With the start of the regular season just around the corner, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Spring Breakout continues:
After Orioles’, Pirates’, Reds’, and Rangers’ prospects participated in Spring Breakout exhibition games yesterday, ten more teams are slated to participate today before the final nine exhibition games occur over the weekend. Today’s slate of games will kick off with the Marlins taking on the Cardinals at 1:05pm CT this afternoon. The Nationals and Mets will then square off at 2:10pm CT before Padres and Mariners face each other at 3:10pm CT. Then, the Cubs will be matched against the White Sox at 4:05pm CT before today’s slate of games concludes with the Giants facing the A’s at 6:05pm CT.
The game between Miami and St. Louis stands to feature top-100 talents Noble Meyer, Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, and Masyn Winn. Washington and New York will feature the likes of Brady House, Dylan Crews, James Wood, Jett Williams, and Luisangel Acuna. Fans in San Diego and Seattle will get the opportunity to watch Robby Snelling, Dylan Lesko, Ethan Salas, Harry Ford, Cole Young, and Colt Emerson, while the North and South sides of Chicago will showcase top-100 talents such as Cade Horton, Matt Shaw, James Triantos, Owen Caissie, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kevin Alcantara, and Colson Montgomery. San Francisco and Oakland’s match, meanwhile, will feature Bryce Eldridge and Jacob Wilson. MLB.com has full details on each club’s respective broadcast info and full rosters, which you can access with the links attached to each city in this paragraph.
2. Seoul Series exhibition games:
MLB’s Spring Breakout isn’t the only event to feature exhibition games this weekend, as the Dodgers and Padres are traveling to South Korea to participate in the Seoul Series. While the two clubs will face off next week for a two-game regular season set, a handful of exhibition games are set to occur this weekend. The festivities kick off at 10pm CT tomorrow when the Dodgers take on the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization, before the Padres take on the KBO’s LG Twins at 10pm CT on Sunday. Meanwhile, early risers will have the opportunity to catch exhibition games that will feature both clubs facing South Korea’s national team. Team Korea will face the Padres at 5am CT Sunday morning, and face the Dodgers at 5am CT Monday morning. The Seoul Series represents a homecoming for Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim and newly signed reliever Woo Suk Go. Kim played for the Heroes from 2014 to 2020 before making the jump to the majors. Go signed with the Padres just this offseason and will be facing off against his former LG Twins teammates when the two clubs meet.
3. Will Duvall spur further free agent activity?
Yesterday saw the first notable move on the free agent market since the Mariners signed right-hander Ryne Stanek last week, as the Braves inked outfielder Adam Duvall to a one-year deal worth $3MM. Duvall was one of the three best outfielders remaining on the market alongside corner bat Tommy Pham and center fielder Michael A. Taylor. Duvall’s presence on the market could have impact extending beyond the outfield, as other righty power bats of note include J.D. Martinez and recently-released corner bat J.D. Davis. With Duvall now off the board, could the market begin to move on the final free agent hitters of note over the weekend?