Category: Baseball

Opening Day is finally here after the Astros’ longest offseason in nearly a decade. Following a disappointing 2025 season that ended after Game 162, the Astros remade a significant portion of their roster and coaching staff in an effort to reclaim their spot atop the American League West. Here are the four biggest questions I have as they head into the first of 162 games.

Can they make their infield logjam work?

The Astros have five infielders who have made All-Star teams, earn significant salaries, and expect to play every day. The problem is, you can only start four on any given day. That means someone who believes they belong in the lineup will be left out every single day. Managing those expectations—while keeping everyone sharp—may be Joe Espada’s toughest challenge of 2026.

Some of that could sort itself out. Jeremy Peña suffered a finger injury during the lead-up to the World Baseball Classic and won’t be ready for Opening Day. Carlos Correa played more than 140 games last season for the first time since 2021, so it’s reasonable to expect he’ll miss a little time during his age-31 campaign. And, of course, the Astros could always trade from their infield surplus.

But what if everyone stays healthy? And what if no trade materializes? Things could get uncomfortable.

Did Dana Brown bring in the right starting pitchers?

The Astros remade their starting rotation after missing the playoffs in 2006. Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens departed, and then-GM Tim Purpura tried to replace them by trading for Jason Jennings and signing Woody Williams in free agency. Both moves were disasters, and Purpura was fired before the 2007 season ended.

This past winter, Dana Brown watched Framber Valdez leave and replaced him by trading for Mike Burrows and signing Tatsuya Imai in free agency. Both have had terrific springs, but joining the Astros is a major adjustment. Burrows is coming from Pittsburgh, where expectations and pressure were minimal, while Imai is transitioning from Japan to the United States—an adjustment that can be challenging both on and off the field.

The Astros gave up two prospects from a barren system to acquire Burrows, who is under team control for five seasons. They need him to be good not just in 2026, but well beyond. Imai signed a three-year, $54 million deal that includes opt-outs after the first two seasons. If he’s good, he’ll likely opt out and pitch elsewhere next year. If he struggles, he becomes another burdensome contract for a team that can’t afford many more.

Is the bullpen good enough behind Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu?

With Hader and Abreu slated for the eighth and ninth innings, the Astros have one of the best one-two bullpen punches in Major League Baseball. But do they have the depth behind them to get through the season?

That depth is already being tested, with Hader set to begin the year on the IL, along with Bennett Sousa, who authored a brilliant 2025 before getting hurt. The Astros will need Bryan King and Steven Okert to replicate last season’s success in roles known for volatility, while also hoping that pitchers like Roddery Muñoz, Kai-Wei Teng, Ryan Weiss, and Christian Roa emerge as reliable options, at least early in the season.

Is Cam Smith still the future of the team?

Late last February, I sat in Dana Brown’s West Palm Beach office and asked him who had impressed through the first two weeks of spring training. I think Brown said Smith’s name before I could even finish the question.

I’ve rarely heard a GM talk about a prospect the way Brown talked about Smith, whom he acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade. General managers usually try to temper expectations for young players, but Brown seemed to raise them every chance he got.

Smith made the Astros’ Opening Day roster out of spring last season despite having played just 35 games in the minors with the Cubs in 2024. That only heightened expectations. It looked like he might meet them after raising his OPS to .805 during the Astros’ 18–1 win at Dodger Stadium on July 4, but over his final 60 games, Smith slashed just .155/.248/.232 and found himself on the bench for much of September.

Brown said early in the offseason that Smith would have to earn a spot on the 2026 Opening Day roster, and he responded with an impressive spring. Smith, who turns 23 on Friday, remains under team control for another five seasons. And with no other impactful position-player prospects in the upper levels of the Astros’ system, they need him to live up to the billing.

Yesterday we kicked things off with the first two installments of our top prospect series. Today we’re back with the next tier up

16. Silvano Hechavarria, RHP, Age 22 (DOB: 3/18/2003), Grade 40, 2025: NR

Signed out of Cuba in June of 2024, Hechavarria was older than the typical International Free Agent and he cruised through the DSL that summer before making his way stateside in 2025. There, he had similarly little trouble with the complex and the Florida State League, by late summer earning a promotion to a somewhat more age appropriate league with A+ Vancouver. Overall last season, he pitched 86.2 innings across the three levels, with an 82:23 strikeout to walk ratio and a 2.28 ERA.

Hechavarria looks the part of a starting pitcher, standing 6’4” and weighing 200lbs. He has a fairly short and tall delivery, releasing from a high three quarters arm slot to generate downward plane. The velocity on his fastballs varies from 89-97, mostly averaging 93-94. He mostly throws a four seamer, which has solid carry and above average arm side run, mixing in a sinker that’s got plus run and a little drop. Overall they look like solid average pitches.

His best pitch, and the most commonly thrown if you separate the fastballs, is a cutter-y slider in the upper 80s that projects as above average. He rounds out the arsenal with a change-up with splitter style movement that is his least refined offering but that flashes as a second 55 grade weapon.

It’s not the prettiest delivery, but Hechavarria has a loose athleticism and he repeats it well, with command of all four offerings that’s probably MLB average right now and has a chance to get to plus. The overall package is a potential #4 starter who lacks a true dominating out pitch but who gets through a lot of innings with a deep repertoire and by limiting base runners. 2026 will be about continuing to stretch out his workload after his year off while defecting and seeing how well his stuff plays against upper minors bats.

15. Blaine Bullard, OF, Age 19 (DOB: 8/16/2006), Grade 40, 2025: High School

Acquiring Bullard was a combination of luck and smart negotiating for the Jays. He was a big riser later in the 2025 draft process, with teams believing he was a top three round pick on talent. The word was that his commitment to attend Texas A&M was firm, though, and teams didn’t want to risk forfeiting top 10 round bonus pool money if he proved un-signable. The jays had managed to save up some money, though, and were in a position to dare him to turn down $1.7 million in the 12th round. It proved irresistible, and they got their player.

What they got for their money is a 70 grade athlete who has sky high upside but also remaining work to refine his game. Bullard is a switch hitter, although his left handed swing is by far the more polished of the two right now. He has the twitchiness and hand eye coordination scouts look for in future above average contact hitters, but he has some work to do to get to breaking balls. His approach is reported to be solid. He doesn’t have much present power, and while there’s room for him to add muscle on his frame he’ll probably always have below average raw. Combined with a swing that’s more geared for line drives, he looks more like an average/OBP type than a slugger. He’s a plus runner, and he looks to be an above average centre fielder who can do some damage on the bases.

The most likely outcome is a slap and dash fourth outfielder, but even a little power development and he has the potential to be a leadoff hitting, plus glove every day centre fielder.

14. Victor Arias, C, Age 22 (DOB: 8/24/2003), Grade 40, 2025: 24th

Arias is a long time Jays farmhand, having signed back in August of 2019 out of his native Venezuela. After the scrubbed 2020 minor league season, he climbed the ladder slowly, spending two full years in the Dominican Summer League, one at the complex, and another at A Dunedin. Throughout, he consistently posted solid batting lines, balancing strong walk rates with tolerable strikeouts and a modicum of power. Things finally accelerated a bit in 2025, as he got his first extended run at A+ Vancouver (after a late cup of coffee in 2024), continued to produce, and earned a bump to AA New Hampshire for the last 36 games of the season. He scuffled a bit at the top level, but overall slashed .272/.353/.403 on the season, racking up 33 extra base hits in 102 games and swiping 18 bags in 23 tries.

