Lawrence Butler made his spring debut for the A’s today in Glendale against the White Sox | Getty Images
With just more than one week before opening day, the Athletics faced off against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona this afternoon. Luis Morales took the mound for the A’s against Anthony Kay for the Sox.
Kay kept the A’s off balance, allowing two base hits but no runners advancing to second throughout the first three innings. With one out and a 3-2 count in the bottom of the third, Chase Meidroth homered off Morales to deep right center field. He then walked the next two batters and gave up an RBI double to Austin Hayes. That ended the day for Morales*, having given up two runs and being responsible for the runners on second and third with two outs. James Gonzalez replaced him and promptly gave up a three-run blast to Andrew Benintendi, bringing the score to 5-0 and finalizing Luis Morales line at 2.2 innings, four earned runs, on three hits and two walks.
Morales returned to pitch the bottom of the fourth inning. He tossed a hitless, scoreless inning. Andy Ibáñez homered against Kay to get the A’s on the board in the top of the fifth inning. Jedixson Paez replaced Anthony Kay. Zack Gelof walked and Nick Kurtz doubled, scoring Gelof. Morales continued to pitch the bottom of the fifth, giving up a homer to Munetaka Murakami. That brought the score to 6-2 in favor of the Pale Hose.
Luis Medina entered the game to pitch the sixth for the A’s. He tossed a scoreless inning, as did Joel Kuhnel in the seventh inning. Zack Gelof walked off former A’s hurler Sean Newcomb to lead off the eighth. He was replaced by pinch runner Euribiel Angeles.
Lawrence Butler made his 2026 debut, DH’ing for the A’s today. He went 0-3 with two strikeouts and was removed for a pinch hitter in the eighth. Shane McGuire, hitting for Butler homered, driving in Euribiel Angeles.
That ended the scoring and the A’s dropped this one 6-4 to the White Sox. They have a rare spring day off tomorrow and will hit the field again on Thursday against the Mariners at 6:05 PM PDT.
*Morales final line was 4.1 innings, giving up five earned runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out five Sox today.
Team USA will have its flame-throwing right-hander available if necessary on Tuesday night.
The Americans will have reliever Mason Miller available at their disposal if they see fit to use him in the World Baseball Classic championship game against Venezuela, manager Mark DeRosa told reporters.
The Padres pitcher has already thrown in four games in the tournament, saving two in as many chances. He has an eye-popping 10 strikeouts in four innings — thanks in large part to his triple-digit fastball — and has yet to allow a run.
“I’d like to avoid him, but the score will dictate it,” DeRosa said. “Yes, he’s available.”
United States pitcher Mason Miller (19) delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Dominican Republic during a semifinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Miller closed out Sunday’s 2-1 semifinal thriller over the Dominican Republic, as he struck at two, including the game’s final batter in controversial fashion.
The righty deployed a slider on a payoff pitch to Dominican infielder Geraldo Perdomo, who appeared to deftly lay off a pitch well below the strike zone.
However, home plate umpire Cory Blaser punched out Perdomo to end the game. In the WBC, unlike spring training and the upcoming major and minor league seasons, there is no usage of the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System that would have potentially allowed Perdomo to have turned the strikeout into a walk.
Though he didn’t pitch as well as he would have liked, McLean is coming off an impressive stint with the Mets down the stretch in 2025 where he showed off his stuff, which includes elite spin rate.
Mason Miller and Will Smith of Team United States celebrate after the 2-1 victory against Team Dominican Republic at loanDepot park on March 15, 2026 in Miami, Florida. Getty Images
DeRosa is confident in the Oklahoma State product’s abilities to lead the Americans.
“He’s just built for this — his mindset, his skill, his want, all of that,” DeRosa said earlier this week.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 24: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on September 24, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you try hard to remember, you’ll actually recall that the Cincinnati Reds spent a good chunk of the 2025 regular season carrying six starting pitchers – at minimum – on their active roster. Such was the luxury of having Nick Martinez around all year, his versatility the linchpin in making sure the rest of the rotation was always as rested as could be.
