Well, the White Sox almost had a winning record in the Cactus League, what with a 15-16-1 finish. Too bad it doesn’t matter.

But they ended up losing their last five games, six if you include the Spring Breakout game. Good thing it doesn’t matter.

Of course, their big hullabaloo this season is about “momentum,” and that momentum isn’t necessarily the kind they want. So maybe momentum doesn’t matter, either, except maybe as a PR gimmick.

Everyone knows Spring Training records are meaningless, whether for such badness as the Mariners being last in the Cactus League last year or next-to-last this year, or the goodness of the Rockies sporting a 15-14-1 record this year. True, the 2024 White Sox gave a sad foreshadowing of the regular season to come by finishing last in the spring as well, but the 2005 World Champs were next to third from last in Arizona with a 14-18 record, so things can really turn around once it counts.

But what about individual performances? After all, we do talk about how a solid spring could get somebody a spot on a major league roster.

Well, maybe not so much meaning there, either.

White Sox spring 2025 leaders provide a look at carryover accuracy

On the hitting side, Chicago’s big leader, with an astounding 1.352 OPS, was none other than (pause for dramatic effect) Adam Hackenberg! Yep, Adam Hackenberg, who went on to spend the regular season in Charlotte and Birmingham, and hit a combined .206. Now, the folks who keep track of spring stats tend to divide the line at 20 at-bats, and Hackenberg’s 12 wouldn’t make the cut, nor would Kyle Teel’s 1.119 OPS in 19 at-bats or William Bergolla Jr.‘s 1.167 in 12.

With the cutoff applied, the immortal Brandon Drury leads the 2025 White Sox with a staggering 1.260 OPS. Yep, Brandon Drury, who went on to a regular season where he hit .179 in 10 games in Charlotte before being released and then signed by the Angels, where he worked his way down to rookie league level.

A one-off, perhaps? Well, next was the .989 of Nick Maton, who then hit .167 in Chicago and .192 in Charlotte before being released. Maton was followed by Tristan Gray (.978), who actually hit a solid .270/.333/.472 in Charlotte before the team sold him to the Rays, where he posted a respectable .693 OPS for a middle infielder.

(As an aside, OPS tends to be the favorite stat of evaluation for hitters these days, but it’s unfair to singles hitters, who could post a .300 average and next-to-Aaron Judge .400 on-base percentage and still come in at a below-average .700, despite the very important Moneyball belief that what really matters is getting on base.)

The top performance among any batter who actually started for the White Sox was the fine .966 of Luis Robert Jr. We all know how that went.

What about pitchers?

By far the best pitcher for the White Sox in 2025 was Adrian Houser, who wasn’t with the team until May. Of those who were around in Arizona, there’s more correlation with the games that count than with hitters, but not anything close to a clear picture.

Martín Pérez sported a fine 2.25 ERA over 12 innings and pitched well once it counted until he got injured (yeah, yeah, ERA isn’t a great stat in a small sample size, but you go with what you’ve got). Shane Smith just went up from 3.37 to 3.81.

But three 0.00 ERAs topped the guys who did the best — Cam Booser (regular season 5.52), Penn Murfee (7.82), and the guy who we don’t talk about (minors). Justin Dunn had a 1.13, then a 7.63 in Charlotte before being released, and was even worse for Royals affiliates. Davis Martin had a 1.90, less than half his regular-season number, which was okay. Jonathan Cannon’s 10.32 showed he was already in trouble.

But that’s ancient history, the Sox have momentum now!

Okay, so here’s the 2026 story:

Most importantly, none other than Adam Hackenberg was back for another try, and once again he led the team!! Batted a perfect 1.000. Okay, it was only one at-bat, but that’s not his fault.

Of those with more than 20 official trips this year, the leader was Oliver Dunn, with a 1.128 OPS on a .296/.387/.741 slash line. Of course, he won’t be on the regular season roster, so Austin Hays tops those who will, at 1.056, followed by Luisangel Acuña at 1.004. One can only hope there is some carryover to games that count.

Of note is that among the top Sox hitters this spring is Korey Lee, .289/.426/.526, so naturally he’s being dumped in favor of Reese McGuire for reasons only the incredible White Sox brain trust is smart enough to comprehend.

Chase Meidroth and the various competitors for the fifth outfield spot hit it pretty well. Hitting better than expected were Lenyn Sosa and Andrew Benintendi (though Benintendi K’ed one-third of the time), with Munetaka Murakami doing fine, especially in only K’ing eight times in 29 at-bats, not including WBC time. Edgar Quero did fine, as did prospects William Bergolla Jr., Braden Montgomery, and (especially) Sam Antonacci.

On the uh-oh side, Colson Montgomery whiffed 20 times in 55 at-bats and only walked three times. He did hit three homers, but only had — this is amazingly bad — four RBIs. Final line .182/.224/.345, about where he was a year ago in Charlotte, that had him seemingly heading toward a career in coaching high school ball, until a couple of weeks back in Arizona straightened him out. This time, he’s already in Arizona, so who knows where he’ll have to head.

All in all, early in the spring, when the Sox were winning, they were doing a whole bunch of scoring when it was late in the game, and our-NRIs-vs-your-NRIs. Later, not so much.

Pitchers?

Better not to ask. Let’s just say the sample size is too small and not mention how bad Shane Smith and Anthony Kay looked last time out. The rest of the starters were at least middling, as were many relievers except theoretical-star-of-the-future Grant Taylor and theoretical-star-of-the-now Sean Newcomb.

There is a stat that shows the level of opposition a player faced in the spring; the Baseball-Reference.com version gives 10 points if the batter or pitcher faced was in the majors in 2025, eight if in Triple-A, seven if in Double-A, and so on down the line. Unfortunately, it’s a stat with a problem, since particularly early in the spring, minor league pitchers trying to move up in the ranks are going to be firing their very best stuff unless specifically told not to, and major leaguers secure in their jobs may well experiment with a new pitch or grip or arm angle and work on their worst stuff, not their best. Remember when Jake Peavy went an entire spring start, throwing nothing but change-ups?

