Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman walks on the field before game three of the 2024 MLB World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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It’s crazy how time flies. I can remember pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training like it was yesterday, and now we’re on the eve of Opening Day! Furthermore, it feels like just last week that we asked the fanbase to evaluate general manager Brian Cashman and the offseason moves that he oversaw, when it fact it’s been a month-and-a-half since we ran our offseason grading poll.
Sitting on the doorstep of the 2026 season, we felt it was the perfect opportunity to take the fanbase’s temperature one last time before meaningful games get underway.
This was one of the busiest spring training periods in recent memory between the World Baseball Classic and normal Grapefruit League schedule. The tournament was a resounding success, with Venezuela narrowly defeating Team USA to secure their first ever WBC crown. Attendance and broadcast records were smashed, with several Yankees representing their nations, including Aaron Judge as captain of Team USA.
There were plenty of developments at the spring training complex as well. Much of the noise coming out of Tampa centered on a trio of exciting prospects. Spencer Jones continued his habit of demolishing spring training pitching, slashing .333/.429/.917 with four home runs, eight RBIs, three stolen bases, a 14.3-percent walk rate and encouraging 28.6-percent strikeout rate, and 227 wRC+ in 28 plate appearances spanning 11 games. Top pitching prospect Elmer Rodríguez affirmed that he is the most polished of the Yankees’ farm arms, making a pair of starts and allowing two runs in six innings without giving up a home run and showcasing his command of a deep arsenal.
However, it was electric pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange who stole headlines, emerging as one of if not the most exciting pitching prospects in all of baseball. He largely dominated opposing major league hitters with his high octane fastball that touched as high as 103 mph, displaying the improvements in command he’s made over the last year. Shelling at the hand of the Cubs notwithstanding, Lagrange’s performances caught the eye of the major league coaching staff, and it’s not out of the question that he could impact the big league club this year. All three prospects were optioned to minor league camp, but their strong springs have positioned each for a potential call-up should reinforcements be needed.
The last week has seen the team finalize the active roster. Jasson Domínguez and Oswaldo Cabrera were optioned to Triple-A while non-roster invitee Randal Grichuk was tendered a major league contract and Rule 5 draftee Cade Winquest still has a chance to break camp with the team. The Yankees acquired Angel Chivilli and Max Schuemann to provide depth in the bullpen and infield, respectively, but promptly optioned the pair to the minors as they give reps at shortstop to Ryan McMahon and are pondering the selection of Brent Headrick’s contract.
The biggest story in terms of roster construction in recent days, however, concerns the starting rotation. Aaron Boone hinted at the possibility of a four-man rotation for the first two turns with the Yankees having four offdays in the first two weeks, including reaffirming their commitment to offseason trade acquisition Ryan Weathers as a member of the rotation despite his rocky spring. This opens the door to the Yankees optioning Luis Gil to Triple-A to open the year, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year hitting the lowest of lows and highest of highs in his final two spring starts.
Speaking of the rotation, there is plenty of reason to be encouraged. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are on time if not ahead of schedule with their throwing programs, the former even making a spring start and reaching as high as 99 mph with his fastball. Will Warren looks to have taken a massive step over the offseason following an up-and-down rookie campaign and was the Yankees’ most consistent starter in spring. Cam Schlittler emerged from an early spring injury scare to look like the pitcher who dominated after his second half call-up.
As for the offense, it’s the exact same group that finished last season. The Yankees kept their starting outfield intact in retaining Trent Grisham on the qualifying offer and bringing Cody Bellinger back into the fold for five years and $162.5 million. It’s fair to criticize the Yankees’ lack of ambition in running it back with the same starting nine, but this was the best offense in baseball last year by runs per game and wRC+ and projects to place in the top-five in terms of runs scored and offensive wins.
It is therefore no surprise that a pair of projection systems have the Yankees as one of the two or three best teams in the AL. FanGraphs projects that they will win the division with the second-most wins (87) in the AL behind the Mariners and the third best playoff odds (70.2-percent) behind the Mariners and Tigers. PECOTA predicts that they will finish second behind the Blue Jays, but still with the third-most wins (88) and third-best playoff odds (67.3-percent) behind Toronto and Seattle.
So now I would like to turn it over to you. How far do you think the Yankees will go in 2026? Can they make it back to the World Series after their early postseason exit last year? Will they miss out on the playoffs entirely? Additionally, we ask that you let us know whether you approve of the job Yankees GM Brian Cashman has done this spring in finalizing the roster. Vote in our polls below:
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 26: Cody Freeman #39 celebrates with Alejandro Osuna #19 of the Texas Rangers after Osuna hit a three-run homer during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 26, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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Okay folks…spring training is over, Opening Day is two days away, the season is about to kick off.
We are doing one last win total poll heading into the season.
How many regular season games will the 2026 Texas Rangers win?
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 21: Garrett Baumann #90 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With the 2026 Spring Breakout Series coming to an end, MLB Pipeline released their All-Spring Breakout Teams, with a pair of Atlanta Braves prospects making the first team. John Gil made it as the third baseman, which is the position he played in the game, while Garrett Baumann was one of six pitchers selected to the first team.
Gil, who went one for three with a homer, walk, and hit by pitch, scored twice and batted in a pair of runs against the Yankees team. Baumann went three innings without allowing a hit or walk and struck out five on just 31 pitches on Saturday night.
This honor for Gil and Baumann comes after both players enjoyed strong springs that have given them a slight up arrow on their prospect status heading into their 2026 seasons. Both of these guys are candidates to open the season in Double-A, and with strong seasons could potentially earn the right to make their big league debuts in the near future.
Mar 23, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) dribbles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Hawks returned to winning ways — and an 11th consecutive victory at home — with a lopsided 146-107 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night at State Farm Arena.
The Hawks — without Jalen Johnson — were led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 28 points, while Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga both added 16 points. For the Grizzlies — who are injury hit/running for the lottery — GG Jackson scored 26 points with Tyler Burton adding 20 points.
We’re at a point in the season where teams who are gunning for the playoffs, jostling for playoff seeding, meet teams whose have a very different objective at this time of the year — and there’s more teams than usual who fit this criteria this season. As a result, some games are more so formalities than contests; box-ticking exercises.
In this case: did the Memphis Grizzlies show up to the game? Yes, yes they did. They took a 5-0 lead, hung around in the first quarter (trailing by just 10 points to end the first quarter), and that was their general team contribution to this game.
The Hawks — who by no means played a sexy first quarter (eight turnovers, forcing passes that were a bit too far out of reach) — were extremely comfortable in this game, and while this game was never really a contest (leading by double digits in the first quarter, running the lead to 26 points in the second quarter, 30 points — and quickly 40+ points — in the third quarter) the Hawks remained professional throughout, and their first quarter play was a microcosm for how the rest of the game essentially unfolded, so we’ll look at some of the plays from last night.
From the outset, the Hawks’ ball movement was excellent, this three-pointer finished by CJ McCollum one such example of the Hawks’ willingness to pass, move, relocate, and find the open man:
Even when the Hawks were absolutely blowing the Grizzlies out in the third quarter, they still committed to this style of play when the ball moved around to find Gabe Vincent for a three-pointer with 1:41 remaining.
The Hawks tallied 37 assists and would only register three more turnovers for the remainder of the game following their eight turnovers in the first quarter.
“That’s the possession game,” said Hawks head coach Quin Snyder of cleaning up the turnovers. “The fact that we did that to be able to clean that up against a team that was denying passes and trying to extend pressure up the floor. I thought our guys settled into that and were much more secure with the ball, and that takes more than just one player. You’ve gotta work to get open, sometimes you’ve got to ball fake, you got to be spaced if someone needs help. It was good to see.”
