SURPRISE, AZ - MARCH 12: Willie MacIver #47 of the Texas Rangers celebrates in the dugout during the game between the Athletics and the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium on Thursday, March 12, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Sydni Griffin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Alexis Diaz has cleared waivers and been outrighted to AAA Round Rock, the team announced today. The team also announced that catcher Willie MacIver has been optioned to AAA Round Rock and pitcher Jose Corniell has been optioned to AA Frisco. In addition, Jonah Bride, Cam Cauley and Gavin Collyer have all been re-assigned to the minor league camp.
Not really anything terribly surprising from this sequence of moves. Diaz, who was signed this offseason as a free agent, was designated for assignment two days ago when the Rangers needed a roster spot for Jalen Beeks. Diaz was very bad this spring after being very bad in 2025, and no team was apparently interested in devoting a 40 man roster spot to him. He will try to get things back on track at Round Rock once the AAA season starts.
Neither Corniell nor MacIver were candidates to be on the Opening Day roster, barring injury. Corniell, who returned from Tommy John surgery in the second half of 2025, is looking to pick up where he left off after a strong finish to the 2025 campaign, and show that he’s a viable option during the 2026 season should the Rangers need to call someone up to help out in the rotation. MacIver is the third catcher on the 40 man roster for a team that is only carrying two catchers on the active roster.
None of Bride, Cauley and Collyer were expected to be in the mix for a spot on the Opening Day roster when camp began. Collyer, who was re-signed by the Rangers after becoming a minor league free agent this past offseason, got good reviews this spring, to the point he was being mentioned as a possible bullpen candidate. Cauley, meanwhile, turned heads and impressed manager Skip Schumaker.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Andrew McCutchen #4 of the Texas Rangers during the spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Surprise Stadium on March 10, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for March 15, 2026 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Rangers have a spring road game lineup against the Dodgers today. Trey Supak is getting the start.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Tyler Glasnow #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts during a Spring Training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Camelback Ranch on March 10, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers’ final Monday of the Arizona portion of their spring training will have them hosting the Milwaukee Brewers at Camelback Ranch.
Tyler Glasnow gets the start for the Dodgers, remaining in line for an opening-series start. He tossed 4 1/3 innings his last time out, last Tuesday.
FORMER CUBS IN DODGERS CAMP: Kyle Tucker. That’s it.
CUBS vs. DODGERS: Today’s game is expected to draw a Sloan Park sellout of nearly 16,000 fans. The forecast high temperature is 90, before temps are expected to soar over 100 degrees beginning Wednesday.
Jameson Taillon, just back from the WBC, will start for the Cubs. The other Cubs pitchers scheduled today were not available at posting time.
Emmett Sheehan will start for the Dodgers. Other Dodgers pitchers scheduled today: Will Klein, Kyle Hirt and Antoine Kelly. As noted above, the Dodgers are a split squad today.
Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. There will be a radio broadcast on WSCR The Score.
Please visit our SB Nation Dodgers site True Blue LA. If you do go there to interact with Dodgers 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 3 p.m. CT and 4:35 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. 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.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 11: A detail shot of a Spring Training San Francisco Giants hat in the dugtou prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With the best record and run differential in the Cactus League for the second Spring Training in a row, it makes a lot of sense that the San Francisco Giants fans are feeling pretty good about the team heading into the regular season. For the moment, let’s ignore what actually happened after last Spring Training’s triumph and stay on that positivity to examine the latest results of SB Nation Reacts poll. The question was straightforward: Where will the Giants finish in the NL West?
That’s a really strong poll, with just 40% of respondents believing the team won’t be vying for the division title or a Wild Card spot (thanks to those fans who took the time to cast a troll vote predicting they’d be worse than the Colorado Rockies). Yes, I’m perhaps prognosticating too negatively suggest that a third place finish won’t push the Giants into the postseason for the first time since 2021, but that seems pretty reasonable given a non-NL West field that will almost certainly include the Mets, Atlanta, Phillies, Brewers, Cubs, and possibly the Reds. There might be room for just one other team in the NL West to make the postseason or realistically scrap it out.