Another diminutive Jays prospect with surprising power, Arias stands 5’9” and is listed at 175lbs, but this season he saw a jump in his raw power and now posts above average to plus exit velocities. His 54% hard hit rate was the best in the system. His swing produces a lot of ground balls, which limits his over the fence power production, but he hits his hardest balls in the air and a tweak could unlock above average home run production. He has fringe average contact ability and plate discipline, but again there are flashes of an average hit tool.

He’s a plus runner, sometimes recording 70 grade home to first times, with an above average arm. His routes in centre field need refinement, so right now he’s a fringe average defender there in spite of his tools.

The story with Arias is a player with uncommon upside for a 22 year old five seasons and six years into his pro career, who’s held his own in the mid minors already. If the adjustments don’t come, he profiles as a fifth outfielder/pinch run specialist. Fully unlocking his tools would require multiple significant adjustments, but if he were to pull it off the ceiling would be high.

13. Yohendrick Pinango, Age 23 (DOB: 5/7/2002), Grade 40, 2025: NR

The return for Nate Pearson at the 2024 deadline didn’t look like much at the time. Pinango signed with the Cubs out of Venezuela in 2018, and while he lit up the DSL the next summer he was pretty unremarkable over the three minor league seasons following the pandemic. A torrid first month of the 2024 season at A+ popped him onto the radar and probably lead to the trade. He bombed in his first 33 games in the Jays system, posting a .518 OPS at AA New Hampshire. It all came together in 2025, though. Pinango torched the Eastern league to the tune of .298/.406/.522, earning a promotion to AAA Buffalo. He cooled down there, but still posted a roughly average line with lots of walks, solid K numbers, and some pop.

Pinango has always been a solid contact hitter, but his breakout was fueled by trading an aggressive approach for a very selective one. He now watches more strikes than would be ideal, but he rarely chases and waits on pitches he can hammer. As for the hammering part, his max exit velocity in Buffalo was over 115mph. Only 30 major leaguers last year could say the same. his 91.9mph average exit velocity and 47.6% hard hit rate were both comfortably plus. The lone offensive knock on him is that while he hits enough fly balls, his best power comes a low angles, producing line drives and hard grounders instead of home runs. If he can fix that, he could be a cleanup calibre hitter, and even if he can’t the combination of patience, contact and strength is enough for a viable offensive profile.

There’s a lot of pressure on the bat, as Pinango is a below average runner whose ugly routes and iffy arm make him a liability even in left field. If it comes together offensively he can be a regular regardless, but anything short and he’s likely a bench bat or not an MLB player.

Folks, the time has finally come. The 2026 Washington Nationals season is here. I am so excited that baseball is back and I cannot wait to watch the boys play. They will have a tough test on Opening Day, facing off against the Cubs in Wrigley Field. The games really begin for Blake Butera and the 2026 Nats.

Butera put out an unexpected lineup to start the season, and I expect that to be a trend. There will be a lot of mixing and matching this year. James Wood hitting leadoff is not a massive surprise, but there are some interesting decisions after that. While Andres Chaparro can really rake against lefties, seeing him in the two hole on Opening Day is a surprise.

Another shocker is seeing CJ Abrams in the 6 hole. He has mostly been the Nats leadoff hitter the last few seasons, and I don’t think I have ever seen him below the cleanup spot in years. I assume he will hit higher against righties, but with a lefty on the mound, he will be in the 6 spot. Joey Wiemer will also get an Opening Day start, due to his solid numbers against lefties. Luis Garcia Jr. has always struggled against lefties, so seeing him out of the lineup is not much of a surprise. As we have known for a couple weeks now, Cade Cavalli will be your Opening Day starter in only his 12th career big league outing.

chicago dawgs

→ https://t.co/iUBDqlACVspic.twitter.com/NrgJqsjzXj

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) March 26, 2026

The Cubs lineup is filled with bigger names than the Nats. They feature the likes of Alex Bregman, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Dansby Swanson. Michael Busch is the leadoff man, and he is one of the most underrated hitters in the sport. The Cubs have a strong and deep lineup which will be tough for Cade Cavalli to navigate. Matthew Boyd had a late career resurgence last year and he was rewarded with an Opening Day start.

#OPENINGDAY EVERYONE!!!

Watch the game live on @WatchMarqueepic.twitter.com/G0oBwa0Qim

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 26, 2026

Game Info:

Stadium: Wrigley Field

Time: 2:20 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

Baseball is back ladies and gentleman, and I am fired up. The Nats may not be good, but it is still better than no baseball. Also, the season is still in its infancy. Who is to say the Nats won’t surprise. We have 162 games to find that out. Follow along down below in the comment section and let’s go Nats!

Welcome to a new season of Chicago White Sox baseball. As always, we’ll be here to cover all 162 games for you, through bad times and who knows, maybe even some good.

I’ve had the honor of covering nine Opening Days now at South Side Sox, with a record of 3-5. Well, at least this one isn’t coming in July.

So, as we get to today’s lineups, notice anything at the top? Same 0-0 record, but the White Sox are in last place, Milwaukee in first. Sure, the NL Central is marshmallow soft, but that’s ridiculous (I know, I know, it’s a carryover from where the teams finished in 2025.)

Shane Smith takes the ball for his first career Opening Day start. As does Jacob Misiorowski for the Brewers. It would seem, however, advantage goes to the guy who throws 100 mph like a sneeze and then counters with an 80 mph yakker.

Chase Meidroth was incredibly prolific at the top of the order in Spring Training, so let’s hope he keeps it rolling. Colson Montgomery was dog food at the top of the order in Spring Training, so let’s hope that was a mirage. Andrew Benintendi is hitting cleanup, in case any of you are overly chuffed by Will Venable’s potential as a manager. Meanwhile Munetaka Murakami is hitting sixth, not dispelling any of the high-velo concerns he brought over with him from Japan.

Rub your eyes twice, but the major league outfield of the major league Chicago White Sox consists of Austin Hayes in left, Luisangel Acuña in center, and Everson Pereira in right. That is not the Charlotte Knights lineup; they play tomorrow night, possibly with a better outfield group than this one today.

Over on the other side, Jackson Chourio is out for the Brewers, which is a huge plus for our hopes of stealing an Opening Day win. ANDREW VAUGHN is hitting cleanup for Milwaukee, and would probably not mind one whit hitting a couple of bombs in his first game against his former team.

It’s something like 48° and falling in Milwaukee today, but that ain’t no thing for an indoor ballpark. But sorry, tailgaters, perhaps including our very own Hannah Filippo, Allie Wesel, Kristina Airdo and possibly even others.

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The Rays Opening Day lineup for 2026 has been posted by manager Kevin Cash, and has some surprises compared to the expected starters for the season, in part because a left hander is on the mound in for -Rays first round pick Matthew Liberatore, who was traded to St. Louis in the January 2020 deal for Randy Arozarena.

Liberatore has been on the Cardinals since 2022, and makes his first Opening Day start opposite of Drew Rasmussen, who also gets the nod for the first time.

