Brewers finalize Opening Day roster

Mar 16, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy (49) talks to his team in the third inning during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Brewers have officially released their active roster for Opening Day! As of a few days ago, when the Brewers optioned Robert Gasser, Logan Henderson, and Shane Drohan to the minor leagues, it seemed certain which players would end up making the final cut. But a late trade threw one curveball into the decision-making process, so while 25 of these 26 players were expected as of this weekend, one wasn’t even in the organization.

That “one” is right-handed pitcher Jake Woodford, acquired from the Rays for minor-leaguer K.C. Hunt on Tuesday. Woodford is out of minor league options, so that makes Easton McGee the odd man out; he has been optioned to Triple-A Nashville.

The Brewers also officially placed several players on the injured list, and there is nothing unexpected here. Akil Baddoo, whose strained hamstring is expected to keep him out until June, has been placed on the 60-day IL, which opened the 40-man roster spot for Woodford. Steward Berroa, Quinn Priester, Craig Yoho, and Rob Zastryzny all head to the shorter IL (10 days for Berroa, 15 for the pitchers). (Dave gave updates about these players’ expected return dates yesterday.)

Besides the Woodford/McGee swap, everything else is as expected. A quick review with a few notes:

Position Players

Catchers: William Contreras and Gary Sánchez
Infielders: Jake Bauers, David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, Luis Rengifo, Brice Turang, and Andrew Vaughn
Outfielders: Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Brandon Lockridge, Garrett Mitchell, and Christian Yelich

These positional designations, used by the team, are of course not going to be completely accurate. Yelich will mostly play as the designated hitter (though the team keeps saying they aren’t afraid to use him in left field, and did so on Monday to back that up). Bauers will play sometimes, maybe frequently, in the outfield.

As for things to watch early in the season that could affect the roster, I am keeping my eye on a few, and I’ll order them in terms of my perceived urgency:

  • What are the Brewers getting out of the presumed center field platoon of Mitchell and Lockridge?
  • Does Ortiz look like a typical below-average, slick-fielding middle infielder, or is he as bad as last year? And how many of his at-bats are going to Hamilton?
  • Does Rengifo look like a guy who can hold down the fort at third base all season?
  • Is Bauers, coming off a Ruth-ian spring, making it impossible to not play him against every right-handed pitcher?
  • How is Jett Williams looking at Triple-A Nashville?

The answers to these questions could determine whether this group is the same or not when summer rolls around.

Pitchers

Here’s who’ll be coming off the mound for the Brewers to start the season.

Starters: Kyle Harrison (L), Jacob Misiorowski (R), Chad Patrick (R), Brandon Sproat (R), Brandon Woodruff (R)
Relievers: Grant Anderson (R), Aaron Ashby (L), DL Hall (L), Jared Koenig (L), Trevor Megill (R), Abner Uribe (R), Jake Woodford (R), Ángel Zerpa (L)

Notably, the Brewers have just one lefty in the starting rotation… but more than half of the pitchers coming out of the bullpen are left-handed. I’m not sure how unusual that is or not, but I don’t remember the last time the Brewers did it.

Of course, Aaron Ashby and/or DL Hall could end up starting some games at some point this season, and Robert Gasser is standing in the wings at Nashville. But the Brewers have announced their starters for the first six games of the season, and they all come out of the starting group listed here.

Once again, questions I’m keeping an eye on:

  • How are the young guys holding up in the rotation, and are any of them going to be replaced early in the season by the standby options in the minors (Gasser, Logan Henderson, Shane Drohan, others)?
  • Who is going to have to move aside when Priester (hopefully) returns (supposedly early May), and is this group going to make that decision difficult?
  • How is Woodruff’s velocity, and if it’s a little scary, is he compensating somehow?
  • Are we getting about what we’re expecting from everyone in the bullpen? And what are we expecting from Zerpa?

Those are early roster-related questions I’m keeping my eyes on. I’m just glad we have real baseball to watch again!

6 former Arizona baseball players make 2026 MLB Opening Day rosters

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: Jared Oliva #56 of the San Francisco Giants. bats against the Sacramento River Cats during the eighth inning of an exhibition game at Sutter Health Park on March 22, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

When the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees Opening Day rosters take the field at Oracle Park this afternoon for the first game of the Major League Baseball season, the Arizona Wildcats baseball program will be well represented.

Three of the six former Wildcats to appear on Opening Day rosters will be present in San Francisco: the Giants’ and Jared Oliva and Daniel Susac and the Yankees’ Austin Wells.

The three players represent the range of experience of Arizona alums in MLB. While Wells is a well-known commodity in the big leagues, Oliva and Susac are looking to make a name for themselves this season, Oliva as a journeyman outfielder and Susac as an up and coming catcher.

Here are all the former Arizona Wildcats on 2026 Opening Day rosters listed alphabetically.

Kevin Ginkel, Arizona Diamondbacks

Year in Majors: 8th

Ginkel is looking for a bounce back year after struggling last season and missing the last few months with a shoulder injury. He had a 7.36 ERA last season in 29 appearances. Ginkel should have a prominent role on a D-backs bullpen in need of dependable arms. The 32-year old Ginkel is two years removed a great 2024 year when he recorded a 3.21 ERA over 70 innings.

Scott Kingery, Chicago Cubs

Year in Majors: 7th

Kingery is back on a big league roster after being mostly out of MLB from 2021-25. Kingery appeared in 19 games with the Angels last season, recording four hits in 29 plate appearances. Kingery had a so-so Spring Training for the Cubs, hitting .204 in 24 games. Making the Cubs Opening Day roster comes as a bit of a surprise. He provides a solid glove at second base but will likely play sparingly.

