Latest news with #TheShow25
Forbes
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
MLB The Show 25 - Patch 9 Notes Include Diamond Dynasty Update & More
MLB The Show 25 Sony San Diego Studios released the ninth game update for MLB The Show 25 early on Tuesday morning. The patch targeted a few minor gameplay details, a Marketplace issue and some stability fixes across other modes. This is the kind of update that doesn't change the DNA of the game but could shift how it feels to play. MLB The Show 25 has been critically acclaimed, receiving an 83 score on Metacritic. I gave it a 9 in my review, but there are still a good number of people complaining about R and G results in hitting, and overall difficulty having success at the plate. The studio shared the official update link on X, providing full patch notes for every platform. To be honest, I'm not as interested in player model updates for The Show 25. I'll be more plugged in on this front for next year's game, which should be a massive visual improvement as the series stops supporting last-gen consoles. That subtraction should free most sports games up to fully take advantage of the PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X and the new Nintendo Switch. I don't care what anyone says, I've never enjoyed a baseball video game more than I've enjoyed The Show 25. Diamond Dynasty's flow of content is exemplary and I appreciate the challenge of hitting. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder There is one thing I'd love to see them add to Diamond Dynasty, and that is the ability to set platoon lineups for Ranked, Event and Battle Royal games. There's no way to know if you'll be facing a left or right-handed pitcher. If we could set platoon lineups that were chosen based on the handedness of the opposing starting pitcher, that would be ideal. We will see how much people like or dislike the latest update to the game.
USA Today
23-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
When is MLB opening day? 2025 National League season preview for every team
When is MLB opening day? 2025 National League season preview for every team Show Caption Hide Caption Gunnar Henderson talks all things Baltimore Orioles and the upcoming MLB season Gunnar Henderson stops by to talk about the upcoming season with the Orioles and being on the cover of MLB The Show 25. Sports Seriously Major League Baseball's proper Opening Day is set for Thursday, March 27, with 14 games starting at 3 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers will raise their World Series banner in Chavez Ravine, entering 2025 as the heavy favorites to repeat as champions. Their biggest threats should come from within the National League, with teams like the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and San Diego Padres looking to dethrone Los Angeles. American League preview: Will new-look Yankees get back to World Series? In the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers look to continue their division domination, but the Chicago Cubs might have something to say about it after acquiring All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker this winter. Here's a look at every NL team's three keys to victory for the upcoming season: National League East Atlanta Braves Be at your best come October: The Braves will start the season without Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. as they continue to rehab from season-ending surgeries in 2024. It's important Atlanta give them extended time to ramp up and then get back into the everyday grind upon their return. The Braves plan to have two of the best players in the game at their peak come the heat of the pennant race. Add depth as the season goes on: The bench could be light, but the Braves have a history of making shrewd moves. Last season for instance, castoff outfielder Ramon Laureano became an everyday player, batting .296 with 10 home runs in 67 games, helping the Braves reach the playoffs for the seventh year in a row. Signed in the offseason, outfielder Bryan De La Cruz could earn playing time and make major contributions after averaging 20 home runs and 73 RBIs over the past two years. Don't worry about the Phillies and Mets: MLB's balanced scheduling has resulted in less games against division foes, meaning the Braves shouldn't concern themselves too much with the other co-favorites to win the National League East. Even without the departed left-handed pitcher Max Fried, the Braves probably have the most talented roster in the division when everybody gets healthy. There is room for all three teams in the playoffs (like last year), and if Atlanta gets in again, it will pose matchup problems for just about every other team in the NL. – Jesse Yomtov Miami Marlins Alcantara's return: The Marlins were without perhaps their best player for all of last season with ace Sandy Alcantara having Tommy John surgery in October 2023. He was ahead of schedule in his recovery and even faced live hitters last September, but with the team out of playoff contention, it made no sense to have him return to action then. Back on the mound this spring, the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner has had ample time to get back in the groove and he's looked good so far. Alcantara is not expected to face any workload restrictions over the course of the season. Edwards sets table: Shortstop Xavier Edwards got a taste of the majors in 2023, but he returned to Miami in the second half of last season and quickly established himself as an integral part of the offense, taking over as the Marlins' leadoff hitter in July. The 2018 first-round pick makes frequent contact and has excellent speed. If he can continue to get on base at a high rate, the Marlins should improve upon their NL worst of 3.93 runs per game. Prospects blossom: Despite two playoff appearances in the pastfive seasons, the Marlins are undoubtedly in a rebuilding phase after trading away proven players such as Pablo Lopez, Luis Arraez, Trevor Rogers and Jazz Chisholm for prospects. At some point those prospects need to pan out. It is up to pitcher Ryan Weathers, outfielder Kyle Stowers and third baseman Connor Norby to follow Edwards. – Steve Gardner New York Mets Top it off: The Mets made the biggest splash of the offseason when they landed Juan Sotoon a historic 15-year, $765 million deal. The 26-year-old