Category: Baseball

The Good Phight will be previewing the 2026 season by going over each position on the field. We’ll talk about the players that will occupy them, the players behind them, their strengths and weaknesses and give a few takes about how we think the season will shake out.

Had I told you that the Phillies have a right hander that is pretty important to the whole bullpen operation, the first one you’d think of is Jhoan Duran and you’d be right. He is the one that makes everyone else’s job a little easier, gives each pitcher something of a more defined role that many relievers crave.

Yet the other right hander that is going to play a rather large role in determining how well this bullpen functions is Brad Keller.

Signed this offseason to a sizeable contract after only relieving consistently for a single season, Keller parlayed a huge 2025 season into a two-year security blanket for the Phillies. Basing it off of last year, it was a well deserved contract at a not crazy number. His 2.10 ERA was 15th best among 147 qualified relievers last year. After the All-Star break, Keller allowed one earned run. One! There is a good argument to be made that after that All-Star Game, he was the best relief pitcher in the game.

Yet it was just one season in which he was dominant. The World Baseball Classic appearances he had didn’t exactly inspire confidence that the signing was a wise one. Making snap judgements on these handful of games is foolhardy, of course, so the work he has done in the past will have to be our guide.

Can he continue to show the form he had in the second half of 2025?

His arrival and expected performance means everyone in the bullpen outside of Duran will have a different role. No longer will it be Jose Alvarado needed for the 8th inning. He can instead be deployed in high leverage situations that come up earlier in the game if need be. The team won’t be as dependent on Orion Kerkering to get back to the confident self after his disastrous end of season outing in Los Angeles. Everyone has a better, more suited role in the bullpen now that they theoretically have a dominant arm to pair with Duran at the end of games.

It’s all part of the front office’s plan to have a better bullpen as a whole unit. Last year’s version really never took off until Jhoan Duran came to settle things down. Of course, they had to trade yet even more prospects for him, so acquiring more relief arms this offseason both of the free agent and trade variety has allowed them to stockpile some depth that they previously may not have had. Having to rely on Jose Ruiz last year for actual important innings at any point was simply asking for disaster and they very nearly found it had they not had an excellent starting pitching staff to take the bulk of innings. This year, that rotation depth is a little thinner, the questions about them a little louder, thus making bullpen strengthening a priority. Keller (plus full seasons from Duran and Alvarado) gives them that strength. On paper, this is a good group to have.

They just have to prove it on the field, led by Keller and the questions about his ability to repeat 2025.

After two late games last night, the White Sox are back for a single afternoon game here in the home stretch of the Cactus League. Many games have been pushed back to night due to the wild heat wave (104° at game time in Peoria, Ariz. last night!), but today both clubs will have to bulk up on their electrolytes.

But first, a batch of outright cuts from White Sox camp:

Pretty brutal for LaMonte Wade Jr., who’s had a great camp and clubbed two homers in the loss to the Padres just last night.

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A win at the Angels will assure the White Sox will avoid a losing record this year, as Opening Day starter Shane Smith gets his last tuneup for the season:

Given the proximity to the end of Spring Training, this lineup is more a late-stage tryout as it is a throwaway post-night doubleheader. Sam Antonacci might well be in the starting lineup by the second half of 2026, but for now he exists as a in-case-of-emergency-break-glass factor. There is a chance he beats out Curtis Mead for an infield spot, but the White Sox want Antonacci in an everyday role. Although he is playing left field over fighting-for-life Derek Hill (DH), so …

Why is Jarred Kelenic still in camp? He has played with little urgency and even less results. Hill has had a much better camp, although Kelenic set the bar low. Tristan Peters might beat out both.

Game time temp in Tempe will be 95°, rising to 104° by game’s end. Otherwise it’s another mystery game, so follow on Gameday or find a way to tune in to Angels radio. I’ll be here with you postgame.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ top prospects are set to host the Seattle Mariners’ top prospects in the third annual Spring Breakout at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Friday evening. For a full guide to the Spring Breakout, click here.

Bishop Letson, Milwaukee’s No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will get the start on the mound for the Crew. Letson, 21, was an 11th-round pick by Milwaukee in 2023 and is coming off a solid season. He made 10 appearances (eight starts) with the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, pitching to a 1.69 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 37 1/3 innings. He also made one start with the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers, allowing four runs with six strikeouts across four innings in that one. Letson will start opposite Mariners’ No. 3 prospect and MLB No. 33 prospect Ryan Sloan.

Milwaukee’s lineup features a slew of top prospects, including Jett Williams (team No. 3/MLB No. 51), Jesús Made (team No. 1/MLB No. 3), and Luis Peña (team No. 2/MLB No. 26) filling out the top third of the order. They’re followed by Cooper Pratt (team No. 4/MLB No. 64), Jeferson Quero (team No. 8), and Luis Lara (team No. 12). The lineup is rounded out by Josh Adamczewski, Brock Wilken, and Braylon Payne (team Nos. 11, 22, and 14, respectively).

