Apr 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Ryan Feltner (18) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Today, the Colorado Rockies (11-11) welcome the Seattle Mariners (6-16) to Salt River Fields for a spring training game.
Starting for the Mariners is Cooper Chriswell.
The righty has a 1.74 ERA in 10.1 IP. He’s struck out 10 and has a 0.87 WHIP.
Taking the mound for the Rockies will be RHP Ryan Feltner.
This will be his fourth start. Currently, he has an ERA of 10.80 in 8.1 IP. He’s struck out 12 and has a 2.04 WHIP.
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 12: Former manager of the Toronto Blue Jays Cito Gaston salutes the crowd before a ceremony for former player Jose Bautista where his name is unveiled on the Level of Excellence before the Toronto Blue Jays play the Chicago Cubs in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on August 12, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cito Gaston turns 82 today.
Cito, the player, came up through the Atlanta Braves system and was a September call-up in 1967. He shared the outfield with Hank Aaron.
In 1968, the Padres picked him in the expansion draft. He had one standout season, hitting .318 with 29 homers and 93 RBI, and overall played 11 years as a strong defensive center fielder.
As a Black player coming up through the Atlanta Braves system in the ‘60s, Cito faced challenges shaped by that era. His experiences—both as a player and as the manager who won two World Series with the Jays—suggest his life story would make a compelling book.
He has an 894-837 record as a manager, all with the Blue Jays. He led us to 5 first-place finishes and 2 World Series wins. Interestingly, he only had 26 ejections in his managerial career, often to protect his players. He believed he was more valuable on the bench than watching from the clubhouse.
Cito managed by trusting his players. He didn’t emphasize strategic tricks or the bunt, and reportedly didn’t call hit-and-runs in his second Jays stint. He picked players he liked and let them play.
This management approach has its merits.
Early as a manager, Cito favoured veterans. In his second stint, he relied more on younger players, especially when veterans no longer performed.
Cito liked aggressive, pull-hitting styles. He even convinced John McDonald to commit fully to an all-pull approach. Initially, it led to more home runs, but pitchers soon adapted, resulting in more ground balls.
Cito is number 75 on the all-time win list for MLB managers. And, of course, number one among Jays’ managers.
Turning to another birthday, Scott Downs turns 50 today. He was one of my favourites.
The Cubs drafted Downs in the 3rd round of the 1997 draft. He made it to the majors with the Cubs in 2000, though he was traded to the Twins and back before reaching the majors. Finally, in May of 2000, the Cubs traded him to the Expos for Rondell White. Most of Scott’s time with the Expos was spent recovering from 2 Tommy John surgeries.
He signed with the Jays before the 2005 season.
In 2005, he had a 4-3 record and a 4.31 ERA in 26 games, making both starts and relief appearances. In 2006, he primarily relieved, going 6-2 with a 4.09 ERA in 59 games.
In 2007, Downs contributed as a reliable reliever, pitching in 81 games primarily as a one-out lefty. He compiled a 4-2 record and a 2.17 ERA. Heavy use did not seem to negatively affect his performance that season.
In 2008, he worked his way into the setup role. Cito used him in every game, whether ahead or behind. He pitched multiple innings several times and had one of the best seasons we’ve seen from a setup man, until he twisted an ankle late in the year. He probably should have rested longer, but Cito kept using him, given his previous reliability.
In 2009, he shared closing duties with Frasor, posting a 3.09 ERA. In 2010, as a setup man again, he recorded a 2.64 ERA in 67 appearances.
After the 2010 season, he signed with the Angels. From there, he bounced around to the Braves, White Sox, Royals, and Cleveland.
He played 13 seasons, appearing in 619 games (50 starts) with a 3.56 ERA and 27 saves. With the Jays, he had a 3.14 ERA over six seasons and 347 games.
Downs was known as Snakeface. Some listeners on Jays’ Talk noted that he did not appear intimidating on the mound, prompting broadcaster Mike Wilner to jokingly suggest Downs had a snake tattoo to boost his presence.
Next, former Blue Jay great Danny Ainge turns 67 today. He wasn’t great on the baseball diamond, but he cleaned up in team pickup basketball games. After three seasons and a .220/.264/.269 batting line, he left baseball to play for the Boston Celtics, a good move. He was a far better basketball player than a baseball player. He won two NBA Championships as a Celtics player and another as the Executive Director of Basketball Operations.
Happy Birthday to all three. I hope they each have a great day.
