The Baseball Buffet for 2/14/2026

Gallen was drafted by the Cardinals in 2016, then traded to the Marlins after the 2017 season as part of a package for Marcell Ozuna. He made his debut for Miami in 2019 but was traded to the Diamondbacks at the deadline for Jazz Chisholm Jr.

He has pitched for Arizona ever since, and was an All-Star in 2023 finishing that year with a 17-9 record, a 3.47 ERA, and a career-high 220 strikeouts.

In 2025 Gallen started 33 games but had his worst season so far, with a 13-15 record and 4.83 ERA.

Outlook: Now 30 years old, Gallen is looking to bounce back from his 2025 performance and will headline the D-Backs rotation until Corbin Burnes makes his return. The rest of their staff would seem to include Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson, and Eduardo Rodriguez, with Michael Soroka as depth.

Rengifo will turn 29 later this month and has played 7 years in the majors, all with the Angels. Versatile in the field, he’s primarily played 2B and 3B, but with some action at SS and the OF.

His numbers have been somewhat inconsistent over the years, as he hit 17 HR in 2022 and 16 HR in 2023, but then had only 9 HR (in more games played) in 2025. He batted .300 with 24 SB in only 78 games in 2024, but then only hit .238 with 10 SB in 2025.

Outlook: This signing makes sense once the Brewers traded Caleb Durbin to the Red Sox, as they have Bruce Turang at 2B, Joey Ortiz at SS, and so presumably Rengifo will play the majority of games at 3B. As noted his offensive production has been inconsistent, but a .250 average with 15 HR and 15 SB would seem a reasonable expectation.

Sánchez is 28 years old and has played six years in the majors, mostly with the Marlins before being dealt to the Astros at the deadline last year. He has hit 13-18 HR in each of the past five years, had 16 SB in 2024 and 13 SB in 2025, and is a career .239 hitter.

Loperfido was drafted by the Astros in the seventh round in 2021, played briefly for them in 2024, but then was traded to the Blue Jays at the deadline. In 2025, he mostly played at AAA Buffalo, but also appeared in 41 games for Toronto, hitting .333 with 4 HR in 96 AB.

Outlook for Toronto: As Matheson notes, Sánchez hits the ball hard, and provides some speed as well. He has significant platoons splits, hitting RHP far better than LHP. But with Anthony Santander needing shoulder surgery, there clearly is a role for Sanchez to see at-bats against RHPs in LF.

Outlook for Houston: Reacquiring Loperfido gives the Astros a likely OF of Loperfido, Jake Meyers, and Cam Smith, with Yordan Álvarez mostly playing as their DH.

Now 35-years old, Taylor has played 12 years in the majors, beginning with the Mariners, but then primarily spent with the Dodgers. He has hit 15+ HR four times, and provided 10+ SB four times. He was an All-Star in 2021 and ended that season with 20 HR, 13 SB, and 92 runs.

Perhaps his biggest value is his defensive versatility, as he has played 90+ games at CF, LF, SS, 2B, and 3B.

In 2024 his average dipped to only .202 in 87 games, and in 2025 he batted only .186 with 2 HR and 2 SB in 58 games for the Dodgers and Angels.

Outlook: Taylor will compete during Spring Training for a role as a super-utility player. Should injuries arise for others, he could also get an opportunity to make Opening Day roster.

BOS SP Tanner Houck

CHW SP Ky Bush

DET SP Jackson Jobe

DET SP Reese Olson (out for the season)

KCR SP Alec Marsh

NYY SP Clarke Schmidt

TBR RP Manuel Rodríguez

ARI RP Andrew Saalfrank (out for the season)

ATL RP Joe Jiménez

ATL SP Spencer Schwellenbach

COL RP Jeff Criswell

COL 1B/OF Kris Bryant

MIA RP Ronny Henriguez (out for the season)

LAD RP Evan Phillips

WAS SP DJ Herz

WAS SP Trevor Williams

NYM SP Tylor Megill (out for the season)

NYM RP Reed Garrett (out for the season)

PIT SP Jared Jones

SFG RP Randy Rodríguez

OF/1B Stan Musial - Cardinals (1941-63)

OF Al Kaline - Tigers (1954-74)

3B Sal Bando - Athletics (1966-76), Brewers (1977-81)

2B Joe Gordon - Yankees (1938-43, 46)

OF Tony Oliva - Twins (1964-76)

1B Steve Garvey - Dodgers (1969-82), Padres (1983-87)

3B Stan Hack - Cubs (1937-42, 45-47)

OF Roy White - Yankees (1969-79)

OF Willie Wilson - Royals (1978-90) and two other clubs

OF Starling Marte - Pirates (2012-19), Marlins (2020-21), Mets (2022-25)

