Gunnar Henderson talks all issues Baltimore Orioles and the upcoming MLB season
Gunnar Henderson stops by to speak in regards to the upcoming season with the Orioles and being on the duvet of MLB The Present 25.
Sports activities Significantly
Main League Baseball‘s correct Opening Day is ready for Thursday, March 27, with 14 video games beginning at 3 p.m. ET.
The Los Angeles Dodgers will increase their World Collection banner in Chavez Ravine, getting into 2025 because the heavy favorites to repeat as champions. Their greatest threats ought to come from throughout the Nationwide League, with groups just like the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and San Diego Padres seeking to dethrone Los Angeles.
Within the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers look to proceed their division domination, however the Chicago Cubs might need one thing to say about it after buying All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker this winter.
Here is a have a look at each NL crew’s three keys to victory for the upcoming season:
Nationwide League East
Atlanta Braves
Be at your finest come October: The Braves will begin the season with out Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. as they proceed to rehab from season-ending surgical procedures in 2024. It’s essential Atlanta give them prolonged time to ramp up after which get again into the on a regular basis grind upon their return. The Braves plan to have two of the perfect gamers within the sport at their peak come the warmth of the pennant race.
Add depth because the season goes on: The bench could possibly be gentle, however the Braves have a historical past of constructing shrewd strikes. Final season as an illustration, castoff outfielder Ramon Laureano turned an on a regular basis participant, batting .296 with 10 residence runs in 67 video games, serving to the Braves attain the playoffs for the seventh 12 months in a row. Signed within the offseason, outfielder Bryan De La Cruz may earn enjoying time and make main contributions after averaging 20 residence runs and 73 RBIs over the previous two years.
Don’t fear in regards to the Phillies and Mets: MLB’s balanced scheduling has resulted in much less video games towards division foes, that means the Braves shouldn’t concern themselves an excessive amount of with the opposite co-favorites to win the Nationwide League East. Even with out the departed left-handed pitcher Max Fried, the Braves most likely have essentially the most gifted roster within the division when all people will get wholesome. There’s room for all three groups within the playoffs (like final 12 months), and if Atlanta will get in once more, it’ll pose matchup issues for almost each different crew within the NL.
– Jesse Yomtov
Miami Marlins
Alcantara’s return: The Marlins had been with out maybe their finest participant for all of final season with ace Sandy Alcantara having Tommy John surgical procedure in October 2023. He was forward of schedule in his restoration and even confronted stay hitters final September, however with the crew out of playoff competition, it made no sense to have him return to motion then. Again on the mound this spring, the 2022 NL Cy Younger Award winner has had ample time to get again within the groove and he’s seemed good thus far. Alcantara shouldn’t be anticipated to face any workload restrictions over the course of the season.
Edwards units desk: Shortstop Xavier Edwards acquired a style of the majors in 2023, however he returned to Miami within the second half of final season and shortly established himself as an integral a part of the offense, taking up because the Marlins’ leadoff hitter in July. The 2018 first-round decide makes frequent contact and has glorious pace. If he can proceed to get on base at a excessive charge, the Marlins ought to enhance upon their NL worst of three.93 runs per sport.
Prospects blossom: Regardless of two playoff appearances within the pastfive seasons, the Marlins are undoubtedly in a rebuilding section after buying and selling away confirmed gamers reminiscent of Pablo Lopez, Luis Arraez, Trevor Rogers and Jazz Chisholm for prospects. In some unspecified time in the future these prospects must pan out. It’s as much as pitcher Ryan Weathers, outfielder Kyle Stowers and third baseman Connor Norby to comply with Edwards.
New York Mets
High it off: The Mets made the largest splash of the offseason after they landed Juan Sotoon a historic 15-year, $765 million deal. The 26-year-old famous person might be becoming a member of forces with NL MVP runner-up Francisco Lindor atop the crew’s lineup to kind some of the dynamic 1-2 punches within the NL. Each boast the potential to attain 100 runs and plate 100 RBIs. Past that’s the place the largest waves will be made. After signing a two-year, $54 million deal, can Pete Alonso bounce again after his lowest homer whole (34) of his profession? Mark Vientos is seeking to construct off a transformative season, whereas Brandon Nimmo has discovered energy on the expense of reaching base to his normal clip.