Also, having birthdays:
Raul Chavez turns 53 today. The backup catcher played his last MLB season with the 2009 Blue Jays, hitting .258 with 2 homers.
Scott Brow turns 57. A 1990 7th-round pick, he earned a 1993 World Series ring, made 42 Jays appearances, and had a 5.78 ERA with 2 saves.
Cesar Valdez turns 41 today. He made 7 appearances with a 6.75 ERA for the 2017 Jays, also playing 68 MLB games over four years.
Anthony Kay holds a 2.31 Cactus League ERA, making his fifth start of the Spring. | (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)
It feels like just one week ago that I was writing up the previous Spring Training matchup against the A’s because it was! This afternoon, the White Sox are coming off a tough 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers and will look to wake the bats up and bounce back vs the Athletics. Lefty Anthony Kay takes the mound for his fifth start of the spring and has been steady since arriving, carrying a 2.31 ERA across 11 2/3 innings.
Before we get to today’s action, the White Sox have announced the devastating news that righthander Mike Vasil will need to undergo Tommy John surgery and will, unfortunately, miss the entire 2026 season. Vasil joined the South Siders as a Rule 5 draft pick last year, and ended up being one of the top arms out of the bullpen, posting a 2.50 ERA over 47 appearances, racking up four saves with 82 Ks in 101 innings and a 1.25 WHIP.
RHP Mike Vasil will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery in the coming weeks. The procedure will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, per White Sox
Kay has allowed just three runs on nine hits in Cactus League play, though one thing that would be ideal for him is to cut down on walks. Despite ringing up 10 batters, he’s also walked six and hit one, but to be fair, he’s easing back into MLB life and has consistently reduced his whip each game, down from 1.71 at the beginning of the month to 1.29. Kay pitched his longest game in his last outing (four innings), and allowed just one run on a homer, but looked good overall with his command — four strikeouts with zero walks.
Looking at the offense behind Kay, Korey Lee has stepped up now that Kyle Teel is injured, and he’s ranked 14th in MLB over the last week in OPS (1.452), flashing his power with a .923 SLG with three extra-base hits — a double and two home runs. Another South Sider that has settled in a bit is Luisangel Acuña, who ranks second in MLB in batting average over the last seven days while slashing .571/.625/.643. However, the headline today for the offense is that Munetaka Murakami is back with the Good Guys after the Japanese World Baseball Classic team lost in the quarterfinals, and will start today’s game to get a few more Spring Training reps in before Opening Day. Mune will be playing first and batting in the cleanup spot, and slashed .385/.385/.538 in 13 at-bats with the South Siders prior to joining Team Japan, though he wasn’t as dominant in the WBC, posting just a .654 OPS with one homer and two RBIs.
On the mound for the A’s is righthander Luis Morales, making his fourth start of Spring Training in his fifth game appearance. Morales has tossed 12 innings so far, but hasn’t had the same success as Kay, posting a 6.00 ERA with 10 strikeouts, while his 1.92 WHIP highlights some of his struggles. Morales has allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 16 hits and has also walked seven batters. Given that the South Side bats were quiet yesterday, hopefully they can rebound and be more selective at the plate this afternoon.
The good news for Morales is that his offense has been excellent throughout pre-season, as the Athletics have the top Spring Training OPS (.875) and the second-highest slugging percentage (.510) against left-hand pitching. On the bright side, Shea Langaliers will not be playing today as he has been ripping the ball, and holds the top 2.317 OPS in MLB with an insane 1.692 SLG in his last five games (13 at-bats), blasting FIVE home runs in that time along with five RBIs.
Nick Kurtz has been an excellent addition to the A’s and posted a 1.002 OPS in his rookie season last year. He will be leading off today, though his stats haven’t been as powerful during Spring Training. Despite his .171 batting average, he holds a .748 OPS in 41 at-bats and leads the team in walks (nine), showing that he will find ways to get on even if his bat isn’t at 100%.
Today’s game can be listened to via the Athletics radio broadcast, but unfortunately, there is no video broadcast for this one. First pitch is at 3:05 p.m. CT — let’s get a White Sox W!
Vanderbilt baseball players celebrate a home run by Vanderbilt's Korbin Reynolds (18) during their game against Marist at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. | Alan Poizner/For The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
2pm CT on SECN+.