That’s if you believe San Diego and Arizona are too weak to be serious competitors (and, if you’re thinking about another division, the Reds) both within the division and that field. That might wind up being the case, but it’s still a massive prognostication that, to me, outweighs projecting a Wild Card field that might only include one NL West team. Yes, absolutely, the Giants could wind up being the second-best team in the division, but San Diego’s range of projections is so wide that while they could wind up in the 80 to 82 win range, they could also get to 88 or 90. The conventional wisdom all offseason has been that the Giants will be chasing the Padres in 2026. The consensus with the Diamondbacks is that they’ll almost certainly trail the Giants, suggesting a third place team at best (unless those trolls who cast the fifth place finish votes wind up being correct).
But that’s enough about the playoffs. That’s a six months from now problem. Today, it’s about basking in the positivity. If I were to have predicted the results of this prediction poll, I would’ve come pretty close to getting it right. The Giants are playing great and they’ve got just enough “new” in the mix to make the last three months of last season not only a distant memory, but in no way predictive for 2026. It certainly feels like there has been positive developments with the development section of the roster and that’s before you start thinking about Logan Webb, Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, Heliot Ramos, and Jung Hoo Lee.
Indeed, this poll demonstrates that Giants fans have looked at the bullpen and concluded, “You know what? Keaton Winn will be 7th inning guy when the team breaks camp. Gregory Santos is the Prodigal Son who will setup Ryan Walker who will be a top tier closer despite how last season went. Buster Posey’s spaghetti-at-the-wall bullpen makes all the sense in the world.” They’ve seen the first six weeks of the schedule — which goes Yankees, Padres, at Mets, Phillies, at Orioles, at Reds (then at Nationals), Dodgers, Marlins, at Rays, Padres, Pirates, and Dodgers again — and have concluded, “Hey, they go 22-22 and they’re in great shape the rest of the way.”
A bad Spring Training record would not have engendered such optimism.
While there are probably fans who place a bet on the Giants winning the World Series every year no matter the odds, the Giants do appear to be a group with a lot more going on for it than wishcasting or “there’s always next year.” This is the second straight Spring Training where this basic roster core and executive group has looked competitive once assembled on a baseball field. Bob Melvin’s ancient staff of been there, done thats didn’t have any answers when that Spring Training success translated to regular season success but then floundered and you can bet that Tony Vitello and his coaching group won’t rest on “letting guys figure things out” if things go as terribly midseason as they did in 2025. The team’s makeup has changed with few changes to the team itself.
This week’s SB Nation Reacts report had two more questions included with the team-specific questions and came about because of the suspensions for Max Kepler and Jurickson Profar, who both tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in their system.
45% of MLB fans who voted in the SB Nation Reacts MLB polls this past week aren’t worried at all about PED usage in the sport. Only about 1/3 of fans see PEDs as, currently, a major problem and it’s a bit concerning that it’s so high. A major problem? I have a big smile on my face for the 20% result for “Only if it hurts my team.” Sometimes, that degree of lizard brained honesty is refreshing.
My lizard brain perceives the 35% thinking it’s a major problem as those who think the Dodgers are cheating and that the root of all evil is either the Dodgers or Yankees, because fans of a teams that usually stink must think that teams that try and win a lot must be the result of sorcery or some devil’s bargain. While it’s true that the Dodgers are The First Evil, the cause of all death and disaster in the universe, the histrionic segment of the US population that believes the key to “fixing” Major League Baseball is by constraining the Dodgers, Yankees, and Mets via the annihilation of the players’ collective bargaining power is no friend of mine or genuine fan of the sport. They’re tribalists who are channeling blood lust through team sport. I don’t find relief in inflicting pain on others, but I might be in the minority on that. But there will always be a group of people who want to hurt a stranger as much as they can imagine. And on that note, the second national poll question:
The majority of fans who voted are basically fine with the current punishment system, but a not-insignificant group of 41% wants more. I wonder how many of the “I only care if it affects my team” wanted harsher punishments. If my lived experience as an American is instructive at all, there’s probably a lot of overlap.
