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On the surface, you might wonder how the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, would fare over a 162-game MLB schedule. That is because the roster is loaded with prospects, some of whom will make their MLB debuts this season or return to the majors to fortify the major-league roster. But the players on the Sounds' 28-player Opening Day roster are in Nashville for one reason or another. For several, they need that extra bit of seasoning because they start to cook for the Brewers. For others, it was simply a numbers issue at the MLB level. Seven of Brewer Fanatic's Top 20 prospects, including three of the top seven, begin the season with the Sounds. Already, the Brewers have tapped into that depth as they had to call up center fielder Blake Perkins, a surprise demotion, to replace injured outfielder Jackson Chourio. For the moment, the Sounds only have two listed outfielders, although some of the infielders can easily move to the outfield. Left-hander Robert Gasser will be on the mound as the Sounds open the season Friday on the road with three games against the Norfolk Tides, a Baltimore Orioles affiliate. Nashville returns home Tuesday to open its first homestand against the Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox). Three players are on the injured list. Right-handers Gerson Garabito (broken ankle) is on the 60-day IL, while relievers J.B. Bukauskas and Thomas Pannone are on the seven-day IL. Here is the roster that manager Rick Sweet will have to work with: Projected starting rotation (5) Robert Gasser, LH Logan Henderson, RH (No. 6 Brewer Fanatic prospect) Shane Drohan, LH Coleman Crow, RH Carlos Rodriguez, RH Gasser and Henderson could have easily been in the Brewers' rotation. They will undoubtedly get their shots at some point in the season. Is there anything to read into Gasser starting the season opener over Henderson? Probably not. Gasser came back from Tommy John surgery after five MLB starts to begin 2024 to make two abbreviated late-season starts and was included on the postseason roster, making a pair of relief appearances. Henderson had three call-ups and made five starts in his MLB debut season of 2025 before elbow issues shut him down prematurely. That elbow caused him to miss a little time in spring training, which may have led to him starting the season at Nashville. Drohan and Crow are exciting arms to watch. Drohan certainly would have been included in our prospect list, but was acquired from the Boston Red Sox after it was published. Both have dealt with significant injuries, with Drohan limited to 15 starts in 2025 by a forearm strain and Crow returning from Tommy John surgery to make 12 starts. The 24-year-old Rodriguez has been pushed down the depth chart, but has made five MLB appearances for the Crew over the last to seasons. Projected bullpen (9) Kaleb Bowman, RH Will Childers, RH Joe Corbett, RH Brian Fitzpatrick, LH Blake Holub, RH Tate Kuehner, LH Easton McGee, RH Sammy Peralta, LH Drew Rom, RH Garrett Stallings, RH Peter Strzelecki, RH Jacob Waguespeck, RH While technically there are no prospects in the bullpen, there are plenty of talented arms. McGee was bumped off the Brewers' Opening Day roster by the acquisition of right-hander Jake Woodford on Tuesday. Holub, Kuehner, Peralta, and Waguespeck are some of the other interesting arms who could find their way to Milwaukee at some point this season. Catcher (3) Jeferson Quero (No. 7 prospect) Andrick Nava Ramon Rodriguez Quero is the Brewers' catcher of the future, perhaps starting in 2027, depending on whether William Contreras is still around. Quero dealt with surgery on his right labrum after being injured in the 2024 season opener for the Sounds, then had a cranky hamstring that delayed the start of his 2025 season, and later injured his left shoulder. Quero is terrific defensively, but his throwing has not been as good as it was before the surgery. His power, which produced 16 homers in 90 games in 2024 and 11 in 69 last year, has been slow to return, but improved as 2025 wore on. Getting his arm back up to par and showing off his hit tool (.276/.353/.453 career slash line in the minors) will be key. Infield (8) Luke Adams, 3B (No. 13 prospect) Tyler Black, 1B-LF Eddys Leonard Ethan Murray Cooper Pratt, SS (No. 4 prospect) Brock Wilken, 3B (No. 15 prospect) Jett Williams, SS-2B-CF (No. 3 prospect) Freddy Zamora Sweet will be like a kid in a candy store with this talented group. With only two outfielders to begin with, Williams is likely to get more time in the outfield to begin the season. Otherwise, Sweet will be able to roll out a number of different combinations. Williams' versatility is the key to that, while Pratt is likely to play a position other than shortstop for the first time since just after he was drafted in 2023 and had three games at second base in the Arizona Complex League. Williams, a consensus top-75 prospect, could force his way onto the Brewers' roster with a good first-half showing. He struggled in 34 games after being promoted by the New York Mets to Triple-A last year. Adams and Wilken will probably alternate at the two corner infield spots, with Black, who had a strong spring, also seeing time at first. Adams further developed his power in 2025, but still topped out at 11 homers for the season. He did hit three homers in 16 Arizona Fall League games. Wilken is looking to stay healthy after two freak injuries marred his last two seasons (hit in the face by a pitch, knee injury while celebrating the first-half title). Still, Wilken produced 18 homers in 79 games in 2025. Outfield (2) Greg Jones Luis Lara (No. 11 prospect) Lara's defense is the star attraction, which bodes well for him eventually fitting into the Brewers' roster. But he has also made improvements at the plate. He had a .257/.369/.343 with 44 steals in 51 attempts. In three seasons since coming Stateside, Lara has translated his speed into 121 steals in 152 attempts. Unfortunately, the power is nonexistent, with eight homers in that same timespan. Any improvement there would help raise his profile for his eventual MLB debut. View the full article

MIAMI — Two hours prior to the first pitch of the 2026 season, the Miami Marlins announced Christopher Morel strained his left oblique and was scratched from the starting lineup. There is no further update on his status as of midgame. Morel signed with the Marlins over the offseason on a one-year, $2 million deal. The 26-year-old was slated to get a bulk of his reps at first base, a position he had never played in the majors. He mostly played all three outfield spots, along with second base, third, and shortstop in his four years with the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays. The Marlins ran into injury troubles in the final week of spring training, losing outfielders Kyle Stowers (right hamstring strain) and Esteury Ruiz (left oblique strain) on the same night. The Marlins have preached defensive versatility for years, but even more so under second-year manager Clayton McCullough. Whoever gets slotted into first base will have had experience there in the regular season or this most recent iteration of spring training. Here’s how that spot can be filled: Connor Norby This is the natural place to start. In a pinch, Norby was slotted into the first base spot Friday after Morel was scratched. Originally a third baseman his first two years in Miami, Norby got reps in the outfield and first base this spring. During McCullough’s pregame media availability Friday—before Morel’s injury was announced—he said Norby would see “quite a bit of action” at first base. Liam Hicks The Marlins carried three catchers on their roster for a few months last year, with Hicks, veteran Nick Fortes, and highly-rated prospect Agustín Ramírez all vying for playing time. Hicks was able to stay in the lineup by playing 28 games at first base, racking up one out above average, according to Baseball Savant. Side note on another catcher that some fans have asked to go to first base: the Marlins have made it very clear that Ramírez will continue getting reps as a catcher only. Deyvison De Los Santos De Los Santos is currently the only member of the 40-man roster who considers first base his primary position. Promoting him would be an easy choice, albeit an ill-advised one at this time. The right-handed power hitter Miami got in a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks raised his walk rate from 5.2% in 2024 to 8.1% in 2025, his highest in his Triple-A career. But his power still hasn’t adjusted to playing at sea level. Even in the pitcher-friendly International League he plays in now, his slugging percentage of .363 last season was paltry. Assuming that De Los Santos remains in Jacksonville for the near future, the Marlins would still need to call up a position player of some kind to fill Morel's spot on the active roster. View the full article

The Fish On First staff makes their series predictions for the three-game set between the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies.View the full article

Marlins right-hander Chris Paddack speaks with Fish On First about the significance of Opening Day at this stage of his career and preparing for a full-circle moment when he pitches on Monday. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs' reported agreement with second baseman Nico Hoerner on a six-year contract extension creates multiple knock-on effects, including clarity on Matt Shaw's role with the club going forward. Simply put, Hoerner staying in Chicago further blocks Shaw on the infield. He is now behind third baseman Alex Bregman, shortstop Dansby Swanson, and Hoerner on the depth chart for the foreseeable future. Those players don't take many days off, either. An injury will be Shaw's main hope of getting back on the dirt full time for the Cubs. That's why it's important for him to take advantage of the team's decision to try him in right field while Seiya Suzuki is on the injured list. His regular-season debut at the position was a qualified success. After a 50-inning instructional course in spring training, the 24-year-old Shaw got the start in right on Opening Day at Wrigley Field, batting ninth against Washington Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli. Right from the start, he was challenged in the field. In the top of the second inning, Washington right fielder Daylen Lile hit a 97.6 mph line drive toward the well in deep right. Shaw began drifting back to the warning track. A strong wind was pushing the ball away from him. As the ball passed over his head, Shaw jumped awkwardly, not sure where he was in relation to the wall. He got his glove up in time to make the catch. This was not a routine play -- Statcast gave Lile's drive a .311 xBA. Two innings later, Shaw had his first outfield assist with the help of Nats shortstop C.J. Abrams. But Shaw deserves credit for making a nice play, as well. He raced into the corner to get to Abrams' liner off the wall, taking a good angle to play the carom. He hit Hoerner with the relay throw, and then Hoerner threw to Swanson to retire Abrams, who loafed out of the batter's box. In the eighth, Shaw showed off the glove again as he tracked down another Lile liner. This one was measured at 98.4 mph off the bat and given a .380 xBA. So, the early verdict on the outfield defense is that Shaw has potential. He can lean on his physical tools until he learns angles and jumps. But there's also the offensive component to this experiment, and Shaw already isn't being trusted with the bat. After going 0-for-3 (no strikeouts, 82.0 mph average exit velocity) on Thursday, he was lifted for pinch hitter Michael Conforto in the bottom of the eighth. The Cubs had runners at first and second with one out in an 8-4 game. The left-handed swinging Conforto struck out against Nats right-hander Clayton Beeter, and the Cubs went on to lose 10-4. The right-handed hitting Shaw's platoon splits in 2025 -- a 125 wRC+ vs. left-handers and a 82 wRC+ vs. right-handers -- made the switch easy for manager Craig Counsell. It's a tough ask for him to improve that part of his game as he learns multiple new positions, but even having the pedigree of a tough prospect isn't a guarantee to playing time. The balance needs to shift before Shaw can be more than just a utility guy with the Cubs. View the full article

