Category: MLB

Previous Winner

Gary Gill Hill, RHP
21 | 6’2” | 160
A+ | 3.82 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 136.2 IP (25 GS), 18.8% K, 5.3% BB

A groundballer, Gill Hill was a feather in the cap for the Rays scouting department when snagged in the sixth round in 2022. He raised his armslot in 2024 to great success, but got off to a rocky start in 2025, which muddies the water on his statline. On the whole, GGH has the body and the look to be a major league starter, particularly thanks to a plus fastball in the upper 90’s and plus control, but needs to find a longterm solution for opposite handed hitting as he climbs the ladder. Accordingly, he projects as a reliever until his arsenal finds a plus third pitch.

Rank	Player	Position	Votes	Total	Percentage	Last Season
1	Carson Williams	SS	14	25	56%	1
2	Brody Hopkins	RHP	19	25	76%	8
3	Jacob Melton	OF	14	28	50%	N/A
4	Theo Gillen	OF	14	26	54%	13
5	Ty Johnson	RHP	12	25	48%	15
6	Daniel Pierce	SS	13	23	57%	N/A
7	Jadher Areinamo	INF	15	28	54%	N/A
8	TJ Nichols	RHP	13	28	46%	N/R
9	Michael Forret	RHP	8	33	24%	N/A
10	Santiago Suarez	RHP	11	30	37%	16
11	Anderson Brito	RHP	7	28	25%	N/A
12	Xavier Isaac	1B	9	28	32%	3
13	Caden Bodine	C	10	25	40%	N/A
14	Brendan Summerhill	OF	11	27	41%	N/A
15	Slater de Brun	OF	10	25	40%	N/A
16	Nathan Flewelling	C	8	26	31%	N/R
17	Trevor Harrison	RHP	9	26	35%	10
18	Jose Urbina	RHP	13	26	50%	25
19	Tre’ Morgan	1B/LF	15	25	60%	4
20	Jackson Baumeister	RHP	12	27	44%	12
21	Aidan Smith	OF	17	29	59%	6
22	Homer Bush Jr.	OF	10	25	40%	21
23	Dom Keegan	C	10	28	36%	9
24	Gary Gill Hill	RHP	8	25	32%	11

The vote was well divided now that Keegan is off the board, eight other players got votes but none more than four, but we landed on Great Britain’s Gary Gill Hill. We add Taitn Gray next. Some suggestions for Testers: Mac Horvath, Joe Rock, Maykel Coret, Alex Cook, Warel Solano, Tatem Levins, Dean Moss, or Jonathan Russell.

Candidates

Fabricio Blanco, SS
17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161

A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.

Cooper Flemming, SS
19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190

One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).

Taitn Gray, 1B/OF/C
18 | S/R | 6’4” | 220

The Rays 86th overall pick in 2025, Gray fell to the third round due to some concern about whether he will stick at catcher, but that buries the lead. Still just 17 at the time of the draft, Gray showed up to the Rays organization and proved his rumored power was real, running exit velocities up to 115 mph from both sides of the plate, although the left handed swing is sweeter. He has plus athleticism, which elevated his bat speed, foot speed, and fluidity — despite his size. It will be interesting to see where the Rays deploy him on defense, but it’s a great bat to dream on.

Brailer Guerrero, OF
20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215
A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K
AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA

Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.

Victor Mesa Jr., OF
24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195
AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K
MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA

This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.

Austin Overn, OF
23 | L/R | 6’0” | 175
A+ (BAL) | .242/.367/.386 (127 wRC+) 341 PA, 8 HR, 43 SB, 15.5% BB, 28.2% K
AA (BAL) | .266/.326/.427 (112 wRC+) 136 PA, 5 HR, 21 SB, 6.6% BB, 25.0% K

Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.

