The Opener

With the start of the regular season just around the corner, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Spring Breakout continues:

After Orioles’, Pirates’, Reds’, and Rangers’ prospects participated in Spring Breakout exhibition games yesterday, ten more teams are slated to participate today before the final nine exhibition games occur over the weekend. Today’s slate of games will kick off with the Marlins taking on the Cardinals at 1:05pm CT this afternoon. The Nationals and Mets will then square off at 2:10pm CT before Padres and Mariners face each other at 3:10pm CT. Then, the Cubs will be matched against the White Sox at 4:05pm CT before today’s slate of games concludes with the Giants facing the A’s at 6:05pm CT.

The game between Miami and St. Louis stands to feature top-100 talents Noble Meyer, Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, and Masyn Winn. Washington and New York will feature the likes of Brady House, Dylan Crews, James Wood, Jett Williams, and Luisangel Acuna. Fans in San Diego and Seattle will get the opportunity to watch Robby Snelling, Dylan Lesko, Ethan Salas, Harry Ford, Cole Young, and Colt Emerson, while the North and South sides of Chicago will showcase top-100 talents such as Cade Horton, Matt Shaw, James Triantos, Owen Caissie, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kevin Alcantara, and Colson Montgomery. San Francisco and Oakland’s match, meanwhile, will feature Bryce Eldridge and Jacob Wilson. MLB.com has full details on each club’s respective broadcast info and full rosters, which you can access with the links attached to each city in this paragraph.

2. Seoul Series exhibition games:

MLB’s Spring Breakout isn’t the only event to feature exhibition games this weekend, as the Dodgers and Padres are traveling to South Korea to participate in the Seoul Series. While the two clubs will face off next week for a two-game regular season set, a handful of exhibition games are set to occur this weekend. The festivities kick off at 10pm CT tomorrow when the Dodgers take on the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization, before the Padres take on the KBO’s LG Twins at 10pm CT on Sunday. Meanwhile, early risers will have the opportunity to catch exhibition games that will feature both clubs facing South Korea’s national team. Team Korea will face the Padres at 5am CT Sunday morning, and face the Dodgers at 5am CT Monday morning. The Seoul Series represents a homecoming for Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim and newly signed reliever Woo Suk Go. Kim played for the Heroes from 2014 to 2020 before making the jump to the majors. Go signed with the Padres just this offseason and will be facing off against his former LG Twins teammates when the two clubs meet.

3. Will Duvall spur further free agent activity?

Yesterday saw the first notable move on the free agent market since the Mariners signed right-hander Ryne Stanek last week, as the Braves inked outfielder Adam Duvall to a one-year deal worth $3MM. Duvall was one of the three best outfielders remaining on the market alongside corner bat Tommy Pham and center fielder Michael A. Taylor. Duvall’s presence on the market could have impact extending beyond the outfield, as other righty power bats of note include J.D. Martinez and recently-released corner bat J.D. Davis. With Duvall now off the board, could the market begin to move on the final free agent hitters of note over the weekend?

As Spring Training continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Spring Breakout begins:

Spring Breakout, MLB’s new prospect showcase event, begins today with a pair of exhibition games. The Rangers will take on the Reds at 5:05pm CT, while the Orioles will square off against the Pirates at 6:05pm CT. Pittsburgh is the only club to have already announced its starter for the game, as they’ll turn to the game’s best pitching prospect in right-hander Paul Skenes. He’ll face an Orioles roster stacked with offensive prospect talent, including No. 1 overall prospect Jackson Holliday, corner infielder Coby Mayo, and catcher Samuel Basallo. Pittsburgh’s offense, meanwhile, will be led by infielder Termarr Johnson, the club’s first-round pick from the 2022 draft.

Cincinnati is one of two teams to participate in multiple games for the exhibition. That leaves uncertainty as to whether or not the club’s 2023 first-round pick, right-hander Rhett Lowder, will make an appearance in this evening’s game. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ pitching corps features the likes of right-handers Brock Porter, Jack Leiter and Owen White. On offense, the Reds’ sole top-100 talent (per MLB.com) on the roster is shortstop Edwin Arroyo. The Rangers’ hitters will be headlined by young shortstop Sebastian Walcott, with both Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford remaining in big league camp to prepare for the regular season. MLB.com has each club’s full roster and details on how to watch tonight’s games at the following links: Rangers, Reds, Orioles, Pirates.

