Schumaker, Pettitte, Holliday to be U.S. coaches at next year's World Baseball Classic
Matt Holliday, a seven-time All-Star and the father of Baltimore infielder Jackson Holliday, will be hitting coach, USA Baseball said Friday.
Dino Ebel returns from DeRosa's 2023 staff as third base coach and George Lombard will be first base coach.
DeRosa's staff also includes former major league managers Fredi González (assistant manager) and David Ross (bullpen coach) along with Brian McCann and Michael Young as assistant managers.
The tournament runs from March 5-17 with games played in Houston, Miami, Tokyo and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Japan is defending champion.
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New York Times
7 minutes ago
- New York Times
Coby Mayo, Brooks Lee and others with better playing time opportunities after MLB trade deadline
After the dust settles on a frantic trade deadline, much of the attention is on the buyers. Who added the most talent? Who's got the best bullpen now? Who won the trade deadline? Sometimes, the real winners of the trade deadline appear in the shadow left behind. With win-now talent out the door, sellers suddenly can offer the lion's share of playing time to young players to see what they've got. There's opportunity here, and that's half the battle for players trying to establish their bonafides as major leaguers. So let's look at the rosters on the trade deadline sellers and see which young players have a new lease on life. Some of them may get so good they'll be traded for in future deadlines. So far, Mayo has been hovering around league average with the bat, but that's laudable for a couple of reasons. One reason is that he's been playing sporadically. The last week or so he's been in the lineup pretty regularly, but for the season he's been up and down between Triple A and the big leagues and in and out of the lineup. The flurry of trades in Baltimore should allow him to play for the Orioles every day, full stop, and maybe even at third base to figure out if he can be the future there. Advertisement The other reason his league-average production has been good so far is that it's come with a better strikeout rate than you might have expected given his minor-league numbers, and not quite the top-end exit velocities he's put up in the past. Let him get settled, and the (already decent) Barrel rate will go up, and the power should show. He can hit around .240 to .250 with 30 home run-type power without changing much of what he's doing under the hood. Among pitchers with 40 innings, Rodríguez has the eighth-best stuff in baseball right now. He has the second-best strikeout-minus-walk rate in baseball, right behind Josh Hader. He throws a 97-mph fastball and an 86-mph slider and they both have good shapes. He has good enough command, and he's been used in save situations. He's probably who the Giants hoped Camilo Doval would be — he's probably better than Doval right now and will likely have a chance to take his place in the ninth inning for the Giants now that Doval is a Yankee. The Giants won't miss a beat at closer with Rodríguez behind the wheel — but they may get him fewer chances, given they traded some other pieces away that would have helped the team win games. But Rodríguez is immediately a top-10 closer on talent alone. Offensively, the upside for Brooks Lee is not as easy to see as it is for Mayo. Lee doesn't have the same bat speed, top-end exit velocities or Barrel rates as Mayo, so we aren't waiting for a ton more power. And the defensive metrics don't say that Lee will be a top-end defender at shortstop, either. But he's split time at second and third, the samples are still pretty small to believe those metrics at face value, and now he has the chance to make his case as the starting shortstop for his team with Carlos Correa now in Houston. He can make good contact, and spray the ball around with just below-average power, so he might be able to push that batting average into the .275 range, with the type of power and speed that would give him 12-15 homers and five-plus steals over a full season. Advertisement If Jack Perkins was a qualified starter, he'd slot in-between Framber Valdez and Dylan Cease in terms of Stuff+. He's got a uniquely shaped fastball with good velocity, a great sweeper, a plus changeup and a decent cutter, all from a low slot. The stuff is good. The command might not be. Among the 540 pitchers with at least 10 innings this year, his location numbers are 28th-worst. It's almost all relievers around him. Which… OK, maybe he's the A's new closer, that job is open too. With Mason Miller and J.P. Sears now in San Diego, there are a couple avenues in front of Perkins, who was a starter in the minors but has already racked up three saves in a long relief role in the majors. His stuff makes him viable in a couple different ways. It's a shame about his home park, though. The A's are