NL East Notes: Wentz, Fulton, Miller
Joey Wentz and the Braves may have gotten relatively lucky after the left-hander was carted off the field with an apparent right leg injury during today’s game with the Rays. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Wentz will undergo tests to determine the extent of the injury, but initial examinations indicate that Wentz likely isn’t dealing with anything too serious. Wentz hurt himself while covering first base on a bunt attempt in the fifth inning, and the cart ride may have been precautionary, as he was able to get to and from the cart without assistance or any overt discomfort.
While it seems like Wentz may be okay, his situation naturally drew concern given how Atlanta’s rotation depth has already been tested this spring. Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep each underwent surgery in February to remove loose bodies from their elbows, leaving both starters on the injured list for at least (and in a best-case scenario) the first two months of the regular season. These injuries created an opportunity for Wentz and other depth starters to compete for the fifth spot in the Braves’ rotation, and Wentz has helped his bid with a 3.18 ERA over 5 2/3 innings of Grapefruit League action. If this leg problem ends up sidelining Wentz for any decent amount of time, it could open the door for Bryce Elder or non-roster invite Martin Perez as the fifth starter.
More from around the NL East…
- Left-hander Dax Fulton was one of five players optioned to the Marlins‘ minor league camp today, though “he’s much closer than he was to be able to come up and really help us” in the majors, manager Clayton McCullough told MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola and other reporters. McCullough implied that Fulton could be called up to pitch out of Miami’s bullpen during the regular season, though the southpaw will continue to be stretched out as a starting pitcher in Spring Training. A second-round pick for Miami in the 2020 draft, Fulton was a well-regarded prospect before a UCL surgery cost him most of the 2023 season and the entirety of the 2025 campaign. Fulton returned to action in 2025 and posted a 5.38 ERA over 103 2/3 combined innings with the Marlins’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, starting 22 of his 23 games. While the Marlins don’t want to close the door on Fulton’s rotation potential at age 24, allowing him to make his Major League debut as a reliever would perhaps help ease Fulton’s transition to the Show.
- Phillies top prospect Aidan Miller is still battling lower-back problems, and seems like a candidate to begin the season on the Triple-A injured list. Miller played through a similar injury at the end of the 2025 minor league season, and the back issue has kept him off the field this spring. Despite the lingering nature of Miller’s bad back and the fact that the prospect visited the Phillies’ medical staff in Philadelphia on Friday, manager Rob Thomson told The Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes and other reporters that the team isn’t too concerned about the injury, even though “we don’t have a timeline” as to when Miller might get back on the field. “I mean, he hasn’t swung a bat in two weeks. So, we just want to get him healthy, where there’s no pain, and get him back playing again,” Thomson said. A consensus pick as one of baseball’s top position-player prospects, Miller needs a bit more minor league seasoning (he played in just eight Triple-A games in 2025) but is expected to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026, with an eye towards a starting role in the Phillies’ infield by 2027.
Porter Hodge, Jordan Wicks Likely To Begin Season On Cubs’ IL
Right-hander Porter Hodge and left-hander Jordan Wicks are each dealing with arm problems and will probably start the season on the 15-day injured list, Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian). Hodge has a right flexor strain, while Wicks is dealing with radial nerve irritation in his left forearm.
Hodge hasn’t pitched since February 27, and he hasn’t looked right in any of his three Cactus League outings this spring, with a whopping 31.50 ERA to show for two innings of work. Counsell said Hodge’s flexor strain doesn’t appear to be serious in terms of a long-term absence, though the righty will be shut down for the next two weeks to heal up.
Wicks’ forearm issue was initially described just as irritation, with an MRI revealing no structural problems. Nerve problems can tend to linger, though the good news is that Wicks has been able to play catch, and Counsell is hopeful the southpaw will start throwing off a mound by the middle of March.
It was no guarantee that either pitcher was going to make the Cubs’ Opening Day roster, though today’s news means that both the rotation and bullpen depth charts have taken a hit. Wicks (the 21st overall pick of the 2021 draft) worked just as a reliever during his eight MLB appearances in 2025, though he has pitched mostly as a starter throughout the rest of his time in the majors and minors.
Despite his draft pedigree and some top-100 prospect attention during his time in the minors, Wicks has yet to establish himself as a big leaguer, with a modest 5.21 ERA, 18.5% strikeout rate, and 7.5% walk rate to show for 95 career innings with the Cubs. Past injuries haven’t helped (Wicks missed a big chunk of 2024 due to a forearm strain and an oblique strain), and Wicks spent 2025 being shuttled back and forth between Chicago and Triple-A Iowa with only sporadic usage in the majors.
