The Opener

With Opening Day just 48 hours away, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye out for today…

1. Sandoval sendoff in San Francisco?

Two-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion Pablo Sandoval returned to the Giants on a minor league deal earlier this spring and has spent the month of March back in a Giants uniform. Not only is Sandoval’s spring training coming to an end, however —  his time with his original organization might be drawing to a close as well. As Steve Kroner of the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the team sent an email to fans this weekend to come to Oracle Park for the Giants’ spring finale against the A’s “for what could be [Sandoval’s] final game in a Giants uniform.”

The Giants took a similar approach with Sergio Romo last spring, bringing their longtime star reliever to camp and allowed him to receive a hero’s goodbye in front of hometown fans in last year’s version of this same spring finale at Oracle Park (video link). It’s not yet clear that’ll be the case with Sandoval, but he’s hitting just .200/.286/.200 this spring and hasn’t been in the majors since 2021.

“Whatever happens Tuesday, it’s a blessed time,” Sandoval tells Kroner. “If it’s a farewell, it’s been an unbelievable journey that I’ve been on, all those 11 years that I’ve played for (the Giants). I’ve been blessed to wear this uniform.”

2. More injuries in the Cardinals’ outfield?

The Cardinals will open the season with both Lars Nootbaar (fractured ribs) and Tommy Edman (recovery from wrist surgery) on the injured list. That’s two-thirds of the team’s projected outfield already on the shelf, and following a frightening collision yesterday involving Dylan Carlson and Jordan Walker, it seems Carlson could join them. With both outfielders tracking a Nico Hoerner fly-ball to the warning track in right center field, Walker laid out to try to make the grab and collided with Carlson’s right leg, sending him tumbling and resulting in an awkward landing on his left arm (video link). Walker popped up to recover the ball and get it into the infield, but Carlson remained down on the track and departed the game with a trainer.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that Carlson was undergoing testing as of late last night. Manager Oli Marmol told Goold and others that Carlson is feeling “banged up” after the spill. “Combination of that left shoulder when it hit the ground, his hip, his ankle,” said Marmol. “So I don’t have a whole lot just yet other than he doesn’t feel real good.”

Carlson has had a big spring, batting .271/.327/.521 with three homers and three doubles in 52 plate appearances. He’d been slated to serve as the starting center fielder with Edman on the injured list. Alternative options for the Cards include defensive-minded Michael Siani and prospect Victor Scott II.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

It’s time for our last chat of the 2023-24 offseason! I’ll be hosting a 1pm CT chat with readers to discuss the offseason, expectations for the 2024 season and whatever other topics are on your mind. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will both take you to the live chat at 1:00 and allow you to read a transcript after the chat is completed.

With Opening Day now just a few days away, here are a handful of things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on today…

1. Late additions to the free agent market:

Last Friday marked the first of three uniform opt-out dates for all Article XX(B) free agents — i.e., free agents with six-plus years of service who finished the prior season on a major league roster/injured list — who signed minor league deals over the winter. More than a dozen veteran names triggered outs in their contracts, and while some were selected to the 40-man roster with their current teams (or promised that they would be prior to Opening Day), others were informed they haven’t made the club and were granted their release. There were also a handful of other recognizable names who did not meet Article XX(B) criteria but still had opt-outs negotiated into their minor league deals who’ve also returned to the market.

Each of Trey Mancini (Marlins), C.J. Cron (Red Sox), Julio Teheran (Orioles), Matt Duffy (Rangers), Drew Pomeranz (Angels), Bradley Zimmer (Rockies), Kolten Wong (Orioles), Sandy Leon (Royals), Carl Edwards Jr. (Cubs), Dominic Smith (Cubs), Charlie Culberson (Braves), Mike Moustakas (White Sox), Eduardo Escobar (Blue Jays), Mike Ford (Reds), Zach Davies (Nationals) and Elvis Andrus (D-backs) has been cut loose since last Friday. Veteran pitchers Danny Duffy, Chasen Shreve and Shane Greene were also informed they weren’t making the Rangers’ roster and were free to explore interest around the league — though each was also told he’d be welcome to head to Triple-A to begin the 2024 season there.

