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The outfield was a problem for the Orioles last year. Early-season injuries to Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill meant that the team rarely had their “first string” options all available at the same time. This did allow Ramón Laureano to break out and become a valuable trade chip, but the rest of the replacements struggled to find any consistency.

Orioles President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias made the outfield a priority this offseason. He dealt Grayson Rodriguez, and his four years of team control, to the Angels in exchange for veteran slugger Taylor Ward, a player that the GM had apparently been coveting for years. Ward is only expected to be in Baltimore for one year since he hits free agency after the season, but he should provide added power and durability to a lineup that could use both.

Leody Taveras was the other offseason addition. His spot on the roster is not locked in though. He would be the fifth outfielder on the squad, a luxury that many teams don’t utilize. His argument to make the Opening Day team would include his versatility, ability to play centerfield, speed on the bases, and a switch-hitting bat to complement Colton Cowser’s lefty stick.

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Dylan Beavers

Beavers enters the year with a little bit of a Rookie of the Year buzz. He posted a .934 OPS in Triple-A Norfolk last year, and then had an intriguing 35-game cup of coffee with the Orioles at the end of the year in which he had a .375 on-base percentage. Those performances gave his prospect status a big boost, placing him onto several “Top 100” lists for the first time in his career.

What the rookie’s exact role will be on the team is tough to pin down. He has experience at all three outfield spots, but fits best in the corners. How often will he start ahead of O’Neill and Ward? It’s unclear. At a minimum, he should enter most games at some point to serve as a defensive replacement or pinch runner.

Colton Cowser

The 2025 season was a nightmare for Cowser. He broke his thumb in the first week of the year, forcing him to miss two months. Shortly after returning in June, he fractured his ribs. In what was supposed to be a breakout season for Cowser, he struggled to stay on the field and underperformed (.196/.269/.385) when he was healthy.

It seemed possible going into the offseason that the Orioles would pursue a center field upgrade, pushing Cowser to fight for playing time in the corners. Instead, they added Ward and made Cowser their de facto starting center fielder. It’s a big role in a crucial campaign.

Tyler O’Neill

The Orioles need more out of O’Neill in 2026 than they got in his debut season. Last year, he only played in 54 games, hit nine home runs, and posted a .684 OPS. That’s not good value for the $16.5 million he is earning per season.

O’Neill is making too much money to simply be a platoon bat, but the Orioles could look to protect him a bit more in the season ahead. That could mean getting subbed out in the late innings or seeing more regular time at DH. Beavers is going to deserve regular playing time as well, so some sort of partnership with O’Neill makes sense.

Taylor Ward

The addition of Ward came out of, well, left field. Rodriguez was a player that Orioles fans had grown attached to and still believed in quite a bit. Ward, playing his baseball on the west coast, was a relative unknown that is also due to hit free agency soon. It didn’t seem to make much sense at first blush.

Now, several months and a full spring training removed from the move, things are starting to click. Ward has been a well above-average hitter for five years now and has experience hitting towards the top of a batting order. A nice showing down in Sarasota (.894 OPS) doesn’t hurt either. Meanwhile, Rodriguez is opening the season on the IL for the Angels, citing “dead arm” and further diminished velocities for the decision. There is still plenty of time for this deal to go sideways, but right now it is looking much more logical for the Orioles.

Depth

Whether or not any other dedicated outfielders make the Opening Day squad will depend on how the front office and manager Craig Albernaz feel about the rest of their bench. The roster math right now is tight, depending on if they go forward with 12 or 13 pitchers out of the gate. Unless there is an unreported injury or a potential trade in the next two days, they will probably not be able to carry all of the bench players that have been discussed throughout the spring. Bryan Ramos, who is exclusively an infielder, would seem to be the odd man out despite his strong showing this spring.

Taveras did not have a great spring. He finished with a .205/.226/.304 batting line. But at this point in his career, his value is not in his bat. It’s more about being a late-game upgrade on defense or the bases. Is that worth his $2 million salary? Or could the team get just as much value out of a combination of Beavers, Blaze Alexander, and the eventual call-up of Enrique Bradfield Jr.?

Alexander, acquired from the Diamondbacks right before spring training, is making the team and is likely to see plenty of time at second base as Jackson Holliday rehabs his broke hamate bone. But the O’s used him in center field some this spring, and the Diamondbacks gave him time there last season. Using him as the backup in center would save a roster spot.

It’s a similar consideration for Jeremiah Jackson in the corners. The 25-year-old had a really good camp (.847 OPS), which comes on the heels of an impressive post-trade deadline showing with the big league team last summer (.775 OPS, five home runs). They could use his bat off the bench. Most of his professional work has come on the infield, but he played 34 games in right field last year.

Bradfield is being treated like a player that the Orioles plan to count on rather soon. As of this writing, he is still on the team’s roster and took part in both of their exhibition games against the Nationals this week. With the glove and on the bases, he is ready for the big leagues. But his bat needs some work. He OPS’ed just .512 in 15 games at Triple-A last year, and went 1-for-12 this spring. That doesn’t sound like a player that will make an Opening Day roster, but a strong showing in Triple-A to begin the season could earn him a ticket to Baltimore sometime in the first half of the year.

Heston Kjerstad began the spring on fire, but cooled off in the second half of March. Now he is dealing with hamstring tightness. All of this combines to leave him off of the Opening Day roster and likely to get his first action of the year at Triple-A Norfolk. But if he proves he has shaken the health issues from a season ago, he should get another shot in Baltimore at some point in the year, especially if the offense needs an influx of power.

