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Opening day is first look at enhanced Dodgers lineup

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 23: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium on March 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — On Thursday, we get our first real look at what an already formidable Dodgers lineup looks with perennial All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker inserted near the top.

We saw some of it in spring training, but due to the World Baseball Classic and some early slow-playing of others in camp, there were only a scant few glimpses of the full group together in the same game. Last Friday against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch was the first time we saw at least the first eight of the expected opening day lineup. Two of the three Freeway Series games against the Angels also had those top eight, with Monday’s middle game at Dodger Stadium missing only Max Muncy, with Santiago Espinal getting the start against the left-handed Reid Detmers.

Muncy is in the lineup on Thursday, batting sixth against Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen, making his eighth consecutive opening day start for the Dodgers. He’s just the ninth Los Angeles Dodger to start at least eight opening days in a row, along with John Roseboro (nine straight, 1959-67), Mike Scioscia (nine, 1984-92), Ron Cey (nine, 1974-82), Ron Fairly (1962-69), Steve Garvey (1975-82), Dusty Baker (1976-83), Andre Ethier (2007-14), and Clayton Kershaw (2011-18).

Tucker bats second, which will be his usual spot on the batting order this season, nestled after Shohei Ohtani and before Mookie Betts. Tucker in his career has six hits in 18 at-bats with two doubles, a triple, and a walk against Gallen, hitting .333/.368/.556.

First baseman Freddie Freeman bats cleanup, which will be the case on most days. But the Dodgers might also move him one slot down in the batting order against some left-handed starting pitchers, inserting Will Smith in the cleanup spot to have an extra right-handed batter to face to get to the lefty-batting Freeman.

The Dodgers plan to use a platoon at second base at the beginning of the season with Tommy Edman sidelined, with Miguel Rojas starting against left-handed pitchers and rookie switch-hitter Alex Freeland against right-handers. But on opening day, the veteran Rojas gets the nod to start to begin his final season, fresh off his game-tying home run in Game 7 of last year’s World Series. Rojas has three hits, including a double, in six career at-bats against the righty Gallen.

“I was on the bench the other night against the Angels here, and I was checking in on him during the game. I just let him know that I plan on starting him opening day. He was pretty emotional, pretty excited and reflective,” manager Dave Roberts said Thursday. “This means a lot to him, his family, and to the Dodgers fans. And also most importantly, I think he’s a great option for today.”

Rojas is the fourth different Dodger to start at second base in the last four seasons, after Tommy Edman in 2025, Gavin Lux in 2024, and Miguel Vargas in 2022. Thirteen different Dodgers have started opening day at second base in the last 18 years.

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Tigers' Kevin McGonigle rips two-run double in first MLB at-bat | Watch

There will eventually be struggles for Kevin McGonigle, certainly times the Detroit Tigers might wonder if they'd gotten a little too excited by naming their top prospect to the Opening Day roster of a club with World Series aspirations.

Yet for one at-bat and one game, anyway, McGonigle showed what all the hype is about while making Opening Day history.

Baseball's consensus No. 2 prospect turned on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues and ripped a bases-loaded, two-run double off San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta, the big blow in a five-run first inning for Detroit and the start of a four-hit day for McGonigle at Petco Park in San Diego on March 26.

McGonigle, 21, was picked 37th overall out of a Pennsylvania high school in 2023. And with a rowful of family and friends looking on from shaded seats on a glorious, 74-degree day in San Diego, McGonigle exploited a Pivetta cutter that stayed up in the strike zone and ripped it down the right field line in the top of the first inning.

Kevin McGonigle connects for his first major league hit with a double off Nick Pivetta in his first major league at-bat during the first inning of Opening Day against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

He collected four hits in his debut, including another double in his second at-bat, as the Tigers routed the Padres 8-2 at Petco Park. He's just the sixth player since 1900 to recor four hits in his big league debut on Opening Day.

And he was just the second Tiger with four hits in his major league debut, joining outfielder Billy Bean, who accomplished the feat April 25, 1987.

McGonigle posted a .922 OPS in three minor league seasons across four levels, yet skipped Class AAA altogether. His poised and powerful spring performance – an .888 OPS and two home runs – won him a job on the Tigers infield, and he started at third in the opener with veteran Javy Baez at shortstop.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kevin McGonigle rips double off first pitch in Tigers Opening Day debut

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New-look Mets knock out Skenes in 1st inning and sink Pirates 11-7 in season opener at Citi Field

NEW YORK — Brett Baty laced a bases-loaded triple and the New York Mets chased Paul Skenes in the first inning of his worst major league start, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-7 on Thursday in their season opener at Citi Field.

