Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) carries the ball as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Jaden Davis (26) defends during the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Happy opening day of free agency one and all.
The Arizona Cardinals heading into the 2026 Free Agency period have the following that should become official today when allowed:
OT Matt Pryor one-year deal
QB Gardner Minshew one-year deal
WR Kendrick Bourne two-year deal
G Isaac Seumalo three-year deal
RB Tyler Allgeier two-year deal
DL Roy Lopez two-year deal
Along with the moves that we know are official because they were re-signings for the team:
DT L.J. Collier one-year deal
P Blake Gillikin one-year deal
K Chad Ryland one-year deal
All of that and we are looking at the Cardinals still needing help at linebacker, offensive line, defensive line and probably the quarterback position.
However, the last one will probably not be addressed until 2027, which is fun to know that the team is looking at another tank job, the third in four seasons with Monti Ossenfort at the helm.
Let’s hope for some exciting movement today.
Arizona Cardinals bring back Bam Knight on one-year deal
Tarik Skubal’s plan was always to leave Team USA after one World Baseball Classic start. He wavered but ultimately never changed course. His responsibility to the Tigers meant more to him.
What wasn’t in the blueprint were social media comparisons to Benedict Arnold, the infamous military officer that swapped from the Americans to the British during the Revolutionary War.
Skubal doesn’t think the comparison is fair — he didn’t defect to another team, he was simply prioritizing his other duties.
Tarik Skubal allowed just one run in his only start with Team USA. Getty Images
“It’s just not fair,” Skubal said of the claims, per The Athletic. “But that’s part of the business. It’s part of the game. If they know me, though, on a personal level, and they know what my peers think of me, I don’t think it’s fair to say those things.
“This was always the plan, and as emotional or how much I wanted to (stay), it just didn’t make sense, given the timing,” he added about the reasoning behind his decision.
Skubal added that the criticism he received online didn’t affect his choice, citing they’re “created by people that don’t know me.”
His teammates, though, made a major impact. He mentioned that he talked to many of them to help make his decision, though he ultimately realized it wasn’t feasible to return.
“I was just trying to navigate all that information and then trying to create a plan,” Skubal said. “I just felt like I was trying to do too much. So I just kind of was, like, ‘OK, as bad as I want to do this, as bad as I want to get there and play, this was the plan from the jump.’”
Tarik Skubal has posted an ERA under 2.40 in both of the last two seasons. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In his lone WBC start versus Great Britain, Skubal pitched three innings and allowed just one run, which came on a Nate Eaton leadoff homer. He struck out five and allowed just one more hit, paving the way for an easy 9-1 U.S. win.
But his ultimate responsibility is to the Tigers, who are vying to make a deep playoff run with one of the best rotations in baseball.
Besides Skubal, who’s won the last two American League Cy Young Awards, Detroit added Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander in the offseason and retained Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty.
If Skubal had decided to stay with Team USA through the WBC final — if it makes it — he would’ve only had nine days between then and his Opening Day start. He did say, however, that if the U.S. does advance that far, he’d try to come back to cheer on his teammates from the bench.
Does that really make him Benedict Arnold? Skubal sure doesn’t think so.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Cade Cavalli #24 of the Washington Nationals throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals 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 being named the Opening Day starter this morning, Cade Cavalli took the ball for the Nats in their Grapefruit League showdown with the Cardinals. He only went three innings in this one, but he looked impressive. Cavalli did not allow a hit and struck out two Cardinals, setting the tone for a strong afternoon for Nats pitchers.
Opening day starter Cade Cavalli getting ready to go for his start against the Cardinals this afternoon pic.twitter.com/8sS0uRooSq
Following his start, I actually got the chance to talk to Cade in the clubhouse. Cavalli said he was “Super honored” to be named the Opening Day starter. After missing two seasons due to injury, this was clearly a big moment for the 27 year old right hander. He told Jessica Camerato of MLB.com that the first person he called was his wife, before quickly texting the rest of his family.
Finding out he was the Opening Day starter was probably the highlight of Cavalli’s day, but he still had to go out and execute in the game. A big part of the success he had today was the sweeper, which he used 25% of the time, and half the time against right handed hitters.
Cavalli told me that he thinks the pitch will be “really good to righties and we can sprinkle it in to lefties to show them a different shape off of the curveball”. Last season, right handed hitters batted over .380 against Cavalli, and he is looking to change that. He said that, “Most hitters know I have a north to south curveball. If I can show something horizontal to them, I think it can help”.
