The Opener

With the final day of February upon us, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Skenes vs. Holliday:

Prospect lovers won’t want to miss today’s game between the Pirates and Orioles, where the first-overall picks of the past two seasons are set to clash. Right-hander Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick of the 2023 draft and a consensus top-10 prospect in the game, is poised to face shortstop Jackson Holliday, the top pick of the 2022 draft and the consensus top prospect in the entire sport. Fans interested in seeing the matchup won’t have to wait very long, as Holliday told reporters this morning (including MLB.com’s Jake Rill) that he’s set to open the top of the first inning today as Baltimore’s lead off hitter, leaving him to be the very first batter Skenes faces today. If that matchup isn’t enticing enough for you, Skenes will be taking the mound opposite newly-minted Orioles ace Corbin Burnes. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05pm CT this afternoon.

2. Muncy to undergo testing:

Dodgers infielder Max Muncy was struck in the hand by a pitch from Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford during yesterday’s game, with USA Today’s Bob Nightengale relaying that the slugger has been diagnosed with a contusion, according to manager Dave Roberts. The Dodgers’ skipper added that Muncy is set to undergo “precautionary” x-rays today. A mainstay of the L.A. lineup since he broke out with the club during the 2018 season, Muncy has slashed .230/.356/.486 in 751 games while clubbing 175 homers in a Dodgers uniform. That includes last year’s .212/.333/.475 slash line, which was good for a wRC+ of 118. Should Muncy miss time due to the injury, the club would likely be left to turn to youngster Miguel Vargas at the hot corner to open the season.

3. Where will Stanek land?

While most discussion of the free agent market has been focused on the “Boras Four” in recent weeks, right-hander Ryne Stanek stands out as the clear best reliever remaining on the open market. While his 4.09 ERA and 4.60 FIP last year were both rather pedestrian, he’s just one season removed from dominating to a 1.15 ERA and 3.05 FIP in 54 2/3 innings of work and sports a strong 27.8% strikeout rate for his career. Those numbers would make him at least a solid middle reliever for any bullpen in the majors. The righty has been connected to the Cubs, Red Sox, and Mets so far this winter, though other clubs are surely also in the mix.

Stanek’s market has been quiet since the calendar flipped to February. Chicago has seemingly backed off its pursuit despite mutual interest, while the Mets added a different high-octane bullpen arm to their mix in Shintaro Fujinami. It’s possible that injuries around the game could spur a club to shore up their bullpen mix with Stanek as Spring Training continues; yesterday alone saw injury scares for the Guardians and Mariners (Trevor Stephan and Matt Brash, respectively). Will the veteran righty’s market begin to pick up as the calendar flips to March?

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

1. Yamamoto to make stateside debut:

For the second day in a row, a newly-signed Dodgers superstar will make his first in-game appearance for the club this spring. Yesterday, Shohei Ohtani stepped up to the plate for the first time in a Dodgers uniform and crushed a home run later on in the game. Today, L.A. fans will hope to be similarly dazzled by right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed the largest free agent contract in MLB history for a pitcher back in December despite not having pitched in the majors previously. The 25-year-old pitched to a sterling 1.24 ERA in 23 starts for NPB’s Orix Buffaloes last season, his fourth season in the last five years where he posted a sub-2.00 ERA. In his first stateside matchup, Yamamoto will take on left-hander Cody Bradford and the reigning World Series champion Rangers at 2:05pm CT.

2. Could Snell or Chapman be the next marquee free agent to sign?

The quartet of top free agents attempting to wait out the market for a better contract shrunk to three over the weekend when Cody Bellinger and the Cubs reunited on an opt-out laden three-year deal. Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Matt Chapman all continue to linger in free agency with March just around the corner.

Snell has been most frequently connected to the Yankees throughout the winter, and reporting yesterday indicated that the sides have continued to discuss scenarios this week, even as a deal remains an extreme long shot. As of last night, the Giants are reportedly still in the mix for both Snell and Chapman, with Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle citing one source in saying there’s about a 50% chance the team lands one of the two. With spring training in full swing and Opening Day just one month away, the waiting game could finally draw to a close sooner than later.

