s best starting pitchers. In his two years on the MLB scene (2024-2025), the Dodgers’ ace has been exceptional, logging strikeouts at a high rate, pitching deep into games and finding success with his four-seamer and split-finger fastball. Last season, Yamamoto recorded a 2.49 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 201 strikeouts and a 167 ERA+ across 173.2 innings pitched (30 starts). Then, he posted a mere 1.45 ERA, 0.78 WHIP across 37.1 innings pitched in the postseason (six appearances/five starts), highlighted by two complete games and pitching 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Game 7 of the World Series after already making two starts in the series.

Witt has lived up to the hype and then some. The star shortstop has developed into one of the elite players at his position and one of the game’s elite hitters. Witt, a Silver Slugger and Gold Glover in each of the last two seasons, led the AL in batting average in 2024 (.332), hits in each of the last two seasons and doubles in 2025 (47). Meanwhile, he has averaged 8.3 wins above replacement per season from 2024-25 and 39.3 stolen bases per season from 2023-25. Witt does it all. He hits for contact and power, creates problems with his legs and is a well-rounded fielder.

One would never guess that Skenes has made just 55 MLB starts after watching him pitch one inning. The hard-throwing Pirates right-hander has been a formidable ace since making his MLB debut in May 2024. He owns a career 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 215 ERA+. Last season, Skenes posted 7.7 wins above replacement and 216 strikeouts across 187.2 innings pitched (32 starts), helping him win the 2025 NL Cy Young Award. Skenes dominates hitters with his four-seamer, makes them silly with his sweeper and split-finger fastball, among other pitches.

He’ll only make one start in the tournament, but Skubal is the best pitcher in the sport. The southpaw has won each of the last two American League Cy Young Awards, leading the AL in ERA, ERA+ and wins above replacement in both 2024 and 2025. Skubal finds success with a changeup and four-seamer and is coming off a monster season that saw him post a 2.21 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, a 187 ERA+, 241 strikeouts and 6.5 wins above replacement in 31 regular-season starts (195.1 innings pitched). Then, Skubal surrendered just four runs while posting 36 strikeouts and an 0.68 WHIP in a combined 20.2 innings pitched across three postseason starts.

Judge is the best pure position player in the sport and the best of his generation post-Mike Trout. The Yankees’ superstar has consistently hit at a historic level and been a comforting presence in the outfield, particularly in right field. Judge has won three of the last four AL MVP Awards, while hitting 50-plus home runs and leading the AL in wins above replacement, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and walks in each of those MVP seasons (2022, 2024 and 2025). He has a level, compact swing that generates overwhelming power. Evidence? Judge has finished in the top-one percent of MLB in average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage in eight of the last 10 seasons. He’s arguably the best player to suit up for the Yankees in the 21st century.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani (Japan)

He’s not pitching in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but, when playing both ways — like the Dodgers’ superstar did in 2025 — Ohtani, a four-time MVP, is the best overall player on the planet. Ohtani has tremendous power from the left side of the plate, can swipe bags at a high rate and became the first 50-50 player in MLB history in 2024 (50 home runs and 50 stolen bases). As a pitcher, Ohtani, who owns a career 3.00 ERA, finds success by primarily throwing his four-seamer and sweeper. The only comparable player to Ohtani in MLB history is Babe Ruth. That’s where we’re at. Ohtani is a generational and historical talent in professional sports. 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

One of the most electric moments in baseball over the last decade didn’t happen in October. 

It didn’t come under the weight of a 162-game grind, or for the prize of a Commissioner’s Trophy. 

It came in March, with two countries stopping time, holding their breath, as Shohei Ohtani toed the rubber 60 feet and six inches from his then-longtime teammate, Mike Trout. Two of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history stared each other down in the championship game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Millions of people stopped what they were doing and watched the high-stakes showdown. Social-media videos showed commuters gathered around small cell-phone screens in airports, train stations and stores to witness Ohtani striking out Trout and winning the title for Japan.

