Opening Day is right around the corner, but don’t let the calendar fool you—things are already heating up. After the Dodgers laid the smackdown on the Cubs in Tokyo to officially christen the new season, the rest of Major League Baseball is bracing for liftoff on March 27.
But while most teams are still adjusting their lineups and nursing their spring training optimism, the real drama is bubbling under the surface—and if you’ve been paying attention, you know the league is already serving up plenty of juicy storylines.
Braves’ Front Office Strikes Gold (Again)
Let’s start in Atlanta, where the Braves pulled off yet another heist that should have the rest of the league doing a double-take. Chris Sale, the former Red Sox ace, is now not just a Brave—but a Cy Young-winning Brave.
And what did Atlanta give up? Just Vaughn Grissom is a young infielder with potential but no track record. Flash forward, Grissom has been demoted to the minors while Sale shoves hitters into lockers and reminds everyone exactly why he used to be feared.
Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos might as well wear a cape at this point—his front-office wizardry is that consistent. This trade isn’t just aging well—it’s aging like a bottle of 1995 Bordeaux.
Jack Leiter’s Spring Brings Mixed Signals
But not every team is feeling good heading into Opening Day. Look no further than Arlington, Texas, where the Rangers are sending some mixed signals with Jack Leiter. Remember the excitement around him and Kumar Rocker when they lit up the SEC at Vanderbilt?
The magic’s fading fast for Leiter, who, despite a decent ERA this spring, is walking batters like it’s his job. He’s dishing out free passes like a mall kiosk on Black Friday—nearly six walks per nine innings.
And the signing of Patrick Corbin—yes, the same Patrick Corbin with an ERA that’s been scraping rock bottom—has fans raising eyebrows. If Corbin is Plan B, that says a lot about how shaky Plan A is looking.
Pirates’ Payroll Problem Hits a Boiling Point
It’s not the players or the performance getting attention in Pittsburgh—it’s the payroll. Or lack thereof. Pirates owner Bob Nutting is once again under fire for treating the franchise like a budget motel. Fans are fed up.
When the numbers show your team is spending less than big market clubs—but less proportionally than they can afford to—it’s not just frustrating; it’s infuriating.
This isn’t a money problem. It’s a priority problem. And if Nutting keeps pinching pennies while selling hope, calls for him to sell the team are only going to get louder.
With Opening Day a week away, the stage is set. The trades, the prospects, the ownership headaches—they’re all part of the show.