reportedly calling up another high-end young pitching talent who has history as both a starter and a reliever, right-hander Luis Morales. Like Perkins, Morales will have opportunities that wouldn't have been there had the A's not traded away Miller and Sears. At some point, the Twins' rotation will get healthier. David Festa, Pablo López and Bailey Ober will pitch again for them this year, probably. And when that happens, there will be a game of musical chairs, and Abel will likely end up in the minor leagues again. But for now, there's a need in the Twins' rotation, and Abel's stuff is electric. A 96-mph four-seamer with plus ride given his lower arm slot, plus a high-80s gyro slider, and a low 80s bigger curveball is a great foundation. The Phillies also made sure to give him two fastballs, and hey, even his changeup rates well. He's gotten poor prospect grades for his command in the past, but his location numbers weren't a problem so far this year. He's absolutely going to be interesting if he gets some starts for the Twins over the next few weeks, especially since the Twins are an underrated team for pitching development. Everyone wants to know when Samuel Basallo, Keith Law's No. 8 MLB prospect, will get his chance in the big leagues, but Adley Rutschman is still in town. It's not impossible that they bring Basallo up just to get him major-league at-bats, but the Orioles lineup's biggest need after sending out Cedric Mullins and Ryan O'Hearn is probably at least somewhat outfield-heavy. Beavers hasn't played as much center as corner outfield this year in the minors, but he can back up Colton Cowser in a pinch. Fantasy leaguers will like that Beavers makes contact, hits for power and also steals bases. Law has questioned Beavers' hit tool, but this has been Beavers' best year in terms of batting average and strikeout rate, so maybe he's improved some there. Looks like a guy that could hit .250 with 20 homers and 30 steals. Advertisement The margins for a 24-year-old first-base-only right-handed hitter are razor thin. The few righties at the position that have made it through to free agency have had to be great hitters, not just good ones. And Locklear might just be a good hitter. His contact rates are OK but not great, his strikeout rate is good right now but has been worse in the past, his upper-end exit velocities are decent but his in-game power has fluctuated. If he puts it all together for his new team, he could be a .240-hitting first baseman with 20+ homers and 10+ steals, an interesting package at the position. He's no lock to put up that production, but at least he's got some runway the rest of the season. As a 25-year-old outfielder with modest bat speed and poor batted ball numbers so far in the big leagues, Roden was expendable to the Blue Jays, perhaps. But given his plus sprint speed, plus arm strength, and great plate discipline and contact rates in the majors and minors, he was interesting enough to the Twins, who did more selling than was perhaps anticipated. They sold so much that James Outman, who came over from the Dodgers for Brock Stewart, may also get a shot in the outfield, and Kody Clemens may get some time at first base. Outman has the best bat speed and power upside, Clemens the second best. But Roden is the most polished at the plate, so the bet is he gets the most playing time, and can hit as well as .260 with a good on-base percentage and approach league-average power. Of course at some point, Emmanuel Rodriguez will be healthy and complicate matters. Félix Bautista's shoulder is so inflamed they have to wait a while to image it again. Seranthony Domínguez and Andrew Kittredge are gone in trades. Corbin Martin got the Orioles' last save, but Cano has gotten opportunities in the past, has better stuff and has been around for a while in Baltimore. He'll at least get chances if not get anointed the closer for the Orioles the rest of the way. JoJo Romero is still in town and has had better results than O'Brien this year, so maybe Romero just the Cardinals' closer the rest of the way. But fastball velocity is strongly correlated with saves, and managers tend to prefer righty closers, so O'Brien could easily slip in with his 98-mph fastball and take this job. At the least, it's probably a co-closer situation in St. Louis the rest of the way. The Giants took a short-term package from the Mets for Tyler Rogers, and may end up putting all three pieces on the field this season. Drew Gilbert has to be put on the 40-man roster this offseason, so they might as well do it now and see if he can help in the outfield. José Buttó is going right into the Giants' bullpen. And Tidwell may be a better option as a back-end starter right now than Carson Whisenhunt. While Whisenhunt has a great changeup, he's largely a two-pitch lefty with a sinker as a fastball, meaning he's still searching for an arsenal that works against both hands. He also doesn't throw really