Alexander-Walker scored 13 points in the first, and with Memphis’ lack of size inside the paint Alexander-Walker was able to consistently get to the rim and finish.
The Grizzlies did their share to help the Hawks at times, and a breakdown on the switch with Taylor Hendricks allows Alexander-Walker to turn the corner, attack the paint where he takes the bump, adjusts, and finishes for the ‘and-1’ play:
Coming off the curl from the corner and off the dribble hand-off from Jock Landale, Alexander-Walker is able to burst into the paint where he is uncontested for the dunk:
And, of course, the pick of the bunch. Kuminga intercepts the pass, does well to twist and turn to get the ball to the streaking Alexander-Walker, who charges to the rim and finishes the left-handed poster dunk, plus the foul:
“From when I got the ball, I could see the defender was timing me,” said Alexander-Walker of the play. “So, I knew I had to go aggressively. If I tried to lay it up, I think like the more aggressive guy wins in that situation. For me, it was just like, ‘All right, let’s just go for it,‘ mentality. I wanted to battle that one. I was just surprised. It’s funny because the guys get on me to dunk all the time. I tell them, like, ‘That’s just not what I like to do,’ you know. For me to go get one in that fashion was pretty funny.”
This play — and the Kuminga three the possession prior to this — were a big swing to end the first quarter as the Hawks had allowed Memphis to creep back towards them after a sloppy first quarter. With these two plays, the Hawks never really looked back.
Memphis did their best to help the Hawks with their turnovers and shot selection, such as this turnover where DeJon Jarreau loses the handle for the turnover:
On the drive, Walton Clayton Jr. attempts to throw a lob for Hendricks, only for Hendricks to have already fanned out to the corner, resulting in a turnover:
Memphis’ shot selection, however, was their greater issue. The early recipe to try attain a foothold in this game was Ty Jerome, and from the early exchanges this did yield success.
Jerome is well defended on the drive by Dyson Daniels, and forces him to take a turnaround jumpshot, which is short:
In transition, the Grizzlies find Clayton Jr. in the corner, but with 18 seconds remaining on the shotclock there’s likely a better shot than a fading three-point attempt in the corner:
The Hawks did their part to limit the Grizzlies, too, with some good Alexander-Walker defense preventing Clayton Jr. fro getting to the rim, and forcing a tough turnaround airball:
The Grizzlies would take many jumpshots in this game, indicative of both the Grizzlies’ lack of quality to create offense and the Hawks’ ability to limit penetration (and defend the rim when the Grizzlies got there) and keep Memphis in front of them.
Looking at some other team stats, the Hawks scored a whopping 39 points off of 23 Memphis turnovers, which also contributed to 26 fastbreak points. Nickeil Alexander-Walker pointed to the team’s defense in contributing to the Hawks’ fastbreak scoring, crediting Mo Gueye for his contributions (starting in place of Jalen Johnson).
“Just defense, active gaps,” said Alexander-Walker postgame of the fastbreak scoring. “Mo Gueye has been tremendous in terms of bringing activity for us, deflections. If you notice, he always racks them up whenever he’s playing. I think that’s just been big for us, what he has been able to do defensively. Dyson’s going to be him, he’s going to be disruptive, challenging passing lanes for everybody. I think it was a collective unit; we felt like we were on a string with rotations, with shifts, cycles, etc.”
The Hawks enjoyed a rare advantage on the offensive glass, grabbing 12 offensive rebounds leading to 19 second chance points; an efficient conversion. Efficient would be a good adjective to describe the Hawks in this game: 53% shooting from the field, 46% from three (making 25 in total), and shooting 23-of-25 from the free throw line.
The Hawks took care of business, which was the theme of the night in the postgame availability.
“I think it’s a collective thing where guys are just putting the team first,” said Snyder when asked about the maturity of his side taking care of business.“ When you say that, the things that those guys are doing right now demonstrate that. That’s got to be our focus, and when it is we’re crashing the offensive glass, we’re sharing the ball, getting in the lane, breaking the paint, and then sharing the ball. The focus on the defense is the most important thing when you see everybody bought into that, that says a lot about the guys in our locker room. Their maturity, but also just their focus. Whether you’re 22 or 32.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, as ever, summed up the matter very eloquently, saying the Hawks were very much aware of who they are playing, and who they should beat.
“I think as a group, we’ve been professional and that’s what it’s about, doing your job,” said Alexander-Walker. “It doesn’t matter who they put out in front of you. We were very conscious of who we were playing against tonight. We’ve seen the Boston game, we’ve seen the Denver game, and those are teams playing their full roster. Those are teams trying to get wins for seeding in the playoffs. Those guys, they’re winning games. One thing I learned is that if you lose to a team like that, it’s bad. If you beat a team like that, ‘Oh, you’re supposed to blah, blah, blah, blah’. You don’t really win in that situation. So, you kind of got to drown out the noise. You just got to be professional. It’s my job to play the game, it’s my job to play hard, it’s my job to try to win and do what I need to do for the team. Everyone showed up tonight to do that, and I think that’s been the one consistent thing that’s shown over time.”
“At the end of the day, these are the 450 best players in the world,” added Onyeka Okongwu. “Those guys over there, the Grizzlies, are dealing with a lot of injuries, a lot of guys in and out of the lineups. Those guys are just getting opportunities; you see guys like Prosper and Hendricks, they’re all just playing so hard and giving their all. Still got to respect it, but we still do what we do and take care of business at the end of the day.”
Aside from taking care of business, Snyder was pleased with the Hawks’ ball movement, crediting CJ McCollum’s contributions in the first quarter in setting the standard early, then Alexander-Walker’s efforts in the third quarter.
“It’s terrific. I thought CJ set the tone early, where he was just in the lane, had his eyes out finding people,” said Snyder of the Hawks’ unselfishness. “Then, Nickeil had a stretch, beginning the third quarter, where those guys playing that way, it raises everybody’s level, it sets a tone. It wasn’t just the two of them but, to me, they stood out because they’re both capable scorers and they get in there too. For them to be looking for their teammates, and they do. but it was noticeable tonight in those two situations, I thought, in a very obvious way. We were obviously unselfish, which I like to be able to say that.”
The nature of this game meant there was a lot of garbage time in the fourth quarter, and every player who checked into the game scored for the Hawks, including eight players in double-digit scoring. Alexander-Walker led the way with 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, and 4-of-6 from three, scoring 22 points in the first half. Jonathan Kuminga enjoyed a stronger game, also hitting four threes en route to 16 points off the bench, while Okongwu was an ever-present threat inside the paint on both ends of the floor.
Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway was a second consecutive game where Dyson Daniels hit multiple three-pointers in a game, shooting 2-of-3 from behind the arc.
“He’s done that before,” said Syder of Daniels’ shooting. “If you look, maybe not as much this year, but that’s who he is, and we don’t want him to not be aggressive in any situation. His aggressiveness offensively can manifest itself a lot of ways, just being prepared to shoot. I’ve talked to you guys before about just space, and then read, and if he’s got the shot, take the shot. He’s pretty good getting in the paint, too.”
As Snyder said, this is not new for Daniels overall — and those threes he took and hit last night looked like the threes he made last season — but for this season, it is an enormous boost. In 10 games in March so far, Daniels is shooting 31% from three; obviously not a high percentage but in the context of Daniels’ season it’s an enormous step forward.
