The consensus No. 2 prospect in Major League Baseball has done the near-impossible: Win a starting infield job on a veteran-laden team coming off a playoff appearance.
The Detroit Tigers announced March 24 that McGonigle will make their opening-day roster, and if the 21-year-old is in Detroit, it's not to sit the bench. Drafted 37th overall in 2023, McGonigle won a job outright in spring training - he can play either shortstop or third base - posting a .923 OPS with two homers and impressing both Detroit brass and his teammates with his field presence.
At 5-foot-9, 187 pounds, McGonigle is not the potential aircraft carrier that No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin, the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop, embodies. Yet it will be McGonigle debuting at the game's highest level while the Pirates send Griffin to Class AAA.
If he starts at shortstop, it will be over veteran utilityman Zach McKinstry and former All-Star Javy Baez. His youth and skill set certainly raises the ceiling for a position in which the Tigers trotted out McKinstry, Trey Sweeney and others over the past two years while making runs to the American League Division Series.
Kevin McGonigle stats
McGonigle has a career .308/.410/.512 line in the minor leagues, with 123 walks to just 84 strikeouts over three seasons.
Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Detroit Tigers have made it official.
Young phenom Kevin McGonigle, one of the top prospects in all of Major League Baseball, has made the Tigers’ Opening Day roster.
Detroit drafted McGonigle with the 37th-overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft, a move made possible when the team drafted Max Clark to a below-slot deal after making him the third-overall pick that same draft class. While McGonigle has dealt with injuries since being drafted (a fractured right hamate bone in 2024 and a right-ankle sprain early last season) the infielder has done nothing but rake since the Tigers selected him.
Last year at High-A West Michigan he posted a slash line of .372/.462/.648, and the numbers dipped a bit when he moved to Double-A, he still belted 12 home runs in 46 games.
He also played in the Arizona Fall League, earning MVP honors thanks to slashing .362/.500/.710 with five home runs over just 19 games.
During Spring Training this year, he slashed .250/.423/.500 over 19 games and 52 plate appearances, with a pair of home runs and six runs batted in.
Moments like this from Monday night — a 108-mph rocket off the bat — have Tigers fans excited about his future:
Kevin McGonigle smokes a 108-MPH single to center that appears to tie the game, but Woody Hadeen is called out. pic.twitter.com/N9KLY9wfwH
Where he fits in Detroit was once an open question, manager A.J. Hinch has noted that a better pre-pitch routine has led to improved defensive play at shortstop.
“”He’s been very, very good on defense,” stated the Tigers manager.
Now that he is on the roster, he might just be Detroit’s starting shortstop come Opening Day.
AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 04: Texas pitcher Jason Flores (4) watches his pitch as he follows through during the college baseball game between Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders on March 4, 2025, at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Certainty in SEC baseball scheduling isn’t easy — the conference schedule released last September wasn’t finalized with on television until February, which wouldn’t matter much except for Thursday-Saturday series that impact how coaches choose their midweek games.
That’s the explanation for how the No. 2 Texas Longhorns ended up traveling to face the Houston Cougars at Schroeder Park on Tuesday before returning to Austin for a Red River Showdown against the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners that starts on Thursday.
“Had I known we were going to have a Thursday series, I certainly wouldn’t have scheduled a road game on a Tuesday night, in Houston, much less. But we owe coach [Todd] Whitting a trip. This is what it’s come down to,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle said in his Monday appearance on the Around the Horns podcast.
Last year, a matchup between the Cougars and Longhorns in Austin was cancelled due to cold weather.
“We’ll leave some guys back so they can be rested, but we have to go down there and play. I know they had a rough weekend, but he’s got one of his better Big 12 teams right now, so we’re excited to go play,” Schlossnagle said.
Houston is 12-11 and 1-5 in Big play with a 6-6 home record after losing a home conference series to Kansas State and getting swept on the road in Lawrence over the weekend after allowing 29 runs to Kansas in the three-game series.
The loss of star center fielder Tre Broussard for three weeks due to a hamstring injury hasn’t helped the Cougars — considered a top 2026 MLB Draft prospect, Broussard’s speed makes him an elite outfielder and a dangerous base runner to complement an excellent left-handed swing with some power. In 14 games, Broussard is slashing .468/.542/.787 with three home runs and 17 RBI after stealing 31 bases last season.
Batting .289 as a team, Houston only has one regular starter hitting over .300 — shortstop Tyler Cox, a Dartmouth transfer who hits leadoff and is batting .329 — but does have some pop with 27 home runs on the season.