Once they acquired Zack Littell and promoted Chase Burns, they almost always had more options than a typical 5-man rotation at any given point down the stretch. It’s simply necessary in the modern game, what with max effort velocities and the inevitable injuries that come with them.
It appears the Reds are more than just comfortable with that concept. So comfortable that manager Terry Francona revealed to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic on Tuesday afternoon that they’ll carry six starters come Opening Day 2026.
Rhett Lowder and Brandon Williamson will make the team after both missing all (or 97%, in Lowder’s case) of the 2025 regular season with injuries. Chase Burns, meanwhile, will make the team despite having run into some mid-spring load management after not recovering well enough from an extended start. Those three will join Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott on the team’s roster as starting options, something the club will get to juggle early on.
It’s not the end of the world, aside from the fact that it’s Hunter Greene’s months-long absence that even opened this opportunity. The reality is that none of Lowder, Williamson, or Burns was going to approach anything akin to 170+ IP after shortened 2025 campaigns – don’t forget that Burns was shut down for a while with forearm pain and eventually migrated to a fireman role in the bullpen.
So, effectively spreading out their innings now is what’s going to begin the process lest the Reds run into a scenario where they simply have to shut a guy down in, say, an August stretch run that has them chasing a playoff spot. Former Enquirer beat writer Charlie Goldsmith added more context from Francona which more or less echoes this.
Francona: You’ll see Williamson potentially come in after Burns or maybe even start Williamson and have Lowder do it. We don’t need to say it ahead of time, how our strategies go. That’s kind of where we’re sitting. You’ll see (Williamson) pitch one of those two days (Game 4 or…
Goldsmith also casually dropped that both Connor Phillips and Will Benson have been told they’ve made the team, with Benson’s addition meaning, in all likelihood, that only one of Nate Lowe or JJ Bleday will make the club, too.
It won’t last forever, Francona said. They’ll keep all the guys stretched out.
It’s a way to balance winning — those are some of the Reds best pitchers — with the fact that those are young guys without a ton of innings under their belts.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 08: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves batting during the Monday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs on September 8, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
If you enjoy seeing the Atlanta Braves uniforms being adorned with a bright-yellow bag of concrete on the left-hand sleeve then I have some news that is relative to your interests. If you’re a fan who was hoping for another company’s logo to grace the sleeves (or if you’re a purist who doesn’t want to see any of that anywhere on the uniform) then you might want to be sitting down with this one.
Earlier today, the Braves announced via press release that the concrete bags aren’t going anywhere any time soon. The Braves and QUIKRETE are now locked into a partnership through the 2036 season. Here’s a quote from the press release:
QUIKRETE and the Braves have been partners for nine seasons dating back to 2017, spanning the club’s tenure at Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta. Over that time, the partnership has grown to include some of the most recognizable branding in Major League Baseball and a strong connection with fans throughout Braves Country.
The leading construction materials company will continue as the Official Jersey Patch Partner of the Atlanta Braves, remaining the first and only jersey patch partner in team history. The QUIKRETE logo patch appears on home and away Braves uniforms throughout the regular season and postseason, providing prominent national broadcast visibility as the team competes on baseball’s biggest stages.
I’d imagine that this also means that the QUIKRETE logo will remain in yellow on the outfield fences as well. In case you didn’t notice it (and really, why would most of y’all since I’m sure this isn’t exactly the outfield fence enthusiast group), the QUIKRETE logo is the only logo on the outfield walls that is in yellow instead of white, so there’s that. It’s clear that this is a partnership that both corporate entities value and now they’re set to be locked in together for the foreseeable future.
What do y’all think? Are you a fan of the yellow bag on the sleeves? Would you prefer a different sponsor? Would you prefer none at all?
