4. 9. 2. 8. The decision to add veterans Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer in free agency effectively blocked 2022 club home run leader Patrick Wisdom and rising top prospect Matt Mervis, raising questions about how they fit into the Cubs' plans. Pirates at Cardinals (4:15 p.m.)FAQ, lineups, pitchers, more >. 9. The D-backs added catcher Gabriel Moreno and outfielder Kyle Lewis in offseason trades, and while neither player is penciled in to our projected lineup, both will get regular playing time. All of that should more than make up for the offensive downgrade from Hunter Renfroe to Jackie Bradley Jr. in right field. 2B Trevor Story7. Three-time All-Star and 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson will try to bring even more oomph to a powerful Yankees lineup.Note to know: The Red Sox have won their past two Opening Day matchups against the Yankees (in 2010 and '13), while scoring a combined 17 runs. 3. Veteran Homer Bailey is tabbed for his first career Opening Day start. CronDH Charlie Blackmon2B Brendan RodgersRF Randal GrichukC Elias DazSS Ezequiel Tovar (R)SP Kyle Freeland, CF Riley Greene1B Spencer TorkelsonRF Austin MeadowsSS Javier BezC Eric HaaseDH Miguel Cabrera2B Jonathan Schoop3B Nick MatonLF Akil BaddooSP Eduardo Rodriguez, 2B Jose AltuveSS Jeremy PeaLF Yordan Alvarez1B Jos Abreu3B Alex BregmanRF Kyle TuckerDH Michael BrantleyCF Chas McCormickC Martn MaldonadoSP Framber Valdez, DH MJ MelendezSS Bobby Witt Jr.C Salvador Perez1B Vinnie PasquantinoRF Edward OlivaresLF Kyle Isbel3B Hunter DozierCF Drew Waters (R)2B Nicky LopezSP Zack Greinke, LF Taylor WardCF Mike TroutDH Shohei Ohtani3B Anthony Rendon2B Brandon Drury1B Jared WalshRF Hunter RenfroeSS Gio UrshelaC Logan O'Hoppe (R)SP Shohei Ohtani, RF Mookie BettsDH J.D. Corey Seager (L) SS All ballparks hosting Opening Day games on April 1 will allow at least limited attendance. 2. Rhys Hoskins (R) 1B Yuli Gurriel will start the season on the DL, but Houston has plenty of depth. SP matchup: Lucas Giolito (CWS) vs. Eduardo Rodriguez (DET) Giolito will make his third consecutive Opening Day start, the most since Mark Buehrle amassed four straight from 2008-11.See this new face: After six years in Boston, Rodriguez will serve as a veteran presence atop Detroits young starting rotation.Note to know: Coming into this season, Miguel Cabrera is behind only Albert Pujols (21) for the longest active streak of Opening Day starts (18), with the past 14 coming in Detroit. Austin Romine (R) C Albert Pujols (R) 1B 7. 5. More >White SoxYoan Moncada's first full season in the big leagues has White Sox fans eager to see if this young club can compete in 2018. The Mariners revealed who would be the team's primary designated hitter when AJ Pollock was signed to a one-year, $7 million deal. Even before the Freeman signing, this was an elite offensive team, and that was enough to push it over the top and into the No. Gavin Lux hit .360/.467/.500 in 60 plate appearances last September, and trading AJ Pollock now clears a path for him to seize the everyday job at second base. David Bote (R) 2B Shortstop Dansby Swanson is one to watch as he enters a contract year. 7. Tucker Barnhart (L) C Ozzie Albies (S) 2B Twins. Young players Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, Matt Vierling and Mickey Moniak could push them even higher up these rankings. Last season's lineup data from Baseball Reference, projected rosters from FanGraphs and a healthy amount of speculation about where remaining free agents will sign went into compiling each team's. Keibert Ruiz and Lane Thomas are both major X-factors for their offense. 