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RosterResource Chat - 3/19/26

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Kumar Rocker

2:49

I have had a nice spring. Will I start more than 17 games for the Rangers this year?

Jason Martinez

2:51

Rangers signing another lefty reliever, Jalen Beeks, may or may not be related but I took it as there's a good chance that they're ready to roll with Jake Latz and/or Cody Bradford (when healthy) in the rotation for as long as they're effective. Of course, injuries should play a factor and Rocker is also the kind of pitcher who will be difficult to ignore if he's dominating in AAA. Once the Rangers decide he's ready, it probably won't matter how effective Latz has been as starter.

17 is a good over/under. I have him projected for 16 starts and some reliever innings.

Joey Jojo Jr. Shabadoo

2:52

Who ultimately makes the 5/6 man rotation in Houston? Weiss and McC have been really good this spring. Should they make the roster as SPs since they're stretched out?

Jon Becker

2:54

McCullers definitely has a spot along with Brown, Javier, and Imai. Burrows has a 0.00 ERA this spring so he figures to have one, too. So that leaves one spot (if they do in fact go with a six-man) for Weiss, Arighetti, Blubaugh. Have to think Weiss is the front-runner since he's making guaranteed money and has been really good this spring, as you said.

O's Need a Miracle

2:55

Will Gunnar receive starts at 3B should Mayo falter, and if so what's your best estimate of how many?

Jason Martinez

2:57

Not sure there's a reason to stick him at 3B unless whoever is next in line if Mayo struggles is a better defensive SS. And that's probably not the case. Blaze Alexander, Jeremiah Jackson, or Weston Wilson would probably be in the mix to step in at 3B. But that should tell you that Mayo will have a very long leash. He'd have to be really, really bad to get demoted to AAA within the first month.

Jace, The Mind Sculptor

2:58

There doesn't seem to be an obvious spot for him, but I have a hard time shaking the feeling that Nathaniel Lowe is, like, the third best hitter on the Reds and they're a much better team with him batting fifth or something... Do you see an avenue to that happening? Maybe Eugenio Suarez could pull off the Mookie-style late career shift to the middle infield?

Jon Becker

3:00

Maybe they can squeeze Lowe on the roster as a bench guy over Myers or Benson and he gets starts over Stewart or Hayes against some especially tough righties but I don't see Suárez playing anywhere but DH, 3B, 1B this year. I think Lowe is certainly better than he showed with the Nats and Red Sox last year but third-best on the team feels pretty optimistic on Lowe and/or pessimistic on the rest of the offense.

Nationals

3:00

They sent down Hassell and Diaz. Does that mean nunez opens at an everyday player?

Jason Martinez

3:02

I think you mean Abimelec Ortiz (not Diaz), who was probably the best candidate to play 1B if they wanted to keep Luis Garcia at 2B. Now, barring a last-minute addition -- there should be at least a few veteran 1B available -- Nuñez is set to get the majority of starts at 2B.

Projected Opening Day roster ... https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/nationals

Ryan

3:03

Would love to know more of your thoughts on Josh Smith (TEX). Is he the everyday 2B? Does he continue to move around? He finished the year hitting leadoff, does that stick?

Jon Becker

3:05

Based on how their roster's shaping up (positions seem pretty rigid assuming health), I think Smith will mostly be 2B and they'll use Haggerty and Durán as the Smith-type super utility men. I'd think Smith will be in the bottom third of the lineup with Nimmo-Langford-Seager set as the top three.

Oddball Herrera

3:05

Think Colt Emerson actually makes the OD roster? If he plays well, what happens when Crawford is healthy? Young is looking pretty good and Donovan is presumably their regular 3B

Jason Martinez

3:07

I don't think they'd add him to the 40-man and call him up for a temporary MLB stint. So unless Crawford's injury is more serious than what is being reported, I think they'll roll with Leo Rivas as the SS if Crawford needs a short IL stint to begin the season. Emerson has good numbers this spring but doesn't appear as ready as Wetherholt/McGonigle.

Jace, The Mind Sculptor

3:07

I don't want saves... got a thought on which NRI RP will be in a position to get the most holds in 2026? Loaisiga? Sborz? Someone else?

Jon Becker

3:09

Those are both good picks, though Loáisiga might be in "danger" of getting saves if you're avoiding those entirely; Sborz feels a little further back in the pecking order to me. We've also got Cionel Pérez (WSN), Andrew Chafin (MIN), Ryan Borucki (CHW), and John Brebbia (COL) projected on Opening Day rosters.

Jason Martinez

3:10

Gregory Santos (SFG) probably has the highest upside of all the NRIs. But I moved him off the projected Opening Day roster because (with no explanation) didn't pitch for like 2 weeks. He's back now and should eventually be in the bullpen as long as he stays healthy. But not on the Opening Day roster for now.

miacono

3:10

Does Nathan Church StLouis , get the majority of ABs or does Baez come up early?

Jason Martinez

3:13

Church and Nelson Velazquez should get a lot of playing time while Nootbaar is on the IL. How much they play once Nootbaar returns will depend on their performance, but Victor Scott and Jordan Walker need to hit for them to keep their jobs. Both have struggled badly this spring and could head back to AAA if Church and/or Velazquez continues to hit during the regular season.

Wham-O

3:13

Where do we see Luis Acuna actually playing? How much.

Jason Martinez

3:15

I've had him in a platoon with Brooks Baldwin in CF with the expectation that he'd also get time at 2B and SS. But Baldwin hasn't played in 2 weeks due to an elbow injury and I just moved him to the projected IL today with Acuña now the starting CF ... https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/white-sox

With the way Acuña has hit this spring, there was a chance he'd win the CF job regardless of Baldwin's health. Now, he should have a clear path to keep the job.

Doc Estes

3:15

Is Sean Manaea out of the Mets rotation to start the season?

Jason Martinez

3:18

Still no indication whether they'll go with a 6-man rotation but there are enough off-days during the 1st month where it's not necessary. Based on ST performance, Manaea's probably the odd man out. But it's a small sample and, ideally, the Mets won't want to move any of their top 6 starters to the bullpen early in the season. My guess is some minor injury will allow them to move 1 of the 6 to the IL to begin the season and then they'll figure things out as the season progresses.

Doc Estes

3:19

RR chat is my favorite Fangraphs chat and one of my favorite features of the website. Thanks for what you do and keep up the good work.

Jason Martinez

3:22

Thanks Doc! Saying nice things to us doesn't guarantee we answer your question but I did make sure to answer one of yours before responding in this case.

This will never be a rapid-fire chat but hopefully the 2-4 minute wait is worth it with the thought we put into the answers.

3:23

Thanks again for joining us. We probably won't have a chat next Thursday because it will be one of our busiest days so we'll be back in 2 weeks.

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