England coach Brendon McCullum will keep his job despite the team’s Ashes debacle, with cricket chief Richard Gould insisting he can “adapt and evolve”.
Rocker named 5th starter, McCutchen on the team
The Texas Rangers’ fifth start to start the season will be Kumar Rocker, the team announced today. Jacob Latz, who was competing with Rocker for the fifth starter spot, will open the season in the bullpen.
In addition, the team announced that Andrew McCutchen, Sam Haggerty and Ezequiel Duran have made the club, and Mark Canha, barring an injury, will not.
Finally, Evan Carter will be the primary center fielder, with Wyatt Langford shifting to center field when Carter gets a day off. Carter, per team president Chris Young, will sit against some lefties, but will not be platooned to start the year.
It appears that 25 of the 26 spots in the roster are now set, with the only question remaining being who will get the final spot in the bullpen. Carter Baumler, Josh Sborz and Luis Curvelo are considered the leading candidates. Baumler, as a Rule 5 selection, would have to be put on waivers and, if he clears, offered back to the Baltimore Orioles, from whom he was selected, if he’s not on the major league roster or the major league injured list.
I don’t think there are any real surprises with these announcements. From the time he was signed, it appeared that a roster spot was McCutchen’s to lose, and he has performed well in exhibition games since signing. Rocker’s strong finish to the spring, along with Latz seeing a velocity dip in his last start and his overall value as a reliever, seemed to give Rocker the edge for the fifth starter spot.
Football 301's look at top defensive linemen in 2026 NFL Draft: From potential star in Arvell Reese to a 'Thanos'-like prospect from Florida
Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice and Charles McDonald on the “Football 301” podcast recently dove deep into the 2026 NFL Draft’s defensive line and edge rusher class, unspooling their rankings, comps and assessments of this year’s talent. While the class may not feature a Nick Bosa or Will Anderson Jr. at the very top, it’s rich with intriguing, versatile, and even some polarizing prospects. Here’s an in-depth look at the top defensive linemen and edge rushers as discussed on the show.
While the 2026 defensive line class may lack a generational talent at the top, it’s deeply layered with ready-to-contribute pros and workaround flaws for creative coordinators. Arvell Reese, Rueben Bain Jr. and Caleb Banks headline the group with their unique blend of football traits and projectable athleticism. Just as intriguing are the classic “high floor” defenders like T.J. Parker, Zion Young and Kayden McDonald, whose names may not elicit big reactions now, but could anchor NFL defenses for the next decade.
Arvell Reese: The rare Swiss Army Knife
Both Tice and McDonald had Ohio State’s Arvell Reese ranked No. 2 on their big boards —unusual consensus for such do-it-all prospects.
Reese flashes an “otherworldly talent” that evokes memories of Micah Parsons with rare ability to play traditional linebacker, edge or even an old-school 3-4 Sam.
What makes Reese unique isn’t just his explosiveness, length, or speed, but his motor: “every play is the last play to the Super Bowl,” Tice said.
While Reese’s true NFL role may depend on schematic fit and development, he’s a near lock as a top-three draft pick.
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Rueben Bain Jr.: Short arms but short list of complaints
Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. has been a lightning rod for discussion — some scouts fixate on his “short arms,” but both Yahoo analysts dismiss arm length concerns after breaking down his tape. As McDonald emphasized, Bain’s film answers most critiques: he’s strong as an ox, explosive, aware and can kick inside on passing downs.
Tice continued the praise, comparing Bain’s career arc to Brandon Graham — maybe never a 15-sack superstar, but a consistent pressure generator who plays every down with maximum effort. He’s as reliable as they come, and will almost certainly hear his name early on draft night.
David Bailey: The raw, relentless flamethrower
Texas Tech’s David Bailey earns accolades for his constant disruption and “flamethrower” style. Bailey isn’t always the most technically sound, but his effort, athleticism and pass rush productivity speak for themselves. He reportedly racked up over 80 pressures this past season.
The main concern from Tice and McDonald centers on his run defense, which can be streaky and exposed by more dynamic competition. Even with those limitations, his ability to get after quarterbacks gives him immense value. In a draft class less flush with surefire stars, Bailey stands out for all the right reasons.
TJ Parker, Zion Young: Edge-setters and tone setters
If your team needs an edge defender who will play sound, technically proficient football, Clemson’s TJ Parker and Mizzou’s Zion Young are the names to highlight. Both Parker (described as the “everyman edge”) and Young (the “rugged guy of the draft”) play with heavy hands, consistently set the edge, and don’t go rogue chasing TFLs.
These aren’t elite bendy speed rushers, but they’re the backbone of any top defense —players who will play 50+ snaps a game, rarely make mistakes, and do the dirty work so the flashier defenders on their team can thrive.
Caleb Banks: Thanos-sized Upside, missing some production
Perhaps no prospect in the class is more physically imposing than Florida’s 6-foot-6, 330-pound monster Caleb Banks. McDonald called him “Thanos” and compared him to NFL stalwarts like Marcus Stroud and even Albert Haynesworth.
Banks moves extremely well for his size and has flashed freakish disruption — but, as noted in the pod, his production is shockingly light, with long stretches of inactivity (and some alarming tackling issues). He might scare away some teams, but the right coaching staff could unlock All-Pro potential.
Keldric Faulk: The ultimate versatile big man
Auburn’s Keldric Faulk spent time as a traditional edge, interior lineman and 3-4 defensive end, offering rare, ready-to-deploy versatility. At nearly 6-foot-6, 276 pounds with 34-inch arms, Faulk has the length, traits and run-defending prowess to plug and play all along a defensive front. Both Tice and McDonald see his floor as a high-end run defender, with hopes that he further develops as a pass rusher.
Other defenders in the mix
Peter Woods (Clemson): Once viewed as a potential top-5 pick because of elite flashes, questions about arm length, conditioning and consistency have dropped his stock. Still, he could provide special plays as a rotational defensive tackle.
Kayden McDonald (Ohio State): A nose tackle with powerful hands and steady production. He’ll rarely get moved off his spot and could start in any two-high safety, run-heavy defense.
Christen Miller (Georgia): A “mauler” with upside, but with enough bad tape to make him more of a Day 2 dice roll.
