Trending Now - AL West Teams Set for Season After Key Spring Training Insights
WHO:
José Soriano, right-handed pitcher, Los Angeles Angels
Kurt Suzuki, manager, Los Angeles Angels
Travis d’Arnaud, catcher, Los Angeles Angels
Gerrit Cole, Yankees pitcher
Aaron Boone, Yankees manager
Orion Kerkering, Phillies pitcher
Johan Rojas, Phillies outfielder
Salvador Perez, Royals catcher
Maikel Garcia, Royals infielder
Cole Ragans, Royals pitcher
Tori Ragans, Cole Ragans' wife
Matt Quatraro, Royals manager
Brian Cashman, Yankees general manager
Max Fried, Braves pitcher
Cam Schlittler, Royals pitcher
Kervin Castro, Royals pitcher
Jhoan Duran, Phillies pitcher
Brad Keller, Phillies pitcher
José Alvarado, Phillies pitcher
Tanner Banks, Phillies pitcher
Jonathan Bowlan, Phillies pitcher
Kyle Backhus, Phillies pitcher
Seth Johnson, Phillies pitcher
Zach McCambley, Phillies pitcher
Zach Pop, Phillies pitcher
Chase Shugart, Phillies pitcher
Anthony Volpe, Yankees infielder
José Caballero, Yankees infielder
Paul Blackburn, Yankees pitcher
Ryan Yarbrough, Yankees pitcher
Dylan Moore, non-roster invitee
Salvador Perez, Royals catcher
Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals infielder
Eugenio Suárez, Venezuelan player
Aaron Judge, Team USA player
Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers pitcher
Roki Sasaki, Dodgers pitcher
Colt Emerson, Mariners prospect
Josh Naylor, Mariners first baseman
Michael McGreevy, Cardinals pitcher
Carson Benge, Mets outfielder
Christian Scott, Mets pitcher
Gerrit Cole, Yankees pitcher
Aaron Boone, Yankees manager
Orion Kerkering, Phillies pitcher
Johan Rojas, Phillies outfielder
Salvador Perez, Royals catcher
Maikel Garcia, Royals infielder
Cole Ragans, Royals pitcher
Tori Ragans, Cole Ragans' wife
Matt Quatraro, Royals manager
Maikel Garcia, Royals infielder
Orion Kerkering, Phillies pitcher
Johan Rojas, Phillies outfielder
Gerrit Cole, Yankees ace
Aaron Boone, Yankees manager
Brian Cashman, Yankees general manager
Boston Red Sox, opposing team
WHAT:
José Soriano has been named the Opening Day starter for the Angels, set to face the Astros on March 26th, 2026.
Soriano posted a 4.26 ERA with 152 strikeouts and 78 walks in 169 innings last year.
Soriano's sinker has touched 100 mph this spring and averaged 97.2 mph last year.
Soriano has a career 1.04 ERA against the Astros, with 22 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings.
Gerrit Cole is set to throw one inning as the starter in an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox on March 18th, 2026, at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Cole threw a 35-pitch bullpen session on March 12th, 2026.
Orion Kerkering threw 16 pitches in a scoreless inning during a Minor League game on March 16th, 2026.
Maikel Garcia hit .385 with a home run and seven RBIs in the World Baseball Classic.
Salvador Perez expressed his happiness after Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic, stating, "I'm super happy, and now I feel like I can retire."
Ragans has been named the Royals' Opening Day starter for the third consecutive season.
Ragans will start on March 27th, 2026, against the Atlanta Braves.
Ragans' 9.2 fWAR ranks third among American League pitchers since August 1st, 2023.
Ragans' 11.64 strikeout-per-nine ranks second among AL pitchers since 2023.
Maikel Garcia was named MVP of the 2026 World Baseball Classic after Venezuela defeated the USA 3-2 in the final.
Rojas has been suspended for 80 games without pay after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance.
Gerrit Cole is set to make his spring training debut on March 18th, 2026.
Cole reached 97.5 mph with his fastball during a bullpen session.
The Yankees expect Cole to rejoin the Major League rotation in late May or early June 2026.
Orion Kerkering will pitch in two Grapefruit League games before camp ends on March 23rd, 2026.
