BALTIMORE, MD - October 07: A view of the Warehouse at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD, during Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series between the Texas Rangers versus the Baltimore Orioles on October 7, 2023. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
First Chuck: 2:05 PM CDT (click here each week for a new anthem!)
If you weren’t around this past offseason—and no judgement here—you missed our community Back to The Future discussion. When it comes to the Minnesota Twins and the Baltimore Orioles clashing before May flowers spring from April showers, Old Biff sums things up nicely…
Since the year 2000, the Twins & Orioles have clashed 9 times (’00, ‘07, ‘11, ‘12, ‘13, ‘16, ‘18, ‘19, & ‘24) at either locale before the very merry month of May. I’m not sure if that is statistically significant, but it certainly seems like it is! Overall, our crew is 13-15 in these early-season Orange Bird contests.
A couple of the highlights…
’07: Behind some Justin Morneau HRs, Joe Mauer 2Bs, and wins from Johan Santana, Pat Neshek, & Ramon Ortiz, the Twins swept the O’s at the Dome to open the season.
’19: The Bomba Squad was born in a late-April Camden Yards clash, with the Twins blasting 11 bombas in a three-game sweep.
Of course, sometimes it hasn’t gone so well when the other guys are in Oriole Orange…
’12: MN opened the season in BAL and clocked just five runs in three games—an Oriole sweep.
’16: As you’ve already seen, the Total System Failure (TM) campaign kicked off with three debilitating losses on the banks of the Patapsco River.
’24: In their defense of the ‘23 AL Central title, the Twins were tripped up in Baltimore with a close loss, a blowout loss, and a walk-off loss.
Here we are again with another Twins/Orioles early season collision. Let’s see if our visiting boys of summer can start the 2026 campaign off on the right foot by clipping the wings of these Icterus Galbula!
(I’m often out walking or busy right up ‘til first pitch and last-minute lineup inputs stress me out—so, a clickety-click above will give you the pecking orders provided to the robotscyborgs Men in Blue)
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Spring training is over, the bunting at Camden Yards has been hung, and a new season of Orioles baseball is just about to start. No matter the quality of the team on the field, or the outcome of the game, Opening Day in Baltimore is a special. The 2026 iteration is shaping up to be particularly lovely.
You couldn’t ask for better weather for the occasion. Temperatures are expected to sit in the mid-70s for the duration of the game, and any winds in the area should be mild. If you are fortunate enough to be at the Yard, you are in for a treat.
Craig Albernaz’s first lineup as Orioles manager is about what you would have expected. Taylor Ward is your lead off hitter, as was teased throughout the spring. Both Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo are in the lineup. Mr. Opening Day, Tyler O’Neill, begins the day in right field, where he looks to extend his home run streak on the first day of the season to seven years in a row. Blaze Alexander starts at second baseman.
That gives us a bench of Dylan Beavers, Jeremiah Jackson, Ryan Mountcastle, and Leody Taveras. That’s decent versatility to shore up a potential win later on.
We know Trevor Rogers will start the day on the bump, and if the Orioles have a lead late we can expect Ryan Helsley in the ninth. The bridge between the two, however, is a complete mystery at this moment. My best guess would be some combination of Rico Garcia, Grant Wolfram, and Tyler Wells, but that is based on nothing but vibes. Hopefully Albernaz has a more analytic-based plan in place.
Alright, enough talk! The road to the playoffs starts today. Let’s get it going with a win!
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Sal Stewart #27 of the Cincinnati Reds is greeted by teammates after scoring on Spencer Steer’s RBI double during the third inning of the World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Cuba at Goodyear Ballpark on March 4, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Opening Day in Cincinnati has finally arrived!
After a long winter where we were left to ponder whether the Cincinnati Reds, who actually snuck into the playoffs for a minute in 2025, were going to take a giant leap forward in 2026 as their roster entered a fourth full year together post-rebuild. Today, we get the first glimpse of how this club has been constructed, as Andrew Abbott toes the rubber for his first Opening Day start with the mighty Boston Red Sox in town.
Boston, it should be noted, is pretty loaded this year. FanGraphs projects them to win 86 games in 2026, and only five clubs are projected to win more. Much of that optimism stems from their deep starting rotation, one that’s fronted by 2025 American League Cy Young Award runner-up Garrett Crochet, who will start on Thursday in Great American Ball Park against the Reds.