Overall, it was a great day for Cavalli, who has faced a lot of trials and tribulations over the past few years. Now he is on the other side of that, and ready to be the high end starting pitcher the Nats envisioned when they drafted him in the first round.
Another pitcher who threw the ball well today was Brad Lord. He went three innings, allowing only one run. Lord was getting a ton of ground balls with his sinker. His changeup also looked great against left handed pitchers. Yesterday, he mentioned that he tweaked his grip on that pitch, and it looked nasty, particularly against Nolan Gorman, who swung through two of them.
Brad Lord was telling me about how he tweaked his changeup grip when he talked yesterday. He made Nolan Gorman look silly on back to back changeups to get a strikeout
Despite the solid outing, Lord was still not satisfied with himself. Manager Blake Butera said Lord was “Frustrated because in that last inning he has two outs with nobody on, and then he walks a guy who ends up scoring”. Lord is typically an even-keeled guy, who Butera described as quiet, but he could tell that the end to his outing bothered him.
On the offensive side of things, the Nats did not light up the score board, but did enough to win. One guy who is starting to heat up is Daylen Lile. At the beginning of the spring, he looked a bit rusty, but he has been finding his swing over the past week.
Daylen Lile started this spring slow but he is heating up as we close in on Opening Day
Butera figured this is what would happen, adding that “sometimes we get too caught up in stats during Spring Training”. Given the fact that the games do not count, and the whole point of this process is to get ready for the season, this is a take I agree with, though I can be guilty of falling into that trap at times. One thing that Butera does value is hitters finding their timing. He told me that, “sometimes it takes hitters a couple weeks to get their timing down. I think Daylen is just getting going now and he looks like Daylen”.
I think his point about timing is something to really consider. These guys can train as much as they want in the offseason, but there is no substitute for in-game reps. Sometimes pure hitters like Lile just need time to find that perfect swing. It seems like Lile has found it, and that is great for the Nats. He was such a spark for them in the second half.
The Nats got a lot of production from their first basemen as well in this game. Andres Chaparro got a hit, and hit the ball hard a couple times. Also, Abimelec Ortiz ripped a 110 MPH RBI double to give the Nats the lead. Ortiz started the spring slowly, but looks like he may be finding his footing.
Manager Blake Butera admitted the club has not settled on a starter at first base. He said that “At first base in general, we are pretty open minded on how this is going to work”. It also sounds like the Nats will experiment with a few different options throughout the season. He made sure to emphasize that the situation will be fluid and just because a guy starts the season at first base, it does not mean he will be the guy for all 162.
Overall, it was a nice and clean performance for the Nats. It has also been awesome to get all this access and get thoughts from the players and coaches. The Nats have been winning a lot this spring, but as we know, these games do not count. However, it seems like there is a good vibe to this group and we are seeing that manifest on the field.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 27: A view of an Apple TV microphone during the ninth inning between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 27, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Earlier today, we received some massive news regarding the Atlanta Braves and the new Braves.TV platform. Shortly after that news broke, we got some more important news on where to watch the Braves during the upcoming season. While the lion’s share of games will be on BravesVision, they also have to make room for nationally televised contests — and nationally streamed contests as well.
Apple TV is doing Friday Night Baseball for another season and they’ve announced their schedule through the month of June and the Braves are now set for three games that will be streaming-exclusive for that particular platform. We won’t have to wait long for the first game, as Atlanta’s road game against the Diamondbacks on April 3at 9:45 p.m. ET will be on Apple TV. Their only scheduled home game on Apple TV (as of right now) will take place on April 24 at 7:15 p.m. ET against the Phillies. After that, it’ll be a long wait between that game and the next Apple TV appearance for the Braves, as they’ll be playing a road game against the Mets on June 12at 7:15 p.m. ET.
Friday Night Baseball returns to @AppleTV this season!
Again as a reminder, you’ll have to sign up for Apple TV in order to have access to these games. To sum up the state of watching the Braves during the 2026 season, you’ll have to make sure you have access to the following platforms if you want to make sure you’ll have the ability to catch all 162 games:
BravesVision (or Braves.TV)
Fox Sports 1
TBS
ESPN (solely for the Little League Classic on August 23)
Peacock
Apple TV
I didn’t list NBC or FOX since technically you can have access to those broadcast networks for free. Good luck keeping up with all of that!
