It’s here, it’s here! Opening Day is upon us, and excluding the All-Star Break pause, we won’t have to deal with another baseball-free day until November. It may just be spring, but the Boys of Summer are back, and it’s time to get excited because starting today, all the stats matter. It’s the best day of the year!
Before we get into all the excitement of the regular season, we also wanted to touch on one of the sweetest stories from the World Baseball Classic. Ondrej Satoria, the Czech pitcher who
defied the odds and toppled some of the best batters in baseball, made waves especially because he wasn’t even a full-time athlete: he’s an electrician. The everyman story captured peoples’ attention and made him a bit of a hero to audiences, and he’s finally speaking about the experience. When he spoke about his final outing against Team Japan, he said:
“In my eyes, it’s as valuable as the Olympics, because it’s only once every four years. It’s a fully professional world championship. The team has to qualify, and there you get to face players you usually only watch on TV, which is the most magical thing for us. We can shake hands with them on the field, and for us amateurs, that’s the best part.”
He also spoke specifically about striking out Shohei Ohtani, perhaps the most famous player in the world:
“It changed my life quite a bit, because it got me noticed, and it also put Czech baseball on the map. That’s really thanks to this. Of course, it’s something I’ll always remember fondly. I’m glad it’s on video, so if anyone ever doubts it, I can prove it. I have the ball from that strikeout on my shelf at home. But still, the most important thing for me is the medal from the European Championship, which I always carry with me… I wouldn’t call myself a legend, but unfortunately, everyone else does. I guess I just have to accept it.”
It was a really sweet interview, and a reminder of the importance of an event like the World Baseball Classic which can create excitement about baseball in countries where it isn’t as popular. Read more here.
Let’s get into the rest of today’s news!
- Davy Andrews reports that the Phillies are really committed to Crisopher Sanchez, extending his extension.
- A quick explainer on the Opening Night game on Netflix, and how to watch the game. (MLB)
- Theo DeRosa tries to predict who will take home the big awards of 2026.
- Ryan Phillips rounds up nine players who are poised to be the next big thing in baseball.
- Mound visits usually aren’t heartwarming, but this Skip Schumaker trip to the bump was a Spring Training highlight. Story by Stephen Douglas.
- Frank Thomas is suing the Chicago White Sox over the unauthorized use of his likeness. Story by Dan Hajducky.
- Brittany Ghiroli shares the story of a whistleblower within the Tigers’ organization being dismissed for calling out the very workplace concerns the team expressed wanting to hear about. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- Nothing to worry about here from a starting pitcher…
- Ben Clemens looks at the positional power rankings for starting pitchers.
- Meanwhile, Dan Szymborksi looks at potential boom and bust candidates for starters in 2026.
- David Adler looks at the Spring Training stats that actually matter.
- Sarah Langs shares which players could be hitting major milestones this coming season.
- Karl Rasmussen ranks all 30 starting rotations.
- Kyle Koster looks at which teams are spending the most, and which players are earning the biggest paydays.
- Jayson Stark wonders how much we should care about how imperfect robot umpires are. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- Quite possibly the strangest way he could have phrased this question.
- Michael Baumann wonders if the Braves are finally running out of pitchers.
- Sam Dykstra spotlights hot prospect Kevin McGonigle, who had made the Opening Day roster for the Detroit Tigers.
- Ryan Phillips explains why the Tigers got it right by including McGoningle on their Opening Day roster.
- A Mets’ announcer shares his disappointment about missing the postseason. Story by Jimmy Traina.
- Ranking all 30 teams going into the 2026 season. (ESPN)
- Evan Drellich and Ken Rosenthal share that there are potential risks to base coaches regarding a new rule meant to help eliminate pitch tipping. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- Guess I know what I’m reading next.
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.
