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As strikeouts pile up in spring, Griffin Canning makes case for spot in Mets rotation

Griffin Canning, who signed a modest one-year deal with the Mets in December to compete for the team’s final starting spot in the rotation, is certainly making a case that the job should be his after three outings this spring.

Despite allowing his first run of camp, he tossed another solid 4.2 innings allowing just three hits and striking out nine batters against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.

When asked about his confidence level now, the 28-year-old said he feels great, before breaking into a wide smile and adding, “But [the games] don’t mean anything right now.”

“Definitely feels good to go out there and see my stuff performing and being able to get guys out,” Canning continued, “but just taking it one day at a time.”

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza again was tasked with praising the performance of the right-hander.

“I thought he was really good,” he said. “Thought the slider was good, the changeup was good, the times he used the fastball [it] plated up because of how well he was using the other two pitches. 

“I felt like he got ahead with the slider or with the changeup and then used the fastball to put hitters away. Attacked. Very encouraging outing for him.”

The numbers tell just how good the slider and changeup were on Monday against Tampa Bay. Canning got nine whiffs on 20 swings and six called strikes on the slider totaling 42 percent of the 36 he threw. The changeup was similar, generating three whiffs on four swings and four called strikes totaling 41 percent of the 17 he threw.

“I feel like every single day I’m here, I’m getting a little bit better,” he said. “It’s fun to take some confidence into games. It was my second time working with Luis [Torrens] back there and I feel like we’ve got a really good thing going. Know kind of what my backbone is and how we wanna pitch guys.”

How does he explain all the strikeouts he’s been racking up -- 16 through his first 10 innings over three outings?

“Honestly, I think a big part of last year of why I didn’t strike guys out was sequencing,” he said. “I just wasn’t setting guys up to strike out. So I think it was just getting back to being myself. Understanding what my pitch mix is, what I’m gonna lean on, and how to deviate when I need to.”

Last year, he had just 130 strikeouts over 171.2 innings for a career-low 6.8 strikeouts per nine. He posted a 5.19 ERA and 1.398 WHIP in 32 outings on the year.

In 2023, he got 139 batters on strikes in 127 innings (9.9 strikeouts per nine) and posted a 4.32 ERA and 1.236 WHIP over 24 outings.

The righty said that the sequences he’s been using this spring aren’t new, but more what he’s done in the past and it comes down to “mixing and matching.”

Statcast had him using just the slider, fastball, and change, but the righty revealed he threw a couple of cutters to left-handed batters and a “different slider I’m working on to one of the righties the first inning.”

“I think those are gonna be my main pitches,” Canning said of the big three. “You’re kind of past the point of working on stuff in spring now, you just want to go out there and execute pitches and get outs.”

Whatever he threw on Monday it worked, bar one fastball with two outs in the first inning that Josh Lowe tagged for a 376-foot home run. (Naturally, Statcast noted that it would not have been a home run in any MLB park used during the regular season.)

But it is no surprise to see these results from the off-speed pitches. Over the past two seasons, the changeup has been his best pitch, with a 28.8 percent whiff rate and a .318 weighted on-base average in 2024.

His slider had a 33.1 percent whiff rate last year (and 34 percent in 2023) but was hit hard with a .354 wOBA a year ago. But with changes in sequencing and a new environment, things could be a bit different in 2025.

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Twins’ Royce Lewis will miss start of season after hurting his hamstring

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis will miss the start of the season due to a strained left hamstring.

An MRI revealed a moderate sprain after Lewis hurt himself running out a grounder in the Twins’ Grapefruit League game Sunday against the Boston Red Sox.

Lewis, 25, has a history of injuries. He played in 82 games last season due to quadriceps and adductor issues. That followed a 2023 season in which he played 58 games while working through injuries to his oblique and his hamstring.

He batted .233 with a .295 on-base percentage, 16 homers and 47 RBIs last season. He hit .309 with a .372 on-base percentage, 15 homers, 52 RBIs and six steals.

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Mets' Ryan Clifford named to All-Spring Breakout First Team

Ryan Clifford’s mammoth home run on Sunday has earned him a spot on MLB.com’s All-Spring Breakout First Team.