At the time, it felt like compelling theater. Three years later, we can now view that celebrated at-bat as a revelation.

For years, the WBC was treated as an exhibition with too many risks attached to make the tournament truly meaningful. It disrupts spring training and the calculated management of workload build up, and it increases the potential for injury. Due to the timing of the tournament, players typically turned down requests to participate, citing their health and the importance of the MLB season. It was customary to expect just a sprinkling of big-name stars to play in the WBC, when the event was considered an unnecessary novelty that was rudely squeezed into spring training. 

Now, we’re seeing stacked rosters that resemble the Avengers of baseball for almost every top contender. It’s now more surprising if the game’s top players aren’t participating, with a foreknown injury serving as the only suitable excuse to miss it. The emotion, urgency and viewership we saw in the last WBC, peaking during that Trout-Ohtani at-bat, suggested that the tournament meant more — globally — than it used to, and maybe even more than anyone thought it would. People delayed boarding their WiFi-less planes or getting to where they needed to go in order to absorb even another second of the dramatic action. How many sporting events still exist that can stop time like that?

The WBC is no longer a sideshow orbiting Major League Baseball. The tournament has shifted to spotlighting what a sport can look like when national pride, global stars and meaningful stakes collide. 

That shift says as much about baseball’s future as it does about one unforgettable at-bat.

Consider how the global tournament used to be viewed. The inaugural 2006 WBC was widely regarded by MLB executives, managers and media as a silly interruption to the traditional spring training schedule, posing significant risks to the upcoming and more important regular season. Critics, including former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, openly expressed their disapproval. 

After Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, Al Leiter and Bernie Williams left Yankees camp for the inaugural WBC, Steinbrenner publicly praised Hideki Matsui for staying with the team rather than playing for Japan. New York’s disgruntled principal owner, who even cared about the Yankees winning March exhibition games, said that the players were “risking a lot” by participating in a “terrible idea.” Owners and players, as we know, don’t always share the same perspective.

The success of recent tournaments has resulted in more MLB players being interested in playing for their national teams. This year, the Yankees saw 12 players depart spring training for the WBC, including their most important player, Aaron Judge. 

The reigning three-time American League MVP is suiting up as the captain of the United States to play in the WBC for the first time in his career. Judge’s involvement has drawn more eyeballs to the tournament and generated more enrollment from his fellow peers. This year, Team USA has concocted the best roster of any team in WBC history. The United States is determined to avenge its 2023 WBC finals loss and reclaim glory because winning the tournament has become that important, both domestically and internationally. 

Stadiums are now packed to the rafters with fans going all out — waving flags, banging drums, painting their bodies and spending money they don’t have — to support their countries and teams. High-pressure plays and patriotic moments of glory go viral on social media, helping the sport go global beyond just the algorithms of baseball aficionados. The intense pride of playing for your country is the bedrock of the tournament. Now, players are openly saying that playing in the WBC and representing their countries is the most meaningful baseball of their careers. 

The conversation has shifted from “Should MLB players participate?” to “How soon until the next WBC?”

Of course, fans still worry about injuries. The population of Detroit is thrilled Tarik Skubal is only making one first-round start for Team USA. But everyone else who wanted to see the game’s best pitcher go up against the world’s best hitters was disappointed. Since gaining popularity and success, some fans wish that the tournament was longer than two weeks. Why not prolong the excitement? Why not more battles between dueling baseball nations? There’s a World Cup energy to the WBC because it’s a sprint, unlike the marathon of the regular season. And, in the TikTok generation where attention spans are shrinking, sprints resonate with larger audiences more than marathons. 

The buildup to the tournament feels different this time. There are more global superstars repping their countries, hungry to dethrone Ohtani and Samurai Japan. The reigning champions can be legitimately threatened by their competition. The Dominican Republic roster, led by Juan Soto, is the best it’s ever been. Venezuela, led by Ronald Acuña Jr. and Jackson Chourio, is capable of winning it all. Even Canada, which typically struggles to roster major-league players, is a dark-horse candidate to go the distance. 

