MLB

MLB, Fanatics and Topps have created a new patch that players will wear when they make their debut in the majors.

Anthony Volpe will make his big league debut at shortstop with the “Topps has been a great partner to baseball for decades, and I think this particular initiative is crucial to the development of deeper fan engagement.” That figure has since been beaten out by a 1952 Mickey Mantle card, which sold for

The 2023 MLB season begins Thursday afternoon. Here are the top plays from all 15 Opening Day games!

On a busy opening day, every team is in action. Between M.L.B.'s new rules and some intriguing player movement, you might want to get caught up.

history to qualify for both the batting title and the E.R.A. Earlier in the day, the Yankees put Gerrit Cole up against a major breakout candidate in Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants. If Ohtani plays the way he did in the last two seasons, he might make that Judge contract look tiny by comparison. He has made it clear he will walk away to find a chance to win. He’s a 55-60 runner but it plays up on the bases because he has great instincts both for reading pitchers and reading situations. Here’s a look at some of the [new rules](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/24/sports/baseball/mlb-rule-changes.html?action=click&pgtype=Article&state=default&module=styln-mlb-season&variant=show®ion=MAIN_CONTENT_1&block=storyline_levelup_swipe_recirc) taking effect this season: The Yankees, whose games averaged a major league-high 3 hours 13 minutes last season, beat the San Francisco Giants, 5-0, in the first game of the day. While at shortstop, he’s got great hands and gets himself into the right position to make plays more than most shortstops I see. So it’s safe to say the team thinks Volpe, 21, has a bright future. After months of speculation about how new rules will change the game and a spring training filled with fast games and plenty of flubs, opening day of the 2023 Major League Baseball season is finally here. As for the effects of that clock on the game? (Switching to overhand pitching in the late 19th century was probably more extreme, but let’s put that aside.)

More than a dozen Jacksonville-area players are on Opening Day rosters, either active or IL, for the 2023 Major League Baseball season.

Notable: Lawrence has had the movement on his pitches working of late, including the World Baseball Classic with Panama. Notable: After tumultuous off-season, Clevinger returns to AL Central with White Sox; likely to occupy No. 3 or No. Position: Pitcher Position: Catcher Position: Outfielder Position: First baseman Position: Infielder

FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton baseball is once again well represented in the MLB on opening day. The Titans have seven former players on opening ...

Mike Harkey is the bullpen coach for the New York Yankees in his eighth season with the team while P.J. In addition, the baseball team has established its own Twitter ( [FullertonBSB](https://twitter.com/FullertonBSB)) and Instagram accounts ( [fullertonbsb](https://www.instagram.com/fullertonbsb/)). Mark Kotsay is set for his second season as the manager of the Oakland Athletics while Phil Nevin is in his first full season as the Los Angeles Angels Manager. Los Angeles Dodger, Phil Bickford, returns for his third year with the organization in 2023. Pilittere is in his second season as the assistant hitting coach with the Colorado Rockies. In two years with the Marlins, Floro has 25 saves and a 2.91 ERA. In 49 games with the Giants last season, Davis had a .263 batting average with 20 runs and 14 RBI. In his first season with the Blue Jay's, Chapman hit .229 with 83 runs, 76 RBI and 27 home runs. Davis begins his first full year with the San Francisco Giants after a mid-season trade from the New York Mets last year. Lorenzen had an 8-6 record in 18 starts a year ago with the Angels. Turner earned his first all-star game selection in 2017 with the Dodgers before helping lead the team to a World Series title in 2020, its first since 1988. The Titans have seven former players on opening day rosters along with two managers and three other coaches throughout the league.

In free agency and through trades, the A's added infielder/outfielders Aledmys Diaz and Jace Peterson, Japanese flamethrower Shintaro Fujinami, ...

"The Athletics spent the offseason bringing in some cheap veteran talent in Aledmys Diaz, Jace Peterson and Jesus Aguilar in hopes that they can help keep things respectful on the field. That said, even the additions feel like baby steps for a franchise that probably won’t show much urgency until its stadium situation is settled, and has to continue relying on outwitting the opposition in an era where innovation is hard to keep secret for long." "75 wins may not seem like a big accomplishment, but the over/under win total for the A's over at FanDuel is 59.5. The reason I think the A's could win as many as 75 games this season is that their depth is a lot better than last season. It’s very possible A’s owner John Fisher suddenly becomes more willing to invest in the franchise when the team relocates. I’m penciling them in for closer to the 70 wins FanGraphs is projecting.

