Category: Sports News

Tarik Skubal’s plan was always to leave Team USA after one World Baseball Classic start. He wavered but ultimately never changed course. His responsibility to the Tigers meant more to him.

What wasn’t in the blueprint were social media comparisons to Benedict Arnold, the infamous military officer that swapped from the Americans to the British during the Revolutionary War.

Skubal doesn’t think the comparison is fair — he didn’t defect to another team, he was simply prioritizing his other duties.

“It’s just not fair,” Skubal said of the claims, per The Athletic. “But that’s part of the business. It’s part of the game. If they know me, though, on a personal level, and they know what my peers think of me, I don’t think it’s fair to say those things.

“This was always the plan, and as emotional or how much I wanted to (stay), it just didn’t make sense, given the timing,” he added about the reasoning behind his decision.

Skubal added that the criticism he received online didn’t affect his choice, citing they’re “created by people that don’t know me.”

His teammates, though, made a major impact. He mentioned that he talked to many of them to help make his decision, though he ultimately realized it wasn’t feasible to return.

“I was just trying to navigate all that information and then trying to create a plan,” Skubal said. “I just felt like I was trying to do too much. So I just kind of was, like, ‘OK, as bad as I want to do this, as bad as I want to get there and play, this was the plan from the jump.’”

In his lone WBC start versus Great Britain, Skubal pitched three innings and allowed just one run, which came on a Nate Eaton leadoff homer. He struck out five and allowed just one more hit, paving the way for an easy 9-1 U.S. win.

But his ultimate responsibility is to the Tigers, who are vying to make a deep playoff run with one of the best rotations in baseball.

Besides Skubal, who’s won the last two American League Cy Young Awards, Detroit added Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander in the offseason and retained Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty.

If Skubal had decided to stay with Team USA through the WBC final — if it makes it — he would’ve only had nine days between then and his Opening Day start. He did say, however, that if the U.S. does advance that far, he’d try to come back to cheer on his teammates from the bench.

Does that really make him Benedict Arnold? Skubal sure doesn’t think so.

After being named the Opening Day starter this morning, Cade Cavalli took the ball for the Nats in their Grapefruit League showdown with the Cardinals. He only went three innings in this one, but he looked impressive. Cavalli did not allow a hit and struck out two Cardinals, setting the tone for a strong afternoon for Nats pitchers.

Following his start, I actually got the chance to talk to Cade in the clubhouse. Cavalli said he was “Super honored” to be named the Opening Day starter. After missing two seasons due to injury, this was clearly a big moment for the 27 year old right hander. He told Jessica Camerato of MLB.com that the first person he called was his wife, before quickly texting the rest of his family.

Finding out he was the Opening Day starter was probably the highlight of Cavalli’s day, but he still had to go out and execute in the game. A big part of the success he had today was the sweeper, which he used 25% of the time, and half the time against right handed hitters. 

Cavalli told me that he thinks the pitch will be “really good to righties and we can sprinkle it in to lefties to show them a different shape off of the curveball”. Last season, right handed hitters batted over .380 against Cavalli, and he is looking to change that. He said that, “Most hitters know I have a north to south curveball. If I can show something horizontal to them, I think it can help”.

Overall, it was a great day for Cavalli, who has faced a lot of trials and tribulations over the past few years. Now he is on the other side of that, and ready to be the high end starting pitcher the Nats envisioned when they drafted him in the first round.

Another pitcher who threw the ball well today was Brad Lord. He went three innings, allowing only one run. Lord was getting a ton of ground balls with his sinker. His changeup also looked great against left handed pitchers. Yesterday, he mentioned that he tweaked his grip on that pitch, and it looked nasty, particularly against Nolan Gorman, who swung through two of them.

Despite the solid outing, Lord was still not satisfied with himself. Manager Blake Butera said Lord was “Frustrated because in that last inning he has two outs with nobody on, and then he walks a guy who ends up scoring”. Lord is typically an even-keeled guy, who Butera described as quiet, but he could tell that the end to his outing bothered him.

On the offensive side of things, the Nats did not light up the score board, but did enough to win. One guy who is starting to heat up is Daylen Lile. At the beginning of the spring, he looked a bit rusty, but he has been finding his swing over the past week.

Butera figured this is what would happen, adding that “sometimes we get too caught up in stats during Spring Training”. Given the fact that the games do not count, and the whole point of this process is to get ready for the season, this is a take I agree with, though I can be guilty of falling into that trap at times. One thing that Butera does value is hitters finding their timing. He told me that, “sometimes it takes hitters a couple weeks to get their timing down. I think Daylen is just getting going now and he looks like Daylen”.

