Opening Day is nearly upon us. Quite a few job battles have been decided over the last few days, though plenty are still up in the air. This final update of the spring will go over both the decided and undecided battles for those drafting in the final few days of spring training. The stats listed here are accurate through Friday's games.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Rotation
An extra spot opened up in the Diamondbacks' rotation after Zac Gallen was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his right forearm. It's not yet clear exactly how much time he'll miss, but he'll definitely be unavailable for the start of the regular season. With Corbin Martin optioned to Triple-A, that seemingly means Merrill Kelly and Luke Weaver are locked into jobs despite shaky springs, with Alex Young and Taylor Clarke battling for the final spot. Clarke owns a 10:2 K:BB in 12 innings, giving up three runs. Young owns a slightly stronger 11:2 K:BB over 10 frames but has given up five runs. He's appeared as a reliever in all four of his appearances, while Clarke has gotten the start once in four games.
Closer
This still appears to be a battle between Stefan Crichton and Joakim Soria, though neither has pitched all that well this spring. Crichton's 6:1 K:BB in four innings is strong, but he's also allowed three runs (two earned). Soria has allowed five runs in 3.2 frames, striking out three and walking one.
Atlanta
Closer
Atlanta still hasn't clarified
Opening Day is nearly upon us. Quite a few job battles have been decided over the last few days, though plenty are still up in the air. This final update of the spring will go over both the decided and undecided battles for those drafting in the final few days of spring training. The stats listed here are accurate through Friday's games.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Rotation
An extra spot opened up in the Diamondbacks' rotation after Zac Gallen was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his right forearm. It's not yet clear exactly how much time he'll miss, but he'll definitely be unavailable for the start of the regular season. With Corbin Martin optioned to Triple-A, that seemingly means Merrill Kelly and Luke Weaver are locked into jobs despite shaky springs, with Alex Young and Taylor Clarke battling for the final spot. Clarke owns a 10:2 K:BB in 12 innings, giving up three runs. Young owns a slightly stronger 11:2 K:BB over 10 frames but has given up five runs. He's appeared as a reliever in all four of his appearances, while Clarke has gotten the start once in four games.
Closer
This still appears to be a battle between Stefan Crichton and Joakim Soria, though neither has pitched all that well this spring. Crichton's 6:1 K:BB in four innings is strong, but he's also allowed three runs (two earned). Soria has allowed five runs in 3.2 frames, striking out three and walking one.
Atlanta
Closer
Atlanta still hasn't clarified their ninth-inning picture, though Will Smith is having the kind of spring he needed to have to claim the job. In five scoreless innings, he's struck out 10 while walking none and allowing just one hit. Chris Martin has also been excellent, albeit in just three innings of work, striking out six without allowing a single baserunner. A.J. Minter hasn't matched those two except with his 9:1 K:BB, as he's allowed four runs on 10 hits in 6.1 frames.
Baltimore Orioles
Catcher
Adley Rutschman has been Baltimore's best backstop this spring, posting a .785 OPS, though there's been no indication that he'll be up sooner than expected. Pedro Severino has struggled to a .538 OPS, though that's at least better than Chance Sisco's .384 mark.
Second Base/Third Base
The Orioles' third-base battle has seemingly been solved after the team reached a major-league deal with Maikel Franco. His late signing means he may not be quite ready for everyday at-bats by Opening Day, but he'll likely surpass Rio Ruiz and Pat Valaika to earn regular starts once he's ready to go. Second base is now wide open after Yolmer Sanchez was designated for assignment Saturday. Ruiz probably won't factor into the second-base mix, but Valaika could still push for starts there along with Ramon Urias. Neither Valaika nor Urias is having a strong spring, and neither has much of an MLB track record, so it's possible the team looks for an external solution.
Outfield
DJ Stewart's hamstring issue may have decided this battle, at least to start the year. He's advanced to playing in intrasquad action but doesn't seem to have time to get up to speed by the start of the regular season. That should leave Anthony Santander, Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays all with clear starting roles. Santander is dealing with an oblique issue, though it's reportedly minor.
Rotation
The large group of candidates fighting for spots behind John Means has been whittled down significantly. Felix Hernandez is still working through elbow discomfort and doesn't seem to have time to make the Opening Day roster. Meanwhile, Keegan Akin has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after allowing 10 runs in nine spring innings. Wade LeBlanc was released but has since re-signed on a split contract. It's not clear whether or not he's still in the mix.
Matt Harvey has officially won one of the available spots, though how long he'll hold it is tough to predict given his recent track record. That leaves Dean Kremer, Jorge Lopez, Bruce Zimmermann, Tom Eshelman and Adam Plutko fighting for three jobs. Kremer is probably in the rotation, as he's been a starter in all five of his outings, but he owns a 6.32 ERA and 1.60 WHIP. Lopez has made three starts and three relief appearances, posting a 2.75 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. Zimmermann has pitched in relief in all three of his outings but has been excellent, striking out 10 while walking three and allowing just a single hit and no runs. Eshelman has made just a single appearance, though there haven't been reports that he's dealing with any injury. Plutko arrived from Cleveland in a trade for cash considerations Saturday. He owns a 5.00 ERA and an 11:2 K:BB in nine spring innings.