So?

So best to look back at the top. Nothing so far matters except Kyle Teel and Mike Vasil getting hurt, especially Vasil, since he’ll be gone into 2027. Not the at-least-mediocre record, alas. But not any bad performances, either.

Let the stuff that goes on their permanent record begin!

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?

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 18^th, 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 22^nd, 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 30^th, 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 19^th, 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 7^th, 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 30^th.

In those days, the Athletics were in a near constant state of flux.  On June 5^th, 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 (3^rd 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 8^th 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. 

The Red Sox rotation is set. Garrett Crochet will start the season opener on Thursday in Cincinnati, Sonny Gray will then take the hill for game 2 on Saturday, and in what was a pretty significant announcement today, Connelly Early will get the ball for the series finale on Sunday. From there, Ranger Suarez, the biggest signing of the offseason will start game 4 in Houston on Monday, and Brayan Bello will round out the first swing around the carousel on Tuesday.

Because of a combination of factors, including Suarez’s schedule for Team Venezuela in the WBC and certain matchups in Cincinnati and Houston, the bottom two slots in the rotation were actually filled in before the game 3 starter was determined for Sunday. But this morning, Rob Bradford broke the news that filled in the final piece of the puzzle:

So this is the part of the proceedings where I have to admit I was completely wrong and give my “mea culpa.”

As recently as this month, I was convinced the Red Sox were going to give this rotation spot to Johan Oviedo and send Connelly Early down to Worcester for at least 35 days to start the season to squeeze an extra year of control out of him. This is what a team operating as a “good business” would do. And quite frankly, the Red Sox have operated too much like a good business and not enough like a good baseball team over the last five years.

But I’m happy to report, I was completely wrong! Connelly Early came into camp ready to be a major leaguer, forced the issue by looking great every outing, and the Red Sox, to their credit, rewarded him with the rotation spot on Sunday. Good on everyone (except me)!

This is so refreshing on multiple levels. First of all, there are few things better in life than when young guys on your team enter the mix and prove they can be legit pieces on a potential future championship core. Early is in the process of doing that right now, and I can’t wait to see what he looks like on Sunday as he continues on that journey.

Secondly, and this might be even more important in the grand scheme of things, the Red Sox are acting like a baseball franchise concerned with winning baseball titles immediately. For years, there’s been this eye on tomorrow, and an overall general sense of trying to accumulate as many assets as possible that will eventually be turned out on the world someday.

Well, finally, that someday is today! The Red Sox are putting their best possible rotation on the mound from day one. The Red Sox are trying to get in first place in the division race as quickly as possible and put pressure on everybody else. The Red Sox are acting like a team that knows they have Garrett Crochet in his prime and if they post one of the two best records in the AL they get to go straight to the LDS round where he can pitch twice in five games. This is the type of stuff winning baseball teams do.

Even more impressive might be their decision to not start Oviedo in the rotation. Remember, the Red Sox traded Jhostynxon Garcia (The Password) for Oviedo just three months ago. It would have been so easy for them to say “well, this is the guy we liked in December so this is the guy we’re going to roll with out of the gate now.” Instead, they treated the outings between him and Early like a real competition, and awarded the job based on merit. And yes, I know this is exactly what they’re supposed to be doing, but in a world where things like this are increasingly not the case, it just so refreshing to see it play out this way.

Here’s another benefit for the Red Sox in handing the ball to Early: I’m now specifically extra pumped up to watch Sunday’s game to see him pitch — And I can’t imagine I’m alone in this position either. If that’s true, the Sox have just created a whole additional layer of buzz around this team and really turned Opening Day into Opening week.

Just think about what we’ve got on tap now: Opening Day and Garett Crochet in the Thursday game, our first look at Sonny Gray in a Red Sox uniform in the second game on Saturday, Connelly Early and the newfound buzz in the third, and then the big winter signing in Ranger Suarez in the fourth. After that, Crochet, is coming around again for game 6 in Houston, and the home opener is slated for game 7. That’s a tremendous lineup, and it makes me more excited for the start of a Red Sox season than I’ve been in a long, long time.

The Mets' fortunes have swung wildly over the last four seasons, taking their fans on a roller coaster ride of emotions. 

In 2022, the team was dominant until it wasn't, faltering just enough late to squander the NL East title before bowing out with a whimper in the Wild Card Series at Citi Field after winning 101 games. 

The 2023 squad struggled to the point where there was a midseason sell-off, with Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander among those shipped out.

In 2024, the Mets went on a somewhat miraculous run to the NLCS, sneaking into the playoffs before beating the Brewers in the Wild Card Series, vanquishing the Phillies in the NLDS, and ultimately falling to the mighty Dodgers in the NLCS.

Then came 2025, when New York went from having the best record in baseball on June 12 to out of the playoffs, after a slow burn of a collapse that culminated with them being eliminated on the final day of the season because they couldn't beat the Marlins

It's possible the Mets would've broken up their core even if the 2025 club snuck into the postseason, but their clear flaws and ultimate failure helped give president of baseball operations David Stearns cover to truly transform the roster -- putting his stamp on it in the process. 

With the dust settled, Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil are no longer in New York.

The new faces include Freddy Peralta, Bo Bichette, Devin Williams, Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr., and Marcus Semien.

Stearns adding Peralta, Bichette, and Robert late in the offseason gave a serious jolt to a team that was very much incomplete until their arrivals. And, to this writer, resulted in the 2026 Mets having a better roster than the one they opened the 2025 season with. 

How will that play out on the field?

Here is our preview and prediction for the 2026 season...

What the Mets have going for them

By adding a legitimate top-of-the-rotation arm in Peralta and with Nolan McLean set for a full year in the big league rotation after a late-season cameo in 2025, New York's starting staff is in strong shape at the top.