Carson Benge homered in his first career game, going back-to-back with Francisco Alvarez at the bottom of a new-look lineup, and Freddy Peralta (1-0) won his Mets debut as New York improved to 42-23 on opening day before a sellout crowd of 41,449.

That’s the best record of any big league team — even though the Mets lost their first eight openers from 1962-69.

Brandon Lowe homered twice and fellow Pirates newcomer Ryan O’Hearn also went deep, but Pittsburgh’s pitching and defense were dreadful in a disappointing start.

Center fielder Oneil Cruz botched consecutive plays in the first inning, helping the Mets score five runs off a surprisingly ineffective Skenes (0-1), matching his career high. Last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner was removed after getting only two outs on 37 pitches in the shortest of his 56 big league starts.

With five new hitters in the order, the Mets ran deep counts early and drew eight walks while batting around twice in the first five innings.

Leadoff man Francisco Lindor took a trio of free passes and scored each time. Luis Robert Jr. had two RBI singles in his Mets debut. Benge and Alvarez launched solo homers off reliever Justin Lawrence to make it 11-5 in the sixth.

Pirates pitchers walked nine overall, surpassing last season’s high.

Peralta, a two-time All-Star acquired from Milwaukee in January, struck out seven and walked none over five innings in his third straight opening-day start — all in New York City.

Tobias Myers, obtained from the Brewers in the same trade, followed with three innings of one-run ball.

Pittsburgh opened on the road for the 10th consecutive year in the earliest start to a season for both teams.

Up next

Following a day off, Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (6-15, 4.19 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Saturday against LHP David Peterson (9-6, 4.22).

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Mets use five-run first inning to power by Pirates in 11-7 Opening Day win

The Mets knocked out NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes in the first inning with a five-run inning and continued to add on runs from there, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates, 11-7, on Opening Day at Citi Field.

The Mets are now 42-23 on Opening Day, the best such winning percentage in MLB.

Here are the top takeaways...

-- The Mets’ new-look offense was on full display in the season opener as they made contact in key situations, worked many deep counts in critical at-bats, and produced when it counted, going 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

Call it an early return on David Stearns’ offseason priority to build an offense with “more competitive at-bats 1-through-9" compared to seasons past.

With that in mind the Mets scored the first nine runs without a home run, as they had traffic on the bases all day. For the game they produced 11 hits while taking nine walks.

One of the low-key highlights was Luis Robert Jr.’s 10-pitch walk in the first inning against Skenes that loaded the bases and set up a five-run inning.

-- Freddy Peralta wasn’t great in his Mets’ debut, giving up four runs in five innings, coming out after throwing 80 pitches. But on this day it was good enough to get the win, and he showed flashes of the dominance he displayed with the Milwaukee Brewers, racking up seven strikeouts while allowing no walks.

His only major problem was Brandon Lowe, who took Peralta deep for two home runs, a two-run shot in the first inning that appeared to be wind-aided and then a no-doubter to right-center in the fourth, a solo shot.

Peralta showed off an impressive arsenal, leaning heavily on his off-speed stuff to get out of trouble in the fifth inning and leave the game with a 6-4 lead.

From there Tobias Myers, also acquired in the Peralta trade, showed why he could be an important addition as a multi-inning reliever. He threw three innings, allowing only one run on one hit, a home run by Ryan O’Hearn.

However, reliever Luis Garcia gave up two runs in the ninth, enough for Carlos Mendoza to get Devin Williams up in the pen before Garcia finished the inning.

-- In their wildest dreams the Mets probably didn’t see themselves knocking Skenes out of the game in the first inning, yet they did exactly that as they scored five runs and got his pitch count up to 37, at which point Pirates’ manager Don Kelly decided not to push his ace any further.

It was the first time in Skenes’ career that he’d been knocked out that early, and left him with an unsightly 67.50 ERA.

Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, was victimized by bad defense in center field by Oneil Cruz, who misplayed Brett Baty’s deep fly ball into a triple and then lost Marcus Semien’s fly ball in the sun as it dropped for a single.

Even so the Mets made him work hard, battling in some tough at-bats, particularly a 10-pitch at-bat by Robert Jr. that resulted in a walk, loading the bases with one out.

Baty’s triple, which Cruz misjudged, starting in for a couple of steps before retreating, was the big hit in the inning, giving the Mets a 4-1 lead.

-- Carson Benge had a memorable debut, hitting a sixth-inning solo home run off reliever Justin Lawrence, giving the Mets a 10-5 lead at the time. It was the first hit of his career after two K’s and a walk.

Mets fans responded with a curtain call as a smiling Benge popped out of the dugout to acknowledge the cheers.

In the same inning Francisco Alvarez hit a 429-foot bomb to the second deck in left that sounded like a cannon going off as it left his bat.

