Michael Trzinski

I think he meant that the bullpen has many options (different pitchers to choose from), not that the pitchers have minor league options. The Cubs have a glorious gallimaufry of 'pen personnel.

As a fellow historian, I am enjoying your 1918 pieces. I am doing something similar on BF for the 1982 Brewers.

Good research! Looking forward to reading all parts!

Image courtesy of © Lexi Thompson - Imagn Images Much to the chagrin of diehard Cubs fans, the team has made a series of small moves this winter, but not any major ones. Most of the off-season transactions have involved relief pitchers. The losses of Brad Keller and Drew Pomeranz should be offset by the additions of Jacob Webb, Phil Maton, and even Hunter Harvey, who is the subject of a Matt Trueblood piece on NSBB. As always with the Cubs, pitchers come and go, and it seems like manager Craig Counsell is drawn to former Brewers, like Hoby Milner and Colin Rea. Could six-year NPB slugger Tyler Austin come back to the bigs and successfully bludgeon left-handed pitching again? Can Shota Imanaga return to his All-Star form of 2024? The Cubs will challenge for the NL Central crown, but do they have enough to unseat the Brewers? Let’s take a look at the rest of the National League Central and see how those teams look after their rosters have been slightly shuffled. Note: All WAR numbers are courtesy of Baseball-Reference. All contracts are big league deals. Cincinnati Reds The Reds have made a handful of moves, but they're effectively having an even quieter version of the Cubs' winter. Status quo in the Queen City. Additions: Signed OF JJ Bleday to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: -0.3 Re-signed RHP Emilio Pagán to a two-year deal. 2025 WAR: 2.0 Signed LHP Caleb Ferguson to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: 0.9 Traded for OF Dane Myers. 2025 WAR: -0.1 Claimed C Ben Rortvedt off waivers (LA Dodgers). 2025 WAR: -0.5 Subtractions: RHP Lyon Richardson (DFA). 2025 WAR: -0.2 Still Out There: INF/OF Miguel Andujar, 2025 WAR: 0.8 RHP Scott Barlow, 2025 WAR: 0.7 OF Austin Hays, 2025 WAR: 0.8 RHP Zack Littell, 2025 WAR: 3.2 LHP Wade Miley, 2025 WAR: -0.1 RHP Nick Martinez, 2025 WAR: 2.3 LHP Brent Suter, 2025 WAR: 0.3 Bleday will join the left-handed mix in the outfield, but will likely be a platoon/fourth outfielder. Myers is the right-handed version of Bleday, with less power. Pagán saved 32 games last year and is the front-runner for the closer role. Ferguson is likely to be the main southpaw in the pen, but is more of a LOOGY than a guy who can get both sides out. With the declined options, there are a few bullpen jobs up for grabs. Will the Reds re-sign one or more of the pitchers that had been cut free? Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers have made a few transactions this offseason, but Brewers fans are still waiting for the ‘big one.’ Off the field, general manager Matt Arnold was promoted to the position of president of baseball operations, securing (at least on Milwaukee's end) a few more years at the helm of the Brewers. Additions: Traded for LHP Ángel Zerpa. 2025 WAR: 0.3 Signed OF Akil Baddoo. 2025 WAR: 0.2 Claimed LHP Sammy Peralta off waivers. 2025 WAR: -0.5 Subtractions: OF Isaac Collins (traded to Kansas City), 2025 WAR: 2.1 RHP Nick Mears (traded to Kansas City), 2025 WAR: 0.5 C Danny Jansen (signed with Rangers) Still Out There: 1B Rhys Hoskins, 2025 WAR: 0.9 LHP Jose Quintana, 2025 WAR: 1.3 The loss of Collins was met by mixed opinions from industry pundits. Although Collins played a huge role last year and earned some NL Rookie of the Year votes, the Brewers have enough depth in their outfield to work around the loss. Mears was a solid reliever but Zerpa is a lefty that can start or relieve, so he offers the pitching staff a little flexibility. Unlike Mears, he can also be optioned to the minors. Pittsburgh Pirates A few moderate-to-big names have flown across the Buccos’ transaction page so far this winter, including those involved in a three-way trade with Tampa Bay and Houston. Additions: Traded for 2B Brandon Lowe. 2025 WAR: 1.9 Signed 1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year deal. 2025 WAR: 2.4 Signed LHP Gregory Soto to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: -0.1 Traded for OF Jake Mangum. 2025 WAR: 1.6 Traded for LHP Mason Montgomery. 2025 WAR: -0.9 Traded for OF Jhostynxon Garcia. 