Hodge burst onto the scene with a 1.88 ERA and 31.7% strikeout rate over 43 innings in his 2024 rookie season, albeit with the benefit of a .189 BABIP. Things didn’t go nearly as smoothly last year, as Hodge spent close to two months on the IL due to oblique and shoulder problems, and he posted only a 6.27 ERA over 33 innings of work. As per the SIERA metric, Hodge’s two big league seasons haven’t been too dissimilar (3.22 in 2024, 3.80 in 2025), and he remains an intriguing bullpen arm if he can stay healthy and figure out some control problems.
Rangers Claim Dairon Blanco
The Rangers have claimed outfielder Dairon Blanco off waivers from the Royals, according to Francys Romero of Beisbol FR. Blanco was designated for assignment by the Royals last week to make room for Starling Marte on the club’s 40-man. The Rangers transferred southpaw Jordan Montgomery to the 60-day injured list to make room for Blanco on their own 40-man.
Blanco, 33 next month, played in the Cuban National Series through his age-22 season but didn’t make it to stateside ball until he was 25 years old back in 2018. Then a member of the Athletics, he was traded to the Royals the following year and eventually made his big league debut during the 2022 season with a five game cup of coffee. The following year he got a much larger role with Kansas City, however, and over the next two seasons he slashed a solid .258/.316/.422 in 270 plate appearances across 157 games. That’s slightly above league average production at the plate, though the vast majority of his production comes against left-handed pitching. Blanco sports a 137 wRC+ for his career against southpaws, compared to a 70 wRC+ against right-handers. It’s also worth noting that he gets a lot of value from his work on the base paths, where he went 55-for-67 (82.1%) in stolen base attempts in 2023 and ’24.
That makes Blanco a useful bench or depth option to be sure, but he ultimately found himself squeezed off the Royals’ roster after the team brought in Marte and Isaac Collins during the offseason to shore up an outfield mix that had rated out as among the worst in the majors in recent years. The Royals already had a crowded bench mix, and Blanco has yet to prove he’s capable of handling more than part-time duties at the big league level. That’s unlikely to be as much of a problem with the Rangers, who are relatively thin on outfield depth (especially when looking for players who can play center field capably) and have plenty of lefties in the lineup like Evan Carter, Joc Pederson, and Josh Smith who could benefit from being spelled against fellow southpaws.
Of course, that isn’t to say Blanco is guaranteed a spot on the team’s bench entering the season. He’ll have stiff competition from veteran Andrew McCutchen for a spot as a right-handed bat, while Sam Haggerty, Michael Helman, and Ezequiel Duran all offer more versatility than Blanco. With that being said, Blanco does have options remaining and could simply start the season in the minor leagues before waiting to get an opportunity in the majors at some point this year. At the very least, Blanco’s wheels should give him a strong argument to join the team when rosters expand in September and perhaps into the postseason if Texas manages to make it that far.
Robert Stock Recommended For Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Surgery
Mets right-hander Robert Stock has been recommended for surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome, Stock told reporters (including Jon Heyman of the New York Post) this morning. Heyman adds that Stock indicated he’s suffering from the arterial TOS, and that he could potentially pitch before the end of the year. Stock was in camp with the Mets on a non-roster invite but is now facing a lengthy absence.
Stock, 36, has appeared in parts of five MLB seasons to this point in his career. A second-round pick by the Cardinals back in 2009, he made a strong impression with the Padres in 2018, his first season as a big leaguer. He posted a 2.50 ERA in 39 2/3 innings of work that year, but unfortunately he’s struggled at the big league level since then. In just 35 2/3 major league frames since, Stock sports a 7.57 ERA with nearly as many walks (31) as strikeouts (39). Stock did not appear in the majors from 2022-2024, instead bouncing between the KBO, the minor leagues, and independent leagues in both the United States and Mexico. In 2025, he returned to affiliated ball with the Red Sox. While he made just two abbreviated appearance in the majors, he pitched decently at Triple-A Worcester with a 3.92 ERA in 85 innings as a swing man.