-- In the fifth inning Bo Bichette had a 13-pitch at-bat in which he fouled off eight straight two-strike pitches at one point. In the end he struck out with the bases loaded but the at-bat was evidence as to why he has been such an excellent clutch hitter, with a career .331 average with runners in scoring position.

With two strikes Bichette doesn’t use his big leg kick, and goes into contact mode, often looking to use the opposite field. On the eight straight foul balls, all were off to the first base side. He finally struck out when he was fooled by a high slider.

-- Alvarez was 2-for-2 as catcher challenging calls for his pitchers, getting two ball overturned to strikes via the new challenge system.

Game MVP: Luis Robert Jr.

There was no obvious choice, as the Mets spread their offense up and down the lineup, so I’ll give it to Robert for what may have been a turning point of sorts, a 10-pitch walk against Skenes in the first inning that loaded the bases and set Baty’s triple.

Robert, who could be a wild card of sorts for these Mets, fouled off or laid off some tough pitches from Skenes, no small feat against maybe the best pitcher in the NL.

Robert also had two singles on a 2-for-4 day and made a nice play in center field, getting a great jump to run down a line drive in right-center by Marcell Ozuna.

Highlights

What's Next?

The Mets are off on Friday and will face the Pirates again on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. on SNY.

David Peterson will take the mound for New York and face Pittsburgh RHP Mitch Keller.

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Mets 11, Pirates 7: It was a good (Opening) Day

Mar 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) follows through on an RBI single against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Mets are the winningest team in baseball history on Opening Day. That trend continued today at Citi Field, as the Mets defeated the Pittsbirgh Pirates by a score of 11-7.

Freddy Peralta took the ball for the Mets, and ran into some early trouble. Oneil Cruz dorked a ball to right-center field to lead off the game, and then new Pirate Brandon Lowe got a wind-aided home run that barely got over the right-field wall and just missed Carson Benge’s glove. Now down 2-0, Peralta buckled down and struck out the side.

The reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes came to the mound in the bottom of the first and things did not go as planned. Francisco Lindor led off with a walk, and advanced to third on a lightly hit single by Juan Soto. Lindor scored on a sacrifice fly by Bo Bichette, halving the Pittsburgh lead.

Then, things got interesting.

Jorge Polanco hit a nubber up the third base line and reached first without a throw. Luis Robert, Jr. drew a ten-pitch walk to load the bases. Brett Baty then hit a ball over the head of Cruz in center field, tripling and clearing the bases. Marcus Semien then doubled on another missed ball for Cruz, scoring Baty and putting the Mets up 5-2.

After striking out Carson Benge in his first big league at-bat, Skenes then (barely) hit Francisco Alvarez. That would do it for Skenes, who was run from the game before the end of the first inning. Four hits, five earned runs, two walks, a hit by pitch and one strikeout would be his line on the day.

Johan Ramírez relieved him, and let the Pirates breathe a little bit with two and a third innings of scoreless ball.

Both teams would offensively slow down after their first inning seven total runs. In the top of the third, after the first successful ABS challenge of the season, the Pirates added a third run on a solo home run by Lowe.

In the bottom of the fourth, Mason Montgomery came in for the Pirates and instantly walked both Lindor and Soto to put two on with no out. After a Bichette strikeout and a Polanco fly out, Robert hit a ground ball that got past shortstop Jared Triolo to restore the Mets’ three-run lead.

Nick Gonzalez singled to lead off the fifth for Pittsburgh, and one pitch later, Henry Davis doubled down the left-field line for an RBI double. Peralta struck out Cruz, induced a weak ground ball from Lowe, and a strikeout to Bryan Reynolds to escape the fifth up 6-4. All told, Peralta went five innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs with seven strikeouts.

The Mets added on in the fifth, and continued to showcase their ‘all hands on deck’ offensive approach. Benge drew a one-out walk, which was followed up by an Alvarez single and a Lindor walk. Juan Soto shot a ball to left to score Benge, and the three run lead was back yet again. After a Bichette strike out, Polanco walked to drive in a run, and Robert hit a ball into no-man’s land off of first and beat out the throw with another run scoring. The Mets were now up 9-4.

Tobias Myers was first up out of the bullpen ofr the Mets, and saw Ryan O’Hearn get a jetstream assisted home run to left field to bring the lead – you guessed it – back to three for the Mets.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Mets struck again, with Benge collecting not just his first big league hit, but big league home run on a solo shot to center field. One batter later, Alvarez struck with his own homer, and the Mets were up 11-5.