On the Mound
Tuesday @ 2:00pm SECN+
Vanderbilt #77 Jr. RHP Alex “The Kranz” Kranzler (1-2; 9.49 ERA)
vs. Indiana #28 Grad LHP Conner “Linnsanity” Linn (0-0; 9.28 ERA)
Jonathan Loaisiga poses for a photo for MLB media day. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images
Inspiration.
“We’ve got to start honing in on the pitching side of things, and we’re wanting to see guys commanding the baseball, commanding their secondary stuff, attacking the zone, filling up the zone.” — Torey Lovullo, 7 March
To the extent that Torey Lovullo’s comment reflects Diamondbacks’ pitching that is less than what it’s got to be, (and he is a straight-shooter), bullpen battles are incendiary. Spring training may add fuel to the fires. Let’s look at spring training data through 10 March.
Approach.
To increase comparability between pitchers, pitches are segregated into fastballs, breaking balls, and off-speed pitches.
To shed light on “filling the zone’ and ‘commanding the baseball’, let’s look at two things. First, what percentage of pitches are in the attack zone, and what percentage of pitches are in the combined attack zone / shadow zone per Baseball Savant? Second, what percentage of those pitches do not become balls in play? Instead, they are called strikes, whiffs, foul balls, and sometimes called balls (based on umpire judgement).
After this comparison, to add insights the pitchers will be also compared on more common (and all-inclusive for all pitch types) measures such as on-base percentage (OBP), slugging (SLG), wOBA, and hard hit percentage (HH%).
Compared two bullpen pitchers, who were acquired in the off-season.
The two pitchers were Jonathan Loaisiga and Kade Strowd. There are good reasons to be confident that Loaisiga will be on the opening day roster per this AZ Snake Pit article.
5 Bullpen Metrics. Kade Strowd’s hard hit percentage is one of the best in the Majors. In 2025 Strowd was better than Loaisiga in 4 of 5 metrics, per this AZ Snake Pit article.
For a second time, comparing those 5 metrics (in spring training through 10 March instead of last season), the picture is very different. The two pitchers were close to equal, with possibly Loaisiga having a slight edge. The following table shows the five metrics:
Filling the Zone. In spring training through 10 March, Loaisiga had higher percentages of fastballs and breaking balls that filled the zone. Also, Loaisiga when fastballs and breaking balls filled the zone, Loaisiga had less of those become balls in play. Details are in the following table.
4 Pitching Metrics. In addition, in spring training Loaisiga was better than Strowd in four more common metrics. For details see the following table.
Based on the comparisons, both pitchers are great with Loaisiga showing best in spring training.
Compared three left-handed bullpen pitchers.
Let’s look at Brandyn Garcia, Mitch Bratt, and Kohl Drake. Although the last two players were optioned to the minors on 8 March, the comparison may shed light on which pitcher is more likely to be called up if Garcia is injured or traded. Although Bratt and Drake might eventually be rotation pitchers, that doesn’t preclude them being called up to pitch in the bullpen.
Filling the Zone. Perhaps surprisingly, in spring training the three pitchers filled the zone close to the same percentages for both fastballs and breaking balls. Looking at whether those pitches became balls in play, there were differences. For fastballs, they were all great, but for in the attack zone they ranked Garcia (best), Drake, and Bratt. For in the combined attack zone and shadow zone, the rankings of Drake and Bratt switched. For breaking balls, Garcia and Bratt were great, with Drake at the bottom. Details are in the following table. It includes data from spring training through 10 March.
4 Pitching Metrics.
In spring training, Garcia had by far the best OBP, SLG, and wOBA. Bratt had the best HH%. So that may be a factor in why Garcia looks like he will be on the opening day roster.
Comparing Bratt and Drake, Bratt had the better SLG and HH%, while Drake had the better OBP. About equal was wOBA.
Details are in the following table. It includes data from spring training through 10 March.
Based on the comparisons, during the season it’s not clear to me whether I would call up Bratt or Drake. Maybe it would depend on which team the Diamondbacks were playing against, with one having the better matchups against opposing batters.
Looked at Philip Abner.
Despite being a left-handed He was not included in the 3-pitcher comparison. Last season, after an incredible rise from a+ to AA to AAA to MLB, he pitched 3.2 innings in the Majors with a 4.91 ERA.
Details are in the following tables. They include data from spring training through 10 March.
Summary.
Bullpen battles are incendiary, with filling the zone a factor.
Arguably, Jonathan Loaisiga and Kade Strowd will be in the opening day bullpen. Based on several comparisons, both pitchers are great with Loaisiga showing best in spring training.