Former Texas outfielder Easton Winfield is scuffling for a second straight season, batting .200 in nine games with four starts, continuing his downward trend after leading Louisiana-Monroe in eight offensive categories as a freshman in 2024.
Receiving the start for the Coogs is freshman right-hander Caleb Kimble (7.71 ERA, 0-0), the first of his career after throwing two scoreless innings against Arkansas Pine-Bluff before allowing two runs on three hits in 0.1 innings against Kansas State.
Houston has a staff ERA of 5.87, a WHIP of 1.49, and is allowing opponents to bat .260.
Texas is giving sophomore right-hander Jason Flores (0-0, 9.00 ERA) his second start of the season after moving freshman right-hander Sam Cozart into the weekend bullpen. Flores has consistently received praise from Schlossnagle despite subpar results this season — in his first start against Lamar in the first midweek game, the 6’1, 240-pounder allowed three runs on three hits with one walk and one hit batter in 1.2 innings before giving up two runs on three hits with a walk and a wild pitch in two innings of relief against Houston Christian.
The poor results have often come on good pitches for Flores, a distinction that matters less the more often it happens, making Tuesday an important opportunity for the No. 76 prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, according to Perfect Game.
Schlossnagle also wants to get freshman right-hander Brody Walls some work after he pitched well in last week’s embarrassing home loss to Tarleton State, allowing one unearned run over 2.1 inning with four strikeouts.
“Brody did great last week against Tarleton,” Schlossnagle said. “He’ll certainly see the mound tomorrow in some form.”
Tuesday also represents an opportunity for struggling junior second baseman Ethan Mendoza to get back on track after a hitless week that saw his batting average drop from .325 to .269 as he went 0-for-16 with four strikeouts.
“I don’t think it’s swing mechanics much with Ethan — if anything, it may be that green monster out there. When you’re a right-handed hitter, like it does in Fenway, it’s in your mind,” Schlossnagle said.
Auburn’s 37-foot wall in left field is only 315 feet from home plate, which the Texas head coach believes may have influenced multiple infield popups by Mendoza, a rarity for the contact hitter with burgeoning power who typically has a strong feel for the barrel.
Sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez is also continuing to battle through the impact of his left hand injury last year that offseason surgery did not fully repair. The switch hitter is still batting .280, but his slugging percentage is down 118 points from 2025, when he hit seven home runs, five of which came before he was hit by a pitch against Missouri in late March.
“If Adrian was fully healthy, we would have six, eight more homers, for sure,” Schlossnagle said.
Now almost a year fully removed from the injury, it seems likely to linger through the season and continue sapping his power — Rodriguez doesn’t have a home run this year, forcing him to settle for some gap-to-gap pop.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Carter Baumler thought he was coming out of the game. Instead, he’ll be sticking around a while.
The mound visit Baumler received from Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker wasn’t to remove the rookie right-hander from his last spring training outing, but rather to let him know he made the opening day roster.
Schumaker emerged from the dugout after Baumler retired the first two Kansas City Royals batters in the fifth inning. Texas catcher Danny Jansen and all four infielders also were on the mound when the new Rangers skipper told the 24-year-old reliever he will start the season in the Texas bullpen.
“I wasn’t expecting it. I was like, why is he coming out here? And he got on the mound and told me I made the team,” Baumler said during an in-game TV interview on the Rangers Sports Network. “I mean, honestly, I thought I was like getting taken out of the game. ... Obviously, whenever the manager comes out, you’re usually done.”
Jansen patted his catcher’s mitt on Baumler’s chest and the infielders offered their congratulations. Baumler, looking to make his major league debut after never pitching above Double-A, had a big smile on his face but composed himself enough to strike out Isaac Collins swinging on a 96.8 mph fastball to end the inning.
In his eight spring training games, Baumler allowed one earned run and struck out 10 over 9 1/3 innings.
Baumler hugged Schumaker when he got back to the dugout after the third out, then was greeted by high-fives from teammates.
Baumler was selected by Baltimore in the fifth round of the 2020 amateur draft out of high school in Iowa and had Tommy John surgery soon after that. He pitched in the Orioles organization from 2022-25, but was left off their 40-man roster last fall. He was scooped up by Pittsburgh in the first round of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings in December and traded to Texas the same day.
“A few years ago I never would have expected this,” Baumler said. “Looking back ... I’m glad I kept my head down and kept hammering away.”
