Category: MLB

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Spring Training is winding down, with the final slate of Friday games taking place today.

My MLB picks assess three of these March 20 tune-up affairs, looking for the best value on the board.

See why I'm taking the Braves to pick up yet another exhibition win tonight.

Spring Training predictions for March 20

Pick #1: Guardians moneyline

The Seattle Mariners are a putrid 9-17 in Cactus League play, with an MLB-worst -47 run differential in Spring Training, so I'm more than willing top back the Cleveland Guardians at a coin-flip price today.

Gabe Mosser gets the pill for Seattle, and he's sandwiched a rough five-run outing with two scoreless ones of two innings each. 

Cleveland has put up some crooked numbers of late, so I don't think Mosser will escape unscathed. 

Pick #2: Braves moneyline

Pittsburgh Pirates SP Yohan Ramirez has been just fine in Spring Training, allowing only two earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. However, Ramirez has yet to see the third inning through seven exhibition appearances.

This increases the chances of the Pirates deploying some depth arms that will get rocked by the Atlanta Braves' potent lineup.

The Braves have plated a Grapefruit League-best 138 runs. Bryce Elder does not need to bring his best to the mound for Atlanta to prevail today.

Pick #3: Diamondbacks moneyline

I like being able to back Arizona Diamondbacks SP Zac Gallen at coin-flip odds. He's been solid in Spring Training since last year, allowing one earned run or fewer in seven straight outings prior to Saturday's effort vs. San Francisco.

Gallen coughed up three earned runs in the Giants' stadium, but I think he can right the ship at home vs. the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

Countering Gallen is Jacob Misiorowski. He's been solid but unspectacular this spring, allowing three ER over 7 1/3 frames. He had an 8.10 ERA in exhibition play last season.

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The 2025 Cincinnati Reds won more games than they lost, finished 3rd in the National League Central, and still somehow found a way to sneak into the expanded playoff system (for a minute).

Clearly, Nick Krall and the rest of the front office think they’re on to something, as the club went out and signed slugger Eugenio Suárez off another 49 homer season and spent diligently to build a proven, competent bullpen. That’s all after an attempted pursuit of Kyle Schwarber – fresh off a 56 dinger season of his own – as evidence that this franchise is convinced they’ve got the chops to win even more games in 2026.

Where does that put them in the grand scheme, though? Did they do enough to leapfrog the Chicago Cubs in the division, the club who let Kyle Tucker walk? Have they built themselves up with another year of experience to tackle the mighty Milwaukee Brewers, who led all of baseball in wins last season?

Just how high will they finish in the division in 2026?

That’s what we asked you earlier this week, and your responses pretty clearly indicate that you’ve got higher expectations for the 2026 Reds than you did for last year’s club, too.

Over two-thirds of you anticipate these Reds finishing in one of the top two spots in the NL Central this season, meaning they’re going to have to not only take down one of the Cubs or Brewers but also fend off a Pittsburgh Pirates club that is much improved themselves.

It isn’t outlandish to expect such things as it currently stands. Elly De La Cruz is healthy again, while Matt McLain finally looks back to his old self with another offseason removed from his shoulder issues. Nate Lowe and JJ Bleday look to be savvy additions brought in on the cheap, and Sal Stewart is ready to roll for a full season. Hunter Greene’s absence is daunting, to be sure, but this team has drafted and acquired the kind of starting pitching depth that the rest of baseball desires – and Greene’s going to be back mid-summer, too.

It’s going to take ~90 wins to jump into the top two in the division, in all likelihood, and this is off an 83 win season from these Reds. So, you’re betting on there being enough improvement across the board for Terry Francona to guide this team to a place they’ve not been since all the way back in 2013.

I cannot tell you how much I hope you are correct.

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

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Earlier this week I asked you in the SB Nation Reacts survey who should be in right field for the Cubs if Seiya Suzuki is not ready for Opening Day.

Also earlier this week, Cubs manager Craig Counsell stated that Matt Shaw would be his choice to be in that position.