hard. Tidwell sits 96 on the fastball with a four-pitch mix and needs to prove his command is good enough to start. They might just throw him in the mix right away. Advertisement He's already been playing for the Marlins, but Hernandez may now get everyday playing time with Jesús Sánchez in Houston. Hernandez has plus bat speed and makes good swing decisions, but also swings and misses quite a bit. Don't believe his current batting average, but could he still put up a .320-ish OBP with 25-30 homer power and a handful of steals? Yes, yes he could. He's only 22 and just got to Triple A, but Jensen has acquitted himself with the bat at every level while improving his defense. Law's fourth-ranked catcher is now a 'solid-average defender,' in Law's words. He may not hit for a great average but he features power and patience and it might be his turn now that Freddy Fermin has left town. Santana is a professional, and can probably close games for the Pirates for a bit now that David Bednar is a Yankee. But with the injury history in Braxton Ashcraft's rear-view mirror, and the stuff the younger righty has been showing, there may be a future for Ashcraft in closing long-term. And the Pirates need to think long-term, too. But for now, Santana is likely to get the save calls. (Top photo of Mayo: Greg Fiume / Getty Images)
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
How Do Mahomes, Burrow Stack Up At QB? 'Madden NFL 26' Top 10 Players By Position
If you were to ask those who determine the player ratings for "Madden NFL 26," they would say that Patrick Mahomes isn't a top-three quarterback entering the 2025 NFL season. The Kansas City Chiefs star earned the fourth-highest overall rating among quarterbacks in "Madden NFL 26" as the top 10 player ratings at each position were unveiled on Thursday. Mahomes, who received a 95 overall rating, trails Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills (99), Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens (99) and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals (97). Allen and Jackson were previously unveiled as two of the members in the "99 Club" on Monday. The 95 overall rating is the lowest Mahomes has had in "Madden" since "Madden NFL 23." It's also just the second time in the last six years that he wasn't in the "99 Club" when the game was released. Even though Mahomes was able to lead the Chiefs to a third-straight Super Bowl appearance, he threw for a career-low 3,928 yards in 2024. He also matched his career-worst in touchdown passes (26), but he missed two-plus games due to injury when he set his previous low mark in touchdown passes. As for the three quarterbacks ahead of Mahomes, Allen and Jackson battled it out for MVP last season, finishing in first and second, respectively. Burrow, meanwhile, led the league in passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43). While Mahomes has the fourth-best rating among the quarterbacks, there is a drop-off after him. Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams has the fifth-best overall rating at quarterback at 88. Most of the top-rated players at each position were essentially unveiled when the "99 Club" for "Madden NFL 26" was introduced on Monday. Saquon Barkley, who'll appear on the cover of "Madden NFL 26," is the highest-rated running back with a 99 overall rating. Derrick Henry is right behind him with a 98 overall rating. At wide receiver, Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson and his former LSU teammate, Ja'Marr Chase, also earned 99 overall ratings. Detroit Lions standout Amon-Ra St. Brown has the next highest rating at the position with a 96. George Kittle leads the way among tight ends. He has a 98 overall rating, while Travis Kelce has the second-best overall rating at the position at 93. Among offensive linemen, Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson is the highest-rated player at that grouping. He was named to the "99 Club" earlier in the week. San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams, formerly a member of the "99 Club," had the second-best rating among offensive linemen (97). Defensively, Myles Garrett was already unveiled as the top edge rusher when he was included in the "99 Club" announcement. Micah Parsons wasn't too far behind, though. He received a 98 overall rating, putting him in the upper echelon of pass rushers. As T.J. Watt and Maxx Crosby are the next two pass rushers around him, Parsons is the only player among the top four at his position who hasn't received a contract extension this offseason. He's currently seeking a new deal from the Cowboys. Elsewhere along the defensive front, Chiefs mainstay Chris Jones and New York Giants standout Dexter Lawrence II have the top overall rating among defensive tackles (97). At linebacker, Fred Warner of the 49ers is the top-rated player at the position (97), with Roquan Smith of the Ravens behind him (94). In the secondary, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II is the top-rated cornerback. He received a 97 overall rating, with rising New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzlaez placing second at the position (95). At safety, Jessie Bates II of the Atlanta Falcons (95) edged out Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers (93). You can check out the top 10 rated players at each position below (overall ratings in parentheses). "Madden NFL 26" will be available to play on Aug. 14, but those who purchase the game via Early Access will be able to play the game as early as Aug. 7. 