Most astonishingly, for the first time in WBC history, it wasn’t so difficult to convince top major-league pitchers to break from their spring routines and participate in the tournament. Team USA’s rotation features the reigning Cy Young award winners from each league in Paul Skenes and Skubal. With elite talent in team rotations, bullpens, and lineups, there’s a playoff-level urgency brewing to bring home the gold throughout the WBC field.

So, what can MLB learn from the increasing popularity of the WBC? 

It can start by analyzing its own locker rooms. Major League Baseball has never been more international, featuring multilingual clubhouses and MVP candidates hailing from Japan, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and beyond. International free agency has drawn increased interest, highlighted by the league-wide pursuit of Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki last offseason. And, more than a quarter of MLB’s current active players originally signed as international amateur free agents.

Yet, MLB still largely markets itself as a domestic league with international contributors. Regular season games feel regional. Rivalries are division-based. The league emphasizes the nostalgia of America’s national pastime, like the recurring “Field of Dreams” games, promoting baseball as a deeply rooted institution. 

In contrast, the WBC flips that framing and shows baseball as a global sport first. WBC games are international, urgent and emotional. Every pitch carries visible stakes, emanating from the diamond and reaching the tops of the rafters. Community-driven passion and pride lead to raucous, bubbly atmospheres, complete with trumpets, various brass horns, cowbells, drums, and ōendan, or Japanese fan-led cheering squads. Baseball environments are high energy and festive, designed to support the home team and intimidate the opponent. 

The WBC shows baseball at its loudest and proudest, displaying unapologetic cultural expression, and MLB could lean into that identity year-round. It would only require capturing a fracture of that atmosphere more consistently. The upcoming tournament is a good time to start paying attention.

The increased interest in the WBC is in part due to players weighing all the risks against the reward of honoring their families and representing their countries. Some of those risks include messing with pitcher workloads, freak injuries (like closer Edwin Diaz’s complete tear of his patellar tendon while celebrating a win on the mound), future contract diminishment, and even organizational hesitation. Steinbrenner wasn’t alone in voicing his concerns over the WBC, and that sentiment still exists within front offices. 

But, over the years, players have decided that the reward is worth the risk. Global dominance and bragging rights matter. Cultural connection is as important to the product on the field as the consumers in the stands. One of the biggest storylines surrounding the WBC this year involves the absence of superstars playing in the tournament because of insurance issues related to injuries. It’s too bad we won’t see Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez playing for Puerto Rico, and the roster is worse because of it. Isn’t it possible that the short-term injury risks could be outweighed by the long-term global investment in the sport?

October still decides championships, but March may now decide the future of baseball. This WBC doesn’t feel like an interruption to the main event. It feels like a destination. Baseball doesn’t have to choose between its league and the world stage. But it can no longer pretend the world stage is secondary. The success of the WBC is proof that baseball’s heartbeat is increasingly international.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Max Scherzer says the note his daughter composed asking the Toronto Blue Jays to re-sign the three-time Cy Young Award winner arose as his kids were writing letters to Santa Claus in December.

After Scherzer agreed last week to a $3 million, one-year contract to return to the Blue Jays, his wife posted on Instagram the handwritten note from their 8-year-old daughter, Brooke.

“It’s the cutest thing you can possibly imagine when you read that, how much it meant to her to be in Toronto,” Scherzer told reporters Tuesday after his deal was finalized.

Scherzer said his kids were writing letters expressing what they wanted from Santa when Brooke approached him and his wife, Erica May-Scherzer. The 8-year-old asked for a stamp and then put it on a sealed envelope that she handed to her parents.

After Brooke went to bed, her parents opened the letter to see what she had written.