The Mariners’ lineup also features four top 100 prospects in Jonny Farmelo (No. 78), Michael Arroyo (No. 67), Colt Emerson (No. 9), and Lazaro Montes (No. 43) batting in the top four spots of the order. Seattle’s team Nos. 7, 8, 10, and 12 are also included in the lineup. Of note for Northwoods League followers — Seattle’s No. 12 prospect is Korbyn Dickerson, who had a strong summer with the Madison Mallards in the 2023 and 2024 summers (.272/.357/.453 with 10 homers, 62 RBIs, and 50 runs scored across 71 games).

First pitch in this one is at 4:10 p.m. CT. You can tune in on MLB TV or, if you’re out of market, on MLB Network.

Our Spring Breakout lineup is soooooooo stacked

📺: https://t.co/0aVCkWeSJz & @MLBNetwork#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/TZpzuDEPWt

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 20, 2026

Our #SpringBreakout lineup is here! #TridentsUppic.twitter.com/dN2d7nyz0W

— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) March 20, 2026

The headline speaks for itself,

Officially a week a way, The Atlanta Braves will be taking on the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park with Chris Sale (2025 ERA: 2.58) taking the mound.

He will be facing Royals’ starter Cole Ragans (2025 ERA: 4.67 ERA), who will be looking for his first Opening Day victory out of his past two starts.

Making his seventh career Opening Day start (second with the Braves) the 2024 NL Cy Young award winner will look to kick the Braves off on a high note in contrast to last year’s start on the West Coast.

Picking up where he left off, Sale pitched in a total of 21 games after coming off of a back spasm set-back in 2024, that took him out of the remainder of the post-season competition in September.

Fast forward to 2025, Sale started a healthy campaign during his return, despite the overall team’s disappointing record. Though being moved to the 60-day IL list due to suffering a fractured rib cage in June, he made a successful comeback in late August to finish up his 21 game and 125.2 inning stint to complete the year with 165 total strikeouts, 161 ERA+ and 2.67 FIP.

It was also announced a month ago that Sale and the Braves had agreed to a one-year, $27 million extension that includes a $30 million option for 2028. This will guarantee him for next year and was noted by Braves’ reporter Grant McAuley, that the deal represents the highest AAV (Average Annual Value) ever given by the club.

Sale remarked prior to the extension that he wanted to retire as a Brave when the time came, but don’t think he won’t give the remainder of his career all he has to close out on a high note.

His 2026 campaign is officially a week away, and this start also makes him the 14th-oldest pitcher in Braves franchise history to start on Opening Day, as well as the sixth left-hander in franchise history to start multiple Opening Day contests.

Paul Toboni pulled the trigger on a massive move by sending Dylan Crews to Triple-A to start the season. Even as Crews struggled mightily this spring, I did not think they would pull the trigger and send him down. However, I was wrong and the former second overall pick will be starting his season in Rochester.

The Nationals have made the following roster moves:

Optioned to Triple-A Rochester:
-OF Dylan Crews
-RHP Jackson Rutledge

— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) March 20, 2026

This is a statement move by the new regime and shows that nobody will have a spot handed to them this year. There has been a lot of talk about a fresh start for these young players and that is certainly the case. However, this fresh start goes both ways, as we see here. If you are not producing, this new regime will not just hand you a spot in the big leagues.

We wrote about the idea of demoting Crews a few days ago. I thought it was a move that made sense, but did not think they would do it. Demoting a former top pick who was marketed as the future face of the franchise would be a gutsy move. Paul Toboni has made it clear that he is more than willing to make gutsy moves.

I don’t think it will happen, but the Nats should consider sending Dylan Crews to AAA and it is not just because of his slow spring https://t.co/QQTjdRg6cu

— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) March 17, 2026

If you just go off of this spring, the move makes a ton of sense. Crews was 3/28 this spring and mostly looked lost at the plate. He was also making mistakes in the field and looked like a guy who was pressing. It was similar to what we saw last year, but to an even more extreme degree. The whiffs were out of control, and when he did make solid contact, it was usually on the ground.

Sending Crews to AAA allows him to try and get right away from the spotlight. A re-set could be exactly what the 24 year old needs. He needs time to find himself again and regain that confidence that was beaming from him when he was at LSU. It is a tough pill to swallow, but it is probably what is best for Crews’ career.

Even when Crews was in Triple-A the last time, he never truly dominated the level. He hit .265 with a .795 OPS, which is solid, but not elite. It is clear that Crews was rushed due to the fact people assumed he would be a quick mover when he was drafted. When he had good, but not great results in the high minors, he went straight to the big leagues anyway.

Now, he will get that chance to dominate in AAA and re-establish himself. He will also get to work with really sharp hitting minds like Travis Fitta, which could help him out. This is a surprising decision, but not shocking either, given how his last couple years have gone.

The Nationals have optioned Dylan Crews to Triple-A Rochester. Absolutely a surprise, though it felt as though this could be in the cards.

