MLB Baseball 3h Briefing
×Last updated: March 12, 2026, 7:45 PM ET
World Baseball Classic
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa says espn.com his squad has found a "new lease on life" at the World Baseball Classic after prematurely declaring they had reached the quarterfinals, while Jack Hughes sent espn.com a "nice little fire-up message" to the team ahead of their quarterfinal matchup against Canada. The New Jersey Devils star, who scored the golden goal against Canada in the Winter Olympics, provided pregame motivation as Team USA prepares for the high-stakes elimination game.
Opening Day Preparations
The Chicago Cubs announced Matthew Boyd espn.com as their Opening Day starter against the Washington Nationals, with manager Craig Counsell selecting the left-hander for the season debut on Thursday. The move comes as teams across MLB finalize their pitching rotations for the March 20 season openers, with several clubs expected to make similar announcements in the coming days.