Clifford, who is Joe DeMayo’s No. 4 prospect in the Mets' system, made quite the impression against the Washington Nationals’ top prospects by making quite the impression on the batter’s eye in dead center.

Measured at 449 feet and 106 MPH off the bat, Clifford’s two-run home run to dead center off of lefty Jackson Kent gave the Mets a 4-0 lead.

Clifford, who has the ability to play both first base and in the outfield, split his time last year between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton. In 31 games at Brooklyn, he hit just one home run, as the notorious winds coming off the ocean beyond right field drastically cut into his power numbers. As evidence, in his 98 games with the Rumble Ponies, he hit 18 home runs.

Clifford may still be a season or two away from his MLB debut, but it’s clear that his raw power makes him one of the most exciting prospects in the Mets system.

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Brett Baty, at possible career crossroads, focused on capitalizing on second base chance

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Some may think Brett Baty is sitting at a career crossroads of sorts this spring. He’s been to the big leagues before, but he hasn’t stuck, and now he’s got another chance, either as a fill-in for the injured Jeff McNeil at second base, at least for a while, or as a utility man who roams around the diamond for the Mets.

But Baty isn’t viewing this as some kind of make-or-break and maybe that’s how he can take advantage of this opportunity. 

“It’s just taking a step back and really taking it all in, appreciating where you are and just trying to get better every single day,” the 25-year-old said. 

“Just be where your feet are.”

Baty’s feet are, much of the time, at second base, where he started Monday’s game against the Rays at Clover Park. He is trying to learn the complexities of a position that has a lot more responsibilities than third base, where he’s played for most of his career. 

There’s more communication before every pitch. He must learn the nuances of turning a double play and the ways to protect himself while doing it. He’s got to know who’s covering the second-base bag on, say, a comebacker to the pitcher with a man on first. There’s a different set of cutoffs and relays than at third base. He’s got to get familiar with the first baseman and know what situations he might have to dart over to cover that base. And more.

Third base, as Mets manager Carlos Mendoza put it, “is more angles and throwing across the diamond." 

“He’s going to be involved in a lot more plays every pitch,” Mendoza added. “There’s only so much that you can replicate just by hitting him ground balls. He needs game action and that’s some of the things that we’re going to be looking at and we’ll use those opportunities for teaching moments.” 

So far, so good, at least according to Francisco Lindor, who has been playing with Baty recently, including on Monday. In the fifth inning, Baty started a double play, flipping to Lindor for the relay to first, and the pairing was smooth. Baty also made two solid plays going to his left, including one in the eighth inning where he had to throw to José Butto on the move while the pitcher covered first.

“He looks good,” Lindor said. “He looks like he’s starting to feel comfortable and he looks like he’s embracing the challenge. That’s all you can ask for. He is ready for whatever comes his way.” 

Asked to name some folks who’ve helped him, Baty mentioned several, including Yolmer Sánchez, the 2019 AL Gold Glove winner at second base for the White Sox, who was Baty’s teammate at Triple-A Syracuse last year. Others included third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh and Lindor. 

“We've been doing early work pretty much every day, just trying to get the footwork and stuff down on some double play turns,” Baty said.

Feb 23, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (7) celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a balk during the fourth inning against the Miami Marlins at Clover Park.
Feb 23, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (7) celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a balk during the fourth inning against the Miami Marlins at Clover Park. / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

However his role shakes out, Baty’s bat will be a big factor. He’s been having a terrific spring, though he was 0-for-4 Monday in the Mets’ 2-0 loss to the Rays. That dropped Baty’s average to .308 and his OPS to .910 and he also has three doubles and two home runs. 

He’s said he’s tried to concentrate on swinging at strikes, though, in the same sentence, he lightly chastised himself for not doing that on Sunday during an 0-for-3. 

“I swung at a lot of balls, that’s why I got out a lot,” Baty noted. 

The other day, Mendoza was asked about offense and how much that would factor into the roles Baty is vying for with, among others, Luisangel Acuña, who gave the Mets a serious jolt late last year when he subbed for an injured Lindor and batted .308 with a .966 OPS.