Myers stayed in the game for the seventh and eighth and did not allow another baserunner after the O’Hearn homer, instantly showing his value as a long man. He would eventually give way to Luis Garcia in the ninth. O’Hearn singled to lead off the frame, and Triolo doubled one pitch later to put men on second and third with no one out. After striking out Spencer Hortiwz, Garcia gave up a two-RBI double to Nick Gonzales to cut the lead to 11-7.

However, Garcia buckled down and struck out Cruz to end the game and secure the dub.

The Mets have off tomorrow, before resuming play on Saturday with David Peterson on the mound.

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New-look Mets torture Paul Skenes in Opening Day win over Pirates

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Mets rookie Carson Benge (3) is greeted by catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) after scoring on a home run in the sixth inning on March 26, 2026, Image 2 shows Mets DH Brett Baty reacts after scoring on Marcus Semien's RBI double in the first inning on March 26, 2026, Image 3 shows Pirates ace Paul Skenes (30) is pulled during the first inning against the Mets on March 26, 2026

Long ball, short ball or ball four, the Mets’ new-look lineup aced the first of at least 162 tests it will face this season.

Whether it was Carson Benge and Francisco Alvarez going deep Thursday or Luis Robert Jr. milking a plate appearance into a walk or using his speed to earn an infield hit, the Mets had an Opening Day to remember, torturing Paul Skenes and the Pirates in an 11-7 victory in front of a Citi Field sellout of 41,449.

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Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young award winner, didn’t even complete the first inning. Two defensive miscues by center fielder Oneil Cruz helped the Mets score five runs in the frame and remove Skenes from the scene after 37 pitches.

“If you want to beat guys like this, you have to play perfect baseball, pretty much,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Not only putting together some really good at-bats, but running the bases, putting the ball in play and the whole way everything unfolded was pretty impressive.”

The Mets, who had lost their previous two openers, improved to 42-23 on Opening Day. The .646 winning percentage is the best among MLB teams in openers.

This was the perfect start for a rebuilt Mets lineup that shed Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil in the offseason.

Mets DH Brett Baty reacts after scoring on Marcus Semien’s RBI double in the first inning on March 26, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

In his Mets debut, Freddy Peralta lasted five innings, surrendering four earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts. The right-hander was removed at 80 pitches.

“Amazing,” Peralta said of the atmosphere. “It was something that helped me to get better. I can’t wait to see them the rest of the season.”

Peralta’s first inning in a Mets uniform was one to forget: After Cruz singled leading off, Brandon Lowe hit a shot to right that nestled just over the fence for a two-run homer.

Skenes was removed after facing his ninth batter in the first inning: Alvarez, who got drilled by a pitch. The right-hander retired only two batters.

Mets rookie Carson Benge (3) is greeted by catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) after scoring on a home run in the sixth inning on March 26, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

The rally began with Francisco Lindor’s leadoff walk and Juan Soto’s ensuing single. Bo Bichette hit a sacrifice fly and Jorge Polanco’s swinging bunt put runners on first and second. The key plate appearance of the inning followed as Robert saw 10 pitches and drew a walk to load the bases.

But the real damage wasn’t inflicted until Cruz misplayed Brett Baty’s fly to center into a bases-clearing triple that gave the Mets a 4-2 lead. Cruz started in on the ball and then watched it sail over his head.

“Worst-case scenario, I was hoping it was going to be a sacrifice fly,” Baty said. “Then I saw Cruz kind of come in on it, so then I was like, ‘Let’s keep running.’ ”

Pirates ace Paul Skenes (30) is pulled during the first inning against the Mets on March 26, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Cruz’s misery wasn’t finished. Marcus Semien hit a fly that Cruz lost in the sun, allowing Baty to score the Mets’ fifth run.

“They got on us early and then to turn around and respond in the bottom of the inning was huge,” Baty said.

Lowe’s second homer of the game pulled the Pirates within 5-3 in the third inning. Robert’s athleticism was on display later in the inning as his diving catch in right center robbed Marcell Ozuna of a hit to end the frame.

Robert extended the Mets’ lead to 6-3 with a two-out RBI single in the fourth after Lindor and Soto had walked successively to begin the inning.

The Pirates recovered the run in the fifth on Henry Davis’ RBI double past the diving Bichette. Nick Gonzales’ leadoff single began the rally.

Soto delivered an RBI single in the fifth before Polanco drew a bases-loaded walk to extend the Mets’ lead to 8-4. Robert’s infield squib brought in the inning’s third run for the Mets.

Ryan O’Hearn homered against Tobias Myers in the sixth to slice the Mets’ lead to 9-5. The blast was the third surrendered by the Mets.

Benge, in his MLB debut, delivered his first hit and homer in the bottom of the inning, giving the Mets a 10-5 lead. Benge jumped on a first-pitch sweeper from Justin Lawrence and cleared the fence in right center. The next batter, Alvarez, also homered.