All-in-all, a very professional game from the Atlanta Hawks, who won with ease in a spot where victory was expected. What was most impressive was the how the Hawks didn’t ease off the throttle in the third quarter, playing in a similar manner than in the first quarter with their ball and man movement when they could have easily began to ease up and play in a carefree manner. It speaks to a focus and a recognition of the seriousness of where the Hawks are in their season, now with a clear opportunity to make the top-6 in the East.
It was a very good night in that regard; Orlando inexplicably broke the Pacers’ 16 game losing streak, while Miami and Philadelphia suffered heavy home losses against the top two in the West. The Hawks need as much margin as they can get, as they have the fourth most difficult schedule remaining in the NBA.
The Hawks (40-32) are back in action on Wednesday, when they’ll take on the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.
The Pistons will be without Cade Cunningham, and while it’s a great time to play the Pistons in that sense, they should not be underestimated having just snapped the Lakers’ nine game winning streak without Cunningham.
Jed Hoyer with his big offseason acquisition, Alex Bregman | | Getty Images
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We’re just two days from Opening Day of the 2026 regular season. The Cubs will face the Nationals at Wrigley Field.
Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer has done another makeover of the team over the winter, with Kyle Tucker departing and Alex Bregman arriving being the biggest change.
But Hoyer also acquired a potential top starter, Edward Cabrera, in trade. And despite the departure of key 2025 relievers like Drew Pomeranz and Brad Keller, Hoyer has acquired four relievers in free agency who all have had success in the past: Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb and Hunter Harvey.
In the past, Hoyer’s had good luck putting together bullpens, so I think that should work out pretty well.
In this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, I’d like you to give Hoyer a grade. Honestly, I think this offseason rates an “A,” and I’ve never been a big fan of Hoyer. But he’s put together a win-now type of team that should be able to build on last year’s 92-win club and should be the favorite to win the NL Central.
Cast your vote below and we’ll have the results later this week.
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 25: Dylan Beavers #12 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a walk off home run during a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at the Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 25, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The outfield was a problem for the Orioles last year. Early-season injuries to Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill meant that the team rarely had their “first string” options all available at the same time. This did allow Ramón Laureano to break out and become a valuable trade chip, but the rest of the replacements struggled to find any consistency.
Orioles President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias made the outfield a priority this offseason. He dealt Grayson Rodriguez, and his four years of team control, to the Angels in exchange for veteran slugger Taylor Ward, a player that the GM had apparently been coveting for years. Ward is only expected to be in Baltimore for one year since he hits free agency after the season, but he should provide added power and durability to a lineup that could use both.
Leody Taveras was the other offseason addition. His spot on the roster is not locked in though. He would be the fifth outfielder on the squad, a luxury that many teams don’t utilize. His argument to make the Opening Day team would include his versatility, ability to play centerfield, speed on the bases, and a switch-hitting bat to complement Colton Cowser’s lefty stick.
Dylan Beavers
Beavers enters the year with a little bit of a Rookie of the Year buzz. He posted a .934 OPS in Triple-A Norfolk last year, and then had an intriguing 35-game cup of coffee with the Orioles at the end of the year in which he had a .375 on-base percentage. Those performances gave his prospect status a big boost, placing him onto several “Top 100” lists for the first time in his career.
What the rookie’s exact role will be on the team is tough to pin down. He has experience at all three outfield spots, but fits best in the corners. How often will he start ahead of O’Neill and Ward? It’s unclear. At a minimum, he should enter most games at some point to serve as a defensive replacement or pinch runner.
Colton Cowser
The 2025 season was a nightmare for Cowser. He broke his thumb in the first week of the year, forcing him to miss two months. Shortly after returning in June, he fractured his ribs. In what was supposed to be a breakout season for Cowser, he struggled to stay on the field and underperformed (.196/.269/.385) when he was healthy.
It seemed possible going into the offseason that the Orioles would pursue a center field upgrade, pushing Cowser to fight for playing time in the corners. Instead, they added Ward and made Cowser their de facto starting center fielder. It’s a big role in a crucial campaign.
Tyler O’Neill
The Orioles need more out of O’Neill in 2026 than they got in his debut season. Last year, he only played in 54 games, hit nine home runs, and posted a .684 OPS. That’s not good value for the $16.5 million he is earning per season.
O’Neill is making too much money to simply be a platoon bat, but the Orioles could look to protect him a bit more in the season ahead. That could mean getting subbed out in the late innings or seeing more regular time at DH. Beavers is going to deserve regular playing time as well, so some sort of partnership with O’Neill makes sense.
Taylor Ward
The addition of Ward came out of, well, left field. Rodriguez was a player that Orioles fans had grown attached to and still believed in quite a bit. Ward, playing his baseball on the west coast, was a relative unknown that is also due to hit free agency soon. It didn’t seem to make much sense at first blush.
Now, several months and a full spring training removed from the move, things are starting to click. Ward has been a well above-average hitter for five years now and has experience hitting towards the top of a batting order. A nice showing down in Sarasota (.894 OPS) doesn’t hurt either. Meanwhile, Rodriguez is opening the season on the IL for the Angels, citing “dead arm” and further diminished velocities for the decision. There is still plenty of time for this deal to go sideways, but right now it is looking much more logical for the Orioles.
Depth
Whether or not any other dedicated outfielders make the Opening Day squad will depend on how the front office and manager Craig Albernaz feel about the rest of their bench. The roster math right now is tight, depending on if they go forward with 12 or 13 pitchers out of the gate. Unless there is an unreported injury or a potential trade in the next two days, they will probably not be able to carry all of the bench players that have been discussed throughout the spring. Bryan Ramos, who is exclusively an infielder, would seem to be the odd man out despite his strong showing this spring.
Taveras did not have a great spring. He finished with a .205/.226/.304 batting line. But at this point in his career, his value is not in his bat. It’s more about being a late-game upgrade on defense or the bases. Is that worth his $2 million salary? Or could the team get just as much value out of a combination of Beavers, Blaze Alexander, and the eventual call-up of Enrique Bradfield Jr.?
Alexander, acquired from the Diamondbacks right before spring training, is making the team and is likely to see plenty of time at second base as Jackson Holliday rehabs his broke hamate bone. But the O’s used him in center field some this spring, and the Diamondbacks gave him time there last season. Using him as the backup in center would save a roster spot.
It’s a similar consideration for Jeremiah Jackson in the corners. The 25-year-old had a really good camp (.847 OPS), which comes on the heels of an impressive post-trade deadline showing with the big league team last summer (.775 OPS, five home runs). They could use his bat off the bench. Most of his professional work has come on the infield, but he played 34 games in right field last year.
Bradfield is being treated like a player that the Orioles plan to count on rather soon. As of this writing, he is still on the team’s roster and took part in both of their exhibition games against the Nationals this week. With the glove and on the bases, he is ready for the big leagues. But his bat needs some work. He OPS’ed just .512 in 15 games at Triple-A last year, and went 1-for-12 this spring. That doesn’t sound like a player that will make an Opening Day roster, but a strong showing in Triple-A to begin the season could earn him a ticket to Baltimore sometime in the first half of the year.
Heston Kjerstad began the spring on fire, but cooled off in the second half of March. Now he is dealing with hamstring tightness. All of this combines to leave him off of the Opening Day roster and likely to get his first action of the year at Triple-A Norfolk. But if he proves he has shaken the health issues from a season ago, he should get another shot in Baltimore at some point in the year, especially if the offense needs an influx of power.