“You’re losing your everyday guy, Jeff McNeil, who won a batting title not too long ago, and you can replace him with a guy that is going to provide offense, I think that’s huge, especially down in the bottom of the lineup,” Mendoza said. “It’s important. We know the potential is there.

Acuña has all of 40 plate appearances in the bigs. And Baty does not have a huge track record of offensive success in the Majors In 169 career games, the 12th overall pick in the 2019 draft has a .215 average, a .607 OPS and 15 home runs.

Baty could dwell on that. He’d rather heed what former Met Tomás Nido told a Triple-A hitting group a few years ago when Nido was still with the Mets. 

“He said, ‘When you get up there [the Majors], don’t take anything for granted, because it’s not a given. It’s not a right,’” Baty recalled. 

“People earn it, like Lindor,” Baty added. “He’s earned what he’s gotten. [Juan] Soto, same thing. You’re not entitled to anything. So that’s what I’m thinking. If I’m in the major leagues, I’m going to be super appreciative and grateful. But it’s also a job. You’ve got to compete.

“I'm happy to embrace any role that they want me to. I just want to be in the major leagues, helping a team win, whether that's playing second base, or whether that's rotating around the infield, maybe the outfield, giving guys days off here and there. Whatever my role is, I'm fine with.

“I love a challenge.” 

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Trent Grisham, Ben Rice homer again as Yankees fall to Blue Jays

The Yankees fell to the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 6-5 on Monday afternoon.

Here are the takeaways…

-Paul Goldschmidt left the game in the bottom of the third inning after two at-bats. Later, he told reporters he exited because of a sore back, which he's been dealing with for a few days. Fortunately for the Yankees, Goldschmidt said he has no concern about this holding him out come Opening Day.

-Clarke Schmidt was originally scheduled to start this game, but out of an abundance of caution the Yanks had him throw a bullpen session instead, which went well by all accounts. Left-hander Brent Headrick got the start in Schmidt’s place, but things didn’t go well for him as he allowed three earned runs on three hits with a pair of walks in just one inning.

After a couple of scoreless outings to start his spring, Headrick has been hit hard in his last three appearances.

-Trent Grisham hit just .190  with nine homers in 179 at-bats with New York last season. On Monday, he slammed his fourth homer of the spring, with this one just clearing the top of the fence in left center.

Grisham will likely be the fourth outfielder and a defensive presence in 2025, but his power numbers this spring have been eye-opening.

-The Yankees had Ben Rice catching and hitting out of the leadoff spot on Monday. Rice put the Yanks on the scoreboard in the top of the third, roping a single off the base of the wall in right-center, scoring Ismael Munguia from second base.

Later, Rice deposited the first pitch of the seventh inning over the wall in left-center for his fourth homer of the spring.

It's hard to imagine a scenario where Rice isn't with the major league team coming out of spring training

-J.C. Escarra, serving as the Yanks' DH on Monday, registered two more hits as he continues to push for a spot on the Opening Day roster as a catcher/DH option. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitter is batting .368 this spring with a 1.032 OPS.

-The Yankees took their first lead of the day in the top of the eighth inning, when 22-year-old Brenny Escanio hit a solo homer to left. Escanio played in Low and High-A ball last season. But Toronto tied the game and then walked it off with home runs in the eighth and ninth.

Who was the game MVP?

Rice, who homered and hit another ball off the wall.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees host the Boston Red Sox in Tampa on Tuesday at 1:05 p.m.

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Jesse Winker leaves Monday's game early with cramps, 'should be okay'

Mets designated hitter/outfielderJesse Winkerexited Monday's split squad game against the Rays in the bottom of the third inning after his first at-bat.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game that Winker was removed for precautionary reasons due to cramping, adding that Winker is doing "fine."

"Felt something in the calf, he's like, 'It's just a cramp,'" Mendoza said after the Mets' 2-0 loss to Miami. "But, you know, at this point in camp we don't want to take any chances."

Winker, who stayed in the dugout for a bit before heading to the clubhouse, was replaced at DH by prospect Ryan Clifford.

"He went in, trainers took a look at him and confirmed it was just a cramp," the skipper continued. "So, I just talked to him now and he should be okay."