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Pitcher Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Insert GIF of The Rock yelling, “It doesn’t matter who you want to start Opening Day!”. Because, despite fans on the SnakePit being behind Ryne Nelson, by almost a 3-1 margin, we will instead be getting Zac Gallen on Opening Day, against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on March 26. This will be the fourth time in a row for Gallen, albeit this year, only because Merrill Kelly is unable to accept the honor initially given to him by Torey Lovullo. That ties Gallen with Brandon Webb for second on the franchise list of Opening Day starts by a pitcher, behind the six times Randy Johnson took the mound.
Though the results for Zac previously have been less than whelming: Gallen is 1-2, with a 6.59 ERA on previous Opening Days. That includes taking the loss in Dodger Stadium on Opening Day 2023: he allowed five runs over 4.2 innings, in an 8-2 loss. Mind you, Opening Days against the Dodgers have not historically gone very well for the D-backs. They have only one win in six attempts, and that came 25 years ago in 2001. Randy Johnson tossed seven innings of two-run ball in Los Angeles, and a two-run homer in the seventh by Luis Gonzalez proved the margin of victory in a 3-2 win for Arizona.
The Big Unit was actually only 3-2 on Opening Day, but he gave the team a quality start each and every one of the six games. The best record probably belongs to Ian Kennedy, who never started an Opening Day game the D-backs didn’t win. He got the W in two of his three, with the third going to extras before Arizona prevailed 7-6 in Denver. Webb was just 1-0 over his four starts, but the team ended up winning three of them. That included his final major-league outing in 2009, where he allowed six runs over four innings, but the D-backs still won, 9-8. In the end, I’d take that for Gallen in a couple of weeks: the team win is the thing.
Should auld acquaintance be forget and something something the Cardinals have released quarterback Kyler Murray.
At precisely 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday — the official start of the 2026 league year to the minute — the Cardinals announced that they have parted ways with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
"With today's start of the new league year and transactions now official, we want to thank Kyler for everything he has done for this organization over the last seven years," Cardinals G.M. Monti Ossenfort said in a statement. "We are extremely grateful for his contributions both on the field and off and we wish him nothing but the absolute best moving forward."
The Cardinals owe Murray $36.8 million for 2026. This allows him to sign a one-year deal for $1.3 million, with the Cardinals paying the $35.5 million balance.
As explained earlier, the Vikings making the most sense. Most of the other teams that were looking for a starter have addressed their needs.
Barring a major upset, the Vikings will add Murray to the depth chart, at a very low cost.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 20: A general view of Salt River Fields prior to the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The big news in today’s line-up sits right at the top, where Corbin Carroll is back in the line-up. It’s an amazingly quick return, just one month and a day after he suffered the injury on a swing during live batting practice on February 10. Given that when we looked at previous hamate-afflicted players, the average amount of time missed was almost twice as much, at 61 days, this is remarkably quick. In fact, it’s quicker than any of the players in our (admittedly fairly small) sample from the past five years. It being spring training may be a factor: this could be the equivalent of a rehab assignment. It’s good to see him, regardless; let’s just hope he is not being rushed back.
Ryne Nelson gets the start, and after him we can expect to see RHP Thomas Hatch, RHP Kevin Ginkel, RHP Ryan Thompson and LHP Philip Abner. It will be Nelson’s third start of spring: the other two lasted for a total of 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, with an impressive 6:0 K:BB ratio so far. With the news that Zac Gallen is going to be the Opening Day starter (I’ll be writing that up next), the next question is where Nelson is going to slot into the rotation. My instinct is it’ll be just behind Gallen, but we’ll see. Out of the bullpen, Ginkel and Thompson are the names to watch, as they look to establish dominance among our relief corps.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 05: A detail view of a Cleveland Guardians batting helmet during a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on March 05, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite fielding one of the worst offenses in baseball last season, the Cleveland Guardians still finished atop the American League Central when the dust settled. How an organization that was almost anemic offensively managed to win its division can be puzzling at first glance.
The ballclub by the lake does one thing as well as anyone in baseball. They manufacture the one thing every team needs and no team ever has enough of: pitching. For more than a decade, Cleveland has been one of baseball’s most reliable pitching development pipelines, consistently turning highly ranked prospects, mid-round draft picks, and overlooked arms into major league contributors. That model has kept the Guardians competitive despite operating with a payroll far smaller than many American League rivals.
