Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on March 26 is approaching sooner than later. Except for 2B, which ultimately seems to belong to Tommy Edman, who will start the season on the IL, all the positions are set… barring injury… and there will be injuries. Won’t there?
Breakout candidate: Christian Zazueta is a RHP who is 6′ 3″ and very skinny. He came to the Dodgers in the Caleb Ferguson deal with the Yankees. He has recently added 17 pounds but needs about 30 more. His fastball tops out at 98 MPH and has a killer changeup. He is working on a sweeper/curve, but he is a strike thrower. Last season, between Great Lakes and Rancho Cucamonga, he was 7-2 with a 2.41 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. In 67 IP, he struck out 81 and walked just 16, so he has incredible control for someone so young. He will start at Great Lakes, but he could move rapidly and could possibly see the show by fall. Watch this kid:
Players most likely to be traded: I am going to preface this by saying, “If he has a good spring.” The player is Hyeseong Kim. He is essentially Alex Freeland with less power and not able to hit from both sides of the plate. I can see him being traded if he has a hot spring. Oh, and if Freeland has a good Spring. Kim really isn’t the type of player the Dodgers seek. I prefer Freeland, and Kim has some real value to certain teams.
Some fans will say Miller or Knack, but that would involve selling low. We know that Graterol and maybe Snell will be late to the dance, along with Edman and Kike, so some pitchers will get an opportunity early. I think that after the World Series of 2025 and the long season, the Dodgers will slow-play a lot of the staff. Look for Wrobleski, Casparius, Stone, Sheehan, and Ryan, along with Knack, to get opportunities.
The Lineup:
Right about now, it looks like this:
- Ohtani DF
- Tucker RF
- Betts SS
- Freeman 1B
- Smith C
- Muncie 3B
- Teoscar LF
- Pages RF
- Kim/Rojas 2B
Bench: Rushing, Call, Freeland
I don’t think Betts is a 3-hole hitter. He does his best work in the leadoff spot. But as long as Ohtani is here, he won’t do that anymore. He is ok in the 2-hole, .278/41/261 but he has only had 247 at bats as a #3 hitter. Freeman will hit well wherever he is. I have no book on Tucker but flipping him and Mookie makes sense to me. Tucker’s career numbers in the 3-hole better than at #2. He has hit .282 in the 3-spot compared to .268 as a #2, He has hit .304 batting sixth.
… but he has never batted AFTER Tucker and BEFORE Freddie!
True, I just don’t see him in a spot that is usually reserved for RBI guys, and Tucker has much better numbers in the 3-hole
As per Plunkett:
Teams are much more focused on getting their most productive hitter the most ABs. Not the old construction of:
1-Speed guy
2-Hit and run guy
3-High BA guy
4-Power guy
Judging by that, Freeman should hit 3rd. He and Smith had the highest BA on the team.
Judging by that, Freeman should hit 3rd. He and Smith had the highest BA on the team. Freddie is not really a power hitter. Betts isn’t for sure. Most of his homers came in the leadoff spot. He also strikes out a lot less than Ohtani. Which is why I prefer him there.
Bear, I don’t think you read my post correctly.
Maybe I did, but I sure don’t see Tucker as a hit and run guy.
I expect Mookie to bounce back on offense. If he does, I’m not worried where he bats.
Check out the ’25 OBPs:
Shohei .392
Tucker .377
Mookie .326 (but .369 career)
Freddie .367
Will .404
Max .376
Mookie may not be a classic slugger, but his career OPS is .881. Over 11 seasons he has slugged 291 HRs, including 39 in ’23. (This includes his 52- game rookie season and 55 en route to the covid championship.)
Just a ridiculously loaded lineup–and Teo and Pages could each slam 30 HRs.
I agree Bear! But I usually think like you .we are just 2 very smart people!
It’s easy to confuse our Max Muncy for the other Max Muncy…. but Muncie?
