The Chicago Blackhawks have been incredible at drafting in recent years. They've made a lot of early draft picks, but they've also made some wise decisions in the middle and late rounds.
One league that has had a stamp put on it by Blackhawks prospects this season is the Ontario Hockey League. The OHL is one of the top developmental leagues in the world, and the Blackhawks have had some success there.
For one, they had the league's leading goal scorer in 2025-26 for the second year in a row. After Nick Lardis led the OHL last year, Marek Vanacker finished on top this year with 47 goals.
Vanacker, a first-round pick (27th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft, is likely to turn pro next season after an incredibly strong year in 2025-26, after dealing with some injury trouble one year prior.
The interesting thing is that Vanacker beat out his fellow Blackhawks draftee Jack Pridham to win the OHL goal-scoring title by one. Each of them has aspirations of translating this goal-scoring prowess to the next level, and this was a great developmental season.
Vanacker and the Brantford Bulldogs earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference of the OHL. They will face the Sudbury Wolves in the first round. As for Pridham, his Kitchener Rangers are the top seed in the West and will face the Saginaw Spirit to open the postseason. Clearly, having a top-two goal scorer helped these clubs earn the top seeds.
Another notable Blackhawks prospect, AJ Spellacy, is on the number two-seeded (West) Windsor Spitfires, looking to make a run to the Memorial Cup as well. Spellacy, a third-round pick (72nd overall) in 2024, is a high-motor, speedy player who can create chaos in all three zones.
He isn't a monster offensively, as he scored 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points in 51 games, but he is a solid contributor who also adds a sense of grit to any team he plays on. Once Spellacy is done with major junior, he has the tools to be a great pro. He will certainly have his chance to be an NHL player down the line.
Not every one of Chicago's prospects is going to suit up for the Blackhawks. Some of them won't make it, some of them will be traded away, but they all provide value to the team right now.
Whether it's these three in particular, or others, it is clear that the team has talent down the line continuing to develop while waiting for their chance to shine in the big leagues.
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Mar 13, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of the scoreboard showing an ABS ball and strike challenge call being overturned to a strikeout during the Chicago White Sox against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
I’ve written a couple posts in spring training about the ABS challenge system and how teams are going to react to it. It seems like an element tailor-built for the Yankees; the team preaches control over the strike zone at the plate and was the first to really lean into pitch-framing almost two decades ago. Knowing the 17” that is home plate is doctrine for the organization, and it shouldn’t surprise us then how good the Yankees have been at challenging so far this spring.
Headed into play against the Cubs yesterday, Yankees hitters had challenged 48 calls, getting 24 (50 percent) correct. That’s more reviews and more wins than any other team, and the ninth-highest “win rate”. Perhaps most important for a team that has at times generated criticism for strikeouts, the Yankees have cut the sixth-most strikeouts because of their talent for overturning calls. On the defensive side, it’s more of the same — the most challenges, the most wins, but more at the league median rate of 59 percent win rate. Five pitchers have also issued challenges, with only two of them successful and just a single review per hurler.
There’s that old rule of thumb that a 75 percent success rate is the breakeven point for stolen bases, if you can’t be successful 75 percent of the time the gains of an extra 90 feet are undercut by how many outs you freely give out. However, the flip side of that rule is that if you’re stealing at a 90 percent rate or so, you’re probably not trying as often as you should — you’re leaving runs on the table by being too cautious.
It seems the Yankees have the same philosophy when it comes to challenging umpire’s calls. They’re OK with having some losses on the ledger as long as they also get the most wins. It’s interesting that the three potential catchers the club will carry on Opening Day (Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra, and Ben Rice) went a combined 15-for-23 in challenges this spring, a sterling 65 percent success rate. Many of the team’s missed challenges on defense came from camp invitees like Miguel Palma and Ali Sánchez. The guys making the calls at the MLB level seem to be pretty on point with what is and isn’t a strike.
This trend is echoed, perhaps unsurprisingly, by the hitting group. That 50 percent success rate mentioned above grows to 56 percent when we only include the players that will be in the dugout on Wednesday in San Francisco — also, I tend to think Aaron Judge will be very good at this kind of thing, and a long World Baseball Classic for him meant he only issued one failed challenge in Grapefruit League play. Just as with the catchers, the success in the review system seems to come mostly from the guys already good enough to be on an MLB roster.
That five pitchers got nominal challenges also should inform us of the April challenge policy. I remember seeing Fernando Cruz working in the back half of a game a couple weeks ago, challenge a ball that was clearly low and with the Yankees having a challenge in hand he seemed to ask for a review just to get some personal experience with the system. It doesn’t seem like the club is particularly interested in letting pitchers challenge much, trusting the much more stable catcher to evaluate.
It looks like the strategy for the start of the year is a very liberal approach to who can challenge calls at the plate or behind it, but not from the rubber, and that the team is not afraid of burning a challenge. Contrast this with the Tigers or Mets, who in spring were extremely controlled with who was allowed to ask for a review, and both clubs ended many games with a challenge still in hand.
If there’s one critique of the Yankees over the last ten years that I have, it’s that they don’t always seem to lean into the urgency of a skid or speedbump. 162 games is a long season, water needs time to find it’s level and all that, but I worry that that attitude is too pervasive within the organizational culture. They seem to be breaking from that philosophy in how they approach challenges — if you can overturn a call in the third inning, and that leads to an early advantage, do it rather than wait for a call in the eighth that may never come.
I’ve been waiting for the ABS system at the MLB level for a long time, and I tend to agree with the strategy the Yankees appear to be taking in how to use it. That approach may change as the season goes on, and I suspect umpiring will get even better than it is once they re-learn the strike zone, but for the first round of real baseball, the Yankees are getting it right when it comes to reviews.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Manager Craig Albernaz #55 of the Baltimore Orioles walks off the field after making a pitching change during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
After five weeks and more than 30 exhibition games, we can officially call it a wrap on Orioles spring training for 2026. The Birds played their final tune-up game yesterday with a 2-0 shutout win at Nationals Park in which two of their projected starting pitchers, Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt, combined for seven scoreless innings. Baz racked up five strikeouts in five innings in his first game appearance since March 4, while Bassitt retired all six batters he faced to cap his excellent spring. Yennier Cano and Dietrich Enns, both of whom appear certain to make the Opening Day bullpen, worked a perfect inning apiece to finish the Orioles’ exhibition slate.
That’s it for the warm-up. Practice time is over. The next time the Orioles take the field will be in two days for their regular season opener against the Twins at Camden Yards. From here on out, the games all count. Hopefully that’ll be a good thing.
Even with Opening Day so tantalizingly close, the O’s still have a lot of work to do to whittle down their roster to 26. After releasing veteran infielder Thairo Estrada and reassigning Maverick Handley and Jhonkensy “Big Christmas” Noel to the minors yesterday, the Orioles still have 39 players hanging around. We know a few of them will be going on the injured list — including Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday, Andrew Kittredge, and Luís Vázquez — but there are some tougher decisions to be made as well. The bubble players have completed their auditions and now the O’s need to decide which ones will make the cut.
Of course, even those who don’t make the Opening Day roster will likely show up for the Birds at some point this year. It’s a 162-game season and the Orioles are going to need a lot of help to get through it. Ideally, it won’t require 70 players like last year.
Take a two-day breather, Orioles fans, and then settle in for the six-month (maybe seven-month?) marathon. On Thursday afternoon, it all begins.
The bad news is that FanGraphs ranks the Orioles’ bullpen in the bottom half of the league. The good news is that they’re #16. So I guess they’re the best of the worst?
I hope it won’t come to that, but yeesh, Cowser looked bad in spring training. He did hit a nice Eutaw Street dinger in Sunday’s exhibition, though. Colton is so back!
Jake Rill has more on the injury to Vázquez, who was hit by a pitch at the worst possible time when he was a strong candidate to make the roster. It probably clinches a spot for Jeremiah Jackson, though the lack of a defensive caddy for Coby Mayo makes me wince a little.