Today’s game will be viewable via Reds.TV, as the Reds are no longer in partnership with the shambles that was FanDuel Sports Ohio (previously Bally Sports Ohio). If you don’t have that, though, there’s a chance your cable provider or DirecTV may have them – hat tip to Redleg Nation for doing a deep dive on this over the last 24 hours. If you are out of market, you should be able to watch this one through MLB.tv.
First pitch is slated for 4:10 PM ET. Here’s how the Reds will line up on the day:
Today's starting lineup for the 150th Opening Day in Cincinnati‼️
San Diego Padres spring training phenom Jase Bowen (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The success of the 2026 San Diego Padres may hinge on the contributions from players beyond those on the Opening Day roster. Injuries to a team’s starting lineup are tough hurdles to clear in a given season.
Bowen was the Spring Training breakout star
One player who has an inside track for an in-season minor league call-up is Spring Training phenom Jase Bowen. His signing was not a blockbuster move; it may not even register on your smartphone’s breaking news alerts. Bowen came to Peoria as a non-roster invitee competing for the fourth outfielder position.
No question, he outplayed Bryce Johnson by hitting .296 with four home runs and 11 RBI, which led all Padres this spring. Unclear where the power surge came from, it may have been temporary. Bowen has only 73 home runs in his seven-year minor league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Adding some pop to his approach at the plate is highly unlikely. He has only 188 career extra-base hits to his name.
Despite all the positives, it was not enough to earn a roster spot. Instead, Bowen will begin his 2026 season with the Friars’ Triple-A affiliate, El Paso Chihuahuas.
Padres found a versatile bench player
Bowen is very versatile, as he can play all three outfield positions, as well as first and second base. Talent evaluators believe center field is his best position because they grade him as an above-average defender. The type of versatility he offers will help to give Padres first-year manager Craig Stammen some lineup flexibility.
Selected by the Pirates in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, Bowen was viewed as a promising prospect. Scouts deemed him to be very athletic, as the former Michigan State commit brought a football mentality to the diamond.
For Bowen, it is all about getting on base, as he posted a .733 OPS in his minor league career. Speed could be his greatest value at the big league level.
Bowen has 114 stolen bases in 586 minor league games. The Friars could use an exceptional pinch-runner, especially late in close, one-run games. His aggressive running style puts him in scoring position without the need for a sacrifice.
Preller unearths minor league gems
The recent trades of Padres President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller have forced him to upgrade the minor league system quietly. The organization expects to compete for a postseason berth, and having major league-ready talent in Triple-A will improve their chances.
Give credit to Preller’s staff for scouting other teams and identifying those prospects who might make a difference in San Diego if they were to become available. Some additions address positional needs, while others capitalize on acquiring talent surpluses elsewhere. It allows the Friars to stockpile players that could be used as trade bait at the deadline.
There are plenty of doubts about whether Bowen’s skills will translate at the major league level. But at 25, he is young enough to become baseball’s next late bloomer.
Pittsburgh Pirates fans felt something different on Opening Day as Paul Skenes walked to the mound for the bottom of the first inning against the New York Mets.
Hope.
After the Pirates scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning on Thursday, Pirates fans likely felt they could believe again, with their team’s ace walking to the mound to face the revamped Mets lineup.
After just two outs, and five earned runs, that hope was gone along with Skenes from the game.
The Mets knocked Skenes around in the bottom of the first inning, putting five runs on the board and sending the Pittsburgh ace to the showers early. The inning began innocently enough, with a walk to Francisco Lindor and then a single from Juan Soto that sent the Mets infielder to third. That’s when Bo Bichette, one of the new members of the Mets, lifted a fly ball to right:
The sacrifice fly brought one run home, cutting Pittsburgh’s lead in half.
But the Mets were just getting started.
An infield single followed by a walk loaded the bases for Brett Baty, who lofted a fly ball to deep center field. There was just one problem, however: Center fielder Oneil Cruz started in as the ball came off the bat, breaking a cardinal rule of outfield play.