Reed Trimble was a somewhat surprising addition to the 40-man roster this winter. The 25-year-old has been a legitimate prospect ever since the Orioles selected him 65th overall back in 2021, but his development has been rather slow. That said, he was Rule 5 draft-eligible in December, so it seems the Orioles were worried enough about losing him that they didn’t want to risk it. He hit .257/.352/.503 in Double-A last year, and then spent a month in Triple-A. His ceiling is probably that of a toolsy reserve that can provide solid defense at all three outfield spots. He will need to prove himself in Norfolk first.
The Orioles do not project to be elite at any one outfield position in 2026. But at a minimum they should be serviceable across the board. FanGraphs gives the following projections by position:
That would represent significant improvement in left (0.8 fWAR in 2025) and center (1.2 fWAR in 2024), while it would be about the same production in right (2.5 fWAR in 2025) from a season ago. The Orioles would take that. Ultimately, this team is going to go as far as their infielders, led by Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso, can take them. But they need the outfield to show a certain level of competency and health that they didn’t in 2025.
PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 24: Ildemaro Vargas #6 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates with teammates in the dugout during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Wednesday, September 24, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Shayna Goldberg/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The National League has a clear favorite, three rebuilding clubs and a large swath of teams that range from young and promising to perennial contender, which should create a competitive atmosphere.
On Fangraphs, the Los Angeles Dodgers are projected to lead the NL with 96 wins, but there are 10 teams between 77 and 88 wins where a few breaks can cluster the group together.
There don’t tend to be many legitimately good free agent left-handed relievers just floating out there, unsigned. A move to acquire one would likely either require a trade or taking a flyer on a potential under-the-radar arm.
One option that is available, as much as D-backs fans might groan at it: former Diamondback Andrew Chafin was recently let go by the Minnesota Twins.
Chafin pitched to an elite 2.41 ERA in 42 games for the Twins and Nationals in 2025. He posted a 3.51 ERA in 62 games in 2024, one year following his departure from Arizona.
“We feel very comfortable with some reverse split guys that can go out there and attack left-hand hitters,” Lovullo said. “The reason for this decision, and this is what I told Brandyn, is that our main pillar is filling up the strike zone. I felt like that was a little inconsistent. … He’s going to be in our bullpen in no time. So that’s the reason.”
Morillo and Ginkel were two arms Lovullo pointed to who could go after lefties, and Hoffmann had reverse splits in the minor leagues, as well.
Baumler induced groundouts from the first two batters he faced, Starling Marte and Jonathan India, before Schumacher suddenly sprung from the dugout steps and went out to the mound for a chat. The Rangers’ infielders converged and Schumaker broke the good news to Baumler – to a visit then filled with laughs and smiles.
Baumler did not allow a run in 9 1/3 innings over eight Cactus League appearances for the Rangers this spring, striking out 10 and walking two. At three levels in Baltimore’s farm system last season, Baumler posted a combined 2.04 ERA in 39 2/3 innings.
Opening week of the 2026 MLB season has arrived — after an offseason when chaos reigned supreme.
Not long after their historic late-season collapse, the New York Mets started an offseason overhaul that continued throughout the winter. Fresh off their 2025 World Series appearance, the Toronto Blue Jays added an ace to their rotation, the Baltimore Orioles brought in a slugging bat to anchor their lineup, and the Chicago Cubs finally made the big-name free agent signing their fans had been craving.
But in the end, it was the two-time reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers who sent shock waves through the sport by signing the offseason’s No. 1 free agent to a record deal.
With A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez both on the shelf for the foreseeable future, Kevin Ginkel — who, to be clear, posted a 7.36 ERA in 2025 while battling intermittent shoulder issues — started the offseason in the pole position to handle much of the team’s high-leverage work. Then his fastball was down two ticks this spring, and he got lit up, so that might’ve been the end of high-leverage Gink.
At least Paul Sewald is back in town. He appears to have added a cutterish pitch to his two-pitch arsenal, and his velocity has actually been up a bit in his brief spring action. Given the trend lines of these two, I’d pick Sewald to emerge as the preferred early-season closer option, but there are a few guys who are perhaps primed to seize the title as they gain a bit more big league experience.
The news on Wetherholt is notable but not surprising. It has seemed all winter long as though the Cards had planned for him to get a shot in the big leagues. They cleared out their roster this winter by trading guys like Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan. Those trade were partly for cost savings but also to open some playing time for younger players as the Cards are rebuilding and need to assess their young guys in a major league environment.
Wetherholt was one of the main guys who needed some room. The seventh overall pick of the 2024 draft, he climbed to the cusp of the majors last year. He split his time between Double-A and Triple-A, making 496 plate appearances in total. His 14.5% walk rate was excellent and almost as high as his 14.7% strikeout rate. He produced a combined .306/.421/.510 batting line, which translated to a 154 wRC+. He stole 23 bases on the year. His defense at shortstop was considered good enough for him to stay there as a big leaguer but he also played some second and third base.
As the 2026 season drew closer and the annual top 100 lists came out, Wetherholt was in the top 10 of most of them. But at the beginning of the season, the Cards had a fairly crowded infield. Masyn Winn is one of the best defensive shortstops on the majors and is controlled for another four seasons. They had Arenado at third. Donovan could bounce around the diamond but played second base more than any other spot.
In the Prospect Promotion Incentive era, it’s tempting for the Pirates to play their top prospect. A first-place Rookie of the Year finish in 2026, or becoming an MVP finalist by 2028, would have netted Pittsburgh a first-round pick. Considering the Dodgers and Mets are spending like there’s no tomorrow, it would easily be a Top 30 selection.
However, we also have to remember that even with the potential reward of a first-rounder, the six-plus years of control are more valuable. The draft pick is merely a bonus if the timing lines up right for an elite prospect.
MESA, AZ - MARCH 22: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs bats during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on Sunday, March 22, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Happy Tuesday! The Mariners concluded this year’s Spring Training with a 3-10 loss to the San Diego Padres, but a solid outing from starter Luis Castillo was one of the game’s highlights. Castillo pitched five innings and only gave up one run on four hits with five strikeouts.
We are just two sleeps away from 2026 Opening Day, and first pitch can’t come any sooner. The Mariners will be faced with a number of difficult roster decisions before then, however, including J.P. Crawford’s position at shortstop and Bryce Miller’s rotation spot. With both players battling injuries and a little uncertainty with their status, who do you think will occupy those positions on the Mariners’ Opening Day roster?
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 20: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals prepares on deck during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Brendon Baranov/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Over the course of the offseason, I settled on a new framing device for how to look at a baseball team and its chances of making the playoffs. The common thought around baseball goes like this: “You’re going to win 54 games, you’re going to lose 54 games. It’s what happens in the other 54 that determines where you end up.” I like to think about winning enough of those 54 games to reach the postseason as answering a sufficient number of “ifs.”
You will win a game if the starting pitcher does well, if the bullpen can lock it down, if the offense can score runs, or if you can get a little lucky. Those statements can all be broken down into more specific questions, and, of course, for any given game, you don’t need all of those if-statements to come true, but you need enough of them to work out. And so it is with the season. That’s why projection systems are so conservative by nature, because you’d have to be nearly perfect to be expected to win 108, and have nearly the worst outcome imaginable to lose that many. But the number of potential answers a team has can make a big difference.
For example, every team that wants to succeed needs to try to answer that first “if” every night; they’ve got to send a starting pitcher to the mound. Last year, the Royals had six possible answers that they felt pretty good about when the season started. That ended up not being enough, and people called it bad luck with injuries. The Dodgers suffered more injuries to their starting rotation, but still won the World Series. Why? Because they had more “ifs” they could use when they rolled snake eyes.
