Opening Day is a time of hope for baseball fans. It is a time to see the best of what a franchise has to offer.
While most teams do not have a true ace, it is a chance for some to see their top pitchers in a rotation matchup. But for others, it is a reminder of just how bad their pitching staff is.
Every Opening Day pitcher was announced on Tuesday. Let's take a look at the first worst arms of that group.
An MLB-record 10 Latin American starting pitchers get the nod on Opening Day #MLBTonight | @CliffFloyd30 | @YonderalonsoU pic.twitter.com/wvRyiph8ud
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 20, 2024
The Yankees would have been starting Gerrit Cole on Opening Day under normal circumstances. However, he will miss the beginning part of the season due to nerve inflammation in his elbow. Newcomer Marcus Stroman would have made sense, but the Yankees are not taking him off his already-established schedule.
As such, Opening Day falls to Nestor Cortes, a decision that would have made sense in 2023. Cortes struggled through injuries and ineffectiveness last season, posting a 4.97 ERA and a 1.247 WHiP over his 63.1 innings, striking out 77 batters with 20 walks. While those numbers may be better than some of the other options on this list, the Yankees have higher aspirations than the other teams. Plugging Cortes into that top spot speaks to how thin of a line the Yankees will walk this season.
Crochet could easily become a dominant force in the White Sox rotation. The issue is that he has never started a major-league game before. As Sarah Langs from MLB pointed out on X, Crochet is going to be the ninth pitcher in MLB history to make their first career start on Opening Day. He made just 13 appearances in 2023 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, posting a 3.55 ERA and a 1.974 WHiP over his 12.2 innings while striking out 12 batters with 13 walks. Crochet has been much better in spring training, firing nine shutout innings as he allowed seven hits with 12 strikeouts, but it is fair to wonder if he can hold up as a full-time starter.
The Angels were going to have a significant downgrade with whoever took the ball on Opening Day after Shohei Ohtani departed for the Dodgers. Sandoval posted a 4.11 ERA and a 1.514 WHiP over his 144.2 innings in 2023, striking out 128 batters with 74 walks. Those numbers are fine for a back-of-the-rotation starter. The problem is that the Angels do not have any other options.
Wood had one excellent season over his major-league career, making the All-Star Game in 2017 while leading the majors in winning percentage. He has then battled injuries and ineffectiveness since. Wood was part of a flurry of moves that the A's made during the offseason to attempt to patch together a pitching staff. He bounced between the Giants rotation and bullpen last season, posting a 4.33 ERA and a 1.433 WHiP over his 97.2 innings while striking out 74 batters with 42 walks. Sadly, that is the best that the A's have to offer.
Gray was a consensus top-100 prospect in 2020 and 2021 and a key part of the return for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. He has not quite lived up to that billing thus far, though, struggling with home runs and control. Despite making his first All-Star Game in 2023, Gray posted a 3.91 ERA and a 1.459 WHiP over his 159 innings, striking out 143 batters with 80 walks. At least Gray is an upgrade over last year when the Nationals sent Patrick Corbin to the mound for Opening Day.
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The Phillies have had some talks with the Diamondbacks about third baseman Eugenio Suarez, according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. It isn’t clear whether or not the discussions are anything more than due diligence on the Phillies’ part, but Philadelphia can now be added to a lengthy list of teams with some degree of interest in the slugger. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman raised Suarez as a “potential fit” for the Phils Friday, since the club is in need of third base help with Alec Bohm on the 10-day injured list. Putting Suarez in between the powerful left-handed hitting duo of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber would only add more balance and pop to the lineup, and make it even harder for opposing pitchers and managers to navigate through what is already a dangerous Philadelphia lineup. Since Bohm is expected back from his fractured rib roughly halfway through August, however, Lauber notes that added Suarez would creates a bit of a positional logjam. Harper and Schwarber have the first base and DH spots locked down, so there would be nowhere for Bohm and Suarez to both play unless Schwarber was moved into left field. Harper doesn’t appear to be a candidate for a return to outfield work, as Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski stated last month. Speculatively, the Phillies could clear space by trading Bohm himself, though such a deal would naturally be trickier since Bohm is on the IL. It is possible Bohm could head to Arizona as part of a Suarez trade package, as adding Bohm would help the D-backs fill some at-bats at first base since Josh Naylor has been traded, and Bohm could provide cover at third base if Jordan Lawlar runs into more struggles at the MLB level. Bohm is arbitration-eligible for the final time this winter, so this extra year of team control might appeal to the Diamondbacks or other teams looking for corner infield help. Since the Diamondbacks are also shopping several of their outfielders, it is possible the two sides could work out a multi-player deal that would see the Phillies add both Suarez and some outfield help in one fell swoop. Lauber writes that Arizona was scouting Mick Abel’s most recent Triple-A start, which again could be due diligence or a signal that the D-backs (known to be pursuing pitching) have a particular interest in Abel as a trade chip. Dombrowski is no stranger to bold trades, so the Phillies can’t be entirely ruled out for Suarez until the dust settles. Money won’t be a factor, as the Phils have already shown they’re more than willing to break the bank in pursuit of a championship. Suarez is still owed roughly $5.2M of his $15M salary for the 2025 season before he heads into free agency. Since the Phillies are already over the highest level ($301M) of luxury-tax penalization, they’ll pay a 110% tax on every dollar spent beyond the $301M threshold, so Suarez’s real price tag for the Phillies will be more than $10.5M.