The Orioles’ and Nationals’ new managers are BFFs who have known each other for over a decade, and now they’ll be jockeying for mid-Atlantic bragging rights. I think Albernaz is going to win that battle, which is not to say I’m convinced the Orioles will be good.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Two former Orioles were born on this day, but you have to go way back to the early days of the franchise to find them. The late left-hander Dick Kryhoski (b. 1925, d. 2007) was a member of the inaugural 1954 Orioles, and the late righty Saul Rogovin (b. 1922, d. 1995) pitched 14 games the following year, 1955.
On this date in 2014, in an end-of-spring-training trade, the Orioles acquired infielder Steve Lombardozzi — who grew up in Maryland — from the Tigers for veteran shortstop Álex González. Lombardozzi was part of the Birds’ Opening Day roster for that fantastic 2014 season, but played just 20 games and was gone by May. González, a 15-year veteran, played only nine games for the Tigers before retiring, so it was a pretty pointless trade on both sides.
Angels manager Kurt Suzuki retired in 2022 after a 16-year playing career and had been a special assistant with the team in the three seasons since. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Anxious may be the best word to describe the vibe in Anaheim before the Angels fly to Houston ahead of Thursday afternoon’s season opener versus the Astros.
New manager Kurt Suzuki has infused enthusiasm into a club that has not finished above .500 since 2015 and has missed the playoffs for an MLB-worst 11 straight seasons. The Angels went 72-90 and finished last in the American League West, though they were nine games better than 2024 — when they set a franchise record for losses with 99. Time will tell if the Halos have enough talent to contend in a division the Seattle Mariners are heavily favored to win.
A special assistant for the Angels the last three seasons, Suzuki signed a one-year contract last October and is the team’s fifth full-time manager since Mike Scioscia stepped down in 2018 after compiling a franchise-record 1,650 victories over 19 seasons. Suzuki spent 16 seasons as a major league catcher, retiring in 2022.
“It’s been fun,” Suzuki said prior to Sunday’s Freeway Series game, a 13-5 loss to the Dodgers at Angel Stadium. “Obviously I’ve never managed before but just being out of the game just as recently as a few years ago I understand the situations of the game, the speed of the game and those type of things. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy by any means. It’s a lot of work, but I’m having a great time, we’re surrounded by great people and the guys have been awesome so it’s been all good.”
As a former player, Suzuki will trust his instincts.
“For me, it's attention to detail, it's fundamentals, it's just really being a baseball player,” he said. “Sometimes in this day and age of analytics and all that stuff you can kind of get lost in that sometimes. Not to say forget about it, but I think the more you can just play baseball how it's supposed to be played, move guys over, situational hitting, things you grew up doing, if we can kind of keep that style and play hard and all that, I like our chances.”
Franchise player Mike Trout, who has 404 career homers (all with the Angels), enters his 15th season healthy and eager to resume patrolling center field after missing 26 games with a left knee injury in 2025 and primarily serving as the designated hitter. He hit 26 homers. Moving to right field from center is Jo Adell (who blasted a team-best 37 homers last season) and Josh Lowe, acquired from Tampa Bay in January, is expected to be the starter in left field, replacing last season’s hit leader Taylor Ward, who got traded to Baltimore in November in exchange for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez.
Jorge Soler, who homered twice Sunday, could see plenty of action in the outfield.
“It feels great but this is just an exhibition game,” Soler said after his four-RBI night. “We faced good pitchers throughout spring training. I just try to make adjustments and take good pitches.”
Said Suzuki: “Jorge’s had a great spring. For him to have some good at bats wasn’t shocking to me with the spring he’s had. I’m very excited for Jorge. He’s in a good spot mentally and physically.”
Returning at first base is Nolan Schanuel, who had 129 hits last year, while the departure of versatile infielder Luis Rengifo to Milwaukee in February left an opportunity at second base for veteran Adam Frazier, who signed a minor league deal with the Angels as camp opened and batted .300 in the Cactus League. Potential All-Star Zach Neto is back at shortstop while Yoan Moncada was brought back on a one-year, $4-million contract, to handle the hot corner.
“I like where we’re at,” said catcher Logan O’Hoppe, who last season batted .213 with 19 home runs and will be backed up by Travis D’Arnaud for the second year in a row. “He [Suzuki] has created a really awesome environment to come into every night and I appreciate his trust in us to get the work done. I’ve made a lot of changes to my swing in particular and I’ve just tried to maximize both sides of my game.”
Pitching depth is a big concern. At the top of the starting rotation will be right-hander Jose Soriano (who posted a 10-11 record last year with a 4.26 earned run average), followed by lefties Yusei Kikuchi (who had a team-high 174 strikeouts last year) and Reid Detmers. In the fourth and fifth spots initially will be righties Jack Kochanowicz and Ryan Johnson.
“We’re going with that,” Suzuki said. “Jack and Ryan both had great camps, they’ve been working their butts off. We feel they deserve it, they’ve earned it and we’re really excited for them.”
Rodriguez will begin the season on the injured list with what Suzuki called a dead arm issue.
“We’ll be careful with Grayson, we’ll work him back slowly, but play it cautious,” Suzuki added. “He hasn’t thrown a bullpen yet.”
After signing a one-year deal in December, right-hander Alek Manoah struggled in spring training but could be a reliever.
“He’s working his way through some things,” Suzuki said of the 28-year-old Manoah, who was an All-Star with Toronto in 2022. “Things change over the course of the year so we’ll see how he’s progressing. He’s a great teammate and he has the potential to be a great pitcher for us.”
Suzuki has not named a designated closer but among the relievers will be Drew Pomeranz and Jordan Romano (both signed one-year deals in the offseason; left-handers Chase Silseth and Brent Suter; and righties Sam Bachman, Kirby Yates, Ryan Zeferjahn and Walbert Urena.
“It’s something we’re talking through,” he said. “We have a few guys who’ve done it before at a high level that had some success closing games pitching at the back end of the bullpen. Right now, we’re still looking at our options and seeing how it’s going to play out. Is it easier to have one guy you can name as closer? Absolutely, but right now we’re seeing how it plays out… maybe matchups are better, maybe naming a closer is better. As we get into the season we’ll see.”
JUPITER, FL - FEBRUARY 17: Michael McGreevy #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals poses for a photo during the St. Louis Cardinals photo day at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Late last week, the Cardinals announced that Richard Fitts would begin the 2026 season with AAA Memphis, thus clarifying who the rotation will be to begin the year. Matthew Liberatore is privileged with the opportunity to start Opening Day against the Tampa Bay Rays, the club that selected him 17th overall in 2019, followed by Michael McGreevy, Dustin May, Kyle Leahy, and Andre Pallante rounds out the initial 5. Several factors shape the who, why, and when other options will filter into the mix. FanGraphs ZIPS projections, and projections in general, are not a perfect science and should be taken with a grain of salt. However, they do offer a direction or snapshot and can be useful in establishing an expectation.
I don’t want to mislead any fans into thinking the 2026 Cardinals are the 2025 Milwaukee Brewers, and the projections just flat got it wrong. But I do have more optimism that the Cardinals’ rotation will outperform its season projection. I went through and calculated the fWAR projections and ranked all 30 MLB Opening Day rotations to establish this baseline and, fingers crossed, the conclave of Cardinals starting pitchers will outperform the industry’s anticipation of season-long performance.
30th – Colorado Rockies – 5.4 fWAR
Kyle Freeland
Michael Lorenzen
Jose Quintana
Tomoyuki Sugano
Chase Dollander
It seems likely that it will be another long season in the Mile High City. Chase Dollander should offer Rockies fans some intrigue and upside, but figuring out pitching in Colorado is Paul Depodesta’s new challenge, and I’m intrigued to watch how he attacks that opportunity over the next couple of years.
29th – Chicago White Sox – 6.6 fWAR
Shane Smith
Anthony Kay
Davis Martin
Sean Burke
Erick Fedde
The Pale Hose features a rotation fronted by 2025 All-Star Shane Smith, who was the number 1 pick in the Rule 5 Draft in 2025. Anthony Kay is looking to follow in the footsteps of fellow rotation mate Erick Fedde in establishing himself after a stint playing overseas. Davis Martin and Sean Burke both feature some interesting stuff but are probably back-end starters/depth, and Fedde is looking to recapture the magic he found in Chicago in 2024. David Sandlin, Noah Schultz, and Hagen Smith are all options with interesting upside who could factor into their rotation at some point in 2026, but it’s another building year for the Sox.