There’s also the matter of the quality of the ifs, of course. In computer programming, an “if statement” is followed by a list of possibilities separated by an AND or an OR. If the options are combined with and, everything has to go right to continue (also known as “returning true”); if they’re combined with an OR, you only need one of them to return true. When I was younger, the ifs would go something like, “If Mark Teahen can move to second AND he can still play good defense AND he can continue improving his bat into his late 20s AND he doesn’t slow down AND someone else can play third, first, left, and rightfield, the Royals can win! That’s simply too many ifs for one player to answer, so you’re not going to get to follow through.
If you prefer betting metaphors, it’s the difference between betting a six-legged parlay and having six individual bets. In the parlay, they’ve all got to cover for you to win any money. If you do six individual bets, and you win some of them, you can still make a profit. (Remember this when you’re considering whether to play a parlay or not, please. Parlays are a sportsbook’s best friend and a bettor’s worst enemy.)
The 2026 Royals have a series of if questions to answer, but there are a lot fewer ANDs than we’ve become accustomed to as Royals fans. And the Royals have as many potential options as they’ve had in the history of my fandom to plug in for the ORs.
If the starting pitcher does well
The bare minimum number of answers necessary for this question is five – the number of starters in a rotation at any given time. However, the reality has always been that you’re going to need more than five; probably closer to ten or even fifteen correct answers over the course of a full season. For each starting pitcher, you basically have to answer two more if questions: if he is healthy and if he pitches well. Here’s how the Royals began 2025:
Cole Ragans
Extremely likely to pitch well
Unlikely to be healthy
Seth Lugo
Likely to pitch well
Likely to be healthy
Michael Wacha
Likely to pitch well
Likely to be healthy
Michael Lorenzen
Not particularly likely to pitch well
Likely to be healthy
Kris Bubic
Quite likely to pitch well
Unlikely to be healthy
Noah Cameron
Unlikely to pitch well
Likely to be healthy
Alec Marsh
Unlikely to pitch well
Was hurt before the season started
Kyle Wright
Unlikely to pitch well
Extremely unlikely to be healthy, injured shortly into the season
The Royals simply didn’t have enough guys who were likely to satisfy both criteria, and that ended up bearing out in the end. However, things are different in 2026. Ragans, Wacha, and Lugo are all back and in roughly similar positions as last year. Noah Cameron and Kris Bubic are back, but you’d expect more out of both of them than you did entering last season, as long as they remain healthy. They lost Lorenzen, Marsh, and Wright, but look who they added:
Ryan Bergert
Likely to pitch well
Not particularly likely to be injured
Stephen Kolek
Likely to be average
Not particularly likely to be injured
Bailey Falter
Unlikely to pitch well
Likely to be healthy
Luinder Avila
Unlikely to pitch well
Not particularly likely to be injured
Ben Kudrna
Unlikely to pitch well
Likely to be healthy
Mitch Spence
Unlikely to pitch well
Likely to be healthy
Mason Black
Unlikely to pitch well
Likely to be healthy
Now, don’t get hung up on how many of those guys are unlikely to pitch well, because not all of them need to. The 2026 Royals don’t have any more ifs for their rotation than the 2025 team did, but they have more potential answers. Soren Petro has spent a lot of time on the Kauffman Corner podcast this offseason asking how things might have gone differently for Luke Hochevar if the Royals had had guys who could start games instead of him, allowing him to shift to the bullpen earlier in his career than he did. If one of these guys turns into a modern-day Luke Hochevar – looking at you, Mason Black – the Royals won’t have to ask if; they’ll be able to find out because they do have someone else who can step into the rotation and give it a shot.
If the bullpen can lock it down
We don’t need to go through that whole exercise from above with every reliever; there are too many of them. But trust me when I say the Royals have more options with better chances of returning true than they’ve ever had before under manager Matt Quatraro. Any of Carlos Estévez, Lucas Erceg, John Schreiber, Alex Lange, Nick Mears, or Matt Strahm might have been the best reliever on the roster at the start of 2024. Heck, this year’s version of Steven Cruz or Luinder Avila might have been, too, and they’re both starting the year in the minors. James McArthur was the Royals’ closer for much of that year, and even if he gets healthy and starts pitching better than he did that season, he might not be able to find much time on the big league roster because of how much more talent the team has available this year. John Schreiber was last year’s third-best reliever and might be this year’s seventh-best.
When you have enough potential answers, the likelihood of getting one right goes way up; that’s just probability. The likelihood of rolling a six on a standard die is 16.7%; the likelihood of rolling at least one six on two standard dice is 30.5%; the likelihood of rolling at least one six on three standard dice is 42.1%. You can never get all the way to 100% probability, no matter how many dice you add, but still, more dice give you better odds, and the Royals have a lot of dice in 2026.
Last year, Carlos Estévez led all of MLB in saves. But if he had gotten injured, the only likely solution for closer would have been Lucas Erceg, who wasn’t pitching as well in 2025 as he did after being acquired in 2024. After him would have been John Schreiber, who isn’t as bad as Royals fans sometimes think, but doesn’t seem likely to thrive in the closer role for very long. But, while there is some concern about Estévez to start the year, there are still half a dozen other guys after him and Erceg who are at least as good as Schreiber that you can try out at the closer job for a short time without feeling like you’re stretching too far. That includes Strahm, who has been one of the best relievers in baseball over the past three years. If those guys are healthy and pitching well, then they get a chance to come up sixes in the earlier innings, instead, shortening games in a way that the 2015 Royals enjoyed with the option to try out a variety of guys in the fifth and sixth innings because they knew HDH had the back three locked down.
If the offense can score runs
Let’s list the questions the offense needs to answer:
If Bobby Witt Jr. can be a star
If Maikel Garcia can be close to as good as he was last year
If Vinnie Pasquantino can continue to be an RBI machine
If Salvador Perez can fight off Father Time for another year
If Jonathan India can bounce back to be playable
If Isaac Collins can continue to show elite plate discipline
If Kyle Isbel can still be a defensive force in center field
If Jac Caglianone can live up to the projections this time
If Carter Jensen can look like the guy he was in September
If Lane Thomas can mash lefties again
If Starling Marte can hit
If Michael Massey can find his form from 2024 and stay healthy
That’s a lot of ifs, but reading through that list, a lot of them feel pretty likely, yes? Last year, the list included things like “If MJ Melendez’s swing change works” and “If Jonathan India can hit at the highest level he’s ever hit AND play two brand new positions competently”. Things that we either did or should have assumed wouldn’t work. Last year also included “If Bobby Witt Jr. can be a superstar”, which is very different from just being a star, which he still was last year, and feels like his floor.
In a lot of these cases, we’re just asking the players to continue doing what they’ve done. One of the meme-able complaints about Dayton Moore was his seeming belief that everyone would do better next year, and that’s how the team would win. The 2026 Royals mostly don’t need to get better; they just need to be as good as they have recently been.
And, once again, not all of these have to happen. The most obvious example of this is that only one of the three out of Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas, and Starling Marte has to hit to make left field significantly better than last year. When Melendez and Renfroe didn’t succeed last year, the Royals were forced to turn to John Rave and Drew Waters. Now, instead of the first guys through the door, Waters might be gone entirely, and Rave might be third or fourth choice in the minors after several viable-seeming options in the bigs. Second base still looks like a problem because while the team only needs to find success with India or Massey to fix second base, neither seems particularly likely. Still, if everything else works out, that leaves only one hole in a lineup. And a lineup that goes eight deep is still a lineup you can win with.