That led Stock to sign a minor league deal with the Mets headed into 2026, and he figured to be a versatile depth option for the club’s pitching staff headed into the year. He’s pitched well so far this spring, including a strong three-inning appearance against the Marlins while preparing to pitch for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. Unfortunately, that outing ended with him reporting discomfort in his shoulder. That led to the MRI which ultimately revealed he was suffering from TOS. The specific kind of TOS Stock is suffering from is arterial TOS, the rarest form of the disorder. While baseball fans have become increasingly familiar with TOS in recent years, they’re likely to be more familiar with neurogenic TOS (the form of the disorder that players such as Stephen Strasburg and Chris Archer suffered from) and venous TOS, which Phillies star Zack Wheeler is currently working his way back from after being sidelined late last year by the disorder.
Arterial TOS is far less common than the other two versions, and its impacts on baseball players are far less widely understood; a 2024 study published in the American journal of sports medicine (link via NIH.gov) that looked at all 52 players who underwent surgical treatment for TOS between 2010 and 2017 notes that just one of those 52 players was suffering from arterial TOS. An article from Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com last month notes that arterial TOS can cause a feeling of coldness in the hand or even finger gangrene. Castrovince’s article notes that a return to play timeline of between nine and ten months is typical for pitchers who undergo surgery to correct TOS, though that can depend on the severity and form of TOS the player is facing. Stock’s hopes for his timeline are significantly more optimistic than that, as even a September return would be a turnaround of just six months.
Whether Stock is able to make it back to the mound this year or not, the Mets are fairly well equipped to handle losing him as a depth piece. Justin Hagenman, Christian Scott, and Jonathan Pintaro are all depth options for the rotation already on the 40-man roster, and that’s before considering top prospect Jonah Tong. As for the bullpen, the Mets have a deep group of non-roster invitees headlined by Craig Kimbrel, Adbert Alzolay, and Kevin Herget among others.
Tigers Didn’t Make Long-Term Offer To Tarik Skubal This Offseason
Tarik Skubal is scheduled to reach free agency next winter, and it would appear that any chances of an extension between the star southpaw and the Tigers are going from slim to none. As Skubal told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Tigers didn’t discuss a long-term contract with the left-hander this winter.
“There is no offer” from the team right now, Skubal said, and “there won’t be an offer until the end of the season….My focus is on playing baseball and winning this year. I’ll deal with the contract stuff at the end of the year, and then we’ll kind of see. And that’s fine. It’s their decision.”
There also weren’t any talks about even a one-year deal covering Skubal’s 2026 salary once Skubal filed for a $32MM figure in his final year of salary arbitration. This lack of talks was expected, since the Tigers adhere to the “file and trial” tactic adopted by most every big league team — if an agreement isn’t reached prior to the filing deadline, teams often cease all negotiations with the player unless the topic is a multi-year contract (or the work-around of a one-year deal with a mutual option attached for the following season).
Finding middle ground between the Tigers and Skubal in this particular situation may have been unlikely anyway, given how Skubal’s $32MM salary was meant to establish a new precedent for star pitchers (and, arguably all players) in their final year of arbitration eligibility. Detroit submitted a figure of $19MM, and the arbitration panel ruled in Skubal’s favor, in a very significant win for Skubal, agent Scott Boras, and the MLB players’ union.
As to the larger question of a long-term extension, the lack of fresh talks between the two sides is also perhaps not a surprise. Boras clients rarely opt for extensions over eventually testing free agency, and an even smaller number of Boras clients sign extensions when they’re this close to the open market. Assuming Skubal stays healthy and delivers another season akin to his 2024-25 performance, he is expected to command another precedent-setting free agent contract that would make him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history.
Given the circumstances, the Tigers certainly wouldn’t be getting any kind of hometown discount in extension talks, and if anything would’ve had to pay a premium to convince Skubal to forego free agency. Faced with this reality, the Tigers may have considered further negotiations about a long-term deal to be somewhat pointless, if the club simply isn’t prepared to pay Skubal a price tag that seems likely to land well north of $350MM.
The Tigers did make Skubal an extension offer last winter, and Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported in October that this offer was a four-year deal worth less than $100MM that would’ve covered the 2025-28 seasons (Skubal’s final two arbitration-eligible years and his first two free agent years). For context, Skubal went close to 11 months between MLB starts due to a flexor tendon surgery that sidelined him for parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, so it could be that the Tigers were thinking Skubal might jump at some financial security in the wake of a serious injury. However, given that Skubal looked superb after his return in 2023 and then won the AL Cy Young Award in 2024, Detroit’s offer seemed bafflingly low in both dollars and length.
