Reliever and burgeoning starter Mike Vasil had his 2026 harshly stripped away after suffering arm soreness during a quality spring training start against the Dodgers on March 14. Vasil’s season-ending UCL injury leaves an opening on the 40-man roster, so at least someone will benefit from his ever-so-short-lived sophomore season. 

Among the currently non-rostered players, which reliever has the best chance of claiming Vasil’s vacant spot?

Hagen Smith

Vasil’s injury presents an unexpected opportunity for Smith: to break camp with the Sox bullpen. Although he hasn’t seen Triple-A hitting yet, and he started all 20 of his Barons games, Smith’s most likely path to the big leagues is through the arm barn. Falling back on Smith’s limited relief experience in college with Arkansas will give the front office a chance to accelerate his timeline while freeing up space in Charlotte for Birmingham talent that will be knocking on the door come May. 

Executing as a relief pitcher requires a completely different attitude and approach, but Smith should be able to adapt. While the Sox recently reassigned him to minor league camp, his latest performance, albeit a start, should be enough to kickstart conversations about shifting his role and big league trajectory. He may start the season in Charlotte, but he should be booking a one-way ticket to Chicago’s homestand against the Nationals.

Ben Peoples

If the Sox want to keep Smith in the rotation, then Peoples is the next logical choice. Peoples made the jump from the rotation to the pen last year after three years of being a starter, and it paid off. He held a 3.33 ERA and seven holds in just under 50 innings. Although his dramatic split between Durham and Charlotte seems concerning, it would be unfair to hold Truist Field’s extremely hitter-friendly environment against him. 

Peoples would slot into Vasil’s place in the bullpen well. He is a jack of all trades with a high-velocity fastball and high-movement slider combination, which makes him a good substitute for Vasil’s fastball-sinker-dominant arsenal. With a lot of hard-throwing relievers and plenty of lefty options who will specialize in high-leverage situations, Peoples could nicely round out the bullpen.

Shane Murphy

Murphy slid under the radar last season, but that won’t be the case this year. Murphy quietly dominated in all three levels he pitched in. His ERA never rose above 2.45, and he kept his strikeouts per walks ratio relatively high (4.16) while ascending from High-A to Triple-A. Murphy’s ability to stay steady as a starter at varying levels of competition shouldn’t be overlooked.

Although he was primarily a starter and he’s only played three games in Triple-A, it would be a crime to keep Murphy in the minors longer than absolutely necessary. The South Siders have plenty of flexibility with their rotation and should consider keeping Drew Thorpe in the pen while he finishes his Tommy John recovery to make room for Murphy in the rotation.

Injuries create openings, and this one feels too big to waste. Whether it’s Smith, Peoples, or Murphy, expect someone to turn this unfortunate break into a fast track to Chicago.

This afternoon, the Colorado Rockies fell to the Seattle Mariners 10-6. For more detailed highlights, click here.

The focus of the day was on pitchers Ryan Feltner and Chase Dollander as both make adjustments while vying for the final spot in the Rockies starting rotation.

First, here’s manager Warren Schaeffer:

Next up is Ryan Feltner who describes some of his in-game adjustments:

Chase Dollander also discussed his in-game changes:

And, finally, Kyle Freeland described what it’s like to be the Rockies Opening Day starter:

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There was a time when I raged, raged against using all caps in headlines. That time is not now.

The Cincinnati Reds are going to play the Cleveland Guardians tonight – Thursday, March 17th – under the lights at Goodyear Stadium, and THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT ON TELEVISION THAT YOU CAN WATCH WITH YOUR OWN EYES.

Sorry, sorry – I know it’s somewhat hyperbolic. Still, they’ve spent so much time plying their trade in the Land of the Endless Strip Mall so far this March without us being able to see any of it that it’s a tremendous boon to my entertainment repertoire.

That they chose to do so (finally) at the same time that the First Four is being played and when the World Baseball Classic is being played between the USA and Venezuela is a complete bummer, and a very, very Reds thing to do. But perhaps you can track down a split screen or a laptop to allow you to watch all the action and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the most glorious of sports fashions.

Nick Lodolo will be on the mound looking to fine tune his work, while the Reds are rolling out a stacked lineup featuring Matt McLain, Sal Stewart, Elly De La Cruz, Tyler Stephenson, Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Rece Hinds, and Will Banfield.

First pitch is set for 9:05 PM ET, and you’ll be able to follow/watch it through both the Reds.tv feed and the Guardians.tv feed depending upon your location.

(It’s also the MLB.com free game of the day!)

MIAMI (AP) — Pablo Cuerta was watching batting practice before the U.S.-Venezuela championship game at the World Baseball Classic, when the realization hit him.

He couldn’t lose.

There were thousands of Venezuelans at the game in Miami on Tuesday night. There were thousands of Americans at the game as well. And some — like Cuerta, a Venezuelan-American — got to basically cheer for both sides. His shirt: a Venezuela jersey. His hat: the Venezuelan team cap. And draped over his shoulders, tied across his chest: the U.S. flag.