“Dear Blue Jays,” the note began, “I am so sorry that you didn’t win the World Series. I hope that you win next time. I hope my dad is back on the team. My whole family loves spending time in Toronto with our dad. We loved the aquarium, the (CN) Tower and of course the stadium. I am looking forward to come back next season. Love, Max Scherzer daughter.”

Scherzer noted he and his wife didn’t send the letter to the Blue Jays.

“That’s a bad negotiating tactic,” Scherzer said with a laugh.

Scherzer, 41, wanted to return to Toronto after the Blue Jays came so close to winning the World Series last season. The Blue Jays led in the ninth inning of Game 7 before falling 5-4 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 11th.

“Obviously we came as close as you possibly can to winning the whole thing – something you can never get over, forget or anything of that nature,” said Scherzer, who won World Series rings with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023. “That was a huge reason why I wanted to come back. This team can win. I wanted to be a part of it.”

Scherzer said he’s right on schedule for the start of the season after dealing with a thumb injury for much of last year.

“I feel healthy,” Scherzer said.

Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 regular-season starts last year. He also was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series with Seattle and made two starts in the World Series.

He wanted to return to Toronto but understood the uncertainty that comes with being a free agent. His deal with the Jays includes $10 million in available performance bonuses for innings,

“Free agency is a weird animal,” Scherzer said. “I’ve been through it many times. You think it’s going to go one way and it goes another way. I kind of knew not to get my hopes up, but like I said, I was going to be picky about where I went. I wasn’t just going to sign with anybody. There was only a couple of teams I’d sign with at this point in time, and obviously Toronto was one of them.”

Reporting by The Associated Press

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Talk about an embarrassment of riches. 

The Dominican Republic’s roster for this year’s World Baseball Classic is fully-loaded with a “Plátano Power” version of the Avengers’ superhero cast. From Juan Soto to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to Ketel Marte to Fernando Tatis Jr. to Manny Machado to Julio Rodriguez to Sandy Alcantara to Carlos Estevez, the ample amount of star power on this roster is dizzying.

It’s clear that this high-octane team, managed by future first-ballot Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, has redemption on its mind. 

In the 2023 WBC, an almost-as-stacked Dominican Republic team did not even advance to the knockout stage. They went 2-2 in the group round, picking up wins over basement dwellers like Israel and Nicaragua before falling to Venezuela and Puerto Rico and getting eliminated from the tournament. It was an unacceptable result for a bona fide baseball nation that’s celebrated for being the top international pipeline for major-league talent. Since the tournament’s inaugural 2006 season, the Dominican Republic has one WBC title, which was won in 2013, and one semifinal appearance. 

WBC Rosters: Team-By-Team Squads
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The widespread expectations match the country’s talent level. Everyone expects them to be better.

So this time, it sure looks like Pujols and his general manager, seven-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger Nelson Cruz, were only interested in recruiting the most elite players for every position. There are reinforcements throughout the roster, and this year’s Dominican Republic squad outclasses the 2023 WBC team on every level, which means expectations are once again skyrocketing. So, good luck to opposing pitchers attempting to game plan against this comic-book offense. 

There is no other way to put it. This Dominican Republic lineup is nuts.

Lineup

1. Fernando Tatis Jr.
2. Juan Soto
3. Ketel Marte
4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
5. Junior Caminero
6. Manny Machado
7. Julio Rodriguez
8. Geraldo Perdomo
9. Augustin Ramirez

And how would that look defensively?

Outfield

LF: Juan Soto

CF: Julio Rodriguez

RF: Fernando Tatis Jr.

This will be the everyday outfield alignment, and it is absolutely unmatched. Being able to slot Soto, Rodriguez and Tatis into the same outfield is the stuff movies are made of. There are 10 Silver Slugger awards and 10 All-Star honors between the three of them. And the accolades of this potent team continue climbing in the infield.