Mar 15, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Jack Suwinski hits a three run home run against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
The Dodgers on Tuesday night take on the Kansas City Royals in Surprise, playing their final road game of the Arizona portion of their spring training. Highly-regarded outfield prospect Mike Sirota (wearing number 05) gets his first start of spring, hitting ninth at designated hitter in his fourth Cactus League game.
Lineup
Andy Pages CF Kyle Tucker RF Santiago Espinal 1B Dalton Rushing C Kyle Freeland 2B Nick Senzel 3B Jack Suwinski LF Hyeseong Kim SS Mike Sirota DH
Roki Sasaki starts on the mound.
Other pitchers
Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, and Ben Casparius are three relievers slated to pitch Tuesday night.
Minor league pitchers active on Tuesday are Cam Day (90), Cody Morse (91), Nicolas Cruz (92), Jacob Frost (94), and Nick Robertson (97).
Other position players
Ryan Fitzgerald and catcher Seby Zavala are the two non-roster invitees available on the bench.
Up from minor league camp are Eduardo Quintero (06), Jesus Galiz (07), Damon Keith (08), Kole Myers (87), Yeiner Fernandez (88), Kyle Nevin (93), and Logan Wagner (95).
Mark DeRosa has made two changes to Team USA’s lineup for Tuesday’s World Baseball Classic championship game against Venezuela.
Third baseman Gunnar Henderson and center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, both of whom started the semifinal win over the Dominican Republic, are sitting as Alex Bregman and Byron Buxton are back in the lineup with Venezuela starting southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez.
Alex Bregman Getty ImagesByron Buxton Getty Images
The U.S. is rolling out its usual top four with shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. leading off ahead of first baseman Bryce Harper, right fielder Aaron Judge and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.
Bregman will hit fifth ahead of left fielder Roman Anthony, catcher Will Smith and second baseman Brice Turang, with Buxton hitting ninth.
Ronald Acuna Jr. is leading off and playing right field for Venezuela, followed by third baseman Maikel Garcia, first baseman Luis Arraez, designated hitter Eugenio Suarez, second baseman Gleyber Torres, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, left fielder Wilyer Abreu, catcher Sal Perez and center fielder Jackson Chourio.
The World Baseball Classic bracket.
A new champion will be crowned as Venezuela knocked off defending champion Japan in the quarterfinals before dispatching Italy in the semis. Japan beat the U.S. in the 2023 final.
Mar 14, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (80) looks on against the New York Yankees in the fifth inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Alright, it’s time to make your official prediction for the season.
We have talked all offseason long about the Phillies and the moves they made and didn’t make. There has been gnashing of teeth, rending of garments, all the marks of people unhappy with what they have accomplished in the player acquisition department.
Now, we ask the big question:
It’s the question that is the ultimate judge of team success. There might be many versions of players ups and downs this season, but this is a team game, one where they are all judged on what sort of finish they have. Should someone like Cristopher Sanchez take another step forward in his career, that won’t matter to some without a certain threshold cleared. Should Bryce Harper channel his offseason annoyance at the POBO into an elite, MVP caliber season, it won’t matter unless the team wins.
What say you?
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phillies fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Blade Tidwell #46 of the San Francisco Giants warms up during the first inning of the spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Scottsdale Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants waited longer than usual to announce their first round of camp cuts this Spring Training, which is perhaps partially due to a new coaching staff wanting to get familiar with everybody, but probably mostly due to the roster logistics required after losing players to the World Baseball Classic. But once they got the cuts started, they just kept coming.
On Tuesday — their final off-day before the season starts in eight days — the Giants announced their fourth wave of camp cuts, following their flurry of reassignments in the past few days. This time it’s just a pair of players: right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell, who was optioned to AAA Sacramento, and first baseman Jake Holton, who was reassigned to Minor League camp. For anyone confused by the verbiage of those differing cuts, it’s simply because Tidwell is on the 40-man roster and Holton is not.
