After a long, cold winter, we've finally made it: It's time for Spring Training. Okay, so pitchers and catchers only begin reporting to camps around MLB on Tuesday, and that long, cold winter is still ongoing in many parts of the country, but still. The sky will be blue, the grass will be green and there will be real, organized baseball activities happening on your social media feeds.
And besides, what begins this week can wind up having a major impact on which teams make it all the way to October — and maybe even who's hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy at season's end. Every team has at least one pressing question that needs answering this spring.
Each team's biggest question at Spring Training
- AL East
- Baltimore Orioles: Can Adley Rutschman get back to being an All-Star?
- Boston Red Sox: Are Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell ready?
- New York Yankees: What happens with Jasson Dominguez?
- Tampa Bay Rays: What can we expect from Shane McClanahan?
- Toronto Blue Jays: Was last year a fluke for Anthony Santander?
- AL Central
- Chicago White Sox: What do they have in Munetaka Murakami?
- Cleveland Guardians: Are young bats ready to carry the load?
- Detroit Tigers: How soon will Kevin McGonigle arrive?
- Kansas City Royals: Was 2025 just a blip for Jac Caglianone?
- Minnesota Twins: Who on Earth will step up in this bullpen?
- AL West
- Athletics: Which young starters will step up?
- Houston Astros: What role is best for Tatsuya Imai?
- Los Angeles Angels: Can Grayson Rodriguez look like his old self?
- Seattle Mariners: What's the answer at second base?
- Texas Rangers: Can the young guys get back on track?
- NL East
- Atlanta Braves: Can everyone make it to Opening Day healthy?
- Miami Marlins: Can Agustin Ramirez be the answer at catcher?
- New York Mets: Will Carson Benge make the Opening Day roster?
- Philadelphia Phillies: Is Andrew Painter ready for this?
- Washington Nationals: Is Dylan Crews finally ready for his breakout?
- NL Central
- Chicago Cubs: Should we be worried about Pete Crow-Armstrong's second-half swoon?
- Cincinnati Reds: Can the homegrown hitters, you know, hit?
- Milwaukee Brewers: How will this rotation shake out?
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Is there enough offense here?
- St. Louis Cardinals: Can JJ Wetherholt make the Opening Day roster?
- NL West
- Arizona Diamondbacks: Does Jordan Lawlar have a future?
- Colorado Rockies: Who's on first?
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Can Tanner Scott get back on track?
- San Diego Padres: Does AJ Preller have one more trick up his sleeve?
- San Francisco Giants: Is Tony Vitello the right man for the job?
AL East
Baltimore Orioles: Can Adley Rutschman get back to being an All-Star?
The questions around this starting rotation are real, and have been discussed at length. But even if Kyle Bradish breaks out and Shane Baz finally puts it all together, it won't matter if Baltimore's homegrown stars don't hit like stars. Rutschman is coming off of a second straight injury-plagued season, and he's now just two years away from hitting free agency. Is an MVP candidate still in here somewhere? Or is Samuel Basallo the O's real catcher of the future? It's hard to imagine this team getting where it wants to go without him at his peak.
Boston Red Sox: Are Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell ready?
Craig Breslow finally added an infielder on Monday, and yet I somehow have more questions about this infield than I did already. The picture remains muddled at both second and third base, and it just so happens that Boston has former top prospects available to play both positions. Not long ago it seemed like both Mayer and Campbell were ticketed for stardom; were their rookie struggles just the usual growing pains, or something more? The answer could determine the Red Sox' fate.
New York Yankees: What happens with Jasson Dominguez?
It sure seems like the Yankees no longer consider Dominguez a meaningful part of their future. His defense remains a huge question mark (to put it charitably), and his inability to hit lefties means he'll have a hard time seeing any playing time this season barring injury or further development. The bottom line: If Dominguez can't take real steps forward this spring, it's probably over for him in New York, and Brian Cashman might just have to bite the bullet and sell low rather than burning a bench spot on a duplicative player.
Tampa Bay Rays: What can we expect from Shane McClanahan?
This appears to be something of a transition season for the Rays, who subtracted some big names and mostly fiddled on the margins. The biggest priority is figuring out what this team will look like in 2027, and the most pressing question to that end is whether McClanahan can be relied on. He hasn't thrown a single pitch since 2023, but he looked like a future Cy Young winner before injuries wreaked havoc on his career. He's reportedly healthy and ready for spring; can he look like the guy we used to know? If so, Tampa's future becomes very interesting.