Aroldis Chapman closed out Opening Day’s victory in typical Chapman fashion. He carried himself with the confidence and swagger you want from the man tasked with shutting the door on the opposition night after night. He tossed 11 pitches to claim his first save of the season, but something felt different about this outing. Even if you weren’t watching the radar gun on the (now much larger) NESN score bug, the southpaw's fastball looked like it lacked the zip we’re accustomed to. We were spoiled last year when he would reach back and sling it over 100 mph, but he still averaged an impressive 98.4 mph in 2025. That was more than five miles per hour faster than the average for left-handed pitchers last season. His so far lone outing in 2026 saw him average out at 97.3 mph. That’s still ridiculously fast, no question about it, but the pitch lacked the movement and control he brought to the table last year. Could this just be early season rust he’s shaking off, or is his age finally starting to catch up to him? If we look back at Chapman’s spring training stats, it starts to paint a clearer picture. He appeared in seven games posting a 5.40 ERA over 6.2 innings, allowing four earned runs, one home run, three walks, and 10 strikeouts. While spring training stats need to be taken with a giant grain of salt, especially when Chapman was clearly only throwing his off-speed pitches at the end of the Grapefruit League season, it’s hard to ignore what seems to be some form of regression over a (very) small sample size. Chapman’s pitch mix on Opening Day was something else that peaked my curiosity. In 2025, Chapman features his four-seam fastball as his primary pitch, throwing it 40% of the time. His second-most-used pitch was his sinker, clocking in at a 34% usage rate, followed by his slider and splitter at 15% and 11%, respectively. During his first save of 2026, though, things were different. His four-seam fastball was still his primary pitch at 55% usage, but his slider was his second most used at 27%, then the splitter and sinker tied for third at 9%. While those percentages are sure to change throughout the season, him leaning on his four-seamer more than half the time while only throwing his sinker once was surprising. Logic would tell us that since his pitches were all clocking in slower than usual, that his command would have been spot on. If you were watching the game, you’d know that was far from the truth. Gone was the Chapman who was throwing gas while painting the corners that we grew accustomed to in 2025, and back was the Chapman that seemed to not quite know where the ball was going once it left his hand. If we look at his heat maps from the outing on Opening Day, we see a pitcher struggling to find the zone. If his slider is going to miss high like that this season, he’s going to get knocked around eventually. Rust is likely playing a big factor here; he wasn’t able to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, which robbed him of some leverage outing during his tune-up for the season. If you're optimistic, that's the stance you'll take. But Father Time waits for no one. Chapman is 38 years old and has had a storied major league career. His resurgence to top-tier closer in 2025 was remarkable, and he was rewarded with a contract extension late in the season, but there were calls from some people to cut bait and trade him at the deadline last year because they didn’t believe that the resurgence was sustainable. If he is starting to feel his age, it’s entirely possible that we’ve seen the best version of Chapman come and go. Even a version of the closer who is at 75% of what he was last year would be effective, but it'd make late-game situations far more nerve-racking for the Red Sox. This is something to monitor, at least while the cold weather permeates the late-spring schedule. If Chapman's heat rises with the weather, this may be a conversation we can avoid having for a while yet. View the full article

Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine speaks with Fish On First about experiencing Opening Day for the second time in his career, learning first base and much more.View the full article

Beck Bradford loves making outrageous claims in the Hrbek's Heroes group chat. "This is the year that they put a roof on Target Field so they can do monster truck rallies in December" reads one text. "Ron Gardenhire will prove the existence of Godzilla with a shaky cellphone video and an eyewitness account from Nick Punto" reads another. "He keeps the chat from getting bogged down in stats or charged emotions," said Eric Bauer, another group chat participant who grew up in Apple Valley with Bradford. "He keeps it light." But when it came time for their annual Twins prediction thread, what might have seemed like a joke at first now raises the eerie specter of sorcery, even prophecy. "We were all pretty negative, just from the payroll cuts and last year's fire sale," said Andy Schmit, the group chat's founder and fellow Apple Valley native. "Not a ton of optimism. But Beck checked in with one simple message: '0-162.' No follow up joke like usual. In fact, he hasn't said another word to any of us since sending it on Monday night." "I think the rest of us thought, oh yeah, good one Bradford," said Bauer. "Classic overreaction bit. But then..." "Then we all watched the opener on Thursday, and literally everything about it made 0-162 seem reasonable," said Schmit. "Wasted a great start by their best pitcher, couldn't do a damn thing on offense, and the anonymous bullpen faltered. It looked like..." "It looked like 0-162 wasn't a joke, but perhaps something darker," said Jonah Guilford, a professor of parapsychology at St. Olaf and Hrbek's Heroes group chat member since 2021. "I've often wondered if Beck had the gift of the second sight. We'll see how the season plays out. I thought he was doing a bit, but as the game wore on it all seemed so plausible." Bradford, whose had notifications silenced since making the prediction, was unavailable for comment. Sources say he is on spring break with his family but that is unconfirmed as this edition of Twins Daily went to press. "I'll be honest, I'm terrified," said Bauer. "Last month Beck got rid of his gas-guzzling SUV for a Rivian because he didn't think gas prices could possible stay as low as they were. I don't even think he watches the news. He just...knew. "I'm hoarding supplies, I guess is what I'm saying." Image license here. View the full article

Coming into 2026, a lot of the conversation around the Minnesota Twins farm system has centered on high-profile arms like Connor Prielipp and Kendry Rojas. But internally, there is another name that keeps coming up. “I think John Klein’s a guy to look for,” St. Paul Saints pitching coach Ryan Ricci said. “Just watching the improvements he made last year, gaining velo, fine-tuning his off speeds… a guy that is going to be able to carry a lot of innings and pitch in some different roles.” That idea of different roles is a big part of what makes Klein such an interesting piece of this system heading into 2026. The season begins tonight at CHS Field when the Saints host a three-game weekend series against speedy Braiden Ward, old friend Mickey Gasper, top prospects Payton Tolle, Mikey Romero, and the Worcester Red Sox. Tickets are still available. At 23 years old, he doesn’t necessarily jump off the page in the same way as some of those top prospects. But in a lot of ways, he is tracking right alongside them. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander out of Brooklyn Park looks the part immediately, with a frame that’s more reminiscent of an NFL tight end than a typical pitcher. And over the last year, he has started to turn that physicality into real production. Klein logged 106 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last season, finishing with a 3.98 ERA, 128 strikeouts, and 37 walks. At Double-A, he was especially steady, posting a 3.12 ERA across 80 2/3 innings before earning a promotion. His Triple-A numbers look rough at first glance with a 6.66 ERA, but the underlying data tells a very different story. His FIP sat at just 3.30, and his strikeout rate actually improved to a very strong 11.6 K/9. A spike in walks and a .373 BABIP played a major role in his inflated ERA, and both are areas that tend to stabilize over time. In other words, his performance was better than the results. That progress is a big reason why the Twins have been intentional with how they have developed him. “There’s a couple factors,” Ricci said. “For John, he started on that length reliever role where you’re still accumulating innings on a little bit shorter rest. We didn’t want to fully commit to the bullpen but also keep the door open to starting.” That hybrid role isn't new. The Twins began using it throughout the organization to allow more pitchers the ability to throw more innings. We saw it with Travis Adams and Pierson Ohl who made their MLB debuts in 2025. The role allowed Klein to do two things at once. He was able to build up his workload, while also getting the type of between outing work that typically comes with being on a starter’s schedule. “He performed his way into the conversation of, ‘This guy might be able to start long term,’” Ricci said. “Being on that starter plan gave him the bullpens he needed to really fine-tune the off-speed pitches and get more reps.” That development shows up when you look at his arsenal. Klein already features a fastball, sinker, slider, curveball, and changeup, and this spring he added a sweeper to his mix to give hitters another look. His fastball and sinker were consistently touching 96 miles per hour this spring after sitting around 94-95 last season, giving him a solid foundation to work off of. The next step is continuing to sharpen everything around it. Klein’s first pitch strike rate sat below 50 percent last season, an area that needs to improve. Getting ahead in counts is one of the simplest ways to change an at-bat, and even elite hitters like Shohei Ohtani see a dramatic drop off when they fall behind early. Last season, Ohtani hit .329 when working from a 1-0 count, compared to just .227 when pitchers got ahead with a first-pitch strike. For Klein, that is where a lot of the upside still lives. His stuff is good enough, his frame is built to handle innings, and the role flexibility gives him multiple paths to the major leagues. Because while the Twins have not fully committed to him as a starter, they also have not closed that door. At the same time, there is a very real scenario where Klein carves out a role as a multi-inning reliever. Someone who can give you two or three innings at a time, a couple times a week, and help stabilize a pitching staff over the course of a long season. That kind of pitcher does not always get the same attention but is a valuable piece to have. And with the way Klein has developed over the last year, he is putting himself in a position to be exactly that. He may not be the flashiest name in the Twins system, but between his progress, versatility, and the underlying numbers, he is absolutely one to watch in 2026. For much more Twins Daily content on John Klein and his rise through the Twins organization, click here. View the full article

