Category: Baseball

Puerto Rico enters the 2026 World Baseball Classic as perennial contenders that demand immense respect. They’ve appeared in all five previous editions of the tournament and advanced past the group stage each time. They’ve reached the championships twice, a mark of their global impact and incredible talent depth. 

This year, their sky-high expectations haven’t changed even as they carry a diluted roster devoid of its usual high-profile icons. Star infielders Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez did not qualify for the team due to various insurance reasons, but the goal remains the same: Win the title for the first time in WBC history.

WBC Rosters: Team-By-Team Squads

Led by manager and two-time World Series champion Yadier Molina, Puerto Rico will depend on a blend of major-league experience and emerging young talent to break through in a year when they’re being underestimated. It’s fair to question whether Puerto Rico has enough offensive depth with fewer on-base machines and power threats compared to their competitors. They’ll need to depend on a trio of veterans — Nolan Arenado (who previously played for Team USA), Martin Maldonado and Christian Vazquez — with clutch hitting and championship experience to spark the offense. 

Puerto Rico’s best strength is a fiery bullpen, commanded by top closer Edwin Diaz. The latest Mets-to-Dodgers transplant returns to the international stage after his fluke injury — jumping up and down on the mound in celebration of a WBC win back in 2023 — forced Diaz to miss that entire season for the Mets. His elite swing-and-miss stuff will help Puerto Rico shut down tight games in their favor. 

WBC Power Rankings: Stacking Japan, USA and All 20 Squads

The rest of the pitching staff features intriguing arms, including veteran right-hander Seth Lugo (runner-up for the 2024 American League Cy Young award), Fernando Cruz (3.56 ERA in 49 relief appearances for the Yankees last year), and Elmer Rodriguez (the Yankees’ top right-handed pitching prospect who registered a 2.58 ERA across three minor-league levels in 2025). 

Molina and his general manager, new Cooperstown inductee Carlos Beltran, and his hitting coach, Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez, will have some tough decisions to make as they deploy a lineup that will try to prove that it’s still capable of terrorizing opposing pitchers.

Here’s one take on how Puerto can optimize its offense:

Lineup

1. Heliot Ramos (R)
2. Willi Castro (S)
3. Nolan Arenado (R)
4. MJ Melendez (L)
5. Martin Maldonado (R)
6. Carlos Cortes (L)
7. Edwin Arroyo (S)
8. Emmanuel Rivera (R)
9. Eddie Rosario (L)

How would that look defensively?

Outfield

LF: Heliot Ramos
CF: Eddie Rosario
RF: MJ Melendez

Puerto Rico will carry a total of seven players capable of playing the outfield, with Matthew Lugo and Bryan Torres filling out the bench. The starting trio of Ramos, Rosario and Melendez can be flipped around defensively, but Rosario has the most experience patrolling center field among that group. Melendez’s speed could also fare well in the center of the diamond.

Infield

1B: Emmanuel Rivera
2B: Willi Casto
SS: Edwin Arroyo
3B: Nolan Arenado
C: Martin Maldonado
DH: Carlos Cortes

This is where Puerto Rico will look unrecognizable compared to previous years. Arroyo, the Cincinnati Reds No. 8 top prospect in 2025, replaced Lindor at short. Castro, who has major-league experience playing six positions, is the team’s super-utility weapon. Cortes batted .309 with an .866 OPS in 42 games for the Athletics in his rookie season last year. Maldonado will split time behind the plate with veteran catcher Christian Vazquez. Arenado switched from Team USA to Puerto Rico for the first time this year to honor his mother, Pam, who is of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent. This will be the eight-time All-Star’s third time participating in the WBC.

Rotation

RHP Seth Lugo
RHP Elmer Rodriguez
LHP Eduardo Rivera

The starting staff looks different, and less solid, without ace Jose Berrios. The Blue Jays right-hander was also denied insurance coverage for the WBC due to his recent injury history. Puerto Rico will depend on Lugo to carry the three-man rotation, likely opting for a bullpen game in place of a fourth starter.