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) March 20, 2026

It will be interesting to see how the outfield shakes itself out now. With Crews out of the picture, the Nats have Daylen Lile, Jacob Young, James Wood, Joey Wiemer and Christian Franklin as options. Will they keep all five or will they cut one more guy? I think Wiemer and Franklin will battle it out for the last spot in the outfield. Wiemer not having any minor league options likely will give him the edge.

Overall, this is a big time move by Paul Toboni. By cutting Crews, he is showing that nobody is safe and production will be valued over pedigree. As for Crews, he will have a role to play on this team at some point this season. However, he will have to earn it in AAA. There is a chance this could be the best thing to happen for Crews if he takes it the right way.

Previous Winner

Victor Valdez, SS
17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186

A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.

Rank	Player	Position	Votes	Total	Percentage	Last Season
1	Carson Williams	SS	14	25	56%	1
2	Brody Hopkins	RHP	19	25	76%	8
3	Jacob Melton	OF	14	28	50%	N/A
4	Theo Gillen	OF	14	26	54%	13
5	Ty Johnson	RHP	12	25	48%	15
6	Daniel Pierce	SS	13	23	57%	N/A
7	Jadher Areinamo	INF	15	28	54%	N/A
8	TJ Nichols	RHP	13	28	46%	N/R
9	Michael Forret	RHP	8	33	24%	N/A
10	Santiago Suarez	RHP	11	30	37%	16
11	Anderson Brito	RHP	7	28	25%	N/A
12	Xavier Isaac	1B	9	28	32%	3
13	Caden Bodine	C	10	25	40%	N/A
14	Brendan Summerhill	OF	11	27	41%	N/A
15	Slater de Brun	OF	10	25	40%	N/A
16	Nathan Flewelling	C	8	26	31%	N/R
17	Trevor Harrison	RHP	9	26	35%	10
18	Jose Urbina	RHP	13	26	50%	25
19	Tre’ Morgan	1B/LF	15	25	60%	4
20	Jackson Baumeister	RHP	12	27	44%	12
21	Aidan Smith	OF	17	29	59%	6
22	Homer Bush Jr.	OF	10	25	40%	21
23	Dom Keegan	C	10	28	36%	9
24	Gary Gill Hill	RHP	8	25	32%	11
25	Brailer Guerrero	OF	8	24	33%	14
26	Brayden Taylor	2B/3B	6	25	24%	2
27	Adrian Santana	SS	6	26	23%	N/R
28	Austin Overn	OF	7	21	33%	N/A
29	Taitn Gray	1B/OF/C	8	23	35%	N/A
30	Victor Valdez	SS	6	22	27%	N/A

The voters abandoned ship on Mesa Jr. for the final round, and Valdez came out of nowhere to grab the final official slot on this year’s list. For this bonus round, we will have a different approach for honorable mentions.

How to vote

In this round, I will include all the candidates here below. If you believe any of these candidates are worthy of an honorable mention rec the comment with their name. This approach will allow you to vote for as many of the candidates if you’d like.

If there’s a player you’d like to be included as an honorable mention not listed, put them in Others so folks can consider them for a vote as well. On Monday, we will tally the recs and look for a clear dividing line in the vote for a reasonable cut off.

Candidates

Fabricio Blanco, SS
17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161

A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.

Alex Cook, RHP
25 | 6’2” | 220
AA | 2.30 ERA, 2.29 FIP, 15.2 IP (13 G), 30.5% K, 5.1% BB

The Rays added Cook to the 40-man roster this off-season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, despite only throwing 20 innings (if you include four appearances in the complex league) after a slow start to the season. Cook attempted to convert to starting in 2024 and succumbed to a should injury, but bounced back in the bullpen in 2025 throwing 99 mph — and he has shown up to camp continuing to pitch with confidence. He has plus control and command, with stuff that leans into his low release point, including a cut-ride fastball and two-plane slider, and an MLB average cutter to prevent platoon slit problems. He should slot into high leverage for Durham and ride the shuttle in 2026.

Maykel Coret, OF
18 | R/R | 6’4” | 187
DSL | .273/.294/.370 (115 wRC+) 188 PA, 2 HR, 15 SB, 12.8% BB, 22.3% K

Tampa Bay’s top signee from the 2025 international class, Coret reported tall and young with a lot of projection. His future depends mostly on his hit tool, with prospect evaluators divided on a player that has a long way to go, but the exit velocity (111 mph) and foot speed are plus for his age. Promisingly, after he had a hot start to his professional career, Coret saw his strikeouts elevate in July, but he got them back under control in the final month. A move to the complex league in 2026 would be aggressive.

Cooper Flemming, SS
19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190

One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).

