MLB Spring Training: February 25 winners and losers

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 25: Matt Kemp #27 of the Miami Marlins at bat against the Houston Astros during a Grapefruit League spring training game at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches on February 25, 2020 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 25: Matt Kemp #27 of the Miami Marlins at bat against the Houston Astros during a Grapefruit League spring training game at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches on February 25, 2020 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
3 of 3
Next
Carter Kieboom hopes to replace Anthony Rendon as Nationals third baseman. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Carter Kieboom hopes to replace Anthony Rendon as Nationals third baseman. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Carter Kieboom helped his case for replacing Anthony Rendon in Washington; veterans Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester had rough MLB spring training debuts.

Winners and losers from Tuesday, February 25 in MLB spring training play included a veteran trying to make a team as a non-roster invitee, a rookie hoping to replace a World Series hero, and a little-known pitcher suddenly presented with an injury-induced opportunity.

Winner: Matt Kemp, Miami Marlins outfielder.

Trying to make the Marlins as a non-roster invitee, Kemp singled in the third inning and again in the fifth against Houston. His fifth-inning hit drove home Jon Berti. Miami eventually won 7-4. Kemp is trying to restore a career cut short by his release from the Cincinnati Reds last July.

More from Call to the Pen

Winner: Carter Kieboom, Washington third baseman.

Kieboom needed it. Trying to win the third base vacancy created by the departure of Anthony Rendon, Kieboom came to the plate in the sixth inning against St. Louis has started the spring 0-for-6. He drove Brett Cecil’s first-pitch into right field for a base hit.

Loser: Jake Arrieta, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher.

Arrieta’s performance is critical to the Phillies’ hopes this season. In his spring debut against the Blue Jays, he did not produce confidence. Arrieta went two innings, but gave up three runs on three hits and a walk. Rowdy Tellez took him deep in the first inning.

(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

MLB Spring Training: February 25 winners and losers

Winner: Billy McKinney, Toronto Blue Jays outfielder

McKinney started Arrieta’s bad afternoon with a leadoff hit, but he didn’t stop there. He added a double in the fourth and a home run off Anthony Swarzak in the sixth. The Jays won 13-6.

Loser: Austin Meadows, Tampa Bay Rays outfielder.

Meadows must have felt like he under-dressed for the big party Tuesday. Facing Baltimore, the Rays scored 15 runs on 16 base hits. But Meadows went hitless in four at-bats, and the Rays’ designated leadoff man remains 0-for-spring in 2020.

More. Kansas City Royals: Starling trying to hang on. light

Winner: Luis Cessa, New York Yankees pitcher.

The Tommy John diagnosis handed out to Yankee pitcher Luis Severino opens up a rotation spot that New York intends to fill from within. Among the candidates, Cessa was first to the mound against Toronto Tuesday, and he delivered a scoreless inning. Granted it was a small victory for Cessa, but it did maximize the opportunity to make an impression. Cessa struck out two Jays.

Loser: Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs pitcher.

Lester also made his 2020 spring debut Tuesday, and he showed nothing. David Dahl hit Lester’s first pitch into right field for a double. An error and walk followed, and before Lester got back to the dugout the Rockies had three runs. A second-inning walk, single and two-run producing double finished Lester’s tour of duty for the day.

(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

MLB Spring Training: February 25 winners and losers

Winner: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians third baseman.

More from MLB News

Ramirez’s effort to restore his image as an offensive dynamo is rocking along. Against the White Sox Tuesday, Ramirez delivered a second inning run-producing single and singled again in the fourth. He’s off to a .667 start with a sweet 1.670 OPS.

Winner: Franklin Barreto, Oakland A’s second baseman.

The Athletics hope Barreto will use this spring to demonstrate that he has the bat to be a regular second baseman. He delivered against the Athletics. He doubled off Darius Valdez in the fifth and singled in the sixth, although San Diego beat the Athletics 9-6. Barreto lifted his spring average to .333.

Loser: Joe Broussard, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher.

Next. Rays: get creative in terms of attendance. dark

Broussard is a 29-year-old career minor leaguer who has labored for five seasons in the bowels of the Dodgers system, and for whom that’s a best-case scenario entering 2020. On Tuesday, the Dodgers gave Broussard a chance to make a positive impression, but he fell flat. In the second inning of the Dodgers’ 7-3 win over Arizona, Broussard faced five hitters, allowing four runs on three hits, one walk, and a hit batter.

Next