Fox Sports national network MLB coverage offers up its first pitch on this Saturday with a pair of broadcasts, the New York Yankees vs. the San Francisco .

“And obviously the three main truck vendors, Game Creek, NEP, and Mobile TV Group will be involved as well as CP Communications who handles all of our audio during the season.” “And the team has been doing spring training, so they have a decent feel for the quick turnaround that we’re going to see.” “It’s an exciting place to be, with MLB Network, ESPN, and ourselves on site,” says Cheney. “It’s going to be a little harder for storytelling because the speed of the game moves so fast,” says Cheney. The decision to do an HRP or have trucks on site comes down the availability of control rooms back in Pico. [“We really start off on the right foot with the national broadcasts and we’re really looking forward to those national games,” says Brad Cheney, Fox Sports, VP, field operations and engineering.

MLB, Fanatics and Topps have created a new patch that players will wear when they make their debut in the majors.

Anthony Volpe will make his big league debut at shortstop with the Louis Cardinals host the Toronto Blue Jays. “Topps has been a great partner to baseball for decades, and I think this particular initiative is crucial to the development of deeper fan engagement.” [New York Yankees](https://www.nbcnewyork.com/tag/new-york-yankees) against the [San Francisco Giants](https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants?chrcontext=KXAS) and Jordan Walker will step onto a major league outfield for the first time when the St. That figure has since been beaten out by a 1952 Mickey Mantle card, which sold for Rookie cards are among the most coveted items in the sports memorabilia industry.

Offseason chaos. A historic World Baseball Classic. New rules. After a wild winter, MLB's regular season starts today with all 30 teams in action.

[Highlights](/mlb/video/_/gameId/401471020) [Highlights](/mlb/video/_/gameId/40147102630) [Box score](/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401471030) [Highlights](/mlb/video/_/gameId/401471025) [Box score](/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401471025) [Highlights](/mlb/video/_/gameId/401471021) [Box score](/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401471021) [Highlights](/mlb/video/_/gameId/401471024) [Box score](/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401471026) [Box score](/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401471028) [Highlights](/mlb/video/_/gameId/401471022) [Box score](/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401471022)

With Opening Day here, Scott Pianowski ranks all 30 MLB teams to see which squad has the most fantasy juice.

San Diego and the New York Mets have splashed the cash. But the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves are superbly run clubs.

While Judge gives the Yankees one of the best weapons in the game, the Braves have four hitters (Acuña Jr, Austin Riley, Matt Olson and Michael Harris II) that [rank among the 20 favorites to win NL MVP](https://www.vegasinsider.com/mlb/odds/mvp/) this season, which will make the difference in this series. If San Diego don’t win the NL West and make it to the World Series this year it’s a complete failure for the club. Despite losing Jacob deGrom and the injury to closer Edwin Diaz, the Mets’ pitching is in tip-top shape with two future Hall of Famers (Verlander and Max Scherzer) and Kodai Senga with his nasty forkball. It’s a battle for second place as the Seattle Mariners build on their success in 2023, and take on an improved Angels rotation and a beefed up Texas-sized roster in Arlington. The Royals have a young core but their pitching is suspect. As is often the case, no team stands out in the AL Central. Their Manoah-led rotation is probably the deepest in the division, and now they have the gold gloved Kiermaier patrolling the outfield. [a lot more competitive](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/07/mlb-2022-predictions-is-the-championship-heading-to-canada-this-year) last year, but the Yankees won it by seven games thanks to Judge. [new balanced schedule](https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/phillies/mlb-schedule-explained-how-will-new-format-work-2023) that means they won’t see the Phillies and their speedy five-tool star 19 times this season. Going with the odds-on favorite in the AL, Ohtani, and getting a little spicy with Trea Turner in the NL. In the AL, let’s give it to Shohei Ohtani for being Shohei Ohtani. [for the pitch clock](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/mar/09/mlb-may-finally-have-a-popular-rule-change-with-its-new-pitch-clock).

MLB, Fanatics and Topps have created a new patch that players will wear when they make their debut in the majors.