Ragans expressed gratitude for the belief the Royals have in him, stating, "Just for them to have the belief in me to go out there and get us going means a lot."
Gerrit Cole has altered his windup, now putting his hands over his head instead of stopping at his chest.
Ragans has focused on improving his nutrition, conditioning, and throwing program to stay healthy for the 2026 season.
Kervin Castro made 35 appearances for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season, pitching to a 1.53 ERA.
The Royals optioned right-hander Ryan Bergert to Triple-A Omaha.
The Royals have discussed a six-man rotation to open the season.
Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford is still dealing with a right shoulder issue that has caused him to miss five consecutive Cactus League games.
Mariners general manager Justin Hollander indicated that the level of concern with Crawford’s shoulder is “low” after imaging results came back clean.
Colt Emerson, the organization’s No. 1 prospect, has entered Tuesday’s split-squad contest against the Padres batting .250 (9-for-36) with a triple, a home run, and seven RBIs.
Josh Naylor was seen taking batting practice and throwing after returning from the World Baseball Classic.
Michael McGreevy has allowed four runs in 13 1/3 innings (2.70 ERA) during Spring Training.
Carson Benge is batting .406, ranking 34th among the 500-plus players with at least 25 plate appearances in Spring Training.
Gerrit Cole is scheduled to throw one inning as the starter in an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox on March 18th, 2026, at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Cole threw a 35-pitch bullpen session on March 12th, 2026.
Orion Kerkering threw 16 pitches in a scoreless inning during a Minor League game on March 16th, 2026.
Maikel Garcia hit .385 with a home run and seven RBIs in the World Baseball Classic.
Salvador Perez expressed his happiness after Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic, stating, "I'm super happy, and now I feel like I can retire."
Ragans has been named the Royals' Opening Day starter for the third consecutive season.
Ragans will start on March 27th, 2026, against the Atlanta Braves.
Ragans' 9.2 fWAR ranks third among American League pitchers since August 1st, 2023.
Ragans' 11.64 strikeout-per-nine ranks second among AL pitchers since 2023.
Maikel Garcia was named MVP of the 2026 World Baseball Classic after Venezuela defeated the USA 3-2 in the final.
Kerkering threw 16 pitches in a scoreless inning during a Minor League game on March 16th, 2026.
Rojas has been suspended for 80 games without pay after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance.
Gerrit Cole is set to make his spring training debut on March 18th, 2026.
Cole will throw one inning as the starter in an exhibition game.
Cole underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in March 2025.
Cole pitched in two spring training games in 2024 before the surgery.
Cole's last official outing was in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series.
Cole reached 97.5 mph with his fastball during a bullpen session.
The Yankees expect Cole to rejoin the Major League rotation in late May or early June 2026.
WHERE:
The Yankees' exhibition game against the Red Sox will take place at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.
The Minor League game took place at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida.
The Royals' Opening Day game will take place in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Phillies host Texas at Citizens Bank Park on March 26th, 2026.
The Royals' Opening Day game will take place in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Minor League game took place at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida.
Rojas was at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida, on March 16th, 2026.
The game will take place at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.
WHEN:
The World Baseball Classic final occurred on March 17th, 2026.
The Yankees' exhibition game against the Red Sox is scheduled for March 18th, 2026.
The Royals' Opening Day game is scheduled for March 27th, 2026.
Kerkering is expected to pitch in two Grapefruit League games before camp ends on March 23rd, 2026.
The Mariners will play the Guardians on March 26th, 2026, at T-Mobile Park.
The World Baseball Classic final occurred on March 17th, 2026.
The Yankees' exhibition game against the Red Sox is scheduled for March 18th, 2026.
The World Baseball Classic final occurred on March 17th, 2026.
Rojas' suspension will begin at the start of the 2026 regular season.
Cole's spring training debut is scheduled for March 18th, 2026, at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Cole's first bullpen session of spring training was on February 13th, 2026.
Cole faced hitters for the first time since surgery on February 20th, 2026.
Boone mentioned that the last couple of days leading up to March 18th indicated Cole was ready to pitch.
WHY:
Soriano expressed that it is a "big honor" to be named Opening Day starter, stating, "It feels incredible that they believe in me."