And the majority of you agreed with Counsell:

Honestly, I don’t think I agree with this choice. Shaw has looked… well, adequate at best in right field. He’s made a couple of misplays and the eye test says he doesn’t really have the arm for right field. Personally? If it were up to me, I’d put Dylan Carlson out there. He’s at least played the position before and he’s a switch-hitter. Carlson has also had a good spring and is almost certainly going to make the team.

When the update on Suzuki’s injury was made on Tuesday and the Cubs got the good news that it was “minor,” Counsell said he’d wait until Saturday to make a decision about whether Suzuki would open the year on the injured list. So, as always, we await developments.

There were three questions asked of all SB Nation Reacts survey members this week, all having to do with the World Baseball Classic and international baseball in general.

All of the first three answers were good things about the WBC. Certainly, high-intensity baseball, the choice of the plurality, was a good thing. But I liked the player energy and celebrations and that was my choice. That’s the sort of thing we don’t often see in MLB, and I really liked seeing players from countries like Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and others really seem to be having fun. Even the Italian-Americans representing Italy made the WBC a happy place with their espresso machine celebration. Speaking of which…

Can’t disagree with that one.

I voted for “it should happen more often.” I really enjoy these events, as well as MLB teams playing overseas. Having gone to both the London Series and Tokyo Series games in which the Cubs were involved, I can tell you that even in the UK, not a baseball hotbed, people seemed into the event. And Japanese folks were just overjoyed to have the Tokyo Series.

I am not sure when the next WBC will be held — I have read both 2029 and 2030. The date will likely be part of the next CBA negotiation. Again, as always, we await developments.

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This edition of SB Nation Reacts is sponsored by FanDuel.

Less than a week away from the start of the 2026 regular season, the St. Louis Cardinals will send Matthew Liberatore to the mound for a Spring Training matchup against the New York Mets at Clover Park with a start time of 12:10pm. MLB.com shows that the Mets will start Tobias Myers.

As usual, this figures to be the strongest division in baseball — one where you could make an argument for four teams and if you squinted really hard, a fifth one as well. Still, this division has sent the American League representative to the World Series for the past two seasons in a row and there’s every opportunity for this collection of clubs to make it three in a row.

Baltimore Orioles

2025 season: 75-87

When do they play the Braves: Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25 at 7:05 p.m. ET. Sunday, July 26 at 1:35 p.m. ET. All games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

I feel like the Braves and Orioles are kindred spirits. Both teams had big expectations for 2025. Both teams fell flat on their faces for various reasons. Both teams went into the offseason needing at least one more starting pitcher in order to really seem set for the upcoming season. The Orioles were the ones who went into the free agent market in order to pick up a starter, as they’ll now be heading into the season with Chris Bassitt joining their pitching staff.

Bassitt will be joining the likes of Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Shane Baz, Dean Kremer and Zach Eflin. While none of these guys are particularly dominant in their own right, that’s a rotation that could certainly give any lineup fits on any given day and honestly, you can do a lot better than having five decent arms instead of one great arm and four arms who have plenty of flaws. That’s not to say that this crew doesn’t have their flaws — their ceiling is low and their floor is pretty low as well, so while the O’s could have a perfectly fine rotation, it’s also possible that this crew ends up being a liability like they were last season.

It also doesn’t help that the bullpen doesn’t have a lot to write home about. Ryan Helsley is here now but he’ll have a lot to prove after he somehow finished with a 4.50 ERA and 4.14 FIP in 2025. Even with all of the concerns that Helsley has going into this season, he still appears to be the best hurler in this bullpen — which may or may not be concerning. Andrew Kittredge won’t be here for Opening Day, either, so this relief corps will already be a bit shorthanded heading into the upcoming season.

Speaking of shorthanded, that’s how this lineup will be as well. Jordan Westburg’s elbow injury is going to keep him out through at least April and then they’ll also be missing Jackson Holliday to start the season. They do have Pete Alonso at first base now and Baltimore is hoping that his power-hitting will become contagious with a lineup that has spent a long time scuffling now. If everybody lives up to what’s on the back of their baseball cards then they may be able to slug their way out of any holes that the pitching staff may leave them in if they aren’t clicking as well. If not then this could be a long Summer in Baltimore. Sounds familiar, right?