The fly ball — that could have been a relatively harmless sacrifice fly — sailed over his head, allowing the Mets to clear the bases:
Cruz likely wanted to run and hide somewhere, but in a sport like baseball, sometimes it is in those moments when the ball has a knack of finding you again. Which is exactly what happened when infielder Marcus Semien lofted another fly ball to Cruz in center:
Skenes was able to get the second out of the inning on a strikeout of Carson Benge, but then plunked Francisco Alvarez with a sinker that ran inside.
That is when Skenes’ time on the bump came to an end, as he was lifted for Yohan Ramírez as the Mets had built a 5-2 lead.
The final line for Skenes on Opening Day? 0.2 innings pitched, four hits, five runs, five earned runs, two walks, and one strikeout. Although to be fair, some of those could be scored as unearned given the plays in the field.
But as things stand, what is his current ERA? 67.50.
To quote Ted Lasso, “it’s the hope that kills you.”
After Freddy Peralta allowed a pair of runs in the top of the first inning during Thursday’s Opening Day matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Mets quickly gave the Citi Field faithful plenty to cheer about in the bottom half of the inning.
Thanks to four hits, two walks, a hit batter and a pair of defensive misplays by Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz, the Mets put five runs on the board and chased reigning NL Cy Young Paul Skenes after just two outs and 37 pitches.
It all started with a leadoff walk by Francisco Lindor, followed by a Juan Soto single and a Bo Bichette sac fly to right. After loading the bases with a Luis Robert Jr. walk, Brett Baty cashed in by lining a three-run triple over the head of Cruz in center, as he initially broke in. Cruz later missed what should have been an easy fly out from Marcus Semien, and then Skenes hit Francisco Alvarez as the Mets batted around.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Jeremy Peña #3 of the Houston Astros warms up prior to a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 28, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is now a timeline on CL Josh Hader, according to Astros GM Dana Brown:
Astros GM Dan Brown said Josh Hader will throw another bullpen tomorrow and will face batters in “mid-April.”
More on the timeline expected for Jeremy Pena from Chandler Rome:
Reading between the lines, Jeremy Peña has progressed enough not to need a full 10 days on the injured list, but is not ready to play in a major-league game yet. https://t.co/QzGT3gXF14
UT Brice Matthews has clearly been coached up by Crash Davis (Kevin Costner’s character in Bull Durham) and has been working on his cliches before his first Opening Day:
#Astros GM Dana Brown on the role of Isaac Paredes when the team is at full strength: “He’s going to play multiple positions. First, third, second, designated hitter.” pic.twitter.com/R1j3q8sIDV
Matt Kawahara has 10 stats for the Astros to return to the postseason:
Happy opening day. Here's a thread of some Astros preview stories to get you ready for today's 3:10 p.m. first pitch … Ten numbers that will determine if Houston Astros' 2026 season will be a success (by @matthewkawahara) https://t.co/k15yS58y1C via @houstonchron
Opening Day is finally here after the Astros’ longest offseason in nearly a decade. Following a disappointing 2025 season that ended after Game 162, the Astros remade a significant portion of their roster and coaching staff in an effort to reclaim their spot atop the American League West. Here are the four biggest questions I have as they head into the first of 162 games.
Can they make their infield logjam work?
The Astros have five infielders who have made All-Star teams, earn significant salaries, and expect to play every day. The problem is, you can only start four on any given day. That means someone who believes they belong in the lineup will be left out every single day. Managing those expectations—while keeping everyone sharp—may be Joe Espada’s toughest challenge of 2026.
Some of that could sort itself out. Jeremy Peña suffered a finger injury during the lead-up to the World Baseball Classic and won’t be ready for Opening Day. Carlos Correa played more than 140 games last season for the first time since 2021, so it’s reasonable to expect he’ll miss a little time during his age-31 campaign. And, of course, the Astros could always trade from their infield surplus.
But what if everyone stays healthy? And what if no trade materializes? Things could get uncomfortable.
Did Dana Brown bring in the right starting pitchers?
The Astros remade their starting rotation after missing the playoffs in 2006. Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens departed, and then-GM Tim Purpura tried to replace them by trading for Jason Jennings and signing Woody Williams in free agency. Both moves were disasters, and Purpura was fired before the 2007 season ended.