Émilien Pitre, 2B
23 | L/R | 5’11” | 185
A+ | .268/.356/.393 (122 wRC+) 524 PA, 9 HR, 14 SB, 11.6% BB, 20.4% K

The Rays 58th overall pick in 2024, Pitre has risen on draft boards through a strong performance in the Cape Cod league in 2023, but the power was a real question mark on his profile. Now given a chance to develop as a professional, he wouldn’t be the first to add muscle. His run and hit tools are plus, with a well coiled swing and solid contact in and out of zone. He’s too old to return to High-A and it be viewed as positive. His power stroke will be the key to his success in 2026.

Adrian Santana, SS
20 | S/R | 5’11” | 155
A+ | .263/.324/.326 (94 wRC+) 409 PA, 2 HR, 47 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.0% K

Once a top-ten or so prospect in 2024, Santana fell off our site’s 2025 list after failing to clear as an honorable mention. Why? The switch-hitting slick fielding short stop was the Rays 31st overall pick in 2023 but has delivered sub-100 wRC+ each stop of his career, although that got closer than ever last season, his third as a professional and his third as a teenager in the Rays system. Could expectations be too high on his bat? He has plus athleticism, is learning to wheelhouse, and has “acrobatic” defense at the hardest position in the game, with 98 swiped bags over the last two seasons. What happens if he survives the test of Double-A breaking balls?

Brayden Taylor, 2B/3B
24 | L/R | 6’0” | 180
AA | .173/.289/.286 (77 wRC+) 437 PA, 8 HR, 17 SB, 14% BB, 27.7% K
AFL | .264/.400/.472 (.384 wOBA) 65 PA, 1 HR, 5 SB, 12 BB, 19 K

Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.

Victor Valdez, SS
17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186

A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Few tournaments deliver baseball drama like the World Baseball Classic, and few are more fun to bet.

We’ll be updating this page every day throughout the 2026 WBC with our top baseball picks, best bets, odds breakdowns, and quick-hit analysis for every matchup, from the opening round to the championship game in Miami.

Today's WBC best bets

Chinese Taipei vs Australia: Chinese Taipei moneyline (-235 at DraftKings)

Chinese Taipei won the 2024 Premier12 championship and will have a clear starting pitching edge with Jo-Hsi Hsu toeing the rubber.

Hsu posted an elite 2.05 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in the CPBL last year, while Aussie starter Alexander Wells sports a 6.60 ERA and 1.60 WHIP across his 46.1 career MLB innings.

Chinese Taipei also has enough pop in the lineup with Yu Chang, Chieh-Hsien Chen, Hao-Yu Lee, and Jonathon Long, so I expect them to take down the Pool C opener in winning fashion tonight.

Read our full Chinese Taipei vs. Australia predictions ahead of first pitch.

2026 World Baseball Classic schedule

What is the World Baseball Classic?

Think of the World Baseball Classic as baseball’s version of the FIFA World Cup, but with more flair, louder horns, and way more bat flips. This isn’t your standard MLB grind; it’s a high-stakes sprint where players swap their club jerseys for their national colors, playing for pure pride for countries like Japan, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the USA.

If you’re used to the slow burn of the MLB regular season, the WBC is a serious shot of adrenaline. For sports bettors, that mix of elite All-Star talent and "win-or-go-home" desperation creates a beautiful kind of chaos.

Between the electric crowds and the elimination game urgency, you get a level of volatility and raw emotion you just don't see in a Tuesday night game in July. When every pitch feels like a Game 7, the betting value goes through the roof.

4 ways WBC betting differs from MLB betting

The World Baseball Classic may feature plenty of MLB stars, but betting these games is nothing like betting a regular-season big league matchup. Here are four key ways they differ:

1. Pitcher usage: Starters often work on tighter pitch counts, shorter leashes and less predictable schedules, which means bullpens can take over much earlier than expected. That can flip the script on full-game sides and totals in a hurry, and it puts even more value on first five innings markets.

2. Roster makeup: MLB teams are built for six months. WBC teams are built to survive a short, high-pressure sprint. Some lineups are stacked with superstar talent but have real holes in the lower half. Others don’t have the same star power, but they’re deeper, cleaner defensively and more reliable on the mound. In this format, depth can be just as valuable as headline names.

