With the first game of the 2026 MLB season just hours away, we got the Rotoworld Baseball crew together to offer their predictions on how things will play out.
As most preseason prediction articles go, this is intended to be a fun exercise more than anything else. But just a quick warning: You probably won't hear the end of it if someone hits on an obscure prediction.
Below you'll find our picks for division winners, Wild Card teams, World Series winners, and all of the top individual awards. Enjoy Opening Day!
⚾️ Coming soon: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 19: Pitcher Logan Webb #62 of the San Francisco Giants poses for a portrait during photo day at Scottsdale Stadium on February 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Giants fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
It’s here, friends! The start of another glorious season of San Francisco Giants baseball.
After four straight years of extreme mediocrity — since winning 107 games in 2021, the Giants have won 81, 79, 80, and 81 games in the following years — the Giants will hope to break from the middle of the pack, and return to their winning ways this year.
But will they be successful in that goal? We’ll have to wait many months before we know the answer to that question … in the meantime, you get to decide.
Apr 16, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles mascot waves a flag before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Guardians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
The Orioles made their Opening Day roster official on Wednesday afternoon. They will head into the 2026 season looking like this:
Starting pitchers
LHP Trevor Rogers
RHP Kyle Bradish
RHP Shane Baz
RHP Chris Bassitt
RHP Zach Eflin
This group was settled several days ago when the Orioles optioned Dean Kremer to the minor league camp.
Relief pitchers
RHP Yennier Cano
LHP Dietrich Enns
RHP Rico Garcia
RHP Ryan Helsley
RHP Yaramil Hiraldo
RHP Anthony Nunez
RHP Tyler Wells
LHP Grant Wolfram
Keegan Akin is starting the season on the injured list due to an adductor strain. For the time being, it seems that Anthony Nunez is the beneficiary of that. Or maybe Yaramil Hiraldo is, and Nunez is the beneficiary of the team not choosing the out-of-options Jackson Kowar to make the team.
Catchers
Samuel Basallo
Adley Rutschman
This was the easiest one to predict of all of them.
Infielders
Blaze Alexander
Pete Alonso
Gunnar Henderson
Jeremiah Jackson
Coby Mayo
Ryan Mountcastle
Up until a couple of days ago, it seemed like Luis Vázquez might get the last bench spot here, but his broken thumb takes him out of the mix. Jackson gets the nod instead, with hot spring bat Bryan Ramos missing out.
Outfielders
Dylan Beavers
Colton Cowser
Tyler O’Neill
Leody Taveras
Taylor Ward
I don’t think that the Orioles were going to go with Heston Kjerstad instead of Taveras anyway, but Kjerstad’s hamstring injury settles that. He, too, is starting the season on the injured list.
**
The official roster moves that set things up this way:
Jackson Holliday (hamate bone), Heston Kjerstad (hamstring strain), Jordan Westburg (right elbow sprain) placed on 10-day injured list
Keegan Akin (groin), Andrew Kittredge (shoulder inflammation) placed on 15-day injured list
Félix Bautista (shoulder surgery), Colin Selby (shoulder inflammation) placed on 60-day injured list
Jackson Kowar and Bryan Ramos designated for assignment
José Barrero, Sam Huff, Albert Suárez, Luis Vázquez, and Weston Wilson reassigned to Triple-A Norfolk
Apparently, despite some noise that Suárez might exercise his opt-out clause because of other teams having interest in him, that interest did not materialize and he decided his best bet was to wait around in Norfolk.
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have taken the fun out of betting on the World Series odds, but there are still MLB win total odds to consider for all 30 teams ahead of Opening Day, even the ones that have no shot at making the playoffs.
My MLB picks and win total predictions for the 2026 season believe the Chicago White Sox will do a little surprising in the AL. I also see the San Diego Padres refusing to go quietly in the NL West.
American League win total picks
Seattle Mariners Over 90.5 wins (-115 at FanDuel)
The Seattle Mariners won 90 games and clinched the AL West last season, falling just short of the first World Series appearance in team history. The Mariners could be even better this year, so I'm pouncing on their Over.
The Mariners have arguably the best rotation in baseball, with Logan Gilbert getting the Opening Day nod. There's a case to be made that Bryan Woo and Luis Castillo could both serve as Game 1 guys on over half the teams in the majors.
They'll each make about half their starts in T-Mobile Park, one of the most pitcher-friendly venues in MLB. They're also backed by a rock-solid bullpen that features closer Andres Munoz.
This lineup is nothing to sneeze at either, with Cal Raleigh looking to build on a breakout year, and Julio Rodriguez featuring as one of the best hitters in the game. The addition of Brendan Donovan is a nice feather in the cap for this bet.
Chicago White Sox Over 67.5 wins (-108 at FanDuel)
The Chicago White Sox improved from 41 wins to 60 a year ago, and I think they're due for another spike in a weak AL Central in 2026.
I respect the Tigers, the probable division winner, but I'm not bullish on the Royals rotation, nor am I impressed with the Guardians lineup. The Twins were in full-on tank mode last season, and it could happen again if they start slowly.
This all points to more divisional wins for the White Sox.
Shane Smith and Sean Burke each figure to take a step forward after showing promise while getting meaningful experience in 2025. This bullpen also got better with the additions of Sean Newcomb and Seranthony Dominguez.
If Jordan Hicks can figure things out as he returns to a relief role, that will be all the better for the South Siders.
Finally, while I'm not bullish on the strikeout-prone Munetaka Murakami, I'm interested to see how Colson Montgomery will fare in his sophomore season, and how Luisangel Acuna will do as a full-time player after getting only limited exposure in the big leagues with the Mets.
I'm at a loss to explain why the San Diego Padres are expected to win six fewer games in 2026.
Yes, Joe Musgrove will start the season on the IL, and Yu Darvish is out for the year, but the Padres have more than enough pitching depth to ride out the storm. Nick Pivetta and Michael King both had monster seasons for San Diego in 2025 and can replicate them.
This lineup is still as potent as ever with Fernando Tatis Jr, Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill starring, and Sung-Mun Song joining them in a utility role once he's up to speed following a training camp injury.
And lest we forget, the Padres bullpen, led by Mason Miller, was tops in the big leagues in 2025.
Milwaukee Brewers Over 85.5 wins (-118 at FanDuel)
Oddsmakers are calling for the Milwaukee Brewers to fall off a cliff in 2026, and I'm more than happy to buy the dip.
The Brewers won 97 games last year, and their offseason was not nearly as bad as this line makes it out to be. Staff ace Freddy Peralta is gone, but we've seen this movie before with Corbin Burnes getting dealt ahead of the 2024 season, and Milwaukee still managed to win 93 games.
The rotation is still a decent one with rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski and proven veteran Brandon Woodruff anchoring it. Milwaukee's bullpen was sixth by ERA a year ago, and Trevor Megill is still there to shut the door in the ninth in 2026.
This lineup is young and highly underrated, with stars like Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang in the fold, along with veteran sluggers Christian Yelich and William Contreras.
Smith, 32, was released by the Nationals last week.
In November, the Mets declined their $2 million option on the right-hander for the 2026 season.