TODAY’S ROSTER CUTS: Kevin Alcántara and Javier Assad have been optioned to Triple-A Iowa. That leaves 36 players in camp, to be cut to the 26-man active roster by Thursday. The 36 include 19 pitchers (two non-roster invitees), four catchers (one non-roster invitee), seven infielders (one non-roster invitee) and six outfielders (three non-roster invitees).
AT LAST: Today’s game is the last Cubs game this year that will not be televised.
Here are today’s particulars.
For the third straight day, neither team’s lineup was available at posting time. I assure you that will change starting Thursday.
Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs.
Gerrit Cole will start for the Yankees.
As noted above, there’s no TV today. There will be a radio broadcast on the Yankees radio flagship, WFAN 660 AM.
Please visit our SB Nation Yankees site Pinstripe Alley. If you do go there to interact with Yankees fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:35 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, there will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
After an eventful spring training for the Mets, who saw tons of prospects get playing time on the field and in the batter's box, it's time to answer some of your questions regarding players who will start the season in the minor leagues.
How disheartening was Jonah Tong’s spring? On a scale of “no big deal” to “should’ve kept Sproat”, where should I be? - @_Biergan
This is squarely in the no big deal category for me. I’d even lean closer to being more encouraged than disheartened.
Tong did not possess any realistic pathway to breaking camp with the big league team. The most important thing for him this spring was development, not results. He knows that he has the fastball and the Vulcan changeup to lean on, but development of the third and fourth pitch is paramount.
The focus has been on pitches that give him some glove-side movement to prevent him from being essentially an entirely north-south pitcher. Those pitches have been a cutter and attempting a harder version of his curveball, with a little more horizontal movement.
In his two spring training starts, Tong threw 34 cutters, according to Statcast -- roughly 26 percent of his pitches thrown. He did not throw the curveball as much in-game, but it’s something he’s thrown a lot on the backfields.
It should not be forgotten that Tong was called up to the major leagues before he was truly ready, due to a dire need. The positive of his up-and-down big-league stint is he learned what he had to work on.
He will head back to Triple-A and continue to work on those two pitches as well as refining some command. The internal feeling about Tong in the organization has not dampened. He just needs innings in Triple-A.
I never hear much about Jacob Reimer’s defense at 3rd, what are his pros and cons at the position and is it parallel to Mark Vientos orBrett Baty? - @KickinitwithKeef
Reimer told me explicitly in spring training that his big focus was improving defensively at third base.
The main pros is he has the actions and plenty of arm for the position. He continues to work on his pre-pitch setup and first step with infield coaches Tucker Frawley and David Adams.
The main con is his lateral quickness is below average, so it is important his first step is right, and he is in the proper positioning pre-pitch.
The organization believes his third base defense under the hood was better in 2025 than what it appeared surface level. However, scouts I spoke to outside of the organization believe he is more likely to fit at first base long-term, considering his third base defense at this time grades as just passable.
I believe Reimer’s bat will play at the next level. In 2026 I will be keeping a close eye on his defensive development and how much of a split the Mets deploy him between third base and first base. To compare him to Vientos and Baty defensively at third base, I’d say Reimer sits in the middle of the two.
Will Elian Peña fly through Low-A and High-A ball to Double-A this season? - @TonyHvacGod
The excitement surrounding Peña is real. The No. 7 prospect in the organization has stood out since reporting to Port St. Lucie in January. In the Spring Breakout game last week, the 18-year-old looked mature beyond his years and like the most talented player on the field. It wasn’t much of an offensive game for either side, but Peña went 1-for-2 with a walk. The hit was a single on a 1-2 pitch that he roped into right field at 102 mph off the bat.
The Mets will decide in the coming days if Peña will start with Low-A St. Lucie or the Florida Complex League, though this is the type of player who is ready for the slightly more aggressive starting point with St. Lucie, in my opinion.
It is a lofty expectation for an 18-year-old to go through three levels in his first season stateside. Despite the Mets being aggressive in promoting prospects within the farm system, I will predict he does not reach Double-A in 2026. However, I won’t completely rule out the possibility.
The more comfortable projection would be him performing well enough to reach High-A Brooklyn before the year is done.
Peña could be poised for a breakout year, and it should not shock anyone if he is on all top 100 prospect lists and competing to be the top ranked prospect in the Mets organization by the end of the season.
Feb 28, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) hits a RBI single in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
It’s hard to shake the memories of the Phils’ failures against the Dodgers in last year’s postseason.