Jared Oliva, San Francisco Giants

Year in Majors: 3rd (first since 2021)

Oliva, a journeyman outfielder, made the Giants roster after putting together an eye-catching Spring Training. Oliva’s bat (.375 batting average) and speed on the bases sealed his spot. Oliva has spent practically his entire career in the minors, save 26 appearances with Pittsburgh in 2020-21. He’s shown decent pop at the AAA level, but it’s hard to know if his hitting will translate to big league pitching. However long his tenure in the Giants clubhouse, Oliva’s story to the big leagues after spending most of a decade in the minors is an inspiring one.

Rob Refsnyder, Seattle Mariners

Year in Majors: 11th

Refsnyder is back on the West Coast after spending the majority of his career in the American League East (aside: Refsnyder is on his seventh team, all in the AL). The 34-year old provides a reliable bat with a knack for hitting lefties. Playing for the Red Sox last season, Refsnyder batted .304 against left-handed pitchers compared to .212 versus righties. Refsnyder’s plate approach has improved over the years. The Athletic profiled his hitting philosophy last year.

Daniel Susac, San Francisco Giants

Year in Majors: 1st

Susac is making his Major League debut for the Giants. The former first round pick by the A’s was picked up by San Francisco in the Rule 5 Draft. Susac is the second in his family to serve as the Giants’ backup catcher; his older brother Andrew played behind Buster Posey in 2014-15. Whether the younger Susac sees more playing time in the black and orange will depend on whether he can carry over his solid minor league batting numbers to the big leagues.

Austin Wells, New York Yankees

Year in Majors: 4th

Wells is the most high profile former Wildcat on this list and the guy who is under the most pressure as he enters his second season as the the Yankees’ starting catcher. Wells is considered an excellent framer of pitches, a skill that may lose some of its value under MLB’s new automated ball-strike system. Offensively, Wells hasn’t lived up to the hype. Last season he batted .219 with a .711 OPS. Those numbers earned him a lot of boos in the Bronx. The Yankees are hopeful that Wells’ strong showing in the World Baseball Classic competing for the Dominican Republic will mark a turnaround at the plate.

American investors bet big on Indian cricket with two separate billion-dollar deals for IPL teams

BENGALURU, India (AP) — American investors are making a big move into Indian cricket, with two separate billion-dollar deals made on the same day for teams in the country's most popular sports league.

No team in the Indian Premier League — one of Asia's most-watched sports events — had ever sold for more than $1 billion until a consortium backed by U.S. businessmen Kal Somani and Rob Walton — the former Walmart chairman — agreed Tuesday to buy the Rajasthan Royals in a deal that Indian media valued at $1.63 billion.

That record only lasted hours, though, as an even bigger deal was announced the same day for reigning champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru. That team was bought for $1.78 billion by another consortium that includes U.S. billionaire David Blitzer's Bolt Ventures and American asset manager Blackstone.

The two deals highlight the increasing allure of India's national pastime among international investors looking to be part of the most popular sport in the world's populous country.

“It’s mind-boggling numbers," Indian cricketing great Sourav Ganguly told local reporters. “But great news for Indian cricket and the way forward. I think it’s already as big as the NBA.”

The valuations for the two teams mark a huge jump from their original 2008 sales, when liquor baron Vijay Mallya purchased RCB for $111.6 million and Rajasthan sold for $67 million.

Cricket's hottest property

The IPL, which only runs three months a year, features the sport's shortest format — called Twenty20 — and has developed into cricket's hottest property. In 2022, the broadcast rights for the 2023-27 cycle were bought for $6.4 billion by Disney Star and Reliance Viacom18. Disney has since exited its India business and the two entities together formed JioStar in 2025.

In a statement, Blitzer described the IPL as “one of the great growth stories in global sport.”

In 2021, the league was expanded from eight to 10 teams and the two new franchises, Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants, sold for $670 million and $940 million, respectively.

In comparison, the London Spirit team of the British cricket league The Hundred was valued in 2025 at $370 million — the highest for any team in that tournament — when its partial stake was up for sale last year.

“Over the past two decades, the IPL has morphed to become a global sporting powerhouse that has changed the face of Indian cricket, creating enormous value for India,” said Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman Aditya Birla Group, which is part of the consortium that includes Blitzer. “RCB, as one of the most compelling franchises in modern sport, offers us a distinctive platform to extend our legacy into the arena of global sport.”

The 2025 title was RCB's first, but the celebrations turned tragic when at least 11 people died in a deadly crowd crush at the team’s stadium.

The new ownership consortium will bring in a reformed management team for RCB. Aditya Birla director Aryaman Vikram Birla will serve as chairman, while Satyan Gajwani of the Times of India Group will take on the role of vice chairman.

Blitzer already has ownerships stakes in the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, the NHL's New Jersey Devils and the Premier League's Crystal Palace, among a slew of other teams.

For Rajasthan, Somani was an existing shareholder and moved to take full control of the franchise in a deal that still needs approval from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Indian media reported. The Arizona-based tech entrepreneur is also one of the founders of Motor City Golf Club in the TGL league co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

The 81-year-old Walton is the eldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, and is an owner of the NFL’s Denver Broncos.

Room for growth

While the IPL’s current valuations still fall well shy of the top global sports franchises in other sports, like the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys or soccer's Real Madrid, there is still room to grow.

