Cleveland Sports Forum

Rys Hoskins belted a 2-run homer and then added a 2-run single.

Another clutch outing by Pallette. Fans one, surrenders a couple of hits, fans another, and induces a ground out on an 86 mph changeup. Fastball in the upper 90's. He's going to give Vogt something to think about as we lead up to the selection of the final roster spot.

Cleveland Guardians Spring Training and WBC Prospect Report 3/7/26

Daniel Espino dominates

Arthur Kinney

Mar 8

SCOREBOARD

Cleveland Guardians 7, San Diego Padres 1 (Statcast)
Canada 8, Colombia 2 (Statcast)

STARTER

George Valera (LF): 0-2, 1 RBI, 1 SF - While Valera’s March (.111/.182.,222) has been far quieter than his February (.417/.462/.750), his first-inning sac fly (94 8 MPH exit velo, 342 feet) ensured him a productive plate appearance for the eighth game out of nine played so far this Spring.

NOTABLE RESERVES

Gabriel Rodriguez (2B): 1-1 - After grounding out to lead off the ninth in his MLB Spring debut last March 19 against the Athletics, Rodriguez made the most of his first 2026 plate appearance, picking up his first big league exhibition hit (88.1 MPH exit velo).

Alfonsin Rosario (PR-CF): 0-0, 1 R, 1 BB - Rosario’s second walk of the Spring led to him scoring his first ever major league Spring run before getting his first hit of 2026.

Dean Curley (PR-3B): 0-1, 1 R - Speaking of scoring without hitting, the 0-for-4 Curley has scored twice in his MLB Spring debut season, both times as a pinch runner.

RESERVES

Milan Tolentino (SS): 0-1

Kody Huff (C ): 0-1

Wuilfredo Antunez (LF): no plate appearances

RELIEVERS

Daniel Espino: H (1), 1 IP, 1 H, 3 K - Espino rebounded masterfully from a leadoff ground-rule double (100.6 MPH exit velo), which is unsurprising given the pure heat he was dealing (FB 96-97, SL 89-91). If he can stay healthy, his 2026 will be can’t-miss stuff.

Peyton Pallette: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 K - Palette, who has recorded five of his six 2026 outs via strikeout, allowed a pair of runners but kept both from crossing the plate safely for the second time in as many outings this Spring. Look for Peyton to get many more opportunities this preseason as the Guardians decide whether to roster the Ru;e 5 selection on the 26-Man or send him back to the South Siders.

Franco Aleman - 1 IP, 1 K - Aleman, whose four-seamer reached into the 98s on Saturday, closed out the Guardians victory with a three-up, three-down ninth.

WBC

Dayan Frias (starting SS, Colombia): 0-2 - Frias, like most of his Colombian teammates, continued his offensive struggles in the nation’s second contest of this WBC.

Bo Naylor (C) Canada 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI

Travis Bazzana (2B) Australia 0-4

Stuart Fairchild (CF) Taipei 1-5 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR, 1K

<

I think that Nolan just sealed his fate with his 3 k's today.
Perhaps Fairchild gets a closer look and possibly break camp with the team.

No actually Nolan only struck out twice and walked once. He tried a kind of different stratagy today: he only swung twice in his 3 at bats, actually a foul ball once.

I don't see room for Fairchild either. If they will keep 13 pitchers, which is certain, they will have room for 13 position players. 3 catchers clogs the roster

Naylor
Hedges
Fry
Manzardo
Hoskins
Rocchio
Arias
Ramirez
Schneemann
Valera
Martinez
Kwan
DeLauter

No room for Kayfus, let alone Fairchild. The only way to add one of them is if [no reason to think this will happen] Hedges retires as a player, joins the coaching staff, and Fry is the back up catcher.

No matter, I think it's over for Jones. Too bad. I had high hopes.

If it were 2 k's it might have given Jones half a pass, Civ, but 1 walk and 3 k's was a tad too much.

Even Japanese Emperor Naruhito and the royal family are Ohtani fans, make appearance at Tokyo Dome


The Associated Press

March 8, 2026

TOKYO (AP) — Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko arrived at the Tokyo Dome for Japan’s critical game Sunday against Australia and the World Baseball Classic.

Even the royal family are fans of Japanese baseball and superstar

The Japanese royals entered the Tokyo Dome during batting practice before the game began and waved to some fans on hand for the game.

Naruhito turned 66 just a few weeks ago and has been focusing his attention lately on remembering the 15th anniversary of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster on March 11, 2011, that killed nearly 20,000 people in northern Japan.

Aiko, 24, is the only child between Naruhito and Masako and cannot become the monarch. Japan allows only male succession.