3. Pool-play chaos: Pool-play games don’t always play out like standard baseball games because managers are managing to advance, not to conserve for tomorrow. Bullpen aggression, pinch-hit moves, defensive substitutions, and even run differential can all impact late-game strategy.

4. Variance is king: In MLB, the long season usually smooths everything out. In the WBC, one crooked inning, one elite reliever or one superstar swing can decide everything. That creates more upset potential, more momentum swings, and more value if you’re paying attention to matchup context instead of just brand-name players.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to begin on Wednesday evening. Across the next couple of weeks, 20 countries will compete, with a champion being crowned on March 17.

To no surprise, the United States is one of the heavy favorites in the event. The 30-man roster features a majority of the best players in baseball, including Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal.

Team USA is in Pool B and will play group stage games against Brazil, Great Britain, Italy and Mexico. Their first game of the tournament is on Friday, March 6 against Brazil at Daikin Park in Houston.

Rivals is looking back at where each member of Team USA played their high school baseball. Rosters will change throughout the event, so we’re looking at the 30 players that will be on the field and in the dugout or bullpen on Friday night.

There are 16 states represented on the roster. California, of course, leads the way with six. Texas and Georgia are next with four and three representatives, respectively. Pennsylvania, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida all have two each.

Pitchers

David Bednar, Mars Area (Mars, Pa.)
New York Yankees

Matthew Boyd, Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.)
Chicago Cubs

Garrett Cleavinger, Lawrence (Lawrence, Kan.)
Tampa Bay Rays

Clay Holmes, Slocomb (Slocomb, Ala.)
New York Mets

Griffin Jax, Cherry Creek (Englewood, Colo.)
Tampa Bay Rays

Brad Keller, Flowery Branch (Flowery Branch, Ga.)
Philadelphia Phillies

Clayton Kershaw, Highland Park (Dallas, Texas)
Retired

Nolan McLean, Garner (Garner, N.C.)
New York Mets

Mason Miller, Bethel Park (Bethel Park, Pa.)
San Diego Padres

Paul Skenes, El Toro (Lake Forest, Calif.)
Pittsburgh Pirates

Tarik Skubal, Kingman Academy (Kingman, Ariz.)
Detroit Tigers

Gabe Speier, Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.)
Seattle Mariners

Michael Wacha, Pleasant Grove (Texarkana, Texas)
Kansas City Royals

Logan Webb, Rocklin (Rocklin, Calif.)
San Fransisco Giants

Garrett Whitlock, Providence Christian Academy (Lilburn, Ga.)
Boston Red Sox

Ryan Yarbrough, All Saints Academy (Winter Haven, Fla.)
New York Yankees

Catchers

Cal Raleigh, Smoky Mountain (Sylva, N.C.)
Seattle Mariners

Will Smith, Kentucky Country Day (Louisville, Ky.)
Los Angeles Dodgers

Infielders

Alex Bregman, Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Chicago Cubs

Ernie Clement, Brighton (Rochester, N.Y.)
Toronto Blue Jays

Paul Goldschmidt, The Woodlands (The Woodlands, Texas)
New York Yankees

Bryce Harper, Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Philadelphia Phillies

Gunnar Henderson, Morgan Academy (Selma, Ala.)
Baltimore Orioles

Brice Turang, Santiago (Corona, Calif.)
Milwaukee Brewers

Bobby Witt Jr., Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas)
Kansas City Royals

Outfielders and Designated Hitter

Roman Anthony, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Boston Red Sox

Byron Buxton, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
Minnesota Twins

Pete Crow-Armstrong, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Chicago Cubs

Aaron Judge, Linden (Linden, Calif.)
New York Yankees

Kyle Schwarber, Middletown (Middletown, Ohio)
Philadelphia Phillies

The NL Central’s fiercest rivalry returns today as the Brewers take on the Chicago Cubs for the first time this spring.