Cooper Kinney, 2B/3B
23 | L/R | 6’1” | 200
AA | .242/.299/.386 (103 wRC+) 501 PA, 13 HR, 0 SB, 7.2% BB, 25.0% K

After a bounce back year in 2024 (137+ in High-A), Kinney underwhelmed with a 103 wRC+ at Double-A. Kinney’s calling card is a pretty swing and masterful control of the strikezone, but with a higher than average injury risk. He would have been on track for a potential appearance at the MLB level, but with his performance last season he might even be ticketed back to Montgomery. Were the problems related to a nagging shoulder injury? After a 200 wRC+ April, his performance at the plate steadily declined, and Kinney hit no homeruns between July 13 and the end of September. The org played him 60 games at second base in 2026, 28 at third, and the rest at first or DH.

Victor Mesa Jr., OF
24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195
AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K
MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA

This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.

Dean Moss, OF
19 | L/R | 6’0” | 180

Signed well above slot out of the 2025 draft at No. 67 overall, Moss’s family moved from California to the Tampa Bay Area to enroll Moss at IMG, and it earned him a new-home-town selection. A jack of all trades, Moss’s hit tool shades his best thanks to plus bat speed. His swing is clean, with and the projection for his power over time is major league average. He will have competition internally to stick at center, but may get the first nod in the rookie league.

Émilien Pitre, 2B
23 | L/R | 5’11” | 185
A+ | .268/.356/.393 (122 wRC+) 524 PA, 9 HR, 14 SB, 11.6% BB, 20.4% K

The Rays 58th overall pick in 2024, Pitre has risen on draft boards through a strong performance in the Cape Cod league in 2023, but the power was a real question mark on his profile. Now given a chance to develop as a professional, he wouldn’t be the first to add muscle. His run and hit tools are plus, with a well coiled swing and solid contact in and out of zone. He’s too old to return to High-A and it be viewed as positive. His power stroke will be the key to his success in 2026.

Joe Rock, LHP
25 | 6’6” | 220
AAA | 5.21 ERA, 5.13 FIP, 96.2 IP (32 G, 15 GS), 21.1% K, 9.3% BB
MLB | 2 ER, 7 H (1 HR), 7.2 IP (3 G), 11 K, 2 BB

Rock got the call for the first time last season, riding the Durham shuttle in June and again in September after being acquired from the Rockies for former first rounder Greg Jones in an org roster shuffle ahead of the 2024 season. Rock’s calling card is a borderline double-plus slider that’s complimented by league average stuff from his sinker and change, although he’ll pop a high four-seam to keep ‘em honest. His arm action starts with a high back elbow and ends in a lower release point, and the look elevates his profile through deception. He’s most likely in a relief role.

Jonathan Russell, RHP
21 | 6’1” | 180
CPX | 3 H (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 3.0 IP
A | 2.17 ERA, 2.15 FIP, 37.1 IP (25 G, 0 GS), 30.5% K, 7.3% BB

The Rays signed Russell (no relation to yours truly) out of Cuba in May 2023 at 18, slotting him directly into the DSL team where he made the All-Star roster. The Rays brought him stateside in 2024 and it didn’t go great! He started in the FCL again in 2025 though and in two weeks he was at Charleston, getting 15 appearances as their closer and pitching to a 2.17 ERA, striking out 46 batters in 151 faced (30%) with only 11 walks. Where he should have been thinking about Bowling Green next, the Rays decided to give him some chances in the Arizona Fall League, where he closed out two games in six appearances. It’s majority fastball with some slider, mechanics are solid, if anything I’d like to see him try to get his release

Diamondbacks News

(SI.com) Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Rodriguez Has a Chance to Flip Ugly Narrative

Rodriguez is entering the third year of a four-year, $80 million deal he signed ahead of 2024. He was not brought on to be an ace, but rather to bring veteran stability to the D-backs’ rotation after posting a career year in Detroit during the 2023 season.

The results have not yet begun to show to that degree. An article from Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly listed Rodriguez as the worst-value contract on Arizona’s roster.

(Arizona Sports) Who will be the Diamondbacks’ closer? Answer may come during 1st save situation

The Arizona Diamondbacks have not named their closer to start the 2026 season, and they simply may not.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday he is close to announcing his rotation behind Opening Day starter Zac Gallen. The closer role, however, will likely be revealed when Arizona faces its first save situation.

“You’ll probably figure it out as I’m doing it,” Lovullo said. “That’s kind of the mindset I’ll have right now. I love where a few guys are at.

(NBC Sports) OREL HERSHISER, LUIS GONZALEZ, AL LEITER, AND NEIL WALKER NAMED ANALYSTS FOR NBC SPORTS’ MLB OPENING DAY DOUBLEHEADER:

Jason Benetti handles play-by-play, joined by analysts and World Series heroes Luis Gonzalez and Orel Hershiser.

Gonzalez, a five-time All-Star, played 19 MLB seasons (1990-2008), highlighted by eight years with the Diamondbacks. In Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Gonzalez hit the game-winning single as Arizona won its first championship. The Fall Classic heroics capped his best statistical season as he won the Silver Slugger with a .325 batting average, 57 home runs and 142 RBI. An analyst for select Diamondbacks games, Gonzalez won the 2005 Branch Rickey Award for community service.

