Sports
Spring training roundup: Tyler Tolve's homer lifts Braves over Phillies
Mar 15, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Brett Wisely (0) doubles against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Reliever JR Ritchie pitched a shutout over the final four innings and Tyler Tolve homered in the ninth as visiting Atlanta improved to an MLB-best 15-5 this spring with a 1-0 victory Sunday afternoon over Philadelphia in Clearwater, Fla.
Ritchie (1-1) permitted no hits and struck out six. He walked none and lowered his spring ERA to 2.25 over four games and 12 innings.
Tolve’s home run came with one out in the top of the ninth, off Genesis Cabrera (0-2). Brett Wisely went 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot for the Braves.
The Phillies got five strong innings from starter Taijuan Walker. He gave up no runs and three hits, walking two and striking out three, to drop his ERA to 1.29 over two games and seven innings.
Tigers 12, Yankees (ss) 1
Visiting Detroit banged out 18 hits — including two apiece from Trei Cruz, Dillon Dingler and Javier Baez — and pinch hitter Jordan Yost hit a grand slam in the rout of a New York split squad in Tampa.
The Tigers had three other home runs — a three-run shot by Spencer Torkelson, a two-run blast by Matt Vierling, and a solo shot by Riley Greene.
For New York, starter Luis Gil (2-1) surrendered seven runs and nine hits over three innings. Jonathan Ornelas brought it in the lone run for the Yankees with a RBI single in the ninth.
Cardinals 6, Nationals 3
Nelson Velazquez hit his fourth home run of the spring and drove in four runs to lead host St. Louis past Washington in Jupiter, Fla.
Velazquez’s homer was a three-run shot in the first inning. He has nine RBIs this spring and is batting .333 in 33 at-bats. Winning pitcher Richard Fitts (2-1) gave up two runs and one hit over the first 4 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five.
The Nationals committed four errors. They were led by Joey Wiemer, who hit a three-run homer in the second inning.
Rays 6, Pirates 1
Cedric Mullins went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and four RBIs, while Jake Fraley went 3-for-3 with two runs as host Tampa Bay beat Pittsburgh in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Starter Shane McClanahan (2-0) earned the victory, surrendering no runs and no hits — with seven strikeouts — over 3 2/3 innings.
Pittsburgh had four hits and scored its run in the ninth inning on a homer by Konnor Griffin.
Red Sox 7, Twins 2
Caleb Durbin had two of Boston’s 10 hits, and Jason Delay hit a solo homer in his only at-bat as the Red Sox beat visiting Minnesota in Fort Myers, Fla.
Durbin is batting .400 in 30 at-bats this spring, with seven RBIs and three stolen bases.
For Minnesota, Alan Roden went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and starter Zebby Matthews (0-2) pitched five innings, giving up two runs (none earned) and four hits.
Astros 1, Marlins 0
Shay Whitcomb’s line-drive double in the eighth provided Houston with its only hit and run of the game, but it was enough to send the host Astros past Miami in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Houston starter Cristian Javier threw a shutout over four innings, giving up two hits and striking out five, with only one walk. AJ Blubaugh, the fifth Astros pitcher of the day, got his first decision of the spring after surrendering one hit over two shutout innings. He struck out three.
Marlins starter Eury Perez pitched hitless ball over four innings, walking one and striking out five.
Mets 8, Blue Jays 1
Mike Tauchman went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Marcus Semien homered and drove in three runs as host New York defeated Toronto in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in a game called after six innings because of rain.
Semien’s home run was a solo shot in the first inning.
Toronto had only four hits, and starting pitcher Grant Rogers gave up eight runs (five earned) and seven hits over 2 1/3 innings to drop to 0-2 with an 8.59 ERA this spring.
Dodgers (ss) 5, Rangers 3
After falling behind in the sixth inning, Los Angeles’ home squad wasted no time to retake the lead thanks to an Andy Pages RBI single to take down Texas in Phoenix, Ariz.
Dodgers starter River Ryan gave up four hits but allowed just one run, one walk and threw in five strikeouts to maintain his ERA at 1.86. Kyle Tucker hit a two-run homer in the first inning one of two Los Angeles extra-base hits.
Marc Church took the loss for the Rangers in his first decision of the spring after allowing two hits and two runs in one inning of work. Mark Canha was 2-for-4 on the day with a two-run homer in the sixth.
Giants 7, Brewers 1
San Francisco was one out away from a combined perfect game and one strike away from a no-hitter that was headed by five dominant innings from Robbie Ray to subdue Milwaukee in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Ray lowered his ERA to 1.23 in his eight-strikeout showing with no walks or hits to get his first win of spring training. The Giants supported Ray with a six-run second inning that was sparked by a three-run homer from Jerar Encarnacion. Matt Chapman had three of San Francisco’s 11 hits.
Brewers starter Shane Drohan took the loss after giving up four runs (three earned), six hits and two walks across four innings.
Angels 6, Rockies 5
Zach Humphreys hit a two-run homer in the seventh to give Los Angeles its first lead and followed it up with a walk-off single to take down Colorado in Tempe, Ariz.
