MLB Morning Lineup Podcast

Aaron Judge and Roman Anthony homered and Paul Skenes tossed four one-hit innings as the U.S. stayed perfect at the World Baseball Classic. In other WBC action, Venezuela, Korea, Puerto Rico and the D.R. joined Japan with spots in the quarterfinals.

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The World Baseball Classic is off to a riveting start, with Japan, the D.R. and the U.S. asserting their dominance. Elsewhere, Cuba (2-0) is trying to reclaim its premier standing and don't look past the fun-loving, espresso-chugging Italy squad.

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The World Baseball Classic kicks into high gear today with eight games, including Team USA's tournament opener against Brazil at 8 p.m. ET on FOX and the first contests for the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela among others.

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O's prospect Vance Honeycutt has four at-bats this spring. He's homered in each of them. Also, the World Baseball Classic got underway as Australia topped Chinese Taipei with former No. 1 pick Travis Bazzana sealing the win with a homer in Tokyo.

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The World Baseball Classic -- baseball's Olympics! -- gets underway with Chinese Taipei facing Australia in Pool C play in Japan at 10 p.m. ET on FS1. The Aussies feature the No. 1 overall pick from the 2024 Draft, second baseman Travis Bazzana.

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The World Baseball Classic starts Wednesday night in Japan, with Chinese Taipei facing Australia. To get you prepared, we break down each of the four pools, the players to watch and predictions for which teams will advance to the quarterfinals.

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The Tigers get their first look at offseason pickup Framber Valdez as they host the Braves in Grapefruit League action. Meanwhile, we're closing in on the start of the World Baseball Classic, with the action getting underway Wednesday night.

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Are you a baseball fan but don't have a favorite team? If so, there's one club that ticks all the boxes as the perfect squad to root for this season. Let us explain!

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Jazz Chisholm created waves at Yankees camp, announcing he’s got a 50-homer/50-steal season goal for ’26. Which got us wondering – Could Shohei Ohtani completely blow us away with a 50-homer/200 IP campaign? Also, can Bucs rookie Konnor Griffin go for 20 homers and 50 steals?

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Konnor Griffin, the 19-year-old shortstop in the Pirates' organization, hit two home runs in a spring game vs. the Red Sox. Pretty good, right? There's more: Both left the stadium entirely. Details on that, plus other prospects making spring noise.

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We take a look at some players coming off injury or underperformance in 2025 who could be in line for a rebound, and we have updates on Tarik Skubal's plan for the World Baseball Classic and free-agent outfielder Michael Conforto finding a new home.

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Spring Training got off to a stellar start as the reigning American League MVP crushed a pair of homers, the Orioles' newest slugger cleared the fence twice and the Dodgers' World Series star fanned a trio of batters in his first outing.

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Looks like Mookie Betts will slide down a spot and hit third in the new-look Dodgers batting order. Meanwhile in Nationals camp, outfielder James Wood has prioritized improving his defense this winter. Also, the Brewers extended manager Pat Murphy.

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Mariners star Julio Rodríguez, who is 25, said he felt old after being described as a veteran. Then again, this will be his 6th year and there are a number of burgeoning stars far younger. We highlight Trey Yesavage, Roman Anthony, Nick Kurtz & more.

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It's been a week since pitchers and catchers reported, and there have already been plenty of fun moments from camp, including Shohei Ohtani striking out new superstar teammate Kyle Tucker, and MLB's No. 1 prospect displaying impressive pop.

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Position battles are the name of the game during Spring Training, but what are the deepest positions overall? We rank them using MLB Network's Top 10 Right Now lists as a guide, and we take a spin around spring camps with the latest news and notes.

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From Kyle Tucker (duh) to Alex Bregman to Framber Valdez, plenty of teams brought in major acquisitions during the winter months. Now that spring has sprung, it's time for a look at which clubs made the biggest splash.

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In the Bronx, the pressure to win and win big is always on for the Yankees. But teams like the Tigers, Rangers, Braves, Reds and Padres have plenty on the line this season, too, as we inch closer to Opening Day.

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Before every team has even reported for Spring Training, one injury is dominating headlines. It's a broken hamate, a small bone in the hand, and Francisco Lindor, Corbin Carroll & Jackson Holliday are all sidelined. Plus, the latest signings & deals.

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Justin Verlander is returning where his illustrious career started, signing a one-year deal with Detroit, further fortifying one of the best rotations in baseball. The starting pitching market is getting thin, but rumors are heating up about one prominent arm. Could a deal come together soon?

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As teams prepare to report for Spring Training, let's look back at some of the most unexpected moments of the Hot Stove season and recap a busy day around the Majors that included a six-player trade and a flurry of free-agent signings.

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Last year, a Toronto team that finished dead last in the AL East in 2024 won the AL pennant, and there are plenty of clubs who have the talent to enjoy a similar reversal of fortune this season. Anthony Castrovince breaks it down.

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For the first time in the tournament’s history, all four reigning MVP Award and Cy Young Award winners are on rosters with Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes and Aaron Judge suiting up for the U.S. team, and Shohei Ohtani returning to defending champ Japan.

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Detroit added another dominant southpaw to its rotation, agreeing to a three-year, $115 million deal with Framber Valdez. Do the Tigers have the best rotation in the AL? Plus, two likely Hall of Fame pitchers are still available. Where might they land?