I think his point about timing is something to really consider. These guys can train as much as they want in the offseason, but there is no substitute for in-game reps. Sometimes pure hitters like Lile just need time to find that perfect swing. It seems like Lile has found it, and that is great for the Nats. He was such a spark for them in the second half.

The Nats got a lot of production from their first basemen as well in this game. Andres Chaparro got a hit, and hit the ball hard a couple times. Also, Abimelec Ortiz ripped a 110 MPH RBI double to give the Nats the lead. Ortiz started the spring slowly, but looks like he may be finding his footing.

Manager Blake Butera admitted the club has not settled on a starter at first base. He said that “At first base in general, we are pretty open minded on how this is going to work”. It also sounds like the Nats will experiment with a few different options throughout the season. He made sure to emphasize that the situation will be fluid and just because a guy starts the season at first base, it does not mean he will be the guy for all 162.

Overall, it was a nice and clean performance for the Nats. It has also been awesome to get all this access and get thoughts from the players and coaches. The Nats have been winning a lot this spring, but as we know, these games do not count. However, it seems like there is a good vibe to this group and we are seeing that manifest on the field.

Earlier today, we received some massive news regarding the Atlanta Braves and the new Braves.TV platform. Shortly after that news broke, we got some more important news on where to watch the Braves during the upcoming season. While the lion’s share of games will be on BravesVision, they also have to make room for nationally televised contests — and nationally streamed contests as well.

Apple TV is doing Friday Night Baseball for another season and they’ve announced their schedule through the month of June and the Braves are now set for three games that will be streaming-exclusive for that particular platform. We won’t have to wait long for the first game, as Atlanta’s road game against the Diamondbacks on April 3at 9:45 p.m. ET will be on Apple TV. Their only scheduled home game on Apple TV (as of right now) will take place on April 24 at 7:15 p.m. ET against the Phillies. After that, it’ll be a long wait between that game and the next Apple TV appearance for the Braves, as they’ll be playing a road game against the Mets on June 12at 7:15 p.m. ET.

Again as a reminder, you’ll have to sign up for Apple TV in order to have access to these games. To sum up the state of watching the Braves during the 2026 season, you’ll have to make sure you have access to the following platforms if you want to make sure you’ll have the ability to catch all 162 games:

• BravesVision (or Braves.TV)
• Fox Sports 1
• TBS
• ESPN (solely for the Little League Classic on August 23)
• Peacock
• Apple TV

I didn’t list NBC or FOX since technically you can have access to those broadcast networks for free. Good luck keeping up with all of that!

Insert GIF of The Rock yelling, “It doesn’t matter who you want to start Opening Day!”. Because, despite fans on the SnakePit being behind Ryne Nelson, by almost a 3-1 margin, we will instead be getting Zac Gallen on Opening Day, against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on March 26. This will be the fourth time in a row for Gallen, albeit this year, only because Merrill Kelly is unable to accept the honor initially given to him by Torey Lovullo. That ties Gallen with Brandon Webb for second on the franchise list of Opening Day starts by a pitcher, behind the six times Randy Johnson took the mound.

Though the results for Zac previously have been less than whelming: Gallen is 1-2, with a 6.59 ERA on previous Opening Days. That includes taking the loss in Dodger Stadium on Opening Day 2023: he allowed five runs over 4.2 innings, in an 8-2 loss. Mind you, Opening Days against the Dodgers have not historically gone very well for the D-backs. They have only one win in six attempts, and that came 25 years ago in 2001. Randy Johnson tossed seven innings of two-run ball in Los Angeles, and a two-run homer in the seventh by Luis Gonzalez proved the margin of victory in a 3-2 win for Arizona.

The Big Unit was actually only 3-2 on Opening Day, but he gave the team a quality start each and every one of the six games. The best record probably belongs to Ian Kennedy, who never started an Opening Day game the D-backs didn’t win. He got the W in two of his three, with the third going to extras before Arizona prevailed 7-6 in Denver. Webb was just 1-0 over his four starts, but the team ended up winning three of them. That included his final major-league outing in 2009, where he allowed six runs over four innings, but the D-backs still won, 9-8. In the end, I’d take that for Gallen in a couple of weeks: the team win is the thing.