2. Marlins’ injury troubles continue:

The Marlins are already likely to be without left-hander Braxton Garrett ahead of Opening Day due to shoulder soreness, and a shoulder impingement is putting righty Edward Cabrera’s availability in doubt as well. Now, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald relays that right-handed youngster Eury Perez is the latest Miami starter facing questions about his readiness for the start of the season two weeks from today. Perez was removed from his start yesterday after just 14 pitches due to discomfort stemming from a broken fingernail he’s dealt with in recent weeks.

While comments from Perez and manager Skip Schumaker seem to indicate the club doesn’t believe Perez’s fingernail is a long-term concern, the 20-year-old’s ability to build up his pitch count has been limited by that minor issue. If Cabrera, Perez, and Garrett all begin the season on the shelf, it would be a tough turn of events for the Marlins as their typically strong pitching corps would be depleted, even if only for a short period of time. Lefties Jesus Luzardo, A.J. Puk, Trevor Rogers, and Ryan Weathers would all figure to be part of the club’s Opening Day rotation, with the fifth spot potentially going to non-roster veteran Yonny Chirinos or swingman Bryan Hoeing.

3. Will the Cease trade cause movement on the starting pitching market?

One of the offseason’s longest-standing storylines came to an end last night as the White Sox dealt right-hander Dylan Cease to the Padres in exchange for a prospect package headlined by right-hander Drew Thorpe, whom San Diego had acquired as part of the Juan Soto package back in December. The Padres were far from the only suitor for Cease’s services, however, as both the Yankees and Rangers had also been involved in the Cease bidding in recent days. That New York and Texas clearly remain in the market for starting pitching is notable given the fact that they’ve been the most frequently rumored potential suitors for the two remaining front-of-the-rotation arms on the market in Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, respectively. Could Cease finally finding a new home spur activity for the offseason’s two remaining top-tier free agents?

As Opening Day draws near, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Dodgers, Padres wrap up Spring Training:

Both the Dodgers and Padres will play their final games of Spring Training today as they prepare for their trip to Seoul, South Korea for a two-game regular season set that will occur a week prior to the rest of the league’s Opening Day. Today’s games will feature both clubs’ starters for Game 2 of the series as they get their final preseason work in before the regular season kicks off. The Dodgers are welcoming the Mariners to Camelback Ranch at 3:05pm ET this afternoon, where right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will take on youngster Bryan Woo. Meanwhile, the Padres will host the A’s at 3:10pm ET with right-hander Joe Musgrove facing off against veteran righty Ross Stripling.

2. Cease back in the rumor mill?

Right-hander Dylan Cease was the talk of the offseason early in the winter, frequently connected to upwards of half a dozen clubs while White Sox brass made clear that their staff ace was available for the right price. Over the course of the offseason, it eventually became clear that price was too high for interested teams to stomach, and the South Siders entered Spring Training with the expectation that Cease would remain in Chicago to open the year. With just two weeks until Opening Day, it appears some clubs are making a late push to land the righty before the season begins. A report yesterday indicated that the Yankees have returned to the negotiating table in the wake of Gerrit Cole’s recent elbow issues. They aren’t the only team that continues to talk to the Sox about Cease, however, as the Rangers have also reportedly had recent discussions with the club regarding the right-hander. Will the renewed talks lead to a buzzer-beating deal before Opening Day?

3. Williams receiving second opinion:

Brewers closer Devin Williams has been slowed by back issues this spring, and today is expected to meet with a spine specialist in California to receive a second opinion in hopes of ruling out a more serious injury. Williams, 29, is coming off his first season as the full-time closer in Milwaukee and enjoyed a dominant 2023 campaign. In 61 appearances, the right-hander struck out 37.7% of batters faced while pitching to an excellent 1.53 ERA and racking up 36 saves. If Williams were to miss significant time due to injury, it would be a major blow to Milwaukee’s chances in a crowded NL Central division. A lengthy absence could also complicate any midseason efforts to shop Williams ahead of his final year of team control in 2025, should the Brewers fall out of the race early and consider selling at the deadline. Should Williams begin the season on the injured list, the club would likely turn to right-handers Joel Payamps and Abner Uribe for late-inning duties.