Cricket made a foray into the U.S. market with the 2024 T20 World Cup — won by India — and the sport will return to American shores at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Times Group, another of RCB’s new co-owners, is already heavily invested in the American cricket market. It owns Willow, which primarily broadcasts all major cricket matches — including the IPL — in the U.S.

Walmart, meanwhile, has key interests in India. It acquired a majority stake in e-commerce giant Flipkart in 2018, and also controls PhonePe, the leading digital payments platform among other business interests.

There is also a connection between the IPL and Major League Cricket — a T20 competition that began in 2023 and has six teams: in Los Angeles, New York, San Fransisco, Seattle, Dallas and Washington, D.C.

The MLC is run with the blessings of IPL’s franchises – Chennai Super Kings owns the Texas franchise, while Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians own the Los Angeles and New York teams, respectively. The league is expected to grow to eight teams in 2027, with Arizona being a prime contender for one of the new franchises.

___

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Rays finalize 26-man roster for 2026 season

Sep 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Carson Williams (7) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have officially finalized the 26-man roster for the 2026 season, including six players to the injured list.

Here is your 2026 Rays for Opening Day:

LEFT-HANDED PITCHERS (4): Garrett Cleavinger, Steven Matz, Shane McClanahan, Ian Seymour

RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS (9): Bryan Baker, Joe Boyle, Mason Englert, Yoendrys Gómez, Griffin Jax, Kevin Kelly, Nick Martinez, Drew Rasmussen, Cole Sulser

CATCHERS (2): Hunter Feduccia*, Nick Fortes

INFIELDERS (5): Jonathan Aranda*, Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, Carson Williams, Ben Williamson

OUTFIELDERS (6): Jonny DeLuca, Jake Fraley*, Cedric Mullins*, Richie Palacios*, Chandler Simpson*, Ryan Vilade

10-DAY INJURED LIST (2): INF Gavin Lux*, INF Taylor Walls**

15-DAY INJURED LIST (2): RHP Ryan Pepiot, RHP Edwin Uceta

60-DAY INJURED LIST (2): RHP Manuel Rodríguez (recovery from right elbow surgery), RHP Steven Wilson

*left-handed batter
**switch hitting batter

It should be noted that both Palacios and Vilade are capable of manning infield positions and are in play for second base roles with Lux on the injured list with a shoulder injury, while short stop should be primarily manned by Williams following an oblique strain for Walls.

As the final move, the Rays have elected to add LHP Cam Booser to the 40-man roster, but are optioning him to Triple-A. To make room, reliever Wilson — acquired from the White Sox alongside reliever Gomez in the OF Everson Pereira/UTIL Tanner Murray trade — was moved to the 60-day injured list with a lower back injury.

Colorado Rockies News: Rockies announce 2026 Opening Day Roster

DENVER, CO - APRIL 04: Flyover during the National Anthem for the Colorado Rockies opening day against the the Athletics at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado on Friday, April 04, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images

With spring training having finally drawn to a close and the first official day of the 2026 Major League Baseball season arriving, the Colorado Rockies have formally announced their Opening Day 26-man roster.

Names in bold denote those players making an Opening Day roster for the first time.

Starting Rotation

  • LHP Kyle Freeland, No. 21
  • RHP Michael Lorenzen, No. 24
  • LHP Jose Quintana, No. 62
  • RHP Tomoyuki Sugano, No. 11
  • RHP Ryan Feltner, No. 18

Entering his tenth MLB season, left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland will once again lead the Rockies’ pitching rotation as the Opening Day Starter. This will mark his franchise-record fifth time getting the nod for Opening Day as he takes the mound on Friday, March 27th against the Miami Marlins.

Behind Freeland is a rotation that looks nigh-unrecognizable compared to previous seasons. Only right-handed Ryan Feltner returns in the no. 5 spot as he looks to rebound from an injury-shorted 2025 campaign.

Right-handed pitchers Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano, as well as left-handed pitcher Jose Quintana, are all veterans joining the Rockies for the first time as off-season free agent acquisitions.

Bullpen

  • RHP Zach Agnos, No. 36
  • RHP Chase Dollander, No. 32
  • RHP Jimmy Herget, No. 44
  • RHP Jaden Hill, No. 0
  • RHP Juan Mejia, No. 47
  • RHP Antonio Senzatela, No. 49
  • RHP Victor Vodnik, No. 38
  • LHP Brennan Bernardino, No. 83

Right-handed pitchers Antonio Senzatela and Chase Dollander will both start the season in the bullpen after competing for the fifth rotation spot during spring training. Senzatela missed valuable time to be stretched out as he joined Venezuela for the World Baseball Classic, while Dollander will be given the opportunity to face big league hitters as he continues to work on his mechanics and arsenal.

Right-handed reliever Seth Halvorsen was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to find his footing after a season-ending elbow injury and a difficult spring training saw him struggle to dial in his command. Fellow righties Zach Agnos, Jimmy Herget, Jaden Hill, Juan Mejia, and Victor Vodnik are all returning to the bullpen after playing significant roles there in 2025.

The Rockies’ lone left-handed reliever to start the season is Brennan Bernardino, who arrived via trade with the Boston Red Sox during the off-season.