Infield

1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

2B: Ketel Marte

SS: Geraldo Perdomo

3B: Manny Machado

C: Augustin Ramirez

DH: Junior Caminero

Most of these positions are mainstays, except for shortstop and catcher. Pujols can swap Perdomo (led the National League with a 7.0 WAR, per Baseball-Reference, last year) for shortstop Jeremy Peña (bounced back after a couple of down years and batted .304 with an .840 OPS for the Astros last season). The D.R. is also rostering catcher Austin Wells behind Ramirez. Wells was inconsistent last year in his sophomore season after finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2024, but he still crushed 21 home runs in 126 games. And with Guerrero, Marte, Machacho, Caminero, Soto, Tatis and Rodriguez carrying the offense, Pujols can’t go wrong with however he chooses to fill out the rest of the lineup.

Rotation

RHP Sandy Alcántara

LHP Cristopher Sanchez

RHP Luis Severino

RHP Brayan Bello

Alcántara, the 2022 National League Cy Young award winner, will get the nod against Venezuela in the final matchup of Pool D. Sanchez, who led all major-league pitchers with an 8.0 WAR for the Phillies last season and was snubbed out of an All-Star appearance, will kick off the group stage with his start against Nicaragua. Severino, who was vocally upset about his extreme home/road splits pitching in his first season at the Athletics’ hitter-friendly ballpark, will take the hill against the Netherlands. Bello will take on Israel before the much-anticipated finale of pool play in Miami.

Bullpen

RHP Carlos Estevez

RHP Abner Uribe

RHP Dennis Santana

LHP Gregory Soto

RHP Camilo Doval

RHP Huascar Brazoban

LHP Wandy Peralta

The bullpen, too, is exceptionally strong, led by the 2025 MLB saves leader in Estevez. Behind him, Uribe’s 1.67 ERA ranked third among all major-league relievers last season. Santana turned in his career-best season for the Pirates last year, recording a 2.15 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 70 innings pitched. Consider it a fool’s errand to try and find a weakness on this roster. 

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Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai threw a 10-pitch scoreless inning and was struck by a comebacker in his spring training debut for the Houston Astros on Thursday against the New York Mets.

Imai allowed a leadoff single to Marcus Semien, whose sharp hit ricocheted off the pitcher’s lower right leg and went into foul territory. Imai was checked by an athletic trainer and stayed in the game.

“That was not what we wanted to to see. But, you know, he came back and got out of that inning, 10 pitches, up to 95 (mph),” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He looked really good out there.”

Imai finished what he said was his one scheduled inning by getting Mike Tauchman on an infield popout before Bo Bichette grounded into a double play.

“It was fun just being able to face hitters from a different organization,” Imai said through a translator.

The 27-year Imai was a three-time All-Star in Japan before agreeing in January to a $54 million, three-year contract with the Astros. Houston lost Framber Valdez when he left as a free agent and signed with Detroit.

Eight of Imai’s 10 pitches were strikes, and he threw only sinkers and changeups. All three balls put into play, none out of the infield, came on changeups, and the Astros didn’t send him back out for another inning.

“He was efficient enough where we thought about it, but thought that was enough there, especially with getting hit in the leg,” Espada said, adding, “He’s going to be sore tomorrow, that’s for sure.”

Imai had 0-2 counts on Semien and Tauchman. Bichette’s inning-ending grounder to third base came on the first pitch, an 87 mph changeup.

“With the different baseball in the big leagues, I’ve been working on kind of being able to throw all of my pitches in a zone,” Imai said. “That being said, I was kind of too much focused on throwing in the zone as opposed to executing certain pitches. So yeah, that’s something I will definitely keep working on.”

Imai was 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA last season for the Pacific League’s Seibu Lions, striking out 178 in 163 2/3 innings. He was 58-45 with a 3.15 ERA in eight seasons with Seibu.