Clubs looking for veteran depth to help cover injuries or provide insurance against young/unproven players potentially underperforming have a whole new slate of names to consider.

2. Several roster moves on the horizon:

On the flipside, it’s already become clear that a handful of minor league signees will make their team’s Opening Day roster — but the moves have yet to be formally announced, and thus so have the corresponding transactions. The Blue Jays, for instance, will reportedly select the contracts of Daniel Vogelbach and Brian Serven. Sox Machine’s James Fegan tweets that righty Bryan Shaw is likely to make the White Sox’ roster. The Guardians will add righties Carlos Carrasco and Tyler Beede prior to Opening Day. The Cubs plan to select first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper. The Rangers need a move to select top prospect Wyatt Langford.

Some of these roster additions will be accommodated by simple 60-day IL placements. That’s likely to be the case in Cleveland (Trevor Stephan) and in Texas (Tyler Mahle or Max Scherzer). Not every team has an obvious 60-day IL candidate though, and even those that do could find themselves making multiple transactions to set their Opening Day rosters.

3. Rule 5 decisions nearing:

There were only 10 players selected in the major league portion of the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, and a few of the teams that made a selection will still have a decision on the fate of their Rule 5 picks. The Guardians returned third baseman Deyvison De Los Santos to the D-backs over the weekend, while the Rockies (Anthony Molina), Red Sox (Justin Slaten), Royals (Matt Sauer) and Padres (Stephen Kolek) have already decided to carry their Rule 5 selections on the Opening Day roster. Others, such as White Sox lefty Shane Drohan (shoulder surgery) and Rangers righty Carson Coleman (Tommy John surgery) will open the season on the injured list.

Oakland’s Mitch Spence (selected from the Yankees), Washington’s Nasim Nunez (from the Marlins) and St. Louis’ Ryan Fernandez (from the D-backs) are all still in big league camp with the teams that selected them.

With MLB’s Seoul Series now in the books, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world heading into the weekend:

1. Article XX(B) Opt-Outs are today:

As a provision of the current collective bargaining agreement, uniform opt-out opportunities are provided to Article XX(B) free agents who are in camp with clubs on minor league deals. An Article XX(B) free agent is a player with at least six years of MLB service time who finished the prior season on a big league roster or injured list. The first of those aforementioned uniform opt-out opportunities is set for today at 1pm CT. At that point, any XX(B) eligible player can exercise their opt-out, which would leave their current club with a 48-hour window to either add them to the 40-man roster or release them. Players who remain in their current organization and are not added to the 40-man will have additional opt-out opportunities on May 1 and June 1.

Today’s opt-outs could be particularly impactful for clubs that have been ravaged by injuries in recent weeks. Teams looking for help on the positional side, such as the Reds and Rays, figure to benefit the most from today’s opt-outs, as sixteen of the 31 players with opt-out opportunities are hitters. Included amongst the names on that list are up-the-middle options such as Kolten Wong, Elvis Andrus, and Jake Marisnick as well as corner bats like Mike Moustakas and Garrett Cooper. By contrast, just five of them are starting pitchers, meaning teams facing pitching injuries such as the Marlins, Astros, and Yankees are far less likely to benefit from today’s opt-outs, though it’s at least feasible that a back-end arm or two such as Carlos Carrasco or Brad Keller could return to the open market.

2. Martinez deal to be made official:

The Mets and veteran slugger J.D. Martinez reached an agreement on a one-year deal yesterday that guarantees the 36-year-old a $12MM salary, though the majority of that money is deferred to reduce the net present value of the deal to just under $9MM per RosterResource. The Mets will need to clear space for Martinez on their 40-man roster assuming the deal, which is pending a physical, becomes official in the coming days. New York has no obvious candidates for a trip to the 60-day injured list, as right-hander Kodai Senga is on the verge of beginning a throwing program as he looks to return for a shoulder issue that has sidelined him this spring while fellow righty Max Kranick’s hamstring strain appears unlikely to sideline him for that long either. Barring a surprise injury or a setback for one of the two aforementioned players, that leaves the Mets in position to either designate a player for assignment or attempt to work out a trade of some sort that clears roster space.

