The Opener News & Rumors

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. WBC pool play continues:

Pool play in the World Baseball Classic remains underway, with Samurai Japan (3-0) and Korea (2-2) both having advanced out of the pool stage of the tournament. Those two clubs will be the quarterfinalists from Pool C. In Pool A, the favorites to advance are Puerto Rico and Cuba, both of which have 2-0 records. The same can be said for the Dominican Republic and Venezuela in Pool D given their own 2-0 records. The most interesting pool at the moment is Pool B, where each of the United States, Italy, and Mexico have perfect 2-0 records. The winner of tonight’s game between Team USA and Team Mexico will be an overwhelming favorite to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. The U.S. will send reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes to the mound against former Orioles right-hander Manny Barreda.

2. Littell contract to be finalized:

The Nationals and right-hander Zack Littell have reportedly agreed to one-year contract that includes a mutual option for 2027. That deal was pending a physical, however, and the exact dollar amount of the deal has not yet been reported. Financial details figure to become available at some point in the near future, and the deal should be finalized quickly in the interest of getting the righty into camp with the Nats; there are just over two weeks until the regular season begins. The Nationals will need to make a 40-man roster move to accommodate the addition of Littell, and the club has no obvious 60-day IL candidates after already transferring Trevor Williams and DJ Herz earlier this spring.

3. Giolito stands alone:

Now that Littell has a deal, right-hander Lucas Giolito stands alone as the final member of MLBTR’s top 50 free agents list who has yet to land a deal somewhere. MLBTR’s Steve Adams took a look at a handful of teams that remained plausible candidates to add a starter like Giolito to the mix back in February, and many of those teams still make some sense for his services. Clubs like the Braves and Phillies that look like plausible fits on paper have indicated a lack of interest in the right-hander to this point.

Of course, the nature of pitcher injuries (particularly in Spring Training) is such that any given pitch thrown by a player expected to be in the rotation mix for their team could lead to an injury that creates an opening for Giolito. That’s been all too apparent in Atlanta, where injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep at the start of camp have more recently been compounded by an injury to Joey Wentz. Wentz was carted off the field with an apparent right knee injury sustained while covering the bag on a grounder to first. Initial reports were that Wentz seemed to have avoided a major injury, but he was still being sent for imaging. If he’s forced to miss some time, perhaps losing a third rotation option would push the Braves to consider some external additions.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world heading into the weekend:

1. World Baseball Classic continues:

Coming off the heels of right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Samurai Japan’s dominant 13-0 victory over Chinese Taipei overnight (featuring Shohei Ohtani going 3-for-4 with a grand slam), we’re headed into a busy day in WBC pool play. Seven more games are on the schedule today, with highlights including Team USA’s first game (featuring a start from righty Logan Webb) against Team Brazil and a strong pitching matchup between Puerto Rico (Seth Lugo) and Colombia (Jose Quintana). Ranger Suarez (Venezuela), Javier Assad (Mexico), and Cristopher Sanchez (Dominican Republic) are all set to take the mound as well. Pool games will continue throughout the weekend, and fans awaiting ace southpaw Tarik Skubal‘s start for Team USA should tune in at 8pm ET tomorrow when he takes on Great Britain.

2. Blanco DFA resolution incoming:

Royals outfielder Dairon Blanco was designated for assignment this week week when the club added Starling Marte into their outfield mix. Blanco, a right-handed hitter capable of handling all three outfield spots, made his big league debut in 2022 and put up decent numbers for the Royals in a part-time role during the 2023 and ’24 seasons. He slashed .258/.316/.422 across 157 games in that time, and while he only appeared in nine MLB games last year, he’s stolen 59 bases in 73 attempts during his career (80.8%). Blanco would be an intriguing fourth outfielder for a number of teams, and he has options remaining that could boost his value in that sort of bench role. If Blanco is claimed off waivers when his DFA window expires, he’ll join his new team in the coming days. The Royals will have the opportunity to outright him to Triple-A as non-roster depth in the event that he goes unclaimed.