Closer
Hunter Harvey is officially out of the closer mix for the early part of the season, as he's been placed on the 60-day injured list with a strained left oblique. In his absence, the ninth-inning hierarchy remains unclear. Tanner Scott, Cesar Valdez and Shawn Armstrong look like the primary candidates. Valdez has been the best of the bunch, posting an 8:1 K:BB while allowing just one run in five innings. Scott and Armstrong have both allowed two runs in 5.1 innings, with Scott striking out six but allowing six hits while Armstrong has given up just three hits but has struck out just four.
Boston Red Sox
Second Base/Left Field
Enrique Hernandez looks set to be in the lineup nearly every day at one of these two spots, as he's impressed his new team enough that he's being considered for a leadoff role. Which spot he fills depends on who else emerges as a starter from among this group. Franchy Cordero was delayed to start the spring by COVID-19 but has looked good through four games, going 4-for-10 with a triple. Marwin Gonzalez owns a respectable .778 OPS, but it's Michael Chavis who's been the most impressive, cruising to a .970 OPS while homering six times in 52 at-bats. Danny Santana won't be a factor to start the season after undergoing a procedure to address a foot infection.
Fifth Starter
The consensus seems to be that Nick Pivetta has won this battle, though that's yet to be officially announced by the team. Tanner Houck is officially out of the mix, having been optioned to the alternate site. Matt Andriese, who has started just six games in the last three years, is expected to serve as a swingman. It's possible he needs to make a spot start right away, as Eduardo Rodriguez has been slowed by a dead arm, though Andriese is currently away from the team due to contact tracing.
Closer
The Red Sox still haven't officially announced whether Matt Barnes or Adam Ottavino will win this job. Both have been similarly strong this spring, keeping their ERAs spotless through 5.1 innings. Barnes owns an 8:3 K:BB and has allowed just two hits, while Ottavino owns a 6:1 K:BB and has allowed five hits. Barnes tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, however, which should leave Ottavino as the closer by default to open the season, though Barnes could be given the chance to reclaim the job once healthy.
Chicago Cubs
Second Base
David Bote has officially won the starting second base job, as Nico Hoerner was optioned to Triple-A on Friday. This could be a case of service-time manipulation, as Hoerner has been on fire this spring, posting a 1.039 OPS. The Cubs can steal a year of his service time if they keep him off the roster for 36 days, so it's very possible he's suddenly considered big-league ready a week or so into May. That's not to say Bote has been bad, however, as he's actually slightly edged out Hoerner at the plate in Cactus League action, recording a 1.065 OPS, but it's hard to argue that Hoerner doesn't deserve at least a part-time role.
Rotation
Trevor Williams and Adbert Alzolay were confirmed as the Cubs' fourth and fifth starters to open the season Saturday. Alec Mills will begin the year in the bullpen, while Brailyn Marquez and Shelby Miller have been sent to the minors. There's no guarantee Williams and Alzolay hold down the roles all season, though, as the Cubs have talked about rotating several pitchers through their backend starter spots in order to manage everyone's innings.
Chicago White Sox
Designated Hitter/Left Field
It was always a bit strange that the White Sox framed their designated hitter spot as a battle to begin with, as the only thing stopping Andrew Vaughn from winning the job was seemingly his lack of big-league experience, something which was also true of his supposed top competitors, Gavin Sheets and Jake Burger. Sheets and Burger have both been optioned, which should leave Vaughn as the clear winner.
Things have gotten complicated after Eloy Jimenez ruptured his left pectoral tendon, which is expected to keep the young slugger out for the majority of the year. The White Sox have been trying Vaughn in left field, which could turn the designated hitter spot into a revolving door of resting players or potentially open up regular at-bats for Zack Collins or Yermin Mercedes. The simplest thing would be to give Leury Garcia or Adam Engel the starts in left field, but the team seems committed to trying Vaughn out there.
Fifth Starter
Carlos Rodon has officially won this job to start the season, as Reynaldo Lopez was optioned to the alternate site Monday. Lopez will continue building up as a starter rather than filling a big-league bullpen role, but his awful spring (a 9.00 ERA and 1.82 WHIP in 11 innings) made this a rather easy decision for the White Sox.
Cincinnati Reds
Shortstop
The contestants for this spot made for a very uninspiring group, so the Reds elected to shake things up. Eugenio Suarez, who came up as a shortstop but has started just two games there in the last five years, will fill the position on a regular basis. That allows Mike Moustakas to shift from second base to third, his natural spot, allowing Jonathan India to claim a starting role at second. The Reds haven't officially announced that as their default alignment, but it's a setup they've used frequently in recent games. Jose Garcia was optioned to Triple-A Louisville while Dee Strange-Gordon was released, and it's tough to see the other options like Kyle Farmer, Kyle Holder or Mike Freeman blocking India from making his debut.
