SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the third inning of the spring training game at Surprise Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning.
Evan Grant offers up a few observations from camp as the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox in a Cactus League game yesterday.
Kennedi Landry writes about president of baseball operations Chris Young speaking on how the roster is shaping up.
With Opening Day right around the corner, Grant has more from Young’s Q&A, including thoughts on the general vibes of camp.
Jayson Stark writes that more rules changes are coming to the minor leagues, which is often a testing ground for future changes to the big leagues.
Grant writes that the spotlight has been on Corey Seager this spring after the Rangers transitioned away from players that Seager won a World Series with.
Jim Callis checks out the state of the farm for the Rangers in camp, including a couple of youngsters that Texas is trying to develop as two-way players.
Grant notes that, after making it back from spring injuries, Marc Church and Justin Foscue were sent to minor league camp in the latest round of camp cuts yesterday.
Davy Andrews at FanGraphs begins their positional power rankings with a look at catcher where the Rangers project in the bottom third.
Landry writes that Michael Helman is the owner of a brand new Rolex after relinquishing No. 24 to Brandon Nimmo.
Grant writes about Cal Quantrill trying to remain in the mix for a spot on the staff after performing for Team Canada in the WBC.
Shawn McFarland believes Winston Santos could pitch in the big leagues this year which lands him at No. 8 on the DMN’s top 30 list.
Every year, there is one prospect in the Yankees system in whom I am irrationally invested. Sometimes it pays off. For example, I was along for the ride with 2016 Dustin Fowler. Other years, not so much … everyone take a moment please for all the seasons I spent conducting the Luis Medina Hype Train.
This year, for my money, it’s the man they call Elmer. Acquired from Boston in December 2024 along with international bonus money in exchange for catcher Carlos Narváez, Rodríguez climbed all the way from High-A ball to get a cup of coffee at Triple-A by season’s end. His results were enough that he comes into 2026 firmly ensconced in sundry top prospect lists. MLB Pipeline has him at #82, while Baseball Prospectus (#60) and Baseball America (#59) are even higher on the right-hander.
Although he may not appear in the Bronx at all this season, he is right on the doorstep. After a great 2025 and an excellent 2026 spring—including a nails outing at the World Baseball Classic—Rodríguez won’t sneak up on anyone.
A few things jump out about Rodríguez’s performance last season. To begin, it was almost impossible to drive his pitches in the air. He notched a 54.5-percent groundball rate and allowed only three home runs in 150 innings last season. I suspect that latter is unsustainable but it also suggests he isn’t going to just start allowing gopher balls all the time.
Moreover, the “stuff” is there. He sits in the mid-90s with his fastballs, with the ability to heat it up into the upper 90s. Meanwhile, he features four other offerings: a slider, a curveball, a changeup, and a cutter. FanGraphs, who recently slotted Elmer in as the Yankees’ second-best prospect, are believers in the slider and curve, assigning each of the pitches a 50 on the 20-80 scales, with upward future projections on both.
We’ve gotten good looks at Rodríguez already in 2026. He earned the nod as the starter for the first game of spring training against the Orioles. Three shutout innings later, he was back in the dugout with nary a free pass marring his ledger, the walk having been a bit of a bugaboo for Rodríguez in the past. Backstop Austin Wells said after the game: “He mixed it really well, hit the spots when he needed to, and got some big groundballs. He’s got a lot of really good pitches. He’s got the talent. He’s just got to go do it.”
Elmer made one more appearance for the Yankees then headed to the WBC where he pitched for Puerto Rico. Facing Cuba on March 9th, he tossed three scoreless in international best-on-best, whiffing three.
The Yanks recently optioned Rodríguez back to minor-league camp, but that should be no surprise. Even with the injuries to Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt, the Yankee rotation is basically sorted out to start the season, with Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, Luis Gil, and Ryan Yarbrough on the 26-man roster.
But with attrition rates what they are with pitchers, numbers 6-10 in the rotation depth chart increasingly take on outsized importance. With Elmer already on the 40-man roster, he’s likely pretty darned close to Next Man Up if something happens, and Schlittler demonstrated just last year what can happen when opportunity strikes.
As it stands, Elmer will almost certainly start the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre — potentially even starting their season opener on March 27th in Buffalo. And that’s fine. Only 22 years old, Rodríguez has made a grand total of two starts there (including one in the International League playoffs), after just 11 starts at Double-A. That’s not a whole lot of reps above A-ball. With any luck, the Yankees don’t actually need him this season and he’s able to spend the majority of 2026 working on his pitches and refining his mechanics. If there is one point of concern in his scouting report, it is command.
FanGraphs notes “some of the markers in his delivery… hint that he’s going to work regions more than hit spots. Perhaps he’ll grow into a half-grade more command than we’re projecting if he stays healthy and accumulates reps…” Getting the chance to accumulate those reps and see if he can elevate his ceiling sounds just fine to me.