Here’s how the Rays line up against the Cardinals southpaw:

1. Yandy Diaz, DH
2. Ryan Vilade, LF
3. Jonathan Aranda, 1B (L)
4. Junior Caminero, 3B
5. Ben Williamson, 2B
6. Jonny DeLuca, RF
7. Nick Fortes, C
8. Cedric Mullins II, CF (L)
9. Carson Williams, SS

Two quick reactions:

1. it is not a surpise that utility defender Ryan Vilade is making the start, but the vote of confidence in his bat to hit Vilade second is notable, as the 27-year old journeyman (and former Cardinal) has only 71 career plate appearances with a .179 wOBA, despite strong performances in Triple-A in 2025 (135 wRC+ across two org’s). The Rays must believe in the bat heading into this season.
2. Cedric Mullins locks down center field, with the 31-year old veteran getting the start over in-house starter Jonny DeLuca. Last year across two teams Mullins totaled -14 Defensive Runs Saved in center field over 120 games started (1,064.1 innings); DeLuca netted 1 DRS in 14 starts (140 innings) after an extended absence with injury.

First pitch is at 4:15.

Go Rays!

Mets baseball is officially back.

Before the team took the field for their Opening Day meeting with the Pirates, though, we had to go through the festivities that come with the day.

With this roster completely overhauled from last season, player introductions gave the fan base their first opportunity to welcome the several new faces to Citi Field. 

Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, Luis Robert Jr, and Devin Williams were among those who received a big hand from the orange and blue faithful. 

Familiar faces such as Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez, Nolan McLean, and Kodai Senga also received a warm welcome back home. 

Arguably the loudest cheers of the day, though, came when top prospect Carson Benge came running out of the Mets’ dugout for the first time wearing his No. 3 jersey ahead of his MLB debut. 

Here's some of the scenes from the pregame festivities…

Howie Rose welcomes the fans to Citi Field for the 2026 season! pic.twitter.com/0tEYQHBm4f

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 26, 2026

Francisco Lindor is introduced on Opening Day 👏 pic.twitter.com/MFsF8EOdrG

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 26, 2026

Juan Soto gets a big Opening Day Citi Field ovation 👏 pic.twitter.com/45Ap2uNDs0

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 26, 2026

Welcome to Queens, Bo! pic.twitter.com/QpmJM1trm8

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 26, 2026

A huge ovation for Carson Benge ahead of his MLB debut! pic.twitter.com/YSE27VNgft

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 26, 2026

The 2026 Mets Opening Day lineup! pic.twitter.com/ct1sgwcmna

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 26, 2026

Nolan McLean is introduced to the Citi Field crowd on Opening Day pic.twitter.com/bMmLJSEBXB

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 26, 2026

After a long, cold, baseball-less winter, we’ve made it. At long last, here are the words I’ve been waiting to write since Game 7 of the World Series: Happy Opening Day!

In case you missed it, Harrison and I put together a season primer with everything you need to know about the Brewers before today’s first pitch. You can find that article here.

With Freddy Peralta now in New York, Milwaukee’s starter for today’s game is right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. Not only is this Misiorowski’s first Opening Day start, it’s his first Opening Day as a major leaguer. He had an up-and-down rookie season, though the highs — outdueling Paul Skenes, striking out nine Dodgers over five innings in Game 3 of the 2025 NLCS — were exceptionally high. Misiorowski will look to improve on last season’s 4.36 ERA as the Brewers’ newly-minted #1 starter.

On the mound for the White Sox is righty Shane Smith. Smith was originally signed by the Brewers as an undrafted free agent following the 2021 draft and remained with the Brewers organization until 2024, when Chicago selected him with the first overall pick in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. He was named an AL All-Star in 2025, finishing the season with a 3.81 ERA over 29 games started.

Missing from Milwaukee’s Opening Day lineup is outfielder Jackson Chourio, who was placed on the 10-day IL this morning (retroactive to 3/25) with a left hand fracture. Per Curt Hogg, the fracture was sustained in an exhibition game on March 4th while with Team Venezuela. He is expected to miss somewhere between 2-4 weeks. Blake Perkins has been recalled from Triple-A Nashville to take his place on the roster.

The top of today’s lineup consists of Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Christian Yelich (DH’ing tonight). Andrew Vaughn will hit cleanup tonight, facing the team that drafted him No. 3 overall for the first time since being traded to Milwaukee. He’s followed by Jake Bauers, who posted a 1.725 OPS with seven home runs in 39 spring training at-bats. Bauers will look to stay hot as Chourio’s replacement in left field. Sal Frelick, David Hamilton (playing third tonight), Garrett Mitchell, and Joey Ortiz round out the lineup for the Brewers.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. You can catch the television broadcast on Brewers.TV and the radio broadcast on WTMJ 620 and the Brewers Radio Network. With the recent uncertainty surrounding local TV availability, the Brewers have released a handy tool (found here) to help fans find where to watch.

Game numero uno

📺: https://t.co/eycfmE2vgm
📻: WTMJ 620#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/vXbnEOAJIT

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 26, 2026

Your 2026 Opening Day lineup ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/2j2j0hqlC4

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 26, 2026

It’s opening day. It’s awesome. I hate Netflix.

Lineup for the Phillies:

Game 1#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/7KYIl7zJhb

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) March 26, 2026

For the Rangers:

Game 1. #AllForTXpic.twitter.com/GRvbLaG7lr

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) March 26, 2026

Prediction: Justin Crawford lays down a bunt hit in the 5th inning.

Another baseball season is here! Can the Kansas City Royals build on their back-to-back winning seasons and win the American League pennant? That’s the goal, and we’ll have to watch and see.

There’s the rub, of course: watch. As has been the case really since Fox Sports Kansas City ceased existing (and arguably even before that), this year is different than past years. The good news: things are simpler now than they ever have been in the streaming era. Let’s get into how and where to watch the Royals this year.

How to stream Royals games in 2026

Royals games can be streamed on Royals.TV, the new platform for Royals baseball. If you’ve been following along, you know that the company that owned Bally Sports Kansas City went bankrupt. Without getting too into it, the Royals chose to utilize Major League Baseball’s video production arm as their media partner this year.

Royals.TV is best considered as a package under the MLB.TV umbrella. The specifics of which package you can or should get depend on whether you’re in Royals media territory. Royals media territory includes all of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, and most of Missouri save for the area around the St. Louis metro.

If you live in Royals territory, the cheapest way to watch Royals games is to buy the $99.99 Royals.TV package. That gets you streaming access to all Royals games without any blackout restrictions. Subscribers also get access to all MiLB games through the MiLB site, as well as Royals affiliate games in the MLB app, along with other select MiLB games in the MLB app.

If you need even more baseball, there’s a $199.99 Royals.TV + MLB.TV package which provides access to all Royals games without any blackout restrictions and every other MLB game across the league for the 2026 season. All MiLB games are also available with this package.

New this year, though, is that if you live outside of Royals territory you may still sign up for Royals.TV at $99.99 to see Royals baseball blackout-free. You won’t get access to other teams, but it makes streaming the Royals for fans outside Royals territory easier than it’s ever been before.

Additionally, if you live outside Royals media territory you can also sign up for the $149.99 MLB.TV package. This package grants access to all out-of-market games. So, for instance, if you live in Seattle, you’ll be able to watch all MLB games except Mariners games—and that includes when the Royals are playing the Mariners. So, if you’re a Royals fan and an MLB fan who lives outside the midwest, consider signing up for the $199.99 Royals TV + MLB.TV package.

How to watch Royals games on satellite and cable in 2026

Royals.TV will be available on a variety of satellite and cable carriers in 2026. These carriers include:

• DirecTV
• Comcast/Xfinity
• Charter/Spectrum
• Cox
• Midco
• Blue Valley Technologies
• Craw-kan Telephone
• H&B Communications
• Ozarks Go
• Paragould
• Ritter Communications
• United Services
• Tri-county Telephone

If you subscribe to one of the above carriers and live within Royals media territory, you’ll get access to Royals.TV and won’t need to pay the $99.99 fee required of streamers. If you live outside of Royals media territory, you’ll still need to pick up a streaming option.

