LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 12: Will Warren #98 of the New York Yankees pitches during the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 12, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 4-3. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The World Baseball Classic reaches its epic conclusion tonight with a battle between the United States and Venezuela at loanDepot park in Miami. Several Yankees still remain with the team, including Aaron Judge, David Bednar, Paul Goldschmidt, and Tim Hill. After tonight, they’ll head back up to Tampa for the final week of spring training. So, in a way, this St. Patty’s Day clash with the Rays in Port Charlotte is the final time before the Yankees will be whole again.
Will Warren is looking to keep the good times rolling with his second-to-last tune-up start of the spring. The 26-year-old right-hander was perfect into the fifth inning of his last start against the Tigers, but coughed up a two-run homer to Zach McKinstry in what was the only blemish of a strong outing that qualified as a rare spring quality start. Overall, he’s allowed just three earned runs in 16.1 innings this spring, but would love to get more strikeouts in this one. He tossed 64 pitches in his last start, so expect him to get close to 75 today.
Ryan Pepiot was sneakily the Rays’ ace last year, posting 31 starts of a sub-4 ERA with decent enough peripherals to boot. The 28-year-old, who was the centerpiece of the Tyler Glasnow trade, figures to be in the middle of a solid rotation that will hopefully feature healthier versions of Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen. He’s thrown five strong innings across two starts this spring, albeit with six walks. Expect 60-75 pitches today.
Trent Grisham will lead off and hopefully start to get his bat going. Ben Rice, Jasson Domínguez, and Ryan McMahon follow him up, with the former Rockie getting another start at shortstop to see if the team can maximize the bench. Paul DeJong, J.C. Escarra, Oswaldo Cabrera, Max Schuemann, and Seth Brown round up the Yankees’ lineup.
For prospect-heads like myself, some under-the-radar guys figure to get an at-bat late in the game. Coby Morales, Cole Gabrielson, Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, Hans and Willy Montero, and Enmanuel Tejada are among the prospects available off the bench. Kervin Castro, Geoffrey Gilbert, Yovanny Cruz, Gus Hughes, Jack Sokol, and Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest will be out in the ’pen.
As for the Rays, it’s a similar lineup to what you’ll see on Opening Day. Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda, and a recently-returned Junior Caminero start it off, followed by a trio of acquisitions in Cedric Mullins, Jake Fraley, and Gavin Lux. Hunter Fedducia, Ben Williamson, and Jonny DeLuca, the other piece in the Glasnow trade, round out the lineup.
How to watch
Location: Charlotte Sports Park — Port Charlotte, FL
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 12: Andrés Chaparro #87 of the Washington Nationals rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros at Cacti Park at the Palm Beaches on Thursday, March 12, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Washington Nationals finally had a big offensive performance last night, scoring 12 runs against the Mets. James Wood had a massive game, hitting rockets all over the yard. This afternoon, the offense will look to keep rolling with a different cast of characters.
The Nats lineup is very different to the one we saw last night. James Wood, Dylan Crews and CJ Abrams are out, while Brady House, Nasim Nunez and Keibert Ruiz are in. House has been the Nats hottest hitter this spring and he will look to keep that up today. We will also see Christian Franklin, who is battling for a roster spot. Jake Irvin will be on the mound as he fights to keep his spot in the rotation.
The Cardinals have plenty of their starters in this lineup. Rookie JJ Wetherholt is likely to make the team and he will lead off. We will also see the likes of Alec Burleson, Nolan Gorman and Victor Scott. The Nats saw new Cardinals signing Dustin May not too long ago and will be seeing him again today. May can be nasty when he is at his best.
This is a TV game for the Nats, so that is exciting. Most of the Nats stars are not in the lineup today, but we will get to see Brady House, the team’s hottest bat. Jake Irvin is also likely to go pretty deep into this game. Follow along in the comments below and let’s go Nats!
Mar 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
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MIAMI — Criticized for their cool, American players head into the World Baseball Classic championship also appreciating opponents’ flamboyant flair.
U.S. captain Aaron Judge’s controlled composure has filtered through the clubhouse ahead of the final against Venezuela. That’s not to say the Americans don’t appreciate the theatrics of Latin stars such as Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
“You guys would all think it’s silly if we shuffled like Soto or did Vladdy’s little wiggle,” American outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said after a 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic. “That’s them and if I had enough swag to do that I would probably do that, too. ... We have fun in our own way, but we definitely have fun out there.”