This past winter, Dana Brown watched Framber Valdez leave and replaced him by trading for Mike Burrows and signing Tatsuya Imai in free agency. Both have had terrific springs, but joining the Astros is a major adjustment. Burrows is coming from Pittsburgh, where expectations and pressure were minimal, while Imai is transitioning from Japan to the United States—an adjustment that can be challenging both on and off the field.
The Astros gave up two prospects from a barren system to acquire Burrows, who is under team control for five seasons. They need him to be good not just in 2026, but well beyond. Imai signed a three-year, $54 million deal that includes opt-outs after the first two seasons. If he’s good, he’ll likely opt out and pitch elsewhere next year. If he struggles, he becomes another burdensome contract for a team that can’t afford many more.
Is the bullpen good enough behind Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu?
With Hader and Abreu slated for the eighth and ninth innings, the Astros have one of the best one-two bullpen punches in Major League Baseball. But do they have the depth behind them to get through the season?
That depth is already being tested, with Hader set to begin the year on the IL, along with Bennett Sousa, who authored a brilliant 2025 before getting hurt. The Astros will need Bryan King and Steven Okert to replicate last season’s success in roles known for volatility, while also hoping that pitchers like Roddery Muñoz, Kai-Wei Teng, Ryan Weiss, and Christian Roa emerge as reliable options, at least early in the season.
Is Cam Smith still the future of the team?
Late last February, I sat in Dana Brown’s West Palm Beach office and asked him who had impressed through the first two weeks of spring training. I think Brown said Smith’s name before I could even finish the question.
I’ve rarely heard a GM talk about a prospect the way Brown talked about Smith, whom he acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade. General managers usually try to temper expectations for young players, but Brown seemed to raise them every chance he got.
Smith made the Astros’ Opening Day roster out of spring last season despite having played just 35 games in the minors with the Cubs in 2024. That only heightened expectations. It looked like he might meet them after raising his OPS to .805 during the Astros’ 18–1 win at Dodger Stadium on July 4, but over his final 60 games, Smith slashed just .155/.248/.232 and found himself on the bench for much of September.
Brown said early in the offseason that Smith would have to earn a spot on the 2026 Opening Day roster, and he responded with an impressive spring. Smith, who turns 23 on Friday, remains under team control for another five seasons. And with no other impactful position-player prospects in the upper levels of the Astros’ system, they need him to live up to the billing.
Yesterday we kicked things off with the first two installments of our top prospect series. Today we’re back with the next tier up
16. Silvano Hechavarria, RHP, Age 22 (DOB: 3/18/2003), Grade 40, 2025: NR
Signed out of Cuba in June of 2024, Hechavarria was older than the typical International Free Agent and he cruised through the DSL that summer before making his way stateside in 2025. There, he had similarly little trouble with the complex and the Florida State League, by late summer earning a promotion to a somewhat more age appropriate league with A+ Vancouver. Overall last season, he pitched 86.2 innings across the three levels, with an 82:23 strikeout to walk ratio and a 2.28 ERA.
Hechavarria looks the part of a starting pitcher, standing 6’4” and weighing 200lbs. He has a fairly short and tall delivery, releasing from a high three quarters arm slot to generate downward plane. The velocity on his fastballs varies from 89-97, mostly averaging 93-94. He mostly throws a four seamer, which has solid carry and above average arm side run, mixing in a sinker that’s got plus run and a little drop. Overall they look like solid average pitches.
His best pitch, and the most commonly thrown if you separate the fastballs, is a cutter-y slider in the upper 80s that projects as above average. He rounds out the arsenal with a change-up with splitter style movement that is his least refined offering but that flashes as a second 55 grade weapon.
It’s not the prettiest delivery, but Hechavarria has a loose athleticism and he repeats it well, with command of all four offerings that’s probably MLB average right now and has a chance to get to plus. The overall package is a potential #4 starter who lacks a true dominating out pitch but who gets through a lot of innings with a deep repertoire and by limiting base runners. 2026 will be about continuing to stretch out his workload after his year off while defecting and seeing how well his stuff plays against upper minors bats.