All signs seem to be pointing to 2026 being Skubal’s final season in Motown, though that doesn’t necessarily mean there are any hard feelings between the player and the team. It could that the two sides recognize the reality of the situation, and (as Skubal alluded) plan to spend the year aiming towards their shared goal of a World Series championship. There was some speculation that the Tigers were considering dealing Skubal this offseason, yet that scenario never seemed too likely both due to both Detroit’s big asking price, and the plain fact that a World Series push is easier when arguably baseball’s best pitcher is on your roster.
The Framber Valdez signing indicates that the Tigers are preparing for a post-Skubal rotation, though Valdez’s $115MM free agent deal is only three years long, and contains an opt-out after 2027. Skubal and Valdez headline what looks like a very solid rotation that also consists of Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, and Tigers legend Justin Verlander returning to the Motor City to complete the unfinished business of winning a ring in a Tigers uniform.
Checking In On The Phillies’ Roster Battle
The Phillies are expected to have an opening for their final roster spot with outfielder Johan Rojas facing a PED suspension. Multiple veterans are vying for the job in Spring Training, but manager Rob Thomson added an interesting name to the race on Friday. The skipper shared that catcher Garrett Stubbs has been working out in the infield and the outfield, per Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic. “There’s nothing that says he couldn’t be the 26th man and we carry three catchers,” Thomson said.
Stubbs does have 15 career appearances in the outfield, though more than half of them came when he debuted with the Astros in 2019. He’s played just two innings on the grass for Philadelphia. Thomson said left field could be a possibility, but he also mentioned first and third base. The extent of Stubbs’ infield experience as a professional includes one game at first base at Triple-A in 2018, and 11 appearances at second base with Sugar Land from 2019 to 2021.
The 32-year-old Stubbs has a 70 wRC+ across 521 big-league plate appearances. He’s spent parts of the past four seasons with the Phillies after coming over in a trade from Houston. Stubbs seemed like a viable backup catcher option in his first year with the club, slashing .264/.350/.462 across 50 games in 2022. His production at the plate has tailed off considerably since then. Stubbs got into just five MLB games last season, his fewest since he debuted.
Philadelphia brought back J.T. Realmuto on a three-year, $45MM pact to handle the bulk of the work behind the plate. Rafael Marchan is the leading candidate for the backup job. He’s been a better defender than Stubbs, and also provides the added benefit of being a switch-hitter. Getting a third catcher in the mix would offer some additional flexibility, but it’s not like Realmuto can slide to DH when he doesn’t catch. With Kyle Schwarber manning that spot, Realmuto will be behind the plate when he’s in the lineup. Stubbs runs well for a catcher (though so does Realmuto), so he could factor into a pinch-running scenario.
RosterResource currently has Dylan Moore securing the final roster spot in Philadelphia. The utilityman was designated for assignment by the Mariners midway through the 2025 campaign. He latched on with the Rangers for the final month of the season. Moore signed a minor league deal with the Phillies in early February. He picked up a hit on Saturday, but is batting just .188 in Spring Training.
Moore primarily offers speed and defensive versatility. He’s compiled 46 steals over the past two seasons. The 33-year-old appeared at all four infield positions, plus center and right field, with Seattle last year. Moore has flashed a bit of power at times, though it’s come with a strikeout rate above 30%.
If the Phillies look to replace Rojas with an outfielder, Bryan De La Cruz seems like the top option, at least in terms of experience. He’s spent parts of the past five seasons in the big leagues. De La Cruz was an everyday player from 2023 to 2024. The veteran is in camp as a non-roster invitee after inking a minor league deal in November. De La Cruz broke camp with the Braves last season, but hit .191 with a 36% strikeout rate and was in Triple-A by mid-April. He was claimed off waivers by the Yankees and spent the rest of the year at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
De La Cruz launched a career-high 21 home runs in 2024, splitting the year between the Marlins and Pirates. He finished the year with a 78 wRC+ and didn’t garner much attention in free agency. De La Cruz has spent time at all three outfield positions. He grades out negatively by Defensive Runs Saved at each of them. His worst spot has been left field (-7 DRS), which is likely the opportunity available in Philadelphia. Adolis Garcia is penciled in for right field, with Crawford in center field and Marsh in left field. If Crawford is on the bench, Marsh would slide to center.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Dyer, Imagn Images
NL West Notes: Carroll, Kelly, France, Song
Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll emerged from his live batting practice session unscathed on Friday as he works his way back from a broken hamate bone. The two-time All-Star told reporters, including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, that he’s nearing a return to Spring Training action. Carroll added that he wants to get into 10 spring games.