Reed Trimble was a somewhat surprising addition to the 40-man roster this winter. The 25-year-old has been a legitimate prospect ever since the Orioles selected him 65th overall back in 2021, but his development has been rather slow. That said, he was Rule 5 draft-eligible in December, so it seems the Orioles were worried enough about losing him that they didn’t want to risk it. He hit .257/.352/.503 in Double-A last year, and then spent a month in Triple-A. His ceiling is probably that of a toolsy reserve that can provide solid defense at all three outfield spots. He will need to prove himself in Norfolk first.

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The Orioles do not project to be elite at any one outfield position in 2026. But at a minimum they should be serviceable across the board. FanGraphs gives the following projections by position:

• LF: 2.8 fWAR, sixth-best in MLB
• CF: 3.0 fWAR, 13th in MLB
• RF: 2.4 fWAR, 11th in MLB

That would represent significant improvement in left (0.8 fWAR in 2025) and center (1.2 fWAR in 2024), while it would be about the same production in right (2.5 fWAR in 2025) from a season ago. The Orioles would take that. Ultimately, this team is going to go as far as their infielders, led by Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso, can take them. But they need the outfield to show a certain level of competency and health that they didn’t in 2025.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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We’re just two days from Opening Day of the 2026 regular season. The Cubs will face the Nationals at Wrigley Field.

Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer has done another makeover of the team over the winter, with Kyle Tucker departing and Alex Bregman arriving being the biggest change.

But Hoyer also acquired a potential top starter, Edward Cabrera, in trade. And despite the departure of key 2025 relievers like Drew Pomeranz and Brad Keller, Hoyer has acquired four relievers in free agency who all have had success in the past: Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb and Hunter Harvey.

In the past, Hoyer’s had good luck putting together bullpens, so I think that should work out pretty well.

In this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, I’d like you to give Hoyer a grade. Honestly, I think this offseason rates an “A,” and I’ve never been a big fan of Hoyer. But he’s put together a win-now type of team that should be able to build on last year’s 92-win club and should be the favorite to win the NL Central.

Cast your vote below and we’ll have the results later this week.

Here the Yankees are again, about to start a season that must only end one way, lest they let tradition down again.

Here they are, returning nearly every key piece from the 2025 offensive juggernaut that tied for most wins in the American League, wondering if they will regret not changing something. Here they are, as in so many years before, wondering what magic touch will finally turn a very good season into good enough.

Their full 26-man roster is not fully set yet, but the parts that are do look familiar. At least 21 of the 26 players set to make the Opening Day roster were also in the organization at the end of last season. Depending on how they decide to structure their bullpen between now and their opener Wednesday night, that number could go as high as 24.

To the extent that any unit has been overhauled, that bullpen comes closest to qualifying. Both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver signed with the Mets, leaving vacancies at the back end.

But David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Tim Hill, and Fernando Cruz will return to late-inning duties. Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough, also returners, will be the swing men. Brent Headrick, the lefty acquired from Minnesota midway through last season, remains with the major league team and therefore seems to be a finalist for one of the bullpen jobs remaining. So is righty Jake Bird, who struggled after the Yanks plucked him from Colorado at least year’s trade deadline, but has yet to be jettisoned from the MLB spring training roster.

The only potential outside addition to the Opening Day bullpen, therefore, would be Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest – New York’s first such pick in 15 years – who must make the active roster or be returned to the St. Louis Cardinals. Manager Aaron Boone said earlier this week that he has "shown enough to keep himself in the mix and warrant us taking him."

If they do, and they carry Bird and Headrick with him, they will need room for nine relievers – more than a five-man rotation normally allows when teams carry the usual 13 pitchers. But the Yankees will not be using a five-man rotation to start the season, Boone told reporters Sunday. Their schedule is such that they do not need a fifth starter for the first few weeks of the season, so the man projected to be that fifth starter – recent Rookie of the Year Luis Gil – is now in limbo.

Boone said Sunday that the Yankees have not yet decided what to do with Gil. They could use him in a piggyback role with another starter. They could also option him to the minors. Sending Gil to Triple-A could make sense on multiple levels: he could use a low-stakes start or two to ensure the adjustments that served him so well in his last outing can stick. And his spot on the active roster could allow the Yankees to keep all four relievers vying for the final three bullpen spots, allowing them to evaluate them against regular season competition before making any decisions.

That Gil is the odd man out means the Yankees are making room for one of their only big league newcomers, 26-year-old lefty Ryan Weathers. They acquired Weathers from the Marlins in a trade that brought them a high-end talent that multiple organizations have failed to turn into a consistent high-end performer. But Weathers’ stuff is explosive, and despite some rough spring training line scores, the Yankees will give him a chance to make that leap.

Otherwise, the rotation will be totally familiar – but this year, it should get deeper as the year goes on. Gerrit Cole remains on track for a June 1 return, and he will start Tuesday’s spring training finale against the Chicago Cubs in Mesa. Weathers will throw the bulk of the Yankees’ innings in that game, meaning that, for what it's worth, weeks before Cole’s return, Weathers is the one currently taking his turns.

Carlos Rodon entered this spring expected back from his offseason surgery before Cole, and neither he nor the Yankees have suggested anything happened in the last few weeks to alter that timeline. He has thrown multiple sessions of live batting practice, and he will stay in Tampa to continue throwing while the Yankees open their season on the West Coast. Max Fried will serve as the lone ace in the meantime, anchoring a rotation that will also include Weathers, postseason breakout Cam Schlittler, and steady Will Warren.