Brandyn Garcia will likely be the left-handed pitcher in the bullpen on opening day.
If the team goes with two left-handed pitchers in the bullpen, Philip Abner could be in the bullpen on opening day.
Based on the comparisons, during the season it’s not clear which left-handed pitcher (Bratt or Drake) will be called up if needed.
It didn't take long for Aaron Judge's WBC comments to reverberate through the Bronx.
It didn’t take long for Aaron Judge’s WBC comments to reverberate through the Bronx.
Voice of the Yankees Michael Kay was admittedly surprised to learn that New York’s captain said the World Baseball Classic was “bigger and better than the World Series,” following Team USA’s 2–1 semifinal victory over the Dominican Republic in Miami.
Yankees and Team USA captain Aaron Judge Getty Images
“I am somewhat taken aback when they go that ‘this is bigger than winning a World Series,’” the longtime play-by-play voice said during Monday’s episode of “The Michael Kay Show.”
“I’m just saying that I’m not advanced enough or evolved enough to wrap my mind around it,” he added.
Judge, 33, swapped out the Pinstripes for the Stars and Stripes this spring, captaining the U.S. juggernaut in his first ever run with the national team.
The reigning back-to-back American League MVP played a starring role in Sunday’s nail-biting victory between two of the greatest lineups ever assembled, firing a 96-mph rocket from right field that nabbed Fernando Tatis Jr. on his dash to reach third base.
As one Connecticut caller outlined to Kay, what Judge was referring to wasn’t the competition, nor was it the prize at the end of the road.
It was the weight of the WBC — the marriage between baseball and national identity — that surges through a nation like the D.R. but can often be lost on Americans.
Yankees play-by-play voice Michael Kay AP
While hardwired into viewing the World Series as baseball’s apex, Kay appreciated the perspective and repeatedly praised the WBC as a “great, great” tournament that underscores baseball’s persisting global impact.
But he also raised a counterargument in the most literal sense, claiming that the WBC stage can’t be “bigger” than Judge’s Fall Classic experience because loanDepot Park’s capacity of 36,000 pales in comparison to that of Yankee Stadium or Dodger Stadium.
Judge wasn’t talking about paid attendance, but spectacle — the unmatched intensity from a crowd, roaring with the passion of an entire nation.
To No. 99, that’s something that can’t be topped.
Judge and the U.S. will compete for their first WBC title since 2017 in Tuesday’s championship game against Venezuela.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 21, 2026: Chase DeLauter #24 of the Cleveland Guardians looks on during the first inning of a spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on February 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
I need to put together my predictions for the Cleveland Guardians in 2026 and I am at a loss.
Inside me are two wolves: One wolf fiercely believes in this manager, this organization’s ability to get the most out of a little, in Jose Ramirez, and in Austin Hedges. The other wolf knows that projections doubt this starting pitching staff and the offense, which was 28th in wRC+ last season, will be relying almost entirely on internal improvements and prospect graduations to improve.
See, if David Fry can get back to being a 120 wRC+ bat against LHP and take late-inning at-bats from Austin Hedges (and Bo Naylor against tough southpaw relievers) and work his way back into right field reps, this team looks a lot better. But, if Fry is the 75 wRC+ hitter he has been since June 2024… not so much.
See, if Gabriel Arias can just manage a 90 wRC+ and play gold glove level shortstop defense, and if Brayan Rocchio is the 100 wRC+ and sparkling defender at second base he was from July-October, this middle infield would be suddenly competent. But, if both are the 75 wRC+ hitters, no amount of glove work is going to make up for that.
Now, if Arias and/or Rocchio flop, the Guardians do have Juan Brito and Travis Bazzana ready to play second base, potentially. Brito has elite pulled fly ball abilities and a good eye at the plate, and Bazzana has shown some signs of being an electric performer both at the plate and, surprisingly, in the field. But, also, Brito’s defense has looked incredibly shaky at times, he lacks elite exit velocity and has shown some contact issues in Spring Training at times. Bazzana, meanwhile, has flashes of brilliance at the plate, but also still seems far too passive and there are still questions if he will realize his potential.
See, if Kyle Manzardo can build on his 2025 and increase his home run and walk output, we can have a legitimate middle-of-the-order hitter! But, he still has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game and his defense at first base this spring has looked somehow even worse than last season’s efforts.