After becoming the first team to win back-to-back World Series since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers are trying to do something that hasn't been done since... the very same Yankees. The Dodgers brought back of its postseason roster and added a couple of superstars to its stable full of star players. There is little question that as the 2026 season begins, the Dodgers are not only the clear-cut favorite in the NL West—it figures to be a three-way battle for second place between the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks—but the best team in all of baseball. So the path back to the World Series, as of now, appears fairly clear. Only one other team since the Yankees of the 1950s (five in a row) has won three straight: the 1972-74 Oakland A's. Dodgers' Notable Offseason Moves There wasn't a whole lot the Dodgers had to do this offseason despite losing a handful of players to free agency (Michael Kopech, Michael Conforto, Kirby Yates, Andrew Heaney) or retirement (Clayton Kershaw). None of those players had a key role in the postseason. Still, the Dodgers did what the Dodgers do: upgrade. First was adding three-time Reliever of the Year Edwin Diaz via free agency (three years, $69 million), then landing the top player on the open market in right fielder Kyle Tucker (four years, $240 million). Diaz will fortify a Dodgers bullpen that was shaky at times in finishing games, while Tucker brings a big bat to an outfield that underproduced in 2025. L.A. also brought back infielder Miguel Rojas (one year, $5.5 million), injured infielder-outfielder Enrique Hernandez (one year, $4.5 million) and injured right-handed reliever Evan Phillips (one year, $6.5 million), while giving third baseman Max Muncy a one-year extension through 2027. The Dodgers did trade away left-handed reliever Anthony Banda, shipping him to the Minnesota Twins. Projected Dodgers Lineup Shohei Ohtani, DH Kyle Tucker, RF Mookie Betts, SS Freddie Freeman, 1B Will Smith, C Max Muncy, 3B Teoscar Hernandez, LF Andy Pages, CF Miguel Rojas, 2B Adding Tucker to this top four, much less this lineup, seems unfair to opposing pitchers. He never felt like he got into a groove with the Chicago Cubs, but still produced a .266/.377/.464 slash line with 23 homers, 78 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. Hitting behind Ohtani and ahead of Betts and Freeman could yield a 30-30 season from Tucker. Betts was disappointing offensively in 2025 as his season started with an illness that sapped a bunch of weight and he battled the entire season. However, he did amazing play Gold Glove-caliber defense at shortstop. Rojas, normally a bench player, is the surprising starter at second base until Tommy Edman (right ankle surgery) returns, probably in late April. Alex Freeland will also get time at second base. Projected Dodgers Rotation Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RH Tyler Glasnow, RH Shohei Ohtani, RH Emmet Sheehan, RH Roki Sasaki, RH What else can you say about Yamamoto that hasn't already been said? He leads a rotation that will have a full season of Ohtani, who was very good on the mound in his gradual comeback from Tommy John surgery in 2025. Ohtani, who had a 1.90 FIP in 14 starts last year, will continue to take things easy in the early going, with a designated piggyback (perhaps Justin Wrobleski). Sheehan begins in the rotation as left-hander Blake Snell (left shoulder discomfort) is not expected back until perhaps early May. The Dodgers had the third-fewest innings from their starters in 2025, so a healthy Ohtani should help improve that number. If there is a question in this group, it is whether Sasaki has learned enough from his struggles last season that landed him in the minors. Following his postseason success as a reliever, he now gets another shot in the rotation. The Verdict Last year's Dodgers had the worst regular-season record at 93-69 since they had 92 wins in 2018. That gave them the No. 3 seed in the NL postseason, but that was certainly not an obstacle as they steamrolled through their three series until the thrilling seven-game World Series triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays. The only thing that truly matters for the Dodgers is winning the trophy at the end of the season. This roster is built for that to happen. View the full article

One hundred sixty-two games stretch across six months, and the rhythms of baseball tend to smooth out early noise. A bad week in April is forgotten by July; a hot stretch can dissolve just as quickly. The sport, more than any other, frowns upon small sample conclusions. The American League East has never really played by those rules. In this division, April matters. Not because it defines a season, but because it frames it. A strong start doesn’t just pad the standings; it reshapes expectations, compresses margins and quietly shifts pressure across divisional opponents who already understand how thin the line is between October baseball and disappointing seasons. And if you’ve followed the Toronto Blue Jays over the past half-decade, you’ve seen both sides of that coin. To understand why early-season performance carries more weight in the AL East, you have to start with the baseline: this is the most competitive division in baseball, year after year. It’s not just perception – it is a reality. Every team in the division, even the Rays, has tweaked their roster for a solid shot (at least on paper) of taking the division in 2026. Last year, the Jays and Yankees finished with identical 94-win seasons, and the Jays won the division by virtue of their head-to-head record. That kind of internal competition creates a unique dynamic. There are no soft landings for teams to stabilize a sluggish start. Every series often feels like it matters a little more, even in April. Historically, that pressure has shaped the division’s identity. The AL East has produced dynasties, Wild Card juggernauts and some of the tightest races in modern baseball, with every franchise claiming multiple division titles. So, when a team jumps out early, it’s not just about stacking wins, it’s about forcing everyone else to react. Baseball players will always tell you the same thing: Don’t scoreboard watch in April. Focus on the process. Trust the numbers. Let things play out. But inside a clubhouse, the standings still matter. An 8-2 start, like the Yankees opened with in 2024, doesn’t just add wins, it changes the tone. That particular run was their best 10-game start since 2020, and it immediately put them ahead of schedule in a division where every game feels like a two-game swing. Last season, the Jays started slow, amassing a record of 26-28 by May 27. That was despite a 5-2 record out of the gate. Their eight-game winning streak heading into July was the first time they’d managed that feat dating back to 2022. Momentum in baseball is a tricky concept. It’s not as simple as “hot” and “cold,” but confidence is real. Hitters expand the zone less when things are going well. Pitchers attack more aggressively. Managers manage differently when they have a cushion. And perhaps most importantly, the media narrative shifts. A team that starts 12-5 is “legitimate.” A team that starts 5-12 is “searching for answers,” even if both clubs might end up in the same place by September. In the AL East, those narratives can stick. If you want a modern example of how powerful an early-season surge can be, look back to the Rays in 2023. They exploded out of the gate, opening the season 13-0 and eventually pushing to a staggering 20-3 record by late April. Even as the Rays cooled later in the season, the cushion they built in April kept them firmly in a playoff position. It’s the clearest case study in modern baseball of why April dominance isn’t just noise in a division like this. It’s leverage. For the Blue Jays, recent seasons have shown how dramatically early performance can shape the trajectory of a year. From 2021 through 2023, Toronto consistently hovered around contention, posting win totals of 91, 92, and 89, respectively. Those teams were built on strong cores, balanced rosters and enough early-season competence to stay in the race. But 2024 told a different story. The Blue Jays stumbled to a 74–88 finish, landing at the bottom of the AL East. The season wasn’t lost in April alone; the early inconsistencies set a tone the team never managed to overcome. There’s a fundamental difference between “banking” wins early and “chasing” them late. When a team starts strong, every additional win adds to a growing reserve. Slumps become manageable. Injuries become survivable. The math works in a team’s favor. But when a team starts slowly, everything tightens. A 7–12 start doesn’t look disastrous on paper, but in the AL East, it can mean a team is suddenly five or six games back in the standings. From that point, every series carries added weight. Every loss feels amplified. And over time, that pressure compounds. We saw that with Toronto in 2024. The underlying metrics suggested a team that wasn’t dramatically worse than its recent predecessors, but the early-season struggles forced them into a reactive posture they never escaped. In other divisions, a slow start can be corrected with a strong intra-division run. You can make up ground quickly if your rivals falter or if there are weaker opponents to exploit. The AL East doesn’t offer that luxury. Every team is capable of punishing mistakes. Every lineup has depth. Every rotation can string together quality starts. That’s why early head-to-head matchups matter so much. Winning a series in April against a division rival isn’t just one tick in the win column. It’s a direct denial of a win to a competitor. It’s a double impact, and over the course of a season, those small edges accumulate. Precisely what we saw when last season came to an end with the Jays grabbing the division based on their record against the Yankees. One of the more understated effects of a strong start is how it shapes a team’s internal identity. Baseball seasons are long enough that teams tend to become what they believe they are. A club that starts 15-8 begins to see itself as a contender. Players buy into roles more quickly. Lineups stabilize. Pitching staffs settle into rhythms. Conversely, a 6-15 start invites doubt. Roles become fluid in the wrong way. Pressing at the plate leads to worse at-bats. Pitchers nibble instead of attacking. For the Blue Jays, this has been particularly evident in recent years. When their offense clicks early, when the heart of the lineup is driving the ball, and the lineup feels dangerous, they tend to carry that identity forward. When they struggle out of the gate, the inconsistency lingers. Like it or not, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been at the forefront of this rollercoaster. However, he seems to be in a good spot, building upon his historic playoff performance with a stellar WBC. When Guerrero is locked in, the entire offense tends to settle into rhythm around him, and for a team with October ambitions, that consistency is less of a luxury and more of a requirement. It’s not that April defines any team, but it introduces the version of the team they’re going to spend the next five months trying to either sustain or fix. Statistically, early-season records in baseball are less predictive than in sports with shorter seasons, like football or basketball. But they’re not meaningless. Consider this: Teams that reach 90 wins almost always avoid prolonged early slumps. Division winners frequently post winning records in April, even if modestly so. Extreme early success (like Tampa Bay’s 20–3 start) dramatically increases playoff probability, even accounting for regression. And in the AL East, where multiple teams routinely finish within a handful of games of each other, those early wins effectively replace the need for perfection later. A team that starts 18-10 can play .550 baseball the rest of the way and still finish with 90+ wins. A team that starts 10-18 needs to play at a near-elite pace just to catch up. The Blue Jays sit in an interesting position relative to these trends. They’ve experienced both ends of the spectrum: playoff-calibre consistency and division-winning success, and seasons that slipped away under the weight of early struggles. 2026 will be an interesting test for the Jays. The expectations are sky-high, but that also means additional pressure to perform. A strong start reinforces that they are the real deal and puts pressure on opponents rather than the team. The lesson isn’t that April determines their fate, but that it sets the terms. A strong start doesn’t guarantee anything, but it allows the team to dictate its own pace. A weak start forces them into reaction mode, where every adjustment feels urgent and every mistake carries more weight. In a division like the AL East, that distinction is everything. April doesn’t define a season, but in this division, it frames it in a way the rest of MLB can’t match. A strong start provides breathing room. It puts pressure on opponents. And yes, a little confidence never hurt anyone. But more than anything, it buys time. And in a division where time is always in short supply, that might be the most valuable commodity of all. View the full article

