Here are three things worth keeping an eye on for MLBTR readers today:
1. Skenes prepares for World Baseball Classic:
Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes is poised to make his first start of Spring Training today at 1:05pm ET. His opponent will be Braves right-hander Bryce Elder, who struggled to a 5.38 ERA in 28 starts for Atlanta last year. Any opportunity to watch one of the league’s most dominant pitchers is noteworthy, but Skenes’s spring debut is especially relevant because it will be his first and final tune-up start before joining Team USA for the World Baseball Classic next month. Skenes is expected to pitch in two WBC games for Team USA, as first reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, and additionally figures to get an extra exhibition start in when Team USA faces the Giants and Rockies ahead of the tournament’s official start.
2. Weathers to make Yankees debut:
The Yankees are running back most of their 2025 roster, as they reunited with Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Amed Rosario, and Paul Goldschmidt after each reached free agency this winter. Their most notable external addition was southpaw Ryan Weathers, whom they acquired in a trade with the Marlins last month. The lefty is slated to make his Yankees debut today at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, where they’ll be facing off against the Nationals at 6:35pm ET. Weathers’ opponent will be southpaw Andrew Alvarez, who made the first five starts of his big league career with the Nationals last year and posted a solid 2.31 ERA in those outings. Spring Training is especially important for Weathers this year given that he was limited to only eight starts last year thanks to flexor and lat strains.
3. Offseason in Review series is underway:
Every spring, MLB Trade Rumors does a series looking back at each of the league’s 30 teams and what they’ve accomplished during the offseason. Yesterday saw MLBTR kick off the 2026 edition of that series with a look at the Rockies from Anthony Franco and a look at the Marlins from Steve Adams. Whether you’re a fan of those teams or just looking for a refresher on any moves around the league you might have missed this winter, this series (and the 28 other installments yet to come) has you covered as we head into the 2026 campaign. You can vote in the poll at the end of each team’s review to grade their overall offseason performance.
Offseason review no longer front office exclusive?
Hoping so. Love reading those.
They weren’t popular articles. To charge someone for something that used to be free is a horrible business plan. Better to do something new that if you are interested in it you can pay.
A rerun of Seinfeld from 30yrs ago will get better ratings than the WBC
Ratings haven’t meant squat in 20 years. Take your flippant hating elsewhere.
Did you just really say ratings haven’t meant squat in 20 years? lol Do you live under a rock? Do you think that they put this on for fun? Anyone with a functioning brain knows that this and all of these international series are done to “grow the game”but yes, ratings don’t mean anything lol
The good ones now include on line presence those are at least semi close. Before they started doing that yes they were squat.
That’s not really fair. Seinfeld is the best.
But the WBC might get beat by a Buffy marathon, too, so you’re not wrong.
I like the episode where Kramer is lost at the intersection of 1st Avenue and 1st Street, and he believes he’s found the Nexus of the Universe!
I flip to reruns of Seinfeld during commercial breaks of the WBC
I am pleased with the offseason for both Chicago teams. Both are moving in the right direction.
The WBC is completely unnecessary right now.
Have it in November in New Zealand. Somewhere far, far, far, far, far away. Thank you.
MLB should be taking notice of what just happened at the Winter Olympics for the NHL and figure out a way to make a similar thing happen for them.
What is this WBC you speak of? 🤣
Ask Jon Morosi…and sit back and listen for an hour.
Would love if team USA got eliminated by Canada, Mexico or Puerto Rico
That Dominican pitching staff is awesome, I could see that happen with them.
Why would you want team USA to get eliminated? Also, why specifically to any of those 3 teams? Team USA is built to win this time around, so here’s to hoping you’re disappointed, “ny papi”.
Probably because he wants teams that don’t have such a strong team eliminate a very strong one.
Is it nationality? Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico seems like a weird combo though.
Canada and Puerto Rico aren’t even in the same pool as the USA. They will face a “strong team” or two prior to even playing the USA. That is a weird combo. I am assuming it’s just another political jester under an MLBTR thread, unfortunately.
I’m sure one writer on this site is rooting for team Canada. 😁
Is this because you hate America?
Not everyone on the internet is from America but I am rooting for Team USA even though I hope there are good games.
I have a friend born in Japan who is now a US citizen and admits she is torn during the WBC, especially since she loves Ichiro. 😂
I assume *most* people on MLBTR are Americans.
Hate baseball. Japan USA is best for making $ and marketing the sport.
Skenes is the most interesting guy to watch pitch. Few are a blend of pure smoke and knowing how to pitch. Usually it is one or the other.
He definitely is exciting. Must be fun to see flashes of it with Hunter Greene every 5th day as well.
Definitely. I hope he stays healthy a full season finally. Will be interesting to see where the numbers end up when he does.
Ready to see him in playoffs to see even more smoke.
I actually have enjoyed the WBC. At least more than Olympic baseball.
The more i learn about the WBC, the less I care about it. It’d almost be more interesting to me if the USA (and by proxy Israel) were not involved in it.
Because some players take pride in representing their country. Maybe you have no interest in USA Hockey but then winning the gold medal over Canada and showing their pride for their country has inspired many players. Paul Skenes even is pumped up to represent the USA after the Olympics even more. He also thought he would be flying jets for the Air Force growing up and is excited to represent the USA since he can do so via the WBC.