If Elmer debuts this season, here’s hoping it’s solely because he’s been too brilliant to hold down any longer. Otherwise, let’s see what he can do with a full season at Triple-A.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles bats during the third inning of a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
For the last four seasons, the story of the Most Valuable Oriole has largely told the story of the Orioles’ entire season. In 2022, a rookie Adley Rutschman took home MVO honors after debuting in May and rallying the O’s to a 67-55 record over the last four months of the season. Another rookie took home the award in 2023, as Gunnar Henderson earned ROY and MVO as the Orioles captured the AL East crown.
Henderson was a back-to-back winner in 2024, as the Orioles’ Country Boy posted the best season in franchise history by WAR (9.1) by anyone other than Cal Ripken Jr. Trevor Rogers denied Gunnar the three-peat last year, as the lefty overcame an early-season injury to post one of the best 18-start stretches in Orioles’ history.
The Orioles will need a concerted effort from the entire 26-man roster if Baltimore is going to reverse its fortunes and return to the playoffs in 2026. But after disappointing seasons from many star players in 2025, the O’s will need their stars to lead from the front of the lineup or rotation if they want to reverse their fortunes in the new season. With that in mind, let’s give sportsbook-style odds for which players are most likely to add their name to the pantheon of Most Valuable Orioles winners.
*Disclaimer: These are not real betting odds. I set these odds myself. Do not actually try and bet them.*
The favorite: Pete Alonso
Beers Sportsbook Betting Odds: -150
Gunnar Henderson has been the Orioles’ best player for some time now, both in terms of on-field production and national recognition. After rising to the No. 10 player in all of baseball on the heels of a record-setting season in 2024, Henderson has slipped to No. 26 in MLB.com’s latest Top 100 Players of Right Now due to a down 2025. That’s still the best ranking of any Oriole, but right behind him at No. 33 is major offseason signing Pete Alonso.
What is often the separator in “Most Valuable” conversations is not solely a player’s stats, but the narrative attached to their season. If the Orioles are going to reach their full potential in 2026, the offense will have to lead the way. Before injuries to Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday, many projection models had the O’s lineup as the best in the American League. Last year, the O’s finished near the bottom of the league in runs scored and toward the middle of the pack in home runs. Alonso will look to help the O’s match or better their 2024 form when they finish Top 5 in both runs and home runs.
Given his track record as a five-time All-Star and perennial 40+ HR hitter, I’m sure a lot of credit will be given to Alonso if the O’s reach their full offensive potential. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t expect big things from Henderson, Rutschman, Taylor Ward, Samuel Basallo and others. However, Alonso is the leader this team will be looking to throughout the season, and the player MVO voters will look to if he leads an offensive revolution.
The leading competition
Trevor Rogers or Kyle Bradish
Beers Sportsbrook Betting Odds: +150
The Orioles’ rotation is full of talent, but also full of uncertainty. The additions of Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt, and the re-signing of Zach Eflin, have made the Orioles’ rotation deeper. And yet, this rotation still lacks a fully-proven, front-line starter. That is, unless Rogers or Bradish prove their best seasons were not one-offs.
When Rogers took home the award last year, a big part of his value came from the unexpected nature of his breakout season. Coming into last season, Rogers wasn’t projected to make the rotation and his only previous experience with the O’s was a disastrous four-start stint after being acquired at the 2024 trade deadline. The southpaw only got a chance last season because Baltimore needed a second starter for a doubleheader in Boston.
What ensued from there was a stretch that put Rogers’ name next to the likes of Jim Palmer and Mike Mussina when it comes to best single-season pitching runs in Orioles history. Rogers’ MVO win last year made him the first pitcher to win the award since closer Randy Myers in 1997, and the first starter since Mike Cuellar in 1974.
Both Rogers and Bradish come into this season with plenty of expectations. The 28-year-old southpaw will get the Opening Day nod, looking to build on his Top 10 Cy Young finish from last year. Bradish slots into the No. 2 spot in the rotation and looks to prove that his dominant 2023 season and spectacular cameo last September are what we should expect going forward. If either can live up to the lofty expectations and put a stranglehold on the ace role, it could be enough to beat out Alonso and the rest of the offense for MVO.
Gunnar Henderson
Beers Sportsbook Betting Odds: +200
In Henderson’s MVP-level season, he put up a 9.1 bWAR while hitting 37 HRs, collecting 92 RBIs, 31 doubles, 21 stolen bases and 118 runs. The majority of that production came with Henderson as the Orioles’ leadoff hitter. Indications from Sarasota are that new manager Craig Albernaz will put the star SS back in the leadoff role after spending most of last year as the No. 3 hitter.
If the return to the top spot in the lineup brings out the best in Baltimore’s best player, his all-around contributions will make it near impossible for any other Orioles to outpace him in the MVO race. Henderson may also be coming into this season with a chip on his shoulder after having to fight for his spot in Team USA’s World Baseball Classic lineup. And a Gunnar Henderson that’s both pissed off and back in his best spot in the order, that’s an MVO waiting to happen.