Anthony Volpe will make his big league debut at shortstop with the Louis Cardinals host the Toronto Blue Jays. “Topps has been a great partner to baseball for decades, and I think this particular initiative is crucial to the development of deeper fan engagement.” [New York Yankees](https://www.nbcnewyork.com/tag/new-york-yankees) against the [San Francisco Giants](https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants?chrcontext=WVIT) and Jordan Walker will step onto a major league outfield for the first time when the St. That figure has since been beaten out by a 1952 Mickey Mantle card, which sold for Rookie cards are among the most coveted items in the sports memorabilia industry.

Former Tigers on MLB rosters include infielder DJ LeMahieu (Yankees), infielder Alex Bregman (Astros), pitcher Aaron Nola (Phillies), pitcher Kevin Gausman ...

Fraley begins his fifth MLB season and his second with Cincinnati after three years with the Seattle Mariners. Gausman, who pitched at LSU in 2011 and 2012, begins his 11th MLB season and his second with the Blue Jays. Austin Nola, a native of Baton Rouge and Aaron’s older brother, made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Seattle Mariners, and he collected 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 79 games. Bregman, a product of Albuquerque, N.M., made his MLB debut with Houston in July 2016, and he has helped lead the Astros to the 2017 and 2022 World Series titles as the club’s starting third baseman. 2 overall selection by the Astros in the 2015 MLB Draft, Bregman was a two-time first-team all-American at LSU, and he was named the recipient of the 2013 Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s best shortstop. Aaron Nola, a Baton Rouge native, enters his ninth season in the Philadelphia rotation, and he was instrumental in the Phillies’ drive to the 2022 National League pennant.

MLB, Fanatics and Topps have created a new patch that players will wear when they make their debut in the majors.

Anthony Volpe will make his big league debut at shortstop with the “Topps has been a great partner to baseball for decades, and I think this particular initiative is crucial to the development of deeper fan engagement.” That figure has since been beaten out by a 1952 Mickey Mantle card, which sold for

The early slate of games brought plenty of action and drama on Opening Day. Follow it all here.

Baseball is back, which means it's time to make our picks for MVP, Cy Young, the World Series, and more.

Last year, he hit a [very high percentage](https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_search?hfPTM=&hfPT=&hfAB=&hfGT=R%7C&hfPR=&hfZ=&hfStadium=&hfBBL=&hfNewZones=&hfPull=&hfC=&hfSea=2022%7C&hfSit=&player_type=batter&hfOuts=&hfOpponent=&pitcher_throws=&batter_stands=&hfSA=&game_date_gt=&game_date_lt=&hfMo=&hfTeam=&home_road=&hfRO=&position=&hfInfield=&hfOutfield=&hfInn=&hfBBT=&hfFlag=is%5C.%5C.hit%5C.%5C.into%5C.%5C.play%5C.%5C.hardhit%7Cis%5C.%5C.launch%5C.%5C.angle%5C.%5C.sweetspot%7C&metric_1=&group_by=name&min_pitches=400&min_results=0&min_pas=0&sort_col=pitch_percent&player_event_sort=api_p_release_speed&sort_order=desc&chk_pa=on#results) of his batted balls (A) hard and (B) in the launch-angle sweet spot, and he made a lot of contact (though his swing decisions were [so-so](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BkPOI0kRFmhmPnUF-QsDt0zrusKzz77inwoDROG84Zw/edit#gid=477740665)). The Sox are coming off a .500 finish and didn’t do much to upgrade their roster this winter—their biggest batter and pitcher additions were Benintendi and Mike Clevinger, respectively, which may not even make up for the departures of Abreu and Johnny Cueto—but they did make a managerial change, and in their case, that might make a real difference. Davis didn’t spend big on those arms ( [and Bruce Bochy](https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2022/10/21/rangers-name-three-time-world-series-champion-bruce-bochy-as-next-manager/)) to end up with another fourth-place team, but that’s where both BP and FanGraphs envision them finishing, which means that the Rangers could qualify as a flop even if they play up to some sources’ expectations. But he’s just so versatile as a player that, now that he’s on an interesting team with designs on the playoffs, if he realizes even just a fraction of the offensive potential in his prospect profile, he’ll be extremely important in Toronto this year. [dared to dream](https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2022/3/25/22995791/shohei-ohtani-mvp-angels-preview-rule-dh) that Ohtani could be better than he was in 2021, despite the difficulty of improving on a unanimous MVP campaign. In my mind, the platonic ideal of a breakout candidate is someone who’s truly obscure and who didn’t end the previous season playing at a level that would make them a star if it was sustained over a full season (see Bryan De La Cruz’s .388/.419/.718 September and October). Burnes may not be in Milwaukee much longer—he’s eligible for free agency after the 2024 season and could be traded before then—but for now, he’ll be trying his hardest to carry the Brewers back to October after his pride was dinged during a Ohtani won’t lead the league in innings pitched, but the gap between him and whoever does shouldn’t be huge, and he’s the best bet to turn in the most effective frames of anyone who qualifies for the ERA title. I was probably an Edwin Díaz patellar tendon tear away from picking the Mets to win the NL East, a Luis Severino [lat strain](https://www.mlb.com/news/luis-severino-has-right-lat-strain) away from picking the Yankees to win the AL East, and a Triston McKenzie [shoulder strain](https://www.mlb.com/news/triston-mckenzie-to-shut-down-with-right-shoulder-injury) away from picking the Guardians to win the AL Central, and I wouldn’t blink if the Brewers, White Sox, Mariners, or Rangers sneaked into the playoff picture. [improved](https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2022/10/6/23390891/american-league-mvp-2022-aaron-judge-shohei-ohtani) as the season went on, increasing his usage of a newly refined slider, debuting a nasty new sinker, and recording a 1.67 ERA and 2.03 FIP over his final 19 starts, a span of 118 2/3 innings. [Ben Lindbergh:](https://www.theringer.com/authors/ben-lindbergh) MLB’s standings have been [lopsided of late](https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/78238/moonshot-mlb-unbalanced-records-100-win-teams-tanking/), leading to [record](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/there-were-a-record-number-of-100-win-and-100-loss-mlb-teams-in-2019-and-it-was-bad-for-baseball/) [numbers](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/100-win-and-100-loss-teams-are-piling-up-as-disparity-between-mlb-teams-grows/) of teams with 100 wins or losses. However, the competitive picture has [tightened at the top](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-state-of-league-parity/), a [predictable by-product](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/expanded-playoffs-are-probably-coming/) of the 12-team playoff format.