There are some question marks in the middle and back end, including the health/effectiveness of Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea (who will start the season in a piggyback role). But Senga's stuff was eye-opening in spring training, with his fastball regularly hitting the high-90s. Meanwhile, Clay Holmes and David Peterson should again be solid contributors.

What could help set the 2026 rotation apart from the 2025 one that faltered badly is the quality depth, which includes Christian Scott, Jonah Tong, and Jack Wenninger, and could eventually include Jonathan Santucci. 

Stearns said shortly after the 2025 campaign ended that he wasn't aggressive enough in addressing the rotation's shortcomings during the season, so it shouldn't be a surprise if he turns to one of New York's intriguing depth options quickly should someone in the majors falter. 

The offense should be formidable, though a bit different without Alonso's game-changing power.

However, while the Mets might not hit as many homers as they did in 2025, they should be better when it comes to making contact (with Bichette and Polanco helping to lead the way there).

A potential top-four of Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Bichette, and Polanco could give opposing pitchers fits. And while the rest of the lineup isn't as established, both Brett Baty (111 OPS+ in 2025) and Francisco Alvarez (122 OPS+ in 2025) are coming off career years. 

A wild card is Carson Benge, who looked the part in spring training and will likely be eased in by hitting in the bottom of the lineup.

The Mets should also be better defensively, due in large part to Gold Glover Semien at second base and Gold Glover Robert in center field.

Yes, Polanco is learning first base and Bichette is learning third base. 

In the case of Bichette, he's a tireless worker and just the latest shortstop to make the transition to third. As far as Polanco, he is a former shortstop and has been getting acclimated to his new position since late last season. He's also replacing Alonso, who was near the bottom of the league last season when it came to both range and arm strength. 

If there's one area of the roster that is a bit of a question mark, it's the bullpen.

Without Diaz, it will be Williams closing games. He's coming off a relatively down 2025, but his underlying metrics and stuff last season suggest his struggles were fluky.

Helping anchor the back end of the 'pen will be Luke Weaver and Brooks Raley, and the return of A.J. Minter (perhaps in the beginning of May) should be a big help.

Still, it feels like the relief corps might be one late-inning arm short. Maybe that arm arrives in the form of hard-throwing prospect Ryan Lambert sooner rather than later.

The Mets will make the playoffs if...

New York has all the pieces to not only make the postseason, but win a tough NL East over the Phillies and Braves. 

The prediction here is that the Braves will rebound after a rough 2025, but will be held back a bit by their injury-riddled rotation. When it comes to the Phillies, their hopes could hinge on the health of Zack Wheeler, who is working his way back from thoracic outlet surgery.

Getting back to the Mets, it's easy to envision their starting rotation being a strength, especially at the top. If it is, the wins should follow. 

Meanwhile, the offense should be very good, and could go up a notch if Robert finds his stroke and/or Benge makes an immediate impact. 

The Mets will also be in very strong position if their top arms in Triple-A excel and force their way up, with two of them -- Tong and Scott -- having tantalizing upside.

The Mets will miss the playoffs if...

For a team like the 2026 Mets that has undergone so many changes, it's always possible things simply don't mesh.

Injuries could also play a factor. Even this early, it's fair to keep an eye on the diminished velocity of Manaea. 

Beyond that, while McLean has some of the best stuff in the league, a lot is being put on him to help lead the rotation this soon. A scenario exists where he doesn't perform quite as well as expected, which would put a crimp in the rotation.

Then there's the bullpen, which seems a bit light and is relying on a bounce back from Williams. 

In a National League that should have the Mets, Phillies, Braves, Cubs, Reds, Brewers, Dodgers, Padres, and others fighting for six playoff spots, some good teams will miss out. 

Final record and playoff prediction

93-69
First place in NL East

The Mets will finish with the second-best record in the NL (behind the Dodgers), earning a bye to the NLDS.

In the NLDS, New York will defeat the Cubs.

In the NLCS, the Mets will beat the Padres.

New York's run will come to an end in the World Series, where they'll fall to the Mariners.

The lab is first and foremost a place where we get to learn more about baseball. As much as I would love to pass myself off as an expert in all things, that would be the height of hubris and would deprive all of us the opportunity to avail ourselves of genuine expertise. As most of you know, Jimmy Price has been contributing here at the Crawfish Boxes for some time. He also has his individual venture called Astros Future. I wanted to learn more about the process of evaluating younger players and how statistics are used to predict which minor leaguers will make it and which ones won’t. Jimmy seemed like the perfect resource to tap into.

The Crawfish Boxes: Most dedicated fans know about the five tools. Has there ever been consideration of adding plate discipline as a sixth tool or should it be folded into the hit tool?

Jimmy Price: Great question. I think it is built into the hit tool right now. If a guy has big power but poor pitch selection, his hit tool will falter. But if someone has great plate discipline and selection, their hit tool could still fall if they don’t make enough contact. I love the idea of rating on just plate discipline.

TCB: As a scouting expert, how do you integrate in person scouting accounts with statistical or empirical evidence?

JP:  Definitely no expert here.. but in person you get to see more and hear more. The sound of the bat, pitches, etc. You get a better feel for movement defensively. I think it’s important to look at both. What you see in person and what the statistics say.

TCB: As someone that focuses on minors and amateur baseball, which numbers do you trust the most in predicting future success?

JP: A few numbers I like to look at… for pitchers, I like to look at BAA. We see prospects have poor command but that is something that can be improved. If your pitches are hard to square up, that’s a good trait to have. For hitters, I’m a big fan of plate discipline. I like to look at BB/SO ratio but then look at their swinging strike percentage. Plate discipline is good but when you decide to swing, you have to be able to make contact. 

TCB: The current regime seems to be collecting toolsy guys that have some swing and miss issues. Is this by design or is it a function of picking lower in the first round and limited bonus pool money?