Off-season waiver claim and right-handed pitcher Keegan Thompson has been designated for assignment

Catchers

As expected, 2025 All-Star and Silver Slugger Hunter Goodman will be the Rockies’ primary catcher to start the 2026 campaign. Non-roster invitee Brett Sullivan earned the backup catcher role after a solid showing in Cactus League play where he hit .410/.452/.821 with five doubles, a triple, three home runs, two stolen bases, and struck out just three times in 39 at-bats. He also demonstrated solid defense behind the plate.

Braxton Fulford has been optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque, where he will get regular at-bats as the Isotopes’ starting catcher.

Infielders

  • 1B TJ Rumfield, No. 7
  • 2B Edouard Julien, No. 6
  • 3B Kyle Karros, No. 12
  • SS Ezequiel Tovar, No. 14

Outfielders

  • OF Jordan Beck, No. 27
  • OF Brenton Doyle, No. 9
  • OF Jake McCarthy, No. 31
  • OF Mickey Moniak, No. 22

Utility

  • Willi Castro, No. 3
  • Troy Johnston, No. 20
  • Ryan Ritter, No. 8

Only four of the Rockies’ non-catching position players were on last year’s Opening Day roster: Gold Glove winners Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle, as well as outfielders Jordan Beck and Mickey Moniak. Everyone else is either a new arrival from the off-season or making the Opening Day roster for the first time in their career.

Third baseman Kyle Karros and utility-man Ryan Ritter both made their MLB debuts last season and earned spots on the Opening Day roster during spring training. Karros will be the Rockies’ every-day third baseman while Ritter has taken on super-utility duties by learning outfield and first base during camp.

Edouard Julien, Jake McCarthy, and TJ Rumfield all joined the Rockies via trade over the off-season while Willi Castro was a free agent acquisition. Julien will likely be the Rockies’ back-up second baseman behind Castro, though both are able to play multiple positions. McCarthy will play corner outfield when he is not spelling Brenton Doyle in center field.

Troy Johnston, a waiver claim, made the roster after a solid spring and an injury to incumbent Tyler Freeman. He can play first base and both corner outfield positions.

TJ Rumfield, who arrived from the New York Yankees in exchange for right-handed reliever Angel Chivilli, was the standout player of spring training. He earned the starting first base job after hitting .286/.359/.554 in 23 games with five home runs and only two strikeouts over 56 at-bats. He was also the Rockies’ Abby Greer Spring Training MVP award winner.

Injured List

  • 1B Blaine Crim, No. 16 (Left oblique strain) (10-Day)
  • UTIL Tyler Freeman, No. 2 (Back tightness/inflammation) (10-Day)
  • OF Zac Veen, No. 13 (Right knee contusion) (10-Day)
  • LHP McCade Brown, No. 51 (Right shoulder inflammation) (15-Day)
  • RHP RJ Petit, No. 58 (Tommy John surgery) (15-Day)
  • DH Kris Bryant, No. 23 (Lumbar degenerative disk disease) (60-Day)
  • RHP Jeff Criswell, No. 46 (Tommy John surgery) (60-Day)
  • RHP Pierson Ohl, No. 40 (Tommy John surgery) (60-Day)

The Rockies will start the season with eight players on the injured list. Right-handed pitchers Pierson Ohl—acquired via trade with the Minnesota Twins—and RJ Petit—a Rule 5 draft selection from the Detroit Tigers—both required Tommy John surgery before the season started. Meanwhile, RHP Jeff Criswell is rehabbing from his own surgery and is expected back in April or May.

Blaine Crim, Tyler Freeman, Zac Veen, and McCade Brown all missed significant time this spring due to a variety of ailments and will not be ready to start the season.

Kris Bryant was assigned to the 60-day injured list on the first day of spring training. He is not expected to play this season.


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What is the most excited you have been for a Royals season?

KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 20: Kansas City Royals fans cheer during the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium on May 20, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In 1989, the Royals had the third-best record in baseball, but fell short of a playoff spot because of the “Bash Brothers” Oakland Athletics and the lack of a Wild Card in baseball. They had an emerging superstar in Bo Jackson, a future Hall of Famer in George Brett, the reigning AL Cy Young winner in Bret Saberhagen, familiar veterans like Willie Wilson and Frank White, and solid young players like Danny Tartabull, Kevin Seitzer, Tom Gordon, Mark Gubicza, and Jeff Montgomery. Then they went out and added two big free agents, poaching 19-game winner Storm Davis from the A’s, then in a coup, signing reigning NL Cy Young winner Mark Davis away from the Padres. I asked my dad if we could get World Series tickets.

The Royals did not make the World Series.

Both Davis free agents were flops. Injuries plagued Jackson, Tartabull, and Saberhagen. The Royals finished 75-86, the fourth-worst record in the league, and their worst season since 1970.

Still, I was an 11-year old kid, whose team was demonstrably good, and had made some big splashy moves. It was also one of the first years I had followed baseball. I thought the team might be good in 2015, but I was a jaded, cynical adult by then. There is something about being young and innocent and willing to allow yourself to buy in to be excited about a team.

Think back – when were you the most excited about a Royals season on the eve of Opening Day? Was it a team that fulfilled your hopes? Or like the 1990, a team that fell flat on its face?

The Braves are Spring Training champs and it means nothing

TAMPA, FL - MARCH 21: Jim Jarvis #94 and Tate Southisene #19 celebrate after the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Vincent Mizzoni/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

This is a weird post. I’ll just go ahead and get that out of the way. And then I’m going to head into a brief-ish aside.