3. Song facing oblique injury:

New Padres utilityman Sung Mun Song exited yesterday’s Spring Training game due to what was described as “tightness” in his right oblique. Manager Craig Stammen told reporters after the game that Song’s removal was precautionary, but as Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune notes, Song was sidelined by a similar oblique issue in January while working out back home in South Korea. Given that, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Padres exercise caution in the coming days. Oblique injuries are notoriously easy to aggravate if a player returns to baseball activities too soon, and San Diego is surely hoping to have Song healthy and ready to go in time for Opening Day, which is now less than three weeks away.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on around the baseball world today…

1. WBC play continues:

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is officially underway! The first two games of the tournament saw South Korea topple Czechia by an 11-4 margin and Australia blank Chinese Taipei in a 3-0 victory. Highlights from those games include Guardians top prospect and 2024 No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana clobbering a deep home run to right field as part of a multi-hit day for Team Australia (video link) and Astros utilityman Shay Whitcomb belting a pair of homers (video) for Team Korea.

Tonight, it’ll be Australia taking on Czechia at 10pm ET here in North America. Former Phillies farmhand Josh Hendrickson takes the mound for Australia against Czechia’s Tomas Ondra. That’s the only official game still to come today, though Japan and Chinese Taipei will square off in Tokyo at 5am ET tomorrow morning in North America for those who want to watch some early-morning ball. Dodgers star Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets the ball for Japan and faces against Taiwanese right-hander Hao-Chun Cheng, who actually pitched briefly in the Dodgers’ system in 2021 but has spent the past few seasons with the CTBC Brothers in the Chinese Professional Baseball League. Injuries limited Cheng to 11 starts last year, but he posted a pristine 1.49 ERA in 54 1/3 frames when healthy.

2. Astros dealing with Peña injury scare:

Star Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña was lifted from yesterday’s WBC exhibition after a taking a hard grounder off his finger. Peña’s Dominican club has pushed back on early speculation of a fracture, stating that he is undergoing X-rays and meeting with a hand specialist, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic. The Astros provided a few more details this morning, explaining that Peña took a hard shot off his right ring finger and cracked his fingernail (via MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart). He wanted to remain in the game despite his bloodied hand but was sent for testing. They’ll have a further update this afternoon.

Peña’s injury scare is a reminder that Houston’s infield “logjam” could be cleared up with just one injury, whether it occurs in WBC play or back in Grapefruit League play. If Peña were to require any sort of absence, Carlos Correa would slide over to shortstop, freeing up third base for Isaac Paredes. Jose Altuve and Christian Walker would then handle second and first base, with Yordan Alvarez manning the DH spot on a regular basis.

3. Spring debuts for several players:

Thursday will also see a handful of notable pitchers make their 2026 spring debuts. Cardinals fans can get their first official look at righty Dustin May when they host the Pirates and Mitch Keller in a game slated for a 1:05pm ET first pitch. May became a free agent for the first time this winter and signed a one-year, $12MM deal with St. Louis in hopes of putting together a healthy season in a new environment after an injury-marred run in Los Angeles and (briefly) Boston.

Over in the Cactus League, another former Dodgers mainstay will be taking the mound for a division rival. Walker Buehler‘s Padres debut is set for 3:10pm ET, when he and the Friars will host the Mariners and right-hander Luis Castillo. Buehler hasn’t been the same since missing the 2023 season with his second career UCL reconstruction. His memorable 2024 World Series performance notwithstanding, Buehler has been tagged for a 5.10 ERA with sub-par strikeout and walk rates in 40 starts since returning in 2024. After consecutive poor showings in 2024-25, he settled for a minor league deal with San Diego this winter.