JP:  I think this might just be the preference for Dana Brown and his crew. Power is hard to teach but I am sure the Astros feel with some tweaks they can make adjustments to help prospects make more contact, or make better swing decisions. Raw tools are a gift that can’t be replicated.

TCB: Who are three or four names you are excited to see this year in the Houston system?

JP:  I would start with Cole Hertzler. I think he is a breakout candidate and may win pitcher of the year in the system. Anthony Huezo is another who had a solid 2025 season and will now be a full-season player. Xavier Neyens will get some actual in-game action which will be great to watch. Lastly I would say Ethan Frey. Great numbers last year and I think he has a chance to be a fast riser. 

I definitely want to thank Jimmy for joining us here In The Lab. It probably won’t be the last time we tap into him. I know it is shameless cross promotion, but this is an important year for the Astros in terms of their minor league system. The Astros received an extra pick because Hunter Brown finished in the top three in the Cy Young vote and they received a compensation pick because Framber Valdez signed with the Detroit Tigers. Those extra picks also bring extra bonus pool money that will give the Astros some flexibility in signing their draftees. As we get closer to June, make sure to keep tabs on what Jimmy is doing so that you can be plugged into the Astros draft.

Meet the Mets

The Mets will be wearing a memorial patch on their jerseys for Davey Johnson this season.

The New York Transit Museum will be running a vintage 7 Line train to Mets-Willet Point Thursday morning in honor of Opening Day.

Carson Benge had an excited (and colorful) reaction to being called up to the major league roster.

Mike Puma of the New York Post has predicted that the Mets will triumph over the Mariners in this year’s World Series, and hopefully he has the same success as last season’s predictions.

In fact, the whole New York Post staff made their various 2026 predictions.

The SNY staff made their own predictions for 2026 playoff teams, postseason results, and more.

Laura Albanese paid tribute to her love of baseball, which is deeper than the usual reasons, and graded the Mets’ positions ahead of the start of the season.

Freddy Peralta might be the glue guy the Mets have desperately needed.

A few years ago, Brooks Raley would’ve never believed New York to be his long-term home, but he enters 2026 as the longest-tenured Mets reliever.

After years of criticism about paying too much homage to the former Brooklyn Dodgers and not enough to the history of the team it homes, Citi Field has finally come into its own as the home of the New York Mets.

Around the National League East

The Braves have already run into a roster issue before the season has even started: they might have run the well dry on major league pitching before a single regular season game has been played.

The Marlins have signed outfielder Austin Slater to a major league contract.

The Yankees traded infielder Zack Short to the Nationals for cash.

Around Major League Baseball

After praising employees for speaking up about misconduct, the Detroit Tigers forced a whistleblower out of the organization.

ESPN has a full 2026 offseason chaos guide, to help fans prepare ahead of the start of the season.

The Brewers have traded minor league pitcher K.C. Hunt to the Rays for pitcher Jake Woodford.

Former Met Joey Lucchesi has signed with the Angels and is expected to make their roster.

The new rules for first and third-base coaches has them standing potentially in harm’s way.

The Yankees have finalized their Opening Day roster.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has officially signed a six-year, $115 million extension with the Cubs, buying out the rest of his years of team control and then some.

The so-called “robot umps” are coming, and they’re cool, but they’re certainly not perfect.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

The staff here at Amazin’ Avenue made some bold predictions for the upcoming 2026 season.

Linda Surovich wrote about the potential of Luke Weaver to dominate in the Mets’ remade bullpen this season.

Linus Lawrence brought us the Final Four of Mets Madness and previewed the championship matchup.

Linus also asked the question most Mets fans are worrying about in the bullpen: which Devin Williams is the one the Mets signed to a three-year deal this offseason?

Brian Salvatore previewed Brooks Raley’s 2026 season.

This Date in Mets History

Today is the birthday of two well-known Mets, one whose Mets tenure was famous and another’s whose tenure was more infamous.

Sweet 16 is in the air in Houston.  

It’s with the Houston Cougars at Toyota Center.

It’s with Jose Altuve stepping into the batter’s box on Opening Day as he embarks upon his 16th year. Many fans will recall his homer on Opening Day five years ago against the A’s.

Of course, every organizational great is rightfully judged by the likes of Craig Biggio, who would represent the city for two decades. In the icon’s 16th campaign, Biggio would post respectable numbers with 14 homers and 55 RBI, though the Astros would fall a game short of winning the old NL Central to the Chicago Cubs.

Speaking of Chicago, Ryne Sandberg was a model of consistency. His 16th season would be his last in the majors.    One wonders what Ryno’s final career totals would’ve been had the last several weeks of the 1994 season and all of 1995 not been wiped out from the lockout.   

Even more Hall of Famer second basemen would patrol the heart of the diamond in the Midwest, with careers of at least 16 years.

By year 16, Joe Morgan was in sharp decline. One of the main cogs of the Big Red Machine in Cincinnati was a shell of his former shelf by 1978, producing 57 less RBI than his 76′ campaign.    

Lou Whitaker, separated from Morgan by some 250 miles in Motown, had a respectable 19 HR and 71 RBI in his 16th season with the Tigers.    Sweet Lou played his entire 19-year career with Detroit, playing 1,918 games together with Alan Trammell.     

Roberto Alomar collected Gold Gloves like Super Mario collects gold coins. An all-around player in his career, there was a three-year span in which Alomar would steal 157 bases.   Along the way, he also played for seven clubs.   If you can name all seven teams he played for, you’re better than most. In his 16th season, he had diminished power and speed, but he still had some decent at bats.

Robinson Cano’s 16th campaign was a nightmare. He’d appear in only 49 games, as suspensions would rain down for PED’s.

When #27 comes to the plate, take a moment to recognize his place among the greats, even at this stage of his amazing career. One day, he’ll join many of them in Cooperstown.

Astros fans, the wait is finally over. The long offseason has come to an end, and with it arrives something that never goes out of style, hope.