“I was born in Venezuela, and this country gave me the opportunity to come, to be a citizen,” said Cuerta, who drove from his home near Orlando for the final days of the tournament in Miami. “I appreciate both countries, you know. One, I was born in Venezuela. And two, this one gave me everything I’ve got. So, I’m proud to have both countries.”

As they have throughout the tournament, Venezuelan fans showed up in a big way to see their team in Miami; all seven of their team’s games at the WBC were played inside the Miami Marlins’ ballpark. From the outset, these unusual political times — Venezuela’s deposed leader Nicolás Maduro is currently jailed in New York and facing drug trafficking charges, after American forces executed a military operation in Venezuela earlier this year to capture him — have not had much of an effect on the joy Venezuelans have for this event, even with it being played on U.S. soil.

When both flags were brought to home plate as part of the pregame ceremony, the building simply roared.

“Super emotional with Venezuela and being here for the championship game. This is beyond sport. It is well deserved,” said Argenis Masiaf, a Miami resident who had the Venezuelan flag painted on his face for the game. “We have lived through many difficult things inside our country. This is the moment for Venezuela to accomplish something so special and memorable.”

Venezuela’s players and coaches have tried to avoid all political talk. They’ve said in many ways that they’re at the WBC to play baseball, and manager Omar López reiterated that sentiment before the final.

López did, however, acknowledge how much getting to the title game — and getting to play the U.S. — means to Venezuela, a baseball-mad South American country of about 32 million people. He said he expected “the whole country” to be watching.

“Tonight, everyone is going to be together,” López said. “The whole country is going to be paralyzed to watch the game, and together we are going to have better generations for our country, united with no color, political colors or ideology. We have people with double citizenship. This is the only way.

“We have sports. Baseball is one of the best tools or ways to educate a country. Discipline, dedication, determination. If you don’t believe in that, you should start believing. You have to believe in that. Thirty human beings today are going to unite Venezuela through a baseball game.”

Josh Rojas, a student from Utah, was outside the stadium three hours before first pitch Tuesday, soaking up the atmosphere. He had a “V” for Venezuela painted on both sides of his face, proudly carrying a flag as well.

“Me and my family knew Venezuela would make a good run, so we came,” Rojas said. “Man, it’s meant everything. I’m a Latino American, and it’s just making me more proud of my Latin heritage. It’s just awesome to see a whole country, a whole community come together to support this country through baseball.”

Jaci Douglas said she “hates” baseball. The medical student from Pennsylvania viewed Tuesday’s game as something well beyond sport.

“My mother is Venezuelan. I have in-laws who are Venezuelans,” Douglas said. “They’re all here tonight and they told me that if I miss this, I’d regret it. … It’s an event.”

Cuerta said he heard everyone in Venezuela — the country he left eight years ago — was watching.

“It’s going to be a lot of parties, everywhere,” Cuerta said. “Every space, every restaurant, every street, everywhere. Everybody’s watching. When we’re born, that’s the first thing your parents do. Before they send you to school, they send you to the field. That’s what they mean when they say it’s in our blood.”

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So much for a gap year.

Written off by many as an afterthought when the season began, the re-tooled Boston Celtics have moved into second place in the Eastern Conference and the second spot on the NBA Championship odds board as the season enters the stretch drive.

The recent surge in confidence among bettors can be attributed to the sudden – and unexpected – return of All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum, whose presence lifts the Celtics to the status of genuine title contender.

Let’s break down the latest odds as the league races towards the playoffs.

🏆 2026 NBA Championship odds

Chicago’s (14-11) bats exploded for five runs in the third behind starting pitcher Anthony Kay. The Athletics (12-14) mounted a comeback but ultimately fell short, as the Good Guys carried home the 6-4 victory. The bullpen was a little rocky at times, but lefthander Chris Murphy was able to shut the door on the A’s and snag the save and secure the win for Kay, now 3-0 on the spring.

Kay was excellent through the first four innings and allowed just three hits: a single in the first from Nick Kurtz that turned into a double play on the next batter, a base hit in the second, and a two-out double in the fourth that turned into nothing. He started the fifth out alright with a ground out, but Andy Ibañez took him deep on a hanging slider inside, which was Kay’s only run surrendered. He struck out one more before being replaced with Jedixson Paez, and outside of the homer, he was efficient and punched out five batters while not walking any.

A five-run cushion while on the mound definitely takes the pressure off, and the South Side offense did just that in the bottom of the third. Chase Meidroth led off the rally with a solo shot to right — his first of the spring — and both Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas walked to put a couple more runners on for the Good Guys. Munetaka Murakami came up to the plate in an ideal situation, but he wasn’t the hero here … yet. Mune got Colson to third by tagging on a fly out, but Austin Hays came in clutch, driving an RBI double to right, giving the Sox a two-run lead.