ECB has taken a risk keeping McCullum and Key – who must now placate the public | Ali Martin
Anger remains after England’s heavy Ashes defeat and whatever happens next is on the ECB’s chiefs
Having endorsed Brendon McCullum’s continuation as men’s head coach after an Ashes defeat riddled with self‑owns and kept Rob Key above him as team director, the England and Wales Cricket Board could in one sense be viewed as having taken the path of least resistance.
McCullum’s contract runs to the end of 2027 and it would cost a pretty penny to cut him loose. The players enjoy the pair’s methods and tend to call the shots in the modern era. There may not be an all-format candidate for head coach out there. Besides, look over there: the Hundred returns in July, ready to overload your eyeballs with multicoloured content.
Continue reading...Texas Rangers lineup for March 23, 2026
Texas Rangers lineup for March 23, 2026 against the Kansas City Royals: starting pitchers are MacKenzie Gore for the Rangers and Michael Wacha for the Royals.
Tonight is the first of two exhibitions between the Rangers at the Royals at the Shed. Apparently they enjoy each other’s company so much that even after spending the whole spring together at Surprise, they want more together time.
The lineup:
Nimmo — RF
Langford — CF
Seager — SS
Burger — 1B
Smith — 2B
Jung — 3B
Pederson — DH
Carter — LF
Jansen — C
7:05 p.m. Central start time.
Atlanta Braves Hit Four HRs and Didier Fuentes Strong in Win
The Atlanta Braves took on the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, FL today in their second to last Spring Training game. We got to see the continuation of Didier Fuentes’ fantastic spring, but it was not due to good circumstances. Spencer Strider was initially supposed to start this game but was scratched due to an oblique injury and will start the year on the IL.
Fuentes continued to look sharp at the start of the game. In his first two innings he saw the minimum number of hitters. He did however give up his first hit of the spring in the second inning fittingly to former teammate Marcell Ozuna. Ryan O’Hearn grounded into a double play though and Fuentes continued his streak of scoreless innings at eleven after completing the second inning.
Interestingly, Fuentes had seventeen strikeouts in his first 9.0 innings of spring, but did not have any strikeouts through his first 3.2 innings today. He was able to get revenge on Ozuna by striking him out to end the fourth for his first strikeout of the day on an eight pitch at-bat.
Fuentes ended his scoreless streak by giving up his first earned run after 13.2 innings in the spring. The way he gave it up was not entirely his fault though, even the box score will show it that way. He was replaced by Samuel Strickland after walking Spencer Horwitz with two outs and the bases empty. Strickland then gave up a double to the first batter he faced that scored Horwitz.
Fuentes ended his excellent spring with 13.2 innings pitched, eighteen strikeouts, one walk, two singles, and one HBP while maintaining an ERA of 0.66.
Another positive pitching note is that Joel Payamps continued to look sharp yet again. He did give up a single, but had two strikeouts and zero walks in 2.0 innings pitched.
The Braves’ offense was mostly players who will likely see most of the playing time against RHP this season. They were facing Carson Fulmer who had yet to give up a hit in his 4.0 spring innings. That did not slow down the Braves as Matt Olson took him deep in the first and Eli White took him deep in the second. It should also be noted that Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled in the first, but got caught trying to steal third.
The long balls continued for the Braves as Mike Yastrzemski and Matt Olson both went deep in the top of the sixth off of Mike Clevinger. After his two HRs today, Matt Olson has six longballs this spring. This is encouraging considering it seemed that Olson had been trading his HRs for doubles the past few seasons.
The key takeaways from this game were that Ozzie Albies, and Michael Harris seem to continue to struggle while Matt Olson is continuing to heat up. Didier Fuentes was not as dominant today, but it is still clear he deserves a shot on the MLB team. With today’s injury to Strider he may even get some starts.
Fuentes is easily a better option than some of the other slated starters.
The Braves took this game 5-2 and continued to have the best run differential amongst all MLB teams in spring training. Of course, spring numbers don’t truly matter, but it does show the offense has had life, at a minimum. Although there is bad news today with Strider, the good news is the there is only one more spring game, and then it is Opening Day.
The Braves will finish up their spring training tomorrow against the Tampa Bay Rays where newly minted number three rotation arm Grant Holmes will take the mound at 1:05 at EDT.
Mariners Spring Training Game #30: Open Game Thread
It’s the last game of spring training and I thought it started at one but it started at noon, whoops sorry. Talk about it here!
Luis Castillo pulls the final start of the srping, which feels bookend-y.
Call this the “we’re just trying some things” lineup. Garver at first? Sure.
Game information:
Game time: NOW
TV: No, which feels rude for the final day of spring but whatever
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports
Bless You Boys 2026 Detroit Tigers prospects #4: C/1B Josue Briceño
We’ve talked quite a bit about the Detroit Tigers’ long-term drought in the international free agent market throughout our spring prospect coverage. Players like Wenceel Pérez and Keider Montero have at least provided some value the past few seasons, but it’s been a long time since the Tigers found a really good major leaguer outside the draft or the trade market. Scott Harris has revamped the scouting and player development work, and the Tigers’ recent class is probably their best regarded ever between catcher Manuel Bolivar and tooled up outfielder Randy Santana, among others. It may not take that long for the Tigers to find their next IFA star, however. Josue Briceño’s future at the catcher position is still up in the air, but his combination of power, contact ability, and plate discipline are primed to make him a very dangerous hitter at the major league level in the years to come.
The Tigers signed the then 17-year-old Briceño for $800,000 in their January 2022 signing class. Hailing from the fascinating town of Colonia Tovar, a sort of mini-Bavarian village set high in the mountains of north central Venezuela, the young catcher got off to a decent start playing in the Dominican Republic, and then came stateside in 2024 and broke out in a big way in 2024.
Our first real looks at Briceño came from Single-A ball with the Lakeland Flying Tigers that spring. The young catcher was a little sluggish behind the plate, but his bat was already making a ton of noise when a PCL sprain in his right knee in mid-May cost him most of the season. He returned for the final two weeks of regular season action but only as a DH, but it was already clear this wasn’t a different player to the one who hit the injured list. Briceño worked his tail off in his rehab work, trimming down while building a lot of strength and flexibility. His legs were much stronger, and he and the Tigers made some adjustments to help him generate more power from his lower half. With that came a good amount of natural loft, and suddenly the ball was exploding off his bat to all fields. Briceño went out for work in the Arizona Fall League just after his 20th birthday, and despite only a brief look at even the Single-A level, he tore the Fall League apart in October.