The Twins lost on Opening Day 2-1 in Baltimore. More importantly, the 2026 Sire of Fort Myers has (finally) been announced. Here's some discussion on the controversy surrounding this year's Sire of Fort Myers plus an overview and reactions from the Twins game.View the full article

Yet another season of Twins baseball is underway; the season may have started with a whimper, but there are 161 more to play. There are always lively conversations in the forums, and every week we'll highlight three of the best. We don't know what to expect from the new head of Twins baseball operations, Jeremy Zoll. While he worked and was promoted under former president of baseball operations Derek Falvey, he also spent years in other organizations, including the Dodgers under Andrew Friedman. What flavor will he bring to the Twins? OG Nick Nelson gets it started with his excellent season preview. Agree? Disagree? What say you? Not feeling the optimism this spring? Perhaps you missed a few things? What else do you look forward to? Speak up! There's been considerable change atop Twins leadership this winter. What effect might that have in the case of GM Jeremy Zoll? Twins fans weigh in... View the full article

“Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.” Alexander Pope was an 18th-century poet reflecting on our tendency to believe that better days are always ahead. Today, we celebrate the optimism of Opening Day and six more months of baseball by taking a look at some of this week's best thread topics on the Brewer Fanatic forums. Brewers: Brewers (Misiorowski) vs White Sox (Smith): 3/26/26, 1:10pm Emotions always run high with Jacob Misiorowski on the mound. The leadoff home run to Chase Meidroth tested our patience but was, in a way, on-brand for Milwaukee by Opening Day standards. Miz and our Brewer Fanatic community kept their composure on the way to the largest margin of victory to start the season since 1988. Come relive the thrills of yesterday’s game! Brewers baseball is back and even more fun with the passionate fans on Brewer Fanatic. Brewers: Season Predictions Thread Predictions are all the rage right now. Polymarket might make you wealthy, but our Season Prediction Thread can make you internet famous, at least a little bit. The consensus on the forum is to expect over 90 wins, a return to the playoffs, and team-leading performances from Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, and Brice Turang. It is always fascinating to look back at our collective preseason wisdom later in the year. It is not too late to weigh in on how you think the 2026 season will go! Minors: Spring Breakout 2026 Dozens of Milwaukee‘s top prospects were on display across two Spring Breakout games last week. This thread includes highlights and reactions, including big plays from Jett Williams, Jesús Made, Luis Peña, Eric Bitonti, Andrew Fischer, Cooper Pratt, Bishop Letson, Jaron DeBerry, and more. On a related note, the Nashville Sounds begin their regular season tonight. Be sure to follow the best minor league coverage in our Daily Minor League Link Report. Game time starts at 5:35 PM Central. The Brewers' off day is a perfect opportunity to join us in the minor league forum. View the full article

Sometimes, it's nice to just have a little luck on your side. While it isn't luck that drove the San Diego Padres draft Jackson Merrill, the Friars were fortunate that the high school shortstop took to his new position so quickly. He was rewarded with a contract extension that could have him patrolling center at Petco Park through at least the 2034 season. However, coming off an injury-marred 2025 campaign, Merrill will have to show that last year was the aberration and he is more like the 2024 phenom who took the National League by storm. Padres Center Fielders At A Glance Starter: Jackson Merrill Backup: Bryce Johnson, Ramon Laureano Depth: Jase Bowen, Nick Schnell Prospects: Ryan Wideman, Braedon Karpathios Padres fWAR ranking last year: 10th out of 30. Padres fWAR projection this year: Third out of 30. The Good When the Padres took Merrill with the 27th pick in the 2021 draft out of a Maryland high school, they thought they had their shortstop of the future. What they didn't know was they were getting their center fielder of the future. It just so happened that the Friars had a need for a center fielder entering spring training in 2024 and decided to try their 20-year-old prospect in a tough defensive position he had never played before. From there, Merrill showed that he can play anywhere on the diamond. All he did was put up a .292/.326/.500 slash line with 24 homers, 90 RBIs and 16 steals in 156 games to finish as the runner-up to Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes for NL Rookie of the Year and won the NL Silver Slugger for center. He also finished ninth in NL MVP voting. But his 2025 campaign was most definitely not a repeat performance. He signed a nine-year, $135 million contract extension at the beginning of the season that begins in 2026. Then, the injuries hit. First, it was a strained hamstring in April that sidelined him for about a month. Then, it was a concussion in mid-June that kept him out the minimum seven days. Finally, a sprained left ankle and bone bruise put him out of action for 13 days. He still put up solid numbers, with a .264/.317/.457 slash line with 16 homers and 67 RBIs. Likewise, his defense was still really good. Merrill has good speed and can cover gap to gap with ease as well as with a strong arm, offering plenty of reasons for optimism after a health-rejuvenating offseason. The Bad That being said, you have to consider Merrill's injuries when looking at the downturn in his numbers. His hamstring and ankle injuries limited his running and the concussion can have any number of effects. Merrill attempted just three steals in the entire 2025 season and was successful just once. That came after 16 steals on 19 attempts as a rookie. The lack of steals could also be because he hit in the top half of the order in 2025, with probably too many games in the cleanup spot. As a rookie, he hit ninth a lot and mainly in the bottom half of the lineup. Responsibility is a key part of being a star, but perhaps it was a jump too far for someone who is still just 22 years old. His exit velocity only dropped from 90.4 mph to 89.7 from 2024 to 2025, but that sent him from the 70th percentile to the 46th. Merrill still chases too many pitches. with his 37.8% rate in 2025 sitting in the seventh percentile. He also struck out more, although his 22.4% rate is right at the MLB average. Injuries, pressure, and perhaps just an old fashioned sophomore slump caught up with him. The Bottom Line Merrill turns 23 in April and is still learning how to be an MLB player. But the talent is undeniable; he can be one of the best center fielders in the game with his combination of offense and defense. With the changes that are being contemplated to the Padres' top of the lineup, Merrill could be better served as a leadoff or No. 2 hitter, allowing his speed to became a bit more of a factor. Notching 20 steals should be easy for someone like Merrill, who should be a much better hitter this season than he was as a sophomore. A 20-homer, 20-steal season is very attainable, and he could challenge for 100 runs if he is ahead of Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. in the lineup. If injuries hamper Merrill again, Bryce Johnson is a capable backup who had a breakthrough offensively in 2025, putting up a .342/.383/.434 slash line in 84 plate appearances. Ramon Laureano also has center field experience, as he showed in 14 games with the Padres after being acquired at the trade deadline. View the full article

Can the Toronto Blue Jays make the uphill trek back to the World Series and get the job done this year? In this video, we break down the team's strengths, drawbacks, key offseason transactions and players who need to step up to bring the Jays to the mountaintop in 2026. Enjoy!View the full article

Sweet Lou and Ol Gregg break down Opening Day in excruciating detail, from performance, to manager decisions, to fan reaction. What does this mean for Trevor Larnach (and Royce Lewis, and Justin Topa, and Joe Ryan)? Listen using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twins-off-daily-podcast/id1741266056 Listen using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tb78XlurcPTYYSsARdbD7 Listen using iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-twins-off-daily-podcas-167548600/ Listen using Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/nvclbt0w Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twinsdaily View the full article