See, if Rhys Hoskins is the 120 wRC+ hitter he has been for his career, a lot of the Guardians’ issues are solved! Especially if he’s 130 wRC+ or more against LHP! But, he could also be more like a league average bat unable to punish fastballs as effectively now that he has entered his 30’s.
See, if Bo Naylor has made some needed adjustments, he could be the #5 hitter the Guardians need and that he looked to be in September of 2025 and through most of this spring! But, if he is the mediocre defender and 85 wRC+ hitter he was for most of last season… the team will be hoping for Cooper Ingle to figure things out behind the plate QUICKLY.
See, if Chase DeLauter and George Valera can just be healt… well, you know the fears here.
See, if Steven Kwan can hold up playing centerfield, and either Stuart Fairchild or Angel Martinez can manage a 110-120 wRC+ against LHP… but none of that is at all a sure (or likely?) thing.
I feel very good about the Guardians’ bullpen, but Hunter Gaddis’s forearm scare has reminded me that the depth behind Smith, Armstrong, Gaddis and Sabrowski isn’t necessarily amazing…
Finally, the Guardians’ rotation… this group was a top 5 rotation to end the season and I truly think they have potential to be that, or at least top ten. But, is it the Arizona climate that has made Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee and Joey Cantillo look shaky, or is it some projections being unsure about them showing up? Is Slade Cecconi hurt, why isn’t he starting today? Are they really going to start Logan Allen over Parker Messick?
I don’t know why but I can’t remember feeling so conflicted about what to expect from a Cleveland Guardians’ team going into a season. I know what I will be rooting for, of course… another Hall of Fame season from Jose Ramirez, huge steps from the organization’s many exciting young potential stars, more accolades for Carl Willis as he leads another amazing season from the many exciting young arms on this team. And, a little extra joy for me each and every day I get to hear Tom Hamilton on the radio, see our boys light up my TV screen, pick out which of my dozen Guardians’ hats I’m going to wear to help them find all the luck they need, and I learn, yet again, to live and die with every pitch, every swing, and every new ballgame.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 21: MJ Melendez #1 of the New York Mets bats during the game between the Miami Marlins and the New York Mets at Clover Park on Saturday, February 21, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Ahead of today’s game against the Marlins, the Mets optioned MJ Melendez and Christian Scott to Triple-A. In addition to those moves, they Adbert Alzolay, Christian Arroyo, Nick Burdi, Jose Rojas, and Daniel Duarte to minor league camp. The Mets now have 46 players left at spring training with nine days to go until Opening Day.
Melendez was competing for a bench spot with the team and had enjoyed a pretty strong showing in Port St. Lucie. In 11 at-bats, he hit two home runs and scored four runs, hitting .364 with an 1.364 OPS. He also suited up for Puerto Rico in the WBC, going hitless in four at-bats with two walks and a run scored. The Mets had signed Melendez to a split deal back on February 8, which would be worth $1.5 million with $500K in incentives if he was on the major league roster. Melendez was a top prospect as recently as 2022, when he was a catcher. He has since played primarily as a corner outfielder and was competing for that role with the club.
Scott meanwhile, is looking to work his way back from Tommy John Surgery, which cost him his 2025 season. The right-hander, who allowed three earned runs in three-innings plus and took the loss in last night’s game against the Nationals, made two appearances for the Mets this spring and posted a 4.50 ERA with eight strikeouts in six innings of work. He will continue to get looks in Triple-A and could find himself back in the majors should anyone in the team’s rotation suffer an injury, or if anyone underperforms.
Venezuelan lefty Eduardo Rodriguez has only pitched 2 2/3 innings in the tournament and sports a pedestrian 8.37 K/9 and 20.7 K% across 204 1/3 frames over the past two MLB seasons.
The veteran also posted a 5.02 ERA during the two years, and I’m not anticipating him pitching deep enough to pick up five or more strikeouts against the potent American lineup tonight.
Plus, Team USA has only fanned 48 times across six tournament games.
Prop #2: Nolan McLean 2+ walks allowed
+180 at DraftKings
Control hasn’t been a calling card for United States righty Nolan McLean, and he posted a 3.96 BB/9 and 10.7 BB% in the minors last year before putting up respective 3.0 and 5.8% marks across 48 innings in the majors.
McLean also issued a pair of free passes across three innings during his lone tournament start to date.
Additionally, I expect the Venezuelans to have trouble doing damage against McLean, which will allow him to pitch deep enough into the final to serve up two or more bases on balls.