15. Blaine Bullard, OF, Age 19 (DOB: 8/16/2006), Grade 40, 2025: High School
Acquiring Bullard was a combination of luck and smart negotiating for the Jays. He was a big riser later in the 2025 draft process, with teams believing he was a top three round pick on talent. The word was that his commitment to attend Texas A&M was firm, though, and teams didn’t want to risk forfeiting top 10 round bonus pool money if he proved un-signable. The jays had managed to save up some money, though, and were in a position to dare him to turn down $1.7 million in the 12th round. It proved irresistible, and they got their player.
What they got for their money is a 70 grade athlete who has sky high upside but also remaining work to refine his game. Bullard is a switch hitter, although his left handed swing is by far the more polished of the two right now. He has the twitchiness and hand eye coordination scouts look for in future above average contact hitters, but he has some work to do to get to breaking balls. His approach is reported to be solid. He doesn’t have much present power, and while there’s room for him to add muscle on his frame he’ll probably always have below average raw. Combined with a swing that’s more geared for line drives, he looks more like an average/OBP type than a slugger. He’s a plus runner, and he looks to be an above average centre fielder who can do some damage on the bases.
The most likely outcome is a slap and dash fourth outfielder, but even a little power development and he has the potential to be a leadoff hitting, plus glove every day centre fielder.
14. Victor Arias, C, Age 22 (DOB: 8/24/2003), Grade 40, 2025: 24th
Arias is a long time Jays farmhand, having signed back in August of 2019 out of his native Venezuela. After the scrubbed 2020 minor league season, he climbed the ladder slowly, spending two full years in the Dominican Summer League, one at the complex, and another at A Dunedin. Throughout, he consistently posted solid batting lines, balancing strong walk rates with tolerable strikeouts and a modicum of power. Things finally accelerated a bit in 2025, as he got his first extended run at A+ Vancouver (after a late cup of coffee in 2024), continued to produce, and earned a bump to AA New Hampshire for the last 36 games of the season. He scuffled a bit at the top level, but overall slashed .272/.353/.403 on the season, racking up 33 extra base hits in 102 games and swiping 18 bags in 23 tries.
Another diminutive Jays prospect with surprising power, Arias stands 5’9” and is listed at 175lbs, but this season he saw a jump in his raw power and now posts above average to plus exit velocities. His 54% hard hit rate was the best in the system. His swing produces a lot of ground balls, which limits his over the fence power production, but he hits his hardest balls in the air and a tweak could unlock above average home run production. He has fringe average contact ability and plate discipline, but again there are flashes of an average hit tool.
He’s a plus runner, sometimes recording 70 grade home to first times, with an above average arm. His routes in centre field need refinement, so right now he’s a fringe average defender there in spite of his tools.
The story with Arias is a player with uncommon upside for a 22 year old five seasons and six years into his pro career, who’s held his own in the mid minors already. If the adjustments don’t come, he profiles as a fifth outfielder/pinch run specialist. Fully unlocking his tools would require multiple significant adjustments, but if he were to pull it off the ceiling would be high.
13. Yohendrick Pinango, Age 23 (DOB: 5/7/2002), Grade 40, 2025: NR
The return for Nate Pearson at the 2024 deadline didn’t look like much at the time. Pinango signed with the Cubs out of Venezuela in 2018, and while he lit up the DSL the next summer he was pretty unremarkable over the three minor league seasons following the pandemic. A torrid first month of the 2024 season at A+ popped him onto the radar and probably lead to the trade. He bombed in his first 33 games in the Jays system, posting a .518 OPS at AA New Hampshire. It all came together in 2025, though. Pinango torched the Eastern league to the tune of .298/.406/.522, earning a promotion to AAA Buffalo. He cooled down there, but still posted a roughly average line with lots of walks, solid K numbers, and some pop.
Pinango has always been a solid contact hitter, but his breakout was fueled by trading an aggressive approach for a very selective one. He now watches more strikes than would be ideal, but he rarely chases and waits on pitches he can hammer. As for the hammering part, his max exit velocity in Buffalo was over 115mph. Only 30 major leaguers last year could say the same. his 91.9mph average exit velocity and 47.6% hard hit rate were both comfortably plus. The lone offensive knock on him is that while he hits enough fly balls, his best power comes a low angles, producing line drives and hard grounders instead of home runs. If he can fix that, he could be a cleanup calibre hitter, and even if he can’t the combination of patience, contact and strength is enough for a viable offensive profile.