The Astros began their World Series title defense Thursday against the White Sox, but it didn't go as they planned.

Offseason chaos. A historic World Baseball Classic. New rules. After a wild winter, MLB's regular season starts today with all 30 teams in action.

[Shane Bieber](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/40912/shane-bieber) vs. [Zac Gallen](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/39910/zac-gallen) vs. [German Marquez](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/34874/german-marquez) vs. [Dylan Cease](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/34943/dylan-cease) vs. [Alek Manoah](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/42436/alek-manoah) vs. [Mitch Keller](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33722/mitch-keller) vs. [Pablo Lopez](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/39671/pablo-lopez) vs. [Eduardo Rodriguez](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/32675/eduardo-rodriguez) vs. [Corbin Burnes](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/39878/corbin-burnes) vs. [Kyle Gibson](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/31053/kyle-gibson) vs. [Logan Webb](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/41216/logan-webb) vs. [Max Fried](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/32685/max-fried) vs.

Major League Baseball announced that players making their first appearances will wear debut patches on their jerseys. The patch will appear on different ...

Major League Baseball's opening day can offer an occasionally instructive peek under hood, even if it's merely just 1/162nd of the season to come.

[per The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/4365441/2023/03/30/2023-san-francisco-giants-opening-day-roster/), then told his parents to put the kibosh on plans to travel to New York and see his debut. No opening day magic can match that of players who stick on the roster and are set to make their major league debuts, like vaunted prospects Walker and Volpe. Alas, Oakland scrapped out two runs off Aaron Loup in the bottom of the eighth inning to steal Ohtani's win and, more significantly, deal the Angels a setback in their aim to end a near decadelong playoff drought. The result was somewhat predictable: Kluber recorded 10 outs and gave up five runs to the exuberant young Orioles lineup, including a home run to burgeoning star Adley Rutschman. The Yankees won their opener and Volpe’s alma mater, Delbarton School, got a no-decision – the team postponed its game Thursday to show up, jerseys and all, at Volpe’s debut. Petersburg, Florida, Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg made the rounds, expressing a significant amount of confidence a long-awaited deal for a new stadium would come together by year’s end. And of the five games that exceeded the three-hour mark, three could certainly cite extenuating circumstances – final scores of 10-9, 11-7 and 10-9. And now Outman, 25, has an opening day homer to his credit, too. And it will do nothing to expedite or ensure the healthy return of Carlos Rodon, the $162 million lefty whose forearm injury will keep him out until May. The news coming out of spring training – average game time, 2 hours, 35 minutes – seemed too good to be true. Or Gerrit Cole, the $324 million ace, mowing through the San Francisco Giants, striking out 11 in six innings, the highest-paid pitcher in total value teaming with the position player earning more than any other annually to send an immediate message to the American League. Sometimes that uh-oh feeling is quite warranted, as much as some of the oh-wows that might emerge when the sport’s presents are unwrapped, one by one.