As MLB’s Spring Training continues, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on today:

1. Cole awaits MRI results:

Reigning 2023 AL Cy Young award winner Gerrit Cole is awaiting results after undergoing an MRI on his elbow yesterday. The Yankees ace has been struggling with recovery between his starts this spring, and the club intends to seek out multiple opinions regarding a treatment plan for the right-hander. That search for multiple opinions could “possibly” delay any announcement regarding Cole’s status, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, though the results of the MRI figure to be available to the club today.

The 33-year-old Cole was the lone stabilizing force in the club’s rotation last year as he pitched to an excellent 2.63 ERA with a 3.16 FIP in 209 innings across 33 starts. The strong performance saw Cole suit up for his fifth consecutive All Star game while receiving Cy Young Award votes for the sixth consecutive season. While the Yankees bolstered their rotation mix this winter by adding veteran right-hander Marcus Stroman, a significant absence from Cole would leave the club to depend even more heavily on southpaws Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes returning to form after 2023 campaigns marred by injuries and ineffectiveness. It’s conceivable that a major injury could push the Yankees to aggressively pursue either Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, though the enormous luxury tax implications for signing either player have been well documented by now.

2. Padres outfield moves on the horizon:

Reporting yesterday indicated that the Padres remain engaged in talks with free agent outfielders Michael A. Taylor, Adam Duvall, and Tommy Pham. Each of those aforementioned outfielders would make plenty of sense for the Padres, as they’ve proven themselves to be reliable, quality outfield regulars in recent years. That’s an area in which San Diego’s roster is severely lacking; while Fernando Tatis Jr. is entrenched in right field, Jose Azocar and Jurickson Profar are the only other outfield bats on the club’s 40-man roster at the moment.

That lack of outfield depth on the roster leaves the club all but certain to make a roster move in the outfield in the near future, regardless of what happens regarding Taylor, Duvall, and Pham. While San Diego’s domestic Opening Day isn’t for another two weeks, their first regular season game will occur in just eight days, when they head to Seoul to face the Dodgers as part of a two-game set. Prior to that series, the club figures to add at least one of its many non-roster invitees in the outfield to the big league roster. Perhaps the most exciting option would be top prospect Jackson Merrill, a shortstop who started taking reps in center field this spring.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

While teams around the league are already making preparations for Opening Day, a handful of the winter’s top free agents remain unsigned. Are you wondering what’s next on the hot stove, or how your favorite team stacks up with the end of Spring Training in sight?  If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.

As Opening Day draws ever closer, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Where will Davis land?

The Giants reportedly placed third baseman J.D. Davis on waivers over the weekend, likely signaling the end of his tenure in San Francisco. The soon-to-be 31-year-old slugger appeared to be an odd man out when third baseman Matt Chapman signed in San Francisco earlier this month, and now he’ll be available to the league’s 29 other clubs for the cost of his $6.9MM salary in 2024. Since breaking out with the Mets during the 2019 season, Davis has slashed a solid .268/.352/.443 in 528 games split between New York and San Francisco while spending time at both infield corners as well as left field and DH. At least in the eyes of Statcast, Davis made strides with his defense at the hot corner in 2023, garnering +5 Outs Above Average after posting negative marks in that category throughout his career prior. The Brewers, Cubs, and Mariners are among the handful of contenders that could make sense for Davis if they’re willing to assume the full freight of his salary.

2. Giolito’s second opinion:

Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito, who signed a two-year, $38.5MM contract this offseason — the second season of which is a player option — could miss the entire 2024 season after being diagnosed with a partial UCL tear and flexor strain earlier in camp. Surgery is on the table, as is common with UCL injuries, but Giolito was slated to receive a second opinion from Dr. Jeff Dugas today before making any final decisions on how to treat his injury. He’s clearly looking at a long absence regardless, but today’s opinion could determine which type of surgery is recommended (e.g. Tommy John surgery, internal brace surgery) or whether surgical intervention is required at all. Some players will go the rest-and-rehab route before going under the knife, as surgery is always a last resort, though it’s perhaps telling that manager Alex Cora has already publicly acknowledged the possibility of surgery.