"The depth that we have pitching, I don’t think we have had that in quite a long time," Aaron Judge said. "If you count the guys that are injured and coming back: Rodon, [Clarke] Schmidt, and Cole. You add those guys, we’re 11, 12 starting pitchers deep. So that’ll be nice."

Also nice, as running things back go, is that three-time MVP Judge will once again be anchoring a familiar outfield so productive that if those in it hit like they did in 2025, "running it back" will leave the Yankees with three of the top 12 outfielders by weighted runs created plus.

One could envision a world in which their lineup gets even better than the one that led the majors in scoring last year. For example, imagine if Giancarlo Stanton could contribute at last year’s .944 OPS pace over more games than the 77 he was healthy enough for last year. Had he had enough at-bats to qualify, that OPS would have made Stanton fifth-best in baseball, trailing only Judge, Shohei Ohtani, George Springer, and Cal Raleigh.

Obviously, a new year also means the Yankees could find themselves with an even less healthy Stanton. They could also find themselves with a healthy, but less productive version of the 36-year-old slugger -- though his four homers and several near-misses in 26 spring training at-bats suggest he is at least entering the season in top form.

Center fielder Trent Grisham does not have the track record of year-over-year production to make a repeat of his 2025 breakout feel like a sure thing. But if for some reason his production dips too far, Jasson Dominguez will be a short drive away in Scranton ready to prove his standout spring training deserved a big league roster spot. And if injuries test their depth, Spencer Jones will be towering behind him, politely waiting his turn.

The only newcomer offensively is Randal Grichuk, the veteran outfielder the Yankees signed in late February as a right-handed platoon option who can spell starters in the corner outfield spots and owns an .819 career OPS against lefties. He will join Amed Rosario, who proved a trustworthy at-bat as a utilityman down the stretch, on the bench with fellow returners Paul Goldschmidt and J.C. Escarra. Goldschmidt will spell Ben Rice, though how much will likely depend on Rice’s production. Like catcher Austin Wells, Rice is still new enough to regular big league duty that he does not qualify as a lock for the same level of production that he provided last year.

Still, either could be even better this year. Perhaps when Anthony Volpe returns from shoulder surgery around May, he will produce better than he did last year, too. Familiarity can occasionally lead to evolution. If it doesn’t, they will have options at the trade deadline.

And of course, things can change quickly in the final days and hours before Opening Day rosters are due. For example, a few innings into their Grapefruit League finale, the Yankees announced they had traded Jorbit Vivas to the Washington Nationals for minor league pitcher Sean Paul Liñan. Vivas was acquired in the deal that sent Trey Sweeney to the Dodgers. The move clears a spot on the Yankees’ 40-man roster. As of late Sunday night, it was not clear how they plan to use it.

I don’t know how to make this post any longer, because for whatever reason, Charter/Spectrum decided to announce this news with a weird tweet-of-an-image with no details. Now, you have to gaze at it too.

Welcome to #BravesVision, @GetSpectrum customers! pic.twitter.com/iZLHu9rlvR

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 24, 2026

There are no details, whatsoever. This was probably going to happen at some point this week given that Opening Day happens in just a few days, and I guess today was the day.

So, if you still have cable, and that cable is Spectrum, then I guess now you have access to most Braves games through your cable carrier. If you don’t, and are still at sea about this whole thing, I guess ask in the comments and we’ll try to get you sorted.

Despite this news, we haven’t received word on whether any other Braves have suffered a debilitating injury today.

Whatever happens to the Mets in 2026, this year will be different.

If the season goes well, it will be for different reasons than the last time things went well forSteve Cohen and David Stearns, in 2024. So many emotional engineers of that magical pennant push are gone now. On the field, this team will have different strengths.

If this season goes poorly, it will be for different reasons than those that undermined Cohen and Stearns' plans last year. So many emotional engineers of that…well, whatever it was…are gone now, too. Off the field, this team will be supported by a new collection of clubhouse pillars.

The Mets' season-opening roster is not yet official. Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that the Mets are still weighing their options for final spots on the bench and in the bullpen and acknowledged that he expects the front office is looking at outside options for both. But as of Tuesday morning – or roughly two baseball business days before their roster will be due – their Opening Day roster amounts to a convincing statement of October intent.

No, relying on an inexperienced first baseman and third baseman (Jorge Polanco and Bo Bichette, respectively) does not necessarily scream defense the way one might have expected after Stearns stated "run prevention" as a priority this winter. One could argue that effectively replacing Edwin Diaz with two back-end relievers who struggled at times last year, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, will leave the bullpen in worse shape.

But Tobias Myers will provide a much-needed reliable innings eater. Huascar Brazoban is versatile, if occasionally volatile. Brooks Raley and Luis Garcia have track records of consistency. And whether the Mets choose to give the last spot in that bullpen to lefty Richard Lovelady or bounce back candidate Bryan Hudson, they have veteran lefty A.J. Minter on track to return early in the season.

And after watching a banged-up starting rotation underperform for most of the second half in 2025, this year’s Mets have unmistakable depth.

Trading for Freddy Peralta gave them an ace to pair atop the rotation with Nolan McLean, who was neither as proven nor as ready this time last year. Kodai Senga looks revived, with good health and the velocity that comes with it, so much so that Juan Soto called him the Mets' "ace" just days before camp ended. Clay Holmes looked downright nasty at times in camp and should be better equipped to maintain consistency through a full year in the rotation than he was in his first year back to starting in 2025.