Boston Red Sox

2025 season: 89-73

When do they play the Braves: Three-game series May 15-17 at Truist Park, Three-game series May 26-28 at Fenway Park

Atlanta’s traditional interleague rivals appear primed to make another push for the Postseason. If that happens then Roman Anthony is going to have a lot to say about it. As his presence on Team USA during the WBC would seem to indicate, he appears to be on a star trajectory and he’ll also have to be the straw that stirs the drink for this lineup. He’ll also have to pride most of the power, since this team’s Achilles heel may be their lack of power-hitting. Maybe we’ll see Willson Contreras smack baseballs all around Fenway but outside of that, this team is definitely lacking a bit when it comes to real slugging and it could come back to bite them when it comes to making noise in October.

Boston’s rotation certainly appears ready to pick up the slack. Garrett Crochet is a superstar, Ranger Suárez is a great addition to this rotation and his presence should help take some pressure off of fellow addition Sonny Gray. Gray should settle into the middle of this rotation alongside Brayan Bello and Johan Oviedo has the potential to return to what he was before he went down due to Tommy John surgery a while back. Meanwhile with the relievers, Aroldis Chapman continues to be Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock is also an impactful arm coming out of the pen. Those two will help shorten games at the end of this bullpen but the Red Sox are likely going to be hoping that their starters can get straight to these two without any issues because there isn’t a lot of quality behind them.

Overall, the Red Sox seem like a Postseason contender — it’s just a matter of how they’ll fare in the always-tough AL East. If all goes well for them (mainly if they can start hitting the ball hard and if the rotation can carry them to glory) then a divisional title is certainly possible. If the power outage continues then they’ll be on the outside looking in or having to scratch and claw for another Wild Card spot.

New York Yankees

2025 season: 94-68

When do they play the Braves: August 7 at 7:05 p.m. ET, August 8 at 3:05 p.m. ET and August 9 at 1:35 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees have essentially decided to run it back, as they certainly didn’t have a flashy offseason by any means. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for a team that basically sauntered into the Postseason last year — even though they came up short in the divisional race. Perhaps that’s why the grumbling amongst Yankees fans that they’re choosing to simply go again with what they’ve got could be understandable.

As such, any preview that you’ve seen about the Yankees from 2025 could largely be applied to 2026. We know what Aaron Judge is going to provide. We know what Max Fried is going to provide. Will Trent Grisham slot into center field as a perfect fit for this team? Will Ryan Weathers serve as a reliable rotation arm for this group of starters? Will the rotation be able to stay afloat before both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón make their return from injury?

Outside of those questions, there’s a lot to like here(as much as you can like about the New York Yankees) with this squad. There’s a reason why they won 94 games last season and could’ve been primed for a rematch with the Dodgers in the World Series. However, they’ll have to be just as good this season if they want to reclaim their spot on the top of the American League mountain.

Tampa Bay Rays

2025 season: 77-85

When do they play the Braves: September 8 and 9 at 7:15 p.m. ET. September 10 at 12:15 p.m. at Truist Park.

Well, the good news is that the Rays will be back in their home of Tropicana Field as it appears to be ready for big league baseball once again following the disastrous effects of Hurricane Milton. They’re going to need a lot to go their way in order to contend in this division, as they appear to be the fifth-best team in a five-horse race of thoroughbreds.

That’s not to say that all hope is lost here, as the Rays have managed to defy expectations in the past in order to upset the apple cart in this division. The issue is that the Rays are clearly short on talent compared to the rest of the division. Sure, Junior Caminero is looking like a star and he’s got guys like Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Díaz around him but outside of that, you have to look really hard to find some talent that’s ready to make impact production right now. This is a young team that’s going through a retooling and unelss there are some more surprise breakouts, this team seems destined to be fighting just to avoid the AL East cellar.

The pitching staff should be very good, though, which is why you shouldn’t write them off as being an also-ran. If Shane McClanahan can return to form now that he’s finally healthy then he should perfectly compliment a rotation that also has the likes of Drew Rasmussen and Ryan Pepiot as well. The bottom portion of this rotation overperforming would be crucial to seeing this team pull off a magical run. Steven Matz and Nick Martinez would have to be rock solid — or they could just wait for their hot prospects (like Joe Boyle and Ian Seymour) to emerge and maybe they could hit the ground running. The bullpen would also have to be way more effective outside of Griffin Jax and Edwin Uceta (once he’s healthy) in order for Tampa Bay to make it happen.