Outfield
Nick Senzel was already announced as the starting center fielder prior to the previous edition of this column. His hold on that job will be firmer than expected to open the season with Shogo Akiyama heading to the injured list with a hamstring issue. Senzel will be flanked by Jesse Winker and Nick Castellanos on most days, with Aristides Aquino presumably getting the occasional start.
Rotation
It looked like Michael Lorenzen and Tejay Antone would battle for the Reds' final rotation spot, but the situation changed significantly over the course of the spring. Lorenzen's shoulder injury and Antone's hip issue will prevent either of them from building up to a starting role by the beginning of the year. Antone is expected to open the season in the bullpen, while it's not yet clear if Lorenzen will be in the 'pen or on the injured list. With Sonny Gray (back) also unavailable to start the year, depth options Jeff Hoffman and Jose De Leon will begin the year as starters. Neither is a very interesting option for fantasy purposes, as both have poor big-league track records and shouldn't have more than a temporary starting role.
Closer
Amir Garrett and Lucas Sims will split time as the Reds' closer to start the year, with the team declining to open the season with a dedicated ninth-inning man. There were questions surrounding both pitchers' health for most of camp, but both have since gotten into game action. Garrett has stated his case as well as he possibly could, striking out all nine of the batters he's faced so far. Sims has been less effective, giving up a pair of runs on four hits in two innings of work. Sean Doolittle has done nothing to suggest he deserves high-leverage opportunities, posting an awful 13.50 ERA and 2.32 WHIP in 7.1 innings, though he could still earn the occasional save.
Cleveland
First Base
Bobby Bradley owns a .951 spring OPS, while Jake Bauers has struggled to a .645 mark, but it's Bauers who will open the season as the starting first baseman, with Bradley getting sent to the minors Friday. The move doesn't make a whole lot of sense, as Bradley isn't the type of prospect where manipulating his service time is likely to pay noticeable dividends. He could certainly push for starts down the line given Bauers' poor big-league track record, though he doesn't have a strong track record himself, hitting .178/.245/.356 in 15 games at the highest level.
Middle Infield
The news that Amed Rosario was getting work in the outfield suggested he was being groomed for a utility role, with Andres Gimenez set to be the primary shortstop and Cesar Hernandez serving as the primary second baseman. There's been little indication that those plans have changed despite Rosario looking unconvincing in his transition to the outfield. Rosario could still fill in for Gimenez or Hernandez on occasion, but it looks as though both will have something close to true everyday roles.
Center Field
The competition for this spot has thinned significantly, though the battle has yet to be decided. Oscar Mercado didn't do anything to suggest his struggles last year were a fluke, posting a .527 OPS in spring action before getting assigned to minor-league camp. Daniel Johnson has similarly been optioned despite much better spring numbers. Bradley Zimmer also hit well this spring, but he's been sent down as well. That leaves Ben Gamel and Amed Rosario competing for starts in center. Gamel is a lefty while Rosario is a righty, so a platoon could be a natural setup.
Rotation
Triston McKenzie, Cal Quantrill and Logan Allen remain locked into a battle for the final two rotation spots, though it may be just one spot for the early part of the season, as the team won't need a fifth starter until April 13. McKenzie is being drafted as if he's locked into the fourth starter spot, and he deserves it based on his strong debut last year, though the team hasn't officially confirmed he's won the role. Quantrill was seemingly ahead of Allen entering camp, but their respective spring performances could reverse that. Quantrill has struggled to a 10:9 K:BB and a 9.00 ERA in 12 innings, while Allen owns an excellent 18:3 K:BB and 0.64 ERA in 14 frames. Allen started Friday's game against the Rockies while Quantrill pitched a single inning of relief, which seemingly means that Allen has indeed won the job, though that hasn't been officially announced.
Closer
It's getting very close to Opening Day, and James Karinchak still hasn't been named Cleveland's closer despite being arguably the obvious choice. It's possible the team is worried about his control problems, or it's possible they want to suppress his salary in arbitration by denying him saves. If it's the former, he hasn't shown any hints of solving them this spring. He's walked seven batters and allowed seven earned runs in nine innings this spring, though he's also struck out 18 batters. Nick Wittgren and Emmanuel Clase still represent his top competition. Wittgren owns an 8:1 K:BB in 7.1 innings, allowing just one run. Clase has an 8:0 K:BB in the same amount of work but has let four batters cross the plate.
Colorado Rockies
First Base
C.J. Cron may have entered camp on a minor-league deal, but all he needed to do to win the job was prove he was healthy, given the poor track records of the fellow contestants. He's done that, hitting .372/.413/.767, and was rewarded as expected, earning a major-league contract and a presumed everyday role at first base. Josh Fuentes is still in the mix for starts at third base if Ryan McMahon moves to the keystone to cover for Brendan Rodgers (hamstring), while Greg Bird has done nothing to earn a roster spot, hitting .200/.283/.275.