A .212 batting average in four games. A .299 on-base percentage. They slugged .358, for an OPS of .657. If a player posted an OPS of .657, that would have put them 139th out of 145 qualified hitters in baseball last season. They hit just three home runs in the series, all of them in their lone victory, 8-2 in Game 3.
It’s hard to shake those memories. It’s difficult to shake the ghosts of the 2024 NLDS against the Mets, when the offense was even worse, posting a .186/.295/.302 slash line and a .598 OPS. The futility of Games 6 and 7 of the 2023 NLCS against the Diamondbacks left an indelible mark, too.
It’s understandable fans are down on the offense heading into 2026, a lineup that mirrors the ones we’ve watched come up short in October each of the last three seasons.
Everyone is another year older, and time is undefeated. There are worries the bats simply are not good enough to win a championship.
Let me posit a counter-argument. That the offense might actually be… good?
It’s understandable that we fixate on the October failures, but perhaps we should reflect on how they performed in the regular season last year. They scored the 8th-most runs in the Majors, 5th-most in the NL. Their 212 home runs were 9th-most, and their .759 OPS ranked 4th.
Yes, that’s right. The Phillies had the 4th-highest OPS in Major League Baseball in 2025. And for the first time in the last few seasons, everything was humming beautifully heading into October.
Their .797 OPS after the All-Star Game was 2nd-highest, behind only the Yankees’ .799. They slugged .471, which was the best mark in MLB in the second half. Their 110 homers were 2nd-most, their 340 runs scored were tied for 4th and they were tied for 3rd in wRC+. Every regular except for J.T. Realmuto and Nick Castellanos posted an above average wRC+, with Kyle Schwarber (152), Trea Turner (144), Brandon Marsh (140), Bryson Stott (135), Bryce Harper (133), Harrison Bader (129) and Edmundo Sosa (120) all at least 20% better than league average. All seven of those players had an OPS over .800.
Essentially, the vast majority of the lineup played like All Stars over the final two months of the season.
The Phillies enter 2026 without a major anchor around their necks, Castellanos, sucking up playing time. It’s no coincidence the offense performed better once his role was reduced. While I remain skeptical his replacement, Adolis Garcia, can improve upon Castellanos’ offense performance, there were encouraging signs late in spring training for the 33-year-old.
After a slow start, Garcia smoked the ball over the final two weeks, finishing with a .275 batting average, two home runs, and a .408 OBP in 40 spring at-bats. Most impressive was newfound plate discipline displayed by Garcia this spring, walking 8 times and striking out in only 5 plate appearances.
There is hope Harper will have a more impactful, “elite” season, in 2026. His late home run at the World Baseball Classic inspires hope. Bryson Stott’s mechanical adjustments that spurred on an .855 second half OPS last year appear to be taking hold. No one should expect a 1.072 OPS from him in the regular season, but it’s encouraging to see him picking up where he left off last season.
Yes, there will still be platoons in some spots. Despite Stott’s improvement, he’ll likely continue to share time with Sosa, and Otto Kemp will split duties in left field with Marsh. And center field remains a question mark. Bader was a breath of fresh air and an offensive injection for a lineup that had gone stale by last year’s trade deadline. Justin Crawford’s solid spring (.250/.291/.346, with 10 runs scored in 18 games) earned him the everyday nod in center, and as the No. 9 hitter, he is not expected to carry the lineup.
On Monday, the Phillies posted what will most likely be their starting lineup on Opening Day against the Texas Rangers.
Everyone knows Alec Bohm, who also had an outstanding spring down in Clearwater, is miscast as a traditional cleanup hitter. It is a spot in the batting order in which the Phillies received below league average production a season ago, with a .720 OPS that ranked 20th. But they were 9th out of the No. 5 spot, 1st in the No. 6, 13th at No. 7, and 3rd at No. 8.
The top and bottom of the Phillies lineup was one of the best in baseball. That cleanup spot, an admittedly important role, was the only one that was below league average. Maybe they can survive that. Maybe it’ll get better.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you this offense isn’t going to frustrate us this year. It absolutely will. Here’s the thing; if we zoom out, we’ll realize every other offense and every other fanbase goes through similar frustrations.
Yep, even the Dodgers.
Nationally, analysts are more bullish on the offense. MLB.com recently ranked every lineup and put the Phillies at No. 8. I think everyone would take that. The dream would be a repeat performance of 2025. It was the best year this group has ever had together. They just couldn’t carry it through into October.