Smith had inked a one-year deal with the aforementioned team option in February of 2025 after having his second Tommy John surgery the summer prior.
In 17.2 innings over 19 games for the Mets in 2024, Smith had a 3.06 ERA and 1.52 WHIP while striking out 23 batters -- a rate of 11.7 per nine. His 2024 season ended after an appearance on June 23, and he underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace procedure on July 13.
Smith debuted with the Mets in 2018 and has posted a 3.48 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 196.1 innings over 191 big league appearances.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Andrew McCutchen #4 of the Texas Rangers warms up on deck during the third inning of the spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Surprise Stadium on March 10, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Pittsburgh Pirate and National League MVP, Andrew McCutchen, will be on the opening day roster for the Texas Rangers. This will be McCutchen’s 18th MLB season.
After going most of the offseason with little to no communication from Pittsburgh’s front office McCutchen signed a minor league deal with the Rangers on March 6. The 39-year-old was with the team for spring training in Arizona for just three weeks but impressed Chris Young, the Rangers’ president of baseball operations, with his play and leadership qualities.
“There were a number of factors that went into it, but ultimately we felt like Cutch earned it just with his performance,” Young said. “The way he’s hit the ball, the way his approach is — [we] felt very good that he’s going to help us win a lot of games.”
While in camp ‘Cutch only had 21 at bats, but made the absolute most of his opportunities. He’d finish spring training with a slash line of .429/.556/.714 with an OPS of 1.270. The former-MVP tallied nine hits, scored five runs, hit 7 RBIs and hit one homer while reaffirming that he’s still got some game left in him.
“I was wrote off in a lot of places, honestly told to retire. But I knew deep down there was something in me that told me that there was still more in the tank and that I could continue to keep playing,” McCutchen said. “For them giving me the opportunity … I’m going to make sure that it’s worth it from both of our ends.”
McCutchen who was drafted by the Pirates in 2005 and then made his MLB debut with the club in 2009 spent his first nine seasons with Pittsburgh. In that time frame he was Baseball America’s Rookie of the Year, the NL-MVP in 2013, a Gold Glove Defender in 2012, a four-time Silver Slugger, a five-time All-Star and was the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award in 2015. The Fort Meade native helped lead the franchise to a playoff berth in 2013 and beat the rival Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card round. Prior to this the Pirates endured a period of 20 consecutive losing seasons, a North American sports record.
The Pirates traded McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants in 2018. ‘Cutch would go on to play for the Giants, Yankees, Phillies and Brewers before returning to the Pirates in 2023 where he would spend three more seasons with the club before not being resigned this offseason. Last season he had 13 home runs and 57 RBIs with the Pirates.
Now with the Texas Rangers the veteran outfielder and designated hitter is in a locker room with several budding superstars and his leadership will bring just as much to the clubhouse and his bat. Texas manager Skip Schumaker outlined what he envisions for his new leader as a member of the Rangers.
Look away Pirates fans — After hitting .444 in spring training for the Rangers, outfielder/DH Andrew McCutchen has made the opening day roster for Texas
“The more guys around that we can have like Andrew McCutchen, the better,” Schumaker said. “I think he’s going to really help a lot of these young guys play with a different mentality and edge. He came in and performed well right away. He fit right in in the clubhouse, can still play the outfield at times.”
Schumaker went on to say that while McCutchen won’t be a full time outfielder, he is a valuable piece to have in the clubhouse and on the bench.
“I don’t think you’ll see him all the time out there, but if we need him, he’ll play out there,” Schumaker said. “But just a really valuable piece to either come off the bench in a high-leverage spot or also potentially start against left-handed pitching.”
McCutchen echoed the importance of his new role.
“I told them I am at their disposal — no matter what it is, no matter what they need from me, I’m here, and that’s what I’m here for,” McCutchen said.
More than anything this is an opportunity for McCutchen to continue to play and if this is his last season to go out on his own terms, and he seems poised to take control of the situation both as a mentor and as a plug and play type of player in high leverage spots.
“This is the beginning for me to continue to keep doing what I’ve been doing since I got here. And understanding that just because I’m here doesn’t mean that I’m here to stay,” McCutchen said. “I have to remind myself of that every single day that I’m out here and that I am on the field. Even the days that I’m not starting, always knowing that there’s a way to improve, and for my peers and teammates, there’s something that I can do to be able to help them.”
The Rangers do not play in Pittsburgh this season.
Which means this was probably Andrew McCutchen's last ever at-bat at PNC Park: pic.twitter.com/IaQxpA1Oxv
The Texas Rangers open up their season in Philadelphia for a three game series with the Phillies. The Rangers will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in Arlington from April 21-23. Barring any kind of reunion with the Pirates this season or a move to a team that will play in Pittsburgh this season, McCutchen will not play at PNC Park in 2026.
Yesterday, I released my first college plus high school big board of the 2026 MLB Draft cycle, which you can find here. My college rankings were what shook up the most in the process of updating my board, as through 6 weeks of NCAA play, we’ve seen some players rise to the occasion and break out, and some have taken a step backwards. With about 3 1/2 months remaining until the draft in July, let’s take a look at some hitters who shot up my rankings and could be in play for the Nats with the 11th overall pick.
Vahn Lackey C Georgia Tech
Lackey is my 6th-ranked prospect in the 2026 draft class after being ranked in the teens on my first college big board. Entering 2026, Lackey was a tooled-up backstop who I recognised the potential to have a big 2026 in, but needed to see a more consistent plate approach in, as well as more in-game power. So far through 24 games, he’s done both, more than doubling his BB/K ratio from 0.66 in 2025 to 1.50 in 2026 and surpassing his 2025 home run total of 6 with 9 already. His 85th percentile whiff rate and 77th percentile average exit velocity amongst all college hitters in 2025 demonstrated his ability to put it all together, and that’s exactly what he’s done this season for the Yellow Jackets.
Behind the plate, Lackey’s elite athleticism shines through, as he excels at blocking balls in the dirt and gunning down basestealers. He also has some great wheels, not only for a catcher, but for anyone, stealing 18 bags in 2025 and up to 7 already in 2026. Lackey has drawn comparisons to current Nationals catcher Harry Ford as a prospect, who was committed to play at Georgia Tech before being drafted by the Mariners, but Lackey’s success has been against ACC pitching, making it easier to project his success translating to pro ball.
Chris Hacopian INF Texas A&M
Hacopian moved up my college hitter rankings slightly from 6th to 5th, making him my 12th-ranked prospect in the 2026 draft class overall. After missing some games with a back injury to start this season, Hacopian has excelled for the Aggies, with a 134 wRC+ and 2.00 BB/K ratio in 10 games. He has one of the best eyes in all of college baseball, with an 87th percentile chase rate in 2025 and walking over twice as much as he’s struck out in both 2025 and 2026. There’s thunder in Hacopian’s bat as well, as he smacked 14 home runs in 52 games last season, with an impressive 97th percentile average exit velocity on the year, and he’s hit 3 in his 10 games in 2026.