Their depth is so solid that Sean Manaea and his salary of $25 million has been pushed into a piggyback/reliever role after a rough spring in which his velocity dipped to confounding levels. Both he and Myers could provide regular starts should the Mets need them, but they might not: former highly touted prospect Christian Scott, back from Tommy John surgery, might very well be the Mets' first call after an impressive spring. And while beloved savant Jonah Tong looked at times this spring like he could benefit from some more minor league tinkering, he has now been in the majors before, too.

If fragile pitching depth was the Mets' biggest issue in 2025, their second-biggest issue was lineup inconsistencies – that feeling that they could not string together hits when they needed them, despite the third-best OPS in baseball with runners in scoring position.

At worst this lineup will be different, and sometimes shakeups help on their own.

At best, this lineup should be more dynamic, a little less boom or bust thanks to the arrival of Bichette, one of the game’s best contact hitters who has a knack for hitting with runners in scoring position. He should get plenty of chances while hitting behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto. And the switch-hitting Polanco had one of the 30 lowest strikeout rates in baseball last year. It is no knock on Pete Alonso or Brandon Nimmo to note their strikeout rates were much higher. Even Marcus Semien, who is coming off one of the worst offensive years of his career and might be seeing his hit tool weathered somewhat by age, is far less prone to strikeouts than those veterans he is replacing.

New center fielder Luis Robert Jr., on the other hand, is a boom-or-bust type. But if he is healthy, he could also be the most explosive offensive threat the Mets have played in center field in quite some time. Their decision to name rookie Carson Benge the Opening Day right fielder provides cover to Robert or Francisco Alvarez should both swing and miss regularly, too: Benge said he hates striking out, and he plays like it. His bat-to-ball skills should ensure the Mets never go more than a batter or two without a real threat to put the ball in play.

And speaking of Alvarez, the Mets might just have a different version of him this year, too: the 24-year-old responded to his up-and-down 2025 with a potent spring. If he unlocks the 30 home run power visible in every spring with the consistency to use it for a full season, this Mets lineup has a chance to be one of the sport’s most formidable.

Their bench, as currently constructed, looks sturdy. Luis Torrens is as reliable a backup catcher as can be. Tyrone Taylor is an elite defensive center fielder who took promising at-bats all spring. Brett Baty looks ready to continue his late 2025 offensive breakout, and his newly honed ability to play around the infield and in the outfield will give him a chance to find regular at-bats. Whether his fellow young infielder Mark Vientos can find them too remains to be seen.

As for the final spot on the bench, the Mets are still making decisions. Mendoza said they will bring infielder Vidal Brujan, the versatile Jared Young, and veteran catcher Ben Rortvedt back to Flushing as they weigh their final options. None are as inspiring an option as outfielder Mike Tauchman had become this spring before tearing his meniscus last week. Perhaps the Mets will look to find a similar veteran bat with power on the always active end-of-spring market.

Regardless of who they choose, the Mets have already made their choice: when a beloved core was not working, Stearns made the moves to remodel it. When the starting rotation fell apart before their eyes, the Mets made a big move for Peralta and what might be the smartest one by holding onto Senga. Perhaps they will find they need more frontline starting pitching as the year goes on. If they do, they have money and prospects to acquire it at the trade deadline.

Either way, the Mets who take the field against Paul Skenes and the Pirates Thursday will represent a new era for the annual World Series hopefuls. The old core wasn’t working. Whether the new faces are the right ones, only time will tell.

Opening Day is upon us.

The march to the World Series begins tonight, when the New York Yankees take on the San Francisco Giants. More teams join the action on Thursday, and by this weekend all 30 MLB teams will have begun the long journey to October.

Unfortunately for some teams, that journey may end quicker than hoped.

Ahead of the start to the 2026 MLB season, let’s take a look at each team’s chances of winning a World Series, by stacking the teams in tiers and ranking their chances from the Colorado Rockies to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Humphrey Bogart tier

30. Colorado Rockies
29. Chicago White Sox
28. Washington Nationals
27. Los Angeles Angels
26. Miami Marlins
25. St. Louis Cardinals

Baseball’s rich history offers many memorable quotes.

We begin our look at all 30 teams with one from Humphrey Bogart, the legendary actor who had this to say about the game. Or, at least attending a game.

“A hotdog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.” 

It might be a long season for these six teams, but still, their fans will get to sit in the sun and enjoy those dogs, at least a few times this season.

The true longshots

24. Minnesota Twins
23. Tampa Bay Rays
22. Athletics
21. Arizona Diamondbacks

Each team in this tier could make a run at the playoffs if things break their way. For the Twins, if they can get a healthy Byron Buxton for 162 games, the lineup builds from there. The Rays get to move back home and could put up some impressive numbers in that park, particularly Junior Caminero. The young talent on the Athletics roster could surprise this season, particularly since they get to play their home games in Sutter Health Park again this year, which could lead to massive numbers for Nick Kurtz.

The Diamondbacks need pitching help, but Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, and Geraldo Perdomo form a rather potent trio.

The Pittsburgh Pirates

20. Pittsburgh Pirates

That’s right, we are putting the Pittsburgh Pirates into a tier of their own.