The dark horse
Coby Mayo
Beers Sportsbook Betting Odds: +1000
Pretty much everything about Coby Mayo is up in the air as we head toward Opening Day. Has he shown enough defensively in the spring to lock down the starting spot at 3B? Once Jackson Holliday and (maybe) Jordan Westburg get healthy, can he keep his spot in the lineup? Will he get any playing time at 1B or DH with Alonso, Basallo and Ryan Mountcastle all competing for ABs at those spots?
The one thing that becomes less of a question every day is Mayo’s bat. He’s gone 13-for-26 in Grapefruit League play while posting a 1.195 OPS, a team-high 10 RBIs and one absolute moonshot. With his spring training performance and his .941 OPS last September, there’s growing reason to believe that the 24-year-old is starting to make good on his offensive upside. If he can break out like Gunnar did in his second full season, we could see Mayo have a 2021 Cedric Mullins run to an unlikely MVO win.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 20: Trea Turner #7, Alec Bohm #28, Bryce Harper #3, and Bryson Stott #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies look on against the Seattle Mariners at Citizens Bank Park on August 20, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Mariners 11-2. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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 played behind them, their strengths and weaknesses and give a few takes about how we think the season will shake out.
After the dust settled on the offseason roster churn, the Phillies ended up standing pat with the same starting corps of infielders that they rolled out last year. Along with the re-signings of Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto, this decision to “run it back” again has a significant portion of the fanbase calling for Dave Dombrowski’s seat warmer to be turned up to 11. While it maybe doesn’t carry the same excitement as months of prognosticating how a new dynamic might have performed, it does leave the team with a veteran, battle-tested crew that has won over 90 games in each of the past three campaigns.
The starters: Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, Trea Turner
Maybe the most infamous controversy surrounding the team this offseason was Dombrowski’s commentary on Harper’s 2025 performance and whether it deserves his being regarded as an “elite” player going forward. Dombrowski since walked it back a bit but Harper took notice and by all appearances looks motivated to prove that he is deserving of that status. Harper started the spring hot with three extra-base hits in four games before departing the club for the World Baseball Classic as part of Team USA. He hasn’t made the impact he or his country would like to have seen, with one more chance for “The Showman” to emerge in tonight’s championship game.
Stott will maintain his role as the team’s everyday second baseman for the fourth straight season. His production early in the season (.233/.305/.340 through July 31st) suffered from a failed experiment as the leadoff hitter, but from August 1st onward he slashed .310/.377/.503. In his 207 plate appearances in the leadoff spot and a few games hitting fifth and sixth, he went .212/.257/.295, while in his 353 PAs batting in the 7-9 spots he slashed .284/.369/.451. Stott, along with most of humanity, will never be the offensive threat at second base that was Chase Utley, but at the back of a deep order, he is capable of keeping the train running while providing consistently elite defense.
Hopefully Nick Castellanos burned his hairshirt before he left for San Diego, but if he gifted it to anyone, it could be Bohm. He seems poised to be the most likely player to draw the fans’ ire should his production not meet expectations, which might be fair when he’s being counted on by the organization to be one of the primary run-producers in the middle of the lineup. 2025 will be remembered as a down season for Bohm, but he still hit .287 and is a year removed from slugging 44 doubles and driving home 97 runs, so it’s not outlandish to think he can be a driving force for this offense.
The reigning NL batting champion is your plug-and-play everyday shortstop, as Turner had his best season in red pinstripes in 2025 and was the team’s most consistent hitter from start to finish. He will be turning 33 midway through the season and already provides middle of the road defense at a physically demanding position, so it will bear watching whether he can continue to stay at shortstop long term or if a contingency needs to be mapped out for the future.
The backups: Edmundo Sosa, Otto Kemp, Dylan Moore
Sosa will be the primary backup again at the middle infield spots, providing above-average defense at both spots as well as a live bat with underrated pop that also gives lineup flexibility as he hits from the opposite side of the plate as Stott and is especially successful against left-handed pitching.
Kemp and Moore seem destined to carry a lot of the same responsibilities in the field, each having recent experience at every infield position besides shortstop as well as left field. Kemp bats right and Moore left, so a lot of their playing time will come down to matchups and who’s hot.
The depth: Liover Peguero, Jose Rodriguez, Christian Cairo, Aidan Miller, Felix Reyes
Of the non-roster invitees projected to end up in Lehigh Valley or Reading, Peguero has the most MLB experience, 106 games over the last four seasons all with the Pirates. Rodriguez had a cup of coffee with the White Sox in 2023 and has experience at both middle infield spots. Cairo has seen more versatile usage in his journey through the minors, but the Phillies have been looking at him mostly at first and second. Anything these guys provide at the plate would be a bonus, but solid if unspectacular defense up the middle is all you should hope for if any short-term injuries befall Turner, Stott or Sosa.