Last season that formula paid off again. Cleveland stormed back late to claim its second straight AL Central title. Whether it holds again in 2026 will depend on two familiar questions: whether the pitching machine keeps humming and whether the offense around José Ramírez can provide enough support.
2025 record: 88-74 (1st, AL Central) 2026 FanGraphs projection: 76–86 (4th, AL Central)
Cleveland’s identity begins on the mound. Even as recognizable names cycle off the roster, the Guardians continue to produce quality pitchers at a rate few organizations can match. Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams represent the latest examples of Cleveland turning young arms into frontline starters.
The numbers explain why the organization is viewed as one of baseball’s most effective pitching development systems. Over the past three seasons, Guardians pitchers have ranked near the top of the American League in run prevention metrics. Cleveland finished 2025 among league leaders in ERA, fourth overall with a 3.70 team ERA while also ranking near the top in strikeout-to-walk ratio. The staff’s ability to limit free passes has been particularly impressive, as Cleveland routinely posts one of the lowest walk rates in baseball.
Underlying pitch metrics tell the same story. Statcast and FanGraphs data regularly show Cleveland pitchers near the top of the league in chase rate and weak contact allowed, two indicators strongly tied to sustainable run prevention. Pitching coach Carl Willis has emphasized pitch design, mechanical adjustments, and a clear organizational philosophy that helps the Guardians extract value from arms throughout their system.
Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake spent time in Cleveland’s organization earlier in his career, and since his arrival in New York it’s easy to see similarities between the two teams’ pitching philosophies. Both organizations emphasize data-driven adjustments and maximizing the strengths of each arm.
While Cleveland’s identity remains tied to the mound, the offense revolves around one of the most quietly dominant players of this generation. José Ramírez remains the centerpiece of the lineup and one of baseball’s most complete players, combining power, plate discipline, baserunning, and good defensive. Last season J-Ram posted 5.8 WAR with 30 home runs and 44 stolen bases, good for an .863 OPS and a third-place finish in the MVP race behind the first loser Cal Raleigh and, of course, The Captain himself, Aaron Judge.
He must also really believe Cleveland rocks. Ramírez signed a seven-year, $175 million extension that will keep him with the Guardians through his age-39 season, a rare commitment between a star player and a small-market franchise.
Alongside Ramírez, Steven Kwan provides a completely different but valuable offensive profile. His contact ability and disciplined approach make him one of the hardest hitters in the league to strike out and a natural table-setter at the top of the lineup. Cleveland needs that skill set, because offense has often been hard to come by. The Guardians scored more runs than only the Pirates and Rockies in all of baseball last season.
Beyond those two anchors, Cleveland once again hopes several young hitters can take the next step. Bo Naylor and Kyle Manzardo represent the next wave of offensive hope, while top prospects Chase DeLauter and George Valera should also factor into the lineup this season.
That reliance on internal development reflects Cleveland’s long-standing roster philosophy. This offseason, their most notable addition was first baseman/designated hitter Rhys Hoskins on a minor league deal. Hoskins is expected to make the big league club and projects as a regular splitting time between first base and designated hitter with Manzardo. Even after losing their star closer and a starting pitcher to betting allegations last July, the Guardians made no real additions to reinforce the bullpen or the rotation.
Rather than chasing free agents, Cleveland continues trusting its development pipeline to supply the next wave of contributors. In some seasons that approach works beautifully. In others, it leaves the lineup searching for consistent production behind Ramírez. That volatility is why Cleveland remains one of the harder teams in baseball to project. Their pitching depth keeps them competitive most seasons, but the offense often determines whether they hover around .500 or push toward the top of the division.
A team built on development rarely views its roster as static. If Cleveland struggles early this summer, the front office could again explore selling pieces for additional young talent.
That flexibility is part of why the Guardians feel like a team that simply refuses to go away. Some seasons they’re the belle of the trade deadline ball, making just enough moves to stay competitive without committing to a full rebuild. Then later that same year, they’re a team you see in October with grown men dancing to the SpongeBob theme song.