On paper, this is a last place team in the AL East. In reality? The Rays have shocked us all before and it’ll have to be a major shock again if they can become a contender in 2026.

Toronto Blue Jays

2025 season: 94-68

When do they play the Braves: June 2-4, all at 7:15 p.m. ET at Truist Park

The fact that the Dodgers had to completely empty the tank in order to beat this team should tell you the quality that this team had last season. The good news is that they’re bringing back most of the players from that run. The bad news is that they’ve lost Bo Bichette and also outfield slugger Anthony Santander is going to be out long-term. Toronto did manage to add Jesús Sánchez in order to help cover for that huge loss of production and they also added Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce to their rotation as well. The Kazuma Okamoto signing seems like a perfect fit for them as well.

The big question for the Jays is whether or not they’ll have the same level of production from both their stars and some unexpected sources as well. George Springer producing a 5.2 fWAR season at Age-35 out of nowhere was massive for them and it’s tough to envision them reaching those same heights without him at least coming close to that level of production. Still, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is here, Alejandro Kirk is here and the rest of the lineup is rock solid as well. Toronto’s rotation is also filled to. the brim with talent and they’ve got a perfectly reliable closer in Jeff Hoffman as well. Everything came together for the Blue Jays last season and yet they came up painfully short. Will they have the fortitude to make sure it all comes together again so they can return? We’ll see what happens.

Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., BayCare Ballpark – Clearwater, FL
SB Nation Site:The Good Phight
Media: MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

First pitch against the Boston Red Sox is at 1:05 at Charlotte Sports Park and the Rays will be providing tv and radio coverage.

Spring Training is winding down.

The Jays sent some regulars to Fort Myers to play the Twins and Max Scherzer gets the start. Straw, Lukes, and Sanchez are playing in the outfield. Schneider is there to DH. And Tyler Heineman and Leo Jimenez are playing too.

I’ve enjoyed watching Arjun Nimmala and Josh Kasevich too and they are playing. You get the feeling that, at some point, both will be part of the team.

We’ve hit the time of the spring that I’m looking for better at bats from the players, more like how they want to look in the regular season.

Simeon Woods Richardson starts for the Twins, so we can get a sense of what could have been.

The Twins have a little news, Liam Hendriks has been ‘given his release’. He had an opt out one week before opening day if the team didn’t add him to the 40-man and the Twin choose not to. He threw 6 spring innings, allowing 7 hits, 2 earned, 3 walks and 4 strikeouts.

The Dodgers added pitcher Logan Allen on a minor league deal, Shi Davidi of SportsNet reported on Thursday. Allen on Thursday himself posted pictures of himself at Camelback Ranch on Instagram as well.

Allen pitched in parts of five seasons in the majors, the last coming in 2024 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 45 career games, including 15 starts, Allen has a 5.79 ERA in 124 1/3 innings, with 89 strikeouts and 52 walks for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Baltimore Orioles, and Diamondbacks.

Last season, Allen had a 4.53 ERA in 32 games, including 31 starts for the NC Dinos in the Korea Baseball Organization, with 149 strikeouts and 67 walks in 173 innings.

The left-hander, who allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings in two relief appearances for Canada in the World Baseball Classic, turns 29 in May.

There’s another left-handed pitcher named Logan Allen in the majors, a starter for Cleveland, who pitched for Panama during the WBC. Ahead of the March 8 game in Pool A between Canada and Panama, both Logans Allen had a face-off after the national anthem to see which one would remain on the field the longest, akin to Scott Van Slyke and Joe Kelly during the 2013 National League Championship Series in St. Louis.

Allen is the second former major league pitcher to sign a minor league deal with the Dodgers after spending 2025 in the KBO. Left-hander Cole Irvin made 28 starts for Doosan last season before signing with the Dodgers in February. Irvin pitched in four Cactus League games, including two starts, before getting reassigned to minor league camp on March 16.