Closer
Daniel Bard has officially been named the Rockies' closer, remaining in the role in which he finished the 2020 season. Mychal Givens should be the top option should he stumble, as Scott Oberg's career may be over after he underwent surgery to remove blood clots.
Detroit Tigers
Corner Infield
Jeimer Candelario still looks set to earn an everyday role at one of these spots, posting an .857 OPS. Non-roster invitee Renato Nunez had a solid .816 OPS last year but will open the season in the minors after posting a .592 OPS this spring. Isaac Paredes has also been demoted. Niko Goodrum and Harold Castro don't look like anything more than utility players and have both been poor this spring, but one of them will likely be in the lineup for most games unless the Tigers make a move.
Outfield
Rule 5 pick Akil Baddoo has opened eyes this spring, hitting .314 with four homers in 35 at-bats. That was more than enough to convince the Tigers to keep him on the roster, though he doesn't necessarily have a path to regular at-bats. Robbie Grossman came into camp looking like an everyday player, and his .947 spring OPS has done nothing to change that. His fellow outfielders have all struggled, however. Victor Reyes owns a .631 OPS, though that's at least better than JaCoby Jones' .562 OPS and Nomar Mazara's .499 mark. Daz Cameron has been optioned to Triple-A after missing the start of camp with an elbow injury.
Rotation
Spencer Turnbull will open the season on the COVID-19 injured list, opening up an additional temporary spot in what once appeared to be a wide-open rotation competition. The rotation picture has been clarified in his absence, however. Matthew Boyd will start Opening Day. He'll be joined in the rotation by two second-year pitchers (Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize) and two veterans (Jose Urena and Julio Teheran). One of those pitchers will move to the bullpen or minors fairly early in the season, however, as Turnbull doesn't seem to be set for an extended absence.
Closer
The Tigers have yet to name a dedicated closer, and it's possible they decline to do so. Former closer Joe Jimenez has been unimpressive, posting a 5.06 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 5.1 innings. He won't even break camp in the majors after being optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Saturday. Bryan Garcia, who saved four games last year, has been even worse, matching Jimenez's 5.06 ERA while struggling to a 2.44 WHIP. Jose Cisnero has allowed just two runs in 5.1 innings but may have been lucky to do so, as his 6:6 K:BB isn't encouraging. Gregory Soto has been the best of the primary candidates this spring, striking out eight batters in 5.2 innings while allowing a pair of runs on four walks and two hits.
Houston Astros
Leadoff hitter
Earlier in camp, it looked as though Myles Straw and Carlos Correa were competing to be the Astros' leadoff man. Correa would have fit fine in the role, though it was always a stretch to envision Straw filling the spot as he's projected as easily the Astros' lightest-hitting regular. As it turns out, neither Straw nor Correa is now expected to be the primary leadoff option, as it's Jose Altuve who's in line for the job instead. Altuve may not have a traditional leadoff hitter's speed like he used to, but his .361 career on-base percentage fits very well at the top of a lineup. He'll have to prove that his .219/.286/.344 line last season was nothing more than a small-sample fluke if he's to stay there, however.
Kansas City Royals
Center Field
Edward Olivares was optioned in mid-March, which seems to leave Michael Taylor as the Royals' primary center fielder. He may not have a true everyday role, as both Whit Merrifield and Andrew Benintendi can slide in from the corners to play center if necessary, but it looks as though he'll start the season atop the depth chart.
Fifth Starter
Kris Bubic was optioned to Triple-A last week, taking him out of the conversation for this job and leaving Jakob Junis as the clear favorite. The Royals won't need a fifth starter until April 16, so he's expected to head to the bullpen to open the season, but it should be Junis who gets the call that day unless something unexpected happens. He's looked great this spring, posting a 10:0 K:BB while allowing just one run on two hits in seven innings.
Closer
There's been no indication that Greg Holland won't open the year as a closer. He certainly hasn't pitched himself out of a job this spring, throwing six scoreless innings while striking out seven and allowing only one hit and one walk. Scott Barlow waits in the wings, striking out nine in 5.2 innings while allowing no earned runs on just one hit, though he's walked five batters. Josh Staumont was delayed by COVID-19 early in camp and has since gone on to allow three runs in four innings while striking out just two.
Los Angeles Angels
Catcher
Max Stassi has been catching in games for two weeks now after a slow start to camp while recovering from October hip surgery, so there's seemingly no reason to fear for his readiness for Opening Day. He'll be in some sort of timeshare with Kurt Suzuki, with the exact split between the pair still unclear. Stassi owns a strong .961 OPS, though Suzuki has been fine as well, posting a .740 mark.
