Spring Training has arrived and as I’ve been writing daily notes for myself to recap all spring training starting pitchers for the Plus Pitch Podcast, I realized I should publish them on the site for quick access.
I’ll be livestreaming every morning 10am-12pm ET at playback.tv/pitcherlist as I watch all of the starts with y’all and answer all your fantasy baseball questions.
Major SP News To Know
There’s no major news this morning and I’m leaving the first two items from yesterday as they were made public in the mid-to-late afternoon.
Gerrit Cole is undergoing imaging on his pitching elbow and there are concerns he’ll be missing significant time. Fire up your Will Warren draft picks in 15-teamers.
The Mariners will have George Kirby on the IL to start the season as he recovers from right shoulder inflammation. We’ve seen this before in the spring only for pitchers to return two weeks into the season without issue. There was no structural damage revealed by his MRI.
Grayson Rodriguez will begin the season on the IL with triceps discomfort.
Bryan Bello is lagging and behind all Red Sox starters as he recovers from a sore shoulder.
The Tigers have signed José Urquidy to a one year deal and a $4M club option for 2026. Urquidy is returning from TJS and could return in the second half of the season.
Tigers prospect Ty Madden has a right rotator cuff strain. He will be out for a long period.
Next week marks the first appearance for Bradon Woodruff as he throws a minor league game on Tuesday. He’ll likely start the year on the IL, but should be ready a few weeks into the year.
Site News
We’re launching PL 11 in the upcoming days and we’ve outlined everything we’re working on and improved on the site inside this Twitter thread and this Bluesky thread.
Check out all the apps, a tease of the PL Fantasy Baseball Pro Dashboard, our new Live Draft Assistant, and so much more.
Now it’s super easy to see velo changes, movement changes (extra vert from Rodón!), extension, usage changes, locations, etc. It’s incredible, y’all. Get access via PL Pro at 15% off with code SPRINGISHERE
Expected Rotations By Team
Statcast Games – TV
PIT vs. PHI
DET vs. BAL
NYY vs. TOR
SEA vs. LAD
Jared Jones (PIT) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 6 K. Fastball command was a bit chaotic, resulting in just 1/32 whiffs on the pitch, but the slider is up to 90 mph, sacrificing three inches of drop, helping return a 48% CSW (lol). Changeup is still here and early strikes, we saw a handful of sinkers, and even a collection of curves. We’re cool. I think.
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K. We saw more cutters! Just three of them and only two to RHB. Okay fair. It also looks like it’s more of a slider than a cutter at 87 mph and 10 mph slower than the fastball. Wait…YUP. We’ve got 97 mph sinkers from Sánchez and you better start believing the velocity is real. Full focus on inside sinkers to LHB, too. Just gotta get that cutter inside to RHB…and hopefully in the low 90s? That would be better. And yes, the changeup is still absurdly good with 6/18 whiffs here at 88 mph. Oooof.
Moisés Chace (PHI) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K. It’s Chace! I watched this and…oh. 92/93 mph heaters with 15.6″ of vert and 6.4 extension. But 1.3 HAVAA! Nah, this isn’t the dude I was excited about. NOOOO. He’s a bit cross body on release, which explains the volatility a touch that we’ve seen in the minors, but that low velocity without vert ain’t it. Maybe he was going easy…? Probably not. Sigh.
Keider Montero (DET) – 2.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K. We’re not seeing a well spotted four-seamer yet from Montero, but whiffs are there and the added vert is still apparent at 17″. The results don’t help his cause toward snagging the SP #5, but it’s between him and Jobe for the #5 spot at the moment and if Montero doesn’t get it…yeah.
Casey Mize (DET) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K. 6/9 whiffs on the splitter, 4/17 on the four-seamer and over two inches of extra vert on the four-seamer to an excellent 18.4″ mark. I’m sad to see 2/8 strikes on the slider, though, and I’d feel more comfortable with Mize if he weren’t just four-seamer/splitter. Maybe he has the old college splitter back. At the very least, he has a starting gig and he could be hot out of the gate.
Dean Kremer (BAL) – 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K. The splitter and cutter earned whiffs, but as you can see, he needs more than that. At least he’s up to 19″ of vert on the four-seamer with intent to go upstairs? In actuality, this should have been better for Kremer and the Orioles are sure to let him start a whole bunch this year with their current SP situation.
Brandon Young (BAL) – 2.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K. We may see Young get a shot in the rotation earlier than expected this year with his four-seamer/cutter/change approach including a 94 mph heater with 18-19″ of vert that flirts with cut action. I’m not in love with this, but I very much appreciate his feel to keep heaters up and changeups + cutters down. This could work.
Marcus Stroman (NYY) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K. You got your wish, Stroman. You are comfortably inside the Yankee rotation. I’m happy you could showcase something of value with this opportunity this time around, I have very little faith you can do so on the regular in-season as a member of the Yankees. On a random team? Sure, I can see a surprise run of QS. I see the environment being a little too pressurized for Stroman in the Bronx.
Yariel Rodríguez (TOR) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 4 K. I’m just not seeing enough to get me on board. Sure, 5/23 whiffs on heaters is great, but they really shouldn’t return those results with its shape and I don’t trust the precision he had here against RHB. I’m still out until I see more.
Emerson Hancock (SEA) – 2.1 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Soooo, ready to be the SP #5 for the Mariners? Uhhh. I still don’t understand why Hancock leans into his four-seamer more than the sinker, with the former looking awfully blegh and the latter coming with exceptional horizontal run (19″ is stellar!). Just 18% usage against RHB but 29% four-seamers?! I don’t get it. He’ll need to be saved by his changeup, slider, and sweeper and the breakers have plenty of movement, but don’t come with the sheen he needs, unfortunately. I don’t think this will go well.