Should Allen end up in the majors with the Dodgers, he is out of minor league options, having used them from 2019-21 while with San Diego and Cleveland.

As the Houston Astros inch closer to Opening Day, it’s time to confront an increasingly uncomfortable reality: this roster already has some notable “have-nots,” particularly in the bullpen.

The team entered camp knowing it would be without closer Josh Hader to begin the season as he continues to recover from a bicep issue. That alone was a significant hurdle. But now, the situation has become more complicated with the announcement that Bennett Sousa will also start the season on the injured list due to an oblique injury.

For manager Joe Espada, this creates an immediate challenge. The late-inning blueprint has been disrupted before the first pitch of the regular season is even thrown.

A Bullpen Suddenly in Flux

Souza was expected to play a key role in the seventh or eighth inning, helping bridge the gap to Bryan Abreu. Had he been healthy, alongside left-handers Brian King and Steven Okert, the Astros would have boasted a rare strength: a surplus of reliable left-handed options in the bullpen.

Instead, what once looked like a strength now feels uncertain.

The question becomes clear: how do the Astros construct a bullpen capable of holding leads and keeping games within reach while they wait for key arms to return?

Internal Options Begin to Emerge

One name that stands out is Enyel De Los Santos. The Astros saw enough from him last season to trust him in higher-leverage situations. Armed with an above-average fastball, he has proven capable of getting outs when it matters most.

Although slowed this spring by a knee injury, De Los Santos remains a strong candidate to make the roster, especially given his contract situation and lack of minor league options.

Another intriguing piece is A.J. Blubaugh. If the Astros stick with a six-man rotation, he is likely headed to Triple-A Sugar Land to stay stretched out as a starter. Still, his versatility makes him a potential long-relief option. Wherever he’s used, he has shown the ability to get outs at the major league level, I just don’t think it will be on Opening Day.

Then there’s Roddery Munoz, who may have an inside track to make the team. As a Rule 5 selection, the Astros risk losing him if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster. After a slow start this spring where he had me wondering if he would even make it through camp, he has settled in nicely. He has consistantly been showing improved command and the ability to limit walks, which could be another factor in what ultimately tips the scales in his favor. The theme that you will notice throughout this column is simple, experience matters.

Starters Transitioning to Relief Roles

What’s particularly interesting is that many of the Astros’ current bullpen options are starters by trade. The organization appears to be leaning on flexibility, asking several arms to adapt to relief roles while remaining stretched out for potential spot starts. Houston has been known for starting pitching depth in the last few years and this year is no exception. The names may not be as recognizable, but the ability still seems to be there.

Two names that fit this mold are Kai-Wei Teng and Peter Lambert. Both bring major league experience and offer the kind of plug-and-play reliability teams value over a long season. Both guys would prefer to start if given the choice, but the chance to secure a spot on the roster has put them in the pen to earn a role with their flexibility.

Lambert, in particular, has turned heads this spring. Initially overlooked, he has pitched his way into serious consideration for a bullpen spot. Adding urgency to the decision is his ability to opt out of his contract if not added to the roster, making him a compelling case to secure a spot on the 40-man and putting additional pressure on the organization.

The Bigger Picture

General manager Dana Brown has no shortage of starting pitching depth, but that may not solve the immediate issue. The real challenge lies in determining which of those arms can successfully transition into relief roles and do so quickly enough to stabilize the bullpen.

At this point, filling out the bullpen isn’t just another roster decision, it’s arguably the most pressing issue facing the Astros heading into the season.

And there’s another possibility looming.

As other teams begin to finalize their rosters and make cuts, the Astros could look outside the organization for help. Adding a veteran arm not currently in camp may ultimately be the move that solidifies this group, at least until reinforcements return.

Final Thought

The Astros still have options, but they also have questions and lots of them. How they answer those questions over the next several days could go a long way in determining how steady (or shaky) this team looks out of the gate.

One thing is certain: the margin for error is already thinner than expected.

Today’s game features two of the best starting pitchers in the game: Reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal versus 2025 NL Cy Young runner up Cristopher Sanchez, who is making his return to the Grapefruit League after a wonderful overall performance in the World Baseball Classic. The Phillies also have Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber back from the WBC.