The big news in today’s line-up sits right at the top, where Corbin Carroll is back in the line-up. It’s an amazingly quick return, just one month and a day after he suffered the injury on a swing during live batting practice on February 10. Given that when we looked at previous hamate-afflicted players, the average amount of time missed was almost twice as much, at 61 days, this is remarkably quick. In fact, it’s quicker than any of the players in our (admittedly fairly small) sample from the past five years. It being spring training may be a factor: this could be the equivalent of a rehab assignment. It’s good to see him, regardless; let’s just hope he is not being rushed back.

Ryne Nelson gets the start, and after him we can expect to see RHP Thomas Hatch, RHP Kevin Ginkel, RHP Ryan Thompson and LHP Philip Abner. It will be Nelson’s third start of spring: the other two lasted for a total of 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, with an impressive 6:0 K:BB ratio so far. With the news that Zac Gallen is going to be the Opening Day starter (I’ll be writing that up next), the next question is where Nelson is going to slot into the rotation. My instinct is it’ll be just behind Gallen, but we’ll see. Out of the bullpen, Ginkel and Thompson are the names to watch, as they look to establish dominance among our relief corps.

Despite fielding one of the worst offenses in baseball last season, the Cleveland Guardians still finished atop the American League Central when the dust settled. How an organization that was almost anemic offensively managed to win its division can be puzzling at first glance.

The ballclub by the lake does one thing as well as anyone in baseball. They manufacture the one thing every team needs and no team ever has enough of: pitching. For more than a decade, Cleveland has been one of baseball’s most reliable pitching development pipelines, consistently turning highly ranked prospects, mid-round draft picks, and overlooked arms into major league contributors. That model has kept the Guardians competitive despite operating with a payroll far smaller than many American League rivals.

Last season that formula paid off again. Cleveland stormed back late to claim its second straight AL Central title. Whether it holds again in 2026 will depend on two familiar questions: whether the pitching machine keeps humming and whether the offense around José Ramírez can provide enough support.

2025 record: 88-74 (1st, AL Central)
2026 FanGraphs projection: 76–86 (4th, AL Central)

Cleveland’s identity begins on the mound. Even as recognizable names cycle off the roster, the Guardians continue to produce quality pitchers at a rate few organizations can match. Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams represent the latest examples of Cleveland turning young arms into frontline starters.

The numbers explain why the organization is viewed as one of baseball’s most effective pitching development systems. Over the past three seasons, Guardians pitchers have ranked near the top of the American League in run prevention metrics. Cleveland finished 2025 among league leaders in ERA, fourth overall with a 3.70 team ERA while also ranking near the top in strikeout-to-walk ratio. The staff’s ability to limit free passes has been particularly impressive, as Cleveland routinely posts one of the lowest walk rates in baseball.

Underlying pitch metrics tell the same story. Statcast and FanGraphs data regularly show Cleveland pitchers near the top of the league in chase rate and weak contact allowed, two indicators strongly tied to sustainable run prevention. Pitching coach Carl Willis has emphasized pitch design, mechanical adjustments, and a clear organizational philosophy that helps the Guardians extract value from arms throughout their system.

Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake spent time in Cleveland’s organization earlier in his career, and since his arrival in New York it’s easy to see similarities between the two teams’ pitching philosophies. Both organizations emphasize data-driven adjustments and maximizing the strengths of each arm.

While Cleveland’s identity remains tied to the mound, the offense revolves around one of the most quietly dominant players of this generation. José Ramírez remains the centerpiece of the lineup and one of baseball’s most complete players, combining power, plate discipline, baserunning, and good defensive. Last season J-Ram posted 5.8 WAR with 30 home runs and 44 stolen bases, good for an .863 OPS and a third-place finish in the MVP race behind the first loser Cal Raleigh and, of course, The Captain himself, Aaron Judge.

He must also really believe Cleveland rocks. Ramírez signed a seven-year, $175 million extension that will keep him with the Guardians through his age-39 season, a rare commitment between a star player and a small-market franchise.

Alongside Ramírez, Steven Kwan provides a completely different but valuable offensive profile. His contact ability and disciplined approach make him one of the hardest hitters in the league to strike out and a natural table-setter at the top of the lineup. Cleveland needs that skill set, because offense has often been hard to come by. The Guardians scored more runs than only the Pirates and Rockies in all of baseball last season.

Beyond those two anchors, Cleveland once again hopes several young hitters can take the next step. Bo Naylor and Kyle Manzardo represent the next wave of offensive hope, while top prospects Chase DeLauter and George Valera should also factor into the lineup this season.