Defensively, Hacopian’s most likely defensive home in pro ball would seemingly be third base, as he likely lacks the range necessary for shortstop at the big league level, but he’s gotten plenty of reps at second base as well for the Aggies. Hacopian has the potential to move quickly through a minor league system due to his excellent plate approach and raw power, and could be manning the 4 or 5 spot on the diamond for the Nats before the likes of Eli Willits and Gavin Fien arrive.
Sawyer Strosnider OF TCU
Like Lackey, I recognised the potential for a breakout 2026 for Strosnider due to his excellent raw power, but needed to see more consistency in his plate approach before I could fully buy in, as he struck out 18.7% of the time and posted a 0.43 BB/K ratio in 2025. He’s silenced all concerns of mine to begin 2025, nearly tripling his BB/K ratio from 0.43 to 1.29, as well as tapping more into his power in-game, with 8 home runs in 23 games, well above his 2025 pace of 11 bombs in 56 games. A draft-eligible sophomore this season, Strosnider is putting it all together offensively at the right time, with strong exit velocities and an improved chase rate resulting in a 139 wRC+ so far in 2026.
Defensively, Strosnider is athletic enough to handle center field, but he currently resides in right field for the Horned Frogs due to another draft-eligible outfielder, Chase Brunson, being out there. He’s shown plus run times before, and he’s gotten even better at swiping bags in 2026, with 8 steals so far in 23 games. Overall, if Strosnider continues to outwalk his strikeouts the way he has to start this year, he might outplay himself from Nationals territory in the draft. If the Nats did get their hands on him, he could immediately become the best current outfield prospect in the Nationals farm system, with the potential to be up in DC patrolling the grass by 2028.
Here are the 26 men who will line up on the third-base line at Wrigley Field Thursday afternoon before the Cubs’ season opener against the Nationals.
Most of these were well-known before; a few were added over the last couple of days. All groups are listed in alphabetical order, except for the starting pitchers, who I have listed in the rotation order where I believe they will begin the season.
Catchers (2)
Miguel Amaya, Carson Kelly
Infielders (5)
Alex Bregman, Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Scott Kingery, Dansby Swanson
Outfielders (5)
Dylan Carlson, Michael Conforto, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Matt Shaw
Designated hitter (1)
Moisés Ballesteros
Starting pitchers (5)
Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shōta Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon
Relief pitchers (8)
Ben Brown, Hunter Harvey, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Daniel Palencia, Colin Rea, Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb
Of these 26 men, nine (Bregman, Cabrera, Carlson, Conforto, Harvey, Kingery, Maton, Milner and Webb) were not in the Cubs organization last year. Three others (Ballesteros, Horton, Palencia) were not on last year’s Opening Day roster.
Three of these players (Carlson, Conforto and Kingery) were non-roster invitees to Spring Training. As such, three players had to be removed from the 40-man roster to make room for them. Those moves began late Tuesday when Tyler Austin was placed on the 60-day injured list and Carlson was added. It’s entirely possible Austin will never play for the Cubs.
Here are the other two 40-man roster moves to add Conforto and Kingery:
Justin Steele was placed on the 60-day injured list. That would target a late May or early June return.
Right-handed reliever Jack Neely was designated for assignment. Neely, who was acquired along with Ben Cowles from the Yankees in the Mark Leiter Jr. deal in 2024, pitched in six games for the Cubs that year with a 9.00 ERA, but did not appear for the team in 2025.
Three other roster moves were announced Wednesday. Seiya Suzuki was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain (retroactive to March 22), right-handed pitcher Porter Hodge was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain (retroactive to March 22), and left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks was placed on the 15-day injured list with left forearm inflammation (retroactive to March 22).
There are your Opening Day Cubs. Looking forward to a big year for the North Siders!
Feb 23, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Doing the A’s and the Astros’ prospect previews was, to be honest, an exercise in schadenfreude. I had a great time doing it! But it’s time now for just freude, no schaden.
Evaluators Overview
Baseball America: 10th in organizational rankings, 4 prospects in Top 100 (SS Colt Emerson (#7), LHP Kade Anderson (#25), OF Lazaro Montes (#58), RHP Ryan Sloan (#60).
Baseball Prospectus: 11th in organizational rankings, 5 Top-101 prospects (SS Colt Emerson (#14), LHP Kade Anderson (#28), RHP Ryan Sloan (#32), 2B Michael Arroyo (#35) OF Lazaro Montes (#97) .
FanGraphs: Org rank not updated, but ended 2025 ~6th, 7 Top-100 prospects: SS Colt Emerson (#11), RHP Ryan Sloan (#20), LHP Kade Anderson (#50), OF Jonny Farmelo (#51), OF Lazaro Montes (#66) 2B Michael Arroyo (#78), SS Felnin Celesten (#86).
MLB Pipeline: 8th in organizational rankings, 6 Top-100 prospects: SS Colt Emerson (#9), LHP Kade Anderson (#21), RHP Ryan Sloan (#33), OF Lazaro Montes (#43), 2B Michael Arroyo (#67), OF Jonny Farmelo (#78)
In summary, there are 4 consensus Top-100 prospects from across the organization: Colt Emerson (averaging 10th in the rankings), Kade Anderson (avg 31st), Ryan Sloan (avg 36th), and Laz Montes (avg 66th). There’s another three who are consensus top-100 or adjacents in Michael Arroyo, Jonny Farmelo and Felnin Celesten.
The Mariners’ current farm system represents the restocking of the cupboards, another wave that’s beginning to grow after the last washed George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh, Bryce Miller and Matt Brash ashore. Will this wave of prospects match the group that’s produced, combined, a Rookie of the Year, 7 All-Star selections, 2 Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, a Home Run Derby Championship, and 5 top-15 MVP finishes in four seasons?
No, probably not. The drop-off is steep after the top 12 or 13 prospects. There’s no longer a seemingly-endless supply of at least replacement level talent keeping Seattle’s farm in the second tier of organizations, and you can’t count only on your top-end guys to succeed – you have to hit on some breakouts from the depths.
That being said, the Mariners have put together a farm system that’s particularly rich at the top, even as they have traded away top-end talent; Harry Ford and Jurrangelo Cijntje (traded this offseason for José Ferrer and Brendan Donovan respectively) both make the back-half of most publications’ top-100 lists, and Tai Peete was also a top-10 prospect in the system. After those trades, MLB Pipeline still has the Mariners tied for the most top-100 prospects.
We are lucky enough to have Max Ellingsen, professional Ball Knower, writing prospect evals and content for Lookout Landing, which means you are all lucky enough to get to read his work, including the prospect rankings series that is currently underway. With that being said, it would be redundant and silly for me to give you prospect by prospect breakdowns for our top players. Instead, I’ll break this out by approximate ETA and give a high-level overview of who and what is to come, focusing on players in our informal top 4 tiers of prospects and when you might see them.
2026/2027:
Tier 1: Despite speculation that Colt Emerson might start the season at SS while J.P. Crawford recovers from his shoulder woes, the Mariners shut that down by assigning him to the Minors just this last weekend. It’s the right decision – 20-year-old Emerson should be given the time he needs to develop and be Ready, rather than be rushed up as an injury stop-gap and then sent back down. Emerson didn’t look as overwhelmed as he did last spring, but he still struck out twice as much as he walked, looking overmatched against the top pitching talent he faced. There’s no need to disrupt his development at this point, especially because he doesn’t need that much more time to cook – you’ll probably see Emerson up this summer, where he has a chance to be crucial to the Mariners’ playoff run.