Here are the lineups, let’s discuss.

For the Phillies:

Harper, Schwarber and Sánchez are back from the WBC! pic.twitter.com/r7stcsPobR

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) March 20, 2026

For the Tigers:

tigs in Clearwater ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/N53jSciovC

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 20, 2026

From driver’s licenses to Tinder, there’s something about men lying about their height baked into the fabric our society — but only in MLB can it result in a competitive advantage, until now. Baseball is implementing its Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system this season, after undergoing a trial in 2025, and that means every player in baseball is getting accurately measured for the system, with some hilarious results.

We’re seeing a lot of players who claimed they were over 6’0 suddenly fall below the mark. Alex Bregman, who recently signed with the Chicago Cubs, has magically shrunk from six-foot, which he was listed as with the Houston Astros, to 5’11 with the Red Sox, now 5’10 in Chicago. Similarly Gavin Lux, previously a strapping 6’1 27-year-old, has now lost some inches as well.

THAT IS SOME SERIOUS SHRINKAGE pic.twitter.com/Sb72fCV3MY

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) March 20, 2026

This is happening because the league has to get accurate strike zone data for every single player, which means getting their full and accurate measurements. In order to do this they’ve needed to codify what the strike zone is across all of baseball, moving away from looser the interpretation of “top of the pants to the batter’s shoulders.”

Specifically, the strike zone is now defined as 17 inches across the plate for all players, but in terms of height the zone now starts at 27% of the player’s height, falling roughly around the waist of most players, and extends to 53.5% of the player’s height. MLB says this is a general reduction from umpire rulings, which they found averaged out to be 24.2% to 55.6% — which in turn means a smaller strike zone, and fewer strikes as a result.

Theoretically lying about your height in the past should have been a disadvantage, but umpires were paying attention to what they saw — not the figure on paper. If a ball went above your shoulders or below your belt it was a ball, regardless of the height ratios of players. Now that balls and strikes can be challenges thee has to be accurate measuring for the ABS software to work off.

Interesting MLB attempted to try and use a 3D model that turned the strike zone into a cube, but claimed it caused issues. Adding depth to the equation allowed pitchers to paint unnatural corners of the strike zone that ABS would have claimed was a strike — but didn’t make sense under the former understanding of the zone. So MLB scrapped the experiment and will instead use ABS on a 2D plane, much as we’ve come to understand the zone in the past.

Now you know why some of your favorite players might rock up at the plate seeming more like short kings that the strapping six-footers they’ve been claiming for years. Personally, as a sub-six foot man myself, just own it boys. Nothing wrong with being a little shorter — except when it comes to buying dress pants. Screw the inseam measurements of dress pants when you’re shorter.

With spring training winding down, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza discussed a number of topics on Friday ahead of their game against the St. Louis Cardinals on SNY...

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Latest on Francisco Alvarez

There was a small scare on Thursday asAlvarez exited New York's spring training game early after his back tightened up on him. Mendoza said it was for precautionary reasons and called him day-to-day. 

The manager gave another update Friday, saying Alvarez felt the tightness after Wednesday's off day and was happy he chose not to push it. If all goes well, the catcher will be back in the lineup on Saturday.

"Better. Saw him earlier this morning, was getting treatment. Definitely feeling better, moving around fine," Mendoza said. "The plan is for him to go through his workout, he's going to swing the bat. Everything goes well, he's back in the lineup tomorrow."

Alvarez will look to stay healthy and cap off his strong spring, as he's gone 8-for-22 (.364) at the plate with three doubles, one home run, and four RBI across 10 games.

Regular season pitching plan

Mendoza wasted no time in naming Freddy Peralta the Opening Day starting pitcher after just three spring training games on Feb. 27. 

With Opening Day less than a week away on March 26, the manager shared a loose plan for how things may look in the second and third games of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team will have minor leaguers start on Saturday and Sunday to round out the Grapefruit League, and then play an intrasquad game on Monday that will feature Nolan McLean vs. Sean Manaea.

"And then on Monday, that game that we have here, it'll be McLean versus Manaea... do the math," Mendoza said with a laugh.

He added on McLean: "Probably game three."