MLB News

(Yahoo! Sports) MRI reveals Seiya Suzuki strained PCL in WBC; Cubs yet to decide if he will go on IL ahead of Opening Day

An MRI revealed that Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki has a strained PCL after injuring his right knee Saturday while trying to steal second base during Samurai Japan’s 8-5 loss to Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell called the update “good news” and noted that the injury is “minor in nature,” according to MLB.com.

(CBS Sports) Building a dream Team USA roster for the 2030 World Baseball Classic

This raises an interesting hypothetical insofar as the 2030 WBC is concerned: What might the Team USA lineup and rotation look like four years from now?

This, of course, is a highly speculative exercise given that, you know, it’s four years away, which means we’re going to have to make some (lightly) educated guesses as to which players, young to young-ish in the here and now, are at the top of their guild come 2030. In other words, expect a lot of roster turnover from the current team (speaking of which, only one player in Team USA’s starting lineup on Tuesday night — Kyle Schwarber — was in the lineup for the 2023 title game).

On the heels of another fun World Baseball Classic — this one with an unexpected result, as Venezuela emerged with the gold — it seemed a good time to review how it’s being received by White Sox fans. There has been a fair amount of discussion over the timing of the tournament, what with the potential for injury (Kyle Teel of the White Sox will miss a month with a strained hamstring, for example).

Most of you remain OK with the tournament being held during Spring Training, however:

There were a fair number of you, let’s just call you cranky fans, who think the WBC should not be played at all. One option not presented in the poll (and mentioned in the comments on the original posting) was an All-Star break WBC. It still feels like much too much of a distraction mid-season, and would truly change the nature of a baseball season for the first time in almost 100 years, the dawn of the All-Star Game. But surely an All-Star break WBC would have gotten some votes above.

The national questions you were asked this week all were WBC-centered as well:

“Nothing” being the most enjoyable part of the WBC is an interesting answer. THOSE are readers dedicated to answering every survey question!

Have to say, if you are voting for the U.S. as the most entertaining team in the WBC, you are hate-watching it.

There is healthy debate over when and if the WBC should be held. But the notion that players are more apt to be injured in the WBC vs. Spring Training games still seems to be a stretch.

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Did you miss out on this round of questions? No worry, sign up here to participate in our weekly emailed surveys, and have your White Sox voice be heard!

This week’s Reacts is brought to you by FanDuel.

Even after recording the best record in their league, winning a pennant, and getting to within a fateful bounce or two of winning the World Series, the road is not always easy in perhaps the league’s most competitive and balanced division. That is precisely where the 2026 Blue Jays find themselves.

2025 was a resounding success, and with much of the core from last year’s American League champions still in tact, expectations will be high this season. Despite that, their division is tough, and they have nearly a rotation’s worth of good pitchers beginning the year on the injured list. Matching last season’s success will be anything but easy for the Blue Jays, but the potential is there.

2025 record: 94-68 (1st, NL East)
2026 FanGraphs projection: 86-76 (T-2nd, AL East)

While the lineup that propelled the Jays to a pennant last season is largely in tact for 2026, the projected starting group did undergo some changes. Bo Bichette left for the Mets in free agency, signing a three-year $126 million deal. On top of that, Anthony Santander, who signed a five-year deal worth nearly nine figures before his dismal 2025 season, underwent labrum surgery last month that will keep him out for the majority of the regular season.

It was not all losses, however, as they signed infielder Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year from the NPB over the offseason. He began his career in Japan with six consecutive 30-home run seasons, and is coming off of a shortened year where he posted a 210 wRC+ in 293 plate appearances in one of the world’s best leagues. Projections see him as a legitimate everyday bat, with solid power in a well above league-average profile.

Outside of the changes, the lineup still remains strong at the top. After it appeared he may be just about washed with the bat, George Springer bounced back in 2025 with a shocking career year at 35, and he’ll look to ride that wave into ‘26. Daulton Varsho experienced a renaissance as well, setting career-highs across the board and hitting 20 homers in just 71 games. Guerrero is a star despite the occasional ups and downs, and the supporting cast of Addison Barger, Alejandro Kirk, Andrés Giménez, and Ernie Clement is more than serviceable.

On the pitching side of things, the situation is not as sturdy in Toronto. Veterans Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease lead the way. Gausman had a good bounce-back in 2025, and the strikeout-heavy Cease will look to have one of his own after signing a seven-year $210 million deal this offseason. Max Scherzer returned to the club on a one-year deal to provide some stability in the back of the rotation, but beyond that, things get shaky.

To begin the season, each of Shane Bieber, José Berríos, and hotly-anticipated sophomore Trey Yesavage will begin the season on the injured list. The confidence their two veterans provide for their teammtes will be missed, and Yesavage appears to have ace potential, which the Jays will surely be eager to get back. At full strength this is a rotation that features top-notch talent, with veteran depth that would be highly valuable in a potential October run. The question, however, is when at least most of them can get healthy at the same time.