Kade Anderson is a lefty starter with two plus breaking balls and a fastball that plays up in the zone. Are you sold yet? You should be. That’s basically all we need to say. He’s an incredibly polished 21-year-old who probably would be in the starting rotation for some teams with a weak staff. The Mariners do not, probably to his benefit – again, no need to rush a prospect who could be good now if he could be great in a year or so. He’ll be up next summer at the latest.
Tier 2: Michael Arroyo has been championed by our own John Trupin for long enough that we’ve all grown used to believing in him, but the national landscape has finally caught up to John. He’s well-regarded as a hitter at this point, shaking off the concerns about his 5’9” frame, showing a little bit of power as well. He’s been moved from shortstop to second, mostly for Seattle’s embarrassment of riches at the position, and will see time in the outfield. I expect to see him playing significant time this year if Refsnyder/Canzone and co. don’t get it done in right field.
Laz, Laz, Laz. You dirty bastards (and our own staff! shame!) predicted him as the biggest prospect faller for the Mariners in our annual predictions survey. You leave my large barely-adult son alone. Hating on Lazaro Montes is a symptom of 70-power and 6’5” jealousy. His pop is undeniable. His bat? Well. Put it down as potentially deniable. He has a tough road to staying in the outfield, even in the corners, but see him as a potential late 2027 DH fill-in to start.
Tier 4:Teddy McGraw is the best name in the system by far. Bryce Miller wishes he was named Teddy McGraw. If he can stay healthy, the starter-turned-reliever could see a debut as early as this season. His hot-and-heavy sinker and slider play off each other, and while two plus pitches does not a starter make, a reliever it just may, especially if it plays up in the pen. Call it late 2026 or early 2027.
2028/2029:
Tier 1: I’m not going to spoil too much for the aforementioned series, but Max messaged me today that he doesn’t recall a pitching prospect that he likes more than Ryan Sloan. There’s everything to love and nothing to hate about Sloan. There’s some minor disagreement about his ETA, and putting him as a 2028 debut might be conservative, but I am having a tough time seeing where he fits in the picture over the next two seasons given the currently-elite five starters the Mariners have.
Tier 2:Jonny Farmelo is a prospect I will be happy to be wrong about. I’ve never really understood the hype, but that is probably just a me thing. It might be that we’ve just yet to really see him play. He’s seen nothing but injuries over the last two seasons since being drafted in 2023. His talent has been displayed before, but only in short bursts, and I’m not sold enough yet on the bat to feel like it’s only a matter of time. He needs two full, healthy seasons to develop at the plate before sneaking his way onto the 2028 or 2029 lineup.
Tier 3:Felnin Celesten, the phoenix. A prospect that people loved to love from 2021-2023, and loved to hate the last couple of years. Chalk him up similar to Farmelo – he’s in a real prove-it moment this season. He doesn’t need to hit more than 15 homers if the bat can be plus with great placement into the gaps, and the glovework at shortstop can carry him. I have him as a better defender than Emerson, so perhaps Celesten will be what eventually moves Emerson to the hot corner in 2029.
Luke Stevenson is allegedly good, according to folks smarter than me. He’s in the same boat as Farmelo – I see him as having a decent floor but I think he’s got a real back-loaded bell curve of outcomes, unlikely to hit his top-end. I’d love to be wrong! He might be ready to backing up Cal by the end of 2028, giving the M’s a reliable backup catcher who can get Cal some more days at DH.
Tier 4: Korbyn Dickerson profiles, on the pessimistic end, as a dynamic center-fielder who can be a dependable 4th outfielder with plus defense at each spot. He’s a fun power-speed guy with a lot of upside but also a decent amount of downside. Planning on 2029 would give him a fantastic amount of runway to iron out some flaws on the hit tool.
2030 and Beyond:
Tier 3: Nick Becker won’t be in this tier for much longer. Max wrote in his prospect ranking write-up that Becker might have the highest upside in the system. Given that this is a farm heavy on the upside, that’s incredibly high praise. I’m worried about the janky swing, but he’s 18! This is stuff that can all be worked out. The middle-infield pipeline is thick and rich, so he’s got lots of time to develop. Tools galore – let’s check back in in 2030 and see where he’ll fit in.
What if Lazaro Montes had plus speed and a cannon for an arm? That might be Yorger Bautista. He’s just 18, signing during the 2025 J15 window, but the young outfielder has ridiculous potential. 70-grade pop in a 6’1” frame with the maturity of a player several years ahead of him should have you drooling. 2026 will be his first time stateside, so give him 4 years or so to develop.
Griffin Hugus, the funniest name in the system! The most nicknameable, for sure. The most currently Tommy-Johned. So, put the expectations back quite a bit. 2029 will be the first year we’ll be able to get him a real evaluation.
Tier 4: You’ve heard it first – Juan Rijo could be the real deal. I think that he has upside that rivals some of the prospects in the top tier of the system. I love, love, LOVE the swing – I love the bat path, I love the swing, and I think that as he grows into his frame, we can see true plus power and a plus bat. You don’t see 18-year-olds with this level of polish on the swing. No jank here! Like Bautista, let’s see him with 4 years to play stateside.
The Mariners are in a rare, blessed spot right now. The major-league club is ultra-competitive and has a wealth of cheap, controllable talent, while the farm is well-stocked with a dozen prospects that gives them the flexibility that every front office prizes. The Mariners can build a sustainable engine of consistent playoff appearances, extending their most key players now and letting this next wave fill in some gaps. Or, they can read the table, push in their chips, and go all in, now, and add great or elite talent for a shot at a title or two. Not a bad place to be.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - FEBRUARY 19: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays poses for a photo during the Tampa Bay Rays photo day at Charlotte Sports Park on Thursday, February 19, 2026 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Opening Day is here tomorrow and the bold predictions are flying in the Slack chat, so I’ve pulled together the hottest takes from masthead. Some are reasonable. Some are absolutely nuclear. All of them are compelling.