Offseason acquisition Brandon Sproat is scheduled to take the mound for Milwaukee. Sproat’s made one appearance so far this spring, surrendering three hits (one earned run) while striking out three in 1.1 innings against the Chicago White Sox. Pitching today for the Cubs is Edward Cabrera, acquired from the Marlins over the offseason for a package that included Owen Caissie. Also scheduled to pitch today for the Brewers are Shane Drohan, Logan Henderson, and Craig Yoho.

Milwaukee’s lineup today remains a healthy mix of major and minor league talent, as is normally the case in Spring Training. Regular starters Sal Frelick, Andrew Vaughn, and Christian Yelich make up the top of the order. They’re followed by Gary Sánchez, Akil Baddoo (hitting .455 this spring), and David Hamilton. The bottom third of the lineup consists of three of the Brewers’ top prospects — Luis Lara (right field), Cooper Pratt (shortstop), and Jesús Made (second base).

First pitch today is slated for 2:10 p.m. You can tune into the game (for free) on Brewers.tv or catch the radio broadcast on WTMJ 620.

Our captain makes his Cactus Crew debut on https://t.co/6ldviURCa7

📺: https://t.co/6ldviURCa7 (watch FREE)
📻: WTMJ 620#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/k68SCamQno

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 4, 2026

All lined up.

Watch the game live on the Marquee Sports Network App. pic.twitter.com/QxahEhhSnW

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 4, 2026

The World Baseball Classic is in full swing, as teams have begun playing their exhibition games before they head off to Tokyo, San Juan, Houston or Miami for the next steps of their journey (though Pool C is already in Japan and will begin pool play on Wednesday at 10pm ET/8pm MT).

Team USA boasts a formidable lineup that includes such names as Cal Raleigh, Will Smith, Alex Bregman, Paul Goldschmidt, Bryce Harper, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber. And their pitching rotation features David Bednar, Clayton Kershaw, Mason Miller, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal, among others. This David vs. Goliath matchup will be a true test of the Rockies’ new approach at the plate, in the field and on the mound.

“It’s a higher test for the pitchers and the hitters,” manager Warren Schaeffer said before the game. “But for the hitters specifically, you see guys all the time in spring training — the ‘dudes’ first time through — and the best relievers usually throw over the first five or six innings in a spring training game. So it’s not really that much different, I’d say, today. But you don’t ever see a lineup with Bobby Witt [Jr.], Bryce Harper, [Aaron] Judge, so that’s a little different. And it’ll be a nice test for ‘Free’ for his first time out and whoever else is getting in there today.”

Kyle Freeland will make his spring debut against his former team. Freeland pitched on the 2023 WBC team that lost to Japan in the Finals. He has been dealing with some back spasms all spring, but is ready to go. It will also likely feature the debut of his new-look changeup, a pitch he’s been working to harness his entire career.

Schaeffer is looking for Freeland to have “one inning of healthy pitching, looking forward to build on something today moving forward [in his] first time out.”

Freeland will face Yankees’ left-hander Ryan Yarbrough. The 34-year-old southpaw is making his WBC debut after making 19 appearances (eight starts) in the Bronx in 2025. Yarbrough was signed as a free agent by the Yankees in the 2025 offseason, and posted a 3-1 record and 4.36 ERA. So far in spring training, he has made one appearance where he pitched two innings and gave up just one run on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

First Pitch: 1:10 p.m. MDT

TV: Rockies.tv

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Lineups:

Here's how we're lining up today against the Rockies ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/DgXDsMeEIL

— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 4, 2026

Land of the FREE 🫡 pic.twitter.com/kz1wGjUYXH

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) March 4, 2026

---

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Great Britain at San Diego Padres, March 4, 2026, 12:10 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Peoria Sports Complex – Peoria, AZ

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

---

Dungan will replace Miranda in today’s starting lineup, playing 3B and batting 4th. https://t.co/yaE0RUMPCUpic.twitter.com/Iv0r0LLOAR

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 4, 2026

---

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

• Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
• Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
• Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads

GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

Seattle Mariners prospect Colt Emerson found out the hard way you can have too much of a good thing. After two successful minor-league seasons, Emerson was pleased, but not satisfied. He felt like there was more he could do to get to his power, and decided in late 2024 to add a leg kick to help the smaller-bodied shortstop tap into more power at the plate. However, as he progressed through levels, the leg kick got more and more pronounced.

