CLEARWATER, Fla. – On the final day of spring training Monday, a couple of important Phillies matters came into focus:
Zack Wheeler’s timetable for a potential return to the rotation.
And Rob Thomson’s lineup.
Moments after a 7-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, and a couple of hours before his team was to board a flight back to Philadelphia in preparation for Thursday’s season opener, Thomson revealed that Wheeler would begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment at Triple A Lehigh Valley on Saturday.
Wheeler is scheduled to pitch three innings against the Toledo Mud Hens, game time 4:35 p.m. Pitchers can spend up to 30 days on minor-league rehab, though the assignment can be paused if need be. Barring any setbacks, Wheeler’s rehab stint would end during the final week of April. And it could end sooner than that if he’s ready to return to the majors.
Wheeler had surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome in September and the Phillies took a methodical approach with him in spring training. He graduated to a simulated game against minor league hitters on Monday, threw 29 pitches and reported no problems.
“It was a successful spring,” Wheeler said after striking out four of the eight hitters he faced in the simulated game. “It was good to check this box and have no setbacks as we move through camp to be able to get to this point.”
As for the lineup, Thomson went with a largely familiar look in the spring finale. Trea Turner led off in front of Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm. Bryson Stott, who had a strong spring, hit fifth, giving the Phils a lefty bat behind Bohm, followed by righty-hitting Adolis Garcia. Brandon Marsh, J.T. Realmuto and rookie Justion Crawford rounded out the bottom third.
The Phillies face Texas right-hander Nathan Eovaldi on Thursday. Thomson said he would likely go with a similar lineup.
“Pretty close,” he said. “Probably.”
Throughout the winter, it was speculated Thomson could hit Harper second and Schwarber third.
“We had a lot of success with (Schwarber batting second and Harper batting third) last year,” Thomson said. “That could switch, too. We’ll take it game by game. We’re open to making some moves.”
Thomson said he gave his lineup a lot of thought and spoke to his hitters about it.
“All those guys like to hit where they’re hitting, that’s part of it,” he said. “But we still have to have success with it or we’ll have to make some changes. Right now, we’ll go this way.”
Jesus Luzardo, who will start the third game of the season Sunday against Texas, finished a strong spring by pitching into the sixth. He reached 88 pitches, allowed two runs, struck out six and walked two.
The Phillies finished the spring 10-17-2. Most importantly, they stayed healthy. Two rookies, Crawford and Andrew Painter, earned spots on the roster with high numbers on their backs. On Thursday, they will trade in their football numbers, Painter for 24 and Crawford for 2.
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On Nov. 10, 2020, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen claimed “If [we] don’t win a World Series in the next three to five years — I would like to make it sooner — I would consider that slightly disappointing.”
Sadly, that five-year period has come and gone.
And, while this upcoming season looks promising, there’s only one true guarantee the Amazins’ can make to fans:
That the ballpark experience at Citi Field is unmatched.
From the Mets Hall of Fame to the mini museum to the mouth-watering meal options to the Big Apple in center field to singing Louis Prima’s “Che La Luna” loud and proud after the seventh inning stretch, there’s always a good time to be had in Flushing on game days.
This year, they’re sweetening the pot with their impressive slate of giveaways.
Just a few of the most exciting freebies on the docket include:
1986 World Series Championship Replica RingSaturday, March 28 Juan Soto 40/30 BobbleheadSaturday, April 11 1986 World Series Champion Retro T-ShirtTuesday, May 26 Bobby Valentine DisguiseFriday, May 29 Marcus Semien Replica JerseyJune 24
In total, there are 15 giveaway days from March through June.
Throw in the fact that you get to see Cohen, Carlos Mendoza and David Stearns’ re-tooled club with new stars Freddy Peralta, Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco along with fan favorites Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Nolan McLean and you’ve got yourself a steal.
Plus, who knows?
Maybe Cohen was just a year off in his bold World Series prediction.
A Fall Classic victory 40 years after the Mets’ last would be pretty sweet.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about all of the New York Mets’ March through June 2026 Citi Field giveaways below.
New York Mets home game tickets
Inventory to see the New York Mets live is available on all verified ticketing sites.
We recommend checking out StubHub, Ticketmaster and Vivid Seats to find the seats that makes the most sense for you.
New York Mets season tickets
Diehard fans who want to don blue and orange every time the Amazin’s are at home, you’re in luck.
New York Mets season tickets can be picked up as early as today, right here, right now.
We’ll see you at Citi Field this year … a lot.