David Purdum examines how MLB's new rule changes will affect sportsbook's and bettors' approaches to wagering on baseball this season.

"The shift is huge to me," Fortuna said. "That's one thing [larger bases] that we did adjust our numbers on based on the rule changes, and it seems to be something that the bettors are taking note of also," Blum said. "We don't really see a direct correlation from the pitch clock to more scoring," said Randy Blum, who oversees baseball odds for the SuperBook in Las Vegas. "I think it's going to be a little more offsetting than people realize, almost a wash," Halvor said. Hitters are allowed one timeout per at-bat to reset the pitch clock. Hitters must be in the batter's box with eight seconds on the pitch clock.

David Purdum examines how MLB's new rule changes will affect sportsbooks' and bettors' approaches to wagering on baseball this season.

"The shift is huge to me," Fortuna said. "That's one thing [larger bases] that we did adjust our numbers on based on the rule changes, and it seems to be something that the bettors are taking note of also," Blum said. "We don't really see a direct correlation from the pitch clock to more scoring," said Randy Blum, who oversees baseball odds for the SuperBook in Las Vegas. "I think it's going to be a little more offsetting than people realize, almost a wash," Halvor said. Hitters are allowed one timeout per at-bat to reset the pitch clock. Hitters must be in the batter's box with eight seconds on the pitch clock.

Here's one baseball fans might not have bet on: at least one prominent oddsmaker thinks starting pitchers will go deeper into games this season.

That’s the one that’s going to be the most difficult for us early on and I think for teams as well. “That’s the one market that I think we’re going to have the most difficulty early on in deciphering how much of an increase,” Egeland said. Starters are “going to dictate the tempo of the game and they’re going to be able to frustrate the hitters,” Biggio said. “The outfield shifting data-wise shows a greater difference between the batting average on balls in play.” He is a career .199 hitter but has a .325 on-base percentage and has topped out at 41 homers in a season. Batters must be alert to the pitcher with 8 seconds left.

A pitch timer that necessitates pitchers start their deliveries within 15 seconds with the bases empty, and within 20 seconds with someone on board;; Defensive ...

[Pete Alonso](/mlb/players/2447476/pete-alonso/) and [Jeff McNeil](/mlb/players/2169895/jeff-mcneil/), as well as home plate umpire Larry Vanover. [Mets](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/NYM/new-york-mets/) committed oddest violation [Orioles](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/BAL/baltimore-orioles/), would end up plating three other runs that inning. [MLB](/mlb/) and the MLB Players Association agreed to these changes with the hope that they would improve the pace of play and incentivize more batted balls and stolen-base attempts -- or, in other words, more action. Devers was not ready to hit, and so he ended up losing a chance for one more swing. We're here to tell you that both measures moved in the intended directions.

Scott Pianowski highlights a little-known player to consider adding in fantasy — a player who just might be the first stolen-base-specific pickup of 2023.

The percentage of Major League Baseball players born outside the 50 states remained relatively stable for the fourth straight opening day.

Puerto Rico (19), Mexico (15), Canada (10), Japan (eight), Colombia (seven), Curaçao, Panama and South Korea (four each); Bahamas and Nicaragua (two apiece), and Aruba, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Honduras and Taiwan (one each). The Dominican Republic led with 104 players, its second-most behind 110 in 2020. Venezuela was second with 62, followed by Cuba (21).

Major League Baseball made three notable rule changes this year, and if Opening Day is any indication, they are already working.