Bullpen

RHP Edwin Diaz
RHP Fernando Cruz
RHP Jorge Lopez
LHP Jovani Moran
RHP Jose Espada
RHP Luis Quiñones
RHP Ricardo Velez

The relief corps is Puerto Rico’s strength because it boasts the sport’s top closer in Diaz, who will enter after set-up man Cruz pitches the eighth inning. That’s as formidable (and strikeout heavy) of a backend bullpen as it gets across the WBC. Puerto Rico is likely to depend on innings from its veteran relievers, including Lopez (who is infamous for throwing his glove into the stands and igniting the 2024 OMG Mets) and Moran. Other than those four experienced hurlers, Espada, Quiñones, and Velez make up some young and interesting arms that lack big-league experience but could end up being surprising trailblazers on the international stage.

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Rowdy fans, superstars, late-inning drama and a competitive vibe that feels more like October than March.  The 2026 World Baseball Classic will have it all. 

Played across two continents and composed of 20 nations, the WBC begins on March 3 and culminates with the Championship Game on March 17 in Miami. Will we see Team USA led by Aaron Judge get revenge on Shohei Ohtani and Japan after that 2023 championship classic? Or, can a talented squad like Mexico, Dominican Republic or Venezuela make a deep run? 

Let’s start by getting familiar with the stacked rosters in Pool A and break down each side. And check back each day this week as we dive into the other pools.

Pool A: Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico
Pool B: Tuesday (Brazil, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, USA)
Pool C: Wednesday (Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Japan, Korea)
Pool D: Thursday (Dominican Republic, Israel, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Venezuela)

POOL A

This pool is set to take over Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 6–11. The hosts are the favorites to top the group, bringing its championship pedigree into a loaded five-team clash that will feature perennial contender Cuba, rising force Canada, gritty Panama and underdog Colombia. Passion, pride and powerhouse talent are sure to collide and make for an electric atmosphere.

Canada

Why This Team Can Make Noise: Turning down big-league talent? Too much depth? These are good problems to have for Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt, who has led the country in every WBC tournament from its inception in 2006. He’s seen Canada struggle to roster major-leaguers (and defeat Team USA, anyway, in the group stage in ‘06). This year, he’s received an all-time high interest from players with proven MLB experience to suit up for Team Canada, resulting in limited roster space and major-league talent at nearly every position.

Team Canada, feeling confident about its talent depth, is on a mission to break into the quarterfinals in Miami for the first time — and it has a path to get there. Canada is competing in a Pool that, for the first time, doesn’t include the United States or Mexico, a pair of persistent adversaries that impeded its advancement in the previous five tournaments. And Team Puerto Rico is weaker than ever this year, missing a few familiar faces due to insurance issues. If Canada is going to break past the group stage for the first time ever, this is the year to do it.

The Top Player(s): Brothers Josh and Bo Naylor will team up to play first base and catcher, respectively, for Team Canada. Josh Naylor, who has slugged 51 home runs over the past two seasons, is essentially replacing Freddie Freeman, who opted out from the WBC this year. Though Bo played for his native country in the last WBC, Josh is making his return to the tournament for the first time since 2017. He’s fresh off signing a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Seattle Mariners — and his customary edge and energy will be terrific assets for Canada. Also dangerous for Team Canada: outfielder Tyler O’Neill, top prospect Owen Caissie, and pitcher Jameson Taillon.  

Colombia

Why This Team Can Make Noise: This year marks just the third time Colombia has qualified for the tournament, and it could finally be the year Colombia sneaks past the pool stage. Colombia enjoyed just one win in the 2023 WBC — a jaw-dropping upset — when it defeated a heavily-favored Team Mexico, 5-4, in the group round. But even that result doesn’t tell the whole story. Team Colombia came mighty close to a couple more victories last time, eventually losing a nail-biter to the USA and again to Great Britain in heartbreaking fashion. Colombia is expected to fare better this year thanks to a blend of veterans and young talent on the roster. 

Why This Team Can Make Noise: Jose Quintana. The 37-year-old southpaw has a career ERA of 3.76 pitching for eight teams since his major-league debut for the White Sox in 2012. As he gets ready to suit up for his ninth club, the Colorado Rockies, Quintana will start by leading Colombia’s rotation. He is returning to the tournament for the first time since the country’s WBC debut in 2017, when he held the USA to just one run in 5.2 innings pitched. Behind Quintana, veteran right-hander Julio Teheran will help round out Colombia’s starting staff. 