I’m optimistic bout Kim. He had a solid rookie season that showed one significant problem in his jump from KBO to MLB–the strikeouts which led to a sub-par OBP. He’s been working through the winter on adjusting to higher velocity. This season, there will be less culture shock in every way.
Why trade Kim if he has a hot spring? I don’t see the logic. Freeland’s debut in ’25 mostly showed that he’s not quite ready.
The Dodgers are now so loaded that it’s tough to come up with plausible trade targets that would be an upgrade.
I consider Kim a longshot to be traded. Have to keep that Korean pipeline flowing.
I might be proven wrong–it has happened–but I think the Dodgers would be slow to trade any of their Asian imports, especially before they have a chance to prove themselves.
The organization has cultivated the Asian market, and it’s important to show respect. The Korean people are emotionally invested in Kim, etc.
https://www.muncie.in.gov/
East Central Indiana.
I only know Bloomington.
What about Chuck Muncie?
Hell of a runner.
AKA Middletown, U.S.A.
“Muncie, Indiana, gained national recognition as ‘Middletown, U.S.A.’ following a 1924 sociological study by Robert Staughton Lynd and Helen Merrell Lynd, who deemed it the archetypal American city for analyzing industrial transformation. Their 1929 book, Middletown: A Study in Modern American Culture, set the stage for decades of studies that used Muncie to represent average American life.”
https://muncieparks.com/history-and-background/
Maybe Alex Call will blow up this year and join the ranks of Bob Ross, Jim Davis, and David Letterman as one of Muncie’s favorite “adopted sons”.
Muncie is not a very nice town right about now, and neither is Anderson, which is a few miles to the West.
Any word on Hurt. He was nasty when healthy. Should be ready and a real relief option.
Hurt is on the 40-man roster and is in camp. Haven’t seen a video of him throwing, but he is there and active.
Hurt is on the 40-man roster and is in camp. Haven’t seen a video of him throwing, but he is there and active.
Thanks. My relief depth chart isn’t as deep as I once thought.
Assuming Wrobleski replaces Snell early on, that leaves:
Diaz
Scott
Treinen
Vesia
Casparius
Dreyer
Klein
Henriquez
With Graterol/Stewart/Phillips on the DL and Hurt/Miller/Gervase/Koppp in line along with potential SPs Stone/Ryan/Knack/Irvin.
Room for an NRI to make the squad
Brian, I do not believe Bobby Miller has any chance at all of breaking into the bullpen crew. Even without Graterol, it figures to be Treinen, Diaz, Klein, Casparius, Vesia, Dreyer. That leaves one spot open. I would believe that depending on how he looks in spring, that River Ryan gets that spot. The six starters will be Ohtani, Yoshi, Sasaki, Wrobleski, Glasnow and Sheehan. Ryan seems better suited for bullpen duty than Stone, who has a better resume as a starter at this point in time. Longshot to make the pen, River’s brother, Ryder.
Brian, I do not believe Bobby Miller has any chance at all of breaking into the bullpen crew. Even without Graterol, it figures to be Treinen, Diaz, Klein, Casparius, Vesia, Dreyer. That leaves one spot open. I would believe that depending on how he looks in spring, that River Ryan gets that spot. The six starters will be Ohtani, Yoshi, Sasaki, Wrobleski, Glasnow and Sheehan. Ryan seems better suited for bullpen duty than Stone, who has a better resume as a starter at this point in time. Longshot to make the pen, River’s brother, Ryder.
Yeah, I hope Ryan is considered for the pen rather than stretched out in AAA. Piggybacking is a thing too.
Dude, you’ve developed a stutter.
There is a glitch in the system. I press post just once. I have no clue why it repeats. the post.
Kyle Hurt threw 10 innings at OKC at the end of last year. Everything I have heard about him, Ryan and Stone is that they should be ready this Spring.
Of course, an NRI could make it with a breakout Spring, but the pitching staff is way crowded.
I can see Ryan or Stone in the rotation. I think the plan is to make Wrobs the bulk innings eater out of the pen.