I used to generate a lot more content. On the rare occasion I interrogate this fact, the subsequent thoughts fall into a few camps. One is that, well, I’m just busier. My bit of unsolicited life advice framed as a statement: one small child in a both-parents-work household with no non-hired help nearby is imminently doable; two small children with the same setup is really difficult. 2025 was also just a brutal year all-around, I’m not sure what 2026 represents in that regard yet. But, the other hand is that for me, MLB is shoving itself more into the “abstractly/conceptually interesting” camp rather than the “directly engaging camp.” My favorite part of baseball was roster construction, but the expanded playoffs have brutalized the idea (as expected). On top of that, there’s a bunch of non-player-related uncertainty (different balls, different rules), which both dampen the rewards to roster construction but also make baseball feel kinda serialized — “Oh, that was the year that X” — perhaps too much. I don’t know. Anyway, the combination of having less time and feeling like learning baseball things is less consequential because rosters are just kind of a morass of “we sorta tried” these days is a bummer.

Okay, I got that out of the way. And having done so, I’m going to talk about Spring Training.

The Braves won three-fourths of their official Grapefruit League contests, finishing 21-7. Even the mighty Dodgers couldn’t catch up — the Braves’ total victory over both spring leagues wasn’t assured until late, but the Dodgers ended up finishing 20-9 in the Cactus League. This, of course, means nothing. You know it means nothing, and even if it meant something, Spring Training during a World Baseball Classic year would mean even less. (Though, of course, the Braves won while missing arguably their best player for much of Spring Training…) But, it’s useful to occasionally reevaluate whether the things we think we know are true are… true. So, here we are.

I went back to 2016 (because that’s the year we have “modern” playoff odds memorialized on FanGraphs). For those years, I pulled teams if they:

  1. Won either the Cactus or Grapefruit League; or
  2. Didn’t win either league, but had a record better than the winner of one of those leagues.

This gave me 24 team-seasons, excluding 2020. Most years had two or three teams in this set; 2017 has four, because the Angels “won” the Cactus League with a .588 winning percentage, while three Grapefruit League teams fared better. One of those teams was the 2023 Braves, who had a .643 Spring winning percentage — behind the Cardinals that year, but still good enough to be included. (And we all know how 2023 went for the Braves!)

For each of those team-seasons, I then pulled both their actual end-of-season winning percentage, but also their before-the-season-started final projected wins point estimate. All of this is summarized below.

Some of this stuff is kinda interesting. The teams here have a collective 85 win-ish projection (whether you include 2026 or not). Actual performance for these teams ended up around 87 wins, so basically a two-win swing. It seems tempting to say that superlative Spring Training teams go on to beat their projections in the regular season, but nah — pretty much any statistical test you can muster shows no effect, something underscored by the fact that despite the two-win swing overall, ten of the 24 teams performed worse than expected. These findings are also robust to pretty much any kind of drill-down — excluding “extra” teams that didn’t win their Spring league, only taking the best team each Spring, etc. etc.

Bottom line, you already knew this: it doesn’t matter. The 2016 Nationals had an insane Spring Training, as did the 2024 Orioles. Those teams actually did do much better than expected. But the 2025 Giants are next, and they ended up at .500, as expected. The 2016 Diamondbacks weren’t supposed to be good, had a great Spring Training, and then imploded during the regular season.

You probably could’ve surmised all of this. But now you know. Yay, the Braves won in Spring Training. That’ll have to be its own reward, such as it is. Overall, the Braves will have to scrap for a playoff spot, as their injury situation and general roster malaise make this much more of a 2019-2021 situation than the expected-and-consummated dominance they managed in 2022-2023.

Yankees reveal 2026 Opening Day roster

Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; The moon rises over Yankee Stadium during the fifth inning of game four of the ALDS round of the 2025 MLB playoffs between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It’s a crowded outfield, but Aaron Judge has made the Opening Day roster.

While that may have been an easy decision, filling out the pitching staff was not, as the team elected to start the year with a four-man rotation. Offdays tomorrow and Sunday mean the club optioned Luis Gil to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and roll with a nine-piece bullpen, including Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest. Last year’s Trade Deadline acquisition Jake Bird will start the year with the MLB team, a step forward after a near-immediate optioning to the minors last season, and Brent Headrick rounds out the relief corps.

It’s also worth noting that a remarkably healthy spring training meant that there was just no room for Jasson Domínguez to get regular reps, so he’s down in Triple-A with Gil to begin 2026, while a more traditional fourth outfielder is on the roster instead in former Yankee killer Randal Grichuk. The RailRiders begin their season tomorrow in Buffalo, so the likes of Domínguez, Gil, Oswaldo Cabrera, Spencer Jones, Elmer Rodríguez, and Carlos Lagrange will be in action shortly.

Here’s the full roster rundown:

As the Yankees’ account notes, shortstop Anthony Volpe and pitchers Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt will begin the year on the injured list. Rodón is rehabbing from offseason surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow and could come back later in April. Volpe had shoulder surgery and should return in May, and there’s a chance that Cole could be back from Tommy John surgery late that month if his rehab goes well. Schmidt had his own Tommy John later in 2025 and won’t be able to pitch until the second at the absolute earliest.