The Pirates might be the most fascinating team in baseball. In Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh has a bonafide ace. While the Pirates had arguably — or inarguably — the worst offense in baseball a season ago, they added Brandon Lowe, Marcell Ozuna, and Ryan O’Hearn in the offseason which should bolster production. And waiting in the wings? Two rising stars in Jhostynxon Garcia and Konnor Griffin.

In fact, other analysts have the Pirates pegged for a massive step forward. MLB.com contributor Travis Sawchik believes Pittsburgh will score 150+ more runs this season than in 2025, while FanGraphs has Pittsburgh slated for 136 more runs.

That kind of improvement in production could see the Pirates finish with a winning record for the first time in a decade, and reach the playoffs as well. In fact, FanGraphs has Pittsburgh finishing at 82-80, making a playoff berth still a longshot, but a possibility.

Something Pirates fans have not seen in a long time.

Playoffs?

19. Cleveland Guardians
18. San Francisco Giants
17. Kansas City Royals
16. Cincinnati Reds
15. San Diego Padres
14. Texas Rangers
13. Houston Astros
12. Baltimore Orioles
11. Detroit Tigers
10. Milwaukee Brewers

These are all teams that should make a playoff push this season, and at least be in the list of “buyers” come MLB trade deadline time.

Leading the way are the Detroit Tigers, led by ace Tarik Skubal, who is seeking his third-straight Cy Young Award. Detroit also added workhorse Framber Valdez, and they sport a bullpen that should earn them some wins over the course of the season. The Orioles are another fun team to watch in this tier, as Baltimore loaded up in the offseason with names such as Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward, Ryan Helsley, Shane Baz, and Andrew Kittredge. There is still a sense around the Inner Harbor that the Orioles need to add a true ace at the deadline, but a sense of urgency has finally settled in around this organization.

Then there are the Brewers, who finished with the best record in baseball a year ago.

National League Contenders

9. Atlanta Braves
8. Chicago Cubs
7. Philadelphia Phillies

Here are three teams that should not be satisfied with getting in, but should be thinking about winning the league.

The Atlanta Braves are poised for a full year with a healthy Ronald Acuña Jr., on a roster with talent beyond the star outfielder. The Chicago Cubs have a roster filled with young talent and added Alex Bregman in the offseason. Then there are the Philadelphia Phillies, who have won 90 games in each of the past four seasons, look to have a rotation built to win in the fall and into the playoffs, and could have their next big star in Justin Crawford, who made the Opening Day roster.

American League Contenders

6. Boston Red Sox
5. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Seattle Mariners

Red Sox fans frustrated by the organization missing out on both Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso — and seeing Alex Bregman leave town for Chicago — soothed their nerves by watching Roman Anthony belt bombs in the World Baseball Classic. But can this offense hit enough to make a deep run in the fall?

Toronto also saw a key departure, with homegrown star Bo Bichette leaving for the New York Mets. But the Blue Jays brought in Dylan Cease, Kazuma Okamoto, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers, adding those players to a team that was just a few feet away from perhaps winning a World Series. Of course, the news that. Trey Yesavage is starting the year on the IL (with no timetable on Shane Bieber as well) is not the best way to begin a season.

As for the Mariners, who pushed the Blue Jays to Game 7 in the ALCS, Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor, and Julio Rodriguez are back. And it is just a matter of time until top prospect Colt Emerson joins them.

In a New York Minute

3. New York Mets
2. New York Yankees

Now we get to talk about the two teams in New York.

The Mets made the big splash ahead of 2025, inking Juan Soto to a record-breaking deal in December of 2024. While his slow start changed the narrative a bit, Soto still finished the year with 43 home runs and a slash line of .263/.396/.525.

But when the playoffs began, that expensive roster was watching from home.

That led to even more additions, as the Mets added Bichette, Freddy Peralta, Marcus Semien, and Devin Williams. While Pete Alonso is now in Baltimore, this is a potent lineup given the additions around Soto and Francisco Lindor. And with Kodai Senga looking strong so far this spring, expectations should be high in Queens.

As for the Yankees, this was a rather unconventional offseason for Brian Cashman and company. Rather than make big moves of his own, Cashman tinkered only marginally with a roster that won 93 games a year ago. Getting both. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon back should help as well, and given the talent already in the building, you can understand Cashman’s approach.

The Los Angeles Dodgers

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Two consecutive titles, a drive for a third, the best player on the planet, and the highest payroll in the game?

Yes, until we see reason to stop believing, the Los Angeles Dodgers are your favorites for another World Series.

This time of year is always a good time. Even when expectations for the White Sox are low, the weather is much better, baseball is returning, and we can have fun predicting how the season will pan out.

We will start with catcher Kyle Teel, 24, whose MLB career got off to a fast start in 2025 (.273/.375/.411, 125 wRC+, 1.9 fWAR in 78 games). Teel provided an unexpectedly large spark last season, as his bat was quite reliable even though he plays a premium position. Unfortunately, Teel suffered a Grade 2 right hamstring strain that will keep him out for the first few weeks of the regular season. However, Teel gives White Sox fans plenty to look forward to. Before the injury, Teel contributed to Team Italy’s surprising success during the World Baseball Classic. Teel was excellent in a small sample size, finishing 4-for-6 with a homer and a double. Both of his extra-base hits came against Team USA pitchers, as he took Nolan McLean deep before doubling against Ryan Yarbrough. Teel looks poised to build on the strong start to his career, and he will barely miss out on leading the White Sox in WAR. If not for his injury, I would have picked him to lead the team.