New York Mets 2026 giveaway dates
A complete calendar of all Mets giveaway home games, including dates, opponents, freebies and links to buy tickets, can be found here:
Mets’ giveaway dates
Pirates vs. MetsThursday, March 26 2026 Magnet Schedule
Pirates vs. MetsSaturday, March 28 1986 World Series Championship Replica Ring
Pirates vs. MetsSunday, March 29 Five-Borough Race Kids Puzzle
A’s vs. MetsSaturday, April 11 Juan Soto 40/30 Bobblehead
Rockies vs. MetsSaturday, April 25 Mr. Met at the Unisphere Light-Up Bobblehead
Reds vs. MetsTuesday, May 26 1986 World Champions Retro T-Shirt
Marlins vs. MetsFriday, May 29 Bobby Valentine Disguise
Cardinals vs. MetsThursday, June 11 Mets Soccer Jersey
Braves vs. MetsSaturday, June 13 Hello Kitty Bobblehead
Braves vs. MetsSunday, June 14 Crayola Color Your Own Mrs. Met Bobblehead
Cubs vs. MetsMonday, June 22 Mets Purse
Cubs vs. MetsTuesday, June 23 Mets Chain Necklace
Cubs vs. MetsWednesday, June 24 Marcus Semien Replica Jersey
Cubs vs. MetsThursday, June 25 Juan Soto Baseball Card Bobblehead
Phillies vs. MetsFriday, June 26 Mets Pride Sleeveless Jersey
Note: Most freebies will be given to the first 15,000 or 18,000 fans. The one exception is the five-borough race kids puzzle and Color Your Own Mrs. Met bobblehead; they’ll be doled out to the first 5,000 attendees to enter that game day.
Key Mets home games
Every game counts but some come with a little added intrigue.
Here are 10 Mets huge home games at Citi Field — against heated rivals and the return of fan favorites who departed over the offseason — we’re already reserving tickets for this year.
Important 2026 New York Mets home games
Pirates vs. MetsThursday, March 26Opening Day
Athletics vs. MetsFriday, April 10Jeff McNeil’s first game back
Yankees vs. MetsFriday, May 15
Yankees vs. MetsSaturday, May 16
Yankees vs. MetsSunday, May 17
Braves vs. MetsFriday, June 12First game against Atlanta
Cubs vs. MetsMonday, June 22First game against Chicago
Phillies vs. MetsFriday, June 26First game against Philadelphia
Dodgers vs. MetsFriday, July 24Edwin Diaz’s first game back
Orioles vs. MetsMonday, Sept. 14Pete Alonso’s first game back
New York Mets full 2026 schedule
Fans that plan on seeing Bichette, Lindor, Soto and the squad away from Citi Field can catch the Amazin’s on the road all spring and summer long including three-game stint at Yankee Stadium from Sept. 11-13.
Want to be there?
Tickets for all New York Mets game from March through September can be grabbed here.
Fireworks nights at Citi Field
At the time of publication, there are four Flushing fireworks nights scheduled this spring and summer. You’ll find everything you need to know about them below.
Citi Field fireworks nights
Marlins vs. MetsFriday, May 29 at 7:10 p.m.
Braves vs. MetsFriday, June 12 at 7:15 p.m.
Dodgers vs. MetsFriday, July 24 at 7:10 p.m.
Nationals vs. MetsFriday, Aug. 14 at 7:10 p.m.
New York Mets food
Our excitement for Citi Field this year isn’t reserved for just the giveaways.
We’re also pumped for all the grub the stadium is offering in ’26. Here are just a few we can’t wait to sample:
Eat in the Cave’s Puerto Rican soul food and their vegetarian empanadas with sweet pumpkin and chickpeas.
Pig Beach BBQ’s loaded corn bread featuring cheddar cheese sauce, bbq sauce and, of course, their incomparable pulled pork.
Taqueria Ramirez’s one-of-a-kind hand-crafted tacos, which will be at the ballpark starting Opening Day and up until the All-Star Break.
It’s never easy to remember where the best views of the diamond are in the park.
That’s where we come in. To make your life easy, we recommend checking out Vivid Seat’s official Citi Field map to find the section that best suits your seating needs.
Vivid Seats Vivid Seats
Mets gear
No Mets fan is complete without the team’s iconic blue and orange gear.
If you’re looking to update your Mets wardrobe — whether it be jerseys, hats, shirts, sweatshirts, or hoodies — we’ve got all your Mets goods’ needs covered here.
Huge concerts at Citi Field in 2026
When the Mets are away, some of the biggest names in music will play.
Here are three huge artists dropping into Citi Field in 2026.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
Mar 10, 2026; Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Gavin Lux (11) throws to first few an out against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning during spring training at Charlotte Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Rays projected starting second baseman Gavin Lux has been battling through a right shoulder impingement, with manager Kevin Cash saying the team was in a time crunch ahead of Opening Day.