The 26 active players can reasonably be broken down like this:

Defensive Lineup

Austin Wells, C
Ben Rice, 1B
Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B
Ryan McMahon, 3B
José Caballero, SS
Cody Bellinger, LF
Trent Grisham, CF
Aaron Judge, RF
Giancarlo Stanton, DH

Bench

J.C. Escarra, C
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
Amed Rosario, UT
Randal Grichuk, OF

Rotation

Max Fried, LHP
Cam Schlittler, RHP
Will Warren, RHP
Ryan Weathers, LHP

Bullpen

David Bednar, RHP (closer)
Fernando Cruz, RHP
Camilo Doval, RHP
Tim Hill, LHP
Ryan Yarbrough, LHP
Jake Bird, RHP
Brent Headrick, LHP
Paul Blackburn, RHP
Cade Winquest, RHP

Someone from that pitching group will be dropped during next week’s series with the Mariners in order to form a proper five-man rotation, but for this opening three-game set with the Giants, manager Aaron Boone will have plenty of options in the back end of games.

Gerrit Cole put on 15-day injured list by Yankees rather than 60-day IL

SAN FRANCISCO — Ace Gerrit Cole was put on the 15-day injured list by the New York Yankees before the season opener against San Francisco rather than the 60-day IL.

If the 35-year-old right-hander had been placed on the 60-day IL, he could have not pitched in a major league game until May 24.

He had Tommy John surgery on March 11 last year with Los Angeles Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache and has made a pair of spring training starts, on March 18 and on Tuesday.

New York also made several moves after their exhibition finale to get down to the limit of 26 active players.

Left-hander Carlos Rodón, recovering from elbow surgery last October, was placed on the 15-day IL retroactive to March 22 and shortstop Anthony Volpe, rehabbing from left shoulder surgery last October, was put on the 10-day IL retroactive to March 22.

Right-hander Luis Gil was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year isn’t needed in the major leagues early in the season as the Yankees start with a four-man rotation because of off days.

New York also selected the contract of outfielder Randal Grichuk from the RailRiders. He gets a one-year deal calling for $2.5 million while in the major leagues and $210,000 in the minors. He can earn $1.5 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $250,000 for 200 and each additional 50 through 450.

Grichuk, 34, hit .125 (3 for 24) during spring training with one RBI. He batted .228 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs last year for Arizona and Kansas City.

Shohei Ohtani & the history of MVP streaks

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 24: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gives a speech after accepting the 2025 NL MVP Award during the 2026 BBWAA Awards Dinner at New York Hilton Midtown on Saturday, January 24, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

While the Dodgers are striving to be the last team standing for the third season in a row, they aren’t alone in their quest to be the best for a long stretch of time.

Shohei Ohtani won National League MVP in each of his first two years with the Dodgers, the only player in franchise history to win that award in consecutive years. But he also won American League MVP in 2023 with the Angels, so he’s on a streak of three MVPs in a row, and four in the last five years.

Barry Bonds is the only other player in MLB history to win more than two MVP awards in a row. Bonds explored the limits of science in winning four consecutive NL MVPs with the San Francisco Giants from 2001-04, during which he hit an eye-popping .349/.559/.809 from ages 36-39.

Thirteen other players won two MVP awards in a row, and Bonds himself also won consecutive awards in 1992 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and in 1993 with the Giants. In all, there have been 17 MLB seasons in which a player was trying for a third straight MVP.

PlayerYearbWARfWARMVP finish
Jimmie Foxx19348.38.810th
Hal Newhouser19469.79.32nd
Yogi Berra19566.26.42nd
Mickey Mantle19588.78.85th
Ernie Banks19607.97.04th
Roger Maris19623.73.7no votes
Joe Morgan19775.85.8no votes
Mike Schmidt19827.47.26th
Dale Murphy19845.55.69th
Barry Bonds19946.26.04th
Frank Thomas19955.35.48th
Barry Bonds20039.210.21st
Barry Bonds200410.611.91st
Barry Bonds20050.60.7no votes
Albert Pujols20107.56.82nd
Miguel Cabrera20145.15.29th
Shohei Ohtani20257.89.41st

These are nearly all fantastic seasons. Bonds at age 40 in 2005 broke down and only played in 14 games. Fifteen of the other 16 seasons topped 5 WAR, using either Baseball Reference or FanGraphs, save for Roger Maris in 1962, who put up a solid 3.7 WAR the year after setting the home run record.

The average of all 17 seasons, even including Bonds’ injured year, is 6.8 bWAR and 7.0 fWAR.

Besides Ohtani and Bonds, three players got reasonably close to winning a third straight MVP, finishing second the year after winning two in a row.

Hal Newhouser is the only pitcher on this list, winning AL MVP in 1944 and 1945 with the Detroit Tigers during World War II. Then he put up a 1.94 ERA with 26 wins, both league-leading, and 275 strikeouts in 292 2/3 innings in 1946. His Tigers finished second for the pennant to the Boston Red Sox, and Ted Williams won MVP by hitting .342/.497/.667 with 38 home runs.

The 1946 voting was relatively close, with Williams collecting 224 points to 197 for Newhouser. Williams got nine first-place votes compared to three for Newhouser. The other two second-place finishes were of the distant variety.

Yogi Berra won three AL MVPs in five years with the New York Yankees, including in both 1954 and 1955. Then it was Mickey Mantle’s turn. Mantle won MVP unanimously in 1956 by winning the triple crown, with Berra coming in second place in voting. Mantle also won MVP in 1957 but finished fifth in 1958 despite 8.7 bWAR and 8.8 fWAR.

Albert Pujols won NL MVP in 2008 and 2009, and in 2010 the St. Louis Cardinals first baseman turned in another monster season by hitting .312/.414/.596 with 42 home runs. He did get one first-place vote that year, but Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto got the other 31 to win the award.

Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge won the last two AL MVPs, and has a chance to join the group of three-consecutive-MVP winners in 2026. Ohtani this year will try to join Bonds as the only players to win four MVPs in a row, perhaps buoyed by his return to full-time two-way status.

Best NBA Player Props Today for March 25: Board Man Hits Threes

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It’s a jam-packed night of NBA action with a whopping 12 games on the schedule to wager on. That means a virtually unlimited number of options in the player prop markets.

That said, my best bets go back to a couple of old favorites, including fading the Heat on the glass and Victor Wembanyama continuing his personal block party.

Those and more NBA picks for Wednesday, March 25 below.

Best NBA player props today

PlayerPickbet365
Cavaliers Evan MobleyOver 9.5 rebounds+100
Spurs Victor WembanyamaOver 3.5 blocks+100
Clippers Kawhi LeonardOver 2.5 threes+100

Prop #1: Evan Mobley Over 9.5 rebounds

+100 at bet365

Fading the Miami Heat with opposing player rebounds is one of my favorite things going in NBA betting these days.

The Heat aren’t a terrible rebounding team, but their high tempo makes them ripe to pick on. Miami leads the NBA in pace and field goal attempts per game. That inherently means a lot of rebounds, and in fact, they allow the second-most opponent rebounds per game.

So, let’s keep things simple for tonight’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With Jarrett Allen banged up, Evan Mobley is Cleveland’s best rebounder. He is averaging 8.9 rebounds per game this season, and that is up to 11.0 over his last seven games, and he has hauled down 11 or more four times over that stretch.

  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: FDSN-South, FDSN-Ohio

Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 3.5 blocks

+100 at bet365

My other favorite bet going these days is Victor Wembanyama blocks. The Alien has been on a mission since coming out of the All-Star break, protecting the rim as we’ve rarely seen. 

The San Antonio Spurs’ star is averaging 3.9 blocks over the 17 games he’s played since the break, rejecting four or more shots 13 times during that period, and I’m expecting the block party to continue when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies.

The banged-up Grizz will be clearly overmatched in this game as 16.5-point home dogs, and this inexperienced group already ranks 19th in opponent blocks per game.

So, as long as sportsbooks keep giving me even money or better on Over Wemby blocks, I’m going to keep betting it.

  • Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: FDSN-Southwest, FDSN-Memphis

Prop #3: Kawhi Leonard Over 2.5 threes

+100 at bet365

Kawhi Leonard has been spending the month of March reminding us that when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best basketball players in the world.

The Los Angeles Clippers’ star is averaging 30.0 points over his last 11 games, and he’s been on fire from beyond the arc. Kawhi is shooting a very good 42.5% on 6.6 3-point attempts per game over that 11-game stretch.

I’m betting he stays hot against his former team, the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors are wrapping up a West Coast road trip, and you can tell the season has been wearing on them.

Their perimeter defense has taken a step back recently, ranking 27th in opponent 3-point percentage since the All-Star break.

Kawhi has hit three or more threes in three straight games. He does it again tonight.

  • Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: TSN, FDSN-SoCal

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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Warriors keeping Ömer Yurtseven with second 10-day deal

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 21: Omer Yurtseven #77 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against Mouhamed Gueye #18 of the Atlanta Hawks during the the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on March 21, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors may have lost Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler, but Big Yurt isn’t going anywhere.

27-year-old Ömer Yurtseven is signing a second 10-day contract with the Warriors, who are without centers Al Horford (calf) and Quinten Post (foot) at present. Yurtseven has appeared in five games for the Warriors, averaging 3.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists. He’s made five baskets, dunked once, and gone 6-for-10 from the foul line.

The Warriors do need the front court depth and Yurtseven is extremely 6-foot-11, perhaps his most valuable NBA skill. He’s a solid rebounder but a limited defender in the post and doesn’t have an outside shot. Still, he has three games of 20+ points, which is three more than a lot of players.

Yurtseven played two seasons with the Miami Heat and one for the Utah Jazz before spending most of the last two seasons with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos, before injuries and a roster crunch led to his release. He ended up on the Rio Grande Vipers, the Houston Rockets’ G League team, where he averaged 23 points and 13.3 rebounds in three dominant games.

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Incidentally, Panathinaikos has a roster perfect for Remembering Some Guys. Yurtseven shared the frontcourt with Morehead State/Denver Nuggets legend Kenneth Faried, “Hustle” star and Adam Sandler bestie Juancho “Bo Cruz”Hernangomez, along with longtime Cleveland Cavalier Cedi Osman. The Greek team also employs Jerian Grant, son of Harvey Grant and brother of the Portland Trail Blazers forward and legendary bag-getter Jerami Grant, as well as Kendrick Nunn, an alumnus of the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, and Santa Cruz Warriors.

Yurtseven is clearly an NBA player, albeit probably a third center on most teams. But because of his Turkish citizenship, he’s probably more valuable to a European team, considering most leagues have caps on how many non-European players they can roster. That’s a big reason Warriors legend Anthony Randolph became a citizen of Slovenia, where he achieved his championship destiny as part of the 2017 EuroCup gold medalists.

How did the Warriors ever let this incredible player, champion, and Summer League legend go?

Will Yurtseven get a real NBA deal when this 10-day is up? Considering that the Warriors are slumping but still locked into the last play-in spot, the team may choose to save money by keeping the roster as lean as possible. Still, they may need Yurtseven if the centers remain banged up, and it may be a choice between the Turkish center or promoting two-way guard LJ Cryer at the end of the season.