His contract with the Astros included a $2 million signing bonus and salaries of $16 million this year and $18 million in each of the next two seasons. Based on his 2026 performance, his 2027 salary would escalate by $2 million each for 80, 90 and 100 innings, and his 2028 salary by $1 million for each level. He can opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Padres reliever Yuki Matsui’s will not pitch for Japan in the World Baseball Classic and the left-hander’s status for San Diego’s season opener in a month also is unclear because of a left groin strain.

Matsui was still throwing off flat ground Thursday, a week after cutting short a batting practice session because of the groin.

“Right now, I’m just continuing the throwing progression, getting intensities and distances of (playing) catch back up,” Matsui told reporters through a translator. “Once it’s good enough, then I’ll start throwing off the mound. But as to when, we don’t know yet.”

The 30-year-old Matsui, who is 7-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 125 appearances in two seasons since signing a $28 million, five-year with Padres, also said he wasn’t sure yet about opening day. San Diego’s opener is March 26 at home against Detroit.

Defending WBC champion Japan opens against Taiwan on March 6 at the Tokyo Dome. Matsui was replaced on Japan’s roster by left-hander Yumeto Kanemaru of the Chunichi Dragons.

“I was looking forward to playing with them,” Matsui said. “I think the Tokyo games, because of the time differences, I don’t think I can watch in real time. But I believe they’re going to make it to the round in Miami. And I think that’s when I’ll be able to watch live, and cheer for them.”

Before the 5-foot-8 Matsui joined the Padres, he had a 2.40 career ERA, 236 saves and a 1.11 WHIP over 10 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball. He was the youngest pitcher in the Japanese major leagues to reach 200 saves,. He made his Japanese big league debut at age 18 in 2014 and became a five-time All-Star for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, leading the Pacific League in saves in 2019, 2022 and 2023.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Venezuela can defeat anyone — and they’re still considered the fourth favorite to win the World Baseball Classic title this year. 

In the 2023 WBC, Venezuela and Japan were the only two teams to go 4-0 in the group stage. Venezuela looked poised to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2009, carrying a lead into the eighth inning of their quarterfinal against the United States. 

WBC Rosters: Team-By-Team Squads
WBC Power Rankings: Stacking Japan, USA and All 20 Squads

Then a grand slam off the bat of Trea Turner, a haunting memory for Venezuelans, eliminated them from the Classic. It was devastating, but three years later, Venezuela has the opportunity to avenge that loss, posing as another serious threat to the USA should they reach the championship game.

Venezuela might not have the USA’s strong pitching, Japan’s international dominance or the Dominican Republic’s flawless roster construction. So, how can they rise above the rest? 

Venezuela’s lineup depth is extraordinary, and their middle-of-the-order thump is capable of destroying opposing pitching in three swings. Ronald Acuna Jr., Jackson Chourio and Salvador Perez represent Venezuela’s version of Murderers’ Row. Even after navigating that fearsome trio, there are no breaks or time to catch your breath. William Contreras brings elite plate discipline. Eugenio Suarez is coming off one of the quietest 49-home run seasons. Luis Arraez never strikes out. Maikel Garcia and Gleyber Torres hardly ever chase pitches outside the zone. 

Manager Omar Lopez has so much lineup flexibility with this cast of characters that he can put out a different 1-through-9 combination in every game and still boast a strong and formidable offense. 

Here’s one take on what the lineup could look like:

Lineup

1. Ronald Acuña Jr. (R)
2. Luis Arraez (L) or Willson Contreras (R)
3. Jackson Chourio (R)
4. Salvador Perez (R)
5. Wilyer Abreu (L)
6. Eugenio Suarez (R) or Maikel Garcia (R)
7. Andres Gimenez (L)
8. William Contreras (R)
9. Gleyber Torres (R)

How would that look defensively?

Outfield

LF: Jackson Chourio

CF: Ronald Acuna Jr.

RF: Wilyer Abreu

This is the only part of the lineup that skipper Omar Lopez will not have to think too hard about when he’s building Venezuela’s best lineup. Chourio, Acuna, and Abreu will be fixtures in the outfield, with Javier Sanoja on the bench as their fourth outfielder. It’s the infield construction that gets tricky. Let’s take a look at it.