I know you’re down on the Phillies’ lineup, but it’s probably going to be better than you think, and may actually be pretty darn good.
Check out my latest Hittin’ Season podcast, powered by WHYY, where we discussed the lineup, Cristopher Sanchez’ contract extension, and a disastrous start to the season for the Atlanta Braves!
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki had another rough spring training start.
Sasaki issued six walks while allowing five runs in two-plus innings against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. He threw 66 pitches, 32 for strikes.
The Japanese right-hander has a 15.58 ERA over four exhibition starts for the defending World Series champions. He has walked 15 in 8 2/3 innings, raising questions about his preparedness for the beginning of the regular season.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts for the Dodgers when they host Arizona in their opener.
Sasaki failed to get an out in the first. He hit Zach Neto with a 3-0 fastball before Mike Trout reached on a fielder’s choice. Sasaki then walked three consecutive batters before he was replaced by Ronan Kopp.
The 24-year-old Sasaki returned for the start of the second. He hit Neto again and walked Trout before escaping the jam on a pair of grounders.
He issued a leadoff walk to Yoán Moncada in the third before striking out Jo Adell and Josh Lowe. Logan O’Hoppe then lined to second for the final out of the inning.
Sasaki was replaced by Ben Casparius after he walked Adam Frazier leading off the fourth. Frazier ended up scoring on Nolan Schanuel’s sacrifice fly.
Sasaki signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in January 2025, receiving a $6.5 million signing bonus because he was under age 25 and subject to international signing bonus pool rules. He had spent the previous four seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan.
Sidelined for much of last season because of a right shoulder impingement, Sasaki went 1-1 with a 4.46 ERA in eight starts and two relief appearances.
He returned in September and became a key piece of the bullpen during the postseason, giving up just one earned run over 10 2/3 innings and earning three saves to help the Dodgers win their second straight championship.
At long last, we've reached the final day of spring training.
With regular-season games set to start on Wednesday, I've got one last batch of spring training MLB picks for you, including the Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago Cubs on their respective moneylines on Tuesday, March 24.
Spring Training predictions for March 24
Pick
Odds
CLE moneyline
+105
Tigers moneyline
-160
Cubs moneyline
-115
Pick #1: Guardians moneyline
Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick is a popular breakout candidate this year, and it's easy to see why. He boasted a 2.72 ERA across seven starts while limiting the walks and home runs in his first cup of coffee at the MLB level.
The uptick in long balls this spring isn't a concern, and I like him more than Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Mike Soroka in this matchup.
Obviously, spring bullpens can strike (as they did for two of my three picks yesterday), and even with Jose Ramirez and Chase DeLauter on the bench, I like these odds, which have shifted from -110 to +105 since the Cleveland lineup was announced.
Pick #2: Tigers moneyline
At -160, this is a lot of juice, but I expect the Detroit Tigers to deploy something very similar to their Opening Day lineup against Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano.
Sugano has thrown just three innings this spring and is coming off his debut MLB season where he posted a 4.64 ERA, allowed 33 home runs, and recorded a paltry 15.7% strikeout rate over 157 innings.
He doesn't miss bats, and even though Justin Verlander hasn't looked his best this spring, the old goat still has something left in the tank, as evidenced by his 3.85 ERA in 152 innings with the Giants last season. The talent disparity on the whole is worth paying the elevated price.
Pick #3: Cubs moneyline
Gerrit Cole makes his second spring start for the New York Yankees in his road back from elbow surgery. He pitched just one inning in his last outing, and I don't see them pushing him much more than that today, as his regular-season debut isn't expected to come until May or June.
The Chicago Cubs haven't seen the best from Edward Cabrera yet, but most of his 6.35 ERA came from his last outing when he allowed seven earned runs over three awful innings.
So, small sample sizes aside, with the Yankees likely going to the pen early, the Cubs are in a better position to do damage against the relievers.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
For once, Shohei Ohtani’s left-handed swing wasn’t the smoothest thing at Dodger Stadium.
On Monday night, as Kirsten Watson was delivering a live shot from the Dodgers’ dugout just ahead of the team’s exhibition matchup with the Angels, she pulled off a slick move that had social media buzzing.
The Spectrum SportsNet reporter was breaking down Santiago Espinal’s positional versatility, when suddenly, a Dodgers staffer asked for a fist bump right in the middle of one of her sentences.
Without missing a beat, Watson casually dapped up the guy without looking, and went on with her analysis as if nothing had happened.