As Opening Day approaches, there’s a noticeable shift in the air. Months of dissecting roster flaws, questioning decisions, and wondering whether this team has done enough suddenly give way to something far more powerful: belief. It’s the annual reset button that baseball provides, where every team starts fresh and every fan dares to dream again.

Despite all the concerns that have been raised about this roster, the start of the season flips a switch. Suddenly, it’s easy to envision this lineup as a force, one capable of producing runs in bunches and carrying the team through tough stretches. There’s renewed confidence that the starting rotation, even with its heavy right-handed lean, can go deep into games and deliver consistent results.

In many ways, the Astros enter this season in a different and somewhat refreshing position. For years, they’ve been the hunted—the team every opponent circled on the calendar. Now, they find themselves among the hunters in the American League. The spotlight isn’t quite as harsh. The expectations, while still present, aren’t suffocating. Doubters and prognosticators have placed them squarely in the middle of the pack, creating an opportunity to exceed expectations rather than merely meet them.

That shift could prove valuable. Without a constant target on their backs, the Astros can focus on simply playing their game. And if they find success early, the narrative can quickly change, from overlooked contender to rising force.

No, this team may not match the dominance of the 2019 roster. But it doesn’t have to. What it does have is enough talent to compete, enough to stay in the mix for a playoff spot and potentially challenge for another division title. This isn’t a rebuilding club or a team destined for 100 losses. Far from it. With a solid foundation already in place, even a couple of key moves by general manager Dana Brown between now and the trade deadline could elevate this group into one of the better teams in baseball.

That’s the beauty of the sport. That’s why baseball endures. It offers something simple yet powerful: hope. The belief that, no matter the questions or uncertainties, there’s always a chance this could be the year.

And now, with first pitch drawing near, that feeling is back where it belongs.

As Thursday afternoon approaches, the excitement builds. The rhythms of daily baseball life return, from checking lineups, to following box scores, tuning in to broadcasts, and living and breathing every pitch. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, but it’s one fans are more than ready to run.

The wait is over, Houston.

It’s time to play ball.

While it is certainly common for players to play for multiple franchises in their career, more often than not, they are generally associated with one team. In the case of today’s birthday boy, that association is not with the Yankees. Lee Mazzili played 14 seasons in the majors, less than one of which came with the Yankees, but he did put together some good runs among the game’s best and later came back to coach.

Mazzilli celebrates his 71st birthday on Wednesday (no doubt delighted that it coincides with Opening Day), and though he is not necessarily remembered for his time in pinstripes, the former All-Star is the subject of today’s entry into the series. A long-time big league contributor and a World Series winner, Mazzili’s career is certainly worth recognizing.

Lee Louis Mazzilli
Born: March 25, 1955 (New York, NY)
Yankees Tenure: 1982 (also coached 2000-03, 2006)

Lee Mazzilli was a New Yorker through and through. He was born there, he was drafted out of Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, and is most known for his time with the Mets, while also, of course, dabbling with the Yankees.

He was selected by the Mets in the 1973 Draft, who had enough interest to take him in the first round, with the 14th overall pick. Three years later, Mazzilli was making his MLB debut with the ’76 squad. Although his 24 games that season weren’t anything to write home about, it was the beginning of a decade-and-a-half run in the Majors for Mazzilli, much of which would come with the team that drafted him.

The 22-year-old switch-hitter got his first chance at a starting job in 1977, taking the opportunity given to him by new player/manager Joe Torre and running with it. His production with the bat was forgettable, but he provided solid value as the Mets’ everyday centerfielder. A year later, Mazzilli would begin playing the best baseball of his career and saw his national profile grow — assisted by some natural good looks, to boot. It was just a shame for him that his prime came when the Mets were downright lousy.

From 1978 to 1980, Mazzilli put up three seasons of legitimate All-Star level play while manning one of the more important positions on the diamond. In each of those seasons, the budding star posted a 123 or better OPS+, hit at least fifteen homers, while slashing a combined .286/.374/.437. ‘79 would prove to be the best season of his career, as he posted career-bests with a 137 wRC+ and 4.7 fWAR, as he was elected to his lone All-Star team.

1981 saw a downturn for Mazzilli, as he played in just 95 games due to injury trouble, and when he was on the field, he produced at a below-average rate with the bat. Just before the start of the ’82 campaign, the Mets had decided it was time to move on, as they shipped him off in a trade to the Rangers. He played in 58 games, at roughly the same disappointing level he just had with the Mets, before being traded once again, this time to the Yankees in exchange for former fan favorite Bucky Dent.

Thus began Mazzilli’s Yankees run, though it would not be a particularly long or memorable run. He amassed 144 plate appearances with the Bombers, doing a nice job with them, homering six times and hitting to the tune of a respectable (and much improved) 113 OPS+. Those “Bronx Burner” Yankees were doomed from the jump however, cycling through three managers and finishing under .500 despite making it to Game 6 of the World Series the previous year. That would be the end of Mazzilli’s time playing in the Bronx, as he was traded to the Pirates in December, though not the end of his Yankee story entirely.

Mazzilli spent three decent seasons with Pittsburgh from 1983-85, before being released mid-season in 1986. it was a stretch that also included involvement in a cocaine-related controversy and trial. What likely seemed like a curse quickly turned into a blessing, as he was picked back up by the Mets and played some terrific baseball down the stretch. During the revitalization, he even added a pair of hits in five at-bats during the Mets’ victorious World Series that season. Mazzilli had endured some tough teams, but he was a champion at last.

Mazzili would play the next two seasons in Queens, to highly-varying degrees of success, with the ’88 season showing serious signs of decline. 1989 was ultimately the final season of his playing career, a year in which he played some solid ball split between time with the Mets and a final stop with the Blue Jays.

The above single capped off an up-and-down, but nonetheless impressive 14-year run in the majors. Mazzilli retired with 1,068 in his career, including 191 doubles and 93 homers, as well as 197 stolen bases.