3. Will the trade market heat up in the coming days?

The Mets are unlikely to be the only club looking to do 40-man roster maneuvering in the coming days, however. Between the impending opt-out opportunity for Article XX(B) veterans and the fact that Opening Day is fast approaching, teams have already begun to finalize their roster decisions ahead of the 2024 season. Clubs with full 40-man rosters hoping to add non-roster players to the Opening Day squad, whether they be veterans on minor league deals or top prospects who have yet to debut in the big leagues, will need to make room on their rosters in the coming days. That could lead to trades involving players already on the 40-man roster being moved elsewhere for non-roster pieces, allowing teams in need of 40-man space to recoup some value for a player rather than simply designating them for assignment.

Many trades of this caliber, such as the deal that sent outfielder Greg Jones from the Rays to the Rockies yesterday, are fairly minor. Others can be more significant, such as the deal between the Cubs and the Dodgers this offseason that saw the clubs swap top prospects, with Michael Busch headed to Chicago alongside reliever Yency Almonte. In return, the Dodgers cleared two spots on their 40-man roster while bringing back non-roster youngsters in left-hander Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope. Of course, it’s not always feasible for a team to work out a trade when they need 40-man roster space, though the flurry of transactions typically associated with Opening Day roster construction could help to spark a deal or two that might not otherwise get done.

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

1. Montgomery stands alone:

With fellow southpaw starter Blake Snell now off the board after joining the Giants, Jordan Montgomery is the clear top remaining free agent on the board. It appears the lefty’s market has begun to heat up in the days since Snell reached an agreement, with the Yankees having reportedly resumed negotiations with their former starter. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ move to sign right-hander Michael Lorenzen late last night fortified their rotation ahead of Opening Day without needing to re-enter the bidding for Montgomery’s services. The addition of another starting-caliber arm in Texas could spur Montgomery to look for a deal with another club in earnest, as previous reporting had indicated that the lefty was prioritizing a return to the Rangers this winter. With Texas now likely off the board, the Yankees and Red Sox stand out as the teams most frequently connected to Montgomery this winter. With just one week until Opening Day, will the 31-year-old sign in the coming days, or will he wait until the regular season begins to sign?

2. Lorenzen deal to become official:

While the Rangers reached a one-year deal with Lorenzen last night, that move has not yet become official. Not only is the pact pending a physical, which could be in line to happen as soon as today, but Texas will also have to clear space on its 40-man roster to officially add Lorenzen. That shouldn’t be much of a problem for now, as injured veterans Jacob deGrom, Tyler Mahle and Max Scherzer are not yet on the 60-day injured list despite the fact that each of those players isn’t expected to return to a big league mound until sometime this summer. That said, the Lorenzen signing taking one of those spots on the 40-man roster will leave the Rangers with less flexibility as they look to construct their 26-man roster ahead of Opening Day. Top prospect Wyatt Langford and veterans Jose Urena, Jared Walsh, and Diego Castillo could all be candidates to make the team out of camp, thereby requiring a spot on the 40-man roster in the coming days.

3. Reds struggling with injury woes:

Yesterday was littered with bad news for Reds fans, as the club announced that top infield prospect Edwin Arroyo underwent labrum surgery and will miss the 2024 campaign, while sophomore infielder Matt McLain is set to miss Opening Day and is receiving a second opinion on his injured shoulder, with surgery seemingly on the table as a possible outcome. The losses of McLain and Arroyo compound the club’s other absences, which include a potentially lengthy absence for center fielder TJ Friedl as he nurses a broken wrist and Noelvi Marte’s 80-game suspension for a failed PED test. The Reds have seemingly already moved to address the losses of McLain, Marte, and Arroyo by landing Santiago Espinal in a deal with the Blue Jays last night, and could also consider bolstering their outfield mix with an external addition in the wake of Friedl’s injury.