How to listen to Royals games in 2026

Royals games will continue to be available on the radio this year. In Kansas City, they’ll be on 96.5 The Fan every regular season game. You can also listen elsewhere on the Royals Radio Network, with 50 affiliate stations across Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. The station map and list, as pulled from the 2026 Royals media guide, is below:

Royals TV and radio FAQ

Will all the Royals announcers return?

Yep, the Royals are returning all their play-by-play announcers and analysts for both television and radio.

Denny Matthews will be calling his 58th season on the radio, joined by Steve Stewart. Ryan Lefebvre and Jake Eisenberg will continue to contribute on both television and the radio. Rex Hudler and Jeremy Guthrie will be back as analysts, and Joel Goldberg and Jeff Montgomery will continue to host the pre- and postgame show.

Are there going to be any new faces on the Royals broadcast?

The Royals are adding two key new faces to their broadcasts this year. From the media guide:

Bridget Howard is in her first season as part of the Royals broadcast team, serving as a host and sideline reporter on Royals.TV. A Kansas City native, she has deep roots in the local sports community. Howard graduated from Blue Valley High School and attended Kansas State University, where she was a member of the inaugural K-State women’s soccer team in 2016.

Eric Hosmer joins the Royals.TV broadcast crew as an Analyst for the 2026 season. He’s previously appeared on MLB Network and as a pre and postgame host for games on Apple TV. Hosmer enjoyed a 13-year career in Major League Baseball, including seven seasons with the Royals from 2011-17.

What app do I use to stream Royals games?

Royals games via Royals.TV or MLB.TV can be accessed through the MLB streaming app, which is available on the following device types:

• Smart TV (varying brands)
• Roku
• Xbox
• Playstation
• Amazon Fire TV
• Apple TV
• Android TV
• Chromecast
• iOS

Find a full list of devices here.

Are any games available over the air?

Yes. Just like last year, 10 Royals games will be available over the air—including Opening Day on March 30. There will be one each in March, April, and May, and two each in June, July, and September. No two opponents repeat.

Date	Opponent	Time (CST)	Station
Monday, March 30	Minnesota Twins	3:10 p.m.	SIMULCAST KCTV/KSMO
Friday, April 24	Los Angeles Angels	6:40 p.m.	KCTV
Friday, May 22	Seattle Mariners	6:40 p.m.	KCTV
Friday, June 12	Houston Astros	7:10 p.m.	KCTV
Thursday, June 18	St. Louis Cardinals	6:40 p.m.	KCTV
Friday, July 17	San Diego Padres	7:10 p.m.	KCTV
Friday, August 7	Chicago Cubs	7:10 p.m.	KCTV
Friday, August 21	Detroit Tigers	7:10 p.m.	KCTV
Friday, September 4	Toronto Blue Jays	7:10 p.m.	KCTV
Monday, September 7	Arizona Diamondbacks	1:10 p.m.	KCTV

Is Royals.TV available on YouTube.TV?

No, Royals.TV is not available as a channel or add-on on YouTube.TV. The caveat here is that the aforementioned 10 over the air games will be on YouTube.TV by watching KCTV (or KSMO for the home opener).

Do note that Royals.TV is included as a channel on Fubo as well as DirecTV Stream, so if you get your television through either of those services, you’ll get access to Royals.TV if you’re in Royals territory.

What Royals games will be broadcast nationally?

In addition to local over the air broadcasts, some Royals games will be available nationally, regardless if you have Royals.TV or MLB.TV. These games are:

FS1

• Saturday, April 4 vs. the Milwaukee Brewers at 3:10 CST
• Monday, April 20 vs. the Baltimore Orioles at 6:40 CST
• Saturday, May 23 vs. the Seattle Mariners at 3:10 CST
• Saturday, May 30 at the Texas Rangers at 3:05 CST

ESPN

• Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day) vs. the New York Yankees at 2:40 CST

Apple TV

• Friday, April 3 vs. the Milwaukee Brewers at 6:45 CST
• Friday, May 1 at the Seattle Mariners at 8:45 CST
• Friday, June 5 at the Minnesota Twins at 7:15 CST
• Friday, June 19 vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:15 CST

Apple TV has only released the schedule for the first half of the year. The Royals could appear on additional games in the second half of the year.

Peacock

• Sunday, April 26 vs. the Los Angeles Angels at 6:00 CT
• Sunday, May 10 vs. the Detroit Tigers at 6:00 CT
• Sunday, September 6 vs. the Toronto Blue Jays at 6:00 CT

New York Yankees ace Max Fried posted a 4.40 ERA in the Grapefruit League, with four walks and 12 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. That’s exactly why you shouldn’t fully trust spring training stats: no one in his or her right state of mind had any reason to doubt the stellar southpaw heading into the season. Taking the ball on Wednesday night versus the San Francisco Giants, Fried didn’t disappoint. The Yankees won comfortably 7-0, and their Opening Day starter was dealing all night. Fried kept his opponents off the scoreboard for 6.1 innings, in which he conceded just two hits and one walk. He struck out four and retired the last eight hitters he faced.

In the first couple of innings, you could see that Fried didn’t quite have his best curveball command, yet he cruised through those first two frames with no runs, just one hit, a walk, and four strikeouts. After that, he didn’t strike out any more hitters, but was still able to keep the Giants in check with an increased usage of sinkers and sweepers the second and third time through the order:

By the last couple of innings, the Giants started making more contact in the air, but Fried still finished with seven outs on the ground and three flyouts. In other words, he was always in control despite still not reaching his best velocity. The one time he was in some trouble was in the first inning, and he got out of the jam with a trademark groundball to second:

Last season, Fried’s four-seam fastball averaged 95.8 mph, but the pitch was at 94.6 mph on Wednesday night, peaking at 96.4 mph. It’s certainly something to keep in mind, but it doesn’t sound like a major problem, and he should be able to reach peak velo in a few outings. In fact, the 94.6 mph average fastball velocity Fried showed last night was actually a small step forward because he checked in at 94 mph in his last outing.

Top velocity or no, it quickly became clear that it was going to be a long night for San Francisco anyway.

Fried totaled 86 pitches in the productive night, 53 of which were strikes. He ‘only’ got six swings and misses, though: one with the four-seamer, three with the cutter, one with the curveball, and one with the changeup.

As the season goes on, Fried should be able to regain the feel for his excellent curve, a pitch that had a 42 percent whiff rate last year. It only earned a single whiff in three swings, but the fact that the offering only had a 15 percent CSW (two called strikes+whiffs in 13 pitches) was perhaps a bit more concerning.

Still, it’s nothing to be alarmed about, as Fried is good enough to bounce back eventually. This is a pitcher who posted a 2.86 ERA in 195.1 innings last season in his first year in pinstripes, winning 19 of his 32 starts. He’s 32, still in his prime, with no signs of slowing down. The Giants indeed helped Fried a bit on Wednesday night, as they consistently expanded the zone and produced empty swings and less-than-ideal contact every time they did it. The pitcher, however, was smart enough to keep testing their limits and getting good results. It should be another productive campaign for the talented left-hander, who was on pace to have a much better season last year if it weren’t for blister issues that popped up in July. This time around, we’ll hopefully see what a fully healthy season of Fried can provide.

