Jonah Tong likely slated for Triple-A to start the year
Also - the Mets will have 17 players competing in the WBC, and how might baseball fit into the Olympics in 2028?
What’s up with the Mets? 🍎
The Mets have a plan for Jonah Tong in Triple-A to help him refine his pitches if he does not make the team out of camp (NY Post)
The World Baseball Classic rosters were released - the Mets will have 17 players representing different countries during the tournament (SNY)
OF Luis Robert Jr.’s elite bat speed is one of the reasons the Mets acquired him and why they believe he can be a productive offensive player (MLB.com)
Keith Hernandez is officially back in the SNY broadcast booth for three more years (NY Post)
What I’m Watching 📺
RHP Clay Holmes is in camp and he chatted about his new pitching coach and the starting rotation for the 2026 season (SNY)
Should the Mets go after Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal next winter? (SNY)
RHP Jonah Tong’s live batting practice session from Thursday:
🌴 5 days until the 1st official workout for Mets pitchers & catchers in Port St. Lucie… 🌴
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Should Major League Baseball players play in the Olympics? ✍️
The hot stove has cooled for the Mets after they wrapped up their aggressive roster rebuild in January. Mets pitchers and catchers officially report to Port St. Lucie on Monday, and their first workout is slated for next Wednesday.
In between, all eyes will be on the opening ceremonies today of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics as athletes from around the world will gather to represent their country and compete in a variety of winter sports. That includes ice hockey, which includes players from both the NHL and PWHL who will compete for the gold medal in their sport.
With the Olympics set to start today and the lull we have with the Mets leading into the start of camp, that has me wondering how baseball might fit into a blueprint for the summer games two years from now.
It’s been a while since the sport had a place in the Olympics - it was last included in 2008 in Beijing, and it was dropped simply due to a lack of interest from participating countries and presumably the inability to have stars from Major League Baseball participate as well.
Two years from now, the 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles, and with baseball returning to the games, there is growing momentum that major leaguers will be able to participate, especially since the games will be held at Dodger Stadium. Commissioner Rob Manfred, for his part, thinks it will happen, but that logistics still need to be worked out. The NBA and WNBA send their stars to the Olympics, as well as the NHL and PWHL, with the NHL taking a break in its schedule to allow its athletes to attend. So even though the summer games take place during the baseball season, there is a way to make it work.
As we have seen with the World Baseball Classic, players are honored to represent their countries and compete at the highest stage. The Mets will have 17 players from the organization represent their countries in the tournament, and they all generally say the same thing about wanting to represent and win for their country. They know how much it means to them to see their national sports heroes compete and represent them. It’s a historically well-attended event, especially in Miami and Tokyo, and only seems to grow in popularity with each go-around.
The problem around the World Baseball Classic specifically is always the chance of injuries and the timing of the tournament.
That concern is warranted, of course. There’s a risk that a quick ramp-up in March combined with unforeseen circumstances during the tournament could lead to more injuries. Mets fans are all too familiar with that after Edwin Díaz’s devastating knee injury in the last tournament led to him missing the entire 2023 season, which pretty much derailed that entire season for the club. That injury led to the insurance company guaranteeing the players’ contracts to stiffen their stance on covering certain players who are deemed high risk during the tournament, leading to players being unable to participate in the WBC next month.
There would be a similar injury risk during the Olympics, and that would be an in-season event from July 14, 2028, to July 30, 2028. MLB could conceivably forego All-Star week that year and extend the season to accommodate a strategic game schedule during the Olympics, and should in turn be able to squeeze it in.
The main issue will then become the length of the season. Do they start the season earlier in March, which would mean players get a shortened spring training, or extend the season into October, which could mean that the World Series is being played in November? Maybe they do both that year? Of course, cold weather in both March and November combined with a shorter off-season could lead to more injuries as well.
Just like the WBC, there is no good answer, but from a fan perspective, it would be fun to see the world’s greatest stars compete for a gold medal at Dodger Stadium. It would be another opportunity to grow the game, especially for countries that are still developing their baseball programs.
With the 2032 Olympics held in Brisbane, Australia, there is no guarantee that baseball will be included in those games, and even if it is, it is not very likely major leaguers would be able to compete with it that far away. LA 2028 could be MLB’s best opportunity to compete, and it would be a shame if they don’t figure out a way to take advantage in some way, shape, or form.
Around the League 🚩
LHP Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case and will make $32 million this season - the Tigers are expected to hold onto him even after signing LHP Framber Valdez (ESPN | Athletic)
A new court document alleges that RHP Emmanuel Clase threw suspicious pitches in at least 48 games over the span of two years (ESPN)
The full World Baseball Classic rosters have been released with both Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge headlining in the event (ESPN)
The Orioles acquired utilityman Blaze Alexander from the Diamondbacks in exchange for reliever Kade Strowd and minor league players Wellington Aracena and José Mejia (MLB.com)
The Pirates signed RHP Jose Urquidy to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million (ESPN)
Why not go after Skubal if there is a chance to bring him here. Detroit might have difficulty paying 2 30 million dollars+ pitchers
Diaz had a freak injury. That sort of thing can happen off the playing field too.