The INDIANA BEARS
😉
Any chance that Ryan Ward beats out Alex Call since he bats left and could sub for Teo when there is a nasty right hander on the mound?
Always a chance… Spring will decide a lot of things.
“The Dodgers are bringing right-handed reliever Yency Almonte back on a minor league contract, The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reports. The Rosenhaus Sports client will presumably be in big league camp.
It’s the second stint with the Dodgers for the 31-year-old Almonte. He was with Los Angeles in 2022-23, combining for 83 1/3 innings with a 3.35 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate and 11.9% walk rate out of manager Dave Roberts’ bullpen. That production came in quite uneven fashion, however; Almonte delivered 35 1/3 innings of immaculate 1.02 ERA ball in 2022 but was roughed up for a 5.06 mark in 48 innings in 2023. The Dodgers traded Almonte to the Cubs alongside Michael Busch in a 2024 swap that brought prospects Zyhir Hope and Jackson Ferris back to Los Angeles. (Neither has made his MLB debut yet, but Hope currently sits No. 63 on Baseball America’s Top 100 list.)”.
No way they trade Kim so soon. Everything about him is positive. Maybe he never slugs. Doing everything else well, while playing multiple up the middle positions is a damn good bench player. But this front office isn’t going to give up on him so fast. Trading him so soon wouldn’t reflect well back in Korea either.
I agree. I bet he makes the 26 man roster.
What’s up with Bear’s multiple posting?
Self-import?
User error?
SEO?
Untreated stutter?
Hiccup in the matrix.
Glitch is the system. I do not do that on purpose
A glitch that only affects people whose fake name is a carnivorous mammal?
Not a fake name there bub! Been my nickname since I was in Germany. Got it because back then I snored like a BEAR! LOL.
According to Cary Osborne of Dodger Insider, manager Dave Roberts said Yamamoto is starting against the Los Angeles Angels in the Dodgers’ first game of the year on the Saturday.The outing is expected to be Yamamoto’s only start for the Dodgers before he leaves to join Samurai Japan, which opened their training camp in Miyazaki on Feb. 14.
What a signing
No chance Kim isn’t a Dodger for a long time. Rojas is gone after this season, and so is Kiki, and possibly sooner for either. Kim is multi-positional, speedy, and a contact hitter, though he needs to improve his strikeout issue during his 1st season. He’ll become a much better version of Edman in time. Freeland, if they hang on to him, will be the backup to Kim.
Look, I like Kim. He is an amazing athlete, but last season may have been his best. Here’s why I think that:
In Korea, Ha-Seong Kim (the other Kim) hit 123 HR with a .294 BA/.373 OB% and a .866 OPS. In MLB, he has hit about 60% less HR and has a .242 BA/.324 OB% and a .701 OPS.
In Korea, Hyeseong Kim hit 37 HR (in roughly the same # of ABs) with a .304 BA/.364 OB% a nd a .766 OPS.
Assuming his OPS continues to follow Ha-Seong Kim (and there is no reason to think otherwise), he will continue to put up sub-.700 OPS numbers. The Dodgers typically don’t keep players who hit that poorly. If Alex Freeland delivers, I think the Dodgers will seek to trade Kim THIS YEAR! Just my opinion!
Again, it’s very, very, very rare for the Dodgers to trade an asset when his value is low.
When LA signed Kim they touted his double-plus running ability, defensive versatility & offensive upside. He has delivered on those things in limited time.
We hold two $5m options for ’28 & ’29–which must be exercised together–with a $1.5m buyout.
Basically, if he can perform like a utility man he’s worth it. I think he shows growth this year and next and we exercise the options.
Kim makes the 26 man roster out of Spring Training. Bet it!
With Edman most likely starting the year on the IL< that makes sense.
Totally agree. Kims true value wasn’t mentioned above, specifically his speed, great defense in CF and middle infield. KBO, MiLB, MLB, it doesn’t matter, great defense is great defense. And at $5M he will be a cheap bench piece and late inning defensive replacement and runner. And despite the Ks, he still hit 281 and seems to have even splits if given a chance. To say his rookie year is probably going to be his best year is probably not true.