“For some reason I thought, the bigger it is, the more I can stay back and then I can be ready earlier,” he said.

Emerson started gradually developing the leg kick towards the end of the 2024 season; the peak of the kick’s height probably came around spring training last year. Here he is in spring of last year homering off Cubs rotation centerpiece Cade Horton:

Emerson had a big spring that helped catapult him onto the national prospect radar. But despite his strong performance, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his approach after facing big-league caliber arms.

“I felt really good, mostly, but I was just missing pitches by like [pinches fingers together] this much. And with the leg kick, I think it was like, I’m trying to do a little bit more than I need to, trying to do a little too much.”

The kick, Emerson realized, was interfering with his timing. And while he’d been able to get past pitchers in the low minors with slightly imperfect timing, that wouldn’t fly when facing the tougher arms at the upper minors every day, let alone MLB.

“For any kid, the best advice I give is, if you can be ready for the pitch before the pitch is being thrown, you have the most time to recognize what pitch is coming,” said Emerson. “So if you can be set up and ready to fire right when he’s releasing it, you can be on time for that 100 mph fastball. And then, like, you can see, oh, he’s off it? Curveball.”

Post-spring training, by May of 2025, Emerson was already decreasing the leg kick. Here is the apex of his leg kick last spring training vs. what he was doing in late May with Everett:

Unsatisfied with his start to the 2025 season, he consulted video and talked with his dad, who has been his lifelong hitting coach. By June, Emerson had eliminated the leg kick entirely, shifting it to a simple toe tap, as he’d done before.

“I struggled to start off the year, and I was looking back at old videos and I saw a toe tap against Nathan Eovaldi, and he throws 99 but I was ready for it, I hit a double off him. So halfway through the season, I was like, why don’t I just try this?”

It took Emerson a few weeks to adjust, but early indications were good. How good?

Emerson in April/May: .242/.347/.366
EmersoninJune/July: .310/.426/.541

“I saw results immediately,” he said. “And you’re not always supposed to focus on results, but when I say results, I don’t mean stats. I mean the way the ball’s flying. I’m lining out, I’m hitting more doubles, I’m hitting for more power. All because it was allowing me to be ready before the pitcher.”

Emerson finished the 2025 season with a career-high 16 home runs: 11 at High-A Everett, another three after a late-season promotion to Double-A, and another two with Triple-A Tacoma as part of their playoff run.

That’s the same toe tap we’ve seen this spring. It’s consistent, whether he’s facing a righty:

Or a lefty:

For Emerson, the home run surge was nice, but what he’s really enthused about is his newfound ability to consistently hit to the pull side with power, even as he continues to focus on hitting the ball to all fields.

“The power uptick came because I was able to backspin pull-side balls and I was on time with fastballs, so I was able to turn on the fastball. My whole life I’ve had trouble pulling the ball with comfort. Like, I could do it, but it wasn’t comfortable, and I couldn’t do it consistently. It’s taken a lot of trial and error, but now I can.”

Change doesn’t necessarily come easily for Emerson, who prides himself on his consistency both in the field and in the box. His dad has been his hitting coach his whole life, he has a prescribed vocabulary he likes to use when talking about hitting, and his swing largely hasn’t changed from his days as a prep. But as he climbs the ladder towards MLB, he’s learning what it takes to make it and adjusting as he goes.

“Everybody in professional baseball has a good enough swing to play. Instead it’s, can you be on time for everything, make the adjustments when you need to make the adjustments, and stay on time? That’s the hardest part. And I don’t want to say that I figured it out, because no one ever figures out hitting, but I found something for me that I can stay consistent with the whole time.”