28th – Washington Nationals – 6.7 fWAR
Cade Cavalli
Miles Mikolas
Foster Griffin
Jake Irvin
Zach Littell
Cavalli is looking to make good on his prospect hype from a couple of seasons ago. Old friend Miles Mikolas and Zach Littell look to provide veteran innings. Foster Griffin, like Kay, is trying his hand at a comeback from overseas. Jake Irvin is someone who could stick around a while for the future of their rotation with a big breaking ball. Maintaining his FB velo will be key to his continued development. As Paul Toboni takes over in Washington, this group will likely get better in future seasons, but for now, the club is going to bide its time for development to get them back to contention.
* 27th – St. Louis Cardinals – 7.0 fWAR *
Matthew Liberatore
Michael McGreevy
Dustin May
Kyle Leahy
Andre Pallante
Unsurprisingly, after an offseason that saw the Cardinals shed several veteran players, the Cardinals are not expected to be very competitive. However, if you believe that Liberatore can take another step, Dustin May returning to his normal self, Andre Pallante bouncing back, and Kyle Leahy being compared to guys like Michael King and Clarke Schmidt by Eno Sarris of The Athletic in a radio spot he did for 101 ESPN in St. Louis. Then you include the potential of guys like Richard Fitts, Quinn Matthews, Hunter Dobbins, and possibly Brycen Mautz making starts for the Cardinals in 2026, and you can see how there is potential to outperform this projection. The Cardinals aren’t where they want to be, but Chaim Bloom has the team positioned to take important steps forward in the coming seasons.
26th – San Diego Padres – 7.0 fWAR
Michael King
Nick Pivetta
Randy Vazquez
German Marquez
Walker Buehler
For a playoff team from a season ago, this feels like a concerning step back, as the team prepares to be sold away from the Seidler family. Michael King and Nick Pivetta are solid, dependable mid-rotation starters for a contending team, Vazquez has some interesting stuff, and Marquez and Buehler are looking to bounce back after moving on from other NL West clubs over the past couple of years. The return of Joe Musgrove at some point this season will help, and the club will have JP Sears and knuckleballer Matt Waldron waiting in the wings in AAA. This could be another rotation that looks very different by midseason.
25th – Arizona Diamondbacks – 8.1 fWAR
Zac Gallen
Ryne Nelson
Eduardo Rodriguez
Michael Soroka
Brandon Pfaadt
The D-backs have an electric offense highlighted by Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, and Geraldo Perdomo. Former Cardinal minor leaguer Zac Gallen headlines the Arizona rotation again after not getting the contract he thought he would get, being hurt by the presence of the QO. Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt are younger starters hoping to stabilize after inconsistencies plagued them in 2025. Eduardo Rodriguez had a strong WBC finale performance, and Michael Soroka will provide veteran stability and not a whole lot of depth at the top of their system. Everything will have to break right for Arizona to find itself in the playoff picture this season.
24th – Las Vegas/Sacramento Athletics – 8.2 fWAR
Luis Severino
Jeffrey Springs
Aaron Civale
Jacob Lopez
Luis Morales
This A’s group is one that I think can be sneaky competitive this year. The offense is scary and only going to get better with the eventual arrival of top prospect Leo De Vries. Luis Severino leads the A’s rotation once again after a strange 2025, where he was solid on the road, but Sutter Park is not meant to house big league players, and how the A’s try to maneuver that unique challenge will be interesting to watch in season 2 as they await their build to be completed in Las Vegas. Jeffrey Springs and Aaron Civale are solid mid-rotation starters who will provide solid floors. Jacob Lopez is a funky lefty who uses extreme angles to keep batters off balance. The real X factor for the rotation is Luis Morales, who I think has real 2-3 starter upside and the potential arrivals of Gage Jump and Braden Nett this group could sneak into the playoffs as a WC team.
23rd – Milwaukee Brewers – 8.2 fWAR
Jacob Misiorowski
Chad Patrick
Brandon Woodruff
Kyle Harrison
Brandon Sproat
This projection is probably wrong by ZIPS, and that feels like the only fair way to start this based on recent seasons. All 5 starters offer varying levels of upside, and the Brewers continue to stay ahead of the downward curve after moving on from Freddy Peralta this offseason. While I’m skeptical that they wind up being better than Pittsburgh or Chicago in the division this season, I am still cautiously hoping I’m not wrong about that. Of course they also have enviable depth with Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser, and Shane Drohan, along with an injured Quinn Priester waiting in the wings at varying points of the season.
22nd – Los Angeles Angels – 8.3 fWAR
Jose Soriano
Yusei Kikuchi
Reid Detmers
Jack Kochanowicz
Ryan Johnson
This group of 5 offers some intrigue and upside. Soriano is a high-90s sinker guy who has the raw stuff to be a potential front-of-the-rotation starter, and Kikuchi is the veteran stability. Reid Detmers is jumping back into the rotation after finding his footing in the bullpen a season ago, much like Matthew Liberatore has done with St. Louis. Kochanowicz and Johnson are looking to establish themselves in the rotation and could raise the floor of the Angels should they do so. Grayson Rodriguez could further boost the upside of this group if he is able to find consistent health. Other options you could see pitched for LAA this year could include Sam Aldegheri, Caden Dana, and former Blue Jays All-Star Alek Manoah.
21st – Miami Marlins – 8.3 fWAR
Sandy Alcantara
Eury Perez
Max Meyer
Chris Paddack
Janson Junk
It’s hard to find a better trio of “stuff” from a top 3 in a big league rotation between Alcantara, Perez, and Meyer. Chris Paddack is a veteran back-end starter who should provide some solid innings, and Janson Junk outpitched Braxton Garrett for the final spot in their rotation. Top prospects Roby Snelling and Thomas White are poised to join the rotation at some point this season, which could push this group to even higher heights, and Peter Bendix and Co. are cooking with gas when it comes to their pitching pipeline.
20th – Cleveland Guardians – 8.7 fWAR
Tanner Bibee
Gavin Williams
Slade Cecconi
Joey Cantillo
Parker Messick
A classic Cleveland rotation that features young, productive arms that will almost certainly have them competing with the rest of a competitive AL Central. Bibee and Williams are strong foundational starters at the top of the Cleveland rotation. Slade Cecconi took a step forward last season after coming over from Arizona, and Cantillo and Messick are solid floor lefties who will give the Guardians a chance to win every night in 2026.
19th – New York Yankees – 8.9 fWAR
Max Fried
Cam Schlittler
Will Warren
Ryan Weathers
Luis Gil
This is a really solid 5-man rotation as is, but the Yankees expect to have Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt return at various points this season, which will almost certainly give them the top rotation in the AL East when October rolls around. That’s not even mentioning Elmer Rodriguez or Carlos Lagrange who have big big stuff who could debut in 2026. The Yankees from a depth and upside perspective are enviable on both fronts.
18th – Chicago Cubs – 9.0 fWAR
Matthew Boyd
Cade Horton
Shota Imanaga
Edward Cabrera
Jameson Taillon
The 2026 Chicago Cubs will feature a rotation that should give them a reasonable chance to win every night. Horton and Cabrera offer upside and stuff. Boyd and Taillon offer veteran floor and stability. The X factor is Imanaga. Last season, the league started to catch up to Imanaga, and after returning by accepting the QO this past offseason, it will be very interesting to watch how he, in particular, responds to struggles late last season. Beyond that the Cubs have Colin Rea, Javier Assad, and Ben Brown, who could make starts for them, and top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins is a name to keep an eye on as well.
17th – Minnesota Twins – 9.5 fWAR
Joe Ryan
Bailey Ober
Simeon Woods-Richardson
Taj Bradley
Mick Abel
Never a bad thing to start your rotation with Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Taj Bradley are guys who have had big league success and are looking to bounce back in 2026. Woods-Richardson and Abel are young arms with upside, looking to establish themselves. Pablo Lopez being out the entire season with TJ is a tough loss, but it shouldn’t automatically disqualify them in an open AL central. Their offense will be one to track as top prospect Walker Jenkins to go along with Byron Buxton, Luke Keaschall, and Royce Lewis could make them a surprise in 2026 after selling their entire bullpen at the deadline in 2025. Zebby Matthews, David Festa, Connor Prielipp, and Kendry Rojas are all names to keep an eye on as guys who could make starts for them in 2026 as well.