3. When will the front-of-the-rotation southpaws sign?

Last week, agent Scott Boras indicated that new teams have begun to check in on his pair of southpaw clients, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. The duo entered the winter as two of the top four starting pitching options on the market alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Aaron Nola, though that hasn’t stopped both from lingering on the market even as Opening Day is now a matter of weeks away. Updates on the southpaws’ respective markets have been relatively few and far between, with Snell being loosely connected to the Angels over the weekend while Montgomery’s reported negotiations with the Red Sox hitting a snag over the lefty’s apparent desire for a seven-year pact. With the start of the regular season just around the corner, will either of the duo find a new home in the coming days?

As Spring Training continues, here are three things worth keeping an eye on for MLBTR readers around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Nootbaar awaiting test results:

Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar has been sidelined in recent days by soreness in his torso, with Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch adding that Nootbaar underwent a CT scan yesterday, with the club expecting to have a better idea of a timetable for his return sometime today. Nootbaar, 26, has slashed a strong .247/.356/.430 with a wRC+ of 120 over the past two seasons but was limited to just 117 games last year by back and abdomen issues. If Nootbaar were to face a notable absence, he’d run the risk of joining both staff ace Sonny Gray and center fielder Tommy Edman on the shelf to open the season. With both Edman and Nootbaar at risk of missing time, the club would likely turn to Dylan Carlson in center field with the likes of Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan among the options to take over for Nootbaar in left.

2. Peraza sent for imaging:

Nootbaar wasn’t the only young position player to undergo imaging yesterday, as MLB.com notes that Yankees infielder Oswald Peraza has done the same after battling shoulder issues in recent weeks. The 23-year-old youngster was a consensus top-50 prospect in the game last year but struggled in 52 games in the Bronx last year, hitting a paltry .191/.267/.272 in 191 trips to the plate. Despite those struggles, Peraza still figures to be key future piece for the Yankees alongside Anthony Volpe in the club’s infield, though the likes of DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres leave him blocked from regular starts in the majors for the time being. Headed into the 2024 season, Peraza figures to compete with the likes of Jorbit Vivas and Jahmai Jones for the final spot on the club’s bench alongside Jose Trevino, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Trent Grisham, though his shot at a bench role in the majors could be complicated by an absence of note with less than three weeks until Spring Training.

3. Offseason in Review series begins:

MLBTR’s annual Offseason in Review series began yesterday, with MLBTR’s Anthony Franco discussing the offseason of the reigning NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks as well as the Atlanta Braves, who had the league’s best record last year. Both clubs added a veteran southpaw to the middle of their rotation this winter while also making notable additions in the lineup. MLBTR readers have generally regarded both clubs as having done a solid job this winter, with around three-quarters of respondents grading both offseasons as a “B” or higher. The series, which will cover all 30 clubs in the coming weeks, will continue today with MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald’s discussion of what has been a relatively quiet offseason for the New York Mets.

With Spring Training more than half over, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Spring Breakout rosters to be announced:

MLB’s Spring Breakout rosters are set to be announced this morning at 10am CT on MLB Network. The new event will see all 30 clubs participate in a prospect showcase during Spring Training with sixteen seven-inning exhibition games across a four day period from March 14-17. The Reds and Cardinals will each participate in two games, while the other 28 organizations will participate in one each. The exhibition will exclusively feature rookie-eligible players and are also set to showcase the automated ball-strike challenge system in certain games. MLB.com has additional details, including broadcast information for all thirty-two exhibition games.

2. Will Red Sox, Bello complete a deal?

As of yesterday, the Red Sox and Brayan Bello are reportedly in “advanced” talks regarding an extension that would keep Bello in Boston beyond the 2028 season, when his team control would otherwise expire. Bello, 25 in May, has made 41 appearances in the majors across the first two seasons of his career and owns a roughly league average 4.37 ERA with a solid 4.11 FIP in 214 1/3 career innings. Notably, the young right-hander led all Red Sox pitchers in both innings (157) and games started (28) during the 2023 campaign. Locking in a young pitching talent who can provide stability to a Boston rotation that has faced plenty of tumult in recent years could be a huge breath of fresh air for Red Sox fans, particularly in the wake of worrisome injury news regarding right-hander Lucas Giolito. Will a deal between the sides be finalized in the coming days?