Tidwell, who was part of the Tyler Rogers trade at last year’s deadline, impressed in his first Spring Training with the organization, while also not looking ready for an MLB job. The small sample size did him in, as he got tattooed with a 9.45 ERA in 6.2 innings across five appearances, but he showed absolute gas with a fastball that tickled the periphery of triple digits, while striking out 13 batters in those 6.2 innings (he also walked six batters). In addition to those five Cactus League appearances, he pitched for the Giants in their exhibition game against Team USA, and while it didn’t go well — he ceded five earned runs in 2.2 innings — he had some impressive pitches, and struck out stars Roman Anthony and Gunnar Henderson.
He’ll start the season in Sacramento’s rotation, along with a few other high-profile arms for the Giants. It seems all but certain that, health permitting, we’ll see Tidwell in San Francisco at some point this year, perhaps filling in for the Giants rotation, or perhaps in a role as a heat-throwing high-leverage reliever.
Notably, while this is the fourth round of cuts, Tidwell was the first player that the Giants have optioned this spring. That speaks both to the unresolved camp battles at play, and the smattering of players on the 40-man roster who don’t have options.
As for Holton, he got a lot of playing time as an NRI, appearing in 19 games and getting 37 plate appearances. He didn’t hit very well, though, as he went 7-34 with two extra-base hits, seven strikeouts, and one walk, for a .680 OPS and a 71 wRC+, with fairly soft contact. Holton has spent the last three seasons (plus the end of 2022) in AA for the Detroit Tigers, but it seems likely that he’ll begin this year with his first taste of AAA, and will likely serve as emergency depth a la Trenton Brooks two years ago.
The Giants began camp with 19 NRIs, and are now down to 10 (they’ve assigned 10 to Minor League camp, while adding one in Joey Lucchesi). Add in Tidwell’s optioning, and the team has trimmed its roster to 49 players … which means they still need to make 23 cuts (or IL placements) before next Wednesday.
JUPITER, FL - MARCH 06: New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) throws the ball from the mound during a MLB spring training game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 6, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Mets settled for their second tie of the spring as nine innings were not enough to determine a winner in their game against the Marlins. The game ended 5-5, though the Mets at one point led 5-1 until the late innings.
Sean Manaea had his best start of the spring, hurling four perfect innings against Miami. It was a welcome sight for Manaea, who has struggled with a velocity dip and uneven performances so far as he tries to prove himself following an injury-plagued and ineffective 2025 campaign. He struck out four batters and threw 36 of his 52 pitches (69%) for strikes.
The Mets got all of their offense from Bo Bichette, who drove in all five runs. Facing Sandy Alcantara in the third inning, Bichette doubled home Tyrone Taylor and Marcus Semien to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. With the score 2-1 in the seventh, Bichette hit a three-run home run against Robby Snelling to extend New York’s lead.
Craig Kimbrel came in to relieve Manaea and allowed one run on one hit, with one walk and no strikeouts. The run came on an Esteury Ruiz single, which plated Owen Caissie.
Tobias Myers pitched a scoreless sixth but allowed a run on a Ruiz sacrifice fly in the seventh. Myers allowed just the one run on one hit, with two walks and three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings.
Jacob Jenkins-Cowart hit a game-tying, three-run home run against Colton Cosper in the bottom of the eighth, and that was the end of the scoring on the afternoon.
Francisco Lindor got the start at short and played six innings in the field. He went one-for-four with two strikeouts and a run scored.
Semien got two hits in three at-bats and scored two of New York’s five runs. Taylor also had two hits for the Mets, while Brett Baty, starting in right field, also had a base hit. Catchers Luis Torrens and Ben Rortvedt each picked up one hit.
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It’s time for the grand finale of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
The United States enters the title game looking to capture its second WBC crown after falling short in 2023, while Venezuela is chasing history with its first-ever championship appearance.
Team USA advanced with a 2-1 semifinal win over the Dominican Republic, leaning on strong pitching and just enough power to get through, even with some controversial calls. Solo home runs provided the offense, while the bullpen shut the door late against one of the tournament’s most dangerous lineups.