Climate early storm: The membership has been hit arduous by accidents early in spring coaching, with Frankie Montas and Francisco Alvarez every anticipated to be out till a minimum of Could. Sean Manaea and Jeff McNeil are additionally coping with indirect accidents that can put them on the IL early in 2025. The Mets acquired off to an unpleasant begin by the primary two months in 2024 and located themselves 11 video games below .500. They performed catch-up for the rest of the season.
Discover their legs: Kodai Senga, who completed seventh in NL Cy Younger voting in 2023, is returning after he labored by shoulder and calf accidents. Clay Holmes is transferring from the bullpen to a beginning function for the primary time since his rookie season in 2018. How will an expanded repertoire and extra workload have an effect on him?
– Andrew Tredinnick, NorthJersey.com
Philadelphia Phillies
Their higher half: No crew was extra dominant by July than the Phillies, who despatched a report seven gamers to the All-Star Sport and barely had their NL East benefit slip under six video games. However a listless September and a intestine punch of a 3-1 defeat by the hands of the New York Mets within the NL division sequence spherical set forth a winter of soul-searching. There have been good tucks across the edges, with Jesus Luzardo added to the again of the rotation and Max Kepler enhancing the outfield’s offensive manufacturing, however the bulk of enchancment should after all come from the crew’s core.
Nick of time: Whereas Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are pending free brokers, the higher roster overhaul may not happen till after the 2026 season, when Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm and Taijuan Walker, amongst others, are eligible without cost company. Within the meantime, the Phillies may use a surge in manufacturing from their proper fielder. Castellanos, 33, noticed his OPS dip from .788 to .742 and his homers drop from 29 to 23 whereas replicating his .311 OBP. If he can as a minimum keep away from any additional slippage, the Phillies ought to go a good distance towards defending their title.
Reliever merry-go-round: Jordan Romano was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023, however he tried to pitch by a balky elbow earlier than having surgical procedure final 12 months. The higher query is how the bullpen – which was so good till the ultimate month and playoffs of final 12 months – traces up in entrance of him.
Washington Nationals
Present noticeable progress: The Nationals have been in a rebuilding stage because the 2021 season, which adopted their World Collection title. Normal supervisor Mike Rizzo has rebuilt the franchise from the bottom up and it has nudged from 55 wins in 2022 to 71 the previous two seasons. Nonetheless, the franchise broke by in 2012 when it confirmed it was keen so as to add bigger-name veterans to its prospect base. That course of hasn’t begun with the latest model of the franchise. It could take a push from the group it has to get the Lerner household to totally purchase into one other run. Or, after settling a long-standing TV rights dispute with the Orioles, are the Lerners contemplating promoting the crew?
Progress from cornerstones: Rizzo has assembled high-end items reminiscent of CJ Abrams, James Wooden, Dylan Crews and MacKenzie Gore. Abrams has established himself as a extremely productive main leaguer during the last two seasons, however the different prime prospects, together with another younger arms like DJ Herz and Cade Cavalli, all might must take an enormous step for the crew to contend.
Get the thrill again: Followers proved within the lead-up to the 2019 title they’d come out in giant numbers to help a winner and provides the Nats a home-field benefit. Tangible indicators of 1 previous the early phases of the season may deliver extra vitality. A vote of confidence from possession it’s dedicated to placing extra monetary assets into one other run would additionally assist.
Nationwide League Central
Chicago Cubs
Profit from Kyle Tucker: The Cubs acquired the most effective gamers in baseball however he’s free agent after this season. An extension with Tucker isn’t out of the query for the Cubs, however he may push $400 million on the open market if he has a superb 12 months. He was restricted by damage to 78 video games final season however hit 23 homers with 49 RBIs and a .993 OPS. That was good for a staggering 4.7 WAR.
Type out the bullpen early: Supervisor Craig Counsell has some new faces, together with two-time All-Star nearer Ryan Pressly, acquired in an offseason commerce with the Astros. Porter Hodge, 24, must be the first setup man, coming off a stellar rookie season with a 1.88 ERA in 43 innings. Can he come wherever near replicating that? Ryan Brasier and lefty Caleb Thielbar had been good veteran additions, with holdovers Tyson Miller and Nate Pearson additionally anticipated to see vital middle-inning work.
