Category: Sports News

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.

By the end of the night, one Pool B team at the World Baseball Classic will have their unbeaten record snapped.

Both Team USA and Mexico are entering tonight’s matchup 2-0 in pool stage play, but either teams’ hopes of winning the pool wouldn’t be dashed with a loss tonight, as each team is scheduled to play the also-unbeaten Italy over the next two days. A win against Italy would go a long way in determining quarterfinal placement.

USA and Mexico’s baseball rivalry goes back four World Baseball Classics; in 2006, the United States beat Mexico in their first-ever matchup, but Mexico won the next three, including an 11-5 victory in the 2023 WBC.

Mexico is coming off a huge 16-0 win over Brazil — marking the third-largest margin of victory in any World Baseball Classic. The game ended with a walk-off home run that pulled Mexico past the 15-run threshold to end the game in the sixth inning.

In Team USA’s last game, Kyle Schwarber opened scoring with a two-run homer in the fifth and they went on to beat Great Britain, 9-1.

Tonight, Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young winner Paul Skenes will be on the mound for Team USA.

World Baseball Classic: USA vs. Mexico start time

Tonight’s (March 9) World Baseball Classic matchup between USA and Mexico is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.

How to watch USA vs. Mexico for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching baseball live for free — its five-day free trial includes FOX (plus most other channels you’ll need for the upcoming MLB season including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $34.99/month and gain access to top live channels.

Sling TV is another affordable way to stream NFL games; its Select plan includes FOX and starts at $19.99/month.

World Baseball Classic 2026: Team USA roster

• Pitchers: David Bednar (Yankees), Matthew Boyd (Cubs), Garrett Cleavinger (Rays), Clay Holmes (Mets), Griffin Jax (Rays), Brad Keller (Phillies), Clayton Kershaw, Nolan McLean (Mets), Mason Miller (Padres), Joe Ryan (Twins), Paul Skenes (Pirates), Tarik Skubal (Tigers), Gabe Speier (Mariners), Michael Wacha (Royals), Logan Webb (Giants), Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox)
• Catchers: Cal Raleigh (Mariners), Will Smith (Dodgers)
• Infielders: Alex Bregman (Cubs), Ernie Clement (Blue Jays), Paul Goldschmidt (Yankees), Bryce Harper (Phillies), Gunnar Henderson (Orioles), Brice Turang (Brewers), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)
• Outfielders: Roman Anthony (Red Sox), Byron Buxton (Twins), Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Aaron Judge (Yankees)
• Designated hitter: Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)

World Baseball Classic 2026: Team USA schedule

• USA (15) vs. Brazil (5), March 6
• USA (9) vs. Great Britain (1), March 7
• vs. Mexico, March 9 at 8 p.m. ET (FOX)
• vs. Italy, March 10 at 9 p.m. ET (FS1)

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

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.

With Opening Day about two and a half weeks away, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns met with members of the media to break down what he's seen so far this spring, while looking ahead to the regular season....

Francisco Lindor remains on track

While Lindor has been sidelined from game action since undergoing surgery on his left hamate bone in early February, the expectation all along has been that the star shortstop would be back by Opening Day.

Stearns said on Monday that the plan hasn't changed.

"All indications we have is this is going as planned, and we have a similar level of optimism that he’ll be ready for Opening Day," Stearns said. 

Stearns also added that getting Lindor in-game at-bats would be a must, saying that the team would not put him in the Opening Day lineup without getting some at-bats first.

"That would be a prerequisite. We wouldn’t have his first competition be Opening Day," Stearns explained. "We would ensure there are at-bats... I would expect Grapefruit League, but we haven’t mapped this out yet."

Roster questions left to answer

While the starting right field job has been in the spotlight throughout camp, Stearns explained that the Mets still have a few roster questions still to be answered, but also said the team makes sure all players are ready for the upcoming season.

"I think we have the right field question that we’re going to have to answer. There’s probably a bench question that we’re going to have to answer, and then one or two bullpen spots that we’re going to have to answer," said Stearns. "But for the most part, this is about getting our team and individual players ready for the season. I think we’re doing that. I think our coaching staff has done a really nice job of making sure this is a well-run, efficient camp, and we’ve done that so far. And it’s been good for me to see."

