March 2025

There were 1,679 posts published in March 2025 (this is page 46 of 168).

Brandon Nimmo, Alexander Canario record three hits each as Mets rout Marlins

The Mets defeated the Miami Marlins, 10-2, on Sunday in their penultimate Grapefruit League game of 2025.

Here are the key takeaways…

–Griffin Canning will start regular season game No. 3 for the Mets if all goes to plan, and the right-hander had another solid outing on Sunday, going 4.1 innings while allowing two earned runs. Canning allowed five hits while striking out six and walking three. His spring comes to a close with a 1.88 ERA.

-Hitting second in the order and serving as the designated hitter, Starling Marte destroyed a solo home run in the top of the first, jumping on a 3-2 fastball from Connor Gillispie. The home run was the fist of the spring for Marte, who will likely be a right-handed DH option for the Mets this season.

–Brett Baty has all but locked up the starting second base job with Jeff McNeil starting the season on the IL, and the former third baseman continues to look comfortable at second. In the second inning, Baty beautifully charged a Starlyn Caba high-chopper, fielding the ball and flipping it with his glove to first base for the out.

Baty also had a great at-bat in the fourth. With the bases loaded and nobody out in a tie game, Baty battled and saw 10 pitches before finally working a walk to force in the go-ahead run.

–Alexander Canario, acquired in a trade with the Chicago Cubs earlier in camp, continues to look like he could be a major league player for the Mets this season. Following Baty’s walk, Canario put his power on full display, crushing a grand slam to left to put the Mets up 6-1. In the bottom of the sixth, Canario was at it again, slamming a solo homer for his second round-tripper of the afternoon.

Canario has three homers this spring and could factor into the bench picture.

–Brandon Nimmo is getting hot at exactly the right time. After a slow start to camp as he ramped up, he followed up a two-hit day on Saturday with three hits — a single, double, and triple — on Sunday against the Marlins.

-In all, the Mets hit four home runs on Sunday: Marte, Canario (two), and Tyrone Taylor. The Mets had 15 hits in total, with nine different players registering at least one base knock.

Who was the game MVP?

Nimmo, who was peppering the wall in right field with rockets as he racked up three hits.

Highlights

What’s next

The Mets finish their spring training slate by hosting the Yankees on Monday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. on SNY.

Austin Wells homers again as Yankees tie Rays, 3-3

The Yankees played to a 3-3 tie with the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

Here are the takeaways…

–Max Fried wasn’t necessarily at the top of his game, but he had an effective outing nonetheless. The lefty went 5.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits, including a two-run homer by Junior Caminero in the first inning. Fried walked three and struck out four, finishing his spring camp with a 3.38 ERA.

-The Yankees didn’t have a hit through the first four innings, but the offense came to life in the fifth when Anthony Volpe lined an opposite-field home run for the Bombers’ first hit of the game. Austin Wells followed that up with a two-run shot to put the Yankees ahead. Wells now has six home runs this spring, and he’s likely won the leadoff hitter job come Opening Day.

–Aaron Judge‘s rough go of it this spring continued Sunday, as he went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts, though he did reach base on a walk. The Yankees’ captain is hitting just .129 this spring.

–Paul Goldschmidt was back in the lineup for a second straight day after missing some time with a sore back. The veteran went 1-for-3 with a single and a strikeout, and he’s now hitting .297 this spring.

Who was the game MVP?

Wells, who now has a 1.263 OPS this spring.

Highlights

What’s next

The Yankees finish their 2025 spring training schedule with a trip to Port St. Lucie to play the Mets on Monday afternoon, with first pitch on SNY at 1:10 p.m.

Opening-day starter Tanner Bibee signs five-year, $48 million contract with Cleveland Guardians

CLEVELAND — Right-hander Tanner Bibee has signed a five-year, $48 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians, a deal that includes a team option for 2030 and could be worth $68 million over six seasons.