Speaking of the team leader in WAR, that will be shortstop Colson Montgomery, 24, who also kicked off his career with a bang in 2025 (.239/.311/.529, 129 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR in 71 games). Prior to Montgomery’s promotion, he was not exactly crushing it in Triple-A Charlotte, but he turned up the volume immediately at the highest level. Despite playing in less than half a season’s worth of games, Montgomery launched 21 homers, narrowly finishing behind Lenyn Sosa (22) for the team lead.

Munetaka Murakami, 26, will also provide a lot of pop with his bat. Murakami has made a joke of NPB pitching. By season, his wRC+ marks were as follows from 2021 through 2025: 166, 225, 154, 156, and 211. He played only 56 games in 2025 due to an oblique injury. The White Sox signed Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract over the offseason, which was a lower price than most expected him to command. The primary concerns about his game are that many are bearish on his ability to hit high velocity, avoid strikeouts, and provide decent defense. Murakami will also primarily play first base, a less premium position than third base, where he mainly played in NPB. However, he will launch plenty of homers and get on base enough to be a valuable part of the White Sox lineup.

On the pitching side, Shane Smith, 25, will lead the way in the starting rotation. Smith, a Rule 5 draft pick, posted a 3.81 ERA and a 4.10 FIP in 146 1/3 innings in 2025, resulting in 2.2 fWAR. That total was enough to lead the 2025 White Sox pitching staff, and he will repeat that feat in 2026.

As for the bullpen, Grant Taylor, 23, will take a large step forward. Taylor had an unusual line in 2025 (4.91 ERA, 1.42 FIP in 36 2/3 innings), resulting in 1.7 fWAR, which is based heavily on FIP. Taylor averaged 13.25 strikeouts per nine innings, a sky-high total. At the same time, he fell victim to some tough luck, as opposing hitters had a .420 BABIP. Although Taylor generated many whiffs, when he was not doing that, hitters often found ways to reach base. In 2026, Taylor will allow less sharp contact, have better luck on balls in play, and maintain a high strikeout rate to assert himself as one of MLB’s top relievers.

In terms of the overall team, the White Sox will improve by 10 games, which would normally be fantastic, but in this case, it only gets them to 70-92. The South Siders will get off to a decent start, taking advantage of a soft April schedule to finish the month 15-16. With nobody in the AL Central racing out of the starting blocks, some fans will fantasize about postseason possibilities. However, reality will set in, and May will open with a rough trip to San Diego, which will cause the White Sox to fall out of contention quickly.

In the second half of the season, although playoff hopes will be long gone, pitchers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith will make positive impressions at the start of their MLB careers. In addition, Braden Montgomery will earn a September call-up and post a 110 wRC+ during his first month against MLB pitching.

Around the league, the Mariners broke their 23-season streak without winning the AL West when they won the division in 2025. This year, they will make it back-to-back division titles, and Julio Rodríguez will emerge as a dark-horse MVP contender.

In a highly competitive AL East race, the Yankees will emerge from the pack, holding off strong Red Sox and Blue Jays squads to earn the top seed.

Last year, the Tigers blew a 99.9% chance of winning the AL Central as their cold September coincided with a Cleveland hot streak. This time, the Tigers will avoid blowing a late lead and will win their first division title since 2014. The Royals will sneak in as the final Wild Card team, right behind Boston and Toronto.

In the NL, spearheaded by the offseason pickup of catcher Seby Zavala, the Dodgers will win the West again. Elsewhere in the division, the Giants will exceed expectations and make the postseason for the first time since their excellent 2021 season.

In the East, the Mets will slay some demons by winning their first division title since 2015. Meanwhile, after being baseball’s most disappointing team in 2025, the Braves will earn a Wild Card spot, and they will be joined by the rival Phillies.

Finally, the North Siders will take the Central’s only playoff spot by taking full advantage of an unremarkable division.

The Dodgers will handily defeat the Mets in the NLCS to advance to the World Series and earn an opportunity to pull off a three-peat. On the other side, the ALCS will be highly competitive, with the Mariners repeatedly trading blows with the Yankees. However, Bryan Woo will lead a pitching staff that proves to be too much for the Yankees’ lineup to overcome.

That will set up an epic battle between two teams with very different histories. On one hand, the Dodgers have won 12 of the last 13 NL West titles, with the one “loss” occurring during a 106-56 season in which San Francisco went 107-55. On top of that, the Dodgers will be looking to win their third consecutive World Series and their fourth in the last seven years. By contrast, the Mariners have won only four division titles ever, and they have never advanced to the World Series. Of course, the Dodgers will be favored, and nearly everyone will expect them to win. In a twist of fate, however, the Mariners will come out on top. Seattle’s pitching staff will continue its run of dominance, and with Rodríguez, Josh Naylor, and Cal Raleigh leading the way, the Mariners will outpace the powerhouse Dodgers to win their first World Series.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Brewers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

We’re back with another Brewers Reacts Survey, and in this week’s edition, we’re asking fans which young pitcher they’re most excited to see this season!

The Brewers have become known as a sort of pitching factory, developing young arms into solid rotation pieces. The latest wave of pitchers looking to join that group includes several top prospects, including Robert Gasser (team No. 17), Kyle Harrison (former top 100 prospect), Logan Henderson (team No. 7), and Brandon Sproat (team No. 5/MLB No. 100).