Clubhouse culture

Chemistry within the Mets clubhouse has been a talking point throughout the offseason, and when Stearns was asked what he's seen from this group early on, he explained that even with a team of veterans, the Mets are putting in the work every single day.

"I think guys are getting after it, and that’s been good to see. We have a very focused group in there," Stearns said. "As I mentioned earlier, the work has been really quality on the field, and that’s something you don’t see every spring. I think we have a group that is actively trying to get better every single day, and that can be somewhat unique with a team full of veterans. That’s not often the case. 

"A lot of times you come to spring training with a veteran team and everyone’s really just got Opening Day circled and is just counting down the days until Opening Day. I think what we’ve felt here is guys are taking every single day seriously. They’re going out, they’re getting their work in, they’re working very well with our coaching staff, and it’s been very good to see."

The Dodgers look to snap their two-game losing streak as they take on the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Monday. Emmet Sheehan goes for the Dodgers while Aaron Ashby starts for Milwaukee.

MONDAY GAME INFO

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Brewers
• Ballpark: American Family Fields of Phoenix
• Time: 1:10 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market)
• Radio: none

It’s a rematch of the NLCS at American Family Fields of Phoenix as the Brewers take on the Dodgers Monday afternoon.

And just like the NLCS, on the mound for the Brewers will be Aaron Ashby to start things off. He’s continuing to get stretched out this spring training for a potential starting role. Following him will be offseason trade addition Shane Drohan and then non-roster invitee Jacob Waguespack. The Dodgers will have Emmett Sheehan starting on the mound for them.

In the starting lineup, the Brewers have a number of their key roster pieces in there today. Sal Frelick will lead off while playing in center field for a change, followed by Luis Rengifo and the 2018 MVP, Christian Yelich. Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez fill up the middle of the order. Some of the spring breakout stars, Akil Baddoo and Brandon Lockridge, will follow while David Hamilton and Greg Jones round out the bottom of the order.

The Brewers did make a round of roster cuts today, optioning Jeferson Quero and Sammy Peralta and reassigning a number of non-roster invites to minor league camp, including top prospects like Jesús Made and Luke Adams. Jones has also been reassigned, along with Eddys Leonard, Darrien Miller, Ramón Rodríguez, and Matt Wood.

First pitch is at 3:10 p.m. CT and can be seen on Brewers.TV today with Brian Anderson, Bill Schroeder, and Tim Dillard in the booth. It’ll also be broadcast on WTMJ 620 and the Brewers Radio Network.

Just a day after the White Sox announced the former Rule 5 draft pick Shane Smith would be the Opening Day starter, another Rule 5 pick takes the mound against the Rockies. Jedixson Paez, who was picked up on December 10, 2025, and was assigned to the White Sox prospects on March 5, will get this afternoon’s start. Paez was previously with the Boston Red Sox organization, and unless the Soxes come to an agreement, Paez must be on the active White Sox roster all season long, or be returned to Boston; this start is crucial to his future in Chicago.

As for the players currently playing in the World Baseball Classic, there was not a lot going on yesterday. Seranthony Domínguez (Dominican Republic) and Kyle Teel (Italy) did not play. Curtis Mead (Australia) went 0-for-4, 2 K, and Munetaka Murakami (Japan) was 0-for-3, BB. Sam Antonacci (Italy) had a better day, with a final of 1-for-4, 3B, R, RBI, K.

Kyle Freeland will get the start for the Rockies today. We’ll also see our old friend Nicky Lopez starting at shortstop.

The game won’t be available to watch or listen to, but it starts at 3:05 p.m. CT.

Earlier today, the White Sox sent three more players out of major-league camp:

Murray had two homers in Cactus League play but not much else. González had gotten rocked pretty hard over four appearances, while Sandlin hadn’t appeared at all in Cactus League play.

We’re back, and so is J.P. Crawford.

The Mariners play the Diamondbacks in another rousing round of Spring baseball. Crawford is in the lineup and playing shortstop for the first time this Spring, after a slower start than usual while battling shoulder issues. Ryan Bliss and Brendan Donovan flank him on either side of the infield. Luke Raley gets another starter in center field, which is increasingly becoming a thing. Rob Refsnyder is in right and Victor Robles is at DH.