Let’s get into it with Daniel, who set things off:
Daniel Vonderwalde
Jake Fraley hits 20+ home runs
The Rays make the playoffs, with Brody Hopkins starting one of those postseason games
Ian Malinowski
Griffin Jax ends the season as a starter with a combined ERA under 3.00 across all roles
Drew Rasmussen finishes top-5 in Cy Young voting
Ben Williamson puts up more fWAR than Giancarlo Stanton
Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda, and Junior Caminero all outproduce their projections thanks to the new pitching machines (nobody else has the old setup baked into the projections anymore)
Danny Russell
The Rays finally have a closer, and his name is Bryan Baker — he picks up 37 saves
But the Rays lose 80 games
Jason Collette
Bryan Baker records 20 saves
Ian Seymour picks up 10 wins
Chandler Simpson steals 100 bases and adds a bunch of infield hits (he had 58 steals last season) — he’s going to love playing on the turf instead of weather-hardened infields
Darby Robinson
Shane McClanahan wins Comeback Player of the Year
Carson Williams has a 20-20-20 season (20 HR / 20 2B / 20 SB)
My biggest hot take: the 2026 season will remind us a lot of 2018 Rays
Cole Mitchem
Jacob Melton posts the highest WAR/PA ratio of any Rays position player
Rays total catcher WAR ranks in the top half of baseball
Chandler Simpson has a strong first half, then gets surprisingly traded at the deadline for a controllable big-league pitcher
Brett Rutherford
Ryan Pepiot leads all Rays pitchers in fWAR, even after an early-season IL trip
The Rays trade Drew Rasmussen at the deadline but remain in contention, with Brody Hopkins seamlessly replacing him in the rotation
The Rays finish the season with two catchers who are not currently in the organization
Homin Lee
Nick Fortes has the highest fWAR by a Rays catcher since Mike Zunino in 2021
Three Rays pitchers will throw over 162 innings (I called this last year too… and it actually happened)
Adam Sanford
Kevin Cash is fired at the end of the season (Editor’s note: !!!)
Bradley Woodrum
Drew Rasmussen finishes 4th or better in Cy Young voting (much to the delight of whichever team employs him)
Xavier Isaac is traded mid-season (internal projections have soured on his contact rate, and the front office looks to cash out on his prospect value)
There you go — every hot take ready for print. Please now feel empowered to argue with (or defend) specific site contributors all season long.
Which hot takes are you buying? Which ones are you laughing at the most? Let us know in the comments.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 06, 2025: Jerar Encarnacion #59 and Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants celebrate a solo home run hit by Encarnacion during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on August 06, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Congratulations, everyone: you did it. You made it through the long, cold, winter months, and emerged onto the glorious other side, where baseball awaits you. The offseason is over. The preseason is over. San Francisco Giants baseball is here, in all her glory and looming disappointment.
After Tuesday’s camp cuts, the Giants Opening Day roster really started to come into focus. And now we have the full 26-player roster, as announced by the team.
There’s nothing surprising, based on what we knew going into the day, though plenty is surprising relative to what we knew when Spring Training started six weeks ago. The biggest news is something the team had been trending towards all offseason and preseason: outfielder Luis Matos was designated for assignment. San Francisco has been pessimistic about their chances of sneaking Matos through waivers, but they waited until the last possible moment to increase their odds. It probably won’t work, but we’ll see.
As had become increasingly clear in recent weeks, speedster Jared Oliva made the Opening Day roster, a remarkable achievement for a 30-year old NRI with just 26 MLB games to his name, and none since 2021. The Giants were enamored with his ability to come off the bench and steal a base, and didn’t feel the need for a stronger hitter given their everyday players in the grass.
Daniel Susac, a Rule 5 pick and little brother of Andrew, did as was expected and made the team as the backup catcher. Critically, his main competitor in camp, veteran Eric Haase, was released, not reassigned, which means Jesús Rodríguez is now the next man up behind the dish.
There seemed to be two spots in the bullpen for three righties: Keaton Winn, and NRIs Caleb Kilian and Michael Fulmer. The Giants thankfully went with stuff over veteran experience, opting to keep Winn and Kilian, while reassigning Fulmer to AAA Sacramento. To make a space on the roster for Kilian, lefty Reiver Sanmartín was placed on the 60-Day Injured List.
And finally, as we knew was going to happen but couldn’t officially be done until today, the Giants placed righty reliever Joel Peguero and southpaw reliever Sam Hentges on the 15-Day IL.
Here’s the full roster that will take the field tonight at 5:05 p.m. PT against the New York Yankees. It’s a balanced bullpen, but a bench that doesn’t have a left-handed bat.
Catchers (2) Patrick Bailey Daniel Susac
Infielders (6) Willy Adames Luis Arráez Matt Chapman Rafael Devers Christian Koss Casey Schmitt
Outfielders (5) Harrison Bader Jerar Encarnación Jung Hoo Lee Jared Oliva Heliot Ramos
Starting pitchers (5) Adrian Houser Tyler Mahle Robbie Ray Landen Roupp Logan Webb
Right-handed relievers (5) JT Brubaker José Buttó Caleb Kilian Ryan Walker Keaton Winn
Left-handed relievers (3) Ryan Borucki Matt Gage Erik Miller
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 23: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees warms up on deck during the first inning of the spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on March 23, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tomorrow is Opening Day. But tonight is baseball. Regular season baseball.
MLB is debuting Opening Night this year, with the Yankees and Giants opening their seasons against each other, all streamed through Netflix. It’s a double-blow to the traditionalists; not only are we getting a game before the proper start of the season, but it’s an interleague game, no less. It’s not exactly unprecedented— various international games have been played prior to Opening Day, and counted in the regular season standings. Still, it’s a change of pace.
In the days to come, we’ll have plenty of more serious, more pressing, more controversial questions to ask about the Phillies as their season takes shape. So let’s have a more casual question to end the offseason. What do you think about Opening Night?
UNSPECIFIED - CIRCA 1964: Rocky Colavito #7 of the Kansas City Athletics bats during an Major League Baseball game circa 1964. Colavito played for the Athletics in 1964. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Charlie O. Finley had a lot of crazy ideas during his time as owner of the Athletics. Some of the ideas, like having a designated hitter for the pitcher, night games for the World Series, ball girls manning the foul lines and brightly colored uniforms were ahead of their time. He also had radio broadcasts of Athletics’ games piped into bathrooms at the stadium, so people could still hear the action while answering the call of nature. Seems common sense now, but back then, things were different.
Some of Finley’s other ideas were, shall we say, unusual. He had a flock of sheep, eating the grass on the berm behind the outfield wall. He had a shepherd too. He had a mechanical rabbit named Harvey, who would pop out of the ground and deliver balls to the home plate umpire. Harvey startled more than one unsuspecting batter.
He had a Missouri mule, nicknamed Charlie O. (of course) who often traveled with the team and occasionally made a foray into hotel lobbies and restaurants. Finley was a strange cat.
One of his worst ideas was his conviction that the Athletics were losing so many games (compared to the Yankees) because the right field wall in Municipal was 325 feet away from home plate. The right field wall in Yankee Stadium, which had been grandfathered in, was a mere 296. Finley was 100% convinced this was the problem. Forget that the Athletics couldn’t hit for much power, or that their pitching staff was loaded with sore armed rejects from other teams. Forget that they probably had at least ten players who shouldn’t have been in the majors at all.
Finley’s solution to this was twofold: The first was to shorten the fence in right to 296 feet to match Yankee Stadium. Finley called it his “Pennant Porch”. This stunt lasted all of two exhibition games before Major League Baseball put its foot down and made Finley revert the fence back to 325. In response, Finley painted a line in the outfield grass and had the announcer bellow “That would have been a home run in Yankee Stadium” every time an Athletic hitter pushed one past the 296 mark. That stunt died a quick death as well, as opposing hitters were surpassing the line more frequently than Athletic hitters.
The second solution, which was a good one, at least in theory, was to bring in some power hitters. In that vein, Finley acquired two of the American League’s most prolific long ball hitters, Jim Gentile and Rocky Colavito.
