It’s finally here: the first full day of Spring Training games. Each of the 30 MLB clubs will be in action Saturday in Arizona and Florida as Cactus League and Grapefruit League play gets under way — with 13 games available to stream on MLB.TV.
We asked each of the MLB.com beat writers what to watch for as their clubs take the field for Spring Training 2023 (all times ET).
1:05 p.m.: Mets (split-squad) at Astros
Mets: Although most regulars are staying behind for the home half of a split squad, Mets fans in West Palm Beach will get their first look at starting catcher Omar Narváez, as well another intriguing catcher — last year’s first-round Draft pick Kevin Parada. Also of note, setup man Adam Ottavino is scheduled to pitch for the Mets behind starter Denyi Reyes. — Anthony DiComo
Astros: José Abreu, who signed a three-year deal in November, will make his Astros debut in the Grapefruit League when he starts at first base against the Mets. Abreu, the 2020 American League MVP, joined the defending World Series champions for a chance to win his first ring. He replaces free agent Yuli Gurriel, who won two titles while with the Astros. — Brian McTaggart
1:05 p.m.: Nationals at Cardinals
Nationals: Left-hander MacKenzie Gore, a headliner in the Juan Soto trade with the Padres last season, will make his Nationals debut when he gets the start on Saturday. The third overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, Gore was on the injured list because of left elbow inflammation when he was acquired by the Nats. He has not pitched in big league action since July 25. — Jessica Camerato
Cardinals: Of course, it’s the venerable 41-year-old Adam Wainwright starting the Spring Training opener — just as he might do on Opening Day at Busch Stadium on March 30. Wainwright, who is in his 18th season with the Cardinals, plans to retire at season’s end. Before then, he wants to bounce back from a sour finish to 2022 that kept him from pitching in the playoffs. He went 2-3 with a 7.24 ERA over his last six starts last fall. Wainwright is the logical choice for the first start because he is about two weeks ahead of schedule since he will be pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic next month. — John Denton
1:05 p.m.: Blue Jays at Pirates
Blue Jays: Yusei Kikuchi gets his first opportunity to take the No. 5 job and run with it after a disappointing 2022 season. The lefty has added a breaking ball and told pitching coach Pete Walker that he hasn’t felt this good in five years, but he’ll need to find the strike zone far more consistently than he did a year ago. First innings are especially important for Kikuchi; early control issues often snowballed out of the gates for him, so look for Kikuchi to attack the zone early and often. — Keegan Matheson
Pirates: For the first time in more than half a decade, Andrew McCutchen will play a game while donning the black and gold. McCutchen’s true first game with the team won’t take place until March 30, when the Pirates take on the Reds for Opening Day in Cincinnati, but for Pirates fans, it will be a great moment nonetheless. — Justice delos Santos
1:05 p.m.: Twins (split-squad) at Orioles
Twins: The Twins had hopes that Austin Martín could add some power to his offensive output in 2022, his first full season in the organization since arriving in the José Berríos deal. Instead, he slugged .315 with only two homers for Double-A Wichita, missing six weeks with a wrist injury. But after hitting .374 with 10 steals in 21 games in the Arizona Fall League, Martin will look to build on that success when he begins an important spring in the leadoff spot for the road half of Rocco Baldelli’s split-squad roster. — Do-Hyoung Park
Orioles: Adley Rutschman will immediately get into Grapefruit League action, starting at designated hitter. Manager Brandon Hyde said the 25-year-old rising star will get “a couple at-bats.” This year marks the first time that Rutschman is ramping up for the season knowing he’ll be Baltimore’s Opening Day catcher. In 2022, he was battling for a roster spot when a right triceps strain cut his Spring Training short. — Jake Rill
1:05 p.m.: Rays at Twins (split-squad)
Rays: The Rays are sending eight rostered players to the World Baseball Classic, so manager Kevin Cash plans to use these early Grapefruit League games to get some of his regulars more reps than usual before they depart camp. That means guys like Harold Ramirez (Colombia) and Isaac Paredes (Mexico) will be playing early and often in Grapefruit League play, including behind right-handed starter Cooper Criswell in Tampa Bay’s matinee opener. — Adam Berry
Twins: The last time the Twins saw a healthy, effective Kenta Maeda was back in 2020, his age-32 season, when he finished as the runner-up in AL Cy Young Award voting. Now, he’ll enter his age-35 campaign with the hope that his stuff will have bounced back after Tommy John surgery and that he can still play a leading role in the Twins’ rotation depth. He has been eager to see how his stuff will still play against hitters, and this will be his first opportunity to get a sense for that. — Do-Hyoung Park
1:05 p.m.: Phillies (split-squad) at Tigers
Phillies: The Phillies open the Grapefruit League season with a split squad, so the only veteran headed to Lakeland is former Tigers slugger Nick Castellanos. He played with Detroit from 2013-19. Castellanos opens his second season with the Phillies hoping to bounce back following arguably the worst year of his career. He said last week that he feels comfortable at the ballpark for the first time in a long time. If being comfortable gets him back on track, the Phillies lineup should be one of the best in baseball. — Todd Zolecki