After getting treatment on the calf, Winker said he "feels better" and is "not really too concerned about it."

"It just cramped up," he continued. "[Athletic trainer Bryan] Baca and Mendy, they were just like, 'let's go get treatment, let's just play it smart.' It was the right move."

With the Mets having Tuesday off, the DH expects to be able to return to the lineup later this week.

The expectation is that Winker will be the Mets' regular designated hitter when the regular season begins.

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Paul Blackburn solid, Luisangel Acuña has up-and-down day as Mets beat Marlins

The Mets beat the Marlins, 6-5, on Monday afternoon as their spring training slate continued.

Here are the takeaways...

- Paul Blackburn spun a perfect first inning, with a pair of strikeouts.

Overall, Blackburn allowed two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out six in 4.0 innings.

The only damage off Blackburn was a wind-blown two-run homer to right field by Dane Myers in the third inning.

Blackburn is battling with Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill for the final two spots in the starting rotation, but the expectation is that all three pitchers will make the 26-man Opening Day roster -- with two on the starting staff and one in the bullpen.

- Luisangel Acuña stroked a single to right field his first time up, but he was caught leaning and got picked off first base a few pitches later. Acuña added another single to right field in the fifth inning, but was picked off first base a second time.

He finished 2-for-3 with a walk.

In the field, Acuña made a throwing error at shortstop in the sixth inning, short-hopping a throw to first base.

- Juan Soto went 0-for-2 with a walk. He has a 1.295 OPS this spring.

- Starling Marte got the start at designated hitter and went 0-for-3 with a run scored.

- Pete Alonso delivered a sacrifice fly in the first inning and walked in the eighth.

- The Mets plated three runs in the eighth inning and two runs in the ninth, including a two-run homer off the bat of outfielder Alexander Canario.

Highlights

Upcoming schedule

The Mets are off on Tuesday.

They travel to face the Astros on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m.

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Braves’ Spencer Strider sparkles in 1st spring start as he comes back from Tommy John surgery

NORTH PORT, Fla. — Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider struck out six and didn’t allow a base runner over 2 2/3 innings in his first Grapefruit League appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year.

The only two Boston Red Sox batters to avoid striking out against Strider were David Hamilton and Nick Sogard. Hamilton grounded to second to start the game. Sogard led off the third inning by hitting a foul pop to third baseman Austin Riley.

Strider started just two games and went 0-0 with a 7.00 ERA last year before getting shut down for the rest of the season. That followed a 2023 season in which he went 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA and a major league-leading 281 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings.

He made the NL All-Star team and finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting in 2023.

Strider, 26, owns a 32-10 career record and 3.47 ERA with 495 strikeouts in 329 2/3 innings. He had made just 33 major league appearances when the Braves signed him to a six-year, $75 million contract in October 2022.

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Griffin Canning dominant, Francisco Lindor notches two hits as Mets fall to Rays

The Mets lost to the Rays, 2-0, on Monday afternoon as their spring training slate continued.

Here are the takeaways...

- Griffin Canning looked sharp while striking out three batters in the first inning, but also made one costly mistake -- leaving a pitch up to Josh Lowe, who cracked a solo homer to right-center field.

That was the only big mistake Canning made all day, as he mostly toyed with the Rays' hitters.

Over 4.2 innings, Canning allowed three hits and one run while walking one and striking out nine, lowering his spring training ERA to 0.90.

Canning is battling with Paul Blackburn and Tylor Megill for the final two spots in the starting rotation, but the expectation is that all three pitchers will make the 26-man Opening Day roster -- with two on the starting staff and one in the bullpen.

- Designated hitter Jesse Winkerleft the game early due to cramping in his calf.

- Brandon Nimmo started in left field -- his first time playing the outfield since Feb. 28, as he's been dealing with a knee issue.

At the plate, Nimmo went 0-for-2 with a walk.

- Brett Baty got the start at second base as he continues to get the bulk of his action there.

He made a really nice play with one out in the eighth inning, ranging far to his left on a chopper before fielding it and throwing on the run to first base for the out.

Including the above play, Baty cleanly fielded every ball that came his way on Monday.