Of course, another suspension could be a big story for the labor negotiations, as the owners — and fans — have a list of grievances against the players they think will be compelling enough to impose a dumb stupid salary cap and a pathetic salary floor. We’re not there yet, though, and back to the point of this post: we’re not at the point where we can forget how well the Giants are doing right now.
Yes, zero negative and zero positive outcomes during Spring Training are predictive or matter, but it’s fun when the Giants win. That they’ve so rarely won over the past decade when the games have counted can’t get in the way of how they look today.
Lindor underwent surgery Feb. 11 to repair a stress fracture in his left hamate bone, a procedure that figured to jeopardize his availability for opening day. Yet Lindor is leading off and starting at shortstop against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, March 15, a full 11 days before the Mets are scheduled to open the season at home against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Lindor, the 32-year-old five-time All-Star, steadily worked through a rehab progression as spring training unfolded and appeared in three minor league games in the past week.
"He's ready to go," manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters in Port St. Lucie, Florida. "It's time for him to start playing for us after checking all the boxes and racking up good days."
Lindor, who struck out in his first plate appearance, debuted with new double-play partner Marcus Semien alongside at second base, and flanked at third by Bo Bichette, who will face his former Blue Jays teammates that made the trip from Dunedin to Port St. Lucie.
He was one of three prominent players who required hamate surgery at the outset of spring training. The hamate bone is typically removed or repaired, and can sideline players from six to eight weeks. Yet Lindor and Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star outfielder Corbin Carroll, who underwent surgery Feb. 12 and reported his hand "felt fine," returned around the one-month mark.
Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday underwent surgery Feb. 12 as well, but will open the season on the injured list and is expected back in mid-April.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Phillies have begun their final full week in Florida and team officials are bearing down on roster decisions.
Now, nothing is cast in stone. Things can change in a hurry. Way back in 1997, the Phils sent a young pitcher named Calvin Maduro to Triple A as camp was winding down. Then, just before heading north, the team put five pitchers on the disabled list. Not only was Maduro brought back to big-league camp, he was named starting pitcher for the second game of the season.
So, knowing that things can always change, let’s take a look at where the 26-man roster might stand eight days before the Phillies break camp and 11 days before they open the season against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park.
STARTING ROTATION
Cristopher Sanchez will be named opening day starter when he returns from the World Baseball Classic later this week. Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, Andrew Painter and Taijuan Walker are all locks with Zack Wheeler opening on the injured list. Wheeler is progressing well after surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome and could be activated as early as mid-to-late April.
BULLPEN
The Phils likely will go with an eight-man bullpen. Six spots appear to be locked up: Closer Jhoan Duran, Jose Alvarado, Brad Keller, Tanner Banks, Jonathan Bowlan and Orion Kerkering.
Side-arming lefty Kyle Backhus, picked up in an offseason trade with Arizona, has been impressive in Grapefruit League action. If he makes the club, the Phils would have a number of options for the final spot. Right-hander Zac Pop is on a big-league deal and out of minor-league options. Right-handers Chase Shugart and Seth Johnson are both on the 40-man roster with options. Zach McCambley is a Rule 5 pick who would have to be offered back to Miami if he doesn’t make the club. Veterans Lou Trivino, Tim Mayza and Trevor Richards are all in camp but on minor-league deals. Right-hander Max Lazar has been slowed by a sore oblique so he’s not a consideration for the opening day roster.
CATCHER
J.T. Realmuto will be backed up by either Rafael Marchan or Garrett Stubbs. There has been some talk of carrying three catchers but that might be a long shot. The Phils will risk losing Marchan or Stubbs on waivers to get them to Triple A.