Cuba 

Why This Team Can Make Noise: The pressure is on for Team Cuba to continue its impressive streak. Cuba has advanced out of the Pool Stage in all five previous WBC tournaments, making it one of the most successful countries in the field. In order to complete this feat for a sixth time, and try to build on last time’s successful run to the semifinals before falling to the United States, Cuba will need strong pitching from its proven arms. It has a weapon in reliever Livan Moinelo, who is the reigning MVP of Japan’s Pacific League after recording a 1.46 ERA for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in 2025.

The Top Player(s): Alfredo Despaigne. Cuba’s 39-year-old slugger is the WBC’s all-time leader in home runs with seven. Despaigne still held onto that mark after failing to clear the fences in 2023, which was the final year of his decade-plus run playing in Japan’s Western League. He returns to the international stage looking to lead Cuba’s offense, which will be without familiar faces in Yoenis Cespedes and Luis Robert Jr. Alongside Despaigne, Angels infielder Yoan Moncada will return to Cuba’s lineup after coming off a trio of injury-riddled seasons in the major leagues. 

Panama

Why This Team Can Make Noise: Even though Panama is a baseball country, it has surprisingly struggled to place any better than 11th in the WBC’s history, and that includes failing to qualify for the tournament in consecutive tries in 2013 and ‘17. Last time, Panama was excellent in a tough Pool, going 2-2, but it didn’t advance after coming out on the losing side of an unprecedented five-way tie that was decided by fewest runs allowed per defensive out recorded. To avoid a similar fate, Panama is looking to leave no doubt about its dominance and aiming to qualify for the quarterfinals for the first time. It will roster a slew of experienced major-leaguers, including a terrific defensive infield alignment, making for an advantage in the tournament.

The Top Player(s): There’s more than one standout big leaguer bringing excitement to Panama’s roster. The rotation will be led by Cleveland Guardians southpaw Logan Allen. The 27-year-old Allen, whose mother was born and raised in Panama and still has a ton of extended family in her native country, will get the nod in a huge Game 1 against Cuba. Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero will make his return to the WBC, leading the infield alongside Edmundo Soda. Johan Camargo, veteran Ruben Tejada, and catcher Miguel Amaya. 

Puerto Rico

Why This Team Can Make Noise: Sure, Puerto Rico is weaker this WBC than in previous years without star infielders Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javy Baez. But it’s still stacked with familiar MLB talents, and Puerto Rico should not be underestimated. Led by manager Yadier Molina, Puerto Rico gained another veteran in eight-time All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado, who previously played for Team USA in the 2017 and 2023 tournaments, but switched it up this year to honor his Puerto Rican-Cuban mother. While the rest of Pool A might be feeling more confident in light of Puerto Rico’s debilitated squad, the power of Bad Bunny’s support and the high-level talent from the rest of its blonde-haired roster might just be tougher to take down than anyone thinks.

The Top Player(s): The proven major-league flair on Team Puerto Rico is worth highlighting. The pitching staff features Seth Lugo, Fernando Cruz, Jorge Lopez, and of course, new Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz, who is returning to the tournament after his fluke knee injury while celebrating on the mound during the 2023 WBC. Veteran catchers Martin Maldonado and Christian Vazquez will represent half of the battery. Reds shortstop prospect Edwin Arroyo will take over for Lindor in the dirt, while Arenado holds down the hot corner. Outfielders Willi Castro, Heliot Ramos, Eddie Rosario, and MJ Melendez lengthen Puerto Rico’s lineup. 

What Will Be The Best Game of the Pool?

Every game in this pool is expected to be intense, but due to home-field advantage in front of what will definitely be a raucous crowd, Cuba vs. Puerto Rico on March 9 looks like one of the marquee matchups. 

Which Teams Advance To The Quarterfinals?

 In a bit of an upset, Canada will win Pool A. This is Canada’s best chance at advancing to the quarterfinals, and they have the star power and talent to do it. Puerto Rico, as the host country, will come close to winning the Pool Stage, but it will ultimately place as runner-up. 

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It took Aaron Judge about two seconds to shake off the offseason rust.

In what was his 2026 spring training debut for the New York Yankees, Judge hit a two-run home run to center field in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday afternoon. The next inning? He hit a two-run homer inside the left field foul pole.

Judge finished the day 2-of-3 before being deliberately removed from the game in the fifth inning.