Gasser, 26, debuted for the Brewers back in 2024 with a great start, pitching to a 2.57 ERA with 16 strikeouts over 28 innings in five starts before going down with an arm injury that kept him out until late in 2025. He made a pair of starts late last year, with six runs allowed (only two earned) over 5 2/3 innings. He had a rough spring training up to his last outing on Saturday against the Padres, when he went six scoreless frames with seven strikeouts. Still, he finished with a 5.11 spring ERA over 12 1/3 innings.

Harrison, 24, debuted in 2023 with the Giants but hasn’t yet found much success in the majors, with a 4.39 ERA and 191 strikeouts over 194 2/3 innings. The former third-round pick came over to the Brewers in the Caleb Durbin trade this offseason and has flashed a new kick-change in the spring, albeit with limited box score success (7.45 ERA over 9 2/3 innings, but 15 strikeouts).

Henderson, 24, had a similar path to Gasser, debuting in 2025 with five great outings, sporting a 1.78 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings. He went back to the minors and pitched to a solid 3.59 ERA with 87 strikeouts over 77 2/3 innings before going down with an arm injury. He’s continued to deal with the injury into the spring (though he did allow just one run with four strikeouts over six innings).

Lastly, Sproat, 25, is the highest-ranked arm in this group. Acquired in the Freddy Peralta trade with the Mets, Sproat pitched to a 4.24 ERA with 113 strikeouts in 121 innings at Triple-A last year. He also had a quick cup of coffee with the big league squad, pitching to a 4.79 ERA with 17 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings. He made three appearances this spring, allowing five runs over nine innings with 10 strikeouts.

Note: Harrison and Sproat are both in the rotation to begin the season, while Gasser and Henderson will both start the year at Triple-A Nashville.

So, who are you most looking forward to seeing this season? Weigh in below and check back for results later this week!

Romeo Sanabria ended his 2026 Spring Training for the San Diego Padres with a bang. He hit a grand slam home run to right-center field in the bottom of the eighth inning that put the Padres ahead of the Seattle Mariners 8-3 en route to a Cactus League win in the spring finale at the Peoria Sports Complex on Monday. Kale Fountain followed Sanabria later in the inning with a two-run home run and the Padres went on to win the game, 10-3. Kyle Hart started the game for San Diego and pitched one inning, allowing one run on two hits with a walk. He was followed by German Marquez who pitched 4.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. With the spring schedule complete, Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ballidentifies various standouts who performed well in camp for San Diego throughout Spring Training. The Padres will return to San Diego and prepare for the season opening matchup against Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal on Thursday.

Padres News:

• There was speculation throughout Spring Training about who would be on the mound for the Padres when they open the season against the Detroit Tigers. Nick Pivetta was largely thought to be in line to take the start, but there was talk that Michael King might be in line to pitch on Opening Day. San Diego manager Craig Stammen ended the speculation naming Pivetta as the Opening Day starter.

• Pivetta will get the start on Opening Day, and the thought is Michael King will follow with Randy Vasquez after him. Stammen did not initially name Vasquez as one of his five starters and that seemed to motivate the right-hander who was one of the best Padres pitchers throughout spring. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball believes the spring performance points to a breakout season for Vasquez.

• The Padres had a new manager and an incomplete roster when Steamer and ZiPS released their projections for number of wins for San Diego. After a full Spring Training the Friar Faithful are in the position to provide a more educated projection for the number of wins for this season. Gaslamp Ball is asking respondents to predict where they think the Padres will be when the 2026 season ends. AJ Cassavell of Padres.com also provided his predictions for the upcoming season.

• Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that reliever Jason Adam will start the season on the IL. He also mentioned Sung-Mun Song is playing again in an effort to make it back to the roster as soon as possible. Acee adds additional insights about the potential San Diego roster on Opening Day and which players might fill the few remaining holes on the roster.

• The plan this season is to preserve Manny Machado as best as they can as the Padres navigate the season. The future Hall of Famer has been consistent year after year but getting him more time off his feet could benefit San Diego and the efforts for a third straight playoff berth.

• The Padres added to their relief options on Monday, adding veteran right-hander Jose Leclerq on a minor league deal.

Baseball News:

• The Chicago Cubs and outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong are working on a long-term extension to keep the young star in Chicago for many years to come.

• The top prospect for the St. Louis Cardinals, JJ Weatherholt, has made the team and will be on the St. Louis roster on Opening Day. Carson Benge of the New York Mets also made the roster for the Mets. Andrew McCutchen made the roster for the Texas Rangers.

• The Atlanta Braves pitching staff took another hit learning that Spencer Strider will start the season on the IL with an oblique strain. Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki will also start the season on the IL after suffering a knee injury while competing in the World Baseball Classic with Team Japan.

Hey, you. Yes, you. Are you a lurker who’s been watching Camden Chat from afar, waiting for the right chance to jump in and introduce yourself, only you haven’t found your chance? Have you been here for a little while but you’re not quite sure if anyone has noticed?

Here is the one place each year where we are all on equal footing, brand new people and lurkers and the most recognizable veteran community members: The annual Camden Chat introductions.

We can all hope that the fun will find its way back into Birdland in the 2026 season. Last year’s dismal Orioles performance only accelerated the bad vibes that started to sink in for the second half of the 2024 season. The 101-game winners from three years ago might as well be an eternity now.

Have the Orioles done enough to do this? It’s a totally rebuilt rotation compared to last Opening Day, so that’s something. They’ve made multiple offseason moves aimed at improving on last year’s home run power outage. Breaking the streak of postseason futility this year would sure be nice.