The weight of expectations is now a burden the Seattle Mariners must carry with them this year. To rise so high last season, only to be let down in the end, eight outs away from the franchise’s first World Series appearance. To stand so close to unknown territory, only to be turned away, produces the desire to find the way back to that precipice. As the weather warms and the days grow longer, the bitterness of a cold, autumn defeat is replaced by the spring hope of a new season. We’ve tasted greatness. Now we want the whole meal.

The Mariners look like one of the most complete teams in the American League. There’s star power in the form of Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh, both projected to be the best in baseball at their respective positions. The team made the right win-now moves to bolster the lineup, re-signing Josh Naylor and trading for Brendan Donovan. The pitching staff remains a strength. There’s a gaggle of young prospects pushing to make an impact in the big leagues sooner rather than later. Seattle is looking to defend a division title for the fourth time in franchise history and earn a postseason berth in consecutive seasons for just the second time ever. The expectations for this team haven’t been this high since the turn of the century. We’ve been burned by high expectations before, but this team is built to deliver, and anything less than a World Series appearance should be seen as a disappointment. Go M’s.

Game	Time	Guardians Starter	Mariners Starter	Guardians Win%	Mariners Win%
Game 1	Thursday, March 26 | 7:10 pm	RHP Tanner Bibee	RHP Logan Gilbert	37.5%	62.5%
Game 2	Friday, March 27 | 6:45 pm	RHP Gavin Williams	RHP George Kirby	38.1%	61.9%
Game 3	Saturday, March 28 | 6:40 pm	LHP Joey Cantillo	RHP Bryan Woo	37.1%	62.9%
Game 4	Sunday, March 29 | 4:20 pm	RHP Slade Cecconi	RHP Emerson Hancock	41.1%	58.9%

Overview	Guardians	Mariners	Edge
Batting (wRC+)	87 (15th in AL)	113 (2nd in AL)	Mariners
Fielding (FRV)	28 (2nd)	-30 (12th)	Guardians
Starting Pitching (FIP-)	103 (10th)	100 (7th)	Mariners
Bullpen (FIP-)	84 (1st)	97 (10th)	Guardians

Welcome to another year of series previews. If you’re a regular Lookout Landing reader, welcome back. If you’re a new face, welcome home. This will be my 12th year writing these previews. Above, you’ll see a brief overview of the upcoming series: probable pitchers, game times, and a rundown of the Mariners and their opponents. Below, you’ll see the Mariners’ opponents laid out in more detail: projected lineups, key players, and starting pitcher analysis. Finally, you’ll get a view of the big picture: AL West and Wild Card standings. As always, I appreciate your feedback and hope that these features continue to be helpful and educational throughout the season.

The Guardians know a thing or two about surpassing expectations. Last year, they surprised everyone by winning the AL Central for the second consecutive season and the sixth time in the last decade. It took a historic collapse from the Tigers and a furious hot streak in September to get there, but the team blew past their projections. The team exceeded their pythagorean record by eight wins and their BaseRuns record by 11, and counting on that kind of overperformance again in 2026 wouldn’t be a great bet.

Of course, Cleveland didn’t go out and make a bunch of moves to capitalize on their division title this offseason. They did sign José Ramírez to a new seven-year contract extension that should keep him in Cleveland for the rest of his career. Everything else was focused on the fringes of their roster; they signed Rhys Hoskins to DH and cover 1B as the short side of a platoon and brought in a bunch of new relievers to help a bullpen that’s still reeling from Emmanuel Clase’s gambling scandal. The Guardians are hoping for breakouts from young guys like Kyle Manzardo and Chase DeLauter to fuel some real improvements to the team’s talent level. This is a pretty young roster and there’s certainly room to grow, but the projections aren’t buying it. FanGraphs is projecting 76 wins and a fourth place finish in the AL Central. Still, don’t underestimate this team.

Player	Position	Bats	PA	K%	BB%	ISO	wRC+
Steven Kwan	CF	L	693	8.7%	7.9%	0.102	99
Angel Martínez	LF	S	484	22.7%	4.8%	0.135	74
José Ramírez	3B	S	673	11.0%	9.8%	0.219	133
Kyle Manzardo	1B	L	531	25.4%	9.0%	0.221	113
Rhys Hoskins	DH	R	328	27.7%	11.6%	0.179	109
Chase DeLauter (MiLB)	RF	L	177	15.8%	15.8%	0.209	128
Gabriel Arias	SS	R	471	34.4%	5.7%	0.144	77
Bo Naylor	C	L	414	23.9%	10.9%	0.184	85
Brayan Rocchio	2B	S	383	20.1%	5.7%	0.108	77

This lineup runs through Ramírez. He’s a perennial MVP candidate and has already booked a place in the Hall of Fame when he decides to hang up the cleats. Last year was a “down” season for him and I put scare quotes there because down for him means a 133 wRC+ and just 6.3 fWAR. His power output was a little lower than normal due to a slight dip in contact quality, though he still managed to muscle out 30 home runs. Manzardo and DeLauter are the youngsters who have the pedigree to become middle-of-the-order compliments to Ramírez. The left-handed first baseman had an up-and-down season last year but managed to make some real improvements to his plate approach during the second half of the season. DeLauter has been a top prospect in Cleveland’s farm system since being drafted in the first round in 2022 but injuries have really derailed his development pathway. He’s plenty talented at the plate but doesn’t field particularly well. The Guardians actually had him make his debut in center field in the playoffs last year, but he’ll shift to an outfield corner as his regular home. To accommodate DeLauter, Steven Kwan has shifted to the middle of the outfield after winning Gold Gloves in left field in each of his first four seasons in the big leagues. While Kwan’s defensive acumen will be put to the test in center, his bat definitely needs to rebound if the Guardians want a shot at defending their division title. He’s oscillated between very good years at the plate and merely average years and a lot of that has to do with the capriciousness of an approach that is so contact oriented.

Probable Pitchers 

Updated Stuff+ Explainer 

• Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

Pitcher	IP	K%	BB%	HR/FB%	GB%	ERA	FIP
Tanner Bibee	182.333	21.3%	7.1%	13.0%	44.7%	4.24	4.34
Logan Gilbert	131	32.3%	5.8%	14.8%	38.9%	3.44	3.35

Pitch	Usage vRHB	Usage vLHB	Velocity	Stuff+	Whiff+	BIP+	xwOBA
Four-seam	20.6%	34.0%	94.4	87	60	113	0.373
Sinker	25.6%	6.3%	94.1	110	74	121	0.267
Cutter	27.2%	15.2%	86.2	103	126	109	0.291
Changeup	4.0%	24.6%	81.8	122	125	108	0.249
Curveball	2.6%	7.2%	79.7	102	68	130	0.292
Sweeper	19.8%	12.7%	83.0	111	95	107	0.275

Tanner Bibee took a pretty significant step backwards last year. He managed to make 31 starts, but his strikeout rate dropped by five points, and his ERA and FIP jumped up nearly a full run. His fastball has never really been a standout pitch for him but it was hit extremely hard last year. A mechanical issue led to less ride on the pitch and batters really keyed in on that pitch. Thankfully, the rest of his secondary pitches didn’t lose much effectiveness and all the underlying data looked good. His changeup and sweeper, in particular, have been fantastic pitches, but his repertoire is deep enough, he can keep batters off balance in any count. The key, then, is figuring out his mechanics to regain the ride on his four-seam fastball. 