After being called up Tuesday, Humphreys’ pinch-hit homer in his first appearance this spring cemented the comeback from a 4-0 deficit that was also aided by Jeimer Candelario’s two-run homer in the fifth. The Angels bullpen allowed just three hits in the final six innings as Samy Natera Jr. got the win after a scoreless ninth.
Hunter Goodman hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Jake McCarthy hit a trio of singles for the Rockies.
Mariners 6, Reds 3
Brendan Donovan went 4-for-4 with three RBIs to push Seattle past Cincinnati in Peoria, Ariz.
Donovan drove in the first runs of the day for the Mariners with a 2-run double as part of a five-run fifth inning for Seattle, following it up with an RBI single in the sixth. Starter George Kirby went 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits, two runs and a walk with four strikeouts. Luke Raley and Rob Refsnyder also chipped in RBI doubles in the fifth.
Matt McLain hit a solo homer for the Reds and was 2-for-3 on the day. Cincinnati starter Brandon Williamson allowed just two hits and a walk and struck out four across four innings.
Royals 10, White Sox 4
Peyton Wilson and Luca Tresh hit two-run homers and Brandon Drury hit a solo shot as part of Kansas City’s 13 hits to take a game from Chicago in Surprise, Ariz.
Kansas City used a five-run seventh to blow the game open behind Gavin Cross’s three-run double and Wilson’s dinger. The Royals bullpen pitched a shutout as Alex Lange secured the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings. 12 different Royals logged a hit on the day.
Erick Fedde took the loss, giving up seven hits and three runs across 3 2/3 innings to go with four strikeouts.
Padres 4, Diamondbacks 4
San Diego erased a four-run deficit in the final two innings to salvage a stalemate with Arizona in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Romeo Sanabria and Pablo Reyes each had RBI doubles, the latter doing it with the Padres down to their last out, to force the tie. San Diego’s bullpen combined for 4 2/3 innings of no-hit work to wrap the game.
A four-run fourth was the only scoring on the day for the Diamondbacks as Jorge Barrosa headed the effort with a two-run triple. Starter Brandon Pfaadt didn’t allow a hit over five innings of work and struck out six.
Guardians 12, Athletics 6
Cleveland hit four home runs and used 15 hits to blow away the Athletics in Goodyear, Ariz.
David Fry hit a three-run homer in the first, Rhys Hoskins hit a two-run shot in the sixth and Stuart Fairchild hit back-to-back solo homers with CJ Kayfus in the seventh. Starter Tanner Bibee got pieced up by the Athletics, giving up 13 hits and six runs across 5 2/3 innings to raise his ERA to 4.42.
Colby Thomas and Cade Marlowe hit solo shots of their own for the Athletics. Starter Wei-En Lin was tagged for five hits and six runs across just 1 1/3 innings while walking two and striking out two.
Dodgers (ss) 14, Cubs 8
The Los Angeles road squad got the job done behind Jack Suwinski’s first inning, three-run homer to down Chicago in Mesa, Ariz.
Zachary Ehrhard and Damon Keith each had two-RBI triples as eight Dodgers collected at least one RBI. Starter Emmet Sheehan got the win after a solid 3 2/3 innings where he gave up three hits, two runs and one walk while striking out four.
Jameson Taillon’s rough spring continued as he gave up eight hits, 10 runs and four walks through 3 1/3 innings, raising his ERA to 22.18. Devin Ortiz attempted to give the Cubs a late spark with a ninth-inning grand slam.
Orioles-Yankees (canceled)
The game between New York’s split squad and Baltimore in Sarasota, Fla., was scratched due to inclement weather. There will be no makeup date.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Three MLB Teams Facing Regression in 2026
Milwaukee Brewers slugger Christian Yelich pondered why so many pundits, analysts and fans always pick his team to fail. “This is the year,” they always seem to say, “when the Brewers finally fall on their face.”
And then they go out and make the playoffs anyway, like the Brewers have done seven times since 2018.
“I don’t know if people think that every year is a fluke, or what — you’d have to ask them,” Yelich told reporters gathered for a workout at American Family Field in Milwaukee earlier this week. “A lot of people have been really waiting for the day that we suck so they can finally say ‘I told you so.’ “
As the 2026 Major League Baseball season revs up, the annual “Doubting of the Brewers” is happening again. Milwaukee is one of at least three teams primed for disappointment in the coming year. The Cleveland Guardians and Toronto Blue Jays, two other playoff teams this past season, also are setting up for regression.
Milwaukee Brewers
What is it that this time will push the three-time reigning NL Central champs over the edge and out of the running? Chief among other factors, the Brewers in the offseason traded ace right-hander Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets for prospects. Brewers general manager Matt Arnold could prove prudent for doing so in coming seasons, as Peralta is due a big pay day because of free agency leverage. But for now, the Brewers rotation will rely on wunderkind Jacob Misiorowski regaining his pre All-Star dominance, old ace Brandon Woodruff regaining his pre-injury effectiveness, and several middle-of-the-road guys to fill out the rotation.