Kim doesn’t need to hit for power. He needs to get on base.
His OPS in ’25 was .699, compared to .601 for Freeland. Kim’s slugging % and OPB were higher. While both struck out too much, Freeland’s K rate was higher, with 35 in 97 plate appearances.
Freeland needs to have a fantastic spring and/or an injury to a teammate to make the roster.
The case everyone is making for Kim is with their heart. That’s fine… but it’s not reality. Here’s the reality, EVERY Korean player who came to MLB showed a significant drop in OPS in MLB. Here’s the list:
1. Ha-seong Kim – 160 points
2. Jung-hoo Lee – 140 points
3. Byung-ho Park – -350 points
4. Ji-man Choi – 140 points
I ran it by AI and here was their verdict:
Conservative drop (–150):
→ ~.680–.700 MLB OPS
Optimistic adjustment (elite contact carries):
→ ~.710–.730 OPS
Given his profile is closer to Ha-seong than to a pure slugger like Park, the most reasonable steady-state expectation:
.690–.715 OPS hitter
2–3 WAR upside if defense and speed play.
I don’t think that will play with the Dodgers. Alex Freeland has more thunder in his bat. So do Kike and Rojas. If all three are healthy, there’s no place for Kim. He could be sent to AAA, but that would devalue him even more.
Feel free to disagree, but there is a method to my madness.
Give Kim a chance. With all the premier bats we have in the lineup, his offense is NOT that important. Bat him ninth and platoon him with Rojas at second until Edman comes off the IL. Build up his confidence rather than send him to Oklahoma City.
The problem with this, is that Mark is citing data (difficulty differences between Korean ball and MLB) that the Dodgers not only were aware of, but more so.
And still the Dodgers signed Kim.
They made strides with developing him last year, those strides will continue.
There’s zero chance of him being dealt, unless it’s a massive steal for the Dodgers.
BINGO!
Therein is the rub. The Dodgers aren’t going to dump him, but some team may need a SS, 2B or utilityman by the time Edman and Kike come back.
BTW, McKinstry is allegedly going to be the Tigers’ starting SS.
BTW, the Dodgers also signed Michael Conforto! 😉 It’s not like everything they touch turns to gold. Kim was abargain, BTW!
What the fuck does Michael Conforto’s signing and situation have to do with Kim’s?
You said the Dodgers signed Kim even though his KBL stats were not great.
They also signed Conforto! Duh!
Do you have Asperger’s? I have a son who does, and he asks questions like that.
i’m still at a total and complete loss to whatever point you might be making or insinuating, but if others get it, it’s cool.
I often don’t understand the point of posts!
A Kim/Comforto comparison is apples and oranges. A HUGE stretch just to insist you MIGHT be right about something. Give it a rest.
I am not sure what you just said.
It’s rather cryptic.
Can you clarify?
… if you can!
Otherwise, I think you will take a permanent rest, Fish Boy!
Wow! Thin skin much? You threaten to ban me because I think you are over hyping your opinion on trading Kim? Yeah, the apples to oranges is that they overpaid AND Comforto sucked but they tortured us with him ALL season. Kim was/is a bargain and he played decently. Okay? Waterfilterboy?
Also, Fedducia is supposed to start down in Florida.
Maybe there’s hope for Ryan Ward after all…
Good for Fedex, Lux, Busch and McKinstry. Ward is a probably hoping for a a trade to end this BS before he is 30. No we didn’t have room for them, but I wish them well.
This is a small-sample analysis. The least you could do is add Japanese hitters to the mix.
Now let’s see your AI-powered argument for Alex Freeland.
Did it occur to you that you are making an argument with your heart?
There is a big difference between Japan and Korea is projecting hitters. We have had many players from Japan who have matched what they have done in Japan. The KBL is a couple of notches below the NBL. In EVERY case, the Korean Players have always seen their OPS frop by at least 140 points. That’s a fact. I am not saying that Freeland will be better than KIM, but he is younger, a switch hitter, and certainly has more power.