Miller remains the gem of the farm system but a nagging lower back injury has kept him out of game action so far this spring. Barring a significant injury to one of the starters or a doomsday scenario where the team is out of contention early, expect Miller to see most of his action in the minors this year.
Reyes has gotten a lot of time at the corner outfield spots in the last two years, but corner infield depth is an organizational weakness. With Harper away, the organization has gotten a long look at Reyes at first base and he’s making the most of it, leading the team in RBI and tied for the lead in home runs.
Strengths: Continuity
This will be the third straight season all four infield spots have the same starters penciled in from day one. That sort of continuity begets chemistry and familiarity in vital places on the ball field. Each of these starters has a well-defined role carved out in the lineup and there is no uncertainty about the type and level of production the team expects from them. From a human standpoint, they are a close-knit group of leaders in the clubhouse that want to win for one another, which has to count for something.
Weaknesses: Continuity
At the beginning of the offseason, the possibilities seemed endless at what this group would look like this year. Bohm and Stott were the subjects of trade rumors. The Phillies were tied to Ketel Marte as a trade target and Alex Bregman as a free agent acquisition. They had a deal in place with Bo Bichette before he chose violence and went to Queens. After all of that commotion, the same four guys that couldn’t get this team over the hump in the playoffs are back and they’re all a year older.
Hottest take: Bohm makes the All Star Game
Bohm will build on his hot start to spring and play himself into the conversation as one of the top offensive third basemen in the NL with a stellar first half and the numbers will be too potent for voters to deny.
Realistic take: Turner and Harper make the All Star Game
With Citizens Bank Park hosting the midsummer classic, the fans will be stuffing the ballot boxes. Turner and Harper should get their fair share of votes league-wide anyway.
The most stable unit in the team may also be its most crucial for short-term and long-term prosperity. If the Phillies win 90 games and enjoy a playoff run, these guys will have played a huge part. If they don’t, this will be the first place everyone points a finger and demands be torn down. No pressure.
I’ll make this one fairly short because I know most of you were watching Venezuela’s 4-2 win over Italy in the WBC semifinal, closed out by Cubs closer Daniel Palencia. (I was watching it, too!)
While that was going on, Cubs right-hander Cade Horton was mowing down Guardians hitters. Horton struck out 10 in five solid innings of work, half of the 20 hitters he faced. Horton allowed three hits and one run and the Cubs defeated the Guardians 5-2.
But the story of the game was Horton, who was dominant. He threw 72 pitches (50 strikes), efficient for five innings. Here’s more on Horton’s outing [VIDEO].
It’s Spring Training and only about half of Cleveland’s regulars were in the lineup. But this sort of dominant outing from Horton is what we became used to last year, and hopefully is a sign of a great year to come for the right-hander. All 10 of the K’s were swinging and Horton mixed up the strikeout pitches, some on four-seamers, some on changeups, some on curveballs. Good stuff.
Unusually, the Cubs used just two pitchers in this game. The other was Colin Rea, who relieved Horton and threw four innings, allowing two hits and one run (a two-out homer in the ninth). He walked two and struck out four, throwing 58 pitches (34 strikes). That should get him good and stretched out for long relief.
The Cubs will play another evening contest Tuesday. It starts one hour after the WBC championship game. So … I’ll have game threads here for both, but I’m pretty sure not many of you will be paying attention to the Cubs game, especially since there’s no TV. The Angels visit Sloan Park for Tuesday’s night game, scheduled for 8:05 p.m. CT. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and Mitch Farris goes for the Angels. As noted, no TV for the Cubs game, there will be a radio broadcast on the Angels flagship station, KLAA 830.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 15: Roman Anthony #3 of Team United States runs around the bases after hitting a solo home run against Team Dominican Republic during the fourth inning at loanDepot park on March 15, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello and happy Tuesday, folks. Happy World Baseball Classic title game day, too!
Team USA will be going for their second WBC title in Miami this evening, while Venezuela is trying to become the fourth nation to win the tournament. It’s the culmination of what’s been a fantastic few days of baseball (well not if you appreciate the established parameters of the lower half of the strike zone in the ninth inning), a perfect way to lead us right into the MLB season.
So, simply put: who ya got tonight? I think it’s gonna be the Stars and Stripes at the end of the night, but who can say for sure? Especially when you consider that Nolan McLean is getting the ball again after his rough opening start against Italy in pool play, anything could happen.
No matter what happens, though, let’s just hope that Roman Anthony keeps on cookin’. Lets’ keep our boys healthy and let’s get ready to have a great 2026, huh?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 5: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with Drake Baldwin #30 after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Truist Park on June 5, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Once again, Monday was a reminder that many parts of the Braves offense have been on fire so far this Spring. Drake Baldwin had another outstanding showing in the Braves Spring Training Victory over the Rays. Ronald Acuna Jr. was a big reason as to why team Venezuela will be facing Team USA in the WBC Finals. This could potentially be the first two hitters in the Braves lineup, but regardless of where they hit, could also be two of the biggest reasons the Braves find their way back to winning at the level they want.
SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)
On this day 51 years ago, Cy Acosta’s extraordinary White Sox career came to an end. | Topps
1901 The White Sox (and their American League counterparts), busy raiding National League teams to bolster talent for their first season in the majors, suffered a rare setback by losing their player-manager, second baseman Dick Padden. Padden cut against the trend lines and joined the NL’s St. Louis Cardinals, making him one of a handful of players whose only White Sox experience came in 1900, the one season in team history when the club was in the minor leagues.
Of course, it’s like Padden had seen the writing on the wall, as Clark Griffith had jumped from the NL to the AL to become the White Sox pitching ace and manager.
1903 The White Sox left for what would become a disastrous Spring Training in New Orleans. Two straight weeks of rain would permit just two games to be played. The club would break for home early, yet still encounter some rain on the way back north.
1910 Construction begins at 35th & Shields on the stadium that would eventually be called Comiskey Park. Architect Zachary Taylor Davis laid a lucky green foundation brick to set off the festivities.
The ballpark would be completed by late June, and officially open on July 1 with a 2-0 loss to the St. Louis Browns.
Think about that one: a new, steel stadium in a little more than three-and-a-half months!
1923 Appropriate for an Irishman, White Sox slugger Pat Seerey is born on St. Patrick’s Day in Wilburton, Okla. The 5´10´´, 200-pound slugger was dubbed “Fat Pat” and served as a precursor to a three-outcomes players like Rob Deer or even Adam Dunn.
Though his seven-year career was largely undistinguished, Seerey had a memorable four-homer game for the White Sox on July 18, 1948, just six weeks after being acquired from Cleveland. Seerey became just the fifth player in major league history to accomplish the feat. He finished the 1948 season with 18 homers for the White Sox in 95 games, but would see action in just four more MLB games after that.
1975 Reliever Cy Acosta was sold to the Phillies. He would appear in just six games for Philadelphia, in what would end up as his final season in the big leagues.
That said, Acosta had authored a breathtakingly-good season for the White Sox in 1973, his sole full, healthy season in the majors. Over 48 games, Acosta threw 97 innings and held batters to 66 hits. The native of Mexico had 18 saves and 10 wins, all adding up to 4.1 WAR — tied for the seventh-best reliever season in White Sox history.
Acosta returned to the Mexican League in 1976, and he remained active there (as a starting pitcher) as late as 1984, his age-37 season.
2012 Carlos Quentin receives his MRI results for a knee injury and will undergo surgery. The good news? This injury, for once, does not affect the White Sox, as Quentin had been traded on New Year’s Eve to the San Diego Padres. The deal, a modern-day salary dump, as the White Sox dealt the defensively-limited and oft-injured slugger for two pitchers who would end up only appearing in five total games for the White Sox.
Quentin would recover well enough to produce 1.6 WAR in half a season, and then put up 2.1 WAR for the Padres in 2013. But from there, his career was toast.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - FEBRUARY 19: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays poses for a photo during the Tampa Bay Rays photo day at Charlotte Sports Park on Thursday, February 19, 2026 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Opening Day is right around the corner the Tampa Bay Rays starting rotation plans have been made official.
We already knew that Drew Rasmussen had been selected as the team’s Opening Day starter but we now know how the rest of the starting rotation will fill out.
Here is the Rays plan every five days
Drew Rasmussen
Nick Martinez
Steven Matz
Ryan Pepiot
Shane McClanahan
Drew Rasmussen will serve as the team’s ace while newcomers Nick Martinez and Steven Matz file in behind him. Ryan Pepiot will be counted upon to be a workhorse in the rotation early on in the season as both Steven Matz and Shane McClanahan will have their innings limited with Matz transitioning back into a starters role and McClanahan returing from injury.
With the way the schedule works out, this line up Shane McClanahan to be the starting pitcher when the Rays make their highly anticipated return to Tropicana Field on April 6th when they’ll take on the Chicago Cubs. It will be McClanahan’s first time pitching at Tropicana Field since July 22nd, 2023; only three players to suit up for the Rays that day remain with the team, Yandy Diaz, Kevin Kelly, and McClanahan.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 10: Nolan McLean #26 of Team United States warms up before a World Baseball Classic Pool B game between Italy and the United States at Daikin Park on March 10, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets fell to the Nationals 12-6 as Washington erupted for six runs in the ninth to break a 6-6 tie. David Peterson allowed four runs in his four innings of work, while Christian Scott took the loss after allowing three earned runs in three-plus innings. Carson Benge went 2-for-2, Ronny Mauricio went 2-for-4, and Francisco Alvarez went 1-for-3, while Mark Vientos struggled, taking an 0-for in his four at-bats.