Often when a publication talks about "longest-tenured" players, they are referring to big-league service time. I like to look at it a bit differently. How long has a player been in the Minnesota Twins organization? When did that player sign with the Twins, whether they were drafted, an international signing, a Rule 5 pick, and MLB free agent, etc.? I include the word "consecutively" because if a player leaves the organization for any time and then comes back. When Torii Hunter came back to the Twins for his final season in 2015, he had been away for seven seasons. Similarly, there are two interesting cases on the 2026 roster. First, Taylor Rogers is back. He was drafted by the Twins in 2012 out of the University of Kentucky and remained in the organization until Opening Day 2022 when he was traded to the Padres. After six big-league seasons with the Twins, he played for five organizations over the past four seasons. He's back, but he's not near the top of the list. The second example is much more difficult to decide. Cody Laweryson was the Twins 14th round draft pick in 2019 out of the University of Maine. He remained with the Twins through the 2025 season. It was great to see him get called up to the big leagues with the Twins, even if it was just for the final two weeks of the season. He pitched well in that small sample size. However, following the season, the Twins DFAd the tall, right-hander with the deceptive delivery. I wasn't surprised that the Los Angeles Angels claimed him on November 6. I also wasn't surprised that he remained on the Angels 40-man roster throughout the entire offseason. However, just as spring training was to start, the Angels DFAd and released him. A week later, Laweryson was in Fort Myers, signing at minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. Six weeks later, many may have been surprised to learn that he had earned his spot on the Twins Opening Day roster. Tremendous story! Should he be on this list? This list has always included the word "consecutive," but he was with another organization for four months. He probably never got a paycheck from the Angels. He never played in a game with the Angels. But the word consecutive is pretty definitive. So, while Laweryson would otherwise be inside the Top 10 longest-tenured Twins, he isn't on the list. So that's why I just wrote a big paragraph about him. Without further ado, have you jotted down your guesses for which 12 (or 25) players have been in the Twins organization the longest. I feel like, of the Top 12, most Twins fans will be able to name nine or 10 of the players. Let us know how you did. Honorable Mentions Before we get to the 12 players who have been in the organization the longest consecutively, here are the next 13 on the list of Top 25 longest-tenured Twins players. #25 - Joe Ryan - Trade - 7/22/21 #20 - Travis Adams - Draft - 7/21/21 #20 - David Festa - Draft - 7/21/21 #20 - Jaylen Nowlin - Draft - 7/21/21 #20 - Jake Rucker - Draft - 7/21/21 #20 - Kyler Fedko - Draft - 7/21/21 #16 - Cleiber Maldonado - IFA - 1/15/21 #16 - Jose Olivares - IFA - 1/15/21 #16 - Yasser Mercedes - IFA - 1/15/21 #16 - Danny De Andrade - IFA - 1/15/21 #15 - Kala’i Rosario - 2020 draft - 7/1/20 #14 - Aaron Sabato - 2020 draft - 6/23/20 #13 - Marco Raya - 2020 draft - 6/18/20 THE TOP 12 LONGEST-TENURED TWINS #10T - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez - July 2, 2019 I’ll lump these three players together for this exercise. Before Covid, the international signing period started on July 2nd (changed to January 15th in 2021). The players would sign, but they would not play in DSL games that season. They would make their professional debut the next summer. However, with Covid, there wasn’t a 2020 minor league season. So, this group really had to wait from July 2nd, 2019, until May of 2021 to make their professional debuts. Emmanuel Rodriguez was the big signing that year from the Twins, $2.5 million. Once he started playing and showing his skill set, he flew up the Twins prospect ranking showing power and the ability to get on base at a very high percentage. He swings and misses a lot, but he is an electric ballplayer who gets on base, hits the ball hard, runs the bases, and plays good defense. He really just needs to stay healthy and then… an opportunity. #10T - C/OF Ricardo Olivar - July 2, 2019 Olivar signed that same day but for a $20,000 bonus from Venezuela. Obviously he came in with a lot less fanfare than Rodriguez, but once he got to play, he showed big-league potential. He began in the FCL in 2021 and hit .204 but got on base 34% He repeated the level in 2022 and this time hit .349/.442/.605 (1.05 WHIP) with 12 homers, three triples, and five home runs. He moved up to the Mighty Mussels in 2023, and in 100 games, he hit .285/.403/.452 (.855) with 28 doubles and 10 homers. He was also 12-for-13 in steal attempts. In 2024, he played 81 games in Cedar Rapids and hit .275/.381/.441 (.822) with 19 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs. He ended the season with 19 games in Wichita. That’s where he spent the 2025 season. In 93 games, he hit .264/.356/.412 (.768) with 13 doubles and 13 home runs, and 13 stolen bases. #10T - RHP Miguelangel Boadas - July 2, 2019 Boadas also signed out of Venezuela to an undisclosed signing bonus. Boadas is the least known of this group, but that is because he has missed time due to injury most years. He debuted in 2021 in the DL. In 12 games and 34 2/3 innings, he posted a 3.63 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He came to the States in 2012 and pitched 12 games out of the FCL Twins bullpen. He posted a 5.53 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. In 2023, he made 11 starts for Fort Myers and went 0-2 with a 7.75 ERA in 36 innings. He moved up to Cedar Rapids where he started eight games of the 11 he pitched in. However, in early June, he was placed on the injured list. In July, he was moved to the 60-Day Injured list and underwent Tommy John surgery. He missed the rest of the season and all of the 2025 season. The Twins sent him to the Arizona Fall League after the season. He pitched in four games and posted a 1.54 ERA in 11 2/3 innings. He also pitched in the Fall Stars game and the league’s championship game. He was hitting 97 mph with the fastball and showing a sharp slider. #9 - RHP Matt Canterino - June 23, 2019 This name might surprise you. Matt Canterino was the Twins 2nd round pick in 2019 out of Rice University. That summer, he made seven short starts between the GCL and Cedar Rapids. He didn't pitch in 2020. In 2021, he began the season in now-High-A Cedar Rapids. He made five starts and posted a 0.86 ERA over 21 innings with 43 strikeouts and four walks. But then he was hurt and didn’t pitch for the Kernels the rest of the season. In 2022, he moved up to Wichita and pitched in 11 games (10 starts). He had a 1.83 ERA. In 34 1/3 innings, he had 50 strikeouts. With his immense talent and stuff, the Twins added him to the 40-man roster. He came to spring trainings and looked great, but each year, he had an issue with his elbow, forearm, or shoulder. He hasn’t pitched in a regular-season game since 2022. After spring training in 2025, the Twins removed him from the 40-man roster. He had surgery, and the Twins signed him to a new two-year, minor-league deal. He will start the 2026 season on the 60-Day Injured List for St. Paul. And he’s a really good guy that so many people want to see have an extended period of health and an opportunity to get some big-league time. #8 - OF Matt Wallner - June 17, 2019 Wallner went to Forest Lake High School and was named Mr. Minnesota as the state’s top high school senior baseball player. Big leaguers Michael Busch and Isaac Collins were also finalists that season. The Twins drafted him, as a pitcher, in 2016. He wisely went the college route. . He had previously committed to play at the University of North Dakota where he was going to pitch. However, UND cancelled their baseball program. Wallner found his way down to Southern Mississippi. He pitched as a closer the first couple of seasons. But ultimately, he was a three-time All American thanks to his powerful draft. The Twins drafted him again in 2019, this time with the 39th overall pick. Like most minor leaguers, Wallner didn’t play at all in 2020 which makes it even more impressive that he made his MLB debut late in the 2022 season. He split both 2023 and 2024 between St. Paul and the big leagues. He would struggle, mash in Triple-A and then come up and play well including the power. He was worth 2.2 bWAR both of those years despite playing in just 76 and 75, respectively. His OPS’s were .877 and .894 In 2025, Wallner played in 104 games. He hit .202/.311/.464 (.776). He hit 16 doubles and 22 homers. However, it came in at just 0.6 bWAR. Few hitters in the game hit the ball harder than Wallner when he does make contact. After a slow start this spring, Wallner hit .333/.439/.604 (1.043) with four doubles and three homers. We know that there is little connection between spring training stats and regular season stats, but it would be amazing to see what numbers Wallner could put up if he’s healthy and maintains that 1.000 OPS! #6T - RHP Cole Sands - June 18, 2018 Sands was well known in baseball circles in his high school years and was drafted in 2015. Instead of signing, he went to Florida State. Three years later, the Twins made him their fifth round draft pick. He made his pro debut in 2019 and pitched for Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers before ending the season with one start for Double-A Pensacola. After not pitching in 2020, he posted a 2.46 ERA over 19 games and 80 1/3 innings. He had 96 strikeouts. He moved up to St. Paul in 2022. He had 72 strikeouts over 61 2/3 innings. He also made his big-league debut that season. He pitched in 11 games (3 starters) and went 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA over 30 2/3 innings. In 2023, he transitioned fully to the bullpen. In 19 games in St. Paul, he posted a 1.47 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. He had 41 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 30 2/3 innings. In 15 relief appearances with the Twins, he posted a 3.74 ERA over 21 2/3 innings. Sands had a breakout season of sorts for the Twins in 2024. He went 9-1 with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. In 71 1/3 innings over 62 outings, he had 85 strikeouts to just 12 walks. He took a small step backwards in 2025. In 72 innings over 69 games, he posted a 4.50 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and had 64 strikeouts and 19 walks. With most of his teammates traded at the trade deadline last year, he will need to be reliable in 2026 if the Twins want to have a chance. He’s fully capable, when healthy. #6T - OF Trevor Larnach - June 18, 2018 Larnach led an impressive ensemble cast at Oregon State to the 2018 College World Series championship. That year, his junior season, he hit .348/.463/.652 (1.116) with 19 doubles and 19 homers. That summer, the Twins made him the 20th overall pick in the draft. He spent a few weeks at Elizabethton and a month in Cedar Rapids that year. He split the 2019 season between Fort Myers and Pensacola and hit .309/.384/.458 (.842). Larnach spent the 2020 Covid season in St. Paul. Then very early in the 2021 season, he received his first promotion to the big leagues. He played in 51 big-league games in 2022 and hit .231/.306/.406 (.712) with 13 doubles and five homers. That was worth 1.4 bWAR which is the highest mark of his career. In 2024, he hit .259/.338/.434 (.771) with 17 doubles and 15 home runs. That was worth 1.3 bWAR. Last season, Larnach played in a career-high 142 games. He hit .250/.323/.404 (.727) with 24 doubles and 17 home runs. That produced an OPS+ of 99, and his bWAR was just 0.1. Since he primarily DHd in 2025, there were a lot of questions about bringing him back or even tendering him a contract for the season. They did, and he hasn’t been traded. Now it is incumbent upon him to produce. He is under team control through the 2027 season. #4T - LHP Kody Funderburk - June 13, 2018 An All-American first baseman at Mesa Community College and then Dallas Baptist, the Twins drafted him in the 15th round as a pitcher. He had pitched in college, but the majority (big majority) of his college success was with the bat. The southpaw was given the opportunity to start for several years of development. Midway through the 2022 season, he made the transition to the bullpen. He started the 2023 season at Double-A but quickly moved up to Triple-A St. Paul. He ended the season with 11 games in the big leagues. He gave up just one run on six hits over 12 innings in 11 games. He struggled in 2024 in the big league and in St. Paul. He came back in 2025 and was quite solid, especially in the season’s second half. The Twins have three lefties in their Opening Day bullpen but being able to work with and learn from Taylor Rogers and Anthony Banda while sitting out in the bullpen with LaTroy Hawkins, 2026 should be a big season for Funderburk. He has another four seasons of team control before becoming a free agent. #4T - C Ryan Jeffers - June 13, 2018 After three seasons with an OPS over 1.000 at UNC Wilmington, the Twins made Jeffers their second-round pick. The choice surprised many in the “Draft Expert” industry. Many questioned his defense, but the Twins scouts saw a guy with strong defensive potential with some development and techniques. After the draft, he played for Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids (then Low-A). In 2019, he split time between High-A Fort Myers and Double-A Pensacola. Combined, he hit .264 with 16 doubles and 14 homers. It was enough for him to be included on the Twins developmental squad in 2020. Because of injury, he was called up to the Twins and played in 26 out of the 60 games and more than held his own, posting a .791 OPS with three homers. The next two seasons saw ups but also plenty of downs including some time back in the minors. Both years, he posted a batting average under .210 and an OPS under .675.The past three seasons, he has split backstop duties with Christian Vazquez. In 2023, he had his best season to date, hitting .276 (.858) with 15 doubles and 14 homers. In 2024, he hit just .226, but had 22 doubles and 21 homers. He continued to basically split time behind the plate, but he also got quite a bit of time as the Twins DH. In 2025, he had some really strong peripherals but less home runs (9). As we hit Opening Day, Jeffers can become a free agent at the end of the 2026 World Series. Should the Twins attempt to extend him so that he can remain on this list next year? #3 - RHP Bailey Ober - June 22, 2017 The Twins selected Bailey Ober out of the College of Charleston with their 12th round pick in 2017. He had been an All American as a freshman but needed Tommy John surgery and missed his sophomore season. While his star had less shine, he came back, pitched and helped his team win. In college, he went 24-9. In the minor leagues, he had a record of 20-5 with a 2.41 ERA (rookie league through AAA). The Twins were also very patient with him because of the injury concerns. But when he pitched, he was great. He didn’t pitch at all in 2020. So it was somewhat surprising that he was called up to the Twins early in the 2021 season and made 20 starts as a rookie. He made just 11 starts in 2022 due to a leg injury. He took off in 2023. He was 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 26 starts. He had 146 strikeouts in 144 1/3 innings. In 2024, he had 191 strikeouts in 178 2/3 innings over 31 starts. Both seasons were worth 3.0 bWAR. He struggled in 2025 and went 6-9 with a 5.10 ERA. In 146 1/3 innings, he had 120 strikeouts. He enters the 2026 season as the Twins #2 starter. There are certainly concerns entering the season about his reduced velocity. That will certainly be worth watching. #2 - 3B Royce Lewis - June 17, 2017 For just the second time in Twins history, and the first time in 34 years, the Twins lost over 100 games. It was an organization-worst 103 losses. Because of that, the Twins earned the #1 overall pick in the 2017 draft. The Twins were thrilled to select Royce Lewis with the top pick out of JSerra Catholic High School in California. He quickly signed and then homered in his first professional at-bat in the GCL. Lewis’s career has been filled with ups and downs. He was a Top 10 prospect in 2018 and 2019. The Twins had him working at their alternate site (CHS Field) in 2020, and then he missed the 2021 season with a torn ACL. He returned in 2022 and even hit .300 over a dozen games in the big leagues. Unfortunately, he tore the ACL again and missed another year of playing time. In 58 games in 2023, he hit .309 with 15 homers. In 2024, he homered in his first at-bat, but then he got hurt running out a double in his second at-bat and missed about two months. He played 82 games in 2024, and 106 games in 2025. Combined, he hit .235/.288/.416 (.705) with 34 doubles and 29 homers. 2026 marks his second of four arbitration seasons, so he can’t become a free agent until after the 2028 season. #1 - OF Byron Buxton - June 13, 2012 After nearly a decade of competitive teams, the 2011 Twins were not a good baseball team. They finished 63-99. The only positive of that season was that they truly earned the second overall pick in the 2012 draft. The Astros took Carlos Correa with the first pick. The Twins selected prep outfielder Byron Buxton with the next pick and signed him on June 13, 2012. In the minors, he was once a minor-league player of the year, and twice the #1 overall prospect in the game. He debuted in June of 2015, at just 21. He wasn’t ready, but he filled a need. In 2017, Buxton not only won the Gold Glove award, but he was named the Platinum Glove winner. You all know the story. Injuries cut into his playing time. After playing 140 games in 2017, he didn’t play in 100 or more games until he played 102 games in 2024. In 2025, he put together, arguably, the best season of his career. He played in 126 games and hit .264/.327/.551 (.878) with 21 doubles, seven triples, and 35 home runs. He earned his first career Silver Slugger. He was also 24-for-24 in stolen base attempts, and despite the Twins rough season, he finished 11th in MVP voting. If you look at his total numbers since the beginning of the 2019 season, he has hit .256/.318/.534 (.852) with 134 doubles and 140 homers while 71-for-78. He has played in two All Star games. This spring, he was able to represent Team USA in the WBC. His contract continues through the 2018 season. So, there you have it, the players in the Twins organization who have been in the system the longest, consecutively. I’ll guess that at least a couple of the names may not surprise you. I’m certain that you wouldn’t have guessed all 12 on this list. I wouldn’t have. View the full article