That reliance on internal development reflects Cleveland’s long-standing roster philosophy. This offseason, their most notable addition was first baseman/designated hitter Rhys Hoskins on a minor league deal. Hoskins is expected to make the big league club and projects as a regular splitting time between first base and designated hitter with Manzardo. Even after losing their star closer and a starting pitcher to betting allegations last July, the Guardians made no real additions to reinforce the bullpen or the rotation.

Rather than chasing free agents, Cleveland continues trusting its development pipeline to supply the next wave of contributors. In some seasons that approach works beautifully. In others, it leaves the lineup searching for consistent production behind Ramírez. That volatility is why Cleveland remains one of the harder teams in baseball to project. Their pitching depth keeps them competitive most seasons, but the offense often determines whether they hover around .500 or push toward the top of the division.

A team built on development rarely views its roster as static. If Cleveland struggles early this summer, the front office could again explore selling pieces for additional young talent.

That flexibility is part of why the Guardians feel like a team that simply refuses to go away. Some seasons they’re the belle of the trade deadline ball, making just enough moves to stay competitive without committing to a full rebuild. Then later that same year, they’re a team you see in October with grown men dancing to the SpongeBob theme song.

For the Yankees, Cleveland remains one of the more intriguing matchups on the schedule. The Guardians may not always feature the most intimidating lineup, but their pitching development consistently produces staffs capable of neutralizing even elite offenses. Games between these two clubs often turn into battles of pitching depth, discipline at the plate, and occasionally get a little chippy.

As long as Cleveland continues producing pitchers the way it has for the last decade — and as long as José Ramírez stays healthy — the Guardians will remain one of baseball’s quietest but most persistent threats.

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

At the top line, Spencer Strider looked really good on Wednesday afternoon: four innings, one walk, five strikeouts. When you consider that it was a visiting Rays team, maybe that’s more akin to something expected, but… I thought that this was a nice outing for him.

When Strider returned from injury last year, my amateur take on his struggles early was that he was struggling to stay mechanically consistent after taking a break between innings. Then, when things fell apart for him later in the year after his really nice run of starts, it was the slider mechanics (and resulting command) that did him in. So, I wasn’t surprised at all to see that in his first two Spring Training outings, the things he was struggling with were these same two: getting feel back after “going up and down” and having any semblance of consistency on his slider release.

So, the good news, if you care at all about my divinations into a guy’s mechanics in Spring Training, is that Strider looked much better for big chunks of this outing. There seemed to be a concerted effort to “slow down,” which I saw both in that he was “pulling” his four-seamer a lot (later release) and that everything was definitely not max effort.

The end result seemed to work out fairly well, especially towards the latter half of the outing. Strider worked the fastball early and didn’t get creamed for it (again, a quarter-strength Rays lineup at best here) and then really started carving up the set of Spring Training randos in his latter two frames. When he struck out the side in the third, it was very vintage Strider — Logan Davidson went down on a 1-2 well-located slider below the zone, Chandler Simpson swung through a zone curveball, and Gavin Lux got eaten alive on an above-the-zone fastball. Again, not the stiffest of competition, but still. Strider did issue his only walk in the fourth, but ended his outing with a nice (and Drake Baldwin/ABS-assisted) strikeout where he got Ben Williamson to look daft on two waste-type sliders.

Oh, and there was a game separate from Strider’s outing, too. Who knew. Matt Olson popped his third Spring Training 2026 homer, and the Braves drew some walks against Nick Martinez, but this was a low-scoring game for a while. Martinez actually struck out the side in the third before walking Austin Riley to start the fourth and departing. The Braves had a bit of a rally against Bryan Baker in the fifth: Brett Wisely homered to start the half-inning, Mauricio Dubon was robbed by a diving catch on a 100 mph screamer in center, Baldwin struck out (again), and then Olson, Riley, and Mike Yastrzemski proceeded to dunk balls onto grass to give Atlanta a 4-0 lead. There was a late tack-on run, too, with Luis Guanipa bouncing one up the middle to score a runner from second.

On the pitching end, Raisel Iglesias came in after Strider and had a few scary fly balls, but survived. Martin Perez worked the rest of the slate — all four innings — and was kind of mean to the random Rays’ hangers-on and minor leaguers, given his arsenal. Williamson did pop him for a three-run homer after a barely-there roller and a walk put two on with two out, but the rest was easy pickin’ for the veteran, as he struck out six of the 17 batters he faced.

The Braves will play a night game tomorrow as they head to Bradenton to hang with the Pirates. Will they return with Charlie Morton? Who knows. (Probably not.) Stay tuned.