Venezuela, on the other hand, advanced with another comeback victory, topping Italy 4-2 thanks to a decisive three-run seventh inning. Big hits from stars like Ronald Acuña Jr. fueled the rally, continuing a trend of late-game heroics throughout the knockout rounds.
2026 world baseball classic: what to know
Who: Team USA vs. Team Dominican Republic
When: March 17, 8 p.m. ET
Where: loanDepot Park (Miami, Florida)
Channel: FOX
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
With MLB stars on both lineups, this matchup promises fireworks from the very first pitch.
WBC 2026: Venezuela vs. USA start time
Tonight’s (March 15) World Baseball Classic semifinal between USA and Dominican Republic is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
On this episode of The Dodgers Post, Jack Harris and Dylan Hernández wrap up the latest news as Dodgers spring training winds up.
The begin with the team’s unsurprising decision to name Yoshinobu Yamamoto its opening day starter –– and how it sets up a potentially Cy Young-caliber season for the reigning World Series MVP.
The evaluate the rest of the Dodgers’ rotation, which remains somewhat in flux as camp enters its final days.
Then, they pick their biggest standouts –– and biggest disappointment –– from spring training this year.
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 3: Jasson Domínquez #24 of the New York Yankees high-fives teammates in the dugout during the game against Team Panama at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 3, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yankees fans got some good news on Tuesday morning, learning that rehabbing ace Gerrit Cole would grace our television screens on Wednesday against the Red Sox in a one-inning cameo. He’s still probably two months (or more) off from a regular-season appearance, but it’ll be a great sign. He and All-Star lefty Carlos Rodón will start the year on the injured list, so while we can dream of a potent rotation in the summer, the Yanks will have to survive April and May in the meantime.
One player who will have a lot to play for in those opening weeks will be Will Warren, coming off an up-and-down rookie season that did see him lead all rookies in innings pitched. Still, with all the talented arms on the roster, his rotation spot is hardly guaranteed when Rodón and Cole are healthy.
While spring training results never mean too much, a young starter making strides is still encouraging, and that’s what Warren has done. He’s allowed just three earned runs in 20.1 innings this spring, including a strong four-plus inning outing in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Rays. JC Escarra provided much of the offense through eight innings, but minor league infielder Coby Morales played hero after both teams emptied the benches in the ninth.
Trent Grisham got off to a good start in this one, lining a first-pitch single to right field off Ryan Pepiot. The Rays’ starter would rebound to retire the next three, all on flyouts, with Ben Rice narrowly missing out on a two-run homer after pummeling a ball foul. Warren got off to a strong start for the Yanks, striking out Yandy Diaz and inducing a pair of groundouts to get through a quick, 1-2-3 frame.
The second would be much shakier for Pepiot, who, after inducing a groundout from Paul DeJong, gave up a moonshot to JC Escarra, who’s making a tremendous case for the Opening Day roster as the backup catcher. 438 feet, 108.4 mph off the bat, and a 1-0 Yankees lead. Pepiot would allow another pair of baserunners, but the Escarra homer was the only real damage.
Warren walked Cedric Mullins to open the bottom half of the second on six pitches, but rebounded to retire the next three in order, dialing the fastball up to 95.6 mph to get Hunter Fedducia swinging to end the inning. Pepiot had a clean third, cutting through the heart of the order. Diaz would get the game’s first hit off of Warren with two outs in the third, but would be stranded after a filthy 1-2 changeup got Jonathan Aranda to chase.
The top of the Yankees’ order was jumping all over Pepiot once he got to the third time through, but the balls kept finding gloves. After a Grisham walk, Rice hit a 104.4 mph lineout, and Jasson Domínguez hammered a long flyball that died on the track thanks to swirling winds.
Warren’s outing took a bad turn in the fifth, where the good luck he got to start the game reversed itself with two sub-85 mph hits that put runners on the corners with nobody out, chasing the 26-year-old for Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest. He jumped ahead of Williamson, but yielded a run after a Baltimore chop forced the Yankees’ defense to settle for a forceout, allowing Gavin Lux to score. Winquest was able to get out of the jam from there, blowing a 96 mph fastball by Aranda to end the inning.