You want to know what has to happen for the Royals to make the playoffs? So does the team! The old saying goes that no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. Every year, the Royals have made a plan to get to the postseason. This year, though, when the Royals’ plans inevitably go awry, they have given themselves more options than ever to figure it out. What needs to happen for the Royals to make it to the playoffs? No one knows for sure, but the Royals seem likely to have answers, regardless.
TORONTO, ON - MAY 30: Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on May 30, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning everyone and happy Tuesday!
We knew since Friday that Luis Severino would be taking the ball on Opening Day. It wasn’t a shock and was well-deserved considering how he’s been pitching over the past few weeks across both Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic. Sevy gets Game 1 but now we know how the rest of the first series will go.
It’s no shock to see left-hander Jeffrey Springs getting the nod for Game 2 on Saturday. The lefty was one of the team’s best pitchers for a majority of the season last year. Outside of a disastrous first month of the season Springs was the anchor in the middle of the rotation that the A’s thought they were getting when they acquired him from the Rays last offseason. We’ll all be hoping that Springs can avoid that rough start this year, though he’ll have a tough task in the Blue Jays. In 12 career appearances against Toronto (5 starts), Springs has a 4.46 ERA, including two starts last year. Springs will be opposed by right-hander Dylan Cease, the high-priced free agent signee who will be making his team debut when he gets the ball. A tough matchup to be sure but if we get mid-season Springs we should be okay.
Surprisingly the A’s will go with right-hander Luis Morales for Game 3 on Sunday. The 23-year-old is one of the prized pitching prospects in the organization and looked good in his big league debut at the end of last year, pitching to a 3.14 ERA in his first 10 games. Things have not been smooth for him this spring however as he’s struggled in most of his appearances. It’s important to remember it’s just spring but still, it’s been a growing concern for A’s fans and he didn’t do anything to assuage those anxieties in yesterday’s spring finale. Hopefully these worries are all for not, but the A’s will be asking a lot of Morales considering he’s so young, has little big league experience and reached his career-high in innings pitched last year at just 89. Morales may have a few short starts throughout the year, if he can keep his spot in the rotation. He’ll be opposed on Sunday in the series finale by left-hander Eric Lauer.
That sets up left-hander Jacob Lopez and right-hander Aaron Civale to take the first two games in the second series of the year when the A’s travel to take on the Atlanta Braves. We don’t know the order but it’d be fair to assume Civale gets Game 4 on account of his veteran status. Lopez was one of the better pitchers the A’s had last year but had an elbow injury hanging over his head all offseason. It seems he’s gotten through camp without any setbacks and so hopefully Lopez is a full-go. If it was based on last year’s results then Lopez would get Game 4 but we’ll have to wait and see how manager Mark Kotsay wants to order the rotation.
It’s getting closer! Enjoy the next few days without baseball guys because once games get going it’s six long months until the end of the season. Marathon, not a race.
Jump at Triple-A, Arnold at Double-A to start the year:
A’s No. 3 prospect Gage Jump will begin the regular season at Triple-A Las Vegas, while No. 2 prospect Jamie Arnold will start out at Double-A Midland. pic.twitter.com/7XhRgOfzgt
MOVES RHP Gunnar Hoglund to IL RHP Jack Perkins/OF Colby Thomas to LV LV 2B Cooper Bowman to TB for RHP Gerlin Rosario (unassigned) LHP Colton Johnson, RHPs Hunter Breault, Tom Reisinger, Drew Conover, Aidan Layton, Dairon DeJesus, OF Cesar Franco releasedhttps://t.co/joKXkyUAPy
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) March 23, 2026
Looking like Ginn got that last roster spot in the bullpen over Perkins. Good or bad?
Only surprise is that Ginn nabbed the final bullpen spot over Perkins, but A's apparently want to keep Perkins stretched out as a starter at Vegas in case he's needed to supplement the rotation… https://t.co/f5Shz8yWYX
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) March 23, 2026
Zion Williamson is putting in work since the All-Star break, pushing the New Orleans Pelicans out of the Western Conference basement with 10 wins in their last 16 games.
With no first-round draft pick, New Orleans lacks an incentive to tank down the stretch, and Williamson is stacking the box score with points, rebounds, and assists.
Our Pelicans vs. Knicks predictions single out that latter stat — assists — with my NBA picks calling for Zion to pump up his playmaking at MSG tonight.
Pelicans vs Knicks prediction
Pelicans vs Knicks best bet: Zion Williamson Over 2.5 assists (-115)
Since coming off a minutes restriction in January, Zion Williamson has been a force, but he’s done so with the New Orleans Pelicans being selective about his usage, running the offense through him — not necessarily for him.
For all his sound and fury at the rim, Williamson is an underrated passer.
He generates 6.3 potential assists per game, trickling down to an average of 3.3 dimes. He’s dished out 3+ assists in 21 of his last 34 outings, including four helpers in the loss at Cleveland on Saturday.
Tonight’s player projections range between 3.4 and 4.4 assists for Zion.
Pelicans vs Knicks same-game parlay
The New York Knicks are in pursuit of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, which would earn them home court if they run into Boston in the playoffs. Game models have the Knicks getting by the Pelicans tonight.
Mikal Bridges is one of the streakiest scorers in the NBA. New York's small forward seems to have snapped another cold shooting slump with a 6-for-11 night and 14 points in the win over Washington. He’s projected for a similar stat line tonight.
Pelicans vs Knicks SGP
Knicks moneyline
Zion Williamson Over 2.5 assists
Mikal Bridges Over 12.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Zion’s Garden Party
Superstars tend to get up to play at MSG. Zion’s projections lean toward 21 points and three assists, and let’s not forget how explosive a shot blocker he is. The Pelicans have also been one of the better ATS bets over the past month and a half.
Pelicans vs Knicks SGP
Pelicans +8.5
Zion Williamson Over 20.5 points
Zion Williamson Over 2.5 assists
Zion Williamson Over 0.5 blocks
Pelicans vs Knicks odds
Spread: Pelicans +8.5 | Knicks -8.5
Moneyline: Pelicans +280 | Knicks -360
Over/Under: Over 231.5 | Under 231.5
Pelicans vs Knicks betting trend to know
The Pelicans have covered the spread in 20 of their last 30 games for +10.10 units and a 31% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Knicks.
How to watch Pelicans vs Knicks
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
GCSEN, MSG
Pelicans vs Knicks latest injuries
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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 23: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket as Daniss Jenkins #24 of the Detroit Pistons plays defense during the game...
Two clutch teams walk into a bar…
And instead of ordering drinks, they start trading daggers.
Not the loud, reckless kind that comes early in games when legs are fresh and defenses are polite. No, these are the quiet, suffocating possessions that define reputations — the kind that happen when the clock bleeds, the crowd leans, and every decision carries weight.
That’s who the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons have been all season. Not just good teams. Not just surprising teams. Clutch teams. Cold-blooded, mathematically undeniable closers.
Detroit’s Ronald Holland shoots against LA’s Luka Dončić at Little Caesars Arena, March 23 in Detroit, Michigan. Getty Images
Entering Monday night in Detroit, the Lakers owned the best winning percentage in clutch games in the NBA at 22–6 — a staggering .786 mark that isn’t just elite, it’s historic. We’re talking about the best clip in over two decades.
Across the floor stood a Pistons team with a different but equally dangerous profile. Detroit had 25 clutch wins — now 26, the most in the league — and a .676 winning percentage in those same moments.