Los Angeles Dodgers reporter Kirsten Watson went viral after she delivered a no-look fist bump while live on-air on Monday night.
Quickly, X users clipped the video and praised her for the clean maneuver.
“That’s a championship reporter right there,” one wrote.
“Peripheral vision off the charts,” another added.
At least one of the X videos had nearly half a million views as of Tuesday morning.
It won’t be long until Dodgers fans can get another up-close look at Watson’s work — the reigning World Series champions play the Angels again on Spectrum SportsNet later Tuesday, before they officially open their regular season against the Diamondbacks on Thursday.
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ARLINGTON, Texas — Andrew McCutchen will be on the opening day roster for the Texas Rangers, who expect the 39-year-old former MVP outfielder to split some time at designated hitter, maybe play a few games in the field and be a mentor to their young, talented outfielders.
Chris Young, the team’s president of baseball operations, said McCutchen, who joined the team on a minor league contract less than three weeks ago, will be part of the 26-man squad when the Rangers begin the season at Philadelphia. The 2013 National League MVP and five-time All-Star more than a decade ago with Pittsburgh won a roster spot over Mark Canha, another veteran outfielder also in camp on a minor league deal.
“I was wrote off in a lot of places, honestly told to retire. But I knew deep down there was something in me that told me that there was still more in the tank and that I could continue to keep playing,” McCutchen said. “For them giving me the opportunity ... I’m going to make sure that it’s worth it from both of our ends.”
The right-handed-hitting McCutchen, who will make $1.5 million playing in the majors this season, batted .444 (8 for 18) in seven spring training games, with three doubles, a home run and seven RBIs.
“There were a number of factors that went into it, but ultimately we felt like Cutch earned it just with his performance,” Young said.
McCutchen is a .271 career hitter with 332 homers and 1,152 RBIs in 2,262 games over 17 big league seasons, all but five of those with the Pirates. He spent the past three seasons back in Pittsburgh, batting .239 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs last year when 120 of his 135 games were as the DH.
“This is the beginning of for me to continue to keep doing what I’ve been doing since I got here. And understanding that just because I’m here doesn’t mean that I’m here to stay,” McCutchen said. “I have to remind myself of that every single day that I’m out here and that I am on the field. Even the days that I’m not starting, always knowing that there’s a way to improve, and for my peers and teammates, there’s something that I can do to be able to help them.”
The Rangers have rising standouts Wyatt Langford in left field and Evan Carter in center, with veteran newcomer Brandon Nimmo in right after they acquired him from the Mets in a trade that sent second baseman Marcus Semien to New York.
Carter was limited to 63 games last season because of injuries. Left-handed-hitting DH Joc Pederson missed about two months because of a broken hand after getting hit by a pitch.
Pittsburgh drafted McCutchen in the first round in 2005 and promoted him in 2009 for his major league debut. McCutchen played his first nine years with the Pirates, making five straight All-Star teams from 2011-15. He played for San Francisco, the New York Yankees, Philadelphia and Milwaukee from 2018-22 before reuniting with the Pirates.
“He came in and performed well right away. He fit right in in the clubhouse, can still play the outfield at times,” new Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “I don’t think you’ll see him all the time out there, but if we need him, he’ll play out there. But just a really valuable piece to either come off the bench in a high-leverage spot or also potentially start against left-handed pitching.”
On this episode of The Dodgers Post, Jack Harris and Dylan Hernández look ahead to the start of the regular season, and debate whether the Dodgers made the right Opening Day roster decisions.
They talk about the team’s most difficult roster choice, keeping Alex Freeland with the big-league club while sending Hyeseong Kim to the minors to begin the year. They also discuss Roki Sasaki’s challenging spring, and the pros and cons of starting him in the opening day rotation.
Later, the duo breaks down their expectations for Shohei Ohtani in 2026 as he returns to a full-time two-way role. And they make predictions about the upcoming season, revealing their expected Dodgers win totals and whether the team can complete a World Series three-peat.
All that and more, as the regular season finally arrives.
At Citi Field, there are the usual heavy hitters when it comes to food choices — not to mention on-field stars — but new additions make this year’s options a well-rounded food lineup with plenty of depth.
The food is just part of what goes into the decision-making for the partners the Mets bring in each season, as there are unique stories and backgrounds all across the diamond that they hope satisfy hungry fans.
This year will see a wide array of additions, such as 1986 World Series hero Mookie Wilson bringing his take on barbecue and Bronx-born chef Zina Bunch taking her brand of Puerto Rican empanadas to the major leagues.