Welcome back, Ömer! Please help Golden State beat the Brooklyn Nets. They’re not even trying to win!

Reds' Nick Lodolo will start season on injured list due to blister on his finger

MILWAUKEE — Cincinnati Reds left-handed pitcher Nick Lodolo will open the season on the injured list as he recovers from a blister on his left index finger.

Lodolo, 28, had thrown just 10 pitches in his last Cactus League start before the blister caused his exit. He also dealt with blister issues on that finger each of the last two seasons.

“I think there’s a little bit of concern right now with the breaking ball, that he would go rip one off,” Cincinnati manager Terry Francona said after the Reds’ exhibition game with the Milwaukee Brewers. “And if we tried to reach for something that we shouldn’t and he throws an inning or two, and then we turn it into a month. … We don’t want him to miss any time, but if he misses a couple of starts, that’s a heck of a lot better than a month. So that’s what we’re going to do.”

Lodolo acknowledged disappointment about starting on the injured list, but noted that “it’s something that could work in our favor in the long run,” given the likelihood it assures he won’t risk missing extended time.

“Hopefully next week, somewhere in there, be able to throw a sim game or throw like a rehab start and continue to build up and be able to just test it without it being in a game,” Lodolo said.

Lodolo went 9-8 with a 3.33 ERA in 29 appearances last year while striking out 156 batters in 156 2/3 innings.

His injury means the Reds will open the season without two members of their preferred starting rotation as they attempt to build on their 83-79 finish from last year that resulted in their first playoff berth since 2020.

Hunter Greene, a 2024 All-Star, underwent elbow surgery and could miss up to the first four months of the season. Greene went 7-4 with a 2.76 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 107 2/3 innings last season.

Andrew Abbott will start the Reds’ season opener against the Boston Red Sox. Brady Singer and Rhett Lowder are scheduled to start the final two games of the Red Sox series, with Chase Burns and Brandon Williamson starting the first two games of a series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Will Wade buyout at NC State: What coach would owe Wolfpack if he left for LSU

North Carolina on Tuesday, March 24 fired fifth-year head coach Hubert Davis after back-to-back exits in the first round of the Men's NCAA Tournament.

Could another North Carolina program from the ACC have an opening soon?

According to multiplereports, LSU is working on hiring McNeese athletic director Heath Schroyer for a senior administrator position in Baton Rouge that would oversee the Tigers' men's basketball program. The reported attempt to hire Schroyer is an important one for LSU's rumored plans of bringing back North Carolina State's Will Wade to lead the program.

This comes at a time that fourth-year coach Matt McMahon is still employed by LSU following his third losing record in his last four seasons at LSU. Since his hiring, LSU has never won more than 17 games in a season, never finished better than .500 in SEC play and has never made the Men's NCAA Tournament, advancing only as far as the first round of the 2024 Men's NIT.

Conversely, Wade just wrapped his first season at NC State, which saw the Wolfpack go 20-14 to finish tied for seventh in the ACC. Their season ended with a First Four loss to 11-seed Texas, which is still dancing in March Madness.

Wade, of course, formerly coached LSU from 2017-22, where despite on-court success he was fired for cause after the NCAA accused him of committing multiple Level I and Level II violations, including "lack of institutional control." Following a season in which he didn't coach, Wade took over at McNeese in 2023-24, going 50-9 and appearing in the NCAA Tournament twice in two seasons, helping him land the Wolfpack head coaching position.

Should Wade leave NC State to return to LSU, here is what he would owe the Wolfpack:

Will Wade buyout at NC State if Wolfpack coach leaves

According to Wade's contract, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, he would owe NC State $5 million if he were to leave the Wolfpack for another job, like LSU, before the end of his contract. That payout drops to $3 million on April 2.

Will Wade contract details at NC State

Wade signed a six-year, $17.25 million contract in March 2025, according to The Fayetteville Observer, part of the USA TODAY Network.

There is a total of $14,756,250 million left across the remaining five years of Wade's contract with NC State, according to his contract that was obtained by the USA TODAY Network. Here is his year-by-year base salary, beginning in 2027:

  • $2.65 million
  • $2.8 million
  • $2.95 million
  • $3.1 million
  • $3.26 million

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Wade contract, buyout at NC State if former LSU coach leaves Wolfpack

Guardians Announce Roster for Opening Day

GOODYEAR, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: Angel Martinez #79 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a photo during the Cleveland Guardians Photo Day at Goodyear Ballpark on Thursday, February 22, 2024 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Cleveland Guardians have chosen their twenty-six players for Opening Day in Seattle.

Catchers: Bo Naylor, Austin Hedges, David Fry

Infielders: Kyle Manzardo, Rhys Hoskins, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias, Jose Ramirez and Daniel Schneemann.

Outfielders: CJ Kayfus, Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez.

Starting Pitchers: Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Slade Cecconi, Joey Cantillo, and Parker Messick.

Bullpen: Peyton Pallette, Colin Holderman, Connor Brogdon, Tim Herrin, Matt Festa, Erik Sabrowski, Shawn Armstrong, and Cade Smith.

Hunter Gaddis, Andrew Walters and George Valera all open the year on the 15-day IL.

Johnathan Rodríguez was designated for assignment today. Condolences to CTC site user Ray Fosse. I hope someday that we will be able to say the biggest mistake Stephen Vogt ever made was starting Johnathan Rodriguez in right field against Tarik Skubal in a playoff game. It’ll be a nice piece of trivia and trauma.

What do you think about the roster choices? Let us know in the comments below