The number of timer violations dropped from 2.03 per game at the beginning of spring training to 1.48 by the end. When it comes to stolen bases, teams and oddsmakers clearly see the new rules as an enduring advantage. [Spring training games](https://www.mlb.com/news/impact-of-new-rules-during-spring-training-2023) were 26 minutes shorter on average in 2023 compared to 2021 and 2022. The overall batting average on ground balls was .249 in 2023 spring training, up from .233 in 2022. Spring training data saw a notable jump in batting average on ground balls, especially ones pulled and up the middle. It is intended to speed the game up, and it has already proved to be incredibly effective in that respect. Runners went 21 of 23 on stolen bases on Opening Day for an average of 1.53 attempts per game. Average runs per game dropped to 8.56 in 2022, the lowest number for the league since 2015. Stolen bases saw a significant spike both in spring training and on Opening Day. Scoring is a tougher one to gauge. How effectively are they working, and what can teams, fans and even oddsmakers expect for the rest of the season? The average time needed for nine innings is slightly shorter, but it has also floated above three hours each year since 2016.

The number of players born outside the United States that featured on Opening Day rosters dipped 2% to 269 compared to last year, Major League Baseball ...

For the third consecutive season, the Houston Astros have the most internationally-born players with 16, followed by the Minnesota Twins (15), San Diego Padres (15), Miami Marlins (13) and New York Yankees (13). Venezuela (62), Cuba (21) Puerto Rico (19) and Mexico (15) rounded out the top five. The number of internationally-born players represents 28.5% of a total pool of 945 players and trails only the 2020 (291) and 2022 (275) seasons.

We knew coming into the season that we'd see some weird things happen as umps and players got used to these new changes. We also knew we'd see some umps ...

Introducing MLB Debut Patches | Say hello to the first-ever memorabilia jersey patch, destined for trading cards.

Baseball players aren't always the most fashionable, but they understand the need to look good on their first day of school. March 31, 2023.

Crawford's whole vibe, Penn Murfee's dirtbag professorial look, and the rest of the team going full normcore. The whole range of baseball player fashion is on display here. All smiles from Francisco Lindor, who, predictably, outshined his Mets' teammates in the pregame tunnel. Thursday's festivities featured a few people who came correct, both on the field and with their tunnel entrance fits. Every year on Opening Day, you'll hear committed fans talk about how it should be a national holiday. The

SportsLine's Mike McClure, a daily Fantasy pro with nearly $2 million in winnings, gives optimal MLB DFS lineup advice.

[Astros](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/HOU/houston-astros/) vs. The stars are aligning for him to return tournament-winning value and he comes at a price that won't break the bank. [White Sox](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/CHW/chicago-white-sox/) at 7:10 p.m. Machado went 1 of 3 at the plate on Opening Day, giving him a .333 average heading into the second game of the campaign. He went 3 of 4 with two doubles and a run, finishing with three of the team's seven hits. Bogaerts has destroyed left-handed pitchers throughout his career, hitting .311 with 41 home runs and 171 RBI, making this a favorable matchup against They are both heavy favorites in the [MLB](/mlb/) odds at Caesars Sportsbook, so their stars will be popular choices in MLB DFS lineups. San Diego came up short against Colorado on Thursday, but Bogaerts was outstanding in his debut with the Padres. This allows him to find the best values on every site. And when it comes to daily Fantasy baseball, McClure is at his best. Before submitting any MLB DFS picks for Friday, be sure to [check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine daily Fantasy expert Mike McClure](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/mlb-dfs-optimal-fanduel-draftkings-picks-player-pool-advice-for-march-31-2023/#ttag=03312023_agg_cbssports_dfs_baseball_mlb_mikemcclure_MLBDFSFriday). There are only five games on the docket, making MLB DFS strategy a trickier task to tackle.

MLB is investigating a confrontation between Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon and an Athletics fan at Thursday's season opener in Oakland.

Rendon continues to challenge the fan as he denies the claim. He missed the majority of 2022 after undergoing right wrist surgery during the season. In a 12-second video posted on social media, Rendon grabs the fan by the shirt through the guardrails and accuses the fan of calling him a "b----."

Major League Baseball is investigating a postgame incident involving Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon and a fan at Oakland's Coliseum after ...