Infield

1B: Luis Arraez or Willson Contreras

2B: Gleyber Torres 

SS: Andres Gimenez

3B: Eugenio Suarez or Maikel Garcia

C: William Contreras

DH: Salvador Perez

There are so many ways this can go. It’s genuinely fascinating who plays the hot corner between Suarez and Garcia. If the job goes to Suarez, then Garcia can play second. But then what happens to Torres? Garcia can play shortstop, and Gimenez can shift to second, again leaving Torres as the odd man out. In another scenario, Contreras might be better suited to play first base, which would move Arraez to second. (Again, Torres?) And we haven’t even mentioned shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, the seventh infielder on Venezuela’s 30-man roster. The extreme number of combinations is headache-inducing, but it’s ultimately a good problem for Venezuela to have, particularly because these are all stellar defenders. 

Rotation

LHP Ranger Suarez

LHP Eduardo Rodriguez

RHP Keider Montero

RHP Antonio Senzatela

The starting rotation is the weakest part of Venezuela’s roster after Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez dropped out of the tournament due to a torn ligament in his elbow and Phillies southpaw Jesus Luzardo decided not to play in the WBC. Lopez was expected to be their ace, and that responsibility now rests on Suarez’s shoulders. Rodriguez has had a couple of down years in Arizona, but 25-year-old right-hander Montero showed some promise for the Tigers last year across 20 games (12 starts). But it’s not all doom and gloom. The relief corps, at least, is a silver lining. Starters will have to pitch once or twice through the order before Venezuela turns to its killer bullpen. 

Bullpen

RHP Daniel Palencia

RHP Eduard Bazardo

LHP Jose Alvarado

RHP Jose Butto

LHP Angel Zerpa

This terrific bullpen should help Venezuela stay in games, and based on how the team went about its pitching deployment during the 2023 WBC, relievers will be carrying most of the load, with a bullpen game likely in play given the club’s lack of dominant starters. Palencia (2.91 ERA, 22 saves, 52 innings pitched) and Bazardo (2.52 ERA,1.02 WHIP, 78 innings) are both coming off career-best seasons for the Cubs and Mariners, respectively. Alvarado has been a steady bullpen presence for the Phillies over the years and his veteran pedigree will benefit this group. As long as the offense shines, the defense is a wall, and the bullpen offsets any rotation concerns, Venezuela is in position to meet their sky-high expectations and get to the championship game. 

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Hope springs eternal. 

The old proverb reflects the optimism that comes along with the start of a new MLB season. A fresh start, and the possibility of contending, gives teams and their fans hope ahead of the long 162-game season. 

While that optimism is justified, the reality is that not everyone will play into October. Some teams will be bad, and some will, in fact, be very bad. 

While focusing on the odds of who will finish with the worst record, let’s take a look at some of the candidates and find a team worth wagering on.

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The Colorado Rockies at -400 (risk $4 to win $1) are the “favorite” to finish with the worst record, one of very few times in recent memory the Rockies will be favored for anything. 

Looking at their 2025 record, they are the rightful favorite. Colorado went a staggering 43-119 and were outscored by 424 runs, as it finished 50 games out of first place and 40 games out of a wild-card spot. 

Not great! 

The Rockies, however, made a few additions to the rotation that might at least raise the floor, and for this market, that’s significant. They brought in starting pitchers Michael Lorenzen and Jose Quintana, both former All-Stars, who should at least provide some much-needed stability and credibility to the starting rotation. Colorado also added Tomoyuki Sugano, who had a respectable 4.64 ERA, although his underlying stats and 33 home runs allowed are a concern when pitching at hitter-friendly Coors Field. 

The Rockies will likely be better this year, but admittedly, “better” is a low bar to clear here. At -400 odds, I don’t see the value.   

