Jayson Stark

"Boys, it's launch day."

-Tom Burgoyne, best friend of the Phanatic

Big day in Clearwater! It's the 2026 debut of the legendary Hot Dog Launcher

31 seasons of propelling hot dogs through the sky.

What a time to be alive

What is Bryce Harper thinking? On baseball, boredom and being a kid, again, in the WBC "I still have a lot to prove to myself," said Harper, one of this generation's greats. It feels like something larger is at stake in 2026.

"I still have a lot to prove to myself."

Bryce Harper opens up to @mattgelb.bsky.social

This is the must-read story of the day
www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

What is Bryce Harper thinking? On baseball, boredom and being a kid, again, in the WBC

"I still have a lot to prove to myself."

Bryce Harper opens up to @mattgelb.bsky.social

This is the must-read story of the day
www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

The robot umps are here: What to watch for with ABS this MLB spring training MLB's ABS challenge system is up and running this spring — and it's about to change baseball profoundly. Here's everything you need to know.

New from me:

The robot umps are here!

Here’s what to watch for this spring, including this fascinating question:

What should an umpire say if the catcher asks, “Where was that pitch?”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

The Blue Jays now have a second baseman named Carlos Mendoza ...

In a game being managed (in the other dugout) by a guy named ...

Carlos Mendoza.

Baseball!

Big moment here in Dunedin. Kazuma Okamoto just launched his first (spring) HR as a Blue Jay.

431 feet to CF, off the batter’s eye.

There was some wind involved, but that’s not important now.

This man has a sweet swing.

The robot umps are here: What to watch for with ABS this MLB spring training MLB's ABS challenge system is up and running this spring — and it's about to change baseball profoundly. Here's everything you need to know.

New from me:

The robot umps are here!

Here’s what to watch for this spring, including this fascinating question:

What should an umpire say if the catcher asks, “Where was that pitch?”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

MLB teams, managers and front offices that’ll be feeling the heat: Insiders weigh in Which front offices, managers and players are feeling the most heat heading into this season? Here's who our panel singled out.

ICYMI Here's where to find my whole spring-preview series:

Who's feeling the heat? www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Traded this spring? www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

Best/worst subtractions www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

The whole survey! www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

We almost had today’s Blue Jays-Phillies game end on a robot-off!

Jays catcher Aaron Parker challenged this 1-2 pitch to Dante Nori that was called a ball.

So it would have been game over if it had even right. But…

Just a bit outside!

ABS challenge alert!

The Phillies' first challenge of the ABS era is one you'll never see in the actual season

2 outs, nobody on, bottom of the first

The catcher, Rafael Marchan, challenges a 1-and-0 ball-2 call ... and gets it wrong

So one challenge left, 8 innings to go!

Fun fact:

The next Saturday without a baseball game will be in November

Feel warmer yet?

MLB teams, managers and front offices that’ll be feeling the heat: Insiders weigh in Which front offices, managers and players are feeling the most heat heading into this season? Here's who our panel singled out.

Who’s feeling the heat entering 2026?

Let’s just say Bryce Harper and the Phillies come to mind.

In the last installment of my annual spring preview survey, the voters weighed in on what players, front offices and managers are under the most pressure.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Christopher Sanchez, ace

MLB teams, managers and front offices that’ll be feeling the heat: Insiders weigh in Which front offices, managers and players are feeling the most heat heading into this season? Here's who our panel singled out.

Who’s feeling the heat entering 2026?

Let’s just say Bryce Harper and the Phillies come to mind.

In the last installment of my annual spring preview survey, the voters weighed in on what players, front offices and managers are under the most pressure.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Kazuma Okamoto, third baseman, Toronto Blue Jays

First impression: soft hands over there

What's better than a spring training morning under the bluest sky on our planet

As Isiah Kiner-Falefa could tell you, sometimes it's the lead a runner takes off 3B that can decide a World Series.

On that note...

Today's baserunning topic at Blue Jays camp?

Leads off 3B!

MLB insiders weigh in on teams’ best and worst subtractions of the offseason In our spring survey of people in the game, we asked which ex-players teams will miss the most. And which, um, they won't.

My spring preview survey continues!

This time I asked 36 baseball people to vote on the most irreplaceable subtraction of the winter …

And the *best* subtraction.

Guess which player got 6 votes for best subtraction before he’d even been subtracted yet?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

MLB insiders predict the players most likely to get traded in 2026 spring training Will there be a good old-fashioned blockbuster deal this spring? Never say never! Our panel weighs in on the players who could get traded.

What players could get traded in spring training?

In the latest installment of my annual spring-preview survey, I asked that question - and got 28 names back!

www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

MLB insiders predict the players most likely to get traded in 2026 spring training Will there be a good old-fashioned blockbuster deal this spring? Never say never! Our panel weighs in on the players who could get traded.

What players could get traded in spring training?

In the latest installment of my annual spring-preview survey, I asked that question - and got 28 names back!

www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

It's one of my favorite columns of the year...

So I'm making it free for all to read with this gift link!

Most improved/least improved teams
Best/worst free agents
Best trades
Spring story lines
And of course we play the popular game, "Name 6 Rockies!"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

It's one of my favorite columns of the year...

So I'm making it free for all to read with this gift link!

Most improved/least improved teams
Best/worst free agents
Best trades
Spring story lines
And of course we play the popular game, "Name 6 Rockies!"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

2026 spring training survey: MLB insiders on the players, teams and storylines to watch We asked 36 executives, retired executives, managers, coaches and scouts to weigh in on the biggest storylines of this winter and spring.

Just posted: One of my favorite columns of every year.

It's the annual spring-preview survey!

Most/least improved teams
Best/worst free-agent signings
Best trades
Best free-agent "bargains"
And we play America's favorite game: "Name 6 Rockies"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

2026 spring training survey: MLB insiders on the players, teams and storylines to watch We asked 36 executives, retired executives, managers, coaches and scouts to weigh in on the biggest storylines of this winter and spring.

Just posted: One of my favorite columns of every year.

It's the annual spring-preview survey!

Most/least improved teams
Best/worst free-agent signings
Best trades
Best free-agent "bargains"
And we play America's favorite game: "Name 6 Rockies"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

ICYMI

After Kershaw/Verlander/Scherzer, will there ever be another Hall of Fame starting pitcher?

Sure, you say.

Oh, really? How exactly will we figure out what one looks like?

I dug in on that question, with help from some HOF starters.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

Speaking of this guy...

After Verlander/Scherzer/Kershaw, will there ever be another Hall of Fame starting pitcher?

If so...how exactly will we figure out what one looks like?

I wrote about that question, with help from some HOF starters.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

New column:

After Kershaw/Verlander/Scherzer, will there ever be another Hall of Fame starting pitcher?

Sure, you say.

Oh, really? How exactly will we figure out what one looks like?

I dug in on that question, with help from some HOF starters.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

New column:

After Kershaw/Verlander/Scherzer, will there ever be another Hall of Fame starting pitcher?

Sure, you say.

Oh, really? How exactly will we figure out what one looks like?

I dug in on that question, with help from some HOF starters.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

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World Baseball Classic will feature pitch clock but no ABS challenge system The tournament will use the same pitch-timer rules in place in MLB but won't feature the Automated Ball-Strike System challenge system.

Just posted:

No robot umps in the WBC this year

But pitch clocks will make their WBC debut
www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...