Los Angeles Dodgers
First Base/Second Base/Left Field
The Dodgers haven't offered much in the way of clarification regarding these spots, though we can at least draw some conclusions based on how players are being used in camp. Most significantly, Max Muncy hasn't played anywhere but first base this spring. That's bad news for Edwin Rios, who might be stuck as a true backup early in the year behind Muncy at first and Justin Turner at third. He's been dealing with hamstring tightness, though the issue doesn't seem to be a major one.
It's seemingly good news for Gavin Lux, as it removes one competitor from the second-base battle, but he's still no lock for everyday starts at the keystone. Chris Taylor has primarily started at second, while also making a handful of starts at third base and in center field. That potentially suggests that the Dodgers' default alignment will see Taylor at second with AJ Pollock in left, though Lux has done what he can to carve out as large a role as possible, hitting .359/.390/.462.
Rotation
David Price, Julio Urias, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May still all look set to bounce between the bullpen and rotation this season as the Dodgers look to manage their entire staff's innings. Urias has been confirmed as a rotation member to start the year and seemingly has the best chance to spend most of the year in the rotation, as he's pitched exclusively in that role this spring and has been excellent, cruising to a 1.74 ERA and 0.87 WHIP. May has made three starts and one relief appearance, striking out 17 in 13.2 innings while posting a 2.63 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. Gonsolin has looked very good as well in one start and three relief outings, as he owns a 12:0 K:BB in 10.1 innings, giving up three runs on four hits. Price has been fine, starting once and pitching twice in relief. He's given up just two runs in 6.2 innings, but his 4:2 K:BB and 1.50 WHIP are unexciting.
Miami Marlins
First Base
Both Garrett Cooper and Jesus Aguilar have had strong springs. Cooper's 1.064 OPS beats Aguilar's .801 mark, though Aguilar's 6:1 BB:K is very promising. Cooper has spent a bit of time in the outfield, so they could both start together on occasion.
Second Base
Jazz Chisholm looks to be the clear winner of this job if spring stats are anything to go by. His .286/.359/.543 line crushes Isan Diaz's .065/.256/.161 mark, and he's also stolen four bases. Jon Berti has hit an excellent .381/.548/.476, though the Marlins appear to want him to fill a utility role.
Closer
The Marlins haven't announced a winner of their closer battle. Anthony Bass has looked good this spring, posting an 8:3 K:BB in 8.1 innings while allowing two runs. Yimi Garcia has outdone him with a 10:1 K:BB in eight frames but has given up five runs.
Milwaukee Brewers
Catcher
Jacob Nottingham always looked like the third option in this battle, and he's now expected to open the season on the injured list as he's yet to get fully up to speed following December thumb surgery. The expected split between Omar Narvaez and Manny Pina remains unclear. Both have had remarkable springs, with Pina's 1.231 OPS edging out Narvaez's 1.207 mark.
Third Base
The large group of uninspiring options battling for time at the hot corner in Milwaukee has shrunk significantly. Tim Lopes (oblique) and Mark Mathias (shoulder) are both on the 60-day injured list, while Jace Peterson (thumb) and Zach Green have been informed they won't make the team. The expectation appears to be that Travis Shaw, Luis Urias and Orlando Arcia will split time at shortstop and third base. Shaw, the lone lefty of the trio, should start against most righties, with Urias and Arcia handling the two positions against southpaws and sharing time at short against righties. Daniel Robertson is still in the mix but will likely fill a bench role.
Minnesota Twins
Catcher
Mitch Garver took a foul tip off his hand Thursday but escaped with nothing worse than a bruise. How exactly he'll split time with Ryan Jeffers remains unclear. Neither has had a particularly strong spring, with Jeffers' .683 OPS beating Garver's .615 mark. Willians Astudillo's 1.124 OPS is nearly as high as Garvers' and Jeffers' combined, but he doesn't appear to be in line for anything other than a utility role.
Fifth Starter
Matt Shoemaker has won this job, as expected. Underdogs Devin Smeltzer and Lewis Thorpe have been optioned, while Randy Dobnak will open the year in the bullpen. Dobnak has had an excellent spring however, posting a 36.7 percent strikeout rate and a 0.66 ERA in 13.2 innings, with the later number seeming particularly notable for a pitcher who's typically survived on very low strikeout rates. If that represents a skills jump rather than merely a spring fluke, he could be pushing Shoemaker before too long.
Closer
The Twins still haven't given any indication that they'll name a true closer this season. Taylor Rogers owns a 10:4 K:BB in 7.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits. Alex Colome has given up five runs on 10 hits in 7.2 frames, striking out nine while walking two.
New York Mets
Rotation
Carlos Carrasco was just getting over his elbow soreness when he tore his hamstring in conditioning drills. He'll be out until late April at the earliest. That created a path for Jordan Yamamoto to push for starts, but he's since been optioned, leaving both David Peterson and Joey Lucchesi with clear rotation spots to open the year. Whoever pitches better out of that pair will presumably remain in the rotation once Carrasco eventually returns.