Judge’s personality has created the clubhouse character, much like it has with the New York Yankees.
Players look up to Judge, and not just because he’s 6-foot-7.
“It’s been cool to see how he goes about his business,” said star pitcher Paul Skenes, the second-tallest American player at 6-foot-6. “He’s not faking anything. He’s playing as Aaron Judge, so that’s just his personality in the clubhouse and off the field. Obviously it shows up on the field, too.”
U.S. manager Mark DeRosa said Judge turned down an offer to have a “C” on his uniform as the U.S. captain.
“Leader of men. Classy in every decision he makes,” DeRosa said. “A lot of decisions that I’ve made throughout the course of the WBC I have made with his recommendations.”
U.S. players have been faulted for their occasionally staid approach, including when catcher Cal Raleigh refused to shake hands with Seattle teammate Randy Arozarena during a pool play game against Mexico. The team also has embraced military ties amid the Iran war, with players saluting each other after victories. Skenes and Griffin Jax pitched at the Air Force Academy, and the team invited Robert J. O’Neill, an ex-Navy SEAL who claimed he fatally shot Osama bin Laden during a 2011 raid, to speak in the clubhouse.
“You never want it to get lost why you’re doing this, whatever that why is,” DeRosa said. “And a lot of people -- like Paul Skenes said to me when he signed up for this, ‘I want to do this for every serviceman and woman who protects our freedom,’ and that’s why we wear USA across our chest.
“So I thought it would just be a time to redirect and get these guys to understand that, although this is an unbelievable event and you get a chance to share the locker room with the game’s greats, there’s a reason why we’re doing it and a reason why people protect our freedom at night. I just wanted to honor that. So that’s why he came in to talk.”
DeRosa was faulted for saying before the loss to Italy “our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals.” That wasn’t the case and the U.S. didn’t clinch advancement until Italy’s 9-1 win over Mexico on the group’s final day.
“I misspoke,” DeRosa later admitted. “I completely misread the calculations.”
The U.S. is in its third straight WBC final and is seeking its second title after 2017. The Americans lost the 2023 final 3-2 to Japan.
Harper, at 33 a 14-year veteran, tried to play with Latin-style flair when he arrived in the major leagues He remembered attracting attention for gray bats, different cleats and emphatic eye black.
“I kind of got pounded for it,” he said. “So there’s an American way of baseball everybody talks about, right? But I think that’s so far from the truth. Obviously, when we grow up, we play a different style. But we learn from other people’s styles, as well.”
Supporters energized the Dominican team.
“One hit for them got the crowd out of their seat. A 3-0 count got the crowd out their seat,” Crow-Armstrong said. “You don’t necessarily see that with fans from the U.S. all the time.”
Nolan McLean, a 24-year-old rookie right-hander with eight games of major league experience, will start for the U.S. after allowing a pair of home runs over three innings and leaving with a 3-0 deficit in the group stage loss to Italy on March 10 that nearly led to first-round elimination.
“Obviously I got clipped there a couple times ... but overall I felt really good,” he said. “It’s just kind of a dream come true to be able to get the ball in such a big moment, and it’s something I want to do.”
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Jared Triolo #19 of the Pittsburgh Pirates slides back into first base against Christian Walker #8 of the Houston Astros during the second inning of a spring training game at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 28, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home against the Houston Astros looking to grab a win in Spring Training.
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WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Hunter Brown #58 of the Houston Astros poses for a photo during Houston Astros Photo Day at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 18, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since their first World Series run in 2017, the Astros have produced, traded for, and developed a huge amount of pitching talent. From Cy Young winners like Dallas Keuchel and Gerrit Cole, to future Hall of Famers like Zack Greinke and Justin Verlander, the Astros have had no shortage of pitching excellence in their domination of the AL over the past decade or so.
Now, the Astros’ rotation of 2026 has certainly seen better days. Hunter Brown remains one of the top-end arms in the AL, if not MLB, but outside of him are major question marks, including unknown international talent, baby-faced rookies, and former top prospects who bounce between the bullpen and the rotation as needed.