3. State of the trade market:

While plenty of quality players remain available in free agency with just three weeks to go until Opening Day, there have been some recent indications that teams are beginning to transition from the offseason mentality of improving the roster toward preparing for the regular season in earnest, at least when it comes to the trade market. Often regarded as the offseason’s top trade candidate, White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease has yet to move, and Chicago brass recently indicated that they expect the 2022 AL Cy Young award finalist to start for the club on Opening Day with “nothing imminent” in terms of a trade for the righty.

Meanwhile, on the buy-side of the trade market, the Pirates have reportedly scaled back their efforts to add a starting pitcher via trade before the season begins. In addition to those reports, the rumor mill has gone quiet regarding some speculative trade candidates such as Shane Bieber, Jesus Luzardo, and Jonathan India in the weeks since camp began. That said, it’s still plausible to imagine trades coming together for players that have been pushed out of their previous roles on their club such as Harold Ramirez of the Rays or J.D. Davis of the Giants, the latter of whom MLBTR’s Anthony Franco discussed just last night.

As Spring Training continues, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day today:

1. What’s next for the Red Sox?

Fans in Boston received terrible news yesterday, as it was reported that likely Opening Day starter Lucas Giolito is suffering from a partially torn UCL and a flexor strain, a diagnosis that could put him at risk for season-ending surgery before the 2024 campaign even begins. The likely loss of Giolito is a huge blow to the Red Sox rotation, which now figures to feature right-hander Nick Pivetta as its lone veteran arm with youngsters Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, Garrett Whitlock, and Josh Winckowski likely to fill out the rest of the rotation in some combination.

Of course, the club could improve its stock in the rotation by looking to add an arm externally. The Red Sox have been connected to both southpaw Jordan Montgomery in free agency and White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease via trade throughout the offseason, though rumors regarding Cease have died down since camp opened last month. While the addition of either of the aforementioned arms would offer Boston a bona fide front-of-the-rotation arm, other options to shore up the club’s rotation such as Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger are available more affordably and would still benefit the team.

2. Will we see more extensions this spring?

Spring Training tends to offer clubs and players a chance to negotiate extensions, before the grind of the regular season begins but after the heavy lifting of the offseason is already complete. We’ve seen a handful of extensions over the past month, with Bobby Witt Jr. and Jose Altuve both reaching agreements in early February while the likes of Mitch Keller and Zack Wheeler agreed to deals more recently.

Aside from those completed deals, there are still some rumored extension possibilities that have yet to come to fruition: The Astros have been candid about their desire to extend both third baseman Alex Bregman and outfielder Kyle Tucker, though it’s unclear how likely a deal is with either player. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are known to have had talks with both right-hander Brayan Bello and first baseman Triston Casas since camp opened last month. Will deals for any of the aforementioned players, or perhaps even a deal that hasn’t made its way into the rumor mill yet, come together before Opening Day?

3. When will deals come together for remaining mid-tier free agents?

Much of the conversation regarding free agency as of late has been dominated by Montgomery and fellow southpaw Blake Snell, the top remaining free agents on the market after fellow members of the “Boras Four” Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman landed deals in Chicago and San Francisco respectively. With that being said, they’re far from the only players still looking for work. Lorenzen, who is reportedly seeking a two-year deal, and Clevinger also remain on the starting pitching market, while Ryne Stanek remains available out of the bullpen.

On the positional side of things, even more players remain available. Center fielder Michael A. Taylor is reportedly hoping to land a deal in the same ballpark as the one-year, $10.5MM pacts Kevin Kiermaier and Harrison Bader agreed to earlier in the offseason, while J.D. Martinez and Brandon Belt are the likely best hitters remaining on the market. In addition to that trio, the likes of Adam Duvall, Tommy Pham, Eddie Rosario and Donovan Solano all remain available on the market after turning in solid performances as regulars last year. With a dozen free agents of note remaining on the market and just three weeks until Opening Day, will all these players find homes before the start of the regular season?