Toronto Blue Jays: Was last year a fluke for Anthony Santander?
The Blue Jays' failed pursuit of both Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker has left them feeling one big bat short. Sure, there are a lot of good hitters here, but there aren't a ton of impactful ones, middle-of-the-order boppers who can do damage at a moment's notice. Except it's easy to forget that they still have a guy who hit 44 homers just two years ago: Santander's debut season in Toronto could hardly have gone worse, but he's still only 31 years old, and he should hopefully be healthier this time around. Getting back to his prior form would go a long way to elevating this Jays offense.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox: What do they have in Munetaka Murakami?
Most of the attention at White Sox camp will likely be paid to the team's army of young, up-and-coming prospects. But the single biggest question mark might be Murakami, the team's lone free agent splash this winter who comes over from Japan with light-tower power and real questions as to whether he can access it against MLB pitching. If he can, his contract could become one of the bigger bargains around, and he could at the very least fetch Chicago a nice haul to help further the rebuild. Either way, there might not be a player with more variance this season.
Cleveland Guardians: Are young bats ready to carry the load?
Stop me if you've heard this one before, but the Guardians didn't do a whole lot this offseason. Sure, Jose Ramirez isn't going anywhere, but something significant needs to change with this Cleveland lineup in order to become something more than a plucky, feel-good story. And it seems like that something is going to have to come internally, from a pair of top prospects: outfielder Chase DeLauter, who made his MLB debut during last season's Wild Card loss to the Tigers, and former No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana. If those two are ready to be stars, or at least above-average hitters, right away, the Guards might have something. If not, expect more of the same.
Detroit Tigers: How soon will Kevin McGonigle arrive?
Landing Framber Valdez sure helps, but the Tigers still feel one bat short after failing to mount a serious run at either Bichette or Alex Bregman this winter. That script could flip in a hurry, however, if their top prospects is ready to hit the ground running: McGonigle is one of the best young talents in the Minors, maybe the best, and he'll have a real shot at earning an Opening Day job despite not having been to Triple-A yet. He could answer a lot of questions for this Detroit infield; then again, he could still be a year (at least) away, with Tarik Skubal's clock ticking.
Kansas City Royals: Was 2025 just a blip for Jac Caglianone?
The Royals added some much-needed new blood to their outfield this winter, but neither Isaac Collins nor Lane Thomas come with particularly high ceilings. If Kansas City's offense is going to make the leap it needs, the most likely path involves a breakout year from Caglianone — a former two-way phenom at Florida who absolutely tore through the Minor Leagues but flopped in his first taste of big-league pitching. If Caglianone can live up to his pedigree (and his prior performance), the Royals really might have something here.
Minnesota Twins: Who on Earth will step up in this bullpen?
The only questions that really matter as far as the Twins are concerned are what their ownership situation looks like moving forward and whether they'll be committed to winning. But since we won't get an answer to that at Spring Training, let's set our sights a little lower: This Minnesota bullpen is a disaster zone after being decimated at last year's trade deadline. If they can find some answers there, hey, the AL Central is wide open and this rotation could still be pretty good (for as long as it's intact).
AL West
Athletics: Which young starters will step up?
The A's are one functional pitching staff away from a legit path to a Wild Card spot. And while they were nowhere close to that last season, there are at least some glimmers of hope coming through the pipeline, especially young righty Luis Morales (3.14 ERA across nine starts last year). If Morales, Jacob Lopez, Jack Perkins and top-100 prospects like Jamie Arnold can step up, Sacramento might see some postseason baseball.
Houston Astros: What role is best for Tatsuya Imai?
I have so many questions about the way Houston has chosen to build its lineup, with literally too many infielders to fit on one diamond and a severe lack of both outfielders and left-handed hitters. Barring an unexpected trade, though, that figures to follow them into the regular season. The biggest thing I'll be watching for this spring concerns Imai, whom the Astros were able to swoop in for after he put up monster numbers in Japan. Will his stuff translate to the Majors? And is he better suited to being a starter or a reliever? If he can fit in the rotation, Houston might have solved its biggest need.
Los Angeles Angels: Can Grayson Rodriguez look like his old self?