Carroll is still less than a month removed from his February 11 surgery. He’d certainly be on the early end of the typical timeline to return from the procedure if he returns to the field soon. Manager Torey Lovullo pushed back a bit on Carroll’s outlook. “I respect Corbin’s drive and determination, that’s what makes him great. But in this case, the medical team is still in control of what’s going on,” Lovullo told reporters, including Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports.
If Carroll does get into Spring Training games, his power stroke will be something to watch. Hamate bone injuries tend to impact slugging, particularly early on. Carroll popped a career-high 31 home runs this past season. He boosted his hard-hit rate to 49.9%, exactly 9% higher than his previous best. Carroll more than doubled his barrel rate year-over-year, jumping from 7.2% in 2024 to 14.5% last year.
Merrill Kelly continues to make progress after a back issue threatened to place him on the IL to begin the 2026 campaign. The right-hander was scratched from a live batting practice session in late February and told reporters he was unlikely to be ready for the opener. His tone changed last weekend following a cortisone and lidocaine injection. He was able to play catch without issue, and recently came out of a bullpen session free of setbacks. Kelly is set for a live batting practice session on Sunday, Lovullo told reporters (h/t to Weiner again).
The injury set Kelly back a couple of weeks, but he’s now on track to break camp with the team and avoid the injured list. If Arizona slots him at the back of the rotation, his turn wouldn’t come up until March 31 against the Tigers. An off-day on March 29 could allow the Diamondbacks to push Kelly back even further, if they desired. Michael Soroka could step in as the fifth starter to give Kelly extra time to get ready.
Elsewhere in the division, Ty France is making a push to break camp with the Padres, notes Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The veteran infielder hit three balls at least 105 mph in Saturday’s Spring Training matchup against the Guardians. One went for a double, pushing France’s OPS to .944 this spring. “He needs to keep swinging like he did today,” manager Craig Stammen said. “If you can hit, we’ll find a place for you.”
Stammen added that the veteran would get more opportunities at second and third base. France has made a total of three appearances at second base over the past four big-league seasons. He hasn’t played the hot corner since 2022. The added defensive versatility would give him a leg up for a roster spot on a squad with several first base/DH options.
San Diego’s outfield is set with Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, and Ramon Laureano, which pushes Gavin Sheets to first base. That leaves France to battle with Miguel Andujar, Nick Castellanos, and Jose Miranda for DH and potentially platoon work with the lefty-swinging Sheets. For his part, Miranda has matched France for the team lead in hits this spring at nine.
There could be another bench spot up for grabs depending on Sung-Mun Song’s recovery from an oblique injury. The former KBO standout dealt with a right oblique issue in the offseason, but came to camp healthy. He then felt renewed tightness in the oblique during a spring game on Thursday and had to be removed. Acee relayed that the team has been encouraged by Song’s progress since then. “They’re going to try to get him moving around here today,” Stammen said. “We’ll see when (he starts) swinging a bat.”
The club is hopeful Song will get back into Spring Training games at some point. A Cactus League appearance would put him on track to be ready for Opening Day. Stammen added that the outfield experiment is paused for now.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
Poll: How Should The Blue Jays Manage Trey Yesavage’s Workload In 2026?
Trey Yesavage had a whirlwind season in 2025. After the Blue Jays drafted him in the first round in 2024, Yesavage opened 2025 at Single-A and immediately impressed with a 2.43 ERA in 33 1/3 innings. He continued that dominance in a brief stop at High-A and reached Double-A in mid-June, striking out 38.0% of hitters against a 9.0% walk rate at that level. Yesavage then held his own at Triple-A, not allowing a home run in 17 1/3 innings and continuing to post a high strikeout rate. His rapid ascent culminated in three appearances with the big-league club in September, followed by six more in the postseason, including two starts and a Game 7 relief appearance in the World Series.
Altogether, Yesavage threw 139 2/3 innings between the regular season and the playoffs, a marked increase over the 93 1/3 innings he threw at East Carolina University in 2024. Coming off his success last year, he will feature prominently in a rotation mix that also includes Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Cody Ponce, Max Scherzer, and Shane Bieber (when he returns from an expected stint on the injured list). However, considering Yesavage’s youth and rapidly escalating workload, it is reasonable to expect some kind of innings limit in 2026.
