#pitching-rotation

#pitching-rotation

Cade Horton exited today's start after calling for a trainer in the second inning. The Cubs are calling Horton's injury right forearm discomfort, which is an ominous development for the team.

Rome boasts a very strong starting rotation with all five in, or near the BP Top 30, headlined by Cam Caminiti - fresh off an amazing 2025 campaign.

Boyd, who turned 35 last month, tossed a career-high 179 1/3 innings with the Cubs last season. He worked to a strong 3.21 ERA with a slightly below-average 21.4% strikeout rate but a terrific 5.8% walk rate. Boyd is entering the second season of a two-year, $29MM contract.

Javier Assad threw 51 pitches in the outing, allowing nothing, and continuing to stretch himself out for the MLB regular season. He's done this before for Team Mexico, and it's really impressive how reliable he is in any capacity.

One area with a range of potential outcomes is the rotation. The group performed quite well in 2025, placing eighth in the league with a combined 13.5 fWAR. and Carlos Rodón were the biggest reasons for that success. Fried excelled in a career-high 195 1/3 innings, showcasing his signature control and groundball tendencies en route to a fourth-place finish in AL Cy Young voting.

Logan Webb couldn't hide his grin. In the leadup to the World Baseball Classic, the Giants will welcome Webb and Team USA for an exhibition at Scottsdale Stadium. With nothing on the line, who better to face the likes of Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers and Bryce Eldridge than Webb? That matchup won't be in the cards. While Webb declined to say when he's scheduled to pitch for Team USA, he did share that he won't toe the slab against his teammates.

The Reds and right-hander Brady Singer are in agreement on a $12.75MM salary for the 2026 campaign, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. It's the final year of arbitration for Singer, who is set to hit free agency next offseason. The contract is slightly above MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz's projection of $11.9MM. Singer is represented by Excel Sports Management. Cincinnati acquired Singer in a November 2024 trade that sent Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer to Kansas City.

Imai was one of the top pitchers in free agency this offseason after spending eight seasons with the Seibu Lions in NPB. Across 159 outings, Imai authored a 3.53 ERA and a 1.267 WHIP across 963 2/3 innings, striking out opponents at an 8.5 K/9 clip. The right-hander turns 28 later this year and is coming off one of his best seasons in 2025, tossing a 1.92 ERA across 163 2/3 innings.

The Red Sox already boast one American League Cy Young Award finalist on their roster in Garrett Crochet. But could Boston have both Crochet and the likely 2026 Cy Young frontrunner in Detroit's Tarik Skubal in their rotation next season? ESPN's Buster Olney believes that the Red Sox have the resources in place to make a legitimate run at the reigning Cy Young Award winner this winter if Detroit dangles him out on the trade market.

The Guardians have transformed into some kind of unkillable movie monster. They just cannot be stopped. The good thing for the Red Sox, though, is that they don't need to worry about the Guards if they keep winning. With the non-Crochet portion of the rotation looking shaky, last night felt like a must-win and the Sox got it done, even if Crochet didn't quite look like his best and the bullpen made it hairy at the end.

Flaherty, at his best, is a perfectly viable Game 2 starter. But his performance this season has fluctuated as wildly as it did for the Los Angeles Dodgers in last year's playoffs, when he followed his two best starts with poor ones. He warrants only so much trust. With the emerging Melton, Holton and perhaps Brant Hurter, who is currently on the injured list with back soreness at Triple A, the Tigers will not lack for bulk-inning candidates.