superstar will be joining forces with NL MVP runner-up Francisco Lindor atop the team's lineup to form one of the most dynamic 1-2 punches in the NL. Both boast the potential to score 100 runs and plate 100 RBIs. Beyond that is where the biggest waves can be made. After signing a two-year, $54 million deal, can Pete Alonso bounce back after his lowest homer total (34) of his career? Mark Vientos is looking to build off a transformative season, while Brandon Nimmo has found power at the expense of reaching base to his usual clip. Weather early storm: The club has been hit hard by injuries early in spring training, with Frankie Montas and Francisco Alvarez each expected to be out until at least May. Sean Manaea and Jeff McNeil are also dealing with oblique injuries that will put them on the IL early in 2025. The Mets got off to an ugly start through the first two months in 2024 and found themselves 11 games under .500. They played catch-up for the remainder of the season. Find their legs: Kodai Senga, who finished seventh in NL Cy Young voting in 2023, is returning after he worked through shoulder and calf injuries. Clay Holmes is moving from the bullpen to a starting role for the first time since his rookie season in 2018. How will an expanded repertoire and additional workload affect him? – Andrew Tredinnick, Philadelphia Phillies Their better half: No team was more dominant through July than the Phillies, who sent a record seven players to the All-Star Game and rarely had their NL East advantage slip below six games. But a listless September and a gut punch of a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the New York Mets in the NL division series round set forth a winter of soul-searching. There were nice tucks around the edges, with Jesus Luzardo added to the back of the rotation and Max Kepler enhancing the outfield's offensive production, but the bulk of improvement must of course come from the team's core. Nick of time: While Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are pending free agents, the greater roster overhaul might not occur until after the 2026 season, when Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm and Taijuan Walker, among others, are eligible for free agency. In the meantime, the Phillies could use a surge in production from their right fielder. Castellanos, 33, saw his OPS dip from .788 to .742 and his homers drop from 29 to 23 while replicating his .311 OBP. If he can at the least avoid any further slippage, the Phillies should go a long way toward defending their title. Reliever merry-go-round: Jordan Romano was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023, but he tried to pitch through a balky elbow before having surgery last year. The greater question is how the bullpen – which was so good until the final month and playoffs of last year – lines up in front of him. – Gabe Lacques Washington Nationals Show noticeable progress: The Nationals have been in a rebuilding stage since the 2021 season, which followed their World Series title. General manager Mike Rizzo has rebuilt the franchise from the ground up and it has nudged from 55 wins in 2022 to 71 the past two seasons. However, the franchise broke through in 2012 when it showed it was willing to add bigger-name veterans to its prospect base. That process hasn't begun with the most recent version of the franchise. It may take a push from the group it has to get the Lerner family to fully buy into another run. Or, after settling a long-standing TV rights dispute with the Orioles, are the Lerners considering selling the team? Growth from cornerstones: Rizzo has assembled high-end pieces such as CJ Abrams, James Wood, Dylan Crews and MacKenzie Gore. Abrams has established himself as a highly productive major leaguer over the last two seasons, but the other top prospects, including some other young arms like DJ Herz and Cade Cavalli, all may need to take a big step for the team to contend. Get the buzz back: Fans proved in the lead-up to the 2019 title they would come out in large numbers to support a winner and give the Nats a home-field advantage. Tangible signs of one past the early stages of the season could bring more energy. A vote of confidence from ownership it is committed to putting more financial resources into another run would also help. – Stephen Borelli National League Central Chicago Cubs Make the most of Kyle Tucker: The Cubs acquired one of the best players in baseball but he's free agent after this season. An extension with Tucker isn't out of the question for the Cubs, but he could push $400 million on the open market if he has a good year. He was limited by injury to 78 games last season but hit 23 homers with 49 RBIs and a .993 OPS. That was good for a staggering 4.7 WAR. Sort out the bullpen early: Manager Craig Counsell has some new faces, including two-time All-Star closer Ryan Pressly, acquired in an offseason trade with the Astros. Porter Hodge, 24, should be the primary setup man, coming off a stellar rookie season with a 1.88 ERA in 43 innings. Can he come anywhere close to replicating that? Ryan Brasier and lefty Caleb Thielbar were nice veteran additions, with holdovers Tyson Miller and Nate Pearson also expected to see significant middle-inning work. Stick with Matt Shaw at third: The Cubs' top prospect has been transitioning to third base from middle infield and the organization opened his path to the majors by trading Isaac Paredes and prospect Kevin Smith in the package for Tucker. Shaw, 23, has dealt with an oblique injury that has limited his playing time in spring training but made the roster for the Japan Series and will likely be the opening-day third baseman. He had a .303 average 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' best player during the three months he was on the field as a rookie in 2023 is back healthy and batting second after missing all of last season because of an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. The second baseman is the team's top threat to win a Gold Glove, and if he's even close to as good as he was at the plate in 2023, he'll take on the look of a big-ticket acquisition. Tito bounce: The Reds wasted no time landing the best available manager, hiring Terry Francona out of retirement in 11 days flat after firing David Bell. The three-time Manager of the Year and two-time World Series champion set