At this point in Spring Training, Yesavage is built up to one inning and has not yet appeared in a game, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. That is hardly unexpected, as even established starters are built up gradually to a full workload by the end of camp. Manager John Schneider confirmed that Yesavage’s slow build-up is intentional, with the plan being for him to get one more live batting practice session before joining games. Notably, Schneider downplayed the possibility of Yesavage starting the season as a reliever to limit his innings.
“Right now we still view him as a starter,” Schneider said. “And we want to keep that pretty regular. Last year was a year of disrupting a young guy’s routine as much as we could, so we want to be pretty regular with him.” Schneider’s comments bode well for Yesavage’s chance of being a starter for the full season. That said, it would not be surprising for the club to manage the rookie’s workload conservatively in the early going, especially if Berrios, Ponce, and Scherzer start the year healthy behind Cease and Gausman.
Per Schneider’s comments, the club wants to keep Yesavage on a regular schedule. That would seemingly put him in the rotation for the entire season, though with the question of how many innings he’ll be able to handle. Yesavage averaged less than five innings per start during the regular season and just over five in the postseason. At five innings per start, a full season of 33 starts would put him around 165 innings – yet another big increase in workload. A target of 140 innings could make more sense.
In that scenario, Yesavage could piggyback off Berrios or Ponce for the first month or so. That would give him the benefit of making shorter appearances while sticking to a starter’s routine and gradually building up. Of Berrios and Ponce, the former makes more sense partnering with Yesavage in a piggyback role. Berrios made 32 starts per season from 2021-24 but seemed to run out of gas as the 2025 season went on. His first-half ERA of 3.75 was solid, but that rose to 5.15 in 50 2/3 innings in the second half. He was demoted to the bullpen in late September and ended up not appearing in the postseason.
Piggybacking Yesavage and Berrios could help manage the former’s innings while allowing the latter to re-establish himself after his poor conclusion to 2025. In contrast, Ponce came over this offseason on a three-year, $30MM deal after a successful stint in the Korea Baseball Organization. He pitched 180 2/3 innings over 29 starts for the Hanwha Eagles in 2025, posting an excellent 1.89 ERA, a 30.3% K-BB rate, and ultimately winning that league’s MVP award. That recent track record and the magnitude of his contract make a hybrid role unlikely, though Ponce made three relief appearances in Japan last year and was mostly a reliever in his last MLB experience in 2021.
If the team prefers to keep Yesavage as a traditional starter, they might consider having him skip a few starts in the middle of the season. While that would be at least a temporary disruption to his routine, it might make the most sense from a roster management perspective. Six-man rotations are becoming more common as a way to manage workloads throughout the season, but they come with the challenge of having one less reliever. In lieu of giving him five days of regular rest, skipping a few of Yesavage’s starts (ideally around scheduled off days) could be a good compromise that keeps him fresh for the stretch run.
Another (less likely) option is to keep him as a starter for the regular season, then transition him to the bullpen if Toronto makes the postseason. Cease and Gausman are guaranteed spots in a playoff rotation, while Bieber makes a solid No. 3 and Max Scherzer comes with a wealth of postseason experience. Though Yesavage performed admirably as a starter this postseason, using him in a fireman role out of the bullpen could help the team get the most out of him while protecting his long-term health.
How do MLBTR readers think the Blue Jays should manage Yesavage’s workload in 2026? Be sure to let us know in the poll below:
How should the Blue Jays manage Trey Yesavage's workload in 2026?
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Piggyback him with Berrios, Ponce, or Eric Lauer to start the season 50% (1,229)
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Have him skip a few starts in the middle of the season 39% (944)
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Starter for the regular season, reliever for the playoffs 11% (264)
Total votes: 2,437
Photo courtesy of Kevin Sousa, Imagn Images
Injury Notes: Gonzalez, Stephenson, Dunn, Edman
As of last week, Red Sox utility infielder Romy Gonzalez was experiencing shoulder troubles and received a platelet-rich plasma injection. He admitted that he would likely miss Opening Day, though he may end up missing significantly more time. Today, Sean McAdam of MassLive adds that Gonzalez will visit a shoulder specialist next week to see if he needs to undergo surgery. Gonzalez opined that surgery “is not a season-ender by any means, in my opinion,” though any longer absence for the lefty-mashing infielder will be a blow to the Red Sox’ lineup regardless.