As Spring Training continues, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day:

1. Gray awaits MRI results:

The Cardinals are dealing with an injury scare regarding their top free agent addition this winter after right-hander Sonny Gray exited yesterday’s game mid-at bat with right hamstring tightness. The 34-year-old veteran underwent an MRI yesterday evening, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, with more information on the severity of Gray’s injury likely to be made available sometime today. Gray’s dealt with hamstring issues in his right leg previously, including a three-week trip to the injured list with the Twins early in 2022 season.

St. Louis landed Gray on a three-year, $75MM deal to lead their starting rotation after the righty posted a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts with Minnesota last year, en route to a second-place finish in AL Cy Young award voting. The veteran was the club’s marquee free agent signing this winter and the most significant addition to a rotation that posted a bottom-five ERA in the majors last year. Without Gray at the front of the staff, the Cardinals would figure to enter the season with internal veterans Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz at the front of the rotation, with veteran bounce-back candidates Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn bringing up the middle and the fifth starter spot likely to go to a younger arm such as Matthew Liberatore or Zack Thompson.

2. Ohtani to face the Angels:

The Spring Training edition of the Freeway Series is set to take place today, with Angels right-hander Chase Silseth set to take on Dodgers youngster Bobby Miller starting at 7:05pm CT. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince) recently that superstar Shohei Ohtani will be in the lineup today against his former team. Ohtani is also expected to be in the lineup for tomorrow’s game against the White Sox. That’ll mark his first back-to-back appearances with the Dodgers as the club gears up for the start of its regular season on March 20 against the Padres in Seoul, South Korea. Ohtani has wasted no time in making an impression with Dodgers fans this spring, having picked up five hits and two walks in nine trips to the plate so far this spring, including a home run and a triple.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

While teams around the league are already participating in Cactus and Grapefruit League games, a handful of the winter’s top free agents remain unsigned and plenty of offseason shopping lists around the league remain unfulfilled. Are you wondering if there’s more in store for your team with Opening Day just a few short weeks away? If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.

With one major piece of news already breaking this morning, here are three other things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Are the Giants done?

The Giants made a splash on the free agent market this weekend by signing third baseman Matt Chapman on a three-year deal with opt-outs after the 2024 and ’25 seasons. The deal substantially improves the club’s defense at third base while adding a high-upside bat to the lineup, and checks a box that was near the top of the club’s offseason shopping list. Now that Chapman’s in tow, however, is there more in store for San Francisco before Opening Day? Reporting has indicated that the club remains interested in top free agent hurler Blake Snell, while incumbent third baseman J.D. Davis appears to be without a spot in the lineup after the Chapman signing and could be a trade candidate in the coming weeks. On the other hand, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi seemingly downplayed the likelihood of major additions after bringing Chapman into the fold yesterday.

2. Where will Martinez land?

With Chapman and Cody Bellinger having recently come off the board, veteran slugger J.D. Martinez now stands atop the pile of remaining free agent hitters after crushing 33 homers in 113 games last season. The market for the 36-year-old’s services has been fairly quietly of late, with the most significant development in recent weeks being reports of ultimately fruitless negotiations between Martinez and the Giants which came to a close when San Francisco signed Jorge Soler. As a player more or less limited to the DH spot in the lineup, Martinez’s market is a bit more limited than most, though MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently discussed possible suitors for his services. With Opening Day just weeks away and the winter’s other top bats having signed, could a deal be on the horizon?

3. Acuna meeting with doctor:

Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. was scratched from the Braves’ spring lineup over the weekend as he deals with irritation in his right meniscus. While Atlanta has expressed confidence that Acuna will be ready for Opening Day, the club is remaining cautious with its superstar thanks in part to the fact that he’s just two seasons removed from a torn right ACL that cost him the second half of the 2021 campaign and delayed the start of his 2022 season. Today, Acuna is expected to meet with Dr. Neal ElAttrache for further examination of the issue, which could provide additional clarity on the slugger’s status. Should Acuna require a stint on the shelf, the Braves could turn to Forrest Wall, J.P. Martinez, or non-roster invitee Jordan Luplow to handle right field alongside Michael Harris II in center and Jarred Kelenic in left.