INFIELD
Things look set with Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm and Trea Turner.
OUTFIELD
It will include rookie center fielder Justin Crawford, left fielder Brandon Marsh and right fielder Adolis Garcia.
DESIGNATED HITTER
Kyle Schwarber.
BENCH
The Phils are looking for four good men here.
Super sub Edmundo Sosa will get one spot. Marchan or Stubbs will get another. Stubbs got a brief look in left field on Sunday so that could impact the decision if he can add that type of versatility. The club remains intrigued by Otto Kemp’s bat, even though he’s had a slow spring. He could see platoon time in left field. If Kemp makes the club, the final spot could come down to Dylan Moore, a non-roster invitee who has significant major league time with Seattle and can play all over the diamond, and outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, who has swung a productive bat this spring. Moore might have the edge because he has the versatility manager Rob Thomson covets. He also has an out in his contract on March 21. De La Cruz is on a minor-league contract and does not have an out until July.
Mar 13, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; United States second baseman Brice Turang (13) throws out Canada catcher Bo Naylor (23) on a ground ball during the second inning during a quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The World Baseball Classic is down to just four teams, as there is one semifinal on Sunday before another on Monday leading into the championship game on Tuesday evening.
Sunday’s matchup features Team USA battling the Dominican Republic at 7 p.m. CT on FS1, with Italy and Venezuela battling for the other spot on Monday at 7 p.m. on FS1. Both games will take place at loanDepot Park in Miami.
The Brewers have at least one player on all four of those rosters, as follows:
Dominican Republic: RHP Abner Uribe
USA: 2B Brice Turang
Italy: MLB Pipeline Team No. 6 prospect 3B Andrew Fischer
Venezuela: C William Contreras, OF Jackson Chourio, and LHP Ángel Zerpa
Tune into the action today and tomorrow, and feel free to weigh in in the comments with your takes.
MIAMI, Florida — The party started before the game and spilled outside the park after Venezuela upset the defending World Baseball Classic champions from Japan in a back-and-forth game that thrilled more than 35,000 fans at loanDepot park. The MLB star-studded lineups from both countries played with an energy that matched October baseball, and maybe even put it to shame at times. After all when was the last time you got up for a drink and ran into a drum line with dancing fans at a playoff game?
The game began with a leadoff home run from Ronald Acuña Jr. to give Venezuela an early lead. Shohei Ohtani is not to be trifled with, however and matched that in the bottom of the first for Japan. According to Sarah Langs, no game in MLB history began the way last night’s action between Venezuela and Japan started:
It only got better from there with Gleyber Torres driving in a go-ahead run for Venezuela in the second before Japan chased Venezuela’s starter Ranger Suárez from the game in the third inning. It looked like Japan might put this away with this three-run home run by Shota Morishita, who replaced Seiya Suzuki in the game after Suzuki was injured trying to steal second base:
Venezuela was not to be deterred, however. Jackson Chourio led off the fifth inning with a walk to set up this two-run blast by Maikel García making it just a one-run lead for Japan:
The skip and hop as García rounds first when he knows it’s gone is everything. Or, at least was everything until Wilyer Abreu entered the chat and decided to see if a no doubt home run and bat flip for the ages could power a country of 30 million people:
Some things can only happen at the World Baseball Classic, like running into Daniel Palencia’s mom while browsing in the store and having her joyously pose for a picture of her wearing her son’s team jersey:
Palencia came on to close out the game and was all business as he threw pure gasolina:
Palencia struck out the first two batters before facing Shohei Ohtani. How could this game possibly end otherwise? The greatest baseball player on the face of the Earth had to be thwarted to end such a perfect game. Ohtani popped out to shallow center to end an absolutely wild baseball game:
If you thought the celebrations in the concourse during the game were elite, they had nothing on the energy flowing through loanDepot park after Venezuela won:
Your eyes don’t deceive you at the end of that video, a fan from Japan now decked out in a Venezuela hat borrowed a Venezuelan flag and joined the celebration. He was not alone. The after party spilled into a dance party outside the park where fans of both teams danced until the wee hours of the morning:
This is what it’s all about. Japanese and Venezuelan fans having a blast together after an incredible game by both teams. pic.twitter.com/sWw3vIcneH
These fans may come from opposite sides of the world and speak different languages, but that’s all irrelevant at the World Baseball Classic in Miami. We all know how to dance. We’re all powered on bat flips and vibes. The common language is baseball and we all speak it fluently.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: JJ Wetherholt #77 talks to Oliver Marmol #37 of the St. Louis Cardinals after beingn hit by a pitch during the third inning of a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 11, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals continue the push for the 2026 regular season with a Sunday Spring Training game versus the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Stadium. According to the St. Louis Cardinals share on social media today, Richard Fitts will get the start for St. Louis. The pitcher for the Washington Nationals will be former Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It should come as no surprise that the best right-handed hitter of our era is the biggest favorite to go yard in the game.