He announced his coming out party with a dead center bomb off top pitching prospect Andrew Painter’s 98 mph heat early on, and then continued to maul far more experienced pitching than he’d ever faced before en route to a league MVP award. To keep pressure off his repaired knee, the Tigers only had him DH out there, and Briceño went on to hit 10 home runs, posting a .433/.509/.867 line in 105 plate appearances.
That performance opened everyone’s eyes nationally, and Briceño found himself a consensus top 100 prospect last offseason. His reign of terror continued at the High-A level in 2025, as he spent nearly four months with Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark setting the table for him as part of one of the best offenses in Midwest League history.
In 55 games for the Whitecaps, Briceño walloped 15 home runs, showing plus power to all fields. He hit .296/.422/.602 with a 16.8 percent walk rate outpacing his 16.4 percent strikeout rate. The discipline, contact, and raw power were extremely impressive, and what stood out beyond the numbers was that despite his fairly long limbs, he was able to delivery great batspeed even on pitches away, staying through those balls for some real tape measure blasts to left and left-center field. All that while still retaining the ability to crush anything on the inner half to the pull field.
By midseason, with Thayron Liranzo sidelined from catching duties by a shoulder issue, Briceño took over more work behind the plate. After the injury shortened 2024 campaign, he wasn’t quite up to the task and seemed to wear down somewhat over the final two months of the year. His on-base percentages were still great and he topped .800 OPS in both August and September, hitting five homers in 45 games, but he finally did start expanding the zone against better offspeed and breaking stuff, and his strikeout rate popped to 23.7 percent in that stretch for the Erie SeaWolves. Still, he was still pretty good, just not great, and enthusiasm wasn’t at all diminished. He didn’t even turn 21 until the season was over, and he’d both destroyed High-A pitching and still had a reasonably good start at the Double-A level.
Most remain skeptical of Briceño’s ability to catch at the major league level, but confidence in his bat continues to grow. Even sites that expect him to move to first base full-time still have in the middle of their top 100 rankings nationally. Personally I still think it’s a bit early to judge with certainty. Because of the knee injury, Briceño still only has 67 games caught in full season ball. That’s a pretty small sample with which to come to a hard and fast conclusion.
Briceño has an average throwing arm for a catcher, and that certainly says that he’s not going to be an everyday catcher in the major leagues. However, he’s a smart, hard-working player whose blocking and framing has shown pretty steady improvement in two seasons worth of part-time work. He had a couple of rough stretches last year where he gave up a few passed balls, but he has enough athleticism to be good back there with more work, and the Tigers do an excellent job coaching up their catchers. In time, he’s still got a fair chance to be good enough to handle the backup catcher duties behind Dillon Dingler. The bigger question is whether the Tigers will give it the time required, as Briceño’s bat is quite far advanced already.
Briceño makes a ton of hard contact, he has plus power, and he doesn’t chase out of the zone too much. Better pitching at the Double-A level did challenge him, particularly advanced left-handers. So, he needs some more time to adapt to upper level pitching, but he’s ahead of the curve, and way ahead when you consider his age and limited experience in pro ball.
One challenge left is to develop more against left-handed pitching, and that’s mostly a matter of experience. Even in Erie, Briceño was really tough for advanced right-handers to deal with. However, hitters don’t see a regular diet of good left-handers with command until they reach the Double-A level, and while he held his own against them, his numbers were signficantly worse against southpaws. He didn’t chase and strikeout that much against them, actually whiffing more against right-handed pitching last year, but he also did most of his damage against right-handers, while lefties were able to get him reaching more on pitches down and away to pop him up and keep him on the ground more often. He could use a little more time to acclimate to the level, and he’ll spend most of this season in Erie when he returns from the injured list.
Ultimately, Liranzo has the higher upside as a defensive catcher, and so I expect that while the Tigers will keep Briceño working behind the plate a while longer, his future is mainly at first base. His 6’4” frame and good reach plays well there, and he already looks pretty good around the base, though he does need to improve his fielding on ground balls.
His timelines, both defensive and offensive, are both aggravated by the torn tendon in his wrist while taking a swing early in spring camp. The tear required surgery, and Briceño is pretty likely to miss half the season. This probably clarifies the defensive question, as he’s going to lose out on getting a lot more catching reps this spring. Expect him to return to Erie sometime around midseason, looking to get his full strength and timing back in the second half before probably getting a look at Toledo late this summer. In 2027 he should be playing first base for the Toledo Mud Hens, ready to make the jump as soon as his bat is ready.
The Tigers have a pretty good pure hitter here with plus power to all fields. His defense doesn’t need to carry him much at all, and sometime next year I expect him to be splitting time with Spencer Torkelson and taking plenty of DH days for the Detroit Tigers.
Carson Benge makes Opening Day roster
This afternoon, the Mets announced that Carson Benge has officially made the Opening Day roster and will be playing right field when the Mets take on Paul Skenes and the Pirates on March 26 at Citi Field.
The team’s number 2 ranked prospect was impressive in camp, hitting .366/.435/.439 in 41 at-bats during Grapefruit League action. During the offseason, David Stearns made it clear that Benge would be given the opportunity to compete for a spot and the 23-year-old made the most of his opportunity. A path for him to the majors became even clearer when the team announced that Juan Soto would be moving to left field this year, which opened up a more natural spot for Benge.
Outfielder Mike Tauchman was having a strong spring and was also competing for the last outfield spot but, unfortunately for him, he tore his meniscus in his knee, which will put him out for a lengthy amount of time. But even before the injury to Tauchman, Benge had firmly placed himself in the conversation for the Opening Day roster.
On the flip side, veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel was told he did not make the team, but the 37-year-old is sticking with the organization in the minor leagues. He allowed three runs in six innings this spring and could be a useful piece to the bullpen if a spot opens up during the season.
Fantasy baseball draft values for 2026: Why Mick Abel, Jordan Lawlar, more are worth targeting
Spring training has wound to a close, but there are still a couple of days left to sneak in a fantasy baseball draft. If you, like me, are one of those people who are planning to draft until the bitter end, I wanted to give you one more article highlighting some of my favorite values in fantasy baseball drafts right now. So far, I've written about breakout hitters using Process+, my favorite bounceback starting pitchers, my favorite bounceback hitters, my favorite late-round starting pitcher targets, my post-hype sleeper hitters, and more.
