Giancarlo Stanton said this week he’s determined to play a full season for the Yankees, even as lingering elbow damage has limited basic daily functions. Stanton admitted he currently “can’t open a bag of chips or a bottle” because of persistent pain related to tennis elbow in both arms.

The injury severely impacted his 2025 season, limiting him to just 77 games and forcing extended time on the injured list. Despite the physical limitations, Stanton has made clear his goal is durability and consistency heading into 2026.

This isn’t just an injury update. It’s a reality check on what Stanton is now.

The question isn’t whether Stanton can still hit when healthy. It’s whether “healthy” exists in the traditional sense anymore. Chronic bilateral elbow damage doesn’t disappear, it becomes something players manage indefinitely.

For the Yankees, this reshapes expectations. Stanton no longer needs to be an everyday outfielder or even a 150-game player to provide value. But if basic grip strength is compromised, it introduces uncertainty into everything from bat speed to recovery timelines.

His determination matters. But durability, not motivation, is the variable that will ultimately define his season and the ceiling of the Yankees’ lineup.

Max Scherzer agreed to return to the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year deal worth a $3 million base salary with incentives, extending his career into a 19th major league season at age 41.

Part of that decision had nothing to do with velocity or contract structure. In December, Scherzer’s 8-year-old daughter, Brooke, wrote a letter directly to the Blue Jays asking the team to re-sign her father, telling them how much the family loved Toronto and hoped to return.

The letter resurfaced publicly after Scherzer finalized his return, highlighting how strongly both he and his family connected with the organization during its World Series run.

This says as much about Toronto as it does about Scherzer.

Veteran players at this stage don’t choose teams purely on money or role. They choose environment. Family comfort, clubhouse culture, and organizational stability become deciding factors.

Toronto has quietly built a reputation as a destination players want to stay, not just join. That matters when convincing aging but still valuable veterans to extend their careers there.

Scherzer isn’t being asked to carry the rotation. He’s being asked to contribute experience, innings, and competitive presence. The fact that returning felt like a family decision reflects how organizations now recruit beyond the player alone.

At this stage of his career, fit is everything.

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell is highly unlikely to be ready for Opening Day as he continues recovering from lingering shoulder discomfort. Manager Dave Roberts said the odds of Snell being ready are “probably zero,” noting that he has not progressed to mound work while other starters are already facing hitters in spring games.

Snell made just 11 starts last season while dealing with shoulder issues and has deliberately slow-played his throwing progression this offseason to avoid setbacks. The Dodgers expect him to ramp up gradually, with his return timeline now projected sometime in the first half of the season.

This is exactly why the Dodgers built pitching depth the way they did.

Snell isn’t just another starter, he’s a Cy Young-level ceiling arm. But he’s also become a durability variable. Shoulder issues don’t follow clean timelines, and Los Angeles has no incentive to rush him in March when October is the real objective.

The Dodgers aren’t trying to win April. They’re trying to win championships.

Snell’s absence early doesn’t weaken their identity. It reinforces their strategy…accumulate elite arms knowing some won’t be available at all times. If he returns healthy midseason, he becomes less of a missing piece and more of a late addition.

That’s a luxury only a few organizations can afford.

Team USA’s pitching plans came into focus this week as Tigers ace Tarik Skubal confirmed he will make just one start during pool play before returning to prepare for the MLB season. His appearance is scheduled for March 7 against Great Britain, and he will not be available for elimination rounds.

In contrast, Pirates ace Paul Skenes expects to make multiple starts, including a potential outing in the knockout rounds if Team USA advances deep into the tournament. That flexibility positions Skenes as a central arm in the U.S. rotation during the highest-stakes games.

Skubal’s limited participation reflects balancing national team play with MLB obligations, especially as he prepares for a critical season with Detroit and future contract considerations.

This is the modern reality of international baseball.

Teams want their aces healthy for 162 games. Players want to represent their country. The compromise is controlled usage.

Skubal pitching once keeps his presence symbolic without risking his MLB workload. Skenes taking multiple starts signals where Team USA will lean when games actually decide advancement.

The deeper Team USA goes, the more the tournament will belong to pitchers willing and permitted to carry the load.