4. Can journeyman Frank Schwindel, Patrick Wisdom and Rafael Ortega duplicate the unexpected success they had last year following the summer fire sale? 8. Lineups are ranked based on star power, lack of holes, depth and recent production, with each team's projected Opening Day lineup used as the baseline for these rankings. SP matchup: Robbie Ray (SEA) vs. Joe Ryan (MIN) -- Ryan will become the third pitcher since 1961 to make an Opening Day start within his first six career games and the first rookie to start Opening Day for the Twins since Tom Hall in '69.See this new face: Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray will top Seattles starting rotation as the team looks to make the playoffs for the first time since 2001. Bubba Starling (R) CF, Make your Opening Day picks. Jose Iglesias (R) SS 3. SS Dansby Swanson9. David Dahl (L) CF Pirates fans can expect to see several different lineups this season -- what will it be for Game 1? Even with Marcus Semien and his 133 OPS+ and 45 home runs now playing for the Texas Rangers, the Toronto Blue Jays still have a stacked lineup. 1. 4. Even after losing George Springer and Carlos Correa the past two offseasons, the Astros lineup is still loaded with young stars Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez leading the way alongside steady veterans Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley. Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B 8. 8. Myles Straw (R) CF Bo Bichette (R) SS 6. The Giants do a great job mixing and matching while platooning at several positions, and guys like Darin Ruf, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores don't always get the credit they deserve. 2. 5. There's no way to spin that other than a significant step backward for the offense, though they do still have reigning NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India, rising catcher Tyler Stephenson and the ageless Joey Votto. 9. 6. 2. 3. Gary Sanchez (R) C Alex Jackson (R) C, 1. Gregory Polanco (L) RF Opening Day is about to be here. They're especially stacked at the top of their order -- Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu and Nolan Arenado are a fearsome troika. More >. 3. Mar 1, 2023. C.J. Ozzie Albies (S) 2B Carlos Correa (R) SS Anthony Santander (S) RF Will Smith (R) C, Angels (Andrew Heaney) at Athletics (Frankie Montas), 10:10 ET (ESPN), 1. 3. They responded by signing Andrew McCutchen to serve as the primary DH and acquiring Hunter Renfroe to replace Avisail Garcia in right field. 8. 2. 5. Our first Opening Day lineup projections were posted Dec. 9, and version 2.0 followed Jan. 5, so it's on to version 3.0. Keep an eye on J.D. Victor Caratini (S) C Corey Dickerson (L) LF Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B LF Marcell Ozuna6. 2. 3. Austin Riley (R) 3B 4. 2. 6. How much longer will star third baseman Jose Ramirez be playing in Cleveland after extension talks broke down? ET on ESPN. Check out https://auctionofchampions.com for all your sports memorabilia needs!Quiz: https://www.sporcle.com/games/nymets18/2022-mlb-opening-day-starting-lineups----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://twitter.com/GiraffeNeckMarc https://www.instagram.com/GiraffeNeckMarc https://www.tiktok.com/@giraffeneckmarc?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Business Email: giraffeneckgaming@gmail.com And Ryan Braun will be playing first base on Opening Day. Sandy Alcantara (R) P, 1. Anthony Rendon (R) 3B Aaron Judge in the leadoff spot? 8. Adam Frazier, Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez were added via trade to plug three significant roster holes, while a return to health for 2020 AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis will provide a significant in-house addition. With Fernando Tatis Jr. sidelined following wrist surgery and Luke Voit the only notable addition to the starting lineup, this might actually be a worse San Diego offense than the one that ranked 14th in runs scored last year. MLB Opening Day 2021 schedule Thursday, April 1 (All times U.S./Eastern) Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m., fuboTV (nationally) Cleveland at Detroit Tigers, 1:10 p.m. Minnesota. More >Pirates 9. 7. Top prospect Ronald Acuna Jr. will be with the team soon enough, but the Braves' Opening Day lineup will still have a lot of players to watch, from Ender Inciarte to Freddie Freeman to Julio Teheran. 