Mets legend Mookie Wilson is bringing his sliders to Citi Field this season. Brian Zak/NY Post
“I think that those stories are really great, and that’s what I mean when literally everywhere you look in the ballpark, there’s a cool story, there’s a cool food item, and there’s just something amazing,” Jason Eksterowicz, Aramark senior executive chef for Citi Field, told The Post.
“When you look around here, and you talk to all of these different partners, it literally is like a food family that we’ve built here.”
Ahead of the Mets’ home opener on Thursday, March 26, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, here are some of The Post’s favorite dishes for this season after sampling items at the team’s annual tasting event.
Twenty-seven vendors will be featured at the Mets’ home this year. Aristide Economopoulos
Eat in the Cave
The Puerto Rican soul-food kitchen brings its delectable empanadas to Citi Field, with its veggie nadas being the star of the show. Described as a savory blend of rice, cilantro, sweet pumpkin, chickpeas and potato, they pair with the aptly named Cave sauce that bolsters the flavor of the dish.
Husband-and-wife team Eddie and Zina’s Eat in the Cave offers savory veggie nadas. Brian Zak/NY PostThe veggie nadas are a treat for vegetarian Citi Field visitors. Brian Zak/NY Post
Chef Bunch told The Post that the veggie nadas are one of the best-selling items for their New Jersey-based food truck, and the inclusion of the vegan-friendly option — the Cave sauce, however, is not — was because she “wanted to touch the crowd of vegans and vegetarians, and Citi Field thought it would be a great touch.”
Eat in the Cave will also offer beef and cheese nadas, and fans looking to try them can find the empanadas in the Hudson Whiskey NY or Clover Home Plate clubs.
Pig Beach BBQ
A fan favorite at Citi Field the past few seasons, this barbecue joint is throwing a change-up with a new menu item — loaded cornbread with decadent cheddar cheese sauce, BBQ sauce and, the pièce de résistance, pulled pork. The cornbread is moist and sweet and balances out nicely with the pork.
Because this isn’t exactly your garden-variety cornbread, Pig Beach founding partner and chef Shane McBride recommends to The Post that fans use a fork to enjoy this indulgent item, which he considers a main attraction and no mere side dish.
“The pulled pork just naturally goes with it — it’s just juicy, succulent,” McBride said. “There’s a little bit of sweet and sour from the vinegar sauce, and it pairs really well with the cornbread. It’s quick and easy … This is probably the fastest dish we’ve ever done here.”
Shane McBride proudly shows off his loaded cornbread. Brian Zak/NY Post
Taqueria Ramirez
Brooklyn residents have become acutely aware of this Greenpoint eatery’s fresh tacos over the past few years, and now the world’s borough will experience some of that at the Coca-Cola Food Truck in Section 302 from opening day through July 12.
The stand will offer a nopales (cactus) taco, and with the depth of flavor, even carnivores will have a hard time turning up their noses.
The nopales (cactus) tacos from Taqueria Ramirez are full of flavor — and plenty of heat. Brian Zak/NY Post
Chef and co-owner Giovanni Cervantes is bringing his best fastball with this one because it definitely doesn’t lack heat. There’s a crunch and je ne sais quoi quality to the flavor profile that Cervantes believes foodies will crave.
“We always like to create a little bit of contrast with a little bit of fat, a little bit of acidity that we create with the salsas, a little bit of spiciness that comes with that as well,” Cervantes, who hails from Mexico City, told The Post. “But I feel, particularly, this taco is really rich in textures you don’t expect.”
Giovanni Cervantes’ tacos are full of crunch and “rich in textures.” Brian Zak/NY Post
Legacy Catering by Mookie Wilson and family
During his playing days, Wilson used to cook up pork chops and yams for himself and some of his teammates. Now, the Mets legend is showing off his culinary skills for everyone.
The smoked pulled-chicken sliders — available at the Hudson Whiskey NY Club — feature a classic golden BBQ sauce, bread and butter pickles on a Martin’s slider bun. One could argue that the sandwich is as enjoyable as watching Wilson hit a groundball through a certain first baseman’s legs.
Mookie Wilson’s cooking skills shine through in his smoked pulled-chicken sliders. Brian Zak/NY Post
Wilson enjoys the idea that his food will help people see the many layers that baseball players have.
“I think that it kind of opened people’s eyes a little bit,” he told The Post. “There’s another side to many, many ball players.”