“It’s just one game,” Mendoza said. “But there is a lot to like.”

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Opening Day overreactions: Crochet's Cy Young campaign off to good start

Opening Day overreactions: Crochet's Cy Young campaign off to good start originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox passed their first test of the 2026 season as they shut out the Cincinnati Reds on Opening Day, 3-0.

Other than being kept off the scoreboard for the first six innings, the Red Sox looked sharp in every facet of the game. Garrett Crochet pitched a gem, the offense racked up 12 hits, and the bullpen kept Cincinnati scoreless for the final three innings.

As always, Opening Day left us with plenty to overreact to with 161 games left in the regular season. Here are five instant overreactions to Boston’s victory:

Garrett Crochet is ready for another Cy Young bid

The 2025 AL Cy Young runner-up looks poised for another run at the award this season. After a rough spring training, Crochet was in peak form in Cincinnati.

The left-handed ace allowed only three hits and two walks while striking out eight Reds hitters over six innings. His only hiccup in the outing was a sixth-inning bases-loaded jam, which he escaped with back-to-back Ks:

As long as he stays healthy, Crochet should join the likes of Tarik Skubal as a Cy Young finalist once again. His excellent outing is a great sign for a Red Sox rotation that is expected to be among baseball’s best in 2026.

Roman Anthony already looks like a veteran

Anthony wasted no time making his presence felt to start his first full MLB season. The 21-year-old smoked a single up the middle on the first pitch of the day:

Later, Anthony rocketed one at 110 mph right at Reds first baseman Sal Stewart to start the day 3-for-3. Stewart was hurt on the play, but he stayed in the game.

The future superstar’s biggest moment came in the ninth, when he turned a strikeout into a walk by winning an ABS challenge to keep the inning alive. The next batter, Trevor Story, singled to add an insurance run:

Moments like that are what separate Anthony, once the league’s No. 1 prospect, from other talented prospects. He already looks and acts like a 10-year veteran, and that’s part of the reason many have him pegged as an MVP candidate in Year 2.

Lineup against lefties is a problem

Yes, the Red Sox tallied 12 hits, but a handful of them were infield singles, and they failed to score until left-handed starter Andrew Abbott exited the game after the sixth inning. Boston’s top three hitters against southpaws last year — Rob Refsnyder, Romy Gonzalez, Alex Bregman — aren’t on the roster, and it showed for most of the day.

The Red Sox need several players to step up against lefties this year. Wilyer Abreu should get the chance after sitting often against left-handers last year. Jarren Duran has historically struggled against southpaws, and Marcelo Mayer didn’t get to start due to his issues against lefties throughout the minors and in his brief MLB stint last year.

Boston was rightfully criticized for not adding another big right-handed bat to the lineup in the offseason. That could come back to haunt the club down the stretch, and Opening Day may have been the first hint that their issues against lefties still exist.

Marcelo Mayer showed why he belongs

Isiah Kiner-Falefa got the start at second base over Mayer due to the Reds starting a left-hander on the mound. Mayer pinch-hit for IKF in the seventh inning and made the most of his opportunity, drilling a double to deep center field. Ceddanne Rafaela drove him in with an RBI single to break the scoreless tie:

Later, Mayer laced a single to go 2-for-2 on the day. He plated the club’s second run on a Trevor Story single.

Mayer still has plenty of work to do against southpaws, but he can still make a tremendous impact both at the plate and in the field. He’s still capable of living up to expectations as a No. 4 overall draft pick, and any talk of him potentially not making the team out of spring training was silly. He should play an important role on Boston’s quest for a deeper playoff run.

Bullpen could be elite again in 2026

The Red Sox bullpen ranked second in MLB in ERA last season, and even if Aroldis Chapman doesn’t put up video-game numbers this time around, the group could be outstanding again in 2026.

Justin Slaten, Garrett Whitlock, and Chapman combined for three scoreless innings to complete Boston’s shutout victory. Slaten struck out two and walked one in the seventh, Whitlock struck out two and allowed one hit in the eighth, and Chapman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the year.

The middle relief arms still have some question marks, but the back end of the Red Sox bullpen looks like it’ll be one of the team’s biggest strengths again.

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SportsNet LA now carried by FuboTV

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 20: A detail view of a Spectrum SportsNet microphone during a Spring Training game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Camelback Ranch on March 20, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers games will now be available to watch on FuboTV, thanks to a new carriage agreement with SportsNet LA that begins with the start of the 2026 season.