While this article will feature some of the same players, I wanted something that could serve as a one-stop shop for all my favorite draft picks who I believe are going too late in drafts. With that in mind, all of these players are currently being drafted after pick 200 and are players I am actively targeting enough so that I'm OK jumping ADP by a few rounds. Once you've hit pick 200 in your drafts, at least half of your picks, if not more, will be churned off your roster at some point during the season, so that's the point in a draft where I am more willing to aggressively focus on the players I believe in rather than follow ADP or make the safe choice.
I've separated the section between hitters and pitchers to make it easier to find your value, and I've listed them in ADP order. All ADP is taken from NFBC Online Championship (12-team redraft league) drafts between March 16th and March 23rd (55 drafts).
Fantasy Baseball Hitter Draft Values
Kevin McGonigle - SS, Detroit Tigers (ADP: 215)
At this point, McGonigle is still in Tigers camp and seems to be headed towards being named the Opening Day shortstop. I know projections are tepid on him, as they are on most prospects, but this is a top-five prospect in baseball who hit .305/.408/.583 in 88 minor league games last season with 19 home runs and 10 steals. He hit .250 this spring, but had just a 5.9% SwStr% with 11 walks and 8 strikeouts in 52 plate appearances. That's an elite understanding of the strike zone that I think will set him up for plenty of success. Once you get outside of the top 200, these are the types of risks you should be taking.
Caleb Durbin - 3B, Boston Red Sox (ADP: 219)
Durbin makes an elite level of contact and shows a tremendous understanding of the strike zone. He is now moving from a park that ranked 19th for right-handed hitters, according to Statcast’s Park Factors, to one that ranks 8th. If you sort just for hits, Boston is the 4th-best park for right-handed hitters, while Milwaukee is 24th. The issue is that Boston ranks 22nd in right-handed power, while Milwaukee ranks 6th. Good thing for Durbin that his value doesn’t come from his power. He may only hit 10 home runs in Boston, but it would not surprise me if the Green Monster helps improve his batting average from .256 to something over .270. Considering he’s also a threat to steal at least 20 bases and play almost every day in a good lineup, that makes him a strong buy this fantasy season.
Jake Burger - 1B, Texas Rangers (ADP: 237)
I interviewed Burger during spring training and wrote about that here. The short version of my takeaway from that interview is that Burger struggled to start the season and then was putting tremendous pressure on himself to produce for his new team, which led to mechanical changes in his swing that he identified in the offseason when watching tape. He spent the offseason simply trying to get back to the swing path and contact point he had in 2023 and 2024 when he put up back-to-back seasons with a .250 batting average and at least 29 home runs. We don't have to argue that Burger will be better than that. We just have to say that the real version of Burger is what we saw in those two seasons, and he's a major value at this price.
Mickey Moniak - OF, Colorado Rockies (ADP: 244)
Moniak is coming off a career-best season where his bat speed increased, his barrel rate jumped to nearly 14%, his hard-hit rate was a career-high 45%, and he made more contact than he ever had before. He doesn’t walk, and there will always be some swing-and-miss in his game, but he has plenty of power and hits in arguably the best offensive environment in the game. Maybe he’s more of a .250-.260 hitter, given his league average overall contact, but he’s going to make that contact count. Another 20 home run season feels like a given, and he has the speed to swipe 10 bases as well. He may sit versus lefties sometimes, but Colorado doesn’t have tons of options to challenge him early, so you’re going to get a .255 hitter who goes 20/10 as a baseline. That’s pretty good at this cost.
Jordan Lawlar - 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks (ADP: 257)
Lawlar has been climbing up draft boards as it becomes clear that he's going to make the Opening Day roster, but I'm still taking shares. He's going to pick up outfield eligibility early and slashed .313/.403/.564 with 11 home runs and 20 steals in 63 games at Triple-A last season. I know that hasn't carried over to MLB at-bats yet, but he has looked good this spring and came into the 2024 season as the 11th-ranked prospect in baseball. I think he has the chance to be a 20/25 guy in a full season, and that has value at this point in your draft.
Andrew Vaughn - 1B, Milwaukee Brewers (ADP: 268)
I covered Vaughn in a few of the articles linked above, but the short version of why I'm interested in him is that he hit .308/.375/.493 with nine home runs and 46 RBI in 64 games with Milwaukee while posting an 11% barrel rate and 47.4% hard-hit rate. He also cut his chase rate a bit and has really always been a pretty decent hitter. In a full season in a good home park and better team, I think Vaughn is a legit .270 hitter with 20-25 home run power. I’d even take him as my 1B in deeper formats.
Josh Lowe - OF, Los Angeles Angels (ADP: 280)
Yes, Josh Lowe can't stay healthy, and he already had some oblique issues this spring. However, we're talking about a player who had 20 home runs and 32 steals in 2023 and has a career 8.6% barrel rate with a .250/.306/.414 slash line in 403 MLB games. There are flaws in Lowe's profile: he doesn't hit lefties well, he swings and misses too much, and he's oft-injured, but he also has the raw tools to be an incredibly fantasy-friendly player when healthy. Given that his ADP has fallen around pick 300, it's worth a gamble to see if you can get a strong run of production to start the season, especially now that he plays in Angel Stadium, which ranks 8th in baseball for left-handed home run production.
Brett Baty - 2B/3B, New York Mets (ADP: 284)
Baty is another player I’ve written about who I've been targeting in drafts. He looked great in 110 games last season after his early demotion to Triple-A. He hunted his pitch more often and got behind in the count less, which caused his overall swinging strike rate to drop, and his barrel rate to jump to 13%. I think he’s the starting designated hitter for the Mets against right-handed pitching. When you add his ability to play second base, third base, and potentially even left field if the Mets need to give somebody an off day, there is still a path for Baty to push for 500 plate appearances this season, which makes him a real value at his draft price.
Miguel Vargas - 1B/3B, Chicago White Sox (ADP: 298)
Vargas is a smart hitter who consistently puts himself in good positions to succeed based on his elite understanding of the strike zone. He has a high zone swing rate while also posting a near double-digit walk rate, an 87% zone contact rate, and just an 8% SwStr%. His power also isn’t great, but a 9.3% barrel rate, 40% hard-hit rate, and 89.7 mph average exit velocity are all slightly above league average. In the second half of the season, Vargas hit .267/.354/.436 in 45 games with six home runs and 25 RBI. Given that last year was also his first year as a full-time player, it makes some sense that he would begin to settle in as the year went on. I think that second half is a pretty good reflection of who Vargas could be as an MLB hitter, and that type of player has value for you as a multi-position bench bat or a corner infielder in deeper formats.