With the regular season now officially underway, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Yamamoto to debut in Game 2:

The first game of the regular season is still ongoing in Seoul, where Shohei Ohtani is making his Dodgers regular season debut and where left-hander Yuki Matsui has already made his MLB debut with the Padres. Game 2 of the series will once again begin at 5:05am CT tomorrow morning, and will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN in addition to streaming on MLB.TV. Game 2 of the series will begin with the MLB debut of right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed the largest contract for a pure starting pitcher ever back in December. In his debut, the 25-year-old phenom will take on veteran righty Joe Musgrove, who pitched to a strong 3.05 ERA last season despite being limited to just 17 starts by shoulder and toe injuries.

2. Rodriguez dealing with lat issue:

The Diamondbacks left yesterday’s game against the Cubs facing a major injury scare as left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez exited his start in discomfort after just one inning of work. As relayed by Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports, manager Torey Lovullo indicated to reporters after the game that Rodriguez had departed due to lat tightness. Lovullo initially indicated that his level of concern regarding Rodriguez’s health was “minimal,” though he acknowledged that the severity of the issue would become clearer today.

The reigning NL champions’ most noteworthy offseason addition, Rodriguez signed with the club on a four-year deal back in December on the heels of an excellent 2023 season with the Tigers that saw him pitch to a 3.30 ERA with a 3.66 FIP in 152 2/3 innings of work. Entering the 2024 season, Rodriguez figures to slot into the club’s rotation between right-handers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, with Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson likely bringing up the rear. Should Rodriguez’s lat problem prove serious enough to a require a trip to the injured list to open the season, Arizona would likely turn to Tommy Henry or Bryce Jarvis to fill in for the southpaw in the club’s rotation.

3. Will the pitching market stay hot post-Snell?

Now that the Giants have announced their two-year deal with southpaw Blake Snell, the top remaining free agent starter is officially off the market. It’s the second major pitching in the past week, joined by San Diego pulling off a surprise blockbuster trade with the White Sox to land right-hander Dylan Cease. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery and right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger are all still looking for teams. Rumors from earlier this month suggested that Montgomery was searching for a seven-year deal in free agency, while Lorenzen was searching for a two-year deal and Clevinger’s agent recently suggested his client was angling for a one-year pact.

Montgomery has long been tied to the Red Sox, while Lorenzen has been connected to the White Sox in the past and the club’s interest may have grown in the wake of the Cease deal. Meanwhile, the Yankees have been connected to both Montgomery and Lorenzen and are also known to be looking for starting pitching. The Astros are now indicating that they aren’t “actively pursuing” a rotation addition in spite of their recent pursuit of Snell, but it would hardly be a shock to see either them or the Marlins make a play for one of the remaining starters given the injury woes that have faced both clubs this spring.

With the first game of the 2024 regular season just over the horizon, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Seoul Series roster deadline:

The Dodgers and Padres will open regular season play in South Korea tomorrow morning with the first game of two regular season games occurring as part of the Seoul Series. Before right-handers Yu Darvish and Tyler Glasnow take the mound, however, the clubs will have to submit their rosters for the series. As noted by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the deadline to set rosters ahead of the games has been set for 9pm CT this evening, roughly eight hours before first pitch, which is scheduled for 5:05am CT Wednesday morning. Those roster decisions being made are fairly limited, however, as the clubs will be choosing players not from their entire organization but just the 31-man travel roster they brought to Seoul. The Padres are expected to select a pair of prospects to the 40-man roster ahead of this evening’s deadline— Opening Day center fielder Jackson Merrill and third baseman Graham Pauley— but will not need to make a corresponding move to do so as their 40-man currently stands at 36.