Of course, Judge, a five-time Silver Slugger, is coming off a 2025 campaign that saw the superstar outfielder win a second consecutive American League MVP Award and third in four seasons. In the regular season, he totaled 53 home runs, 114 RBIs, a 215 OPS+ and 9.7 wins above replacement, while posting a .331/.457/.688 slash line and being intentionally walked 36 times.

Judge led the AL in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored (137), walks (124), OPS+, wins above replacement and intentional walks, among other offensive categories. He then totaled one home run and seven RBIs across New York’s seven postseason games, while posting a .500/.581/.692 slash line.

As for where Judge — who has spent his entire nine-plus-year career in New York (2016-25) — stands in Yankees’ lore, he’s third in franchise history with a .615 slugging percentage, fourth with 368 home runs and a .413 on-base percentage and sixth with 62.3 wins above replacement.

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Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to play a couple of Cactus League games for the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers before he departs the desert to join Japan for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

He was in the lineup leading off as the designated hitter scheduled, for two or three at-bats for the club’s spring training opener Saturday afternoon against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

“Sometimes he takes two, and he feels good, or he wants that third at-bat,” manager Dave Roberts said.

When asked about Ohtani’s travel plans, Roberts smiled and said, “I promised I’d try.”

Ohtani is scheduled to pitch against live hitting Sunday — and Roberts has already said the 31-year-old two-way star should be in the Cy Young Award conversation this season.

“I know that it’s going to be soon. He’s going to play in a couple Cactus League games, but I’m not exactly sure when his plane ticket is. He hasn’t said,” Roberts said. “So I don’t know what day he’s going to join Team Japan.”

In addition, right-hander and reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto was starting on the mound to pitch two innings and around 35 pitches for his lone outing for the Dodgers before he also joins the Japanese team for the WBC.

“Obviously, him going and pitching for Team Japan, he’s going to be kind of trying to ramp it up and get prepared, so I think it’s just more of what he does strike one, use his secondaries and be efficient and get some outs,” Roberts said.

Once Yamamoto returns to Los Angeles’ camp, he will be scheduled for around four innings and 60 pitches initially, according to Roberts.

The 27-year-old Yamamoto, who signed a $325 million, 12-year contract in December 2023, went 3-0 with a 1.09 ERA in the Dodgers’ seven-game World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays — so his workload after that outstanding October is something the Dodgers will monitor closely.

“I think it’s up to all of us to be mindful of workloads and short term, long term and all of that stuff, which we are,” Roberts said.

During his remarkable World Series, Yamamoto struck out 15 and walked two over 17 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and 10 hits. He and Randy Johnson are the only pitchers since 1969 to win three games in one World Series.

“I think I’m confident because there’s no exact science on ramping up early and success,” Roberts said. “Or being methodical and not participating to result in success during the season. There’s just no exact science. I think for me and for all of us you’re just believing in the player, knowing that he knows what it takes to get ready for a season, and he takes care of himself. So I think for me, it’s an easy way to kind of think and wrap my head around just kind of believing in him, trusting him.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Stars, stars everywhere.

That’s what the 2026 World Baseball Classic has in store for baseball fans when the 20-team tournament begins on March 4. Team USA, Japan, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and other countries are stacked with MLB talent and all will aim to reach the championship game on March 17 in Miami.

– World Baseball Classic: Catch all games on FOX Sports

With that in mind, here are the squads with the most 2025 MLB All-Stars on their respective rosters in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Note: Countries are listed in order of which ones have the most 2025 MLB All-Stars on their roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, with players within those countries mentioned alphabetically.

Team USA – 14

America’s roster is loaded across the board. That said, Team USA came out just short in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, losing to Japan in the championship game. Corbin Carroll would have made it 15 All-Stars on Team USA, but the Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder had to pull out following hand surgery. 

Dominican Republic – 8

The Dominican Republic boasts a stout roster in this year’s tournament, but it’s also coming off a 2023 World Baseball Classic that saw it fail to advance past pool play.

Mexico – 4

Mexico was edged out by Japan in the semifinal round of the 2023 World Baseball Classic but returns a reputable roster for this year’s tournament.

• Tampa Bay Rays 1B Jonathan Aranda
• Seattle Mariners LF Randy Arozarena
• Toronto Blue Jays C Alejandro Kirk
• Seattle Mariners RHP Andres Munoz

Venezuela has a standout roster, including other MLB proven commodities who weren’t All-Stars last season such as Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Willson Contreras and Luis Arraez, among many others. 