8. 7. Sam Hilliard (L) LF 3. Bo Bichette, R, SS 3. . 9. A year after acquiring Francisco Lindor in a blockbuster deal, the Mets went all-in on the free-agent market, adding Starling Marte, Mark Canha and Eduardo Escobar on the offensive side of things. 2. 6. 3. 7. 2. 6. Alex Bregman (R) 3B Gleyber Torres (R) SS Ty France (R) DH 2. 7. Michael Brantley (L) LF Who will bat second in 2023? Domingo Santana (R) RF 5. 8. 6. Didi Gregorius (L) SS Kris Bryant (R) 3B 2. Chris Davis (L) 1B 2020 OD starter: Mike Soroka The Athletics ranked last in the majors in batting average (.216) and OPS (.627) last season and finished 29th in runs (568). The Rockies' lineup will look a lot like the one that led them to the playoffs last season for the first time since 2009. Jose Osuna (R) DH Randy Arozarena (R) RF 9. Matt Chapman (R) 3B Last year's rookie sensation Matt Olson might draw the most attention, but keep an eye out for the likes of Matt Chapman, Boog Powell, Stephen Piscotty and Dustin Fowler, too. Salvador Perez (R) C How will Seiya Suzuki adjust to the MLB game? Todd Frazier (R) 1B 3B Yoan Moncada5. Manuel Margot (R) LF Young outfielders Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh are also both capable of emerging as core pieces alongside that duo and reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani. The Phillies spent $179 million to add Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber in free agency, and they join Bryce Harper, J.T. Frazier could also see time at the corner outfield spots. 1 prospect in baseball during his time in the Texas farm system, and while he never made much of an impact in his first go-around with the Rangers, he has since developed into a solid everyday outfielder. 79. Jason Heyward (L) RF The Twins had the second-highest scoring offense in baseball in 2019, but they have been closer to the middle of the road the past two years. 5. Lorenzo Cain (R) CF Rougned Odor (L) 2B 4. 5. 8. 3. More >Angels 4. Mitch Garver (R) C Chris Taylor (R) LF 2. Travis Shaw (L) 3B Yandy Diaz (R) 3B Clint Frazier (R) LF, 1. 9. Danny Jansen (R) C, 1. Mike Moustakas (L) 3B Wilson Ramos (R) C Jorge Alfaro (R) C Andrew McCutchen (R) LF 9. The outfield of Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander is sneaky-good, and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle hit 33 home runs last year as a rookie. 2. Yu Darvish (R) P, 1. He hit .319/.387/.540 in 318 plate appearances in the upper levels of the minors last year, and he's widely regarded as one of the best defensive shortstops in the minors. More >Brewers 8. Mitch Moreland (L) DH 6. 4. Madison Bumgarner (R) P, 1. 5. The old adage says that pitching wins championships, but it's awfully difficult to even reach the postseason without a productive offensive attack. Mike Brosseau (R) 2B 2. Lorenzo Cain (R) CF ET)FAQ, lineups, pitchers, more >. Trent Grisham (L) CF, Mariners (Marco Gonzales) at Astros (Justin Verlander), 9:10 ET, 1. The rest of the infield remains a work in progress, but they'll receive a major boost once future face of the franchise Adley Rutschman takes over as the starting catcher. More >Twins Can third baseman Alex Bregman return to the MVP-level production he showed in 2019? Baseball is back. 3. Evan Longoria (R) 3B Get the Draft Kit in your inbox completely free here. The move to acquire Gold Glove Award center fielder Michael A. Taylor from the Royals gave the Twins a terrific insurance policy if Byron Buxton can't stay healthy once again. Martinez when the Sox open their AL East title defense. SS Xander Bogaerts4. Nicky Lopez (L) 2B 5. Jose Iglesias (R) SS 9. Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B LF Eloy Jimenez6. More >Rays 1. With a stacked lineup and pitching staff, the Bronx Bombers enter the regular season looking like a major World Series contender. Joey Votto hasn't won the NL MVP since 2010 despite being one of MLB's best players annually; perhaps that changes in '18.