As the best cure for such irritations in the rotator cuff region is rest, the Rays have opted to move Lux to the injured list to start his Rays career, clearing a roster spot for Richie Palacios to make the Opening Day roster.
Palacios has had a long road to making the Rays 2026 roster, having been expected to make the team out of Spring Training in 2025 until he suffered a broken finger. Palacios returned for one game on April 17 before picking up yet another injury through a right knee sprain. He wouldn’t make his way back to the Rays until September, with 2025 getting chalked up as a lost year.
On the bright side, Palacios was able to finish the year with a 138 wRC+ over 48 plate appearances, so hopefully the left handed hitting utility man can make an impact early on. No matter what happens, Lux will be expected to receive a roster slot when he returns from injury.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home against the Atlanta Braves, where they will try and pick up one last win in the Grapefruit League.
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TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 05, 2026: Luis Morales #19 of the Athletics throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
We did it folks. The A’s are set to play their final exhibition game this morning, taking on the Chicago White Sox for the spring finale. Let’s finish out camp in a winning note.
Right-handed Luis Morales is set to get the bal for the Athletics this morning. The righty has made five appearances so far with uneven results but spring stats aren’t all that matter, especially for a young pitcher like Morales. It would be nice to see him put up some zeros today though.
Here’s the bating order the A’s will go with today:
Lots of regulars in today’s starting nine. And look at that, Jacob Wilson leading off in front of Nick Kurtz. A more typical lineup that we haven’t seen much of this spring.
The Sox meanwhile have lefty Anthony Kay getting the ball for them this morning. The former top prospect has had a strong camp for the South Siders this spring and will be looking to keep that rolling into the regular season.
NORTH PORT, FL- FEBRUARY 22: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins looks on during a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins on February 22, 2026 at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Twins had a purported “fire sale” last summer, but they didn’t completely clear out the racks of all their talent. They still have All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton on the field – while he’s still healthy – and All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan. However, they have decimated much of their depth, and it will be up to the farm system to replenish much of it.
They enter the season with Derek Shelton as their new skipper. He never won more than 76 games in four full seasons with the Pirates. The Twins are projected by most to be around that number of wins this season.
Minnesota Twins
2025 record: 70-92
2026 PECOTA projection: 78-84
2026 ZIPS projection: 79-83
Manager: Derek Shelton
Key additions: Anthony Banda, Josh Bell, Vidal Bruján, Victor Caratini, Tristan Gray, Zak Kent, Ryan Kreidler, Eric Orze, Taylor Rogers, Eric Wagaman
Key losses: Mickey Gasper, Edouard Julien, Christian Vázquez
Offense
The Twins had the eighth-fewest runs in baseball last year, and that was with Carlos Correa, Harrison Bader, Ty France, and Willi Castro on the roster for more than half the season. The team went 19-35 after the July 31 trade deadline. Buxton played in 126 games last year, the most he had played in a season since 2017. Josh Bell will be on his eighth team in seven seasons, but he has put up an above-average OPS+ in each season since 2020. Rookie Luke Keaschall had an impressive debut last year, including hitting 9-for-25 (.360) with a home run against the Royals.
Pitching
Trade rumors swirled around Ryan all off-season, but the Twins held onto him after he set career-bests in innings (171), wins (13), strikeouts (194), and ERA (3.42). Taj Bradley had a 6.61 ERA in six starts with the Twins after they acquired him from the Rays last summer. Mick Abel was a former top 100 prospect acquired from the Phillies for Jhoan Duran, and he had a 2.20 ERA in 18 starts in Triple-A last year. The bullpen had a 4.93 ERA after the trade deadline and has been completely overhauled from last year. The Twins bring back veteran Taylor Rogers, but much fo the rest of the staff is inexperienced.
The Twins have been a thorn in the side of the Royals, and will likely to continue to be pesky, even if they don’t win as many games as they used to. With the sale of the team now finalized, they could move into a different direction and look to build back up this summer. Or perhaps the debt issues that have plagued the franchise will continue to direct them towards austerity measures that could lead to Ryan and Buxton being traded. Either way, they have just enough talent to make them a pain to face up against.