Bibee will get his first opening-day assignment on Thursday at Kansas City. He went 12-8 with a 3.47 ERA last season, finishing with 12 quality starts in 31 outings and 187 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings.

The 26-year-old California native was 0-1 with a 3.45 ERA in four postseason starts last year.

Cleveland also traded infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman to Colorado for outfielder Nolan Jones on Saturday.

Bibee gets a $2 million signing bonus and salaries of $3 million in 2025, $4 million in 2026, $7 million in 2027, $10 million in 2028 and $21 million in 2029. Cleveland’s 2030 option is for $21 million with a $1 million buyout.

His 2029 salary and the option can escalate by up to $4 million based on Cy Young Award voting from 2025-28. The buyout can increase by an additional $2 million based on Cy Young voting.

Bibee’s deal supersedes a one-year contract agreed to March 8 that called for an $812,000 salary in the major leagues and $372,900 in the minors. He would have been eligible for arbitration after each of the next three seasons and for free agency following the 2028 World Series.

Bibee had 10 wins during his rookie season in 2023 and was second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. He is the third Cleveland pitcher since 2000 with at least 10 wins in each of his first two seasons in the big leagues. Hall of Famer CC Sabathia (2001-02) and Shane Bieber (2018-19) are the others.

Cleveland selected Bibee in the fifth round of the 2021 amateur draft. He will anchor a young rotation this season that will be missing Bieber for at least the first half as he continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

Diamondbacks reward closer candidate Justin Martinez with five-year, $18 million contract

PHOENIX — Arizona hard-throwing right-hander Justin Martinez has agreed to a five-year, $18 million contract even as he continues to compete for the role of Diamondbacks closer.

The contract announced on Saturday by Arizona supersedes the one-year contract agreed to on March 11 that called for a $772,200 salary in the major leagues and $335,700 in the minors.

The deal includes a $2 million signing bonus and $1.5 million salary in 2025. He will earn $2 million in 2026, $3 million in 2027, $4 million in 2028, $5.5 million in 2029, with club options for $7 million in 2030 and $9 million in 2031.

Manager Torey Lovullo has said he is still considering Martinez, left-hander A.J. Puk and right-hander Kevin Ginkel for the closer role. Martinez had eight saves and a 2.48 ERA despite 36 walks in 72 2/3 innings in 2024.

Astros release outfielder Ben Gamel, left-hander Jalen Beeks prior to regular season

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Houston Astros released outfielder Ben Gamel and left-hander Jalen Beeks on Saturday.

The move with Gamel comes less than two months after he agreed to a one-year, $1.2 million contract. The deal included a $200,000 signing bonus and a $1 million salary, which was not guaranteed.

The Astros will owe Gamel 45 days termination pay, which comes to $241,036, instead of his salary.

The 32-year-old Gamel hit .167 in 24 at-bats in spring training. He hit .259 with one homer in 20 games with the Astros last season.

The 31-year-old Beeks allowed one run in four innings this spring. He was a combined 7-4 with a 4.50 ERA for Colorado and Pittsburgh in 2024. He had 10 saves, including nine with the Rockies. He got a $100,000 signing bonus as part of his deal with the Astros.

Also, right-hander Miguel Castro and infielder Luis Guillorme were informed they would not make the Astros’ opening day roster. Each will remain with the team through spring training.

Royals acquire outfielder Mark Canha from Brewers for player to be named later or cash

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals confirmed Saturday they have acquired outfielder Mark Canha from the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Royals will send a player to be named later or cash to the Brewers for Canha, 36.

Canha, who can also play first base, was with the Brewers on a minor league deal and had the right to opt out of his contract on Saturday. He was 2-for-23 with one homer this spring.

Canha made his major league debut with Oakland in 2015, his first of seven seasons with the A’s. He has also played for the New York Mets, Detroit and San Francisco. He has a .249 career batting average with 120 homers, including a career-high 26 with Oakland in 2019.

Canha played a combined 125 games with Detroit and San Francisco in 2024 and hit .242 with seven homers.