Closer
The Mets still haven't officially named Edwin Diaz the closer, but there's little reason to believe anyone else will earn the title. He's certainly not pitching himself out of the role this spring, striking out seven and walking none while allowing two hits in five scoreless innings. Seemingly the only way he doesn't win the job is if the Mets decline to go with a traditional ninth-inning man. Seth Lugo (elbow) has yet to resume throwing, while Dellin Betances has shown reduced velocity and has struggled to a 9.00 ERA and a 4:4 K:BB. Jeurys Familia has escaped with just one earned run in six innings, but his 3:7 K:BB is worrisome. Trevor May has been solid, posting a 7:3 K:BB while giving up two runs in six innings, but he can't compete with Diaz should the Mets go with a dedicated closer.
New York Yankees
Fifth Starter
Domingo German appears to have won this battle, as Deivi Garcia was optioned Friday. German clearly outperformed Garcia this spring, posting a 13:1 K:BB in nine scoreless innings. Garcia's 14:8 K:BB in 14 innings was less impressive, though his 3.86 ERA was perfectly fine.
Oakland Athletics
Second Base
Jed Lowrie has remained healthy this spring, a very positive sign, though his .758 Cactus League OPS is fine but unremarkable. He's been officially confirmed as a member of the Opening Day roster, though exactly what sort of role he'll play is still undetermined. Tony Kemp owns a strong .910 OPS, though Chad Pinder has gotten very hot recently and now owns a 1.328 OPS. Some sort of timeshare involving all three players is likely, especially as both Kemp and Pinder can play in the outfield.
Philadelphia Phillies
Center Field
Adam Haseley was thought to be out of the mix for Opening Day due to a groin strain, but he's since returned ahead of schedule and seemingly has a good chance to avoid a trip to the injured list. That may make him the favorite to win this job, though he isn't guaranteed an everyday role. Mickey Moniak has been sent down despite a strong spring, so he won't factor into the conversation early in the season. Odubel Herrera has cooled off after a hot first few games and is now hitting just .209/.227/.419. Given his past domestic violence suspension and the fact that he's not on the 40-man roster, it's hard to see the Phillies giving him the job. Roman Quinn has looked fairly good, hitting .294 and stealing three bases, though he's also struck out 34.2 percent of the time. Scott Kingery has struggled to a .150/.209/.275 slash line. It's hard to say he's even earned a bench spot, though he'll likely still win one.
Rotation
Zach Eflin is dealing with a back issue, which could potentially open up a third spot in the Phillies' rotation, but it looks as though he'll be ready to go for the start of the season. With Spencer Howard (back) and Vince Velasquez (oblique) also battling injuries, the door seems wide open for both Matt Moore and Chase Anderson to open in the rotation, as they seemingly entered camp as favorites and have remained healthy. Fellow veteran Ivan Nova, who was merely in camp as a non-roster invitee, has been released.
Closer
This looked like mostly a two-way battle between Hector Neris and Archie Bradley heading into camp, but Jose Alvarado now appears to be firmly in the mix. His conditioning had plagued him in recent seasons, but he's dropped 50 pounds and is throwing as well as ever. He's struck out 12 batters in 7.2 innings while cruising to a 1.17 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. Neris has been just as good, posting a 2.08 ERA and a remarkable 0.35 WHIP in 8.2 innings, striking out 12 and walking none. There's nothing wrong with Bradley's line, either, as he owns a 1.13 ERA and 1.00 WHIP through eight frames, though he's only struck out five batters.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Shortstop
Cole Tucker was optioned Wednesday, removing him from this particular battle and leaving just Kevin Newman and Erik Gonzalez. Newman has done everything he can to win the job, hitting an incredible .708/.733/.917, so he appears to be in the lead. Gonzalez has done nothing wrong himself, hitting .333/.400/.444.
Outfield
Both Tucker and Jared Oliva have been optioned, though the battle to be the third starter next to Gregory Polanco and Bryan Reynolds is still yet to be decided. Phillip Evans and Anthony Alford have had good springs, posting an OPS of .914 and .840, respectively. Brian Goodwin has struggled to a .641 OPS.
San Diego Padres
Second Base/Left Field
This battle may temporarily spill over into center field as well, though Trent Grisham is progressing in his return from a strained hamstring and may not need a trip to the injured list. If the Padres decide these two spots based purely on spring stats, Jake Cronenworth (.810 OPS) and Tommy Pham (.792 OPS) should see the majority of the starts. Ha-seong Kim has not looked good in his first action against MLB pitching, hitting just .135/.256/.135, though that's at least better than Jurickson Profar's .077/.265/.077 line.