Can anyone stop the 2009 Mets? No, this matchup wasn’t comparable to their staggering upset victory against the 1986 World Champions last round, but it was surprising all the same — partially because one would think the 1968 home-field tendencies exposed their biggest weakness: the rotation. Instead, ’09 received fantastic starting pitching, including 8.2 innings of two-run ball from John Maine in Game 2 and a complete-game, four-hit performance from Mike Pelfrey in Game 3. In Game 1, when Johan Santana got lit up after earning an MVP last round, the ’09 offense was able to mount a six-run comeback, with Carlos Beltrán delivering the game-tying hit and Jeff Francoeur providing the go-ahead knock in the eighth inning while Francisco Rodríguez (who has been utterly un-hittable in the tournament) fired two perfect innings of relief. ’68 completed a comeback of smaller magnitude in Game 2. Trailing 2-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Ed Charles lined a game-tying single up the middle, and two innings later Bud Harrelson snuck a grounder past the dive of Luis Castillo to secure a walk-off victory. But the ’09 team didn’t falter again, propelled by the heroics of Pelfrey and Ángel Pagán, who accounted for two runs with his bat and his speed in Game 3 while going 4-for-4 in Game 4. J.J. Putz induced a ground ball from Ken Boswell to Alex Cora at short to end it as the first Citi Field squad got to celebrate in their new ballpark.
The ’68 Mets were able to take down the 2005, 2024, and 2002 squads, but not this mysteriously magical ’09 team, which I can only imagine enters the Final Four with a sense of overwhelming confidence. They mustered just 70 regular season wins, but they slew the giant of ’86. They’re no joke. Plus, if they beat the ’68 Mets, how afraid can they really be of the ’69 team lurking on the other side of the bracket? If anything, they might as well be more afraid of the other pesky underdogs awaiting them in the next round…
2001 (8) vs 2013(11) G1: 9-4, ’13 G2: 4-3, ’13 G3: 7-4, ’01 G4: 6-4, ’13 Series MVP: Daniel Murphy
The 2001 Mets might have eliminated the 2015 team back in the Second Round, but the 2013 Mets — having a fair amount of players in common with the N.L. Champion roster two years later — were here to avenge that upset. That felt particularly true for Daniel Murphy, who channeled his 2015 postseason mode by going 8-for-19 with seven RBI (all of them relatively clutch) in the series. Matt Harvey was also in vintage form in Game 1, out-dueling Al Leiter by allowing just one run through his first seven innings of work (he did tire in the eighth, but reliever Scott Atchison was able to get out of trouble before things got too dicey). The ’13 Mets won Game 2 thanks to a four-hit day from Juan Lagares and a three-hit day from the next season’s Opening Day left fielder Andrew Brown, overcoming a late homer from Mike Piazza. In Game 3, ’01 saw an early 5-0 lead cut to 5-4 due to RBI from Brown, Murphy, and David Wright; but they got insurance runs thanks to a late hit from Piazza, who reached base five times in the game. Game 4 began in similar fashion, with the ’01 Mets going up big early and the ’13 Mets making an ambitious comeback attempt, only this time it was successful. A critical error by Todd Zeile in the bottom of the seventh set up a Murphy go-ahead, two-run double, and Bobby Parnell was able to pin down the save.
With the ’01 team’s elimination, it officially marks the end of the road for a number of iconic Mets in the tournament (Piazza, Leiter, and Edgardo Alfonzo to name a few). As for the ’13 Mets, the most promising sign as they advance to the Final Four is that they didn’t even need two starts from Harvey to win this series, since their relatively unassuming offense is performing unfathomably well. If middle-of-the-order bats like Lagares and Brown keep their hot streaks going while Murphy mashes like it’s October 2015…who’s to say they can’t be this tournament’s Cinderella story?
1969(1) vs 1985 (3) G1: 4-1, ’69 G2: 4-0, ’69 G3: 5-4, ’85 G4: 6-1, ’69 Series MVP: Jerry Koosman
For all those who may have wanted a championship matchup between the 1969 and 1986 Mets, this is about as close as you’ll get. And for all those who wanted an epic battle of Cy Young Award winners Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden, that’s exactly what happened…from the second inning onward. Seaver surrendered a run on a Darryl Strawberry RBI single to right in the top of the first, while Gooden was tagged for four consecutive singles to open the game; when Doc finally recorded his first two outs, they scored the ’69 Mets’ third and fourth runs of the inning. Both starters were impenetrable from that point forward (each tossed a complete game), but Gooden’s inability to limit early damage cost him and the ’85 team a win. Game 2 featured another pitchers’ duel, but Ron Darling ultimately fell to Jerry Koosman, who threw an incredible three-hit, complete-game shutout. The ’85 Mets’ sole win came in Game 3, when they jumped out to a 5-0 lead early off Gary Gentry and fended off a four-run seventh inning from the scrappy ’69 offense. In Game 4, Donn Clendenon and Tommie Agee took over, combining for five of the team’s six RBI. In the bottom of the seventh, ’85 got their golden opportunity. Trailing by four, Keith Hernandez came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded against Tug McGraw and lined the first pitch he saw, but it was snagged out of the air by Ken Boswell at second base. Two innings later, Agee sprinted into shallow center field to catch the final out off the bat of Gary Carter.