When asked if Manaea will start game two of the regular season, Mendoza said, "We'll see," with a smirk.

New York has still not confirmed it will begin the year with a six-man rotation, but Mendoza gave some more insight into how the rotation may look. He noted that Peralta will be pitching on the backfields Friday instead of facing the Cardinals, since the Mets play them in the second series of the regular season. 

"There's a chance he could face them," Mendoza said, indicating that the team could keep Peralta on regular rest even with the six-man rotation. 

That would mean one starter (one of David Peterson, Clay Holmes, or Kodai Senga) likely wouldn't pitch until the seventh game of the season. 

Opening Day roster decisions

In addition to figuring out the rotation, Mendoza and the Mets will need to finalize their Opening Day roster in the coming days. 

Many expect Carson Benge to make the team as the starting right fielder, joining Juan Soto and Luis Robert Jr. in the outfield. Tyrone Taylor is a lock for the bench, in addition to Luis Torrens and Mark Vientos, giving the team one more spot if they go with the six-man rotation.

Mike Tauchman could earn that role after a strong spring, but that would mean New York would be carrying five outfielders and no backups who play shortstop.

With Bo Bichette getting the start at short on Friday, his first time playing his old position this year, Mendoza discussed how the roster could look on Opening Day when asked about carrying five outfielders.

"Yeah I think everything is on the table," Mendoza said. "Again, we still got three or four more days. I'm not anticipating this decision any time soon. I think we are going to go all the way to the last day, not only here in camp, but once we get to New York.

"We could go in a lot of different ways here. And that's why Bo is getting that opportunity today at shortstop."

Mendoza added that it'll be good for Bichette to get some "familiar" work in at short, knowing that Francisco Lindor will be playing every game possible. The other potential bench spot, if not Tauchman, could go to Vidal Brujan, who can play everywhere on the diamond except catcher.

Tobias Myers' role

When the Mets acquired Myers in the Peralta trade with Milwaukee, it was unclear if the team planned to use him as a starter or out of the bullpen.

The 27-year-old will start on Friday against St. Louis in Grapefruit League action, but it will look more like a regular season relief appearance.

"He's very versatile," Mendoza said. "We got six starters that are healthy. Knock on wood here, he's gonna be pitching out of the bullpen in a multi-inning role. This is a guy that is going to get big outs for us. He's gonna pitch in a lot of different situations -- high leverage, medium leverage, low leverage if we need to. 

"And if we go that route where there's a need for starting pitching, he's in the consideration. That's why we got him built him up to almost 70 pitches. Now, it's more like how we'll potentially be using him in the regular season. Today, he's only going to go a couple of innings, no more than 35 pitches."

Mendoza noted the team is being "mindful" of how they use Myers in case of an early-season injury to one of the six starters. The right-hander has made 31 career starts out of his 49 appearances, but 25 of them came during the 2024 season as he pitched mostly out of the bullpen in 2025.

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Tyrone Taylor – CF
3. Bo Bichette – SS
4. Mark Vientos – DH
5. Mike Tauchman – LF
6. Vidal Brujan – 2B
7. Jared Young – 1B
8. Hayden Senger – C
9. Antonio Jimenez – 3B

Tobias Myers – RHP

Cardinals Lineup

1. JJ Wetherholt – DH
2. Ramon Urias – 2B
3. Ivan Herrera – C
4. Jordan Walker – RF
5. Thomas Saggese – CF
6. Yohel Pozo – 1B
7. Jose Fermin – 3B
8. Nathan Church – LF
9. Brody Moore – SS

Andre Pallante – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 1:10 PM EDT
TV: MLBN (out-of-market only), SNY, ESPN Unlimited
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Just last summer, Bryce Eldridge wasn’t sure where to position himself on relays from the outfield. He lacked other fundamentals that only come with experience at first base, such as tracking the batter, not the ball, when a pitch is on the way.

The Giants’ top prospect didn’t make their Opening Day roster, but the 21-year-old first baseman believes he put to rest this spring any doubts about his defensive future.

“My defense was always something that was kind of a question mark to these guys,” Eldridge told the California Post hours before he was optioned out of camp Thursday. “I think I played a damn good first. If you put me up with some of the best, I think I’m an above-average big-league first baseman.”