The Yankees are hopeful for Cole's return to add a frontline starter to their rotation.
The Royals opted to keep Ryan Bergert in Triple-A to preserve depth as a starter.
The Mariners are evaluating shortstop options due to J.P. Crawford's shoulder issue.
Cole's readiness to pitch is based on his recovery progress and performance in practice, as stated by Boone.
Ragans expressed gratitude for the belief the Royals have in him, stating, "Just for them to have the belief in me to go out there and get us going means a lot."
The Phillies expressed disappointment regarding Rojas' violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
The Yankees are hopeful for Cole's return to add a frontline starter to their rotation.
Boone stated that Cole's readiness is based on his recovery progress and performance in practice.
HOW:
Soriano has been working on his English to better connect with fans and teammates, conducting interviews without an interpreter for the first time this season.
Gerrit Cole has altered his windup, now putting his hands over his head instead of stopping at his chest.
Ragans has focused on improving his nutrition, conditioning, and throwing program to stay healthy for the 2026 season.
Gerrit Cole has altered his windup, now putting his hands over his head instead of stopping at his chest.
Ragans has focused on improving his nutrition, conditioning, and throwing program to stay healthy for the 2026 season.
Kerkering is expected to pitch in two Grapefruit League games before camp ends on March 23rd, 2026.
Cole has altered his windup, now putting his hands over his head instead of stopping at his chest.
Cole has been participating in live batting practice as part of his rehabilitation process.
(UPDATED March 18, 2026 13:23 UTC)
In a significant announcement, José Soriano has been named the Opening Day starter for the Los Angeles Angels, set to pitch against the Astros on March 26. Last year, Soriano recorded a 4.26 ERA with 152 strikeouts and has shown impressive velocity this spring, with his sinker reaching 100 mph. Expressing his excitement, Soriano called the honor incredible and has been working on his English to connect better with fans and teammates, conducting interviews without an interpreter for the first time this season.
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(UPDATED March 18, 2026 11:14 UTC)
Today, Gerrit Cole is set to make his spring training debut as the starter for the Yankees in an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox at 1:05 p.m. ET in Tampa, Florida. Meanwhile, the Royals have named Cole Ragans their Opening Day starter for the third consecutive season, with his first game scheduled for March 27 against the Atlanta Braves. In other news, Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
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(UPDATED March 18, 2026 09:12 UTC)
Gerrit Cole is set to start for the Yankees in an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox today at 1:05 p.m. ET, following a successful 35-pitch bullpen session last week. Meanwhile, Maikel Garcia shined in the World Baseball Classic, hitting .385 with a home run and seven RBIs, while Salvador Perez celebrated Venezuela's victory, expressing his joy and hinting at retirement. In other news, Cole has adjusted his windup, now raising his hands over his head instead of stopping at his chest, a change that reflects his recovery progress as noted by Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
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(UPDATED March 18, 2026 07:20 UTC)
Cole Ragans has been named the Royals' Opening Day starter for the third consecutive season and will take the mound on March 27th against the Atlanta Braves. Ragans, who has been working on his nutrition and conditioning, expressed gratitude for the Royals' confidence in him, saying it means a lot to have their belief as he prepares for the season. In other news, Maikel Garcia was named MVP of the 2026 World Baseball Classic after Venezuela's thrilling 3-2 victory over the USA in the final held just yesterday.
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(UPDATED March 17, 2026 23:14 UTC)
In a Minor League game at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida, Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering threw 16 pitches in a scoreless inning on March 16, 2026. Meanwhile, Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas has been suspended for 80 games without pay after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance, with his suspension set to begin at the start of the 2026 regular season. The Phillies have expressed disappointment over Rojas' violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, as Kerkering prepares to pitch in two Grapefruit League games before camp concludes on March 23.
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(UPDATED March 17, 2026 21:13 UTC)
Gerrit Cole, the Yankees' ace, is set to make his highly anticipated spring training debut tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. ET against the Boston Red Sox at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. After undergoing Tommy John surgery last March, Cole has shown promising signs of recovery, reaching 97.5 mph with his fastball during a recent bullpen session and altering his windup to enhance his performance. Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed confidence in Cole's readiness, noting that recent practices have indicated he is prepared to return to the mound.