Huascar Brazoban returned from the WBC and will be part of the team’s bullpen on Opening Day so long as he remains healthy to close out the spring.
Tim Britton made the case for Benge to start on Opening Day in the latest edition of “This Week in Mets”.
Britton and Will Sammon shared some notes on the final spot in the team’s bullpen, their fascination with the cutter, and more.
As Benge competes for a spot on the team, his goal is to help the team win any way that he can.
Nolan McLean will start tonight’s championship game for Team USA, and he confidently exclaimed, ‘I’m built for this’ as he looks to fulfill his patriotic duty and delivery a win for Team USA.
All signs point to McLean being ready for his big moment on the big stage tonight.
Carlos Mendoza has mixed feelings about McLean starting tonight’s WBC final.
Needless to say, Juan Soto was not happy with how the WBC ended for the Dominican Republic.
Vientos struggled again last night, but Mendoza had a simple message for him: “You’re on the team. You’re not trying to make a team here.”
Phillies’ outfielder Johan Rojas tested positive for Boldenone, resulting in an 80-game suspension. He became the third player from Philadelphia’s 2025 roster to receive a suspension for performance enhancing drugs.
Braves’ star Ronald Acuña Jr. is making up for a lost World Series with this year’s World Baseball Classic participation.
Christina De Nicola discussed who might grab the final spots on the Marlins’ roster ahead of Opening Day.
Around Major League Baseball
Venezuela put up a three-spot in the seventh inning to rally past Italy and advance to the WBC final against the United States.
Amid the turmoil back home, Team Venezuela is savoring their WBC moment.
Eduardo Rodriguez will start for Venezuela in tonight’s game.
USA’s stars are finding criticism of their play in the 2026 WBC ‘hilarious’.
David Bednar is likely unavailable to pitch tonight for Team USA, but Mason Miller may be an option out of the pen out of closing the team’s semifinal win against the Dominican Republic.
David “Captain America” Wright hit a walk-off, two-run single to lift the United States over Puerto Rico in the WBC quarterfinals on this date in 2009.
PERTH, Australia (AP) — Sam Kerr broke a second half deadlock and Australia edged defending champion China 2-1 for a spot in the Women’s Asian Cup final on Tuesday.
The veteran Chelsea forward started the attacking movement on halfway and finished it off with a left-foot shot from a tight angle in the 58th minute, the decisive moment of a semifinal that was tied 1-1 at halftime.
The Australians will play the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between Japan and South Korea. Australia last won the continental championship in 2010.
Caitlin Foord gave the host the lead in the 17th when she finished off an attacking raid that started with Mary Fowler combining with Ellie Carpenter on the right. Carpenter crossed back into the area, where Fowler cut the ball back for Foord to fire.
China equalized in the 26th through Zhang Linyan from the penalty spot. Zhang won the penalty after she swooped on a defensive blunder and was felled in the area by goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold.
All of the semifinalists qualified automatically for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The losing quarterfinalists go into playoffs for two more guaranteed places in Brazil.
Iran’s exit
The two Iran players who remained in Australia on protection visas following their team's group-stage exit joined a practice session Monday with a professional club in Brisbane in their first publicly shared appearance since it emerged they were given asylum.
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were pictured smiling and wearing the club’s training uniform as they posed alongside a women’s elite squad in photos posted to social media by the Brisbane Roar.
The baseball world is in the throes of the World Baseball Classic, with the final game Tuesday night featuring Team USA against. Will Smith is the only Dodger still playing in the WBC.
Samuri Japan was eliminated Saturday by Venezuela and as such, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani are back in Arizona. While neither is happy with how their WBC run ended, their eyes are now on getting the Dodgers that Three-Peat.
On Monday, Yamamoto was named the Opening Day starter. Eric Stephen covered that story here.
As for Ohtani, he did not pitch in the WBC, but he did throw bullpens. His most recent was a four-inning outing last Thursday. Since the assumption was that Samurai Japan was going to go all the way to the finals in the WBC, there wasn’t much of an expectation that Ohtani would pitch in Spring Training this year. Now, Ohtani will have time to take the mound at least once before the season starts.
Ohtani could pitch later this week in Arizona, or be kept until the Freeway Series starting on Sunday. Sonya Chen covers all the details for MLB.com.
Shohei expressed his regrets for what he referred to as his “shortcomings” in the WBC. As Chuck Schilken of the L.A. Times notes, one wonders what those shortcomings might be as Ohtani had a better WBC this year than he did when he was the MVP in 2023. Dodger fans hope that Ohtani continues to make up for those perceived flaws throughout the 2026 season.
The Ontario Tower Buzzers are the newest addition to the Dodgers family, starting their first season as the Dodgers’ Low-A farm club on April 2nd. While stating that the Tower Buzzers have hit the mark in every other facet of their digs, Jim Alexander of the OC Register posits that they have missed the spot on one area – having nothing named after Don Drysdale, who was so good at ‘buzzing the tower’ of opposing batters.