Opening day for the Dodgers is exclusively televised by NBC Sports, with the first SportsNet LA telecast coming Friday with the second game of the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. There are some exclusive national telecasts later in the season that haven’t yet been finalized, but SportsNet LA will televise over 140 games this season.

In 2025, SportsNet LA televised 145 games during the regular season, after 146 games in 2024 and 145 in 2023.

FuboTV says in a press release, “At launch, SportsNet LA will be available to subscribers of the FuboTV base plan in the SportsNet LA footprint.”

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Padres GM Preller says Yu Darvish went on restricted list to rehab from surgery at his own pace

SAN DIEGO — Yu Darvish is beginning the season on the San Diego Padres' restricted list because the veteran right-hander wants to proceed deliberately in his recovery from elbow surgery while he contemplates his future, general manager A.J. Preller said.

Preller praised Darvish’s decision for its benefits to the team and its fans Thursday while he spoke in the dugout before opening day at Petco Park. But the GM also indicated the move doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll have more money to pursue another pitcher for the Padres’ seemingly thin rotation.

“Yu Darvish is a very special person, a very special player,” Preller said. “He’s very unique. This situation is unique. Somebody that’s thinking about the good of the organization, the team, the fan base. Wanting to get back, but you can’t put your heart into it, it would be very easy for him just to say, ‘You know what? I’m going to sit on the IL,’ and what that means for him from a compensation standpoint. He’s not doing that. He knows that his heart’s not quite into it, but he’s going to continue with the rehab process, and maybe we get to next year and he’s feeling in a different place and he wants to come back.”

Preller said the Padres had planned for this unusual move throughout the offseason, and it was finalized over the past several weeks in conversation with the commissioner’s office and the players’ union.

While on the restricted list, the 39-year-old Darvish doesn’t receive his salary — a condition that few major leaguers would accept voluntarily. Darvish was owed $43 million for the final three seasons of a $108 million, six-year contract: $15 million in 2026 and $14 million each in 2027 and 2028.

But Preller said the five-time All-Star from Japan cared more about being able to spend extra time with his family instead of participating in the daily grind of rehab work in San Diego.

Darvish isn’t definitely ready to retire, but he also isn’t quite certain he wants to go through the lengthy rehab grind required by a second major elbow surgery. He had Tommy John surgery in 2015.

“He’s been very straight-up throughout the offseason, after the surgery,” Preller said. “Just ultimately, he’s not really in a place to work at the level and ability that he wants to work at and he’s accustomed to working at. He wants to kind of do it at his pace. ... Just a great deal of respect for what he’s trying to do. I think he’s been very clear that if he can’t do things at the level from a preparation standpoint that he’s used to doing, he wants to make sure that he’s giving back to the team and the fan base.”

Darvish won’t pitch at all in 2026, but Preller couldn’t definitively say how long Darvish will spend on the restricted list.

Preller appeared to gently discourage the notion among Padres fans that the move could clear up payroll room for San Diego to sign one of the top remaining free-agent starting pitchers on the market, saying he had been aware of the likelihood of this move “throughout the whole offseason.”

“In terms of the planning for it, it doesn’t really change anything from our end,” Preller added.

Opening day starter Nick Pivetta and Michael King top the Padres’ rotation, but Joe Musgrove is starting the season on the injured list with right elbow inflammation after his own return from Tommy John surgery went slower than hoped.

“Not really putting a time frame on it,” Preller said of Musgrove’s return. “He’s just starting to play catch today. I know talking to him (Wednesday), he said he’s feeling great. It’s not like he’s been down for six to eight weeks, so hopefully he can get going here. But we’re not going to know until he gets through days like today. ... We’ll know a lot more in the next week to 10 days.”

The rest of San Diego’s rotation currently appears to be spring signees Walker Buehler and Germán Márquez alongside Randy Vásquez.

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Xfinity reaches deal to carry Braves games on BravesVision

NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - MARCH 24: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays during a Grapefruit League spring training game at CoolToday Park on March 24, 2026 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It appears that the cable pieces of the Braves television distribution are starting to fall into place.

The News always comes down in a navy blue image with white text on it, so this is definitely a big deal. The Atlanta Braves and Xfinity aka Comcast have reached a deal to carry BravesVision, the Braves’ owned and operated network. BravesVision will be available for the customers in Atlanta’s television footprint, which contains Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and western North Carolina. I’m not familiar enough with Xfinity to know if BravesVision will require an extended tier package. But I don’t think you have many free options on channel 1254, unless it’s an all-audio channel featuring the smooth sounds of the 70s and beyond. Reportedly, the Braves’ insistence on being on a base tier has been a sticking point in negotiations.