3. Are the Giants down a starter?

One factor that might be impacting the Giants’ pursuit of Snell is the health of right-hander Tristan Beck, who left camp yesterday to undergo testing on his right-hand back in San Francisco. Beck, 27, pitched to a solid 3.92 ERA and 4.00 FIP with the club last year, though only three of his 33 appearances in the big leagues came as a starter. Despite that limited starting experience, Beck appeared slated to enter his sophomore season as the club’s fifth starter behind Logan Webb, Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, and Keaton Winn.

With Sean Hjelle and Ethan Small among the next best options for the rotation should Beck miss time, an injury of any note could push San Francisco to attempt to add a starter before Opening Day. While there’s an obvious potential connection between Beck’s health and the Giants’ reported interest in Snell, the club wouldn’t necessarily have to turn to the top of the free agent market to replace or even improve upon Beck’s expected production. After all, other quality arms remain available on the open market such as right-handers Mike Clevinger and Michael Lorenzen, the latter of whom MLBTR’s Steve Adams explored plausible fits for just yesterday.

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

1. Ohtani to make Dodgers debut:

The Dodgers had their first Cactus League game against the Padres last week in preparation for the Korea Series in Seoul next month, though superstar offseason addition Shohei Ohtani has not yet made his first spring appearance for the club. That’ll change today, as the Dodgers have announced that Ohtani will make his debut in today’s game against the White Sox. Left-hander Garrett Crochet will take the mound for the White Sox opposite Dodgers youngster Bobby Miller, with the game scheduled for 2:05pm CT. The two-way superstar will be limited to only hitting this year as he rehabs from elbow surgery, though he’ll be building off an incredible 2023 campaign that saw him slash a whopping .304/.412/.654 in 135 games while hitting an AL-best 44 home runs en route to his second MVP award in three years.

2. Cubs working on potential trade?

Center fielder Cody Bellinger’s deal with the Cubs has not yet been made official, and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic indicated yesterday that the Cubs are trying to work out a trade to clear space on the 40-man roster. Per Sharma, Chicago hopes to move a pitcher off its 40-man roster via trade in the coming days rather than risk losing a player for nothing on waivers. Speculatively speaking, that could mean the Cubs are shopping an arm towards the back of their bullpen depth chart such as Keegan Thompson, Jose Cuas, or Yency Almonte, or perhaps even a prospect such as Porter Hodge or Caleb Kilian. Sharma went on to suggest that if a trade cannot be worked out quickly, the Cubs could still designate a player for assignment in hopes that a trade of that player could be finalized over the seven-day window following the DFA.

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 as camps open in Arizona and Florida? 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 Spring Training continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. The “Boras Four” is down to three:

The big news over the weekend was center fielder Cody Bellinger returning to the Cubs on a three-year deal worth $80MM with opt-outs after the 2024 and 2025 seasons. With free agency’s top remaining hitter now signed, the so-called “Boras Four” is now down to three, with southpaws Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery as well as third baseman Matt Chapman still lingering on the market. Now that one of the quartet of high-profile Boras Corporation clients has agreed to a short-term deal, will any of the others follow suit?

Montgomery has been loosely connected to the Red Sox throughout the offseason, though the latest reporting has indicated Boston only has interest in the event that his price comes down. It’s a similar story for Snell, who reportedly had an offer on the table from the Yankees last week with negotiations seemingly at a standstill. Chapman’s market is somewhat murkier at this point. He had been connected to Chicago prior to the club’s reunion with Bellinger, but the Cubs have not indicated a willingness to surpass the luxury tax — which would likely preclude them from further significant additions. The Giants have also been connected to Chapman frequently throughout the winter, with some reporting indicating the third baseman is their “top target,” though it’s unclear where negotiations between the sides stand at this point.