16th – New York Mets – 9.5 fWAR
Freddy Peralta
David Peterson
Nolan McLean
Clay Holmes
Kodai Senga
A much-improved 5-man group from a season ago. After a disastrous collapse by the Mets in the 2nd half of last season, this group should avoid the same fate their comrades did a season ago. Freddy Peralta is a legit number 1 starter, and Nolan McLean looks to be the future number 1 in Queens. David Peterson and Clay Holmes are both solid mid-rotation options, and Kodai Senga is looking to bounce back. Behind the initial 5, you have Jonah Tong, Sean Manaea, and Tobias Myers. I expect the Mets to be in the thick of things the entire season. They’ll certainly have their hands full with the rest of the NL East sans Washington.
15th – San Francisco Giants – 9.8 fWAR
Logan Webb
Robbie Ray
Tyler Mahle
Adrian Houser
Landon Roupp
This is a veteran group assembled by POBO Buster Posey. Webb and Ray are proven top of the rotation arms, Mahle and Houser are solid mid-rotation offerings, and Landon Roupp won the 5th spot after Hayden Birdsong went down with TJ. There are some young depth options that will probably factor in at some point given Ray and Mahle’s injury history. Those names could include top prospect Carson Whisenhunt, Blade Tidwell, and Keaton Winn. The Giants should be competetive in the NL West but overcoming the behemoth that is the LA Dodgers is an exceptionally tall task.
14th – Toronto Blue Jays – 10.2 fWAR
Kevin Gausmann
Dylan Cease
Eric Lauer
Cody Ponce
Max Scherzer
This is a very top-heavy rotation with Guasmann and Cease forming an awesome 1-2 punch. Lauer and Ponce are more depth back-end guys who are forced into this spot due to injuries to Jose Berrios, Shane Bieber, Bowden Francis, and Trey Yesavage. Max Scherzer, who is still effective in the twilight of his career, will probably ramp it up a notch in the 2nd half of the season, and as Yesavage and Bieber work their way back from injury, this is a group that I expect will have a stronger 2nd half than 1st. Top lefty prospect Rickey Tiedemann is also close and could debut this season as well.
13th – Baltimore Orioles – 10.5 fWAR
Trevor Rogers
Kyle Bradish
Shane Baz
Chris Bassitt
Zach Eflin
Rogers had an excellent 2nd half last season and put him back on the map after early career success with Miami. Bradish is back after injury and looking to form a strong trio at the top of the rotation with Rogers and newly acquired Shane Baz. Mike Elias was NOT messing around this offseason and brought in veteran righty Chris Bassitt and brought back Zach Eflin. The Orioles, after a 1-year disappointment, are looking to come back with a vengeance in 2026. Behind those 5 is experienced righty Dean Kremer and top prospect Cade Povich. With a much needed investment on the pitching side and doubled down investment on the offensive side I have every expectation we will see Baltimore back in the playoffs in 2026.
12th – Houston Astros – 10.5 fWAR
Hunter Brown
Christian Javier
Tatsuya Imai
Mike Burrows
Lance McCullers Jr.
I really like the trio of Brown, Imai, and Burrows to build around long-term in Houston. Christian Javier and LMJ are trying to return from injury and re-establish themselves, and we’ve seen that when those guys are healthy, they’re very effective mid to upper rotation options. With Ronel Blanco out for the majority of 2026 due to TJ, you’ll likely see Spencer Arrighetti, AJ Blubaugh, and Miguel Ullola work as the depth options behind the initial 5, with veteran JP France also in the mix as well. After letting Framber Valdez walk in FA, this is now Hunter Brown’s rotation to lead, and I think he is a sneaky dark horse pick for AL Cy Young.
11th – Cincinnati Reds – 10.9 fWAR
Andrew Abbott
Nick Lodolo
Brady Singer
Rhett Lowder
Chase Burns
The loss of Hunter Greene for half the season is a tough one for a Cincy team that is looking to compete in a wide-open NL Central. Though the 1-5 they’re going to roll with to open the season should still give Reds fans some hope. Lodolo, Lowder, and Burns are all top picks over the last several seasons, and Brady Singer and Andrew Abbott provide a strong floor for the rotation until Greene returns. Beyond that, Chase Petty is another name with some mid-rotation upside who could provide some depth. I don’t think the Reds’ offense is going to be all that good and im skeptical the bullpen repeats from a year ago. But their rotation is solid with a lot of upside.
10th – Atlanta Braves – 11.2 fWAR
Chris Sale
Reynaldo Lopez
Spencer Strider
Grant Holmes
Bryce Elder
Into the top 10 and kicking things off is the Atlanta Braves fronted by multi-time Cy Young Winner and future Hall of Famer Chris Sale. Reynaldo Lopez had an unbelievable 2024 and is looking to bounce back with good health in 2026. Speaking of health, “Quadzilla” Spencer Strider is back, and that should really excite Braves fans for what’s to come in 2026. Grant Holmes had a nice 2025 and is a guy who can really spin the baseball and should provide a solid back-of-the-rotation arm for the Braves. Bryce Elder rounds out the group, but he may not have a super long leash with top prospect JR Ritchie appearing to be very close to ready. Didier Fuentes is another name who impressed in Spring, and veterans Martin Perez and Carlos Carrasco will be a call away in AAA if the injury bug continues to persist.
9th – Kansas City Royals – 11.9 fWAR
Cole Ragans
Michael Wacha
Seth Lugo
Kris Bubic
Noah Cameron
The X factor at the top of the rotation is Cole Ragans and if healthy he changes the entire complexion of this rotation. Beyond that Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo are solid mid rotation guys, Kris Bubic broke out last year and found his way onto an All Star team, and Noah Cameron is a guy who avoids the barrell very well and should provide a solid floor at the back end of the rotation. 1-5 this is a group that should allow an exciting Kansas City team to reach the playoffs in 2026 and guys like Stephen Kolek, Luinder Avila, and Ben Kdurna could work their way in if injuries play a factor.
8th – Tampa Bay Rays – 12.2 fWAR
Drew Rasmussen
Ryan Pepiot
Shane McClanahan
Nick Martinez
Steven Matz
Drew Rasmussen is one of the more underrated pitchers in baseball and the Cardinals get him on Opening Day. Beyond that Ryan Pepiot and Shane McClanahan have the upside to pitch at the front of a rotation and Nick Martinez and Steven Matz are both versatile pitchers at the back of the rotation that if Joe Boyle, Brody Hopkins, or Joe Rock are ready to go at any point in the season those guys can bump to the bullpen and perform in those roles effectively as well. I think the Rays are gonna Ray this year and be one of those teams that nobody really expected, but will be right there at the end in the AL.
7th – Texas Rangers – 12.3 fWAR
Nathan Eovaldi
Jacob DeGrom
MacKenzie Gore
Jack Leiter
Jacob Latz
Eovaldi through Leiter is a really exciting 1-4, and the Rangers should be quite good in 2026 under new Manager Skip Schumaker. Latz is likely just a placeholder until Kumar Rocker or Jordan Montgomery are ready to take that 5 spot. This is where the real upper echelon of pitching rotations begins. Texas will be a disappointment if they are not a playoff team in 2026.
6th – Los Angeles Dodgers – 12.3 fWAR
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Tyler Glasnow
Shohei Ohtani
Emmet Sheehan
Roki Sasaki
The eventual inclusion of Blake Snell probably puts them in the top 3 in baseball but with this being the “opening day” rotations this takes a tumble all the way to 6th. World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto leads an exceptional group of Aces ahead of Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani. Sheehan and Sasaki are just an incredible flex for the Dodgers to be able to insert into the rotation. Beyond that a healthy return of Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, and Landon Knack are all names that will likely see innings for the dodgers by way of how they approach pitching and getting through a full 162.