There’s been ten men named Rocky who have played major league baseball, including one of my favorites, Rocky Bridges. Rocky Colavito is the most successful of that group.
On November 18th, 1963, the Athletics sent the popular Jerry Lumpe, Ed Rakow and Dave Wickersham to Detroit for Colavito, Bob Anderson and $50,000. Colavito’s salary for the 1964 season also happened to be $50,000. Remember that tidbit.
By the time he pulled on an Athletic uniform, Colavito was already an established star.
He had been a high school dropout, signed by the Indians as a 17-year-old, after a workout at Yankee Stadium. Colavito, known as The Rock naturally, was a strapping 6’3, 190-pound specimen with a cannon attached to his right shoulder. The Indians scout watched him fire missiles from the outfield and figured they could teach him to hit. Colavito is often overlooked when baseball scribes talk about who had the strongest outfield arm of all time. Clemente seems to be the gold standard. Bo Jackson had a cannon. Dave Parker could wing it. When his head was screwed on straight, Yasil Puig could bring it. Colavito could throw with any of them. Colavito could easily throw a ball over the center field fence from home plate. If that doesn’t impress you, try it sometime.
Colavito got into five games as a 21-year-old, then blossomed into a star at the age of 22.
He became an icon in Cleveland, hitting 129 home runs with 373 RBI in his first four full seasons. He electrified fans with his strong arm, often gunning down any runner foolish enough to challenge him.
The Tribe crushed their fanbase when they traded Colavito to the Tigers prior to the 1960 season. The Rock spent four years in Motown and didn’t miss a beat, mashing another 139 home runs and driving home 430.
When he came to Kansas City for the 1964 season, the Athletics were getting a bona fide star. The Rock did what he was paid to do, hitting 34 long balls and driving home 102. His slash was an impressive .274/.366/.507. He made the American League All-Star team and was worth 4.1 WAR.
Colavito’s best game as an Athletic came on July 22nd, at Minnesota. He went 3 for 4 with two home runs and four RBI with 9 total bases, part of a 6 to 4 Athletic win. Colavito had a fifteen-game stretch in June without a home run and another 14-game dry spell in late August/early September, which probably had Finley questioning his strategy.
The Rocky Colavito experience was short lived. On January 30th, KC sent him back to Cleveland as part of a three-way deal with the White Sox. The Athletics picked up Mike Hershberger, Jim Landis and Fred Talbot. The Indians sent Tommy Agee and Tommy John to the White Sox. As David Spade would say, “Daaaanng”.
The Athletics should have just flipped Colavito to the Indians for John and Agee. Why did the Athletics trade him? Was it because Finley realized that more home runs didn’t translate into more wins or was it because now Finley would be on the hook for Colavito’s 1965 salary?
Colavito bounced around a bit at the end of his career, first Cleveland, then the White Sox, then off to the Dodgers and finally 39 games with the Yankees in 1968.
He ended his career with almost 45 WAR and was a nine-time All-Star.
He did some coaching in retirement and spent several seasons coaching with the Royals. He was a hands-on participant in the Pine tar game, trying to spirit George Brett’s bat away from the umps and he once got arrested with Royals manager Dick Howser after a traffic stop. I remember seeing Colavito at the Stadium in those days and was always in a state of awe, having heard of his exploits from my father, who was a big Indians fan back in the day.
Colavito was immensely popular wherever he played. Late in life he struggled with Type II diabetes, which eventually cost him his life. He passed away on December 19th, 2024, at the age of 91.
Less than two weeks after picking up Colavito, the Athletics sent their All-Star first baseman Norm Siebern to the Orioles in exchange for the 30-year-old Gentile and $25,000. So, Finley got two sluggers and essentially had their old teams paying their 1964 salaries. I can’t think of anything more Charlie O. Finley than that.
When he was younger, Gentile was a highly thought of, and desired, minor-league star. He originally signed with the Dodgers but was blocked by Gil Hodges. Roy Campanella nicknamed Gentile “Diamond Jim” because he thought him a diamond in the rough. Campy had a good eye for talent. The Dodgers held onto Gentile, always asking for too much in return, while he destroyed minor league pitching. He didn’t get a real shot until he was 26, when Baltimore acquired him. He responded by hitting .292 with 21 home runs and 98 RBI in just 138 games. He made his first All-Star team, finished second in the Rookie of the Year vote (behind teammate Ron Hansen) and picked up some down-ballot MVP votes. Over the next three seasons, Gentile was one of the league’s steadiest power hitters. He led the American League in RBI in 1961 with 141, while bashing 46 home runs.
Giving up Siebern was a big price, having developed into an All-Star himself. He was a year younger than Gentile and though he had some power (a career high 25 bombs in 1962), he wasn’t quite in Gentile’s power class.
In retrospect, the trade worked out well for both teams. Over a season and a half (174 games) with Kansas City, Gentile hit 38 home runs and drove home another 93. He was worth about 2.1 WAR during his KC tenure. Siebern also made the All-Star team for the Orioles, his last, and over 256 games in Baltimore, was worth 4.5 WAR.
Gentile was a streaky home run hitter, often going 8-10 games without a dinger, then hitting four or five over the next week.
He had a terrific game against Boston on June 7th, 1964, at Municipal, going 3 for 4 with two home runs, five RBI and nine total bases.
He duplicated that feat against the Indians on August 30th.
In those days, the Athletics were in a near constant state of flux. On June 5th, 1965, they gave up on their power experiment and sent Gentile to the Houston Colt 45’s for pitcher Jim Hickman and utility infielder Ernie Fazio. Hickman appeared in 13 games for Kansas City, while Fazio got in 27 games in 1966.
Gentile toiled in Houston for parts of two seasons before ending his career with Cleveland in 1966, where he was reunited with Colavito. Gentile played for AAA San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League in 1967 and 1968, but finding no takers for his services, went to Japan and closed out his career with one season playing for the Osaka Buffaloes.
He had a solid career, worth 17 WAR and six All-Star appearances. His numbers would have been better had he not been marooned in the Dodgers’ minor league system during his younger prime.
In retirement, he did some managing in the minor leagues during the early 2000’s. Gentile remains one of the oldest living Athletics, currently at the age of 91.
The 1963 Athletics hit only 95 home runs (last in the American League) and scored 615 runs. The pitching staff gave up 704, which kept them in some games. The 1963 staff gave up 156 home runs, which was middle of the pack in the American League.
The 1963 team finished with a 73-89 record (Their second highest win total while in Kansas City).
The 1964 Athletics, with Gentile and Colavito on board, hit 166 home runs (3rd most in the league) but only scored 621 runs. The pitching staff gave up 836 runs, the most in the league by a fair margin. The 1964 staff gave up 220 dingers, 39 more than the next closest team. Gulp. That led to a disastrous 57-105-1 season. Turns out having a shorter fence or more power hitters wasn’t the problem after all.
The power bump did nothing for attendance. The 1963 Athletics drew 762,364, good for 8th in a ten-team league. Despite jacking more long balls, the 1964 team only drew 642,478 to Municipal, a 16% decline.