Mazzilli had a few jobs away from baseball in the early 1990s, even appearing in an Off-Broadway show, Tony ’n’ Tina’s Wedding. But the game—and more specifically his old Mets skipper Joe Torre—called him back. Torre had just managed the Yankees to a World Series title in his first season and had the pull to recommend Mazzilli for a minor-league managerial opening in 1997. He accepted and spent two years running High-A Tampa and one with Double-A Norwich.

Soon, Mazzilli was on his way to join the big-league staff, as first-base coach José Cardenal departed Torre’s staff after 1999 due in part to a contract dispute. So Mazzilli took over at first and stayed in the position from 2000 to 2003, winning a World Series over his old Mets in that first year.

Mazzilli became a familiar face to young fans watching the dynasty’s final years of World Series glory, but he’d also built a name for himself as a possible managerial candidate. The Orioles chose him for the job in 2004, but his MLB managerial career lasted only a year and a half. Following a sub-.500 debut, Baltimore had an out-of-nowhere surge to 42-28 at the start of ’05, leading the AL East over the Yankees and Red Sox. From there, they went into an absolute tailspin, going 9-28 to tumble back to irrelevance. Mazzilli was fired on August 3rd after the O’s dropped their eighth in a row.

Mazzilli returned as the bench coach for Torre’s Yankees in 2006, only to be replaced the next year when the Yankees decided to hire Kevin Long as hitting coach and slide Mattingly to Torre’s side on the bench. He’s since worked for SNY and remained a presence in the New York sports scene, making some Old-Timers’ Day appearances as well. Mazzilli will be honored by the Mets in 2026, as he was voted into their most recent Hall of Fame class.

Although Mazzilli’s overall time with the Yankees was brief, his continued his involvement with the club went well beyond his playing days. Mazzilli was, at times, a very good big-league player, and though he won’t be remembered primarily as a Yankee, he certainly made his mark as a New York City native.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

With the 2026 coming up on us quickly, let’s have our prediction thread.

1. Give us your guess for the winners in each division.

2. Wild Card teams?

3. Who makes it to the World Series, and who wins?

4. Who gets the major awards in each league? MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year?

5. Pick a breakout Blue Jays player of the year.

6. Who is the biggest disappointment (can be a team or player)?

7. How many Blue Jays wins?

8. Who will be the Jays MVP and Best Pitcher?

And if you want to make any other predictions.

Over a career spanning 12 seasons, Miguel Rojas has gone from an overlooked bench player in 2014 to hitting one of, if not, the most important home runs in Dodgers history.

Rojas’ legacy as a Dodger icon is now cemented, his ninth inning home run against Jeff Hoffman in Game 7 will be remembered for generations, and he can end his career knowing that his name will be attached to a pair of the most triumphant plays in baseball history. As Rojas enters the 13th and final season of his playing career, he has a lot to be grateful for.

Rojas spoke with Jack Oliver of Jomboy Media, known on social media as Jolly Olive, during the early parts of spring training as to how the veteran infielder feels about his final season. Rojas noted that he is eager to get every opportunity to play, not wanting to have his playing time reduced solely because of his age.

“This year, I have a different perspective, because I’m not afraid to empty the tank anymore. I’m going to have a conversation with Doc, and I’m going to tell him not to be afraid to put me in spots that he always kind of took care for me in the past… I’m going to tell him, ‘Hey, use me as much as you can. Don’t feel bad because I’m one of the veterans…’ I want to take every single opportunity, every single at-bat that I can, and help the team in any capacity.”

Rojas is coming off a remarkable spring where he slashed .362/.380/.532 with two home runs and eight RBI over 48 plate appearances, and with the recent demotion of Hyeseong Kim to Triple-A, he is the most likely candidate to get the starting nod at second base on Thursday.

Links

From one Japanese right-hander on the mound on Monday to another on Tuesday, Shohei Ohtani was masterful against his old team, pitching into the fifth inning while striking out 11 hitters in the Dodgers’ 3-0 loss to the Angels.

After his first full offseason to recover on both sides with the Dodgers, the benchmark for a healthy season is 25 starts for the two-way superstar, notes Courtney Hollman of MLB.com. Should he stay healthy as a part of a six-man rotation, he’s on pace to make 27 starts.

“I do see that as an important benchmark as a starting pitcher,” Ohtani said following his Arizona debut. “Ideally in a situation where everybody makes 25 starts. That’s the ideal situation.”

To little surprise, Ohtani was named as the early season favorite to win his third consecutive NL MVP award by Theo DeRosa of MLB.com.

Max Ralph of MLB.com writes about Kyle Tucker getting used to how the Dodgers celebrate hits, needing a quick 101 lesson from Miguel Rojas on the “hip-lock” celebration.

Baseball America tosses in Kansas City Royals pitching prospect Kendry Chourio as a candidate for the next overall top pitching prospect.

Under the sweltering heat in Goodyear, Chourio proved to be every bit as advertised. And so far in the backfields and in spring training this year, it’s been more of the same, suggesting a ceiling for the 18-year-old righthander, even if his timeline is a little longer than more experienced prospects.

Still, there is a lot of development that needs to happen. Chourio’s fastball sat 96-98 in Spring Breakout, and he used his curveball as his secondary pitch. What stood out is that, despite the speed of the curve and its usage (57%), he got no whiffs on the pitch. In addition, he didn’t throw his changeup once in Friday’s game, so he needs to hone in on a lockdown third pitch to really be considered as a top pitching prospect.

MLB.com’s Anne Rogers predicts the Opening Day lineup in a preview of the Royals-Braves tilt this Friday.

The top four or five is what we’ll see the majority of this season, but facing Sale is a tough first assignment. Pasquantino will play regardless, but we might see other lefties swapped out for matchup reasons. Between Carter Jensen, Jac Caglianone and Kyle Isbel, there will likely have to be one lefty in the lineup, so we opted to keep Jensen in there at DH, while putting righties Starling Marte in right field and Lane Thomas in center field. It’s not that right fielder Caglianone won’t play against left-handers … it’s just that Sale is an especially tough lefty to face. The Royals still could put Caglianone in right field, though, while having Marte DH and Jensen on the bench for Opening Day.