Last year, the Astros strung together some solid numbers:
ERA 3.86 – 11th in the league
Earned Runs 619 – 19th in the league
Walks 508 – 16th in the league
Strikeouts 1504 – 2nd in the league
While the Astros were not the dominant force they’ve been in the past, they certainly gave the Mariners and the rest of the AL a run for their money. Fortunately for the Mariners, the Astros have had some major shake-ups in their rotation. While the addition of Tatsuya Imai may alleviate some of the issues that could arise, it’s hard to say whether Imai will be as good as some of the guys who have already departed.
Notable Departures and Injuries
Framber Valdez(LHP) signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers. While Valdez has been supplanted as the ace of the Astros’ staff, there’s no doubt that he was a core piece of the Astros’ rotation and will be sorely missed. We will see if Imai can successfully replace the hole in the rotation left by the left-hander.
Hayden Wesneki(RHP) was acquired before the 2025 season as part of the Kyle Tucker trade. After making a handful of starts, he suffered a UCL tear, leading to Tommy John surgery. Wesneki is likely to return at some point this coming season, but with setbacks, it remains to be seen when that will be.
Ronel Blanco (RHP) had a breakout 2024, including a no-hitter, and was set to be a major part of the Astros’ rotation in 2025. However, early in the season, Blanco suffered a right elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery. The young phenom is expected to make his return after the 2026 All-Star break.
Notable Arrivals
Mike Burrows(RHP), Roddery Muñoz(RHP), Tatsuya Imai(RHP), Trey McLoughlin(RHP), Ryan Weiss(RHP)
Minor League Contracts
Kelvin Herrera (RHP), Maximiliano Villanueva (RHP), Ángel Alcántara (RHP), Ángel Brito (RHP), César Pastrano (RHP), Thomas Sveyda (LHP)
The Rotation
Player
Age
Throws
IP
K/BB
ERA
FIP
WAR
Hunter Brown
27
R
183
3.26
3.35
3.45
3.8
Cristian Javier
29
R
148
2.18
4.68
4.79
1.2
Tatsuya Imai
28
R
153
2.33
4.38
4.29
1.7
Mike Burrows
26
R
131
2.91
4.11
4.18
1.6
Lance McCullers Jr.
32
R
109
2.00
4.39
4.47
1.0
Spencer Arrighetti
26
R
86
2.25
4.46
4.55
0.5
Ryan Weiss
29
R
90
2.62
4.24
4.24
0.7
The obvious headline here is the departure of Framber Valdez and the arrival of Tatsuya Imai. In Valdez, the Astros have lost one of the top lefty starters in the league to the Tigers, a team they could absolutely see in October. However, the price tag was not as eye-popping as I would have expected: just 3 years, $115 million, and a mutual option for 2029. The feeling around the league seems to be that the market never really materialized for Valdez. While I’m sure the Astros likely made a competitive offer, following an incident late in the season in which Valdez seemingly crossed up his own catcher, major concerns and rumors about his personality and locker-room presence began to circulate in the league.
In response, the Astros have taken a chance and signed their first Japanese player, Tatsuya Imai. Imai has spent the last eight years rising through the Japanese NPB ranks and has strung together some very impressive seasons for the Seibu Lions, establishing himself as one of the top pitchers in Japan. The right-hander distinguished himself right away by stating his preference to “take down” Ohanti, Yamamoto, and Sasaki as opposed to joining them on the Dodgers. Imai has big shoes to fill in Houston, but could be just the stabilizing presence the rotation needs.
The Astros also sought out domestic rotation depth, acquiring Mike Burrows in a three-team trade earlier this offseason. Burrows had a solid 2025 in limited innings for the Pirates and has impressed so far in spring training for the Astros. So far this spring, Burrows has not allowed a run in 12 innings of work while striking out 15. While the projections have not been kind to Burrows despite his solid spring performance, the Astros have very recently had success turning an above-average Pirates starter into a bona fide Cy Young superstar. Let’s all hope he falls back to earth.