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Pitcher	IP	K%	BB%	HR/FB%	GB%	ERA	FIP
Gavin Williams	167.2	24.6%	11.8%	14.4%	44.7%	3.06	4.39
George Kirby	126	26.1%	5.5%	12.8%	44.1%	4.21	3.37

Pitch	Usage vRHB	Usage vLHB	Velocity	Stuff+	Whiff+	BIP+	xwOBA
Four-seam	30.9%	43.1%	96.6	99	106	91	0.383
Sinker	12.0%	1.7%	95.9	95	59	88	0.352
Cutter	14.1%	14.0%	91.8	79	78	120	0.378
Curveball	9.9%	32.8%	82.0	109	108	87	0.238
Slider	33.1%	8.4%	86.5	114	133	93	0.245

Gavin Williams ended last season on an extremely lucky run. From June through the end of the season, his BABIP allowed was just .221 which led to a 2.50 ERA that far outpaced his 4.27 FIP. Most of his underlying peripherals stayed pretty stable through the season, but a ton of good batted ball luck allowed him to be a key piece of the Guardians’ playoff run in September. He added a sweeper to his pitch mix last year and it returned a 44.0% whiff rate. That gives him two excellent breaking balls to attack batters with alongside a hard fastball. The issue is his command. His walk rate is well below average and it’s pretty shocking he was able to get away with all those baserunners without giving up a ton more runs.

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Pitcher	IP	K%	BB%	HR/FB%	GB%	ERA	FIP
Joey Cantillo	95.1	26.9%	10.5%	11.0%	40.8%	3.21	3.55
Bryan Woo	186.2	27.1%	4.9%	12.8%	40.8%	2.94	3.47

Pitch	Usage vRHB	Usage vLHB	Velocity	Stuff+	Whiff+	BIP+	xwOBA
Four-seam	40.4%	46.0%	91.7	90	68	100	0.389
Changeup	34.4%	20.8%	78.3	113	159	123	0.216
Curveball	21.3%	12.4%	77.3	113	76	79	0.206
Slider	4.0%	20.8%	85.1	83	86	73	0.347

Joey Cantillo spent last year split between the bullpen and the rotation. Once he made the move to starting in July, things really took off for him; he posted a 2.96 ERA and a 3.21 FIP across 13 starts down the stretch. His calling card is a phenomenal changeup that produced a 49.4% whiff rate last year! His two breaking balls are okay too — his curveball is the better of the two but he was testing a new grip on his slider this spring to hopefully increase that pitch’s effectiveness. His command is his weakness, though his walk rate improved slightly after joining the rotation last year. With a role in the rotation secured to start this season, he’s well positioned to take a big step forward if he can get his errant command under control.

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Pitcher	IP	K%	BB%	HR/FB%	GB%	ERA	FIP
Slade Cecconi	132	20.0%	5.9%	15.5%	41.3%	4.30	4.64
Luis Castillo	180.2	21.7%	6.2%	10.5%	41.3%	3.54	3.88

Pitch	Usage vRHB	Usage vLHB	Velocity	Stuff+	Whiff+	BIP+	xwOBA
Four-seam	39.0%	47.8%	94.3	90	84	91	0.388
Sinker	17.7%	5.2%	93.6	93	33	98	0.402
Cutter	2.9%	3.2%	88.8
Changeup	1.4%	12.9%	84.3	93	78	67	0.432
Curveball	9.7%	22.4%	75.5	100	101	118	0.228
Slider	29.4%	8.5%	84.2	95	108	94	0.299

Slade Cecconi came to the Guardians last offseason in the December 2024 trade that sent Josh Naylor to Arizona. He had a decent year in Cleveland, managing to stick in the rotation for the entire year after spending the first two years of his career as a swingman in Arizona’s bullpen. He doesn’t have outstanding stuff and won’t overpower batters, but he does have excellent command and a deep repertoire to keep batters off balance. His two breaking balls are his best pitches and he added a cutter and sinker to his arsenal last year. His fastball is pretty lackluster and that’s where his whole approach breaks down. If he’s not keeping batters honest with his secondary pitches, they can key in on his heater and do some real damage.

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The Big Picture:

Team	W-L	W%	Games Behind	Run Diff
Mariners – y	90-69	0.566	—	+72
Astros	85-74	0.535	5.0	+21
Rangers	80-79	0.503	10.0	+79
Athletics	75-84	0.472	15.0	-84
Angels	71-88	0.447	19.0	-164

After yesterday’s Opening Night on Netflix, MLB Opening Day officially kicks off for 22 other teams today. The San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees will resume their series tomorrow.

The day kicks off with a marquee matchup of Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates facing off against Juan Soto and the New York Mets. The Chicago White Sox will face the Milwaukee Brewers, which comes on the heels of the news that Brewers’ star outfielder Jackson Chourio was placed on the injured list with a fractured hand suffered in the World Baseball Classic.

The other big nationally televised matchup is that of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers, who will kick off the evening slate. World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named the Opening Day starter for the reigning champs, and he will face a recently re-signed Zac Gallen, making his fourth Opening Day start for the Snakes.

Here’s how the full slate breaks down today:

Game 1: Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Mets

RHP Paul Skenes vs. RHP Freddy Peralta

First Pitch: 11:15 a.m. MDT

TV: NBC/Peacock

Radio: Sports Radio 93.7 KDKA The Fan (Pirates); Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App 92.3 HD2 (Mets)

Lineups:

1/162

📺: @NBCSports | @peacock
📻: @937theFanpic.twitter.com/GGBfFUFvwe

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 26, 2026

#OpeningDay starters 👏 #LGMpic.twitter.com/6rG86qDBKV

— New York Mets (@Mets) March 26, 2026

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Game 2: Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee Brewers

RHP Shane Smith vs. RHP Jacob Misiorowski

First Pitch: 12:10 p.m. MDT

TV: Chicago Sports Network; Brewers.TV

Radio: ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM (White Sox); WTMJ 620 (Brewers)

Lineups:

Your 2026 Opening Day lineup ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/2j2j0hqlC4

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 26, 2026

Game numero uno

📺: https://t.co/eycfmE2vgm
📻: WTMJ 620#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/vXbnEOAJIT

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 26, 2026

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Game 3: Washington Nationals at Chicago Cubs

RHP Cade Cavalli vs. LHP Matthew Boyd

First Pitch: 12:20 p.m. MDT

TV: Nationals.TV; Marquee Sports Network

Radio: WJFK 106.7 The Fan (Nationals); 104.3 The Score, Univision TUDN, WPPN 106.7 / TUDN (Cubs)

Lineups:

chicago dawgs

→ https://t.co/iUBDqlACVspic.twitter.com/NrgJqsjzXj

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) March 26, 2026

#OPENINGDAY EVERYONE!!!