Baty went 0-for-4 at the dish.

With Jeff McNeil out for Opening Day due to an oblique injury, Baty could have the inside track to the regular second base job to start the season.

- Francisco Lindor smoked a single to right field in his second at-bat and added a pop fly double his third time up. He finished 2-for-4.

- Dedniel Núñez made his spring training debut and was sharp, retiring the side in order in the seventh inning. He hit 98 mph with his fastball, and finished his outing by getting a swinging strikeout on an 89 mph slider.

- Jose Butto, who had been out of game action for just over a week due to a groin issue, pitched the eighth inning. Butto, whose fastball was up to 95 mph, worked around a soft one-out single to toss a scoreless frame.

Highlights

Upcoming schedule

The Mets are off on Tuesday.

They travel to face the Astros on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m.

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Tigers full-back Rooney sidelined for four months

Fletcher Rooney in action for Castleford
Fletcher Rooney signed a new five-year deal with Castleford Tigers earlier this year [swpix.com]

Castleford Tigers full-back Fletcher Rooney has been ruled out for about four months with a thigh injury.

The 19-year-old suffered a high-grade quadriceps injury in training.

Rooney has featured in all four of the Tigers' Super League games so far this season, scoring two tries.

"It's really tough to see Fletch sidelined with such an unlucky injury," head of medical services Nick Raynor told the club website.

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Dodgers vs. Cubs prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats

The first pitch of the 2024 Major League Baseball season is Tuesday morning at 6:10AM Eastern as the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs open the season in Japan.

The Dodgers are overwhelming favorite to win a second consecutive World Series title this fall (+240) while the Cubs sit further down the board (+3000).

The offseason for LA included signing the top pitcher in Japan, Roki Sasaki, 2-time CY Young winner Blake Snell, and relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates. They have reloaded to say the least.

The Cubs were aggressive in the offseason as well highlighted by their acquisition of outfielder Kyle Tucker and closer Ryan Pressley from Houston.

Tuesday, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Shota Imanaga for Chicago.

Imanaga was 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA with 174 strikeouts in 29 starts last season for the Cubs.
Yamamoto was 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA including 105 strikeouts in 18 starts for the Dodgers

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first-pitch, projected pitching matchup, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Cubs

  • Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
  • Time: 6:10AM EST
  • Site: Tokyo Dome
  • City: Tokyo, Japan
  • Network/Streaming: FOX

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Dodgers at the Cubs

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Dodgers (-160), Cubs (+135)
  • Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+100)
  • Total: 8.5 runs

Listen to the Rotoworld Baseball Show for the latest player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Cubs

  • Tuesday’s pitching matchup: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Shota Imanaga
    • Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto
      2024: 90 IP, 18GP, 18GS, 7-2, 3.00 ERA, 78 Hits Allowed, 30 Earned Runs, 105 Ks, 22 BBs
    • Cubs: Shota Imanaga
      2024: 173.1 IP, 29GP, 29 GS, 15-3, 2.91 ERA, 149 Hits Allowed, 56 Earned Runs, 174 Ks, 28 BBs

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Dodgers and the Cubs:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the OVER on the Game Total of 8.5.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.

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Yankees injury updates: Clarke Schmidt throws successful bullpen session, DJ LeMahieu resumes hitting

Ahead of Monday’s Grapefruit League matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays, Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided a few injury updates.

-Clarke Schmidt threw a bullpen session on Monday instead of making his previously scheduled start against the Jays, since his shoulder hadn’t recovered the way he wanted to after his first start on March 11.

But Schmidt threw a 24-pitch bullpen session instead, and Boone told reporters it went well for the 29-year-old.

Schmidt also told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic that he felt good after his bullpen, and said he wasn’t too concerned about his shoulder, so it seems the Yankees may have dodged the worst possible outcome here.

-Giancarlo Stanton is doing more, per Boone, but the manager didn’t elaborate past that. Stanton has been held out of baseball activities all spring long as he deals with elbow issues, which have required two PRP injections since the start of camp.

-Veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu is “moving the needle” in his recovery from a left calf strain and has resumed hitting. LeMahieu has played in just one game this spring after playing only 67 games last season due to injury woes.