Big difference between Milb and MLB performance as Freeland has proven. He is not going to play for the Dodgers if he doesn’t hit better. Plus he can’t play/sub CF, SS, 2B or even 3B in a pinch. I wish hits .280 with 30 dingers but spring training will give us a hint. Thanks for letting us comment freely. It means a lot.
Freeland is adept all over the infield. He has not played outfield.
Major League Baseball is officially implementing the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System for the 2026 season. This system serves as a “middle ground” between traditional human umpiring and full automation. Under this format, human home-plate umpires continue to call every pitch, but players have a limited number of opportunities to appeal those calls to an automated system.
How the System Works
The ABS system uses 12 Hawk-Eye cameras positioned around the stadium to track pitch locations with a margin of error of approximately 1/6 of an inch.
The Strike Zone: Each batter is assigned an individualized strike zone based on their measured height. The top of the zone is set at 53.5% of the player’s height, and the bottom is at 27%.
The Call: If any part of the ball touches any part of this two-dimensional zone—measured at the midpoint of home plate—the pitch is a strike.
Review Process: Once a challenge is issued, an animated graphic showing the ball’s location is displayed on the stadium scoreboard and the television broadcast. The entire process typically takes about 15 seconds.
Challenge Rules for 2026
Feature Rule Details
Allotted Challenges Each team starts with 2 challenges per game.
Retention A team retains their challenge if the call is overturned; they lose it only if the original call is upheld.
Who Can Challenge Only the batter, catcher, or pitcher can initiate a challenge. Managers and dugouts are prohibited from doing so.
How to Signal The player must immediately (within ~2 seconds) tap their cap or helmet to alert the umpire.
Extra Innings Teams that start an extra inning with no challenges will be awarded 1 extra challenge for that inning (non-accumulating).
Key Restrictions & Nuances
No Outside Help: Players cannot receive signals or advice from the dugout or teammates before deciding to challenge.
Position Players: Challenges are not permitted when a position player is pitching.
Runner Placement: If a ball/strike call is overturned during a live play (e.g., a stolen base attempt), umpires determine if the original call impacted the play’s outcome to decide runner placement.
Implementation: The system will be used in all regular season and postseason games, with exceptions for international or special neutral-site games lacking the necessary infrastructure.
Maybe a signal in the umpire’s earpiece when the ABS system senses s strike would help. The Blue could decide wether to accept the electronic “suggestion” or believe his eyes. I get tradition rules baseball but maybe giving the umps a another tool wouldn’t hurt. They still will have control of the game, plays at home, pitch and batter timing, balks and mound visits.
Kim can play CF, Freeland can’t. Also a factor while Tommy Tanks is out. I guess the challenge system might be the way to test this out but I don’t see the point unless they’re going to go fully automated. BTW, I believe the K-zone box will be gone now so they don’t have an Astro like cheating system for challenges.
If Freeland, Kim, and Pages put smiles on our and management faces, 2026 will be special.
Really pulling for a monster year from Pages. Maybe he’ll go 40/200!
I expect growth from Pages.
30 HR/100 RBI .280
If he wants to be great, he has to take more walks.
That would be epic.
Couple that with a nice Teo year.
Maybe Ward gets some PT.
OF might not be a weakness.
It is not!
And if they all do have a strong spring, the rest of the tryouts will be back i AAA. But that’s the way the old ball bounces. We just have so many options that some of these guys like Ward are probably praying for a trade. Can’t blame them. Look what it did for McKinstry, Busch and a few others.
I really like Diaz’s delivery. It’s deceptive but in an upfront way. He says, Hit it, but you can’t.
Dalton Rushing’s short-lived turn as an outfielder could be over, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told The Athletic’s Katie Woo and other reporters that Rushing will be used this season as a backup catcher and occasional first baseman.