Stick to Matt Shaw at third: The Cubs’ prime prospect has been transitioning to 3rd base from center infield and the group opened his path to the majors by buying and selling Isaac Paredes and prospect Kevin Smith within the package deal for Tucker. Shaw, 23, has handled an indirect damage that has restricted his enjoying time in spring coaching however made the roster for the Japan Collection and can seemingly be the opening-day third baseman. He had a .303 common and .906 OPS in 600 minor league at-bats, with 21 homers and 31 steals in 2024.
– Jesse Yomtov
Cincinnati Reds
Matt McLain: The Reds’ finest participant in the course of the three months he was on the sphere as a rookie in 2023 is again wholesome and batting second after lacking all of final season due to an damage to his non-throwing shoulder. The second baseman is the crew’s prime risk to win a Gold Glove, and if he’s even near pretty much as good as he was on the plate in 2023, he’ll tackle the look of a big-ticket acquisition.
Tito bounce: The Reds wasted no time touchdown the perfect accessible supervisor, hiring Terry Francona out of retirement in 11 days flat after firing David Bell. The three-time Supervisor of the 12 months and two-time World Collection champion set a palpable tone of excessive expectations and a focus to element from the primary day of camp that continues to resonate into the season.
Sneaky rotation depth: The Reds introduced again Nick Martinez on a qualifying provide and added Brady Singer in a commerce to spice up a Hunter Greene-led beginning employees that was the power of final 12 months’s crew. Past the skilled first 5, the Reds added veteran free agent lefty Wade Miley, who’s anticipated again on the mound from Tommy John surgical procedure in Could. Additionally, 2023 No. 7 total draft decide Rhett Lowder, who produced a 1.17 ERA in a six-start debut down the stretch final 12 months, is within the wings for a possible season debut a month or so into the season, as wanted. Chase Burns, the No. 2 total decide in final 12 months’s draft, would possibly make his presence felt within the large leagues by the tip of the season.
– Gordon Wittenmyer
Milwaukee Brewers
The place is the offense? Not a Brewer is shortstop Willy Adames, who signed with San Francisco within the offseason. Despite the fact that that’s only one misplaced participant on offense, that’s loads of manufacturing at a key place. Between breakout candidates Joey Ortiz, Garrett MItchell and Sal Frelick together with mainstays Jackson Chourio, William Contreras and Christian Yelich, is there sufficient energy manufacturing to fill Adames’ void? Rhys Hoskins stays a key determine in 2025 coming off a pedestrian first 12 months in Milwaukee.
Rotation well being: The Brewers had to make use of 17 pitchers as starters in 2024. They improved their rotation depth by signing Jose Quintana and buying and selling for Nestor Cortes, but it surely’s going to be robust to outlive that many accidents ought to they strike once more. Brandon Woodruff’s kind in his return after lacking 2024 with shoulder surgical procedure stays a pivotal issue. The Brewers already noticed Aaron Ashby and DL Corridor go down with accidents early in spring.
Discovering a more in-depth: The Brewers traded away their second all-league nearer in a three-year span by sending Devin Williams to the Yankees. The bullpen has lengthy been one of many crew’s prime strengths, however who will substitute Williams? Can Trevor Megill assume the function seamlessly? Will a darkish horse, reminiscent of Nick Mears or Joel Payamps, take over? Might or not it’s a prospect, such because the late-blooming Craig Yoho? Or will the Brewers be left with a gap within the ninth inning?
– Curt Hogg
Pittsburgh Pirates
Cruz management in middle: Oneil Cruz reached the majors 4 years in the past as a rarity: a 6-foot-7 shortstop. Though he confirmed he had the athleticism for the place, his protection was erratic at finest. So with a month to go within the 2024 season, the group determined to maneuver Cruz to the outfield. The outcomes had been encouraging sufficient to make the change everlasting. The subsequent developmental step is to see if he can lower his strikeout charge (30.2%) whereas nonetheless sustaining elite exit velocity (95.5 mph common).
Skenes, Jones and discover some clones: The Pirates will seemingly go so far as their younger pitching will carry them. That could possibly be fairly far, contemplating they’ve the reigning NL rookie of the 12 months in Paul Skenes, who posted a 1.96 ERA in his first 23 main league begins. Proper behind him, Jared Jones confirmed flashes of brilliance in his debut season. They may quickly be joined within the rotation by prospects Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington. All 4 right-handers are 23 or youthful.