The Minnesota Twins are an interesting candidate for this category, sitting at 35-1 odds ($1 wins $35). Coming off a 70-92 season, they have already lost frontline starter Pablo Lopez for the year due to arm surgery. They are also a relatively older team, and a bad start and more injuries could lead them to sell off their best players before the trade deadline. 

At long odds, it’s not a bad bet, but getting all the way to the bottom might be tough.

The team I ultimately landed on is the Washington Nationals at +750. The Nationals won just 66 games last year, and traded All-Star pitcher Mackenzie Gore in the offseason. They also reside in a loaded division, where the Braves, Mets, and Phillies all have 90+ win potential, and the Marlins flirted with playoff contention with their exciting young core in 2025. 

Extra games against those teams spell trouble for the still-rebuilding Nationals, a team that had the worst bullpen ERA in all of MLB last season. With a starting rotation that will likely force the bullpen into use early and often throughout the season, the Nationals enter 2026 without much pitching. In a stacked division that will expose Washington’s many weaknesses, a 66-win team from last year might be even worse this year. 

PICK: Washington Nationals (+750) to win fewest games

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The stars will be on the field and in the studio for the 2026 World Baseball Classic!

FOX Sports, the home of this year’s tournament, announced its broadcasting team for the upcoming event, headlined by former New York Yankees greats Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz and FOX Sports veteran Kevin Burkhardt on the studio desk. The studio show will be live at the site of both semifinal round games (March 15 and 16) and the championship game (March 17) at loanDepot Park in Miami, FL.

– World Baseball Classic: Team Breakdowns, Predictions

Rodriguez has been an MLB studio analyst for FOX Sports dating back to his penultimate season as a player in 2015; Ortiz has been a full-time analyst for FOX Sports since 2017; Jeter is entering his fourth year at the network; Burkhardt, who has been with FOX Sports since 2013 and is also the network’s lead NFL play-by-play announcer, has been an MLB studio host for FOX since 2014. 

In the booth, Joe Davis will be the primary play-by-play announcer, with John Smoltz as the primary color commentator. They will be on the call for both semifinal round games and the title game. Davis and Smoltz are entering their fifth full-time season as a broadcasting duo for FOX.

Adam Amin and Kevin Kugler will also serve as play-by-play broadcasters throughout the 2026 WBC, with Adam Wainwright and A.J. Pierzynski also serving as color commentators. Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci will serve as reporters for the tournament. Edgar Gonzalez, Adrian Garcia-Marquez, Carlos Alvarez, Rolando Nichols and Jaime Motta will provide coverage for FOX Deportes.

Jeter, Ortiz and Rodriguez have made five WBC appearances, representing the United States and the Dominican Republic.

The 2026 WBC begins on March 4. It is the sixth WBC and the second with FOX as the primary broadcasting home.

World Baseball Classic: How To Watch

In all, 20 countries from around the world will compete in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. And with top players like Aaron Judge (USA), Shohei Ohtani (Japan), and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Dominican Republic), get ready for some high-stakes baseball.

– WBC Broadcast Schedule: How To Watch All Games

All the WBC’s 47 games will air across FOX Sports’ family of networks (FOX, FS1, FS2 and FOX Deportes), as well as the FOX Sports App and Tubi. All matchups will also be available to stream live and on-demand on FOX One. Additionally, 41 out of the 47 contests will air in Spanish across a combination of FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App, Tubi and FOX One.

The four quarterfinal games will be played on March 13 and 14 at Daikin Park in Houston. The two semifinals will be played on March 15 and 16 at loanDepot Park in Miami. The final will be in Miami on Tuesday, March 17, at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Team USA’s World Baseball Games: How To Watch

All four of Team USA’s games in Pool B will be played at Daikin Park (home of the Houston Astros) against Mexico, Italy, Great Britain and Brazil. If the USA wins its Pool, the quarterfinal game would also be in Houston before the semifinals and Championship Game take place at loanDepot Park (home of the Miami Marlins). 

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