There’s a lot of pressure on the bat, as Pinango is a below average runner whose ugly routes and iffy arm make him a liability even in left field. If it comes together offensively he can be a regular regardless, but anything short and he’s likely a bench bat or not an MLB player.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 07: Daylen Lile #51 of the Washington Nationals celebrates after hitting a triple against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 07, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Sage Zipeto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Folks, the time has finally come. The 2026 Washington Nationals season is here. I am so excited that baseball is back and I cannot wait to watch the boys play. They will have a tough test on Opening Day, facing off against the Cubs in Wrigley Field. The games really begin for Blake Butera and the 2026 Nats.
Butera put out an unexpected lineup to start the season, and I expect that to be a trend. There will be a lot of mixing and matching this year. James Wood hitting leadoff is not a massive surprise, but there are some interesting decisions after that. While Andres Chaparro can really rake against lefties, seeing him in the two hole on Opening Day is a surprise.
Another shocker is seeing CJ Abrams in the 6 hole. He has mostly been the Nats leadoff hitter the last few seasons, and I don’t think I have ever seen him below the cleanup spot in years. I assume he will hit higher against righties, but with a lefty on the mound, he will be in the 6 spot. Joey Wiemer will also get an Opening Day start, due to his solid numbers against lefties. Luis Garcia Jr. has always struggled against lefties, so seeing him out of the lineup is not much of a surprise. As we have known for a couple weeks now, Cade Cavalli will be your Opening Day starter in only his 12th career big league outing.
The Cubs lineup is filled with bigger names than the Nats. They feature the likes of Alex Bregman, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Dansby Swanson. Michael Busch is the leadoff man, and he is one of the most underrated hitters in the sport. The Cubs have a strong and deep lineup which will be tough for Cade Cavalli to navigate. Matthew Boyd had a late career resurgence last year and he was rewarded with an Opening Day start.
Baseball is back ladies and gentleman, and I am fired up. The Nats may not be good, but it is still better than no baseball. Also, the season is still in its infancy. Who is to say the Nats won’t surprise. We have 162 games to find that out. Follow along down below in the comment section and let’s go Nats!
Baseball is back, baby! | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Welcome to a new season of Chicago White Sox baseball. As always, we’ll be here to cover all 162 games for you, through bad times and who knows, maybe even some good.
I’ve had the honor of covering nine Opening Days now at South Side Sox, with a record of 3-5. Well, at least this one isn’t coming in July.
So, as we get to today’s lineups, notice anything at the top? Same 0-0 record, but the White Sox are in last place, Milwaukee in first. Sure, the NL Central is marshmallow soft, but that’s ridiculous (I know, I know, it’s a carryover from where the teams finished in 2025.)
Shane Smith takes the ball for his first career Opening Day start. As does Jacob Misiorowski for the Brewers. It would seem, however, advantage goes to the guy who throws 100 mph like a sneeze and then counters with an 80 mph yakker.
Chase Meidroth was incredibly prolific at the top of the order in Spring Training, so let’s hope he keeps it rolling. Colson Montgomery was dog food at the top of the order in Spring Training, so let’s hope that was a mirage. Andrew Benintendi is hitting cleanup, in case any of you are overly chuffed by Will Venable’s potential as a manager. Meanwhile Munetaka Murakami is hitting sixth, not dispelling any of the high-velo concerns he brought over with him from Japan.
Rub your eyes twice, but the major league outfield of the major league Chicago White Sox consists of Austin Hayes in left, Luisangel Acuña in center, and Everson Pereira in right. That is not the Charlotte Knights lineup; they play tomorrow night, possibly with a better outfield group than this one today.
Over on the other side, Jackson Chourio is out for the Brewers, which is a huge plus for our hopes of stealing an Opening Day win. ANDREW VAUGHN is hitting cleanup for Milwaukee, and would probably not mind one whit hitting a couple of bombs in his first game against his former team.
It’s something like 48° and falling in Milwaukee today, but that ain’t no thing for an indoor ballpark. But sorry, tailgaters, perhaps including our very own Hannah Filippo, Allie Wesel, Kristina Airdo and possibly even others.