Extra firepower: The Pirates completed final within the NL in slugging (.371) and 14th in on-base proportion (.301). After averaging simply over 4 runs per sport, further run help for that rising pitching employees can be reasonably useful. Sadly, the development will principally have to return from inside. Their greatest offensive strikes this winter had been re-signing DH Andrew McCutchen and including veteran outfielder Tommy Pham and utilityman Adam Frazier.
– Steve Gardner
St. Louis Cardinals
Easy transition at first: The massive offseason experiment in St. Louis was transferring catcher Willson Contreras out from behind the plate and having him take over at first base for departed free agent Paul Goldschmidt. It’s a reasonably dangerous transfer with the 32-year-old Contreras enjoying a complete of simply 11 video games at first in his nine-year MLB profession. One factor it’ll do is open up common enjoying time for Ivan Herrera, 24.
Develop an offensive identification: It’s arduous to know precisely what to anticipate from the lineup. It’s not overly highly effective and never based mostly on pace with solely the Rockies, Braves and Giants stealing fewer bases. The important thing could possibly be how a lot Masyn Winn may give the Cardinals from the leadoff spot. Though he stated he desires to steal 30 to 40 bases, he has to get on first. Winn has endured a tough spring, hitting simply .102 with three walks and no extra-base hits in his first 42 plate appearances.
Attain franchise stability: The Cardinals appear to be in a interval of transition on the sphere and within the entrance workplace. The crew’s longtime head of baseball operations, John Mozeliak, might be stepping apart on the finish of the season and turning management of the entrance workplace over to former Purple Sox and Rays exec Chaim Bloom. There have been hints a roster makeover would possibly start sooner after they didn’t make a proposal to Goldschmidt and practically traded their different veteran cornerstone, third baseman Nolan Arenado. Nearer Ryan Helsley is also on the transfer.
– Steve Gardner
Nationwide League West
Arizona DIamondbacks
Bouncing again: The Diamondbacks in some way managed to have the perfect offense in baseball final 12 months regardless of a disappointing season from star outfielder Corbin Carroll. If Carroll can get nearer to his 2023 manufacturing, it will go a good distance towards serving to the lineup stay potent, significantly with first baseman Christian Walker and slugger Joc Pederson having left by way of free company. Carroll completed on a constructive be aware – he had a .919 OPS within the second half – and began off spring coaching on a scorching streak, so there are many causes to imagine.
Higher well being: The rotation looks as if a protected guess to be higher if for no motive aside from the addition of Corbin Burnes, who signed a six-year, $210 million deal. However the unit would additionally profit from higher well being luck, specifically with Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez. Lefty Jordan Montgomery and right-hander Ryne Nelson every additionally hung out on the injured record final 12 months. If the group, which additionally contains Zac Gallen and Brandon Pfaadt, can keep wholesome, it could possibly be one of many majors’ higher rotations.
Marte for MVP? If Ketel Marte hadn’t landed on the injured record in August, he might need given Shohei Ohtani a little bit of competitors within the NL MVP race. Regardless of lacking a couple of weeks with an ankle sprain, Marte nonetheless completed third within the voting. He by no means appears to get the eye of different gamers – and is usually overshadowed on his personal crew – however when he’s wholesome and productive, the Diamondbacks are usually a superb crew.
– Nick Piecoro, Arizona Republic
Colorado Rockies
Keep out of cellar: It could appear inevitable for a crew that hasn’t received greater than 68 video games since 2021. It additionally has completed final within the NL West the final two seasons, not coming inside 19 video games of fourth place. The Rockies aren’t positioned to take care of the Dodgers, Diamondbacks or Padres, however a gifted offensive core may set their sights on the Giants. A push to play .500 of their 52 video games inside their division may generate some optimism. Perhaps they may time the debut of right-hander Chase Dollander, a prized first-round decide in 2023, for August. They’ve 27 of these division video games over the season’s closing two months.
Get Bryant going: Since signing his seven-year, $182 million contract earlier than the 2022 season, the previous NL MVP has performed 159 video games. That’s a full-season pattern measurement, and he has hit .250 with 17 homers, 60 RBIs and .713 OPS. Accidents seem to have decreased him to a far lesser participant than the Cubs’ World Collection winner. If Bryant, 33, can get nearer to what he as soon as was, although (.886 profession OPS with the Cubs), he may definitely present extra of the wins for which the Rockies invested in him.