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The Reds made it official, signing the top bat left on the free-agent market, Eugenio Suárez. Where does that leave them in the NL Central pecking order, and is the division up for grabs? Also, the D-backs added another bat to a formidable lineup.

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The Mariners, Cardinals and Rays pulled off a trade with All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan going to Seattle, switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje and two other prospects heading to St. Louis and third baseman Ben Williamson on his way to Tampa Bay.

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Pitchers and catchers report next week, Spring Training games start soon, and both the World Baseball Classic and Spring Breakout are on the horizon. In short, our long winter without baseball is fast coming to an end.

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We're thinking outside the box big time, but come season's end, don't be surprised when teams like the Orioles, A's, D-backs and Pirates are playing in the October spotlight. Remember – you heard it here first!

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Cal Raleigh was a breakout star in 2025. So was Pete Crow-Armstrong. Who can become the 2026 breakouts? Elly De La Cruz of the Reds, for one. Other candidates include the A's Denzel Clarke, the Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski and the Mets' Nolan McLean.

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The top two teams were already the two best teams in baseball last season: the Dodgers and Blue Jays. The other five are the Mets, Cubs, Orioles and -- get this -- the Pirates and White Sox. All of them have had great offseasons.

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MLB Network unveiled its list of the Top 100 Players Right Now, so let's compare it to last year's rankings and look at the five players who made the biggest jump, led by a slugging catcher and a two-time Cy Young winner who returned to form.

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Is Cal Raleigh set to deliver more elite backstop power? Is a record-tying 5th straight season with 35-plus HRs in store for Aaron Judge? We look at who's on track for history in '26. Also, the Guards and José Ramírez appear close on a big extension.

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In 2025, four of the six division winners repeated from the year before, the most since 2018. So, how many will repeat this year? Will Leitch ranks them from most likely to least, and it's no surprise which team comes out at No. 1.

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The Bombers emerged from their so-far quiet winter and brought back former MVP Cody Bellinger to the Bronx on a five-year deal. And not to be outdone, the Mets added righty Freddy Peralta in a massive trade with the Brewers.

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Cooperstown will open its doors to two more members after dynamic center fielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones were elected by the BBWAA to the Hall of Fame, joining Contemporary Era selection Jeff Kent in the Class of 2026.

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As the number of impact free agents dwindles, teams could be looking more at trades as the offseason winds down. Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta are just two of the names that should keep the rumor mill churning until Spring Training and beyond.

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After missing out on Kyle Tucker, the Mets pivoted and signed Bo Bichette to a 3-year deal to man third base. Meanwhile, their NL East rivals the Phillies - who had pursued Bichette - brought back catcher J.T. Realmuto on a 3-year deal.

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The Dodgers have won the past two World Series and are not holding back in their pursuit of a threepeat. They landed the consensus No. 1 free agent available this offseason with a four-year, $240 million deal for Kyle Tucker, a source told MLB.com.

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Boston has made another big move to bolster its rotation, landing All-Star left-hander Ranger Suárez on a 5-year, $130 million deal. There are still plenty of stars left on the market, but where will they land? Here's the latest.

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The Cardinals dealt 10-time Gold Glover Nolan Arenado to the D-backs in a deal that makes a lot of sense for both sides. Meanwhile, another Marlins pitcher is on the move, as the Yankees acquired Ryan Weathers for four prospects, bringing much-needed rotation depth (and maybe more?) to the Bronx.

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We could see dozens of players taking the field this season someday end up in Cooperstown. MLB.com attempted to pick 40, ranging from sure bets to players on the right track to prospects who haven't even reached the big leagues yet.

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The assumption all along was that Alex Bregman would return to Boston. Instead, he pivoted to Chicago on a stunning 5-year deal. Where does that leave the Red Sox? Do they turn to Bo Bichette? And what does the Bregman move do to the overall market?

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Which teams have the best chance of winning a World Series over the next 10 years? We picked the top 10, taking into account current rosters and farm systems, and the two-time defending champions are unsurprisingly front and center.

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Yesterday was Shohei Ohtani Day for all who celebrate. And, since you're a baseball fan, we're guessing you did. We'll explain, plus detail the 5 ways Ohtani became an even more elite pitcher in 2025. Plus, the latest on the Alex Bregman market.

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Kyle Tucker was the top name when free agency began, and he remains the top name now. He has to sign soon, right? Today, we break down all his options. Plus, Blue Jays fans may have Kazuma Okamoto's daughter to thank for him signing with Toronto.

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Spring Training is only a month away, but several prized players are still available on the market. Which contending teams need to make a splash the most? Let's break it down!

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The calendar has flipped to 2026 and plenty of moves were made across MLB since our last episode. From two Japanese stars signing with their new clubs to a blockbuster trade involving a 3-time All-Star, we recap the 10 biggest happenings around the league.

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From the dominance of Skenes and Skubal, the power show put on by the Big Dumper, and the do-not-miss excellence of Shohei and the Dodgers, 2025 truly had it all. In our final podcast of the year, we count down the best in baseball in 2025.

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For the 2nd time this month, the Mets have signed a Yankees free-agent reliever. First, Devin Williams. Now, Luke Weaver. The Yanks have been unusually quiet, but maybe not for long. Rumors are swirling around them in both the FA and trade markets.

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Let's break down the free-agent market and the possible ripple effects as the top five available players find teams, and we recap a busy week of transactions for the Braves along with a flurry of agreements involving pitchers yesterday.

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