The Dodgers have signed an agreement with Uniqlo that will give them naming rights to the field at Dodger Stadium. For those of you who are also not cool like me, Uniqlo is a Japanese clothing company. Anthony Soloranzo covers more of the details of the deal here. I don’t know about you, but if the team is selling rights to iconic things like the field at Dodger Stadium, they can wear those beautiful blue spring training jerseys a couple games a year.
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Semyon Der-Arguchintsev delivered a moment that had hockey fans buzzing on Monday. During a shootout between Dynamo Moscow and Spartak Moscow at Megasport Sport Palace, the former Toronto Maple Leafs forward delivered a highlight-reel, jaw-dropping goal that sealed a thrilling victory for Dynamo.
Skating in with speed from center ice, the 25-year-old forward approached Spartak goaltender Artyom Zagidulin. What followed was pure audacity: Der-Arguchintsev feinted to his forehand, then in a flash, flipped the puck between his own legs while spinning, threading it past a sprawling Zagidulin into the top corner.
Born in Moscow and known for his slick hands and vision, he has thrived back home, tallying points consistently for Dynamo after stints with Traktor Chelyabinsk. In the 2025-26 season, he’s been a key contributor, with his shootout prowess adding to Dynamo’s depth. But for Toronto fans, this viral moment serves as a reminder of what might have been,a prospect who flashed promise but never fully cracked the NHL roster.
Der-Arguchintsev’s journey with the Maple Leafs began at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, where Toronto selected him in the third round, 76th overall. The pick was a nod to his junior success, and he quickly signed a three-year entry-level contract on September 22, 2018, after impressing at rookie camp. That first season, 2018-19, saw him dominate with the Peterborough Petes in the OHL, racking up 46 points in 62 games. He also dipped his toes into pro hockey with the Newfoundland Growlers, the Leafs’ ECHL affiliate at the time, notching two points in three regular-season games and contributing during their playoff run.
The following year, 2019-20, he elevated his game further with the Petes, amassing 75 points in 55 games before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the season. He was Peterborough’s second-leading scorer behind current Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson (86 points in 36 games). Adapting to the disruptions, Der-Arguchintsev was loaned to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL for 2020-21, gaining valuable experience abroad. He returned to North America briefly, suiting up for six games with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL and collecting four points. By 2021-22, he was a full-time Marlie, posting 32 points in 51 games as he honed his two-way play.
His breakthrough came in 2022-23, where he tallied 40 points in 50 AHL games with the Marlies. That performance earned him a call-up to the big club, and on December 6, 2022, Der-Arguchintsev made his NHL debut in a 4-0 shutout win over the Dallas Stars. Logging limited ice time and no points in that lone appearance, he was reassigned shortly after, a common fate for bubble prospects in Toronto’s stacked lineup.
As a pending restricted free agent after that season, Der-Arguchintsev opted to return to Russia, signing a two-year deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk on July 4, 2023. He later moved to Dynamo Moscow, where he’s continued to develop. Notably, the Leafs still retain his NHL rights, leaving the door ajar for a potential return if circumstances align.
After Saturday night’s defeat at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St-Louis said he was disappointed with the way his team managed risks in the game, but he also looked frustrated because that’s been a recurring issue this season. To use St-Louis’ own metaphor, who once likened himself to a dad for his players, a huge part of being a parent is repeating the same thing until the kid finally understands what you want them to do and why, and it’s what he’s going through right now.
On Tuesday night, the Canadiens will host the Boston Bruins at the Bell Centre for one last time this season, and the stakes are as high as they could be. Montreal’s lead over the Bruins has melted to just one point. While most pundits thought the Massachusetts outfit would miss the playoffs this season, they’ve been having a very respectable season, and they even lead the season series 2-1. The Habs' sole win this season came in December, when they vanquished the Bruins 6-2, but Boston won the last time the two teams faced off, 4-3 in regulation.
Samuel Montembeault was in the net for the two defeats, while Jacob Fowler manned the net in the only win. The Canadiens have yet to confirm who will be on duty tonight, but it’s likely to be a choice between Fower and Jakub Dobes. Montembeault has faced the Bruins 13 times and has a 3-8-1 record with a 3.81 goals-against average and a .875 save percentage. Meanwhile, Dobes has never faced them, while Fowler won his only outing against the divisional rival, posting a .929 SV. The Tricolore will hold a morning skate at 10:30, and we should know then who St-Louis chose as his starter.
Jonas Korpisalo was in the net on Monday night when the Bruins took on the New Jersey Devils and lost 4-3 in the shootout, so Jeremy Swayman should be on duty, just like he was for the first three games against the two sides this season. He has a 11-2-1 record against the Habs with a 2.92 GAA and a .893 SV. As for backup, Korpisalo he’s 8-2-0 with a 2.49 GAA and a .916 SV when facing the Sainte Flanelle.