Francisco was also charged with felony battery and settled a lawsuit with the fan. More notably, Texas Rangers pitcher Frank Francisco was suspended the remainder of the 2004 season after a September incident between Rangers relievers and fans in Oakland, where the bullpen is located down the third base line. Rendon can be seen reaching up into an elevated seating area with his hand around the man's shirt.

MLB is investigating a confrontation between Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon and an Athletics fan at Thursday's season opener in Oakland.

Rendon continues to challenge the fan as he denies the claim. He missed the majority of 2022 after undergoing right wrist surgery during the season. In a 12-second video posted on social media, Rendon grabs the fan by the shirt through the guardrails and accuses the fan of calling him a "b----."

Major League Baseball made three notable rule changes this year, and if Opening Day is any indication, they are already working.

The number of timer violations dropped from 2.03 per game at the beginning of spring training to 1.48 by the end. When it comes to stolen bases, teams and oddsmakers clearly see the new rules as an enduring advantage. [Spring training games](https://www.mlb.com/news/impact-of-new-rules-during-spring-training-2023) were 26 minutes shorter on average in 2023 compared to 2021 and 2022. The overall batting average on ground balls was .249 in 2023 spring training, up from .233 in 2022. Spring training data saw a notable jump in batting average on ground balls, especially ones pulled and up the middle. It is intended to speed the game up, and it has already proved to be incredibly effective in that respect. Runners went 21 of 23 on stolen bases on Opening Day for an average of 1.53 attempts per game. Average runs per game dropped to 8.56 in 2022, the lowest number for the league since 2015. Stolen bases saw a significant spike both in spring training and on Opening Day. Scoring is a tougher one to gauge. How effectively are they working, and what can teams, fans and even oddsmakers expect for the rest of the season? The average time needed for nine innings is slightly shorter, but it has also floated above three hours each year since 2016.

MLB announced Friday it is investigating an altercation between Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon and a fan at the A's-Angels game Thursday.

Major League Baseball is investigating a video making the rounds on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon ...

Major League Baseball made three notable rule changes this year, and if Opening Day is any indication, they are already working.

The number of timer violations dropped from 2.03 per game at the beginning of spring training to 1.48 by the end. When it comes to stolen bases, teams and oddsmakers clearly see the new rules as an enduring advantage. It is intended to speed the game up, and it has already proved to be incredibly effective in that respect. [Spring training games](https://www.mlb.com/news/impact-of-new-rules-during-spring-training-2023) were 26 minutes shorter on average in 2023 compared to 2021 and 2022. The overall batting average on ground balls was .249 in 2023 spring training, up from .233 in 2022. Spring training data saw a notable jump in batting average on ground balls, especially ones pulled and up the middle. Runners went 21 of 23 on stolen bases on Opening Day for an average of 1.53 attempts per game. Average runs per game dropped to 8.56 in 2022, the lowest number for the league since 2015. Scoring is a tougher one to gauge. Stolen bases saw a significant spike both in spring training and on Opening Day. How effectively are they working, and what can teams, fans and even oddsmakers expect for the rest of the season? The average time needed for nine innings is slightly shorter, but it has also floated above three hours each year since 2016.

Even umpires are adjusting to baseball's new rules. Major League Baseball admitted to the Mets that umpires messed up a violation call on opening day.

[Showalter said Friday](https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mets-manager-buck-showalter-no-fan-rookie-hazing-why-dont-you-make-his-path-little-easier). [CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP](https://foxnews.onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products) [Miami Marlins](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/mlb/miami-marlins). Under the new rules, pitchers have 15 seconds to deliver a pitch, 20 with one or more runners on base. [CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM](https://www.foxnews.com/sports) [Major League Baseball](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/mlb) umpires are adjusting to the new rules.

MLB announced Friday it is investigating an altercation between Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon and a fan at the A's-Angels game on ...

Rendon continued to yell vulgar words at the fan and then swung and missed at him before walking away. You called me a b---h, huh?” (Warning: Video contains NSFW language). The fans denied Rendon’s accusation, but the Angels player continued to press the issue while still appearing to pull the fan’s shirt.

MLB announced Friday it is investigating an altercation between Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon and a fan at the A's-Angels game on ...

Rendon continued to yell vulgar words at the fan and then swung and missed at him before walking away. You called me a b---h, huh?” (Warning: Video contains NSFW language). The fans denied Rendon’s accusation, but the Angels player continued to press the issue while still appearing to pull the fan’s shirt.