a palpable tone of high expectations and attention to detail from the first day of camp that continues to resonate into the season. Sneaky rotation depth: The Reds brought back Nick Martinez on a qualifying offer and added Brady Singer in a trade to boost a Hunter Greene-led starting staff that was the strength of last year's team. Beyond the experienced first five, the Reds added veteran free agent lefty Wade Miley, who's expected back on the mound from Tommy John surgery in May. Also, 2023 No. 7 overall draft pick Rhett Lowder, who produced a 1.17 ERA in a six-start debut down the stretch last year, is in the wings for a potential season debut a month or so into the season, as needed. Chase Burns, the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft, might make his presence felt in the big leagues by the end of the season. – Gordon Wittenmyer Milwaukee Brewers Where is the offense? No longer a Brewer is shortstop Willy Adames, who signed with San Francisco in the offseason. Even though that's just one lost player on offense, that's a lot of production at a key position. Between breakout candidates Joey Ortiz, Garrett MItchell and Sal Frelick along with mainstays Jackson Chourio, William Contreras and Christian Yelich, is there enough power production to fill Adames' void? Rhys Hoskins remains a key figure in 2025 coming off a pedestrian first year in Milwaukee. Rotation health: The Brewers had to use 17 pitchers as starters in 2024. They improved their rotation depth by signing Jose Quintana and trading for Nestor Cortes, but it's going to be tough to survive that many injuries should they strike again. Brandon Woodruff's form in his return after missing 2024 with shoulder surgery remains a pivotal factor. The Brewers already saw Aaron Ashby and DL Hall go down with injuries early in spring. Finding a closer: The Brewers traded away their second all-league closer in a three-year span by sending Devin Williams to the Yankees. The bullpen has long been one of the team's top strengths, but who will replace Williams? Can Trevor Megill assume the role seamlessly? Will a dark horse, such as Nick Mears or Joel Payamps, take over? Could it be a prospect, such as the late-blooming Craig Yoho? Or will the Brewers be left with a hole in the ninth inning? – Curt Hogg Pittsburgh Pirates Cruz control in center: Oneil Cruz reached the majors four years ago as a rarity: a 6-foot-7 shortstop. Although he showed he had the athleticism for the position, his defense was erratic at best. So with a month to go in the 2024 season, the organization decided to move Cruz to the outfield. The results were encouraging enough to make the switch permanent. The next developmental step is to see if he can cut his strikeout rate (30.2%) while still maintaining elite exit velocity (95.5 mph average). Skenes, Jones and find some clones: The Pirates will likely go as far as their young pitching will carry them. That could be pretty far, considering they have the reigning NL rookie of the year in Paul Skenes, who posted a 1.96 ERA in his first 23 major league starts. Right behind him, Jared Jones showed flashes of brilliance in his debut season. They could soon be joined in the rotation by prospects Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington. All four right-handers are 23 or younger. More firepower: The Pirates finished last in the NL in slugging (.371) and 14th in on-base percentage (.301). After averaging just over four runs per game, additional run support for that emerging pitching staff would be rather helpful. Unfortunately, the improvement will mostly have to come from within. Their biggest offensive moves this winter were re-signing DH Andrew McCutchen and adding veteran outfielder Tommy Pham and utilityman Adam Frazier. – Steve Gardner St. Louis Cardinals Smooth transition at first: The big offseason experiment in St. Louis was moving 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 pretty risky move with the 32-year-old Contreras playing a total of just 11 games at first in his nine-year MLB career. One thing it will do is open up regular playing time for Ivan Herrera, 24. Develop an offensive identity: It's hard to know exactly what to expect from the lineup. It's not overly powerful and not based on speed with only the Rockies, Braves and Giants stealing fewer bases. The key could be how much Masyn Winn can give the Cardinals from the leadoff spot. Although he said he wants to steal 30 to 40 bases, he has to get on first. Winn has endured a rough spring, hitting just .102 with three walks and no extra-base hits in his first 42 plate appearances. Attain franchise stability: The Cardinals seem to be in a period of transition on the field and in the front office. The team's longtime head of baseball operations, John Mozeliak, will be stepping aside at the end of the season and turning control of the front office over to former Red Sox and Rays exec Chaim Bloom. There were hints a roster makeover might begin sooner when they didn't make an offer to Goldschmidt and nearly traded their other veteran cornerstone, third baseman Nolan Arenado. Closer Ryan Helsley could also be on the move. – Steve Gardner National League West Arizona DIamondbacks Bouncing back: The Diamondbacks somehow managed to have the best offense in baseball last year despite a disappointing season from star outfielder Corbin Carroll. If Carroll can get closer to his 2023 production, it would go a long way toward helping the lineup remain potent, particularly with first baseman Christian Walker and slugger Joc Pederson having left via free agency. Carroll finished on a positive note – he had a .919 OPS in the second half – and started off spring training on a hot streak, so there are plenty of reasons to believe. Better health: The rotation seems like a safe bet to be better if for no reason other than the addition of Corbin Burnes, who signed a six-year, $210 million deal. But the unit would also benefit from better health luck, namely with Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez. Lefty Jordan Montgomery and right-hander Ryne Nelson each also spent time on the injured list last year. If the group, which also includes Zac Gallen and Brandon Pfaadt, can stay healthy, it could be one of the majors' better rotations. Marte for MVP? If Ketel Marte hadn't landed on the injured list in August, he might have given Shohei