Watch the game live on @WatchMarqueepic.twitter.com/G0oBwa0Qim

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 26, 2026

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Game 4: Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles

RHP Joe Ryan vs. LHP Trevor Rogers

First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. MDT

TV: Twins.TV; MASN

Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9, Audacy App, LosTwins.com (Twins); 98 Rock 97.9 FM, WBAL 1090 AM (Orioles)

Lineups:

Twins' Opening Day lineup vs. left-hander Trevor Rogers and the Orioles in Baltimore:

LF Austin Martin, R
CF Byron Buxton, R
2B Luke Keaschall, R
C Ryan Jeffers, R
RF Matt Wallner, L
DH Josh Bell, S
1B Victor Caratini, S
3B Royce Lewis, R
SS Brooks Lee, S

SP Joe Ryan, RHP

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) March 26, 2026

Let the games begin. pic.twitter.com/2lVpjOBuiS

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) March 26, 2026

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Game 5: Boston Red Sox at Cincinnati Reds

LHP Garrett Crochets vs. LHP Andrew Abbott

First Pitch: 2:10 p.m. MDT

TV: NESN; Reds.TV, Gray Media, WXIX FOX19

Radio: WEEI 93.7, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish), WESX 1230AM (Spanish) (Red Sox); WLW 700 (Reds)

Lineups:

Game No. 1 pic.twitter.com/A8vKqIO5E8

— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 26, 2026

Today's starting lineup for the 150th Opening Day in Cincinnati‼️

Powered by @PNCBankpic.twitter.com/yenLga2SWP

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 26, 2026

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Game 6: Los Angeles Angels at Houston Astros

RHP JoséSoriano vs. RHP Hunter Brown

First Pitch: 2:10 p.m. MDT

TV: FanDuel Sports Network West; Space City Home Network

Radio: BLAA 830 (Angels); KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, KLTN-TUDN 102.9 FM (Astros)

Lineups:

Game 1️⃣

📺: FanDuel Sports Network West
📻: @AngelsRadioKLAA#RepTheHalo x @FBMSupplypic.twitter.com/8mR1vH7es2

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) March 26, 2026

1/162

⚾️: 3:10pm
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN | @peacock HOU Blackout
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 102.9 HD2#ChaseTheFight x @reliantenergypic.twitter.com/SVuskWcpmO

— Houston Astros (@astros) March 26, 2026

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Game 7: Detroit Tigers at San Diego Padres

LHP Tarik Skubal vs. RHP Nick Pivetta

First Pitch: 2:10 p.m. MDT

TV: Detroit SportsNet; Padres.TV; MLBN

Radio: WXYT 97.1 FM (Tigers); KWFN 97.3, XEMO 860 (Padres)

Lineups:

1 of 162. #OpeningDay
 
⚾️ 4:10 PM ET
📺 https://t.co/QiAb0jyoyO
📻 @971theticketxyt
🏟️ Petco Park pic.twitter.com/Bk4jAAIeJn

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 26, 2026

Now we go. pic.twitter.com/MQ6VD2mHyl

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 26, 2026

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Game 8: Tampa Bay Rays at St. Louis Cardinals

RHP Drew Rasmussen vs. LHP Matthew Liberatore

First Pitch: 2:15 p.m. MDT

TV: Rays.TV; Cardinals.TV

Radio: WDAE 95.7 FM, WQBN/1300AM (Rays); KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM, WIJR AM 880 (Spanish) (Cardinals)

Lineups:

Rays TBD

Game 1 pic.twitter.com/aDLYlgyr2U

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 26, 2026

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Game 9: Texas Rangers at Philadelphia Phillies

RHP Nathan Eovaldi vs. LHP Crisopher Sánchez

First Pitch: 2:15 p.m. MDT

TV: Rangers Sports Network; NBCSP+, NBC 10

Radio: KRLD 1080, KFLC 1270 (Rangers); 94 WIP, iHeart App (Phillies)

Lineups:

Game 1. #AllForTXpic.twitter.com/GRvbLaG7lr

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) March 26, 2026

Game 1#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/7KYIl7zJhb

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) March 26, 2026

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Game 10: Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers

RHP Zac Gallen vs. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto

First Pitch: 6:30 p.m. MDT

TV: NBC/Peacock (National)

Radio: 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station, KNAI 101.9 FM/860 AM (Diamondbacks); Dodgers Radio AM570, KTNQ 1020 (Dodgers)

Lineups:

DBacks TBD

Dodgers TBD

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Game 11: Cleveland Guardians at Seattle Mariners

RHP Tanner Bibee vs. RHP Logan Gilbert

First Pitch: 8:10 p.m. MDT

TV: Guardians.TV; Mariners.TV

Radio: WTAM 1100, Guardians Radio Network (Guardians); Seattle Sports 710 AM (Mariners)

Lineups:

Guardians TBD

Mariners TBD

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Opening Day!

The 2026 season begins today for the two-time defending National League East champion Philadelphia Phillies. We’ve got 162 games to determine if they can make that a three-peat, and then hopefully advance to the ultimate goal of a World Series title.

They’ll start things off with a relatively unfamiliar opponent from the American League. I realize that with 15 teams in each league, at least two teams are going to begin with an interleague matchup, but it still feels somewhat wrong not to go against an NL team – if not a divisional opponent – to begin the season.

But since the schedule makers have given us the Rangers, it is the Rangers we shall discuss.

Texas Rangers

2025 record: 81-81 (Third place in American League West)

The last time they met

The Phillies visited Arlington in August 2025, and despite a history of poor play in Arlington over the years, the Phillies won all three games.

What’s the deal with the Rangers?

After a .500 season, the Rangers’ biggest change was firing manager Bruce Bochy and replacing him with Skip Schumacher. You may remember Schumaker winning the 2023 Manager of the Year award for leading the Miami Marlins to the playoffs, and getting fired a season later because Marlins gonna Marlin, and they lost 100 games.

The Rangers get their new Skipper in Skip Schumaker!

The Rangers have agreed to a 4-year contract with Skip Schumaker to manage the club! pic.twitter.com/XTlK79kSGI

— Rangers Nation ⚾️ (@Rangers__Nation) October 4, 2025

As for the roster, the biggest additions came via trade, as they picked up two former NL East players in MacKenzie Gore and Brandon Nimmo. (Yes, we have to open the season against stupid Brandon Nimmo.) Offensively, they seem to largely be counting on better health and/or rebound seasons from players who disappointed in 2025, such as Corey Seager and Josh Jung. They also believe outfielder Wyatt Langford is ready to take another step forward on offense.

Wyatt Langford ranks among MLB this Spring (min 30 AB)

– .455 AVG (7th)
– 1.538 OPS (2nd)
– 1.000 SLG (2nd)
– 5 HR (4th)
– 15 RBI (2nd)
pic.twitter.com/EHZyKu3TVF

— Rangers Nation ⚾️ (@Rangers__Nation) March 19, 2026

The starting rotation looks strong with Gore joining Jacob deGrom, Jack Leiter, and Nathan Eovaldi. (Or at least it will be strong if deGrom can have a second consecutive healthy season. Last year, was the first time since 2019 he made 30 starts in a season.) The bullpen looks less intimidating, as they’re counting on Robert Garcia and Chris Martin to handle the high leverage innings

Player spotlight: Andrew McCutchen

I always felt the idea of Andrew McCutchen on the Phillies was better than actually having him on the Phillies. When they signed the former MVP, he was no longer in his prime, but the hope was that he would be a strong presence in the clubhouse, and a viable contributor as the team’s leadoff hitter.

By most reports, he was a great teammate, but sadly, the results on the field didn’t match expectations. In 2019, he was playing well before his season was prematurely ended by a knee injury. In 2020, he got off to a slow start recovering from that injury and didn’t get going until the abbreviated season was close to over. In 2021, he had a solid season with the bat, but the former Gold Glover had become a liability in the field.

The next season, the Phillies chose to instead pursue Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos (They batted .500 on that decision) and let Cutch head to Milwaukee. Afterwards, he went back to Pittsburgh for a few seasons, putting up decent offensive numbers but slowly declining to the point where he was basically a replacement player in 2025.