Whether or not Eldridge could crack the Opening Day roster was poised to be one of the most intriguing questions of Tony Vitello’s first spring training as the Giants’ manager.

Eldridge made his MLB debut last September, but he still only has 84 games above Double-A.

Despite his lack of experience, Eldridge made the decision about more than his defense.

“I think everyone was wondering about (his) position,” Vitello said. “But I think he showed real potential to not just be over at first base, but to be a quality defender at first base.”

In a twist, the prospect known for his prowess at the plate looked more uncomfortable in the batter’s box than he did on the infield dirt. The Giants would like to see Eldridge strike out less than his 38.7% rate this spring and, as Vitello said, “as big and strong as he is, just to be more dangerous at the plate.” Meaning: More consistently laying off pitches outside the zone.

“I think he showed he is a major-league player,” general manager Zack Minasian told the Post. “We’ve talked about him defensively, just getting more comfortable at first base in all facets. I think he’s done a good job there. Offensively, it’s huge, huge upside. I think him putting the ball in play consistently is a big deal.”

The assignment to Triple-A Sacramento should allow Eldridge to get everyday reps in at first base, in the batter’s box — and on the base paths, his next area of improvement. Base running mechanics are all the more important with Eldridge’s large, lanky frame, and he wasn’t on first base much this spring with six of his nine hits going for extra bases.

“It’s hard to keep your body under control when you’re this long and this big,” Eldridge said. “Learning how to run and use good mechanics isn’t something I’ve ever practiced, kind of like how I had never really practiced first before.”

In that case, the Giants should feel good about Eldridge’s ability to pick it up.

Vitello’s first interaction with Eldridge came when he was still a teenager and the Giants manager was attempting to recruit him to Tennessee. At the time, Eldridge was still splitting time between the mound and the outfield. He didn’t pick up a first baseman’s mitt until his first full professional season, in 2024, as he climbed from A-ball to Triple-A in the same year.

Eldridge initially struggled to make some routine plays. This spring, he made some that were only possible for somebody with an athletic, 6-foot-7 build and an understanding how to use it.

“There were several plays that I don’t know many other first basemen make,” Vitello said, commending the improvements in his footwork and the intent behind his work.

Eldridge has taken part in Ron Washington’s famously intense infield drills. He has been coached up by another legendary Giants first baseman in Will Clark. Last year, he struck up a close bond with J.T. Snow, a six-time Gold Glove winner at first base — four with the Giants.

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Snow visited Eldridge twice in Sacramento, where he told the Post that the young first baseman “opened up” about his defensive shortcomings and “got better” because of it.

“Everybody in the organization agreed he was better than day one,” Snow said. “That’s because we worked really hard. … We really got close in Sacramento.”

Eldridge told him he was confused about cutoffs and relays. Snow told him to read the third-base coach to see whether the runner is being waved home. Eldridge would set up before the pitch and lock in on the ball as it traveled to home plate.

“I said, no no no. We don’t do that,” Snow said. “We watch him wind up and we shift our eyes to the hitting zone. You focus on the catcher and the hitting zone. He never knew that because he signed out of high school and he’s 20 years old.”

Eldridge now has more than 200 games at first base under his belt. He added another 19 this spring. He would have had to contend with Rafael Devers for playing time at first base with the big-league club, but there should be no obstacle to him playing the field in Sacramento.

As for those little things he worked on with Snow, Eldridge said, “I definitely feel like I got all those things down.”

“Those are things that, over time, you don’t have to think about as much,” he said. “It’s just gonna take experience and reps, and I’m getting to that point where I’ve had pretty decent experience and taken a lot of reps.”

If there was any doubt about how seriously Eldridge was being considered for the Opening Day roster, look no further than his playing time: Only one player logged more plate appearances.

The Giants were determined to give him a serious look.

They saw enough to be confident that it won’t be long until they see him again.

Vitello said Eldridge took it “like a pro” when he delivered the hard news on Thursday.

“He’s gonna be with us at some point,” Vitello said. “We want him to be ready to rock and roll. I think he will be based off his work ethic and character.”