Closer
The Padres haven't officially named a closer, though Emilio Pagan is apparently more of a favorite than he was being drafted as, with reports suggesting that he's the candidate most mentioned by people within the organization. The team evidently believes he's more like the guy who had a 2.31 ERA and a 36.0 percent strikeout rate in 2019 than the guy who struggled to a 4.50 ERA and 26.4 percent strikeout rate last year while battling a biceps issue. His 13:2 K:BB this spring backs that idea up. Helping his case is the fact that Drew Pomeranz has missed time with a forearm issue, though he returned to action Friday and struck out two batters in a clean inning. Mark Melancon is seemingly also in the mix, though his 4:5 K:BB doesn't back up his 2.08 ERA.
San Francisco Giants
Left Field
Alex Dickerson is having an unremarkable spring, posting a .701 OPS. Meanwhile, Austin Slater has more than doubled that number, recording a 1.480 OPS while homering four times in 10 games. Darin Ruf hasn't looked good, hitting a modest .211/.340/.342.
Rotation
The Giants have yet to confirm their starters beyond Kevin Gausman and Johnny Cueto, but Alex Wood's delay due to back issues may take him out of the running. He's expected to pitch Saturday, so he may be able to join the rotation before too long, but he's unlikely to be ready to go right away after missing most of March. That could leave Anthony DeSclafani, Logan Webb and Aaron Sanchez as the candidates to round out the rotation, though Sanchez didn't make his spring debut until March 20, so he might not be ready right away either. The Giants don't need a fifth starter until April 13, so the winner of that job may not be revealed right away.
Closer
Gabe Kapler hasn't named a closer, and there's little expectation that he's about to do so. Jake McGee has sure pitched like a closer this spring though, striking out eight while walking none and allowing just a single hit in 6.1 scoreless innings. Tyler Rogers has been fine but unremarkable, allowing three runs in 7.1 frames but striking out just four batters. Reyes Moronta has thrown just 3.2 innings as he works his way back from a season lost to shoulder surgery, allowing two runs while posting a 5:2 K:BB.
Seattle Mariners
Second Base
This appears to be clearly Dylan Moore's job. Shed Long has spent the spring slowly working back from shin surgery but has faced multiple setbacks. He was first delayed by inflammation and then fouled a ball off his toe. He'll need time to get up to speed at the alternate site and won't threaten Moore's playing time early in the year.
Sixth Starter
Logan Gilbert and Ljay Newsome have both been optioned, leaving just Nick Margevicius and Justin Dunn competing for the sixth and final spot in the Mariners' rotation. Margevicius has stronger spring numbers, posting a 14:3 K:BB while allowing six runs in 12.2 innings. Dunn has struck out 15 batters in 11 innings but has also walked nine and allowed seven earned runs.
St. Louis Cardinals
Rotation
Injuries have led to a handful of pitchers winning spots in the Cardinals' rotation by default, as both Kwang Hyun Kim (back) and Miles Mikolas (shoulder) will miss the start of the regular season. John Gant, Carlos Martinez and Daniel Ponce de Leon are now all set to break camp as starters. Kim isn't expected to miss too much time, however, so at least one of those pitchers may get bumped from the rotation in early April.
Closer
Jordan Hicks has looked like his old self in spring action, showing his customary triple-digit heat, a very positive sign after he missed a year and a half due to Tommy John surgery and an opt out. It looks likely that he'll eventually reclaim his closer role, though the Cardinals have said they want to be careful with him early in the year. That could give Giovanny Gallegos the occasional save chance early in the season, with other pitchers like Andrew Miller, Ryan Helsley and Alex Reyes also potentially in the mix.
Tampa Bay Rays
Catcher
Francisco Mejia has struggled this spring, hitting .231/.276/.308. Meanwhile, Mike Zunino has hit .250/.357/.667 with three homers, though he's also struck out at a 42.9 percent clip. Kevan Smith, who always seemed likely to be the odd man out, is dealing with back issues and has been sent to minor-league camp.
Corner Infield
Ji-Man Choi is ramping back up from a knee injury, but he's expected to open the year on the injured list, freeing up more at-bats at first base early in the season. Mike Brosseau's .947 OPS is the best among the Rays' top corner-infield candidates, though Yandy Diaz is right behind him at .926 and owns a strong 7:4 K:BB. Joey Wendle (.835 OPS) has looked good as well, while Yoshi Tsutsugo (.583 OPS) has struggled.
Rotation
Shane McClanahan and Luis Patino have both been sent to minor-league camp, but that still leaves one too many pitchers fighting for the Rays' final three rotation spots. Michael Wacha looks like a near lock for a rotation role, as he's started in all four of his outings and owns an excellent 0.75 ERA and 0.67 WHIP. Chris Archer is slightly behind his teammates as he's being brought along slowly following thoracic outlet surgery, though his 1.35 ERA and 0.30 WHIP in 6.2 innings (two starts and one relief appearance) are both excellent. Josh Fleming has been very good as well, throwing 8.2 scoreless innings while allowing just one walk and three hits. If spring stats were all that mattered, Rich Hill would be the odd man out, as he's allowed seven runs (six earned) in 6.2 innings, striking out three and walking four. His experience may still keep him ahead of Fleming, however.