For the Yankees, Cleveland remains one of the more intriguing matchups on the schedule. The Guardians may not always feature the most intimidating lineup, but their pitching development consistently produces staffs capable of neutralizing even elite offenses. Games between these two clubs often turn into battles of pitching depth, discipline at the plate, and occasionally get a little chippy.
As long as Cleveland continues producing pitchers the way it has for the last decade — and as long as José Ramírez stays healthy — the Guardians will remain one of baseball’s quietest but most persistent threats.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
VENICE, FLORIDA - MARCH 23: Spencer Strider #99 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles during a Grapefruit League spring training game at CoolToday Park on March 23, 2025 in Venice, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the top line, Spencer Strider looked really good on Wednesday afternoon: four innings, one walk, five strikeouts. When you consider that it was a visiting Rays team, maybe that’s more akin to something expected, but… I thought that this was a nice outing for him.
When Strider returned from injury last year, my amateur take on his struggles early was that he was struggling to stay mechanically consistent after taking a break between innings. Then, when things fell apart for him later in the year after his really nice run of starts, it was the slider mechanics (and resulting command) that did him in. So, I wasn’t surprised at all to see that in his first two Spring Training outings, the things he was struggling with were these same two: getting feel back after “going up and down” and having any semblance of consistency on his slider release.
So, the good news, if you care at all about my divinations into a guy’s mechanics in Spring Training, is that Strider looked much better for big chunks of this outing. There seemed to be a concerted effort to “slow down,” which I saw both in that he was “pulling” his four-seamer a lot (later release) and that everything was definitely not max effort.
The end result seemed to work out fairly well, especially towards the latter half of the outing. Strider worked the fastball early and didn’t get creamed for it (again, a quarter-strength Rays lineup at best here) and then really started carving up the set of Spring Training randos in his latter two frames. When he struck out the side in the third, it was very vintage Strider — Logan Davidson went down on a 1-2 well-located slider below the zone, Chandler Simpson swung through a zone curveball, and Gavin Lux got eaten alive on an above-the-zone fastball. Again, not the stiffest of competition, but still. Strider did issue his only walk in the fourth, but ended his outing with a nice (and Drake Baldwin/ABS-assisted) strikeout where he got Ben Williamson to look daft on two waste-type sliders.
Oh, and there was a game separate from Strider’s outing, too. Who knew. Matt Olson popped his third Spring Training 2026 homer, and the Braves drew some walks against Nick Martinez, but this was a low-scoring game for a while. Martinez actually struck out the side in the third before walking Austin Riley to start the fourth and departing. The Braves had a bit of a rally against Bryan Baker in the fifth: Brett Wisely homered to start the half-inning, Mauricio Dubon was robbed by a diving catch on a 100 mph screamer in center, Baldwin struck out (again), and then Olson, Riley, and Mike Yastrzemski proceeded to dunk balls onto grass to give Atlanta a 4-0 lead. There was a late tack-on run, too, with Luis Guanipa bouncing one up the middle to score a runner from second.
On the pitching end, Raisel Iglesias came in after Strider and had a few scary fly balls, but survived. Martin Perez worked the rest of the slate — all four innings — and was kind of mean to the random Rays’ hangers-on and minor leaguers, given his arsenal. Williamson did pop him for a three-run homer after a barely-there roller and a walk put two on with two out, but the rest was easy pickin’ for the veteran, as he struck out six of the 17 batters he faced.
The Braves will play a night game tomorrow as they head to Bradenton to hang with the Pirates. Will they return with Charlie Morton? Who knows. (Probably not.) Stay tuned.
Anthony Kay takes his turn on the bump as the White Sox battle the Angels under the Arizona sun. | (Mike Christy/Getty Images)
The White Sox are back at Camelback Ranch, hoping to recover from yesterday’s beatdown by the A’s. The good news is the bats have been alive, and today’s another shot to keep the offense rolling against the Angels. First pitch at 3:05 p.m. CST.
Anthony Kay gets the ball for Chicago, who’s looking to make the most of his spring. Once a first-round pick, Kay still flashes the stuff that got him drafted — a fastball with some life and a slider that sometimes actually misses bats when it’s working. The southpaw has performed well so far this spring, going 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 7 2/3 frames across three starts, but that 1.57 WHIP is a mess. Welcome to Cactus League, where everyone’s just shaking off the rust and trying to remember how to pitch.