Ohtani a bit of competition in the NL MVP race. Despite missing a few weeks with an ankle sprain, Marte still finished third in the voting. He never seems to get the attention of other players – and is sometimes overshadowed on his own team – but when he is healthy and productive, the Diamondbacks tend to be a good team. – Nick Piecoro, Arizona Republic Colorado Rockies Stay out of cellar: It may seem inevitable for a team that hasn't won more than 68 games since 2021. It also has finished last in the NL West the last two seasons, not coming within 19 games of fourth place. The Rockies aren't positioned to contend with the Dodgers, Diamondbacks or Padres, but a talented offensive core could set their sights on the Giants. A push to play .500 in their 52 games within their division could generate some optimism. Maybe they could time the debut of right-hander Chase Dollander, a prized first-round pick in 2023, for August. They have 27 of those division games over the season's final two months. Get Bryant going: Since signing his seven-year, $182 million contract before the 2022 season, the former NL MVP has played 159 games. That's a full-season sample size, and he has hit .250 with 17 homers, 60 RBIs and .713 OPS. Injuries appear to have reduced him to a far lesser player than the Cubs' World Series winner. If Bryant, 33, can get closer to what he once was, though (.886 career OPS with the Cubs), he could certainly provide more of the wins for which the Rockies invested in him. Bang the ball around: A cornerstone of previous Rockies contenders is a monster offense to go with just enough pitching. Colorado has many capable young bats (Michael Toglia, Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar, Hunter Goodman) who need to push the Coors Field levels of scoring we've seen in the past to move it closer to .500. – Stephen Borelli Los Angeles Dodgers Pitching health: The Dodgers are opening the season with starting 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 list. They signed two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki for the rotation, and closers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates for the bullpen. They are delaying Shohei Ohtani's return to the mound until likely June and may not have a starter pitch more than 150 innings this year. Betts experiment: The Dodgers once again are going to try six-time Gold Glove right fielder Mookie Betts at shortstop. The Dodgers believe his athleticism can handle the adjustment, but still, for a team with World Series title aspirations, it's a gamble. He played only 65 games at shortstop last season and was erratic defensively with nine errors, eight on his throws. If Betts can't handle it, he likely will go to second base and they'll insert Miguel Rojas at shortstop. They may even return Betts to the outfield. Stay tuned. When to pitch Ohtani: The plan was for him to return to the rotation opening day until he dislocated his left shoulder in the World Series. Now they have shut down his throwing program until the start of the season and are in no hurry of returning him to the mound until June, or perhaps later. They want to save those bullets until October. – Bob Nightengale San Diego Padres Run your own race: The Padres had the Dodgers on the brink of elimination in last year's NLDS but failed to put the eventual World Series champions away. Los Angeles made huge additions in the offseason while San Diego largely stood still. The gap in talent between the two clubs is bigger than it's been in the last few years and the Padres need to focus their energy on simply getting into the postseason, rather than competing directly with the presumed NL West champions. They'll be a tough out in the playoffs with their lineup, rotation and bullpen if everybody is healthy. Trade an upcoming free agent: San Diego has done a terrific job on the trade market in recent years to acquire key players, while also having the foresight to trade Juan Soto and get a huge return a year before he hit free agency. The Padres should do the same with All-Star pitcher Dylan Cease and/or three-time batting champion Luis Arráez, both of whom will become free agents after the 2025 season. Perhaps Gerrit Cole's injury puts some impetus on the Yankees to make another deal with the Padres, this time for Cease. Add another outfielder: Two weeks before opening day, Jason Heyward was penciled in as the starting left fielder, not a great look for a club with World Series aspirations. The stars in the lineup are there for the Padres, but their bench is light and the team will need more bats on the roster if they hope to get back to the playoffs. – Jesse Yomtov San Francisco Giants Left side lockdown: The Giants signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million extension before last season ended. They further solidified their infield this offseason by signing shortstop Willy Adames to the largest contract in team history (seven years, $182 million). They should be infield mainstays and provide punch to the middle of the batting order for a team that was 10th in runs scored in the NL last season. Justin justifies flier: With LHP Blake Snell leaving via free agency, the Giants turned to right-hander Justin Verlander, signing the 42-year-old three-time Cy Young winner to a one-year, $15 million deal. The future Hall of Famer was plagued by shoulder and neck injuries last year. Can Verlander regain some version of the form he showed as recently as 2023 with the New York Mets and Houston Astros (combined 13-8, 3.22 ERA)? Camilo coming back: Right-hander Camilo Doval returns to the All-Star form he showed before he lost the closer's job last season and fortifies the back end 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 two weeks in August. Ryan Walker took over as the closer and remains in that role. But Buster Posey, the team's new president of baseball operations who caught Doval when he debuted in 2021, has said he is 'pretty bullish on (Doval) coming back.' – Cesar Brioso The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
USA Today
22-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rays ace Shane McClanahan pulled with apparent injury ahead of opening day start