Willets Point Brewery
The 9-9-9 challenge — nine beers and nine hot dogs over nine innings — has taken over a subset of baseball culture over the past few years, and Citi Field is now offering fans a more formal way to do it, albeit in a scaled-down variation. Chowhounds can pig out on nine mini Nathan’s hot dogs that come with nine 4-ounce beers (either Coors Light or Heineken).
Willets Point Brewery’s backyard BBQ burger is a home run. Brian Zak/NY Post
But Willets Point is also selling a backyard BBQ burger that is loaded with two 4-ounce Pat LaFrieda patties, New York cheddar, BBQ pulled pork, onion rings, whiskey BBQ sauce, shredded lettuce and pickles on a brioche bun.
This was one of The Post’s new favorite bites, so if you’re looking for an elevated burger, this should be a go-to.
The rest
If any of those items don’t catch your fancy, there are plenty of other options when you’re at the ballpark.
The Queensboro — an eatery from Jackson Heights — will have a kimchi reuben at the Taste of Queens from March 26 to July 12, while former “Man v. Food” host Adam Richman’s Burger Hall of Fame will now offer a caprese burger at its stand. Amazin’ Deli added a chopped Italian sausage sandwich that’s a new spin on a ballpark staple.
Jackson Heights chef Tony Liu doesn’t have to travel far to bring his kimchi reuben from The Queensboro to Mets fans. Brian Zak/NY PostPat LaFrieda’s Chop House’s apple pie cheesecake channels Citi Field’s quirky home run apple. Brian Zak/NY Post
Those looking for a sweet treat have a few choices, with Long Island-based Hildebrandt Ice Cream bringing a Mets-inspired Blue & Orange Skies flavor, along with Pat LaFrieda’s Chop House adding an apple pie cheesecake that bears a striking resemblance to the ballpark’s iconic home run apple.
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff will be ready to start the season on time, a welcome development for a Brewers rotation lacking experience.
The Brewers announced the two-time All-Star right-hander would start their fifth game of the season, March 31 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Woodruff had spent spring training working his way back after missing the postseason with a lat strain, raising the possibility he might open the year with at least a brief stint on the injured list.
“I felt like personally I was in a good spot,” Woodruff said before the Brewers’ night exhibition game with the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field. “I was recovering. My pitch count is probably obviously a little less than some of the guys coming out of camp, but I felt like I was recovering. I felt like the stuff was there and coming along. I didn’t feel like I necessarily wanted to go pitch in minor league games, pretty much is the way I felt about it.”
Woodruff’s availability boosts a rotation that will open the season without Quinn Priester, who had a breakthrough season last year with a 13-3 record and 3.32 ERA. Brewers manager Pat Murphy said, “I think you’ll see (Priester) in early May if all goes well” as the right-hander deals with a nerve issue.
Priester had been dealing with an apparent wrist problem for much of the preseason and eventually received a diagnosis indicating it was at least partially related to thoracic outlet syndrome.
That leaves Milwaukee opening with a rotation that’s long on talent but short on veterans beyond the 33-year-old Woodruff, who is back with the Brewers after accepting their $22.025 million qualifying offer during the offseason.
Flame-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, who made 15 appearances as a rookie last season, will start the season opener against the Chicago White Sox. Right-handers Chad Patrick and Brandon Sproat will start the final two games of the White Sox series, while lefty Kyle Harrison starts the series opener with the Rays.
This will be the fifth career start for the 25-year-old Sproat, one of the players acquired in the trade that sent two-time All-Star right-hander Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets. Patrick, 27, went 3-8 with a 3.53 ERA in 27 appearances as a rookie last season. Harrison, who came to Milwaukee in the deal that sent third baseman Caleb Durbin to Boston, has made 42 appearances but is only 23 years old.
That makes the Brewers particularly grateful to have Woodruff’s veteran presence available for the start of the season as they begin their pursuit of a fourth straight NL Central title.
“I think it’s an encouraging sign, right?” Murphy said. “We weren’t thinking that he was going to be on the team early, but the way it was going, it went so well in terms of he feels great, and he feels like he’s ready. And you’ve got to trust the player.”
The winningest manager in Mets history (595-417), Johnson was at the helm for the Mets from 1984 to 1990, leading the 1986 team to a World Series win over the Boston Red Sox.
He had a winning record in all six of his full seasons (including five straight 90-win seasons), with the team moving on from him after a 20-22 start to the 1990 season.
Johnson was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.
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