Bang the ball round: A cornerstone of earlier Rockies contenders is a monster offense to go along with simply sufficient pitching. Colorado has many succesful younger bats (Michael Toglia, Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar, Hunter Goodman) who must push the Coors Area ranges of scoring we’ve seen prior to now to maneuver it nearer to .500.
– Stephen Borelli
Los Angeles Dodgers
Pitching well being: The Dodgers are opening the season with beginning pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Michael Grove, Gavin Stone, River Ryan and Emmet Sheehan and relievers Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol on the injured record. They signed two-time Cy Younger winner Blake Snell and Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki for the rotation, and closers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates for the bullpen. They’re delaying Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound till seemingly June and should not have a starter pitch greater than 150 innings this 12 months.
Betts experiment: The Dodgers as soon as once more are going to attempt six-time Gold Glove proper fielder Mookie Betts at shortstop. The Dodgers imagine his athleticism can deal with the adjustment, however nonetheless, for a crew with World Collection title aspirations, it’s a bet. He performed solely 65 video games at shortstop final season and was erratic defensively with 9 errors, eight on his throws. If Betts can’t deal with it, he seemingly will go to second base they usually’ll insert Miguel Rojas at shortstop. They might even return Betts to the outfield. Keep tuned.
When to pitch Ohtani: The plan was for him to return to the rotation opening day till he dislocated his left shoulder within the World Collection. Now they’ve shut down his throwing program till the beginning of the season and are in no hurry of returning him to the mound till June, or maybe later. They need to save these bullets till October.
– Bob Nightengale
San Diego Padres
Run your individual race: The Padres had the Dodgers on the point of elimination in final 12 months’s NLDS however didn’t put the eventual World Collection champions away. Los Angeles made big additions within the offseason whereas San Diego largely stood nonetheless. The hole in expertise between the 2 golf equipment is larger than it’s been in the previous couple of years and the Padres must focus their vitality on merely entering into the postseason, reasonably than competing immediately with the presumed NL West champions. They’ll be a tricky out within the playoffs with their lineup, rotation and bullpen if all people is wholesome.
Commerce an upcoming free agent: San Diego has completed a terrific job on the commerce market in recent times to accumulate key gamers, whereas additionally having the foresight to commerce Juan Soto and get an enormous return a 12 months earlier than he hit free company. The Padres ought to do the identical with All-Star pitcher Dylan Stop and/or three-time batting champion Luis Arráez, each of whom will grow to be free brokers after the 2025 season. Maybe Gerrit Cole’s damage places some impetus on the Yankees to make one other take care of the Padres, this time for Stop.
Add one other outfielder: Two weeks earlier than opening day, Jason Heyward was penciled in because the beginning left fielder, not a fantastic search for a membership with World Collection aspirations. The celebs within the lineup are there for the Padres, however their bench is gentle and the crew will want extra bats on the roster in the event that they hope to get again to the playoffs.
– Jesse Yomtov
San Francisco Giants
Left aspect lockdown: The Giants signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million extension earlier than final season ended. They additional solidified their infield this offseason by signing shortstop Willy Adames to the biggest contract in crew historical past (seven years, $182 million). They need to be infield mainstays and supply punch to the center of the batting order for a crew that was tenth in runs scored within the NL final season.
Justin justifies flier: With LHP Blake Snell leaving by way of free company, the Giants turned to right-hander Justin Verlander, signing the 42-year-old three-time Cy Younger winner to a one-year, $15 million deal. The longer term Corridor of Famer was affected by shoulder and neck accidents final 12 months. Can Verlander regain some model of the shape he confirmed as not too long ago as 2023 with the New York Mets and Houston Astros (mixed 13-8, 3.22 ERA)?
Camilo coming again: Proper-hander Camilo Doval returns to the All-Star kind he confirmed earlier than he misplaced the nearer’s job final season and fortifies the again finish of the Giants bullpen. After tying the NL lead with 39 saves in 2023, Doval struggled in 2024 and had a career-worst 4.70 ERA when he was optioned to Class AAA for 2 weeks in August. Ryan Walker took over because the nearer and stays in that function. However Buster Posey, the crew’s new president of baseball operations who caught Doval when he debuted in 2021, has stated he’s “fairly bullish on (Doval) coming again.”
– Cesar Brioso
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