5th – Seattle Mariners – 12.4 fWAR
Logan Gilbert
Bryan Woo
Luis Castillo
George Kirby
Emerson Hancock
Again, with the caveat of injury to Bryce Miller, you’re probably talking about a top 3 rotation in baseball, and it should be an exciting season of baseball for fans in the Pacific Northwest, as the favorite for the AL West. Logan Gilbert should challenge Tarik Skubal for the Cy Young in 2026, and Bryan Woo, after a breakout 2026, is a very strong number 2. Luis Castillo is the veteran leader of the group and has been since coming over from Cincinnati, and is still an exceptional number 3 starter. George Kirby as the number 4 is good too. You could honestly arrange any of the 4 and feel good about Seattle’s chances any given night. Another opportunity for former top pick Emerson Hancock to show something while Miller is out. Randy Dobnak and Dane Dunning are veteran starters in AAA who will provide depth, and it won’t be too long before Ryan Sloan or Kade Anderson are making their way to Seattle in the coming seasons as well.
4th – Philadelphia Phillies – 12.6 fWAR
Christopher Sanchez
Aaron Nola
Jesus Luzardo
Taijuan Walker
Andrew Painter
With the potential to eventually swap out Taijuan Walker for Zach Wheeler theres no question this is one of the top pitching staffs in baseball. Sanchez is an emerging Ace and just signed an extension to be a Philly for the rest of his prime. Jesus Luzardo, the same deal. Big time stuff, will be a Philly for a long time. Aaron Nola is coming off a rough 2025, but a stable veteran with a ton of big league expirience he will find a way through for a playoff favorite roster. Andrew Painter is an X Factor. The current top pitching prospect for Philadelphia is going to light up radar guns and excite Philly fans for years to come.
3rd – Pittsburgh Pirates – 12.7 fWAR
Paul Skenes
Mitch Keller
Carmen Mlodzinski
Braxton Ashcraft
Bubba Chandler
Of course, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner fronts the top projected rotation in the NL on opening day. Along with steady mid-rotation starter Mitch Keller, the upside of Ashcraft and Chandler really raises the ceiling, and then to top it off, you include the return of Jared Jones at some point this season, and you’re talking about a really, really good group of 5 starters. The questions will be about health, and if the offensive additions will be enough to help them reach the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
2nd – Boston Red Sox – 15.8 fWAR
Garrett Crochet
Sonny Gray
Johan Oviedo
Ranger Saurez
Bryan Bello
Last year’s AL Cy Young runner up and one of the top choices for the award again, Garrett Crochet, leads an exceptional Boston rotation that now also features newcomers Sonny Gray, Johan Oviedo, and Ranger Saurez. Bryan Bello rounds out the group and is one hell of a number 5 starter. Any rotation that excludes Connelly Early or Payton Tolle from starting the season with the group is almost unfair. Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, and Patrick Sandoval all work their way back from injury and could pitch important innings for the club as well. The Red Sox have a ridiculous amount of depth and upside that should make them one of the favorites in the AL.
1st – Detroit Tigers – 16.2 fWAR
Tarik Skubal
Framber Valdez
Jack Flaherty
Justin Verlander
Casey Mize
Back-to-back Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal leads the top projected starting rotation into 2026, and you add Framber Valdez a number 1 caliber in his own right to be Skubal’s number 2 along with Flaherty and Verlander as your 3-4 and Mize, a former number 1 overall pick with a 70 grade splitter, it’s genuinely an all in season for the Tigers and their actions sure seem to indicate as much. Top prospect Kevin McGonigle is projected to start the season with the “Motor City Kitties” as well, and I am very interested in watching what Detroit can do this year.
The Cardinals aren’t a top rotation in baseball, but they do have some interesting upside and the potential to overachieve. But, they don’t have the horses to contend with the big boys in baseball this year. That’s okay, for now, especially when you look at the stockpile of arms that are at the lower levels of the minors. The Cardinals would like to be among the top of this group in the next several years, and the work that the development staff and draft scouts are working towards is that very goal. This is just a snapshot of where things stand before opening day. But it sets expectations for the season and really allows Cardinals fans the chance to properly calibrate expectations, and if the team winds up beyond what we think with the optimism of whats to come can give you a window into what the Cardinals’ new brain trust is trying to sell you on. “Long-term vision” doesn’t lean into competing for the middle and sneaking in any longer. It’s about competing at the top, and if you’re a fan who has groaned for something new. Opening Day is the beginning of that.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 15, 2025: Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies prepares to pitch during the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 10: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates alongside Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 10, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Colorado Avalanche (46-13-10, 102 points, 1st place Central Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (35-19-16, 86 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and Altitude Sports, streaming on ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins are hitting the road to play the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night before returning home for a matchup with the Dallas Stars on Saturday. Then comes a back-to-back set with major Eastern Conference playoff race implications as the Penguins take on the New York Islanders on the road Monday 3/30 and the Detroit Red Wings at home the following day.
Opponent Track: The Avalanche lost some ground to the Dallas Stars in the race for the top of the Western Conference with a recent three-game losing streak, but they’ve since bounced back on their ongoing road trip with back-to-back wins over the Chicago Blackhawks and a 3-2 overtime win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon.
Season Series: Evgeni Malkin scored two goals in his return from suspension to help lead the Pens to a 7-2 win over the Avs at Ball Arena in these two team’s first matchup last week.
Hidden Stat: The Avalanche were the first team both to record 100 points and clinch a playoff spot in the NHL this season. This marks the ninth straight time Colorado has made a trip to the postseason, a span which includes their run to the 2022 title.
Getting to know the Avalanche
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Valeri Nichushkin – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Nazem Kadri
Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Joel Kiviranta
Zakhar Bardakov – Nicolas Roy – Gavin Brindley
DEFENSEMEN
Brett Kulak / Cale Makar
Devon Toews / Sam Malinski
Josh Manson / Brent Burns
Goalies: Scott Wedgewood, Mackenzie Blackwood
Potential scratches: Artturi Lehkonen (upper body), Ross Colton (upper body), Nick Blankenburg
Injured Reserve: Logan O’Connor (offseason hip surgery)
Former Penguin Brett Kulak has slotted in on the Avalanche’s top pairing alongside Cale Makar with the team experimenting with breaking up the famously successful Toews/Makar duo. Kulak played 20:31 against Washington on Sunday, his most since joining Colorado on Feb 24.
Kulak was one of the Avs’ deadline additions alongside Nazem Kadri, a key part of the team’s run to the 2022 Cup. Kadri has now slotted in on the second line alongside Brock Nelson and has four points (two goals, two assists) in seven games since the trade.
Gabriel Landeskog, who had been sidelined with a lower-body injury since March 6, returned to the Avs’ lineup for Sunday’s matchup against the Washington Capitals in time to score a goal. Landeskog’s presence gives Colorado a different feel from the last PIT/COL game where the Avs used an 11 forward/7 defensemen lineup.
Artturi Lehkonen (upper body injury), Ross Colton (upper body injury) and Logan O’Connor (who has yet to make his season debut after undergoing hip surgery last June, are traveling with the Avs on their current five-game road trip. Those three will be with the team in Pittsburgh, per NHL.com’s Tracey Myers, although it’s not clear yet if they’ll be available to play. Whether they return for Tuesday’s game or not, the Avs will be hoping to get them back alongside Landeskog ahead of the postseason.
The Avs have been riding one of the best goalie tandems in the NHL this season in Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood, although both got shelled in the Avs’ 7-2 loss to the visiting Pens last week. Blackwood has gotten the team’s last two starts, winning both Friday’s game over the Chicago Blackhawks and Sunday against the Washington Capitals in his most recent two outings.
The Avs’ power play has been inconsistent this season despite having the advantage of rolling out Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. The unit went 0-for-2 on Sunday against the Washington Capitals and ranks 28th in the NHL with a 16.7 percent success rate so far this season.
Colorado has made up for that, of course, at even strength. The Avalanche lead the NHL with 183 goals for at 5v5 heading into Tuesday. (For what it’s worth, the Pens rank fourth with 141 goals at even strength).
MacKinnon scored a goal against the Pens last week and added three assists in a game against Chicago but was held without a point against the Capitals. He now sits five points behind Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov (119) in the scoring race. Connor McDavid (116) is just ahead of MacKinnon as well.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau
Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Graves / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Stuart Skinner, Arturs Silovs
Potential Scratches: Ilya Solovyov, Blake Lizotte (injured), Kevin Hayes, Ryan Shea (day-to-day upper body injury)
IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones
Ville Koivunen was re-assigned to the WBS Penguins on Sunday.