Rays ace Shane McClanahan pulled with apparent injury ahead of opening day start Show Caption Hide Caption Gunnar Henderson talks all things Baltimore Orioles and the upcoming MLB season Gunnar Henderson stops by to talk about the upcoming season with the Orioles and being on the cover of MLB The Show 25. Sports Seriously Two-time All-Star Shane McClanahan, the Tampa Bay Rays' opening-day starter, exited his final exhibition start Saturday in pain after throwing a pitch, an unsettling development for a pitcher making his way back from elbow surgery. McClanahan, 27, last pitched in the major leagues on Aug. 2, 2023, and underwent his second Tommy John surgery 18 days later. He sat out all of last season but came to camp confident he'd make his opening day assignment. McClanahan's fastball was clocked at 98 mph in his first bullpen session of the spring. Yet he winced in pain after throwing a pitch to the 10th Boston Red Sox batter he faced, hopping twice and then leaving with a trainer. McClanahan had his first Tommy John reconstruction when he was 17; he had a stabilizing internal brace inserted during his second procedure. #Rays ace Shane McClanahan just left this game accompanied by head trainer Joe Benge. Here's video of his final pitch, showing some serious discomfort. He immediately signaled toward the dugout. Will update when I know more. — Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) March 22, 2025 McClanahan was the American League starter in the 2022 All-Star Game and also made the AL squad in 2023. While the Rays brought six projected starting pitchers to camp and can absorb any extended absence from a numbers standpoint, the loss of their once and current ace would be devastating for a club looking to return to the playoffs. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
USA Today
22-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
MLB season preview 2025: Every American League team's keys to victory
MLB season preview 2025: Every American League team's keys to victory Show Caption Hide Caption Gunnar Henderson talks all things Baltimore Orioles and the upcoming MLB season Gunnar Henderson stops by to talk about the upcoming season with the Orioles and being on the cover of MLB The Show 25. Sports Seriously After the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs opened the campaign in Tokyo, Major League Baseball's 2025 season gets underway with a full opening day on Thursday, March 27. The New York Yankees look to repeat as American League champions, coming off the franchise's first World Series trip since 2009. It was a wild offseason for the team, which lost the bidding war for Juan Soto, responded by acquiring a $218 million ace, two former MVPs and baseball's best closer – but then lost ace Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery during spring training. Baseball's best ballparks for 2025: Ranking MLB stadiums from 1 to 28*: Other teams expected to contend for the AL crown include the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and Cleveland Guardians. Here's a look at the keys to victory for every AL team in 2025: American League East (Originally appeared in USA TODAY Sports Weekly) Injury I: The Orioles can't afford to lose Gunnar Henderson for any length of time, but his availability for opening day may be in question. The All-Star shortstop was diagnosed with a mild right intercostal strain, an injury he sustained in a spring game. No player has been as valuable in the lineup over the past two seasons than Henderson. The 2023 American League Rookie of the Year finished fourth in AL MVP voting in 2024. Injury II: Grayson Rodriguez's return tothe rotation will 'take a while,' said manager Brandon Hyde. Rodriguez will start the season on the injured list with an elbow issue and will have to fully restart his throwing program all over again, which essentially means he needs to go through spring training all over again. When healthy, the 25-year-old is a potential frontline ace. The Orioles are counting on him, given that they've lost Corbin Burnes and John Means in free agency. MLB's 100 Names to Know for 2025: Top prospects and young players to watch Payoffs? After quick exits in each of the previous two seasons, it's time to capitalize on their recent regular-season success. The O's took a huge hit losing Cy Young pitcher Burnes to Arizona, but they added Charlie Morton. They also added catcher Gary Sanchez and outfielder Tyler O'Neill, who hopefully can displace Anthony Santander. But the key could come down to catcher Adley Rutschman. The two-time All-Star catcher hopes to get back to the production he showed prior to the All-Star Game last July. – Scott Boeck Enough arms to go around: They'll begin the year with three starters – Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford – on the injured list. Sure, Giolito just had a barking hamstring, but that it nipped him in his first inning of Grapefruit League work a year after flexor tendon surgery was like a recurring nightmare. Blockbuster trade acquisition Garrett Crochet should be dominant, and Bello (sore shoulder) should be fine. The key to this season might be Walker Buehler, who made 16 starts for the Dodgers last year with wildly varying results before recording the final out of the year to close out the World Series. Raffy on a rampage: We'll just go ahead and assume Alex Bregman will bang enough balls off the Green Monster to fully justify his $40 million salary this season. The grander concern will be the health and production of the man he's likely supplanting at third base – Rafael Devers. They'll need him strong and healthy all season after a shoulder injury dogged him at the end of last year's campaign. The terrific trio touches down: There's still questions about what kind of role infielders Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer and outfielder Roman Anthony might play this year. Right now, Campbell has the clearest path to a job, should Bregman stick at third base and second base remain available. But Mayer may only be a Trevor Story injury away from a summons from Worcester. – Gabe Lacques Another MVP-type season: After forming a historic offensive tandem with Juan Soto in 2024, Aaron Judge might find pitchers avoiding him more often. The Yankees' lineup has better balance with the additions of Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt, and a full year of Jazz Chisholm Jr., but it's further compromised without Giancarlo Stanton – out indefinitely with elbow issues. In 2024, the