It’s a devastating loss for the ’85 Mets, who had to feel confident after taking down the No. 2 seed ’88 Mets in the previous round. For the Miracle Mets of 1969, a championship sits firmly in their sights — but their stellar starting pitching staff will face its greatest challenge yet in the Final Four…
2006 (2) vs 2011 (8) G1: 10-6, ’11 G2: 5-2, ’06 G3: 5-4, ’06 G4: 8-6, ’11 G5: 5-4, ’06 (f/12) Series MVP: David Wright
The 2006 Mets sure do know how to script an ending. For the third time in four rounds, their series came down to a winner-take-all Game 5 — and this time, it ended in walk-off fashion. ’06 might have thought this series would be a walk in the park while leading Game 1 by a score of 5-2 thanks to a Shawn Green three-run homer, but the 2011 team announced their presence with a resounding comeback kicked off against reliever Aaron Heilman. Tom Glavine pitched ’06 to victory in Game 2, while a homer and 3 RBI from José Valentín (this tournament’s unexpected slugger) supported a quality start from Orlando Hernández to secure a Game 3 win. ’11’s lineup walloped John Maine in Game 4, setting up the thrilling, twelve-inning Game 5. The ’11 Mets simply would not die, coming back from being down 3-0 in the fifth inning thanks to clutch hitting from Justin Turner and Josh Thole. The ’06 Mets rallied multiple times in extra innings but came up short, with Mike Baxter (who hit a homer earlier in the night) making a game-saving catch to rob Carlos Delgado in the tenth and 38-year-old Jason Isringhausen retiring Paul Lo Duca to evade trouble in the eleventh. Carlos Beltrán led off the bottom of the twelfth with a single, and then advanced to second on a wild pitch with David Wright at the plate. Seconds later, Wright sent a 2-0 fastball hurtling towards the center-field grass, notching his second walk-off hit in as many rounds while punching his team’s ticket to the Final Four.
The ’11 Mets showed some serious fight, as they have for the entire tournament, but this time they will not be advancing along with their ’09 and ’13 neighbors. Meanwhile, the ’06 Mets now enter a scenario which may spark traumatic memories: if they win the coming seven-game series, they advance to the championship. Their semifinal matchup against the ’69 Mets should be the most high-octane showdown in Mets Madness thus far.
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 9: Hoby Milner #41 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field on September 9, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at reliever Hoby Milner.
The Texas Rangers signed Hoby Milner to a one year deal for the 2025 season, coming off a season for the Milwaukee Brewers where he had a -0.6 bWAR and 0.9 fWAR in 64.2 innings over 61 games, with a 4.73 ERA and a 3.14 FIP.
For the Rangers in 2025, Hoby Milner had a -0.6 bWAR and a 1.0 fWAR in 70.1 innings over 73 games, with a 3.84 ERA and a 3.39 FIP.
Weird, huh? An ERA almost a run lower, but the same bWAR and fWAR, essentially.
fWAR is based on FIP, with relievers having leverage factored in as well, so the similarity in FIP (and FIP- — 80 in 2025, 77 in 2024) and similarity in Clutch performance (-0.26 in 2025, -0.19 in 2024) helps explain why the fWAR is virtually the same.
bWAR is based on RA/9, and of course, as we all know, B-R’s park effects are much different than Fangraphs’ park effects for the Shed in 2025, with the result being that Milner’s ERA+ in 2025 (95) is very close to his ERA+ in 2024 (88).
And to further illustrate the complexity, Milner’s xERA in 2024, when he had an actual ERA of almost 5, was lower than his xERA in 2025 — 3.20 in 2024 versus 3.79 in 2025.
Milner is a lefty-on-lefty specialist, and is one of those guys who is hurt by the three batter limit that MLB introduced. He allowed an 820 OPS against righthanders in 168 plate appearances, compared to a 526 OPS against lefties, in line with his career 794 OPS against righties and 608 OPS against lefties.
As with Robert Garcia, Milner gets dinged for his performance in high leverage situations last year. He allowed a .333/.362/.448 slash line in high leverage situations, though that was driven largely by a .413 BABIP. The upshot is that, despite having just 105 of his 293 batters faced being in high leverage situations, 22 of the 36 runs he allowed were in high leverage situations.
Milner had a career high in appearances and innings in 2025. Perhaps not coincidentally, he hit a wall in mid-August. Through August 13, Milner had 56 appearances in 122 team games, and had a 2.15 ERA and 2.44 FIP. From August 14 through year end, Milner appeared in 17 games, threw just 11.2 innings, and had a 12.34 ERA, 6.97 xERA and 7.94 FIP.
Milner signed a one year, $3.75 million deal with the Cubs for 2026, with incentives that would potentially increase the deal to $4 million, so he got a raise off of his $2.5 million salary in 2025. The Rangers are, I imagine, more or less satisfied with what they got from Milner in 2025.