Opening Day is here! Jack and Spencer react to the Brewers' first regular-season game, break down new acquisition Jake Woodford, and discuss Jackson Chourio's fractured hand. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

We're seeing something special—something rare. Not since Ryne Sandberg, Shawon Dunston and Mark Grace have the Cubs had three key players spend the majority of a decade together on the field, at positions and in places in the lineup where their connectedness and mutual importance were obvious and determined the fate of the team each year. With Nico Hoerner agreeing to a deal Thursday that will extend his tenure with the Cubs through 2032, that's exactly what we're going to see, again. In fact, this core could be deeper and even longer-lasting than the Sandberg-Dunston-Grace group, to which Sammy Sosa was added late in a long run. Hoerner and Dansby Swanson have been teamed up around the keystone for the Cubs since the start of 2023, and Swanson's seven-year deal doesn't end until the fall of 2029. Pete Crow-Armstrong joined the mix at the tail end of 2023, but the trio only started two games together that year. Between Crow-Armstrong's inconsistency and some nagging injuries to Hoerner and Swanson, by the middle of 2024, they'd only played another 20 times alongside one another. From June 22 through the end of 2024, though, they made 76 shared starts. In 2025, they started together another 144 times, as Crow-Armstrong established himself and Hoerner enjoyed a career year. Already, then, they've made 243 starts as a group, counting Opening Day's lineup against the Nationals. Though injuries will surely intercede at some point in the next four years, there's a solid chance for these three to end up playing 800 times together as Cubs—especially if they make the playoffs multiple times in those years and make deep runs. Swanson and Hoerner are each notable for their willingness to play through minor injuries, and they're relatively good at it. Together, those three anchor the Cubs' elite defense, and they'll continue to do so for the balance of the decade. Look for more than two players showing up on the lineup card together, and the frequency of occurrences diminishes quickly. It's just the nature of baseball. Even in their first few years together, before Dunston's role changed and injuries began to limit Sandberg, the aforementioned trio of infielders usually appeared together only 120-130 times a year. Last season's incredible stability won't be the norm, but Swanson, Hoerner and Crow-Armstrong are all high-volume players. Remarkably, they're in position to spend over half a decade together as regulars, and Swanson and Hoerner could surpass Dunston and Sandberg in terms of their tenure together as a double-play combination. Just as notably, this essentially locks in the team's infield for the next four years. Michael Busch can't become a free agent until after 2029, like Swanson. He and Alex Bregman (under contract through 2030) are set at the corners, with Swanson and Hoerner up the middle. This will be the closest the Cubs have ever come to the famously long-lasting Dodgers infield of Ron Cey, Bill Russell, Davey Lopes and Steve Garvey. That group was intact for over eight years; this one won't get that far. Their overlap will be historic, though, within the context of the Cubs. It's also a bit of a balm to the hurt of many Cubs fans, who held out hope that the core of Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Báez and others would stick around this way. Swanson, Hoerner, Crow-Armstrong, Bregman, Busch, and even Ian Happ (part of the last core, as well as this one, and likely to depart after this season), Matt Shaw and Moisés Ballesteros could form the remarkably stable group of good players that the last decade promised, but couldn't quite deliver. Of course, that Rizzo-led group did something this team has yet to do: win a World Series. For that matter, this group has yet to win their own division. Since Swanson's arrival, the team has not finished below .500, and it's increasingly likely that they'll remain a winning club for the rest of his contract, but they're yet to catch and pass the Brewers. That could change this season, but the front office didn't wait to see whether it would do so before committing long-term dollars to Crow-Armstrong and Hoerner, to go along with Bregman and Swanson. They've taken a leap of faith, just as the Ricketts family did by extending Jed Hoyer last summer. The players who will determine the success or failure of the Cubs for the next half-decade are all here, now. They're being given a chance to do something special together, and to build an unusually excellent bond with the fan base along the way. No one said it would be easy, though. View the full article