Who you want at the plate? 2 outs , bottom 9, tying run at third, winning run at second. Your choices. Freeland. Kim. Or Miguel Rojas. I’m taking Rojas all day long. I like both Kim and Freeland! Just not sure either one of them will ever hit enough to be a starter. Freelands defense is very solid. Kim has the wheels and plays good defense. I can see the case for keeping either one of them. With a healthy Edman, I don’t see the need for both of them.
My point.
Also, Freeland is a switch hitter with more power and 3 years younger.
Freeland is just getting started.
Dodgers open to Freddie Freeman finishing career in LA
While speaking with Alanna Rizzo on “Foul Territory,” Friedman said he hopes Freeman retires as a member of the Dodgers.
“The impact that he’s had on the field, off the field, has been incredible. He has been right in the thick of so many incredible moments.
“I didn’t think going into that offseason that he would be wearing Dodger Blue. And now I don’t want to picture him in a different uniform. And so our hope is that he does finish his career here and hopefully has some more rings on his fingers.
“The impact he’s had is not lost on us.”
So far in his Dodgers career, Freeman has hit .310/.391/.516 with 180 doubles, 96 home runs and 381 RBI in 614 games over four seasons. Freeman played in 159 games during his first Dodgers season, then 161 in 2023, and 147 in each of the last two years.
Hall of Famer, Bill Mazeroski has passed away at age 89. Spent all 17 of his years in the majors with the Pirates. Best known for his walk off homer in game 7 of the 1960 World Series against the Yankees. RIP Maz.
3:10 PM ET
Dodgers (93-69)
Angels (72-90)
SP Y. Yamamoto R
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Jose Soriano R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
LF T. Hernandez R
CF Andy Pages R
C D. Rushing L
3B S. Espinal R
2B Hyeseong Kim L
SS A. Freeland S
1B Ryan Ward L
RF Zach Ehrhard R
67° Wind 5 mph In
Wish I could watch. Daughter’s away at college and manages all my subscriptions! I don’t even know our wifi password.
I am going to address a discussion held yesterday.
I am not going to rehash all the stats and theories, but I feel that there is a decent chance Kim gets traded. Of course, many disagree, which is fine.
It was proposed that the Dodgers knew all of the stats and still signed him, implying that they may know more than I do (which they do). My response was that they also signed Conforto, which led to this question: “What the fuck does Michael Conforto’s signing and situation have to do with Kim’s?”
What one has to do with the other is simply that the Dodgers are not always right about a player. Kim is a nice player, but Conforto was a disaster. That’s it.
My opinion. Others have different opinions. Cool. I have no problem with that.
The fact that you fail to understand what my point was in comparing Conforto and Kim is your problem. Time will be the great revealer. I do not dislike Kim – I love his speed and his defense – I just do not think he has the bat the Dodgers need. I hope I am wrong. I root for him every at-bat and respect your right to even have him as your favorite player.
I did not steal your lunch.
I missed this.
You were right on Lux!
That poor horse……is beating a dead one considered animal cruelty?
Surprised a little that Tony Gonsolin has not been signed by any team to this point. Even Buehler, who was pretty bad last year got a deal.
Gonsolin underwent an internal brace procedure and flexor tendon repair on his right elbow in August 2025. This surgery was a revision of his previous 2023 Tommy John surgery. His recovery is estimated to take 8 to 10 months.
2026 Outlook: He is expected to miss at least the first half of the 2026 season, with a potential return unlikely before August or September 2026.
It’s hard d not to be Tommy Lasorda regarding the kids. Tommy had a hard time giving playing time to prospects, but in his defense he never had a situation like Roberts has where he KNOWS he will be in the playoffs. Freeland, Kim, and Rushing need playing time. Rushing most of all given his ceiling. I hope Doc finds him the ABs. I know the Dodgers know best. My smartest clients were the ones who listened to me because they knew I knew my business and they did not, so I’m not second guessing the pros, but I sure hope Rushing gets enough time to figure out major league pitching. It’s hard to do from the bench.