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

There is no debate the San Diego Padres have a talented roster. That talent comes from may states and countries and results in a chaotic Spring Training every three to four years when the World Baseball Classic takes players from teams across MLB to compete on a global stage.

The 2026 season is no different, although San Diego Platinum Glove right-fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is making his first appearance in the WBC for the Dominican Republic. He joins Padres teammates Manny Machado and Wandy Peralta on the roster. Xander Bogaerts will play for the Netherlands, Mason Miller will play for USA and Ron Marinaccio and Alek Jacob will play for Italy. Minor-leaguers Victor Lizarraga and Omar Cruz will play for Mexico. Yuki Matsui was originally committed to play for Japan, but an injury will keep him out of the WBC and may jeopardize his status for Opening Day.

With multiple players leaving the Peoria Sports Complex to join their WBC teams, there will be opportunities for more playing time and more exposure for the players remaining in camp. This is most important to a host of players who are competing for roster spots.

The projected lineup based on what manager Craig Stammen has been sending out throughout the spring looks something like this:

1. Xander Bogaerts – SS
2. Jackson Merrill – CF
3. Manny Machado – 3B
4. Fernando Tatis Jr. – RF
5. Gavin Sheets – 1B
6. Ramon Laureano – LF
7. Jake Cronenworth – 2B
8. Nick Castellanos – DH
9. Freddy Fermin – C

MLB teams are allowed a 26-man roster, and they typically split the roster with 13 position players and 13 starters and relievers. After the nine players in the lineup, that means the Padres have four bench spots available. We know one of those spots belongs to a backup catcher and Luis Campusano is the apparent leader for that position. There are three spots remaining.

It is hard to imagine San Diego would not keep Sung-Mun Song on the roster based on the amount he was paid in free agency. The same could be said for Miguel Andujar. That brings the total of position players on the roster to 12 and leaves one spot remaining to be decided between multiple players.

Bryce Johnson would have to be considered the favorite to fill the final roster spot as he is a speedy outfielder who could play all positions on the grass and could provide speed as a pinch-runner. Mason McCoy has shown himself to be a capable defender but does not provide much on offense. Ty France was added to shore up the first base position but does not have much position flexibility and the DH spot seems to be fairly settled between Castellanos, Andujar, Campusano (right-handers) and Sheets (left-hander). Jose Miranda has had a solid spring but only plays the corners of the infield and Samad Taylor is another speedster in the outfield but does not have the same familiarity with the organization as Johnson.

Considering all of this, which player stands to benefit from additional opportunities with WBC players being out of camp? That is the question Gaslamp Ball is asking its readers this week for the Padres Reacts Survey. Results will be posted later this week.

GOODYEAR, AZ − Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene is departing spring training to seek medical evaluations for what the team called right elbow stiffness. Team officials said they expect to have a more full view of Greene's situation by Tuesday, March 10.

Reds manager Terry Francona, along with President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall, told reporters on Wednesday, March 4 that Greene was returning to Cincinnati to see orthopedic surgeon and longtime Reds team doctor, Dr. Timothy Kremchek, on March 6. After that, Greene will consult with Los Angeles-based physician, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, on March 9 due to the stiffness.

Greene is also expected to have an MRI while in Cincinnati.

Greene started one Cactus League game on Feb. 28. He was scheduled to throw a side bullpen session March 3 and reported some stiffness after he woke up that morning. Krall said there wasn't any report that it was really bothering him prior to that.

"He's just not recovering the way, I think, he's comfortable and the ball's coming pretty good, as we saw, but we need to get this − you're asking the guy to go out there and throw as hard as he can," Francona said. "We need to make sure he's OK, so we'll have information, probably, Tuesday."

Greene said he'd been dealing with the issue toward the end of the 2025 season and pushed through it in the midst of the team's charge for the playoffs. Greene went 3-1 over his final eight starts in helping Cincinnati reach the postseason.