1. Josh Allen (99) 2. Lamar Jackson (99) 3. Joe Burrow (97) 4. Patrick Mahomes (95) 5. Matthew Stafford (88) 6. Jared Goff (87) T7. Justin Herbert (86) T7. Jalen Hurts (86) T9. Baker Mayfield (85) T9. Jayden Daniels (85) 1. Saquon Barkley (99) 2. Derrick Henry (98) 3. Jahmyr Gibbs (95) 4. Christian McCaffrey (94) 5. Bijan Robinson (92) 6. Joe Mixon (91) 7. Josh Jacobs (90) 8. James Cook (89) T9. Jonathan Taylor (88) T9. Kenneth Walker (88) T1. Ja'Marr Chase (99) T1. Justin Jefferson (99) 3. Amon-Ra St. Brown (96) T4. CeeDee Lamb (95) T4. Tyreek Hill (95) 6. Terry McLaurin (94) T7. Mike Evans (93) T7. A.J. Brown (93) 9. Drake London (91) 10. Davante Adams (90) 1. George Kittle (98) 2. Travis Kelce (93) 3. Trey McBride (92) 4. Mark Andrews (91) 5. Brock Bowers (90) 6. David Njoku (89) 7. T.J. Hockenson (88) 8. Dallas Goedert (87) 9. Sam LaPorta (86) 10. Evan Engram (85) 1. Lane Johnson (99) 2. Trent Williams (97) T3. Penei Sewell (96) T3. Tristan Wirfs (96) T3. Jordan Mailata (96) 6. Quinn Meinerz (95) T7. Creed Humphrey (94) T7. Chris Lindstrom (94) T7. Laremy Tunsil (94) 10. Joe Thuney (93) 1. Myles Garrett (99) 2. Micah Parsons (98) T3. T.J. Watt (96) T3. Maxx Crosby (96) 5. Nick Bosa (95) 6. Aidan Hutchinson (93) 7. Trey Hendrickson (92) 8. Danielle Hunter (91) 9. Josh Hines-Allen (90) 10. Will Anderson Jr. (89) T1. Chris Jones (97) T1. Dexter Lawrence II (97) 3. Derrick Brown (95) 4. Cameron Hayward (94) T5. Vita Vea (93) T5. Nnamdi Madubuike (93) 7. Jeffrey Simmons (92) 8. Quinnen Williams (91) 9. Jalen Carter (90) 10. DeForest Buckner (88) 1. Fred Warner (97) 2. Roquan Smith (94) 3. Bobby Wagner (91) 4. DeMario Davis (90) T5. Lavonte David (88) T5. Zack Baun (88) 7. Foyesade Oluokon (87) T8. Dre Greenlaw (86) T8. Bobby Okereke (86) 10. Devin Lloyd (85) 1. Patrick Surtain II (97) 2. Christian Gonzalez (95) T3. Sauce Gardner (94) T3. Trent McDuffie (94) T3. Jalen Ramsey (94) 6. Derek Stingley Jr. (93) 7. Marlon Humphrey (92) 8. Jaire Alexander (91) 9. Denzel Ward (90) 10. Jaylon Johnson (89) 1. Jessie Bates II (95) T2. Derwin James Jr. (93) T2. Xavier McKinney (93) T4. Budda Baker (92) T4. Minkah Fitzpatrick (92) 6. Antoine Winfield Jr. (91) T7. Kyle Hamilton (90) T7. Kerby Joseph (90) 9. Brian Branch (89) 10. Harrison Smith (88) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Padres boost bottom of lineup with Ryan O'Hearn, Ramon Laureano
Yahoo Sports senior MLB analysts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss San Diego's swap with Baltimore for a pair of bats from the Orioles. Hear the full conversation on the 'Baseball Bar-B-Cast' podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript They get Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Loriano from Baltimore. Freddie Fermin from Kansas City is a little bit more perplexing because he's 30 years old and a below-average hitter, and you trade away two young pitchers that definitely could have helped you soon. Um, that's weird. At the same time, this is now looking like a more complete lineup that can challenge the Dodgers. That can push farther in October because the bottom of this offense right now has been so bad that getting both of these guys is hugely impressive. For all the price of course they gave, they sold the farm, the farm is in a bad place, but that's fine. We know the plan, and I have to give them credit for adding these guys. And from an attitude perspective, having been around the Orioles a little bit this year, O'Hearn and Loriano are middle fingers. They are FU guys. They have edge, like they play angry. They're going to be fan favorites in San Diego. They're going to contribute to that team. They're good in the room. I love that they went together. I like the package the Orioles got back. We'll maybe get to that a little bit later in the show as those details trickle in. Um, Loriano is not, like, I know heading into the deadline, O'Hearn was getting a lot of the buzz here because he put up such a hot April and he made the All-Star team. Loriano has been pretty similar as a hitter for a while now. I would even say he's been better. Now he's missed some time, you know, not playing, he wasn't playing every day to start the year, but he also has another year of control left. He's got a $6 million option that the Padres are probably gonna pick up. He is a good player. Close
