Top Spring Training stories to watch for in MLB
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With pitchers and catchers reporting to camps this week, let's look at key storylines for Major League Baseball going into Spring Training.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's baseball season.
Players are arriving at Spring Training complexes in Arizona and Florida, and every club will hold its first pitchers-and-catchers workout before the end of this week.
Full-squad workouts will soon follow, Spring Training games are not too far beyond that, and regular-season action will be here in a blink.
To help get you ready for the start of the 2025 season, here is a look at one key Spring Training storyline for each MLB team.
Will Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sign an extension?
The Blue Jays have put together a nice offseason, but extending Guerrero would immediately reset this franchise's competitive window and reignite a fan base that has stuck by this organization despite the lack of a postseason win since 2016.
"If camp gets rolling and Guerrero still hasn't put pen to paper, then every conversation we have about this team going forward will be tied to that for the next year." -- Keegan Matheson MLB.com
Are the Yankees more complete despite losing Juan Soto?
General manager Brian Cashman believes so. The Soto acquisition helped the Yankees reach their first World Series since 2009, but decision-makers recognized that they had constructed «an imperfect team,» in Cashman's words.
After attempting to re-sign Soto, they pivoted to prioritize athleticism and run prevention, adding left-hander Max Fried, outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and closer CREATE
Devin Williams
.
Devin Williams
.
The result is a squad again favored to return to the Fall Classic -- but, as manager Aaron Boone says, that doesn't mean anything unless they prove it on the field. -- Bryan Hoch MLB.com
Do they have enough depth?
After losing four key members of their 2022 World Series championship team this winter - outfielder Kyle Tucker, starting pitcher Justin Verlander, reliever Ryan Pressly and likely third baseman Alex Bregman - the Astros' depth will be tested in '25.
The lineup, anchored by Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, Yainer Diaz and newcomer Christian Walker, is strong at the top, but questions remain about outfield production.
Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown are a solid 1-2 at the top of the rotation, but can Ronel Blanco repeat his '24 performance? Will Spencer Arrighetti take a step forward? And who else will provide quality innings? The bullpen lacks experienced depth after closer Josh Hader and setup man Bryan Abreu. -- Brian McTaggart MLB.com
Can they score enough to support baseball's deepest rotation?
Seattle's biggest moves this offseason have been signing 37-year-old free agent infielder Donovan Solano and bringing back infielder Jorge Polanco.
The Mariners believe they have the offensive pieces in place to be more consistent this year.
A lineup that had been among MLB's worst transformed into one of its best in the final month of '24, as the Mariners went 16-10 in September and they ranked third in runs scored (134), third in OPS (.780) and fourth in batting average (.264) that month.
Seattle was finally able to consistently roll out the trio of Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez and Victor Robles on a regular basis down the stretch after the latter two cleared various injuries. -- Daniel Kramer MLB.com
What will the starting rotation look like?
While most early spring storylines will revolve around Juan Soto and Pete Alonso, the real intrigue surrounds New York's pitching staff.
Questions abound in this (likely six-man) rotation. Such as: Is Kodai Senga finally, truly healthy?
What about Frankie Montas? Can Clay Holmes successfully transition from the bullpen, and if so, how durable might he be?
Is Sean Manaea really an ace or was last year an aberration? Are the Mets' depth pieces good enough to make up for a lack of proven frontline talent? Mets officials won't be able to answer all these questions over six weeks of Spring Training, but they'll know much more about their rotation by the end of it. -- Anthony DiComo MLB.com
How will Shohei Ohtani fare as a two-way player once more?
This question won't be fully answered during spring, as Ohtani is not expected to return to an MLB mound until May.
He'll be back to hitting and pitching for the first time as a Dodger, but how will it go?
Ohtani's second major elbow surgery didn't affect him much as a hitter, as he created the 50-50 club and brought home his third MVP Award in 2024, but it could be harder to come back as a pitcher following offseason shoulder surgery, though it was on his left (non-throwing) shoulder. -- Sonja Chen MLB.com
When will Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider return?
Strider may be permitted to throw in at least one game before the end of Spring Training. If he doesn't have any setbacks in his recovery from elbow surgery, he could rejoin Atlanta's rotation by the end of April.
Acuna's progress in camp will create a better projection for his return from a torn right ACL. But for now, it looks like the 2023 NL MVP may be sidelined until at least mid-May.
The Braves want to avoid the lingering effects the outfielder dealt with after he returned from a torn left ACL in 2022. -- Mark Bowman MLB.com
SOURCE: MLB.com
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