One more outing worth watching with a particularly careful eye will be today’s Orioles-Rays tilt, where Baltimore righty Zach Eflin will be pitching in an official game setting for the first time since undergoing back surgery (a lumber discectomy) last August. Eflin was a free agent at season’s end but re-upped with the O’s on a one-year, $10MM contract in hopes of rebounding from a disastrous 2025 performance (5.93 ERA in 71 1/3 innings). Eflin’s poor results were obviously impacted by his health (or lack thereof). As recently as 2023-24, he rattled off 343 innings of 3.54 ERA ball with a sharp 23.1% strikeout rate and an elite 3.5% walk rate between Tampa Bay and Baltimore.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye out for around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. World Baseball Classic kicks off:

The World Baseball Classic is officially kicking off in Tokyo later today. At 10pm ET, Australia will face off against Chinese Taipei. Team Australia features White Sox infielder Curtis Mead and Guardians top prospect Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2024 draft. Outfielder Stuart Fairchild, righty Chih-Wei Hu, and infielders Tsung-Che Cheng, Yu Chang and Tzu-Wei Lin are all current or former big leaguers representing Taiwan. Prospects Hao-Yu Lee (Tigers) and Yu-Min Lin (D-backs) are on the roster as well, and fans surely recognize bullpen coach Chien-Ming Wang.

At 5am ET tomorrow morning, Czechia will face off against Korea. Of the four teams kicking off the WBC in these first two games, South Korea’s roster carries the most familiar names to the average MLB fan. Former All-Star Hyun Jin Ryu, now 38 years old, is one of the leaders of the pitching staff. Right-handers Dane Dunning and Riley O’Brien have considerable big league experience as well. Position players with major league experience include Hyeseong Kim, Jung Hoo Lee, Jahmai Jones, and Shay Whitcomb. Czechia’s most recognizable player for MLB fans is former Orioles infielder Terrin Vavra.

2. Suspensions impacting the NL East:

Yesterday, it was announced that Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension for performance-enhancing drug use. Phillies center fielder Johan Rojas reportedly faces an 80-game suspension for failing a PED test of his own. Profar served an 80-game suspension for PED use last year. This is the first offense for Rojas. Both suspensions are expected to be appealed.

The pair of suspensions leaves both Atlanta and Philadelphia somewhat in limbo regarding their outfield plans. For the Braves, Profar’s likely suspension opens up DH at-bats for a non-roster invitee like Dominic Smith, Ben Gamel, or Tristin English. The Phillies will now lean even more heavily on top prospect Justin Crawford ahead of his likely big league debut on Opening Day, with Pedro León and non-roster invitee Bryan De La Cruz among the possible fourth outfield options.

3. Could Profar’s suspension change things for Atlanta?

The Profar suspension could have significant ramifications in Atlanta. Profar wouldn’t be paid his $15MM salary, and the Braves would also be spared another $3MM in luxury taxes as a result. With early injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep, Atlanta is running low on starting pitching. They haven’t been inclined to pursue right-handers Lucas Giolito and Zack Littell yet, but perhaps the sudden influx in cash would change that approach. Both seem like a better bet to provide stability in the rotation than current fifth rotation candidates like Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz and José Suarez. It’s also possible the Braves could look to bring in another bat to help with the DH and corner outfield mix in the wake of Profar’s likely removal from the roster.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye out for throughout the day today:

1. WBC scrimmages begin:

The World Baseball Classic is about the begin, but before it does the teams in US-based pools will be facing off against MLB clubs in exhibition games. Team USA’s game against the Giants (scheduled for 1:08pm local time in Arizona) will be broadcast on ESPN, where fans will get to see reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes take on 24-year-old righty Blade Tidwell. Meanwhile, fans in Canada can watch their national team face off against the Blue Jays (scheduled for 1:07pm local time in Florida) on either Sportsnet or MLB Network. MLB Network will also broadcast the first game of the Tigers’ exhibition series against the Dominican Republic’s team in Santo Domingo. That game is scheduled to begin at 6:05pm local time. A full list of WBC exhibitions can be found here courtesy of MLB.com.

2. Marlins legend enters his final season:

Longtime Marlins analyst Tommy Hutton is saying goodbye this year, as the Associated Press reports that he will retire after the 2026 season. Hutton played in the majors for parts of 12 MLB seasons between 1966 and 1981. It wasn’t long after that he began his career in broadcasting, and he covered the Expos (for whom he played in four of his MLB seasons), Yankees, and Blue Jays before eventually settling in with Miami back in 1997. Hutton briefly left the Marlins in 2015 before returning to the organization during the 2018 season, where he’s remained ever since. MLBTR congratulates Hutton on a storied career in baseball that’s spanned more than 60 years and wishes him all the best ahead of his final season before retirement.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

Spring Training is well underway, and the World Baseball Classic is just around the corner. A handful of interesting free agents such as Lucas Giolito and Zack Littell remain available, but most of the heavy lifting for clubs is complete. If you’re wondering where your club stands, how their offseason went, or if there might be any other moves for your club to make before the season begins, you can get MLBTR’s Steve Adams thoughts in a chat that’s scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, follow along once it goes live, and read the transcript after it’s complete.