Jake Bird took over for Winquest in the sixth and put his filthy arsenal to work, striking out Caminero on a sweeper and Mullins on a curveball. While a third strikeout was overturned to a walk by ABS against Ryan Vilade, he powered a cutter past Lux to finish off the inning one batter later.
The Yankees offense largely went quiet as the day wore on. They threatened in the eighth, putting two baserunners on against Joe Boyle, but stranded them both. Escarra finished his day 2-for-4 with a home run and some loud outs, an impressive day for him. Yovanny Cruz got the ball in the eighth and lit up the radar gun, throwing six pitches in triple digits in an impressive inning that saw him strike out Diaz and Richie Palacios.
Jorbit Vivas replaced Grisham in the leadoff spot and drew a leadoff walk in the ninth before stealing second. Rice, the lone starter left in the game, roped a single to right to set up runners on the corners with nobody out and chase Boyle. Hunter Bigee was tasked with getting out of the jam, but he could only strike out Cole Gabrielson before allowing a two-run single to High-A infielder Coby Morales to make it 3-1 Yankees.
Kervin Castro, who’s turning heads as a dark horse to grab a bullpen spot, pitched the ninth and was greeted by a Chandler Simpson special: a Baltimore chop that goes over the third baseman’s head because he was playing for the bunt. The trouble didn’t stop there, with Castro plunking Vilade and allowing an RBI single to Raynel Delgado to cut it to 3-2.
Just when the walls seemed to be closing in on Castro, a humpback liner from Daniel Vellojin stayed in the air long enough for Morales to leap in the air and save a run with an outstanding catch before doubling off the tying run at second. Castro struck out the next batter, Logan Davidson, to end it.
The Yankees return to George M. Steinbrenner Field tomorrow for maybe the hottest ticket of the spring. We might not see Aaron Judge back in the lineup so quickly after the WBC Final, but we will see the 2026 debut of Gerrit Cole, who is scheduled to throw one inning against the rival Red Sox at 1:05 pm. Connelly Early will get the ball for Boston. Catch the game on YES or MLB Network.
LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 12: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the spring training game against the New York Yankees at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 12, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 4-3. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
* cracks knuckles *
Well, here goes, the first recap of the 2026 season, even though these games don’t count for anything other than an intellectual exercise. On a windy St. Patrick’s Day, cool for central Florida in March — a laughable sentiment for those of us dealing with snow — a meaningless game ended with a meaningless score, 1-1.
Grizzled veteran Young right-hander Justin Verlander, just a kid at 43, took the mound for the third time this spring. It was a Tale of Two Halves for Verlander with the Giants last year: first half, .786 OPS-against, 10 home runs given up, .273 batting average-against. Second half, .685 OPS, 6 dingers, .247 batting. Does Verlander still have a good season left in the tank? Unlike earlier in his career, he doesn’t have to be Number One in the rotation; heck, if he’s a solid third-best starter on this team behind Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, that’ll be a fine return on the investment.
Chris Bassitt, the former Blue Jay, took the hill for the Orioles. He’s been ultra-dependable, making 30 or more starts for the past four years, and over that time he’s also achieved pretty respectable results, with an ERA of 3.77, a WHIP of 1.271, and roughly one home run surrendered per nine innings. He’ll be a welcome addition to an Orioles team who, last year, had trouble getting anybody out.