Cam Smith - OF, Houston Astros (ADP: 299)
Cam Smith hit .236/.312/.358 slash line in his 134-game rookie season after having just 20 TOTAL PLATE APPEARANCES above High-A before winning a starting job. Smith showed good swing decisions all season and has a stretch over the middle of the season where he hit .271/.330/.386 in 76 games with a 42% hard-hit rate. The consistency wasn't there last season, but I think that can be expected given his age and limited experience. I would expect some clear steps forward this season.
Coby Mayo - 1B, Baltimore Orioles (ADP: 326)
Thanks to an injury to Jordan Westburg, it appears that Coby Mayo will have a spot in Baltimore’s lineup to start the season and could have the chance to hold onto it, given Westburg’s checkered injury history. Mayo is another former top prospect who had a 10% barrel rate last season in 294 plate appearances. He seems to have settled in at the plate a bit this spring, and while I'm not convinced he'll ever post a rally high batting average, I think he could push for 20-25 home runs if he’s able to hold onto the job for the majority of the season.
Tyler O’Neill - OF, Baltimore Orioles (ADP: 344)
Tyler O'Neill is basically free at this point, and I think it's because he wasn't listed as a starter on Roster Resource for the longest time. Oh, yeah, and because he played just 54 games last year due to injury, and he seems to be injured all the time. However, much like with Josh Lowe, that's a gamble you can take at this point in your draft. O'Neill is making $16.5 million this season. The Orioles simply aren't going to limit him to a small-side platoon role when he's healthy. This is also a player who hit 31 home runs with an .847 OPS for Boston in 2024 before signing his deal with the Orioles. We know what he can do when he's on the field, and we're seeing it this spring since he's gone 9-for-19 with a 47% hard-hit rate. You take this gamble now, and you can just cut him if/when he gets hurt.
Max Muncy - 2B/3B, Athletics (ADP: 352)
I'm not sure anybody had a better spring than Max Muncy on the A's. The 23-year-old was in a battle for the third base job and won it by going 19-for-49 (.388) with five home runs, 14 runs scored, 12 RBI, and one steal. He posted a 54% hard-hit rate and showed solid gains in his chase rate. Now, those gains are in a small sample size, and his overall contact rate of 72% is still below average, so we need to take this with a grain of salt. He had a 31% strikeout rate in the majors last year and a 27% mark in the minors in 2024, so strikeouts will likely always be part of his game. However, he also had a 10% barrel rate in 63 MLB games last season, so he might actually be a 20 home run hitter, especially in that park, who can hit .240. He's not going to give you much in the way of stolen bases, but we're talking about somebody you're taking in deeper formats at the end of your drafts. It's worth a gamble to see if this carries over early on.
Mike Yastrzemski - OF, Atlanta Braves (ADP: 356)
Yastrzemski is going to start in the outfield against all right-handed pitching and hit in the middle third of the lineup. Remember that the only two teams he’s played for are the Giants and Royals. Those home parks rank 26th and 28th, respectively, for left-handed home run power. Meanwhile, Atlanta’s home stadium ranks 7th. That’s a pretty big chance for Little Yaz. He has always made an elite level of contact, and while I doubt he hits better than .235-.240, his bat speed has improved in each of the last three years, which has contributed to his average exit velocity increasing as well. There’s a chance he hits .235 with 20+ home runs and 5-8 steals while hitting near the middle of Atlanta’s lineup, and that’s not nothing at this cost.
Cole Young - 2B, Seattle Mariners (ADP: 359)
Young popped for me inmy second-year hitters article, which came out before spring training games started. He has since crushed spring training, hitting .281/.349/.667 with six home runs, 18 RBI, and three steals in 63 plate appearances. In my article, I mentioned that Young’s 9.1% SwStr%, 26.7% chase rate, and 79.3% overall contact rate indicate a strong contact profile. When he does put the ball in play, his 5.6% barrel rate may not be that alluring, but he did also post a 114.1 max exit velocity, which is tied with Jac Caglianone, who we think of as a power hitter. I think he's more of a deep-league MIF target, but I wouldn't just write off this spring performance as a fluke.
Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Draft Values
Kodai Senga - SP, New York Mets (ADP: 213)
I've been in on Senga all off-season, and he's probably my most-rostered player. This is a guy who was inconsistent in 2025 and battled a hamstring injury down the stretch, but still had a 3.02 ERA despite all of that. Our biggest concerns for him were that his fastball velocity was down, and he had reduced his cutter usage. However, this spring he has been up to 99 mph, sitting 97 mph, and is using the cutter like we like to see. That fastball velocity and cutter usage is going to set him up nicely to put hitters away with the Ghost Fork, so I'm expecting a big season here.
Joey Cantillo - SP, Cleveland Guardians (ADP: 267)
I know people are souring on Cantillo because he's inconsistent, but I'm going to stick to my guns here. Cantillo rejoined the rotation at the end of last year and, in his final 10 starts of the season, posted a 2.48 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 54/22 K/BB ratio in 54.1 innings. He had a really strong 32.5% CSW and 13% SwStr% over that stretch as well. His fastball isn't great, but he has elite extension, which makes it play up a bit more than it seems like it will. The pitch only needs to set up his changeup and curve for success, and I'm a believer that he can do that.
Mick Abel - SP, Minnesota Twins (ADP: 278)
I didn't believe Abel was going to beat out Zebby Matthews for a starting spot, and that's on me. I preferred Abel, but I just thought the Twins would side with the player who had given them MLB innings before. Abel has far more upside though. His fastballs are good, and he flashed improved secondaries last season. I also think the mental skills work he did allowed him to attack hitters more and gave him more confidence on the mound. I'm fully in on a breakout happening here.
Parker Messick - SP, Cleveland Guardians (ADP: 283)
Messick was one of my picks for a late-round starting pitcher with the tools to finish inside the top 25. Now he has a rotation spot locked up, and the breakout could be happening. The 25-year-old pitched to a 2.72 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 38/6 K/BB ratio in 39.2 big league innings last year. He’s a lefty with a really good changeup that had a 16.1% SwStr% against righties last year, which gives him legitimate strikeout upside. He has a deep arsenal and a track record of missing bats in the minors, so I'm fully buying in here.