As for the bullpen, Toronto retains almost everyone who helped them get to the doorstep of a title in the 2025 postseason, with closer Jeff Hoffman, playoff workhorse Louis Varland, and contributors Mason Fluharty, Brendon Little, and Braydon Fisher back in the fold. The notable exception is a free agent swap of Seranthony Domínguez (now of the White Sox) for the crafty-but-effective Tyler Rogers, who signed a three-year, $37 million contract after leading the majors with 81 games pitched in 2026 between the Giants and Mets, recording a 1.98 ERA and 0.944 WHIP.

Coming off of a pennant-winning campaign, the talent and potential in Toronto is clear, but they do not come without some uncertainties. Health is an issue out of the gates, but they also occupy a notoriously competitive division. In the American League East, FanGraphs projects all five teams to go at least .500, and for the Jays, Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles all to finish within three games of each other. Though it won’t likely finish that way, it’s telling of the balanced and talented state of the AL East, which makes the path to good postseason position difficult for any team, including the defending pennant winners.

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Spring Training is winding down, with the final slate of Friday games taking place today.

My MLB picks assess three of these March 20 tune-up affairs, looking for the best value on the board.

See why I'm taking the Braves to pick up yet another exhibition win tonight.

Spring Training predictions for March 20

Pick #1: Guardians moneyline

The Seattle Mariners are a putrid 9-17 in Cactus League play, with an MLB-worst -47 run differential in Spring Training, so I'm more than willing top back the Cleveland Guardians at a coin-flip price today.

Gabe Mosser gets the pill for Seattle, and he's sandwiched a rough five-run outing with two scoreless ones of two innings each. 

Cleveland has put up some crooked numbers of late, so I don't think Mosser will escape unscathed. 

Pick #2: Braves moneyline

Pittsburgh Pirates SP Yohan Ramirez has been just fine in Spring Training, allowing only two earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. However, Ramirez has yet to see the third inning through seven exhibition appearances.

This increases the chances of the Pirates deploying some depth arms that will get rocked by the Atlanta Braves' potent lineup.

The Braves have plated a Grapefruit League-best 138 runs. Bryce Elder does not need to bring his best to the mound for Atlanta to prevail today.

Pick #3: Diamondbacks moneyline

I like being able to back Arizona Diamondbacks SP Zac Gallen at coin-flip odds. He's been solid in Spring Training since last year, allowing one earned run or fewer in seven straight outings prior to Saturday's effort vs. San Francisco.

Gallen coughed up three earned runs in the Giants' stadium, but I think he can right the ship at home vs. the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

Countering Gallen is Jacob Misiorowski. He's been solid but unspectacular this spring, allowing three ER over 7 1/3 frames. He had an 8.10 ERA in exhibition play last season.

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The 2025 Cincinnati Reds won more games than they lost, finished 3rd in the National League Central, and still somehow found a way to sneak into the expanded playoff system (for a minute).

Clearly, Nick Krall and the rest of the front office think they’re on to something, as the club went out and signed slugger Eugenio Suárez off another 49 homer season and spent diligently to build a proven, competent bullpen. That’s all after an attempted pursuit of Kyle Schwarber – fresh off a 56 dinger season of his own – as evidence that this franchise is convinced they’ve got the chops to win even more games in 2026.

Where does that put them in the grand scheme, though? Did they do enough to leapfrog the Chicago Cubs in the division, the club who let Kyle Tucker walk? Have they built themselves up with another year of experience to tackle the mighty Milwaukee Brewers, who led all of baseball in wins last season?

Just how high will they finish in the division in 2026?

That’s what we asked you earlier this week, and your responses pretty clearly indicate that you’ve got higher expectations for the 2026 Reds than you did for last year’s club, too.

Over two-thirds of you anticipate these Reds finishing in one of the top two spots in the NL Central this season, meaning they’re going to have to not only take down one of the Cubs or Brewers but also fend off a Pittsburgh Pirates club that is much improved themselves.

It isn’t outlandish to expect such things as it currently stands. Elly De La Cruz is healthy again, while Matt McLain finally looks back to his old self with another offseason removed from his shoulder issues. Nate Lowe and JJ Bleday look to be savvy additions brought in on the cheap, and Sal Stewart is ready to roll for a full season. Hunter Greene’s absence is daunting, to be sure, but this team has drafted and acquired the kind of starting pitching depth that the rest of baseball desires – and Greene’s going to be back mid-summer, too.

It’s going to take ~90 wins to jump into the top two in the division, in all likelihood, and this is off an 83 win season from these Reds. So, you’re betting on there being enough improvement across the board for Terry Francona to guide this team to a place they’ve not been since all the way back in 2013.

I cannot tell you how much I hope you are correct.

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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Earlier this week I asked you in the SB Nation Reacts survey who should be in right field for the Cubs if Seiya Suzuki is not ready for Opening Day.

Also earlier this week, Cubs manager Craig Counsell stated that Matt Shaw would be his choice to be in that position.