"My last five or six starts (in 2025), I had elbow discomfort and obviously, playoff push, so I pushed through it," Greene said. "Felt fine in the offseason. Got an injection about a week before spring training started. Discomfort came back so I've been managing it through camp so far, so we're gonna go check it. Get it looked at."

Greene said he had no injury to his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). He emphasized his desire to deal with any medical issue as early in the season as possible.

Francona and Krall said Greene wouldn't throw again this week. They were careful to not speculate on the injury, including Greene's possible availability for Opening Day, although Francona pointed out that missing a week of throwing wasn't advantageous for Greene in terms of Opening Day availability and starting the season on time.

Thursday, March 5 marks three weeks until Opening Day at Great American Ball Park when the Reds host the Boston Red Sox.

"We want to get it checked out, see what it is and we'll have more information for you Tuesday (March 5) after he sees Dr. ElAttrache," Krall said.

Krall said the Reds hadn't reached out to starting-pitcher free agents as a result of the Greene's issue. While there's nothing definitive about what Greene is dealing, the team entered spring training relatively well-situated to absorb an injury to a veteran starter and manage a gap in the rotation if it came to that.

Of course, the starter in question here packs 100-plus mph heat and was in 2025 part of the National League's early-season Cy Young Award chatter. Still, the Reds have liked their depth of starting pitching.

That depth is perhaps most evident in the four-man competition for the fifth spot in the rotation. That race included promising 23-year-olds Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns. Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar, who both have MLB experience and are coming off injury-rehab stints, are also considered candidates for the No. 5 spot.

The 22-year-old Chase Petty made his MLB debut in 2025, ultimately making two starts and appearing three times.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Hunter Greene injury update: Reds ace leaves spring training with elbow

Team USA faces the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday in Scottsdale, Arizona, the squad's last tune-up game before opening World Baseball Classic group play on Friday in Houston.

The Americans clobbered the San Francisco Giants 15-1 in their first exhibition game on Tuesday. Alex Bregman and Roman Anthony homered for Team USA in a contest started by NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, who gave up one run in three innings.

U.S. manager Mark DeRosa made some changes to his lineup to face the Rockies, with Will Smith, Gunnar Henderson and Ernie Clement in the starting nine. Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough will start for Team USA, while fellow southpaw Kyle Freeland – who played in the 2023 WBC – takes the mount for the Rockies to get things underway.

Follow for live updates:

How to watch Team USA vs Colorado Rockies

• Time: 3:10 p.m. ET/12:10 p.m. PT
• Where: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale, Arizona
• Stream: Fubo, MLB.TV, ESPN app

Team USA lineup today

1. Bobby Witt Jr., SS
2. Bryce Harper, 1B
3. Aaron Judge, RF
4. Kyle Schwarber, DH
5. Alex Bregman, 2B
6. Gunnar Henderson, 3B
7. Will Smith, C
8. Ernie Clement, LF
9. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF

Here's how we're lining up today against the Rockies ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/DgXDsMeEIL

— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 4, 2026

Team USA World Baseball Classic schedule

Pool play – Daikin Park, Houston

• March 6 vs. Brazil
• March 7 vs. Great Britain
• March 9 vs. Mexico
• March 10 vs. Italy

Knockout stage

• March 13/14: Quarterfinals in Houston
• March 15/16: Semifinals in Miami
• March 17: Final in Miami

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Team USA vs Rockies live updates, lineup, how to watch WBC exhibition

After a World Baseball Classic exhibition against Team Netherlands yesterday, the Orioles return to their Grapefruit League schedule with their first spring matchup against the Astros. It’s not exactly a recognizable lineup for Houston, whose batting order includes names like Joseph Sullivan, Lucas Spence, Colin Briggs, Ethan Frey, and Riley Unroe. (Once again, I have made up one of those names. Can you guess which one?)