The Arm Barn
Role
Player
Age
Throws
IP
K/BB
ERA
FIP
WAR
Closer
Bryan Abreu
29
R
68
3.19
2.98
3.11
1.5
Setup
Bryan King
29
L
67
3.28
3.68
3.9
0.5
Setup
Enyel De Los Santos
30
R
60
2.72
4.14
4.31
0.1
Middle
Steven Okert
34
R
64
3.14
3.86
4.00
0.4
Middle
Bennett Sousa
31
L
50
3.00
3.58
3.74
0.2
Swing
Roddery Muñoz
26
R
52
2.18
4.57
4.75
-0.1
Swing
Kai-Wei Teng
27
R
55
2.23
4.43
4.38
0.1
IL
Josh Hader
32
L
66
3.63
3.22
3.28
1.5
IL
Nate Pearson
29
R
54
2.27
4.41
4.49
0.0
There is seemingly very little turnover in the Astros bullpen going into 2026. The Astros have made a habit of bouncing young starter prospects into the bullpen, often for deep playoff runs. The two Bryans, Abreu and King, are both products of the Astros system. They have both turned in several excellent seasons and look to continue doing so in 2026. On top of the Bryans, the bullpen also looks to feature Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski, both also Astros products, though they’re not likely to feature until later this year. As I mentioned earlier, Blanco threw a no-hitter in 2024, but isn’t expected to return until after the All-Star break. Similarly, Wesneski is also returning from a UCL injury; his return is unknown.
In more recent years, they have brought in veterans for the bullpen but generally avoid the journeymen who so often make up major league bullpens around the league. Josh Hader is a familiar name around the league and was a big get for the Astros’ pen back in 2024. Hader has served as the Astros’ closer since then, and nothing looks to change in 2026. The Astros also feature a variety of veteran arms. Enyel De Los Santos, Steven Okert, and Bennett Sousa are all journeymen who have featured for teams across the league in the past few years. They all have had some success out of the Astros’ pen recently and will likely be crucial for a team, rotation, and bullpen that has been plagued by injuries over the last few seasons.
Overall, the Astros do not have the dominant star-studded rotations of their golden years. Injuries and unhappy players have robbed some of their young prospects of crucial development and opportunity. Still, this season seems to mark a new start. New young talent, high-level contributors returning from injury, and potential cancers excised from the locker room; the Astros could be poised for a return to form in 2026.
On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman spoke about the Montreal Canadiens’ tough weekend and about the way forward for Jacob Fowler. The insider believes that while the masked men will have been disappointed with the loss, he still played pretty well and that the door is wide open for him to remain with the team until the end of the season.
Friedman considers that the acquisition of Hunter Shepard from the Ottawa Senators is a clear sign that Montreal is preparing for the rookie netminder to stay in the NHL. Friedman adds that as of the weekend, they hadn’t told Fowler that he would remain in the NHL, but given the fact that you only have five callups after the deadline and they’ve used one for him, it wouldn’t make sense to play yoyo with the organization’s prized prospect.
Despite being in the net for Sunday’s loss against the Anaheim Ducks and the fact that there will be a tough battle in the Eastern Conference to get into the playoffs, he believes Fowler will be given every opportunity to show he deserves to be there. Given how many opportunities Samuel Montembeault has had to bounce back and the precarious position the Canadiens find themselves in the standings, that would be the most logical course of action.
At this stage of the season, with every point meaning so much, you can’t go back to a goaltender whose confidence is shot and is trying to find his game. It’s not that the Canadiens ran out of patience with Montembeault, but they ran out of runway. It’s a shame for the Becancour native, but hockey is a game of results, and you’re only as good as your latest performance.
Regardless of whether Fowler sticks with the Canadiens until the end of the season, he’s already shown that he’s ready for the NHL, and that means Kent Hughes will have interesting decisions to make in the offseason. Both Montembeault and Jakub Dobes are signed for another season, after which the Quebecois will be a UFA and the Czech a RFA with arbitration rights.
Of the two, Dobes has had the better results this season. He leads all rookie netminders with 21, is fourth in goals-against average amongst rookie goalies with at least 15 starts at 2.97 GAA, and fifth in save percentage in the same pool of goalies with .891 SV. Will the Habs be willing to go forward with so much youth in net? That remains to be seen.
Back in 2009-10, the Canadiens had two youngsters in net in Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak, but by the start of the next season, Halak had been traded, and veteran Alex Auld was brought in. The situation this time around is different, though. Back then, it was felt that Halak had to be moved out so Price could have room to grow into his starter role, but I don’t see that happening for Fowler.
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 08: Masataka Yoshida #34 of Team Japan hits a two run home run in the seventh inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between Australia and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 8, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Is the game on TV?
It is. First pitch at 1:05 PM on NESN.
What’s the lineup
What should we watch for?