Japan – 3

Japan is the defending champions, as it beat Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic title game.

• Los Angeles Angels LHP Yusei Kikuchi
• Los Angeles Dodgers DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani (will not pitch at this year’s tournament)
• Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Puerto Rico was eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

• Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Edwin Diaz

Great Britain went 1-3 in pool play in the 2023 WBC.

• New York Yankees 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.

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Bill Mazeroski, the Hall of Fame second baseman who won eight Gold Glove awards for his steady work in the field and the hearts of countless Pittsburgh Pirates fans for his historic walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, has died at the age of 89.

Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said: “Maz was one of a kind, a true Pirates legend … His name will always be tied to the biggest home run in baseball history and the 1960 World Series championship, but I will remember him most for the person he was: humble, gracious and proud to be a pirate.”

Mazeroski died Friday, the Pirates said. No cause of death was given.

‘Defensive wizard’

Elected to the Hall by the Veterans Committee in 2001, he was, by some measures, no superstar. Mazeroski had the lowest batting average, on-base percentage and stolen base total of any second baseman in Cooperstown. He hit just .260 lifetime, with 138 homers and 27 stolen bases in 17 years, and had an on-base percentage of .299. He never batted .300, never approached 100 runs batted or 100 runs scored and only once finished in the top 10 for Most Valuable Player.

His best qualities were both tangible and beyond the box score. His Hall of Fame plaque praises him as a “defensive wizard” with “hard-nosed hustle” and a “quiet work ethic.” A 10-time All-Star, he turned a major-league record 1,706 double plays, earning the nickname “No Hands” for how quickly he fielded grounders and relayed them. He led the National League nine times in assists for second basemen and has been cited by statistician Bill James as the game’s greatest defensive player at his position — by far.

“I think defense belongs in the Hall of Fame,” Mazeroski said, defensively, during his Hall of Fame induction speech. “Defense deserves as much credit as pitching, and I’m proud to be going in as a defensive player.”

A home run for the ages

But his career’s signature moment took place in the batter’s box, as the square-jawed, tobacco-chewing Mazeroski, a coal miner’s son from West Virginia, lived out the dream of so many kids who thought of playing professional ball.

The Pirates had not reached the World Series since 1927, when they were swept by the New York Yankees, and again faced the Yankees in 1960. While New York was led by Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, Pittsburgh had few prominent names beyond a young Roberto Clemente. They relied on hitters ranging from shortstop Dick Groat to outfielder Bob Skinner, and the starting pitchers Vernon Law and Bob Friend. Mazeroski, who turned 24 that September, finished the season with a .273 average and usually batted eighth.

The series told one story in the runs column and another in wins and losses. The Yankees outscored the Pirates 55-27 and 38-3 in the three games they won. Mazeroski’s counterpart in New York, Bobby Richardson, drove in a record 12 runs and was named the series’ MVP — even though he was on the losing team. Whitey Ford shut out the Pirates twice, on his way to a then-record 33 2/3 straight scoreless World Series innings for the Yankees ace.

The Pirates’ first three wins weren’t nearly so spectacular, but they were wins — and Mazeroski helped. He hit a 2-run homer in the fourth inning off the Yankees’ Jim Coates in Game 1, a 6-4 Pirate victory, and a 2-run double in the second inning off Art Ditmar in Game 5, a 5-2 Pittsburgh win. In Game 7, he saved his big hit for the end.

Some 36,000 fans at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, and many more tuning in on radio and television, agonized through one of the fall classic’s wildest and most emotional conclusions. The lead changed back and forth as Pittsburgh scored the game’s first four runs, only to fall behind as the Yankees rallied in the middle innings and went ahead 7-4 in the top of the eighth. Pittsburgh retook the lead with five runs in the bottom of the eighth, helped in part by a seeming double-play grounder that took a bad hop and struck Yankees shortstop Tony Kubek in the throat. But the Yankees came right back and tied the score at 9 in the top of the ninth.

The bottom of the ninth has been relived, not always by choice, by the two teams and by generations of fans. The New York pitcher was Ralph Terry, a right-hander whom manager Casey Stengel had brought in during the previous inning and would later acknowledge that he had a tired arm. The right-handed hitting Mazeroski, who had grounded into a double play in his previous appearance, was up first.