New MLB Rumors Reveal Proposed Salary Cap as Owners Keep $2B in ‘War Chest’ for Potential Lockout
“MLB owners will reportedly push for the implementation of a salary cap as part of the next collective bargaining agreement.
According to Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the “initial” sense is that the cap floor for a first proposal would be between $140 million and $160 million while the ceiling would fall into the range of $260 million and $280 million. It would have to be “grandfathered in for a few years.”
MLB owners have also funded a “war chest” of approximately $75 million per team in order to provide financial protection in case of a work stoppage, per Heyman and Sherman. The ownership fund contains a total value of over $2 billion.
The MLB Players Association has a “significant” war chest as part of a standard preparation for a possible lockout as well, via Heyman and Sherman.
The MLBPA will enter CBA negotiations with Bruce Meyer as its interim executive director following the resignation of Tony Clark.
Heyman and Sherman reported Thursday that players remain “adamantly against” a salary cap and have expressed a “strong expectation” that a lockout will occur when the current CBA expires. Substantive discussions between both sides have yet to begin.
The MLB and MLBPA reportedly held a preliminary meeting in Nov. 2025.
According to Evan Drellich of The Athletic, the league could pursue the addition of a “hard-cap” model based off the NHL instead of the NBA’s cap system that includes tax and apron thresholds.
Owners are willing to discuss significantly increasing the current minimum wage of $780,000 and lowering the service time required to reach arbitration and free agency as “bargaining chips” if they can receive a salary cap in return, per Heyman and Sherman.
An MLB work stoppage hasn’t occurred since 1994, resulting in a shortened 1995 season.
The current CBA expires on Dec. 1″.
The new head of the MLBPA is reputed to be a real hardliner.
Well, it’s actually not a rumor!
Millionaires fighting Billionaires. Let’s see how long it takes to get a deal done.
Play Ball! It’s been a long winter. I’m soooo ready for some baseball.
The announcers just confirmed what I have always believed: Kike Hernandez said that he would NOT have caught the ball Andy Pages bulldozed him on in the World Series.
My eyes say otherwise. I’m going with first hand observation.
It is split about 50/50 on those who watched the play. Some thought Kike would have caught it. Others thought that he was too low and would have had to jump to catch it as he was running with his back to the play. Kike has said that he would have caught it and also that he wouldn’t have caught it. Statcast gave Pages a 60% Catch Probability. All I know for sure is that Pages DID catch it. Would Kike have caught it? We will never know!
Kim could really impress right about now!
BANG!
Dodgers To Claim Jack Suwinski
“The Dodgers are claiming outfielder Jack Suwinski off waivers, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. The Pirates designated Suwinski for assignment earlier this week to open up a 40-man roster spot for Marcell Ozuna.
The 27-year-old Suwinski has struggled mightily over the past two years, following a breakout 2023 campaign. The outfielder began last season on the big-league roster, but didn’t make it through April. He ended up tallying 59 games with the Pirates and 56 games at Triple-A. Suwinski mashed in the minors to the tune of a 150 wRC+. He managed just a 55 wRC+ in 178 MLB plate appearances”.
He has NO minor league options remaining.
Kim is making the most of it.
Give Kim a chance. He might surprise all of us. I’m positive his work ethic is definitely there.
Kim will be there in the beginning, but what happens when Kike, Edman, and Rojas are on the team, and what if Freeland steps up? It’s possible they send him to OKC knowing that Rojas and maybe Kike will not be back in 2027.
The team is beyond loaded. Both a lot of competition and very in that the spaces are so rare.
02/21/26 Los Angeles Dodgers placed 1B Enrique Hernández on the 60-day injured list. Recovery from left elbow surgery.
Katie Woo
@katiejwoo
As expected, Dodgers are targeting midseason returns for Kiké Hernández & Evan Phillips per general manager Brandon Gomes. Hernández will start taking swings soon, while the org is looking at Phillips as more of a “deadline acquisition,” in terms of timeline, Gomes said.
Kim is safe until then… maybe!
Nick Senzel bears watching.