Advanced metrics only reinforced the inevitability. The Lakers ranked No. 1 in clutch offensive rating and No. 1 in net rating. Detroit sat comfortably in the top tier at No. 7 and No. 5 respectively. Zoom out even further, and it gets almost absurd: Los Angeles was 24–6 in single-digit games; Detroit 27–7. In games decided by three points or less, the Lakers were 8–2, the Pistons 9–5.
So when these two collided inside Little Caesars Arena, there was no mystery. No guesswork. This wasn’t going to be a blowout. This wasn’t going to be decided by halftime, even though Detroit thought it would be.
This was always going to come down to one possession.
And it did.
Dončić is the very embodiment of why the Lakers have owned late-game situations all year. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers, short-handed without Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, spent the first half looking like a team that forgot its identity somewhere over the Midwest. Down 16, disjointed, a step slow. But here’s the thing about teams that live for those clutch moments — they don’t panic. They bend but don’t break.
“We’ve been able to bend and not break, and tonight was another example of that,” head coach JJ Redick said. “We’re a good basketball team and we have to continue to play together.”
They bent all the way back into the game, erased the deficit, and with just over 30 seconds left, even stole a one-point lead.
Without Cade Cunningham — their All-NBA engine — the Pistons leaned on Daniss Jenkins, who authored the kind of night that turns role players into folk heroes. Thirty points. Four free throws in the final stretch. No hesitation. No fear.
And suddenly, the narrative tightened like a noose.
Because on the other side stood Luka Dončić, the very embodiment of why the Lakers have owned late-game situations all year. Western Conference Player of the Week. Ten straight games with 30-plus points. Forty-one such performances this season. The first player this season to eclipse 2,000 total points. A human avalanche who had just poured in 100 points across two nights like it was a casual inconvenience.
This is the part where the script usually is written by him.
Down one, 12 seconds left, ball in his hands — a 14-foot pull-up from the left wing. The kind of shot Dončić makes in empty gyms, crowded arenas, probably in his sleep.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth about clutch teams: Being clutch doesn’t mean you always win. It means you live on the edge so often that eventually, gravity wins one.
Even your best player misses from time to time. But on this night, it was the Pistons with the steadier hand — without their best player, no less.
“They’re the No. 1 team in the east, even without their All-NBA player being out,” LeBron James said. “We gave ourselves a chance, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Maybe that’s true. Maybe.
LeBron James and Dončić walk off the court after their loss to the Detroit Pistons. Getty Images
But for a Lakers team that has built its identity on finishing games, “a chance” feels like a consolation prize.
Because when you’re the best clutch team in basketball, expectations don’t stop at the opportunity. They demand the result.
And Monday night in Detroit, against a team cut from the same late-game cloth, the Lakers learned something brutal and simple:
Sometimes, the other guy is just as clutch.
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Here the Yankees are again, about to start a season that must only end one way, lest they let tradition down again.
Here they are, returning nearly every key piece from the 2025 offensive juggernaut that tied for most wins in the American League, wondering if they will regret not changing something. Here they are, as in so many years before, wondering what magic touch will finally turn a very good season into good enough.
Their full 26-man roster is not fully set yet, but the parts that are do look familiar. At least 21 of the 26 players set to make the Opening Day roster were also in the organization at the end of last season. Depending on how they decide to structure their bullpen between now and their opener Wednesday night, that number could go as high as 24.
To the extent that any unit has been overhauled, that bullpen comes closest to qualifying. Both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver signed with the Mets, leaving vacancies at the back end.
But David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Tim Hill, and Fernando Cruz will return to late-inning duties. Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough, also returners, will be the swing men. Brent Headrick, the lefty acquired from Minnesota midway through last season, remains with the major league team and therefore seems to be a finalist for one of the bullpen jobs remaining. So is righty Jake Bird, who struggled after the Yanks plucked him from Colorado at least year’s trade deadline, but has yet to be jettisoned from the MLB spring training roster.
The only potential outside addition to the Opening Day bullpen, therefore, would be Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest – New York’s first such pick in 15 years – who must make the active roster or be returned to the St. Louis Cardinals. Manager Aaron Boone said earlier this week that he has "shown enough to keep himself in the mix and warrant us taking him."
If they do, and they carry Bird and Headrick with him, they will need room for nine relievers – more than a five-man rotation normally allows when teams carry the usual 13 pitchers. But the Yankees will not be using a five-man rotation to start the season, Boone told reporters Sunday. Their schedule is such that they do not need a fifth starter for the first few weeks of the season, so the man projected to be that fifth starter – recent Rookie of the Year Luis Gil – is now in limbo.
Boone said Sunday that the Yankees have not yet decided what to do with Gil. They could use him in a piggyback role with another starter. They could also option him to the minors. Sending Gil to Triple-A could make sense on multiple levels: he could use a low-stakes start or two to ensure the adjustments that served him so well in his last outing can stick. And his spot on the active roster could allow the Yankees to keep all four relievers vying for the final three bullpen spots, allowing them to evaluate them against regular season competition before making any decisions.
That Gil is the odd man out means the Yankees are making room for one of their only big league newcomers, 26-year-old lefty Ryan Weathers. They acquired Weathers from the Marlins in a trade that brought them a high-end talent that multiple organizations have failed to turn into a consistent high-end performer. But Weathers’ stuff is explosive, and despite some rough spring training line scores, the Yankees will give him a chance to make that leap.
Otherwise, the rotation will be totally familiar – but this year, it should get deeper as the year goes on. Gerrit Cole remains on track for a June 1 return, and he will start Tuesday’s spring training finale against the Chicago Cubs in Mesa. Weathers will throw the bulk of the Yankees’ innings in that game, meaning that, for what it's worth, weeks before Cole’s return, Weathers is the one currently taking his turns.
Carlos Rodon entered this spring expected back from his offseason surgery before Cole, and neither he nor the Yankees have suggested anything happened in the last few weeks to alter that timeline. He has thrown multiple sessions of live batting practice, and he will stay in Tampa to continue throwing while the Yankees open their season on the West Coast. Max Fried will serve as the lone ace in the meantime, anchoring a rotation that will also include Weathers, postseason breakout Cam Schlittler, and steady Will Warren.
"The depth that we have pitching, I don’t think we have had that in quite a long time," Aaron Judge said. "If you count the guys that are injured and coming back: Rodon, [Clarke] Schmidt, and Cole. You add those guys, we’re 11, 12 starting pitchers deep. So that’ll be nice."
Also nice, as running things back go, is that three-time MVP Judge will once again be anchoring a familiar outfield so productive that if those in it hit like they did in 2025, "running it back" will leave the Yankees with three of the top 12 outfielders by weighted runs created plus.
One could envision a world in which their lineup gets even better than the one that led the majors in scoring last year. For example, imagine if Giancarlo Stanton could contribute at last year’s .944 OPS pace over more games than the 77 he was healthy enough for last year. Had he had enough at-bats to qualify, that OPS would have made Stanton fifth-best in baseball, trailing only Judge, Shohei Ohtani, George Springer, and Cal Raleigh.
Obviously, a new year also means the Yankees could find themselves with an even less healthy Stanton. They could also find themselves with a healthy, but less productive version of the 36-year-old slugger -- though his four homers and several near-misses in 26 spring training at-bats suggest he is at least entering the season in top form.
Center fielder Trent Grisham does not have the track record of year-over-year production to make a repeat of his 2025 breakout feel like a sure thing. But if for some reason his production dips too far, Jasson Dominguez will be a short drive away in Scranton ready to prove his standout spring training deserved a big league roster spot. And if injuries test their depth, Spencer Jones will be towering behind him, politely waiting his turn.