Terry started with a fastball, called high for a ball. After conferring briefly with catcher Johnny Blanchard, who reminded him to keep his pitches down, he threw what Mazeroski would call a slider that didn’t slide. Mazeroski got under it and belted it to left, the ball rising and rising as it cleared the high, ivy-covered brick wall, with Yankees left fielder Yogi Berra circling under it, then turning away in defeat. The whole city seemed to erupt, as if all had swung the bat with him, as if he were every underdog who longed to beat the hated Yankees. Mazeroski dashed around the bases, grinning and waving his cap, joined by celebrants from the stands who had rushed on to the field and followed him to home plate, where his teammates embraced him.

“I was just looking to get on base,″ he told The New York Times in 1985. ″Nothing fancy, just looking for a fastball until he got a strike on me. I thought it would be off the wall, and I wanted to make third if the ball ricocheted away from Berra. But when I got around first and was digging for second, I saw the umpire waving circles above his head and I knew it was over.”

ESPN has called it the greatest home run in major league history. It was the first time a World Series had ended on a homer, leading to enduring waves of celebration and despair. Pirates followers memorized the date, Saturday, Oct. 13, 1960, and the local time of Mazeroski’s hit, 3:36 p.m. Forbes Field was torn down in the 1970s, but a decade later fans began gathering every Oct. 13 at the park’s lone remnant, the center field wall, and listened to the original broadcast.

Meanwhile, Mantle would sob on the plane ride home in 1960, insisting the better team had lost. Ford would for years remain angry at Stengel — fired five days after the Series — for using him in Games 3 and 6 and making him unavailable to start a third time. Singer Bing Crosby, a co-owner of the Pirates, was so afraid he’d jinx his team that he listened to the game with friends across the Atlantic Ocean, in Paris.

“We were in this beautiful apartment, listening on shortwave, and when it got close, Bing opened a bottle of Scotch and was tapping it against the mantel,” his widow, Kathryn Crosby, told the Times in 2010. “When Mazeroski hit the home run, he tapped it hard; the Scotch flew into the fireplace and started a conflagration.”

A team player

Mazeroski was a Pirate for his entire time in the majors and was a team man off the field. His wife, Milene Nicholson, was a front office employee whom he met through Pittsburgh manager Danny Murtaugh. They were married in 1958, had two sons and remained together until her death in 2024.

William Stanley Mazeroski was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, during the Great Depression, grew up in eastern Ohio, and lived for a time in a one-room house without electricity or indoor plumbing. His father, Louis Mazeroski, had hoped to be a ballplayer and encouraged his son’s love for sports, even practicing with him by having Bill field tennis balls thrown against a brick wall.

Although a star in basketball and football, he favored baseball and was good enough to be drafted by the Pirates at age 17, in 1954. Mazeroski was a shortstop for a team with numerous prospects at that position, and had switched to second by his rookie year, 1956. Even as a part-time player at the end of his career, he was a leader and steady presence on the 1971 team that featured Clemente and Willie Stargell and defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.

After his final season, 1972, Mazeroski coached briefly for the Pirates and the Seattle Mariners and was an infield instructor for Pittsburgh during spring training. In 1987, the Pirates retired his uniform number, 9. The 50th anniversary of his Game 7 heroics was marked in 2010 by the unveiling — on Bill Mazeroski Way — of a 14-foot, 2,000-pound statue of one of Pittsburgh’s greatest everymen, rounding the bases, on top of the world.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Munetaka Murakami was a late arrival for his first spring training game with the Chicago White Sox.

Once he got to the ballpark, everything went pretty smoothly.

Murakami had two hits and two RBIs in his Cactus League debut on Friday. The Japanese slugger is learning his way around the major leagues after reaching a $34 million, two-year contract with the rebuilding White Sox in December.

The 26-year-old Murakami was momentarily removed from the starting lineup after he got caught in some traffic on his way to Sloan Park. But he arrived about 20 minutes before the first pitch and bounced to second base in his first at-bat in the first inning of an 8-1 victory over the Cubs.

“There was a big, big accident in the highway,” Murakami said through a translator. “I was just concerned the whole time. … To be really, really honest, I wasn’t able to prepare fully, but I made it in time I think.”