Yankees scored 815 runs with Soto. Can they get near 800 runs again? No more pitching injuries: During spring training, the Yankees went from a starting pitching surplus to a deficit. A week after 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil was diagnosed with a high lat strain, possibly keeping him out of the rotation until July, ace Gerrit Cole had Tommy John surgery. That puts more responsibility on veteran lefties Max Fried and Carlos Rodon, challenges Clarke Schmidt and Marcus Stroman to stay healthy and productive, and tests the organization's pitching depth – an area weakened by recent trades. Rookies Will Warren and Yoendrys Gomez, who might begin in the bullpen, could be asked to fill the void before the trade deadline. Better defense: GM Brian Cashman said: 'I thought we were bad defensively'' in 2024, and the fifth inning breakdown in World Series Game 5 still echoes. Former Gold Glove Award winners in Bellinger and Goldschmidt helps as does moving Chisholm Jr. to second base, his original position. – Pete Caldera Take it easy on Shane McClanahan: Tampa Bay's ace returns from Tommy John surgery, and while he's probably the team's most important player, there is enough depth in the rotation that the Rays can afford to give the lefty an extra day between starts here and there. McClanahan, 27, is 33-16 with a 3.02 ERA in 74 starts since his debut in 2021. He won't be a free agent until the 2027-28 winter. Let Junior Caminero cook: The 21-year-old didn't light it up when he was promoted last season, but the Rays expect big things from their young infielder, who hit .307 with a .921 OPS in 282 minor league games. There may be some struggles for Caminero in his first full MLB season, but Tampa Bay needs to stand behind him in 2025 if the team hopes to get back to the postseason after missing out last year. The youngster hit .346 in a small sample size against lefties. Get Carson Williams to the majors: The organization's top prospect should start the season at Class AAA and be knocking on the big-league door early in the season. Williams, 21, has averaged more than 21 homers and 27 steals in his first three full years in the minors. Taylor Walls (.188 BA in 379 MLB games) is expected to begin the season as the Rays' starting shortstop, with Ha-Seong Kim still on the shelf after surgery. Williams has only played short as a pro, but the Rays have positional flexibility in their infield and second baseman Brandon Lowe could serve as the DH. – Jesse Yomtov A voracious Vladdy: Toronto's failure to agree with first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on a long-term extension was an organizational failure that exacerbated several others in previous years. Yet a short-term gain could be reaped if Guerrero, 26, has a monster season similar to his MVP runner-up performance in 2021. Perhaps he can gift Toronto one more playoff berth. Maximize the rotation: With lineup stalwarts like George Springer and Bo Bichette struggling through 2024, the onus fell on the starting pitchers to keep Toronto afloat. Now, there's another year on their collective odometer and lefty Yusei Kikuchi is long gone. Enter Max Scherzer, 40, who made just nine starts last year due to back surgery and other ailments. He hasn't pitched more than 152 innings since 2021, but if Scherzer can at least provide 25 solid starts, it would greatly stabilize things in the event Kevin Gausman, 34, Chris Bassitt, 36 and soon-to-be 31-year-old Jose Berrios can't bear the weight of carrying the team. To heck with it all: After years of bobbing around the 88- to 90-win mark and maybe or probably not making the playoffs, the team could use a loose and nothing-to-lose ethos this summer. Bichette, like Guerrero, is entering a walk year and seems intent on proving his .225/.277/.322 campaign was an aberration. The joyous Anthony Santander has been added to the middle of the lineup. Springer is 35 and entering the final two years of his contract. – Gabe Lacques American League Central New face as manager: The White Sox lost 121 games in 2024 – a single-season MLB record for the modern era (since 1901). It led to manager Pedro Grifol being fired in the middle of his second season. The White Sox tapped Will Venable. The 42-year-old has served as a special assistant to Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein, as well stints as a base coach for the team. Venable also worked as the Boston Red Sox bench coach (2021-22) and as associate manager to Bruce Bochy the past two years. No trade deficits: Trading ace Garrett Crochet brought an impressive haul of prospects from the Red Sox: catcher Kyle Teel, (No. 25 overall prospect on MLB Pipeline's top 100), outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez. The sooner any of them can contribute, the better. Most might take time before they yield positive returns, but Teel might be the closest to reaching the majors. Otherwise, the White Sox have high hopes for homegrown prospect shortstop Colson Montgomery (No. 39, per MLB Pipeline), perhaps for an early-season call-up. However, he has dealt with back issues this spring. Next bargaining chip: Talented but often-injured outfielder Luis Robert Jr. could be the White Sox's best remaining trade chip. But for that to happen, he must play closer to the level of his 2023 All-Star season (.264 with 38 home runs, 80 RBIs and 20 stolen bases) than his injury-plagued 2024 campaign. – Cesar Brioso Filling offensive gaps: Replacing Josh Naylor's production (31 home runs, 108 RBIs in 2024) won't be easy, but Cleveland is confident Kyle Manzardo is ready to take the next step. Manzardo played 53 regular-season games and hit .316 with a .842 OPS in the postseason. The Guardians also brought back a familiar face in 38-year-old Carlos Santana, who crushed left-handed pitching but put up a .219/.318/.358 line against righties with the Twins last year. Replacing second baseman Andrés Giménez will be more difficult on defense than on offense. Starters stepping up: Outside of Tanner Bibee, the Guardians' starting pitching has a ton of question marks. The organization brought back former ace Shane Bieber, but the former Cy Young Award winner won't be ready until at least June. Gavin Williams didn't make his season debut until July due to an elbow injury, but the team's former top pitching prospect has been a spring training