Feb 19, 2026; PortCharlotte, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Ryan Vilade (26) poses for a photo during media day at Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The Rays Opening Day lineup for 2026 has been posted by manager Kevin Cash, and has some surprises compared to the expected starters for the season, in part because a left hander is on the mound in for -Rays first round pick Matthew Liberatore, who was traded to St. Louis in the January 2020 deal for Randy Arozarena.
Liberatore has been on the Cardinals since 2022, and makes his first Opening Day start opposite of Drew Rasmussen, who also gets the nod for the first time.
Here’s how the Rays line up against the Cardinals southpaw:
Yandy Diaz, DH
Ryan Vilade, LF
Jonathan Aranda, 1B (L)
Junior Caminero, 3B
Ben Williamson, 2B
Jonny DeLuca, RF
Nick Fortes, C
Cedric Mullins II, CF (L)
Carson Williams, SS
Two quick reactions:
it is not a surpise that utility defender Ryan Vilade is making the start, but the vote of confidence in his bat to hit Vilade second is notable, as the 27-year old journeyman (and former Cardinal) has only 71 career plate appearances with a .179 wOBA, despite strong performances in Triple-A in 2025 (135 wRC+ across two org’s). The Rays must believe in the bat heading into this season.
Cedric Mullins locks down center field, with the 31-year old veteran getting the start over in-house starter Jonny DeLuca. Last year across two teams Mullins totaled -14 Defensive Runs Saved in center field over 120 games started (1,064.1 innings); DeLuca netted 1 DRS in 14 starts (140 innings) after an extended absence with injury.
Before the team took the field for their Opening Day meeting with the Pirates, though, we had to go through the festivities that come with the day.
With this roster completely overhauled from last season, player introductions gave the fan base their first opportunity to welcome the several new faces to Citi Field.
Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, Luis Robert Jr, and Devin Williams were among those who received a big hand from the orange and blue faithful.
Familiar faces such as Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez, Nolan McLean, and Kodai Senga also received a warm welcome back home.
Arguably the loudest cheers of the day, though, came when top prospect Carson Benge came running out of the Mets’ dugout for the first time wearing his No. 3 jersey ahead of his MLB debut.
Here's some of the scenes from the pregame festivities…
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 23: Brice Turang #2 of the Milwaukee Brewers is congratulated by William Contreras #24 after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds during the exhibition game at American Family Field on March 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a long, cold, baseball-less winter, we’ve made it. At long last, here are the words I’ve been waiting to write since Game 7 of the World Series: Happy Opening Day!
In case you missed it, Harrison and I put together a season primer with everything you need to know about the Brewers before today’s first pitch. You can find that article here.
With Freddy Peralta now in New York, Milwaukee’s starter for today’s game is right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. Not only is this Misiorowski’s first Opening Day start, it’s his first Opening Day as a major leaguer. He had an up-and-down rookie season, though the highs — outdueling Paul Skenes, striking out nine Dodgers over five innings in Game 3 of the 2025 NLCS — were exceptionally high. Misiorowski will look to improve on last season’s 4.36 ERA as the Brewers’ newly-minted #1 starter.
On the mound for the White Sox is righty Shane Smith. Smith was originally signed by the Brewers as an undrafted free agent following the 2021 draft and remained with the Brewers organization until 2024, when Chicago selected him with the first overall pick in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. He was named an AL All-Star in 2025, finishing the season with a 3.81 ERA over 29 games started.
The top of today’s lineup consists of Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Christian Yelich (DH’ing tonight). Andrew Vaughn will hit cleanup tonight, facing the team that drafted him No. 3 overall for the first time since being traded to Milwaukee. He’s followed by Jake Bauers, who posted a 1.725 OPS with seven home runs in 39 spring training at-bats. Bauers will look to stay hot as Chourio’s replacement in left field. Sal Frelick, David Hamilton (playing third tonight), Garrett Mitchell, and Joey Ortiz round out the lineup for the Brewers.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. You can catch the television broadcast on Brewers.TV and the radio broadcast on WTMJ 620 and the Brewers Radio Network. With the recent uncertainty surrounding local TV availability, the Brewers have released a handy tool (found here) to help fans find where to watch.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Adolis García #53 of the Philadelphia Phillies warms up prior to a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