Yesterday it was announced that the Braves agreed to terms with Spectrum. There are around ten cable companies in Braves Country, but it appears they’ve agreed with the major ones. I would be surprised if the other cable companies didn’t find a deal this week. You’re covered with Gray TV on Friday, and FOX on Saturday. So Sunday is the first day you’ll need to be covered with BravesVision (or Braves.tv). We’ll keep you informed as the cable picture continues to clear.

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Mets' Mike Tauchman expected to miss six weeks following successful surgery on left meniscus

Mike Tauchman underwent surgery Thursday morning to repair the meniscus tear in his left knee.

Everything went as planned according to Jon Heyman of the NY Post, and the veteran outfielder is now expected to miss six weeks before working his way back into game action. 

Tauchman was in the mix for a Mets roster spot before going down with the injury late in camp. 

He was putting together a strong showing, spending time in all three outfield positions and racking up a .371 OBP across 13 Grapefruit League games. 

New York will instead lean on Tyrone Taylor and Jared Young as their outfield depth behind Juan Soto, Luis Robert Jr, and Carson Benge for the time being.

They did also make an addition early in the day Thursday, bringing back Tommy Pham on a minor league deal. 

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The Yankees Rotation Depth Inventory: March

Tampa, FL: New York Yankees' Luis Gil throws live batting practice during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida on Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images

Whether due to injury, poor performance, or the quirks of a 162-game schedule, a team generally needs far more than five starters to make it through a season (11 different pitchers started games for the 2025 Yankees). Each month during the season, we take stock of the Yankees’ options to join the starting rotation through the Rotation Depth Inventory. With Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt all starting the season on the IL, the team’s depth could be tested early. Let’s take a look at the the team’s top options should they need someone to fill in.

Luis Gil

An argument could be made that Luis Gil is not depth at all. The Yankees will begin the season with a four-man rotation, taking advantage of some early off-days to carry an extra reliever until their 14th game, at which point they will presumably need to add a fifth starter. Gil carries the inside track due to his pedigree, but his role with the Yankees has become increasingly uncertain. After taking home AL Rookie of the Year honors with a breakout 2024 campaign, Gil missed most of 2025 with a lat strain. When he did return, the results were strong (4-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 11 starts) but the team grew concerned with his underlying metrics, as his fastball velo dipped and fastball shape got out of whack, dropping his strikeout rate a full 10 percent.

This spring was a similar story for Gil — decent enough results, unresolved concerns about his ability to miss bats. His last outing was his most encouraging for pitching coach Matt Blake. “We feel good about the adjustment he made going into the last outing,” Blake said. “He got the quality of the fastball back — the velo up, the miss. All of those things are important to see. Now it’s just a matter of what that looks like the first couple of weeks of the season.”

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That last piece is key. Despite Gil’s strong positioning to assume the fifth starter role once it opens up, the Yankees will be monitoring how he looks in the interim. If he backslides, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the team could look elsewhere to fill in until Cole and Rodón return.

Elmer Rodríguez

While the fireballing Carlos Lagrange got the headlines this offseason, it’s Elmer Rodríguez who’s actually next up in the pecking order. After he was named by Baseball America as the Yankees’ 2025 Minor League Player of the Year, the team added him to its 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft and giving him a key leg up in the depth charts. Since he won’t require an existing spot to be vacated, Rodríguez could be easily promoted for a spot start or two and sent back down afterwards.

Acquired from the Red Sox before last season for Carlos Narváez, the right-hander zoomed through the minors, rising from High-A all the way to Triple-A by the end of the year while striking out the second-most batters across the minors. Named the Yankees’ No. 3 prospect before the season by MLB Pipeline, Rodríguez features a fastball that tops out in the high 90s alongside three promising breaking pitches that would give him legitimate options to work with in a big-league rotation.

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Rodríguez is slated to start the year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and, with a hot start, could force his way into the conversation for New York, particularly if the team has to contend with more injuries.

Carlos Lagrange

As mentioned, Carlos Lagrange has quickly become a darling of the New York media, featuring a fastball that’s reached 103 and would make him a unique weapon in a big-league rotation. The eye test is backed up by the experts: MLB Pipeline named him their No. 2 Yankees prospect before the season. In addition to his all-world heater, the right-hander features a slider, a cutter, and a changeup that have promise.

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After rising to Double-A last season, Lagrange could likely do with some more seasoning. He’ll start the year at Triple-A, where he’ll have the chance to do exactly that. While not likely to get promoted early, if the 21-year-0ld can back up his stuff with results at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre he should be in play for a role with the Yankees at some point this year, either in the rotation or the bullpen.