standout. Bullpen dominance: Most of the core pieces are back from a dominant bullpen. Led by closer Emmanuel Clase and lockdown setup guys Cade Smith (1.91 ERA), Hunter Gaddis (1.57 ERA) and Tim Herrin (1.92 ERA), the Guardians led the majors in ERA (2.57), WHIP (1.05) and opponents' batting average (.203). They were 63-2 when leading after the sixth inning in 2024, and the relievers' ability to shorten the game for an inexperienced starting staff played a huge role in making it to the ALCS. – Casey Moore Hinch wins at chess: Nobody was better than Tigers manager A.J. Hinch at getting all 26 players on the roster – plus another 5 to 10 rotating in from Class AAA – to buy into in-game roster moves that prioritized the team over the individual, especially when it came to matchup advantages with pinch-hitters and the unorthodox pitching strategy with openers and bulk relievers. The buy-in from the players reflects the culture Hinch has instilled throughout his four-year tenure. The Tigers look to continue winning on the margins. The team culture enables Hinch to outmaneuver opposing managers in the chess match. Leading the rotation: The Tigers won't continue the 'pitching chaos' strategy that helped snap their decade-long postseason drought. Instead, they're returning to a traditional five-man rotation led by Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty and Reese Olson. Skubal will be central to their success as he looks to defend his title as the 2024 AL Cy Young win. The Tigers went 21-10 in his 31 starts last season, but in the 131 games he didn't start, they finished just 65-66. Unlocking upside: As the leadoff hitter and center fielder, Parker Meadows has the all-around potential to impact the Tigers more than any other player. In 2024, the Tigers went 49-26 (.653) when he started and 31-11 (.738) when he recorded a hit. He is an elite defender, one of the fastest players on the bases and features high upside on offense. – Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press Witt stays healthy: Royals fans' hearts skipped a beat last week when star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was hit in the forearm by a pitch, sending him to an exam and treatment. X-rays were negative, but the scare underscored how important Witt is to the team's success. Just 24, he took a huge step forward last season as he claimed the AL batting title (.332) and won Gold Glove and Silver Slugger honors. Just having Witt on the field makes the Royals a contender, as their second-half run to the postseason (and wild-card sweep of the Orioles) demonstrates. Can he get even better? India adds offense: Third baseman Maikel Garcia had by far the most at-bats in the leadoff spot in 2024, hitting in front of Witt. However, he managed to post an anemic .281 on-base percentage. That's where free agent Jonathan India can provide a major upgrade. Though he isn't a good fit defensively, his .352 career OBP is just the ticket for the offense – combining with Witt to set the table for Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez and Co. Mound stability: Thanks to the signing of veteran right-handers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha and midseason acquisition of reliever Lucas Erceg, the Royals greatly improved their pitching over the 2023 version. They went from a 5.17 ERA to 3.76, as Lugo finished second in the Cy Young voting and Cole Ragans coming in fourth. The club solidified the bullpen with the signing of former Angels closer Carlos Estévez. – Steve Gardner Solid relief: The Twins may have the best bullpen in baseball. Jhoan Duran returns as the closer, and setup men Griffin Jax and Cole Sands form one of the American League's best pre-closer combos. And now with the addition of Danny Coulombe, the Twins added a much-needed lefty to a bullpen that is stacked with right-handers. Coulombe, 35, will play a key role. If he can be a lockdown option, the whole unit will look better. Formidable three: The Twins don't have an overpowering, Cy Young-contending ace type, but the top three pitchers in their rotation would be the envy of most teams. Right-handed pitchers Pablo López, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober anchor a solid rotation, followed by Simeon Woods Richardson and Chris Paddock. But the hope is they stay healthy this time around. Paddack and Ryan both suffered season-ending injuries last season and that's when the wheels fell off. A healthy Buxton: For the first time in several years, Byron Buxton was able to have a normal offseason. That's because he finished the 2024 season healthy. Unlike past offseasons, the star center fielder has spent nearly every winter rehabbing or recovering from an injury. This year he is coming off a healthy 2024 campaign and played in 102 games – the most in one season since 2017 when he played in 140 games. He headed into camp with no limitations. But the injury-prone Buxton's status can change at any moment. – Scott Boeck American League West Commanding home field: The Athletics are spending the next three seasons at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, a minor league stadium with the smallest visiting clubhouse in baseball. The A's expect the place to be sold out virtually every night. They also should have an advantage knowing the ballpark's quirks with many players not having any experience playing there. Butler becoming a star: Outfielder Lawrence Butler emerged as one of the best players in baseball in the second half last season and was rewarded with a seven-year, $65.5 million contract extension. Butler showed off his prowess in his final 73 games last season after being demoted to the minors, hitting .302 with a .597 slugging percentage, with 20 home runs and 14 stolen bases. It was quite the turnaround after a .179/.281/.274 slash line in his first 121 plate appearances. He and Brent Rooker, the only players on the team locked up until the team moves to Las Vegas in 2028, could provide quite the powerful 1-2 punch in the middle of the lineup. Leading a young pitching staff: The A's shelled out a franchise-record $67 million for veteran starter Luis Severino and also traded for left-hander Jeffrey Springs from the Rays. The A's need Severino and Springs to lead the way. Their experience and presence is needed to help guide a young rotation with Osvaldo Bido, Joey Estes and Mitch Spence