Here are three things we’re keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Valdez to make Tigers debut:

Tigers fans will get their first glimpse of newly-signed southpaw Framber Valdez on the mound for Detroit, as he’s set to start the club’s Spring Training game against the Braves later today. At 1:05pm local time in at the Tigers’ spring complex in Lakeland, Valdez will face off against Atlanta righty Bryce Elder. The soon-to-be 27-year-old Elder is a one-time All-Star but has struggled badly over the past few years, and is coming off a 2025 campaign where he posted a 5.30 ERA in 28 starts. Valdez, of course, has been one of the top starters in the AL for several years now. Last season was one of his weaker campaigns, but he still posted a solid 3.66 ERA with a 3.37 FIP.

2. More extensions on the way?

Over the weekend, the Cardinals extended manager Oli Marmol on a two-year deal that includes a club option for the 2029 season. There will surely be additional extensions over the coming weeks, both for players and personnel. MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk took a look at the managers and top front office executives on expiring contracts back in January, and while a few (including AJ Preller of the Padres and Pat Murphy of the Brewers) have already reached new deals since then, many are still on lame duck contracts. As for players, extension rumors have been fairly quiet to this point in the winter but, as Chris Sale‘s recent extension with the Braves showed just last week, these sorts of deals can come together very quickly.

3. Big league deals still on the table for free agents?

We’re now into the month of March, and Opening Day is just a few weeks away. By this point in the calendar, most veterans lingering on the free agent market are likely to wind up signing minor league contracts. That won’t be the case for all of them, of course; both Lucas Giolito and Zack Littell have the track record and platform season necessary to earn a meaningful big league deal even this late in the year. There’s less certainty on that front for the rest of the remaining free agents, but over the weekend veteran outfielder Starling Marte landed a big league deal with the Royals. That Marte, who is 37 years old and has been more of a part-time player in recent years, was able to get a big league deal could offer reason for optimism for other players still on the market. Who will be the next to sign?

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on headed into the weekend:

1. Lewis sidelined:

Twins third baseman Royce Lewis has been through the wringer over the years when it comes to injuries, and he’s now dealing with another scare. As noted by Dan Hayes of The Athletic, Lewis was scratched from yesterday’s lineup due to side tightness he suffered while running the bases prior to the game. Hayes added that the Twins view Lewis’s removal from the lineup as purely precautionary, but for a player who participated in a career-high number of games last year at just 106, any sign of returning injury woes is concerning. Lewis will be looking not only for better health in 2026, but also more effectiveness at the plate. He hit a paltry .237/.283/.388 in 403 trips to the plate for Minnesota last year. Ryan Kreidler, Kody Clemens, Tristan Gray and Eric Wagaman are all on the 40-man roster and have experience at third base, and the Twins also have veteran Gio Urshela back in camp on a minor league deal.

2. Hoglund to meet with doctors:

A’s right-hander Gunnar Hoglund is headed for testing due to a knee issue that’s been bothering him throughout camp, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. The former first-round pick, acquired in the Matt Chapman trade with Toronto, made his MLB debut last year. His six-start cup of coffee didn’t go especially well, but the 26-year-old entered camp hopeful of earning another look in the rotation or at least in the bullpen. Injuries have been a persistent issue for Hoglund, who missed the second half last season due to hip surgery and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 just prior to being drafted. More details about should be available in the coming days, but if he’s unable to pitch the A’s have a deep group of young arms to work with in the rotation that includes Jack Perkins, Braden Nett, Henry Baez, Joey Estes, and Luis Morales.