Maikel Garcia, 3B
Bobby Witt Jr., SS
Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B
Salvador Perez, C
Isaac Collins, LF
Jonathan India, 2B
Carter Jensen, DH
Starling Marte, RF
Lane Thomas, CF

MLB.com writers also took their preseason ballots and voted Bobby Witt Jr. as the 2026 AL MVP.

An all-around star, Witt missed out on the 2024 AL MVP Award because of an incredible year at the plate from Aaron Judge. The Kansas City shortstop finished fourth in MVP balloting in 2025, behind only Judge, Cal Raleigh and José Ramírez. This year, our voters project it will be Witt’s turn to take home the hardware — but they think it will be close.

Witt, who had a .295/.351/.501 slash line with 23 homers and 38 steals in 2025, was picked to beat out Judge — by only one vote! — to win AL MVP. MLB’s best defender by Outs Above Average last season, Witt certainly has the talent to do it, but he’ll have to put up a campaign comparable to his outstanding ’24 and hope Judge doesn’t eclipse him once again.

Others receiving votes: Judge, Julio Rodríguez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Roman Anthony, Nick Kurtz, Ramírez, Gunnar Henderson

Get a closer look at catcher Salvador Perez’s newest ink after the World Baseball Classic.

The 9-9-9 Challenge is coming to Kauffman Stadium (at least a branded one now).

Kansas City Sports Network’s Joel Penfield chatted with Royals general manager J.J. Picollo ahead of Opening Day. You can watch the full interview here.

FanGraphs’ Dan Szymborski predicts bust seasons for not just one, but two Royals pitchers.

Royals Keep’s Kevin O’Brien has his bold Royals predictions in for 2026.

How are the Royals changing the 50/50 raffle this season?

Bleacher Report pitches Kansas City trading Kris Bubic and prospects to the New York Yankees for Jasson Domínguez.

Yardbarker has their Royals predictions for the 2026 season.

FanSided ranks the Royals as the 15th-most watchable team in 2026.

A check in on the sports card market and Salvador Perez.

The Chicago Cubs extended Pete Crow-Armstrong on a six-year, $115 million deal.

Detroit Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle broke camp with the big-league squad and will start on Opening Day.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez is guaranteed $104 million in his new deal, announced over the weekend.

The ABS challenge system will still not silence MLB managers this coming season.

Golf legend Tiger Woods will make his first appearance in the TGL final.

More formal complaints emerge about World Cup ticket prices and FIFA’s role.

NFL veteran Joe Flacco is back at it, returning to the Cincinnati Bengals.

What is NBA doing about tanking in the league?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David announces retirement after 14 seasons.

A group of investors from India and the United States is buying the current Indian Premier League cricket champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru, valuing the team at nearly $1.8 billion.

It is business as usual for Rick Pitino, leading St. John’s to its first Sweet 16 berth this century.

How did humans come to the Americas nearly 15,000 years ago?

Project Hail Mary proves Hollywood needs more original movies.

Today’s song of the day is S.O.S. (Sawed Off Shotgun) by The Glorious Sons.

Good morning, baseball fans!

Today is Opening Day for the San Francisco Giants! And that is the best sentence I’ve both written and read in a long time. Every year, it feels like the season takes longer and longer to get here. But today, the long winter is over and baseball returns to Oracle Park.

As a reminder, today’s game will only be available on Netflix. And while that is a sentence I have written before, it was only in jest as a satirical statement on the state of streaming services nickle-and-diming us out of our regularly scheduled baseball broadcasts. Kind of a sour note to start the season on, in my opinion, but I guess that’s what we get for playing the New York Yankees in the first series. And also being the only game scheduled for today.

Regardless, we’ve got Giants baseball at Oracle Park today and that feels great!

If you’re heading to the game, make sure to keep us posted down in the comments! Also, to keep us occupied until first pitch, what are some of your favorite Opening Day traditions/memories?

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants and Yankees play tonight at 5:05 p.m. PT.

Our contributors at Brew Crew Ball are excited to get the 2026 season underway after an offseason that saw quite a bit of turnover across the league. Here are our bold predictions and storylines to watch for the Brewers in 2026.

Bold Predictions

Paul Dietrich: The Brewers have a pair of 30/30 players

If I wanted to get extremely bold, I would say three… but I don’t think Christian Yelich has another 30/30 season in him, which he has done only once, in 2019. But: Jackson Chourio has gone 20/20 in each of his first two seasons, and if he makes the kind of jump we all think he can make, it’s definitely in play. The other one would have to be Brice Turang, who so far this spring has given us no reason to believe that the late-season power surge that got him to 18 homers last year was a mirage. Thirty homers is probably a stretch, but that’s what makes the prediction bold… and he’s averaged 36 stolen bases per season as a big leaguer, so that seems doable even if he only had 24 in 2025.

Harrison Freuck: Jacob Misiorowski reaches the 200-strikeout threshold

This isn’t overly bold, especially given how easily Jacob Misiorowski manages to rack up strikeouts, but this prediction would require him to make at least 20 starts (and that’s if he averages 10 strikeouts/game). Last season, he totaled 87 strikeouts in just 66 innings, so at that pace, he’d need to pitch roughly 150 innings. The bold part of this prediction is that Miz’s career-high in innings pitched came last year, when he totaled 129 1/3 innings between Triple-A and MLB. Hitting the 200-strikeout mark would also make him the eighth Brewer since 2021 to reach that threshold (and give the Brewers a 200-strikeout pitcher for the sixth consecutive season).

Dave Gasper: Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio both have 30/30 seasons, finish top 10 in NL MVP voting

The power surge that Turang saw in the second half last season was proof that he was finally able to get his raw power to click in game action. With that knowledge, over a full season, I believe he has a very good chance to reach 30 homers. Turang’s speed is also elite, and with a change in first base coach to Spencer Allen, I imagine stealing bases will be a renewed priority for this team, and Turang should reach 30 steals easily.