Paul Sewald - RP, Arizona Diamondbacks (ADP: 285)
I think Sewald opens the season as the Diamondbacks' closer. He's back to throwing 92 mph, and while that may not seem like a lot, that's what he was throwing in 2022 and 2023 when he saved a combined 54 games in two seasons. He simply needs his fastball to be good enough to set up his slider, and that hasn't been the case the last two seasons. The Diamondbacks will be good enough to win games, but not so good that they blow teams out, which could mean plenty of save chances.
Matthew Liberatore - SP, St. Louis Cardinals (ADP: 291)
Liberatore posted a 4.21 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in his first full MLB season when the league average for starting pitchers was a 4.16 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. He also had a .300 BAIP and 70% LOB%, which were below average and could suggest some bad luck. This offseason, he modified his change-up into a kick-change that’s kind of a hybrid between a splitter and a traditional change-up. As a left-handed pitcher, a good changeup is crucial for Liberatore, but he posted a 8% SwStr% to righties last year with a nearly 40% Ideal Contact Rate (ICR) allowed, which was below league average. He also changed his cutter, which is now almost three mph harder and is a pitch he can use to get ahead against righties to set up the slider and new changeup. I expect a sizable step forward this season.
Zach Eflin - SP, Baltimore Orioles (ADP: 301)
I've written about Eflin basically everywhere, and he's one of my most drafted players this season. After undergoing a "minimally invasive" procedure in the offseason to fix a slipped disc in his back that was causing nerve issues, I think we're going to see a more precise Eflin this season. He still missed plenty of bats last year on his sweeper and curve, but they performed poorly in two-strike counts, which tells me that the movement may be fine, but the precision of the command was off. That’s thanks to the back injury. Eflin has a deep pitch mix and has shown a bit of a velocity uptick in spring training. Add to that his plus team context, and I’m buying all the way back in.
Lucas Erceg - RP, Kansas City Royals (ADP: 329)
This is simply because Carlos Estevez looks really bad this spring, an dhis velocity is down. Estevez has pitched around that over the last two seasons, but he has always seemed to be walking a tight rope as a closer, and there is a strong chance that he simply falls off this season. If he does, I think Erceg is the guy, so I'm taking early shares now to see what happens.
Brandon Sproat - SP, Milwaukee Brewers (ADP: 336)
The Brewers are going to be without Quinn Priester and potentially Brandon Woodruff to start the season, but it seems like Sproat has won a spot in the rotation. The 25-year-old had a mediocre four-start debut for the Mets in 2025, but he was emerging as a solid prospect in 2024 and 2025 in the minor leagues. He has a six-pitch mix that gives him plenty of ways to attack hitters, and that's a profile that the Brewers really know how to get the most out of. This is a great late pick because you can keep him on your bench for his first start, and you'll know right away if he's ready or not.
Grant Taylor - RP, Chicago White Sox (ADP: 343)
At this point in the draft, I'd rather draft an elite multi-inning reliever like Taylor than speculate on saves for a bad team like the Twins or Rockies. Taylor wants to throw 100 innings this season, and he posted an elite 34.4% strikeout rate last season. He has overpowering stuff and could even find himself getting some saves or cheap wins for the White Sox. I like having those ratios buffers late in drafts.
Hogan Harris - RP, Athletics (ADP: 344)
If I am going to speculate on saves, I think Hogan Harris deserves some attention for an Athletics team that I think will be good. Yes, he's left-handed, so he may not get all of the saves, but he has looked good this spring and is throwing harder than he did last year. Last season, he produced a 3.20 ERA and 23.5% strikeout rate in 64.2 innings. That added velocity has helped him add some swing and miss this spring, and maybe that will even carry over into the season? That's a gamble I'll take.
Justin Wrobleski - SP/RP, Los Angeles Dodgers (ADP: 355)
This is a bet against Roki Sasaki. Sasaki made the rotation, but half of the batters he faced in spring training reached base. I don't think his new cutter is a difference-maker, and his fastball still is getting hit a lot. If Sasaki gets chased from a start early, it's going to be Wrobleski that comes in for him. If Sasaki gets sent down to Triple-A, it's going to be Wrobleski that takes his spot in the rotation. I'm not saying it's a lock to happen, but I'll take the chance on it in deeper formats.
Jordan Romano - RP, Los Angeles Angels (ADP: 357)
The Angels don't have a closer right now, but many people are drafting as if it's clearly Kirby Yates. It might be, but Romano hasn't allowed a run in five innings this spring and has a 23.5% K-BB%. It's been a rough two years for him, and he might be done, but maybe he's not, so that's worth a gamble at this point in drafts. If you're in a league with IL spots, I love drafting Ben Joyce and just putting him on your IL. I think he could be back in May and quickly emerge as the primary late-inning guy for the Angels.
Anthony Kay - SP, Chicago White Sox (ADP: 360)
Hat tip to my podcast co-host Nick Pollack for this one. Kay has come back from Korea and is throwing harder while also featuring a changeup that looks legit. As a lefty, that will play. He could be a streamer this season, and has a strong case to be the best starting pitcher on the White Sox. He's still more of a deep-league option only.
Mets 2026 season preview: 2026 is of the utmost importance for David Peterson
The Mets’ starting rotation is a mixture of homegrown players and acquired talent heading into the 2026 season. They’ve got some young players fresh from the minor leagues either firmly entrenched or knocking on the door in Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Jonah Tong. And they have a group of starters they acquired outside the organization, either in free agency (Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes) or by trade (Freddy Peralta).
The one starter sort of stuck in the middle is longtime Met David Peterson. After an offseason of roster upheaval, Peterson finds himself the longest-tenured Met, having made his debut with the team during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He has been with the team his entire career, and 2026 is his final season before hitting free agency. A good walk year could set him up for a good payday, but will he be able to be consistently good for a whole season?
Over the course of his career, Peterson has a 4.12 ERA in 622.2 innings pitched. He has 614 strikeouts, a 1.373 WHIP, and a 98 ERA+, and he’s accumulated 6.7 bWAR in his six major league seasons. His ERA+ perfectly explains his career, he’s been an almost exactly average pitcher. Sometimes he’s been a bit better, sometimes he’s been a bit worse. But he’s never had that transcendent season or the absolutely awful season, instead just cruising through every season right around the middle of the pack.