The last time we saw Rodriguez, he was in the low 90s with his fastball in Spring Training before elbow inflammation wrecked his season. That is ... concerning, to say the least. But the Angels were willing to bet that he's healthy and capable of recapturing the form he showed across his first two seasons in the Majors. If they're right, it would be huge for an organization that's been woefully incapable of developing pitching of their own of late. If they're wrong, well, it's not like things can get much worse for this team.
Seattle Mariners: What's the answer at second base?
Landing Brendan Donovan in a trade with the Cardinals was a tidy piece of work from Jerry Dipoto, but I'm still not fully sold on this offense getting the Mariners where they want to go this season. Donovan can start at either second or third base, but that begs the question: What happens at the other spot? Can top-10 overall prospect Colt Emerson be ready to rock right away? And if he can't, will the bottom of this lineup once again be a drag?
Texas Rangers: Can the young guys get back on track?
The Rangers took a big swing in acquiring MacKenzie Gore, but their problem last year came at the plate rather than on the mound. And in that department, they appear to be relying on little more than internal improvement: Aside from swapping Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien, there isn't a ton that's different from 2025. Granted, internal improvement isn't out of the question here, with former top prospects like Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter and Josh Jung in the fold. If they can be the future Texas has long thought, and Jake Burger can bounce back, Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom and Gore can carry this team a long way.
NL East
Atlanta Braves: Can everyone make it to Opening Day healthy?
On paper, it's still very easy to talk yourself into this Braves team as World Series contenders. Unfortunately, that's not the team we've seen for much of the last two years, largely due to injury: Everyone from Ronald Acuña Jr. to Austin Riley to Chris Sale to Spencer Strider to Spencer Schwellenbach has had a hard time staying on the field, and Atlanta has gotten left behind in the NL as a result. If this team is at full strength, they should be awfully good. That's a big if, though, and the Braves would be better off just putting everyone in bubble wrap until Opening Day.
Miami Marlins: Can Agustin Ramirez be the answer at catcher?
Miami's outfield is set after acquiring Owen Caissie in the Edward Cabrera trade. But what exactly does it have in Ramirez? The power is prodigious, but the plate approach needs a lot of work, and it's all a lot less appealing if he can't stick behind the plate defensively. The Marlins are going to give him some runway to see if he can figure it out, but if he doesn't prove he's the catcher of the future this year, top prospect Joe Mack is breathing down his neck.
New York Mets: Will Carson Benge make the Opening Day roster?
The Mets couldn't have done more to clear the runway for Benge, with the Nimmo trade leaving the left field job wide open for their top outfield prospect to come claim. Then again, as exciting as he is, he's only played 24 games above Double-A and they didn't go so well. Is this asking too much, too soon? And what does it mean for New York's offense if Benge isn't ready this spring?
Philadelphia Phillies: Is Andrew Painter ready for this?
Speaking of top prospects of whom a whole lot is expected: The Phillies have been waiting on Painter's arrival for a while now, and they could really use it by Opening Day. Zack Wheeler won't be ready to go to start the season as he returns from last year's shoulder injury, and Ranger Suarez's departure means that Philly's rotation is going to be stretched thin. If Painter can be the prince that was promised, they should stay afloat just fine. But his stock has dipped a bit since he was the top pitching prospect in the sport a couple years ago.
Washington Nationals: Is Dylan Crews finally ready for his breakout?
While Paul Skenes is busy setting the world on fire, the guy taken just one pick behind him in the 2023 draft is struggling to get his career off the ground. Crews hasn't been able to get it going at the plate yet in the Majors, but he's also had a hard time staying healthy, and those two things are no doubt related. He remains a dynamic athlete, and the tools are all here for stardom. Washington has a lot riding on that being the case, because if not, this rebuild will get a whole lot tougher.
NL Central
Chicago Cubs: Should we be worried about Pete Crow-Armstrong's second-half swoon?
PCA's sensational defense means he'll be a valuable player no matter what he does with a bat in his hands. But if the Cubs want to overtake the Brewers and stand toe-to-toe with the Dodgers, they don't just need him to be good — they need him to be the star he looked like in the first half of 2025. Unfortunately, his undisciplined approach at the plate led to a collapse down the stretch, and it's unclear which version we'll be getting this season. Is he an MVP candidate or a fun No. 8 hitter?