Murakami was part of a slate of debuts on the first day of spring training games. Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso and Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado homered for their new teams, and Alex Bregman went 0 for 2 while playing three innings in his first game with the Cubs.

“It was a great to be out here and play in a spring training game with the Cubs,” said Bregman, who signed a $175 million, five-year contract with the team in free agency. “It was fun. Obviously super cool to have all that energy in the ballpark.”

Alonso got a warm ovation before his first at-bat against the Yankees. He was robbed of a hit on Kenedy Corona’s diving catch in the third, but he drove Bradley Hanner’s first-pitch curveball deep to left for a two-run shot in the sixth inning of Baltimore’s 2-0 win in Florida.

Alonso hit 38 homers last year in his final season with the New York Mets. He agreed to a $155 million, five-year contract with the Orioles in December.

Arenado hit a leadoff drive in the second inning of a 3-2 victory over the Rockies in Scottsdale. The eight-time All-Star was acquired in a trade with St. Louis in January.

Murakami is hoping to provide a lift for the White Sox after they dropped a whopping 324 games over the previous three seasons. He hit .270 with 246 homers and 647 RBIs in 892 games over eight years with the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Central League.

Murakami, who started at first base, got his first hit when he drove a 91.9 mph sinker from Connor Schultz the middle in the third inning. The one-out single had a 108.3 mph exit velocity.

With one out and the bases loaded in the fourth, Murakami hit a drive to center off Porter Hodge. Cubs center fielder Seiya Suzuki lost the ball in the sun, and it landed on the back of the warning track for a two-run double.

“I’m really happy how it went, without any injuries,” Murakami said. “I had butterflies inside me the first few minutes of it. But after I started fielding and I got an at-bat, I felt a bit more comfortable and felt myself.”

Murakami and Suzuki are going to play together for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, and the two talked in the offseason about what it’s like to play in Chicago.

“I loved him, but after the popup, I hate him. So I’m not going to support him,” Suzuki joked through a translator.

Murakami looked at a called third strike in his final at-bat in the sixth. He was replaced in the field before the bottom half of the inning.

Manager Will Venable praised Murakami for collecting himself after his trouble getting to the game.

“This guy is so committed and such a professional,” Venable said. “We’ve asked him to do some things that he hasn’t necessarily been accustomed to and how he prepares and his adaptability and flexibility to do those things has been awesome. That adjustability gives you confidence that he’s going to be able to go out there and make adjustments throughout the year.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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No more yelling about an egregious strike-three call or a ball four that touched the zone. 

Or at least, not as often. 

The start of spring training games this weekend also marks the beginning of the automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system that will be introduced to Major League Baseball for the first time in 2026. 

With the new system, which was tested in Triple-A and at spring training games last year, teams will begin each game with two challenges to appeal a ball or strike call. All successful challenges will be retained. Only the pitcher, catcher or batter can challenge, and they can’t receive help from anyone else on the field. A challenge is signaled by tapping at the head (or can be done vocally), and the challenge must be requested immediately (within roughly two seconds) after a call is made.

“We’re going to have a lot of conversations about that, and I do think there’s going to be a strategy with it,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told me. “What that looks like, I don’t think I know right now. But we’re going to encourage conversations as far as leverage, when to use it, when not to, who should, who shouldn’t.” 

Some teams have already said they prefer their catcher to be the one challenging, given the catcher’s vantage point and understanding of the strike zone (and pitchers’ tendency to get emotional on the mound). Other teams, at least as of last week, were publicly stating that they’re still in the process of figuring out ground rules. 

“I think we’ve got ideas, but it’s not set in stone yet,” Padres manager Craig Stammen told me. “I’ll tell you this: It won’t be a free-for-all. We’ll try to be as strategic as we can with it.”

The point of the system is not to guarantee 100% accuracy of ball-strike calls but to avoid the awful — and sometimes game-changing — misses.

Before the season, every player will be measured to ensure strike-zone accuracy. The zone is a two-dimensional rectangle set in the middle of the home plate. The edges are set to the width of home plate, and the height is dependent on each individual player’s size (53.5% of the batter’s height at the top and 27% at the bottom). If any part of the ball touches the strike zone, it’s a strike. 

One change that fans at home will need to get used to as MLB attempts to avoid any foul play with the new system: The strike-zone box can still remain on television broadcasts but will no longer indicate whether a pitch was a ball or a strike. In addition, there will be a five-second delay on MLB GameDay before registering the location of a pitch. There will also be a delay of a few seconds on the broadcast feed.  