Editor’s note: Leading up to Opening Day, our staff will share several predictions for the 2026 Red Sox season. In Part 4 of the season preview series,our three-person panel predicted the headlines that will surround the club during the All-Star break.
The Boston Red Sox will be a fascinating club to watch in 2026.
Last year, the Red Sox clinched a Wild Card spot for their first postseason berth since 2021. Many expect them to take another step forward after a productive offseason, while others are skeptical about the lineup having enough firepower to keep up in a tough American League East.
Regardless, there will be no shortage of interesting headlines and hot takes on this year’s team come summertime. In the latest installment of our season preview series, our staff shared Red Sox headlines they believe we’ll see during the All-Star break in July:
Justin Leger: Wilyer Abreu shines in first All-Star Game appearance
Abreu should get more opportunities against left-handed pitching this year. If so, he’ll be a candidate for 30-plus homers after notching 22 last season, when he mostly sat against southpaws. His unique blend of power and stellar defense will earn him his first career All-Star nod, and just as he did in the WBC, he’ll shine on the big stage.
Nick Goss: Roman Anthony has become one of MLB’s biggest stars
Anthony will live up to expectations offensively and be one of the starters for the AL at the All-Star Game, paving the way for him to become a household name by the time the 2026 season concludes.
Darren Hartwell: What does the future hold for Marcelo Mayer?
Yes, Mayer is only 23 and is about to enter his first full MLB season. But the former first-round pick has suffered season-ending injuries in three consecutive seasons and struggled during his brief big-league cameo in 2025.
The Red Sox have a crowded infield, so if Mayer gets off to a slow start in 2026, the conversation around his future in Boston will grow louder.
Mike Vaccaro’s book, “The Bosses of the Bronx,” detailing the Yankees’ five-plus decades under the House of Steinbrenner, will be released by Harper Books March 24. You can pre-order here. Here is the third of three excerpts being shared with The Post:
His final captain would afford George Steinbrenner the last of his endless, priceless moments — and mementos — as Boss, even if he now went by Boss Emeritus. George Steinbrenner had, after all, made the unilateral decision to install Thurman Munson as captain 45 years after Lou Gehrig’s death.
Steinbrenner the erstwhile Big Ten coach never could shake his football instincts and viewed captains differently, and more fondly, all of them: Graig Nettles and Willie Randolph, Ron Guidry and Don Mattingly.
Now Derek Jeter.
One last time, Steinbrenner made the flight to New York. Once, as a young businessman crammed into a middle seat in coach, he’d sworn as his plane from Cleveland descended into LaGuardia Airport that he’d one day fly first class. Now, he’d made this trip thousands of times in his own jet.
Mike Vaccaro’s upcoming book, “The Bosses of The Bronx.”
Now he was three months shy of 80, and required a wheelchair. But he wasn’t going to miss the home opener of the 2010 season, April 13. By now, the Boss Watch — the gaggle of reporters assigned to his Stadium comings and goings — had been abandoned; he arrived in Box 44 comfortably.
Soon he was joined by two special guests.
Jeter and Joe Girardi walked the forty or so steps from the Yankees clubhouse to the VIP elevator, stepped in the Boss’ suite, and surprised him. They wanted to personally present his World Series ring. Jeter noticed the Boss was wearing two rings: one for the 2000 Yankees, and one an Ohio State ring.
Jeter looked into Steinbrenner’s eyes and laughed. “Boss, take off that Ohio State ring.”
Steinbrenner’s eyes brightened. He pointed at Jeter.
“Michigan,” he said to Jeter, a son of Kalamazoo and nearly a Michigan Wolverine before the Yankees signed him out of the 1992 draft. Jeter took the 2000 ring off instead, replaced it with the 2009 one, and everyone applauded. Later, in the bottom of the third, before Jeter stepped to the plate the scoreboard camera captured Steinbrenner wearing sunglasses in his box as “My Way” played over the public address system.
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (l.) and wife Joan (r.) watch the team’s home opener against the Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 13, 2010. Getty Images
Jeter waited a respectful amount of time for the 49,293 to roar for the Boss.
Then swung at the first pitch and dunked one over the wall in right-center.
“None of us would be here, the stadium wouldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for him,” Jeter said. “He’ll always be The Boss.”
Ninety-one days later, sitting behind a podium at the All-Star Game, Jeter had this to say about that boss: “I was 18. Suddenly here he is, walking toward me, addressing me by name, and said, ‘We expect big things from you.’ I’ll always remember that.”