And the majority of you agreed with Counsell:

Honestly, I don’t think I agree with this choice. Shaw has looked… well, adequate at best in right field. He’s made a couple of misplays and the eye test says he doesn’t really have the arm for right field. Personally? If it were up to me, I’d put Dylan Carlson out there. He’s at least played the position before and he’s a switch-hitter. Carlson has also had a good spring and is almost certainly going to make the team.

When the update on Suzuki’s injury was made on Tuesday and the Cubs got the good news that it was “minor,” Counsell said he’d wait until Saturday to make a decision about whether Suzuki would open the year on the injured list. So, as always, we await developments.

There were three questions asked of all SB Nation Reacts survey members this week, all having to do with the World Baseball Classic and international baseball in general.

All of the first three answers were good things about the WBC. Certainly, high-intensity baseball, the choice of the plurality, was a good thing. But I liked the player energy and celebrations and that was my choice. That’s the sort of thing we don’t often see in MLB, and I really liked seeing players from countries like Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and others really seem to be having fun. Even the Italian-Americans representing Italy made the WBC a happy place with their espresso machine celebration. Speaking of which…

Can’t disagree with that one.

I voted for “it should happen more often.” I really enjoy these events, as well as MLB teams playing overseas. Having gone to both the London Series and Tokyo Series games in which the Cubs were involved, I can tell you that even in the UK, not a baseball hotbed, people seemed into the event. And Japanese folks were just overjoyed to have the Tokyo Series.

I am not sure when the next WBC will be held — I have read both 2029 and 2030. The date will likely be part of the next CBA negotiation. Again, as always, we await developments.

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Less than a week away from the start of the 2026 regular season, the St. Louis Cardinals will send Matthew Liberatore to the mound for a Spring Training matchup against the New York Mets at Clover Park with a start time of 12:10pm. MLB.com shows that the Mets will start Tobias Myers.

As usual, this figures to be the strongest division in baseball — one where you could make an argument for four teams and if you squinted really hard, a fifth one as well. Still, this division has sent the American League representative to the World Series for the past two seasons in a row and there’s every opportunity for this collection of clubs to make it three in a row.

Baltimore Orioles

2025 season: 75-87

When do they play the Braves: Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25 at 7:05 p.m. ET. Sunday, July 26 at 1:35 p.m. ET. All games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

I feel like the Braves and Orioles are kindred spirits. Both teams had big expectations for 2025. Both teams fell flat on their faces for various reasons. Both teams went into the offseason needing at least one more starting pitcher in order to really seem set for the upcoming season. The Orioles were the ones who went into the free agent market in order to pick up a starter, as they’ll now be heading into the season with Chris Bassitt joining their pitching staff.

Bassitt will be joining the likes of Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Shane Baz, Dean Kremer and Zach Eflin. While none of these guys are particularly dominant in their own right, that’s a rotation that could certainly give any lineup fits on any given day and honestly, you can do a lot better than having five decent arms instead of one great arm and four arms who have plenty of flaws. That’s not to say that this crew doesn’t have their flaws — their ceiling is low and their floor is pretty low as well, so while the O’s could have a perfectly fine rotation, it’s also possible that this crew ends up being a liability like they were last season.

It also doesn’t help that the bullpen doesn’t have a lot to write home about. Ryan Helsley is here now but he’ll have a lot to prove after he somehow finished with a 4.50 ERA and 4.14 FIP in 2025. Even with all of the concerns that Helsley has going into this season, he still appears to be the best hurler in this bullpen — which may or may not be concerning. Andrew Kittredge won’t be here for Opening Day, either, so this relief corps will already be a bit shorthanded heading into the upcoming season.

Speaking of shorthanded, that’s how this lineup will be as well. Jordan Westburg’s elbow injury is going to keep him out through at least April and then they’ll also be missing Jackson Holliday to start the season. They do have Pete Alonso at first base now and Baltimore is hoping that his power-hitting will become contagious with a lineup that has spent a long time scuffling now. If everybody lives up to what’s on the back of their baseball cards then they may be able to slug their way out of any holes that the pitching staff may leave them in if they aren’t clicking as well. If not then this could be a long Summer in Baltimore. Sounds familiar, right?

Boston Red Sox

2025 season: 89-73

When do they play the Braves: Three-game series May 15-17 at Truist Park, Three-game series May 26-28 at Fenway Park

Atlanta’s traditional interleague rivals appear primed to make another push for the Postseason. If that happens then Roman Anthony is going to have a lot to say about it. As his presence on Team USA during the WBC would seem to indicate, he appears to be on a star trajectory and he’ll also have to be the straw that stirs the drink for this lineup. He’ll also have to pride most of the power, since this team’s Achilles heel may be their lack of power-hitting. Maybe we’ll see Willson Contreras smack baseballs all around Fenway but outside of that, this team is definitely lacking a bit when it comes to real slugging and it could come back to bite them when it comes to making noise in October.