Ryan Shea, who exited Saturday’s matchup against the Winnipeg Jets after taking a hard hit from Adam Lowry, missed Sunday’s game with what the Penguins described as a day-to-day upper-body injury. The Penguins had a scheduled off day yesterday, we’ll have to see this morning during the gameday skate if Shea is able to take the ice or if an update will be provided about his status.
Ryan Graves drew into the lineup for the first time in two months in Shea’s place. He immediately had an impact, although it wasn’t a positive one, by taking a penalty less than 30 seconds into Sunday’s matchup and getting the Carolina Hurricanes’ dangerous power play on the ice.
Bryan Rust is riding a seven-game point streak (5G+6A).
Erik Karlsson’s next assist will push him past his former teammate Daniel Alfredsson for career helpers.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 29: Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks looks to pass the ball during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 29, 2025 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Tonight, the Knicks (47*-25) host the Pelicans (25-47) at Madison Square Garden. New York has won six straight, including Sunday’s blowout of the Wizards, while New Orleans went 6-4 over their last 10.
The teams last met December 29, 2025, with the Knicks winning 130-125 at the Smoothie King Arena. Brunson led New York with 28 points and 10 assists, while Zion Williamson paced New Orleans with 32 points.
James Borrego’s team has the league’s 20th offensive and 24th defensive rating. They score 115.6 points per game but allow 119. Trey Murphy III averages 21.8 points on efficient shooting and stretches the floor. Zion delivers 21.3 points, dominating inside when healthy and alert. Herb Jones locks down wings with elite defense and hustle, rating in the 97 percentile for deflections. And Dejounte Murray has averaged 18.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.1 rebounds in 10 games this season.
Expected starters tonight are Murphy, Saddiq Bey, Williamson, Jones, and Murray.
On the injury report, New York lists Miles McBride and Landry Shamet (knee, bone bruise) as OUT, and Kevin McCullar, Jr (knee/quad). as questionable. The Pelicans have Bryce McGowens down as questionable (toe).
Prediction
ESPN win probability sits around 77% for the Knicks. Okie dokie. These Pelicans are a tougher team now that Murray has recovered from a torn right Achilles, and they’ve split the games he’s played this year. Expect New York to have some trouble with these birds, but to pull away in the second half. The Pels are a 35% shooting team from the perimeter and do most of their scoring within the arc. Key to victory: dominate the boards, force turnovers in transition for easy points, and let Towns exploit mismatches inside. Knicks win by eight for their second seven-game win-streak of the season.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (47*-25) vs New Orleans Pelicans (25-47) Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Time: 7:30 PM ET Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC TV: NBC / Peacock Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
* Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins smell like fish.
Last night in Miami, Victor Wembanyama hit two personal career milestones.
Eight seconds into the second quarter, Wemby picked up his 600th block against Nathan Powell. The block upset Erik Spoelstra earning him a technical foul.
Two minutes later Wemby scored his 4000th point on an emphatic dunk lobbed by Crater Bryant (see 35 second mark):
Wemby came into the game with 598 dunks, ranking him 233rd all-time. He is now one of only 233 people to ever tally 600 dunks (since the stat was monitored).
Put that into perspective — 600 dunks in 174 games. At that rate, he can have doubled his game count and his blocks by then end of the the 2027-2028 season. And 1200 block total ties Wemby with Chris Webber who’s currently in the 66th spot all-time.
While that marker is still a ways away, it is not outside the realm of reality for a talent like Wembanyama’s.
In the meantime, Wemby ended the night in Miami with five dunks — 603 total — knotting him in the 232nd spot with Jamaal Magloire, a 6’11” center who played for eight teams over his twelve seasons.
As far as active players go, he is hot on the heels of Nic Claxton with Ivica Zubac and Alex Len not far ahead. At the rate Victor is picking up blocks, he’ll surpass all three and a dozen retired players (including former Spurs sharpshooter Danny Green) by the time the season ends.
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BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 10: The Baltimore Orioles Bird performs prior to the game between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles on July 10, 2025 at Orioles Park at Camden Yards. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
As the Red Sox approach Opening Day, it’s time to look at the other American League playoff contenders. Next up, one of 2025’s most disappointing teams.
What’s this team’s deal?
The 2023 Baltimore Orioles wown 101 games and took first place in the AL East. The 2024 edition of the club won 91 games and finished in second place in the division. The 2025 team won, uh, 75 games and finished in last place in the AL East.
Last year was supposed to be about building on their success and cementing the O’s as the class of the division while their young stars were cheap and under team control. Their drafting and development was supposed to make this an Orioles decade. But instead it ended abruptly and turned into a record scratch moment for President of Baseball Operations or POBO Mike Elias.
After firing manager Brandon Hyde during the season, POBO Elias didn’t want to follow the same path and tried to retool in Birdland. 2025 saw the team play poorly on both sides of the ball: 4.18 runs scored per game was the seventh worst in MLB and their pitchers allowed 4.86 runs per game, the sixth most. While the O’s biggest need has been pitching, the offense wasn’t really covering itself in glory either.
The additions:
Pete Alonso. The Polar Bear has hit at least 34 home runs in each season except 2020. He hit 53 as a rookie, 38 last year, and has two 40+ homer seasons on his resume. He’s here to mash.
Chris Bassitt. In 2024 the Orioles acquired Corbin Burnes to be their ace. That worked well. Letting him leave via free agency was certainly a choice that worked out in 2025 as he was injured, but they still needed someone at the top of that rotation. One year of Chris Bassitt isn’t that guy, but his 3.89 ERA / 4.13 FIP over three years in Toronto is a nice floor to have in a rotation that has been characterized by instability.
Ryan Helsley. The former St. Louis Cardinals closer spent the back half of 2025 pitching poorly for the New York Mets. He’ll help in the bullpen if he can return to form.
Zach Eflin. Retained after a year and a half in Baltimore but was technically a free agent. Eflin is coming off a down season and looks to bounce back to his 2024 post-trade time with the O’s.
The largest subtraction this season was the trade of Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward. With Rodriguez suffering another arm injury and starting 2026 on the IL maybe trading him for a guy coming off a 36 homer season was the right call.
How good are they?
Right now FanGraphs projects the Orioles at 83.5 wins and 78.5 losses, recognizing that there are no 0.5s when the games are played. That’s fourth place in the AL East by their calculations behind the Yankees, Red Sox, and Jays.
Is that the most likely scenario though? It’s hard to say. So much forward progress simply came to a halt. Adley Rutschman fell off back-to-back All Star seasons to look relatively ordinary. Gunnar Henderson likewise took a step back, although he still had a good season with an OPS of almost .800 along with 17 homers and 30 steals. Jackson Holliday, who was hailed as the next big thing, underwhelmed for a second straight season. Any or all of these players could turn it around, which would make it more likely the O’s are good. And their pitching includes Trevor Rogers at the top of the rotation, coming off a 1.81/2.82 ERA/FIP season, having absolutely caught fire in Baltimore.
Those three teams above them are also expected to be good and the Rays haven’t been truly bad in a while. It might be hard for even a good Baltimore team to do much in 2026 and they’re still probably a pitcher short in the rotation.
Who’s their most likable player?
Is it already Pete Alonso? It might be. The guy loves to play baseball. From an opposing viewpoint that’s a big plus.
Who’s their least likable player?
Manny Machado. I kid. But, also it still is.
Gunnar Henderson probably claims the mantle for playing the hardest, or at least seeming to. In 40 games he’s hit .240/.362/.534 with 9 home runs against Boston. That’s talent but also a reason to dislike him.
Schedule against the Red Sox
As an AL East rival there will be a few matchups against the Orioles.
April 24-26 in Baltimore.
June 2-4 in Boston.
July 20-22 in Boston.
September 3-6 in Baltimore.