-Also of note, reliever Jake Cousins, who has yet to throw off a mound this spring due to a right forearm strain, has progressed to throwing at 90 feet.

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Red Sox positional preview: Who will anchor the bullpen in 2025?

Red Sox positional preview: Who will anchor the bullpen in 2025? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The bullpen was the Boston Red Sox’ biggest weakness in 2024. All signs point to that being the case again in 2025.

Boston lost veteran relievers Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin in free agency. The duo will be replaced by offseason addition Aroldis Chapman and fellow veteran Liam Hendriks, who’s set to return after missing all of last year recovering from Tommy John surgery.

That duo is competing for the closer role along with second-year reliever Justin Slaten, one of the club’s bright spots out of the ‘pen last season. After them, it’s anyone’s guess who will be stepping up in high-leverage situations for the Red Sox this year.

More Red Sox positional previews:

Here’s a closer look at the bullpen arms who will look to turn the club’s weakness into a strength in 2025:

Aroldis Chapman, LHP

2024 stats: 3.79 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 98 SO, 39 BB, 61.2 IP (68 games for Pittsburgh Pirates)

Age: 37

Contract status: Signed one-year, $10.75 million contract in free agency.

Outlook for 2025: Chapman’s days as a shutdown closer are behind him. The hard-throwing southpaw walks too many batters (at least 5.0 BB/9 in every season since 2020) at this stage of his career to be considered a truly trustworthy option in high-leverage situations.

That said, the Red Sox will lean heavily on him in 2025 after losing veterans Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin in free agency. While Chapman is no longer his dominant self, the seven-time All-Star showed last season with Pittsburgh he can still be effective and miss bats at a high rate.

Liam Hendriks, RHP

2024 stats: N/A

Age: 36

Contract status: Signed two-year, $10 million contract in 2024. Mutual option for 2026.

Outlook for 2025: After missing the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John recovery, Hendriks is battling Chapman and second-year reliever Justin Slaten for the closer role. His spring training numbers suggest Boston may be best suited going in a different direction to begin the new campaign.

Hendriks, a three-time All-Star, has allowed six earned runs on 12 hits over five innings (five appearances). Perhaps he’s simply shaking off the rust with only five regular-season games played since 2022, but throwing him straight into the fire to start the season seems unwise.

Justin Slaten, RHP

2024 stats: 2.93 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 58 SO, 9 BB, 55.1 IP (44 games)

Age: 27

Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2027.

Outlook for 2025: Slaten, a Rule 5 Draft pick last winter, was an underrated bright spot for Boston during the 2024 season. The right-hander’s impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio suggests he may be the team’s best current option to close out games in 2025. If he struggles out of the gate, manager Alex Cora shouldn’t hesitate to hand the keys over to either Hendriks or Chapman.

Garrett Whitlock, RHP

2024 stats: 1.96 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 17 SO, 7 BB, 18.1 IP (four starts)

Age: 28

Contract status: Signed four-year, $18.75 million contract extension in 2022. Club options for 2027 and 2028.

Outlook for 2025: Whitlock will presumably pitch exclusively out of the ‘pen following another injury-plagued campaign. The right-hander made only four starts in 2024 before suffering a season-ending elbow injury.

If Whitlock regains his 2021/2022 form, it’ll go a long way toward helping Boston’s bullpen enjoy a bounce-back season. He notched a 1.96 ERA across 46 relief appearances during his breakout 2021 rookie season.

Justin Wilson, LHP

2024 stats: 5.59 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 51 SO, 13 BB, 46.2 IP (60 games with Cincinnati Reds)

Age: 37

Contract status: Signed one-year, $2.25 million contract in free agency.

Outlook for 2025: Wilson joined the bullpen this offseason as another experienced left-handed option, though his leash likely isn’t long. The veteran southpaw struggled mightily with the Reds last season and missed all of 2023 due to injury.

Wilson has a handful of solid MLB seasons under his belt, but he’ll have to earn a long-term spot on the roster with a strong start to 2025. If his woes continue, we could see fellow left-hander Brennan Bernardino take his place.