2. Bellinger deal to be made official:

As noted by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Cubs and Bellinger have wasted no time in moving forward now that a deal is in place, with Bellinger having already arrived at camp to take his physical yesterday. Assuming the physical didn’t turn up anything unexpected, that could put the deal in position to be officially announced sometime today. The Cubs have a full 40-man roster as things stand, meaning they’ll need to make a corresponding move to make room for Bellinger.

Barring a surprise injury announcement, the club has no clear candidates for the 60-day injured list, meaning that they’ll likely need to designate a player towards the back of the 40-man for assignment. Another option would be to work out a trade that would clear roster space. Chicago benefited from that sort of trade earlier this winter when the club acquired infield prospect Michael Busch and right-hander Yency Almonte for non-40-man prospects Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope in a deal that cleared two roster spots for the Dodgers.

3. Hernandez nearing decision?

Veteran utility player Enrique Hernandez was reportedly nearing a decision entering the weekend. While no deal ultimately came together, a list of four finalists for the 32-year-old’s services was reported that suggested he was choosing between the Giants, Padres, Twins, and Angels. Hernandez is among the most versatile players in the game with the glove. He’s spent more than a thousand innings in center field and at both middle infield spots in addition to hundreds of innings in the outfield corners, significant time at third base, and even occasional cameos at first. He touts a solid .257/.343/.458 slash line against lefties, though he’s typically posted below-average offense against righties, which limits his ceiling as an everyday player. Nonetheless, Hernandez figures to improve the depth of any club he signs with significantly. Which team will ultimately land the veteran?

With regular season baseball less than a month away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world over the weekend:

1. Spring Training games begin for 28 clubs:

While the Dodgers and Padres opened Cactus League play against each other yesterday, the league’s other 28 teams will all have their own first games of the season this weekend. Today, the Cubs will take on the White Sox, the Rangers will face the Royals, and the Diamondbacks will square off against the Rockies in addition to a second game between San Diego and L.A. Meanwhile, the Red Sox and Twins will kick off spring play in Florida with exhibition games against the Division I Northeastern Huskies and Minnesota Gophers, respectively.

Grapefruit League play won’t begin in earnest until tomorrow, which features a slate of games highlighted by newly-minted Orioles ace Corbin Burnes kicking off the club’s spring with a start opposite Boston’s Garrett Whitlock. Elsewhere in the AL East, right-handers Marcus Stroman of the Yankees and Lucas Giolito of the Red Sox figure to make their spring debuts for their new clubs on Sunday.

2. Wong signing on the horizon?

According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, second baseman Kolten Wong has seen his market “begin to pick up” following a number of infield signings around the league over the past week. From 2017 to 2022, Wong was an above-average regular at the keystone with quality defense and a .269/.349/.414 slash line during that time. The 2023 season was difficult for the 32-year-old, however, as he hit a paltry .165/.241/.227 in 216 trips to the plate with the Mariners before being released and catching on with the Dodgers. He much better upon arriving in Los Angeles, where he was used largely as a pinch hitter but slashed a respectable .300/.353/.500 in 34 trips to the plate during the season’s final month.

Solid as that brief stint with L.A. was, few clear landing spots for a pure second baseman such as Wong remain around the league. The Pirates were previously rumored to be considering a reunion with fellow lefty-swinging second baseman Adam Frazier before he signed with the Royals, however, and it’s certainly possible to imagine Wong fitting in as a left-handed bench bat on a club such as the Angels, Yankees, or Brewers.

3. What’s next for the Marlins?

The Marlins filled their most obvious hole on the roster yesterday by agreeing to a one-year deal with shortstop Tim Anderson, who figures to take over as the regular at the position, pushing Jon Berti into a utility role. While Anderson struggled badly in his final season with the White Sox last year, the two-time All Star was among the better regulars at the position from 2019 to 2022, when he slashed a collective .318/.347/.474 in 318 games. With the club’s vacancy at shortstop filled, what’s next in Miami? The club has largely stood pat this winter after winning 84 games last year en route to a surprising playoff appearance, though they did lose Jorge Soler to the Giants in free agency.