Now in her second WNBA season, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese is averaging a league‑leading 12.5 rebounds along with 13.8 points, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. She recently returned from injury and immediately picked up where she left off, posting her 16th double‑double of the season (11 points, 11 rebounds) on Tuesday night even as her Chicago Sky fell, 91-68, to the Minnesota Lynx. Then, on Wednesday, Reese showcased her brand power on Instagram, posting a pregame photo dressed head‑to‑toe in Gucci with the caption, "Don’t worry about me… life is GUCCI @gucci #guccipartner." The image quickly lit up her feed and drew an immediate response from one of the game’s all‑time greats, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, who commented, “Yessss it is❤️." Despite flashes of elite play, the Sky have struggled mightily, standing at just 7-17 and sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. Their 76.7 points per game rank 12th in the WNBA, and opponents are torching them for 86.8 a night (12th in the league). With head coach Tyler Marsh searching for consistency, every bright spot has been a welcome reprieve for a franchise that won the title as recently as 2021. Front and center among Chicago’s bright spots is Reese. Off the court, Reese has quickly built a burgeoning portfolio of endorsement deals, including Reebok, Calvin Klein, Beats by Dre, Amazon and now Gucci, underscoring her status as one of the WNBA’s brightest personalities. On the other side, you have Leslie, whose voice carries more weight than arguably anybody in women’s basketball. A three‑time league MVP, two‑time WNBA champion and Finals MVP and eight‑time All‑Star, Leslie helped define the league’s early years with the Los Angeles Sparks, including driving home the first dunk in WNBA history in 2002. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (class of 2015), she remains a global ambassador for the sport.
Three days of Green Bay Packers training camp are in the books and cornerback Carrington Valentine has reinforced his status as the default CB3. It’s only a minute sample size, of course, and the team hasn’t even moved to padded sessions yet. Nonetheless, it’s encouraging to see the former 232nd overall pick put down some roots in a cornerback group that will need meaningful contributions from a slew of less than household names. Carrington Valentine starts strong in Green Bay Packers training camp Writing for Packers Wire, Mark Oldacres observed that Valentine has already picked off a pair of passes in the early going. Stats don’t much much in training camp, but it’s a reflection of Valentine’s keyed-in performance thus far, which included matching up well with standout rookie receiver Matthew Golden. Each player has impressed so far in camp. The Packers are counting on Valentine to backup Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs on the depth chart, or take the field with them in nickelback formations. While he is still developing his overall tools, he already has a place on an NFL field due to his coverage skills. Says Oldacres, “Arguably Green Bay’s most gifted cover corner, Valentine is showing signs of hitting his upside in coverage specifically, although proving he is reliable enough in defending the run will still be crucial for him to truly become a full time player.” Valentine enjoyed a decent chunk of playing time last season as a sophomore, taking advantage of Jaire Alexander’s extended injury absence to amass 546 snaps. He notched the first two interceptions of his career and earned a PFF grade of 70.4, which ranked in the 80th percentile of qualified cornerbacks. With Alexander released and Eric Stokes leaving in free agency, Valentine will have an even greater opportunity in 2025. The players behind him on the depth chart are fringe reserves, draft picks, or ex-receivers (Bo Melton). The job behind Nixon and Hobbs is his to lose. If the latter hits the injured list again – Hobbs missed 17 games across his last three seasons in Las Vegas – Valentine could step into an elevated role. Promoting him naturally at some point, injuries or not, might not be such a bad thing. For his part, Oldacres is pretty high on Valentine’s potential. “Entering year three in the NFL and soon to turn 24, Valentine is probably the best bet to lift the ceiling of Green Bay’s cornerback group as a whole.”
The lead up to the MLB trade deadline is off and running, with the Seattle Mariners striking a move with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. Some might have expected Eugenio Suarez, a former Mariner, to be heading back to his old team. Instead, it was first baseman Josh Naylor who was shipped off to Seattle. However, that doesn't mean these two teams are done dealing. MLB.com's Daniel Kramer reported on X that "Eugenio Suarez is still Seattle’s top priority and being aggressively pursued by the Mariners." Suarez, on the back of an All-Star selection, is one of the hottest names on the market. With an eye-catching 36 home runs, good for second place in the National League, and 87 RBI, a bountiful number of MLB contenders are fighting for his services. Before his stint with Arizona, Suarez compiled two seasons' worth of monstrous home runs with the Mariners. A fan favorite, Mariners fans have been raving about the possibility of bringing him back. Despite their haste in acquiring Naylor, the chances of importing his teammate alongside him remain high. At 34 years old, Suarez is at his peak and would greatly improve the slugging of the playoff-hopeful Mariners. The third baseman would take the place of rookie Ben Williamson at the position. Williamson has performed valiantly, but his contact bat doesn't bring the same run-producing stature as Suarez. For a club that loves to hit home runs, Suarez would be the cherry on top. With the team currently ranked sixth in the MLB in home runs (144), the power-hitter would upgrade the Mariners into one of the best slugging lineups in the league. Coming at a high cost, the risk would be worth it. Pairing up Suarez with a lineup featuring multiple All-Stars in catcher Cal Raleigh, center fielder Julio Rodriguez and left fielder Randy Arozarena would be frightening. The high-octane lineup would give the Mariners something to rely on as they push for the playoffs. The Mariners are currently in vigorous pursuit of the injury-riddled Houston Astros, trailing the AL West leader by five games. Consistent offense has been difficult to come by for the Mariners, leading to some troubling losses. With a locked-and-loaded pitching rotation, the Mariners have no time to wait to bolster the offense. Adding Suarez may be the piece they need to unlock a giant-slaying squad. As we inch closer to the trade deadline, which takes place July 31 at 6 p.m. ET, be on the lookout for the Mariners to punch another deal with the Diamondbacks.