Luis Guerrero, RHP

2024 stats: 0.00 ERA, 0.800 WHIP, 9 SO, 2 BB, 10 IP (nine games)

Age: 24

Contract status: Pre-arbitration.

Outlook for 2025: Guerrero impressed during his brief stint with the big-league club in 2024. Although he hasn’t looked as sharp this spring, he should still earn a spot on the Opening Day roster as a high-upside flamethrower. He’s a dark horse for the Red Sox closer role if Chapman, Hendriks, and Slaten can’t seize their opportunity.

Greg Weissert, RHP

2024 stats: 3.13 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 58 SO, 20 BB, 63.1 IP (62 games)

Age: 30

Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2027.

Outlook for 2025: Like Slaten, Weissert was one of the bright spots in Boston’s bullpen last season. Acquired from the New York Yankees in the Alex Verdugo deal, Weissert didn’t allow an earned run over the final two months of the season. That trend has continued so far this spring with zero runs allowed over seven innings pitched (six appearances).

Weissert could start to make a name for himself in the big leagues if he duplicates his 2024 success. He’ll again play an important role for a group that is expected to be the club’s kryptonite again in 2025.

Cooper Criswell, RHP

2024 stats: 4.08 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 73 SO, 31 BB, 99.1 IP (26 games, 18 starts)

Age: 25

Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2027.

Outlook for 2025: Criswell’s one-year, $1 million deal before the 2024 season was met with little fanfare, but it proved to be a shrewd move made by the Red Sox front office. Criswell was effective as a swingman, a role he is expected to reprise in 2025.

Criswell’s presence will be even more important with starters Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, and Kutter Crawford on the injured list to begin the year. We can expect the righty to make some spot-starts early in the season with Boston scheduled to play 20 games over the first 21 days.

Adam Ottavino, RHP

2024 stats: 4.34 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 70 SO, 23 BB, 56 IP (60 games)

Age: 39

Contract status: Minor-league contract

Outlook for 2025: The Red Sox bolstered their bullpen depth by signing the veteran to a minor-league contract this offseason. If he makes the team, it’ll mark his second stint with the organization. He made 69 appearances with the club in 2021. Ottavino has been a consistent, durable relief option throughout his 14-year MLB career, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him become a mainstay in the bullpen this season.

Zack Kelly, RHP

2024 stats: 3.97 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 61 SO, 27 BB, 56.2 IP (49 games)

Age: 30

Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2026.

Outlook for 2025: Kelly could be a difference-maker for the Red Sox bullpen in 2025. The righty is enjoying a strong spring training, allowing only two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight batters in seven innings (six games).

He has strong swing-and-miss stuff, but command has been an issue so far in his big-league career. Consistency will be the key to a Kelly breakout.

Brennan Bernardino, LHP

2024 stats: 4.06 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 56 SO, 22 BB, 51 IP (57 games)

Age: 33

Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2026.

Outlook for 2025: It’ll be difficult for Bernardino to make the Opening Day roster with the bevy of left-handed relief options available. His production fell off a cliff last season after a remarkable start to the year (0.78 ERA over first 23 innings).

Bernardino has shown flashes of brilliance at the big-league level, but Wilson’s presence likely points to the 33-year-old starting the season in Triple-A.

Josh Winckowski, RHP

2024 stats: 4.14 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 60 SO, 26 BB, 76 IP (40 games)

Age: 26

Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2026.

Outlook for 2025: Winckowski appears unlikely to make the Opening Day roster as his rocky 2024 season has been compounded by a rough spring training. The right-hander has allowed 10 earned runs on 11 hits and five walks in five innings.

Injuries could eventually force Winckowski back into the fold. For now, he’s probably the odd man out as Alex Cora assembles his bullpen for the club’s Opening Day matchup vs. the Texas Rangers on March 27.

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Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers prepare to open MLB season vs. Cubs

TOKYO — The Major League Baseball season kicks off at the Tokyo Dome when Shohei Ohtani and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers face the Chicago Cubs.

It’s the first of a two-game series and features five Japanese players. Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and rookie Roki Sasaki pitch for the Dodgers while the Cubs have outfielder Seiya Suzuki and left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga.