There’s been buzz throughout the winter that the Marlins could look to deal a controllable arm such as Jesus Luzardo, Braxton Garrett, or Edward Cabrera from their rotation mix, though it’s unclear how likely such a deal is and Garrett’s recent bout of shoulder soreness could complicate that decision further for the club. If Miami were to decide to consider further augmenting the roster after adding Anderson, a bat to add to an outfield/DH mix that currently features Avisail Garcia, Jesus Sanchez, and Bryan De La Cruz alongside center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. could make some sense. The likes of Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall, and Tommy Pham are all still available in free agency and could be sensible, fairly low-cost additions for the Marlins to make.

As all 30 clubs continue their spring preparations for the 2024 season, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Will the Red Sox extend a young player?

Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello revealed to reporters yesterday that he and the club have been discussing a possible extension, with the 24-year-old hurler indicating that a deal could come together before the spring is up. The comments from Bello come just days after first baseman Triston Casas offered his own comments on the possibility of an extension, saying that he hoped to spend his whole career in Boston but that extension talks had produced “nothing enticing” to this point. While newly-appointed chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has yet to extend any players during his short tenure at the helm, the Red Sox haven’t been shy about extending players in the past. Many of the club’s recent extensions such as deals with Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and Chris Sale were for well-established talent nearing free agency, though the club has also locked down younger talent in the form of Garrett Whitlock. Could Bello or Casas join the list before Opening Day?

2. Senga undergoing testing:

Mets right-hander Kodai Senga sat out yesterday’s team workout due to “overall arm fatigue,” as manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). DiComo adds that Senga was scheduled to undergo testing yesterday, meaning it’s possible that an update on the righty’s health could be made available as soon as today. If the injury were to impact Senga’s readiness for Opening Day, it would be a major blow to the club. Senga was a rare bright spot in the 2023 campaign for the Mets, pitching to a 2.98 ERA with a 29% strikeout rate across 29 starts last year. With the likes of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer departing Queens last summer, Senga enters the 2024 campaign as the club’s likely Opening Day starter at the front of a rotation that added Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, and Adrian Houser this winter. Should Senga miss time to open the season, Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, and Jose Butto would be among the options to fill in for him in the big league rotation.

3. First game of the spring:

The Dodgers and Padres will participate in the first spring training game of the year today, as the two clubs gear up for an early start to the season with the Korea series in Seoul next month. Today’s game will start at 2:10pm CT, with Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove kicking things off opposite Dodgers youngster Gavin Stone. The 25-year-old Stone struggled to a 9.00 ERA in his first 31 innings of work in the majors last year but is nonetheless one of the club’s most promising young arms and could battle with the likes of Emmet Sheehan and Michael Grove. Musgrove, meanwhile, pitched to an excellent 3.05 ERA and 3.52 FIP last year but was limited to just 17 starts due to injuries. Among those injuries was a bout of shoulder inflammation that ended the right-hander’s season in late July, though the 31-year-old righty nonetheless appears to be healthy ahead of today’s Cactus League opener.

With Spring Training workouts in full swing, here are three things to keep an eye on around baseball today:

1. Awaiting financial details for Brandon Woodruff, Hyun Jin Ryu

A couple of veteran starters reportedly agreed to new deals this past week, but the financial details of both contracts have yet to be revealed. News of Brandon Woodruff returning to the Brewers broke on Monday morning, but currently, all we know is that his new pact is a two-year deal. Hyun Jin Ryu is also returning to a former team, the Hanwha Tigers of the KBO. While the complete details of his contract have not been revealed either, Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News reports that the Eagles are likely to announce the deal on Thursday. Taking into account the time difference, Ryu’s deal could be announced at some point this evening; 6:00 pm CT will be 9:00 am in South Korea.