Jeter was stone-faced. The news he’d received he’d been dreading for a long while, same as everyone around the Yankees. It might not have been stunning that George Steinbrenner died earlier that day, July 13, 2010, of a heart attack at his home in Tampa, it was still hard to immediately calibrate. He’d turned 80 just nine days earlier.
Derek Jeter (l.) and George Steinbrenner (r.) during spring training in 2000. New York Post
After a few respectful days, it also became clear that the Boss left a remarkable legacy for his family, which you might call priceless except it absolutely had one. The federal estate tax expired the previous January, and that would’ve cost the family around a half-billion dollars had the Boss passed in 2009. Had he died in 2011, the renewed law was to be upped to 55 percent, so it would’ve siphoned $600 million. Without an inheritance tax the Yankees remained comfortably in the hands of his children.
It was a perfect bookend for an initial investment of $168,000.
“One of a kind,” Reggie Jackson said.
“A life almost impossible to imagine,” said his friend, Donald Trump.
“I still hate his guts,” said Howie Spira, who planned on holding his grudge long into the next life and beyond.
For a brief, colorful moment, Hank Steinbrenner, George’s eldest, happily morphed into his old man, into the biggest elephant in any room he walked in, trouncing those rooms with various opinions and observations before heading outside for a satisfying smoke.
Hank had a lot of thoughts on a lot of things. And what quickly became apparent was that Hank was every bit the back-page goldmine his father had been — maybe more so. He was happy to hand out his cell phone number to reporters, happier to take their calls, downright gleeful at returning calls he’d missed, and happiest still to fill empty notebooks with gold.
(Hank really was a columnist’s best friend. Once, searching for an idea on a random Tuesday, The Post’s former sports editor, Greg Gallo, reached out to me. “Call Hank,” he said. “See what he has to say.”
“About what?” I asked.
“About anything,” Gallo said.
I called Hank, he picked up right away, and for 25 minutes he provided me that day’s column, which became the next morning’s back page: “HANK UNPLUGGED!”
After we were done, as I was hammering my laptop to beat deadline, my phone rang. It was Hank. “And a few other things …” and by the time he was done I had about 15 minutes left to finish the column. It ran a little long that day.)
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (right) sitting with his family, (l-r); Sons Hal and Hank, daughters Jenny and Jessica. Charles Wenzelberg
Hal Steinbrenner was not his brother. But Hank, who died in 2020, wearied of the spotlight’s glare and happily ceded control of the Yankees to his kid brother without much of a fight, joining his sisters Jennifer and Jessica in unanimously voting Hal managing general partner in 2008.
“My father was more about the back pages of the tabloids,” Hal said in 2013. “I’m more about a back room, away from prying eyes. Anyone who thinks I don’t want to win? Well, how does the saying go? ‘Show me you’ve never met me without telling me that you’ve never met me.’”
Hal knows that every time the Yankees go on a five-game losing streak the familiar chorus surfaces: “If only George were still alive …” He also understands that fans don’t want to hear about baseball’s ever-shifting economic realities (and was, in fact, excoriated in some circles when he seemed to cry poverty after the Dodgers spending spree in December).
Those realities happen to be true, though. When the elder Steinbrenner shocked the baseball world by authorizing (while serving the first of his two suspensions) a five-year, $3.75 million contract that temporarily made Catfish Hunter baseball’s wealthiest player on New Year’s Eve 1974, it felt like all the money in the world, especially for the time.
But in 2026 dollars that still translates to only $25 million, which is just $2 million less than what Hal paid in 2023 alone for the services of Carlos Rodón, a starting pitcher who went 3–8 with a 6.85 ERA and who never on his best day pitched as well as Hunter on his worst.
The 1977 team, dubbed “The Best Team Money Could Buy?” Total payroll: $3 million. In 2026 dollars: $16.1 million, or about what the Yankees will likely pay Gerrit Cole before he ever throws a pitch in a regular-season game this year.
There have been various times when people wonder why the family doesn’t just cash out, assuring prosperity for untold future generations of Steinbrenner, and it’s a subject that makes Hal Steinbrenner laugh.
“The Yankees,” he says incredulously, “is our family business.”
This, then, is a story about one American family business and one city’s fascination with the proprietors of that corner store.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: Josh Kasevich #86 of the Toronto Blue Jays tags out Adolis García #53 of the Philadelphia Phillies during a stolen base attempt during the sixth inning of a spring training game at BayCare Ballpark on March 7, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last Spring Training game is upon us and baseball will officially return to South Philadelphia in three days. Here are the lineups for the final matchup, let’s discuss!
We’re just three short days away from the first game of the regular season, and there’s still so much to look forward to. Here are three happy moments from the final week of Spring Training.