The only newcomer offensively is Randal Grichuk, the veteran outfielder the Yankees signed in late February as a right-handed platoon option who can spell starters in the corner outfield spots and owns an .819 career OPS against lefties. He will join Amed Rosario, who proved a trustworthy at-bat as a utilityman down the stretch, on the bench with fellow returners Paul Goldschmidt and J.C. Escarra. Goldschmidt will spell Ben Rice, though how much will likely depend on Rice’s production. Like catcher Austin Wells, Rice is still new enough to regular big league duty that he does not qualify as a lock for the same level of production that he provided last year.
Still, either could be even better this year. Perhaps when Anthony Volpe returns from shoulder surgery around May, he will produce better than he did last year, too. Familiarity can occasionally lead to evolution. If it doesn’t, they will have options at the trade deadline.
And of course, things can change quickly in the final days and hours before Opening Day rosters are due. For example, a few innings into their Grapefruit League finale, the Yankees announced they had traded Jorbit Vivas to the Washington Nationals for minor league pitcher Sean Paul Liñan. Vivas was acquired in the deal that sent Trey Sweeney to the Dodgers. The move clears a spot on the Yankees’ 40-man roster. As of late Sunday night, it was not clear how they plan to use it.
A Spectrum store in New York, US, on Friday, May 16, 2025. Charter Communications Inc. has agreed to combine with privately held Cox Communications in a deal that would unite two of the biggest US cable providers. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Bloomberg via Getty Images
I don’t know how to make this post any longer, because for whatever reason, Charter/Spectrum decided to announce this news with a weird tweet-of-an-image with no details. Now, you have to gaze at it too.
There are no details, whatsoever. This was probably going to happen at some point this week given that Opening Day happens in just a few days, and I guess today was the day.
So, if you still have cable, and that cable is Spectrum, then I guess now you have access to most Braves games through your cable carrier. If you don’t, and are still at sea about this whole thing, I guess ask in the comments and we’ll try to get you sorted.
Despite this news, we haven’t received word on whether any other Braves have suffered a debilitating injury today.
Whatever happens to the Mets in 2026, this year will be different.
If the season goes well, it will be for different reasons than the last time things went well forSteve Cohen and David Stearns, in 2024. So many emotional engineers of that magical pennant push are gone now. On the field, this team will have different strengths.
If this season goes poorly, it will be for different reasons than those that undermined Cohen and Stearns' plans last year. So many emotional engineers of that…well, whatever it was…are gone now, too. Off the field, this team will be supported by a new collection of clubhouse pillars.
The Mets' season-opening roster is not yet official. Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that the Mets are still weighing their options for final spots on the bench and in the bullpen and acknowledged that he expects the front office is looking at outside options for both. But as of Tuesday morning – or roughly two baseball business days before their roster will be due – their Opening Day roster amounts to a convincing statement of October intent.
No, relying on an inexperienced first baseman and third baseman (Jorge Polanco and Bo Bichette, respectively) does not necessarily scream defense the way one might have expected after Stearns stated "run prevention" as a priority this winter. One could argue that effectively replacing Edwin Diaz with two back-end relievers who struggled at times last year, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, will leave the bullpen in worse shape.
But Tobias Myers will provide a much-needed reliable innings eater. Huascar Brazoban is versatile, if occasionally volatile. Brooks Raley and Luis Garcia have track records of consistency. And whether the Mets choose to give the last spot in that bullpen to lefty Richard Lovelady or bounce back candidate Bryan Hudson, they have veteran lefty A.J. Minter on track to return early in the season.
And after watching a banged-up starting rotation underperform for most of the second half in 2025, this year’s Mets have unmistakable depth.
Trading for Freddy Peralta gave them an ace to pair atop the rotation with Nolan McLean, who was neither as proven nor as ready this time last year. Kodai Senga looks revived, with good health and the velocity that comes with it, so much so that Juan Soto called him the Mets' "ace" just days before camp ended. Clay Holmes looked downright nasty at times in camp and should be better equipped to maintain consistency through a full year in the rotation than he was in his first year back to starting in 2025.
Their depth is so solid that Sean Manaea and his salary of $25 million has been pushed into a piggyback/reliever role after a rough spring in which his velocity dipped to confounding levels. Both he and Myers could provide regular starts should the Mets need them, but they might not: former highly touted prospect Christian Scott, back from Tommy John surgery, might very well be the Mets' first call after an impressive spring. And while beloved savant Jonah Tong looked at times this spring like he could benefit from some more minor league tinkering, he has now been in the majors before, too.
New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott (46) pitches during spring training / Jim Rassol - Imagn Images
If fragile pitching depth was the Mets' biggest issue in 2025, their second-biggest issue was lineup inconsistencies – that feeling that they could not string together hits when they needed them, despite the third-best OPS in baseball with runners in scoring position.
At worst this lineup will be different, and sometimes shakeups help on their own.
At best, this lineup should be more dynamic, a little less boom or bust thanks to the arrival of Bichette, one of the game’s best contact hitters who has a knack for hitting with runners in scoring position. He should get plenty of chances while hitting behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto. And the switch-hitting Polanco had one of the 30 lowest strikeout rates in baseball last year. It is no knock on Pete Alonso or Brandon Nimmo to note their strikeout rates were much higher. Even Marcus Semien, who is coming off one of the worst offensive years of his career and might be seeing his hit tool weathered somewhat by age, is far less prone to strikeouts than those veterans he is replacing.
New center fielder Luis Robert Jr., on the other hand, is a boom-or-bust type. But if he is healthy, he could also be the most explosive offensive threat the Mets have played in center field in quite some time. Their decision to name rookie Carson Benge the Opening Day right fielder provides cover to Robert or Francisco Alvarez should both swing and miss regularly, too: Benge said he hates striking out, and he plays like it. His bat-to-ball skills should ensure the Mets never go more than a batter or two without a real threat to put the ball in play.
And speaking of Alvarez, the Mets might just have a different version of him this year, too: the 24-year-old responded to his up-and-down 2025 with a potent spring. If he unlocks the 30 home run power visible in every spring with the consistency to use it for a full season, this Mets lineup has a chance to be one of the sport’s most formidable.
Their bench, as currently constructed, looks sturdy. Luis Torrens is as reliable a backup catcher as can be. Tyrone Taylor is an elite defensive center fielder who took promising at-bats all spring. Brett Baty looks ready to continue his late 2025 offensive breakout, and his newly honed ability to play around the infield and in the outfield will give him a chance to find regular at-bats. Whether his fellow young infielder Mark Vientos can find them too remains to be seen.
As for the final spot on the bench, the Mets are still making decisions. Mendoza said they will bring infielder Vidal Brujan, the versatile Jared Young, and veteran catcher Ben Rortvedt back to Flushing as they weigh their final options. None are as inspiring an option as outfielder Mike Tauchman had become this spring before tearing his meniscus last week. Perhaps the Mets will look to find a similar veteran bat with power on the always active end-of-spring market.
Regardless of who they choose, the Mets have already made their choice: when a beloved core was not working, Stearns made the moves to remodel it. When the starting rotation fell apart before their eyes, the Mets made a big move for Peralta and what might be the smartest one by holding onto Senga. Perhaps they will find they need more frontline starting pitching as the year goes on. If they do, they have money and prospects to acquire it at the trade deadline.
Either way, the Mets who take the field against Paul Skenes and the Pirates Thursday will represent a new era for the annual World Series hopefuls. The old core wasn’t working. Whether the new faces are the right ones, only time will tell.