2. Are the Rays planning to trade an infielder?

The Rays agreed to terms on a one-year, $1.5MM contract with infielder Amed Rosario on Tuesday. While $1.5MM might be a drop in the bucket for some teams, it’s hard to imagine the Rays would sign Rosario to such a deal if they weren’t planning to give him regular playing time. Yet, with Brandon Lowe entrenched at second base and José Caballero the presumptive starter at shortstop, Rosario is likely to fill a utility role off the bench. That would leave infielders Junior Caminero and Osleivis Basabe without a clear path to playing time. A top prospect like Caminero can force his way onto the roster with a strong performance in the minor leagues, but it is less clear how Basabe fits into the Rays’ plans for 2024. Moreover, with veteran infielder Yu Chang in the organization on a minor league deal and Taylor Walls set to return from hip surgery sooner rather than later, this team has no shortage of depth. One has to wonder if the Rays are planning to make a trade from their surplus of infielders.

3. Full-squad workouts have begun, but teams are far from complete

As of Tuesday, all 30 clubs have now held their first full-squad workouts. That means Spring Training is officially underway, with games set to begin later this week. The Dodgers and Padres will kick things off in the Cactus League on Thursday afternoon, with Grapefruit League play set to begin a couple of days later. However, despite what the moniker “full-squad workout” might imply, several clubs are far from finished improving their rosters. With 10 of MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents still unsigned, including Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Matt Chapman, and J.D. Martinez, plenty of teams could be significantly better by Opening Day than they appear right now. The free agent market has been slow as of late, but as Spring Training continues, more pieces will inevitably fall into place.

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

1. Mid-level starting market continues to thin:

With veteran left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu now poised to depart MLB in favor of a return to the Korea Baseball Organization overseas, the remaining second-tier starting pitching market has lost one of its best remaining arms without him landing with a big league club. Could Ryu’s departure increase demand for the remaining options? The best arms available at this point in the winter appear to be right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger, though other veteran options such as Zack Greinke, Johnny Cueto, Noah Syndergaard and Jake Odorizzi also remain available. The Angels, Twins, and Padres are among the clubs known to be in the market for rotation additions at this point in the winter. While it’s possible that Anaheim could look to make a splash this winter and add one of the top-tier starters remaining in Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell, both Minnesota and San Diego appear likely to be confined to smaller additions.

2. Will Bellinger’s market pick up?

Comments from Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts yesterday indicated little progress has been made between the organization and center fielder Cody Bellinger in contract talks this winter. A return to Chicago has long seemed to be the likeliest fit for Bellinger this winter given the success he saw there in 2023 and the club’s uncertainty in center field, where top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong may not be quite ready to make the jump to the big leagues. However, Ricketts’ comments yesterday indicate little urgency on the part of Chicago in reuniting with the slugger.

Bellinger, the top outfielder on the offseason’s free agent market and the No. 2 hitter behind only superstar Shohei Ohtani, is coming off a 2023 campaign where he slashed an excellent .307/.356/.525, good for a wRC+ of 134. That’s production that nearly every team would surely like to have in their lineup, particularly at a position as key as center field. Could the seeming reluctance of the incumbents convince other clubs to consider a late push for Bellinger, perhaps on a shorter-term deal?

3. MLBTR Chat Today

While teams around the league are holding their first full-squad workouts of the spring, 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 as camps open in Arizona and Florida? 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.

On the heels of an early-morning deal, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Position Players arrive in camp:

While many hitters report to camp early, today marks the date position players are meant to report to camp for roughly a third of the league, along with the first full-squad workouts for many teams. It’s the final reporting date of the spring, after which point all players are expected to be at Spring Training (with some exceptions such as those for players dealing with visa issues or that have yet to sign). Teams reporting today include a 101-win Orioles club that added ace right-hander Corbin Burnes just before camp began but announced a UCL sprain for last year’s ace right-hander, Kyle Bradish, shortly thereafter, as well as a Mariners club that completely retooled its starting lineup this winter after missing the postseason by just one game last year.