MLB’s decision to use the ABS challenge system — rather than no ABS or full ABS — came after years of studying the technology at the minor-league level and polling fans. 

The ABS system will make its official debut on Opening Day and continue through the postseason, but for now, teams will get practice with it at every spring-training ballpark. 

“It’s going to be interesting, and it’s just going to take reps and take time,” said Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. “Last year, we got a little taste of it in spring training. To me, it seems like last year the top of the zone was smaller than what it had been in the past, but they’re doing measurements now. … Obviously, you’re going to have to know that stuff, know who’s in the box, tall guy versus short guy, so there’s a lot of factors that go into that.”

As Raleigh noted, the ABS strike-zone is not quite as lenient to pitchers as many umpires are at the top (or bottom) of the zone and is expected to slightly reduce strikeout rate and increase walk rate based on testing data. Still, Mariners manager Dan Wilson said he doesn’t anticipate the new challenge system “making a huge wave,” especially in relation to other rule changes in recent years. 

“But it’s definitely going to be an interesting twist,” Wilson said. “We’re definitely talking about it. I think the key is educating the players and helping them understand. The toughest part is there’s going to be a lot of emotion involved. That’s the part that’s tough to control.” 

Umpires will have the discretion to determine if a challenge was made in a timely manner, if it was prompted by someone other than the pitcher, catcher or hitter or if it had an impact on a play on the bases. When a challenge is made, the home-plate umpire will announce it to the fans, and a graphic will play on the scoreboard and broadcast. The process takes approximately 15 seconds. Per MLB’s study, the overturn rate is around 50%. There are usually about four challenges per game, and the system typically adds about one minute to the time of game. 

Before each extra inning, a team will be awarded a challenge if it has none remaining. The number of challenges each team has left will be displayed on the scoreboard. 

“I do think there’s a self-evaluation on who knows the strikezone, who doesn’t, who gets emotional, understanding everything,” Roberts said. “So, this will be a good run for us in spring training, and I’m in favor of it.” 

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.

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Pete Alonso homered in his spring training debut for the Baltimore Orioles, providing the only runs in a 2-0 exhibition victory over the New York Yankees on Friday.

In his third plate appearance in a big league uniform other than the New York Mets, Alonso pulled a first-pitch curveball over the fence in left-center field against right-hander Bradley Hanner in the sixth inning.

Most of the regulars had exited the spring training opener, but Alonso wanted another trip to the plate and some more work at first base.

“He wanted it, and he made the most of it,” first-year manager Craig Albernaz said. “It speaks a lot. Pete just wants to play.”

Alonso spent his first seven major league seasons with the Mets before signing a $155 million, five-year contract with the Orioles in December. The 31-year-old was a fan favorite in New York.

“Obviously, hitting homers feels amazing, doesn’t matter what time of year. Happy to break the seal,” Alonso said. “I feel honored to wear (this uniform). I feel great in it, I feel like I look good in it. So, it’s fantastic. I honestly couldn’t feel any better.”

Alonso’s parents attended the game a short drive from the five-time All-Star’s home in Tampa. His youth travel baseball team was the Sarasota Salty Dogs, and they played games at the Cal Ripken Complex across the street from Ed Smith Stadium, the Orioles’ spring home.

“As a kid, I remember riding shotgun, just getting ready, getting dressed,” Alonso said. “It’s really cool kind of driving by because I had many, many, many games and weekends over just right across the street at that complex. So it’s really special.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Gerrit Cole reached 96.9 mph in his first session against hitters since the New York Yankees ace underwent Tommy John elbow surgery last March.

The right-hander threw about 20 pitches of batting practice Friday, facing Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Jasson Dominguez at the Yankees’ spring training facility. He threw his first bullpen session a week earlier.

New York expects Cole to be ready at some point from May to September, which would fit the recovery range of 14 to 18 months that the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner has said was the target all along.

“It sounds like it was really good,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ exhibition opener against the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota.

The 35-year-old Cole has altered his windup, putting his hands over his head. Before he was hurt, he stopped at his chest.

Cole’s last official outing was in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series that Oct. 30. He pitched in two spring training games in 2025, the last on March 6. Surgery was five days later.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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