3. Offseason additions making team debuts:

As the first weeks of Spring Training continue, impact players around the league are making their first game appearances for their new ball clubs. Three such players are set to start for their clubs today: Orioles right-hander Shane Baz, who will face off against Mitch Keller of the Pirates at 1:05pm local time in Florida; Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta, who will pitch opposite Cardinals southpaw Quinn Mathews at that same time; and Cubs righty Edward Cabrera, who is scheduled to pitch opposite Guardians southpaw Logan Allen at 1:05pm local time in Arizona later in the day. All three hurlers will slot in towards the front of their new rotations.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Imai to make stateside debut:

New Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai has pitched his entire career in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, but he’ll make his first career MLB Spring Training appearance later today. Imai is the scheduled start for the Astros’ split squad game against the Mets, which is set to begin at 1:05pm ET in the team’s West Palm Beach facility. The righty has a career 3.15 ERA in 159 starts for the Seibu Lions and in 2025 posted a dominant 1.92 ERA with a 27.8% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate. The 27-year-old flamethrower will get his first opportunity to show what he can do against big league players later today.

2. Kolek dealing with back issue:

Royals right-hander Stephen Kolek was scheduled to make his first appearance of Spring Training for the Royals yesterday, but Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports that he was scratched from his scheduled outing after experiencing tightness in the left side of his back while warming up. He’s getting his back checked out, and more information about the right-hander’s status could be available as soon as today. Kolek posted a 3.51 ERA in 19 starts between the Padres and Royals, who acquired him (and Ryan Bergert) in a deadline trade sending catcher Freddy Fermin to San Diego. That may not be enough to crack a deep Royals rotation without an injury creating room in the starting five, but Kolek should be able to compete for a job in the bullpen or head to Triple-A Omaha as the organization’s top depth arm, as long as he’s not dealing with a notable back injury.

3. Scherzer signing in Toronto:

Another notable free agent came off the board last night when future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer returned to the Blue Jays on a one-year, $3MM deal featuring incentives that can push the deal up to $13MM. Scherzer will hope for better health than in 2025, when he was limited to just 17 starts with a lackluster 5.19 ERA. The Blue Jays certainly seem to think he’s still capable of more even headed into his age-41 campaign, and they’re committed enough to the idea of Scherzer contributing this year that they’re willing to dedicate a 40-man roster spot to the veteran. That means a corresponding move will be necessary once the deal becomes official, though moving Anthony Santander (who is expected to miss most of the 2026 campaign) to the 60-day injured list would make that little more than a formality.

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.

On the heels of a big move by the Braves this morning, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day today:

1. Suarez to make Red Sox debut:

Boston’s top offseason addition is set to suit up for his new club for the first time today. Left-hander Ranger Suarez is the scheduled starter for the Red Sox in today’s Spring Training game against the Pirates. The 2024 All-Star will look to make a strong first impression on his new fanbase as he gears up to represent Venezuela in this year’s World Baseball Classic. His opponent today will be Pittsburgh righty Carmen Mlodzinski, who posted a solid 3.55 ERA in 99 innings of work for the Pirates last year. The two will face off at Fenway South in Fort Myers in a game scheduled for 1:05pm local time this afternoon.

2. Extension season underway:

One of the most talented impending free agents just came off the board early this morning when Chris Sale landed an extension in Atlanta. Sale joins Dodgers veteran Max Muncy (and, if you include front office executives, Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller) in having forgone free agency to stick with their current club this month. That also doesn’t include the offseason’s extensions for players under long-term club control like Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson of the A’s. There aren’t any players and teams known to be in the midst of extension talks at the moment, and some players like Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki of the Cubs have even specifically noted that talks are not underway with their club. With that being said, deals can come together quickly behind the scenes; Sale indicated earlier today that his negotiations with the Braves took just one week. Could more extensions be on the way over the coming days?

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

Spring Training is officially underway, and baseball games are being played once again. A handful of interesting free agents such as Lucas Giolito and Zack Littell remain available, but most of the heavy lifting for clubs has been done at this point in the offseason. Are you wondering where your favorite team stands headed into Spring Training, and if there are any other moves for your club to make before the season begins? MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, follow along with the chat once it goes live, and read the transcript after it’s complete.