2025 WAR: 0.0 Subtractions: RHP Colin Holderman (signed by Cleveland), 2025 WAR: -0.8 RHP Johan Oviedo (traded to Boston), 2025 WAR: 0.8 RHP Mike Burrows (traded to Houston), 2025 WAR: 1.5 SS Cam Devanney (released), 2025 WAR: -0.5 Still On Board: OF Alexander Canario, 2025 WAR: 0.5 DH/OF Andrew McCutchen, 2025 WAR: 0.1 OF Tommy Pham, 2025 WAR: 1.0 The Pirates traded away a couple solid starters in Oviedo and Burrows, but got some pop on the offensive side with Lowe (31 homers in 2025) and O’Hearn (All-Star, 17 homers). Plus, even more importantly, they got the player with one of the best nicknames in sports. Jhostynxon García (pronounced JOES-tin-son) has the nickname ‘The Password.’ St. Louis Cardinals The Cardinals traded away pitcher Sonny Gray and catcher Willson Contreras to the Red Sox and gained a couple of young starting pitchers in return. New president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom hinted at a full rebuild, and this certainly confirms that. Additions: Traded for RHP Richard Fitts. 2025 WAR: -0.3 Signed RHP Dustin May to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: -0.6 Traded for RHP Hunter Dobbins. 2025 WAR: 0.4 Re-signed C Yohel Pozo to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: 0.2 Claimed RHP Zak Kent off waivers. 2025 WAR: 0.1 Subtractions: 1B/DH Willson Contreras (traded to Boston), 2025 WAR: 2.5 RHP Sonny Gray (traded to Boston), 2025 WAR: 1.4 OF/INF Garrett Hampson (released), 2025 WAR: -0.4 Still On Board: RHP Jorge Alcala, 2025 WAR: -1.1 LHP John King, 2025 WAR: -0.3 RHP Miles Mikolas, 2025 WAR: 0.4 If the Cardinals' plan is to get younger, they certainly did that. If addition to Fitts, May, Dobbins, and Kent, the Cards also added pitcher Brandon Clarke, a top Red Sox prospect. Pozo joins a three-catcher mix for St. Louis, but they have high expectations for the Cards backstop. ‘El Birdos’ have been out of the mix in the National League Central for the last three years, but Bloom and company are hoping the influx of youngsters can change that, even if it doesn't happen in 2026. What Does It All Mean? The Brewers have won three straight NL Central titles. Have the other teams done enough in the offseason to dethrone the Brew Crew? Or will one or more teams make a huge move in the next two months that will be enough to put them over the top? Time will tell. View full article

Did he play 'Ollie' on Hoosiers? lol The throw to home was the FAR better throw; it never went more than 10 feet off the ground--a laser. The throw to third was a 'rainbow.' Both did the job, though...

I have both BB and Shota on my computer league team. Looking for them to 'kill' this year, except when they are playing the Brewers...lol.

Nice change-up, Matt. This one came in at about 75...lol.

Historically speaking, the St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most successful teams in major league history, having won 11 World Series in 19 tries, second only to the 27 titles of the New York Yankees. However, while the Cards played in the postseason each year from 2019-2022, they've come up short the last two seasons, finishing fifth in the NL Central in 2023 while grabbing a runner-up spot last year. What do they have in store in 2025? Image courtesy of Orlando Ramirez/USA Today Last Year Although they weren’t terrible — playing above .500 ball in five of the six months of the 2024 season — the Cardinals just didn’t have enough horsepower to keep up in the division. St. Louis finished tied for second with the Chicago Cubs with an 83-79 record, 10 games behind Milwaukee for the NL Central title in 2024. However, closer Ryan Helsley not only led the National League with 49 saves, but he also posted an ERA+ of 206 and a 2.41 FIP. He was the only Cardinals All-Star and finished ninth in the NL Cy Young voting. Manager Oliver Marmol is beginning his fourth year at the helm at just 38 years old. Key Losses: 1B Paul Goldschmidt, INF Matt Carpenter, OF Dylan Carlson, OF Tommy Pham, and P’s Andrew Kittredge, Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn. Key Signings: P Nick Anderson, UTIL Michael Helman, P Roddery Muñoz, IF-OF José Barrero. Starting Pitching The Cardinals appear to be set in their rotation with four righties and one southpaw. Erick Fedde came over from the White Sox and had an ERA+ of 126 and a FIP of 3.86. Miles Mikolas had perhaps his worst season since arriving in St. Louis with an ERA+ of 78 and FIP of 4.24. Sonny Gray dropped off a bit from his dominant 2023 but won a team-high 13 games with an ERA+ of 109 and FIP of 3.12. Andre Pallante is the only projected starter younger than 30 years old at 26, but in his first year as a full-time starter posted an ERA+ of 111 and FIP of 3.71. Left-hander Steven Matz was limited to 12 appearances (seven starts) in 2024 due to a back injury but is healthy this spring and will be a back-end starter in the rotation. Michael McGreevy will challenge for a spot but will most likely start the season in Triple-A. Lefty Zack Thompson has a left lat injury and will most likely not be ready until late April/early May. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Erick Fedde 4.28 1.4 21.1 7.4 Miles Mikolas 4.47 1.1 16.1 4.7 Sonny Gray 3.48 2.9 25.5 6.7 Andre Pallante 3.98 1.4 17.0 9.2 Steven Matz (LH) 4.05 1.0 20.1 7.4 Michael McGreevy 4.13 1.8 16.7 6.3 Zack Thompson (LH) 4.33 0.8 22.3 10.8 Relief Pitching Ryan Helsley will once again be the closer after saving 49 games last season. Ryan Fernandez will see some high-leverage action after a 120 ERA+, 3.35 FIP season. Southpaws JoJo Romero (125 ERA+, 4.27 FIP), Matthew Liberatore (95, 4.11), and John King (148, 3.73) will all have prominent roles in the bullpen. Newcomer Nick Anderson (106, 5.07) should take over the role held by Kittredge last year, while Riley O’Brien (39, 7.04) and Kyle Leahy (104, 3.56) have a leg up for the final spots. Roddery Muñoz and Gordon Graceffo can start or relieve and will challenge for either spot, while Chris Roycroft and Ryan Loutos will fight for relief spots in the bullpen. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Ryan Helsley 2.86 1.0 30.6 9.0 Ryan Fernandez 3.66 0.4 23.3 8.9 JoJo Romero (LH) 3.73 0.3 23.9 7.8 Matthew Liberatore (LH) 4.17 0.8 21.2 8.7 Nick Anderson 4.33 0.0 20.4 8.6 John King (LH) 3.80 0.4 15.2 5.8 Riley O’Brien 4.59 0.1 22.6 11.9 Kyle Leahy 4.44 0.2 17.5 8.7 Roddery Muñoz 5.11 0.0 19.3 10.2 Gordon Graceffo 4.54 0.8 16.1 7.7 Ryan Loutos 4.10 0.1 19.1 8.9 Chris Roycroft 4.40 -0.1 18.8 10.6 Catcher Iván Herrera and Pedro Pagés will most likely split the time behind the dish, once the domain of Yadier Molina. Herrera is better with the bat (.301/.372/.428), but Pagés (.238/.281/.376) is better at throwing out runners (19% compared to seven percent). Willson Contreras will play mostly at first base but could catch if needed. Chance Sisco and Jimmy Crooks (the Cardinals' #4 prospect) are also in camp. First Base Alec Burleson will see plenty of time at first, as will Contreras. Burleson (.269/.314/.420) will also take turns as the designated hitter, along with Contreras and Luken Baker, who has nothing left to prove after hitting 112 home runs over the last four seasons at Double-A and Triple-A. Second Base Nolan Gorman is in his fourth year, and although he has had a negative DRS each year, he will be given every opportunity to get 600 at-bats this season. If Nolan Arenado is traded, Gorman would probably move to third. Brendan Donovan made 49 starts at second last year but will get most of his playing time in left field. Thomas Saggese and José Fermín can play second and short but are probably going back to the minors to start the campaign. Third Base Right now, the spot is Arenado’s, despite the desire of the Cardinals to trade him. Last year was the first time in 12 years that Arenado (.275/.325/.394) didn’t win a Gold Glove or make the All-Star team. Fermín and Donovan each played more than 50 innings at the hot corner last year. Shortstop Masyn Winn’s DRS of 14 was the best in the majors at short, and he also had 52 extra-base hits along with his slash line of .267/.314/.416 and 102 OPS+. He is a superstar in the making. José Barrero can play short and all three outfield spots and will be one of the last players on the bench. Left Field For now, Donovan (.278/.342/.417) is expected to get most of the starts in left, with Barrero serving as a back-up. Donovan is a solid defender and won a Gold Glove as a utility player in 2022. Center Field Lars Nootbaar is slated to play in center but will also play a few games in left field. The versatile Barrero can play all three spots but needs to regain his batting eye. Michael Siani slashed only .228/.285/.285 last year and led the team with 20 steals but will be relegated to defensive replacement and pinch-runner status. Right Field Jordan Walker was the #4 prospect in the game in 2023 but just hasn’t put it all together yet. He had a fine rookie season but regressed last year, playing only 51 games for the Cardinals, slashing .201/.253/.366. Expected to take over in right field this year, Walker has been slowed by a knee injury this spring but should be back in the lineup by the start of the season. Victor Scott II and Matt Koperniak are on the borderline of making the big league team. The London-born Koperniak has a career .834 OPS in the minors. Designated Hitter Ten returning players spent at least one game at DH last year. Expect more of the same as manager Marmol plays mix-and-match with whoever isn’t playing in the field. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name (L)= Lefthanded wRC+ OPS wOBA fWAR Iván Herrera 107 .724 .321 2.2 Pedro Pagés 76 .621 .275 1.3 Willson Contreras 117 .764 .336 2.9 Alec Burleson (L) 112 .759 .329 2.2 Nolan Gorman (L) 108 .748 .323 2.1 Brendan Donovan (L) 119 .769 .339 2.7 Luken Baker 94 .692 .301 0.2 Nolan Arenado 107 .744 .321 3.1 Masyn Winn 96 .699 .304 3.1 José Barrero 74 .617 .272 0.6 Lars Nootbaar (L) 118 .776 .337 2.5 Michael Siani (L) 65 .572 .258 0.3 Jordan Walker 101 .718 .312 0.8 Matt Koperniak 93 .681 .299 1.2 Victor Scott II (L) 70 .599 .266 0.9 Summary The Baseball Prospectus PECOTA projections have the Cardinals winning 77.8 games, which ranks fourth in the NL Central. The Brewers, Pirates, and Cardinals are rated less than two games apart, so it is just a matter of which team has their youngsters come through, which team can stay injury free, and which team has all the pieces come together. If you believe PECOTA (I don’t), the Cubs are the elite team in the Central with a projected win total of 91.5 games. Time will tell how this tightly bunched division will shake out come October. How do you think the Cardinals and the rest of the teams in the NL Central will fare this year? Please add your comments below! View full article

The Pittsburgh Pirates have not had a .500 season since 2018 and haven’t made a playoff appearance since 2015. The 1979 ‘We Are Family’ Pirates, led by Willie “Pops” Stargell, Dave “Cobra” Parker, and John “Candy Man” Candelaria won their last World Series. Can new stars like Paul Skenes, Bryan Reynolds, and Oneil Cruz do the heavy lifting along with old pro Andrew McCutcheon to get this team across the finish line in a ‘up for grabs’ NL Central in 2025, or will they once again walk the plank? Image courtesy of Mike Stewart/AP Photo Last Year The Bucs finished dead last in the NL Central in 2024 with a mark of 76-86 under skipper Derek Shelton, seven games behind the Cubs and 17 games behind the division-winning Brewers. They climbed as high as second in the standings on July 30, but lost 12 of 13 games to drop them out of the race. Their team OPS+ was 87, which ranked second-to-last in the NL, as did their 1,506 strikeouts. They have lots of work to do, but on the bright side, Paul Skenes won the NL Rookie of the Year award last year and Reynolds was an All-Star, so there is some potential there. Key Losses: Pitchers Aroldis Chapman and Luis Ortiz, 1B/OF Connor Joe, 1B Rowdy Tellez, OF Bryan De La Cruz, C Yasmani Grandal, OF Michael A. Taylor. Key Signings: Outfielders Tommy Pham and DJ Stewart, 1B Spencer Horwitz, IF-OF Adam Frazier, 2B Enmanuel Valdéz , pitchers Tim Mayza, Caleb Ferguson, and Tanner Rainey. Starting Pitching Any discussion of pitching in Pittsburgh starts with Skenes. Last year’s rookie season earned him the NL ROY award and a third-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting. His stat line showed an ERA+ of 214, 2.44 FIP, a strikeout rate of 33.1% and a walk rate of 6.2%. He will be the staff ace. Two pitchers that are certain to be in the rotation are right-handers Mitch Keller and Jared Jones. Keller was an All-Star in 2023, and Jones is said to have a fastball comparable to that of Skenes. Southpaw Bailey Falter rounds out the top four. Right-handers Mike Burrows, Bubba Chandler, and Johan Oviedo will compete for the final spot in the rotation. Burrows has some impressive minor league power numbers, while Chandler is #15 on the MLB Top Prospects list. Oviedo missed all of 2024 after Tommy John surgery. Right-handers Braxton Ashcraft and Thomas Harrington have potential as well. Update: Southpaw Andrew Heaney was signed to a free agent contract and will compete for a rotation spot. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Paul Skenes 3.17 3.7 28.9 6.9 Jared Jones 3.79 2.1 24.3 7.2 Mitch Keller 3.99 2.3 21.2 6.8 Bailey Falter 4.42 1.1 16.9 6.8 Mike Burrows 4.57 0.5 19.1 8.9 Bubba Chandler 4.58 0.8 19.8 9.0 Johan Oviedo 4.31 1.1 21.1 9.3 Braxton Ashcraft 3.88 1.2 19.2 5.2 Thomas Harrington 4.39 1.0 18.4 6.3 Relief Pitching Seven pitchers appear to have a spot in the bullpen when the Pirates’ season starts on March 27 in Miami. Right-handers David Bednar, Colin Holderman, Dennis Santana, Kyle Nicolas, and Carmen Mlodzinski should start the season as part of the relief crew, with Bednar and Santana handling the late-inning duties. Nicolas has perhaps the best pure stuff on the staff and will pitch in high-leverage situations. Lefties Tim Mayza and Caleb Ferguson will join in the mix. Five others that have a shot of making the Opening Day roster are righties Carson Fulmer, Peter Strzelecki, Hunter Stratton, and Chase Shugart. Southpaw Ryan Borucki hopes to rebound from an injury-plagued 2024. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% David Bednar 3.48 0.6 25.7 8.4 Colin Holderman 3.82 0.4 23.4 9.8 Dennis Santana 3.59 0.6 23.1 9.2 Kyle Nicolas 4.53 0.2 21.8 11.5 Carmen Mlodzinski 4.01 0.6 20.8 9.2 Tim Mayza 4.19 0.1 16.8 7.9 Caleb Ferguson 3.18 0.8 24.3 8.8 Carson Fulmer 4.60 0.2 18.7 11.2 Peter Strzelecki 4.32 0.0 21.1 9.4 Hunter Stratton 3.93 0.3 22.3 9.1 Chase Shugart 4.60 0.1 17.1 8.4 Ryan Borucki 4.58 -0.1 23.4 11.2 Catcher Joey Bart is the presumptive starter with the departure of Yasmani Grandal. In his first season in Pittsburgh, Bart hit 13 HRs in 253 ABs while leading the team with an OPS+ of 120. Henry Davis and Endy Rodríguez will also see playing time. First Base The recently acquired Spencer Horwitz was expected to be the starter but is out for 6-8 weeks after surgery on his right thumb. Utility player Jared Triolo might be next in line. Slick fielding Billy Cook should get some starts, along with outfielder Bryan Reynolds. Second Base Nick Gonzales slashed .270/.311/.398 over 359 ABs last year and is penciled in as the starter at the keystone. Triolo will get playing time at second, as will Adam Frazier and Enmanuel Valdéz. Third Base After missing the last seven weeks of 2024 with a back injury, Ke’Bryan Hayes appears to be healthy this spring and should start at the hot corner. Frazier and Valdéz will fill in as needed. Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa will be the everyday shortstop. Gonzales, Triolo, and Nick Yorke will be the back-ups. Outfield The only thing we know for sure is that Oneil Cruz will play center field. The 6-foot-7 shortstop-turned-outfielder has 30/30 potential and will be one of the next Pirates superstars. Tommy Pham might play left while Reynolds plays right. Others that will in the starting mix are Jack Suwinski, DJ Stewart, Yorke, Cook, Joshua Palacios, and Frazier. Designated Hitter Most likely, Pittsburgh fan favorite Andrew McCutcheon will be the DH… unless he is needed in the outfield, which would spell doom for the Pirates.. Then, it could be anyone. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name wRC+ OPS wOBA fWAR Joey Bart 98 .709 .313 1.3 Endy Rodríguez 91 .694 .303 1.9 Henry Davis 101 .725 .318 1.5 Spencer Horwitz 119 .783 .344 2.5 Jared Triolo 89 .675 .301 1.8 Nick Gonzales 105 .746 .323 2.6 Enmanuel Valdéz 91 .695 .302 0.9 Adam Frazier 82 .650 .289 0.5 Ke’Bryan Hayes 85 .670 .294 1.9 Isiah Kiner-Falefa 81 .654 .288 1.0 Tommy Pham 95 .699 .307 0.4 Bryan Reynolds 114 .779 .337 2.5 Oneil Cruz 112 .779 .334 3.0 Jack Suwinski 109 .765 .330 1.7 Nick Yorke 84 .665 .293 1.3 Billy Cook 87 .681 .297 0.9 Joshua Palacios 104 .739 .322 1.0 Andrew McCutcheon 95 .695 .309 0.0 DJ Stewart 84 .653 .292 -0.3 Summary The Pirates aren't anyone's definition of a favorite, and the PECOTA projections have them set to finish fourth in the division with a 78-84 record. A climb back to .500 would be a success for the downtrodden Buccos, who have lots of young talent percolating through the system but have done little to supplement it at the major league level. Expect Pittsburgh to be a thorn in everyone's side in 2025 while ultimately falling shy of a playoff spot. View full article