Prop #3: Aaron Judge 1+ walks
-115 at DraftKings
Team USA captain Aaron Judge has a .414 on-base percentage in the tournament, thanks in large part to drawing six free passes across six games. His two homers and .565 slugging percentage reinforce why opposing pitchers and managers are proceeding with caution with the three-time AL MVP, too.
How to watch Venezuela vs USA and game info
Location
LoanDepot Park, Miami, FL
Date
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
First pitch
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Venezuela starting pitcher
Eduardo Rodriguez
USA starting pitcher
Nolan McLean
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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Mar 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) hits a home run during the third inning against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Dustin May #3 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a spring training game at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 11, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a rare day off, the St. Louis Cardinals are back in action on St. Patrick’s Day Tuesday as they travel to the Washington Nationals Spring Training home. According to MLB.com, Dustin May will make another start for the Cardinals while Jake Irvin takes the mound for the Nationals.
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.
As you know, Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki suffered some sort of knee injury playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.
It’s really hard to tell exactly how the injury happened. Suzuki walked gingerly off the field and was still limping when he reported back to Cubs camp, wearing a soft knee brace.
He had an MRI on Monday and results were expected to be announced to the media later today. I’ll update this survey post when those MRI results become public, but in the meantime, this week’s SB Nation Cubs Reacts survey question is: Who do you think should replace Suzuki in right field if he’s out for a while?
Vote in the survey and I’ll have the responses later this week.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 17: A closeup view of a New Era Philadelphia Phillies St. Patrick's Day hat during the seventh inning of a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at BayCare Ballpark on March 17, 2025 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Here are the lineups for today’s matchup against the Twins. Let’s discuss.
Mar 6, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
Mets lineup
Francisco Lindor – SS
Marcus Semien – 2B
Bo Bichette – 3B
Jorge Polanco – 1B
Luis Robert – CF
Brett Baty – RF
Luis Torrens – C
Mike Tauchman – DH
Tyrone Taylor – LF
SP: Sean Manaea – LHP
Marlins lineup
Otto Lopez – SS
Agustin Ramirez – C
Connor Norby – 1B
Owen Caissie – LF
Christopher Morel – RF
Graham Pauley – DH
Esteury Ruiz – CF
Jacob Berry – 3B
Johnny Olmstead – 2B
SP: Sandy Alcantara – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 1:10 PM EDT TV: Not this time Radio: Marlins Radio
FEBRUARY 28: Jose Canseco of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during Spring Training on February 28, 2000. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) | Sporting News via Getty Images
After the trade deadline in 2000, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were looking to move on from the Hit Show as the duo of Vinny Castilla and Jose Canseco had failed to deliver any offensive impact over the season. The year prior, Canseco was looking like a possible MVP candidate and was pacing Mark McGwire’s newly set homerun record. However, a back injury stalled out his season and he didn’t get much better in 2000.
Tampa Bay placed Canseco on waivers in August and the New York Yankees were pursuing another title. However, several other teams had better records than New York and Yankee GM Brian Cashman was afraid that these teams might utilize Canseco against them. So Cashman made a claim hoping to block those teams and also thinking that Devil Rays GM Chuck LaMar would pull Canseco back off of waivers.
Two days later, LaMar called Cashman and told him Canseco was going to New York, no trade necessary. The Yankees already had Glenallen Hill and David Justice sharing the DH duties, so there was no where to play Canseco. Manager Joe Torre was asked how he would use Canseco and he responded bluntly, “I don’t know” and would also say he was “stunned” by the acquisition. Meanwhile owner George Steinbrenner made these remarks, I think they got caught up in something they didn’t think about, but I’m behind my people. I’m totally supportive of what they did. I’m happy the man is coming here, and I’m hoping he does the job for me.“
Regardless, Cashman had successfully blocked another contending team from acquiring the controversial Cuban slugger, so mission accomplished in a sense. Meanwhile, LaMar accomplished his goal of shedding payroll; “The Tampa Bay Devil Rays got the opportunity to give young players at-bats and save $2 million,” Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said. “To them, it may not be nothing. To us it’s a lot.”
Canseco hit .243/.365/.432 with 6 HR over 37 games for New York and struck out in his lone plate appearance of the postseason; he’d receive a World Series ring and later reneged on a deal to sell it a private collector for $40,000.
Anyways…
First pitch against the New York Yankees is at 1:05 at Charlotte Sports Park and the Rays will be providing tv and radio coverage.