Bryan Woo is on the mound for his third start of the Spring. I expect he’ll work a bit deeper than last time, and probably exit around the fourth inning, as he continues to ramp up.

Game information

Game time: 1:10 PT

TV: No

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, the Seattle Sports app, or Gameday

Texas Rangers at San Diego Padres, March 8, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Peoria Sports Complex – Peoria, AZ

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

• Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
• Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
• Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads

GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

After taking a loss to the White Sox yesterday, the Royals will play another division rival in the Cleveland Guardians today. We’ll get another look at Ryan Bergert, whose appearances thus far in Spring Training have been relatively quiet. He’s thrown only three innings of one-hit ball.

Cleveland sends Parker Messick to start. Messick is another one of those “I’ve never heard of this guy” pitchers that Cleveland seems to manufacture every year. He threw 39.2 innings across seven MLB starts last season and accumulated 1.0 fWAR with a solid 2.72 ERA and 2.98 FIP. He was the 54th overall pick in 2022 by Cleveland.

With the WBC going on, we’re definitely going to see some guys in the lineups today.

The game starts at 3:05pm US Central. You can listen on KWOD 1660.

Lineups:

In his first spring training action of 2026, Kyle Freeland faced the daunting task of pitching against Team USA in an exhibition game on March 4. He gave up a solo homer to Aaron Judge in a two-hit, one-strikeout performance in one inning.

Today, Freeland and the Rockies (8-6-1) will take part in his first Cactus League action against the White Sox (10-7) at Camelback Ranch. The Rockies are 5-2 on the road this spring vs. 3-5-1, including the showdown vs. Team USA, at Salt River Fields.

Today’s game represents a rematch of a Feb. 23 showdown where the Rockies beat the White Sox 5-4. Chicago will send Jedisxson Paez to the mound to start the game. The 22-year-old RHP will be making his third spring appearance. He’s posted a 23.14 ERA in 2 1/3 innings over two starts with six earned runs, six hits, including one homer, three strikeouts and one walk. Former Rockie Drew Romo will be starting at catcher for the White Sox.

On Sunday, four pitchers combined to throw five scoreless innings and Kyle Karros and Tyler Freeman each had two-hit performances in the Rockies 4-4 tie with Cleveland. Even though it’s only spring training, the Rockies offense has been much improved thus far. The Rockies rank among all Major League teams this Spring in: on-base percentage (.381, T-1st), home runs (23, T-4th), average (.287, 3rd), HBP (14, T-2nd), slugging (.492, 3rd), OPS (.871, 3rd), runs scored (98, 5th), RBI (91, 6th) and total bases (254, 6th).

Earlier on Monday, the Rockies released a new motto for the 2026 campaign: “New era. At altitude. We are here for the climb.”

First Pitch: 2:05 p.m. MDT

TV: None

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network (1:55 p.m. pregame)

Lineups:

The 2025 Kansas City Royals were not bad. However, they also share a division with the Detroit Tigers (excellent in the first-half of the season) and the Cleveland Guardians (excellent in the second-half), so their 82 wins just weren’t enough to push them into the postseason.

Consider some of the details.

The good? Bobby Witt Jr. (8 fWAR), Maikel Garcia (5.6 fWAR), the pitching staff (3.80 ERA).

The bad? The outfielders couldn’t hit (like, at all, to the tune of a collective 73 wRC+), and the Royals (with the exceptions of Witt Jr. and Garcia) could not steal bases. They were ranked 26th in runs scored, so not good. Having an elite pitching staff and a terrible offense is not a combination known for postseason success. Our colleagues at Royals Review provide a nice recap here. But that’s all in the past, and now it’s time to see what the Royals could manage in 2026.

2025 record: 82-20 (3rd, AL Central)
2026 FanGraphs projection: 81-81 (2nd, AL Central)

The Royals shuffled things around with some modest moves to shore up an already solid team and address some problem spots, trading for Isaac Collins from Milwaukee and signing Lane Thomas away from a division rival in Cleveland on a one-year deal alongside more recently picking up Starling Marte on a $1 million deal to give their aforementioned struggling outfield some options. They traded away their main left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa in the deal for Collins, and to shore back up their bullpen the Royals flipped Jonathan Bowlan for Matt Strahm, a former Royal himself who has blossomed the last few seasons in Philadelphia.