The Brewers have been the class of the NL Central field over the last seven seasons, finishing as division champions four times during that span, while earning the runner-up spot twice. Will they continue that run of dominance in 2025? Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Last Year Milwaukee left division foes in the dust in 2024, taking the division by 10 games over the Cubs and the Cardinals. The Brewers had only one losing month and had a scintillating winning percentage of .679 in August to pull away from the pack. They moved into the division lead the last day of April and never relinquished that spot. Catcher William Contreras and outfielder Christian Yelich both made the NL All-Star team, while second baseman Brice Turang and outfielder Sal Frelick both won Gold Gloves. Manager Pat Murphy led the Brewers to 93 wins during his first season as the bench boss. Key Losses: SS Willy Adames, C/DH Gary Sánchez, P’s Devin Williams, Frankie Montas, Colin Rea, Hoby Milner, Bryse Wilson, Joe Ross, Wade Miley. Key Gains: INF Caleb Durbin, 1B/OF Mark Canha, P’s Nestor Cortes, Tyler Alexander, José Quintana, Grant Anderson. Starting Pitching The projected rotation is comprised of three righties and two southpaws. Freddy Peralta was sixth in the NL with 200 strikeouts even though his strikeout rate of 27.6% was the second-lowest of his career. Aaron Civale came over from Tampa Bay during the season and posted an ERA+ of 119 across 14 starts. Tobias Myers had an ERA+ of 140 and a FIP of 3.91 during a nice rookie season. Lefty Nestor Cortes came from the Yankees in the Devin Williams trade and was an All-Star in 2022. Fellow southpaw Jose Quintana was signed as a free agent late and brings experience to a youngish staff. Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, and Brandon Woodruff have either been slowed by injury or are on the injured list. When healthy, this trio should see some action, and all of them possess intriguing upside. Top prospect Jacob Misiorowski is a longshot who needs to improve his control to make the roster, but he should make an appearance in Milwaukee sometime in 2025, either as a reliever or starter. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Freddy Peralta 3.92 2.4 27.1 9.2 Aaron Civale 4.50 1.2 21.5 7.3 Nestor Cortes (L) 3.68 2.7 24.5 6.1 Tobias Myers 4.22 1.5 21.7 7.4 Jose Quintana (L) 4.45 1.1 18.2 9.5 Aaron Ashby (L) 4.22 1.0 22.2 12.0 Brandon Woodruff 3.64 1.5 28.1 7.3 Jacob Misiorowski 5.22 0.0 23.3 12.7 Relief Pitching With the loss of Williams, Trevor Megill (155 ERA+, 3.10 FIP) becomes the full-time closer. Righties Joel Payamps (138, 3.73) and Nick Mears should be locks. It is possible Milwaukee will carry as many as four left-handers in the pen. They are free agent Tyler Alexander, Bryan Hudson (243, 3.60), and Jared Koenig (170, 3.28). Rule 5 pick Connor Thomas is also in the mix for one of the last two spots. Three other right handers who are fighting for an Opening Day roster spot are Elvis Peguero (141, 4.04), Abner Uribe, and Elvin Rodríguez, who pitched in Japan last year. Righty prospect Craig Yoho is having a nice spring but is at least a half-season away. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Trevor Megill 3.43 0.5 28.3 8.3 Joel Payamps 3.91 0.3 23.8 8.2 Nick Mears 3.53 0.5 28.6 11.3 Jared Koenig (L) 4.03 0.8 21.7 8.7 Abner Uribe 3.92 0.2 28.1 14.3 Tyler Alexander (L) 4.69 0.3 18.8 5.0 Bryan Hudson (L) 3.65 0.6 26.2 8.7 Elvis Peguero 3.78 0.4 21.6 9.4 Connor Thomas (L) 4.14 0.9 16.7 6.2 Craig Yoho 3.97 0.3 27.6 9.5 Catchers William Contreras has been one of the best at his position the last three years and will squat behind the plate for 120 games again this season. The team will aim to keep his bat in the lineup as an occasional DH. Eric Haase will be the back-up and could play left field in an emergency. Prospect Jeferson Quero was sent down and will start the year at Triple-A Nashville. First Base Rhys Hoskins will start the majority of the time at first and take an occasional turn at designated hitter. Mark Canha is a capable back-up and can also play at the outfield corners if needed. Ernesto Martinez will provide organizational depth after a nice spring. Second Base Gold Glover Brice Turang will return at second after offseason speculation had him moving to shortstop after the loss of Willy Adames. Caleb Durbin and Vinny Capra are battling for utility infield spots. Third Base Oliver Dunn appears to have won the hot corner spot after a solid spring. Durbin is still in the mix but hasn’t performed well in camp. Capra can also play third. Shortstop Joey Ortiz moves over from third base and solidifies the infield, giving the Brewers a pair of potential Gold Glovers up the middle. Durbin or Turang could serve as a back-up. Left Field Exciting youngster Jackson Chourio returns for his second year after finishing third last year in the NL Rookie of the Year race. Christian Yelich can play left but will most likely be in the lineup as a regular DH. Canha can also play the corners of the outfield. Center Field Garrett Mitchell is having a nice spring and provides speed and defense in CF. Sal Frelick and Chourio could fill in as needed. Defensive whiz Blake Perkins is out with a fractured right shin but should return sometime in May. Right Field Frelick brings his Gold Glove defense to right field and was fourth in the majors last year with a 15 DRS. He also can steal a base for the ‘Go Go Brewers,’ who finished second in the National League last year with 217 stolen bases. Canha can serve as a backup when needed. Designated Hitter Yelich will spend most of his time as the DH in an effort to save his body from injury. Contreras will also take a few turns in the spot, as will Hoskins. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name wRC+ OPS wOBA fWAR William Contreras 124 .803 .348 4.6 Eric Haase 82 .658 .286 0.6 Rhys Hoskins 107 .745 .323 1.0 Brice Turang (L) 90 .677 .299 2.6 Oliver Dunn (L) 79 .635 .282 1.1 Caleb Durbin 93 .682 .303 1.3 Joey Ortiz 101 .721 .315 2.1 Vinny Capra 91 .677 .300 1.5 Jackson Chourio 108 .756 .325 2.8 Mark Canha 103 .700 .315 0.7 Garrett Mitchell (L) 108 .743 .326 1.6 Sal Frelick (L) 100 .712 .313 2.3 Christian Yelich (L) 120 .788 .343 2.4 What Does 2025 Look Like For the Brewers? As mentioned earlier, the Brewers have been the cream of the NL Central crop for the last seven years or so. Not so this year, at least according to the pundits. PECOTA projections give Milwaukee a 7.9% chance to win the division, while giving the rival Chicago Cubs an 81.6% chance to sit atop the Central. FanGraphs projections have only Contreras (4.8) above at least 4.0 fWAR while eight players are projected better than 2.0, and another five above 1.0. The healthy return of RHP Brandon Woodruff would tremendously help the Brewers starting rotation, and a healthy Blake Perkins improves the outfield defense and clubhouse chemistry. The Cubs are heavily favored, and it appears that the other four teams are going to compete for the bridesmaid spot. We'll see how it all plays out when the games actually get going. Let the season begin! View full article

The Reds come into the 2025 season with high hopes and a new manager. Terry Francona takes over the reins and brings with him two World Series titles and a career winning record of .538 during a 23-year managing resume. Pitcher Brent Suter said of Francona, “Where’s the wall? I’ll run through it.” Enough said. Image courtesy of Jeff Dean/AP Photo Last Year The Reds have finished over .500 only three times in the last ten years, including last season’s 77-85 mark which ranked fourth in the NL Central, six games behind the Cubs and 16 games behind the division champion Brewers. Cincinnati had four winning months during the year, but that was offset by a combined 21-35 in May and August. The good news is that the Reds placed third in the NL with 207 stolen bases. The bad news is they were third-to-last with an OPS+ of 88. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz led the NL with 67 stolen bases, but on the negative side, also led the league with 16 caught steals and 218 strikeouts. Pitcher Hunter Greene led all NL pitchers with a 6.3 bWAR, which also placed fifth overall in the league. Both De La Cruz and Greene made the All-Star team. The Baseball Prospectus PECOTA projection has the Reds finishing last in the division and winning 74 games in 2025, three games worse than last year. Key Losses: 2B Jonathan India, pitchers Ty France, Fernando Cruz, Buck Farmer, Justin Wilson. Key Signings: 2B Gavin Lux, P Taylor Rogers, OF Austin Hays, C Jose Trevino, P Brady Singer. Starting Pitching Greene is the ace of the staff and as good as he has been, the righty not come close to his ceiling. His ERA+ of 160 led the team and his FIP of 3.47 was second among starters. Could this be the year Greene breaks through and competes for the Cy Young award? Right-handers Nick Martinez (142 ERA+, 3.21 FIP) and Brady Singer (114, 3.93) will be in the rotation as well as left-hander Nick Lodolo (92, 3.95). The fifth spot is up for grabs with left-hander Andrew Abbott (118, 5.04) and righty Rhett Lowder (six starts) as the current favorites. Both Abbott and Lowder are rehabbing injuries and might be a bit behind the curve. Also competing for a spot are right-handers Graham Ashcraft and Carson Spiers. Veteran southpaw Wade Miley was signed as a free agent but won’t return from injury until late April/early May. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Hunter Greene 3.75 3.0 27.6 8.5 Nick Martinez 3.47 2.4 20.7 5.8 Brady Singer 4.33 2.1 22.5 7.1 Nick Lodolo (LH) 4.12 1.6 25.1 7.8 Andrew Abbott (LH) 4.50 1.6 22.1 8.6 Rhett Lowder 4.52 1.5 17.9 7.1 Graham Ashcraft 4.27 1.5 18.2 7.7 Carson Spiers 4.91 0.7 19.4 8.0 Wade Miley (LH) 5.00 0.5 14.0 8.5 Relief Pitching Seven of the projected eight bullpen spots are most likely locked up. Ex-Brewer funny man Brent Suter (140 OPS+, 4.31 FIP), Sam Moll (132, 3.46), and Taylor Rogers (161, 3.75) are the three left-handers in the mix. Emilio Pagán (98, 3.77), Tony Santillan (148, 2.73), and Scott Barlow (96, 4.02) are the right-handers that will man the ‘pen. The closer is expected to be Alexis Díaz, who was an All-Star in 2023 and has 65 saves the last two seasons. Fighting for the last spot will be Ashcraft and Spiers, if they do not make the starting rotation. Others include Yosver Zulueta, Connor Phillips, Lyon Richardson, and NRI Reds fan-favorite Ian Gibaut, all of whom are right-handers. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Brent Suter (LH) 4.36 0.3 17.9 7.0 Sam Moll (LH) 4.14 0.2 23.4 10.2 Taylor Rogers (LH) 4.39 0.1 26.9 9.6 Emilio Pagán 4.60 0.1 24.2 7.6 Tony Santillan 4.26 0.3 26.7 11.1 Scott Barlow 3.68 0.4 27.9 10.9 Alexis Díaz 3.85 0.5 25.4 11.5 Yosver Zulueta 4.74 0.1 22.5 11.4 Connor Phillips 4.82 0.8 21.9 11.6 Lyon Richardson 5.22 0.3 19.8 11.5 Ian Gibaut 4.25 0.3 21.6 9.2 Catcher Tyler Stephenson started 112 games at catcher last year and will get the majority of the starts this year. Stephenson had an OPS of .782 and an OPS+ of 112. Newly acquired Jose Trevino brings a Gold Glove pedigree and is a solid backup. First Base One of many positions that will be a toss-up. The front-runners will be Spencer Steer or Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Steer played 158 games between LF and 1B last year but has a bum shoulder that might restrict him to the DH role. Encarnacion-Strand should see playing time when the season begins. Second Base Matt McLain missed all last year with a torn labrum in his left shoulder but is healthy this year. Newcomer Gavin Lux can play second and possibly left field and will be a utility guy. Santiago Espinal can play all over the infield. Third Base The hot corner is another spot where you can flip a coin to see who plays there. Jeimer Candelario will start if needed but he struggles defensively at third. Espinal can fill in but is not a full-time player at one position. If Noelvi Marte proves he can play at the big-league level, he might get a shot as well. Shortstop This is an easy one. Elly De La Cruz will be the everyday ‘6.’ The speedy, electric player should only get better as he matures. Espinal and McLain will be the back-ups. Left Field Austin Hays will for sure play against LHP, and has a career OPS of .719 against righties, which isn’t terrible. Will Benson, Stuart Fairchild, and Lux could get some playing time as well. Center Field TJ Friedl will be the main man in center field, part of the team's solid up-the-middle defense. Hays, Benson, and Fairchild can all play CF if needed. Right Field Another toss-up position, although Jake Fraley will probably get most starts against right-handers (career .786 OPS). Hays, Benson, and Fairchild could all slot in as reserves. Designated Hitter Get out that coin again! If Steer can’t throw, he will be at DH. If Candelario can’t play defense, he will get starts there as well. Add Lux and Encarnacion-Strand to the mix. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name wRC+ OPS wOBA fWAR Tyler Stephenson 107 .765 .333 2.6 Jose Trevino 83 .675 .297 2.0 Spencer Steer 109 .770 .336 1.9 C. Encarnacion-Strand 107 .774 .332 1.1 Matt McLain 114 .789 .342 3.6 Gavin Lux 100 .734 .322 1.6 Santiago Espinal 82 .670 .295 1.0 Jeimer Candelario 103 .757 .326 1.6 Noelvi Marte 78 .658 .289 -0.1 Elly De La Cruz 117 .807 .347 5.0 Austin Hays 102 .756 .326 1.1 Will Benson 92 .708 .311 0.7 Stuart Fairchild 94 .714 .313 0.7 TJ Friedl 97 .721 .317 1.6 Jake Fraley 95 .715 .314 0.7 Summary The Reds have two players that could (should) be All-Stars again this year: De La Cruz and Greene. If Tyler Stephenson, Spencer Steer, Matt McLain, or Nick Lodolo can replicate past success, one or more of them could join De La Cruz and Greene on the grass on July 15 at Atlanta’s Truist Park. Prognosticators have the Reds finishing fourth or last in the NL Central. But if the Pirates or Cardinals stumble, the Reds could climb into that third spot, with an eye on the final NL wild card. View full article