Happy green Red Sox jersey day! Honestly, that’s always kind of a fun thing to watch, though I wonder if the new City Connects will dilute the novelty a bit. As for actual game play, let’s see if Masatka Yoshida can keep his red hot WBC hitting going, and let’s see how Sonny Gray looks as he approaches his first regular season start with the Sox.
Jun 11, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers second base Andy Ibáñez (77) check swings and gets to first base on a fielding error in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images
More rule changes are coming to baseball — sort of.
On Monday, FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen reported the details of a document circulating in MLB front offices that is to be passed down to managers and coaches throughout each organization. Minor League Baseball will pilot several more new rule changes during the 2026 season, some of which are likely to remain in the lower levels of the game as player-development aids rather than eventually becoming major league rules.
Here’s the short and sweet of it:
Complex League/DSL pitchers allowed to re-enter
Expansion of ABS System and Check Swing Adjudication
Pitch clock changes
Second base positioning
Let’s go through each of these and break them down.
The first rule change involves pitchers re-entering games.
“Arizona Complex League, Florida Complex League, and Dominican Summer League games, the starting pitcher will be permitted to re-enter a game after being removed.”
No, this isn’t some reversion to Little League. It’s about “player health and development,” according to Longenhagen. If you’ve ever been to a Complex League Game, or even Single-A for that matter, you know things can get out of hand pretty fast when a starter doesn’t have it. Bullpens get used up throughout the week, inevitably leading to some second baseman who threw a couple of innings in high school finishing off the game.
So MiLB’s answer to this problem is removing a pitcher and letting them come back in at some point later on. Weird? Yes, but it makes sense. There are also a couple of stipulations that must be met. The pitcher “must throw at least 25 pitches in the inning during which he is removed,” to be eligible for re-entry, and he can only do so in the inning after his removal. This can be done once per game and only starting pitchers are allowed to do so.
The idea here is to limit that single-inning pitch count and spare a struggling youngster some wear-and-tear on his arm without completely removing him from the game. That was he can still get experience sitting between innings and going back out to start a fresh frame. How often will teams want to trot a guy who can’t get out of an inning back to the mound remains to be seen, but it’s a decent rule in theory, especially at the lowest level of professional ball.
BYB Says: Good for the game, kind of.
This next change shouldn’t be all that shocking. The Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS) and Check-Swing Adjudication are coming to the Pacific Coast League.
“The Pacific Coast League will use the ABS Challenge system and follow the same rules that have been adopted at the Major League level for the 2026 season. Consistent with past seasons, MLB will monitor gameplay to determine if there is a desire to test changes at a later point in the season. Beginning on May 5, 2026, the batter, pitcher, or catcher may also appeal the umpire’s decision regarding whether the batter swung at a pitch. A swing will be considered to have occurred if the maximum angle between the bat head and the bat handle exceeds 45 degrees. This rule was tested in the Florida State League and Arizona Fall League in 2025.
This doesn’t really matter to Tigers fans. The Toledo Mud Hens are in the International League, which has already had ABS since 2024. The Check-Swing Challenge won’t be coming to the International League, but umpires will begin calling swings and no-swings based on the 45-degree threshold mentioned above, starting May 5. This is clearly to reduce strikeouts, and there will be very few checked swings ruled as swings with 45 degrees past the line of the fron of the place now the standard.
The Florida State League, in which the Lakeland Flying Tigers play, will have both systems in use as the PCL. “Teams have 2 challenges that may be used for ball/strike calls or swing/no-swing calls.”
With ABS making its way to The Show, one would think the Check-Swing Adjudication system is next. Testing it at higher levels matters, but these things take time. It’s also pretty jarring to see where the line is between a swing and no swing. Using the system to be sure is one thing, changing the definition of a check or no-check swing is a different matter entirely.
BYB Says: Robots are the future. Deal with it.
MLB is always trying to speed up the game. The introduction of the pitch clock helped, but that’s not enough… apparently.
This is a multi-parter, so break down the breakdown.
PitchCom Safe Harbor: Have you ever watched a game and thought, “Yeah, he’s lying about having a PitchCom issue to buy more time?” This is for you!
“In Triple-A teams will be assessed a mound visit if play is stopped for the purpose of addressing an issue with PitchCom.”
If a team doesn’t have a mound visit remaining, that’s an automatic ball. Take that, you cheats and liars!