It’s a pattern the Brewers keep repeating with their best players. So far, they’ve managed to avoid paying the consequences by not paying Willy Adames, Josh Hader, Devin Williams, and Corbin Burnes. Right-hander Brandon Sproat, one of the prospects pried from the Mets, made the Brewers starting rotation after a strong performance in the Cactus League. No matter what Sproat contributes as a rookie, it’s unlikely to match what Peralta gives the Mets.
It’s a simple equation: the Brewers lose their ace to the Mets, who use him to take their spot in the playoffs.
Cleveland Guardians
Guardians ownership operates under similar economic limitations to that of the Brewers, notably trading away star shortstop Francisco Lindor to the Mets earlier in the decade. In 2025, they successfully outran a pending payday for slugger Josh Naylor, and managed to keep winning despite a mid-season suspension for All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, who’s now facing prison time for pitch-fixing allegations related to gambling.
All it took was an unprecedented hot streak in the second half, along with a crash by the Detroit Tigers, to erase a record 15 1-2 game deficit in the AL Central.
Resilient bunch, those Guardians. But even with slugger José Ramírez locked into one of the most team-friendly contracts for a superstar in recent MLB history, they’re spreading themselves a little too thin. Steven Kwan has to play center field. Rhys Hoskins will hit fifth. The bullpen will be stretched even further with Hunter Gaddis already on the injured list. Outfield prospect Chase DeLauter has to defy history and stay healthy.
The Tigers overcame their own regular-season collapse in the playoffs, and the Royals are ready to jump the Guardians in the AL Central. Cleveland just won’t be good enough to make the playoffs this time.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays had a magical season in 2025, coming this close to beating the Dodgers in the World Series. Anything less than winning it all would be a disappointment this season, but the Jays are starting off too ominously to be too optimistic about returning to the postseason.
They have five pitchers on the injured list to start the season, including three starters — rookie wonder Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and José Berríos. Key reliever Yimi García too. Getting to the World Series means a lot of great things happened, but it also extends your season and pushes the human body in ways that don’t bode well for follow-up success. It could even catch up to the Dodgers.
With suspect pitching depth, star slugger George Springer about to turn 37, and the rest of the league ready to pounce on the defending AL pennant winners, the Blue Jays have a very narrow path to success and too many “ifs” to avoid disappointment in 2026.
Sports
Mikaela Shiffrin wins record-tying 6th WC skiing title
Feb 15, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States during the women’s giant slalom during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images Mikaela Shiffrin won a record-tying sixth World Cup season title on Wednesday in Hafjell, Norway.
Heading into the giant slalom, the final race of the season, Shiffrin had an 85-point lead over Emma Aicher of Germany. A finish no lower than 15th place would result in claiming the title. Aicher could steal the title if she won the race and Shiffrin finished below 15th in the giant slalom.
Shiffrin finished 11th, and Aicher ended in 12th place.
Shiffrin, 31, tied Annemarie Moser-Proll with her sixth season championship. The Austrian won five season titles from 1971-75 and the final one in 1979.
The 2026 Olympic champion in the slalom, Shiffrin won the World Cup title in consecutive years from 2017-19 and again in 2022 and 2023.
“It’s quite emotional,” Shiffrin said to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation after the race. “I’m really grateful to be in this position now. It’s really a big emotion, but I’m so grateful for the fight.”
Lindsey Vonn is next on the list with four overall titles.
With her slalom win on Tuesday, Shiffrin earned her 110th career victory on the World Cup circuit, extending her lead over Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden, who won 86 before his retirement in 1989.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bucks waive Cam Thomas to convert Pete Nance's contract
Suns guard Jalen Green (4) drives against Bucks forward Pete Nance (35) during a game at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on March 21, 2026. The Milwaukee Bucks converted forward Pete Nance’s two-way contract to a fully guaranteed deal.
The Bucks waived guard Cam Thomas in a corresponding move prior to their game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. Thomas, 24, signed with the team as a free agent on Feb. 8 and averaged 10.7 points in 18 games off the bench with Milwaukee.
As for Nance, he was elated with the notion of receiving a new deal. The contract made him available to play in the team’s final 11 games this season and runs through the 2026-27 campaign.
“To be able to be in this spot is just awesome,” Nance said after the Bucks’ shootaround, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “Obviously I’m super thankful for the Bucks for giving me the opportunity. I think it’s just a testament to growth and the work that I’ve done and the experience that I’ve had over the years.”
Nance, 26, is averaging 4.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 12.1 minutes in 37 games off the bench this season.
Thomas was benched after playing just three minutes against the Atlanta Hawks on March 14. He was held out of consecutive games on March 15 and 17 due to what was listed as a coach’s decision before returning to the court against the Utah Jazz last Thursday.
“There are things we don’t need to talk about,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said, per the newspaper. “That’s not anybody’s business. Like I said before, that’s where as a coach you have to make decisions on what’s best for the team at that time. People don’t understand that. They start talking about other stuff. And, that’s not for anyone to know.”
–Field Level Media