Verlander looked good early, occasionally touching 96 mph with his fastball. He also mixed in a slow curveball and a bit of the sweeper he developed last year, because apparently old dogs can learn new tricks. Kevin McGonigle, not at his traditional shortstop position, made a sensational, off-camera play on a grounder; since it wasn’t on TV, this is as good as we can get:
Kevin McGonigle, playing 3B today, went out of my camera range to make a diving backhand stop in foul territory on a Coby Mayo grounder, but you can see the throw across the infield from seemingly out of nowhere to complete the out. pic.twitter.com/XjZgBIW22c
A real pitchers’ duel unfolded as the game progressed, both teams only notching two hits apiece through four innings, and one of the Tigers’ hits was a bunt single by Jahmai Jones. The Orioles finally broke the seal in the fifth with a solo home run by Bryan Ramos into the wind to left field, ending Verlander’s day after 4 2/3 innings: three hits, one run and no walks. Jorger Petri, a 20-year-old who spent last year in Lakeland, got the final out of the fifth.
Kenley Jansen, possibly the Tigers’ new closer, pitched the sixth and gave up a walk and a hit but with no damage surrendered. Bassitt’s day ended with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and was relieved by Joe Glassey, and I immediately thought of “Glass Joe” from (Mike Tyson’s) Punch-Out!! for the NES, and if you did too, you’re also older than Justin Verlander, pal.
Burch Smith, one of the veterans on which the Tigers took a chance this offseason, pitched the seventh. He bounced between the majors and minors for a few years before spending 2022 in Japan and 2023 in South Korea; he spent this past offseason in the Dominican Winter League and had great results, so who knows? He gave up a couple of hits but squeezed himself out of a first-and-third jam with two outs by striking out Samuel Basallo on a fastball. Non-roster invitee Ricky Vanasco, who got into a pair of games with the Tigers in 2024, pitched an uneventful top of the eighth with a strikeout.
Max Clark walked in the bottom of the eighth; so long he gets on base, he could be wearing Flavor Flav’s clock around his neck for all I care. He advanced to second on a Jace Jung goundout, to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on another wild pitch, tying the score at one. Hey, it’s Spring Training, we’re all figuring stuff out this time of year.
Konnor Pilkington gave up a double to Ramos with two outs in the top of the ninth but stuck out Luis Vázquez looking to send it to the bottom of the ninth. Would the minor-league Tigers walk it off and avoid the tie?
Well, with one out, Peyton Graham walked and Austin Slater singled, putting two runners on. Max Burt walked to load the bases, but Corey Julks hit a grounder to third for the ol’ 5-2-3 game-ending double play. So, no, there were no ninth-inning heroics — but we had some classic Verlander and a little bit of drama at the end, didn’t we?
The Tigers didn’t wear their traditional green uniforms on St. Patrick’s Day, but they did have a green Olde English D on their hat. Bring back the green, I say.
What we did have, though, was a stupid orange-on-orange battle. Springs-past have featured plenty of navy-on-navy, which is also stupid. Home teams should wear white and away teams should wear grey, and get off my lawn.
Today is the day which celebrates the death — to the best of anyone’s knowledge — of Saint Patrick, the main patron saint of Ireland. He was born in Roman Britain late in the 300s, and came to Ireland as a missionary early in the 5th century CE. Did he use a shamrock as a Christian symbol? Did he really rid Ireland of snakes? Did he enjoy a green beer now and then? To borrow a phrase from Nelson Muntz, “Records from that era are spotty at best.”
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: Luis Castillo #58 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates during a Spring Training game against the Colorado Rockies at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s split squad action today in Peoria and at Salt River Fields. Both games are televised, so choose wisely.
Don’t get too attached to this Josh Naylor graphic; he was a late scratch. Luis Suisbel is now in the lineup, batting ninth and playing first base.
Also scheduled to pitch in this game: José A. Ferrer, Carlos Vargas, Casey Legumina, Andrés Muñoz
And in split-squad action:
Also scheduled to pitch in this one: Casey Lawrence, Yosver Zulueta, and probably some JIC-ys.
Injury updates:
J.P. Crawford is away from the team having his shoulder looked at by Dr. Meister. That sounds ominous, but Justin Hollander says the visit is evaluative not diagnostic, making sure everything is continuing to trend well for an Opening Day start.
No word on Josh Naylor’s absence, but a quick look at the weather in Peoria – 91 en route to 95 degrees – might suggest why Naylor, who’s been away at the WBC for several weeks, is being granted an off-day.