2. When will Anderson sign?

Reporting over the weekend indicated that the Marlins recently extended an offer to longtime White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. The Marlins have long been considered an obvious fit for the 30-year-old, who flashed star potential at times from 2019-22 as he hit .318/.347/.474 while earning two All Star appearances, a Silver Slugger award, and an AL batting title. All that came crashing down in 2023, however, as Anderson posted the lowest wRC+ among all major league regulars last year while turning in characteristically average defense at shortstop. In spite of Anderson’s struggles, however, a weak market for shortstops leaves him as one of the best available, and few teams have a bigger need at the position than Miami.

Though the Marlins have been connected to Anderson most frequently throughout the winter, they aren’t the only team for whom the shortstop could make some sense. The A’s have a clear hole at shortstop and have added other bounceback candidates such as Alex Wood and Ross Stripling this winter, while the Angels or Giants could use Anderson as a veteran complement to youngsters Zack Neto and Marco Luciano, respectively. With position players now reporting to Spring Training, will Anderson get a deal done in the coming days?

3. What does the Hendriks deal mean for Woodruff?

As previously mentioned, right-hander Liam Hendriks agreed to a two-year guarantee with the Red Sox earlier this morning. The relief ace is coming off an injury-marred 2023 campaign and is set to miss most of the 2024 season, though has been among the very best arms in the game when healthy in recent years. In many ways, his free agency greatly resembled that of right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who dominated to a 2.28 ERA in 11 starts last year but struggled with shoulder issues before eventually going under the knife back in October. Like Hendriks, Woodruff isn’t expected to return to the mound until the mid-summer at the earliest but has been an elite arm in the past.

Could Woodruff’s market begin to pick up with Hendriks off the board? Early indications were that Woodruff could pursue a two-year guarantee of his own this winter, though there hasn’t been much buzz regarding his free agency this winter outside a loose connection to the Mets earlier in the offseason.

With Spring Training underway, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Bohm, Phillies await arbitration results:

Just two arbitration cases have yet to reach their conclusion: that of Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm, and that of Marlins southpaw Tanner Scott. According to a report from Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Bohm had his hearing yesterday with a verdict expected sometime today. Bohm requested a $4MM salary for the 2024 campaign while the Phillies countered with a $3.4MMM figure. Both figures come in below MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz’s projection for Bohm, which landed at $4.3MM. Bohm appeared in 145 games for Philadelphia last year, slashing an above-average .274/.327/.437 while splitting time between first and third base. With Bryce Harper set to take over first on a permanent basis this year, Bohm figures to get everyday reps at the hot corner in 2024.

2. Will Orioles look to add more pitching?

Yesterday was a tough day for the Orioles pitching staff, as the club announced that right-hander Kyle Bradish is suffering from a UCL sprain and will start the season on the injured list. To make matters worse, left-hander John Means is a month behind schedule entering camp.

The club’s rotation now figures to be led by a duo of Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez entering the season, with Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells, and Cole Irvin rounding out the group. Means would likely replace Irvin or Wells whenever he’s cleared to return to the roster. Solid as that group is, it’s easy to see how Baltimore could benefit from the addition of another arm, particularly given the ominous nature of Bradish’s injury. If the club looks to make an addition this spring, Dylan Cease has been subject to trade rumors all throughout the winter, while Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Michael Lorenzen, Hyun Jin Ryu and Mike Clevinger linger on the open market.

3. Merrifield signing on the horizon?

Recent reporting has indicated that veteran second baseman Whit Merrifield is likely to sign on with a new club this weekend as he fields interest from five teams. A three-time All Star, the 35-year-old sports a career .284/.330/.420 line and has generally augmented that production with strong stolen base totals, the versatility to play both the infield and the outfield, and relatively low strikeout rates.

It’s unknown which teams are interested in the veteran’s services at this time, though the Pirates could be a strong speculative fit as a club that had reported interest in adding a second baseman earlier this winter but has yet to do so. The Padres could also make sense as a fit for Merrifield given their glaring need for outfielders and the small chance that incumbent second baseman Ha-Seong Kim could still be moved at some point.