On top of the roster changes, they also remodeled their stadium a bit, moving in the walls of Kauffman Stadium. The K has been a slighty-above average stadium offensively over the last three years, but it’s been one of the worst parks to hit one out of — now the corners will be nine-to-ten feet closer before tapering off to an unchanged center field, perhaps aiding their offense enough to kickstart them out of mediocrity.

Looking at the Royals’ infield, any team with Bobby Witt Jr. at short is already at an advantage. This year, he’ll be working with an increasingly elite Maikel Garcia as well as a servicable Vinnie Pasquantino. What happens at second remains a question: Will the Royals start Jonathan India there or use Michael Massey? Perhaps Brandon Drury has a bounce back? Stay tuned! Then there’s Salvador Perez, who is not longer young but still effective. Although he will probably give more catching days to Carter Jensen, Perez fits in at first base or DH as well. Extended for two more seasons this winter, the veteran of the clubhouse might have the deal in place to ride out the end of his career.

With Collins in the fold now, Kansas City could plug him into left field while rolling Kyle Isbel out in center and Jac Caglianone in right. Granted, Cags was not especially good in 2025, but he got important experience in his first shot at the majors after excelling in the minors, and his spring training numbers suggest he may be figuring things out.

Marte, as mentioned, was a last-minute addition, signed just a couple of weeks ago. Though often injured, Marte will bring some much-needed power and contact to the Royals (assuming he can stay on the field) and should toggle between the outfield and DH. Add into that Lane Thomas and Kameron Misner, and this looks like a better — if not awesome — outfield lineup.

The rotation remains the strongest part of this Royals core. Although ace Cole Ragans missed much of 2025 to injury, when he was in the rotation, he was good (as in 14.3 K/9 and a 2.42 FIP in 13 starts). Now he needs to replicate that for an entire season. Kris Bubic picked up his first All-Star nod last year as he moved back into the rotation, and the combination of Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, and Noah Cameron form a fearsome top to bottom rotation that offers no easy days for opposing lineups.

In addition to pure pitching skill, the Royals rotation started working as, essentially, a “pitching workshop” when Wacha joined the team. The rotation works closely together, observing each other’s bullpens and debriefing when they leave games. Lugo and Wacha are seasoned veterans helping mentor a group of youngsters. Plus, there’s more depth in the wings. Assuming everyone stays healthy, if the Royals struggle in 2026, it won’t be because of the rotation.

The bullpen remains reliable to round out the pitching staff. Carlos Estévez will return as the closer after an All-Star campaign, tying his career-best with a 2.45 ERA and working the second-most innings of his career. Add to that Lucas Erceg, John Schneider, Bailey Falter, and Alex Lange, and it’s a solid group. Strahm returns to the team that drafted him as a revamped pitcher, now relying on a mix of fastballs having incorporated a cutter and sinker to great effect, and Nick Mears and Alex Lange can provide further depth.

Will that be enough for them to jump back into contention for their division? It’s the AL Central, so who knows — the division could go any number of ways, as what appeared to be a runaway title for the Tigers slipped away on the final day of the season last year. Kansas City was in the running in 2024, taking a shot at the Yankees in the ALDS, but 2025 just didn’t break their way. The 2026 Kansas City Royals are trying to improve on the margins with hopes it’s enough to get them back to the postseason. If Bobby Witt Jr and Cole Ragans play to their potential, their odds are good.

More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.

The Athletics take on the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona. The A’s come into this game fresh off a split squad sweep of the Angels and Dodgers yesterday.

Jack Perkins will take the mound to get the A’s started today. So far this spring he’s 1-2 in two starts with a 6.75 ERA. He’s only gone 2.2 innings, so the numbers are statistically meaningless. But I imagine Mark Kotsay will try to stretch him out a bit more today.  Perkins will face off against 24-year-old Rhett Lowder for the Reds.  Lowder is a 2023 first round draft pick who has pitched five innings this spring in both a start and relieving appearance. He has a 1.80 ERA and seven strikeouts so far.

Lowder will go face this lineup for Mark Kotsay’s Athletics:

Perkins will face this lineup for the Reds today:

Follow the Game:
Listen:
Athletics – A’s Cast, Talk 650 KSTE