Shane Baz will make his second start for the Orioles after working 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings with four strikeouts in his debut. The O’s will hope to play better defense today after committing four errors against the Netherlands, but with Coby Mayo at third base and Heston Kjerstad in right field, that might be easier said than done. Blaze Alexander starts at short in place of Gunnar Henderson, who has joined Team USA for the WBC. Tyler O’Neill has also left for the WBC, playing for Team Canada, opening up some outfield at-bats for Kjerstad and others for a while.

Orioles lineup:

CF Colton Cowser
LF Taylor Ward
C Adley Rutschman
1B Ryan Mountcastle
DH Pete Alonso
SS Blaze Alexander
RF Heston Kjerstad
3B Coby Mayo
2B Thairo Estrada

RHP Shane Baz

Mets lineup

1. A.J. Ewing – LF
2. Marcu Semien – 2B
3. Carson Benge – RF
4. Luis Torrens – C
5. Ryan Clifford – 1B
6. Tyrone Taylor – CF
7. Christian Arroyo – 3B
8. Vidal Bruján – SS
9. Austin Barnes – DH

SP: David Peterson

Israel lineup

1. Cole Carrig – SS
2. R.J. Schreck – CF
3. Jake Geolf – 3B
4. Garrett Stubbs – C
5. Zach Levenson – RF
6. Noah Mendlinger – LF
7. C.J. Stubbs – DH
8. Colby Halter – 2B
9. Jason Agresti – 1B

SP: Ben Simon

Broadcast info

First pitch: 1:10 PM ET
TV: Not this time
Radio: Sorry, no.

The St. Louis Cardinals continue their Spring Training schedule with an international game versus Nicaragua. According to MLB.com, Matthew Liberatore will start for St. Louis. The St. Louis Cardinals game preview shows that Dilmer Mejia will pitch for Nicaragua. If you’re a MLB.tv subscriber, you can listen to the game here. Here’s the lineup the Cardinals just announced on social media.

The team also shared pics of several Cardinals players and coaches who will be competing in the World Baseball Classic.

Detroit Tigers vs. Panama

Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., Joker Marchant Stadium –
Media: None

Starters today in Lakeland ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/kSICSL18pa

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 4, 2026

Detroit Tigers vs. Dominican Republic

Time/Place: 2:05 p.m., Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal – Santo Domingo, DR
Media: MLB Network, Tigers Radio Network

Day two in the DR. #WorldBaseballClassicpic.twitter.com/TjlXiiaj73

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 4, 2026

The Royals did not make big moves this offseason, but arguably the biggest move they made was signing All-Star infielder Maikel Garcia to a five-year, $57.5 million contract. The move rewards the 26-year-old for a breakout season and keeps him in Kansas City potentially through 2031, buying out two years of free agency.

But should the Garcia be the only player signed to a long-term deal? Spring training is sometimes when long-term deals are worked out. There are a few other Royals candidates worth considering.

Vinnie Pasquantino avoided arbitration with a two-year deal, but he would still have a year of arbitration before being eligible for free agency after the 2028 season. The first baseman has been a vocal leader on the team and had a breakout season with 32 home runs and 113 RBI, but the Royals have Jac Caglianone, whose natural position is first base, and Vinnie will be 31 by the time he hits free agency.

Cole Ragans is also on a short-term multi-year deal through 2027, but would also be eligible for free agency after the 2028 season. When healthy, he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball, but he has battled injury issues and has had two Tommy John surgeries in his career.

Lucas Erceg has proved to be a valuable bullpen weapon, and is not eligible for free agency until after 2029. The Royals may want to avoid arbitration with him by signing him to a long-term deal, although he is already in his 30s, which makes long-term deals a bit dicey.

Noah Cameron is coming off a terrific rookie season, but it may be worth locking him up to control costs and reward him for a breakout performance. If the Royals want to be aggressive, they could also sign Carter Jensen or Jac Caglianone to long-term deals. Signing players very early before they breakout is usually cheaper for teams, but it brings risk if that player does not reach his potential.

What do you think? Would you look to sign any other Royals players to long-term deals?