SS/3B Rico Petrocelli - Red Sox (1966-76)

OF Johnny Callison - Phillies (1960-69), Cubs (1970-71)

OF Lorenzo Cain - Royals (2011-17), Brewers (2018-22)

OF Paul Blair - Orioles (1965-76)

OF Carl Furillo - Dodgers (1946-60)

1B Ryan Howard - Phillies (2005-16)

SS/3B Johnny Pesky - Red Sox (1942, 46-52)

1B/OF Ron Fairly - Dodgers (1961-69), Expos (1969-74), and two other clubs

2B/3B Anthony Rendon - Nationals (2013-19), Angels (2020-24)

2B Robby Thompson - Giants (1986-96)

3B Clete Boyer - Yankees (1961-66), Braves (1967-71)

C Tony Peña - Pirates (1980-86), Red Sox (1990-93)

1887: The White Stockings sell King Kelly to the Beaneaters. “The Chicago White Stockings National League club sells King Kelly to the Boston Beaneaters for the unheard-of sum of $10,000. With the contract and bonus, Kelly is dubbed a "$15,000 Beauty." Kelly, who is often credited with popularizing the hit-and-run, will win election to the Hall of Fame in 1945.”

1911: Baseball uniform pinstripes are born. “The Philadelphia Phillies come up with an idea for a new style of uniform - white flannels with thin vertical stripes -, an innovation that predates the famed New York Yankees pinstripes by four years.

1948: Pitching great Mordecai Brown dies at 71. “Right-handed pitcher Mordecai Brown dies in Terre Haute, Indiana, at the age of 71. Despite losing part of two fingers on his right hand in a childhood farm accident, Brown won 239 games during a 14-year Hall of Fame career.”

1976: The Braves send out Valentine’s Day cards. “The Atlanta Braves send Valentine's Day cards to their season ticket holders and the media. The Braves finished in fifth place in 1975, 40 1/2 games behind the Cincinnati Reds. Atlanta will finish this season in last place, 32 games behind Cincinnati, but they are first in rhyming. Their card reads: ‘Rose is a Red, Morgan's one, too. They finished first, Like we wanted to. But last year's behind us; We're happy to say. Now we're tied for first, Happy Valentine's Day.’”

7-year major league pitching career, spanning from 2006-2012, including three years with the Dodgers, and then one each with the Red Sox, Braves, Brewers, and Diamondbacks

Was a rookie in the majors in his age-36 season, posting 24 saves and a 2.07 ERA, and then was an All-Star in 2007 with 39 saves and a 1.40 ERA.

Overall had 84 saves, a 2.34 ERA, a 185 ERA+, and 400 K in 338 IP

Those seven seasons were just a part of his 23-year professional pitching career. He first pitched in his native Japan as a starter and then reliever from 1992-2005. He then returned to Japan and pitched until his age-45 season in 2015.

16-year major league pitching career, spanning from 2007-2022, spending eight years with the Nationals and the rest spread across nine other clubs

Was an All-Star in 2011 as a setup-man with a 1.83 ERA, 0.838 WHIP, and 104 K in 88.1 IP

Became the Nationals' closer for one season in 2012 and had 32 saves and a 3.72 ERA. Returned to a non-closing role and was again an All-Star in 2014 with a 2.18 ERA over 70.1 IP.

Overall had 74 saves, 956 K in 872.1 IP, a 3.16 ERA, and a 131 ERA+

8-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1982-1989, with the Padres and Giants

All-Star in his second season in 1983, finishing with a 14-10 record and 3.58 ERA

Did well in the postseason, including five relief appearances for the Padres in 1984, and two starts for the Giants in 1987, posting a 0.35 ERA (1 ER in 25.2 IP)

Overall had a 64-57 record, a 3.13 ERA, and a 116 ERA+

As described at Wikipedia: "In September 1988, Dravecky was diagnosed with a desmoid tumor in his left arm. He underwent surgery the following month. Dravecky returned to pitch for the Giants in August 1989 and won his first major league start of the season. In his second start, he broke his arm throwing a pitch. He retired from baseball after the season and, following a cancer recurrence, had his left arm amputated in 1991. Following his baseball career, Dravecky became a motivational speaker and author. He has written three books."

Which teams improved the most this winter?, by Mike Petriello at MLB, 2/13/2026

3 grand slams in a game? Baylor slugger makes history, by Theo DeRosa at MLB, 2/13/2026

For the 2026 Yankees, Spring Brings A Host of Hopes, by Paul Semendinger at Here's the Pitch: the IBWAA Newsletter, 2/14/2026

Modest Maddux Made the Most Of His Ability, by Dan Schlossberg at Here's the Pitch: the IBWAA Newsletter, 2/14/2026