It's been tough for Royals fans as two days of baseball have passed and Kansas City has not yet played a game. I get that networks want to hype and stretch out "Opening Day", but it feels weird for the Royals to be on the sideline for so long when some teams will have nearly two games under their belt by the time first pitch happens in Atlanta on Friday. Still, separation and anticipation can make the heart grow fonder, or whatever the saying is, I guess. With the Royals finally opening their 2026 campaign against the Braves at Truist Park on Friday evening, it seemed like a good idea to share a few bold predictions about this Royals team as a group. In my last post, I made five Royal players' predictions for the upcoming season. In this one, I will share four general predictions about this Royals squad and share my reasons for those bold statements. Thus, let's take a look at those four predictions and what they could mean for the Royals as a whole in 2026. The Royals Will Win 88 Games and the Division PECOTA projects the Royals to win around 85 games, the best projected record in the American League Central. In fact, this is how Baseball Prospectus' projection system expects the AL Central to shake out in 2026. Kansas City Royals: 85.3 (SimW) - 76.7 (SimL), 45.9% Div%, and 60% Playoff% Detroit Tigers: 83.9 (SimW) - 78.1 (SimL), 35.6% Div%, and 49.3% Playoff% Minnesota Twins: 78.8 (SimW) - 83.2 (SimL), 12.1% Div%, and 20.3% Playoff% Cleveland Guardians: 75.4 (SimW) - 86.6 (SimL), 5.3% Div%, and 8.5% Playoff% Chicago White Sox: 69.8 (SimW) - 92.2 (SimL), 1.1% Div%, and 1.6% Playoff% Looking at those projections and how I think the rest of the division will fare, I think many of the teams below the Tigers will trend down and underperform their projections. As for Detroit, I think they will outperform their 83.9 simulation wins total, but not by much. Thus, I think the Royals will outperform their win total by three, based on those factors and those of other teams in the division. Kansas City should be able to reach the 88-win benchmark in 2026. That was the number the Guardians won the division with in 2025. I think 88 wins will be good enough for the Royals to win the AL Central, with the Tigers coming up short, just like last season, to the Guardians, with 86 wins. The Royals Will Make the ALCS This is a bold one, but I believe that if the Royals make the postseason, they will go on a run and reach the American League Championship Series. I think the Royals face the Orioles in an ALDS rematch and once again come out victorious over Baltimore in four games. That should bring them to the ALCS, which will be against the hated Yankees. The Royals go toe-to-toe with the Bronx Bombers, taking them to Game 7. However, I feel like the Royals fall just short of a pennant, especially with the series finale taking place in New York. Kansas City losing, in a debilitating fashion, to the Yankees again is tough to stomach for Royals fans who can't stand the Evil Empire. It is especially tough to think about for Royals fans alive in 1976 who watched Chris Chambliss send the Yankees to the World Series with a walk-off home run against the Royals. While a loss to the Yankees would be disappointing, it would be in the ALCS, which is one round better than their 2024 exit in the ALDS. Thus, in 2027, that would be the year the Royals would get over the hump and back in the World Series. It would be much like 1980, when the Royals got over the Yankees' hump and into their first World Series in franchise history. The Royals Will Finish 8th in Runs Scored Per Game Fangraphs' Depth Charts has released its team projections for the upcoming season. They are a little more pessimistic about the Royals in their projections, expecting Kansas City to win 82 games and finish second again in the AL Central division. Depth Charts is not very optimistic about the AL Central overall, as it projects the Detroit Tigers to win the division with an 84-78 record. One aspect that stood out in the Royals' projection was their runs scored per game (RS/G). Depth Charts projects the Royals to produce a 4.60 RS/G. That would be the eighth-best mark in baseball. The Royals' offense has upgraded this season. Gone are Hunter Renfroe, Mark Canha, Cavan Biggio, and MJ Melendez (all on the Opening Day roster in 2025), and in their place are Isaac Collins, Starling Marte, Lane Thomas, and Jac Caglianone. That is a massive upgrade offensively, and should bode well for better results in 2026. Even some experts are optimistic about the Royals' lineup heading into this upcoming season. Kansas City didn't acquire a big-name player as hoped earlier in the offseason. They weren't able to trade for Jarren Duran or Brendan Donovan, two names tied to the Royals during the Winter Meetings. That said, despite missing out on those two players, this offense will be considerably better than the one that ranked 22nd in wRC+ a season ago, according to Fangraphs. The Royals' Pitching Staff Will Rank 15th in Runs Allowed Per Game Kansas City didn't have a whole lot of injury luck with pitchers last year, especially starting ones. Alec Marsh and Kyle Wright didn't throw a pitch for the Royals in 2025, Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic missed considerable time on the IL, and Michael Lorenzen, Lucas Erceg, and Seth Lugo were also sidelined for shorter periods due to injuries. However, that didn't seem to have a huge impact on the Royals pitchers' results in 2025. According to Fangraphs, the Royals ranked 6th in pitching ERA with a 3.73 ERA and 9th in pitcher fWAR with a 17.5 mark. Kansas City overcame those injuries with breakout seasons from arms like Noah Cameron and Carlos Estevez. They also saw new pitchers emerge like Stephen Kolek and Ryan Bergert, both coming from San Diego in the Freddy Fermin trade at the Trade Deadline. The Royals' pitching staff seems deeper than it was a year ago, especially at this time of the season. That said, the projections are expecting some regression from the Kansas City pitchers in 2026. Depth Charts projects the Royals to allow 4.62 runs per game (RA/G). That is tied with the Guardians for 22nd in baseball. That is a considerable dropoff, but regression due to age and new park factors could hit pitchers like Cameron, Lugo, and Michael Wacha hard in 2026. It wouldn't be surprising to see those three struggles after varying levels of success with the Royals over the past couple of seasons. If that happens, the Royals' overall pitching effectiveness, as expressed in RA/G, will drop to more mediocre numbers. However, I don't think they will fall to 22nd. I could see them finishing 15th, which would put them in the 4.45 to 4.50 RA/G range. Being in that range will be good enough to help them win 88 games, especially with their improvement in hitting and run scoring. I could also see the Royals being more aggressive with their pitching at the Trade Deadline and upgrading their rotation and/or bullpen, as they did in 2024. That should help them not just win the division, but win a playoff series against the Orioles. Unfortunately, I think the regression in pitching will come to hurt the Royals in their eventual ALCS matchup with the Yankees, who are just a little bit deeper than the Royals at this time. View the full article

Major League Baseball is implementing the new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System starting in the 2026 season. The Statcast data from Baseball Savant provides a number of visualizations for the results of these challenges. Royals Team Performance Using ABS Overall, the Royals saw moderate success in challenges this spring. They were much more aggressive on the batting side than catching, ranking eighth highest challenge rate for batters (5.5%) and the seventh lowest for catchers (1.8%). The Royals were on the aggressive side of teams this spring, with their first challenge coming on average between the third and fourth innings in the 27 spring games in which they issued a challenge. The Royals were also the team to run out of challenges the second-earliest, losing their second challenge between the 4th and 5th innings in the 10 games in which they ran out of challenges. When it comes to overall success rate, the Royals were more successful on the catching side despite their lower volume. The Royals saw 62% of challenges overturned when challenging as catchers and only 34% of challenges overturned as batters. Their success rate was above league-average (60%) for catchers, while their batter success rate fell below the league average (46%). Baseball Savant also measures success rate against expected challenges, which accounts for “pitch location, number of remaining challenges, runners on, and ball/strike/out situation”. As a batting team, the Royals recorded 2.7 fewer overturns than expected. Defensively, however, they performed much better, finishing with 5.9 more overturns than expected as catchers. Individual Royals Performances Royals Batters For individuals, the sample size is rather small, with Lane Thomas and Isaac Collins accounting for most of the challenges, each with four, so these results should be taken with caution. Nick Loftin and Jac Caglianone were the best batters when it came to challenges relative to expectation. Loftin won both of his challenges, resulting in 2.0 overturns above expected. Caglianone went 3-for-3 in his challenges with 1.7 overturns above expected. Notably, Caglianone was also able to reverse a strikeout and gain a walk in his challenges. John Rave and Isaac Collins were the worst performers in challenges. Collins lost all four of his challenges, which resulted in 2.9 fewer overturns than expected. He challenged at the highest rate of all Royals at 17.4%, and his aggressiveness may reflect the struggles he had at the plate this spring. Rave lost both of his challenges, resulting in 2.1 overturns fewer than expected. Rave also fell victim to the most challenges by the opposing team, with opposing catchers going 3-for-3 against him and producing 2.2 more overturns than expected. Royals Catchers Royals catchers overall performed well, with five of the seven challenging catchers outperforming expectations when challenging. Elías Díaz was the standout performer with 2.1 overturns more than expected, winning three of his four challenges. Salvador Perez was the only catcher with more than one challenge to finish below expectation, with 0.2 overturns fewer than expected, winning three of his six challenges. For catchers, it is worth looking at how batters performed against them to see if they are able to “fool” batters and induce poor challenges. Carter Jensen was the catcher most challenged, with 12 challenges against him. The batters won seven of those challenges, with 0.2 more overturns than expected. Notably, batters were able to flip four strikeouts and add one walk with challenges while Jensen was catching. Perez also saw hitters earn 1.0 overturns more than expected in their two challenges against him. Blake Mitchell and Luca Tresh were the most effective performers when facing challenges. Mitchell and Tresh each induced 0.2 fewer overturns than expected in their four and three challenges, respectively. Takeaways While the Royals' batters challenge more often than catchers relative to league averages this spring, their success rates indicate that they would be better suited to favor challenges from their catchers moving forward. As the 2026 season progresses, teams will continue to find their ideal strategies in challenging. For the Royals, it will be important to hone in their strategy and balance in challenging as key overturned calls could meaningfully impact close games. With the Royals projected to be on the fringe of AL playoff contention, marginal advantages in ABS challenges could be decisive to their success in 2026. View the full article