I think about the 1964 season often, with the Royals’ announcement that they are moving in the fences for the 2026 season. The other team hits too, you know. Who knows, maybe it’ll work out.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Henry Bolte #33 of the Athletics runs to first during a spring training game against the Texas Rangers at HoHoKam Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Henry Bolte might have been the MVP of the A’s 2026 camp and even though he was optioned before the end of spring training he has put himself squarely on the map for an early call up whenever there is a need in the outfield. I sat down with Bolte on Saturday, March 14th, to discuss his approach, his progress, his personality, and what he thinks of Cindi. Unfortunately, we ran out of time just before we got to the Cindi part but enjoy the rest.
Nico: My understanding is it’s Henry BOL-tay.
Bolte: That’s right.
Nico: So I’m going to get that right and earn brownie points. K, first question…the reputation that you came with as a minor leaguer was that you were very cerebral and that maybe sometimes you out thought yourself or got in your own head, that’s what we heard a couple of years ago. I’m curious what your assessment is. Was that accurate or who are you as a person trying to become a hitter?
Bolte: Yeah, I think there’s definitely a mental aspect to it. You know, sometimes it can be too too much. I always joke sometimes the simpler or more stupid in a sense you can be at the plate — not actually but the more simple you can make it at the plate a lot of the times you can have a little more success or it becomes a little bit easier simplifying things .
So I think yeah that’s that’s something to balance: you want to have a good approach, being be informed going up to the plate with what you’re dealing with, but then at the end of the day you got to go compete. It’s kind of a battle at the plate every time, so you want to make sure that that’s the main focus.
Nico: So before we get more into the baseball, let’s continue on with the person. I would love to know who you are, who you were as a kid. Obviously, any wacky stories are appreciated, but just like, what is your personality and what is it that you bring to hitting and defense?
Bolte: I kind of did a little bit of everything when I was younger in terms of sports (but) baseball stuck for me as the main sport. I played seriously, like high school and then even middle school. But when I was younger, I was trying to do a little bit of everything. My parents were super supportive of getting me out and trying different stuff, do whatever, play different sports, be active.
And so in that I was always competing with my friends, my brother, whatever it was, being competitive. So that’s something I think I’ve carried out through my life. It’s just become part of my life. me so it’s something that I bring to the field, and yeah I think that’s that’s something from being a young kid just trying everything. It’s kind of shaped me a little bit for who I am now.
Nico: Older brother?
Bolte: Yes yeah.
Nico: So were you often playing with older kids?
Bolte: Not a ton but like maybe stuff around the house with him. I had my own age friends and there was a good friend group that I kind of went through and played as a young kid all these sports with. So not too much, but here and there, yeah.
Nico: So the reason I ask is that as a professional that’s pretty much been your lot, which is you are always competing against guys who are older, because you were drafted out of high school. What has that been like in terms of your confidence, in terms of your growth?
Bolte: I think it’s an adjustment, you know, it’s an adjustment for anyone coming into professional baseball, purely just off of how many games you play, the day-to-day is much different than certainly high school, college, I would imagine the same. But yeah, it’s an adjustment. It’s maybe a little bit more of a shock or a ‘sink or swim’ thing for a high school kid at least.
You kind of have to get in and it’s just the reality that you’re playing against older kids now for a little while and so it’s something to just figure out. And so I think it helps you grow, anytime you’re around players who are better than you. You know, it’s that way in baseball and in life. You want to be around people who are at the level you want to be at, and it’ll kind of push you to be better. So I think it’s always a good thing.
Nico: Now coming into this spring training, you’ve always had pretty much the same strength and weakness profile, which is really toolsy, exciting prospect, strikes out too much. And what I wanted to know is from a more personal point of view, it can’t feel good to have a high K -rate when that’s what you’re working on, and you’re making adjustments. And it has improved every year, but it’s always been that. dark cloud hanging over. What has that been like for you, just on a personal level?
Bolte: You always want to be a well-rounded player, so anything that you have that’s an area for improvement you want to work on. That’s a funny one because I think it can be a thing that works against you to focus too much on it. So there are times where trying to cut down on swing and miss leads to more. And you want to take at bats with the intention of doing damage and putting up a good at bat. And that’s really the focus.
So that’s been, the last couple of years, the real focus of going into at bats, of just trying to have a quality at bat and win the at bat. And the result will take care of itself. You’ll find that that is the focus. You’ll strike out less. And then not worrying about it. It’s you want — to put the ball in play and make things happen on the field and give yourself a chance. But at the end of the day, sometimes you’re going to strike out and sometimes it can be a product of doing damage. If you look up and there’s guys punching out and putting up good numbers, it’s not as big of a deal.
So I think if you can produce still, you don’t want to want to punch out, but you don’t want to focus on it too much, because if you can go out there and put up a good at bat, produce good things will probably happen. And that number will probably be be down.
Nico: So now you fast forward to spring training. Your stats are starting to look like a misprint. {Bolte was hitting .375/.419/.675, with 3 HR in 40 AB, when he was optioned.} I mean, it’s really amazing the spring you’re having. Has something changed? Has something shifted? Is there something you can point to to say, “Hey, this is why now I’m doing the damage that I’ve been talking about?”
Bolte: No, I think just just keeping that that mentality of going out there and trying to win every at bat and really every pitch individually. You know if you keep that focus, you’re able to turn the page quicker from pitch to pitch, at bat to at bat, and keep a fresh mindset. I’m going up there trying to treat every at that like I’m 0 for 0 on the spring or on the season, you know first at bat, so really just just being in the moment being present and thinking about those things and and what you can control has been huge for me.
Nico: There’s an interesting thing if you look at your Statcast page look at your metrics, and I don’t know how much you look at those things but the only thing that’s in a really low percentile even beyond like ‘swing and miss’ or ‘strikeouts’: in the 1st percentile is ‘pull air’. Like you just don’t hit fly balls to left. I was wondering if you were aware of that — I haven’t had a chance to see you hit very much to to know what is behind that.
Bolte: I mean I think historically, going back to that that thing of trying to figure out some of the context stuff and take good at bats, I’ve always been one to try to let the ball get deep and I can I can work really well to the to the opposite field and have success there. But you do want to pull the ball for sure.
And that’s been a thing I’ve been trying to do: get on time, pull it a little bit more, which this spring has been great. I’ve gotten some balls in the air to the pull side, which have been great. I think last year in Vegas, it was down a lot. Wrist was bugging me. It was hard to kind of swing the way I wanted to, I felt like. So I think that impacted it, at least for those, whatever, 34 games, 35 games I played there.
So it’s been there, but definitely an area to work on. And I think that comes with just being on time. and kind of catching the pitches where I want to. And then that’ll take care of itself.
Nico: It’s interesting because I think, I didn’t see this in the Statcast, but I think you do pull balls on the ground. It’s just interesting. You don’t lift balls that you pull. Do you look at that stuff? Like, is that part of your being cerebral or no?
Bolte: No, I don’t. I don’t see that stuff too much. Honestly, I don’t really have access to it or know where to where to get most of that. But, you know, I’m not I’m not too concerned with where I’m where I’m hitting it or all that. Really just trying to go up there and hit the ball hard. If you can make solid contact, chances are good things will happen. Whether it’s middle of the field, pull, or opposite field, just barreling the ball is really my focus.