Logan Evans (SEA) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 3 K. Sure, it’s just 94 mph and poor extension and a steep attack angle, but at least he knows that and leans into 18-19″ of horizontal run on his sinker to feature it fourteen times vs. just three four-seamers. Evans looks more polished and there’s a chance he gets the SP #5 over Hancock. There’s no one else to step in unless they sign Kyle Gibson or Patrick Corbin or trade for Jordan Montgomery. And come to think of it, those guys would be sleepers for their home games given how T-Mobile park acts as the anti-Coors. Annnnd now I’m wondering if we should call it The Tea – the opposite of a cold beer is hot tea + T-Mobile + we all want our pitchers to sip The Tea. Just another one of my silly thoughts. CARRY ON.
Justin Wrobleski (LAD) – 3.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K. Wrobleski has had himself a solid spring despite his ghastly 5.2 feet of extension and 93.7 mph velocity (-1.4 mph), but hey, that’s a solid curveball for 64% strikes with flases of a cutter and changeup to produce once again. It sure seems like we’ll see him for a few starts this year when the Dodgers need it and it could be worthwhile. Not the kind of guy to drop everything for, though.
Statcast Games – No TV
MIN vs. ATL
KC vs. LAA
STL vs. HOU
Bailey Ober (MIN) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 5 K. Ayyyy we have new sinkers and sweepers to RHB for 20% usage combined and I dig that, though the sweeper may not be great at his arm angle. The slider is harder but still at 82/83 mph with far less movement and I’m not sure that’s great…? 5/17 whiffs, though, and it’s likely Ober took his slider and made it the sweeper, while adding this tighter one to match as a strike pitch down-and-away. Sure, that should be fine. I just wish the four-seamer command were in a slightly better place upstairs as he continues to sit 90/91 mph.
Reynaldo López (ATL) – 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 0 K. Zero strikeouts with 86% four-seamer usage at 93.0 mph (-2.5 ticks) is not a good look. At all. I’m pretty worried here, especially when you’d think he’d work on his slider and curve (or anything new?) and he tossed just eight of those in total.
Seth Lugo (KC) – 2.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K. Okay, you’re at 92.3 mph, which matches last year’s velocity. Fine. Weird to see just a few curveballs but why not try everything else in the spring?
José Soriano (LAA) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 4 K. Strange to see him go away from RHB instead of inside and the slider wasn’t doing a whole lot. He’s the same guy for the most part and I imagine the sinker will go back inside soon.
Miles Mikolas (STL) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Okay. You’re still a tick down and get just 15″ of vert (up 1.6″!) at one of the steepest attack angles and 6.1 feet extension. Ooooof.
Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) – 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 2 K. Oh dear. This was a rough day at the park. Arrighetti couldn’t throw a strike with anything but his cutter, and even that offering labored for a 64% strike rate. It couldn’t have been that bad. Uhhhh, across 29 four-seamers, curves, sweepers, and changeups, Arrighetti went 8/29 strikes. 27.6% strikes. That’s an absolutely atrocity. Please rebound for this one Spencer, you’re reminding me too much of your 2024 first half.
No Statcast – TV
TB vs. MIN
Shane Baz (TB) – 2.0 IP, 6 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 0 K. Yikes. That’s a line that makes you worried something is wrong.
David Festa (MIN) – 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 2 K. So many brutal lines from Friday’s games. This doesn’t help Festa’s case to make the opening rotation, hopefully he gets another shot or two to rebound.
No Statcast – No TV
BOS vs. MIA
ATH vs. CLE
WSH vs. NYM
Walker Buehler (BOS) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Another start, another maddening moment where I want data or at least a good camera angle. I’m generally in on Buehler and think he can help all formats, but I won’t lean too heavily into that until I see something.
Garrett Whitlock (BOS) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K. Welcome back. Sadly just as a reliever, but still cool to see you.
Matt Moore (BOS) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K. Wait, you’re still a thing?
Edward Cabrera (MIA) – 1.2 IP, 6 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K. Yep, we can’t risk it.
Osvaldo Bido (ATH) – 3.1 IP, 8 ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Oh dear. I guess his fastballs were that hittable this time around? It was his best skill last year.
Gunnar Hoglund (ATH) – 1.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Womp womp. He’s had an impressive spring and this likely sends him back to the minors. Take a gander when he gets the call to start.
Joey Cantillo (CLE) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 1 K. I wish we had data to see if his extension and/or velocity has come back up since the last time we saw him this spring. It was awfully concerning last time out.
Slade Cecconi (CLE) – 1.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K. Blegh. I wasn’t impressed in his previous game and this obviously doesn’t help his cause.
Trevor Williams (WSH) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K. #NeverTrevor.
Paul Blackburn (NYM) – 2.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 0 K. Welcome to the rotation, Blackburn. What was that noise? All of Queens emitting a groan of frustration.
What To Watch Today On TV
SPs to watch on TV today #SpringSPnotesGet morning updates to EVERY SP via my daily Plus Pitch Podcast AND SP Roundup article on the Pitcher List site.DJ Herz – Triple-A bound?Taijuan Walker – Welp, good luck.Spencer Schwellenbach – AGA material? Max Scherzer – Old self?
— Nick Pollack (@nickpollack.pitcherlist.com) 2025-03-08T18:12:07.512Z
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