As Spring Training continues, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on today:
1. Ohtani to make Dodgers debut:
The Dodgers had their first Cactus League game against the Padres last week in preparation for the Korea Series in Seoul next month, though superstar offseason addition Shohei Ohtani has not yet made his first spring appearance for the club. That’ll change today, as the Dodgers have announced that Ohtani will make his debut in today’s game against the White Sox. Left-hander Garrett Crochet will take the mound for the White Sox opposite Dodgers youngster Bobby Miller, with the game scheduled for 2:05pm CT. The two-way superstar will be limited to only hitting this year as he rehabs from elbow surgery, though he’ll be building off an incredible 2023 campaign that saw him slash a whopping .304/.412/.654 in 135 games while hitting an AL-best 44 home runs en route to his second MVP award in three years.
2. Cubs working on potential trade?
Center fielder Cody Bellinger’s deal with the Cubs has not yet been made official, and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic indicated yesterday that the Cubs are trying to work out a trade to clear space on the 40-man roster. Per Sharma, Chicago hopes to move a pitcher off its 40-man roster via trade in the coming days rather than risk losing a player for nothing on waivers. Speculatively speaking, that could mean the Cubs are shopping an arm towards the back of their bullpen depth chart such as Keegan Thompson, Jose Cuas, or Yency Almonte, or perhaps even a prospect such as Porter Hodge or Caleb Kilian. Sharma went on to suggest that if a trade cannot be worked out quickly, the Cubs could still designate a player for assignment in hopes that a trade of that player could be finalized over the seven-day window following the DFA.
3. MLBTR Chat today:
While teams around the league are already participating in Cactus and Grapefruit League games, a handful of the winter’s top free agents remain unsigned and plenty of offseason shopping lists around the league remain unfulfilled. Are you wondering if there’s more in store for your team as camps open in Arizona and Florida? If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.