Ryan Yarbrough & Paul Blackburn

When it comes to a spot start, a nontraditional strategy is always in play as well. Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn have combined for 162 career starts and, while each is expected to begin the year in the bullpen, they’ve stretched out to pitch multiple innings during spring training and could serve as an opener or bulk reliever, working with other pitchers to piece together a bullpen game. It’s also plausible either could segue into a more traditional starting role if they make several outings in a row of increasing length, which is essentially what the Yankees did with Yarbrough last year.

With Luis Gil waiting in the wings, Carlos Rodón eyeing a return as early as April, and Gerrit Cole hoping to be healthy shortly thereafter, the Yankees will look to bridge the gap to their sidelined All-Stars without having to dip into their depth any further. If they do need to turn elsewhere, they have talented youngsters and experienced veterans who should be able to fill in capably for short stretches but might not be ready to shoulder a starter’s full workload.

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SEE IT: Mets' Carson Benge hits first career home run in MLB debut on Opening Day

It's outta here!

Mets rookie Carson Benge made quite the first impression on Thursday, blasting his first career home run in his MLB debut.

The 23-year-old took Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Justin Lawrence deep in the bottom of the sixth inning on Opening Day, launching a breaking ball over the right-center field wall to push New York's lead to 10-5.

Benge had gone 0-for-2 with a walk and two strikeouts before recording his first hit with the solo home run.

He became just the second Met to hit a home run in their MLB debut on Opening Day, joining Kaz Matsui in 2004. He also joins teammate Brett Baty as players to hit a HR as their first career hit (although, Baty did it in his first AB).

The Citi Field faithful rewarded the right fielder with a curtain call to celebrate the special moment.

Oh, and to add to the excitement, Francisco Alvarez kept Mets fans on their feet by crushing a home run of his own in the next at-bat.

 

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Braves are relying on veteran Chris Sale to provide stability for a rotation ravaged by injuries

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves are leaning on Chris Sale to provide much-needed stability for a rotation that has been decimated by injuries this spring.

Sale, 36, will start Atlanta’s season-opening game against Kansas City. It will be Sale’s second-straight opening day start and seventh of his career.

Sale, who won the 2024 NL Cy Young Award in his first season in Atlanta, never has been more important for a team’s hopes entering a season. A devastating series of injuries to starting pitchers has forced first-year manager Walt Weiss and the Braves to remake the rotation behind the left-hander.

The bad news began at the start of spring training when right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach was placed on the 60-day injured list due to inflammation in his right elbow. Schwellenbach had surgery on Feb. 18 to remove “loose bodies” in the elbow and rotation candidate Hurston Waldrep had a similar procedure later in the month.

On March 9, the Braves announced left-hander Joey Wentz, another rotation candidate, would miss the season after he tore the ACL in his right knee while covering first base in an exhibition game.

On Monday, the Braves said right-hander Spencer Strider, one of the team’s top starters, will start the season on the injured list because of a strained oblique.

Schwellenbach and Waldrep could return around the middle of the season. The Braves are hopeful Strider, who was placed on the injured list retroactive to Sunday, may return in April.

For now, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder are expected to line up behind Sale. Rookie Didier Fuentes, who made the opening day roster as a middle reliever after an impressive spring, could be needed as a starter. JR Ritchie, who will open the season at Triple-A Gwinnett, is another option.

There is some irony that Sale is almost the last man standing from the Braves’ original projected rotation. He hasn’t been known for good health in his 15-year career with the Chicago White Sox, Boston and Atlanta.

Sale made only 31 starts for the Red Sox from 2021-23. He missed the 2020 season after having Tommy John surgery. He made only two starts in 2022 after he fractured a rib and then broke his left pinkie. His final season with Boston ended in August 2023 when he broke his right wrist riding a bicycle.

Sale was 7-5 with a 2.58 ERA with Atlanta last season, when he landed on the injured list on June 21 with a fractured left rib cage and didn’t make his next start until Aug. 30.

Sale posted a 2.75 ERA this spring and said he is excited to make another opening day start.

“I feel like it’s an honor,” Sale said. “I’ve always taken it very seriously and I just appreciate it. You can say it’s just another start but opening day, there’s something really special to it. It’s like the first day of school. It is very different than all the other ones so I definitely appreciate it and I’m thankful for it, I’m excited for it.”

The start will come three days before Sale’s 37th birthday.

Sale is 25-8 with a 2.46 ERA in 49 starts and one relief appearance with the Braves. He made the All-Star team in 2024 and 2025, raising his career total to nine.

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GDT: Welcome back, everyone!

NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - MARCH 24: Manager Kevin Cash #16 of the Tampa Bay Rays walks back to the dugout after relieving Garrett Cleavinger (not pictured) in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves during a Grapefruit League spring training game at CoolToday Park on March 24, 2026 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For the first time this year: Go Rays!

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