His 2025 season was split into two parts that couldn’t be more starkly different. Through the end of July, he was enjoying one of the best stretches of his career. In the first half of the year, he had a 3.06 ERA across 109 innings, with 93 strikeouts, a 7.7 K/9 and a 1.239 WHIP. He threw a complete game shutout, his first and only one in his career thus far. And he pitched well enough to be named to the All-Star Game as a roster replacement. His performance in the month of July was transcendent, with a 1.05 ERA in 25.2 innings across four games that month. At the end of July he looked like he was the only dependable option in the Mets’ rotation.
But starting in August, the wheels came off and he imploded. He threw 59.2 innings across the last two months of the season, and in September he only pitched 16.2 innings in four games. His ERA in August was an awful 6.68, and his September was even worse with a 9.72 ERA. In August, there was at least the lone bright spot of his best K/9 of the season, with a 10.2 K/9. But in September he went back down to a 7.6 K/9, and he had an unbelievably bad 1.920 WHIP, giving up 18 hits in fewer than 17 innings.
Now, one of the other positives of Peterson’s 2025 season was that it was the first time in years that he didn’t have his season interrupted by an injury. He might have been way worse in the second half, but he played the whole season. He had suffered through multiple injuries in his career, with shoulder fatigue in 2020, side soreness that ended his 2021 season in July, and a torn labrum in his left hip in 2024. But he stayed healthy in 2025 and didn’t once get sent to the minor leagues, which happened in his only other healthy season in 2023.
Peterson is entering the 2026 season with an eye on his impending free agency at the end of the season. If his season is more like the first half of 2025, he could find himself signing a nice contract and setting up his future, as well as helping the Mets immensely this year. If his season is more like his second half of 2025, though, it could be a disaster for both him and the team.
2026 Global Series Sends Seattle To Finland
Get ready to use your frequent flyer miles! The NHL has announced the Kraken will face the Caroline Hurricanes in Helsinki, Finland next season as part of the NHL’s Global Series. Started in 2017, the Global Series’ goal is to grow the game of hockey internationally. Since 2017, the Global Series has brought NHL hockey to five countries and several different cities.
The Kraken and Hurricanes will play at Veikkaus Arena on November 12th and 14th. The venue normally hosts Helsinki’s professional hockey team the Jokerit. Maximum capacity for a hockey crowd is 13,349 people.
Speaking of the opportunity to play at home, Kaapo Kakko said he is “real excited” about the chance to play in front of his family and friends, “I was always thinking that it would be fun to play there in Finland…” He went on to add that hockey is the most popular sport and Finland and he is excited for the Finnish audience to have a chance to see a game in person.
Besides Kakko, the Kraken have several other Finnish players and prospects including: Eeli Tolvanen, Jani Nyman,Julius Miettinen, Ville Ottovainen, Nikki Kokko, and Kim Saarinen. Tolvanen and Kakko most recently represented Finland at the Olympics, while Miettinen and Saarinen competed for Team Finland at the 2026 World Juniors Championship.
Thinking of planning a trip? Information about an all-inclusive tour and tickets can be found here.
'He Has It': How Trust In Fraser Minten Has Allowed Bruins To Win Their Trade With Maple Leafs So Quickly
BOSTON — Fraser Minten didn’t know what to expect when he was moved by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Boston Bruins last season.
Just over a year removed from a deadline-day deal that saw him go from one of Toronto’s top prospects to an everyday NHLer with the Bruins, the 21-year-old Vancouver native has quickly emerged as one of Boston’s most trusted assets. Most recently, he has found himself slotted as the team’s top-line center, skating alongside superstar David Pastrnak.
With the Bruins battling for playoff positioning and the Maple Leafs mired in an unexpected race to the bottom of the NHL standings, to say the change of scenery has worked out for Minten would be a massive understatement.
“You want to be on the ice and having a first-hand impact on the game,” Minten told The Hockey News following Bruins practice at Warrior Ice Arena. “I’m happy to be getting the opportunity I am. I'm just trying to continue to work hard and make the most of it.”
On March 7, 2025, the Maple Leafs sent Minten and a top-five protected 2026 first-round pick to Boston in exchange for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo. At the time, Minten was struggling to find his footing with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, stuck behind a veteran-heavy depth chart at center. While the haul for Carlo was significant, few expected the Bruins to see such immediate returns on the youngster.
What Could The Maple Leafs Do To Justify Trading Away Fraser Minten?Boston Bruins rookie Fraser Minten is shining this season, while the player he was traded for – veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo – hasn't found his stride in Toronto. How can Leafs GM Brad Treliving salvage this lopsided trade?The Leafs are currently on track to miss the postseason for the first time in a decade, snapping the longest active streak in the NHL. Meanwhile, Minten has defied every internal expectation in Boston.
How did the transition happen so fast? Simply put: Hockey IQ.
“There are a lot of things you can’t teach. That’s what he has, and that’s why he’s ahead of some other guys,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said of his center. “Even the teaching part, he gets it right away. He just has it. He’s lucky enough to be born with it.”
Sturm compares Minten’s development to Quinton Byfield, whom he coached in the Los Angeles Kings organization. That trust has allowed Sturm to deploy Minten in high-leverage minutes with Pastrnak. Minten’s cerebral approach has allowed the former Leafs’ second-round pick to thrive in a top-six role.
‘He Was A Steal For Us’: Maple Leafs Trading Of Prospect Fraser Minten To Boston Not Aging WellAs the Maple Leafs risk missing the postseason for the first time in a decade, the immediate success of Fraser Minten in Boston is turning the Brandon Carlo trade into the latest chapter in a long history of lopsided deals between the two rivals.“It’s a lot of intentional placing of where he goes on the ice and how he’s able to find soft spots. His offense is very intellectual,” Minten explained of his linemate. “Obviously, he has tremendous skill, but he sees the ice so well. Playing on a line with him, you learn so much about the little details that make those guys elite.”
Although Minten’s ice time has averaged 15:16 this season, the usage has increased as the stakes get higher. He’s averaged well north of 17 minutes over the last 10 games and logged a career-high 21:09 in Boston’s most recent game, a much-needed 4-2 victory against a Detroit Red Wings team that, for the time being, has knocked them out of a playoff position.
While Minten hasn't kept a close eye on the wreckage in Toronto since his departure, he is aware of the standings. However, his focus remains on a dogged hunt for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Through games played on March 23, 2026, the Bruins sit at 39-23-8, occupying the first Wild Card spot with 86 points, just two points clear of the cutline.