Hays’ double was enough for the Athletics to head to the bullpen, but Andrew Benintendi poured some salt in the wound by mashing a 416-foot, three-run shot to right to make it 5-0.

Just a couple of innings later, the South Siders tacked on one more thanks to a Murakami moonshot — his first home run in a White Sox jersey and the first of (hopefully) many more to come.

Outside of the homers, shortstop Luisangel Acuña and catcher Drew Romo both blasted doubles in the game to account for the remaining South Side extra-base hits. As a team, the Sox went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left five on base, but they did enough to hold on to the win.

The Athletics were attempting to claw back, adding two runs in the fifth and then two more in the eighth. Paez took over for 2 1/3 innings after Kay, giving up one run on one hit and a walk, though he fanned three and has been much more efficient after a rough outing early in the month.

It was a lefty-heavy day as Sean Newcomb entered the game in the eighth, and things got dicey for a minute, but he was eventually able to work his way out of it to maintain a two-run lead. Newcomb was able to get two outs fairly quickly after walking the leadoff batter, but naturally, before he was able to get the third out, a pinch-hit home run from Shane McGuire cut the South Side lead down to two, 6-4.

In better news, the bullpen struggles ended there, as Murphy shut it down in the ninth and the Sox obtained their 14th win of the season. The Good Guys have the day off tomorrow but will have a split-squad matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Authorities found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in Alabama basketball star Aden Holloway’s apartment when they arrested him Monday, according to court records released Tuesday — just below the 2.2-pound threshold for a drug trafficking charge.

Holloway, the No. 2 scorer for the fourth-seeded Crimson Tide, has been suspended indefinitely and is away from the team as it prepares to play Hofstra on Friday in the NCAA Tournament. Among the charges is a count of first-degree marijuana possession, not for personal use, which is a Class C felony and carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000.

Holloway’s attorney, Jason Neff, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. But he told ESPN that there is no proof his client was selling the drugs.

Neff told the outlet that it could take 18 months for the case to make its way through the Alabama courts, a process that would jeopardize Holloway’s college and possible NBA career.

“He has no criminal history,” Neff said. “If he were to plead out or even go to trial, the judge could give him probation. It is a felony. For a 21-year-old man trying to get through college and get to the NBA, a felony issue could be a major issue long term.”

Agents with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force said they knocked on the door of an apartment in Tuscaloosa and were met by Holloway, according to a statement by the arresting officer. After entering the residence, they found “loose marijuana” and a vacuum-sealed bag of the drug in the living room, the statement said.

In Holloway’s bedroom, agents say they found more marijuana in a backpack in the closet and also in a suitcase, and a rolling tray with marijuana on it under in the bed. In a spare bedroom, they found a box of marijuana in the closet, according to the court records.

“Holloway stated that he wanted to remain silent, but then stated that he only smokes,” according to the officer’s statement.

The total weight of marijuana found in the apartment was 964 grams, “which is approximately 2.1 pounds,” it states. More than 2.2 pounds can result in a drug trafficking charge under Alabama law.

Holloway was also charged with failure to affix a tax stamp and was released from jail on a $5,000 bond shortly after his arrest. The university said in a statement that he was “removed from campus pending further investigation by the UA Office of Student Conduct.”

Coach Nate Oats said Monday during his weekly radio show that the Crimson Tide were preparing to play without Holloway in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Tampa, Florida. Alabama is the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region.

“We’ve got standards in our program and ways we’ve held our guys accountable,” Oats said.

“We’re certainly disappointed in his behavior,” the coach added “That being said, we still love him. He’s still our guy and we’re helping him get the help that he needs and we’re going to help him in any way that we can.”

Holloway is in his second season at Alabama. He is averaging 16.8 points per game and leads the Crimson Tide in 3-point shooting, hitting 43.1% from behind the arc. Holloway has started 27 of 28 games that he’s played this season. Without him, Alabama (23-9) will be down to nine scholarship players in the NCAA Tournament, where it is a No. 4 seed.

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The World Baseball Classic finals will feature an epic clash between the United States and Venezuela. According to ESPN, the US will have Nolan McLean start the game while Venezuela will send Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound.

Tuesday evening is for multi-tasking, with the World Baseball Classic championship game starting at 5 p.m. PT, followed by the Dodgers playing the Royals in Surprise one hour later.

Will Smith gets the start at catcher for Team USA on Tuesday night, his second straight game behind the plate.

In spring training, Tuesday is the Dodgers’ final road game in Arizona.

World Baseball Classic game info

• Teams: United States vs. Venezuela
• Round: Championship game
• Ballpark: loanDepot Park, Miami
• Time: 5 p.m. PT
• TV: Fox
• Radio: MLB Audio, Sirius XM

Spring training game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Royals
• Ballpark: Surprise Stadium
• Time: 6:05 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: KFNZ 96.5 (Royals broadcast)