Teams will probably need a dedicated employee responsible for keeping the PitchCom systems working perfectly if they don’t already. No more gaming the Coms!
Defensive Signals: This one is weirder.
“At all levels, the clock will no longer stop and reset when the catcher leaves his position to give defensive signals.”
So, if the catcher comes out to give bunt-coverage signals or first-and-third signals, he better do it fast. If he doesn’t get back in the catcher’s box with nine seconds left on the clock, that’s an automatic ball.
This feels unnecessary, but maybe it’s an issue that I’m not noticing. Defensive signals matter. Baseball is a strategic game and keeping the defense all on the same page in a high leverage situation is crucial. Rushing the mental aspect feels like it will upset the ancestors, but I suppose they aren’t around to grumble for a reason?
Mound Visits: Okay, this one is funny.
“At all levels, mound conferences must end and all coaches and players, other than the pitcher, must be off the dirt of the mound and moving toward their positions or the dugout before the mound visit clock reaches zero.“
I love it when a coach or manager has something they want to say to an umpire, so they wait for them to come out and break up the mound meeting, only to get an earful of whatever perceived grievance is ruffling feathers that day. It’s good stuff, but also let’s be adults and just shout at each other from the dugout when that needs to happen. Overall, this is good. Less stalling, even if it means a bullpen guy has to rush to get ready.
Batter Timeouts:
“Double-A & Triple-A. When a batter requests time, the home plate umpire will grant time, point at the batter, then immediately reset the Pitch Clock. Batters must return to the batter’s box and become alert to the pitcher before the clock reaches 8 seconds remaining.“
“High-A. Batters will only be permitted to request time with runners on base (i.e., batters will not be permitted to request time with the bases empty). Umpires may continue to grant time if a special circumstance applies (e.g., hitter is brushed back, there is bona fide equipment issue, or injury concern).“
“Single-A. Batters will not be permitted to request time. As in High-A, umpires may continue to grant time if a special circumstance applies (e.g., hitter is brushed back, there is a bona fide equipment issue, or injury concern).“
Single-A guys are getting the short stick here, but the umpire’s special circumstance discretion should be just enough to keep things reasonable. Sometimes, guys need a second to compose themselves, but keeping the game moving is important, especially at the low levels.
Disengagement Limit: This feels like the most important one of the bunch.
“In Double-A, the Disengagement Limit will be reduced from 2 to 1. When there are runners on base, pitchers may pickoff or step off once during a plate appearance without penalty.”
No one likes to watch 15 pickoff attempts in a row, but there are speedsters who warrant a throw or two to keep them honest. In my opinion, this is too easy to exploit. One pickoff attempt and then a guy can take a much, much bigger lead and swipe a bag. It’s going to make runners more aggressive, and maybe that will lead to some fun plays by catchers, but it feels like a slippery slope. Testing it at one level is smart.
BYB Says: Does baseball need to be this fast? Maybe the minor leagues do…
Last but certainly not least is the positioning of second base change.
“International League second base will be placed entirely within the perimeter of the infield diamond during the second half.”
First off, terrible wording. The “second half” refers to the second half of the season, and the language about where the base is actually moving is unclear. The short answer is that the back of first and third base line up with the middle of second base. The goal is to move the base in a bit to make the diamond an actual diamond and shorten the distance between the bases, which encourages stealing.
This decreases the distance between first and second, and second and third, by 9 inches, which is double what MLB did by increasing the size of the bases.
BYB Says: Every inch matters.
Alright MLB, we get it. You want more balls in play and more offense in general, and you’ll do anything to get what you want. Other than forcing teams to cut their infield grass, apparently. All these things are just being tested, so we’ll have to see how teams react to their minor league implementation, but they really are forcing it at this point.
MESA, Ariz. — Seiya Suzuki was back at spring training with the Chicago Cubs and went for an MRI on his right knee that he injured while playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters that the team was waiting for the MRI results, and wouldn’t speculate on the extent or nature of the injury for their designated hitter and outfielder.
“Let’s get the information, and then we should be able to tell you that,” Counsell said.
Suzuki got hurt in the first inning of Japan’s 8-5 loss to Venezuela in a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal in Miami. He appeared to hurt his right knee when he was caught stealing while going headfirst into second base. Suzuki walked gingerly as he returned to the dugout, accompanied by an athletic trainer, and was replaced in center field after the end of that half-inning.