Boston’s rotation certainly appears ready to pick up the slack. Garrett Crochet is a superstar, Ranger Suárez is a great addition to this rotation and his presence should help take some pressure off of fellow addition Sonny Gray. Gray should settle into the middle of this rotation alongside Brayan Bello and Johan Oviedo has the potential to return to what he was before he went down due to Tommy John surgery a while back. Meanwhile with the relievers, Aroldis Chapman continues to be Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock is also an impactful arm coming out of the pen. Those two will help shorten games at the end of this bullpen but the Red Sox are likely going to be hoping that their starters can get straight to these two without any issues because there isn’t a lot of quality behind them.

Overall, the Red Sox seem like a Postseason contender — it’s just a matter of how they’ll fare in the always-tough AL East. If all goes well for them (mainly if they can start hitting the ball hard and if the rotation can carry them to glory) then a divisional title is certainly possible. If the power outage continues then they’ll be on the outside looking in or having to scratch and claw for another Wild Card spot.

New York Yankees

2025 season: 94-68

When do they play the Braves: August 7 at 7:05 p.m. ET, August 8 at 3:05 p.m. ET and August 9 at 1:35 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees have essentially decided to run it back, as they certainly didn’t have a flashy offseason by any means. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for a team that basically sauntered into the Postseason last year — even though they came up short in the divisional race. Perhaps that’s why the grumbling amongst Yankees fans that they’re choosing to simply go again with what they’ve got could be understandable.

As such, any preview that you’ve seen about the Yankees from 2025 could largely be applied to 2026. We know what Aaron Judge is going to provide. We know what Max Fried is going to provide. Will Trent Grisham slot into center field as a perfect fit for this team? Will Ryan Weathers serve as a reliable rotation arm for this group of starters? Will the rotation be able to stay afloat before both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón make their return from injury?

Outside of those questions, there’s a lot to like here(as much as you can like about the New York Yankees) with this squad. There’s a reason why they won 94 games last season and could’ve been primed for a rematch with the Dodgers in the World Series. However, they’ll have to be just as good this season if they want to reclaim their spot on the top of the American League mountain.

Tampa Bay Rays

2025 season: 77-85

When do they play the Braves: September 8 and 9 at 7:15 p.m. ET. September 10 at 12:15 p.m. at Truist Park.

Well, the good news is that the Rays will be back in their home of Tropicana Field as it appears to be ready for big league baseball once again following the disastrous effects of Hurricane Milton. They’re going to need a lot to go their way in order to contend in this division, as they appear to be the fifth-best team in a five-horse race of thoroughbreds.

That’s not to say that all hope is lost here, as the Rays have managed to defy expectations in the past in order to upset the apple cart in this division. The issue is that the Rays are clearly short on talent compared to the rest of the division. Sure, Junior Caminero is looking like a star and he’s got guys like Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Díaz around him but outside of that, you have to look really hard to find some talent that’s ready to make impact production right now. This is a young team that’s going through a retooling and unelss there are some more surprise breakouts, this team seems destined to be fighting just to avoid the AL East cellar.

The pitching staff should be very good, though, which is why you shouldn’t write them off as being an also-ran. If Shane McClanahan can return to form now that he’s finally healthy then he should perfectly compliment a rotation that also has the likes of Drew Rasmussen and Ryan Pepiot as well. The bottom portion of this rotation overperforming would be crucial to seeing this team pull off a magical run. Steven Matz and Nick Martinez would have to be rock solid — or they could just wait for their hot prospects (like Joe Boyle and Ian Seymour) to emerge and maybe they could hit the ground running. The bullpen would also have to be way more effective outside of Griffin Jax and Edwin Uceta (once he’s healthy) in order for Tampa Bay to make it happen.

On paper, this is a last place team in the AL East. In reality? The Rays have shocked us all before and it’ll have to be a major shock again if they can become a contender in 2026.

Toronto Blue Jays

2025 season: 94-68

When do they play the Braves: June 2-4, all at 7:15 p.m. ET at Truist Park

The fact that the Dodgers had to completely empty the tank in order to beat this team should tell you the quality that this team had last season. The good news is that they’re bringing back most of the players from that run. The bad news is that they’ve lost Bo Bichette and also outfield slugger Anthony Santander is going to be out long-term. Toronto did manage to add Jesús Sánchez in order to help cover for that huge loss of production and they also added Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce to their rotation as well. The Kazuma Okamoto signing seems like a perfect fit for them as well.

The big question for the Jays is whether or not they’ll have the same level of production from both their stars and some unexpected sources as well. George Springer producing a 5.2 fWAR season at Age-35 out of nowhere was massive for them and it’s tough to envision them reaching those same heights without him at least coming close to that level of production. Still, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is here, Alejandro Kirk is here and the rest of the lineup is rock solid as well. Toronto’s rotation is also filled to. the brim with talent and they’ve got a perfectly reliable closer in Jeff Hoffman as well. Everything came together for the Blue Jays last season and yet they came up painfully short. Will they have the fortitude to make sure it all comes together again so they can return? We’ll see what happens.

Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., BayCare Ballpark – Clearwater, FL
SB Nation Site:The Good Phight
Media: MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network