Nico: So I talked to Max Muncy around this time last year, and he was not expected to make the team. And we talked about sort of where he saw this season going. Next thing you know, he’s on the opening day roster. So here we sit now. You’ve had a great spring, yhere is a depth chart. We know who the outfielders are. How are you seeing where you stand as far as the season starting and the season progressing?
Bolte: Yeah, I mean I’ve tried not to focus too much on that and really just take it day to day and play. I feel like I’m probably in a similar situation as Muncy was last year: I’m probably not slated to make the team to start, but that’s how it is, not something that I was kind of expecting. I was coming out here to kind of play freely during the spring and just perform and get ready for my season. Because the goal in the long run is to get up (to) the big league team and help them win and be an impact player and be there for good. So just however I can be most prepared to do that is my main focus.
Nico: Well, and we know that the team has a starting right fielder who’s coming back from surgery, has a starting center fielder who’s had trouble staying on the field. So there’s always opportunities that present themselves unexpectedly. Defensively, I’d like to get a sense of how you see yourself as an outfielder comparing left field, center field, right field and what you feel like your strengths and weaknesses are right now.
Bolte: Um, I mean I grew up playing center field when I started playing outfield in high school. So I love playing center field, it was always my favorite. I’ve kind of split time between center and right professionally, so I’ve gotten really comfortable in right field. Comfortable in left field too — I feel good in all three spots, so that’s what’s good, is that I’ve gotten a good mix of all of them. And so, yeah, like you said, wherever there’s an opportunity, being ready in any of those three spots is great. And if the team needs someone in left, center or right, I want to be able to be the guy who can go in and fill that spot.
Nico: So between center and right, say, from which angle do you feel like you get the best reads, best jumps, are the most natural outfielder?
Bolte: I don’t know. I think center field everything’s in front of you. so you know side to side it’s you can get a good read on the ball. Right field comes with a lot of just time playing — you know the ball is going to fade on you a little bit more, there’s a lot of more spin from from right hand hitters which you can you just get used to and then you kind of know what to expect. So I don’t know if there’s one that is more natural. I think I’ve gotten used to both of them and it’s just they’re both different looks.
Nico: Last question would be — it’s really open-ended — if there was one thing you could say to fans who are watching you develop, rooting for the team, rooting for you, what would it be?
Bolte: You know, just that I want to come in and be an impact player and kind of this whole process with myself and the staff here has been preparing to win at the big league level and show up and be able to have success at the big league level and stay there.
I mean, I think that’s the main thing. You want to get up there and then stay and have an impact and help the team win. So I think when that time comes, I’ll be ready to go out there and play hard every night. Like we just said, it’s a thing of mine to compete every night and kind of put some pressure on the defense, take an extra 90 feet, run the base as well, and do something little every day to try and help the team win.
It’s looking like sooner rather than later for Bolte, who will start the season at AAA waiting for opportunity to knock…Hope you enjoyed the 5 interviews!
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 22: Starting pitcher Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves before the Monday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals on September 22, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the season looming and the parade of bad news from Spring Training (despite the Braves being 2026 Spring Training champions, heh), I wanted to throw this out there as a question that you, ultimately, will be scored and evaluated on. Chances are, you have strong opinions on this topic; here’s your chance to get something (or not) for your convictions.
The Braves currently project to have MLB’s tenth-most productive rotation. This is based on a lot of very good Chris Sale, three-fourths-of-the-season’s worth of above-average Spencer Strider, an effective Reynaldo Lopez that basically hangs around for four months, a good second-half-ish from Spencer Schwellenbach, among the other guys doing some stuff (Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, Hurston Waldrep). That said, the tenor of pretty much all conversation regarding the Braves and their rotation is highly negative, more akin to “Will the rotation injuries cut off a comeback attempt before it even begins?” than anything else.
Of course, a rotation does not a team make. While no team can do this for a whole season, I’m reminded of the silliness of June 2023, where the Braves had something like the worst rotation production in MLB (second-worst FIP- ahead of only the Rockies), but went 21-4 because they just obliterated other teams even more soundly than their own Jared Shusters were getting wrecked. So, without mincing words too much, the following outcomes are possible:
A. The rotation is good
For purposes of discussion, let’s say “good” is tenth or better in MLB in fWAR when it’s all said and done. The variants here are:
A1: The rotation is good, and the Braves make the playoffs.
A2: The rotation is good, but the Braves miss the playoffs (probably due to offensive deficiency, but could also be due to weird one-run game stuff, or poor defense, or a disastrous bullpen).
Note that for this variant, and the ones below, health is automatically baked in to rotation quality, as more injuries will lead to the Braves plumbing the depth chart even further, and presumably getting less fWAR for their efforts when doing so.
B. The rotation is meh
Let’s say “meh” is somewhere between 11th and 20th in MLB in fWAR. Let’s also expand the variants a bit:
B1: The rotation is meh, the Braves make the playoffs, and the fWAR differential between the Braves’ rotation fWAR and the tenth-ranked team’s fWAR would have any implications for playoff rounds (i.e., the Braves would have a top-two record in the NL with added fWAR up to the tenth-best rotation).
B2: The rotation is meh, the Braves make the playoffs, and the fWAR differential noted above would not have any implications for playoff rounds.
B3: The rotation is meh, the Braves miss the playoffs, but would’ve made the playoffs if they had extra wins equal to the fWAR differential between their rotation and the tenth-ranked rotation.
B4: The rotation is meh, the Braves miss the playoffs, and would not have made the playoffs if they had extra wins equal to the fWAR differential between their rotation and the tenth-ranked rotation.
Which of course, leaves us with…
C. The rotation is bad
Same deal here as for the category above. “Bad” is, of course, what’s left: a bottom ten performance by fWAR.
C1: The rotation is bad, the Braves make the playoffs, and the fWAR differential between the Braves’ rotation fWAR and the tenth-ranked team’s fWAR would have any implications for playoff rounds (i.e., the Braves would have a top-two record in the NL with added fWAR up to the tenth-best rotation). This is the June 2023 option.
C2: The rotation is bad, the Braves make the playoffs, and the fWAR differential noted above would not have any implications for playoff rounds.
C3: The rotation is bad, the Braves miss the playoffs, but would’ve made the playoffs if they had extra wins equal to the fWAR differential between their rotation and the tenth-ranked rotation.
C4: The rotation is bad, the Braves miss the playoffs, and would not have made the playoffs if they had extra wins equal to the fWAR differential between their rotation and the tenth-ranked rotation.
Basically, I’m asking you to first pick your prognostication for the rotation (category/letter), and then select the implication of that prognostication, if any, for the standings at the end of the season (subcategory/number).
And, as all of these, let’s see some confidence attestations, too. Pair your selection of one of the ten variants above with a confidence number from 1 to 5, where 5 is “I am sure this will happen” and 1 is “I have no idea whatsoever what will happen but picked something to participate.” No partial confidences, a whole number that is 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 only.
Anyway, have at it. I’m curious to see where this ends up.
D.J. Short