Up front, there are question marks about the Canadiens’ lineup. Brendan Gallagher was a healthy scratch on Saturday night, while Zach Bolduc got the chop on Sunday night, but Kirby Dach was hurt early in the game against the Ducks, and we have yet to get an update on his status. If he can’t play, Bolduc should draw back in. If Gallagher plays, he will be skating in his 900th game with the Canadiens. On the backend, Arber Xhekaj played well on Sunday but only had one shift in the third frame, and one has to wonder what that means for tonight.
Gallagher is historically the Canadiens’ most productive player against the archrivals with 30 points in 46 games, but he’s been held off the scoresheet in the three duels this season. Nick Suzuki is second with 18 points in just 21 meetings, while both Josh Anderson and Noah Dobson have 13 points in 23 games. The Bruins should definitely keep an eye on Lane Hutson, though. The blueliner has eight points in just six duels, and after having a couple of tough games, he will want to bounce back. Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky both have three-game point streaks going, and the Habs will need them to keep it up if they are to come out on top Tuesday night.
As for the Bruins, David Pastrnak has always been a thorn on the Canadiens’ side; he has 46 points in 35 games against Montreal, and he’s on a six-game point streak. Ellias Lindholm comes in second place with 25 points in 37 games, followed by blueliner Charlie McAvoy, who's on a seven-game point streak, with 19 points in 26 games.
Boston has a 5-3-2 record in its last 10 games but is still catching up to the Canadiens. The Habs are third in the Atlantic division with 82 points, just one point ahead of the Bruins. Meaning a win for the visitors would drop the Habs into a wild-card spot. The Canadiens also have a 5-3-2 record in their last 10 games, but have lost their last two. The Bruins have won seven of the last 10 matches between the divisional rivals and have outscored the Canadiens 40-32 in the process.
The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on RDS, TSN2, and NESN. Furman South and Wes McCauley are set to officiate, while Jesse Marquis and Brandon Grillo will be the linemen. The Canadiens will travel to Michigan on Wednesday, where they’ll take on the Detroit Red Wings in another crucial tilt on Thursday night.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: Maikel Garcia #11 of Team Venezuela celebrates after an RBI single in the seventh inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Semifinals between Italy and Venezuela at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Vinnie Pasquantino incorrectly noted which teams were in the WBC final four and apologized. Oops. It’s ok – he’s highly caffeinated and we all make mistakes when we’re W I R E D.
“It’s amazing,” Pasquantino said. “I don’t know how many people would’ve picked the Dominican Republic, Japan, the United States and Italy in the final four, but we’re here now, so we’re going to enjoy this for the probably next few hours. We’ve got a flight to catch. This is incredible, man.”
Pasquantino’s comments came hours before Venezuela advanced to the final four by defeating Japan.
The Royals Spring Breakout game will be televised on the Amazon MLB FAST channel on Friday.
Caglianone’s expected stats, which take quality of contact into account rather than the actual results, not only indicate he was much better than his OPS implies, they show he was one of the unluckiest hitters in the game.
In fact, he had MLB’s largest unlucky gap (the difference between his expected and actual production) in all three of these categories (minimum 100 PAs):
Colleran was the Royals’ 2024 seventh-round pick out of Northeastern and in his first year of professional ball in 2025, he went from Low A to High A and even pitched in one game at Double A, going a combined 9-0 with a 2.85 ERA in 66 1/3 innings with 72 strikeouts. He was so dominant that he represented the Royals in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted an impressive 1.17 ERA over seven relief appearances. He’s on a fast track to the majors and I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes his major-league debut sometime this year once his slider becomes more consistent and he throws more strikes.
Matt Quatraro, manager: “Dennis has been absolutely electric. He has an upper-90s fastball coming out of a low arm slot with an emerging slider. Hitters have really had uncomfortable at-bats against him.”
Verdict: Real. Witt had 32 home runs in 2024 before dropping to 23 in 2025, so we know there’s 30-homer power here — and maybe closer to 40 with the new ballpark dimensions. He’s entering his age-26 season, a common age for a player’s best season. Add 20 points or so back to his batting average, and reaching 92 extra-base hits is in play.
Last season, the Royals opted to let Massey be the everyday second baseman, and India rotated as a utility guy in left field and at third base at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, the move was disastrous for India, especially on defense. India posted a -5 FRV in 3B, and that poor defense carried to second base, as he posted a -4 FRV at the keystone. The poor defense seemed to have a mental impact on India’s bat, and he ended up having his worst season at the Major League level.
Quatraro is intent on India being their regular second baseman, with Massey mixing in here and there based on matchups. So far this spring, it seems like that has helped India be in a better headspace in 2026.
John Smoltz was his typical downer self about Paul Skenes on the broadcast for the WBC. Some unfortunate honesty in there, though I have no love for Smoltz as a commentator.
The Chiefs have their new interim starter/backup for when Patrick Mahomes comes back next season – it’s Justin Fields. CBS Sports has a grade for the trade.