Aaron Judge has two homers in the WBC already, and he has three hits, a double, and a homer in his five career at-bats against Luis Severino.
Judge has a 1.072 OPS in the WBC and had a 1.285 OPS with two homers in five pre-WBC spring training games. The Yankees' slugger is in midseason form already.
Dominican Republic home run pick
Julio Rodriguez (+425 at DraftKings)
Rodriguez is a long shot, but offers great value at +425.
He's batting just .200 in the WBC but has one home run to his name. He also has two career extra-base hits against Skenes, while no other D.R. player on the home run board even has a hit against him...
Rodriguez had a 1.556 OPS in his pre-WBC spring training games, and he's in a great spot to go yard tonight.
How to watch USA vs Dominican Republic and game info
Location
LoanDepot Park, Miami, FL
Date
Sunday, March 15, 2026
First pitch
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FS1
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.
7 Mar 1998: General view of the St. Lucie County Stadium where a spring training game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets is being played in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Mets defeated the Dodgers 8-6. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Al | Getty Images
There has been a lot of baseball lately. I’m not in middle season baseball watching shape yet.
Among the highlights of the list is Ewing, who proved exactly why he's been skyrocketing up prospect rankings to become one of the most promising players in the Mets' system. The 21-year-old had a terrific spring with the big league team, hitting .381 with one home run, six RBI, and four stolen bases while posting an OPS of 1.090.
Clifford, another top prospect in the Mets' farm system, struggled this spring, going just 2-for-20 with seven strikeouts.
On the pitching side, the 23-year-old Lambert was a standout for the Mets, pitching 3.0 scoreless innings of relief while striking out eight batters of the nine outs he recorded.
There are 53 players remaining in Mets' major league camp
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 06: Ryder Ryan #40 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch on March 06, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers play two games at the same time on Sunday. Here is their roster for the contest at Camelback Ranch against the Texas Rangers.
Lineup
Miguel Rojas SS Kyle Tucker RF Freddie Freeman 1B Teoscar Hernández LF Max Muncy 3B Andy Pages CF Alex Freeland 2B Zyhir Hope DH Eliézer Alfonzo C
River Ryan starts on the mound, making his fourth appearance of the spring.
Other pitchers
Ryder Ryan is scheduled to pitch at some point after his brother, as are Edgardo Henriquez and Paul Gervase.
Up from the minors are Keynan Middleton (wearing number 95), Cam Day (90), Evan Shaw (91), Javier Bartolozzi (92), Accimias Morales (96), and Nick Robertson (97)
Other position players
Non-roster invitees Noah Miller and Nick Senzel are active for this game.
Up from minor league camp are Eduardo Quintero (06), Mike Sirota (07), Charles Davalan (87), Kole Myers (89), Yeiner Fernandez (01), Kyle Nevin (02), Logan Wagner (09), and catchers Jesus Galiz (08) and Frank Rodriguez (93).
