Here are three things MLBTR readers should watch out for throughout the day:
1. The WBC scrimmage begins:
The World Baseball Classic has just begun, but before that, teams from the U.S.-based pool will face off against MLB clubs in exhibition games. Team USA’s game against the Giants (scheduled for 1:08 p.m. local time in Arizona) will be broadcast on ESPN, where fans will be able to watch the NL Cy Young Award winner. Paul Skennes Facing a 24-year-old right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell. Meanwhile, Canadian fans can watch the game between the national team and the Blue Jays (scheduled for 1:07 p.m. local time in Florida) through Sportsnet or MLB Network. MLB Network will also broadcast the first game of the Tigers’ exhibition series against the Dominican Republic team in Santo Domingo. The match is scheduled to start at 6:05 PM local time. A complete list of WBC exhibitions can be found at MLB.com.
2. A Marlins legend enters his final season.
Longtime Marlins analyst Tommy Hutton is saying goodbye this year, with the Associated Press reporting he will retire after the 2026 season. Hutton played in the major leagues for parts of 12 MLB seasons from 1966 to 1981. Soon after, he began a career in broadcasting, covering the Expos (for whom he played for four of the MLB seasons), Yankees, and Blue Jays before eventually settling in Miami in 1997. Hutton briefly left the Marlins in 2015 and returned to the organization for the 2018 season. Where he has remained ever since. MLBTR congratulates Hutton on his storied career spanning more than 60 years in baseball and wishes him all the best as he approaches his final season before retirement.
3. Today’s MLBTR Chat:
Spring training is going well and the World Baseball Classic (WBC) is just around the corner. Here are some interesting free agents: Lucas Giolito and Jack Littell It’s still available, but most of the club’s hard work is done. If you’re curious about where your club is, how the offseason went, or if there are any other steps your club should take before the season begins, you can hear thoughts from MLBTR’s Steve Adams in a chat scheduled for today at 1 p.m. Click here to ask questions in advance, follow along as they begin, and read the script when you’re done.