Tigers: Not only is this a big day for Austin Meadows, who will be playing in his first game since June 15, it’ll be big for the entire Meadows family. Austin and his younger brother, Tigers outfield prospect Parker Meadows, are expected to play together as teammates for the first time. They were never teammates growing up, being four-plus years apart in age, and Austin’s Minor League rehab assignments last year were always at Triple-A Toledo rather than Double-A Erie, where Parker was playing. — Jason Beck
1:05 p.m.: Red Sox at Braves
Red Sox: The indefinite loss of Trevor Story due to injury and the departure of Xander Bogaerts via free agency to the Padres created some shuffling in the middle infield for the Red Sox, and that has left Christian Arroyo as the starting second baseman for the foreseeable future. Arroyo will get his first chance to demonstrate how well he can hold down the fort in his Grapefruit League debut. The spotlight will be on him in a sense, because nobody else in Boston’s projected starting nine is scheduled to make the trip. — Ian Browne
Braves: Manager Brian Snitker plans to give most of his regulars at least two plate appearances. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Eddie Rosario will both be tuning up for the World Baseball Classic. Kolby Allard is a long ways from his days as Atlanta’s top prospect. But the lefty taken by the Braves in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft will be attempting to make a good impression as he starts this exhibition opener. — Mark Bowman
1:05 p.m.: Yankees at Phillies (split-squad)
Yankees: “The Martian” will be landing in Clearwater for the Grapefruit League opener. Jasson Dominguez, ranked as the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is expected to be in the lineup as the Bombers journey across the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The switch-hitting outfielder is the youngest player in camp at age 20, and manager Aaron Boone said that he is looking forward to seeing Dominguez firsthand after a 2022 season in which he “improved in every aspect and kind of got better as the competition got better.” — Bryan Hoch
Phillies: The Phillies are easing into their Grapefruit League opener, resting much of their everyday players. But that gives somebody like Darick Hall an opportunity. He is competing for one of the team’s final two bench jobs. Other candidates like Dalton Guthrie, Kody Clemens and Jake Cave have more positional versatility, so if Hall makes the team, he is going to have to hit. — Todd Zolecki
3:05 p.m.: Guardians at Reds
Guardians: Team Canada’s ace will get the ball in the first game of the spring. Cal Quantrill knew he needed to be ahead of schedule in his throwing program entering camp since his level of competition will ramp up quickly when the World Baseball Classic gets under way in the next two weeks. Although the Guardians already have a good idea of just how well he prepared himself this offseason, this will be the first look at how game-ready the righty is. — Mandy Bell
Reds: Lefty pitcher Brandon Williamson, who finished 2022 as the organization’s No. 6 prospect, is starting the game as he competes for a spot in the big league rotation. Williamson has been impressive in camp during bullpen sessions and live BPs with manager David Bell saying that the 6-foot-6 southpaw is “checking all the boxes.” Veterans Luke Weaver and Luis Cessa are likely on the inside track for the final two rotation spots, but Williamson certainly has a chance to make it. — Mark Sheldon
3:05 p.m.: D-backs (split-squad) at A’s
D-backs: Drey Jameson will get the start against the A’s with the right-hander hoping to land the final spot in the rotation. Jameson made his big league debut last September and was electric in four starts, going 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA. Featuring a fastball in the upper 90s, he is always entertaining to watch. — Steve Gilbert
Athletics: JP Sears gets the start, kicking off what is expected to be a highly competitive battle this spring for the final two slots in the A’s starting rotation. Joining the A’s in a midseason trade with the Yankees last year, the left-hander put together a solid rookie season, posting a 3.86 ERA in 70 innings over a combined 17 games with Oakland and New York. Newcomer Freddy Tarnok, another pitcher in that rotation mix, is expected to follow Sears out of the bullpen. — Martín Gallegos
3:05 p.m.: Giants at Cubs
Giants: Third baseman Casey Schmitt, who is ranked as the Giants’ No. 6 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is expected to be in the starting lineup when the club kicks off Cactus League action against the Cubs on Saturday. Schmitt, 23, won the Minor League Gold Glove Award at third last season and is expected to have a chance to break into the Giants’ infield mix in 2023. Regulars LaMonte Wade Jr., Thairo Estrada, Joc Pederson, Brandon Crawford and Austin Slater will also make their spring debuts for San Francisco. — Maria Guardado
Cubs: The North Siders were one of baseball’s most active teams in free agency and manager David Ross plans on rolling out four of the club’s signings in the spring opener. Shortstop Dansby Swanson, center fielder Cody Bellinger, first baseman Eric Hosmer and DH Trey Mancini are all in the planned lineup. It will be the debut of the Cubs’ revamped middle-infield combination of Swanson and second baseman Nico Hoerner. Marcus Stroman, who could be the Opening Day starter, will be making his first start of the spring. A bulked-up Seiya Suzuki is also expected to be in the lineup. — Jordan Bastian