Bruins Trade Brandon Carlo To Maple Leafs In Surprising Deal The Boston Bruins have traded defenseman Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Fraser Minten, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2025 fourth-round pick. The Bruins are also retaining 15% of Carlo's salary.
“It looks like every time you win, other teams win, and every time you lose, everyone gets a little closer,” Minten said. “It’s super tight. Every game is high stakes and fun, and that’s what makes it rewarding right now.”
Despite the rivalry, Minten maintains a connection to his former club through teammate and Easton Cowan
“I hear from him pretty much every other day. We check in through the highs and lows of being a first-year pro,” Minten said.
With Cowan currently struggling to find consistency in his rookie campaign, Minten acts more as a sounding board than a mentor.
“We’re just friends. I’m there to listen, but it’s not like we’re going too deep on that stuff.”
Cowan is also renting Minten’s place in Toronto this season. We’re told he’s a good tenant and has paid his bills on time.
In 70 games this season, Minten has 16 goals and 15 assists.
Senators Defenseman Lassi Thomson To Play First NHL Game Since 2022: 'It's A Pretty Cool Moment For Me:'
Lassi Thomson begins Act 2 on Broadway on Monday night.
After three different injuries on Ottawa's blue line this month, Thomson will step in for the Senators against the New York Rangers in his first NHL game since November 25th, 2022.
Thomson and Belleville teammate Dennis Gilbert were recently called up to fill the void left by Jake Sanderson (shoulder) and Nick Jensen (knee). Thomson has been serving as the seventh defenseman, but when Gilbert was felled by a hard hit into the end boards on Saturday night against Toronto, the Senators confirmed on Monday morning that the young Finn would be the next man up.
As he chatted with Sens host Jackson Starr on Monday morning, Thomson was lit up a like a Christmas tree.
"It's a pretty awesome opportunity," Thomson said. "Being around the boys for almost two weeks, seeing the group in the locker room after they're winning games. It's pretty awesome to check in right now in New York. I've never played here before.
"So it's a pretty cool moment for me."
Thomson leads all AHL defensemen in goal scoring (14) this season and the 2019 first-rounder certainly upgrades Ottawa's blueline from a skating and shooting perspective.
"Well, he's such a gifted skater, right?" Belleville interim head coach Andrew Campbell told TSN 1200 radio last month. "So the more we can get Lassi involved in the rush and involved in the offense, it not only benefits Lassi's style of play, but benefits us as a team.
"He's probably one of the better skaters in in the whole league, so, yeah, he's driven our offense from the back end and he does lead the league in goals for defensemen. So, some really good stuff from Lassi."
However, just like 2024 first-rounder Carter Yakemchuk, the knock on Thomson the last time he was here was more the defensive side of his game, so it will be interesting to see if he's made some good strides in that area as well.
Thomson spent last season with the Malmo Redhawks in the Swedish league, leading all Malmo skaters in goals (17) and points (29) in 50 games.
Interestingly, while he was gone, the Sens ended up needing right shot help last season. With Travis Hamonic nearing the end, Belleville's Nikolas Matinpalo was the one who cashed in on the opportunity.
So, when Thomson opted to re-sign with the Sens last summer, he was probably thinking he had some real NHL opportunity. Case in point: Hamonic wasn't going to be extended, Nick Jensen was coming off major hip surgery, Yakemchuk is still a kid, and Thomson probably felt like he could compete with Matinpalo.
But a couple of weeks after Thomson signed, the Senators acquired defenseman Jordan Spence in a draft day deal with the LA Kings. Spence and Matinpalo both made the NHL roster, and the veteran Jensen was surprisingly ready for opening night.
The door may have slammed in his face last fall, but it's wide open right now.
With Jensen out for the regular season, and Sanderson at least another week away, it's a great opportunity for Thomson to get in one last audition for the Senators (or his next NHL team) as he heads into Group 6 UFA this summer.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
This article was originally published at The Hockey News. For more Senators news, analysis, and features, visit the Ottawa Senators site at The Hockey News.
More at The Hockey News:
Tim Stützle Still Puzzled By Senators' Decision To Let Michael Amadio Get Away
Former Senators Prospect Makes Edmonton Oilers Debut Saturday Night
The Buying and Selling Of Jakob Chychrun Never Quite Worked Out In Ottawa
One Year Later, The Fabian Zetterlund Trade Is Still Taking Shape
With Injuries To Sanderson And Jensen, the Sens Top Up Depth At AHL Trade Deadline
New York Yankees @ Chicago Cubs: Carlos Lagrange vs. Shota Imanaga
The Yankees have wrapped up their 2026 spring training slate in Florida, as they prepare to begin the new season on Wednesday. However on their way out to San Francisco for Opening Day, they’ve made a little pit stop at the Cubs’ spring complex.
Today and tomorrow, the Yankees are in Arizona to wrap up their preseason play with a pair of games against the Cubs. Although it’s not unusual that team leave their normal environment in the finale days before the regular season starts, this is the first time that I can remember the Yankees playing exhibition games in Arizona. The Yankees actually trained in Phoenix in 1951 in a one-year swap of spring sites with the New York Giants, but aside from that, such spring visits have been rare.
As you might expect from the final days before they have to start playing for real, the Yankees’ lineup resembles one that we could see in a regular season game. Opposing a lefty pitcher, Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario are both in the lineup, but other than that, it’s basically the first choice player at every other position.
They’ll be backing up Carlos Lagrange on the mound. Lagrange probably won’t be in a MLB lineup in the next couple weeks, but this is a nice reward for him after he’s been very impressive this spring. He won the James P. Dawson Award as the best Yankees rookie in camp.
Said lefty that the Yankees’ lineup will face is Shota Imanaga. After a very impressive rookie campaign in 2024, Imanaga took a step back last season, and has been so-so in spring training so far. Like the Yankees, the Cubs’ lineup is pretty strong, including new addition Alex Bregman.
We won’t get much in the way of video from this game, as it’s a radio-only day, but thankfully, that’s something we won’t have to deal with when the regular season starts.
How to watch
Location: Sloan Park — Mesa, AZ
First pitch: 3:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: N/A
Radio broadcast: WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM or WSCR 104.3 FM/670 AM (Cubs)
Online stream: none (audio available via MLB.tv)
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