Roster updates:
The Mariners re-assigned LHP Kade Anderson to minor-league camp after his start on Friday; yesterday they re-assigned INF Michael Arroyo, RHP Charlie Beilenson, OF Jonny Farmelo, C Jakson Reetz, RHP Michael Rucker and RHP Ryan Sloan to minor-league camp. That doesn’t mean you’ve seen the last of them – Beilenson in particular will likely pop up in a few more big-league appearances this spring – but it is a signal that the Mariners are getting their main players back from the WBC and things are getting closer to Opening Day and the 26 players they’ll be bringing to T-Mobile Park.
Game information:
Home game:
TV: Mariners TV
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports (delayed? It doesn’t say so in the game notes but they were talking about basketball when I checked my radio. Anyway, live on Gameday or the Seattle Sports app.)
The Atlanta Braves faced off against the Boston Red Sox as spring training is winding down with Reynaldo López taking the mound against arguably the best lineup he has faced since his injury.
The Red Sox brought in most of their starters, and the Braves brought mostly hitters fighting for final bench spots.
The Braves got the scoring going in the third, but almost had it started earlier in the second if it was not for this great play made against Camargo.
Three of the players that seem to have at least a small chance to make the Opening Day roster now that Profar will not be on the team are Kyle Farmer, José Azocar, and Brett Wisely. They were all responsible in the third inning for scoring the go ahead runs. Azocar led off the inning with a walk, and after Mateo doubled, Wisely knocked in Azocar. Kyle Farmer then continued his hot spring by having a single of his own to knock in a run.
The Braves were able to load the bases in the fourth, but this was not due to the players mentioned to keep your eyes on. Azocar lined out right after Sonny Gray was replaced, and Wisely grounded out for the third out with the bases loaded.
There was virtually no other offense of note by the Braves until the ninth inning other than a few singles and a double by Jair Camargo that led pinch runner Steel getting to third. Yes the pinch runner was Jake Steels, who will go down as one of the best pinch-runner names of all-time. In the ninth the Braves’ backup squad squeaked in another run, but it was still too short to win the game.
On the pitching side of things, López was clearly a guy to keep an eye on. Unfortunately, he struggled in this one. He gave up a walk and a single in the first inning but was able to get out of the inning by getting back-to-back strikeouts, but it was clear he was not having his best stuff. In the second inning he had a clean inning while picking up two more strikeouts. He gave up a triple in the third inning to Trevor Story, but got out of the inning unscathed.
The fourth is when the wheels fell off for López. He gave up a double to new Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin, followed by a walk. He was able to pick up his sixth strikeout, but then gave up a single to load the bases. After a groundout that produced a run, and a single that scored two, he was replaced by Dylan Dodd after 3.2 innings. He ended the day with five hits to include a double and triple, three earned runs, and two walks with six strikeouts.
Hopefully today was just an off day or him just working on specific mechanics. He has been fantastic before this outing, but this is the first time he faced a mostly MLB roster this spring.
On the good news side of things Dylan Dodd was able to relieve López and put in 1.1 innings of work without giving up a hit. He struck out one and walked one. The Braves did give up another, but it was by Kyle Nelson who will likely not make the Opening Day roster or even be brought to the MLB club at all this season.
Ultimately the Braves fell short 3-4 in a game that had only a few players of note to keep an eye on.
As a side note, Spencer Strider also pitched today, but was not an official spring training game.
Strider pitched five innings against a group of Red Sox Minor Leaguers today. FB was 93-95. Touched 96 in the first. Got out of a bases-loaded jam with a 1-2-3 DP in the third. Only run came via a leadoff walk and outfield misplay in the second
The Braves will face off against the Phillies tomorrow in North Port at 1:05 ET. Martín Pérez will take the mound in hopes of earning a rotation spot on the Opening Day roster. At the time of this writing, the Phillies have not announce who will pitch for them.