The Angels counter with Alek Manoah, who once looked like a future ace before injuries and wildness sent him spinning. If he’s got it working, Manoah can still blow hitters away with a mid-90s fastball and a slider that actually bites. The Angels are crossing their fingers that he can get back to form, but spring hasn’t been kind so far to the righthander in his three starts, with a 6.14 ERA and 2.05 WHIP over 7 1/3 innings.
Today’s Sox lineup features a handful of bats who’ve been making noise lately. Austin Hays continues to square everything up and looks locked in at the dish, while Colson Montgomery has been flashing some pop after leaving the yard on Sunday. Add in the veteran Andrew Benintendi, who has put together a solid spring, and the versatility of LaMonte Wade Jr., and Chicago once again rolls out a lineup that can create some chaos on the bases and do damage in a hurry. Who would have thought?
Unfortunately, there’s no TV for this one. If you’re desperate for some Good Guys baseball, fire up MLB.TV or MLB+ and settle for the Angels radio call at 3:05 p.m. CST.
This afternoon, the Athletics will look to make it five Cactus League wins in a row as they play the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second time this spring. A week ago, the Diamondbacks defeated the A’s 3-1.
Since then, the A’s offense has woken up in full force, seemingly scoring runs at will during this winning streak. Yesterday, the A’s pounded White Sox pitching, scoring 11 runs on 16 hits. First baseman Nick Kurtz, catcher Shea Langeliers and designated hitter Brent Rooker all hit home runs, with Kurtz and Langeliers going back-to-back in the fourth inning. On the other hand, the team’s pitching continues to be a concern, as A’s starter Jeffrey Springs gave up six runs over only 2 2/3 innings.
Right-hander Luis Morales will start on the mound for the A’s today, looking to improve from his last outing against the Los Angeles Angels, in which he gave up two runs over 3 2/3 innings. That performance was much improved from his previous spring outing, a sign Morales is becoming prepared to positively contribute to the A’s success this season.
In his first 10 MLB appearances last August and September, Morales went 4-3 with a 3.14 ERA, recording 43 strikeouts over 48 innings pitched. Morales could help reverse the A’s recent trend of top international signings failing to pan out. The Cuban pitcher has the talent to pitch at the front of a rotation and could play an important role in helping the team allow fewer runs this season.
With the start of the regular season just a couple of weeks away, starters are beginning to play more as teams send lower-level minor leaguers and non-roster invitees unlikely to make the roster to minor league camp.
The A’s lineup this afternoon is very close to what it will presumably look like come the regular season. The first five names are the team’s five best hitters. Max Muncy has received the most playing time at third base this spring and will presumably start there on Opening Day. Utility infielder Andy Ibanez is playing second base, a position he will likely see time at this year in addition to third.
Henry Bolte is in the lineup again. The team’s top outfield prospect is batting .414 with a home run and three RBIs in 29 Cactus League at-bats. If Bolte carries his spring success into the start of the Triple-A season, he could be rewarded with his MLB debut sometime this year.
Here’s how the Diamondbacks line up this afternoon behind starting pitcher Ryne Nelson:
Diamondbacks superstar outfielder Corbin Carroll will make his spring debut a month after breaking his right hamate bone. Additionally, first baseman Pavin Smith is off to a good start this spring, hitting .308 with two home runs and four RBIs.
Outside of those two regulars, the rest of Arizona’s starting lineup is made up of prospects and backups, which could give Morales a favorable matchup this afternoon as he continues vying for a spot in the A’s Opening Day rotation.
Should be a fun one in the desert. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. Let’s go A’s!
TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 12: Bryce Miller #50 of the Seattle Mariners walks to the dugout after pitching the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game one of the American League Championship Series at Rogers Centre on October 12, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller, who hasn’t pitched in a game since the start of spring training with an abdomen/oblique injury, was scheduled to pitch a 25-pitch standard bullpen today as part of his rehab process. Instead, Miller’s bullpen was cut short after just a few warmup tosses, as Miller reported feeling tightness in the area while ramping up to his bullpen. The Mariners immediately opted to shut him down for the day, though not from throwing in general.
“This is rehab. This is part of that,” said Mariners GM Justin Hollander. “We told Bryce specifically…if you feel anything at all, don’t push through it. That’s not where you’re at in this process.”
Miller got through the on-ramp to his bullpen—stretching, touch-and-feel tosses, throwing around a football and warming up—fine, but felt tightness once he got on the mound and started throwing with more intent. As instructed, he immediately reported the feeling to a trainer, and the Mariners opted to cut the session short.