Closer
Nick Anderson suffered a partial tear of his elbow ligament, ruling him out until after the All-Star break and rendering him undraftable in most formats. That leaves Pete Fairbanks and Diego Castillo as the top high-leverage arms in Tampa, though they're unlikely to have a monopoly on saves given the Rays' creative pitcher usage. Castillo hasn't allowed an earned run in five innings but has struck out just two, while Fairbanks has given up a pair of runs in 3.1 innings, also striking out just two batters.
Texas Rangers
Catcher
Jonah Heim has officially made the Opening Day roster and looks set to back up Jose Trevino. Both have been very poor this spring, though Trevino's .579 OPS beats Heim's .422 mark.
First Base
Ronald Guzman is hitting far better than Nate Lowe this spring, though that's not enough to win him the starting role. He's slashing .306/.390/.611, while Lowe is hitting .184/.304/.342, but Lowe was confirmed as the starter Saturday. Guzman will spend some time at first base, some in the outfield corners and some as the designated hitter.
Third Base
Brock Holt has won an Opening Day roster spot, though it's not yet clear how often he'll be in the lineup. His .751 OPS is perfectly fine, as is Rougned Odor's .740 mark. Charlie Culberson beats them both with his .892 OPS, though he's yet to have his contract selected.
Designated Hitter
This was supposed to be a battle between Willie Calhoun and Khris Davis, but neither will be with the team Opening Day. Calhoun is out with a groin strain, while Davis is out with a strained quadriceps. The Rangers could have both Nate Lowe and Ronald Guzman in the lineup on a regular basis until Calhoun or Davis returns, or they could simply rotate players through the spot for a few weeks to give their starters something of a rest.
Rotation
There hasn't been a ton of clarity regarding who will win the Rangers' final three rotation spots. Kolby Allard won't be one of them, as he'll be opening the year at Triple-A, but that still leaves too many options fighting for the open jobs. To make matters worse, the Rangers have talked about using tandem starters at the back of the rotation, which could significantly hurt the fantasy value of whoever does win a job.
Among the potential candidates, Dane Dunning has looked good, posting a 2.16 ERA and 0.84 WHIP, though his 5:3 K:BB is unimpressive. Jordan Lyles trails him slightly with a 2.57 ERA and 0.86 WHIP, but his 7:1 K:BB is much stronger. Mike Foltynewicz probably has a job, but it's hard to say he's earned one, giving up six runs (three earned) on nine hits in four innings of work. Taylor Hearn (3.95 ERA, 1.46 WHIP) and Wes Benjamin (4.85 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) have been fine, while Kyle Cody has struggled to a 7.15 ERA and 1.76 WHIP and is expected to head to the bullpen. Meanwhile, Korean import Hyeon-Jong Yang is doing everything he can to win a roster spot and potentially a starting role. He's cruised to a 10:4 K:BB in 9.1 innings, allowing four runs.
Closer
The Rangers' bullpen is already decimated before the season even begins, with Jose Leclerc (elbow) joining Jonathan Hernandez (elbow), Joely Rodriguez (ankle) and Brett Martin (back) on the sidelines. That leaves non-roster invitees Ian Kennedy and Matt Bush battling with unproven righty Josh Sborz for the rare save chances the Rangers manage to muster. Kennedy hasn't given up a hit or a run in his 5.2 innings of work, striking out seven and walking two. Bush has also struck out seven batters in his 4.2 innings of work but has walked four and allowed three runs. Sborz has just 13.1 unimpressive innings at the highest level under his belt but is having a strong spring, striking out 10 and walking one while allowing just one run in seven frames.
Toronto Blue Jays
Closer
The Blue Jays knew Kirby Yates was risky when they signed him, as he missed most of last season due to elbow surgery, but they probably didn't expect him to be shut down for Tommy John surgery before the regular season even began. That leaves Jordan Romano and Rafael Dolis battling for save chances. Romano is being drafted as the clear favorite despite the fact that the Blue Jays are treating this like an open competition. He saved a pair of games last season while posting an excellent 1.23 ERA and 36.8 percent strikeout rate, though he's only thrown 30 total innings in the big leagues. Dolis returned from Japan to pick up five saves while recording a similarly strong 1.50 ERA and 31.0 percent strikeout rate, though his 14.0 percent walk rate was worryingly high.
Washington Nationals
Third Base
The Nationals talked all offseason as if Carter Kieboom was locked in at third base despite his poor performances at the big-league level, but he's been bad enough this spring that he won't even open the year on the big-league roster. His .133/.204/.222 line doesn't in any way suggest he's about to dramatically improve on his .181/.309/.232 line in his first 44 regular-season contests, so the demotion makes some sense. Luis Garcia has also been sent to the minors, leaving veterans Starlin Castro and Josh Harrison as the likely starters at the keystone and the hot corner, although who will play where is less clear.