If you’re brand new, make sure to go to the upper right of the page to sign up for an SB Nation account first, then come back here and join our site down below in the comments section. You can use your new account to chat on any team site that you like. If you’re going to visit an Orioles opponent, be a polite visitor.

Once you’re set up, head down to the comments to tell us a bit about yourself. Then, next time you come back, just act like you’ve been here forever. As long as you correctly remember to use the reply button to respond to a specific comment when you are talking to someone else, no one will even notice that you’re new. That’s all there is to it.

You’re nice enough to read this post, so I bet you’re already nice enough to follow the rules without my telling them to you. Just so we’re all clear, though, you can find SB Nation’s Community Guidelines here. Please be excellent to each other as much as you are able, even if you have just read the dumbest comment you have ever seen on the Internet.

Now that that’s out of the way, we would all like to know about you, not in a creepy way, but in the way that it’s fun to get to know your fellow fans.

Where are you from? Where are you now? How did you become an Orioles fan? Who’s your favorite Oriole of the present, if you have one right now? Who’s your favorite Oriole of all time? What’s the thing you’re most excited about for the 2026 Orioles season?

If you’re still feeling loquacious, and it’s OK if you’re not, here are some more: Why did you choose your screen name? What do you do when you’re not watching baseball? Do you have a favorite story that everyone else in your life is sick of hearing but you want the chance to tell it to someone new? Here’s your place.

As for me, I am Mark. I am a Maryland lifer and I probably always will be, although these days I’m closer to the Washington beltway than the Baltimore beltway. In the comments, you’ll see me show up as Eat More Esskay, which has turned into more of a retro ironic name than I ever could have imagined when I picked it a long time ago. The thing that made me start commenting on Camden Chat is that I wrote a limerick in response to Mark Teixeira signing with the Yankees.

Thanks to my parents, I have been an Orioles fan since before I was even born. They attended Game 2 of the 1983 World Series, and so did I, although I had a bit of an obstructed view seat: My mom was eight months pregnant at that time. I have loved the Orioles for as long as I can remember. Most of those years have not been very good for O’s fans, but I did meet my wife thanks to both of us being Orioles fans, so, I think that helps balance out the scales a bit.

My favorite Oriole of all time is Cal Ripken Jr. The 2131 game where The Streak became a record is the coolest thing to happen to the team in my whole life. Maybe they’ll win the World Series some day and I can have a different answer. I have decided for this year that I will not curse any player by proclaiming him to be my favorite current Oriole.

Something you may not know about me is that I met my wife thanks to Camden Chat. She was (and still is) a commenter around here and ten years ago when my friend and fellow CCer Stacey organized a meetup at an Orioles game, I ended up sitting next to my future spouse. This was an oppressively hot day and I feel like I looked even more dorky than usual, but lucky for me she likes nerds. A few days later she emailed me and asked if I wanted to go to a game with her and I said yes. She wasn’t sure that I knew it was a date until like the fourth inning. I always knew. And now here we are.

The game where we met was not a particularly good one. Ryan Flaherty pitched in a blowout loss where the offense inexplicably stunk against Mike Fiers. There have been some great Orioles moments in the time of our relationship, including the true story that they went on a ten-game winning streak immediately after we got married. On the other hand, the ten year anniversary of when we met is coming up in August and the team has not won a postseason game in that time. That’s a long drought.

So, that’s me. Who are you? If you’re a longtime Camden Chat commenter, thank you for having stuck with us through so many bad seasons until we got back to the fun times that, hopefully, will resume this year. If you’re brand new, welcome to the party. I hope that CCers old and new will have some more great Orioles moments to talk about as this season goes along.

Yesterday morning, we wondered whether Connelly Early or Johan Oviedo would nab the final spot in the Red Sox rotation. Come nightfall we learned that it would be… both of them? In a surprise move as they finalized the roster, the Sox decided that both Early and Oviedo would head to Cincinnati to help protect the rotation in the early going, especially in light of the fact Ranger Suárez has thrown only 9.1 innings between the World Baseball Classic and Grapefruit League. The Sox still haven’t explained whether they’ll go to a six-man rotation or stick someone in the bullpen as a long man, though. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

UPDATE, 10:08 AM: It’s Early in the rotation with Oviedo as a piggyback option:

Early won’t be the only young hot shot lining up on a big league diamond come Opening Day. He’s one of a number of top-100 prospects who have cracked their team’s rosters. (Brendan Samson, Kenny Van Doren, MLB.com)

Carrying an extra starter obviously means that the Sox will carry one fewer reliever. It’s Zack Kelly who draws the short end of the roster stick and will head to Worcester, along with newcomer Tommy Kahnle, who is still getting back up to big league speed. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)

Unfortunately, there are also some injury issues complicating the bullpen, as the team is now monitoring Danny Coloumbe’s non-throwing wrist:

While the back of the rotation remains unsettled, the front end is as solid as can be thanks to Garrett Crochet. He’s so good that even Pedro Martinez sees some parallels between Crochet’s career and his own. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)

Having already established himself as one of the best pitchers in the league, Crochet doesn’t need much veteran leadership to push himself to the next level. But that’s not necessarily the case with Marcelo Mayer, who has been held to account by the Sox coaching staff and vets like Trevor Story all spring. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)

Roman Anthony hasn’t gotten the same tough love treatment that Mayer seems to be getting. But maybe that’s because prominent national writers are already predicting him to win the 2026 American League MVP. (Eno Sarris, The Athletic)