“We’re not going to push through this and risk actually having to take a step backwards,” said Hollander.
Miller won’t be shut down from throwing; he’ll still play catch, and in another three to four days they’ll try again with the touch and feel bullpen, similar to the one he threw a few days ago. If Miller progresses through all of that without issue, he can move to trying the standard bullpen again, about a week from today. Hollander says that’s just what the rehab process looks like.
“Some days, you feel a little tightness, and we back it down. Sometimes you feel great, and we feel like you’re ready to take the next step. He wasn’t ready to take the next step today, and smartly said, I’m not ready to take the next step today, so we’ll try again in a couple of days.”
The bullpen step is the hardest one to clear, moving from playing catch to throwing with intent and intensity, but it does delay Miller’s timeline by about a week. Hollander wouldn’t decisively rule out Miller, whose last game appearance was February 26th, for Opening Day, but the math isn’t in Miller’s favor with the regular season starting up in just two weeks. All Hollander would commit to acknowledging was that Miller is behind schedule, and that the team will make decisions as necessary.
The Mariners have built depth this spring with both minor-league signings and internal improvements. They’ve brought back Tacoma stalwarts Jhonathan Díaz and Casey Lawrence, both of whom have filled in at the big-league level. Emerson Hancock, who filled in last spring for various rotation members battling injury, has been especially impressive this spring, showcasing consistent improved velocity and an improved sweeper. Off-season acquisition Cooper Criswell has also been working as a starter this spring, and could either start himself, piggyback with Hancock, or serve as longman out of the ‘pen, all roles the Swiss army knife pitcher says he’s comfortable with. And beyond that, the Mariners could even tap into young but polished Kade Anderson, although that seems like a distant third option ahead of their longer-tenured options or Criswell, who lacks options and was looking like a lock to make the roster even before this. Who is your preferred option to fill in for Miller as he works back from his oblique injury? Let us know in the comments.
Mar 6, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Chase Dollander (32) throws against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Hohokam Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
The talk of the baseball world today is Italy’s stunning upset of Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. The 8-6 win is the biggest for Italy in international play, and was led by Colorado Rockies’ RHP Michael Lorenzen pitching 4.2 scoreless innings and giving up only two hits to some of the best batters in the world. The result forces quite a bit of drama for the U.S. heading into the final day of group play.
Back in the Cactus League, the Rockies will look to rebound after a pair of rough blowouts to start the week, losing to the Chicago White Sox 12-3 on Monday and to the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 on Tuesday. The bats have cooled down in recent days, with a number of top contributors going “o-fer” at the plate. Taking on the Seattle Mariners, Chase Dollander gets his fourth start of the spring, going 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA, five strikeouts, and three walks so far.
On Seattle’s end, Luis Castillo takes the mound, looking to break a troublesome start to camp. In two games, Castillo is 0-2 has an abysmal 27.00 ERA across 2.2 innings pitched, after giving up six hits, six runs, and a homer to the San Diego Padres, and four hits, three runs, and a homer to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rockies’ bats could turn the team’s week around with a juicy matchup if they can take advantage of Castillo’s NL West woes.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27: Luis Castillo #58 of the Seattle Mariners warms up before the spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Peoria Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners take on the Rockies and their ace Chase Dollander today. Luis Castillo will take the ball for the Mariners.
Also scheduled to pitch for the Mariners: Casey Lawrence, José Ferrer, Matt Brash, Carlos Vargas, Yosver Zulueta
Injury news:
Bryce Miller will throw a 25-pitch bullpen today as he continues to work his way back from oblique soreness. The Mariners won’t say whether or not he’ll be ready to start the season but it doesn’t feel likely at this point; Cooper Criswell seems like a lock to make the roster at this point, and maybe both him and Emerson Hancock.
Roster moves:
Yesterday the Mariners re-assigned RHP Nick Davila to minor league camp; today they made several more cuts, optioning Blas Castaño and Domingo Gonzalez to Triple-A Tacoma and re-assigning OF Lazaro Montes, RHP Tyler Cleveland, RHP Michael Morales, OF Spencer Packard and C Nick Raposo to minor-league camp.
Game information:
Game time: 1:10 PT
TV: no
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, Seattle Sports app, Gameday, Mariners.com