Messick Makes the Rotation
The Guardians announced on Saturday that Parker Messick will start the 2026 season in the starting rotation. While they rolled with a six-man rotation in 2025, they’re sticking with five this season. This meant that Logan Allen was optioned to Triple-A Columbus, but gives Messick a very important chance to prove himself. He finished the 2025 season with a 2.72 ERA, 3-1 record, and 1.31 WHIP in 39.2 innings. Given a full season of work, he has the chance to become one of the best pitchers in the rotation. He’s had a successful Spring so far, striking out 11 and owning a 3.60 ERA in 15 innings.
Bibee to Make First Career Opening Day Start
Well, this gets a little complicated because you probably read this same headline last year. While Tanner Bibee was in fact named the Opening Day starter in 2025, he wasn’t able to complete the task as he fell ill the day before. Bibee finished the 2025 season with a 4.24 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 182.1 innings. Spring hasn’t been as successful for him with 19 strikeouts and a 6.65 ERA in 23 innings, but as he gets into the regular-season-mindset, there’s almost no doubt he’ll be able to settle into his regular success.
Spring Breakout Brings a Win
A number of the Guardians top prospects faced off against those of the Los Angeles Angels in Thursday’s Spring Breakout game, and they sure did break out. They took the win 4-2 over the Angels thanks to some defensive errors from Los Angeles as well as a huge three-run home run from Wuilfredo Antunez. The pitching staff also had a great day with Yorman Gómez going three scoreless innings, while Josh Hartle and Joey Oakie each struck out three across their two innings of work apiece. I didn’t need any more reasons to be excited about our prospects, but they certainly provided me with a few anyway.
Social Media Spotlight
Those of you reading this from anywhere in northern Ohio have most certainly read about (or maybe even experienced) the meteor that passed through the sky on Tuesday. The Guardians’ Twitter account had some fun with it, posting the below picture of Superman flying over a Meteors sign at Progressive Field.
The Atlanta Braves now have an entire starting rotation ticketed for the injured list for opening day. And that's left the club in a difficult position as they aim to turn things around in 2026.
Spencer Strider will begin the season on the IL with an oblique strain, manager Walt Weiss announced Monday, March 23.
While the club hopes the absence is measured in weeks, obliques are notoriously unpredictable, and would likely knock Strider out through April.
Braves starters on injured list
He'll have company in the rehab room: Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep (elbow bone spurs removal), A.J. Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery) and Joey Wentz (ACL tear in right knee) will miss anywhere from several months to the entire season, leaving the Braves in a lurch.
Strider required a second elbow reconstruction surgery after two starts in 2024, returned one year later but suffered a hamstring injury and other setbacks that limited him to 23 starts and a 4.45 ERA. Better results could have been anticipated this season, with Strider another year removed from major elbow surgery.
Now, he may require an additional build-back period if the oblique prevents him from throwing for several weeks.
Braves rotation options after Strider injury
For a club that prides itself on pitching, the Braves are about out of options. Ace Chris Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young winner, is healthy but at 37 may not be a lock to make 30-plus starts. Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder are all middle- to back-end options suddenly bumped up a spot.
And No. 5 starter José Suarez appeared in seven games for the Braves last season, but was waived in January before the Braves re-claimed him from Baltimore weeks later.
One proven option remains on the free agent market.
Lucas Giolito is still unsigned just three days before Opening Day, an indicator he did not find an asking price to his liking on the market. Giolito, 31, pitched to a 3.41 ERA over 20 starts last year in Boston, but ended the season with right elbow discomfort and has extensive injury history with his forearm and elbow.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 19: A general view of the field as members of the Tampa Bay Rays warm up prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Mets at Clover Park on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
First pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies is at 12:05 at BayCare Ballpark and the Phillies will be providing tv coverage.
The season is here — and it’s time to ask the big question: How good can the Royals actually be?
In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco deliver a full Kansas City Royals season preview, breaking down the starting rotation, offensive projections, and key roster battles shaping the team ahead of Opening Day. The hosts analyze the finalized rotation — including the unique dynamic of three consecutive left-handed starters — and discuss whether improved pitching depth can elevate the Royals in 2026.
On the offensive side, Jacob and Jeremy dig into projections from sources like FanGraphs and ZiPS, evaluating whether the Royals can realistically push toward a top-10 lineup in MLB. The conversation highlights expectations for cornerstone players such as Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Maikel Garcia, while identifying potential breakout contributors who could raise the team’s ceiling.
The episode also explores bench battles, roster construction decisions, and farm system depth, offering insight into how the Royals may utilize their emerging talent throughout the season. To wrap things up, the hosts bring some fun with a “burn or buy” segment featuring classic and modern Royals uniforms.
From pitching strategy to lineup potential, this episode provides a comprehensive, data-driven look at the Royals’ outlook and what fans should expect in the season ahead.