2. Snell to undergo physical:

The lengthy free agency of reigning NL Cy Young award winner Blake Snell has finally come to a close, as the southpaw signed on with the Giants on a two-year, $62MM deal with an opt-out after the 2024 season. The deal adds another front-of-the-rotation arm to the San Francisco pitching corps alongside Logan Webb while deepening the club’s starting rotation mix, which offered little certain behind Webb prior to the addition of Snell. The 31-year-old southpaw will have to undergo a physical before his pact with the Giants becomes official, though, and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that said physical is expected to be completed today. While the physicals players undergo prior to finalizing deals in free agency are often something of a formality, they can at times alter or even scuttle a deal. The Giants famously saw an agreed-upon 13-year, $350MM deal with shortstop Carlos Correa fall through last winter due to concerns over his physical, and more recently free agents such as James Paxton and Gary Sanchez have seen the terms of their deal revised after their physicals raised concerns for their respective new clubs.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

While the start to the regular season is right around the corner, 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.

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

1. Are the Astros in or out on Snell?

It’s been a whirlwind of a weekend for Astros fans, as the club was reported as being in “serious pursuit” of reigning NL Cy Young award winner Blake Snell. It’s easy to see why Snell would appeal to them in particular, even beyond his pair of Cy Young Awards, as Houston’s starting pitching corps will be without not only Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia Jr. but also Justin Verlander and possibly Jose Urquidy to open the season. Southpaw Framber Valdez and right-hander Cristian Javier are the top healthy starters for the ’Stros, but both took steps back from their 2022 performance last season.

While adding Snell to the mix would be a surefire way to improve the club’s rotation mix dramatically, there’s reason for skepticism about the odds of the sides coming together. Reporting yesterday described the Astros as “long-shots” to ultimately land Snell, casting doubt on the club’s willingness to offer a deal in the $30MM range, which would push them past the third threshold of the luxury tax. Speculatively speaking, the club could pivot to a more affordable rotation arm still available on the market should they be unwilling to stomach Snell’s asking price. Both Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger are still unsigned.

2. Will Pham, Padres complete deal?

While the Padres’ 2023 Cy Young award winner appears to be headed out the door, another player could be poised for a reunion in San Diego. Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham is reportedly in talks with the club on a one-year deal with a salary in the $3MM to $4MM range. The 36-year-old makes plenty of sense for the Padres, who are set to enter the Seoul Series against the Dodgers later this week with Jose Azocar and Jurickson Profar as their top options in left field alongside top prospect Jackson Merrill in center and star Fernando Tatis Jr. in right.

Both Azocar and Profar were more than 20% below league average with the bat last year per wRC+. Installing Pham, who slashed an above average .256/.328/.446 in 129 games with the Mets and Diamondbacks, as the everyday left fielder would be a substantial upgrade. Even though San Diego is a clear fit for Pham’s services, they aren’t the only suitor for the veteran. The White Sox are reportedly involved in Pham’s market as well, where the veteran would presumably serve as a right-handed complement to Dominic Fletcher and Andrew Benintendi in the outfield corners.

3. Perez meeting with surgeon:

Marlins youngster Eury Perez is reportedly dealing with elbow soreness, setting the right-hander up to likely start the season on the injured list. Its a brutal blow to Miami’s rotation plans, particularly in conjunction with the shoulder issues that both Braxton Garrett and Edward Cabrera are dealing with elsewhere in the rotation mix. The number of injuries plaguing the club’s rotation seems to be spurring an all-hands-on-deck approach to the Opening Day rotation. Even more impactful for the club than the decisions on how to fill out the rotation behind Opening Day starter Jesus Luzardo will be Perez’s reported meeting with orthopedic surgeon Keith Meister, who performed right-hander Sandy Alcantara’s Tommy John surgery back in the fall.

Such a meeting isn’t necessarily an indication that Perez is slated for a similar fate, but it’s a clear sign that the Marlins are taking the bout of soreness in Perez’s elbow seriously. Perez impressed over 91 1/3 innings of work in his rookie season last year, pitching to a 3.15 ERA with a 4.11 FIP in 19 starts in just his age-20 season.

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.