Cincinnati Reds: Can the homegrown hitters, you know, hit?
Adding Eugenio Suarez should help a Reds offense that was desperate for more pop last season, but if they're going to improve upon their Wild Card exit, they're going to need a lot more than that. It wasn't so long ago that Cincy's homegrown core seemed ready for liftoff. Now, though, guys like Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte and Christian Encarnacion-Strand are facing uncertain futures. Can they salvage their careers, and this lineup? And is Elly De La Cruz ready to finally make the leap? This skinflint Reds front office is resting their hopes on it, because the pitching staff is ready to contend.
Milwaukee Brewers: How will this rotation shake out?
It's a supreme bummer that a team in Milwaukee's position felt like it had to trade away a pitcher of Peralta's caliber, but the bright side is that if any team can weather that sort of storm, it's the Brewers. There's still a gaggle of pitching depth in the chamber here, from Brandon Woodruff to Jacob Misiorowski to Quinn Priester to Chad Patrick to Logan Henderson to Robert Gasser to the newly acquired Brandon Sproat and Kyle Harrison. What will the starting five look like? Which of those names will wind up in the bullpen? And will they be good enough to hold off the hard-charging Cubs?
Pittsburgh Pirates: Is there enough offense here?
For the first time in my adult life, the Pirates have made real, honest-to-goodness additions to their lineup, from Ryan O'Hearn to Brandon Lowe to Marcell Ozuna. All three are legitimate, professional hitters, and that's been in short supply in Pittsburgh of late. But will it be enough to finally get Skenes to the postseason? This offense still seems more average than good on paper, after all. Maybe average is enough given the pitching the Pirates have on hand, but a hot spring would be nice.
St. Louis Cardinals: Can JJ Wetherholt make the Opening Day roster?
Wetherholt, a consensus top-10 prospect in the sport, would've had a chance at cracking the Opening Day roster even if Brendan Donovan hadn't been shipped off to Seattle. Now, though, there's a glaring hole at second base, a position that Wetherholt just so happens to play. He posted a .931 OPS across the high Minors last season and sure seems ready for his close-up; will he hit the ground running this spring and give Cardinals fans reason for hope entering this rebuild?
NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks: Does Jordan Lawlar have a future?
D-backs fans have been waiting on Lawlar's arrival for years now. But Arizona's decision to acquire Nolan Arenado seemed to signal a vote of no confidence in the one-time elite prospect, at least as a third baseman. There's still opportunity for him to snag an outfield job, but how will he adjust? And most importantly, can he finally prove that he's an MLB-caliber hitter to go with all those physical tools?
Colorado Rockies: Who's on first?
Look: I'm trying here. Beyond Ezequiel Tovar and Hunter Goodman, there isn't a ton to get excited about in Colorado right now. But I'm interested to see how the first base job shakes out, with former Twins top prospect Edouard Julien coming over after flaming out in Minnesota. He was a bright young talent once upon a time, and he might be able to revive his career at Coors Field.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Can Tanner Scott get back on track?
What do you get the team that has two straight World Series titles and counting? The Dodgers enter spring with plenty of clarity and confidence after adding Edwin Diaz and Kyle tucker over the offseason. But the bullpen was a real concern by the end of last season, and while Diaz should help quite a bit, he hasn't been immune to hiccups throughout his career either. If Scott, last year's big-name acquisition, can get back to his All-Star form, L.A. will have everything it needs. If he's as lost as he was down the stretch of 2025, this could be a sore spot once again.
San Diego Padres: Does AJ Preller have one more trick up his sleeve?
More than just about any other team, it feels like something else has to be coming for the Padres. San Diego is too invested in winning right now, and their roster is too flawed, with virtually no starting pitching depth and a punchless bottom half of the lineup. Of course, Preller doesn't have a ton of resources with which to find an upgrade, but I'd be shocked if San Diego doesn't make a major addition between now and Opening Day.
San Francisco Giants: Is Tony Vitello the right man for the job?
There are roster questions to attend to, mostly around the back half of what appears to be a pretty thin starting rotation behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. But I can't wait to see how Buster Posey's Tony Vitello experiment gets underway: The Giants took a big swing plucking him from the college ranks, and you can bet that his every move will be heavily scrutinized given his lack of MLB experience. Can he help guide a roster with real holes toward a postseason berth?