3:05 p.m.: Royals at Rangers
Royals: In the Royals’ second Cactus League game, Carlos Hernandez is slated to throw two innings out of the bullpen. The right-hander is vying for a bullpen role this year, with the Royals wondering if he can pitch into a high leverage role for them with his fastball that reaches the triple digits. Whether he reaches that ceiling will be dependent on if he can stay in the zone and be consistent. — Anne Rogers
Rangers: Nathan Eovaldi is slated to make his Rangers debut when he starts the matchup with the Royals in the club’s second Cactus League game. The right-hander is coming off an injury-riddled season in which he made just 20 starts with the Red Sox, but enters camp full healthy, ready to slot in behind Jacob deGrom in the Rangers’ rotation. — Kennedi Landry
3:05 p.m.: Padres at White Sox
Padres: Seth Lugo makes his Padres debut as he builds toward a starter’s workload this spring. That’s a departure from his past three seasons with the Mets, in which he served almost exclusively as a reliever. But the Padres believe Lugo’s electric stuff — particularly his blend of high-spin offerings — will play nicely in a starting role. Lugo signed a one-year deal with a player option for 2024 and should help bolster the back end of the San Diego rotation. — AJ Cassavell
White Sox: Lance Lynn will be leaving in the first week of March to join Team USA in World Baseball Classic competition, so the veteran right-hander’s preparation was accelerated a bit this offseason. He now gets the honor of opening Cactus League play for the White Sox, scheduled to pitch three innings. That total is more than a usual first spring start, but he’s ready for the quick build up. Lynn posted a 7-4 record and 2.52 ERA over his final 14 starts last season. — Scott Merkin
3:10 p.m.: Rockies at D-backs (split-squad)
Rockies: The Rockies had little pitching depth last year, and it showed in a struggling rotation and a bullpen that spent much of the time developing younger players. But in the opener, starter Noah Davis, who made a one-inning Major League debut and is on the radar, will begin the game, and veteran relievers Fernando Abad, Ty Blach, Matt Koch and T.J. Zeuch will appear. At the end will be righty Karl Kauffmann, like Davis a younger starter type. — Thomas Harding
D-backs: While starter Ryne Nelson tries to win the final rotation spot, the competition for bullpen spots gets under way in earnest in this game, with Jeurys Familia, Ryan Hendrix, Miguel Castro, Kevin Ginkel, Mitchell Stumpo and Carlos Vargas among those scheduled to pitch. They are among the candidates for bullpen spots, while lefty Andrew Chafin will make his debut after being signed 10 days ago as a free agent. — Steve Gilbert
3:10 p.m.: Angels at Mariners
Angels: Left-hander Tucker Davidson, who is competing for the final spot in the rotation, starts the Cactus League opener for the Angels. The Angels are expected to play several of their regulars to get them ready for the World Baseball Classic, including second baseman Luis Rengifo (Team Venezuela), shortstop David Fletcher (Team Italy) and Gio Urshela (Team Colombia). Mickey Moniak, Jo Adell and Brett Phillps will start in the outfield with Matt Thaiss at catcher. — Rhett Bollinger
Mariners: Marco Gonzales is probably the least flashy starter in Seattle’s stacked rotation, and he’s OK with that. But that truism was also a factor in why he was left off both postseason rosters last fall as the odd man out in shorter series. Entering 2023, he’s all of a sudden the Mariners’ longest tenured player and perhaps as motivated as ever. He’ll start their Cactus League game against the Angels. — Daniel Kramer
3:10 p.m.: Dodgers at Brewers
Dodgers: Gavin Lux and Miguel Vargas will be the Dodgers’ double play combo this season and we’ll get our first look at how they work together on Saturday. Vargas, who suffered a hairline fracture on his right pinky finger early in camp, still can’t swing the bat, but the Dodgers are prioritizing getting him into a game so he and Lux can work on their defense together. — Juan Toribio
Brewers: World Baseball Classic participants Willy Adames, Rowdy Tellez, Abraham Toro and Sal Frelick will be in the lineup for Milwaukee’s exhibition opener. Adames and Tellez competed for the Brewers’ home run title last season (Tellez finished first with 35 homers) but are both aiming to boost their on-base percentages this year as they strive to be all-around hitters. Toro, long considered a breakout candidate for the Astros, Mariners and now the Brewers, is an intriguing player in camp because he plays all over the field. — Adam McCalvy
6:10 p.m.: Marlins at Mets (split-squad)
Marlins: With a night game on the road to open Grapefruit League play, the Marlins are holding off on debuting their revamped lineup until Sunday. Making the trip will be third-ranked prospect Jacob Berry, whom Miami selected sixth overall in the 2022 MLB Draft. While Berry won’t get the start, he is expected to appear in the game at some point, per manager Skip Schumaker. — Christina De Nicola
Mets: The Mets are looking to give extra early reps to players heading to the World Baseball Classic, which means Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil are among those who could be in Saturday’s lineup under the lights at Clover Park. Starting pitcher José Butto is also of note. He’s the organization’s 15th-ranked prospect and will serve as key rotation depth this summer. — Anthony DiComo
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