The two MLB teams have been in Tokyo for several days, playing exhibition games against two Japanese teams — the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants.

All four exhibition games had a capacity crowd of roughly 42,000. A similar atmosphere is expected for the two MLB games.

“Everybody’s very aware of the series, that’s evident for sure, more than I feel like it would be America,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “More people are talking about it, absolutely. That’s a great feeling. The players love big events, that’s why we do this, that’s why we love to do it.”

Here are five things to know heading into the MLB opener:

All-Japanese pitching matchup

The first game will feature the first all-Japanese pitching matchup on opening day in MLB history. Yamamoto will take the mound for the Dodgers against Imanaga of the Cubs.

Yamamoto is entering his second season with Los Angeles. He was 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA last season and was an important part of the team’s World Series championship, with a brilliant performance in a Game 2 win over the Yankees.

Imanaga was an All-Star last year in his first season with the Cubs. The lefty finished with a 15-3 record and a 2.91 ERA in 2024.

The Dodgers will start Sasaki in the second game.

Young Cubs

Third baseman Matt Shaw is expected to make his big league debut for the Cubs. Shaw is one of the team’s top prospects and did enough this spring to earn the starting nod.

Shaw was drafted with the No. 13 overall pick in 2020 after playing college baseball at Maryland. He hit .284 with 21 homers and 71 RBIs last season, splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A.

Other young Cubs include third-year outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who hopes to take a big step forward after an encouraging second half of 2024. Rookie second baseman Gage Workman also could make his MLB debut in Tokyo.

Ailing Mookie

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts will not play in either game against the Chicago Cubs because of an illness that’s lingered for the past week.

Manager Dave Roberts said Betts is starting to feel better but has lost nearly 15 pounds and is still trying to get rehydrated and gain strength. Roberts added that the eight-time All-Star might fly back to the United States before the team in an effort to rest and prepare for the domestic opener on March 27.

Miguel Rojas will start at shortstop in Betts’ place.

What time is the Tokyo Series?

Set your alarm if you’re planning to view the two Tokyo games in the United States. Both games being at 7:10 p.m. in Tokyo, which means it’ll be a 6:10 a.m. wake up call in the Eastern time zone.

Many Cubs and Dodgers fans will really need some coffee. Start time in Chicago is 5:10 a.m. while it’s 3:10 a.m. in Los Angeles. The game will air nationally on Fox.

Tokyo history

This marks the 25th anniversary of the first MLB regular season games played in Japan. The New York Mets and Cubs played a two-game set at the Tokyo Dome in 2000.

Since that series, MLB returned in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2019. The 2019 series featured the Oakland A’s and Seattle Mariners, who celebrated the final two games of Ichiro Suzuki’s career in his home country. Suzuki will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer.

It’s the 10th time that MLB has played regular season games in a spot outside the 50 states. The locations include Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia and last year’s series in South Korea.

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Dodgers' Mookie Betts won’t play in 2 regular season games vs. Cubs in Tokyo because of illness

TOKYO — Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts will not play in the two-game Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs because of an illness that’s lingered.

Manager Dave Roberts said that Betts is starting to feel better but has lost nearly 15 pounds and is still trying to get rehydrated and gain strength. Roberts added that the eight-time All-Star might fly back to the United States before the team in an effort to rest and prepare for the domestic opener on March 27.

The Cubs and Dodgers open the Major League Baseball season at the Tokyo Dome.

“He’s not going to play in these two games,” Roberts said. “When you’re dehydrated, that’s what opens a person up to soft tissue injuries. We’re very mindful of that.”

Roberts said Miguel Rojas will start at shortstop in Betts’ place for the two games at the Tokyo Dome.

Betts started suffering from flu-like symptoms at the team’s spring training home in Arizona, the day before the team left for Japan. He still made the long plane trip, but hasn’t recovered as quickly as hoped.

Roberts said if the team had known the illness would linger this long, he wouldn’t have traveled. Betts tried to go through a workout, but quickly became tired.

Betts is making the full-time transition to shortstop this season after playing most of his career in right field and second base. The 2018 AL MVP hit .289 with 19 homers and 75 RBIs last season, helping the Dodgers win the World Series.