Suzuki had a soft brace on his right knee when walking slowly through the Cubs clubhouse in Arizona, where he was also examined by a team doctor.
The 31-year-old Suzuki is going into the final season of a five-year, $85 million contract. He has hit .269 with 87 home runs and 296 RBIs in 532 games for the Cubs.
Barrel Man, one of the Brewers mascots operates a TV camera before the Milwaukee Brewers faced the Colorado Rockies for the home opener at Miller Park in Milwaukee, April 6, 2015. Barrel Man was originally the Brewers logo from 1970-1977. He became an official mascot in 2015. | Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers have announced their plan to air 10 games on over-the-air stations in Wisconsin in 2026, anchored by WITI Fox 6 in Milwaukee.
Those games include Opening Day on Thursday, March 26 against the White Sox, with a first pitch at 1:10 p.m. Other simulcasts will all occur on Tuesday night games, with the full schedule included below.
Thursday, March 26 vs. White Sox (1:10 p.m.)
Tuesday, March 31 vs. Rays (6:40 p.m.)
Tuesday, April 28 vs. Diamondbacks (6:40 p.m.)
Tuesday, May 12 vs. Padres (6:40 p.m.)
Tuesday, May 19 @ Cubs (6:40 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 2 vs. Giants (6:40 p.m.)
Tuesday, August 4 vs. Pirates (6:40 p.m.)
Tuesday, August 18 vs. Mariners (6:40 p.m.)
Tuesday, August 25 @ Mets (6:10 p.m.)
Tuesday, September 8 vs. Cubs (6:40 p.m.)
The channels participating in the simulcasts are as follows:
Toronto Maple Leafs games have featured significantly less offense without Auston Matthews in the lineup.
With an excellent goaltending matchup between Ilya Sorokin and Joseph Woll, my Islanders vs. Maple Leafs predictions expect goals will once again be hard to come by.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, March 17.
Islanders vs Maple Leafs prediction
Islanders vs Maple Leafs best bet: Under 5.5 (+115)
The Toronto Maple Leafs have played in much lower scoring games with Auston Matthews sidelined. Those contests have averaged 5.37 goals, well below the 6.78 when Matthews is in the lineup.
That trend should continue against the New York Islanders, who slot 4th in goals allowed and will be starting Vezina candidate Ilya Sorokin.
He sits atop the league in Goals Saved Above Expected (+26.2) and allows just 2.5 goals per game.
Joseph Woll is also in good form. He has posted a .900+ save percentage in six of eight, setting him up nicely heading into a matchup with the 22nd ranked offense.
Islanders vs Maple Leafs same-game parlay
John Tavares has averaged 3.8 shots on 7.4 attempts through four home games without Auston Matthews this season. Those are Matthews-like outputs. Playing the 1C role against his former team, Tavares is a strong candidate to lead the Leafs in shots.
Brandon Carlo blocked multiple shots only once over his first six games. Since that point, he has averaged 2.1 and managed a 62% hit rate. The Islanders rank Top-10 in 5-on-5 shot generation over their past 10, giving Carlo plenty of pucks to jump in front of.
Islanders vs Maple Leafs SGP
Under 6
John Tavares Over 2.5 shots
Brandon Carlo Over 1.5 blocks
Islanders vs Maple Leafs odds
Moneyline: New York -135 | Toronto +115
Puck Line: New York -1.5 (+175) | Toronto +1.5 (-215)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+115) | Under 6.5 (-135)
Islanders vs Maple Leafs trend
The New York Islanders have hit the Game Total Under in 16 of their last 25 away games (+8.45 Units / 30% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Maple Leafs.
How to watch Islanders vs Maple Leafs
Location
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Date
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
MSGSN, TSN4
Islanders vs Maple Leafs latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 15: Atlanta Braves Infielder Kyle Farmer (15) at bat during spring training game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 15, 2026 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are in their final countdown of their excellent spring showing and Reynaldo López looks to continue his ramp up before hopefully being a key member of a Braves 2026 rebound.
López has looked good this spring in his 9.0 innings pitched. He has only allowed six hits, and one earned run so far while striking out eight. Hitters are only hitting .182 against him thus far. The few areas that give pause is that he has walked four hitters and his groundout to air out ratio is only 0.36. If he wants to maintain success, he needs to keep the ball out of the air.