At 39 years of age, there wasn’t high demand for Cutch’s services, but he came to camp with the Rangers as a non-roster invitee, and thanks to a strong showing in Spring Training, made the team.

Andrew McCutchen has been informed that he will make the Rangers Opening Day roster after hitting .444 with a 1.361 OPS this Spring! pic.twitter.com/TIvLL3WtrV

— Rangers Nation ⚾️ (@Rangers__Nation) March 23, 2026

Opening Day memories

For some reason, this is the third time the Phillies and Rangers have squared off on Opening Day. (Does MLB like having contrasting red, white, and blue color scheme going at it to start the season?) The first time was in 2014, which seemed to be a mismatch with Cliff Lee facing someone named Tanner Scheppers.

Last year, I wrote about how it can feel depressing when you don’t have a legit Opening Day starter. It’s much nicer to see Cristopher Sanchez get the ball the first game rather than the likes of Jeremy Hellickson (Hellickson had a cromulent career, but nobody was mistaking him for an ace) or Omar Daal. (On the other hand, I still love me some Robert Person, who started Opening Day in 2002!)

Anyway, the Phillies knocked Scheppers around, but surprisingly, the Rangers did the same to Lee. But thanks to big days by Ben Revere and Cody Asche (Another reminder that Opening Day is rarely predictive) and a grand slam by Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies prevailed 14-10. (This was not a harbinger of things to come for neither the 2014 season nor the Phillies-Rangers rivalry. The Phillies finished in last place and would lose their next nine games against the Rangers.)

Six years ago today, Jimmy Rollins hit his 200th career home run, a grand slam to give the Phillies a 6-0 lead over the Rangers on Opening Day.

Relive the 2014 slugfest in the latest edition of the @PhilliesNation Perfect Season: https://t.co/JWh7TLBX2Xpic.twitter.com/GrmG1n5FEF

— Destiny Lugardo (@destiny_lugardo) March 31, 2020

The Phillies also visited Texas to open the season in 2023. The game started off nicely, with the Phillies getting off to a 5-0 lead, only to have Aaron Nola and the bullpen implode in a nine-run fourth inning. The Phillies lost and would lose their next three games as well.

A nine-run inning made for a tough going for the Phils on Opening Day. @evan_macyhttps://t.co/5mgEcQs2cS

— PhillyVoice (@thephillyvoice) March 31, 2023

I was trying to remember what happened on Opening Day last year, and I was drawing a blank. That’s especially embarrassing since I was in attendance at the game in Washington. (A lot easier to get Opening Day tickets down there!) It was the one where everyone was striking out (and blaming the shadows) until the late innings when the Phillies unloaded against the Nationals’ bullpen.

Opening Day is supposed to be a time for optimism but let me tell you: The Washington fans were not feeling positive about their chances that season. (And they were right! The Nats sucked last year!)

Remembering a guy who used to play for the Rangers

In 1992, the Rangers traded for A’s outfielder Jose Canseco. The former MVP expressed a desire to team with Rangers’ first baseman Rafael Palmeiro as the “new Bash Brothers,” but Canseco’s time in Texas is more remembered for PED use, injuring himself while pitching, and letting a ball bounce off his head for a home run.

It's been 27 years since a home run bounced off Jose Canseco's head 😂 pic.twitter.com/GdiNmjxsPw

— ESPN (@espn) May 26, 2020

Pennant year song battle!

As a new feature this year, I’ll be picking songs from a year in which the Phillies won the NL Pennant and pitting them against each other. (I may try to challenge myself and pick songs somehow related to the series at hand!) The winner stays on until defeated.

Here We Are Again – Debroy Somers, 1915

Coming from the year of the Phillies’ first ever National League title, the song seemed appropriate for the start of another season.

Ghost – Justin Bieber

In honor of the least popular change to Citizens Bank Park, here’s Justin Bieber’s hit from 2022.

Vote now!

If you have any favorite songs from 1915, 1950, 1980, 1983, 1993, 2008, 2009, or 2022, feel free to suggest them in the comments.

Closing thought

It’s Opening Day! Even if you don’t like what the Phillies did this past offseason or don’t like their chances to win it all, who cares? Everyone is 0-0, and you can let yourself dream a little! Go Phils!

Waking up like pic.twitter.com/dzhTPVItz0

— Smarty Jones (@TheSmartyJones) March 26, 2026

Texas rangers lineup for Opening Day, March 26, 2026 against the Philadelphia Phillies: starting pitchers are Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers and Cristopher Sanchez for the Phillies.

It is Opening Day, y’all. Let’s do this.

The lineup:

Nimmo — RF

Langford — CF

Seager — SS

Burger — 1B

McCutchen — DH

Jung — 3B

Smith — 2B

Jansen — C

Haggerty — LF

3:15 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +130 underdogs.

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The real Opening Day is here... and so too are MLB player props.

With 11 games on the diamond and countless markets for pitchers and hitters, there’s no reason we can’t open the season by driving in some winners.

My favorites for today include strikeout props for Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Logan Gilbert. Those and more MLB picks for Thursday, March 26, below.

Best MLB player props today

Junior Caminero Over 0.5 RBIs (+115)

Junior Caminero is coming off a breakout campaign with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he swatted a massive 45 home runs with 110 RBIs, and I like him to carry that production into an Opening Day matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The raw numbers for Caminero were great, but the underlying statistics say it was no fluke. The Rays' third baseman ranked in the 91st percentile or better in expected slugging, average exit velocity, and hard-hit percentage. Simply put, he hits the ball hard and often.

He gets a great matchup against Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore. For starters, Caminero has the splits advantage with Liberatore being a lefty.

Liberatore is also coming off a tough season, ranked in the Bottom 15% in both expected ERA and opponent expected batting average. The issue for Liberatore is that he gives up a lot of hard contact, and doesn't have much swing and miss stuff.

Caminero also had a great performance in the World Baseball Classic, and I love the price for him to drive in a run.

• Time: 4:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Rays.TV, Cardinals.TV

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Over 5.5 strikeouts (-136)

The last time we saw Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, he was having an all-time performance in the World Series.

Now, he gets the ball for the Dodgers on Opening Day against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.

But it wasn’t just the postseason where Yamamoto was showing his dominance. He ended the regular season in the 89th percentile in strikeout rate. That strikeout rate was above 30% over his last 14 starts of the season.

He also dominated this D-backs lineup last season. Current Arizona players have combined for a 32.1% K-rate against Yamamoto, with strikeout totals of 4, 9, 10, and 7 in four games.

Yamamoto also topped this number in 12 consecutive games to end the season, and we know his arm is nice worked out thanks to the World Baseball Classic. 

• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock

Logan Gilbert Over 6.5 strikeouts (+102)

The Seattle Mariners have one of the best rotations in baseball, and it’s Logan Gilbert who gets the ball on Opening Day in a matchup against the Cleveland Guardians.

Gilbert is coming off his first All-Star selection in 2025, ranking in the 85th percentile in both expected ERA and opponent expected batting average. But it’s the strikeout numbers that are really impressive.

The 6-foot-6 starter struck out 32.4% of the batters he faced last season, which ranked in the 94th percentile. 

The Guardians were a middle-of-the-pack team when it came to getting punched out by right-handers, ranking 15th in K-rate and return a nearly identical lineup to last season.

I’ll take a shot on Gilbert to top his strikeout prop on Opening Day at plus money.

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CleGuardians.TV, Mariners.TV

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