The right-handed-hitting Gonzalez injured his shoulder at the end of 2025 and experienced renewed soreness in January while ramping up for Spring Training. He posted career-best offensive numbers in 2025, batting .305/.343/.483 with a 123 wRC+ in 341 plate appearances for the Sox. While his performance against right-handers was slightly below average (95 wRC+), he absolutely teed off on southpaws. In 143 PA with the platoon advantage, Gonzalez hit seven of his nine home runs and posted a 162 wRC+ that was tied for 12th-best among hitters with at least 100 PA against lefties. Obviously, the team will hope he avoids surgery, but with that kind of production, they’ll do what it takes to ensure Gonzalez comes back at full strength.
A few other injury updates from around the league:
- Angels right-hander Robert Stephenson faced live hitters for the first time on Friday as he works to be ready for Opening Day, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Stephenson said there is understandably “a little polishing to do” but added that he felt good physically and reached 95 MPH on his fastball (he averaged 96.4 MPH on his four-seamer last year). Tommy John surgery and symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome have limited him to 10 innings with Los Angeles. In his last healthy season in 2023, Stephenson threw 52 1/3 innings with a 3.10 ERA and a well-above-average 38.3% strikeout rate. When healthy, he should factor into the late-inning mix with fellow right-hander Ben Joyce, who is currently rehabbing his own shoulder issue.
- Reds outfielder Blake Dunn is going for an MRI on his left knee today, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Dunn hyperextended his left knee while attempting to make a catch yesterday. The 27-year-old was a 15th-round draft pick by the Reds in 2021 and appeared in 49 big-league games from 2024-25, though he has posted just a 63 wRC+. He fared much better at Triple-A in 2025, batting .291/.397/.401 with a 121 wRC+ along with 24 stolen bases in 98 games. Currently, Cincinnati has Will Benson, Dane Myers, and Spencer Steer on hand as outfield backups. A healthy Dunn will stay at Triple-A for depth. [UPDATE: Dunn is dealing with a lower-grade knee strain, manager Terry Francona told Charlie Goldsmith and other reporters. Dunn will be sidelined for a few days, but appears to have avoided a lengthy absence.]
- Dodgers utilityman Tommy Edman took light batting practice yesterday, per Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic. He could face higher velocity off a machine in a few days if he continues to progress, but he is still weeks away from being fully ramped up. Edman underwent surgery in November to address an ankle issue that plagued him all season. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed a couple of weeks ago that Edman would begin the year on the injured list. This news won’t move up his return, though in any case, the team wants Edman at full strength. He is entering the second year of his five-year, $74MM contract. He posted an 81 wRC+ in 97 games in 2025, showing a drop in power while also striking out slightly less than in 2024.
Photo courtesy of D. Ross Cameron, Imagn Images
Paolo Espino Announces Retirement
Right-hander Paolo Espino is retiring after 19 seasons in pro ball, as the 39-year-old announced that he is hanging up his glove after the World Baseball Classic is over. The longtime member of Panama’s national team saw action in both the 2006 and 2009 editions of the WBC, and is looking to pitch for his country one more time before calling it a career.
A 10th-round pick for Cleveland in the 2006 draft, Espino finally made it to the Show in March 2017 when he was 30 years and pitching with the Brewers. He tossed 24 total innings that season between the Brewers and Rangers and then didn’t resurface in the majors again until 2020 when he was a member of the Nationals.
The bulk of Espino’s time in the big leagues was spent in a Washington uniform, as the right-hander threw 233 innings over 82 games with the Nats (out of 265 2/3 career innings and 97 games). Throughout his time with the Nationals and over his career as a whole, Espino worked in a variety of roles, including as a regular starter, long reliever, bulk pitcher behind an opener, or as the proverbial last man in the bullpen reserved for blowout duty.
Espino posted a 5.12 ERA over his 265 frames with the Brewers, Rangers, Nationals, and Blue Jays, as his 8 2/3 innings over three outings with Toronto in 2024 marked the final appearances of his MLB career. The Jays outrighted Espino off the 40-man roster at the conclusion of the 2024 campaign and he elected free agency, eventually signing with Conspiradores de Queretaro of the Mexican League for part of the 2025 season.
We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Espino on his fine career, and we wish him all the best in his post-playing endeavors.