Opening Day didn't go according to plan for the Twins, who fell 2-1 against the Baltimore Orioles in a game that felt winnable from the first inning to the last. Minnesota created traffic all afternoon, but failed to capitalize, finishing just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position while grounding into three double plays. The difference came late. A string of singles and a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning against Kody Funderburk and Justin Topa pushed Baltimore ahead, and the Twins never recovered. It spoiled a very strong showing on the mound from Joe Ryan, who looked every bit like a frontline starter. For the Twins to stay competitive this season, Ryan must be at the top of his game. There were plenty of encouraging signs from Ryan’s outing, even if the final result did not reflect it. Here are four observations from his 2026 debut. Fastball Velocity Back One of the biggest storylines from spring training was Ryan’s dip in velocity. In his final Grapefruit League start, his fastball averaged just 91.9 miles per hour, raising some concern about how his stuff would play when the games started to matter. He also dealt with a back issue that kept him from participating in the World Baseball Classic. It was easier for fans to be worried about his performance because of the injury issue, though it appeared to have been resolved. However, that concern disappeared quickly on Thursday. Ryan averaged 93.9 miles per hour on his four-seam fastball and touched 96 early in the game. That's not just a return to form; it is slightly above last year’s 93.7 average. The added life showed up in the results. Ryan generated 16 swinging strikes on 85 pitches, including five on the fastball alone. He struck out seven hitters across 5 1/3 innings, consistently beating Orioles hitters at the top of the zone. In Command Velocity is one thing, but Ryan’s outing was defined by how well he controlled the baseball. He attacked a dangerous Baltimore lineup and rarely fell behind. Ryan allowed just one hit while pitching into the sixth inning and walked only two of the 19 batters he faced. He filled up the zone with 58 strikes on 85 pitches and avoided damaging contact almost entirely. Only four balls were hit hard into fair territory: two fly balls, one ground ball, and one line drive. He used a six-pitch mix to keep batters off-balance all day. It was the kind of outing that demonstrates why Ryan’s profile works so well when everything is synced up. He doesn't need to overpower hitters when he's locating at that level. Curve Versus Sweeper A more subtle but intriguing development was Ryan’s pitch mix. He featured both a curveball and a sweeper, and while they may look similar at a glance, the differences matter. The sweeper averaged 79.9 miles per hour and showed more horizontal movement, cutting across the zone (see photo above). The curveball came in slightly slower at 78.7 miles per hour, with more vertical depth. That separation, even if small, forces hitters to make quicker decisions and can lead to uncomfortable swings or poor contact. Last season, he threw the curveball only 4% of the time, but it generated a 42.3 Whiff%. If Ryan can consistently differentiate those two shapes, it gives him another way to disrupt timing, especially against lineups that are geared to handle his fastball. The curve is a better pitch against lefties, in particular, than the sweeper is. New Slider Ryan also debuted a tweaked version of his slider. In previous seasons, it often behaved more like a cutter, blending into his fastball shape. On Thursday, it showed more depth and a slightly reduced velocity. The pitch averaged 87.5 miles per hour, down slightly from 87.9 last season, but the bigger change was in its movement. It had less of the rising action that defined last year’s version, and instead featured a more traditional slider break. He only threw it seven times, so it is a small sample, but the adjustment is worth watching. If it becomes a consistent weapon, it could help him better handle hitters on both sides of the plate. The Twins may have dropped their opener, but Ryan gave them exactly what they needed from the front of the rotation. He looked healthy, his velocity returned, and his command was as sharp as ever. Add in a few subtle pitch mix changes, and there's reason to believe he has another level to reach. That should be a scary proposition for the AL Central. If this is the version of Joe Ryan the Twins are getting in 2026, the results will follow, even if Opening Day didn't go their way. What stood out about Ryan’s performance? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

It was easy to view David Hamilton as a lesser piece in last month’s deal with the Boston Red Sox, which also brought pitchers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan to Milwaukee. The Brewers never saw it that way. Hamilton’s career numbers at age 28—a .222/.283/.359 slash line and a 77 wRC+—don't look like those of a dangerous player, but Milwaukee’s brain trust projects him as a difference-maker in their infield mix. Acquiring Hamilton was a key reason why they were comfortable sending incumbent third basemen Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler to Boston. “Hats off to [Matt] Arnold and his crew for making sure he was included in that deal,” Pat Murphy said on Thursday. “We lost a great one in Durbin. He was on-brand for us, and then to get [Harrison and Drohan], and then to get a kid like Hamilton, we’re really fortunate.” It didn’t take long for him to declare Hamilton his annual breakout pick in spring training, but Murphy, who speaks regularly about needing the right "who" on his roster for performance to match potential, was not convinced at first. “I joke with him a lot that early on, I easily could say that I just couldn’t see it in this kid,” he said during the Brewers’ exhibition series with the Cincinnati Reds leading up to Opening Day. “I just couldn’t see it. And I didn't know if it would translate. I didn’t know how he would accept an identity conversation, talking about what type of player you have been and what you could be.” Hamilton’s greatest tools are those that the Brewers value highly, particularly during Murphy’s tenure as manager. His average sprint speed of 29.3 feet per second ranked in the 95th percentile of players last season. That quickness makes him a valuable baserunner (+7 career baserunning runs, according to Baseball Savant) and gives him the potential to be an excellent defender at multiple positions. He also makes solid swing decisions, being selective in the zone and chasing at a lower rate (25.1% for his career) than the average hitter. To turn those skills into more consistent results, the Brewers told Hamilton to focus on hitting line drives, particularly to the opposite field. He posted a decent 94 wRC+ as a rookie in 2024, largely by hitting an excellent 38.3% of his batted balls within the launch angle sweet spot range of 8 and 32 degrees. Last year, his sweet spot rate fell to 30.8%, and his line drive rate from 28.0% to 21.8%. “A kid with that skill set that's a .290 lifetime on base, that's got to change,” Murphy said. “You've got to get to first. Part of offense is touching first safely. And he does have a good ball-strike, so it doesn't always translate [to reaching base]. So now it's how is your flight plan? How are you putting the ball in play? I think that's what we're excited about, to see him make that adjustment and work for it.” Fortunately for the Brewers, that vision aligned with Hamilton’s goals and the brand of baseball he prefers to play. “This is kind of right up my alley,” Hamilton said. “Playing the game hard, running the bases hard, stealing, grindy at bats. So I’m definitely loving it here so far.” “He's just taken everything in,” Murphy said. “And I hope it translates throughout all six months, because he can be a force.” While Jake Bauers and Brandon Lockridge received the most public attention for their Cactus League performances, Hamilton was also a spring training standout, hitting .333/.393/.510 (133 wRC+). Most notably, he hit 30.4% of his batted balls to the opposite field, after being a pull-happy hitter in his first three big-league seasons. Hamilton is not the starter at any position, but by pairing him with Luis Rengifo at third base and Joey Ortiz at shortstop, the Brewers intend to give him plenty of at-bats against right-handed pitching. He drew the Opening Day start at third against a right-hander, playing precisely the kind of baseball he and the Brewers want to see. In five plate appearances, Hamilton reached base four times, starting with a catcher’s interference on a late, compact swing to foul off a 1-2 fastball on the outside corner. In his next turn, he showed bunt before hitting an infield single off the second base bag and later stole third base. He also drew two walks and made a slick barehanded play at the hot corner. 258d77fb-3e840ab4-b70064b7-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 “It’s what we've been seeing all spring,” Murphy said. “He's in a good spot in his game and his career. He's in a good spot, and hopefully he realizes he can make a difference for us.” Hamilton will get plenty of opportunities throughout the season to make that impact. Time will tell whether he blossoms into the player the Brewers believe he can be, but he showed how that might look in their first regular-season game. View the full article