combining for only 69 career starts. – Bob Nightengale No rain on the Paredes: The franchise seemingly was not hyper-motivated to keep Alex Bregman, and the two-time World Series-winning third baseman clearly had eyes for elsewhere. Those bad vibes can be at least partially washed away if Isaac Paredes showers the Crawford Boxes with home runs. It's rare that one player shoulders two burdens: Paredes at least partially is expected to replace Bregman at third, and he also was acquired in exchange for Kyle Tucker, the Silver Slugging outfielder who will now patrol right field for the Cubs. Paredes hit 31 homers for the Rays in 2023, a number that dipped to 19 last year with the Rays and Cubs. Forward march: Justin Verlander is gone, and Framber Valdez can join him as an ex-Astro after this season. So it's more than imperative that young pitchers such as Hunter Brown and Spencer Arrighetti to alleviate strain on a staff still missing Cristian Javier, who's recovering from Tommy John surgery. Arrighetti made adjustments in pitch usage and calmed the waters, with a 3.69 ERA in his final 21 outings, with 128 strikeouts in 1071/3 innings. An MVP campaign: Kind of amazing to think that Yordan Alvarez is still just 27 – considered the prime of a slugger's career. Perhaps only Juan Soto is a better all-around hitter, and perhaps minus Bregman and with the Astros needing him more than ever, Alvarez – who hit 35 homers with a .973 OPS last year – will somehow find an extra gear. – Gabe Lacques Trout's health: If the Angels are going to be competitive, they need Mike Trout, 33. Trout, the three-time MVP, has played only 111 games the past two years and hasn't played more than 140 games since 2016. Trout hit 10 home runs with 14 RBIs in his first 29 games last year, stealing six bases, but then tore the meniscus in his left knee in late April and suffered the same injury attempting to rehab in the minors. If he can stay healthy, perhaps he can once again resemble the player who hit .308 with a 1.009 OPS, averaging 35 homers and 92 RBIs a year from 2012 to 2019. Is Moncada the answer at third base? The Angels lost third baseman Anthony Rendon for the season before he played a game, having hip surgery. Now, it's Yoan Moncada's turn. The Angels signed the veteran to a one-year,$5 million contract after being a bust with the Chicago White Sox. If he can't cut it, they could turn to utilityman Kevin Newman. Moncada produced a .254 batting average, a .331 on-base percentage, and one 20-homer season for the White Sox, never stealing more than 12 bases. He played in 12 games last season because of a left adductor strain. A lethal bullpen? Ben Joyce, who has been lighting up the radar gun this spring camp, hitting 105 mph on his four-seam fastball. He would normally be the closer but they also signed veteran closer Kenley Jansen (447 career saves) to provide confidence to a young team learning how to win. – Bob Nightengale Who's on third? The Mariners are trying their third different third baseman in four years with Jorge Polanco. Polanco, who re-signed as a free agent on a one-year, $7.75 million contract, is trying to learn the position after knee surgery but realizes it's a gamble. He's just one of eight third basemen the Mariners have used this spring. They believe he can bounce back after badly struggling last season with a career-low .651 OPS and career-high 29.2% strikeout rate. Bounce-back from J.P. Crawford: He was limited to just 105 games and hit a career-low .202 with a career-low .625 OPS, while his strikeout percentage climbed to 22.6%. This spring, he believes he found his groove again in the batting cage, rediscovering strength in the lower half of his body. If he can return to his 2023 form when he hit a career-high 19 homers and ranked second among all shortstops with a .818 OPS, he can be the difference on whether the Mariners are playing in October. Healthy starting pitching: The Mariners used just six starters in 161 games last season, producing the lowest ERA in MLB. Yet they already sustained a key injury this spring to George Kirby, who will open the season on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. If Kirby's stay on the IL is longer than two weeks, the Mariners will be relying on 25-year-old Emerson Hancock, the sixth pick in the 2020 draft. Hancock made 12 starts last season, yielding a 4.75 ERA in 602/3 innings. – Bob Nightengale Rotation, rotation, rotation: The Rangers boast one of the best rotations in the majors. Jackon DeGrom is back for (hopefully) a full season after Tommy John surgery. Tyler Mahle is back from Tommy John surgery, too. Nathan Eovaldi re-signed and Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter are promising rookies. But they need deGrom to stay healthy. The two-time Cy Young winner hasn't pitched 100 innings in a season and has started only 47 games since 2019. His workload will be monitored closely and he may skip a start to keep him healthy. Texas suffered a setback with left-hander Cody Bradford starting the season on the injured list. Closing time: Who replaces Kirby Yates, the All-Star closer who saved 33 games and had a1.17 ERA in 2024? The Rangers rebuilt their bullpen and added on several arms via trades and free agency, such as Chris Martin, Jacob Webb, Chris Martin, Hoby Milner, Robert Garcia and Shawn Armstrong. With that being said, there's no telling who of this group will come out being the closer. Martin, 38, is the most experienced reliever of the group, and Webb pitched a handful of high-leverage innings in Baltimore. Adding pop: Looking to increase the power in their lineup, the Rangers acquired Jake Burger from the Marlins and signed Joc Pederson in free agency. Burger will take over first base with the loss of Nathaniel Lowe. Pederson will slide into the DH spot, where they got little production over the last few seasons. – Scott Boeck The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Washington Post
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
MLB The Show 25 cover features Paul Skenes, Gunnar Henderson and Elly De La Cruz
MLB The Show 25 announced Tuesday that rising stars Paul Skenes, Gunnar Henderson and Elly De La Cruz will be the cover athletes on its upcoming video game. It's the first time MLB The Show has featured three athletes on the same cover. The game is scheduled to hit the market on March 18.