The Braves will face Sonny Gray in Ft. Myers. Gray has only pitched 5.1 innings this spring and has struggled in limited action. ERA in small sample sizes can be deceiving, but even if we look beyond his 6.75 we see that he has three walks to only five strikeouts while giving up four hits to include two HRs. Hitters have been able to maintain a .300 average against him. Again, small sample size and he will likely pitch much better in the regular season.
As the spring comes to a close, there are a few spots left on the bench that are not finalized for the Braves. Kyle Farmer, Dominic Smith, and José Azócar have all made strong cases if we are looking at this spring training in a vacuum. They carry an OPS of .986, .804, and .832 respectively. Based on their platoon splits, there are arguments to be made that both Farmer and Smith make the team on Opening Day.
Azócar and Farmer will both get the chance today to boost their case for making the Opening Day roster with each getting the start against RHP Sonny Gray.
There could be an argument to be made that Camargo and León may have an outside shot to win the backup catcher role over Heim, but the odds seem slim at this point even though Camargo has hit two bombs this spring.
López is going to get a good test today. In his previous starts this spring he has not seen many full time MLB starters. He will get that test in the game today as the Red Sox have many of their starters in the lineup.
As can be seen in the lineup above, many of these players in the lineup are having fantastic showings this spring. The good news is that in spring training the games are to ramp up and this will be a good training opportunity for López. Baseball Reference has this fun tool called OppQual to measure the difficulty of opponents in the spring. A 7.0 is AA level on average, 8.0 is AAA, and 10.0 is MLB. So far López is at a 7.5. That will change after today.
Game Notes
Time: 1:05 ET
TV: Gray TV
Radio: ESPN 103.7/WIFN 1340
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The long night of the offseason is approaching its conclusion! Pitchers and catchers report to the Tampa spring training complex in nine days as of the time that this post goes up, and we’ll have exhibition games beginning on February 20th against the Orioles. Opening Day in San Francisco is just over a month after that, on March 25th.
Whether you’re following all the early Yankees activity on social media or just waiting until Opening Day to tune in, Pinstripe Alley has you covered with our annual season preview series. Every weekday from now until the real action begins, we’ll delve into a player who is expected to be either on the Opening Day roster or a key part of the Yankees’ system. There are always some surprises in spring training and unexpected injuries, so the people we run through will be subject to change, but we will endeavor to hit the most important names in camp.
So follow along with us! This article will live near the top of our homepage throughout spring training and the first couple weeks of April, serving as the tracker for all of our season previews. The links will be updated daily as new players are profiled. You can see our tentative schedule below.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 16: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws in the outfield prior to a Spring Training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Camelback Ranch on March 16, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani is back in Dodgers camp after the World Baseball Classic, and will likely be back in the Dodgers lineup later this week. We’re also nearing the point when he will pitch in an actual game, after doing his pitching build-up this spring on the backfields and before games.
Ohtani pitched four simulated innings last Friday in Miami on a World Baseball Classic workout day, which lines up for another potential start this weekend in an actual game. Whether that start will come at Camelback Ranch or during the Freeway Series against the Angels, Ohtani is much more built-up than last season, when he eased back into the rotation with short starts, beginning in June.
“Last year we had the plan to start from one inning, to keep him going active with us playing. I think this year we’re certainly north of that,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Tuesday in Arizona. “I don’t see how we wouldn’t be able to get to three or four innings in a major league game.That’s certainly a better jumping off point than last year.”
Ohtani had three seasons with the Angels (2021-23) during which he was a full-time two-way player for the entire season. He made at least 23 starts in each of those seasons, and topped out at 28 starts and 166 innings in 2022, when he finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting and second for AL MVP (behind Aaron Judge and his 63 home runs).
Ohtani as a two-way player truly showcases the impact he has on the sport. Baseball revolves around the batter-pitcher matchup, as he’s involved in more of those battles than anyone. From 2021-23 with the Angels, Ohtani had 13 different baseball months during which he was involved in at least 200 plate appearances either batting or pitching, topping out at 268 PA in September 2022. That year was nearly an even split for Ohtani, facing 660 batters while pitching and batting 666 times.
Last year, his busiest month with the Dodgers was in August, with 193 total plate appearances (121 batting, 72 pitching).
Today’s question is how many pitching starts will Ohtani make for the Dodgers in 2026?