Season Prediction
Looking at the Orioles, you can see there’s a lot of potential. They’re almost oozing. But there has been some big regression since 2023 and a team that probably overachieved. FanGraphs has the top team in the East sitting on 86.6 wins and I think that’s where pre-season forecasting can have limits. I think in this case, though, it’s about right. This is a .500 team that could go nuts if they turn the clock back on the offense, but the pitching just isn’t there. That’s not to say this is a bad team. But it’s one that did surprisingly little considering that the two years after 2023 were steps in the wrong direction.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 21: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks after the game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 21, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Bucks 114-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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Last Friday, it was reported by ESPN’s Remona Shelburne that the Bucks are looking to get younger stars back in a possible Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. One of the two players the article mentioned as a target, according to sources, is Evan Mobley.
We don’t know how interested the Cavs are in a deal like this, even though it was reported at the deadline that the Cavs were one of presumably many teams that had a conversation with the Bucks about trading for Antetokounmpo. Nothing came of it then, but we’ll see what the summer holds.
How the Cavs approach this offseason will likely depend on how the playoffs go. If the Cavs show that this core can make a deep postseason run, they’ll likely be hesitant to shake things up too drastically. However, if they flame out again in the second round or earlier, everything is on the table.
Even so, is trading for Giannis the best option?
Antetokounmpo is still one of the absolute best players in the league despite how bad Milwaukee has been this season. The hesitation lies in his availability going forward. Giannis has struggled to stay healthy this season, missed some of the Bucks’ 2023 postseason games, and was out for the entire 2024 playoffs. Those concerns are only going to get worse as he enters his age-32 season on the final year of his current deal.
So, would you trade Mobley for Giannis? Let us know in the survey, and tell us why you voted how you did in the comments.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 13: Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees walks off the field during the spring training game between the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves on March 13, 2026 at CoolToday Park in North Port, FL. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We’re a day away. In just over 24 hours, the Yankees will take the field in San Francisco for a special opening night matchup with the Giants. We know who the starting pitchers will be, as Max Fried will square off with Logan Webb.
And for the most part, we know what the Yankees’ roster as a whole will look like tomorrow. But there still is some intrigue, particularly with the team announcing over the weekend that they would begin the season with a four-man rotation, keeping Luis Gil to the side for now. Gil could still make the roster, allowing the Yankees to piggyback him with another starter, likely Ryan Weathers, or the team could opt to have him start the year with Triple-A. The right-hander would be eligible to return to the majors on April 9th in that scenario, two days before the Yankees project to need a fifth starter based on their early-season schedule.
With all that in mind, I’ve thrown together my projected Opening Day roster:
Catchers (2) Austin Wells J.C. Escarra
Infielders (6) Ben Rice Jazz Chisholm Jr. José Caballero Ryan McMahon Paul Goldschmidt Amed Rosario
Starting Pitchers (4) Max Fried Cam Schlittler Ryan Weathers Will Warren
Bullpen (9) David Bednar Camilo Doval Fernando Cruz Tim Hill Ryan Yarbrough Paul Blackburn Cade Winquest Jake Bird Brent Headrick
This is pure speculation, but my guess is the Yankees will use Gil’s remaining minor league option and let him keep his pitch count up with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It’s the cleaner option, rather than trying to find a way to keep Gil stretched out at around 80-90 pitches while pitching out of the bullpen. Gil can make a couple starts in Triple-A, then return to the bigs by April 11th to start on the road against the Rays.
Should Gil go down, the focus then shifts to who takes his place. In this projection, I have the Yankees loading up on back-end bullpen arms, breaking camp with all of Paul Blackburn, Cade Winquest, Brent Headrick, and Jake Bird. Of those four, Headrick seemed like the longest shot to make the team coming into spring training, but Gil going down would open up space for the lefty after a strong showing in camp, Headrick striking out 15 batters against one walk in seven innings.
What do you think? What’s your Opening Day roster projection for tomorrow? Let us know in the comments below.
This morning on the site, check out Josh’s review of the Yankees’ strategy and success with the new ABS challenge system this spring. We’ll also get a fun entry in our Yankees Birthday series from Jonathan as he focuses on Ernie Shore, while Matt will preview the Yankees’ Opening Day foes, the San Francisco Giants, in the last entry in our overall 2026 MLB Preview. Later, Jeremy will discuss Finlete, in light of the reports that Yankees prospect Carlos Lagrange has promised a portion of his potential future MLB earnings to investors.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Chicago Cubs
Time: 3:05 p.m. EST
Video: N/A (audio available via WFAN 101.9 FM/660AM or MLB.tv)
DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 04: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche faces off against Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ball Arena on March 4, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Eight days ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins went into Denver and routed the NHL leading Colorado Avalanche by a score of 7-2 at Ball Arena. Now the Avalanche come to Pittsburgh looking for a measure of revenge with a lot on the line for both sides when the puck drops as PPG Paints Arena later this evening. For the Avalanche, a playoff spot has already been locked up, but they will be looking to keep space between themselves and the charging Dallas Stars for the top seed in the west.
As for the Penguins, the objective is clear, keep winning hockey games and racking up points in the standings and you will be playing playoff hockey once again. The stakes could not be more clear for either side this evening.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00PM EST and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Pens Points…
It’s yet another loaded week for the Penguins with both the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars coming to town on Tuesday and Saturday. Sandwiched in between those two contests is a quick trip to Ottawa for a meeting with the Senators who are fighting for their playoff lives at the moment. [Pensburgh]
The Penguins 2025 draft class has already made a big impact with the emergence of Ben Kindel this season and the next wave of talent is on its way with the signings of first rounder Bill Zonnon and third round selection Gabriel D’Aigle to entry level contracts over the weekend. [Pensburgh]
Harrison Brunicke made the Penguins roster out of training camp and he got his first taste of NHL action before ultimately being sent back to juniors for the remainder of the season. Back in Kamloops, Brunicke continued his development and has been averaging over a point per game in the WHL. [Trib Live]
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SCOTTSDALE, AZ — San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb has never done it in his career but it’s out of sheer and genuine respect that has him wanting to acknowledge the man Wednesday night in the season opener at Oracle Park.
So when New York Yankees great Aaron Judge steps to the plate in the first game of the 2026 MLB season (8:05 ET, Netflix), Webb plans to touch the bill of his cap, look into his eyes, and nod. It will let him know they will always be fierce competitors, but after being teammates for two weeks in the World Baseball Classic, he’ll forever have Webb’s ultimate respet.
“It’s kind of part of the game now where there’s a lot of tipping of the caps and stuff now, and it’s not necessarily my favorite thing," Webb tells USA TODAY Sports. “But for Aaron, I’ve got to do it, right?
“I mean, the guy was just the captain of our team. He’s captain of the Yankees. He does everything the right way. And he’s such a great person, a great family man, everything you’d ever want."
They nearly became teammates three years ago when Judge was a free agent, and the Giants offered him a nine-year, $360 million contract – $40 million more than the Yankees' initial offer. The Giants brought in Webb to help recruit, along with former Giants All-Star Rich Aurilia, who was Judge’s favorite player growing up in Northern California; and had messages from Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry. Judge’s parents, Patty and Wayne, even drove two hours from Linden, California to join the meeting and a late dinner. Despite the Giants’ offer to spend the night, they still drove back home in the late evening.
The Yankees wound up matching the Giants’ offer, and Judge stayed put, but when he saw Giants president Larry Baer before Team USA’s exhibition game against the Giants, he came over, gave Baer a warm embrace, and thanked him for showing such strong interest in him and the way they treated his parents.
“It was so amazing to meet his parents, you can see where Aaron has become the person he is," Webb said. “I remember when he signed with the Yankees, I text him, 'Congratulations’ right away.
“Really, this is where he’s supposed be, captain of the Yankees."
'Greatest humble superstar'
You don’t need a 50-person analytics team to let you know that Judge is the greatest hitter on the planet. He’s a three-time MVP, joining Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, and Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees to achieve the feat. He is the American League season-season home run king. He’s a seven-time All-Star. He’s a five-time Silver Slugger winner. He’s a batting champion. And he already is considered one of the greatest right-handed hitters in history
And yet, the most mind-boggling attribute about Judge?
“He’s even a better person than he is a player," says Sean Casey, Yankees former hitting coach who was the co-hitting coach for Team USA, “and that’s saying a whole lot since he’s the greatest player in the universe. The way he treats everybody, the security guards, the batboys, everybody that he comes across, it’s just unreal.
“I think a real leader is how you treat people when no one's looking, how you treat people when that can't really do anything for you. He's the best I've ever seen. The greatest humble superstar you’ll ever meet."