Jackson Chourio has gone 20/20 in each of his first two seasons in MLB, but there’s plenty more in the tank. After all, he just turned 22 years old. If not for a hamstring injury last year that took him out for much of August, Chourio likely would have well surpassed his rookie year numbers. I expect with a fully healthy season this year, Chourio can reach 30/30 as well and continue his superstar trajectory. If both he and Turang can do that, they’ll help lift this team to another NL Central title and should receive enough MVP votes to finish in the top 10.

Jason Paczkowski: Brice Turang finishes in the top five for NL MVP

In the award predictions, I said that Turang could finish in the top 10 for NL MVP. Looking at his performance from last year, he should have been in the top 10 anyway. A big factor there is name recognition, and while stats can carry quite a bit, having a reputation can help gain votes. It’s likely part of the reason that Christian Yelich — who finished 12th in the NL MVP vote — finished ahead of Turang last season. If he posts a similar season to last year, he will definitely be in the top 10 this time. If he improves on it, the top five will be within his reach.

Adam Zimmer: Jacob Misiorowski is a top-five NL Cy Young finisher

I’m a big believer in Misiorowski, who has the stuff to eventually win a Cy Young someday. He’s not there yet, particularly given the stiff competition he’ll face in the National League. Still, Misiorowski showed flashes of greatness in an up-and-down season. With former ace Freddy Peralta now in New York, the Brewers will need their new Opening Day starter to serve as a steady option at the front of the rotation. If his command is even slightly improved after an offseason of work with the Brewers’ pitching lab, the sky is the limit for the Miz.

Storylines to Watch

Paul Dietrich: Who is the first blue-chip prospect to break through?

Given that we expect the Brewers to contend this season, it’s a bit strange to call it a transitional year… but it is, in some ways. Luis Rengifo was brought in for one year, as a cadre of exciting infield prospects make their way up the minor league ladder. Joey Ortiz is either going to prove he deserves to start on a good major league team, or he’s going to quickly fall out of the Brewers’ plans. The same goes for Garrett Mitchell, who needs to produce in addition to staying mostly healthy for a full season.

It would not be a shock if the 2027 Brewers had an Opening Day lineup that included Jesús Made, Cooper Pratt, and Jett Williams in place of Rengifo, Ortiz, and Mitchell. My question is whether we see any of those guys this year. Made is probably not going to happen, and Pratt needs to show he can hit at Triple-A. But Williams could be a candidate for the roster if anyone struggles or gets hurt, even if it’s early in the season. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Pratt made it to Milwaukee for his debut sometime late this summer.

Harrison Freuck: Can Milwaukee’s 2025 breakout stars repeat in 2026?

The Brewers won 97 games in 2025 largely on the backs of some previously unsung players. Brice Turang took another big step forward to lead the team with 5.6 bWAR. Quinn Priester and Chad Patrick broke out in the rotation as two of the best pitchers on this team. Andrew Vaughn, who was a star prospect before struggling in the majors with the White Sox, seemed to find his groove in a new place as he was a key part of Milwaukee’s late-season push for the NL Central crown. If those players (and others) can repeat in 2026, this team will have what it takes to claim a fourth consecutive NL Central title.

Dave Gasper: Which starting pitchers ultimately earn job security?

The Brewers have loaded up on starting pitching depth. With everyone healthy, the Brewers have 11 legitimate starting pitching options on the 40-man roster, and that doesn’t even include Aaron Ashby or DL Hall. Jacob Misiorowski is pretty locked in to a spot, as are Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester when healthy. Chad Patrick is in a pretty good spot right now, but will that remain the case as his sophomore season goes along? Tobias Myers lost his job pretty quickly last year.

Kyle Harrison and Brandon Sproat appear to have won the early-season spots in the rotation, but will they be able to keep them as the season goes along? Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser, Shane Drohan, Carlos Rodriguez, and Coleman Crow can step in at the first sign of trouble. The Brewers will likely use all of these starting pitchers throughout the year. With so much depth, the cream will rise to the top. Who will that be? Who can stake a more permanent claim on a rotation spot? It will be fascinating to watch.

Jason Paczkowski: Can Andrew Vaughn maintain his 2025 performance?

When the Brewers acquired Andrew Vaughn for Aaron Civale in 2025, it felt like they were just trying to get anything for a disgruntled player. It was entirely possible that Vaughn would have just lingered down in Triple-A for the rest of 2025. However, when Rhys Hoskins went down injured, Vaughn became one of the Brewers’ legends. He went from hitting .189 for the White Sox to hitting .308 for the Brewers. All of his numbers saw dramatic jumps. His biggest moment may have come in NLDS Game 5, where his solo home run put the Brewers ahead for good.

The big question for Vaughn is if he can do it again. The track record with the White Sox wasn’t great, but it was also the White Sox. It’s hard to tell if his struggles were due to playing on a bad team or if he would be struggling regardless of where he played. The Brewers need the 2025 version of him to shine through if they want to hold the division title again in 2026.

Adam Zimmer: Who’s going to play third base?

The majority of the Brewers’ infield is pretty much set. Andrew Vaughn will be the regular first baseman, spelled occasionally by Jake Bauers. Second base is locked down by Brice Turang, and shortstop is Joey Ortiz’s job to lose. After trading last year’s starting third baseman, Caleb Durbin, to the Red Sox, the Brewers didn’t exactly find a clear replacement. Luis Rengifo appears to have the inside track for the job, but if he struggles, the Brewers could turn to fellow offseason acquisition David Hamilton. Given the Brewers’ infield depth in the minor leagues (Jett Williams, Brock Wilken, Cooper Pratt, and even Andrew Fischer), there’s a chance their third baseman down the stretch isn’t currently on the 40-man roster.