Judge was captain of the United States' WBC team, and despite the tears and heartache of losing the gold medal to Venezuela, the players, coaches and staff members say the one of the best parts of the experience was spending two weeks around Judge.
They had heard the stories about Judge’s kindness. They knew his reputation as being one of the game’s finest clubhouse leaders. But to see his interaction every day with teammates and staff members. To see Judge make everyone around him feel comfortable. To have him make everyone feel welcome.
Well, there’s a reason why the Yankees have the greatest recruiting tool in the world, knowing just how badly everyone wants to play with Judge.
“I had heard so much about him over the years that I was really curious to see what he’d be like," said Michael Young, the former seven-time All-Star infielder who was the Texas Rangers’ clubhouse leader. “It’s incredible. I mean, the back of his baseball card speaks for itself, but the person is off the charts.
“In terms of commanding a room, leading a team by both his actions, words, encouragement, positiveness and competitiveness, he’s the very best I've ever seen do it.
“And I don’t throw that around lightly."
It’s not as if Judge, 6-foot-7, 280 pounds, can arrive to the ballpark and go unnoticed. When he walks into the clubhouse door, people who want to talk to him. People want to see him. People want a piece of him. There are corporate sponsorships. Commercial shoots. Interview requests. Autograph sessions.
Still, despite all of the demands, he still makes connections with everyone he sees. He’ll make eye contact. He’ll give a fist-bump. He has a knack for making every single person he comes across feeling special.
“He’s the best leader I've ever been around on the baseball field, at any level," Yankee first baseman Paul Goldschmidt says. “I think he honestly cares about the team more than himself, and he lives that out. He just makes the people around him better.
“I mean, I've seen him strike out three times, and before he even takes the puts the bat back in the bat rack, he’ll tell the next guy, 'Hey, come on. You got this.’ He just leaves his own performance behind so quickly, and just sets the example for everyone. It becomes really contagious where he doesn't make it about himself."
There, of course, has been a great tradition of Yankee clubhouse leaders. Derek Jeter was a role model and captain winning four World Series from 1996-2000. He carried the torch until Brett Gardner and CC Sabathia took over. And now it belongs to Judge, who is beginning his 10th full season in pinstripes.
Judge shines in WBC
Jeter, of course, won five World Series rings. Sabathia and Gardner won the 2009 World Series together. Now, they’d love to see Judge get that elusive championship, too. The Yankees have reached the postseason in all but one of Judge’s seasons, but have won just one pennant.
“We’d all love to see it happen for him," said Sabathia, the Hall of Fame pitcher. “You see the way guys follow him, and want to be around him. He felt that responsibility early on when I knew him, and he was like, “I'll take it on.’ It's been awesome to see him grow into that role, the Yankee way, and how to do things.
“Really, he reminds me a lot of Gardy, the way that he goes about his business. The willingness to play through anything. The toughness and just wanting to go out and win a ball game every single day. The guy is just so genuine, and he has never changed."
Former veteran reliever Adam Ottavino, who’s more than six years older than Judge, joined the Yankees in 2019, walked through the clubhouse door, and Judge immediately introduced himself.
“He's just like a naturally friendly guy, a very inclusive type of guy," Ottavino said. “I mean, I had just gotten to the team, and he's already introducing me to his parents. He’s just the type of guy that goes around and checks in with everybody every day.
“He's more of a lead-by-example guy, but when he speaks, it carries a lot of volume. He just always seems to know what to say. And it’s all natural. There's nothing at all manufactured there."
Really, just being around Judge during Yankees spring training camp and the WBC, said Yankees pitching great Andy Pettitte, his demeanor reminds him so much of Jeter.
“They’re not big rah-rah guys, and just go about their business,’’ Pettitte says, “but the humility this guy [Judge] shows is absolutely amazing. I mean, and he is the superstar of all superstars. That's what separates him... He’s just an unbelievable human being."
It was during the World Baseball Classic in Houston when Judge barely had time for batting practice. He was in the cage for maybe six or seven swings, and had to run to prepare for the game. Yet instead of rushing off, he stayed behind, picked up the baseballs scattered around the infield just like anyone else, and bumped fists with batting practice pitcher Ali Modami.
“What really jumped out at me," DeRosa said, “was how engaging he is with his teammates. He makes everybody feel like they're a part of it, whether it's a wink, whether it's a pat on the ass, or just an acknowledgement. He never once walked by me without saying or doing something.
“I mean, just an unbelievable person. Such a special human being with the amount of focus and attention that's on every him every move he makes, and handles it all with style and grace. He’s one-in-a-million today. He’s a special player with special gifts is a special person. He holds everybody accountable, and holds himself accountable.’’
When Judge was the first player announced on the USA team, DeRosa’s phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. Everyone wanted to be part of the team. Philadelphia Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber had one request when he signed up: “Can you make sure I’m part of his BP [batting practice] group?"
“That’s why if I’m a player, and I want to go somewhere as a free agent, I go to New York because of Aaron Judge," Casey said. “I’ve watched it. He can make a bench guy feel like he’s the best player on the team. He doesn’t big-league anybody. Some guys are prisoners of their own fame. I saw that around Ken Griffey Jr. They can’t live the same, but he does. It’s not like he can hide, but he fits in with everyone, and he’s as genuine as they come."
It’s Judge’s interactions with his teammates that had coaches like David Ross, the former Cubs manager and World Series champion, in awe of his demeanor. They heard the stories from Yankee manager Aaron Boone but to see it in person was something else.
“He knows he's one of the faces of baseball, if not the face of baseball,’’ said Ross, who was on the WBC coaching staff, “but he’s not afraid to be the first person to speak and own the room. He's just very cool and calm and he treats everybody with a ton of respect. Just watching the way he carries himself, way he interacts with players in batting cage, the pitchers in the locker room, speaking up after games, it’s special, man.
“His presence is intimidating, but his personality lets down every guard that you ever might have had."
Says Milwaukee Brewers All-Star second baseman Brice Turang: “He's the real deal, man. He’s such a great player, but even a better dude. There's always a smile on his face. He's always positive. He always wants the best for everybody. And he always wants to win."
Aaron Judge 'wouldn't have it any other way'
Judge, 33, realizes that once he gets to Oracle Park on Wednesday afternoon, all eyes will be on him again. There will be dozens of national TV cameras filming his arrival. Home run champion Barry Bonds will be on hand. The Netflix crew will be there to interview him. And then, of course, come all the actual baseball demands.
“I got to tell you the amount of people that ask him for something over the course of the day," said Jason Zillo, Yankees vice president of communications and media relations, “is staggering. Just in my little world, it's an insurmountable a number of people want time with him. ... The gift of patience for him is off the charts."
And yet, there’s always the smile.
“Just the fact that you have someone of that magnitude embracing the standard of playing for and being employed by the New York Yankees organization is unquantifiable," Zillo said. “You’ve got this direct lineage of clubhouse leaders through the years, and now it's landed squarely on Judge's plate. And he's like, 'Bring it on. I want this. I love this.’
“This is what it means to play for the Yankees and what it means to be a captain for the New York Yankees. It doesn't have to do with hitting 50 or 60 homers. It's just how we go about doing things.’’
It’s a different time than when Jeter broke in with the Yankees. Cell phones were a luxury. There were no camera phones. Players could leave the clubhouse, have dinner hit a Broadway show, and not a soul would know.
These days, players can’t stop to buy a bag of groceries without being filmed.
“Derek could go to dinner, he could go out and have drinks," Zillo said, “and it wouldn’t be chronicled and documented and thrown up on billboards. Aaron can't do that. None of these players can. You’ve got to have your head on a swivel now because everybody has the ability to capture content from the moment they walk out the front door until the moment they come home.’’
Still, Judge understands and embraces the responsibility. He doesn’t have the luxury of being a superstar in Kansas City, like Bobby Witt Jr. He can’t be Shohei Ohtani in Los Angeles and only talk to media once or twice a week.
Privacy doesn’t exist when you’re the biggest star, in the biggest media market, playing for the New York Yankees.
“I love it," Judge said. “I really do. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I just want to win. I want to be a World Series champion for the New York Yankees.
